Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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PhotograPhy by Sigurd Fandango. oPPoSite Page: Michael brandS High-ron Chef: Randy Placeres specializes in "high-end" cannabis cuisine, such as this seared Japanese hamachi crudo with warm coconut- and ginger-infused sativa oil, and a sauce of diakon and white soy. From restaurants to retail, aspen gives marijuana a modish makeover. It came as no surprise when, immedi- ately following the enactment of Amendment 64—the Colorado ballot measure that legalized the personal use of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older—on January 1, 2014, dispensaries began to pop up all over town like wildflowers in a high- country meadow. And while the blossoming industry in Aspen has certainly seen its share of minimalist storefronts serving countless varieties of mary jane intended for rolling, packing in a pipe, or munching in pot brownies and gummy bears, two local business owners want to give the commonly lowbrow cannabis culture a highbrow spin. "It was our goal from the outset to change the perception of cannabis and to help educate and enlighten both consumers and the general public," says Jordan Lewis, owner of Aspen's Silverpeak Apothecary and the organic marijuana grow facility High Mountain Farms in Basalt. "In order to overcome the natural apprehension of first-time customers, we set out to create an environment that is both disarming and inviting." The bright new store was renovated last year to reflect a more upscale sensibility. The products are beautifully lit and artfully displayed; the space is more reminis- cent of one of Aspen's myriad jewelry shops than a pot dispensary. "One of the wonderful attributes of being located in the Roaring Fork Valley is that we live in a community of people who appreciate the sustainability of production and local provenance of their cannabis," Lewis adds, likening his seed-to-sensation marijuana 52 aspenpeak-magazine.com THE HIGH SIDE of Cannabis SCENE Trend