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In celebration of this weeks Force Awakens premier we present to you Death Star! Finally an indica that is appropriate for night and day time. Of course it would be named after Star Wars. Death Star is a blend of the indica strain Sensi Star and the sativa Sour Diesel. Both strains have such dramatic effects that you would think the high from them being put together would drive you insane. Death Star is known to be a heavy indica, which is true but, the amount of euphoria that it takes from its sativa side is amazing. This strain is recommended for daytime or nighttime. It has great pain relief and tones of mental help. I would say this is a great strain to keep around for an anytime use. Its fairly popular now-a-days so, i'm sure you won't have trouble finding it! Keep it real! -Colin
When crossing the Blueberry indica strain and the legendary Haze sativa strain, you get an absolute amazing hybrid called BLUE DREAM!!! This strain is as good as it sounds. Every aspect that you look for in a sativa and a indica strain is within this strain. This type of hybrid is considered a sativa dominate. What that means is, when you smoke blue dream you get the euphoric creativeness that you would from a normal sativa but also, you get the relaxing pain relief that you would get from a normal indica. Patients that suffer from pain, depression, or nausea love this strain because normally they would have to smoke a heavy indica to relieve the threshold of these symptoms. Which usually make you very tired and unmotivated. But, because blue dream shares the best of both worlds, it doesn't make you drowsy but still gives you the pain relief with the desired motivation. A great strain to have in the morning with your cup of coffee.
Have an awesome week!!!! Peace -Colin
This strain is the one that everyone brings up when they try to nay-say marijuana. In no way at all does Green Crack have anything to do with real crack or even butt cracks for that matter. This strain was originally known as "Cush" and hit the scene in the early 90's in SoCal. Somewhere in its travels thru California, Cush got sold to Snoop Dogg and his crew. Its said that Snoop Dogg took a few hits of Cush and said that he was going to call it Green Crack for now on because of how quickly it hits you with energy and how much he just wanted to keep smoking it. This strain is a fantastic morning weed. It gives you every benefit of caffeine and gives you a lot of creative juices. Artist tend to keep Green Crack around cause of how well it helps to break through creative barriers. A great med for anyone who needs motivation, stress relief, anti-depression and pain relief. This is one of the most sought after strains out!!! Have a hazy week ya pot heads! -Colin
TRAINWRECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I. Fa-king. Love. This. Strain!!!! Seriously tho, one of the best scented and best tasting types of marijuana in my opinion. If you are looking for a cerebral “head high”, as the kids are calling it these days, this is a perfect strain to pick up. Trainwreck has been a household name for us marijuana abusers for decades now. I’m sure if you said the name “trainwreck” around your hippy parents, they would know exactly what you’re talking about. Besides giving a crazy awesome head buzz, this strain is great for patients that suffer from depression, anxiety, appetite stimulant, cramps associated with PMS, RLS, DDD, nausea, muscle aches, and eases pain from nerve damage. I personally have found myself leaning towards this strain whenever I’m in need of a pick me up. It helps take a bad mood and turn it right around. It’s also great to smoke during the day because it gives you a euphoric state of mind with a high amount of energy.
Smoke em if you got em boys and girls! Have a gnarly week!
-Colin
A few weeks ago, I touched on a cannabis product that most of us stoners call dabs. This week i'm going to talk about one of the methods you take dabs. Dab rigs are essentially bongs for the most part. They do make dab pipes but, they are absolutely awful and I don't recommend using them. The way you use dab rigs is a bit different.... Some say that it reminds them of how you would smoke crack and in which is why some don't partake in a dab sessions. You can use any normal water bong. The only extra pieces you need is a torch, dab nail and a dabber. Dab nails are made out of either quartz, ceramic or titanium. Each nail has different benefits. Dabbers are a glass or titanium rod that you use to touch the dab (wax) to the dab nail. You consume the dab by heating the nail with the torch then taking the dabber with the wax on the end of it and putting to the heated nail. The reason that dabbing is even popular is because it sedates you more than any other way of consuming marijuana. For patients with pain, some say it works better than the best narcotic. For stoners, they say it feels like the first time they've ever smoked again. Dabbing is the ultimate high. Peace! -Colin
Riding, for me, is all about the trip. Short or long, it doesn't matter. Two wheels, an engine, and the pavement underneath of you. You are connected to the road by nothing more than that. You see everything, you feel every bit of it. It means so much more than just getting from point A to B, it's an experience. There are days that all I could think about is getting off of work, packing up my bike and leaving for the weekend, just ride someplace new and discover.
What if you found out that there was so much uncertainty in your future, and being told by doctors that you wouldn't live to see 30? Aileen of The Moto Quest had to face that reality, and dealt with it head on.
Instead of letting tragedy hold her back, she decided to embrace life and move forward. She has chosen to pack up her Honda CD250U and travel the four corners. Her bravery to set out with no real plan, and to just follow the road to where it takes her is absolutely inspiring.
Please take a few minutes to check her out, and share her story with others
When I think of reflective clothes, I just think of a traffic conductor, the people I see running every morning, or your average bicyclist. For the most part, I've only seen reflective clothes be more for fitness purpose. The first time I've ever heard of this reflective fabric being used in fashion, was when Alexander McQueen created these looks on the runway for his 2004 Fall Collection in Paris.
So how does it work? Well, first things first, not to be confused with A glow in the dark SURFACE that works as simple as turnING the lights out and that's how it glows. However, reflective objects and fabrics, work off of a separate source of light like a flashlight, camera flash, head lights, etc, to flash light back at you! It's initial purpose was to be able to be seen in the night time, for safety reasons of course. So bikers, police officers, runners, and traffic directors wear reflective vests, and reflective patches, to avoid being hit by cars if they're out at night! At first glance, the reflective material itself usually just looks like a almost metallic grey surface, but when a light is pointed on the material, it reflects back, giving off the white luminescent glow!
More recently, the flashy reflective look taking on more than just a sporty look, and it's slowly evolving to be more of a casual/street style trend. NIKE specifically has started to run with this trend, and while still being a sports oriented brand, most people wear NIKE as more of a fashion statement nowadays. Like most sport oriented brands, the logos on their shoes or apparel would be reflective, so if the wearer is on a run at night, and a car is coming by, they can be spotted and avoided easily. The trend is on the come up as a flashy thing for pictures! I see this trend in men's fashion a lot, but I need to see my ladies wearing this look more! It looks sick on men and women alike!
I recently came across a United Kingdom based clothing and accessories company called LFLECT who incorporates reflective elements in all of their pieces, with everything from head-bands, apparel, and even reflective yarn and iron-ons, so you like to DIY like I do, you can make your own custom reflective pieces! Shop LFLECT HERE
I haven't gotten my hands on any reflective pieces yet, but it is definitely at the top of the list of my must haves for Spring 2015.
Thanks for reading!
I'm very excited to be part of the Vile Blogging team!
xx
Melanie
So, obviously you're gonna see me Tophin' around at Cthulhu's Pizza Party this friday with Aren and the crew. However, if you're in the service industry or you've got tickets to the wings game or something- your weekend in the way of live music is not yet lost! If you have the wrong circle of friends or live under a rock(or outside of SE MI)you've probably heard of BERSERKER FEST II. It's a series a of 3 multi-venue shows that apparently will occur annually(at least I hope so, amirite?) in the woodward/9 mile vincinity. So you see- you have 3 nights to choose from, and every night is gonna rule SO HARD. Apparatus booking does a killer job.
The event is this Thursday, Friday and Saturday(March 13th-15th), and is taking place at both The Loving Touch and The Woodward Avenue Brewery(or WAB, for shorties!). You can pick up tickets at Found Sound, UHF, Stormy Records OR on the interwebz. 20 bux gets you in one day, 40 covers the whole 3 day she-bang. You get to see local heavy hitters like Child Bite and Tharsis They alongside incredible national acts like Poison Idea and FUCKING COLISEUM!!! Holy fucking shit, right!?! Everyone cool will be there(I can't be for sad reasons, but go and pour one out for your friendly neighborhood Toph!).
Also, tonight(wed, March 12th)there is a FREE kick-off party at the Loving Touch! Friggin Bars of Gold and Hollow Earth?!? For Free?!?! What the ever-loving fuck?!?! Don't forget your I.D., it's a grown-up's party!
Everything you need to know is at www.berserkerdetroit.com, Including a full lineup.
You're welcome.
Look for me if you make it to the Pizza Party! I love you all!
XOXO TOPH
PIZZA FEST IS FINALLY HERE! JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY AND WE GET TO CELEBRATE THE TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR BOYS AT CTHULHU ENTERTAINMENT! IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DESTRESS THE US TOUR, THIS SHOW WILL SHOWCASE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BANDS FROM THE DETROIT AREA! On a sad note for all you locals, this will be the last show upstairs at the magic stick! so this will literally be your last chance to get down at one of detroit's greatest venues!
SO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS CREEP ALL THE GOOD MUSIC BEFORE THE SHOW! WE WANNA SEE YOU IN THE FRONT ROW FIGHTING YOUR WAY TO THE MIC, SCREAMING OUT YOUR FAVORITE LYRICS!
PS. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL GIVE AWAY SET UP FOR THE SHOW! SO YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO PARTAKE IN A ONE OF A KIND DESIGN! JUST SAYN! -AREN
This is some low key, headbanging shit right here I'm letting you in on. Don't you fucking tell nobody. This "brewery" was started by two Swedish gents back in 2011. They think up these ridiculously wonderful brews in their native land, then travel all around the planet to make them with other brewers. It's what's referred to as a nomadic style of brewing. This specific beer is insane.
Drawing inspiration from saisons, this oat/wheat IPA is unlike most any others you've tried. Pours so murky and smells so sweet and citrusy. Hops include colombus, citra and centennial. 8%abv so on the lower side of a double IPA. This thing is in a league of it's own. Plus, the bottle is dope as fuck. Made right here in the US. Find this! Drink this! Cheers!
My Score: 97
Beer Advocate: 97
Rate Beer: 98
I wish more breweries made them, or at least made them this good. Black IPA's are in a league of their own. With all the characteristics of an IPA, juicy and citrus flavors and bitter, sometimes dry, but with roasted malts. Taking your palate to a whole different place.
First came the Lagunitas Day Time, which is a great session IPA. Low abv and extreme drinkability was the idea behind that one. Well, every yin has it's yang. Night time is the dark, dinner beer. Bigger abv at 7.9% yet hardly noticeable. Last year it was available in 22oz bottles but this year it has been put into 6 packs. Cool. More for less. This beer is available in Jan/Feb. Cheers!
My Score: 100
Rate Beer: 99
Beer Advocate: 92
Light Fires, Burn Bright.
Detroit Rose Candle Co. Was started in September of 2013 by local actress, and artist Deirdre Skiles. The candles are hand poured in the historic Eastern Market neighborhood of Detroit, MI. Each candle is built with all natural vegan-soy wax, and premium fragrance oils. Scents are an homage to Michigan's fresh summers, rich autumns, and soulful winters, and are inspired by Detroit culture both past & present.
With scents ranging from Lavender Love, to Leather, to Bergamot, to Milk and Honey, to so many more, there is a scent for each and every soul, and each and every home.
For a full list of local Detroit Stockists, or to order one of he amazing scented candles online, visit the Detroit Rose Candle Co. Site, here.
Xo,
Sar Elle
Toph is here with another friggin homegrown BANGERRRRRR <3
This past weekend, Under the Gun Review debuted the new single "Fireproof" for our good homies in Wolfshark. I was really excited to hear this jam, and it didn't disappoint. I'm very proud to have known Colin Guffey as a musician for pretty much forever now, and he's come a long way. He's developed a really cool sound as a vocalist, and works really well with the dynamics the band creates. You end up with this really dope fuck-you-you-don't-even-know-me party jammer. The main riff is a really cool norma-jean esque bit they pull through most of the song without losing the energy of it. The chorus hits you with hint of the Used and maybe a little bit of ETID with the way Colin croons over it. I really love the guitar tone in this band. For being what I and a lot of folks are calling a "Party Metal Band"- I feel the tone is pretty sophisticated. You get this really cool high-end English tube sound with a more natural break up. It's GAWJUSS. :) The bridge starts with the whole band stepping aside and letting our bassist shine. He comes in with this really cool slap-happy riff, where you finally realize how good his tone is as well. Gritty, a bit of a fuzz on it, and only slappy enough to be interesting. Reminds me of He Is Legend's bass sound. And then the whole group gets back into it with this escalating set of bars- starting with some delay on the fiddle and Colin cooing like sexy dove over the top. And then we explode. But Colin doesn't, because he is "FIREPROOF, YOU FUCK!"
I fucking love this jam. Check out the vid below, by our good dude Brandan Lee Keller. <3
See?!? I told you!!!!
Aren is shooting an interview with the dudes soon, he'll be talking to them about how sexy they are AND about their forthcoming Spring 2015 EP titled "Finding Yourself". Look for all of that and more right here at vilecompany.com. ALSO- be sure to follow Wolfshark on Facebook, and come check them at Cthulhu's 2 Year Anniversary Pizza Slam coming up at the stick March 14th!!!!
XOXO- Toph <3
Not only are lagers some of the hardest and most time consuming beers to brew, those are the only beers Wolverine Brewing makes. The insane part is how they manage to push the lager envelope making some serious use of their house yeast. Today I'm telling you to go out and experience their Gulo Gulo Lager. Especially if you're an IPA fan. It's made with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Warrior and Pilgrim hops and dry hopped twice with Cascade before it's done. This results in one damn smooth and heartily hopped lager. Smells and has the bite of an IPA but the crisp, yet light, mouth-feel of a lager. Oh, and it's 6.7% so again, just pushing that lager yeast higher and higher. As far as I know this beer is available year-round. Named Draft Magazine's top 25 beers of 2013! Pair this with your favorite brand of hotdogs. Cheers!
My Score: 90
Rate Beer: 88
Beer Advocate: 86
Leviticus Jewelry is an inspired collection of pieces created by designer Tara Levitin. Named in homage to her brother Levi and the childhood nickname she once conjured for her older sibling, her line is imbued with a slightly dark, gothic sensibility.
Browse through her provocative collection and discover subtle historical details woven into Levitin’s very modern work. Moved by pieces from the past, from one-of-a-kind vintage baubles she’s unearthed at estate sales, to the storied black jet (mourning) jewelry popularized in the Victorian era, Levitin’s design direction reflects a sentimentality with a patina rich in history, yet current and on the cutting edge.
Created with metals such as black rhodium, silver, rose gold, and gold, since 2005 Leviticus Jewelry has graced the pages of publications such as Elle, Nylon, Allure, Daily Candy, More, and Inked, and has been worn by the likes of Kat Von D, Ginnifer Goodwin, Juliet Huddy and Leigh Lezark.
Image courtesy of Paul Cherry's facebook page
So I woke up the other morning, Tophin' around on the internet like I always do. I check my facebook feed and find out my homie Paul Cherry has finally released his new video for his single "Cherry Time". If you don't recall, or if you're just now scoping my blogs- I put Paul Cherry's album "On Top" in my top 5 unsung records of 2014. I knew Paul was onto something radical with the direction of his music on this record, and I love his video for "Everybody's Burning Out"(you can see it in the aforementioned blog post). "Cherry Time" completely fucking blows it out of the water. It's incredibly NSFW. Just watch it, I can't waste time explaining it to you- there are no words.
...Yeah.
I can honestly totally relate to this. I feel this same way about TacoBell and those succulent Olive Garden breadsticks. I just don't think I could fuck taco bell in it's nasty turd-laden toilet stall. I'd seduce it at home!
-XOXO TOPH
Douglas & Co. Detroit is a lifestyle from the heart of Detroit where life is lived.
We offer quality handmade leather products, made in Detroit. Our products are designed and built by people in the city where they live; created with less than 20 products per series. Our mission is to partner with surrounding communities to educate, train and develop individuals with skills to create quality leather products. Douglas & Co. Detroit believes in the the fine craft of handmade leather goods.
Each item that Douglas & Co. Detroit produces is a labor of love that is deeply rooted in Detroit. One hundred percent of their manufacturing process takes place locally from start to finish, including the cutting, stitching and packaging. This enables customers to walk away with more than just a product; they also receive the intrinsic satisfaction of owning goods fashioned from a deep rooted passion. Each finished piece radiates with the heartfelt time spent massaging the leather, sewing and loving every step along the way.
You can view the entire collection at www.detroitandco.com
Xo,
Sar Elle
HEY GUYS. TOPH'S GOT ANOTHER SE MI GEM FOR YOU. :)
Narco Debut is a killer quartet from metro detroit and they "bring it on" the melodic spacey rock front. Gorgeous layers of guitars saturated in delays and reverb, soaring vocal melodies with hella range over a rhythm section that just grooves it all along. It's not all sparkles and bells- there's an edge with heavy breaks that don't get lost on the rocker crowd. I particularly like how they remind me a lot of Coheed and Cambria's "Second Stage Turbine Blade" record- one of my absolute favorite things ever recorded. Just lots of builds and lots of high range vocals that wash over you once they hit the break. I love it. Check out their video for "Apologia" below:
Homes Eyewear are made in Detroit from the city’s deconstructed housing stock. This city has roughly 70,000 abandoned homes still standing, and within those contain plenty of usuable materials, literally lying around, waiting for a breath of new life.
Founded in 2012, Homes are made at their headquarters in Eastern Market, Detroit. The 60 step, labor-intensive process blends CNC technology, hand-craftsmanship and proven woodworking techniques to create a beautiful and all around sustainable pair of sunglasses.
The materials extraction process takes a lot of work in and of itself, before it even hits the Homes Shop. Once harvested and catalogued, the wood is processed to remove nails, paint, char and other debris. The boards are hand picked by Homes at Reclaim Detroit, and are hand cut into wood veneers, which are then transformed into the frames offered today.
The boards selected at Reclaim Detroit vary in species and age, most of which were old-growth wood, harvested during the logging boom of the 1800 and 1900s. While homes, both in the early 1900s as well as present day, are constructed using mostly softwoods (white pine, douglas fir), many do contain hardwoods, which are ideal for use in frame building. Your frames’ finish will vary with grain character and color, as well as the life of the home they come from, and how they’ve weathered the years of use and/or neglect. No two pairs of Homes Sunglasses are exactly alike. Each handmade pair is however subject to the same rigorous quality inspection, ensuring your sunglasses were made with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Purchase the Kercheval Frame (above) and any other style that Homes has to offer at their site here.
Xo,
Sar Elle