Blackjack (Sativa)

Blackjack
This came highly recommended by our budenter, and we definitely need to thank her on our next visit. This flavorful flower delivers a great, if not slightly basic, high that gave us exactly what we want from a Sativa.

First of all, it’s got a great look. A light shade of green covered the leaves, along with orange wisps of hair threading themselves throughout the bud. A light dusting of crystals gave it an even fairer complexion. This bud carries a muted floral scent to go along with those jaw-dropping looks.

As we took our first hit, we were treated to some bright, popping bursts of flavor. Smoking this strain actually reminded us of chewing a piece of gum. But with that strong taste came an equally strong aftertaste that we didn’t love as much. The smoke coated our tongue, and ended up being harsher than we anticipated.

The high we got was amazing. It came on strong and fast. Our body was feeling soothed and relaxed instantly, and after a few puffs our brain was starting to catch up. This cannabis kept us focused and alert, but we found ourselves easily distracted by almost everything. This is not a sit and chill strain, by any means. So be wary of this plant if you need to be bright, alert, and firing on all cylinders. If you find that marijuana enhances your creativity, or stimulates your productivity, this might be the bud for you.

Long story short -- this is a great strain that delivers the perfect Sativa high. It’s relaxing, peppy, and stimulating. There’s tons of great strains at this shop, but we definitely recommend playing a few “hands” of Blackjack.

Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 4/5
Flavor: 5/5
Effect: 4/5

California Caregivers Alliance is not just a weed dispensary, it’s a wellness center. They provide plant-based medicine in a variety of forms -- for every type of customer. Everyone on staff was polite, courteous, and super knowledgeable. It’s obvious why this establishment has been around for so long -- it’s one of the best. This is truly one of our favorite dispensaries in Los Angeles. So, you should do yourself a favor, and check it out.

Address:
2815 W Sunset Blvd #201
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Hours: 8am - 10pm, 7 days a week 

There’s nothing better than discovering a truly amazing neighborhood spot that’s been hiding in plain sight for years. That’s how we felt when we found this dispensary, the California Caregivers Alliance, otherwise known as: CCA.

This Sunset Blvd. location, tucked away upstairs in the back corner of a two-story shopping plaza, can be hard to find. But once we finally stopped in and paid a visit, we knew our world would never be the same (at least, when it came to shopping for weed).

Not only is this one of the OG shops in Silverlake -- having been open since 2006 -- but it also advertises itself as, “the boutique shop of East/Central LA.” That’s a lot of hype to live up to, and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that this place is all that and more.

Our early morning visit started off on the right foot, because we were able to find parking inside the plaza’s lot. Don’t worry, though, there’s ample street parking on this stretch of Sunset Blvd. The shop doesn’t do much to call attention to itself, other than the CCA letters posted on the exterior. The look from the outside is just a black wall with a door and a buzzer. We readied ourselves and stepped into this mysterious marijuana abyss.

Instantly, we knew this place was something special. The small waiting room didn’t feel like other shops we’ve visited in the past. Most of them are white, bare, and usually pretty spacious. Not this shop. This place was full of clutter, and feels like a real, working office space.

As you check-in at the front desk, you get to speak to an actual person without the obstacle of a glass partition. The woman at the desk was super-peppy and welcoming, and even gave me a belated Happy Birthday as they scanned my ID.

As we sat in one of the room’s many chairs, we realized that this didn’t feel like a dispensary at all. It feels more like a doctor’s office waiting room, to be honest. This feeling was confirmed when the check-in person informed us that they were fully-stocked with “plant-based medicine.”

Now we’re lucky enough to enjoy marijuana for recreational purposes, but we do recognize the extreme health and pain-relieving benefits that our favorite plant has to offer. While some dispensaries can feel like flashy head shops that sell cool toys, we were definitely feeling a more sedated, thoughtful, dare we even say, holistic vibe in this room. Which, ultimately, set us up for what we eventually saw when we got inside the showroom.

We entered the showroom, and took a seat near the door while we waited for the next available budtender. The room, itself, is small, with a pillar located near the center of the floorspace. Which, to be frank, made the space feel even smaller. But the most amazing thing about this room (beside the merch) was that it had a window! Natural light inside a dispensary showroom is rare, and we think that’s got something to do with the friendly and vibrant attitude everyone at this shop seems to have.

After a short moment, the next available budtender called us up to the display case. Despite the room size, there were several budtenders working, each assigned to assist the customer (or patient) through their shopping experience.

The cases were jam-packed with stuff. So much so, that we needed to do a few laps around the room before we felt like we had seen everything. This shop’s emphasis on wellness means that they carry a ton of non-plant product, including vape oils, concentrates, tinctures, edibles, balms, etc.

When it came to the flower, we had mixed feelings. Their selection included lots of bud from brands like King’s Garden, Inhalence, and Flow Kana. The plants are pre-packaged and on display in their limited quantities. We didn’t begrudge them for not having big jars of bud, because quite frankly, we didn’t know where they would put them.

Our budtender was super helpful, as we leisurely browsed the selection. We then inquired about a few strains we had seen online. Which is another cool thing about this shop. They use the website, Potify (you know, like Spotify) for their online clientele. This site allows you to browse an online menu that’s constantly being updated.

When we tried to remember a strain we purchased on a previous visit, we were asked if we had a profile set up in their system. Sure enough, we did, and they were able to look up our purchase record from the past. It was all super efficient and helpful to expedite the entire process.

After browsing for longer than usual, we decided to stock up on an old-fashioned Sativa strain named, Blackjack.