Grape Pie (Indica)

Grape Pie (Indica)
This strain comes via the Flawless Pharms label, which I‘ve seen at Hollywood High Grade before. They cultivate quality flower with strong effects. If there’s one brand name I can truly endorse, it’s this one. And that made me very excited to try another selection from them. This Indica strain called Grape Pie had some high expectations to live up to, that’s for sure. Fortunately, it was up to the task.

Appearance: 5/5
This plant came to me in the form of one giant nug, and honestly, I love it when that happens. Not only does it make me feel like I’ve found some sort of “super nug,” but it allows me the chance to get a great look at the plant itself before I smoke it. And brother, this is one beautiful looking plant.

The medium green leaves intermingle with the orange tendrils and all the fuzzy crystals to create the illusion of the color purple from afar. Which is probably where this strain gets its name from. Upon closer look, you can really see the details, including how fuzzy and crystal-covered the leaves are on this flower. Absolutely wonderful.

Aroma: 5/5
As soon as I opened up the pop-top, I was hit with a very strong and intense aroma coming off of this flower. It smelled very earthy and leafy, with a rounded sharpness to the scent that really hit me at the top of the nose. It definitely reminded me of cilantro. Which we know can be a divisive herb, but it fit in perfectly here and made for a wonderful smelling plant.

Taste: 5/5
I loved the taste of this plant. It had a very big flavor that was both aromatic and pungent. It hit us hard, but it wasn’t harsh -- I didn’t have to regulate how I was smoking. The acrid, earthy flavor hit me hard on the inhale, but then dissipated quickly, leaving relatively little aftertaste.

Effect: 5/5
At first, I didn’t feel any effects from this Indica strain. But that’s maybe because I was so distracted… by being too high.

Honestly, it’s true. I thought that nothing was happening at first, only to realize that I had become super-duper high without noticing it. I realized that I was so focused on this plant and its “lack of effects” that I had been thinking about nothing else for like five minutes. Not to mention that I wouldn’t stop talking about it, which was another symptom of this strong Indica high -- chattiness.

This strain got me good and stoned for a really long while. It was legitimately hours before I came down and packed another bowl. For experienced smokers (like me), that’s a big deal, and this strong flower definitely earned a place on my shelf.

Another masterpiece from Flawless Pharms. This Grape Pie is a fantastic purchase. It’s a strong Indica that packs a wild punch. So wild, in fact, that you might not even know you’re on the ground! I think this deserves a spot on your own personal “Private Reserve” shelf, just like where I keep mine. It’s amazing!

Every time I shop at Hollywood High Grade, it’s always been the same experience.  The budtenders are polite but rarely helpful, and they usually seem to have very little background knowledge on the products they sell.  The shop is big and well-stocked, but unless you ask, you won’t be given the full tour. They’re willing to sell you products, but they won’t sell them to you in a courteous and professional manner.  They’re just the gatekeepers of the plants, so to speak, but if you’ve got the cash, they’ll give them to you. 

If you’re looking for anything like a medical consultation or a personalized shopping experience, you’re going to need to look elsewhere.  If you just want to throw down some money for some green and walk away, then yeah, this place might work for you. Just don’t expect them to do any more work for you. 

Grape Pie (Indica) - $15.04 for 1g

Address:
7051 B Santa Monica Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90038
Phone number: (323) 536-9133
Hours: 8am - 10pm, 7 days a week

To be honest, I’ve been to Hollywood High Grade before… and I didn’t love it.

Sometimes, places just rub you the wrong way, and I felt totally rubbed the wrong way from my past visits to Hollywood High Grade. I could never quite put my finger on what turned me off from shopping at this very convenient, centrally-located dispensary, nestled merely a stone’s throw away from the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd and La Brea.

But it was during this last visit that I finally figured it out: It’s their attitude.

Maybe it’s because of its location. This shop sits on Santa Monica Blvd, a street that still has issues with crime, and a massive a transient population. The area is totally safe, except for late nights. But don’t worry, HHG comes with its own parking lot - fully equipped with a Security Guard for your safety and convenience.

Maybe it’s because it’s been one of the longest running legal dispensaries in Los Angeles. Perhaps it’s simply the culture of the shop and it’s proprietors. Whatever it is, it’s their attitude that turns people off, which is why I rarely ever shop here.

After being checked out by the Security Guard with his metal-detecting wand, you’ll check-in at the front desk and wait for your turn. The waiting room is not very big, but it has a lot of seating -- there’s this long, plush couch that runs nearly the length of the room, able to accommodate a full crowd. But I’ve never seen it that full, nor would I ever want to.

Once inside the showroom, you’re led to a stanchion line that snakes in the middle of the room, creating the queue for you to wait in, while a budtender becomes available. On this visit, there was only one customer ahead of me, and several budtenders waiting around talking to each other. They made me wait a minute while they wrapped up their conversation.

Right off the bat, that attitude felt wrong. I was waiting for them to finish up, rather than being helped right away. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by great retail experiences, but it annoys me to wait for two employees to finish a casual conversation before addressing my needs.

Anyway, I was finally helped. This shop is big, and it’s got a large display case full of products -- not just flower, but edibles, pre-rolls, waxes, carts, vapes, and even some CBD stuff mixed in here and there.

I asked if they had any grams of flower, and I was pointed to the back wall, where there were several shelves of pre-packaged grams available. And by “pointed” I mean they literally just pointed to the wall. When I asked for more information, they were only able to tell me whether it was Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid.

I asked for a recommendation, and they said they didn’t really know much about these current flowers. Looks like I was on my own, so I selected an Indica that had a promising name -- Grape Pie.