Watermelon

Nothing says summer to me like watermelon. Er… the fruit, I mean. It’s absolutely one of the big pinnacles of summertime throughout my whole life. And now that it’s the dog days of summer, which can be particularly brutal in Los Angeles, I’m happy to have another Watermelon that can help me kick back and cool off.

Appearance 5/5
This flower came vacuum sealed, which meant that it had a slightly pressed -- or flat -- look to all of the pods. But that couldn’t do anything to stamp out the inherent beauty of this flower. It’s got a wonderful mix of light and dark green leaves, alternating so frequently along the surface that it almost looks like a pattern that’s been designed. Between the leaves are pockets of orange bursts that lend bright pops of color, and the entire plant pod is dusted with a coat of fine crystals so large they look like grains of salt.

If nothing else, this might be the best looking flower I’ve seen in a very, very long time.

Aroma 5/5
This flower had an aroma that was deep, rich, earthy and just a little bit sweet. All the elements combined together into something that was both smooth and slightly hoppy. If they ever make a cannabis beer (and I’m sure that they actually do), this is what I imagine it would smell like. Refreshing.

Taste 4/5
I smoked this Indica strain and found myself tasting a very lightly-flavored smoke. It had a sweet and fruity flavor that just hinted at itself. The smoke was also slightly perfumey, and a little hoppy. Just another sign that this Watermelon may make a great IPA someday.

Effect 5/5
While this strain wasn’t the strongest Indica I’ve ever smoked, it produced a pleasantly medium-strength sensation that was the perfect way to get stoned without getting sidetracked. This Indica made me feel calm and relaxed, with outside distractions falling away and supreme focus being bestowed upon my mind. Just like The Rolling Stones say, I was cool, calm, collected; and this feeling allowed me to ease into the rest of the day feeling great and with a renewed sense of excitement.

This might be my new favorite Watermelon!

Hard to believe that the flower could replace the fruit, but I am really, really in love with this strain.  It blew me away on almost every level, and I can’t imagine a cool summer day without it.

Hollywood is not my neighborhood, but I will totally make special visits to go there just to visit MMD Hollywood.  Not only is this a great dispensary, that’s well-stocked and well-designed, but it’s staffed with excellent budtenders that are super cool and totally helpful.  So who cares if it’s not in your neighborhood?  Big deal.  The smoke will taste sweeter because you exerted yourself for it.

Watermelon (Indica) - $14 for 1 gram

Address:
1515 N Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Phone: (877) 420-5874
Open: 8am - 9:50pm, 7 days a week

“Our customers come from all over. Even the ones that move away, like to Downtown, Culver, NoHo, they all come back here because they say our shop’s the best.”

That was my budtender, Mia, during my last visit to MMD Hollywood. And while it sounds like b.s., when she said it, I believed it. That’s how great of a budtender she was, and how awesome of an experience I had shopping there.

MMD Hollywood is exactly the type of shop that would inspire that kind of loyalty in its customer base, and it’s because they offer great products in a great space. They also have budtenders that are super chill and helpful. I think this might be the best dispensary in Hollywood, and I think that’s based on just the service alone. I am not even talking about how good the weed is, which is fantastic, by the way. But I think a good shop deserves credit for being a good shop, no matter what they sell.

First off, it’s well-designed. From the eye-catching exterior to the plush waiting room, this dispensary is trying to offer a unique experience that’s more than just stepping into a head shop. Another rarity in the weed game, this shop’s showroom is on another floor. You head downstairs (a rarity in California) to a very well-stocked and well-lit dispensary showroom.

Here, you’ve got a wonderful range of flowers, edibles, vapes, concentrates, waxes, CBD, drinks, joints, etc. to choose from. If I spoke of nothing else, I would have to say that MMD Hollywood is great. But the budtenders are what make this shop truly amazing.

All the budtenders here are absolutely the best. Not only are they smart, but they’re super chill, addressing you like you’re the only person inside the room. They’re more like a trusted friend and not stale and stiff like a retail employee. As I explained to our budtender (Mia, on this visit) what I was looking for, she nodded along like she totally understood what I was talking about. Then came the recommendations, with background information and anecdotal experience to supplement her opinion. Not only that, but I managed to find myself engaging in regular small-talk, the kind of chit-chat that I only get into when I’m talking with someone really cool.

Mia totally hooked me up that day. Not only did I walk out with some flower, but some edibles and pre-rolls, as well. Once I started, I couldn’t stop!

But the thing I’ve got to mention is this strain of Indica flower from Maven Genetics. It’s called Watermelon.