South by Southwest

[geekymonkey]

I like that shot of the dog.

[quiky]

geeks: mid-south Tennessee and a bag of G-13 ... Sounds like paradise to me. Seriously.

(Don't feel obligated to pop my bubble. I have a crush on Appalachia.)

[quiky]

Purple Power (outdoor, Homegrown Fantasy, Amsterdam, €7/g) - Duke and I smoked this number while sitting in Solo. The effect was unlike the c'mon-let's-party vibe I got from Purple Power in 2010. This time around it was a subdued, head-clampless stone.

The effect was not strong, but it was present. It didn't hijack the train of thought, so conversation was actually possible. Would've made for a nice complement to a walk, I think.

[Mr nice]

Orange Bud (De Kade, Amsterdam, €8/g) - Subtle. Starts off spacey and dreamy, a walk above the clouds. Settles into a sensual stone. Even.

Coffeeshop De Kade has a cheery ambiance, more reminiscent of a locals' bar than a coffeeshop; the counterperson presided over the little crowd like a barmaid. Its windows, along with its situation on a corner, provide welcome light.

Thanks for this, I will be over in a couple of weeks and the hotel I'm staying at (CitizenM) is a ten minute walk from De Kade so it will be the one I will do most of my smoking in. There doesn't appear to be many reviews of this place so I'm glad you rate the weed and ambiance.

[geekymonkey]

geeks: mid-south Tennessee and a bag of G-13 ... Sounds like paradise to me. Seriously.

(Don't feel obligated to pop my bubble. I have a crush on Appalachia.)

I absolutely won't pop your bubble. I love that region. Beautiful. (I'm a Carolina girl at heart though.)

Your description of the Orange bud reminds me how much I like that strain. Haven't smoked it in ages...

[quiky]

Mr nice: De Kade has a small selection of weed. When I was there they offered Orange Bud, Power Plant, Amnesia and one other strain, perhaps White Widow. I like the coffeeshop's cheery vibe, regardless. If you're like me, you'll buy an item off their menu and smoke it -- or buy an item off their menu and then smoke something that you bought elsewhere.

De Kade is a quaint place. When I asked the counterperson for a menu she laughed and just pointed at the labeled wooden drawers in which the pot is kept. I would place De Kade amongst my favorite shops in Amsterdam to sit down and smoke. The others in this group would be Happy People, Solo and De Supermarkt.

geeks: I can only imagine the pot grown in that area is special. Please relate a tale singing praise of Mid-Atlantic outdoor weed.

[Mr nice]

Mr nice: De Kade has a small selection of weed. When I was there they offered Orange Bud, Power Plant, Amnesia and one other strain, perhaps White Widow. I like the coffeeshop's cheery vibe, regardless. If you're like me, you'll buy an item off their menu and smoke it -- or buy an item off their menu and then smoke something that you bought elsewhere.

De Kade is a quaint place. When I asked the counterperson for a menu she laughed and just pointed at the labeled wooden drawers in which the pot is kept. I would place De Kade amongst my favorite shops in Amsterdam to sit down and smoke. The others in this group would be Happy People, Solo and De Supermarkt.

geeks: I can only imagine the pot grown in that area is special. Please relate a tale singing praise of Mid-Atlantic outdoor weed.

Thanks again quiky, I'm guessing the reason why this shop isn't mentioned much is due to the location. The orange bud sounds good so I think a gram of that when I arrive is in order. Do they have any hash?

[quiky]

Mr nice: I didn't inquire about hash, so I can't say.

Look, here's what you do: Take a stroll around this fine corner of the city, making stops at Jabba and Bullwackie. Get the Binnen and the G-13. Head back to De Kade and set up camp. I don't want to steer you wrong. The Orange Bud was good, but I believe the neighborhood has more to offer, at least in terms of the weed. In return for your effort (as if walking in Amsterdam were a chore) you'll have an interesting sativa (rare thing, in my book), a fantasic indica and a lovely spot to smoke them both :)

[Mr nice]

Thanks, I think I will take your advice. I'm going to attempt a wee travelogue whilst I'm over so watch this space

[quiky]

Mr nice: Excellent! I'm bracing myself for your travelogue. It won't be the first time someone's questioned my recommendations :)

[geekymonkey]

Quicky- I'll work on a story for you. I miss American weed. I'm really looking forward to my move this summer and getting to find some of those mythical west coast buds. (Although really, I shouldn't complain- the weed tradition in Switzerland is grand and long, and the weed here stunning in taste and quality. I just like change.)

I'm really enjoying hearing about the weeds from your trip!

[quiky]

No pressure, geeks, no pressure ... Wow, I would like to experience the grand Swiss weed tradition for myself.

[quiky]

Critical 47 (outdoor, from Basque Region, apparently; Any Day, Amsterdam, €12.50/g) - We smoked this stuff shortly before we left Solo. As it sunk in, I made the comment, "This is kinda sensual." Duke laughed. I was feeling like a stoner/loser until he said he laughed because he agreed. Solo had this jazz playing, and I was getting pulled into it -- and I don't like jazz. The flickering TV screens were sucking us in, too. It was all so ... initimate?

We walked out into the evening rain to find something to eat. This was the kind of weed that causes your thoughts to tear off onto tangents; you repeatedly catch your mind struggling to swim back to the original idea. I don't we spoke much until we settled upon a Thai restaurant on Haaarlemmerstraat. Had cognition been less challenging, I would've called the effect a high.

Critical 47 is strong enough to make you forget it was grown outdoors.

[geekymonkey]

No pressure, geeks, no pressure ... Wow, I would like to experience the grand Swiss weed tradition for myself.

I've really gotten only a small taste of it (the swiss are private!!) but honestly I haven't seen anything since I've been here that's not on par with what's on offer in the Netherlands in terms of quality, and the strains are just lovely. (All with GREAT flavor in my experience.)

As soon as I finish the few stories I have almost ready for my travelogue I will tell you a story about mid-south weed

Hope you have a good day!

[quiky]

Royal Solo (Solo, Amsterdam, €9/g) - The counterperson said, "It has a good stone. It won't put you to sleep unless you lay down." Her description was apt. Royal Solo comes on like two duvets and a quilt dropped onto your head. It is a smothering stone. There is no head-clamp, however.

We walked across the Jordaan on this weed. The thick, pleasant stone is how I picture the effect of a pure indica.

figure in Rembrandtpark: