Time to mix it up on y’all. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be writing the food blogs, but after doing a few following the same format, it felt like it was time to try something new. The something new in question – getting stoned off my gourd at new NoDa location of The Happy Camper. Shoutout Hunter S. Thompson and online anonymity for allowing me to do this. (sorry mom)

As someone who thinks weed has gotten too good, and if it wasn’t weird, would probably find some high schooler to sell me a bag filled with mids and the grass from his front yard, this should be an interesting experience.

30 Minutes In

Two immediate takeaways:

1. Jeez Louise, THC seltzer works quick. I was planning on having some time to write a comprehensive write up of this place, before wanting to go down the street to Cabo Fish Taco and getting a burrito, but the tables may have turned. I’m a few sips in and the eye lids are getting heavy.

I ordered the Cosmic Nano Cannabis Seltzer. It is a yellow grapefruit and blue lotus flavor. Both of those flavors sound made up, but they are definitely tasty. The can says this seltzer ignites imagination and mental expansion. If by “mental expansion” they mean continually finding yourself down Wikipedia wormholes instead of writing the blog you planned, then consider my mentals expanded.

2. The vibes in here are immaculate. It is the closest thing I’ve experienced to the coffee shops in Amsterdam. They have a lot of different seating options; a bar with barstools that have a fun little bounce to them, tables with chairs set up for groups or individuals, and a comfy sofa and lounge chairs. They have been playing a genre, I am not sure the name of but would describe as the chillest music out there. It is a lot of FKJ and similar sounding musicians. It has me bouncing like a newborn in the aforementioned bouncy barstool. After a long day of cold calling (puke) this feels like a spa day for the mind.

1 Hour In

The mental expansion promised by the marketing department of my weed seltzer has kicked in. I’ve been exploring the menu of this place and it is pretty incredible. The number of ways you can get stoned now affirms that American innovation is still alive and well. The ample amount of options could be overwhelming if you are like me and your brain is operating at about 25%, but they do an incredible job of guiding you through the magnitude of this menu. I wouldn’t rule out the creator of this menu being some sort of shaman.

With “The THC Experience” you are able to rent this beautiful looking vape. I mean the thing looks like a succulent you’d find on your girl’s coffee table or some rare desert plant being kept in a light bulb shaped arboretum. You are able to choose not only whether you want a cartridge or concentrate but you are able to choose the weed blend and the complimentary flavors to include in your vape. Every iteration of this vape comes with an explanation of the high you can expect to experience depending on your decisions. Some of these highs include creativity, bliss, and relaxation.

3 Hours In (conclusion)

The seltzer I ordered must have been a “social” high because I ended up spending the last hour or so chatting with my neighbor about god knows what. I’ll be honest with y’all I left The Happy Camper and am finishing this blog from the comfort of my apartment. The conversation with my neighbor turned into an adventure that probably wouldn’t even make sense if I tried to put it into words. But, in a way, that only reiterates the immaculate vibes of The Happy Camper. You can go in experience a nice little high, make a friend, and end up on a trek through the bowels of the beautifully eclectic NoDa neighborhood. It was a delightful way to wind down after a long day, a comfy experience, and a new neighborhood hang out spot to branch out to and meet some cool people you may otherwise never cross paths with.

-Zanzibar