From Cannabis Cuisine To Opulent Pearls: The Celebrity Connect American Music Awards Gifting Suite

Hemp Kitchen’s  Brad Lane was working hard to convert me. He, along with Chef Mike from Hemp Kitchen, were taking part in Celebrity Connects American Music Awards gifting suite.  Celebrity Connect has consistently done a great job of gathering company’s involved with philanthropic missions, up-and-coming products and some who just hope they can weasel their way into the consciousness of the movers-and-shakers.  Lee was educating me about the property differences between hemp and marijuana being  proponent not just of hemp but what he considered the positives of pot.  I informed him the substance wasn’t something I did particularly well with.

“Did you die?” Lane asked me sincerely. “No you didn’t.  You won’t die from a cannabis overdose.”

Although Lane’s sales tactic didn’t sway me, I did try some of their peanut butter which was crunchy, tasty and left no “odd feelings.” While there were a few cannabis vendors present, I was particularly attracted to the chocolates displayed at The Art of Edibles. Recognizing not everyone is seeking food laced with cannabis, they offer a range of fine chocolates, truffles and boozy bonbons that were unadulterated.   Their recipe for the edibles starts with an infused organic coconut oil and dosages range from mild to strong.  Anyone interested in these edibles must first become a member of The Art of Edibles Cannabis Collective at theartofedibles.com

Tucked amongst the edibles were plenty of straight-up food vendors with goods appealing to every palette. Marjorie’s Beef Jerky, www.marjoriesbeefjerky.com named after founder Michelle Timberlack-Jackson’s mother, presented a jerky that was moist and addictive.  While the marinade is a well-guarded secret, it had a hint of teriyaki and a bit of a kick.  I wasn’t brave enough to try their spicy sample!   Justin’s,  whose peanut butter packets I’ve been enjoying for years, had some new products in tow. The highlight was a peanut butter and banana chip combo pack that’s perfect for an anywhere snack.  The top of the food chain for me was Kokolato. Created by Jonathan Keim, Kokolato is a raw vegan gelato that has magically captured as creamy a texture as any traditional gelato I have had. I sampled both their salted caramel and raw cacao; neither disappointed. Apparently they will cater events, dressed as steampunk characters to boot.

Socially conscious companies were well represented at this event. Three companies had particularly interesting initiatives.  Cocorilla,  had a great concept. The proprietors of a fresh coconut water served in its authentic coconut shell were benefitting the local community in Thailand where the 100% farm fresh product was grown.  They’ve modified the shell making it easy to pierce with a straw as well as cut in half to scoop out the coconut meat.  The shell – 100% bio-degradable - can be thrown in compost.  Bears for Humanity  create teddy bears made with 100% certified organic materials that are in full compliance with the Global Fair Trade requirements. Each bear is hand-stuffed and stitched by women who are part of the Welfare-to-Work program.  And, with every product purchased a matching donation is made to a child in need.  Lastly, the “02:19” people were pitching their new world-wide game that is set to launch on February 19^th, 2017.  While details are minimal about this venture, it seems that cities compete with other global cities to acquire funding for local environmental projects.  It will be something to keep an eye out for in the new year.

Two companies played well to the music theme of the American Music Awards. Rocking the Clock’s  owner Dave Hurwitz took old, unused instruments and recycled them into beautiful lighting elements and/or Bluetooth stereo systems. CordCruncher  created a technology that allows earbud wires to retract into a patented latex sleeve, preserving the wire mechanism. Also nifty:  CordCruncher offers a base maximizer, operated by a gentle turn at the edge of the earbud!

While there was much to marvel over at the Celebrity Connect’s American Music Award’s suite, three booths stood out to me. The first was Elyptol. I’ve encountered this company before but wanted to stress the importance of this product. With eucalyptus as its base, Elyptol is a natural and safe hand and surface santizer that kills 99.9% of germs within the first 15 seconds of use.  The eco-friendly product is packaged in bottles made from recycled material.    For the makeup lovers, Mia Tran had a very unique product – mineral based bases and blushes that were sprayed onto blotting paper.  Calling her line MiaCouture, the sleeves absorbs oils off the face while applying a non-toxic touch up to the skin.   To illustrate how compact the applications were, MiaCouture presented a line of passport holders that could stash the blotters and some credit cards on one side, and the passport on the other.

Last but certainly not least was jewelry and clutch designer Ann Ong. The 2016 “Best Product Design in Sustainability” winner in the New York Now Show, Ong displayed her unique line of necklaces, bracelets and clutches outfitted with organic elements such as pearls, teak and other woods she salvaged during natural disasters in locations such as her native Philippines.  Be sure to check out her designs at her website: www.annongjewelry.com