First, I'd like to thank everyone for continuing to submit reviews and little tidbits of knowledge. Though I've had the good fortune to try quite a few high quality strains, I don't know much nearly as much about this plant as I would like to, and every piece of information you share helps me and the others who continue to read this thread.

I made a list of the dispensaries that got the best reviews on this thread with the intention of trying them out for myself. After perusing the websites of the places on my list, I started with Delta 9 because they say all their medicine is organic, and one of the strains featured on their site is Cinderella 99. I'm not sure the medicinal properties of C99, but it was one of the few locally grown strains I could find on the black market in Alabama, and it tastes fantastic (I liken it to a fruit medley, with peach being the dominant flavor). The didn't have any C99 in stock, but the 6-10 strains they did have all looked incredible. I had become accustomed to mostly tasteless, dry, crispy buds from the dispensaries, but these were not in that category. Another post in this thread says the tasteless buds are hydro vs. soil/bio, and that would make sense as Jeremy the budtender (and grower I think, I was a little confused that day on account of insomnia) pointed out that the strains I was inspecting were all organically soil-grown. He strongly recommended the Strawberry Kush, and for that I cannot thank him enough. Premium quality all around, from visual inspection, taste, smell, and most importantly effectiveness. Very calming and relaxing feel, but only couch-lock if you are already tired. I can stay motivated on it or unwind in the papasan as the situation requires. It burns to a gray ash, as it should. Jeremy was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and I believe he is the grower responsible for the different Bruce Banner strains they carry, among others. Eighths are $55 for non-patients and $40 if you make them your CG, and quarters are $70-80 for their patients. I went back the next day and got some G13, which is a great couch-lock pain reliever for me. All of the buds at Delta 9 remind me of the homegrown goodness I would only find from growers at music festivals. The overwhelmingly potent smells will really surprise you if you are accustomed to the average dispensary bud, or what we call "commercial Cali" back in Alabama (which I now believe is hydro picked early and poorly trimmed and cured), the relatively bland, weak-smelling strains that you can tell would have been good if only a little love had been shown the plant. I have been so happy with Delta 9 that I haven't yet tried the other dispensaries on my list. I'm hoping to try some of their Bruce Banner soon, though I believe it sells out quickly.

I went to Amsterdam for a couple weeks back in 2004, and I found the quality to vary highly. Barney's, Grey Area, Dampkring, Blue Velvet, the Rokerij, and a couple others offered good buds, but with the exchange rate, it came out to be $50-70 an eighth, if memory serves me. You can find buds as good or better in America if you find a good grower. Some friends of mine went to a Cannabis Cup and made it sound like something that should definitely be experienced as a fun vacation/novelty. But marketing definitely helps separate the winners from the rest. They found it difficult to objectively judge, as they ended up with so many strains to judge. The winner that year was a strain called Willie Nelson, and Barney's definitely helped that one win by packaging it like an action figure or toy in a plastic bubble attached to a piece of glossy cardboard with Barney's and Willie Nelson prominently displayed on the packaging. While I would love to go back to Amsterdam and take part one year, I'm perfectly happy undertaking my own private Cannabis Cup here on Broadsterdam.

I plan to try out the Healing House soon so I can go upstairs and try something from their chef. A post in another forum mentioned a place near 14th and Broadway that is to be featured on the local news soon (if I didn't already miss it), and they are supposed to be like the coffeeshop/restaurant that just opened in Portland and made national news. Anyone have some info on this place? As I live in CapHill, I can walk to this place if it exists, and I'd love to write up a review for those who don't live as close but might be thinking about it.

Again, thank you very much everyone who continues to contribute. Reading others reviews and comments is often the highlight of my day.