Life’s little luxuries come in many forms. Two that are easily attainable in Seattle are cannabis and craft confections, so why not pair them? Every few weeks, I’m going to meet up with some of the city’s music makers, art shakers, and civic players to indulge in their favorite neighborhood 4:20 comfort food and Seattle’s best bud.
My companion on this week’s sensory adventure is Princella Ray, formally of the Prince tribute band Purple Mane and electro-pop faves Trick Candles. She now fronts Rub, purveyors of just the right amount of rock ‘n’ roll lux—we’re talkin’ two-drummers-onstage lux.
We kicked it over ice cream at Frankie & Jo’s, and as the sativa chatter kicked in she let me in on how Rub evolved. “The pandemic changed how I wrote lyrics and vocal melodies big time,” she said. “Once I opened myself up and started writing more authentically about who I am and what I believe in, it began to feel strange to call these new songs we were writing Trick Candles songs. We started working with Malia Seavey from Salt Lick, Shaun Crawford from Acid Tongue, and Lindstrom and the Limit. They added a new dynamic to our writing style and helped us escape the new wave box we were stuck in. We then added two drummers, Bob Husak, previously in Killer Workout and the Blakes, and Patrick McKenna, previously in La Fonda. This is genuinely my favorite project I've ever been in.”
Princella has also spent more than 10 years in the cannabis industry. She started out running an all-femme trim crew and rose to become a sought-after independent consultant for the top weed brands in the country.
“I started in the industry trimming and managing medical cannabis shops but quickly moved into the position of director of sales of two major cannabis brands, Artizen and Soulshine, once I-502 passed,” she said. “I decided to start a consulting business right before the pandemic hit, which was a blessing and a curse at the same time. I decided to focus on helping minority and women-owned cannabis businesses.”
Because Princella and I are both regular smokers—with the tolerance that comes with that—we paired a trip to Princella’s favorite ice cream spot with an infused, concentrated product, the Dewey Cannabis Co.’s Matchstick collection’s Crème Brûlée. It’s a sweet-leaning, neutrally flavored bud that lets the piney hash taste come forward.
An almost 50/50 hybrid makes it the perfect Goldilocks strain—not too sleepy or buzzy, boasting a mix of 30% live bubble hash and 70% flower. Plus, it comes in a cute two-pack with individual matchsticks for anyone who gave up smoking the same joint with friends during the pandemic.
Frankie & Jo’s doesn't have prices displayed for any of their frozen goodies, though most items come in around $12 with a tip. Before you balk and tell me you can run up to Dick’s and get a cone for $3, know that everything at Frankie & Jo’s is dairy-free, and they make their plant-based products without the ingredients on which vegan fare often heavily relies, sugar and wheat flour.
The fresh-cooked waffle cones are made of oat flour and the cookies and shortbread are oat and vegetable oil-based. The flavors and colors in the ice cream are derived from natural sources like beets, dates, tahini, and activated charcoal. Most importantly, it tastes like dairy-based, traditional ice cream, and scoops retain their structure, staying firm enough to bite into and never giving that “sugar soup” mouth feel like some vegan, frozen dairy alternatives can.
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My Frankie & Jo’s Cookie Milk Magic Sandwich was an over-the-top take on the classic, with a heap of chocolate chip ice cream slabbed between two extremely chewy dark chocolate cookies that make for texture perfection. It really hit with the Crème Brûlée’s sugary notes. And for that next-level, over-the-top experience, they half-dip the thing in dark chocolate and add a sprinkle of salt to mess with your munchies. It is an extremely big, sharable treat that's perfect for a date.
Princella tried the mint brownie ice cream in a waffle cone. It was “heaven,” she said. And the bud made it even better.
“I first set foot in Frankie & Jo's when they opened a few years ago. I love creative ice cream flavors but have many dietary restrictions. The mint ice cream was balanced perfectly—not too much mint, but enough to make your taste buds sing—and the brownie chunks added rich chocolatey goodness. I never get to add brownies and cookies because of the gluten, so I also opt for the most when possible. You never feel like you're lacking anything at Frankie & Jo's.
“The Crème Brûlée joint was a perfect pairing. The nuttiness and sweet vanilla notes worked perfectly with the waffle cone. After eating some ice cream, I returned for round two of the joint, and the ice cream added a slight mint flavor. 10/10 would try again.”
Follow Princella Ray on Instagram at @princellaray. Listen to Rub at rubsounds.com.
