I would sure like to hang around some Sunday with 'ya Vince. Eating, smoking, and taking life real slow. My Sundays never work out that way, It's go,go,go..Catching up on everything before another work week. See you next Sunday
Good morning , it is Sunday the 8th of May 2011 , Mothers day so happy Mothers day to all you Mothers out there,,,, now that being said do you know when fathers day is ? 9 months before mothers day !.... we have a nice cool DRY morning here in da Burgh , no rain on the radar & there is a BIG hot orange ball in the sky ,,,, I think its called the SUN... there are shadows on the ground, & the Birds are crapping all over the cars & chirpping on the back deck the feeder is full & the day looks like a 3 or 4 cigar day before I need to get busy with the grill & cook up a few rib steaks that I have in a light marinade of Italian dressing & red wine. The yams will hit the grill a few minutes before the beef hits it , I love the smokey flavor of a yam that has been grilled over FLAMES, it adds a rustic flavor that you can't duplicate in the kitchen, well I can't anyway ... so it outside on the grill that way I can enjoy a fine cigar as I cook ,,, something my wife will not let me do in the house ! & maybe a few ashes get mixed in the food..... adds FLAVOR ! , we have a new grocery shop that just opened this past week , it is a few miles from my home so last night we went out to check out the bargans,,,, a nice olive bar & cheese shop an average bakery & butcher shop , nothing outstanding in the produce dept. BUT there was a Ton of people & a lot of FRIENDLY help, right through the check out lines & some one to bag you stuff for you , a take it to your car, dammm GREAT Customer service will keep me going back there ... granted the service stays at the same level,,,,, the prices were competative & it is close to home & with the price of Fuel ..... dammmmmmm
Well on to a happy thought ...... Good BY OBL Congrats to the NAVY SEALS .... GO NAVY ... I did !!!! from a long line of Army , Marines & Airforce Members I was only the second one in my family to go to the Navy , My Uncle Bill was was also a Navy man he was a machinest mate & went on to become a tool & die maker for General Motors In Flint Michigan,,, I spent a lot of time there in the summers ........ we are grearing up for the 13th annuial Cigar crawl, you can check it out at
www.cigarcrawl.com
I have a bad feeling that number 13 will be the last one , this is the first year the bus company has told us NO SMOKING ON THE BUS .... damm enviormental weenies , the Nanny state is here , cant smoke cant dance cant eat,cant drink , keep your pants on .... dammmm what kind of FUN is that ! hahaha ... Not that I want to dance but I like to watch a great dancer shake her BUTT ......... the Pleasure police have taken over & I for one am not happy with it .... I carry a roll of tape with me to Cover the NO on the no smoking signs ....Cigar smoking should be ENCOURAGED ,,,,,it creates jobs in Manufacturing, sales , distrubition & farming , it also helps boost sales in the related industrys of lighters & cutters, ashtrys , Humidors & even the sale of stick Matches ,,,,, Pipe carvers & all the related growth associated with that craft..... you want to raise taxes fine let me have my cigars ! , you want me to pay a tax on my cigar but I am not allowd to smoke it ..... dammmmm i just dont get the thought process of some of the @ $ $ holes we have running our government..... makes me want to PUKE at times , makes me so angry I want to kick the $hit out of all of them.... if your called to serve do it & get out , go back to your JOB, dont feed on the public all your life , politicians are just like wellfair deadbeats , 3 & 4 Generations of peole never having a job & who pays for it all? WE do the people who have JOBS, I see the BUMS walking the street in front of the shop, No job , but the first of the month they are at the bank with a check in hand ,a Payment from the government , paid for by the taxes I pay every day,,,, Lazy BUMS ....... No jobs but they have Beer money , I see them with a six pack EVERY DAY walking by the shop , Pulling cigar butts out of the ashtray in front of the shop , Now I empty it every day its bad enough smoking a butt you have no idea who had it in there mouth , BUT not spening MY money in my shop just ticks me off , you dont get anything for Free, Now we do have a few who need the help, some one who need help should get some , BUT the Able body Citizens who for generations have lived on the public wellfair system I say Enough is enough & the same for the politicans, the best thing I can think of is TERM LIMITS get in steal as much as you can( because they ALL do ) & get out, Go back to work & NO pentions for ELECTED office holders ...... OK I am getting my blood pressure up & thats not good, I have a few cigars picked out for today , a little lighter smokes are in store for today ,,,,, AFTER the Don Carlos #3 with its great Cameroon wrapper , all of the stuff has no band on it so I have no idea what it is ,,,, when I got them the bands were missing as if some one removed them before they we sent to me from an Island South of Miami Via Hong Kong, London & Zurich & other place arround this third rock from the Sun..... the kona is in the press pot as I finish off the 50/50 mix of light & dark roast Columbian,,,,, looks like we are going to have a fine day here in da burgh & I entend to enjoy it starting NOW! Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 15th of May 2011 & the rain is still comming down here in da Burgh ,,,,,, with all the rain we are getting here & the flooding of the local streams & lakes & with all the over flow heading down the Ohio River into the Mississippi River & all the rain they are getting south west of here & adding all that from the Upper Mississippi & all the other tributarys its a wonder that New Orleans isnt under 20 feet of water all ready . I live one mile south of the highest point in my County & my yard is a swamp...... I can just guess what its like in lower areas of the County , there is standing water along the roads & lots of washouts of the hill sides along the road , a few friends have had large trees just tip over in the winds as the ground is so wet that it cant support the trees in the heavy winds & if & when any of you ever get to the cigar shop, you can take a shower when its time to drain the kidneys as the roof is leaking AGAIN & dripping right in front of the Toilet ....... well last Friday ( the 13th) was my birthday & I had to work all day BUT I did get a chance to celebrate a bit , a Bottle of Laphroaig Qtr.Cask was consumed as well as a few bottles of wine ( I had one glass of red BUT I know from experence not to mix grapes & grain ) But I Payed for it Saturday at work, I needed a nap big time hahahaha. But my family & frinds came through with some great gifts, a lot of Cigars , an ashtray & a big bag of New Orleans blend coffee & 2 new shirts for the Cigar crawl next weekend & that reminds me to tell you now that Next Sunday I will be away from the computer & most likely so Hung over I will not be able to type let alone thing of what to type so you all get a week off from the exploits of the Burgh & the BS that is Me ....... Barb is heading out to a play at the school with her sister , so she tells me But I have the afternoon all planed out..... cigars, coffee ,scotch & jazz , so if she is home or not my day will remain the same BUT I dont have to cook today ..... I did make breakfast , a bacon ,cheese & vidalia onion omlet but the kitchen is closed for the rest of the day as I need the space for the still..... yes its time again to break the law & make a little BRANDY , this run should make about 3 bottles & by next Sunday it will have added to the flooding of the local rivers as it is flushed out after filtering through the liver & kidneys of the Cigar crawlers next weekend....... I would be glad to pay the tax on the stuff But dammm for the few bottles I make evey year the permit & tax stamp would cost more than my entire house & I would need to build a seperate manufacturing space , get it zoned & approved by the local , state & federal athorties & pass a number of inspections at varroius stages of building & a bonded wharehouse to store the finished product & all of that for less than 10 Bottles a year........ I dont make it to sell it , I make it to drink with friends on the cigar crawl every year ...... Since I have no time to cook supper & will be using the stove anyway I think I will have a Pizza delivered ....... now thats an all time low for a retired chef..... delivery from a pizza shop........ How lazy can I get hahahahahaha ..... But just think of the nice tip the driver will get when he can get a taste right out of the still .... warm .........Sultry.... & loaded with a magic BUZZ of 100+ proof .... but by next friday it will have had a chance to AGE a bit..... hahahahahaha
havent seen the grandsons since last Monday & will be there to take them to there piano & art lessons Monday evening, I am getting a painting for the Qtr.Deck from the younger one & it should be ready this week some time ..... I havent seen it but what ever it is he told me it will look good in the Qtr.Deck .... & I almost trust him hahahaha ,,,, well what ever it is I will hang it where every one can see it .......
Remember No news next Sunday from me ....... just go back & re read this one hahahaha
Enjoy, Vince
I'm not sure if they are buried in this thread, but I'd love to see some pictures of the Qtr. Deck. Also, since it's that time of year here in the midwest, any gourmet burger recipes?. . . . . . or are you a tradionalist?
Good morning , it is Sunday the 29th day of May 2011 a Humid muggy overcast day here in da Burgh I have all ready been to the store , & took the wife out for breakfast, now we have returned to do what we do best...... NOTHING .... she is reading the Sunday paper & I am ready to head out for a cigar ,,,, Imagine that ! well last weekend was the 13th wpcc ( western pa cigar crawl) BUT we did venture into eastern OHIO for a stop at Cordys cigar box ... a nice place to visit & I have been there a few times before, Nice bunch of guys & a great selection ,,,, there were donuts & other sweets along with coffee& soft drinks, & the Hooch was passed out before we all got on the Big bus & the bloody marys were passed out ON the bus , so by the time we got to cordys we were all ready in the bag....... next stop was Klafters in New Castle Pa & there I won a $10.00 gift card along with a few cigars ..... from there it was off to lunch at Lock #6 on the Ohio river , the chef had s FEAST waiting for us, Prime rib , Pasta, meat balls & sausage with onions & peppers , REAL mashed potatos with a fair brown gravy ,,,, Not a great gravy , but the spuds were fine.... then it was back on the bus for the 5 mile run to KING BEAVER CIGARS, in Monaca Pa ... the place was wall to wall & we got rid of a lot of slow moving stock, then off to Blawnoxto the smoke works for More BS & cigars ....... it was a Smooooth day up till then & when we got to Chipinios for our dinner it just seamed like the day was flying by & I was still excited & full of pep, the booze was flowing on the bus & we were all smoking ( thats right we were all smoking on the bus,,,, the bus company had a change of heart & allowed us to smoke )& enjoying the BS ... I took the seat farthest from the front door at the end of a table .... room to strech out & relax ( & it was close to the rest rooms , see there is a methoid to my madness) we all had pre ordered our meals a week ago, & every one had a different colored Dot on our name badges so the servers knew what we were eating , I had ordered the pork chop this time , & for some strange reason , I get mine still COLD to the touch ...... just a little Undercooked was the word of the day, so I ask the server to give it back to the chef & put it close to the heat again...... it came back a few minutes later warm but still rare in the center , had it been a hunk of Beef it was PERFECT , but pork ...... well I like it a little more 'Done' than rare ,, so I sent it back Again......and again it came back a few minutes later I butterflyed the double chop to check the center, Still RARE but the outside edge was chared black, a sure sign the temp was way to high & the pork was chilled or even frozen when it went on the grill..... send it back AGAIN ,,, by this time I have had the better part of a quart of Whisky over the day & was feeling NO PAIN or any inhabitions ,,, not that I ever have any inhabitions , but when I drink I get a little more conservitive as to NOT blame my actions of the whisky ... so I was verry nice with the manager & gave him a cigar , & since we were all pre paid there was "Nothing " he could do that night, so he set me up the a snifter of Peat monster he told me that they would "take care" of me the next time I come in , he gave me his card & his cell phone number & told me to call him & not the front desk to make my reservations.... Sounds good now , BUT by the time my Anniversary hits he might be working some place else or just not remember me ... hahahah fat change of that happening !!!, well after the dinner the bus ride back to the hotel was QUIET,,,, Dammm kids have no stamana , I think I was the oldest fart on the bus & was still running at top RPM at midnight , there were sleeping , BUNCH of WIMPS when we got back to the hotel most of them went to bed, but a few of us harty souls stayed up drinking smoking & filling the room with Bull $hit, at 2:30AM we all dropped our cigar buts out the window & went to bed, we gathered at a place for breakfast about 11 AM the next morning & headed south to Slippery Rock cigars for an afternoon of recovery & GOD knows I need the time ,,, BUT there was a Bottle of 16YO Laugavulin...... Just glad I was NOT driving , so I had monday to sober up, Tuesday came & I had to head to the shop, then Wendsday & Finally on Thursday I was feeling a little better,,,,, looks like I am still able to hang with the big dogs but I just need a LOT more recovery time ...... so that was my lost weekend, friday Night at Penn Ohio cigars in Sharon Pa then to Quaker state & lub for wings, Cigars, booze & BS , up Saturday the bus was wheels rolling ay 7:58 AM & we were out of the parking lot befor 8..... all ready DRUNK ,, yea baby .... well thats about all I can remember from last week, its a booze filled hazy weekend , & I think I had a great time, if you check out
www.cigarcrawl.com
you might be able to see some of the photos from this & past cigar crawls ...... Time for me to go turn on the A/C in the qtr.deck , its getting Hot outside... Enjoy, Vince
I'm not sure if they are buried in this thread, but I'd love to see some pictures of the Qtr. Deck. Also, since it's that time of year here in the midwest, any gourmet burger recipes?. . . . . . or are you a tradionalist?
since I am still recovering from the weekend I will have a few recipes for you asap, right now I just need to get a few more things done so the wife stops beating my ears hahahahaha
Good morning , it is Sunday 5 June 2011 the day defore D Day & the start of the downfall of Hitler..... I am sure some of you read about it in your history books..... hahahah, well lets get down to business... Breakfast, ahh yes breakfast one of my favorite meals, ranks right up there with Lunch, Brunch , supper or dinner, what ever you want to call any meal I like it !
I did get off to a slow start this morning , it is Hot & humid out & I had the A/C running all night & was in the "Arms of Morphious" till well past 9 Am this moring..... but I have recovered thanks to a pot of Panama Red Coffee, NO ... NOT the world famous Pamama Red weed, grass,pot or what ever you want to call it , BUT a real deep red roasted coffee from Panama , not a bad way to start the day, but right now the press pot of kona is brewing & as soon as I am finished posting my weekly BS it will get paird with the Don Carlos #3 & the Sunday break will be in full swing...... I plan on starting out on the back deck but I am sure I will end up in the QtrDeck as the temp & humidity climb,,, I still havent solved the photo problem that a few of you have asked for , But its a simple lawn building most people keep the gardening tools lawn mower & snow shovels & such stuff in them BUT I added a a 50 amp breaker box ,R32 insolation in the walls & ceiling, added a CHEEP covering of Paneling to keep the walls looking better than the batting of R32 ,, there is a set of track lights on one of the exposed beams holding up the roof & a cheep indoor ,outdoor carpet on the floor a couch , & some chairs a CD radio combo & a phone , there is an A/C unit in one of the 6 windows as well as a baseboard heater for the Cold winter nights , the outside is covered in T-11 siding & pained a cream brown & trimmed in forest green,,,,, I will try to get some photos posted soon , or maybe later.....
I have a nice set of Rib Steaks all ready for the grill today , hanging for the past 28 days they will get trimed & grilled about 4 Pm today along with a few yams all done on the grill & a peach cobbler that will also get done on the grill, its to hot to fire up the oven in the kitchen so everything will get cooked outside today , but Breakfast a few sausage links & a couple of eggs a slice of toast & a nice slice of FRESHtomato, what could be better on a hot Humid morning here in da burgh. with last monday being Memorial day & my grandson had his piano lesson moved to tuesday I wasnt able to take him as I keep the shop open till 6 Pm on Tuesday & when I get to the lesson with my grandson there is always a wee dram waiting for me & I get to share a drink & a cigar with my friend Tom. well he was suprised when my daughter showed up with OUT a cigar for him & passed on the wee dram,,,, Tom was FORCED to drink his own & mine since I wasnt there The Poor B@$t@rd, I am sure he suffered through it with a heavy heart, But when a job need done you just dig in & DO IT.
last Tuesday we hit a high temp of over 90F & I roasted my Buns off & wendesday was a little cooler & I got the A/c working , the breaker was tripped & i was just to hot & tired to go look for any trouble, so I got one of the customers to reset it .... he is a heating & air conditioning contractor ,,, he had it running in 30 seconds ...... dammmmm where were you yesterday !
It hasn't been a good week for my brother , his Mother in law passed away this week she was 83 & has had health probles the last few years , a nice lady who will be missed by a lot of family & friends .
I have a nice selection of cigars to try today , we have a new line in the shop Don Abrims Harris a new stick from Perto Rico & it sold well friday night , I have had a few of them all ready But when your working & not paying 100 % of your attention to the cigar , it needs a second & third opinion, one with a cup of coffee & the other with a libation of Fine Distilled spirits ...... I plan on trying BOTH hahahaha there is a customer who brings me a stick from his personal humidor ever once in a while , there was no band on this robusto , with a slight crack on the foot & he just winked & said smoke it AFTER a meal& NOT BREAKFAT ,,, well i plan on having that one FIRST, will some one please tell me WHY I would do that ? he told me not after breakfast, But as sooin as I was told that , I had my mind made up to do it ...... what better time could you smoke a mystery cigar, I know what the kona will taste like & I know what the scotch will taste like so I might as well try the damm contraband cigar .... hahahaha
My wife is having trouble watering her hanging baskets of flowers we have on both the front & back decks ..... So i have to unhook the baskets for her to water them & wait till they draina bit & rehang them ..... Interupting my cigar....... hahahaha
I am taking my car to the shop in the morning to have a sun roof installed , its been a long month with out one , But its better than taking my wifes car, with a sun roof & not allowed to smoke in it ! I should be able to pick it up on Tuesday morning... then off to work. , it is a busy week , I have a doctor appointment Monday after I drop off the car, Tuesday pick up the car, wendsday I will be working till 9 Pm as my relife man is in Canada fishing with a few of our customers , Thursay I will be rolling cigars at a charity event in Pittsburgh & Friday I work till 11 Pm .... its a busy weekcomming up, but I just dont want to be an outher Pretty face in the crowd, I want to be busy & dammmmm I am BUSY ..... time to take a break, its coffee & cigar time here in da burgh , come join me some time ! Enjoy, Vince
Good morning, it is Sunday 12 June 2011 a warm & Humid start of the day here in da Burgh . This past week has been like an OVEN ,,,, in the 90's & humid all week, not the type of weather we are ready for this early in the season , we went from winter to summer with out much of a spring. No Matter what the weather out some one will complain about it ! Its to hot ,its to cold, to wet ,to dry,, , , , I want to find some place on this earth to live that you dont need a furnace or an air conditioner , low taxes ,ample power to make electricty, be it from wind ,solar, or tide generated, & Gas to cook with , a good supply of fresh water , No snakes ,rodents ,misquetos,FLYS , sharks, spyders,jellyfish, or large preditors that will be hunting me , & GREAT CIGARS, Fine old aged single malt scotch's & an abundance of coffee's & teas....... Oh yea a great Jazz station on the radio..... I like to let the DJ play the music, that way I dont need to mess with the cd player myself..... I think the place I am looking for is called Utopia ...... But it never hurts to dream anyway ! or maybe I could just go & live with my parents when I was about 10 or 11 , I had all I needed or wanted, hadnt started puberty so I wasnt distracted by by the lour of a smiling face or a glimce of cleaveage, I had my bike , a baseball glove & bat , a sled for the winter & 3 meals a day & all i had to do was empty the trash on saturdays, keep the grass trimed, keep the snow off the driveway & walkways & make my bed every morning ( great training for the navy ) ,,,,, Oh to be a Kid again, but not like the kid I am today , but a real kid with out the worrys of the world, the political BS that fills the news shows & papers, back then all I ever worryed about was getting home before the street lights came on or when I got hungry...... Dammm I have no idea where all that came from , I never know what I am going to tell you on Sunday mornings , I just sit down & type , what ever comes out .... well left to one's own imagination I can get far from the subject & distracted by a smile or Cleveage .... it was a much simpler time before Cleveage ruled my world..... Last night was my Son in laws 40th Birthday there was a small gathering of the assorted drunks, family & friends ,,, kids ,dogs , Bikers , Hicks , hillbillys , gangbangers , hookers ,pimps ,even the gay & lesbions were there a true melting pot party , its great to see the local Harley owners group (HOG's) & the pimps standing by the beer keg trying to come up with the 'rightprice ' for service to be rendered, with a ton of kids running arround with water guns & the bull mastive wondering in & out eating what ever he could reach ,,,, it was an adventure to be sure ... an eclectic mix of epic statis , the only thing we were missing was a Priest or a nun , but we didnt want to scare the kids hahahahaha
we had a good week at the shop, I did a rolling event in Pittsburgh on Thursday night got to meet the new football coach of the Pittsburgh panters football team ( PITT ) as in Univ. of Pittsburgh it was at the annual Fundraiser for the FCA ,, Fellowship of Christian Athletes , this is the second time I have rolled for this event, but this is the first time I didnt sell out. Over 300 people there & I had prerolled a few hundred cigars & brought most of them back home, I barely had enough to cover the cost of the tabacco , But I covered the bill with a few bucks left over & a lot of cigars to add to the inventory at home ,, hey I might as well smoke them.... ,,, then I got a call from the local Funeral director, he was holding a wake for a local tavern owner & needed about 100 cigars ...... Timing is everything, I was "semi" stuck with a large amout of hand rolled cigars & he needed a lot of cigars fast & @ low cost , Win ,Win for both of us , I took a slight hit but I turned over product for cash & he got a deal on the cigars, so now when I need his Professional service 's,,, he owes me a favor .....hahahaha like I want to collect on that one fast ! , well lets see, that brings us to the grill & the Ribs that will be done about 4 Pm. A rack of baby back rib's went on the coals early this morning ... 4 AM , so 12 hours of S L O W & LOW , there will be a little corn on the cob & some grilled egg plant to go with the ribs. I might have a cold beer with it or an iced tea there is a few Saint Pauly Girl darks in the fridge along with a few Smithwicks that my brother in law left here last Sunday ,,,, hummm maybe one or 2 of each & speaking of my B-I-L ,his wife( my wifes sister) missed a step & tumbled down the stairs & broke her arm ........ I feel sorry for him as now she will be more demading that ever , if that is possable hahahaha
Saturday morning My grandson has a tryout to become a JR.Stineway Artist , I dont know when he will be told if he gets the position ... Stineway is a piano manufacture , it might not be spelled correctly but then if you have ever read my posting you will soon realize I cant spell for $hit!
right now my wife is grinding coffee for our sunday pot of kona , the AROMA is HEAVENLY , I might forgo the Don Carlos #3 this moring in favor of a Pre embargo upman corona that has a some what large crack on the foot , it should be as mellow & smooth as a stick of Butter ,,, But I had my taste buds all fired up a while back & found it was for nothing as the cigar had passed its prime & was so bland there was no soul left in the stick, so before that happens & before I join my parents & leave my cigars to my brother & friends I will SMOKE them,,,, Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 19 June 2011 , Fathers day ...... I did get a phone call from my daughter , she & her family are on vacation in NYC, so I got a call instead of a card & a pair of sox haha, it has been a BUSY week at the shop, lots of one time buyers in for a quick gift for dad, but salea were brisk all week & I sold more pipes this week than I have since Christmas ., it is a hot & humid day here in da Burgh & I plan on spending it in the A/C comfort of the Qtr.Deck , before I have to fire up the grill for todays NY strip steaks , there will be a few Zuccuni 's on the grill with them & a roasted vadallia Onion & if I feel like it I might do a potato or 2 but maybe not,,,, I will play it by ear & what ever the boss wants , she gets , it might be Fathers day But if Mother isnt happy , NO ONE is happy.....
I have a pot of Indian Malabar working right now , a nice smooth coffee medium dark roast , a good flavor & a nice Body & mouth feel almost a syrup like quality to the brew, next up is the Kona & the Don Carlos #3 , right now I am waiting on a tree service for an estamate on trimming the 2 maples in the yard & removing 2 pines from the other side of the yard, so far I have 2 bids & they are 220 bucks apart , so if this guy is some place in the middle I will call back the high bidder & give him a chance to match or lower one of the other bids , I got a price last year & the guy must have been smoking what ever he cut down as his bid for the 2 maples was higher than the highest bid I got this year including the pines ...... so who knows what will happen, I loved people who shopped for a car back when I was selling,,, you just dont go on price alone , the service & salesmanship seal the deal & I did just fine , I might not have been the lowest price But I would pick up & deliver your car for service & make sure it got a nice clean up when it was in the shop, I sent flowers on Birthdays & annivasarys & made my customers my friends, well I have the same attitude when I am Buying some thing be it goods or service , I want to deal with a friend not a Vendor, & I understand a profit must be made to stay in Business , if your government subsedized, I most likely will NOT do business with you ,,,, GM & Chrystler are off the table for me since they took Big bucks from Uncle Sam , Ford got a few bucks in a round about way for the finance dept , but didnt get the treasury to buy stock in the company like GM & Chrystler did ,,,,, my next car I hope will be an OLD Mustang Convertable , or some kind of OLD convertable , I just missed a GTO last week , a real head turner, BRIGHT red with White leather but it was a few thousand out of my price range ( about 15 K ) out of my price range hahahahaha , so maybe that Kit car I was looking at isnt so bad afterall, BUT I dont want to build a kit car, Now if some on wants to do it & sell it for a small profit I will be in line to buy one , but for me to bust my knuckles & get Dirty..... I will just relax & keep my Sable , the sun roof will be my drop top !
well the kids are on Vacation In NYC so I have the week off BUT I do have to go to my daughers place & feed the Mutt , he can go in & out by himself but if you put out a weeks worth of food he will eat it all the first day .......
I picked up a few cigars this week 3 boxes, to be exact, a toro size H.Upman Sungrown, a Santa Demina Corona & a La Travitia Corona, along with a bottle of Bushmills, Glenmorangie& Glenfiddich , since its warm out I wanted something lighter & less peat than the Lagavulin & Laphroaig,,,, lighter taste for the warmer weather , looks like the Press pot of Kona is done so its off to the races for me , a day of doing what I do best, Turning coffee & single malt whisky into PI$$ ...... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday the 26th of June 2011 a nice start to the day here in da Burgh 66 F with low humidity & about half the blue sky is covered in gray/white clouds ... looks like its going to be a Good cigar & scotch day here in da Burgh , just finished breakfast & all ready thinking about what cigars & what scotches I will be tasteing today , for sure the 10YO Glenmorangie will be sampled & I might have a weee bit of Bushmills with the stuffed peppers that we are having later today , peppers & Bushmills a tall glass with ice & a splash of water & then fill with Bushmills .... 99% of the time I sip my whiskys from a brandy snifter or a noseing glass , but with a plate of stuffed peppers with mashed spuds I want that Cold Zip of the whisky to "bring out the flavor" of the peppers , I do love my Islay whiskys but something about a cool crisp whisky that I enjoy with a bell pepper & onions ,,,, Now when its snowing outside & the temp is below freezing , I want a smokey peaty Islay ......
There are a lot of golf outtings this time of the year a lot of fundraisers & memorial theamed events & the cigars have moved well & I was able to get rid of a lot of dog rockets , left overs & broken boxes ,I did well in the last few days & the customers got a BIG break on the price, for guys who smoke one cigar a year , & golf one time a year , the BIG dog rockets are are a good way to clear the shelves of the stuff that didnt sell., I have found out that if you remove the band & place them in a plain box call them seconds , they sell like mad, & no one complains, seconds of what? who knows !!! its good tobacco, & good construction, aged a few months or a year or so , the orginal package & name might have been a pore job of marketing , so you remove all the bad paper ( the dreaded cigar band)from the cigar & are left with a nice looking stick of tobacco ,,,, all that ring of paper tells you is the stattus & price of the cigar ,,, well you dont smoke the band, so what good is it, I dont know about what your personal habbits are BUT I remove my band as soon as its loose , I might be smoking a Pre Embargo Davidoff or a Graycliff , I might be smoking one that I rolled myself that never had a band to start with BUT I go for the taste not the stattus of the cigar ...... I smoke a lot of seconds , they taste just fine & who cares if the color is a bit different from one end to the other or there are a few green spots on the dark brown wrapper , its all good , some are just better than others.
I just got off the phone with my daughter & they are on the road headed for the Holland tunnel & out of NYC on there way home after a week in the big apple , tired & broke BUT enjoyed the entire time , from Ellis Island all the way to Long Island they covered the city Non stop .... My son in law has to go back to work in the morning .... Good luck getting up & being there on time hahahaha , I think they are getting out just ahead of the Gay Pride march today........ Nuff said about that can of worms ....... I am not much of a sports fan , but living here its hard to miss hearing about it ,,,, right now for the first time in 18 years the Pittsburgh Pirates are winning more games than they have lost for the season...... 18 YEARS of loosing seasons is enough to turn off the best of fans , at lest we now have a little hope ,,, slim Hope but the candle is burning , & the wind is blowing....... as Far as football this season well WHO knows its a big fight between the Millionair players against the Billionair owners & the fight is about a few hundred thousand in income from the sales of the food & other Bull$hit items ,,, play or dont play , I couldnt give a good $hit one way or the other ... B U T , it brings in customers to the shop to watch the games , & that is INCOME I dont have when they Dont play ........ yes I am a Capitalist & proud of it , I work hard Sometimes, & I pay my fair shre of tax, what burns My @ $ $ is the able bodyed wellfair wanting me to support them. Right in town not far from the Cigar shop are a few business advertising for help & right next door is the pub that cashes the wellfair checks for them....... JUST DRIVE ME CRAZY ...... I refused to take a wellfair check , its my tax money backing it up, I might as well just give him the cigars & save the cost of the paper work & the government taking there CUT out of the sale. dammm I am getting bitter in my old age , BUT I have been working all my life ...... even a some what retarted citizen can wash dishes or work in a car wash , put parts in a bag, or sell me a burgher & frys ...... LAZY BUMS who have family history back 3 generations or more living in public housing collecting food stamps & getting cash payments from the state as they cant ( or are just too damm lazy ) to support there own familys ..... & some of the Baby factorys out there 6 or 7 kids or more all with different fathers & Not knowing who the father is all collecting from the state..... BULL$HIT , I have worked all my life & taken care of my family & my daugher saw that I worked & now she is WORKING her kids are seeing it & they want to Earn there way in life , if no one will hire them , they will be self employed ,,,, even if the only thing they can do is clean up DOG $hit , they will make fertilizer out of it & sell it .... The work ethic is instilled in my children & grandchildren,,, I wish I could instill it in some adults ......... Enjoy, Vince
thats a great trick i should tell the gusy at my B&M... maybe they can get rid of some of the crap that they cant stand to see in the humidor and is keeping them from carrying what they really want.
Enjoyed the read as always. Maybe we should nominate Vince for President?
NO THANKS , I would fire the entire congress , & senate they just MILK the job, pass laws to pad there pockets & retire with a PUBLIC funded pention..... that should have never happened,,, seve a few years & go back home to your farm or law practice .......
Good Morning , it is Sunday 3 July 2011 , a HOT HUMID day here in da Burgh, looks like I will be spending the day in the Qtr.Deck with the A/C on , I had hoped to be on the back deck watching the birds at the feeder & the traffic going by , But I will be content with the 4 walls & the A/C today !!! we had a nice breakfast, a toasted muffin with bacon & egg , a slice of Hot Pepper cheese & fresh tomato right out of the garden next door !!!! a pot of fair trade Purivian coffee is in the pot right now, fair trade is just a price fixing tool , it dosent make the coffee taste any better , just cost more, , I think you sell your coffee at a competitive rate & make your cash up front , you dont need to hide behind a fair trade commision who takes a cut of your end of the deal as well as my end of the deal, the only one who makes anything out of the deal is the fair trade commision, & they dont add any value to the product, they take there "admisinatration" fee & add to the price, like the owners of an auction, the seller pays to be there & the buyer pays a % to buy there, , the auction house gets money from both ends of the deal, & since your there , they make all the profit on the refreshments , last time I was at an auction they were charging $3.00 for a cup of coffee or a bottle of water, I buy the same water at Costco for $4.25 a case of 24 bottles ......... some times I wonder where will it all end , sure I am all for profit & making a buck , I have been known to leave money on the table when I make a deal just to ensure repeat customers .... FAIR & Equitable to Both sides , I dont need a commision to take a cut , Unless its "family" , like my cousin Vito who makes sure I dont get held up by some crack head & if I do he makes sure I get my money back.....catch my drift?
Well it is the 4th of July weekend & we went to the fireworks last night , a rousing 20 minute display of Pyrotecknics that left a lot of the area dogs & cats hiding under the beds & in the basements a fantastic skyshow of flashing lights, sounds & BOOOOOOMS, shot from a barge in the middle of the Ohio river where the Beaver river emptys into it , the sounds echoed off the hills ..... my ears are still ringing a bit !
we spent the day at the Ellwood City arts fest , a great time set in the park with vendors & "FOOD" a lot of crafts & some nice professional made stuff But mostly a fundraiser for the local community clubs & churchs , they provide a service & we willing give to the cause , I picked up a custom made sign for the Qtr.Deck a snifter & a cigar with a nice green frame , I will hang it today ....... If I find the time ! hahahaha , I had a great pepperoni roll , so light & flakey , just the right amout of cheese , it was like a pepperoni pizza with out the sauce made in a light ,buttery & flakey crust , & to confuse my taste buds I went to a sweet & hot tumpura shrimp a bit later in the day , it was hot & humid & I was drained when we got home ... a quick shower & off to bed, it wa a long day, BUT today I have a different idea for myself, RELAXATION is the order of the day , I have the BBQ ribs all ready on , the rack should be done about 4 maybe 5 PM depending on when I get the side dishes done, grilled veggies & yams , with a desert of apples & peaches in a crustless pie served on a chocolate chip cookie & vanilla ice cream. ..... I was going to make some corn on the cob but dammm I have enough food all ready..... I did slice up a watermellon & I have that in the fridge to chill with a splash of Smirnoff Silver..... I was never a big vodka fan but it might help the wife relax a bit tonight, my luck it will relax he to much & she will go to sleep..... maybe a blessing ,,, a little Quiet with out the PIECE might be better than the peace & quiet...... after 41 years with her she still acts like a pain in the @ $ $ every time I get the urge........ some one told me put a penny in a jar for the first 2 years your married every time you do the wild thing , & then after the first 2 years you take a penny out, when you get lucky, By the time your 50th anniversary hits there will still be money in the jar....... & by looking at my jar I have under 9 years to empty a half a jar...... that just shows that when we were young we were **** B@st@rds, & now that we are old .... not so much ... tuff choice go to bed or have a cigar.... Hummmmmm, well if I go to bed she will want something ,,,,, if I have a cigar she will be angry for a few days , & get over it & I will NOT have to do what ever she wants done , like clean the gutters for the third time this summer,,,, thats what we have grandsons for, I hold the ladder & they climb up with a scraper & scoop out the pine needles & maple seeds ..... soon 2 of the pines will be gone & a good section of the maples will be trimmed ,,, the tree cutting service is got me on the list , how far from the top I have no idea but I am on the list hahahaha . The Pot of kona is about ready to press & I have my Buddie Don Carlos #3 ready to go , the a/c is on & the Qtr.Deck is calling ...... OH dammmmm I almost forgot, 90.5 WDUQ the Jazz station here in Pittsburgh was bought out & now has become a 24 hour NEWS station ........... THIS SUCKS , so now I have to go out & buy a HD radio or satalight radio to get Jazz if I dont want to listen to a CD ,,, some times I like the radio, they pick the mix of songs & I get udates on the weather outside & if the world has gone to war again , or if I need to bail out of the qtr.deck & head for the basement as Heavy weather is on the way ( or I need to hide from the wife hahahaha ),,, Both can cause major damage hahahaha
The Shop had a slow down after fathers day , & the gradsons are back from the trip to NYC & I have filled my I love NY ashtray with great cigar ashes & butts ....... looks like its time for Kona & Don Carlos ,,, I might ask Johnny Walker to join us but I dont have any so it looks like a snifter of Glenmoranggie will Take up the slack.... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday10 July 2011 & time for the Sunday morning smoke , Burp, fart & various other rumblings from my body & mind.... , it has been a HOT & HUMID week here in da Burgh , A bit uncomfortable at times but it is summer & thats why we have air conditioning, if not I would be in some mine shaft or basement to keep cool, as a kid i remember spening a lot of time in the basement as it was a lot cooler there than upstairs , I didnt get central A/C in my own home till 20 / 25 years or so ago , we did have a room a/c unit before that in the bed room , but it was uncomfortable in the living room & kitchen, I slept well all summer long ! Now I just take it for granted that the a/c & the furnace will work when needed, I have a contract with the local service man to check both of them every fall & spring, tune them up & get them ready for the next season..... I just want to find a place to live where I dont need a furnace or A/C & am Comfortable all year.... now this place must have access to fine cigars , good coffee & LOW cost malt whiskys , an occasional trip to the butcher shop for a few selected cuts of Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey,duck,maybe a bit of wild game here & there , as long as its cleaned & skined I will cook it ! , I just dont like doing that any more , to much WORK .... , we will need a miller to grind the grain into flour ( way to much work for me ) oh yea seafood , got to have some shrimp,crab,lobster, a bit of Cod, tuna,& some catfish,then I will need access to herbs & spices & lots of Fruits & veggies ..... Utopia ? hahaha , sounds more like HEAVEN to me !
Yesterday was a graduation part for my daughers foster child, , she has been there a little over 2 years , & did a 100% turn arround, , never knew her father ,mother was a drug addict & drunk, never had much of anything , went into a group home & ended up living with my daughers extened family of hers/his & now she made ours ,,,,,, kind of like the Brady Bunch with out the maid & a BIG DOG who gets in you way no matter what your trying to do ,,,, But it is one big messed up family,,, they have it all, a tatooed biker dad, an educated professional mother , a gay foster daugher, a lazy plump step daugher, a pierced liped bone through the nose step son a piano playing sports spaz son & a dog loving undirected son who has no ambition to do anything but sit back & play with the dog.... when you can get the dammmm dog off the couch ! .... Such is life ... well the graduation party was HOT but fun , lots of Pizza & finger foods , the music was a mix of oldies from the 50's 60's , a few from the 70/80's & a Bunch of garbage from the Rap (CRAP ) era... there is no need to drop the F bomb or N bomb , if that what you call music, them I will find something else to listen to , the music behind the lyrics is recycled Rock & roll , Jazz & classical tracks all mixed & dubed, I havent heard an orginal music track that was scored like music, & not lifted from the great sounds of before ....
dammm I have been rambling on & on today & havent got much said at all... breakfast coffee was a pot of Columbian , it was paired with a few slices of Tofu & a grilled banana,,, I made bacon & eggs for the boss as she is not a tofu fan...... what do ***'s & tofu have in common? both are meat substitutes ....... hahahaha , right now I have a pair of NY strip steaks that have been aging for the past 28 days , a quick trim & a tiny bit of seasoning , a VERRRRRY HOT grill & about 3 minutes a side for mine & 10 for the wife, dammmm I could give her shoe leather so I need to cook all the pink out of the center for her,,,,, to bad I cant get her to eat in the dark ! hahaha , there will be a patato & onion dish of some sort, a bit of lettuce & maybe some veggie to be picked out of the garden next door ........ I have the Kona on & will be fireing up a Don Carlos #3 soon, the A/c is all ready on in the Qtr.Deck & I will be ready for my nap after that ! but I have a few cigars to taste some time today ,,, a nice looking Camacho tripple maduro , so I am told by the customer who gave it to me with out a band, he liked the band but didnt like the cigars so he took off the bands & gave the sticks away go figure ! ,,, dammm if you want a cigar box , & dont like the cigars, but buy it for the box........ I just dont understand people at times... I think I have taken up enough of you time this moring so I guess I will grab the kona & head out to the Qtr.Deck & get ready for a 90 F day here in da Burgh , the only time I will be out of the A/C is when I am in front of that HOT grill cooking the beef....... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning it is Sunday 17 July 2011 a hot humid day here in da Burgh , a whole lot of goings on this past week, a few new cigars hit the store , the grandson will be going to Houston in Sept. to play piano for a fashion show with members of the Synphoney( yes I know its miss spelled but I am to lazy to look it up) , & last night we had a BBQ at a friends house & sat outside & smoked a few fine cigars & drank a good amount of sangria , the brisket was great as well as the chicken, & the desert was a FANTASTIC Pavalova, a creation of egg whites, fruit & whipped cream....... well done Lou .... next time he will be making a cheese cake. , & we had some fine Contraband cigars , I had a Fonseca corona & it paired well with the wine, later I did have a Butera Churchill & it went fine with the coffee & Irish whisky .... (note to self, Dont mix grain & grape ),a bit of a headache this morning ! & this morning a knock at the door , its My Daughter , she is here for breakfast.... she is taking her mother shopping for God knows what this morning ...... the arguements have started all ready & they havent even got up from the breakfast table ..... OHHHH yea kids you gotta love them...... AHHHH SICLENCE.... but as they get in the car & drive away I can still hear them........ Yack Yack Yack .
Friday night we had a NEW cigar at the shop, the owner of the comapny George Rodrigez, was in the shop with his new Rodrico cigars 2 different blends & a total of 5 sizes & dammmm every one was a hit in my book, blended by a retired master blender from Davidoff & just full of FLAVOR , not a lot of POWER whitch is good for me , , I like great taste over kick your butt power & the price was right in the sweet spot for the shop , the High end 6 X 60 is only $8.00 & the low side of the price scale is the Robusto at $6.00 a NO brainer for sure , the cigars all smoked fine & while not going to replace Don Carlos #3 for my morning smoke it is verrry enjoyable with coffee &/OR a scotch, out of the 5 sizesI like to Belicosa , great draw & flavor & to top it off George is from DA BURGH ,,,, a Pittsburgh connection for Cigars ,,, while we are no rivel to Tampa , its nice to have a local who understands cigars & the life style it provides .
Well its time to change gears a bit , I have a little new from the front & back yards here at the Qtr.Deck , the 4 pine trees between me & the place next to me are GONE ,,,, YEA no more pine cones , no more pine needles all over the cars & in the gutters , No more ... But the birds have found a new place to $hit,,, got to remember to close the sunroof on the car. & the 2 maples in the back yard have been trimmed , looks like a big wind storn came through & took all the branches , looks like some one will have a lot of fire wood after it drys a few years , the pines went into the chopper & it smelled like Christmas here , even with the cigar in my mouth I could smell the pine ....... they did a fine clean up & even starting a bit later than they had said the job went smooth & I was at work by 2PM . Dammmm the yard looks so OPEN with out the 4 Pines , Lots of Sun on the Qtr.Deck now , But I am done cleaning the gutters !!!!!!
I have a slab of Ribs ready to hit the grill shortly & they should be falling off the bone about 4 or 5 Pm , depening on how soon I get them on . I havent any idea what to have with them , so i will look in the Fridge & see whats available ,,,, might be leftovers Or some thing made just for today ,,, Had I thought about it last night I might have made a pot of baked beans, but no time now ,,,, still have lots of time to think about what to have & the ribs will be happy no matter what gets served beside them...... this morning's pot of kona is a bit weak,,, I dont think my Wife used enough coffee for the amount of water, , so I am going to brew a small pot of SUPER STRONG & blend them together, & since her & our daughter are shopping they will never know ,,,,,, till they taste it , Thick as OIL ,,, yea baby , coffee at its Best.& speaking of the best , I need to get outside & turn on the A/C in the Qtr.Deck , we are looking for a high in the upper 80's or low 90's today..... dont look for me outside till the sun goes down , just a quick run from the house to the grill & back in the Qtr.Deck. Right now its Time for a CIGAR .... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 24th of July 2011 & its HOT HOT HOT here in da Burgh, High Humidity , & no breeze,,, it is MISERABLE & has been all week, The grandsons are on there way to the outter banks with thier other grandparents & cousins ...... 12 hours in a mini van 5 kids & 2 adults ..... not my idea of a fun time .... My idea of a fun time would not involve 12 hours on the road, sure the outter banks should be fun , but a plane , train or BUS would be better for me , even if I had to pass on the cigars , I will leave the driving to a Professional ,,,, I just dont want to deal with the trouble of finding my way to some place fighting traffic & the heat, worrying about the car, the traffic & other drivers .... local ,I am fine but I just dont want to be pilot & navagator ... GPS ? well that might help but I just am old school & love my folding paper map ! hahahahaha
The heat has been overwhelming & sales at the shop show it, no one wants to go out side , the A/C has been working overtime to keep up , I have it set at 80F , I have a few fans running in the lounge , the humidors are running between 72 F & 75F with the humidity between 67% & 68 %between the 2 walk ins at the shop,,,, its a Pain keeping everything as close to 70/70 as i can get, keeping the lights off is helping keep the temp down & I turn them on when we have a customer & they are few & far between,,,,, I havent turned the TV on at the shop all week , got the CD player hooked up & have been blasting the Jazz all week, played a little blues Friday evening to show my sadness for the low turn out on our BYOB friday night,,,, most Fridays its a full house & a lot of standing & lawn chairs from different customers, but this past friday it was so hot No one showed up, 5 Guys braved the temp & humidity & I left them at 9:30 to call it an early night & I went home ...... back at it saturday & nothing happened after I left Friday night ,,, the same amout of cash was in the regester when I got back in as when I left,,,, so I am glad I didnt just sit there & stair at the walls .......
The Sunday morning Cigar was the Traditional Don Carlos #3 & kona coffee ,,, I have the A/c on in the Qtr.Deck & will be going out there soon , I have a few peppers to roast on the gas grill to go with the rib steaks later today ,,,,,, way to hot to turn on the oven for the roast beef , everything will be done on the outside grill today , including the yams & the Cheesecake ......... cheesecake on the grill? why not ?,,, freeeeeeeze it hard , & slide it on the well oiled grill to give it a lite char , maybe a little egg wash might make it brown a bit faster? I dont know, I will try it & see what happens ........ This past wendsday we went to the Greek food fest at the local Greek church ,,,, I ate all I could hold & brought a ton of stuff home , the stuffed grape leaves were not up to the usual 9.9 out of 10 this year , more like a high 7 or low 8 , the leaf was fine but the filling was not up to standards they have been setting for the past 20+ years ,,, oh well time passed & the Old people who ran it all the years have been gone a few years & the replacements have tryed to fix something that wasn't broke,,,,,, But I spent a few bucks & helped the church add to the Bell tower fund , I live far enough away I cant hear them so let them ring anytime .....
I was digging arround in the humidor here at home & found a few R&J from a buying spree I went on in 85/86 .Looks like one will be tourched some time today hahahaha , I just wish it wasnt as hot as I would love to have a nice single malt with it BUT its just to dammmm hot , I dont even want a Beer, ice cold or warm as spit , all i have been drinking is coffee & water , I did have a bit of Tomato juice to cover up the taste of the vodka , but I am not a big fan of Vodka ...... I wonder if you smoke the potatos with peat before they are fermented ........ Hummmmm any distillers want to run with that idea give me a call ! hahaha
looks like it is about time to stop typing & get the show on the road, the coffee needs brewed & the cigars are calling me , I have a craving for a nice old contraband cigar to be the Mid morning pick me up with more coffee, But this pot will be a strong brewed Central American Mountain grown bean with a medium dark roast ,,,,, I might pull the cork on a malt whisky to wash it all down with But then again I might not...... choices are a chore ! hahaha Enjoy, Vince
Good Morning , it is Sunday 31 July 2011 a HOT HUMID day here in da Burgh,,,, Not a lot going on , its just to dammmm hot to do much outside, the grandsons are back from the vacation with thier other grandparents , they went to N. Carolina shore for a few days of fun in the sun, , NOT that it wasnt hot & sunny here but no Atlantic Ocean to play in , the river is just not the same hahahaha , but no sharks in the river !!!!
the shop has been up & down all week, I think if its hot out & way to hot to sit on your back deck or front porch to have a cigar you might stop at the shop, the A/C is on & the jazz is in the background, the coffee is hot & fresh & the Bull$hit is flowing all day long, but no one wants to leave the house & brave the heat to get a cigar , Oh there are a few of the regulars who show up every day come H3ll or high water , but its the semi regulars who spend the cash , the box buyers & gift givers , & lets not forget the babys , weddings & golf outtings & other FUN times ....... we had a batchlorette party come through , they got all the acid kuba kuba in the shop, glad they didnt smoke them there ..... it was off to the Pub for them,,,,, dammmm I hope they have a taxi to get home ,,,, the bride was all ready $hitfaced, BUT what a Belch , as loud as anyone I have ever heard , you go girl !....... BEER ~ helping homley girls get laid since the first one was brewed,,, I would have needed a case or 2 & by then the mood would have passed hahaha
Breakfast was a toasted muffin with bacon & egg , a pot of Columbian coffee & a fig , I have the Kona on all ready & the A/C is running in the Qtr.Deck , there will be smoke soon ! , & I am passing on the Don Carlos #3 this week in favor of a FINE OLD contraband Monte corona that I have had about 10 years now ,,,, I think its Time has come to be turned into ASH ...... after that I have no idea what I will be fireing up ,other than the Grill for the chicken today , to hot to heat up the kitchen so I will be facing the elements outside with the chicken , corn on the cob & grilled yellow squash,,,, everything will get the light smoke from the grill & seasoned with a little salt,pepper & garlicbutter,,,,, cant forget the garlic ! & since its hot out I just might pop the top on a Saint Pauly Girl Dark Beer , just thinking about a nice cold beer is making me thursty ,,,,, BUT that dammm carbonation kills me , & flat beer looses some thing in the taste BUT a frosted mug is in the freezer,,,, so I will Brave the gas & expaned bloated feeling for a nice cool beer when I cook later today ..... maybe I will be able to BURP it out ! hahahaha
Not much else going on here in da Burgh, way to hot to get outside & do much of anything .... maybe a nap is instore for me this after noon ,,, a nice cigar , coffee & a few drams of single malt....... a nap ....... then the beer & cooking...... should be a geat day ! Enjoy, Vince
Vince....do you listen to The Blowin Smoke podcast?? It's run by a guy named Rob Hemming, LINK They're also from da'burgh. Just curious because last show they mentioned someone named Vince that ran a local cigar store...and I thought of u and wondered.
Good morning it is Sunday 17 July 2011 a hot humid day here in da Burgh , a whole lot of goings on this past week, a few new cigars hit the store , the grandson will be going to Houston in Sept. to play piano for a fashion show with members of the Synphoney( yes I know its miss spelled but I am to lazy to look it up) , & last night we had a BBQ at a friends house & sat outside & smoked a few fine cigars & drank a good amount of sangria , the brisket was great as well as the chicken, & the desert was a FANTASTIC Pavalova, a creation of egg whites, fruit & whipped cream....... well done Lou .... next time he will be making a cheese cake. , & we had some fine Contraband cigars , I had a Fonseca corona & it paired well with the wine, later I did have a Butera Churchill & it went fine with the coffee & Irish whisky .... (note to self, Dont mix grain & grape ),a bit of a headache this morning ! & this morning a knock at the door , its My Daughter , she is here for breakfast.... she is taking her mother shopping for God knows what this morning ...... the arguements have started all ready & they havent even got up from the breakfast table ..... OHHHH yea kids you gotta love them...... AHHHH SICLENCE.... but as they get in the car & drive away I can still hear them........ Yack Yack Yack .
Friday night we had a NEW cigar at the shop, the owner of the comapny George Rodrigez, was in the shop with his new Rodrico cigars 2 different blends & a total of 5 sizes & dammmm every one was a hit in my book, blended by a retired master blender from Davidoff & just full of FLAVOR , not a lot of POWER whitch is good for me , , I like great taste over kick your butt power & the price was right in the sweet spot for the shop , the High end 6 X 60 is only $8.00 & the low side of the price scale is the Robusto at $6.00 a NO brainer for sure , the cigars all smoked fine & while not going to replace Don Carlos #3 for my morning smoke it is verrry enjoyable with coffee &/OR a scotch, out of the 5 sizesI like to Belicosa , great draw & flavor & to top it off George is from DA BURGH ,,,, a Pittsburgh connection for Cigars ,,, while we are no rivel to Tampa , its nice to have a local who understands cigars & the life style it provides .
Well its time to change gears a bit , I have a little new from the front & back yards here at the Qtr.Deck , the 4 pine trees between me & the place next to me are GONE ,,,, YEA no more pine cones , no more pine needles all over the cars & in the gutters , No more ... But the birds have found a new place to $hit,,, got to remember to close the sunroof on the car. & the 2 maples in the back yard have been trimmed , looks like a big wind storn came through & took all the branches , looks like some one will have a lot of fire wood after it drys a few years , the pines went into the chopper & it smelled like Christmas here , even with the cigar in my mouth I could smell the pine ....... they did a fine clean up & even starting a bit later than they had said the job went smooth & I was at work by 2PM . Dammmm the yard looks so OPEN with out the 4 Pines , Lots of Sun on the Qtr.Deck now , But I am done cleaning the gutters !!!!!! Must of missed this one, PM sent
I have a slab of Ribs ready to hit the grill shortly & they should be falling off the bone about 4 or 5 Pm , depening on how soon I get them on . I havent any idea what to have with them , so i will look in the Fridge & see whats available ,,,, might be leftovers Or some thing made just for today ,,, Had I thought about it last night I might have made a pot of baked beans, but no time now ,,,, still have lots of time to think about what to have & the ribs will be happy no matter what gets served beside them...... this morning's pot of kona is a bit weak,,, I dont think my Wife used enough coffee for the amount of water, , so I am going to brew a small pot of SUPER STRONG & blend them together, & since her & our daughter are shopping they will never know ,,,,,, till they taste it , Thick as OIL ,,, yea baby , coffee at its Best.& speaking of the best , I need to get outside & turn on the A/C in the Qtr.Deck , we are looking for a high in the upper 80's or low 90's today..... dont look for me outside till the sun goes down , just a quick run from the house to the grill & back in the Qtr.Deck. Right now its Time for a CIGAR .... Enjoy, Vince
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"Long ashes my friends."