Friday at the Hut - 12/24/10

A special Christmas blog today and season's greetings to all my loyal readers (both of you). Tom L called me a couple days ago and asked if there were any plans to get together at The Tobacco Hut on Christmas Eve. I knew that Lou was closing early, but we talked about meeting up at noon. So I sent word to the local guys and we ended up with a nice turnout: Tom, Peter, Ed, Adrian, and myself joined Lou, Dotty and Diane.

Joe wasn't able to make it so Tom called him and gave him hell. Joe pledged to make next Friday for the New Year's Eve celebration. The shop won't be open on Saturday, New Year's Day, so we're all planning on getting together on Friday instead, around 12:00 again.

A new pipe smoker arrived, I believe Ed was his name, and - much to Tom's chagrin and amusement - we talked a little shop. I advised him on the best way to keep the pipe lit (looser on the bottom, tighter toward the top), how to light it, keep it clean, etc. Tom thought the whole thing was just so much foolishness, and that a cigar is far more convenient.

Tom couldn't see the allure of all the different blends of pipe tobacco and I tried to explain my connoisseur's sophisticated palate but he cut me off, reminding me of how I polished off a magnum of Mad Dog 20/20 at his house a month ago. Point taken.
Adrian arrived and brought a very special guest, his wife. She was actually just dropping him off while she did some shopping, but we all coaxed her inside to be properly introduced. We've never met Mrs. Adrian and felt compelled to know the woman who puts up with Adrian so well. She entered the store a little wide-eyed at the gaggle of men thrusting handshakes at her, and she probably left reeking of smoke and vowing never to return. Thanks for being a good sport, Mrs. Adrian!

Lou mentioned that Mike G was in town visiting family and that he and Vic had stopped in earlier in the week. Hopefully Mike will still be in town next Friday and he can pop in. Vic, can you make the long drive up from Bradenton?

That's all for now. It's Christmas morning as I'm writing this, and this atheist is anxious to open some Xmas presents!

Don't forget - next Friday, New Year's Eve, at the Hut, around noon. Let's ring in the New Year with leftover Christmas cookies and good smokes!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 12/11/10

On a chilly, overcast day in December, a pipeful of Tinder Box Reserve 1928 tasted wonderful in my rusticated Cassano, especially when Lou opened the door to let some of the accumulated smoke from half a dozen guys clear out. In attendance at The Tobacco Hut were Joe K, Peter G, Vic, Adrian, and Barry. Barry actually made kind of a dual appearance. He talked to us for awhile via speakerphone and later came in to buy some cigars and ended up staying for two hours.


I came prepared to do battle with Adrian over the chessboard, but he chickened out. No, that's not the case. Actually there were way too many folks and too much going on to have a proper game, so we postponed. Maybe after the holidays, Adrian...


Vic arrived, definitely traveling the farthest to have a cigar, coming all the way from Bradenton. I know Vic was disappointed that his 62-year-old admirer, Crazy Marion (or whatever her name was) wasn't there, but Lou said the next time she came in he would make sure she got in touch with him. See the blog post from Oct 2 for the skinny on the crazy woman. I think in retrospect, Joe was a little jealous that she quit flirting with him when she gazed upon Vic.


Apparently Barry had scheduled a party for Saturday night and invited his friend Vic. None of the rest of us were invited so Vic called him and, via speakerphone, Barry invited all of us to his soiree. We were all very touched by this sincere and heartfelt, albeit last minute, invitation. I was unable to make his party with four hours' notice, but I'm sure everyone else re-arranged their schedules to attend. 


Apparently the heating system in Barry's house was on the fritz and Vic was a little concerned about attending a party in a "meat locker". The talk quickly devolved into what kind of meat was in Barry's meat locker...Vienna sausages, cocktail franks, etc. I tried not to listen.


A little while later Barry actually appeared in person. He was going to pull an Adrian and just rush in and out picking up some cigars for the party, but he ended up staying for almost two hours.


Joe had left at that point, but the rest of us had another rousing discussion on religion. Me being the token atheist, I felt a bit like the only progressive at a GOP convention, but I felt like I held my own. Nobody changed each other's minds, but that wasn't the point. 


As we were leaving, Vic presented me with a gift. I was quite surprised and touched - he gave me a T-shirt depicting the Vietnam War Memorial and Wall. I'll wear it proudly, Vic. Thank you!


One last note - just a reminder that everyone's favorite guest blogger, my son Ryan, will be here next week. He's on winter break from his sophomore year at Ohio State and we'll pop in next Saturday between roughly 12-3:00, so hope to see everyone.


Cheers!
 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 12/4/10

Last week at The Tobacco Hut saw a lot of political discussion, sometimes a bit more heated than usual. So in the spirit of friendship, I brought a peace offering to Joe K. I presented him with a much-coveted coffee mug sporting the name of my favorite NPR program, All Things Considered. I'm quite sure that "liberal" portions of coffee would taste much better coming from an NPR mug rather than a backward-looking, bitter conservative cup.


I returned again to Lou's Baker Street tobacco, this time in a David Jones Canadian sandblast. I've had problems before with this pipe smoking a little wet sometimes, but I think this was the first time I had tried Baker Street in it, and it wasn't wet at all. It was a very pleasant, cool and dry smoke, and burnt completely down to a fine gray ash. This Canadian is one of two David Jones pipes I have, both obtained on the recommendation of my old manager at The Tinder Box. I've never met a more knowledgeable pipe guy in my life, and am glad to say that we are still in touch many years after I worked for him.


In addition to Joe, Peter and Adrian were in attendance. We talked a little politics, but not nearly to the extent of last week, and with scarcely the same ferocity. We watched some little college football team beat up another on TV, something called the University of Central Florida. I guess Joe's son James called in long distance demanding that we switch the channel. Lou was in an accommodating mood, so instead of the ice dancing we were all set to watch, we watched James' alma mater. Sigh...

Click to enlarge

My wife and I celebrated my birthday this weekend and she was kind enough to give me a new camera as a gift. It is a compact Canon PowerShot SX30IS with an amazing 35x zoom lens. It also shoots HD video and will be perfect for our upcoming cruise in January. She bought it at Pasco Camera as we always try to buy local. Jim and Annette Smetzer opened Pasco Camera Exchange fifteen years ago and if you're looking for anything photography related, check with them first. They have a large inventory of cameras, from point & shoots to dSLR's, and tons of accessories. I also used them to have some old 8mm movies converted to video and they did a wonderful job. At right is one of the first shots I took with the camera. For those of you who are into photography, here's the exposure info: 1/100 sec, f/4.0, ISO 80, evaluative metering. I was really impressed with the dynamic range of the camera, holding a lot of detail in both light and dark areas. I'll post some more pictures in the weeks to come.

Speaking of shopping local, Christmas is right around the corner and if you're looking for some great gift ideas, check out my online t-shirt shop. I realize that sounds like a contradiction, but I've been using a "print-on-demand" outfit called CafePress for several years now to sell my graphic designs. Here's the link to my shop, The Erudite Outlet. There's t-shirts for the cigar and pipe lover, and lots of other designs as well, plus coffee mugs and other fun stuff.


Finally, Adrian and I will be having a meeting of the minds next Saturday over the chessboard. He is an avid player as am I and we've talked a few times about playing, and we have decided to do battle at last. I don't think I've ever smoked a pipe and played chess at the same time, but it seems like a natural combination and maybe it will intimidate my opponent into thinking I'm smarter than I actually am!


Until next week...
 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 11/27/10

Before I get into today's activities at The Tobacco Hut, I'd like to mention that this space was reviewed and mentioned in a blog across the pond by a rather large and well-known catalogue retailer in the U.K. I received an e-mail from a most pleasant correspondent from the Clifford James Co. She indicated that my blog was chosen, among others, as one of the "Pipe Smoker's Blogs We Love." She described The Sweetest Smoke "As much a social commentary as an exploration of new pipes and tobacco blends, it is an addictive tobacco soap-opera." I like that, an addictive tobacco soap-opera. Anyway, here's the link to the Clifford James blog.

Today indeed was quite the soap opera! In attendance were Tom L, Joe K, Adrian R, Lou, and myself. Ed B and Tom D arrived after the fireworks were over. Now perhaps it was because Lou was a little grumpy, or Tom L likes to stir the political pot, or Joe K was mad at Apple (wanna sell that iPad, Joe?), but I found myself on the receiving end of countless barbs and unpleasantries. In the vernacular of the Hut, I was in "the barrel" before I had even lit my pipe.

Speaking of which, I did enjoy a bowlful of Lou's most-excellent Baker Street, an exquisite English blend that I'm liking more and more. The Crown Viking freehand (at left - click to enlarge) handled it beautifully, burning the Virginia/Latakia blend to a fine, white ash. I had to run a pipe cleaner through the pipe about halfway through smoking it as there was a buildup of moisture. I don't think however that had anything to do with the tobacco, but rather my smoking it too rapidly. See, my blood pressure was rising as I tried to withstand the attacks from Lou, Tom, and Joe.

The withering bombardment aimed at your humble narrator, the token liberal in the room, was so rapid-fire that I had trouble properly defending myself. At one point, I tried to argue not a position, but a point of fact (about whether people born here are American citizens or not), with Lou, but forgot the cardinal rule. He's always right. I should have deferred to him right away and conserved my energy.

In any case, I felt like I not only had to defend the entire progressive movement, as well as the newspaper I work for, and even Apple. In the end I just couldn't do it. In spreading myself too thin, in fighting a war on two - nay, three - fronts, I failed. I was defeated, broken, and didn't even have an NPR station to listen to for comfort until the lonely ride home.

Adrian joined us and jumped into the fray, bringing well-reasoned and cogent arguments to the discussion. He didn't go on the offensive as much, but tended to chime in with his opinion when asked. Perhaps he was distracted by Florida State beating up on the University of Florida. BTW, I did enjoy watching Ohio State beat Michigan - again!

I've mentioned to a couple folks a project I'm working on for my mother as a birthday gift. I'm assembling converted 8mm films, scanned slides and prints, and music onto a DVD as a little trip down memory lane for her. In combing through the slides, I came across this photo (at right - click to enlarge). This is me at 3 years old sitting on my grandfather's lap. I was obviously interested in pipes from a very young age. My fondest memories of "Grandpa Al" are of watching him pack and smoke his pipe.

Just an announcement for all who are interested, my son Ryan will be visiting in mid-December, and we'll try and make an appearance on Saturday, December 18th in the early afternoon. Perhaps I can even persuade him to take over the writing duties of this space again.

Until next week...
 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 11/6/10

Two weeks ago in this space I made a disparaging remark about Fox News, likening them to a certain German political party of the 1930's. Certain friends at The Tobacco Hut, namely Joe K, took offense to this the following week, claiming that I had called him a Nazi. In the subsequent blog, I clarified my remarks, reiterating only that the Fox News entertainers like Beck, Hannity, et al, were the Nazis, not my good friend Joe. But I apologized profusely to Joe in last week's blog. This week, when I walked in to the Hut, Joe was in the back room, and when he came out...well you had to be there. Needless to say, it was hysterical and we all had a great laugh.

How about some fascinating trivia speaking of Nazis? The National Socialist German Workers' Party did not originate the swastika for their national emblem. In fact, the word itself comes from the ancient Sanskrit, svastika. The ideogram has been used for thousands of years; its first use found in the Euphrates-Tigris valley and in some areas of the Indus valley. The swastika was commonly used in ancient Greece as well. In China, India, and Japan, the sign is mostly associated with Buddha. In the early centuries CE, Celts used the symbol as decoration, but it fell out of favor during the rise of Christianity in Europe, probably seen as anti-Christian due to its association with Buddha. More recently, it was used in nineteenth and twentieth centuries cartography as the symbol for electrical power plants. It was part of the company logo for Swedish electrical machinery manufacturer ASEA until Hitler adopted it for the Nazi national symbol. The Danish brewery group Carlsberg also incorporated the swastika in their branding but discontinued it when Hitler began using it. Finally, it is still widely seen in Finland, and is part of that country's Finnish Cross of Freedom. It was even used in advertising (see image above - click to enlarge).

Now that this week's history lesson is over, we can move on to less important topics. In attendance this week were Joe K, Peter G, and Ed B, whom we haven't seen in a couple months. Last week Vic called promising a visit this week, which I took to mean Saturday. My bad, as he came earlier in the week, so we didn't get to see him. Now that he's retired and living the good life, maybe he'll include Saturdays in his Hut visits.

Steve B wasn't able to make it, but he called. This is all we ask, people! If you can't make it, just call. This allows us to revise the catering order and size of the keg.

As is becoming more and more common lately, we had another crazy walk in and spend some time. This particular nutcase is not a stranger apparently. He's been in before asking to sort through all the change in Lou's cash register looking for the "good coins". This time he made a small purchase and took the chair vacated by Joe as he was heading home for his nap (good timing, Joe!). A college football game was on the TV and after a few minutes and out of the blue Mr. Crazy launches into a play-by-play call of some imaginary game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns, as Howard Cosell. He fell silent after a minute or so of his "broadcast" but resumed, this time calling a fumble recovery with player "49" picking up the ball and "running through the tunnel carrying Barbara Bush's purse." With that, Mr. Crazy got up and walked out the door.

After Peter and Ed left, Lou and I got down to the serious business of talking about another new pipe tobacco blend. He has had great success with Baker Street, a perfect blend of Virginia and Latakia. Just this week at the store, the first half dozen customers I saw walk in all purchased pipe tobacco, two of them buying the new Baker Street. Shortly before closing, I suggested to Lou that he experiment with a crossover between an English tobacco and an aromatic. My recommendation was to take the existing Baker Street, and add in some Cavendish. I've already come up with a name for it: London Bridge. Why London Bridge? It's a "bridge" between English and aromatic tobaccos. Very clever, right?

Two more quick things before I sign off, both for Lou.

#1: October 16, 2010, Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin. Wisconsin 31/OSU 18. Source: BuckeyeExtra.com

#2: Peter had a great suggestion about putting up a sign in the window advertising Christmas gifts like sampler packs, etc., to capitalize on the new traffic coming in and out of the new Sunshine Groves store next door. Don't forget to talk to Dotty about it!

Until next week...

Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 10/30/10

Saturday brought an old friend to The Tobacco Hut...Mike G made a surprise visit from Tennessee! Always great to see Mike and it was just like old times at the Hut. Joe K was there and Steve B came in later in the afternoon. If you haven't checked out Steve's new website, click here to take a look.

Lots of laughter, a little political banter, and great stories from Mike as always. Love the tale he told while visiting the Smoky Mountains (I think it took place there)...Mike's driving around a winding mountain road, carefully negotiating a path between a cop who has someone pulled over and pedestrians on the other side, and his wife spots a deer and hands him the camera phone to take a picture. In his words, Mike doesn't "even know what the f*** button to push!"

Somewhere along the way, Joe got the notion that I called him a Nazi in last week's blog. In fact, I called the Fox News entertainers Nazis, not Joe. But, in any case, a sincere apology to my good friend Joe for leaving him with that impression. I was poking fun at Fox News and didn't mean for Joe to take offense at that so, again, my apologies. Plus, I still need that ride to the Tampa cruise port in January.

Saturday found me smoking an unfinished signed Erik Nording freehand. It has a large bowl and I filled it to the brim with Lou's new English blend, Baker Street. I've written about this blend before, but really am liking it. It's the perfect blend of sweet Virginia and Latakia and I helped Lou sell a couple ounces of it at the shop to a new customer. He also bought one of Lou's estate pipes and hopefully he'll be back to join us on a Saturday.

Vic called during the day and promised to make an appearance next Saturday. Congratulations on your closing Vic and we're looking forward to the housewarming party!

I can't resist...Mike's wife Diane posted this wedding picture of theirs on her Facebook account earlier in the year and I've been meaning to post it here. I guess it's only fair as I a couple weeks ago I posted the picture from several decades ago of Lou and Dotty, so feast your eyes on Mike "back then" (click to enlarge). One of these days I'll embarrass myself and post some of my old pics. They won't be nearly as old as Mike's of course, and I'll be better looking, but you'll get a laugh anyway.

Cheers!

Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 10/23/10

When I pulled into the parking lot in front of The Tobacco Hut, I was pleasantly surprised to see Joe K's truck in its usual spot. I had expected him to be in Atlanta visiting his son James. It turns out Joe canceled his trip and I soon discovered why. Immediately after I arrived, he donned a shirt slamming my beloved NPR for their firing of news analyst Juan Williams earlier this week. This fine T-shirt was handcrafted by Joe and Val (mostly Val from what I hear) and Tom L snapped the picture you see here (click to enlarge). Probably the best reaction to the shirt came from Peter G who practically danced a sort of Greek jig in celebration of it. When asked of my reaction to Williams' firing, I admitted that the way he was let go wasn't the best, but that I agreed with the decision.

Joe and Tom both tossed many barbs my way throughout the day regarding NPR, although in a reply to Peter, I pointed out that the network itself was running news stories and commentary about it. Their reporters, analysts, and ombudsman aren't afraid of reporting on NPR even to say that mistakes were made. Obviously NPR values a diverse range of opinion (when it's rightly in line with their contract provisions) while, say, the Fox News entertainers march along in lock-step, not unlike a certain German political party active from 1919 to 1945. But I digress.

We had a new, hopefully regular, guest in our midst, a pipe smoker named Dravin. I'm hoping that I spelled his name correctly. He seemed to like the new English tobacco that Lou has whipped up, Baker Street, as he tried it and bought an ounce or two of it. He stayed for awhile and joined in the fun and hopefully will return.

Steve B came in we talked about my doing some more graphics work for his landscape company. It is also with great pleasure that I can announce that the S&B Lawn Service website I built for him is now live. I encourage everyone to check it out and keep Steve in mind if they need any landscaping. He and his crew did an outstanding job in transforming our front yard this past spring from being the shame of the street to the pride of the neighborhood with new sod, mulch, shrubbery, flowers, gravel, and more.

Adrian is back to his old self - he rushed in, grabbed a cigar, threw down some cash for it, and dashed out. On his way out the door, he did take time to apologize to Lou for sitting in his chair and also noted Wisconsin's upset win over Ohio State last week. You know, Adrian, if you're going to be an Ohio State hater, perhaps you should just keep breezing in and out! Kidding, of course.

Paula and I went over to Tom and Amanda's for a small dinner party later in the evening and I was shown Tom's Holy Grail. A large humidor filled with dozens, nay, hundreds, of 15 year old Opus X cigars. Every year around Christmastime, Tom comes up to the Hut bearing gifts as he passes out some of his prized Opus's to the guys. He also wanted me to "rub his pork", but I won't go into that right now.

Cheers!

Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 10/16/10

Today, in Lou's absence, I was running the store. And as promised, it was "Free Cigar Day" at The Tobacco Hut! Of course, it was a limited time offer. Free boxes of cigars were being given away, but only from 10:00am-10:01am. If you didn't make it in during that time, you'll have to buy 'em like everyone else!

As many of you know, Lou is recovering from a cornea transplant, and doing just fine according to Dotty. Some cabin fever has set in so I pity Dotty more than Lou. He's expecting to return to the store this Monday though, wearing some fashionable dark wrap-around glasses. In any case, glad you're doing well Lou, and we'll see you next Saturday.

In the meantime, here's what you missed: Peter G arrived but was a little down in the dumps as his Boston Eagles spent the day losing to Florida State. He did send up a cheer here and there, but his rendition of the Eagles' fight song was less than inspiring. Joe K showed up next and, with great ceremony, I handed over the final installment of my iMac purchase to him. This screamingly fast computer with bright 24" monitor is now completely mine and - unless the check bounces - Joe can't change his mind and take it back! BTW, Joe, have I thanked you lately for selling me this wonderful machine? When you're ready to sell the iPad, let me know!

We were all pretty much in the dumps over Boston College's loss to the Seminoles (well, just Peter) when our day was brightened by Adrian's smiling face. He picked out a cigar and planted himself in - gasp! - the king's chair. That's right, he sat in Lou's chair. Now let that sink in a little: Adrian. Sat. In. Lou's. Chair. In fact, here's the photographic proof (Click to enlarge). We were all pretty much stunned, but I think part of it was that we were all too lazy to go get a folding chair from the back.

Mike G called from his home in Tennessee to place an order of cigars with Lou. I told him I would dutifully write a note for him and have Lou ship it out Monday. Of course, I'm the same guy who assured Mike that I would lock his shed after staying at his cabin a few years ago and completely forgot, so I wouldn't be looking for that cigar shipment anytime soon, Mike!

Practically inconsolable, Peter left after the Boston College/Florida State game was final but Barry C showed up a short time later. Joe left for home to take a nap leaving myself, Barry, and Adrian. Now Barry and Adrian knew each other casually, but only today discovered that they are each diehard Dallas Cowboy fans. They both stood up and embraced as I guess only Cowboy fans can do. In fact, I think the hug went on a little longer than it should have but hey, what do I know,  I'm a Browns fan.

Anyway, the display of man-love ended and as it was nearing closing time, I emptied my pipe of the remnants of Tinder Box Reserve 1928, and packed everything away. Dotty arrived to close out and we were on our way. Hope you're feeling back to normal soon, Lou, and back to take your rightful place at the throne.

Cheers!

Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 10/2/10

It was "Day of the Crazies" at The Tobacco Hut today. First, let me take roll call: In attendance were Joe K, Steve B, Barry C, Vic, Lou (of course), and myself. Barry came too late to see the first crazy, but her name was Marion or something. She barged in, announced who she was, her age (62), and flirted with every man in the room, quizzing us on how long we'd been married.

She took a particular shine to Joe and Vic. Joe because he - well - he flirted right back with her. It was kind of embarrassing, especially after I had just seen pictures of him from his recent trip to Pennsylvania wearing nothing but shorts while chopping wood.

She thought Vic was particularly handsome and made some comment that if he'd not been married she would throw herself at him. Vic tried to look flattered, but I think he threw up a little bit in his mouth at the thought.

It was good to see Vic now that he's given up the Empire State for the Sunshine State. He's been a little busy this past month with buying a new house, but I think retired life is definitely going to agree with him.

Steve and I tried to ignore Crazy Marion and conduct a little business as she was bouncing from man to man. We're on the verge of getting his website up and running - watch this space for the announcement shortly!

I enjoyed a bowlful of Lou's most excellent English blend - Baker Street - in my Ser Jacopo. This is a pipe I've owned for over 20 years and it always smokes like a dream. It brought out nice hints of the Latakia in Baker Street, without letting the Virginia take over the smoke.

Barry arrived later in the afternoon and we all argued a little about Derek "Cheater" Jeter, his favorite player on the Yankees. Vic and Barry were at the game when the "pitch heard 'round the world" occurred. They even spotted Rays manager Joe Maddon in the stands a few rows away from them after he was ejected for arguing with the umpire.

Apparently, Barry's loyalty to the Yankees doesn't run as deep as we all thought. Here's the proof. The photo to the left was snapped as some jealous fan was trying to grab his prized Rays hat from his head. I was assured that he got his hat back, with nary a punch thrown or harsh word exchanged.

Lou gave me a prized possession of his while I was at the Hut. A photograph of him and Dotty taken at their daughter's first wedding in the mid-70s. It was an 8x10 and had suffered a little wear and tear over the years. He asked if I could bring it back into shape and I was glad to do it. Of course, I have to post the picture here so everyone can see Lou in a tuxedo, and his fancy Ted Koppel-like haircut. Dotty, of course, looks stunning in the photo and didn't need any retouching to bring out her beauty. Lou, on the other hand, required so much work that even my brand new iMac (thanks Joe!) wasn't up to the task and kept crashing. Anyway, enjoy the before and after photos of Lou "The Early Days" Search! Click on each image to enlarge.




Until next week...

Saturday at the Hut - 9/18/10

At The Tobacco Hut on Saturday, I enjoyed a bowlful of Tinder Box Reserve 1928 in the Cassano I bought in Boston a couple months back. The Reserve 1928 is a wonderful blend of three Virginia tobaccos - Red Virginia, Orange Virginia, and Virginia Flake - and a touch of Burley. It has a great flavor and very pleasant room note. I've written about Reserve 1928 before, and I'm proud to say I worked for the gentleman who was instrumental in its final formula. Mike Spicer was my manager when I worked for Tinder Box in Columbus, Ohio many years ago. He is still the manager and a great guy with encyclopedic knowledge of all things pipes and baseball. I think I still have an unpaid tab that he hasn't written off yet (inside joke for Mike if he's reading!). Joe, you'd love him - he introduced me to NPR!

Speaking of NPR, Joe brought his iPad into the store when we needed to look something up on the Internet. I bought one for Paula for her birthday a couple months ago and she loves it. I get to play with it a little once in a while, but it's tough to get it away from her. Anyway, I borrowed Joe's iPad at the store and knowing how much he loves NPR, I thought I would do him a favor and download the NPR app. I wanted to surprise him with it, so tried to do it surreptitiously, but got hung up when it asked for Joe's password. I confessed to Joe what I was trying to do and he was very grateful that I, in fact, was not successful in my endeavor to open his mind. I'm sure Faux News has a "fair and balanced" app for the iPad, Joe!

Peter arrived and reported his success with his church fundraising auction last week. He also re-told some of the jokes that the hired entertainer, a Greek comedian, presented. A couple of the jokes were about butts and made us all a little uncomfortable. Just kidding. They were actually quite funny, especially the one about the coffee grounds (ask Peter to tell it when you see him). BTW, Lou donated a sampler pack of cigars for the event and Peter said that it garnered a $50 bid.

Looking forward to seeing New York Vic (now "Florida Vic"? "Bradenton Vic"? Palmetto Vic"?) who reports that he'll be visiting the Hut soon on a Saturday. Vic, let me know in advance if you can, and I'll spread the word that everyone's favorite retired corrections officer is visiting.

It's too bad Barry didn't show up. He would have seen Peter in rare form. Derek "Cheater" Jeter was brought up and Peter launched into a tirade about the Yankees captain, spitting expletives from his mouth like so many rotten watermelon seeds. Perhaps I've employed a touch of hyperbole, but safe to say that the respect Jeter has enjoyed throughout his career has lessened a bit.

Peter will be in Boston next Saturday and Joe's heading to Pennsylvania, so will have to wait a couple weeks before seeing them again. Paula and I might be furniture shopping so I may not be at the Hut either. Don't pout, Lou, you're always firing your best employees anyway.

BTW, we're shopping for a fold-out chair and a half to replace the daybed we want to get rid of. If anyone needs a nice day bed w/trundle, let me know!

Until next time...

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 9/11/10

Today at The Tobacco Hut I brought one of my David Jones handmade creations, a dark tan colored sandblasted billiard that always smokes nice and cool. I loaded it up with Tinder Box Reserve 1928 and settled in for a relaxing afternoon of pure tobacco delight.

Lou and I were joined late in the day by Barry and Steve. Steve and I discussed finishing up the website I'm re-designing for him. Shouldn't be long 'til it's ready to go - I'll make sure to announce it here when it's live. In case nobody was aware, Steve owns his own landscaping business, S&B Lawn Care. In the spring, Steve and his crew did a fantastic makeover of our front and back yard, installing new sod, plants, and hardscaping. We've had numerous comments from neighbors about the resulting transformation. Thanks Steve!

Joe took the week off as he had a dental procedure done a couple days ago and the dentist advised against smoking for a few days. Having had a tooth pulled several weeks ago, I can understand why he decided to skip this Saturday. Peter was AWOL, but he was probably DJ'ing at the local Greek radio station, or doing a live remote from Tarpon Springs or something. Now that he's back on the air, we'll probably never see the guy anymore.

Barry paid a visit, and he came bearing gifts. Well, a gift. For me. He had traveled to Ohio recently and picked up an Ohio State cap for me. His timing was perfect as he entered the store right at the opening kick-off between Ohio State and Miami. I immediately put on the hat and I'm sure it brought the Buckeyes good luck as they went on to beat the Hurricanes (no real surprise, of course, as OSU was ranked #2). Thanks for the hat, Barry. I appreciate it!

A shout-out to Scott who's on his way to upstate New York for a high-school reunion. Safe travels, my friend. Also, speaking of the Empire State, we're expecting a visit soon from New York Vic who recently sold his house and moved to the Bradenton area. I guess we can't call him "New York Vic" any longer. Barry said he called him "Cracker" as he's now a Florida resident. I think I'll just call him "Vic."

Until next week!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 9/4/10

Sorry The Sweetest Smoke is back to your usual humble narrator after the guest blogger, my son Ryan. I know from the feedback I got at The Tobacco Hut this past Saturday that most of you would prefer to read his scribbles more than mine, but alas you're stuck with me.

This Saturday saw myself, Joe K, Peter G, and Lou enjoying our cigars and pipe. Peter arrived looking very dapper, sporting a very fashionable shirt, his fedora, and some stylish sunglasses. He was getting into character for his radio gig later in the day. That's right, if you don't know, Peter has an extensive background in radio and was using his on-air skills at a Greek radio station to promote his church's fundraising efforts. Fifty thousand watts of FM power, coast to coast! Well, maybe a thousand watts from Clearwater to Port Richey, but it's for a good cause. Hope it went well, Peter!

The highlight of the day was the intense negotiation between myself and Joe. See, about 18 months ago Joe began to see the light in the computer world and bought himself a Mac. And not just any Mac. This was a screaming 24" iMac. Frankly, it put my little Mac Mini to shame and I was more than a bit envious. Of course, envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins so I was careful to - oh, hell let's tell the truth. I was green with envy, I was dripping with envy, I wanted that machine so badly I could taste it.

Over the year and a half, Joe didn't really use it as much as he would have liked, and I - sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtly - would make mention that he could always sell it to me. Well that day arrived on Saturday. We both arrived at the Hut ready to "talk turkey". Peter and Lou both got into the spirit of the negotiations as Joe and I began the "dance". In fact at one point, Lou got so into the spirit, that Joe and I both told him to shut up.

In the end, a fair price was agreed upon and I am now the proud owner of a screaming 24" iMac. Joe has taken immaculate care of this beauty and I spent the remainder of the long holiday weekend cleaning out Joe's files, erasing the hard drive, reinstalling the operating system, installing my applications, and transferring my documents. By the way, Joe, I found some, well, how do I put this, um, awkward files that I'll put on a CD for you...just kidding! Actually, being a Mac, the erasing of the hard drive and reinstallation of the operating system took about an hour tops.

Anyway, a huge thank you to Joe. Your iMac has found a good home. Below is a picture of it, all set up in our recently remodeled office.

Saturday at the Hut found me enjoying a pipeful of Lou's new English tobacco, Baker Street, which is a perfect blend of Virginia and Latakia tobaccos. I smoked it in one of the Crown Viking freehand pipes I got from Lou a couple years ago.

After Peter and Joe had left, a new customer came in around 4 o'clock. He was a kid in his mid-20s wearing a Publix shirt, talking on his cellphone non-stop, and the first thing I heard him say on the phone was that he had just been offered a $450,000/year job, but he lost the guy's contact information. He was in the walk-in humidor by the time I quit laughing. Unfortunately, Mr. Narcissist stayed 'til closing, regaling Lou and I with tales of how he's trying to get into management at Publix but they just don't see what he brings to the table. And though he's never smoked a pipe, he apparently knows a lot about them. And cigars, of course. For those that remember the Red Bull kid, this one had about the same demeanor. I was never so happy to help Lou close up shop.

We're all looking forward to New York Vic's arrival. Hopefully, he'll make his triumphant return on a Saturday so I get a chance to see him. Safe travels, Vic! Looking forward to seeing you.

That's all for this week. Cheers!

- Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 8/21/10

Saturday was a fun day at The Tobacco Hut - we had a good crowd of regulars and a potential new regular. In attendance were Joe K, Peter G, Adrian, Scott R, Paul V, and a new guy, Derek (who is also a new pipe smoker!). Lou was there, of course, and I brought along a special guest, my son Ryan who is down visiting from Ohio for a couple weeks (he's on the left in the photo, spelling out the first "O" in "Ohio", as in Ohio State).

It was brought up that last week I failed to post a blog and when I blamed it on not having time to write it, Ryan - my son, my flesh and blood - chortled loudly and said it was more likely that I was merely lazy! Everyone had a good laugh at my expense, and despite my protestations, I could convince nobody of my innocence. So, laziness it is. And in that spirit, I have written all I can manage for this week. I now turn it over to a guest blogger, my son Ryan. Take it away...

Guest Blog #1 - All I Needed to Know in Life, I Learned at the Tobacco Hut

This past Saturday was not my first time at the Tobacco Hut, however I'd never seen it that crowded. I walked in with my dad and was greeted by Paul, Scott, Derek, and Lou. However, over the course of the next few hours, the crowd grew to nine, myself included. Now, the first rule of the Tobacco Hut is simple, and I've known it for years: Don't sit in the king's throne. But as I sat there, at first only listening to the stories and jokes, I quickly picked up on a few other things.

Rule #2 - Nothing is Sacred

No one is immune from ridicule and jokes and, furthermore, there is no topic that can't be touched. At soon as Peter walked in, the stereotype of Greek homosexuality was brought up and the gay jokes started. I learned that my dad is the token liberal of the group and, apart from that, his personal choices, from Mac Computers to Mountain Dew are criticized. Even potential customers are not immune from the comments. A woman shopping for her husband blurted out that he was old and unwittingly gave the guys fodder for a half hour of jokes.

Rule #3 - Don't Breathe Too Deeply

The eight men sitting around huffing and puffing on cigars and pipes in an already smoky shop were quickly able to get a good haze going. After a short time my eyes were watering and my throat burned. For some reason, everyone else seemed immune to the smoke. It must be the years of smoking. And, while I can appreciate the love for smoking, my time in the Hut has further convinced me that I'm not cut out for it.

Rule #4 - Don't Take Things Too Seriously

For a bunch of seemingly crude older men, the regulars at the Hut are genuinely kind people (though they may never admit it). The digs at each other are all good-natured and the serious debates are done with a joking manner so it never gets too heavy or insulting. Everyone was interested in my college career (and my apparent new quarterback position). I was surprised when Joe asked how my Aunt Julie was, after a recent trip to the hospital (though it was later decided by Peter that she just needed to loosen her bra).

Rule #5 - Don't Be Afraid to Join in the Fun

At first I was afraid that if I made many comments, that I would not be as funny as I meant to be or they would think that I was being stupid. However, I realized that if I just jump in and make a few jokes, especially ones at my old man's expense (sorry, Dad), that I'd fit right in. Derek was also quick to learn this and, though, he told Lou he'd never be back, I think he had a pretty good time.

Rule #6 - It's Okay If You Don't Know Sports

If you don't know much about sports, never fear, Peter, Adrian, and Paul will not hesitate to fill you in. I think that between the three of them, they must know most everything you can know about any sport. And, while I'm no sports expert, I think the general consensus is that my dad needs to find a new football team besides the Browns.

Corollary to Rule #6 - Don't Get Peter Started on Boston

Derek was told that, though he was from Massachusetts as well, he should not talk to Peter about it. And, sure enough, as soon as Peter was called a "Mass-hole," he didn't stop talking about the Red Sox, the Patriots, places to vacation, eat, and live, and how amazing Massachusetts is.

Rule #7 - Don't Shop at Wal-Mart and at Sam's Club, Only Buy Paper and Cigarettes

Lou would never forgive you if you supported the Walton family.

However, out of all the things I learned while at the Hut yesterday the most important was this:

Rule #8 - Never, and I Mean Never, Under Any Circumstance, Ask Joe for His ID

Thanks, guys, for welcoming me into your circle. And, you're welcome for getting Dad to actually post a blog this week. Adios!

Saturday at the Hut - 8/7/10

I walked into The Tobacco Hut today and the first thing I saw was a gleaming white Dunhill My Mixture tobacco jar atop one of the humidors. An example of one of these highly collectible jars is shown at left. I wasn't sure where Lou got it, but I was hoping it was for sale, but alas it was for display only. Then Lou pointed out a half dozen Peterson System estate pipes for sale and a whole bunch of pipe racks and ashtrays. Lou hit the mother lode! Apparently he was approached by an agent of a pipe shop owner in Vermont who was closing his shop and he purchased a couple dozen estate pipes from him and a ton of pipe furniture.

He's in the process of cleaning up and sanitizing the pipes and has put some out for sale. Lou is only asking $45 apiece for them, which is an excellent bargain as new System pipes typically run anywhere from $95-110. Naturally, I selected one from the rack and was soon smoking it. Wow, what a cool dry smoke it is. The reservoir that traps the moisture in a System pipe really did its job and brought out the flavors of Lou's new tobacco blend very nicely.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention some more changes at the Hut. Lou has introduced a Virginia-based English blend of tobacco and he let me try a bowl of it in the Peterson. We talked about how the amount of Latakia in it should be tweaked ever so slightly and he has given me the honor of coming up with a name for his new blend. Since it's an English blend, he wants some sort of reference to the British Isles, and below is a list of possibilities for him, in alphabetical order, with the reasoning behind the names:

• Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes' address)
• Castledown (Castles are an obvious English feature)
• Celtic Dream (More Irish than English, but I like how the two words flow together)
• Falconer (Although originating in the Middle East, the sport of falconry was widely popular among the royalty throughout England's history)
• Foghorn (Maybe not British per se, but certainly nautical and England has a long maritime tradition)
• Mallory's Summit (Early Mt. Everest mountaineer George Mallory was an avid pipe smoker, and died on the north slope in 1924)
• Norman Conquest (Well, technically the Normans were from France when they invaded England in 1066, but it's a pivotal point in England's history)
• Parliament (The British governing body is an appropriate name I think)
• Sweedlepipe (A character from a Charles Dickens novel, Martin Chuzzlewit. I don't know if he smokes a pipe in the book, but I love the name)
• Wessex (Named for the Kingdom of Wessex in southern England, from ca. 600-1015 CE.)

Hopefully Lou likes one of these names and uses it for his new tobacco. Hope I helped Lou!

In attendance today were Joe K, Peter G, Steve B, and Darryl G. We were hoping to see Adrian but he must have spent the $12 that he lost last weekend and later recovered!

Lou was very gracious and at 1:00 changed the TV to the Rays-Blue Jays game. Unfortunately, the Rays took a beating, ultimately losing the game 17-11. Even with the loss, it was better than watching golf. Darryl might have disagreed with me, but I know Joe was on my side. Joe (and others) are anxiously awaiting football season, which starts in a couple weeks.

Click to enlarge

Last week I didn't get a chance to write the blog, but I have to make a remark or two about my choice of wardrobe then. I ordered a very special T-shirt for myself just for Joe's pleasure. I know how much Joe is a fan of National Public Radio, and I'm sure he donates a sizable amount of his discretionary income to the worthy cause, so I was quite puzzled when he wasn't enthusiastic about the shirt I wore just for him. In case you can't make out what the says, it reads: "NPR - Radio For Your World". Can't figure out why Joe didn't ask me to order him one after he saw it.

I think Scott R and Paul V will be at the Hut next Saturday, so I'm looking forward to seeing them. My son Ryan comes down for a two week visit next Monday, so we'll fit a Tobacco Hut visit in to the schedule, probably that first Saturday he's here, Aug. 21.

Cheers!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 7/17/10

We had a nice crowd at The Tobacco Hut yesterday: Joe K, Peter G, and Progress Energy Steve. We also had Barry pay us a visit. He doesn't work Saturdays at his regular job but he's been working at his other job at the funeral home those days instead of enjoying a cigar with the gang. He was driving the Cadillac station wagon earlier in the day and had time to come over for the afternoon - good on you Barry. Peter had to leave early as he was returning to his roots to do a radio gig at a Greek radio station. Sorry, I didn't tune in Peter.

There was a customer late in the day who was looking for some MacBaren Virginia No. 1, a tinned tobacco that Lou used to carry. I've tried it and it just smokes too hot for me. To be fair, I've always had trouble with straight Virginias and their high sugar content. The key is to slow the puffing way down and I guess I'm just too used to smoking the pipe in my regular ole' way. In any case, after the customer left, Lou was musing that maybe he should get some Virginia tobacco in as he used to carry it in bulk. We discussed how Virginia is an excellent tobacco as a base for blending, and he's got all the right complements to it already: Latakia, Perique, Cavendish, etc.

Maybe, just maybe, he'll order some Virginia and even let me try my hand at blending a new mix for the store. Lou currently carries two English blends: Alaskan Gold and Country Squire, both with a Burley base. I would love to create another English or two. Hint, hint!

New York Vic called while we were there and announced some good news. They've sold their house and he should be moving down to Florida permanently in September. It'll be good to have Vic as part of the Saturday crew, at least occasionally.

Peter posed a question to Joe, Lou, and me about so-called "ghost orbs" in photography. He has a friend who has spotted such ghost orbs, AKA spirit orbs, in his pictures. Peter asked what we thought they were evidence of. Joe saw them as evidence of, well, ghosts and spirits. I see them as evidence of something far more mundane: Dust.

Contrary to popular belief, the dust that creates such orbs is not dust affixed to the camera lens, but rather dust, water droplets, etc. that are suspended in the air directly in front of the camera. In almost all cases, the orbs appear when flash is used on a compact digital camera. One rarely sees them in a dSLR because on a compact digital camera the distance between the flash and lens is quite minimal, allowing the flash to illuminate a dust particle directly in front of the lens.

But surely this is just the boring old explanation of a skeptic, and not incontrovertible evidence of the spirit world floating in front of our eyes, er, camera sensors...? Indeed, the scientific and mundane explanation isn't nearly as exciting as ghosts and goblins, but embracing the words of a 14th century logician, theologian, and Franciscan friar William of Ockham will guide the gentle reader to the proper conclusion. The so-called Ockham's Razor is the principle that "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" (entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem). The popular interpretation of this principle is that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.

So which is simpler, that a few dust particles suspended in the air are reflecting the light from the flash back to the camera lens, or that some people who die are caught in some sort of limbo because for some reason they haven't made it to their "final destination" and make their appearances as whitish, round circles in pictures of darkened rooms photographed by compact digital cameras with flash?

In between puffs of his La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros, Joe shouts out a challenge: Why are the orbs always circular? Dust comes in many forms, e.g. bits of skin, fibers, bug poop, animal dander, etc. But the spirit orbs are always circular - nay, spherical - in nature. Surely that means that the orbs are photographic proof of the existence of ghosts.

I admit, that had me stumped at the time. Joe was right, dust does come in many shapes and sizes, so why weren't there, say, long skinny irregular whitish blobs appearing in such pictures? Naturally, when I got home I did some research. It turns out there is a perfectly reasonable, albeit somewhat complicated, explanation.

Basically, the orbs are not a round piece of dust being photographed. The orbs are actually "circles of confusion" (CoCs). CoCs are out-of-focus points of light caused by a reflection of "highlights" on dust particles. Highlights are all around us. In the picture of the apples, note the highlights caused by the sun shining on the fruit. Because dust particles are so small they usually only have one highlight that is reflected.
It is this highlight, a pinprick of light, that becomes out-of-focus and appears as an orb. This helps to explain why the color and shape of an orbs is not the color and shape of dust.

In photography, a CoC is the smallest dot that a human eye can perceive in a photo. When an object highlight is out of focus, this dot expands to become a recognizable circle. In the case of an out-of-focus dust particle caught in a flash, this circle is seen as an orb. The CoC size is usually around 0.05mm and can vary from camera to camera.

I am quite sure that I have exhausted the patience of any readers who have gotten this far, but I wanted to answer Joe's quite reasonable question. Lou was tiring of ghost orb talk, so he switched gears to another misguided notion: The continuous pumping of oil around the world is cooling the earth. I won't test the patience of my readers by dissecting this assumption piece by piece, but the long and short of it is that there is far too much distance between the molten core of the earth and where the oil deposits are.

The average distance from the surface of the earth to the molten outer core is 1,800 miles. The vast majority of oil reserves lie no more than 4-5 miles from the surface. Because of the pressure and temperature, any petroleum found below roughly 5 miles is in the form of a gas, i.e. natural gas. It would have no cooling effect anyway, even if it was closer to the core.

Science lesson is over for the day, folks. Get your questions ready for next week!

Cheers!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 7/10/10

This blog post actually covers two week's worth at The Tobacco Hut. I meant to write one after last week's visit, but the long weekend just got away from me. On July 3rd, Joe was still recuperating from his kidney stone procedure, but Peter G and Ed B were in attendance, along with a Very Special Guest from the past. All the way from Coker Creek, Tennessee (think Ma & Pa Kettle but with indoor plumbing)...Mike G made an appearance along with one of his sons-in-law, Bob.

It was great seeing Mike and it was like old times with him telling stories peppered with, shall we say, colorful language. The tales he tells just wouldn't be the same without the %$*@, %#@$*, and +%&*@#. I had never met his son-in-law Bob who was a fascinating guy who's led an interesting life and he had some good stories to tell as well, minus the more colorful adjectives.

I smoked some more of the #05 from Bennington's in Sarasota in an Ascorti Pepino. The rusticated straight Pepino handled the English blend wonderfully, producing a nice, cool smoke.

This past Saturday saw an excellent and lively group at the Hut. First and foremost, Joe K was back, bigger and better than ever. He's feeling back to 100% after his surgery and, in his words, he's finally "peeing yellow" again. (Thank you Jesus!). As someone's who peed red Joe, I can relate to what a good feeling that is! He even got up and danced a little jig for us. Hmm...perhaps I liked it better when he wasn't feeling in tip-top shape.

Apparently Joe's son James is in town, but he didn't have the nerve to show up. According to Joe, he was off fishing or something. I think he's somehow intimidated of me. Knowing that I only have one kidney, he probably knows that my other organs are even stronger to compensate.

In addition to Joe, we had Preacher Jim C whom we hadn't seen in a long time, Peter G, Ed B, Steve B, as well as Tom L and his friend Frank. Tom brought some aged Opus-X cigars. He bought a supply of them from Lou 16 years ago and has been aging them ever since. Apparently they were very good, but I stuck with my pipe - the same #05 but this time in a Bjarne straight billiard. Tom made a half-hearted attempt at offering me one but I could tell he didn't want me to have one. I'm kidding, of course. Tom actually offered me the butt of one that he was finished with.

Ed B has a new career ready when he retires from the Sheriff's department in a few years: Pest Control. A monster palmetto bug (cockroach) escaped from the empty unit next to Lou's and was crawling along the wall. Ed took a big puff of his cigar and blew it on the 6" long bug (maybe I exaggerate slightly, but it was big). It staggered a little and after a few more puffs it fell behind a shelf. We never saw it again, so I presume that the high concentration of nicotine was just too much for it.

Apparently it was also time to switch the lenses out on the fluorescent light fixtures. Judging by how yellow the ones that were taken down were, I would say that is an operation that has never been attempted before. Peter looked like he had everything pretty well handled by the time I got there, and Tom was helping, plus Preacher Jim assisted at the end, so I sat back and puffed my pipe, mindful of the adage about too many cooks in the kitchen.

That's all for these two weeks. Until next Saturday...

 - Bob

P.S. A special shout-out to Vic. See, I do mention you in the blog! :-)

Saturday at the Hut - 6/26/10

Saturday at The Tobacco Hut saw me smoking some of the tobacco I purchased at Bennington's in Sarasota on our recent trip to Key Largo. Last week I smoked their No. 15 and this week I tried their No. 05. Their website describes the tobacco as "Golden brown burley from Kentucky and Tennessee is expertly blended with flue-cured Virginia Ribbon and Cyprus Latakia. The secret to this blend is its pleasant aroma, yet unlike many aromatics, the smoke is fuller-bodied, cooler and satisfying." I found it a very nice smoke indeed, similar to Lou's Alaskan Gold, with the addition of the Virginia.

We missed Joe today as he is still recovering from a kidney stone procedure he endured earlier in the week. I'd lend you my kidney, my friend, but it's the only one I've got! I was hoping to see Peter and his fedora so I could let him know that Paula and I ate at Hellas at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks the night before. We got in trouble with him for eating at Red Lobster a couple weeks ago and was hoping we could redeem ourselves.

Adrian, whom I mentioned a couple weeks ago, came in and sat down to enjoy a cigar. I'm glad he was there so we could tap into his sports knowledge about the FIFA World Cup soccer game that was on TV: USA vs. Ghana. Yes, you read that correctly, Lou actually turned the from the Golf Channel to ABC so we could watch the soccer match. It was an exciting game but, as you probably know by now, the U.S. lost and wasn't able to advance to the next round.

I was very pleased to learn that Adrian is a chess player. Perhaps some Saturday I'll have to bring a small chess set I have to the Hut...It's sometimes hard to find chess players and as much as I'd like to trounce him in a game to avenge Ohio State's (my alma mater) loss to Adrian's favorite team, the University of Florida, in the 2007 BCS Championship, it would be fun just to play a casual over-the-board game.

Not much else going on. Hope to see everyone this Saturday. Get healthy, Joe!

Cheers!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 6/19/10

Saturday at the Hut started a little early for me with a phone call from Mike G in Tennessee. My wife handed me the phone and with no introduction, I heard Mike's voice say, "When you go to The Tobacco Hut today I'd like you to pick up two La Gloria Cubanas and drive them 600 miles to the north. I'll be waiting on my front porch for them." It was great talking to Mike especially since I seem to keep missing him when he comes into town occasionally. He asked how Joe was enjoying his retirement and offered a tip on how to kill small projects around the house by describing them as very large projects: "Okay, honey, you want those flowers planted. I'm going to start by renting a backhoe..." Classic Mike.

In attendance today were Joe K, Peter G, Steve B, Ed B, myself, and Lou (of course). Steve brought a friend, Bobby, who - like Peter - has a near-encyclopedic knowledge of all things sports. I'm always amazed how people can hang on to little seemingly arcane bits of information about practically every team in every sport. I was glad to hear that Bobby was a Cleveland Indians fan and he's not even from Cleveland. I grew up there so it's kind of an automatic thing that I would be an Indians fan, but he's from Gainesville and made the choice voluntarily - wow!

On my recent trip to Key Largo, I was able to bring back Joe's favorite cigar, the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros. Joe first tried them at Lou's and fell in love, but they've been on back order ever since. I first tried the tobacco store in Key Largo, Island Smoke Shop, which is a large, well-stocked cigar store. They didn't have any de Tabaqueros, but I did pick up a sampler of their El Original line of house cigars. I brought back one for Lou and Peter and though I haven't tried one yet, Peter enjoyed his maduro torpedo.

On the trip back from the Keys, we drove through Sarasota, so I was able to stop at Bennington's at St. Armand's Circle. Boy, do I love this store! Hundreds of pipes, lots of tobacco choices, and very knowledgeable staff. I could spend all day in there, and I'm sure the hour we did spend seemed like all day to my wife. No new pipes since I had just purchased a new one a couple weeks ago in Boston, but I did pick up a couple Bennington blends of tobacco. And Joe's much-coveted de Tabaqueros cigar.

Saturday at the Hut I enjoyed one of those Bennington blends, No. 15. Like Lou, Bennington's blends their own tobacco and has since 1965. I had the privilege of speaking with Gary Bennington, who blends the tobaccos himself. They also stock a lot of commercial tins of tobacco, and Gary was able to point me in the direction of some of their mixes that mirror the commercial blends. I had actually come in with the intention of buying some more Frog Morton, but ended up with a couple packages of theirs.

I tried the No. 15 in a Crown Viking from The Tobacco Hut (are you reading, Tim?) and it was excellent. According to Gary, it was patterned after the famed Balkan Sobranie White Label, out of production for over a decade now. This tobacco is a light, medium-bodied English Mixture containing a high percentage of Turkish Yenidge leaf, flue-cured Golden Virginia Ribbon and Cyprus Latakia. At first, it burned a little hot, probably because of the Virginia, but it soon settled down and became a most enjoyable smoke, especially in the beautiful Crown Viking from The Tobacco Hut (still reading, Tim?).

Next week I'll try their No. 5, a mix of Latakia, Virginia, and Burley. Not sure which pipe I'll try it in. Maybe one of the other Crown Vikings from The Tobacco Hut, or one of the several Petersons I've picked up from The Tobacco Hut over the years. Maybe even the Comoy I bought from The Tobacco Hut. (Are you still with me, Tim?).

That's all for this week - cheers!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 6/12/10

The core regulars were in attendance today: Joe K, Peter G, and myself. Nice to see Steve B whom we haven't seen in awhile. We also welcomed Adrian into our midst. He is a regular customer but rarely sits down to enjoy a purchase. But this time, he spent the afternoon and we got to know him a little bit. Like Peter and the apparently-AWOL Barry, he is a walking sports encyclopedia.

Adrian, Lou, and I spent a good deal of time talking about labor unions and working for big companies. Lou is obviously a member of what journalist Tom Brokaw calls the "Greatest Generation." Not in the specific context of what Brokaw was talking about, i.e. fighting in WWII, but the general work ethic and loyalty that he has exhibited throughout his working life. Lou is a self-described "100% union man" and although we don't always agree on the subject of labor unions, I admire him for standing up for his principles what he's accomplished in his lifetime.

I did take some heat from Lou and Joe over last week's blog. Apparently Joe likes the Fox News Kool-Aid and isn't drinking it against his will. Joe, that stuff will rot your brain! Why not try the cool, pure waters of NPR?

Lou, sorry we misunderstood last week about the source of the USS Clinton question. It wasn't you asserting whether it existed or not, it was from an e-mail you received. And I guess when you said the USS Clinton in the context of the USS Reagan and fictional USS Obama, I inferred that you meant that the USS Clinton was named after President Bill Clinton. My bad.

Peter is obviously reading the blog because he brought the fedora back! Thank you, Peter! Sorry the picture isn't the best, but my camera phone is obviously more phone than camera, but you get the idea.

I liked my Cassano from L.J. Peretti's in Boston so much last week, that I brought it back and smoked it again this week. Again, it smoked like a champ all the way down. It has a light tan finish and it's already picking up some of the oils from my hand and darkening in places. I don't have many sandblasted pipes, so this is a nice addition to the collection.

Speaking of my collection of pipes and how they're mentioned from week to week on the blog, please read the post below this one entitled "An Open Letter to 'Tim'" post below this one, especially if you're Tim.

That's all for this week - cheers!

 - Bob

P.S. A shout out to James K for his recent engagement to Chantel. I know Joe and Val are excited to have Chantel as part of their family. Can't say that Chantel's family feels the same, but congratulations just the same! ;-)