cigars posts
by Melanie Nayer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Jan 3rd, 2011 at 4:00PM: Crystal chandeliers and red velvet furniture adorn what is possibly the most exclusive cigar bar in Beijing. But why would you simply hang out at the bar when you can have your own private room?
The Davidoff Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, attracts the discerning type, just as Zino Davidoff had intended it to be when he opened the world's first cigar lounge in Switzerland back in the ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Oct 18th, 2010 at 8:00AM: There's nothing fun about going to the airport, and the regulatory climate isn't likely to change that anytime soon. Security will still be a nightmare, and you won't be able to bring your own water with you (at least not for a while). Fortunately, there are companies out there looking for ways to make your airport experience better.
So, what can you expect to see in your local airport in the ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Oct 15th, 2010 at 9:30AM:
Go to Manhattan's Lever House, and you may see that lighter – or hand grenade – that was taken from you a JFK airport. Through the end of the year, the free exhibition will consist of photographs taken by Taryn Simon of items seized from passengers and mail packages coming into the United States. She spent five days clicking away at more than 1,000 items.
The exhibition, called ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Jun 22nd, 2010 at 3:00PM: Before I left Eden Rock, on St. Barths, in search of the local tobacconist, I was told: "You can't get lost." Usually, when I hear that, I wind up making some wrong turn or other directional blunder.
The route from Eden Rock to Village Creole, where I planned to cut and light a cigar at La Casa del Habano, consisted of only one road. I just didn't notice the sprawling shopping complex as I ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Mar 12th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Yes, I know. Every time I write something for the smokers out there, the comments always fill up with an argument over smoking itself. For now, I'm just going to assume that there are some people out there who happen to smoke and travel. I have this sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only one. So, for those of you who enjoy a puff on the road, here are five places where you can smoke in ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Mar 7th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Non-smokers probably won't be too excited by the news, but cigar smokers will rejoice. The Washington DC City Council passed a measure last week that eases smoking restrictions on hotels in our nation's capital. The Special Event Exemption Emergency Act of 2010 carries an amendment that offers a way for hotels to be exempted from the city's smoking ban. If you prefer your hotels sans puffing, ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Feb 17th, 2010 at 9:53PM: For cigar smokers, just getting on a plane is a complicated affair. You may have to fly sans cutter or torch, depending on the airport (the rules don't seem to be enforced consistently), which has a direct effect on how you enjoy your sticks when you're traveling. If you insist on using your Xikar cutter and S.T. Dupont lighter regardless of where you find yourself, the safe move is to check your ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Feb 16th, 2010 at 1:00PM:
Cigar manufacturers are eager to host consumers. If you happen to be in Honduras or Nicaragua, your request for a tour of the facilities would probably be met with excitement and a warm welcome. But, you can get more than that. As the manufacturers and retailers struggle to overcome the effects of the global recession, many are arranging cigar-centric trips designed to host you from seed to ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Feb 8th, 2010 at 8:00AM:
If you like to light up a stick more than occasionally, it's time for you to consider a "cigar safari." This unique experience, offered by Drew Estate, which manufactures both traditional and infused cigars, is available up to 16 times a year at its factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Spend four days and three nights soaking in the pool, sipping cocktails in the on-site lounge and sampling the entire ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Feb 6th, 2010 at 11:00AM:
If you're going to Esteli, Nicaragua, it's probably for the cigars. The town is charming, if a bit rundown, but it's proximity to the fields and factories of some of the world's premier cigar manufacturers is undoubtedly the main attraction. So, be reasonable in your expectations when choosing a hotel. I spent three nights at Hotel Los Arcos on a visit to the Pepin Garcia cigar operation, and ...
by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Dec 10th, 2009 at 10:30AM:
A hammock
Hammocks aren't just places for tourists to relax, they are a way of life for the people in Honduras. A lack of modern conveniences like air-conditioning in a place where the tropical heat can be oppressive means that families tend to do their socializing and relaxing outdoors. So everywhere you look, hung between trees or strung up on porches, you'll see a hammock. Bring a little ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Nov 8th, 2009 at 12:00PM:
There are so many choices available, it can be almost impossible to construct a perfect dinner-and-a-show night. Whether you live in Manhattan or are in town for the first time, it's too easy to make a wrong turn, pick an unsatisfying restaurant or wind up chasing from one venue to the next. A single wrong turn can send you into a scramble, putting what should be the evening of your life at ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Oct 20th, 2009 at 12:30PM: Manhattan has a lot of great parks – but a handful tends to hog all the attention. Central Park is what it is; there's just now way to compare it to anything else. Bryant Park has live performances and exhibitions (not to mention a starring role in Fashion Week) and is only a block from Times Square. And, there are others that would come to mind before you work your way down the list to one ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Jul 16th, 2009 at 4:30PM: How did this one get by me? An all-smoking airline!
Alexander Schoppmann is on the prowl for startup capital for an all-smoking airline. Once he gets the cash, he's going to lease two Boeing 747s and run a route from Dusseldorf to Tokyo. This doesn't do much for the few Americans who still prefer to light up, but if the Schoppmann can squeeze a profit out of this (which conventional airlines ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (3 years ago)
Jun 22nd, 2009 at 8:00AM: I had a great cigar-smoking at the Bothy at the Hotel du Vin in smoke-phobic Glasgow. Well, the Hotel du Vin in Cambridge, England, I was pleased to learn, offers the same environment! Behind the hotel is a small, covered, and heated outdoor smoking lounge where guests are invited to light up and relax. Its name, the "Cigar Shack," is only half accurate – fortunately, it's the first half. ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (4 years ago)
May 7th, 2009 at 3:00PM: When you set foot in Manhattan, you have plenty of cigar choices. Davidoff has two stores in the city – not including De La Concha, which it also owns. There are a handful of Barclay Rex stores, and downtown's Wall Street Humidor is a must if you have jury duty (it's closer to courts than it is to Wall Street). Limiting your cigar-smoking to these major retailers, though, is like visiting ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (4 years ago)
Mar 12th, 2009 at 2:00PM: President Barack Obama has announced that restrictions on travel to Cuba are about to become looser. But, it's not time for cigar smokers across the United States begin to rejoice yet. So far, the measure will only allow Cuban-Americans with family on the island to visit, and Obama has stated that he supports the embargo. The change in travel restrictions is part of a $410 billion spending bill ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (4 years ago)
Jan 8th, 2009 at 5:00PM: There are two types of attraction in New York. The surface stuff – like a visit to the Empire State Building and a walk through Times Square – show up in just about every guidebook you can imagine. Dig a little deeper, and you'll find the array of experiences that appeal to both locals and visitors, the destinations and events that often escape notice. The cigar dinners at tobacconist ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (4 years ago)
Dec 22nd, 2008 at 5:00PM: Most cigar smokers know what they want when border-crossings are involved: Cubans. Stepping through customs onto foreign soil, you can feel the pull to the nearest tobacconist. Maybe you drop your bags off at the hotel first, but that's about it. As our nearest neighbor-at least from my part of the country-Canada is the top destination for Cuban cigars. In Montreal, go to the right shop instead of ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (4 years ago)
Dec 19th, 2008 at 10:00AM: You'll never find the "Bothy" on your own. Tucked away in the Hotel du Vin's courtyard, this hidden gem is Glasgow's only sheltered smoke spot. So, while the rest of Scotland endures wind and rain with each precious puff, you can stay dry and enjoy every draw. Oppressive may render smoking a chore, but the Bothy brings the pleasure back. Scotland's smoking laws make those in the United States seem ...
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