Sunday morning from PITTSBURGH Pa

[vince]

Good morning , it is Sunday 20 March 2011, a bright chilly morning here in da Burgh the temp is right at freezing 32F but the sun is out & the clouds are few & far between, I will be heading out to the Qtr.deck to turn on the heat for later today ..... I have a few cigars that customers gave me this past week so I have a private tasting of a few unbanded cigars I am to review for them,,,, I wonder what they are setting me up to do? a quick look & sniff , I didnt detect any "Flavored Cigars" all have a firm body & give ever so slightly to a mild pinch the wrapper colors varry from a light mustard brown to a dark as coal tree trunk of a cigar the 4 cigars range from a 45 x 5.5 to the darkest 54 x 6 ...... I am looking fwd. for this blind tasting , I will report back to let you know what I find out ...... for now I have the Sunday morning Kona ready to drink & my Buddy Don Carlos #3 ready to clip , but should I wait for the DC? or jump right on it , I want to give the blind tasting a fair run , but I hope that I will not foul my taste buds with the #3 .... I know what the DC3 tasted like so I might just pass on it this morning & dig right in with the tasting.... BUT then again I do know what I will be missing & that might cloud my judgement .... Hummmm maybe just smoke half of it & save the best part for later ..... No I think I will smoke it all just like any other Sunday, have the Kona & then later start in on the blind tasting,,,, why change my Sunday morning smoke for a taste test ,,, it will be a sunday afternoon blind taste test .
With everything hitting the fan in Japan , Quadaffi stiring up stuff in Tripoli , the worlds econemy in shambles its a wonder there is any retail trade at all, this past week was the pits as far as sales go , I sat looking at the TV all week with a few regulars & dammmm the news is down right frightfull, doom & dispare on every station we watched ..... so to slolve the problem we switched to the cartoon network & watched the road runner & bugs bunny ,,, I never noticed how violent the cartoons were .... maybe I am just getting OLD hahahahaha
I have a nice set of Porterhouse prime cuts in a light marinade that will be hitting the grill about 4PM today , a few yams on the grill & a bit of a tossed greens & that will be it , OH yea all most forgot a bit of Mellon wrapped with a thin slice of Parma ham ,,,,, should I pull the cork on a nice bottle of red wine or just pop the top on a Gueniess ? .... BOTH hahahaha
Breakfast was a nice link of sausage with a dash of chipolte pepper & an egg with a slice of toast that was as hard as a rock..... dry , no butter , but it soaked up the yoke like a sponge,,,, it was tasty for sure. But for some strange reason I have been craving a hot oat cake or muffin for a few days ,,, maybe i will make some thing later today to curb my cravings ,,, strange for me to crave carbs , maybe I have been hitting the malted barly a bit much ........ well no more than usuall ,,, but I did have a weee dram of Rye whiskey last week....... it was smooth & had a nice spice to it BUT it lacked the smoke of a fine Islay whisky ,,,, with the spring just arround the bend & the winter behind us I was getting ready to move my taste buds from Islay to the Lowlands for a change of pace for the summer , looking Fwd. To the light heathers & soft flavors , BUT I have a few open bottles of Caol Ila & Laphroaig that I need to finish before opening anything else ... looks like I have a lot of work to do in the Qtr.Deck later on today .... a blind cigar tasting , a few drams of single malt to finish & a lot of coffee to drink. looks like I have a full day of work cut out for my self as well as cooking the yams & porterhouse ..... dammmm I better get off of the computer & get to "W O R K " hahahaha . Enjoy, Vince

[Moon Dancer]

I thought I read somewhere that life was hard under President Obama

Enjoy

[vince]

I thought I read somewhere that life was hard under President Obama

Enjoy

yes it is the sales at the shop are as low as ever , the econemy here in da Burgh is down right bad, with all the steel mills closing & production jobs gone the once proud steel workers are a mear shodow of them selves I was a steel worker my self for 17 years, working in the mill during the day & running my catering business in the evenings & weekends, when the mill closed all my customers lost there jobs, so no one was able to hire me to cook for them.... closing cost me BOTH jobs , But I survived, Having job Security in an open econemy is not based on Government controls BUT your Ability to Perform,,,, my last day of work in the mill was a Thursday & my first day of my new job was on Friday....... some guys never did get an other job & now collect from the government........ BUT I have been working in Radio in different kitchens & sales of all sorts , I dont worry about what the government is doing , I take care of myself & my family.... there is always a job out there that needs being done, some people would rather watch TV & sit on there brains instead of going out & getting a JOB, When President Kennedy said" Ask not what your country can do for you , ask what you can do for your country" ,,, well I remembered that phrase & have never let the government take care of me , after I got out of the Navy, I got to WORK, & have been working ever since, Sure things are tuff under OBOMA, things were tuff under George W , & as far back as I can remember, FDR, Truman , IKE the General, Kennedy, its been a work in progress all my life the key word is WORK,,,,, some people dont have any idea what it is ... Enjoy, Vince

[Moon Dancer]

Well done, Vince A man after my own heart

[HabanoSy]

Interesting reading Vince...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[vince]

Good morning , it is Sunday the 27th day of March 2011 , a Bright clear sunny but COLD day here in da Burgh , not a cloud in the sky but it is 32F & down right confusing when you look out & see the blue cloudless sky & the birds jumping arround at the feeder, & you see the water is solid & not liquid.... I got a chance to sleep in this morning ,it was after 9 when I woke up , my daughter called on the phone & the dammm thing woke me, I was having a great dream that ended all so abruptly ,dammm I wonder will I ever get to finish that dream...... trapped with a bunch of HOT babes , a well stocked walk in humidor & a wharehouse of single malts , a stocked Gourmey kitchen& endless solor power to pump the water & keep the pool & sauna warm , oh did I mention a few of the hot babes were trained massage therephists ,,,, happy endings were the norm..... dammm I want to go take a nap & see how this dream turns out hahahaha
It was a VERRY slow week at the shop, I hope things pick up soon or I will be looking for a new job ....... BUT Friday was a winner , sold 2 humidors & a lot of cigars , it didnt make any records for sales but after that week it was a GOD SEND... Friday night was wall to wall & when I left at 10:45 the place was still packed ... last man out lock the door & I will see you all in the morning !!!!
The Sunday tradition of a slab of beef is in the oven I added a few bell peppers to the mix today I hope the boss likes it .... should be ready about 4 PM so if your in the area stop in & join us , & I have a young Zinfendell that I will be opening about 3:30 ....... but with a belly full of single malt & coffee it could be any JUG or BOX wine .... By that time I just will not care one way or the other hahahah
Breakfast was a bacon ,egg & swiss cheese sandwich on a grilled deli bread round, the dough was loaded with honey & whole grains ..... lots of FIBER & at my age I need all I can get ......
I havent seen the grandsons since last Monday & I will be taking them to thier music lessons again this Monday , it gives me a few minutes to talk to them with out there mother hearing what they have to say about her ......& what a control freek & pain in the @ $ $ she is , JUST LIKE HER MOTHER & she will sware she is nothing like her mother ,,, hahahahaha

with all the free time I have been having at work I have been digging deep in the humidor & pulling out a lot of OLD cigars , I came up with an Opus X from 2001 & a 3 pack of Davidoff Dbl.R , both taged from May of 2001 , i wonder how I let them sit so long, will the Opus is now ashes & so is ONE of the Dbl.R's , The Davidoff was a BIG disapointment ,,,, just bland & so mild it was almost like a Macanudo .... BUT the opus had mellowed out to a fine smoke & I got the better part of an hour out of the little Power house , the Laugavulin was a great match for it BUT it overpowered the Davidoff, which was a First cigar of the day as I wanted a fresh palate & a chance to get all the taste & flavor of the cigar.... it could have been a a winner but it came out so mild & bland , I was so disapointed & will try it again some afternoon with a lighter scotch & a lighter coffee& some light jazz VS. the heavy scotch & full body coffee & Abstract Jazz I had on , I just didnt care all that much for the music so it might have put my taste buds on hold ,,, it was a CD that I got in the discount rack for a BUCK , no wonder it was so cheep ..... never heard of any of the players or songs, the mix was poor at best & recorded live didnt help you hear conversations in the background & the dropping of a tray of glasses & a cheer for the busboy ..., that all took away from the cigar so I will try it again ,,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe today , maybe NOT.
I am still looking for a replacement for my long gone SABLE , I have been driving the wifes car but dammmm I miss my car, a great friend for 11 years almost like a family pet but just as much work & expence , No doctors or vets just a machanic ..... whitch can be just as Costly as a Doctor !!, But when I had to put it to sleep I got 300 Bucks for it .......... but I still want it back.... almost 200K miles & all the dings & scratches & Burn holes but it was ME on wheels .....
I have the Sunday Kona being brewed & the Don Carlos #3 ready to cut , the heat is on in the QtrDeck & when I get my pants & shoes on I will be heading out for the Sunday Morning Smoke ... Enjoy, Vince

[Moon Dancer]

Take it easy, Vince, it's Sunday

[vince]

I am ready for anything the Good Lord tosses at me today ,,, I have the cigars ready, the coffee is on the single malt is pored & the heat is on in the Qtr.Deck a stack of CD's are ready to go in the player , all I need to do is get dressed & GET BUSSSSSY doing NOTHING but enjoying myself !

[HabanoSy]

Happy reading Vince, enjoy...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[vince]

Good morning , it is Sunday , 3 APRIL,2011 , a cool morning here in da Burgh , gray/blue skys & the temp is in the upper 40 's F & the ground is soft & spongy from all the rain & snow , but the flowers are starting to sprout & bloom, & the robins are busy building nests , & I have noticed I have a Mole problem again this spring, last year they were just near the fence line between me & the Big Angus Bull aptly named by a friend as Angus McStud , well even though ole angus is gone to the stud farm in the sky ,I still call the field HIS & his alone as a lot of his off spring are roaming around all over the world & in some fine dining halls have graced the plates of a few great & not so great people .... including my self ....... never pass up a few pieces of beef from the guy next door when he raised it himself....... well I was trying to tell you about the moles & got side tracted by the beef..... , back to the dammmm moles, ,,,, they were just along the fence line & I got some mole pellets & dropped them in the holes & that was that, well now they have moved closer to the house & on the other side of the house I see holes, looks like I will need to call in a pro,,,,any one have the number of Carl from Caddy shack? hahahaha , yea I know his speciality was gophers, but how much different would the moles be?
I slept in BIG time today ,it was after 11 AM when my feet hit the floor, & I usually have this posted by noon hence the title Sunday MORNING Smoke , but right now I am still in my robe & havent had a shower yet, havent got Sunday supper in the oven yet , havent had time to make the Sunday morning Kona , I had Moca Java with tofu & bananas for breakfast BUT I will be making a pot of kona soon & heading out to the Qtr.DECK with my Don Carlos #3 , Barb went out & turned on the heat & it was 48 F ,,, Not to bad , should be 60/65 by the time I get a shower & get dressed, pour the coffee & bingo it will be time to relax , * GOD knows I need that time to decompress after a tuff week at the shop , hahahaha ....
Todays menu is a bit different than the traditional hunk of beef, ... I have a nice set of center cut pork chops , that will be braised in a bit of stock & salsa , a few sliced peppers & some rice will round out this one pot meal , a bottle of wine , some crusty bread & we are set...... I have a few fine old cigars picked out for today , if I ever get to them that is ... I have this OLD pre-embargo Monte corona from 1960 ,,, it is showing a slight crack in the foot , I guess from getting bounced arround in the humi, well I think today is the day for it to become a pile of ash , BUT I just might wait till the weather breaks & I can sit out in the sun on a nice warm WINDLESS afternoon & enjoy it with a great single malt, or even a grand fine brandy or Rum..... maybe just great coffee & just maybe all of them in different snifters of course..... who knows I might change my mind & have a glass of beer with it hahahahahaha I do have a few Saint Pauly Girl Dark in the chill chest ....... been a long time since I had a scotch & a beer with a cigar ........ but its not warm enough for a beer today so I guess I will wait till its time & let my taste buds direct me as they have most of my life ....
The Grandsons are holding there own in the sea of life .Puberty is tuff on all of us, as is old age , but both are part of life . I suffered through my puberty as well as my parents ....... from the beginning of time, parents & teen agers have been at odds, one of the Greek philosphers , Aristotle or maybe ,,,, dammm I cant remeber his name , haveing a brain fart or maybe just old age creeping in , well any way in some ones writings they talk of how crass & impudent they teenagers are , defing there parents & acting like "teenagers" so I guess the cave men had the same problems as we do today.... the more things change the more they end up the same ..........
last night there was an accident at the cross roads a few hundred feet from my home, there had to have been 5 fire trucks & 10 or more cars & trucks with flashing lights to remove a few people from a head on crash , it didnt make this mornings paper so I have no idea what, who or how it happened, all I know is it had the road blocked for a few hours , if it had been a bit warmer I might have walked down to get a closer look, ,,,, Why I have no idea , I was able to see all the flashing lights from my back deck, why would anyone want to get closer & block the emergency workers & just create a human wall of on lookers....... Human nature I guess .... the more you study it the less you know hahahaha ......... I guess thats about it this day I have a lot to do, a few cigars to think about if not actually smoking them, coffee to brew & chops to cook..... I might even work in a nap hahahaha Enjoy, Vince

[HabanoSy]

Happy Sunday Vince...

Have a good 'un...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[Moon Dancer]

Hi Vince,
Sounds like a good lunch is on the way Pitty Concord isn't still flying or we could have come across & helped to devour the chops

Enjoy your Siesta

[cohibaIV]

'OLD pre-embargo Monte corona from 1960'

WOW...So how was it?

[vince]

Sorry to say it had passed its prime.... a bland no frills mild as a macanudo .... A big disapointment..... the coffee alone overpowered it, I didnt have the heart to take more than 2 sips of the Laugavulin 16 YO or I might not have tasted the cigar at all..... Looks like I have a lot of work cut out for me ,,, Getting rid of a lot of OLD cigars or as General Hauge said, Burning down the crops of our enemy .... one stick at a time .....
Enjoy, Vince

[Moon Dancer]

I haven’t as yet, found any cigar's over 12/15 yeas old, really worth paying premium prices / smoking. (Unless you know better ) That said, the mind dose play funny tricks once you seen the box date.