Hello from Long Island, NY USA

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hello everyone,
I wanted to introduce myself and say hello to everyone. My name is Matt and I'm from Long Island, NY USA. I've been smoking cigars for about 15 years and I'm always looking to learn more. I've been a member of another cigar forum in the states for a few years and I've learned a ton. I stumbled onto UK Cigar Forums while I was surfing the web and started reading. I found the UK Cigar Forums to be very informative and the people seem to be quite nice and knowledgable. I was in London last June and I had a great time. The people couldn't have been nicer and as an added bonus I was able to smoke some cigars that are kind of hard to get in the US, unfortunately the smoking ban had just started. You folks have some great Cuban smokes but the prices were a killer. The exchange rate was a rough, but it was a great trip. I just wanted to say a quick hello and I look forward to learn more form the folks on the other side of the pond.

Thanks Matt

[Robusto]

Welcome, Rufus.

We are charged stupid prices for premium cigars here in the UK - as you've experienced - but the determined will bliss out with them one way or another.

Welcome aboard!

(I love New York).

Bryan

[cohibaIV]

Welcome mate....

[Stogiedog]

Welcome Rufus.

The heady days of a good cigar and a pint indoors have long gone I am afraid, bring on the summer.

Paul
Stogiedog

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hi Matt,

Welcome aboard.

I lived for a little while in Oyster Bay and worked in Glen Cove. Long Island is a well kept secret, its got some really lovely places (and I don't necessarily mean the posh bits like the Hamptons.)

I used to enjoy popping across to the Grand Havana Rooms once in a while.

All the best

Drew

Hi Drew,
Thanks for the greeting and Long Island is indeed a great place to live. I live on the very unposh North fork of Long Island. It's a really blue collar area, but very nice. Still alot of farms and vineyards out here. I have cousins that live in Glen Cove, which is a really nice area too. If you ever make it back to long Island drop me a line. I have plenty of nice stogies and we make some great wines out here too.

Take care Matt.

[Gary]

Welcome Matt, good to have you join!

[cj121]

Hey Matt,

Warm greets from a currently cold place. Saw you post up on a thread recently and didn't realise you were new on here. Never been to the states although my wife has several times. Smoking bans will not be a new thing to you eh? Prices of decent sticks, no doubt was I see.
Catchya soon,
Chris

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hi Chris
You're right we've been living with a total smoking ban in bars and restaurants for at least the last 6 years. There are only a few cigar bars that were grandfathered in and a certain percentage of thier profits have to be from cigars or they lose the right to have smoking in thier bars. There are very few of these around New York city, maybe ten at the most. On long we have only one that I can think of and it's about 50 miles from my home so I don't got there often. The world is changing and it seems the government thinks they know what's best for us and the taxes on tabacco are just going up and up and up. They (the government) are about to pass a new tax on cigars, cigarettes, pipe tabacco and smoke less tabacco. The hits just keep on coming.

Oh and thanks for the greeting. It's cold here too.

[TJCoro]

It's not the Government per se, that is imposing the smoking ban on us, Mr. Rufus, but the self-rightous folks who elected them and want to impose their will on everyone else.

The Government is not a separate entity thrust upon us; rather, it reflects those who elects them - the majority. And in the state of reality, the USA, and other countires, the interests of the majority rules...and the majority want their bars and restaurants to be smoke free.

You would think that in a true free market system, which the United States of No Smoking claims to be, an entreprenuer who wants to cater to smokers could do so. And those who prefer otherwise, could do otherwise. No one is forced to work in or patronize a bar or restaurant that caters to smokers.

Makes you think, doesn't it.

Thank god the ban hasn't spred to far in my State of Mind, Mexico

[Deano]

Welcome, thanks for signing up.
Been to the US 11 times, but yet to go to New York! Arranged two trips before and always end up else where.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It's not the Government per se, that is imposing the smoking ban on us, Mr. Rufus, but the self-rightous folks who elected them and want to impose their will on everyone else.

The Government is not a separate entity thrust upon us; rather, it reflects those who elected them - the majority. And in the state of reality, the USA, and other countires, the interests of the majority rules...and the majority want their bars and restaurants to be smoke free.

You would think that in a true free market system, which the US claims to be, an entreprenuer who wants to cater to smokers could do so. And those who prefer otherwise, could do otherwise. No one is forced to work in or patronize a bar or restaurant that caters to smokers.

Makes you think, doesn't it.

Thank god the ban hasn't spred to far in my State of Mind, Mexico

The people in Office unfortunately listen to a very vocal minority that think they know what's best for everyone. Although some people in Office are true believers too. Slowly but surely the US is moving towards being a nanny state where the government has to provide everything to everyone and God forbid someone makes a decision for themselves.

I don't like that the government tells the owner of a bar or restaurant how to run it. If the owner would like to run a smoke free bar God bless him and he's free to do it. On the other hand if you want to allow smoking in your bar you should be able to do that too. The free market at work.

What ever happened to rugged individualism and standing on your own two feet and not relying on the government to get what you want. Ok I'm getting off my soap box. I try not to mix politics and cigars, it just ruins a good cigar.

[G-man]

Hello Matt and greetings to a greatr place.My name is mike and I am from York Pa. I grew up in the Bronx,NY ,Belmont ave. U have stumbled onto a great site with lots of great B/Sotl. GSS1956atcomcastdotnet

[TJCoro]

Senor Rufus,

I agree about politics and fine puros - they don't mix.

It's the primary reason I slowed up my visits to CA forum.

[Boss Hog]

Hi Matt

Just joined myself and saw your post. Long Island is an fantastic place, I have family up near Port Jefferson, they took me Jims Smoke Shop in Mt Sinai which got me into cigars in the first place. Since then I've been hooked. Your right about the cost of the cigars in the UK I almost choked on one when I found out how much it cost to keep my humidor topped up once I used up what I bought home with me.