Great Mate Artie kassos visiting NY. Need help.

[El Presidente]

One of my great mates Artie Kassos is in New York 23rd of July through to the 31st. He is with his family but dying to get away and check out the local cigar scene.

Artie is a stalwart of our local FOH community. He can be found any given Friday afternoon on the deck with myself and the lads. He joined me in Havana 18 months ago where we celebrated his 50th and he managed to meet around 4 million Cubans who all fell in love with his vivacious and warm personality.

One of the great lover of cigars, he is a mad poker player, Accountant to the stars, magnificent friend.

I haven't been to NY for a couple of years now. If you could advise on the current Cigar scene that Artie could visit it would be much appreciated. If you would like to catch up for a cigar with him at one of those locales, mention the best and I will tee it up with him for maybe the Wednesday evening 28th, 6pm.

Thanks for your help fella's.

[rdb6]

Club Macanudo - mahogany and leather furniture, serves dinner, and drinks cover the full martini spectrum. Dress code, for men: "business casual – jeans and sneakers are strictly prohibited;" for women: "chic casual – sneakers are strictly prohibited. Jeans are discouraged."

26 East 63rd Street

Velvet Cigar Lounge

80 East 7th Street

Between 1st and 2nd Avenues

New York, NY 10003

Tel: 212-533-5582

Lexington Bar and Books - classic cocktails, light fare, low light and suits. "New York's first dedicated cigar bars, est. 1990"

1020 Lexington Ave.

These are a few of places that have a good reputation. I did go to Club Macanudo many years ago. It was a nice place then. Since I live in the outer boroughs and work all the time I don't get into the big city very often. I wish I could be of more help. Being in a city that bans smoking everywhere is tough on smokers. There are only a few cigar lounges and no new ones can open due to the law.

[Guest rob]

Arthur coming to town... lock up your Cohiba Sig 6's!!!

[maalouly]

I recommend that you guys meet Arthur, he's a champion and loves his cigars and I reckon he'll get along just fine with Jimmy

[thechenman]

Artie...wish I could meet up with you, but I am leaving for CA on the 21st and won't be back until August. Would have loved to meet up a smoked with not only a fellow FOH member, but a regular guest on the deck @ the legendary Czar House.

In terms of places to smoke the three mentioned above are good. Club Macanudo is open to the public. Great bar, fantastic scotch collection, extensive martinit menu, decent food, and great dessert. There is a cutting fee for non-members bringing in their own smokes. I'm usually with a member when I go, but I believe the fee is $20 (someone step in and correct me if I am wrong). It's open late even on weeknights with a nice selection of Russian prositutes hanging at the bar trying to pick up businessmen. I assume you will be passing on those goods. Very luxurious feel to the place.

Lexington Bar & Books is part of the Bar & Books chain in Manhattan. Of the three locations, this one is the best. They are very strict on the dresscode. Suit required, but it is even more luxurious than Club Macanudo...though there are those there who put on airs. While a bit stuck up for me, I still think it is worth the experience. Cutting fee here as well if you bring your own smokes.

The Velvet Cigar is more Bohemian than the other two. While the first two of for more "high-end," this place is more rustic. Also it is BYOB here as they do not serve alcohol.

I myself tend to prefer Cigar Inn (located @ 1016 2nd Avenue bet. 53rd & 54th Streets ) over Velvet Cigar. Again no alcohol, but the environment is nice. While there is no cutting fee, it is customary to purchase a cigar from their humidor even if you are going to be smoking your own. Prices of course won't be cheap, but they are cheaper than Club Macanudo and Lexington Bar and Books. Cigar Inn will also have one of the most well stocked humidors in NYC, although they are NC smokes.

Davidoff on Madison Avenue is a must. That is their flagship store in NYC (located @ 535 Madison Ave. @ 54th Street), but unfortunately, at present you cannot smoke there. Apparently they are having a dispute with other businesses in the building. With luck that will be cleared up by the time you get here. There another Davidoff shop in Columbus Circle (located @ 10 Colubus Circle) across from Central Park, but it is smaller, and has not seating, although you can smoke there.

Merchants is another cigar lounge you can visit, that sits in the shadows of the 59th Street Bridge (located @ 1125 First Avenue @ 62nd Street). It is more along the lines of Club Macanudo, but I do prefer Club Mac to this location. Still cigar lounges are hard to come by in Manhattan, so you take what you can get.

Another popular cigar spot in Midtown is De La Concha (located @ 1390 Avenue of the Americas @ 57th Street)...its a nice shop and is busier during the weekdays than weekends as it is in the midtown business district.

Other shops you will find are Nat Sherman (located @ 12 East 42nd Street @ Fifth Avenue), several Barclay Rex locations (570 Lexinton Avenue, 70 East 42nd Street, 75 Broad Street) and a J&R Cigar shop called Midtown Cigar I believe (located @ 562 Ffith Avenue).

Obviously there are many other establishments, but these tend to be the ones that I frequent more often.

Oh lest I forget...the crown jewel of cigar lounges in Manhattan is the Havana Club. It is members only and located at 666 Fifth Avenue...has an elevator that takes you there directly. The hangout of celebrities and sports stars and high-end poker games. Only ever been in there once, but you need to be with a member. It is impressive though and take up a whole floor of the building...the top floor too boot.

As you are traveling with family, you will probably avoid these places, but Rick's Caberet (located @ 50 West 33rd St. bet. Fifth Ave. & Avenue of the Americas) and Larry Flynt's Hustler Club (located @ 641 West 51st St. @ West Side Highway) both have rooftop cigar lounges in their respective establishments. No lap dances, but they do serve drinks, plenty of eye candy, and they really do the rooftops up fairly nicely.

Have fun on your trip...

[El Presidente]

Much appreciated fella's

[SethLG]

No need to add after those, looks like we got it covered. Get ready for some major tax in New York state though, just up visint my mom and it was rediculous, almost painful. Wish you the best in NYC though.

[prshah25]

Hello, if you can hop on the PATH train from NYC to newport/jersey city(15 mins ride) they have a fantastic cuban lounge/restaurant right outside called AZUCAR. It has very good food and the lounge is excellent and they serve drinks. It turns into a night club downstairs after 10 PM.

good luck!