Habanos Festival Opening Night 2014 and Alternate Opening Night

[Ryan]

So opening night of the festival was on Monday 24th.

We kicked off on the terrace of the Nacional and got our own cars over to Club Havana where the do was on, the buses can be a real pain.

It's the only official event I went to this year and it's nice to meet up with some people and make arrangements for later in the week.

Rick and his wife Chris landed in that evening just in time, on the same flight as David Savona and Gordon Mott of Cigar Aficionado.

Had a chat with Savona and Mott at the start of the event. I know they sometimes get a bad rap on forums but both really nice guys. Fun time.

Started off with a decent light show on the front of the main bauilding, which was quite impressive.

Yiorgos and I headed into the shop there for a Monsdale each and get out of the heat for a while. Oddly, the shop was open but nearly empty, 1,200 cigar smokers on its doorstep and very few inside..

Welcome pack included one of the new Partagas D6 plus 4 Hoyo de San Juan, 1 in a tube and a 3-pack.

Food of course was atrocious, I had eaten before I went so all I had was an olive and some "cheese"

Quote of the night came from Simon Chase, he and his wife were eating at one of the high tables and the event had run out of cutlery, so they had a fork each and a spoon between them. They were both having pork which looked like it had been annealed rather than cooked, it was so tough. At one point, so he could attempt to cut his pork, Simon says to his wife "I believe it's my turn for the spoon dear!"

As far as events go, it was one of the best opening nights yet. The location was great, queues weren't too bad for the booze and not all the ashtrays were stolen in the first 10 minutes.

We left around 11, back to the Nacional and on from there, of course.

Some pictures.

Escorted in. her name was Selé, she was supposed to be joining us later on but probably got tired of being asked "so do you come with the cigars", 100 times.

Waiting on the Irish

The staff looked very young.

Synchronised swimming show

Los Van Van played here later

Aftermath

[ramon_cojones]

Lovely pictures and story, keep'em coming! I've been enjoying every thread and makes me want to get out there even more.

[Ryan]

Alternate Opening Night.

I got into Havana on the night of the 20th, met up with Rob, Nino and Punch Joe in the Nacional for a cigar/Mojito. Nino was heading off for a dinner somewhere else and Punch Joe had to meet his wife.

Rob and I went out. Nice night, really nice to meet up with Nino and Punch Joe.

The Friday evening was our real kickoff.

Started off with a taxi over to the Parque Central, and into Sloppy Joe's for a look.

Very disappointing. It's boring, staff look bored, it could be any airpport bar in the world. Strictly no smoking. To find something good to say, the food, tapas, wasn't so bad. Cheap.

Left Sloppy's fairly sharp and into Bar Monserrate around the corner, which can be hopping on a good night. This night around 10:30 pm at this stage, not a lot going on.

Into Floridita up the street for a quick Daiquiri. Of course, very touristy but they do have a very good daiquiri.

15 minutes there and it was off down Calle Obispo to see what was going on, most bars in the old town always closed around midnight but the bars seemed to be closing earlier this time. Bodeguita Del Medio was closed, Lluvia de Oro, closed, even the bar in the Ambos Mundos closed. Finally around 11 pm we found Cafe de Paris open with a decent band on and a few people.

Got talking to a Salsa instructor here and her friend, really nice and good fun. Found out from her that there is a nightclub open in the Asturias building on the Prado now, so at midnight we headed over there on bici-taxis.

Of course we had to have a bici-taxi race, Rob broke his chain and destroyed a man's livelihood, we got it fixed. That nightclub was good fun, great music. Met Osmuel practicing in the lobby of the place and got this video. Nice to have a quiet few moments.

Left the salsa instructor and her friend in that place with enough for a few rounds and over to the Gato Tuerto. Here we had a great laugh, as usual, with the locals and the staff. Great band on that night, can't remember the name but had the place jumping.

Fell in with a crowd from the Argentinian embassy until we were the last left, that seems to happen.

Two staff members in the Gato who we've known now for years and are more like sisters than anything, asked us to take them out to another place at closing.

I'm around long enough to know that when nightclub staff members anywhere recommend a place to go at 4:30 am, I go.

One of them had her car so we drove over to this place, I won't mention the name but it was great fun. had huge laughs there with the Gato staff until about 6:30am. Home around 7am, I had to get to bed early as we were meeting up in the LCDH at 5 and 16 at 9:30 to have a chat with Carlos Robaina and a full day after that.

Punch Joe heard a few days later that I had been in that last nightclub and he says,

"Andy, I heard you were in xxxxxx last night, please don't go there again"

"Why not"

"They have bad things there, like drugs"

"Really, what kind of drugs?"

"What? No, seriously don't go there again"

Needless to say I brought Yiorgos and Percy there the night they arrived.

Pictures

Sloppy Joe's

Bici-Taxi Race, the drivers appreciated the rest I think, until we broke one.

Band in the Gato Tuerto

Gato

Gato staff having a laugh

[laficion]

Thank you Andy, It's just GREAT to see you lived It up in Havana once more, Thanks !!!!!!!

[LordAnubis]

Ahahha awesome photos !! This has me thinking though, i may need to get some real pants for the trip to Havana in November. It looks like a bit of a classy place, pretty sure i'll need to step up from a polo shirt and 3 quarter pants with runners.

[Ryan]

The Partagas festival is less dressy than the Habanos one. Bring a pair of chinos, buy a guayabera in Havana, $40-$60 but they have handy pockets. Whatever shoes you want, sandals are fine, and you'll be dressed appropriately for any Partagas event.

[Nino]

Andy,

why am I so happy I skipped all the circus and went for the alternate :-)

Been to the Festival Welcome Night at Club Habana twice and the best thing I can comment on is the front entrance and the back stairway ...

Was there a week after the FdH on the way to Santy's and still found the signs around.

Monsdale rules !! No better vitola around.

Good seeing you and the Irish gang again a few times in Havana - arrived last afternoon from Havana and still in need of some serious oxygen here. Quite smashed but still wishing I was over there ...:-)

[ImTripN2]

Great stuff Mr Ryan, thanks for sharing.

[fingerburner]

Keep them coming. Really enjoying your experiences mate.

[Pedro2486]

Great stuff guys. Looks like a blast!

This has to go on my to do list. Just as soon as I get on top of the money pit that is my new home

[CanuckSARTech]

Two staff members in the Gato who we've known now for years and are more like sisters than anything, asked us to take them out to another place at closing.

I'm around long enough to know that when nightclub staff members anywhere recommend a place to go at 4:30 am, I go.

LOL. Awesome!!!!

....One of them had her car so we drove over to this place, I won't mention the name but it was great fun. had huge laughs there with the Gato staff until about 6:30am. Home around 7am, I had to get to bed early as we were meeting up in the LCDH at 5 and 16 at 9:30 to have a chat with Carlos Robaina and a full day after that.

Punch Joe heard a few days later that I had been in that last nightclub and he says,

"Andy, I heard you were in xxxxxx last night, please don't go there again"

"Why not"

"They have bad things there, like drugs"

"Really, what kind of drugs?"

"What? No, seriously don't go there again"

Needless to say I brought Yiorgos and Percy there the night they arrived.

LOL. AWESOMER!!!!!! It's always funny when you can make Jose blush / scared / etc. LOL.

[CanuckSARTech]

....One of them had her car so we drove over to this place, I won't mention the name but it was great fun. had huge laughs there with the Gato staff until about 6:30am. Home around 7am, I had to get to bed early as we were meeting up in the LCDH at 5 and 16 at 9:30 to have a chat with Carlos Robaina and a full day after that.

Punch Joe heard a few days later that I had been in that last nightclub and he says,

"Andy, I heard you were in xxxxxx last night, please don't go there again"

"Why not"

"They have bad things there, like drugs"

"Really, what kind of drugs?"

"What? No, seriously don't go there again"

Needless to say I brought Yiorgos and Percy there the night they arrived.

LOL. AWESOMER!!!!!! It's always funny when you can make Jose blush / scared / etc. LOL.