Cuban Cigar Website - Rebuild 2017

[JohnS]

In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines

So we sailed up to the sun
Till we found the sea of green
And we lived beneath the waves
In our yellow submarine

"Yellow Submarine", "Revolver", The Beatles, 1966

 

It's funny with song lyrics. You find you've been singing them for 20 or 30 years, but the meaning of the original lyrics can still be lost. Take the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine'. You know the words, and those acoustic guitar-inspired simple chords (I-V-IV and ii and vi). So you think you're singing a kids song, but the song reflects on how the Beatles, by 1966, had started in the music business by building on the greats they admired in the past (Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Motown etc.), however, in doing so it entailed living normal life in a bubble, that is, a yellow submarine, for playing these simple songs can bring an unexpected cost, notoriety and fame and all that goes with it. Likewise, a cigar can be such a simple thing, but smoke one, rate one, and if you are brave enough, try spending years cataloguing one (or two, or three) and pretty soon a simple thing can become complex.

And so, it was in the middle of this week that I had the pleasure to meet up again with @ATGroom, the proprietor of Cuban Cigar Website as he was up in Sydney for business and together, we ventured to meet up with the founder of Cuban Cigar Website @Trevor2118. We didn't stride there in a yellow submarine, but as it was 40°C (104°F) mid-week in Sydney, it might have been handy. As it was, it was a supreme pleasure and honour to drive out to the northern suburbs with Alex and complain about the Sydney traffic and compare Sydney's urban planning, in regards to roads, to Melbourne (which is way, way better). Still, we managed to get to Trevor's place easily enough.

And so what better way to start proceedings then to light up a PFY Nov 05 Cohiba Coronas Especiales and 'wax lyrical' about the hot weather, professional life, family and the Christmas holidays, cigars and of course, Cuban Cigar Website? Alex mentioned how unfortunate it was that members with large inventories lost count and records of their stock, and the frustration of losing the site. Trevor and I encouraged him, how can one expect what occurred in December, 2016? Alex resolved that such a situation will not happen again. I brought up some fun ideas with the inventory which we discussed such as changing the 5-star rating system on cigars smoked to include 1/2 star allocations (thus making it a 10 point rating system instead of 5), and linking ratings of cigars smoked to individual boxes so a user can track progress in how cigars are smoking over time. We all agreed that such data would be very useful information. The old CCW was built on 2008 code (I think - Alex and Trevor, feel free to correct me), the new 2017 CCW will provide an opportunity to rebuild better. Alex was grateful to many fine supporters of the website here who have donated in the last month, and of course, to Rob Ayala and the team here at FoH for promoting CCW. We ending the first cigar-smoking session with us all mutually laughing at me trying to nub the '05 Cohiba Coronas Especiales. Yes folks...I got down to a quarter of an inch! (Or maybe I exaggerate, it was a third!)

Lunch was inside on account of the heat and Trevor's wife, Therese's hospitality was as supremely pleasant as the 24°C (75°F) air-conditioned weather inside.

Thank you for your wine, California,
Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits.

"Sweet Virginia", "Exile on Main Street", The Rolling Stones, 1972

Give me little drink from you loving cup.
Just one drink and I'll fall down drunk.
I feel so humble with you tonight,
Just sitting in front of the fire.

"Loving Cup", "Exile on Main Street", The Rolling Stones, 1972

One thing I admire my Sydney cigar brethren for is their love and appreciation for fine wine and today was no exception as Trevor had provided us with an exemplary '99 Penfolds Shiraz, every bit as good as the '05 John Loxton Cabernet Sauvignon I enjoyed last Sunday, thanks to @Fuzz. We proceeded to come outside again to the 'fire', yes the Sydney 41-degree heat (105°F), and we enjoyed some TOS Nov 15 Diplomaticos Asia Pacifico Regional Edition Bushidos. Those Nro. 109's taper so beautifully at the head, and of course, they were such a quality smoke. Again, we all had a laugh at me trying to nub mine again, it was all in good fun, and the fine cigars, wine and laughter detracted from the weather. Trevor and Alex thanked me for the Bushidos but I felt so humble, I could do nothing but respond by thanking them for their time and knowledge over the years, as well as their encouragement of me in this noble hobby. Trevor mentioned that I should write up about our meeting for the benefit of our members to help with my post count, and we all had a very good laugh again! We came back inside to air-conditioning to enjoy some coffee and sweets and very, very cold water, when we set off again in the afternoon to 'sail up the sun', Alex and I drove to where he was staying in Sydney, and we resolved to be well until we all met up the next time.

In the car Alex and I had good laughs in regards to his Dusky Beauties site (which Alex hopes to bring up again once he starts to re-build Cuban Cigar Website this year), thanks mate, getting that story first-hand about the dysfunctional workplace where no-one bothered to turn up Fridays while others sat watching cricket for hours on end in company worktime was such a good recollection. 'Exile on Main Street' was playing on my car audio and I was sharing with Alex how I was thinking of putting some form of Beatles show as an end-of-year production at school in 2017. He had fond memories of his high school musicals, I wonder if he'll mention them in a Dusky Beauty blog in the future?

Angels beating all their wings in time
With smiles on their faces
And a gleam right in their eyes
Whoa, thought I heard one sigh for you
Come on up, come on up, now
Come on up, now

"Shine a Light", "Exile on Main Street", The Rolling Stones, 1972

I dropped off Alex and we discussed catching up again in Sydney when he is back for work/business. We are grateful for the current Canadian back-up of Cuban Cigar Website, but Cuban Cigar Website will be back, with search functioning, re-built database and updated inventory options. In the midst of peril springs forth new opportunities, fortitude and resolve.

 

 

 

 

[oliverdst]

Great text, John.

[rckymtn22]

Nice read. Looking forward to more updates and the final product.

[El Presidente]

Great stuff John 

I foresee a fantastic future ahead for CCW. it is in good hands. 

[Fuzz]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

Trevor mentioned that I should write up about our meeting for the benefit of our members to help with my post count, and we all had a very good laugh again!

 

I have to agree. Your post rate has fallen dramatically since you first joined two years ago. I fully expected you to surpass Rob's post count by now.

[Trevor2118]

1 hour ago, Fuzz said:

I have to agree. Your post rate has fallen dramatically since you first joined two years ago. I fully expected you to surpass Rob's post count by now.

[Habana Mike]

Finally surpassed me last week, Two years to my ten.

Rock on John! Good stuff though mate 

[Colt45]

[bolivr]

Kudos to John, Trevor and Alex!

[ATGroom]

Nice write-up of a great day, thanks John and Trev.

[Baldy]

Great stuff guys. 

 

[JC67]

John

 

Love the songs and albums you refer to

Love the cigars

Love the way you write

 

Cheers

JC

[NSXCIGAR]

Looks like there's been some updates to CCW--some if the new releases are being added w/ photos like the new LCDHs and the Hoyo Epi Reserva. Glad to see things are getting back on track at least in the catalogue archives. Glad to be able to help get the ship righted.