El Presidente Trip update 1

[scroggers]

Let me get this straight. This is a business trip?????? IF they ever lift the embargo let me be first in line to open up a cigaz czar North carolina branch, then I can act all sad when I tell my wife that it is time to take another trip for business. :-P

[android]

Thanks for sharing that with all of us....

[BobbyRitz]

Fantastic original post and great pictures. I understand precisely what you mean when you describe having not met a person and feeling as though you've known them for years upon finally meeting.

I feel that way about many of the BOTLs on the forums I frequent-especially Claudius.

Enjoy the rest of your trip, Rob. I look forward to reading about it here.

Best,

Rob

P.S. Lookin' good Neff! :-D

[GP012]

Thanks again for having us!

Last round of Mojitos were ~ 2.5 shots of rum, "Rob Style" as per request, although I should had added a bit more sugar.

Photos were downloaded to my laptop last night, and will be organized into photo galleries and uploaded tomorrow mid day.

[Jay Hemingway]

looks amazing fellas!

claudius wasn't generous enough to break out the dominican davidoffs? shame one you! :-P

the scenery looks amazing and those cigars must have been great!

aw man, the custom rolls, i sure do wish i had one of those! :-D

[GP012]

I've uploaded a lot of photos to a simpleviewer gallery here: http://gregpugliese.com/nice2008.

[kjellfrick]

» I've uploaded a lot of photos to a simpleviewer gallery here:

» http://gregpugliese.com/nice2008.

Great photos, Greg. :-D Your skill with the camera is evident!

Claudius, what can I say but thank you...I had such a good time and you were such a great host. I had a fantastic time in Nice and this event is something to remember!

Ehh, Claudius... the wine was Lebanese... Can they really make wine in Lebanon? You'll have to decide that

Thanks all of you for the great company!

Edited to add: Claudius, my goat palate doesn't deserve a mention. I'm very impressed by the way you and Rob evaluated the cigars, however. Blind tasting is not an easy thing to do...

[El Presidente]

What a fantastic weekend.

It only took 27 hours to reach the beautiful sea side town of Nice from Brisbane. Qantas and British Airways were very good and beside a small hiccup of lost luggage London/Nice it was flawless flying. Claudius accompanied by Greg picked me up at the airport and handed me a Partagas Connoisseur No 3 for the 20 minute drive back to his place. You have to love service !LOL!

Nice is a beautiful city which I will return to again but this weekend is about good mates catching up for a weekend of great cigars, food, wine and laughter. A few cigars and rum back at Claudius’s fantastic apartment we were progressively joined by Kjell, Gino and their much better halves Marianne and Anna. The evening featured a fantastic dinner at a favourite local restaurant where I jumped at the chance of ordering sheep testicles. Very delicate flavour which resembles sweetbread (crumbed brains). Some excellent wine and a round of Upmann Tang Monarchs finshed the evening and we had a relatively early morning respectable finish.

Saturday saw us head to Claudius’s weekend retreat in the hills of Nice but first we would pick up Alfredo Martinez whom Claudius organized to roll cigars for us over the weekend. Alfredo is a renowned roller who spent 4 years at Romeo y Julieta followed by 14 years at Partagas. He has travelled the world demonstrating his art and currently lives and works in Madrid. Over the coming day and a half we somehow hit it off (numerous shared bottles of rum helped) and I received an insight into a very proud man who is passionate about his art. He remembers fondly the 10 years prior to the revolution when Vegas and factories had true owners “Dueños”. We talked about the pre and post era of the revolution and its effects on quality. We talked about the lunacy of expecting people to do their best work on 50 cents a day and the incentive for corruption which such a system engenders. We talked about his family and his friends back in Havana (including all the senior rollers) and we talked about the new young crop of “gun” rollers led by Hamlet whom Alfredo has met and has a great deal of respect for. Like many “senior” rollers…he is not that complimentary to young rollers in general or the direction the Cuban cigar industry has gone. This is a mix of “reminiscing on the glory days” and some factual evaluation.

We reached the “weekend retreat”. Not bad. I am all for roughing it.

Two days of laughter, discussion, cigar tasting, fine food, wine, rum, laughter. Alfredo rolled what was asked and while he rolled we would discuss between ourselves and with him the blends and change the blend on the next rolled cigar… always experimenting with the filler tobacco’s, vitola’s etc. Claudius was the ultimate host being that classic mix of relaxed and efficient. Normally I can only achieve the former.

I stayed at a local hotel/chalet not far from the house. Outside of breakfast Sunday I did not spend any time there but this historic hotel sure made an impression.

I arrived in Nice not having previously met Claudius, Gino, Greg, Kjell or Alfredo. Upon meeting there was a strange feeling that we had known each other for a long time. This is the strength of communities such as FOH. By the end of the weekend I have five great mates who I would do anything for. Thanks to each of you for a weekend that I will always remember. Thank you Claudius for opening your house and your life, for doing such a great job of logistics, for being a great friend.

FOH members should be able to make out the following series of photo’s. The last is of last night where I caught up with Mark Neff and Peter Oshman. You would be impressed Claudius….you dropped me off at the airport 6am Monday in Nice and Peter and I left the bar 2am Tuesday morning :-D

[Jokermann]

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For those new here (me), can someone put a name to the faces for me, just want to know who everyone is.

[jaylax5]

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» For those new here (me), can someone put a name to the faces for me, just

» want to know who everyone is.

Hey Jason...here ya go...

Alfredo, Kjell, Claudius, Gino, Greg P and Rob

[yossie]

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» » For those new here (me), can someone put a name to the faces for me,

» just

» » want to know who everyone is.

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» Hey Jason...here ya go...

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» Alfredo, Kjell, Claudius, Gino, Greg P and Rob

It seems 2 persons don't have shoes:-D maybe they used too much money on their hobbies.

[Mr. Japan]

One of thw best set up habano lovers meeting IMHO.

Everything is been NICE!

......and Rob has been working as per attached photo I got.:-D

[winelover]

That's a fairly LOUD shirt there Pres! :wink:

[First Lady]

» That's a fairly LOUD shirt there Pres! :wink: »

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You think that is a loud shirt........ dear god you should see some of his others... very scary :-D

[Claudius]

» That's a fairly LOUD shirt there Pres! :wink:

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The shirt was fabulous! :-D Rob said he bought it especially for this event. :-|

[jaylax5]

» » That's a fairly LOUD shirt there Pres! :wink:

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» The shirt was fabulous! :-D Rob said he bought it especially for this

» event. :-|

Claudius, you mean he stole it from his wife for this trip, right? :-P :-D

You guys are comedy...looks like a great time.