Some time in Tampa


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Nice pics Prez, was visiting a mate at the University of Tampa back in '99 and visited Ybor City for some fun and frivolity with his fellow Kappa Sigma Fraternity mates...Unfortunately was not into the cigars back then as I am now. It is a great town on the other side of Tampa...

Aussies- think Rocks area of Sydney but on a bigger scale. ie colonial buildings, pubs etc.

Great place would love to get back there sometime.

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Rob, It was a sheer pleasure to finally meet you face to face and spending the day enjoying the fun, sun and rich laughter we all had. Many a cigar was offered to the Cigar Gods. If you check out the "Official" Tampa Get Together thread, I believe you will find a photo or 2 there as well.

I am looking forward to your next trip to the Tampa area!

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Chuck,

We have a Condo in St Pete Beach. Last year I found a place on GulfPort Blvd called Habana Cafe. Did not eat there but have seen very good reviews. Has a small cigar shop as well. Do you know anything about this place?

Thanks

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Rob,

It was a joy meeting you and the rest of the FoHers. I'm glad you had a good trip and enjoyed yourself in Tampa.

oh yeah... That motorcycle is really sweet and god forbid anything happen to my fiancee, the woman of my dreams, the reason I get up in the morning.... I'm buying one in 5 seconds.

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Sorry I'm so late responding. Although I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked, it was still a great experience getting to meet everyone and enjoy a smoke with you.

I'm honored that my bike is the first picture in the series.

Maybe some of us can meet in Ybor again in November when they have the Cigar Celebration and many vendors set up tents and cigars are everywhere. Not Cubans, but still a fun event.

Hope we can meet again, and maybe next time I will be able to stay longer.

Cheers

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I've been out of town and away from the Board for a few days--great post. It provides a small taste of the great times we had.

Great to have you here Rob as well as all of the other fine men and women who share a love of the Cuban leaf.

I expect many more such get togethers in Tampa Bay.

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» Holy chit Rob...there's that shirt again...:lol3:

»

» Looks like another great time.

»

» Hey Patrick...you get around?! I thought I remember you hanging at the NY

» herf in December. :-D

I do and I was... :D Actually I was on the LIE and made a wrong turn, next thing you know I was in Tampa, lol... It was not all that bad, I was hanging with 50 Red Bull girls back at the hotel...:-P

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thing you know I was in Tampa, lol... It was not all that bad, I was

» hanging with 50 Red Bull girls back at the hotel...:-P

So with all the Red Bull you drank, were you like the Energizer Bunny going from Red Bull girl to Red Bull girl leaving little bunny deposits? :surprised:

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» thing you know I was in Tampa, lol... It was not all that bad, I was

» » hanging with 50 Red Bull girls back at the hotel...:-P

»

» So with all the Red Bull you drank, were you like the Energizer Bunny

» going from Red Bull girl to Red Bull girl leaving little bunny deposits?

» :surprised:

I have been away for quite some time, life's changes I guess. Rob emailed me the pics and details of his travels, very nice!! The Florida stop especially got my attention, because I'm headed there tomorrow for a family vacation. We're headed to the Bradenton area, staying off of Cortez Rd., my wife's brother lives there. Be there about 10 days. Not sure how close any may be, but if interested in getting together for a smoke and some drinks, I'm in!! I will try to locate the Habana Cafe, and if Tampa could give me the name of the place in St. Pete I may stop there also. I have some relatives in the Seminole area that I will also be visiting.

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if Tampa

» could give me the name of the place in St. Pete I may stop there also.

I'm not Tampa, but the cigar bar in St. Pete is

Central Cigar

273 Central Avenue

St. Petersburg FL 33701

I didn't check out the humidor there, but the seating was very comfortable, the drinks and service were great, and they even let us bring a couple of pizzas in from the shop next door to stave off the late evening hunger.

Highly recommended.

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  • 3 months later...

Arrived in Tampa 4:45 from Vegas (via Dallas) and checkind into the Hyatt near by. Should I kip...or not? No time as dinner scheduled with Van and Alex who picked me up 7:45 pm for dinner at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor. I remember this restaurant fondly from the last time I was in Tampa (2004). We setttled down and I selected the Cuban Roast Pork as the main. Hmmm.....the pork was so dry it must have been left over since 2004 :lol2: Not to worry as Van selected a bloody good bottle of Zinfandel which hit the spot perfectly. Dinner was a lively discussion and soon after we headed down to King Corona where sitting in state were Tampa, Professor Twain and Patrick. Some great cigars and even better company as the Red Bull girls paraded their stuff up and down Ybor on a wild Friday night. I really do enjoy Ybor as it has the perfect mix of a Saturday night Queensland country town on the turps and a cultural throwback to turn of the century architecture.

I had a relatively early night at around 1am but Saturday was going to be a bender as we were to meet at King Corona 10:30 am for a day arrangerd by Professor Twain and Tampa.

Come 10:30am about 15 boys were in attendance on a hot and sticky morning. I think it was Mike who rode in on this great bike. He gracefully offered me to take it for a ride. Mike doesn't know me that well :lol:

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Professor Twain and Tampa

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Nick brought along some fascinating Cuban Memorabillia including a hand painted cigar case which didn't come out too well in the photo's.

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Nearing noon we wandered back up to the Columbia Restaurant and sat down to a long leisurely lunch. My Paella was spot on and I ordered a few bottles of the same Zinfandel from the previous evening. Great company, great food, great wine.

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Post lunch we strolled over to the Ybor City Museum which celebrates the rich cigar history of Ybor. I was absolutely fascinated.

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Cigars on display not supplied by Czar :lookaround:

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Post museum we headed back to King Carona and had a few beers and cigars before I jumped into Tampa's truck, crossed the bridge and headed to a cigar bar in St Pete's

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For the next 8 hours or so we drank, we laughed, we smoked.

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I fell in love with the Chick on the left. Kate? Katy?Kath? Kristy?

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Pyro

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Patrick

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Tampa

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Steve....also known by his partner as "My Gladiator" :-D

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Van and Alex dropped me back to the hotel somewhere before 1am as I had a 7am flight to Chicago.

What a bloody magnificent day gentlemen!!!!! Thank you to all for but particularly to Tampa and Professor Twain for arranging such a full and interesting day. I couldn't have done it any better :ok:

I didn't take too many photo's so if you have more of the day please post them here.

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» Nearing noon we wandered back up to the Columbia Restaurant and sat down

» to a long leisurely lunch. My Paella was spot on and I ordered a few

» bottles of the same Zinfandel from the previous evening. Great company,

» great food, great wine.

»

» image7360.jpg

El Presidente failed to mention that, like the wanker he is, he picked up the lunch tab for the whole table.

It was a great time.

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