Toronto

[DrunkenMonkey]

I have a brother who lives in Toronto, and I was up to visit him for the first time this summer. Beautiful city. Absolutely lovely. But then we went down to the Casa del Habano to have a smoke. Tobacconist tells me that there's no smoking there. Not just there in that particular cigar shop, but anywhere in the city, period. Ended up going back to my brother's and smoking on his patio. Lovely. But that was summer.

Anyway, I'm going up there again in a month or so to visit, and I wanted to check to see if any of you know the city, and if there really is no place to smoke inside. It just seems insane that in a city that has such long cold winters there isn't anywhere to smoke inside. Are there any private clubs, or something of that sort? My brother smokes cigars, but he doesn't smoke at all in the winter months, because he can't stand to go out to his patio to smoke, because it's too cold. Seems like a damn sad situation to me. Can anyone shed any light on this?

[Ellery]

That is crazy, you can't smoke anywhere... I use to go to Toronto twice a yr, but havent been there in a couple of yrs, so unfortunately I am useless. But good luck in your quest.

[bigfunkyg]

Unfortunately that is life up here in the Great White North (being the bunch of hosers that we are, eh?).

Somking in a public place indoors is non-existent so smoking after Octoberbecomes a challenge, and the frequency drops dramatically.

I usually smoke once every few weeks in my smoking buddies garage with several propane heaters. That works pretty good until it gets really freaking cold (less than -20* C).

Oddly my local tobacconist does allow smoking in his shop but there is smoke limitations around that too.

G

[thechenman]

How sad...as scary as it may seen...it does appear that America is headed down that road as well. Being in NY with NYC being one of the major U.S. cities that tends to me more accepting of cigar smoking and smoking in general, it has been easy to find a place to smoke in the cold winter months. Can't imagine what it would be like outside during Canadian winters...Brrrrrrr....

[jamie140]

I have one of these under the gazebo. Close the curtains and it stays warm in there when it's below zero.

LCD TV and I can be out there 'til I move to Florida the first of each year.

[MontrealRon]

While I love sitting in my backyard on a warm summer evening,

or on a sunny Sunday afternoon with a book in one hand,

and a good cigar in the other, I refuse to be a slave to the seasons.

My favorite smoking spots are in my own dining room and living room.

In the winter, when doors and windows are tightly shut,

I will use smoke-filter machines, which are remarkably effective.

In warmer weather, I don't even bother. A ceiling fan is good enough.

It helps, of course, to be married to a woman who also smokes, albeit cigarrettes.

We tolerate each other's foibles, which makes for a happy relationship.

My best smoking buddy has the same situation, and we often smoke together,

in one home or the other.

This is called living in a civilized manner.

Guys, it can be done.

Even if you have young children that you want to protect from second-hand smoke,

(and presumably from breathing polluted city air),

one room can surely be isolated, and equipped with a couple of powerful smoke-suckers.

No one else in the house will even imagine that you indulge in such a filthy habit!

[DrunkenMonkey]

I have one of these under the gazebo. Close the curtains and it stays warm in there when it's below zero.

LCD TV and I can be out there 'til I move to Florida the first of each year.

Now THAT is a nice set-up. Beautiful.

[bigfunkyg]

Guys, it can be done.

Even if you have young children that you want to protect from second-hand smoke,

(and presumably from breathing polluted city air),

one room can surely be isolated, and equipped with a couple of powerful smoke-suckers.

No one else in the house will even imagine that you indulge in such a filthy habit!

Try telling my wife this. It would be like arguing with an atheist that God does in fact exist.

[bassman]

The smell of burning wood from my fireplace masks the cigar smell in the winter.

[ChanceSchmerr]

I know Toronto quite well, as my Fiancee hails from there, my favorite baseball team plays there, and I went to college 3 hours away. Problem is, I havn't known it long as a Cigar fan. I think you are indeed out of luck, as I don't recall many places left to enjoy cigars indoors, last winter I had a conversation with a tobacconist owner in Toronto who told me he rarely stocks/offers cigars larger than a robusto in the winter because "all his customers have to smoke outdoors, and no one is brave enough to last out in the cold longer than the time it takes to enjoy a robusto".

I know the LCDH in Yorkville that was mentioned - there is indeed no smoking inside, but on the cordoned off 'patio' immediately outside, there is always someone there enjoying a fine smoke whenever i go there........except in the winter! LCDH has the best selection, but Thomas Hinds tobacconist two blocks away has a little better customer service.