For the Joy of the Smoke...

So, we were switching to new life insurance and I needed to not smoke for a while before the physical (we aren't being tricky, they know I smoke cigars, but they will still offer a non-smoker rate for cigar smokers if it's not in the blood sample). So, a couple of weeks off, no big deal, right? Then the work project hit me, and we missed the first physical, so I ended up over a month with no cigar.

Now for clarification, I didn't go through withdrawl or headaches or anything crazy like that. I really don't smoke that much. But I missed it. There are days when it's more of a comfort thing, and it's just relaxing to sit down with a nice smoke and drift off.

So, now I can smoke again, and things feel pretty good. I got to smoke some overpriced, yet well built cigars while in Vegas (Nevada has a 50% tax on tobacco!) in a wonderful atmosphere both in The Venetian and MGM Grand.

We went to The Venetian early for the purpose of sitting down with a drink and me with my cigar before seeing the Blueman Group. The first bar would not allow cigars, and after my patience for the previous month I was a little irritated. So I went next door (inside the same building) and asked the bartender at the China Bar if he allowed cigars. "Here's your answer" he replied, handing me a large, ceramic ashtray. I was so happy I looked right past the six dollar beer and nine dollar mixed drinks, cut my Fuente Reserve (purchased earlier at the Fuente store in Ceasars) and lit up. Ah, life was good.

The following night the whole group of us went down to a little martini bar in MGM Grand where the drinks were just as expensive, but they had a small humidor. I perused the list of smokes (all were actually very good cigars) and settled on a Montecristo Robusto. Playing acid jazz in the background, good beer and a cigar in hand, it was another wonderful evening. In the middle of a weekend packed with walking (and walking, and walking), sensory overload, a little poker and a lot of good food, I think I most cherish that evening in the martini bar in MGM grand, smoking my cigar and enjoying good conversation with family.

Even now as I sit in my smoking room (known as my garage) and enjoy my Punch Double Maduro, I know that I will have many more wonderful stories of terrific evenings (hopefully in equally exotic locales) to share with you, after I've shared them with a cigar.