Steak and Stogie, Fleur De Las Antillas
The wife went out to do some volunteering. I decided to light up the 2012 CA cigar of the year, the Fleur De Las Antillas Toro. I thought it was good, but not CA #1 of the year good. It had these bursts of white pepper I didn’t particularly enjoy, but the first and last third were very agreeable.
I said I’d grill up a T-Bone, so I figured why wait. I didn’t feel like standing out in the snow, so I threw it in the pan. Got a good sear on both sides, left it about rare, and just salted it, and shook a few peppers on it. I also made some creamed spinach with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and onion. The t-bone was good, but it was no ribeye.
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Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, getting conversational for travel, Cabaiguan petites
In High School, I took French. I’m not sure why, but I think it had something to do with me thinking French was fancier than Spanish. I very much regret not taking Spanish now. I’ve been to France, once, while on a cruise, and was only in Nice for a day. I’ve been to Montreal about three times, but I could have gotten by without any French. I’ve been to Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina. I studied abroad in the latter two. Living in Northern Virginia, I run into Spanish speakers constantly, and French speakers rarely, if ever. Spanish would have been much more practical. Even so, I was not very interested in learning a language in High School. I did not learn very much, and retained even less.
Before the global residency in my MBA program, I borrowed Rosetta Stone from a friend (and therefore, had limited functionality while using the program). I found it very helpful. With a few months of practice, I was conversational in Spanish. By conversational, I mean I could direct a taxi, order a steak and beer, ask basic directions, find a bathroom, and conduct monetary transactions. My greatest Spanish achievement was obtaining a Chilean National soccer jersey for my friend as a souvenir. I asked around while I was in Chile, and finally was directed to a shopping mall a few metro stops away. I rode the metro, found the mall by asking directions, and finally sporting goods store. I did not see the jersey I wanted, but by being able to say, “red”, and, “shirt” in addition to, “Chile”, they brought one out from the back. Despite tons of other really great memories, my common shopping errand holds a special place. It would not have been possible without Rosetta Stone.
Fast forward to earlier this winter. Some friends and I decided on Montreal for New Years Eve. They have an awesome celebration, and Montreal is a great destination in and of itself. Amazing museums, great restaurants, and a Casa Del Habanos are a few of the highlights. I don’t believe there is a better option than Rosetta Stone for learning a language. However, I did not want to spend more on Rosetta Stone French, than on the trip itself. I friend told me about Duolingo. Duolingo is set up almost exactly like Rosetta Stone. The kicker is that its free. If you’re looking to learn a little of a language before a trip, definitely check it out. Using it for about a month before Montreal, I was able to pick up numbers, common greetings, and how to ask where the bathroom is. Just the bare necessities, but they proved to be useful. I have a new trip scheduled to a Spanish speaking country, and I’m going through Duolingo Spanish from the beginning. I also intend to repeat the relevant parts of Rosetta Stone (shopping, travel, etc.).
This was not a comparison, but for those that may have found this post via google, I’ll say this: For traveling for pleasure, for less than a month, I’d recommend Duolingo. Its great, and its free. For traveling for business, or for over a month, get Rosetta Stone. Its comprehensive, but you’ll have to pay a fair price.
Not matter what you decide to do, do it with style:
I had about 30 minutes to work on my Spanish, so I grabbed a petite Cabaiguan. Its the king of the quick smokes. If you haven’t seen my other Cabaiguan posts, click here, then here.
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St. Patrick’s Day Preview
I’ll probably be at the 4Ps. If its nice, I may smoke a Don Thomas I have in the humi from years past. Green cigars are cool, green beer, not so much.
More info on festive green cigars here, and here.
***Update
I jumped the gun and smoked one while on a conference call. It was nice (but windy outside), how could I not?
The unique grassy flavor is very interesting. Its definitely unique, and I do enjoy it. The wrapper was very delicate. I’ve had these in a coolidor for years, and I think they’ve been shook around a little too much. The foot and head both had small tears that I had to tend to, but nothing catastrophic. If I get a chance, I’ll be lighting up another for St. P’s Day.
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Fixing my work truck’s clear coat, watching paint dry, Casa Magna
In about 2010 or 11 I asked my uncle to start looking for a truck for me. I only had a coupe sports car, which wasn’t ideal for hunting, camping, home ownership, or really anything other than spirited driving. My uncle has a bunch of classic cars, and lives in a part of WV that has a much greater selection of trucks than can be found where I live. My dream truck was a gen 3 K1500. I wanted a black one, preferably an ’87, as it was the first year for fuel injection. I don’t think Riggins drove an 87, but essentially, I was looking for something like this (last one is for the ladies/CW):
After about a year of looking, but not being able to find anything in my price range that was in decent shape, I ended up buying my uncle’s old work truck. Its a 97 Chevy 4×4, with a crew cab, which was a custom conversion option done by Centurion. I’ll probably do a full post on it in the future. When I bought it, the clear coat was peeling off the top of the rear driver side pillar. Rain got into it, made the separation bigger, then it froze, got even bigger, etc. Eventually I was left with what you see below. I figured it was time to do something. I waited for the first good span of clear days on the weather report, and got to work.
Its an old truck, with a lot of dings and scrapes, so I really just wanted to arrest the problem, not put lipstick on the pig (though I do like the way she looks, perfectly worn). I took a screwdriver to the peeling parts, then sanded the bare paint. Then I put painters’ tape on the glass and parts I didn’t want to cover in clear coat.
I intended to only do the one pillar, but also found some potential problems on the other side, so I taped up some more. I couldn’t resist the man-work selfie.
Once I had a coat on, it was time to watch some paint dry. It was a mild day after a long winter. I decided to pass the time with a Casa Magna Colorado Torito. Very earthy, and lots of pepper. I bought a few Casa Magnas back when it won cigar of the year. I bought them in the winning size. I found the cigar to be delicious, but it was just too strong for me. This smaller version was enjoyable for me, but still fairly strong. Its strength is about my limit. It wasn’t quite as good as I remember, but I can’t say if that was due to the size difference, or perhaps time, or its popularity causing quality to decrease. In any event, it was a good stick. I didn’t buy more than one, and I don’t think I will buy another anytime soon (see what the experts think about it).
I did literally watch some paint dry. However, what you don’t see if the two days it took me to give it several coats. The finished product doesn’t look too bad. The base coat bubbled up for some reason. When I sanded, the bubbles broke, and left a bunch of silver circles. I don’t mind the look, I just hope the clearcoat sticks. If the paint keeps the clearcoat from being damaged further, I’ll consider this project as a success. I think the paint (link below) was about $30, and I already had the painters’ tape.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043B7UQY/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Weekend Catch up, Mike’s Deli in Falls Church
I’ve had Mike’s Deli a few times, but mostly for breakfast. I enjoy a large breakfast, and Mike’s usually hits the spot. It was nice outside this weekend, so the wife and I walked over to Mike’s Deli for some lunch. I got the blackened avocado burger. It was really good. Its the kind of burger that tastes like it came off a backyard bbq. Juicy and delicious. I try not to drink too much soda, and generally have diet, so real coke is a rare luxury.
On Sunday, a friend who is having a baby soon wanted to play some golf. Most courses were closed since there was still a fair amount of snow on the ground. Top golf had a three hour wait. We decided to just enjoy some cigars. I got him a box he can hand out when the child is born. We had two extra sticks to taste test the box. We found them quite enjoyable. (I still can’t thank the BOTL that sent me the cigars enough. These will really impress when handed out)
We had some bourbon and ginger, or applejack and ginger with the cigars. Some more friends came by, and then we went out to Ireland’s 4Ps.
I hope to see my buddy again on St. Patrick’s Day, but he may have his baby before then. Either way, I look forward to getting out for that round.
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Virginia Gold Cup, University Row
Saturday, May 3rd, 2014
If you’ve never been to the Virginia Gold Cup, you need to go. If you don’t know someone with a tent, I strongly recommend University Row. Sign up with your alumni network, or in my case, since CNU doesn’t have an affiliation (yet), my parents’. The pictures below are from last year. They are a combination of my and my friends’ facebook pictures, and University Row’s facebook pictures. As you can tell, its a really good time. Unlimited good food, mint juleps, jim beam, and horse racing. What more could you want?
Thanks to my hat, I was chosen for the fashion show/runway showdown. I lost (to someone in a do-rag, it must have been rigged), but it was a lot of fun. Despite the outcome, like my number, I was #1 (look at that strut). Walking the runway in a Virginia Bow Tie, linen, bourbon in hand, and cigar after? Check it off the bucket list.
The drive up is always pretty rowdy. The drive home is usually a lot quieter (RP). I’m going to be out of country for the 2014 Gold Cup, but I hope you go anyway, and maybe I’ll see you there next year.
More info about the Gold Cup, and Steeplechases in general.
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Firing up a new pipe
My uncle gave me some pipe tobacco the last time I went for a visit. I have an old Peterson, and a few corncobs, but I’m not really much of a pipe smoker. I’ve always wanted a churchill, so I did a little research and went with a well known, highly recommended brand. Netflix has a documentary called, Everything or Nothing, about James Bond. While Bond was not a pipe smoker himself, I channeled my inner M, and lit up a quarter bowl to break her in. It was a nice way to spend about an hour, and my office smells amazing. Pipe smoking is something of a lost art. Perhaps its time to look into it.
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Brick House
I went into the office yesterday morning, but came home for some lunch, and to work the rest of the day from home. It was approaching 60, so I thought I might try to catch up on some calls and emails on the porch while I enjoyed a cigar. Unfortunately, my new work laptop was not bright enough and had too much glare, and I did have some work I had to get done, so I defeatedly headed back in to my home office. I picked up a sampler when I last ordered some cigars. The name of one of the brands enticed me. I have a friend, who’s dad often says that his wife is built like a brick shithouse. While I was not familiar with the saying when I first heard it, I was able to ascertain that it was a compliment, and though context, that it meant she is voluptuous. I figured I’d try one, and if it was good, buy a few for next time I go over to his place to enjoy his company, amazing cooking, and pool.
The sampler has four different cigars made by JC Newman. I think the main reason I ordered these is that I don’t know much about JC Newman or its brands. I picked the Brick House mighty mighty natural. I generally go for a robusto or petite corona, so to me, this was a gigantic cigar. I got a belated xmas present from a close friend the other day, so I poured a glass of it as well.
The Woodford Reserve Distillers Select was surprisingly good. I’ve had more than my fair share of brown sauce (many of which have just been OK), so whenever I have a new one I like, I’m pleasantly surprised. The Woodford had a very traditional bourbon flavor profile, and I found no real issue with it. It reminds me of Elmer T Lee in that regard. I would say this is very good, but not outstanding. That said, like Elmer, I’ll probably be reaching for it often. For a more artistic and detailed review, check this canuck out.
The cigar was also surprisingly good. The construction and burn were good, though I felt the draw was a little open. It might be my fault for cutting it too much, but with such a huge stick, without punching, I’m not sure how one would cut less. I found the flavor fairly one dimensional, but there was a sweet spot when the stick became about the length of a robusto, or maybe a little shorter. There was far more pepper present than I’m typically used to. It may have been a stronger or younger cigar than I usually smoke. By the end, I was feeling a little light headed, but I’m going to guess that had as much to do with the size as the overall strength. It made for a long smoke. At the price point, I think this is a very good value. If the make a smaller size, I’m going to pick at least a few up. Check more out here and here.
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Experiential Learning
I posted the other day about starting Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba on my kindle. I made good on my promise of a Cuban themed evening:
I picked out my last Monte #2. This stick has been in my humidor for a good while, so it needed to be smoked. I figured this was as good a time as any. And because you can’t have a Monte without rum (though I’m sure I’ve broken that rule a time or two)…:
I paired it with some HC7. I lit up the pyramid took a sip of rum, and got into the book.
All three were amazing. On the first puff, you get that unmistakable flavor. Then a sip of the rum gives you a fairly light body, but rich dark molasses, smoke, and spices. The book kept me turning the pages.
When the cigar got down to about the size of a Fuente WOA, it really hit the sweet spot. The book got into the 1920s, and I went to find some coke. I mixed myself a cuba libre (relax, why not) and finished the chapter and cigar. A great cigar, great rum, and great book made for an amazing evening.
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Smoking Parlor
I’d been thinking about having a smoking room in my house for years. A search on the internet would have you believe you need a fancy hepa filtration system, strong exhaust fan, or some other complex system that bipasses air ducts and reheats or cools your home. Intimidated by others’ smoking rooms, I put my idea on the back burner, thinking I’d wait until I could afford to have a high CFM exhaust fan installed. Then one day I decided to just try smoking in my office, and seeing how bad it was. As it turns out, it was fairly bad. I removed all textiles (that would hold the smell of smoke), but even so, the smoke smell lingered and even went beyond the room. As bad as it was, the smell went away in about a week, and I thought it was a problem I could solve. My current solution contains smoke to my office pretty well, and the smell only lasts a day or so. If for some reason I need the smell gone immediately, I have a backup plan for that too.
I started with Fans. I have two windows in my office, so I got a small air circulator fan for the intake, and a larger vornado for the exhaust. I didn’t buy fancy fans, or even window fans, just small cheap fans to handle a room of about 10×20. Since its winter, I bought a small ceramic heater on amazon. Its very small, very quiet, and often gets the job done on low. This was very surprising, but its really all I need to be comfortable in a tee shirt when its less than 30 degrees outside. With both fans and the heater running, its whisper quiet.
I was worried about my door so I bought weatherstripping, and went all the way around the frame. Then I bought a piece of foam to block the bottom of the door, but honestly I don’t always use it. Since I don’t have any air ducts in my office, and I’m exhausting most air out than I’m drawing in, I don’t expect much smoke to escape until I turn the fans off.
When I leave the fans running for about an hour after I’m finished, most smell is gone. If I just shut the windows and leave the room, a small amount of smell remains. If I’m having company over soon after smoking, I’ll leave the fans going, and run a small air purifier. This type of air purifier has its drawbacks, but it completely eliminates the smoke odor. For just over $100, I have a very functional smoke management system.
Despite very cold temperatures this weekend, I was able to enjoy a cigar. My wife went to brunch with some friends, so I grabbed my kindle, some bourbon, and a nice stick.
I’ll do a full review of the bourbon later. The Cabaiguan was great as always, though I did experience a slight run problem. It came out of my travel humidor, so it was probably my fault. The book I’ reading is excellent, but not well paired to Tennessee bourbon and a cigar from Ecuador and Nicaragua. I’ll try to enjoy a more authentic Cuban experience, and write it up soon.
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