5 Things* about...Why you should like the Love of the Leaf Facebook page

 If you don't like Love of the Leaf on Facebook, you've made us have the sad. You're missing out on so...much...awesome! Keep reading (if you need convincing) and then join us there, at the cool kids hangout! (They let me go there too, so if you're uber-uncool like me, they'll still like you!)

5. Exclusive giveaways
You know we're not above bribery! For example, when we reach 200 likes/followers/stalkers, one lucky subscriber gets this (chosen completely randomly because, if nothing else, we're obsessively fair):

Instagram photo by @jerseyjay. Swiped from here.
(Too lazy to get up and take my own photo.)

Yep. One of you will receive two Drew Estate Undercrown Shade cigars! Like the page and you're in the running! (Chat with previous winners and they'll tell you we have difficulty with directions, always sending more than promised. Damn us!)

4.5. Sales and auctions
Sometimes we manage to lay our hands on cigars and swag that might make some of you swoon. You know. This kind of stuff:

Auction coming soon! For realz!

or this:

Just the hat, ma'am. Or sir.
[Source]

...or who knows what else.  As we've told you before, one of us is known as the Cigar Hunter, able to find and trap even the most elusive of sticks. We want to share the awesomeness with you by offering the stuff for sale or auction. (We're nice like that! But not nice enough to just give it to you!)

4. Your sales and auctions! Yes--your very own!
List cigars you want to sell or auction! Check out the pinned post on the Love of the Leaf Facebook page for guidelines. Keep in mind--this page is for kindness only, so please don't gripe or bitch about prices or anything else.  If you have a problem, please direct your comments towards the person privately or send me or Valentino a message. We'll help resolve any problem! And if we can't, we'll send out the Goon Squad.**

3. Blog posts, which as you know, are always good for a laugh or five. 
No need to track down that day's blog posts or new info on the Love of the Leaf website. The Facebook page will bring it all to you in one shot. Lucky you!

2. Instagram photos documenting cigar shenanigans, featuring all the crazy one picture can hold.
Like this one, a personal fave:

1. Additional bouts of craziness I can't put into words or even anticipate!
Who knows what we're going to get into next! (Although if you want to know where we'll be, in hopes of catching us mid-shenanigan, check out these events...more added frequently!)


*6 really, but we're pretending 5.
**Zillion trillion bonus points plus my undying friendship for getting the reference.

Two out of three ain't bad.

The other day, Valentino and I met up with Caballero #3 for Rooftop Cigar Shenanigans, er, make that a Cigar Social on the roof of a Mohegan Sun parking garage. Remember? We told you about it here.

While up there, we saw this picture, courtesy of Caballero #2 and the mighty internets:

#2 with a Padron '64.

Because these guys are who they are, naturally, a retaliatory photo session occurred:



#1 and #3 with a Padron '64.

A bunch of glad-handing and glad-kissing with cigar rep SuperFriends ensued. (Hi Jon! Hi John! Hi Cody! Hi Dave! Hi Mike-who-is-not-on-Facebook! Hi John-who-did-not-remember-us!*)

 

Then this happened:

 

The bloom was off the rose. We had the tired.

The moral of the story? We missed you, Caballero #2!

 

 

*I know you're thinking, "How is that even possible? You guys are so awesome and memorable!" I know!

Lighting that Motherfucker

You can get cigar-lighting how-tos all over the mighty internets—some concisely right-on and some…not so much. Watch video after video and you’ll find each subtly different.

Nuances abound in the cigar world, but don’t worry about the “right way.”

Fuck the nuances. At this point, you just want that sucker

1. On fire and

2. To remain lit.

 

Your spokesmodel for the evening:
Caballero #3

Lighting the cigar with no fanfare:

1. Cut about a 1/16th off the end. (This is a post for another day.)

2. “Toast” the end that doesn’t go in your mouth.* Blow it out if it keeps flaming as you pull the lighter away.

What that means: hold it above the flame and spin it a bit—just like you’re toasting a marshmallow.** You’re warming up the wrapper.

Not so much for demonstration purposes,
but to show my mad photography skills.
And by "mad," I mean "bad."

3. Put the stick in your mouth*** and hold the flame about an inch from the foot. You’re lighting the filler.

4. Puff a couple of times.

4.5 Dear god, don’t inhale.

5. Hand the house lighter back to the cigartender.****

 

6. Repeat 3-5 as necessary if the cigar goes out.

Fire! Fire! Fire!

 

*This shouldn’t have to be said, and yet…

**If you’re one of those assholes that burns the marshmallow, stay the fuck away from cigars.

***Heh heh heh.

****Don’t even think about pocketing it. Yes, it’s nice, but it’s not yours.

Where we will be: We're very social.

Well, one of us is very social.  The other one, meh, not so much.*

 

Hey, let's spend a summer Saturday night on a parking lot roof!

AND it's going to be a social, which harkens back to days of yore and generally prefixed by "church."

Generally, I'd be looking for excuses or even pulling the MS card--only used in extreme emergencies of not wanting to do something.

HOWEVER!

Throw in a couple of caballeros, a shit-ton of cigars, and adult beverages--plus fire pit!--and I'm willing to overlook any and all excuses, real or imagined.

So on Saturday, August 1, if you're looking for us, we'll be on the Mohegan Sun Riverview Garage rooftop from 7:00-10:00.

"You'll have a chance to mingle with representatives from 20 different cigar brands,** and take one of each of their cigars home with you - or enjoy one on the roof while listening to live music around one of the fire pit lounges."

As if that weren't awesome enough, the Shiny Lapel Trio will be doing the entertaining.

Join us! I'll introduce you to the caballeros!



*You already know Valentino is the former and I am the latter, but in case you're new, there you go.

**This made us LOL, since we are friends with most of them.

Where we'll be: Barnstorming...er, BarnSmokering

First of all, I can NOT get the name of this correct, so if you would all start calling this event the Barnstormer, I'd really appreciate it. K? Thanx.

 

 

So one day, while we hung at Twins Smoke Shop, an email popped up, announcing these Drew Estate tickets going on sale. Well, this isn't my first rodeo, or barn raising, or cigar event, whatever, and I knew immediate action was needed. No--required. I didn't ask Valentino if he wanted to go and sent a text to Caballero #2 but didn't wait for his response. I just bought the damn tickets, which sold out in no time.

 

So we'll be here, the three caballeros and me, hanging with the Drew Estate folk. (Apparently there will be 300+ other folks here at the barnstormer too. What? Dammit. Barn Smoker.)

 

If you didn't know, "[b]arnstormers were pilots who flew throughout the country selling airplane rides and performing stunts; Charles Lindbergh first began flying in this capacity." [source]

An actual barnstormer:
A Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" in flight over Central Ontario c. 1918
[source]

While we won't be getting plane rides, we will be getting:

• (1) Liga Privada "A"
• (1) Liga Privada Ratzilla
• (1) Liga Privada Velvet Rat
• (1) Liga Privada No. 9
• (1) Liga Privada T52
• (1) Nica Rustica “El Brujito”
• (1) Undercrown Belicoso
• (1) ACID Toast

Apparently, the sampler pack also includes "custom Barn Smoker swag, Drew Estate matches, and more goodies."

 

Plus! A BBQ dinner! Beverages!

 

And a portion of ticket sales will be donated to Cigars For Warriors, so that's an added bonus for everyone!
 

Visit the Cigars for Warriors webpage!

Tatuaje is a super-fun word to say. Or: Is it hot in here or humid or...?

Once upon a time, Valentino and I had a few small humidors spattered around the house, holding a respectable amount of cigars. Somehow, we worked our way up to seven stuffed desktop humidors. At that point, we had two choices:

1. Stop buying cigars (hahahaha. As if.)
2. Get ourselves a stand-up humidor

We obviously chose door #2.

 

That 2,000-count humidor filled itself up quite nicely and right quick.  We needed another.

 

We ordered another. It arrived and...

 

 

 

 ...we nestled it into Casa Awesome. Then, we went outside and when we returned to joyous central air, we found that second 2,000-count humidor full.* Sigh.

 

Recently, SuperFriend Kurt Kendall, created the most gorgeous shop, humidor, and lounge when he (literally) moved Twins Smoke Shop to new digs. As a result of that relocation, a few display humidors were stranded at the old place. Because we are generous souls, we and Caballero #2 offered to adopt them. Commence negotiations, mayhem, and shenanigans, because that's how we roll.
 

Bonus points to me for this killer segue: The three caballeros and I hopped** into the HerfMobile and rolled our way to aforementioned humidors.***

Many of you have seen this truck
at various (understatement) cigar events.

After a quick trip to Dunkin Donuts for people-fuel, I said, "You're probably wondering why I brought you all here," while stuffing a jelly munchkin into my mouth, so it sounded like "Gru prablay worworworing un brut un uh he." I wiped the powdered sugar from my fingers right onto my jeans**** and handed each of boys one of these:

The ones I gave them were unlit, of course.

 

You say, "Hey, is that the most awesome Tatuaje Havana VI Artistas?"

 

I say hold your horses; I'm getting to that.

As I bossily thrust the medium red-banded torpedos into their faces, Caballero #2 said, "Hey, this is a Tatuaje. Yum. Which one is it?" (Usually he can identify a cigar at a zillion paces, but in his defense, he was charged with navigating through outer-Boston traffic.)

Always afraid of upsetting my epic-level nerdiness and conveying incorrect information, I consulted the mighty internets for cigar details. (Hahahaha. I could barely write that without laughing so hard Diet Coke came out of my nose!) Anyway, thanks to the folks at Cigar Coop for the info (unless otherwise noted), here's the dealio on why the fab Tatuaje Havana VI Artistas is so named:

1. The cigar is made in traditional Cuban “Havana” style, complete with a "beautiful Cuban triple cap," according to the Tatuaje website. 
2. "As for the 'VI', this goes back to the fact that originally there were six vitolas made available (since then there have been more)." 
3. And pay attention to the first letters of these original core line vitolas--

• Hermosos – Corona Gorda: 5 5/8 x 46
• Angeles -Petite Corona: 4 5/8 x 42
• Victorias – Corona Especial: 6 x 38
• Artistas – Torpedo: 6 1/8 x 52
• Nobles – Robusto: 5 x 50
• Almirantes – Churchill: 7 x 47

The Havana line-up. <--See what I did there?
::pats self on back for unplanned cleverness::
[source]

 

So the answer to "Is that the Tatuaje Havana VI Artistas?" is Yes. Yes it is, courtesy of our BFFs at Famous Smoke, who sent them to me and said, "Howzabout you get your Band of Merry Men to smoke these mofos?" <--All my words, their idea.

Speaking of words, humidor retrieval day also included a continuous stream of verbal volleyball because these boys play rough with the cleverness and words--except when they're talking about this Nicaraguan-born Tatuaje, included in Cigar Aficionado's 2014 Top 25. Then they're all hearts and rainbows and sparkles and unicorns. Manly unicorns, of course, but still unicorns.

 

By the way, the wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano, binder and filler Nicaraguan. The Garcia family, yes, they of My Father Cigars, creates these 6.12 x 52 "Tatuaje Red Label," which Cigar Aficionado describes as "rich, toasty and earthy quality and that leather note found in many Tatuajes."

In an interview with CA, Pete Johnson said about the Garcias, "They’re like family. We kind of grew up with each other. We really made a life for ourselves by doing something together. They give me credit all the time and it’s a two-way street. I praise what they do. I think they’re phenomenal cigarmakers, and they take the time to teach me. They took the time to actually explain the history of what they did, and why they roll the way they roll. That’s why I made a commitment to work with them only."  We recommend you follow the link to check out the whole interview.

Anyway, Valentino proclaimed this Tatuaje Havana a fab morning smoke, which thankfully worked just fine, as I demanded cigar ignition soon after truck ignition, so about 9:30 in the morning.

Valentino looks like he's plotting world domination.
Or falling asleep. Why so early, mornings?

 

As all three caballeros oohed and ahhed over their cigars, I knew Valentino seethed inside.  Even though these guys are besties, he hated I gave away "his" most delicious cigars (a frequent occurrence). You'd think them the world's last few Tatuaje Havana VI Artistas ever ever ever. I promised him an internet visit to Famous for more! Wheeee! Tragedy averted! Internal conflict resolved!

Caballero #2, HerfMobile owner,***** driving.
Pinky swear his eyes were open during most of the drive.

 

Caballero #3. This was his second partaking.
I demanded he smoke one the previous week at Habanos:

We were listening to my brother's band, Shuttlecock,
which plays at Habanos every Wednesday.

Insert here a series of wonky images as the three gentlemen lifted and organized and planned and coaxed the humidors into the U-Haul. Picture me off to the side, sitting on the empty shop's front stoop, watching, for I am a delicate flower.

Now add more fun through a time-lapse activity montage and the new-to-us humidor is in place, cleaned up, and I, as house humidor manager, happily fill and organize this:

Soooo purty...and organized!

You can't see it in the picture--because it hadn't yet arrived upon the quick snapshot,****** but this is making its way to Casa Awesome:

 

By the way,  Tatuaje, Spanish for "tattoo" and created by Pete Johnson in 2003, is super fun to say. Repeat after me: "tat-oo-ah-hey." 

What's that? You want to know why tatuaje? Pete explains during that Q&A with Cigar Aficionado, "The name came about because Robby Levin, Carlos Fuente, Wayne Suarez, they all gave me the name 'Tattoo Pete.' I had tattoos, but my OpusX tattoo really stood out. I kept on looking at different brand names, then I thought 'let’s try Tatuaje.' People said you can’t pronounce the word, but I think it worked to my advantage. People would say, 'do you have those Tats? Do you have those tattoo cigars?'"

Soon enough, all three caballeros and I will have those tattoo cigars; I think they'll fit into that new humidor quite nicely, don't you?
 

 

*Really, not that much of an exaggeration.

**Me? Hoisted, actually, as the HerfMobile stands no less than one thousand feet high. A winch was required for loading and a slide for unloading.

***Kurt knew we were coming, obvs. We didn't organize a caper or heist, although it would have been hilarious had we done that, starting with me telling them to go in the wrong direction. Hilarious, I tell you.

****And Valentino's head exploded.

*****Although can someone really ever own the HerfMobile? More like the HerfMobile owns you.

******Obvs, I took the pic. Had Valentino used his mad photography skills, you'd still be gazing at the humidor's beauty and not reading this.