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Puff Lifestyle
Like the perfect cigar, the smoker’s lifestyle is one focused on enjoyment and relaxation. At Puff Lifestyle, we discuss all avenues of lifestyle - great hotels that are cigar friendly, fantastic wines, cigar friendly dining, cool gadgets, lighters that actually work, hand carved cedar humidors...you get the idea. But we also cover the down to earth lifestyle interests as well: the most enjoyable reasonably priced cigars, best vacations on a budget, and the best way to stretch a buck...which has never been more important. Nothing is off topic!
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What's Smoking in January
Monday, 05 January 2009
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In my last column of 2008 I neglected to wish you all a happy holiday season
and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. This is it!
I spent another very enjoyable New Year's Eve at Erik Espinosa's (EO
Brands: 601, Cubao) home with the same people whose company I have enjoyed the
past three (3) such occasions. It's an eclectic mix of family, friends, and
industry friends, and this year was no different.
Not only was it a New Year's eve celebration but we were sort of celebrating the
high ratings achieved by these two (2) great cigars...and their inclusion in
Cigar Insider's "Best of 2008" and other lists!
Nismish Desai, from Rocky Patel, with his wife and daughter; Neha and Maya, were joined
by Steve Saka, CEO of Drew Estate, and his wife, Cindy as well as Abe Debeneh,
of Smoke Inn(s), and ...
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY...
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Cuban Embargo - American Freedom
Monday, 29 December 2008
I'm an American.
Supposedly, I am one of the freest people in the world.
I
have "Freedom of Speech" ... as long as I don't want to get
sued, the "Right to Bear Arms" ... for now, and I can travel all
over the world ... except 90 miles off our shores to Cuba.
Everyone in the world can legally smoke Cuban cigars ... except
Americans, but the situation is obviously deeper than this.
Admittedly, cigars are what got me onto the subject of the Cuban Embargo. A
couple of news reports earlier this year about the Coast Guard seizing boats
returning to the United States, chock full of Cuban cigars, cigarettes and
rum, prompted me to think of the forty-six (46) year old embargo.
As reported on Cigar-Review.com
Two Indicted in Cuban Cigar Smuggling
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Importing Cuban Cigars
Actually, there were two (2) embargoes, both issued as Executive Orders.
The first one embargoed trade with Cuba. Some of our more mature readers may
remember Havana cigars coming in with a label indicating that they "...
were flown by Iberia ..." in other words; we were getting them from
Tabacalera in Spain. (I do not remember this as the embargo is one year
older than I, but my research brought it to light.)
The "second" embargo banned the importation of Cuban goods. It was not until
1992, mind you, that the Embargo was codified as law. That was followed, in
1996, by the Helms-Burton Act which is more noted for its lapses than for
its enforcement.
Cigars & Politics
This is obviously a site about cigars, and not about politics. However, the
Cuban Embargo is where they intersect, so I will be talking about both.
Cuban Cigars have the reputation for being the best in the world, but the
truth is a little bit different. If you go around saying Cuban cigars are
the best, or that you only smoke Cuban cigars, you just outed yourself as
someone that really knows nothing about cigars.
Some Cuban cigars are great, and some aren't worth the boxes they come in.
While I think Americans should have the freedom of choice to smoke Cuban
cigars if they want to, we do have many other great choices.
Truth be known; I think Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican cigars are
excellent; and, its about time the cigar makers who make them, and sell
them, stop saying, "It's like a Cuban (Havana) cigar." Cigar
manufacturers, please take note.
Speaking of cigar manufacturers, several of the owners, executives, managers
and employees are of Cuban descent. Upon conceiving of this article topic, I
knew I would anger some people, notably some Cuban-American exiles.
There continues to be a strong, very emotionally charged lobby for the Cuban
Embargo in Miami and other areas of dense Cuban population. Even so, based
on a few conversations I've had with different cigar manufacturers in Miami,
I doubt this next sentence will make any of them mad at me. Just don't tell
my pseudo "mother-in-law" about this article, please.
The Cuban Embargo has to be one of the most twisted forms of legislation
that this country has ever been stuck with.
While it's original intentions may have been noble, what we're left with
now is something more akin to what my mother called 'cutting off your nose
to spite your face'.
Instead of hurting the country we're targeting we're really only hurting
ourselves.
You might consider that it's rather strange to be in that position but
that's exactly what the embargo is because we are really the only country
that is suffering from the effects of the embargo. But let me explain
... maybe I can make things a little clearer here.
The
Embargo came into force back in 1962 after it became apparent that Cuba was
firmly in the hands of Fidel Castro and likely to stay that way unless we
did something to force him out. Military tactics were tried and failed and
so a trade embargo that prevented Cuba from trading with us was put in place
in the hope that a lack of imports and the destruction of their export
market would encourage the Cuban people to get rid of Fidel. Up until then
we had been Cuba's biggest trading partner but it didn't take them long to
find others to trade with.
Now after 46 years of embargo, Cuba is still there, trading with the world
but not trading with us. After several amendments to the legislation that
governs the embargo Americans are allowed to, under special circumstances,
visit Cuba, and do business there. Aside from that, many Americans also
travel to Cuba through other countries, illegally, and spend US dollars there. Cuba is
still not allowed to send goods to the United States.
Of course that means that Cuban cigars are all but impossible to find here
in the United States as they can't be brought into the country legally. You
just have to wonder why, after 46 years we're still cutting off our noses to
spite our faces.
Historically, there exists much evidence that would dictate that the
embargo, which all acknowledge has not worked, be abandoned. I cite herein
some of that 'evidence.'
Today our closest allies are Germany and Japan. Enemies in a war that cost
418,500+/- American lives. Obviously, we occupied these countries at the
close of the war. It was the manner in which we dealt with the defeated
nations that created today's relationship with them.
My point being, if we can be close allies with countries that caused so much
grief and loss of life; why do we continue to enforce an unworkable embargo
against a country that has not inflicted such loss on us.
We have normal diplomatic relations with Vietnam; an enemy in a war that
cost 58,000+/- American lives.
In point of fact, the normalization of relations with Vietnam came, in a
historical context, much more quickly than the normalization with Germany
and Japan. Vietnam was a country of no particular significance to us after
the fall of Saigon; the normalization of relations was, in large part,
dictated by commercial interests.
Taiwan, Japan, Australia, France and other countries were enjoying
considerable commercial relations with Vietnam, and we were missing out on
this.
Likewise, even after the fall of the Soviet Union, countries like Japan,
Taiwan, France and Canada enjoy considerable business with Cuba.
Here is a country, ninety miles from our shores, in need of considerable
infrastructure investment, offering other possibilities for capital
investment as well - and what they can afford is being acquired from
countries half a world away.
The Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Empire collapsed, not because of an
embargo, but because of engagement. Television had a great deal to do with
it as well: with CNN it was no longer possible for totalitarian governments
to tell their people how good life was. They could see the reality, on the
other side of the wall on TV.
We never instituted an embargo against the Russians; although, under
President Carter, we did refuse to go to the Moscow Olympics!
We never embargoed Franco's Spain, Peron's Argentina, Salazar's Portugal,
Stroessner's Paraguay, Nasser's Egypt, or Duvalier's Haiti.
I could go on and on listing nations lead by despots that we not only never
embargoed, but, rather, maintained cordial relations with. The short list
above covers both.
Granted, the ostensible purpose of the embargo was retribution for the
seizure, by the Cuban government, of U.S. owned commercial properties and
interests. And yet, there are no similar historical reactions; and there has
been no adjustment of the situation as a result of the embargo.
It is worth noting that this U. S. effort has never had the support of the
world. In each year during the past decade and a half, the General Assembly
at the UN - no real friend of the United States; has voted to condemn the
embargo.
The only people voting with the U.S., in the last such vote, rejecting the
condemnation resolution have been Israel, Palau and the Marshall Islands!
And Israel, itself, has been developing ties with Cuba since the Clinton
Administration.
So why the Cuba embargo; and why has it been in place for four decades
plus?
In light of the frequent claim, from many shades of the political spectrum,
that American Jews hold sway over U. S. Foreign Policy vis-à-vis Israel, the
institution of the Cuban Embargo and its subsequent maintenance through
decades is somewhat ironic.
There are some five and a quarter million people of the Jewish faith in the
United States. While there are approximately 1.5 million people of Cuban
descent and who arrived from Cuba.
Talk about influence ... but people rarely do talk about this
influence!
So, what is it, in the case of Cuba that has impelled the institution of,
and the maintenance of a failed policy; using a fatuous device - the
embargo. I would have to say it is Cubans. Those Cubans that came here; and
have developed political influence, in large part through block voting in
Florida. Yes, that's a simplification of the political aspects; but, it
nonetheless is the only explanation for the fact that the embargo has lasted
through ten (10) U. S. Presidents - from both parties.
In point of fact, the Jewish population centers, Florida, New York,
Pennsylvania, etc, have the same electoral impact. The difference being,
those Americans of the Jewish faith tend to be more liberal - evidence the
overwhelming, and hard to understand; turn out for Barack Obama by Jews. No,
strike that, by both communities.
The embargo still is a hot button political issue that some Congress persons
from Florida keep as the center piece of their political position. However;
that appeal is waning with first generation, Americans of Cuban descent.
These young people see themselves as Americans and don't feel the loss that
their immigrant parents felt.
Obviously, it was loss of country; loss of property; loss of some family
members and loss of family patrimony. Nonetheless, few Cubans that
immigrated to the United States have not fared better than they would have
in Cuba.
So, yes, the older generation supports the embargo to get even with Fidel;
although, one concludes on visiting Cuba that the people who suffer from the
embargo are the ordinary Cuban citizens. Fidel and the 'commissariat' are at
a loss for nothing.
As I planned to write this article and did research on various aspects of
the subject, I recognized that input from Cubans and the Cuban Government
would be desirable. Regrettably, my schedule did not allow for a visit to
Cuba, so I contented myself - and, I believe, satisfied the need for that
input, by conversations with Cubans here in the U.S. And, a brief interview
with my pseudo "father-in-law" Hector Travieso.
Mr. Travieso is a Cuban exile who chose to settle in Puerto Rico, where he
has a daily TV program. He has appeared in soap operas on TV and in the
movies. He has had roles in films where he appeared with Morgan Freeman,
Gene Hackman and other prominent stars.
Señor
Travieso is also a cigar smoker.
KG: When did you leave Cuba and under what circumstances?
Travieso: I left Cuba 47 years ago, I was a boy then. One
night my father told me in our old house in Havana, that I had to leave Cuba
within a week. The next thing I knew, I was in Miami living with my aunt. I
went to school; I worked for the Grand Union supermarkets, at gas stations
and many other jobs. Also I used to sing on weekends in what today is South
Beach. Then I became an actor.
KG: What is your opinion of the Cuban Embargo? Do you think it
should stay in place or be lifted, and why?
Travieso: The embargo has been a huge mistake since its very
beginning, back in 1961 after Bay of Pigs failure. Ten American presidents,
25 congresses have already gone by and nothing has been done to solve the
problem.
KG: Do you think it is fair that Americans can't buy Cuban
cigars, but the rest of the world can?
Travieso: It's not fair; it's kind of stupid that we can't buy
Cuban products in general.
KG: What do you anticipate for the future of Cuba in the next
5 - 10 years?
Travieso: I sincerely hope that Mr. Obama has the intelligence
to lift the embargo right away. Fortunes will be made once Cuba is opened to
the U. S. again. Remember, over 12 million people in Cuba are eager to buy
American products and thousands of US farmers are waiting for that
opportunity to come.
KG: Do you smoke Cuban cigars? If so, what are your favorite
Cuban cigars? What are your favorite non-Cuban cigars?
Travieso: No, I don't smoke Cuban cigars. Whenever I have a
chance; I manage to pull good Dominican and Jamaican brands.
KG: What is your opinion of Cuban cigars in general and your
opinion of non-Cuban cigars in general?
Travieso: Cuban cigars according to my late father were the
best of the best. If we just could ask Mr. Winston Churchill.
KG: Is there anything else you would like to say to our
readers?
Travieso: Yes, let's don't forget that this is the 21st
century. "El Che" is dead, Fidel is also dead but nobody has told him. They
don't dare to.
Admittedly, one Cuban exile's opinion, but, not atypical of the responses I
received. Other Cubans of my acquaintance were equally anti-embargo, but
were reticent to have their names attached to their views.
There were, of course, many who stridently supported the imposition of, and
the continuation of the embargo. As a whole, I would estimate, granted mine
was a small 'survey' that 67% were in favor of dropping it; 18% were
forceful about maintaining it; and the rest were, well, ambivalent!
Perhaps it's time that we did start encouraging our Congressmen to start
thinking about doing away with the embargo and normalizing relations with
Cuba because we're only hurting ourselves by not trading with them.
What will happen with Cuban cigars when the embargo is lifted?
Once the embargo is lifted, will we get to enjoy those Cuban cigars that
some of us have missed for years? And at what price?
If and when the embargo is lifted, don't start planning the 'cigar party'
right away. I am not so sure Habanos S.A. will re-direct product from their
longtime customers around the world to satisfy American demand.
Cigars are not the type of product where you can just pull some levers and
add employees to pump up production. Premium cigars require special soil,
climate, weather, fermentation and aging. They also require highly skilled
workers.
Some of you may remember what happened during the so called "cigar boom", or
better yet, 'fad' in the '90's. Lots of over-priced, inferior product hit
the market in the rush to fulfill a rapid increase in demand.
Cuban tobacco will also most likely be purchased by the American-based cigar
manufacturers, using up limited supplies even faster. Several Miami-based
cigar manufacturers have told me they are eager to blend Cuban tobacco the
same way they have successfully done so with Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican
and other tobaccos.
I suspect that immediate post-embargo, Cuban cigars will start showing up a
little more often at American herfs, but not that often, and at an even
higher cost than they do now. I also suspect that some of the cache of Cuban
cigars will fade when they are no longer the 'forbidden fruit' for citizens
of the United States.
Even though I believe that Cuban cigars will still be somewhat hard to get
and remain pricey for several years after the lifting of the Cuban Embargo,
as I said in the beginning, this is about much more than cigars, and lifting
the embargo is the right thing to do.Here is a great article with much
more information on what it is like in Cuba now, and some of the past
history:
Life after Fidel Castro's revolution: a long fall from red dawn to black
market
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY...
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Does Size Affect the Taste of a Cigar?
Monday, 29 December 2008
{mosimage}
It's one of those age-old questions - "Does size matter?" Size seems to be
something that's very important to a lot of people regardless of what their
interests might be. The size of the car, the size of the house, the pool, the
garden, the ... well you know what else guys worry about when it comes to size
and I'm not talking about cigars either. They're all important to many people
and the size of your cigar may be important too.
Obviously there are some people who think that cigar smokers prefer big cigars
because it adds to their aura of power and position and that might be the case
with some people but serious cigar smokers know that size can be important when
it comes to cigars and it's not an image thing at all.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY...
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Cigars and Cigarettes - Barely Related at all
Monday, 22 December 2008
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It's amazing just how many people seem to think that cigars and cigarettes
are just the same. An old lady came up to me in the park the other day while I
was smoking my cigar to tell me what a dirty habit I had. Obviously she didn't
know that I am a connoisseur of fine, hand-made imported tobacco products called
cigars.
A premium handmade cigar is more of a luxury product to be savored, whereas a
cigarette is just an addiction that needs to be fed. Comparing a cigarette to a
premium cigar is like comparing Thunderbird to Dom Pérignon.
Here's a little basic education for those in need.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY...
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How to go from Friend to Lover
Monday, 18 July 2005
This week's article: So, you want to go from friend to lover? You want to date the woman who up until now has been a "friend" to you but you don't know how to go about doing it? Here are some flirtatious moves that will help take you from the "friend" category to that of "lover." These
include...
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY...
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