so me and pete (evp) met up at the marriot marqius last night around 630pm..... i started the convo up on the cell, and tracked him down to the front of the line..... i was almost instantly allowed a cut to the head of the pack by pete, and, just as fast, offered evp a cuban to smoke while we walk around cause i brought about 5 with me.....
the front of the line group pic is taken by 2 stray photogrophers (i got into one of them good with a bunch of girls standing in front of us) and moments later, some guy yelled, "COME ON DOWN!!!!", and the stampede progressed at 738pm........
me and pete stuck side by side, in the first ten guys on line, and dilegently pulled ticket after ticket, stuffing sample after sample into our canvas CA sacks, (that were later signed by Mr. Patel, Mr. Fuente, and Mr. Perez-Corillo) all the while puffing on cc's.......
when we got towards the back of the hall, i notice one of the owners of the b&m i frequent handing out la gloria cubana samples....... i gave him a wink, handed my ticket in, and got about 6 samples in return......
right next to the la gloria booth was another la gloria cubana sponsered event, were everyone from the crowd, 6 at a time, was allowed to roll the wrapper on their own cigar.....
so i sat down next to evp, and watched one of ernestos master rollers show us how to do it.......i tried to follow his lead, (first time i ever rolled a cigar) and at the end of the roll, out of the entire table of 6, i was picked to be in the finals!!! mind you that first place is a trip to miami!!!!!!
so im told to go back at 930pm, and i do, just in time to see them spread out all the finalist cigars on the table....... ernesto and his collegues made short work of the poor ones, and chose 5th, 4th, and 3rd with ease....... i then watch ernesto perez corrillo, go back and forth with two cigars........ first and second place..... he carefully looks at one, then the other, then back again, and after about a full minute, picks one as the winner, and the other 2nd place..........
so the announcments start to come down, and my buddy that owns the b&m i go to every week, places 4th....... since hes an experienced tobacconist, and has rolled serveral times before, i thought mine was thrown out in the early bunch......... 3rd is announced........ then 1st and 2nd.........
and in 2nd place........... ME!!!!!!
first time i every rolled a stoggie in my life and i almost won the trip to florida!!!!!!!!!
they announced first, and gave me a handfull of cigars form la gloria cubana, and told me if the guy dosent take the trip, or cant make it, i get to go!!!!!
all in all, good time, good food, hot women, and got to meet a cool dude from the board, EVP........
heres the latest photos, with my ENTIRE take from the big smoke ny..... (44 cigars, not counting the 6 r&p decades, that i paid seperately for)
being that the ticket price is 200, and its fair to say, i got more than 200 dollars worth of cigars here, that this will become a yearly event for me........
i hope more ca members tag along next year......... it was good times.........
Thanks for sharing the photos and stories. The Vegas Big Smoke was good to me as well. Minus the RP Decade that I totally missed the bed on, I came home with 58 cigars including the coupons they gave us for the Davidoff Shops (Free Zinos).
Posts: 975 | Location: Ohio | Registered: July 31, 2007
Big Smoke was simply an awesome event! I have to go out today and buy a new humi because of all the cigars I got...I don't have room in my old one anymore!
Rocky Patel, Carlito Fuente and the guy from La Gloria Cubana were all very accommodating to people wanting pictures, autographs, etc... The hightlight for me was learning to wrap a cigar. I didn't do as well as Matt...in fact, they just looked at my cigar and said, "Umm...you can take that one home with you if you want." I guess my career as a cigar roller was short lived! Matt, however, might be Miami bound...Good job buddy!!!
It was definatly nice to get to talk to other people that love cigars and to meet someone cool from the boards. Thanks again Matt for taking the pictures (my cell phone battery died).
I'm already looking foward to next year's events...
---------- Back by request:
Mom: "Twenty dollars for a cigar?!?! Why don't you just set fire to a $20 bill?"
Response: "Get a $20 bill to taste like a Davidoff and I'll light my entire paycheck on fire!"
Posts: 1565 | Location: Medford, NY | Registered: July 18, 2007
Originally posted by Steve Cohen: Nice post matt. Finally you seem to be contributing something.
LOL, how rude
******************* "If I had taken my doctor's advice and quit smoking when he advised me to, I wouldn't have lived to go to his funeral." -George burns at age 98
