Question by howdydog: Is he a jerk or just being a guy? I have been ill all week with an alarming top respiratory infection. I hadn’t got to see my boyfriend (of 7 months) all day. about 5 he calls says he is traveling to this cigar place for about a hour with 2 of his friends to fete finishing up their projects. thats air-conditioned. well 3 hours later he calls, not stating “cheerless for misplacing track of time” but “we are at the liquor store!”…then still rides around. I finger like he ditched me. he stated “its just guy time, just hanging up out”…guy time is all acceptable and fun but not when you ditch your sick girlfriend to do it, proper?
Best answer:
Answer by neddo30 give that man an acceptable thwack
Our great intellect is in large part necessary because of the quest for food. A cow is as smart as it needs to be to figure out how to eat what is always underfoot. The apex predator-clawless, fangless man-needs great cunning, memory, logic, and analytical thought. The spear and arrow have now been replaced with the grocery cart, but even more cunning is necessary in to survive well and remain healthy in our confusing modern world. We can no longer rely on instinct, senses, and trust. The healthy choices that were before us in the wild have now been replaced with endless options, most of which can rob our health. More choices mean we must be smarter. Intelligence creates our modern predicament; intelligence must be used to sort it out.
Our world is now all about marketing, manufacturing, and science, but much of it is without conscience. The words of Dr. Malcolm in Jurassic Park come to mind:
”Your scientists were so busy wondering how they could-they didn’t stop to ask if they should.” It’s up to us to discern, cut through the malarkey, and make smart choices.
The heuristic cornerstone for health enlightenment is, to repeat, understanding our proper genetic context. Health is not about a doctor’s visit, a cholesterol check, a mammogram, counting calories, or faithfully taking meds. Like any great truth, health truth is right there in front of us, slapping us in the face. It’s obvious, simple, and easy. The problem is that it is obscured by the clever deception of modern circumstances such that even a 1.5 trillion dollar medical industry can’t see the obvious. The deceptive illusion is that it is right and normal to live without sunlight ever striking our skin, breathe conditioned and polluted air, sit on our duffs the majority of the day, eat a salmagundi of processed trinkets from packages, get vaccinated, swill ‘diet’ soft drinks, and languish in front of a TV.
We are supposed to be out in the woods, not nestled among oil derricks and snack extruders while scheduling appointments for pap smears and prostate checks. Our genetic fine-tuning to the natural world does not disappear because we invent electricity, plows, hammer mills, and video games. The good life is not achieving a handicapped sticker because we have eaten and lived our life with abandon.
Ignoring our true genetic heritage may not doom us immediately, but the effects over time result in dis-ease: our genes are not at ease with what we are imposing on them.
The wisdom of returning our lives to our genetic roots is an algorithm-a logical framework used to solve problems. Just like a blueprint algorithm can map the construction of marvelous edifices and identify flaws in construction, so too can our genetic algorithm build health and identify the causes and solutions to health problems. There is no need to look for a magic elixir of youth, the right doctor, or an expert to give us a list of dos and don’ts. The only tools we need are our brains and the right algorithm.
If we apply that algorithm, it means we will seek fresh air, clean water, exercise, sunshine, rest, pleasant social contact, physical and mental challenge, and fresh, natural foods in variety to the degree it is possible to achieve this.
As obvious as that sounds, it’s difficult to apply because our bodies are resilient and permit us, for a time, to get away with cheating. If we were given a convincing jolt of electric shock every time we did something that would bring eventual harm to ourselves, to society, or to the environment, most problems facing humanity would be almost instantly solved. But that’s not the way things are. Some lessons are easily learned, like not to pet a snarling dog, and to keep your grip when climbing a tree. But our modern world is more challenging than that. We are faced with many decisions that require intelligent foresight to measure potential consequences that may not come until far into the future-or may only come to our children or theirs.
Therein lies our problem. We are mentally lazy and pleasure-driven, too clever with alibis and excuses, like to play the odds, and are particularly good at self-justification-judging others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions. We continue whatever suits our fancy until eventually we are sufficiently harmed or are humiliated into changing due to the brute force of evidence or public opinion.
Although cigarette smoking, industrial smog, water pollution, radiation, toxic gases emitted from modern construction materials, and slothful living are all proven to cause harm, even grievous life-threatening harm, they continue because immediate ill effects do not occur and because change would mean inconvenience and sacrifice. And then there’s Uncle Josh. He’s robust at ninety-four and yet has smoked cigars, chewed tobacco, and swigged whiskey since he was sixteen. Your brother-in-law works in the nuclear plant and has never developed cancer. A damnable classmate you saw at the recent reunion doesn’t exercise, watches virtually every soap opera, and eats pounds of chocolates but looks more trim and fit than you in spite of your tofu and jazzercise. Or how about the incredibly athletic NBA All-Star who eats greasy fast foods, gallons of pop, and boxes of candy bars?
So we look at such examples and use them to justify poor life choices. But that’s like pointing to people who for decades have driven drunk without ever getting in a wreck as an excuse for us to drive drunk. Escaping immediate harm doesn’t mean a life choice is wise and that the odds are not against us.
(Originally published at GoArticles and reprinted with permission from the author, R.L. Wysong).
R. L. Wysong is author of several books; his most recent is Living Life As If Thinking Matters. He has practiced veterinary surgery and medicine, taught college courses in human anatomy, physiology, and the origin of life, directed research for his health education and product development company, and heads the Wysong Institute. Visit: .
As someone who works in the cigar industry, it takes a lot to get me excited about a cigar. I’m used to sales reps hyping up the “latest and greatest” from whichever brand they happen to be representing. It’s their job, I get it, but it’s made me very skeptical. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover that one company always delivers the goods. That company is Davidoff and their newest line, Puro D’Oro, did NOT disappoint.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t already partial to Davidoff. I don’t think I’ve experienced many smoother than the Davidoff Thousands series that offer such an amazing caliber flavor profile. Emerson’s Cigars is one of the few brick and mortars in my area, Hampton Roads, Virginia, that offers Davidoff at all five of their locations for such an amazing price. So, when I heard Davidoff was introducing the Puro d’Oro, I knew exactly where I would be smoking my first one.
is a very special cigar, not only because it’s from Davidoff, but because it has such an amazing story. Literally meaning “pure gold,” Puro d’Oro is a testament to what can happen when someone combines science, creativity, and lots of patience. In 1996, Hendrik Kelner began experimenting with tobaccos for this cigar’s wrapper. His initial attempts with Criollo seeds failed, at least to Davidoff standards, even though they were meticulously and expertly cross-bred with specially selected hybrid seeds. Then came the miracle idea. Hendrik hypothesized that the red, clay-like soil of Yamasa would produce a unique, interesting, but rich flavor as a wrapper leaf. Flash forward years later and success was granted. The Puro d’Oro was born.
I tried the Davidoff Puro d’Oro at the Emerson’s Cigars new location in the up-and-coming Peninsula Town Center in Hampton, Virginia. They have an extremely comfortable and chic lounge area with beverages and flat screens. (If you can’t make it to one of their stores, they have amazing prices on their online store- () I decided to begin with the Notable. Construction was impressive, not many veins, with a classic pigtail end. I’ve obviously never smoked a cigar with a Yamasa wrapper before so there wasn’t anything to compare it to! The initial taste was buttery with a slight hint of cream. This moved into notes of spice, becoming heavier and more earthy through the end. I really love a Dominican puro. I think the flavors are bold without being overpowering yet delicate enough to be enjoyable. The burn was as even as could be and held a brilliant ash through the better part of the cigar. Price points are pretty fair. Emerson’s Cigars sells them in 25 count boxes and pre-packaged four packs. The Puro d’Oro from Davidoff is definitely a lovely, innovative, yet traditionally packaged and presented cigar. Well worth its weight in gold.
Maria is an expert author and webmaster of Cigar websites. The website having details of Cigar, Cigars, Davidoff Puro d’Oro, Davidoff Puro d’Oro cigar
http://www.emersonscigars.com Emerson’s Cigars Attn: Mail Department 1412 Greenbrier Parkway, Suite 124A Chesapeake, VA 23320 Phone: 800-842-2990
Nobody who saw the movie “Titanic” will ever forget Leonardo di Caprio’s exuberant proclamation “I’m king of the world!” And while the ships created in the image of HMS Titanic are no more, the experience of being treated like royalty is still available for all those who choose the seven to sixteen day seagoing experiences offered by Crystal cruises.
Crystal Cruises Ports Of Call
From the sunny Caribbean an the shores of Puerto Vallarta to the dazzling white of Arctic glaciers and ice floes; from the quaint Guernsey Isle village of St. Peter’s Port to the tropical breezes of Polynesia’ and from the Greek isles to Scandinavia, Crystal Cruises will transport its clientele to six of the seven continents in elegance and style.
The hospitality of Crystal Cruise ships does not end with their gangways. Crystal Cruise guests will enjoy onshore accommodations at the very best hotels in all Crystal Cruises ports-of-call, and will have access to onshore activities more suitable to James Bond than to the regular traveler. Crystal Cruises can arrange such adventures as Porsche test drives or MiG flightseeing.
Onboard Activities
Crystal Cruises will make sure that its guests are well-informed about the cultures they are visiting by providing lectures on the history and customs of local populations. Crystal Cruise ships have movie theaters showing new releases, name entertainment and plenty of live musical acts, including live Jazz at the Avenue Saloon, and cigar smoking at the Connoisseur Club. They of course offer casino fun, with their Caesar’s Palace Casino staffed by Caesar’s Palace professionals, and as a twist, offer bridge lessons for those with an aversion to poker.
All Crystal Cruises passengers have access to the ships’ fitness centers, where they can indulge in exercise lessons or yoga instruction. Swimming pools and Jacuzzis, driving ranges and putting greens, shuffle board and table tennis are all available.
The Dining Experience
Like all cruise lines Crystal Cruises pay special attention to their passengers’ dining experience. The Crystal Dining Room offers fine French cuisines at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with an alternative selection of vegetarian and low cholesterol meals. Other restaurants include Italian Prego and Asian specialties at the Jade Garden on the Crystal Symphony.
Those passengers who would prefer to take their meals on deck are pampered with a range of buffets and those who like to sleep in after an evening’s entertainment can find late breakfast at the Trident Grill and Ice Cream Bar. The British tradition of Afternoon Tea is observed each afternoon in the Palm Court, to music from a live string ensemble.
The three ships of the Crystal Cruises fleet are usually booked up months in advance, but the chance of feel like ocean-going royalty is worth the wait!
European discount cruises will not shortchange you on your shipboard amenities, gourmet meals and snacks, live music and stage shows, movies, and casino fun. You will be pampered by ship staff throughout your cruise and return from your onshore adventures each evening knowing that your cabin will be ready with a freshly turned-down bed so that you can get the sleep you need to prepare for the next day’s excitement!
You can also find more info on and .Best-cruiselines.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about Luxury cruises.
Perhaps it’s because there’s a close cultural connection between great music and smoky bars. Anyone who knows anything about jazz knows that its truly legendary improvisers – Coltrane, Bird, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie – cut their teeth playing in bars so smoky that it’s a good thing everybody was too busy improvising to need sheet music.
Or maybe it’s because both cigars and music are contemplative pleasures. A casual smoker can get a quick tobacco-fix from a cheap cigarette, just as a casual music listener can enjoy the background hum of pop songs on the car radio. But to really enjoy a great performance, or a good tobacco, sitting still and paying attention are necessary.
In any case, music and cigar smoking seem to belong together, and some of the most famous musicians are (or were) cigar devotees – just as, it turns out, one of the most famous of cigar devotees is also a musician. Avo Uvezian, the maker of Avo cigars, is also a respected classical and jazz pianist, a Julliard graduate, and even the one-time official pianist of the Shah of Iran. After a successful musical career based first in his native Middle East, and then in the contiguous United States, Uvezian moved in the 1980s to Puerto Rico, where he opened a restaurant and bar and dabbled in cigarmaking. After customers at his Puerto Rico restaurant told him how much they enjoyed some cigars he’d had rolled himself, from a blend of tobaccos he hand-picked, he opened his own Dominican Republic-based cigar factory, working with noted cigar maker Hendrik Kelner. Now his company makes three million cigars a year, and Uvezian himself still makes music – his first CD, Legacy, was released in 2004.
For another example, consider the great trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who smokes, by his own estimation, four or five cigars a day. Music allowed the Cuban-born Sandoval to rise to fame in his native Cuba – and to defect from that country in 1990, during a long stint playing concerts in Europe (he now lives in Florida). Sandoval has played the horn for Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, Gloria Estefan and Johnny Mathis, Michel Legrand and Frank Sinatra. His technically flawless playing has resulted in his being the kind of musician whose work is often known by people who couldn’t name him – he is brought in as a session musician by some of the world’s finest and best-known (see above), and he often scores movie soundtracks. As his work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Leningrad Philharmonic prove, he’s even proved able to handle the rigors of classical music as well as jazz – sometimes doing both in the same concert.
The cigar-music connection is especially strong in Cuba, known as one of the world’s cigar capitals. Both cigars and music are staples of island life (the cigar remains one of the island’s most prominent exports), and the strength of both in Cuban culture depends partly on the nimble and intelligent blending of elements from everywhere – wrappers and fillers from different parts of Latin America, rhythms and melodies from the African coast, South America, US pop, Western European classical, etc. In other words, Cuban cigarmaking and Cuban music have both survived, and flourished, by mixing and melding.
For generations, cigar rollers were entertained by the sound of paid musicians or by music from the radio. (This tradition continues even now in the Dominican Republic, where workers at the Arturo Fuente factory, among other places, are treated to the work of performing musicians.) With this tradition in place, it’s no wonder that some of Cuba’s music legends got their start as cigar-factory entertainers; and since tobacco smoking has been a part of Latin American life far longer than it has in some other places – Columbus’s sailors noted it being smoked in what is now modern Cuba in the year 1493, so there’s many more centuries of lore to draw on its psychological and emotional associations are deeper and richer, providing better material for songwriters to mine. Thus famous Cuban songwriter Beny More, himself a former entertainer for the cigar-factory workers, touches on the song in a number of his classic compositions.
provides you the opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like Zippo Lighters.
When it comes down to the real term, the word ‘connoisseur’ should not be used lightly. A lot many people confess and say that they are just connoisseurs when they are really stuck somewhere between the positions of a novice and an expert. As with most of the people around, you too may be tired of being staying a novice, or a beginner. You may aspire for something more sophisticated, hoping to become an experienced and seasoned veteran, a title that gives you a sort of gusto and credence that let out the impression that you really are knowledgeable about what you are talking about. This can be particularly true when it comes to cigarette or cigar smoking. You could be fervently waiting for the moment when you can inform other people about your hey days as a ramp model. In addition to that you can also let them know that you are also a hard core cigar connoisseur.
You might have tried a variety of cigars since there is nothing like hands on experience to help people learn. This way, you not only get to learn what you like, but also learn what you do not like. Well, this is obviously based on an individual’s choice and opinion. A brand of cigar that you hate may be the one that is liked by another smoker. Even if you have a personal choice of a favourite cigar, and like to smoke it regularly, you should, once in a while, go out to smoke something different. And, whenever people with real cigar tastes suggest that you venture to try something new, take the call and appease them. You might be in for a surprise. Learning and educating oneself on the history, origin, and culture of cigarettes and cigars can go a long way in accomplishing the task. Several cigar books are available in the market, which discuss what each and every smoker needs to know to arrive at the status of a connoisseur. In addition to that, there are books you can read and company websites you can visit, which portray the history of smoking, and cigars.
You will be able to find a better cigar expert in the person standing behind the cigars counter in some nearby cigar store. Cigars are a part of them; it is a passion for such people. These people usually know more about tobacco cigars; even more than what a cigar knows about its very own ingredients. Cigar owners would only be glad to provide answers to your questions; in addition to that they will also make suggestions, or might provide some inside information as well. If you are hell bound on becoming a cigar connoisseur, join a cigar club. Not only will these clubs expose you to a variety of cigars, but also they choose the right kind of cigars for you, giving details about the finest selection of cigars around. Of course, you will be able to learn a lot if you are ready to put in a little effort.
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It might be said that the electronic cigarette is the best product that has ever came along for those who smoke. It has many undeniable advantages over traditional tobacco cigarettes and lot smokers are just now finding that out. Smoking cigarettes is one of the most difficult habits to give up and so many who smoke have tried time and time again unsuccessfully to stop. The electronic cigarettes is not being marketed as a tool to help you stop smoking, but rather as an alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes; even though the electronic cigarette does deliver doses of nicotine like many stop smoking aids do. The decision and will power to quit smoking is as always in the hands of the smoker.
If you are tired of paying the outrageous prices for a pack of cigarettes today, the electronic versions are more affordable. They deliver the same smoking satisfaction without the tar associated with tobacco products that are burned. Electronic cigarettes have no carcinogens at all because nothing is burned. The nicotine solution is only heated by the atomizer that is activated by a rechargeable battery stick when you inhale. The smoke that is exhaled is really just water vapor. It is less harmful to others if it is harmful at all, than second hand smoke from regular cigarettes.
There have been numerous studies done on the <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.premiumecigarette.com”>Electronic Cigarette</a> and so far most of the findings have been that they appear be less harmful because of one fact alone, and that is the lack of the thousands of harmful chemicals that are in tobacco cigarettes. This fact however, is still being debated and not all researchers agree that electronic cigarettes are any better for you physically than tobacco cigarettes. That aside, there are advantages over tobacco cigarettes that are plainly obvious.
There is no bad odor from electronic cigarettes, as well as no tar residue in your body or your surroundings. They can be much more convenient to use for a smoker because there is no lighting involved. An artificial glowing red tip is as close to a fire as you get with an electronic cigarette. They will not burn anything. You can lay them down wherever you like with no worry of starting a fire. It is the numbers of filters that have to be disposed of is significantly reduced because one nicotine filter is equivalent to a half a pack of cigarettes or more. There are even less filters to be disposed of when you choose to the nicotine solution to refill your filters, which is even more economical.
Whether or not you believe that electronic cigarettes are a better smoking choice for you, must be decided by you. Many smokers have already switched over to this new revolution because it is less offensive to others and more convenient and cheaper for them.
The electronic cigarette is the best product that has ever come along for those who smoke. It has many undeniable advantages over traditional tobacco cigarettes and lot smokers are just now finding that out. Smoking cigarettes is one of the most difficult habits to give up and so many who smoke have tried time and time again unsuccessfully to stop. There is no bad odor from electronic cigarettes, as well as no tar residue in your body or your surroundings.
If you happen to be a smoker and are looking for , you may soon realize that high life insurance rates are just a part of life for those who use any sort of nicotine. The reason for this is simple to understand; smokers are more at risk for such things as heart disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease than are those individuals who do not smoke. The life insurance industry regards the following as tobacco products whose use may lead to you incurring higher insurance premiums:
· Pipes
· Cigars
· Nicotine Gum
· Snuff
· Chew
· Dip
· Cigarettes
· Nicotine patches
Usually, when you are applying for life insurance, the agent will inquire about your smoking habits, and ask you if you are a daily smoker, a social smoker or an occasional smoker. A daily smoker is of course, someone who smokes every day. A social smoker is a person who smokes on special occasions or when out with friends; maybe just a few times a week, while an occasional smoker is one who smokes in random situations only once a month or so. While all smokers will generally pay higher rates for life insurance than non-smokers, discounts may be available for those who are not daily smokers, as they pose less of a risk to the insurance company.
If you are a smoker and dread the thought of paying high premiums for your life insurance, you need to do a bit of comparison-shopping in to get the best price for your life insurance policy. This research is best conducted on the Internet, where hundreds of insurance companies will provide free life insurance quotes for smokers. You should request quotes from a number of companies, then compare what each has to offer. When you are comparing each company’s quote, there are three things to be aware of: pricing, product quality and the insurance industry rating. The pricing is self-explanatory and the product quality refers to the policy itself. The insurance industry rating refers to the insurance company providing the life insurance quote, and a review of companies can be found by visiting the “Standard & Poor’s” website. Also, there are insurance companies who specifically cater to high-risk individuals. One of these insurance companies may be able to secure a lower rate for you in your insurance policy.
Even though it may be a bit time consuming, you can find affordable life insurance, even if you are a smoker. Be diligent in your research of companies and the different types of life insurance policies that are available. Who knows, maybe being faced with a high life insurance premium is the motivation you need to finally stop smoking!
Read more at the and receive a
Marty Weishaar is a respected insurance industry analyst and advisor who helped create one of the life insurance industry’s first at . The contains hundreds of helpful articles and calculators to educate today’s insurance shopper and help them make the best decisions for the financial health and future of their family.
Starting up a new hobby can be intimidating. Going golfing for the first time with a bunch of guys who have been doing it for years can make a beginner feel self-conscious about his lack of prowess on the links. People just learning to play guitar will go for years refusing to play in front of others. Even someone learning to cook might be embarrassed to share a less than savory meal with his family.
Some people might not consider smoking cigars a hobby, but it certainly is a pastime and it has its own intricacies just like anything else. There are traditions and faux pas when it comes to smoking cigars that any old puffer at the country club will notice and call you out on in a heartbeat.
Good-natured as the ribbing may be, it can’t hurt to brush up on some cigar “do’s and don’ts” before you have a cigar among the aficionados. Included are some suggestions for classy cigars and accessories that will show off your sense of refinement and good taste.
1. It is not a race. Smoking a cigar should be a leisure activity. The best way to start is to smoke as if it is no big deal. Take your time and enjoy it.
The Ashton Magnum is a smooth and creamy cigar that is perfect for new smokers. The aroma and flavor is remarkably consistent so you won’t ever get a bad draw. Ashton Magnums are made from Dominican leaves and shade-grown Connecticut wrappers. It is truly a cigar to be savored.
2. Trim the end of your cigar with a cigar cutter. Don’t try to bite it off with your teeth. This may look cool in the movies but it will just leave you with an unsightly and decidedly uncouth mouthful of tobacco.
The Double Blade Stainless Round Cigar Cutter from Orleans is an inexpensive yet fully functional cigar cutter. In other words, it is perfect for beginners. It works with a dual-blade guillotine action, which ensures a shred-free cut. It is housed in a durable stainless steel case for a long lifespan.
3. Don’t grind out a cigar in an ashtray. Let it go out on its own. This is a handy technique for being able to re-light a cigar later on. It is also polite to not leave the smudged out remains of tobacco scattered around in an ashtray.
In your own home, it is also nice to have a relatively clean ashtray. The Flor De Gonzalez Ashtray is made of simple black porcelain with the company’s logo in the center. It is square with resting places for your cigar in all four corners.
4. If there is less than a quarter left, let it go out in an ashtray. When a cigar starts to get that short, it will begin to lose its flavor. Nothing gold can stay. When it gets to the ¼ mark, it is time to let it go.
Another practical and stylish ashtray is the Hexagon Crystal Cigar Ashtray from Orleans. It looks incredibly luxurious for its modest price. It has wide stirrups (that’s where the cigar rests) to accommodate bigger cigars and a deep bowl for plenty of ash.
5. Don’t show off. Nothing screams amateur more than someone who makes a big deal out of smoking a cigar. Cigar holders and fancy smoking techniques are the antithesis of the cool guy casually smoking a cigar. You are allowed to blow smoke rings though. That’s a cool trick that’s not overtly flashy.
The best way to look natural smoking a cigar is to find one that you enjoy. In the beginning, it is best to start with a milder cigar and work your way up to fuller flavors. The Montecristo #1 is a legendary Cuban-inspired cigar that is made in the Dominican Republic.
6. Don’t chew on it. You are not Peter Parker’s grizzled boss at the newspaper. You are not a grunt in World War II. Unless you are being shot at or trying to ruin Spider-Man’s good name, chewing on a cigar is just plain gross.
Fine cigars can be works of art and the Griffin’s Robusto Natural is not something that you chomp away at. It has a rich and mild taste that smokers of every level can enjoy.
7. Don’t ask for a light. Seriously, you are a cigar smoker now. You should be carrying your own lighter around. In the worst case scenario, ask the bartender for a pack of matches.
The refillable Xikar EX Windproof Flame Cigar Lighter is far more practical than it sounds. It looks good and is affordable without appearing cheap or flashy. It is a functional, fantastic lighter that gets your cigar lit. What else could you want?
8. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and re-light it later. If you have spent some money on a nice cigar, there is no need to smoke it all at once and no need to waste it. Just scrape the ash off and rotate it over a flame for a moment to catch it again.
The Davidoff Millienium Churchill is a full-bodied, hearty, Dominican cigar that you won’t want to let go to waste. These cigars are top-notch and have a complex blend of aromas and flavors. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and enjoy the rest later.
9. Take your time warming up the end before you light it. This prevents you from charring the tobacco.
The Vector Vulcan Triple Flame shoots out a powerful trident flame that will allow you to perfectly light your cigar without over-toasting it.
10. Don’t smoke one after another. You are not chain smoking cigarettes here. Cigars are meant to be savored. Take your time and enjoy it. When it’s done, it’s done. Get on with your life for a while before having another.
If you find yourself enjoying your new pastime of smoking cigars, you are going to want to eventually invest in a humidor to keep them fresh. The Capri Humidor is a lovely, affordable way to keep your cigars tasting fresh for a long time.
Smoking cigars isn’t like smoking cigarettes. It is a hobby, not a habit. It is the difference between enjoying a fine glass of wine and slamming whiskey before noon. Take to heart these tips and smoke in moderation and you will be on your way in no time.
William Patterson is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such
Dubai has a fantastic assortment of international-standard restaurants catering to all budgets and tastes. With a large expatriate community from the Sub Continent, it’s little wonder there are some truly world-class Indian restaurants among the top-billings.
As Dubai is a Muslim city, many restaurants, especially at the cheaper end of the market, are not licensed to serve alcohol. In contrast, restaurants in tourist and business hotels almost always serve alcohol.
The restaurants below have been classified into three pricing categories: Expensive (over Dh500) Moderate (Dh150 to Dh500) Cheap (under Dh150) These prices are for a three-course meal for one with a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including tax.
Sales tax at 10% is added to all bills. Service charges at 10 to 15% are also frequently added but, if they are not, a 10% tip is expected. Expensive Al Mahara Making a fair stab at being the most expensive restaurant in Dubai, the Al Mahara often divides local opinion. Some say it is overpriced for what you get, but others swear by it, especially if someone else is paying. The experience begins with a three-minute mock submarine ride to the restaurant, located alongside a giant aquarium. This puts diners in the mood for savouring the high-quality seafood that has won the restaurant numerous awards, including the What’s On category for Best Seafood Restaurant in 2008.
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Tel: (04) 301 7600. Website: www.burj-al-arab.com Al Muntaha Al Muntaha, meaning ‘The Ultimate’ or ‘The Top’, in Arabic, has the best location in Dubai, suspended 200m (656ft) above the Arabian Gulf, at the top of the Burj Al Arab hotel. Service is immaculate and the slanted glass windows give the restaurant the feel of a great ocean liner heading out to sea. Al Muntaha also delivers on the plate: try the roasted prime beef rib with mustard crust. Reaching the restaurant in one of the world’s fastest panoramic elevators is almost – but not quite – enough to put you off your dinner.
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Tel: (04) 301 7600. Website: www.burj-al-arab.com La Baie This fine dining restaurant would not be out of place in a major European capital, with its mellow piano music, unfaltering service and elegant table settings. One of the most exotic starters is the marinated sturgeon carpaccio with caviar and yoghurt sauce, while a highlight among the mains (and rumoured to be the chef’s favourite) is the grilled hammour fish on a bed of green lentils.
Ritz Carlton Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Tel: (04) 399 4000. Website: www.ritzcarlton.com Verre Gordon Ramsay’s Dubai venture has proved a resounding success and is firmly established as the best place to eat in Dubai. The minimalist décor might not suit all tastes but the simple surrounds and the well thought-out lighting help focus deserved attention on the food. A nice touch is the chef’s specialities – tasty morsels of food that come between the impressive courses. Mains include ravioli of lobster, salmon with a fricassee of peas and horseradish or poached chicken on a bed of tagliatelle. The desserts are divine. The three-course lunch specials offer excellent value.
Hilton Dubai Creek, Beniyas Road Tel: (04) 212 7551. Website: www.gordonramsay.com/dubai Moderate Café Chic Top quality ingredients, smooth service and a menu that cuts deftly between the classics and some daring variations make this is a top dining choice. Relax afterwards in the cigar bar for supreme decadence.
Le Méridien Hotel, Garhoud Tel: (04) 217 0000. Website: www.dubai.lemeridien.com India Palace The emphasis at this popular restaurant is on Rajasthani cooking backed up by themed décor and artefacts shipped in from the region. The open kitchen is a nice touch, as are the family booths upstairs, with privacy available at no extra charge. The excellent-value menu features starters such as lentil soup and prawn bisque with fresh vegetables, while mains include chicken and vegetarian kebabs and a range of delicately spiced curries. Alcohol is not available but the lassis (yogurt-based drink) are excellent, especially the unusual lassi seasoned with salt.
Opposite Dubai Marine Hotel, Bur Dubai Tel: (04) 286 9600. Pierchic Seafood-loving trendies are flocking to Pierchic, in the glamorous Madinat Jumeirah development, the place to be in Dubai at the moment. Located on a wooden pier, with views of the expansive Arabian Gulf, the venue is perfect for trying some local and international seafood dishes. Mains include the likes of poached Atlantic lobster with snow peas, enoki mushrooms and passion fruit dressing, or Arabian chilled seafood platter laced with Iranian caviar.
Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah Tel: (04) 366 6730. Website: www.madinatjumeirah.com Cheap Cactus Jacks It may never win any culinary awards but Cactus Jacks seldom disappoints a hungry stomach. A Mexican theme for the décor includes Aztec fabrics and bright designs, as well as multicolour tiled pillars. The restaurant has a live DJ at weekends and things can turn quite wild after 2300, when the spicy Tex Mex food and the tequila kick in. Parties of eight diners or more receive a 30% discount on their bill.
Millennium Airport Hotel, Al Garhoud Tel: (04) 282 3464. Website: www.millenniumhotels.com Deira City Centre Food Court Of the many food courts that are dotted all around Dubai, this is one of the most popular. On is the full smorgasbord of international foods, with the only unifying feature being that all the stands are cheap. The most popular stands serve up simple Chinese and Indian specialities accompanied by boiled rice. They also have a play area for kids.
Deira City Centre Mall, Deira Tel: (04) 295 1010. Thattukada The excellent South Indian restaurant at the Palm Beach Rotana Inn serves great-value food. Diners sit on long, wooden benches and are surrounded by film posters on the walls. The Kerala-influenced dishes include kappa erachi (tapioca and chicken curry) and karimeem porichathu (fish fry) and are guaranteed to fill diners up without breaking the bank.
