ChanceSchmerr

My first visit to Gesto in late 2014 reflected this. Meeting the owner Jean-Charles and talking for hours about the "old days" of Cuban cigars smoking and sales in Geneva (meaning the 80s/early 90s), marveling at the wonders on the shelves (ERDM Gran Coronas, French/Swiss REs from the late 2000s, etc), gratitude for the reasonable prices as I purchased those ERDM's and several other boxes I'm still smoking through today......it was an incredible place to visit for the cigar enthusiast. Then I visited again in October 2022 on our way back to Canada from Portugal on a layover to Geneva. Couldn't be more different. The shelves were bereft of all but the basic CCs. Prices had skyrocketed. J-C was not there that day, but his staff were perfunctory and generally passionless for conversation. It was just another cigar shop. I don't think I'll ever return. Disappointing to read this news, if indeed accurate. HSA's new direction appears to be to skim profit at every level possible. Understandable from a pure cold business perspective, but unwelcome news to most consumers, particularly those outside of AP and those specific European markets mentioned. As if we needed any more efforts to further push Cuban cigars out of reach from all but the privileged few.....

Thanks for the report, glad to know there is a decent shop to visit now! We did our Honeymoon to Antigua in 2012 - enjoyed the island and Nelson's Dockyard was a highlight as a Navy man, but I struggled to find any cigar or whisky shops of note. Of course...that wasn't really the focus of the trip...

Came here to say the same. Brilliant film, well ahead of its time. Haven't used such services, and I have such low trust in safeguards preventing data breaches and unstated data usage that I'd never volunteer to use them even if paid to do so. I know who I am (I think). Getting a genetic breakdown won't change that any.

I'll miss attending this but will be visiting Nashville for the first time in July. Looking forward to hearing about the best spots for cigars, food and fine whiskey!

Have a blast, mate!

Love a manual transmission Hot Hatchback, and yours is perfect. Don't take the bait on the Electric IONIQ! What you have is already the pinnacle of fun driving! I for one still lament the loss of my first car, a 2000 Hyundai Tiburon (5-speed manual). I did it all with that car - i bought it at 96KM and put another 225KM on it, drove 8 Canadian provinces and 44 American States....not to mention I could do nearly all of my own maintenance too - brakes, tie rods, wheel bearings, oil changes, clutch replacements, you name it. the fact that it was stick-shift was the cherry on top - you could feel your car properly, it felt like an extension of you when you were driving it. Nothing like single-lane highway driving, downshifting to pass people as you cruise along. I miss it. Now, i drive an SUV that I despise, and it's all computerized and opaque. Can't do any of my own maintenance. Worst car ever. Probably contributes to my depression. I just pray that I can get that exchange post back to the UK for next year, and pick up a proper stick-shift car again - but something in my price range, like a Smart Roadster or a classic Ford Ka

These are delicious cigars, sadly missed. I have a few left in my 2005 box - good as gold. To me, it'd be this one here, my favorite of all time: https://www.bondroberts.com/product/view/28569/Saint_Luis_Rey_Petit_Coronas_2007_Dress_Box_of_25_cigars#

I love Lanceros as well. My own personal test for trying out NC producers is to try their Lancero and see if it's worth the punt. If it impresses, I try a few other cigars in line. The results have been mixed... Absolutely brillant: Casa Fuente, Fuente Don Carlos, Cain F, Oliva Serie V, Tatuaje Fausto, La Flor Dominicana Very good: Nudie Lanceros (average score - some brilliant, some decent), Tatuaje Skinny Monster (average score), Illusione Holy Lance (Natural wrapper) I Love Them but I think I'm the only one out there: Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Meh: Liga Privada L40, Illusione Holy Lance (Maduro Wrapper), Don Pepin Blue Label, Crowned Heads Four Kicks, My Father Regular/Promesa, Tatuaje El Triunfador, Drew Estate Herrera Esteli Terrible (tossed before finishing): Illusione Holy Lance (Candela), Alec Bradley Tempus Yet to try: Opus X (haha good luck), Leaf by Oscar Now most of these I rate based on the taste of them, but a few got their rating from production/other issues, such as the Alec Bradley (wrapper had been painted with sticky oil which leached on my fingers from the first puff) and the Liga Privada (just didn't want to burn for some reason). More interesting is the subsequent tasting of other cigar sizes in a line where the Lancero is awesome. Other Don Carlos Fuente, Oliva and Cain F sizes have been only decent for me, while Casa Fuente and Tatuaje Fausto/Avion cigars have been lights out incredible (seriously - if you want a cigar that I think approximates the only "La Escepcion" Cuban cigars, that full power earthy smoke - get yourself some Tatuaje Avions). This Saka Lancero Sampler looks freakin' awesome, and I'd be all over it, but I don't know if I can get one through my NC supplier in the US. I'll cross my fingers and see.

Great to see some excellent Sablefish (what they call Black Cod at my old Fishmonger on Vancouver Island). It was the favourite fish for both my wife and I when we lived in Victoria - fantastic flavour, oily but not too oily - you couldn't over cook it if you tried! Difficult to find for us now here in Ottawa, but when we find it, we buy it! Finest at Sea was our source in Victoria, to my knowledge they caught them off the shores of the Queen Charlottes (Haida Gwaii). Love it, cheers mate!

Well, they may not cut bait, but they will definitely have a competition. They just signed K Jack Podlesny today....less than a week after getting eliminated. At the very least, they will corner the market on guys that can't hit 3 points past 40 yards haha

As a Packers fan who had no confidence in Carlson leading into the 49ers game (and who had his perspective vindicated, to my disappointment but not surprise).......watching him miss all those extra points this year just royally sucked. "You had one job" etc etc. The Packers tend not to knee-jerk react to anything. See - QB succession strategies. It's generally worked. And Carlson has the distance capability in his leg. He just has the accuracy of a shotgun from 500 yds. I suspect the Packers will not draft a replacement (unless you can find a Justin-Tucker-type, drafting a kicker is normally a waste of a pick), but they will sign a young UFA kicker, and a Veteran Kicker, and have an open competition in training camp. I think a bigger and for us, harder problem, is the long snapper/holder. A lot of Carlson's kicks had really lousy holds......and GB having Special Teams problems is the oldest story in the book (see - the LAST time the 49ers beat us in the NFCCG). Probably the best solution? Beef up the O-Line so that Love + Co can run up the score with touchdowns unencumbered, and then try not to care if you end up with 6 or 7 points from each

Been following this industry very closely. In particular, the proposals to mine the sea-bottom "nodules" that are full of rare earth metals - lots of proposals to mine them seem to mimic the habitat-destructiveness of dredging, but in areas where scientific/oceanographic knowledge is minimal - so we're proposing to sweep the bottom clean, without knowing the biome that we're destroying.........kind of like clearcutting a forest to mine the ground underneath, whilst covering your eyes to the forest that you're cutting down.

The Jets enter the room

Your problem is less the Refs, and more about your 2nd point. The Refs didn't lose that game for you by 18 points (24 if you discount garbage time)

Bold Prediction - The Broncos win more games than the Seahawks (and I'm no Russell Wilson fan).