With Uncle Moneybags’s housing search over (see below), the brothers were able to take some time out this weekend to enjoy some special cigars, including several Cubans from Brother Dicksbain’s travels.  (For any “federales” that may be reading this, relax: they were preembargos!)  Of course, the weather in Cleveland was unforgiving, while the weather in So Cal was nice, but windy.  All-in-all a rather laid back weekend, free of work and full of carefree smoking.

Gars Smoked:
Padron 1926 Serie No. 35 Maduros (x2)
CAO Gold Corona Gordas (x3)
Gurkha Castle Hall Reserve Toro
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos
Leon Jimines Leonenes (SP?)
Gurkha Barber Pole Mega-gar

Topics Discussed:
Eve Online: the return, the redemption; Brother Dicksbain gives in and orders
Work Woes - plentiful for Uncle Moneybags still (but the end is in sight)
Uncle Moneybag’s Finds a House in Rancho Santa Margarita, marking the beginning of his triumphant return to Orange County!
Xbox on the new 62″ DLP
Problems with cigar.com weekly special order page (shame, cause it was a good deal)
Housing inspectors, insurance, escrow–where does the fun end?

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Happy Dominican Weekends! This weekend marked a return to the classic DMs we’ve enjoyed in the past. For the past few weeks, Uncle Moneybags has been super-busy looking at houses all over the OC, leaving Brother Dicksbain on his own. Rest assured, we’ve been having gars in the mornings, but the cold weather and short timeframes have left us without enough material to justify a full post. But shame on us. We should be posting anyway.

Enough said. This weekend, Uncle Moneybags started off with another Padron Serie 1926 No. 35 Maduro–a super-premium from his year-end “bonus” box. Brother Dicksbain had a La Aurora Dominican Robusto–a testament to how cold it has been in Ohio (this cigar was from a deal over a month ago, proving how few gars Dicksbain has had over the past few weeks). There are bound to be many-a-gar during the super bowl as well. Unofficially, we’re both rooting for the Colts.

Topics Discussed:
Work Woes - better for Dicksbain (even though he’s working this weekend); still miserable for Uncle Moneybags, but the end is in sight and the hours haven’t been that bad;
Eve Online - Brother Dicksbain makes his triumphant return to this “stellar” game (bad pun, sorry);
Blingy-blingy 62″ DLP purchase by Brother Dicksbain, how jealous I am;
Uncle Moneybags’ house shopping–5 Saturdays in a row, over 40 properties, 5 bids, 2 offers, including one from today!
OC housing market (see above) - with rising interest rates sure to “break” arms, where can it go but down?
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey - great game, though a little short, low on gameplay, and disappointing in the end; terrific soundtrack, though derivative of other works;
Prey - the only first person shooter that has Art Bell voiceovers and doesn’t suck… until you realize it’s the same level over and over again; sort of a snoozer by the end.
A used car specifically for car gars (wouldn’t need to have much other than an engine, working windows and a working heater to replicate SoCal weather), though neighbors might object to Datsun from 1982 sitting in driveway….

Gars Smoked:
1926 Serie Padron No. 35 Maduro
CAO Maduro Churchill (amazing smoke for the price!)
La Aurora Dominican Robusto
La Aurora Preferido Robusto (wonderfully complex, like smoking dark chocolate with orange peel)
CAO Brazillia Churchill
Gurkha Expedition Toro
CAO Criollo Robusto - Uncle Moneybags still doesn’t like that much
(more to come!)

God Bless DMs!

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Cigars Smoked:

Cusano 18, Double Connecticut
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700

Topics Discussed:

1. Most meaningful piece of technology in the past 10 years - Rio PMP300
2. House Hunting in the OC - Anaheim Hills
3. Freezing cold in SoCal
4. NFL Divisional Playoff Weekend
5. Irvine Spectrum - “Cool if you’re 20″
6. Freezing Rain coming to Ohio.
7. ABS, ESP, TPMS, TPS and other fun acronyms.
8. Classic Car wash for the RX-8
9. Current PC Games being played:
1. SimCity 4 - Classic!
2. Prey - Pretty easy, worth a play.
10. Work Woes
1. Moneybags - Crash and Burn
2. Dicksbain - Things looking up
11. Coast to Coast AM and Art Bell.
12. CI Shock and Awe #2 Special

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Happy New Year to all our loyal Leafytimes readers!  I’ve already recapped the year in a previous post, so I’ll turn to what lies ahead in the new year.  First, my resolutions: try the 1926 Serie Padrons (easy, as I have a box on the way), the OpusX Forbidden X, the Anejo Shark, the Cohiba Sigulo VI (Cuban)–okay, I’m setting the bar way too low, as I’m already in possession of all these gars. Truth is, I’m not much for resolutions.
2007 is shaping up to be a great year, though. I’ll be getting married in June (which is probably when I’ll try all of the above gars) and will be purchasing a house soon, and hopefully starting a new job (for those of you who have been reading the posts all year, I think we can agree that’s long overdue!).

Gars, gars, gars.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Happy Holidays to all our loyal Leafy Times readers!  This has been a great year for us in gars.  We discovered the Padron 1964s, La Aurora Prefideros, Oliva Serie Os, Casa de la Fuentes, Don Carlos, Cx2s, and Greycliffs, just to name a few.  Plus Hudgar 2006 1.0 and 1.5.  Wonderful things all.

There were down times, too.  Work woes, mostly.  That, and Brother Dicksbain is still suck in Cleveland (though he disagrees with the word “stuck”).  Hopefully 2007 will be better for us professionally, but no worse for us in terms of gars.

On December 24, the brothers will be having their annual Die Hard smoke-a-thon.  This is the sixth or seventh year (not counting last year) that we’ve watched one of the Die Hard movies at Christmas time.  Brother Dicksbain is making an extra-special effort this year to join us via satellite (er, cell phone) from the UK.

Xmas cigars: ordered a box of 1926 Serie Padron #35s to celebrate the new year.  I also have some Cuban Siglo VIs and Casa de la Fuentes on the way.  Bonuses really help stomach the steep prices on these unsurpassed gars.

New Car:  Uncle Moneybag$ test drove the new 2007 BMW 335i Coupe today.  Fantastic car.  Didn’t buy it, but will take another shot at it tomorrow.  Stay tuned.   Die Hard, Gars, Cars–does it get any better ?

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Uncle Moneybag$ is flying solo this week, with Brother Dicksbain on holiday. Had a Casa Torano Toro, a Cx2 Robusto, and an Oliva Serie O Robusto. All very good smokes. Unfortunately, Uncle Moneybag$ is coming down with a cold, just in time for the holiday season. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the annual Die Hard viewing this coming Saturday–this will be the sixth (7th?) year in a row for this holiday tradition.

Topics Discussed:
NONE (see above), though Uncle Moneybag$ still bitched about work out loud to himself.

Cigars Smoked:
Oliva Serie O Robusto
CAO Cx2 Robusto
Torano Casa Torano Toro
Padron 2000 Robusto
CAO Criollo Pato
Macanudo Hyde Park Lords

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Smoked a lot of gars this weekend: six both days, probably more for Brothe Dicksbain.  Good conversation.  Need to find Brother Dicksbain a new Bluetooth headset.  Rainy in Southern California (with bouts of sunshine); Snowy and cold in Hudson (what else is new?).  Good brews, too.  All-in-all a solid weekend that went by far too quickly.

Cigars Smoked:
Zino Classic No. 6
Carlos Torano 1916
Carlos Torano Vitruoso
Carlos Torano 1959 Exodus Maudro
Carlos Torano 1959 Sliver Robusto
Carlos Torano Estate Cigar (the best Torano?)
Macanudo Hyde Park Lords
Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Pampalona
CAO Gold 10th Anniversary Perfecto
Topics Discussed:
Work Woes and then some!
Uncle Moneybag$ work shake up, bonus and big hearing
Company of Heros - the mission that can’t be beat
Die Hard for Xmas
Upcoming wedding plans - Casa de la Fuente trip in August?
Hudgar 2007 - The Return - May 2007
Padron 1964 vs. Don Carlos Robusto
GarGlue Revisited
War - What is it Good For?
Space Shuttle Nightime Launch
Mysterious fireworks over Hermosa Beach
JR Cigar 12 Days of Christmas - terrible so far, with full writeup to come!

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Great conversation. Heroic smokes. This is what Dominican Mornings are all about. Brother Dicksbain braved the 20 degree weather and smoked some good (and some not-so-good) gars, while Uncle Moneybag$ enjoyed the balmy California weather. It wasn’t too long ago that the situation was reversed, with Uncle Monebag$ jealous of the warm weather enjoyed by Brother Dicksbain while Uncle was living in Boston and Dicksbain in California. Man, how time flies.

Cigars Smoked:

• CAO Cx2 Robusto
• Zino Classic Robusto
• 5 Vegas Gold Toro
• Padron 2000 Robusto (Maduro and Naturale)
• CAO 10th Anniverario Torpedo
• Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Pamplona
• Arturo Fuente Don Carlos (A+ gar!)
• Villar y Villar Super Crapper (JR Halloween Horror officially put to bed!)

Topics Discussed:

• Super-rare Gurkha “Black Dragon” - Complete with Camel-bone box
• Padron 1964 - still the one I long for
• Work woes - Extended Edition
• Xmas Smokes (Cubans for Brother Dicksbain overseas, Box of Padron 1964 for Uncle Moneybag$)
• Uncle Moneybag$ new suit and bag
• Garage overhauls
• Roomba for your lawn???
• Cigar Aficianado - Sold Out!
• “Found Stan” pictures - is a website in order?
• Xmas Trees (both done already - tis the season indeed!)
• Uncle Moneybag$ upcoming house purchase: one of the most rewarding life experiences?
• New James Bond Movie: a must see
• Battlestar: decent season so far
• Company of Heros - destructable environments, solid AI, amazing graphics: where’s the expansion?

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A few good smokes, a great party, another good smoke in the OC: this weekend had it all. It started off with a super-large Hoyo de Monterrey from the JR Halloween “special.” Followed by an Oliva Serie O Robusto Tubo and a Zino Classic number six, both purchased lawfully from Vendomes. On Sunday morning, after the party, it was a Montecristo Serie V Mini Churchill, followed by a second Oliva Robusto O. Good times. Great smokes.

Topics Discussed:
Uncle Moneybag$ Engagement Party at the Angelos & Vincis
Classic Del Taco (”DT”) and a 64 to boot
Mazda - back in black, no new engine!
Holiday Gaming Plans - Company of Heros, Vamipre the Masquerade: Bloodlines - the sequel to Vampire the Masquerade: the Redemption; 11th Hour: found a 100% complete copy with manual and intact box at the house; best game of 2006: BF2?
Work woes and new job for Dicksbain
Brother Dickbain’s Send off Extravaganza Sampler: for the boss that knows how to lead
Elevator Van Woes Revisted: RIP Benton Minor (not)
Trip to Casa de la Fuente for Bachelor Party (April 2006) and Hudgar 2007 (May 2006)
Stone Ales with Firefly Weenies

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A good set of morning gars. Brother Dicksbain smoked 2 Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Maduros and a Taba-crappo, while Uncle Moneybag$ smoked a Romeo y Julieta Trumpet and a Single Chateau Natural. Topics discussed included:

Work Woes
Moneybags Mo’ Money Mega Machine - Indefinitely delayed
New cigars - CAO 10th Anniversary Golds
World of Warcraft trial - Not bad so far
California Proposition 86 - NO!!
Indian Summer in Ohio (60 degrees); Warm weather in Hermosa (75 and sunny)
Brother Dicksbain’s Trip to the Winking Lizard
Chargers vs. Browns in Sunny San Diego
Uncle Moneybag$ OC roundup!: (Classic Del Taco, Classic Circle-K, Classic Car Wash, and Vendomes!)
CAO 10th Anniversary Gold Torpedo (a good smoke)
First Snow in Ohio
Cuban Crafters Euro Cutter (generously donated by Brother Dicksbain) - Best cutter in the business

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1. Work Woes
2. Dicksbain New Work Woe?
3. JR Ultimate Double Robustos - 13 inches of mediocrity
4. Time Change
5. Fighting about the Weather
6. Cardinals Win World Series / Eckstein earns MVP
7. Opus X - Forbiden “sex”
8. Birthday Filings
9. California on Fire
10. Arsonist tried for murder?
11. Ohio - 42°F / California - 88°F
12. Ritz Carlton Anniversary Extravaganza
13. Battlestar Galactica - Getting back on track
14. Video Games - Need4Speed Carbon
15. Moneybag$ “Mo’ Money Mega Machine” - 5MsCigars Smoked:Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Fuente Maduro
    JR Ultimate Double Robusto

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For some reason this past weekend simply flew by.  I can’t recall a weekend that felt so short since Day Light Savings time kicked in.  Oh well….I guess it’s Tuesday now and the next weekend is almost in sight.
None the less, we had a fine set of Dominican Mornings over the past weekend.
Topics

1. Battlefield 2 - Moneybag$ tiring of the game.
2. Darkstar One purchase by Moneybag$, although it’s “not that great”.
3. Question: Cigar you think you’ll never smoke that’s in your humidor?
1. Dicksbain: Medal of Honor
2. Moneybag$: I’ll smoke em all!
4. NFL football and all the glory that surrounds the game.
5. MLB - Angles out.  Indians out since Memorial day.  I’d like to see the A’s take it.
6. SLO “Speeches and Beaches”
7. Fall colors in Ohio - Nice.  Rain and cold…not so nice.
8. Asterisk PBX installation at the Dickbain house.  Clean!
9. Work Woes, although both of us have plans at least now…
10. Pat wedding:  Moneybag$ plans to give a rousing speech.  Dickbain respectfully declines the inventation.
11. Fonseca Cigars - Absolutely hideous.

Cigars Smoked

1. Maria Mancini De Gaulle Maduro (several)
2. Maria Mancini Magic Mountain
3. Arturo Fuente Double Chatue Fuente
4. Greycliff Vintage 1999s
5. La Plata [die hard smoke]
6. Others…

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