It may be in bad tase to speak of other cigar retailers but just opened a new store right next to my office. It is a great space with a huge selection but the best part is a small lounge area for dinking beer/port/wine and coffee while you enjoy that smoke you just paid retail for. I am looking forward to being able to smoke cigars in a place without people asking the waitress if they can change tables (sometimes they do that even when I am not smoking). My question is what are the best cigar smoking spots in your area and what makes them good.

los angeles, almost. whittier exactly. my house, my back yard, one or two restaurants that have decent food and an outdoor area for grownups who smoke. heated in winter and shaded in summer. my last cruise. i am in the back of the ship (aft) in the smoking section with the wind blowing over the back (aft) of the ship out to sea. i could only see this rush of smoke going away. some female idiot asked me if i could move, the smoke was bothering her. there is no way to respond. f**k off doesn't do it, i'm sorry, my dear, this is the smoking section doesn't do it. there is no way to deal with rude people, they have an invisible armor that can't be dealt with. any response you make, only affects you. i hope there is a special place in hell where the restrooms are out of toilet paper, there is only one teller at the bank and she is working the drive up window, and one grocery clerk and these people are all asking each other, " i only have 2 things, can i get in front of you." and they are all writing checks or using food stamps.

the neighborhood chili's restaurant is very cigar-friendly in the bar area. never have had a complaint about smoking my stogies there. the food is not the greatest, though.

There are some restaurants in my are that are "cigar friendly" but for the most part I smoke at home. No one to give me that "look" or stare in my direction and whisper as I smoke. Worst incident for me was when my girl and I went for a walk around Greenlake which is close to my house........ after a bit we sat down on a bench to relax and chat and I lit up a cigar. It was a beautiful afternoon... we were OUTDOORS.... so I figured no one would complain. BOY, I WAS WRONG! Several of the joggers and skaters who were making their rounds around the lake's jogging/walking/biking/skating path apparently found my cigar's aroma so totally foul that they would hurl comments at me everytime they passed us. Several would point and whisper like I was a freak. Can you believe that.... point and whisper like schoolchildren?!?!?!? But the ones that annoyed me the most were the insult hurlers. Jeez, I was outside on a semi-windy day... it wasn't too hot, and I wasn't sitting near anyone except my girlfriend, but yet some people (idiots in my book) needed to complain! I sat there the entire time smoking and talking, smilimg at the fools as the rolled by and said their comments. My girl wouldn't let me get up and say what I really wanted to......

I bet they all voted for Gore. Only Republican fat cats smoke gars. Its a stereotype. The only exceptions are Rickamaven (Green Peace) and eleltea (Adam Henry Party).

BigTony: It's easy to answer insults if you are holding your cigar properly. The cigar should be held thumb on bottom and indexfinger and middlefinger on top. Then when the insulter jogs by take a deep drag on your cigar and remove cigar from your mouth holding it six inches from your face, as the insult is hurled slowly turn yor wrist one quarter turn and extend your middle finger to maximum height and blow out your smoke. No words need be spoken as this gesture is recognized throughout the world. Oh yeah this gesture works for both left and right handed smokers. JonR

LOL! Jon...... I will definately use that technique!

My favorite place to smoke is my personal lounge. I have a mall room with all my goodies in it, TV, computer, guitars and the ever running exhaust fan. Otherwise I like to smoke while driving, which in Houston, we do a lot of. Outdoors fishing is great also. Barry

You are not allowed to smoke in California.

Standing at the back of a cruise ship late at night with no one around is definitly a great plce to smoke. Here in St. Joseph Mi., during the summer I like to sit and smoke on the beach and watch the sunset over Lake Michigan. During the winter it's a nightly visit to the Pump House Grill.

donutboy2000,I beg to differ...LOL...I'm in So Cal and can direct you towards many a cigar friendly establishment(indoor and outdoor/patio). My personal favorite though,is out in the desert while camping/dirtbike riding. After the midgets hit the sack,it's just me,the crackle of my camp fire, a bottle of sippin' Tequila on ice, a couple bottles of beer and my favorite cigar.BTW any VSG and quality,ice cold Tequila is an Awesome! combo.IMHO

I just got back from an overnight trip up to Fairfax, VA. I stayed at the Hyatt and was very happy to find that they not only allowed cigar smoking in their lounge they even sold cigars. Of course I always bring my own. Who wants to pay $15 for a $4 smoke? But you don't need to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy the lounge. There's a free pool table and a couple of TV's with sports/news on. There were probably 8-10 guys smoking cigars in the place and even one woman. Since my local lounge closed it's the first time I've been around a bunch of cigar smokers in about two years. It will definitely be my hotel of choice next time I'm in the DC area.

Best place: Pre-game tailgate for a Patriots game. Home or away, it don't matter. Although the last time I was at the Meadowlands some fool (Jets fan) asked to take a puff. I inquired about his state of mental health ("are you f*cking nuts?") and finished my puro without the strangers' saliva.

You should have started to unzip! That would have taught him to never ask again!

jjohnson28 any in San Diego? Thanks

db2000,in San Diego?Hmmmmmmmmmmmm NO,Sorry. I'm in So Orange County about 70-75 mi North of you depending on what part of SD you are in.Shoot me an email and I'll put you in touch with a guy in SD that does know of a place in Oceanside.He also has a little internet cigar bussiness. [email protected]

RICKAMAVEN - The reply to the woman on the cruise should have been, "You know, that's funny, I was going to ask you the same thing because I'm allergic to perfume and yours is bothering me. I only didn't because I thought it would be rude and this IS a smoking area." Or...
"Sure, do you swallow?"
NA

We have several good places in the Chicago burbs..Restaurants: Palmer Place in Lagrange, Villa Nova in Villa Park (both have excellent food)...a couple of cigar stores that have lounges (I won't give their names for obvious reasons to our wonderful hosts), and...uh...oh yeah...our favorite place to smoke cigars is Jack's (Jcrimmins) house...Not only can we smoke in a nice furnished basement with comfy recliners, with excellent food, TV, etc, but we get to see the best up-and-coming band in the burbs play live in the basement, Overkyll...These guys rock!

Donuts, the Elephant Bar in Rancho Bernardo, has an "open wing" like patio that they allow you to smoke and enjoy a drink, etc!!!!!! Of course it is Southern California and their are always "smoke nazis" lurking behind every tree or post that will stare at you and some even have enough nerve to approach and complain! Charlie

Seems we had a tour of forum user smkoing locales as few weeks ago, log cabin porches and palm-shaded swimming pools. Don't recall many "lounges". I sure think where you smoke separates those who smoke cigars from those who smoke cigarettes. I really can't see my self shuffling a hour or two next to mini sand pile with styrofoam butts. Here in Houston there are a few public houses, and even some restaurants, where cigar smoking is encouarage, if you buy your stick there. The nearest to my work is a cajun seafood place that will see you any of several sizes of Partagas for $10 each. Mostly, the place (space) where I get the greatest enjoyment smoking a cigar is in the truck on the way home...leather seat, handy ashtray, music and a full hour with the smoke drifting out the vent window.