The Wooden Indian Expeditions

[Smoked!]

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Yeah, I have a couple more shots of "The Shoplifter" coming up.

I forgot about the pizza! We ate all that, too. Holy Cow.


The other thing I would add was the stop by Tampa Sweethearts. I don't have enough material to make a separate post because they were closed on Monday. Did I mention that? There was someone in the office out front, too. I saw him at his desk on the phone. I'm pretty sure it was Artie or Lil' Carl. Really.

Here's the sign out front. Look at all the killer brands they manufacture. Wow. Frickin' Monday...




Thanks for joining me on the trip. Sorry for referring to you as a miscreant. ... Reprobate.

[ashauler]

Reprobate is taken. Buttpirate isn't copyrighted though.

[Smoked!]

Ybor Cigars Plus

Speaking of Ta-Ta’s… Ybor Cigars Plus is “Home of the Biggest Hoots in Ybor.” For those who may question such a bold assertion, the answer is: “Yes, I did check out every pair in town… just to be sure.” Talk about weapons of mass distraction! This cigar girl maintains the humidor, offers selection suggestions, and runs the bar. That’s talent! Once again, I failed to capture the moment digitally. <sigh> Moving right along…

Here’s the front of the store. You can see the basic set-up for most of the retail stalls on the avenue. Out front, they have a humidor in the display window on one side and a rolling table on the other. Many of them have a bar or café style set-up inside. This particular shop has a decent size bar specializing in Cuban Mojitos (is there any other kind?), and they have a small stage in the back for a band. Ms. Talented said they have live music in the evening on weekends. My guess is that the whole street is much more interesting in general entertainment terms on a Saturday night. Go figure.




Live roller –
This shop featured a live roller who was working on one of the house blend toros. Live rollers are much more proficient than deceased rollers or zombie rollers. You can see the photo detail of the table, press and other related tools. I give creativity points for the use of rain gutter for the scrap collector on the lip of the table. I take back the points because she was smoking a Marlboro light. That’s not right! It’s, like… a sacrilege.




I asked a few question’s about sourcing for leaf stock and wrappers, but neither of the ladies seemed to have any idea. In all fairness, both of the cigar girls were very pleasant and engaging. I bet Ms. Talented would be a great at a cocktail party. I bought a couple house blend cigars and I think BW picked up a couple, too.




There’s more to see in Ybor! Next stop: Nicahabana - home of the Cigar Pixie. Stay tuned!

[D_M_S]

Nice thread, good work

[Smoked!]

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Nicahabana

Guys and Gals, this is going to be a speed-readers view of Ybor from here on out. It seem like this trip was a long time ago… in a cigar shop far, far away. There’s probably a Star Wars joke coming. Prolly.

Front Window -


Storefront -



Anyway, the third stop on the grand tour was the Home of the Ybor Cigar Pixie. She was cute. These gals were selling some of the more interesting figurados on the street. I think this is where BW pointed out the baseball bat cigar. I never saw one in person before. BW picks up on things many of us would walk by with no notice or miss completely. He’s a detail guy. Sorry, no photo of the bat, but I do have for you a good look at the humidor and a couple fancy sticks I bought. (The Padron was a gift. Thank you!)

Figurados and Padron



Now, for your viewing pleasure, I would like to present “The Cigar Pixie” - and that same miscreant that was following me around at King Corona. Hey, Buddy, that mask ain’t foolin’ no one – and get your hands off the merchandise! This guy is just shameless.



Next: On to Stop 4 - La Herencia de Cuba.

[badwhale]

Vader...what a jackhole....look at him there with a freakin' corny "Florida" tee shirt on...what a dork. I bet he got that from his mother-in-law.

Will

[Smoked!]

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It was mid-day when we visited the La Herencia de Cuba shop and lounge. At that time only the owner and his son were present. Everything in the store and the lounge was spotless and well organized. The gentleman pictured below was a top-rated Master Roller from Cuba. He once managed a factory for a very popular brand and was responsible for the production of hundreds of factory cigar rollers. The shop reflects his high standards.




I watched this guy work for about fifteen minutes. No doubt, he could roll these things in his sleep. There was very little waste and the consistency of the finished product was impressive. Check out his work space. This represents an organized mind. (BW pointed out his immaculate digital cleanliness.) I like the flag on the corner of the desk.

This shop is on the east end of the cigar strip, so we crossed over to the north side and started working our way back. Stay tuned!