Mr. Z Visits Washington
From last Thursday to Sunday (yesterday) the Z family drove to the land of politico stooges – Washington DC. I’ve been to DC, but never did the full tour until now, and I can tell you, it is an absolutely spectacular place to visit. To say that it’s just a bunch of statues, museums, and big buildings is not only a gross understatement, but you slander the millions over the years who have toiled to make our nation’s capital one of the most breathtaking places you’ll ever happen to enjoy.
First off if you ever plan to do the tour, KNOW that you will walk the sidewalks and streets for miles on end and your legs and feet will ache beyond comprehension. Each morning I had a Motrin omelet with three pots of coffee to get me revved and going. Plus the fact that the temperature was in the high 90’s sure added to the difficulty of moving around. Of course my kids are 14 and 18 so they were pretty much fine. I, on the other hand was limping like a wounded grouse caught in a hunting trap. Even my wife who walks miles every day and is in great shape, was dragging terribly. I wished I could have rented a rickshaw and a massage therapist for the duration – happy ending, optional – no, not from the rickshaw guy.
We stayed across the river in Arlington and made use of the Washington Metro, an amazing subway service that gets you where you want to go cheap and fast. (Yes, it’s the same train line that had that horrible accident last week.) First stop was the Whitehouse and you get to see all of the crazies picketing, waving banners and shouting, like loons. Every time we walked by I would yell out, “Hell NO, we wont go!” I felt like a real rebel. Then some old lady kneed me in the groin and called me a pinko.
If you’ve toured through Washington, you understand the grandeur I speak of. But if you’ve never been there, then it’s hard to even put into to words for you how grandiose it really is. There are buildings made of marble and concrete with ornate carvings and Roman columns that span ten football fields across. You think about the time period that these places were built in, and wonder how it all happened and how much massive. manpower it took to complete. The Capitol Building and the Library of Congress are SO overly ornate, painted, sculpted and mosaic tiled that I was in awe (and pain) every step of the way.
Then there are the museums that one could spend days on end in each – the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum, and the Holocaust Museum (yes, the same spot the guard was killed in several weeks ago) were indescribably breathtaking. I got to see Archie Bunker’s chair and Seinfeld’s puffy shirt, the Wright brother’s plane, and an Apollo space capsule. But nothing is more sobering than hours spent in remembrance of those who endured the grotesque pain of Nazi hatred. I learned a hell of a lot more than I ever knew about the holocaust and what actually led up to it. Seeing in person the real prison uniforms, luggage, shoes, hair, and belongings of those who had their lives erased was surreal and so very humbling.
But for the good news, I DID get to smoke a few cigars in some very wonderful shops. Friday afternoon I spent several hours at W. Curtis Draper, Tobacconist, located about two blocks from the Whitehouse, on 14th Street. It’s the fourth oldest tobacco shop in the U.S. (around 120 years old) and it is an oasis for the weary traveler in need of a smoke and fine companionship. Owners John and Matt spent the entire time talking cigars with me and sharing their concerns about the tobacco taxes, anti smoke laws, and the new FDA inheritance of governing tobacco. Even though they face a hell of a battle, their spirits are high and have countless friends who enter the doors to purchase a leafy diversion from life. The guys are doing some excellent “outside the box” thinking to cater to their customer base, including diners where you have a pre-meal cigar reception at the store, a multi-course feast at a local eatery (no smoking as the laws dictate), then back to the store for post meal smokes. Everyone from highbrow politicians, military personnel, businessmen, and everyday botl’s like you and me, are the clientele, and Rudy Guliani makes it a regular stop when visiting. And if you love cigars like me, it will become a regular stop upon every visit.
Another wonderful place to stroll is Georgetown with it’s beautiful college campus and cosmopolitan streets with trendy shops, restaurants, and Georgetown Tobacco, where I found the people to be wonderfully friendly and again, true tobacconists in every sense of the word. Wandering M Street with a big-ass AVO hanging from my jaw was a pleasure after our brick over pizza feast at Pizza Paradiso. On a nice day, this is a terrific place to peruse.
Can’t forget General George’s house in Mount Vernon. It’s a three story colonial mansion built on gorgeous farmland, with a breathtaking view of the Potomic River. Walking through the house that our nation’s founder lived in was pretty incredible. You get to see the actual bed he died in, which is ultra creepy, along with his tomb, but I say it’s a must visit if you’re in the area. GW also owned a distillery 2 miles up the road where over 11,000 gallons of hootch was produced back in colonial times. The original gristmill is still in operation and a very cool thing to see.
Sunday morning before leaving we visited the Lincoln Memorial and the stunning Vietnam Wall – another sobering reminder of war and the wake of sadness it leaves behind. The amount of names inscribed in that stone is something you don’t expect. And I wanted to mention that about three years ago in DC we toured the Arlington Cemetery, an experience that changes you when you leave the grounds. Time didn’t permit us going this time around, but I will again on my next visit, for sure.
Wow… we did a lot…saw a lot… and I complained that I ached a lot. Plus I drove everyone nuts because I stop to drink and pee every five minutes, where my wife can go all day without stopping like a god damned camel. We had a tremendous time and I would not only recommend it highly, but I’ll do it again in the future. If you can try to forget the fact that the politico dirtbags of society inhabit the city in droves, I guarantee you’ll have an amazing time, as my family and I did. Just MAKE SURE to stock up on your painkiller of choice.
Have a great week my Patriots,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman
June 29th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
U-S-A!!!
U-S-A!!!
U-S-A!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Zman, did you stop in and say hello to your buddy, Congressman Franks, while you were in town?
June 29th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
he had a private meating with him, duckboy. the congressman bent over to “help him.”
June 29th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I thought that Zman bent over and grabbed his ankles for Barney to get a better look at one of his constituents’ more ASStounding features.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
It’s going to be a slooooooow week.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Guys… if you seriously wonder why I don’t comment on my own blog, this banter is a pretty good indication.
Just sayin’…
June 29th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
That’s what I was sayin’, Z
June 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
DC is a weekend trip that we’re saving for later this summer. I know it’s going to be hot as hell, but it’s the only time we can go. My niece is visiting from Korea and DC is a stop she has to make. If I can get a whole week then we’ll also head down to Williamsburg. I have been there in years, but it was fun the last time.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I visited Washington when I was 13, and my family was coming back from Libya. We bought a car in Yonkers, and drove back to Texas. We hit Philly and saw the Liberty Bell and some other things, then went to DC. Saw all the monuments, and went into Congress. That building was awesome. Not sure if we hit the Smithsonian (after all, it was 46 years ago). It was 1963, and JFK was still president, but not for long.
I’d like to go back some day, if for no other reason than to see the 46 years of history that I’ve lived since then chronicled at the Smithsonian. You know, stuff like the trips to the moon (Armstrong and the gang, not Jackie Gleason’s wife), computers, and so many other things that have happened and made profound changes in the way we live.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
But then again, I’m not sure I could stand being that close to that many politicians, bureaucrats, and lobbyists for more than a couple of hours.
The hell with painkillers, I’d have to take a ton of stomach medicines to keep from losing my cookies in the vicinity of those a$$holes.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I had a similar reaction to yours, Z, when I first visited DC. I didn’t have as much time as you did, and the Holocaust Museum wasn’t yet built. And there were no crazies picketing outside the Whitehouse.
I remember being impressed by one thing in particular. The Lincoln Memorial was incredible. The reflecting pool was amazing. The Wall was overwhelming. The Air & Space Museum was phenomenal. Seeing the Congress building was awe inspiring, and the House chambers were surreal. But the solid granite curbs – that’s what got me. I remember being fascinated by a great many things in DC, but those granite curbs blew my mind.
I’ve been back once since then, but unfortunately it was for a conference, and I ended up with a group of folks in the Air & Space Museum for the 2 hours we had before we flew back home. I still want to tour the FBI building, the Treasury, the Jefferson Memorial, a tour of the White House, the Holocaust Museum, the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, and probably half a dozen other places I can’t think of…
And with regards to the walking… Damn – I remember that. My wife and I were both in our 20s, and you KNOW how freakin’ bullet-proof we all were back then! I remember being so DOGASS-TIRED I couldn’t freaking move… My feet ached sooo bad. My back hurt. My knees hurt. Hell – I hurt in places I didn’t even know I had! THAT part I don’t need again. But it just occurred to me what they SHOULD do there… I want to tour the place on a Segway! That’d rock.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
grow a sack, zman, and defend yourself. sometimes it feels like i’m clubbing baby seals with you…
June 29th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
So… Madman is saying that if you had a sack, Zman, you could defend yourself against him. It thus seems clear that, if Zman did in fact grow a sack that he could defeat Madman, which by inference clearly indicated Madman does not himself have a sack.
Too bad. Wonder if he ever had one, or if it was a birth defect… Good God, what kind of horrific accident is it that would lead to a guy not having a sack?
Suddenly I think I feel ill.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
That was a good line about clubbing baby seals… Still too back about the sack thing tho.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Club THIS.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Cotty, they had Segway tours all over DC. They looked so friggin cool to ride and they really motor. The only problem is, where do you park it at a restaurant or museum? You can only really ride around.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Yeah – nobody rents Segways. You can either buy one, or go on a tour.
They DO have keys. But they can be stolen, obviously. And honestly, your feet get damned tired on a Segway.
But you can COVER the territory! Stock Segways will move at up to 15 MPH… But for tours, they’re running at 6 MPH max.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Zman could always rent a bike, remove the seat and ride it over speed bumps all day. Then he’d really enjoy his trip to DC. LMAO!!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:14 am
I haven’t been to D.C. in 11 years. Last time I was there, I stayed in Fairfax but was given a tour by a friend of mine who lives in Alexandria. D.C. is a cool town. I wish I would’ve had more time. I think it may be a family destintion to check it out. Where’d you stay Z?
June 30th, 2009 at 8:01 am
We stayed in a very nice, newly renovated Holiday Inn, in Arlington. We were 1 block walking distance from the Metro and buses. My wife got a Priority Member rate at $89 nd it was $369 for 4 of us.
Plus, the waiter at the breakfast buffet liked us and for three days charged us for one meal and the others ate for free. Of course I had to give the guy a back rub and a tug, but I’ll do anything for unlimited amounts of free crispy bacon.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Okay, I won’t do anal. All right, all right, I won’t be the catcher.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:04 am
And Cotty, we hit a Waffle House in Maryland on the way there. Good breakfast, excellent hash browns, not cheap, terrible service from a very fat and sweaty woman.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:06 am
mmmmmmmmmmmmm, fat and sweaty womennnnn……..
June 30th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Being an east coast guy, I have been to DC many times. Work, play, rugby, etc. It is very cool, in a way that I don’t think you truly appreciate until there are more years behind you and less in front.
I am not an emotional, touchy feely type of person. I am a borderline cro-mag, in love with all the man-things discussed and joked about on this blog. But I will say this — I am reduced to tears every time I visit the Vietnam memorial. The names, the makeshift tributes left behind, the reminder that your name could be there — it is very moving and haunting and overwhelming in a way I can’t completely describe. On my first visit, I was overcome by a feeling of dread and sorrow that I had never felt before and haven’t felt since. I am not a draft dodger, I was a little too young for that war, so its not some sense of guilt or mystic karma for being a douchebag. Its almost like all 50000+ are all there at once, reminding you of the hell taht war is.
If you got to DC, you MUST visit the wall.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:07 am
The Wall hit me similarly, Hankster. Caught me by surprise – didn’t expect to have such a strong reaction…
June 30th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Visited Washington D.C a couple times. First when I was 16, on a school trip. I saw nothing, I remember nothing. We drank like monkeys in the bus…
I’m in the middle of a PhD at Georges Washington University and have to spend a week there 2 a year. I always take some time to enjoy the city, the white buildings, the moving (emotionnaly) monuments.
I will bring my son when he’ll be old enough to like it, I figure a couple of years from now.
January 2010, I’ll have to spend 10 days over there on a convention and I will make sure to make a pilgrimmage on Z’s steps. lol
We’ll be staying at the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center…Seems HUGE !
June 30th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Arlington Cemetery is an absolute must. You’re not quite the same after you leave there.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:00 am
The same can be said about the Waffle House. Very moving, indeed.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Zman,
You need to move up in the world, man.
Try an IHOP or a Denny’s. Still a moving experience, but definitely a step up from a Waffle House.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
don’t encourage Zman too much with all the moving talk. he may decide to move something that we don’t want him to move
June 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
The talk of Arlington and The Wall remind me of the importance of this weekend. As we approach our nation’s celebration of our independence this coming July 4th, let us give thanks to those who have fallen in the line of duty, to those who have served and those who serve now to ensure the freedoms we have (and a happy July 1 Canada Day to Lucie as well).
June 30th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Oh, and let there be no more talk of moving experiences regarding waffles.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
There *IS* no “moving up” from Waffle House, man! It’s the peak, the pinnacle – the very apex of the world I tell ya… At least when it comes to waffles.
Key is to gitcha a PECAN waffle. An’ ask ‘em to put in EXTRA pecans. Then, get ‘em to cook it really, really, really, really well done. Dark brown – just before it turns black. If you’re LUCKY, it’ll take about 10 minutes for your waffle to cook, so it gets CRISP all the way through…
Put just a little butter on – 1/4 of the little “tub” per side. Then fill the waffle’s “holes” w/ syrup w/out overflowing much (some will flow down the main seams no matter what). Then slowly savor the waffle w/ a cup of mud – err, coffee – while you read the newspaper.
The bill for this moving experience will be around $5. Leave the waitress – oh wait, they’re called “Sales Persons” – anyhow, leave her a big ole tip, like three bucks. It won’t cost you much and she’ll appreciate it.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Cotty has his PhD in Waffleology and wrote his dissertation on them. The topic of said dissertation was: “The Extreme Effect of Waffles on the Movement of Bowels and the Regulation of Said Movement with the Addition of Pecans Whose Regulatory Powers are Energized By Overly Browning the Waffles.”
June 30th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Hey, where’s my local bro, God Help Detroit been? He in D.C. eatin’ waffles too?
June 30th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Hey, when you take medicine that binds ya up, ya gotta do whatcha gotta do! LOL
I do love them waffles tho… This bein’ a 3-day weekend, I’ll be havin’ waffles FOUR times this week instead of three… Thursday morning at about 5:15 am, I’ll be walkin’ in to sit at my booth – and there better not be anybody in it!
Hopefully the frickin’ newspaper guy get the paper thrown early like he has been.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Thank you Darren for wishing me a Happy Cananda’s Day tomorrow ! Let’s party !
June 30th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
1st off, cotty, i have 3 times the sack that you do, filled with 4 times the balls. i have proved the amount i have many times when you was still shting yellow.
zman, i am not ashamed to admit every time i see those crosses row on row in a national cemetary i bawl like a baby. i have never been to DC, but i have seen the traveling wall. i know a few of the names on it and tears run down my face thinking of the waste.
lucie, i am an ignorant ‘merican, so happy Canada day tomorrow.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
1st off madman, you were the one that implied clearly that you have no sack. If Zman grew a sack – even a teeny-tiny micro-sack that would hold a coupla grains of rocksalt – he’d be able defeat you. You’re the one that broached the topic. Maybe that’s one you should avoid, being sackless and all, I mean…
Looks like you not only didn’t grow a sack, but apparently, you failed to grow anything beyond a brainstem. But that’s okay, on account of I hear you’re a good guy to herf with!
June 30th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
To quote a great blockheaded American…
Good Grief.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Cotty, madman says you’re a wus.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Madman, cotty says you’re a wus.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I have a rubbing from the wall of a kid I graduated highschool with hanging over my desk. He went marines, I went Air Force. 19 years old. It breaks my heart everytime I think of what the last 40 years have brought me – kids, grandkids etc, and wonder what they might have brought him.
June 30th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
# dodger_fan Says:
June 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Cotty, madman says you’re a wus.
# dodger_fan Says:
June 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Madman, cotty says you’re a wus.
Difference is, one of us is right. (I’ll give ya a hint – it ain’t the one that keeps bragging about how BIG his sack is and how he has EIGHT gonads in his sack instead of the normal quantity. BTW, who the f would WANT eight nuts for God’s sake?!??
)
June 30th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
cooter, just get back on the short bus and go home before you get hurt…
now, to return to the matter at hand…… zman, don’t be such a wussy.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
besides, cooter, there isn’t a picture of me sucking on a cigar large enough to be in a porn flick circling around the internet…. nttiawwt.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:04 am
Sorry to hear you’re so insecure about yourself that you couldn’t smoke a Puros Indios Chief.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:25 am
While we’re talking about holidays, tomorrow, July 2 is Zeppelin Day, the anniversary of the flight of the 1st Zeppelin in 1900.
Now I realize that probably that doesn’t mean a balloon full og helium to most of y’all, but since I work for Zeppelin and get a holiday for it, I celebrate the hell out of it. This year, since the 4th is on Saturday, I get Friday and Monday off, making for two 4 day weeks in a row. It isn’t as good as being retired, but it doesn’t suck, either.
So to all of you, I wish you a Happy Zeppelin Day tomorrow.
Besides, a Zeppelin looks like a fancy figurado, so smoke one if you got one. Check out the picture of the LZ-1 a little down the page on the right.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppelin
July 1st, 2009 at 10:40 am
Wow!
I learned something today… I didn’t realize the difference between a Zeppelin, a blimp and a dirigible. Not that it matters even a hill o’ beans one way or the other to me! LOL Or a gas bag full “og” helium, hydrogen or Zman’s farts…
But having two 4-day work weeks, back-to-back? Now THAT I’d care about! I’m jealous, and filled with self-pity on account of having to spend a half-day in the office this Saturday for absolutely no justifiable need whatsoever. I’m off Friday, work a 1/2 day Saturday, then I’m off Sunday, then back to the grind for 9 consecutive weeks, whereupon we will be blessed with the next four-day work week, following Labor Day.
101 days until a week long vacation aboard a cruise ship!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:21 am
Gee! I feel bad for you guys, I have a week off in July, August, Sept, Oct and Nov. Of course, then there’s Zman who has never worked a day in his life.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:41 am
Fugme. 5 weeks?? Sheeeit. I get 10 vacation days per year. Plus the 8 standard holidays – New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Except this year, I got “lucky” and I get to come in for a half day on one of those holidays, for no good reason whatsoever.
But look on the bright side… Only four more years of delight until I get 5 additional vacation days per year. And in 14 years, they’ll give me another 5 days, assuming I’m not dead. Sucks, because my wife has 4 weeks of vacation a year and an 8-week sabbatical every 7 years in addition! She’s taking a vacation day tomorrow, and Friday’s a holiday, and she’s taking Monday off as well. So she’ll be off from today, returning Tuesday – five whole days in a row off…
July 1st, 2009 at 11:42 am
It’s a lot of work just reading through this horde of drivel.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Yeah, Cotty, I’m takena personal day tomorrow to make it a 4 day weekend, we’re headed up to the cabin in Mighigan. I’ll get back just in time to read Zman’s latest drivel.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
zman Says:
July 1st, 2009 at 11:42 am
It’s a lot of work just reading through this horde of drivel.
no work whatsoever went into writing it.especially the initial entry
July 1st, 2009 at 12:52 pm
For construction being as slow as it is, I’ve been SLAMMED the past couple of weeks; finally getting a chance to read the last couple of blogs and insightful comments posted by you all. It never ceases to amaze me how a topic goes from the nation’s capital to how many testicles madman may or may not have…
I’ve only been to DC once, in high school, and was too young/immature to appreciate it (it was up there with LucIE’s trip). i’d love to go back and really soak up the history and tradition.
The one memory I do have of that trip is while taking a tour of the White House and passing through the Blue Room, I let out a healthy fart to leave behind for old Willy Clinton.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:57 pm
GhD — laughed out loud on the gas for slick Willy.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Hey – Madman’s the one that claimed he has four times the balls I do. I’ve got two. And, well, the math might be beyond his skillz, but I think everyone else prolly gets it.
And apparently his 8 balls are quite large, because he claims to have 3x the sack I do. I guess he has to have a cart behind him to carry all that, and airline tickets cost him double, since he has to buy a seat just for his 8-ball sack to sit in. An’ I s’pose this motor sickle he claims he’s gonna be ridin’ to ‘Vegas next April must be one of them funny ones like Colonel Klink used to ride in – you know, that goofy sidecar thing? Guess that part’s kinda fitting tho – Madman’s about as big a goof as Klink ever was! 
July 1st, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Crap. Why doesn’t “roll” make :rolling:? Bastages!
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:38 am
Happy early 4th of July to you all (Even though its the 2nd).
My nephew has this shirt he got off Woot…d*mn funny —> http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCZIG-pJj1I/R2IkOGkJh6I/AAAAAAAAASI/w3b9mxei5Ec/s400/woot_dependenceday.jpg
Saturday will be Sam Adams beer, hot dogs on the grill, fireworks on the Detroit River and hangin’ with family and friends. I am sure some cigars will be sacrificed. A trip to the local (Southfield) JR’s is happening tomorrow.
I wish you all a safe and great Independence Day.
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
All hail HawaiianBrian !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and Zman? Thanks for doing this blog that allows some great people (like me) to meet others (like Brian ! ) lol… Non…seriously, this place ROCKS !
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Aw shucks, Lucie. You’re making me blush!
Seriously though, it was a pleasure to do something nice for someone nice!
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Nice job Lucie and Brian!!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i have decieded that i aint gonna mess with cooter any more…i don’t enjoy it.
but, zman, the crosshairs are still on you.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Happy Zeppelin Day everyone. July 2, 1900 was the first flight of the 1st Zeppelin (who I work for). Let me know if you ever want to buy a dirigible; I may be able to get you a discount. And when you’re talking about $13-15,000,000, every little half million counts. (We’ll leave out the radio and the mag wheels) LOL
Lou is gonna be in Austin this weekend, and we’re gonna go visit my daughter there. So hopefully we can meet up for a cigar and a drink, not to mention just to meet.
Happy holidays everyone. Be sure to cook your pork long enough.
And one last word of advice:
To have fun on the fourth, buy a fifth on the third!!! (Okay 750 ML, but that’s not as funny).
Ciao, my herfin’ friends.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:43 pm
to bad dirigibles don’t work with hot air, zman could keep a whole fleet up with his.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
What’s up, Dudes?
I haven’t posted here for months. I check out the blog now and then and it seems the same guys are pretty regular. I found since the elections are over and things have settled down, I have more serenity in my brain when I stay out of the political and religious arenas. Easy to say, hard to accomplish… A little humility and patience makes for a lot less anger and frustration.
Ichiro’s leading the AL in hitting again at .370, 37 years old and heading toward another gold glove, amazing… M’s having a decent season in what is supposed to be a down year. It’s great to have Griffey back and, even though he’s only batting .220, he seems to get hits when he needs to. On the road they won 2 of 3 from the Dodgers and beat the Yankees last night. On to Boston today.
I bought some Monte Cristo 7s and they’re awesome, but I have found Mayorga Maduro torpedos to be inexpensive and very good, kind of like Maria Mancini.
God bless all of you and your families on this very important holiday weekend.
Best regards to all…
July 5th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
So Zman, you don’t inform me that you’re going to be in my area for a few days. We could have tried to arrange for a quick smoke together. You are my idol you know; I would have enjoyed meting you and having you to sign my chest…. LOL!!!
I’ve lived in the Washington, DC metro area my whole life. My Grandfather was head of carpentry and oversaw all construction for the White House and many other Federal buildings. He was a well known man among all the presidents who he served under. Just to name a few: Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Regan.
One of my Grand Fathers job perks was all the free stuff he got from the White House. He only smoked White House cigarettes. They had any brand you could think of, and they all came in a white carton with the presidential seal on the carton, same with the packs within the carton. I don’t think the man ever had to pay for cigarettes until he retired from the white house.
My Grand Father had countless hand written thank you notes and sighed photos from all of the presidents during their term(s). Every Christmas he received a special Christmas cards from the President and his Wife. The all had authentic signatures; not a copy or stamp. These were framed in the white house and I have a few hanging in my office at work.
He received all sorts of goodies from the white house. The one item that stands out the most is M&M’s that came in white boxes with the Presidential seal. Out of all the pens, pictures, pocket knives, cigretts, etc., the one that stands out in my memory is Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. Regan loved these Jelly Beans. Like everything from the Whit Hose, they also had the presidetial seal on the jar. I used to make myself sick eating so many M&M’s and Jelly Beans. I may have a few unopened jars and a few boxes of the M&M’s around my house some place. My grandfather also received a lot of family photos of the presidents and family. Nancy was a sweet woman who would write him often.
My father worked with the same group for a few years, then (who knows why) he went to work for a General Construction Contractor who’s company did about 99% of their contracted work within the district. The only time I spent with my father was going to job sites. So growing up in the area and seeing all the sights my whole life, I take the place for granted. It’s just another city to me. In fact I avoid traveling through DC as much as possible. I guess if you’ve not been exposed to the area it’s a very special place.
July 6th, 2009 at 7:36 am
Thanks Buzz, that was a great read.
And PJ, nice of you to poke your head in. Stick around awhile, bro.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Hut naam! Almost ten o’clock in da morning out there in the east and no freakin’ blog yet?? Zman, slackin’ as per usual! For shame, for shame – after having a 3-day weekend to prepare. Prolly hung over, and just now draggin’ his sorry caboose out da bed!
July 8th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
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July 21st, 2009 at 8:39 am
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July 24th, 2009 at 1:44 am
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August 6th, 2009 at 6:07 am
[...] Mr. Z Visits Washington | JR Cigar blog with ZMAN [...]
August 11th, 2009 at 9:29 am
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August 15th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
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September 4th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
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