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|
| 30 December, 2005 |
It's almost the new year, and I'm looking forward to 2006. Not that
2005 has been bad, or anything, but there are some really exciting things on the horizon,
and I'm anxious to get some balls rolling! Early in the year, a couple new blends will
be released, and some other projects that I've been working on may well come to at least
partial fuition. Keep an eye on this space.
As subscribers to my RSS feed already know, I've added some additional photos
to the gallery,
“In Celebration of Briar”. There's
been some interest in this body of work, and I'll keep you informed of what is
happening as it unfurls.
Now, for a brief rant about spam-blockers. I hate spam as much as anyone. I get far too much
of it, despite server-side AND client-side filters. Some ISPs use a registration service,
wherein mail is blocked UNLESS the account holder approves it. When the mail is sent, an
auto-responder replies to the message, instructing the sender to go to a web-page, and fill
in a little form. Okay. Fine. But, from this day forward, if anyone sends me mail, and expects
a response, add me to the white-list first. It's quite annoying to spend the time composing a
response to somebody's questions, only to have to THEN deal with some Yahoo spam blocker
nosense. I don't mean to sound like a jerk about this, but I really DO have better ways to
spend my time. I respond to LOTS of email. Sure, it only takes a couple minutes, but a couple
minutes times ten is long enough to do something useful.
|
| 30 November, 2005 |
Work continues on the next blend to become part of the Fog City
Selection. This one is a Virginia/oriental blend. No Latakia, no perique. So far,
it's coming along really well, and I anticipate a release early in 2006.
I've been working on a little personal project, and thought it was time to give my
faithful readers a preview. For those who don't know, I've been an avid
photographer since I was a tyke. My dad was a commercial photog, and introduced
me to the joys of the medium, giving me my first Brownie when I was eight. He taught
me to develop film, to print, to experience the magic that happens under the red glow
of the darkroom safelight. Since then, I've shot everything from 16mm to 8x10 view cameras,
have exhbited my work in galleries, and have sold pieces into private collections. I take
periodic breaks from shooting, but it's never far from my thoughts. I spent a few years
doing commercial photography part-time, taking product shots, portraits, that sort of thing, though my
passion has always been “art,” whatever that means.
Figuring it might be nice to turn my lens to some of the beatiful pipes that exist in the
world, and not wanting to just do “mug shots,” I started doing some B&W images
in my studio, celebrating the beauty of the briar. This is a work in progress, as most
portfolios are; I offer the first
eleven images in a little on-line gallery
here. I'll be presenting the portfolio
to some gallery people who have represented my work in the past, but for some reason, I have
some doubt that I'll get a showing of THIS work in the Bay Area, with its profound
anti-tobacco sentiment... But, you never know. I hope you enjoy them.
|
| 17 November, 2005 |
An article on
Will Purdy has been added to the Chronicles, and the timing is good. I see Will
has put a couple new rusticated pieces on his
site today, and they're looking great. I've
seen a couple examples of his new rustication, and it's very nice. There's an understated elegance
to it that works harmoniously with his eye for design. Take a look, and sign up for his mailing list while
you're there. It's always nice to have a little extra eye candy, and his update emails aren't very
frequent, so your mailbox won't get flooded.
A few people have subscribed to my RSS feed, but I've also received a few questions about
it, so I've put up a page with a brief description,
including a short list of available reader software. Personally, I really like the way Safari handles
RSS, and have been using it exclusively, but if you're not an OSX user, there are plenty of other
alternatives. The RSS button will work only in browsers, like Safari, that understand feeds, but
I've included the URL of the feed for those who want to enter it into their own reader. I update the
feed when I put something significant (at least to me) on the site, so it's a great way to keep
abreast of things in GLPeaseland without having to check the page frequently.
|
| 15 November, 2005 |
I hate spam. The only thing in the world of the internet I hate
MORE than spam is viruses in all their various incarnations. Trojan Horses, worms, creepy-crawlers - it
makes no difference what they are, I hate them, and more, I hate those who create them in their
adolescent need to create havoc among innocent users. Who do they think they're impressing?
Frankly, I think they should be rounded up to have their collective
hands chopped off. Perhaps a little harsh, but so it goes. I'm mean when I get annoyed.
Not being a Windoze user, and being pretty diligent about keeping nasties from my own machines,
I've been quite fortunate not to have suffered at the hands of these malevolent miscreants. Mostly.
Today, however, I've been getting flooded with “returned mail” messages that I NEVER SENT. What
does this indicate? Probably some poor Outlook user has been bitten by one of the many viruses
that exploits its shoddy design. They have fallen victim, and their address book is being used
to deliver junk mail to everyone they know or have ever corresponded with, while using OTHER names
in the list as the originator of the messages. Great. Now, there's junk mail flying all over the
planet with MY email address in the “From:” field. Since most of the bounced, forged
email is apparently going to people like pipe makers, known pipe smokers, pipe dealers, and others
involved in our lovely hobby, I'm left to suspect that it's actually someone I know who has been
infected. Either that, or the antis are getting more sophisticated in their tactics. Scratch
that. They're not that clever...
A word to the wise: If you don't have some sort of virus scanner, get one. If you do, and don't
use it, start. And, just to be safe, if you use Outlook or Outlook Express (I've always referred
to this one as “Lookout! Distress!” - the thing is a virus magnet), get a more
secure mail client. Almost anything is better.
In the meantime, if you get something that looks like junk mail from me, it's not. I send
no mass mailings of any kind at this time, preferring to communicate with those who are interested
in what I might have to say via this news page, and the Chronicles.
Now, I'm off to sharpen my machetes.
|
| 14 November, 2005 |
It seems I've led some to believe that the Fog City Selection would be
nothing but Virginias, so it's time to clarify. The blends in this series each feature a base
of Virginia leaf, but with the exception of Montgomery, the current blends are all enhanced
by the inclusion of
condiment tobaccos. Think of them as “Theme and Variations.” With Telegraph Hill,
perique is introduced. With Lombard, a very tiny measure of Latakia is added, along with a
smaller percentage of perique than that in Telegraph Hill. Ashbury, while certainly a light
to medium Balkan
style blend, is still firmly based on the foundation of the Virginia tobaccos, and so it fits
well in the overall philosophy of the series.
There are future blends planned, and in various states of development. One, probably
the next to be offered, will be a Virginia blend spiced with oriental tobaccos; the prototypes
I've done are showing some real promise. Another will be a Virginia blend, deeper and darker
than Montgomery, but sharing some of its sibling's characteristics, and of course, the
“secret” processing.
In summary, I'm not absolutely sure when the Fog City Selection will be “complete,”
but I don't expect the range to go beyond six or seven blends, all with some aspect of recognizable
familial similarity stemming from the Virginia base. If, along the way, an additional blend concept
comes along that fits well, the range could be extended; I'll only know for sure that I've reached
the end when I get there.
|
| 10 November, 2005 |
It's not often that I get excited about pipe racks. In fact, I pretty much ignore them altogether. Either we have none, or the few that we acquire seem to breed, and we always end up with more of them than we really want. Most of the classic pipe racks (the type you'll find by the score at jumble sales, and on ebay, complete with a collection of “L@@K! Classic RARE VINTAGE SMOKING PIPES!) don't hold enough pipes, or are too small to comfortably support our ”fancier“ pieces, or are somehow otherwise usefulness-challenged. As a result, I have developed various other “Storage Solutions” that seem to work reasonably well for me up to this point. But, after seeing the fascinating, one of a kind racks produced by Two Cousins Pipe Racks, I'm thinking it might be time to take pipe racks a little more seriously. The unique designs are fascinating, sometimes whimsical, and always practical. It's well worth a visit to their web site for a look around.
|
| 4 November, 2005 |
The folly continues. Craig shared some “interesting” news with me this morning. We sell to Daniel Schneider at
Synjeco
in Switzerland, and to date, it's been no problem. But, when arranging the most recent shipment with the international carrier based in the U.K. we've always used in the past, Craig was told, as was Daniel, that they, “Do not carry tobacco. It is part of our 'War on Tobacco.'” No one had ever told us such was a war being waged. We simply had no idea. Can I go back to bed, now, and will someone tell me when the waking nightmare is over? I don't want to be a drug czar.
To add to the challenge, U.S. Customs has banned the shipment of tobacco as cargo on passenger flights. They claim this has something to do with “homeland Security.” I guess tobacco is now a tool of terrorism. The antis will be pleased to know that the government considers tobacco a weapon of mass destruction. How long before a pipe smoker is grabbed, gagged and shoved into a black van, later to be harshly interrogated by men in suits and sunglasses for puffing in public? Next thing you know, we'll have all have secret dossiers, to be stored on international databases, alerting Customs officers the world over that we are “Known or Suspected Smokers.” In the meanwhile, I, for one, plan on showering twice before my next international flight, and handing my pipe-containing bag off to a little old lady to shuttle through security so no one suspects me of being a “Suicide Smoker.” (I hope the antis aren't reading this. I probably shouldn't give them ideas. If you see it in the press, remeber, you read it here first.)
It took Craig two days to find a shipper, make new arrangements with Synjeco, and get the package off to Die Schweitz, but all is now well, and we're only left to wonder what it will be next time.
It's not all bad out there, though. A French proposal to stamp out smoking has been effectively squashed, due to lack of support from President Chirac. Will France turn out to be the last bastion of freedom for smokers? I probably shouldn't make light of this. There's a famous fortune cookie quote, alleged to be an ancient Chinese curse, that says, “May you live in interesting times.” We certainly do...
On other fronts, Ashbury has been released for a few weeks now, and I've received wonderful comments from many who are enjoying it. It's no secret that it's been a favourite of mine, as I've been smoking it almost exclusively since putting the recipe to bed in July. This, of course, has taken a bit of a bite out of other blend development, but a boy's got to rest once in a while. There are already some
reviews posted, including one sharply scathing one that I find quite entertaining. I don't know if I am quite up to the responsibility of holding so much sway over the simpleminded, sheep-like pipesters who have been mesmerized by my secret occult powers into thinking they actually enjoy my blends, but I'll try. I don't think I've never been called a "Master Marketer" before, either. I'll add it to my list of titles, right after "Dark Lord." [Insert maniacal laughter here.] But, c'mon, Professor. Refuse?
Time for this “charmer” to fill a cherished pipe with some rubbish and enjoy the rest of the morning.
|
| 3 November, 2005 |
It's not been my habit, until recently, to use this space to discuss the political
folderal of the anti-smoking crusaders. But, things are getting increasingly out of hand, and if
I can bring some speck of political value to this page in support of our rights to enjoy
the occasional smoke, maybe it's not a bad idea to do so...
Here
is nother article discussing draconian legal measures that erode our civil rights.
Strong words? Perhaps. But,
it strikes me as beyond ludicrous that smoking and ETS have become such visible targets,
while more serious and
significant forms of environmental pollution seem to drift completely un-noticed by these
numb-headed leagues of would-be prohibitionists. I recall the evening I observed
an old, beat up VW microbus, running on three of its four cylinders, belching thick clouds
of noxious exhaust and dripping oil from it's crankcase (oil that would, inevitably, run into
the bay, as the little signs on the curb drains tell us), while sporting a shiny new bumper
strip advocating a “YES” vote on the latest anti-smoking legisation. It seemed to me
there was something quite wrong-minded at play. Either that, or a very twisted, almost
macabre sense of irony.
Our "culture" seems to be becoming increasingly intellectually and philosophically bankrupt,
and the smoking ordinances bear this out. They are not based on fact, but solely upon
the antis' self-serving propaganda, and their apparent desire to have the government take
increasing control of spineless their little lives for them.
The ETS
“studies” have been swallowed whole. For those challenged
by large quantities of data, the “scientists” among the army of anti-smoking
zealots
are ready and willing to “present” (read “twist”) the
“facts” in whatever way necessary to support thier prefab agendae. Of course,
along come the media, always hot to champion whatever nonsense will sell their rubbish, who
are more than happy to further chew up and spit out this pablum in a form that can be disseminated
to and digested by a vast public, apparently with the collective cognitive capacity of a dim two
year old.
Stress is arguably the most conspicuous and pernicious killer in the US today. I take
some small solace in the thought that,
at least for now, I can relax with a good pipe, and probably out-live the antis. (U.S.
Surgeon General Luther L. Terry's Report on Smoking and Health of 1964, indicated
that moderate pipe smoking seemed, interestingly, to increase
longevity.) I would never posit that smoking is GOOD for us, but having a moment or two of relaxation
certainly has benefits. If we could just convince the antis to relax for a tick and enjoy a bowl
rather than being constantly het up about their cause du jour, THEY might actually have
an opportunity to enjoy THEIR lives a little more, and keep the hell out of ours.
Personally, I am offended, sometimes even nauseated by the smell of people who bathe in
cheap perfume. There ought to be a law...
|
| 1 November, 2005 |
Here is
An interesting article that touches on the ineffectiveness of wide-spread smoking
bans for preventing teenagers from puffing away. A
paper is cited, with the
“Rebellion Effect” noted in the abstract,
but I have no trouble believing this. Anyone who undertands teenagers knows that
the best way to get them to do something is to forbid them from doing it, demonizing it
to the point where they simply MUST try it. We were all rebels, once...
These anti-tobacco zealots are really getting out of hand. Nothing will satisfy
them short of the total criminalization of enjoying tobacco in any form. This sort of
puritanical mind-set has never been particularly effective in the long-run. (Ever hear of
the Temperance League and prohibition, folks? Isn't history taught in schools anymore?
Are the “Drug Wars” working? Remember “Reefer Madness?”)
Yet, they'll continue to attempt, and sometimes succeed at imposing their wrong-headed
zealotry upon an equally misguided populace. We're in for a tough fight, comrades. Don't
forget to express your views to your elected officials. Write
letters to the editors. It's time OUR voices were heard, not just those of malcontents
armed with false data and unsupportable claims. The prohibitionists are really
targetting cigarettes, but we'll all go down if the tobacco ship sinks.
|
| 18 October, 2005 |
I'm tapping this out while on a plane to North Carolina, where
Craig and I will be discussing and working on some new and interesting projects. Next year will be
a remarkable one for new stuff, as we both have some great ideas, and good things
always come from our brainstorming sessions. When I return, I've got another project in mind,
so stay tuned for further announcements. And, subscribe to that RSS feed. It doesn't get updated
every day, but you'll be the first to know when it is!
Those who do subscribe
to the feed already know that Ashbury is wending its way to dealers' shelves even now,
and should start arriving within a couple of days. If you like Balkans, I hope you'll give
it a try. Even if you don't think you like Balkans, this one might be
the one to change your mind, so, I hope you'll give it a try anyway.
|
| 13 October, 2005 |
The only real news today is that I've finally been dragged into
the modern world or Really Simple Syndication. Amazingly, it actually IS pretty simple.
So, for those of you who use RSS feeds, you can now fetch mine from
feed://www.glpease.com/RSS/GLPNews.rss. There's also a link on the front page for those
who have RSS enabled browsers.
|
| 3 October, 2005 |
Back from Richmond! The show was, of course, a blast. While seemingly not quite as well attended as
in previous years, it was nevertheless a lot of fun, and there were some wonderful sights to see,
and great people to spend some time with. And, yes, the 2am IHOP Experience is still alive and well.
I had planned on taking a bunch of pictures, but had a hard time getting away from the table on
Saturday. I did manage to get a few snaps, and have put up a little
gallery. Unfortunately, I missed a lot of folks, but I'll
try to write up a little show report to fill in some of the blanks. There were some remarkable
pipes being presented, quite a few of which came from the hands and minds of some relatively new makers.
Ashbury was very well received, which, of course, made me very happy. I'm excited about
its impending release. Look for it to start shipping in a couple weeks. There are a couple other
things in the works, but these won't be ready to go until later in the year. And, I've got some things
planned for 2006 already. The next few months are going to be busy here in the lab!
I did acquire a couple really neat pipes. Of course, a big beauty from
Alberto Bonfiglioli worked its way into my hands, and another Castello #10, this one in the Trademark
finish to complete my seven day set. (Since there are still more finishes, maybe I'll need a ten
day set of this shape?) A friend gave me a beautifull little GBD New Era apple that's about
a group 2 sized pipe, and I saw Rich Esserman's magnum sized GBD Virgin bent, a very graceful pipe, similar
to a Dunhill LC, but much more elegant to my eye. After talking with him about it, it became clear I'd
never talk him out of it, but at least I got a photo!
All in all, a wonderful show, despite some “complications.” Next, it'll be Sacramento's
little event in November, and I'm really looking forward to it.
|
| 21 September, 2005 |
The autumnal equinox is nigh! As the days will be growing shorter, the nights longer, and the weather
cooler, my attention will be focused more upon fuller blends, especially Latakia containing mixtures. It's
always been my preference to go toward heavier blends as summer gives way to fall, with winter finding big
English and Balkan style mixtures in my pipes almost exclusively. But, autumn is only just arriving, and my
attention is still on Ashbury, which seems perfect for the rest of the season. Honestly, I've not been
as excited about one of my blends since a little over a year ago, when the Scandal hit the streets. For some
reason, my desktop jar of the stuff keeps emptying. We'll have a supply of 2-oz tins for the CORPS show
in Richmond, and general
availability will follow a couple weeks after the show. (That is, if I don't insist on stashing so much of
it away for myself that there's none left for the first release.)
The pipe shown in the Ashbury photo on the splash
page, by the way, is an early piece by Will Purdy. As beautiful as
this pipe is, his more recent work shows a more developed and unique style. Will's a true artist, and crafts
his pipes with meticulous and loving care. I have a few in my own collection,
and they are among my most prized, both for their beauty and for their extraordinary smoking qualities.
He'll be in Richmond,
too, with a nice selection of his pieces. Be sure to check them out if you come to the show.
It's not often that we get to see the arrival of a new and significan book about pipes on our shores,
but I'm excited to say that such a book is indeed coming! Friend José Lopes, last year,
produced the Portuguese Cachimbos (Marcas, Fabricantes e Artesãos), a wonderful encyclopaedia of pipe
marques, recent and historic. After some negotiation with his publisher, he has written the first English
language edition, Pipes - Artisans and Trademarks. This edition is expanded to include about 50 additional
pipe makers, and is scheduled to be on US soil in November. A
preview showing the cover can be seen on
Rolando Nogoita's site. (Be sure to check out Rolando's
amazing briar artistry while you're there!) This beautifully printed book will be a wonderful “must have”
addition to the libraries of every serious pipester. I can't wait for my own copy!
|
| 23 August, 2005 |
Lombard is now on the shelves, and the early response has been very positive. It's a unique
sort of blend, and reports I've received from those who have tried it have been great. Because
of the delicate proportion of Latakia, it has some interesting characteristics. If smoked in a
pipe dedicated to Virginia blends, the hints of Latakia provide a nice bottom note to the overall
experience, without being dominant, while Latakia devoted pipes bring out much more of the smoky
character. I recommend experimenting with this one in a variety of pipes. There's not enough Latakia
to “taint” the Virginia pipes dramatically, and the exploration can be quite rewarding.
I've been working on Ashbury for months, now, and the final version is nailed down...I think. It has
a very distinctive oriental character, with just enough Latakia to place it tentatively in the Balkan
camp, but not so much as to overwhelm the more delicate taste and aroma of the Virginias and Turkish
components. It reminds me in some ways of the old Sullivan Powell Gentleman's Mixture. I'm planning
on an autumn release of this one, as it will suit the season very favorably. It may even make its
debut at the CORPS show in Richmond at the end of September.
Finally, I've put up a Dunhill
page showing some of the pieces in my
collection. I'll be adding more information there over
time, but the photos are up, with some descriptions. It's been “Coming Soon” for a
long time, and now, it's there. It was fun grouping the pipes, looking at each one closely again.
I hope you enjoy seeing them.
|
| 1 July, 2005 |
There's really not a lot of news, lately, but my silence has led some to speculate
that I've been abducted by members of the SLA, fitted with a black beret, armed with a machine gun,
and forced to commit acts of mischief and general mayhem. I promise, any mayhem I'm involved in is
at my own discretion, and I've not fallen prey to any strange political fringe group, or any other sort
of cult. That is, if we ignore the “Cult of Haddo.” That blend still has a most peculiarly
dedicated following...
I guess there's a little news, after all. I've pushed back the release of Lombard a little, pending some final
adjustments of the blend. The labels are off press, and it's very nearly ready to go, but I'll always
do my best to get that last little tweak in before production time. I just can't help myself. That said,
I'm really excited about the blend. The Virginias are dominant, as in the previous two blends in the Fog City
range, and the perique is more restrained that it is in Telegraph Hill. What sets this one apart, though,
is the inclusion of JUST enough Cyprus Latakia to give a little extra something, without being enough to
qualify this one as a Latakia blend. In its infancy, the Latakia IS a little forward, but over time, as
little as a few short months, it settles into its supporting role nicely. I'm anxious to see how others
feel about this one, but for me, it seems like a perfect blend for summer evenings.
Speaking of the seasonality of tobaccos, I've been busily working on another Fog City blend, this one
with orientals in abundance and a somewhat less delicate hand with the Latakia. Here, again, the Virgina leaf sets
the stage, but the orientals steal the show. This one is vaguely similar, in some regards, to the late, lamented
Bohemian Scandal, though it's not really comparable, given the vast difference between the Cyprian leaf
in this one, and the Syrian of the other. Too, it reminds me just a bit of the old Sullivan Powell Gentleman's
Mixture. It's not a Latakia monster - Odyssey and Abingdon fill that niche well, but is more along the lines
of Caravan as regards its smoky goodness. I anticipate bringing this one out in time for autumn puffing. Stay tuned.
Now that I've mentioned Bohemian Scandal, I might as well say a few things about it. I've been asked to
produce something almost identical to it using Cyprian leaf, or some of the so-called Syrian leaf that has been claimed in
some other blends. Can't do it. Won't even try. The Syrian Latakia in Scandal was very, very special stuff;
leaf of this quality hasn't been seen in decades. It's gone, and nothing can or will replace it. I'll let the
recipe rest in peace before I'd produce something “like” it, but not identical to it. So, for now,
and for the foreseeable future, no more Bohemian Scandal. Renaissance, Raven's Wing, and Mephisto, on the other
hand, may one day return, if GOOD, REAL Syrian Latakia can be obtained. Since these blends don't rely as heavily on
the Syrian component, they won't suffer as much from the lack of the sublime perfume possessed by that truly special
old leaf. On the other hand, I'm not holding my breath. So far, the only thing suggestive of Syrian Latakia in the
leaf samples I've tried has been the label.
I guess this makes up, somewhat, for my month of radio silence. One more thing, though, on a more personal
note: Some of my photographs have been exhibited in three juried shows over the past couple months, and tonight,
I was awarded a “First Prize - Best in Show” for one of them. I basically put my other arts on hold when I started
this little tobacco business seven years ago, and have only recently returned to producing new work and exhibiting.
So, I'm particularly thrilled and honoured to receive this award, and just had to share it with the rest of my
little world. All for now. Pease out... |
| 31 May, 2005 |
Telegraph Hill's reviews are beginning to roll in, and I'm quite pleased with the
response! |
| 13 May, 2005 |
'Tis the weekend of the Chicago show, and I'm not going to be there.
I'll miss it, that's for sure. |
| 21 April, 2005 |
Well,
reviews of Montgomery are starting to appear on the wonderful
TobaccoReviews.com database,
and I couldn't be more pleased with the overall response. I confess to a little stage fright whenever
I release something new, and become rather sheepish until the early adopters begin to make some
noise about the blend. Good or bad, at least I know people are actually TRYING the stuff! To
those who have taken the time to either write me directly, or pen their thoughts on the review page,
I thank you for allowing me to stop pacing back and forth, taking periodic glimpses at the screen to
see if something's happened. It's sort of like waiting for Variety to come out after the opening night
of a new play. You'd think I'd have gotten used to this by now, with over thirty blends (not all current,
of course) on my résumé. One of these days...
Of course, the process will start all over again soon. I've put the final touches on the recipe for
Telegraph Hill, and it's on schedule for release at the end of this month, or early May. This is a
delightful Virgina/perique blend. It's certainly got a little more oomph than Montgomery, for those
who want a bit more kick, but it's still got finesse. The perique certainly lets you know it's there,
without knocking you down and stealing your overcoat. I've pretty much gone through a pound of
the final prototype myself over the past few weeks, which must mean I like it a lot. Either that, or
my friends are nicking it when my back is turned. Now that I think about it, I HAVE noticed a bit of
Cajun finding its way into the language habits of some of them lately...
The new photo on the front page shows Telegraph Hill, along with my latest Roush pipe, #999,
a Belge shape that I designed for Larry. It sports a beautiful ivory bakelite stem (I did take a little
artistic license with the photo), and a spectacular
blast. I've
been collecting the repeating-digit numbered pipes that Larry's made, and now have all of them from #444
onward. I'm waiting patiently for #1111 to appear, but it'll be a long time after that before I see #2222. I guess
I'll have to chase down the double-digit ones then, and the triple-digit ones I don't have.
Everyone needs a hobby, right?
|
| 28 March, 2005 |
Montgomery has been released, and is on its way to the retailers now. As with
any new release, early demand may exceed production, but we're burning the midnight leaf to try
to get everyone supplied. Next stop on the Fog City line will be Telegraph Hill. Stay tuned
for details!
|
| 25 March, 2005 |
So, the Ides of March have passed, and nothing happened, right? Made ya' look...
The real news is that the labels have been printed (they look great), and
Montgomery will begin wending its way to the shelves of retailers next week.
It looks like Wednesday will be “shipping day.” I've been smoking from the first production
batch for a couple weeks now (yep, it's actually been around for a while, just not in tins),
and it's fantastic. For a dedicated Latakiaphile like me
to enjoy a Virginia to the exclusion of almost everything else, there must be SOMETHING special about it!
In all seriousness, I'm very excited, not only about Montgomery, but about the whole Fog City range.
In addition to the first three shown on the page, I've got plans for a couple more, at least. Okay, so
there's a TINY bit of Latakia in the Lombard recipe; you can't expect me to completely ignore my favoritest leaf,
can you? There's not MUCH Latakia in it. (I'll have your Latakia. I'm having Latakia, Latakia, Latakia...
Extra points, but no prize, if you catch the reference. Bloody Vikings...)
I'd better quit now, before this gets silly.
|
| 1 March, 2005 |
I'm pleased to say that the “Case of the Misrepresented Samarra” has been
resolved, and the item is now described accurately. The seller was quite concerned that he had based his
description of the blend on erroneous
information, and was happy to correct it. Indeed, he'd meant no harm, and was actually
happy to find out that I'm not wending my way down the swirly path to oblivion, business-wise, through
yet another tragic tobacco loss.
Now, if the email and phone calls would stop, from
customers worried about their Cyprian containing blends, I could return to my much
deserved nap. (Hah. That'll be the day...) There really is NO need to fear! There's plenty of Cyprian
Latakia, and its supply is in no danger, at least at present.
There are a couple of new things coming down the road. Of course, the long-awaited Montgomery,
the first of the Fog City Selection, is one of them. And, it's only the first. I have big plans for
this series, and am really looking forward to getting it out there. For me, I've been smoking an almost
steady diet of Montogmery since I developed it, or perhaps re-developed it using the
new Virginia leaf (cf. 18th February). For those of you know know that my tastes run strongly
toward Latakia blends, this may come as something of a surprise. I've just never found a straight Virginia,
or at least a Virginia without perique, that I found
truly satisfying. Too often, I'll smoke a Virginia, only to find myself reaching for a tin of Blackpoint
or something to satisfy my cravings for some smoky goodness. Well, no more. I'm REALLY enjoying this one.
Finally, beware the ides of March...
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| 22 February, 2005 |
Rant mode on...
Okay, when my discontinued blends show up on ebay, and sell for flattering, if somewhat absurd prices, it's just something
that testifies to the nature of capitalism, and that's fine. On one hand, being on the bottom rung of the profit
ladder, I long to see those big bucks find their way to my own wallet. On the other hand, at least in theory, I make up
for it in volume. But, when someone misrepresents one of my products, or my business, in an attempt to
exact greater profits from their “rare” items, I
get a little hot under the collar.
Currently, there's an old tin of Samarra on ebay that illustrates this. The seller elevates the perceived value
of the tin by stating that "the complete store of GLP Latakia went up in a well-publicized fire,"
and that "production has been halted indefinitely." Needless to say, I've emailed the seller,
explaining that the statements he's made are incorrect, and suggested that he change
it. Yes, the SYRIAN Latakia is gone,
but there is, and has always been, plenty of CYPRIAN Latakia, on which most of my blends are based, including
the one being sold.
Why should I care? Simple. An ad like this alludes to the little microcosm of ebay users that
one of my popular blends, along with my other Cyprian Latakia blends, is no longer available, and one could be
led to believe that I'm effectively out of
business as a result, since these represent a large percentage of my product base. Clearly, this isn't the case,
and any one with a few tap-dancing fingers and half a wit could surf the net to see that my Latakia blends are, in fact,
quite readily obtainable through a variety of on-line sources. But, how many people take what they read at face value,
and don't do the dance to find the truth? I don't suffer this sort of thing gladly, and find myself
being a bit testy at present (if you haven't twigged that from the tone of this). Of course the seller, I'm sure,
means no harm, but still, I'm het up, and need to vent some steam...
So, beware. There are many things in the pipe world misrepresented on ebay. Most of the time, it's
pretty harmless hyperbole, little strechings of the truth. But, there are abject myths being sold wholesale.
Caveat emptor certainly always applies, but it applies especially on ebay. Bid what you will on what
you want, but don't fall for the hype!
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| 18 February, 2005 |
Remeber how I said, “Don't hold me to it,” regarding a late February
release of the first of the Fog City Selection? (It's just a few lines below this one if you
forgot...) Sometimes, I'm thankful for the little disclaimers. Things are running behind schedule,
as always. It's not a bad thing, though. Just as I was putting the wraps on Montgomery, to be the first
of the series, some absolutely exquisite leaf was presented, and I couldn't help myself. I HAD to use
it. This, of course, required a bit of rethinking of the blends, but now that this is more or less behind
me, I'm really glad I did it. The “new” version, the one that will be released, has greater
depth, more richness, and a more complex character than the earlier prototype. So, sorry to keep you waiting
(I know there are at least two people waiting for this new Virginia, as I've gotten email from both of them), but
patience will be well rewarded. At least, I hope YOU think so, too.
And, finally, after a very long delay, there's a new article in the Chronicles.
Check it out.
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| 17 January, 2005 |
I've been working my tast-buds to the bones on the new Fog City Selection. As
always when I get this close to releasing new things, I'm getting very excited about the blends.
Working with only Virginias for a while has been very interesting, and selecting the right leaf
for these blends has presented interesting challenges. While a couple of supply problems have
delayed release, I'm still shooting for late Februrary, but don't hold me to it. (Have I ever
hit a delivery prediction?)
On the Syrian front, I've been continuing the search, and have tasted a few “Syrian”
Latakia samples from various sources. It seems there's some Cyprian Latakia out there masquerading as
Syrian. I don't know
how much of this stuff is ending up in European blends, but it'll be interesting to taste some of the
new “Syrian” blends that have come along in the wake of Bohemian Scandal's success. (Over
the past couple years, I've noticed that GLPease has become something of a
trend-compass, perhaps even a trend-setter.
It's always intriguing to me when a blend of mine becomes popular, and is soon followed by blends of
similar style from larger houses. I'm flattered, of course! Now, if I could just get one of them
to put me on their payroll...)
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| 1 January, 2005 |
Happy 2005! For the new year, I wish you all peace, happiness and inspiration.
This year marks the beginning of the sixth year of G. L. Pease.
Time flies! It's hard to beleive that 2000 was so long ago! Thanks to all for
your kind support over the years. It's beem quite an adventure.
Very soon, I'll be making a more formal announcement of the upcoming
Fog City Selection, so stay tuned. We're shooting for an early February release,
and things actually look like they may be on target, for a change! (I guess the photo
on the splash page is a bit of a hint...)
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