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Well this is was #cigarMonday and a week ago today. Unfortunately no #cigarSunday this week because i didnt get all the workouts in that I needed, but it will be more sweet next week after the 5km swim in Dartmouth.
So knowing that we were going to be on the road traveling to Toronto from Nova Scotia on both Saturday and Sunday, I planned to have a rare #cigarMonday as we had arranged a visit to my homeland of Milton ON in the afternoon and we were being hosted that night by one of my oldest friends and his family for a BBQ.
So doing my research as a good little food, comic book and cigar nerd that I am I found out that one of the highest rated cigar stores in Toronto was about 25 steps from our hotel.
I think i heard angels sing when i found that out.
So after some breakfast and a quick work out Monday morning, I ventured over to the Casablanca Tobacconist. I was greeted heartily by the caretaker and was given the keys to the walk in humidor.
Again, angels singing, i swear to jebus.
The smell was so awesome!!
There was so much to look at, I was all over the map, looking at cigars high and low, small ones, long ones, light brown, and so brown they were almost black. Inexpensive and crazy expensive ones. Dude that was in there with me laid down 600.00 for the ones he purchased.
I had to jump out before I spent our whole travel budget on cohibas.
I asked for some paper and a pen so that I could go in and start making a list with costs so i could get the most bang for my buck.
As I was going up and down the rows, a little more in control now, I noticed the Flor De Las Antilles by My Fathers Collection.
Beside this box was a hand scratched note ' Cigar of the Year 2013'. It was a lovely looking cigar, exactly the type i like, medium brown in color, 5-6 inches in length and a thicker cigar. I had two in my hand, thinking that maybe my friend would want to have one with me, but put it back because i just couldnt picture him with a cigar in front of his parents who would most likely be having dinner with us tonight. As much fun as it used to be to make him awkward in public ( hehe) I put one back in the case. I would be more then happy to share if he had the desire to try it.
So up to the cash i went with my selection. After a great chat with the owner about my list, and some suggestions and edits, I was out the door with my cigar - about 16.00 with taxes.
We had a very uneventful trip to Milton, until we got to Milton. I left Milton when i was 17 years old and have only been back a few times, most being the couple of years directly after leaving and the last time for my friend Charlie's wedding.
When i left the population was about 29,000. Now it is 125,000.
The town I loved as a kid, the places i had memories of, may still be there in body, but I was having a really hard time finding the spirit of the place. We traveled all over from the hills of Rattlesnake Point and Glen Eden, to my highschool Bishop Redding, elementary school and church Holy Rosary, past my childhood home and haunts, and friends houses long forgot.
What has replaced farmers fields, playgrounds and memories are box stores, massive houses in tightly packed subdivisions. I was beginning to feel so disconnected from a place that was so vibrant in my mind. I was depressed, but I was overwhelmed by how much the place has changed.
We had bopped around town for most of the afternoon and it was time to head to Charlie's house. Now i never asked him before going, but I was so excited to hear his voice on the phone and to hear his parents in the background. Charlie's parents and all of this family that i have had the pleasure to meet along the way are just awesome people. I used to love going to his house when to pick him up either by bike and eventually by car. His mom's pizza is the absolute bomb. I would walk across broken glass for a taste of it, it is just the best.
Family is such an important thing to Charlie and his parents, and that is what they have made me feel like every time I have had the fortune to break bread, or hang out with his parents or cousins, uncles or aunts.
This time would be no different, well a little different as we both have families of our own now. This was going to be the first time that we all were able to get together since we had started our families. My son was really looking forward to this as we also have a strong connection to family and value it above all else, Charlie is his godfather and this was to be the first time they would meet since his baptism. The questions leading up to our meeting from him about 'godfather Charlie' were numerous and never ending.
How did I meet Charlie?
Why was he picked as godfather?
Does this make me part Italian?
Do I get my musical ability from him?
Hilarious.
So we pulled up, and everyone jumped out of the car before i even had it in park. A little excited you could say.
We walked in and were greeted with great big hugs, a couple high fives from the kids on each side and before you could count to 10 a beer in hand.
Charlie and Angela's wee ones, G and Sam, quickly shuttled our two into the living room and began playing minecraft on tablets while the adults had the chance to begin sharing some stories and chat about some current events of the day.
I am not going to play by play dinner but there was a ton of food, all crazy delicious but two things I want to highlight.
The bread and the wine.
Before we went in we warned the kids, eat as much as you like, but be careful not to eat to much of one thing and try everything. Also dont say you really 'love something' because the hospitality of Charlie's family is such that you will go home with a plate full. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but i just wanted them to know the rules.
Hilarious because my wife forgot this about 5 minutes into our visit. She mentioned the bread that we had had the last time we had dinner with Charlie and his parents ( about 20+ years ago) and within seconds, a couple sentences in Italian and a passing off of car keys and Charlie's dad vanished. Daphne didnt even notice what happened, it can happen that quick. I knew what happened right away, but didnt say anything, just smiled. This is the Milton I was looking for.
Okay the wine. Charlie and his dad ( some debate from both of them on who does the most work haha) make wine. Now when i say make wine, i mean make wine, not some store bought kit, these guys are legit. They bring in there grapes, have a grape press in the garage and make enough wine for both families to last a year. They do this every year. There are no preservatives in this wine. It is the best wine i have ever had. The best. It has great legs, a fruity bouquet, hits all the right notes on the mouth and tongue and is incredibly easy to drink. REALLY easy to drink.
Charlie's dad and I put a good dent in a couple of bottles and along with the fantastic meal had many, many laughs. This is the Milton I was looking for and wanted my kids to experience.
After diner it was time to try a scotch that Charlie had, Aberlour 12 year old double cask. It was right up my ally for scotches, had a slight smokey smell on the nose, but that sweet and spicy taste I love from scotch aged in sherry casks.
We adjourned into the back yard, i lit up my cigar, Charlie thanked me for not bringing one for him ( am i good or what) and we all continued chatting and laughing while the kids took turns bouncing on the trampoline.
The cigar was also amazing. If not the best one i have had to date, top two for sure. It has a great medium flavor, lit well and kept a great ash and burn. It was a great fit with the Aberlour as well, and they complimented each other beautifully. The perfect cap on the day, the meal and companionship.
Before we knew it, it was after 11 o'clock at night. Gosh the time flys when you are having fun. After a bunch of pictures, promises not to let such great time gaps keep us apart again, many more hugs we were back on the road heading to Toronto.
I have said before that I dont need a lot of friends, and am happy to have the ones in my life that I do have, true friends are the ones you have, that you may not see or talk with on a regular basis, but when you do get together it is like no time has passed. Charlie is one such friend of mine.
On reflection on our complete trip, this is the night i was looking forward to the most, and this is the night that i treasure the most. Meeting Charlie's boys, his Angela, her sister and getting to see my friend and his parents was a blessing, and one that we continue to treasure as we get back into our scheduled lives.
Milton may have changed its look, its feel, maybe even its spirit, but it is the people and relationships that make any place feel like home.
Thanks again to our gracious hosts, and offer is always open to return the favor here on the east coast.
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
So knowing that we were going to be on the road traveling to Toronto from Nova Scotia on both Saturday and Sunday, I planned to have a rare #cigarMonday as we had arranged a visit to my homeland of Milton ON in the afternoon and we were being hosted that night by one of my oldest friends and his family for a BBQ.
So doing my research as a good little food, comic book and cigar nerd that I am I found out that one of the highest rated cigar stores in Toronto was about 25 steps from our hotel.
I think i heard angels sing when i found that out.
So after some breakfast and a quick work out Monday morning, I ventured over to the Casablanca Tobacconist. I was greeted heartily by the caretaker and was given the keys to the walk in humidor.
Again, angels singing, i swear to jebus.
The smell was so awesome!!
There was so much to look at, I was all over the map, looking at cigars high and low, small ones, long ones, light brown, and so brown they were almost black. Inexpensive and crazy expensive ones. Dude that was in there with me laid down 600.00 for the ones he purchased.
I had to jump out before I spent our whole travel budget on cohibas.
I asked for some paper and a pen so that I could go in and start making a list with costs so i could get the most bang for my buck.
As I was going up and down the rows, a little more in control now, I noticed the Flor De Las Antilles by My Fathers Collection.
Beside this box was a hand scratched note ' Cigar of the Year 2013'. It was a lovely looking cigar, exactly the type i like, medium brown in color, 5-6 inches in length and a thicker cigar. I had two in my hand, thinking that maybe my friend would want to have one with me, but put it back because i just couldnt picture him with a cigar in front of his parents who would most likely be having dinner with us tonight. As much fun as it used to be to make him awkward in public ( hehe) I put one back in the case. I would be more then happy to share if he had the desire to try it.
So up to the cash i went with my selection. After a great chat with the owner about my list, and some suggestions and edits, I was out the door with my cigar - about 16.00 with taxes.
We had a very uneventful trip to Milton, until we got to Milton. I left Milton when i was 17 years old and have only been back a few times, most being the couple of years directly after leaving and the last time for my friend Charlie's wedding.
When i left the population was about 29,000. Now it is 125,000.
The town I loved as a kid, the places i had memories of, may still be there in body, but I was having a really hard time finding the spirit of the place. We traveled all over from the hills of Rattlesnake Point and Glen Eden, to my highschool Bishop Redding, elementary school and church Holy Rosary, past my childhood home and haunts, and friends houses long forgot.
What has replaced farmers fields, playgrounds and memories are box stores, massive houses in tightly packed subdivisions. I was beginning to feel so disconnected from a place that was so vibrant in my mind. I was depressed, but I was overwhelmed by how much the place has changed.
We had bopped around town for most of the afternoon and it was time to head to Charlie's house. Now i never asked him before going, but I was so excited to hear his voice on the phone and to hear his parents in the background. Charlie's parents and all of this family that i have had the pleasure to meet along the way are just awesome people. I used to love going to his house when to pick him up either by bike and eventually by car. His mom's pizza is the absolute bomb. I would walk across broken glass for a taste of it, it is just the best.
Family is such an important thing to Charlie and his parents, and that is what they have made me feel like every time I have had the fortune to break bread, or hang out with his parents or cousins, uncles or aunts.
This time would be no different, well a little different as we both have families of our own now. This was going to be the first time that we all were able to get together since we had started our families. My son was really looking forward to this as we also have a strong connection to family and value it above all else, Charlie is his godfather and this was to be the first time they would meet since his baptism. The questions leading up to our meeting from him about 'godfather Charlie' were numerous and never ending.
How did I meet Charlie?
Why was he picked as godfather?
Does this make me part Italian?
Do I get my musical ability from him?
Hilarious.
So we pulled up, and everyone jumped out of the car before i even had it in park. A little excited you could say.
We walked in and were greeted with great big hugs, a couple high fives from the kids on each side and before you could count to 10 a beer in hand.
Charlie and Angela's wee ones, G and Sam, quickly shuttled our two into the living room and began playing minecraft on tablets while the adults had the chance to begin sharing some stories and chat about some current events of the day.
I am not going to play by play dinner but there was a ton of food, all crazy delicious but two things I want to highlight.
The bread and the wine.
Before we went in we warned the kids, eat as much as you like, but be careful not to eat to much of one thing and try everything. Also dont say you really 'love something' because the hospitality of Charlie's family is such that you will go home with a plate full. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but i just wanted them to know the rules.
Hilarious because my wife forgot this about 5 minutes into our visit. She mentioned the bread that we had had the last time we had dinner with Charlie and his parents ( about 20+ years ago) and within seconds, a couple sentences in Italian and a passing off of car keys and Charlie's dad vanished. Daphne didnt even notice what happened, it can happen that quick. I knew what happened right away, but didnt say anything, just smiled. This is the Milton I was looking for.
Okay the wine. Charlie and his dad ( some debate from both of them on who does the most work haha) make wine. Now when i say make wine, i mean make wine, not some store bought kit, these guys are legit. They bring in there grapes, have a grape press in the garage and make enough wine for both families to last a year. They do this every year. There are no preservatives in this wine. It is the best wine i have ever had. The best. It has great legs, a fruity bouquet, hits all the right notes on the mouth and tongue and is incredibly easy to drink. REALLY easy to drink.
Charlie's dad and I put a good dent in a couple of bottles and along with the fantastic meal had many, many laughs. This is the Milton I was looking for and wanted my kids to experience.
After diner it was time to try a scotch that Charlie had, Aberlour 12 year old double cask. It was right up my ally for scotches, had a slight smokey smell on the nose, but that sweet and spicy taste I love from scotch aged in sherry casks.
We adjourned into the back yard, i lit up my cigar, Charlie thanked me for not bringing one for him ( am i good or what) and we all continued chatting and laughing while the kids took turns bouncing on the trampoline.
The cigar was also amazing. If not the best one i have had to date, top two for sure. It has a great medium flavor, lit well and kept a great ash and burn. It was a great fit with the Aberlour as well, and they complimented each other beautifully. The perfect cap on the day, the meal and companionship.
Before we knew it, it was after 11 o'clock at night. Gosh the time flys when you are having fun. After a bunch of pictures, promises not to let such great time gaps keep us apart again, many more hugs we were back on the road heading to Toronto.
I have said before that I dont need a lot of friends, and am happy to have the ones in my life that I do have, true friends are the ones you have, that you may not see or talk with on a regular basis, but when you do get together it is like no time has passed. Charlie is one such friend of mine.
On reflection on our complete trip, this is the night i was looking forward to the most, and this is the night that i treasure the most. Meeting Charlie's boys, his Angela, her sister and getting to see my friend and his parents was a blessing, and one that we continue to treasure as we get back into our scheduled lives.
Milton may have changed its look, its feel, maybe even its spirit, but it is the people and relationships that make any place feel like home.
Thanks again to our gracious hosts, and offer is always open to return the favor here on the east coast.
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
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