2012-09-03 Reviews of CIGARS and BOOTS at Bourbon Street
Review by Mr. San Diego Leather 2012 Aaron:
There was a diverse group of men that showed up to the cigar social. It was nice to see some of our younger members conversing with our "classic leathermen". This event was very laid back and casual.
Men enjoying their cigars and pipes, getting their boots shined by Spike and Cobi, and enjoying the company of each other. It was very reminiscent of Smokeout in Vegas. We look forward to making this the first Saturday event every month. As the weather cools off, I am sure more and more men will join us.
We had a great turnout considering it was a holiday weekend. Please tell your friends (smokers or not) to please join us. It is a great time for everyone to drop the shields and enjoy one another's company. Thank you to Bourbon Street for being our new host. The staff was amazing. We look forward to spending more time with them. See you all next month.
Review by Mr. San Diego Leather 2010 Anthony:
I had a great time at The Cigar Social hosted by Aaron Duke. It's been months since I even smoked a good cigar and I think Bourbon Street is a great venue for Cigar smoking and I'm very happy to see Aaron making this a monthly event. A Cigar Social is just that. Yes, some guys smoke Cigars or pipes. Some don't. But, it is also a social. A time to meet new people or catch up with friends you don't see out much.
I love it when I get the opportunity to introduce a new young man to the leather community to someone who's been in the leather community for 20 yrs. or more. It was also a great opportunity for me to bring my boy out for his first social event. He has only been collared for a month and although we have spent a lot of time together, I was looking forward to a social event like this to see how he would do.
Although we had discussed proper protocols as Sir and boy in a social setting I forgot to mention taking my cigar ash. So as my ash was getting longer he asked if I would like an ash tray. I told him to get on his knees and open his mouth. He did as I told him with a trusting but puzzled look on his face as I flicked my ash in his mouth and told him to swallow. He's a good boy and without question he swallowed. This is my first boy and the first time I'd given him my ash. I'm 41 and it's not often that I do things for the first time.
Since joining the San Diego Leather Community almost 3 yrs. ago I have experienced many first times. You might not like smoking Cigars or wearing boots or even swallowing an ash. But, I think we all enjoy the excitement from doing something for the first time. Even if it's going to your first Cigar Social.
So if you're reading this and are thinking about going, please do. Because this might be the beginning of a lot of new experiences and first times for you.
Big Hugs & Leather Love! :-)
Review by Papa Tony:
On Saturday afternoon, September 1, Mr. San Diego Leather 2011 Anthony and Mr. San Diego Leather 2012 Aaron hosted a CIGARS & BOOTS social on the patio at Bourbon Street, at 4612 Park Blvd from 4-7PM.
This picture shows around half of the men who showed up.
This new monthly event got off to a great start. I'm estimating that between forty and fifty men showed up over the three-hour event to congratulate Aaron on his recent title win, smoke a cigar or two, catch up with old friends, build new friendships and get their Saturday evening started.
The best part about Anthony and Aaron's leadership on creating this event is that they have attracted the very best-quality men in San Diego. Yes, I'm putting a value-judgment on people, but it's justified. The kindest, wisest, most-experienced heavy players showed up in much greater numbers than I have seen in many years. This is an incredible breakthrough, and our Tribe needs more reasons to entice these fine men back into the public eye.
There was a larger-than-normal number of properly-collared boys than you usually see at an average event (and that is a very good thing), and the other boys were showing intense interest in the Daddies, Sirs and Masters on display. They'll get properly trained soon enough!
This event could easily have been bigger (like the first Cigars & Boots event two years ago that Anthony hosted, shown above), but there were factors working against it - It was Labor Day weekend (every bar and restaurant in town had low turnout), and I screwed up the publicity, causing confusion over whether the event was still going on.
Still, it was a superb, majestic beginning, and the weather is going to get cooler on the patio as the months will go by, allowing men to get leathered-up, and build our Tribe's newest monthly tradition to even better successes!
