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YES, I DID IT. I ACTUALLY SOLD CIGARS AND WINE AT A TRENDY, BUT ELEGANT SPOT IN NYC. THIS TOOK THE EDGE OFF OF THE RIGORS OF FILM SCHOOL & MODELING IN MANHATTAN.

HOW AND WHY DID I GET INVOLVED? WHAT SPARKED MY INTEREST? OTHER THAN MY EUROPEAN ROOTS AND PASSION FOR INTERNATIONAL CUISINE... CURIOSITY!

MY GRANDPAS BOTH SMOKED AN OCCASIONAL CHURCHILL. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE SCENT NEVER BOTHERED ME. IT ACTUALLY REMINDED ME OF LICORICE OR A SPICE RACK.

I ALREADY HAD KNOWLEDGE OF ITALIAN, FRENCH AND SPANISH WINES, FROM WITHIN MY FAMILY MAKE-UP. WHEN YOU GROW UP SURROUNDED BY CHEFS WHO TEACH YOU HOW TO COOK ON A STOOL AT 5 YEARS OLD, YOU LEARN EARLY-ON HOW TO PAIR (MATCH) WINE WITH FOOD.

HOWEVER, IT WAS FROM NEW YORK TO ITALY TO FRANCE, THAT I BEGIN MATING THE THREE SUCCESSFULLY. WITH OR WITHOUT FOOD, THERE IS A CERTAIN SCIENCE THAT I FORMULATED IN MENU FORMAT {MY SECRET}. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A PERFECT CIGAR FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER. THE SAME RULE APPLIES FOR WINE IF ONE MUST START AT SUNRISE.

WHILE I DON'T FANCY ALCOHOLISM, EMPHYSEMA, SMOKING OR DRINKING, TO EACH IS OWN.

ONE THING I DID DO IN TRAINING, NOT ONLY FOR PROTOCOL, BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ONE MUST HAVE A TASTE OF A PRODUCT, OR TEST IT BEFORE IT CAN BE OPTIMALLY SOLD... I TASTED THE WRAPPERS. 

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO DISCOVER THAT THE DON GUILLERMO VANILLA WAS BY FAR, THE SWEETEST OF ALL THE CIGARS, THEREBY MAKING IT MY FAVORITE. I CALL IT THE "DESSERT OR LADY'S CIGAR".

MY BEST SELLERS, DUE TO POPULARITY, WERE THE COHIBA TRIANGULO, NOT TOO MILD BUT JUST SPICY ENOUGH! (AVERAGE SIZE DOMINICAN CIGAR, TORPEDO SHAPE… OF COURSE CUBA HAS A VERSION), DON GUILLERMO VANILLA (PETIT, SLIM, SWEET) & ARTURO FUENTE (PRICEY- IN YOUR FACE- MUHAMMAD ALI- PREDICTABLY GOOD)

{MACANUDO, ROMEO y JULIETA, MONTECRISTO, CAMACHO, HOYO de MONTERREY, LA GLORIA CUBANA, LA FLOR de JAVA, DAVIDOFF, EXCALIBUR, ABAM, PARTAGAS & PUNCH WERE IN TOP RUNNINGS}

AS FOR MY WHITE WINE PICK, I CHOOSE THE SANTA MARGARITA PINOT GRIGIO. IT'S CRISP, COOL, A BIT TART, BUT REFRESHING. SORT OF LIKE WHAT GATORADE IS TO AN ATHLETE. SUPERB WITH LITE PASTA, SEAFOOD, SORBET, MILD CHEESE, GRAPES & BREAD… WHITE ZINFANDEL IS WHAT I CALL A "CHEAT WINE". IT GOES WELL WITH THESE FOODS ALSO, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A BLUSH WINE, PINK IN COLOR (ROSÉ or BLANC DE NOIR IN FRANCE).

RED SELECTIONS ARE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, BEAUJOLAIS (Supérieur OR Primeur- extremes), CHABLIS (BLANCHOTS or BOUGROS) & CHIANTI CLASSIC RESERVE (Ruffina) WITH PASTA, MEAT & POTATOES, SHARP CHEESE, FRUIT & BREAD (ALSO A COMPLIMENT TO CHOCOLATE).

I CAN'T FORGET RAMIREZ de LA PISCINA 1994 GRAN RESERVA RIOJA (SMOKEY, EARTHY RED WINE- MANCHEGO CHEESE BRINGS OUT ITS FRUITINESS, ALSO FABULOUS WITH BARBECUE).

A RARE FIND IS BRUNELLO (BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO)! ONLY MADE IN ITALY, BOTTLED EVERY FOUR YEARS AND IS A RICH SHADE OF BROWN! EXCELLENT ACCOMPANIMENT WITH HEARTY STEWS, PÂTÉ, BREAD AND NUTS.

FINALLY, PROSECCO SPUMANTE "SUPERIORE di CARTIZZE" FROM A SUBZONE WITHIN VALDOBBIADENE- A SPARKLING WINE THAT COMPLIMENTS ANY DESSERT. (ALSO KNOWN AS BALBI, GLERA, SERPRINA, & TONDO)

ALL DELICIOUS & AFFORDABLE WITH OR WITHOUT FOOD!

SALUTE!

JOHN 2:3-10

3 When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no more wine." 4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what is that to you and to Me. It is not time for Me to work yet." 5 His mother said to the helpers, "Do whatever He says."  6 Six stone water jars were there. Each one held about one-half barrel of water. These water jars were used in the Jewish worship of washing. 7 Jesus said to the helpers, "Fill the jars with water." They filled them to the top. 8 Then He said, "Take some out and give it to the head man who is caring for the people." They took some to him. 9 The head man tasted the water that had become wine. He did not know where it came from but the helpers who took it to him knew. He called the man who had just been married. 10 The head man said to him, "Everyone puts out his best wine first. After people have had much to drink, he puts out the wine that is not so good. You have kept the good wine until now!"
 

IT'S OKAY TO CELEBRATE LIFE, BUT REMEMBER MODERATION IS KEY!

Currently listening : Louis Prima - His Greatest Hits By Louis Prima Release date: By 18 October, 1994