OUT OF BOUNDS with Jason Razzo

More over Anderson Cooper, This is Out of Bounds with Jason Razzo. Clearly the news can be completely unrelated to anything that the dinosuar media considers news.



Enjoy,

Jason

FROM THE ASHES

I returned to smoking last night after taking 4 months off. I cannot say that this is going to be an everyday, or even weekly thing, I just craved a smoke, believe it or not, it helps relieve stress. On a whim I dropped into What's Knot To Love cigar shop Denver, Colorado. My man Matt Rosen is always working. I had about five minutes and just wanted to say hello. He immediately began talking cigars specifically the Los Blancos.
As always, Matt adorned me with a Los Blancos smoke per his compliments. The Los Blancos Double Corona Maduro 7x52. I have to say, not bad. Upon visual inspection of it's construction, I notice an even color of the Maduro wrapper grown in Nicaragua. If had a pleasant fragrance of golden raisins. However, I did guess right that this cigar would draw inconsistent and burn uneven.
Burning with a loose flaking ash, I did enjoy subtle cherry wood aromas. Actually, the six foot blonde walking her dog across the park was down wind and when she passes by she said, "that cigar smells great" I replied, "you like it" answer, "yes it is very rich." Well now that as a pleasant exchange and since this blog is rated PG-13 I'll just say the cigar was not the only thing that was rich.
A very enjoyable mid-bodied maduro with excellent forward and after flavors. Perhaps one of the smaller sizes will yield better construction and a more consistent burn. Starting at $6 Los Blancos is worth a try.



Thanks,

Jason

Bird Craps on Sharpe James - Federal Judge Follows

Sharpe James takes the bus

It's official, Sharpe James is guilty on all counts in a 5-counts federal corruption indictment and will face jail time. Fitting that the courts crapped on him the same way a bird does in this video.

I have to say, this whole process has been very entertaining. Sharpe can't resist making a fool of himself when the cameras are on.

THE SURVEYS IN

LA PARMA II, Huntington, NY is in Zagat Survey top 1000 Italian restaurants in the U.S.A. There is no mention of what I have been saying for nearly 10 years, this restaurant is consistent as the day is long! On a recent visit, it is almost like going home for dinner. Adorned in the essence of roasted garlic, accompanied by fine wine every patron is sure to find a dish to please the palette. If not, just ask Giancarlo for something special. Just do not do it on Saturday or Sunday night. They'll run you out of town on the LIRR. Recommendations, Fried Calamari Arrabiata, Penne Al Vodka, Chicken Verdi, Steak Pizzola, Zuppa clams over pasta, Linguine White Clam Sauce. Dessert, Tartufo, Tartoni, Supmoni, Homemade cheesecake, cannoli, napoleon. I'm done here.

Absolut - what I WON'T pair with a cigar henceforth

Cigar Jack was all over this and it took a week or so for me to get around to it.

I am officially done with Absolut. Not that I was a big Vodka drinker in the first place, but I am most certainly never ordering an Absolut anything after this disgrace.

So they are trying to appeal to Mexican drinkers. Oh yeah, they love their Vodka down there. Hell, I remember tossing back a lot of Vodka Margaritas when I was in Cancun 8 years ago.

I am just taking a wild guess here, the Vodka market is the US is triple what Mexico's is. I am probably grossly underestimating that.

They dug up the jersey - on a Sunday

The city that never sleeps - especially if they know a Red Sox jersey is buried in the foundation!
Well folks, looks like the mystery has been solved. Turns out this was not a hoax, a "martyr" in the war between Red Sox Nation and the Evil Empire really did plant a Red Sox shirt in the walls of the New Yankee Stadium.

And for someone who claimed the Red Sox Nation was a bunch of B.S., the Steinbrenners put their construction firm to work on a Sunday to ensure that this relic, which turned out to be a David Ortiz replica jersey, was unearthed to prevent from any "curse" befalling upon the new ball yard. And taking it a step further, since that is the Yankee way, execs are exploring criminal charges on the construction worker who planted the jersey.

The pic says it all here, this guy looks like he saw a ghost! Oh yeah, he saw a ghost alright -- and that's how all of this starts!

Camacho SLR Maduro Gigante

I had to put this pic in. Smoking a Camacho SLR maduro and loving it. A substantial smoke in terms of flavor and construction. Velvet feel, nearly perfect draw. A smoky cigar, I pick up a lot of coffee notes in this cigar. Great cigar to enjoy during a breezy sunset in New Jersey. Creamy white ashes that stood up to the breezes. At $11, certainly a premium smoke.

Partagas Decadas Robusto - a perfect lunchtime treat

I am convinced that the robusto is the best size cigar to enjoy on an a lunch break. Extended or otherwise. Today's robusto was a Partagas Decadas with a well aged maduro wrappper. I haven't smoke Partagas in a while, its been a favorite of mine for years. When the black label came out I was all over it.

The green label Partagas was an elegant smoke. Pre-light draw was fairly smooth. I was expecting a strong spiceness, up front. There were storng flavors, mostly of coffee and cedar, but it had a nice clean finish. These falvors were prevelant from start to finish, not a lot of nuances or surprises.

Price range is a little steep at $25. I seem to be gravitating toward spicier cigars as of late and was expecting a nice punch to it. Didn't get it, but overall, I really enjoyed this smoke.

Red Sox Nation Strikes Again

Using CIA-esque tactics, Red Sox Nation has once again found a way to thwart the Evil Empire. Today's New York Post has the exclusive story on how a few loyal sons of Fenway have infiltrated the ranks of the construction workers on the new Yankee Stadium and have buried a Red Sox T-shirt into the foundation of the ballpark in the Bronx that will open up next year.

Genius, I tell you, pure Genius.

Take that Steinbrenners!

Gee, who's playing tonight? Oh yes, Major League Baseball's version of the Hatfields v. McCoys.

Perfect timing on this story guys, who said the PR Department at Fenway has taken a hit since Dr. Steinberg left?

Bill Buckner's Return to Boston

On countless occasions on this site, I have emphatically stated my affinity for the Boston Red Sox and more often than not, had to lament on their post-season apocolyptic downfalls. Of coruse, that was before 2004 when the world as we knew it flipped upside down and the locals put the past in the past and took home the title.

The poster child for Red Sox post season futility has been one Bill Buckner. Unfairly, the downfall of 1986 World Series has been pinned to Mr. Buckner's bum legs as a harmless ground ball went "behind the bag" and Ray Knight famously crossed home plate in extra innings. Things got so bad for Buckner that he received death threats and never stepped foot into Fenway since.

Until yesterday as Buckner got a deserving "Heroes Welcome" on opening day at the Park yesterday and threw out the first pitch. I remember Buckner being so instrumental in their route to the World Series that year and that his lifetime numbers were quite good. Calvin Schiraldi, on the other hand, should still remain away from Fenway at all costs.

Weekend warriors - demolition and rebuilding the kitchen

I had to put some pics up from the kitchen remodeling job that I was doing during the weekend. Talk about a sense of accomplishment, I feel like I can do anything now that I did this.

601 Green Oscuro - hope you like spice

Let's give Eddie Ortega credit; he knows that on the Scoville Heat Index, the measure for hot a pepper is, he knows that green in actually hotter than red.

Well, maybe he doesn't know that and it is merely a coincidence.

But I couldn't help but think that was the reason he gave the 601 Habano Oscuro La Fuerza a green label. All I could think of while enjoying this easy drawing, quick burning, wonderfully constructed cigars was "Man, its like smoking a poblano pepper."

Many people think that the fastest way to quell the extra spice on your tongue is by drinking water - this only exacerbates it. Actually, honey is the best remedy to calm down a burning tongue, which is why restaurants in New Mexico keep small jars of the bee juice on the table.

But I digress. So I am smoking this at Fume in Montclair and my eyes are burning and I begin to think about putting it out. But I feel myself compelled to finish it, in the same manner that I would when I empty a packet of hot mustard onto an egg roll when I order Chinese.

In all, I am a fan of this cigar, even though immediately after I smoked it, I told my buddy Sherpa that I wasn't. But like spicy food, your initial reaction is "I'll never do that again" until you see a spicy dish on the menu and say "I gotta have it."