Howdy from Oakland

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Howdy all!

I started smoking a pipe in my early 20's when I was living in Chicago and working one block away from Iwan Ries on Wabash. That would've been the year 2001 or so. I was looking to buy a cigar for my stepdad, walked into Iwan Ries and the heavenly room note immediately sent me back to my childhood and those glorious wafts of sweet, old man pipe smoke.

I fell out of the habit before long, likely on account of those brutally cold winters as I was forced to smoke out on the back deck of our apartment.
I'm happy to report I now live in a much milder climate (Oakland, CA), and have taken up pipe smoking once again.

I picked up a nice new little meerschaum piece from SmokingPipes, as well as an estate Savinelli and many tins of tobacco (Peterson Standard Mixture, Nightcap, EMP, Presbyterian, Quiet Nights, Reiner LGF/Blend71, SPC Plum Pudding, Maltese Falcon, and most recently Scotty's Trout Stream).

I've really enjoyed the YouTube videos by MuttnChopPiper, and I'm pleased to be back into the briar. Thanks for having me!

 

[danimalia]

Right on! I'm just down the road in Fremont. I used to live in Oakland for a while. Great town. You go to the Piedmont Tobacconist? It's a nice, but small shop with some great bulk selections.

 

[spartacus]

Welcome from Arizona!

 

[mso489]

Welcome aboard from central N.C. I grew up in Chicagoland and commuted to Navy Pier when it was a satellite campus to University of Illinois. I never made it to Iwan Ries, but Wabash was my home base for my camera enthusiasm.

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Right on! I'm just down the road in Fremont. I used to live in Oakland for a while. Great town. You go to the Piedmont Tobacconist? It's a nice, but small shop with some great bulk selections.

Yeah, I've been in there once or twice. I'll probably stop back in soon as it has been a few years since I've visited. It was cozy, as you eluded. I only smoke 1 bowl a day on weekdays, maybe 2 per day on weekends, so I don't often need to resupply. Nice to have them nearby though in case of emergency.

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

Welcome from East Tennessee

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Welcome aboard from central N.C. I grew up in Chicagoland and commuted to Navy Pier when it was a satellite campus to University of Illinois. I never made it to Iwan Ries, but Wabash was my home base for my camera enthusiasm.

Thanks! Oh boy, Iwan Ries is heavenly. The dark wooden walls are 2nd only to the heavenly smells drifting throughout. One hell of a pipe collection, and plenty of tobacco. If you ever make it back that way your really must drop by.

I used to have a Pentax K1000 around that time and I recall a great camera shop near there as well. I mostly took b&w photos and I had some rolls developed there. I can't recall the shop's name, but I was working as a runner for a diamond/jewelry store at 1 South Wabash. It was quite a job for a 20 year old young man, walking around the Loop with upto $25,000 worth of diamonds/jewelry on me at any given time. I usually didn't have to go far, and got to see the vaults and back rooms of many different jewelers and casting shops.

 

[Bowie]

Greetings from Minnesota

 

[hobie1dog]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[cigrmaster]

Welcome from Florida. My oldest son lives in Oakland and really likes it.

 

[derhammer]

welcome to the forum!

 

[Spa32]

Welcome from Wisconsin. What series Savinelli did you pick up?

 

[supperthyme]

Howdy!

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Welcome from Wisconsin. What series Savinelli did you pick up?

I'm from Wisconsin originally! I picked up this little beauty...

 

[Humblepipe]

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

View attachment 8372

Nice! I spend a lot of my time up in your area. Lots of bike rides from Monte Rio out to Cazadero and then King Ridge to Salt Point and down the 1 to Jenner and back into Monte Rio. Lots of time in Santa Rosa too. Looking to move up that way as soon as I can find an affordable 1 bedroom cabin/cottage.

 

[Humblepipe]

Nice! I spend a lot of my time up in your area. Lots of bike rides from Monte Rio out to Cazadero and then King Ridge to Salt Point and down the 1 to Jenner and back into Monte Rio. Lots of time in Santa Rosa too. Looking to move up that way as soon as I can find an affordable 1 bedroom cabin/cottage.

Johnny, outstanding. PM me when you are going to be in the area. Who knows... maybe we can do a tobacco exchange and smoke pipes? It really is paradise up here. Wildlife, the river, and mountain-man living. We are just hoping to avoid wildfires. Evacuating sucked!

 

[Humblepipe]

I'm from Wisconsin originally! I picked up this little beauty...

View attachment 8366

Classic looking. I like it. I have an old 315 KS.

 

[redglow]

Welcome aboard from Detroit! Enjoy that weather out there. 22 degrees here.

 

[stbruno70]

Welcome to the wit and wisdom of the forums. The Piedmont is a classic tobacconist - are the dogs still there? Should you ever travel to Mill Valley in Marin, please look up the golden Gate Pipe Club that meets at Telford's Pipe shop.