For pipestering enthusiasts who like to participate in meetups and clubs, I nominate Philadelphia, PA as the Centre of the Universe. This is not so much that it is the home of the venerable Christopher Morley's Pipe Club, but that there are a number of other active pipe clubs within an easy drive. Although CMPC hosted the first Slow Smoke Event sanctioned by the World Cup, and it along with the New York PC helped form the United Pipe Clubs of America, it is actually informal and freeform in structure. There are no meeting agendas, minutes, themes or formal presentations. We're not even sure if we have officers. But the tradition is so strong that the meetings take place monthly without fail, and have done so for decades.
Rather, what inspires my nomination is that there are other active clubs within easy reach of Philly, most notably the New York Pipe Club. The new Lehigh Valley PC is small but vigorous, even to the point of being rowdy. I blame their dearth of women members, since Morley's, which habitually has women as 15% of the attendees, shares a number of members. The NJ Fellowship of Pipe Smokers meets at the JRCigars, which is where there is always the party-after-the-party when the NY Pipe Show occurs; and they faithfully commemorate IPSD, once even having the local paper interview and videotape the group. The Chesapeake PC meets in Baltimore, MD and Doc Garr has the PIPE in the Poconos. Most recently, the YouTube based PSNJ has been meeting monthly in Vineland, NJ.
Pennsylvania is relatively liberal with tobacco taxes, compared other states and especially other countries. However, it is as bad as many other states for smoking friendly venues, but at least you can sample the wares in the tobacconists. And there is a good density of population to actually find pipe smokers.
There are also several pipe shows and events which are easy day trips: the New York show - now actually in Newark, NJ; Richmond's CORPS (at least for the last 30 years), the Northeast/Kaywoodie Holiday Party - hosted by the Hudson Valley PC; and the Columbus, OH NASPC August shows. I suppose the occasional pilgrimages to Boswell in Chambersburg, PA that spring up occasionally might qualify.
Discuss. I'd like to uncover other groups of like-minded puffers.
hp
les
Rather, what inspires my nomination is that there are other active clubs within easy reach of Philly, most notably the New York Pipe Club. The new Lehigh Valley PC is small but vigorous, even to the point of being rowdy. I blame their dearth of women members, since Morley's, which habitually has women as 15% of the attendees, shares a number of members. The NJ Fellowship of Pipe Smokers meets at the JRCigars, which is where there is always the party-after-the-party when the NY Pipe Show occurs; and they faithfully commemorate IPSD, once even having the local paper interview and videotape the group. The Chesapeake PC meets in Baltimore, MD and Doc Garr has the PIPE in the Poconos. Most recently, the YouTube based PSNJ has been meeting monthly in Vineland, NJ.
Pennsylvania is relatively liberal with tobacco taxes, compared other states and especially other countries. However, it is as bad as many other states for smoking friendly venues, but at least you can sample the wares in the tobacconists. And there is a good density of population to actually find pipe smokers.
There are also several pipe shows and events which are easy day trips: the New York show - now actually in Newark, NJ; Richmond's CORPS (at least for the last 30 years), the Northeast/Kaywoodie Holiday Party - hosted by the Hudson Valley PC; and the Columbus, OH NASPC August shows. I suppose the occasional pilgrimages to Boswell in Chambersburg, PA that spring up occasionally might qualify.
Discuss. I'd like to uncover other groups of like-minded puffers.
hp
les
