My turn, and I do indeed have some tough acts to follow: Jud and Rolldog pretty much covered it all. So I'll do a more personalized report. First, thanks so much to Jud for the ride--I got him where I wanted him, in an enclosed space where the poor fellow couldn't evade my endless questions.
When we reached Paul's, I smiled at the sign on front: Smoking Permitted, All Others Free to Hold Their Breath. Heh.
When I entered, I think my jaw left a dent in the floor: This was Candy Land for a piper, all manner of pipes scattered throughout the shop, a thousand at least. Jude directed me to the home-grown Cayuga line, made by the Italian-American proprietors out of Italian briar. Magnificent pipes in quality and variety. I was finally drawn to some rusticated billiards, picked one that the charming attendant and family member, Rachel, allowed me to handle. I put it back for a moment on its display panel, looked down further, and saw this one, a Shell Grain billiard black with a deep translucent ultramarine blue stem:
A Shell Grain like this?! I immediately grabbed it, and handed it to Rachel for me to pay for after getting some other sundry items: flints, lighter fluid, Sutliff tins. Rachel added some tobacco samples including their signature blend, Arrowhead. I saw Jud had chosen his pipe, of which I was intensely jealous (just ignore that shadowy figure in your yard, Jud, :evil
), but I think I will have to get this pipe later as well. Jud graciously helped identify types of pipes I had heard of but never actually seen. Amazing.
After our purchases it was off to the pipe related tobaccoanna museum. More amazements followed, pipes and pipe items going back decades.
With smiles from ear to ear, we finally headed out to a nearby cafe, where Rolldog generously paid for my latte, and we spent another thirty minutes chatting about our acquisitions and pipe talk in general, then headed back out for our cars and home. A great and fruitful time, one I will not easily forget, and I'm sure we're going to return perhaps in the spring. Thanks again to Jud for hauling me, and pointing out the Cayuga line, and to Rolldog for joining us. Jud passed out the Sutliff goodies (I already had most of mine from earlier) and there was some talk about visiting Hill and Hill next month. A wonderful road trip, and thanks to Jud for arranging it. Hope to see the others soon next time!
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