2019 West Coast Pipe Show Nov 2&3

[litup]

jguss - I agree. I came Friday and left Monday morning but Sunday night was, if I'm being totally honest, kind of boring. There were friends I tried to hang out with that night but one decided to leave the hotel grounds and the other congregated in someone's smoking room instead of trying to wander the casino for a place to gather. In both cases the hotel missed out on potential sales of food and drinks and, potentially, future booked nights if people start cutting their stays shorter.

People may wonder why we all didn't just book smoking rooms then? Well, some of us did but at check-in were told they were out of smoking rooms and had to stay in non-smoking rooms.

 

[JimInks]

Great point; this is actually a huge deal. Ever since the remodel of the Palace Station began this has been an issue. If pipe guys are coming to the show then there should be a place for them to smoke, full stop. The show books a block of rooms from Thursday through Sunday nights. If the show is meeting its commitment to the hotel in part with rooms booked on Thursday and Sunday nights, then people arriving early and leaving late absolutely should be able to count on having someplace to smoke a pipe and hang out with friends, and I don't mean clustering around a slot machine on the casino floor or huddling outside on a bench.

I've been going to the show for about a decade, almost always coming on Thursday and leaving on Monday. If from now on there's not going to be anywhere to smoke on Thursday and Sunday then I'll start arriving Friday and leaving on Sunday and the hotel will lose two nights booking. And you can multiply that by perhaps 10-25; I know a lot of guys who will do exactly the same thing.

We need to let them know this, otherwise no change may be what we get.

 

[jguss]

People may wonder why we all didn't just book smoking rooms then? Well, some of us did but at check-in were told they were out of smoking rooms and had to stay in non-smoking rooms.

The front desk told me that as part of the general renovation they reduced the inventory of smoking rooms by half, from two dedicated floors to only one (the only smoking floor now is 14).

 

[weezell]

GREAT STUFF! Thank you all for the pics...

 

[americaman]

Did anyone get to try the 1980s Balkan Sobranie that Marty was handing out? What an awesome guy, and what an amazing experience to get to try some.

 

[npod]

People may wonder why we all didn't just book smoking rooms then? Well, some of us did but at check-in were told they were out of smoking rooms and had to stay in non-smoking rooms.

Bingo! That happened to me. I was frustrated.

 

[scloyd]

Great thread, great pics. Thanks for posting everyone.

 

[sablebrush52]

That almost happened to me as well. I had reserved a smoking room for last weekend way back in March. When I was checking in I told was that the hotel could not guarantee a smoking room even if "reserved" because of the lack of inventory and that it was on a first come first served basis. The only reason that I got one was a matter of timing. One became available while I was checking in.
Basically, don't count on it. But that's negligible compared to the other pleasures of the show.

 

[jguss]

Basically, don't count on it. But that's negligible compared to the other pleasures of the show.

Another great point. I highlight aspects of the show that frustrate me and feel can be improved precisely because I think it's such a great event and want to see it thrive. I'm grateful to Steve & Marty for putting it on; as long as the West Coast Pipe Show happens I plan to be there.

 

[craiginthecorn]

View attachment 7192View attachment 7193

That's some bad ass bokeh!

 

[npod]

That's some bad ass bokeh!

 

[cshubhra]

A lot of members attended, but only the handymen (Or was it handsymen???) were identified in the photos. How do we identify the rest?

 

[sablebrush52]

Got this in my email.
Yes, that is a Dunhill I'm smoking, one that once belonged to Alfred Hitchcock:


Looking at that stare, I now understand why everyone seems afraid to enter my office at Warner Brothers.
Here's most of the table. minus the photographer, Matt Guss, man of tobacco.

Left to right, Jon, Peter, Richard, moi, and Jim.

 

[mau1]

There we go. All the usual suspects.

 

[americaman]

Here’s a photo of me with Shane Ireland. He shared some 1980s Rattray’s Brown Clunee with me. Absolutely amazing stuff, and a great guy with a wealth of knowledge.

The second photo is with Brian Levine and Mike McNeill. Mike grabbed Brian for the photo, but I had never even met him. Wish I had talked to him, but I talked with Mike a few times, and he is a great conversationalist with a lot of wit and a unique sense of humor. Absolutely warm and welcoming and kept calling his wife trying to get her to meet me. I really appreciated the fact that he recognized I was a fan of McClelland and tried to get his wife up to meet me. Everyone at the pipe show was really open, as if we’re a group of brothers and sisters that meet up once a year for our family reunion.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Nice!

Word on Brian: He's really shy, so it's good you didn't try to talk with him.

 

[cshubhra]

Really nice!!!

 

[mau1]

Always great to put faces to names. Thanks.

 

[JimInks]

Here's a link to some WCPS interviews that Mike Murphy of the Pipe and Tamper podcast site did. I'm one of the interviewees.

Pipe and Tamper: 2019 West Coast Pipe Show

EP56 - Just back from the 2019 West Coast Pipe Show in Las Vegas, your host Mike talks about this years show and sits down to chat with 10 different pipe show participants. I hope you enjoy the recap of this years West Coast Pipe Show.

pipeandtamper.com

 

[sablebrush52]

Since this thread has been revived, here's a picture I just received from Scottie:

It was a real pleasure to get to meet her after all these years. I ended up buying a spectacular pipe from her, and helped sell a couple more.