Los Angeles Pipe Club

[jdub]

Hi all! I have lurked on here for some time and wanted to finally break the ice. I have lived in Los Angeles for almost a decade and wanted to take a shot at starting a proper pipe club in LA. So far I have the site and Twitter/Instagram accounts up and running. The site (http://losangelespipeclub.org) is up with a coming soon page. Feel free to submit your email to be kept up to date on progress.
Anyone interested in helping to launch the club please let me know!
Cheers!

 

[mso489]

Have any of the LA pipe clubs ever met at, or done a field trip, to the original Tinder Box on Wilshire? Maybe

I should ask if it's still there. I'm on the other coast but was homeported in Long Beach on my minesweeper,

and took excursions into LA, and have since had a business trip (still years ago).

 

[sablebrush52]

The Original Tinderbox is still there. The Southwest Pipe and Cigar Club, if it's the one that I'm thinking of, meets in the greater L.A. area, but not in L.A. They weren't meeting anywhere near where I live, more like an hour away. I would love to have a place that I could go to without driving through endless miles of LA traffic. One problem is where to find a place to meet. The tobacconist lounge scene in L.A. is OK for cigars, but pipes that aren't hookahs?

 

[jdub]

I am familiar with the http://swpcl.org/ but if I recall the meetings are always held in places like Arcadia, Anaheim, Thousand Oaks, Lake Forest, etc. from their meeting list. I personally live in Pasadena which makes the meetings in Arcadia a tolerable (LA) drive.
The concept of the LA Pipe Club was to have meetings more central to downtown LA where people can drive 30min or less (ideally) to meet. Being that LA/SoCal is one of the biggest metro areas in the country it seems there should be enough people interested.
Interest will be gauged by the number of people who signup to be updated. I have already discussed with some places in Pasadena, Downtown, Glendale, and Santa Monica regarding holding potential meetings and all were very receptive.

 

[sablebrush52]

That would work for me! I live in Burbank, so a more central meeting would be most welcome.
Mike, those folks more service Orange County and the outer environs. From a traffic and commute standpoint, they might was well be meeting in Colorado.

 

[racerx]

I'm a bit of a social recluse, but I'd consider crawling out of my hermit cave in Long Beach for an LA pipe club meeting.

 

[sorringowl]

That sounds like a great idea! Would love to meet up with fellow pipers in the L.A. area. Count me in!

 

[jdub]

Hi all just a quick update for those following this thread. Planning on getting a first kick-off meeting scheduled for next month (July). Have gotten a good bit of interest from the Instagram community and working to spread the word and finish a initial website.
http://losangelespipeclub.org

http://instagram.com/losangelespipeclub

http://twitter.com/LAPipeClub
Any feedback on locations and time of week to hold meetings would be a lot of help!
Thanks!

 

[sablebrush52]

Let me know when you have a meeting set! I'd love to join in. I won't be available until after July 7. I'd be happy to bring along a jar of Easy Chair, a Balkan blend, to share.

 

[jdub]

FYI the first meeting will be July 20th 4pm at State Social House please see the site for more info!
http://losangelespipeclub.org

 

[sablebrush52]

Just thought I'd give this a bump since the first meeting is in a week. Here's the link. I'm planning to go. I hope that there will be others from this forum.
LA Pipe Club Home Page

 

[briarfriar]

Best wishes from your brethren in New York City!

 

[eightywon]

I'm from NorCal but I am going to be visiting my old man in OC this weekend. Not sure, but will try to make it out.

 

[racerx]

First meeting is this afternoon. Figure this thread deserves a bump.
I usually smoke in solitude. Never been to a pipe club meeting or a pipe show. Not sure what to expect.

 

[jdub]

Thanks to everyone that came out last night! Turnout was even better than expected. On to the next!
-Jascha

 

[sablebrush52]

It was a HUGE success! I'd estimate the turn out at about 20-25 people. A lot of 30-40 somethings, some younger, and a couple of codgers like me. Rick Newcombe attended, bringing along some of his fabulous Danish high grades to show. In fact, I was seriously under gunned, having only brought along a Barling pipe and some tobacco to share. Out came cases holding some seriously beautiful pipes which were passed around and admired, and there was a lot of very fine, rare, cellared smoke being proffered about. Conversation was animated. Everyone had a terrific time.
I hope that someone will post pictures.
Thank you Jascha, for getting this rolling. I hope that anyone in the area will make the effort to attend the next one. They will have a fine time, to be sure.

 

[racerx]

For a guy like me, who's been smoking in isolation in his garage for years, it was a real treat to finally meet other pipe geeks. I've never seen so many pipe smokers in my life!
Rick Newcombe and Jeff Gracik were delightful to speak with, and I saw guys smoking everything from cobs to high-grade artisan pipes that are WAY out of my league. The sense of camaraderie in the room was palpable. Can't wait to do it again.
Sablebrush52, I don't agree you were under gunned. That old pre-trans Barling pot was pretty damn sweet!
-Mark aka horkybamf aka racerx (one of these days I gotta get all these net handles synchronized!)

 

[goinslow]

I just found this post... I missed it! I am also local and would like to attend the next. Any thoughts to dates and locations so I can plan ahead?

 

[jdub]

As of now it will potentially be the 3rd Sunday of the month which would be August 17th @4pm. Location could likely be the same, although there are other centralized venues interested in hosting. So depending on people's input could mix it up location wise.
I will update here as needed to keep this forum abreast of any changes.
-Jascha

 

[jdub]

Just a quick update to everyone here. The new website is live with the August meeting info.
Sunday August 17th 4pm at the State Social House
More info: http://losangelespipeclub.org