Pleasure, friendship and sharing...
Blend Bar with Davidoff
When I left Istanbul, spring is coming slowly, the weather is getting warmer, and I traveled to Pittsburgh for work, saying that we can switch from coats to thinner jackets. Unfortunately, I realized that the temperature of our air has not spread there yet. On the contrary, the second day we went there was a snowstorm, schools were on holiday, and flights were canceled. Last time I could not go to Pittsburgh due to the snowstorm, I was stuck in New York, this time I was worried that I would not be able to get out. Fortunately, the situation did not turn out to be that dire, so I had the opportunity to visit two fine cigar venues.
The first venue I experienced in Pittsburgh is The Blend, opened in partnership with Davidoff. Being a chain brand, the venue also has branches in Nashville, Indianapolis and Houston. When there was a mad wind and snow outside, this warm place became a place that warms me with its proximity to the hotel. The Blend is located in Koppers Tower, one of the historical buildings built by Pittsburgh's famous family Mellon and completed in 1929. The roof of the building, which was built in Art Deco style and which is the common point of most of the skyscrapers from those years, is completely made of copper and stands out as an important structure that forms the silhouette of the city center.
Once inside The Blend, you cannot immediately dominate this high ceiling and wide space, because of the columns rising in the hall and dividing the hall into three corridors. When you first enter, a showcase with old cigar boxes welcomes you. Standing at the top is a cigar box from the 1900s, bought at an auction in 2012 and dedicated to Hans Wagner, the prominent baseball player of the time. In the statement next to the box, it is mentioned that the current value of the box is approximately $ 4 thousand - $ 6 thousand. As you travel through the space, you walk through the very comfortable sofas and berjers placed in the corridors formed by the columns, and at the back you reach a very long American bar and the Humidor room behind it. New stocks were coming from Davidoff when I was gone and they were being placed. After a little chat with the Humidor attendant, I bought Nat Sherman Sterling Selection Dalias, a cigar I had not tried before, and sat in a sofa set in the sitting group, which can be considered in the middle of the space. I ordered an Old Fashioned to accompany it. They wanted to cut and burn my cigar immediately after the cigar selection, but I see this service as an unnecessary detail. If the cigar smoker comes to such a place, I think he should cut and burn his own cigar. If he doesn't know, he can of course ask for help to learn, but then he should be able to cut and burn himself.
The place is quite spacious. The high ceiling is an incredible plus, especially in terms of ventilation. Nobody's smoke doesn't bother anyone. There are giant screens on each wall and it gives sports competitions. Pittsburgh is incredibly affiliated with the city's other sports teams, especially ice hockey teams. In addition to leather armchairs, there are also fabric chairs and they are very comfortable. I guess that up to 100 people can fit in the room, sitting and standing, both comfortably and comfortably. There are 10 stools only in the American Bar. Although there are carpets under the seating groups, the fact that the floor is stone instead of parquet, especially white / cream, clearly disturbed me a little. Wood would suit such a space much more and its mood would change in an instant. I can give a minus point for the high lighting. A little bit more dimness could make the place even warmer. The cigar option of the place is quite sufficient. Especially Davidoff cigars have tight stocks, including very limited production. Cocktails are offered as Happy Hour between certain hours in the evening at an affordable price of $ 15.
While it was flaky snow outside, I ended my cigar after a short correspondence with Nat Sherman Brand Development Manager, Michael Herklots, about the cigar I smoked in the warm atmosphere of The Blend, and then I set out to return to the hotel in the freezing cold, albeit a short distance. Pittsburgh, which is the heart of America's steel industry and known as the Armpit of America due to the pollution created by this industry, especially in the river flowing through the middle of the city, is a must-visit place if you happen to be in Pittsburgh.
Enjoyable smoking for everyone ...
