Thursday Sept. 16 – Château Famaey
Thursday Oct. 21 – Robert Mondavi Wines
Thursday Nov. 18 – Francis Ford Coppola
Thursday Dec. 16 – Flowers of Napa

Please note: We only have room for 10 couples at the regular wine dinners. The Château Famaey event will be very special. The winemaker from Pue-L’Eveque, France will present each wine. Because all the wines are variations of Malbec, each will be presented twice, once at room temperature and once slightly chilled. Dinner will be a collection of international dishes.

We are changing the billing process to help your budget. The fare is $175.00 per couple and that includes dinner, gratuity and state sales tax. No calculating after a few glasses of vino. We would ask you to please book early and be prepared to make a credit card deposit of $50.00 per couple.

At the close of dinner, Pop’s will offer each of the wines at a deep discount to show our appreciation for your participation. The dinner menu will be published in next week’s newsletter.

We can only seat 20, so please book now. 817-334-0559. E-mail bookings should be sent to pop@popssafari.com.

The Château Famaey wines we have chosen to feature– The Rose, the 2004 Cuvée Tradition, the 2003 Élevé en Fût de Chêne and the 2003 Cuvée X — are comprised mainly of Malbec (sometimes called Cot as well as Auxerrois) with small portions of Merlot and/or Tannat added to round them out.

They come from vines between 25 and 54 years of age and the yield is about 55 hectolitres per hectare. There is no oak on this wine. It is a deep ruby color and on the nose, it possesses a definite note of raspberries complemented by an array of spices and a hint of licorice. In the mouth, it is surprisingly powerful at the outset, expressing black currants, red fruit and leather, and finishes nicely with tongue-coating, soft tannins. This medium-bodied, surprisingly elegant wine is drinking beautifully right now and will keep for three or four years. It is an ideal companion for cold cuts, roasted chicken and lightly seasoned pasta dishes.

Ice cold and delicious Monday night cocktails with your hostess Maggie.
Betsy and Judy have elected her the official Cocktail Hostess for Monday’s Cocktail Fun starting at 6 PM . Drop by and enjoy one of our collection of cold tasty treats. Maggie will make them the way you like them. Frozen Margaritas and fruity martinis head the list. But other favorites such as pina coladas are on tap. All evening, enjoy non-frozen drinks for $3.00 and frozen beverages for only $5.00. Mondays will be your night to relax with Pop’s beverage specials.

His name is Javier Hernandez. His understanding of food and hungry appetites has made him a natural for Pop’s clientele. His creative flair and tasty dishes have more than satisfied our customers. Get used to great tastes and delicious food. All it can do is get better.

Javier is cooking lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Saturday, he only prepares dinner. If you want a custom meal, give us a call at 817-334-0559.

New items on the menu

Tidwell Sliders

These are mini sirloin burgers served on toasted sweet buns with smoked Gouda cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, bacon, caramelized onions and Mayo. 2 for $7 or 3 for $9

The Lou Burger
A special blend of rich beef made exclusively for Pop’s, this value burger is a flavor delight. Every bite delivers a galaxy of flavor. Make it your way and include guacamole. $7. Add on items are $1 each.

Join Pop’s for our first ever CIGAR LOVERS CRUISE! Set sail with us from the port of New Orleans aboard the fabulous Carnival Triumph for a 7-Day Caribbean adventure, Sept. 11-18, 2010! For more information, CLICK HERE!

Pop's Caribbean Cigar Cruise: Sept. 11-18, 2010

The air conditioning is running, the beer is cold, an easy chair awaits. No, we are not talking about 1965. It is 2010 at Pop’s Safari Cigars & Fine Wines,a place where smokers are welcome,a place where you don’t have to stand 20 feet from the door and sweat while you light up. Drop by any time and enjoy one of our premium cigars. We have 10,000 most of the time. Our brands include Montecristo, Torano, Rocky Patel, Macanudo, H. Upmann, Buzz, Telson, Arturo Fuente, God of Fire, Angeleno, Esteban Carrera, Kinky Friedman, Villiger 1888 and Savinelli, just to name a few. Each stogy comes with friendly help and a place to cut and light, but most importantly the comfort of a real smoking parlor. If you never have been here, please come try us. If you have been away awhile, please come home.

Pop’s introduces specialty mixed drinks

At Pop’s, we never stop looking for ways to have fun. We are proud to introduce our new cocktail lineup: Sangria – Pina Colada – Strawberry Dacquiri – Margarita – Mojito – Strawberry Margarita – Martini – Tom Collins – Cocorita Chi Chi. Each drink is custom-mixed with the finest fermented alcohols.

Celebrity sightings
You never know who will turn up at Pop’s Safari Room. We have lots of folks, from sports figures to movie stars.
Those of you lucky enough to be here Tuesday April 27 enjoyed the company of two fine songwriters/ arrangers. Sam Atchley (L)/ of “Coca-Cola Cowboy ” fame is a regular at Pop’s Safari Room. In the middle, Pop’s own Betsy Jenkins. But, Norm Bergen (R) is a first-timer.

In 1964, Norman co-wrote the song “Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart” with Shelly Coburn for United Artists Music. It has had quite a history since its first recording by Arthur Prysock [6]. There are now more than 60 versions, including Tom Jones [7], Wyclef Jean [8], Nick Lowe on “The Convincer” CD [9], Dion DiMucci [10], Long John Baldry, and calypso king Mighty Sparrow[11]. The song has attained huge success in various parts of the world, including Holland, where it was in the Top 100 for 28 weeks[12] and came in at #3 for the decade of the ’70s. It has become a true standard in Finland as “Muisto vain jää”, with hit versions by Jouko and Kosti [13], Pekka Tiilikainen and Beatmakers [14], and Harri Marstio [15]. Norman is currently composing material for Marstio’s next album. The song has also been translated into German, Swedish, and Dutch.

Drop by any time. You never know who you might run into.

To all of Pop’s customers,

This has been a very tough year for many of you. We at Pop’s Safari Cigars & Fine Wines can truly say we feel your pain; we, too, have suffered from this rotten economy and the addition of burdensome taxes. But our blessings are so overwhelming they far exceed any problem. We have you, our loyal friends and customers, who supported our efforts to create a unique niche for freedom-loving Texans. This year, the cigar industry stood tall in the face of the adverse taxes by introducing more fine products. Cigars are better than ever. Many of the manufacturers chose to absorb the federal tax. Others increased quantity to help offset the tax increase. Most promising is the many new players who chose to enter the arena with unique and daring products. Pop’s supports their efforts for two reasons. New products are a healthy reflection of the future. Two, it is our responsibility to constantly seek out and imcrease your choices.

We can never thank you enough for your patronage. Won’t you please join in one of our events to celebrate the Christmas Season at Pop’s Safari Room?

Sincerely,
Perry & Pat Tong
Pop’s entire staff

We at Pop’s Safari Cigars & Fine Wines feel this article should be shared. It explains one more twist of the facts that are so prevalent in the relentless attack on the Cigar & Pipe Community.

IPCPR Labels Latest Study “Junk Science”

March 12, 2010
Conclusions made by a new study of cigar and pipe smoking by researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center are not supported by the study’s findings, says the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, a non-profit group of premium cigar retailers and manufacturers.

The study, published in the Feb. 15 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, was funded primarily by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institutes of Health. The study concludes that “physicians should… counsel cessation of pipe and cigar smoking….”
“Nothing in the study justifies this erroneous conclusion. It is prejudicial and preconceived, thereby justifying the labeling of such surveys as corrupt misuse of junk science,” said Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR, which is comprised largely of some 2,000 neighborhood mom-and-pop retail stores and family-owned manufacturers of premium cigars, pipes, tobacco and related accoutrement. McCalla cited several features of the study that he said support his group’s position:

Of 3,528 participants in the study, only 58 had ever smoked cigars or pipes and not cigarettes, and only 428 had smoked pipes or cigars along with cigarettes.
Only 47 of the subjects were current cigar smokers, of which only 16 were current cigar smokers who had never smoked cigarettes. Of the cigar smokers, 95 percent were male, but only 34 percent of non-smokers were men.
There was no effort in the study to determine the type of cigar smoked – machine-made or premium, hand-made cigars. The study showed no clinical effect on lung function in cigar smokers.
There were no differences in airflow obstruction between cigar smokers and non-smokers.
Cotinine levels (a form of nicotine) were similar in cigar smokers and non-smokers.
“The study found no clinical differences between cigar smokers and non-smokers and to draw conclusions to the contrary is to participate in a conspiracy of public disinformation and deception,” McCalla said.

This nationally-distributed press release is based on extensive work from your association’s Washington, D.C.-based consultant firm that specializes in FDA and health issues. Following the story’s original release, we felt it necessary to formally refute its unfounded claims and foundations rooted in continued “Junk Science.”

We are taking this opportunity to share with all of you one of the many press releases sent to date. This demonstrates yet another attempt by the anti-tobacco establishment and Tobacco Control at governmental levels to further promulgate hysterical myths, bad science and propaganda in their missions to mislead and misinform.

You may find this article an invaluable resource when writing a letter to the editor of your local paper or state representatives. You may also find it a good source for future testimony, or other uses.

As always, if you should have any questions about this article or other legislative issues, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is a not-for-profit trade association organized as the advocate for the independent retail tobacconist and recognized as the “Voice of Authority and Reason” on premium tobacco related issues.

International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR)
Chris McCalla
Legislative Director

For those of us who like to light up a great stogie or a pipe bowl full of a favorite blend, times have changed. The new federal taxes are in place and most of us are getting used to being ripped off by our very unrepresentative elected officials. We have a lull in the unrelenting attack for a few months. However, the Texas legislators did sneak through a $1.10 per ounce tax on pipe and smokeless tobacco in HB-2154.
This was a very shabby bit of political maneuvering attached to a bill to help medical students. Prepare for the next session and be sure to write your legislators before it starts. The only power we have to combat more oppressive tax is our votes. Make sure they know we want this taxation without representation stopped.
The Texas Legislature only meets every two years and the next session is 15 or so months away. It is said that “they only meet every two years, therefore they can only do damage half as frequently”.

Representatives to watch out for are Myra Crownover of Lake Dallas/Denton County and Rodney Ellis of Houston, authors of Texas Smoking Ban Legislation. They are anti-smoking, but last session agreed to some concessions. Please let them know you want to see bars, smoke shops, cigar bars and adult venues exempted from any anti-smoking legislation.

Pop’s is a supporter of hunting, fishing and conservation. Many of you are one or both. Please go to the Internet and examine HR-45 in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is very dangerous. I have expressed my concern to Congresswoman Kay Granger. She wrote me a letter in which she expressed her support for the Second Amendment to the U.S.Constitution and said she would keep an eye on developments. If passed, this could be catastrophic to the Constitution, especially the Second Amendment.