• Informal Smoker, July 24
  • Cigar Society Garden Party, July 31
 

Informal Smoker, Tuesday, July 24th, Tower Club bar, 5:00-7:00pm
Those in the neighborhood are invited to visit the round table in the Tower Club bar this coming Tuesday.  In honor of the Cigar Society, Rudy will be serving special $5 tumblers of premium scotch whisky.  No need to RSVP.  Bring your own cigars, or choose one from the Cigar Society humidor (behind the bar, $5 each).

July 24th is the anniversary of Yale University professor Hiram Bingham's rediscovery of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, in the Peruvian Andes, in 1911.  Continuing on a South American  theme, we note that July 24th is also the anniversary of the birth of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) who is known as El Libertador (the Liberator) for leading the fight for independence in Peru as well as Venezuela (where he was born), Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Bolivia.  In all these countries he is regarded as a national hero.  In honor of  birthday of this famous revolutionary, we recommend smoking a Bolívar bellicoso, with its strong Havano Medio Tiempo binder and aged San Augustin Ligero wrapper.  (Available at Iwan Ries and Old Chicago.)

There are no roads to Machu Picchu other than the Inca Trail, which must be traversed by foot, and helicopter service has been suspended indefinitely.  A very stylish alternative to the week-long hike is to take the "Hiram Bingham" line, which covers the 44 miles from Cusco (elev. 11,500') to Aguascalientes and Machu Picchu in about 3-1/2 hours.

Boarding the "Hiram Bingham"

Re-rediscovering the Lost City
To discover Machu Picchu for yourself, fly American Airlines from Miami to Lima, then take LAN Peru form Lima to Cusco.  Many tourists skip Lima altogether, to the chagrin of the government, but it is well worth exploring.  Though it has seen better days (perhaps better decades) a fine place to stay for the intrepid traveler interested in archaeological sites is the Gran Hotel Bolívar, built in the 1920s on Plaza San Martín in the center of the historic district of Lima. 

El Gran Hotel Bolívar, Lima, Peru

Your secretary from his suite at the Bolívar

Cigar Society Garden Party, Tuesday, July 31st, Nelson's Garden, 5:30-8:30pm
On this last day of July, club member John Nelson will host this year's Cigar Society Garden Party at his home on Racine near Armitage.  Cocktails and picnic-style food will be provided. There is no charge for this event, but please RSVP to Curtis Tuckey before July 28.

Mr. Nelson's house is five minutes' walk from the CTA Brown Line's Armitage Station; he will also have street-parking permits for those who want to drive and park on the street.  Paid parking is also available at Sheffield and Fullerton.

John H. Nelson (Illinois '69, U Club '06) is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and Corporate Executive at Harley Ellis Devereaux.

Through July, Flora's offspring smile / But still Nicotia's can beguile...