The Cigar Smokers Society will dedicate the proceeds raised from their regular meeting on March 18 to children from the Children’s Villages SOS in Haiti.
The Cigar Smokers Society and the Grand Hotel Europe, which is renowned for its charity projects, could not be left unmoved by the plight in which the residents of Haiti have found themselves since the beginning of this year. Everyone is aware of the catastrophic earthquake that devastated Haiti on 12 January 2010. During such catastrophes, children are the first to suffer. Therefore, the Grand Hotel Europe, which has for many years supported the Children’s Village SOS Pushkin just outside St Petersburg, chose the counterpart of this children’s village in Haiti as the beneficiary of its charity event.
On March 18, the first meeting this year of the Cigar Smokers Society took place at L’Europe Restaurant. The theme of the evening was the Brazilian Carnival, which begins its spectacular procession on February 13 in Rio de Janeiro. The dinner menu was compiled especially for the occasion by the chef from the Copacabana Palace hotel, which is situated on Rio de Janeiro’s celebrated Copacabana Beach, and which belongs, like the Grand Hotel Europe, to the Orient Express company.
The Cigar Smokers Society does not just hold elegant cigar evenings; it actively helps people from other countries. This time, the society made a contribution to help those who suffered during the earthquake in Haiti. On the evening of March 18, an exclusive sale of cigars and smoking accessories took place, which raised 30,000 Russian roubles. Then this sum was doubled by Yulia Pashkovskaya, Hotel Manager. All the proceeds were given to the SOS Children’s Village in Port-au-Prince.
Also this evening Roman Zonov, Director of Administrative Issues & Personnel of the Grand Hotel Europe, was introduced as the President of the Cigar Smokers Society.
The Cigar Smokers Society was formed in 2002 in St Petersburg. The story of how Peter the Great opened a “window onto Europe” by founding our city, and how in doing so he brought Russia closer to Western civilization, is well known. The society that emerged here was a shining example of high culture and noble tastes, and in keeping with this tradition, many interesting events have already been organised by the Cigar Smokers Society.
For the formal opening of the society, Mr. Jack Melconian, owner of K&G Melconian company, created three kinds of very special Dominican cigars exclusively for the hotel: Grand Hotel Europe Imperial Blend No.1, Grand Hotel Europe Imperial Blend No.2, and Grand Hotel Europe Imperial Blend No.3. No.1, for example, is a slim cigar rolled by hand and made from tobacco leaves that are at least five years old and have a refined nutty taste. They are ideal for female cigar aficionados.
The main aim of the Cigar Smokers Society is the revival of historical traditions in St Petersburg’s oldest hotel, where meetings are arranged with figures belonging to Russia’s cultural elite and members of cigar clubs from other countries, and cigar tasting sessions take place. A recommendation from a member of the club is necessary in order to join the society, which holds about four meetings a year, each of which has its own theme and assortment of cigars.
The meetings have included a Brazilian-style evening, at which the guest of honour was the Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi – two-time Formula One champion and the maker of cigars named after himself. Latin American musical accompaniment was provided by Joel Gonzalez and the Kings of Flamenco, followed by Andrei Kondakov and Robert Pilyakalnis, while the hotel’s chef, Anatoly Ivanov, prepared a special Brazilian-style dinner.
Another of the society’s evenings was devoted to the fascinating American city of New Orleans, with its traditional White Linen Night. This is a unique event when the city’s residents take to the streets wearing white to enjoy local contemporary art and classic drinks such as Mint Julip and Daiquiris. The Grand Hotel Europe prepared traditional New Orleans dishes in the Creole Cajun style in the way that only local residents know how. The dinner itself was served under the open sky.
Of course, it would be impossible not to mention Cuban cigars, loved so much by Fidel Castro that another of the evenings at the Grand Hotel Europe was dedicated to them.
The Cigar Smokers Society’s Indian evening was spectacular and unforgettable, with authentic Indian dishes made according to recipes brought especially by our Indian chef from his native country. Traditional Indian drinks were also served, creating an unforgettable atmosphere – with the crucial element, naturally, of cigars.
Continuing its gastronomic journey around diverse parts of the planet, the Grand Hotel Europe hosted a Portugal-themed evening titled Lisbon by Night. It is well known that the Portuguese have been responsible for a great number of discoveries, including being the first to appreciate the importance of the taste of the tobacco used inside cigars, and other criteria that distinguish high cigar culture.
We sincerely hope to see you at the Grand Hotel Europe and together open a new chapter in the history of the Cigar Smokers Society.
For further information, please contact:
Irina Khlopova
Public Relations Manager
Grand Hotel Europe
Tel.: +7 (812) 329 66 08
E-mail: irina.khlopova@grandhoteleurope.com
