Velvet Cigars Lounge on NYC’s Lower East Side

Any time I’m in NYC I make it a point to spend a few hours enjoying a cigar and fine company at Velvet Cigars Lounge on New York’s Lower East Side. The shop is located at 80 East 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. I discovered the shop four years ago and I wouldn’t dream of visiting the city without spending time chatting with Arthur and the other regulars.

It’s a rare gem of a place.

J.D. Talasek smoking in his favorite D.C. cigar lounge.

My recent trip to NYC and the east coast took me to D.C. for three days to see my friends at The National Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Magazine. J.D. Talasek took me to his favorite cigar hangout, Signature Cigars, at 4835 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, where we spent an afternoon visiting and enjoying fine smokes. It’s a big two-story space with plenty of seating, a poker room and an excellent humidor. It’s JD’s favorite shop and I look forward to my next visit.