Finally have the PC back online - the router I bought from Ebay failed to work, even with a PWR cord. Not sure why, but it didn't. Ended up buying a D-Link Wireless G from Circuit city over the weekend for $39.99. Very happy with it - everything works, including the PSP (which gets signal in the living room WITHOUT the booster antennas).
Managed to get the 360 back online and claim my Wildcard Kittyfloss on Viva Pinata - oh joy! I have a few pictures already, but as stated in the below posting - my PC isn't playing ncie with the digital camera (yet), so once it does, I can post a picture of it!
5/30/07
Tangier's Kiwi - Fun times *cough*
Well, after searching the HF, I finally got the instructions straight form the horse's mouth (as per say, not calling Tang/Eric a horse) on how to smoke the lovely Tangier shisha properly. There is a fine art to shisha smoking in the first place, but certain shishas require more tweaking than normal to enjoy. Tangiers is one of them - it's an unwashed tobacco, made here in the USA, strong and full of nicotine. It's not a "walk in the park" type of shisha - it makes Nakhla look like candy.
But, it tastes great and gives one hell of a buzz... if you can smoke it.
I sorta can, I get several good minutes of enjoyment before it just becomes too much for my non-smoker body. I get a head rush, my chest will hurt, my throat burns and if I keep pushing it, I start coughing. If I back off at the "headrush" stage and basically "sip" at the smoke, I can nurse it out for 30-45 more mins. I NEVER have smoked a bowl of Tangier's more than a hour, many times never more than 30min. Trance - he doesn't like it at all (and he's the BIG ciggy smoker). He never gets clouds, complains it burns and just generally doesn't like it. :P
But, if you can handle it, I do recommend atleast trying it once or twice. It never hurts to try new things - several companies sell smaller 100g packs to try (instead of poping $12.95 for 250g). Plus, it's almost a given you need to get a Tangier's (or MNHookah) Phunnel to fully enjoy the smoke. It can be done in a standard bowl, but I almost ALWAYS burnt the stuff. But try, you might get it to work great, one never knows :)
Here's the link to Tangier's Home site: www.tangiers.us
And here's the "intro version" of smoking it:
1) Open package, empty into clean container. Squeeze as much juice out of plastic as possible.
2) Let it sit open at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours if you want.
3) Stir it up - mix juice back into shisha.
4) Pack bowl - lay tobacco in bowl WITHOUT "fluffing" it. Take it straight out of the bowl and lay it in the bowl. DON'T pack it too tightly, but fill the bowl. Don't skimp on the amount, too little won't give you a good smoke.
5) Cover with foil/screen. If using foil - put MANY (like as many as the foil can hold and still be 1 piece) holes in the foil. Don't make then too small or too large.
6) Flip over bowl and blow thru the bottom. This makes sure there is good airflow.
7) Assemble hookah - use 1 33m 3-Kings (broken in half or 3rd) or 3-4 Silver tabs. Make sure to rotate the coals often.
8) Enjoy.
If takes time to learn how to pack and smoke Tangier's right - if you get it right the first time, great! If not, give a second or third go. Many people have trouble with it, but if you keep trying you should be able to achieve a very good smoke. Worse come worse, visit the site and get the contact number (should also be on the package) and drop them a call - they should be able to assist you.
But, it tastes great and gives one hell of a buzz... if you can smoke it.
I sorta can, I get several good minutes of enjoyment before it just becomes too much for my non-smoker body. I get a head rush, my chest will hurt, my throat burns and if I keep pushing it, I start coughing. If I back off at the "headrush" stage and basically "sip" at the smoke, I can nurse it out for 30-45 more mins. I NEVER have smoked a bowl of Tangier's more than a hour, many times never more than 30min. Trance - he doesn't like it at all (and he's the BIG ciggy smoker). He never gets clouds, complains it burns and just generally doesn't like it. :P
But, if you can handle it, I do recommend atleast trying it once or twice. It never hurts to try new things - several companies sell smaller 100g packs to try (instead of poping $12.95 for 250g). Plus, it's almost a given you need to get a Tangier's (or MNHookah) Phunnel to fully enjoy the smoke. It can be done in a standard bowl, but I almost ALWAYS burnt the stuff. But try, you might get it to work great, one never knows :)
Here's the link to Tangier's Home site: www.tangiers.us
And here's the "intro version" of smoking it:
1) Open package, empty into clean container. Squeeze as much juice out of plastic as possible.
2) Let it sit open at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours if you want.
3) Stir it up - mix juice back into shisha.
4) Pack bowl - lay tobacco in bowl WITHOUT "fluffing" it. Take it straight out of the bowl and lay it in the bowl. DON'T pack it too tightly, but fill the bowl. Don't skimp on the amount, too little won't give you a good smoke.
5) Cover with foil/screen. If using foil - put MANY (like as many as the foil can hold and still be 1 piece) holes in the foil. Don't make then too small or too large.
6) Flip over bowl and blow thru the bottom. This makes sure there is good airflow.
7) Assemble hookah - use 1 33m 3-Kings (broken in half or 3rd) or 3-4 Silver tabs. Make sure to rotate the coals often.
8) Enjoy.
If takes time to learn how to pack and smoke Tangier's right - if you get it right the first time, great! If not, give a second or third go. Many people have trouble with it, but if you keep trying you should be able to achieve a very good smoke. Worse come worse, visit the site and get the contact number (should also be on the package) and drop them a call - they should be able to assist you.
5/26/07
Of games...
Resurfaced my Viva Pinata game, hopefully that will fix the "lock-up" issues. AND... got my router today in the mail, but as the auction stated - NO CABLES, not even a freaking POWER CABLE. So I looked up the model on their site, downloaded the manual and both fireware upgrades, and now just need to hit up Radio Shack for a power supply. Once that's done, hopefully *crosses fingers & toes* I will have INTERNET again and be able to claim my WV pinata before it expires!
Nakhla Lemon Review
Nakhla Lemon
Set-up: 27" Egyptian,
Bowl: glass w/ glass screen
Base: iced with water
Coals: 4 silver tab Sultans, 2 at a time
Time: 2 hours
Cut: Med cut, some stems. Semi-sticky, but possibly due to storage (ORG owner zip-locked)
Smell: Faint lemon.
Taste: At first, very faint, then heated up it produced a nice sour lemon taste.
Smoke: Med to Thick
Buzz: Heavy
overall: 8/10 Nakhla is a strong shisha, but if you can handle it, it rocks. This favor is subtle, I highly recommend mixing it with other shisha or maybe adding lemon/lemon juice/lemonaide to the base. Heat management is critical - i did burn it after 1 hour, up I was able to scrape off the burnt stuff, stir up the remaining stuff, and smoke it for another hour. Excellent!
Set-up: 27" Egyptian,
Bowl: glass w/ glass screen
Base: iced with water
Coals: 4 silver tab Sultans, 2 at a time
Time: 2 hours
Cut: Med cut, some stems. Semi-sticky, but possibly due to storage (ORG owner zip-locked)
Smell: Faint lemon.
Taste: At first, very faint, then heated up it produced a nice sour lemon taste.
Smoke: Med to Thick
Buzz: Heavy
overall: 8/10 Nakhla is a strong shisha, but if you can handle it, it rocks. This favor is subtle, I highly recommend mixing it with other shisha or maybe adding lemon/lemon juice/lemonaide to the base. Heat management is critical - i did burn it after 1 hour, up I was able to scrape off the burnt stuff, stir up the remaining stuff, and smoke it for another hour. Excellent!
5/24/07
Viva Pinata Swag
In gaming news, I received my Viva Pinata swag from Rare the other day! All I can say is SWEET! Coffee mug, bag, signed mousepad AND print, stickers and notebook w/ Press CD inside. SWEETNESS! And don't forget my Wild Card Pinata (that I can't claim UNTIL I get my new router - grrrr) a Undiscovered Kittyfloss....
All this for a cute little Goldiepop (goldfish) pinata I made... :)
Opal: Mini Junior Purple Hookah (17")
Well, the mini hookah I bought off Ebay showed up last night, UPS by the way (for 3.99 shipping, I was surprised it came by UPS). Well packed, lots of packing peanuts and bubble wrap too. The UPS dude left it with a neighbor, the only downfall - we had to wait for her to get home at 11:30pm to accutally receive the item, but it was worth the wait.
She's Purple, about 16-17" tall (including bowl) and really does smoke like a champ. I lit up some Layalina Coconut last night to see how well she smoked - I was very surprised such a small hookah produced such a nice smoking session - about an hour, give or take 10 mins. The only downside was the auction did state it came with a "briefcase" and it didn't, only the box you see in the background (left), but still - considering I paid $13.98 with shipping for this, you can't complain. Local shops carry the SAME hookah, they sell it for $39.99 to $49.99 (1-hose or 2-hose).
Her name is Opal (according to the box) and the only thing we have to worry about is the cheap plastic hose. The head/tail tips are the same aluminum (purple) as the hookah's stem, but the hose is plastic - I can see the wire core inside. Most definatly NOT WASHABLE. That's ok, the ends look soild, we should be able to make a nice Mod hose at a later date very easily. Overall, I give this hookah a 8.5/9 (out of 10). I wanted a small, portable hookah that I can take with us and now I have it. Not the fanciest, not the largest, but man - she packs a punch!
PS: I think I saw a cosemtic case at Wally World that may work to house/carry her around.
5/22/07
Long Live the Egyptian
Well, on Sat's cleaning, I noticed an alarming thing wrong with our beloved Egyptian stem... it's almost dead (Jim...)
The stem has several small cracks now, one that's leaking sand. One of the larger cracks leaks air when blown thru now as well. It's pitted, corroded, and basically at the end of it's lifespan.
Long Live the Egyptian....
So, this effectively means we now are down to (2) hookahs. Well, I am getting a small Chinese 14-17" hookah (from Ebay - $13.98), but that's not really a true hookah in my eyes. So, we need to seriously start considering a new one.
We want a tall one, 30" plus. I would prefer blue, as we have a red, green and purple one already. I want a dual hose hookah, a auto-seal would be nice, but not 100% necessary. Trance would like a gold stem, I just want a highly decorative one - something that can be a showcase item when not in use. I also want something that will last years, durable, and if possible, break down for storage or transportation.
Picky, aren't I?
Well, after searching various site and even Ebay, I've narrowed it down to 3 choices:
1) Engineer (2 hose) Hookah in Blue/Gold (Hookah-Shisha Central) for $114.95
2) X Large Gold MYA Set (Mya Saray) for $155
MYA's are know as great hookah producers. Although they aren't typical Egyptian designs, they do offer some that are very close. Plus, they are dismantle-able, this model comes with it's own carrying case. They can be easily adapted into 2 hose models and are know to last the long haul. Although pricey, you get for what you pay.
The Engineer, although Syrian not Egyptian, is according to a fellow board member a grand champ. Slightly prone to tarnishing, they are adaptable (stem height) and come in a 2-hose model. Very pleasing to the eye, it most defiantly would make a interesting piece of decor. Plus, the company that offers them is great to work with. Plus, I talked with the company and it IS a auto-seal system! Although now Trance wants silver.
I am leaning toward the Engineer - large, ornate, adaptable. With the HF discount it would run about $119 with shipping. The MYA would run between $175-225, considering we'd have to drive to Northern VA to fetch it (Trip to parent's house on the way).
I think the Engineer may have won the race....
The stem has several small cracks now, one that's leaking sand. One of the larger cracks leaks air when blown thru now as well. It's pitted, corroded, and basically at the end of it's lifespan.
Long Live the Egyptian....
So, this effectively means we now are down to (2) hookahs. Well, I am getting a small Chinese 14-17" hookah (from Ebay - $13.98), but that's not really a true hookah in my eyes. So, we need to seriously start considering a new one.
We want a tall one, 30" plus. I would prefer blue, as we have a red, green and purple one already. I want a dual hose hookah, a auto-seal would be nice, but not 100% necessary. Trance would like a gold stem, I just want a highly decorative one - something that can be a showcase item when not in use. I also want something that will last years, durable, and if possible, break down for storage or transportation.
Picky, aren't I?
Well, after searching various site and even Ebay, I've narrowed it down to 3 choices:
1) Engineer (2 hose) Hookah in Blue/Gold (Hookah-Shisha Central) for $114.95
2) X Large Gold MYA Set (Mya Saray) for $155
MYA's are know as great hookah producers. Although they aren't typical Egyptian designs, they do offer some that are very close. Plus, they are dismantle-able, this model comes with it's own carrying case. They can be easily adapted into 2 hose models and are know to last the long haul. Although pricey, you get for what you pay.
The Engineer, although Syrian not Egyptian, is according to a fellow board member a grand champ. Slightly prone to tarnishing, they are adaptable (stem height) and come in a 2-hose model. Very pleasing to the eye, it most defiantly would make a interesting piece of decor. Plus, the company that offers them is great to work with. Plus, I talked with the company and it IS a auto-seal system! Although now Trance wants silver.
I am leaning toward the Engineer - large, ornate, adaptable. With the HF discount it would run about $119 with shipping. The MYA would run between $175-225, considering we'd have to drive to Northern VA to fetch it (Trip to parent's house on the way).
I think the Engineer may have won the race....
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