Art.

Here is a topic I would love to rave about for hours and hours although given:

• I know nothing,

• the internet offers limited resources in this area,

• and quality art is very expensive

I will mention it only in passing. 

In the meantime, Melbourne offers many different and enlightening exhibitions which are well worth going to. I particularly enjoyed the Jeffrey Smart and European masters exhibitions in 2000/1. The Dali Universe exhibition in 2003 was also amazing. 

In my travels overseas I was lucky enough to have visited galleries in London, the USA and other parts of Europe. Do I have a favorite artist? It would have to be Dali. I can stare at a Dali work for hours! He is (was) amazing. My favorite Dali piece is the Persistence of Memory. Wow!

That's enough. 

Wine.

The day I turned 18 (the legal age) I purchased a cheap bottle of wine.   Suffice to say I did not feel the best for a day or two. Since then, I have really only enjoyed red wine. White wine makes me sick!

I try to keep a small collection of bottles but find I drink them too quickly. Oh well. 

I have a few general favorites such as wine from the Coonawarra region, although there is literally so much out there - speak to a professional who can make a recommendation based on your tastes, accompanying food and price range. 

Further, if you are interested in joining an excellent newsgroup, try alt.food.wine on Usenet. There is a fantastic exchange of information as well as advice, recommendations and links. The users there are also generally very friendly and helpful.

Cigars.

The smoking of cigars is a snobby pastime. As a youngster, I had always been offended and intimidated by cigar smokers. But truly, a nice cigar along with its strong aroma offers relaxation and culture.

There are protocols which should be followed when lighting and smoking a cigar too - apart from not inhaling the smoke, it is important not to allow a physical flame light the cigar. The cigar should light from the heat of the flame rather than the flame itself. Best also to use a long match.

If you are interested, there are a number of extensive resource and online purchasing sites for those keen on cigars. I have found many that are educational and easy to follow. You can even make online purchases from overseas. You can do that here. I think cigars make you cool.