It is Easy to Find a Hookah Bar in New York City

There are a lot of places to enjoy fantastic food, wine, cocktails and nightlife in New York City. Have you been to most of the places in this city and now you are wondering where you should go? As you are here, you must be planning on visiting a hookah bar. With that said, let us take this chance to fill you in on some of the hookah hot spots in NYC!

There are several hookah bars in NYC, which are designed as per the Middle Eastern pizzazz. As the décor is Middle Eastern, you will be sitting on velvet pillows set on the ground and having mint tea whilst enjoying your hookah. Some hookah bars also serve Mediterranean food along with hookah. The most common dishes offered are Hummus and Baba Ghannouj. Some places also offer a full meal, which is followed by mint tea and a hookah. The atmosphere may either be on the more peaceful side, which is perfect for lengthy conversations while passing the hookah hose around or you can choose to be in an upbeat setting with live music and belly dancers. Irrespective of the environment, you’ll get a terrific Middle Eastern experience.
Certain places are very expensive while some give hookah at really affordable prices. You can also smoke tobacco from a fruit such as orange, but it will definitely cost a bit more. A hookah session that lasts longer than 60 minutes can cost between $12 and $30.
Top Hookah Lounges
Without further ado, this is a list of probably the most popular hookah bars/lounges to check out in Manhattan:
Sultana – 128 E 4th St (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave), New York, NY 10003
Having comfortable couches and pillows and a calm setting, Sultana offers the true Middle Eastern experience. Their Turkish coffee and mint tea are popular around Manhattan. If you decide to eat, the grilled lamb and falafel will be sure to satisfy your appetite.
Karma – 51 First Ave, New York, NY 10003
You can think of it as a fashionable Middle Eastern lounge. Velvet couches and original artwork on the walls make Karma a unique spot to enjoy hookah. They also offer cocktails and other drinks at a specially designed bar. Karma has two levels. The downstairs lounge is a bit more cozy and comfortable, but it opens only at night. The main floor, nonetheless, is open from 1pm to 4am. They have a wide selection of tobacco flavors you can choose from or you can even provide your own tobacco.
Le Souk – 510 Laguardia Place, New York, NY 10012
Le Souk is made on multiple floors and it is based in the East Village. The spectacular Middle Eastern décor makes the atmosphere of this club sultry. You can find authentic hookahs and French-Moroccan food. Don’t forget about your dancing shoes as you are going to be dancing the night away. A stringent dress code is used at the place.
Tagine Dining and Hookah Bar – 537 9th Ave (between 39th St & 40th St), New York, NY 10018
A soothing and entertaining bar with excellent hookah and fantastic food. Excellent entertainment, wonderful décor and fantastic food set this bar apart from the rest.
Cozy Café Hookah Bar – 43 East 1st Street, New York, NY 10003
Yet another relaxing bar with an excellent food and drink menu along with authentic hookah. They regularly hold live belly dancing shows in the bar.
Cafe Khufu – 61 E 3rd St (between 1st Ave & 11th St, New York, NY 10003
On the lower east side of Manhattan, this café offers a wonderful atmosphere. Besides hookah, various snacks, coffees and teas are available at this bar.
Kazuza – 107 Ave A, New York, NY 10009
It is a multi purpose establishment with a restaurant, bar and hookah lounge. With a comfortable ambiance, this place is great to hang out with your buddies and have long conversations with them. They also provide wine along with other cocktails. The menu has a number of foods such as hamburgers, paninis, wraps, chicken and shish kebabs. Each night a live DJ entertains the customers in the bar with American and Mediterranean music. There are belly dancing performances on Friday and Saturday nights.
Hookah bars and lounges are not just in Manhattan. You will find a number of hookah lounges in Queens and Brooklyn too. Due to the fact that most people enjoy heading into Manhattan to have their fill of the night-life, the lounges and bars are more intimate and the venues are not extremely packed in Brooklyn and Queens. If you live in Brooklyn or Queens, you have a wide range of spots to enjoy shisha. Check out some of these popular hookah bars and lounges:
Queens
Hookah Lounge – 107-29 Metropolitan Ave, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Deja Vu – 33-22 28th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
Teal Lounge – 22-79 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11105
Layali Beirut Cafe Restaurant – 25-60 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 1110
Brooklyn
Zamaan Hookah Bar and Restaurant – 349 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Red Mist Hookah Lounge & Cafe – 569 Coney Island Ave (between Beverly Rd & Lewis Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11218
7 Hills Cafe – 849 Manhattan Ave (between Noble St & Milton St), Brooklyn, NY 11222
Cafe Tabu – 2205 Ave X, Brooklyn, NY 11235
If you’re a hookah lover in NYC, you have numerous choices of venues to select from. Make sure that you select the right bar and the right flavor.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like best hookah bars in NYC.

Why Choose A Mini Hookah?

Have you heard of the a mini hookah? Want to know what a mini hookah is? Common hookahs have some drawbacks. To deal with these drawbacks producers of hookahs released mini hookahs. What are the disadvantages of a traditional hookah?

People who have ever tried to bring their hookah with them on a vacation or to a friend’s house would appropriately understand that hookahs have many parts and some of these components are delicate.

Mini hookahs aren’t that way.

The mini normally has a carrying case, allowing for easy packaging, safety, storage, and traveling. While not in use, this same case helps in keeping the hookah clean.
The top three advantages of mini hookahs are:
1. They are effortless to transport
2. Because it is “mini”, it doesn’t need a lot of space
3. Not expensive

What’s the Actual Difference?
What distinguishes mini hookahs from the conventional hookahs is the size. However, whilst many “miniature” versions of products are proportionally similar, just on a smaller scale, this isn’t the case with a mini hookah.

The stem is significantly smaller in a mini hookah as compared to a regular hookah. A normal hookah has a stem that accounts for nearly 75% of the height of hookah, but in a mini hookah the stem is less than 50% of the total height of the hookah. The size of the water jar is additionally really small.

Some parts of a mini hookah are just equal or a bit smaller than a standard hookah. One of such things is the size of the bowl. An equal amount of tobacco is used in both kinds of hookahs and the length of the smoking session is just about the same. The diameter of the hose and the diameter of the stem are a few other such examples. If one of these diameters is reduced it would block the airflow and spoil the smoking session. So you can say that where it is crucial for the performance of the hookah, the size of the parts of mini hookah are kept consistent with its counterparts.

The Travel Case
As mentioned, a distinct benefit of the mini hookah is the ability to carry it inside a case for travel and protection purposes. Just like hookahs, cases themselves come in an abundance of shapes and sizes. For optimum protection, hard cases can be purchased, which look much like small trunks. Like a trunk, a latch is used to lock the case. In the case, there are separate compartments for every component of the hookah. Given that a few components of a hookah are breakable, it is well worth to have a hard carry case for the hookah.

Additionally, soft cases are also available. Just like hard cases, they generally have several compartments to arrange and store the hookah and accessories. As opposed to a latch, the soft cases are secured by a zipper and to protect the breakable parts with some sort of padding inside the case.
As the main purpose of a mini hookah is to offer convenient transportation, carrying cases are sold with mini hookahs.

Where to Look for a Mini Hookah?
If you’re interested in physically browsing for your very own mini hookah, the best choice is to find a hookah shop near you. If you are unable to find a hookah shop in your area, then you can buy a mini hookah from an internet hookah store.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like mini hookah and other hookahs

How Should I Choose a Hookah?

All hookahs are not created equal, and buying a hookah isn’t necessarily as simple as it seems. The features of the hookah you want to purchase would be affected by the particular uses for which you want to buy. Listed below are some questions you may want to consider:

1. How many times will I use the hookah in one week?
2. Will it be a permanent accessory in my home? Will I have to move it?
3. If I must transport it, will the size be of importance?
4. Will I use it as a decoration while I am not using it?
5. How many people will generally be smoking the hookah during a smoking session?
6. What should be the duration of a smoking session?
7. Do I have a particular theme for the hookah in my head?

If you answer the above questions, you are likely to make a better choice about which hookah to purchase.

Where Can You Find a Good Hookah?
Like many consumer products in the 21st century, hookahs can be found both in stores and on the internet. At a physical shop, you get the advantage of looking at a variety of hookahs physically and getting advice from the seller.

Buying on the internet can be very convenient as you can purchase a hookah from the convenience of your house. Make sure the web store you choose has a good reputation on the Internet.

Types of Hookahs to look at
There are several types of hookahs and each type is suited for specific taste and uses. Some of these types are:
1. Egyptian Hookah – The most popular type of hookahs made from stainless steel or brass. It isn’t very expensive.
2. Syrian Hookah – The Syrian hookah is a bit pricier than Egyptian hookah. This kind of hookah is characterized by a hoseport with a more upward angle.
3. Crystal Hookah – For a touch of class and luxury, the Mya Hookah Company produces outstanding crystal hookahs for less budget-conscious smokers who may want their hookah to be used as a decoration.
4. Rotating Hookah – Produced from stainless steel, these kind of hookahs are great for use by multiple people in one smoking session due to the rotating base, which makes it easy to pass the hose. These hookahs are not pricier than Egyptian hookahs.
5. Mini Hookah – Like the name indicates these hookahs are small size and best for those who travel quite a bit. They are usually economical.
6. Speciality Hookah – Speciality hookahs are ideal for those who are interested to buy a hookah to fit their unique personality. The cost of speciality hookah can vary from cheap to very pricey. It depends on what you want.

Before You Make the Purchase
Before making a purchase, you should try different types of hookahs. The use of all types of hookahs is similar, to smoke. But specific characteristics of a hookah can make it a better match for you. A smaller hookah requires less suction to smoke as compared to a larger hookah; many users think it is convenient to smoke from a smaller hookah. Additionally, a larger bowl (generally holds x ounces of shisha) can last considerably longer than average bowls (designed for x ounces of shisha).
If there are hookah bars near your home, then you should go and spend some time there to see which hookah satisfies you best. If you buy the right hookah, you can use it for years to come. So be sure you buy the perfect hookah.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where you can buy hookah and hookah accessories.

Hookah Accessories to Enhance Your Smoking Experience

Since you have bought your very own hookah, you are probably thinking what accessories you can buy to further improve your experience. Some individuals like to keep their hookahs simple and straightforward – base, stem, hose, tray, bowl and tong. Some people prefer to add accessories to their hookahs, things like covers to prevent wind from blowing off the coals or devices that cool down the smoke before you inhale it. If you are searching for ways to pimp your hookah, be it for function or fashion, check out a few of these great accessories!

Hookah Hose – The term hookah hose appears to fully explain this item. However, there is a lot more that you do not know about it. There are two kinds of hoses; washable and non-washable A washable hose can be washed with water, whilst the non-washable is blown through and shook instead. Non-washable hoses usually keep the flavor of the strong tobacco flavor. For some strong flavor is just bothersome while some point out that it enhances the taste. Some people complain that the washable hose has a faint “plastic taste”. Using sodium bicarbonate and lemon juice to clean the hose can deal with the plastic taste of the washable hose. The non-washable hose can become rusty since it is made of metal and so you should clean it regularly and thoroughly. There are various lengths, colors and widths of hoses. The width, length and color depend on what you like. Something that you should make sure is that the hose is kept clean.
Hookah Tongs – Hookah tongs are more or less a mandatory accessory for all hookah owners. You are aware that in order to enjoy a hookah, you must place charcoal over the hookah head. These tongs are used to move charcoal on the hookah head. Some tongs also have a small metal rod in them, which can be used to poke holes in the foil.
Charcoal Carriers – The charcoal carrier is fantastic for moving charcoal around while eliminating the risk of dropping embers on the carpet or floor. You can also hold several coals in a carrier so that as soon as one coal burns out, you can effortlessly replace it. To keep your hand away from the heat, they are made with a high handle
Ice Hose Tips – Hoses with removable mouthpieces can use these tips. They are non-toxic packets of water tat like ice cubes when frozen. As the smoke travels through the tip and touches the frozen water packets, it is chilled to a cool temperature for a smooth and icy experience!
Hookah Base Light – Are you hosting a gathering and want your hookah to be the center of focus? This flat circular platform sits below the vase and shines 5 LED colored lights into the water in programmed changing patterns.
Hookah Wind Covers – Using the hookah cover inside regulates the burn rate of the hot coals and stops the shisha mix in the bowl from getting too hot, enabling you to enjoy a smoother longer smoking time. Used outdoors, the hookah cover will stop the wind from interfering with your smoking sessions.
Hookah Mouthpieces/Tips – If people are sharing one shisha, then it is recommended to use these mouthpieces to avoid passing germs. These disposable, plastic mouthpieces fit on the hose’s tip and are simple to place on and take off as the hose changes hands. Mouthpieces can be found in round as well as flat styles.
Hookah Grommets – A Hookah Grommet Set is the only quick and easy way to keep your hookah airtight during use, and in greater condition throughout the years. You can purchase these in a set or separately. The set consists of all three grommets for attaching components (stem, hose and bowl). A grommet won’t airtight your hookah, if it’s not of the right size.
Hookah Rotating Stand: This is a metal rotating stand that lets you pass the hookah hose around conveniently. The stand swivels a complete 360° in either directions and is available in various sizes to properly hold your hookah.
Steel Hookah Charcoal Screen – This is a reusable stainless steel charcoal screen used in place of aluminum foil to keep the hot charcoal. This screen contains holes in it for air flow and you do not have to poke holea as is done with aluminum foil. It significantly reduces setup time to allow for maximum enjoyment of your hookah!
Double or Triple Hookah Head Bowl – If you want to combine different flavors then this is an ideal accessory for you. You can combine several flavors using a multiple hookah head by putting different flavors in each bowl.

Clearly, there are a wide variety of accessories to buy with your hookah! These accessories may be used for fun as well as function. Many people smoke hookah on a regular basis. If you are one of such people then you should invest a little time to decorate your hookah.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like important hookah accessories.

Choosing the Right Hookah

Hookahs are available in a number of designs, sizes and price ranges. What is best for you will depend on your individual preference. However, if you’re new to hookahs, here’s a list of questions you can think about to find that perfect hookah for sale:

1. How often will I smoke?
2. Do I want more than one hose? (hookahs can have two, three, or four hoses)
3. Will I transport my hookah often
4. Will my hookah double as a decorative piece in my house?
5. Is a 30 minute smoking session fine or do I want a longer smoking session?

You will have a better idea of the hookah that you would like to buy after asking these questions to yourself. Perhaps you prefer to enjoy your hookah alone after returning from office. Or maybe you plan to invite your buddies to your place and share hookah with them while talking with them and enjoying their company. Even still, perhaps you’d like one just to take with you when you go to certain places, and you’ll keep it in a carrying case when not being used. Whilst any hookah would work for each of these scenarios, the perfect hookah for each situation will be different.

Different kinds of Hookahs to Consider
Here are some of the widely used types of hookahs:
1. Egyptian Hookah – The Egyptian hookah has a tall, thin stem and a frame made from copper or brass. It is reasonably priced as well as common.
2. Syrian Hookah – The hoseport of this type of hookah has an upward angle. It is a little pricey as compared to the Egyptian hookah.
3. Crystal Hookah – These hookahs are really elegant and very costly. Crystal hookahs may also be used for decoration in the home owing to its design and style.
4. Rotating Hookah – These hookahs are normally manufactured from stainless steel and characterized by a twisting base at the bottom that allows the entire hookah to rotate 360 degrees for convenient hose passing. The rotating function adds small cost.
5. Mini Hookah – For traveling smokers, or people who need to store their hookahs in a place with little space available, mini-hookahs are the best option, and are usually inexpensive.
6. Speciality Hookah – The price of a speciality hookah will change according to your needs. These are best hookahs for individuals who want unique design.

Finding Your Hookah
You can buy hookahs on the web or from physical shops. At a physical shop, you’ll be able to check many different hookahs physically and make sure that the one you get is not defective.
If you like shopping on the Internet and if you do not want to go out looking for a hookah shop then you can purchase one from the convenience of your house using a website. Online shopping has the benefit that you can buy goods at a very low cost since there is no middle man involved. Do a quick Google search and you will find several online shops that sell top quality hookahs at affordable prices.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where you can find great hookahs for sale.

All About Hookah And Hookah Flavors

Are you searching for a good hookah flavor? Read along to learn how you can get a good hookah flavor that fits your taste buds.

The flavorful tobacco, which is usually used in a hookah is commonly known as shisha. Following are the ingredients, which are used in shisha nowadays:
1. Tobacco
2. Treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar)
3. Honey
4. Sugar
5. Molasses
6. Glycerin
7. Nicotine
8. Dried Fruit
9. Distilled Water

The hookah smokers prefer the typical fruity flavors like apple, banana or mango. But, there are a lot of new and creative flavors available in the market such as Starbuzz’s “Blue Mist”. Many of the new flavors have a fruit flavor as the base. Flavors such as Apple pie, blueberry muffin and banana split are among the popular ones.

Because of the improved production processes, it has become quite simple to add flavors to shisha and therefore many flavors is available on the market. Any ingredient can be mixed in dried tobacco in the production to make unique flavors.

Social Smoking
Hookah is usually shared in a social environment where the smokers may gather for friendly discussion and to enjoy the scent produced by the flavored shisha smoke. Once hookah became extremely popular in the Middle Eastern nations, every single social establishment began serving hookahs. Nowadays, you’ll find hookahs even in the homes of many people.

Much of the growing popularity of shisha can be ascribed to the flavor and calming effect of the smoke. As a contrast to cigarettes, hookah smoking is done more as a social pursuit and for the flavor, rather than for any sort of biological affect. Whereas cigarettes offer more of a “quick fix” having a strong dose of nicotine and a generally disagreeable aroma, a flavorful hookah session may last 60 minutes or longer, and shisha does not have near the addictive characteristics as cigarettes.

Getting the Most Flavor from Your Hookah
If you want to improve your hookah experience, then you simply have to follow a few basic acts of common sense. If you are a hookah owner then you should make it a habit of cleaning your hookah frequently You need to wash your hookah meticulously with warm water after each use.

Regarding specific tactics, it’s important to prevent the charcoal from burning the tobacco mid-session. This can be done by keeping some distance between the foil and tobacco. When you’re packing the bowl, leave a few millimetres between the top of your tobacco and the plane created by the rim of the bowl. Then, when you wrap the foil taught around the head, you’ll naturally have the desired amount of space needed to prevent the dreaded burn. Placing two toothpicks on top of the tobacco in a cross is a good way to prevent the foil from touching the tobacco. Also, when “packing” the bowl, don’t pack the tobacco down tightly. A loose mound of tobacco that will allow the air to pass through it is perfect. This will also prevent the tobacco from burning as easily, and it will require less suction on the hose to have a nice, full flavorful hit. If desired you may also use two sheets of foil to help prevent against overheating. The name of the game here is: KEEP IT CLEAN AND DON’T BURN THE SHISHA!

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like hookah flavors.

Are You Looking for a Good Shisha Flavor?

Do you need a hookah flavor that fits your taste buds? In this article, we will discuss how you can find and buy the right kind of shisha flavor for yourself.

Hookahs are used to smoke flavorful tobacco, most commonly termed as “shisha”. Typical, modern-day shisha comprises of some or all of the following ingredients:

1. Tobacco
2. Treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar)
3. Honey
4. Sugar
5. Molasses
6. Glycerin
7. Nicotine
8. Dried Fruit
9. Distilled Water

Although today’s most well-known shisha producers have gotten extremely creative with their flavors, such as Starbuzz’s “Blue Mist” or Fantasia’s “Cuban Mojito”, the mainstay shisha flavors remain fruit flavors like Apple, Banana, or Mango. The manufactures have also released a number of other flavors which are offshoots of fruity flavors. Flavors such as Apple pie, blueberry muffin and banana split are among the popular ones.

Because of the improved production processes, it has become very simple to add flavors to shisha and therefore a wide range of flavors is available on the market. Unique flavors are made because essentially every ingredient can be combined in dried, tobacco, glycerin and sweetener.

Social Smoking
Individuals normally smoke hookah in a social gathering where they can enjoy the company of their family and friends. Once hookah became popular in the Middle Eastern nations, every single social establishment began serving hookahs. You can easily find hookahs in nightclubs, smoking parlors, hookah bars and even in homes these days.

The smoke from shisha has a soothing effect on the smoker, which is one of the many reasons why it became popular swiftly. People smoke it out of social pursuit and not for any kind of biological effect it elicits. On the contrary cigarette to begin with, has a really bad smell and smokers usually smoke cigarette because of addiction. A cigarette surely lasts no more than 5 minutes and a shisha lasts for more than an hour, but the latter isn’t addictive.

Getting the Most Flavor from Your Hookah
If you wish to improve your hookah experience, then you simply have to adhere to a few basic acts of sound judgment. If you are a hookah owner then you should make it a habit of cleaning your hookah on a regular basis You must wash your hookah thoroughly using warm water after every use.

About specific tactics, it’s important to prevent the charcoal from burning up the tobacco mid-session. Arrange the bowl in such a way as to prevent the tobacco from getting stuck to the foil or screen; in fact, try not to let the tobacco to touch the foil in any way. While you are packing the bowl, make sure that the tobacco is at least a few millimetres below the rim of the bowl. So that when you wrap the aluminum foil, there is distance between the tobacco and the foil. You may also place two toothpicks crossed on top of the pile to ensure space between the shisha and foil. Tobacco shouldn’t be packed down very tightly in the bowl. You need to put the tobacco in loose mound from which air can pass. Doing this, you’ll be able to get a flavorful hit without needing to strongly puff on the hose. Many people also use two sheets of aluminum foil to avoid overheating. The principle is simple don’t burn the shisha.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like hookah and shisha flavors.

Shisha Shops in the U.S.

Today, you can see a number of hookah bars and hookah shops in the U.S. primarily because of the rise in popularity of hookahs. The calming effect of shisha is one of the reasons why hookah and shisha demand are increasing. But, just like almost any physical product of the 21st century, shisha sales and distribution are driven more and more by the online marketplace. It does not imply that a local shisha shop does not have any sales. It certainly does. You can easily find shisha shops in places where there are a lot of hookah bars; places like populated urban areas and college towns.
What Do They Sell at Shisha Shops?

You will find anything and everything related to shisha in a shisha shop. The maintenance equipment, the device known as hookah, hookah components, shisha (flavored tobacco) and other things. A shisha shop normally has:

1. Shisha tobacco – The actual substance to be smoked, usually flavored with fruit or some other flavor blends, can be found at the shop. With the advancement in manufacturing processes, it has become quite easy to add ingredients to tobacco during production and you can find a wide range of unique flavors.

2. Hookah Pipes – The smoking device used to purify and inhale the shisha smoke. You can different sizes, shapes and price ranges in hookah pipes. A few are larger with multiple hoses, certain are smaller with carrying case manufactured for regular travel, while others are even appropriate as classy household adornments in addition to smoking devices.

3. Charcoal – Without fire, hookahs would be out of question. So, the majority of shisha shops carry a variety of charcoals too. All the charcoals are not the same and charcoals can have significantly different qualities. Certain charcoals are “self-lighting”, allowing the smoker to light one section of the charcoal, and the rest will ignite itself. Other sorts of charcoal may need to be heated in fire or a charcoal heater. Most point out that self lighting charcoals burn out quickly and that the temperature of the charcoal isn’t optimal resulting in chemical taste in a hookah session.

4. Hookah Accessories – Hoses, bowls, bases, stems, wind covers, trays, mouth tips, and cleaning materials, the accessories include everything associated with hookah smoking that facilitates or improves the experience. Two of the most common accessories are steel charcoal screen and hookah grommets. A charcoal screen is used instead of aluminum foil and a grommet is used to airtight the hookah at the attaching parts.

Contemporary Shisha Stores
If you are not able to find a shisha store near you, you can purchase shisha and shisha items on the web. Buying stuff on the Internet has three main disadvantages:
1. Must wait several days before product arrives
2. Can’t smell the shisha flavors before purchasing
3. No vendor to ask questions to

Internet stores are ideal for people who know what sort of shisha flavor they want and which brand they want.
You can find a number of great online shisha stores with a Google search. Before purchasing however, ensure that the website is reputable and trustworthy.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like shisha shops and hookah accessories.

Where Did Hookah Bars Come From?

Hookahs were originally introduced in the U.S. in the 70’s, but, it wasn’t until recently that they began to grow in popularity.To explain in simple words a hookah bar is the same as cocktail bar, but in a hookah bar you will get hookah instead of cocktails.One can readily get hookah bars near colleges and universities and in highly populated cities. 

Quick History
Hookah and the idea of hookah bars originated five centuries ago in the subcontinent near where today is the border of India and Pakistan.Hookah bars are principally linked to the middle east as it was the origin of hookah and the region from where hookah gained a lot of popularity.Hookah bars became popular in the Middle East as the spots where people used to socialize and smoke hookah with others.

In a Hookah Bar
Bars that are designed to imitate the region of origin of hookah have generally Arab people operating them. The furnishings are in line with the Middle Eastern culture of Indian culture.A few are simple, and may not provide other items.Many, however, provide coffee, sodas, and snack foods at least.Typical neighborhood lounges don’t have liquor licenses and so do not gain profit from alcohol.The larger bars, however, have a liquor license and they serve many cocktails in addition to wine and beer.Smaller hookah bars generally have music systems, however the larger bars have belly dancers, live DJs and the atmosphere appears to be a lot more like a night club.

Near college campuses, hookah bars tend to be more casual with a wide mix of patrons, including students obviously.Hookah is believed to be safer than smoking cigarettes, cigars or other things and therefore hookahs are gaining a lot of popularity.Also, as college years tend to be a time of new experiences, frequent social interaction, and building strong connections, the hookah lounge lends itself well to college life.The cities which are popular for having a lot of secondary education institutions in the U.S. have noticed a great increase in the popularity of hookah bars.

Let’s Discuss a Hookah 

You’d like to learn what a hookah is?A Persian physician, Abul-Fath-Gilani designed the hookah in 1588. He was in India then.At the time it was invented, it was given the name of “huqqa”. The term hookah comes from the very same Indian word “huqqa”.

The first hookah was made from coconut shells and it was not like the hookahs that are produced in the modern day, but the function of that hookah was same of purifying smoke by passing it through water.A simple hookah has the following four parts:
1. Bowl – where tobacco is placed.
2. Body – the smoke leaves the body and reaches the water basin.
3. Water Basin – keeps the water, where smoke is passed through to be cooled and purified.Purified smoke remains in the chamber above the water until it is inhaled through the hose.
4. Hose – the smoker puffs on the hose to breathe in smoke from the chamber where it is kept after purification.Ordinarily a hose is about one to two meters long.
The end result is a calming and aromatic smoke.

A customer of a hookah bar in Turkey once said:
“What you put in the hookah matters not, but who is along with you when you are smoking.It’s a full experience.You’ll find, good, old, intriguing and all sorts of people in a bar like this.Hookahs bars will remain in the world so long as people wish to take out time to enjoy the company of their friends.”

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like hookah bar and hookah shop.

Smoking Tobacco with a Hookah

Hookahs are typically used devices to smoke flavorful tobacco. A hookah incorporates a water basin, which cleans the smoke before inhalation.The source of hookahs is in the Middle East, where one can still get the best quality hookahs in the world. Hookahs are made in a straightforward method with basic components.

System
The photo here shows the key parts of a hookah.The end of the body is immersed in a water jar through which the smoke generated from burning tobacco passes.The smoke is kept in an air chamber above the water once it is purified by the water.One more positive side effect of the smoke passing through the water is that it is chilled to a temperature more comfortable for the lungs.At the top left section of the water jar in this diagram is the hose.It isn’t fully displayed here, but the hose normally extends 1 or more meters.When the smoker puffs on the hose, the purified smoke exits the air chamber and is inhaled by the smoker from the hose.The end result is an extremely satisfying, fragrant, thick, and clean smoke exhaled by the smoker.Hookahs are usually smoked in group settings where the smokers can enjoy the company of their friends.

What Do You Smoke Out of a Hookah?
Generally hookahs are used to smoked shisha, which is flavorful tobacco.Modern-day shisha consists of some or all of the following:
1. Tobacco
2. Treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar)
3. Honey
4. Sugar
5. Molasses
6. Glycerin
7. Nicotine
8. Dried Fruit
9. Distilled Water

Typically shishas have a base of fruit flavor for instance Apple, Mango or Peach.But, nowadays most of the popular manufacturers are experimenting with off-shoots of these fruity flavors, for instance Peaches ‘n Cream, or Banana Split.

The tobacco flavors have become progressively adaptable because of the ease of flavoring during production.The dried tobacco, glycerin, and sweetener can be combined with essentially any ingredients to produce unique flavors.

Where Did Hookahs Originate From?
The very first hookah was designed by a Persian physician called Abul-Fath Gilani in the 1500’s. The word hookah comes from the Indian name of this device “huqqa.”After growing occupied with the health risks of smoking, he designed a system whereby he passed the smoke through a water basin in order to ‘purify’ it.But, it is said that even before he invented it, hookah existed in other regions of Persia.Whatever the case, the recognition of the hookah grew throughout India and Pakistan, westward into Iran, Turkey, and Lebanon.After the hookah arrived at Turkey, its fame surged among the Turkish elite, and it quickly spread through Lebanon and Syria to the remaining Middle East and into northern Africa. Now, it has become very well liked throughout the world.

Through its journey, the hookah has picked up a number of additional names:
Nargile (also pronounced Argilee) – Mostly used in Mediterranean countries.
Narguile – used in Spain
Lula (or lulava) – used in Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina
Sheesha – used in northern African and Arab nations
Qalyan – used in Iran
Karim Khan – used in Russia, Belarus
Chillim – used in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan
Huqqa – used in India and Pakistan
Gudugudaa – used in Maldives
Marra Pipe – used in the UK

How Can I Buy A Hookah?
Hookahs can be bought in brick and mortar shops as well as from online stores.Since the beginning of this century, the number of hookah shops and hookah bars in the U.S. has increased.People who live in the more populated urban areas can certainly find a hookah shop near them.Hookahs are gaining acceptance in the U.S., but they are not as popular here as in the Persian Gulf.

If you’re not able to find a hookah shop or you prefer to shop from the ease of your home then you can purchase a hookah on the Internet.

What Are The Health Hazards Associated with Smoking Hookah?
Whether smoking hookah is less hazardous than cigarette smoking is still not known.While inhaling any sort of smoke into your lungs poses a specific degree of risk, hookah fans point out that hookah smoking is less hazardous as the smoke is cleaner and more purified than cigarette smoke.On the flip side, the people against hookah point out that it has all of the harmful and cancer causing chemicals found in cigarettes.Another factor is that a hookah session may last as long as 60 minutes and sometimes even longer while a cigarette goes for only 3-4 minutes.On the other hand hookah is not as addictive as cigarettes. People smoke hookah once in one week or bi weekly for fun while a cigarette smoker smokes cigarettes everyday, several times.

Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like hookah and hookah accessories.