As city after city bans or limits smoking in public, they used to say Vegas would be the last haven in America for cigar smokers.

Well, Sin City enacted a smoking ban in the continuing 'Californication' of Vegas and another vice bites the dust.

The ban doesn't totally outlaw stogies here, but it's a slippery legislative slope. OK, I can see why smoking at 7-Eleven and the grocery stores is bad. I'll give you that.

However, as evidenced from photos over the last 10 decades from random cowboys to the Rat Pack to conventioneers, the cigar garners as much lore as anything else in Vegas. Smoking a great cigar is a leisurely pasttime and hey, that's what Vegas is all about.

There are still puff palaces where the cigar is celebrated and here are five places to smoke a cigar in Vegas.

1. Playboy Club -- With every visit here, I get more convinced that this must be like what heaven is like. On a recent trip I chilled in a booth and watched a few celebrities play big money blackjack while sipping on straight gin and smoking a cigar. Not to mention the bevy of bunnies all over the place. The decor (above) has this classic, sexy vibe that's perfect for bringing old-school Vegas alive in a modern environment with a cigar, a cocktail and a bunny tail.

2. Casa Fuente -- This cigar bar is an interesting concept located at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. If you recognize the name, it is affiliated with the Fuente family and in fact they roll a special cigar just for this location.

The ban forced smoking from the patio inside the shopping mecca to the inside confines of the cigar bar, but it's still a welcome oasis. Think about this, while your partner shops, you can chill, light up and even order a mojito. Brilliant.

3. Foundation Room -- If you're the exclusive type and you have a membership to the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, you can take the private elevator 43 stories to the top, head to the outdoor balcony and light up while enjoying too-cool-for-words views of the Strip (above).

Since it's a private club, I could have easily substituted the public views at VooDoo at Rio or ghostbar at Palms or even the carbon copy of the Foundation's balcony next door at Mix at THEhotel, but Foundation Room opens its doors to non-members on Monday nights for the Godspeed party. If you go and you got 'em, smoke 'em.

4. Scores -- This isn't your typical gentlemen's club. Sure, there are familiar sights, but the focus here is on indulgence. As an example, the club focuses on wine and champagne instead of the $2 kamikaze shots at other joints and cigars are part of that indulging luxury. In fact, Scores has a 'robusto' section for cigars on their Web site.

5. Havana Cigar Company -- There's a lot of testosterone on this list, so the last spot goes to a chill location at Lake Las Vegas where we can commune with man-made nature. Chicks with sticks are some of the more enticing sights known to man and this location at Montelago Village (they also have a location on Paradise) is a perfect place for unisex smoking.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hard Rock -- The rocking places to smoke a cigar here are out by the pool and in the sports bar.

Fremont Street -- If your schedule allows a trip Downtown, wait until dark and then light up, walk around and soak in the neon (below) for an old-school Vegas vibe and live entertainment.

Golf Courses -- There are 50 in the area and the temperature isn't in the 100s yet, so enjoy.

BEST PLACES TO BUY A STICK
Most casinos have a humidor or a kiosk with cigars for sale. Davidoff (five locations) stands out, but one of the best casino stores is Cuba Libre at Hard Rock. If I'm hitting Nobu, Body English or a concert at The Joint and caught without my stash, I can duck into there for one of the classiest selections in town.

If you're going off-off-Strip, places like Tobacco Leaf (Southeast), Ideal (McCarran area) or Tinderbox (Northwest) have better pricec and pretty deep inventory on accessories. And all have some sort of online ordering.

For now it looks like cigar smoking and smoking in general are still tolerated. If the De-Vice Squad outlaws half-yard margaritas Downtown or slot machines in grocery stores, then there may be room for concern. Until that happens, I'm just going to keep on with my Fuente 858s and my Romeo y Julieta's Maduro Reserves and smoke 'em while I got 'em.

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