HOWLER Magazine September / October 2017

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 1

Our high-efficiency solar is a great INVESTMENT that produces 20% ROI each year over 20 years!

All solar energy systems are NOT created equal . . . a cheap, financed solar energy system is just an expense.

8735-1402 Free Quotes / 20+ Year System Warranties / Guaranteed Savings

info @ pura vida energy systems .com

2 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Visit us Today!

USE DISCOUNT CODE

HOWLER Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 3

FEATURE

CONTENTS

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

10

IS GUANACASTE POISED FOR A BOOM?

COVER STORY

24

SEA SHEPHERD SERIES Community Feature

56

SUP

Featured Adventure

Hot, Wet, Sexy Springs

18

Cool Places

60

Breast Cancer Awareness Series

74

La Playita

Featured Restaurant

HOWLER

4 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Grant McLean Luxury Real Estate

Call: (+506)8384-2594 grant@propertiesincostarica.com www.propertiesincostarica.com

www.grantcostarica.com

CasaTranquila Beach Front Playa Langosta ID CODE: #3388 Sales Price: US$2,695,000

Villa Marrakech Beach Front Playa Langosta ID CODE: #3212 Sales Price: US$3,995,000

Flamingo Estates Playa Flamingo ID CODE: #3302 Sales Price: US$595,000

Casa de las Tortugas Beach Front Playa Langosta ID CODE: #3227 Sales Price: US$2,950,000

Esencia Tamarindo Ocean View Playa Tamarindo ID CODE: #3320 Sales Price: US$965,000

Villa Corazรณn del Mar Beach Front Playa Potrero ID CODE: #2781 Sales Price: US$1,295,000

Villa Tropical Ocean View Playa Flamingo ID CODE: #3291 Sales Price: US$1,998,000

Casa Pica Pica Playa Junquillal ID CODE: #3302 Sales Price: US$595,000

Ocean View Golf Front Hacienda Pinilla Home Site ID CODE: #3370 Sales Price: US$695,000

Read. like. share. | online howlermag.com |5 Visit www.propertiesincostarica.com for our complete Portfolio of Listings

DEPARTMENTS

CONTENTS

18 Breast Cancer Awareness Series

18 - Be Aware and Get Checked 19 - Cancer-Fighting Superfoods 20 - So What's Next? Breast Cancer in Costa Rica 22 - Spirituality: A Time to Breathe 23 - Join the Fight: Breast Cancer Awareness Events

42 Raising a Child in CR

24 Community 26 - Building CR: Roofing 101 Guanacaste Style 28 - Pet Care: What to Expect When She’s Expecting 30 - Environment: Rain Bombs Away 31 - Insurance Nuggets: Broker or Agent?

32 - Legal Ease: Trademarks in Costa Rica 32 - Corporation Alert 34 - Community Activities and Information 36 - Community Services 37 - Community Directory: Gold Coast 40 - Community Directory: Papagayo & Liberia

42 Lifestyle 2 - Feature: Raising a Child in Costa Rica 4 44 - Photo Tips: ISO - What You Need to Know 46 - Yoga: Coming Home - Tadasana 48 - Spanish: Here’s Looking at You, Kid 50 - Tide, Sun & Moon Chart: September and October 51 - August Odysseys: Crabs from Dirty Dick's 52 - Surf Science: The Importance of Swell Angle 54 - Recipes of the Month by La Playita

54

Recipes of the Month

56 Travel & Adventure 58 - Waves You’ve Missed 62 - Creature Feature: A Dangerous Duo 63 - Travel & Adventure Directory

64 Arts & Entertainment 4 - Spotlight: A Conversation with Stephanie Waltrip 6 66 - Happenings: Get Out, Do Something 70 - Dos Locos: In the Hood - Flying High and Blind 71 - Locos Dos: Surviving CR - Chapter 27 Eating 72 - Word Search Puzzle

73 Dining Guide

74 - Featured Restaurant: La Playita 82 - Restaurant Directory: Papagayo and Gold Coast

HOWLER

6 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

58

Waves You've Missed

Spotlight

64

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 7

EDITORIAL Beauty and adventure draw us here. However, in this place there are people who are fantastic to deal with and those who come off at first being great, successful, full of promises on the surface, rapidly diminishing to what we should have been alert to as we seek our “paradise.” Costa Caution!

Keeping your eyes open and doing business like you would back home is your first and best option. Don’t let your guard down because of fast-talking people with great websites, fly-andbuy deals or dreams drawn out on a piece of paper that may or may not come to fruition, either due to lack of financial backing or outright deceit and integrity issues. Just because your native language is spoken doesn’t mean you will be treated properly. Many small-time developers rob Peter to pay Paul — a pyramid method with an ending point that is usually bad for the investor.

Many places in Costa Rica have expensive gates with nightmares behind them.

After talking to people with similar experiences, I’ve found they all say they should have talked to more people and asked more questions from those inside and outside the community.

Knock on doors around the area to ask how people like living there and whether they are happy or had problems. Visit town leaders to see what has been promised to the community by the developer in terms of improvements and other issues. If the developer has built other projects, look at them and talk with the people there to get a good background on whom you are dealing with. The fact is that spending time on due diligence will save you.

If doing over, I would have spent an extra week or more here looking deeper into things with much more awareness. Here a person can tell you anything about an investment, making wild promises of financial opportunity. They are not governed by laws as we are accustomed. There is no such thing as a Better Business Bureau here, though some tout that on their websites, it means nothing.

Big questions to ask: Has the developer had issues and not completed projects? Is there an HOA? Is it run properly? Read the documents of the HOA and understand them before you buy.

If you do not agree with the documents, your chances of changing them are very slim. Look at the financials and ask questions. Reserve funds are vital. Are there any for future problems?

The ability to look at the financials at any point with proper notice is important. If the answer to seeing the finances is “No,” find a new development that has open books. Don’t forget the HOA money including the reserved fund money collected is the community’s and must be accounted for properly.

If you do your homework with your eyes wide open and proper legal representation, your experience can be pura vida. If you trust blindly, you may be putting your future in the hands of someone selling some other sort of vida.

There is a lot of activity in the region and this makes for great growth. It also makes it easy for bad operators to prey on those looking for their slice of paradise. The only thing we own in life is our word. Actions speak much louder than dreams or empty promises.

In hindsight I should not have been as trusting and questioned much more in the real estate community. My advice is to keep your eyes open and don’t forget your values or let your guard down. I have firsthand experience with this, and I hope that readers do their homework to ensure a happy, peaceful experience.

Pura vida or as I'm now liking to say, a cachete,

John Quam

HOWLER

The

T r o o p

Sept/Oct 2017 Vol. 22 No. 9 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-in-CHIEF John B. Quam BUSINESS DEVELOpmENT Martin Svoboda M A N A G I N G PA R T N E R S John B. Quam Martin Svoboda D i r e c t o r o f O p e r at i o n s Marynes F. Chops E d i t o r i a l S ta f f Debbie Bride - Production Director Marian Paniagua - Admin Director Karl Kahler - Staff Writer Graphic Design Team Consultants - Grafika Tamarindo Art Director - M. Alauddin Graphic Designer - Jose Chops Sales Team Sarah Kahi - Director Bentley Fachner - Consultant WEBMASTER Maria Focsa Cover Design Jose Chops C o n ta c t John Quam: headmonkey@howlermag.com Marty Svoboda: martin@howlermag.com Editor: editor@howlermag.com CR Office: (506) 4701-5942 US Office: (720) 507-7596 (leave Message) Facebook: The Howler Magazine Costa Rica T w i t t e r : @thehowlermag The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A. Ced. Juridica: 3-101-725213

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Howler organization or its advertisers.

Copyright © 2017 by The Howler Gold Coast CR S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to: info@howlermag.com The Howler Magazine does not assume responsibility for the content of its advertisements

8 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

by Karl Kahler

A $1 billion Liberia eco-park here, a $100 million Papagayo makeover there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money. Is Guanacaste poised for a boom?

10 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Opposite page: 360 project, Flamingo - penthouse view and infinity pool. (Karl Kahler)

Peninsula Papagayo, home of the Four Seasons. (Gencom)

A

$1 billion Discovery park in Liberia … a $100 million makeover of Peninsula Papagayo … a new W hotel at Reserva Conchal … new luxury condos on Flamingo’s highest hill … just above the world-class marina everyone is waiting for … and the biggest hotel in town is becoming a Margaritaville — all of those tourists covered with oil!

Is there a boom going on in Guanacaste, or are we imagining things?

“There is a mini-boom, let’s call it,” said Robert “Blu” Stewart, a real estate agent in Playa Hermosa with decades of experience in Costa Rica. “The first half of ’17 we did more sales than we did in all of ’16. And it kept getting better — ’16 was better than ’15 and so on and so on.”

The international airport in Liberia, which breaks its own passenger records every year, is currently undergoing a $10 million expansion. A new freeway through this regional capital has been completed, and a $1.5 million Walmart that just

opened is now the largest supermarket in Guanacaste. A new gas station is being built across from the airport, and another is under construction in Huacas.

Meanwhile, at the construction workers’ unemployment office, the staff is about as busy as the Maytag repairman.

New projects aside, construction at existing developments is happening all over Guanacaste, fueling confidence that the good times are here again.

Some experts quibble with the word “boom,” recalling the real estate bubble of the mid-2000s that led to the catastrophic collapse of 2008. But everyone seems to agree that the real estate, hospitality and retail markets are more robust and more consistent this year than they have been in a long time.

“I think that the market is the healthiest it’s been in 10 years,” said Dave Corredor, 47, owner of Grande Real Estate and the Ripjack Inn in Playa Grande. “I think that there’s more transactions than

there have been in 10 years. I think that it’s almost all cash, whereas in the real estate boom there was a ton of different types of financing that were in play, and now there really aren’t.”

FLOURISHING IN FLAMINGO

Ed Podolak, a former pro football player for the Kansas City Chiefs (and a friend of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett), says his high-end 360 Splendor del Pacifico condo development on top of Flamingo’s North Ridge is on track for a soft opening around Thanksgiving. Prices range from $295,000 for a 1-bedroom to $2.5 million for a penthouse, and he says two-thirds of the 36 units are already sold.

“It’s interesting because there’s been no development since 2008, -09, -10, -11, when the economic crisis hit the U.S. and other places,” Podolak said. “Then as the economy turned around and the airport opened and now the marina is coming, yeah, there’s a boom.”

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 11

Rendering of a remodeled swimming pool at the Four Seasons. (Meyer Davis)

Speaking of Jimmy Buffett, it’s no accident that the Flamingo Beach Resort is being rebranded a “Margaritaville,” one of a chain of resorts inspired by the laidback tropical tastes of the man who wrote “The Wino and I Know.” Buffett has been to Flamingo and he likes it, and Podolak says he’ll be back.

“This is just a little pimple of what he has,” he said, “but it’s a crown for us.”

The long-awaited new Flamingo Marina appears to be closer to reality than ever, though the wheels of the approval process continue to

renaissance of sleepy Flamingo.

DISCOVER THIS

In April, when plans were announced to build a $1 billion eco-park branded by the people behind the Discovery Channel, President Luis Guillermo Solís said, “It will boost tourism and competitiveness, will generate employment and is part of our tradition of sustainability, renewable energies and environmental respect.”

Yet questions emerged in August, in a meeting of developers with Vice President Ana Elena Chacón and several

The marina’s approval appears to be inevitable, and that’s driving Buffett-style "changes in attitudes" about a renaissance of sleepy Flamingo. grind slowly. SETENA, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat, was expected to approve the marina on Aug. 3, but it put off the decision because one of two crucial reports was not attached to a file at its biweekly meeting.

But the marina’s approval appears to be inevitable, and that’s driving Buffettstyle “changes in attitudes” about a

12| HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

lawmakers, about whether the project had the necessary permits and the financing to make it viable, and developer Sun Latin America began referring to the project as “Liberia Adventure Park” instead of “Discovery Costa Rica.” It remains to be seen what the problems are, how they can be resolved and whether Discovery Communications will

remain involved.

Plans announced in April called for a gigantic park in four locations, including a 2,186-acre “Discovery Ranch” in Liberia, a hotel-condo complex at “Discovery Beach,” a “Discovery Ocean” operation at Papagayo Marina and a lodge with hot springs and ziplines called “Discovery Volcano.” The park was originally scheduled to open in 2020.

PAPAGAYO REIMAGINED

Firmer plans are in play for a $35 million renovation of the Four Seasons in Papagayo, the finest resort in Central America, which is now closed for four months, from August to December, to undergo a major makeover. Plans call for new furniture and new artwork at all of its 181 units (which were pretty nice before), plus new plunge pools at its 15 “Canopy Suites.” The lobby will also be redesigned, the restaurants will be remodeled and a new bar and library lounge will be added.

Last year the Miami-based Gencom, led by real estate tycoon Karim Alibhai (born in Kenya of Indian descent), bought most of Peninsula Papagayo for $450 million. The original deal included the Four Seasons, the Arnold Palmerdesigned golf course, the Papagayo Marina and assorted other properties,

Rendering of Discovery Costa Rica

and Gencom recently acquired the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort as well.

The $35 million renovation of the Four Seasons is said to be just the spearhead of a $100 million investment in capital improvements all over Peninsula Papagayo — adding eight miles of nature trails, improving the golf course, upgrading the 180-slip marina and creating a macaw sanctuary.

Just east of the marina, the former Allegro Hotel is scheduled to reopen as a Hard Rock Hotel in early 2018. Just to the southeast, the Spanish-run Sirenis Hotels and Resorts is now building a beach club and has plans to build a brand-new hotel.

South of there, the Casa Conde Beach Front Hotel just underwent a big renovation, and the neighboring El Mangroove is building 42 new villas, new pools and a new restaurant.

In Playas del Coco, the popular Coconutz Sports Bar & Grill was recently acquired by Pete Wenzel, who employs roughly 300 people at his bar-code and automatic ID businesses in the U.S. He says he has invested about $5 million in Guanacaste and is spending hundreds of thousands on Coconutz alone.

“The long and short of it is, there are bargains to be had in Costa Rica, where a lot of places, especially in the U.S., there are not,” he said. “I believe there is a boom going on, and I’m trying to get on the front end of it before all the bargains get snapped up.”

Just around the cape south of Coco, the multimillion-dollar, Mediterraneanstyle village called Las Catalinas is also thriving, having opened the luxe Casa Chameleon hotel this year.

“We have seen consistent and increased interest from people, mostly focused on the concept of living here in Guanacaste full-time,” said Renae

Johnson, director of residential sales.

WELCOME WITH A CAPITAL W Not to be outdone by rivals to the north, owners of the super-exclusive Reserva Conchal near Brasilito are building a new W hotel to supplement the Westin Golf Resort & Spa, as if its 406 rooms weren’t enough. The W Costa Rica, due to open in 2019, will have 151 rooms, restaurants, bars, an infinity pool, a spa and a convention center.

The 936-hectare Reserva Conchal is also a major housing development, currently boasting 204 units, a mix of condos (starting in the $300,000s) and stand-alone homes (starting in the $800,000s). Gabriel Araya, head of sales for Sotheby’s at Reserva Conchal, said six new condos are in preconstruction and three new townhomes are being built.

Asked if he’s seen recent growth in construction and sales, Araya said: “The past three years have been very consistent in terms of activity. This year, there is probably more construction, and sales-wise, we’ve done very well in numbers, and we’ve had very constant activity for the past three years.”

Speaking of new hotels, a beachfront

A pool with an ocean view at Las Ventanas in Playa Grande.

Marriott Residence Inn is also in the works between Brasilito and Flamingo’s South Ridge, on a nearly empty stretch of coastline prime for development. Marriott announced plans in 2015 to build a hotel in Flamingo, supposedly to open in early 2017. And while that didn’t happen, local real estate professionals say those plans remain very much in play.

BUILDING GOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Less than a kilometer from this future Marriott is the Mar Vista gated community, where 45 homes have been built, eight more are under construction, and sales this year have been brisk.

“We have a lot of interest coming into the local area,” said Aaron Berkowitz, a builder and co-owner at Mar Vista. “You could call it a boom — I think we’re just starting to hit the boom.”

Gina Briguglio, director of sales and marketing for Mar Vista, said, “It’s becoming consistent, is what I see, whereas prior it was not consistent, it was hit or miss.”

Down the road at Las Ventanas, a gated community in Playa Grande, nearly a dozen homes have already been built, six others are under construction and four more should break ground this year, Corredor said.

“This year has been a big step forward for Las Ventanas,” he said. “Definitely the biggest year in sales the project has ever seen, year to date, for sure.” And that applies to both the number of sales of homes and lots and the prices they’re going for, he said.

At Hacienda Pinilla near Tamarindo, a huge 4,500-acre Marriott-condo-golf course property with 430 lots, homes and villas developed and 19 homes under construction, sales have also picked up

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 13

Streetscape at Las Catalinas

this year, said real estate sales manager Cynthia Durán.

“This year has been much better than previous years regarding sales that we have closed, regarding clients that are coming

This time, let’s hope it lasts. to visit, and regarding clients that are looking to buy,” she said. “So in those three, it has been better than previous years.” But Cynthia is skeptical of the word “boom.”

“In 2004-05, I opened the third phase of a subdivision and I sold 48 lots in 10 days,” she said. “That’s a boom for me. I don’t see that happening right now. I see a more healthy market than previous years” — in part, she added, because buyers are final users and not speculators.

Stewart, the real estate agent in Playa Hermosa, had a similar thought: “It’s not a giant Silicon Valley boom. It’s not a bubble.

When we opened this in ’07, we had people tripping over their money to spend it. I’d have four or five clients in here at a time. …

And then when the excrement hit the air conditioning, that was it.”

“The market is healthy and buyers are discerning," said Grant McLean, who has 20 years’ experience as a luxury real

14 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

estate broker for Properties in Costa Rica.

“Over-priced properties don’t sell while great values are scooped up very quickly….

“We are seeing an incredible number of inquiries for properties, Costa Rica is popular and sales are good, but ‘boom’ is not a word I like to use either,” he added.

“I would say the market is healthy with obvious commercial expansion in certain areas like Tamarindo’s commercial district and Potrero. … However, the increased activity is in pockets, not across the board.”

South of Tamarindo, on a littleknown coastline between Playa Negra and Nosara, another development in Marbella is angling to become a major player in the region. Marbella Group Developers has four projects: Posada

del Sol, Vista Bella, Ruta del Sol, and the planned centerpiece, Costa Dorada.

This will be a condo development with paved roads and underground utilities, and eventually three pool clubs and two beach clubs, plus a commercial center with a medical center, private school, supermarket and pharmacy.

Head developer Jeffrey Allen said 43 homes have been built so far and three are under construction. Asked how sales are going compared to recent years, he described 2002-07 as “great,” 2008-12 as “slow,” and 2013-17 as “really good — feel like the boom has been coming back.”

This time, let’s hope it lasts.

Model home at Marbella

A Q&A with the owners of Costa Rica’s first Margaritaville

by Karl Kahler

C

arlos and Pamela Rodríguez are the primary owners of the Flamingo Beach Resort and Miami-based Driftwood Acquisitions and Development, which announced in July that Flamingo’s top hotel was about to join the Margaritaville brand of resorts inspired by the laid-back tropical escapism of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

The Howler sat down with the couple at the hotel in August to discuss what’s in the works. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Carlos: We wanted to renovate and refresh it to stay current with the times.

There’s a lot of new product that has come along, and Margaritaville really represents what this property is and what Costa Rica’s all about. When you think about the brand of Margaritaville, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of being.

When you think about it, there’s the hammock on the beach with a beer, sandals, shorts, and a Tommy Bahama.

That’s Margaritaville. Margaritaville is relaxation, enjoyment — have fun, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of thinking.

How did this Margaritaville deal come about?

Carlos: We bought another property in Cocoa Beach, Fla., and we were looking for something to do with that, and we basically fell in love with the Margaritaville brand. And in those

DON’T KNOW THE REASON, STAYED HERE ALL SEASON conversations Pam and I looked at each other and said, “You know, Flamingo would be ideal.”

Pamela: I mean, it IS our Margaritaville.

Carlos: So we talked to the president of Margaritaville, and he immediately jumped on it.

Pamela: He said, “Oh, Jimmy Buffett loves Costa Rica. We’ve looked at some things down in Costa Rica. We’ve never found the right thing but we love Costa Rica, we’ve always wanted to be there.”

Carlos: And they came here and fell in love with this — they said if there’s any Margaritaville in the world that fits perfectly, it’s this one.

Did Jimmy Buffett come here?

Carlos and Pamela: No.

with us and we work together as a team to develop the concept, what changes need to be made to fit the Margaritaville mode and brand.

Can you provide examples of how it will be renovated?

Carlos: Absolutely. We’re going to be upgrading the lobby, upgrading the rooms and upgrading this restaurant (Arenas) in particular.

Pamela: We’re going to repaint it white with a light blue and turquoise, a very beachy look.

Carlos: A blue sandal, flip-flop statue, that’s part of it, with a little pop-top next to it — they have one in Hollywood, Fla. When do you expect to be finished?

Carlos: November 2018 is our target date to open as a Margaritaville.

Pamela: We went really up, up, up, and then we sort of leveled off. And now we want to take it to a new level.

Carlos: We want to up our game.

So how does this work? What’s the agreement between you and Margaritaville?

Carlos: It’s a licensing agreement, just like Hilton or Marriott or Starwood — none of them own their hotels, it’s individual owners. This is a licensing agreement; we pay them a royalty for using the name. And they consult with you on how to …

Margaritaville-ize it?

Pamela: Exactly!

Carlos: They go through and analyze it

Will Jimmy Buffett put in an appearance at the grand opening?

Pamela: We wanted to put that in the contract, but they said, “Nobody tells JB what to do.” There were a lot of rumors that Jimmy Buffett bought the hotel — not true, he’s not even investing. But if he wants to, bienvenido!

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 15

16 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 17

FEATURE SERIES

Breast Cancer Awareness

BREAST CANCER Be Aware & Get Checked

A

by Dr. Herbert Weinman

s with cancers in other parts of the body, breast cancer starts when abnormal cells in the breast begin to grow out of control.

The cells usually form a “lump” that can be seen on X-rays or felt by the patient or physician. These tumors can invade locally or spread to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women.

It’s also important to remember that not all breast lumps are cancer. Some do not spread outside the breast (benign) and are not life-threatening. However, all breast lumps or other changes in the breast need to be checked by a health care practitioner.

THE DOCTOR IS IN Breast cancer can spread (metastasize) when tumor cells get into the blood or lymphatic system and are carried to other parts of the body. When spread by the lymphatic system, the cells first spread to the regional lymph nodes.

Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. After lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Death rates from breast cancer have dropped significantly in the last 20 years. This is undoubtedly the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and awareness, and more improved treatment, especially in the last 10 years.

It’s extremely important for a person to know how their breasts normally look and feel in order to detect changes. Finding breast cancer as early as possible, before symptoms appear, gives a person a better chance of successful treatment. Self-awareness does not take the place of having regular mammography and other screening tests.

Symptoms of breast cancer include swelling of all or part of

18 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, breast or nipple pain, nipple retraction (turning inward), nipple discharge, and redness, scaling or thickening of the nipple or breast skin. Breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone. It can cause a lump or swelling even before the original tumor in the breast is large enough to be felt.

Breast cancer is one of the most extensively researched cancers in medical centers throughout the world.

Areas of research include causes, reducing risk, Breast can new laboratory and imaging tests and breast occur in both cancer treatment. and Some of the newer tests for detecting breast cancer are tests for circulating tumor cells (CTCs), as well as scintimammography (molecular breast imaging). In this test a slightly radioactive drug called a tracer is injected into a vein. The tracer attaches to breast cancer cells detected by a special camera. This study is still in its infancy.

There are many types of medical and surgical treatment. Breastconserving surgery (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy) can be used for early-stage cancers. For larger tumors, mastectomy might be needed; newer methods include combining cancer chemotherapy with plastic surgery techniques. Medical treatment includes both chemotherapy and hormonal therapy.

Since there are many different types of breast cancer, consulting with an expert in breast cancer will determine the individual therapeutic choices that are available.

cancer men women.

Cancer-Fighting Superfoods

AWARENESS _SUPER FOODS Protect yourself from breast cancer and more by serving up these readily available superfoods for healthy family living.

SOURCE: www.health.com

by Howler Staff

BROCCOLI Helps fight: breast, liver, lung, prostate, skin, stomach, and bladder cancers All cruciferous veggies (think cauliflower, cabbage, kale) contain cancer-fighting properties, but broccoli is the only one with a sizable amount of sulforaphane, a particularly potent compound that boosts the body’s protective enzymes and flushes out cancercausing chemicals. Recent University of Michigan study on mice found that sulforaphane also targets cancer stem cells — those that aid in tumor growth.

The more broccoli, the better, research suggests—so add it wherever you can, from salads to omelets to the top of your pizza.

GARLIC Helps fight: breast, colon, esophageal, and stomach cancers Phytochemicals in garlic have been found to halt the formation of nitrosamines, carcinogens formed in the stomach (and in the intestines, in certain conditions) when you consume nitrates, a common food preservative.

Chop a clove of fresh, crushed garlic (crushing helps release beneficial enzymes), and sprinkle it into that lycopene-rich tomato sauce while it simmers.

WALNUTS Helps fight: breast and prostate cancers Their phytosterols (cholesterol-like molecules found in plants) have been shown to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, possibly slowing the cells’ growth.

Munching on an ounce of walnuts a day may yield the best benefits, research found.

BEANS

Helps fight: breast and colon cancers A study out of Michigan State University found that black and navy beans significantly reduced colon cancer incidence in rats, in part because a diet rich in the legumes increased levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth. Another study, in the journal Crop Science, found dried beans particularly effective in preventing breast cancer in rats.

Add a half-cup serving of legumes a few times a week (either from a can or dry beans that’ve been soaked and cooked) to your usual rotation of greens or other veggies.

Munching on an ounce of walnuts a day may yield the best benefits, research found.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 19

FEATURE SERIES Breast Cancer Awareness

SO WHAT NEXT? Breast Cancer in Costa Rica

C

osta Rica has the highest rates in Central America. While prevalence here is still low compared with the rest of America and the world, breast cancer is a real possibility for many Costa Rican women.

As a health tourism mecca for foreign patients taking advantage of affordable dentistry and surgeries, Costa Rica offers well-trained doctors with state-of-the-art medical facilities. The Central Valley is bursting with these visitors recovering while on vacation.

The expansion of health care services outside San José in recent years has been encouraging. That includes Guanacaste, where growth in the number of local clinics is a welcome change.

We’ve come a long way since the days when even a checkup would require a one-hour drive to Liberia. Access to women’s health care in the area has never been better.

Detection possible sooner and closer to home

Early detection has long been recognized as the key to breast cancer survival rates and methods of treatment.

In that regard, women in Guanacaste have come a long way. Only five years ago, seeing a gynecologist required a trip to Liberia. Today, visiting gynecologists from San José are making monthly visits to local clinics in Guanacaste communities. Ask

20 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

by Sylvia Monge

your doctor or local clinic when gynecologist appointments are available. As for breast sonograms, most doctors your doctor continue referring patients to or CIMA in Liberia. However, gynecologist the exams are now also appointments available at the recently opened Metropolitan Hospital in Conchal. Mammograms are still only available in San José.

For all the strides that have been made towards detecting breast cancer sooner and closer to home for Guanacastecan women, there are limits beyond that point. Local mammograms, chemotherapy and surgical treatment remain unrealized goals for the future.

As for right now, what happens if a test comes back positive? What can the local health system offer you? Unfortunately not much … at least not yet.

All breast cancer cases are sent to San José for further testing and

Ask

local clinic when

are available

treatment. Even the CIMA hospital in Liberia refers all cancer cases to San José.

Once your breast cancer has been diagnosed, you will be referred to one of the many treatment teams in San José. That’s when your care becomes a multi-disciplinary effort.

San José has a number of hospitals with knowledgeable staff and the necessary equipment. Which hospital you use will largely depend on the doctor who refers you. Your local doctor is your first line of defense, working with the San José team to coordinate screening, checkups and surgical procedures.

Fortunately, Costa Rica’s capital city offers women with breast cancer a very high standard of care at a fraction of what the same procedures cost patients in the United States with health insurance. This may be of some consolation to women living further away than the Central Valley, whose bigger reality is the added physical, emotional and financial burden of long travel hours, hotel stays and separation from loved ones.

Private vs. public treatment options

Breast cancer treatment through Costa Rica’s public health care system is free. La Caja (national health insurance) covers the costs of all doctor’s appointments, medications, tests and procedures. The downside is long waiting times.

With San José having the only mammography facilities in the country, it can take months to get an appointment.

Once cancer is diagnosed, you are placed on a waiting list according to severity. Chemotherapy or surgical appointments can take years to get.

Private breast cancer treatment options are also

available. San José has many state-of-the-art private hospitals offering a full range of treatments. Most hospitals work with each patient to create an economical plan for tests, appointments and treatments. Some hospitals offer private rooms, healthy and delicious meal options for both patients and family visitors and even beds and rooms for family members. Such hospital services can be comparable with a stay in a luxury hotel.

Join the fight

A large-scale breast cancer awareness and fundraising initiative in Playas del Coco is supporting at-risk women using La Caja who need mammograms, chemotherapy and surgery. The organizers have partnered with Banco Nacional, artists and local Coco businesses in featuring a series of events during International Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

The Anna Ross Foundation’s 14th annual Walk/Run Against Cancer takes place in San José on Sunday, October 8. Close to 100,000 people participate each year, making it the largest event of its kind in Latin America.

Whether you decide to be part of the action in Coco Beach, San José or anyplace else where pink champions are joining forces, remember breast cancer does not discriminate geographically. It affects millions of mothers, sisters and daughters in Costa Rica every year. These are women like us, or women we know, in all parts of the country. Don’t they all deserve the best fighting chance we can give them?

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 21

AWARENESS _SPIRITUALITY

A TIME TO BREATHE Mindfully healing from cancer

B

reast cancer, like any cancer, can be the biggest turning point in someone’s life. From a cause and prevention standpoint, unequivocal answers concerning the role of heredity, lifestyle, diet and emotional state continue to elude researchers.

What is clear is that a cancer diagnosis can shake us to the core. It can make us question ourselves like never before. It can push us to seek out deeper causes and alternative practices to conquer the disease.

Alternative healing practices have been found very beneficial for people going through cancer treatment. The link between state of mind and healing outcome is well established.

For example, it’s not uncommon for local doctors to suggest marijuana

by Sylvia Monge

therapy, not only for the demonstrated impact on tumor reduction but also to alleviate cancer patients’ anxiety.

Meditation is also a common recommendation during treatment.

There are many meditation systems that can guide you in focusing your mind and body on healing, or on simply feeling at peace. Reiki, yoga, quantum jumping and tai chi are all ways to practice guided meditation. It’s a matter of finding the one that best fits with your lifestyle.

Reiki is a Japanese form of healing, reflecting the belief that when someone’s life energy force is low, disease can take over. Practitioners of reiki lay hands and transmit life force energy. You can learn to transmit this energy yourself or find someone to do it for you.

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice of

physical movement to achieve mental and spiritual peace. It has been shown to help people with various kinds of health problems, and in reducing risk factors associated with cancer.

Quantum jumping is a guided meditation practice developed by Burt Goldman. He combined many different concentration and meditation methods to create an easy-to-follow system that can quickly calm and center a person.

Tai chi was originally a martial art in which practitioners push hands and create deliberate and slow movements.

It has been shown to have both mental and physical benefits.

There is no quantitative correlation between these practices and killing cancer cells. However, the combination of cancer treatment and relaxation exercises has been found to positively affect recovery rates. Any form of meditation or calming of the mind can enhance longevity and quality of life.

With an endless variety of mindful relaxation techniques being practised everywhere, which one you choose is less important than the decision to practice it daily.

The link between state of mind and healing outcome is well established.

22 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

PLAYAS del COCO

DINE AND DANCE

J

Walk-Dance-Dine-Stretch for Breast Cancer Awareness WALK/RUN - 3K, 6K OR 12 K

oin us for an unforgettable evening hosted by Zi Lounge, featuring a premium buffet dinner.

Where: Starting at soccer field When: Sat, Oct 28 7:30am Registration 8:00am Start time

Entertainment: Bob Burger Art auction donations: Carlos Hiller, David JaraG, Alessandra Cole and more For purchase: Gitingas official limited edition Breast Cancer Awareness bags Where: Zi Lounge When: Thurs, Oct 26, 5pm

"A TEAM" ZUMBATHON Adrian, Arlene, Mena, Alejandra, Adrianna and Adam

YOGA WITH MIRANDA ABBOTT Where: Casa Aude When: Fri, Oct 27 6am Sunrise Yoga and Tea 5:30pm Sunset Yoga and Martinis

Where: Hard Rock Cafe When: Sun, Oct. 29, 10am

Contact:

Debralee Simons: 8329-9731 leesveryown@gmail.com

SAN JOSÉ

Anna Ross Foundation 14th Fight Against Cancer Race/Walk O

Where: San José Start - Paseo Colón Finish - La Sabana Park When: Sun, Oct 8, 8am

rganized by the Anna Ross Foundation, this annual breast cancer fundraising event is the largest of its kind in Latin America. Since 2006, it has been declared in the public interest through Executive Order 33355-S. After the race/walk, join the crowd at La Sabana Park, where the winners will be recognized and everyone can enjoy the feria, live music and other activities.

Sign up online at caminataross. com or Extremos stores at City Plaza, Paseo de las Flores, Terramall, Paseo Metrópoli, Lincoln Plaza, Multiplaza Escazú and Curridabat, Avenida Central in front of Plaza de la Cultura and in front of Universal and Fundación Ross.

The 2km walk is free and no registration is required.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 23

JOIN THE FIGHT

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS_EVENTS

Sea Shepherd Series Community Feature

VOLUNTEERING COSTA RICA

by Jorge Serendero

Another initiative focuses on the removal of plastic waste in rivers and beaches, the worst marine pollutant

24 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

T

he Costa Rican branch of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society offers varied volunteer opportunities in its Goodwill Campaign for the Pacific. These efforts are greatly appreciated by the organization’s followers in social networks.

Volunteer commissions carry out specific tasks such as cleaning of sea turtle nesting beaches, construction of hatcheries with artificial nests to protect turtle eggs from their natural predators, and night patrols to stop human poaching.

Goodwill Campaign volunteers organize talks on marine environmental topics in public schools in Costa Rica’s coastal areas. Another initiative focuses on the removal of plastic waste in rivers and beaches, the worst marine pollutant of human origin. Volunteers also are working to raise awareness among youth groups. Some participate in rock concerts by local performers in collaboration with Sea Shepherd Costa Rica. Opportunities are sought for alerting about the risks menacing our seas, or exhibiting Sea Shepherd documentaries in universities and places such as Puntarenas or Pérez Zeledon.

For information contact: (506) 2291-4091 or costarica@seashepherdglobal.com.

ÂżTraveling inside Costa Rica? ÂĄFly with Premflight!

Quote, book and buy in real-time your private flight.

The bestVIP service.

Buy available seats on previosly scheduled flights and enjoy a VIP service to low prices.

Check our fleet

(506)7161-5464

www.premflight.com info@premflight.com Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 25

COMMUNITY

BUILDING Costa Rica

ROOFING 101 GUANACASTE STYLE

by Jarryd Jackson

C

osta Rican rooftops are under constant assault by climate and creature forces. Hot, sunny and very windy conditions for six months of the year subject our roofs to extended UV exposure and wind damage. Wet, windy and stormy conditions during the other half of the year cause metal to corrode and loose materials to flap around. And living in a tropical jungle means bats, birds, bees, bugs and even iguanas will be seeking overhead passageways to take up residence in our roofs and ceilings.

Let’s review some common roofing materials available here by comparing advantages, disadvantages, cost and lifespan.

Galvanized metal, also known simply as “zinc,” is the cheapest roofing option. Simplicity and affordability find it widely used in Tico housing, as well as other budget-conscious construction projects. Being lightweight, long-lasting and paintable in any color makes zinc a solid, albeit plain, roofing option. The downside is the sound of rain simulates

26 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

living under a waterfall — it’s really that loud. Unless this material is painted every couple of years, rust will limit its usable life to a decade or less. A zinc roof gets very hot, so use thermal insulation to keep the home’s interior cooler.

Plastic tile — “teja plástica” in Spanish — is a roofing material I avoid due to the degradation caused by prolonged UV exposure. This limits the

of dampening rain noise, but to a lesser extent than clay tile. Unless composed of recycled materials, which is seldom the case, plastic is not a “green” roofing option.

“Tile-style” metal, also known as “zinc teja,” is a fairly common roofing material on newer homes. It’s more affordable than clay tile and has an attractive appearance. The “baked-on”

... the sound of rain simulates living under a waterfall — it’s really that loud. lifespan to between 10 and 15 years.

Builders who do use plastic tile are strongly advised to install sheet metal roofing underneath, as UV damage causes the plastic to crack and leak over time.

(Given this extra metal installation cost, it makes more sense to simply install a more UV-resistant metal roof shaped like clay.) Plastic tile has the advantage

paint is durable and comes in various sizes and colors, including red, green and orange. Life expectancy is more than 20 years if the roof is properly maintained.

Thermal insulation is recommended because the metal and dark colors make the roof burning hot when it’s sunny.

Clay tile, or “teja de barro,” is the most widely used material on American-

J&M Architecture & Construction style homes built here. Entire neighborhoods and gated communities incorporate Mediterranean, Spanish and colonial-style architecture with this type of roofing material. On the plus side, the insulating properties keep homes cooler and the rain noise down. Deterrents to using clay tile include its heavy weight, requiring a bigger and stronger roofing structure. And again, UV deterioration limits the lifespan and adds to the expense. Metal roofing must be used under the clay tiles because they start to break down and become brittle after about 10 to 15 years. This also limits one’s ability to walk on the roof.

Pre-painted sheet metal roofing is similar to zinc, but normally has square channels instead of round, lending a different look and feel. This material comes in various colors, including gray, white, red, green and orange.

It can even be ordered in exact lengths so there is no need to cut and join the laminates.

Make sure to install thermal insulation below the metal sheets, which get very hot.

DECRA “stone-coated steel” is the roofing material I would recommend above all others. The cost of this new type of interlocking metal laminate is not much higher than the other pricier options (asphalt shingles and clay

tile). The builder’s bonus is spending less on the roof structure itself. DECRA’s lightweight composition means money can be saved on beam and rafter construction.

It’s also guaranteed for 50 plus years. DECRA comes in a dozen different colors and a variety of styles including shingle, slate, tile and shake.

If you are looking for the best roof on the market in Costa Rica right now, this is it by far.

Asphalt shingles, a major roofing product in the United States and Canada, is also available in Costa Rica. Its use here is relatively limited, normally on Balinese/ Hawaiian/tropical-style homes. Green, gray, black, blue and brown round out the color selection. The light weight of asphalt shingles is a big advantage in saving money on the roof structure. Downsides include the UV factor; shingles become brittle over time and eventually decompose. Also, the OSB (oriented strand board) installed underneath asphalt shingles is prone to mold and termite damage unless top-quality, specially treated laminates are used.

The lifespan of asphalt shingle roofing is about 20 years.

25+ Years combined experience in Architecture, Engineering & Construction in Guancaaste.

Specialising in Tropical, Spanish & Balinese Architecture. We are a team consisting of an American builder, Costa Rican Architects & Engineers.

SERVICES: • Architecture / Engineering • New Home Construction • Swimming Pool Construction • Home Construction Inspections • Interior Design • Landscaping • Land Use consulting • Green Building • Topography

All at the lowest prices on the market Contact for a free consultation & estimate.

Tel: 8877-0178 jmconstructionCR@gmail.com

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 27

COMMUNITY

PET CARE

By Dr. Gilberth Cavallini Dr. Leticia Cajal

A

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN SHE’S EXPECTING

canine pregnancy lasts just 63 days, so there’s a great deal to expect within a short period of time. Behavior changes in the future mother usually begin as soon as she feels her pregnancy, but the biggest changes are evident after 45 days. The mammary glands will continue enlarging towards full capacity at about five days before she gives birth, with the presence of milk starting around two weeks before delivery. Puppy food is recommended for pregnant females, as well as vitamins and minerals, to make her strong and healthy.

It’s fine to let the pregnant female choose her own private nesting place as long as it’s safe. But if it seems too dark or otherwise poses a risk for the future mom and her puppies, a safer location should be found before delivery.

In our practice, we find that bitches often do not eat the day they give birth.

Delivery of puppies commonly occurs at night or early in the morning, and is a natural process. If the bitch has received good care, there is no reason to be worried. If she has not been well dewormed and vaccinated, or if she has a disease or was impregnated by an unknown male, complications might

occur. Also remember that unintended pregnancies can involve multiple males, resulting in different sized puppies.

Normally, in the bitch’s preferred delivery spot and depending on her temperament, she will be accepting of family members or another familiar person being there to assist if needed.

Having someone to supervise is always essential. It’s important to make sure that each puppy is delivered with, or followed by, its own placenta. For example, when there are five puppies,

If necessary, an assistant can cut the cord and tie a knot with dental floss to prevent bleeding, then apply iodine to the newborn’s umbilicus.

The bitch’s panting following delivery should diminish gradually.

Other than remaining tired, her condition should return to normal. If panting persists, contact a veterinarian to determine if an unborn puppy is stuck or dead inside her body.

As dog breeders commonly do, I offer the new mother some camomile tea with honey for energy, and place food and water next to the place where she’s just given birth. She might not eat for the rest of the day, but has received nourishment from consuming the placentas and their liquids. This will cause dark feces the next day.

The mother dog’s uterus will need a whole month to become macroscopically small again. Her urine may contain some blood during this time. Any sign of a foul odor or pus requires urgent attention from a veterinarian to determine whether a uterus infection is present and requires surgery.

The eyes and ears of newborn puppies stay closed for 10 to 14 days after birth.

By the third week, the pups will become interested in food and water.

Behavior changes in the future mother usually begin as soon as she feels her pregnancy...

28 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

five placentas must be accounted for.

The intervals between successive puppy deliveries may be irregular, but should never exceed two hours.

A mother giving birth may pant and have visible body contractions. If contractions are evident but no puppy emerges, a veterinarian should be consulted about a possible obstruction.

After delivery, the bitch will carefully cut each puppy’s umbilical cord. It is not a clean cut, but rather maceration of the cord in order to prevent bleeding.

RAIN BOMBS AWAY COMMUNITY

_ENVIRONMENT

S

eems like flashbacks to childhood can be evoked by a broad array of external stimuli. Sights, smells, the lyrics and melody of an oldie but goodie … all can trigger recollections. The non-stop cloud cover and moisture in Guanacaste a few months ago had me reminiscing about “June gloom.” That signature summer weather pattern of Southern California — late night and early morning low clouds and fog — used to plague our trips to the beach for months on end.

Granted, it’s hardly an accurate comparison. The basic problem in SoCal was that the surf was always blown out by the time we piled everybody into the ’58 Chevy wagon and lumbered through the bean and strawberry fields along the narrow road to Huntington Beach.

Although Guanacaste’s gray-day boredom might have a similar psychological impact, at least the monotone of stuck-in-place weather is occasionally blasted by the spectacle of Mother Nature turning up the volume and putting on a show.

Case in point: After one such storm later in June, I drove 10 kilometers inland to pick up some banana plants. Including a brief stop for tortillas on the return trip, total elapsed time was maybe 40 minutes.

Back home it looked like a rain bomb had hit while I was gone. Seeing the islands, channels and lakes of my seasonally flooded landscape transformed into a version of Venice is pretty cool.

Not everyone is so fortunate.

Elsewhere in Guanacaste and various parts of the country, the intense early summer rains led to levels of

30 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

by Tom Peifer inconvenience, damage and suffering usually associated with weaponry more conventional than just a bunch of water. A woman in San José came home from work one day to find her entire back yard gone.

Somehow, it just disappeared down a slope during a day of heavy rains. Downpours closer to home saw the streets of Cartagena and Santa Cruz turn into rivers.

San José and Cartago were faced with uncontrollable urban flooding in central, highly travelled, commercial districts.

underscores that we have a lot of ground to cover before we’re out of the woods.

Recent rainfall intensity studies show that a one-degree Centigrade rise in temperature can increase the amount of rainfall by up to 15 percent. That amount alone is sufficient to overwhelm the capacity of everything from roof gutters and downspouts to sidewalk curbs and under-road culverts — in short, the whole gamut of runoff control infrastructure.

We’re seeing those impacts globally and have less time to get things in order than previously thought.

Here’s an experiment ... you can, in fact, “try this at home.”

Type the words “faster than predicted” into Google and start scrolling through the results. You’ll find everything related to climate change — from the CO2 increase that causes it to temperatures and sea level rises, to human and animal migrations, severe weather … and on and on. The whole basket of consequences is landing on us like a “cabeza de agua” rushing down an arroyo in Guanacaste.

Costa Rica, especially Guanacaste, would be wise to borrow a page from the strategy of the Dutch. Build a landscape spanning everything from farming systems, parking garages and parks to sunken urban areas and more. Let water in and infiltrate it to pump up the aquifers.

Once you’ve got the expertise, capitalize on it by consulting to other tropical countries.

It’s high time to take off the blinders and put on our thinking caps.

And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

Bob Dylan In Tamarindo, flooding along the road to Langosta drew comparisons to a trash barge simply offloading in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As yet, there are no easy solutions on the drawing boards. Like most problems, whether personal or political, the causes are many and interrelated. Blame is hard to accurately assign. Regular Howler readers may be bored stiff with my repeated beating of the drum on this issue, but the widespread flooding in 2017 — just like the preceding drought years — only

AGENT OR BROKER?

COMMUNITY Insurance Nuggets

Know which one works for you

W

hen I first obtained a license to work in the insurance industry in Costa Rica, I became an insurance agent. Before too long, it became apparent that I could best serve the community if I became an insurance broker.

What’s the difference? It’s an important distinction to understand and keep in mind. To clarify, an agent works exclusively for one insurer and is only able to SELL that one company’s product. A broker, however, can OFFER many options for the client to choose from. After the broker reviews all the positive AND NEGATIVE

by Phil Eitman

aspects of each insurance plan, the client uses that information to decide what plan is the best choice.

An insurance broker inherently works for you, the client. An agent works to make a sale for the insurer. Contrary to what some believe, the cost to the client is the same either way.

In fact, the service is better with a broker. That’s because insurers fight to get the broker’s business.

Bottom line — always use a broker, who will tell you honestly which insurer will give you the best product and will process your claims in a timely fashion.

Cameras Smart Locks App Control Lighting

IN SAFE HANDS

Your most valuable asset is your family. Smart Technologies premium security solutions can give you complete control of your home 24/7 from your smart phone.

2 KM SOUTH OF HUACAS 4001-2084 SmarTechCR.com

COMMUNITY Corporation ALERT

by Zeidy Murillo

U COMMUNITY _LEGAL EASE

TRADEMARKS IN COSTA RICA

I

n Costa Rica the Trademarks, Commercial Names and other Distinctive Signs Acts, Law N° 7978, establishes that a commercial sign, design or expression in order to be considered a trademark has to be a combination of signs that distinguishes the goods and services of one person or entity from another´s. It will require being sufficiently distinct and capable of identifying the goods and services to which they are applied from those of their same species or kind.

Therefore, in order to obtain an exclusive right over said signs, registration before the Trademarks

by Ivan Granados Attorney at Law

4. Designs of the trademark ( logo size 10x10 cm).

5. Goods or services to be protected according to Nice Classification or description of them in order to place them correctly.

TRADEMARKS PROCEDURE

After the application is duly filed it undergoes a substantive examination.

Potential refusals can include: 1. Failure to comply with filing formalities.

2. Inherent unregistrability of the mark.

3. Conflict with prior trademark rights.

A trademark is a combination of signs that distinguishes the goods and services of one person or entity from another's.

Registration Office at the Public Registry is highly recommended. The following are the requirements to register trademarks in Costa Rica: 1. Power of Attorney, (POA) duly signed and authenticated by Notary Public.

2. Full name and address of the applicant.

3. If priority is solicited based on the Paris Convention, a certified copy of the application. The application must have been filed within the previous six months.

32 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

If no objections are raised, the application needs to be published in our Official Legal Newspaper “La Gaceta”. CR Law grants a term of two months for third parties to oppose. If no oppositions are filed within the next two months of the first publication date, the registration would be granted and the Registration Certificate would be issued two months afterwards approximately.

nder a new law effective September 1, 2017, all registered corporations, subsidiaries and legal liability companies in Costa Rica will be subject to an annual tax payable on or before January 30 each year.

Also effective September 1, annual corporation tax payments may be made electronically.

Nonetheless, registration with the tax administration office is mandatory for all non-active corporations. The purpose is to provide general contact information such as address, telephone and e-mail, as well as legal representative ID and personería jurídica. Corporations failing to register may have to pay a penalty fee.

Please keep in mind the following requirements for determining when to register your corporation: If legal ID number ends in

Corporation must be registered in

1 or 2

October

3 or 4

November

5 or 5

December

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our accounting office, MV Conta, at 2070-00-50/ 8362-45-90 or mvconta@gmail.com

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 33

COMMUNITY _ACTIVITIES & INFORMATION

TAMARINDO Tamarindo Beach Marathon

FLAMINGO Dawn Ann Scott Animal Hero Remembered

M

T

he 11th edition of the Tamarindo Beach Marathon draws 4,000 athletes and over 12,000 tourists. Tommy Rivers from the United States, who achieved a time of 2:18 in the last Boston Marathon, is one of the guest athletes this year.

Where: Departs from Tamarindo Diriá Hotel When: Sat, Sept 16, 4am-12noon Distances: 10km, 21km, 30km, 42km Contact: 2239-3514 / 2239-3094 Ticket Information: tamarindobeachmarathon.com

Beach Volleyball Tournament

M

ove over runners, beach volleyball returns.

Tamarindo’s second annual beach volleyball tournament promises a fun day for players and spectators alike.

The Costa Rican national volleyball team will be in attendance, putting on a great show for all.

Where: Quiksilver Tamarindo Surf House When: Sept 16, 7am-5pm

ADI Recycling Program

A

DI runs a recycling program, with collections scheduled the first Tuesday of every month.

Where: Banco Nacional When: Tues, Oct 3, 9-noon

34 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

emorial services were held on July 20 at the Beach Community Church for long-time Flamingo resident Dawn Ann Scott. Dawn is survived by her husband, Sid, and many thousands of animals she has helped in her lifetime. This warrior of animals was personally responsible for spaying and neutering 12,600 dogs and cats in need in the Flamingo area during her years here. This is not including the animals she and Sid rescued and helped on a 24/7 basis, 12 months of the year. Dawn’s efforts made a huge difference in our community and rural vicinity. Her celebration of life concluded with the distribution of dog food bags for everyone present to give dogs in need in her memory. Dawn’s tireless efforts do not go away with her passing. Heartfelt condolences to Sid.

MATAPALO Día del Niño Kids' Fun Ride

A

DI Matapalo, Coopeguanacaste and Futuro Brillante are pleased to present this fun recreational bike ride for children and their families to celebrate Día del Niño. The event will feature raffle prizes, music and other surprises. Free event t-shirts go to the first 80 kids to sign up.

Where: Starts from Salon Comunal, Matapalo Finishes at Coopeguanacaste, Huacas When: Sat, Sept 9, 7:30am Advance Registration: Futuro Brillante office, Matapalo call 4700-4920

SAN JOSE 2017 Planet, People, Peace Conference

C

Where: Real Intercontinental Hotel Convention Center, San José, Costa Rica When: October 9-11, 2017

osta Rica becomes the meeting place for global leaders to share experiences, knowledge, and sustainable practices in tourism during this year’s P3 Conference.

Local and international tourism entrepreneurs, along with others interested in sustainability issues, will help celebrate 2017’s United Nations designation as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

PRESENTA

Registration and information: 2290-2825 info@planetpeoplepeace.com www.planetpeoplepeace.com

ORGANIZA

Mi Elección, Naturalmente.

PLAYAS DEL COCO The 3 Rs – How to Become an Environmental Hero

A series of talks and workshops When: September & October, Wednesdays, 4 to 6 pm Where: Centro de Capacitación y Desarrollo del Coco, next to bull ring Playas del Coco Contact: Angie Carballo at 8706-7963

September 6 - Workshop Glass Reuse & Repurpose: Art Projects & Everyday Life Hacks 4 to 6 pm (Bilingual)

September 20 - Workshop Paper & Cardboard Reuse & Repurpose: Projects & Everyday Life Hacks 4 to 6 pm (Bilingual)

September 13 - Talk Paper & Cardboard Reuse & Repurpose: why, how and where?

4 to 5 pm (Spanish) 5 to 6 pm (English)

September 27 - Talk Organic Waste Recycling 4 to 5 pm (Spanish) 5 to 6 pm (English) October 4 - Workshop Make Your Own Compost Bin 4 to 6 pm (Bilingual)

ACTIVITIES HUACAS

&

October 11 - Talk Other Materials Management 4 to 5 pm (Spanish) 5 to 6 pm (English) October 18 - Workshop Paper & Cardboard Reuse & Repurpose: Art Projects & Everyday Life Hacks 4 to 6 pm (Bilingual) October 25 Closing & Art Show

INFORMATION

CEPIA Lighting Up Young Lives

T

he CEPIA association is raising funds to install a solar system in its Huacas community center.

The new system will cover 90% of current electrical expenses. The money saved will be reallocated to the organization’s programs.

The goal is to collect $5,000, to be matched by the technology provider, Pura Vida Energy Systems.

CEPIA benefits more than 800 children, teens and their families living in poverty in Guanacaste.

Donations accepted till October 15th. Visit www. cepiacostarica.org or Contact cepiacostaric@gmail.com

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 35

COMMUNITY SERVICES

AMBULANCE, HOSPITALS & MEDICAL CLINICS EMERGENCIAS 2000 +506 8380 4125 GULF OF PAPAGAYO AMBULANCE +506 2670 0047 LIBERIA AMBULANCE +506 2666 7666

FIRE UNIT

1118

SAN JOSE AMBULANCE +506 2233 7033 TAMARINDO, FLAMINGO, +506 2675-0167 POTRERO AMBULANCE POISON CENTER +506 2223 1028

EMBASSY CONTACT INFO UNITED STATES +506 2519 2000 CANADA +506 2242 4000 EUROPEAN UNION (EU) DELEGATION +506 2283-2959

POLICE & LAW ENFORCEMENT

TOURIST POLICE

TAMARINDO +506 2653 0283

VILLARREAL +506 2244 6173 PLAYAS DEL COCO +506 2670 0258

SANTA CRUZ +506 2680 0136

LIBERIA +506 2665 0609

LIBERIA HOSPITAL +506 2666 0011 CRUZ ROJA LIBERIA +506 2666 7666 HOSPITAL SAN RAFAEL +506 2666 1717 ARCANGEL (PRIVATE) LIBERIA NICOYA HOSPITAL +506 2685 8400 SAN JOSE HOSPITAL +506 2257 7922 PLAYAS DEL COCO CLINIC +506 2670 1717 LIBERIA CLINIC +506 2666 1887 SANTA CRUZ CLINIC +506 2680 2222 HUACAS CLINIC +506 2653 9911

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS TAMARINDO | Waves of Sobriety Mon / Thur • 5:30 pm | Wed / Sat • 10:30 am Behind the Tamarindo circle, through Pedro´s Surf Shop Ellen 2653-0897 / 8484-1360 ellenzoe@aol.com Jacqueline 8332-5540 jacqueline.haskell@yahoo.com

FIRE UNIT 1118 VILLARREAL (Español) |Vida Real FILADELFIA +506 2688 8733 Jose Chops 8720-1984

SANTA CRUZ +506 2680 0090 FLAMINGO / POTRERO | Beach front Serenity Group Tue / Fri 5:30 pm OIJ CONFIDENTIAL +800 800 0645 Upstairs Costa Rica Saling Center

LIBERIA +506 2690-0128 Craig 8699 0254

+506 2690-0129 PLAYAS DEL COCO Monday / Wednesday / Friday - 6:00pm

SANTA CRUZ +506 2681-4000 Sardinal Beach

SAN JOSE +506 2295-3851 Centro Plaza Sardinal(50 mts east from police), store N. 6.

Max

ACCIDENT REPORT & VEHICLE ASSISTANCE 800 800 8001 HIGHWAY PATROL 1117 36 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

8917-2222 or John

2672-1163

If you have updated or additional information for useful numbers in Guanacaste, please contact editor@howlermag.com or +506 4701-5942

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast

Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted

Huacas Mon-Sat 2653-8365 cepiacostarica@gmail.com

Near Auto Mercado, Tamarindo Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat by appt.

2653-4354 info@pacificsmilecr.com

PLAYA GRANDE CLINIC Affordable Modern Dentistry English-speaking Tipografía 1 dentist using the INTELLIVISED BOLD ITALIC latestSFmethods and equipment Tipografía 2 Next to Kike’s Place CENTURY GOTHIC ITALIC Mon-Fri, 8-5, Sat, 8-Noon 2653-2767 dr.gazel@playagrandeclinic.com CMYK

PACIFIC COAST GYM Stay Healthy - Join Today Training, therapeutic massage, rehab, physiotherapy and nutrition Huacas - next to Super La Uruca Mon-Fri 6-8, Sat-Sun 9-5 2653-9026 / 8718-6872

FITNESS

CEPIA Nonprofit Organization We promote culture, health, sports and education for children

ISOLOGOTIPO PACIFIC COAST

LA URUCA- HUACAS Supermarket Food, liquor, fishing gear, and much more - delivery service available 300m W of Flamingo turnoff 7 days a week, 7-8 2653-8714

HOSPTIAL / MEDICAL / PHARMACY

Hotel Capitán Suizo Mon-Fri, 9-5 8319-4015 adi@playatamarindo.org

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ADI Community Development ADIT is a group of volunteers interested in the welfare of Tamarindo

PACIFIC SMILE DENTAL CARE Kids & Adults - English Speaking Highly experienced staff- orthodontics, implants, endodontics, gums

LA BODEGA MARKET-TAMARINDO Organic Produce, Meats, Coffee Market specializing in fresh, local, organic foods and local products Across from Hotel Pasatiempo 7 days a week, 9-5 8395-6184 labodegacostarica@gmail.com

GROCERY STORES

We sell and install all over CR Any time you need us!

8735-1402 info@puravidaenergysystems.com

Main road to Brasilito Sun, 10am 8621-6273 perrycarlile@gmail.com

DENTAL SERVICES

PURA VIDA ENERGY SYSTEMS SOLAR MADE SIMPLE! Reduce your electric bill by 90% & produce 20% ROI over 20 years

BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH Visit and Socialize Love, hope, peace

CHURCH / COUNSELING

Huacas Mon-Sat 8877-0178 jmconstructioncr@gmail.com

ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION

J&M ARCHITECTURE & CONST. Free Consultations & Estimates 30+ years of experience designing and building homes and pools

DOCTOR´S OFFICE TAMARINDO Tipografía 3 General Practitioner HELVETICA NEUE LIGHT ITALIC Primary care health services Inside Farmacia Conchal Mon-Sat, 9-8 2653-0121 fuller811@gmail.com B/N

EMERGENCY 2000 - VILLARREAL 24-Hour Emergency Care General health care adults and children, minor ambulatory procedures 150m West from Post Office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 2653-3939 praviamed@icloud.com

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 37

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast

PHOTOGRAPHY

SCOTT FURNITURE - HUACAS New, Used and Custom Furniture Visit our showroom — trade-ins welcome

DigitalPhoto CR Inspired by Love!

Families, couples, weddings and real estate

Main Road Huacas to Tamarindo 7 days a week, 8-5 8379-0168 brucescott.scott@hotmail.com

Guanacaste Area Call for appointment 8737-3885 digital.photocr@gmail.com

ALL INSURANCE CR - TAMARINDO Health, Auto, Homeowners and more Offering the best coverage with customer service a priority Across from Auto Mercado Mon-Sat, 8-5 2653-4300 / 973-536-1191 (24/7) info@allinsurancecr.com

38 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

HOME DECOR INSURANCE

Playa Negra Mon-Sat 8982-4971 costaricasurfphotography@gmail.com

GM ATTORNEYS Legal Services Full service. All areas of law.

Tamarindo and Flamingo Mon-Fri, 9-1, 2-5 2654-4367 / 2653-2155 info@gmattorneyscr.com

REAL ESTATE

EYE ART PHOTOGRAPHY Contact for the Best Prices Professional surfing photos, weddings & events, lifestyle photos

CASA NOVA INTERIORS Home & Commercial Furniture Turnkey packages, window treatments, design services and much more Paseo Del Mar #13, Huacas Mon-Sat, 9-5 2653-9060 www.casanova.cr

www.deepgreenphotography.com 24/7 8396-0363 greg@deepgreenphotography.com

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Dr. Rocío Villalobos Psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults and families Brasilito, The Village Call for appointment 8341-6879 / 2540-0959 rociovillalobosm1@gmail.com

ABC REAL ESTATE Fine Selections by the Beach We offer personalized service and a full range of real estate services Plaza Tamarindo Mon-Fri, 9-5, Sat, 9-1 2653-0404 tamarindo@abccostarica.com

AMIGO REALTY Vacation Rental & Real Estate Playa Grande's real estate and property management company

REAL ESTATE

3K past Huacas intersection towards Tamarindo, on the right Open Daily 2653-9117 / 8926-6905

PSYCHOLOGIST

DEEP GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY Fine art nature photography Fine art nature photography prints for home or office

CERACSA Flooring and Tile Local showroom offering the quality and value that your luxury home deserves

PHOTOGRAPHY

HOME DECOR

Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted

Playa Grande Mon-Sat, 9-5 8705-4588 / 2452-9053 info@amigorealtycostarica.com

CHRISTIE'S International Real Estate Specializing in Costa Rica real estate for over 27 years Tamarindo & Flamingo Mon-Fri, 8-5 2654-4004 / 8407-1898 info@plantacionproperties.com

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gold Coast

Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted

KRAIN Luxury Real Estate Member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

SPECIAL PLACES COSTA RICA Property Management & Rentals Full management, rental and concierge services

REAL ESTATE

Playa Tamarindo 7 days a week, 9-5 2653-0073 www.remax-oceansurf-cr.com

5km South from Huacas Mon-Fri, 8-3:30 2653-6363 info@educartecostarica.com

Calle Real, Tamarindo Mon-Fri, 7:30-5, Sat, 10-4 2653-0359 info@spanish-wayra.co.cr

HAPPY GARDEN Day Care / Preschool Caring while teaching

SECURITY

LA PAZ Private School All grades, international baccalaureate program Flamingo / Mar Vista Mon-Fri 2654-4532 paz@lapazschool.org

Royal Palms Plaza, Santa Rosa Mon-Sat, 8-noon, 1-7, Sun, 9-2 2652-9009 / 8815-5713 (24/7)

VETERINARIAN

Huacas Mon-Fri 2653-7036 happygarden_huacas@yahoo.es

CAVALLINI VETERINARIAN Animal Hospital Full-service veterinarian hospital for all animals and wildlife

SCHOOLS

Flamingo and Playas del Coco Mon-Sat, 8-5 2654-4493 / 2670-2198 specialplaces@crvr.net

SMART TECHNOLOGIES Security, Audio, Visual Automation Home automation — control your home from anywhere Main road Huacas to Tamarindo Call for appointment 4001-2084 office@smartechcr.com

WAYRA SPANISH INSTITUTE Spanish School Spanish immersion programs since 1996

EDUCARTE Preschool, Primary, Secondary Private bilingual school

SCHOOLS / LANGUAGE

RE/MAX OCEAN SURF & SUN Nobody Sells More Real Estate Sales of residential condos, homes and single-family home sites

Brasilito Mon-Fri 2654-5042 info@criacademy.com

SCHOOLS

REAL ESTATE

Flamingo, Potrero, Ocotal Daily 8-5 2654-4010 info@kraincostarica.com

CRIA School Education Accredited grade school and high school education

THE DOGTOR Vet, Grooming & Pet Shop Export proceedings, delivery, pickup and dropoff service Plaza Palma #3, Tamarindo Mon-Sat, 8-5 8351-9910 / 4702-5106 thedogtortamarindo@gmail.com Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 39

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Gulf of Papagayo & Liberia

ECO-COCO Community Organization Mission is to raise awareness and educate the communities : Organize cleanups and recycling

REAL ESTATE / PM

VETERINARIAN

Playas del Coco Mon-Fri, 8-5 8706-7963

VETERINARIAN DRA. JIMENEZ Full veterinarian services Surgery, ultrasound, export papers 300 W entrance Playas del Coco Mon-Sat 8-6 2670-0791 / 8566-3600 jimenezveterinarios@gmail.com

GIM Property & Investment Management GIM is proud to manage an exclusive portfolio of elite residences Pacífico Retail Village #18, Coco Mon - Sat, 9-5 2670-1607, U.S. (305) 515-7193 reservas@gim.cr

40 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

SUN

REAL ESTATE OUR COSTA RICA REAL ESTATE Rentals and Sales We characterize ourselves by helping our clients based on trust and kindness Main road, Playa Hermosa Mon-Fri, 9-5, Sat, 9-1 2672-1234 bobbyblu2@gmail.com

RE/MAX OCEAN VILLAGE Exclusive Buyer's Agents Roland & Nadene Tipper: Helping buyers find their piece of paradise Pacifico Village, Playas del Coco Daily, 8-5 8371-1520 thetippers@me.com

SUMMER TIME Management & Rentals Property management, vacation homes, long- and short-term rentals Pueblito Sur #3, Coco Mon-Fri 8:30-5 2670-0415 / 2670-1712 info@summertimecr.com

SUNSET PROPERTIES Rentals, Management & Sales Various condos with beautiful amenities, close to beaches!

Pueblito Sur #4, Coco Mon-Fri, 8-4, Sat, 8-1 2670-1453 / 8497-9376 crbeachproperties.com

SUN REAL ESTATE Commercial and Residential Leading real estate near the airport and Discovery Park area in Liberia

REAL ESTATE / PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Do It Center, Liberia, near airport Mon-Sat, 8-5 2667- 0818 www.sunburstcoffee.com

REAL ESTATE / PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

SUN BURST COFFEE Gourmet Coffee & Gifts Roasting the finest Costa Rican coffee for 25+ years at factory prices

REAL ESTATE / PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

COMMUNITY

COFFEE & GIFTS

Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, Playa Hermosa, Panama, Liberia and surrounding areas All times AM to PM unless noted

5km east of Liberia airport Mon-Fri, 8-5 2668-1133 / 8387-2017 www.costaricarealestate.eu

TROPICAL GARDENS Condo Rentals Source for "home away from home" in Costa Rica Pueblito Sur #1, Coco Daily, 8-5 2670-1261 / U.S. (844) 310-1001 www.tropicalgardenscr.com

BROKERS COSTA RICA Property Management & Rentals We specialize in luxury rentals and property management Hermosa del Mar Plaza #7 Mon-Fri, 8-5, Sat, 8-noon 4702-7098 / 2665-8746 info@costarica-brokers.com

Feature

_By Mariana Castilla

LIFESTYLE

RAISING A CHILD IN COSTA RICA

M

any expat parents move to Costa Rica with an idyllic vision of their children living a different life — one full of freedom and an intimate connection with nature. Even for those who come to see it as the best decision they ever made, the transition may be tougher than imagined. Perhaps they didn’t foresee the kinds of struggles and cultureshock that are part of the pura vida dream package.

Relocating to a different country is an adventure of mind-boggling proportions.

You have to deeply contemplate the positive and negative life-changing impacts, especially when kids are in the picture. It always takes a leap of faith, with knowledge as your safety net.

Thorough research is the key to making informed decisions with confidence and mindfulness about what to expect.

EDUCATION

Costa Ricans take pride in their national literacy rate — an impressive 93 percent — and country-wide access to free public schools even in the remotest communities. Other educational options become more limited the further away from San José children are living, particularly in rural areas.

Private schools are the most popular choice among expats and higher-income

42 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Living in Costa Rica means your children will get megadoses of outdoor time.

Costa Ricans, offering enhanced quality of education, as well as safety, convenience, international recognition and multilingualism.

Homeschooling is another preference of many expat families. However, there is no accredited homeschool program for Tico children, who are legally required to attend a recognized public or private

school until the sixth grade or age 14.

Homeschooling is popular among teenagers who decide to work and “test out” their degree through either Maestro en Casa (14 years and older) or Bachillerato por Madurez (18 years and older). Both are distance learning systems established by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP). MEP exams may be taken by students whose school or learning method is not directly accredited in Costa Rica.

COST OF LIVING

The cost of living in Costa Rica depends on location. In tourist areas like Tamarindo, renting a home can cost just as much as in some parts of the United States, or even more.

Local foods tend to be cheap, especially if you shop at farmers’ markets and buy foods that are in season. On the other hand, imported foods can be very expensive. Expect to pay at least twice or three times more for your favorite foods exported here from back home.

Technology is also expensive in Costa Rica due to high import taxes, at least double what U.S. consumers would pay for the same product.

Locals and expats

get around this by bringing back expensive items purchased while traveling or asking friends or family members to do so when coming to visit.

In fact, spending more on your “e-essentials” — or learning to live with less than you thought possible — can be the toughest relocation adjustment for parents and kids alike. Yet stories of expats who, begrudgingly or not, adopt a relatively minimalist lifestyle in Costa Rica often have a happy ending. Less stuff, they discover, can be liberating! As a bonus, pay rates for babysitters and domestic workers are a lot lower here, freeing up more leisure time for family members to enjoy.

HEALTH CARE

Health care in Costa Rica is free for all children, regardless of nationality or insurance status. Working Costa Ricans and residents pay taxes to help support this vital public service called La Caja (CCSS). A drawback is that waiting lists are often long, which can be problematic in emergencies. Although many expats take advantage of La Caja, others prefer to pay for the convenience and superb quality of private health care. It’s also relatively affordable; routine visits to a family doctor cost around $50 and you’ll pay about $80 to see a specialist.

International and national private insurance may be purchased from the

National Institute of Insurance (INS) or other providers.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Going to school and making friends in a foreign country is the best language immersion your kids could ever get.

Before long, their Spanish chatter will be as fluent as a native speaker’s. This opportunity to grow up bilingual is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Neuroscience has shown the wondrous effects of language learning on a developing brain, while sociology explains how it expands cultural awareness. Economics research speaks to the increasing value of bilingual workers in the digital age of global connectivity.

“A good swim a day keeps the doctor away,” is how Costa Ricans attribute good health to the beach life. “Vitamin Sea,” as we call it, works with the sun’s amazing Vitamin D to help fend off sickness. If you’re up for

a mountain trek instead, the air is just as fresh and the water just as pure. San José is another story, sadly, as far as pollution is concerned. Living in this metropolis does have perks though. You’re only a short drive away from nature, yet close to the amenities and fun stuff that city life offers.

Living in Costa Rica means your children will get megadoses of outdoor time. Within days, you’ll notice the changes …. from sun-kissed cheeks to athletic agility. Favorite outdoor pastimes for kids include hermit crab races, climbing trees, hide-and-seek, sliding down hillsides on a cardboard box and collecting fireflies in a jar. Maybe this sounds a bit like your own childhood or the good old days your parents used to talk about?

Costa Rica is a place where the magic of being young and free can last forever. It’s a way to see the world as your playground as children do.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 43

LIFESTYLE

_PHOTO TIPS

I photographed this hairy woodpecker bringing a caterpillar to its nest on a cloudy, drizzly day. To deal with the low light but still stop the action, I used a high ISO value of 2500.

44 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

ISO - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

By Gregory Basco

Though the light was low for this sunrise shot of a beach in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, I was working from a tripod with a low ISO value of 50.

F

or men and women of a certain age, the word “film” will ring a bell (I shot it for one year myself!). If you are of that certain age, you might recall that films had different speeds. On a sunny day, you were told to use 100 speed film, and in a dark wedding reception hall your photo store clerk probably recommended 800 speed film. The key is that the former absorbed less light (perfect for that sunny day at the park) while the latter was more sensitive to light (great to capture your cousin making a fool of himself on a wedding reception dance floor). This difference in light absorption was made possible by the chemical composition of the film itself.

With digital cameras, there is a setting called ISO, and it works the same way except that the variations in sensitivity are achieved by cranking the signal gain up or down. Wait … what? Put simply, when you take a picture with a digital camera, light (photons) hits the image sensor and

As a rule of thumb, always try to use the lowest ISO possible. is absorbed by tiny photosites. When the photons hit, they create an electrical charge that is passed on to the image processor within the camera. When you use a high ISO value, that electrical charge is amplified, much like the sound when you crank the volume up on a stereo system.

So, why not just set your ISO as high as you can to ensure sharp pictures under any conditions? As with most things in life, there is no free lunch here. Just as loud volume on your favorite jam produces static, higher ISO settings on your digital camera produce more noise, meaning your

photos will look grainy and have a loss of detail. This is due to the amplification described above, so you’ll need to make informed choices about the best ISO setting for a given situation.

Every time you double the ISO, you double the sensitivity of the sensor. An ISO value of 200 means the sensor will be twice as sensitive to light as ISO 100, absorbing twice as much light in the same amount of time. ISO 400 absorbs twice as much light as ISO 200, and so on.

For smartphone cameras, you’ll probably see objectionable noise at ISO 800. For the best pro cameras, ISO 25,600 can yield publishable photos. Get to know your camera and determine where the noise becomes unacceptable. As a rule of thumb, always try to use the lowest ISO possible. But, if you’re in a dark Costa Rican rainforest without a tripod or if you’re trying to capture action, you’ll want to think about raising your ISO.

Flying birds such as this brown-hooded parrot are fast. I used a high ISO value of 1000 to capture this action.

Flying birds such as this scarlet macaw are fast. I used a high ISO value of 1000 to capture this action.

Photos by Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 45

LIFESTYLE

THE STUDY OF

YOGA

By Mary Byerly

I

COMING HOME: TADASANA

just arrived home from a wonderful vacation. For 10 weeks before leaving, I was commuting to San José four days a week. Before that, I had spent a month in the United States doing workshops on breath and being. It’s been four months since I put my toothpaste back on the bathroom shelf instead of back in my travel bag. As much as I enjoyed all that I’ve been doing and where I have traveled, it feels so nice to be back home.

... maybe small movements of the arms, small backand-forth movements in the spine, hips or other joints – until it feels like everything is just right.

This homecoming delight is exactly what I feel within the practice of yoga, especially Tadasana, the Mountain Pose. It’s a foundational pose, excellent for grounding, centering, and balancing. One of my teachers, Lillah Schwartz, challenged me in my first teacher training to find this foundation, the essence of Tadasana, in all postures.

46 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

When I can find the essence of Tadasana in other postures, I know that I have found ease and effort balanced in my physical body. I have found the clarity of a one-pointed mind, and, given time in the pose, will turn more and more inward, connecting with wisdom.

So although Tadasana can look like simply standing in place, doing this pose well and finding its essence is the foundation for grounding, centering, and balance in the rest of your practice.

The Mountain Pose form is well known.

Stand with the inner edges of your feet

together, or slightly separated (up to hip width apart) if that feels more aligned for your body. The middle of your knees and your middle toes will be in line, and there should be a feeling of comfort where your thigh bone joins the hip socket. The balance of stability and spaciousness there is mirrored in all the joints of your body, including those of the spine and shoulders. Play with small movements in any areas that might not quite feel that good – maybe small movements of the arms, small back-and-forth movements in the spine, hips or other joints – until it feels like everything is just right.

Let your feet reach down to meet the earth, yet also lift earth energy up through the inner and outer arches of your feet.

It’s as though you are lifting this energy from your feet, through your spine, up and through the crown of your head, grounding and lifting in balance. Close your eyes and explore how this balance feels. Invite all your senses inside for this exploration, first feeling what the underside of your skin feels like. Then go deeper to muscles, then bones, then eventually organs. Then simply watch the mind itself. In a few minutes of stillness, see how still the mind can also become. Welcome home!

Namastè, Mary

LIFESTYLE_SPANISH

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID

by Sylvia Monge

. . . BUT WHICH YOU?

T

he most surprising — and at times, upsetting — aspect of Spanish for most newbies is the complexity of verb changes. It may look very complicated but is truly a matter of recognizing patterns. What separates English and Spanish most definitively is the use of polite language and familiar language. This grammatical demand to show reverence has bled into the culture. Latinos, and more specifically Ticos, are extremely polite people.

VOS, TÚ OR USTED? YOU ARE THE QUESTION!

It all starts with verbs, and it all depends on whom you are speaking to. Which ending you slap onto a verb tells whoever you are addressing quite a bit … even how you feel about them. As a general rule, tú is for people you know well and usted for people you are just meeting or wanting to show respect to, such as an elder, teacher or politician.

The choice of pronoun and verb ending has as much to do with culture as it does with grammar. Looking at a map of the Spanish-speaking world, distinct lines in the sand can be drawn on this basis. In reality, word choices depend on location, and that is dictated by history.

Central America was founded primarily by rogues — common men with little education who were mostly illiterate.

48 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Addressing everyone as tú remains commonplace. The majority of people on the street still speak to each other that way pretty much everywhere from Mexico to Panama, with the exception of Costa Rica.

South America was founded by the Jesuits, the most educated dudes on

Our colonization process was different from the rest of Central America. We were influenced a lot less by our northern neighbors and very little by Spain.

Historically, Costa Rica’s closest ally was Colombia, and the accents of native Spanish speakers in the two countries still

The majority of people on the street still speak to each other that way pretty much everywhere the planet at the time. Later came the royals, with Portugal planting its empire firmly on what is now Brazilian soil.

This prompted other royals of the world to frequent and build summer palaces in South America’s Southern Cone — Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile. Vos, from the Latin “you,” was the way royals addressed each other in the familiar. It was their way of saying, “We are both awesome, so we are neither going to revere each other nor use common language.” Thus, vos became the way to say “you” instead of tú. To a person from the Southern Cone tú sounds very Central American. It stands out the way regional accents do among natives of the United States — a Southern accent sounding odd to a Northeasterner, for instance.

As noted, Costa Rica is a special case.

sound similar in many respects. Lack of a Spanish ruling class here created a more egalitarian society, where people showed a polite respect for everyone. Being distanced from the protection, benefits and social division that the Spanish crown afforded elsewhere, Costa Ricans developed a sense of solidarity and addressed each other as usted. This is especially the case in the Central Valley and southern Costa Rica.

People in northern regions tend more to use vos when speaking to family and friends.

Choosing words to express politeness is an interesting aspect of the Costa Rican persona. Among locals, politeness peppers every interaction. It also characterizes a very indirect communication style, where getting straight to the point is considered rude. We’ll focus on this related topic another time.

Harmonie Penthouse

Luxury Beach Front Home

Presidencial Suites #22

Robert Davey Costa Rica bob@ppcire.com Cel: 8870.8870

Brian Bratton Tamarindo brian@ppcire.com Cel: 8704.9997

Max Arata Guanacaste max.arata@ppcire.com Cel: 8407.1898

San José Office Fuentes del Obelisco N°17, San Rafael de Escazú

Tamarindo Office Pacific Park Building Suite #3, Playa Tamarindo

Flamingo Office Playa Flamingo, 1st Floor Hotel Mariner Inn

Specializing in Costa Rica Real Estate for over 27 years!

LASERCO2 RENEW YOUR SKIN! ASK US HOW!

ELIMINATE

SKIN BLEMISHES,

FRECKLES, ACNE SCARS.

• CRYOLIPOLISIS

1 session, 2 Area $280 USD

FREEZE YOUR FAT!!!

• BOTOX & FILLERS • • • • • • • •

per unit $7 USD, Area $160 USD

LASER LIPO SCULPTING LASER HAIR REMOVAL SKIN RESURFACING PDO MAGIC THREADS SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT MARKING OF ABDOMINALS CE CELULITIS TREATMENTS OXYGENEO SUPER FACIAL AND MUCH MORE...

TIDE CHART DAY

HIGH TIDES

SEPT 1 - SEPT 30, 2017

LOW TIDES

HIGH TIDES

LOW TIDES

1 Fri

4:34 AM 2.59'

11:00 AM 7.25'

5:19 PM 2.06'

2 Sat

5:38 AM 2.45’

12:00 PM 7.43’

6:17 PM 1.77’

HIGH TIDES 11:43 PM 6.88'

3 Sun

12:37 AM 7.25’

6:34 AM 2.08’

12:52 PM 7.78’

7:05 PM 1.36’

4 Mon

1:23 AM 7.75’

7:24 AM 1.58’

1:38 PM 8.19’

7:47 PM 0.91’

5 Tues

2:05 AM 8.28’

8:06 AM 1.04’

2:20 PM 8.61’

8:27 PM 0.46’

6 Wed

2:43 AM 8.80’

8:46 AM 0.52’

3:00 PM 8.97’

9:05 PM 0.09’

7 Thurs

3:21 AM 9.25’

9:26 AM 0.08’

3:38 PM 9.22’

9:41 PM -0.19›

8 Fri

3:59 AM 9.59›

10:04 AM -0.23’

4:18 PM 9.34’

10:21 PM -0.33’

9 Sat

4:37 AM 9.78›

10:46 AM -0.37’

4:58 PM 9.30’

10:59 PM -0.32’

10 Sun

5:17 AM 9.79’

11:28 AM -0.33’

5:40 PM 9.11’

11:41 PM -0.14’

11 Mon

6:01 AM 9.62’

12:12 PM -0.11’

6:26 PM 8.78’

12 Tues

12:27 AM 0.19’

6:49 AM 9.29’

1:02 PM 0.24’

7:18 PM 8.38’

13 Wed

1:19 AM 0.62’

7:43 AM 8.86’

1:58 PM 0.64’

8:16 PM 7.98’

14 Thurs

2:19 AM 1.06’

8:45 AM 8.45’

3:02 PM 0.98’

9:26 PM 7.74›

15 Fri

3:27 AM 1.38’

9:55 AM 8.20’

4:14 PM 1.11’

10:38 PM 7.77’

16 Sat

4:43 AM 1.41’

11:07 AM 8.22’

5:24 PM 0.98’

11:48 PM 8.09’

17 Sun

5:55 AM 1.15’

12:15 PM 8.46’

6:30 PM 0.64’

TIDE CHART DAY

HIGH TIDES

OCT 1 - OCT 31, 2017

LOW TIDES

HIGH TIDES

LOW TIDES

1 Sun

5:00 AM 2.42’

11:22 AM 7.12’

5:33 PM 1.88’

2 Mon

6:00 AM 1.99’

12:16 PM 7.49’

6:25 PM 1.47’

HIGH TIDES 11:57 PM 7.27’

3 Tues

12:45 AM 7.82’

6:50 AM 1.40’

1:06 PM 7.98’

7:09 PM 0.98’

4 Wed

1:29 AM 8.44’

7:34 AM 0.76’

1:48 PM 8.49’

7:51 PM 0.46’

5 Thurs

2:09 AM 9.05’

8:16 AM 0.13’

2:30 PM 8.95’

8:31 PM -0.00’

6 Fri

2:49 AM 9.59’

8:58 AM -0.39’

3:10 PM 9.31’

9:11 PM -0.36’

7 Sat

3:29 AM 9.98’

9:38 AM -0.75’

3:52 PM 9.53’

9:53 PM -0.56›

8 Sun

4:09 AM 10.18›

10:22 AM -0.91’

4:36 PM 9.55’

10:35 PM -0.55’

9 Mon

4:53 AM 10.15›

11:06 AM -0.83’

5:20 PM 9.39’

11:21 PM -0.34’

10 Tues

5:39 AM 9.88’

11:52 AM -0.55’

6:08 PM 9.07’

11 Wed

12:11 AM 0.05’

6:29 AM 9.42’

12:44 PM -0.10’

7:02 PM 8.64’

12 Thurs

1:05 AM 0.55’

7:27 AM 8.86’

1:42 PM 0.42’

8:04 PM 8.23’

13 Fri

2:07 AM 1.05’

8:31 AM 8.34’

2:46 PM 0.86’

9:14 PM 7.97’

14 Sat

3:19 AM 1.38’

9:43 AM 8.00’

3:58 PM 1.10’

10:26 PM 7.98›

15 Sun

4:35 AM 1.41’

10:55 AM 7.96’

5:10 PM 1.06’

11:34 PM 8.24’

16 Mon

5:47 AM 1.15’

12:01 PM 8.14’

6:12 PM 0.84’

17 Tues

12:32 AM 8.63’

6:47 AM 0.75’

12:59 PM 8.44’

7:06 PM 0.56’

18 Wed

1:24 AM 9.03’

7:39 AM CST 0.36’

1:49 PM 8.72’

7:54 PM 0.31’

19 Thurs

2:10 AM 9.34’

8:23 AM 0.05’

2:33 PM 8.92’

8:36 PM 0.16’

20 Fri

2:52 AM 9.52’

9:03 AM -0.14’

3:15 PM 9.00’

9:16 PM 0.14’

18 Mon

12:50 AM 8.58’

6:59 AM 0.71’

1:13 PM 8.82’

7:26 PM 0.23’

19 Tues

1:42 AM 9.09’

7:53 AM 0.25’

2:05 PM 9.15’

8:14 PM -0.12’

20 Wed

2:30 AM 9.51’

8:41 AM -0.12’

2:51 PM 9.37’

8:58 PM -0.33’

21 Sat

3:30 AM 9.55’

9:41 AM -0.18’

3:55 PM 8.95’

9:54 PM 0.24›

21 Thurs

3:14 AM 9.76’

9:25 AM -0.32’

3:35 PM 9.44’

9:40 PM -0.37›

22 Sun

4:08 AM 9.43›

10:19 AM -0.09’

4:33 PM 8.78’

10:30 PM 0.47’

22 Fri

3:56 AM 9.82›

10:05 AM -0.35’

4:17 PM 9.33’

10:20 PM -0.23’

23 Mon

4:46 AM CST High tide 9.17 Ft

10:55 AM 0.12’

5:11 PM 8.50’

11:08 PM 0.80’

23 Sat

4:36 AM 9.68›

10:45 AM -0.20’

4:57 PM 9.05’

10:58 PM 0.08’

24 Tues

5:22 AM 8.80’

11:33 AM 0.45’

5:51 PM 8.14’

11:46 PM 1.21’

24 Sun

5:16 AM 9.36’

11:25 AM 0.11’

5:39 PM 8.64’

11:38 PM 0.52’

25 Wed

6:02 AM 8.35’

12:13 PM 0.84’

6:33 PM 7.74’

25 Mon

5:56 AM 8.92’

12:05 PM 0.52’

6:19 PM 8.15’

26 Thurs

12:28 AM 1.64’

6:44 AM 7.87’

12:57 PM 1.27’

7:21 PM 7.36’

26 Tues

12:16 AM 1.04’

6:36 AM 8.39’

12:47 PM 1.00’

7:05 PM 7.62’

27 Fri

1:14 AM 2.05’

7:32 AM 7.41’

1:45 PM 1.66’

8:13 PM 7.07’

27 Wed

1:00 AM 1.59’

7:22 AM 7.85’

1:33 PM 1.47’

7:55 PM 7.14’

28 Sat

2:08 AM 2.36’

8:30 AM 7.06’

2:39 PM 1.95’

9:13 PM 6.97›

28 Thurs

1:48 AM 2.09’

8:12 AM 7.37’

2:25 PM 1.88’

8:53 PM 6.80›

29 Sun

3:10 AM 2.47’

9:32 AM 6.90’

3:41 PM 2.05’

10:13 PM 7.10’

29 Fri

2:46 AM 2.46’

9:12 AM 7.04’

3:27 PM 2.12’

9:57 PM 6.69’

30 Mon

4:16 AM 2.31’

10:36 AM 7.00’

4:41 PM 1.92’

11:11 PM 7.46’

30 Sat

3:52 AM 2.60’

10:18 AM 6.94’

4:31 PM 2.12’

11:01 PM 6.86’

31 Tues

5:18 AM 1.90’

11:36 AM 7.32’

5:37 PM 1.58'

SUNRISE

SEPT 1, 2017 SEPT 30, 2017

5:30 AM 5:27 AM

SUNRISE

OCT 1, 2017 OCT 31, 2017

5:27 AM 5:29 PM

SUNSET

SEPT 1, 2017 SEPT 30, 2017

5:48 PM 5:30 PM

SUNSET

OCT 1, 2017 OCT 31, 2017

5:29 AM 5:16 PM

September 6

September 13

September 19

September 27

October 5

October 12

October 19

October 27

Full Moon

3 Quarter

New Moon

1st Quarter

Full Moon

3 Quarter

New Moon

1st Quarter

50 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

LIFESTYLE

AUGUST ODYSSEYS

by Robert August

B

ack in the late 1970s, on the Atlantic coast of the United States, there weren't too many surf shops quite yet. So I sent a big container filled with surfboards and shirts from California to Miami. From there, I rented the biggest van I could to transport the merchandise up the East Coast for distribution. I was alone on the trip. The idea was to cruise the whole coastline, going to different surf shops and showing them what we had.

By the time I got to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, it was midMarch.

Man, it was freezing-ass cold and nobody was around!

I had wrongly believed that with March being springtime, the weather would be nice, but it was still really freaking cold. So I was driving along the single-lane highway of the Outer Banks and there was hardly anybody on the road. I was running low on gas. I was also completely starving with nowhere to eat — not even a gas station where I could get a doughnut or anything. Then up ahead in the distance, I spotted a “Restaurant Open” sign. Upon pulling into the parking lot, I saw just one other parked car.

Closer to the restaurant, I saw a sign that said “Dirty Dick’s Crabhouse.” I thought to myself, “Hmm, whatever … that's weird,” but went in anyways.

Inside, it was a nice, professional-looking restaurant but there was nobody sitting down eating. Still, the host

greeted me and asked if I wanted to be seated, to which I replied, "Are you even open?"

After a pause of about 30 seconds, the host said, "I surf.

Are you Robert August from ‘The Endless Summer’?"

I confirmed that I was. We got to talking and he told me the owner was on his way to meet me because he was a surfer too.

When the owner showed up, he was a really nice guy and we chatted a bit. Then I finally had to satisfy my curiosity.

"I see you guys have a nice little restaurant here,” I remarked.

“You have a full staff and an industrial kitchen. How can you possibly afford to stay open at this time of year?”

The owner responded, "Well, when you first pulled up to the restaurant, what did you do?"

I told him I had parked my van, looked around, and then gone into his little gift shop to buy a few Dirty Dick's Crabhouse T-shirts for my friends and myself. The shirts cleverly read, "I got my crabs from Dirty Dick's."

"I knew it!" exclaimed the owner. "Believe it or not, I sell enough of those T-shirts yearround to pay for our overhead and keep us running in the low season. Nobody can walk by the gift shop and simply not go in and buy one.”

To this day, every time I go back to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, I make sure to buy a few Dirty Dick's shirts and bring them back here to give to the locals in Costa Rica.

LIFESTYLE

Playa Grande becomes Backdoor-Pipeline … in our dreams, that is.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SWELL ANGLE

E

very few weeks in Costa Rica, surfers are hyping about the newest purple blob that appears on the swell charts.

"Have you seen the next swell? It's gonna be the biggest of the year!"

Surfers love to create unrealistic expectations about waves we've yet to catch. We somehow think Playa Grande will magically transform into BackdoorPipeline when the swell hits. But this is hardly ever the case. So before you dust off your big-wave boards, be sure to consider all the details with each upcoming swell — most importantly, the swell angle.

Just a quick refresher: Most of the waves we receive in Costa Rica originate from broad areas of low pressure deep in the South Pacific Ocean. As these massive

Surfers love to create unrealistic expectations about waves we’ve yet to catch. storms circumnavigate our planet, they are constantly pushing out wind and waves ahead of them. With the unique positioning of each storm, the resulting waves hitting the coast days later will have a corresponding swell angle. For example, a storm that forms off the coast of New Zealand will have a swell angle of 225° while a storm that forms off the coast of Chile will have a swell angle of 180°.

And because these low-pressure systems are moving from east to west across the Pacific Ocean, there is a wide swath of swell angles that gradually shift as the swell event happens.

52 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Costa Rica is well exposed to almost the entire Pacific Ocean and can receive swells ranging from 170 to 315 degrees. Something that many surfers overlook, however, is the small set of Galapagos Islands that sit Northern Region - 200-210° T Central Region - 205-215° T Southern Region - 215-225° T South America - 165-175° T

Costa Rica Galapagos - South America Shadows

roughly 900 miles offshore of Costa Rica and play a major role in swell shadowing.

Here is how the numbers break down along the Pacific coast: 200° - 210° : Guanacaste is shadowed 205° - 215° : Puntarenas to Dominical is shadowed 215° - 225° : Dominical to Panama border is shadowed But what does "shadowed" actually mean? Will some beaches be completely flat while others are double overhead? Well, not quite.

But according to the founder of surfline. com, Sean Collins, "When the Galapagos

shadow is fully in effect I would estimate it takes out at least 50 percent of the swell energy (swell height and wave consistency).

As the swell direction will always range a little, there will also be waves approaching from the sides on the border of the shadow."

Wow. A 50 percent loss in the overall size and consistency is pretty significant. For us in Guanacaste, that means swells originating in this area below will be a bit of a buzzkill upon arrival.

But isn't this uncertainty what makes surfing so exciting? Each new purple blob holds the possibility – if only in our minds – of catching the best waves of our lives. For me, this is what surfing is all about … being in tune with Mother Nature's rhythm so we can be at the right spot at the right time.

RECIPES OF THE MONTH Provided by

CEVICHE Serves 4

Ingredients

COCKTAILS One serving each

• 1 filet of corvina or any other white, meaty fish • 1/2 cup chopped onion • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro • 1/2 cup chopped sweet pepper or bell pepper • 1 cup fresh lemon juice (preferably lemon mandarin) • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper • 1/2 tablespoon of salt • 2 ounces ginger ale

Method of Preparation Cut the fish into bite size pieces. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with soda crackers or tortilla chips.

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients Piña Colada • 1/2 cup chopped pineapple • 1 ounce coconut cream • 1 ounce evaporated milk • 1 1/2 ounces dark rum • 1 cup of ice Mix all ingredients and blend on high for 1 minute. Decorate with pineapple slice and a cherry

• ½ teaspoon anchovy paste • ¼ teaspoon garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons freshly

squeezed lemon juice

• ½ tablespoon dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise with olive oil

• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cosmopolitan • • • •

2 ounces vodka 3 ounces cranberry juice 1 ounce triple sec liqueur 1 ounce fresh lemon juice

Pour all ingredients over ice in a tall glass and mix. Decorate with slice of lime and a cherry.

54 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

• ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method of Preparation Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until cold before serving. Will keep in the refrigerator about two weeks in a wellsealed container.

SHRIMP IN MUSHROOM AND RED WINE REDUCTION SAUCE Serves 2

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

12 medium to large shrimp, cleaned and peeled 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 /2 cup red wine 1 /2 cup sweet cream 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 /2 teaspoon black pepper 1 /2 teaspoon salt

Method of Preparation In a medium to large saucepan, slightly heat butter and olive oil, just until melted. Remove from heat and stir in wine, sweet cream, black pepper and salt. Return to low heat and stir until blended.

Add the shrimp and mushrooms and continue cooking on low heat until the shrimp are a tender pink and the sauce has been reduced to your taste.

Serve over pasta or rice.

PINEAPPLE FLAMBÉ WITH RUM SAUCE Serves 4

Ingredients • 4 slices of fresh pineapple without the heart – about 1 inch thick • 4 tablespoons butter • 4 teaspoons vanilla • 4 tablespoons brown sugar • 1/2 cup rum, dark or white • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream for topping

Method of Preparation In a large sauce pan on low heat, combine the butter, vanilla, brown sugar. Add the pineapple when brown sugar is dissolved and sauce just begins to heat. Cook on low heat until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble.

When the sauce is bubbling, add the rum and cook until completely combined.

Remove the pineapple slices and place on individual plates or bowls. Top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon the rum sauce over the ice cream and pineapple slice. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 55

Photo by Costa Rica SUP and Surf Club

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE _Feature

By Marco Salazar and Marian Paniagua

S

tand up paddleboarding, better known as SUP, is the fastest growing water sport in the world. It offers a great full-body workout focusing on the core muscles. Relatively easy to learn, it’s a delightful way to glide out in the ocean or any other body of water.

As the sport has evolved, three main aspects exist: flatwater, SUP surfing and the whitewater river. Different types of boards, paddles and safety equipment have been developed in each instance.

Our main focus here is SUP surfing.

A little bit of history

The origins of SUP go way back, actually thousands of years.

African warriors of some tribes used their spears to paddle, standing up in their canoes for stealthier forms of attack when at war with other tribes. In South America, some north Peruvian tribes used to go out in the ocean to fish on a craft they originally called TUP, which the Spanish later called caballito de totora. It was made of reeds, and they used a long piece of bamboo to paddle standing up. On their way back from fishing, they would surf the waves.

In the 16th century, Hawaiian surfers used very big boards, around five meters long, operated with a paddle. Fast forward to 1940s, Hawaii, when Duke Kahanamoku and other surf instructors used to stand up paddle in Waikiki and called it beach boy surfing.

While living in Barra del Colorado on Costa Rica’s north Caribbean coast in 1982, I observed that local fishermen would paddle standing up in their

56 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

dugout canoes to negotiate the sides of Río Colorado going upstream. While in

African warriors of some tribes used their spears to paddle, standing up in their canoes Guatemala, I saw Mayan fishermen in Lake Atitlan, stand-up paddling in their Cayuco dugout canoes, to go out fishing.

It seems that historically, humans have

regarded paddling small watercraft while standing up as an efficient and ergonomic way to fish and travel in the ocean, surf the waves and navigate lakes and rivers.

Modern SUP surfing

A little over a decade ago at Maalaea Mud Flats, Maui, Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama started to surf one-foot waves on huge tandem boards while paddling standing up with outrigger paddles. They had fun, and after trying it several times, Laird asked Gerry Lopez and Ron House to shape some SUP surfing boards for training in the small Malibu summer waves.

So that’s how boards for this purpose

Photo by Costa Rica Stand Up Paddle Adventures

originated and kayak paddles were modified. Ultimately a SUP-specific paddle was made to order for Hamilton, in 2001. And on September 12, 2002, he SUP surfed a six-foot Malibu swell and the rest is history. Modern SUP surfing was here to stay!

SUP surfing today

The first modern, post-2002 SUP surfing boards were huge and the paddles were long and heavy. This quickly changed as more and more surfers turned to SUP surfing. More shapers started to experiment with smaller and lighter boards. SUP surfing thus evolved from using huge boards designed mainly for small waves, to shorter, lighter and higher-performance

T

boards that could handle any size waves.

Meanwhile, the paddle became an integral part of SUP surfing, and its proper use is taken into consideration when scoring points in the tournaments.

SUP surf paddles are now made of carbon and kevlar fibers with different flex and blade sizes. They enhance the SUP surfing experience and allow for amazing performance.

SUP surfing today is more exciting than ever. With excellent equipment available, both male and female enthusiasts are breaking new ground performance-wise. We can only foresee the brightest future for this amazing sport.

his is the best time of year for enjoying the versatility of stand up paddle sports in Costa Rica.

Our green season finds the flat, calm coastal bay waters perfect for SUP yoga. Practising the Savasana (corpse pose) on the water is one of the most blissful experiences imaginable!

And if you are planning to go out on a paddleboard anyway, why not bring along your snorkeling gear?

The water’s tranquility prevents sediments and debris from the ocean floor becoming stirred up, so clarity and visibility for snorkeling are more likely to be enhanced.

Whether you are new to SUP surfing or a pro doesn’t matter. Tides, swells and the variety of different surf spots along Costa Rica’s coastlines will make it easy for you to just choose a place and a day to go out and enjoy SUP surfing in small or big waves.

Ultimately, if you are not into surfing, practising yoga or snorkeling is absolutely irrelevant. That’s because just taking a stand up paddleboard and venturing out on the water at sunrise, sunset or full moon makes for an unforgettable lifetime experience.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

WAVES YOU'VE MISSED Photos by Emilano Ras

By Jarryd Jackson

T

he month of August has provided all sorts of surfing conditions — sunny days with some offshore wind, other days with stormy and choppy conditions, and in between lots of early morning and late afternoon glass-offs. A couple of goodsized south swells (190 to 200) gave us some pumping surf, followed by some very flat days when longboards were the only way to get your fix.

58 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

The flat days can be good for the soul surfers or workaholic surfers alike. They give you a break in between the swells, to get things done and get ready for the next good run of swells.

This past month was a great mix of good waves, decent conditions and uncrowded lineups, typical of August.

To those of you who were not around this last month, enjoy these photos from our area of waves you’ve missed.

by Karl Kahler

TRAVEL & AVENTURE _COOL PLACES

S

eptember and October are the wettest months in Costa Rica, and even though some will tell you the “green season” is the best time to visit, tourists stay away in droves. Nobody wants to lie on a beach in the rain, nor does a downpour make ziplining, fishing or even whitewater rafting more fun.

But there’s one very Costa Rican attraction that’s more or less immune to the buzzkill of rainfall: hot springs. If you’re going to get wet anyway, why not get wet in a natural thermal pool that’s bathwater-warm (preferably with someone you love)?

Costa Rica is home to a few dozen volcanoes, and a handful are quite active. But even where there’s not a lot of smoke in the air, there can be a lot of fire in the ground — volcanic magma that heats the water that percolates into the ground from all that rainfall.

This water has to go somewhere, and it often surfaces in still, warm pools or even fast, rushing rivers. It can also be pumped from the ground and piped into manmade pools to the delight of tourists, as Costa Rican entrepreneurs discovered decades ago.

In the country’s hot springs capital, at the base of Volcán Arenal, more than a dozen resorts offer a hot soak in multiple pools. Around Rincón de la Vieja, an

active volcano in the northwest, there are several others.

The health benefits of hot springs have been touted for centuries. Costa Rica’s first capital, Cartago, was said to have been founded by Juan Vásquez de Coronado in 1563 because he believed he had located the “fountain of eternal youth.”

Hot springs still exist at San Francisco de Cartago, which was known as “Agua Caliente” in the 1880’s, and the Bella Vista

skin diseases find a lasting cure here.”

Exaggerate much?

Ask Jorge David Monge, manager of Paradise Hot Springs in Arenal, and he’ll tell you that volcanic hot springs contain magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium, carbonates and sulfates, all of which can improve human health. These minerals have analgesic, detoxifying and sedative qualities, he says, and can alleviate rheumatism, arthritis, cramping, eczema and dermatitis.

Scoff if you want, but there’s no denying that soaking in hot springs can be both relaxing and enjoyable, and if it peels away layers of stress, that can’t be a bad thing. (It’s also a decent idea to bring a date, as these watery environments can be très romantic.)

It’s no accident that combo tour operators often include a visit to hot springs after a day of gutwrenching ziplining or butt-wrenching horseback riding. It may be the perfect way to wind down, soak stressed muscles and purge all those adrenaline surges with a flow of pure endorphins.

When you first step into the water you may say, “Ow, ow, ow!” But soon you’ll be saying, “Ah, ah, aaaaaaahhh.”

You know you want it.

60 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Hotel built over the springs was one of Costa Rica’s biggest tourist attractions at the time. An 1886 tract promoted the site like this: “The thermal waters of ‘Agua Caliente’ are invaluable for all classes of venereal diseases, anemia, liver and kidney complaints. Rheumatism, paralysis and

Natural springs at Hotel Rio Perdido

Costa Rica Hot Springs Directory

RIO PERDIDO, BAGACES

(506) 7298-3200 rioperdido.com mromano@rioperdido.com “A thermal river at the base of a breathtaking gorge… the centerpiece of a dwarf forest, where seekers of a one-of-a-kind, wellness concept and natureloving adventurers can truly disconnect from everything”.

YOKO TERMALES, FORTUNA DE BAGACES

(506) 2673-0770 yokotermales.com yokotermales@hotmail.com “Yökö Termales is a known tourist destination that offers several attractions and alternatives that will allow you to relax and release stress while being surrounded by astonishing landscapes”.

HACIENDA GUACHIPELIN, RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA (506) 2690-2900

KALAMBU HOT SPRINGS, LA FORTUNA

BORINQUEN HOT SPRINGS, CAÑAS DULCES (506) 2690-1900

TABACON THERMAL RESORT & SPA, ALAJUELA, SAN CARLOS

BUENA VISTA LODGE, CAÑAS DULCES (506) 2690-1414

BALDI HOT SPRINGS, LA FORTUNA (506) 2479-2190

guachipelin.com info@guachipelin.com

borinquenresort.com info@hotelborinquen.com

buenavistalodgecr.com info@buenavistalodgecr.com

(506) 2479-0170 kalambu.com info@kalambu.com

(506) 2479-2099 tabacon.com sales@tabacon.com

baldihotsprings.cr reservaciones@ baldihotsprings.cr

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

CREATURE FEATURE

A Dangerous Duo The potentially deadly danger posed by both of these featured creatures comes from being in a human’s rightful place at the wrong time.

FER-DE-LANCE SNAKE

This venomous snake, in habitats ranging from southern Mexico to northern South America, is referred to as the ultimate pit viper. It’s considered more dangerous to humans than other vipers because it chooses to live in close proximity to humans, and is the main cause of snakebite incidents.

The fer-de-lance, known in Spanish as terciopelo, takes on a muddied appearance from living in leafy ground litter, but actually has brightly colored features. It’s a nocturnal and solitary creature, less active in cooler, drier periods.

These pit vipers can be found basking in the sun near water during the day, waiting to ambush their prey. When cornered, they will become defensive. They are described as irritable, fast-moving, excitable and unpredictable. Because they are large and can travel with their heads up, bites to humans can occur above the knee.

Bottom line — keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings. The fatality rate from fer-de-lance bites in most areas is 0 percent, as antivenom is usually readily available. But untreated or improperly treated bites can result in necrosis and death.

62 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

BRAZILIAN WANDERING SPIDER

This giant spider is named for its habit of wandering rain-forest floors at night, unlike other spiders that choose habitats higher off the ground in lairs or webs.

During the day, Brazilian wandering spiders hide in rotted logs, beneath rocks and in dark, moist places near human dwellings.

Because they are often found in bunches of pineapples or bananas, “banana spider” is another common name.

The legs of these spiders can be five or six inches long, and their bodies one or two inches. A key distinguishing characteristic is their defensive posture — two

Keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings.

by Vern Veer

front leg pairs held high, revealing a banded leg pattern and display of chelicerae (fangs).

Despite being considered the world’s deadliest spider, the Brazilian wandering spider’s mouthparts are very small and not well-adapted to attack on large mammals such as humans.

However, its wandering nature within densely populated areas poses a threat, particularly in dark, cool hiding places such as houses, clothes, cars, boots and boxes. Best advice — be sure to shake out blankets, clothing and shoes, and watch out where you root around.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE DIRECTORY Gold Coast & Gulf of Papagayo All times AM to PM unless noted

10% OFF

Simply mention HOWLER

PACIFIC COAST DIVE CENTER Diving Experience for All Levels Safest and most experienced dive shop in Costa Rica; 5-star rating

ROCK DIVERS COSTA RICA Awesome Costa Rica Adventure Come dive with us, we know the best dive spots!

ECOTRANS Adventure / Transport Reliable transportation at great prices

Coco-Ocotal, 200m S of bridge Daily, 7-6 2670-0110 / 8369-4836 rockdivers@gmail.com

Flamingo 24 hours 2654-5151 reservas@ecotranscostarica.com

THE BEACH CHOCOLATE FACTORY Unique Costa Rican Adventure Divine, rich chocolate, workshops, private events and more

TAMA TRANSFERS & TOURS Transfers & Tours Tamarindo Transfers & Tours: Your best option in Guanacaste Downtown Tamarindo Daily, 8-8 2653-4444 / (929) 800-4621 reservations@tamarindoshuttle.com

WILLIAM TOURS

WILLIAM TOURS The Best Costa Rica Adventure Tours Fishing, scuba diving, ATV, horseback riding & national parks Guanacaste Per your schedule 6029-6270 william_tours@yahoo.com

BRASILITO

Across from BCR, Coco Daily, 9-5 2670-1878 www.elcocotours.com

PLAYAS DEL COCO

EL COCO TOURS Tours & Transportation Vacation rentals, transportation, tours and concierge services

Downtown Tamarindo Daily, 9-8 8425-4181 / 8711-9061 cristian@goadventurescostarica.com

TAMARINDO

Flamingo - BCR Shopping Center Mon-Fri, 7-4, Sat, 7-1 8827-4515 / 8706-9415 www.pacificcoastdivecenter.com

GO ADVENTURES Zipline, Waterfall, Combo We make your dream vacation a reality

TAMARINDO

Matapalo Beach Daily, 8:30-5 2105-5200 info@diamanteadventure.com

PLAYA FLAMINGO

Main road, near Super Compro Daily, 7-6 2670-0176 / 4031-6457 www.richcoastdiving.com

PLAYAS DEL COCO

RICH COAST DIVING For Beginners or Aspiring Pros We are the only PADI 5-star Career Development Center in Costa Rica

DIAMANTE Eco Adventure Park

PLAYA MATAPALO

100m from beach - Main street Open daily, all day 8789-8199 / 8393-0670 cocobeachadventurestravel.com

PLAYAS DEL COCO

COCO BEACH ADVENTURES Adventure Tours & Transportation Let us show you our country the way Costa Ricans see it!

The Village, Brasilito Tue-Sat, 8-5 4701-0536 / 8876-4242 hb@beachchocolatefactory.com Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 63

That’s quite a hairstyle ... or lack of it.

My hair? It felt so freeing to buzz it all off. I had my friends and family do it on Thanksgiving before I left for my big adventure. Many were worried, but when I looked in the mirror, I felt like a badass. No more chemicals, products and fussing over my hair. I heard it was hot and humid in Costa Rica anyway.

It’s been seven months and I have no plans to grow it back. I just started living for me and no one else. You only live once, right?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Spotlight

So what’s happening now?

A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHANIE WALTRIP

by Howler Staff

Stephanie and her musical partner, Tamarindo’s Jesse Bishop

A

nyone who’s heard Stephanie Waltrip sing can’t help but be captivated by her depth and musical talent. The Howler caught up with her at a recent gig at El Vaquero in Tamarindo and got to know her a little better.

You’re from Tucson, Arizona. What brought you here to Tamarindo?

I was in a job where I wore pencil skirts, high heels and makeup every day. I decided I couldn’t do it anymore, so I sold all my things and bought a one-way ticket to Costa Rica. It was here that I got to see local musicians perform and was inspired to start singing again.

The audience here at El Vaquero is really enjoying your show. When did you first get started singing?

I was 8 years old when I realized I loved to sing and my mother sent me to voice lessons. When I got to high school, I joined the choir and it was magical hearing all the parts and harmonies. Later I was lucky enough to be selected to sing with a choir that traveled to Europe. I sang a solo in Notre-Dame Cathedral, where the acoustics were incredible. I felt like I was floating in a dream.

64 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

I sang a solo in Notre-Dame Cathedral, where the acoustics were incredible.

Tamarindo has such a great community. It wasn’t long before I was meeting musicians and exercising my voice again. Now I sing with the very talented Jesse Bishop in a duo, performing blues, rock, soul and country. I’m also putting a band together that’s still a work in progress. I’m calling it Pinky Guaro.

It will be a mix of punk, indie rock and funk — the kind of music that makes you wanna dance!

With that Stephanie went back to work doing what she does best — singing, dancing, and having a great time.

BRUCE SCOTT 506-8379-0168 brucescott.scott@hotmail.com

CONNIE LÓPEZ 8572-1957

QUALITY CUSTOM MADE

FURNITURE

NEW INVENTORY WEEKLY

Designers Welcome • Open 7 days • 8am-5pm • English Spoken

Main Road Huacas to Tamarindo 1200 meters

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HAPPENINGS

GET OUT DO SOMETHING!

PLAYAS del COCO

COCONUTZ UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

T

he new jefes of Coconutz Sports Bar & Grill have big plans. Pete Wenzel, a U.S. businessman in the bar-code business, recently bought the popular restaurant and intends to build an entirely new kitchen, remodel the dining room, substantially upgrade the brewhouse and redo the furniture, lighting and restrooms.

“For the last several years, every time I’d go to Coco, we would go to Coconutz, and I loved the place,” said Wenzel, known to some as Papa Pete. “To me, if you woke up from a drink and remembered it, it’s the quintessential expat bar in an exotic foreign place.”

Where: Center of Coco When: 9am till late Daily: Food specials Weekly activities include: Tues: Karaoke, 7:30

Wed: Live music

- Will Matthews, 6:30

Sat: Live music

- David Martin, 7

College football - all day

Sun: NFL Package - all day football Contact: 2670-1982 / barbra@coconutzbar.com

TAMARINDO NEW BUSINESS OPENINGS SEPTEMBER 2017 HEALTHY FOOD FOR A BETTER LIFE

Wide selection of organic and natural products includes legumes, grains, cereals, seeds, gluten-free meals, vegan food, a nice selection of tea, coffee, and much more.

Offering a full daily service of healthy, simple, fast and delicious meals. Our team takes pride in preparing special breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Where: First floor Galerias del Mar Central Market, Main street, Tamarindo Contact: 7153-1738 almacenorganicoynatural@gmail.com Facebook @Almacen Organico y Natural

Where: Road Villarreal-Tamarindo When: September 2017 Contact: shakafoodrest@gmail.com

Tahys Becerra

Gilberto Freitez

Juan Carlos Gómez

66 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

TAMARINDO

P

ura Vida Hostel has been providing guests with memorable travel experiences since 2006. We offer friendly, multilingual services and inexpensive accommodation to backpackers and vacationers from all over the world. Visitors and locals are invited to enjoy live entertainment three nights a week.

Where: Across from Banco Nacional and Hertz, next to Dona Lee’s When: Weekly in September and October 7:30-10pm Sun: Tony Flamenco Progressivo & Andre Bazan Live painting to the rhythm of Tony´s progressive flamenco guitar.

Paintings are for sale online during the show or in the

hostel after the show. Proceeds goes to people in need.

Tues: Jam Session and Open Mic hosted by Bradley Brown

All musicians welcome.

Fri: Local Band Showcase of original music Contact: info@puravidahostel.com / 2653-2464 / 8368-3508

www.puravidahostel.com

HOWLER

HAPPENINGS

T

he best smoked BBQ in town.

Enjoy smoked ribs, wings, pulled pork, brisket, pulled chicken and many other homemade sides and dishes while watching your favorite sports!

Don’t forget to try our special Piña Loca cocktail.

Come watch the NFL and College football games!

Location: Across from BAC San Jose Hours of operation: Daily, 6:30 am to when you want to go home!!!

Daily, Happy Hour 4-7pm Daily specials: Mon: Chiliguaro shots - $2 Tues: Two tacos, fries & beer -$8.50 Wed: Live music, 7:00pm Thurs: Bucket of national beers - $15 Fri: Burger, fries & national beer - $9 Sat: Smoked meat sandwich, fries & national beer -$8.50 Sun: Wings (smoked or fried), fries, & a beer - $9.50 Contact: 2653-0027

PLAYA FLAMINGO

BRASILITO

Now that the Mariner is back, so is football! Kick it here!

Where: The Village Community Center, Brasilito What: Open Studio When: Tuesdays 10:30-2:30 What: Adult Intuitive Painting Class When: Thursdays 10:30-2:30 What: Kids Art Class - 5th grade and older When: Thursdays 3:30-5:30 What: Paint and Wine Night When: Sat, Sept 23 6-9pm Contact: 8336 3836 / sagebrushartstudio@gmail.com

Facebook @sagebrushartstudio

Where: Straight in front of you as you cross the bridge When: Tue-Fri, 4pm-11pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-11pm Weekly schedule:

Daily:Great food and Drinks

Wed: Yoga and Smoothies

Start your day with good vibes and fresh nutrients

8:15am, Instructor Marian Paniagua

Sat: College Football - All day long

Brews & BBQ - Good times on tap

Sun: NFL Package - all day football

Brews & BBQ - Good times on tap Monthly activities:

The first and last Tuesdays of every month, members

of Asociación Pro-Mejoras de Playa Flamingo

receive 50% discount on mixed drinks from 4pm-8pm Contact: themarinerinn@gmail.com

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 67

68 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DOSLOCOS

In The HOOD

with Johnny Lahoud

LOCOMOTION ADVENTURES IN COSTA RICA Part 2: Flying High and Blind

O

ne of the most exciting and interesting ways to see and travel around Costa Rica is by plane.

The local airline, Sansa, traverses the whole country with a central hub in San José. As a 20-year plus veteran of flying Sansa, I’ve had my fair share of adventures and mishaps. No matter what the weather conditions, I always get pre-flight jitters.

Two major weather events in particular get my full attention — wind and rain. That’s when flying becomes a treacherous and sketchy endeavor.

WIND

As any local can tell you, the winds here can get quite vicious from January through March. The papagayos, as they are called, result from big cold fronts sending northeast trade winds whipping down and funneling through gaps in the central mountain ranges.

They go in at 10 to 20 miles per hour and reach sustained speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour. In a small 12-passenger plane, things can get dicey pretty quick.

One time, I had booked a 6 a.m. flight from San José to Tamarindo. It was so windy that morning I was praying for a cancellation. No such luck. Joining me upon boarding the plane was just one other passenger and the two pilots. We sat on opposite sides and the plane began to taxi

70 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

for takeoff. Within seconds of throttle up, I was clutching leather!

Guess what happens when a plane lifts off in a 50 mph crosswind. Yup … immediately, we went sideways. Face planted against the glass, I stared down at my last earthly vision — downtown

It was so windy that morning, I was praying for a cancellation.

No such luck!

Alajuela. Not exactly a picturesque ending. The pilots somehow leveled off and started to chuckle. Then came a jolt back to reality by the warning alarm. The pilots realized they still had to clear the mountains with a 50-knot tailwind. So we took another loop and shot towards the coast at a record-breaking pace. We got to Tamarindo in 30 minutes. Returning back into the headwind is equally entertaining … let’s just say I’d rather take the bus, which is the topic of my next Howler article.

RAIN

Thunderstorms are generally a no-go for flight departures in Costa Rica. But what happens when you run into a massive conglomerate on your way? I´ll tell you what — you start praying to whatever God you know.

One such incident would have been funny had it not been so terrifying. I knew we were in trouble when the passenger sitting next to me, who happened to be a major airline pilot, told me he was going to take over if the cockpit crew didn’t figure things out fast! The radar screen was all red. There was so much rain and bouncing, it was impossible to believe the engine would not stall.

Finally, we diverted to Nosara … only to encounter a slight problem as the airstrip came into sight. Someone had left the gate open, inviting cows to stroll their way on and around the runway, contentedly grazing. We had to buzz the runway twice in order to clear out the carne and hope they didn’t wander back on approach. Needless to say, we made it.

I still hold true the old adage that flying is safer than driving. But in Costa Rica, just barely. On any given day, a TTZ (Tico Time Zone) departure or arrival almost guarantees your domestic flight will not be boring.

SURVIVING Costaby Jesse Rica Bishop CHAPTER 27

I

EATING

t’s time to discuss one of the most important aspects of living successfully in Costa Rica — eating. I will skip the basic mechanics of self-nourishment such as proper chewing and swallowing. Instead, we’ll deal exclusively with options for accessing food.

Some of the most popular approaches to eating here apply to visitors and residents alike. That includes visiting one of the many businesses that supply food served by colorful inhabitants known as saloneros (waiters), after which remuneration is required. These establishments are known as "restaurants" and come in a variety of styles, as do the waiters.

Choosing such a dining spot depends on personal preference. Local inhabitants are known to frequent "típico" restaurants featuring a piece of meat with rice and beans, a piece of chicken with rice and beans, a piece of fish with rice and beans, or just good ol' rice and beans. These dishes are

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LOCOSDOS

treat you like a long-lost friend, or guys who would clearly rather be playing fútbol with their buddies.

Here in the Greater Tamarindo Metroplex, you’ll find varied species of restaurants. "Extremely trendy" translates to cuisine not normally available back in Ohio or Saskatchewan. It’s served by attractive young people with numerous pierced body parts and a lengthy list of reasons for your food being late. House specialties usually include chilled red wine.

Pizza enthusiasts will not be disappointed, with more than 23 places to

Rounding out the array of restaurant choices are the Italian, Chinese, Belgian, Thai, Peruvian, Argentinian, Lithuanian, Sri Lankan and more variations on an ethnic theme.

Another popular form of selfnourishment involves the actual cooking of food by the actual eater.

There’s a totally different set of requirements, starting with the acquisition of raw materials needed for meal composition. By far, the most difficult and hazardous methods entail growing or hunting your own.

“Extremely trendy” translates to cuisine not normally available back in Ohio or Saskatchewan.

called casados and satisfy 99.44 percent of national nutritional requirements. Servers tend to be either grandmotherly types who

enjoy their favorite ovoid delicacy. Popular local topping selections include pepperoni, mushroom, yucca, iguana and cotton.

Fly-by-night restaurants — constantly fluctuating in number —

feature whatever is available in local supermarkets, which is where the chef runs to after receiving your order.

Procuring nourishment agriculturally — say, harvesting a garden or a melon patch — could prove fatal. Most plants take several months to mature, while the average food consumer must eat at least twice a day (four times if you're American) to maintain life as we know it. Daily hunting of local fauna such as monkeys or horses can supply some immediate nutrition, but the severe lack of necessary vitamins can have unpleasant outcomes such as scurvy, rickets or the fearsomely trendy dengue fever.

A much more readily accessible food source is your nearest supermercado.

Knowledge of the Italian language is helpful but not necessary. Tamarindo shoppers are always assured of a staggering selection of red wines (unchilled), a vast variety of olive oil (including the stuff from — shudder — Turkey), a plethora of prosciutto and a cornucopia of colorful pastas.

As more and more extranjeros make the permanent move to Costa Rica, supermercados have been slowly adapting to North American requirements such as lettuce, peanut butter, Pop Tarts and Budweiser.

Once your food has been procured, you can proceed to cook it, eat it, and always clean up afterwards. These steps and many more will be covered in our next chapter: Just Desserts.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 71

$50 GIFT

$50 GIFT

CERTIFICATE

CERTIFICATE

WORD SEARCH CONTEST Find the Spanish translation in the puzzle roof builder room volunteers trash hope pink heart broccoli

beans rain umbrella mountain development gold hot springs rowing volcano

3 STEPS POST

TAG PHOTO

A SELFIE OF A FINISHED PUZZLE ON YOUR FACEBOOK

AND ONE OF THE ABOVE RESTAURANTS

@HOWLERCOSTARICA

@ELCOCONUT

OR

@SANDBARCOSTARICA

WIN! WINNER IS THE ONE WITH THE MOST LIKES

NOVEMBER 1, 2017

BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR SELFIES TO OBTAIN MORE LIKES 72 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE Winner eligibility: No repeat winners in consecutive months per location. No one directly associated with the Howler can participate.

Disclaimer:

FEATURED RESTAURANT

ID

D

IN

IN

G

UR

GYOU NT

G W URA U O A O N K ST E Y RE OR F E B

Read. like. share. | online

E

O

howlermag.com | 73

by Howler Staff

The unexpected beckons you back again

L

a Playita is designed for dropping in and being delighted time after time.

That this may not be readily apparent to roadway passersby, newcomers or those who haven’t visited in awhile speaks to the restaurant’s undiscovered charm. But being a hidden treasure doesn’t mean La Playita has to be a well-kept secret … at least not for long. Word of mouth is sure to take care of that.

In the same vein, unfailingly positive online reviews keep drawing tourists from all corners of the world to Seis Playas Hotel (formerly Best Western Camino a Tamarindo). That each and every Trip Advisor post generates a personal response from the general manager, Roberto Castro, shows how deeply client feedback is taken to heart.

Nestled into the loveliness of this aptly described “little oasis,” La Playita is among the most commonly cited unexpected pleasures. It’s part and parcel of hotel amenities that include clean, comfortable and modern rooms, a heavenly pool, serenely beautiful landscaping and exceptionally attentive service by dedicated staff. Just as many travelers are pleasantly surprised upon beholding the tropical sanctuary of Seis Playas, La Playita can be a reason they leave wanting to come back.

74 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

If the restaurant and bar can make the same impression on local patrons, so much the better for the owners, Richard and Rita Ashley, who are striving to do just that. This shift in target market has been a driving force behind recent changes they have implemented.

“Major purchases of new kitchen equipment meant our menu options could

La Playita is like the reality of a mirage you didn't see coming. be expanded," Rita explains. “That is the heart of our restaurant. The soul is José Higinio Gutiérrez, our kitchen manager and chef.”

Gutiérrez brings more than 20 years of culinary training and experience to La Playita. His first teacher was an Italian chef, Domenico, at Hotel Antumalal in Playa Junquillal. Subsequent mentor, Trevor Murphy had trained at the famed Le Cordon Bleu in France. Gutiérrez later traveled extensively in the United States, honing his skills and expanding his

knowledge of gastronomic delights.

To attract people living in the area as well as tourists, La Playita is open to the public 365 days a year with a full menu.

Breakfast choices are offered daily from 7 to 10 a.m., with both lunch and dinner fare served until at least 9 p.m. every night.

From a style and substance perspective, catering to appetites of all sizes, tastes and times of day is a lot to ask of a restaurant. Whether it’s a breakfast quesadilla, all-American hotdog, shrimp and avocado-enhanced Caesar salad or build-your-own pasta bowl, La Playita offers the gamut of standard favorites infused with imagination. Friday night Texas barbecues have been a crowd pleasing winner since being introduced last year.

Satisfying more adventurous tastes and cravings can be less straightforward for even the most popular dining spots.

With every page after eclectic page of meal selections — however customizable through sauce and side vegetable options — the bar is raised that much higher for delivering quality, freshness and originality across the board.

According to Rita, chef Gutiérrez’s secret to making people happy is fresh, high-quality ingredients prepared with love. All sauces are made fresh in the

kitchen, and no frozen products are used.

Notably, the French fries are made from hand-cut potatoes fried to perfection.

Menu selections sampled during a recent visit inspire further confidence that La Playita’s culinary team is up to the task. The perfect prelude was a piña colada, luscious liquid silk meant to be sipped leisurely as a taste bud awakening.

Next came a generously shareable dish of ceviche — fresh, firm and fleshy chunks of fish tossed together with crunchy onion and sweet bell pepper in a sassy citrus marinade. Seldom does a gloriously succulent, done-just-right ribeye steak leave room for improvement, but Playita’s peppered version kicked it up a notch to

As your ultimate destination from the hotel’s humble gravel parking lot, La Playita is like the reality of a mirage you didn’t see coming. Driving up to the front entrance, the brand new Seis Playas sign is your only indication of being in

La Playita, as its name suggests, has the look and feel of being on a little beach. Affording floor-toceiling exposure to the surrounding tropical beauty, the interior is glassed in for privacy and protection. While contemporary in design, it incorporates a mix of natural and rustic elements to unite the indoor and outdoor space for an al fresco dining experience. The bar, with its striking sandstone wall and warm wood counter tops, ties the modern and classic elements together.

Before turning their attention to the restaurant, the Ashleys’ first priority was to complete major improvements and upgrades they had

sublime. A heart of palm salsa topping enlivened each mouth-watering bite of chicken breast with an exotic, velvety flair. Even under the full-stomach circumstances, little arm twisting was needed to change our minds about passing on dessert. If ever a perfect marriage existed between wholly divine and just partly decadent (the non-superfood ingredients), it was the pineapple flambé finale to our delicious dinner.

the right place. From the welcoming but unassuming hotel reception area, you are literally led down a garden path around the contoured edges of a magnificent pool. The enchantment is at once captivating and calming. Even in a downpour after dark, you’re compelled to stroll rather than scurry for cover. A series of floral arches draws visitors towards the restaurant’s unmistakable palapa structure at the far end.

undertaken after purchasing hotel property from its original owners in 2015. As the project progressed, it became obvious that Best Western standards had been exceeded, prompting their decision to leave the franchise and choose a new name, effective July 1, 1917. Seis Playas says it all about the hotel’s best-of-both-worlds location — close to six different beaches but away from Tamarindo’s crowds.

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 75

DINING GUIDE

HUACAS

3Km south of Huacas, road to Tamarindo Hours of Operations Everyday 7:00 am to 9:00 pm Breakfast 7:00am to 10:00am Phone: 2653 6818 info@seisplayashotel.com Specialties Food cooked to your taste — con mucho gusto Friday Night Texas Barbecue

La Playita Restaurante: Poolside Dining Located at the Seis Playas Hotel, La Playita restaurant and bar is open to hotel guests and the public, and is known for its friendly and inviting environment. It is the ideal setting for sharing good food and drinks with family and friends, or a romantic dinner poolside while enjoying the convenient distance to our six local beaches.

MENU SELECTIONS Omelette

$12

Cesar Salad

$12

Open Grill

Broken Yolk Sandwich

$12

BLT La Playita

$10

Chicken Club Sandwich

$12

Breakfast Quesadilla

$12

Hot Dog

$12

Meat Ball Sandwich

$12

Nachos

$7

Pasta

$14

Pineapple flambee

$4

Eggs, tomato, onion, sweet pepper, ham, mushrooms and cheese Fried egg, bacon or ham, and cheese on toast and served with seasonal fruit Eggs, tomato, onion, sweet pepper and cheese. Served with seasonal fruit Nachos with chicken or smoked beef brisket

76 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Cesar salad served with fresh shrimp and avocado Always a favorite for a lite bit to eat bacon, lettuce and tomato The All American 100% beef hot dog with chili, onions and cheese served with fries Build your own pasta bowl, includes a mixed salad

From $16

Pork tenderloin, chicken breast, Ribeye, New York Strip, Beef Tenderloin and catch of the day Our most popular double decker sandwich with hand cut fries Handmade meat balls in our homemade sauce served with hand cut fries or salad Our most popular dessert served hot with vainilla ice cream

Main road to Tamarindo, in front of El Tesoro Hours of Operations Monday to Saturday Noon - 10:00 pm Sunday 10:00 am - 10:00 pm Phone: 2653 0024 pangasbc@gmail.com Specialties Costa Rican cuisine taken to another level, freshest seafood, sizzling volcanic rocks

Pangas Beach Club: Beachfront Restaurant With rustic driftwood lounge chairs, fresh gourmet dishes and pumping surf breaks right at your fingertips, Pangas is the perfect place to get lost in Tamarindo’ s laid back tropical lifestyle.

Located on the sands of north Tamarindo beach, Pangas is a breezy beach club by day and a relaxed restaurant and bar by night.

Whether grabbing an afternoon beer in your board shorts or enjoying a candlelit dinner in the dining room, Pangas has something for everyone.

Chill out with an invigorating blended fruit drink, or sample our standout seafood. Our chefs use the area's freshest local seafood caught straight from the region's best fishermen with all-natural, local ingredients to accent the beachfront flavors of the Costa Rican coast in every bite.

MENU SELECTIONS Wahoo Carpaccio

Mixed Seafood Platter

Catch of the day

Avocado and Cucumber Soup

Pangas Tuna Tower

Smoked Salmon Lasagna

Goat Cheese Salad

Imperial Ribs

Grilled Rib Eye

Pangas Chef Salad

Grilled Octopus

Pangas Mariscada

Drizzled with olive oil, finished with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and capers A healthy and refreshing blend garnished with finely chopped pico de gallo Mixed greens with goat cheese, mango chutney, and balsamic honey vinaigrette With grilled shrimp and choice of seared yellow fin tuna or beef tenderloin

SautĂŠed calamari, octopus, shrimp, mussels, clams, and catch of the day Fresh yellow fin tuna, mango, and avocado, stacked delicately Black Angus short ribs braised in Imperial beer with a natural reduction sauce Served with extra virgin olive oil, salad, and pico de gallo

Fresh Mahi-Mahi or Sea Bass with the preparation of your choice Layered with heart of palm, fresh herbs and white sauce Prime beef cuts (12 oz.) served rare on sizzling volcanic rock A selection of the best of what the local waters of Costa Rica have to offer Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 77

TAMARINDO

DINING GUIDE

DINING GUIDE

TAMARINDO

Tamarindo, located beside Mr. Toms Hours of Operations 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Phone: 2244-4915

Tony's Pizza

Shaka Food

Italian Pizza

Healthy, simple and delicious

New York Style Pizza and Pizza by the slice, Lasagna, Meatball Parmigiana

Specialties New York style pizzas and by the slice, Meatball Parmigiana, Lasagna

Special breakfasts, lunches and dinners, coffee & dessert Salads, Sandwiches, Naturals & Green Juice, Falafel and Vegetarian Options

Large Pizza

c7,000

Salad Bar

Lasagna

c3,500

Menu of the Day

Lasagna mozzarella, ricotta, ground beef

SURF SIDE / POTRERO

Hwy 911 Just East of Bahia del Sol Hours of Operations 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm Phone: 4702-8689 Specialties Vegan and gluten-free

Hours of Operations Daily 6:00 am - 10:00 pm Phone: 4701-3291 Specialties Natural foods Vegetarian

MENU SELECTIONS

MENU SELECTIONS Any Toppings, Any Way

3 km from Villarreal, Tamarindo Road

Numu

Build your own custom salad; large variety of fresh products Every day a different option (chicken, tuna, salmon)

The Beach House

International Cuisine

Beach Front Dining

Numu’s pool side restaurant is a wonderful modern setting that has an eclectic fusion of international cuisines like pad thai, sushi and red curry. Also offering a selection of vegan and gluten-free alternatives.

Private residence on the beach transformed into a quaint restaurant and bar, renowned for its fresh seafood. Come and enjoy incredible food and awesome sunsets and views of the Pacific Ocean.

800 M Norte Banco Nacional Potrero Hours of Operations 11:00 am - 9:00 pm Phone: 2654-6203 Specialties Fresh seafood, Epic sunset view

MENU SELECTIONS

MENU SELECTIONS Pad Thai

c4000

Grilled Scallops

c5000

Numu Roll

c4500

Catch of the Day

c9000

Noodles, sauce, red pepper, green beans, red onion, & bean sprouts Salmon, mango, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, unagi sauce

78 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Grilled in a bath of cacique liquor, lime and garlic Tropical salsa, grilled vegetables & potatoes or rice

Seven Cave Bar and Grill: Barbeque, Pizza and Costa Rican Seafood Outside dining under a Costa Rican Rancho. Specializing in Argentine Barbecue: Fresh seafood and the highest quality meat: beef and chicken. A true barbecue feast! Also offering pastas, pizza and salads. Come on Friday night to enjoy great music and drinks with friends.

Free boat rides to and from Tamarindo throughout the night!

200 meters West of Bula Bula next to Wil-Mart Palm Beach Hours of Operations Daily 8:00 am - 9:00 pm Phone: 2249-0387

MENU SELECTIONS BBQ Platters

Beef tenderloin, Surf & Turf Ribs or Mahi Mahi With amazing sides

Casado: Beef, Fish, Chicken or Pork Served Tico Style

PALM BEACH

DINING GUIDE

Specialties Sunday night BBQ $10 Platters

Ceviche Fish Special

Black Oyster, Fish or Shrimp

Hamburger and Fries Homemade Fresh Burgers

Pizza Made Fresh to Order

Chicken Breast in Amazing Mushroom sauce and great sides

Homemade fresh ingredients

Tiki’s Seaside Grille: International Cuisine

180 Brasilito, Guanacaste, Costa Rica Conveniently located on the main corner in Brasilito

Tiki’s Seaside Grille is a beautiful location with a spectacular ocean and sunset views.

The perfect place to enjoy fresh-made foods from breakfast to dinner. We feature 12 local beers on tap.

Hours of Operations Daily 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

MENU SELECTIONS Cacique Mussels

c4000

Tiki Burger

c7000

Avocado Shrimp Salad

c6500

Churrasco Steak

c9500

Cuban Sandwich

c6000

Pargo

c9800

Sautéed with Cacique liquor, garlic and parsley

Tossed with veggies. Served with toasted garlic bread

Braised pork mustard, Swiss cheese, pickles, and ham

Topped with Swiss cheese, mushrooms & onions

Phone: 2654-9028 Specialties Sunday Brunch 9:00 am -1:00 pm

Delmonico cut, rosemary potatoes & grilled vegetable skewer

Whole snapper in garlic sauce with rice and sautéed vegetables

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 79

BRASILITO

Grilled Chicken Breast

DINING GUIDE

FLAMINGO

Angelina's: Fine Dining

Commercial center "La Plaza" Playa Flamingo

Angelina's captures the essence of the love of family and fine dining. Angelina's specializes in Himalayan Salt Aged Beef, sustainable fish and seafood, and hearth stone artisan pizza.

To make reservations or see our full menu visit our website at www.angelinasplayaflamingo.com.

Hours of Operations Daily, 5 pm - 10 pm

MENU SELECTIONS

Phone: 2654-4839 Specialties Dry aged beef Sustainable seafood Artisan pizza

Pulpo

Guiseppe Pizza

House Buratta

30-Day Dry Aged Ribeye

Grilled octopus, smokey eggplant, sweet potato, harissa Cherry tomato confit, aged balsamic, grilled baguette

Goat Cheese Ravioli

Almond basil pesto, spring vegetables, oyster mushrooms, aged pecorino

FLAMINGO

100 m south of the Potrero crossing Hours of Operations Thurs-Tues 11:30 am-10:30 pm Phone: 8532-8613

Vaca Loka

Italian Restaurant

True Italian cuisine.

Pasta like you are in Roma!

Fresh bruschette served when you arrive. Buon appetito!

House sausage, roasted peppers, mushrooms, caramelized onion, sesame crust Camote hash, arugula, house demi glaze

Brodetto Italian Seafood Stew

Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, octopus and sea bass in a lobster tomato broth

HOWL!

Specialties Pizza-Pasta-Meat-Fish

MENU SELECTIONS Lasagna of The House

C 6.500

Rib-Eye

C 6.500

80 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

howlermag.com

At Casa Chameleon 4 km North of the Potrero Soccer Field Hours of Operations Daily, 7:00 am - 10:00 pm No children under 12 years Phone: 2103 1200 concierge@ casachameleonhotels.com Specialties Fresh Fish, Sunset Cocktails "Boquitas" Menu

Sentido Norte - Fine Dining Sentido Norte, a restaurant and bar at Casa Chameleon, proudly offers an adult fine-dining experience that celebrates the best of Costa Rican cuisine. Your drive through winding roads above the quaint beach town of Las Catalinas is rewarded by an unforgettable, but affordable, taste of luxury.

Just a few steps uphill from the bright and welcoming entrance, your table awaits in a gorgeous, open-air perch framed by a panoramic view of the Pacific. A design motif incorporating responsibly sourced teak adds a sense of warmth and well-being to the romantically lit atmosphere. All food and drinks are inspired by the country’s bountiful abundance, combining uniquely local and native ingredients in the glass and on the plate.

MENU SELECTIONS Overnight Oats

$10.00

Casa Chameleon Burger $17.00

Guacamole and Salsa $10.00

French Toast

$12.00

Ceviche $14.00

Octopus & Shrimp Cevich $25.00

Knife & Fork Tortillas $12.00

Grilled Chicken Wrap $12.00

Grilled Skirt Steak

$29.00

Vegan Omelettes

Vegan Bowl

Fresh Tuna Poke

$20.00

Almond milk, yogurt, fruit, cashews, local honey or tapa dulce

Sweet plantains and coconut milk cream

Chicharron or Vegan Huevos Rancheros

$6.00

Asparragus, mushroom, and caramelized onion

Angus Burger with rocket lettuce, swiss or goat cheese, aioli

Fresh Fish Ceviche, leche de tigre, homemade "chilero"

Greens, avocado & tomato, spicy aioli

$19.00

Quinoa, mushroom and squash picadillo salad, spicy garbanzo beans

Hearts of Palm Ceviche, avocado & tomato

Octopus and Mussels wok-sauteed in garlic butter and white wine

Skirt steak, chimichurri sauce, salad, french fries

Raw tuna, mango, avocado

Prices shown include 13% tax and 10% service / Prices subject to change

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 81

LAS CATALINAS

DINING GUIDE

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY: Gulf of Papagayo & Liberia

COCONUTZ Restaurant and Sports Bar The best sports bar in all Coco, great food, showing all the sports

EAT GREEN ORGANIC 100% Organic Certified We bring the freshest ingredients from the farm to your doorstep Delivery only Daily, 9-5 8345-5946 / 8828-6996 marina@eatgreenguanacaste.com

HARD ROCK CAFE Burgers, Brews and Breezes High-energy rock ‘n’ roll vibe, serving burgers and American classics

GINGER RESTAURANT BAR Asian Inspired Tapas The flavors of Southeast Asia, tropical cocktails, craft beer and wine Main Street, Playa Hermosa Open daily from 5pm 2672-0041 GingerCostaRica.com

SANDBAR Restaurant & Sports Bar Innovative drinks, stellar cuisine and sports. What more do you need?

Pacifico Retail Center Mon-Sun, noon- 1am 2670-1317 info@hrcguanacaste.com

PLAYAS DEL COCO

PLAYAS DEL COCO

Across from El Coco Casino Daily, 9am till late 2670-1982 www.coconutz-costarica.com

Pueblito Sur #7, Coco Wed-Sun, 9am-2pm, 6pm-10pm 2670-0413 www.kaixocostarica.com

PLAYA HERMOSA

Pacifico Retail Center Mon-Sat from 5:30 pm 2670-0942 reservations@citroncoco.com

KAIXO COSTA RICA Restaurant & Showroom Homemade bread, craft beer, fresh food, vegan and gluten-free options

Hermosa Heights Fri-Wed, 4-10, Sun, 11-10 2672-1276 Contact@sandbarcostarica.com

LIBERIA

CITRON RESTAURANTE Best Fine Dining Experience Upscale restaurant delivering refreshing energy through flavorful food

PLAYAS DEL COCO

PLAYAS DEL COCO

Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, Playa Hermosa, Panama, Liberia and surrounding areas

PORO PORO at Villa Buena Onda Amazing Food, Amazing Views!

Ocean-view dining experience in a luxurious and secluded environment From anchor, 200m E, 700m S Daily, 8-8:30 2674-1410 reservations@villabuenaonda.com

LIBERIA SOCIAL CLUB #PLACETOBE International cuisine, fine dining, wine bar and club Downtown Park 300m E, 50m N Daily, noon-midnight 2665-4050 liberiasocial@gmail.com

GET DIRECT JOHANN BISTRO Quality Food in Coco Salads, sandwiches, crepes, sushi, coffee, ice cream and smoothies Main street, 100m from beach Sun-Tue 9-6, Wed-Sat, 9-10 2670-2303 / 8850-8811

82 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

TO YOUR TARGET

IN THE HOWLER

DIRECTORY

4701-5942 / ads@howlermag.com

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY: Gold Coast

Tamarindo, Langosta, Villarreal, Huacas, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo, Surfside/Potrero, Las Catalinas All times AM to PM unless noted

SODA GUAYMY Typical & Rustic Food Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks 200m W of Super Compro Daily, 6-9 7028-3264 / 8911-2191 Jimemurillo98@hotmail.com

La Plaza Flamingo Daily, 5pm-10pm 2654-4839

SENTIDO NORTE RESTAURANT Fine Dining All food & drinks are inspired by the country’s bountiful abundance 4 km N of Potrero soccer field Daily, 7-10 2103-1200 concierge@casachameleonhotels.com

LAS CATALINAS

SODA GUAYMY

ANGELINA'S Fine Dining Dry aged beef, sustainable seafood, artisan pizza

FLAMINGO

3 km S of Huacas towards Villarreal 7 days a week, 7-9 2653-6818 info@seisplayashotel.com

HUACAS

Main road in Tamarindo Mon-Sat, Noon-10, Sun, 10-10 2653-0024 pangasbc@gmail.com

TAMARINDO

PANGAS BEACH CLUB Beachfront Restaurant Costa Rican cuisine taken to another level, freshest seafood

LA PLAYITA RESTAURANTE Poolside Dining Located at Seis Playas Hotel. Quality food and drink for friends and family

HUACAS

3 km from Villarreal to Tamarindo 7 days a week, 6-10 4701-3291 shakafoodrest@gmail.com

TAMARINDO

SHAKA FOOD Healthy, Easy, Delicious Our team takes pride in preparing Coffee, breakfasts, lunches and dinner

Located just across the brid ge in Flamin go

Kick it at the Mariner for all your NFL & College football games Hours of Operations: Tue-Fri 4-11, Sat & Sun opens at 10am Game Time Food & Drink Specials

weekly schedule: CHeck the Howler Happenings page 67

themarinerinn@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS Robert August. Tamarindo’s legendary surfer and shaper from the Endless Summer movies.

Gregory Basco. Award-winning professional nature photographer and environmentalist. www.deepgreenphotography.com, www. fotoverdetours.com Jesse Bishop. Small time rock legend and theoretical humorist.

Mary Byerly. Highly certified yoga instructor. Guiding others to live vibrantly, creating positive change one person at a time. panaceacr@ gmail.com Jeanne Callahan. Astrologer. Aware, smart, funny and interested in everything under the Sun! jeanne@celestialadvisor.com. www. celestialadvisor.com Mariana Castilla. Local writer, teacher and graphic designer.

Gilberth Cavallini. Veterinary Doctor, owner Cavallini Veterinary Services, Villarreal (MegaSuper Plaza). tamarindovet@gmail.com Phil Eitman. Broker for Prisma Corredor de Seguros. Call 2653-4300, visit www.allinsurancecr.com or e-mail philcostarica@gmail.com Ivan Granados. Managing Partner at GM Attorneys. He specializes in real estate and corporate law. igranados@gmattorneyscr.com Jarryd Jackson. Owner of J&M Architecture and Construction, Jarryd is passionate about building and surfing.

Karl Kahler. Author of "Frommer's Costa Rica 2017," former travel editor of the Tico Times and former national editor of California's San Jose Mercury News.

Johnny Lahoud. Owner/broker of Pura Vida Realty, Playa Grande. He loves Costa Rica a lot. pvrealty@gmail.com Sylvia Monge. Owner of Spanish for Expats, a tutoring and translation service. spanishfhorexpats23@gmail.com Zeidy Murillo. Public Accountant and manager of MV Conta, serving Guanacaste clients from offices in Tamarindo and Playas del Coco.

Marian Paniagua. Certified Yoga Instructor and local artisan, born and raised in Guanacaste. 8914-0199. marianpaniagua@gmail.com Tom Peifer. Ecological land use consultant with 20 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. tompeiferecv@gmail.com Marco Salazar. CR National Surf Champion 1982-83. Owner, Costa Rica SUP Adventures. 8780-1774. costaricasupadventures@gmail.com. Skype: crsupadventures. costaricasupadventures.com Jorge Serendero. Chilean-born environmental communicator and activist, living in Costa Rica for over 35 years. Director and spokesman, Sea Shepherd Costa Rica.

Vern Veer Jr. Retired reptile specialist, Denver zoo. Co-owner of V3 Reptile breeders.

Ryan Waldron. BS Atmospheric Science, surfer. ryan@witchsrock.com Herbert Weinman, MD, MBA. thedoctorisinsharkfm@gmail.com

84 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Your Pizza, Your Way Any Toppings or Combination

¢7000 LARGE -----------------------------------HUGE SLICES ¢2000

------------------------------------

• Lasagna • Garlic Rolls • Meatball Parmesan Sub

FREE DELIVERY IN TAMARINDO / LANGOSTA

OPEN FROM 12MD TILL 9PM

PLAZA TAMARINDO, ACROSS FROM SHARKY'S

Open Daily 7am to 9pm

Located between Matapalo & Playa Grande Phone: 2249-0387, Email: wesone2020@yahoo.com

Open Daily 7am to 9pm

Club Card Member

±ĎįíçįPØÙįĉĽğqÀPĤ ĥįŊÃıÁį ØĽdį Pğ

:Pʼn į

Simply Cut out card and bring in for lamination Start to save on all your purchases

86 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE

Read. like. share. | online

howlermag.com | 87

88 | HM HOWLER MAGAZINE