Howler February 2017

HOWLER Magazine

SERVING COSTA RICA SINCE 1996

FEBRUARY/MAR 2017

V O L . 2 2 N O. 2

Food Glorious Food A Restaurateur’s Journey to Exotic Living CR Restaurant Group - pg. 12

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CHOCOLATE FACTORY PG 22

HAPPENINGS Mardi Gras - Activities PG 54

DINING GUIDE PG 62

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䤀

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唀

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䔀

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PLAYA TAMARINDO AQUA DISCOTHEQUE BUSINESS! US$ 299,000

PLAYA TAMARINDO LA PERLA #5-3 ~ 3 BED CONDO OCEAN VIEW! US$ 749,000

PLAYA TAMARINDO SAND DOLLAR #1 2 BED CONDO! US$ 159,000

PLAYA PENCA PACIFIC HEIGHTS LOT OCEAN VIEW! US$ 169,000

PLAYA TAMARINDO TAMARINDO PLAZA #19 COMM. SPACE! US$ 110,000

PLAYA FLAMINGO OCEANICA #805 ~ 2 BED OCEAN VIEW! US$ 359,000

RESERVA CONCHAL BOUGAINVILLEA CONDO #2203 OCEAN VIEW! US$ 399,000

PLAYA TAMARINDO CASA IXCHEL ~ 6 BEDROOMS PERFECT B&B! US$ 599,000

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吀 䄀 䴀 䄀 刀 䤀 一 䐀 伀

䜀愀爀搀攀渀 倀氀愀稀愀Ⰰ 吀愀洀愀爀椀渀搀漀 㐀㜀 ㄀ⴀ㔀㜀㠀㔀 簀 㠀㔀㘀㈀ⴀ㠀㔀㌀㜀 簀 㠀㠀㄀㐀ⴀ㔀㠀㠀㠀

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HOWLER The

next time you come to

Magazine

Features Editorial

10

Food Glorious Food

12

Getting to know Flamingo

16

Luxury or Quintessential

32

Where the Birds Are

50

Spotlight: Marvin Dolgay

58

Cover Story

February Feature

Lifestyle

Travel & Adventure Entertainment

22 32 52 6

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FEBRUARY/MAR2017

VO L . 2 2

N O. 2

Costa Rica

You have to stay here!

Los Altos de Eros

16 Departments 20

Community

32

Lifestyle

50

Travel & Adventure

56

Entertainment

Information 20, Feature 22, August Odysseys 24, Tide Chart 25, Surviving CR 26, Environment 29, Legal Ease 30

Feature 32, Study of Yoga 34, Spanish 37, Surf Report 40, Surf Science 43, Recipes 44, Wellness 46, Pet Care 48

The food is wonderful as was our chefs. The cooking class was a blast!”

“Los Altos de Eros really is astounding and puts the Four Seasons to shame.”

“The best spa experience of my life.”

Feature 50, Off the Beaten Path 52, Cool Places 54

Happenings 56, Spotlight 58, Perro Tico 59, Edwisdoms 60, Game Challenge 60, Horoscope 61

62 Dining Guide

Los Altos de Eros, Luxury Boutique Hotel & Spa - Tamarindo, Costa Rica www.losaltosdeeros.com - info@losaltosdeeros.com - 1-800-391-1944 (506) 8850.4222 / 8850.4203

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HOWLER

The

Tr o o p

Editorial Lately we have seen lots of activity by the municipality to improve the previously hard-to-traverse and sometimes impassable roads. It is very noticeable and makes me want to believe that they really do care!! It’s a developing country, I know! But I’m happy we can drive in relative comfort and speed on our short cuts to our awesome destinations!

February is a month of celebration: Valentine’s Day, the Local Rodeo Festivals continue, Blues Fest and of course the Grand Event, Mardi Gras. It’s fun fun times for all as well as providing the locals and visitors a wonderful excuse to FIESTA. Tourists and expats, mingling with the Ticos at these events is fun and you really get drawn into the excitement that is generated in the community as they gather and enjoy the comradery. The bases to all these celebrations and events is food, drink and the celebration of life. Time to experience life with the locals, get out of your comfort level and enjoy the true Pura Vida!

This month we are celebrating Food and Fiestas. It is a draw not only for sustenance but socializing. We at The Howler know how important it is to celebrate and at the center of it all is Food and Drink.

Our area offers so many fine restaurants that feature local traditional dishes as well as international cuisine. There are many specialty treats in Costa Rica that are probably not readily available in your home area.

The Howler Dining Guide is coming into its own. It is presented in a clear and concise manner, designed to inform the reader what they want to know when choosing a restaurant that fits their current appetite: restaurant description, menu items, location and food photos. Readers will find it easy to read and understand what each establishment offers in a consistent format. Readers can also go online at www. howlermag.com and see a complete description, full menu, more photos and exact location.

Food, drink and Fiestas are what draw us together and cause us to smile and laugh, and are a large part of “The good life”. Pura Vida.

Feb/Mar 2017 Vol. 22 No. 2 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-in-CHIEF John B. Quam CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marty Svoboda BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Marty Svoboda MANAGING DIRECTORS John B. Quam Marty Svoboda ART DIRECTOR M. Alauddin S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R Bentley Fachner S A L E S C O N S U LTA N T S Troy Radike Sheldon Silverman Mariana Castilla WEBMASTER Maria Fosca M O N T H LY C O N T R I B U T O R S Robert August, Jesse Bishop, Mary Byerly, Jeanne Callahan, Edward Campos, Dr. Leticia Cajal DVM, Dr. Gilberth Cavallini DVM, Ellen Golden Zoe, Ivan Granados Atty., Johnny Lahoud, Sylvia Monge Tom Peifer, Bruce Scott, Sue Smith, Ryan Waldron GUEST CONTRIBUTORS Bernadette Cummings Stephen Duplantier Ariana Clashing O’Reilly GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS Perry Carlile, Paul German

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cover story

cover story

Food Glorious Food

A RESTAURATEUR'S JOURNEY TO EXOTIC LIVING I t is a fairly common dream. Pack it all in and move your family to an exotic paradise, make pina coladas for a living, and never wear closed toe shoes again. We did just that. We are Nancy and Scott Megit and this is our story.

Tired of the snow, congestion and a stressedout lifestyle, we moved from Toronto, Canada to the warm climes of Playa Conchal, Costa Rica.

Tagging along was our youngest, Rachel, who is now enrolled in 11th grade at the Costa Rica International Academy (CRIA) in Brasilito.

The priority was to embrace local suppliers that are accountable for delivering high quality, fresh products at an appropriate price. Having the three restaurants gave us exposure and leverage with the food supply chain. We have been able to source fresh, high quality raw materials, in a timely manner.

Our daughter had veto power over the move. If she didn’t want to join the adventure to Central America then we were staying put in the snow. She was all-in though. And having an institution like CRIA for Rachel to continue her studies made the dream attainable.

Since landing here the journey has been exciting. Ticos are as warm and friendly as advertised and the ex-pat community is extensive, supportive, and frankly a lot of fun. We have been quick to embrace the social scene as there is a lot to do on any given night. Obviously there are many bumps along the road to getting settled but that is to be expected, isn’t it?

To get the most out of our time here, it was important that we jump in with both feet and really embrace Costa Rican culture and life. With over twenty years in the Canadian restaurant industry our family established crRestaurants – comprised of Tikis Seaside Grille in Brasilito, The Beach House in Flamingo, and Numu Cocina y Cabinas in Potrero.

We implemented an Executive Chef to oversee the food operations in the three restaurants to ensure we are serving food that looks great, tastes great, and offers choices that appeals to a varied demographic. One of the many benefits of operating in Costa Rica is the tremendous access to fresh, wholesome, non-processed raw materials. Restaurants here generally prepare meals from scratch.

Nothing of significance is poured from a bottle. Our flavours needed to be fresh and authentic to give us the foundation to create great tasting meals.

We also recently added another chef charged with making sure the food presentation is as exciting as the recipes. Plate presentation is an art. Customers eat with their eyes, too.

Despite the steep learning curve, we had to focus on what makes a restaurant successful – service, food, and ambiance. Regardless of what language it is, that is universal. There is only so much we can do to improve our restaurants’ atmosphere. We just completed an extensive renovation at Tikis, and Numu has a very fresh, upscale feel about it, but nothing can beat warm breezes, swaying palm trees and inviting ocean views. So the levers we are left to pull are great food and warm, hospitable service.

Numu

While all three restaurants have traditional North American fare like burgers and fries, the result is three distinct culinary options inspired by the environment around us. The newest restaurant, Numu Cocina in Potrero, presents an eclectic fusion of international cuisines like Pad Thai, sushi and red curry. There is a large offering of vegan and gluten-free alternatives.

The Beach House in Flamingo overlooks the ocean with epic sunset views and naturally has a large offering of seafood dishes to choose

The Beach House

from like the recently launched Lobster Feast menu. Tikis Seaside Grill in Brasilito is set in large, beautiful, rustic wood building with ocean and sunset views. The menu has a more Latin American vibe to it but still has some familiar favorites. With the explosion of craft beers in North America, we added 12 local drafts on tap after our recent renovation.

Sometimes working in paradise is, well…. work. It isn’t always margaritas and sunsets. On a daily basis we experience challenges that we could resolve quickly “at home.” But customers are here to de-stress and have a good time at the beach. That’s infectious. It is an amazing experience to work hard and then play hard.

Since we landed in Costa Rica we have been trying to soak up as much of the beauty this country has to offer. After a hard day at the office we are still able to get out and enjoy walks on the beach or day trips to Arenal, or simply a beautiful sunset.

It is a journey that began with trepidation but is playing out as an stimulating, exciting, pura vida experience. There is no end in sight.

And most important as a parent, the fact that Rachel is getting a great education, meeting new friends from around the world, and creating memories that will stick with her for a lifetime.

Website: www.crrestaurants.com Tikis: 2654-9028 Numu: 4702-8689 The Beach House: 2654-6203

Tikis

The restaurant business is not an easy business at the best of times, but it is increasingly complex in a foreign culture and in a foreign language. It is especially difficult in the absence of what is known and comfortable to us. We are fortunately blessed with a staff that sees the hospitality industry is a career and not a holdover until something better comes along.

They are very dedicated and professional, and without them our transition would have stalled.

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FEBRUARY feature

Flamingo Beach in the 1970’s As Flamingo was built around the discovery of wildly abundant sport fishing, from the 1970’s the old Flamingo Marina was the hub of all activity. The result was a mixture of high-end resorts and residences in a rural, undeveloped landscape. With abundant game fishing and beautiful coastlines, Flamingo attracted wealthy anglers and business people looking for a place to get away and play.

GETTING TO KNOW FLAMINGO Shh...don’t tell the eclectic, the famous and the secret society that they are Flamingo Beach’s 80%

T

here are a couple of sayings that aim to sum up the eclectic mix of characters that call Flamingo home, even if only for only a few months out of the year. There is “a sunny place for shady people” the slogan for Tio’s Bar which was run by the Osbournes prior to 2008. The other is “80% of people in Flamingo are either wanted or unwanted.”

While some people may like to think they are in the other 20%, the reality is that Flamingo Beach draws people seeking a life outside the subtle or not-so-subtle norms and expectations of Western society. The sense of opportunity and freedom found in this little pocket of Costa Rica attracts a range of celebrities and colorful characters .

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The glamour and wildness of Flamingo One of the most unique things about Flamingo is that this community came into existence in the 1960’s with the intention of development for resorts and high-end residential properties.

Even the method in which persons had to use to get into the area is synonymous with wealth - private planes. At first an airstrip was built behind what is now the Shogun Restaurant.

When the short length of the landing strip proved too adrenaline inducing, persons had to take their private planes to Tamarindo.

They would then have to wait a couple of hours to get picked up and driven on dirt roads up to Flamingo Beach - and that was if anyone even remembered they were flying in.

The lure of sunny skies, a g r e e a b l e temperatures, and favorable sport fishing conditions also brought along a range of celebrity status personas.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the first celebrities to visit Flamingo Beach when she stayed in the Seahorse House at the base of Flamingo’s south ridge. Julia Stiles has been one of the more contemporary celebrities to frequent Flamingo’s white sand beaches.

Poised for revival In 2004, the Flamingo Marina was shut down for a complex combination of reasons. Boating activities continued but following the financial crises of 2008, building development slowed down and the buzz of activity in Flamingo mellowed.

However, as the global economy has been in recovery for the last two years, there is a sense that Flamingo is poised for a new wave of economic and social activity. With the anticipation of the new Marina Flamingo, there is a sense that Flamingo is on the cusp of revival. The in-progress developments of 360 Splendor del Pacifico on Flamingo’s north ridge, and Las Catalinas at Playa Danta, indicate that Flamingo and its surrounding areas are picking up pace.

␀㐀㔀

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Today, Flamingo is busy with activity during the tourist high season. With expansive and breathtaking homes to rent for long- and short-term stays, it still attracts visits from sports personalities, music artists and supermodels. There is an advantage to Flamingo not having been developed to its full potential. It has retained the seclusion and easeof-being that celebrities enjoyed more than 20 years ago.

The difference is that now you can actually fly straight into Liberia airport rather than commandeer a private plane though that option is still available to you if you so desire.

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The eclectic but generous Flamingo community Be it famous or anonymous, the community of permanent and seasonal residents of Flamingo shapes the social activities and traditions enjoyed in Flamingo. The most flamboyant of these is the Flamingo Beach Mardi Gras celebrations.

Organized by a secret society in true Mardi Gras style, the parade is the “best day of the year,” according to long-time resident and business owner Marie Yates. Spread over four days, the Mardi Gras celebrations are not to be missed. It is the Flamingo Beach tradition that encapsulates Flamingo’s eccentricity, goodwill and business community.

This event, in a bold and colorful manner, pulls together business, social and educational communities from its surrounding towns and villages. Marching bands from schools in Matapalo, Huacas, Brasilito and Potrero bring a loud and festive flare to the proceedings. The tour of the King and Queen is celebrated from Brasilito to Potrero with stops at the various bars and restaurants along the way. The dress-in-drag bar crawl adds even more revelry to the weekend’s celebrations.

Celebrated annually for the last 13 years, money raised throughout the Mardi Gras celebrations are used to fund various service needs and projects in the communities surrounding Flamingo Beach. Up to $12,000 are raised through the sale of beads, candies, event t-shirts, parade participation and donations from local residents and businesses.

FLAMINGO BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS CRAZY FUN MARDI GRAS

As the Mardi Gras celebrations are organized by a secret society, we could not divulge the names of its members, even if we knew who they were.

However, if you would like to get involved or get more information you can contact Marie from Marie’s Restaurant at mariesrestaurant@gmail.com.

You can also find out more from the Flamingo Beach Association’s Facebook Page: The Flamingo Association [Costa Rica].

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COMMUNITY

1S tF LO OR

INFORMATION

Gaylord David Townley Born March 14, 1953 in Santa Barbara, California

L EMBASSY CONTACT INFO: UNITED STATES +506 2242 4000 EU & CANADA +506 2519 2002 TOURIST POLICE +506 2654 6136

POISON CENTER +506 2223 1028

FIRE UNIT Filadelfia: +506 2688 8733 Santa Cruz: +506 2680 0090

eft us on January 8, 2017 after a short, hard-fought battle with cancer. He was only 63.

His love for language, surfing and adventure brought him to Tamarindo in 1974.

After graduating from Sonoma State University, he and his wife Valerie joined the Peace Corps and later returned to Costa Rica as Peace Corps volunteers.

When Country Day School of Guanacaste, now Costa Rica International Academy (CRIA), opened their school Gaylord joined the team of teachers and found his true passion. He earned his Master’s Degree at age fifty and was a wonderful role model for his two daughters Rachel and Kyle as well as many other young people. He was a gentle, kind and calming soul to so many family and friends in the community.

Throughout the thirty-five plus years of living in Costa Rica, Gaylord’s love for surfing never died and took him on many surf adventures in Costa Rica and Central America.

Gaylord’s last words were “ Never Stop The Adventure”.

OIJ CONFIDENTIAL 800 8000 645 TAMARINDO POLICE +506 2244 6173 ACCIDENT REPORT 800 800 8000 VEHICLE ASSISTANCE 800 8000 8001

HIGHWAY PATROL 1117 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS TAMARINDO

Waves of Sobriety Monday / Thursday 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday / Saturday 10:30a.m.

Behind the Tamarindo circle, through Pedro´s Surf Shop Contact: Ellen Zoe +506 8484 1360

•

•

FLAMINGO / POTRERO

Beach front Serenity Group Tuesday / Friday 5:30 p.m.

Upstairs Costa Rica Saling Center Contact : Craig +506 8699 0254

“PACIFIC SERENITY GROUP”

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Meeting Sunday at 7:00 pm behind Pedro’s Surf shop (same as AA) Contact info: BruceMAGAZINE +506 8866 9448 THE HOWLER pacificserenity001@gmail.com

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feature

COMMUNITY

THE BEACH CHOCOLATE

22

FACTORY

BY BERNADETTE F. CUMMINGS

O

ne morning, five chocoholics headed to the Beach Chocolate Factory at the Village Community Center in Brasilito with dreams of digging their hands into freshly made chocolate. Thanks to owner and chocolatier Henrik Bodholdt, dreams do come true.

Henrik, a chocolatier with 10 years experience, welcomed us to a table on the lawn outside his store where our hands-on chocolate workshop began. Quickly it became clear that while we all LOVE chocolate, none of us really knew much about chocolate. Through an interactive presentation, we learned the origin, history, nature and culture of cacao and chocolate. Yes kids, chocolate really does grow on trees. Bodholdt’s passion for his craft is evident through his engaging explanations.

We broke into eager smiles when the hands-on portion of the workshop began and the guest star …drum roll, please…a ripe cacao pod made its appearance. It looked like yellow squash but inside it was filled with cacao beans encased in a sticky white pulp. The pulp was surprisingly sweet, although the nut known as a nib was slightly bitter. Next, we helped ourselves to a handful of roasted cacao beans and were instructed to peel the papery shell off by hand. Each of us took a turn grinding the beans using a silver hand grinder clamped to the table. As the brown paste filled the bowl, the air was filled with an intoxicating aroma of raw chocolate.

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After choosing from various fresh ingredients like shredded coconut, almonds, unrefined sugar cane and chili pepper flakes, Henrik encouraged us to put our hands in the paste. Laughter and squeals went around the table as we began to squeeze and knead chocolate through our fingers, rolling it into balls with our hands. A memory of finger painting in kindergarten came to mind. Someone mentioned the episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy could not keep up with the conveyer belt at the chocolate factory. Sitting outside under a clear sky with a slight breeze, nibbling on chocolate handcrafted by oneself is at the top of the list of every chocoholic’s pura vida activities.

Before bidding our wonderful host adios, we stopped in the store to browse and buy chocolate all handmade onsite by Henrik and staff. There was a nice assortment to choose from, something for everyone. Like the Upala bar, made with 85% cacao for dark chocolate lovers or, the Cañas bar, made with 40% white chocolate and cacao nibs. One shopper was hugging a jar of Cacao Skin Care. All natural made from 90% cacao, 5% organic oatmeal and 5% organic olive oil. “Add a little sugar to the mix and the mask becomes a scrub” Henrik said. Or breakfast, I thought.

Back in the car, we drove toward the beach with bags of softening chocolate in hand and hearts filled with an even deeper love of chocolate. Tonight, we will have sweet dreams.

Here is the contact info: The Beach Chocolate Factory/Maleku Chocolate (this is the parent company): 8am to 5pm, Tuesday through SaturdayVillage Community Center Brasilito Call 506-4701-0536 or 88876-4242 for reservation and a quote for a group Every Friday at 9:30 a.m. regular workshop no reservation needed Private events available www.beachchocolatefactory.com email: hb@beachchocolatefactory.com Follow on Instagram: beach_chocolate_factory

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AUGUST ODYSSEYS

by Robert August

W

ay back in the dim mists of history, we were shooting “Endless Summer” and had just driven from Cape Town to Durban where, to our surprise, there were surfers; well, maybe only 10 or 15, but that was a lot compared with our experiences in Cape Town. And they were excited to see surfers from somewhere else. The surfing was OK, but the whole city limits of Durban were cordoned off in the ocean by these huge steel nets, the shark population there being quite considerable–and hungry. Seeing shark nets like that in the ocean can make you think a sec before paddling out.

The locals told us that the breaks outside of town were awesome, but we were apprehensive of the sharks--those nets weren’t made to keep the little jellyfish out. Asking around, we were told that “nobody has been attacked recently”, so we took a chance. The breaks were, indeed, awesome, and we got some of the best waves I had ever surfed. And we had an audience! The locals all sat on a nearby bluff (maybe this should have clued us in) and watched, applauding every time we rode a wave. So there was this constant, noisy accompaniment to our fun. At one point, the noise got a lot louder for no apparent reason but,

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when I looked at the peanut gallery, they were shouting excitedly and pointing up the beach. There they were. Two huge–2 to 3 feet high–fins moving steadily directly towards us. We all bee-lined for the shore, like anyone with a lick of sense would’ve done, and have never paddled so fast; I was flying over the water We joined the locals on the bluff and watched as two huge sharks cruised past, clearly visible in the crystal water where we had been surfing. The larger was about 15 feet, about a yard across. They continued along the coast and disappeared.

Our fans asked us if we were going back in for more surfing.

“No, guys, we are going back to Durban.” That was enough excitement for one day. So now we knew why they had steel nets around the beach.

Nowadays, they’ve figured out how to capitalize on their massive shark population and they run tourist trips where they sit you inside a metal cage under water and you watch these huge monsters bash their heads against the bars trying to get at you. I guess in this game, you actually want them to come for you. That’s a little different than sharing the open sea with these bad boys.

TIDE CHART

FEBRUARY 2017

Day

Sunrise Sunset

Moonrise MR Moonset MS

High Tides

Low Tides

Moon Phase

Day

Sunrise Sunset

Moonrise MR Moonset MS

High Tides

Low Tides

Moon Phase

Wed 1

6:01am 5:44pm

9:33am 10:00pm

5:40am-8.99’ 6:07pm-9.32’

11:45am-(-)0.31’

Wed 15

5:58am 5:48pm

9:20am MS 9:51pm MR

5:43am-8.86’ 6:08pm-9.09’

11:48am-(-)0.16’

Thur 2

6:01am 5:44pm

10:20am 10:54pm

6:24am-8.73’ 6:51pm-9.20’

12:12am-0.05’ 12:29pm-(-)0.10’

Thur 16

5:58am 5:48pm

10:01am MS 10:38pm MR

6:25am-8.35’ 6:48pm-8.64’

12:15am-0.29’ 12:28pm-0.33’

Fri 3

6:01am 5:44pm

11:09am 11:50pm

7:12am-8.38’ 7:39pm-8.97’

1:00am-0.23’ 1:15pm-0.22’

1st Qtr

Fri 17

5:58am 5:48pm

10:43am MS 11:25pm MR

7:09am-7.79’ 7:32pm-8.14’

12:57am-0.72’ 1:08pm-0.89’

Sat 4

6:01am 5:45pm

12:00pm MR

8:06am-7.99’ 8:35pm-8.69’

1:52am-0.49’ 2:07pm-0.59’

Sat 18

5:58am 5:48pm

11:25am MS

7:55am-7.23’ 8:18pm-7.66’

1:41am-1.18’ 1:52pm-1.45’

Sun 5

6:01am 5:45pm

12:48am MS 12:53pm MR

9:08am-7.65’ 9:39pm-8.46’

2:52am-0.75’ 3:07pm-0.95’

Sun 19

5:57am 5:48pm

12:12am 12:10pm

8:47am-6.75’ 9:12pm-7.27’

2:31am-1.59’ 2:40pm-1.94’

Mon 6

6:01am 5:45pm

1:46am MS 1:50 pm MR

10:16am-7.50’ 10:47pm-8.39’

3:58am-0.90’ 4:17pm-1.16’

Mon 20

5:57am 5:48pm

1:00am 12:56pm

9:49am-6.44’ 10:12pm-7.05’

3:27am-1.88’ 3:38pm-2.28’

Tue 7

6:00am 5:46pm

2:46am MS 2:48pm MR

11:28am-7.62’ 11:55pm-8.52’

5:08am-0.85’ 5:29pm-1.14’

Tue 21

5:57am 5:48pm

1:49am 1:44pm

10:55am-6.39’ 11:14am-7.06’

4:31am-1.98’ 4:44pm-2.38’

Wed 8

6:00am 5:46pm

3:44am MS 3:46pm MR

12:36pm-7.99’

6:16am-0.57’ 6:37pm-0.87’

Wed 22

5:56am 5:49pm

2:38am 2:34pm

11:57am-6.62’

5:35am-1.83’ 5:50pm-2.20’

Thur 9

6:00am 5:46pm

4:41am MS 4:45pm MR

12:59am-8.80’ 1:36pm-8.49’

7:18am-0.16’ 7:39pm-0.48’

Thur 23

5:56am 5:49pm

3:27am 3:26pm

12:14am-7.31’ 12:53pm-7.05’

6:31am-1.47’ 6:48pm-1.78’

Fri 10

6:00am 5:46pm

5:34am MS 5:41pm MR

1:55am-9.12’ 2:28pm-8.98’

8:12am-(-)0.26’ 8:33pm-0.09’

Fri 24

5:56am 5:49pm

4:16am 4:18pm

1:06am-7.70’ 1:38pm-7.60’

7:21am-1:00’ 7:36pm-1.23’

Sat 11

5:59am 5:47pm

6:24am MS 6:35pm MR

2:47am-9.39’ 3:18pm-9.37’

9:00am-(-)0.59’ 9:23pm-(-)0.20’

Sat 25

5:55am 5:49pm

5:05am 5:11pm

1:52am-8.17’ 2:21pm-8.20’

8:03am-0.48’ 8:22pm-0.64’

Sun 12

5:59am 5:47pm

7:11am MS 7:27pm MR

3:35am-9.52’ 4:02pm-9.58’

9:46am-(-)0.76’ 10:09pm-(-)0.33’

Sun 26

5:54am 5:49pm

5:53am 6:05pm

2:36am-8.63’ 3:01pm-8.78’

8:43am-(-)0.02’ 9:04pm-0.07’

New 8:58am

Mon 13

5:59am 5:47pm

7:56am MS 8:16pm MR

4:19am-9.47’ 4:46pm-9.60’

10:28am-(-)0.74’ 10:51pm-(-)0.27’

Mon 27

5:54am 5:49pm

6:41am 6:59pm

3:16am-9.01’ 3:39pm-9.27’

9:23am-(-)0.44’ 9:44pm-(-)0.39’

Tue 14

5:59am 5:47pm

8:38am MS 9:04pm MR

5:01am-9.24’ 5:26pm-9.42’

11:08am-(-)0.53’ 11:33pm-(-)0.05’

Tue 28

5:53am 5:49pm

7:28am 7:54pm

3:56am-9.28’ 4:19pm-9.63’

10:01am-(-)0.73’ 10:26pm-(-)0.69’

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25

SURVIVING COSTA RICA Chapter MXMLXXI

Teenage Street Musician in New York I Was a

TALES OF SACKWEED

BY JESSE BISHOP

T

hose three or four of you who’ve been reading this column over the years may possibly remember the occasional story about the Sackweed Band which was a hippy-dippy country rock band/tribe that I was part of in my early years. A recent conversation with a visiting New York session player brought back some memories…… Plus a much needed idea for this month’s column.

Let’s go back to 1971, when there was still black and white TV and cars were gigantic. Sackweed had migrated from our winter home base in Key West, Florida to Boston, Massachusetts to practice the street music trade. We encountered intense competition in the streets from large numbers of Hari Krishnas (remember them?), fifty or so all armed with tambourines and fortified with non-stop bliss.

However we persevered and usually made enough money to survive to the next night.

On one of those nights we ran into this guy from New York City who convinced us to head to the Big Apple where he would make us stars.

It sounded good to us and half the band stuffed into my 1966 Ford Falcon while the others hitchhiked to a

26

THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

prearranged brownstone apartment in Manhattan. On paper this sounds pretty fancy. Richard Nixon, who had been recently unemployed, had moved into a luxury apartment build right around the corner from us, while our street looked like something out of the 1930’s, or maybe a Godfather movie set. Somewhere in the “middle-lower to lower-middle” income range.

We contacted Mister Big, the erstwhile manager, and true to his word we spent the next few weeks being wined and dined, (beer and pizza), speaking with a slew of would-be agents and music types and generally being made a fuss of.

We even tried out our street music scene which involved a couple of acoustic guitars, a clarinet and lots of voices in harmony singing about “THE ROAD”, and “BEING HERE NOW”, and “LIVING FREE IN THE COUNTRY”, along with a steady diet of the Grateful Dead. The best gigs were playing for the various lines waiting to see the various Broadway shows.

We would show up accompanied by a slew of agents, promoters and well-wishers who gave the impression that we were “Somebody”!

䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀渀ⴀ吀椀挀漀 伀眀渀攀搀

Sackweed eventually ended up recording some songs at ELECTRIC LADYLAND STUDIO, which my aforementioned visiting studio player assured me was still one of the “A” list studios in the city. It was and I assume still is the estate of James Marshall Hendrix who, sadly at the time, had only recently passed into the big gig in the sky.

䜀攀渀攀爀愀氀 䄀甀琀漀洀漀琀椀瘀攀 䌀愀爀攀 ☀ 匀瀀攀攀搀礀 䌀愀爀 圀愀猀栀 䘀愀猀琀 儀甀愀氀椀琀礀 匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀

䄀昀昀漀爀搀愀戀氀攀 䌀愀爀 刀攀渀琀愀氀 ☀ 刀攀猀愀氀攀 䌀攀渀琀攀爀

It was two state-of-the-art recording studios that were separated by a long winding tunnel-like corridor.

The walls had been painted 3D-style as the inside of an interstellar spaceship complete with an “R” rated crew of attractive astronauts and viewing ports for the cosmos.

䰀愀琀攀猀琀 䴀漀搀攀氀 匀攀氀攀挀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 匀唀嘀ᤠ猀 䘀爀椀攀渀搀氀礀Ⰰ 䬀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀愀戀氀攀 愀渀搀 倀爀漀昀攀猀猀椀漀渀愀氀 匀琀愀昀昀 䄀⼀䌀 䌀甀猀琀漀洀攀爀 䰀漀甀渀最攀

I remember the five or so of us leaving the studio one night and cramming into a taxi to head back to our Brownstone when the cabbie was stopped by a cop and given a ticket for an unsafe number of passengers.

The archetypal taxi driver then delivered an impressive demonstration of foul language that was either aimed at us or the cop. It was hard to tell.

䌀漀昀昀攀攀Ⰰ 䨀甀椀挀攀 䈀愀爀 ☀ 䘀爀攀攀 圀椀昀椀

Chismes_Howler_July.pdf

“Mr. Big” also got us some gigs in real live New York Clubs, including the now defunct but at that time very hip “Max’s Kansas City”, where I seem to recall we really stank, managing to break three strings on two guitars in the course of thirty minutes.

Next time we hit the Broadway queues without the publicists we were completely ignored, and in addition we were approached by a violinist who informed us were playing on his turf and threatened a “street war” if we persisted.

After seeing a trio of classical flautists doing a brisk side business selling pistols to street urchins, Sackweed decided it was time to change locales, which eventually led to Austin, Texas, after which yours truly ended up here in Costa Rica many years later.

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Buy One Get One

Sackweed also played at “The Other End”, little sister to the better know “Bitter End” in the Village. The only memory I can dredge about this gig were the several years’ worth of peanut shells that covered the floors.

At last came the moment of truth, and a contract was handed to us to sign.

伀瀀攀渀 攀瘀攀爀礀搀愀礀℀ 㘀愀洀ⴀ㄀ 瀀洀

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Chismes Clothing Cafe Located in the ICE Building, south of Reserva Conchal www.ChismesCC.com | 2653-5034 Read online, like and share howlermag.com 27

ENVIRONMENT

BIODIVERSITY BITES

BY TOM PEIFER

NATURE

red in tooth and claw. -Tennyson

I

f you’re a nature lover, you know that in Costa Rica the numbers are impressive. It is cool living in a country that has 4% of the world’s biodiversity crammed into .03% of the available land area. That is, until you find it in bed with you.

OK, I’ll admit, my personal encounters with biodiversity between the sheets have been few and mostly decades in the past. But there are still occasions, usually at night, when my cabina in the forest feels like a scene out of “Where the Wild Things Are.” The wild rumpus really gets going in the kitchen. For a solid year there was some kind of feline that was getting in and helping itself to whatever was left on the stove. I never actually saw it, just a blur in the corner as it went straight up a wall, under some loose roofing, over the balcony and back into the darkness of the forest.

Less dramatic is the nightly feasting on Purina Cat Chow by a group of toads who’ve effectively zeroed in on the neighborhood smorgasbord. Friends face a similar nightly routine with a couple of skunks that find the kitty door is hardly a hindrance.

It goes without saying that flying creatures have a slight advantage, i.e wings, which sometimes seem more suited to entries than exits. Since I live sort of ‘al fresco’, doors and windows open most of the time, ‘catch and release’ is the order of the day with birds, colorful butterflies, beetles and moths. For some reason bats seem able to radar their way in and out with nary a navigational glitch. The downside is that the furry little critters have settled on a certain spot high up in my bedroom for their mid-day siestas in the dry season. It would come as no surprise to know that any number of visitors to my forest bungalow have walked away muttering “bats in the belfry,” in the fullest sense of the expression.

Most likely, living in a 5th floor condo, surrounded by glass and with the air conditioning humming day and night would probably filter out most of the unwanted guests. But seriously, for those whose dwellings are ground floor or near any natural areas with a minimum of vegetation, you might as well get used to things that go bump in the night.

One friend insisted that real estate sales should come with a disclaimer: “Not responsible for close encounters of the biodiverse

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THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

kind.” (Genera and species to be included in fine print.)

Fine print was in scarce supply last year when headlines blared out the story of crocodile attacks near the estuary or featured videos of them crossing the road. In Paraiso, a friend Jesenia has them lolling in her yard as soon as the river starts running steadily. There’s a world of difference between admiring animals on National Geographic and waking up to find your watchdog missing without a trace.

My heart goes out to those who simply bit off more than they can chew in moving here. Seriously now, I’ve seen people throw out their backs when an unidentified flying object gets too close for comfort. Heard the high pitched whine of an industrial vacuum at midnight trying to suck up the endless numbers of army ants stoically marching into a house with the determination of a horde of kamikazes. One family started packing the minute they found ants in the sugar bowl for the umpteenth time.

As I said above, the numbers paint the picture. Along with the other critters, we’re sharing the country with more than ten thousand species of beetles alone. The fact of the matter is, if you’re gonna’ live in the land of Pura Vida, might as well get used to there being a lot of ‘Vida.’

Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 20 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. tompeiferecv@gmail.com El Centro Verde is dedicated to researching and promoting sustainable land use, permaculture and environmentally sound development www. elcentroverde.org.

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29

LEGAL EASE MORTGAGES

by Ivan Granados Managing Partner (GM Attorneys at Law)

U

nlike some other countries, anyone can buy real property in Costa Rica. You are not required to have CR citizenship, residency, nor even be permanently present here to own land in Costa Rica.

If you want to buy real property here, you might need to get a mortgage (hipoteca). In Costa Rica, you can get this type of financing from either: i) the banks (most require CR legal residency), ii) private lenders or iii) the real estate seller, who will grant a loan directly to their buyers.

The mortgage must be granted and executed as a Public Deed (escritura pública) before a CR Notary Public, then recorded at the National Registry as a lien (gravamen hipotecario) against the property. The borrower pays all the fees and expenses. The Lender’s Lawyer/Notary Public is

30

THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

responsible for the drafting, execution and recording of the mortgage deed.

The mortgage shall clearly state all terms and conditions governing the financing, including for example: term of the loan, interest rates (current and default), whether fixed or variable interest (example: based on US Prime rate plus x points), payment due date, whether the installments include principle or only interest, any balloon payment, mode of payment (cash, wire or bank transfer, certified check), contractually agreed domiciles so the parties can be legally notified, permissions for pre-payment without penalty, the extent to which the security includes future improvements, the insurance policy (fire, natural disaster, contents, etc.) to cover the loan amount and any new construction, options to rent or lease out, and permission requirements before selling.

To avoid any errors in the terms and conditions agreed between the parties, it is highly advisable to verify, within the National Registry, that the mortgage deed was duly and correctly registered.

If the Debtor defaults, the Lender is entitled to enforce the mortgage and can proceed with foreclosure proceedings before the respective Court, following CR Law. Ivan Granados is the Managing Partner at GM Attorneys.

He specializes in real estate and corporate law. Contact Ivan at igranados@gmattorneyscr.com GM Attorneys is a premium boutique Law Firm with offices in Tamarindo, Flamingo Beach and San Jose. www.gmattorneyscr.

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31

feature

The enchanting spritzer is only the first of many tropical delights this spa brings to tantalize and indulge your soul.

The papaya wrap is all-natural organic papaya, the whole fruit blended then applied cool. Wrapped in plastic, the papaya’s magic vitalizes your skin as you warm inside your sweet tropical cocoon. If papaya isn’t your thing, perhaps a volcanic mud wrap suits you better—with a few hard granules for light exfoliation, the local volcanic mud draws out impurities and adds minerals.

Either way, indulge your skin in some of the finest skin treatments available anywhere in the world, all natural, all local, all sublimely exquisite.

Spa Treatments

LUXURY OR QUINTESSENTIAL?

by Brooke Araya

LIFESTYLE

S

pa treatments have long been held as the quintessential escape to selfindulgence, pampering and luxury.

Get away from it all and just let go. Costa Rica provides many options from the beach massage to the luxury spa.

The beach massage is a one-hour escape with the breeze wafting over you and the sound of the oceans, if also the occasional dog and kid screaming. But it’s still a pampering luxury.

My quest to achieve the ultimate in relaxation and pampering took me high up on the hill just south of Tamarindo.

In this secluded area sits an oasis in the middle of tropical paradise pleasures. You are greeted with a peaceful view of the lush forest and off in the distance to the west the Pacific with its vast expanse stretching to the far beyond. This oasis is a small luxury hotel with six luxury rooms and a beautiful infinity pool to relax and rejuvenate your physical and spiritual being.

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THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

The savoir-faire begins in one of its five treatment rooms that have open back walls and give a full 180 view of the jungle below and sea beyond, allowing you to enjoy this ultimate spa experience without missing any of Costa Rica’s natural beauty for even a moment.

Fresh, fragrant breezes waft over your indulgent, exotic treatments.

Drawing from the finest fruits, flowers, and other gifts of Guanacaste, Los Altos de Eros Spa transforms them into ultimately sublime spa experiences. Ylang-ylang flowers, the essential base for the famed Chanel No. 5, are harvested into a mesmerizingly fragrant spritzer that cools, refreshes and intoxicates before and during treatments. With the water feature and spa music in the background, this spritzer and the warm jungle air alone elevate this spa experience to a unique and truly hypnotic indulgence. But that is just the beginning.

Three natural facial options bring delightful indecision. The cucumber lime is actual thin slices of fresh organic cucumber applied to your clean and exfoliated facial skin, fresh from the lime treatment that kills bacteria and removes impurities. The red clay is found naturally in certain parts of Guanacaste, and extracts impurities while it revitalizes. The oatmeal honey is also all-natural, rejuvenating with antibacterial, replenishing, healing elements.

Perhaps an Indonesian soaking tub is what your soul craves.

Choose from a milk tub or one filled with tropical fruit and flowers, again offering the area’s natural treasures to delight your senses and ease your soul. Or try a chocolate dream body scrub or perhaps one of oatmeal, honey and milk. Natural, local cacao infused with chocolate nibs and rich local honey and milk form the bases for these titillating indulgences. Choose three experiences of five options, one of which is also a 90-minute massage or mani-pedi. Follow up these transcendent treatments with a gourmet lunch of fresh organic tropical dishes, beverages and desserts, all hand-prepared by the in-house chef to delight your senses even further.

Unique small touches move this spa experience into the transcendent—warm chamomile tea bag compresses on your eyes whenever you lie face-up, extensive scalp massage while in your cocoon wrap, and arm and leg rubs as your facial is setting, all on top of frequently spritzed ylang-ylang and an open-air room elevate this spa to etheric levels. Your every delight is their only concern. Angels could happily indulge themselves here as well as we mere mortals. Los Altos de Eros is truly a hidden treasure awaiting your presence.

LAD E Los Altos de Eros, Boutique Hotel & Spa, Costa Rica Tel: (506) 8850-4222 or 8850-4203 email: info@losaltosdeeros.com web: www.losaltosdeeros.com

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33

THE STUDY

YOGA

BY MARY BYERLY

ARDHA MATSEYANDRASANA HALF LORD OF THE FISHES

A

s legend has it, Matseyandra received the name “Lord of the Fishes” because while he was inside of a fish (he was a fisherman, swallowed whole by a giant fish), he happened upon the secret location where Shiva was teaching his wife, Parvati, the secrets of yoga. Delighted to discover a man inside of a fish, Shiva named him Matseyandra. The posture Matseyandrasana is supposedly what Matseyandra spontaneously moved into once he was released from the fish!

The poses of Matseyandrasana and Ardha (half) Matseyandrasana are twists said to help awaken the kundalini energy of the spine. As the spine links the base of the body (where the kundalini serpent sleeps) and the crown of the head, it is believed that the twisting motion of the posture forces the kundalini energy upward toward the crown. The power of the body is then united with the wisdom of the mind.

The full version of the posture requires one of the legs to be in half-lotus position, not easy for everyone. So here pictured you will see versions of Ardha Matseyandrasana. In two of the photos, you will see an easier variation with one of the legs kept straight. This pose stretches out some of the muscles around the hip along with giving the spine, muscles, and torso organs a twist. Here are steps to come into the pose: 1

2

Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. If you cannot maintain the natural curves of the spine, sit on the edge of a blanket or a block until you can.

Lift your right (R) leg and place the foot to the outside of your L thigh. Then bend and externally rotate your L leg and bring the heel to the outside of your R hip.

3

Inhale and lift your spine tall, and on the exhale place your R hand on the floor or on a block behind you, while you hold onto your R knee and leg in front of you.

4

Continue to ground into the R big toe mound and inner heel, and lengthen up through your spine on your inhales, possibly deepening into the twist while you maintain your torso’s length on the exhales. Some will find that they can even take the L elbow to the outside of the R knee. Stay open across the collarbones, and feel the shoulderblades continuing to support that opening by moving into the upper back.

5

Stay for 5-10 breaths. Allow your eyes to close, feel your breath arising from the base of your body to the tip of your spine on the inhale, and let your exhale carry your breath back down to the base of your body.

6

Unwind from the twist on an exhale and do the other side.

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Find us at Sunrise Mall #14 Tamarindo Tel: 2653-1157 chichisaenz@yahoo.com

Enjoy the richness of the mythology behind this pose, along with the energetic benefits of wringing out your body.

Namastè, Mary

∠ 䨀愀渀 ጠ 䴀愀爀 ㈀ ㄀㜀㨀 䴀漀爀渀椀渀最 礀漀最愀 挀氀愀猀猀攀猀 愀琀 倀愀渀愀挀攀愀 Mary Byerly is the Director of the Panacea Yoga School, located 10 minutes from Tamarindo.

You can find her on social media as MaryByerlyYoga and at MaryByerlyYoga.com 8592-8826

34

THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

∠ 䘀攀戀 ㄀㤀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㜀 ㈀ⴀ㔀瀀洀㨀 䄀 䴀愀琀琀攀爀 漀昀 䰀椀昀攀 ☀ 䈀爀攀愀琀栀 圀漀爀欀猀栀漀瀀 愀琀 倀愀渀愀挀攀愀 ∠ 圀攀攀欀攀渀搀猀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 ㈀㄀ ጠ 䨀甀渀攀 ㈀㔀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㜀㨀 ㈀ 栀漀甀爀 夀漀最愀 吀攀愀挀栀攀爀 吀爀愀椀渀椀渀最 䄀吀 䐀漀眀渀琀漀眀渀 夀漀最愀Ⰰ 匀愀渀 䨀漀猀攀 ⠀椀渀 匀瀀愀渀椀猀栀⤀ ∠ 䄀甀最 ㌀ ⴀ ㈀㐀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㜀㨀 ㈀ 栀漀甀爀 夀漀最愀 吀攀愀挀栀攀爀 吀爀愀椀渀椀渀最Ⰰ ㈀㄀ 搀愀礀 椀洀洀攀爀猀椀漀渀 愀琀 倀愀渀愀挀攀愀 ⠀椀渀 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀⤀ ∠ 䴀愀爀挀栀 ㌀ ጠ ㈀㐀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㠀 ㈀ 栀漀甀爀 夀漀最愀 吀攀愀挀栀攀爀 吀爀愀椀渀椀渀最Ⰰ ㈀㄀ 搀愀礀 椀洀洀攀爀猀椀漀渀 ∠ 䴀愀爀挀栀 ㌀ ጠ ㈀㐀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㠀 ㈀ 栀漀甀爀 愀琀 倀愀渀愀挀攀愀 ⠀椀渀 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀⤀ Read online, like and share 䀀䴀䄀刀夀䈀夀䔀刀䰀夀夀伀䜀䄀

㠀㔀㤀㈀ጠ㠀㠀㈀㘀 howlermag.com 35 䴀愀爀礀戀礀攀爀氀礀礀漀最愀䀀最洀愀椀氀⸀挀漀洀

spanish

Un poquito más....

SPEAK Spanish

VERBALICIOUS

BY SILVIA MONGE

T

he one part of learning any Latin-based language that can make you cry Uncle! is the verbs. In English this is not an issue; we don’t conjugate much. In Spanish the verb changes according to who is doing the action and when the action is done. This can seem daunting and at times insurmountable, and all of those dang verb changes with each subject within each tense can make you want to cry in the corner and deem Spanish too damn hard.

As a rule of thumb I assure people that conjugating verbs is not important in the first stage of language learning. In the beginning you do not complicate yourself with learning correct grammar. Instead you want to get your point across however you can. Like a toddler learning language, it is more important to engage and effectively communicate than to be correct.

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IN DOIT CENTER

What we want to understand about verbs in Spanish is how they work.

So basically all verbs, even in English, have an infinitive form. This is the verb before you do anything to it. In English the infinitive adds to in front: e.g. to walk, to eat. In Spanish all verbs end in “-ar”, “-er” or “-ir”. So… comer is an -er verb, and tomar is an -ar verb.

In the beginning your job is to simply learn the meaning of these words.

Collect a couple verbs you need to interact out there.

Try them out by just putting them in the sentence as you speak. The listener will do the conjugating in their head and the conversation runs much more smoothly this way than with you trying to remember what to do with the verb.

As you progress, verbs will inevitably become something that must be addressed. At that point, look for patterns in conjugation. For example, ALL we subject verbs end in

-mos and all they subject verbs end in -n. Finding patterns is something brains like to do and is much preferred over memorization, which naturally becomes an issue as we age.

There are websites like conjugation.com or spanishdict. com, and books like 501 Spanish Verbs to help you identify patterns and see how the verb changes across subjects and tenses.

Getting a handle on verbs is an important part of Spanish language learning. It is something that will take time, patience and a sense of humor. As you read some of the local dual language newspapers, you can begin to make connections between the two languages. Start looking for patterns and picking out the verbs in a sentence, and try to figure out the infinitives. These small steps make big differences in getting a handle on verbs. As you get braver, throw a conjugated verb into your sentence and see what happens.

Learning a language is as much about the act of learning and stretching your brain muscle as it is about communication. These two go joyously hand in hand and you will see that as you learn Spanish you are literally becoming smarter and your brain is becoming more efficient. Don’t let the frustration with verbs get in the way of that. The rewards are too great!

Sylvia Monge owns Spanish for Expats, a tutoring and translation service (spanishforexpatscr.com ), and thinks the brain is ridiculously cool. She uses her knowledge and study of the brain to make learning Spanish and English easier, more entertaining and engaging. Join one of her classes and learn Spanish while realizing your potential.

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39

Surf Report

by Ellen Zoe Golden For more information on FSC go to www.surfingcr.net and ACOS www.acos.surf.

Meanwhile, the surfers continue on their own journeys.

Leilani McGonangle (Pavones) just finished her run at the World Junior Championships last month in Kiama, Australia. It was very exciting to see her compete again the best of her global peers. While she lost in a 3rd place finish in Round 1, the tournament was using the CT (Championship Tour) format, which meant that she got another opportunity to continue on by competing in Round 2. In a man-to-man heat against Sophie Bell of South Africa, she aced it and passed on to Round 3. There, however, both Brisa Hennessey and Mahina Maeda, both of Hawaii, had a better heat.

McGonagle came in 3rd, while Hennessey was 1st and Maeda was 2nd.

R

egular readers of my surf column have heard me mention the Federación de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC) a lot, particularly as it relates to work presenting the Circuito Nacional de Surf and choosing the various national surf teams to participate in international surf competitions, as well as staging the International Surf Association (ISA) World Surfing Games in this country.

Exactly why there are two surf associations in Costa Rica is a long story, but it comes down to the fact that one group thinks the other is operating without impunity. Most of the country’s surfer’s, however, don’t really pay too much attention to these politics. They just want to surf, compete and, hopefully, win.

However, last month, the Criminal Court of San José dismissed the lawsuit filed on March 10, 2016 by ACOS against FSC which brought these charges that would have resulted in seven felonies and would have changed the face of the surf community irreparably.

“We knew from the beginning that they had no head or tail, particularly since it was a demand for events that occurred between 2005 and 2010, and I have been president from the year 2012 onwards,” said FSC President Randall Chaves. “We were not even called to notify us. We felt there was a bit of an intention to damage the image of the Federation.”

Yet, things got very heated last year when ACOS filed a lawsuit against FSC for the following regarding actions that they said took place between November 26, 2005 and February 27, 2010:

Chaves made it clear from the start that all of the financial records were open to anyone who wanted to challenge their procedures and allocations. “We have no problem showing our numbers,” he said. “From the beginning we have been very transparent and clear.”

• Improper use and disbursement of funds received from sponsors to those persons handling positions of responsibilities in the FSC

For his part, ACOS President Victor Arce was not happy with the court’s dismissal of the lawsuit, and said his organization’s fight will not end here.

• A lack of ideological integrity including acts that were noted to have taken place, which the plaintiffs did not actually complete.

“I am going to act in another way, to ask the Controller (General of the Republic) to be the one to investigate this because public funds have been used by them, such as the sponsorship of ICODER of the World Cup,” Arce explained. “I continue to maintain my theory that in the Federation is doing bad things.”

• Secret and misappropriation of funds: Alleging using money received from the government (ICODER) and private companies for personal use.

These were very heavy allegations.

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On the North Shore of Hawaii in January, four Ticos hit the waves to improve their skills, get photos and videos to promote themselves, and well, to have fun. Paddling out were Malakai Martinez and Dean Vandewalle of Tamarindo, joined by Aldito Chirinos and Tiago Carrique, both of Playa Negra.

Arce admitted that the ACOS error was in formulating the lawsuit during a period of time that took place a long time ago, not during the reign of the current FSC regime.

Photo credits: McGonagle courtesy WSL • Vandewall courtesy Toni Vandewalle

What you may not be aware of is that for over a year now the FSC has been the target of a lawsuit by a rival surf association called ACOS (Asociación Costa de Surf). ACOS presents a variety of other surf competitions including the ProSurfing Tour and the Junior ProAm, both of which award winners with cash, which the events from FSC do not. They also made history this year because they were instrumental in reinstating the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) professional tournaments in this country for the first time since 2002.

Martinez was excited about the trip this year because he went in 2016 but got sick in the latter part of the time and wasn’t really able to catch the wave he wanted. He went to Hawaii just off another excursion with a friend to the big wave spot of Todos Santos in Mexico. Seems like the 15-year-old is making a name for himself as a Tico Big Wave Rider.

“I never really thought about surfing big waves, it just happened naturally,” said Martinez. “There is a big difference in these kinds of waves. I didn’t have to time to decide what to do. Sure, I had fear in the beginning because I didn’t know what to expect. But I decided to go, I focused on taking it easy.”

“I learned that big waves are not what I thought. Sure they were a lot scarier, but I realized I needed to just take them on and not think about it too much even though I was nervous,” he added. “Once out, it was easier for me to process that I was just there, and to just go for it and get on the best ones.”

His buddy Vandewalle added: “It’s awesome to have the opportunity to be here in Hawaii. I get to surf every day, hang out with friends and train on my surfing. Yes, I get scared sometimes when It’s big here. I try to breathe slowly and calm myself down. Also I work myself into it. I catch a smaller wave first then a little bigger one and then a huge one.

My favorite spot on the North Shore is Backdoor. It’s the most fun, scary barrel ever and you get to surf with your heroes.”

That’s about it. I’d love to hear from you, the real surfers, with comments or questions, at EllenZoe@aol.com Read online, like and share

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41

SURF SCIENCE The Papagayo Winds

WALDRON, RYAN

A

s I sit here writing this article sometime in mid-January, powerful gusts of wind rattle the windows of my apartment, and the sound of falling branches on the roof above my head gives me a quick jolt every 10 minutes or so. Must be summer-time in Guanacaste. And of course, I wish I was surfing…

The winds that sweep across the country between November and April in Northern Guanacaste are known as the Papagayo winds and can be quite impressive some days. Wind speeds have been recorded as high as 70 mph which is just shy of hurricane strength. As most surfers know, these winds can be the ultimate blessing when there is swell in the water. The Papagayos blow across the country from East > West which are known as Offshore winds on the Pacific Coast. In the surfing world, there are only two wind directions that really matter: Offshore and Onshore. Just as the name suggests, offshore winds are those that blow off the shore. These winds act like a fine-toothed comb grooming the oncoming waves, holding the wave up longer and producing perfectly peeling tubes! Onshore winds are just the opposite. They blow from the ocean to the shore and are not ideal for surfing. Blowing in the same direction of the waves, onshore winds will cause a wave to prematurely break while inhibiting the wave’s ability to barrel.

Papagayo winds at Witch’s Rock

As the cold front (high pressure) dips over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, it looks for the easiest escape path towards the lower pressure over the Pacific. There are a few points along Mexico and Central America where the high pressure can escape. These 3 points include the Chivela Pass in Mexico, Lake Nicaragua in southern Nicaragua, and the Gaillard Cut in Panama where the Panama Canal is located. These 3 points are shown on the map below.

It was just yesterday when my mom called me from Virginia Beach saying that Winter Storm Helena had dumped about a half-foot of snow in the area. Helena originated as a strong

But what causes these impressive winds? Why does the wind turn onshore at 9am on some days, and other days the wind will howl offshore from sunup to sundown? To answer this question, we must remember that wind is nothing more than areas of high pressure flowing into areas of low pressure. Just as a river flows from high elevations to lower elevations, the air in the highpressure system will “flow” downhill toward lower pressures.

Believe it or not, the Papagayo winds are a result of what is happening to our neighbors in the United States. Believe it or not, the Papagayo winds are a result of what is happening to our northerly neighbors in the Unites States and Canada. During the Winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, cold fronts (high pressure) carrying frigid Canadian air will drop across the United States moving out the warm air (low pressure).

cold front that intensified along the East Coast and left some pretty significant amounts of the white stuff in her path. Helena intensified into a Nor’ Easter off the coast and sent a frigid northerly swell for exposed beaches.

So what have we learned from this? Basically, the next time you see our neighbors to the North preparing for their next arctic blast, you can start planning your next all-day offshore surf day.

Thanks for reading!

See you out in the water!

The line of clouds signifies the leading edge of a Cold Front

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Recipe of the Month

Quick sample of our constantly evolving menu

Tapas -Fresh Goat Cheese Crostini -Sea Bass Ceviche -Papas Bravas -Hummus Duo with Vegetables -French Fries

The

Passion Fruit Mojito is a special version of the traditional Cuban Mojito. For this drink, we replace the fresh lime with fresh passion fruit! The passion fruit makes it tangy, the mint makes it refreshing, and the dark brown, barely refined sugar gives sweetness and depth. Use real passion fruit pulp if you can, but if not, the local grocery stores have Passion Fruit Puree in the freezer section.

Ingredients • 2 large, ripe passion fruit, • halved large handful mint leaves, torn • 2 tbsp light brown sugar • 65ml (2 1/2fl oz) white rum soda water, to top up

Preparation Spoon the pulp from the passion fruit and divide between 2 tall glasses. Also divide the mint leaves, sugar and rum between the 2 glasses.

Home made DESSERTS! -Chocolate Trío -Piña Colada Verrine

Use the end of a rolling pin or a wooden spoon handle to muddle (mash) the ingredients together, releasing their flavor.

Brasilito l

Specials -Tataki Tuna with Rice and Grilled Pineapple salad -Fish and Chips -Mahi Mahi, stuffed roasted tomato and tomato cous cous -Jalapeño Bread Burger with Home Fries (Veggie option too!)

Flaming o

ha

PASSION FRUIT MOJITO

c on aC y Pla

www.facebook.com/thespotbrasilito thespotbrasilito@gmail.com Tel: 2654 - 5463

Breakfast, lunch, tapas and dinner 7:00 am - 10:00 pm Closed on Mondays

Put a handful of crushed ice into each glass and top up with soda water.

Lounge back on your recliner and sip one of the most exotic and refreshing tropical drinks around!

TIP

Add some passion to your next cocktail combination of rum and fresh mint with fresh passion fruit!

Fresh seafood / Organic / Diverse / Local produce / Fusion cuisine

CEVICHE One of the most sought-after delicacies in Latin America is Ceviche (pronounced say-bee-chay). The regions have their own flair to the typical recipes. Most ceviche typically consists of seafood, with fruits/vegetables, and spices.

This dish is not cooked with traditional methods and is really considered raw. Instead, it is cured with the acid extracted from citrus fruits, traditionally limes.

Your first ingredient should be the freshest seafood available.

Then you’ll also need the best possible vegetables and fruits. Just dice up all the following (keeping the fish pieces a little larger than everything else), stir them all together, and let it set in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or so to let the lime work its magic on the fish and the flavors marry.

Ingredients • 1 lb fresh firm raw white-fleshed fish (Red Snapper is a favorite), octopus, and/or shrimp • 1/2 roll of cilantro • 1 medium onion • 1 medium tomato • 1 sweet/hot pepper

• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced finely (opt) • 12 or so limes (You only need enough to cover the content) • 2 small stalks of celery salt and pepper to taste • 1/2 cup water Enjoy with crackers, fried plantains • 1/2 to 1 cup ginger ale (patacones), or all by itself!

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Wellness

Health & Spirituality

DHARMA TO U C H I N G T H E EA RT H

It’s Still a NewYear!....

T

BE RADICAL

Staying Young

he word “radical”, according to a pocket dictionary at hand, most simply means “favoring fundamental change”. What a way to start a new year...with fundamental change. After all, we know that nothing is permanent so why not embrace the philosophy of impermanence by embracing change?

Embracing change is truly a radical idea. It is human nature to like our cozy little corners and ways that we know so well.

Psychologists tell us that the human mind prefers a negative known situation over the unknown. But when we look at the universe we can see that change really is the norm.

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When the Buddha left his royal family to live the life of an ascetic, his family certainly thought he was being radical. It was such a change! But then those of his ascetic community thought he was being radical when he reverted to a life of luxury by eating more than a grain of rice a day. And when he broke with tradition and rejected the caste system for his community......what a radical!! But to say that not only some things, but all things change, was about as radical as it gets and still is true today. That idea makes so many people so uncomfortable.

DR. HERBERT WEINMAN, MD, MBA

W

widowers should consider “dating” and talking to their friends, families and clergy concerning their feelings on this topic.

Three areas to consider in preparation for the senior years are the mental, social and physical aspects of our lives.

Other social areas to explore with committed listeners are places to live, financial planning, death and dying.

Without sharing our thoughts on these important issues, seniors tend isolate themselves and often withdraw due to fears and inhibitions.

ell you made it! Those potentially beautiful years with freedom to go and do as you please. Stay fit and prepare for these years and the world is yours.

The best advice is to never retire from life.

But what happens if we accept that things change and embrace the idea? Isn’t it liberating?? It’s an idea that not only gives us permission to be agents of our own personal change, but frees us from the notion that things need to stay the same to be “o.k.” It is an idea that can also relieve our suffering when we do not like certain changes (maybe political?) that we see.

Have heart; they will change again.

To foster improved mental attitudes one must not shut down but keep an open mind to new ideas and methods. Be flexible and not selfish.

How often do we find ourselves stuck in our ways and unyielding to the ideas of others?

Would you want to associate with that type of person? Share your life especially with your friends, children and grandchildren. However, be conscious of not being a burden or being overbearing, else loneliness will soon be your life. Genuine concern focused on others, not yourself, will reward you with many pleasant experiences in later years.

So, as we continue in this new year, let’s be radical. Let’s favor fundamental change....be positive, be kind and “BE the change you want to see in the world!”

Writing a journal is one of the greatest legacies you can leave for future generations.

Your experience in life will live on with the ones you love.

Namaste

Volunteering can be a most rewarding pastime, even for a few hours a week. Continuing to give of yourself imparts a true feeling of self-worth.

Pura Vida Sangha is a sangha in the tradition of Zen Master Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. The sangha meets for meditation at the Rip Jack Inn in Playa Grande. No meditation experience is necessary. Please email meditationcostarica@gmail.com for more information.

THE DOCTORS IN

Social organizations are a good source of meeting others and sharing ideas. Even if you are single, getting out and not living in isolation gives further meaning to life. Widows and

One of the best investments in youth is the investment are good health habits to preserve your body for the rest of your life. Overindulging in food, drink, smoking and a stressful lifestyle tends to lead to physical deterioration in later years in which there is little hope for recovery. Chronic disease is nothing to look forward to and will certainly compromise one’s lifespan in quality and quantity.

Attention to the body in early years pays handsome dividends later on.

Good eating habits, moderate exercise and avoidance of drugs are necessary to allow for a more carefree existence as a senior person. A healthy attitude towards sex and love is very important, and the most well-adjusted people I know have a very active love life well into the fifth, sixth, and seventh decades of life.

Other physical activity should include traveling, dancing and walking.

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Pet Care

DR. GILBERTH CAVALLINI DRA. LETICIA CAJAL

Sponsored by

See Ad pg. ????

THE OLD DOG

How to help your old pal through its golden years!

S

ometimes it’s hard to notice and accept that your best friend doesn’t have the strength he or she used to. It’s hard for everybody! So here we want to explain the main changes or signs your pet will show when it’s getting old. This chart has your dog’s age range: Senior

Middle age

Maximum age

Size

After 6

8-10

10-12

Large

After 7

10-12

14-15

Medium

After 10

14-15

16-18

Small

Osteomuscular System Limitations in their jumping or running, then limping or requiring long rests are signs your furry friend is aging. The most common recommended supplements include Glucosaminecondroitin(Artroflex, Artritabs, etc), hialuronic acid (pills or Endovenous treatment: Legend), calcium, pain killers or vitamins in general. Your dog’s limitations will depend on the breed, size and x-ray findings at the onset of its senior years.

Digestive System As they become less active, the food intake must decrease or they can start gaining weight and become obese. A blood sample to find out kidneys and liver function might help to know their real needs and choose a proper diet.

More common in small breeds than large breeds, heart disease can be also noticed at the beginning of old age and a prescribed diet will improve the life quality for our pets.

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As they age, bowel movements are slower and tenesm might appear, easily controllable with a high-fiber diet. The proper way to feed our pets is to always place the food at chest level, minimizing effort to get to it.

Respiratory System Old dogs tend to pant more. In some cases it can be just that the bronchial tree is not expanding as it used to, from normal calcifications due to age. Grooming or shaving can help them feel cooler. Exercise them when the weather is not so hot, in early mornings or evenings..

In our hospital we see many cases that people consider aesthetic but are actually real health concerns: mouth, nails, ears and anal glands. Mouth and teeth are really important for dogs. If the old dog never experienced a toothbrush, it can be hard to start training them to accept this practice, but a deep teeth clean with or without anesthesia is useful and a vet visit to check the oral cavity has to be done periodically. Bacteria from the mouth can migrate to other organs and cause major problems. Nails. Many owners are afraid of cutting nails and making them bleed. Trimming them also works or it can be done by the vet. Checking constantly that the nails do not grow in an inappropriate way is necessary. Ears. There are several products for cleaning the ears. Normally we suggest cleaning them weekly and in cases where the ear duct is full of hair, there are different methods to remove buildup. Anal glands. Not all dogs need to get them cleaned, but some of them do need it. A practice of cleaning can prevent rupture from this gland.

As your furry friend ages, its needs change as well. Pay attention to your dog’s changing needs and help it fully enjoy its

ⴀ 䠀䄀倀倀夀 嘀䄀䰀䔀一吀䤀一䔀匀 䐀䄀夀℀℀℀ ⴀ 䌀攀氀攀戀爀愀琀攀 礀漀甀爀 氀漀瘀攀 眀椀琀栀 漀甀爀 搀攀氀椀挀椀漀甀猀 猀攀氀攀挀琀椀漀渀猀

䰀伀䌀䄀吀䔀䐀 䈀䔀吀圀䔀䔀一 䴀䄀吀䄀倀䄀䰀伀 愀渀搀 倀䰀䄀夀䄀 䜀刀䄀一䐀䔀 倀䠀伀一䔀㨀 ㈀㈀㐀㤀ⴀ ㌀㠀㜀 䔀䴀䄀䤀䰀㨀 圀攀猀漀渀攀㈀ ㈀ 䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀 伀倀䔀一 䘀刀伀䴀 㜀䄀䴀 琀漀 㤀倀䴀 䔀嘀䔀刀夀䐀䄀夀℀

feature

SPOONBILL

Where the Birds Are

The roseate spoonbill is a striking pink bird with a spoon-shaped bill, which it sweeps from side to side in shallow waters, hunting various aquatic prey. Its color is diet-derived from the many crustaceans it eats.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

10 MAGNIFICENT BIRDS YOU CAN EASILY SPOT AROUND

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COSTA RICA

W

atching the landscapes and habitats change as you fly over Costa Rica, you may start to get an inkling of the country’s diversity. So it should come as no surprise that lots of different birds reside here. Around 900 species flutter, buzz, swim, climb, and squawk across the country. This list is a small sample of some of the more common and interesting birds that you will likely encounter during your travels. Happy birding!

CURASSOW The country´s largest pheasant-like bird, the great curassow is often found with a monogamous partner, foraging the forest floor for seeds, grubs and fruit. The male is a noble black and white, while the female is an elegant brown.

HUMMINGBIRD QUETZAL Guatemala’s national bird, the resplendent quetzal, is found in high elevation cloud forest habitats, where it feeds on the aguacatillo tree and nests in old woodpecker holes.

The rufous-tailed hummingbird is Costa Rica’s most widely spread nectar eating bird. Found in many habitats from beaches to coffee plantations, this hummingbird can be told apart from others by its reddish bill and copper-colored tail.

WOODPECKER The epitome of what one would imagine of a woodpecker, the pale-billed woodpecker is a large bird inhabiting many of the country’s protected areas. It can be easily identified by its powerful double tap on hollow trees heard from deep within the forest.

MACAW The scarlet macaw, or lapa roja, was once a victim of the international pet trade and therefore difficult to spot.

But thanks to strict protection and reintroduction programs, its numbers have increased along the Pacific coast, where it eats beach almond and noisily squawks in flight.

THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

YIGÜIRRO While not the most colorful bird in the country, the clay-colored thrush, or yigüirro, is Costa Rica’s national bird.

Found in almost every habitat and region, the yigüirro famously sings its melodious song at the start of the rainy season, notifying farmers of the coming rains.

MOTMOT An exotic looking bird often encountered near the edge of dry forest at daybreak, the turquoise-browed motmot is the national bird of both Nicaragua and El Salvador. Taking full advantage of the country’s frequent land slides, the motmot digs nesting tunnels on the sides of exposed mud banks.

TOUCAN The chestnut-mandibled toucan is Costa Rica’s largest toucan species. It is found in lowland forests, often marauding the canopy in the early morning or late evening feeding on fruit, bird’s eggs and various insects.

PAURAQUE A nocturnal bird, the common pauraque spends its days quietly sitting on branches in perfect camouflage. Often encountered on the road, beach, or trail at night, the pauraque’s eyes glow an eerie red in the light of a car or flashlight.

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Off the Beaten Path DISCOVER PLAYA CARBON

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P

laya Carbon is really off the beaten path. Very few visitors find this little gem. I’m not even sure I should be telling of this so I can keep it to myself and the few that make the short journey over the hill from Playa Ventanas.

From the little town of Matapalo you go over the hill and enter Playa Grande, home to the Las Baulas National Park.

This is one of only a few nesting places in the world for the giant Leatherback turtles. As you enter the park area keep to your right and follow the road to the area called Playa Ventanas. This is a nice swim beach with tidepools at the far end. The next cove over is called Playa Carbon. A trail at the northern end of Ventanas leads you through a forested area and down a slope onto a pure black sand beach. This cove area is very beautiful and shockingly different from the adjoining white sand beaches. It’s like

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a wilderness. You hear the waves crashing surrounded by hills and no view of the area; just a focus out to sea with endless expanse.

Birds and other animals supply a musical tone to the area. A beautiful array of shells dot this beach. Visitors can enjoy but it is

illegal to remove them. Snorkeling can be pretty good here but spearfishing is illegal throughout the park. Please be respectful of the area and do not remove or mishandle nature’s items. Enjoy and don’t forget your water bottle. That black sand gets hot!

COOL PLACES

FOREST FOR THE TREES Secret of Tortuguero

BY STEPHEN DUPLANTIER

rainforest. “Over there,” commands Juan, a typical guide, directing his floats to a wall of green, and then, melting out of the leaves and the waters below them, appears a procession of water birds, monkeys, lizards, caimans, sloths, butterflies – the list goes on and on. These spotters have an uncanny ability to see so many living creatures from across such wide canals.

What the happy, still sun-burning visitors see less of, and maybe not at all, even though it is right in front of them, is the rainforest itself.

The tours are properly designed to show off individual figures of the handsome, unusual, rare, glorious, and even downright bizarre fauna of the Tortuguero wilds – but what of the ground itself? The ground in this case is the entire rainforest as a massive super-organism.

It takes a second glance to notice the neo-tropical rainforest itself – and way more than one breezy trip to do so. The rainforest is so complex and finely tuned with micro-biomes and largely invisible exchanges of energy,

G

oing to Tortuguero is all about seeing and not seeing and then seeing again. A Nature Air flight or a water taxi from La Pavona to this toothpick of an island on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast is only about an hour (mas or menos) but it is a profound transformation.

entwined ecologies, and interconnected life stories that it would make the plots of daytime telenovelas seem absurdly simple by comparison. It takes lifetimes to penetrate through these walls of green, but changing the focus to look at the background and not the foreground changes everything.

All at once, there is an epiphany. The details do not matter: Who but muckbooted scientists know the numbers on trophic cascades of ecosystem regulation. Yet DEET-covered tourists in flat-bottomed boats do have a way to see the forest for the trees.

The biologists measure the flows of energy in an ecosystem.

The non-scientist can feel just as deeply the emotional experience of connection and participation, and the measureless flows of deep feelings in themselves. It is appropriate to have this oceanic feeling so close to the wavetimed pulse of the Caribbean sea that licks the nearby beaches, so beloved by the giant sea turtles.

Feelings of oneness and calm accompany the mystical participation that takes over as the visitor is invited to compare his insignificance and vulnerability against the calm grace of a wondrous world, so huge and green and unknown.

The poet Lord Byron wrote: “Are not the mountains, waves and skies a part of me and of my soul, as I of them?” This is what the tour guide proudly delivers at the end of the tour, though he couldn’t have told you where to look to see it, nor even that he secretly showed it to you. But this seeing, feeling, and being part of the whole rainforest is a treasured, immeasurable experience.

It can change a life.

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If coming in by air, at first the island looks too narrow for an airstrip, but there it is, and soon you are on the ground. You head out on a tour of this Venice-like speck of a settlement in a flat-bottomed boat (same as the water taxi) to see the animals hiding in a watery maze of green.

Most guides are harpy eagle-eyed steersman headed to the caños where the black waters spill out of the

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Happenings It’s February and that means Have a Heart Cocktail Party / Taste of Tamarindo, Costa Rica blues festival and Mardi Gras. We also want to share with you a new cool Friday night happening! You’ll never guess! A grocery store… Really a grocery store… Yes!

Have a Heart Cocktail Party / Taste of Tamarindo Pacific Park (Poolside) - Tamarindo

ENTERTAINMENT

February 11 - 7 -10 pm The “Have a Heart” Cocktail party, presented by Amigos de la Education, raises funds to support scholarships for children in our area. We will feature the Taste of Tamarindo. Local restaurants will provide bocas for our guests. Tickets are $20 in advance, available Jaime Peligro Book Store, Costa Rica Sailing Center, El Be and Surf Club Sports Bar, and $25 at the door. Each ticket includes 3 bocas, with the option to purchase more.

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We will have a raffle, with prizes including an XBox One, Chromecast, Fitbit Charge 2 and $100 cold hard cash donated by RPM. In addition, there will be a silent auction. Music is provided by DJ Ciro and there will be a cash bar.

Mardi Gras In The Sun Flamingo 2017 Friday, Feb. 24, 4pm King Felix and Queen Maria Jose arrive by boat from the Isle of Mirth at Brasilito Beach in front of Tiki's, where they will begin their tour.

They will visit Maxwells, Perlas, The Shack, El Castillo, The Sailing Center, Mariner Inn and Marie's Restaurant. There will be live music at the Mariner Inn and Marie's Restaurant (The Blue's Devils)

Saturday, Feb. 25, 4pm Drag Race (where men dress as women and women dress as men as they race from bar to bar) at The Mariner Inn. Live Music at the Mariner.

Mardi Gras • Flamingo Center February 24, 25,26 & 28 (See Next page for Calendar) Mardi Gras is a time-honored Flamingo tradition since 1996 and is truly an experience you shouldn't miss if you’re in the Flamingo area in late February. The whole community comes together to have some fun and exorcise the demons before Lent. The parade is a blast and you’re sure to see all types of cool original floats and costumes on your quest for beads. For more info checkout the Facebook page Flamingo Mardi Gras.

6th Annual Costa Rica Blues Festival Costa Rica Sailing Center - Potrero February 18th - Music starts at 11am This is an awesome day of food, fun and Blues for a great local charity, Abriendo Mentes. This organization teaches English, technology, music and arts to the youth of Guanacaste.

Sunday, Feb. 26

Live music at various locations.

Tuesday, Feb. 28. 4:30pm The parade starts at the Banco Nacional and finishes on Flamingo Beach followed by parties and live music at Marie's Restaurant at 6pm (The Leatherbacks) and Mariner Inn at 8pm.

The Blues Fest is a must if you’re here, and advance tickets are only $25! For more info go to crbluesfest.com and I'll see ya there.

Featured bands are:

Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy, Houston Texas Chris Ruest trio featuring Gene Taylor, Austin Texas Many local bands like Co-founder, Mauricio's, and Blues Devils, and is highlighted by local legends Donny Walsh and the Leatherbacks!

Friday Night Jam Session at Wil Mart

g to great music and sipping some local homeYou would never think it, but YES… Chilling out in the open air listenin d by some fiery guitar that lights up the night. followe group brew! It’s Fun, Friends, and Free, usually with an opening n Matapalo and Playa Grande.

Every Friday from 9pm. Wil Mart is the new Supermercado located betwee

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For information or if you would like to participate in the parade, please call Marie at 2654-4136

All funds raised are donated to local charities Read online, like and share howlermag.com

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Spotlight Marvin Dolgay

BY JOHNNY LAHOUD

刀䔀䄀䰀 䔀匀吀䄀吀䔀 䤀一嘀䔀匀吀䤀一䜀 䤀匀 伀唀刀 䈀唀匀䤀一䔀匀匀Ⰰ 伀唀刀 伀一䰀夀 䈀唀匀䤀一䔀匀匀

ONE

of the coolest things about living on the Gold Coast of Guanacaste is the influx of interesting people from all around the world and all walks of life--people who jump out of a perfectly good or bad cultural airplane only to pull the chute and land in Costa Rica.

We’ve been blessed over the past 10 years to have so many great musicians show up and do their thing here. One of these, having arrived 3 years ago, is Marvin Dolgay. A Canadian who fled the frigid cold and snow for Costa Rica’s warm beaches and is now part of the local music scene in Playa Grande.

Marvin is one of the most accomplished musicians to show up in our little piece of paradise. His company, www. tambre.com, has been in movie and television production / composing for the past 20 years. He has played with the big boys and girls on the big stages all over the world.

But, like most ex-pats who make their home here, that´s not really what he is all about any more. What struck me about Marvin was his desire to get back to basics by helping out in the community and just playing guitar for the love of the music.

Marvin has been a volunteer music teacher at one of our local schools, La Paz, for the past few years. With his direction, he worked with the kids to write and submit a song for UN Peace Day, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and Peace. His students composed an original song and video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCwhWPOwqEk) about joining together to put an end to bullying in schools.

They won a national competition and performed the song in Cartago on International Peace Day, September, 21 2016.

Costa Rica’s Vice-President was in attendance along with the Ministers of Justice and Peace, Education, and Culture.

Aron Pinel is a US American and Costa Rican artist, residing in the Gold Coast. He specializes in murals to make your walls come alive Contact Aron at vinnydafish@gmail.com or call 7066-0806.

Marvin has chosen to use his gift and give back and for that we all thank him. You can find him every other Tuesday at the Rip Jack Inn playing mellow tunes on his guitar to the dinner crowd that digs the vibe. In the end, for all of his accomplishments as a professional musician, here Marvin is just one of the boys who wants to hang out, help out and play for the love of the tunes.

Pura Vida, John Lahoud Jr

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HOROSCOPE

EDWISDOMS

HELLO!

The beginning of a big tourist season is upon us. I get many questions asked of me while interacting with tourists. I will try responsibly to respond to all your questions.

QUESTION: Ed, I’m June from Canada. While driving on busy roads many times I must come to a complete stop while a car in

front of me is seemly having a conversation. Back home this is just not acceptable and in fact dangerous. Is this the norm here?

This month’s major planetary changes involve Jupiter going into retrograde motion on the 6th and staying that way for 4 months.

Jupiter’s retrograde period in the sign of Libra generally means one must review behaviors regarding relationships. Venus and Mars

ANSWER: June, life runs at a different pace here in Costa Rica. People go about their lives and stop not only on roads, but in grocery stores and block isles to have a conversation. We in Costa Rica accept this as a normal way of life and just wait or drive around them. I guess it’s like stopping and smelling a flower or something like that. Back in the upper Northern Americas I understand that that seems rude to do that, and gets gestures and verbalizations.

Here it’s Pura Vida!

Mars, your ruling planet, is in your sign this month giving you extra courage, energy and enthusiasm for any project or cause you are engaged in. This is pure warrior energy so put it to constructive use.

Venus will also be in your sign on the 4th for the next 2 months so women will be a priority in your life. Instead of competing, try collaborating and experience how much more effective you can be.

Your best days are the 1st, 2nd and 28th, but on the 28th you could be accident prone so be careful!

Last week I picked up a group of maybe 10 guys from Texas that came in for a bachelor party. So, on the way down to Tamarindo from the airport one of them asked me if we use miles or kilometers here in Costa Rica. He asked me, “So, what exactly is a kilometer or how does it compare to a mile.?” My response was there is 1.6 kilometers in a mile.

This guy still didn’t get is so I told him.. “Dude, a kilometer is a Canadian mile” To that he answered ah, ok I get it now...

Sorry

I thought celebrity deaths in 2016 wouldn’t shock me anymore… then WHAM!!… Rest In Peace George!!

GAMECHALLENGE

SPANISH WORD PUZZLE All words from the list below can be found in the word block on the right.

Answers may be forward, backward, upwards, downwards and diagonal.

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THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

bilinguismo caliente cenicero concurso crecimiento culebra demasiado demonio desesperacion encomienda escudo freno fresca harmonia hipotecar

impresora jaula langosta mariposa pretencioso primula prohibicion pulperia recluso resbalar rompimiento sagacidad salutacion tratamiento veneno

ARIES

TAURUS

Venus’s position in your house of solitude may find you involved in things that require secrecy, solitude or places of confinement, like ashrams, hospitals or jails. With Mars there as well, you can expect some frustration or limitations to your power this month. Just move slowly and deliberately to avoid self sabotage, which also a possibility at this time. Something in your life is ending over the next 4 months.

Days things go your way are the 5th and 6th and take care of your health.

GEMINI

With the majority of planets traveling through the public sectors of your chart, you should be focused on your professional status and how you can effectively influence people. This is a great month to learn something new and get involved in a new cause or social concern. The main message for you is to get actively involved with something important to you. And yes, it’s OK for you to profit from it as well. Great days to make a good impression are the 5th and 6th.

CANCER

With Mars and Venus transiting your public image house, you have a lot of personal energy to devote to your professional advancement. The beginning of the month will go pretty smoothly but the end has some confusion and potential for upset so don’t get reckless with your time or attention. Remain focused on your goal.

Things could change rapidly in matters regarding your residence and your career so don’t be too surprised by the changes. Your best days are the 7th and 8th.

LEO

With the Sun, your ruling planet, illuminating your relationship house, you need to focus more on your partnerships, both personal and business-wise. Communication about what you truly believe is warranted at this time as you may not be aware of how you sometimes hide the truth in order to get attention. It’s going to come out by the end of the month so it’s better for you to get ahead of the issue by doing some soul searching and honest exchange of feelings.

Best days to do that are the 9th and 10th.

VIRGO

You are entering some new territory this year regarding money, joint assets, and partnerships. There’s some disruptive energy this month as 3 planets bring intense focus on issues regarding insurances, wills, legacies and end of life matters. This energy can also provide you with greater insight into your stand on those matters as well as your partner’s stand. Be careful around the 26th. Good days for you are the 11th, 12th and 13th.

FEBRUARY 2017 FORECASTS

BY JEANNE CALLAHAN

will be traveling through Aries together all month and visible in the evening sky after sunset. Saturn will be transiting over the Galactic Center in Sagittarius this month as well. Talk to your astrologer if you want to know what that means for you personally.

LIBRA

With the current positions of Mars and Venus in Aries you are going through a lot of relationship issues, both personal and in business.

This will not be easy but with Venus present, there is hope for some resolution in the midst of the conflict. Watch your words at the end of the month when things are likely to be unstable and volatile as you don’t want to disrupt a delicate situation. Look for ways to collaborate and compromise instead of undermining the other people involved. Your best days for furthering your agenda are the 14th and 15th.

SCORPIO

With this month’s position of Mars, your ruling planet, there needs to be an adjustment in your personal health regimens and work routines. Things are changing in your personal life and that needs to be reflected in your work environment. Maybe you need to give up coffee or something else that may be destructive to your health and well being. In any event, you are the one to determine what positive changes you might make. Best days to reflect on this are the 16th, 17th and before noon on the 18th.

SAGITTARIUS

The opposition of Jupiter and Uranus will cause you to experience some aspects of your past coming back to haunt you. Well, not really haunt but to make an impression about what transpired and what you can now do differently in the present to affect a better outcome in the future. Saturn position in your sign at the Galactic Center will deliver some insights that will benefit you, though they will require some sacrifice on your part. Best days to implement and make peace with this are the 19th and 20th.

CAPRICORN

Good communication is the message for you this month and actually for the next 3 months. It is all personal for you about the message you put out to promote yourself. There’s a push/pull aspect to this as you actively sort out what you like and don’t like about your message. Pay attention to your inner voice as it will tell you what you need to accentuate about yourself right now. It’s a bit disruptive at the end of the month but you can manage it if you keep your ego and temper at bay. Excellent days to express yourself are the 21st, 22nd and before noon on the 23rd.

AQUARIUS

Finances and assets are a major concern for you this month as Venus and Mars transit your house of assets. You are in the process of changing some pretty major things in your belief system that will change how you handle your finances. It will be to your benefit to take some time to ponder the bigger questions about the meaning of your life and how you want to devote your time, energy and dollars to express yourself. Believe it or not, you will enjoy this introspective exercise! Best days to start it are the 23rd, after noon and the 24th and 25th.

PISCES

You have the opportunity to make some substantial changes in how you want the world to perceive you. It is not a total change of persona but it does involve you getting in deeper touch with your personal presentation in the world. Are you really expressing who you are? A makeover might be in order this month to step up your game and show the world who they are really dealing with! Excellent days to do this are the 26th and 27th.

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DINING GUIDE

Hotel Capitán Suizo Main Road to Langosta Hours of Operations Everyday 12:00 am - 10:00 pm

Pg

Phone: 2653 0075 concierge@hotelcapitansuizo.com

TAMARINDO - LANGOSTA

63 Captian Suizo

2653 0075

64 Bokas

8562-5432 VILLARREAL

64 La Reina Pepiada

Restaurant Capitán Suizo: Beachfront Restaurant

4702 4054

Our objective is to provide fresh, healthy and balanced dishes, which showcase the flavors of Costa Rica with a European twist in a peaceful atmosphere. Nestled at the end of Tamarindo’s bay, our beachfront restaurant offers an oasis with impeccable and friendly service. We wish for you to relax and enjoy the sun with fantastic food and fantastic drinks.

TAMARINDO 65 Utopia

7073-5384

65 Pura Vegan

Specialties Every Friday - Gourmet Nights Live Entertainment 4 course meal includes welcome drink and coffee

TAMARINDO - LANGOSTA

DINING GUIDE

Monday & Wednesday Marimba music at dinner

65 Breakfast Grinds 66 Wild Panda

8447-4628

66 Surf Shack

2653-2346

66 Sol Frozen Yogurt

2249-9197

Menu Selections Lunch:

PALM BEACH 67 Seven

Superfood

PLAYA GRANDE

2653-2315

Shrimp Tacos

BRASILITO 68 Tiki Seaside Grill MATAPALO 2653-6511

69 Numu

4702-8689

69 Beach House

2654 6203

69 Perla's

2654 4500

70 Maxwell's

2654 4319

THE HOWLER MAGAZINE

Dinner Tuna Tartar

$15.00

Caldereta de Mariscos

$21.00

Lomito

$29.00

Tuna tartar with capers and mango seasoned with a cilantro, ginger and soya vinaigrette

Octopus, calamari, mussels and shrimp stew in a homemade tomato and thyme sauce served with rice

SURFSIDE POTRERO

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$15.00

Shrimp tacos served with homemade coleslaw, pineapple and basil pico de gallo, guacamole and tartar sauce

2654-9028

68 Charlies Bar

$16.00

Chickpea salad with marinated feta in rosemary and thyme, avocado, grilled red chilies, bean sprouts and chia seeds

2653-0236

67 Cafe del Pueblo

Dinner

DINING GUIDE SPONSORED BY

Arroz Tradicional

$14.00

Tradicional rice with chicken as well as black bean purée, sweet plantain, fried yucca and cabbage salad

Beef tenderloin with a ginger and tamarind gravy served with Roland’s Rösti and vegetables

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DINING GUIDE

25 metros sur de Naxos, Playa Langosta Hours of Operations 6:00 pm - 12:00 am Phone: 8562-5432 bokaslangosta@gmail.com Specialties New menu daily

Bokas: French Costa Rica fusion

Ceviche

c4000

Pan fried Sea Bass Filet

Mahi-Mahi Carpaccio

c5000

Pork Filet Mignon

Shrimps Tempura

c5000

Fish and chips

Ceviche with ginger, red onions, peppers, cilantro, chili, ginger

citrus sauce, served with butternut mousseline

c8000

c10500

citrus sauce served with a creamy cheese polenta Mahi- mahi deep fried with a local beer dough

c7000

Specialties Venezuelan, burgers

Hours of Operations Daily 7 am - Midnight Phone: 7073-5384 Thursday Night - Latin Night

Smoked Salmon Tortellinis

Marinated Local Goat Cheese

Chicken Cordon Blue

Utopia Hamburger

In a white wine fumet sauce

La Reina Pepiada: Venezuelan comfort food A hidden treasure of the most traditional Venezuelan comfort food as well as the best burgers in Villarreal. The "arepa" is a must gluten-free maize sandwich with more than 16 fillings to choose from. "Empanadas" at the beach? Come pick them up and don't forget to ask for the homemade picante, coriander or garlic sauce.

Menu Selections

With olives and mango passion fruit salad

With pomodoro and spicy fries

With caramelized onions, crispy bacon, prickles

Utopia Wrap, Vegan or Chicken

Mushrooms Risotto and canarian Shrimps

With guacamole and black beans purĂŠe

Hours of Operations: Monday to Saturday 10:30 am - 8:30 pm Closed Sunday hello@puravegancr.com

Pura Vegan: Vegan Serving 100% vegan cuisine that's sure to satisfy. Inspired by our chefs homeland of Thailand.

Menu Selections

Breakfast Grinds: Breakfast Start your day off right with breakfast. Join locals upstairs at Breakfast Grinds to enjoy a well-priced meal overlooking Tamarindo Bay. A true Surfer’s delight!

Second story deck at Aqua Disco Hours of Operations 6:00 am - 11:30 am Phone: 85826380

Specialties Bottomless Coffee Cup

Menu Selections

Baked Chicken

c3,600

Pabellon Venezolano

c4,200

Thai Red Curry

c4,300

Machaca Burro

c3600

Steak and Onions

c3,600

Chicken Curry

c4,200

Pad Thai

c4,300

Waffles

c2500

Chicken Milanese

c3,600

Pasticho lasagna a la Venezuelan c4,500

Tacos

c4,300

Omelette Rancheros

c3600

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Coconut milk & mixed veggies, served with coconut rice Rice noodles, veggies, tofu, tamarind sauce

TAMARINDO

Phone: 506-4702 4054 admreinapepiada@gmail.com

This European Cuisine created by renowned French Chef Herve Raber.

Creating delightful dishes from locally sourced organic produce. Daily fresh menu. The atmosphere includes an Art Gallery and features live music. We host special events and private parties.

Second floor of Plaza Tamarindo

Ruta hacia Sta. Cruz, a 50 mts N/O de Gollo Hours of Operations 11:30 am - 8:00 pm

150 meters east of Banco Nacional

Menu Selections

Menu Selections

with panko crumbs and tartare sauce 5000

VILLARREAL

Utopia: European Cuisine

Wine Bar Restaurant: When you arrive at Bokas you notice the beautiful bar that is very inviting. Enjoy the tapas, with a variety of fresh ingredients daily, speciality cocktails and happy hour menu. French chefs create new menus daily with Imported French wines with live music on Wednesday evenings. A Langosta favorite.

passion fruit and vanilla vinaigrette, lime zest.

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TAMARINDO

TAMARINDO - LANGOSTA

DINING GUIDE

Lentils, tomatoes, cabbage, avocado & corn tortillas

Two eggs, cheese, shredded beef, tomato & avocado With diced fruits

Ham, cheese, onions, tomato & avocado

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Tamarindo Food Court Across the street Plaza Conchal / BCR Hours of Operations Tuesday - Sunday, 6:30 am - 11:00 am Phone: 8447-4628 Weekend Special - Kids eat free* Come hungry and leave happy

DINING GUIDE

200 meters West of Bula Bula next to Wil-Mart palm beach Wild Panda: Serving Costa Rican Cuisine

Seven Cave Bar and Grill: Barbeque, Pizza and Costa Rican Seafood

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Wild Panda is now serving a hearty breakfast. *Receive one free kids pancake order with the purchase of any adult entree. Purchase for dine-in only.

Menu Selections Rice, black beans, 1 egg, cheese, tortilla & cheese

c3000

Served with toast, 2 large eggs & choice of 3 toppings

Build your own Omelet

c3000

The GRINGO breakfast

c3600

PANDA Supreme Burrito

c4000

c4000

Phone: 2653-2346 Specialties Burgers, wings and milkshakes

The Surf Shack : Burgers, Wings and Fries No Hurries, No Worries, No Rice and Beans!!

Burgers, Wings, Fries and Milkshakes (The Best In Town)

Blue Ribbon Blue Cheese Burger

Blue cheese, bacon, sauteed onions and garlic

Pb & Bacon Cheeseburger

Peanut Butter, bacon and 3 cheese blend

Hours of Operations 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm Daily - Closed Tuesdays

Sol Frozen Yogurt: Dessert The best Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Frozen Drinks in Tamarindo.

We use organic, high quality ingredients, fresh fruit and real milk.

Phone: 506-2249-9197 Specialties Espresso Frappes Gluten free options Yogurt contains probiotics

Menu Selections c4,300 c4,050

Boneless Wings (8 Pieces) c3,800 Sauces include mild, medium, hot, mango or honey BBQ

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Specialties Sun night BBQ- $10 Platters

BBQ Platters

Beef tenderloin, surf & turf, ribs or mahi mahi - served with potatoes, vegetables & salad

Casado: Beef, fish, chicken or pork

Chicken in mushroom sauce Black Oyster, fish or shrimp ceviche Hamburger & fries Pizzas made fresh to order

Served tico style

Plaza Conchal/BAC Bank

Menu Selections

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Signature burrito filled with chicken, rice, black & refried beans, tomato, avocado, sour cream, salsa & cheddar cheese - served with homemade pico de gallo or salsa

Off the Tamarindo Circle Hours of Operations 11: 00 am - 830 pm Thursdays Closed

Phone: 506-2653-0236

Frozen Yogurt - 25 Flavors

Original, chocolate, coconut, fruit, vanilla bean & more

Ice Cream

Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Caramel, Coffee, Sorbet

Frozen Drinks

Frappes, Creme Blends, Smoothies, Green Tea & more

Cafe del Pueblo: Restaurant & Pizzeria: Traditional Italian cuisine!!!

Main Road to Playa Grande Intersection Cabo Velas Street

Our emphasis is placed on simple, fresh ingredients & Italian cooking methods. Open Monday - Saturday 5:00 - 10 PM Phone: 2653-2315 Fresh pastas & our famous Ravioli are made in-house daily. All meals are complemented by a selection of hand-made breads baked according to traditional methods. Dinner menu include a selection of antipasti, salads, house Specialty: Homemade Pastas made pasta, fresh seafood, high quality beef and a wide variety of desserts. *Also Gluten Free Pastas

PLAYA GRANDE

TAMARINDO

Chicken & Waffles

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!

Menu Selections

Typical Tico Breakfast

2 eggs, bacon, home fries & toast

Hours of Operations Daily 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

PALM BEACH

TAMARINDO

DINING GUIDE

Menu Selections Bruschetta

c2500

Pesto Tagliatelle/Spagetti

c5800

Fresh Tuna Tartare

c5500

Grilled Salmon

c8500

Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli

c6000

Tenderloin Gorgonzola

c9000

Bread topped with fresh tomatos garlic, basil & black olives Tuna tartare marinated with soy sauce, olive oil & avocado Choice of sauce: tomato, pink or butter & sage

Homemade basil sauce with nuts

Grilled to perfection with lemon & herb butter sauce

Cooked to order topped with a rich gorgonzola sauce

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180 Brasilito, Guanacaste, Costa Rica Conveniently located on the main corner in Brasilito Hours of Operations Daily 8:00 am - 10:00 pm Phone: 506-2654 9028 Specialties Breakfast Sunday Brunch 9am -1pm

DINING GUIDE

Hwy 911 Just East of Bahia del Sol Hours of Operations 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Tiki’s Seaside Grille: International Cuisine Tikis Seaside Grille is 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.

Menu Selections

Serving 100% vegan cuisine that's sure to satisfy. Inspired by our chefs homeland of Thailand.

Private residence on the beach transformed into a quaint restaurant and bar, renown for its fresh seafood. Come and enjoy incredible food and

Hours of Operations: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm Phone: 2654 6203 Specialties Fresh seafood, Epic sunset view

Menu Selections

Cacique Mussels

c4000

Tiki Burger

c7000

Pad Thai

c4000

Grilled Scallops

c5000

Avocado Shrimp Salad

c6500

Churrasco Steak

c9500

Numu Roll

c4500

Catch of the Day

c9000

Cuban Sandwich

c6000

Pargo

c9800

Kung Poa Chicken

c5000

Angus Tenderloin

c11000

Tossed with veggies. Served with toasted garlic bread Braised pork mustard, Swiss cheese, pickles, and ham

Topped with Swiss cheese, mushrooms & onions

Rice noodles, tamarind sauce, pepper, onion, & bean sprouts

Delmonico cut, rosemary potatoes & grilled vegetable skewer

Salmon, mango, avocado, cucumber, unagi sauce

Whole snapper garlic sauce or rice sautéed vegetables

Stir-fried with vegetables, peanuts & chilli peppers over rice

Grilled in a bath of cacique liquor, lime and garlic

Tropical salsa, grilled vegetables & potatoes or rice

Grilled to perfection with vegetables & rosemary potatoes

26

3-

5

MATAPALO

Specialties Vegan and gluten-free

The Beach House

Menu Selections

Sautéed with Cacique liquor, garlic and parsley

65

11

M ATAPALO

Main Square Hours of Operations 12: 00 pm - 2:00 am Phone: 2653 6511 Specialties Karaoke - Friday, Sat & Sun (Drink Specials) Happy Hour Daily: 12 pm- 6pm

HWY 911 (Main Road) intersection Avenida Tres Perlas: Sports and Entertainment Restaurant & Bar

Charlie’s Bar: Tico Tico Sports Bar and Restaurant Classic Tico Restaurant and Sports Bar! Do you want to experience the “Real” Costa Rica nightlife?…Vamos a Charlies!!! Ice cold beer, chiliguaro, and great Costa Rican cuisine! All weekend long both Ticos and Gringos are celebrating life!

Beef or Chicken Tacos Ceviches Charliefrijo Nachos Rice & Shrimp

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The premier sports and entertainment bar in the Potrero: dartboards, free pool table & more. A complete menu from local fare, tasty pub menu and amazing seafood. Food or drink specials every night. Light menu after 11pm. Friday night - Chase the Ace raffle for Charities

Hours of Operations Daily 7:00 am - 12:00 am Phone: 2654 4500 Specialties Live bands, DJs or Karaoke

Menu Selections

Menu Selections

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Phone: 506-4702-8689

Pura Vegan: Vegan

800 M Norte Banco Nacional Potrero

SURFSIDE POTRERO

BRASILITO

DINING GUIDE

c2000 c2500 c3000 c3500 c4000

Garlic Fish Filet Pork Ribs Buffalo BBQ Wings Mixed Tico Appetizer Plate

c4500 c4500 c4800 c9500

Eggs Benedict

c4000

Fajita Lava Bowl - beef or chicken

c8000

Perla’s Double Cheeseburger

c7500

Blackened Tuna Steak

c8000

Beef, Fish or Pork Casado

c4800

Tenderloin Steak Dinner

c9000

Served with bacon and hash browns

Two beef patty, cheddar, onions, lettuce, tomato Served with Rice, Beans, Salad & Plantain

Peppers, onions, mushrooms & cheese in lava bowl Served with Perlas’s special potatoes n veggies

8 OZ choice beef, grilled onions, peppers n potatoes

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SURFSIDE, POTRERO

DINING GUIDE

420 Aveinda Tres, Surfside Estates, Playa Potrero, Costa Rica

Maxwell’s: California Cuisine

Hours of Operations: 7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Located in a beautiful garden setting, great pool table for the adults, and lots of room to run around for the kids. Cater to all eaters, veggies, kids, meat eaters, and even non eaters. We are now open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, until 8pm, daily.

Phone: 506-2654 4319 Specialties Breakfast, Burgers and Beer

Menu Selections Ultimate Burger Breakfast Burrito Daily Dinner Specials

c6500 c4500 c6000

BLAT Pancakes Tacos

c4500 c2000 c1000

Mo de r n iz e Y o u r R es t a ur an t M ar k e t in g Howler Dining Guide R e s ta u r a n t R e v i e w a d s Presented clear & Concise I t’s w h at yo ur c u s t o m e r s wa n t t o k n o w Res t a ura n t D e sc r ip t io n, Lo c a t io n I n f o r ma t i o n , F o o d P h o t o s , M e n u I tems In f o r m a t io n incl ude d onl i ne @ howl e rma g.com Re a d, l ik e d & sha re d Ca l l : C R O ffi ce 4 7 0 1 - 5 9 4 2 , U S O ffice : ( 7 20) 507-7569 ( Leave M essa g e) or em a i l a ds@how ler m a g. co m

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Pennye Wheeler MANAGER +506 8369-1610 US +1 941-447 0008 pennye@overseas.de

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