A little house on the beach. Could you leave all your possessions behind and live a simpler life?

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:16-04:00 October 8th, 2015|Categories: Bed and Breakfast, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |

Little Beach House

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Picking bananas from a tree in your backyard—free

When we first moved to Costa Rica eight years ago, we came with only a cat named Pumpkin, a dog named Clementine, and a couple battered suitcases. We rented a small guesthouse on top of a mountain in Grecia. Although there were challenges, we were happier than we had ever been before.

Rob started playing guitar and we both started working out again. During this decompression phase, I began writing about all of the funny things that were happening… and there were many. When one decides to quit their job and run away to a foreign country, you get roped into many ridiculous scenarios.

After emailing my stories to friends from an Internet cafe, I was encouraged to search for a publisher. However, all of my queries were met with the same response, “Great writing but no one is interested in a book about Costa Rica. Do you have anything about vampires?” (more…)

HAPPIER ROAD TRIP 2014 — PART III

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:20-04:00 August 8th, 2014|Categories: Nature, Tourism|Tags: , , , |

Dominical Costa Rica

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: 2.2 pounds of imported ravioli — $10.80

Our stay at Canto del Mar was amazing. We are ready to explore further down the coast when Kelley tells us about a place with an even bigger “wow” factor. She describes it with such passion and one thing that sticks out is that this big, beautiful house runs on solar power. It is one of the first houses in the country powered by alternative energy, and the president of ICE (the electric company) was there for its inauguration. This is a home I have to see so we move down the block to Villa Pacifica.

I know these type of homes exist but never had a chance to stay in one. Villa Pacifica has six bedrooms, an outdoor kitchen, and a tower of towels positioned near the most amazing infinity pool. I stare out over the pool for what seems like hours while Rob runs around the house in disbelief. This place is perfect for family reunions, weddings, or just large groups of friends who love spending time together in a beautiful place. And if you don’t want to spend time together with your friends or family, three of the six bedrooms are tucked away around the side of the house. Kelley has recently completed an extensive renovation on them, and they are a perfect hide-a-way for when your drunk Uncle Benny starts his impromptu Karaoke with an empty wine bottle. (more…)

HAPPIER ROAD TRIP 2014 – PART II

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:21-04:00 August 1st, 2014|Categories: Nature, Tourism|Tags: , , , |

Dominical Costa Rica

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: 4.5 lbs of White Rice— $2

Dominical: The place to get a good night’s sleep

Approximately forty-five minutes from Manuel Antonio is Playa Dominical. If you are a surfer, you probably already know that this tiny, beach town is  popular for its dependable waves. It’s also a place where you can see the same animals that are up north, but with a twist. Red iguanas lounge on sunny branches overhead and Fiery-billed Toucans dine on palm fruit all along the coastline. It’s as if Dominical was sprinkled with paprika; every animal a little jazzier than it’s counterpart found in other parts of the country. Every time I’m in Dominical, I’m amazed at what I’ll see just by looking up.

The town is made up of only a couple unpaved streets, lined with restaurants and shops. I’ve never seen anyone rushing here. And why would they? This town is designed for relaxation and surfing. (more…)

SPUR OF THE MOMENT TRIPS

By | 2018-04-15T18:20:01-04:00 November 25th, 2010|Categories: Tourism|Tags: |

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update:  16 pound Thanksgiving Day turkey- $92 (I’ll be having chicken)

New Costa Rica Business Idea- Turkey Farm

The best thing about living in Costa Rica is at any moment you can get in your car and be at a beautiful destination in a couple hours. It feels like taking a vacation…from our vacation.

One day we threw a backpack of clothes into the car and headed out to the coast.  We ended up in Dominical, a surfing town on the Pacific side of the country. I didn’t bring any guide books and didn’t have a clue where to stay.  My husband came up with an idea to stop at a realtor’s office, since who would know better? And that’s when we heard of a luxury home so lovely it made my husband determined to get a room.  The only problem was you needed to rent the entire home for $4500 a week.  A little Brooklyn Razzle/Dazzle was in order. (more…)

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