By Charlie Berghammer

How exciting to begin the year by sharing the story of a recently migrated expat to Costa Rica who knew from the start that his coming to Costa Rica was more than just to live a comfortable lifestyle in the tropics.  His story is that of many of us who have come looking for ways to INTEGRATE into our local Costa Rican communities.  What Greg Anderson and many others have discovered is that the catalyst for this integration can come through engagement in local community service.

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Filed under: Charlie Berghammer, Making a Difference on January 16th, 2010
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Beach Noodle Salad

1 pkg. Spaghetti or any noodles

½ K.(1 lb.) Lomito (Beef)

1  Mango

1  Avocado

¼ c. chopped peanuts

1  Bunch Heiba Buena (Mint)

1 Bunch Cilantro

1 Bunch Basil

1  Carton Dos Pinos Orange Juice

2 T. Sesame Oil

1 c. Rice Wine Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to Taste

First put orange juice into a pot and reduce liquid to a syrup. Add mixture to a blender with rice wine vinegar and blend. Slowly add sesame oil and salt & pepper to taste. Boil noodles “al dente” and rinse with cold water. Cut lomito into large bite sized pieces and season with salt & pepper. Then heat a sauté pan or grill and cook to medium rare. In a large mixing bowl chop basil, mint & cilantro and mix with ¼ of cold noodles, dressing, beef and then slice the mango & avocado at the last minute for garnish. Top with chopped peanuts & ENJOY!

Served as appetizer for 4 or entrée for 2

Filed under: Guest Chef on January 10th, 2010
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By Jerry Glover

HAPPY NEW YEAR, and bienvenidos to Quepos and Manuel Antonio. December fishing has started out well for our fishing fleet and we’re all geared up and ready to take you fishing. The Sailfish bite is beginnig to pick up in the area, with Mahi Mahi fishing still very hot, some being in the 40 to 50 pound range. A few Sailfish are being boated and the larger schools of fish should be arriving soon. Rooster fish are also being boated on our inshore trips, with two to four fish being released. Fishing in Quepos is always good year round. For your fishing adventure contact Luna Tours Sportfishing, our office is located in the Hotel Best Western Kamuk lobby, downtown Quepos central. We own and operate the Ojaran II, Ojaran III, Magic Moon, and the Reel Deal (27 ft to 33 ft) and can also arrange other boats for charter up to 46 ft for half day or full day charters.Contact us at 2777-0725 (office), 8869-4808 (24 hour cell), visit our web site at www.lunatours.net, or stop by the office for a fishing report, and talk some fishing.

Filed under: Fishing Report, Jerry Glover, Luna Tours on January 10th, 2010
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These Horoscopes are meant to be fun and enjoyed. They should not be taken too seriously.

CAPRICORN - December 22-January 19

As we all ring in the New Year together, you can also celebrate another year of growing older! Lucky You! 2010 is set to be your year to shine, a “come back” you might say. Forget about your New Year’s resolutions…I think the Mayans might be onto something, and if so, we only have 2 good years left…so go on…smoke your laughin lettuce, eat till it hurts, and have a little rum in your egg nog!

CELEBRITY CAPRICORN: Daffy Duck

IDEAL JOB: Cactus Thorn Picker outer

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Filed under: Cosmic Confetti, Horoscopes on January 9th, 2010
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by Todd Pequeen

There is always something to stress about. Even when health and happiness are present we often create stress for a variety of reasons. Living this way, in this space, is a mistake. Time is a delusion the mind is happy to hold hands with. I’m sure the cynics are chuckling right now but let me explain. Inside our heads our minds are looking to identify with something. Most of the people I know dwell on memories from the past or their plans for the future. When is my next vacation turns into I don’t want this vacation to end. There is a compulsion to expel the present for the next job on the list, or to space out on what was so good and how to get it back. Obsession with this occurs simply because we can firmly identify with the past, as we have already lived it, and the perfect future is a dream, perhaps even a promise we made ourselves which will be the end all, be all. Whichever we choose, they are both illusions.

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Filed under: Health is Wealth, Todd Pequeen on January 9th, 2010
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Bienvenidos/Welcome to Paradise and 2010! We hope you had a wonderful Holiday and aren’t suffering from too much of the bubbly this first day of the New Year…………our weather is perfect – the fishing is excellent – the food delicious – drinks plentiful & cold – beautiful beaches – happy, friendly people – lots of fun things to do for every member of the family – you picked a fantastic  place for a vacation and we are glad you are here! We hope you enjoy our magazine and when you visit our wonderful advertisers – please mention you found them in Quepolandia. We would like to congratulate Keith Sistrunk for the great picture that made our Cover – Keith is from Atlanta & vacationed here in Nov. with his parents at Mango Moon and had a wonderful time – he sent in so many beautiful shots we had a tough time choosing! Thanks Keith and congrats! We are lucky to have excellent musicians living here so there is an abundance of “live music” – just check Niven’s  music listing in the left column for times and places & ENJOY! So whether you flew in from afar,  sailed in on a cruise ship, or drove in for a getaway weekend, we know you will have an unforgettable time & we hope to see you back here soon…………….Pura Vida…………………P

Filed under: Qué Pasa en Quepos on January 1st, 2010
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(en Español)
Carlos López Alvarado is perhaps best known by expatriates as the man who owns a chunk of prime land in the Manuel Antonio area. His holdings include 70 hectares of hilly land overlooking serene beaches, seven houses in Manuel Antonio, the Costa Rica Spanish Institute, the building beside the bus station where he now has his office, and more. But López was not always a rich man and even now, is humble and unpretentious.

Born in Limon on July 10, 1922, Don Carlos moved to Quepos when he was 18. He remembers the date exactly – it was March 19, 1940.  He says that his father was a foreman of the Compañía Bananera de Costa Rica, a subsidiary of the United Fruit Company.  In the mid-1930’s the company, based in Limon, began amassing large landholdings in the Central Pacific and by 1940, its production exceeded that of the Atlantic region.

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Filed under: Carol Vlassoff, Personalities in Our Midst on December 28th, 2009
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