ABOUT THE LIVING LIFE IN COSTA RICA BLOG

I (Vicki Skinner - aka "THE Sarong Goddess") created this blog in 2007 to share DETAILED Finds•Lists•Info•Events•Experiences to help bring more EASE to people living in, visiting or thinking of moving to Costa Rica since DETAILS are NOT easy to find!
I’m NOT an expert (an "expert" 2 ME knows 101%-NOT me). I believe in sharin info•helping where I can! And with over 2,200 entries, so some things might be out of date, so if you find old info PLEASE help each other by getting the updated info & sharing it with me to revise. At least you have some basic info to get you started.
VOLUNTEER TO HELP:
Better yet - do you have extra time on your hands & looking for a volunteer project? Since this blog is a labor of love & RARELY does anyone share a donation (even though MANY have said how much it's helped them), I could REALLY use help updating info. Spanish speakers ESPECIALLY welcome since my VicLish can be somewhat limited at times!!

DONATE:
Has my blog helped in any way? Helped find something•brought more EASE? More exposure or business?
I welcome you to show YOUR appreciation for my efforts!
ANY size DONATION is APPRECIATED!
(see below other ways to show your appreciation)
The easiest way is with PAYPAL - Attn: LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com
(you do NOT need to have a PayPal account to do this - just a credit or debit card)
ADD INFORMATION:
Do YOU have/know of a Business•Event•News•Place•Things 4 Sale•Rent to add? Email:
LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

OTHER WAYS TO SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION FOR THIS BLOG

• APPLE LAPTOP - Do you have a Laptop you're not using? Mine recently broke so I'm using a lender. Must be new enough to run current Skypes & have an SDCard slot.
• Amazon.com or GoDaddy.com Credit•Gift Certificate (attn: SarongGoddess@gmail.com)
• Something else to share?? A gift certificate or invite for your business? I'm open!! (at times I'll add other things here that I'm seeking)

Monday, March 31, 2008

Living in Costa Rica but desire to travel to other Latin and Caribbean Countries yet the high cost holds you back? Where else Spirit Airlines flies

Hey, though those of us living in Costa Rica LIVE IN PARADISE, sometimes ya just gotta have a change of pace!

Or, sometimes our friends visiting us want to explore other countries/lands as well!

It's not always so easy and it often can be quite costly/expensive!


My Australian friend Suzanne wanted to fly from here/Costa Rica to Peru. Most of the airlines and travel agencies she spoke with in Costa Rica quoted her around $1200!!

I called my friend Rocio (a BEAUTIFUL Spirit!) from Peru and she gave me the hint to look into flying on Spirit Airlines.

Since Spirit's Hub is Ft. Lauderdale, Suzanne had to first fly to Ft. Lauderdale and overnight (she found a room with Free Airport Transfers, Continental Breakfast and WiFi at Holiday Inn Express for under $80 with taxes through http://www.HotelClub.net, she STILL saved around $500 by flying on Spirit Airlines (that savings factors in the hotel for the one night near the airport)!!

She could have saved LOTS more if she could have traveled on a later date to take advantage of those amazing Spirit Air deals you sign up for on their website (https://www.spiritair.com/welcome.aspx?pg=9dfcsignup) as well as if she was not traveling during Samana Santa. If she could have gone 3 weeks later I believe the whole trip would have been around $450 or possibly even less from CR to Peru!!


This is a GOOD hint, especially for those living in Costa Rica needing a change of pace or 90-day Visa run!


Where else Spirit Air flies to (outside the U.S.):
ARUBA
BAHAMAS - Nassau, San Salvador
CAYMEN ISLANDS - Grand Cayman
COLUMBIA - Bogata, Cartagena
COSTA RICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Santo Domingo, Punta Cana
GUATAMALA - Guatamala City
HAITI - Port au Prince
HONDURAS - San Pedro Sula
JAMAICA - Kingston, Montego Bay
MEXICO - Cancun
NICARAGUA - Managua
PANAMA - Panama City
PERU - Lima
PUERTO RICO - San Jan, Aguadilla, Ponce
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS - Providenciales
USVI - US VIRGIN ISLAND - St. Thomas, St. Maarten


Do you have other cheap travel hints for traveling to/from Costa Rica??? E- me at LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

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Saturday, March 29, 2008

EARTH HOUR - March 29, 2008 - IMPORTANT MESSAGE - Please turn off ALL electricity from 8-9pm wherever you are in the world TONIGHT

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN THIS? IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!!! How about creating YOUR OWN Earth HourS EVERY DAY or WEEK??? It was kinda nice - a quiet time to go within! I'm going to do this weekly!!



Have you received the email yet about EARTH HOUR?

Please turn off ALL electricity from 8-9pm wherever you are in the world TONIGHT!!! For more info and to show your participation EarthHour.com I signed up for it and am doing it! (note: It's a SLOW site - probably because SOOOO MANY people are logging onto it!).

PLEASE forward this info on to EVERYONE you know!!

Monday, March 24, 2008

A Member of our Community Needs Your Help - Olga

2008  -  TAKEN CARE OF

THIS IS A 2 PART EMAIL - ONE DESCRIBING THE SITUATION AND THE OTHER OFFERING ASSISTANCE/A BENEFIT

Patrons and friends seek to help mother of well-known Santa Ana worker

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff http://www.AMCostaRica.com

Olga Efimenko moved to Costa Rica from Russia about eight years ago and lived with her 86-year-old mother in Santa Ana, according to a coworker. But Saturday a fire left all her hard work in ashes and inflicted severe burns on her mother.

Maria Paula, Ms. Efimenko's mother, heard the family's German shepherd, Rocky, barking Saturday morning and opened the bedroom door, according to friend Joanne Loewen. A curtain of flames rushed at her, and she tried in vain to fight the fire with a garden hose, said Ms. Loewen. Instead, Maria suffered burns to 50 percent of her body, according to Alonso Umaña Calzada, a fireman based in Santa Ana. As for the house, there is nothing left. Even the steel structure melted, said Ms. Loewen.

The house fire is speculated to have started from an electrical problem, but the case is still being investigated, reported Umaña Sunday evening.
Ms. Efimenko, has been a beloved waitress at Rock & Roll Pollo in Santa Ana for two years. Coworkers describe her as friendly and kind. “We all love her a lot, and so do the clients,” said Lina Carrero Congote, a fellow worker.

“She is very special to us and always cares for everyone above herself.” Before that she worked nearby in another establishment frequented by expats.

Ms. Loewen, decided to start a fund when she found out what happened. After a beach trip, Ms. Loewen planned to meet Ms. Efimenko at her house. When she saw the damage and heard what happened she began to spread the news and raise funds. Today, Ms. Loewen will set up a bank account and give the number to friends of Ms. Efimenko. She will also hang up posters and donation boxes in local restaurants.

By noon on Sunday she had already received $300, she said. The money will go to pay medical bills and provide an existence, she said. Ms. Efimenko's mother has a 60 percent chance of survival, said Ms. Loewen.


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BENEFIT FOR OLGA & HER MOM THIS SUN. AT ROCK & ROLL POLLO!!


I JUST hung up with Bill Russi (the owner of Rock and Roll Pollo) who said he will be hosting a BENEFIT to help raise MUCH NEEDED funds for Olga (a WONDERFUL GAL/his employee with such a SUNNY personality!!) and her mom after their fire and to help with her mom's recovering.

WHEN: Sun. March 30 - 2pm till ??

WHERE: Rock and Roll Pollo - Santa Ana (see detailed directions below)

WHAT: FREE food (NO host bar though), LIVE Music and a RAFFLE (PLEASE be generous with buying tickets or at least making some sort of donation [don't just mooch!! That's my comment, not Bills]).

Speaking of Raffles, do you have ANYTHING to gift/donate? Got any gifts that someone else gave you that you do not use/care for (pay it forward and put it to GOOD use, not just hidden in the closet!!). No matter how big or small I am sure it will be greatly appreciated and it betters all of our chances of winning something!!!

You can email Bill at willbill@racsa. co. cr (all run together) or call him at 8-848-3003*


DIRECTIONS: (20 min. SW of San Jose)
From Escazu - Going down the windy hill/Calle Viejo/the Old Road - pass El Escribo (the restaurant with LOTS of people dancing at night on the left!) - about 300 mts. West (200 mts after you’re on the flatland, 200 mts West of Plaza Intigua [they have a day spa]) . If you hit Ceviche del Rey (300 meters - where the road splits into one-ways) - you’ve gone too far.

From Santa Ana - 1km East of Cruz Roja - about 300 meters after the street merges from being a one way (East-bound) to both ways.

OFF THE PISTA/HIGHWAY: Get off at the Santa Ana/Airport Exit. Turn Left/South at the exit/light. At the end of the road (where the Red Cross/Cruz Rojo is) turn Left onto the second street (a one-way street heading Left/East) passing through Santa Ana Centro, 1km past the Cruz Roja.

Sharing their parking lot is a little store called Mimbres selling wicker furniture.

The sign is pretty small with a BIG YELLOW Imperial sign on top.

(I'm giving ALL these details because it's quite easy to pass it by).


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*If you would like to donate something and do not have time to get it to RRP in time but can make it to Escazu ON Calle Vieja near Calle Country Club (an easy bus ride from the CocaCola building) - you can bring it my place and I will get it to them by Sun. Contact me at 8-378-6679 orLivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com - Vicki


DONATIONS CAN BE MADE AT: Banco de San José in account number 907-556-004

ARCR SEMINAR - MOVING TO COSTA RICA - an IMPORTANT SEMINAR you MUST ATTEND (even if you're remotely fantasizing/thinking of moving to Costa Rica)!!!!

DETAILS ON
ARCR SEMINAR - MOVING TO COSTA RICA - an IMPORTANT SEMINAR you MUST ATTEND (even if you're remotely fantasizing/thinking of moving to Costa Rica)!!!!


NOW AT:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/12/arcr-expat-seminar.html
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Friday, March 14, 2008

EASE TIP - TV GUIDE - Finding Out What TV SHOWS are on, When & What Channel they're on - a Local TV GUIDE for those of you Living In Costa Rica)

Don't have cable tv showing U.S. channels?  The BEST place I've found so far is:
USTVNow.com


Want to find out what shows are on your tv, when it is on and what channel for those of you living in Costa RIca?

First go to

Then click on to whatever area/provider you have.

When you click there, you can create Favorite Channels by going to the red button marked Set Custom View (I found it best to make a list of the channels and call letters I liked before doing this).

This will show you the Costa Rica channels.


Since the major network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News) come from a DIFFERENT U.S. city, Go to Edit Location, then to the city your network feed comes from (Tigo is Miami, Florida) and then they asked for a zip code in that city (if you don't know any zip codes in Miami - just google - zip code miami and it will give you some options).

I was able to create a Favorite Channels in that area also. Keep in mind when there is no Daylight Savings TIme in the States, all shows are ONE/1 hour BEHIND Eastern Time, so when the U.S. is IN Daylight Savings Time - we are 2 hours BEHIND Miami. 

MORE EASE!!!


Do not have internet access easily? La Nacion newspaper's Sunday issue has a television guide in it.


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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

FINDS - LAUNDROMAT / LAVANDERIA / LAUNDRY THAT WASHES PERSONAL CLOTHES BY THE KILO

Did your washing machine break down? Visiting and do not want to pay high hotel prices to wash your clothes?

After MUCH searching - I FINALLY found a LAUNDROMAT / LAVANDERIA that machine washes and dries your clothes!!

ESCAZU
LAVANDERIA STAR CLEANERS
LOCATION: Centro Escazu in Plaza Real (home to Sushi Goyi).
CONTACT: 228-7508 / 306-9124. OWNER: Maritza Valenzuela
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 8am-6pm.
PRICE: 1,000-c/Kilo.


CURRIDABAT - I heard there's a Laundromat in Plaza Cristal.


AQUAMATIC -
PAVAS 291-2847
MORAVIA 235-9174
SABANILLA 283-7844
JACO 643-2083
QUEPOS 777-0972



LARGE - COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL LAUNDRY JOBS:

Bill and Carol Wunderle (Suzuki technique music/ piano teach extrodinare!! 232-3999 / carol@PianoPathway.com) own MEDICO LUX which does LARGE INDUSTRIAL WASHING JOBS (like for medical offices, hotels and restaurants. Businesses that desire a sterile environments - NO personal laundry). They up to a 60 kilo machine (it can fit a person in it!!) so they can do COMFORTERS!

CONTACT: 375-6101 / 254-0826 / CarolAndBil@hotmail.com
LOCATION: Hatillo Centro
HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 7am-10pm, Sat. 7am-noon
PRICE: Start at 475-c/kilo

FIND - CELL PHONES - Repairs and Old and New Technology Phones in Costa Rica (Escazu)

After MUCH searching for an old technology cell phone (the new technology phones still have LOTS of kinks to work out. 90% of the time when I phone someone with a new technology cellular phone it says it is not working, it does not ring or it is out of a zone) I found someone that can get a hold of an old basic cheapo Nokia - right in my back yard!! Though, it may take a couple/few days to get them as he does not always have them in stock.

He also sells the new technology phones and can do repairs AND he speaks some ENGLISH!

Jorge Abarca with TUTTO's CELULAR (289-4036 / 391-0604) is located in Escazu ON Calle Vieja - 100 meters East of Calle Country Club - across the street from Plaza Oblisque and 150 mts West of the ICE Building). He is open Mon.-Fri. from 9am-7pm. Sat. 9am-5pm.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Apple / Macintosh / Mac Repair Technicians in Costa Rica

APPLE / MACINTOSH REPAIR TECHNICIANS:

I've updated this page at:

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2010/03/apple-macintosh-repair-technicians-in.html