Tsunami Warning..Run For VAGOS!

Well, JamD is in Panama with Scott. Lara and Sarah returned to Dominical, and when Sarah returns to the States, Potato will come back to Oeste. We moved into Scott's place for 4 days while they are away - and then Jam, Shawn and me are moving into a SWEET house on Canada Hill for the month of March! Three bedroom, pool and a beautiful breeze. The other morning there was a TSUNAMI WARNING, so we hauled ass up to Vago's house on the hill - woke him up - he was all like "whoa, whats going on" hahaha. Hung out, realized that there was no tsunami and then retreated back down the hill. Hopped a ride with Brett to Jaco, did some girly dress/bathingsuit/yoga pant shoppin with Sharonie and then headed back to Oeste. Been drinking and eating and loving life. I never want to leave. Mom and Dad - come visit. Pura Vida.

Not Now, Right Now.

my horse, the asshole.

our favorite grom, jonah

carlos, pipa man, getting me some pipas...gotta satisfy the addiction.

jamd, machete weild'n mama, choppin open our pipas

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Not now, RIGHT NOW.

That's my new favorite saying. And I know that hearing "Jamie D" is getting old, but I gotta say - we are just having the best time! The line that shes got stuck in my head at the moment is "Not now, Right Now!". It's been said about 1,000times a day. I'm a bit behind on blogging, so I'll fill you in on all the happenings. So JamD and me be wakin up at 5, sippin coffee in bed, surfing and yoga'n and laughin and talkin and dancin and drinkin. Suzie was getting a bit stir crazy, so she rented a car and offered to have us tag along with her to Dominical. PERFECT. So we packed up the car, loaded up Newman and we were off for D-Town. We stayed at Billy's beautiful house on the hill, overlooking the ocean - next door to John and Mary's mansion (and their wonderfully refreshing pool!). We lucked out with awesome waves, about chest to head high and clean - and we ate ALL of our meals at my favorite, SODA NANYOA. Lara (Dr.Potato) and her friend Sarah arrived on Saturday night, just in time for some drinks and then the infamous ROCA VERDE for some late night dancing. We had a blast, spent the next day at the beach and then we all hopped in Suzie's car to return to my quiet, quaint and lovely Esterillos Oeste. Now in the house was Suz, JamD, Potato, Sarah, Newman and me. We surfed the next day and everyone came to my yoga class. This week I had 25 students...and I've been averaging around 20 people per class both Monday's and Thursday's! Perfect waves. Yoga'ed, coffee'd and then headed into Hermosa for happy hour before going to Noah's new place in Hermosa Hills for dinner. I made chickpea curry and guacamole, and Jeni made roasted eggplant and red peppers...delish! 5am wake up, coffee in bed, cuddle with Newman - Jam and I hopped a surf, ate, yoga'd and then picked up the girls at the house. That night was the Oeste BOWLING TOURNAMENT, it's going to be a regular thing on Tuesday nights. I sucked, Scott won. It was fun and the whole town came out...woohoo. A little before 10pm a black Toyota Tundra pulls up - dirty and covered in hand-drawn penis's....must be the boys!! After a month-long journey thru Central America they were back: Shawn, Adam, Keely and Chad. Sleep, wake up, coffee, surf, yoga. All of us ladies had a sunset horseback riding tour in Bejuco so around 230 we loaded up Bretts van and headed out. Riding horses was: JamieD, Pat, Sharon, Lara, Sarah, Susan, and Me. Brett, Jeff, Kara and Lee went along for the ride --- to hang at the bar, waiting for us to return. Well, I had the horse from hell. A complete asshole. He bit every horse, kicked every horse, hated being in the front of the line, and hated being at the ass end. He stood still when I wanted him to speed up, and he ran full speed ahead - so fast that I couldn't open my eyes - while I was pulling hard back on the reins trying to get him to stop. A complete mind of his own, and a complete schmuck. It was a pretty fun event though -- our horses running at full gallops along the beach, my mom would have loved it. JamieD didn't have any pants, only some spandex tights that were black snake print. Ha. She's never been on a horse before, and her horse was the only one that was faster than mine!! She almost fell off once when "Miss Brown" took off, throwing Jamie complete sideways. BAhhhh. The madness. We all laughed a ton and today we're walking like cowgirls. I have a hug bruise on my inner thigh as well as multiple bruises up and down both legs. Battle wounds...but I managed to survive. This morning yoga class was at 730am. Again, I had 23 students! Hooray! Seconds after class ended JamD and Scott left for Panama, and Lara and Sarah left for Dominical. Got in a little half assed surf session, ate a breakfast burrito, said goodbye to Suzie, and am now headed to move...again. I might just leave my bags packed though, because I will be moving again in 4 days into the house on the hill. I miss JamD already, but we will just have that much more fun upon her arrival back in Oeste. Gonna head out, ice my ass and rest these tired bones....I need some sleep, not now - right now. Pura Vida.

Left.Right

My face hurts...from smiling so much.

My voice is gone...from laughing so hard.

Goddamn, JamieD....I'm so glad you are here.

We are hanging down the beach the other day, all dressed up for Ladies Night in Hermosa, when this guy pulls up on a huge dirtbike. Jamie gets a big smile on her face and says "whoop whoop - i used to race dirtbikes when i was a kid". I asked if the guy wouldn't mind if Jam took it for a spin, and he had no problem with it. Everyone at the beach was checkin out JD when she hopped on the bike, revved the engine and then drove off down the dirt road. She came back, did a slow turn and we thought she was done - but then she peeeeeeels out and SPEEDS off down the street, in her little plaid onesie. Ha. Later that night, Party Brooke, Jam and me head to Ladies Night at the Backyard, where they are also celebrating the owners birthday with a mechanical bull. We didn't ride the bull, but we did dance. All the ticas dressed up, sexed up, dancing like lil hooker mamas, and Jamie is out on the dance floor doing the sprinkler, rollin up the windows, rollin the dice, and every other kind of random dance. It was hysterical. This morning we surfed Este, a bit fast and heavy but super fun. Jamie takes off on a huge closeout wave, and while shes paddling for it she yells my dad's famous line "LEFT RIGHT!!!!". She totally ate shit, came up laughing and was like "Dude, I went left right. My board went left and my body went right". Like I said, my face hurts from smiling and my voice is hoarse from laughing so much. Today we are heading to Dominical for a few days, going to stay at Billys and meet up with Doctor Potato who arrives on Saturday night. Bah, let the mayhem begin. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Pura Vida.

JAM.D

Bah.
JammieD is in da houseeee!!!
Muy excited.

Hoooray! Jamie was supposed to arrive in Oeste on Feb 7th, but the morning of her flight there was about 3 feet of snow on the ground and clearly the flight was canceled. She managed to snag a flight out on the 15th, and thankfully the snow held off long enough for her to get to paradise. I was out surfing when she arrived, the waves were some of the best Oeste has seen all season. Fast, heavy, clean and just perfect. She was exhausted though, so she hung out on the beach with Suz and Newman. We decided to have a tranquilo night - bought some red snapper and I made salad, sauteed fish and rice. It was 7:30 when we laid down for bed, and by 7:45 we were fast asleep. Poor Jam, I woke her up at 5am the next morning -- welcome to my schedule! I had coffee ready for her, fed Newman and then we hauled ass down the hill the beach. We surfed some beautiful chest high waves on baby reef..mellow, long peelers When I got out of the water, my friend Tigre had a watermelon waiting for me (his father owns a finca in Quepos where he has been working this past week harvesting the fruits). Headed back to the house for some muy dulce sandia, pina y payaya, a second cup of coffee and some mellow musicia. I sold JamD on the whole 'health benefits of agua de pipa' (see posts below) so we hopped back in the truck, headed back to the beach, and Carlos had some pipas waiting for us. We sat and sipped and spoke spanish. Carlos gave Jam a lesson with the machete and how to slice them open. Well, she was not a natural but with practice she went from what Flaco called "Ceviche de Pipa!" to a beautifully sliced open pipa. I think it was the sound effects that really helped her in the end "Hiiiii-YA" "Chhiii-POW!!". We returned to the house for some R&R, napping for a solid hour. So essential. I had asked Carlos earlier in the day if he wouldn't mind sharpening my dull, dead machete - so when we headed down to the beach for a surf check we brought along the machete, as well as all the makings for Rum & Gingerales just incase the surf was no bueno. Well, the surf was no bueno. Jam mixed us up some cocktails and everyone in town sat at the shoreline, watching the waves and chatting. Carlos was pretty drunk, but after an hour had managed to sharpen my machete and only get two cuts! Bah! He said that my machete was so dull that it needed to be sharpened on a certain rock , so the main Pipa man let me take HIS machete so we could open our pipas en la manana and we would switch back in the morning. Wooooohooooo!!! Last night we cocktailed away, ate burgers and hotdogs at Brett's with the crew - and then stayed up too late having one too many brewskies with Scott. The alarm went off at 5, and by 20after Jamie was awake and had coffee in hand. She machete'd our pipa's open in three swift WHACKS and after we downed our pipas we were off to the beach. Swell was not really there and the tide was too full - AND all the air was out of my back tire, AGAIN. SO, we took turns with the bicycle pump....slowly filling up my tire. We tossed in our boards, stopped at the gas station for some extra air, and then had a brief but fun surf session in Bejuco. We arrived back in Oeste to a low tide, but fun waves. So, we surfed again! Returned to the house for some fresh fruit and fish tacos, and then scooped up Newman and the computer, headed back to the beach. Jamie says that she thinks that she can get used to this schedule. And you know what, I don't think that it's going to be that tough to adjust to....Pura Vida.

You Can't WIPE This Smile Off My FACE.

Yesterday was Valentines Day...and the day after Mardi Gras. I laughed and laughed all day long as I remembered bits and pieces of the day and night before. I woke up a bit hungover and my ear infection was getting worse. Headed to La Sirena for some coffee with Jeni and Brett and then came down to the beach and bumped into Sean & Roni, Suzie, Pat and the rest of town. Everyone was feeling a bit hungover, and within two minutes Carlos (the Pipa guy) was sold out of coconuts. We all know that agua de pipa is a hangover cure...and I had two. I surfed for several hours, which was an awful idea given that it made my ear infection about ten times more painful. Bah. But it was a nice day of hanging out at the beach with this lovely town, laughing with old friends and chatting with the new ones. For Valentine's Day I went to Tsunami Sushi with Suzie and Pat. Shawnie had emailed Pat asking her to take me out to Tsunami and that he would pick up the tab! So sweet :) To our lucky surprise, there was a BAND playing!! Their name was "Mouse in the Toaster", a bit random, but they sounded AMAZING. We bopped our heads and tapped our feet all through dinner. Suze and I ate Sushi and Pat ordered the "fish of the day". To top it off we stopped at Pat's favorite italian ice cream place and then taxi'ed it home. I went to bed with a huge smile on my face, STILL riding high off the previous day. Life is GOOD. Taught a wonderful yoga session this morning - going home to nap now and then JAMIE D arrives this evening!! IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!

Here's some photos from Mardi Gras (I didn't bring my camera, so photos will be flowing in randomly over the next two weeks as friends email me their photos)

Dancing in the POURING RAIN. Bridgette and Pat.

Mid afternoon- Post Parade...cocktail time!

Dance. Dance. Dance. The party doesn't stop.

Two favorite hombres en Oeste: Cory and Newman. Decorating the cart.

MARDI GRAS

Bah. I woke up this morning with mud on my feet, sparkles all over my body, and a huge smile on my face. Even Newman had sparkles all over him.

Suzie and I woke up in the morning and packed PB's + Banana + Honey sandwiches, pineapple and the works for makin cocktails. I loaded up a bag with a change of clothes, sunscreen, bugspray, an extra bathingsuit and some dinero. Newman, Suz and me hopped on the golfcart and headed down to Mardi Gras central where the chaos was already full swing. Cars were pouring into town, bus loads of people, there was streamers and glitter and mayhem everywhere. I washed Adam's golf cart and began decorating it with the help of my little local buddy, Cory. We taped up signs for my passengers: the King and Queen (Vago and Margoth), and the MAYOR of PARRITA! I dressed up Newman in a velvet cape and the already-flashy golf cart was pimped to perfection. The parade started down at Barrilito and goddamn was it PARADE! There were two marching bands, a motorcycle gang and floats galor. There were gringos and ticos and BEADS being thrown in every which direction. We paraded all through town and then it ended right out front of Vago's and Lowtide. Surf was FIRING, like perfect, fast, heavy overhead firing. SO - I ditched my glitter and glamour, dropped Newman off at the house, and then headed for the waves. Got my ass kicked a few times, but also had some super fun waves. The rest of the day was a blur of more glitter, lots of music, and food. I went home to feed Newman dinner and exchange the golf cart for the truck, and as I was pulling down the hill it began to pour. ANOTHER rainy season rain. The skies opened up and it did.not.stop. There was a live band at Lowtide, the Chupacabras and despite the rain they played on. We were packed like sardines all trying to stay somewhat dry, and at some point in time somebody said "fuck it" and they left the cramped but dry oasis for a muddy, grassy, RAINY dancefloor. So we danced. In the rain. Like it was our last day on earth! Everyone was just laughing and dancing and glittering. The rest of the night was filled with dancing, dancing, dancing, drinking too much and laughing way too hard. It was a great night with wonderful friends in this magical little town. Pura Vida. Mardi Gras 2010.

Crazy for Coco.

I had such a lazy day yesterday. I've been feeling under the weather for about 2 days too long now. The first two days I thought were just a bit of fatigue from working, surfing and too much sun. The past two days have really put me over the edge, and I've refused to acknowledge my need for rest. SO - I slept in yesterday, came down and putzed on the internet - and though I vowed not to surf, I couldn't resist atleast one session. Grabbed my board and paddled out for some fun, somewhat funky, headhigh peaky surf out front. I didn't want to push my luck, so I got out after about an hour and a half had past. I headed back up towards the house, stopping along the way at Mike and Marthas. MIke and Martha are like the BLOCKBUSTER here in Oeste. They have a GAZILLION movies. I 'rented' two girly flicks "Hitch" and "Wedding Planner" and then a classic, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly". I watched both girly flicks back to back, cuddling Newman with the AC on. I still felt pretty awful, so I sipped some chamomile tea and tried to just relax. It was difficult for me to sit inside all day when it was so beautiful out - but its beautiful out EVERY DAY and really, I needed it. Headed down to the beach right before sunset to check in the internet again - hoping to hear from Shawnie. No email, I believe he's finishing the second half of the drive through Mexico. Hung out with the locals, sipped a club soda, and then headed back up the hill. I made suzie and I Arroz con Carne for dinner to try and use up the leftovers in the fridge. Sauteed onions, garlic and red bell peppers in a pan. Made some rice (with chicken stock). Diced up leftover steak and meaty chicharones that were in the fridge. Sauteed it all up in a pan with some cilantro and vavavoom. Served alongside a salad and some limon-marinated cabbage. It was the first real thing I ate all day, and it was delicious!! Didn't feel so hot afterwards, but not to worry - there was more AC and another movie - THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY. *Sigh* I totally love Clint Eastwood. While we watched the movie I rubbed coconut oil into my fingertips, under my eyes, and into my elbows - I also rubbed some into Newmans skin which has been acting up again lately. And you know what - this morning his skin looked LOADS better! Hooray for coconut oil!! Fastforward now to this morning - woke up early, played with Newman and now I'm headed down to Vagos to sweep up my "Yoga Studio" for a 730am class. Pura Vida.

Aceite de Coco

I know, the coconut. It seems to be a running theme...and maybe I'll stick with it.

We are going on day 3 with no water in Adam's development where I am house-sitting and dog-sitting. Les said that he just tries to think of it as "camping"...but personally, I like to flush my poo and yes, occasionally I even enjoy a shower! Not to mention the growing pile of dishes in the sink... I got keen to the water being out atleast once a week so I started leaving full waterbottles around the house. I didn't plan on the water being out for 3 full days, and unfortunately didn't have any water left in the waterbottles for the Bialetti today! And this morning I was REALLY craving coffee. So, Suzie and I cruise on down the hill to Margarita's. I'd completely forgotten, but Margarita and her daughters make Aceite de Coco right there, so for 3mil (around 6 bucks) I got a nice sized bottle of coconut oil. There are a ton of ways to use coconut oil, from cooking to cosmetics to your personal health. I did some research and below is what I've found.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the substances found in coconuts and coconut oil can prevent heart disease, fight infections, improve the absorption of nutrients, help in weight loss and stay healthy in ways that no other fat can match.

Although coconut oil does have a rather negative reputation for being the heaviest oil in terms of saturation percentage (92%), it isn't all that bad for you. All the saturated fats in this oil is natural and has a totally different structure to those that are found in other saturated fats. The difference lies in the fact that coconut oil is made up 50% of medium chain fatty acids while the others contain long chain fatty acids. These fatty acids penetrate cell membranes more quickly than long chains, without the need for special enzymes. Also, medium chain fatty acids are sent directly to the liver, without circulating through the blood stream like other fats. Here, they are immediately converted to energy instead of being stored as body fat.

Here are some health benefits of using coconut oil:

• Hair: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil (as a conditioner after the shower) ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff or lice, even if your scalp is dry. The protein in the oil also helps to alleviate dandruff and to grow your hair long and strong.

• Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins and can be used during winters to get rid of dry skin. It has a lot of antibacterial as well as antiseptic properties. Therefore, it helps to relieve inflammation, rashes, and blisters of the skin. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.

• Heart Diseases: Large quantity of saturated fat in coconut oil has led to the misconception that it is not good for the heart. However, contrary to the misconception, the 50% lauric acid in the coconut oil helps prevent various heart problems including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. As in case of other vegetable oils, the saturated fats present in coconut oil are not harmful. It does not lead to increase in LDL levels, and reduces the incidence of injury in arteries and therefore helps in preventing atherosclerosis.

• Weight Loss: The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are good in many ways. They contain less energy and do not circulate in the blood stream like other fats but go straight to the liver and get converted into energy. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the enzymes and thyroid systems. These fatty acids are also known to speed up the body's metabolism, burning more calories.

• Digestion: Consumption of coconut oil helps in improved digestion and thus prevents various stomach and digestion related problems including irritable bowel syndrome. The anti microbial properties of the saturated fats present in coconut oil helps in dealing with various bacteria, fungi and parasites that cause indigestion.

• Immunity: Coconut oil strengthens the immune system as it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Lauric acid is transformed into monolaurin by the body which is an immune boosting antiviral, antibacterial monoglyceride which the body uses to destroy viruses such as herpes, influenza and even HIV.

• Infection: The lauric acid and caprylic acid in coconut oil make it uniquely effective in fighting all kinds of bacteria and viruses. Caprylic acid in particular is known to kill fungus and yeast. Coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, herpes, hepatitis, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, etc. Coconut oil is also used to promote healing. When applied to infections, the oil creates a chemical layer that protects from external irritants such as dust and bacteria. It is also known to expedite the repairing of damaged cells and tissues.

Agua de Pipa, The Fluid of Life.

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts, not to be confused with coconut milk. As the fruit matures, the coconut water gradually is replaced by the coconut meat and air. A very young coconut has very little meat, and the meat is very tender, almost a gel. Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands like Hawaii and the Caribbean, where it is available fresh, canned or bottled. It is naturally fat free and low in food energy.Coconuts for drinking are carefully packaged and sold in many places. These are typically Asian coconuts whose outer green husk has been removed, and the remainder wrapped in plastic. In Central America, particularly in Costa Rica and Panama, it is found and sold in strategic highway stops or on the beaches; there, the coconut water is called "agua de pipa", and the coconut is cut in front of the customer to ensure its freshness.



Coconut water is the only natural substance that can be injected into the human blood stream as an intravenous fluid. In fact, it is even used in some developing countries in lieu of medical saline. A cup-full is low in calories, contains more electrolytes than most sports drinks and has more potassium than a banana.

Besides athletes, why do people need all that potassium? Aside from preventing muscle cramps, potassium has a slew of other health benefits for the body and mind. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center for Optimum Health cites several studies that associate increased potassium intake with decreased risk of stroke, higher bone density in premenopausal, perimenopausal, postmenopausal women and elderly men, the prevention of kidney stones and the lowering of blood pressure.

Other recent studies explore the relationship of potassium and the brain. Can potassium compete with Prozac? Yes, potassium has been shown to help with PMS and mood disorders with symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and confusion. Depression, for instance, can result in potassium deficiency and acute anxiety. So, is a serving of coconut juice the answer to all of our ailments? Certainly not, and, as with most natural remedies, the FDA is far from supporting any health claims.

So try for yourself, next time you have a tension headache or worked out really hard or are feeling cranky from PMS. The water fresh from a just-cracked coconut tastes sweeter, richer and denser, but the available packed choices from ZICO and Vita Coco are really good.

Health Benefits — Coconut Water:

- contains high-levels of potassium
- the only natural substance that can be injected into the human blood stream as an intravenous fluid
- contains more electrolytes than most sports drink
- low in calories

Here is a clinical analysis of coconut water calories in (one cup) 240 gm of coconut water. The amount of various main nutrients is given in grams. The calories in coconut water of this quantity are only 46, out of which only 4g comes from fat! Coconut water obviously is made up of more than 95% water! I mention only the nutrients which are high by proportion here.

Nutrient	Weight Fraction(gm)
Total Fat	0.5 gm
Sodium	252 mg
Carbohydrates	8.9 gm
Protein	1.7 gm

Health Value of Coconut Water
Coconut water is one of the most pure and unadulterated drinks you could ever have, as it is sealed airtight by nature. You need not be worried about coconut water calories, as the amount of benefits you get from it far outnumber its calorie count! Here are some of the important coconut water health benefits.

• The best thing about coconut water is, that it contains zero cholesterol! It contains minerals like calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium! It also contains vitamins like Riboflavin, Thiamine and Vitamin C . All these nutrients make coconut a very potent health drink. It is more nutritious than milk, as it has less fats and no cholesterol.
• Coconut water is better than many processed baby milk products, as it contains lauric acid which is an important ingredient of mother's milk.
• Coconut water is used as intravenous saline fluid in many developing countries and has saved many lives! The reason that its possible to be used that way is its composition, which is quite identical to human blood plasma!
• Coconut water can effectively treat disturbance of the intestine in infants. It can be also used as a oral rehydrant in cases of dehydration in children. Coconut oil is also a versatile type of oil, with a variety of medicinal properties.
• Coconut water, by its very nature is an isotonic beverage. That is, it has the perfect balance of electrolytes in it, which is good for our body due to its right pH levels.
• It is an excellent energy drink for the old and the sick, who find it difficult to process solid food. It is a natural fluid designed to sustain life! Read more on benefits of coconut water.

All these health benefits bear testimony to the versatility of coconut water as a natural health drink. Hope this article has served its purpose and has not only given you information about coconut water calories, but also intrigued you to taste this natural drink! Try and make it a regular part of your diet, as it is a natural elixir of life!


There are many health benefits of drinking coconut water. It helps in relieving problems related to the urinary tract, intestines and kidneys. Coconut water helps cure urinary problems such as polyutra and strangury. It also helps in improving digestion and killing intestinal worms if taken along with a teaspoonful of olive oil, continuously for three days. Coconut water relieves the intestines of harmful toxins. It also acts as a carminative, thereby relieving the gas in the alimentary canal. Doctors recommend patients afflicted with kidney stones, to drink coconut water in addition to regular medications. Coconut water facilitates the disintegration of kidney stones and their easy passage out of the body. Monolaurin, a chemical present in coconut water, has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Thus, it is used to kill pathogens such as cytomegalovirus and the Herpes virus. It is also used to reduce vomiting in patients suffering from typhoid and malaria. Coconut water is also used in blood transfusion, since it has properties that are similar to blood plasma. It is also used as a substitute to the standard fluid IV for intravenous hydration.

Along with the above mentioned uses, coconut water provides the following benefits.

• Coconut water raises the level of metabolism in the body.
• Since coconut water is isotonic in nature, it is used in rehydrating the body.
• It helps boost the blood circulation and maintains the pH of body fluids.
• Intake of coconut water keeps a tab on weight gain and also helps control diabetes.
• Coconut water is considered to be more beneficial than milk and orange juice. It doesn't contain the fats and cholesterol present in milk. The excess calories found in orange juice too are absent in coconut water.
• It is also used to get rid of the swelling present in hands and legs.
• Can help stop sugar and alcohol cravings.
• Aids digestion of all foods.
• Has a toning affect on the intestines, even flattening the abdomen!
• Maintain youthful skin, with many people reporting a better complexion. Additionally, you may notice brown age spots on the skin fading away -- and skin tags, moles or warts drying up and disappearing.
• Contains high levels of valuable minerals, including potassium, natural sodium, and chloride, which explains why hair, skin and mails become stronger and have a prettier shine.
• Appears to have a beneficial cleansing effect on the endocrine system (adrenals, thyroid, pituitary and ovaries). Women find their periods are cleaner and healthier and some who had experienced early menopause have found this important monthly cleansing returning again.
• Increases energy and gives you an overall feeling of health.
• Beneficial for dehydration and hangovers.

Cailin the Caterer.

Beers @ the beach, in the golf cart, followed by the best grilled cheese's ever and a huge salad. Whole wheat bread, two kinds of cheese with sliced tomato, onion, avocado and bacon. MmMm. Went to bed super early hoping to be well-rested for my early-morning-gig. Alarm went off at 3:50am, I brushed my teeth, put up my hair, threw on some black clothes and fed a very confused Newman a very early breakfast. I was out the door a little after 4 with my headlamp on and machete in hand, hopped into the '73 Cruiser and was off for Herradura. Me and the truck made it to Los Suenos all in one piece, taking about 45minutes (it would take a normal car probably about 30 minutes...). I met Cynthia, the Tica chef I was to be working with, and we were dropped off at a beautiful mansion to cater breakfast. Cynthia had done lots of prep and quickly began cooking in the kitchen. I brewed coffee, laid out plates, silverware, coffee dishes, juice, etc. etc. Shortly after we arrived at 5am the guests began to rise. About 20 people from the South, heading out around 7am for a full day of fishing. The women were done up - hair, makeup and high heels. Some of the guys cracked open Coors Lights, and it was always "Excuse me Ma'am" and "Thank you Ma'am" and "Pardon me Ma'am, but where do ya'll keep the Kahlua?". By 6:30 everyone was out the door and by 6:45am we were finished. Cynthia and I had cleaned up breakfast, loaded the DISHWASHERS (so exciting!! a DISHWASHER in COSTA RICA!!), and then our boss, JimmyT, came to pick us up. This home was THE most BEAUTIFUL home that I have ever seen. If I rallied every single person that I know, I could MAYBE fill up the breathtaking infinity pool. There was a perfectly groomed courtyard in the center of the home and everything was just right. I was "oooooo"ing and "ahhhhhh"ing about the house to Cynthia and she laughed, saying that this was one of the smaller homes in Los Suenos. Oh me, oh my. Hopefully some of these people love Yoga and are in need of a personal instructor....! Cynthia is lovely, and I was very glad to have my first experience with her. She is married to Cesar, a pastry chef. They have a 10 year old daughter, Daniela - who dreams of being a rockstar and who's favorite band is Black Sabbath. They live in San Jose - but have an apartment in Quebrada, where they stay for 3 to 4 days at a time when they work for Jimmy. Cynthia went to Chef school and learned all about cooking, wine, cheese, pairing...everything! She owns her own catering business with her husband in San Jose and though she specializes in almost every cuisine, her favorite style to cook is ASIAN! She loves stir fry's and currys and fried rice dishes! She is stunningly beautiful, patient with my Spanish, and is going to be a great working partner. Hopped in my truck and was home just in time to grab a beautiful hour long surf session out front! The waves were tiny, but it looks as if we are going to have a swell filling in within the next few days. Heading back up to the house now to spend some quality time with my main man Newman. I owe him a few coconut tosses down the hill and a good belly rub. Pura Vida.

Just Call Me Jellybean.

Every day is so eventful, I'm exhausted from my daily life which is like a never-ending-glorious-vacation. Anyways... made some Mardi Gras decorations at Bridgette's house with all of the lovely ladies in town. Newman was DYING because he wasn't allowed in the pool, and since it was his designated "bath day" I figured that I'd treat him and bring him down to the beach. Him and I swam for nearly a half hour before heading back to the house. I hurried to get ready for my hot date with Jeni. She keeps paying for my drinks at the bar, so I told her to pick a nice restaurant and I was going to take her out! We went to Pili Pili in Jaco and it was AMAZING. We shared everything, starting with a tomato and anchovie salad followed by octopus carpaccio and the final course being mussels with french fries!! We ended on a delightful, creamy creme brulee and I sipped an espresso - all the wine and eating had made me sleepy! We decided to keep the night alive and go out to "Ladie's Night" @ the Backyard in Hermosa. Free drinks...guaro and fresca. Gag. Instant hangover. Silly me, I had two. We danced and laughed and had an amazing time. Got home later than I had hoped and woke up earlier than expected the next morning --- cursing my "free drinks" from Backyard. Newman found me a good coconut the other day, and I was determined to use my new machete. I also figured that it was a perfect hangover cure. Well, the machete is more dull than a damn butter knife. Newman watched me intently as I sawed away at this friggin' coconut with a kitchen knife for the the following half hour. Finally, drenched in sweat and feeling the hangover creeping in, I got to the agua de pipa!! Que Bueno! Headed down the hill for a muy tranquilo surf session - super small, super long peelers, super glassy --- and the water was so clear you could see to China! My truck magically passed inspection, a price that I was bound to pay heavy for - so Brett took Susie, Jeff, Sharon and I into Parrita to pick it up. Back at the beach now and had Newman playing for a good time - he is tuckered out and bound to sleep like a rock. Have a catering gig in Herradura tomorrow at 5 in the am, so it's going to be a lazy evening. Having everyone over for a big salad and GRILLED CHEESE. Pura vida.

En Fuego

Last night Noah came over and him, susie and I had coconut curry with mini-meatballs. I was a bit buzzed from the tasty mojitos, but managed to throw together a slammin' dinner. We all licked our plates and then had some caramel for dessert that susan had purchased during he recent rondevousz in the mountains. Went to bed last night with Newman in bed with me and my machete alongside the bed. Susan was in the room next door, and still I had trouble sleeping through the night. I'm scared of everything. The dark, spiders, crocodiles, large fish, sharks, heights, etc. etc. I overcome these fears, but I am terrified none-the-less. Woke up at 4:30 in the morning and was wide awake - WIDE awake. I figured that I should just get up instead of tossing and turning, so I laid out my yoga mat, threw on some headphones and did yoga. I started out with the new hip opening routine that Michelle had posted on her blog and I felt AMAZING. Made some Bialetti, threw the coconut for Newman and fed him some breakfast and then started my dissent down the hill. Power-walked the 15minute route to the beach, and drenched in sweat I decided to paddle out. The water was super glassy and refreshing, the Soda Mary crew out - and the waves were about knee high peelers...allllll the way to the beach. Took a few waves before running back to the Soda, rinsing off, eating some Poopaya, calling my dad on Skype and now getting ready to jet out the door to go to Jaco. EN FUEGO. I'm on a roll, let's hope I can keep this going throughout the day. Later - cocktails and Mardi Gras up at Bridgettes. We are crafting and gluing and drinking and laughing and decorating our bikes for the upcoming celebration. Pura Vida.

As Shawn would say, I woke up this morning totally "en fuego".

Machete's and Ice Cream...every girls dream.

So few days yet so much to say! Yesterday morning (Monday) Shawn, the Germans and I caught a ride with Noah. Swell was super small – waves were nearly non-existent out front in Oeste. We ended up in Bejuco and were lucky to catch waist/chest high waves with overhead sets…firing. The big sets closed up, but I was going ape shit on the smaller waves. Super fun, super fast with a really clean face. The water was crystal clear – you could see your shadow on the sea’s floor all the way outside in the lineup. Noah is a really phenomenal longboarder…tall and super lean, and graceful as could be, just not nearly as sexy as Shawn. For all of you Jersey-folk back home, I would compare his surfing to that of Brian Bowen. Super smooth and inspirational. Love surfing with him. We dried off our boards and rinsed off our feets (did I mention that Noah is a very “particular” about everything?) before getting into his truck and heading home. Arrived home just in time for Yoga and I was delighted to have a full class, with new faces! I love that people are interested in yoga and excited about the class. Among the new yogi’s were Kyle (lovely lovely lady married to a local Tico Dennis) and her ADORABLE son, Elliot. Elliot is 4 years old. His favorite yoga position is “THE DOG!!”. He participated in the first few minutes of class and retreated back to his mat for Savasana. In between he was very quiet and mindful of the class going on. I was so impressed by this young man. Another new addition was a Tica woman from Esterillos Este. She is very new to yoga, only having practiced from a book. She was weak wrists and has had some bad pains in her back. I was so impressed that it was her first class – she followed along with the flow as if she’d been practicing for several weeks. I really love my yoga classes…I feel amazing after every class, and I certainly attribute that to the great, dedicated group of students I have acquired. After yoga the Germans took Shawn and I out to lunch @ Margarita’s as a “thanks” for the dinner parties and rides to the surf. Shawnie and I both had Arroz con Camarone’s and we BOTH cleaned our plates. Pat & Legend Mike also joined us for lunch and Mike, as always, provided some quality entertainment. Stuffed to the gills, we stuffed ourselves into Mikey’s little car: Jeff, Shawn, Me, Pat, Mike and Mikey’s pooch Paloma. We had all of our boards on top as we headed into Jaco to run some errands. I went straight to the hardware store for something that I’d had in mind for several weeks now: a MACHETE. I figured with Shawn outta town for the next month it would be good for my own personal safety up on the hill and would also come in handy to help appease my agua de pipa obsession. For a little more than $4 (“Gringos should not own machetes, and Ticos should not own power tools”) I walked out of the store with machete in hand, and then headed with gang for some Italian ice cream up the street! What more could a girl ask for?! We stopped in Hermosa for some waves on the way home, and ended up a bit down the way at Tulene. The tide was uber high (which I will explain later in the blog) and it looked a bit funky. Jeff Pace, who just arrived from frigid and flat New Jersey, was frothing at the mouth and before you could snap your fingers he was waxed up and in the water. Shawn and Mikey followed, but I was skeptical and sat on the beach for a while to scope it out. The waves were decent size, about chest high…but there was so much water out there and the swell didn’t quite seem to know what it wanted to do. It didn’t help that the tide was on it either. A half hour passed, the wind died down and the swell cleaned up. As the tide continued to increase, the swell increased as well. Almost twice as big as when the boys had paddled out. I waxed up and joined the lineup, having a solid hour of solid, super fun waves. TWO great sessions in ONE day, AND a machete! BAH. Life is good. Shawn knocked some coconuts down from the trees, used the new machete to get to the agua, we refreshed ourselves with “natures natural Gatorade”, the sun set and we were off – back to Oeste. We had a beer at Lowtide Lounge with the crew, loaded up into the golf cart and came home for Shawn’s last (lets hope not) supper. I whipped up some delicious grub, Shawn packed his bags and I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up this morning, still smiling from yesterdays surf sessions and machete purchase. We checked the waves, which were truly nonexistent thanks to this freakish high tide and then came back up to the house for some tranquilo hang time before Shawn leaves for his month-long journey through Central America in a truck with Adam and Keeley. I can’t wait til he returns with all of his stories…cause there are BOUND to be a bountiful amount of off-the-wall, laugh so hard that your stomach hurts, absolutely ludicrous tales (probably poop stories). Safe travels Shawnie.

So, it’s Tuesday afternoon. Shawn left around 9 and shortly afterwards I walked down the hill to check the waves. As high as the tide came up, it seems to have retreated even faster. No bueno. I watched a podcast on YogaBabyMomma.blogspot.com (michelle’s AMAZING yoga blog) about hip opening sequences and then walked back up the hill for some Q.T. with Newman. Soon after arriving back at the house Suzie knocked on the door! She had been in the mountains the past few days, and now she is back until November 27th! Hooray! I have a partner in crime for Mojito’s this afternoon! Threw the coconut around for Newman, made Suzie and I French toast for lunch, and now we are getting ready to head down the beach. Hopefully I will catch some fun waves later this afternoon, but if not then I’ll be several mojito’s deep! Pura Vida.



quick update: sitting at lowtide right now, sipping mojitos with susie and noah, made by the WONDERFUL miss Roni! caught a ride with noah to hermosa and surfed some so-so waves. headed back to the house for some coconut curry :)