Casas a la venta y en alquiler en Costa Rica | Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser - Newsletters

Weather: This week has seen the continuation of our mini-summer -- with the exception of one wild 20 min. storm Friday.

Lita Get's "Busted": Lita was going out with a resident. Amongst other places, they wanted to go to PriceSmart so asked to borrow my card. No problem. They did their shopping, went to check out, submitted the card to the cashier, and then three nice guys arrived surrounding the two.......  Since the card was in my name, she couldn't use it and even though she had her passport showing her name, it didn't matter.  So embarrassed, and confused, she phoned me...I realized what had happened, laughed, .....  Pam was allowed to buy her things, but the kept the card which a receipt for retrieval.  I got it the next day and the PriceSmart rep remembered the incident and we both started laughing.  The fact that it is a "personal membership card" lapsed with me.

"Busted" --Rock and Roll Pollo:  It's been closed. Rumor has it (I don't know if accurate or not) something like the following: Two local cops showed up to collect their "chorrizo";  the owner said "no" that he is fully legal and complying with all laws.  The cops left.  Shortly afterwards, two girls showed up, sat at the bar and proceeded to drink from plastic cups.  The cops returned, checked their IDs and found them to be underage.  They (or they called the equivalent of the health inspector) proceeded to do an inspection of the premises and found a minor violation in the kitchen.  They were shut down.  Since this is their third violation they have to find another liquor license.  Supposedly they will have one and hope to re-open soon.

Time Out Tavern:  As good as ever....but the prices are going up.  Fish and Chips has gone from C3,500 to C4,800 and a number of their daily specials are now up  from C5,500 to C7,000.

A Visitor's Assessment:  A friend of my accountant came from Canada with his wife. He had been to CR a number of times before but not for three years and had previously traveled the country on the cheap.  He is afraid to drive in CR so planned to travel by bus and stay at nice hotels and restaurants.  They booked a bed and breakfast in Santa Ana--very, very  basic--not what they were expecting.  After Santa Ana, they were off to Quepos and the Mariposa Hotel.  The plan was to stay there for a couple days, bus on south to Domincal  for a couple days and then bus back through San Isidro / Cartago / to Santa Ana.  Not much of this happened.  The bus to Quepos was stopped in Parrita due to some protest.  They had to backtrack  on their own and find accommodations;  their hotel in Playa Hermosa was lousy and overpriced.  They had to take a taxi to Quepos the next day.  Their hotel was nice but the price quoted did not include taxes or gratuities- (and as newbies, they didn't know enough to ask)-another 23%.  They ate out several times and found the meals overpriced and mediocre at best.  They gave up trying to go further south and returned very disappointed. I looked for a place in Santa Ana for them for one night (we didn't have a vacancy so we couldn't accommodate them).  Nothing less than $130.  They left CR with a bad taste in their mouth.  The assessment they will tell their friends  is that it is overpriced and substandard service and quality.  I've heard and read these comments from others.  This is not helping the tourist industry or CR's future--these people were potential future residents.  While I think they made some mistakes in their strategy and perhaps they had the  "unusual" quirk in the road closure due to protesters, some of their assessments seemed justified. (Note: despite their experience, we did have a great meal at Brian and Lita's followed by an interesting conversation.....he comes from a different professional background than I and he had some interesting takes on the world financial, legal, and political system.)

Our Week's Experience: I read that "JR House of Ribs" was open; I found out it was a small local chain.  I linked to their website--their website links didn't work.  Thursday Lita and I went.  Since the building wasn't marked, I went to a restaurant "Blue Ocean" to ask directions for JR....  I looked over their menu and found corvina for C13,000+;  there was no one in the restaurant.  I asked for JRs....in both English and Spanish;  the girl said she didn't know.  O.k.  an ad for JRs was on the bottom of their  sign in front of their restaurant.  I found JRs next door--no signage of course...two tables occupied.  The menu looked expensive but we decide to try  the full baby back ribs and onion rings. The ribs were o.k.--nothing special--but the onion rings at C3900 were the lowest grade frozen, lousy rings one could buy.  They didn't have the beer I drink--Bavaria Negra.  Service was good. Bottom line is that  it is  just another ho-hum restaurant that is mediocre and pricey.  We won't be going back.

Friday I had to do some shopping for various household things.--phones, DVD player, etc...When returning to Santa Ana, there was a huge traffic jam--I tried all avenues and everything was blocked.  When the guy behind me honked and clearly none of us were going anywhere for some time, I decided it was time to opt out.  I parked (I could do it given my location) and decided to have lunch at a newly rebuilt restaurant in MegaSuper's parking lot--formerly "Big Dogs".  At 12:30, one table was occupied by 3 people.  The 10 item luncheon menu looked expensive.  I settled on casado at C2,000--good price.  The meal was o.k. but decided I wouldn't be returning soon.  My bill had the casado priced at C2,245.  I asked why the difference.  The waitress (simply doing what she had been told to do) said I had had the "large" casado....  Rather than explain that there was no large or small casado on the menu ( which I double checked), just simply said that I will never, ever return, that what happened was not right. My prediction is that both of these restaurants will soon be out of business.

Applebee's Restaurant is coming to the Momentum Mall and is expected to open Nov. 15.  Inka Grill in Santa Ana is now open.
 
Brian, Lita, Hugo, irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot, and the newbies — Chico and Chica.

Brian C. Timmons, Newsletter Author
Residencias Los Jardines/Hacienda El Dorado - Developer
E-mail: brian@eldoradocostarica.com

For inquiries about availability of residences at Hacienda El Dorado or Residencias Los Jardines, contact:

Jan Kozak, Marketing Manager
Hacienda El Dorado
Rio Oro, Santa Ana
Costa Rica

Web: www.eldoradocostarica.com
E-mail: info@eldoradocostarica.com
MSN: jan.kozak.jr@hotmail.com
Skype: jan.kozak.jr

Tel (US) (+1) 647-477-5825
Cell: (+506) 8393-4666