Money, even a little, is power

Posted on by stanleyobando

Right before I started the Daily Boost last year, I stumbled upon the Alma Artesana shop in Curridabat and fell in love with its mission of helping individual artisans make it as a group. I realized how important it was to buy my Christmas presents there instead of ordering things on Amazon to await my arrival in the States, as I sometimes have in the past. The shop, featured in an early post, awakened a new interest in shopping local.

From Alma Artesana via Instagram

Over the subsequent months, I got out to more farmer’s markets, an incredible family pasta shop, independent bookstores and neighborhood shops. I learned about Local Keeps, which connects lots of Costa Rican “makers” to international customers. I wrote about lots of artists: Raudyn Alfaro, Vivian Víquez of Corteza, Francisco Munguía, Priscilla Aguirre, Carolina Rodríguez of Chepeart, the street art platform Costa Rica en la Pared, No Estamos Todas, and many more. However, things really shot into a new gear with the global pandemic. Like so many other consumers around the world, I realized that every dollar I spend supports somebody. Sometimes, it’s a gazillionaire in a castle made of gold bricks, and that’s just the way that is. Whenever possible, though, we can try to support the person who’s on the other side of the counter or bank transfer.

I also realized that incremental changes are ok. They’ve had to be, during a year this overwhelming and with this many economic challenges. But the weekly box of veggies that arrives now on Sundays from a local farm: that helps. The meals we order from a rotating circle of the neighborhood restaurants we’re most worried about: that helps. Somehow, 2020 helped shake loose some of the guilt I used to feel about responsible spending and make me realize that hey, any dollar (or colón) redirected to a better recipient is a win. So just focus on your wins.

My family went back to Alma Artesana a few days ago for the first time in awhile. I went in for cloth face masks, but we ended up lingering much longer than we meant to, thrilled by the store’s gorgeous new location (just south of the McDonald’s across from Plaza del Sol, if you’re in the neighborhood), and the amazing work of the craftspeople it represents. While every product in the store and every woman working there has a story of stress and 2020 trouble, it was inspiring – and a huge relief – to see them surviving and maybe even thriving.

I think the newfound consciousness so many of us have gained about the power of our money, even just a dollar, might help more success stories come true as we emerge.

By Vivian Víquez, of Corteza

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; learn how to join my Overwhelmed Writers’ League, every Saturday at 1 pm EST; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! To learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.

It’s time for some Soy Yo

Posted on by stanleyobando

This week for Happy Hour, I’m busting out the massive 2016 hit that put an 11-year-old Costa Rican girl in the international spotlight.

The music video for “Soy Yo” (“I’m Me”), from Colombian band Bomba Estéreo, featured the irrepressible Sarai González, who pretty much broke the internet that year. She lives in New Jersey (or did, at the time the song came out), but her father is from Costa Rica.

If you haven’t listened in awhile, crank it up and have yourself a little Friday dance. Sarai, whatever you’re up to now, I hope you’re still just as happy and full of killer moves.

Have a great weekend.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; learn how to join my Overwhelmed Writers’ League, every Saturday at 1 pm EST; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! To learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.

Open the ocean

Posted on by stanleyobando

I love sharing music on Fridays, when I can. Here’s a recent recording from Costa Rica that’s emblematic of our times.

“Open the Ocean,” released this week by Earthstrong, pleads with the Costa Rican government to fully open the country’s beaches. Whether or not you agree with the lyrics, the song – like so much of the art being created now – will be an interesting reminder, in the years to come, about what 2020 was really like.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

A Northern Zone artist, now churning out fabulous stickers

Posted on by stanleyobando

Creativity Week continues with a look at an artist who has been churning out tons of new pieces during the quarantine, including art in a very accessible new format: stickers. I love the idea of being able to add a Costa Rican hummingbird to any surface I like.

I featured Vivian Víquez, who hails from San Carlos in the Northern Zone, in February – when she told me that her goal was “ to help make species more visible and educate the public” – and have been loving her Instagram feed ever since (while I tend to be drawn to her birds, there are beetles and mammals and all kinds of creatures wandering there).

Honestly, that’s about all I have to say today. Well done, Vivian; thank you; and to anyone who needs a splash of Costa Rican color in their lives on the regular, look no further. (Check her out on Instagram.)

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! If you want to learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section, updated regularly – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.

 

How a tiny cat launched a creative empire

Posted on by stanleyobando

Next up in this Creativity Week is Priscilla Aguirre. She’s one of my favorite local artists, the force behind the Holalola brand and the illustrator of my book back in 2016, much to my eternal delight. During the pandemic, she’s been putting forth lots of new designs. This week she unveiled a new website that goes behind the scenes of her creative process.

While it’s brand-new, it’s already full of great stuff, from a recipe for coconut pancakes (what? Yes, please), to tips to creating a gallery wall in your home, to a beautiful essay about how Holalola came to be. It turns out Priscilla adopted a cat years ago, Lola, and that cat changed everything.

That little cat changed my life. At first, I was afraid of hurting her – she was so small – and then she gave me allergies and scratched me up plenty. But something about her fascinated me, and as she grew, I fell in love with her “cattitude,” her independence, her adventurous spirit, the way she set limits. And I began to transform, too, little by little. I started trying things that had been unthinkable with the anxiety to which I was so accustomed. Saying no. Listening to myself more. Having more confidence. Paying attention to what I wanted to do.

So confident did Lola make Priscilla that she – the artist, that is, not the cat – even managed to take a trip to San Francisco with her young son. There, at an exhibit, she saw the artwork that eventually inspired Holalola, a business named for the cat that made it all possible. The cat has gone, but “now, I am Lola,” Priscilla writes.

In this time of great stress and tremendous creativity, here’s to the Lolas who make it possible for us to change and strive. And, if you’re a Spanish speaker, please check out lolaturquoise.com. You’ll be glad you did.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! If you want to learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section, updated regularly – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.

Your ultimate source for Costa Rican street art goodness

Posted on by stanleyobando

I’ll admit it: this week has been running me ragged, and today my Daily Boost inspiration didn’t strike until precisely 4 pm. I asked the man ringing me up at a San Pedro café what the organization on his T-shirt was all about, and his answer filled me with instant delight. Costa Rica en al Pared (Costa Rica on the Wall) is the street art compendium I’ve been looking for all my life. Well, for 15 years, at least.

Street art in Puerto Viejo. Author unknown.

The urban art platform supports and celebrates artists, holds art safaris (what the hell have I been doing with my time?), promotes mural contests and more. Most importantly for me, it posts photos of amazing street art and the people who make it. Lots and lots of photos. I’ll be turning to this account for a splash of color on rushed days like today from here on out.

Gabriel Dumani, San José. Via Costa Rica en la Pared, Facebook.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! Each month in 2020 has a monthly theme, and February’s is marriage equality, so scroll back through the month to see several posts highlighting people and organizations working on behalf of this issue in Costa Rica. 

 

The startup that lets you shop Costa Rican small businesseses – from anywhere

Posted on by stanleyobando

Last week I was thrilled to attend a presentation by the Costa Rican startup Local Keeps. Founded by Costa Rican-born Galit Flasterstein and her husband Eric Scharf, Local Keeps is an online store that allows small Costa Rican businesses to sell their wares to customers anywhere in the world.

I’ve interacted with a number of Costa Rican artisans and small business owners in the past and heard, “Ah, I’d love to sell online someday, but I have no idea how” – so I immediately understood that Local Keeps is filling a very necessary role for its “makers,” as it calls its product creators. Two of the makers joined Galit to speak to visitors from Travel with Ann and other students at Personalized Spanish in Trés Rios on Friday: natural cosmetics creator Adriana García and fruit jewelry genius Rosa Montealegre. Rosa is pictured below with her husband, Juan.

Yup, I said fruit jewelry, which has to be seen to be believed (and you can see it here): Rosa and her now 11-person team collect unsold fruit from farmer’s market and create incredible pieces from shaved mango seeds, dried banana slices and other things you could never have imagined as bright, gorgeous rings and necklaces. Meanwhile, Adriana, a one-woman show, whips up lotions and sugar scrubs that smell good enough to eat.

Galit explained that the mission of Local Keeps is not just to sell the work of these entrepreneurs, but also to help them grow. They give each entrepreneur a professional photo shoot and access to the resulting images, and are organizing regular get-togethers so that the companies can exchange ideas and receive support.

Going to the post office in Costa Rica is not exactly the easiest process, so I’ve often opted for U.S. online merchants when buying presents for someone back home – which is a shame, given the insane number of high-quality artisans and producers here in Costa Rica. It’s a relief to know I can just hop online and support them while getting the gift delivered anywhere. This post might sound like an infomercial, but that’s just how excited I am that someone is making this possible for Costa Rican microbusinesses and fans of Costa Rica from around the world! Thanks, Local Keeps. I can’t wait to see you grow.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! You can also find me churning out small, square poems on any topic under the sun (here on the site, on Instagram or Twitter). 

 

 

Natural beauty and sloth love to brighten cold February days

Posted on by stanleyobando

I think that the gorgeous art of Vivan Víquez is perfect for February, whether you’re in the tropics or you’ve got icicles on your eyebrows.

Here in Costa Rica, the sun is out and kids are rushing back to school; traffic increases and the pace of life, so spare and light in January, starts to intensify. City-dwellers who escaped to the country during the holidays risk losing touch once more with the natural wonders we saw. This makes February the perfect time to find reminders of nature, flora and fauna to keep our mind on the outside world, even if we’re spending more time at our desks.

In the places where I grew up, of course, February is very different, and very cold. Part of me will always think of February as a bit of a slog. Winter is getting a bit old, night comes quickly and summer seems a long way off. At times like that, a bright spot of tropical color and Valentine’s Day red is always welcome.

So wherever you are, you should follow Vivian, a 25-year-old artist from San Carlos in northern Costa Rica. She told me that it was in San Carlos that “my enjoyment over nature started; most of my life has been spent in green spaces. I love animals. If I hadn’t studied art, I would probably be a biologist or veterinarian.”

That passion shows the artwork she showcases through her project Corteza Ilustración CR. The projected started when she challenged herself to paint 100 Costa Rican birds. By now she’s painted more than 200 birds, sometimes more than four watercolors per day, and she hopes to illustrate at least some members of every one of Costa Rica’s wildlife families.

Why? “I want Corteza to help make species more visible and educate the public,” she said.

I plan to acquire some of Víquez’s work in the near future, but until then, her posts nearly always bring  a smile to my face or an “ooh” to my lips. Check her out on Instagram. You’ll be charmed and comforted, guaranteed.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! You can also find me churning out small, square poems on any topic under the sun (here on the site, on Instagram or Twitter).