Detective Shadow July

Remember how sad we all were when Le Petit Café closed? Well, now we have a reason to rejoice, because former Torontonian Alison Thompson has reopened it. While here on vacation a few months ago, she negotiated the purchase just one day before she was scheduled to leave. This was not an impulse buy, because Allison had been considering a change in lifestyle for the past decade, venturing abroad to places like Taiwan and Jamaica until Tamarindo offered her both the political and temperate climate that she was looking for. She’s been taken aback by the friendliness and genuine support from the community. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and as she told me, “no request is too small”. Check out the Jamaican jerk sandwich and delicious organic carrot juice. See you there!

Kata Kis, longtime owner of Papaya con Leche, celebrated her birthday recently at Bar One with music provided by the great band Santa Esperanza, from Santa Cruz. Cool party! Kata turned twenty-eight years old again, but she doesn’t look a day over twenty-seven.

Remember when Wim Van Llefnenbreugel moved here seven years ago to open the surf shop, Blue Trailz, next to the original Jaime Peligro shop? Later, Wim also opened a bike shop and a hostel. Over time, he sold all those businesses and recently started a new venture called, “Hang 10”, which includes being the exclusive distributor for Surftech surfboards, as well as their line of surf accessories, in all Central America. He’s got a cool, enclosed truck and actually travels around to surf shops with a mobile warehouse so he can immediately fill an order.  See what hard work and being a good person can do for you? Congratulations Wim!

Continuing in that vein… tandem surfers Krystl Apeles and Pauly Chambers will be in town for the next few months. This duo is ranked second worldwide and would like to spread the tandem fever. This is Pauly’s third year visiting Tamarindo, Krystal’s second year, and their goal is to share this ancient Hawaiian sport. They are the founders of Puka Surf Co., based out of Hawaii, which is essentially a travelling business. To contact or schedule lessons for tandem surf or stand-up paddle surf lessons, check out their site “www.pukasurf.com”, or contact the aforementioned Blue Trailz Surf Shop. Like Wim, Surftech proudly backs this couple. Krystl told me that part of their goal was to offer surfing as a team sport and to have a way for it to translate to potential family time, too. They also told me that they are honored to compete in Hawaii against great watermen legends like Duane Desoto, Archie Kalepe, Kalani Vierra and Brian Keaulana. “We admire the respect they have for the ocean,” the couple told me.

I was at the Educarte party a few Sundays back. What a great event and vehicle to expose kids to art. I saw Ed and Katherine, the new owners of Aroma (formerly Elevations Café). They were sponsors and told me that it was a wonderful way to participate and meet other members of the community.

International Surf day closed out at the new Langosta Beach Club, a beautiful location, with Avelino and David supplying the cool music. The silent auction was a huge success.