by Bruce Zabov

Before I forget again to mention it, a friend took one look at the recipe a few months back for Tuna Pie and immediately thought it could be made using leftover chicken or shrimp instead of the tuna. Either of those variations of the original sound terrific to me, too!

To move on to this issue, this one-dish dinner is a variation of the red-cooked dishes so popular in all regions of China. They all have in common the seasoning of soy sauce as one of the ingredients central to them, but there are also some regional variations. In Shanghai they contain sugar, in Peking just the soy sauce is favored and in Szechwan they are made hot and rich, full of garlic, ginger and scallions or green onions with a flash of hot red pepper.
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Filed under: Bruce Zabov, Cooking Corner
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by Donna Porter

Pruning a plant has been defined as a cross between an art and a science. Understanding the physiological aspects of the plant makes it the science while having an eye for balance and a sense of design and beauty makes it the art.

Ok, so I can already hear you locals laughing at this. Pruning here is simply a cross between the machete or chainsaw and the plant. Both shrubs and trees benefit greatly from pruning – proper pruning that is – but for ease of explanation this article will focus on trees. If you have a tree(s) that you desire to keep in your landscape then some basic knowledge on this subject may be helpful to you. If possible, conveying this knowledge to your gardener would be the most advantageous, since they are in charge of the machete. Knowing a few simple facts, and applying them, will result in healthier, longer lasting trees in your landscape or garden and less damage to your property by falling tree limbs.
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Filed under: Donna Porter, It's a Wonderful World of Plants
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Welcome and bienvenidos to Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Fishing continues to be very good in our area. A few Sailfish are being released daily and Marlin are being teased into the spread (a good sign of things to come as Marlin move back into the area). Mahi Mahi are still being boated with Yellowfin Tuna being the catch of the day. Rooster fish action is excellent, with two to three fish being released on our half day charters. Several have been in the 35# to 403# range. Fishing in Quepos is always good year round. Don’t delay! For your fishing adventure contact Luna Tours Sport fishing, our office is located in the Hotel Best Western Kamuk lobby, downtown Quepos central. We own and operate 4 Sport Fishing boats (27 ft to 33 ft) and can also arrange other boats for charter up to 46 ft for half day or full day charters. Contact us at 2777-0725 (office), 8869-4808 (24 hour cell), visit our web site at www.lunatours.net, or stop by the office for a fishing report, and talk some fishing.

Filed under: Fishing Report, Luna Tours
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by Todd Pequeen

I hope all of us are “living the dream.” To me it is a matter of relevance. Advantages vs. disadvantages. A beach life style vs city or suburban living. The reliance and convinces of hunting down goods, services, and entertainment compared to the beauty and simplicity of mother nature. For two months I have been uncomfortable when I am told by my massage clients, or random tourists, that I am “living the dream.” Let me say first and forehand that yes, I am honored and feel blessed to be living in Costa Rica for almost 10 years. I personally know that I am living my dream, I give thanks for it every day. I suppose my issue is the tone and the envy of the complement. I hope and assume everyone is living, or at least working toward achieving their “dream” as well. That is what I was taught life is about, and what I see my friends teaching their children. When we listen to and trust our heart and soul, we make decisions correctly and organically become what we dream of.
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Filed under: Health is Wealth, Todd Pequeen
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by Charlie Berghammer

On a recent visit to Chicago, a friend having just read all the details of the planned Matapalo Beach Community Center sat down with me next to the lake and ask me candidly “Charlie what motivates you to realize such an ambitious project?” My response was simple and to the point. I explained to my friend that I was simply paying back in whatever way I could for all those people who showed up on my lifes stage as miracles to show me my way on lifes journey.
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Filed under: Charlie Berghammer, Making a Difference
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by Ingrid Kuegeman, Titi Conservation Alliance

Mirrored after the wonderful “We Share” program started by Hotel Parador, Titi Conservation Alliance has developed a new donation program called Common Cents that brings a fantastic opportunity to all local hotels to give something back to the community.

What is it?

Common Cents provides an opportunity to contribute more support for local organizations like Titi Conservation Alliance, while also educating and informing customers of responsible business practices.

It is a program set up so that hotels act as the conduit for the donation, without costing them a penny.

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Filed under: Ingrid Kuegeman, Titi Conservation Alliance
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by Matt Cassadey

Back in the 90s I lived in the southern Costa Rican city of San Isidro del General. I owned a car, but my preferred mode of transportation was the bicycle. I rode almost every day and one of my favorite training runs was to the top of El Alto, the highest peak between San Isidro and Playa Dominical. The climb was over a thousand feet in a distance of less than ten miles. I did it as much for the exhilarating high-speed ride back down the mountain as for the exercise. The last couple of kilometers before beginning the ascent wound through a neighborhood called El Hoyon. I would psych myself while passing through, preparing for the torturous climb. It was here, in a spot along the road that overlooked a warehouse of some kind, that I began encountering a man who hid himself in the high grass on the embankment above the warehouse. When I passed he would often be there, lurking, visible only from the waist up. He would shout something to get me to look, and when I glanced over while passing he would make odd, slurping sounds, sometimes saying, “ooo, que rico”, always those words. Though I couldn’t tell for sure in the couple seconds of view, he often appeared to be playing with himself.
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Filed under: Episodes, Matt Casseday
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Walking along the malecón, sea wall, in Quepos you will notice large stone sculptures sitting atop pedestals. The sculptures were created in 2007, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and sponsored by the Canton of Aguirre with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, Aguirre. Each sculpture was sponsored by a local business.
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by Jack Ewing

The incident took place so long ago that Daniel Valverde doesn’t remember for sure if Alvaro Mesa was the one who actually felled the last manú negro tree on Hacienda Baru or not, but he was definitely the one who sent the workers up into the rainforest to cut it into logs and split the logs into posts. Some people say that what happened that day was Alvaro’s punishment for cutting down the last manú negro on Hacienda Barú. Others say it was the curse of an Indian shaman whose tomb Alvaro had opened. Regardless of why it happened, it was the worst experience of his entire life, and one that all the people who were with him that day will remember for the rest of their lives.

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Filed under: Jack Ewing, Nature and Local History Stories
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by Janine Licare, Founder and Spokesperson KSTR

The art of shell collecting dates back thousands of years.  Over time, shells have been used as currency, treasures and game pieces to different civilizations. In present times, shell collecting has led to the birth of conchologists, malacologists, among other words rarely used in the English language. The OCD reaction some might have towards picking up shells and storing them on their balcony or in vases in their living room is leading to a shortage in adequate sized homes for small sea creatures. Shells provide shelter to invertebrate animals with no mechanism of protection or self-defense.  Every so often these creatures trade homes depending on how fast they out-grow their current homes. Those beautiful shells you keep on your shelves are actually the dead carcasses of sea creatures. When clams, oysters, starfish and mollusks die, their shells wash up on the beach with the tides and are taken as a shelter to those who do not have the mechanisms to create them themselves.

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Filed under: Janine Licare, Kids Saving the Rainforest
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El 15 de septiembre Costa Rica celebra su  independencia de España, al igual que Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador y Nicaragua. Es por eso que septiembre es conocido como el mes de la patria y es común observar muchos adornos en las casas y negocios con el escudo de Costa Rica y  los colores de la bandera nacional: blanco, azul y rojo.

Los costarricenses celebramos de diferentes formas esta fecha tan importante. El día 14 a las 6 p.m., se canta el himno nacional y después se realiza un desfile de faroles que representa  una de las tradiciones más hermosas de la cultura costarricense.

Ese día, la antorcha de la fraternidad centroamericana (que viene desde Guatemala) llega a la ciudad de Cartago, capital de Costa Rica en aquella época.

El día 15 se realizan desfiles en las calles de todo el país; en donde las bandas de los colegios y escuelas interpretan música para la ocasión, mientras las bastoneras bailan y los abanderados desfilan llevando las banderas y otros símbolos.

Filed under: Academia D'Amore, Tico Talk
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Bienvenidos & Welcome to the heart of Green Season in our beautiful part of Paradise! We certainly hope you enjoy your stay –and don’t let a little rain slow you down – just slip – slide & slosh around with the rest of us! This is our combined issue covering Sept/Oct. to give us a short break. We plan to use it to get our long awaited website updated………so look for us at www.quepolandia.com in the very near future….. A few of our restaurants also close to give vacation time to their employees – thankfully not all at the same time so we won’t starve!…. but be sure you check before you go. We hope you will find Quepolandia interesting and helpful to your stay. While visiting our advertisers – please tell them you found them in Quepolandia! Independence Day for Costa Rica is Tues. Sept. 15th so you can expect much celebration and a BIG Parade through Quepos…… School children dressed in costume and marching bands plus the Fire Station and Police participation……so bring your camera and enjoy the fun – generally starts around 9 am in front of the seawall and meanders thru town after the speeches by officials – it’s a special time for Ticos to show their pride for their country…so come join in the celebration………Looking for a fun time on Oct.3rd come by Restaurante La Hacienda located in Plaza Yara where Tracy & Bill Maue will be hosting the 3rd Annual Green Season Chili Cook Off…………and we’re talkin’ some serious competition here!…..Contestants are vying for CASH and the coveted People’s Choice Award……..all the particulars are on page 10…………so whether you come to compete or just EAT –(be sure to taste OUR Chili) come on down at 2 PM ………Tracy tells me the Judging will come first this year…..so come early and stay for all the FUN…………..not that we ever have down time around here..but you might get a short break between the cook-off and Halloween- get that costume ready as there will be several parties around town and crazy outfits make it so much more fun ——just be safe as you enjoy yourself…..also, this month Matt Casseday is introducing his new column “Episodes” – glances into his years in Costa Rica……and as a final note……..we want to say good-bye & best wishes to our friends Mama & Papa of Sargento Garcia’s as they move on to new endeavors and maybe just a little relaxation – thanks for the fun times…… we will miss you but look forward to seeing you around town & at the Memorial Day Pig Roast ………..ciao……P

Filed under: Pat Cheek, Qué Pasa en Quepos
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These Horoscopes are meant to be fun and enjoyed. They should not be taken too seriously.

VIRGO – August 23-September 22

This will be a VERY happy 2 months for you. After all, it is your birthday! And you know what they’ve been saying about that for a thousand of years, don’t you? “Happy Good! Me like Happy!” Cartwheels, hand stands, head stands, single arm press ups, sit ups, and sand castles the shape of gymnasiums are well starred. Take note, perhaps you could use a little exercise?

CELEBRITY VIRGO: Ione Skye

PROS: Smart /CONS: Perfectionist

LIBRA – September 23-October 22

“Geronimo!”, “Yahooooooo!” but NOT “Weee!” are the best ways to show extreme enjoyment such as when catching that big fish, canopying across the jungle, or jumping suddenly into water. This month your destiny has a lisp and is determined to say MISSISSIPPI…don’t worry about it…make yourself a coffee, sit down and read the internet, hell…its what you do everyday right? While you’re at it, make yourself a birthday cake, the chocolate and fattening kind cause no one celebrates birthdays with gusto after sweet 16!

CELEBRITY LIBRA: Shaun Cassidy

PROS: Harmonious /CONS: Procrastinator
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Filed under: Cosmic Confetti, Horoscopes
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BAR 506

Friday, 5:00-7 :30 pm
Ralph Simms aka Buck Cody

BARBA ROJA

2777-0331

Tuesday & Friday, 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Live latin music

Friday, 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Robbie Clark & Live Wire

EL PATIO AT CAFÉ MILAGRO

2777-0794/2272

Various nights, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Live music

EMILIO’S CAFÉ

2777-6807

Various nights, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Live music

GABRIELLA’S STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA

2519-9300

Almost every night, 5:00 – 9:00 pm
Live music

JOLLY ROGER & CASINO BYBLOS

2777-5364

Every night, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Live music

JOLLY ROGER (Uvita)

8706-8436

Tuesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
G-String Cowboys

Wednesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Drew Laplante

LA COLINA

2777-0231

Wednesday, 7:30 – 10:30 pm
Ben/Rob & Friends

MARACAS

2777-6123

Friday, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Live music en español y inglés

ROCA VERDE (Dominical)

2787-0036

Most Fridays, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Shorty Hill or Ken Nickell with Nancy Buchan

RUNAWAY GRILL

2519-9095

Saturday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
BenJammin & the Howlers

TORTILLA FLATS (Dominical)

Monday starting at sunset
The Howling Geckos featuring different guests

VICTORIA’S ITALIAN GOURMET

2777-5143
Wednesday & Saturday, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Live music

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, & life to everything. Plato

Filed under: Music & Events
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