Blog
This week’s Creative Central post focuses on Costa Rican artist Esteban Pedra León, whose work has also exhibited in Brazil and the Netherlands. I read about him on ArtNews.org and was so happy when he agreed to be featured on the Harmony Blog.
Name: Esteban Piedra León
Where do you live?: I live in San José.
What is your main artistic practice? Mostly I work on installations and drawings. Most of my research is based on the relationship between architecture and art, and the way that both of those practices relate to social behavior.
What are you working on currently?
I’m working now in a series of drawings and texts. My future plans are to focus on trying to collect that kind of material that I’ve been creating with over the past four years.
Check out a release of Esteban’s work at the Luisa Strina Gallery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, here.
Mar 05, 2014 | Categories: Costa Rica, Creative Culture | Comments Off on Central Creatives Introduces Esteban Pedra León
Mercedes Maidana belongs to one of the smallest groups in sports: women who surf big waves. What’s even more incredible is that before a bad break up in her early twenties lead her to a beach retreat with friends, she had never even been on a board before. Eleven years later, the Buenos Aries-born Maidana is a regular on the big waves of the North Shore, where she moved to pursue the sport. Read what surfing is to her below.
Name: Mercedes Maidana
Age: 32
Where do you live: North Shore, Oahu
Years surfing: 11
Surfing is: The best part of my life. The joy in my day to day. The place to be free and connect with nature at it’s best. A gift I received from God.
Mar 04, 2014 | Categories: Surfing | Comments Off on SURFING IS…WITH MERCEDES MAIDANA
Federal subsidies on things like soybeans and corn—used in cheap feed for livestock and high-fructose corn syrup, respectively—means that America can product a lot of mono-crops, which benefit the big corporations that produce high-volume food but don’t do much for our environment, or our health. The bad news is that because of this practice, most of us are carrying around a whole lotta toxins from chemically grown and processed foods, many of which have been linked to health problems. The good news is studies have shown that eating USDA Certified Organic for just a few days can flush most of them out! So plan an all-organic weekend—even two days make things better for you, the farmers, and the Earth.
Mar 03, 2014 | Categories: Sustainability | Tags: big ag, big agriculture, farming, food, organic | Comments Off on Plan An Organic Weekend
Often spotted strolling through the restaurant and gardens of the Harmony Hotel, the Grey Necked Wood Rail is actually quite furtive and shy by nature. More often heard than seen, these birds usually sing at dusk during wet and cloudy weather, and their distinct calls have been charmingly described in the book, Birds of Costa Rica, as “bringing to mind a group of drunken chickens.” Sporting a yellow bill, red eyes, and of course, grey neck, they are easy to recognize. But, stay cool around them: if alarmed or a little suspicious, their long red legs will carry them quickly out of sight.
Image: Hans Hillewaert
Feb 27, 2014 | Categories: Harmony Hotel, Nature | Comments Off on The Grey Necked Wood Rail
The Harmony Hotel is hosting its first ever Video Contest asking, “Where do you find harmony?”
Share your original video showing us where you find harmony (anywhere in the world) for an opportunity to win a free stay at the award-winning Harmony Hotel. Submissions are open now through April 14th.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Like our Facebook page and you are instantly able to both upload your content and vote.
- Films can range from 30 seconds to three minutes and can be uploaded using YouTube, Vine, or InstaGram.
- You can upload up to three different videos, provided they are not violent or pornographic in nature.
- Content must be original.
This is my own example, taken one evening on the beach in Nosara. Though my video was made in Nosara we’re looking from entries from all over the world.
Please find the official details below. There are already several submissions featured on our page. Vote for your favorite or submit your own! We look so forward to hearing from you.
Feb 25, 2014 | Categories: Costa Rica, Creative Culture, New York City, Travel | Comments Off on Harmony Hotel Video Contest is Underway
Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water, and the byproducts of animal agriculture pollute our air and waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that roughly 80 percent of ammonia emissions in the U.S. come from animal waste and that the agricultural runoff caused by the three trillion pounds of animal waste produced each year is the number one source of pollution in our waterways. Moo. Reduce your meat intake by embracing programs like “meatless Mondays” or “weekday vegetarianism.” When you do buy meat, look for free range USDA Certified Organic options that typically come from more responsibly managed farms.
Feb 24, 2014 | Categories: Sustainability | Tags: dinner, food, meat, vegan, vegetarian | Comments Off on Try Meatless Monday
Last weekend Playa Guiones hosted the third date of Costa Rica´s Surf Tournament the best surfers from different parts of the country (such as Avellanas, Jacó, Puntarenas, Osa Peninsula and Puerto Viejo) came to Nosara to compete in several categories. This is a great opportunity for local surfers to show their talent and maybe find a sponsor. From the perspective of a non-surfer, the whole scene was fascinating.
When I got to the beach the first thing I saw was a huge high platform built for the judges and television crew to watch and film the competition; from that platform surfers were called when it was their turn to compete and given different color t-shirts, so that the crowd and judges could recognize them from the distance.
Four surfers per category go into the ocean at the time, one of the judges introduces the competitors by name and then describes their performances to everyone watching at the beach, for me this was very helpful since I don´t know much about surfing (believe it or not). For the competition the beach is transformed, sponsors place stands, flags and umbrellas in front of the competition area, there are more cars, people and dogs than usual in Guiones, also there was nice music playing at one of the stands. Friends and family come to support each competitor and stand at seashore cheering, clapping and taking pictures. It was very nice to see many families of surfers coming into town to enjoy, support and meet other local surfers, I was amazed to see very young and passionate kids competing using tiny surfboards.
Young surfer competitor
After the competition there were several parties, restaurants and bars had special activities, winners want to celebrate and relax. It is good to see that now there are more sponsors supporting talented Costa Rican surfers so they can have the chance to train, get better and eventually compete abroad.
Feb 21, 2014 | Categories: Costa Rica, Nosara | Comments Off on Report from Nosara: Surf Tournament
As in Life, sometimes the Wave looks ideal and perfect… until…Well, it’s often best to combine previous experience with faith—position yourself and commit. And so he has, regardless of shoulder hoppers, paddlers, and distracted Mothers!
Photo provided by Surfing Nosara
Feb 20, 2014 | Categories: Costa Rica, Creative Culture, Nosara, Surfing | Comments Off on Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
