In early November my partner Nathan was hired to work on a nature documentary shoot in Costa Rica. We seized an opportunity to spend time together at the Harmony Hotel before his work began. For some, a vacation involves detailed itineraries chalk full of organized tours. Others gravitate toward the kind of trip that ensures days spent on an isolated beach with a book. As freelance artists in Brooklyn, we’d been working steadily and were hungry for a self-appointed artist residency of sorts. We planned our trip to Nosara with some creative goals in mind; we wanted writing time during the day for our individual projects, and to work side-by-side in the evenings selecting photographs for our forthcoming website. That said, we weren’t certain how conducive the Harmony Hotel would be toward fostering this type of respite. Is it possible to find your own peaceful corner in the heart of a surfing and yoga community? The answer is overwhelmingly yes. The grounds at the Harmony are setup so that on your walk from bungalow toward the Healing Centre you have multiple opportunities to quietly step aside and occupy your own table, or alongside a friend. The greenery surrounding these quiet spaces provide real solitude. We used every one of them.

Beside the coffee bar, near the lobby, in the quiet sunshine of our own back patio, we wrote and wrote. When it rained we were able to charge our laptop while writing, safe and dry beneath the canopy overlooking couches and tables. When we felt restless we took swimming breaks or walked along the beach to clear our heads. Having the freedom to engage when we wanted meant we felt very much in control of what we hoped to accomplish each day, and were surprised to meet others who were very much in the same boat. We dined with a yoga student who also maintains her own fiction reading review blog, and also met a designer who was taking surf lessons. Rather than take on the roles of the bookish exception, we found ourselves part of a small community of individuals, each making small moves to maintain his own sense of balance. Where are you most productive? What are three things you find necessary in order to feel comfortable and capable?  For us it’s natural light, occasional background noise and a viable escape. The more you learn about your own needs the easier it is to find your own space almost anywhere.