The Nine-Banded Armadillo
The Nine-Banded Armadillo looks like it could have just strolled off the set of Land of the Lost. This prehistoric looking little mammal, the more common of two species of armadillo found in Costa Rica, has awful eyesight, and has even been known to bump into stationary objects at times. But this occasionally embarrassing sensory limitation is […]
8th Annual Costa Rica International Film Festival
Costa Rica’s 8th Annual International Film Festival will be held from June 5-8, 2014, in Montezuma. The Docufest follows, June 12-15, and the Shortsfest runs from June 19-22nd. Screenings, discussions, and other events encourage artists and audiences alike to participate in this celebration of creativity and craft. Filmmakers interested in submitting their work can do so until […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Sun glinting on molten glass, before breath of wind touches wave’s face. Board moving over mirrored water, guided by feet through liquid silk. Wave dances with dancer- neither concerned about who will lead… photo provided by Surfing Nosara
The Plain Chachalaca
The Plain Chachalaca isn’t exactly the flashiest of birds, but what pizazz it may lack in its plumage is more than made up for by the raucous call from which it gets its name. Most often heard singing from treetops at dawn and dusk, its distinctive cha-cha-lac song has been scientifically categorized as “ear-splitting.” When […]
Bound for Costa Rica With 40 Rolls of Film
Name: Matthias Winkel Where do you live? The beautiful city of Hamburg, Germany. What is your main artistic practice? Film photography. Tell us what brought you to Costa Rica. A friend of mine invited me to Costa Rica, so I made sure to buy myself a ticket. Two weeks before the trip he had to […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Derided originally by those who favored the more common (and arguably more elegant) approach of the time to the backside barrel known as the “layback”, the highly functional lean forward technique pioneered by the Aussies in the 80’s known as the “Pig-Dog” was a revolutionary development, along with Simon Anderson’s Thruster. Now mostly called a […]
The Santa Lucía Flower
Depending on where you live, and perhaps your natural disposition, the Santa Lucía can be a considered a beautiful wildflower, or an obnoxious weed that pops up everywhere and is practically impossible to get rid of. Originating in Central America, this hearty species has managed to travel around the globe to Africa, Asia, Brazil, and even Australia. (Where it is commonly known […]
Photography, Surfing, and Eco-Friendly Wetsuits. Meet Anna Ehrgott
After I came across Anna Ehrgott’s lovely Tumblr page I reached out to see if she’d be interested in sharing her photos of Costa Rica with the Harmony community. Turns out she is a surfer, a seamstress, and designs both board bags and wetsuits. She has also devoted time to volunteering at a turtle sanctuary. […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Leave that dark and frigid Winter behind! Dry season on the Nicoya: Warm and Offshore. Nothing like a simple low tide walk in the morning to get the head right, before the privilege of paddling out into friendly water for some salt and sun. Salve for the Soul ! photo provided by Surfing Nosara
The Pizote
The clever and awfully cute White Nosed Coati, locally known as the Pizote, is more than happy to use his good looks to distract you while his siblings steal your lunch. Commonly spotted in Costa Rica, Pizotes are easy to recognize by their long ringed tails, which they hold completely and unabashedly upright while walking […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Great Misconception: Surfing is a Free Ride. Except that you need to get to the waves (when the waves are there), you need to be fed, you need to have a place to sleep, you need to feed again. A board, with no strings attached (pardon the pun). Oh, and don’t forget the process of […]
Emily Kimelman, A Writer Abroad
Name: Emily Kimelman Where do you live? No set address. What is your main artistic practice? Fiction Writing. What brought you to Costa Rica? I came to Costa Rica to write the first draft of the 6th book in my Sydney Rye series. My series features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. Sydney […]
SURFING IS…WITH GRAHAM SWINDELL
If you’ve ever been to Nosara, you’re probably aware of Nosara Shack. It’s a community hub. It’s a photo studio. And now, with its eponymous magazine, it’s a publishing house! We were lucky to get a few minutes of chat time with the Shack’s owner, former North Caroline native, Graham Swindell. The full interview will […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Longboard: Right tool for this job. Winter in Costa—the fecund warmth, the vibrant colors, the buzz of life, alive. Out of the wetsuit back home and into some playful peelers. Down right liberating. Making effort look effortless. What a beautiful thing. Photo by Surfing Nosara
The Bullhorn Acacia
The Bullhorn Acacia is probably the last tree you’d want to meet in a dark alley. Growing up to 15 meters tall, it wields long, sharp, bullhorn-shaped thorns that serve up a nasty scratch if you venture too close. And if you think this plant sounds mean, you should meet its friends. The leaves of […]
Central Creatives Introduces Esteban Pedra León
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 […]
Harmony Hotel Video Contest is Underway
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 […]
Report from Nosara: Surf Tournament
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 […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
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
The Beautiful World of Cecilia Paredes
Name: Cecilia Paredes Where do you live? I live between Philadelphia PA in the US, San Jose, Costa Rica and Lima, Peru. What is your main artistic practice? My main artistic practice is performance, sculpture, photography, installation and drawing, not necessarily in that order. Tell us about a project that brought you to Costa Rica. […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Sheer Exuberance! Untainted by the sometime arrogance of the highly skilled…Why do some of the most gifted Surfers become jaded, even demeaning, losing sight of the larger, elemental beauty at hand? We can commune. We can evolve. But why then condescend? Who is the Best Surfer in the Water? The One having the Most Fun! […]
Central Creatives: Photographs from Kathryn Gaitens
This week we were able to catch up with Nosara photographer Kathryn Gaitens, whose thoughtful work explores a range of subjects and style. Name: Kathryn Gaitens Where do you live? I divide my time between Costa Rica and Toronto, Canada. What is your main artistic practice? Contemporary portraiture: expressions of beauty with layers of meaning. The […]
Guiones Surf Photo of the Week
Over in seconds, our dance with any given wave is intense but brief. How often have we watched the Pelicans dip and skirt, between wave after wave, wingtips on water, the length of our visible coastline? How far is their transit? How large their wave count? photo provide by Surfing Nosara
TEOR/éTica: a Space for Art and Thought
While trying to familiarize myself with the artist community in Costa Rica, research led me to discover TEOR/éTica, a sure stop on my next trip to San José. TEOR/éTica is a private, non-profit independent project in San Jose, dedicated to contemporary artistic and curatorial practices. What does that mean, exactly? Rather than describing themselves solely as […]
