Costa Rica - Working Towards Carbon Neutrality

Costa Rica is racing to become the world’s first carbon neutral nation. In order to reach this lofty goal by its target date of 2021, Costa Rica must reduce its fossil fuel combustion and offset what cannot be eliminated with carbon sequestration, such as through the planting of trees or the scrubbing of industrial emissions.

The bid for carbon neutrality is not only a platform for global environmental leadership but a shrewd investment in the nation’s own economic future as the world’s standard-bearer of eco-tourism.

A significant source of Costa Rican oil combustion is in the production of electricity in its Moín oil-burning facilities in the region of Limón. The table below shows the estimated breakdown of electrical power sources in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica

Power Source Percentage

Hydroelectric 81%

Oil 8%

Wind 8%

Geothermal 3%

Solar 0%

Here is the link to this article:

www.soldeosa.com/editorial/07-01-2009-nocarbon.html

Costa Rica Photo of the Week

Resident artist, Hai Zhang, snapped this photo on his recent 2 week residency at Monte Azul.

Hai will be returning to Monte Azul in March 2010 to complete his project, "Waiting for the Rain".

info@monteazulcr.com/www/en/fineart

Monte Azul Artist Creates Unique Fashions

Monte Azul and Costa Rica artist, Karla Solano, has taken here fantastic mixed media work and created a one of a kind fashion item - The Beso Boot.

Please e-mail inquiries:

info@monteazulcr.com

Your Costa Rica Vacation: You Don't Have to Rough It (Part II)

You don't have to rough it while enjoying the mountains and rainforest of Costa Rica.

When staying at Casa Palo Alto, Costa Rica's premier vacation rental, enjoy the spa like bathroom, a full sized bath tub and shower.

Enjoy your day in the rainforest, horseback riding, jumping off the waterfalls, or just sitting by the pool. When the day is done, come back to your suite and pamper yourself.

Visit our website at:

www.monteazulcr.com

Sleep Well on Your Next Vacation

Guests at Monte Azul Boutique Hotel in Costa Rica often claim that they “haven’t slept this well in a long time.” Our lively breakfast discussions usually include explanations ranging from the the soothing white noise of the nearby Chrripo River, the quiet of our remote river valley, the high thread count sheets and comfortable mattress, and general exhaustion after a full day of hiking, horseback riding, zip lining, etc.

A recent article in the New York Times offers another suggestion for consideration: temperature. The article (link attached) suggests the optimal sleeping temperature for the average person is between 60 - 68 degrees F. As it turns out, that is the temperature every night, year round at Monte Azul.

Despite our proximity to the equator (8 degrees north) and location in the Costa Rica Rainforest, Monte Azul Hotel is situated at an altitude of 3,500 ft above sea level. As such, we benefit from cooler, mild temperatures that range from 60 - 80 degrees year round. Typically, guests wear sweaters/sweatshirts in the early morning and evenings, and shorts or pants and t-shirts during the day.

That contrasts dramatically with the low lands, where temperatures can approach a sweltering 100 degrees F during the day, and a very uncomfortable 80+ at night.

If your vacation includes the beaches of Costa Rica, consider a night or two at Monte Azul before heading home, to ensure you are well rested.

www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/04real.html

Come Stay at Casa Palo Alto, Costa Rica's finest mountain vacation rental.

Cafe Blue at Monte Azul serves the finest cuisine in Southern Costa Rica and the Chef is available for in home food preperation.

visit us on line: www.monteazulcr.com/www/en/hotel/lodging/casapaloalto

Your Costa Rica Vacation: You Don't Have to Rough It (Part I)

Monte Azul Hotel, while secluded in the mountains and rainforest of southern Costa Rica, does offer hi-tech comforts.

Until 3 years ago, there were no telephone lines in our valley. Today, our telephone lines are complemented by high speed internet access through our Wi-Fi network in every suite, Cobalt Bar, and Cafe Blue.

So while your blackberry isn't yet likely to get your 3G downloads, turn on your wi-fi function and you can stay in touch with the office, family and friends. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone you have full connectivity.

Please see the attached link to the local English language news source, Tico Times.

www.ticotimes.net/business.htm

Monte Azul Artist - Karla Solano

Karla Solano is a member of a new generation of Costa Rican artists who have challenged a relatively conservative art scene in their own country, while coming of age with the arrival of digital media.

Vicky Pérez, Director of TEOR/éTica gallery (a not-for-profit gallery in the center of San José known for it’s innovative programming) describes Solano’s work: “The territory in Karla Solano's work is the human body, particularly her own. For a long period she used x-rays as a means of metaphorically analyzing the image of her self.” For the past decade the artist continually produces innovative and provocative works based on images of her own body.

Solano has exhibited large scale public works at the biennales in Sao Paulo, Havana and Shanghai, in which she wraps a building or a room with images of her own body. On a smaller scale, Karla Solano produces a series of photographs ingeniously combined with painting on canvas. “Beso”, featured above, is a seductive and playful image of her lips in the form of a kiss. The scale of the lips and the textures of the image, as well as the canvas, invite viewers to explore the abstracted shapes and contours. The tension between the media, the gestures and the colors create compositions that are challenging as well as beautiful.

In another group as part of her latest body of work, Solano explores photography in three dimensional formats. “Wraps”, what she calls the sculptural pieces, confront the viewer like an alien being. However, the familiarity of the skin tones and textures, with glimpses of gestural hands and her curly red hair suggest a kinship and warmth that ultimately invites the viewer to relate on a more familiar level.

Monte Azul is proud the show this artist’s truly innovative works at

our sites in Costa Rica and New York.

Costa Rica Photo of the Week

At Monte Azul we find all sorts of strange and new creatures. Recently I snapped a picture of a Walking Stick which Carlos found and proceeded to let walk up his arm. Completely benign, their defences are obvious...look like the bush or tree you are sitting on and your prey and predators won't see you. Creepy and cool.

Local Cheese Artisans supply Cafe Blue

Monte Azul strives to promote local products and fortunately, we are located in an area with bountiful and varied options. One of the most treasured are the Swiss style cheeses, homemade less than a mile from Monte Azul, and produced in the rural tradition of the Swiss Alps.

Katia and Wilberth, born and raised here in the Chirripó Valley, learned the technique from a Swiss cheese maker who later invited the couple to Switzerland where they trained in traditional cheese making methods with farmers in the Alps. The couple has brought to “The Switzerland of Central America”, as Costa Rica is known in the region, delicious and unique versions of those cheeses. In Switzerland the cheese had no name, so to keep the tradition, Katia and Wilbur insist on leaving their savory cheeses nameless.

The family farm produces milk from organically raised dairy cows. Wilbur is in charge of producing the milk for the cheese, while Katia is in charge of the cheese production. Young or aged, the cheese will delight the strictest fromageophile. Paired with a local desert liquor, we serve a desert entrée featuring these cheeses that may tempt you to skip the rest of dinner.

Guests at Monte Azul are privileged to participate in the cheese making process as one of the workshops we offer in collaboration with the family. In fact, it has been one of our guests’ favorites by far!

Update: Our very own Randy Langendorfer has embarked on the cheese making adventure. He continues to learn Wilberth and Katia's techniques and is exploring with Mazzerella, Ricotta, Swiss, and Chevre.

Come Hike Mt. Chirripo

Chirripó is the highest mountain in Costa Rica, and is one of the largest national parks in the country. Just 15 minutes up the road from Hotel Monte Azul, Chirripo National Park protects a number of important ecosystems on the Costa Rican Pacific slope.

Locals and tourists from around the world travel to our region to hike the mountain with the goal of reaching the summit, Cerro Chirripó at 3,800 meters (12,533 ft). Starting from the town of San Gerardo de Rivas, it is a 34 Km (21 mile) journey to the summit, and usually is a 3 or 4 day trip for the experienced hiker and fit vacationer.

In March each year, the river valley hosts the annual Cerro Chirripó Race. Locals and international runners alike, make the the trip to our community for the annual race to the top and back. The winners time is usually under 4 hours.

The week long party that precedes the race is worth seeing. All the restaurants come out to show their stuff, there are daily football games (soccer), events for children, evening discos, fireworks, and general merry making.

As you plan your next trip to the summit of Chirripó, consider Monte Azul for your lodging needs. We are a luxury boutique hotel just a 15 minute drive from the entrance to the Chirripó trail. Hike Mt. Chirripo on your next vacation.

For more about the national park, please visit the following link:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/chirripo_national_park

www.monteazulcr.com

Wine Notes - Casilleros Del Diablo Cabernet

Cafe Blue at Monte Azul has spent the last year trying to find the perfect wines to match our seasonal menu. Most recently, we have been pleased with what we have found at the highly respected Chilean producer, Concha y Toro.

Most notable in the lineup is the Cabernet Sauvignons, that have been described as “versatile” and “flavorsome,” and “affordable”, everything we have come to expect from Chilean Cab.

Please visit the wine makers website for more about the wines.

www.conchaytorowines.com/wines/diablo.html

Ileana Moya - Monte Azul Artist

As part of an ambitious project designed to bring the process of making art into the daily lives of people, four artists have organized to present a workshop open to the public, each with a different social context.

Ileana Moya heads a program dealing with migration and how migrations affect individuals and ultimately society as a whole, and its effect on the natural environment. “We move fluidly from place to place, from one emotion to the next, from one though to the next, without considering our personal story or history.”

Ms. Moya guides participants through their own life journeys, as they craft handmade papers using personal items, fragments of clothing and various discards into a work of art, ultimately as portraits of the individual’s migration.

Sponsored by the prestigious Museums of the Central Bank, Ms. Moya presents her workshop on August 22, 2009 in San José, Costa Rica.

Please contact the artist directly at ilimm2002@yahoo.com.

Monte Azul Offers Complete Design Services

With a growing line of new furniture pieces, Monte Azul Design (MAD) offers the Costa Rican and international markets simple, comfortable, contemporary designs. Skillfully crafted, each piece is personally approved by the owners. One of the owners, Rolando Mora, is a master woodworker and himself oversees to the construction of each piece. This is possible because at MAD we would rather remain a small shop and retain the exquisite quality we demand of ourselves, rather than risk the compromises that impersonal mass-construction often invites.

Every piece is built on site at Monte Azul. Hotel guests and furniture clients are welcome to tour the woodshop and meet the staff. MAD is also a builder of quality wooden doors, window frames, and designs and builds kitchens and baths. Using sustainable methods, MAD guarantees personalized service, at a very reasonable and surprisingly affordable price. We stand firmly by our motto: Quality: We use only the best materials. Service. We listen to you and we keep our promises.

Costa Rica: 2742 5222

New York: 646 478 7038

Paulina Ortiz - Her Unique and Powerful Art

Paulina Ortiz is considered a fiber artist to some, a sculptor to others and a conceptual artist to yet others. Ortiz’s works seem to inhabit multiple domains: ancient, contemporary, organic, structural.

The raw beauty may at times seem aggressive, contained only by her masterful architecturally or biologically inspired compositions. “Her creations with vegetal elements appear like screaming wounded nature, yet beautiful,” says Pilar Tobon, textile art sculptor and critic, President of Women in Textile Art Organization.

Ortiz’s work may also have a shamanistic air to them, with mysterious shapes and symbols interwoven with natural elements of bright colors contrasting with earth tones and textures. Their timeless structures are simple and powerful, distilled shapes with an iconic presence that seduce and enchant, often alluding to ceremonies of antiquity. Weaving both literally and figuratively, Ortiz does indeed approach each piece as a ceremony: the collecting of the fiber and materials, the exacting process to prepare them, and the contemplative, intellectual and spiritual process of shaping their ultimate manifestations.

As pertinent to the prehistoric drawings at Gabillou Cave in the French Dordogne or the majestic garments of Montezuma, Paulina Ortiz’s works speak to the contemporary collector as timely testaments to our own era where humanity’s relationship to nature has never been more relevant. On an aesthetic level, Ortiz manages a bravado of balanced tension between the rudimentary, almost crude materials and the elegant compositions and sophisticated color palette. They are a poetic embodiment of the inseparable relationship between culture and nature.

More recently, Paulina Ortiz has produced an exciting new body of work incorporating computerized lighting on large scale installations, an example pictured below.

Works are currently available for viewing in Costa Rica and New York. To arrange a viewing or for additional information, please contact us at info@monteazulcr.com or by calling 646 478 7038.

Movies for Trash!

The village of Chimirol,which translates to “Loyal Friend” in Cabecar, the indigenous local language, is dedicated to recycling and sustainability. From zero recycling about a year ago, to doubling the amount recycled every two months, Chimirol has become a model community in the region.

The local community council is furthering efforts through education in the local schools and parents are responding favorably. One idea inspired by a visitor to Monte Azul is to show movies for children and young adults in the community center. None of the children we have encountered in the village has ever been to a movie theater. The idea is to offer movies and take advantage of the time to present short public service videos on sustainability and recycling. The price of admission would be a bag of recyclable trash per person.

Monte Azul offers a romantic dinner for two at Café Blue to the lucky winner in the recycling draw. Anyone depositing directly at our scheduled collection dates automatically qualifies.

Any donated DVDs would be greatly appreciated. The community council is also seeking donations for the projector, estimated at $800. Those interested in contributing, please contact Adrian Alvarado at adrian@monteazulcr.com.

Henry Jackson Exhibition

MACA featured an exhibition of Henry Jackson´s exquisite new works from his Residency at Monte Azul earlier this year. Offering new, pivotal pieces without straying from his particular technique, Jackson nonetheless offered collectors and others who know his work, a new direction. The artist attributes this fresh direction directly to his experience at Monte Azul. In his own words: I found myself lost in shapes and colors that constantly yielded new thoughts and ideas. These are truly spiritual grounds for creativity and new awakenings. To say that I felt spoiled would be an understatement.

As an artist, I look for things and places that bring me inward in thought and feeling. My experiences at Monte Azul with both plants and animals, gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for my own exploration into the figure and newly found abstraction.

Typically, I don't approach landscape "literally" in my work, but while at Monte Azul, I couldn't help but want to open up the possibility of utilizing all that was before me. Much of it got lost in my senses, rather than wanting to capture and depict such wildlife, I found myself dwarfed in it's enormity. I simply just stood back and took in, or better yet, became one with it. Such an experience stays with one's self long after leaving Monte Azul.

My work has always been based in memory, resulting in a natural intuitive response. The memories I have collected of Monte Azul will yield me quite a bit of work for some time, and I feel fortunate because of it.

To me, Monte Azul represents the beginning of creation - the cultivating of things - both newness and renewal. It is what making art is all about.

The works are currently available for viewing in San Francisco, please contact us at info@monteazulcr.com or by calling 646 478 7038.

Costa Rica Photo of the Week

Our goat, Maria, snarfing fresh guavas!

When not devouring unseemly quantities of these local fruits, Maria provides Monte Azul guests with fresh milk, yogurt and cheese (all organic, of course). Thank you, Maria!

The Phoenix Collection

Monte Azul Designs (MAD) presents an innovative collection produced entirely from construction waste.

The Phoenix Line follows our contemporary aesthetic: simple shapes and maximum user comfort. Please visit our MAD section for details.

As we watched a pick-up truck carry off a highly (and precariously) stacked pile of wood scraps to be used as kindling, it occurred to us that there had to be a better use for all that material. It can’t all just go up in smoke!

From that moment, results the latest work that addresses our concern with air quality and waste of the Earth’s natural, beautiful resources.

Lovely stratus of colors derived from the various sections of the Cedro Amargo (Tropical or Spanish Cedar) from which they were cut. These thin strips were shaven off lumber to square, level and even out sizes.

Working to Minimize our Environmental Impact

Monte Azul Hotel and Center for the Arts seeks to minimize the human impact on the natural environment. For example, from the initial planning stages we identified appropriate construction sites suited to building. Some of the principal criteria included the prevention of cutting trees or altering the natural topography of the land.

More recently we initiated a community recycling program, planted over 1,500 trees on our property, created a bio-water treatment system, among many other initiatives (click here for further details).

For the Art Studio, we contracted an expert to set up systems using sustainable methods. In the Hotel, we practice conservation at every level, and in the Restaurant we are installing a natural methane gas system to power the kitchen equipment.

Equally important to our mission is our commitment to socially responsible practices. At Monte Azul, 100% of our staff is from our village of Chimirol, we offer free English courses, education incentives, grants and loans, and

on the job training.

In an effort to perfect these systems and processes, Monte Azul has collaborated with the Colegio Universtario de Cartago, offering internship opportunities. One challenge is to evaluate our systems and practices in preparation for certification through the Green Leaves rating system of eco-sustainability through the Costa Rica Tourism Board.

The rating is based on the number of “leaves” with five being the highest standard, and only a small handful of hotels in Costa Rica having the honor. In fact, Monte Azul stands at the threshold of perhaps becoming a 100% carbon neutral enterprise before the end of 2009. We will announce the results in the coming issues.

The family at Monte Azul is constantly growing. This year our resident family of White Faced Capuchin monkeys delivered two beautiful, healthy babies.

It is amazing to see these little guys grasp their mothers tightly as she leaps and climbs through the canopy, speedier and even more agile the rest of her clan. Guests and residents alike delight in their presence.

Intelligent and entertaining, these friends will make your visit to Monte Azul memorable.