Tres leches is kind of a big deal here in Latin America. Everybody and their grandma has their favorite tres leches cake recipe. This coconut tres leches is my current fave, a tropical spin on the traditional tres leches cake that transports you into a cozy hammock beneath a shady beach palm in one forkful.I…
10 Ways Childhood is Different in Costa Rica
It’s fascinating to learn about how people in other cultures live. I guess that’s why The Travel Channel is such a hit. I’m always curious about other cultures, especially the more I travel with my children. If I were transplanted in Russia, what would mom life look like? How on earth would I keep my…
Caribbean Rice and Beans
The first time I had Caribbean rice and beans was in a bohemian village. The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is full of foods and flavors you just don’t find in the Central Valley. My first semester as a study abroad student here, I took a weekend vacation that landed me in Puerto Viejo, a…
Costa Rica Beach Trip: Tivives, Puntarenas
When your family lives thousands of miles away in the landlocked Midwest, you oblige them when they visit Costa Rica with a trip to the beach. My mother visited a few months ago and we headed to a beachhouse in Tivives, Puntarenas, owned by a friend of a friend. Ticos are generous. They barely knew…
10 Oddities You’ll Find in a Costa Rican Home
When foreigners visit Costa Rica, they’re sure to notice the differences between their home countries and this tiny little Central American country. If travelers stray from their beach hotels & tourist destinations to visit the locals, they’ll undoubtedly notice significant differences between the majority of Costa Rican homes and their own comfortable abodes overseas.
Elijah’s Birth Story
My son’s recent birth was in a Costa Rican public hospital, a far cry from my daughter’s natural home birth. I still can’t believe I gave birth in a third world country, especially under free public care, but thankfully Elijah Josias’ birth went smoothly, despite my frustration with a handful of routine hospital procedures. I…
Double the Celebrations! // MBM
I celebrate Mother’s Day twice a year. Being an expat, I feel entitled to celebrate Mother’s Day with all my U.S. friends, and living in Costa Rica, you’d better believe I welcome the opportunity to be spoiled a second time in August. This year, we celebrated in May eating breakfast at one of my favorite…
Peek Inside a Typical Costa Rican Home
Curious about what’s inside a typical home in Costa Rica? Catch a glimpse inside a lovely, cozy, rustic Costa Rican house located in Liberia, Guanacaste. Source Good friends of ours were kind enough to lend a key to their quaint, relaxing home last month when we headed toward the beach for a little R&R. Their…
How to Pack a Hospital Bag for Birth
Oh, how the tables have turned for the birth of baby Elijah. This time around, in contrast to Summer Elizabeth’s home water birth, I’ll be giving birth in a public Costa Rican hospital. Dun, dun, dun… Source Although I did have some items packed away in case of an emergency with my homebirth, this time…
Fresh Mango Sorbet
Last week I promised a taste treat made from the gorgeous golden mangoes dropping into my front yard. How about mango sorbet?! A taste of the tropics straight from your freezer is just what this summer ordered. Sorbets are a great option for light, refreshing desserts that suit all ages & especially cater to those…
