crvacationrentals

Costa Rican Tilapia

crvacationrentals — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:47:47 +0000

Catch the tropical flavors of the sunny Caribbean with tilapia, a small, perch-like fish. Tilapia (tuh-LAH-pee-uh) has a mild taste, a small snapper-like flake, and firm, white flesh. Tilapia traces its wild origins to the Nile River in Egypt and is currently farm-raised in warm waters around the world. Frank Simon, a friend who farm-raises tilapia in Costa Rica, shares this classic dish, brimming with beans and rice.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, divided
4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 tilapia fillets, about 5 ounces each
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 cup chopped onions
2 oranges, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. For the tilapia marinade, combine lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar in a shallow dish. Add tilapia and marinate 15 minutes, turning once.

2. To prepare the bean and rice mixture, cook the rice according to package directions and keep warm while the tilapia is marinating. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large, high-sided skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat. Add remaining garlic and onions; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro, oranges, tomatoes, beans, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, uncovered, until hot, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Transfer hot rice to a 9 by 13 inch or 2-1/2 to 3 quart baking dish. Spoon the bean mixture on top of rice and gently blend. Slightly overlap tilapia fillets on top and scrape marinade over fillets. Bake until the flesh of the tilapia just begins to flake at the nudge of a fork, 16 to 20 minutes.

Villa of the week, Diosa del Mar

crvacationrentals — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:15:27 +0000

Diosa del Mar http://www.crvacationrentals.com/diosa_del_mar.htm is an amazing ocean view/front Costa Rica villa in a tropical garden setting just 60 meters from Playa Junquillal and only 5 kms to Playa Negra, a famed surfing locale.

Diosa del Mar is a large luxury beach house, ideal for up to 10 people.

General Description :

10 sleeps – 2.700 square feet villa – Infinity swimming pool – 10.740 square feet of Tropical garden

Bedroom / Bathroom description :

Bedroom 1 – Master

Queen size bed, En-suite bathroom with wood tub and shower, Air conditioned, Ceiling Fan, Safe.

Bedroom 2

Queen size bed, En-suite bathroom with shower, Air conditioned, Ceiling Fan.

Bedroom 3

Queen size bed, En-suite bathroom with shower, Air conditioned, Ceiling Fan.

Bedroom 4

2 Twin beds size, Shared bathroom with room #5, Air conditioned, Ceiling Fan.

Bedroom 5

Queen size bed, Shared bathroom with room #4, Air conditioned, Ceiling Fan.

Features & Amenities :

Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Safe
Satellite TV Flat screen
DVD Player
CD Player
Home Theatre System
Free wireless
Interent usage
National Telephone
Washing machine
Dryer
Baby crib

Kitchen : Blender, Microwave, Toaster, Coffee Maker, Juicer, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Freezer, Ice maker, Iron, Wine cellar

Outdoor Features :

Infinity Pool
Beach and Pool towels
BBQ Gas Grill
Hammocks
Lounde chairs
Outdoor shower
Parking for 5 vehicles
Wheelchair accessible
Snorkel equipment
Sunset views

Staff & Services :

Included :

Concierge
Daily housekeeping ( 5 hours / day ) 5/7
Daily Manager availability

At Extra Cost – advance notice may be required :

Event fee
Transportation
Chef services
Activities
Driver with van
Spa services
Pre-stocking of groceries
Meal plans

Playa Junquillal, one of Costa Rica’s best kept secret.

crvacationrentals — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Playa Junquillal is situated 30 km west of Santa Cruz and 20 km south of Tamarindo. Found in the North Pacific Coast in the Guanacaste province, you can reach this beautiful beach either from Villareal or from Santa Cruz.

With a quiet and serene environment, Playa Junquillal is a three kilometer beach strip that is unlike any other on the Guanacaste Gold Coast. Backed by lovely grasslands, the beach here is mostly empty with just a few hotels and restaurants in Playa Junquillal.

The perfect escape, if you wish to avoid the humdrum and noise of the other beaches, Playa Junquillal is a short distance away from the village of Junquilla. This beach is great for a tranquil stroll alone or with your partner, as the sunsets here are quite spectacular. Not the best beach for swimming as the waters here tend to be very rough, Playa Junquillal has some nice surfing spots as well as an estuary in the area. For those who prefer some action, activities such as horseback riding, deep sea fishing, and snorkeling are available too.

Often called one of the province’s best kept secrets, Playa Junquillal is a pristine beach with fantastic surroundings. If you are the outdoorsy type, camping out under the stars is a fun option. You can also rent mountain bikes and view the lovely environs, or take a horseback ride along the beach strip. Keep a look out for monkeys, turtles and a variety of butterflies and birds that live in the area. There is plenty to explore, and you can additionally explore the immediate dry tropical forests on foot or enjoy some fishing or diving if you get bored.

You can take a trip to nearby Playa Avellana or Playa Negra from some excellent surfing opportunities or visit the Parque Nacional Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste, a national marine park that is just north in Tamarindo. If you are on vacation to get a way from it all, this beach is just right as it is secluded yet easily accessible at the same time.

Villa of the week, Diosa del Mar

crvacationrentals — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:56:26 +0000

Diosa del Mar is an amazing ocean view/front Costa Rica villa in a tropical garden setting just 60 meters from Playa Junquillal and only 5 kms to Playa Negra, a famed surfing locale.

Diosa del Mar is a large luxury beach house, ideal for up to 10 people. The main house has 5 bedrooms, all with ocean view and A/C and 4 baths. 4 bedrooms have queen size beds and 1 bedroom has 2 twins. There is a large living room with a large flat screen TV set up with cable/satellite, DVD and stereo system. The open air dinning room offers fabulous views of the pool and allows for sunset dining. There large terrace is perfect for sunning and when you’re hot dip into the beautiful infinity swimming pool.

Costa Rica…what part?

crvacationrentals — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:25:12 +0000

What part of Costa Rica would you like to know about? All suggestions welcome?

Know Costa Rica

crvacationrentals — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:49:04 +0000

The fact that more than one million tourists visit Costa Rica each year does not happen by chance. Our country, located in Central America, is an isthmus where life seems to have created its roots. Covering only 0.03% of the surface of our planet, Costa Rica has approximately 6% of the world’s biodiversity.

In addition, Costa Rica is characterized by impressive scenic beauty, a consolidated system of protected areas, social and political stability, high educational levels, and efficient infrastructure and services. All of this offered in a territory of only 51 thousand square kilometers, surrounded by both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, at a distance from each other of only three to four hours by land or 45 minutes by air.

The country’s strategic position, in the heart of the western hemisphere, the Government’s positive attitude towards foreign investment, its infrastructure, access to international markets, and the quality and cost of labor, make Costa Rica an ideal place to establish commercial operations.

Check out this 8 minute video. Very informative.

Fruity drinks and even an umbrella

crvacationrentals — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:42:51 +0000

Refrescos (cold fruit drinks) are usually made with fresh fruit and milk or water. Among the fruits commonly used for making refrescos are mangoes, papayas, blackberries (mora) and pineapples (piña) while passion fruit (maracuyá) and carambola are also used at times. Because Costa Rica fruits are so flavorful, refrescos are likely to be the tastiest smoothies you’ve ever had. Some of the more unusual frescos are Horchata (made with rice flour and a lot of cinnamon) and Chan (made with the seed of a plant found mostly in Guanacaste). One should also try Agua de Pipa (coconut water) available mostly around the beach areas. Cas is a local produced drink made from a type of guava known as the Cas Guava.

Villa of the week, Casa Tranquila

crvacationrentals — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:26:58 +0000

Villa of the week, Casa Tranquila is your affordable luxury vacation villa with the picture perfect postcard view!

Nestled in a mountain-side jungle setting with soaring views of the Pacific Ocean and the lush Costa Rican coastline, Casa Tranquila promises the ultimate in individualized attention to make Costa Rica your best vacation ever!

Casa Tranquila recently completed a comprehensive remodel that presents the upper limits of luxury and design. The inspirational new Tropical Modern appearance boasts a 2500 square foot Bali-inspired sensation.

Three contemporary air-conditioned bedroom suites, two enhanced open-air living rooms and kitchens, and a multitude of efficient amenities promise to make this the best vacation you’ll ever experience.

Outdoors, astonishing views, a large private pool, ample dining deck and frequent visits from our family of monkeys will make it a challenge for you to go inside.

More Details

15 foot ceilings
Granite Counter tops
High (400) thread count sheets and featherbed tops for all beds
Bath Amenities by L’Occitane
Robes
Fresh Flowers
Washer/Dryer
Dishwasher
Ice Maker
Hair Dryers
Iron/Ironing Board
Electronic Combination Safe
DVD Library
Bali-inspired artwork
Full-length reclining pool lounge chairs
Ocean views from every bedroom
Towering Bamboo at pool-side
Bose Docking Station for your personal iPod
Personal Laundry service
Beach towels
Sun screen
Outdoor gas grill
Customized service for all tours
High-speed wireless internet for your laptop
Daily Housekeeping
Gardiner
Free calls to the US and Canada (through your PC)

Costa Rican beauty graces the pages on SI swimsuit edition

crvacationrentals — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:48:41 +0000

The beautiful Jessica Pérez spoke with Fox News Latino about appearing in the pages of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition.

The 49^th edition of the magazine’s most anticipated issue of the year, which hits stands today, features the gorgeous Costa Rican among the bevy of beauties.

Even though the cover was leaked last night, showing that Kate Upton had won the coveted spot, Pérez and the rest of the models appeared on last night’s Late Show with David Letterman to officially reveal the cover.

After winning the magazine’s 2011 model search, Pérez is quickly making a name for herself in the modeling world.

Growing up in Costa Rica, the SI rookie said the trip to do the issue’s pictorial in Panama was “the best I have ever taken for work.”

She also felt a great “sense of pride for getting to do (her) first Sports Illustrated shoot in Central America.”

Having also worked with Victoria’s Secret, Pérez says she loves to work with them and Sports Illustrated because they are “so positive about women with curves,” which Pérez considers to be her best asset.

For Pérez, growing up in Latin America has helped her grow as a person because “you see a lot of things that you aren’t exposed to” in the U.S.

Living in different countries, including Honduras and Ecuador, has helped Pérez adapt more easily.

The curvaceous model talked about times growing up when her house didn’t have electricity. That made Pérez very conscious about the privileges she enjoys.

“Living in Latin America helps you realize the world isn’t perfect, life is complicated,” she said.

Her advice to young Latinas who want to pursue modeling may surprise some.

Aside from working hard, Pérez thinks education is very important and that her own decision to go to college before pursuing modeling was the best one she has ever made.

Pérez quoted her father, who always told her that “education is the only thing that no one can take away from you.”

Pérez feels her education gives her a sense of security that allows her to take more risks in her career.

Pérez believes the best thing anyone can do is go with their instinct.

While Pérez has a boyfriend, her mind is more on the SI Swimsuit Edition than anything else.

When her boyfriend asked her what they were doing for Valentine’s Day, Pérez told him, “Valentine’s Day? Who cares about Valentine’s Day? It’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit watch!”

Still, she promised to step up the romantic gestures, saying maybe this time “I’ll get him flowers.”

While Pérez misses her family in Latin America, she feels that in New York, the “possibilities of things you can do are infinite.”

Costa Rica sushi?

crvacationrentals — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:44:40 +0000

Ceviche – if you love sushi, or seafood for that matter, then you will adore this raw fish dish. Ceviche, which is said to have originated in Peru but has found a soft spot in Costa Rican diets, is raw fish cooked in lime juice, mixed with minced onions, cilantro, peppers and maybe even some Fresca.

Costa Rica Fish Appetizer Recipe (Ceviche)

This has to be my all time favorite Costa Rican Dish. At first I was skeptical, raw fish and all… but the lemon juice cooks the fish. Simple, delicious and no calories!! (almost) Serve with crakers or tortilla chips.. great with a cold beer!

Serves 1

Ingredients:

150 g de corvine (sea bass) in small chunks or substitute for shrimp
1 tsp. of onion
1 tsp. of chopped red chili
1 tsp. of celery
1 oz of lemon juice
1 slice of avocado
Salt

Preparation:

1. Cook the fish for 2 hours in the lemon juice
2. Mix all the raw ingredients
3. Then, reduce the acid with water, mineral water or Ginger Ale if you like it sweet.
4. Put over the slice of avocado