Archive for the 'Green Living' Category
Azulera: Costa Rica Luxury
Azulera Resort Village on Costa Ricas breathtaking Guanacaste coast promises to be the luxury resort destination within the next two years.
By then, it is projected, Greg Normans challenging beach-to-mountain golf course will be completed as will the five- star Hyatt Regency Hotel and the 64 ultra-luxury condos that will be contained within this gated Brasilito complex.
The bio-sensitive Hyatt Regency Azulera Resort and Spa will coexist within a pristine tropical forest that stretches from mountain peaks to the white Pacific beaches below.
Following this first phase of development will be a large shopping and medical plaza and another projected 1000 condos, town homes and ocean view luxury estates.
We just returned from visiting the site and watched as Azulera owner-developer Anil Kothari (CEO Global Financial Group), golf legend Greg Norman, Hyatt executives, and Costa Rican Ministers of Transportation, Environment and Energy, and Tourism gathered for the formal groundbreaking ceremony that was finalized with the planting of a native Guanacaste tree near the beach.
We joined about 30 other real estate brokers from the US and Canada for the ceremony, and would spend the next few days learning more about the province of Guanacaste and this precious paradise. The spectacular natural beauty of the area struck us all, as did the gentle warmth of the Costa Ricans and, of course, the balmy climate. We learned that there is more biodiversity in Costa Rica than along the Amazon. This is because the climate is both sub tropical and tropical, and a varied terrain that ranges from plains to beach to jungle to mountains.
We all appreciated that Costa Rica is both a highly-educated country and one that fiercely protects its flora and fauna. Hunting is not allowed, and children are taught from an early age to treasure their natural environment, which includes magnificent foliage, various breeds of wild monkeys, parrots, macaws, and other exotic birds, along with reptiles of all sorts including iguanas and red-eyed lizards.
The Guanacaste coast is being developed with great care. The Four Seasons has developed a private resort to the north, Marriott is building a golf resort in nearby Pinellas and the Ritz Carlton is planning a luxury hotel with golf course and a 200-slip marina to the north of Azulera.
And just last month, Steve Case, founder of America Online (AOL) announced plans to open an $800 milllion beach resort with two boutique hotels just south of Playa Hermosa. At around the same time, two Minnesota developers announced that they would also be building a 150-room Regent Hotel on Guanacastes Papagayo Peninsula.
Guanacaste is a Costa Rican province abuzz with carefully-planned and eco-sensitive luxury development and we are honored to be among those representing the developer in the sale of the 64 Azulera luxury condos.
Additional articles about Azulera Resort Village, Guanacaste and Costa Rica will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, if you would like additional information about Azulera condo availabilities and pricing, please feel free to email me (roberta@sandiegopreviews.com) or call 877-818-8197 or 760-402-9101.
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read comments (1)Dreaming of Costa Rica Luxury Real Estate….
More and more people from around the world are choosing to spend at least part of their lives in coastal Costa Rica–and more than a few decide there just might be no better place to spend the rest of their lives.
Why?
1. A warm climate, beaches, mountains, jungles–and breathtaking biodiversity. The people and government of Costa Rica are committed to preserving Costa Rica’s clean air, beautiful beaches and precious flora and fauna.
2. Costa Rica has one of the oldest and most stable democratic governments in the Americas. In fact, this peace loving nation has twice won the Nobel Prize for its peacekeeping efforts.
3. Costa Rica is a peaceful nation and has no standing army; it was disbanded in 1949.
4. The people are generally fond of foreigners and welcome them to Costa Rica. American’s included.
5. The cost of living is very reasonable–especially once one owns a home in Costa Rica. Taxes on a $500,000 home, for example, may run only $500 per year.
6. Good medical and dental care is not only widely available, but are also very reasonable. Many travel here for cosmetic procedures that cost a fraction of what might be charged in Europe or the U.S. And what a lovely place in which to recover!
7. Costa Rica has a highly educated population. The government currently spends around 27 percent of its budget on education. The literacy rate in Costa Rica is at 93 percent.
8. Costa Rica is only about the size of West Virginia, but has wonderful coastlines with 132 miles along the Atlantic, and 631 miles of prime Pacific beaches (especially in Guanacaste) and coastline. The interior is graced with farmland, mountains and jungles.
The reason for my recent keen interest in Costa Rica is that we will have been selected to help represent the Azulera developers in the sale of the long-awaited and luxurious Hyatt condos and resort village that are being developed along the breathtaking Guanacaste coast.
But details of that venture will come–sooner rather than later. Say tuned!
50 Simple Feng Shui Tips
by I was asked to share some simple Feng Shui tips for home offices, written by Laura Milligan over at the Bootstrapper Blog. She lists 50 great ones, but I’ll tease you with a few she has listed in her article.
In spite of a personal bookshelf full of Feng Shui education, I found these suggestions particularly useful in that I am currently refiguring my own home office and need constant reminding to keep the chi flowing freely.
Some of my favorite reminders from Laura?
1. Rearrange furniture regularly. You don’t have to move the contents of an entire room, just do enough to shift the energy flow. You’ll feel the difference!
2. Make sure your furniture and accessories represent the elements of fire, wood, earth, metal and water. Most furniture is wood, but the other elements can be added via pottery (earth), furniture and plants (wood), fountains or paintings with water (water), brass lamp and/or wind chimes (metal), and lighting or a candle (fire).
3. Don’t overcrowd a room and if possible, leave 3 feet between pieces of furniture. I can’t sit that far from my desk, but some Feng Shui practitioners would suggest that I leave my chair 3 feet out when not at my desk. Hmm….
4. Consider hanging a mirror over your computer and desk so that you enlarge the feel of the room and can keep an eye on what is behind you (Feng Shui suggests you always be alert to doors–and never sit with your back to one.
5. If it doesn’t have a function, you don’t need it (and function could be that it is simply something you love). Again, allow for the free flow of chi/energy.
6. Play soothing music throughout the day to relieve stress and drown out distracting noises.
7. Eliminate clutter, hide cords, file away loose papers, don’t eat at your desk and clean up before leaving the desk.
For the entire list of 50 tips (we’re a digest, remember?), pay a visit to the Bootstrapper Blog. It’s a worthwhile trip!
For additional Feng Shui and decor reading:
D.Porthault Sheets for Luxury Dreams
The Beauty of Front Porch Swings
Off-the-Grid and Low Impact Homes
Several months ago, in an interesting discussion with Marc LaChance, I was introduced to off-the-grid homebuilding. Marc has a plan and the means to build homes where electrical, telephone, gas, water and sewer lines do not run. I saw some early plans for his homes, and was highly impressed with their beauty, functionality and earth-friendliness.
It seems when one door opens in the mind, it leads to a series of others.
Late last night while waiting at home for two sons to return from their day at sea and evening on the sand, I discovered this charming woodland cottage, built into and of the earth. Truly off-the-grid, this hand built cottage in Wales is made of sticks, stones, straw, mud and scrap wood, along with some recycled cast-offs.
And it didnt exactly break the bank or back either.
Built with utmost respect for the environment, this unusual cottage cost less than $10,000 to build, and required around 1000 to 1500 man hours to construct which equated to about four months. Built into a hillside for protection and low visual 
impact, this dwelling utilizes stones and mud for retaining walls and foundations and oak thinnings (spare wood) from local forests for framing.
The interior is a marvel, with its reciprocal and natural roof rafters, limestone walls (breathable and more earth-friendly than concrete), straw bales for insulation under the floors and in the construction of the walls and roof, a center skylight for natural lighting, and scrap wood for floors and fittings.
I have had a hard time pulling myself away from this project. 
The rounded walls, windows and doors certainly reflect out-of-the-box thinking and design, as do the undulating wooden ceilings. The ingenuity that went into making this a functional home also capture the imagination.
Solar panels provide energy for lighting, music and computers. I did not see them in the photos, but trust they are there because Moabi, the designer and a Portuguese photographer, lives there with his family that includes two small children.
Water is delivered by gravity to the home from a neaby spring, while roof water run-off is collected in a pond for gardening purposes.
Food refrigeration is provided by cooled air coming underground through the cool foundation.
Toilet? Compost appears to be the guiding word.
Heat? A woodburning stove works well, especially since local fuel is abundant. Additionally, the fireplace flue goes through a large stone and plaster hump that retains and slowly releases heat into the home.
The bedroom is in an upstairs loft area, which overlooks the room below. This gives the distinct feel of a tree house in the forest.
I wondered what knowledge, what skills and what tools were involved in creating this unusual home. According to the amateur architect, designer and builder Moabi, his primary tools were a chainsaw, hammer, and a 1 inch chisel. He claims to be neither a builder nor a carpenter, but that seems hard to believe.
More than anything, Moabi seems to be a man who respects the earth, has fun with its offerings, and has a wonderful eye for natural design. There must also be much of the tree-house-building boy still inside the man who has now built at least two of these earth-friendly homes.
Moabis Low Impact Woodland Home site proved to be a great diversion last night and one worth sharing today.
Enjoy!
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