Nov. 13-Dentist and Voice of Nosara

This afternoon I worked on stories for the Voice of Nosara. I was reminded that my deadlines were approaching by the editor, Emi, the previous night at a dinner she hosted. The newspaper designer, or layout editor, based in New York City, was in Nosara for a vacation with her boyfriend and Emi planned a party to honor the occasion with a dinner for the various contributors, including me. Here's a photo of the regular contributors to VON.

Emi asked me if I would be interested in catering the dinner with my barbecue and I said of course. We worked out a deal where basically I would be reimbursed for my cost of food, not unlike my compensation package for writing articles. I'm really just happy that the publisher is willing to sink enough money into VON to make it a credible read. The crowd raved about my food, which included some new dishes, including a smoked potato salad and papaya-pineapple-coconut salsa. I also debuted the barbecue sauce label that Nico designed for me.

This afternoon I start off by interviewing the head of the water board about the enforcement of a law approved last year that will give the board some legal tools to control local development. I go on to a series of interviews about the effect of the global financial situation on the high season which is just getting underway.

It gives me the chance to catch up with Robin, who runs a restaurant and ice cream shop in the middle of the beach area who wants to feature a new bbq chicken wrap featuring my chicken. Since it will be identified as Fritz's BBQ, it will help in my 'branding'. I'll start by bringing her a smoked chicken next week so she can create her wrap, and she'll also carry my bbq sauce.
In general, the people I talk to expect some slowdown from last year's season but aren't too concerned. There has been strong year to year growth in tourism up to now, which has built a reservoir of optimism.

Today started with a two hour visit to the dentist, a beautiful young woman at Pardise Medical Center at Guiones beach. I broke a molar Saturday night eating popcorn, when I bit into an unpopped kernel. While dental work is not covered under the national health insurance program, it is much less expensive and a crown will cost hundreds, not thousands of dollars. I can generally get an appointment right away, but thank god I wasn't in pain because it took from Saturday night until Thursday to see her. In a real emergency I could have found someone sooner, but she had filled some cavities earlier and had a brand new local office so it was worth the wait.