Did Somebody Say Brunch?

 I love a good brunch date. Any excuse for one is excuse enough and so after our Embassy fail, I took my daughter to a neat little cafe for another one of our "soft girl" brunch dates.

Good and funky vibes were abound at Donde Su La Cafe, with it's simple yet fun aesthetic. Cute vintage mirrors on the walls and books adorning the shelves,  it was really a cute little spot. And the bathroom took me by surprise.  It such a nice but simple bathroom. No fancy decor, just all the things one could need and a wonderful aroma that permeated my senses.  It was very nice. The food was decent but my Churchill milkshake was incredible,  even if it was exhaustingly sweet. 

I strive for more brunch dates like this.

Father's Day

 Keeping Father's Day low-key has always been my hubby's vibe. He honestly never plans anything for himself, so I had to make plans, of course.  It is his day, after all. Besides, he brought me to such a lovely cafe for Mother's Day, I wanted to repay the favor. 

I had just the place in mind, close by and well rated, by me. Francos is a neat little cafe and restaurant in Barrio Escalante that I'd been to twice already, and their french toast was on my must try list. Plus, I knew hubby would like their vibes. The menu is also pretty varied and healthy, so I knew he would find something to dig into. And he sure enough did.

His Tico style breakfast was pretty good. And the grounds were very serene and lush, which made for the perfect spot for a Father's Day brunch date. It really was a good Father's Day Sunday. We enjoyed a relaxing morning with a good meal, some great scenery, and some friendly wildlife to boot.

Trying New Places

 One of my most favorite things to do is eat, and a favorite pastime of mine is trying new places to eat; new and funky spots to try and find the best food in Costa Rica.

Some places are revisits because they deserve, but when we find a new spot that hits, I need to talk about it. 

This past month, I've tried two new restaurants that met my expectations. I hate having high hopes only to be disappointed, but I was pleasantly satisfied with my picks.

Usually I'm hyping a spot due to a special occasion but these places I'm about to mention were just afternoon visits, no special occasion in sight.

First up was Dushi Bakery, a quaint little cafe/restaurant I pass quite frequently.  The aesthetics were there, and the service was friendly and fast. The food was, I must admit, surprisingly good but small for the price.  My waffles,  though satisfactory, could have been cheaper for the size. But because they were so delicious,  with fresh and juicy fruit, I really can't complain too much. My daughter even enjoyed her meal tremendously.

Next up is Cafe Roosevelt, a restaurant and art gallery in one. Talk about Pinterest worthy, with beautiful art all over the walls and fun sculptures throughout.  It was very pleasing to the eye.

The food was also pretty amazing, mainly the desserts. The milkshakes were incredible and the pistachio croissant was a 10 out of 10. I still think about it, days later.  The chicken nuggets were also delicious but skip the underwhelming and under seasoned fries. All in all, I cannot wait for a revisit.

So far it's been a month of fun eats. From delicious pastries at a birthday party, to incredible French inspired creations, I'm in foodie heaven having a blast right now. If loving good food is wrong, then I ain't gonna get right!

A Cool Day At The Country Club

 It wasn't the way I planned to spend my Saturday, but it turned out pretty amazing all the same. My middle son finally made friends at his new school and they like to hang out fairly often.

As a group, they decided to spend a weekend day at a local Country club just 20 minutes drive from our house.  Hubby saw it as a great opportunity to do something a little different, so we decided to make a day of it. 

Club Los Jaules was nice with a decent sized pool,  two soccer fields, basketball and volleyball ball courts, several event spaces and BBQ areas and a restaurant on site. We got to enjoy all that on a $10 day pass. If we had a membership,  the gym would have been accessible but we made due.

We were there for the kids and they had an amazing time. We even lucked out with the weather as it was a gorgeous sunny day. I wanted to give the restaurant a try and was pleasantly surprised how extensive the menu was. There was quite a bit of variety at a fairly reason price and the food was actually good.  The fries were incredible and my burger had a perfect smoky flavor. 

Since the day was mainly for my son and his friends,  after hubby and I ( and our youngest) had had our fill of country club fun, we left the kids to hang just a little bit longer and we headed to our favorite local spot,  Sherriffs, for cocktails, appetizers and some dessert. 

It literally was the perfect Saturday and the day didn't end there. After I picked up my son from Club Los Jaules, I took my oldest and my daughter to the theater to see the new Final Destination Bloodlines movie. My entire Saturday was such a vibe and I loved every second of it. 

My Mother's Day Went Like This

 I get two Mother's Days in Costa Rica. The one I grew up celebrating in May and the one that is celebrated throughout the entire country in August. Obviously, I know how lucky I am to have two celebrations that acknowledge my hard work as a mother. And it feels nice to be celebrated, whatever the reason. 

Mother's Day in May is a little more meaningful to me, however, so that is the celebration I look forward to the most. With all the hoopla surrounding Mother's Day in August in Costa Rica, I get to celebrate quietly with my family without all the extra to do. 

Don't get me wrong,  I like the extras but since I get all that in August, I take my day in May a little more serenely. This year,  hubby found the cutest little cafe to celebrate me on my day. We headed to Rohmoser, about a 30 minute drive across San Jose and took in the sights while we were at it. 

Hubby, my daughter and I had the most adorable time at Cafe a la Moda and I cannot wait to go back. First off, the menu was a huge reason we chose Cafe a la Moda. And it did not disappoint.  

They even had games for us to play while we waited on our food to arrive. We played Uno together and then hubby and my daughter played a pretty interesting game of Chess. The food, once it arrived, was delicious.  The Vanpire Mismosa was divine, and the staff was pretty amazing too. It was one of the best Mother's Day meals I'd ever had.

This year, I'm glad my Mother's Day turned out the way it did because come August, I'll be living it up big time in Jamaica, missing out on my second mom's day celebration. 

The Year She Turned 18!!!

 My daughter is 18 years old and I could not be more thrilled for her to step into her adult life, finally.  Part of me is waiting for her to realize that this adulting lifestyle is a little ghetto and the other part of me can't wait for her to start living life, even though it makes me sad to think of her leaving. 

For her big, special day, she wanted a night out. I was all to happy to oblige, especially since it was going to save us money.  We'd already "gifted" her a beach trip as part of her birthday celebration, so the rest of her birthday shenanigans was going to be pretty budget friendly. 

We bought her a super pretty dress, an aesthetically pleasing Pinterest cake and reserved a few tables at a restaurant bar. Twenty-five of our friends and family showed up to show love and support to my daughter on her special night.  And most importantly,  she had a great time. It was a memorable birthday for sure.

Karaoke is always a good time, especially since the DJ wasn't MIA. It definitely added another element to the night.

On my daughter's actual birthday,  we went to Novoa Restaurant for some really yummy sushi.  Japanese " mozzarella sticks" are the best! 

A quick stop home for the traditional Happy Birthday cake with obligatory song before we headed out again for drinks and even more karaoke.  My daughter had the best 18th birthday and I could not have asked for more.