Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [82]
The Pub (Map; Av 3 btwn Calles 3 & 5; from 11am) The small American-owned pub has a list of more than two dozen international beers, a dozen local brews and a selection of shots with scary-sounding names like ‘Test Tube Baby’ and ‘Anti-Freeze.’ A greasy bar menu is available to soak up the damage.
If you’re looking to sip fine vintages, visit the stylish ground-floor wine bar at the Beacon Boutique Hotel. For local flavor, nothing beats the always awesome La Casona de Laly (see opposite).
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Entertainment
The Cinemark (Map; 2201-5050; www.cinemarkca.com; Multiplaza Escazú; admission ₡2200) inside the Multiplaza mall has first-run movies. Wednesday admission is knocked down to ₡1300.
If you’re seeking a little live music, the Jazz Café (2288-4740; www.jazzcafecostarica.com; north side of Autopista Próspero Fernández; admission from ₡3000) – the sister club of the San Pedro standard-bearer (Click here) – has a roomy new performance outpost featuring local and international bands. If you’re coming from San José, take the exit immediately after the tollbooth.
THE FINE WOODCRAFTS OF BARRY BIESANZ
Located in the hills of Bello Horizonte in Escazú, the workshop of Biesanz Woodworks (Map; 2289-4337; www.biesanz.com; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun) can be difficult to find, but the effort will be well worth it. This shop is one of the finest woodcrafting studios in the nation, run by celebrated artisan Barry Biesanz. His bowls and other decorative containers are exquisite and take their inspiration from pre-Columbian techniques, in which the natural lines and forms of the wood determine the shape and size of the bowl. The pieces are expensive (from US$85 for a palm-size bowl), but they are unique – and so delicately crafted that they wouldn’t be out of place in a museum.
Club Gaira (2288-2367; www.clubgaira.com; next to Ferretería EPA;8pm-2:30am Wed-Sat) is Escazú’s new trendy, design-conscious club with a geometric-meets-tribal decor (think zebra pelts and striped couches), plus two bars, two dance floors and DJs that spin hip-hop, Latin and electronica. Admission charge varies.
The Centro Comercial Trejo Montealegre (Click here) also has a number of dance spots.
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Shopping
Atlantis Plaza (Map; Calle Cortés, San Rafael) A symphony of brutal-looking steel is home to a small shopping center lined with boutiques, a bookstore (Click here), an Automercado supermarket and various eateries.
Multiplaza Escazú (Map; 2289-8984; www.multiplazamall.com; 10am-8pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm Sun) Costa Rica’s most stylish – and massive – shopping mall has everything you need (or don’t). Of particular interest to campers is the Cemaco (2289-7474), a budget department store that sells basic fishing and camping supplies, including propane gas for your portable stove. If you’re coming from San José, the mall can be reached by taking any bus marked ‘Escazú Multiplaza’ (Click here for more information).
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Getting There & Around
Frequent buses between San José and Escazú cost about ₡300 and take about 25 minutes. All depart San José from east of the Coca-Cola Terminal or south of the Hospital San Juan de Dios. They take several routes: buses labeled ‘San Antonio de Escazú’ go up the hill to the south of Escazú and end near the Iglesia San Antonio de Escazú; those labeled ‘Escazú Centro’ end in Escazú’s main plaza; others, labeled ‘Guachipelín’ go west on the Carretera John F Kennedy and pass the Costa Rica Country Club. All buses go through San Rafael.
For motorcycle rental, see Harley Davidson Rentals (Map; 2289-5552; www.mariaalexandra.com; cnr Calle 3 & Av 23, San Rafael), inside the Apartotel María Alexandra. Riders have to be more than 25 years of age and have a valid motorcycle driver’s license.