Archives: 2009 May

I recently made good on a promise I had been making to my family for sometime now. We had seen a program on television talking about Costa Rica and all it has to offer and I promised then and there that we would all get to Costa Rica at some point. We are all about nature and wildlife and adventure so since that time, the requests have been relentless. The only obstacle, as is often the case, is time and money.

Costa Rica, as the program described, is a small Central American country encompassing no more than 31,682 square miles. It is known for being peaceful and even gained a Nobel Peace prize for its efforts in brokering a peace accord in neighboring Central American countries where conflict existed. Over 12% of its land is protected and it is considered to have one of the most bio-diverse ecosystems on the planet.

Monteverde was to be our first destination on our itinerary. Green Mountain as it were, was settled by a group of Quakers who arrived to the area around 1951. They were attracted to Costa Rica after the abolition of its army and choose the area that would become Monteverde because it seemed conducive to the diary farming that was their trade. After scientists realized the significance of the delicate micro-system of its surrounding cloud forests, they began to protect the nearby forests.

Cigars are status symbols. In the movies, we often see cigars being puffed by Dons or rich gang Lords. Cigarettes are the inexpensive and more commercially manufactured versions of cigars. Cigars are generally handmade (at least most better tasting and more expensive examples are). They are created by fermenting tobacco leaves until it reached the desired stage.

Cigars grow extensively in places such as: Brazil, Philippines, Mexico and Cuba. Cigar manufacturing has an interesting history anecdote to tell. During the past, cigar manufacturer owners employ the services of a lector or a reader to entertain workers as they work. The definition for cigar basically states that it is a a rolled bundle of tobacco leaves which is ignited when smoked. Fermented tobaccos are used in cigar manufacturing. Nowadays, modern forms of entertainment are now used such as built in piped music or audio books. This will help cigar workers work on a good mood.

As opposed to famous beliefs the cigar wrapper is a leaf not a paper wrapper. It is used to describe the overall flavor and aroma of the cigar and its overall look based on its color. Cigar wrappers are manufactured by extra care as they tend to carry the image of the cigar itself. Some cigar wrappers are tended with polishers so as to give it a beautiful glossy effect. cigar leaves are derived from the widest leaf of the tobacco plant.

Going to your first fair outing can be a very good, or a very bad experience, depending on how you handle situations. There are things you need to plan before hand, things to prepare, things to look out for, how events will unfold tomorrow, who handles this and that and so much more. It can be a very stressful event, but with proper preparations and with the right execution of these; you can bet that you will easily breeze through the day just like any other.

Firstly, consider what you are going to sell in the fair. No, now is not the time to change mind and go for the other product. You spent weeks beforehand preparing those things. So pimp them up to sellable-looks and keep them safe until showtime. If they’re food, prepare them according to specifications. If they’re crafts, clean them and shine them so they have that sparkly sheen that screams “Buy me NOW!”

Consider your wardrobe for the whole day. Of course, most craft newbies would make the mistake of thinking they only need one change of clothes for the whole day. Depending on the environment, and the activity that you engage in while in the event grounds. Wear something comfortable, and at the same time appealing to both your customers and your clients. Bring a change of clothes as well, so you can fit in in any situation that may arise in the site.