Page 71 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter 2024/2025

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LAS CATALINAS | DONNA S. VIEIRA
As a leader in the movement to build highly
walkable neighbourhoods, towns and cities, Las
Catalinas’ adopted concept of “Well-Living at
Las Catalinas” parallels the Blue Zone lifestyle
pillars. With cars gone, people spend more time
outdoors, generating opportunities for spontaneous
interactions, conversations and impromptu get-
togethers.
In 2022, The Congress for New Urbanism
celebrated Beach Town, the first neighbourhood
within Las Catalinas, with a Charter Award recog-
nizing the town’s achievement in “designing a
more equitable, sustainable, connected, healthy
and prosperous community.”
A Fountain of Youth
While Las Catalinas has a resort feel to it, it is a
fully functioning town. As we walked about, chil-
dren’s voices filled the air. It was recess time at the
Montessori preschool and what better place to
enjoy playtime than at the beach.
You’ll find a grocery store, restaurants, an outdoor
gym, a furniture store, spa services, as well as med-
ical, dental and legal offices. For the active crowd,
consider paddleboard, snorkelling, yoga and whale
watching, to name a few activities. Las Catalinas
even hosted the annual triathlon, XTERRA, earlier
this year, hoping to make it a regular event.
Words do not
describe the splen-
dour and attention to
detail I observed at
each property we vis-
ited. I couldn’t help
but feel the town pro-
vided the perfect
backdrop for a story-
book destination
wedding.
A Feast of Blue Zone Delicacies
By mealtime, we had worked up quite an appetite,
and the tasting menu at the Restaurant Ponciana
in the Santarena Hotel was the perfect place to
sample Chef Frederico Lizano’s culinary delights.
Having recently returned from France where he
worked with Michelin-star chefs, he was brim-
ming with ideas and eager to experiment with
Costa Rica’s Blue Zone produce.
An amuse-bouche featuring wagyu beef from a
local farm was followed by a delicious mushroom
harvest from the northern mountain area. Next, a
perfectly cooked egg (at 63 C for 16 minutes) was
served with a corn purée and sweet potato chips,
seasoned with ancho chili pepper, roasted garlic
and onion. The wahoo sashimi came with a home-
made ponzu sauce of lime, soya sauce and sesame
seeds, topped with avocado and burnt onion. The
fresh catch-of-the-day dish featured pan-seared
snapper served with mashed sweet potato and
fresh herb butter drizzle. We could not believe the
lobster bisque that followed. Chef Frederico
explained he used a lobster head for his bouill-
abaisse, which enhanced the flavour giving it a
strong, but noble, flavour. Our sixth, and final,
plate was a demi-glaze wagyu ribeye soaked in red
wine for 72 hours and served with roasted beans
and chanterelles.
Our meal was a culinary exclamation mark to our
day, and considering the luxurious properties we had
the privilege to tour, that is saying something!
DS
TRAVEL PLANNER
Air Canada (aircanada.com) flies non-stop from
several Canadian gateways to Liberia International,
about an hour’s drive from Las Catalinas
(lascatalinascr.com). A nine-course tasting menu
at Ponciana costs about US$200 per couple.
WINTER 2024/2025 DREAMSCAPES 71