My Old Fashioned Barber Shop

In the USA, I often hear people lamenting the closing of small personal businesses as corporations make it hard to compete. Once a way of life has passed, it will probably never return.

As a boy in Brooklyn, NY, I remember going to the barbershop on Nostrand Ave. with my father, a classic bonding experience. The old barbers, Augie, Noah and Mooney would ply their trade and men and boys shared the ritual. This is before unisex shops, $100 haircuts and hip stylists.

Here in San Ramon unisex shops and high style are easy to find. I prefer the old fashioned barbershop …… where masters Pibo and Paco have cut hair for decades. The estrogen free zone has big leather barber chairs and wood floors. The atmosphere is right out of the 50’s or early 60’s with no hint of modern life. They use long straight razors for shaves with nice warm lather. They use their scissors with confidence. There is no music playing and no hint of the world outside. When they put you all the way back in the chair, it feels like all your worries drop away. It is an experience, not just a haircut.

Money is money and everybody needs some, but quality of life, connection, and simple rituals bring peace of mind. Life is a journey to find a balance that works. Everybody’s formula is different. Having money and things is a part of the mix, but cannot substitute for things that are missing.

Immersing myself in the culture here in San Ramon has taught me many life lessons that have made my life better. There are no black and white answers… just a never-ending exploration.

My trip to the barbershop every 2 weeks for a beard trim and haircut is a nice part of the journey.

Drinking The First Organic Coffee From Our Farm

It still seems way outside probability that I would ever own an organic coffee farm in Costa Rica. From my roots in Brooklyn and Ithaca NY, this has been a long journey in many ways.

This year, we have over 50 lbs. of coffee to enjoy and share with friends and family. We've been told a few hundred pounds of coffee is just a few harvests away.We turned the farm organic this year, lessening our yield while we learned about the plants and trees on our hillside acre. The banana, plantano, limon, orange, mango and other trees are trimmed and next year we should have a larger coffee yield and make better use of the fruit which shades the coffee.

The good news...the quality of our coffee is excellent. We brought our picked coffee to my friend Martin Rodriquez who is both an organic coffee farmer and also has a small roasting operation. Whereas with the San Ramon Coop, which mixes coffee beans from many local farms, Martin could keep all our beans separate and it is always fun hanging with Martin. Martin roasted it a little darker than normal as we discussed and the flavor is excellent with hints of chocolate and a rich full body.

Brewing our first crop of coffee from our farm has been a daily treat.

Our farm has the highest altitude coffee in El Empalme. It is a classic pueblo, with a school, church and very simple way of life. Our neighbors rarely seem stressed and have taught me a lot in terms of prorities and what's important.

While we enjoy our coffee, our people are working at the farm to make it an even better place in the future.

Life's a trip. You just gotta make room for what life might bring your way.... even the improbable possibilities.

Taking a Break from San Ramon

It is time to take a break from San Ramon and experience New York City and Ithaca for a few weeks. There's lots of snow on the ground and it's cold, dark and a little scary. I had fun with my 8 year old nephew Daniel in Brooklyn who seems to enjoy hanging with his uncle. I managed to eat Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Mexican, falafel, pizza, bagels and lox and every other ethnic food favorite that defines the New York culinary scene. Walking the streets of NYC and looking at the people is a fun contrast to San Ramon and Costa Rica. Topping the days off with reading the NY Times and living in English was nice for awhile. Did I mention how cold, snowy and expensive it was here?

Manana, I return to San Ramon. We left our crew to work while we were away. There are 4 contractors renovating a house, a Nicaraguan family improving the farm and Rosario and Ivania cleaning and watching our property. And then there's Oscar who drives by the farm on his tractor many times a day and makes me laugh and smile whenever we connect.


For now, my life in San Ramon and El Empalme is full to the max with work and transformation. My life in the USA is pretty much a vacation and a break from responsibility and decisions. The balance is always shifting and both lives and cultures nourish me yet also make me crazy ... kicking and screaming for the other. I feel pretty lucky but also kinda brave to live this big life.