There are initiatives in Costa Rica, places that become favorites to enjoy pleasant moments accompanied -literally- by healing drinks.This is the Elixir Bar, which recently opened its doors and offers healthy drinks for Ticos and visitors to Playa Hermosa (Pochotal).
Elixir Bar: Calm & Chill serves herbal and plant-based drinks that offer an alternative to alcohol bars and coffee shops, to ease the mind and soothe the soul, it is a relaxing environment, ideal for people after a long day they recover.
It is an authentic bar, a space in which community events focused on music, spiritual growth and art have been held.It is open to the public from Thursday to Monday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
About the Elixir menu
Among the drinks that can be enjoyed at the incredible Elixir Bar are: Kava, golden milk, Cocoa, mushroom mate, apple cider vinegar-based abdominal tonic, a touch of cold ginger and they always have cold coconut water at hand.
In a magical place of Costa Rica, they have several types of Kava available at all times. Kava is a pepper-based tea that has beneficial effects on the nervous system, promotes sociability, and is commonly consumed in groups during late afternoon and early evening. You can detail the menu by entering:
Who had the initiative to create Elixir and what are the purposes?
Craig Ernst, is the owner of Elixir Bar and believes that the main intention is that through the healthy enjoyment of people, with drinks made from herbs, spices and other ingredients, they can reduce inflammation, stress and anxiety.
It is worth noting that almost all the ingredients used in the Elixir Bar are locally sourced, including the coconut milk, which is made with coconuts from the beaches between Jacó and Parrita.
Craig and his team are grateful for the support they have received from the community and in turn believe that they are contributing to the local economy by sourcing their ingredients locally.
Costa Rica is home, it is opportunity
At TCRN we spoke with the creator of Elixir Bar, Craig Ernst, who told us about his inspiration and motivation in Costa Rica despite not being Tico by birth.
What part of the world are you from, that is, where were you born and how, why did you come to Costa Rica?
Born in New York, United States, he attended college in Pennsylvania. He lived in Oregon for 23 years until made the decision to open Eixir Bar in November 2022.
It was not the first time that he came to Costa Rica, because 25 years ago with his American family he got to know the Central American country;22 years ago he met his -Tica mother- Mother (Macha) in EsterillosOeste and 15 years ago that (Tica) family adopted him and gave him the nickname “Gallino”.He has lived many adventures in Costa Rica, which currently considers incredible, which is why he is also writing a book with the title “CasiTico”.
Craig, is a human being who has always made an effort to “follow his heart”, those are words or advice that his parents always told him, who motivated him to follow his dreams and thoughts.
What do you like most about Costa Rica?
Craig Ernst, likes culture, in his simple opinion of the country, always highlights that since his first visit 25 years ago, he felt something different here; “It’s a community that maintains constant support.”He likes to surf and it is somewhat authentic in the various areas of Costa Rica.
An interesting professional life…
Many years ago, he was working as a dishwasher in a restaurant near a ski mountain in Washington, during that time Craig watched a movie about people surfing very big waves, from that moment he focused on being a video editor.
Then, in 2016, he became interested in solar energy, which is why he begin to place solar panels at home and while doing some paperwork, the owner put him in contact with an organization that supports renewable energy businesses and has worked in this area for 13 years.
Today he has various ventures, in addition to the Elixir Bar, including charging cell phones at festivals and events using solar energy: http://tinysolarcharginghouse.com/referring to his yoga practices: https://www.fit2sit.org/and is a manager of a music band from Pakistan: https://fanna-fi-allah.com/among others.
His inspiration to create Elixir Bar
In addition to the fact that he has always liked spending time in a cafeteria, appreciating what they offer and of course its space, he realized that in Jaco’s Hermosa beach a place was needed for people to go, without alcohol, with a relaxed atmosphere, good people and healthy drinks, from there he was inspired to open Elixir Bar, also because his parents and friends have encouraged him in the initiative.
Happy to talk with an American captivated by the wonders of Costa Rica, who ended by expressing a message to all the people in the world who have plans or projects and have not started working on them: “Always follow your heart, live the opportunities, enjoy having experiences, identify with an essence or lifestyle and take the sustainable approach in everything you do”.
You can follow the spot on [email protected] and find more information on their website: www.elixir-bar.com
