We are now “Rinconeros.” It’s still so surreal. We work from dawn to dusk—scurrying to make ends meet with the government, health and fire inspectors, vendors, insurance agents, banks and car registration personnel.
The good news is we got the temporary approval from the Puerto Rico government ARPE to jumpstart our business. 
Our carpenter is nearly finished with the barista bar and we're anxiously waiting for our La Marzocco espresso machine to arrive. Also, it took 6 weeks to get the car but our trusty Scion XB finally made it, flat tire and all.
The busy tourist season is nearing quickly and we have less than a month to open Banana Dang—that means we have less than 2 week
s to clean the upstairs and move in, dust the downstairs, bomb the bugs, landscape, paint the exterior, get the sign ready for business, finalize the menu, install appliances and furniture, get DSL and perhaps...sleep!
It’s been quite the change to go from corpo world to urban refugee land. The roads have no name, the streets are narrow (built for horse and buggy) and defensive driving is a must—as Mario says: “Drive like they’re out to get you!”
If you want directions, you’ll get an answer that goes something like this: “Go up the hill, when you see the white tire, turn left then you’ll see the crazy dog, turn right and go to the gas station, make a left and then call me…I’ll give you the rest of the directions then...better yet—just follow me!”Puerto Rican Culture 101:
• Honk only if you want to say “hello.”
• Don’t talk negative about anyone—they’re probably related to the person you’re gossiping to.
• If you’re a woman, you must be totally dolled up before even going to the supermarket.
• For men: Plucking your eyebrows is considered “clean,” NOT gay.
• If you’re 15, you can marry legally (many parents consent)!
• Patience is a virtue and must be practiced daily.
• Being an hour (or two) late for meetings is considered normal.
• In fact, meetings don't have a specific time, just a general one ("I'll be there in the morning.")
• Mosquitoes are part of the culture. Stay indoors during sunrise and sunset.
• Your word is GOLD. Here...reputation is everything.
Greatest thing about Puerto Rico is it’s “organic” by default. The import tax is so high on most things that you are forced to buy local, eat organic and even drink coffee the traditional way. You will never find a 24-oz triple hazelnut caramel macchiato no whip in Rincon. It’s the 6-oz cappuccino or 4-oz café con leche that sells.Con amor, T2 + Mario
