The hair expert’s guide to Costa Rica

As a hairstylist who regularly participates in Chanel campaigns and the Thom Browne runway, James Pecis understands the glamor and extravagance of the fashion world. That’s why a 2013 photo shoot with Gisele Bündchen in the Costa Rican village of Santa Teresa left such an impression. “I plan to surf on my lunch break,” he said. Pecis and his wife, Kimberley Norcott, bought property nearby; when the pandemic hit, they stayed behind with their young son, enjoying the waves and sunsets. Pecis is attuned to the environment (“I’ll be rowing through the water and see a bottle of shampoo pass by me”), which is why the duo created Blu & Green, a hair care brand Get creative with plastic-free packaging. It reflects their simple lifestyle in a place that attracts a creative crowd. “You have fishermen next to Maurizio Cattelan next to Camilla Nickerson here on vacation,” he said. “It’s super quiet. No one cares who you are!