So, you surfed all morning with offshores and head high barrels, you worked up an appetite, headed to Rosi’s or the Beach Dog Cafe for some breakfast and more surf fuel and now you are ready for some siesta time during the intense heat in the middle of the day. Maybe you go back to your house chill in the AC, throw in a DVD, play a board game or curl up in a hammock with a good book. Or, maybe you are still full of energy and want to explore more of Nosara. Maybe you want to go snorkeling, bodyboarding, ride bikes around town, or maybe you are ready for another surf session because the wind is still offshore. No matter your preference, this is exactly the time you want to hit up a Nosara staple, The Frog Pad. With all of the choices they have on hand, you will have no problem figuring out what to do with yourself.The Frog Pad has everything you need for any of the aforementioned activities.
Dave Malbon and The Frog Pad have been curing boredom and serving up fun and entertainment here in Guiones since 2004. The Frog pad is located right down the street from the Guilded Iguana and Kaya Sol. They have everything you need for that chill, down time during your vacation, or your everyday life here if you’re a local (us locals still hit up the Pad all the time!). If you’re ever searching for something to do, head on over to the Frog Pad, and I promise you will find something to alleviate your boredom.
With over 5,000 DVDs to choose from, it’s an understatement to say that there is something for everyone. All the DVDs are categorized to make it easier for customers to view the expansive rental selection, and they include categories such as:, Off the Wall, Foreign (Asian, Spanish, European etc.), Horror, Thriller, Action, Family, Cartoon, Anime, Drama, New Releases, and the list goes on. In addition to all of the DVDs, they also rent books, (which they have hundreds of, as well) and board games so you can entertain yourself and your family or group. When the wind is onshore, what’s more fun than a game of Scrabble or Checkers with your crew sitting poolside, Imperials in hand? If you’re not tired though and want to stay active all day long, they also rent snorkeling gear, bikes, surfboards and bodyboards. So, the Frog Pad can even satisfy the needs of the A.D.D., non-stop adventure seekers, too!
Dave started the Frog Pad in 2004, sort of by chance. He came down from his home in Huntington Beach, CA with the intention of spending a year living here, and helping his parents run the Villa Tortuga vacation rentals, right behind the current Frog Pad building. Dave has always loved reading books, especially since college as a History major. He also worked at a couple video rental stores while in College at Sonoma State. Dave loves watching unique, interesting movies and he always loves introducing those great films to people who have never heard of them before. So, the job was a good fit for him and he became very fond of it. In fact, he ended up managing a store for a while. He learned the whole business, from the ordering and buying down to the accounting.
So, when Dave moved down he brought his personal movie collection with him (about 200 movies) and his families book collection (over 400 books). After a while here, he realized that there was nowhere to rent movies and that many people on vacation had plenty of down time to relax and watch a movie. That is when he really saw the market for such a business...the Frog Pad was born.
The first location was in Villa Tortuga. He converted a one bedroom place into the Frog Pad, and his humble abode was also built into the back of the apartment. From there it took off and in 2008 they built the building where the Frog Pad stands today. Next door is another business, Nosaranet, an internet cafe, just in case you need to check that work email while you are renting your surfboards and snorkel gear.
Currently, Dave still runs the Frog Pad and drops in a couple days a week (not a bad commute when you live upstairs!). Although, his current focus right now is managing his family’s rentals the Frog Pad. They have one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom units available for vacation rental.
Even though he has taken on these new responsibilities and he still has all that comes along with being the owner of The Frog Pad, Dave still finds plenty of time to read books and watch movies (some of his favorites are some from the Off the Wall category). In fact, you might just find him any day of the week curled up on the couch watching an old favorite in his cool, dark house in the middle of the day...avoiding the heat just like a frog perched atop it’s pad.
For more info on the Frog Pad visit: http://www.thefrogpad.com/
For more info on Villa Tortuga visit: http://villatortuganosara.com/
You can call the Frog Pad @ 2682-4039
