'12 Angry Men' in English
Performed by the Little Theatre Group, May 16-June 1, Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m., Laurence Olivier Theater, Av. 2, Ca. 28, tickets at 8355-1623, www.littletheatregroup.org.

Wine tasting
Tasting and buying, Friday and Saturday, Vinum La Enoteca, Plaza Laureles, Escazú, 2289-5917.

Fiesta de Marsella
Art, karaoke, dance, food, through Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Salón Comunal, Marsella, Venecia, San Carlos; Gran Cabalgata parade, Sunday Noon, 2472-1408, 2472-1900.

José Calvo in concert
Latin fusion, jazz, 7 p.m., Spanish Cultural Center.

Film: 'Everybody Says I Love You'
6 p.m., Alliance Française.

Chocolate in concert
Salsa, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Tropical America Fair
EARTH University open house, with dance shows by Academia Danza “O” Fusión Cultural, Luna del Desierto Folk Dance Group and Lebanese group Dabke'l, sports activities, Saturday and Sunday, Guácimo, Limón, 2713-0457.

Rugby game
Saint Anthony School vs. Saint Francis School, Saturday, 9:15 a.m., at Metodista High School, Sabanilla, 300 m. east of Catholic Church.

Violin and piano concert
In memory of Josue Rojas, 4 p.m., Academia Bach, 100 m. east and 15 m. north of San Pedro Church.

Son de Tikizia in concert
10 p.m., Jazz Café, Escazú, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Magician Eric Chartiot
7:30 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, CCCN, reserve at 2207-7570.

International Museum Day
With 20 participating museums, cimarrona, mascarada, concerts, talks, presentations, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

National Symphony Orchestra concert for children
Performing works by Mozart, Bizet, Anderson, Shostakovich, and others, 10:30 a.m., National Auditorium, Children's Museum.

Endurance Mountain Bike Cup
9 a.m., Patarrá, Desamparados, register at 2234-6013.

Smart phone lovers in Costa Rica no longer have to cross oceans or make back-alley deals to get what they want.

Blackberry devices will be available as early as July 2008 through the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE).

But its competitor – Apple's iPhone – has not yet brokered a deal with the state telephone monopoly, despite Internet rumors it was coming. An ICE spokeswoman said the two parties have not had any contractual discussions.

Costa Rica is one of few Latin American countries that will not have official access to the iPhone.

ICE will obtain 1,500 Blackberry devices, in both the Curve and Pearl models, to sell at specified retailers at prices ranging from ¢250,000 (about $500) to ¢350,000 (about $700).

Read this week's Tico Times for more on this story.

Seafood sales in Costa Rica have dropped 50 percent in the wake of a string of more than 100 illnesses linked to the restaurant La Princesa Marina in Moravia, a northeastern San José suburb.

“(The ailment) was food poisoning,” said Health Minister María Luisa Avila. “(It is) most likely E. coli, caused by poor management during the process of cleaning and preparing the food.”

The W ater and Sewage Institute (AyA) was commissioned to test the well water that the restaurant had been using.

What it found was not pretty.

“The water was contaminated with fecal matter,” Darner Mora, director of the AyA's water laboratory, told The Tico Times. “But I don't know if that caused the contamination.”

The restaurant was shut down for myriad health code violations and can only reopen once it has submitted a satisfactory action plan to the Health Ministry, Avila said.

The government insists that it is safe to eat seafood and that the public is simply overreacting to the news.

“It is entirely safe to eat seafood,” Avila said. “The problem was not with the shellfish or the fish, it was the poor technique and scant hygiene used in the preparation. The people can buy shellfish, provided it is fresh, and prepare it in their homes or eat it in restaurants that comply with the Health Ministry's standards.”

Many fishermen and restaurant owners around the country are concerned because they cannot sell the goods that provide them with their daily bread. Others wonder if the sales drop isn't the result of other factors.

“I think it's because the (food and gas) prices went up,” said Han Hyung, owner of the posh San José sushi restaurant Little Seoul. “Not because of the seafood scandal.”

The Tico Times, the largest English-language newspaper in Central America, marks its 52nd birthday on Sunday.

Founded in 1956 by publisher Dery Dyer's mother, Elisabeth Dyer, the weekly newspaper has been the leading source of Costa Rican news for the English-speaking community for more than half a century.

“Throughout the years, we've been here, covering the people and events important to this region,” said Abby Daniell, the Tico's general manager.

Some historic newsmakers, whom The Tico Times covered from the beginning, are still in the news today: Oscar Arias, Daniel Ortega and Robert Vesco.

The newspaper also continues to pursue ongoing issues, such as poverty, political turmoil and environmental degradation, and new issues, such as free-trade agreements, crime and building moratoriums.

And it is keeping an eye on up-and-coming political figures, such as Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno and Vice President Laura Chinchilla, who is contemplating a run for president.

As The Tico Times enters its 53rd year, it continues to grow, as does its sister paper, The Nica Times, a three-year old, eight-page publication inserted each week into the paper and distributed in Nicaragua. The Tico Times Web site, www.ticotimes.net, which provides daily updates on the news, is attracting more unique visitors each year.

In addition to covering the news, The Tico Times publishes two guides to Costa Rica: Exploring Costa Rica and the Restaurant Guide to Costa Rica.

Thanks for reading!