Moving In: Food Shopping List

If you are coming to stay for a period of time in your apartment, wouldn't it be great if you could stop in Panama City or Sabanitas and buy everything you need to get started?

Not having to run back and forth means more time at the pool, or more time on the beach, and who wouldn't like that?

Following is a list of basic foods that you can choose from to stock your cupboard and refrigerator to get you through for a while. You will want to add and subtract from this list to suit your individual tastes, but I have tried to include most of the basics.

Stop at either Super 99 or El Rey in Sabanitas on your way to the resort and you should be able to find everything one might need to avoid starvation. See the previous blog regarding local shopping in Maria Chiquita for an idea of what you might obtain locally.

BALA BEACH MOVE-IN

SHOPPING LISTS: FOOD AND PERISHABLES

English	Spanish
Salt	Sal
Pepper	Pimienta Negra
Sugar	Azucar
Seasoning	Sason
Coffee	Cafe
Tea	Te
Juice	Jugo
Milk/ cream	Leche/ Crema
Butter	Mantequilla
Beer/ Wine	Cervesa/ Vino
Sodas	Refrescos
Bread	Pan (The Flauta is very inexpensive)
Rice	Arroz
Olive Oil	Aceite Oliva
Hot Sauce	Salsa Picante
Fruits	Frutas
Oranges	Naranjas
Lemons	Limones
Mango	Mango
Coconut	Coco
Banana	Gineo
Vegetables	Vegetales
Plantain	Platano
Mild Pepper	Aji
Garlic	Ajo
Potatoes	Papas
Ketchup	Catsup or Salsa de Tomate
Tomato Sauce	Salsa de Tomate
Meats	Carnes
Chicken	Pollo
Beef	Res

(meats, continued)
Goat	Chivo
Fish	Peces
Lobster	Langosta
Octopus	Pulpo
Squid	Calamare
Shrimp	Camarones
Ground Beef	Carne de res molida
Noodles	Fideos
Spaghetti	Espagueti
Spaghetti Sauce	Salsa de Espagueti
Candies	Dulces (sweets)
Cake	Pastel or Bizcocho
Cookies	Galletas
Canned Beans	Abichuelas (or frijoles) enlatados

The blank spaces are to fill in with your favorite foods. Don't be afraid to ask one of the many store employees at either supermarket for help locating an item and don't forget to thank them for their help.

If you are a member of the BalaBeach Owner's Forum, I will be happy to send you this list as a pdf document. Just let me know. Don't forget that there are many fresh fruits and vegetables for sale in small stalls outside El Rey.

Furnishing A Furnished Apartment - Housekeeping, Entertainment and Communication - Updated

If you bought or are buying a furnished apartment, and you plan to stay there or equip your apartment for others to stay more than a night or two, here are a few suggestions of some extra items to bring to your apartment.

If you have any other things to add to this list, please reply and I will post your additions. Equipping your apartment with food and related items will be in my next post. This article deals only with the items you might need to set up housekeeping.

The furnishing packages are fairly comprehensive and include most of the things a person might need to stay a night or two. But without housekeeping, you will need at least the following things, especially for longer stays:

HOUSEKEEPING
1. Broom and dustpan
2. Kitchen wash cloths
3. Dish detergent
4. Laundry detergent
5. Something to clean the floor beyond sweeping. A cleaner that is safe for bamboo floors is recommended, and you will need a mop or something to apply it.
6, A torch (flashlight) and batteries (or candles) in case of power loss.
7. 2 D cell batteries for the hot water heater.
8 Food bag clips
9. Collapsible insulated bag to keep food cool or hot.
10. Cooking utensils (they are on the list, but are not provided). (Spatula, serving spoons etc.)
11. WD 40 or other corrosion preventative spray. Keep metal protected from the corrosive sea air.
12. Toilet tissue
13. Paper towels or re-useable cleaning towels.
14. Soaps for the bathroom.

My thanks to a fellow Bala apartment owner for the following additions:
15. Dishwasher detergent.
16. An emergency contact list (phone contacts)
17. Resort employee contact telephone numbers.


ENTERTAINMENT:
If you will be staying for any length of time, remember, that great novel that you read on the flight down won't last forever! Bring your e-reader, ipad or something for entertainment. If you are not using the optional TV programming, consider bringing a tv streaming device (i.e. Roku (r), Apple TV (r), etc.) and be sure your subscription is paid up. Then you will need the internet service connected to your apartment and you will need to install and configure your own wireless internet router, so bring a router. Don't forget the cables needed to hook everything up. Also, a laptop can be handy for other sources of news and entertainment etc.
1. Ethernet cables
2. Wireless modem/router
3. Streaming device for tv and cables to connect it. (HDMI)
4. Current subscriptions to media as per your preferences.
5. Laptop or other devices.

COMMUNICATION
If you get the wifi going, why not take advantage of Skype, Facetime or Viber to talk to friends and family back home? My experience was that the internet service was less reliable during peak evening useage times. Many, including myself, get a local sim card and buy minutes for cell phone communications. Make sure your cell phone used the frequency band used in Panama. Most quad band phones and iphones do this, but make sure your iphone had a removeable sim card.
1. Sim card
2. Minutes (I use Mas Movil).
3. Wifi if needed
4. Ipad, cell phone, laptop or tablet and software/ subscriptions.
5. Phone contacts. Be sure to add numbers for Resort Management, Resort Maintenance and emergencies.