Island Ease

We drove up the North Shore today and from a promontory, watched a solitary surfer finesse some colossal waves. I could watch the furling and unfurling of the surf forever: infinite shades of turquoise and blue, capped in white. It's just flat-out spectacular. (Where, exactly, we were, I couldn't tell you -- I have no memory for the Hawaiian place names, but they're sure fun to say: every vowel is pronounced.)

Lunched at Mama's Fish House. In the short time we've been here, it's been recommended by just about everyone we've met. It is, of course, on the beach; and even though we were seated at the back of the room, we could view the palm trees and surf through the spacious bank of open windows. In fact, it looked more like a movie than reality. (Hmm....I suppose I've witnessed most all of my tropical restaurant scenes on a screen....) The interior is shaded and intimate, with thick Oriental carpets throughout. The service was flawless; so was the lehi (fish) I ordered. But what nearly brought tears to my eyes was the appetizer of Polynesian seared beef with cilantro, ginger, sweet onion, tomato, cucumber and lime served in a grilled half-papaya. Good god almighty I nearly dropped to my knees in adoration of the chef.

Mama's is pricey -- our lunch, sans alcohol, cost as much as dinner out in an upscale Seattle restaurant. But believe me, it was worth every last shred of that beef, every last drop of lime. (Definitely goes on the list of Most $$$ Lunches ever, for me, after the formal dining room at Musee d'Orsay in Paris and La Gouloue on Madison Ave. in NYC.) I'm going to attempt to reproduce it (the dish, not the price!) when I get back home, probably with the assistance of my personal chef-son. Can. Not. Wait. !

Clouds swooped over the island all day with soft grey scarves of rain, and we drove up-country through fields of shimmering sugar cane and the occasional rainbow. The wind never let up, and the air was cool and delicate after each shower: not unlike Irish weather, but with heat. P. found a stunning navy silk Hawaiian-bowling shirt with intricate hand-stitching on the pocket and collar, and I found a white linen-silk-blend blouse.

Still no photos, though. Office Max was out of the card reader I use, and we couldn't bear to drag ourselves into odious WalMart, where we most likely would've found one.

We plan a quiet day tomorrow: reading, swimming, lounging. No traipsing about the countryside. It's time to get on with the business of lolling.