Our New Puppy

Skippy the 3-legged dog and Buddy the boxer now have a playmate. His name is Boo and we just picked him up on Tuesday. He’s a pure bred English Cocker Spaniel and I think James & I are actually more excited than the kids.

Sunday Morning at the Market & a Reflection on Aging

Dushan woke me up at 6am screaming for titi (his bottle). We had run out of milk and as I was throwing on some clothes, I realized it was Sunday. “Oh shit, I hope we’re not too late.” You see an interesting thing happens in the little village markets dotted all over the island on Sunday. It’s the day they make specially prepared dishes of ma’a Tahiti & ma’a Tinito.



That would translate into Tahitian food & Chinese food and you have to get to the market early or it will be gone. I can’t tell you how many times, I have gotten there at 7am only to find my favorite pua roti was already sold out. Each market makes different things. Our market Magazin Varari has yummy pua roti (roated pork) and poe, which is made of mashed up fruit and cornstarch and sits in coconut milk. It may sound kind of weird but it’s actually quite delish is a comfort food sort of way. The kids favorite is fifiri (Tahitian donuts).

As you can see from the photos, people literally crawl out of bed and head to the market. Imagine, standing room only at 6am!

I’m kind of bummed, I was hoping to catch some women in their nightgowns today. Instead I can just show you the beloved bathing suit top & pareo look. However, my personal favorite is the playtex bra & pareo. And please, the heavier you are the better. I don't say this in a critical way. In fact I am extremely envious.

Tahitian women typically start out so thin and gorgeous but many (not all) take to heart the concept of eating for two once they become pregnant and that continues with the next 8-12 kids they have. Think of how wonderful that must be! Clearly they accept their large new bodies or why else would they go the market in an overflowing bikini top?! They have grown up in bathing suits & pareos and there is no reason that should change as they grow older and larger. One day, I tried to explain botox to our nanny Elvina. When I was finished, she looked at me and asked why I would you such a thing. I said to look better/younger. She really didn't have a response but I could see in her eyes she thought I was nuts. And you know what, I am. I can't tell you how much I wish I could embrace aging the way Elvina and so many other women here do. I don't think they even think about it. Who knows maybe with time, their attitude will wear off on me. You'll know I have reached the point of contentment when the next time you come to visit and ask to borrow some clothes, all I have to offer are Playtex bras & pareos...

Le Taha'a Private Island & Spa - Trip Report

I just got back from Le Taha’a Private Island & Spa and I do believe it gets more beautiful each time I see it. This truly is a deluxe resort.

People always ask me which is the best bungalow category? And the good news is literally every single bungalow is great. All of the bungalows are exactly the same in terms of size & layout. I will however tell you that, of the Overwater Bungalows, the “best” would be one of the 3 Premium Overwater Bungalows. They would be the bungalows at the end of the pontoon so you have total privacy. But realize we are talking in degrees here. Every bungalow is designed to provide maximum privacy.
Beyond the 3 premium, my preference would actually be the least expensive Taha’a Overwater category. I like having the main island of Tahaa to look at. For me it is more interesting than just looking at the Horizon. The bungalows that look primarily at the horizon are the Sunset Bungalows. Of course, as the name states you do get the Sunset view (however many of the Taha’a also face in the direction of the sunset, you just can’t guarantee it). Just keep in mind, the Sunset Bungalows also get hot afternoon sun. The Bora Bora Bungalows are named because they get the view of Bora Bora. You do need to realize, it is not a straight view. Bora Bora is off to the left and can often be obscured by clouds. While it is a lovely view, it is personally not worth the upgrade to me from the Taha’a OWB’s. In addition, the Bora Bora Bungalows get more wind than the others.


Next are the Beach Villas and they are fantastic. There are 12 and they are fully enclosed within a gorgeous rock wall. The have an outdoor bath (very romantic) off of a huge bathroom. On the other side of the garden off of the living room is a large plunge pool and fare pote for outdoor dining. The entire bungalow opens up to the beach. My preference are the beach bungalows to the left of reception on the opposite side of the spa.

Normally when I’m here, I spend much of my free time underwater scuba diving with Stephan of Blue Nui but this time I had way too much work to do and decided to pamper myself in the spa. First let me tell you that the Manea Spa here is idyllic. The massage fare totally opens up to a saltwater lake. The atmosphere is so incredibly serene. I decided on the vanilla massage and Hohoa Patitifa facial. I was originally going to go for the massage in the lagoon but opted out at the last minute for something a bit more private. My massage therapist was Nadia and she was fantastic. Nice firm touch and so fluid. I was completely unaware of when the massage ended and the facial began. The facial was so lovely. She used things like milk with hibiscus & rose, there was a pineapple face pack and other things using locally produced vanilla. When Nadia was finished working on me, I sat up to see the sun setting behind the reef. The rays of the sun filled the sky in a vision of pale pink & blue. In between was the calm of the salt water lake. It was a magical moment and wouldn’t you know my camera had just run out of batteries!


At Le Taha’a I always find myself admiring the architecture and storing up ideas for the home we are hopefully going to begin construction on by the end of the year. The restaurant is built up in the trees so you have this wonderful view of the resort and lagoon beyond. There are 3 restaurants at the resort and all are excellent.


I decided to have lunch delivered to my overwater bungalow. I had a Caesar’s salad and it was happy to see an authentic Caesar. They brought it to my fare pote (thatched seating area on the outdoor terrace) and the setting was just gorgeous. The sun sparkled diamonds on the lagoon. I could see the point in the lagoon where it suddenly gets much deeper. The mark is distinct as the colors change from turquoise to sapphire and just beyond was the main island of Tahaa.

One of my favorite things to do when staying at Le Taha’a is to kayak over to the coral garden. Well maybe I should rephrase that: One of my favorite things to do is to have James paddle us over to the coral garden. Since he wasn’t with me, I opted out. But really, it is something you should do if you ever make it out here.


My one complaint with the resort and damn I wish I didn’t have to say this, because I have always considered Le Taha’a the best of the deluxe 5-star resorts, is that this time around the service of the staff behind the front desk was inconsistent. Some were so helpful (exactly what I would expect of a resort of this caliber) while others had reached that level of “fiu” were they just couldn’t be bothered. It really is a pity as staff at the front desk is so important because of the contact they have with guests. But I don’t want to place too much emphasis on a couple of bad apples as overall the service was excellent. My phone wasn’t working properly and maintenance was right there with a new phone. Room service was prompt in delivering lunch and also prompt in retrieving the dishes which is great because I really do hate seeing dirty dishes sitting around for ages. As I mentioned earlier, Nadia and everyone at the spa was so charming and extremely helpful in helping me to decide which spa services to get. I did get to spend some time with Stephan the manager of the Blue Nui Dive Center and he continues to remain so friendly and accommodating.

As I finish up this report, I am on Air Tahiti heading home to Moorea. I’m anxious to get home to my babies.

Vahine Island - Trip Report

Vahine Island is much more than a resort, it is an experience. The service at Vahine Island can compete with any of the big 5-star resorts and in many ways they come up on top.

Upon arrival I was greeted with a fresh cloth and a tropical juice. Marie-Laure the manager took the time to show me around the property. You can tell a lot about an hotel by looking at the faces of the employees and I do not exaggerate when I say everyone working there is smiling and all greet you with a warm bonjour or ia orana.

The first thing that absolutely overwhelms me about the resort is the lawn. It may be hard to imagine, but motus are islets within the lagoon and naturally they are wild and overrun with coconut trees and shrubs. The ground typically is filled with many large crab holes. At the finest resorts you will see the motus landscaped with a variety of plants but never have I seen acres of green lawn and that is exactly what you see at Vahine Island. Imagine a coconut plantation covered with golf course quality grass. I asked the about it and apparently the motu always had grass, it has simply been cared for and cultivated over the years and I can tell you the result is stunning. I have been to many motus in my life and the beauty of this motu is exceptional.

The property is 10 acres, yet they only have 9 bungalows. There are 3 Overwater Bungalows, 3 Beach Bungalows and 3 Deluxe Beach Suites. This fact alone is important because there is an intimacy and sense of exclusiveness you feel while at Vahine Island. When you consider at any given time the maximum number of guests is 18, you will begin to understand how they are able to compete on a service level with any of the 5-star resorts. To give you an example of what I am talking about: There is a friendly Tahitian named Toromona at Vahine Island. He is in charge of activities and he gives new meaning to the term activities director. He is not there to simply tell you where the good snorkeling is, he is there to show you. Want someone to take you out on the pirogue do do some fishing? Toromona is your man. Want to learn about coconuts, drink their juice and eat their fresh meat? Well Teramona will grab his machete and serve it up fresh.

Vahine Island exhibits a charm & style of old world Polynesia. It is the real deal. The bungalows are made with local materials. No marble baths here. Yet it is the simplicity of local Tahitian style that is such a huge part of the charm. Think Robinson Crusoe with really comfortable and spacious bungalows, a 5-star chef and a staff whose sole purpose is to make sure you enjoy yourselves. Vahine Island hasn’t been sanitized by modernity. The have mastered a lovely balance that involves a unique Tahitian escape, with fine dining and a few key modern conveniences such as telephone, internet & TV should you want it. And how much detail shall I go into about the food?! From the homemade vanilla yogurt, to the tuna tartare with lemon cream sauce and the delectable profiteroles, the cuisine is exceptional. In addition, the intimate open air restaurant looks out to the turquoise lagoon with the view of Tahaa beyond that. The setting is simply sublime.

I am writing this from my beach suite bungalow with a picture perfect view of Bora Bora in the distance . They call this a Deluxe Beach Suite but I am literally right at the water’s edge. I can jump from my deck into the water with no problem. To my left is a little sand drift within the lagoon. On it sits two lounge chairs. It looks like a little oasis unto itself. To my right is the reef. I can see & hear the crashing of the ocean waves. Behind me is the lush green lawn covered with coconut trees. The bungalow is so spacious. It’s a pity I left James, Fiona & Dushan at home as this bungalow is definitely big enough for the 4 of us and what fun we would have had here.

I slept last night will all the windows and doors open. I was soothed to sleep by the breeze of the trade winds and the crash of the surf in the distance. I woke up so happy to be here and yet so sad I to know I must leave today.

Vahine Island may not be for everyone. There is no a/c and I know that’s important to a lot of people, especially Americans but I speak the truth when I tell you it absolutely was not needed and yesterday was hot, very hot. During the day, I turned on the ceiling fan. Combined with the trade winds, it was more than enough.

Many people are under the impression that Le Taha’a Private Island & Spa is the ONLY hotel in Tahaa. Not true. And the unfortunate thing is, those people who can’t afford Le Taha’a often end up passing on the island entirely. I’m here to say, that is a mistake. There is a wonderful alternative. It is an absolutely incredible place and it is called Vahine Island. Vahine means woman in Tahitian and for now, I will carry her in my heart. I look forward to the day I can return...