I recently attended my first Polynesian festival on the beaches of Southern California and was simply amazed at what I saw. I hardly believed my eyes. It looked like a bunch of people sitting in an outdoor living room with lawn chairs self-equipped with cup holders filled with beverages. The crowd seemed mellow, kicking back as if it was Island Time. In California? No way! — Way!

Shown is the mega Pacific Islander Festival at Ski Beach in San Diego (pifasandiego.com). It is one of California's biggest Polynesian & Tahitian festivals - See 2012 Schedule. Other events that promise to entertain Island-style, include the annual E Hula Mau held at Long Beach Terrace Theater, September 2-4 (ehulamau.org), and International Tahitian Ori in Anaheim's Pearson Park.

At other festivals such as the upcoming Lobster Festival in Redondo Beach, the crowds are constantly in motion, riding mechanical bulls, running around in circles, and talking on their cell phones or texting everyone they know. In striking contrast, at my first Polynesian festival the festival crowd seemed relaxed and cool, like they hadn't a care in the world, no place to go, and were living in the NOW.

The main draw at these festivals seems to be dance, music and costume competitions or shows on stage with beautiful women wearing little grass skirts and coconut bras, or muscular men wearing skimpy outfits, cool tattoos, and doing "slap" dances. To say these people are good looking would be an understatement (you've never seen prettier hair than the island women wear.) Gorgeous!

So everyone brings lawn chairs at the outdoor festivals, they eat vendor foods that include a lot of pineapple and teriyaki flavored dishes, some special deep fried donuts sold in kiosks throughout the midway, and they chat with friends. It's very old-fashioned, communal, and a blend of exciting and peaceful at the same time. If you're a work-a-holic, it's time for you to experience some Island Time- in California.