Kon Tiki

At night, a legion of creatures came alive in the thatch of our roof, rustling and calling out to each other, like the effects track of a Tarzan film overdubbed sixteen times. Essay by Karen Kasaba

Backyard Hula — San Fernando Valley, CA

I have always been soothed by the presence of tikis, drawn to the artificial jungles of Polynesian restaurants and bars. Although I appreciate actual sand and water, and temperate, plumeria-scented air, I prefer my paradise condensed into tropical…