Tahiti

Aer Lingus is taking reservations for nonstop flights between LAX and Dublin--the only such service by any scheduled carrier from LAX, the airline says. Beginning June 2, 1999, flights will leave L.A. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Round-trip economy fares start at $698 (as opposed to $878 for connecting service via the East Coast); flight time is 10 hours 15 minutes (instead of 13 hours, 20 minutes for connecting service). The plane continues to Shannon, Ireland.

Advertiser: Tahiti Tourisme, the government tourist office Agency: Phelps Group, Santa Monica Challenge: Get Tahiti on the travel lists of upscale adults seeking a quiet, tropical getaway. The Ad: A print ad shows a postcard-like scene--the orange glow of a setting sun bathes a row of thatched huts in a quiet lagoon. "Maybe it's because the sun left a big, red kiss in the sky. . . . Maybe it's because the palms are taking a nap by the lagoon," the ad says. "Whatever it is, it's working."

She waited in vain at a church for a groom who never showed up. Then she poured out her heart on newspapers and television shows. Nicole Contos' tale of unrequited love is winning some sympathy, but also some scorn--including criticism from her wandering fiance, who is apparently enjoying their Tahitian honeymoon alone. Contos was literally left at the altar last month before 250 guests.

After hearing young crew members' tales of cruelty at sea--including food deprivation, imprisonment and threats they would be thrown overboard--a U.S. District Court jury has returned a verdict penalizing the captain of the fishing boat Magic Dragon more than $450,000. It was only the second known verdict granting punitive damages in a civil maritime case in Southern California, the plaintiffs' attorney Jeffrey A. Kopczynski said. But the jury's award may prove difficult to collect.

Dear Bro: Hi! How was your summer? Mine was pretty good. I spent a lot of time at the beach and fell in love with a lifeguard. I almost pretended to drown so that he would rescue me. It never happened. Forgot to put on sunblock a couple days ago and it hurts. Anyway, didn't do much except hang out at that new club in Hollywood. Even saw Brian Austin Green. I thought about approaching him. It never happened. All right, I'm off to peel some skin. Miss you, see you soon. Love, Cindi.

On the phone, Sean Collins was his usual persuasive self. "Mike, if you just stick around there in Tahiti, there's gonna be a big swell that's due to hit. Then you can follow the swell into Hawaii, California and even Alaska. C'mon Mike. . . ."

Southern California lifeguards are geared up for a large south swell, fueled by a storm from Tahiti, that is expected to hit Southland beaches today, producing five- to eight-foot waves in many areas and surf up to 20 feet at some south-facing beaches in Orange County. The swell--possibly the biggest of the year--was already beginning to show on Tuesday with reports of five- to six-foot breakers.

Orange County lifeguards are geared up for a large south swell, fueled by a storm off Tahiti, that's expected to hit Southland beaches today, producing 5- to 8-foot waves in many areas and surf up to 10 to 20 feet at south-facing beaches. The swell--possibly the biggest of the year--was already beginning to show Tuesday with reports of 5- to 6-foot breakers and was expected to build during the night, hit a high today or Thursday, and drop slowly through Saturday.

Kowabunga, finheads, surf's up, and a really big swell, too. It will reach all the way from the blue Pacific to the Ventura Theatre on Friday night when Scott Aichner's fourth surf movie, "Pacific Rim," debuts. Local rockers Raging Arb & the Redheads will open the 9 p.m. show. Aichner's first effort, "Ventura--The Surf Movie," debuted to a packed Ventura Theatre in 1993 with Raging Arb and Lion I's providing live music.

A group opposed to nuclear testing will send a peace delegation to Tahiti in January to protest France's detonation of bombs in the South Pacific, its founder said Thursday. "The devastation that these tests have caused is much worse than we've been hearing," said Judy Hoyt, a Corona del Mar woman who founded Women Against Nuclear Testing. "Since we share the Pacific Ocean, what is going on there affects us. It affects the fish, the air and the water."