Deja Vu Antique Mall 315 S Broadway St., in Orcutt, (805) 314-2409.  Open daily. Resembling a junkyard from the outside--but a manicured one--Deja Vu Antiques houses more than 35 central coast antiques stalls. Do take time to explore the diverse selection that includes everything from blue Mason jars to Tiffany lamp shades. I even saw a bouquet of cotton ball plant sprigs that looked to be straight from the fields. Some handicraft items and vintage clothing are also purveyed. exterior of Deja Vu Antique Mall in Orcutt, California outdoor stalls at Deja Vu Antique Mall ..read more

Riverbench Vineyard & Winery 6020 Foxen Canyon Rd, Santa Maria, (805) 937-8340. Tasting $25. winery sign at Riverbench Vineyard & Winery in Santa Maria, California Situated near the north end of the Foxen Canyon wine trail, the Riverbench Vineyard & Winery tasting room is inside a converted 1920s craftsman-style house. But in good weather, most tasters head for tables on the manicured lawn area for an outside tasting under mature, sheltering trees and with a view of the vineyards. Flowers are often blooming around the edges, and hummingbirds dart among them. o ..read more

Ladino  200 E. Grayson St. #100, (210) 325-6007.   family dines inside at Ladino in San Antonio, Texas Serving Sephardic Jewish cuisine--an old traditional style of Mediterranean fare--in a rustic contemporary setting, this unusual restaurant is a delightful surprise.   Cocktails are interesting.  I drank Persephone’s Kiss, a tasty mix of tequila, pomegranate, salgam, and mint.  Others in my group ordered the unusual house raki service based on a strong, anise-flavored liqueur, and the sophisticated wine list has representation from Oregon to Isr ..read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions   966 SW 6th St.  Trips run daily May through September.    Grants Pass is headquarters for the popular jet boat rides along the Rogue River.  Jet boats have flat bottoms and no rudder or propeller, allowing for a smooth and safe, yet fast and exciting, ride through the sometimes shallow water.  In addition to being extreme fun, jetting down the Rogue River in one allows you to observe some of the area's plentiful wildlife.  On my family's ride, the driver slowed to point out ospreys, great blue herons, and deer.  We a ..read more

Weasku Inn   5560 Rogue River Hwy. (Hwy.99).  Breakfast included.  porch at Weasku Inn in Grants Pass, Oregon First, a little history.  Movie star Clark Gable vacationed regularly here in his favorite fishing lodge, and he also holed up here for two weeks and mourned intensely when actress Carole Lombard, his third wife and the love of his life, perished in a plane crash in 1942.  During that time he didn’t want to see anyone, and so food and drink were left outside his room.  Eventually, he exited to face his obligations and, at age 41, to enlist ..read more

Aurora, Oregon Alternate route Highway 99E goes right through town, splitting it in half. Time After Time antiques shop in Aurora, Oregon Aurora is the first organized Christian communal society established west of the Mississippi.  The 400 original colony members arrived via the Oregon Trail in 1855.  Sharing property and labor with one another, they flourished here from 1856 through the mid-1880s.   The community became known for simple living and for accumulating a minimum of material things, and it produced fine musicians, craftsmen, and scholars.  Though ..read more

Los Patios   Diners park in a spacious lot and then walk in to the woodsy restaurant through a large park-like setting.  Set on 18 rustic acres with hundreds of mature trees, Los Patios has been a hospitality and special event venue for more than 50 years.  Yet its preserved, natural setting surprises first-time visitors.  Several health-related complexes, a few shops, and an AirBNB also operate here.   Los Patios park area in San Antonio, Texas ●Comfort Cafe  Located in this woodsy spot, this unusual cafe has spacious indoor and outdoor pat ..read more

Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple  Main Gate entrance to Meditation Gardens:  17190 W. Sunset Blvd.  (310) 454-4114; www.lakeshrine.org.  Admission W-Mon at 10am & 1pm.  Free.  Reservations required.   Golden Lotus Archway at Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens in Pacific Palisades, California Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens Situated on 10 acres that were once a movie studio and set, this peaceful facility was created by Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda in 1950 and is open to all denominations.  I found it the perfect place to escape ..read more

Captivating Carousels There is so much to enjoy about a carousel--the whimsical appeal of the animals bouncing up and down, the happy sound of organ music, the sparkling lights reflected in mirrors. Many cities have a carousel--often in a park or a zoo--that residents can enjoy, and it is great fun to experience some of the more unusual ones as you travel the U.S. and the world.  Here are a few resources to help you discover some amazing carousels to visit as you go.  PHOTO GALLERY:  Carousels Around the World 8 carousels that offer a splendid spin carousel in Golden Gate ..read more

Los Tito’s   5257 Baltimore Dr., near Fletcher Pkwy., (619) 466-8226.  Open 24 hours.   exterior of Los Tito's in La Mesa, California Situated in a strip mall, tiny Los Tito's is famous for making the best rolled tacos in town.  This crispy treat comes in several varieties.  The regular version is simple and straightforward with the rolls topped with avocado sauce and shredded cheese, while the potato version finds the rolled-up tacos smothered in tasty and colorful salsa fresca.  I favor ordering one of each.   menu at Los Tit ..read more