THE HOLDABILITY FACTOR: What makes great street food? It's a question that chefs and cookbooks and foodie festivals regularly address. Flavor and appearance and spice all count, but a major component is in the cuisine's very name: You're most likely eating it on a street, or adjacent to a street, meaning that the whole plate-silverware-cloth napkin thing may or may not be happening. In short, street food tends to take off when it has a very strong holdability factor. Think anything in a cone or in a wrap or in a bun or, better yet, think of the taco. Is the taco in all of its nearly countless varieties the ultimate dish to sup on while standing? All you're required to do is tilt your head, if you don't want the ingredients to spill, and enjoy the goodness, but that's about it. Otherwise you're actually holding the packaging you'll soon eat. It's brilliant, in short, and it is a perfect food you'll see enjoyed again and again on Saturday, May 25 at History Park in San Jose.

WHO IS SET TO SHOW: A bevy of taco professionals'll be cooking their savory specialties at the San Jose Taco Festival, which is coming together under the organization of SJMade Street Mart. The Louisiana Territory, Taqueria Angelica's, and Madd Max Cantina will be doing the serving-up-of-the-good-stuff thing. Don't want to do tacos? Well, that's your choice, so we're not giving you the hard look. But know your choices outside the shell or tortilla will be pretty plentiful.

BEST GET THOSE TICKETS: A general is ten bucks, but be sure to stow some extra cash for the food-buyin'. Some 25,000 tacos were sold at the first year of Taco Fest -- this is year two, by the by -- so bet there will be many returning taco aficionados. 

BUT IS IT DRIVE-ABLE? Whether something can be driven, or moved, or cycled, or propelled, isn't exactly the right question to ask in the world of kinetic racing. The questions should run more along the lines of "will my creation make people laugh?" or "can I make bystanders happy when they see me whirl by in a giant silicon duck on wheels?" or "should my dragon bicycle breathe fake fire?" There is likely a whole gamut of whimsical queries made in the weeks leading up to the Kinetic Grand Championship, one of the prime paragons of weirdness in the kinetic racing world.

WHY IS IT WEIRD? Well it takes place in Humboldt County, which not only embraces people marching to their own drum but practically loans them the drumsticks. (Other places everywhere? Take a lesson on this. Thank you.) And the participants in the Kinetic Grand Championships call their racing mobiles "art sculptures," which they are, but they are never referred to as cold, mechanized machines, which they are not (and they're certainly not mechanized, given that the spirit of kinetic racing is very much about people power).

THE DATES AND DETAILS: The art sculptures will roll and float and zoom and heave and break down and go again over some 42 miles over three days. Those days are Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, and you'll want to be in Arcata, Eureka, and Ferndale to get an eyeful of the outlandish action. And it is outlandish; if you don't think that longtime sculptors aren't trying to outdo each other for sheer fantasy and cheek, you haven't been following the kinetic scene for long enough. Did we mention that the judges are sometimes bribed in the Kinetic Grand Championship? As we said, 100% cheek.

LIGHT AND WATER: The sights and sprays of Yosemite Valley are some of the best-known in the world, and especially in the springtime, when the national park's waterfalls are at their most robust. But it isn't always just the water-and-rock element that visitors journey to the Sierra to see. Very often how the light plays off the famous falls is the draw, specifically at certain times of the year or certain phases of the moon. Take the Horsetail Fall's annual "firefall," a mid-February marvel that results from the rays of a setting sun and the fall itself (the "fire" in the name is a clue as to the appearance). But moonbows can also be seen around the valley at certain times. Surely you know the moonbow, yes? Less common than a rainbow but just as magical, a moonbow is simply a bow created from light reflected from our lunar orb. We'd almost be inclined to call them even more magical than rainbows, since the light has to make a pit stop on the moon before reach our watery planet, but we don't want to be accused of thinking anything is more magical than a rainbow. That's practically law, right?

HERE COMES A MOONBOW NOW: There may be a chance to see this enchanted sight on the evening of Saturday, May 25 at Lower Yosemite Fall. "May"  is the operative word, of course. As with all natural wonders and marvels, timing, atmosphere, and a hundred other elements play into the final result. But, still, there's a full moon due, and there are only "a few days a year," per a Yosemite site, that a bow is possible. May 25 is one, hooray hooray, so bet the bow buffs'll be out. Even if the magic doesn't happen, you'll be in the Valley, on Memorial Day Weekend, so we're just betting you'll find a horse to ride or a hike to join.

MOONBOW PREDICTIONS: The moonbow predictions shared by Yosemite are made by Texas State University researchers. Wouldn't you love to be a moonbow predictor? No joshing here. We'd put that at the top of our resume, out of pure pride.

100 MILES OF WONDER: Many a marathoner, even those people who can take on the 26.1 miles without a blink or a care, looks to races like the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley with wonder, and, well, more wonder. That's 135 miles long and it happens in July, in the desert, so, yeah, there's a lot of wonder to be had around that particular race. But any athletic, physical-effort-y event that eclipses a certain amount of miles is worthy of our wonder. How do the participants do it? How do they conserve their energy? What do they do when they hit a mile they don't think they can make it through?

THERE'S A NEW EVENT... To ask those wonder-filled questions about: The California 100. Billed as the state's first ultra-marathon paddle race, the California 100 will wend its way, via kayaks, surf skis, and canoes, from Redding to Chico on Saturday, May 25.

YEAH, REDDING TO CHICO: That's not a snappy little distance, as you know, hence the "100" in the event's name. The river, of course, is the famous and gorgeous Sacramento, so bet the people with the oars'll have some lookie-loo-ing to do as they paddle (if they afford themselves a few seconds now and then to do so).

FOUR COUNTIES: To give some scope to the epic length of this race, the California 100 will visit a quartet of counties. There are several checkpoints along the way, and intermediate paddlers are expected as well as elite racers. Rivers for Change is the non-profit that the race supports.

So what's the next ultra-marathon for the Golden State? We have running, paddling, a few dance events here and there that last for over a day... What brave and bold sector is next?

A CAMP-COOL EXPERIENCE: Camp is one of those getaways which tends to end once you reach, oh, age 18, or maybe 20 at the outside, and even then you're probably a counselor and not a camper. Adults don't go, unless there is a camp-like experience offered by a rustic hotel (sometimes hot dogs for roasting are provided, or an old-school camp blanket). But going with your kids? It is pretty hard to do. You need to a) find a hotel that has a pretty spectacular natural setting, which isn't always a snap. The second task you face is b) locating a property that is both adult-nice but kid-sweet, too, which isn't always a snap. And c) you need to find a place that has stuff for you all to do together, and, better yet, offer that stuff during the summertime, when the kidlets are out of school. Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito has got those three points covered in its Family Discovery Package.

THE PACKAGE OFFERS... Plenty of be-together-and-live-it-up things for a family to do as a unit. Half-day bike rentals are in the deal, as is a map and guidebook to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Cavallo Point, as you likely know, overlooks a famous orange-y bridge). Free breakfast for the young'uns and a free in-room movie for each day you're there are in the fine print, too.

AND NOPE... It won't be rustic and thorny and branchy and too camp-esque. That's where the adult part comes in; we want the fun of a getaway but some comforts, too. Cavallo Point is dang swank, with pretty historic rooms and contemporary set-ups, too. No rain leaks, no bunks, no running down to the lake to bathe. It's the perfect mesh of grown-up wants and kid-nice activities, all in a bundle. For more information of the package, you'll want to direct your mouse's clicking mechanism here.

THE MOVING IMAGE: The reasons that the Pageant of the Masters, Laguna Beach's hold-still-and-pose-like-a-painting summer extravaganza, is known around the world are plentiful. Maybe it was being lovingly satirized in "Arrested Development" (the Bluths, an Orange County family, would of course participate). Maybe it is because the long-running stage spectacular is, well, spectacular, in a more silent, quiet sense, as compared to 99.9% of all other performance genres. People get painted to fit into artworks, or to be the artwork, and then they keep very still and very quiet. See? That's charming. And it's unique, at least fairly so in these modern times (people have been paying homage, via poses, to paintings and sculptures for centuries). So knowing all of this, and being aware that actors have been remaining still on the Pageant stage since the mid-'30s, it can surprise one to learn what the 2013 theme is to be: The Big Picture. As in movies. As in moving movies. Has the Pageant entered a new chapter?

THE STILLNESS REIGNS SUPREME: Fear not, tradition mavens. The Pageant's film tribute will be dedicated to the "classic art that inspired legendary filmmakers." This means those quintessential "living pictures" will remain still, while summoning the spirit of Thomas Gainsborough (an artist loved by director Stanley Kubrick) and recreating work by Jean-Leon Gerome, a favorite of Ridley Scott. It's always interesting for cinephiles to see the art their star helmer loved, but to see it recreated in a rather filmic way, with human beings, right before the eyes, is positively cinematic in scope. Plus, think of all the Hollywood people who've loved and lived in Laguna Beach over the years. It's a great fit, we think, for a tradition that keeps the parts people love while breaking things out a little, too, in offbeat and fresh ways. The Pageant of the Masters runs from Sunday, July 7 through Saturday, Aug. 31.

A WORD OF ADVICE: If you're ever considering getting into a cute contest with anything in this world just don't go up against a koala. Because regardless of how cute any of us are, or any other living creature is, one simply can't compete with the furry beast that is snub of nose and large of ear and snoozy of disposition. We'd never tell anyone "quit before you try" over anything, but we have to take a stand on this one. Exhibit A? Kirra, pictured above, the newest joey at the San Diego Zoo. She got her name -- it is Aboriginal for "leaf" -- when some 4,000 koala buffs voted online. Gaze into Kirra's eyes, enamored, furry-obsessed humans. Do you want to be in a cute-off with her or any other koala? None of us are raising our hands on this one, and wisely so.

BUT WE WILL RAISE OUR HANDS... to see her in person. Or, um, in koala? A big date is ahead for Kirra and all of the zoo's famous eucalyptus-craving marsupials, when the Conrad Presbys Australian Outback debuts at the animal park on Friday, May 24. The koalas will now be neighbors with kookaburras and cockatoos and wombats and other creatures that hail from Down Under. One of the centerpieces of the area is the Queenslander House, which will provide eye-level decks from which to observe the koalas napping in the trees. (Spoiler alert: Koalas do love their naps.) It's an innovative idea, and one you don't see at too many zoos. How many times have you looked up into trees, rather than straight on, to try and spy a koala?

Just over a half dozen marsupials will call the Australian Outback area home, and about two dozen birds. Can't wait for Memorial Day Weekend? You can watch Koala Cam right now. Does anyone see little Kirra?

THE INTERACTIVE THISTLE: Some greens can be eaten neat. No dressing or sauces or toppings are required to enjoy a stalk of celery (sorry, peanut butter enthusiasts) or a head of iceberg lettuce (ditto, blue cheese lovers). But the artichoke? We're in more controversial territory now. You probably are not acquainted with an artichoke aficionado who eats those point leaves straight-up. Sure, maybe the heart, maaaaybe, but we're talking the scrape-with-the-teeth leaves. If ever there was a delivery-system edible, it is the artichoke, meaning that it has been long paired with aioli and mayonnaise and hollandiase and all of the other -aises. It's also one of the only plants that boasts two entirely different things going on, in the how-we-eat-it department, and we're willing to lay down a jar of pricey dipping oil that most fans favor the heart. You can find out yourself if that is true, at least anecdotally, if you happen to be in Castroville on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

ARTICHOKE DAYS: Castroville's celebrity food makes several appearances over the weekend festival, notably in the cooking demos. You're liable to see a guy, though, walking around in a giant squishy artichoke suit, too. (Is he a cousin to the guy who walks around dressed as a garlic bulb in Gilroy? We have theories.) A car show, a parade, and wine doings round out the foodie good times. Oh, speaking of the Garlic Festival -- have you ever seen an artichoke-based dessert at the Castroville confab? Garlic pops up in sweets more and more, but the chokey still hasn't cracked that market. Culinary adventurers and brilliant home cooks, this could be territory worth exploring. What if the requisite dipping sauce wasn't savory but something chocolate? If there was ever a place to be inspired, it's down Castroville-way.

TODAY'S TOP TEN WRITING TIPS: If you're a writer, of any sort -- novels, screenplays, poetry, grocery lists, or all of the above -- you likely have dealt with the onslaught of creative quick tips to get those writer-block-y walls brought down in a jiffy. Count backwards from 100 or smile ten times in a row or do both simultaneously appear alongside a host of other suggestions that may or may not hold much water. But, truly, the one tip you do need is this: Step away from what you're writing. Really away, so you're not staring at the last sentence you just wrote and wondering where to go from there. And if you want to get really, really, really away, there's an intriguing option straight ahead: Writin' Riders, a two-day horse-and-words gathering at the Wild Horse Sanctuary near Shingletown.

GRAB THE REINS: Set to clip-clop on Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16, Writin' Riders is a workshop led by author Terri Farley. Ms. Farley'll head out into the wide open spaces with attendees, on the search for the sanctuary's most famous inhabitants, the ponies that roam free. Along the way, off-horse, there will be writing discussion, a shade-tree lunch, and a 90-minute writing workshop. You'll also read a short piece you've written (fingers crossed) while at the sanctuary.

A NOVEL IDEA: Writing workshops come in every stripe, but we do salute those that think outside the box, and by box we mean a room with chairs and tables. Some physical activity is good for the thoughts, just about every study shows, and some hours in the saddle might jostle your next book into being. And, nope, your books don't have to be about riding or horses, but if they are? So much the better. Cost is $475, accommodations and meals are in that mix, and more. Even if this isn't for you, maybe an offbeat, fresh-air creative happening is what you need? Let this be the sign you've been waiting for.

GETTING SUMMER STARTED: If you were to crack open The Big Book of Summer -- you totally own your own copy, right? You never borrow it from friends? Good, good -- then you would know what everyone knows: Certain types of happenings in certain beautiful places have a way of instantly delivering the emotion you crave from a certain type of year. It's not science. Well, actually, there may be some science involved, psychology and so forth, but the upshot is this: If you want summer's easy living to arrive a little sooner, then start acting like it is summer. Right? This is a snap. It's like someone telling you to think happy thoughts to get in a happy mood. And, in our book -- rather, in The Big Book of Summer -- the way to do that is start doing the kinds of things you associate with summer. Us? We think of big outdoor music festivals and alfresco dining and wine tastings sprawling across warm weekends. And look at that: BottleRock Napa just wrapped, and restaurants are setting out the patio tables, and Taste Alexander Valley, one of wine country's biggest summer soirees, is just ahead on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

THE WINERIES: They're plentiful, and you won't visit them all. (That sounds like a negative, but we prefer a wine weekend that's so large and offers such varied choices that we're sure to not do everything.) Medlock Ames, Icaria Winery, and Draxton Wines are all on the roster. Different vineyards will offer different special happenings, but here are some words from the winery-by-winery breakdown: "hillside veranda," "pork sliders," "chocolate cherry bread pudding," "roses in the garden." Yep, this is summer trying to make its way in, so let it. There are still some tickets on sale, too, if you feel the same.

BEYOND THE BROCHURE: Travel brochures can begin to all sounds a little alike, if you lay them alongside each other and consume them all at once. Oh, not all brochures -- there are some truly clever examples out there, that make you want to be in the place they're describing immediately -- but you know the ones we speak of. And there are some cities that one feels naturally inclined to be a bit travel-brochure-y about, in tone and language, if only because you just feel happier, better, and more at ease there. That's all. Arcata is in one of our own travel-brochure-y sweet spots, but we're going to flip the language we'd normally go to here, to sum up the Humboldt County gem, and say this: It is a place that has a tendency not to bum us out upon arrival. Some places can, if your expectations and the reality are too far apart, but not with Arcata. It's the quintessential picture of the laid-back, water-close burg, a place with good food and some easy-breezy bohemian-style vibes.

EASY-BREEZY BITES, TOO: One of the city's top summer parties happens to involve the water, it won't surprise you to learn: Oyster Festival. It falls on Saturday, June 15 this year, and thousands of bivalves'll be sucked down (or up? We're never sure about that.) Oyster Festival is set to mark its quarter century in a couple of years, so consider this one of the venerable food parties on the redwoods circuit.

ARCATA SUMMERTIME: Personally, we'd probably drive up to Arcata to sit on the Plaza, finish that paperback we started forever ago, get some sun, and drive home. But there are several other summer doings in the area, and around nearby towns, too. The Kinetic Grand Championship, that whirl of mad, non-motorized street racing, zooms it up over Memorial Day Weekend.

SLEEK 'N MEAN: Ever gone to another city, for work or a wedding or just your basic vacation, and spent a few hours driving a car that wasn't your own? Yep, we probably all have at some point. What make and model was it? Do you remember? Was it a 2013 Corvette Z06? Or a 2014 Camaro Z1? In short, was it sleek, a little tough-looking, and pure muscle-car vroom? Probably not. But things change up on this motor matter in Las Vegas (as things change on practically every matter in Las Vegas). Nope, you can't go to the counter at the airport and pick up the newest make of muscle car -- or we don't think you can as of yet -- but you can get a lift over to World Class Driving on Dean Martin Boulevard and spend some quality time behind the wheel of a Corvette.

AND A CAMARO AND A... Shelby and a Dodge Challenger. The driving experience company just introduced muscle cars to its line-up of auto outings last month. How it works is this: You go out for a guided tour through Red Rock Canyon -- yep, those roads are mighty pigtail-y around those parts -- and enjoy being at the controls of a Shelby GT500 or other newer muscle car. You can go one step further and book four cars for your driving day, taking in a larger feel of the fleet. Packages start at $299 per person, while the four-car experience -- that's got "XL" in its name, of course -- kicks off at $399.

VEGAS AND VROOM: Oh, dear LV. You and your desire to put people in offbeat seats, be they in a muscle car, in front of a slot machine, at the front row of an extreme magic show, or at the controls of a bulldozer. Wait. You totally know you can operate a bulldozer in Las Vegas, too? If it is a machine, and it goes, look to Sin City for the key to the ignition. It is probably there.

DESERT SUMMER: There are those places that are forever bragging about their moderate temperatures and ability to stay in a ten-degree range. Yep, we said "bragging," because the people engaging in the chest-puffery do not control the weather, unless they're onto something we don't know about. But we also aren't sure if moderate temps are brag-worthy; yep, things stay consistent, but the experience of a place never varies. Then you have the desert, where a December night can feel positively frosty and a July afternoon can deliver a dry-heat to out-dry-heat any of the dry-heat that cities like Phoenix cling to, with pride. In short? The desert is always different and its beauty does change depending on what the thermometer reads. Us? We love a good desert summer, where everything feels dramatic and that moment right when the sun goes down -- think 7:50, 7:51ish -- is pure perfection. 

EVENING MAGIC: At Korakia Pensione, in Palm Springs, that's about the time when the famous lights and atmospheric lanterns start to light up, providing a whole bunch of mood for the desert summer night. The pools, help, of course, as do the Mediterranean, Tangiers rooms and suites, spaces that are at once austere and elegant. Oh, and something else that helps in the summertime? A notable deal.

SUMMER RATES: Rooms start at $129, studios are $179. Good stuff, and suites? They're $229. And here's something very desert: Korakia keeps limited open dates in the summer, like some historic properties do. Meaning you can book for a Friday and Saturday in July and August, but only those days of the week. Picture it now: A hot day in the city, a hotter day in the desert. Then evening. Then a cool pool. Lanterns and low lights and dusk-sweet conversations.

BEYOND THE RIDES: If you were to ask a hundred regular Disneyland Resort visitors about their favorite part of the parks, you'd probably get a few dozen attraction-based answers, at least twenty responses involving food, and then one really random, charming entry, like the third tombstone to the left in the Haunted Mansion's graveyard. But many people have a love for something that is everywhere in the park, all around. It's an element, though, that plays a quieter background role among the twinkly lights and thrill coasters. We're talking about the landscaping, the trees and the shrubs and, yep, the giant floral Mickey Mouse that greets visitors when they first walk in the front gate at Disneyland. That Mickey is one of the most noticeable parts of the landscaping scene, but think of all the many, many verdant things that line every attraction, and how each tree is themed to each land (fir trees around Frontier Land, ferns around Adventure Land). If this is indeed an area you adore, there's a tour for you, nature lover: Cultivating the Magic.

THREE TIMES WEEKLY: There's a tour on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings -- 9 a.m. on the weekends, 10 a.m. on the weekday -- and it covers a wide swath of the park's plant scene. "Select attraction experiences" are part of the walk, and what is visited can change, so let's call this a fluid tour. No surprise there, since nature itself, the star of the walk, is ever-changing. You'll hear about the 260 acres of citrus groves that once covered the area, and how the team of crack horticulturists determines what goes where and why. There are literally millions of leaves and petals around the park, so this is a monumental job, but highly rewarding, too, we expect. Just try and picture Disneyland devoid of its trees and flowers. It completely changes, right? It's a fantasy built on outlandishness, yes, but nature is its earthy base. 

The Cultivating the Magic Tour is $49. Oh, and you leave with not only a souvenir pin -- very DL -- but a seed packet as well.

WE'RE CONVINCED... that if summertime had a winter home, it would probably be in the San Luis Obispo vicinity, or maybe a bit closer to Pismo Beach. If you've been to the Central Coast on a foggy, drippy January day, when people are scarfed-up, there is still kind of a surf-wine-chill vibe that says the spirit of summer is alive, even though the rain may fall. So when summertime actually does arrive in the area, it brings with it a party that is so quintessentially the season that it could go in an encyclopedia just devoted to summertime pleasures. Does it have a surfing element? Yep. Does it have classic old beach-ready cars? For sure. Is there wine and summertime eats? For sure. Is there a movie night devoted to a surfing flick? Heck yeah. Are there drinks on the beach and barbecue to consume and old VWs to admire? We wouldn't have asked if it wasn't so. This is all leading up to us typing the words "Wine, Waves, and Beyond," one of the SLO's funnest annual parties. (And yeah, "funnest" is a term we can totally use when summer arrives, because it just encapsulates so very much.)

DETAILS: The party is on from May 30 through June 2 (so the weekend after Memorial Day Weekend -- we love it when that weekend gets special, too). Proceeds will help AmpSurf, the Association for Amputee Surfers. And the to-dos are plentiful, so if you just want to catch the flick and sip some vino, that's cool. Only buy tickets for the stuff you want to do. It's for a really awesome organization and it summons that California spirit in a way that so many fests go for but don't quite make as fully. Wine, Waves, and Beyond just has that Central Coast summertime je ne sais quoi. No, forget that last part, we know exactly what it is: It brings together some of the warm-weather-elements we're known for here. Why not celebrate those, regularly and boisterously?

THE EL CAP CLICK: If you've been to one of the world's most famous valleys, and certainly what is among our best known national parks, we're going to make a pretty solid guess that you pulled over to take a photo of El Capitan. We're talking about the spot that is always lined with cars, regardless of the season, as people brake, exit, and pause to gape at the granite behemoth. And, truly, El Cap deserves all the gaping that comes its way, so we certainly aren't casting aspersions (and we've been among the gapees in the past). But there are other views in the park, of course, and other things to photograph. We can get in our wonder and beauty ruts, even in a spectacular setting that offers up a million, literally, new sights in all directions. One way to go and find those fresh takes is by horseback. The Yosemite Valley Stables just opened for the summer season, and, hello hello, they bypass some of the main sights of the meadow-laden floor and make for Mirror Lake.

THE CLIP-CLOP CLICK: And the ride is definitely about taking pictures in addition to communing with nature, your fellow riders, and, of course, your gorgeous pony. The ride takes two hours to Mirror Lake, meaning you should carve out about a half day in all. You'll see Vernal Fall. You'll also want to be aware it is described as a "strenuous ride," with switchbacks and slope action, so take note. If you are up to that ride, though, and you want some novel perspective on areas most visitors don't get into, a half-day hoof to Mirror Lake and back could be the ticket. Call it Yosemite for the adventurous, ready-to-ride shutterbug.
 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, AVALON: A century can play out in different ways in different places. We're not claiming that time actually expands or contracts depending on location -- we'll leave that to the time travel movies -- but we are saying that a hundred years looks different depending on where those hundred years have happened. Cities can grow a thousandfold, or more, and the architecture can change dozens of times. But some special cities, towns that are removed from the hubbub, places that are, say, on islands, experience that span differently. History is alive there, and buildings remain in place, and cared for, for decades. Avalon on Catalina Island is a great example. You can stand on Crescent Avenue, at night, with the waves lapping, and the Casino Building in the distance, and feel as if it is indeed 1930. We love this about Avalon, as do many locals and visitors alike; it has retained its character over an entire century, even as new features and buildings arrived. The close of its first century is now nigh, and the start of the next one, and the small town out in the Pacific is ready to celebrate its 100th birthday.

FISH FRY, FESTIVAL, FAIR: June 20 through 26, 2013 has been designated as the town's birthday celebration week. Food events -- of course there's got to be a fish fry -- plus concerts and fests dot the calendar. A gala dinner at the Casino Building, plus fireworks, round it out.

MORE AHEAD: But if you can't make the birthday week, you can head for Avalon any time. Silent film screenings, dances, boat events, flying fish, buffalo tours, and general beachside chillaxing are par for this island course. Happy 100th, Avalon. We just bet that you'll still be as sweet and as past-pretty on your 200th as you are today.

QUIRKY CANINE CONTEST: One could truthfully say that the internet is one giant morass of "awww"-inducing photos. You only need to click on three or four different links before you come across some animal playing a guitar or snoozing -- this is practically fact, right? -- and then the "awww"-ing begins. But few real-world, offline events can give the internet a run for its "awww"-some abilities like the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Covered by every known form of media from practically every part of the planet, the Sonoma-Marin Fair event has catapulted to mega fame. It isn't hard to figure out why: People love dogs, and if those dogs happen to, um, have a certain distinct look? Our hearts grow three sizes, much like the Grinch. And while most of us just see pictures of the competition, some humorous hound lovers make the jump and actually enter. You can, too: Entries remain open for the Friday, June 21 happening, which happens to be the 25th year of the canine contest.

THE DOGLY DEAL: There's an entry form to fill out, and you'll need to submit a picture, and there's some vaccination stuff to consider as well before making for Petaluma. Top prize? One thousand, five hundred dollars, plus a trophy. And worldwide acclaim and affection for your sweet pet.

PREVIOUS WINNERS: If you follow the World's Ugliest Dog, you can see patterns. Hairless dogs show well, as do pups showing a certain snaggle-o-sity in their teeth region. But beauty, or non-beauty, is in the ocular region of the person looking at the pup, so whether you consider your hound a possible front-runner is up to you. And if you don't have a dog to enter? You can vote for the pup that is the, um, most charming, to your heart, soon. That will soon kick off, so watch the Ugliest Dog HQ for details.

OVER THE MOUNTAINS: Technology advances and delivery times shorten and windows of opportunity grow and the future is embraced, but there are still places that open and close depending on the time of year and the state of the weather. The Tioga Road, or Highway 120, is the snowy subject of one of our state's most famous winter closures. The twisty, beautiful road that runs over the high Sierra has annual opening and closing date that very much depends on snowpack, as well as other factors. This means that crews usually get it clearly by May or June; then it puts up the "do not enter" signs again come November or December. Without it, people in, say, Mammoth, who'd like to get to Fresno, have to find routes around the mountains. With it, when it is open, day-trippers and hikers and campers visit Cathedral Lake and Tuolumne Meadow and bask in some Yosemite National Park back country exploration.

AND HERE COMES THE OPENING... That date is tentatively set for Saturday, May 18.

WHAT TO DO: There are several stop-off points for the leisurely driver toodling between the valley and Lee Vining, which is where the Tioga runs into Highway 395 at its eastern edge. And we do emphasize leisurely. Plan a couple of hours for your drive. There are some stay-over places, too, like White Wolf Lodge, but spots do fill up quickly.

AT EITHER END: If you're into making a day of it, we start at Groveland in the morning (maybe after a haunted night at the historic Groveland Hotel) and end the day at mysterious, tufa-filled Mono Lake near Lee Vining. You gotta have dinner at the Whoa Nellie Deli, too, one of the the state's, and maybe the country's, best gas station restaurants.

SUMMER TRIPS: It's long about May, when the school year begins to wrap up and calendars are pulled out that summertime weekends are planned. A family has a few choices if they want to save money: Stick closer to home, make it a briefer jaunt, and go old-school. Yep, new-school diversions, you can be budget-conscious, too, but there's nothing quite like visiting an attraction that one's parents, and even grandparents, enjoyed in their youth for saving a few dollars. And, not only that, but there's nothing like having a swell time. (Yeah, we rocked a "swell" there, but then we're talking about old-fashioned diversions.)

THE SWELLEST TIME? Well, that's up for debate, but if you're a kid, and you've grown up in NorCal in the last half century, and you've ever been to the redwoods, then a visit to the Trees of Mystery sticks with you. It's like the redwoods with a heavy dollop of fantasy and storytelling mixed in, and there's nothing not to like about that. In short? It's classic summertime road trip Americana. Or Californiana, rather.

FAVORITE TREE: What's yours? Do you adore the famous Elephant Tree, with its ridiculously elaborate roots system? The Cathedral Tree, which is synonymous with weddings? All are epic, but we have to go with the Candelabra Tree, which really does look like a candelabra, with smaller trees growing off its branches. Whatever your must-visit tree is, know that it is always just outside Klamath, California, growing away, waiting for the next batch of summertime road-trippers. That was your grandmother, then your father, now you, now your kids...

HIGHWAY SUMMER: There's nothing not to like about the last-minute summertime road trip. We're talking about the one that comes together around 6 p.m. on a Thursday night, when you've had it up to here with fill in the blank (traffic, stress, repeat) and you need to hit the highway and see some trees and watch a brook babble and forget your cares for a couple of days. Last-minute-ness is indeed delicious, but we also advocate anticipation. You want to take time and pore over to-do lists, like Tenaya Lodge's 101 Things to Do in the Southern Sierra, as you plan your stress-be-gone weekend. You want to picture yourself kicking around Lake McClure or driving the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway or fishing for trout at Manzanita Lake. You probably want to plan all of this on a Monday, too, because Mondays are bettered by a little vacation daydreaming (full disclosure: We're typing these words on a Monday, and can vouch for that assertion). Want to scope the full list of road-trippy, summer-flavored Southern Sierra pleasures? Here it is, Monday daydreamer.

MORE TENAYA LODGE: Tenaya is a pip and a hop -- so, about two miles -- from Yosemite's southern gate. This means that a lot of guests make for the valley while going Tenaya, but we like the idea of taking in the non-iconic (but still gorgeous and attention-worthy) sights of the area, like some of the lakes and meadows. Yep, nothing can compete with Half Dome, but 101 Things to do in the area tempts. Or just hang out at the lodge itself; it has a Mother's Day spa special on, and others to (hiking) boot, too.

What, you're going to wait for a Thursday night to plan a quick city escape? Mondays are made for that kind of daydreaming, wannabe vacationer. Can we get a high five on that?

NEVER A DAY OFF: If you talk to a true train buff, they'd probably tell you that they never take a day off from their pursuit, or passion, rather. Either they're keeping an eye on new schedules or they're building model railroads or they're really out there, riding one of California's historic cars or something a little newer. This fact shouldn't detract from National Train Day, that second-Saturday-in-May event that is all about train love and getting both buffs and newcomers closer to train life. It's a big day at several stations, but the historic heart of the spectacular, at least 'round the Golden State, has to be Old Sacramento. That's the home to the California State Railroad Museum, an engine filled, story-laden spot that waives its get-in fee in honor of National Train Day. Not only that, but the museum partners with Amtrak to host several happenings both of a learn-more and a get-out-and-ride nature. And this year's date? Saturday, May 11.

CONDUCTORS AHOY: Tours of modern Amtrak passenger cars, museum exhibits, and a look at the "Lost Spike" -- the alleged twin to the famous "Golden Spike" of railroad legend -- are part of the day, but so are excursion rides. Train people like soaking up tidbits, it is true, timetables and photos and such, but they like getting out and going somewhere best. Central Pacific Railroad Freight in Old Sac is the starting point. You'll roll along the Sacramento River for 45 minutes or so in a highly vintage train. Cost? Ten bucks for an adult.

MORE HAPPENINGS: The Sacramento History Museum will also be free on Saturday, May 11. You might consider hopping on an Underground Tour that day, too. Tickets cost, but you'll get an eyeful of subterranean Sactown.

THEY OWN IT: There are several words that are nearly synonymous with the Carmel-Pacific Grove-Monterey nexus. "Monarch" is one, given the wintertime butterfly population. "Cypress" is another, thanks to all of those twisty, turny trees that reach out from the highlands. And "otter" is way up there (we know, otters exist elsewhere, but they're the bewhiskered ambassadors for Monterey Bay). But we'd like to put forth another word that very much belongs to this particularly area: bracing. You're nodding, yes? Because you know. You know what it is to feel some salty sea air in the face, and "bracing" is the perfect descriptive. But if you're driving through the area, doing the scenic thing, it can be hard to truly enjoy the area's bracing qualities, even if your windows are rolled down. One solution? Find another mechanized transport, one where you're more at one with the elements. Are you thinking Segway? Heck yeah, you are.

17-MILE DRIVE TOUR: Segway Tours of Monterey offer up a few different routes around the area, including rolls over recreation trails and past historic sights. But that gorgeous, rambling, and, yep, bracing drive is also on the see-it-by-Segway list. You'll "ride on a portion," of course -- you probably guessed that -- but you'll take in some the Seventeener highlights: The Links at Spanish Bay, Point Joe, and plenty of cypresses along the way. The whole shebang is three hours, with training time, so you'll get a good amount of bracing-air action. Cost? Ninety five bucks. Reservations? Yep, make 'em ahead of time. Beauty, otters, golf courses, history? You bet.

STEAM TO STAGE: How did you reach the last theater you attended? A cab? Your car? An airplane, if you went Broadway? Those are some of the standard ways one gets to an auditorium, but hiking six miles, or steaming to the venue on the "Crookedest Railroad in the World," is not a common mode of transport. But the Mountain Play, a rustic alfresco experience atop Mt. Tamalpais, is not your common theater outing. Founded in 1913, the open-air stage soon became a warm-weather classic in Marin County, presenting afternoon plays to eager audiences who arrive a little flushed-of cheek and ready for culture. (Well, "flushed-of-cheek" if the audience member happened to brave that six-mile hike up). The Crookedest Railroad in the World is no more, but you can take a shuttle to the Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre in its place. (And, yep, you're still invited to hike or bike up.) And with all of that physical exertion, a picnic is encouraged, so you'll want to pack one before seeing out on your mountain-culture expedition.

THE 2013 SEASON: It's the 100th season for the Mountain Play, so a golden musical is the order of the day. And, yep, it is pretty dang golden all right: "The Sound of Music" will pull out the guitar and do some yodeling on select dates from May 19 through June 16. Shows start at 2 p.m. -- no stage lights -- so make your picnic a lunch. A ticket? That's $20 to $40.

THEATER'S RUSTIC TRADITION: Our modern stages are technical whizbangs, and a true hooray to that. But cheers to the Mountain Play for keeping the bucolic drama alive. It's a form of theater that's been around since the idea of theater formed. Meaning that even though the Mountain Play is now a century-old, it is still a wee youngster within its larger genre. Here's to many more years, crooked railroad or no.

POWERFUL PEDALS: Spectators who like to take in major bike races are probably of three ilks, though there is some line-crossing within the ilk categories, we imagine. Ilk #1? Those people who like to be in a city where a bike race is running, so they can enjoy some of the city's amenities, and a possible expo or concert, too, that may be related to the tour. Ilk #2? Those people who follow the riders, either as a volunteer or just a fan that wants to take in a few stages of the event. And Ilk #3? The person who desires an emptier stretch of highway from which to observe the quick whizz-by, a place where they are free from jostling crowds and other city noise. The Amgen Tour of California, which is billed as "America's Greatest Race," sees spectators from all three ilks, and probably a few more beyond this trio. It's highly spectated, both in the urban areas it visits and along the country highways, too. The only thing for you to do, bike buff? Pick what stage you want to see.

STAGES ONE THROUGH EIGHT: Stage One lifts the kickstand in Escondido on Sunday, May 12. Palm Springs and Santa Clarita follow the next two days, and then the mega sports spectacular marches, or more accurately spins, north. Stage 5 is sure to have some stunning spots to watch, given that the riders are rolling between Santa Barbara and Avila Beach. San Francisco is the biggest city on this year's tour, and it is the city at the final stage leaves from, on Sunday, May 19. Bet there'll be fans who follow the whole way, but you can get a slice of the excitement pretty much anywhere. Starts and finishes will have more extra action, of course, but there is something nice about seeing top athletes zip by in the middle of practically nowhere, too.

HILLY HIGH JINKS: If you've been to Nevada City, and we'll just assume you have, if you like historic towns with long histories, funky breakfast places, artistic locals, wild senses of humor, and lots of nature, then you know it can tend towards hilliness. Not extreme hilliness, but you'll walk up and down several grades, guaranteeing your calves'll probably complain a bit later. (Whatever; it's good for you.) But a hilly town with a sense of humor and a long history also has a habit of hosting the most interesting annual events. Nope, not holiday parades and fireworks and such, nice though those are. We're talking offbeat stuff, like soapbox races, those quirky competitions where racers have to build their own dream machines. Nevada City has one of the best known 'round our state, and it rolls, literally, each June. The date is lined up for this year and the cars'll be colorful.

THAT DATE IS... Saturday,  June 22 starting at noon. There are a couple of spots left as of this typing, if you happen to be a soapboxer, but if you want to make a weekend of it, and head to the NC for some quality cheering on of soapboxery artiness, you should. Let us also reference again those artistic locals. Nevada City embraces a creative spirit, so the small vehicles set to race will veer from wildly strange to "what in the world is that?" So, it will all be fairly awesome, in short. Last but not least, and this is definitely worth a mention: Gravity does the work with a soapbox derby, not gasoline. So luck and downward whoosh play as big a part in the day as anything else (design, pluck, and nerve are important, too). It's a fine and funny way to welcome in summer, in one of Gold Country's, and the Golden State's, sweetest towns.

NATURE'S FRONT DOOR: Certain assumptions can be made about accessing wilder places, even among those adventurers who are frequent visitors to such treasured spots. One assumption? If it is in nature, and here on earth, and there are roads that lead to it, it must always be available to we humans, year-round, 24/7, whenever we want it. This is not true in a number of cases, of course. Several of our natural gems do periodically "shut the front door" in so many words due to weather conditions or roads or staffing. The good news, of course, is that the front door usually opens again just in time for summer visitors. Case in point? Devils Postpile National Monument in the Sierra Nevada.

IT'S NATURAL... RIGHT? We'll got out on a limb -- or perhaps postpile -- and call it the most instantly recognizable of our state's national monuments, which is no small feat, given our cornucopia of choices in California. That's due to Devils Postpile's unique, geometric columns of basalt, and all the chunks of fallen basalt at the base of the columns. It's striking, and even a little jaw-dropping, but it was not built by some math-loving doodler with a penchant for columnar shapes. Nature did the work, over eons, with the assistance of lava and glaciers, the sibling-like Heat Miser and Snow Miser behind the construction of our planet's mountains and valleys and wonders.

OPENING DATE: The tentative day is Saturday, May 25, 2013. But stand warned: Devils Postpile is not a cinch to access. The Red Meadows Shuttle Bus trundles visitors from Mammoth to the Postpile, and back, and it is, in a word, mandatory. There are a few exceptions, like campers, but you'll need to study up on the cans/can'ts before making for the Sierra. Also? It isn't open for all that long, so if you want to have your Postpile moment, aim for summer.

SERIOUSLY: Whatever you do, it is time to stop letting it linger there on your must-see bucket list, along with Catalina Island's Flying Fish and the other funky wonders of our state that happen to be seasonal. Seasons pass fast, as the Postpile can attest. It's seen one or two or a few million of 'em.

MEATLESS MONDAY: Or Meatless Tuesday. Or Meatless Wednesday through Sunday. The word "meatless" is appearing more and more often in front of a particular day of the week -- usually Monday, because, you know, alliteration is cool -- and the trend is growing. Growing even among serious carnivores who are looking to vary their meals and ingredients with an eye to mixing in more things that grow from the ground and trees. And one of the main stars of the Meatless Monday trend? The mushroom, of course. Call it the gateway ingredient between meat and produce because it is indeed, in part, such a meaty substance, as non-meat substances go. But fungi is a favorite even among those who aren't looking for that door between meat and meatless. And that fact, that mushrooms are perennially popular in all corners, means that the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, a Memorial Day Weekend staple in the San Jose-close burg, is here to stay.

REALLY HERE TO STAY: The Mushroom Mardi Gras turns 34 this year. That's due in large part to the variety of doings during the festival -- a kid's ride area and music are the carnival-type features -- but food is an obvious emphasis, too. "(G)ourmet offerings" and tastes of mushrooms grown in the Morgan Hill area are savory staples of the two-day happening (which goes down on May 25 and 26 this year, the Saturday and Sunday of the Memorial Day Weekend). It's free to get in, too.

Want to know more about NorCal shroominess and how all of that delicious fungi is grown? Here are three growers to get to know: Monterey Mushrooms, Del Fresh Produce, and Concord Farms.

WARM WEATHER + WAVES: Saying the denizens of the oceans don't recognize the seasons isn't at all correct. We only need to look to migrations and movements and what beasties do, year in and year out, at specific times. But do otters know that kids are not in school come June, July, and August? Do seahorses recognize that warmer weather means more people take road trips? Do seahorses know what a road is, really? These are questions best left to whimsy-minded philosophers. Our own task is to consider how an aquarium, that damp destination beloved by out-of-school children and their parents, changes it up come summertime. The Monterey Bay Aquarium does, which is not to say the famous institution doesn't keep the schedule packed all year. But come warm weather? Things fill out off Cannery Row. And helping them fill out nicely? A brand-new (and free) iPhone app.

ABOUT THE APP: It's got the aquarium schedule, so you can keep tabs on the day-to-day stuff, and plentiful photos, too (about 100 in all). And our favorite part of the app? UFO text messages. UFO stands for "unscheduled feeding opportunity," so when you receive one of those texts you'll want to hightail it to the place that is happening. Download it and bone up on the haps before making for the MBA.

Summertime also brings extended evening hours to the aquarium, meaning you can see what the flounder do after-hours. That kicks off -- or perhaps fins off? -- in late June and runs through Sept. 1. A new menu, wine tastings, and jazzy happenings round it all out. Yeah, that feels summery to us, and nope, fish don't know about we humans and our love of chardonnay, later nights, and music come summertime. Or do they? Whimsy-minded philosophers, there is your next puzzle.

FRUIT AMBASSADOR: There are certain members of the produce section that one rarely sees on billboards and advertisements. The gooseberry? Nope, it doesn't get a lot of love (and it could be mistaken for a grape). Parsley? Maybe, maybe, but, again, some might think that they're look at cilantro. But the strawberry? There's not mistaking it. You could take an illustration of the famous fruit and remove the red and remove the seeds and remove the leafy green top and its distinctive shape -- it's kind of triangular, right? That's the word we'll go with -- would still convey it to be a strawberry. That's why it is truly one of our state's fruit ambassadors. We don't make such a claim lightly, given that our state pretty much grows everything, and grows everything well. But you can't see an old-timey fruit box label or travel poster featuring fruit without seeing a certain seedy superstar. (Okay, citrus, you're a Golden State ambassador, too.) And the largest yearly party for the strawberry, the one with "California" in its very name? It happens in Oxnard every May.

MAY 18 AND 19, IN FACT: That's the weekend of the California Strawberry Festival, which turns 30 this year. Now that it is officially an adult, at least according to some sociology textbooks that say adulthood begins at age 30, you'd think it might stop with the messy tart throwing and pie-eating contests. Au contraire -- those are the crowd favorites, and they're not goin' nowhere. Other contests, like one for strawberry hats -- you've made several, right? -- are on the schedule. And music, kid stuff, and more strawberry-type eating options. A ticket is twelve bucks, but you'll totally buy one, right? How often do you get an audience with California's own fruit ambassador?

HELLO, SUMMER: It doesn't matter if you wrapped up college two years ago or you haven't stepped foot in your old schoolroom for a half century: June is amazing. Like, amazing, and, yes, we'll pull out that big, overly used word for the occasion. The start of summer feels like the start of something big, even if you didn't just get out of classes for three months of vacation. With that in mind, it is so, so, so nice of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association to throw their Roots That Rock celebration at the very start of June. And let's add another "so" into the mix when we say it is so, so, so, so nice of them to make the celebration last over two full weekends. And, yep, it is so, so, so, so, so nice -- we had to go for five there -- that over fifty wineries are participating, and that there will be a Downtown Santa Cruz Street Faire on the final day.

WHERE TO GO WHEN: How both weekends -- that's June 1 and 2 for weekend #1 and June 8 and 9 for weekend #2 -- are broken down, schedule-wise, is a snap to remember. That first weekend? It's all about the wineries of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. The second weekend? Santa Cruz County all the way. As mentioned, there are over four dozen winemakers in all, so you'll have your pick. Barrel tastings are a part of the weekends, hooray, as are behind-the-scenes tours for lookie-loos. (Which is probably 100% of us, let's be honest.) There are more special happenings, including music and entertainment and art and such, but the biggest has to be the downtown street party on Sunday, June 9. An advance ticket -- cost: $40 -- gets you four days of wine-ing around and entrance to the Street Faire. Are you doing all four days? Of course. It's the start of June and summer vacation. Okay, granted, most of us grown-ups do not get summer vacation, but we never lose that excited spirit, a spirit that is most on display come early June. Thank you, Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers, for remembering that.

NATIONAL PARK GEMS: It's National Park Week, that time of year when fees to enter dozens of our glorious parks are waived. Yosemite is one such park, but it doesn't have to worry that visitors will trickle away after the free days go. On the contrary, summertime and the waterfall-laden destination go way back on the family vacation front. Meaning that while the park gets an uptick of visits during National Park Week, the soon-to-come summer will really hum. This means that a lot of activities start up around late April, including the Valley Floor Tour, the opening of the stables, and other outdoorsy pursuits. One we're feeling rather sweet on, though, is the Big Trees Tram Tour at Mariposa Grove. The outside-the-valley tour, which is near the south entrance (and not too far from Wawona Lodge), just opened for the 2013 season on Saturday, April 18.

THE STORY OF SEQUOIAS: The tram tour is not hosted by a ranger but rather features an audio component. Meaning? You'll strap on some headphones and sit back for the hour and fifteen minutes drive. An adult ticket is $26.50, and they're not reservable, so get to the Mariposa Grove Gift Shop early on the day you want to see the trees. The tours run through October.

MEET MARIPOSA GROVE: Around 500 mature sequoias populate this Yosemite tree-laden favorite. Yep, sequoias are often called the largest living things on earth, so you'll be doing a lot of looking/marveling/ahhing/oohing. There's a lot of age-talk with these trees, too, so if you're on the tour prepare to hear about how some of the specimens in the grove are over 3,000 years old. Yep, very ahh/ooh-worthy, indeed.

BEYOND THE WORDS: The annual or biannual restaurant week is a pretty common occurrence nowadays, which is something we should be thankful about. But seeing that another one is rolling in can sometimes make the food adventurer's eyes glaze over a bit, if details aren't included. Restaurant Week! Discounts! can all feel a bit general, that is before one drills down and actually looks at what the dishes might be. So in honor of Silicon Valley Restaurant Week, which is on now through Wednesday, May 1, we shall happily drill down and cyberly salivate over a trio of featured eateries.

PALACIO: Stuffed piquillo pepper, gigante bean soup, and semolina-crusted black bass are the savory courses; the night rounds out with a pastel tres leches. Mmm, creamy cake. The cost for the prix fixe meal at the Los Gatos venue is $35.

SCRATCH: American, upscale eats in Mountain View? Yep. Choices like baby kale salad, shrimp & grits and classic hot fudge sundaes on the prix fixe line-up? For sure. A special $45 price tag, just for Restaurant Week? Indeed.

BUSHIDO: The Mountain View restaurant, which focuses on Japanese izakaya dining, is going three courses plus dessert. Sashimi Nuta, Kurobuta Pork Buns, Washugyu Steak on Himalayan Salt Plate Hibachi are the highlights. Cost? $45 a person.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: When times get tough, and profits are not seen, and financial goals are not met, what's a business owner to do? An owner can hang a "closed forever" sign on the front door, lock it, and walk away. But what if the business a) doesn't have a front door and b) is still much beloved by sporty families and people looking to strap on a pair of skis for the first time? Some downtime is taken to consider solutions and then? A reopening. That's just what June Mountain did and is doing. The Eastern Sierra peak has struggled to turn a profit over the years, and management opted to close for the 2012-2013 season to explore what could be done. It was announced on Tuesday, April 23 that the peak, which is overseen by the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, will reopen for the 2013-2014 season. "Mid-December" is the probable week when the proverbial door will be thrown wide once again.

NEW ADDITIONS: "(T)he possibility of a new lift and enhanced snowmaking" may greet returning skiers, says June Mountain general manager Carl Williams. Regardless of fresh additions, the patrons who enjoyed June Mountain the most have to be happy. It was known as a family favorite, and an a-ok place for a first-timer to try out their fledgling stuff (whether that first-timer is a skier or snowboarder).

And, as always, a Mammoth Mountain MVP pass gets a winter maven free access to June Mountain.

Still need some June-ness closer to, well, June? There's always gorgeous June Lake Loop, which is the mountain's summertime sibling.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CONDORS: When a rather large bird, say a condor, marks an important milestone, say a 30th birthday, at a pretty famous place, say the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, what do you put in the cake? Frosting and sugar won't do for these rare birds, but mice, meatballs, rats, and beef spleen will. That was what was inside a cardboard cake -- cardboard so that the condors could tear at it to get their treat -- for the trio of famous condors at the animal park. The birds -- Sespe, Sisquoc, and Almiyi -- all turned 30 on Tuesday, April 16. It's an impressive age, but a condor can live twice that long. And these three have a rather interesting backstory: They arrived in their eggs, which were drawn from the wild to some controversy. At the time of their hatching, they were among the 22 condors left in the world. The Safari Park condors have gone onto to hatch many more times that number, some 170 chicks in all, with over 80 being returned to the wild.

CONDORS IN THE WILD: If you've seen the Safari Park superstars, where can you then go to see these majestic birds in their natural element? Baja and Central California are home to over half of the planet's condor population, which now stands at a much healthier (though small) 400+. Still, that is quite a jump from 22 condors just three decades ago. Thank you, Sespe, Siquoc, and Almiyi, and happy birthday.

AND MORE BIRDS IN SAN DIEGO: The Frequent Flyers Show at the Safari Park has announced that it has grown threefold since the mid-1990s (three must be the theme of the day). It's also the only bird show in the country to see a trained secretary bird, a beastie that stands -- wait for it -- some four feet tall.

FIFTY-MILE STROLL: How much do you walk on your morning commute? That is, if you don't telecommute. Can you only count the steps you make to your car or to the train or bus? Maybe you can throw in a hundred steps more, for when you pull over for a cup of coffee. But, beyond that, does your commute contain any actual movement? The answer is no, for the most part, for most people. At least that's what article after article tells us, typically with the word "sedentary" blasting from the headlines. There's also the not-so-small matter of blearing by neighborhoods and businesses and landmarks in our autos, day after day, without knowing such places exist. But little urban happenings keep popping up in our cities, determined to, if not undermine the commutes we do need to make to work, then to complement them with the occasional exploratory walk.

WALK THE COMMUTE: The San Jose/San Francisco "Walk the Commute" is one prominent example. A group of get-out-and-move mavens meet up and then proceed to hoof it between the two cities along the interesting Route 82 (so think El Camino Real and more story-laden streets). The mileage? Fifty. The time required to complete the walk? Twenty four hours. It's pretty serious, in terms of physical commitment, in other words, but not in lighthearted adventure or the desire to know the places we pass. And the message is both things at once, we think: We need to know what we drive by five times or more a week (the serious bit) and we need to have some fun where we live (the smiley part). We love it when events dovetail on those two things, and we like it when some physical effort is involved.

Walk the Commute sets out on Saturday, June 1. The walk will wrap up on Sunday, June 2. You'll want to attend an orientation meeting before tying on your tennies, too, so schedule that into your May.

BIG SWING, BIG THING: California is pretty comfortable with the whole "let's throw on some shoulder pads and a snood and kick up our heels, big band-style" thing. Maybe it is the presence of Hollywood -- all of those old movie musicals were made in the Golden State -- or maybe it is the fact that we're fairly live-and-let-live here. Meaning if you want to dress like you a late-'30s starlet, just to go to your job, well, by gum, do it. The happy consequence of this is that there are a number of occasions throughout the year when one can wear their fedora and their tie and go to town for an evening, old-timey glam style. But they're really just single nights here and there, maybe a dance, maybe a dinner. 

NOT ON CATALINA: Going to an island, though, for an event changes everything. Because you're there, on the island, once you arrive. It sounds plain, and obvious, but it is true. So if you've gone to Catalina Island for its vintage-sweet Avalon Ball in the past -- snoods on everyone! -- you know you've got more time to fill before your trip back to land (which is usually the following day, not that night). But that's been solved: The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, the people behind the Avalon Ball, are making the annual event into an entire weekend. 

AND THAT WEEKEND IS... Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14. So in addition to the Saturday night ball, which remains the centerpiece of the three-day hoop-di-do, there's a swanky Friday night cocktails meet-up, a silent comedies film festival, and more doings. Meaning your cute little period outfits? You can rock several of 'em throughout the weekend, not just one at the big ball.

MUSIC AND MORE: There's always a "more" part to a major music festival. When something is more than one day -- heck, when it is more than a few hours -- festival attendees expect that there will be goings-on off the stage in addition to what's happening concert-wise. Coachella Music & Arts Festival delivers on this with a cornucopia of artsy to-dos, and San Francisco's Outside Lands serves up a whole beer- and wine-tasting element. And Stagecoach, which clip-clops into Indio from Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, has its own flavorful elements, from dance-it-all-out country DJs to a showing of Clydesdales. But expect nothing less from a fest billed as "California's Country Music Festival."

GORGEOUS HORSES: The famous equines are one of the headlining attractions off the music stages. They'll make an appearance at the RV Resort on Friday, April 26 in the morning and in the lobby on Saturday and Sunday. There are artists signings at the Zia Record tent, the aforementioned DJs spinning kick-up-your-bootery-type tunes, and a Ferris wheel, too. What would the big desert festivals be without their Ferris wheel? Seen in a thousand Instagrams, it is now one of the symbols of a Coachella Valley spring.

AND THE LINE-UP: If you're just out for the music, here you go: Toby Keith, Hank Williams, Jr., Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, and Dwight Yoakam are just a few of the bold-print names, but, given that this is a three-dayer, you'll a veritable country-style buffet of sounds is assured. So, what to do? Stick solely to tunes or ride the Ferris wheel a few times? At a major music festival, there's usually time for everything.

WINE AND SONG: The continue rise of winery-based concerts, an industry that's been thriving for a good long time now, is no surprise. Throw a beautiful setting in the mix, lovely beverages, a favorite band, and a twinkly summer night, and 100% of all people surveyed will give a hearty fist pump in response. It's a hard combination to top, and one that is not for messing with, and The Mountain Winery near Los Gatos is a prime example of that. Tickets for the 2013 season, a season that opens on May 24 with Juanes, went on sale on Monday, April 22.

ON THE STAGE: Juanes and Billy Idol are the first two musicians to kick things off in late May (not together, though we'd love to see that show). Bill Cosby is up next, revealing that it isn't all music all the time at Mountain Winery -- a little comedy works wonders, too. Jewel, Cyndi Lauper, Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five, Ziggy Marley, David Byrne & St. Vincent, and Jim Gaffigan are on the calendar. And Huey Lewis and Chris Isaak won't be too far from their Bay Area-Stockton-NorCal stomping grounds.

THE WINING/DINING PART: Of course, a show at The Mountain Winery tends to involve what The Mountain Winery does best. There are dining options on a couple of decks, and offerings include short ribs, crab cakes, and all sorts of elegant choices that one doesn't always equate with concert dining (though a solid dinner helps with the dancing, sing-along-ing, and fist-pumping one must do at a concert).

The music season wraps on Sunday, Oct. 6 with Bonnie Raitt.

THANK YOU, NATIONAL PARKS: Earth Day is only important if you live on earth. That's not exactly true; surely it is as important to anyone currently orbiting our planet, seeing as how they'd like to come back to a world that is careful and responsible with its resources. And while the April holiday happens everywhere, there are places where the messages of the day are brought home. Like? A national park, for one. Our wildest, greenest, wettest, most arid, most gorgeous spots do much to remind us of all that we have to lose and all that we take a stand for. With that in mind, and to honor the holiday, fees are waived at fee-charging national parks around the country. Sequoia National Park is one, meaning that if you visit from April 22 through April 26, they'll wave you through at the gate (meaning you can get to the General Sherman tree and all of its epic forest friends that much faster). But if you'd like to do something a bit more for one of California's treasured spaces all while having a little vacation, you can. Just book the Sequoia Parks Foundation package at the Wuksachi Lodge.

ABOUT THE PACKAGE: The timing is right for this particular package, as it falls over Earth Day, but it does extend into early May. Meaning? You just need to stay at the Wuksachi by May 12. Now, the giving-back part: Wuksachi Lodge will make sure ten percent of your room rate goes to the Sequoia Parks Foundation, an organization that looks after the conservation, protection, and future of our big trees. Nice? Very, and room rates start at $115 a night, double occupancy. Better yet, your park fee -- twenty bucks -- is waived on this one, if you visit before or after that free National Parks Week deal. It isn't often one sees a hotel package that has a giving-back element, so we want to personally high five this one. Also, if you've never seen the sequoias, you will need a full night's rest somewhere close after you do. They are that overwhelming and your full capacity for soaking them in will be called upon. Trust. There's no happy exhaustion on earth like the happy exhaustion following a first sequoia visit. Or a second. Or a third...

UNPLUGGING'S MIDDLE PLACE: What does "unplugging" mean to you, in terms of a vacation? Does it mean a posh, well-appointed room with a television and hair dryer and various amenities or does it mean setting up a tent somewhere in a wide open space far away from everything? Opinions are as different as people, but there isn't a lot of middle ground with this particular question. Either you're in a room with telephone or at the very least lights or you're camping. The Drakesbad Guest Ranch, however, is that rather marvelous and rare middle place. The Lassen Volcanic National Park destination -- it is inside the borders of the gorgeous and wild Northern California park -- features cabins with no electricity. We were tempted to type "that lack electricity" there, but it is not a lack. Rather it gives guests a true sense of away-ness, something we all need in our hectic, ping-heavy world (the pings being from our various devices as they constantly alert us to new messages). Kerosene lamps are provided, which charms.

DARK NIGHT SHINE: The ranch recommends packing a flashlight, of course, but this is good to know: If you do need an outlet for some reason, they're available in the lobby. In short? You're unplugged, but not that unplugged. Again, the perfect middle ground.

WHAT TO DO: Stargazing is at the top of the list, as would be expected at a national park ranch that is mostly light-free come nighttime. Horseback rides and visits to hot springs are more fresh-air, let-go go-outs.

WHAT TO EAT: Meals are included with your room rate. You can request a sack lunch if you're heading out on a ramble, too, so not every meal needs to be taken at the ranch.

OPENING DATE: June 7, 2013. Closing date is Oct. 14. Summer gets a bit busy, so we'd aim for early fall, when the season is at its cooling-down turning point.

Ready to unplug? Who'd say no?

STEP ASIDE, WINE: Areas that are really good at making one thing are very often really good at making a lot of different things. It makes sense, right? If a lot of effort and heart goes into a single product, that's likely the style and commitment that the locals bring to a host of stuff. Which means that the Santa Ynez Valley, which famously excels at making a certain corked-bottle, white or red or sparkling beverage, also does an excellent job with a certain bottle-cap'd, amber or golden beverage, too. Nope, beer isn't the usual first drink that people cite when the Santa Barbara wine-making region is named -- movies like "Sideways" assure that it will always be wine first -- but brews are on the rise. The valley threw its first Craft Beer Week in 2012, in conjunction with American Craft Beer Week, but the Santa Ynezers are going one better this year. How? They're turning Craft Beer Week into Craft Beer Month, as if by magic, or at the very least crafty planning.

MAY IS THE TIME: All of May has been given this foamy designation. And while events aren't on every day, there are some highlights: Buellton Brew Fest pours on Saturday, May 11 and the Solvang Brewing Company throws a brewmaster's dinner on Wednesday, May 15. And Firestone Walker will release a few special ales during the course of the celebration. But, but, but -- what if you can't make it down for any of that? Fear not, as there is the craft brew map. Nope, you don't have to bid Santa Ynez wine goodbye forever, but getting to know its hop-laden, amber-sweet cousin is definitely a pleasant, heading-into-summer diversion.

NONE FOR US, THANKS: You know how you're sometimes standing in a kitchen, and your friend is cooking, and they reach for the garlic and ask if they can throw a few cloves into the dish? And maybe you think "no, not tonight" but then you realize you cannot resist the mouth-fiery allure of one of nature's greatest gifts? You can't. So you say "heck yes, throw the whole head in!" And then eating pleasure ensues.

That's how we sometimes feel when approaching the topic of Gilroy while vowing to not make mention of its most famous crop. At first we think "Gilroy and garlic are married in so many minds, let's put the emphasis elsewhere for a day." But we can't do it. We're in love with garlic and we think it is just about the grandest thing in the world. We also think it is spectacular that we can go to the city every summer and devour garlic ice cream and twenty other garlic-flavored dishes of the entree and dessert varieties. So we are, in essence, throwing the whole head into the dish, not just a clove, when it comes to discussing Gilroy's garlicky and non-garlicky gifts.

NATIONAL GARLIC DAY: April 19 was the day -- nope, it doesn't fall in late July, when the Gilroy Garlic Festival happens -- and so we wanted to pause to pay tribute to Christopher Ranch and all of the growers who grow the deliciousness that we crave all the time every day, even at breakfast. (Yep, breakfast, you are the least garlicky of meals, but we bet that's a partnership that is bound to happen one day. Get on that, culinary geniuses.)

AND THE NON-GARLIC: But there are plentiful sights and pleasures around the city that go beyond a certain papery, cream-colored knob. The twisty Circus Trees at the adorable Gilroy Gardens are high on our list of favorite trees in the state. Yep, even in a state that contains redwoods. These trees are marvels. And Mount Madonna County Park is pure gorgeousness. Ever driven Hecker Pass on a crisp October afternoon? It's nearly as good as eating a perfect garlic-and-oil pasta.

Yep, you can't talk about one G without the other, and that's a great thing. Gilroy and garlic go together, but while you're there, visit some of the other special spots, too. They're just as delicious, in their own way.

SPEEDY WHEELS: Spring must be the official time for zoomy pursuits of the street race sort 'round Southern California. We have the Formula Drift and the Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach, and then a few weeks later? The Catalina Island Classic. This Riviera-backed competition, which will mark its 40th in a few years, is pretty singular amongst street races. Nope, people aren't driving golf carts, which you might guess when you see the words "Catalina Island." They're not racing boats, either ("street race" should be a giveaway on that one). Rather, elite skaters are invited to take their boards high up in the hills above the Pacific Ocean and then point them downhill, board them, and proceed to go extremely fast. If you know your Catalina, and we hope you do, you know that the swoops, inclines, declines, and little valleys of the water-surrounded burg are Impressive with a capital I. Now picture a group of helmeted, well-suited skateboarders rushing for over a mile downhill on one of them, via streets fully closed off to cars and golf carts.

RUSH OF WIND: Just picturing this in our mind gives us a rush of wind to the face. Let's also give props to these skaters for those pigtail, curly Q turns Catalina is known for; if you watch the video you see the skaters, all in heavy gloves, putting their hands down to help maneuver the hairpins.

WHEN WILL THIS ALL HAPPEN? The Classic rushes by on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. It's invitation only, for skaters, although catching some of the speeding-by action is free, if you're there. You might want to eyeball the video, though, for the whole downhill experience.

MOTHER'S DAY SATURDAY: We realize and accept that we now live an age where birthdays last a week and Halloween lasts a season and various holidays can take over the better part of the month they are in. But if ever a holiday, or rather a pair of holidays, deserved to grow a little larger and land on an extra day, it would be Mother's Day and Father's Day. They're both traditionally Sunday holidays, but Saturday-only events related to both are appearing with more frequency. Perhaps it is the assumption that families brunch or barbecue on the actual holiday, meaning Saturday is the day for major go-outs. And the go-outs run the gamut, from movies to theme parks to shopping. But we like when something a little special happens for Mom, around her day, and we especially like it when it very rarely happens. Makes your main lady feel special and the holiday weekend just a little sparklier. And when nature is involved, and wildflower walks? Even better. That's what is happening near the headwaters of the Galindo Creek, near Walnut Creek and Mount Diablo State Park, when the never-open-to-the-public Mangini Ranch throws open the gate for a one-day only event.

WILDFLOWER SIGHTINGS: It's on the morning of Saturday, May 11 starting at 9:30. You'll search for flowers -- including the endangered Hospital Canyon Larkspur -- as you keep watch for local wildlife. Owls, quail, and the occasional coyote could be in the fauna mix. And it is all just ten bucks a car. We love when things are priced by the car, and we love when Mom gets a special, relaxing treat, a treat that isn't available any other day of the year but the Saturday of her big weekend.

Plus, Mangini Ranch? You are too gorgeous. Thanks for staying protected and wild.

MAY CLOSING: We live in an all-access world nowadays, which means that when something closes for the season, or opens, well. It feels rather quaint, like something from a century-old novel. It also is very tied to weather, the weather of our most extreme locations, meaning that if a hotel or resort chooses to shutter for a few months, snow is the reason. Or some triple-degree temperatures. Such is the case with the historic Inn at Furnace Creek, the 1927 hotel inside Death Valley. It closes every May -- May 11 in 2013 is its final date -- and reopens in October. Quaint, right? Definitely, but it does lend the feeling that the national park puts out the "Do Not Disturb" sign come late spring. This is not the case at all, and while winter and wildflower-rich spring tend to be bigger than say, August, there is a place to stay and things to do. That place? Ranch at Furnace Creek, the more casual, down-the-road sibling to the Inn.

A LONG HISTORY: Thought the ranch at first glance will seem newer than the 1920s-style Inn -- and it is -- its story goes back the 1880s, when it was indeed a working ranch. (We love when names are perfectly truthful.) Today is the place inside the arid, moon-like park to stay when temps shoot north. A spring-fed pool, a few restaurants, and a really well-appointed store are just three features on the bustling, summer-camp-y property. So, why go to Death Valley when the thermometers turn red? There's the Badwater Ultramarathon, which is set for July 15-17 this year. There's the Heatstroke Golf Tournament, which swings from June 21-23. And there's simply kicking around in a vast space that feels a little emptier. Honest, how many summertime family destinations can you say that about? If you're impervious to the occasional sweaty swelter, and even find it a little interesting, a Death Valley summer trip might be for you, pardner. (Please -- you'll be staying at a place with "Ranch" in the name. Say "pardner" and have some fun with it.)

CALIFORNIA ALOFT: It may not surprise you to learn that the Golden State is a place that's rather rich with kite festivals. The reasons are plentiful, for sure; we have a famous love of the outdoors and we have all of those spectacular sandy stretches. (Kites + beaches=BFFs 4evr.) But we also like to think it is a bit deeper than that. Our state has always been an aspirational place, the destination that dreamers head for when they want to make a major change -- or, yes, strike it rich in the Gold Rush or a proverbial gold rush. And kite flying is among the more aspirational of pastimes. You're literally looking up -- dun dun dun, that's symbolism, right there -- and you've got to keep the wind at your back. Or not, but it is easier to see where your kite is at if gusts aren't blowing against your face. But how does one choose among the many kite festivals our state offers? Berkeley has a fine one in the summer, and Redondo Beach throws a venerable springtime party that is just about four decades along. And while sky is all you need for the perfect kite backdrop, sometimes a terrestrial symbol can make an impact. For example? Beautiful Morro Rock.

KITES OVER THE BAY: Morro Bay also hosts a free kite festival every year, but it just happens to be home to one of California's most instantly recognizable rocks (or ancient volcanic plugs, if you want to be totally accurate). It's a really pretty place to do absolutely nothing, just sit and soak in sun, but flying a kite must make the whole Morro experience feel postcard-ready. This year's fest flies on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28.

There are a few interesting notes on the official site, such as the opinion that Morro Bay has some great wind for kites. Nice. Also, hundreds of free kites will be provided for kids, so expect a colorful and fairly full sky.

WHEELS WITH A STORY: It is wise to research the purchase of a new vehicle or bike -- you want to know about mileage and warranties and quirks and such -- but getting to know a machine that has decades of history behind it is a whole other road to travel. There's more to learn, of course, but the stories are apt to be richer, too. And while California offers a regular line-up of vintage cycle and car shows, shows that happen practically every weekend, springtime is when owners gleam up their machines and take them out to the larger rallies. Three catching the eye are...

THE QUAIL MOTORCYCLE GATHERING: This annual two-wheeled to-do puts the kickstand down in Carmel on Saturday, May 4. The focus? Motorcycle heritage. Quail Lodge & Golf Club is the location, a location which will also play host to The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering on Aug. 16. Aston Martin will get the spotlight at that late-summer party.

PACIFIC COAST DREAM MACHINES: Half Moon Bay is known for its autumn pumpkin festival -- and it is a biggin', no doubt -- but this auto- and plane-laden confab deserves the "biggin'" label as well. Roadsters, tractors, sports cars, and just about anything that moves on wheels or via wings will make a cameo at the Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 event.

ROAD SHOW REVIVAL: This late spring party -- very late, as in the Saturday of Father's Day Weekend -- just squeaks under the wire before summer begins. We like it because there is a specific emphasis on hot rods and mid-century muscle machines. No surprise: Johnny Cash's music is the focus of the fest. It's vrooming in Ventura on Saturday, June 15.

HELLO, LOST COAST: Much has been made, especially in satirical, meme-happy circles, of our desire to know all things at all times. We need to know what restaurant our cousin just checked into and how many people are going to the birthday party next month and what is the exact mileage to our dentist's office. It can quickly cross the line between helpful and overwhelming, though, as we pause and wonder if there are still mysteries and things to discover out there. There are, and sometimes they're quite large, and not so easy to reach. And are these mysteries the frequent star of social media conversations? They are not (that's what makes them mysterious). A major one for many Californians is the Lost Coast, that perfectly exquisite neck of Humboldt County that sits westish of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. True, it isn't *that* lost -- it does appear on maps and there's the oh-so-tasty Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka -- but it still feels nicely hard to reach and gorgeously wild. So it is the perfect place for a series of bicycle rides, including one called "California's Toughest Century."

100 MILES OF BEAUTY: That lengthy roll heads out on Saturday, May 11, along with a number of shorter rides. They're all part of the Tour of the Unknown Coast, a day of riding that counts as one of our state's most scenic bike events. Hills, bluffs, and all of that pretty Humboldt-i-ness is on full display as pedalers froom past. A ten-mile ride is hill-less and the perfect choice for those people who want to try out the tour.

MORE HUMBOLDT HAPS... If you go up for the ride, be sure to visit Ferndale and the other towns of Humboldt; there's always something interesting doing. And we realize and embrace the fact that we used the term "Humboldt-i-ness" before. But if you know the area you know the magic of Humboldt-i-ness. It's a quality more areas could aspire to.