Fabulous Findings on our Family Funtrip!

We Can't Forget the Dinners!

We have established a fun and sometimes costly tradition on our family vacations: Absolutely NO chain restaurants for dinner! We take turns choosing our dining experience for the day.

Randy was first. He selected a Basque restaurant in Elko, Nevada called Toki Ona. 

The menu made us wonder. It listed a hamburger or you could have a HOT hamburger. (That was a bit worrisome!) Another item was a half balked chicken. (I wonder what the fully baked one was like.)

Anyway, the amount of food they brought out made our eyes (and our stomachs) pop! First was clam chowder and bread for all, then salad, then a rice dish, then green beans, then spaghetti, then potatoes baked and french fried! By the time they served our MAIN course, we couldn't down a bite! Now THIS was definitely a dining experience!

I was next

And selected what turned out to be a  fancy restaurant named "Eagle's Landing" on California's June Lake. Terrific ambiance, great food.

Emily chose a 50's diner from our car's Global Positioning System.

It was a FUN place out in the middle of NOWHERE on our way from Yosemite to Santa Clara.

Notice the photos on the wall of our booth: "Father Knows Best", "Leave it to Beaver"

The owner played the Jukebox just for us.

The girls HAD to have a picture with Elvis!

Audrey played it pretty safe and chose Pizza from Vito's in Santa Clara, California. (We forgot our camera, so we went back the next morning to get this shot.)

The VERY BEST food and atmosphere came from Randy's second choice, Dipsea, not far from the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Our meals were unique, colorful, and delicious. This restaurant makes all their own dressings from scratch. I wonder if they would give me the recipe for their Ranch if I asked. We all agreed it was the BEST we had ever tasted.

We had far too much fun here. The challenge? to make the biggest frown and smile possible without showing your teeth.

If you chance to meet a frown...

Quickly turn it upside down!