riverside magazine dec. 2010-jan. 2011

C I T Y L I F E & F I N E L I V I N G

RIVERSIDEm aga z i n e | d e c e m b e r 2 010 - j a n ua ry 2 011

HolidaytraditionS

oUt & aboUtdowntown diversions

PLUSlevitt Pavilion sneak Preview

Fitness tiPs From a Pro

dining treats at tHe mission inn

the FoxSecond Act’S firSt yeAr

• the nUtcracker• FeStivaL oF LightS• eventS caLendar

Join our family tree

Generations of Care forthe Generations to Come

2010 Holiday Season!

Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Avenue, RiversideTickets available at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Box Office.

For Box Office Information call (951) 779 9800. Visit us on the web at foxriversidelive.com

FOXPerforming Arts Center

Riverside, California

December 19

A Charlie Brown Christmas

David Benoit with the Corona Symphony Pops

January 22

Riverside Philharmonic

Rachel Barton Pine, violin Alexander Platt, conductor

January 28–30

Holiday Season SpecialMasters of Harmony

December 11 & 12

The NutcrackerCalifornia Riverside Ballet

December 17

Bret Michaels

Lead Vocalist for the legendary rock band Poison.

The Fox 2011 Winter/Spring Season!Riverside Philharmonic/Alexander Platt violin soloist Rachel Barton Pine Jan 22

Broadway Series: “Spamalot” Jan 28–30

R&B Star Joe Feb 11

Burt Bacharach, Corona Symphony Pops Feb 12

Opera a la Carte presents “The Mikado” Feb 20

Benise: “The Spanish Guitar” Feb 26

Bob James, Corona Symphony Pops March 5

One Night of Queen March 11

Broadway Series: “Legally Blonde” March 18–20

Wanda Sykes March 25

An Evening with Scott Stapp, voice of Creed April 1

Katipunan April 2

Riverside Philharmonic/Tomasz Golka violin soloist Jourdain Urbach April 9

California Baptist University Choir & Orchestra Command Performance May 5

Cinco de Mayo! – Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles® with the Corona Symphony Pops May 7

Riverside Philharmonic/Tomasz Golka “Stars of the Philharmonic” May 14

Broadway Series: “Burn the Floor” May 20–22

New in 2011: Programs for Young AudiencesThe Berenstain Bears Feb 23

The Mystery of King Tut March 22

Seussical April 12

These programs are for school audiences only. Educators should see the relevant pages on our website, www.foxriversidelive.com, for details.

RIVERSIDEdecember 2010 - january 2011 • VOLume 3, ISSue 6

M A G A Z I N E

cover photo Rocio Rosales, Maria in “The Nutcracker”

Photo by Gabriel Luis Acosta

cOVerSuGar PLum FaIrIeS ...And ballerinas in marzipan-hued costumes will glide across the stage in “The Nutcracker” at the Fox. Think of it as a timeless classic at a timeless classic.

Our TOWn aLL aGLOW ...We love them — all 3.5 million of them. The little lights twinkling around The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in this year’s 18th Festival of Lights are just heart-warming.

WITH THInGS TO dO...Skating, carriage rides, shopping and live performances make visits to the downtown pedestrian mall especially fun this season.

THe arTS THInGS TO ceLebraTe ...The Fox Performing Arts Center, a year after its revival, helps drive new vitality downtown.

dInInGand THInGS TO eaT!When the visitors come, The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa’s four restaurants will be ready with tasty morsels and filling dishes.

8

14

18

24

30

FeaTureS28 a neW Venue Get ready Riverside, the Levitt Pavilion is on its way.

36 HaVe FaITH, WILL SHare Local religious leaders affirm holiday traditions and tolerance.

38 caLendar & cauSe Ways to help during the season.

40 maKe GOOd cHOIceS Getting healthy and staying strong are about investing in yourself, says Angie Lustrick, local trainer.

50 THe LaST STOP We hate to say it, but the Coffee Depot is closing. Get your joe on, before it’s gone.

deParTmenTSFrom our editor 6Hot list and calendar 10Dining guide 44Seen 45Nonprofit calendar 48


Riverside Dental Group was established January 28, 1974 by Dr. Ed Rouhe

and four other partners. The doctors built an award winning modern office on the 1.9-acre site of the old Samuel Carey Evans mansion at the corner of El Hijo Street and Magnolia Avenue. The Group’s building surrounds a large camphor tree which is estimated to be over 100 years old. The revolutionary aspect of the 9,000 square foot office building is the patient treatment room layout, which focuses on patient comfort and ease of functions.

The reception area is sunken with a gracious hotel lobby feeling. Over the past 35 years the group has grown to an additional 6 offices providing dental care for parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Riverside Dental Group employs over 30 Dentists and 250 employees from our local communities. Annually our offices treat more than 110,000 patients. Riverside Dental Group and Associate offices are pleased to receive the prestigious accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care

(AAAHC). AAAHC accreditation demonstrates we are nationally recognized for excellence in care and service to patients. With strong quality assurance programs, doctor mentoring and uniform guidelines for patient care Riverside Dental Group and associate offices are working to achieve the distinction of an enduring organization that has established a tradition of fine dentistry that the community trusts. Our patients are very valuable to us, which is why most of our new patients are referred to us by our current patients.

Riverside Dental GroupComprehensive Dental Care For The Entire Family

General & Cosmetic Dentistry

Children’s Dental Specialists

Endodontics

Periodontics & Implant Dentistry

Prosthodontics

Orthodontics & Invisalign

O. Edgar Rouhe, DDSDr. Rouhe is one of the four original partners that founded Riverside Dental Group in 1974 and has recently joined the staff in our Woodcrest office on a full-time basis. A life-long resident of Riverside, Dr. Rouhe received his DDS from Loma Linda University and brings many years of experience to his practice of dentistry. Dr. Rouhe has had advanced training in full-mouth reconstruction and cosmetic treatment, and enjoys providing the highest quality of care and service to his patients.

Riverside Dental Group

AT WOODCREST

Riverside - MagnoliaRiverside Dental Group 7251 Magnolia AvenueRiverside, CA 92504(951) 689-5031

Riverside - CentralDental Associates of Riverside3487 Central AvenueRiverside, CA 92506(951) 369-1001 Moreno ValleyDental Associates of Moreno Valley22500 Town Circle, Ste 2074Moreno Valley, CA 92533(951) 697-6800

CoronaDental Associates of Corona1380 El Sobrante RoadCorona, CA 92879(951) 273-9580

TemeculaDental Associates of Temecula40820 Winchester Road, Ste 1500Temecula, CA 92591-5508(951) 296-6788

Palm DesertDesert Dental Specialty Group72- 415 Park View DrivePalm Desert, CA 92260(760) 568-5928

WoodcrestRiverside Dental Group at Woodcrest19009 Van Buren Blvd, Ste 204Riverside, CA 92508(951) 776-9001

Tonia Cantrell, DDSDr. Cantrell completed her undergraduate degree at San Diego State University in 2000 and went on to earn her doctorate degree at UCLA Dental School in 2004. She completed her training at a children’s hospital in Wisconsin where she worked with special needs patients, dental trauma management, and sedation techniques. Dr. Cantrell has always felt at ease working with children. She takes great pride in her work as a clinician, but also hopes that she can be one more influential role model in a child’s life.

A tradition of traditions

An empty Afternoon and a large box full of slides. the contents: more than two thousand images of vacations, bir thdays

and holiday celebrations. every summer a family trip, every october a homemade cake (thanks, mom, especially for the one with the rocket ship!), and every December a picture in front of the ar tif icial tree.

traditions truly are a wonderful thing.Brides have them, athletes and coaches have them,

tevye sang about them in “fiddler on the roof.”Cities have traditions, too, and in this issue we

look at some of riverside’s most notable traditions for the holidays.the 18th annual festival of Lights at the mission Inn Hotel & Spa is by no

means the oldest in town, but it cer tainly is one of the most notable, attracting some 300,000 people during its run. Duane roberts, owner of the historic landmark, star ted the magical celebration because as a youngster he was excited about one of his family’s traditions: visiting neighborhood Christmas displays.

“the nutcracker” has been a California riverside Ballet staple for 40 years, but this time the troupe will be putting several new spins on the tradition. they’re pulling from a larger pool of performers than ever before, the show is being reinvented with new on-stage elements, and the CrB is doing it for the f irst time in the fox performing Arts Center.

In this issue we invite you to learn more about both and discover other riverside traditions — from the Living Christmas tree at magnolia Avenue Baptist Church to holiday concerts at UC riverside to old riverside foundation’s twelfth night progressive dinner. Space doesn’t allow us to preview all of them with as much detail as we’d like, but all cer tainly are worthy of support.

In the meantime, there’s another box full of photos waiting for the next empty afternoon.

Jerry [email protected], 909-386-3015

Riverside MagazineWe welcome your ideas and invite you to subscribe.Contact the editor: [email protected] or 909-386-3015for subscriptions: www.riversidethemag.com/subscribe or 909-386-3923

6 | riversidethemag.com | december 2010 - january 2011

from the editor

v o L U m e 3 , I S S U e 6B r o U g H t t o y o U B y :

fred h. hamiltonpUBLISHer & Ceo

don SproulmAnAgIng eDItor

Jerry riceeDItor

JJ Jonesv.p. SALeS & mArKetIng

Lynda e. BaileySALeS DeveLopment DIreCtor

Shawna federoffreSeArCH DIreCtor

CoNtriBUtiNG WriterS & editorSAmy Bentley, Luanne J . Hunt, elaine Lehman

Lauren mcSherry, Carla Sanders

editoriaL Gr aphiC deS iGNSteve ohnersorgen

rick SforzapHoto eDItor

photoGr apherSgabriel Luis Acosta, James Carbone, Khai Le

Sandra Gray, andrew ingleseSALeS mAnAgerS

adVerti S iNG SaLeS e XeCUtiVeSJeannie Adair, Cur t Annett, mark ryan

Snezana tomasevic, Adil Zaher

SaLeS aSS i StaNtDavid Wastell

adVerti S iNG Gr aphiC deS iGNChristie robinson, Lead Designer/

production Coordinator

marKetiNG veronica nair, ginnie Stevens

inland Custom publishing GroupSteve Lambert

v.p. of neWS

frank pineeXeCUtIve eDItor

Kathryn Johnsonv.p. of fInAnCe

John Wartingerv.p. of operAtIonS

Joe robidouxv.p. of operAtIonS

ContACt USeditorial: 909-386-3015; fax 909-885-8741

or [email protected]: 909-386-3936; fax 909-884-2536

or [email protected] subscribe to riverside magazine call 909-386-3923 or go online at www.riversidethemag.com/subscribe.

riverside magazine is produced by the Inland Custom publishing group of the Sun and the Inland valley Daily Bulletin.

Single copy price: $3.95. Subscriptions $14.95 per year. postmaster: Send address changes to p.o. Box 9400, San Bernardino, CA 92427-9400. Copyright 2010 riverside magazine. no part of this magazine

may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. riverside magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or artwork

even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope.

RIVERSIDEM A G A Z I N E

A PUBLICATION

prInteD By SoUtHWeSt offSet prIntIng

“Like” us on facebook!

FOX PERFORMING ARTS CENTER3801 MISSION INN AVE., RIVERSIDE

www.BroadwayInRiverside.com

Season Tickets: 877-308-2929Groups: 877-316-2929 http://www.facebook.com/BroadwayInRiverside

Written by Luanne J . HuntPhotos by Gabriel Luis Acosta

California riverside Ballet’s annual production of “the nutcracker” is moving to a new home, with the promise of lots of fresh faces and plenty of surprises. Performances are scheduled for dec. 11 and 12 at the fox Performing arts Center, and the venue is not only creating excitement among cast

and crew, but it also has paved the way for bringing a new level of creativity and community par ticipation in the annual show’s 40-year run.

“What we’re most proud of is that we now have 23 ballet schools involved in this production, as opposed to only one we’ve had in years past,” said tom Hunt, president of CrB. “it truly is an inland empire outreach, and it’s meant to benef it

the community at large.“and now that we’re at the fox, we’re looking to become

a par t of riverside’s festival of lights holiday tradition.”“the nutcracker” will feature more than 100 performers from southern California, seattle and

new York. they all are being instructed by stephanie saland, a Balanchine-trained ballerina from the new York City Ballet.

the show also will feature a 28-piece orchestra from riverside City College.

additionally, a local chorus will sing during the Waltz of the snowflakes.

“i’ve never seen a live chorus in ‘the nutcracker’ before,” said ed lippman,

a 26-year television industry veteran and the show’s production manager.

“i think that will really add to the magic.”

the production also has undergone a complete set

makeover, envisioned by ar tistic director

Unveiling a new

‘nutcracker’

tr aditions

Lindsay Dixon prepares for a rehearsal.

december 2010 - january 2011 | riversidethemag.com | 9

TO THE POINTE: HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

Maria Nugara. Lippman is working

with Nugara to bring his dream to life.

Instead of traditional painted

backdrops, scenes will be projected

on a state-of-the-ar t screen system

with full animation.

“The old set pieces were literally

falling apar t, so this has been the

perfect opportunity to reinvent the

show and make it more fun and

interesting than ever before,” Lippman

said. “Instead of stagnant sets,

everything will be in motion, from the

f lickering candles to the falling snow.”

Several animators involved in the

production worked on the Pixar f ilm

“Toy Story,” and the hope is the

innovative and dazzling effects will

propel CRB’s show into another league.

“It wasn’t easy to change something

that’s been a f ixture in the community for 40 years,” Hunt said. “But this is going to be stunning and something that no one in this area has ever seen before.”

The NutcrackerFox Performing Arts Center, 3810 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside1 and 7 p.m. Dec. 11 and 1 p.m. Dec. 12$17-$29951-787-7850, www.crballet.com

Plies and pirouettes in ballet f lats are hard enough, let alone performing them on the tips of your toes. Balanchine-trained ballerina Stephanie Saland is the f irst to admit it takes years of training and practice to dance effor tlessly in what are known as pointe shoes.

“It must become like second nature,” said Saland, a former New York City Ballet dancer.

Pointe shoes, introduced into ballet in the 19th century, contain a hard box inside at the front that encases and supports a dancer’s toes. The front end of the box is f lat and forms a platform upon which the dancer can balance. Before they are broken in by the dancer, they

can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort.But for those who have devoted their life

to the ar t, the pain is a small price to pay.“It takes dancers a few years to get acclimated

to this interesting device called a pointe shoe,” Saland said. “A good teacher will not put a dancer on pointe until they are completely ready — and that means training with foot exercises and learning how to align the entire lower body from the top of the leg to the pelvis to the feet. It will eventually be as simple as breathing. That’s when you know you’re ready.”

— Luanne J. Hunt

PHILHARMONICRIVERSIDE COUNTY

� �eason o� �irsts

January 22, 20117:30 p.m.

“From indoor elegance to outdoor

flamboyance”

Guest Artist: Rachel Barton Pine,

Violin

Guest Conductor: Alexander Platt

Beethoven, Ravel, Bizet

April 9, 20117:30 p.m.

“Gypsies and other virtuosos”

Guest Artist: Jourdan Urbach,

Violin

Sarasate, Saint-Saëns,

Ligeti, Tchaikovsky

May 14, 20117:30 p.m.

“Short, sweet, and to the point”

Stars of the Philharmonic

Bach, Stravinsky, CPE Bach,

Karim Al-Zand

Tomasz GolkaMusic Director/Conductor

Season Tickets 951-787-0251 ❘ Fox Box Office 951-779-9800New start time for all concerts is 7:30 p.m.

at the Riverside Fox Performing Arts Center

2010-2011 SEASON


holiday events & winter showsCANYON CREST TOWNE CENTRE DECEMBER – Jurupa Valley High School choir, Dec. 3, 10 and 17; photos with Santa, Dec. 4; Christmas music by the Ref lections, Dec. 7, 14 and 21. Canyon Crest Towne Centre, 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside; 951-686-1222, www.cctownecentre.com.

HOLIDAY MUSIC DECEMBER – UCR Chamber Singers and UCR Choral Society, Ar ts Building Performance Lab, 8 p.m. Dec. 2; UCR Highlander Band and BrassWorks, University Theatre, 8 p.m. Dec. 3; Carillon Recital, Belltower, 3 p.m. Dec. 11. UC Riverside, 900 University Ave.; events.ucr.edu.

HANUKKAH PARTY DEC. 2 – Latkes, dreidels and gelt, with Hanukkah songs and a menorah lighting. Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Ave.; 1 p.m.; www.iehillel.org.

HANUKKAH CELEBRATION DEC. 4 – Latke dinner, par ty and boutique, with live music, games and shopping. Temple Beth El, 2675 Central Ave., Riverside; 5 p.m.; 951-684-4511, www.tberiv.org.

ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR DEC. 5 – Annual fair offers a time for holiday shopping plus music and food. First United Methodist Church, 4845 Brockton Ave., Riverside; noon; free admission; 951-534-4376.

RIVERSIDE MASTER CHORALE DEC. 5 – Classics & Carols, with a Dvorák Mass in D. First Congregational Church, 3504 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 4 p.m.; $15, $12 students and seniors; 951-784-3604, www.riversidemasterchorale.com.

SLIDE SHOW DEC. 5 – Charles Phoenix will present a slide show on how the holidays were celebrated in Riverside during the 1950s and 1960s. Mission Inn Museum, 3696 Main St., Riverside; 7 p.m.; $25; 951-788-9556.

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ DEC. 10-12 – A traditional version about the transformation of the bitter and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Par t of the Riverside Community Players’ family series. Riverside Community Players Theater, 4026 14th St., Riverside; 2, 7 p.m., $8, 951-686-4030, www.riversidecommunityplayers.com.

THE LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE DEC. 9-12 – A 30-year tradition, this musical celebration of the bir th of Christ features 200 singers and dancers, live orchestra, special effects, a 20-foot tree with 20,000 lights and the Nativity. Magnolia Avenue Baptist Church, 8351 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-10; 2, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11; and 2 and 4 p.m. Dec. 12; $8-$10; 951-689-5700, www.magonline.com.

‘LISTENING TO ANGELS’ DEC. 14 – Holiday lecture by Fujiko Signs, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. First Church of Christ, Scientist, 3606 Lemon St., Riverside; 4 p.m.; free; 951-684-3959.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’ DEC. 18-19 – With choreography by David Allan and featuring New York City Ballet principal dancer Sterling Hyltin. Presented by Riverside Ballet Ar ts, which also is doing a Dec. 17 outreach performance for at-risk youth. Landis Auditorium, 1 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18, 1 p.m. Dec. 19; $15-$35; 951-686-0226, 800-870-6069, riversideballetar ts.com, www.brava-ar ts.org.

˘

2955 Van Buren, RIVERSIDE(Corner of Lincoln and Van Buren)

951.637.1313 fax 951.637.1317LUNCH Mon.-Sat. 11:30 am - 3:00 pm

DINNER Mon.-Sat. 3 pm - 10 pm, Sun. 3 pm - 9 pm

NOW CATERING

ALL YOU CAN EAT SUSHILUNCH

Reg. $17.95$15.95

Between 11:30 am - 3:00 pmValid with coupon only. Not valid

with other offers. Not valid on Sundays. One coupon person.

DINNERReg. $21.95

$19.95Between 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Valid with coupon only. Not valid with other offers. Not valid on

Sundays. One coupon person.

GRAND OPENING

Authentic Cuisine of India Authentic Cuisine of India

Canyon Springs Plaza at Day & Ironwood

Our Specialties Include:Baingan Ka Bharta (eggplant)

Saag Paneer (Spinach & Cheese)

Gosht Karahi (Lamb)

Murgh Tikka Masala (Chicken)

Murgh Karahi (Chicken)

Seafood EntreesTandoori Murgh Tikka (Boneless Chicken Breast)

Vegetarian SamosasBiryani (Rice Dishes)Naan Bread and much more.



Gosht Karahi (Lamb)







Gosht Karahi (Lamb)





Now Serving Beer & Wine

15% OFFTotal PurchaseWith coupon only.

May not be combined with any other offer.

With coupon only. May not be combined with any other offer.

Buy 1 Entree,receive the 2nd

Entree1/2 OFF


calendarRIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM THROUGH DEC. 15 – Latest work by Paulden Evans is featured on the sculpture pad in front of the museum. Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-684-7111, www.riversidear tmuseum.org. Also: “California Kustom,” through Jan. 8.

‘RACE: ARE WE SO DIFFERENT?’ THROUGH JAN. 23 – The RACE Project explains differences among people and reveals the reality — and unreality — of race. Metropolitan Museum, 3580 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-826-5273, www.riversideca.gov/museum. Also: “Star Trek: The Exhibition,” at the Metropolitan Showcase, through Feb. 28.

LAKE ALICE TRADING COMPANY DECEMBER – Concer ts featuring local and regional bands. New Year’s Eve bash, Dec. 31. 3616 University Ave., Riverside; 951-686-7343, www.lakealicetradingco.com.

ROMANO’S CONCERT LOUNGE DECEMBER – Concer ts featuring tribute bands. Abbey Road (Beatles), Dec. 11; Dead Man’s Par ty (Oingo Boingo), Dec. 18. 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside; 951-781-7662, theconcer tlounge.com.

CULVER CENTER DECEMBER-JANUARY – Exhibits: “Re:Cycle” and “Vehicles of Imagination,” through Dec. 31; “Cultural Prosthetics,” Feb. 5-April 2. Regular f ilm screenings and other events. The Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main St., Riverside; 951-827-4290, culvercenter.ucr.edu.

PLANETARIUM SHOW DEC. 3 – See constellations of the winter sky. Dixon Planetarium, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Ave.; 7 p.m.; $2.50-$5; 951-222-8090.

KINETIC CONVERSATION DEC. 3-4 – A colorful mix of dance and movement by RCC dance faculty choreographers. Landis Performing Arts Center, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Ave.; 951-222-8100, www.landispac.com. Also: Lux Boreal dance company, Feb. 12; Intersect Dance Theatre, Feb. 25-26.

TWELFTH NIGHT JAN. 7-8 – Old Riverside Foundation hosts its 16th annual Victorian celebration with a four-course progressive dinner. Proceeds to benef it historic preservation in Riverside and

‘STEPS IN TIME’ DEC. 12 – A Broadway biography in song and dance featuring the Manhattan Rhythm Kings. View the personal side of a quintessential song-and-dance man and Broadway legend, Tommy Tune. Landis Performing Arts Center, 4800 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 4 p.m.; $20-$75; 951-222-8100, www.performanceriverside.org.

tuesdaytall can tuesday

$5 tall cans & $4 cactus cooler shots

dj kidnewtron at 9 pm

wednesdaydj jason timothy at 9pm

thursdaydj kid newtron presents club atmosphere

fridaytechnique presented by dj jason timothy

saturdayclub sapphire featuring dj kid newtron

sundaykaraoke begins at 9 pm

bringing

lounge back

socal’sexclusive

martinilounge

3639 riverside plaza drivesuite 530 ~ riverside951.784.4433

www.loungethirtythree.commyspace.com/lounge_33check us out on facebook

book your private parties at Lounge 33

[email protected]

Riverside’s Best Kept SecretLocated inside the Mission Galleria

Great Food and Atmosphere!

Sports Live Entertainment Private EventsCheck out our calendar on Facebook - The Hideaway

3700 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501951.686.0950 ✦ www.missiongalleriacafe.com

Private entrance on Mission Inn Avenueacross from the Mission Inn. Look for the pirate!


calendarthe Inland Empire. Heritage Square Historic District, Riverside; 6:30 p.m.; $85; 951-683-2725, www.oldriverside.org.

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS JAN. 14 – Concer t featuring the quintessential American roots-rock band. UC Riverside’s University Theatre, 900 University Ave.; 8 p.m.; $50, $48 seniors, $25 students; 951-827-4331, culturalevents.ucr.edu. Also: Shanghai Quar tet, Jan. 27; Daniel Bernard Roumain: Woodbox Beats & Balladry, Jan. 29; UCR Orchestra, Jan. 29-30; ODC/Dance, Feb. 17.

ROSE PRUNING JAN. 16 – Volunteers and local exper ts will demonstrate how to prune hybrid tea, f loribunda, miniature roses and climbers. Door prizes. UC Riverside Botanic Gardens, 900 University Ave.; 1-3 p.m.; 951-784-6962, www.gardens.ucr.edu.

STATE OF THE CITY JAN. 20 – Annual mayor’s address, with exhibits star ting at 10:30 a.m. and the featured program at 11:30 a.m. Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange St.; 951-683-7100, www.riversideca.gov/mayor.

DICKENS FESTIVAL JAN. 21-23 – The 18th annual celebration of the life and times of Charles Dickens features Victorian-era enter tainment, costumed characters, music, ballroom dancing, drama and more. Activities in the Riverside Covention Center and historic buildings in the area. Downtown Riverside; free admission to all but select ticketed events; 951-781-3168, www.dickensfest.com.

‘THE YOUNG MAN FROM ATLANTA’ JAN. 21-FEB. 6 – A grocery wholesaler is let go by his company after nearly 40 years of service. He wants to star t his own business, but learns that his wife gave all their money to their son’s mysterious roommate. Riverside Community Players Theater, 4026 14th St.; $15; 951-686-4030, www.riversidecommunityplayers.com.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY PHILHARMONIC JAN. 22 – Concer t featuring guest ar tist Rachel Bar ton Pine, violin; and guest conductor Alexander Platt. Fox Theater, Riverside; 8 p.m.; $11-$74; 951-787-0251, www.thephilharmonic.org.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’ JAN. 28-FEB. 6 – Based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, this story of the Trapp Family Singers is one of the world’s most beloved musicals. Landis Performing Arts Center, 4800 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 8 p.m. Jan. 28-29 and Feb. 4-5; 2 p.m. Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 5-6; 951-222-8100, www.performanceriverside.org, www.landispac.com.

LUNAR FESTIVAL JAN. 28-29 – Celebration of the tastes, sights and sounds of the Asian culture with a parade, traditional Asian music, dance, ar t displays and exhibitions of karate, kung fu, kabuki, tae kwon do and other Asian-themed demonstrations. On the grounds near the Riverside Public Library, 3581 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-453-3548, www.lunarfestriverside.org.

RIVERSIDE LYRIC OPERA FEB. 19 – “La Traviata,” sung in Italian with English translations projected next to the stage. Landis Performing Arts Center, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Ave.; 951-781-9561, www.riversidelyricopera.org.

A holiday centerpiece that draws a crowd.

Happiness is always in season.®

Call or visit the location nearest you:

RIVERSIDE PLAZA951.684.2184

3540 Riverside Plaza Drive, Ste. 304Riverside, CA 92506

purchase one chocolate upgrade and receive the 2nd

FREEOffer valid on select products. Cannot be

combined with any other offers. Offer code must be used when placing the order.

Offer expires 12/31/10. Code RVMG1210


Offer valid on select products. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer code

must be used when placing the order. Offer expires 00/00/00 Code: XXXX0000

SAVE $Xon your next order

Star of David Celebration™ and Berry Tree Bouquet® with dipped pineapple


City 000-000-0000

City 000-000-0000

City 000-000-0000


Offer valid on select products. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer code

must be used when placing the order. Offer expires 00/00/00 Code: XXXX0000

SAVE $Xon your next order

Star of David Celebration™ and Berry Tree Bouquet® with dipped pineapple


City 000-000-0000

City 000-000-0000

City 000-000-0000

Lunch ✦ Dinner ✦ Take Out ✦ BanquetsStudent Events ✦ Private Parties are Welcome

1445 University Avenue ✦ Riverside, CA 92507951.786.9887

MARDARIN ORIENTAL CUISINE

traditions

Light up the night

Mission inn celebration brightens the holidays for thousands

irst of all, there are the lights — 3.5 million of them — plus 2,000 feet of garland and hundreds of characters, many

of them animated. the festival of lights truly turns the historic Mission inn Hotel & spa into a magical place.

and making this year’s celebration even more interactive and enjoyable for families is the addition of a reindeer petting zoo.

“When i was little and went to see santa, i remember seeing reindeer and how exciting it was,” said Kelly roberts, who owns the Mission inn with her husband, Duane r. roberts. “We were strategizing this year’s festival and thought how much fun it would be for kids and adults.”

the reindeer will welcome guests nightly from 5 to 11 p.m. on Main street behind Kelly’s spa.

Written by Amy BentleyPhotos by Gabriel Luis Acosta

f

There’s plenty more worth checking out during the 18th annual event including cupcake decorating at Casey’s Cupcakes and High Tea, which features a menu tailored so children can enjoy the British tradition with grown-ups.

If tea isn’t your thing, 54 Degrees at Duane’s serves a variety of select wines and champagne.

Of course, the dazzling display of lights is the festival’s biggest draw — with 300,000 people visiting during last year’s run.

“Out of everything, the lighting is the most fabulous,” Kelly said. “My husband loves to add new lights. We keep adding to different areas; areas that previously weren’t lit are (now) lit.”

For most visitors, there really isn’t one par t of the festival that everyone likes best. Instead, it’s the overall effect.

“It encompasses so many different elements,” Kelly said. “It’s like going to Disneyland. It’s like a ‘wow’ wherever you go.”

Festival of LightsThe Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, 3649 Mission Inn Ave., RiversideThrough Jan. 2951-784-0300, www.festivalof lightsca.com


Lights and holiday figures adorn the Mission Inn.

Fun facts• 3.5 million lights will adorn

The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa this year; one-f ifth are the energy-eff icient LED variety.

• Decorations include 2,000 feet of garland.

• Scattered throughout the Inn are more than 400 seasonal characters, including elves, toy soldiers, old-fashioned Dickens carolers, large nutcrackers, singing bears and nodding reindeer.

• The festival star ted 18 years ago with “only” 250,000 lights and 50 character f igures.

• The Mission Inn has spent more than $3.5 million to stage the Festival of Lights over the years.

• A 25-person crew decorates the Inn star ting in September. It takes 80 days to set everything up, and three weeks to take it all down and store it away for the next year.

Photo by Bob Torrez

Duane and Kelly Roberts

Revelers enjoy a carriage ride along Mission Inn Avenue.

R I V E R S I D E ’ S T O P F I N E D I N I N G R E S TA U R A N T SM A R I O ’ S P L A C E ❘ S E V I L L A ❘ O L I O

S A N D I E G O • R I V E R S I D E • L O N G B E A C H

Established 1987

®

Tapas BarRestaurantLunch ~ Sunday BrunchLate Night Dining

3252 Mission Inn AvenueRiverside951.778.0611cafesevilla.com

RestaurantDinner Nightly ~ Late Night Dining Until 1 AMOpen for Lunch Daily ~ Monday through Friday

Tapas BarHappy Hour DailyLive Gipsy Kings-Style Guitarist NightlyServing Over 40 Tasty Tapas

Flamenco Dinner ShowsFridays and SaturdaysCall for Reservations

3400 Market Street u Riverside, California 92501951.786.7147 u 951.786.7157

www.riversidemarriott.com

Italian Steak and Seafood

Introducing

Riverside’s First“Private Chef’s Table”

Now booking intimate parties of up to 12 guests.

Offering the largest selection of martinis in

the Inland Empire.Catering for all

Occasions!

Contemporary Northern Italian Cuisine

3646 Mission Inn AvenueAcross from Mission Inn Hotel

951.684.7755Reservations Recommended

www.mariosplace.com

FINE DINING u BANQUET & CATERING LIVE WEEKEND JAZZ

COCKTAILS

BEST OFAWARD OF

ExCELLENCEWine Spectator Magazine

2004 2005 2006 2007


out & about

While the historic Mission inn hotel & Spa sparkles with 3.5 million lights, garland and other decorations for the 18th annual Festival of lights, there’s plenty more to enjoy nearby.

Downtown Riverside is a winter wonderland with something for everyone — fun activities, exhibits, restaurants, shopping and more. All of it may be found along the snazzy Main Street pedestrian mall or within a short walk.

The pedestrian mall is sporting a fresh look these days, and during the Festival of lights it is alive with dancers, carolers, gymnasts and community group performers. Santa will greet good little boys and girls

Fun

Festivalbeyond the

Written by amy Bentley Photos by Gabriel luis acosta

Skaters enjoy the ice rink on the Main Street pedestrian mall during the Festival of Lights.

City of Riverside photo

have a holiday wish list? Santa will be going over them through dec. 24.

La Bodega, established in 1964,

is the Inland Empire’s premier

wine and spirits retailer. We

offer the most professional

staff and service in the

industry. Our specialists

can help you choose the

perfect bar menu to

complement any

occasion.

For you serious wine lovers,

we offer a range of services.

From hosting your next

wine tasting to organizing your

new wine cellar, our wine consultants

bring their passion for

wine culture to work every day.

And it shows. We can elevate

any wine novice and

accommodate any

wine connoisseur.

With an amazing

selection of wine,

liquor, beer and cigars

from around the world,

La Bodega is the

only place to visit when

planning your next event.

"Proud to serve the Inland Empire"

Mike DahdulOwner/Proprietor

3512 Central AvenueRiverside, California 92506

951.683.3307

Voted �est �ine ��pirits �tore

La BodegaWine & Spirits

Also visit us online www.labodegawine.com

We ship anywhere in the USA.

I n t h E I n L A n d E m p I r E

Store Hours Monday thru Thursday

8 am to 10 pm

Friday and Saturday8 am to Midnight

Sunday 9 am to 9 pm

Present ad and receive

$5 off any $20 purchaseGood only for beer, wine and liquor. One coupon per person. Cannot be

combined with any other offer.Excludes keg beer.

Expires January 1, 2011.


$10 off any $50 purchaseGood only for beer, wine and liquor. One coupon per person. Cannot be




$20 off any $100 purchase

Good only for beer, wine and liquor. One coupon per person. Cannot be



through Dec. 24. Horse-and-carriage rides, skating on an outdoor ice rink and holiday-themed street vendors also help create a lively par ty-like atmosphere.

Many businesses have specials and extended hours. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, to name one, will be serving a variety of winter drinks and will stay open until midnight on weekends.

The 42-year-old mall recently underwent a $10 million facelift, with new fountains, waterways, benches, street lamps, f lower-f illed planters and trees. Merchants love the improvements.

“It looks nicer. There are cleaner lines, and it has a modern feel. It makes everything look more cohesive, more upscale,” said Casey Thompson, a manager at Simple Simon’s Bakery & Bistro, which also has been reborn.

In February, the restaurant’s kitchen was destroyed by a f ire, and after repairs

and an exhaustive cleaning of the smoke- and soot-damaged dining area, it re-opened in August and quickly regained its long-held standing as a popular lunch spot.

Melissa Schouten, who owns the Main Street home décor boutique Magnolia’s, is another fan of the renovations along the pedestrian mall.

“It looks good and hopefully it will

Simple Simon’s is known for its gourmet sandwiches made on freshly baked bread.


CANYON CREST D

RIVE

EL C

ERRI

TO D

RIVE

CENTRAL AVENUECANYON CREST TOWNE CENTRE

CINEMA

ATHLE

TICCLU

B

RALPHS RITE AID

TUNE-UP SPECIAL$35 (REG. $45)

Must present ad. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 1-31-11.

FREEFLAT TIRE REPAIRMust present ad. Not valid with any

other offer. Expires 1-31-11.

CORNER OF CENTRAL AVENUE& CANYON CREST

Anthony’sCYCLERY

5225 Canyon Crest DriveSuite 303 • Riverside951.328.9131Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm

HOLLY GUNNETTE, EA

Your Money Matters…Trust Us To Help!

www.hgifinancial.com

Riverside951-681-2784

Corona951-279-2322

Ontario909-989-7550


bring people,” she said. “We need the business.”

During the Festival of Lights, there are cer tainly more people going through the doors of many downtown shops, including the Mission Galleria, a massive three-story consignment store with literally thousands of items for sale from collectibles and clothes to books and furniture. The Galleria also has a jeweler, a full-service f lorist and chocolatier, as well as a café and a bar downstairs.

“December is just craziness; it’s really busy,” said manager Carol Gossett. “People come to shop and eat — and even to use the restroom. There’s a lot of foot traff ic.”

While the Mission Galleria is open year-round, downtown attractions of the seasonal variety include the outdoor ice rink on Main Street between University and Mission Inn avenues. At least

10,000 skaters visited last year. Charva Ingram, Riverside’s marketing

projects manager, predicts the f inal tally will be bigger this time around. “It grows a little more every year,” she said.

Skaters and those who only come to watch are encouraged to join a project to create the world’s largest holiday card. Take a photo at the rink and upload it to www.riversidefestivalof lights.com. The image will be par t of a huge banner card, which will be printed and mailed to American troops in Afghanistan, Ingram says.

The downtown dining scene has a couple of new entrees this year.

Chef Brein Clements, known for his creative cuisine at the former Restaurant Omakase, is operating a new beer pub, the Salted Pig, with his wife, Roryann, and another Riverside resident, Ronaldo Fierroto. High-quality fare with f ish, pork

and lots of seasonal fresh produce are on the menu, and 45 craft “super-boutique” beers from Southern California and Europe are on tap.

“I write for Beer Magazine so I have a lot of contacts with small guys that nobody knows about,” Clements said.

City of Riverside photo

Carolers add a festive holiday sound to the pedestrian mall near the Mission Inn.

Daily Early Bird Special! First Matinee Showing

EVERY FILM, EVERY DAY!

Text Ultrastar to 90210To receive Exclusive Discounts & Special Offers.Find us at UtraStar University Village for Special Deals!

*additional upcharge for 3D filmsUltraStar University Village Cinemas(located adjacent to UCR)1201 University AvenueMOVIE LINE 951-784-4342

For showtimes, special events andto print your tickets online visit

www.UltraStarMovies.com

$5.75

Seniors, Students & Military

$6 Children $7

Holiday

Savings at the

Movies!

Purchase an adult ticket at the

student admission price to Any Movie, Any Time!

One coupon per guest. No photocopies accepted. Cannot be combined with any

other offer or discount. Expires 12/31/10. Code: M10-12-11

Valid at UltraStar University Village Cinema only.

Trea

t You

rself

Like a Student!

See Today’s Top Hollywood Hits at Unbeatable Bargains

EXCLUSIVELY AT UltraStar


His signature dish is a slow-roasted pork belly, and the restaurant also will have holiday food and beer specials. Once the Salted Pig (at 3700 12th St.) opens sometime in December, food will be served until about 1 a.m., and the restaurant will stay open most nights until 2 a.m.

“We’ve spent the last six years watching Riverside and seeing what this city needs. There are not many places downtown where you can get food that late,” said Clements, who also prepares fresh pastries and sandwiches for Bobby’s Coffee Shop. At 4205 Main St., it’s another new place to grab a bite.

The menu at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts doesn’t feature food, but f ilms.

A series of releases embracing alternative, experimental, foreign, Hollywood and documentary styles will screen through Dec. 31. The Culver Center has a 75-seat screening room, and it joins the California Museum of Photography in the mall’s UCR ARTSblock. The provocative f ilms are from 18 countries and screen at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. To learn

more, visit www.culvercenter.ucr.edu.Trekkies may beam into “Star Trek:

The Exhibition” through February at the Metropolitan Showcase on the Main Street mall.

What’s billed as the largest off icial collection of “Star Trek” costumes, sets and memorabilia will grow with the addition of several new ar tifacts for the remaining weeks of exhibit, according to Ennette Nusbaum-Morton, museum director.

“On weekends, we regularly have some of the special effects and prop makers who can guide visitors through the exhibition and share behind-the-scenes stories of how the series and movies were made,” she said.

A “Star Trek” simulator ride will be situated near the skating rink during the Festival of Lights. For information, visit www.riversideca.gov/museum.

Brein Clements

Private Studio

Personal Program

Nutrition

Exercise

.

.

.

.

1 . 8 0 0 . 2 6 0 6 . F I T6426 Magnolia Ave Riverside, CA 92506

®

™

Riverside’s Largest Personal Training Company

Revitalized theater heralds a downtown renaissance

Written by Carla Sanders • Photos by Gabriel Luis Acosta

There is a distinctive sound in downtown riverside these days. It’s the sound of footsteps and increased traff ic and construction equipment. It’s the sound of a city in a resurgence. A good deal of that can be laid at the entrance of the Fox Performing Arts Center, which re-opened a year ago after a massive and meticulous $30 million renovation.

Tomasz GolkaPat Benatar Pam Trotter

second acts u c c e s s

The fox reTurns

Ph

oto

by

Sc

ott

Su

ch

ma

n

“It has been a tremendous success,” said Councilman Mike Gardner from Ward 1, where the Fox is located. “When there is an event at the Fox, downtown Riverside is a completely different place than it was a few years ago. Stores stay open later, restaurants and cafes are open. It’s proving to be a real economic driver.”

For many years, that wasn’t the case. The Fox, which originally opened in 1929 and was once an acclaimed cinema and theater house, had become a shuttered eyesore in a geographical area that struggled to retain a toehold as an economic center in the city.

The downtown scene gradually star ted to improve when the nearby Mission Inn was restored to splendor in the early 1990s. Now, it’s taken a huge leap forward with the revival of the Fox Performing Arts Center, which is drawing patrons — not only from Riverside, but from the region as well.

This is no surprise to Carl Thompson, general manager of Broadway in Riverside, which brings the national theatrical touring companies to the Fox.

“Theater helps build communities,” he said. “It’s what inspires me to do what I do.”

Thompson views the ar ts from three perspectives: cultural (offering world-class shows); economic (with businesses being able to benef it from it); and social (working closely with the Fox Riverside Theater Foundation to create a wonderful experience for theatergoers). He estimates his organization has

“enlightened, inspired and enter tained” at least 20,000 people who have streamed

through the Fox’s doors for the theatrical shows since “Annie” debuted on Feb. 2. Among the other offerings were “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Hairspray” in the spring, “Rain” and “The Color Purple” in the fall. That total does

not include thousands more


who enjoyed the concerts and events put on by such top names as Sheryl Crow (the inaugural performer on Jan. 22-23), Natalie Cole, Pat Benatar, Blondie, Ozomatli, Bill Cosby and Sinbad.

“We are always striving to be better,” Thompson said. “We want to do something that resonates with people.”

Pamela Hogan, development coordinator of the Fox Riverside Theater Foundation, the theater’s fundraising arm, said the response to the Fox during the past year is “exactly what we want to see. We’ve cer tainly had people who are celebrating it and contributing to our foundation because it’s open

and because it’s here. They are enjoying the shows and coming on a regular basis. We want to engage people and enhance their experience here.”

To that end, donors are invited to VIP receptions before every event. These are held in the theater’s unique tower room, which overlooks Market Street. Many of the ar tists performing join the reception and pose for photos with patrons.

“Dennis Miller came up and shook everyone’s hand; Bill Cosby was just charming and made everyone laugh.”

Hogan says the theater hopes to reach a wider audience in the coming years, adding to the mix more concerts and events for younger generations — twenty- and thir tysomethings — as well as continuing to provide such cultural offerings as classical music from the Riverside County Philharmonic, with conductor Tomasz Golka.

Guests mingle during the Fox Theater’s preview gala.

Visit SocalGiftCards.com

Gift cards availableSAVE UP TO

50% OFF!We will mail your items directly to

you at no additional cost.

If you have any questions, or prefer ordering by phone, feel free to contact our customer service department Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at 1 (877) 525-8185.

NEW STOCK, BIGGER SAVINGS!

Choose from:

alimesaountrylub

Angélica’s FLORIST & GIFTS


“The audiences have been so appreciative. There has been a standing ovation at nearly every show,” she said. “The performers love the theater. They like the intimate kind of seating.”

That sentiment is echoed by Thompson, who reports that the response from the performers has been phenomenal. “Oh, my gosh, they loved it,” he said of state-of-the-ar t lighting and sound and the backstage accommodations that include numerous dressing rooms and a lounge area. “They loved being able to come into a nice community like Riverside and perform in a gorgeously restored theater.”

Pam Trotter, one of the actors from “The Color Purple,” called the Riverside run “fantastic.”

“The new Fox Performing Arts Center is absolutely gorgeous,” she said. “The Fox staff made us feel extremely

comfortable, providing f irst-class accommodations. The city welcomed us with a smile and open arms, from feeding us to taking us around town whenever we needed it.”

Gardner says the surrounding area near the Fox will only improve in the coming years. A parking structure and arcade will open in 2012. A 10,000-square-foot museum and traveling exhibit space — to be operated by Riverside Metropolitan Museum — are planned, as is a “black box theater,” in which the seating and stage can be reconf igured to accommodate different types of performances. Restaurants and shops also are on the menu, along with a major upgrade to the convention center and construction of both a large off ice building and a Hyatt Place hotel north of the theater.

Fox Performing Arts CenterConcerts and showsMasters of Harmony, Dec. 4; “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 11-12; Bret Michaels, Dec. 17 (rescheduled from October); A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dec. 19; Joe, Feb. 11; Riverside County Philharmonic, Jan. 22, April 9 and May 14; Bur t Bacharach, Feb. 12; Opera a la Car te’s “The Mikado,” Feb. 20; The Berenstain Bears, Feb. 23; Benise, Feb. 26; Bob James with the Corona Symphony Pops, March 5; One Night of Queen, March 11; “The Mystery of King Tut,” March 22; Wanda Sykes, March 25; Scott Stapp (the voice of Creed), April 1; Katipunan, April 2; California Baptist University Choir & Orchestra, May 5; Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles with the Corona Symphony Pops, May 7

951-779-9800, www.foxriversidelive.com

Broadway in RiversideMonty Python’s “Spamalot,” Jan. 28-30; “Legally Blonde The Musical,” March 18-20; “Burn the Floor,” May 20-22

951-684-2929, 877-308-2929, www.broadwayinriverside.com

www.johnson-machinery.com

JOHNSON MACHINERY CO.

(951) 686-4560proudly serving the Riverside and San Bernardino counties

since 1940.


in the works

Written by Amy Bentley

Another arts and enter tainment venue is on tap for downtown riverside: the Levitt Pavilion.

With a planned opening in three to four years at White Park, the outdoor amphitheater would host 50 free concerts annually and provide a showcase for local, regional and national talent.

Levitt Pavilions are no ordinary outdoor theaters. Supported by the Mortimer Levitt Foundation, they form a network of performance venues that offer free concerts with no f ixed seating or reservations. Levitt Pavilions are located across the country, including at Memorial Park in Pasadena and MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.

“You lay your blanket down (on the grass) and it’s f irst-come, f irst-served.

It’s a very egalitarian, democratic notion of community building,” said Daniel Foster, who is spearheading the effor t.

Foster, president and Ceo of the Community Foundation, is working with Mayor ron Loveridge plus other city, ar ts and business off icials who also support the effor t. Foster, who used to be the executive director of the riverside Art Museum, hopes to bring plans before the Council in early 2011.

It’s been a two-year process so far. through Foster’s work in the ar ts community, he developed connections with the San Francisco-based James Irvine Foundation, which wanted to know if he was interested in helping develop a local nonprof it that would run a Levitt Pavilion should one come to riverside, in conjunction with a city-owned park and the Levitt Foundation.

“the community needs to own this and make it happen. It requires a

champion, and I guess that’s the role I have been playing,” Foster said.

the city supports the idea, according to Loveridge, but details still need to be worked out, such as making sure concert noise will not bother residents of a senior housing complex nearby.

“the weather in Southern California and riverside is ideal for this,” Loveridge said. “I’ve been to the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena, and I thought it was excellent.”

A Levitt Pavilion in downtown riverside could draw 1,000 to 1,500 people to each concert — up to 75,000 each season — plus boost business at downtown restaurants, shops and other ar ts facilities, Foster says. the Mortimer Levitt Foundation would give $400,000 to build the venue and another $750,000 in funding spread over the f irst f ive years.

“this could become a f lagship program for the region,” Foster said.

one more for the show

Parks and recreation Director ralph nunez, left, riverside Arts Council executive Director Patrick Brien, Daniel Foster, Councilman Mike Gardner and Mayor ron Loveridge stand in the gazebo at white Park.


This winter, get behind the wheel of a

new BMW and experience the ultimate

adrenaline rush. At BMW of Riverside,

we deliver the ultimate ownership

experience for the ultimate driving

machine.

Extreme acceleration.

Loves to turn hard.

Performs under the harshest conditions.

The ultimate adrenaline rush.

BMW of Riverside. Making everyday extraordinary.

This winter, get behind the wheel of a

new BMW and experience the ultimate

adrenaline rush. At BMW of Riverside,

we deliver the ultimate ownership

experience for the ultimate driving

machine.

extraordinary.

$0 Maintenance*

4 years | 50,000 miles

3060 Adams StreetRiverside, CA 92504877.698.4269

BMWofRiverside.comOpen online all the time.

*See dealer for limited warranty details.

taste

Four restaurants,

one MissionThe goal is to ensure every guest has a great experienceWritten by Lauren McSherryPhotos by Gabriel Luis Acosta

E very holiday season crowds pour into the Mission inn hotel & spa.

they arrive, children in tow, to take in the glittering hotel exterior, festooned with garland and bedecked with millions of twinkling lights. they stroll among vendors who transform the area into a wonderland of ice skating, live reindeer, caroling and horse-and-carriage rides. they also come to eat.


The staff at work behind the scenes at the Mission Inn’s four restaurants are accustomed to the holiday rush, which inevitably accompanies the annual Festival of Lights. They have been preparing for months, setting in motion preparations for the holiday staples that diners have come to count on every December: the sumptuous prime rib buffet, the Christmas Day brunch’s f lowing champagne, and the extravagant, decadent desser ts offered to revelers on New Year’s Eve.

In all, 10,000 pounds of prime rib and 3,000 pounds of crab legs and shrimp have been secured. As for the number of champagne bottles that will be opened in December, Antoine G. Maalouf, the hotel’s director of food and beverage, would rather not say.

What he will divulge is this: During the Festival of Lights, which continues through Jan. 2, the hotel will feed more than 2,000 guests a day, and if you want to get a table, make sure a reservation is made well in advance.

“Obviously, weekends are the busiest, but it’s pretty consistent,” Maalouf said. “We should be thankful we are busy. We are much busier than last year.”

The months of planning are important to ensure everything runs smoothly.

“We have to make sure we take care of our employees, so our employees can take care of our guests, which is the most important focus for us,” said Alfredo Gutierrez, the hotel’s executive chef.

On any given day in December, there are about 80 cooks on duty. And with so many events going on — holiday par ties, wedding receptions and other get-togethers — it’s guaranteed there won’t be enough space on the kitchen bulletin board to hang all the menus for the various restaurants and custom banquets

hosted by the hotel.This year, the Mission Inn has

expanded its offerings. For the f irst time in several years, the High Tea at the Presidential Promenade has returned, 2-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Organic infusion teas will be served along with f inger sandwiches f illed with prosciutto, watercress, cucumber, smoked salmon and curried chicken. The cost is $29

for adults, $14 for children.Outside the hotel, an elf workshop

overseen by Mrs. Claus will be set up through Dec. 31. On Mondays, children can decorate cupcakes; on Tuesdays, they can build gingerbread houses; and on Wednesdays, it’s time to decorate cookies. The cost is $6.

Each week, the Mission Inn Restaurant will offer a new prix f ixe menu with all

Chef Alfredo Gutierrez cooks wonderful dishes at the Mission Inn Restaurant.

Roquefort crusted filet mignon

the courses designed around a single seasonal ingredient, such as apple or pumpkin. And Las Campanas Mexican Cuisine & Cantina will mix up the menu with authentic Mexican treats, such as tequila chocolate cake made with chocolate from the Mexican highlands of Guanajuato.

On New Year’s Eve, three areas of the hotel will be open for celebration: jazz enter tainment will be provided in the Presidential Lounge; the wine bar 54 Degrees at Duane’s will have live music; and in the Galleria, a disc jockey will spin tunes while chilled martinis will be made by pouring them through an illuminated ice sculpture carved in the shape of a Raincross, the hotel’s symbol.

Dining at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside 951-341-6767, www.missioninn.com

Southern Italian cuisine served in a serene patio setting.

Billed as the Inland Empire’s only AAA Four Diamond restaurant.

Authentic Mexican selections creatively prepared.

Chefs prepare signature comfort foods in a state-of-the-ar t display kitchen.

32 | | december 2010 - january 2011

Thank you to the Riverside Philharmonic

for 51 years of fabulous music.

2280 Market Street, Suite 100Riverside, CA 92501

951.320.7300 www.hdrinc.com

Where Academic Investigation, Christian Faith, and Service to Others Unite

With more than 100 undergraduate,

graduate, and pre-professional programs,

La Sierra University has the right classes and

degrees for you. Our mission is that each

student learns To Seek Truth, To Know God,

and To Serve Others.

Check us out at www.lasierra.edu


www.RiversidePublicUtilities.com

TOP FIVE WAYS TO GO GREENFOR THE HOLIDAYS:

If you receive new electronics like computer and cell phones this holiday season, make sure to recycle the old ones.

Buy LED energy saving lights for your holiday decorations and make sure to put them on timers.

Light up someone‛s holiday by giving a compact fluorescent bulb.

Buy EnergyStar® appliances.

While shopping for holiday gifts, carry reusable shopping bags.

Pan Fried Crab Cake With Artichoke Red Onion Salad, Chipotle Mayo

Ingredients1 pound crab meat¼ cup red pepper, diced2 tablespoons red onion, diced3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped¼ cup celery, diced¼ cup mayonnaise2 teaspoons lemon juice1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning1 tablespoon old bay seasoning¼ cup bread crumbsBlack pepper to tasteDry bread crumbs to coat

DirectionsPlace all ingredients in a bowl

except for the dry bread crumbs. Mix to incorporate everything well. Once mixed, make a 3-ounce ball and roll it into the dry bread crumbs. Form in the

hand and fry in a pan with a little oil. Cook on each side until golden brown.

Artichoke Red Onion Salad1 piece artichoke bottom¼ red onion, julienned2 tablespoons pimentos, diced2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped2 tablespoons olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

DirectionsPlace all ingredients into a bowl

and mix well. Check for seasoning, chill and serve.

Chipotle Mayo½ cup mayonnaise1 teaspoon chipotle pepper1 pinch of lemon juiceSalt and pepper to taste

DirectionsPlace all ingredients into a bowl

and mix well. Chill and serve.


Chocolate Ganache Cake

Gorgonzola Crusted Filet Mignon (photo on page 30)

Ingredients6 ounces filet mignon (5 filets)4 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese5 portobello caps, cleaned1 teaspoon garlic1 teaspoon rosemary1 teaspoon thymeSalt and pepper4 tablespoons olive oil1 cup Arborio rice¼ cup Parmesan½ cup white wine3½ cups chicken stock1 bay leaf2 tablespoons shallots, chopped4 tablespoons butterLight chicken stock, as needed3 cups port wine

DirectionsFor the filet mignon, season both

sides with salt and pepper. Finish in

a 450-degree oven to desired temperature. Slice 1 ounce piece of Gorgonzola cheese and place on top of the finished filet mignon.

For the portobello mushrooms, peel gills off mushrooms and place in bowl with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and marinate for 15 minutes. Place in roasting pan and put in oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, small diced and set aside.

For the risotto, add shallots and garlic in a sauté pan with butter and cook for about two minutes. Add aborio rice and sauté briefly. Add white wine and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until liquid is absorbed. Add chicken stock in thirds until each third is absorbed. Add salt and pepper, butter and Parmesan cheese. Mix and finish with mushrooms and truffle oil.

For the port wine reduction, reduce port wine by and set aside.

Serves 5.

Ingredients and directions

In a double boiler, melt and set aside:16 ounces Ghirardelli

chocolate2 ounces butter

In a mixing bowl, cream:4 ounces butter, softened1 cup sugar

Add one at a time:4 large eggs

Then add melted chocolate from above as well as:1 tablespoon vanilla

Finally add:1 cup all purpose flourMix just until combined. Batter

will fill 1 8- to 9-inch pan.Bake at 325 degrees for

45 to 50 minutes.

2/3

Rhonda’sJ E W E L R Y

4241 Market Street, Riverside, CA 92501

951.683.5280Located in the historic DeAnza Building www.RhondasJewelry.com

GOLD ❘ JEWELRY ❘ DIAMONDS ❘ BUY & SELL

28 Years of QualitySales and Service.

BEST GOLD BUYER IN RIVERSIDE SINCE 1981

We Buy Gold❖ Repair most types of jewelry❖ Custom designs❖ Pearl and bead restringing

❖ EGL & GIA graded diamonds & gemstones

❖ Laser welding

❖ Watch batteries❖ Watch repair service❖ 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed


Written by Amy Bentley

E ach winter, christians celebrate the bir th of christ on Dec. 25; Jews celebrate hanukkah in late november

or December (this year it’s Dec. 1-9); the islamic new year is Dec. 7; and eid-al-adha, marking the end of Muslims’ hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, was nov. 17.

while major religious holidays converge at this time of year, many riverside faith leaders have a year-round tradition of sharing holidays with members of other faiths while also celebrating their own.

Leaders from several churches, the islamic center of riverside and temple

Beth el also meet monthly as members of the inland congregations United for change, an interfaith social action group.

“we teach about our traditions, and we respect and aff irm each other’s traditions,” said the rev. Jane Quandt of the First congregational church of riverside.

Last year, nine congregations in the group hung banners to support temple Beth el and sent their own message of unity after neo-nazis picketed outside the temple. the banner said, “we value diversity. United in love.”

December can be a diff icult time of year for Jews and Muslims because of the overwhelming focus on christmas,

says Quandt, who has preached about interfaith tolerance and offered prayers for Jews and Muslims during their holidays.

“it’s hard. christmas is so infused into the culture,” she said. “we always try to remember them. we are all children of one God.”

rabbi Suzanne Singer of temple Beth el says it’s possible that hanukkah gets a lot of attention because it falls around christmas. But, she adds, “it’s more important for people to know that there are other holidays that are important to us,” such as rosh hashanah, Yom Kippur and Purim.

that said, temple Beth el has many interfaith families in its congregation

Different

but much incommonbeliefs,

faith


Rev. Jane Quandt, left, Dr. Mustafa Kuko and Rabbi Suzanne Singer


so Christmas is always acknowledged.“The kids often will go to their grandparents who are not

Jewish and celebrate Christmas, which is f ine,” Singer said. “We’re living in a Christian society. ... We try to be proud of who we are and what’s important to us.”

Dr. Mustafa Kuko, director and religious leader of the Islamic Center of Riverside, enjoys meeting with rabbis and pastors and also marks Christmas every year.

“We don’t celebrate Christmas per se, but many of us join our Christian friends. Sometimes I get invited to attend a Christmas mass or a dinner and I go,” said Kuko, who enjoys a warm relationship with local Christian and Jewish leaders and every year welcomes people of all faiths to the Islamic Center for events.

In October, for example, the Islamic Center hosted an open house and about 200 people attended.

“It was a very good day,” said Kuko, who also preaches to fellow Muslims the importance of understanding across faiths.

“During my sermons, I say that we don’t live in an isolated island, we live in a society. ... It’s diverse. You have to care about your neighbor, you are responsible for them. You can not go to bed with a full stomach and he’s hungry.”

CSI A UTOMOTIVE

AUTO

MOBILE CLUB

SOUTHERN CAL I FO

RNIA

BUREAU OF AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR – Certified Training & Service Facility

FULL SERVICE REPAIR

FACILITY“Service that Exceeds AAA & Bureau of

Automotive Repair Standards”

GET TO KNOW YOU SPECIAL

*$18.95

FREE SHUTTLE TO WORK(5 mile limit)

“Factory Trained Technicians”

1660 CHICAGO AVE.STE N1, RIVERSIDE

951-781-0412 91

215

60

Columbia Ave.

Chica

go A

ve. CSI A UTOMOTIVE


HELPING OUT

Faces of survivalThere may not be a better way

to celebrate a child’s triumph over cancer than to feature them in the Childhood Cancer Foundation’s calendar.

Each month in the 2011 edition has a photo of a child in the early stages of their disease as well as a current photo, fully recovered.

McKayla Wood of Riverside was featured in 2006, a year and a half into her treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. McKayla, 10, has been in remission for almost f ive years and will be featured again in the 2011 calendar.

“McKayla is so grateful and is excited about being in the calendar because it’s a chance for her to give something back to an organization that helped us so much,” said McKayla’s mom, Debra Wood.

For information, visit www.candlelighters-socal.org or call 909-558-3419.

— Luanne J. Hunt

McKayla Wood

Santa needs a handPajamas, a robe, lap blanket

and slippers could mean the world this winter to seniors who are struggling f inancially.

Home Instead Senior Care hopes to reach out to 1,000 of those folks in Riverside and nearby cities, but needs some help.

The organization has set up trees at 12 area locations, and invites anyone to pick a gift tag off the tree, purchase the listed item(s) and return the gifts to a collection box. Home Instead will take it from there.

Youngsters have been decorating gift bags and holiday cards, and on Dec. 14 there will be a big wrapping par ty at the Riverside Convention Center. Nine par tner agencies will then

pick up and distribute the gifts.“In years past, we have heard

wonderful stories about seniors with tears in their eyes because they’re so thankful someone thought of them during the holidays.” said Home Instead spokeswoman Kim Hicken.

For tree locations or more information, call 951-536-6877 or visit www.homeinstead.com/282.

— Jerry Rice

Photo by Khai Le

Yanci Barrios creates decorations that will be used on gift bags.

Imagine your two-month-old baby’s heart was broken. �ousands of parents face that reality every year. But 25 years ago, that changed for many families when Dr. Bailey and his heart team performed the world’s first infant heart transplant at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. Today, Dr. Bailey’s revolutionary procedure is still giving children the chance they never had before.

D. L BW-R H S

WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF A FUTURE THANKS TO

OUR NEW HEARTS.

Top to bottom: Jocelyn, Dr. Bailey, and Alondra

Have your Next Company, Holiday or Family Banquet with us!

We will do the work so you can enjoy your party!

Call for Reservations

Mill Creek & Diamond Jim’s

Live Music Friday & Saturday Night

Also check us out on:Facebook – MySpace – Twitter

MillCreekCattleCompany.com

Mill Creek Cattle Company

(909) 389-0706Fax: (909) 389-7167

1874 Mentone BoulevardMentone, CA 92359

JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL

NEW YEAR’S PARTY!

$60PERPERSON

Tickets include: Party Favors,Grand Buffet, Show, & Champagne Toast!

GRAND BUFFETKing Crab Legs, Roast Prime Rib,

Filet Tournedo, Shrimp and so much more!

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS909-389-0706


health

Written by Luanne J . Hunt

In Angie Lustrick’s universe, going bankrupt can apply to more than simply running up credit card balances that can’t be paid. A person’s health

and well-being can go belly-up just as easily.in a new book by the f itness trainer,

“Body By Angie: is Your Body Bankrupt? Learn to invest in Yourself,” readers learn how to transform their bodies and health through nutrition, supplements, exercise, aff irmations and meditations.

“Many of us have experienced the same thing, such as dieting and depriving ourselves,” said Lustrick, owner of Angie’s World, a personal training and nutrition center in riverside. “We lose our sanity and then we give up only to add more weight and less self-esteem to our already tired selves. My book is going to help you get out of that vicious circle, conquer your weight and improve your health once and for all.”

the f irst step to becoming healthier is learning how to make lifestyle choices that are best suited for yourself, even though they may not go along with the latest fads, Lustrick says.

“if you love swimming, you should swim. Figure out what you like and what your body is telling you it wants and needs. Maybe it’s more meditation and a lot less jumping up and down. there’s a yin and a yang, a balance that’s right for each individual.”

Lustrick ’s well-rounded f itness program allows a person to lose body fat, yet still build strength and increase stamina.

There’s no reason to shortchange a healthy lifestyle, says fitness trainer Angie Lustrick

Bank onyourself


“Staying in shape is much easier than people realize,” says angie lustrick.

Dream...Go ahead and dream big, because in California anything is possible.

www.MarchLifeCare.com

March LifeCareCalifornia Innovation @ Work

Introducing America’s First Health & Wellness City

Healing Starts Here.

The 6 million square foot campus will include: a hospital, medical office buildings, medical retail, continuing care communi-ty from independent and congregate care to hos-pice, education and re-search facilities, a hotel and healing institute that will focus on wellness, eastern and western med-icine, and holistic care.

The 6 million square foot

campus will include: a hospital,

medical office buildings, medical

retail, continuing care community

from independent and congregate

care to hospice, education and

research facilities, a hotel and

healing institute that will focus

on wellness, eastern and western

medicine, and holistic care.

The regimen will not only change one’s entire body composition but also lowers the risk of chronic and debilitating diseases.

“My goal is to give people a road map to increase their health,” Lustrick said. “Everyone realizes that without their health, they have nothing. So today is the day to star t investing in yourself.”

Lustrick, who also is a cer tif ied nutritionist, received her bachelor’s degree in biology at UC Riverside. She is a public speaker and television personality who is a featured guest on KVCR’s “Hispanic Lifestyle” series, during which she gives nutritional and exercise advice.

Additionally, Lustrick has appeared on NPR radio, HealthyLife.net and Spike TV. She has produced two exercise videos and also developed a line of personal skin-care products.

To get the most out of her program and achieve results faster, Lustrick recommends hiring a personal trainer. She says a trainer can assess your health and f itness status, tailor an exercise regimen to f it specif ic needs and limitations, speed up the learning curve, track progress and provide accountability and motivation.

To f ind a qualif ied trainer, contact organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association,

the American Council on Exercise and the International Sports Sciences Association, Lustrick says.

“When interviewing trainers, be sure to let them know all of your specif ic needs and concerns. For instance, if you are hoping to improve your golf game or if you are someone with a hear t condition or ar thritis, seek a trainer with expertise and experience in those areas. And make sure they are trained in CPR.”

Lustrick ’s personal training sessions are about 60 minutes, depending on one’s f itness level and time availability. Typical routines include working the chest, biceps and triceps one day, another day for legs, and yet another day for the shoulders and back. An initial meeting is devoted to assessing an individual’s f itness level, and taking body measurements, exercise and health history. It’s also a time to set goals and discuss how to overcome obstacles that may arise.

“Most of my clients work out for 60 minutes, three times a week,” Lustrick said. “Once they reach their optimum weight and f itness level, two times a week is all they need. You don’t have to exercise for hours and hours and always be sore to get a good workout. Staying in shape is much easier than people realize.”

Angie’s World5225 Canyon Crest Drive, No. 62, Riverside 951-683-0448, www.angiesworld.com


Do-it-yourself fitnessCan’t afford to hire a personal trainer and chef ? “Take hear t,” says Angie Lustrick. There are proven do-it-yourself ways to get on the road to a more active and healthy lifestyle. She offers these tips to help everyone get star ted:

your metabolism.

meal, such as chicken, f ish or beans.

eat f ive smaller ones in three-hour intervals.

whenever possible.

after dinner.

your favorite music.

friends and loved ones.

and you’ll f ind that you will eat less.

your goals and future hopes and dreams.

stretch for a few minutes.

It’s no longer just about weight loss.

It’s about life!

Your health is your wealth. Nutrition is the currencyTM.

FREE INFORMATIONHow to use food

and nutrition to drop up to 40 pounds and

reverse or prevent diabetes, obesity and other

preventable diseases.

24-hour recorded message

CALL NOW1-866-960-5944

Drop the pounds without dieting!

Prevention is the CureFood is the WeaponTM

Necessary Nutrition Academywww.Necessary-Nutrition.com

Tue.-Sat. (Lunch) 11:30 am - 2:30 pm Tue.-Thur. (Dinner) 5:00 pm - 10:00 pmFri.-Sat. 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm Sun. (Dinner Only) 3:00 pm - 9:00 pmMonday Closed

Japanese Restaurant

RIVERSIDE9555 Magnolia AvenueRiverside, CA 92503951.353.1929

LAKEWOOD5607 South Street

Lakewood, CA 90713562.804.2091

LA HABRA660 N. Beach Boulevard

La Habra, CA 90631562.697.6303

60 Freeway

Magnolia Ave.

91 Freeway215 Fr

eew

ay

Van Buren

UCR

N

➢

See Our Special Offers at

All you cAn eAtSuShi!

Joe’s Sushi KIDS EAT FREE TuESDAyS

Ages 10 and under.

www.JoeSushi.net


dining outWHERE TO EAT

Here are some noteworthy restaurants selected from our rotating list. We suggest before going that you

conf irm information, and we solicit your help in correcting errors. We also invite your feedback on dining experiences.

AbbREviATiOns & pRicingRs , reservations suggested. (While some restaurants suggest reservations on cer tain nights, others request them only for par ties of f ive or more.) Fb , full bar. $ mostly under $15, $$ mostly under $20, $$$ mostly under $50, $$$$ above $50

DOWnTOWn & MiD-ciTYCiao Bella RistoRante 1630 spruce st.; 951-781-8840, www.ciaobellariverside.com • Casual fine dining indoors or on the patio. robert Ciresi on guitar Wednesday nights. Wine classes are available. Lunch m-F, dinner m-sa. Rs, Fb, $$

CResCent JeWell 3597 main st.; 951-684-1000, www.crescentjewell.com • New orleans style restaurant and lounge serving a full menu of Cajun and Creole fusion dishes. entertainment nightly. Fb, $$

Daphne’s GReek Cafe & CateRinG riverside Plaza, 3540 riverside Plaza Drive; 951-781-8690, www.daphnesgreekcafe.com • Flame-broiled gyros, kabobs, chicken, pita sandwiches and vegetarian plates. Lunch and dinner daily. Fb, $

faRfalla’s CuCina italiana 5250 arlington ave.; 951-354-5100, www.farfallasrestaurants.com • Pizza, pasta and calzones, with specialty items like eggplant, chicken and veal parmigiana. Lunch and dinner daily, except saturday when only dinner is served. $

the GouRMet DeteCtiVe avila Terrace Theatre, 3663 main st. (above the Tamale Factory); 866-992-5424, www.gourmetdetective.com • “murder at the Cafe Noir,” a murder mystery dinner theater with limited menu that features tri-tip, chicken breast and grilled salmon. show and dinner included in the price. Rs, $$$$

GRaM’s Mission BaR-B-Que palaCe 3527 main st.; 951-782-8219, www.gramsbbq.org • an assortment of barbecue items, plus jambalaya, creole chicken, meat loaf, pork chops and more have been served at this riverside institution for the past two decades. $

Joe's sushi 9555 magnolia ave.; 951-353-1929, www.joesushi.com • This pioneer of the all-you-can eat sushi concept in riverside also specializes in teriyaki, teppan and tempura dishes. Rs $$

killaRney’s RestauRant & iRish puB riverside Plaza, 3639 riverside Plaza Drive, suite 532; 951-682-2933, www.killarneys.com • Visit Dublin without leaving the states at Killarney’s, where you can enjoy a glass of Guinness in a pub that was built in Ireland and reconstructed at riverside Plaza. Fb, $

las CaMpanas at the mission Inn, 3649 mission Inn ave.; 951-341-6767, www.missioninn.com • authentic mexican cuisine served in a beautifully landscaped outdoor garden. Lunch m-sa., brunch su., dinner nightly. $

lounGe 33 riverside Plaza, 3639 riverside Plaza Drive; 951-784-4433, www.loungethirtythree.com • more than 30 creative cocktails are on the drink

menu, and friendly bartenders are always coming up with new concoctions. several large appetizer platters — perfect for sharing — are served. Fb, $

MaRio’s plaCe 3646 mission Inn ave.; 951-684-7755, www.mariosplace.com • Chef Leone Palagi’s take on northern Italian cuisine has been praised far and wide, and his creativity and attention to detail shows in every dish. Live contemporary jazz Friday and saturday nights. No cover charge. Dinner m-sa., lunch Fri. Rs, Fb, $$$

Masa's plaCe 5228 arlington ave.; 951-689-8054, www.masasplace.com • Traditional Japanese sushi prepared by a head chef who started his career years ago in Japan. Rs $$

Mission inn RestauRant 3649 mission Inn ave.; 951-341-6767, www.missioninn.com • signature “comfort foods” prepared in a display kitchen. Breakfast and dinner daily, lunch m-sa. $

olio RistoRante at the marriott, 3400 market st.; 951-786-7147, www.olioristorante.com • Northern Italian steak and seafood with an eclectic California twist. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Fb, $$

pepitos 6539 magnolia ave.; 951-788-2652 • Traditional mexican fare including carnitas, chile verde, fajitas and steak picado. Lunch and dinner daily; breakfast items also served. Fb, $

phooD on Main 3737 main st., suite, 100; 951-276-7111, www.phoodforthought.com • Billed as a hip, creative eaterie, Phood offers diners choices of mix-and-match menu items akin to tapas and dim sum including the whimsically named Duck, Duck ... No Goose and I Don't eat meat sandwiches as well as full-sized-plate fare such as Drunken shrimp, Portabella ravioli and steaks. Fb $

Relish 3535 University ave., riverside; 951-682-7011, www.relishdelis.net • a wide variety of sandwiches, from traditional favorites such as roast beef, salami and smoked turkey, to relish signature selections. Breakfast and lunch m-sa. $

the Royal falConeR 4281 main st.; 951-684-4281, www.royalfalconerca.com • Chicken, salmon, ribs, burgers and english specialties in a hometown pub-type atmosphere. There are 12 beers on tap, nine of which are imports. Bands perform two saturday nights a month. Fb, $

seVilla 3252 mission Inn ave.; 951-778-0611, www.cafesevilla.com • Casually elegant dining experience featuring spanish and coastal cuisine. Nightclub with live music and dancing every night, plus a flamenco dinner show weekly. Lunch and dinner daily. Fb, Rs, $$$

taBle foR tWo 3600 Central ave., riverside; 951-683-3648, www.tablefor2restaurant.com • The flavors of Thailand, with everything from Thai style barbecue beef, chicken and pork, to shrimp and other seafood dishes. Nearly 30 entrees available. Lunch and dinner daily. $

WEsTasahi 2955 Van Buren Blvd., riverside; 951-637-1313, • all-you-can-eat for one price, or individual orders. Lunch m-sa., dinner daily. $$

the aulD DuBlineR Galleria at Tyler, 3775 Tyler st.; 951-354-6325, www.aulddubliner.com • Beef stew, shepherd’s pie and traditional dishes, plus burgers, sandwiches and wraps. Rs, Fb, $

the CheeseCake faCtoRy Galleria at Tyler, 3525 Tyler st.; 951-352-4600, www.thecheesecakefactory.com • steaks, chops, seafood, pizza, sandwiches and, of course, more than 30 varieties of cheesecake. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch sunday. Rs, Fb, $$

eVents spoRts GRill 10560 magnolia ave., suite a; 951-352-2693, www.eventssportsgrill.com • Burgers, sandwiches and pizza. Tacos $1 each on Tuesdays; beer and pool specials on Wednesdays. Four large projection-screen TVs, plus more than a dozen smaller TVs spread throughout. Lunch and dinner daily Fb, $

Jose’s 3765 La sierra ave.; 951-359-8000, www.josesmexicanfood.com • Taco, enchilada and chile relleno combos, plus grande and fish burritos, quesadillas and other favorites. Lunch and dinner daily; breakfast items served all day. $

oliVia’s 9447 magnolia ave.; 951-689-2131 • Traditional mexican fare, including burritos, tacos and chile relleno. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $

punJaB palaCe 10359 magnolia ave.; 951-351-8968, www.punjabpalacecuisineofindia.com • Indian tapestries and music set the mood for a vast offering of Punjabi delicacies, which include both meat and vegetarian dishes. The buffet is available for both lunch and dinner. $

UnivERsiTY & EAsTCReola’s 1015 e. alessandro Blvd.; 951-653-8150, www.creolasrestaurant.com • Chicken, filet mignon, lamb, meat loaf, pork and several varieties of fish. Dinner W-su. $$

CRest Cafe 5225 Canyon Crest Drive; 951-784-2233 • Burgers, pasta, salads and other american and Italian favorites. Traditional breakfast menu includes omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $

GeRaRD’s eVe BistRo 9814 magnolia ave.; 951-687-4882, www.gerardsevebistro.com • French cuisine in an intimate bistro atmosphere. Dinner entrees include boeuf bourguignon, duck confit and veal milanese. Dinner W-su., sunday brunch. $$$

GRa-poW 497 alessandro Blvd. suite. D; 951-780-1132, www.grapow.net • Thai food with California and Pacific rim accents. Dishes include cashew chicken, pad gra pow, and chicken with Thai barbecue sauce. Beer and wine available. Lunch and dinner daily. $

MonaRk asian BistRo 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, suite 64; 951-683-1073, www.monarkasianbistro.com • Serving a range of classic Chinese and Thai dishes, as well as contemporary asian-inspired fusion dishes, some of them created by the owner, Karen Chen, a native of Taiwan. Lunch and dinner daily. $

sMokey Canyon BBQ 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, suite 9; 951-782-8808, www.smokeycanyon.com • Burgers, sandwiches, catfish, chicken, ribs and more. Bar area has two TVs. Lunch m, lunch and dinner Tu.-su. Fb, $

uniVeRsity Cafe inC. 1400 University ave., No. a109; 951-686-6338 • Chinese cuisine, including sweet and sour pork, Cantonese soy and curry chicken. Combo meals for $6.45 include a drink. Lunch and dinner daily. $


seen

(1) Sharon Sola, Councilman Mike Gardner and Kathy Michalak (2) Danette and Dan Buoye (3) Debi Bagley, Rick Buttner, Victoria and Dave Brodie, Barry Hildebrandt and Sharon Tyrrell (4) Karen and Russ Nor th, left, and John and Kim Terell (5) Jared Vargas with Snoopy, left, and his father, Raul VargasPhotos by James Carbone

Hoe-Down with Habitat

2

4

3

5

1

Habitat for Humanity Riverside roped in plenty of supporters for its second annual Hoe-Down with Habitat at Riverside Rancheros. Proceeds will benef it the organization’s Homes for Heroes program, and the construction of two homes on donated land for low-income veterans and their families. Information: www.habitatriverside.org.

Riverside’s newest cultural gem, the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, was welcomed recently with exhibits, live performances, movie screenings and two opening receptions. Located on the pedestrian mall downtown, the center is in the former Rouse’s department store building.

Culver Center opening

(1) Ashira Siegel, left, and Leslie Caldera (2) UC Riverside Dean of Humanities, Ar ts and Social Sciences Stephen Cullenberg, left, and Executive Director for UC Riverside ARTSBlock Jonathan Green (3) Margie Haupt, Scott Barber and Tina Lang (4) No.E Parker, left, and her mother, Judy ParkerPhotos by James Carbone

1

2

3

4

seen


The Riverside Corps of The Salvation Army celebrated its 118th anniversary and honored several supporters recently during the Soup-er Stars of Service Luncheon.

Soup-er Stars of Service

(1) Anna Schiavo, left, Henry W. Coil Jr., and Heide Rainey (2) Martha Green, left, Gregory Adamson and Mary Parks (3) Bill Hendrickson, left, Councilman Rusty Bailey, Bill Bailey and Councilman Paul Davis (4) Suzi McMichael, left, Jaquie Childs, Crystal Mar tinez and Nickie DyessPhotos by Gabriel Luis Acosta

1

2

3

4

The BEST New York Style Deli

in Downtown Riverside!

3535 UNIVERSITY AVENUERIVERSIDE, CA 92501

951.682.7011 MON-SAT 8-6


seen

(1) William D. Hoskins, left, and Councilman Mike Gardner (2) Pat and Mel Ryman (3) Lathell McKeller, left, Virginia Blumenthal, Cyndee Miers and Jerry Rosine (4) Maria Saenz, left, Snezana Tomasevic, Jeannie Adair and Gabriel Luis Acosta (5) Paul Sundeen, left, and Jeffry Kaatz (6) Riverside County Philharmonic conductor Tomasz Golka (7) Catherine Grinnan, left, Donna Knox and Insuk Michaelson (8) Bill and Idy Rich, left, and Evie Guin (9) Kellie and Chris Moulder, left, and Geraldine Bowden (10) Linda Jenkins, left, and Barbara LohmanPhotos by Khai Le

The Phil’s season opener

2

3

1

4

5

9

Supporters of the Riverside County Philharmonic celebrated a night of debuts when they gathered recently for a pre-concert reception. The orchestra opened its 2010-11 season in a new home, the Fox Performing Arts Center, under the baton of its new music director and conductor, Tomasz Golka. On Jan. 22, The Phil returns to the Fox for a concert featuring violin vir tuoso Rachel Bar ton Pine performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.

7

8

6

10

seen


(1) Debora Sigler, left, Walter Parks and MJ Abraham (2) Andrea and Dr. Scott McCormick (3) Helen and Col. Paul Bell (4) Rich Simonin, left, and Cathy and Steve Kienle (5) Jack and Mary Holley (6) Beverly Bailey, left, and Naomi and Chuck Avila Photos by Lee Tusman and Phil Abraham

Julia Morgan Society Reception

2 31

4 5

The Riverside Art Museum recently held its annual Julia Morgan Society Appreciation Reception at the home of Scott and Beverly Bailey to thank museum members for their loyalty and support.

6

Charitable eventsSAVE THE DATE

Dec. 3 – Winter Wonderland, the Junior League of Riverside’s 55th annual black-tie charity ball. Proceeds support the Junior League’s community outreach focus. The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 6 p.m. to midnight; 951-683-0622, www.juniorleagueriverside.org.

Dec. 3-23 – Have photos taken with Santa, with proceeds to benef it Operation SafeHouse. Riverside Plaza, 3545 Central Ave.; 1 and 2 p.m., $10; 951-351-4418, ext. 19, www.operationsafehouse.org.

Dec. 4 – Pet pictures with Santa. No appointments necessary. Photo keepsakes, $5; a 5-by-7 framed photo, $10; CD with f ive poses, $15. Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center, 6165 Industrial Ave., Riverside; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 951-688-4340, www.petsadoption.com.

Dec. 8 – Riverside County Philharmonic’s Holiday Soiree and Fundraiser. Holiday music, food and merriment will add to the festive spirit. Call for information about the location. 5:30 p.m.; 951-787-0251.

Dec. 10 – Sixth annual Hardy Brown Bir thday Celebration. Guest speaker Rev. Floyd Flake, and the 2010 Black Voice News community builders will be recognized. The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 6 p.m.; 951-682-2664, www.bvfoundation.org.

Dec. 31 – Lights for Little Lives Memorial Walk. The Ronald McDonald House, 11365 Anderson St., Loma Linda; 3:30 p.m.; 951-680-9996, www.theunforgettables.com.

STICK TO OUR RIBS!Enjoy Riverside’s best barbecue and soul food! Gram’s Mission Barbecue Palace has been serving up the most delicious barbecue, Cajun and Creole food in Riverside for over 20 years. Come take pleasure in the Gram’s barbecue experience!OUR SPECIALTY IS CATERING

Monday-Thursday 11-9Friday-Saturday 11-10Sunday 11-8

3527 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501tel: 951-782-8219 fax: 951-782-8217 gramsbbq.org


landmarks | the coffee depot

Written by Jerry Rice

After 10 yeArs and thousands of cups of joe, the Coffee Depot, a riverside landmark in more ways than one, will serve its last brew on Dec. 26 — a decade to the day after

welcoming its f irst customer.“I’ve been living a dream,” said Geof Gaines, who owns

the establishment with his wife, evelyn. “I’m really going to miss the people. I’m a people person, and my favorite place is at the cash register where I can talk with everyone and interact with them.”

While there are many coffee shops around, none of them compare because the Depot is about more than just the coffee and always has been.

It’s a concert hall, where talented local bands perform six nights a week. It’s an enter tainment venue, where professional actors show off their talents during the monthly Caffeinated Cabaret!

And it’s a meeting place, where relationships develop and romances blossom. At least a dozen couples who f irst met at the Coffee Depot eventually married.

the building itself is unique. It opened in 1904 as a station for the old san Pedro, Los Angeles and salt Lake railroad. Union Pacif ic operated the facility from 1921 until 1971 when it closed, and for the most par t it remained that way until Gaines and his wife purchased the property in 1999.

the decision to shutter the business wasn’t made lightly. Geof ’s father died recently, and he and evelyn are moving to simi Valley to be closer to his mother.

they plan to send the Coffee Depot off with a bang: Musicians will perform by day and well into the night in the baggage room downstairs, the upstairs gallery and on the outdoor patio.

Gaines, who hopes to f ind someone to convert the landmark into a restaurant, is philosophical about it all. “I think it was ( Jerry) seinfeld who said nothing should last more than 10 years.”

Geof and evelyn Gaines and the train depot as it appeared in 1910.Photo by Gabriel Luis Acosta

Historic photo courtesy of the Riverside Metropolitan Museum

espressoand other parting shots

10319 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA 9250591 Freeway off at Tyler (Michael’s Plaza), next to Flame Broiler

951.785.5788www.AAAGoldExchange.com

Also in Chino, Orange, Costa Mesa and San Clemente

Compare and get more!

Prices paid per Pennyweight of 14K gold at $1,375 per ounce. Please visit our website for current prices.

AAA Gold Exchange$26.14

The Gold Guys $23.00Kay Jewelers $22.12GoldFellow.com $17.70Cash4Gold.com $10.05

Joe and Sarah Silver at the Festival of Lights Main Street Ice Rink

ExploreRiverside.com

riverside magazine dec. 2010-jan. 2011

Documents

i f e f i n e

ready riverside

arts things

corona symphony popsjanuary

broadway series

c i t y

mission inn avenue

winterspring season