to the - Riverside Magazine

CITY LIFE & FINE LIVING
RIVERSIDE
j u n e - j u ly 2 015
m ag a z i n e
Step up
to the
plate
Restaurant Week
returns June 19-28
Downtown
lifestyle:
A revival
Street Jam
seeks new
audience
A bold walk
to fight cancer
Chef Leone Palagi
at Mario’s Place
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contents
RIVERSIDE
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
b roug ht to you by:
j u n e - j u ly 2 015 • VO LU M E 8 , I S S UE 3
Ron Hasse
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
Features
Don Sproul
MANAGING EDITOR
8
8 FINE TIME TO DINE
The tables are set for Restaurant
Week — a celebration of all the
great dining experiences available
in Riverside. David Cohen, our food
writer, serves up five places to get
you star ted.
Lynda E. Bailey
SALES DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S & E D I TO R S
Amy Bentley, David Cohen
Luanne J. Hunt, George A. Paul
12 LIVING HERE
While living in the ’burbs may be
nice, many people say downtown
Riverside is where it’s at. The hear t
of the city has everything, including
jobs, dining and enter tainment
options — and a place to call home.
e ditori a l gr a p h ic D E S I G N
Steve Ohnersorgen
Rick Sforza
PHOTO EDITOR
PH OTO G R APHE R s
Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, James Carbone
Micah Escamilla, Frank Perez, Eric Reed
Tom Paradis, Jack Storrusten
20 SOUND OF MUSIC
The Summer Street Jam is
becoming an increasingly popular
event, so to build on that
momentum organizers have some
fresh ideas for the next edition.
Departments
SALES MANAGERS
A DV E RT I S I N G S ALE S E X E C U T I V E S
Carla Ford-Brunner
Cindy Martin, Willie Merriam
Melissa Morse, Adil Zaher
S A L E S A S S I S TAN T s
Vikki Contreras, Dixie Mohrhauser
Jeannette Ramirez, Maria Rodriguez
Victoria Vidana
m a r k e ti n g
Veronica Nair, Ginnie Stevens
12
LANG Custom Publishing
Frank Pine
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
From the Editor 6
Hot List and Calendar 10
Profile: Virginia M. Blumenthal 24
Seens 30-32
Nonprofit Calendar 34
On the cover
Chef Leone Palagi at Mario’s Place
Photo by Eric Reed
C o n n e ct wit h u s !
Please follow us on Twitter
@RiversideMag and like us
on Facebook.
4
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
EDITOR
Jim Maurer
V.P. SALES & MARKETING
A culinary trip to Spain via Cafe Sevilla
26
33 FASHIONING A CURE
Receiving a cancer diagnosis wasn’t
about to keep Dianne Callahan
down. She fought back and is
a survivor. Now, she is working
to help others through a Survivor
Strut Fashion Show.
Jerry Rice
Bryan Muldoon
V.P. OF CIRCULATION
20
CONTACT US
Editorial: 951-541-1825; fax 909-885-8741
or [email protected]
Advertising: 909-386-3006; or [email protected]
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month-month 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 5
from the editor
Developing a taste for local
L
eone Palagi was into using
locally sourced ingredients before
it was cool.
For him, it started in the late 1980s
with herbs, grew in the ’90s with Roma
and other types of tomatoes, and today
includes a variety of products, from
carrots to cucumbers, cheese to chickens.
“It wasn’t that I was thinking about
it ideologically or doing it to follow a
movement,” says the chef at Riverside’s
landmark Mario’s Place. “It was more
because I could get tomatoes that were
still warm to the touch from the sun after
being picked and spot-on ripe. The colors
and the flavors were awesome.”
With top-quality ingredients like that,
especially when available from nearby
sources, “it makes making good food
that much easier,” he adds.
Promoting that farm-to-fork culture
is one of the goals behind the second
annual Grow Riverside conference,
happening June 11-13 at the Riverside
Convention Center. (Information:
www.growriverside.com)
“Last year, we had to convince people
to care about the issue, which actually
wasn’t that hard,” says Erin Gettis, the
city’s historic preservation officer who
is helping to plan the event. “This year
we want to take it to the next level.”
To that end, there will be more
community outreach at the downtown
farmers market during the event’s final
day plus other activities. And instead
of a dinner at the convention center that
night for the 600 attendees, they will
be encouraged dine at restaurants that
feature dishes prepared with local
ingredients. Places like Mario’s.
Not going to Grow Riverside? Another
opportunity to cultivate the area food
scene is Restaurant Week, June 19-28,
when chefs throughout the city will cook
up compelling entrees that incorporate
local flavors. This issue’s cover story
on Page 8 has details.
Says Gettis: “The local food idea cuts
across all political parties, segments
of society and income levels. There’s
a place for everybody. There’s something
in it for everybody.”
Jerry Rice
[email protected]
951-541-1825, @JerryRice_IE
1630 spruce street
riverside • ca 92507
9 5 1 • 7 8 1 • 8 8 4 0
magnonetrattoria.com
m a g n o n e
t r a t t o r i a
i s
N ATURALLY I TALIAN
restaurant • deli-market • wine bar • bottle shop • private parties
6 | riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
The Riverside Convention Center
committed to fresh, nutritious, delicious fare
Executive Chef Brad Martin - Contestant, ABC’s THE TASTE “This is utterly delicious!” Anthony Bourdain, Judge/Mentor
3637 Fifth Street at Main
Riverside, CA 92501
[email protected] or
call 951.346.4700
www.riv-cc.com
RCC Riverside 4-2015.indd 1
3/19/15 11:34 AM
out & about
Great
tastes
Restaurant Week shows off
the best in Riverside’s
diverse dining scene
Written by David Cohen
R
estaurant Week, June 19-28,
is a delicious opportunity to
sample classic and creative fare
at Riverside’s finest restaurants.
Some will be introducing new items, while
others will offer special pricing for regular
menu offerings. In every case, diners will
be in for a treat. For more information
and a list of participating restaurants, visit
DineRiverside.com.
These five restaurants represent some
of the best in town; here are some intriguing
items from their menus.
Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar
Highlights include flour tortillas prepared at the
restaurant and a superb ancho chile/coffee barbecue
sauce, with all meats and fish grilled over mesquite. Also
consider outside skirt steak fajitas, a slow-cooked 2-pound
rack of baby back ribs, chile rellenos with cinnamon and
clove inflected sauce or ”xmas” sauce (New Mexican red
and green versions) and bacon-wrapped shrimp.
10773 Hole Ave., Riverside; 951-352-0240; www.anchos.net
Mario’s Place
A supper club atmosphere with live jazz and a menu
with northern Italian/southern France influences, this
Riverside original is known for its crispy squash blossoms
with goat cheese and tomato basil sauce, smoked salmon
and mascarpone terrine in an herb sauce, porcini
mushroom risotto, hamachi crudo and grilled swordfish
peperonata.
3646 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 951-684-7755;
www.mariosplace.com
ProAbition
A modern-day speakeasy with an array of single malt
scotches and aged Irish whiskeys, the restaurant’s menu
features several entrees including tomahawk pork chops
in a Calvados demi-glaze, basted garlic-gruyere mashed
potatoes, flatiron steak with chimichuri sauce and
8
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
Ahi Tuna Crudo
at Mario’s Place
Photo by
Eric Reed
Wild boar tamale
at The Salted Pig
Photo by K atie Boink
www.katieboink.com
photo Courtesy smokey Canyon bbq
photo Courtesy anchos Southwest Grill & Bar
Pulled pork platter at Smokey Canyon BBQ
Pork ribs at Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar
fingerling potatoes and rosemary garlic lamb chops.
Smokey Canyon BBQ
3597 Main St., Riverside; 951-222-2110; www.proabition.com
Offering some of the best regional barbecue styles from
around the country, the restaurant is known for its Memphisstyle Southern pulled pork or chicken sliders, Kansas City-style
beef ribs, St. Louis-style ribs with a North Carolina-style
vinegar-based sauce, smoked brisket and Angus tri-tip sandwiches, and Louisiana hot links with grilled onions and peppers.
The Salted Pig
Lots of beers, burgers and small plates at this American
gastropub. Worth trying: the pig burger with smoked bacon
marmalade and popcorn shoots, wild boar tamale with pasilla
molé, lamb stew with crisp lentil, and roasted bone marrow
with rooster sauce, fennel pollen and lime.
3700 12th St., Riverside; 951-848-4020; thesaltedpig.com
5225 Canyon Crest Drive, No. 9, Riverside; 951-782-8808;
www.smokeycanyon.com
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 9
hot list
‘THE LAST
DAYS OF JUDAS
ISCARIOT’
JUNE 19-28 – Judas
is on trial. The centuries-old betrayal
of his friend is being
re-examined.
A burned-out judge
who hanged himself
during a civil war
PHOTO COURTESY
presides over an
THE GESTALT
THEATRE PROJECT
agnostic defense
attorney and a lascivi- Aaron Pyle, left, and
ous prosecutor as
Aaron Niotta star
they battle for the
in “The Last Days
freedom of a cataton- of Judas Iscariot.”
ic Judas. An increasingly bizarre list of witnesses help take the
story from hilarious to surprisingly moving
and poignant. The Box at the Fox
Entertainment Plaza, 3635 Market St.,
Riverside; gestalttheatreproject.com
OLD-FASHIONED
ICE CREAM SOCIAL
JUNE 28 – Celebrate Independence Day
much as residents did in Victorian Riverside
during the 1890s, with games that were
popular during that time, living history
reenactments and old-fashioned handcranked ice cream. Book-signings with local
authors Joan Hall and Glenn Wenzel.
Heritage House, 8193 Magnolia Ave.,
Riverside; free; noon to 4 p.m.; 951-826-5273;
www.riversideca.gov/museum/heritagehouse.
CONCERT FOR HEROES
JULY 2 – Patriotic and popular classics
performed by the Riverside County
Philharmonic. Seating in the amphitheater
and surrounding area; blankets and lawn
chairs are recommended. It’s the only
symphonic concert presented in a national
cemetery. Riverside National Cemetery,
22495 Van Buren Blvd.; 7:30 p.m.; free;
951-787-0251; www.thephilharmonic.org.
LYLE LOVETT AND HIS LARGE BAND
JULY 19 – In concert. Fox Performing Arts
Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside;
7:30 p.m.; 951-779-9800;
www.riversidelive.com. Also: Adal Ramones,
June 12; Bill Maher, June 20-21; Rob Thomas,
July 7; Stephen Stills, July 27; American Idol
Live!, with the top five Idols from Season 14,
Aug. 28; Lewis Black, Sept. 13; “Menopause
the Musical,” Sept. 26; Russian Grand Ballet’s
Swan Lake, Oct. 3.
‘COTTON CLUB REVUE’
JULY 25 – Celebrating music from the 1920s
to 1950s, with singers, dancers and musicians
performing hits from Nat King Cole, Duke
Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and
others. Riverside Women’s Club, 4092 10th
St., Riverside; 7:30 p.m.; $25, $50 for VIP;
951-781-9561; www.riversidelyricopera.org.
Also: “Suor Angelica,” The Box at the
Fox Entertainment Plaza, 3635 Market St.,
Riverside, Sept. 18 and 20.
Lyle Lovett and his Large Band
PHOTO COURTESY PARADIGM TALENT AGENCY
calendar
‘CALIFORNIA DREAMING’
THROUGH JULY 5 – Juried exhibition of 50
original works exploring the popular fascination
with the celebrated lifestyle, influences and
environs of Southern California. Riverside Art
Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-684-7111;
www.riversideartmuseum.org. Also: “Cult
of the Supreme Being, May 7, 1794,” through
June 21; “Lois Sloan: Sculptor,” through Aug. 21;
“Happenings: Selections from the Riverside Art
Make,” June 28-Oct. 2.
LAKE ALICE TRADING CO.
THROUGH JULY 31 – David Paul Band
(classic rock), June 5; The Groove (classic rock),
June 6 and July 31; Shades of J (original rock),
June 10; Hollywood Hasbeens & Casey Jones
and the Rail Splitters (original rock), June 11;
10 | riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
Factory Tuned Band (classic rock), June 12;
Runnin’ on Funk (classic rock, today’s hits),
June 13; Little George Acoustic (acoustic
covers), June 17; Skunkdub (reggae), June 18,
July 2 and 30; Time Bomb (1980s), June 20; DJ
Boogie (top 40), June 25; Skatterbrain (classic
rock, today’s hits), June 26; All In (classic rock,
today’s hits), June 27; Niatic (original rock),
July 1; Brewers of Grunge (classic and 1990s
rock), July 3; Driven (classic rock), July 10; Band
of Brothers (classic rock), July 11; Little George
(acoustic covers), July 15; Pac Men (1980s
tribute), July 18; Eclipse (classic rock, today’s
hits), July 24-25; Cloudship Music (original
rock), July 29. Also: Dream Karaoke, Monday
nights. 3616 University Ave., Riverside;
951-686-7343; www.lakealicetradingco.com.
FILM SCREENINGS
THROUGH AUG. 1 – Domestic and foreign
films: “Mr. Turner,” June 12-13; “Seymour:
An Introduction,” June 19-20; “Timbuktu,”
June 26-27; “Roar,” July 10-11; “Leviathan,”
July 17-18; “The Wrecking Crew,” July 24-25;
“Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,”
July 31-Aug. 1. Culver Center of the Arts,
3834 Main St., Riverside; 951-827-4787;
culvercenter.ucr.edu.
MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
THROUGH AUG. 16 – Yelawolf, Hillbilly
Casino, June 11; Steel Panther, June 19;
Problem, June 20; Tribute to the Best of the
’90s, June 27; Which One’s Pink (Pink Floyd
tribute), July 11. 3485 Mission Inn Ave.;
951-779-9800; www.riversiderma.com.
ARTS WALK
JUNE 6 – Browse art galleries, studios and
museums. Special performances, poetry,
theater, hands-on art activities, refreshments
and more. Continues the first Thursday of
every month. Downtown Riverside; 6-9 p.m.;
951-682-6737; www.riversideartswalk.com.
MISSING PERSONS
JUNE 6 – Band featuring Dale
Bozzio in concert. Romano’s
Concert Lounge, 5225 Canyon
Crest Drive, Riverside;
10:30 p.m.; 951-781-7662;
www.theconcertlounge.com.
‘THE PIRATES
OF PENZANCE’
THROUGH JUNE 14 – Gilbert
& Sullivan’s comic opera wraps
Riverside Rep’s second season. The
Box at the Fox Entertainment Plaza,
3635 Market St., Riverside;
www.riversiderep.org.
RAINCROSS CHORALE
JUNE 14 – Concert featuring
singers who have earned college
scholarships for musical studies.
Calvary Presbyterian Church,
4495 Magnolia Ave., Riverside;
3 p.m.; $15;
raincrosschorale.blogspot.com.
CLASSIC CAR SHOW
JUNE 21 – Monthly car show.
Continues the third Sunday of each
month. Canyon Crest Towne
Centre, 5225 Canyon Crest Drive,
Riverside; 1-4 p.m.; 951-686-1222;
www.cctownecentre.com. Also:
Cellar Door Books’ “Story Time”
for kids, Saturdays at 11 a.m.
ASTRONOMY EXPO
JUNE 27 – Jane Houston Jones,
an outreach specialist for the
Cassini mission to Saturn, will be
the featured speaker during
a meeting of the Riverside Astronomical Society. Open to nonmembers. La Sierra University,
Cossentine Hall, 4500 Riverwalk
Parkway, Riverside; 6:30 p.m.; free;
www.rivastro.org.
FIREWORKS
JULY 4 – Aerial fireworks shows,
presented by the City of Riverside
Parks, Recreation and Community
Services Department. Mount
Rubidoux (in sync with a KOLA
99.9-FM broadcast) and La Sierra
Park, 5215 La Sierra Ave.; 9 p.m.;
www.riversideca.gov/park_rec.
FOUNDERS’ DAY
JULY 4 – “Little Miss Firecracker”
pageant, music, family activities,
food vendors, guided tours and
a great vantage point to enjoy the
fireworks at Mount Rubidoux. Bring
your own lawn chairs, blankets and
picnic baskets. Evergreen Memorial
Historic Cemetery, Pine and
14th streets, Riverside; 5-10 p.m.;
$5 general, $3 ages 3-12;
951-522-6462;
www.evergreen-cemetery.info.
COURTESY ALAN MIYATAKE,
TOYO MIYATAKE STUDIOS
“Three Boys Behind Barbed
Wire,” by Toyo Miyatake
‘INTERROGATING
MANZANAR’
THROUGH JULY 18 – Exhibition of images shot at
the Manzanar war relocation
center, where Americans of
Japanese descent and resident
Japanese aliens were interned
during World War II.
Photographs were taken by
Ansel Adams, Clem Albers,
Dorothea Lang and Toyo
Miyatake. UCR/California
Museum of Photography,
3824 Main St., Riverside;
951-827-4787; artsblock.ucr.edu.
Also: “Posing Japan,” through
July 3; “Flash: Sharon Lockhart,”
through June 20; “CMP
Projects: Phil Chang,” through
Aug. 8.
‘NUNSENSE’
JULY 10-26 – Musical comedy
about the fictional Little Sisters of
Hoboken who stage a variety show
to raise some much-needed cash.
Riverside Community Players
Theater, 4026 14th St., Riverside;
www.riversidecommunityplayers.com.
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‘MARY POPPINS’
SEPT. 25-OCT. 4 – 2015-16
season opener for Performance
Riverside. Landis Performing Arts
Center, 4800 Magnolia Ave.,
Riverside; 951-222-8100;
www.performanceriverside.org.
‘CAHUILLA CONTINUUM’
ONGOING – Exhibit tells the
story of a Southern California
native people, the Cahuilla, through
more than 160 artifacts. Metropolitan Museum, 3580 Mission Inn
Ave., Riverside; 951-826-5273;
www.riversideca.gov/museum.
Also: Tule Dolls and Doll
Cradleboard Workshop, June 14.
FARMERS MARKET
ONGOING – Fresh fruits,
vegetables, flowers and more.
Downtown, Main Street between
Fifth and Sixth streets, Riverside;
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
carpets by duane
2095 ChiCago avenue • RiveRside
951-784-2640
www.CarpetsByduaneinc.com
Follow us on
CA St. Lic. #890749
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 11
neighborhoods
Downtown Riverside, as it appeared in July 2014 with its high-rise offices, also is home to a growing number of residents.
Living spaces
Not just an area for work
and play, downtown Riverside
is increasingly becoming
a place to call home
Written by Amy Bentley
T
hink downtown Riverside. What
comes to mind?
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa and Festival
of Lights? Concerts and stage shows at the
Fox Performing Arts Center? The pedestrian
walkway and shops filled with antiques and collectibles?
Restaurants, art galleries, museums?
What may not come to mind — at least not right away
— are places where people actually live.
But that appears to be changing.
Downtown Riverside has long been home to residents
who are happy to walk more and drive less, and soon they
may have lots of new neighbors thanks to the
development of spaces for living, learning and working.
Projects include turning the old Imperial Hardware and
Stalder buildings into mixed-use residential and retail
properties and construction of the $80 million Centennial
Plaza, which the Riverside Community College District
hopes to have finished by early next year.
Taken together, downtown Riverside is on track
to become an even more vibrant place.
“I live downtown for a reason,” said Chani Beeman, vice
chairman of the Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance.
“I like being close to the amenities — the Fox and the
restaurants — and there’s a real sense of neighborliness.
A lot of that has to do with the architecture of the
homes, with big front porches and very few garages,
so you can’t pull your car in then walk into the house.
“Oftentimes, the neighbors are friends that you wind
up socializing with,” she added. “They take care of one
another and look after each other. That’s an especially
nice feature.”
Like Beeman, who raised two sons in a home that’s less
than a 10-minute walk to the heart of downtown, many
others we talked to cited similar advantages to living in
the area. Additionally, they enjoyed the ability to walk,
ride a bike or a Segway to work and easy access to other
transportation options, such as Metrolink, that will get
them to jobs a greater distance away.
Photo by Steve Jacobs
Drawn to downtown
Lonny Huff grew up in the area and
never really left. As a child, his family
lived in the Wood Streets neighborhood,
and he and his brother enjoyed being
close to the action.
“Downtown was our front yard,” Huff
recalled. “As soon as I was old enough
to run by myself, I came downtown. We
spent a lot of time at Back to the Grind,
a great venue for indie music. We were
in bands in high school and they would
host smaller music concerts.”
After attending college in San Francisco
and earning a degree in advertising, Huff
returned to Riverside and now rents an
old grocery store/industrial space built in
1915 that was renovated into a housing
unit. Located in an area dotted with old
Victorian homes, he’s about five blocks
from the Mission Inn and three blocks
from the Old Spaghetti Factory.
Photo by Eric Reed
Chani Beeman, right, with her son,
Ben Ontko
“It would be nice to have
a grocery store and a
farmers market more than
one day a week. All of that
will come when we have
more people downtown.
It’s kind of a chicken and
egg issue. People don’t
invest in those kinds
of businesses until they
know there will be people
patronizing them. It’s going
to take some time.”
Chani Beeman
Vice chairman, Downtown Area
Neighborhood Alliance
14
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher
Lonny Huff has lived in or near downtown Riverside for most of his life.
For the past three years, he has
enjoyed spreading out in 3,000 square
feet on the ground floor of the unique
structure that has two small bedrooms,
a bathroom, kitchen and two huge front
windows.
“It’s a really creative space. It’s kind of
quirky and it allows me to decorate in my
style. It lends itself to vintage style,” said
Huff, 25, who favors Mid-century Modern
and has picked up some furnishings from
estate sales.
Single with no children, Huff doesn’t
have a yard and doesn’t care. He owns
a car but rarely drives it, instead riding
a bike to his job as the operations
administrator for Fierro Foods, which
owns The Salted Pig gastro pub and
W. Wolfskill, a cocktail bar on Main
Street named for a pioneer in the state’s
agricultural industry.
“Southern California is so stuck on
driving,” Huff said. “People in a
professional situation are just stuck in
traffic every day. Why go through that?”
While downtown Riverside at first
glance might not seem kid-friendly, Huff
believes it’s actually a great place for
families — albeit an area that he feels
is noisier than a suburban or residential
community.
For Girish Balachandran and his wife,
Linda Clerkson, living in one of the units
at Raincross Promenade — a multi-story
Photo by Frank Perez
Girish Balachandran, right, and his wife,
Linda Clerkson
“The plaza is beautiful and
it’s a pleasure to walk there
in any season. (I would like
to see) a few more small
restaurants with chefs
who get to express their
creativity and individual
style, using quality local
ingredients.”
Girish Balachandran
General manager, Riverside Public Utilities
residential complex with one-, two- and
three-bedroom units at Market and Third
streets — came with several advantages.
One was a four-block stroll to his job,
as general manager for Riverside Public
Utilities.
“It was awesome because I could walk
past the Riverside Convention Center,
which has a great lawn, then through the
plaza and the Mission Inn on my way to
the office,” he said, adding that he and his
wife often would go to Simple Simon’s for
breakfast, take classes at Reveille yoga
studio or visit the library.
“It was extremely convenient. There
is something to be said about walking
to services,” Balachandran said.
While the couple moved in March to
a Riverside home they purchased a short
distance away, they continue to patronize
the yoga studio and several downtown
restaurants including Mario’s Place and
Sevilla.
“We still come here all the time,” he
said.
Living downtown doesn’t always mean
leasing a converted industrial space or an
apartment. Just ask Justin Tracy and Rina
Gonzales.
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his business, PIP Printing & Document
Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher
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a Lucky Strike bowling alley.”
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Services at 11th and Market streets.
An urban gardener, he grows vegetables
and herbs in a small, unfenced yard, and
has three citrus and two avocado trees.
Since he literally lives steps from his
workplace, the daily commute is about as
short as they come. He says that he finds
it “freeing” not to have to drive his car
much, instead opting to get around
on a Segway.
Tracy, who is single and has adult
children, frequents many downtown
restaurants and clubs, and believes that
downtown is best suited for people
without kids. Still, he’s open to more
folks living in the area.
“Strangely enough, it’s one of the
quietest places I’ve ever lived,” he said,
admitting that the peace is on occasion
interrupted by motorcycles roaring along
nearby streets and ambulances rushing
to Riverside Community Hospital around
the corner.
“Other than that, this is a great place
to be,” he added.
As for Gonzales, a deputy city attorney
for Riverside, she has lived for the past
13 years in a 1,600-square-foot home
in Mission Village, a development with
46 residences at Market and First streets.
Her neighbors are a mix of families,
Photo by Frank Perez
Rina Gonzales enjoys coming to the pedestrian mall, which is a short walk from her home.
seniors and singles, and include several
city employees and students who attend
UC Riverside.
Gonzales’ short, nine-block commute
to work means she has more time for
other pursuits, such as running a side
business called Mothership Scrapbook
Gal. She hosts craft events and
classes at nearby establishments
and has partnered with some of them
including The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf,
Project update
What’s on tap for downtown
Riverside:
Centennial Plaza: The
Riverside Community College
District’s $80 million Centennial
Plaza will showcase RCC’s
Culinary Ar ts Academy and the
Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna
Coil School for the Ar ts.
The ar ts school will have
instrumental labs, a high-tech
digital recording studio and
a 450-seat concer t hall. The
Culinary Ar ts Academy will
offer professional quality
demonstration and teaching
kitchens, a bakery, classrooms
and a restaurant where culinary
students will prepare breakfast
and lunch for the public.
The three-story building also
will house district offices and
feature a rooftop garden terrace.
The project is scheduled for
completion in spring 2016.
16
Artist rendering of the Imperial
Hardware Building after it is
renovated for residential and
retail use.
Imperial Hardware Building:
Ratkovich Proper ties is conver ting the former two-story
Imperial Hardware Building, built
in 1900 at University Avenue and
Main Street, into a proper ty with
about 8,000 square feet of retail
on the ground level and 91 loft
apar tment units on the five
floors above. While the building’s
1930s ar t deco facade will be
preserved, nearly everything
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
Sweet Epies bakery cafe and Molinos
Coffee, which sells her handmade
greeting cards.
Last year, Gonzales hosted a booth at
the Festival of Lights Artisans Collective.
“There’s always something going on
downtown,” she said, before singling out
concerts in the park during the summer
and the Festival of Lights during the
holiday season. “It’s always awesome
to be able to bring your family to that.”
behind it will be new.
Construction is expected
to begin early next year with
completion expected by summer
2017.
Amenities will include a pool
and Jacuzzi, an indoor/outdoor
kitchen lounge, fire pits and
fitness center.
“There also will be a
Sundowner Lounge on the
rooftop so everyone can enjoy
fantastic sunset views of Mount
Rubidoux and the city skyline,”
said Rob Dodman, principal with
Ratkovich.
The Imperial building at one
time housed several hardware
stores, but has been vacant since
the late 1980s.
Stalder Building: Construction
may star t this fall on what will
eventually become a mixed-use
proper ty that will include 22,000
square feet of street-level retail
space and 165 apar tment units.
Three structures, collectively
known as the Stalder Building,
date to the 19th century and
at one time housed a fire station
with horse-drawn fire apparatus,
a livery stable and automobile
garage, but in recent years the
proper ty has been a victim of
neglect.
The first order of construction
business will be digging a large
hole for three levels of
subterranean parking and
preserving the facade, which
went up in the 1920s. Once
complete, the complex will
stretch along Market Street,
from Mission Inn to Fifth Street.
“It’s going to be a gorgeous
building,” said Mark Rubin of
Regional Proper ties, Inc., who
is par tnering on the project
with Ted Weggeland, CEO
of Raincross Hospitality Corp.
— Amy Bentley and Jerry Rice
Pedestrian-friendly
Riverside is one of a growing number
of cities that have either redone their
downtowns to make them more livable
and walkable, or are in the process
of doing so. Nearby examples include
Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and Tustin.
That trend likely will continue,
according to Juliann Emmons Allison,
associate director of UC Riverside’s
Center for Sustainable Suburban
Development.
“Many people live in the suburbs
because they don’t want to be
downtown, but from a social point
of view we’re hitting a point where
we need more people to prefer living
downtown,” she said.
“It’s a drain on the environment
to commute long distances. In suburban
neighborhoods, your house and yard are
going to be bigger so you’ll be using
more energy and water,” she added.
“Services also need to move out to
these places. Suburban areas wind up
having their own shopping districts, but
people could have shared something
that was existing if they lived close
enough to it.”
Living in close proximity to jobs
promotes a healthier lifestyle with
more walking, says Allison, who recently
completed a study focusing on Riverside’s
Arlington and Ramona neighborhoods.
The goal of the research project was to
find ways to encourage residents to walk
more and be less reliant on their vehicles
for shopping and other activities.
“You have to get people to embrace
a different way of thinking,” she said. “It’s
fighting an attitude of convenience of
getting in your car to get a cup of coffee
at a Starbucks that’s three miles away.
“From a policy position, you can’t wait
for people to demand it because they
won’t. They don’t like to be uncomfortable. You have to teach people about
walkability.”
Those lessons likely won’t be necessary
for potential residents of two downtown
development projects that are in the
works — the old Imperial Hardware
Building at University Avenue and Main
Street and the Stalder Building at the
corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Market
Street. Both structures, which have
suffered from years of neglect, are being
remade into mixed-use properties with
street-level retail and dining plus
residences on the higher floors.
Combined, they will have more than
250 studio, one- and two-bedroom
apartments.
With thousands of people working
within one mile of City Hall, Rob
Dodman, principal at Ratkovich
Properties, says his company saw a great
opportunity in remaking the Imperial
Hardware Building into a complex that
will feature 91 loft apartments with floorto-ceiling windows and a rooftop deck
for evening get-togethers illuminated by
the lights of the city all around.
“Downtown needs a residential
offering that speaks to the millennial
generation, and that’s what we’re aiming
to bring,” he said.
“We know that our project alone will
not change everything,” he added. “But
it will be ours plus others that will
ultimately be a part of the renaissance
of downtown, bringing more residents
to downtown, more eyes on the street
that will make it safer, and make it a
better living environment for everybody.”
When it comes to developing a
walkable downtown, Allison, a 17-year
resident of the city, believes Riverside
is doing many things right. One-way
streets, for example, are safer than
two-way streets for pedestrians and
the pedestrian mall is an open invitation
to walk.
“The next step is to think about the
downtown as a destination for everyone,
not just the people who are working
or living there,” she said. “We do it
on occasion. For six weeks during the
Festival of Lights, we see lots of people
come out. If you can sustain that
somehow it would be good. It needs
to be an ongoing sort of thing.
“What you want is a lot less getting
in your car and driving to Los Angeles,
and a lot more let’s go to downtown
Riverside and do something there. That’s
what you want to see.”
— Jerry Rice contributed to this report.
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june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 17
music
In a
Jam
and
loving it
Annual outdoor concert
is becoming a hit with
music fans and downtown
business owners
Written by George A. Paul
L
ive music, food and drink
will be in ample supply when
the Summer Street Jam
returns Aug. 1 to energize
downtown Riverside with a fresh focus.
Taking its cue from the Coachella
music festivals, band bookings will
be changed to reflect those genres
and crowds.
“The first two Street Jams were
a nod to Riverside’s roots,” said Janice
Penner, executive director of Riverside
Downtown Partnership, which oversees
Street Jam. “This year, we are going for
a 25-45 age demographic with disposable income — one that goes to
Coachella and is prepared to make it
an evening out, dine and have a good
time.
“We’re being a little bit more adventurous,” she added. “We think we’ll
have a really good lineup for the show.”
As in 2014, a block of University
Avenue will be closed between Orange
and Lemon streets. Patrons will be able
to wander in and out of the establishments, many of them offering special
activities, bands, and food and drink
price specials before the main stage
music starts at 4 p.m.
Launched in 2009 as a way to attract
more people downtown, the Street
Jam featured local and Southern
California-based performers like
Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Debonaires,
Poncho Sanchez, Brenton Wood and
Smile Empty Soul for a couple years
before going on hiatus. The free event
resumed in 2013.
According to Penner, headliner Alien
Ant Farm drew a little more than 4,000
people last year (up from a previous
attendance high of 3,500).
“It’s bigger and growing,” she said.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL J. ELDERMAN PHOTOGR APHY
Downtown Riverside becomes an outdoor concert venue for the annual Summer Street Jam, which returns Aug. 1.
20
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
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Warren Klure, owner of the Pixels bar downtown, says the Street Jam
reaches people who may not know about Riverside’s entertainment
offerings.
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| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
“We hope to eventually get to
the point where we close two
blocks.”
Several establishments near
the action increased contributions for 2015, Penner says.
“Some (owners) went from
$500 to $750 and said their
business doubled or tripled
from a normal Saturday.
They all want it to come back.
I think that’s a measure
of how successful it is.”
For Worthington’s Tavern
on University, the Street Jam
means both an increase in
patrons and repeat customers.
“We absolutely see an
uptick in business that day,”
said owner Shelby Worthington. “I’ve been downtown for
14 years. Customers do come
back downtown and make it
a destination instead of going
other places.”
Worthington finds the overall Street Jam vibe to be an
inviting atmosphere.
Organizers provide “a safe
environment, so people get
to enjoy it. Because there
are intermissions, they go into
the different establishments
and still feel safe outside.
I think it creates a positive
feeling.”
Warren Klure, owner
of Pixels (also on University),
helps book some of the acts.
“It reaches out to people who
may not know what’s going on
downtown — that there’s an
entertainment district here.
Hopefully it brings them in
from surrounding areas,” he
said.
The surge of customers
throughout the day results
in “a little bump in revenue”
for Pixels, he says.
An additional Street Jam
each year would be even better, many believe.
“It’s a great event; I would
love to have more. The only
problem is raising money,”
Worthington said, adding that
staging a second Street Jam
without a larger budget
“would probably diminish the
impact and also the quality
of entertainment.
“Having a larger event one
time (each year) creates more
of a need for people to come
see it and brings them downtown,” Worthington said.
Klure believes a second
event could work, though.
“I think it would be good
to do twice a year,” he said.
“Maybe a summer jam and
a fall jam, like every six
months — a street festival.
That would be interesting,
and I would be encouraged
to support that, for sure.”
Summer Street Jam
Where: Downtown Riverside
When: Aug. 1
Information: 951-341-6550;
www.riversidedowntown.org
profile
PHOTO BY MICAH ESCAMILLA
“I love criminal defense law. It is my calling,” says Virginia M. Blumenthal. At one time, she thought about becoming a newscaster.
Getting personal with
Virginia M. Blumenthal
Written by Amy Bentley
V
irginia M. Blumenthal
may be known more for
her volunteer work than
her abilities as a criminal
defense attorney, not that the career
accolades she’s accumulated during the
past 40 years aren’t worth noting.
Blumenthal has been named one of the
best women litigators and one of the
most influential attorneys in California by
the Los Angeles Daily Journal, a
newspaper that covers the legal
profession. She also has held the highest
possible rating from the leading national
attorney directory, Martindale-Hubbell,
for the past 30 years. And last year, the
24
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
National Trial Lawyers Association named
Blumenthal one of the top 100 trial
attorneys in the United States.
On the community service front,
Blumenthal has been recognized by the
Greater Riverside Chambers of
Commerce with its ATHENA Award, for
top professional women who give back to
the community and mentor others, and
this spring was named its Citizen of the
Year. She also has received the honors
from the YWCA of Riverside County
and the NAACP Riverside Branch.
Blumenthal is a past board president
of the Riverside County Philharmonic
(she re-joined the board this year)
and is the president of the Riverside
Community College District Board
of Trustees. Also, she’s co-founder of the
Riverside County High School Mock Trial
program.
Question: Why and how do you do so
much?
Answer: “I genuinely believe in giving
back. The community has been very, very
good to me,” Blumenthal said, adding that
she feels fortunate to only need five or
six hours of sleep per night — so she
gets a lot done.
Q: What organization or community
effort has meant the most to you?
A: The Mock Trial program, which has
been in existence for more than 30 years
at 28-30 Riverside County high schools.
“It has nothing to do with kids becoming
attorneys. It has to do with kids thinking
and being involved with an academic
sport. They learn to think. They learn to
analyze. They learn how to work hard.”
Q: What hobbies or personal pursuits
do you enjoy the most?
A: Traveling, attending the theater,
listening to music and playing the piano.
“I’m not gifted in that area,” she said of
the piano. “I keep trying. God gave me
a lot of talent as a criminal trial defense
attorney. But to balance that he gave
me no other talent in any other area.”
Q: Tell us something about yourself
that few people know about you.
A: As a teen, Blumenthal was an intern
at the Press-Enterprise newspaper,
working what she called the “crud desk,”
writing obituaries, wedding and engagement columns, and scanning the news
wire for editors. She loved it and wanted
to become a newscaster, but instead
became a teacher and later an attorney.
After graduating from Citrus Belt Law
School (now the California Southern Law
School in Riverside) and passing the bar
exam, she says couldn’t find a job as a
lawyer in Riverside because no one
would hire a woman. So, Blumenthal
opened her own firm in 1975. “I refused
to get upset about it. What I did with my
career was put one foot in front of the
other and gave it my best shot.”
Q: Favorite Riverside night out?
A: Attending a performance of The
Phil, going to Fox Performing Arts Center
or Performance Riverside.
Q: Name a book everyone should read.
A: Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.”
“There are a lot of lessons to be learned
from Dr. Seuss books.”
Q: Who inspires you and why?
A: The late Israeli Prime Minister Golda
Meir. “She was an amazing woman. She
was a brave woman and did what was
right, even when she took the hard way
and faced severe criticism.”
Q: If you could trade places with
anyone for a day, who would it be?
A: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a woman
Blumenthal admires and respects even
though they belong to different political
parties. “She is an amazing leader. She
recognizes that most problems don’t have
a political label.”
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 25
taste
Classic
gets better
with time
Cafe Sevilla’s latest offerings,
plus its world tour of Spanish-inspired
fare, encourages repeat visits
Written by David Cohen
I
t’s been awhile since I last went to Cafe Sevilla
for dinner, and during a recent visit I noticed much
of the decor has remained constant.
Duct piping criss-crosses the downstairs ceiling and
Spanish-style building facades and flower boxes jut
out from one wall. Suits of armor grace the upstairs alcoves
and the bodega-like setting remains on the second floor, with
Photos by Eric Reed
A statue near the entrance to Sevilla pays homage
to the long tradition of bullfighting in Spain.
strains of Spanish guitar music playing in the background.
A more recent addition is the pressed metal statue
of a bull in the entryway downstairs.
The menu includes a number of items which have been
introduced since my last visit, and the preparation and
the food choices are better than they’ve ever been.
Additions include flat breads (cocas) from Barcelona,
ceviche, and a selection of empanadas, and the number
of paella selections is increased.
Ceviches are available in a trio
or may be ordered individually.
Top left: tapas, tortilla
Española, datiles rellenos
and albondigas al Jerez;
top right: Barcelonainspired grilled vegetable
flatbread (coca); center
left: pork chuleta de Cerdo;
center right: exterior
of the restaurant; bottom:
Sevilla’s dining area starts
filling up for dinner.
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 27
Bottles
of wine and
Champagne
are part of
the décor
at Sevilla.
Each month, dishes are featured from
a country that formerly belonged to
the Spanish Empire. During our visit,
Peruvian fare was being showcased,
including braised guinea pig! Future
months will explore the foods of Cuba
and Argentina.
We began with a trio of ceviches,
including calamari with fried plantain
chips, a shrimp and red snapper combo,
and very spicy octopus slices blended
with mango and habanero chiles.
The empanadas are baked until golden
brown. We opted for the wild
mushroom version containing a blend
of shitake, button, crimini and oyster
mushrooms which are flambéed with
Spanish brandy and finished with butter,
then folded into a puff pastry. It’s served
with a Rioja wine sauce studded with
bacon.
Cocas are wildly popular in Barcelona.
The grilled vegetable coca with
asparagus, red pepper strips and goat
cheese was a standout, sprinkled with
herbs and micro greens.
There’s also a section of classic tapas
including such items as tortilla espanola,
dates with Cabrales bleu cheese and
28
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
applewood-smoked bacon, and Spanish
meatballs with sherry and garlic.
The black seafood paella was superb,
tinted with black squid ink and topped
with clams, mussels and scallops in their
shells along with calamari rings
embedded in the rice, plus shrimp and
salmon pieces. You can order a large or
small paella pan, or a tapas-sized portion.
We also chose the six-sausage paella
atop saffron bomba rice that used spicy
Merguez sausage, Chistorra, two
different chorizos, Longaniza and
Morcilla (blood sausage).
For me, the best part of the classic
paella is the “soccorat,” the crusty rice
from the bottom of the pan that adds
both texture and a nutty flavor to the
dish — charred, but never burnt.
The last group of dishes were
assorted meats that included extremely
tender short ribs cooked in a Rioja wine
sauce; a brocheta de cordero with
chunks of grilled lamb that had been
marinated in honey and mint and were
brought to the table on a vertical
skewer; the chuleta de cerda (a pork
chop stuffed with chorizo and pieces of
apple, sliced in sections and served with
a sherry and spicy apple glaze).
For an additional $9, any meat dish
can be turned into a main entree adding
saffron rice or delicious manchego garlic
mashed potatoes, and a seasonal
vegetable — in our case, Spanish
ratatouille (pisto manchego).
Finish up with a Spanish dessert such
as Crema Catalana, bread pudding,
or a beautifully done Andalusian apple
tart topped with rum-infused raisins
and a brandy anglaise.
Try a glass of 10-year tawny port as
a chaser to complete a very fine Spanish
dining experience.
Cafe Sevilla
Where: 3252 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside
Hours: 4:30-10 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m. to
10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to
midnight Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
and 4:30-10 p.m. Sunday
Prices: $6-$27 for tapas; $12-$58 for paella,
tapas-sized, individual and family sizes; $18$22 for brochetas; $17-$31 for main dishes
with sides. All major credit cards accepted.
Also: Ar t of Flamenco three-course dinner
shows on Saturday evenings; full bar; happy
hour Sunday-Friday until 7 p.m.; monthly
specials from various Spanish-influenced
countries.
Information: 951-778-0611; cafesevilla.com
seen
The Riverside Area Rape
Crisis Center recently
presented its 34th annual
dinner and auction gala
at the Victoria Club
in Riverside. Funds raised
will benefit the center and
its mission to help sexual
assault victims and their
families, and also provide
community outreach in
western and southwestern
Riverside County.
Information: rarcc.org
RARCC Dinner Auction Gala
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(1) Josh and Nicola Yadon, left, Linda Hicks, Anne Marie and Jason Pieters (2) Amy Harrison and Steve Hovey
(3) Cathy Morford, left, and Sandy Schnack (4) Marie Antoinette and David McPhee, left, Brianna Rivera, Donna Staples
and Cecilia Bustos (5) Susan Rainey, left, John Collins and Larry McAdara (6) Dinah Minkler, left, Nina Reynolds and Jan Duke
(7) Kurt Berchtold, left, Lori Pendergraft and Cherie Curzon (8) Virginia and Charlie Field (9) Don Brower, left, Joe Romine
and George Ponce (10) Paul Gill and Colleen Williams (11) Cathy Kienle, left, Lori Hajj and Margo McDonald (12) Kathy and Dwight Tate
(13) Steve and Pam Kanouse, left, Irene and Alfonso Salazar, David and Cathy Barnes, Shelby Worthington and Steve Loomis
(14) Steve and Jane Smith
Ph o t o s by J a m e s C a r b o n e a n d S t e p h a n i e B r owe r
30
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
seen
It was a fun and
exciting “Night in
Bollywood!” as the
Greater Riverside
Chambers
of Commerce
presented its
115th Inaugural
Celebration
recently at the
Convention Center.
Honorees included
attorney Virginia
Blumenthal
as citizen of the
year and Walter’s
Automotive Group
as business of the
year. Information:
www.riversidechamber.com
1
115th Inaugural Celebration
2
4
3
5
(1) Steve Kienle, left, general manager, and Walter Kienle, founder and owner of Walter’s Automotive Group (2) Ron Redfern,
left, and Bob Stockton (3) Got Bhangra entertained guests. (4) Sue Johnson, left, Joe Tavaglione, Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey,
Margaret McTague and Mary Barnett (5) Lathell McKeller, left, and Virginia Blumenthal
Ph o t o s by M i c h a e l J . E l d e r m a n Ph o t og r a p hy
RANCHO BELAGO
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 31
seen
Keep Our Gardens Clean & Beautiful
1
UC Riverside’s Botanic Gardens
recently hosted its Keep Our Gardens
Clean & Beautiful spring event, with
about 60 volunteers pulling weeds,
raking and otherwise sprucing up
parts of the 40-acre natural treasure.
Another garden clean-up happens in
the fall. Information: gardens.ucr.edu
3
2
4
5
(1) Mary Pensante, left, Christina Zavala, Samuel Ulloa, Mirza Wali Baig and Moisas Pensante (2) Zaya Boldsaikhan, left, and Drishti Bhardwaj
(3) George Spiliotis, left, Theresa McLemore, manager of the botanic garden; and Peter Stock, Friends of the UCR Botanic Gardens board
member (4) Angel Liang, left, Jessica Hsu and Hannah McGarraugh (5) Brandon Sanders, left, Ngau Ho, Alyssa Canova and Ryan Hong
Ph o t o s by Fr a n k Pe r e z
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS & DOORS
8 Windows
Kimberly Crest House & Gardens
Installed
2 799*
$ ,
This includes screens,
installation & tax
Windows • Bays
• Bows • Garden • Windows
• Entry Doors
• Sliding Glass Doors
• French Doors
*Size Limitations.
Tempering & Decorative Glass
not included.
Not to be included with other offers
or discounts.
Free Estimates
320 E. Stuart
951-688-1700
32
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
The Kalama Brothers
Saturday August 29, 2015
DOORS Of DIStInctIOn
http://www.redlandsdoorandsupplies.com
Join us for
Luau Dinner~Musical Entertainment~Hula Dancers
Redlands
DOOR & SUPPLIES Riverside
909-792-0612
Weddings * Tours * Photography
Mention This Ad And Receive 10% Off Wedding Booking Fees
Public Tours Thursday, Friday & Sunday 1-4
1325 Prospect Drive Redlands, CA 92373
909-792-2111 www.KimberlyCrest.org
6:00 p.m.
Lic# 818261
For information and tickets visit KimberlyCrest.org/TheKalamaBrothers
NONPROFITS
Photo by Fr ank Perez
Friends and survivors Dianne Callahan and Martin Gaona at Riverside Plaza
Survivor’s story
How a battle against cancer turned into an effort to help others
Written by Luanne J. Hunt
D
ianne callahan refused to believe she was at death’s
door after being diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin
lymphoma in 2007. Hanging onto a whole lot of hope
and faith, she started her intense journey of healing with
chemotherapy, radiation and two stem cell transplants. Today, her
cancer is in remission, but she is still battling its devastating effects.
“The first stem cell transplant I had
didn’t work but the second one was
effective,” said the 50-year-old Riverside
resident. “But now, I’ve developed graftversus-host disease, so I’ve kind of
traded one life-threatening disease for
another — although it’s a lot more
manageable than the cancer was.”
Graft-versus-host disease is a
complication from a stem cell or bone
marrow transplant. With GVHD, the
newly transplanted donor cells attack the
transplant recipient’s body. The disease
can be treated successfully with immune
suppressing drugs.
Despite dealing with GVHD, Callahan
says she feels lucky to be alive. Her
ordeal also has inspired her to want to
give back to others who are afflicted
with blood-related cancers. To that end,
she will host a Survivor Strut Fashion
Show on July 31 at Riverside Plaza.
The event will feature fashions from
Nordstrom Rack, Marshall’s, Chico’s
june-july 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 33
sav e th e date
CHARITABLE EVENTS
June 8 — The 23rd annual A. Gary
Anderson Memorial Golf Classic will
benefit effor ts by the Children’s Fund to
help at-risk and abused children. Since its
inception, the event has raised more than
$6 million. Red Hill Country Club,
8358 Red Hill Country Club Drive,
Rancho Cucamonga; 909-379-0000;
www.childrensfundonline.org.
July 25 — An all-you-can-eat pancake
breakfast to benefit Teen Challenge.
Benedict Castle, 5445 Chicago Ave.,
Riverside; 7-10:30 a.m.; 951-683-4241,
www.teenchallenge.org.
PHOTO COURTESY Amy Gaona
Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl, left, former Angels great and Hall of Fame player Rod Carew,
Dianne Callahan and Martin Gaona during a Light the Night event at Angel Stadium.
and Joseph A. Bank. All of the models
are cancer survivors.
“I came up with the idea for
Survivor Strut with the hopes of
empowering cancer survivors,”
Callahan said. “The disease really
does take its toll on your appearance,
and it can be pretty traumatic to lose
your hair.
“But those of us who have gone
through it are warriors, and walking
down the runway is a chance to say to
everyone, ‘We’ve survived and we’re
confident and feeling good about
ourselves.’”
Callahan’s first Survivor Strut Fashion
Show was in 2008, raising about
$3,000. She hopes to exceed that
amount this year with the help of her
close friend and cancer survivor Martin
Gaona, who will walk the runway
during the fashion show with 11 other
models. The pair met while undergoing
stem cell transplants at the City
of Hope in early 2013.
“I call Martin my ‘transplant twin’
because we had an immediate
connection,” Callahan said. “The
parallels of our journeys were amazing
and the bond between us was strong
34
| riversidemagazine.com | june-july 2015
from the very beginning. Our families
also have become very close and have
been a wonderful support system for
both of us.”
Gaona was diagnosed with chronic
myelogenous leukemia in 2007. He was
treated with chemotherapy drugs for
five years until they stopped working.
Then, his only treatment option was
a stem cell transplant, which put his
cancer in remission.
“I love doing events like the Survivor
Strut Fashion Show and seeing all the
people who come out to support an
amazing cause for cancer,” said Gaona,
who is now cancer-free. “I am a
product of all the research that has
been funded by events like this, and
am one of the lucky ones who gets
to show all the supporters that their
hard work was not in vain.”
Survivor Strut Fashion Show
Where: Riverside Plaza,
3545 Central Ave.
When: July 31 at 7 p.m.
Cost: $45 for VIP and $20 for general
seating. VIP tickets include preferred
seating, access to a pre-show reception
and an after-par ty.
Information: 909-648-5171
Sept. 18 — 31st annual Women of
Achievement, presented by the YWCA
of Riverside County. Event honors
extraordinary women who exemplify the
ideals of the YWCA organizational mission.
Riverside Convention Center, 3637 Fifth
St.; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $65 per person,
$500 for table of eight; 951-687-9922;
www.ywcarivco.org.
Sept. 19 — Inland Empire Hear t & Stroke
Walk to benefit the American Hear t
Association, with a 3.1-mile walk/run
and 1-mile optional survivor route.
Rancho Jurupa Park, 4800 Crestmore
Road, Jurupa Valley; registration 7 a.m.,
opening ceremonies 8 a.m., walk star ts
at 8:30 a.m.; 310-424-4174;
www.iehear twalk.org.
Sept. 26 — Paint the Town Pink, Riverside
Community Health Foundation’s annual
celebration. Location to be announced;
6-10 p.m.; 951-788-3471; rchf.org.
Sept. 26 — Walk for Recovery, presented
by Teen Challenge. Hunter Hobby Park,
Iowa and Columbia avenues, Riverside;
8-11:30 a.m.; $25, $100 for family
of four or more; 951-224-8022;
www.teenchallenge.org;
www.spiritoffreedomonline.org.
Oct. 2-3 — Rummage Sale to benefit Teen
Challenge. Benedict Castle, 5445 Chicago
Ave., Riverside; 7-10:30 a.m.; 951-653-7275,
www.teenchallenge.org.
Oct. 17 — Light the Night Walk to suppor t
effor ts by The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society to fight cancer. California Baptist
University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside;
4 p.m.; www.lls.org/aboutlls/chapters/ocie.
RIVERSIDE MEDICAL CLINIC HELPS YOU
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RiversideMedicalClinic.com
month-month 2015 | riversidemagazine.com | 35
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