Tuesday, July 21, 2026
The Christmas Organ recital at Eden Lutheran Church on Saturday, Dec. 7. (Ken Crawford)

Sunday Gazette: December 8, 2024

Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday! 2024 is wrapping up so quickly – we've crafted a very brief survey to collect your thoughts on Riverside's happenings this year and your predictions for 2025. We would be delighted if you took a moment to answer a few questions.

Take the Year-end Survey (2 questions!)
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Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Leah Stuart and Patricia Spindler. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!

FOOD & DRINK

Eat This, Riverside: Master Gan Crafts Noodly Delights in the Tyler Mall Food Court

Seth overcomes his mega mall aversion to recommend outstanding Lanzhou-style noodles from an unexpected source: a stall in the food court at the Tyler Galleria.

The noodle man stretches and kneads the dough from his glass-encased work station. (Seth Zurer)

Most of the time, I tend to avoid big malls. That’s even more so during the hot holiday shopping season. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, most malls’ limited appeal becomes even harder for me to discern. I’m not big on American-style consumerism, so shopping as entertainment for anything other than food and kitchen supplies never made it to the top of my to-do list. I’m an impatient walker: I start to curse under my breath when forced to slow my pace behind clots of shoppers in crowded mall pavilions.

And the food? Blech! Mall food courts tend to celebrate the kind of culinary homogeneity that I dislike the most about American food culture. You can find the same Annie’s Pretzels, Cinnabon, and Panda Express at every mall in the country. Some may find that sameness comforting; call me a snob, but I find it deadly.

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NEIGHBOR OF THE WEEK

Neighbor of the Week: Tom Donahue

Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.

Tom with the Free Little Library he and his wife, Joan, provide for their Downtown Neighborhood. (Brenda Flowers)

Tom Donahue and his wife are 20-year residents of Riverside. They moved to Riverside for a job opportunity with the Marriott at the Convention Center, where Tom served as the General Manager. He quickly became involved with the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, the Raincross Group, and the Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance (DANA). In 2013, Tom left the Marriott and joined the Family Service Association to run the Senior Meal program, which serves meals to seniors in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Around this time, he also joined the Riverside Neighborhood Partnership. Tom assists his wife, Joan, who is the long-time President of the Riverside League of Women Voters, with events and her League's social media. He is also a member of the General Plan Advisory Committee Riverside for 2050. 

Get to know Tom...

CREATIVE PROMPTS

Riding Concave

A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.

(Titus Pardee)

This week, we're back in the kitchen, scouring drawers for a constant companion: a spoon. That's right, we're going to spoon-feed ourselves a mother-loving dose of creative inspiration with this week's creative nudge. From the delicate teaspoons used at high tea to the sturdy soup spoons that ladle out hearty meals, spoons come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Their smooth curves, reflective surfaces, and gentle weight offer a unique tactile experience. Their ability to create rhythmic sounds when tapped or scraped adds an auditory dimension to our creative play.

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BUSINESS

Gifts of Membership

Something a little different for the hardest-to-shop-for on your list.

Cheech Says “Join The Club”! (Ken Crawford)

We all have the person who “has everything” on our Holiday shopping lists. Gifts of Membership help local institutions, allow opportunities for social and civic engagement, and won’t get stuffed in the back of the closet to be forgotten. Here is a list of some local institutions and businesses that offer membership opportunities.

Read or share our guide to gifting memberships...

COMICS

Citrus Belle #8: Decadance Dazzling December

Part 8 of Mangaka Sebraé Harris' Citrus Bellé comic series.

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This Week in Riverside

Sunday, December 8

Monday, December 9

Tuesday, December 10

Wednesday, December 11

Thursday, December 12

Friday, December 13

Saturday, December 14

Sunday, December 15

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