It’s only been open for a month, but MandiXpress is already one of the most interesting places to eat in Downtown. Seth explored the menu and has recommendations for eaters who are ready to dive into this fascinating and delicious cuisine.
The Museum of Riverside's building’s historic skylight is set to be revealed once again. Previously covered and altered over the years, the skylight—roughly the size of a small living room—will be reopened as part of the upcoming rehabilitation project, allowing visitors a clear view to the top from the first-floor lobby. (Courtesy of the Museum of Riverside)
Sunday Gazette: May 11, 2025
On this Mother’s Day, we honor not only mothers and mother figures, but all those who help carry us—through kindness, strength, and quiet acts of care. Whether they’re family, friends, neighbors, or mentors, these are the people who help us feel grounded in the world and connected to our community.
Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Lyle Hill, Karin Jeske, Mike Kennedy and Marianne Ronay. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!
Eat This Riverside: Lamb and Fish Yemeni-Style at MandiXpress
It’s only been open for a month, but MandiXpress is already one of the most interesting places to eat in Downtown Riverside. Seth explored the menu and has recommendations for eaters who are ready to dive into this fascinating and delicious cuisine.
Tucked between Brockton and Market, just across from the Chamber of Commerce, MandiXpress quietly opened its doors in early April—but its bold, aromatic dishes are anything but quiet. From slow-roasted lamb over saffron rice to bubbling stone pots of fahsah stew and crispy tandoor-fired breads, the new spot offers a full dive into Yemeni cuisine, one of the rarest food traditions represented in Riverside. Seth Zurer paid them a visit, spoke with one of the co-owners, and shares what makes this place worth trying—even if you’ve never had anything like it before.
Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.
Neighbor of the Week Andrew, with wife Ashley and kids Evelyn and Zane, serves up Friday night pizzas with purpose—good food for a great cause. (Brenda Flowers)
Andrew has called Riverside home since 2000. A graduate of UC Riverside, he met his wife at a Starbucks in Woodcrest, and together they’re raising two children through the Riverside Unified School District’s Dual Language Immersion program.
Peake began his career at Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate as an intern and now serves as senior vice president, board member, and office manager. His professional journey eventually connected him to Path of Life Ministries through coworkers, and he’s served on the organization’s board since 2020.
During the pandemic, Peake picked up pizza-making as a fun, budget-friendly Friday night tradition with his family. It quickly became a passion project. As the pies improved, he began sharing them with friends—many of whom asked to pay. Instead, Peake invited donations to Path of Life. Three years later, Peake Pizza has become a weekly fixture, with hungry fans placing Friday night orders via Instagram to support a good cause.
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
Here’s something that is not a secret: our next creative nudge is a trigger to shoppers, city planners, and business owners alike, so consider yourself warned! This week we’re using parking meters to inspire our creative activities. Pay for parking and free your mind. Are we up to the challenge of overcoming our bias against civic infrastructure and finding a place to park and ride our creative side?
Downtown Riverside, with its kaleidoscopic arts scene and blocks of historic architecture, is a frequent destination for many of us. And for better or worse, it’s awash in parking meters, so I encourage you to grab your coin purse and get outside. Maybe you have a favorite—perhaps a broken meter that provides a loophole to stay ticket-free on that Main Street shopping spree? If you can complete your art excursion in 90 minutes or less, I recommend the gratis spots along Lemon Street, between the Riverside Municipal Auditorium and The Cheech.
