Bar Ni Modo serves up house-made tortillas wrapped around chicharrón, suadero, and carnitas—three tacos perfectly paired with a bold, refreshing drink. (Courtesy of Bar Ni Modo)
Wednesday Gazette: June 4, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Wednesday! Our friends at Bar Ni Modo, a new era Mexican Cocktail Bar located in the new Farmhouse Collective, have cooked up a special deal for Gazette readers: free tacos! During June, flash today’s newsletter for free tacos on your first visit. Valid Sunday–Thursday only.
Vendors and Visitors love the late sunset and warmer temperatures.
The Cheech’s famous facade mimics doves in flight. (Ken Crawford)
No school, warm nights, and Downtown at its best—Riverside ArtsWalk on June 5 is the perfect excuse to get out and explore. Start early with a thought-provoking panel and screening at UCR Arts, then stroll the Main Street mall and take in a full slate of exhibitions, performances, and pop-up vendors. RAM and The Cheech will be open free of charge, with new shows including To Rise Above Ruins and The 52 Project. The Inlandia Institute hosts an Indie Author Bash upstairs at the Main Library, while galleries like RCAA, Division 9, and Pain Sugar bring bold new work and live energy to the evening. Bring a few dollars, meet the artists, grab a snack, and let the city surprise you.
Succulent Hoarder: Jeff Soto's Pandemic Project Finally Sees Light
Five Years Later, Riverside Artist Releases Time Capsule of 2020's Surreality.
Pandemic plant obsession meets surrealist ink: Jeff Soto’s Succulent Hoarder turns 2020 into art. (Courtesy of Jeff Soto)
Jeff Soto's new zine, "Succulent Hoarder," transforms pandemic-era plant hoarding into surrealist art. The limited-edition publication, available through his website, offers 36 pages of illustrations, journal entries, and memes documenting the strange reality of 2020.
Driving the news: Soto, an internationally known artist and RCC instructor, returns to the DIY zine format after a five-year hiatus, seeing it as a counterpoint to digital overwhelm.
The project comes in two versions: a standard edition of 225 copies and a signed-and-numbered edition of 75 that includes a bonus mini-zine.
Why it matters: As algorithms increasingly dictate cultural consumption, Soto believes zines are reclaiming their original purpose of sharing niche information and fostering community.
The physical nature of zines demands a different kind of engagement, forcing readers to slow down and experience the tactile qualities of the medium.
The big picture: Soto sees the resurgence of physical media like zines as parallel to vinyl's comeback, offering a necessary counterweight to digital saturation.
The artist spent five years developing "Succulent Hoarder," aiming to capture both the external realities and internal landscapes of the pandemic era.
What's next: The zines are now available for purchase on stormcloudz.com, offering collectors an intimate window into Soto's artistic process during a historic moment.
Habitat for Humanity Riverside ReStore hosts its final weekend blowout sale Friday-Saturday June 7-8 with 50% off everything, supporting affordable housing while offering deals on furniture, appliances, and building materials.
Blaze Pizza in the Riverside Plaza on Main Street offers 50% off all orders today during its reopening, with the first 50 customers eligible to win free pizza for a year.
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