On vacation in Tokyo, a San Bernardino councilmember is amazed to see a McDonald’s and Taco Bell, both with roots in his city. He places an order. Also: two IE connections are seen in exhibits at the LA Public Library, I report back from the Pomona Concert Band and I ask again what readers like (if anything?) about summers in the IE, all in Friday’s column.
I visit the Petersen Automotive Museum on Sunday morning to see its exhibit on lowriders, and while there, my phone reveals the stunning news that the president is abandoning his campaign. I write about that, about the exhibit and about my lunch at an old haunt, the Original Farmers Market, which turns 90 this month, in my Wednesday column.
Historian Matt Garcia, 23 years after his groundbreaking book “A World of Its Own,” returned to Pomona and Claremont last week to start researching the Padua Hills Theatre, whose history is fascinating. He was amazed at the materials he found, particularly at the Pomona Public Library. I meet with him there to see what he’s come up with so far for my Sunday column.
A new Panera Bread opened Wednesday in Montclair. As a fan, I attend the grand opening and explore exactly why it took eight years to get this restaurant off the ground. That’s the subject of my Friday column.
The Mission Inn Foundation nonprofit can no longer lead tours of the Mission Inn after its legal beef with the hotel ended badly, but it’s now offering three tours daily of the hotel’s perimeter. I go on the first. (I’m the only one there, meaning I have the undisputed title of first to take the tour.) I write about the tour, the dispute and the hotel in my Wednesday column.
I’d been meaning for a few months now to comment on the dispute and had some silly jokes about it stored away. Finally, I found a way to use them!
Julia Morgan’s design for Riverside’s YWCA, now the Riverside Art Museum, is the focus of an exhibit at the museum. Contemplated improvements for the museum are also part of the exhibit. Also: more items about Riverside plus Mick Jagger’s shout-out to San Bernardino, all in my Sunday column.
An 80-foot-long mural was dedicated Tuesday in San Bernardino that says “Welcome to San Bernardino,” with images from around town contained in each letter of the city’s name. It’s nice. And the community center with the mural is getting improvements inside and out. I talk to the muralist and the parks director for my Friday column.
Is there anything we like about our Wet Hot IE Summers? I throw the question out to you readers with hopes you’re not too lethargic to answer. Plus: Robert Towne, the late screenwriter, attended Pomona College; it’s my fourth anniversary in the P-E and fifth in The Sun; a reader offers some math humor regarding the “29!” sculpture; and the NYT’s “What You Get” feature once again includes Riverside. All this is in my Wednesday column.
By happenstance, it came to my attention a few days ago that the Riverside tradition of having the city fireworks show take place on Mount Rubidoux began in 1964 — making this the unheralded 60th anniversary. I’d already thought I ought to attend sometime, so suddenly I decided this was the year. Where many people watch is Evergreen cemetery, an official viewing spot. Off I went. Read about what it was like in my Sunday column.
Calvin Trillin, the New Yorker writer, was briefly a regular at Riverside’s Zacatecas Cafe in 1978-79. He came to the city to report about Casa Blanca and about smog and was introduced to the restaurant by a P-E reporter. They ate there every day for a week. I pull together the threads of a curious piece of local history for my Friday column. This has been in the works since April — whew!