By Monique Larkin

PAVILION ENJOYMENT

By Monique Larkin

If you were to look around downtown Riverside, you would probably notice that people are usually in a rush.

Some may be in a rush to work in the Riverside County Courthouse, a dinner date at the Mission Inn, or to return books at the downtown Riverside library.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the majority of Riverside tend to pass by without looking back, ignoring the beautiful surroundings of downtown Riverside.

And perhaps in the midst of their rush they may overlook the Chinese Pavilion, the Veteran’s Memorial Wall, carriage rides streaming the streets of downtown Riverside and the heart of Riverside, City Hall, itself.But what if, just for once, the people of Riverside, stop for a second and smell the flowers which surround the Mission Inn and just enjoy the beauty, culture, history and architecture of downtown Riverside?

A few of the astonishing cultural building genre features structures like the Riverside County Courthouse and the Mission Inn, but places like the Riverside Veteran’s Memorial, for instance, may attract those who are interested in history or even those who are veterans of war.

Gazing upon Riverside’s Veterans’ Memorial wall was Vietnam War veteran Dennis Allen, who knew a few of the men whose names were chiseled into the wall.

As he pointed to names of old war buddies, he began to reminisce.

“There are a few people of this section that I knew-I went to school with them,” Allen said. “And I knew him… I never knew his first name. I hope you kids never have to go through anything like this. If there is a hell on earth, it’s war.”

Allen also recalled of how much downtown Riverside has grown since he could remember.

“I can remember when there was a few people here.. There wasn’t hardly anything here,” Allen said.

“I guess you could say that I have been around for a while,” Allen said.

Since most of us who live in Riverside may not know how to enjoy just a day in the park without any worry, maybe reading a book in the Chinese Pavilion or enjoying the company of a 6- month- old kitten as Laura Mitchell and Andrew Harvey were, may help to ease the anxiety.

After a hard day at work, maybe a night on the town with your friends may be a way to escape from the so- called free world.

Carriage rides, tours of the Mission Inn and dinner at Mario’s, which is a restaurant imbedded in downtown Riverside, may be places to start to look.

Walking around and enjoying the Riverside air, singing a song, or if you’re not into much singing yourself, listening to someone else sing on the sidewalks in front of a local Riverside restaurant, are all components that make downtown Riverside so enjoyable.

Downtown Riverside is waiting to have its resources of art, beauty and brilliance tapped into by its residents.

Riverside can’t wait to meet you.

The Riverside Art Walk which takes place every first Thursday of the month until the late summer and the annual Riverside Wednesday Nights which take place until early November, are two events to look forward to and for Riverside residents to participate in for free, that is unless you buy something.

So stop rushing, and enjoy your downtown city, Riverside.