Impressions of Riverside, CA
I’ve just returned from a business meeting at Riverside, CA. We stayed and had our meeting at the Mission Inn Hotel in downtown Riverside. The first thing that struck me about the area is that it is dead. There were hardly any people around. There were hardly any vehicular traffic! Seriously, Riverside brought to mind one of those ’70s post-apocalyptic movies where only zombies roamed the world.
The immediate neighborhood included the Riverside Convention Center along with several museums and historical sites. There was also a large Marriott hotel and what looked to be medium sized office buildings. All of which would give one the expectation of a hustling and bustling area full of workers and tourists, and the locals to cater to them. Nope.
The nearby shops were small and seemed to be predominantly antique stores. The eateries were little mom & pop affairs. I guess it was just as well because I don’t know how they could have enough shoppers to support anything more. There were quite a few vacant buildings. The Riverside Chamber of Commerce needs to get on the ball.
As for the Mission Inn, it was an impressive sight. The many architectural styles and the maze-like paths through and about the hotel made it a fun place to explore. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to see all the art pieces scattered around it. Here are some photos to intrigue you.
