Lunch at the Mission!

The Mission Inn Hotel - Riverside, California

My last entry was about a surprising lunch, when Don and I found ourselves dining at a lovely hotel in Guatemala. It reminded me of another surprise lunch... in an old hotel!

Stopping While on the Road

Don and I were traveling and needed food.  We weren't looking for a big dining adventure, and we had zero interest in getting off the highway to see Riverside. In the 1980's we lived not far from Riverside and our vague memories were of a worn out, smoggy community.  But a quick glance at Trip Advisor while in the car, caused me to shout at Don, "Quick, exit here! We should try this place!"

A Massive Hotel with Flying Buttresses

Stopping for lunch gave us a chance to explore this rather impressive hotel that took up more than a city block.  We wandered the exterior, which we learned later, had incorporated elements of all 21 California Missions.  I'm not sure which old mission had "flying buttresses", but this hotel had a few propping up the structure. I still remember the first time I heard that term.  "Those are flying buttresses." My older brother told me as he pointed to the oddly shaped, marble things jutting out of the side of a cathedral.  I was 11 and most of his teasing was done with a straight face.

Side Entrance

We walked a bit and headed to the side entrance, way from the main street.  We walked by a giant birdcage with some noisy parrots and a number of huge antique bells on display.  As we headed towards the door, a stylish woman of about 70 paused and greeted with a pleasant expression.  "My, but don't you two just look like million dollar travelers!"  Her smile seemed genuine, there was no hint of sarcasm and her speech wasn't slurred, so Don and I smiled back with our thanks and tried not fret over how odd that was.

Las Campanas

There were quite a few options for lunch, but we couldn't resist the first outdoor patio we saw.  The restaurant, Las Campanas,   which means "the bells", was named for the grand collection of rare and ornamental bells that can be found throughout the hotel grounds.  Mostly we were attracted by a trickling fountain and the tall shady palms.

Peaceful and Cool

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We hardly needed the table umbrellas for shade. There were arbors and umbrella-shaped palms high above.  The tile covered cafe tables seemed perfect for the Spanish style setting.

History

It wasn't until we popped open our wooden menu that we started reading about the history of these amazing bells and the Inn.  Frank Miller opened a 2-story, 12 room, adobe boarding house in 1876.  By the 1890's Riverside was the richest city per capita in the U.S.  (Who would've guessed?)  In 1903, big expansions on the building began and the hotel (which was owned by the Millers until 1956) now has 238 rooms!

Bells!

In our little dining patio, we had a nice view of a few of the 400 bells that decorate the property.  The Miller family at one time had collected 800 bells!  The oldest bell is from  1247.

Lunchtime!

 Las Campanas is known for its Mexican cuisine, so Don went for the Carnitas with roasted pork and Guajillo mole, guacamole, beans and rice.  I had an open face quesadilla with Monterey Jack, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro pesto, arugula and pico de gallo.  It all tasted as fresh and and pleasing as the garden atmosphere where we dined.  (Funny, because all we remembered about Riverside 35 years earlier... was the smog!)

Hotel

We explored the hotel after lunch and I can't begin to describe the extravagance of the place, where Bette Davis and President Nixon were both married...not to each other!  This hotel has been on my list and someday, I'll hopefully have it on my Notable Night Blog List! 

The Dining We Missed

Our exploring lead us to a number of indoor dining rooms that were very impressive. And then there was the enchanting courtyard with bright red umbrellas and flowers tumbling from balconies and a much grander stone fountain in the center.  Oh man!  I wish we had explored first and eaten out there.  As for the more formal dining, those places can wait until we return for an overnight!

Till Next Time

Don and I headed for the car with images of all these crazy details in our heads.  To think we had nearly pulled out the jar of peanut butter at a rest stop!  I love traveling and the finds you make along the way. But I have to hand it to Trip Advisor for this one, or we would have never stopped!