Check out our fun finds in Redlands
Hi ya'll!
First of all, thank you to every one of you that shares my little business. You cannot know what it means to me as a small business owner when you share your Blue Moxie Art experiences with others, it's the only way for me to grow and be able to keep doing what I'm doing. Because I'm so grateful for those who share Blue Moxie and help get the word out about me, it strengthens my resolve to share about other small businesses and experiences that I discover and believe in. Today I want to share with you some amazing finds that my husband Ray and I discovered in Redlands.
Last week Ray and I had a day date in Redlands. We had no idea what to expect but I'd seen photos of the art installation on Orange alley and wanted to check it out (thank you Dyana W!). I have to tell ya'll, we had a great time and were so shocked at how many cool things there were to do in the area. We didn't even get to all of them and we're looking forward to going back. Honestly, we could've done the other two things on our list but we wanted an excuse to come back to Saverino's Deli (more on that fine establishment in a bit!)
We parked for free in downtown Redlands and walked around for a bit. The area is beautiful with lots of quaint little shops. The prices were honestly a bit high for us, especially since we were having a "just be together moseying around" kind of day. It would be a different story if I were shopping for a special gift. I loved seeing all the brick buildings, hand painted murals and big clocks (seriously, clocks everywhere!).
We made it to Orange Alley with ease. Seeing the floating umbrellas was really quite magical, I loved the whimsy of it all. And of course, being able to take a photo with angel wings is always a good thing! We toured both the Lincoln Shrine and the Smiley Library, both of which are free. What treasures these are. If I had school age kids I would definitely take them to the Lincoln Shrine. It is full of history and artifacts. You can practice your morse code skills on a telegraph machine and items in the gift shop are reasonable priced. There is a very knowledgeable worker there to answer any of your questions.
The Smiley Library, which is right next to the Lincoln Shrine, is gorgeous. The children's section was filled with stuffed animals and art from many beloved books. They have stained glass windows with scenes from books like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh and more. The rest of the library is just as beautiful with stained glass, wood floors, and an enclosed garden. And, it smells like a library should, ya know? We enjoyed poking around the collection and then relaxing in the garden.
Our favorite find of the day was Saverino's Deli. This small deli was a delight. Michelle at the counter was very helpful and friendly, she told me one of the best parts of working there was the interactions with their customers, which we got to witness firsthand as we dined. It's the kind of place where newcomers are made to feel welcome and regular customers are greeted with fondness. It's interactive, the workers behind the counter are greeting and chatting with customers while creating their amazing sandwiches. Even though the staff was hustling, each one that passed our table checked on us. The place has an energetic vibe that we both loved. Let me just mention here that I am not a sandwich person but I loved this place and my meal, I ate every bite and can't wait to go back. The food was delicious and the prices reasonable. It's basically $9 for a sammie and chips meal that tastes amazing, you can't beat that. We ordered a Goodfella (minus the peppers) and a Michelangelo and shared them. They were both so good that I can't pick a favorite.
Drop a comment if you visit any of these places and let me know what you think. Tell them at Saverino's that Cat from Blue Moxie in Chino sent you! Also, if you live in the Redlands area, please book a party with me so that I have an excuse to go back for lunch! I'm not even kidding!