The long-standing volunteer program provides nutritious meals to Redlands residents who cannot prepare their own, ensuring both nourishment and well-being with weekday deliveries.
Pianist Sally Rehfeldt and cellist Matt Rehfeldt will reunite for The Spinet’s Feb. 18 recital at First Presbyterian Church. The concert, open to the public, begins at 7 p.m.
After years as a popular pop-up, this Redlands-born eatery has landed a permanent home, serving up house-made sandwiches, scratch-made bread, and a fresh take on classic flavors
After years as a popular pop-up, this Redlands-born eatery has landed a permanent home, serving up house-made sandwiches, scratch-made bread, and a fresh take on classic flavors
A beloved Redlands pop-up finds a home in a cozy strip mall in Calimesa, just 10 minutes from Redlands. Happy Mediums, a new neighborhood eatery, specializes in unique and classic breakfast and lunch items, with five different sandwiches, two toasts, soup, salads, grain bowls, and something for the sweet tooth.
On Jan. 12, Happy Mediums celebrated its grand opening, though it has been open for the past two months. For Redlands couple Shea Montanez and Bonnie Hernandez, together with Sean Readman, it has been a dream come true. Readman is a former chef at La Volata in Redlands. “He knows the area. He knows food,” Hernandez said.
After looking for a location in Redlands, Calimesa turned out to be more affordable, not least because it was impossible to find tenant improvement credits in the leasing agreement. Putting in infrastructure for a restaurant is costly, especially when it falls on the tenant.
At Happy Mediums, they make everything in-house, including sauces, spreads, bread, pickles, etc. A great example of that is the Muffaletta Sandwich, their take on a Chicago version of a popular New Orleans sandwich. It has a house-made giardiniera spread on house-made focaccia. “It’s a combination of vegetables that actually change a little bit here and there because it’s one of the ways we avoid food waste,” she said. “You get that vinegary, well-spiced, crunchy, pickle-y vegetable spread.”
Another example is Happy Mediums’ classic avocado toast, which also has a twist: spiced feta and orange aigre-doux, among other toppings. The oranges, of course, are from Redlands. “It’s got a really nice citrusy tartness to it, and there’s a lot of different textures. It’s by far different and better than any other avocado toast I’ve had,” she said.
With 20 years’ experience as a chef, including at a Michelin-star restaurant, Montanez’s cooking techniques and experience are reflected in the feedback they get. “We have people say this is the best sandwich I’ve ever had,” she said, adding, “The most important thing for us is quality, not just from the ingredients but how they are prepared.” They also make a point of the presentation. “It makes people come back because you are using more of your senses.”
“Montanez comes from Chicago. He grew up going to delis and family restaurants,” Hernandez said. That family vibe can be seen in Happy Mediums’ friendly service, the bright colors, and the happy face of their logo. That logo was modeled after the owner’s daughter’s cherubic face when she was 10 months old.
Hernandez grew up in Calimesa and never thought she would return. Working in the restaurant business during high school (at Tartan’s in Redlands) and college was a way to make ends meet, and eventually, she began to love the environment. Montanez and Hernandez met while working at The Redbird in Los Angeles.
During the pandemic, they both lost their jobs, so creating a deli concept to help feed people in their neighborhood in Echo Park became the first attempt at Happy Mediums. “We were trying to provide that sweet spot for people who were burnt out on cooking and cleaning but couldn’t afford takeout from restaurants,” Hernandez said. That is how they came up with the name.
“Shea was baking up to 40 loaves each day out of our home,” she said. The homemade focaccia from that time is still on the current menu. Today, he wakes up at 5 a.m. to make the focaccia.
In 2021, the couple relocated to Redlands, where Hernandez’s parents now live. That is when the idea of starting their own place came about. “I have so many years of experience in front of the house, and then, of course, he is such a talented chef,” she said. “We have the combined skills and experience to be our own boss.”
In 2022 and 2023, Happy Mediums had pop-up events at Slowbloom Coffee in Redlands and Uptown Wine Merchant in Yucaipa. They served brunch at Olive Ave Market on weekends. Once a month, they brought their menu to The Overland in collaboration with Herrmann York Wine from Redlands, which is still happening. Future plans include expanding their catering business for special events and offering office catering bundles during the week.
“It feels so good being here and being able to say, I’m from here too,” said Hernandez. Today she is delighted they returned, to build community, make good food, and serve Calimesa and surrounding areas, not the least Redlands where they live.
About Happy Mediums
Address: 1007 Calimesa Blvd, Ste H, Calimesa, CA 92320
Phone: 909-570-9009
Email: hello@happymediums.com
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Website: www.eathappymediums.com
Instagram: @happymediums
Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options available. Bread is made in-house, as well as provided by the neighborhood business, Village Bread Bakery.
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