Mission Mission

This one comes courtesy of Todd Lappin. Lucky bastard has this beauty hanging on his wall at home (Click on it to see everything in much greater detail). Note that some of us are living in areas that once were called such fanciful things as Beatty Willows, Horner’s Addition, Franconia, and Section 16.

And that the street north of Army was called Navy! How do you like them apples?

Thanks, Todd!

Reader Will proposed something along these lines in the comments of another post:

Here’s an idea to move us beyond thinking just about what happens in one small store front: Why can’t San Francisco build it’s own version of American Apparel’s manufacturing plant right here in the Mission? That would be much cooler than an American Apparel retail outlet or a new boutique anyway, and it would create hundreds of jobs instead of just a handful. And they’d be better jobs. Maybe Bill Gates wants to do this. Now there would be a daily dose of irony.

Or better yet – the city should do this as part of their program for the economic development of the Mission. Some people might initially think it would be unfair because no clothing manufacturer could compete with the government aided business, but tell me – what clothing manufactures are there in SF anyway? One would be a lot better than none. And the people of San Francisco or a democratically elected Mission representative could control it. I wonder if MAC and the Valencia Street merchants would get behind that!

Link.

If anybody still thinks the Dark Room is where Sketchfest dumps all the boring stuff, think again. I just learned that last week’s lineup included Elephant Larry, whose Optical Illusion Girlfriend video totally owned Digg this week. So I asked Rhiannon from the Dark Room to tell us a little more about what the shows are like, and what’s in store for this weekend — the final weekend of the festival. Rhiannon says:

Generally, they’re shorter sets from more experimental non-local sketch groups and local groups. I’m looking forward to Saturday’s late show, because Things We Made is one of my favorite acts in town, and the crowd loved Piano Fight last week. Friday’s late show looks good as well. It’s always fun. We have three groups a show as opposed to two at the Eureka, so the show’s a little quicker paced, a little more… Well, fun, for me anyway.

Note as well that Groomed for Success (Beth Lisick and Tara Jespen) are performing both nights. Advance tickets are recommended, and available via the Sketchfest or Dark Room websites.

Full schedule after the jump:

(more…)

In this installment of Imsoooconfused, Myles explains why he’d like to be more emo, and asks us all for help. He doesn’t wanna half ass it either, so please forward him some solid suggestions.

MAC enters the fray, with a post titled Your Recommended Daily Allowance of Irony:

[W]e cannot overlook the irony and contradictions that the “locally owned businesses on Valencia “Your Mission” campaign present. Many of the displacements have been at the hands of non-neighborhood serving boutique shops, or destination restaurants or just plain expensive shops that many Mission residents can not shop at. I noticed a comment on the No American Apparel site that stated that it was these shops that had saved the Mission from 99 cent stores and, I assume, other lower-end businesses. It is this short sighted analysis from the group that makes us pause.

Lots more here.

Best public relations email of the day:

Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know the original DOSA on Valencia is now accepting reservations.  The hours are as follows:

Mon-Thurs and Sunday 5:30 -10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 5:30 – 11 p.m.
Sat and Sun brunch 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Update: Doctor Memory translates:

“Having ridden our Hot New Hipster Joint wave as far as it was ever going to take us, and having never had any plan for what to do once it was over, we’re going to try desperately to act like a real business and hope that all of our neighbors forget us spitting in their faces for the last three years continuously.  We look forward to the next six months of staring forlornly at empty tables, and then re-opening as a laundromat.”

Mission Mission contributor Becca is currently on an extended tour around Central America, and she’s staying in touch via Travel Maven, Large Jet. Since the Mission owes a lot to Central America, I feel like we should keep an eye on her travels. This week, she’s in San Andrés, Guatemala. Link.

Previously:

Becca Gets Attacked by an Ocelot

Becca Rides The Washing Machine Bike

We sure opened up a can o’ worms with this history stuff. As part of a larger piece looking at a lot of Mission District spatial history, Burrito Justice just put together a fascinating examination of the racetracks that long ago helped shape the development of the neighborhood. Link.

Forum Magazine, City College of San Francisco‘s student-run literary periodical, is on the hunt for the following:

…quality poetry, prose, artwork, and photography that demonstrates originality, intelligence, and humantity.

Only work from City College students, faculty, staff and alumni will be considered.

Deadline is February 21, 2009. Submit submissions (.doc, .rtf, .txt, PDF, JPEG or TIFF, please) to citylitjournal(at)gmail (dot)com.

Previously:

Forum editor April Joseph’s interview with Opium editor Todd Zuniga

Read more at Bikes and the City.