Mission Mission

Yesterday, Mission Loc@l published a photo of Chronicle crime reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken wearing a bullet proof vest while on an embed assignment with SFPD:

Yeah, we know the Mission is one of the more trigger-happy neighborhoods in the city, but we didn’t think the cops considered it Baghdad dangerous. But apparently the police made Chron crime reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken don a bullet-proof vest while embedding with an officer on the Mission streets yesterday, as caught on the neighborhood news Web site, Mission Loc@l. (link)

According to Van Derbeken, “the police provided [the vest] and required I wear it.”  My question: can you keep it as a souvenir afterwards?  That would be hot–sign me up for an embed.

(photo / Mission Loc@l – Reporting / The Snitch)

Previously:

Boy George Impersonator Available

Today we recommend a local blog we just discovered: Delicate Adventures, by reader ape breath, is largely drawings of historical figures as eggmen. Other egg-related fun rounds out the content.

My favorite so far is Ty Cobb.

Thanks, Krissy!

Reader Kati Jackson brings us another great shot outside of a market.  Unfortunately they forgot to put Jameson and Captain Crunch on the list.

Amit Gupta reports that The Marsh, the venue and cafe at Valencia and 22nd that looks like an abandoned warehouse, has become the first place in San Francisco to start giving out free drinks to frequent users of the social network, Foursquare.  Apparently anybody will get $2 off at the box-office just for using it once.

Hey Bender’s, when will you start a similar promotion?

(link)

Previously on Mission Mission:

• Foursquare Conveniently Lists Dolores Park Stereotypes

The SF Examiner reports that, in an effort to raise revenue, the Recreation and Parks Department is considering issuing permits to local restaurants who want to sell food in the city’s parks.  Tragically, the food with be expensive and probably not help you cure you drug-induced Dolores Park munchies:

“Each vendor would have to pay the department a minimum of $1,000 per month, and there would likely be provisions in the contract that healthy food is served.”

The Crème Brûlée also weighed in:

The Crème Brûlée Guy, a local food vendor who operates outside city regulations and declined to give his name, said it’s admirable that the department is trying to encourage more street vending, but the $1,000 monthly cost is “pretty steep.”

“It would be hard for an independent vendor to make that monthly payment,” said the Crème Brûlée Guy, who has operated in Dolores Park in the Mission district, adding that he intends to investigate purchasing a permit. “It would be a lot easier for a restaurant owner to just send out an employee to sit there for eight hours.”

(link)

Jessica Brooke says:

Maybe the hipsters will start roller skating again now that Urban’s selling fixies. Or ride Segways. Whichever’s least cool to “consumers”

(link)

That’s right, Urban Outfitters has entered the bike market.

Google Maps has recently began a new advertising campaign, Favorite Places, which aims to tell you where local experts “like to go, and why, from their own perspectives.”  Of course, most of the San Franciscian local experts failed to look beyond Valencia St.  Some even looked over the Mission entirely, including our esteemed Mayor Gavin Newsom, who couldn’t even find one place he liked in the hood.

Besides Newsom, other notables on the list include Digg’s Kevin Rose, who is a fan on Monk’s Kettle and St. Francis, and Nate Query of The Decemberists, who hangs out at Revolution Cafe, The Make-Out Room, Bi-Rite Creamery, and Dolores Park.

Most of the other experts named the usual New York Times-endorsed haunts, like Foreign Cinema (named by 3 people), Tartine (2 people), Range, and Delfina (2 people).

(Photo Credit “Notorious S.I.G”)

Presumably in response to Sunny’s recent feature on Chile Lindo Empanadas, reader Linda just sent in the following laundry list of reasons why we should also check out Venga Empanadas:

Made in house and baked not fried.
Mushroom (thick cut, sauteed)
Beef
Spinach
3 Cheese and Onion
Ham and Cheese (breakfast empanada?!)
Corn and Red Bell Pepper
Chicken

Jaime Maldonado is the young heir to the institution and trying to breath new life into the timeless panaderia. I love this place. Have no relation to the folks but go there often because I love the food and I really want it to survive this economy. The panaderia, like the barbershop in the African-American neighborhood, is the heart of the barrio.

Some interesting things about the place?
-Blood Orange ice cream
-Steamed Mussels in a panaderia?!
-Pozole
-12 kinds of Nicaraguan tamales
-Pan de Muerto and Pan de Reyes
-And they’re offering a price buster menu. Pay $30 and eat one meal (breakfast or dinner) per day from Monday through Friday. Menu changes daily.

Thanks, Linda!