Mission Mission

Though I do enjoy how clean everything looks after a few good rain showers, pleeeeaaaaaase, can it stop raining?  The streets have been scrubbed senseless!

Photo from sirgious.

Doomy drama by fancy meeting you here.

[via guerrilla curatorship]

When Eater SF reported this week that Valencia Street Yucatecan restaurant Mi Lindo Yucatan is officially donezo, one memory came flooding back.

One Cinco de Mayo about five or so years ago, me and a couple friends and a girl I was dating decided to start our night with dinner here. We arrived early, were the first group seated, placed our order.

After a while, we realized we’d been waiting a while, but we were having a good time and kept waiting. After an hour, we started to grow grumpy, particularly after we noticed that the tables around us — groups that had been seated well after us — were getting their entrees, and we were still foodless.

At this point, we inquired as to our food’s whereabouts. Server made a holy-smokes face, ran back to the kitchen, and returned to tell us she’d forgotten to put our order in, but that it was in now and would be out shortly. She was very apologetic, but we talked it over and decided we had places to be and would wait no further.

We got up to leave, and when we were halfway out the door the owner or manager or something runs up on us, pleading, “Please, please, we are all very sorry; please stay and your dinner will be free of charge.”

Perhaps out of pride or something we said thanks but no thanks and exited. One of us even relayed the story to another group now on its way in, convincing them to rethink their dinner plans as well.

Now I feel bad. Had we stayed and paid our tab or at least not made a scene, might MLY still be in business today?

But seriously, in this economy it does seem dumb to have turned down a free meal. Did we do the right thing?

Photo by Squid!

Okay, so this is clearly no BART boner, but I DID happen to see the most intense wedgie I’ve ever witnessed, today on BART.  I tried to get a good angle on it, but the above photo is the best I could do without giving myself away.

You could see every butt dimple on the babe!  She was standing in the exact line of sight for at least 6 passengers, who could do nothing to avert their gaze but stare at their hands like they’d just miscarried.  Me, I wanted so desperately to help a sister out and pick her butt for her, but social convention wouldn’t allow it.

I hope her buttcheeks are at home, breathing easy, as we speak.

Mission swing dance promoter Christopher Lee posted this great video of the local Gypsy Jazz group Gaucho playing at Tartine Bakery last night. Bet you didn’t know they have live music, right? Gaucho has been playing there 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 6-8pm for years. In the evening, the line isn’t so bad when people aren’t fighting over that morning bun.

In this video they are joined by a visiting NYC singer, Tamar Korn. She does that awesome 30s “operatic jazz singer” thing that is so rare these days. The tune is Honeysuckle Rose by Fats Waller. Have you listened to the lyrics to this song? It’s filthy.

Ah, “Garage Psych”. Aren’t you curious as to why people are lining up around the block for this shit? Allan, Kat, and I tried to check out this dude Ty Segall with thee Oh Sees at the Eagle last week. On our way, we walked past a pair of flustered girls saying, “…I mean, who would wait for an hour in line for a show here?” Not a good sign.

Well if you were like us and gave up only to go home and watch youtube clips of Aziz Ansari as RAAAAAAAANDY, here’s your second chance: Ty is doing a solo set at The Knockout at 6pm. That’s too early for most of the yuppies just getting off work in Mountain View, so you’ll probably score a sweet spot in the front.

Here’s a clip of Ty Segall doing his one-man band thing:

Speaking of thee Oh Sees, anyone want to start an all-Asian Oh Sees cover band with me? “Thee Ah-Sos”. Ok, no more Asian humor. I’m no Margaret Cho.

This morning, on my daily walk to BART, I strolled past Dragonfly Ink, as always, on 23rd and Valencia.

This particular morning, I noticed a sign stuck to their windows.  They’re moving!  But would like to keep in touch.

I was amused to find that they had scratched off all the letters in “Dragonfly” on their windows besides “gon.”  Gone!

That shit’s evaporating like this was Back to the Future II.

Good luck in your new home, Dragonfly!  Meanwhile, I’m gonna buy this space and turn it into a milkshake shop.

While not quite as bad as recounting your teenage diaries to strangers, the idea of someone judging your taste in music can induce squeamishness in even the most confident would-be DJs.

Nonetheless, the San Francisco Mixtape Society wants you to put those fears aside and check out its inaugural event at the Makeout Room on Sunday, January 31 from 4-6pm.  They propose a “Secret Santa” gathering where everybody who brings a mixtape leaves with one created by someone else.  Of course, there will be JUDGES and prizes to entice along the way.  No word yet on whether the $2 Pabst and $3 well happy hour prices will be in effect, but early indications are favorable.

USBs and CDs are acceptable, but Cassettes are marriageable, apparently.  We’re letting you know about this early so you can get to work!  The theme is “Cities vs. Towns,” but I already suspect my extensive ABBA collection will be the deciding factor here.

<image by fitacola.com>

Om nom nom, free tropical fish!!!  Posted on Craigslist this morning!

GET YOURSELF AN MFING PLECOSTOMUS!!!  IT’S FUN TO WATCH THEM EAT A FROZEN BROCCOLI FLOWER, PER WIKIPEDIA!!!!

Available in the Mission, today.

I spent a recent weekend in San Juan Bautista, a town I recommend if you want to get out of the city for a day or so and see some of the great aspects of another kind of classic California. You can see the famous Mission, pick up some nice antiques, look for the local Oddfellows chapter,  have a chat with one of the chickens loitering all over town, try to match old pictures from postcards to their current locations, and end the night dancing to live music at Daisy’s Saloon.

If you happen to awake on a late, sleepy Sunday morning at either the San Juan Inn or the Posada De San Juan and wish there was an excellent brunch spot nearby, you may want to find your way to the corner of Third and Mariposa, to Mission Cafe. The inside looks pretty much as you’re picturing it.

Oh man. The brunch here. The eggs benedict was awesome with spinach, tomatoes and ham. Creamy hollandaise sauce all over the plate. The potatoes were less amazing, but good enough with the sauce.

Then there was the waffle and eggs special which also included bacon, hash browns and fresh berries. (Berries! Yes!) The waffle had some kind of extra almond flavoring. Both just under $10.

A special note of warning: there’s a rumor around the tiny town that Mission Cafe may be closing soon. Possible reasons varied, but if you find yourself in the area, go while you can.