Mission Mission

I don’t think I like this: the space previously occupied by Papa Potrero’s Pizza on 24th and Potrero will soon be “Wok and Go”.

It’s not that I have a problem with Chinese food or puns. In fact, if I ever open a Vietnamese restaurant I plan on calling it “Phở- geddabout it!” or “Banh Mi? Banh YOU!” (Just to be clear, it will also have a mob theme. Servers will wear track suits and slicked-back hair.)

It’s just that most puns are based on an existing phrase or premise. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the term “Walk and Go”. A simple Google search confirms this. May I suggest, “Go for a Wok”? “All Wok and No Play”? Can’t go “Wong” with those.

Woah. So that’s what it sounds like when an entire neighborhood groans simultaneously.

[via annagaz]

Previously:

Mission Pizza Parlor Actually Closes

This is one of those things that I can’t believe is happening right here in our neighborhood.

First of all, have you seen the documentary Genghis Blues? It’s about a blind bluesman from San Francisco named Paul Pena who taught himself how to Tuvan throat sing from scratchy cassettes that he recorded from his radio. His obsession eventually brought him to Tuva where he participated in their annual festival and befriended the best throat singer in the world, Kongar-ol Ondar. It’s really an amazing and moving documentary that you should get on your Netflix queue right away (after checking Lost Weekend first, of course).

Well TONIGHT, Saturday January 22nd, Kaleidoscope will host the Genghis Blues Review featuring Kongar-ol Ondar himself in a rare US appearance. Sadly, Paul Pena is no longer with us, but you might just get the next best thing, our own Mission bluesman Seth Augustus, who took care of Paul and learned the art of throat singing directly from him.

GENGHIS BLUES REVIEW: Rare US appearance by Tuvan throatsinging master, Kongar-ol Ondar, co-star of the Oscar nominated film, Genghis Blues.

Also on hand will be cast members Ralph Leighton, Roko Belic, Lemon DeGeorge & Tony DeCicco as well as musical guest Seth Augustus.

A night of live music, travel stories, and film excerpts with out-takes from Genghis Blues and never-before-screened footage of Kongar-ol Ondar and Paul Pena performing in Japan.

SHOW STARTS AT 9PM — goes until 11pm SATURDAY JANUARY 22nd

$10 all ages

Tickets available online:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/148474

Check out Paul Pena and Kongar-ol Ondar tearing up some Tuvan blues:

Is it just me, or do HDR photos look like they are screenshots from upcoming Xbox games?

Zul.is.it has this and other amazing San Francisco HDR shots on his Flickr.

If I was better at Photoshop, I’d throw a 1950′s postcard style “Greetings from… the Mission” over this baby, but you’re just going to have to use your imagination.

A little background on this lovely photo from Chris Garcia:

Sheng Wang took this photo of local comedians at Dolores Park last summer.
Pictured Left to Right: Donny Divanian, Alex Koll, Kevin Munroe, Chris Garcia, Emily Heller.

If you don’t remember Chris, you probably ought to see his hilarious stand-up bit on the Mission we posted a while ago.

Local filmmaker Christopher F. Smith has a new project that deals with something that we’ve discussed much on this blog: if graffiti and street art are in fact “art”, and thusly imbued with value, how seriously should we enforce the laws that exist to prevent it? Despite the rhetoric that a lot of commenters take on our site, (for and against graffiti) I really don’t think it’s that black and white for any of us. Check out the teaser below, learn more about the project here and consider helping them along and getting in on the debate.

KilRoi Was Here

[Photo and post title by Jason Schlachet]

Our buddy Joshua remembers it, because up until a couple days ago, he was a DJ on beloved local terrestrial radio station KUSF. Presumably he will someday be a DJ on beloved internet radio station KUSF.org, but c’mon, that’s nowhere near as romantic. Below, Joshua shares his thoughts on this week’s troubling events:

I woke up the day KUSF was pulled off the air to a frantic phone call
from a fellow KUSF DJ named Michelle. First thing I hear her say is
they knocked off Howard (DJ Schmeejay) while he was on the air & then
changed the locks on the doors to the station. I ask Michelle where
she was, to take a breath & go a little slower. She says that
transmitter is gone, sold by the school & none of the DJ’s are being
let back inside the building.

Looking back now it seems like a parody of itself, the last bastion of
rock n roll radio being turned into some nightmare dentist’s wet
dream, the fruition of our labors given way to a classical music
station. The phone call launched me out of bed into a mad rush in
search of answers. My e-mail had overflowed, emotions bursting through
each sentence, letters of anguish, disgust, confusion, condolence.
Sifting through the electronic ashes I discover that the deal had been
made behind closed doors, non-disclosure acts were signed to prevent a
public backlash, yet press releases were sent out ahead of time.
Before anyone I worked with even knew our radio station was being shut
down, the media was finalizing stories about it.

So what then? What could I do, there was still more e-mail to read
through, more calls to make & return. Already two of my fellow DJ’s
were on the case, stampeding through the campus, demanding
explanations and some sort of justification for abandoning the
community. Their questions were rebuffed and I can only speculate as
to what the true cause of any of this is. Money gets talked about a
lot and I don’t know where the truth ends and opinions begin. I do
know that the people who were the heart of the station will remain
active throughout the city’s social scene & that there will always be
room in this town for the dedicated and passionate.

I listened to DJ Schmeejay’s show on the KUSF archives, the last show
to be broadcast on 90.3 FM. A more than fitting though somber way to
put an end to the beast, taken by surprise at its finest hour. The
very moment when the music turns to static resonates oddly in my mind,
I ask myself if I had seen this coming. I don’t mean to say I question
why this happened, this is the story I’ve seen happen so many times
throughout music’s history, be assured those that must will continue
on.

There is one thing that the other DJ’s keep saying to each other that
I’m intrigued by, that we’re all going to have to stick together.
Knowing how much time and effort goes into keeping strong one of the
pillars of the bay area’s music & cultural scene, I don’t know exactly
what the effects of the loss could be. It could be considered a shame
the way they pulled KUSF off the air but I think it could also maybe
get people’s attention about the current state of music in general.
There’s enough people out there that’d like to see something done –
figuring out how to do it in a way that best suits the needs of the
community will be the next step.

My attention’s got. What’s next?

SFist has all the details of the sale of KUSF right here.

Join Save KUSF if you like.

[Photo by Joshua too]

It was only a matter of time before this sort of mashup monstrosity was conceived.  We already have the Chinito (R.I.P.) and the Korrito, so logic clearly dictates a Japanese version as well (Vietnam gets a pass due to its sandwich prowess).

Although it may look puny in the photo above, the Sushirrito weighs in at well over a pound and comes packed with salmon, tuna, shrimp, and all sorts of ingredients you might expect plus some chipotle alchemy to keep things interesting.

The only downside is its location at 59 New Montgomery by Market.  Way downtown, yet well within bike range I suppose.  Anyway, the place just opened, so if you happen to be down there, it may be worth checking out.

More about it on Thrillist here.

(Thanks Anthony!)

Pleated-Jeans has the right idea!

(Via Meredith)