Mission Mission

Just don’t say you live in the Presidio, because that would be a loooooong ride. On the other hand, it’s a lot easier for wasted people to puke over the side of this contraption than out the window of a cab.  Of course, perhaps you might be inclined to skip the cab altogether and simply take a nap on the hood of a parked car instead.

Yeah, I know we still have Indian Summer, but let’s take a moment to acknowledge a great joy of the coming of Fall – leaf crunching.

Just look at that leaf. Lying there with its sides curled up like that, just waiting to be crushed. It almost looks soft, but I guarantee you it’s not: it’s crisp as hell. Lay down a heavy foot and feel the crunch, hear the crackle. From there you can hop to the next. In some side streets right now you can walk a block just crunching as you go. Regular walking, who needs it? Get out there and crunch some leaves before I get them all.

Caution: Some leaves hide undesirables beneath them, such as poop.

(Thanks, Rebekah!)

After 15-something years of sitting there just collecting wheatpastes on its facade, it’s open — as a western store. But apparently all they have in stock is ’80s and ’90s western wear, so expect a lot of acid wash. Anyway, hurray!

(Thanks to Heather for the initial report, I think, and to Jess H. for reminding me.)

Tag made Idaho. What can you make?

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No joke, that big ol’ place on Valencia between 18th and 19th (that used to be that hippie school the New College) is about to reopen its doors as a world-class New Orleans-themed concert venue (called Preservation Hall West) and restaurant (called the Chapel), and tickets are on sale for shows just a couple weeks away, and, boy, are these some doozies:

I kept that last one in there to show that this place won’t just be music for old folks (sorry, Elvis, but it’s true). This is big. Rock ‘n’ roll on Valencia Street in 2012. Get tickets and see the full lineup here.

Our pal TK is responsible for breaking this news btw. Here he is wondering why there hasn’t been more of a fuss:

Apparently without anyone really noticing, what appears to be a fairly major venue is going to open in the Mission relatively soon. Why isn’t this getting more coverage? I don’t know, maybe it is and I just haven’t noticed.

Read on for more commentary, an architectural rendering of the soon-to-open businesses, and some quotes from an informative Mission Local article from a couple years back.

Basically, to the reader who predicted way back in 2008 that this building would become condos: close but no cigar, buddy!

[Photo by Google Maps]

Is this really what it takes to keep neighborhood miscreants from making off with your potted palm tree? Aren’t those things already kind of heavy enough? To be fair, I suppose that anything that’s not locked down in the Mission can be interpreted as up for grabs!

The other day we asked for some good fancy cocktail-related anecdotes, and this one, one of the highlights, takes a wild look back in time:

I once sauntered into the legendary Odeon Bar (where the Knockout is now) and asked Flash the bartender to make me the fanciest fancy cocktail he knew.

He poured me a shot of Fernet, then he hopped up on the bar, dropped his pants, put a lit bottle rocket between his cheeks and fired it clear across the room.

RIP that place, am I right?

[The above photo, of Flash behind the bar at the Odeon, by Mike Kepka of the Chronicle, was the first result of an image search for "odeon bar mission sf ca"]

The league just put up a tasty new website where you can register for the fall season, plus there’s an event tonight at Dear Mom:

Okay, everybody. The fall season begins on October 8th (and goes six weeks) and if you register by the end of September, you get early-bird pricing on league dues! Just $50 per person (or $200 per team) for the full six-week fall season! (You can have more than four players on your team’s roster if you’d like to be able to sub out some weeks.) Register (and get more info) here: http://sfberlinstyle.com/

OR… come to Dear Mom tonight and register in person (we’ll have a credit card swiper on hand) and stick around for a few hours of Berlin-style ping pong action!

(You can come play tonight even if you’re not gonna register for the league, but it might cost $5.)

RSVP and invite your friends!

SFist reports:

[T]he big “You’re Not Welcome Here” remains pretty well visible, post-power-wash, on the sidewalk.

We feel sad for the early buyers at this building at 14th and Valencia having to read that every time they walk out the front door. They’re just people like you and me! They’re welcome to purchase condos and artisan denim just as much as the next wealthy hipster!

Read on.