Mission Mission

Our pal Daisy, longtime proponent of the Upper Haight, has finally had enough:

You know how you can talk crap about your family, but if someone else does, it’s totally not okay? That’s kind of how I feel about everything I’m about to say. See… I’ve lived in the Upper Haight since 2006. And I’ve been going to Haight St since I was a teenager. And sure, maybe that’s not nearly as long as a bunch of other people who live in the ‘hood, but it’s long enough for me to know that where I was once enamored with the street, I now pretty much can’t stand it.

Don’t get me wrong — there are a lot of great things about the Upper Haight: Magnolia, Alembic, Amoeba Records, Aub Zam Zam, Murio’s Trophy Room, Hobson’s Choice, Best of Thai Noodle, Off the Grid, The Booksmith, Second Act… I love all of those spots and wish I could regularly patronize them. Unfortunately, in order to get to any of them, I have to actually set foot on Haight St. Which, I’ve recently realized, is just not something I want to do anymore.

Read on for a whole heap of specific reasons Daisy doesn’t want to set foot on Haight.

(How long do you reckon it’ll be before I’m writing a listicle about being done with the Mission?)

[Photo by Google Maps]

It’s been 5 years since Jay Reatard died at 29. I made a list of Jay Reatard memories to post on Tumblr and then I realized it’s all very SF-related, so:

• Going to a Lost Sounds show at Bottom of the Hill in ‘03 or ‘04 and being TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY
• Listening to the original version of “Oh It’s Such a Shame” when he first put it up on MySpace and being TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY
• Seeing him at the Knockout on his first solo tour and being bummed the set was only like 14 minutes long
• Seeing him at Delta of Venus (in Davis) and laughing when the set was literally 10 minutes long
• Skipping his last-minute show at 12 Galaxies in ‘08 (with openers “The Ohsees” and Ty Segall) because I had tickets to see Digitalism at Mezzanine (—‸ლ)
• Being totally blown away by my cousin Jojo’s totally impromptu “Death Is Forming” cover
• Crying at the end of “Better Than Something” when it premiered at the Roxie
• Crying at the end of “Better Than Something” when the Roxie brought it back a year later

Who the fuck is Digitalism, am I right? Anyway, long live Jay. Here are a few more links and a video:

Here is a Mission Mission post announcing the semi-secret 12 Galaxies show in ’08.

Here is the short obituary I wrote in ’10.

And here is the story of the making of the “Better Than Something” poster my pal Al Pal made for the Roxie. (And if you haven’t seen the movie, see the movie!)

And how about some video of Jay rocking the Knockout? It’s really dark and the sound sucks, but, that’s basically what it was like seeing him at the Knockout:

[Epic photo of Jay performing at the Hemlock by Jake Thomas]

So claims Chef David Chang, basically, in a new editorial for Lucky Peach:

What’s happened to ramen in the past decade is a microcosm of the larger food world. In 2003, when I was working at Café Boulud, the other cooks and I used to go down to wd~50 after service just to look at the menu and try to envision what the food might look like. That’s how it used to be before the Internet; you would still go to restaurants, look at their menu, and just imagine. You’d order ramen books from Japan and wait weeks for them to arrive, so you could pore over the photos from across the planet.

Now the Internet’s changed everything. People can get all the information they want instantaneously, and that has killed innovation in ramen.

The Internet exploded in the 2000s, and with it came the ramen boom in Japan. Suddenly, ramen became the very establishment it once stood against. A variety of magazines and websites arose, solely dedicated to ramen. Everyone could learn everything about it. Anyone can read the Lucky Peach ramen issue and possess information that’s taken decades to develop and accumulate.

Great, first the internet ruined San Francisco, now it’s ruined ramen. Thanks a lot, internet.

Read on for more gripes and stuff.

Trippy.

[via Ginny]

Or perhaps he’s just pissed that Kurt Cobain’s suicide note just became a t-shirt.

Either way, he still wants his Asics back.

Chain and the Gang is the latest project from Ian Svenonious, a true rock ‘n’ roll legend. And they’re playing at a little local club right here in the Mission. Check it OUT!

Here are a couple of my favorite jams by them:

RSVP and invite your gang!

Different times. Let’s play a game: everybody close your eyes and spend a few minutes imagining what your life in SF would’ve been like back then. Just zone out and theenk about it……………..

[via Emily Proud]

…The Bold Italic made you a list. Here’s what they have to say about the Upper Haight:

Street Taco is such a breath of fresh air in a neighborhood that shouldn’t have to suffer from burrito mediocrity! The Upper Haight is already home to El Faro and Zona Rosa, both aggressively average taquerias, with Zona as the slightly better option. At Street Taco, the tables are clean, the chips are warm, and the Al Pastor comes straight from the spit. Enjoy some Mexico City street food from an establishment where you won’t have to avert your eyes from the health rating on the wall.

Read on for lots more recommendations. (Or just stay in the Mission.)

[via Gray]

Another gem by Ticklefight (author of Elbo Room Rap and Muni Rap):

New Year Rap Up
The year is here, my check just cleared
Cook my burger, make sure it’s seared
I like my Vienna wieners with catsup packets
Went to Thrift Town got 5 new jackets
The streets are ruff, the ladies are tuff
4 a.m. poker, don’t call my bluff
Stroll down Bayshore get some Jack
The Box is hoppin, tacos 2 to the pack
All in all the triple five is alive
My ponytail is loose and I gotta hot wive

[link]

[Photo of Lou Reed jacket at Thrift Town by Mission Mission]