Mission Mission

Last summer I was walking by Lost Weekend Video and saw a sign in the window that read “Herzog/Kinski T-shirts!!!” I ran right in only to find that there was nothing left but women’s small. Epic bummer.

Luckily, they did a second run a couple months ago, and I’m now a proud owner of the above Maria Forde masterpiece.

Raised on a farm in Iowa, Maria made her way to San Francisco and sampled several other neighborhoods before settling in the Mission. Among other things, she likes the warmth, the sun, Lost Weekend, Aquarius and the library.

The drawing-portraits-of-movie-directors-for-video-stores thing started back in Iowa City, but has blossomed right here, thanks initially to a friend who worked at Lost Weekend. Maria produced a series of pins for the store, and found that her cinematic tastes meshed well with those of proprietor Adam Pfahler, who then asked her to do an official shirt.

She’s now done a Polanski, a Peckinpah, and the Herzog.

“I liked the idea of connecting to people who shared my love of movies, in a neutral unpretentious place,” Maria says, “And also making something that I care about art wise but turning it into something that someone can afford to have.” And that’s the thing. I rarely go to art galleries and I never go to video stores. But this special piece of art compelled me in.

I bought one for me, I bought one for a friend, and we’re both enjoying them thoroughly. Then I looked Maria up on the internet, and got in touch. “Those folks at Lost Weekend are so genuine and thoughtful and just… good people,” she told me, “Everyone should go there and get movies.” And now I’m seriously considering eschewing Netflix and Hulu the next time I feel like a little cinema.

Tonight, Maria debuts new work at another neighborhood institution, Needles & Pens. Maria asked 10 of her friends to give her some advice and then she drew them. The result is an exhibition called Advice Portraits. Also, as part of her effort to better understand life, she spent some time last month with her grandmother and her neighbors at their retirement home. She found that they knew a little something about life. Longview, the resulting zine will be for sale.

Shirt photo courtesy of awww damn.

Natalie just sent us a secret message:

magic curry kart again, Friday night same place, 8:30 till 11, byob

Update: Magic Curry Kart is on Twitter, right here.

Previously:

Brand-New Mission Hotspot: Magic Curry Kart

Rick Abruzzo got in touch to tell me about some upcoming free pancake thing at El Rio, and then he’s all oh and by the way, “ANTHONY BOURDAIN WILL BE AT PCR STUDIO EITHER 21ST OR 22ND END OF MARCH* TO START A SHOOT FOR AN SF NO RESERVATIONS” (double emphasis added).

Oh my god, right? Who doesn’t watch Tony’s show the whole time wishing he’d come do an episode about super burritos and chicharrones and bacon-wrapped hotdogs and perhaps certain other local street-food outlets?

Rick continues, “I know the story arc is his on-going war with vegans. Wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to torch Herbivore, slander Millennium or bitch about the price of Greens.”

Uhh, what about Cafe Platitude? I’d love to see Tony try to order an I Am Jack’s Raging Bile Duct.

And for that matter, I’d love to see Tony have a picnic in Dolores Park with Meave.

In any case, he’ll for sure drop by Pirate Cat for an “early morning appearance to try [their] Bacon Maple Latte and bitch about vegans on the air.”

Rick, thanks for the tip, and PLEASE steer Tony toward everything great (and great to vilify) about the Mission.

Tony’s Travel Channel blog is here.

Photo of Melanie Dunea‘s photo by Dulamae.

*UPDATE: Source says date range may have been too specific.

Poetry from the delicate flower that is Valencia Street:

Paxton’s Gate – w4m – 21 (mission district)

I was seriously considering buying a fox tail.
You were behind the counter, occupied with a pile of rocks.

My friend and I were admiring the collection of beetles when you asked if I had gotten my shirt at Thrift Town. I said that I had and you told me that you had almost bought it and that I looked good in it. I thanked you and walked awkwardly away to fiddle with the ostrich eggs while you disappeared into the back room…

My friend and I lingered for a bit near the venus fly traps hoping you’d reappear, but you never did.

Let’s go thrifting, handsome.

Link.

Related:

Will Craigslist Buy The Chronicle? at SF Appeal.

Paxton Gate official website.

There’s a great discussion going on in the comments section of Tuesday night’s Inner Mission Beer Parlor Is No More post.

On the bar’s new website, they list their phone number as “Mission 8-4104″ (Mission meaning “64″ or “MI”). This led to some discussion about the old days, and then Guero and Johnny0 got into talking about the once-prevalent Mission accent, which apparently was kind of Brooklynish.

Read all about it.

Back behind Best Buy. Click to enlarge.

Want a permanent public park out front of Ritual? Cast your vote tonight!

Mission Streetscapes Plan.

[via rachel ann yes]

Tonight the Bay Area Video Coalition hosts a reception for a new exhibit called 5 Blocks, for which photographers were asked to submit works taken within five blocks of their home, school or workplace.

On display will be pieces by Plug1 and Plug2 of WHATIMSEEING dot com.

Link.

Just received an interesting press release. The owners of beloved neighborhood watering hole Inner Mission Beer Parlor have decided to get more into the whole brevity thing. From the official statement:

The bar underwent many transformations in the 80’s and 90’s – El Trobol, Shotwell 59, and Thieves Tavern – before transforming into Inner Mission Beer Parlor, named by current owners David Hall and Tom Madonna, in 2006. “Very much the place we wanted to own, but the name Inner Mission Beer Parlor was a mouthful,” said Mr. Madonna. “We wanted to honor the history of the place but felt like four words in our name was three too many, therefore a name change was in order.”

Shotwell’s opens April 1st.

Previously:

Shotwell Stroll

Shotwell Bummer

Among many other hot deals, you can get Where to Invade Next by Stephen Elliott or Wholphin No. 5 starring Zooey Deschanel for just $5 each! Link. (Thanks, David!)