Mission Mission

In case you’ve heard, the 3rd annual Mission Holiday Block Party is this Friday, from 5-10pm.

Not only is this a good night to score some deals from some of your favorite stores on Valencia, it’s also a great cheap night out if you manage to hit up all the locations with free drinks. SF Fun Cheap has a good run-down of the specific offers.

Before you go and call that irresponsible parenting, note that she kept both brakes. See you on Potrero Hill, Xenia!

[via Mission Bicycle]

Maybe there’s something to this whole intelligent design thing because Darwin is clearly wrong about these guys, who filmed themselves bombing Portrero hill and blowing stop signs on fixed-gear bikes.

BikeSnobNYC had these bits of commentary gold to offer:

I’m not sure why you’d make a video like this and put it on the Internet unless your goal is to figuratively urinate on the graves of every cyclist who has ever been killed by a motor vehicle through no fault of his or her own.

Ouch! And:

You’d also think that, in a city like San Francisco, climbing hills quickly would be the true measure of cycling prowess, but I guess water and stupidity always find their own level.

Great idea. Anyone want to start making some impressive “reverse hill bombing” videos? Let us know. We’ll meet you with the cameras (these may be cell phone cameras) at 22nd and Church.

[SFWeekly via BikeSnobNYC]

SF native and hip hop artist Dregs One just started a series of videos called “The Wake Up Report“. The first subject? Mission and Fillmore gentrification. Oh boy, here we go again.

Nothing too new here: he drops the H-Bomb a couple of times, there is a cameo by the Bay Area Derailleurs, and some extremely awkward interviews with inarticulate folks in Dolores Park. He doesn’t get too nasty towards transplants, but it seems like his big beef is that the new folks don’t really make an effort to integrate into the community or learn it’s history. I assume opening your fancy restaurant on Valencia street doesn’t count as integrating and debating which Taqueria invented the Mission burrito doesn’t count as history.

I’m fighting back my gag reflex as I post this.

Reader Seth writes:

I bought these gems in New Zealand earlier this year

Anyone in New Zealand now want to help us import a 24 pack of these for the next Mission Mission giveaway? Let’s talk.

Chow posted a very long article on Mission Chinese Food.

One point of interest for me was that it describes the fate of the beloved Chinito. My mom’s theory, being a Chinese restaurant owner herself, was: “It was probably just a pain in the ass to make.” However, it turns out the “Chinese Donut” element of the dish had to be purchased in the morning in Chinatown and they just didn’t feel right about serving it after it had been sitting out all day.

Read all about the chefs, their spicy-as-fuck food, their weird relationship with Lung Shan, and more over at Chow.

Update:

Oh hey, Chow also has the recipe for Chef Bowien’s Explosive Chicken Wings. They claim it’s better than it’s inspiration, from Chinatown Szechuan joint Z & Y. A bold claim!

What better way is there to you show that you’re down with hyper-local clichés than sporting this handsome T-shirt?

It’s available tomorrow at True SF on Haight.

[via DJ Josh B.]

Hot tip: the corner of 19th and Valencia gets great wifi from a well-placed monkeybrains.net antenna. On top of that, the trash bin makes a great laptop stand and dog anchor. No need to buy a cup of coffee for the priviledge, either.

Any other good spots?

[via honeyjets]

Bummer, songkick did an analysis of rock shows per capita (that means per-person, you know) and San Francisco isn’t even on the chart. What’s the problem? This is a major city that is full of awesome bands.

I can tell just from observation that there is not as much as a music-going culture here. I can throw out a couple of my theories:

1. New venues being shut down by neighbors before they have a chance
2. A lack of all-ages underground shows
3. Poor accessibility
4. People aren’t bored enough

What’s your theory?

[via Dangerous Minds]

Chris Garcia wrote this set just for you.

Update: Chris performs at the Dark Room on Mission b/t 18 and 19th every Wednesday at 8-10pm as part of the Business. He recommends pairing this with a burrito and Whiskey Wednesdays at Benders.