Mission Mission

Flickr wizard GrimReynard brings us this eerie shot of the mission at 9am on January 1st 2010. I think the commenter Whole Wheat Toast puts it best with: “Dang, it’s hecka empty!”

Still waiting for KevMo’s aftermath pix.

A fortnight ago, we were delighted by the sudden appearance of miseltoe all over the mission. This week Christmas trees are taking it to the streets. But unfortunately, this is not as fun. You can’t really make out with a stranger under one without getting covered in pine needles. They just sorta get in your way while you’re walking.

Most trees just crash out on the sidewalk like some marina transplant that had a few too many drinks before being kicked out of Kilowatt for grabbing girls. (Hey side story: I actually spent the day in the Marina yesterday and found it to be quite lovely. Great food, beautiful scenery, and Bro-douchery was minimal at best. I did hear a group of dudes refer to a really cute dog as a “panty-dropper” which sorta broke my heart a little. On the other hand, I heard some other guy on the bus use the term “warm up” for what I call “pre-party” and I’ve been using it ever since. Anyway, on to the tree):

Or some folks just let that tree crawl away itself. Look out! Conifer crossing! (Valencia & 15th)

Hey, even dead trees need some of that good ‘ol H20. Check out this guy in a stylish plastic winter coat straddling a fire hydrant. Tampering with city property just for another sip? Tsk!

This tree always had bigger dreams. Traffic safety dreams. Some might call it a hero. (22nd and Bartlett)

But I think the most creative tree disposal comes to us courtesy of 1337 h4x0r and all around swell guy Mr. Eric Sir. This tree is the perfect muni stop companion. No idle chit-chat, no seat hogging, just a pine-fresh scent while you wait.

Unfortunately, it also seems to be a piss magnet. What is it about human nature that makes it so appealing to piss next to plants?

See you next year, trees.

Mission Local‘s own Armand Emamdjomeh joins the ranks of Julie Michelle’s official San Francisco residents, as the newest subject of I Live Here SF. Read about his journey and check out Julie’s great pictures featuring Armand and the sexy Mission District back alleys.

Speaking of Julie, you should also check out her efforts to gather diapers in support of HAMO (Help A Mother Out), explained here, on her blog.

Who should be the next I Live Here SF subject? I vote for Johnny0.

Many things will end today. Many things will begin tomorrow, blah blah blah.

Anyway, today is the final day for the now famous Mission District photographer Dustin Diaz’s Project 365. Since the very beginning of 2009 he’s been taking at least one picture a day and posting them to his website. Along the way he’s become the Mashable Flickr Photographer of the year, and inspired thousands of kids to run outside at night and take pictures of out of focus lights. You can call it bokeh.

Here’s a self portrait of Mr. Diaz from day 100. He’s expected to post the final shot sometime before midnight tonight.

I would be missing the big picture here if I didn’t also include the “strobist info” that follows many of his shots, detailing his process.

I shoot the Mission at night all the time, but my stuff is nothing like his, so it’s nice to see him be willing and even excited to demystify the process for us.

Check his Flickr photostream for the final shot of the year.

If there’s one mama bear to all not-really-a-dollar-stores, it’s gotta be Giant Value on 22nd and Mission. I always find myself staring at it while waiting for the 49 bus and I snapped this sweet pic of it’s glorious façade over the weekend.

I honestly don’t understand how these businesses are sustainable. First of all, you got ten more shops on the same two block radius selling the same stuff. Secondly, that’s got to be one of the biggest buildings in the mission and rent can’t be cheap. With prices hovering somewhere near a dollar the profit margins can’t be that high.

It’s got to be a front for something. Maybe they are smuggling carne asada to the east coast.

Oh, and the Yelp reviews about the place are pretty hilarious. Not amazon.com wolf T-shirt reviews hilarious, but still a good read:

“…here you can find home pregnancy tests that actually work for $1.49!!!  Because sometimes you need more than one test.”

“Granted there’s something a little off about their brands of breakfast cereals (does Tony The Tiger have pinkeye?)”

“…shop there before the hipsters infiltrate and buy all the jesus belt buckles and cans of pabst lite!”

“…it’s fun to buy something completely written in another language and just hope it does what you think it does.”

BTW, still no takers on that mission theater. Can’t one of you dot-com cash-outs buy it and open a theater full of couches that serves the People’s Beer and  plays awesome movies like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters?

The future of advertising: deadpan, nonchalant. Yeah.

SoCha Cafe on Mission and Valencia.

P.S. Did you know “SoCha” is short for “South of Chavez”? Barf.

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(Photo by Potential Past)

Photo from Flickr user natu®e //.

Digging this photo from Troy Holden.  The only thing that could have made this better is if the camera he used was a Motorola RAZR.

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