Mission Mission

The fine folks at Mission Bicycle Company were digging around in some public archives and came upon an awesome story. So they made a cool patch to commemorate it:

1894 found the United States in a deep depression. The infamous Pullman Strike crippled rail service west of Detroit all the way to the California coast, isolating San Francisco. No trains meant among other things, no mail.

In response, a bicycle mail route was organized totaling 210 miles, divided into 8 relays, and occupying 18 hours. The route offered to carry a letter via bicycle from one end to the other for $0.25.

This patch is a replica of the original stamp present on each letter carried. We retained the misspelling of San “Fransisco” for authenticity.

At least they didn’t call it Frisco! (Just kidding, that would’ve been fine.)

Check out this map:

Get your patch at the Mission Bicycle shop on Valencia, or online here.

Yeah, the “Jack Off” movement. You know, to stop Fifth & Pacific’s upscale menswear chain, not the other kind of jack, how dare you think I was making a lewd inference in order to get you to read yet another article about this company. Both Ammiano and former President of the Board of Supervisors Matt Gonzalez support a new appeal. The two are authors of the formula retail ordinance, and believe that the company has acted in bad faith, not holding a hearing and muscling their way in through technicalities.

But they love our gentrification!

Andy Blue sends in the press release, describing the next steps to keep the shop out of the Mission. Full text after the jump:

JACK SPADE OPPONENTS RETURN FIGHT TO CITY HALL
WITH EXPANDING SUPPORT FROM POLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS

Author of formula retail ballot measure, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano:
“Jack Spade has operated in bad faith”


Matt Gonzalez, Aaron Peskin; Supes Campos, Avalos,
and Mar support the appeal.

SAN FRANCISCO –– Backed by the original drafters of San Francisco’s formula retail ordinance, the coalition fighting to stop designer menswear line, Jack Spade, from opening a new store in the Mission District, heads to City Hall this Wednesday, October 9 (City Hall, Room 416, 5:00pm) to request a rehearing before the Board of Appeals.

(more…)

Last week’s Drink of the Week, which as of last week was still in need of a name (in light of the Virgil’s Sea Room tradition of naming signature cocktails after notable San Franciscans), has a name now! Wikipedia explains:

José Julio Sarria (December 12, 1922 or 1923 – August 19, 2013) was an American political activist from San Francisco, California who, in 1961, became the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States. He is also remembered for performing as a drag queen at the Black Cat Bar and as the founder of the Imperial Court System.

[...]

Sarria became the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States when he ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1961. In 1964 Sarria declared himself “Empress José I, The Widow Norton” and founded the Imperial Court System, which grew to become an international association of charitable organizations.

Read on.

(Thanks again, Paul!)

Whenever I see a cool car around the neighborhood, I take pictures and send them to my pal Eric up in Portland who runs Other People’s Things, my favorite car blog. He responds with some knowledge and we post the results here and it’s called “Car Beat.” Here’s what Eric has to say about this sporty little ride:

That is one nice Fiat you found. It’s a late model Panda, but that’ could mean a lot- this bodystyle was made from 1991-2003. It’s also the “4×4 Trekking” model, which puts it in the the hall of fame of amazing 4WD subcompacts alongside the Subaru Justy, Toyota Corolla All Trac, Civic Wagon, and the Panda’s Russian cousin the Lada Niva.

While I am no expert when it comes to import laws, this car poses a bit of a mystery if its legally tagged, as it is newer than 25 years old, which technically makes it illegal to drive in the United States. Nevertheless, it’s an an eccentric’s dream car, slow, (relatively) reliable, durable and Italian. That’s not a combination that you hear too often. Love that grille badge as well, it almost makes up for those ridiculous Italian graphics on the rear quarter.

Thanks, Eric! Gosh, I love sporty Fiats.

Meligrosa sent along a cool card she made that you can print out and stick your proof of voting sticker onto:

She adds:

hola all;
I made this little card for the United States 2012 presidential election, which is tomorrow Tuesday, November 6th.
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! Laminate it, bike it as a spoke-card, postcard it, read as bookdivider Etc.

// Get the (4x) set per letter-size sheet on Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/112253114
Print › share › use them as you’d like.
xxom

And we all know where to vote, right?

It’s election season, and even though we take it for granted around here that California is gonna vote Obama, it’s not necessarily that simple in other states around the country.  In some places (ahem, Florida), new voter restriction measures have even made it more likely that many citizens (a high proportion of which are minorities) may not be able to get their votes counted.

The only way to move towards preventing these kind of shenanigans is to educate ourselves, and the best way to get started on that is to come out to Artists Television Access on Valencia this Friday to watch Struggle, a film by Roger Hill about what happens in U.S. elections when the forces of racism, corruption, technological manipulation and old fashioned ballot-box stuffing coalesce to deny Americans their right to vote and steal elections.

RSVP and invite your friends here, and check out all the details including the trailer below:

Struggle is a case study of the 2004 Presidential Election in Ohio, the deciding swing state which delivered the presidency once again to George W. Bush.  Diligently researched by the key contributors to the film, Struggle is a bold film that challenges the legitimacy of that Presidential Election and brings the entire U.S. electoral process into question.

(more…)

The gals from Rice Paper Scissors showed Vice TV’s Eddie Huang around a few Mission locations recently, namely Duc Loi Supermarket and and Sun Fat Seafood.

He ranted a bit about the state of Asian food appreciation in the United States, then they grilled a bunch of shelled and tentacled creatures on the street while sitting in their signature plastic red stools. The food wasn’t served up with one of RPS’s controversial $4 artisanal smoothie shots, but rather with a Tecate topped off with a ring of Sriracha around it’s mouth. How’s that for fusion cuisine?

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLSf6rpLfvs

It’s cool to see the presence of Mission Asian businesses getting a nod. Which, in my opinion, is an often overlooked aspect of the ‘hood.

Eddie, says the next episode is about burritos, so stay tuned.

Caesar is gone. Here is an excerpt of the statement from his pal Eric published here last week:

Caesar was a family member to everyone who worked at Serpentine, and a friend to dozens of other cooks and restaurant workers in the City. Serpentine ran, because of Caesar.

He came to the United States 6 years ago, in hopes of providing a better life for his family back in the Yucatan. He worked numerous jobs is kitchens around the City, and quickly became a legend among kitchen crews. Not only was he a selfless gentleman that would go down in flames with any kitchen crew; he also was the guy to call if you needed something. If you needed a fill in line cook, dishwasher, cleaner, whatever, Caesar was the guy to call.

A beloved member of San Francisco’s restaurant scene fell victim to violence during Monday night’s brawl. His friend and colleague Eric Ehler would like to say a few words:

Long time Serpentine cook, Caesar Chuc, was attacked at 16th and Valencia, on Tuesday morning, at around 2. The only thing we know is that he was somehow involved in a brawl, and was found unconscious, and with no pulse. He was rushed to SF General, and is hanging on with life support, however he is not expected to make it.

Caesar was a family member to everyone who worked at Serpentine, and a friend to dozens of other cooks and restaurant workers in the City. Serpentine ran, because of Caesar.

He came to the United States 6 years ago, in hopes of providing a better life for his family back in the Yucatan. He worked numerous jobs is kitchens around the City, and quickly became a legend among kitchen crews. Not only was he a selfless gentleman that would go down in flames with any kitchen crew; he also was the guy to call if you needed something. If you needed a fill in line cook, dishwasher, cleaner, whatever, Caesar was the guy to call.

We’re praying for you, Caesar, and even if you pass, your legend is going to live on.

Thanks, Eric. Pull through, Caesar.

SFGate says: “Anyone with information about the fight is encouraged to contact San Francisco police. Callers can use an anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text with SFPD.”

Huh, maybe Fox News is turning over a new leaf? What’s next — maybe they get super into gay marriage??

Anyway, MCF appears on the Fox News piece “Top 10 cheap eats in the United States“:

Mission Chinese Food offers some of the spiciest, most creative Sichuan-inspired cuisine in San Francisco. Diners line up early for dishes such as Thrice Cooked Bacon, Kung Pao Pastrami, Tingly Lamb Noodle Soup and Mouth Watering Chicken. It’s good, hot (seriously hot if you aren’t careful) and honest food created with quality meat and produce.

Honest! Good! Hot! …Yup!

[via Mission Street Food]