Mission Mission

Even though the SF bike coalition has put a ton of painstaking work into creating a thoroughly-detailed bicycle map of the city, it can appear pretty daunting to anyone glancing at it while trying to plan a riding route, and just plain overwhelming to newbie riders looking to adopt cycling as their primary means of transportation.  Fortunately, longtime cyclist Mat Kladney noticed this and decided to create a map that makes bicycling from one end of the city to the other look as simple as following a straight line:

“Need to get from Downtown to the Bernal Heights? Just follow the Blue Line,” he says. “This simplicity will re-frame the existing San Francisco bicycle lanes as the San Francisco Bicycle System and will help convince more people to saddle up and take to the streets.”

Instead of contoured lines denoting hill grade or the inclusion of every single city street, the map ends up looking like a subway system map, with popular routes like Valencia’s “Green Wave” called out.  So, the next time you’re trying to figure out the perfect route to that bike picnic at Baker Beach, just pick a color or two a ride!

[Link to map, via The Atlantic]

Easy peasy!

Watch the whole process here:

In anticipation of an upcoming Drama Talk & Drinks review of Porgy and Bess, Katie and Brittany got to chat with the cast and crew, here’s their report:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1LAOQKwD54

When we got invited to a pre-show event for Porgy and Bess, opening at SHN’s Golden Gate Theater, we weren’t sure what to expect. We were, however, told there would be free drinks, so of course we went. This special event for SHN subscribers and Press, featured a talk from the Director and one of the show’s producers, as well as a sneak peek behind the scenes of a tech rehearsal. For press it also featured a speed-dating-like round robin of interviews with the Cast and Creatives. Crammed into our little post-it assigned space in the back of the theater against the wall between “Fashionista Lab” and “The Bold Italic”, we had 5 minutes with each interviewee to get the important questions answered. We were pretty nervous, since this is not the kind of thing we usually do, but we are always down for potentially humiliating and awkward yet interesting situations. So we prepped like any speed dater would, and rehearsed our 3 burning questions to get the conversation started: Why are they excited to be in our great city? What’s it like to work on Gershwin’s iconic American folk opera? And why should people come see it?

After some drama talk and drinks here are the highlights from our dates.

Interview date #1: ESosa (Costume Designer who was featured on Project Runway Season 7)

On SF: What I like about SF, coming from New York, is that it’s a walkable city and I love to walk. And the food here is amazing!

On The Show: As a designer I like to work on new things so Porgy and Bess is the first revival I’ve ever worked on. For me theatre design and fashion design are two sides of the same coin and I approach it the same way. I want to make my characters look good, feel good, and be able to tell their story.

Interview date #2: Roosevelt Andre Credit (Fisherman)

On SF: I was born and raised in Oakland and went to Skyline High School. I now live in New York, so I’m excited to be back in the Bay.

On the show: What Diane Paulus (the Director) did was take the opera, which is four and a half hours, and made it short enough to go on Broadway, because you have to have a show in three hours or less. We really wanted to focus in on the story and this story definitely translates to today.

Interview date #3: Kent Overshown (Mingo, the Undertaker, u/s Porgy)

On SF: I grew up in Oakland but I moved to New York 3 years ago but I wish I was still here honestly. I’m not a fan, but it’s where the business is most lucrative, but there is nothing like the Bay Area.

On the show: Unlike most theatre this isn’t about the spectacle, it’s not about this grandiose thing. It’s not above life, it is life. It’s about community. How we communicate with each other, how we struggle together and the challenges we face together. How we celebrate together as well. I think it’s an important story because people feel alienated by the theater especially young people but this is our story and they need to see it.

Interview date #4: Nathaniel Stampley (Porgy)

On SF: This is my first time here. I’m loving San Fran already [Ed. Note: Oops.], I was so excited to hear we were opening the show here. There is so much history and culture here, it’s such a great city.

On the Show: I think the biggest thing about this production is we are introducing this show to a younger audience and I think it’s in a way that they’re going to absolutely love. It’s two and a half hours. I think any night you are listening to Gershwin is a good night. If you have ears and you are alive you are going to love this show.

The Verdict: Our speed-dating-like round robin of interviews was fun but (let’s be honest) stressful. If we had to chose our favorite date Brittany would chose Kent, because who can say no to that deep seeded Bay Area love and Katie was all about ESosa because he’s into the amazing San Francisco food just as much as she is.

The Drama Talk: Based on the very little we saw of the tech-rehearsal, and our conversations with the actors, it sounds like this is a very fresh and real take on this beautiful show. We’re excited to see it and report back to you soon.

The Drinks: SHN knows how to treat their subscribers right. Open bar before a sneak peek tech-rehearsal? Yes please!

Via reader Ben.

Maybe it escaped from Paxton Gate?

[Thanks, Ben!]

UPDATE: The plot thickens, from Mishka SF . . .

@missionmission or maybe it’s our security system.

— Мишка San Francisco (@mishka_sf) November 12, 2013

Queens of quiz return! Shotwell’s, tonight, 8pm. Food at 6pm.

RSVP and invite your friends!

Listing to people passionately argue if Dolores Park is #dolo or #dopa

— Michael Margolis (@yipe) November 10, 2013

Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.

- Nabokov (but you knew that)

P.S. On a side note, Nabokov actually references our Dolores in Lolita, when his protagonist, Humbert Humbert, remarks “Mission Dolores: Good title for a book.” And indeed it would have been for him.

Kyle Lesley is a San Francisco audio engineer, social activist, and all-around excellent human being. He is also a person who was recently diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. Given that he has helped out countless folks in the city’s independent music scene with his know-how, it only makes sense that a bunch of musicians got together and decided to throw him a party this Sunday at El Rio to help pay for his treatment and some other necessities.

From 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. this Sunday, Nov 10, a donation of $5 to $20 gets you five bands and a DJ, plus, you know, everything else good that’s usually at El Rio (alcohol, a patio). If you’re lucky, Kelly McFarling will do some Whitney.

(Original painting — that will likely be part of a raffle — by Eunice San Miguel.) (The photo below is just Kyle being Kyle-like.)

By a Mission Mission commenter named “speculator”:

mad cause me not afford nice place

mad at make neighborhood rent more

not mad at hardworking family guy

not mad at make shitty redundant liquor stores nice places

= confuse

With ya, buddy. Read the original post and the rest of the thread if you require context.

[Completely unrelated animated GIF by C'mon Pony]

Well, Chef Eric of Seoul Patch has you covered:

As many know, I’ve been working on my ramen for a a while now. For the latter of the past 3 years, it has just been a side thing, but for the past year, I’ve really been honing in, on my game.

To kick off the Autumn weather, and the shorter day’s, I’ll be serving Sapporo style miso ramen. It is going to be warm, thick, hearty, and straight up. Not messing around with this one.

There will only be one bowl on the menu, but The Galley SF, will also have their offerings, as well!

Miso Ramen$15
-caramelized miso
-burnt scallion
-charsiu de coppa
-corn
-butter
-medium egg
-scallion
-chili oil

This party runs 5pm to midnight, or until the 35 servings are gone, so get there early! RSVP and invite your friends!

SFist reports:

Noted Mission eatery Andalu will close out a 12-year run on the corner of 16th and Guerrero at the end of the year, Inside Scoop reports. Taking its place will be a new Chinese dumpling and noodle joint called Chino, from the guys who brought you Bar Agricole and taco mini-chain Tacolicious.

No more Andalu! Read on.