Mission Mission

Our pal Stella from SF MOMA says:

If you are in the mission tonight (let’s face it you never leave) come by Galeria de la Raza and watch some rad artist videos (and eat el metate and drink beer)

Done and done! And according to Stella’s Instagram, apparently at least one of the videos addresses the issue of class warfare. Read more about the event here.

Dang. You know it’s bad when neighborhood news outfit Mission Loc@l is in danger of getting gentrified outta the Mission.

Our rent is going up and although we love our current office, we have to find a new home for Mission Local. So we thought who better to ask for help but our loyal readers? You know the neighborhood better than anyone else and we’re hoping that if you hear about affordable offices in the area, you could send us an e-mail at missionlocal@gmail.com. We’d be forever grateful!

So, any leads? Drop them a line.

[via Mission Loc@l]

Local photographer marmotilla snapped this pic. Here’s the story:

I was walking down Valencia Street when I saw a little bird on the ground. Apparently he had fallen out his nest. I asked a man to go get a ladder so I could put the baby bird back. When I climbed the tree I found these guys asking for food like crazy. I don’t know if the tiny one survived. I hope he did. [link]

For years, we’ve been wondering when you might be able to get a decent pierogi in the Mission. (Old World does a good job, but they’re a truck/pop-up, so you can’t always get it when you want it. They have a couple of Hanukkah dinners coming up btw.)

Now, perhaps the time has come. Grub Street last week broke the news:

A new pierogi restaurant called Stuffed is making its way to the small shop space that currently houses Mission Sub (2788 Mission between 23rd and 24th). Grub Street catches the news this a.m. and some further digging reveals that owners Dana Sacco and Andy Schoengrund have been developing their pierogi bar concept for a number of months now. We’ve reached out for some further details and an opening timeframe (it will obviously be 2013) and will let you know as soon as we know more.

And today they published a first look at the menu:

Traditional Pierogi
Potato, farmer’s cheese, cheddar cheese. Served with onions and sour cream. Bacon-wrapped option.

Veggie Pierogi
Potato, portabella mushroom, spinach, goat cheese. Served with parmesan cheese sauce or pesto sauce.

Pulled Pork Pierogi
Seasoned slow cooked pork with walnut butter sauce and fontina cheese.

Salmon Pierogi
Potato with cream cheese, smoked salmon. Served with butter and lemon juice sauce and dill.

Lamb Pierogi
Ground lamb with Mediterranean spices with a goat cheese center. Spinach dough, and served with hummus sauce.

Spicy Buffalo Pierogi
Potato with blue cheese, pan-fried in spicy Buffalo wing sauce.

Breakfast
Pierogi topped with eggs Benedict with plain potato or chorizo potato fillings.
Bacon-wrapped option

Daaaamn.

[Image via Eater SF]

As someone who used to ride it daily, I can say that Market and Valencia is definitely one of the most stressful intersections for a cyclist. This major vein connects a lot of the city to the Mission, and the turn to Valencia involved a gulp-inducing left hand triple lane change within half a block. On one hand, it trained me to be a bit more assertive with my signaling and lane-changing, but sometimes trusting that cars aren’t gonna just mow you down anyway isn’t too much fun.

This has also lead to some nasty biking habits. Sometimes folks would give themselves a lead-in in the middle of the intersection. Others would run the red light when it was clear out of impatience. Hey, I’m no saint. I’ve done those things too. We can all be better.

The above pictured “turn pocket” was installed in the last year week as an alternative. It takes a chunk out of the curb to let forward-heading cyclists to proceed while left turners could chillax and wait for the signal.

The SF Bike Coalition is wondering what you think about it. Have you even used the thing? Is it counter-intuitive to head right to turn left? Is it slower than braving the turn lane? Go ahead and voice your concerns at their survey.

[via sfbike.org]

[via SF List]

Is this bad for your bike?  Because I did something like this and now I’m worried about the whole thing crumbling from rust or some shit like that.

[Photo by Jeff Elder via SF Citizen]

Daniel Quagliozzi wants to help your cat.

Kittens have an enormous power over me. So much power that I willingly BART to Union Square every December, push my way through the packs of tourists and shoppers, and put my nose up to the window of Macy’s to gaze upon them against a seasonal, festive backdrop. I love those SPCA kittens. And I’m not the only one: The SPCA set up a pop-up adoption center at Macy’s for those who want to add a fluffy little addition (dogs included!) to their family. But once that kitten gets out of the fabricated winter wonderland and into your apartment, it might engage in some not so precious behavior. Biting, scratching, pissing on your brand new shoes (my cat did this once–I cried), attacking your significant other…Your kitten is more Stripe than Gizmo and now you’re regretting that adoption. Don’t freak out! Call Daniel Quagliozzi, your neighborhood cat behavior consultant.

Quagliozzi, who has worked at the SPCA as a cat behavior specialist for over a decade, started the Go, Cat, Go! consulting service to help cat guardians deal with these sometime difficult critters. You might be familiar with the Animal Planet show, My Cat From Hell, in which a tattooed “Cat Daddy” named Jackson Galaxy comes and helps distraught owners figure out why their cat is misbehaving and how to help them solve the issue. Go, Cat, Go works similarly except there are no TV cameras and Quagliozzi has “immaculate” hair.

By actually going into the cat’s environment, Quagliozzi can figure out why your cat is acting like a little hellion. For example, one time he was asked to help a cat that was peeing everywhere but its litterbox. When he made his initial visit, he noticed that the cat was immensely stressed out and knew that was the source of its problem. By working with the owners on how to interact with the cat and read its body language, he was able to help both the cat and its owners.

“Cats don’t live to please you, they live to exploit you,” said Quagliozzi. “They don’t come out of the womb knowing about petting.”

If you’re thinking about getting a cat for the holidays, Quagliozzi warns that although cats are easy to take care of, you must be involved with his or her enrichment. In other words, pay attention to your cat! If he or she doesn’t have the right toys, he’ll find other things to lash out on (like your arm). He also offers this gem of cat wisdom:

“Don’t take it personally if the cat does things that aren’t appropriate. He’s not peeing on your bed because he hates you–he’s doing it because his litterbox isn’t up to par.”

The Tartine Line, traditionally known as 18th and Guerrero, floods when it rains like this. Our friend Jenny sent us these pics of the current state.

UPDATE:

Here’s another at 18th and Valencia from kowitz on Instagram.

UPDATE 2: The block is totally clear of water and it’s sunny out. Go out and play.