Mission Mission

Yep. It was going to be called Triton City. Cracked explains:

Triton anticipated a lower maximum population of just over 100,000 people, and was also to be the first fully organic city, complete with a desalination system to re-circulate ocean water. Schematics for Triton were sent to the United States Navy’s Bureau of Ships, to check it for “water-worthiness,” stability and organic capabilities, then off to the Bureau of Yards and Docks to see whether or not they could even build this thing, specifically at the cost they had projected. Both Bureaus gave the thumbs up, and the Navy’s cost estimate came within 10% of Buckminster’s. And that’s probably the craziest part of Triton: At every stage, it was going to work.

So why aren’t you living in a floating metal pyramid, mocking the ocean and all her impotent fury? Like all things, you can probably blame Lyndon B. Johnson for that: The plans had taken too long to get approval, and by the time they did, LBJ left office and took all support for the idea with him. He even took the Triton City model when he left and put it in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum. You guys didn’t play nice, so he just took his futuristic water-city and went home. [link]

Bummer! (Although it’s probably for the best; today we don’t have to watch blog trolls complain about Triton douchebags invading the Mission.)

[via husk.org]

The Bay Bridged just published a sneak peek at the forthcoming new album by Still Flyin’. Here’s what they have to say:

Earnest indie rockers Still Flyin’ have released two new singles — “Travelin Man” and “Cleat Talking” — from their upcoming release On A Bedroom Wall, due out May 22.

“Cleat Talking” is a minimalist song revolving around a simple bass line and a sweet little chorus about Steven Hawking and changing the world.

With a twist on the opening line of an Allman Brothers classic (“Lord I was born a travelin’ man”), “Travelin Man” gently rocks as Still Flyin’ croon about love with a New Order touch.

New Order touch! Yes! Listen here.

Shouts and Frowns has a bone to pick:

Today two hipsters screamed out of their window at my Dad to get out of their way on Valencia street because he was driving a bit too slow while looking for parking. I OF COURSE screamed back and first thing my parents said were “Don’t do that even if you are in the right because in America everyone has guns and they’ll shoot whenever they feel like it”. Mission hipsters with guns? I kinda doubt it. I bet this two douchebags’ okcupid profiles said they love peace and ethnic food.

Ha! I bet that’s true! Anything else?

I won’t have said anything if I were driving through Bay View or Cow Palace or something…

Yep. [link]

Carolina is my Spanish name.

Parkgoer Gabriella had the pleasure:

That scruffy man constantly selling and yelling “cold beer” at Dolores Park decided to sit next to me on a bench today. He told me how he’s only dated Asian women for the past 25 years, how to make homemade LSD, and that Sid Vicious was the lead singer of The Ramones. [link]

Sounds good to me! (Oh and here’s a cool picture of Sid Vicious we posted a while back.)

[via Wooster Collective]

Taquerias in the Mission are obviously great and all, but how many of them are wearing their own sombreros?

Lemme know if you want it back.

Famed local booze blogger Camper English recently called out San Francisco bar owners and bartenders for their increasingly generic cocktail bars and menus:

As bartenders have figured out what works here (drinks with bitter flavors and fresh ingredients, but not too many) and what doesn’t (molecular mixology), they’ve played it increasingly safe with each new venue that opens. The new cocktail programs are great but they invoke fewer original ideas. Bartenders in up-and-coming cities have no such pre-fixed notions of what works in their market yet, and often take more creative risks both in the bar design and in the drinks. Now our local bartenders need to look outside the city for good ideas to incorporate and build upon.

I’ve noticed this trend as well, but I don’t think it’s specific to San Francisco. Now that there’s a fancy cocktail bar on every corner the hipper areas of major cities, you’d expect an increase in variety and creativity. Instead, bars seem content to ride the wave of cocktail obsession by offering unadorned classic cocktails at high and rising prices. Subbing out an ingredient for it’s schmancier equivalent (like using Cocchi Americano instead of dry vermouth) seems to qualify as an innovative variation. The design and styling of each new bar consists of as much hardwood as can fit in the budget while hopefully leaving room for funny outfits.

The issue is that while customers get more educated, the offerings are getting less impressive and more generic. Adding to the problem, there is so much demand for skilled bartenders that the people making these cocktails, at least in my experience, don’t always know what they’re doing. (Tip: if your bar is designed to look like a speakeasy, don’t muddle an orange into your Old-Fashioned.) In short, there’s often not a lot going on that I can’t do at least as well at home.  It’s sad because in most cases there are a lot of creative people and not enough venues, whereas in this case there are plenty of venues but not enough creativity.

Sometimes I wonder what we are going to do with all these neighborhood bars that have been overly remodeled to look like libraries when the bubble bursts and two thirds of them go out of business. Maybe we can turn them into libraries.

[Illustration by Joan Horne]

Reader and commenter D. Jon Moutarde said the other day, “Y’know, the best burrito is the one you learn to make yourself. Just sayin’ y’all.” I was skeptical, so I replied, “I’ve been making burritos myself for about 25 years and I’ve yet to get anywhere close to the best Mission burritos. What’s your secret?” And here it is:

You really want to know?

1. Go to the place that sells what you consider to be the “best” Mission burrito, and order one. If you can watch them assemble it, so much the better.

2. DO NOT eat it; take it home and disassemble it carefully. Take careful note of your burrito’s ingredients and make a list of them. If you think of any items that might enhance the awesomeness of the burrito, in your eyes, add them to the list.

3. Buy all the ingredients on your list, bring them home, prep them as necessary, and assemble new burritos — for a party of four, if you’re feeling brave. Stand back and bask in the pride.

The only tricky parts are the tortillas and meat. You want the freshest tortillas possible — if you’re not ready to make them yourself, then scout around for stuff that looks like it might be extra-local. And how far are you willing to go with the meat? Safeway has already-cooked carnitas, and Duc Loi has ready-to-grill carne asada that will cook in about 10 minutes… or you could get some trash cuts with lots of connective tissue cheap and slow-cook it for a few hours until it falls apart. The world of meat is vast and wonderful.

The essence of cheap “Mexican” food is that it is so easy that a trained monkey could make it — that’s how it stays cheap! Its ingredients are more-or-less separable; it’s not something like a soup or cake where it can be difficult to figure out what’s in there. All you need is confidence, taste, and a systematic approach to production.

Simple enough. But I still wonder if there’s some bit of magic that goes along with mass production that gives Mission burritos an extra boost. (Also, I wish I were as talented in the kitchen as a trained monkey.) Thanks, Jon!