Mission Mission

Apparently the advertising department at Apple enjoys Tartine Bakery & Cafe.  I just hope they never get hip to Bender’s.

(link – Thanks Karen!)

In other news, styrofoam coolers are the new jam.

This week NPR’s Latino USA highlighted the Mission Asset Fund‘s six-month-old program, Cestas Populares, that helps recent immigrants establish or improve their credit history by institutionalizing peer-lending circles.  Given that 44 percent of Mission households lack a credit history, it is interesting to see how a local non-profit is helping solve the problem.

(Link – Scroll down to the second article)

You can only imagine my surprise when I spotted someone walking around Marysville in a Mr. Pickle costume.  I even had the driver of the car I was in do a lap around the block so I could get a second look.

So, when will the Mission get a human-being Mr. Pickle?  Sure, the costume-pickle does not have a sombrero and holsters full of mustard and mayo, but it would make for a much more interesting hostage situation.

Philipp emails us regarding the scene of fireworks at 16th and Albion last night:

“Around last call on the night of the fourth some hooligans launched fireworks from my corner (yay!) and eventually aimed at cars (nay?). Police rolled up but couldn’t find the launchers as they were dodging around in the crowd and no one pointed them out.”

If you look closely, you can actually see a firework bouncing off the hood of an SUV around :45 to-go.  It also sounds like they were also tossing them at cyclists.  Weak.

(Watch in HD)

It appears that there is a new bar getting ready to open at the corner of 22nd and South Van Ness.  It also seems that they may even have a second floor for additional drinking capacity (think: the perfect place to drink while clandestinely watching for prostitutes and johns).

John Agoncillo nailed this shot on César Chávez Day at 24th and Mission.

(link)

Spotted by jerhodes on 14th and Valencia.

(link)

Capp St. just continues to amaze.  The other night, around 1:30am, there was quite a commotion on the 700 block of Capp.  Looking outside my window, I notice that a number of my neighbors have their heads sticking out their windows staring down the block.  Suddenly I spot a vehicle that is parked perpendicular the flow of traffic with its high beams on two males punching each other.  By the time I stuck my head out my window, one of the guys has his hands around the other and is attempting to choke him.  Fairly disturbingly, the chokee goes between groaning and yelling “get your hands off my neck!”

Finally the guy being choked gets his foot on the other guy’s stomach, pushes him off, and they resume yelling and fighting standing up.  After a couple of minutes of punching, kicking, choking and pushing, I find my camera and start filming (tragically the film was too dark and could not be brightened, but you can still hear the audio).  The car that was parked, highlighting the show for all the on-lookers, apparently became bored and drove off.  For another two minutes, they proceeded to fight and the guy who was formerly being choked has had hit shirt ripped off.

After being knocked to the ground once again and enduring another round of choking, the chokee escaped, running down Capp St. wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.

Amazingly, the other guy decided not to flee the scene!  Instead, he stood around playing with his cell phone for another minute until a number of cops showed up, put a spotlight on him, cornered him, began questioning him and searching the area for weapons.  Inevitably they let him go.

In spite of all the onlookers, no one seemed very willing to jump in (myself included).  Talking with a few neighbors revealed a common fear: getting stabbed for helping out.

I thought this “thrift-store formal” was a joke when I first learned about it, but apparently there will be a vegan prom next weekend in the Mission.  Luckily there will be an open bar so you can drown away the memories of not having a date in high school.

In other news, I cannot wait for the upcoming “Carnivore Middle School Dance.”

(link)