Mission Mission

At this point car wins, I think.

In any case, this is a Spoke Monster?

Just taking an early morning walk.

Go Giants and . . . Violent J from Insane Clown Posse??

Outside of Mission Bar.

Check out I Know Alyssa Jones, a lot of really cool street level pictures of the city, each one telling a story.

Including some in Santa Cruz. (represent!)

I only wish I could click the pics to see the full sizes.

The little rats in The Secret Alley have been madly scurrying about to prepare for two amazing weekends of Halloween. Up first – tonight! – musicians will play some amazingly creepy music for you. Tomorrow (Sat.) we will scare the old fashioned pants off of you with some 16mm monster movies from a time gone by.

Both nights you will enter through our recently haunted laboratory lobby, and try to shield your eye, yet remain transfixed on the wondrously strange art that hangs from the walls. Surprises are in store. Come see for yourself.

(file photo of MBC brunch)

According to Zagat Buzz the owners of Mission Beach Cafe (who successfully turned a retro furniture store into an upscale brunchy-dessert spot) are looking to turn the former Ebb and Flow (and Craig’s PLace [sic] before that, etc.) into a another brunchy-dessert spot.

Having an upscale brunch place on the corner of 18th and Guerrero seems to make sense – there isn’t a real brunch restaurant in that little area (unless you walk one whole block and go to Luna Park for your beer in a bag, that’s right, I’m still not over that) and people love to spend money on food there. But on second look, I’m not so sure. The new restaurant will focus on vegetarian food (sounds good, getting that Real Good Karma Cafe crowd back down the hill) and seafood (didn’t work out so well last time) as well as specialty desserts (across from Tartine??) on a corner that locals have long considered to be cursed. Who cursed it and what their motive may be is unknown (to me), but nothing seems to stay there very long. I guess we’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, what should they call it? Something boring/annoying like Guerrero Gulch Cafe? What about Cursed Corner Cakes?

Yesterday morning at around 8:45 I was on my way to work, sitting on the back of the 22 Fillmore, when I noticed a kid sitting across the back bench from me acting really weird. I looked over and sized him up to be about a high school freshman, maybe 13, African American, with a backpack next to him, and a bagged tall boy in his hand.

He was moaning loudly and it looked like his head was too heavy to keep above his body. He kept awkwardly shifting himself around, knocking into the walls of the bus. I leaned over to him.

“Hey man, are you okay?” He looked at me, not really able to get his eyes to focus on mine.

“Huh?” “Are you all right?” “Yeah, yeah.” He smiled with his eyes closed. “I’m cool.” I reached over to him “Well, you’re gonna spill your drink, let me get that for you.” “Nah, I got it.” And his head smacked against the bench seat. He quickly jerked himself back up. “Okay, I know you’ve got it, but I’m just saying, me, I wouldn’t mess with that stuff.” “I know . . . it’s just soda.” “Uh huh.” “I’m cool . . . thanks for your concern.” He tried to drink it but was having trouble getting it to meet with his mouth.

From www.drinkfour.com/

I didn’t want to be giving him a lecture or anything, but he was pretty out of it. “Okay, well lemme just get that from you.” “Oh! I think I have to get off here! I gotta get to school. Okay, hold on.” He took a huge gulp and handed it to me. I looked at the can, watermelon flavored 4 Loko. Caffeine, taurine, guarana and the alcohol of 3 beers. “Thanks, man.” He said and stood up to get off the bus, taking one step that took him right down to the floor. “I gotta get off!” He yelled as he crawled to the back door and down the steps. The bus drove away and I looked out the back window. He waved at me and then stumbled off.

I don’t think it takes a lot to prove that colorful, fruity sweet alcopops are marketed to kids. And I know that high school kids do stupid things. I did. But this made me pretty sad. Brown bagging it on the back of the bus early in the morning. He reminded me of a lot of guys I see on the bus every day. I don’t mean young urban professionals trying to look edgy in Luna Park. I mean old homeless people.

Drawing you in and shutting you out.

Previously seen at The Elbo Room.

Doc Pop is teaming up with Mission: Comics & Art for an art opening tonight (10/16) from 6-8pm, and while you’re gawking at his art, the Doc will use you for his new music video. Here’s the official explanation:

Beeps and Smudges is the newest album by San Francisco artist/musician Doctor Popular. For the album’s first music video, we are shooting in the gallery at Mission Comics and art, and we’d love to invite you to be an extra!

Doc is creating an entire series of artwork to go along with the show that will be hung in the gallery of Mission Comics for just one weekend. We need folks to come and fill the space between 6 and 8pm. As thanks for helping out, Doc will give art out to everyone who attends. This art will PROBABLY be copies of Doc’s newest 24hr Comic Book “Space” as well as free copies of his new album.

The comic shop is at 3520 20th Street, just West of Mission. Stop by. It’s never a dull time when Doc Pop’s at the wheel.

Here’s a preview of the song, made on an iPhone!

[bandcamp track=2733343458 size=venti bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB]

(Presidio Bowl by Thomas Hawk)

A few weeks after hearing that some high end exclusive club (that also happens to let you bowl for a small fortune) plans on opening in SoMa* Paolo Lucchesi tells us that Brooklyn Bowl might be planning to open a new location on Mission Street. Unlike Berkeley Bowl**, Brooklyn Bowl actually has bowling.

Taking a look at the Brooklyn Bowl website, I’m  wondering how much less of scene this place is. I guess it’s unrealistic to just want some lanes and a pitcher of beer. The food looks good, realistically expensive. $25 bucks for half an hour of bowling. Not too bad, I guess, if you’ve got a bunch of friends. But is this place cool? Can you go there without spending a week’s paycheck? Can I wear a white t-shirt? Do you have to come straight from Medjool?

Anyone been there? Is this what people want to have on Mission Street?

*Seriously, no white t-shirts? You open a bowling alley and kick out the rockabillys and greasers? I get that you don’t want poor people, but someone has to actually throw some balls down some lanes at some point, right? Or is it really just decor? What if I come dressed in a bathrobe or a purple jumpsuit? No, you’d throw me out. I have to bowl in a dress jacket? But I bet it’s all right if I unbutton it enough to show most of my chest, as long as a white t-shirt isn’t covering my chest hair.

**That’s right, Berkeley Bowl, I haven’t forgiven you for kicking me out just for tossing frozen tofurkeys down the aisle at a row of soy milk bottles!