Mission Mission

Pedro from Adobe got in touch to plead for help getting people excited about “reading” again. I was like, “People love reading!” And he was like, “But it’s not really reading unless they’re reading musty old bound stacks of stale paper!” And I was like, “I dunno man, times are a-changing.” And then Pedro hit me with a folding chair! And his buddies were all, “Die, blogger, die!” And then they all started kicking me, and I was begging for my life.

They agreed to let me go if I’d help publicize their little book sale. Whatever:

Adobe Books has been a sacred place for music and arts in the mission for over 20 years. It’s been having some rough times, so we’re trying to get people excited about reading again, esp. used books. It’s a $1-$5 dollar sale on selected books. We’ll have snacks, and we’ll be playing all our favorite lit-inspired songs.

Lit-inspired songs! Wheeee!!

But seriously, Adobe rules. RSVP and invite your friends here.

Open Space interviews Russian artist Anna Parkina, who appears at SF MoMA on Thursday evening as part of Noise Pop 2011:

Do you collect anything?

No. I have nothing to say about it. I don’t collect anything. Sorry.

[...]

What’s your favorite tool? Why?

I like tape. I very much like different kinds of tapes. I like glue, I like paper, and scissors.

What should I be asking you?

I’m Russian and when I go to another country, usually they ask me some questions about Russia and Russian politics and I’m surprised when it doesn’t happen this way. I would expect you to ask me this question.

Do you want to answer that question?

No.

Read on. Do read on.

Event info here. RSVP and invite your friends here.

How is that possible? Listen to this guy:

I found this on a rooftop next to a damp boxspring and a pile of bottles and cans and syringes. What it is? And why did I touch it?

If you’ve ever seen Rob Reich play accordion with Gaucho at Amnesia on Wednesdays or 1st and 3rd Thursdays at Tartine Bakery, you are well aware of his genius. He’s a brilliant improviser with an impeccable human-jukebox ear. Call out any tune to the guy, seriously. Overworld theme to Super Mario Bros. 2? No problem. Jump by Van Halen? Easy. Not only that, he’ll work it into a solo later in the night just to make you feel special. He’s so good that he’s been muralized in front of Amnesia.

Rob also composes the best original circus music you’ve ever heard for local troupe Circus Bella. After 3 years of performing his compositions at their live events he’s hoping to raise the funds to record a record with the Circus Bella All Star Band, which includes a bunch of amazing local musicians you’ve probably seen around. If you enjoy the music, consider donating to his kickstarter campaign. If you donate $10 you get a digital copy of the record. If you donate $250, hold on to your slide whistle, because you get to be on the record!

Here’s his composition Abigail’s Waltz for arial artist High Flyin’ Abigail Munn:

Here’s the kickstarter page, which contains a cool video of Rob describing the project.

Sometimes your BART ride doesn’t go exactly as planned.  Maybe it’s the end of a long week and you just want to get home as soon as possible.  Perhaps you’ve got somewhere you have to be at a specific time, like the airport or something, and you just have to get on this train or else.  Whatever the justification, for some reason public transportation has the ability to turn normally polite, civil folks into complete assholes only looking out for themselves.

Take, for instance, a recent trip I experienced this past Friday:

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So says this headline here:

[Photo by Talent Is An Asset]

Previously:

Free KKKatie Rally in Dolores Park

Always wanted to get together with your neighbors and some “Dolores Park community leaders” over wine and snacks to see some presentations and mingle? Dolores Park Works has just the event for you:

Please join Dolores Park Works and five Dolores Park community leaders for a causal, friendly mix of Dolores Park talk, wine and hors d’oeuvres this Thursday, February 24th from 7 to 9pm at The Summit 780 Valencia Street.

Our event features five high-speed presentations by charismatic Dolores Park heavy hitters who will inform, dispel and entertain in five minute bursts as 20 slides auto-advance every 15 seconds. Our Ignite-inspired presentation format is proven to be exhilarating for the audience and speaker.

- Scott Wiener, San Francisco District 8 Supervisor
- Eric Andersen, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Area Manager
- Nancy Madynski, Friends of Dolores Park Playground Chair
- Meredith Thomas, Neighborhood Parks Council Chair
- Peter Lewis, Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association Director
- Rob Lord, Dolores Park Works Chair

Sounds dynamic! Full details are here.

RSVP and invite your friends via the event’s official Facebook page.

POW POW!

Hey pal-of-ours Gabrielle Barber, how was your trip to that new pop-up deli?

The place was jumpin’ at 11 a.m. on Saturday – no doubt the result of the Gilt City coupon offered last week, giving diners half off their brunch or lunch purchase, including a pound of luscious, chocolatey babka to boot. The crowd was more Marin than Mission – again, Gilt City – but everyone seemed to be enjoying their hot matzoh ball soup, thick-cut corned beef and pastrami sandwiches on rye, and bagels & lox.

What’dja have?

Me and my guy pal ordered the Semitic Breakfast Sandwich: corned beef scramble on house-made rye toast with horseradish sauce and arugula. We also got coffee and our own personal pounds of babka, which we attacked with plastic knives as soon as we got a table.

Yum! Too bad about the crowd, but maybe it’ll local up in the weeks to come as coupons expire.

Thanks, Gabrielle!

[Photo by We Built This City, who took one look at that line and decided to split. A wise decision?]

Unattended! And methinks that’s unsafe, and that they don’t have the authority to do that, and that they were probably grabbing a slice at EFNY. Not very secure, Armada!