Mission Mission

Plug1 was talking about the “vertical earthquake” problem recently, and while it’s most apparent closer to downtown, the Mission gets its share of little tremors. The latest is a 50-foot luxury condo complex planned for the corner of 18th and Valencia. When the thing goes up, views of the above mural will be obstructed forever. Tomorrow is the final appeal. If you’d care to voice your opposition, aLittleDisplay’sBlog has all the deets. Link. (Via Curbed SF)

Photo by Kari Orvik (part of a series commemorating the threatened view).

Reaction to yesturday’s post regarding Zeitgeist turning into a Borders calls to mind the decades-old gentrification question in the Mission. One of my favorite places to take visiting family and friends who are not used to the grittiness of Valencia Street is Ramblas. The drinks and tapas and atmosphere here impart the attitude of the Mission (conversations, drunkenness, vitality) while the upscale nature of the restaurant provides respite from puke-stained streets and bathroom stink.

This morning, SFGate‘s The Inside Scoop reported that Ramblas owner Ron Silberstein (who also owns SoMa restaurant-brewery Thirsty Bear) acquired Cortez, a restaurant with a Michelin star (!!!). I can’t wait to see how it goes — hopefully some family will find their way into San Francisco sometime soon so I can have some organic Thirsty Bear ESB with my lamb cheek.

Link to SFGate story.