We’re always super excited by the prospect of closing street access to cars in favor of pedestrian thoroughfares to help promote community engagement, and the proposed Mercado Plaza on Bartlett between 22nd and 21st Streets is no exception.  On that note, the Mission Community Market is hosting a meeting tonight in the Women’s Building at 6pm for you to tell them what you think about it:

Thanks to YOUR support, we secured funds for the Mercado Plaza project. Now let’s see what the future could look like at an open house hosted by the San Francisco Planning Department, Department of Public Works, MTA.

Improvements could include new pavement, safer sidewalks, market stalls, better lighting, street graphics, a marquee, and more. But it all depends on your input! Please come and tell us what you think!

Mercado Plaza Open House
Wednesday, May 29 6:00-7:30 PM
The Women’s Building, ROOM A3543 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

Check out all the details here.

UPDATE!!! Apparently I was mistaken and the proposal actually isn’t to close the street to car traffic permanently, but rather to make it a better public space; safer, cleaner, and with a better street/sidewalk.  So, to reiterate, the plan is NOT to eliminate all parking and all car traffic, but it’s still gonna be rad!

It’s been lying dormant during the cold, cold winter, but the Thursday Mission Community Market at 22nd and Bartlett is coming out of hibernation early this year:

For the next three months, we’ll bring you a small but mighty weekly market, so that you don’t have to wait until April to get all your favorites from our wonderful vendors. Starting on January 17th you can enjoy the following goodness, rain or shine:

• Produce from Blue House Farm, Twin Girls Farm, and K&J Farms
• Freshly caught & smoked fish from Coastside Farms
• Local cheese from Achadinha and Spring Hill
• Ravioli, pasta, & spreads from Home Maid
• Olive Oil from California Olives & Olive Oil (bi-weekly)
• Nuts from Winter’s Fruit Tree
• Delicious baked goods from Marla Bakery and Flour Chylde
• Peter’s Kettle Corn
• Dinner options from 4505 Meats and Roli Roti (plus Onigilly bi-weekly)
• Espresso, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks from Get Goes Mobile Cafe
• Unique screen printed tees, onesies, and more from Animal Instincts

Don’t forget to RSVP and invite your friends here!

How did they manage this?  My fashion instincts say it’s just a bunch of fabric cores and some giant rubber bands, but my scientific proclivity wonders how they got all the bees out.

Uh oh.  Too soon, way too soon.  RIP Hayes Valley Farm Bees

[Photo from MissionCommunityMarket]

Civic Center has one.  Embarcadero too.  Hell, even the Castro and Noe Valley have their own!  Fortunately, the arbitrary injustice that prevented the Mission from holding its own farmer’s market ends this Thursday.  Formerly available only to those unafraid of braving the underground and its ridiculously long line, the Mission Community Market makes its long-awaited debut this Thursday from 4-8pm at Bartlett Street between 21st and 22nd. 

And it promises to be more than just a mere famer’s market, offering live music, mural painting, craft vendors, and even Capoeira!  Think of it as an organic, edible indie mart with a taste of traditional Mission culture thrown in, along with food carts from the La Cocina stable (and plenty of snarky Mission bloggers).  While some have pondered whether we really even need another farmer’s market in SF, allow me to be frank in my reply:  As if!  Let’s hope this ambitious weekly event becomes another fine Mission institution!

[Photo by Pete Su]