Mission Mission

Our pal Sally from CurbedSF sends this our way and wonders:

Haven’t we moved onto Simpler Times or some shit?  I should get a Trader Joe’s neck tattoo.

Indeed!  Trader Joe’s neck tatoos and chest pieces for all!

(Thanks Sally!)

Not that park you’re thinking of if you just glanced at the title, but nonetheless another important location in the neighborhood that Mission residents of many diverse cultures and proclivities all utilize cooperatively. I’m talking about Mission Playground, which is slated to close for renovation starting Monday May 9th and continuing well through 2012.

As it is, Mission Playground caters to the Latin American community by hosting epic soccer matches nightly, provides recreational activity for restless toddlers and a spot where couples actually trying to raise a kid instead of a dog can reliably go, and offers both basketball and tennis fanatics courts on which to get their game, among many others.

I’ll definitely miss the place, but hopefully it can come back from surgery better, faster, and stronger.  I wonder if the pool will stay open? At least we’ll still have the sunsets!

I always employ the former when pronouncing ‘Valencia Street,’ and as far as I can recall most other people do as well. So hopefully you can understand how taken aback I was upon hearing the auto bus stop announcement aboard Muni instead use the latter.  Now I’m all out of sorts over the matter.

If you think I’m foolish for even thinking about trusting Muni’s onboard speaker system, I point towards exhibit A:  its flawless rendition of Gough.   Surely it can’t be right in this case though?

It’s going to be a Mediterranean place, and it’s on Valencia near 20th St.  I dig the arches.

This guy deserves a drink.  He just installed the chandeliers.

The old feud.  Who will win?  Parking in the Mission is a nightmare.  I had a car when I first moved to the neighborhood.  After my first week living here, I had amassed 3 parking tickets and quickly decided that having a car in the Mission is a luxury reserved for royalty and visiting heads of state.  Many years of bicycling later, I’m quite pleased with my decision, even if day trips to Point Reyes are a lot more difficult to pull off now.

All has been quiet at this mysterious apartment on Valencia at Liberty since their botched escape attempt, so naturally I was intrigued as to what this latest piece of gadgetry might be.  If you’re too lazy to walk by yourself, there’s a few closer looks after the jump:

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If you’ve never experienced the magic that is Hard French, the wildly irreverent courtyard party thrown at El Rio on Saturdays, then you clearly aren’t doing this whole “livin’ in the Mission” thing right.  Luckily, this Saturday is your big chance to ameliorate that transgression, as Hard French is teaming up with Stay Gold and Mango to throw the most hella gay dance party afternoon of the year (so far) from 3-8pm.  Not only will there be rad jams and most likely a glitter kiddie pool, but your admission ($7-500 sliding scale) will help save the Dyke March which is in danger of being cancelled this year (and possibly forever) due to serious financial difficulties.  Check out all the deets here.

You’ve been warned, so don’t screw it up this time.

[Photo by Primo]

Recently, six porta potties appeared at the entrance to Dolores Park, more than doubling the number of restroom options previously available.  The effect has been tremendous, with bathroom lines reduced dramatically, even during yesterday’s Hunky Jesus extravaganza.  And now dedicated boyfriends no longer have to prove their affection by waiting with their significant others in the girls line!

So, has the city finally figured it out? Are these now a semi-permanent fixture in the park until the long awaited Dolores renovation project constructs completely new ones?

If not, then they’re totally blowing it.  For now, enjoy the convenience and the cleanliness! Seriously, these are some of the cleanest porta potties in which I’ve ever set foot! And they smell nice too! Kind of like flowers! So much so that I exclaimed as much upon entering, and the woman using the one next to me agreed, “Isn’t it delightful?”

It sure is. Enjoy it while it lasts!

In homage to the internet’s most popular bunny rabbit, Pickles the cat demonstrates his hidden talent.

When asked about his discriminatory treatment, the puppy dejectedly replied, “I thought they would be happy sashimi.”