Mission Mission

The Mission Holiday Block Party is tonight! If you haven’t been to this, it’s basically like Halloween except you go to local businesses instead of houses, you don’t have to say anything to get treats, and the treats are often beer and cookies. Oh and I guess there’s sales and shopping if you need to do that. Last year it was a wash (literally) because of the rain, but it should be good this time around.

Looks like most of the participating vendors are on Valencia between 14th and 24th, not actually on Mission St. Bummer, I was hoping to score some extra bargains at One $ Only and Giant Value.

Dang. You know it’s bad when neighborhood news outfit Mission Loc@l is in danger of getting gentrified outta the Mission.

Our rent is going up and although we love our current office, we have to find a new home for Mission Local. So we thought who better to ask for help but our loyal readers? You know the neighborhood better than anyone else and we’re hoping that if you hear about affordable offices in the area, you could send us an e-mail at missionlocal@gmail.com. We’d be forever grateful!

So, any leads? Drop them a line.

[via Mission Loc@l]

As someone who used to ride it daily, I can say that Market and Valencia is definitely one of the most stressful intersections for a cyclist. This major vein connects a lot of the city to the Mission, and the turn to Valencia involved a gulp-inducing left hand triple lane change within half a block. On one hand, it trained me to be a bit more assertive with my signaling and lane-changing, but sometimes trusting that cars aren’t gonna just mow you down anyway isn’t too much fun.

This has also lead to some nasty biking habits. Sometimes folks would give themselves a lead-in in the middle of the intersection. Others would run the red light when it was clear out of impatience. Hey, I’m no saint. I’ve done those things too. We can all be better.

The above pictured “turn pocket” was installed in the last year week as an alternative. It takes a chunk out of the curb to let forward-heading cyclists to proceed while left turners could chillax and wait for the signal.

The SF Bike Coalition is wondering what you think about it. Have you even used the thing? Is it counter-intuitive to head right to turn left? Is it slower than braving the turn lane? Go ahead and voice your concerns at their survey.

[via sfbike.org]

“The Comedy” is premiering in San Francisco at the Mission’s very own Roxie theater this Friday, November 23rd, and you’re in for a treat: Tim Heidecker will be hosting a Q&A after the screenings on both Friday and Saturday. It is playing at the Roxie until the end of the month.

You probably know Tim Heidecker as one-half of the comedy duo Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Well, if you’re expecting that kind of thing with his new movie, “The Comedy“, be prepared for a lot of brutal darkness.

The film is about Swanson, an aging, Williamsburg-living, PBR-swigging hipster-type on the cusp of inheriting his wealthy father’s estate. In his boredom, disconnection with the real world, and subliminal grief, he and his buddies engage in some truly awful behavior at the expense of a world presenting him with endless options. Hmm entitled, trust-funded, society leeches hiding behind a cloud of irony? We wouldn’t know anything about that around these parts, now would we?

I recently got an opportunity to chat with writer/director Rick Alverson and actor Tim Heidecker about the film’s mixed reception, how scripted dialogue is so passé, experiencing the end of comedy (9/11-unrelated), and about PBR as a cost-cutting production technique.

Read on:

Mission Mission: I understand some other SF publications declined the interview after seeing the film and that it had the most walk-outs at Sundance. Were you expecting such a polarized reaction?

Rick Alverson: I suppose we knew it was possible. It’s sort of designed in some way and we kind of embraced it. It’s a little confusing from the get-go and maybe provocative because of some of that confusion. But you know, it’s definitely uh… hell, I don’t know.

Tim Heidecker: Yeah, first of all I think the notion of “the most walk outs in Sundance” is a bit of an exaggeration. I don’t know if anyone was standing out the door with a clicker. We had tremendous screenings at Sundance and SXSW and the reaction for the film certainly isn’t unanimously positive, but amongst a certain demographic it’s very positive. It’s a film that appeals to a generation that can dial in to not only the humor that’s in the film, but the underlying subliminal quality that the film has. And frankly, there’s an older establishment out there that’s incapable of embracing some of the themes in the film. But I’ve had plenty of conversations with people that I respect and come to watching films from an open-minded place and nobody that I know has a problem with it and considers it a successful film. So if you’re somehow angered by this film or offended or anything… you’re probably gonna be a person that I don’t want to know.

MM: Yeah, I think it’s very similar to the Tim and Eric show in that there’s a sort of person that will get this and someone who would probably walk out after getting the eyeful on the opening scene. It certainly wasn’t what I expected. I think I was expecting something more Tim and Eric-y but instead I got something that was funny but also incredibly dark.

RA: Yeah.

TH: Yeah, it’s dark.

(more…)

Sébastien Giniaux, one of the greatest guitarists in the world, will be playing at the Rite Spot Cafe. If you missed him last year when he came around, man did you ever miss out. Someone got so psyched during his set that he literally flipped–as in did a front flip in a crowded-ass Revolution Cafe. Actually, it was pretty terrifying and I hope that doesn’t happen again, but I’m sure you can think of plenty of other safe ways to show your approval.

He’s visiting from Paris where Django Reinhardt’s Gypsy Jazz music is a way of life, and Sébastien is considered one of the best purveyors of his musical legacy. He will blow your mind with his endless creativity and dazzling technique.

“Well why isn’t he playing Yoshi’s or something?” you ask. Well, he’s TOO GOOD FOR YOSHI’S. Sure, you can go there if you wanna sit with some grey-haired folks out for their monthly let’s-see-some-jazz-honey night on the town. Order some expensive drinks, stroke your chin and grunt with approval in hushed tones if that’s your thing. Or go to the Mission where the best jazz is happening.

Anyway, go to the Rite Spot Cafe tonight from 9pm-11pm. No cover, but bring some tips for the guy. He’s French. Wine and cheese is expensive.

Ken Ken Ramen documented 8 hours of trash can surveillance, and since we’re your source for all trashy news we’ve just gotta show it to you. Basically, these babies can’t catch a break. They are knocked over, peed on, ignored by recology, thrown into fires and so forth. Let us take a minute to honor our brave trash cans for their bold service.

See the rest of the saga over on their tumblr.

The gals from Rice Paper Scissors showed Vice TV’s Eddie Huang around a few Mission locations recently, namely Duc Loi Supermarket and and Sun Fat Seafood.

He ranted a bit about the state of Asian food appreciation in the United States, then they grilled a bunch of shelled and tentacled creatures on the street while sitting in their signature plastic red stools. The food wasn’t served up with one of RPS’s controversial $4 artisanal smoothie shots, but rather with a Tecate topped off with a ring of Sriracha around it’s mouth. How’s that for fusion cuisine?

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLSf6rpLfvs

It’s cool to see the presence of Mission Asian businesses getting a nod. Which, in my opinion, is an often overlooked aspect of the ‘hood.

Eddie, says the next episode is about burritos, so stay tuned.

Well this is fucking unacceptable. Leo Nocentelli, guitarist for New Orleans funk pioneers the Meters, was allegedly subjected to some racist bullshit here in San Francisco last night:

I guess something could be said about a musician of Leo’s stature being put up in that notoriously sketch Travelodge (and having to pay for it himself) but still.

Some mixed reports of Travelodge’s feeble attempts at damage control are already coming in on the thread:

There is an early post on this line from Deejay Platurnipus that say’s “Just called. (Last night) They said Ginger isn’t working tonight. Lying i assume? “Manager” on hand said she’ll be there tomorrow, which I assume is also bullshit….” 
That contradicts the TraveLodge spokesperson that says not worked there in 6 months….

To be clear, it looks like Ginger isn’t the staffer that did this (being a female when the report specifies a male), but the New Parish is encouraging folks direct all complaints to her as the branch manager.

The New Parish just weighed in with this update:

…we prepaid for the rooms and when artists arrived for check in, they demanded cash deposits from 3 of 4 band members. I called police and they forced the manager to give me contact name – “Ginger Latu” was the name on the card he gave me. Incredible.

More details as we find out.

Leo Nocentelli is gearing up to play two dates at Brick and Mortar tonight and tomorrow night.

[via the New Parish]

Box Wars is an annual tradition in Dolores Park during which a bunch of folks make armor and weapons out of cardboard and proceed beat each other up in the name of recycling awareness (I think).

However, this one began a bit differently than the others… with a marriage proposal! After all, what’s more romantic than asking someone to marry you before clubbing them with a sword made out of toilet paper tubes? Here’s a vid:

Good for them, but we gotta know: was the ring made of cardboard? Because, you know, papercuts.

Also, check out this ancient suit of armor:

[via Box Wars]

First of all, if you don’t know Dawn Penn, she is the singer on this classic reggae scorcher (which uses the tritone to great effect):

She’s playing in Oakland at the Uptown (not to be confused with the bar on Capp St.) tomorrow night, backed by the bay’s own ska rocksteady group Franco Nero.

There’s a pre-party tonight from 10pm-2am the Makeout Room, with the always boss DJs from SF Vintage Reggae Society and Revival Soundsystem. Blackwell rum is sponsoring it with rum tastings, if you’re into the two drinks that can be made with rum.