Your very own parklet for $12000

Sure, you could make countless trips to the dump scrounging reclaimed materials, or you could just buy the parklet in front of Fabric8 for a considerable markup, drop it in your yard, and call it a day.

This one-of-a-kind parklet was designed and built by San Francisco artist Erik Otto using recycled materials. It has been featured in numerous publications, documentaries, and television programs. Most materials were procured from SF Recology (aka the dump) via Otto’s previous artist-in-residence there.

Amenities include 4 custom-made bean bags; low-voltage lighting system inside the house; and delivery/installation within the area. Can be purchased in part or whole. Olive tree and steel foundation excluded. Seller financing available.

More information: http://fabric8.com/parklet/2011.html

Not really my style, but I call dibs on Deep’s parklet triceratops if that ever goes for sale.

[Craigslist via Curbed SF]

Crime alert: recent wave of ‘gang question’ assaults hit the Mission

There has been a recent wave of knife crimes perpetrated by two suspects who start by asking a potential victim: ”Are you in a gang?” The question apparently doesn’t have a right answer, and it has resulted in stabbing incidents at Civic Center and Outer Mission.

My first thought was to immediately make a run for it if I ever heard that question, but SFist reports that this approach resulted in a shooting on Sunday morning near 16th and Mission. The victim answered negatively and started to flee. The suspects then shot him in the foot and fled the scene in a blue Buick. This is the first report of a shooting resulting from crimes of this nature.

Anyone who witnessed the Sunday morning shooting is encouraged to call SFPD’s anonymous tipline at (415) 575-4444 or send a text message TIP411.

As always, be aware of your surroundings and try not to travel alone late at night.

[via SFist]

Corner store clerk hates the lazy, too lazy to spell “fucking”

Cover your nether regions, one angry clerk at Pay’n Save (18th and Guererro) is taking his hatred of the lazy to the streets:

Hey I’m not crazy about lazy people either, but I gotta say: corner store clerks aren’t exactly the most shining example of hard workers, unless you count sitting on a folding chair next to a box fan for hours and sighing heavily when someone asks for double-A batteries “working”.

I kid, I kid. Thanks for all the Tecate and coconut juice.

Google maps takes you inside Bi-Rite

Woah, did you know you can “walk” through Bi-Rite using Google Maps? I didn’t either, until I accidentally dragged the little yellow Google dude on top of it. See for yourself.

It’s surprisingly high-resolution. You can even zoom in and read the sandwich menu. Glad Google decided to preserve this snapshot of history. In 10 years we’ll be looking back at this and saying, “wow I remember when a 2″ x 2″ block of artisanal cheese only cost $7!”

Anyone know any other places that have this enabled? I want to live vicariously through my web browser as I work all day in an Oakland cubicle.

Interview with the roommate-seeking Facebook advertiser

Street food babe and SF subletter by choice Valerie Luu interviewed that girl we posted about last week who was having such a hard time finding a place to live that she resorted to facebook advertising. Was her search fruitful? Apparently not:

What did people say?

“You’re fucking dumb.” is one that struck out the most because I don’t think there’s anything dumb about utilizing a popular social network to help.

Anything helps, right? So why not use it?

I’ve gotten offers from people who wanted me to live with them and I even made a few friends! But mostly what they were offering wasn’t ideal to me (like sharing a house room with two other people, or relocating to Oakland.)

Damn, well if she can’t share a room with two other people, then forget about renting half a bed. So she’s moving back to Seattle for now, the mythical land of sub-$3000 900 sq. ft. studios.

Read on over at SubletSF.

Did you lose your keys near 20th and Valencia?

Spotted in front of Borderlands Sunday:

Was it you? If so, I think someone found them and dropped them off at Golden Eagle Market. Don’t get any funny ideas, key collectors.

More baffling signage at La Rondalla

Well, as far as we can tell, La Rondalla isn’t any closer to reopening since the last time we checked. It’s clear they missed their projected “by June at the latest” launch date.

However, they are continuing their long tradition of putting up mysterious signs with vague references to current events in order to demonstrate that they are still alive:

But wait, are these really elaborate clues about the fate of the restaurant? Let’s analyze:

“Summer time blues”: Well it is summer, but why the blues? Are the blues about acquiring the necessary permits to tack up dangerous amounts of tinsel throughout the interior as they did in the past?

“No kid hungry”: Is this alluding to some kind of after-school meal program that they plan to offer?

Bernal Hillwide Garage Sale today

Just in case you find yourself needing a baby stroller or some used LEGOs, our downstairs neighbors in Bernal are having a hill-wide garage sale today until 3pm. There are over 70 houses participating. Details here, mega-map here.

$450 a month for half a bed, non-cuddlers preferred

Dang, and you thought Mission rentals were bad. In Nob Hill, you gotta pay $450 a month for half a bed:

________ Looking for a full time male employee or student who is a currently working or studying professionally,clean, responsible, respectful and trustworthy ( prefer morning shift ) ideally someone with less belonging and less stuffs

*** Perfect location for business traveller / short term visitor / new commer / someone needs a temporary place before moving on / or who currently work and study closed by financial district / someone travelling locally or around downtown San Francisco

At least there are some partition pillows to enforce stay-on-your-side, but ‘cmon. The guy could at least get his shit together and get a bunk bed.

[Craigslist via CurbedSF]

Is it chill to AirBnB my rented apartment?

Congrats, you scored a sweet $500 rent-controlled room in a pre-1970 building on 22nd and Valencia. Now all you have to do is put it up on AirBnB for $150/night, crash at your girlfriend’s place, and join San Francisco’s elite class of weekday-Dolores-Park-hangout-ers, right?

Not so fast. Dave Crow tackled this very question on the latest installment of Tenant Troubles on SFAppeal. Mr. Crow gives an informed and thoughtful answer, per usual, and rants a bit more about endlessly greedy landlords, per usual. Go Dave!

Short answer: if your landlord is willing to give his/her blessing in writing (good luck with that one), then “yes”. Otherwise, you had better hope he doesn’t have a computer with an internet connection. But do read on.

[via SFAppeal, photo via despairbnb]

Vic Wong

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Email: vic (at) missionmission.org

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Biographical Info:

Vic was born in Oakland. He is a software engineer. He plays jazz guitar. Vic owns a sword.