Mission Mission

Meli at Bikes and the City met this MacGuyver of bike rear view mirrors. I love the idea, but I wonder how he cut the mirror or if he just found one that fits.

Quick, without peeking, what kind of beer is that cap from? Head over to Bikes and the City for the answer.

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a new bag company in the neighborhood, Mission Workshop. Tasked with doing some kind of a review of their backpack, I decided to . . . well, I did my best. Take a look.

In summary, the bag is expensive, at $200+ it’s more than I would think to spend on a bag. Then again it’s made and, apparently, sourced in the US. Plus, as was pointed out on the previous thread, if you only have to buy it once and it lasts, maybe it’s a solid investment.

In any case, this does seem like a great bag to take camping or on an urban hike or whatever. It’s huge and fits a ton of crap. It’s also obviously made with care and attention to detail. So if this is the kind of thing that’s important to you, this is a good buy.

I’m still uneasy with all these hip new things being named after the neighborhood . . . but I’m writing this on a blog that did it twice, so what can I really say.

Fudgekat is just as obsessed with Mad Men as you guys are, so naturally she’s entered a contest to win a walk-on role on the show.  All you have to do is stop here for one second and vote for her so she can fulfill her dream.  And she really wants this one, too:

I need all the votes I can get!  And yes, I stuffed 2 pairs of socks down my shirt to achieve the look.  Sex sells.

Vote for Fudgekat!

Previously:

Where Can We Watch Mad Men Tomorrow?

Boxwars is coming! I stumbled upon this battle one sunny day in Dolores Park a couple of years ago and didn’t know WTF was going on. All I knew was that the sound of 50 cardboard tubes making that “bonk” noise when colliding with heads was absolutely delightful.

Boxwars SF – Fight or Be Recycled!

After a 2 year hiatus, the corrugated chaos featured in Scotland, Australia, Canada and Estonia returns to the streets of San Francisco. The cardboard phenom has been sorely missed and will be returning in form on the 7th of August at 3:30pm.

Don’t know what Boxwars is?

1. Build a set of armor out of cardboard and tape (bonus points for creativity).
2. Build a weapon out of cardboard and tape.
3. Beat the snot out of your new cardboard clad adversaries!

Not the violent type? That’s okay! Boxwars needs spectators too, come out for a fun afternoon reliving the glory days of gladiators and cheer on the warriors!

The location isn’t 100% certain, but it will probably be in Dolores Park like the last time. You have about a week and a half to collect cardboard and construct your armor. More info on their facebook page.

Please don’t confuse this with the Cardboard Tube Fighting League which, according to participants of Boxwars, sucks.

Previously:

Boxwars 08!!

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]

One tried and true way to ingratiate yourself to the local community is to host a free event with a popular band and an open bar.  In this, the quite controversial Levi’s pop up on Valencia does not disappoint.  We arrived on Saturday evening and were treated to an enthusiastic crowd of folks who were just as curious to explore the various intricacies of the shop as we were.  Tables around the space were teeming with lettering stamps, screen presses, Macs, and all sorts of other design supplies, and visitors were encouraged by the staff to get their hands dirty.  Of course, the bountiful supply of free Wild Turkey on the rocks did not hurt either.

By now, it seems as though everyone has expressed their opinion about this possibly revolutionary endeavor.  Could they have made more effort to engage the already prevalent printing shops in the neighborhood, such as Ape Do Good, in an attempt to bolster those businesses?  Sure, probably.  But given their impressive list of local community collaborators, such as Southern Exposure and the Women’s Building, this seems a lot more benign than many initially assumed.

One thing that I definitely would have done differently about the evening though:  Even though it was free to attend, guests still needed to RSVP on Facebook prior to the event.  While I understand the rationale and crowd-controlling aspects of this decision, it unfortunately promoted this weird LA club vibe with people lining up to get in and staff with clipboards at the front door to see if they were “on the list.”  I feel this could have been made to be a little more inclusive.  However, once people got in, the joy on their faces was apparent as they were treated to free drinks and the musical stylings of local favorites Honey.

We spoke to Dan, the shop manager, about the ambitious project’s future.  The plans are to vacate the space by the end of August (so Charles Phan can open a high-end banh mi spot or something) and move to New York, where instead of printing presses, the focus will be on photography (not just digital, but also dark rooms with stop bath and photo flow  and all that business).  Then, if things work out, the next spot might be in New Orleans to open a pop-up music recording studio.  It really seems like they’re taking this community thing seriously, but man, I wish we had gotten the photography or recording pop-ups!  I guess when Levi’s thinks of San Francisco, they think of T-shirts.

UPDATE!!!  I neglected to mention the purpose of the event, but luckily commenter Patti fills us in:

That particular Levi’s event was a launch party for the 4th issue of First Person Magazine, which was printed on the premises that day, along with three limited edition artist prints.  FP Mag, made by local Betty Nguyen,  was chosen as one of the projects for the workshop.

We initially were wondering how it would all go off and it actually went really well.  I don’t think the RSVP list is meant to be exclusive but is simply a way to manage the head count to keep the SFFD happy.

Previously:

What Do You Think About the Levi’s Workshop on Valencia?

Inside the Levi’s Workshop

With a forecast calling for mostly pleasant weather, there is no shortage of fun things to do outside in the sun this weekend.  First up on Saturday, the Mission Creek Festival reconvenes for a free outdoor concert at McLaren Park from noon to 6pm.  Local products The Fresh & Onlys and Grass Widow headline a melodious offering that also features Brian Glaze & the Night Shift and Ganglians.  Remember to bring a sweater just in case because we live in San Francisco.

Sunday marks the 2nd summer session of the indie mart at thee Parkside.  As I’ve said before, it’s tough to beat a Sunday spent leisurely strolling along a closed-off city block while sipping a Zeitgest-tier bloody mary and scoping the latest offerings from local fashion designers, such as the custom sized 1960s bikinis from newcomer Lacombe Lingerie.  The design-your-own-terrariums will also be returning this time around, joined this time by a life-size terrarium where you can hang out and drink some beers while you kick it with Pauly Shore.  PBR giveaways, dog and cat adoption, Heavy Metal Aerobics, and a slew of musical acts round out the action, which also happens to run from noon to 6pm.  Don’t forget the sunscreen!

[Photo by hummingbirdheart]

There’s a new place to get your new bag in The Mission. Former Chrome bagmakers (bagsmiths?) have opened their own bageria, Mission Workshop, located right down the alley from Esta Noche.

They design their bags (and jackets, coming soon) right there in the ol’ warehouse, and have them manufactured in the U. S. of A. Colorado, I believe. Anyway, the bags are big and cool looking and weatherproof and seem expensive but are probably somewhat reasonable. $275ish? $239? For made in USA? And hardy? I dunno. I’m not that picky about apparel.

The coolest thing to me is that they’re planning monthly art shows, film screenings, and/or BBQ’s. In fact, this Thursday (7/15) they’re having a free BBQ and beer bash from your afterwork time to the late evening time (“happy hour time”). Plus art from Nate Smith and Caleb Sheridan. Should be sweet.

As a side note, doesn’t it seem like our neighborhood is racking up quite a list of logos and products/companies bearing it’s name? Is someone keeping a list? It’s rivaling my home town in its bumper sticker visibility.

Our old pal Alex is about to move to New York, and Fashionist was lucky enough to catch her on the way to her farewell party for one last shoot. AND, Alex’s ensemble was so fabulous it warranted a four-picture post — unheard of on Fashionist! Well done, Alex! Break a leg in the big city! Check her out.

Previously:

Alex’s Directorial Debut

Alex Tells Us About Chef Danny Bowien (Then of Farina) and His “Best Pesto in the World”

Behind the Scenes of a Fashionist Photo Shoot

Tap That Guy presents us with yet another option:

Pouched.

(Thanks, Dwight!)