Mission Mission

It was actually local photographer and blogger Shawn Clover, and there’s lots more where this came from. Here’s how it’s done:

To put these photos together, I first create a catalog of historical photos that look like they have potential to be blended. Unfortunately most of these photos end up on the digital cutting room floor because there’s simply no way to get the same photo today because either a building or a tree is in the way. Once I get a good location, I get everything lined up just right. My goal is to stand in the exact spot where the original photographer stood. Doing this needs to take into account equivalent focal length, how the lens was shifted, light conditions, etc. I take plenty of shots, each nudged around a bit at each location. Just moving one foot to the left changes everything.

Read on for more story and lots more photographic mashups.

[via Burrito Justice]

I guess I never unsubscribed from the Craigslist “oblivians” search I set up when I was trying to get tickets to their sold-out appearance at Budget Rock a couple years back. This popped up today:

Oblivions Concert Poster – s/n by Alan Forbes – $40 (oakland piedmont / montclair)

Awesome poster for a show by the Oblivians in San Francisco – 1997 for the Kilowatt’s Last Live Show – playing with Vectors and Infections. Signed and numbered by the great artist Alan Forbes (#489/500) The poster is in VG cond., but was stuck on the wall so has small tears in the back corners. The front looks great, only has a few tiny marks and minor edgewear in some spots. measures 23 x 17.25

Trippy that 1997 was 15 years ago, right? And that Kilowatt used to do shows? And that awesome garage rock was happening here well before Thee Oh Sees and Ty? Anyway here comes an Oblivians history lesson…

Here’s their big hit:

And here’s something they might’ve played that night, a gospel-style song from the gospel-style album they released that year:

That ended up being their final studio album. I guess 1997 was a good year to stop doing things you’d been doing for a while.

P.S. Here’s another poster for the same show:

(via Frank Kozik)

UPDATE: Oops, this post is erroneous. Our pal Allison informs us that “Coachwhips played Kilowatt during Noise Pop in 2004.” So I guess never say never, doy.

[via Bomp-a-Bomp-a-Bomp]

The other day we took a look at some great sports-related newspaper clippings. In the comments section of that post, reader Ivy sent us a link to yet another, the above celebration of baseball’s 50th anniversary. Ivy points out that the custom lettering in quite a joy to behold, but my favorite part is the part about California’s special place in baseball’s history. It mentions New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut as states important to the history of the sport, and then says:

But none of them have done more to make baseball what it is than California. Ever since pioneer days, when Market street was a side thoroughfare and Fillmore a pile of sand, the name of California has been closely linked with the national pastime.

When the baseball fever began to spread throughout the country in due time it reached the Golden state. The germ was very contagious, and before many moons there were professional and amateur baseball teams in nearly every city of California.

California makes everything better, doy. Click here to see the whole thing. (Love that line about Market and Fillmore!)

1.) There used to be baseball in the Mission:

2.) The 49ers used to have an insane logo:

(See more in the men’s room at Local Edition.)

Bonus: check out this animation I found on Wikipedia…

About 3 years back we received a request from a reader:

Been scouring the web for a picture of the old sign for the Tip Top Inn. Gonna have it painted for my man friend for our anniversary. That’s where we first laid beer goggles on one another. Can’t find a picture of it anywhere and somebody made off with the sign. Do you think the Mission Mission readers might be able to help?

So we wrote up a post and wouldn’t you know it, Burrito Justice (doy) came through. Here’s what the ol’ Tip Top Inn sign looked like:

The other day, that 3-year-old post received a new comment. I nearly deleted it without looking because comments on posts that old are usually spam — but luckily I didn’t:

They called me Mexican Tony. I used to wear a Silver Navajo Bracelet. I was on one of pool teams at The Tip Top Inn back in the early 1980′s. I remember Mark, Hell of a Pool player. Judy Nelson, was one of my good friends. I used to get free S F Giants baseball tickets from Fred Breining an Ed Whitson when they played for S F. A good few of the Giants used to visit the bar. I remember Vida Blue hanging out at the bar some nights. Vida would see me in the bar and he’d holler “BIG T, Wow! Ron Sanso, Mr. B, Jess the barber, George, Tom, Barbara, David Caverly RIP My Buddy. If you remember me or just want to chat about the Tip Top, leave a comment. Believe me, I’ll check the website for new comments. Thanks Mexican Tony

Whoa. Thanks for getting in touch, Mexican Tony!

The esteemed time travel team at Pastmapper have released a little bit of history that you can hold in your hand — behold the Pastmapper iPhone app that lets you check into the ghosts of restaurants and bars past. The sixties welcomes you:

@bradvertising has started with 1966, with more years coming. But it’s fascinating to dig in and see what was where when. The Smile Awhile Tavern (aka proto-Farolito Bar) welcomes you:

You get more points for checking in close to the place, but fret not, I will destroy you on the leaderboard.

Anyway, more detail over on Pastmapper, so turn on, check in, and drop a note.

Reader David Gallagher of the Western Neighborhoods Project sent us these 1985 videos of a young Mr. Lucky interviewing some inebriated patrons of  Original McCarthy’s, which you may now know as Cha Cha Cha. Original McCarthy’s opened on Mission street in June of 1933.

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

Nothing too exciting in the videos, but it’s an interesting snapshot of the era. Before the Mission was known as a Mexican neighborhood, it was largely populated by German and Irish immigrants until the ’60s. McCarthy’s was one of the last original Irish bars in the Mission. Even at the time of filming this, McCarthy himself remarks, “I’m close to 70. It’s about time to clock out.”

The interviewer, Mr. Lucky, still croons around town with his retro-jazz group the Cocktail Party. You can catch him at the Lucky Horseshoe in early August.

[thanks David!]

Anyone know where it is? This seriously bums me out.

If you’ve ever been curious about time traveling to 1805 Austria all you gotta do is pop in this pooper and dial 1-323-459-4303. Right around the corner from Rhea’s, or is it Circle K?