Mission Mission

I spent a few days in Los Angeles last week, and found myself wondering why everybody hates it so much. At some point, I happened to mention, maybe kind of excitedly, that I was in Hollywood waiting to see The Hives (incidentally maybe the best living punk band on the planet) play a free show in a parking lot early on a Thursday night, and somebody gives me some sass about how saying stuff like that might lose me my Mission credentials. …

ERRONEOUS!

Los Angeles has street art, dive bars, great food, interesting shopping, warm weather, diversity, and world-class entertainment on weeknights — just like the Mission. Sure, there are a lot of strip malls in between, but even our lovely neighborhood has a few generic (uggo!) storefronts here and there.

Like anything, with LA, you just have to take the time to suss out the good stuff.

One day, I skated out to West Hollywood and ate the most simultaneously horrifying and delightful thing I’ve ever eaten [image] (after having listened to the song over and over since getting Stage Diving to the Oldies like 15 years ago).

At a diner in Los Feliz (near where the above photo of me parkouring into an Uma Thurman mural was taken) I discovered my new favorite painter, a dude named Wayne White who buys up gross old mass-produced “paintings” and spices them up with thought-provoking block-lettered phrases, emblazoned right into the landscape, as if they totally belong there.

But, even more than the specific things I did, I really just found it nice to be down there. Even driving for miles and miles from one place to another, I was charmed by all the little neighborhoods and varying geography and things to see. My trip to LA was entirely pleasant.

The moral of the story is, think positive. There’s stuff to dislike about everyplace; don’t dwell on it. Spend your time looking for the good, because there’s always some good. Lucky for us, the Mission is mostly good, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves elsewhere from time to time too.

P.S. And what’s all that shit about calling it “The 101″? Live and let live!

Photo by Alex.

Our friend Sonia (not pictured) recently got sent to India on business. This morning, she learned of Bombay’s hottest new fashion trend (pictured), and she couldn’t wait to share:

so, i was having my breakfast and reading the times of india this morning when i came across this delightful little article in the bombay-specific section. i started cracking up and i was sitting all by myself and the over-attentive waiters came rushing over to make sure i was ok. it was so good that i had to type it up and share it with you guys (yeah…work’s still a little slow). the associated pictures were of two fanny packs looking STRAIGHT of the 80s, or the mission circa 2008 i guess.

have a read. (i typed what was printed, there are no typos.)

———

hug that waist
the fashion conscious in the city are making a style statement with the trendy multipurpose waist bags

if you want to light up a plain boring outfit just wrap a trendy waist bag around your demins or dresses, and it will instantly lend you a cool funky look. waist bags are gaining immense popularity amongst people from all genres of life. a college student flaunts a new waist bag to stand out in a crowd of students carrying backpacks, and women in their twenties wraps her slim waist in leather waist pouch like a belt to freely dance at the pub.

“camouflaged military prints are really in vogue. a simple one-colour dress with a military waist pouch spells some great style. leather waistbands with a small pouch to keep your mobile and wallet will look great with your clubbing outfit,” says nachiket barve, fashion designer.

waist bags add zing to your outfits with a playful attitude. plenty of active men and women who often car travelling across the city or on tours are opting for these bags.

waist bags give the women a sharper look, which is different from the regular girly look. these bags also enhance your waistline giving you a good shape. silk waist bags with moroccan prints, and camouflaged flowery prints, block print and lastly the waist pouches are the new trends. “whether you are travelling to the mountains or taking a sunny beach break, the waist bags can be taken anywhere, anytime,” adds barve.

the multipurposes of the bag for many, are the reason of popularity. “i love carrying waist pouches to clubs and it serves the purpose of a bag and accessory as well. also, during outstation shoots, i don’t have to bother about leaving my hand bag anywhere since the waist pouch fits in my cell phone, camera, cards, etc.,” says aanchal kumar, model.

these bags are available across a wide price range depending upon your requirment. you can pick up a trendy waist bag of the colaba causeway streets or fashion street for just rs 300. if you are into branded apparels, you can go to any of the branded stores and shop for a leather waist pouches for anything between rs 800-1500.

so, the next time you go to the pub at night, give your waist that extra zing and party hard.

I can’t wait to visit Bombay! Thanks, Times of India! Thanks, Sonia!

Photo by buildingsandwires.

Sorry, one more Mazatlan item if you don’t mind. I finally found some footage of this band we saw down there called Banda Corona del Rey. Is this what goes on inside Roccapulco? If so, I’m there. For full effect, turn up the bass so you can really feel the tuba.

Katie and I just got back from a week in Mazatlan, a city whose street art and street food scenes just might rival those of the Mission District. So here are some pictures of graffiti and stickers and things (click to enlarge). We would’ve taken pictures of the bacon-wrapped hot dogs too, but we were busy eating.

I wrote more about our trip at my Twitter account, here. And thanks to Lael for holding down the fort.

Previously on Mission Mission:

Nuclear Care Bear

Katie’s Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog Farts

Bikes in the City just trekked out to Trouble Coffee, the only reason we know of to visit the Outer Sunset. They had a great time getting to know the proprietor, and they got a lot of colorful pictures. Link.

Also, thanks again, Eve!

Anybody not following Plug1 and Plug2 and their adventures in Spain is seriously missing out. I especially like this shot of two crusty old Spaniards relaxing in front of a spray-painted Scissor Sisters reference in an alley in Granada. The pic at top is Valencia. (Click either to enlarge.)

Plug1′s Flickr photostream is here. WHATIMSEEING is here.

Flickr user H 3D snapped this shot (and this shot, and this shot) down in San Jose. Bon voyage, Ribity!

I saw one of these at the Louisville Zoo yesterday and it blew my mind and I wanted to share. Link to Maned Wolf entry on Wikipedia.

Photo by LoquaciousD

Mission Mission reader tack responded to the release of Google Maps Walking Directions with the following observation:

You can walk from Dolores Park to Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

[link to walking directions]

But to stay awake for 43 days of non-stop walking you’ll probably lose yourself to meth before you get there. And your low-rise girl jeans won’t fit no more.

Zing! Thanks, tack.

[BTW, we know this was in our comments section, but we didn't realize how good an item it was until we saw it reposted on The Point Is The General Point.]

Previously on Mission Mission:

Google Maps Walking Directions Lets You Plan Route Through Dolores Park

Behold the Prize-Winning (I Lost Me to) Meth Story

Look what I ran into during my lunch break in downtown San Jose.

Previously on Mission Mission:

Affordable Engagement Rings For Sale in La Taqueria Gumball Machines

Muni Overhead Wire Technicians Allowed To Double Park Outside La Taqueria