Mission Mission

One night only, one night only.. Three @AnchorBrewing ‘s on tap.

— Shotwells Bar – Beer (@Shotwellsbar) July 18, 2012

Which three will they be??

Yesterday afternoon, when I read that the 24th St. BART escalator had been repaired, I was thrilled. It had been broken since March 22nd. That’s four damn months. Four damned shit-ass months.

On my way home, I felt something I had never felt before: excitement about riding an escalator. I haven’t felt this kind of anticipation since I waited in line at Disneyland’s Star Tours ride cerca 1989. But at 6pm, mere hours after its return to service, it was broken again. As of this morning, it was still out of service. Here was the scene:

Yeah, I know taking the stairs has its health benefits, and I feel them. I really do. But maybe that has more to do with riding a rusted Murray bicycle that’s stuck in the highest gear and not so much the three flights of stairs. Still, after 8 hours of being zombified in a half-cubicle in Oakland, sometimes you just want to relish that 45 seconds where you can enjoy the blissful miracle of machine-aided ascension.

Let’s hope for a speedy re-recovery.

Update (4pm): Our prayers have been answered! Burrito Justice tweets:

Now we can all resume checking our phones for the duration of that short ride to the surface! Please stay operational for the next hour, escalator. I am on my way.

[top photo via Mission Loc@l]

The guy on the right there. Lived in the Mission for five years like ten years ago or something, had his fill, moved elsewhere, comes back only once in a while. But last night I talked him into Slow Jams at the Make-Out Room (every Tuesday night, free) and he had the time of his life! Slow dancing, 1960s prom-style decor, cheap drinks, comfy booths. He says he’s going back next week. Time of his life, just look at him!

The Mission wins again.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a huge fan of local typographer James T. Edmondson and his contributions to the world of letters. Well, James has done it again. Mission Script is a tribute of the hand-painted signage of the liquor stores, taquerias, doughnut shops, and bodegas of our neighborhood, and it’s the first typeface to come out of Lost Type’s Mission Collection.

You can download Mission Script (and a bunch of other snazzy typefaces) over at Lost Type. And do consider making a contribution if you’re really going to use it.

The world burrito tour continues!  When MM reader Keturah checked out the previously mentioned Dolores Burritos in Berlin last summer, he came away slightly unsatisfied by the experience.  Not looking to repeat that ordeal, he decided to try something new:

This summer, I have discovered Taqueria Ta’Cabron!  The burritos are pretty huge – an order of guacamole and a burrito is plenty for two people to split.  There are a few odd things about presentation, though.  For starters, the burrito is wrapped in paper, kinda like a doner kebab.  Sour cream is served on the side.  Everything is spiced perfectly, although it could really be saucier (the salsa, etc is also served on the side).  The beer selection is not as fancy as Mission Delores (Dos Equis & Corona), but they do have a HUGE selection of tequila.  Located in Kreuzberg (a neighborhood not unlike the mission), it seems super popular with Americans, and the staff speaks Spanish as well as German and English. The menu also offers tacos, enchiladas, tamales and tostada de ceviche, though I haven’t gotten past the burritos and guacamole – maybe next trip!

Apparently people have been saying good things about this place, so I suppose it’s worth a shot if you find yourself in the area but tiring of schnitzel and soljanka.  At the very least, it beats the burritos in Paris!

At the very least, it’s way better than a Paris burrito!

Previously:

• This is a burrito in Korea
• On the other hand, this Korean “burrito” was damn good
• NYC ‘burrito’
• Guten Tag! Mission Burritos in Berlin!

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.

This year’s Phono del Sol is gonna be some serious fun in the sun.

And all you have to do to win two tickets is leave a comment in the comments section below relating your best Potrero del Sol-related anecdote, or a really good haiku about how much you want to see one of the bands. So many options! Contest ends at noon tomorrow (Wednesday), at which time a winner will be chosen based on merit.

Or you can buy tickets here. And RSVP and invite your friends here. And look at a bunch of cute pictures of Katy Goodman here.

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!]

Duck Lake delivered on all fronts: the ballet part, the horror part, the comedy part, and the summer blockbuster part. And it stayed with me — I went swimming at Lake Anza the next day, and was actually spooked when I saw a raft of ducks headed my way. Must see!

And they’ve only got four more performances scheduled, so get tickets quick!

Rice Paper Scissors can do no wrong if you ask me. That porridge on New Year’s Day? That fried egg banh mi last Saturday night at Dear Mom? This video is no exception.

The point of all this is they’d like you to vote for them or something, but the main thing is that this video is reallllly good: