Mission Mission

Heidi Swanson of the excellent 101 Cookbooks snapped these lovely photos of the Kinfolk brunch at Heirloom Cafe over the weekend. Sounds like these Kinfolk brunches are a traveling series that bring together local artisans and small businesses in various cities.

I’ve never eaten at Heirloom Cafe, but I have friends who live above it and I’ve peeked in a few times while waiting for one of them to answer the door. Anyone know if it’s worth a try?

See the rest of the photos here.

SFGate posted some great then-and-now shots of Mission locations that you may know. Check out a 1962 Clarion Alley, lined with quaint bungalows:

And now, it’s the only street in the Mission that’s apparently immune to city graffiti citation!

Here’s everyone’s favorite intersection: 24th and Hampshire (AKA “Deuce-four Ham”).

Sadly, Bucket O’ Suds didn’t survive the British Invasion:

I personally think the closing of Bucket O’Suds marked the end of the golden age in Mission. After that, it was only high-tech artisanal laundry facilities. No soul. I long for the days where I’d pop a nickel in the laundry machine and get a shave from Chet while I waited. Maybe someone should start a kickstarter campaign to restore the Bucket O’Suds space to it’s full architectural glory.

Check out the rest of this amazing series at SFGate.

[photos SFGate Archives, Peter Hartlaub]

About half a day after Weston Wear was cited for being helplessly vandalized by the Monday night rioters (and later tagged), Weston Wear happily reports:

City has removed our citation. The squeaky wheel really does get the grease!

— Weston Wear Store (@WestonWearStore) May 3, 2012

I guess all your nasty comments hurt their feelings! Way to go, readers! Keep ‘em coming.

Since Artist’s Television Access puts the FUN in FUNraiser, you might consider putting the FUND in fundraiser at their art auction tomorrow evening (Friday, 5/4). Seriously, ATA has been a Mission staple for almost 30 years. We need them.

Artist’s Television Access invites you to attend this year’s Art Auction FUNRaiser! More than 50 works will be available, including pieces by Chris Johansen, Martha Colburn, Scott Hewicker, and many more!

Come for the art, stay for the refreshments! Live music by The Beehavers and a post-auction soul dance party!

ATA is at 992 Valencia Street, near 21st.

Talk about adding insult to injury. Or is it adding pointless fine to injury?

Oh SF City dept, citing us for graffiti on our boarded up windows is just poor taste.

— Weston Wear Store (@WestonWearStore) May 3, 2012

On the shitty meter, this just about ranks up there with getting your car stolen and having to pay for towing.

Reader Beth sent in this delightful video of my two favorite fried potato dipping condiments settling the score on the Dolores Park playground today. Never has there been a more exciting food war!

The closeup on the ranch bottle at the end of the clip reveals that it’s probably part of Hidden Valley Ranch’s quest to become the “new ketchup,” but whatever, this totally made my day. In fact, I think I’m going to head over to Bender’s right now and eat some tots with ketchup and ranch dressing.

Our pal Suckin’ Dick Next To Me spotted this cleverly doctored sign on a Muni door. Albeit it’s a little dramatic, even if it is referring to another godawful Muni ride. Stay youth, indeed.

Bender’s has two amazing vegan tacos on its menu: the seitan taco and the grilled veggie taco, which, in addition to grilled veggies, also has smashed-up pieces of their homemade vegan burger in it. Both feature hunks of avocado, tangy pickled red cabbage, and, surprisingly, enough salt that I didn’t need to add any – remarkable since I have never in my life eaten anything and thought it was too salty.

You know what’s great about Bender’s? They don’t refer to the seitan taco as a “fake chicken” taco. I like this because seitan is real food, not fake chicken: it’s just real seitan, in all its chewy, crumbly, mouthfeely glory. Two omnivorous vegan-taco-enthusiast friends joined me for dinner and chose the vegan ones over the meaty ones on the menu. On purpose. Also, a friendly black dog named Mortimer wanted to steal them.

That’s right, friends: Seitan is real. And it’s saltier that the sweat of John Henry’s brow.

As you already know, a bunch of local businesses were vandalized last night, causing what could be upwards of thousands of dollars in damage. An anonymous community member has stepped up and started a donation page, and the collected funds will go toward helping repair the businesses that were affected in last night’s riots.

These businesses include (but may not be limited to):

• Brick and Mortar
• Taca Airlines
• 299 Valencia
• Tradesmen
• Property Management Systems
• The Voyager Shop
• Four Barrel
• Pica Pica Maize Kitchen
• Art Zone 461 Gallery
• Locanda
• Bar Tartine
• Tartine Bakery
• Therapy
• Weston Wears
• Mission Police Station
• Farina

UPDATE: A lot of you are wondering whether this is a real donation page or a scam. I contacted the creator of the fund, and here’s what he had to say.

So I just moved into the area a little over a week ago and am very big into people taking care of their community. My Facebook account is facebook.com/ben if that helps put my name and reputation behind it. Also if there’s a way to give more authenticity to this please let me know.

As far as distribution and goal amount, I’m trying to crowd source it a bit by getting businesses to contact us with the extent of the damage but if that doesn’t work i’ll go out there and try and get hard numbers myself.

The dollar amount was simply something to shoot for that felt meaningful enough and doable. I’m open to ideas as to how to fairly distribute it, but rather than spend days debating that I’d rather get people mobilized and inspired to show their support.

I will say that I think other shows of support could be fantastic as well. I don’t know if it’s a day where we go and visit each business together, or send them something… I think something in addition to the money would be great.

UPDATE #2: It has been brought to our attention that there is a small transaction fee when you donate. Ben has generously offered to cover this fee.

[Photo via Mission Local]

[via Zoë Banks]