Seize the opportunity to learn more about the life and work of Mission icon Pico Sanchez, the neighborhood's most beloved artist, mentor, and friend who passed away suddenly at age 63 in December. All are invited to get a glimpse inside Sanchez's famous art studio, which will be open to the public for the last time, as part of the epic weekend-long Spring Open Studios in the Mission Saturday and Sunday. more ›

From our pals at Tablehopper comes word that the ladies behind the conveniently sized Mini Bar on Divisadero will be opening a six-lane bowling alley in the Mission next spring. Apparently they weren't thrilled by those rumors of Brooklyn Bowl's Western expansion (which sounds like it was never really a thing), and decided to handle the matter of setting up a neighborhood bowling alley themselves. This is great news for those of us who don't want to go bowling in dress jackets for $80 bucks a lane (which should be all of us). more ›

This gem has been all over the place this week. Local comedy group Killing My Lobster poke some major fun at our fair city's artisan coffee craze with this brilliant spoof on a Ken Burns-style documentary. Ritual, Blue Bottle, Four Barrel, and Philz are all name-checked. Our favorite line: "I killed a DJ over half a pound of French Roast." more ›

[Update: Mission Local has the story.] A tipster reports that someone was shot tonight at 24th and Shotwell after the Carnaval festivities. Witnesses said the person had been shot in the face, and ambulances and squad cars were on the scene. We can't find any reports of the incident. Anyone else see it happen? more ›

What better way to celebrate Record Store Day on Saturday than by visiting Aquarius Records. Why? Because Spin readers ranked the Valencia Street vinyl treasure chest as the 7th best indie record store in the U.S. (Also: oops.) Ta-da. more ›

Many, um, parts of the bull are well represented in Mi Ranchita Produce's awning. And who knew leeks could do the job so well? more ›

by Amy Crocker Caffeinated Comics has posted this helpful holiday gift guide, suggesting specialized comic books for your entire list. Their recommendations include: more ›

Mission Mission posted this video from July 4th around last call at 16th and Albion in the Mission, which shows fireworks being aimed at cars. Rumor has it that cyclists were also targets. Police showed up to the scene but couldn't decipher who the culprits were in the crowd. more ›

SF Indie Fashion posted a compelling story that originally appeared in Action Orange yesterday, in which blogger Lisa Katayama visited a recently abandoned sewing factory located in the Mission. Katayama's friend Jenny spent much of her childhood playing in the factory, while her mother worked among a dozen or so other Chinese women making stacks of dresses for Macy’s at a wage of $2-3 per dress, which in turn sold for hundreds of dollars each. more ›

We hear today's Sunday Streets in the Mission was a success. Evidently lots of kids came out of the woodwork, too. The next one is July 19, also in the Mission. more ›

Mission Loc@l reports that there have been three documented cases this month of Latinos being forced into a vehicle with the intent of mugging them, while walking in isolated parts of the Mission late at night. Police speculate that day laborers might be the target both because they carry cash and are often undocumented and are afraid to go to the police for fear of being deported. more ›

As if we didn't already love our local heartfelt-mixtape-in-the-form-of-a-nonprofit-record-shop Aquarius Records enough, they just went a step further. Snipped from their mailing list:

Wednesday, February 11th, at 9:00 pm, a special after hours aQuarius Arcade Party! Tron, Ghosts 'N Goblins, Joust, Rastan and one more surprise game, all set on free play, come challenge the masters!! WOOOHAHAHAA. No really, just come and play games and hang out and have a blast. But, if you do kick ass on the game of your choice... the night's high score holder on each game, will be handsomely rewarded, with a gift certificate or a cd or a record or something cool.

Plus someone will be manning the register, and we'll be jamming tunes, so definitely browse and shop and purchase, and help support aQuarius. Feel free to bring your own snacks and libations, but we'll supply beverages and munchables as well of course. Should be fun, and hopefully this will just be the first of many such get togethers. See you then.

Tonight: The Thorns Of Life will play a show at 924 Gilman in Berkeley.

A band at a venue, simple as that. And so much more than that.

Blake Schwarzenbach was the front guy for Jawbreaker, a band that defined a lot of the early 90s for many a Bay Area punk. The band's sound was one of bad decisions, sleeping in strange places, getting your heart smashed that first time, withering recriminations, and trying to catch that last BART towards home. It was late night in The Mission, walking home after midnight in bad weather, illicit East Bay rooftop parties, early spring honeysuckles and hand-written notes. The band's songs cut deeper into the listener as years lengthen.

Jawbreaker broke up. The music kept spreading. Blake had another band. They were poppier-ish (there were keyboards involved) and Blake's skill with words shone again. Then back to college/teaching he went. Now he's back in music with a veteran-staffed three piece band making punchy tunes. Old punks all around the Bay are shuddering under their faded tattoos in sheer anticipation of seeing/hearing this new iteration of Blake. more ›

"I wanna remind you that [today] is the first of the month and it's customary to say "rabbit, rabbit" before you say anything else. Think about that, write yourself a note. Alright, have a nice time."

How 'bout some high-quality formerly-local punk rock to start 2009 off with? Yes.

Ahh, Jawbreaker; now and forever the sound of The Mission... more ›

Over the weekend we went to Casanova's and realized that hipster beards have achieved some sort of critical mass. It appeared that every fourth person in the bar had some sort of beard, giving the bar a high HBQ (Hipster Beard Quotient, a stat derived by dividing the number of beards per customer, multiplying it by the size of the crowd, and then dividing it again by the square footage). The HBQ was not quite Boogaloos high but high nevertheless. We also noticed that there were also a high variety of beards seen, meaning that the beard craze has gone from it's "classic" phase to "gothic" phase. more ›

Lady K has been busy with the finds lately! "You couldn't find a better love than ours if you would just let it in." Sounds like something we might've said to one jerk or another back in the day. Found in the Mission. more ›

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As part of the National Queer Arts Festival, graphic artist and memoirist Alison Bechdel is speaking at Michelle Tea's Radar Reading Series at the SF Public Library tonight! We've been huge fans of Bechdel's , about her relationship with her closeted gay father totally blew our mind with its psychoanalytical depth. Graphic artist Ariel Schrag, whom we also love, is speaking too. Koret Auditorium at the Main Library (100 Larkin x Grove), 6 p.m. more ›

Author/artist/director/performer/etc Miranda July came by Modern Times Bookstore in The Mission last night to read from her new collection of short stories, and the arty-coiffed standing-room-only crowd of fans spilled out the door onto the sidewalk. more ›

-More officers are sent to the Ocean View neighborhood after two men were shot within an hour of each other last night. more ›

Come late January, most national publications are usually too overwhelmed (and understaffed) to even consider covering any film fest outside of Sundance. Even SF publications are hard pressed to see past the flurry of Park City and look over their shoulders into The Mission. It’s a shame, because if they looked, they’d find a really meaty, crafty, saucy festival offering a smattering of hard to find films and some films even harder to miss. more ›

Leslie Harpold has died. A writer, designer, editor, and web pioneer of prodigious skill, she was 40. Her passing is being felt throughout the internet community. more ›

. Here's how the piece opens: more ›

A battle has been raging behind the scenes at Wikipedia. No, it's not over copyrights or veracity or how well an article explains its premise. It's over whether or not the entry on San Francisco's Marina District should include an explanation of the term Marina Girl (and, by extension, Marina Guy). The main arguments for deletion is that it's a stereotype and that the content of the article is heavily biased against the Juicy Couture clad set at The Matrix. But if you look at the standing article at the SFGate, it describes to a tee the Marina Girl without actually mentioning the term:

Today the apartment buildings, shops and restaurants seem to be bursting at their seams with beautiful, young and fit 20- and 30-somethings. The singles scene is hopping on Friday and Saturday nights, with lots of fresh-faced postgrads with cocktails in one hand and cell phones in the other. Union is arguably the best street in the city to window-shop the hours away on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and, a few blocks down, Chestnut has an incredible variety of high-quality restaurants catering to every palate.

The Mission Hipster is a twenty-something self-proclaimed 'artist,' usually seen drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon at dive bars when not riding up and down Valencia on their track bike. They take pride in their relative poverty (though more than a few have wealthy families), working jobs as baristas or bike messengers. Their signature look includes a fauxhawk (male) or short bowl cut (female), aviator sunglasses, an ironic t-shirt, ripped jeans and Chuck Taylors. They can be found in great number at Slim's or the Bottom of the Hill on any given weekend where they prefer the sounds of acoustic guitars played by troubled singer-songwriters and upbeat post-punk-pop. They often avoid the upper Mission on those same nights, complaining that it's overrun by 'slumming yuppies from the Marina.'

Ah, figs. We love the distinct flavor of these squishy, succulent fruits. And we're not alone. Mediterranean cultures have enjoyed figs for millennia, both fresh and dried. The fruit clearly had a special place in everyone's heart: Figs appear often in the art and literature of the region. more ›

San Francisco has lots of great neighborhoods. But our favorite, by far, is the Mission. Maybe it's because The City started here in 1776. Or maybe because while westsiders are bundling up in the fog all summer, Missionites are soaking up the rays. Right now we're sitting outside the Brava theater in the sunshine, smoking a cigarette after polishing off a torta and using a friendly neighbor's wifi to post this while doing laundry. more ›

A weekly peer into the San Francisco bar scene through a big pair of coke bottle-thick beer goggles. Submitted as usual by barrespondent Drew. more ›

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Barbara Boxer has gotten the Senate -- unanimously, no less -- to pass the California Missions Preservation Act, which will create a new nonprofit agency charged with upkeep for the 21 missions in the state and dedicate $10 million to the agency over a five-year period. This of course includes San Francisco's own pride and joy, the Mission Dolores. more ›