NEMA, mid-Market's most unabashedly homogenous new apartment building held an open house Thursday night for future residents, potential lessees, and local gentrification watchblogs in search of Instagram fodder. While the idea of a $2,500 studio at 10th and Market may seem absurd to some, it is nothing compared to the puzzling set pieces decorating the building last night.

First, and somewhat normal-seeming, there was at least one model paid to soak in a bathtub:

Meanwhile, on the pool deck, a mermaid was doing laps, to crowd applause:

Then there was this Wizard of Oz monkey dancing to 50 Cent:

Granted, we're coming at this with very little context, but even leaseholders were baffled by the display:

While Dotcom 1.0 survivors love to talk about the opulent parties that looked so embarrassing after the bust, the road to Dotcom 2.0 hell is paved with absurd real estate celebrations. What a town.

Previously: 'Upscale, Classy, Clean' People Wanted For Mid-Market Apartment Building Commercial
[Hat tip to Kevin Montgomery's live coverage from last night.]

We are highly offended that, in a headline, SFGate uses an acronym that includes a letter that stands for the word "fuck."

Loony SFGate commenters are, of course, nutting over it as well.

As the preternaturally calm Brandon Wong rose this morning to take in the sunrise over by Anza in the Richmond, he saw something in the east that didn't make sense.

"It's just bizarre," he wrote, "I thought it was a volcano."

What is that? A fire? Chevron venting something? What could create such an odd plume?

Did you see it? you see it? Weigh in with your comments.

These pictures were taken around 7:30 AM. Full-size images after the jump.