Spots Unknown Under the skin of San Francisco

Curbside Brick-Oven Pizza

Curbside Brick-Oven Pizza, San Francisco

Our group was already a little ashamed as we were walking to Flour + Water, a pizza joint we'd previously decided was over-rated, with its soggy crust and limited menu (only two kinds of beer? please).

But then, not two blocks from my house, outside Homestead, appears a couple of folks cooking wood-fired pizzas on the street!

It smelled so good, and the ingredients looked ultra-fresh, but alas, we had a gift card for F+W. So, pushing through our regret that we'd never seen these guys here before, despite the fact they've been doing this every Thursday night for the last 6 weeks, we sulked off to our lesser destiny.

We will definitely see you next week, Pizza Politana!

Here's their menu:

Curbside Brick-Oven Pizza, San Francisco

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Most Unfortunate Business Timing Ever?

Most Unfortunate Business Timing Ever?

These fine fellows look like they're feeling on top of the world in their well-stocked glass shop at 18 Sutter Street, San Francisco. The year? You guessed it: 1905.

As the story goes, the business didn't survive the quake of '06 and the family relocated to Los Angeles. Ironically, I'm sure there was a tremendous demand for their product as the rebuilding commenced.

(Spotted @ the Flickr stream of bcgreeneiv)

We’re #1! – Nastiest Hotel in the World

Nastiest Hotel in the World is in San Francisco?

We finally made it to the top of one of those year-end lists, y'all!

It's Trip Advisor's 2010 Dirtiest Hotels list, and our very own Heritage Marina kicked serious ass to get to #1. (I know it's a U.S. list, but everyone knows we're the only country that counts, so by the transitive property of, like, math, I'm declaring it the #1 spot on the planet.)

Images of filth and glory after the jump...

Name That Spot

Name That Spot, photo by Generik11 from the SU Flickr pool

From the Spots Unknown Flickr pool. (Thanks, Generik11!)

UPDATE: Named by catester - Supremo Pizza.

Thanks, Ma

Gracias Madre sign is up on Mission Street, San Francisco

"Organic vegan Mexican" is such a redundancy. Seriously, though, it's blowing my mind, despite this totally eloquent explanation:

Gracias Madre is truly an expression of who we are – it represents our deep love of and reverence for food, our commitment to health and sustainability, our unconditional love for our multicultural family and community, our devotion to the Earth and the divine feminine, and our commitment to raising consciousness on the planet.

Blah blah blah, you love food - bring on the three sisters!

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Coming Soon: Mission Casbah

Mission Casbah, San Francisco

Made all the more urgent by the recent news that Alameda Point flea market is possibly shutting down, some locals are bringing a little bit of North London to San Francisco, beginning Saturday, November 7th, and happening every Saturday after that.

Organizers Barbara Billee & Siobhan are converting Sub-Mission gallery on Mission at 18th from a punk Latin club into a Casbah market for artisan goods. Admission will be free, and DJs, including Jonah Sharp, will be spinning throughout the day.

From an email to vendors:

We are veterans of Camden Market in North London and we've finally found the right venue to start a weekly market in San Francisco!

The gallery is large, with three connected interior spaces, a back patio for chilling and a killer sound system. The bar will open at noon.

We have room for fifty vendors: the pitch size is 6ft x 5ft, vendors will supply their own tables and display materials. The space has bathrooms, security, power outlets and a roof - perfect for year-round trading.

Mission Casbah website

The Spitfire Rose

Spitfire Rose San Francisco

As the appeal of overlit, overcool "dives" wanes for yours truly, unassuming neighborhood haunts like Mission Terrace's Spitfire Rose (allegedly named after the British WWII fighter plane) continue to fascinate.

The Yelp page has that enticing combo of mixed experiences and low review count that raises more questions than it answers. That's all it took for the SU Corps of Urban Drunkards (SUCUD) to go on its inaugural raid. More after the jump.

A History of El Rio

44-mission-valencia

Wow. I mean, holy crap. I aspire to this level of sleuthistry. I really really do.

(via MissionMission)