November is here. Day of the Dead is upon us.
A melding of Aztec and Christian rituals, Day of the Dead is a time to celebrate and honor lost loved ones and ancestors.
San Francisco’s procession starts tonight at 7 p.m. at 24th and Bryant, and concludes in Garfield Park. Five local artists were commissioned to build large altars in the park where everyone’s encouraged to place flowers, pictures and mementos to honor the dead. You can also stroll through the Mission via the Sunday Mission Walk.
Another way to honor the dead is through song. Listen to Maria Luisa Cham sing to spirits while you watch Bridget Huber’s beautiful slideshow of a Mayan Day of the Dead ceremony.
If you’re coming from the East Bay, be sure to plan ahead. Caltrans said this morning that the Bay Bridge would re-open “some time” today. If you who haven’t already been traumatized by being packed like a sardine on your Monday-morning commute, the vague timeline offers hope that tonight’s crossing might not involve a stranger on your lap.
The ushering in of November also means it’s time to throw away the rotting pumpkins on your doorstep, or turn them into pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving will be here before you know it.
Speaking of food, the saga of Murat, the French street cart vendor, continues. Mission Loc@l caught up with Murat and his wife yesterday at the Yuba County Jail.
Want more drama? California politics. Check out the latest tantrums and excitement.
In riveting news, Forbes magazine declared San Francisco the 25th safest major U.S. city out of the 40. Yes, who cares? But Detroit at #12? With the Twin Cities at #1 and Milwaukee at #2, the list apparently ignores frostbite as a safety concern.
Got a spare $4.5 million kicking around that you’d like to invest in an SRO on Mission Street? This one’s available above the shuttered Ritmo Latino.
But if you’re just looking to rent, Supervisor John Avalos has your back. Read Nancy Lopez’s article about Avalos’ proposal to amend the city’s rent ordinance.
If you aren’t still hungover from Halloween and want to knock back a drink tonight to honor your great-grandpa, go for some Mezcal. While I think it tastes like leather, apparently the agave-based liquor is a favorite for Day of the Dead.