Outlets, Voids, & Cuban Son

With expired Christmas trees still piling up on the streets of the Mission, it’s evident that things from the past in need of fixing will undoubtedly follow us into 2010.

The Bay Bridge might be left untouched for the moment, but in the meantime, the Golden Gate Bridge will receive a facelift and some major reconstruction. The facelift will last all of one day as crews add a second lane – make sure to take Lombard Street to Van Ness Avenue as you exit – and the reconstruction will take up to three years as the Doyle Drive off-ramp gets some revamping.

Also on the immediate horizon of this chilly, chilly weekend (brrrr) is some good ole ska/rocksteady/jazz music. Mission Mission is happy to give a shout out to the Dave Hillyard Rocksteady 7 band, which is playing today at Benders at around 3pm. You gotta love live music at matinee hours. I sure do. I have to mention, I’ve passed by Revolution Café on 22^nd and Bartlett streets many a times, but it was only today that I stopped by for some chai latte and Internet access and a pleasant dose of Cuban son radiating from the fancy fingers of the older gentleman at the piano.

Backtracking a little to cafés and Internet access, I’ve always wondered why Ritual Coffeehouse has no outlets. Great vibe, great internet access, but no outlets?! Turns out they’re trying to keep a steady turnover rate of customers, many of whom happen to be unemployed and need a reliable – and did I mention free – internet connection to search for work, otherwise, we just sit, and sit.

Not sure how many of you are flirting with the idea of pursuing a higher education given the limited job supply, but your local university might have its sights set elsewhere. According to an interview on NPR with the executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the country’s top public universities are looking to out-of-state students who pay higher tuition fees.

Fortunately, leave it to nonprofits to fill some of the void.

The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts is just a month away from holding its 22^nd Annual Solo Mujeres Art Exhibition for 2010. They invite all women artists over the age of 18 to submit their artwork – this can include two and three dimensional pieces and installation, video, digital and sound works. Take note, the deadline for entries is Feb. 6.

For the first time, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) is partnering with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program to offer free tax help to low and moderate-income people in the Mission. Last year, 14,000 families benefited from the service. MEDA is actively recruiting bilingual volunteers who will receive training in how to prepare income tax forms and how to connect people to other asset organizations so they can find ways to build their asset. Hit them up if you’re interested.

I leave you with this image. It looks like a Mission BART; it gives off the cold, underground feel of a Mission BART, but is it?

Happy Sunday.