Video: H.P. Mendoza and his ukulele pay homage to old Mission theaters

We really had no idea what was in store when H.P. Mendoza told us he was going to bring his ukulele with him when he returned to the stage at Muni Diaries Live. Boy were we all in for a treat.

Around 2:01, H.P. shared his amazing childhood journal technique, gluing Muni transfers to the pages to denote the date:
HP_transfer_diary

He then serenaded (yes, serenaded) us in the most charming way with a song about a bygone era in San Francisco, as seen from inside the 14-Mission. Captured in full in the video above, the song begins around 2:45. Lyrics below.
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Muni Gladiators: Throwdown 2013

14-Mission2
Photo by eviloars

There’s an important score to settle here, folks, and we need your help.

Last week on the Muni Diaries Facebook page, we asked you:

Which line would win in a fight? (click links for diaries about that line)

19-Polk
14-Mission
49-Van Ness

No official tally has been taken yet, although we saw some creative and entertaining responses. Karen says, “The things I’ve seen in 14 cannot be unseen.” It’s fair to say that the 14-Mission leads the pack, with the 19-Polk perhaps a bus-length behind.

We cannot complete this survey without putting it to a vote here. So, tell us who you’re putting your money on. And if your answer is “other,” let us know which route you’d choose.

Go!

Take THAT, Muni phone thief!

muni cell phone by jeremy brooks
Photo by Jeremy Brooks

MissionMission’s Helen Tseng wrote about her scary experience getting mugged on Muni. She ran after the suspect to get her phone back, in what followed to be an even more frightening experience. From Helen’s blog:

I was on my way to the Needles & Pens anniversary show, and BART was delayed due to that naked guy fiasco, so I hopped on a 14 and took my phone out of my pocket to let a friend know that I would be late. Then, as the bus pulled over to the 23rd and Mission stop, a scary man ripped my phone out of my hands and ran off the bus with it.
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Santa Santa vs. Santa Dating Service Gal

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Santa rides Muni, duh, and not just for Santacon, either.

Eagle-eyed Muni rider Melinda spotted Santa on a 14 recently, amusingly placed above a lady Santa who thinks she can get you a date. Or maybe she is your date? She’s going to look really silly in that hat after today.

From all of us to all of y’alls, have a great holiday. Beware of holiday drunks (including yourself), and remember that Muni is your chariot if you’ve downed too much cheer.

Buses Return to Mission Street Saturday


Photo by Torbakhopper

The 14, 14L, and 49 are heading back on their normal Mission Street routes starting this Saturday. These lines were rerouted in early March to make way for road work. The Department of Public Works told MissionLocal that some of the improvements include new bus bulbs at the 24th Street BART plaza, curb ramps along Mission Street, as well as underground repairs of gas lines, earthquake-resistant pipes, and water mains. The DPW also repaved Mission street between 16th Street and Cesar Chavez.

MissionLocal also reports that the SFMTA used the rerouting to see if the temporary route was actually better than the original route.

For now, it’s back to our old familiar bus stops along Mission Street again.

 

Man throws bleach on Muni passengers


Photo by Brett L.

The other day, Kelsey tweeted @munidiaries looking for some answers:

My roommates got bleach thrown on them the other night on the 14. Anyone see anything?

Um, what? To that query, she provided the sordid details below:

She was on her way home with some friends on the 14 on Friday night after the bars closed in the Mission, and back on her way to downtown where we live. I guess there was a man (unsure if it was a transient or not) sitting in the front of the bus, staring oddly at my roommate and her friends. She is not one to just brush it off, and is definitely one to speak her mind. So she did, and called him out, asking why he was staring and told him to stop. He proceeded to throw a Ritz cracker at them (oooh! scary!), and then they lashed back at him some more.

He then held up a water bottle with a clear liquid in it and said, “Do you know what’s in this bottle, girl? Do you know?” or something along those lines, and then after guessing it was rubbing alcohol, he proceeded to splash all three girls with the contents, which they immediately discovered was bleach as soon as it started dying their jackets and leggings/pants that it got on. According to her, just as this happened, the bus came to a stop and the man ran off of the bus. Around 8th and Mission, the driver made everyone get off and had to report the incident, but my roommate and friends went home instead of sticking around.

Ugh.

So, as always, be careful out there. As a lady who’s been in uncomfortable transit situations time and time again: I say Kelsey’s roommate had every right to be left alone on the bus. I’ve gotten angry more times than I could count over similar issues, and I’ve had my long-suffering husband advise repeatedly to hold my tongue and be the bigger person…because it could mean being the bigger, alive person. So, do we all just stay quiet and assume everyone is carrying bleach (or worse)? What do you do when you feel threatened or angry on the bus? Sound off in the comments.

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