Since I've lived in this neighborhood for five years, and hung out in it for a lot longer than that, it's sometimes easy to think it will never change. But recently, I noticed this sign replaced the really ugly, sleazy one outside the world-famous Mitchelll Bros. O'Farrell Theater, which is just down my street. This sign is a huge improvement over the old skanky one:

Turns out the daughter and son of Jim Mitchell, the brother who killed Artie, the other Mitchell Brother, are now running the joint and have ambitions to make it a friendlier place for the neighborhood, the dancers and the patrons. That's all to the good, believe me. I haven't been in the place since 1992, but I'm wishing them all the success in the world since it's not going anywhere and it is a City institution. There is a profile and interview with Meta Jane Mitchell Johnson in the current SF Bay Guardian here. Good luck Meta and Justin. Let me know when there's a locals discount.

Then there's the skanky New Century Theater across the street, which I have only been to once, this past Valentine's Day (at MG's request), but they've had this sign up for awhile now, and the first thing I thought of when I saw it was "Gosh, she looks like Anna Netrebko!"

No such luck on the inside, but the talent was good in a different way, and though I suspect no one at the New Century even knows who Netrebko is, it's nice to see the neighborhood spiff up once in awhile.