Some enterprising New Yorker has finally mapped out the legal parking places all over this fine city. Parallel spaces is "a Map for us, the New Yorkers whose several hundred thousand cars are on the street right this minute." The project started as a labor of love and has turned into quite the feat. And while I'd love to explain it to you, it's 3 p.m. Friday afternoon and this thing looks a bunch of Egyptian hieroglyphics right now. It's confusing, and I really don't feel like going through the tutorial, so that's all you.

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It looked like the Department of Homeless Services was going to give Mark Hersh, a guy known for being an unliked landlord, a lucrative deal to use his West Side Inn Hostel (located at 237 W. 107th St. betw. Broadway & Amsterdam Ave.), as emergency homeless housing. Now, according to a piece by Dan Rivoli for the West Side Spirit, Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito has brokered a compromise. According to Rivoli, the West Side Inn Hostel "will continue to offer bed space to 80 women until November. But the department has scrapped plans for a full, transitional homeless shelter for 135 women after investigating concerns about the landlord and building."

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The indie film world may be crumbling, but there's still a film festival somewhere for you to partake in the creativity of those who still want to strike it big with their on-screen visuals. The 2010 Tribeca Film Festival begins April 21 (with Shrek Forever After, a new 3-D version of the DreamWorks tale) and continues through May 2 and, if you're not able to afford the price of a ticket, maybe you can pull yourself away from hours of Chatroulette and trade some of your free labor for the price of admission. The Fest is looking for enthusiastic folks to assist us in all departments. And just in case you're wondering: By volunteering at the Tribeca Film Festival, you'll have the chance to meet fellow film lovers, get free giveaways from our sponsors and gain access to films for free. In addition, you will also receive an invitation to the exclusive TFF Volunteer Wrap Party.

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If unending reruns of The Godfather and Goodfellas aren’t enough of a gangster fix for you, get ready because this spring the Museum of the American Gangster is opening in Manhattan, promising a myriad of mobster memorabilia. Somewhere Al Pacino’s people are on the phone requesting residuals.

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Salvation for the ailing Coney Island might be just around the corner as the Village Voice reports news today of an amusement park overhaul for the summer fun mecca.

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Four years ago we published a piece titled "Why the Winter Olympics Suck." Seems like not much has changed since that time (although the controversy around the Vancouver games seems a tad more exciting). Here's a taste: "Let's face it: Ethiopians may make great marathoners, but they don't do well in curling. A Jamaican bobsled team was so hilarious it became the punch-line  of a Hollywood movie. The Winter Olymics are a festival of whiteness—on the ground and on the winners' platform." Read the complete piece here.

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If you thought you missed your chance to dress up and eat food that is way out of your price range, then you’re wrong! Restaurant Week, the famous two week opening of fancy restaurants to the regular folks who like tiny portions has been extended and will now run until Feb. 28.

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Let’s hear it for The New York Inn for its stunning placement in this year’s dirtiest hotels competition hosted by TripAdvisor.com. The website has named it the 6th dirtiest hotel in America! Cue balloon drop! Actually, on second thought, scratch that because that could bring down some ceiling tiles.

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Last year Michael Lucas came out with his steamy Israeli gay porno. A Zionist (on the record for his anti-Islamic leanings)  and our favorite local gay porn mogul with plushy lips, Lucas is the owner of Lucas Entertainment and as such is getting in on the tourism racket by offering a tour package to the Holy Land—for just $4,799 (not including air fare). Update, we were informed that there's a different pricing structure: 9 days/8 nights for: $2,755 or 12 days/11 nights: $3,790 (full details here).

"I’ve illustrated how the country is a modern, chic, desirable destination. Now because of my films, a lot of people have emailed me, saying that they would love to go to Israel. Naturally, I’ve decided to bring tourists there," Lucas told Heeb.

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P.S. 1 announced the winner of its Young Architects Program, and this one may be the most forward-thinking, unconventional winning to design in its 11 years of existence (and that includes the recent agrarian concept in paper containers and the "hairy" shelter spaces last year). The design by Brooklyn firm Solid Objectives — Idenburg Liu is called "Pole Dance" and incorporates an interconnected system of poles and bungee cords that is constantly altered by human action and rain and wind. So, in fact, the poles may in fact be used for dancing when they are installed this June in the P.S.1 courtyard this summer for the annual Warm Up music series.

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