Parking space on Thompson Street taken over by DEGW consultancy

My walk to work this morning was unmemorable, save for the fact that people who did not actually appear to be homeless were squatting in the parking space outside my apartment building. My first thought was that it would be really nice to join them, rather than spend the day indoors, staring at a computer screen until my eyes start to bleed. My second thought was that my interest in the spectacle marked me as a sucker for some gimmicky advertising campaign. My third thought was ... scratch that, it was way too early for a third thought. Luckily, the nice man with the laptop (above) saw me looking on in bewilderment and spoke up: "It's New York City Parking Day," he exclaimed. Apparently, 50 spaces throughout the five boroughs have been taken over today by individuals and groups aiming to showcase how wonderful our streets could be if they were filled with inventive decor and outdoor lounge space instead of environmentally unfriendly, unsightly automobiles. Parking Day is in fact an international initiative in which 50 cities participate worldwide. So, enjoy the citywide displays--if not because you're an eco-head bent on making a difference, then because it's a distraction from the fact that our economy is in staggering decline, your company is downsizing and you are totally replaceable. 

For more ways to spend your ever-thinning paycheck, check out our Weekly Go List.

Come April, fancy-pants Chinese restaurant Philippe will open a location in Miami, with help from contributors that include a bunch of sports celebs. Plans for the room, seen in the rendering above, include a view down from the second story into an open kitchen. Per the flackage:

'Guests will be able to look down from their tables and watch their meals be prepared, in addition to interacting with the noodle chefs at the bar,' says Morfogen, who will also oversee the interior decor, keeping it to a minimalist fashion of glossy whites with accents of brown, black and red, like the NYC original.