https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/roadway-dining-is-back-for-season-dot-now-wants-year-round-NA5736438 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-07T12:12:57-04:00 Roadway Dining is Back For Season, DOT Now Wants Year-Round https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-04-06-at-4-34-34-pm_4-10588657_20260406163652.png Roadside outdoor dining is back for the season, albeit at a severely diminished scale. Under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the DOT has signaled that they support a shift back to looser all year-round rules, as does Council Speaker Julie Menin. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/screen-shot-2025-04-24-at-5-33-17-pm_4-10588806_20260406164312.webp In order to mark a shift in seasonal enforcement, the DOT says that the City Council must pass a Speaker Menin-promised bill to change the rules. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/beneath-a-canopy-of-petals-spring-s-most-elegant-moment-arrives-YF5733313 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-07T12:40:40-04:00 Beneath a Canopy of Petals Spring’s Most Elegant Moment Arrives https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-2_4-10585160_20260406113917.jpg The Bridle Path entrance at East 90th Street and 5th Avenue (Engineers’ Gate) has a canopy of cherry blossoms. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-14_4-10585283_20260406115707.jpg The Pilgrim on East 72nd Street Central Park is surrounded by pink blossoms this time of year. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-13_4-10585276_20260406115554.jpg Striking a pose with cherry blossoms while a friend snaps away. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-12_4-10585273_20260406115456.jpg A dog named Doo Yoo sports his own blossom. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-10_4-10585250_20260406115038.jpg Linzy Lin, from Long Island City, is dressed as a “blossom goddess” https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-9_4-10585246_20260407123549.jpg Crowds head to Central Park in awe of the Cherry Blossoms in peak bloom. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-8_4-10585193_20260407123551.jpg Ladies get some close up on the blossoms https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-7_4-10585182_20260407123552.jpg A lady admires the blossoms. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-6_4-10585179_20260407123554.jpg A young woman poses for a photo with cherry blossoms as the backdrop. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-5_4-10585176_20260407123555.jpg Our Heather Stein, the writer, in Central Park taking in the beauty &amp; serenity of the blossoms https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-4_4-10585167_20260406114206.jpg Jessie Sui (known by her tens-of-thousands of social media followers as <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/snaptocks/">“Snap Toks</a>”) experiencing the blossoms for the first time https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-3_4-10585163_20260406114058.jpg This cherry blossom tree is on UES along the Central Park reservoir. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-9019_4-10585172_20260407123921.jpg Alex Boodram and Chelsea Soo Hon from Queens came out to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms in Central Park https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/unnamed-11_4-10585253_20260406115147.jpg A young child admires the cherry blossoms. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/sexy-oysters-no-myth-they-really-do-pack-a-wallop-YB5740166 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-07T18:13:13-04:00 Sexy Oysters: No Myth, They Really Do Pack a Wallop https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/oysters-of-the-day-01_4-10592063_20260407175243.jpg Scientific studies have found oysters really do contain ingredients that can impact your love life. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/man-indicted-for-dui-pileup-in-harlem-that-killed-delivery-biker-XB5740044 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-07T22:37:55-04:00 Man Indicted For DUI Pileup in Harlem That Killed Delivery Biker https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-04-07-at-5-21-29-pm_4-10592045_20260407172232.png A Bronx resident has been indicted for vehicular homicide in connection with a DUI pileup on March 19 (pictured above), after he slammed into two bikers on W. 125th St., killing one delivery worker and seriously injuring another deliverista. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/daryl-zacarias-gofundme-4-10515856-20_4-10592119_20260407172855.webp Zacarias Darly, a 28-year-old Bronx resident originally from the Dominican Republic, was killed when he was struck by the SUV in the bus lane on W. 125th St. (just outside the Apollo Theater). https://www.westsidespirit.com/city-arts/corned-beef-play-orders-up-humor-in-off-broadway-debut-JY5724856 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T11:42:45-04:00 “Corned Beef” Play Orders Up Humor in Off-Broadway Debut https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/actorpicture_4-10576285_20260408112835.jpg “Corned Beef (And Other Arguments)“ was written and is performed by Robyn Kimmel, who plays the Jewish half of the two-person play, and Brian Martin, who plays a down on his luck Irishman. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/showposter_4-10576284_20260402151425.jpg “Corned Beef (And Other Arguments)”<i> </i>is<i> </i>a new two-person comedy and classic immigrant story of success and chasing a dream no matter the cost. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/upper-west-side-neighborhood-event-calendar-apr-9-15-EY5742363 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T12:04:42-04:00 Upper West Side Neighborhood Event Calendar: Apr. 9-15 https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/jcc-via-mmjccm-org_4-10593377_20260408120444.jpg jcc via mmjccm.org https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/museum-of-arts-design-via-www-madmu_4-10593385_20260408120445.jpg Museum of Arts &amp; Design via www.madmuseum.org https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/protected-landmarks-commission-oks-lithuanian-alliance-building-YY5742212 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T12:09:43-04:00 Protected? Landmarks Commission OKs Lithuanian Alliance Building https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/lithuania-consulate-4-10188573-202601_4-10593353_20260408120923.webp The Lithuanian Alliance of America had sought protection for its four story HQ which it has owned since 1910 because it feared what might happen to it as nearby Penn Station is transformed. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/lithuanian-alliance-plaque-4-10188596_4-10593398_20260408130633.webp The Lithuanian Alliance Building has been based at 307 W. 30th St. since the cultural organization purchased the building in 1910. The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission recently granted the 150-year-old building landmark status. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/firebrand-still-burns-after-50-years-of-local-activism-HY5742779 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T14:05:06-04:00 Firebrand Still Burns after 50+ Years of Local Activism https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/arlene-geiger-top-photo_4-10593577_20260408145617.jpg Arlene Geiger, who has been protesting since the anti-war movement in the 1970s, is gearing up for another national protest on May Day. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/freckles-is-back-homeless-man-says-he-prefers-to-live-outside-FA5736340 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T16:11:17-04:00 Freckles Is Back! Homeless Man Says He Prefers to Live Outside https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/ethan-and-kitty_4-10592035_20260407164854.jpg An unhoused individual, Ethan, known locally as “Freckles,” holds his cat “kitty” the day after a city sweep. He says he always returns to the Broadway and W. 75th St. location under a scaffold the minute city officials leave because he prefers to live outside. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-0109_4-10588683_20260406171747.jpg Ethan at his “home” the day before a city sweep. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-0108_4-10588680_20260407103153.jpg Ethan had a humble abode set up on Broadway and 78th Street before April 1 https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-0110_4-10588669_20260407103155.jpg The day before the sweep, April 1 https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-0163_4-10588664_20260407103157.jpg The day after Ethan, or Freckles as he is known, was back at his old spot. https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/img-0159_4-10588661_20260407103159.jpg Freckles said he simply clears his stuff off the sidewalk when he knows the city is conducting a sweep, and then moves right back in by the next day. https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/city-issues-large-gathering-ban-for-world-cup-250th-ball-drop-MX5743259 hourly The Spirit - Westsider en 2026-04-08T17:24:18-04:00 City Issues Large Gathering Ban for World Cup &amp; 250th Ball Drop https://www.westsidespirit.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-04-08-at-5-18-22-pm_4-10594715_20260408172408.png There will be no public crowd allowed at a 250th national anniversary ball drop in Times Square this summer, due to a permitting freeze meant to prevent “significant realignment...of NYPD personnel.”