The Twin Cities is celebrating National Park(ing) Day today. Participating Minneapolis parking spots are conveniently mapped for you. The Park(ing spot)s will be on display from 11am-2pm. There’s a community gathering/happy hour from 5pm-8pm sponsored by Community Design Group and Solutions Twin Cities. All the deets about the parks and today’s events are at TC Streets for People.

Solutions Twin Cities is also hosting a big ol’ game of Urban Capture the Flag on Northrop Mall tomorrow (Saturday, 9/20) at 4pm. Info and RSVP at that link.

Max went to the grand opening of the new W Hotel downtown, which I think of as “the Foshay, where Keys’ Cafe is.” He hated the event and liked the 29th-floor bar Prohibition. (When Max, as a cocktail connoisseur, says drinks are good, they are really good.) You should read his review as much for his opinion as for the fact that it’s very well written. It’s long, but it’s worth it.

Minnesota Public Radio now has an application in the iTunes App Store. It allows you to stream MPR’s three stations (news, classical, The Current) on your iPhone or iPod Touch. I couldn’t find any mention of this on MPR’s website, so thanks to Future Tense‘s Jon Gordon for the heads up.

MinnPost is hosting debate watching parties. See the presidential candidate debate on Friday, Sep 26, the VP candidate debate on Thursday, Oct 2, the Minnesota Senate candidate debate which is still TBD. All events hosted at Trocadero’s. Admission and snacks free, cash bar, RSVP required. Only open to MinnPost members — which technically means it’s not free — so you can join online or at the door.

The Minnesota Campaign for Change (i.e., the Obama campaign) is hosting four National Security Townhalls this weekend. Saturday in Duluth and St Cloud, Sunday in Rochester and the Twin Cities. Free and open to the public. RSVP required.

Someone who didn’t like the Red Bull Illume exhibit felt compelled to make a statement.

Photo courtesy of Corporate Babysitter.

Dialing that phone number — (612) 230-6400 — gets you to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.

The folks at Stick and Ball Guy turned up a possibility that Land O’ Lakes got the naming rights, generating further interest and leading to a statement from the Twins that they’re nowhere close to finalizing a naming rights deal.

In the event that Land O’ Lakes does win out, Jason DeRusha suggests calling it the Butter Tub. Personally, I’m partial to “field” over “park” and I’m still pulling for General Mills to win the naming rights. Wheaties Field would be sweet.