Last night, the Metropolitan Opera premiered its lavish new production of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold (the first opera from the four-opera cycle The Ring). The $16 million production features a specially-designed set that worked well—up until the very end. more ›

A lady is suing the Elizabeth Arden salon at Saks for losing her huge engagement ring...because she left it on the shelf! The Post says that 66 year-old loyal customer, Angela Abelow, claims that her 3.77 carat diamond engagement ring (worth $95,000) was stolen from a "service shelf"; Abelow had been putting her ring on the shelf every time she'd visit over her 15 years of patronage. Her lawyers say that there has been another instance of theft at the salon, but maybe that's because someone realized that it was totally easy to take people's jewelry when they are left out in the open. The salon says that Abelow still visits the salon (the manager said, "I'm not sure where this is coming from") but Abelow's lawyers say the fact that Abelow still goes there is irrelevant. If Gothamist lost our...hmm, hypothetical stack of $95,000 in unmarked twenty-dollar bills (it's either that or the equivalent of years and years of rent) at some salon we went to, we'd never go there ever again. And we can't totally buy the story that the ring had tremendous sentimental value because if it did, it wouldn't be on a shelf. more ›

Today is "It's My Park Day"! Which means that citywide you can volunteer to help clean up a park near you by planting, painting, restoring and just making it green again. Parks are important for things like: suntanning, reading the paper, people watching and of course...sports! more ›

Gothamist saw the trailer for the new Jennifer Connelly movie, Dark Water. Basically, she finds an apartment (with the help of John C. Reilly, a fellow tenant) in what looks like one of those huge NYC apartment buildings that are so big and nondescript, they look like projects, and moves in with her daughter, even though the elevator is freaky. She proclaims it perfect, but, of course, that's when the scary stuff happens: Leaky ceiling that reveals a flooded apartment above her - that hasn't occupied! Read the description at Yahoo Movies, and see the trailer at the Touchstone site. What Gothamist wants to know is hasn't she seen Panic Room? Or even Duplex? Buying a living space in NYC is never charmed - especially not when you're in a movie written by the same guy who wrote The Ring. Gothamist chortled our way through the trailer, but we might see it - IMDB says it filmed at Roosevelt Island and there seem to be some cool aerials of the city. more ›

, you can almost hear Hollywood shouting for joy at their windfall. Take a tried and true foreign project, add pretty white stars, shake gently and voila! Box office gold. Which is why the rule of thumb going forward should always be, seek out the foreign original and leave the remakes to the chumps. more ›

Hudson River Park also starts its outdoor film series, RiverFlicks, this week. Films begin at dusk (generally between 8-8:30pm), there will be free popcorn and beverages available for purchase. more ›

Johnny Cash 'Hurt' Video
...It is the most beautiful and riveting video I've seen in a long time, because of how the images and music work together and how Johnny Cash, icon, haunts the video... more ›