Xanadu is the perfectly named New Jersey shopping mall that never was. Though ground was broken on the project in 2004, it turns out that indoor ski slopes are pretty tough to build, and taking loans from a Lehman Brothers subsidiary isn't a great business strategy. Not to mention you need a full-blown opium addiction to appreciate its exterior design (it's been officially declared ugly by 74% of residents). But today's NY Times reveals that Xanadu is BACK, baby! Could a renewed appreciation for the film Xanadu be far behind? (Yes. Very very, far behind.) more ›

NJ Governor Chris Christie is delivering on his promises to shake things up in the Garden State: The Star-Ledger reported yesterday he was poised to announce an "unprecedented overhaul of New Jersey’s troubled gaming industry Wednesday — including a complete takeover of the Atlantic City casino and entertainment district, and the sell-off or shutdown of the struggling Meadowlands Racetrack." FYI: Taking over Atlantic City includes taking over police protection and garbage pickup and, for the Meadowlands take over, race tracks could be closed (hello, Nascar?) and the ugly Xanadu wall might go! more ›

The Dark Knight is currently clocking in with a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There are some mixed reviews, like David Denby’s in The New Yorker, but Manohla Dargis at the Times got it right: “No matter how cynical you feel about Hollywood, it is hard not to fall for a film that makes room for a shot of the Joker leaning out the window of a stolen police car and laughing into the wind, the city’s colored lights gleaming behind him like jewels. He’s just a clown in black velvet, but he’s also some kind of masterpiece.” (Gothamist review here.) more ›

For those unlucky few who missed today’s broadcast of The View, Whoopi Goldberg announced on the show that she’ll soon be moonlighting in the campy roller-skating musical Xanadu. She’ll be filling in for the hilarious Jackie Hoffman in the part of Calliope/Aphrodite for six weeks starting July 29th. (Hoffman will be on the road promoting her album "Jackie Hoffman Live from Joe's Pub.") In other celebrity casting news, Weeds star Hunter Parrish will be joining the cast of Spring Awakening in August. And no mention of Broadway would be complete without a reminder that you’ve got just six more days to see the extraordinary Passing Strange! [What's Good/What Blows] more ›