Monday marks the start of the Lunar New Year, and celebrations are kicking off in Chinatown this week to welcome the Year of the Dragon.

Jewish rapper Matisyahu shocked fans this week by shaving off his trademark beard. The White Plains artist joined John Schaefer on WNYC's Soundcheck Wednesday to talk about his recent transformation. Watch video of the interview here.

The Frick Collection has opened a new, glass-enclosed portico gallery. It's the museum's first major addition in more than three decades. The inaugural exhibition in the Frick's new gallery is a collection of Meissen porcelain from a private collection.

St. Ann's Warehouse has found a new home -- in its same old neighborhood. The avant-garde theater company, currently located on Water Street, has signed a three-year lease on a 19,000-square foot warehouse at the corner of Jay Street and Plymouth Street.

Conceptions of Tibet are the subject of a new exhibit at the Rubin Museum of Art that aims to examine the region through the lens of comics.

The exhibit, "Hero, Villain, Yeti," includes more than 50 comic books from the U.S. Europe and Asia and features characters like the Green Lama and Bugs Bunny.

About 100,000 canned goods — stacked in the shape of shoes, candles and even the Brooklyn Bridge — are on display at the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan for one last weekend as part of a design and build competition to bring attention to world hunger.

Thirty-four chess pieces from the British Museum are making a U.S. appearance at the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park.

A New York City carriage horse who died unexpectedly on his way to work in Central Park on October 23 likely had underlying medical problems, according to the results of a study released Monday.

The Brooklyn Museum announced a $2 hike in its suggested admission rates on Friday — up to $12 for adults, and $8 for students and seniors.

The sudden death of a carriage horse on its way to Central Park Sunday morning has drawn renewed attention to the industry.

Pumpkin farmers have been forced to look out of state the make sure they have enough vegetables for the season after a soggy summer dampened prospects for a fruitful fall.

If you see a superhero walking around Midtown Manhattan this weekend, chances are he or she is here for Comic Con. The convention kicked off Thursday, and it is about more than just comics. Movies, television shows, books and video games — not all of them based on comics — are represented, and so are the fans.

The city's second annual Latin Media and Entertainment Week kicks off Monday and will include free events, concerts and business networking sessions aimed at promoting the city as a destination for Latin culture.

There are many spots to bird watch in the city — whether seeking pigeons in Times Square or sparrows in the park. In celebration of Bird Week, WNYC and The New York Times have been asking for your favorite bird-watching spots.