BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) ― A brick from The Cavern Club, a check for 11 pounds signed by Ringo Starr, an “authentic” Beatles wig. These and thousands of other objects related to the “Fab Four” are luring Beatles fans to a new museum in Buenos Aires.The museum is the product of the particular “Beatlemania” obsession of Rodolfo Vazquez, a 53-year-old accountant who became a fan at the age of 10

Performance Jan. 17, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― If you’re invited to the royal wedding, don’t go buying Kate Middleton an engraved gift ― the poor woman doesn’t know yet what her title’s going to be.She will be a princess, possibly a duchess, perhaps even a countess. But the exact title is unlikely to be divulged until shortly before April 29, the day she officially joins “the firm” ― as the lordly British royal family is known.Mo

People Jan. 17, 2011

MILAN (AP) ― Color ― even in winter ― is the strong message coming off the current Milan menswear runway.Midway through the four days of preview showings for the fall-winter 2011-2012, it is clear that designers are asking men to brighten up their wardrobe, adding bold purple, blue, green and even yellow to their conservative black and gray palette.Sunday, day two of the Italian menswear preview s

Arts & Design Jan. 17, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Hollywood’s annual awards season kicks off Sunday as stars and filmmakers gather for the Golden Globes, with British historical drama “The King’s Speech” hoping for a boost toward Oscars glory.Starring Colin Firth as the stuttering King George VI, the movie is nominated in seven categories at the Globes, seen as a key pointer to who will win prizes at the Academy Awards next mo

Film Jan. 16, 2011

Cinephiles in Korea now have a novel way of enjoying a film festival in a novel way ― completely paperless and online.“The objective of the MyFrenchFilmFestival.com is to take fully into account the evolution of cultural consumption and to reach a new audience for French cinema abroad,” said Audiovisual Attach at the French Embassy Daniel Kapelian.Film lovers anywhere in the world will be able to

Film Jan. 16, 2011

A surprising name recently has joined the pantheon of popular Tokyo tourist spots―Haneda Airport’s international terminal.Since the international terminal opened in October, it has been inundated with visitors who came to the airport not for flights but to stroll the terminal itself. The sightseers outnumber genuine air passengers by more than 2-to-1 on weekends and holidays, according to the airp

Travel Jan. 14, 2011

NEW YORK ― I practice intellectual-property law in New York, but as a dual U.S.-German national, I have considerable cross-border work, which is why I go back and forth quite often. I have a working wife and a toddler who has developed the ability to be in three places simultaneously; that means I have to keep my away time as short as possible and make every business hour count. But that is still

Travel Jan. 14, 2011

CHICAGO ― When it comes to that ever-curious species, the human consumer, peering through crystal balls is a long-practiced and practically irresistible art. Especially when we’re entering a new year, and we’re itching to know what the days ahead might bring.In the food department, we’re eager to know what we might find on our plates, in grocery aisles and on the pages of all the foodie slicks tha

Food Jan. 14, 2011

ROME (AP) ― Forget her smile. An Italian researcher says the key to solving the enigma of “Mona Lisa” lies in her eyes.Silvano Vinceti claims he has found the letter “S” in the woman’s left eye, the letter “L” in her right eye, and the number “72” under the arched bridge in the backdrop of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting. According to the researcher, the symbols open up new leads to identifyin

Performance Jan. 13, 2011

 There is more to the Chinese Zodiac than a hippety hop into year 4708 for people born under the sign of rabbit.Rabbit babies are private, introverted and withdrawn. Or quietly charismatic, thoughtful and calm? It is hard to generalize a destiny using a centuries-old system based on natural elements, marked by fixed colors and assigned a dozen animals as they correspond to the hour, date, month an

Arts & Design Jan. 12, 2011

HONG KONG (AP) ― Jiang Wen’s latest film has earned rare box-office success in the sensitive genre of Chinese political satire, but theories are flying that it accomplishes much more: eluding strict censorship to criticize China’s current government.Set in the chaotic years after the collapse of imperial rule, “Let the Bullets Fly” tells the story of a Robin Hood-like bandit who kidnaps a con man

Film Jan. 12, 2011

Salsa and cha-cha build endurance, and the tango improves muscle control and posture.Any doubts about the transformative abilities of ballroom dance should be quashed after watching one season of “Dancing With the Stars” and seeing celebrities going from flabby to fit in a matter of weeks.Sure, they’re rehearsing five to six hours a day, week after week. But the spins, turns, lifts, kicks and fast

Arts & Design Jan. 12, 2011

SAN JOSE, California ― Until Amy met the man of her dreams, and the two of them had publicly sanctified their love ― going into escrow together on a house ― it never occurred to her that the greatest danger to their happiness would turn out to be one of her best friends.Amy had developed a warm ― but completely platonic ― friendship with another man, and that caused a “huge blowout about whether o

Arts & Design Jan. 12, 2011