NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) ― Turns out Keith Urban’s 2011 Get Closer Tour is aptly named.The country superstar will unveil a new stage design when his tour starts Thursday in Biloxi, Mississippi. Urban often tucks away ideas he comes up with while standing on stage in front of thousands of fans. He noticed on his last tour that when he descended ramps at each end of the stage, nearby fans were prac

Performance June 16, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Jessica Simpson is taking on the role of mentor to aspiring designers for a new NBC reality series.The network said Monday that Simpson will help guide contestants in the series “Fashion Star” as they compete for a multimillion-dollar contract to launch their own brand.Elle McPherson will host the show, which NBC promises to be a “true spectacle” taped in front of a studio audie

People June 14, 2011

South Korean animator Choi Jong-il knew he had a hit on his hands when Pororo the penguin hopped onto TV screens back in 2003.Choi’s previous creations had failed to grab the undivided attention of his 6-year-old son and his son’s friends.That all changed when the mischievous but affectionate blue and white penguin, sporting aviator glasses and a flying helmet, made his debut.“The kids’ eyes were

Television June 13, 2011

MEXICO CITY (AP) ― “Narco Polo” is the new fashion trend sweeping lower-class neighborhoods in Mexico, inspired by seven high-ranking drug traffickers who were arrested over a three-month stretch wearing open-neck, short-sleeved jerseys with the familiar horseman-with-a-stick emblem.The polo shirts are becoming ubiquitous in street vendors’ stalls from the drug-war-ravaged state of Tamaulipas to t

Arts & Design June 13, 2011

WASHINGTON ― The U.S. government’s fascination with America’s eating predates the nation itself, and the National Archives can prove it.On display at a new exhibit, “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? The Government’s Effect on the American Diet,” is a recruiting poster from 1776 that lists the rations the Continental Congress offered to the soldiers: beef, peas, beer and candies.Tucked away on the first

Food June 13, 2011

Cancer center offers respite, spiritual oasis for the sickHACKENSACK, New Jersey ― For just a moment, patients can forget they’re in a cancer center.The Manhattan skyline offers a spectacular background for lush boxwoods, vibrant flowers, and the herbs and vegetables growing in the rooftop garden at the John Theurer Cancer Center at the Hackensack University Medical Center.The garden, outside a gl

Technology June 13, 2011

Director of Kan Song Art Museum says his legacy is keeping the collection intactAt the home of Chun Sung-woo, director of the country’s foremost private museum of Korean art, where one would expect to find old Korean masterpieces, hang large abstract paintings.“These are part of my mandala series,” explains Chun, pointing at the paintings that hang on the wall of the living room and its adjoining

Performance June 10, 2011

Dumplings and extra-chewy noodles called jjolmyeon, the favorite after-school snacks of Korean students are given grown-up treatment at Mito in Samseong-dong.The restaurant run by the 40-year-old Sinpori Mandu company plays up its heritage, serving up sophisticated variations of basic dumplings and noodles.  Interior of Mito in Samseong-dong (Mito)There are several interesting interpretations of d

Food June 10, 2011

LOS ANGELES ― After two years of sluggish wine sales, consumers are starting to reach for ― and spend more on ― their favorite vintages.U.S. domestic wine retail sales grew 7 percent in 2010 over the previous year, according to the Wine Institute in San Francisco. And the country’s wine exports also jumped to a record $1.14 billion in 2010, up nearly 26 percent from 2009. Customer Jennifer Murphy

Food June 10, 2011

American actor Richard Gere will visit South Korea later this month to experience traditional Korean Buddhist temples, the country’s largest Buddhist sect said Wednesday.Gere, a practicing Buddhist, will come to Korea on June 20, in time for his photography exhibition titled “Pilgrim,” featuring photos of Tibet, the Jogye Order said. He will have a meeting with Venerable Jaseung, head of the Jogye

Film June 9, 2011

Seomi director says Samsung still owes her 53 billion wonAre the once-best-and-strongest partners in the local art scene turning their backs on each other or starting yet another scheme together? Gallery Seomi director Hong Song-won, arrested May 6 for money laundering, filed a law suit worth 5 billion won ($4.6 million) against Hong Ra-hee, director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art and wife of Sam

Performance June 8, 2011