LONDON (AP) ― Frothy, film-inspired funfest “Legally Blonde: The Musical” won three big prizes at London’s Laurence Olivier theater awards, while Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Never Dies’’ went home empty-handed despite seven nominations.“Legally Blonde” was named best new musical at Britain’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tonys on Sunday. Star Sheridan Smith was crowned best actress in a musical, and Ji

Performance March 14, 2011

Identifying yourself as an eater used to be simple. You either ate meat, or you didn’t.Now? Maybe you eat meat, but only certain kinds or only on certain days ― or even certain hours. Or you don’t eat meat ― except when you do.If you’re not vegetarian or carnivore, what are you? The term “flexitarian” is catching on, although author Mark Bittman likes “smartly thought-out omnivore.”His most recent

Food March 14, 2011

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) ― Fractions of seconds, captured by Vivian Maier a half-century ago or more ― fleeting moments of life on the streets at a time when men wore fedoras and dragged on Lucky Strike cigarettes, when women favored babushkas, when families piled in Studebakers and Packards for Sunday drives.She and her photos seemed destined for obscurity until a young man with an eye for bargains

Performance March 13, 2011

Quality grains boast serious pedigree, new varieties not far behindFor centuries, rice has reigned supreme at the Korean dining table, acting as an anchor to the traditional spread of banchan (Korean side dishes). In short, rice is crucial to the daily diet and is taken seriously here. Like wines, grains from certain regions are lauded above others. Rice aficionados even prefer specific varieties

Food March 13, 2011

PARIS (AFP) ― It’s getting to be springtime in Paris, but for Karl Lagerfeld it was the moment to send a chill of autumn through the Grand Palais on Tuesday as he presented a tomboyish Chanel fall-winter collection.In a deliberate contrast to the Parisian garden theme that framed the spring-summer show, Lagerfeld sent darker, looser looks down a wooden boardwalk the length of a venue carpeted with

Arts & Design March 9, 2011

Two old friends to stage complete cycle of Beethoven’s violin sonatasThey’re old, but not in spirit. When talking about their passion for music, the two musicians’ eyes twinkle like stars. The 69-year-old violinist Kim Min, music director of the Korean Chamber Orchestra, had thought his most recent recital “My Life, My Music” at the Seoul Arts Center in 2008 would be his last stage performance. Bu

Performance March 8, 2011

PARIS (AFP) ― Stella McCartney led a very British day at Paris fashion week on Monday, sending out a chic and casual fall-winter collection to an energetic hip-hop soundtrack.Her compatriot Giles Deacon at Emmanuel Ungaro veered towards a more severe dominatrix look driven by the late Ungaro’s famous statement that he dressed mistresses, not wives.Later in the day, Hannah MacGibbon at Chloe widene

Arts & Design March 8, 2011

OUAGADOUGOU (AFP) ― A Moroccan film about the incestuous rape of a young woman by her father who believes she is demon-possessed scooped the top honors at Africa’s biggest film festival.“Pegase” by Mohamed Mouftakir from Morocco, late Saturday won the Golden Stallion of Yennenga, the grand prize of the Pan African Film Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso’s desert capital Ouagadougou.

Film March 7, 2011