NEW YORK (AP) ― If it’s got his name on it, Lenny Kravitz says he has been involved in it 100 percent, so when you see his stamp on the new collection of Toms shoes, know the Bahamas beach-meets-modern architecture influence is genuine.“If I’m in, I’m in it all the way,’’ Kravitz says.The singer got involved in designing the shoes with Toms founder Blake Mycoskie at the urging of his daughter, Zoe. She was wearing Toms casual slip-ons all the time. She also explained the brand’s larger mission o

SANTA MONICA, California (AFP) ― A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California’s top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state.Protestors took their message to the streets this week as a series of high-end restaurants staged events ― with menus including foie gras ice cream ― to celebrate the gastronomic delicacy, made from force-fed ducks.“Helpless ducks are force fed, eat somewhere else instead,” chanted some 30 pro

BERLIN (AP) ― Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the renowned German baritone who performed for more than five decades on stages in Berlin, Vienna, London and New York, died Friday. He was 86.The art songs and opera singer died at his home in the southern German city of Starnberg, Berlin’s Deutsche Oper said. “He has deeply moved countless people around world for more than half a century through hundreds of concerts and recordings,” German Culture Minister Bernd Neumann said. Neumann said Fischer-Dieskau

Korea Railroad Corporation is operating sleeper trains for visitors to Yeosu Expo throughout the Expo period ending Aug. 12. Equipped with individual beds in 28 cabins, the train departs from Seoul Station at 11:20 p.m. and arrives in Yeosu at 3:48 a.m.The sleeper train package allows visitors to watch the sunrise at the small temple of Hyangilam, located on top of a mountain overlooking the sea surrounding Yeosu early in the morning, then visit Expo exhibitions as well as other famous islands n

The hotel’s Japanese restaurant Mikado offers special traditional Japanese sushi dishes prepared by a renowned Japanese chef through May 27. The traditional sushi is developed and served by Tadaki Nomura, the top sushi chef of Ritz-Carlton Tokyo. His special sushi starts from 120,000 won per person. On May 24, Nomura will serve an eight-course meal featuring traditional stews and five different types of sushi at 198,000 won per person. Prices are exclusive of tax and service charges. For more in

The hotel’s steakhouse Manhattan Grill offers a semi-buffet dinner including steak and seafood served on one plate until July 1. Surf and Turf Dinner offers a variety of appetizers and desserts from its buffet and main dishes of steak and seafood brought to the table. Customers can choose main dishes from a variety of steak and seafood dishes, including beef tenderloin, lamb chops, veal tenderloin and pan-seared scallops with teriyaki sauce, salmon with balsamic sauce and sauted prawns with chil