NYC, THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD(c) by Polly Guerin

Never at a lost for cultural pursuits New Yorker’s need only turn to their inner city diversions to augment their entertainments. From Spunky Opera Broads to the storied past of Scribner’s it’s the Best of New York my friends, the very Best in everyday variety and diversified venues. Here’s the scoop!!!
SPUNKY OLD OPERA BROADS Some of opera’s most ‘over the top’ ladies strut their stuff this Friday, February 24 in the Chelsea Opera’s showcase of Spunky Old Opera Broads. One took off all her clothes to obtain her heart’s desire, another seduced a French corporal, and yet another threw a baby into the fire. Quelle Horror!!! These are women with big voices and big personalities. Meet Azucena, the Three Magic Flute ladies, Turandot, Ariadne, Marcellina and many more. At Christ & St. Stephens Church, 120 West 69th St. (Btwn B’way & Columbus). Gen Adm. $20 adv/$25 at door, Snr/Stdt $15 adv/$20 door. www.chelseaopera.com. 212.260.1796.
FASHION WEEK’S OXBLOOD A new dark sensuous red, named Oxblood, Blood Red, Crimson Madness and even rich Burgundy or good old-fashioned Maroon is likely to be an important vibrant new shade this fall in both men’s and women’s clothes. It mixes well with almost any other color and is flattering to almost any skin tone. Derek Lamb sent out an intriguing deep maroon leather pants on the runway, Rodarte offered chunky sweaters and Oxblood leather gloves were all the rage. Stunning was L’Wren Scott’s beautiful, shimmering claret red velvet cocktail dress. A new take on basic black, invest in Oxblood and recharge your wardrobe with drama and sensual allure.
RENOIR, IMPRESSIONISM Henry Clay Frick’s former mansion, an elegant oasis in the heart of museum row, 1 East 70th St., let’s you step back in time and revel in its treasures, while the delightful fountain arcade tinkles back to a time when Jean Auguste Renoir’s full length paintings were dernier cri de la salon. Renoir developed the so called ‘rainbow palette,’ from which black was eliminated. These delicate renderings include Les Parapluies and Le Moulin de la Galette. Soothe your artistic senses and pay a visit on Sunday'a pay-as-you-wish policy and FREE on Friday night from 7 to 9pm. www.frickcollection.com.
RAY STAFFORD, RARE BOOKMAN The Grolier Club, a bastion of historical reference offers a look into the storied New York firm Charles Scribner’s Sons and the literary, rare book world’s turn-of-the-century New York through the collection of Ray Safford, a consummate rare bookman and book collector. He joined the company in the mid-1880s when the business was on Broadway and by 1912 he was the company’s rare bookman. Safford introduced authors and illustrators including Maxfield Parrish, Henry van Dye and Howard Pyle to name a few of the luminaries of his day as well as Mark Twain, Robert Lewis Stevenson, and Lewis Carroll. FREE Open Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. at 47 E. 60th St. http://www.grolierclub.org/.
Ta Ta darlings!!! I’m off to catch those Spunky Opera Broads this Friday evening. Hope to see you there. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Click into Polly’s Blogs and never miss a beat on what’s happening at www.pollytalk.com.
For Poetry http://www.poetryfromtheheart.blogspot.com.
For determined women: amazingartdecodivas.blogspot.com.