FASHIONABLE SUMMER IN THE CITY (c) By Polly Guerin

pollytalkfromnewyork.blogspot Summer in the City hits a fashionable high spot on the social agenda so mark your calendars. From Queer Fashion to celebrating the Dandy, there’s Crystals on the set and fashion heating up the Castle. Here’s the scoop!!!                                               

THE QUEER HISTORY OF FASHION: From the Closet to the Catwalk is a groundbreaking exhibition at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the first museum to explore in depth the significant contributions to fashion made by LGBTQ (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer) individuals over the past 300 years. With over l00 ensembles, from 18th century menswear styles associated with an emerging gay subculture to 21st high fashion, the importance of gay men as fashion designers is undeniable in the 20th century. “We hope that his exhibition will transform our understanding of fashion history,” said Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum. “For many years, gays and lesbians were hidden from history, and by emphasizing the important role that fashion and style have played within the LGBTQ community, we see how central gay culture has been to the creation of modern fashion.” Opening on September 13. A two-day symposium (November 8 and 9 2013) complement the exhibition. The Museum at FIT, located at 7th Ave. and 27th Street.                                                                        

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Mr. Quentin Crisp takes the spotlight at MAD, Museum of Art and Design at Columbus Circle to celebrate the influence and works of this flamboyant 20th Century Dandy through. From the estate of Quentin Crisp a cinema series opens up this treasure trove of material to the public for the first time in films about his life. Film schedule August 2, 9, 16 and September 6, 2013, 6:30-9pm.On this past Saturday visitors had the opportunity to chat, laugh, and strut among a crowd inspired by Crisp’s life and works as the museum turned into a makeshift dandy salon.                                                        

PUNK: CHAOS TO COUTURE at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is in its final weeks: closes August 14. SWAROVSKI ENTERTAINMENT presents “Romeo and Juliet.” That’s right, it’s the film wing of Swarovski Crystal presenting a remake of “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Carol Cariei and starring Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth and a host of well-known actors. The film will be released in October, but here’s the head’s up. A shrewd move for the brand is the Swarovski crystal “Romeo and Juliet” accessories collection that includes a ring worn by Juliet in the movie, a heart-shaped pendant, and other items that take their cues from symbols in the film, like pearls, swords and crosses. While fashionable accessories are not a bad pairing for any movie, it’s not necessarily a recipe for success. Mark your agenda for this one.         

THE WHITE QUEEN sweeps into your view with the historical fiction drama set to air August 10th on Starz, the medieval miniseries which takes place in England in 1464, during The War of the Roses, Edward IV of England. Played by Max Irons, meets his true love on a roadside, a commoner named Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson) whom he weds. “I focused on a very minimal silhouette and let the textiles talk for themselves,” said costume designer, Nic Ede, a 30-year veteran of the film industry, who used an average of 10 yards of brocade, velvet and silk for each gown. The austere period of “The White Queen,” is a lesson in period costume and a romantic journey into the court of Edward the IV.

Ta Ta darlings!!! I’m nipping off to MAD museum to see Mr. Quentin Crisp. Fan mail welcome at pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’ Blogs at pollytalk.com and click on the links in the left-hand column on Polly’s home page .

SUMMER ESCAPES to OPERA and BEYOND (c) By Polly Guerin

Pollytalkfromnewyork.blogspot

THE FURIES, John singer Sergeant 1921

Escape to the country and discover a world of renowned opera, theater and dance to refresh your creative senses and inspire your muse. Stay in the city and revel in multifaceted events, take a tuition-free course. The best of New York and go beyond and see Oresteia’s towering work first time outside of Russia. Here’s the scoop!!!

ORESTEIA by Sergey Taneyev. Bard SummerScape is internationally recognized for staging critically acclaimed opera productions, complete with magnificent sets and costumes and gorgeous music and with Oresteia Bard 's Summerscape does not disappoint with a huge, international cast in this year’s production of Russian composer SergeyTaneyev’s Oresteia. Rather than calling upon Russian history or folk tales, Taneyev looked to Greek antiquity, basing his libretto on Aeschylus’ powerful trilogy---Agamemnon, Choephorae, and Eumenides---which chronicles the calamities that befell the cursed House of Atreus. It tells a gripping tale of lust, murder, and revenge. The production at Bard College’s Sosnoff Theater, Annandale-on-the Hudson, is the first time this towering work is staged in its entirety outside of Russia since its premiere at the Marlinsky Theatre in 1895. Performances July 26, July 28, 31 and August 2 and 4th. Call 845.758.7900 The Furies image, pictured here, courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

SOUNDINGS: A CONTEMPORARY SCORE The Museum of Modern Art presents the first group exhibition at MoMA to single out sound as a form of artistic expression, and one of the first of its kind. Soundings features the work of 16 contemporary artists working with sound from the United States, Denmark, Scotland, Australia, Japan and England to name a few. With a broad understanding of art, architecture, performance, telecommunications and music, these artists move comfortably among mediums. Soundings is a communal exploration of how and what we hear, and what we might make of it. The works include architectural interventions, visualization of otherwise inaudible sound, an exploration of how sound ricochets within a gallery to 59 bells in New York City. WHEW!!! Quite an experience…not to be missed. MoMA at 11 W. 53 St.

BUILD YOURSELF, BUILD NEW YORK Where does a young man or woman go to hone their skills in the building and construction industry? New York City’s Mechanics Institute, an educational program of GSMT, The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen is now accepting applications for tuition-free evening programs for the Fall 2013 semester. The school continues to provide instruction in trades-related education and provides a unique service to improve job opportunities for New Yorkers in the building and construction industry. Programs include, Electrical Technology, Plumbing Design, Project Manager, Historic Preservation, Construction Documents & Design,Blueprint Reading, and Facilities Management to name a few. Applicants must apply in person at the Institute, 20 West 44th Street. The fall semester begins Monday, September 9th. Registration closes August 12. For more details contact James Loriega at jloriega@generalsociety.org

ESSENCE OF KIMONO – Art, Commerce & Culture is a stunning new exhibit of 50 one-of-a-kind, handmade Kimono and a retrospective of antique Japanese textiles at The Nippon Gallery at the Nippon Club, 145 W. 57th St. The exhibit, a visual feast and a journey across history and culture, highlights exquisite wearable art. It spans two hundred years of history beginning in the late 1700s, from the Edo to the Showa period. Visitors will discover how the far-reaching influence of the Japanese aesthetic has had on fashion, design, and art in the Western World. Hand-painting, gold leaf, embroidery, and shibori tie –dying are just a few of the skills utilized in the couture creations on displays. July 24 through August 23, 2013. FREE admission. 212.582.2223

Ta Ta darlings!!! I’m nipping into the Nippon Club to see those gorgeous kimonos. Fan mail welcome at pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’ Blogs at pollytalk.com and click on the links in the left-hand column of Polly’s home page















































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CHILL OUT WITH A MUSEUM RESPITE (c) By Polly Guerin

Pollytalkfromnewyork.blogspot

July 15, 2013

By Polly Guerin

CHILL OUT WITH A MUSEUM RESPITE ©

When the heat gets hotter take a respite in a museum where exhibitions both entertaining and educational cool off the senses and stimulate your brain. Only in New York my friends, the best of New York. Here’s the Scoop!!!

MONIKA GRZYMALA Take a breather and float in the magical world of Berlin –based artist Monika Grzymala 's Volumen, a breathtaking large-scale sculptural installation at the Morgan Library & Museum with public viewing starting July 19th through November 3, 2013. Volumen is composed of sheets of handmade paper, some of them printed with images of autograph manuscripts from the Morgan’s literary collections, connected with bookbinding yarn and suspended from the ceiling of the museum’s soaring glass-enclosed Gilbert Court. Location: 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street. Themorgan.org

LE CORBUSIER: An Atlas of modern landscapes reveals the role of locations both real and imagined in the vast varied oeuvre of the pioneering Swiss-born French architect. Holding that functional building and urban planning could improve people’s lives; he famously defines a house as a 'machine a habiter' in his seminal 1923 book, "Vers une achitecture.” Not to be passed over lightly the extensive show includes samples of his works as an architect, interior designer, artist, city planner, writer and photographer, ranging from early watercolors of Italy, Greece and Turkey to models of large scale projects. At the MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art at 11 W. 53rd Street.

THE CYRUS CYLINDER and ANCIENT PERSIA digs deep into ancient history. The Cyrus Cylinder, a 2,600-year-old inscribed clay document, is one of the most famous surviving icons from the ancient world. Excavated in Babylon in 1879, the Cylinder was inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform on the orders of the Persian King Cyrus the Great, after he captured Babylon in 539 B.C. A unique aspect of the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of art will be its display within the Galleries of Ancient Near Eastern Art, where objects from the permanent collections—including the famous lions from Babylon—provide a stunning backdrop. Engraved cylinder and stamp seals played an important role in the ancient Near East. The impressions they made on clay documents served as permanent visual reminders of the sealer’s participation in the performance of personal, legal, or administrative act. 1000 Fifth Avenue, metmuseum.org

MUNCH/WARHOL and the MULTIPLE IMAGE brings together two of the 20th Century’s most prolific and inventive printmakers. Norwegian Edvard Munch and American Andy Warhol. The exhibit, organized in honor of the 150th anniversary of Munch’s birth, examines four graphic images produced by Munch at the turn of the century, The Scream, Madonna, The Brooch, Eva Mudocci, Self-Portrait and later revisited by Andy Warhol in a little-known by extraordinary series of prints from 1984. At SCAN, Scandinavia House, Docent-led tours Saturday, July 27, 1pm free with price of exhibition admission. At 59 Park Avenue at 38th Street

Ta Ta Darlings!!! Check out Volumen, it’s a sensational experience!!! Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’ Blogs at pollytalk.com and click on the links in the left-hand column of Polly’s home page.

BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATIONS in the BIG Apple (c) By Polly Guerin

Spirits are high on celebrating Bastille Day this weekend kicking off with dance parties and block parties to entice New Yorkers and tourists to enjoy a “very French experience.” Only in New York my friends, the best of New York. Here’s the scoop!!! BASTILLE DAY DANCE PARTY The committee of French Speaking Societies sponsors a Bastille Day dance party on Friday, July 12th at 404 W. 10th Avenue at 33rd street, from 6:30 to 1pm. The festivities include a prize drawing for two round trip tickets NYC-Paris on Air France and other surprises. Men should dress the part and bring out all their best Francophile style, wearing a suit is de rigueur or go casual wearing a beret with striped shirt like a French Can Can dancer’s male partner. Ladies are invited to wear cocktail dresses. General admission is $30, cash bar and passed hors d’oeuvres. For the fashionistas and cognoscenti there is a VIP Lounge, $120 with a gourmet buffet and open bar. For more info: www.bastilleday--- BASTILLE DAY ON 60TH Street is a three-block fete complete with live entertainment on Sunday July 14th, between Fifth Ave. and Lexington Avenue. Alliance Francaise invites you to celebrate Bastille Day and enjoy the best of French culture at FIAF’s annual street fair. From crepes, éclairs, and fromages with refreshing wine and beer, you won’t want to miss New York City’s ultimate French summer fete. Try your luck at the famous prize drawing, and shop for classic crafts, gourmet treats, and special gifts, and children’s activities in the kid’s corner. Don’t miss an afternoon full of fun for the entire family. For details contact: bastilledanyc.com— FRENCH RESTAURANTS CELEBRATE Bastille Day with food and drink specials in Manhattan: Le Singe Vert in Chelsea; Jules Bistro, East Village; Cercle Rouge, TriBeCA. In Brooklyn, Bar Tabac is holding a typical French Petanque tournament a ball sport. FILMS ON THE GREEN Pack a picnic and watch a film under the stars during the FILMS ON THE GREEN festival. This year’s edition features class and contemporary pictures about the various aspects of love, that only the French claim the prerogative. Fridays through August 2 at various city parks, with a final screening at Columbia University. www.FilmsontheGreen. MURMURS Created by nouveau cirque pioneer Victoria Thierree Chaplin (daughter of Charlie) stars with her daughter Aurelia in the North American premiere at this year’s Lincoln Center Festival. This 80-minute , nearly wordless work of visual heater, the multitalented performers occupies a dreamlike world in which everyday items such as bubble wrap, bellows, umbrellas and cardboard boxes take on lives of their own. July 24 through July 28 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater; www.lincolncenterfestival. Ta Ta Darlings!!! As my last name indicates “Guerin” I shall see you at the Bastille Day celebrations!!!! Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’ Blogs at pollytalk.com and click on the links in the left-hand column of Polly’s home page.

FASHION JEWELRY: Drawn from the World-renowned Collection of Barbara Berger (c) By Polly Guerin

“COSTUME JEWELRY IS NOT MADE TO GIVE AN AURA OF WEALTH, BUT TO MAKE THEM BEAUIFUL”---Coco Chanel

Miriam, Haskell, 1954 Designer Frank Hess\
Glass beads, rhinestones, gold plated
Photo Credit: (c) Pablo Esteva

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but elegant, designer costume jewelry can carry a fashionista way beyond lunch and into spectacular evenings. FASHION JEWELRY: Drawn from the world-renowned collection of Barbara Berger, is an eye popping extravaganza of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, many one-of-a-kind, drawn from the Golden Age of costume jewelry popularized by fashion icons such as Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel and featuring designs by Kenneth Jay lane, Lanvin, Missoni, Oscar de la Renta and Pucci .

WHO IS BARBARA BERGER? The daughter of an American diamond merchant, when but a teenager Barbara Berger began her collection of ‘bijoux de couture;" she purchased a pair of Chanel earrings at a French Flea market. Since then her passion channeled her collecting and she went on to assemble one of the largest and finest collections of costume jewelry in the world. Many of the works were made expressly to be worn with haute couture clothing by fashion designers like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana.

Barbara Berger , World Known Costume Collector
Photo Credit: Pablo Esteva

THE CELEB OPENING last week at the Museum of Arts and Design brought out the fashionistas and celebs wearing magnificent costume jewelry pieces and some individuals were a show unto themselves. Show stoppers included two gentlemen from THORIN & Co., Providence, Rhode Island,. a high- end costume jewelry firm---Robert DiSanto, as the Emperor of his own design wore a grey jacket bedecked with heliotrope and sapphire stones with a regal matching crown. His partner, Timothy Szlyk's Black Knight outfit and dramatic black mask were garnished with red Swarovski gemstones. Designer, Katerina Musetti’s husband wore one of her striking brooch creations on the label of his suit jacket. Ladies who lunch took the opportunity to wear magnificent necklaces that rivaled the treasures in the exhibition and one elegant lady’s belt was fashioned in multi-gems that ended at front in a charming jeweled bow.

SHOWCASING High-End GLAMOUR From swans to starbursts to feathers and flowers, the couture jewelry presented a stunning array of extravagant pieces in showcases with over 450 pieces by designers including treasures from Maison Gripoix, Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior, Miriam Haskell, and Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino. The exhibition celebrates not only the heritage of costume jewelry, but the creativity of brilliant designers and craftsmen across five decades of high-end fashion. Costume jewelry took off as an art form in its own right in the post-World War II era. Synthetic gemstones and sparkling crystals opened up a spectrum of new designs possibilities, allowing designers to produced even more vibrant and elaborate creations allowing women to layer many accessories together in chic, over-the-top style epitomized by Chanel.

Guest Curator, Harrice Simons Miller, an author and consultant of vintage and couture costume jewelry wrote the book, Fashion Jewelry: the Collection of Barbara Berger (Assouline 2013) which accompanies the exhibition. The exhibition is open until September 22, 2013. For information on the Summer Jewelry Workshops contact: 212. 299.7712.

Ta Ta Darlings!!! Fashion Jewelry at MAD, it’s too awesome, once is not enough, you ought to go back again and again. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’ Blogs at pollytalk.com and click on the links in the left-hand column of Polly’s home page.