THE FUTURE IS NOW, WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY(c) By Polly Guerin

Amazing developments in wearable technology are edging their way into our clothing and out lifestyles. The question I ask is how much do we want to be plugged into the future? Alas, some major brands are producing wearable technology that's good-looking and comfortable, too. Here's the scoop!!!
   The nylon T-shirt by Ralph Lauren includes technology that can monitor the wearer's heart and stress levels.What spectators will see this week at the Unite States Open is a slick, form-fitting black athletic shirt, the Ralph Lauren polo pony emblazoned on the front.  However, what you won't see is the conductive silver-coated thread that is woven discreetly into the fiber. No it will not answer your smartphone but what it will do is monitor your heart rate, breathing and stress levels with racy good looks. How about the Navigate jacket? It taps out directions on the wearer's back 
   Kovert's modular jewelry features technology encapsulated in precious or semi-precious stones that clip into rings, bracelets and necklaces.  The jewelry vibrates when a important message is received. Now that's living in the moment but do we really wanted to be connected every single moment of the day or night? Doesn't anyone want some peaceful quality time to meditate or even write poetry.
   According to scientists there will be 50 billion, intelligent things in the world by 2020.  In addition to what you wear all things in your home or office could be turned into intelligent products that talk to you.Yet, do we really want technology to become our mentor? Will these high tech developments make humanity less human?
   Net-a-sporter, the new sport-oriented sister of Net-a-porter, will launch Jawbone's new Up 24 wireless smart band which helps users understand how they move, eat and sleeps so that they can make better choices. During Jimmy Choo's fall collection in February in Milan, Jawbone delivered smart bands to the stage crew and created a leader board to see who was getting the most sleep.
   David Rose, MIT Media lab scientist is all for making the computer personal. Now this is something I could use---the umbrella that forecasts the weather at a cost of $125. Armed with your zip code, a wireless receiver in the handle connects to AccuWeather and then glows and pulsates a gentle blue light if the weather outside is frightful.
   Why bother to make grocery lists when all you will need to do is to have an Amazon trash can that has a tiny camera and bar code scanner that records everything you throw away and sends the information to Amazon.com where it is immediately reordered and shipped to you.
   Too tired to pedal your bike. The Copenhagan Wheel, contains a motor that transforms a normal bike into a hybrid electric vehicle. As you bike, the wheel captures excess energy when going downhill or braking to help propel you up steeper includes or harder terrains.
   This coffee table eavesdrops on your conversations. Billed as an "instant photo album," the Facebook Coffee Table uses real time speech analysis to pick up keywords from your conversation to pull up relevant Facebook feed photos. Hotels will soon be using the coffee table to feature nearby events, restaurant suggestions and displays about weather and traffic .
  Whew!!! The future is now, my friends..  Emails welcome at pollytalknyc@gmail.com.  Visit Polly's Blogs at www.pollytalk.com and in the left hand column click on the link to Blogs about women, men, treasures or poetry.
   

CULTURE CITY'S CURIOSITIES IN AND BEYOND NYC (c) By Polly Guerin

What's culture got to do with it? Well for one thing there is so much going on in New York City a person's calendar can get filled in with nearly two or three or more things to consider doing in one day, but particularly the evening events are the best. Here's the scoop!!!
MASTERPIECES & CURIOSITIES: A Russian American Quilt explores works from the Jewish Museum's world renowned collection. On view from August 22 to February 1, 2015, this exhibition continues a series of rare quilt (c.1899), a fascinating expression of the acculturation process undergone by newly arrived immigrants. Actually, the quilt in question was owned by a Russian Jewish family that likely arrived in America during the 19th Century and incorporates imagery from both cultures. Why should we care about this quilt, you may ask?" Okay my dear, but this is pure history from the past. Four panels in the quilt picture embroidered figures dress in Russian costumes: a woman raising the side of her skirt, a common gesture in folk dancing; a dancing man; and a seated musician playing the balalaika. Skip ahead--motifs in the quilt's border relate to sports that became popular in American (c.1900), including a baseball or football referee or umpire, hot-air ballooning, and tennis. Several other works look back on Jewish life but the curiosities attract like Alfred Stieglitz photography to a Moroccan wedding costume. Location: Fifth Ave. at 92nd street. www.thejm.org.
Polly's Theater Pick of the Week, PIANIST of WILLESDEN LANE. What a performance, what a story!!!! This is truly the best theater in a long time. Pianist extraordinaire, Mona Golabek keeps you riveted to your seat as she recalls the life of her mother and first piano teacher, Lisa Jura,  and recalls her remarkable survival and achievements in the concert halls during the terrible days of WWII.  Lisa's stories are bursting with bits and pieces of wonderful characters and in between all the storytelling Golabek plays excerpts from Grieg, Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, Bach and even Gershwin with remarkable dexterity and style. This unforgettable performance is not to be missed and you will come away, as I did, truly inspired and felling cultural saturated.  At the 59 E. 59 Theater. Closes August 24.
DOLL HOUSE: Karl Lagerfeld. The Paris-based designer is unstoppable. His latest collaboration involves what must be the world's smallest pair of fingerless gloves to fit the dainty hands of Barbie Lagerfeld, a limited-edition doll being launches this fall by American toy giant Mattel Inc. as part of the Barbie Collector series. The doll is quite soigne and is dressed to the Germain couturier's custom: in a tailored black jacket, white shirts with a high neck collar and the iconic skinny black jeans. Accessories complete the look with dark sunglasses, a large flat necktie and black ankle boots. By the way, Mattel is making Barbie's 55th birthday this year, yet she never seems to age.  I wonder what is her secret?
RENE LALIQUE: Enchanted by Glass. There is still time to take a trip to Corning, New York to see the designer's career from his beginnings working for such prestigious joallliers as Cartier and Boucheron. After winning top honors for his Art Nouveau jewelry at the 1900 Paris Exposition, Lalique began focusing on luxury glassware and pioneered Art Deco in his creations. Through January 4, 2015 at the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; cmog.org.
Ta Ta darlings, I went to hear Mona Golabek and have become a fast fan, what a talent, what a story, not to be missed!!! Fan mail welcome at pollytalk@verizon.net.  Check out Polly's Blogs go to www.pollytalk.com and in the left-hand column click on the link to the Blogs on fashion, amazing women, visionary men and even poetry.