Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

Cindy's Party Finally Ends

We're probably running this inot the ground, so we'd better make this the last post about Cindy Gallop's party.   Reporter Vivienne Lehney asked our friends, all long time Y members, to give their impressions of the evening, and of the recent changes in the Chelsea neighborhood. (ChelseaNow.)

Did you have any expectations before going to the party about Cindy or her home?
Peter & Dorte -- We had no expectations about Cindy. We expected her to have a large fancy place, but had no idea how fancy.

George Chemeche -- I didn't expect to find an ex swimming pool turned to such lavishly designed condo apartment!

Penelope Anderson --  I was very excited to have been invited (a last minute cancellation of one of Debbie's guests.)  Of course, I was curious about the apartment that had once been the Y.  And hoping I would fit in.

What are your impressions of her after the party?
Peter & Dorte - Nice, pleasant, good-humored, diplomatic (concerning Ed) and rich.
George -- Cindy is a full-of-pepper women who loves to enjoy life and share it with others.
Penelope -- Warm, gracious, true to herself, enjoyed sharing her home.  All very positive. Lots of space and Cindy loves it and loves living there.
Sherry Mazzoccohi -- I thought she was extremely charming and surprisingly intelligent. Usually people are one or the other, rarely both.

What are your impressions of her home?
Peter & Dorte -- More like a nightclub than a home in some ways (I guess this was also her intention, from reading the New York article). She has some amazing art.
George - It might not fill everyones expectations. But, for sure, it has a warm, cuddling ambiance. And for sure it reflects her personality.   Very important.
Sherry -- Her apt was pretty wonderful. The NY magazine photos didn`t do it justice. She has an amazing art collection and probably the most taxidermy I have ever seen in one place except the natural history museum.

What do you miss most about the McBurney Y?
Peter & Dorte -- I was pretty depressed about the demise of the last Manhattan Y with gymnastics and the other sports (but you know this).  Dorte and I joined in 1991, and were members until shortly before the building was closed.

George -- I miss the roof in the summer and the friendly staff members of the Seventies. I was a member for about 30 years. By the way, I wrote an obituary poem about the Y after it closed.

Penelope -- I've been a member since 1992. Originally is was a home away from home.  It was a place to meditate with exercise and enjoy the community of members.  And it was filled with history and caring staff, and you were a part of that history.

Sherry - It is hard to convey what the Y meant to all of us. That's where we all met and became friends. There are some people I have completely lost track of-that's a little like losing a part of yourself. Sure I miss the Y. I was a member for ten years. It was a more like an extended family than a gym.

What do you feel about recent changes in the Chelsea neighborhood?
Peter & Dorte -- This is a tough question. My feelings about the changes in Chelsea are very much those about New Yorkin general. The steep increase in housing prices pushed the middle class out of their enclaves, and they in turn pushed the poor out of their's. As a result that many neighborhoods are becoming more class-homogeneous. This isn't an especially original observation. I don't think it is a conspiracy, but it is a shame.

George --It changed for good. I think it is the most dynamic and interesting part of the city.

Penelope - Cheaply built high rent buildings that are pushing out low and middle income people.   I moved to Chelsea in 1991 because it was a family neighborhood.  Now I feel that I am living in a shopping mall, without a sense of community.  It's sad, but I am getting used to it. (Photo: Penelope)

Sherry - Chelsea is changing rapidly. But that's the way things are.

What was your favorite part of the get-together?
Peter & Dorte -- The art and the food!
George -- To be with a group of people, most of whom live in small rooms or modest studio apartments, and still enjoy the lavishness of the hostesses fortune without any jealousy or resentment. That was heart-elating evening . . .
Penelope -- Meeting the gracious host and hostess.  Meeting other neighbors.  Meeting a gracious journalist.  The conversation was fun and yes, it never hurts to be reminded that good people come in all economic levels.
Sherry -- I think my favorite part of the evening was when we all admitted we read Jamie Bufalino’s column first, then the horoscope in Time Out. I felt like we all sort of bonded over that.


George in his apt at the Chelsea.

Revisiting the "Y" Building

Those of you who have been following the blog know that, upon reading my criticism of her loft in the old McBurney Y building, Cindy Gallop invited us over for drinks.  Though we suspected a hoax at first, it soon became clear that she was for real.
Taking Cindy up on her courageous invitation to come on over, we invited a few friends from the Y and headed to Cindy’s place in the old McBurney Y.  We really had no idea what to expect, but Cindy could not have been more gracious and welcoming.  If she bore me any malice, she certainly hid it exceptionally well. I think she’s very self-confident, and believes in her own choices in art and living space and my little bit of criticism didn’t shake her. 
It was an evening full of surprises.  For one thing, it surprised us to learn that she treasured the Y and its heritage. In my review I criticized her practice of dressing her waiters in Y towels, but apparently she must have meant it as a sort of homage to the Y.

Cindy demonstrated how her trendy peek-a-boo bath works – it fills from the ceiling. It was a surprise for painter George Chemeche when Cindy turned the spigot and he got wet!

Yet another surprise was that Cindy had so many works by Paul Richard.  (You can see his Pope and Gerbil in the background) We have been seeing his work all over the Village since the late nineties and have always thought he was a very good artist.  We attended a show of his on Hudson Street in 1999 and he gave us a small piece. 

Another thing that surprised us was that she had so many books.  I was most envious of all her shelf space, since we have to throw most of our books out for lack of space.

Of course, none of us are too happy that our Y was converted into million-dollar condos, but if anyone has to live there, I guess I’m glad it’s Cindy.  We and our friends from the Y feel that the Y has abandoned its charitable and community mission and is fast becoming little more than a non-profit sports club. Tomorrow we'll have opinions from other party goers.

(Thanks to Steven for the photos)

Happy Thanksgiving From Montana

We heard them come in late last night; several people checked into the transient room next door and all had to go to the shared bathroom in the hallway, one after another.  The next morning I met the last of them as he was clearing out, a thin man in his late thirties dressed in rugged winter gear with a Afghani hat and carrying a green army duffle bag.  He said he was from Montana, which (maybe) would explain the getup, and that they had driven thousands of miles in 33 hours to get to New York.  “Sounds peaceful,” I said, meaning Montana, not the drive.  They had one more night in New York, he said—though not, apparently, in the Chelsea—and then it was back on road, back to Montana.  (Maybe they came to see the Macy’s parade.) “I know this building has lots of history,” he said.  “You have no idea,” I replied and took that opportunity to hand him a blog card.  “Come here,” he said, leading me back into the transient room, “I want to show you a letter I left on the desk here.”

            Ever the suspicious New Yorker, I thought, Oh shit, it’s going to be one of those goddamn chain letters and now I’m going to be cursed if I don’t send it to a hundred people.  Instead, he had left a pen, a stamped envelope and a notepad with a note on it that said: “Write that letter today.  You know which one I’m talking about.  You’ll feel better if you do.”  “That’s nice,” I said, thinking, hell, nobody from New York would ever think to do that, we’re all too selfish, too caught up in our own lives.  The man said he had checked into a hotel several years back and had seen a note just like this sitting on a desk, and that it had led to a bout of soul searching with the end result that he had sat down at that desk and written a long, and long-overdue letter to his father (he left the details to the imagination).  Since then, he said, whenever he checks out of a hotel room he always leaves the note and the rest of the stuff.

            He asked if the maid would leave the note and I said yes, though actually I wasn’t quite so sure; it was just that I didn’t want to say no, since it was such a touching gesture in such a God forsaken place as this that I didn’t want him to take it back.  For the next few hours I listened for the maid and when I heard her rustling around over there I rushed over just in time to see her closing the pen up in the notepad and getting ready to take it away.  She said she didn’t know what that was about, but I told her she was supposed to leave the things and I believe she did.

            Oh, one more thing: I told the guy that I had just been to my cousin’s wedding in Montana this summer, though I couldn’t remember the name of her town.  Now I remember.  So in case your reading, guy from Montana, it’s Lewistown. (Ed Hamilton)

All Tomorrow's Parties: Nov. 27 - Dec. 3, 2006

Monday, Nov. 27, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Nat Finkelstein and David Dalton, two Factory insiders, will share the short but enduring story of Andy Warhol's first It-Girl, Edie Sedgwick. Bibbe Hensen, a friend of Edie's (and Beck's mom), playwright and Factory co-hort, Robert Heide and Edie's good friend, Danny Fields, will all participate in the evening's discussion.
Strand Books, Corner of 12th and Broadway, NY NY (Thanks to Jean Pearson for the tip.)

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 10:30 pm
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny return. It's opening night for Room Service Tuesdays. For Spanking Good Fun. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora & Richie Rich. Music Service: Kim Ann. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Alex From Tokyo, Show: Jonte Dance Troupe       
35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway


Wednesday, Nov. 29, 10:00 - 6:00
A room full of Rita Barros' photographs are included in an MA Thesis Exhibition at NYU. The show closes on December 8.
80 Washington Square East Galleries, NY NY

Thursday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Known for his interdisciplinary work that is often part installation and part dance, Luis Lara Malvacías returns to Dance Theater Workshop with the world premiere of There is no Such Thing. Spontaneous actions, projections, and manipulated sounds saturate the 21 short sections that make up this non–linear work.
Dance Theatre Workshop, 219 W. 19th St., NY NY

Friday, Dec. 1, 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Best-known for involving a range of non-artists -- such as televangelists, psychics, and theorists -- in the creative development of his works, Christian Jankowski presents new and recent videos, films, photography, and sculpture that question traditional ideas of artistic authorship and experiment with commercial filmmaking conventions. Exploring in particular the genre of "horror," the exhibition suggests how cinematic visions of monstrosity and violence can also communicate broader notions of transformation, revenge, and redemption.
The Kitchen, 512 West 19th St. NY NY

If you have an event that you want listed on All Tomorrow's Parties please e-mail chelblog@yahoo.com

Outlaw Hotel Chelsea Bloggers Feelings Hurt

Finally, our prayers have been answered, another blogger stops by the Chelsea. From Vanity Fair's November issue, here's music blogger Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewitinn.  I'm glad they told us that the photo was taken in New York's Chelsea Hotel, otherwise we never would have guessed.  She looks so pensive and contended, totally unliked the usual crazed Chelsea denizen (blogger).

The Oct. 2 issue of Time featured another dotcom success story; Charles Ardai, founder and CEO of Juno. Ardai, 36, missed the great age of pulp, so after Juno merged with a competitor in 2001 and he had time and money to burn, he founded his own press, Hard Case Crime. (Photo: THE CHELSEA HOTEL IN NYC)

We find it hard to believe that these lumanaries of the internet world were here, and yet neglected to pop in and say hi!

Chelsea Hotel Newsmakers

A previously unpublished short story by Eugene O'Neill has been unearthed.  We plan to start the rumor that it was written while he lived here at the Chelsea thereby greatly increasing the value of the story.

In Chelsea Now, Stanley Bard reports “The misconception is that the Chelsea Hotel is a wild, flamboyant, kooky kind of hotel,” said Bard. “It is the most respectable, in reality, the most admirable, the most appreciated, the most intellectual type of environment that exists in this city or any other city.”  How much fun is that?

April Barton, the owner of Suite 303, located here in the Chelsea Hotel talks about the latest fads in men's hair fashion.  (via BusinessWeek online)

Soethby's "Dolly Parton" Warhol portrait may be fake. (via Towelroad)

Barneys, the upscale New York department store readies their windows for the holiday season.  This years theme is Happy Warhol-idays.  (New Yorker)

Suzanne Bartsch planned to spend Thanksgiving at home. (Village Voice)

William Bolcom and his wife, mezzo-soprano Joan Morris, discuss turn-of-the-20th-century parlor songs and popular fare of later eras.(Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Ryan Adams releases eight new albums on his website. (via Drowned in Sound)

Sally Singer dishes out some fashion advice. (Associated Press)

Patti Smith has been nominated as an inductee into the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It's All About Edie Today

Who can possibly keep up with the twists and turns of the much ballyhooed Factory Girl.

First, Sienna Miller was being hyped as an Oscar contender for her role as Edie Sedgwick.  A week later, she was being called back to reshoot several scenes.  Finally, a trailer has been released.  The goal is to release the movie by the end of the year so it can be in contention for an Oscar. (Yeah, right!)

From the looks of this list of brand extensions, Edie could end up with more money that Andy Warhol:
•Edie Factory Girl by photographer Nat Finkelstein and writer David Dalton (VH1, $29.95, in stores). Bio/photo book by two who were part of the scene.
•In recent months, Teen Vogue and Seventeen have included articles on how to create the Edie look.
•Delias.com is selling an Edie Dress and a Factory Girl tote bag.
•Urban Outfitters carries a Ciao! Manhattan T-shirt, tunic, tote bag and notepad with her image. (I must confess, I bought the T-shirt.)
•MAC and Smashbox Cosmetics created lines this year inspired by her mod look.
•Fashion Wire Daily recently reported designer Karl Lagerfeld's upcoming collection has "echoes" of Sedgwick's style with models sporting heavy eyeliner and fringed straight blond hair.
•Kung Fu Nation has been selling out of its Edie T-shirts sold at KungFuNation.com, Urban Outfitters and Hot Topic.
•In January, In My Blood: Six Generations of Madness and Desire in an American Family by cousin John Sedgwick (uncle of actress Kyra Sedgwick) will be published by HarperCollins. It chronicles, in part, Edie's rapid rise to fame, heroin addiction and death by overdose.
•Edie is an online phenom. "A lot of kids are finding her, and a lot of people are creating online communities," says Ben Allgood, 22, creative director for Edienation.com and myspace.com/edieonfire. (There are several good Edie sites on myspace - http://www.myspace.com/ediesedgwick65 

Well, since Edie has become a cash cow we think she should be schilling for our friends.  We're sure she'd totally be into these Shuga Buds -- serious bling for ipod fans.  In the photo at left Edie enjoys listening to Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" with her stereo quality personal earphones studded with Swarovski crystals. (Full disclosure -- Shuga Buds is owned by a friend.)

Thanksgiving Prayer -- William Burroughs

Thanks for the American Dream....

Ghosts, Aliens, Jon Bon Jovi: Nothing Can Ruffle This Chelsea Painter

            Last week, with a documentary film crew in tow (It was a shoot for New York Streets, a documentary that will be aired on Dec. 10th on channel NHK BS1 in Japan (and a small subscribed Japanese cable channel here). Debbie and I went to visit the painter Robert Lambert in his apartment/studio in the Chelsea Hotel.  Robert’s willowy figures exude a weird, otherworldly, spiritual beauty that captivates and transports the viewer.  Surrounded by Robert’s magnificent large canvases, Debbie asked the questions and I scribbled the answers down in my yellow note pad. 

-When did you first move in?

1998.  I had just come back from Paris.  My friend was living here and he introduced me to Stanley.  That always helps.  I was in 831.  [Editors’ Note: this is part of Thomas Wolfe’s old suite, and, more recently, the inspiration for the fragrance Kyle.831]

-What had you heard about the Chelsea before you moved in?

I never gave the history any thought.  The place had a nice vibe to it, and I liked it.  Stanley was pretty good about it and showed me a few places, and so I moved in.  I stayed 19 months, went back to Paris and lived there for 3 years, then came back to the Chelsea and I’ve been here ever since.

-How has the Chelsea changed your art?

It’s been changed by every place I stay.  There’s differences in light and color everywhere you go.  I’d have to say that it was hard for me to get a feeling for my art after 9-11.  When I moved in [in 2002] I used lots of paint, lots of texture, like in my piece about the killing of Theo Van Gogh.  But I got my first computer while I was living in the Chelsea, and it enabled my new work, which is flat, mixed media, with a very rough texture [it’s burlap on wood].  All this is drawn from my life at the Chelsea, though I can’t be specific about how it influenced me.

-Which city has the better light, New York or Paris?

I don’t know, I use construction lights.  That’s only  impressionists who care about that.  The only way light influences me is by the mood it creates: I go outside and I come back in, and I see the seasons changing.  It affects the way I express myself.

-According to legend, Stanley will take a painting in exchange for rent.  Any truth to that?

Not with me.  Maybe in the olden days.  Stanley has a good collection.  He has a good eye and certainly came up with a lot of great art.  But he also missed some of the great ones.  When Cristo moved out they found that he had wrapped all the doors and furniture, everything in the apartment, but Stanley didn’t know what it was and so he threw it all out.  But the artist can get away with a lot more than the ordinary person.  He’ll come up and look at my work once in awhile, nod his head, not say much, but let me know that he supports my work.

-How have old science fiction movies influenced your art?

They are classic, not old!  They haven’t really influenced my art at all.  They are hokey, silly, you have to suspend disbelief, so it feeds the imagination.  You have to add color yourself and pretend that somebody with a tea kettle on his head is an alien.  It’s like a good painting, never finished.  You have to work at it.

-Do you have a ghost?

I don’t know who it is.  It knocks on my door at 2 or 3 in the morning, a definite knock.  Sometimes I have the feeling that it’s in here, a presence.  But it’s a nice ghost.  Stanley told me an actress lived her, and perhaps she died here.  It’s a female presence.  I would say it was even if it wasn’t anyway.

-Do you think the Chelsea has a Creative spirit?

Yes, a lot of them.  But if I had to single one out I’d say it’s probably the drama.  There’s a drama being played out every day in the lobby, and watching it can’t help but give you some juice.  Sometimes the drama is sad and pathetic, sometimes just plain silly.  A lot of times it doesn’t even make any sense.  It’s like a Guatemalan soap opera, it’s so outrageous. It’s unlike anywhere else in this regard.

-Did you ever meet Andy Warhol?

Not here.  But I lived diagonally across the street from him on East 66^th Street in the 80s.  I saw him walking his dog everyday, and going around handing out Interview Magazine to all the doormen.  I never spoke to him, and we just nodded at each other as we passed.  But the strange thing was that, after he died, over the next few months the tree in front of his house withered and died as well.

            

            Robert recently had the honor of serving as the Painter in Residence at Rockefeller University, where his paintings commemorating 9-11 hung for a year, and where he himself hung out with Nobel laureates in the various sciences.  He wants everyone to know that he believes himself to be the only one from the Chelsea to have ever spliced genes—and he doesn’t mean Levis either!  (That joke is better when you hear it rather than read it.)

            As we were about to leave after the interview, Robert mentioned casually that Jon Bon Jovi had once shot part of a video in his room.  Eureka! Now we know who the ghost was!  Of course, you might argue, Bon Jovi is not dead, but we think a dynamic international superstar of his magnitude is most likely able to generate a ghost even while living.  Bon Jovi is not really a female presence, but oh, what the hell.  Who ever said ghosts were supposed to be logical:  “Like a cowboy, on a steel horse he rides...”

Director Robert Altman Dead at 81

Robert Altman, the caustic and irreverent satirist behind "M-A-S-H," "Nashville" and "The Player" who made a career out of bucking Hollywood management and story conventions, died at a Los Angeles Hospital, his production company said Tuesday. He was 81. (AP)

Altman had many connections to the Chelsea Hotel and its residents. We had the pleasure of meeting Altman's wife Kathryn at a party thrown by Scott Griffin here at the Chelsea this year.  Scott Griffin produced Arthur Millers'  Resurrection Blues in London earlier this year and Altman directed.

Chelsea Hotel resident Gerald Busby is responsible for the score of Altman's film Three Women.