Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

Photographer Linda Troeller Caught the Celebs

Back from the dead, Andy Warhol.
















Storme and friend
















Stanley Bard greets the guests.

The Feeding Frenzy

Factory Girl Party

As you probably already know there was a party at the hotel for the New York release of "Factory Girl."  I sat in the lobby for a while watching the crowd, but the biggest celebrities that I saw, besides Stanely Bard, were Storme Delavarie and the Misshapes.  Maybe the celebrities were huddled down in the basement lair.  Patrick McMullan has the pics.

Up Against The Wall, Bohemians!

Two big, fat cops burst in the front door of the Chelsea, guns drawn.  They glance at Susan and I, sitting there in the lobby, but stride on past.   “Is this 222 West 21^st?!” the bigger of the cops calls out as they approach the front desk. 

            “No!” the shocked desk clerk replies. 

            “See, I told you,” the smaller cop says as they both re-holster their weapons. 

            “I thought for sure this was it,” the bigger one says to his partner. 

            “I told you it wasn’t,” the smaller cop reiterates.  Slightly embarrassed, he has already turned to leave. 

            The bigger one lingers at the desk.  “Are you sure this is not 222 West 21^st?” he asks the clerk again. 

            “Uh, yeah, I’m pretty sure,” the desk clerk says. 

            “Come on, lets get out of here!” the smaller one calls back.  Out on the street they get in their squad car, turn on the red lights and roar off into the night.

            I guess something like this is what happens when they blow away somebody’s granny in a botched drug raid.

            The scary thing is, they’re cops, so they’re supposed to know where they are, right?  This sounds even worse if you know New York, since 23^rd Street is a big, major cross-street.  It looks nothing like 21^st Street, which this far west is a quiet residential street, and nothing like any other street in the area, actually.

            OK, so their guns weren’t really drawn, but that makes for a much more dramatic story, don’t you think?  The next day we went around the block to see what was at 222 West 21^st, and it was—a police station!

            Sorry, kidding once again.  It was just a non-descript apartment building, without a lobby or a doorman, though it did have some ornate stone wreaths over the door.  It was about as similar to the Chelsea as 21^st Street is to 23^rd.  (Ed Hamilton)

Bloggers Admit Defeat in Hotel Arms Race

Though I am usually quick to indict such faux-bohemian pretenders as the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, it seems we have been bested at last.  What attractions can we hope to offer to compete with this astounding advance in hotel hospitality?  Our illustrious proprietor, Stanley Bard, scoffed at the notion of computers for years, finally moving us into the 20th Century in 1999.  And now, sadly, the mechanical chickens have come home to roost.  Hang up your beret, O Chelsea beatniks, snap your fingers and beat your bongos no more, for a Brave New Bohemia dawns in the North!

All Tomorrow's Parties: Jan. 29 - Feb. 4, 2007

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 10:30 p.m.
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Alexander Technique. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: Miss Guy.
35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway, NY NY

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 7:00 - 10:00
Opening reception for MADSTEEZ solo art exhibition.  We're not sure what MADSTEEZ's connection is with the Chelsea but an invite was left in our mailbox and he has a entertaining video about painting Dennis Hooper on his website, so check out his show! The afterparty is at 205 Bar on Chrystie St. This year's version of "The Factory."
Space Downtown Gallery, 276 West 25th St., NY NY

Thursday, Feb. 1, 8:00 p.m.
In Wallace Shawn's "The Fever," an anonymous narrator wakes up in a war-torn country with a terrible fever, unable to reconcile the privilege he has enjoyed with his current surroundings. The play examines the links between the affluence many Americans take for granted and the horrors of poverty and suffering that haunt the lives of millions. Written and performed by Wallace Shawn. Directed by Scott Elliott.  Please join Mr. Shawn for a sip of champagne one half hour before each performance.
The Acorn @ Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, (between 9th & 10th Avenues) NY NY

Friday, Feb. 2, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Former Chelsea Hotel residents Casebeer and Joe Myers display their multiple talents. (Photo: Painting by Casebeer)
Monorchid Gallery, 214 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, Arizona

Friday, Feb. 2, Various Times
For two years now they've been saying that "Factory Girl" was coming out so we don't know if we can believe them this time or not but it's listed on the website of the Angelika.
Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston, NY NY

Friday, Feb. 2, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
It's the opening reception for "Forms of Abstraction: 25th Anniversary."  Among the artists featured are Herbert Gentry and Bill Hutson.
G R N Namdi Gallery, 526 & 508 W. 26th St., #316 NY NY


Saturday, Feb. 3, 8:00 p.m.
It's a birthday celebration for Ira Cohen. Ira, a poet, publisher, photographer, filmaker, and former Chelsea Hotel resident turns 72 today. Back in the 1960s, in Tangiers, Ira published the legendary magazine GNAOUA which exposed us to the work of William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Jack Smith, and Irving Rosenthal, among others, and wrote “The Hashish Cookbook” under the pseudonym Panama Rose. In the 1970’s, he published many literary experimentalists, including Charles Henri Ford, Gregory Corso and Angus Maclise. Ira Cohen’s 1968 film “Invasion Of Thunderbolt Pagoda,” which has been called “a surrealistic masterpiece,” was released on DVD in 2006. (Photo by Mia Hanson)
Rapture Cafe & Books, 200 Ave. A, NY NY

The Liquid Experience

Guitar World recently compiled a list of the top 100 guitar solos and CityRag blog pulled together videos of the top 20.  Jimi Hendrix had the most solos on the top 20 list, with three.  Here they are.  And if that's not impressive enough for you, Beverage Concepts has released a new drink called The Liquid Experience. The title of the beverage comes from Jimi's album, Are You Experienced? Chug some today and reexperience the sixties.  Drop some acid too, while you're at it.

All Along The Watch Tower

Voodoo Chile

Little Wing

Kim Wilde Swears By The Chelsea

Kim Wilde, never heard of her, but if she stayed at the Chelsea she must be awesome. Here she is singing her heart out at the Chelsea Hotel in 1995.

Shades Of The Eighties

The other night as we were giving a friend a tour of the building, and who should we run into but none other than the famed photographer Claudio Edinger!  He was up on the 10th floor with a couple of friends, admiring Arthur Weinstein's mobile.

We chatted with Claudio briefly and he told us that it took him over three years to finish his Chelsea Hotel book, which was published in 1983.  Overall, he shot more than 300 photographs.  He said he used to sit in the lobby for hours on end watching for people to go by so he could talk them into sitting for a photograph.  We also talked about how only a few of his Chelsea subjects are still around: Jonathan Berg, Gerald Busby,  Merle Lister, Willem Van Ess, Tayla, Man Lai and Suzanne Bartsch.  Oh, and Stanely,  Claudio says he's the same as ever; only the salt and pepper hair is new.

Claudio dropped a few hints that his book may be updated and re-released in time for the hotel's big 125th anniversary next year!

 

(Photo by Pat Padua)

BROTHER OF RENOWNED SLAM POET VISITS THE CHELSEA

When we were in Washington, D.C.recently, we had breakfast with José Padua, his wife Heather, and their lovely and intelligent 3-year-old daughter Maggie.  José is a poet and former downtown fixture who got his start at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café back in the eighties.  He mentioned that his brother Pat was going to be in town the next weekend, staying at the Chelsea of all places, so we arranged to meet up with him.  Pat was eager to find out whether or not he had the Betty Boop room since he had read Tim Sullivan’s story and it freaked him out a little. We assured him that he was not in the Betty Boop room.

Is this the first time you’ve stayed at the Chelsea?  Yes it is.  It’s usually too expensive. This time I took advantage of the winter special, $165 for a single room.  Usually rooms start at $200.  I signed up for their e-mail list a long time ago and this is the first e-mail they ever sent out.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?  I live in D.C. and work at the Library of Congress. I work on a web site for the Music Division.   Before that I worked in their motion picture division for ten years.  I’m still involved in programming for their little repertory theatre.  That’s the part of the job that I find most rewarding.

How’d you get interested in photography?  I’ve been doing it on and off since college.  Because of the Flickr web site it’s been easier to see what other photographers are doing, and that’s renewed my interest. Digital photography has made me more interested in film again as well. I brought several different cameras with me to New York, including several toy cameras: I have a disposable camera that prints dog themed slogans on the photos -- here's an example.  My favorite is "I love my master" but my legal team advised me not to put up that picture.

I have another that prints patriotic slogans.  I whip one these out when I find an appropriate subject.  I also have an old brownie camera with a really soft lens that creates photos with a fuzzy, dreamlike quality.

Who are some of the photographers who have influenced you?  I really like William Eggleston.

Oh, did you know he used to live here at the Chelsea?  He was Viva’s boyfriend back in the Warhol years of the sixties.
No, I didn’t know that.  I always associate him with Memphis.  Another big influence is Henry Miller—not photography, but I really like his writing.  Did he ever stay here?

Not to my knowledge, although I wouldn’t be surprised if he had passed through here at some point.  He seems like a Chelsea sort of character.

Has the Chelsea lived up to your expectations? I really didn’t know what to expect.  I do really like my room, though.  The carpet is old and worn and you can really sense the history of the place.  I like the fact that I have a balcony that I can go out on, even though it’s really cold, and I’m right by the Chelsea sign.  I was kind of hoping it would blink on and off while I was lying in bed, but you really hardly notice it.  We’ll tell Stanley to work on that. 

Were you expecting to see any ghosts here?  I saw on you blog where the medium said it was the second most haunted place in New York after the Public Library, so I was kind of wondering.  In some parts of the hotel I do get a funny feeling as if something is there.  The hallway of Sid and Nancy’s room feels creepy, though maybe it’s just the power of suggestion.  I’m feeling kind of
creepy now since we’re discussing it.

What’s the best or worst thing that’s happened to you during your stay at the Chelsea?
The old building makes really funny sounds at night and it took me awhile to get used to that.  There’s one sound in particular that bothers me.  I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I finally decided it was the refrigerator—even though it doesn’t look that old.  Maybe it sounded like somebody popping a bottle of champagne and pouring out a glass. That's a typical refrigerator sound, right?

Like everything here, appliances get weird quickly.  What other hotels have you stayed at in New York ?  I always look for something affordable. I like the Pickwick Arms on 51st between 2nd and 3rd.  It used to have an adjoining bathroom between two rooms, though I don’t think it’s like that anymore.  I stayed at the Gramercy Park before and I really liked it.  It was similar to the Chelsea.  Now I hear they’ve renovated it and made it into a luxury hotel.  I could never afford it now.  I stayed there a couple of times before they gussied it up.

Do you think the Chelsea has a creative spirit?  Sure, the Chelsea has the kind of history that is bound to draw creative people to this place, so it’s a kind of self-perpetuating myth.

Pat asked us to recommend a good Cuban restaurant, so we sent him to the one down 8th Ave. (we didn’t remember the name) with the Cuban sandwiches in the cooler sticking out of the front.  Too bad Sam Chinita and La Chinita Linda are no longer around, we reflected.  After that Pat was going to a Bollywood movie on 59th Street.  And then, presumably, back to the  Chelsea to lie in bed and look at the sign and listen to the haunted refrigerator.

The $pirit of Edie $edgwick Returns as a $hoe