Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

To DO

APRIL 3, 6:30 PM
The Museum of the City of New York will host a book signing and panel discussion.  Ed Hamilton will read from and sign copies of Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Living with the Artists and Outlaws of New York's Rebel Mecca (Thunder's Mouth Press).  Panelists for the discussion to follow will include preservationist and housing activist Edward Kirkland and author/Chelsea Hotel historian Sherrill Tippins. Former Chelsea Now editor Lawrence Lerner will moderate the discussion.
                As an additional treat, a recent video interview of former hotel manager Stanley Bard, making one of his first public statements since his ouster in June of last year, will be shown.
The Museum is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue(@104^th St), NY NY.Seniors and students get in for $5.00.  Everybody else pays $9.00.

APRIL 11, 7:30 PM
Photographer Julia Calfee kicks off her book tour for INSIDE THE CHELSEA HOTEL with a very special event at Barnes and Noble. 
Barnes & Noble, Sixth Avenue at 8th Street, NY NY

APRIL 14, 7:30 PM
Pianist Bruce Levingston performs "Points of Departure" a concert at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall that explores the unique artistic relationships between four of the most prominent composers of our time and four of the most influential composers of the past. The concert includes world premieres of Pulitzer Prize-winner Charles Wuorinen's Heart Shadow (inspired by Salman Rushdie and Claude Debussy ) and 2007 Grawemeyer Award-winner Sebastian Currier's Departures and Arrivals ( inspired by Scarlatti and Liszt) as well as the New York premiere of esteemed German composer Wolfgang Rihm's Brahmsliebewaltzer (inspired by Brahms).
Carnegie Hall is located at 57th Street & 7th Ave.  Tickets $25, $30, $40 $100

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

Stop by the Barnes & Noble in the West Village (6th Ave. at 8th Street) to check out the window installation for Julia Calfee's new photography book, Inside The Chelsea Hotel.

Displacement @ Greenbelt: Chelsea Residents to take Part

We know it’s short notice but if you’re looking for something to do tonight from 6:00 – 9:00 there is a panel discussion addressing the crisis of diminishing availability of artists space in NYC,  with a special focus on the fate of 475 Kent Street, The Artists Settlement in South Williamsburg Brooklyn.  Residents of the Chelsea should be especially interested in this since the artists living at that address were recently forced out of their homes due to what they feel to be somewhat bogus building code violations.  They have organized to fix the violations and to fight this unjust verdict, and they may yet be allowed to return.

            Panelists will include: John Jasperse and Jonah Bokaer, Founders for the Center for Performance Research, a new affordable space in Williamsburg for rehearsal and performance; Guy Buckles,  Founder & President of the Art Building a new company dedicated to real estate solutions for artists; and Luis Garden Acosta, Founder and President of El Puente, A community human rights institution.

The second part of the evening will showcase films illustrating Williamsburg’s changing landscape, and in general the forces of displacement wrought by gentrification. As part of this mini film festival, Producer Jen Gatien will premiere a short clip from Abel Ferrera’s “Chelsea on the Rocks.”  Legends of the Chelsea Hotel author Ed Hamilton will also be on hand to discuss the film and answer questions about the present and future of the Chelsea Hotel.

{Room for Creativity: A Community Roundtable on Real Estate Strategies for the Arts, @ Greenbelt, 361 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn NY.  Greenbelt is located near the “L” train at Graham or “G” train at Metropolitan.  Consult hopstop.com for walk, bus or subway route. March 27, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.}

The French Send Their Regrets

A loyal French reader writes: Maybe you might be interested to know that the hotel chelsea has been mentioned today on the most followed french public national radio station, france inter.

This was during an enterntainment program, called "le fou du roi". the reason was the re-interpretation of Leonard Cohen's song by a so-an-so french singer, called raphaël (we apologize, leonard...)
The conductor and the guests mentioned the fact that the management had changed, and regretted the plan to transform the hotel into a kind of "palace" for wealthy clients. They also said that it was an "unique and incredible place"

The link is: http://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/em/fouduroi/index.php?id=65634

You can listen to the program by clicking on the right top of the screen: "re-écouter". as it is quite long, You can go straight to 1:10:45, which is the moment when the hotel is mentioned.

cheers
fabio

Send Your Wishes For A Speedy Recovery to Betinna

Betinna has fallen and broken her hip.  She is recovering nicely at St. Vincent's Hospital in the Village.  Your cards and letters can be sent to her care of Room 707. Note New Room - 707.

DeNiro & Drukier Make Fools of New Yorkers on April 1st

38.9 million in tax-free Liberty Bonds: that’s what we’re giving Robert DeNiro and Ira Drukier for the privilege of looking up at their new luxury hotel from the street.  I was under the impression that these Liberty Bonds were for rebuilding ground zero – rather than for screwing up Tribeca.  According to DeNiro, the Greenwich Hotel, set to open on April 1, will be “…a place for people whose sense of home combines sophisticiation and authenticity.” The hotel features duplex suites with 30-feet skylights and chef kitchens and a Shibui Spa with a lantern-lit pool.  Shibui Spa?!  What the hell?! Most authentic “New Yorkers” don’t even know what that shit is – though we know damn well we’re not invited.  And our “sense of home” generally involves the concept that money-grubbers such as Drukier refrain from forcing us out into the street. (as he’s doing at the Chelsea Hotel). In what passes for a free-market economy, can’t DeNiro & Drukier pay their own way? (Photo: Newyorkology.com)

A John Tesh Easter at the Chelsea

Even the Easter Bunny feels the need to be creative when he drops by the Chelsea Hotel.  Though he probably faced a moral dilemma as to whether to grace our halls at all this year given the current sorry state of the management situation.   He left the eggs marked among other things “Eggthor C. Clarke,” “Escher Tongue” and “John Tesh”.  We’ll leave these to the readers to figure out. 

Dan Peckham Sets Us Straight on the New Anti-Harassment Law

Last week the city council passed a bill making it possible for tenants to sue landlords for harassment in Housing Court.  Great, I thought, at least it’s a step in the right direction – and I didn’t bother to think about it further.  But then I ran into Dan Peckham, “NYC Real Estate Legend” on the street Saturday and he set me straight.  He pointed out that tenants have always been able to sue for harassment at the DHCR,  (Here's the form) and that furthermore, it still puts the burden on the tenant (the city, by itself, is still not going to go after harassing landlords).  And even if the tenant wins, he still doesn’t get anything!  The city gets the money from the pitifully small ($1,000 - $5,000) fine, which in any event is not enough to deter the landlord, who often stands to make millions, from further acts of harassment.  As fanaticial as he sometimes sounds, Dan is generally right about these things.

Basically the law (Local Law No. 7) "creates a violation for harassment in and of itself, providing a new layer of protection for renters in New York City.  Some of the actions that qualify as harassment under this legislation include: using force or making threats against a lawful occupant, repeated or prolonged interruptions of essential services, using frivolous court proceedings to disrupt a tenant’s life or force an eviction, removing the possessions of a lawful tenant, removing doors or damaging locks to a unit, or any other acts designed to disturb a lawful occupant’s residence.  The law also prevents similar actions by third parties working on the landlord’s behalf."

Thorold Dickinson's World of Cinema

According to sources, Director Thorold Dickinson lived at the Chelsea in the late 50s for a number of years and was a friend and collaborator of Virgil Thomson. "Power Among Men," which was produced by Dickinson, features an original score written by Thomson. Beginning now through March 24, you have a rare opportunity to view Dickinson's films at the Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theatre.  (Image from Gaslight)

Unfortunatley, the Thomson film is not part of the offerings -- damn it. On the upside, you'll get a chance to see the orignal English version of "Gaslight" for which Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar in the American remake.

Arthur C. Clarke Dies at Age 90

We are sad to learn of the passing of former Chelsea Hotel resident Arthur C. Clarke.  Despite being ill at the time, Clarke graciously sent an e-mail to support the Bards back in June.  NPR and The New York Times have great coverage today.  (Thanks to Judith & Mary Anne for the tip.)
Other appreciations of Clarke: Teresa & Patrick Nielsen, Jeff Vandermeer, Peter Steinberg, Colleen Lindsay.