Living with Legends

Having failed to make a killing
in the hotel business, Chelsea Hotel minority shareholder 
 Marlene Krauss, an ophthalmologist, seems to have gone into
the more promising field of mental health care.  The following is from the website for her latest venture, the
Sychordia Center, which employs a technique called NeuroStar TMS Therapy to
treat depression:

Our Center

Let us care for you

Sychordia is located at 50 East 72nd street in the nicest location we could
find, it is decorated with soothing colors like yellow and pale green; nothing
to jolt you like red. We have herbal tea and cookies to relax you and make you
feel at home and if you tell us the songs that make you feel good, we will play
them for you. We work long hours to make it convenient for you to visit us
since we are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 7 days a week. Our office is near Central
Park so you can go for a stroll after your treatment or you can go to the
Whitney Museum. In your present mood, you might not be able to imagine that you
would want to do this, but we hope we can help you to the point that you will.
You are with us for 40 minutes while you are getting your treatment and this
may be a good time to watch your favorite movie; funny ones are best. We will
pause it for you to continue at your next session. You can look at our
educational DVDs if you want to see masterpieces at the Louvre or learn how to
make sushi. Studies have actually shown that your mind might be more receptive
to what you see and hear while you are getting TMS treatment so we want to fill
it with things that bring you the kind of joy that you can carry with you. We
feel that these little touches combined with our excellent medical care and
leading edge technology just might make your life a lot better.

What, no radio waves from outer space?!  You must be slipping, Marlene.  Or, maybe not.  TMS, in case you wondered, stands for “Transcranial  Magnetic Stimulation.”  Finally, some good news for all our readers who have been depressed by
what Marlene has done to the Chelsea Hotel.

(Photo: God's Helmet from Discover Magazine)