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Category: 5 Questions

  • Mad Man Serenades As Lovers Entwine

    As soon as I read blogger Theresa Duncan’s clever “Generation Xorcism: Baby Boomer Ghostbusting at the Chelsea Hotel,” I knew she understood the "morphic resonance" of the Chelsea. What do you do? I am a writer and filmmaker. I made a bunch of video games and was called "the first video game auteur." The first…

  • The Other Hawk Talks

    Hawk Alfredson’s paintings grace the hallways and stair well of the Hotel Chelsea.  He used to be the Chelsea’s "other Hawk," but now he’s the "only Hawk left."  And he’s ready to talk. I’m not really a man of words but a man of paint.  I was born in Sweden & most swedes doen’t talk…

  • The Guy Who Paints In The Lobby

    Here at the Hotel Chelsea the walls of the lobby are lined with art work by Larry Rivers and Philip Taft and many more.  In keeping with the Chelsea’s spirit of unbridled creativity David Combs can be found at his easel in the in the lobby almost anytime.  Stop by and introduce yourself and let…

  • Rita Barros – Saved by New York’s Bravest

    Rita Barros must have landed at the Chelsea at a very young age because she has been here 21 years!  If you haven’t done so yet check out her book Fifteen Years: Chelsea Hotel.  You can see more of her work at http://www.ritabarros.com/Photo: Rita at home on the 10th floor.What do you do?I am a…

  • Tourists Have More Fun

    1.  What do you do? I’m a manager in a 2nd hand record store (www.beanos.co.uk)2.  When did you stay at the Chelsea? Last November for 2 nights to celebrate my birthday.3.  Why did you choose to stay at the Chelsea? Because of it’s musical history & I was paying tribute to Dee Dee Ramone!4.  What…

  • Dan Bern – No Room at the Gramercy

    The Chelsea Hotel may not have been musician Dan Bern‘s first choice (thanks to Ian Schraeger the Chelsea is now the only choice), but it sounds like he had an OK time.  What do you do?i write songs & travel around singing ’em and make records from time to time. When did you visit the…

  • Charlie Has Never Stayed at the Chelsea — but his JOP did

    Charlie Huston is the author of Caught Stealing and the recently released Six Bad Things. Since Charlie had the bad guys in Caught Stealing stop in the Chelsea for a visit, I asked him for his favorite Chelsea story. Why did you decide to have your bad guys visit the Chelsea? First off, the Chelsea…

  • For the Love of Money

    Writer Joe Ambrose has always loved the outré culture associated with the building,  so much so that he wrote, Hotel Chelsea, Manhattan, a book that includes interviews with William Burroughs, Paul Bowles, Herbert Huncke, Richard Hell and numerous Warhol collaborators. Ambrose is also the author of Moshpit Culture (2001), an investigation of covert punk culture…

  • Susan Always Stays at the Chelsea

    Internationally acclaimed author Susan Swan tells us why Casanova wasn’t a cad and why she always stays at the Chelsea.  She also shares details about her forthcoming project which happens to involve one of my favorite Chelsea authors, Thomas Wolfe. What do you do?I’m a Toronto novelist with six books of fiction published internationally, here,…

  • Daniel Smith Loves New York

    Writer Daniel Green Smith answers 5 questions.  The hotel is where Smith started work on his second book, "I was hoping to get divine inspiration, instead I got a huge bill for motorcycle parking, but I love New York…"What do you do?I am a writer. When did you stay at the Chelsea?I stayed at the…