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  • The Chelsea Mourns

    The Chelsea mourns the passing of a long time resident and the opera world mourns the loss of a great librettist, Arnold Weinstein.  Playbill’s obituary, NYTime’s obituary.  If you would share your tribute to Arnold with others, it would be greatly appreciated.  You can either enter a comment below or e-mail chelblog@yahoo.com. 

    From Granta — Arthur Miller recalls visiting with Arnold.
    http://www.granta.com/extracts/1691
    On a recent visit there to Arnold Weinstein with whom I have collaborated on a libretto for a new opera based on A View from the Bridge, with music by William Bolcom, I found myself sinking back, psychologically speaking, into my original warm feelings toward the hotel as of my arrival there over forty years ago. And as we discussed some business in the total chaos of his living room, which is not so much furnished as littered with collectors’ items suitable for a massive Salvation Army donation, the door to the corridor swung open and without a knock a powerful maid entered, her exuberant smile and glistening black skin all aglow with some sort of triumph. And raising up over her head four rolls of toilet paper, two spiked on the fingers of each hand, she called out at the top of her joyous contralto voice, ‘I didn’t forget you, Arnold!’ And he rose from his wobbly chair and gratefully accepted her gift. And so I instantly knew that clean facade or not, refurbished lobby notwithstanding, I was back in the Chelsea again.  Link to photo of Arnold, Arthur & William Bolcom

    Teamwithaviewtitle

    Interview with Arnold and William Bolcom

    From Opera News, reviews of Arnold’s well known works:
    The Wedding of the Year,
    A View from the Bridge

    May 2003, William talks about Arnold’s role.
    Bolcom composed this extraordinary Medusa with his longtime collaborator, the writer Arnold Weinstein. Bolcom and Weinstein are as much a team as Bolcom and Morris (meaning Joan Morris, the composer’s singer wife, with whom he performs cabaret songs and the like). Weinstein came up with a brilliant libretto on the Medusa theme. As Bolcom says in his accompanying notes, “I have tried to sail my musical boat according to [Weinstein’s] laid-out course…

    Personal recollections:
    Bill Tchakirides was influenced by Arnold’s work.

  • Dylan Thomas’ Ghost

    For the record, I don’t believe in ghosts, but if they do exist, I happen to think that Dylan Thomas’ ghost would rather be haunting the Chelsea than Austin University.

    "Ugly, Lovely Night" is a film by Binda Singh which tells the tale of an American student who meets Thomas’ ghost at Swansea University (near Thomas’ birthplace). After filming in Wales, the cast and crew will shoot some scenes at Austin University in Texas, home to one of the largest collections of the writer’s work.

    Why go to Austin, Texas, Binda Singh?  Come on by the Chelsea, where Dylan tossed back a few before heading down to the White Horse Tavern to have 18 more whiskeys before dying.  According to Juiceenews, you can feel the ghosts walking down the halls behind you.

  • Another Chelsea Elevator Story

    A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE

                Hiroya, the crazy Japanese painter, was hanging out in the lobby as usual, annoying tourists.  I said Hi to him as I came in the door and walked by him to the elevator.  The elevator was already there, so I got right on, but before the door could close, Hiroya decided he had to tell me something.  He ran after me and stuck his hand in the elevator just as it was about to close, and stood there in the door jabbering away excitedly.  “What?!” I said.  “What is it?!”  He didn’t speak very good English, and I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

                It was then I noticed that Magda was standing behind him, trying to get on the elevator.  A dancer in her prime, Magda was now a prim, white-haired old lady in an immaculate green suit.  I saw her trying to get on, but I couldn’t get a word in edgeways.

                But it didn’t matter.  Magda was not one to be intimidated by anybody, that’s for sure.  “Excuse me!” she said loudly.  “I’m trying to get on the elevator.  Do you mind?”

                Hiroya jumped aside immediately.  “Oh, sorry! Sorry!”

                As soon as the door shut and we were on our way up, the old lady asked, “What in the world did he want from you?”  It seemed clear from her tone of voice that she despised Hiroya.

                Wanting to distance myself from him, I said, “I have no idea.”  It was the truth, after all.

                “Hmmm.  He probably wanted to show you his paintings.”

                “Yeah, that’s probably it,” I said.  At this point I didn’t dare admit that he lived on my floor and that I had already bought two of his paintings.

                Then all at once Magda seemed to soften toward Hiroya—a fellow artist after all.  “Well, he’s new around here,” she said.

                It’s an unspoken rule that you don’t bother the other residents with too much self-promotion.  Everybody here has their own artistic irons in the fire.

                “I’m new around here too,” I said.

                “Well, at least you don’t go hawking your wares in the lobby!”

                I laughed.  “No, not yet I haven’t.”

                “I suppose there’s still plenty of time,” Magda said, rolling her eyes.

                Maybe.  I never did find out what Hiroya was so excited about that day.  Perhaps he had sold a painting, or accosted a celebrity who had come through the lobby.  It was probably nothing, but whatever it was, he took it with him to the grave.

    Copyright 2006 Ed Hamilton

  • All Tomorrow’s Parties – September 5 – 11

    A lot of people are travelling this week, so be sure to take bohemia along.  You can find a Chelsea event anywhere.

    Sept. 1st – 11th, 8:00 p.m.
    "Mapplethorpe: The Opening," mime Brian Quirk uses his talents to suggest the photos and impersonate a wide variety of the attendees — famous and not — at Mapplethorpe’s opening reception at New York’s Kitchen Gallery in 1977. The show is a portrait of the artist, his art and the art scene of the time.  There are celebrities: a throaty Diana Vreeland boasting of her discovery; a disaffected and self-centered Andy Warhol; a dynamic Patti Smith, proclaiming Mapplethorpe’s genius and declaiming about their life as lovers before he left her for a sugar daddy.
    New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

    Thursday, September 8th,
    If you are in Nashville, catch former resident, Holly Williams, grandaughter of Hank Williams, at the Cannery Ballroom.  According to Holly, "…my favorite place to write is the Chelsea Hotel in New York. Some of my favorite songs have been written there, and it’s truly inspiring." Holly is on tour promoting her new cd, "The Ones We Never Knew."
    Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, Tennessee

    Thursday, September 8th, 8:00 p.m.
    It’s the one-year anniversary     of Hotel Chelsea guest Susan Swan’s BookShort WHAT CASANOVA TOLD ME.  In a fitting tribute to its success, Movieola—The Short Film Channel premieres the drama on the same date this year.  Read my interview with Susan and learn why Casanova wasn’t a cad. 

    Saturday, September 10th, 1:00 p.m.
    Fashion Week!  384zaldy Chelsea Hotel resident Zaldy, has walked the catwalk for Thierrey Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier.  He currently designs the L.A.M.B. collection for Gwen Stefani in addition to his signature line.  Downtown icon and Chelsesa Hotel resident Suzanane Bartsch helps with the guet list while Zaldy recruits his Supermodel friends to walk for free.  His shows are always full of spirit.  This season Ms. Stefani will be in the front row. (Source: Fashion Windows, August 2005)
    The Altman Building, 135 West 18th St.

  • Serena’s Gets In on the Action

    Unsatisfied with the original two videos produced in Europe, D.H.T.’s record label commissioned their own music video to help promote the song here. Released in two different cuts, it was shot at the historic and somewhat notorious Hotel Chelsea on 23rd Street in Manhattan, mostly in the bar located in the basement. (Source: Daily Roxette)

    Click here to view the video.

  • More Yuppie Condos for 23rd St.

    Just what we need, more yuppies moving into the neighborhood.  A 26 story glass tower is planned for Horizen_img2 a narrow property that goes through the block at 23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.  Located at 39-41 West 23rd Street, the building will have a pool, retail space at ground level, and a rear courtyard.  No word yet on how many apartments are planned, or when construction will begin.   http://www.horizenglobal.com/redev/portfolio/horizen.html

  • Dumbest Writer Ever Visits the Chelsea

    I’ve been ignoring Chuck Klosterman’s book, "Killing Yourself to Live," and the hundreds of cookie-cutter reviews it received.  Finally, Ed Champion writes an inspiring review. 

    "…but the hell of it is that Klosterman is too dumb and too indolent a writer to actually do the legwork. He doesn’t bother to call up the Hotel Chelsea in advance to find out what happened to Room 100 (the room where Sid Vicious stabbed Nancy Spungen), let alone track down any of the surviving employees who might have had some insight into how the infamous couple lived. Instead, he berates Chelsea manager Stanley Bard for politely telling Klosterman that the Cheslea didn’t want to be involved with Klosterman’s story (perhaps because Klosterman is utterly dumb, ignorant and tactless in his approach, asking the desk clerk point blank if anyone has stayed in Room 100, a room that was long ago turned into an apartment). So what does Klosterman do? Like a small child denied his second scoop of rocky road, he badmouths both Bard and the Chelsea."

    Ed’s review gave me an ideal.  All of those other important blogs have had their "Hot Babes This" and their "Hot Babes That" contests all summer long.  Now, that Fall is fast approaching, it’s time for us to have a contest: The Dumbest Writer to Ever Visit the Chelsea.  Send your nominations along with a short reason stating why that particular writer should win the title of DWEVC to "chelblog at yahoo.com."  I"ll post a list of nominated writers on the blog.

  • Dan Bern – No Room at the Gramercy

    Danberncolorcropstudio 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 Chelsea?
    summer ’97.
    What made you decide to stay at the Chelsea?
    it was 3 in the morning and the gramercy had no rooms.
    What inspired you to write "Chelsea Hotel?"
    a brand-new romance.
    Do you think there is a creative energy in the Chelsea?
    seemed like it.
    What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you at the Chelsea?
    young flesh, and the krispy kreme across the street.

  • Other Bloggers Visit

    Tourism is back in style and the Chelsea is getting her share of guests.  Lucky for me, they all have livejournal accounts and digital cameras, so I can keep up with what’s going on around here.  However, their commentary is often puzzling.

    Robandtourist_1 Culture Clash‘s friend poses in the lobby with Robert.  Robert is a painter, note the paint splatters on his jeans.  Unfortunately, the tourist didn’t capture Robert’s painting, which hangs on the opposite wall.  According to CC’s diary, she stopped by twice to take photos, but stayed at The Gershwin, a Chelsea Hotel wannabe.  Little did she and her friends know that the Gershwin is home to Hiroya’s ghost.

    Culture photographed a scene in the lobby involving a woman crying and a kid and reports that the cops arrive because of this incident. I know that kid, and I don’t think he had anything to do with the woman crying and the cops. The kid was just an innocent bystander. (Lots of lobby pics.)
    Scene
    Fickle Finger of Fate was inspired to write a poem during his visit to the Chelsea.
    not even the rain
    can wash clean
    hotel chelsea


    This teenager is a little too happy.  I guess he has everything he needs, a copy of Dee Dee’s book and a Ramone’s tee shirt.
    Teendee
    A cabbie recommended that Tinmanfx and his friends stay at the Chelsea after a night of partying at Club Rare.

    Nomad enjoyed her gig as guest artist of the month at Suite 303.

    Charcoal frost gets way too excited when she catches Ethan walking his dog.

    Finally, mistresslaura says it all: ah, yes. the chelsea. she was just as impressive as i had imagined. like a lady with runs in her stockings… just trashy enough to make her sexy. her facade commands the attention of anyone walking down 23rd street. her gothic architecture and wrought iron balconies severely contrast the rest of the neighborhood. once you walk through the heavy glass doors into the lobby, you immediately feel the heavy presence of the place. the lobby is covered wall to wall with spectacular art by current and former residents. the front desk is of heavy wood and very old fashioned. we checked in and boarded the elevator. (Site includes pics of the 8th floor and the stairwell.)  Mistress Laura mistakenly thinks that Hawk Anderson’s paintings have something to do with Ethan Hawke.  Photo – Mistress Laura admiring one of Hiroya’s paintings.
    Jesseartstairwell

  • CHELSEA BARBERSHOP

           There’s a tiny old barbershop around the corner from the Chelsea.  It must have been there for fifty years, and it doesn’t look like it’s changed much in that time either. The old brown barber chairs are patched with cloth tape, and the linoleum is worn through where the barbers circle the chairs, revealing the many layers of it’s history.  On the counter are dusty cardboard displays of plastic combs and hav-a-hanks.  There’s an autographed picture of Rocky Marcianno on the wall, though not even Vincent, the sixty-year-old Italian proprietor, remembers him ever coming into the shop.

    One day I was in there getting my hair cut, when a hip young man in his twenties, a college student, came walking by the window and did a double take, stopping dead in his tracks.  He took an expensive camera out of his shoulder bag and came into the shop, jingling the bell above the door.  Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

    Vincent, overweight, but with a thick head of curly, salt-and-pepper hair, had the chair closest to the door.  “Can I help ya?” he said in his thick Brooklyn accent.

    “Would you mind if I took a few shots of the premises?” the young man asked.

    “What?!”

    “Can I take your picture?”

    “Whataya wanna take my picture for?”

    “Because you’re picturesque.”

    Vincent rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb toward the door.  “Get outta heah!”

    Copyright 2006 Ed Hamilton