Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

Henry Chung: The Hotel Chelsea's Jack-of-All-Trades

For those of you who don't know Henry Chung, he seems like a man to get to know.  He's the guy behind those hot new Chelsea Hotel t-shirts and the redesigned bath products (an improvement over the Lisa brand soap that we had around here forever).  And, it seems that we can thank him, in part, for the existence of the blog, since he set-up the free Wi-Fi in the lobby. (I hope Henry didn't have anything to do with those new folio statements we received in our box this month, but we'll have more about that later.)
What do you do?
What do I do? Wow. That's a loaded question. Have you ever met anyone in New York that has given a short answer for that one? I don't think I have. For the Hotel Chelsea I suppose I could best be described as a "facilitator". I help out with getting things done that maybe the management doesn't have the time to research or take care of or the know-how to do, like getting T-shirts designed, bringing  Wi-Fi access to the Hotel lobby, designing the new bath products, setting up the new reservations/property management system, etc. They throw ideas at me and, if I can, I'll try to take those ideas to fruition. My  background is in fine arts photography, and by day I'm usually a new  media developer. I'm a crime fighter by night. Hahaha. Just kidding. 
I probably cause more trouble than I could possibly prevent!

Do you have a personal connection with the Hotel?
I used to have friends who live here, but they've long since moved away. Other than that, I really don't have a personal connection other than I LOVE the place and its history. I hope that my contributions to the Hotel will be lasting, and that will become my personal connection with the Hotel.

For as long as I’ve lived in the Chelsea, they have sold one type  of t-shirt --  a black shirt with an image of the hotel on the front.  What do you think of that shirt?
Ahh, that one. That was before my involvement with the tees. I think that shirt was designed and manufactured by someone else who one day just showed up and asked if the hotel wanted to sell them. I don't  think she even had any connection to the hotel other than that she  was obsessed with it. Well, at least that's the story that I heard.  Those shirts are long gone, and I don't think that we can get any  more. They were nice, but dated in terms of t-shirt fashion, in my opinion.

How were you able to introduce an entire new line of Hotel Chelsea t-shirts?
It was actually their idea at first. I just brought the designs to the table. We started with different designs, mostly with an image of the hotel on the front. They didn't sell very well, and were, well, 
quite frankly, not hip enough. Too bad, too, since the illustrations were quite nice. And the artists that did the illustrations embedded subliminal messages in the art (tee hee hee). On a whim, I prototyped 
one with just text and it was a hit right away. It wasn't long before we decided to expand the line to different color combinations. I  encourage everyone reading this to go buy one. They're hip and really 
nice ;)

Which Hotel Chelsea tee is your favorite and why?
It would have to be the words tee, in green. Why? Because I'm a wordy kind of guy and it's not easy being green.

Do you think all of the residents should be required to wear one of your shirts?
Oh, that would just look silly. Besides, do you honestly think you could coordinate the folks here to all do the same thing?

Do you think that there is a creative energy in the Chelsea?
I think there certainly is. I don't think it is as intense as it once had been. It has definitely changed even in the short time I've been around, but the creative energy is definitely here. It's different 
than before, I suppose, but I don't think necessarily worse. Just different. We live in a much different time now.

What’s the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you at the Chelsea?
The best thing would just be that I'm here at all!

What’s your favorite Hotel Chelsea story?
Well, it would have to be a story that involved a guy, a hustler that he picked up who then ripped him off, the cops, getting busted by the guy's boyfriend, and the alibi that went all to hell as we all 
watched the surveillance tapes together. Aside from that, I don't think I could really talk about it.

Jerry's Famous Tour of the Hotel Chelsea

     Walking through the lobby on Sunday after-noon, I noticed that Jerry had a group of college students lined up for one of his Chelsea Hotel tours.  In all the years I’ve lived here I never have gone on one, so I figured this was my big chance.  Knowing that he wouldn’t reveal his secrets to an outlaw blogger such as myself, I quickly ran upstairs, donned a collegiate disguise, and hid myself in amongst the kids.             
         Jerry didn’t tell too much that I hadn’t heard already, but it was interest to note how he tailored the message to appeal to a younger audience.  He talked about how the Grateful Dead used to live here, back in the 60s, and said they gave the absolute best parties in the history of the hotel.  He said you could get happy just by walking by their door.
          He told a familiar story about how Jimi Hendrix was hanging around the front desk when an old lady was checking into the hotel and, mistaking him for a bellhop, ordered him to carry her bags upstairs.  Well, in Jerry’s version, Jimi was such a nice guy that he actually grabbed the ladies bags and went up with her in the elevator.  Unfortunately there were no tales of more recent rockers such as Rufus Wainwright or Ryan Adams.
          Jerry told one thing I didn’t know – the room off to the right of the lobby, which is now being refurbished as Stanley’s office, was originally a “Ladies Waiting Room.”  This, naturally, inspired Jerry to tell a joke about hookers – of which he commented that we no longer have any here.  At that exact moment a resident was walking past.  “Yes we do have hookers!” he said.
            “You got that right!” I exclaimed on impulse.  But then, my cover blown, I had to flee up the stairs as Jerry and the college students presumably adjourned to the famous Hotel Chelsea Bar to do a few beer bongs and jello shots.

Bohemians, Bloggers & Book People

If you ever plan on entertaining a bunch of bohemians, skip the crudites and order more sushi.  We’re still trying to finish off all of those damn vegetables. 

The blog’s first-anniversary party was held in Thomas Wolfe’s old room, now occupied by the photographer Julia Calfee, who was kind enough to let us borrow it for the event.  Even Robert Lambert and Dave Linter gave up their lobby spots to drop by.  Highlights include Robert’s cell phone going off constantly (whoever it was no doubt thought he was still in the lobby), and Dave, who walks with a cane, announcing loudly as he exited, “I need a wide berth, here!” and scaring a couple of Brooklyn bloggers, who didn’t know that he has a sense of humor, half to death.

The painter George Chemeche, commenting on the aging bohemian population of the Chelsea, said that every time someone dies, he figures he’s going to be next.  But anyone can see he’s still got a lot of life left in him.

Befitting the creatively charged atmosphere of the Chelsea, there was at least one scene, theatrically staged, between two artistic rivals, but the principals have asked us not to discuss it until 50 years after their deaths.  (Rest assured, an account will be found in my papers!)

Robert Lasner of Ig Publishing went home with the door prize, a bottle of Makers Mark, for answering the most Chelsea Hotel trivia questions.  Winning question: In what room did Sid kill Nancy?

The real highlight of the party didn’t come, however, until most everyone had gone home.  The Irish lady who was staying next door in the transient room popped her head out and told us how nice it was that there were still hotels like this left.  She drank a glass of wine with us and showed us her room – the other half of Thomas Wolfe’s old suite – and what should we discover there but the fashion designer Charles James’ ancient drafting table!!  Readers of the blog know that, not having enough room, we set this table out many years ago, with a note attached describing what it was.  We’ve been wandering ever since who might have retrieved it, and now we know: Stanley Bard!  He has it nailed into a bookshelf, so no one else can ever again throw it in the trash.  The party pics are here.

All Tomorrow's Parties - May 1 - 8

Monday, May 1
The Empire State Building turns 75 today.  If you're fortunate enough to have a room with a view you can enjoy the monthly light shows they have planned for through-out the year.  Or, celebrate by viewing Andy Warhol's "Empire," an 8-hour, 6-minute silent film of the building from a single perspective, punctuated only by intermittent flashes of light.

Tuesday, May 2, 10:30 p.m.
Back by popular demand -- Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny & Dita Von Teese invite you to: HAPPY VALLEY TUESDAYS.  Show: DITA VON TEESE
DJ TOMMIE SUNSHINE; Downstairs: DJ RYAN & KIM ANN
Hosts: SOPHIA LAMAR. KIM AVIANCE, MIRANDA MOONDUST, THEODORA & AMANDA LEPORE; Door: ANDREA
14 East 27th St., NY NY

Wednesday, May 3
Today is the opening of AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion which focuses on British fashion from 1976 to 2006.  The exhibit comes complete with a podcast by punk legend Johnny Rotten. (via newyorkology)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave., NY NY

Friday, May 5,
Images from the collection of photographs which used to hang in the office of the now bankrupt Refco commodities brokerage including works by former Chelsea Hotel residents Robert Mapplethorpe and William Eggleston, are scheduled to be sold at Christies.  Mapplethorpe's photo of Andy Warhol is among those being offered to the highest bidder.
20 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY

Saturday, May 6, 11:00 - 5:00
The Poetry Bash will feature verses  in which the poet will take on the personae of the city's geography, history and lore.  Poet Max Blagg takes on the personae of the Chelsea Hotel. 
I am the Chelsea Hotel
red brick walls
wrapped in black iron lace
memory of a thousand parties still rocking
the staircase that runs through my heart
all the way to the starlit roof
where Merce's dancers once
kneeled to face the dawn.
Hash smoke in the hallways
ghost of Janis Joplin....
City University of New York Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave, NY NY

If you want your event highlighted on All Tomorrow's Parties send the information to [email protected]