Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

Photographer Linda Troeller Caught the Celebs

Back from the dead, Andy Warhol.
















Storme and friend
















Stanley Bard greets the guests.

The Feeding Frenzy

Factory Girl Party

As you probably already know there was a party at the hotel for the New York release of "Factory Girl."  I sat in the lobby for a while watching the crowd, but the biggest celebrities that I saw, besides Stanely Bard, were Storme Delavarie and the Misshapes.  Maybe the celebrities were huddled down in the basement lair.  Patrick McMullan has the pics.

Up Against The Wall, Bohemians!

Two big, fat cops burst in the front door of the Chelsea, guns drawn.  They glance at Susan and I, sitting there in the lobby, but stride on past.   “Is this 222 West 21^st?!” the bigger of the cops calls out as they approach the front desk. 

            “No!” the shocked desk clerk replies. 

            “See, I told you,” the smaller cop says as they both re-holster their weapons. 

            “I thought for sure this was it,” the bigger one says to his partner. 

            “I told you it wasn’t,” the smaller cop reiterates.  Slightly embarrassed, he has already turned to leave. 

            The bigger one lingers at the desk.  “Are you sure this is not 222 West 21^st?” he asks the clerk again. 

            “Uh, yeah, I’m pretty sure,” the desk clerk says. 

            “Come on, lets get out of here!” the smaller one calls back.  Out on the street they get in their squad car, turn on the red lights and roar off into the night.

            I guess something like this is what happens when they blow away somebody’s granny in a botched drug raid.

            The scary thing is, they’re cops, so they’re supposed to know where they are, right?  This sounds even worse if you know New York, since 23^rd Street is a big, major cross-street.  It looks nothing like 21^st Street, which this far west is a quiet residential street, and nothing like any other street in the area, actually.

            OK, so their guns weren’t really drawn, but that makes for a much more dramatic story, don’t you think?  The next day we went around the block to see what was at 222 West 21^st, and it was—a police station!

            Sorry, kidding once again.  It was just a non-descript apartment building, without a lobby or a doorman, though it did have some ornate stone wreaths over the door.  It was about as similar to the Chelsea as 21^st Street is to 23^rd.  (Ed Hamilton)

Bloggers Admit Defeat in Hotel Arms Race

Though I am usually quick to indict such faux-bohemian pretenders as the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, it seems we have been bested at last.  What attractions can we hope to offer to compete with this astounding advance in hotel hospitality?  Our illustrious proprietor, Stanley Bard, scoffed at the notion of computers for years, finally moving us into the 20th Century in 1999.  And now, sadly, the mechanical chickens have come home to roost.  Hang up your beret, O Chelsea beatniks, snap your fingers and beat your bongos no more, for a Brave New Bohemia dawns in the North!

All Tomorrow's Parties: Jan. 29 - Feb. 4, 2007

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 10:30 p.m.
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Alexander Technique. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: Miss Guy.
35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway, NY NY

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 7:00 - 10:00
Opening reception for MADSTEEZ solo art exhibition.  We're not sure what MADSTEEZ's connection is with the Chelsea but an invite was left in our mailbox and he has a entertaining video about painting Dennis Hooper on his website, so check out his show! The afterparty is at 205 Bar on Chrystie St. This year's version of "The Factory."
Space Downtown Gallery, 276 West 25th St., NY NY

Thursday, Feb. 1, 8:00 p.m.
In Wallace Shawn's "The Fever," an anonymous narrator wakes up in a war-torn country with a terrible fever, unable to reconcile the privilege he has enjoyed with his current surroundings. The play examines the links between the affluence many Americans take for granted and the horrors of poverty and suffering that haunt the lives of millions. Written and performed by Wallace Shawn. Directed by Scott Elliott.  Please join Mr. Shawn for a sip of champagne one half hour before each performance.
The Acorn @ Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, (between 9th & 10th Avenues) NY NY

Friday, Feb. 2, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Former Chelsea Hotel residents Casebeer and Joe Myers display their multiple talents. (Photo: Painting by Casebeer)
Monorchid Gallery, 214 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, Arizona

Friday, Feb. 2, Various Times
For two years now they've been saying that "Factory Girl" was coming out so we don't know if we can believe them this time or not but it's listed on the website of the Angelika.
Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston, NY NY

Friday, Feb. 2, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
It's the opening reception for "Forms of Abstraction: 25th Anniversary."  Among the artists featured are Herbert Gentry and Bill Hutson.
G R N Namdi Gallery, 526 & 508 W. 26th St., #316 NY NY


Saturday, Feb. 3, 8:00 p.m.
It's a birthday celebration for Ira Cohen. Ira, a poet, publisher, photographer, filmaker, and former Chelsea Hotel resident turns 72 today. Back in the 1960s, in Tangiers, Ira published the legendary magazine GNAOUA which exposed us to the work of William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Jack Smith, and Irving Rosenthal, among others, and wrote “The Hashish Cookbook” under the pseudonym Panama Rose. In the 1970’s, he published many literary experimentalists, including Charles Henri Ford, Gregory Corso and Angus Maclise. Ira Cohen’s 1968 film “Invasion Of Thunderbolt Pagoda,” which has been called “a surrealistic masterpiece,” was released on DVD in 2006. (Photo by Mia Hanson)
Rapture Cafe & Books, 200 Ave. A, NY NY

The Liquid Experience

Guitar World recently compiled a list of the top 100 guitar solos and CityRag blog pulled together videos of the top 20.  Jimi Hendrix had the most solos on the top 20 list, with three.  Here they are.  And if that's not impressive enough for you, Beverage Concepts has released a new drink called The Liquid Experience. The title of the beverage comes from Jimi's album, Are You Experienced? Chug some today and reexperience the sixties.  Drop some acid too, while you're at it.

All Along The Watch Tower

Voodoo Chile

Little Wing

Kim Wilde Swears By The Chelsea

Kim Wilde, never heard of her, but if she stayed at the Chelsea she must be awesome. Here she is singing her heart out at the Chelsea Hotel in 1995.

Shades Of The Eighties

The other night as we were giving a friend a tour of the building, and who should we run into but none other than the famed photographer Claudio Edinger!  He was up on the 10th floor with a couple of friends, admiring Arthur Weinstein's mobile.

We chatted with Claudio briefly and he told us that it took him over three years to finish his Chelsea Hotel book, which was published in 1983.  Overall, he shot more than 300 photographs.  He said he used to sit in the lobby for hours on end watching for people to go by so he could talk them into sitting for a photograph.  We also talked about how only a few of his Chelsea subjects are still around: Jonathan Berg, Gerald Busby,  Merle Lister, Willem Van Ess, Tayla, Man Lai and Suzanne Bartsch.  Oh, and Stanely,  Claudio says he's the same as ever; only the salt and pepper hair is new.

Claudio dropped a few hints that his book may be updated and re-released in time for the hotel's big 125th anniversary next year!

 

(Photo by Pat Padua)

BROTHER OF RENOWNED SLAM POET VISITS THE CHELSEA

When we were in Washington, D.C.recently, we had breakfast with José Padua, his wife Heather, and their lovely and intelligent 3-year-old daughter Maggie.  José is a poet and former downtown fixture who got his start at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café back in the eighties.  He mentioned that his brother Pat was going to be in town the next weekend, staying at the Chelsea of all places, so we arranged to meet up with him.  Pat was eager to find out whether or not he had the Betty Boop room since he had read Tim Sullivan’s story and it freaked him out a little. We assured him that he was not in the Betty Boop room.

Is this the first time you’ve stayed at the Chelsea?  Yes it is.  It’s usually too expensive. This time I took advantage of the winter special, $165 for a single room.  Usually rooms start at $200.  I signed up for their e-mail list a long time ago and this is the first e-mail they ever sent out.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?  I live in D.C. and work at the Library of Congress. I work on a web site for the Music Division.   Before that I worked in their motion picture division for ten years.  I’m still involved in programming for their little repertory theatre.  That’s the part of the job that I find most rewarding.

How’d you get interested in photography?  I’ve been doing it on and off since college.  Because of the Flickr web site it’s been easier to see what other photographers are doing, and that’s renewed my interest. Digital photography has made me more interested in film again as well. I brought several different cameras with me to New York, including several toy cameras: I have a disposable camera that prints dog themed slogans on the photos -- here's an example.  My favorite is "I love my master" but my legal team advised me not to put up that picture.

I have another that prints patriotic slogans.  I whip one these out when I find an appropriate subject.  I also have an old brownie camera with a really soft lens that creates photos with a fuzzy, dreamlike quality.

Who are some of the photographers who have influenced you?  I really like William Eggleston.

Oh, did you know he used to live here at the Chelsea?  He was Viva’s boyfriend back in the Warhol years of the sixties.
No, I didn’t know that.  I always associate him with Memphis.  Another big influence is Henry Miller—not photography, but I really like his writing.  Did he ever stay here?

Not to my knowledge, although I wouldn’t be surprised if he had passed through here at some point.  He seems like a Chelsea sort of character.

Has the Chelsea lived up to your expectations? I really didn’t know what to expect.  I do really like my room, though.  The carpet is old and worn and you can really sense the history of the place.  I like the fact that I have a balcony that I can go out on, even though it’s really cold, and I’m right by the Chelsea sign.  I was kind of hoping it would blink on and off while I was lying in bed, but you really hardly notice it.  We’ll tell Stanley to work on that. 

Were you expecting to see any ghosts here?  I saw on you blog where the medium said it was the second most haunted place in New York after the Public Library, so I was kind of wondering.  In some parts of the hotel I do get a funny feeling as if something is there.  The hallway of Sid and Nancy’s room feels creepy, though maybe it’s just the power of suggestion.  I’m feeling kind of
creepy now since we’re discussing it.

What’s the best or worst thing that’s happened to you during your stay at the Chelsea?
The old building makes really funny sounds at night and it took me awhile to get used to that.  There’s one sound in particular that bothers me.  I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I finally decided it was the refrigerator—even though it doesn’t look that old.  Maybe it sounded like somebody popping a bottle of champagne and pouring out a glass. That's a typical refrigerator sound, right?

Like everything here, appliances get weird quickly.  What other hotels have you stayed at in New York ?  I always look for something affordable. I like the Pickwick Arms on 51st between 2nd and 3rd.  It used to have an adjoining bathroom between two rooms, though I don’t think it’s like that anymore.  I stayed at the Gramercy Park before and I really liked it.  It was similar to the Chelsea.  Now I hear they’ve renovated it and made it into a luxury hotel.  I could never afford it now.  I stayed there a couple of times before they gussied it up.

Do you think the Chelsea has a creative spirit?  Sure, the Chelsea has the kind of history that is bound to draw creative people to this place, so it’s a kind of self-perpetuating myth.

Pat asked us to recommend a good Cuban restaurant, so we sent him to the one down 8th Ave. (we didn’t remember the name) with the Cuban sandwiches in the cooler sticking out of the front.  Too bad Sam Chinita and La Chinita Linda are no longer around, we reflected.  After that Pat was going to a Bollywood movie on 59th Street.  And then, presumably, back to the  Chelsea to lie in bed and look at the sign and listen to the haunted refrigerator.

The $pirit of Edie $edgwick Returns as a $hoe

Jimi Hendrix the Butt of Welsh Humor

It’s a good month for music fans and/or fans of scratchy old 8-tracks.  First, we have a 1970 recording of the Welsh national anthem, “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau,” that sounds like the screeching of nine or ten cats with their tails tied together.  This, the Welsh people would have us believe, is one of the last recordings made by Jimi Hendrix.  They are putting out an all-points bulletin for a bass player named Vic Williams who knew Hendrix and might possibly know whether or not the legendary guitarist happened to have been in the studio that day.

            Oh, yeah, good ol’ Vic.  I think he’s that drug-addled old guy who wanders the halls of the Chelsea with his bathrobe open.  If I ever encounter him in one of his rare coherent moments, I’ll be sure to ask him.

            Actually, this sounds about as plausible as the old suit-worn-by-Dylan-Thomas they found in an attic a while back.  If you remember, this suit was actually owned by an artist who lived at the Chelsea, but since he wasn’t famous, the owner was trying to claim that Thomas may have worn it once when his clothes were at the cleaners.  Oh, those wacky Welshmen.  Is this a nation of comedians or what?

            Of greater musical interest, Columbia is releasing special editions of Leonard Cohen’s first three albums, featuring several previously unreleased tracks from that period, including two with David Crosby singing harmony vocals.  Did David Crosby ever stay at the Chelsea, you ask?  Well, I don’t know.  Does he need another liver transplant yet?  Probably. -- Ed Hamilton

All Tomorrow's Parties: Jan. 22 - 28, 2007

Monday, Jan. 22, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Manhattan Community Board 4 will hold a public forum on the application by the General Theological Seminary to develop its property at 175 9th Avenue.  Previously, the Seminary has presented designs for the new campus which include a building that is 13 stories high, but the campus is in the Chelsea Historic District and zoning limits new development to about eight stories.  The public will have an opportunity to comment at this meeting.
Fulton Center Auditorium, 119 9th Ave., b/w 17th and 18th St.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 10:30 p.m.
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Alexander Technique. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: The Wet Spots.

35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway


Wednesday, Jan. 24, ANYTIME
Tired of waiting for the East Coast release of "Factory Girl." Your nightmares have been answered and you don't have to spend a dime. Factory Girl is available in it's entirety online. (Thanks to Countess Cherry Ramone for the tip.)

Thursday, Jan 25, 8:00 - 4:00 (Mon - Fri)
"Andy Warhol: Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century," is now on display at The Park Avenue Bank.  The Warhol silkscreen portraits, including Albert Einstein, Franz Kafka, Gertrude Stein and the Marx Brothers, were on loan from The Jewish Museum, which recently acquired them. They were originally commissioned by art dealer Ronald Feldman and were created as a series in 1980.
Park Avenue Bank, 350 Park Ave., NY NY   

Friday, Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m.
For our readers in Michigan, Rufus Wainwright will be performing as part of the 30th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival.
Ann Arbor Folk Festival, Hill Auditorium, 316 South Main, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Saturday, Jan. 27, 8:00 p.m.
For our readers in Nashville, Holly Williams, who loves the Chelsea, will be performing along with Chris Janson.
12th and Porter, Nashville, TENN

If you have an event that you want listed on All Tomorrow's Parties please e-mail [email protected] 

Devil's Plaything at the Chelsea

Craig McDean's intimate film of supermodel Karen Elson and former bassist with The Smashin Pumpkins and Hole, Melissa Auf der Maur, performing SHOWstudio's new singing cover, Danzig's 'Devil's Plaything', at the Chelsea Hotel in New York.

Mark Twain The Inventor Stops by the Chelsea

Recently, Google made it easier for users to search through 7 million patents dating back to 1776.  If your into that sort of thing here's what you might find: Samuel Clemens patent for improvement in scrapbooks, filed June 24, 1873.  So, now we know, Mark Twain is responsible for the "self-pasting" scrapbook.

 

If you are really industrious you can come up with a whole list of patents filed by former Hotel Chelsea residents and guests.  Didn't Arthur C. Clarke invent something?

Greetings From Nowhere

Although the blog is a lot of work, letters like this make it all worthwhile.   J. is the second person we've heard from who plans to take advantage of the hotel's winter special -- affordable rooms, like the good ol' days!  We hope Julie is able to maintain her enthusiasm after a night within these unhallowed halls.

Subject: thanks for the blog!
Hi Ed or Debbie or both! My name is J. and just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog....I read it every morning and it keeps me highly entertained as well as keeping my dream alive of getting to New York City. I am that girl, straight out of college, in Nowhereville, Virginia who just wants out. I visited Manhattan as a kid and I go back every chance I get. I found out about the Chelsea through Bob Dylan...well of course not through him but his music....when I first heard him talk about "Stayin' up for days in the Chelsea Hotel...." I had to find out about it...well of course reading up on was fascinating. For about 5 years now, everytime I was in ny, I would go by the hotel but I never wanted to go in.....I guess I was afraid I would never want to leave. Well this past summer my bus was delayed going home so I found myself right there on 23rd.....this time I went it and did the whole "just pretend like you know what you're doing and they won't bother you" and it worked! I got on the elevator....which was just a trip in general...picked a floor...and when the doors opened, well I can still feel it...It was, and I wish I could describe it better, but it was like standing somewhere you just know you were meant to see and just be in. I wandered a bit, not knowing or really caring about direction but just wandering with my mouth open the whole time. You're so lucky to live in New York....I've been trying to get there for awhile...actually my whole life I think. But job and apartment competitions are quite the large hurdles to cross.
Anyway, I suppose I just wanted to thank you for writing your blog as it does remind me of that day and that maybe just possibly I'll get back there again.
Thanks for reading! J.

For more details about the special rate call 1 212 243 3700 and mention the Internet promotion code CD11. According to an e-mail I received, the rates are $165.00 per night for a double room with one bed and $185.00 per night for double room with two beds.  As always, the offer is only good while the rooms last. (The special rates run through the end of January.)

Ryan Adams & America on Letterman

In case you missed the Letterman show earlier this week!

Robin Adams: "The Strangely Dispositioned Residents of the Chelsea"

We met the cameraman Robin Adams when he was filming us for an episode of the Japanese T.V. show "Streets of New York."  It turns out he stayed here back in 1990.  Too bad he didn't see any ghosts, because he would have been just the man to capture them on film.  This time he got to know some of the people a little better, and he says we belong on the Bravo Channel.  Since we don't have cable, we don't know if this is a compliment or not.

How did you get started in the production side of the business? When I was a 13 year-old kid growing up in Brooklyn, and playing in the family band called "Scorpio", we made our very first [8mm film] movie: "The Scorpion's Sting". From that point forward I knew what I would do for the rest of my life. My career would either be filmmaking or TV production - TV is where I ended up after studying broadcast engineering in High School. (http://rkveq.tripod.com/photopage/) You may also visit: (www.amagica.com)  .....enjoy!

What are some of the other interesting projects you've filmed? In my 26.5 year career the most memorable project to date was an adventure documentary that I shot in Alaska and the Queen Charlotte Islands (British Columbia) for Japanese TV. (2001)      http://rkveq.tripod.com/productionphotogallery/id3.html

How was the Chelsea the first time you stayed here?
The first and only time I've ever stayed at The Chelsea Hotel was in 1990. I had to overnight in the city for a very early flight to the west coast with a Japanese tv production crew, and I must say I'd heard the stories about the hotel but never experienced its aura. The Chelsea was dark and gray and gloomy - dimly lit by fluorescent lighting that cast an eerie pale green throughout the halls; the old wooden floors creaked and my room was tiny and very seedy in appearance. I was extremely tired so I slept throughout the late night, however I saw no ghosts - which I thought I would see. Oh well...

How has the hotel changed in the last 17 years?
The hotel has brightened up tremendously; lots of color, vibrance, and weird energy emanating from the odd creative types who reside there; it was my first time meeting so many of the residents, and although many are "seemingly" odd and others are just plain strangely dispositioned, I enjoyed our shooting days at Chelsea. I tend to gravitate toward the crazier side of life anyway - it's much more of an interesting experience.

Did you learn anything new and/or interesting while filming? Yes. I was surprised how no one has made a true-to-form reality show about The Chelsea Hotel and its resident characters. It would be PERFECT for The Bravo Channel! (anybody know anyone at BRAVO?? LOL!!)

As a cameraman, which features were you most struck by?

I particularly was taken in by the light and color and detail in the amazing spiral staircase, as well as the lighting color transitions from the residents' hallways to the staircase area.

Were any of your shots edited out that you wish could have remained part of the show?
I wish the program had the opportunity to detail character and personality of the residents in their raw/uncut form - lotsa' drama and comedy happening simultaneously - often times within the same person! LOL!

Massage Parlor Front For Canine Prostitution Ring

So The Ritz Carlton offers massages for dogs.  On top of the $125 pet fee, it costs $12.95 a pound.  Of course, the obvious question is, does fido get the happy ending?  At those prices, he'd better.  I'm sure we can expect the Chelsea Hotel to add doggy massages in the New Year.

A Valentine's Day Gift Suggestion For The Girl Who’s Got It All

     Cindy Gallop, out neighbor across the street at the old McBurney Y building, has a thing for the work of the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who lived here at the hotel with Patti Smith back in the 70s.  (And hey, I bet he paid a few visits to the Y as well.)  The other night, Cindy told us a funny story: a friend of hers—I think it was a colleague at work—came up to her and asked her if she knew anything about Mapplethorpe.  Oh, yes, Cindy replied enthusiastically, and went on to talk at length about her admiration for the work of the photographer, discussing in detail the merits of some of his more risqué images—such as the nudes and the bondage pictures.  When she finished her spiel, Cindy noticed that the man seemed puzzled and a bit flustered.  “Oh,” he said, “I just got a card with a nice picture of a flower on it, and I noticed it was by him.”

            Having been in Cindy’s huge, richly appointed apartment, we realize that it must be hard to buy her a gift, as she is truly the girl who’s already got it all.  So if you are lucky or perhaps unlucky enough to have to buy her a Valentine's day present, here’s a suggestion:

In February, several limited-edition items will land in Chrome Hearts boutiques and in museum stores, including Hermé-quality silk chiffon scarves ($620) with a kaleidoscopic print intertwined with Mapplethorpe’s cross, flag and nude torso imagery, and black leather JJ Dean leather jackets with the scarf lining (women’s $6,160; men’s $6,765).

            I suggest the jacket.  Sure, it’s expensive, but don’t you want to keep being invited back to Cindy’s loft?  We’ll leave it up to you as to whether or not to get a nice flower card to go with it.

            (Oh, by the way, in this same article, we read that Barney’s, in conjunction with the Warhol Foundation, is selling “...actual cans of Campbell Soup, at $12 each.”  What a racket!  If they still have any get me a Pepper Pot.) -- Ed Hamilton

All Tomorrow's Parties: January 15 - 21, 2007

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 10:30 p.m.
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Sammy Jo. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: Billy Ray Martin the London electro star will be performing her new single "Undisco Me".

35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 11:30 p.m.
Former Hotel Chelsea resident Ryan Adams will join the 70's band America on "The Late Show with David Letterman."  The group will perform "Ride On" from the album Here and Now.  Adams plays retro guitar on the track.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS.

Friday, Jan. 19, Various Times
Robert Altman's "3 Women" which features a score composed by Gerald Busby, is one of 27 of the great director's film which will shown during a 19-day retrospective.
IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave., NY NY

Saturday, Jan. 20,
Musician Libby Johnson will take the stage as part of Brooklyn Lyceum's monthly singer/songwriter series.
Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave., Brooklyn NY

If you have an event that you want listed on All Tomorrow's Parties please e-mail [email protected] 

A Nagging New Year's Greeting from Patti Smith

Patti Smith's New Year's greetings arrived in our e-mail box a little late this year.  Frankly, I wish I hadn't received it at all.  Who wants to be reminded by Patti Smith to go to the dentist and to change their socks. Give us a break! Sex, Drugs, and Rotten Teeth forever!

Her advice for the New Year includes... "For instance just simple things like eliminating fast foods, soft drinks and excessive salt is a start. Drinking more water. Getting one's teeth cleaned.
Saying a simple thank you or grace before eating. Going through our possessions and letting go of what we really don't want or need. If one has vices and can't give them up, just cut down."

Click on through for more advice from Patti Smith.

Attention, Update Your Wardrobe, For Free

Bring a bag of clothes, meet fashion forward friends, and have fun.  What more could you want on a Sunday.  Unclaimed clothes go to the homeless.  The hostess, Nichelle, is a great poet and writer.  If you're lucky she'll also entertain.

Nichelle Presents: Fashion Swap Meet, A Clothing Swap Party

Sunday, January 14

6-8PM

Lava Gina

116 Avenue C

Bring clothes. Be fabulous. Women Only.
Free!

http://fashionswapmeet.eventbrite.com

Translation Services Needed

We've received a tremendous amount of traffic this week from the link below.  We have no idea what the blurb says beyond "Giving you head on the unmade virutal bed".  Damn, why didn't we think of that.  It's a much better tagline than "Last Outpost of Bohemia."

Giving you head on the unmade virtual bed: Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog verzamelt alle verhalen over het leven in de gelijknamige thuishaven van de New Yorkse bohemia - van filmpjes waarin William Burroughs gedichten voordraagt of Nancy Spungen haar vriendje Sid Vicious tot actie aanmaant, tot fictieve verhalen over beruchte hotelbewoners als Dylan Thomas of Thomas Wolfe.

A Virtual Tour of Hawk Alfredson's Paintings

Now you don't even have to leave the safety of your home to enjoy Hawk Alfredson's paintings. Supertone Surfin Dude Tim Sullivan has uploaded a virtual tour of Hawk Alfredson's paintings.  The video and the music were created by Ted Stauber.

Roberto Bentivegna Checks In To Check Out

Filmmaker Roberto Bentivegna recently stopped by the Chelsea to film a short murder mystery.  Thanks for giving us another ghost to be on the look out for!  We hope he's talking hypothetically when he says that he can't think of a better place to kill oneself than the Chelsea Hotel.  Oh, and if anybody knows the story about Milos Forman and the dwarves we'd be interested in hearing it.

How'd you get interested in film?
It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was 8 years old. I saw Terry Gilliam’s “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” and was totally overwhelmed by its energy and creativity. I know that the film didn’t do so well when it was released, and a lot of people hated it, but it really sparked something in my brain. Music is the other big thing in my life, so I had to pick between the two things. I don’t think either one is particularly safe, financially, but safety is boring and overrated. I don’t really want to give myself any back-up plans. I’m 24, doing an MFA at Columbia University in Directing, so I am in that stage of life where I’m starting to fear hunger and homelessness a little bit. But I could always play guitar in the subway or make wedding videos, I guess.

What's the most rewarding aspect of creating a film? In terms of the craft itself, I think that the planning is the most exciting and satisfying part. During that period, I am incredibly naïve and actually believe that my shotlists and rehearsals will magically engrain themselves into the finished film, and that nothing will affect that. Of course, this is almost never the case. As far as I know, animation is probably the only “genre” in which every single shot is designed and executed as conceived. Hitchcock storyboarded all of his films extensively but he worked in a very specific style that didn’t allow for much freedom. It’s important to be flexible and open up to the possibilities of the location, or the actors, or even the weather. Nothing should be locked.

Which filmmakers do you most admire? I adore Stanley Kubrick’s work for a variety of reasons. Firstly, he gained artistic independence very early on and never let go, which is rare for a director. Secondly, his framing and imagery is closer to painting and photography than it is to “cinema”, and yet he is probably the most cinematic of all filmmakers. Finally, I am a big fan of genre-blending, and don’t think I could only work in the confines of one genre. So it’s very refreshing to see Kubrick’s filmography and notice that virtually every film he made was different from the previous one. That, to me, is the sign of a true artist: constantly changing and re-inventing himself.
I also appreciate Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Powell, Werner Herzog, Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg, Jean Renoir and Brian De Palma. That’s just a tiny list. I adore all filmmakers because I know how difficult it is to make a good film, and how underrated- ironically, considering how popular it is- it is as an art form.

Can You get a Room at the Chelsea Through Priceline or Expedia?

     I recently read this piece on BudgetTravelOnline called “Confessions Of... A Front Desk Clerk.”  I was going to say that I’m sure our desk clerks here at the Chelsea have much better confessions to relate, but actually, this piece is mis-titled.  These are just bitchings of a front desk clerk, or, at best, pet peeves.  So, for instance, this particular desk clerk, Anne Szeker, doesn’t like it when guests try to get out of paying for pay-cable movies they’ve ordered, or when they get drunk and try to pick her up.  (Hey, she should be flattered!)

            A true confession would be, for instance, something like: “I blew Richard Gere in the coatroom of the hotel bar.”  Or really, Anne, you don’t even have to incriminate yourself; just give us the dirt on the celebrities.  Barring that, you could give useful advice, like the hotel’s policy on recommending callgirl services to lonely businessmen.  Or, what’s the best place in town to score some smack?

            Also, the piece seems to have a hidden corporate agenda: to let people know that they’ll get shitty service if they book their rooms through Internet booking engines such as Priceline or Expedia.  So take note travelers: if you try to get a deal you’ll be treated like second class citizens.

            Hey, hotel people, your rooms are overpriced, OK?  If they weren’t then you could probably fill the place up without Expedia or Priceline.  But as it is, you need these services.  (And, you need the people who aren’t willing to pay full price.)  So why are you damning them?

            The sole piece of interesting information in the article is that they’ll write you up in their hotel log if you misbehave.  Bitch out a desk clerk and it goes on your permanent record!

            To get back to the Chelsea, our rooms are expensive here too.  (Though I must admit, I’ve been in a couple of transient rooms lately and they have been fixing them up.)  People are always writing in asking how they can get a cheap room, and the only answer I have is to negotiate with Stanley Bard—a daunting prospect indeed.  I don’t know if you can get a cheap room here through Expedia or Priceline, but I do know enough to know that they’re not going to tell me at the front desk.  So, if anyone knows the answer to this question, please let us know.  We would love to hear from someone who’s actually rented a room here this way.  (Or anybody else who’s ever stayed here, for that matter.  Write in and share your impressions, good or bad.) 

            So what do you think?  I’m sure to be written up for this article, aren’t I? --Ed Hamilton.

Elite Stars to Huddle in Basement Lair of Chelsea Hotel

How original, another elitist club called Star Lounge is set to open in the Chelsea neighborhood and this time it's in the basement of the hotel.  Coudn't they come up with a better name.  Don't they know the real stars live in the hotel.  We don't expect to be invited to the opening.  Perhaps we should all overflow our tubs so the water will drain down upon the heads of the slumming stars.

In the New York Post, Charles Ferri (Heather Graham's boyfriend and the Star Lounge's owner) is quoted as saying: "We'll have a more sophisticated, elitist crowd than Serena."  We can hardly wait!

Rene Ricard's Greatness Finally Acknowledged

In response to our earlier post about the exclusion of Rene Ricard's photo from "Edie: Girl On Fire" Sarah Weiss writes to reassure us that Rene will be in the movie:

It is true that the absence of photos of Rene Ricard in Edie: Girl On Fire is a glaring omission and one which the entire Girl On Fire teams deeply regrets.  Most of the photos in the book are photos of Edie with others and as hard as we tried, we found no photos of Edie & Rene together.  Rene was not only hot in the 60's, but he is also one of the best interviews that was done for the book and that is why is voice is so clearly represented.   You can also be sure that he will be a huge presence in the upcoming film version of Girl on Fire. Here are 2 of our favorite photos of Rene from that era.

 

For Rene's sake we hope that "Girl on Fire" the movie is better than "Edie: Factory Girl," which opened in LA at the end of December and was panned by everybody.

All Tomorrow's Parties: January 8 - 14, 2007

Monday, Jan. 8, 9:00 p.m.
Libby Johnson invites everyone to her gig tonight.  She's going to be trying out a few new songs that she has written while living here at the Chelsea.  So, head downtown and check out her show. Also this week, on Thursday, Libby will be playing at Dr. Martin Luther King Day Concert/Benefit for Friends Shelter [Guest with Bob Rosen Big Band] Friends Meetinghouse, 15 Rutherford Place, NY, NY
Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St., between Stanton & East Houston, NY NY

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:30 p.m.
Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny invite you to Room Service Tuesdays. This week, it's a party for Michael Musto's new book, "La Dolce Musto" and Cazwell's Record Release. Hosting service: Amanda Lepore, Astro, Kim Aviance, Ladyfag.  Moondust, Theodora, Richie Rich and Furey. Music Service: Sammy Jo. Sounds in the Strip Tease Lounge: Michael Cavadias aka lily of the valley Show: Cazwell, Amanda Lepore and Avenue D.

35 East 21st St., Between Park & Broadway


Wednesday, Jan. 10, 11:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Artist Jim Dine has devoted the last three years to a personal interpretation of a story that has engaged and intrigued him for much of his life, Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio. In these 39 prints, now on display, Dine has made his own the tale of the temptations, trials, tribulations and ultimate triumph of this mischievous but endearing wooden boy. (FREE)

New York Public Library, North Gallery on the third floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library, 5th Ave & 42nd St. NY NY

If you have an event that you want listed on All Tomorrow's Parties please e-mail [email protected] 

Jack's Big Music: Season 2 Premiere

Jack's Big Music Show kicks off Season 2 today on Noggin.  Season two will feature music videos produced by SnapFilms, which is co-owned by Luke Joerger.  So get in touch with your inner child and tune in to Noggin.