Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog

Patti Smith Sings for Chelsea Hotel Developer Joseph Chetrit

The Bard family has been good to Patti Smith, helping her out at two difficult times in her life.  The first time, in the late sixties when she was a struggling, unknown poet, Stanley Bard gave her and her friend Robert Mappelthorpe a place to stay so they could get out of the drug and vermin infested Allerton Hotel.    The second time, in the late nineties, after the tragic death of her husband, Stanley came through with an apartment yet again.
       It is with great sadness, therefore, that we reprint the following invitation, which showed up in our Chelsea Hotel mailbox just yesterday.       

            Patti must not know that the person sponsoring her upcoming event, Joseph Chetrit, is the same developer who took Stanley Bard’s beloved Chelsea Hotel away from him and his family.  And surely she is unaware that this is the same Joseph Chetrit whose demolition crews recently gutted over a hundred historic Chelsea Hotel rooms.  Finally, if she hasn’t been in some way deceived, we know there’s no way in hell Patti would give a concert in support of a man, Joseph Chetrit, who is presently trying to evict almost thirty Chelsea Hotel residents using both housing and Supreme court.

            We love Patti and her music, and we would love to see her concert, just not under these circumstances.  And so we call on Patti, now that she knows the truth, to cancel this event.

Hotel Chetrit

 

Is there a Krauss in the House? Were comments of TMS praise written by Krauss herself?

 As you can see from the screen grab below, two comments by someone using the screen name "Olivia", which is the name of one of minority shareholder Dr. Marlene Krauss' daughters, and a comment praising TMS (the basis of Marlene's latest money-making scheme, the Sychordia Center), all came from the same IP address.  These are the only three comments ever submitted from this IP, which is owned by Road Runner, an Internet Service Provider.  When we received the first two comments, we had no reason to doubt that they were from Marlene's daughter, but now it rather looks as if Marlene may be writing them herself.  If she has taken to using her children and mental patients in a misplaced attempt to win sympathy for her ill-advised business ventures, then she has indeed sunk to a new low. 

I'll try to be more careful about my personal hygiene in the future. Marlene is resonsible for the bugs, since she's the owner of this fleabag hotel. 

Doctor Marlene Krauss, Magnetize Thyself!

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)  

Article on New Boutique Hotels in New York Fails to Mention Chelsea

Here's an article on six new mid-town boutique hotels.  Hmmmmm, let's see now: Distrikt, Eventi, Fashion 26, Hotel Indigo, The Mave, and The Strand.  Funny, I don't see any mention of the Chelsea here.  What's the matter Marlene?  Failed?

Thomas Wolfe Suite Now Available for Steamy Video Shoots

How's this for proof that Chelsea Hotel minority shareholder Marlene Krauss has finally done as she said she was going to do and activate the historic spaces of the Chelsea Hotel. Check out this video that was shot in Thomas Wolfe's suite. You'll notice former tenant/photographer Julia Calfee's photograph hanging on the wall. And, it also looks like one of her small rugs is still on the floor. So much for the boutiquing of the Chelsea. Theophilus seems to think he's at a Ramada Inn.

THEOPHILUS LONDON "I WANT YOU" (OFFICIAL VIDEO) dir. VASHTIE from va$htie on Vimeo.

+++++

Death for Sale at the Chelsea Hotel

Lost our lease!  Everything must go!  Stanley was famous for renting the room where Madonna shot her Sex book to Material Girl-worshiping hipsters with stars in their eyes.  Lately, however, sex alone has not been paying the bills.  In response, general manager Arnold Tamasar has revealed a new marketing strategy: Celebrity Death Tourism.  (And maybe a little sex thrown in for good measure.)  
 For bargain basement prices, you can stay in the room where a drug-addled Sid Vicious killed a drug-befuddled Nancy Spungen—or at least a room with the couple’s infamous bathroom attached.  And if you can’t afford to go the whole hog, the hotel now sells Sid dolls at the front desk.  (Complete with tiny leather jacket, sure, but how about a tiny hypodermic needle?  You’ll have to ask the concierge.)  Wear your black fingernail polish and light a candle for the Romeo and Juliet of punk.

Substance-abusing punks not your cup of tea?  Ask to stay in the tiny room where Dylan Thomas collapsed after a night of hard drinking at the White Horse tavern.  Bet you can’t beat his record of 18 whiskeys!  Speaking of lovable alcoholics, Charles Jackson, author of The Lost Weekend bit the big one here as well—a suicide, double the fun!  (Don’t try this at home, kids!  Though really, don’t try it here either.)

If you don’t have time to spend the night (or simply fear for your safety and/or sanity), book a spot on the Big Apple Death tour, as the Chelsea Hotel is now on the itinerary.  You’ll travel in style, making the rounds of the city in a decommissioned (we hope) 1967 hearse.  The only problem with this option is, you’ll miss the famous ghosts of the Chelsea, who only come out at night!  -- Ed Hamilton

Read more about the Chelsea Hotel ghosts: The Severed Hand,  Thomas Wolfe ghost,  Floor-by-floor sightings,

Magnificent 1883 Beaux Art Mural Endangered by Chelsea Hotel Demolition

    It has come to our attention that the Chelsea Hotel  management plans to punch a hole through the ceiling of Star Lounge in the basement and up through the floor of Stanley’s office (to the west of the lobby), in an apparent attempt to extend the raucous club up into the lobby area.

      Our main concern at this point is for the structural integrity of the building, and especially for the fate of the magnificent Beaux Art mural on the ceiling of Stanley’s office, an original feature of the hotel, built in 1883. Other original features of the office include the marble floor and two fire places.   Obviously, any disturbance to the floor or the walls of the office threatens to destabilize the ceiling, which likely would result in irreparable tears to the mural, which is actually a large painted canvas that has been stretched and affixed to the ornate ceiling.  (As you can see, there are several matching canvases affixed to the surrounding walls.)  Furthermore, dust from the demolition is likely to damage the mural if great care is not taken to protect it.

      As part of his ambitious ten-year renovation project for the hotel, Stanley Bard had the mural restored in 2000.  We have been in contact with the restorer, Lisa Rosen of Fine Art Restoration, who writes to describe the costly and laborious process:

"The painting was obfuscated with 129  years of New York City smog, soot, nicotine and surface dirt.  The once transparent final layer of protective varnish had also altered, turning first yellow and then brown (see photo ).  The restorative cleaning procedure took five weeks of  intensive physical labor using 'q-tip's' and idoneous solvent to finally arrive at what you see today.   What you see now is how the painted canvas looked originally leaving the master's studio before being adhered to the hotel ceiling.

In the 1880's the height of chic was to hire Italian artists to come to New York City and decorate the splendid private mansions and elegant hotels of the Belle Epoque.  America was striving to keep up and prove itself with Old World style.  These artists were also responsible for the interior decorations of the historical villas in Newport, R.I.. 

  The Chelsea Hotel is a perfect example of the New World imitating Old World luxury.  Stanley Bard's former office in fact had originally been the Ladies Powder Room.  The painted ceiling, the stucco decorations and even the stained glass in the windows of Bard's former office reflect the suave elegance that the hotel represented."

 
     As you can see by the before and after pictures, Rosen has done a great job.  It would be a shame if this irreparable mural were lost due to careless and/or malicious action on the part of hotel management, who might have other ideas about what a chi-chi club should look like.
    

Capitol Fishing Tackle Owner Supports the Bards

I own Capitol Fishing Tackle Co. I went to work at the store in 1973 and bought it in 1974.The Bards treated me fairly. The space wasn't cheap, but I made a living and it was fun.Stanley and his family are wonderful people. We were all in tears when we found out that Capitol Fishing could no longer remain at the Hotel Chelsea. I moved the store for two reasons. I couldn't think about closing a business that was 109 years old at that time, and, more importantly, our son wouldn't let me. Fishing is his passion and he loves working in the store that will some day be his. Our famous sign is at 132 W 36th St. We have a great landlord and a very long lease. I didn't let Marlene Krauss and David Elders win. Believe it or not, Marlene Krauss's father was a gentleman. If he was alive today, he wouldn't be proud of his daughter.   -- Richard Collins

Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead: The “Invincible” Marlene Krauss Goes Down in Flames

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. God has interceded in the affairs of mankind, and the prayers of all sentient beings have been answered. Chelsea Hotel minority shareholder Marlene Krauss, MD, MBA, has been forced to liquidate her company, KBL Healthcare, Acquisition Corp III due to her inability to complete an acquisition. In other words, even with all of the millions her investors threw at her, Marlene couldn’t find a satisfactory company to buy. Word of her troubles began to leak out earlier this week with a press release indicating that Krauss was being forced to buy out 30% of KBL’s shareholders to prevent them from voting against her proposed merger with a company called PRWT. Krauss began to look even more desperate when a second press release went out announcing the cancellation of the upcoming KBL stockholders meeting. Obviously Marlene was scrambling to find the funds necessary to buy out the shareholders--and just as obviously she failed to do so! Expect lots of lawsuits to follow as stockholders ask: Where’s my money, Marlene?

What this shows is that KBL’s shareholders finally caught on to wannabe Master of the Universe Marlene’s shady tactics. Her business model is to take over companies in order to loot their assets--which is exactly what she’s trying to do with the Chelsea. Perhaps now the rest of the Chelsea Hotel shareholders will get wise like the KBL shareholders did and send her packing.

Many of of you have noticed that we haven’t been blogging lately, (www.twitter.com/hotelchelsea) but we couldn’t resist coming out of retirement briefly to report this news. Burn Witch Burn in everlasting torment. Bring Back the Bards. And add another chapter to the book.

Chelsea Hotel Minority Shareholder Marlene Krauss, M.D., MBA, to Audition for New Prime Time NBC Show featuring Bernie Madoff Victims

Although Chelsesas Hotel minority shareholder Marlene Krauss is a high-powered businesswoman who routinely crushes ordinary mortals beneath her 6-inch Manolo Blahniks and makes grown men weep and grovel before her on their knees, we know that her one big regret in life is that she missed the cut for Charlie’s Angels back in the seventies.

    But don’t start feeling sorry for her yet.  NBC is now casting for a new prime time show staring victims of Bernie Madoff’s ponzi scheme!  It’s Marlene’s big chance.  With her timeless beauty, her winning personality, and her questionable financial sense, she’s a shoe-in.

    Best of all, she doesn’t have to do anything to be considered.  Anyone can nominate a candidate for the show, and we intend to do so immediately.  Others can nominate Marlene as well, perhaps strengthening her chances, by writing to [email protected].  Do your part for the Chelsea, Bohemians.  Help make Marlene a star.-- Ed Hamilton

The Life of Marlene Krauss Will Thrill and Astound You

Meet Marlene Krauss, whose voice “sounded like it had been fed a steady diet of cigarettes and broken glass”.  Marlene Krauss has had a very exciting life.  So exciting in fact that Alisa Sheckley has written a novel recounting her youthful exploits.  (This is not to be confused with Scott Griffin’s forthcoming MARLENE KRAUSS: A LIFE, which will probably just revolt and disgust you.) We are keeping our fingers crossed hoping this novel becomes a huge bestseller.  The following is an excerpt from the novel, MOONBURN:

Manhattan  

is not the center of the universe. It only feels that way. But outside of the immense gravitational pull of that small island, there are whole other realms of existence.

For the past year, I’ve been living in the town of Northside, which is two hours from the city but subscribes to an alternate reality. Winter arrives earlier and tests your resourcefulness. The moon is more of a presence. Your regular waitress not only knows exactly what you’re going to order, she also knows how much money you have in the local bank, the status of your divorce negotiations, and your entire medical history, down to the name of the prescription cream you just called in to the pharmacy.

Yet there are also secrets that are easier to conceal here, buffered by trees and mountains and distance. The city may offer a kind of intimate anonymity, but the country permits other freedoms.

The freedom to run around naked in the woods, for example. Which I do about three days a month, when the moon is at its fullest. Having lycanthropy, like having children, forces you to reevaluate the advantages and disadvantages of apartment living. Of course, I’m not talking from personal experience here—I don’t have children.

But even though I accept that I’m better off in the country, it’s been a bit of an adjustment. Before I moved out here, trying to save my doomed marriage, I’d had a coveted slot as a veterinary intern at the Animal Medical Institute on the Upper East Side. And while the education I got there was top of the line, I’ve had to unlearn a fair chunk of it.

In the city, people don’t purchase pets, they adopt substitute children to carry around in big handbags, or rescue surrogate soul mates who will wait uncomplainingly at home all day, then greet each homecoming with frenzied affection. If Basil the basset hound gets cancer, nobody blinks an eyelash at spending thousands of dollars on medical care, physical therapy, a specially designed prosthesis.

Around here, it’s a different story.

Northside dogs are considered animals, and they spend much of their day outside and unattended, having adventures that their humans know nothing about. There are exceptions, of course, but in general, country people love their dogs, though they don’t regard them as quasi-humans covered in fur. Northsiders acknowledge the wolf that resides within the breast of every canine, no matter how outwardly domesticated. “It’s no kind of life for a dog” is the verdict for most serious illness.

Looking at the massive, gore-spattered rottweiler stinking up my examining room, I had to wonder who had it better: the beloved city pets who received constant attention and care, or their country counterparts, who had the freedom to follow their instincts and roll in decomposing deer entrails.

“I don’t see or feel any cuts or abrasions,” I told the dog’s owner, a lean woman with work-roughened hands, leathery skin, and brittle, teased black hair. Her name was Marlene Krauss and she ran a hair salon out of her home. I could feel her sizing up my long brown braid the way a lumberjack sizes up a redwood.

“In fact,” I said, double checking the pads of the rott- weiler’s large paws, “I don’t think this is her blood at all. Queenie’s probably just been frolicking in something dead.”

“Oh, I don’t care about that,” said Marlene. “She’s always getting into something.” When she moved, I caught a whiff of stale cigarette smoke and some drugstore version of Chanel No. 5. If I’d been completely human, the combination would have been strong enough to mask the usual vet’s office odors of cat urine, bleach, rubbing alcohol, and frightened dog. If I’d been completely wolf, I wouldn’t have made any olfactory value judgments. As it was, I was smack in the middle of my monthly cycle, which meant that the scent of Marlene was getting up my nose and on my nerves...

Looks like Marlene may have met her match!  It would certainly a being with supernatural powers to defeat her.   Click here to buy the book and help make it a bestseller!

Summer Infant Baby Monitor Malfunctions AGAIN; Blame it on the Blog

There’s no end to the trouble with Summer Infant baby monitors.  Remember when we reported that they were receiving messages from a NASA satellite?  Well now it seems that they’re broadcasting signals all around the neighborhood.  This mom was horrified to find that baby Alfie was starring in his own REALITY show on the neighbor’s TV courtesy of Summer Infant’s baby monitor.  

'I ran straight over and as soon as I walked in I saw Alfie on the TV screen. Erin said I turned as white as a ghost and looked like I was about to faint. … 'It was really scary to think that anyone could have been watching my baby.'  

Summer Infant’s response: 'We're limited to a certain number of frequency bands and they are becoming more clogged up ... simply because more people have got wireless internet and other wireless equipment.'   I guess it’s the blog’s fault once again.

Kudos to Chelsea Hotel minority shareholder Marlene Krauss and company for at least keeping the signals earth bound this time. -- Ed Hamilton (via Daily Mail)

Marlene Krauss Had a Bad Year; Blame it On the Blog

There’s been no end to Chelsea Hotel minority shareholder Marlene Krauss’ troubles lately.  Luckily she has a convenient scapegoat: the blog.  She managed to alienate one of the top hotel firms in the city, BD Hotels, and now she’s locked in arbitration that threatens to cost the hotel half a million dollars.  But don’t you know,  that’s the blog’s fault since we drew attention to Glennon Travis’ myspace page where he called himself a “St. Louis Beach Bum.”  Then, after scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with somebody stupid enough to want to work for her, “Piccadilly” Andrew Tilley turned out to be totally incapable of managing the place, costing the hotel another half-million in salary and bonuses.  Oh, but of course he had to quit because the blog criticized his hairdo.  Now Krauss is stuck with the dimwitted duo of Tweedledum and Tweedledee “managing” the hotel, the first of whom (David Elder) had a tenant assaulted by goons paid off of the books, and the second of whom (Arnold Tamasar) evicted a 75-year-old man.  Apparently reading the blog so dazzled these dips that they became unaware of the most basic of laws. 

And then there’s the matter of the destruction in Bob Dylan’s room.  It was apparently the blog that falsified those permit applications and neglected to get a Certificate of No Harassment,  and probably even the blog that wrote the inconvenient law that made that work illegal.  Finally, when occupancy dipped into single digits at the hotel and then hovered at around 20% for months, it was the blog’s constant cheerleading for the hotel that caused people to not want to come here.

As for Marlene’s other business related problems, such as falling victim to Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme; being threatened with having her “Spac” company, KBL Healthcare III, de-listed by the New York Stock Exchange; and her “resignation” from the board of Summer Infant, she was probably just too preoccupied with reading the blog (it is certainly engrossing!) and working herself up into a state of constant rage over the fact that we pointed out that her father was Stanley’s plumber.

Hey Marlene, blogs don’t bankrupt hotels; people bankrupt hotels.

The Tax Strategy & Charitable Givings of Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victim Marlene Krauss

As the deadline for filing income taxes draws near, Marlene Krauss’ accountant is no doubt working overtime tallying up her many tax deductions.  For starters, some of the interest on her mortgage payments (in Sept. 2007, she acquired a mortgage of $4,207,500 on the penthouse with a 6.87% interest rate) is probably tax deductible.   (Being poor Bohemians, we don’t know how to calculate this.  Luckily for Marlene, her accountant probably does.)

First, the good news: Marlene donated $2,300 to Obama’s campaign. Hooray!  Let’s hear it for change!  But what’s that you say: campaign contributions are not deductible?  Sorry Marlene.  Well, maybe Michelle will invite you to lunch or something.

One of Marlene’s most interesting gifts was for an energy-efficient solar-powered home designed by students at Cornell University.   Krauss won the house at auction, paying $151,000 to Cornell. (It wasn’t really worth that much, you see, and the auction was just a fun way to donate money).  “I really wanted to show my thanks to Cornell for all that it has done for my family,” Krauss said.  What Cornell did, I suppose, was to educate Marlene (though they should have required an ethics class), and, more recently, to admit her daughter into their undergraduate program.

Marlene also says that she “hopes to donate the house to Cornell University.”  What we wonder is, if she deducts all or part of the $151,000 as a charitable donation, can she also deduct the price of the house when she gives it back?  Would that be double-dipping?  Once again, only her accountant knows for sure! 

Marlene’s most surprising charitable involvement is her work with Community Access, an organization which provides housing for people with mental handicaps.  (Gee, sounds like the Chelsea.)  We don’t know how much, if any, money they donated, but Krauss and her husband, Zach Berk both serve on the organization’s “Good Neighbor Gala” committee.  The Good Neighbor Gala will be held on Wednesday, May 20, at NYU and will celebrate the 35^th Anniversary of Community Access.  Maybe you can still get tickets.  If so, say hi to Marlene and Zack for us.

Given her involvement in Community Access, isn’t it a bit ironic that her running dog, David Elder, signed an affidavit stating that the reason he and Krauss fired hoteliers Richard Born and Ira Drukier was because they hadn’t evicted enough tenants from the Hotel? 

If Marlene is so interested in providing housing, why doesn’t she stop evicting people from the Chelsea Hotel. -- Ed Hamilton

The Noble Pedigree of Queen Marlene, MD, Pld., Harvard MBA, and All Things Great and Glorious That You Wish You Were But Will Never Be

Our sovereign ruler, Mistress Marlene Krauss, was born on January 17, 1941, in New York City. Consulting an old Farmer’s almanac, Legends has learned that, on that exact date, the Earth underwent a complete solar eclipse, the moon passing in front of the sun, blotting out its life-giving rays and enveloping our fair planet in a stygian darkness.  But of course that’s just a coincidence.

Marlene’s father, Julius Krauss, was born on March 16, 1898, in Hungary.  A plumber by trade, Julius presided over the destruction of the Chelsea Hotel ’s famous stained glass windows and plate glass mirrors, among other irreplaceable treasures.  He died in sunny Florida on September 18, 1978, his dream of completely demolishing the Chelsea left to his daughter to fulfill.

Marlene’s mother, Pearl Moldovan, was born on December 18, 1908 in  Hungary.  Feeling that Stanley Bard was getting a lot of undeserved attention, she urged her husband to take a greater role in the management of the Chelsea.  She died on May 5, 1983, also in Florida, her dream bequeathed to Marlene as well.

After Marlene’s birth, Julius and Pearl decided not to have any more children.

Pausing briefly from her busy schedule, Marlene married Zachary Berk on September 16, 1984.   Consulting our Farmer’s Almanac we discovered that there was a rain of frogs that day, always propitious.)

Marlene is Zachary’s second wife, good ol’ Zack having divorced his first wife, Suzanna Thomas (talk about having the last laugh!), in 1979.  Zachary was born on November 27, 1947, and—though Legends reported in error that the lovebirds met at his funeral -- Marlene hasn’t killed him yet. Marlene and Zachary have three children, and Zachary brought three of his own to the union.  So it must be kind of like the Brady Bunch around their house—only without the laughs.  (Photo: Zachary Berk via Google)

Dark Mistress Marlene also has a child from an extramarital affair with Cthulhu. As the spawn of this unholy union increases in power daily, Marlene’s control over him wanes, and he now threatens to devour her. -- Ed Hamilton
 

Harvard MBA Doctor Marlene Krauss May Want Your Used Car - The Question is: Why?

According to car4donation.com, Chelsea Hotel Minority Shareholder and Harvard MBA Doctor Marlene Krauss may want your used car in return for a nice tax deduction.  After all, it is that time of year.  It seems Marlene's charitable "arm", the Krauss Berk Foundation, is prominently listed there as a potentially interested donor for secondary autos, jalopies, tin lizzies, and other junkyard remnants.  The big question is: Why?

According to papers filed in 2007, the Krauss Berk Foundation had assets of $61,100 and states that their charitable mission is as a religious, educational, charitable, scientific or literary organization.   The attorneys who filed for this foundation, Spielman Koenigsberg & Parker LLP  (the same attorneys who filed for the assessment on her house in Westport, CT), make no mention of used cars in their mission statement on file.  (We'll have more on Marlene's charitable giving in the near future.) 

So, what does Marlene intend to do with your 1973 AMC Gremlin?  Your prized Pinto?  Is she - in keeping with the spirit of her regime here at the Chelsea - intending to sell these things for parts?  Certainly, old spare tires could help shore up BD's lumpy mattresses and a cheaper source of WD-40 to further Arnold Tamsar's paint greasing experiment on the central staircase cannot be found.  (NB:  Arnie, according to Wikipedia WD-40 is a massive dust attractor.) 

Or, is Marlene's secret intention to use all of the unleased commercial space now available on the rental market (some for more than two years) to open Manhattan's largest and finest secondary auto showroom or scrap metal salvage yard?  We're unsure.

We are also uncertain as to what auto parts manufacturer Inline Pro has to do with Marlene's grand plan but we intend to find out. 

Bohemians, if you have any thoughts or suggestions - or a used car you're trying get rid of - we welcome your comments.  --NKOTB

(Photo courtesy of Inline Pro and NASDAQ)

Rumors Persist: Is Elder Giving Marlene All of the Information?

Our readers responded enthusiastically yesterday to news that the Empire of Harvard MBA Doctor  Marlene Krauss may be on the rocks.  In particular, one comment mentioned:

"Marlene Krauss was at the Chelsea Hotel YESTERDAY. She was in the lobby with David Elder reviewing spreadsheets and other documents. From what I overheard she was unhappy that information was not being "reported up" in a timely fashion."
 
While Marlene's physical arrival at the Hotel came as a great shock to us (did anyone hear the trumpets?), this observer unintentionally corroborates something we've heard from multiple sources for a very long time:  the rumor that David Elder -- along with BD Hotels, Tilley and now Tamasar -- have been willfully withholding information about the daily operations and profitability of the Chelsea from Harvard MBA and President of the 23rd Street Corporation Doctor Marlene Krauss.  Could this indeed be true?
 
The rumors say specifically that Elder and his incompetent managerial Band of Brothers past and present hate dealing with Her Majesty Marlene Krauss so much that when asked by their staff if they should pass on said information to Marlene -- or copy her on emails -- that they are told, "No, Marlene doesn't need to know about that.  We can handle it without her."
 
And, while other sources in the financial community opine that dealing with The Plumber's Daughter is "like surgery without anesthesia" (to quote one), it gives us great pause to think that Marlene's latest discovery, budding hotelier David Elder is more business savvy than the killer Krauss.
 
Apparently, the voices say, that David Elder is quite pleased that Marlene will not be bringing in another manager as he enjoys playing with his large staff as King of the Castle.  Indeed, rumors say that Elder himself was happy with BD's ouster as well as Tilley's dubious "resignation" as he reportedly felt that they got "too much attention".  (An affidavit of Glennon "Gigi" Travis confirms this as well).
 
We've lastly heard that David Elder and Arnold Tamasar are having a lovely honeymoon presently as Elder simply "can't get enough" of Tamasar's treacly ass-kissing and that they have mutually agreed that Elder can be the top.  ("If he'll wash, Arnie will wipe"). 
 
If we were Marlene, we would intervene and look at the books ourselves.  And quickly.  Is there a forensic accountant in the house?  -- New Kid on the Blog

Can Things Get Much Worse for Chelsea Hotel Minority Shareholder Marlene Krauss?

She had two accounts with Bernie Madoff. Scott Griffin has inked a deal to write her biography.  And the Chelsea Hotel Cash Cow is now producing at the rate of $89.00 per night with a reported 30% occupancy.   (Stanley used to get a top price of $700 a night at 100% occupancy).  Well, it turns out YES IT CAN get worse -- much worse:  the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) has sent Marlene word that KBL Healthcare III, her venture capital SPAC company, is in danger of being delisted as a  tradeable commodity (i.e. booted from the Exchange).  Turns out Harvard MBA Doctor Marlene Krauss hasn't held a KBL shareholders meeting in a year.  Why not?  She certainly hasn't been too busy at Summer Infant following her prompt resignation at their plunging stock price and Lord knows she's been totally absent here at the Chelsea Hotel, thus giving her plenty of leisure time to pay attention to the troubles of KBL (more later).  Although here, she has managed to burn through three or four security firms, two managers, and more law firms than I can shake a stick at.  Then there's that little matter of all of those tenants who have lawsuits against the Hotel - don't bother Marlene with details!  Guess it's no surprise Harvard MBA Doctor Marlene Krauss forgot to hold that KBL shareholder meeting -- after all, when was the last time she had a shareholder's meeting here? (Photo:  Google)