Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
who seemed sort of developmentally challenged, living in this very small room,
probably without any fresh air or circulation.
It would be nice to come up with a metaphor to describe the scene with the poor on the
bottom floors, rich on top. Something alchemical, the chaos swirling on the bottom floors
providing fuel that fed the hotel's creative fire, inspiring the artists who lived on the more
expensive top levels.
It would also be nonsense. The fact is, the upstairs and downstairs people lived very
separate lives. They rarely socialized together. Though united to some degree by the
Chelseawalls,ormoreaccuratelyChelseaceilings,thewealthydwellersoftheupperfloors
knew next to nothing about the feral inhabitants of the floors below. They didn't want to
know. When the wealthy upper-floor people heard rumors of the Chelsea's raucous, out-
law reputation, they often couldn't believe people were talking about the same hotel! They
insisted their building—with its nine-inch, sand-filled walls—was peaceful and quiet, far
removed from the madding crowd.
Nevertheless, no matter their social status, open-mindedness was the rule. The upstairs
and downstairs people, remote and different in so many ways, were united by their gratit-
ude to the Chelsea and their love for—and fear of—Stanley Bard. Wealthy or poor, they
were all odd birds in the same big cage.
MARLOWE WEST
IjustthoughttheChelseawaswhereallthefreaksweremagnetizedto.It'swhere
everybody felt comfortable.
If you walked around wearing animal skins and Viking horns, as did a guy named Don
Normal, orifyouworeathree-piece suit andcarried abriefcase, either wasokaywith both
management and residents.
Truth be told, some of the residents took rather drastic advantage of the laissez faire
atmosphere. Where eccentricity is encouraged, excess follows. Permission to dress differ-
ently, think differently and behave differently tends to deliquesce into decadence. You be-
gin to flirt a little too casually with danger, to mix with criminals or mix your drugs—both
of which can send you to the hospital. Or worse.
ROBERT CAMPBELL
The Chelsea was so wild it was like an insane asylum. And the Chelsea was also
a microcosm of society. There were low-lifes there, there were ordinary people,
andtherewereinsanepeople,andrichandfamouspeople,andyoucouldfeelthe
sense of history, and the outrageous stories of all creative types—not only unbe-
lievably outrageous, but true.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search