Used to live around the corner from the Chelsea,
home at the time to, among others, Viva, whom
I knew vaguely from back when—and her daughter
Gaby Hoffman, who stood in front of the movie
theater down the block when Field of Dreams
was playing there, and told all the passersby to
go in and see "my movie." Cute? Obnoxious?
You decide.
There's something about these old hotels...I'd much rather stay in one of those than something more modern...I recently stayed at the Hotel Esmeralda in Paris...do you know it? Not to be missed.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly looks like somewhere with a colourful and rich past ~ somewhat like yourself, Alexa?
ReplyDeleteI have heard of the Hotel Esmeralda on the left bank. How was it, Bibi? Serge Gainsbourg stayed there (among many other people {perhaps even in the same room. Whitney Houston and entourage?}). I have read mixed reviews of the hotel so it would be nice to get your opinion.
ReplyDeleteAlexa, I heard that James Dickey, author of Deliverance pretty much did the same as Gaby when "his" movie came out.
This is a kind of nice slide show and narrative done by an insider at the Chelsea.
Do you feel nostalgic for Joni Mitchell? Love the sunny butterscotch sticking to her senses.
Viva & Edie Sedgwick in each others arms. I was surprised many years ago that Edie's father, Francis Minturn Sedgwick, was a sculptor who has a number of works around Santa Barbara. It's just somehow weird walking into the library at the University of California there and checking out the bronze bust of some ancient old geezer and noticing that the sculptor was Edie's father.
ReplyDeleteI was shutting things down, closing windows, and noticed that Edie was named after her father's aunt, Edith Minturn, who, along with her husband, Isaac Newton Phelps-Stokes, can be seen here painted by John Singer Sargent in 1897.
ReplyDeletebibi --I do know the Esmeralda, but have never stayed there. But I'd never stay in some modern, all-the-rooms-are-the-same kind of place. Bor-ing!
ReplyDeleteShell -- and a bit the worse for wear (also like me)!
TG -- oh, the links! Great trip back in time—and how did you know that JSS is my all-time absolute dead fave?
I'm afraid that my OCD Monk-like tendencies come to the fore when I'm in hotels but I can't stand the off-the-rack chains {Would your room like a lobotomy with that? Sorry, too late, already done.} Something that's chic with a mix of individualism, atmosphere and stringent observation of health & hygiene codes sounds like heaven to me.
ReplyDeleteOh TG, that video of the Chelsea is quite stunning.
ReplyDeleteJohn Singer Sargent Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose
ReplyDelete