In 1978 when punk-rocker Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was residing at the Chelsea Hotel; his girlfriend Nancy Spungen was stabbed to death. Vicious was arrested but died of a heroin overdose days before the case was brought to trial. The murder remains shrouded in mystery while the hotel reeks with other haunted tales – one beginning when a survivor of the Titanic hung herself on the fifth floor.Manyof these stories include a star-studded cast of groundbreaking artists who have called the Chelsea Hotel home; from Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley to name just a few – if only the walls could talk.
And then in 2011 developers arrived, morphing this legendary structure into a luxury hotel – it was the end of an era. The hotel closed its doors for eleven years, while over a century of history and soul was removed from its hallowed walls; reopening on June 22, 2022 to a renewed and restored Chelsea!
The acceleration began when galleries made a mass migration from Soho to Chelsea.Along with a variety of architects carving their imprint on residential skyscrapers, not only changing the vibe but turning a section of the city from desolate to highly desirable.
In 2000 I had a dear friend residing on W 23rd Street. In those days traveling to that section of the city required great fortitude. Crime was high, safety and security relatively low. In retrospect, those were NYC’s days of awakenings. We were on the cusp of the high-line becoming New York’s greatest innovation, with parks and paths that soared miles high.We had no idea of what a coronavirus entailed, but most profoundly, the Twin Towers still stood proudly over New York’s skyline.We were mere babes in the woods, with many events preparing to unfold before our eyes.
As a frequent gallery visitor, and guest at many downtown events, I’ve been taking the pulse of Chelsea’s night life throughout these years. However, last night I had a front row seat at how the Chelsea Hotel has most recently evolved.
I had the pleasure of dining at the newly incarnated café at the Chelsea Hotel. I imagine the spirits of Janis, Leonard, Warhol, Bob Marley and others whose memories live on, would find the price of a hamburger staggering, but the ambiance of this new addition to W. 23rd Street and directly adjacent to the restored Hotel, is nothing short of magnificent. The circular window concaves create a division in the various dining rooms while the exquisite overhead lighting fixtures and art are perfect backdrops forthe general electricity created by a cast of NYC’s most privileged -demanding the finest. As I’ve come to learn, much can be assessed based on a restaurants bread and menu selections. For bread alone, Café Chelsea deserves 4 stars;deliciously dense, with chewy crust and soft spreadable butter.The noise level was a bit intense, but after a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc all became tolerable. As I’m an equal opportunity diner, I will make another visit to Café Chelsea.
And finally, to quote another Chelsea regular who once chanted – ‘the times they are a changin’.
I so enjoyed this article. Everything changes, but this is an article to remember!