Hello! So if you haven't heard the latest on the club news please read the blog below this one first! Lots and lots of work now. Norm's been a bit a stressed over the whole thing, I get the job of being the cool and collected one at the moment, these roles are bound to flip in a month or so! This month really is the toughest one. We have a few weeks to make everything work, which it will, but it is stressful. Enough about that though, we are in a great position, and besides being extremely tired and not getting out much socially these days, we are very happy and confident!
Recently had a visit here from an old friend of Norman's, Adriana Keigl, who was a founding member of Kid Creole & the Coconuts. She was a lot of fun! She was here with a family and their 2 twin six year old girls who I baby sat for a few days.
While she was here we got word that our dear friend Arthur Weinstein passed away. He had been struggling with cancer. He and Norman were best friends, going back hundreds of years. Arthur was a trip! One of the original 'Gentleman Douche-bags' I believe, which according to the inner circle of International Gentleman Douche-bags, to be called one is a top, most-respectable honor. He was known for his bluntness and honesty, and not giving a shit about what other people thought (Not quite sure how else to phrase that after thinking about if there is a more eloquent way of stating that, but why should I give a shit?! haha).
An example I remember hearing from someone who went to Art Basal with Arthur a few years ago went like this: One of the big name artist had an opening there and you can imagine the art was way post-modernistic, way too intellectual for mere mortals to understand, yet everyone was kissing the guys ass, telling him how great it was, but really no one has a clue what the heck it is about, or what reaction or feeling it is trying so hard to provoke, and that's when Arthur comes in and says what everybody else was thinking but didn't have the balls to say; " What is this Shit? This is the worst shit I've ever seen! You call this Art?!" Or something to that affect! Apparently it became the talk of the town, and Arthur became everyone's hero getting the red carpet treatment the rest of his time in town!
My story though is one of Arthur's hidden altruistic nature, a side of him I felt so privileged to see. There was a woman in the hotel who had a thirteen year old daughter from hell. Single mom, she got very very sick. She was suffering, refused to get help but couldn't take care of (well control might be a better word) her daughter and needed help. She hired me to help out getting her daughter ready for school (she had some disabilities), hanging out with her after school and evenings because the mom was too sick. Well, Arthur was the one who literally carried this woman to the hospital (and she wasn't petite). He arranged for care for her daughter while she was there, called her several times a day to check up on her, and if he hadn't gotten her to the hospital when he did they said she would've died in a few days. It takes someone with a pretty big heart to go out of their way for a neighbor like that. Stanley Bard called it a mitzvah. I hate to say it but I don't know many people who would've stepped up like that. While the mother was in the hospital we threw the girl a birthday party and filled it with the motliest of crews! It was Arthur, Colleen, Dahlia, myself, two actual clowns (Norman and Berman) dressed as actual clowns, and I think Pete and Victor from the desk came too! It was one of those Chelsea Hotel Family moments I'll never forget! The whole circumstances surrounding this situation were really unfortunate on many levels that don't need to get into, but my point is, Arthur had a huge heart: Bigger than he'd ever let on to having, but I think everyone who knew him well could see it there!
Geez, don't really know what to say after that. I had planned to write more, but this seems like all I want to do for the moment, leave it on these happy memories of very great man. I'll write more soon! For more on Arthur's life check out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/nyregion/13weinstein.html?ex=1373860800&en=a8728a82987b0c12&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Also, I'll put a few pics of him up on my flickr site. Added some great ones from Moganshan too- new ones done by my photographer friends!
Updated the club site too which for the moment is: www.myspace.com/chinatownshanghai
Love, Amelia
Sunday 20 July 2008
Copy/Paste job
Hello there! So A lot has happened and is happening. I'm going to start this one with a copy and paste job that covers a lot of the Club info. You may have received parts of these, so if it all looks familiar just skip it... (Also I'm editing little bits for blogging reasons!)
Ahem:,
PART 1
Firstly, 'Chinatown Shanghai' received it's business license and Norman and I are now official residents and business operators in The People's Republic of China! (Not an easy task considering the current restrictions and conditions due to the Olympics! )
The rest of the news deserves a slight diversion into the stressful back-story of the event!
We now have an investor working with us who has been here 20 some years and is dealing with the government side of things, making us legal, lending his incredible guanxi (meaning 'influence'), and time and effort to our project.
His people discovered the sentence written in some document somewhere that says one cannot have entertainment in a heritage building (as ours is). Though it gives no explanation why, it has to do with fear of raising evil/dead spirits! There are obvious exceptions to this rule, but we needed to get word from the people who give the word that we are indeed an exception, because no one wants to sign a lease and then find out the project can't happen, right?!
The government department that holds the lease to building gave us a warning on Friday that if we didn't sign a lease today (Monday) they had someone else who would sign the lease, and we will have missed our chance (even though the building has been vacant for 6 years and the only reason it is now available is because We pushed for it...sigh)
...and the government guy that our investor knows very well and could give us the good word is in the hospital and can't be reached, plus our investor leaves for vacation with his wife Monday night at 6pm, and now we are beginning to fear the worst...
Amazingly, He pulled his incredible guanxi and many many strings to get us a last minute meeting Monday afternoon in front of the Governor of Hongkau, the Head of Commerce and Foreign Investment, the Head of Culture, and the Head of Parks and Recreation for a meeting! That is a feat in itself to get all the most powerful men in Shanghai in one room together! So, had the meeting. Gave them a description of the future of nightlife in Shanghai, a description of the show, showed them carefully chosen pictures, and.... We got an all around thumbs up from every last one of them! They love it! Showed their full support, and have said they all want seats for the opening night! Hallelujah! All is a go!!
We then went and signed the lease, and are now proud possessors of the most beautiful building for a Norman/Amelia club in this weird and wonderful city!
PART 2
This is just a snip-it of my fan club newsletter I sent out, Norman wrote a lot of it, I edited, just nicely worded, thought I'd share:
1) Our Statement:
Shanghai in the Thirties enjoyed a reputation as the great Pleasure city of the Orient, and Hollywood seared unforgettable images of an urbane, stylish, and elegant world of sultry nightclubs and the beautiful people that filled them into our collective mind.
With the opening of ‘Gosney and Kallman’s CHINATOWN’, that vanished world once again lives! Plush, Old World decor, vivacious, sophisticated entertainment, and exceptional service, all presented with panache in our unique venue. We will fulfill the dreams of those who look for the 'Something different,' rather than the same old disco and lounge scene, and reward the adventurous who seek the very best.
Gosney and Kallman passionately believe that Shanghai, and it’s growing number of visitors seeking the best in nightlife and entertainment, are ready for this kind of exceptional venue, a place that all who attend will remember and recommend, and that will join the short list of truly memorable nightspots worldwide. Our goal is not to open another passable establishment, but to create an outstanding, world class, and highly successful benchmark for Shanghai, Asia, and the world!
2) The Premises:
We have finally signed the lease on our dream come true and are now the proud owners of one of the loveliest buildings in Shanghai! Our remarkable premises, built in 1931 as a Buddhist temple, is located in the rapidly developing Hongkau district. It is truly one-of-a-kind; A unique architectural edifice that seems to have waited for just exactly our purpose! With a capacity on two floors of around 150 people, the
site is large enough for our extravagant stage productions, but intimate and exclusive enough for the ambience and atmosphere that our elite and up-scale clientele will demand.
3) The Show:
The show itself features original performers, extravagant costuming, and timeless routines with a fresh face, all carefully blended into a heady mix of Vaudeville, Burlesque, Broadway, and exuberant good fun! Our live pit band of talented musicians, our chorus line of international showgirls, and our knowingly chosen speciality acts from all over the world, are presented at timely intervals throughout an evening, and patrons feel they are in that nightclub they saw in an old movie: Glittering, sexy, and totally enthralling!
I go on to talk about auditions! This is the first time ever having to specify 'Speak English!' Kind of funny!
Ahem:,
PART 1
Firstly, 'Chinatown Shanghai' received it's business license and Norman and I are now official residents and business operators in The People's Republic of China! (Not an easy task considering the current restrictions and conditions due to the Olympics! )
The rest of the news deserves a slight diversion into the stressful back-story of the event!
We now have an investor working with us who has been here 20 some years and is dealing with the government side of things, making us legal, lending his incredible guanxi (meaning 'influence'), and time and effort to our project.
His people discovered the sentence written in some document somewhere that says one cannot have entertainment in a heritage building (as ours is). Though it gives no explanation why, it has to do with fear of raising evil/dead spirits! There are obvious exceptions to this rule, but we needed to get word from the people who give the word that we are indeed an exception, because no one wants to sign a lease and then find out the project can't happen, right?!
The government department that holds the lease to building gave us a warning on Friday that if we didn't sign a lease today (Monday) they had someone else who would sign the lease, and we will have missed our chance (even though the building has been vacant for 6 years and the only reason it is now available is because We pushed for it...sigh)
...and the government guy that our investor knows very well and could give us the good word is in the hospital and can't be reached, plus our investor leaves for vacation with his wife Monday night at 6pm, and now we are beginning to fear the worst...
Amazingly, He pulled his incredible guanxi and many many strings to get us a last minute meeting Monday afternoon in front of the Governor of Hongkau, the Head of Commerce and Foreign Investment, the Head of Culture, and the Head of Parks and Recreation for a meeting! That is a feat in itself to get all the most powerful men in Shanghai in one room together! So, had the meeting. Gave them a description of the future of nightlife in Shanghai, a description of the show, showed them carefully chosen pictures, and.... We got an all around thumbs up from every last one of them! They love it! Showed their full support, and have said they all want seats for the opening night! Hallelujah! All is a go!!
We then went and signed the lease, and are now proud possessors of the most beautiful building for a Norman/Amelia club in this weird and wonderful city!
PART 2
This is just a snip-it of my fan club newsletter I sent out, Norman wrote a lot of it, I edited, just nicely worded, thought I'd share:
1) Our Statement:
Shanghai in the Thirties enjoyed a reputation as the great Pleasure city of the Orient, and Hollywood seared unforgettable images of an urbane, stylish, and elegant world of sultry nightclubs and the beautiful people that filled them into our collective mind.
With the opening of ‘Gosney and Kallman’s CHINATOWN’, that vanished world once again lives! Plush, Old World decor, vivacious, sophisticated entertainment, and exceptional service, all presented with panache in our unique venue. We will fulfill the dreams of those who look for the 'Something different,' rather than the same old disco and lounge scene, and reward the adventurous who seek the very best.
Gosney and Kallman passionately believe that Shanghai, and it’s growing number of visitors seeking the best in nightlife and entertainment, are ready for this kind of exceptional venue, a place that all who attend will remember and recommend, and that will join the short list of truly memorable nightspots worldwide. Our goal is not to open another passable establishment, but to create an outstanding, world class, and highly successful benchmark for Shanghai, Asia, and the world!
2) The Premises:
We have finally signed the lease on our dream come true and are now the proud owners of one of the loveliest buildings in Shanghai! Our remarkable premises, built in 1931 as a Buddhist temple, is located in the rapidly developing Hongkau district. It is truly one-of-a-kind; A unique architectural edifice that seems to have waited for just exactly our purpose! With a capacity on two floors of around 150 people, the
site is large enough for our extravagant stage productions, but intimate and exclusive enough for the ambience and atmosphere that our elite and up-scale clientele will demand.
3) The Show:
The show itself features original performers, extravagant costuming, and timeless routines with a fresh face, all carefully blended into a heady mix of Vaudeville, Burlesque, Broadway, and exuberant good fun! Our live pit band of talented musicians, our chorus line of international showgirls, and our knowingly chosen speciality acts from all over the world, are presented at timely intervals throughout an evening, and patrons feel they are in that nightclub they saw in an old movie: Glittering, sexy, and totally enthralling!
I go on to talk about auditions! This is the first time ever having to specify 'Speak English!' Kind of funny!
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