Arthur

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