The Chelsea has a reputation of being a literary and artistic flophouse of sorts. It is a

place where the famous, not so famous, the shut-in, the dreamer and the drifter coexisted. And since I was making a trek to New York to meet with some fellow poets, I decided to book a room for a few nights.

The Chelsea, a twelve story building with brick and wrought iron balcony balustrades, was the first building in NYC to be listed as a cultural preservation site and historic building of note. It opened in 1884 as one of the first private apartment cooperatives. Since 1946, the hotel had been managed by the Bard family, and since 1955 Stanley Bard ran the joint, until he was ousted by a management company in 2007. Bard was a much-loved manager, presiding benevolently over the residents and the guests who lived there. Bard seemed to understand the concept of the starving artist, allowing some to pay rent by paintings, etc… However the new management is much more bottom line, and since Bard left there has been controversy, as residents have mounted a campaign of banners, pranks, and protests toward getting Bard back. Ed Hamilton a resident and author of "Legends of the Chelsea Hotel…" told me "Unfortunately, the hotel is no longer accepting permanent residents and that is a shame. The permanent tenants are as important to the hotel as the tourists."

Upon arriving at the Chelsea my wife and I noticed a guitar store adjacent to the hotel was having a "Bernie Madoff Clearance Sale." Now the lobby ain't your typical Holiday Inn affair. When we entered we saw a man staring intensely at us, looking for all the world like the resurrection of Samuel Beckett. He was sitting under a suspended paper mache sculpture of a fat lady on a swing. The lobby was full of artworks, murals, etc… There was a painting of an elongated, long-faced Fido, aptly named "Chelsea Dog" that captured my attention. The front desk looked like a prop from Eugene O'Neill's play "Hughie." I saw that play some years ago. It starred the actor Jason Robards, who played a down-at-the-heels snake oil salesman, living out his failed life, in a failed, gone-to seed hotel.

We took a squeaking elevator to our room on the third floor. A balding, distracted gentleman asked my wife if she knew where "The Shining" painting was (based on the Stephen King movie). We didn't now but we ran across it later. The floor we stayed on, and in fact all the floors, are full of artwork, many from of the residents. Even the fire extinguishers were adorned with stickers and graffiti that made them look like sites of art installation…I guess they are. There is an eclectic selection of paintings on the walls in the gothic halls, including prints of Roy Cohn (of all people), Eisenhower, Jimi Hendrix, Hunter Thompson, a beguiling "Horse On Oil Canvas" by Joe Andoe, a photo montage of Andy Warhol and Muhammad Ali, and a huge mural that depicts residents in dialogue: "Myra Resnick in 308 says the Chelsea rocks!" On the top floor you experience ethereal skylight, and series of suspended mobiles, wafting images on the ceilings.

Forty percent of the rooms are saved for residents, and there is a definite sense of community in the place. Ed Hamilton wrote that the Chelsea is the "Last Outpost of Bohemia." I advise you to visit and make haste/ the way things are going /there is no time to waste!

On How to Read a Feral Cat

A cat is a cat is a cat

And that is that is that.

If only this were true

True true And if the cat cat

Cat is feral, feral, feral. Then she is cat

Of all cats – you know, feral. Left outside to

Fend for herself storm after storm after storm,

Heat wave after wave after wave.

Home is underneath an unused trailer, a broken

Down car, inside a fallen log. Dinner is a field mouse or two.

Sometimes you feed the feral cat – canned cat food, of course.

Ah, the life of the feral cat.

And how do you read the feral cat? Stay away.

Observe her sleep, eat, wander.

Listen to her meow cry, fight with other cats, dogs, skunks.

Perhaps, the neighborhood animal rescue league

Takes her in. Maybe she gets adopted,

Turns out to be a pet. I suppose sometimes the feral

Cat runs away from domesticity, but not often.

A cat is a cat is a cat and that is that is that.

— Pam Rosenblatt

(

There will be a keynote address, 2009 MLK awards and musical Performances.

This event is free and open to the public.

Free Refreshments will be served,generously provided by the Somerville Public School.

Accessible at main entrance on Highland Avenue. Interpretation services (ASL, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish) provided.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15. It is one of three United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person.

Residents are also urged to take special care in parking as close to the curb as possible, despite the snow. Residents, landlords and business owners are also reminded that they are required by city regulations to shovel their sidewalks within two hours of the end of the snowfall, but that they may not shovel snow into the street.

Late this morning, federal and state emergency management officials acknowledged an abrupt escalation of today's snow accumulation forecasts by issuing winter storm alerts for the Boston metro area. As late as 10 a.m. on Sunday, most forecasts predicted snow accumulations in Somerville of between 1-3 and 2-4 inches. The same forecasts predicted that the snow would fall steadily but slowly all day long. On the basis of these forecasts, city officials decided not to declare a snow emergency, but begin systematic plowing and salting operations early on Sunday morning.

By the time the National Weather Service and other forecasters had revised their snow accumulation predictions sharply upwards to between 8 and 10 inches, officials concluded that declaring a snow emergency (which includes a four-hour window for residents to move their vehicles) would not allow the city to begin tagging and towing vehicles after the snowstorm had begun to wind down.

With these factors in mind, city officials have concluded that, unless forecasts are abruptly revised again this afternoon, the declaration of a snow emergency will not significantly improve the city's ongoing snow management operations.

(The above from the City of Somerville website)

And although the cold hard stats to support that statement don't necessarily exist, it's safe to say that this city is pretty darned artistic. Somerville is well above the national census of 1.4 percent of the U.S. population, with 4.9 percent of residents claiming they work in a creative occupation.

The city in 2005 and 2007-via the Somerville Arts Council-urged those who work in a creative profession to identify themselves by checking off their occupation in the Somerville census.

In 2005, of the 53,298 residents who returned the census form, 1,759 (or approximately 3.3%) were involved in the creative sector. In 2007, of the 52,243 residents who filled the census form, 2,563 identified themselves as artists, or 4.9% of the population.

"What is interesting to me is that the number is going up," said Greg Jenkins, executive director of the Somerville Arts Council. "It could be due to more people moving in, or more utilizing the census to self select. Of note, however, is that this also coincides with all of the cultural economic development work we are doing in Union Square."

A study of census data released in June 2008 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) found that nearly 2 million people earn a living as artists, compared with 1.7 million who listed artist as an occupation in 1990.

Artists now represent 1.4 percent of the U.S. labor force, according to the NEA. In 2000 the census counted 1.93 million working artists. Follow-up studies from 2003 to 2005 raised that number to 1.99 million.

In Somerville, the highest numbered categories that people selected were artists and "related workers" (263), writers and authors (246), editors (240), architects (excluding landscape and naval) (220), graphic designers (212) and musicians and singers (206). Visit the Somerville Arts Council Web site as www.somervilleartscouncil.org to read the report.

The city of Somerville has for many years enjoyed the reputation of being a haven for artists. It's a livable city, comprised of neighborhoods that have been affordable for a long time. For example, twenty years ago, the Brickbottom Artists Building by the McGrath Highway was the largest live/work artists space in the country ever to be developed, noted Meri Jenkins, program director for the Adams Art Program for the Creative Economy at the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

"For that to happen, you must have the climate where artists are recognized as an important part of urban life," Meri Jenkins said, adding that this indeed rings true for Somerville. "You can see that in an area like Davis Square, where you see sculptures in the square and each year there are festivals."

Over the past couple years the cultural focus has shifted to Union Square, in an area of the city has long been overlooked. Programs are springing up across venues, that include street scape elements and public art (i.e, new benches, funky trash cans adorn the heart of the square).

"When you do things like that, you are asking residents to rethink where they live," Meri Jenkins said. "You are engaging people in art. There are elements of whimsy to it (the public art), but if you improve the climate, you improve the perception."

And does that change the way business can be done? Meri Jenkins believes so. It helps create a renewed interest in an area, and with that comes potential business development; new and creative sorts of business and retail.

What comes to mind are the Fluff Festival, which celebrated more publicity and excitement in its second year this past summer. The dancing under the McGrath Highway night (sponsored by ArtsUnion) was also a big hit. Both events brought people from other parts of the state.

"I remember Greg (Jenkins) talking to me about those events," Meri Jenkins said. "I had never thought of doing anything like that, where there are these unique events with an arts presence. It helps to improve the quality of life. It provides a bridge between different aspects of the city, which is an important role to play."

Nationwide, the number of artists more than doubled between 1970 and 1990, two decades that saw growth in museums, theaters, small symphonies and dance companies in many regions of the country, according to the NEA.

Artists and related workers – 263

Writers and authors – 246

Editors – 240

Architects (excluding landscape and naval) – 220

Graphic Designers – 212

Musicians and singers – 206

Designers, all others – 167

Painting, coating and decorating workers – 103

Media and Communications – 89

Photographers – 60

Producers and directors – 58

Public Relations Managers – 43

Advertising – 30

Interior designers – 29

Technical writers – 26

Dancers – 23

Actors – 21

Landscape architects – 18

Art directors – 18

City to provide cold weather centers

Current forecasts call for dangerously cold temperatures and hazardous wind chill conditions through Saturday, January 16th. Residents should try to minimize outside activities, and be especially alert to the safety of the elderly and the very young. Hypothermia is a genuine hazard in these conditions. For those with heating emergencies or no access to shelter, the city will be operating warming centers at the following locations: the Holland Street Center at 167 Holland Street; the Ralph & Jenny Center at 9 New Washington Street and the Cross Street Center at 165 Broadway. All warming centers will be open on Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the city will extend the hours if needed. Please be alert to anyone who may be suffering distress as a result of the cold weather – and be especially conscious of the needs of elderly neighbors. Please also be conscious of the fire risks associated with electric space heaters. If you see anyone in your neighborhood, or on the streets, who may need assistance, don't hesitate to call the Somerville Police at 617-625-1212. For additional information, please call 311. Thank you.

Here are additional precautions from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Continue to be aware of the weather conditions by monitoring media reports.

Minimize outside activities, particularly the elderly and very young. Also, consider your pets.

Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, rather than a single layer of heavy clothing. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens and sturdy waterproof boots, protecting your extremities. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

Excessive exposure can lead to frostbite, which is damaging to body tissue that is frozen. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. Slowly rewarm the affected areas as you await medical assistance.

Hypothermia can occur in extreme cases. The warning signs are uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If the person's temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care. If medical assistance is not available, slowly warm up the person, body core first, wrapping them in a blanket or using your own body heat. Do not warm the extremities first, for this drives the cold blood towards the heart and can lead to heart failure. Do not give the person alcohol, coffee, tea or any hot food or beverage. Warm liquids are best.

Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity.

When utilizing alternate heating sources, such as your fireplace, wood stove or space heater, take the necessary safety precautions. Keep a fire extinguisher handy; ensuring everyone knows how to use it properly. Test smoke alarms and Carbon Monoxide detectors.

If you lose your heat, seal off unused rooms by stuffing towels in the cracks under the doors. At night, cover windows with extra blankets or sheets. Food provides the body with energy for producing its own heat.

Be a good neighbor. Check with elderly or disabled relatives and friends to ensure their safety.

To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Allow a trickle of warm water to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past. This will keep the water moving so that it cannot freeze. Learn how to shut off your water if a pipe bursts.