David Patrick Columbia

Henry Kravis, John Huey & Kim Kardashian's BFF - Posted December 7, 2011
The usual suspects were (mostly) present and accounted for at Michael's today. The people watching parade included the money men (Henry Kravis), entertainment moguls (Richard... [FishbowlLA]

Henry Kravis, John Huey & Kim Kardashian's BFF - Posted December 7, 2011
The usual suspects were (mostly) present and accounted for at Michael's today. The people watching parade included the money men (Henry Kravis), entertainment moguls (Richard... [FishbowlNY]

Tom Brokaw, Vernon Jordan and the Shy Divorcee - Posted November 16, 2011
It was SRO at Michael's today. The dining room was so jam packed every sqaure inch was occupied by a mogul (Mel Karmazin!), media heavyweight (Tom Brokaw, ... [FishbowlLA]

Tom Brokaw, Vernon Jordan and the Shy Divorcee - Posted November 16, 2011
It was SRO at Michael's today. The dining room was so jam packed every sqaure inch was occupied by a mogul (Mel Karmazin!), media heavyweight (Tom Brokaw, ... [FishbowlNY]

Caroline Manzo, Morgan Fairchild, Plus HarperCollins Fetes William Boyd - Posted November 2, 2011
One of the things I love most about chronicling the Wednesday scene at Michael's is the random celeb sightings that seem to come out of left field. On offer today: television stars of the past and present that represent the changing (and fickle?) tastes of the viewing public. When none other... [FishbowlLA]

Barbara Walters, Harold Ford, Jr. and Bravo's Chris March - Posted October 5, 2011
We could barely keep up with the steady stream of A-listers who poured into Michael's today. When we arrived a little before noon, there was a handful of power brokers quietly hunkering down to business over their Cobb salads in the back of the room. By the time Bravo's latest star,... [FishbowlLA]

Barbara Walters, Harold Ford, Jr. and Bravo's Chris March - Posted October 5, 2011
We could barely keep up with the steady stream of A-listers who poured into Michael's today. When we arrived a little before noon, there was a handful of power brokers quietly hunkering down to business over their Cobb salads in the back of the room. By the time Bravo's latest star,... [FishbowlNY]

Scottie Pippen Mixes It Up With the Media Mob & Does Rosie Have a New Lady Love? - Posted September 28, 2011
Things have been pretty busy at Michael's this week. On Monday, none other than James Bond aka Daniel Craig dropped by. ("His eye are so blue!" cooed one smitten staffer). Yesterday, a very laid back Rosie O'Donnell showed up... [FishbowlNY]

Cathie Black Resurfaces, Jann Wenner at Table One, and Dish from The Millionaire Matchmaker - Posted September 21, 2011
Despite the worst case of Gotham gridlock in months (Thanks, Mr. President), there were plenty of media heavy hitters (Jann Wenner, John Huey), high-profile editor... [FishbowlNY]

Alexis Glick Dishes with Michelle Paterson, NY Republican Chair Talks Turner Victory - Posted September 14, 2011
It was SRO at Michael's today. The dining room was a tasty mix of media mavens with a heaping helping of politicos and a dash of flash with a very tall L.A. Laker. (We don't follow basketball, but several guys in the room made sure we knew it was Matt Barnes... [FishbowlLA]

Bob Schieffer, Carl Bernstein and The Shopaholic Squadron - Posted July 27, 2011
It was a tasty mix of media mavens and fab fashionistas at Michael's today as the town car set dined and dished before jetting off to their summer cottages. While Rupert Murdoch was still topic A for plenty of regulars, talk of the stalemate ... [FishbowlLA]

Bob Schieffer, Carl Bernstein and The Shopaholic Squadron - Posted July 27, 2011
It was a tasty mix of media mavens and fab fashionistas at Michael's today as the town car set dined and dished before jetting off to their summer cottages. While Rupert Murdoch was still topic A for plenty of regulars, talk of the stalemate ... [FishbowlNY]

Melania Trump, Charles Grodin and Princess Di's Wedding Designer - Posted July 20, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The oppressive heat didn't keep the faithful away from Michael's today. The joint was jumping with media mavens of every stripe, including one editor who is clearly having a moment (David Zinczenko), high-profile publish... [FishbowlNY]

Glenn Close and Damages Cast Celebrate Season Four - Posted June 29, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Before dashing off to their summer cottages in the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend, the media mavens and moguls were at their regular perches at Michael's today for a bit of last minute networking. It was SRO at the bar and the dining room was jam pa... [SocialTimes.com]

Glenn Close and Damages Cast Celebrate Season Four - Posted June 29, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Before dashing off to their summer cottages in the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend, the media mavens and moguls were at their regular perches at Michael's today for a bit of last minute networking. It was SRO at the bar and the dining room was jam pa... [FishbowlNY]

Rick Fox, Arianna Huffington and a Real Housewife of New York City - Posted June 8, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE It was SRO at Michael's today with movers and shakers jammed into every corner. I was so glad I got there early and was able to chat with Rick Fox and his girlfriend ... [FishbowlNY]

Mary Higgins Clark, The Hiltons And The Media Mob - Posted June 1, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The sweltering heat (wasn't it just snowing last week?) didn't keep the regulars away from Michael's today. The dining room was jam packed with authors, agents and media mavens all deep in conversation about who knows what. From the looks of things, the power lunch crowd here is ge... [FishbowlLA]

Mary Higgins Clark, The Hiltons And The Media Mob - Posted June 1, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The sweltering heat (wasn't it just snowing last week?) didn't keep the regulars away from Michael's today. The dining room was jam packed with authors, agents and media mavens all deep in conversation about who knows what. From the looks of things, the power lunch crowd here is ge... [FishbowlNY]

Tom Brokaw, Trudie Styler, Joan Rivers & Happy Birthday, Jon Meacham! - Posted May 18, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE If you were wondering why the streets of midtown seemed a bit quiet today it was because everyone -- well, almost everyone -- was at Michael's today. I could barely keep up as the A-listers filed in one after another (Tom Brokaw... [AllTwitter]

Eliot Spitzer on Working for CNN: 'I'm having a barrel of fun!' - Posted April 27, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Although it might not seem like it given the sheer numbers of journalists reporting from England this week, there are plenty of media folk and fashion mavens who aren't headed out of town to cover that little get-together at Westminster Abbey on Friday. The dining room at Michael's was... [SocialTimes.com]

Eliot Spitzer on Working for CNN: 'I'm having a barrel of fun!' - Posted April 27, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Although it might not seem like it given the sheer numbers of journalists reporting from England this week, there are plenty of media folk and fashion mavens who aren't headed out of town to cover that little get-together at Westminster Abbey on Friday. The dining room at Michael's was... [FishbowlNY]

Sinbad & Family Dish on Their New Reality Show - Posted April 6, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE It would have been hard to beat the head-spinning scene that I witnessed at Michael's last Wednesday, but this week came close. A camera crew from WNBC-TV's LX-TV was on hand filming a segment on celebrity lunch spots as the masters of the universe (... [semanticweb.com]

Rachel Uchitel Creates A Stir at Michael's - Posted March 30, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Having covered the scene at Michael's for some time now, I've been witness to plenty of Fellini-esque tableaus where the head-spinning mix of stars and strivers, masters of the universe, and alien-like actors never ceases to amuse and occasionally amaze me, but today was off the charts. What started... [FishbowlLA]

Ina Garten, Joanna Coles And The Fashion Flock - Posted March 23, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The dreary winter weather (Will it ever end?!) didn't keep the loyalists away from Michael's today. There were plenty of fab fashionistas and social swans in the dining room who braved the elements in inappropriate footwear to exchange air kisses and gossip about who knows what. The usual... [FishbowlNY]

Separate Tables for Jann Wenner and Neal Boulton - Posted March 16, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE We were grateful that several faithful Lunch readers emailed to let us know Bill Clinton was at Michael's yesterday. Thanks guys! I guess Mr. Clinton didn't get the memo stipulating that all A-list... [FishbowlNY]

Blake Lively, Charlie Rose And An Ex-Caped Crusader - Posted March 2, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE I just love it when the random celebrity turns up at Michael's for lunch. It's always entertaining to watch the usual suspects try to simultaneously network and star gaze. Today's out-of-left-field appearances represented both new and old Hollywood (just like this year's Oscars but... [FishbowlLA]

Blake Lively, Charlie Rose And An Ex-Caped Crusader - Posted March 2, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE I just love it when the random celebrity turns up at Michael's for lunch. It's always entertaining to watch the usual suspects try to simultaneously network and star gaze. Today's out-of-left-field appearances represented both new and old Hollywood (just like this year's Oscars but... [FishbowlNY]

David Zinczenko, Keith Kelly and The Media Mavens - Posted February 23, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Sorry, but you can't expect dish about an Oscar winner every week. (We're still reeling from our brush with Cate Blanchett in the dining room last Wednesday!) We're chalking it up to school vacati... [FishbowlLA]

It's An A-Lister Buffet! Cate Blanchett, Debra Messing, Star Jones and The Morning Joe Team - Posted February 16, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE It's a sure sign that spring is actually on its way when the A-list comes out of hibernation and flocks to Michael's once again. The appearance of Cate Blanchett and ... [FishbowlNY]

Harvey Weinstein, Evelyn Lauder and A Few Football Moguls - Posted February 9, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE We missed Al Gore and a bearded Keith Olbermann by a day. A little birdie told us Current... [FishbowlLA]

Harvey Weinstein, Evelyn Lauder and A Few Sports Moguls - Posted February 9, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE We missed Al Gore and a bearded Keith Olbermann by a day. A little birdie told us Current... [FishbowlNY]

David Hockney, Lawrence O'Donnell And The Scandal-Scarred Manhattanite - Posted January 19, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE When I arrived at Michael's today and found myself engulfed in a sea of suits, I chalked up the relatively quiet dining room to the usual January doldrums. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the reason things seemed a bit quieter than usual was that there were more than... [FishbowlNY]

Tina Brown, Al Roker and Facebook's Flummoxed Friends - Posted January 5, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The holidays are over (finally!), so it was back to business for the moguls and mavens that trickled into Michael's today. The telltale sign was last month's run on red wine has been replaced by orders of Diet Coke (No more ducking out early 'to go Christmas shopping' for... [FishbowlLA]

Tina Brown, Al Roker and Facebook's Flummoxed Friends - Posted January 5, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The holidays are over (finally!), so it was back to business for the moguls and mavens that trickled into Michael's today. The telltale sign was last month's run on red wine has been replaced by orders of Diet Coke (No more ducking out early 'to go Christmas shopping' for... [FishbowlNY]

Lara Spencer, John Sykes & Dr. Ruth Ring in the Holidays - Posted December 8, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE I don't know whether it was the wintry weather or the holiday decor, but the usual suspects were in a festive mood at Michael's today. There were air kisses all around the dining room as the movers and shakers mingled while waiting for their lunch dates to arrive. ... [FishbowlNY]

Joel Klein, Diana Taylor and the December Diehards - Posted December 1, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE It was good to be back on the Michael's beat after a two week absence (Word to the wise: Get that flu shot!). I'm happy to report the monsoon-like rains didn't keep those dining room diehards away, although the mood was a bit more subdued than usual. The place... [FishbowlNY]

Joe Torre, Joan Collins and a Mogul Mashup - Posted November 10, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE I knew I was in for an interesting afternoon when I saw '80s icon Joan Collins and former Yankee skipper Joe Torre... [FishbowlNY]

Desiree Rogers, Kathie Lee Gifford & The Millionaire Matchmaker Meltdown - Posted October 20, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE There were plenty of movers, shakers and deal makers at Michael's today to keep things interesting, but a little birdie told me the media A-list was also out in force yesterday. So, as a public service to Lunch's faithful readers, here's who was there on Tuesday: ... [FishbowlNY]

Isaac Mizrahi, Twilight's Kellan Lutz & A Manhattan Madri Gras - Posted October 13, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE I attended a fabulous lunch today for Deb Shriver to celebrate the publication of her first book, Stealing Magnolias, due out any minute. It was a festive afternoon befitting the book which is equal parts love lett... [FishbowlNY]

Renee Fleming, Harold Ford Jr & The Social Swells - Posted September 22, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Michael's was jammed packed this afternoon with plenty of suits, swells and the requisite random boldface names (Renee Fleming! Harold Ford Jr... [FishbowlNY]

Chris Matthews Stops by Michael's - Posted September 8, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Now that summer is unofficially over and the glitterati have shuttered their cottages in the Hamptons, the regulars have begun to trickle into Michael's for catch-up power lunches. Things weren't exactly operating at full tilt today, but there were enough media mavens and moguls scattered around the dini... [FishbowlNY]

David Carey, Linda Wells & The Power Lunch Diehards - Posted August 11, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE A little birdie told us we missed Wyclef Jean by a day. Then, on Monday night, we hear the joint was jumping at Miramax's party for The Tillman Story with ... [FishbowlNY]

An Incognito Laurie Dhue & The Summer Swells - Posted July 28, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Even presidential gridlock couldn't keep the diehards away from Michael's today. While President Obama dished with the gals on The View across town, the usual mix of media mavens, moguls and socialites pecked at... [FishbowlNY]

Richard Belzer, Deborah Norville & the Real Ari Gold! - Posted July 21, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE The dog days have arrived. Just ask Richard Belzer, who showed up in the Michael's dining room today with his pooch tucked under his arm. (No word on what Fido ordered.) The rest of the crowd barely noticed as the usual... [FishbowlNY]

Peggy Siegal, Pamela Fiori & the Winner of Lunch with Laurel - Posted June 30, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE While the regulars in the dining room at Michael's chatted about their plans for the upcoming holiday weekend, it seemed only fitting that my lunch today was with Laurie Haspel Aronson, president of Haspel, the q... [FishbowlNY]

Alex McCord & Simon van Kempen Serve Up Some Tasty 'Real Housewives' Dish - Posted June 23, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE There's never a dull moment on a Wednesday at Michael's. When I arrived in the dining room today I spotted LX TV's senior executive producer Amy Rosenblum shooting a segment for tonight's show with host ... [FishbowlNY]

Does Sopranos Creator David Chase Ever Smile? - Posted June 16, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE We missed Michael Douglas by a day. Oh well, there was enough going on with the usual suspects in the Michael's dining room that we barely had time to eat. After making the rounds to check in with the regulars, I saw t... [FishbowlNY]

Jimmy Buffett, Dr. Ruth and the Usual Suspects - Posted June 9, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Those corporate bean counters that put a crimp in expense accounts all over town must be loosening up a bit, because it was SRO today at Michael's. A slew of magazine folks (See, print isn't dead after all!), media mavens and the requisite flock of social swans were packed... [FishbowlNY]

Liz Lange & Cindi Leive Take a Bite out of the Home Shopping Market - Posted June 2, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Evidently, you're nobody these days unless you're hawking something on one of those hypnotic home shopping networks. Come on, confess: Who hasn't bought something that just happened to catch their eye while flipping through the channels looking for Bravo's wacky Housewives? I chatted with no les... [FishbowlNY]

Deborah Norville, Cindi Leive & A Slew of Fashionable Folks - Posted May 26, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Sometimes it seems like all roads lead to Michael's, and today was no exception. Everyone in the place seemed connected by less than six degrees of separation, as we observed plenty of old friends and former colleagues exchanging air kisses before dining and dishing. Then there was the completely... [FishbowlNY]

Ralph Lauren, Jenna Bush, and the Media Mob - Posted May 19, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It was good to be back at my regular perch at Michael's today after a nasty bug kept me home last week. I returned to a scene buzzing with a head-spinning mix of fashion designers, famous faces, and the requisite media moguls. Don't these people ever take a day... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Soledad O'Brien Talks Helping Haiti's Children - Posted April 14, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE The media mob was out in force today at Michael's and we spotted plenty of table hopping between bites. It was fascinating to see all the head honchos make the rounds while checking in with the competition. Who needs to eat anyway? I was joined today by CNN's anchor and... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Happy Birthday Donna Hanover & Paula Zahn - Posted February 24, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE If it's Wednesday, it's party time at Michael's. We're still recovering from the head spinning spectacle of last week's A-list lunch for James Cameron. This week, the celebration was a tad more ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: James Cameron's Oscar Campaign Comes to Michael's - Posted February 17, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It was Hollywood on the Hudson at Michael's today as Peggy Siegal hosted one of her legendary lunches right smack in the middle of the dining room. Today's guest of honor was ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: 'Heroine' Julie Menin Takes On Washington: "Move the 9/11 Trial!" - Posted February 3, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE When I met Julie Menin a few weeks ago in the Michael's dining room and made a date for lunch, I was expecting to chat about her fabulous new show, Give and Take, which airs on Sunday nig... [FishbowlNY]

Former Times Antiques Columnist Moonan Finds New Home - Posted January 21, 2010
Longtime New York Times antiques columnist Wendy Moonan has found a new place to sound off on objects and design. Starting this week, she'll be covering fine art and dec... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Kathie Lee Gifford and Friends Grab a Bite Before Broadway - Posted January 13, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It's nice to see there are still plenty of writers who can afford to eat at swanky restaurants these days. Today, the dining room at Michael's was brimming with scribes of every stripe and their fabulous friends. I was heartened to hear from a handful of fellow scribes that... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Jermaine Jackson Stops By Michael's - Posted December 2, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The joint was jumping today at Michael's as usual, but there's always room for one more when the random headline-grabbing celebrity makes an unannounced appearance. No matter that Jermaine Jackson... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Special Evening Edition as Michael's Celebrates 20 Years - Posted November 5, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE As much as we enjoy observing the social customs of the various media tribes during our Wednesday lunches at Michael's, we jumped at the chance to mingle with the natives last night as they roamed free from the pecking order in the dining room. ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Power Blondes Rule! Katie Couric, Tina Brown and Barbara Walters Hold Court - Posted July 22, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Today at Michael's, they were dishing like it was 2007. As if the head-spinning assortment of media alpha gals (Katie! Tina! Barbara!) wasn't enough to keep us busy, the dining room, bar and lounge was jam-packed with mavens and moguls of all stripes who barely made time to peck... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Fern Mallis & Tina Brown - Posted June 24, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Forget about the summer doldrums: Even though the sun's not shining today, Michael's was hot, hot, hot and so jam-packed I could barely get a bite in edgewise as I tried to keep up with the air-kissing action in the dining room. Despite the dreadful weather (and its dampening... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Hoda Kotb & Bravo's Housewives Hold Court - Posted June 17, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It was SRO at Michael's today, and although the place was filled to the brim with movers and shakers of every stripe, all eyes were on table one: Today's Hoda Kotb presided over a raucous l... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Cindi Leive, Harold Ford, Jr. & The Gang - Posted June 10, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE We heard we missed quite a scene yesterday when the dining room was filled with the likes of dirty joke diva Sarah Silverman, ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Happy Birthday, Cathie Black! - Posted April 29, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE We missed Evander Holyfield by a day, but there was plenty of action to keep our attention in Michael's jam-packed dining room today. Between the surprise birthday party for Hearst Magazines... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Dishing With Dolly Parton - Posted April 22, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Sure, it's fun checking in with the media mavens and moguls during our weekly Wednesday outings at Michael's, but sometimes it's the random celebrity sighting that can be the most entertaining. When I heard that ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Ben Bradlee -- Fewer Newspapers May Not Be 'Such A Bad Thing' - Posted April 1, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It was truly a head-spinning afternoon at Michael's today. The joint was jumping with so many movers and shakers we could barely keep up with all the goings on, but we did a few laps around the dining room to catch up with the boldface names and those media... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Bill Bradley, Norman Pearlstine & The Media Mavens - Posted March 25, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It's a lo-cal edition of lunch today. We're chalking it up to near Spring-like weather (I don't know about you, but I'm burning my winter coat when we finally have two days over 60) and plenty of recent rumblings about companies tightening the reins on expense accounts. What's a... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Dishing With The Usual Suspects - Posted March 18, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The regulars were out in force today at Michael's as media mavens, moguls and social types were deep in conversation around the jam-packed dining room. Everyone, it seems, had plenty to talk about, including the terrible news of ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: A Heaping Helping of The Usual Suspects - Posted March 4, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It's a lo-cal edition of 'Lunch' today. After all, you can't expect to indulge in a diet rich in celebs and boldface names every week. We've spoiled you, I know. (By the way, if you're looking to chat with some big-time media mavens and news makers, don't miss the... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Dishing on the Oscars & Obama - Posted February 25, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE As I've been reporting for weeks, it was SRO at Michael's today as the movers and shakers, undeterred by the unsettling economic news, were out in full force plotting their next big move -- or looking for a safe place to land. On the menu today: plenty of talk... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Tina Brown & Barbara Walters Break Bread; Jonathan Wald Works The Room - Posted February 4, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It's a little disconcerting these days when no matter where you go in the city, the streets seem quieter than usual, and there are 10 cabs lined up outside Grand Central any time we need one. But we've observed an interesting phenomenon: The worse the economic news, the busier... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Special Post-Inauguration Edition - Posted January 21, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The mood was festive at Michael's today, with plenty of Obama buttons on display and lots of talk about the president's stirring inaugural address. Jack Kliger told me, "I thought the whole thing ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Musical Chairs With Sir Paul McCartney - Posted January 14, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE So you think you've got problems? Paul McCartney (that's Sir Paul to you) arrived at Michael's today shortly before noon to scope out a table for a quiet lunch with ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Tom Brokaw Holds Court; Jane Friedman Works The Room - Posted December 17, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE 'Tis the season to be lunching, and the usual A-list suspects were out in force today with plenty of glad-handing and air kissing all around. Maybe it's because this is (mercifully) the last full week of work for the year or perhaps it's just because everyone is tired of... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Why So Glum, Anna Wintour & Ralph Lauren? - Posted December 10, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE It was standing room only at Michael's today with a head-spinning assortment of movers and mavens doing some serious table-hopping between bites. We were brightened to see there was a dash of celebrating between all the intense conversations that were going on all around. It's t... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Barry Diller, Jeff Zucker & The Magazine Mob - Posted November 19, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE What recession? The usual power quotient found on any given Wednesday at Michael's went into overdrive today as the gals at the front desk had so many media moguls, magazine mavens and talking heads lining up to dine and dish today, they had to shoehorn in extra tables all... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Jane Fonda & Jerry Seinfeld -- That's Entertainment! - Posted October 29, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE It's always those random celebrity sightings at Michael's that make my weekly Wednesday visits much more fun. Today certainly didn't disappoint. When a little birdie told me Jerry Seinfeld woul... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Joy Behar, Star Jones & Another Sarah Palin Doppelganger - Posted October 8, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE What recession? The joint was jumping at Michael's today. Media mavens, television types and fashionistas were still trying to digest the week's head spinning events but, in true New York style, weren't letting a worldwide tanking economy get in the way of a good time. There was... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Les Moonves, Barry Diller & Kathleen Turner - Posted September 3, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Forget the lazy days of summer. Class is back in session as the cool kids returned to the cafeteria today in force. The scene at Michael's was a tasty stew of moguls and media mavens with a side order of the random celebrity sighting -- ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Where the Magic Happens - Posted July 30, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE I thought I'd seen just about everything from my regular perch at Michael's during my weekly visits, but today topped all. They were serving up sides of card tricks with the Cobb salads today and the gang was just eating it up. When I arrived, illusionist ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Hillary—Obama Smackdown! - Posted May 28, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Bill Clinton isn't the only one who is getting a little testy about the endlessly long and increasingly tabloid-y battle for the democratic nomination. At today's lunch, politics were on the menu... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Politics As Usual - Posted April 23, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Timing is everything. Just ask Hillary Clinton. If we'd come a day earlier we would have dined with Karl Rove. (Well, okay, we'd have been in the same room.) Our spy says the sight of 'Bush's brain'-turned-Fox commentator at table five had the j... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: The British Are Coming — Tomorrow! - Posted March 19, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE We're still exhausted from hob nobbing with last week's overflow of A-listers, so we were almost glad things were a bit more subdued at 55th & Fifth today. It gave us a cha... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Valerie Bertinelli Weighs In - Posted March 12, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE As much as we love our bird's eye perch from the bar, it's always a treat when we're invited to dine in the grown up section — especially when the scene is as head-spinning as it was today. Hallmark Channel's senior vice president Jen Geisser and her power... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Captain Picard, I Presume? - Posted February 20, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Between the heinous weather that has us nursing what must be walking pneumonia, a deadly dull award season (Does anybody really care about the Oscars without the parties?) and some mind-numbingly bad television we've been forced to endure (What the hell happened to Nip/Tuck... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch At Michael's: Paging George Clooney! Fern Mallis is Saving You a Seat at Fashion Week! - Posted January 23, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE What recession? The dining room at 55th & Fifth was buzzing with the usual assemblage of bold face names, social swans and television types that tucked into their Cobb salads with gusto while digesting some of the week's harrowing headlines. Hollywood figured heavily into many... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch At Michael's: Lance Armstrong — For Governor? - Posted November 28, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE Remember a few weeks back when I promised Lunch readers a full report on the off chance we had our own encounter Lance Armstrong... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch At Michael's: A 'Roomful of Bitches' - Posted August 22, 2007
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Sure, the media world shuts down in late August — and our Lunch At Michael's column takes a breather to regroup — but we wouldn't let those of you chained to your desks down. This week and next we're running favorite columns from the past... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch At Michael's: The Dog Days Are Here! - Posted August 8, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE The morning monsoon that shut down the city for several hours kept all but the true diehards away today at 55th & Fifth. Even general manager Steve Millington was kept from his post due to a weather-related nanny nightmare (we can relate). Others, like our pal... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Joan Rivers, Deepak Chopra & The Today Gang - Posted July 11, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE The scene at 55th & Fifth was more subdued than usual today with most of the regulars nowhere to be seen. With an unusually high number of "civilians" milling about, it seemed unlikely we'd get our weekly boldfaced name fix this go round. Imagine our delight when Joan ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Peggy Siegal: 'I Want It Now' - Posted June 20, 2007
Perhaps it was the schizophrenic weather that kept most of the familiar faces and celebrity diners away. It was a pretty subdued crowd at 55th & Fifth today. No big stars of stage, screen and nary an editor in sight. (Okay, Kathie Lee Gifford was there.... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Al & Meredith Talk Skateboarding - Posted May 30, 2007
On the menu today: a tasty stew of media moguls and television titans with a dash of talking heads to spice things up. After making the rounds and checking in with some of our favorite regulars, we were thrilled to chat with our good pals Today's Meredith ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Tina Brown's Bathroom Promise - Posted May 16, 2007
We were expecting a celeb sighting or two since it's Upfront time — the week the networks trot out their overpaid and underfed stars to shill for their supper — but alas, there were no signs of McDreamy or Matthew Fox anywhere. (Thankfully, we d... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Blood! Explosions! Dueling Weathermen! - Posted May 9, 2007
Perhaps it was the nice weather. Or maybe a hangover from the Time 100 party last night. Today's media lunch at 55th & Fifth was relatively full, but lacked the star power of lunches past (no heads of state nor ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Wesley Clark & A Model Mystery - Posted April 25, 2007
We missed Jane Fonda by a day. Today's lunch crowd was lacking the star power we've come to expect on our weekly visits so while we were disappointed our usual perch at the bar had been usurped by an unidentified exec, we didn't miss much from our less than... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Brokaw & Burns Break Bread - Posted March 28, 2007
The scene at 55th & Fifth was bustling as always thanks to one iconic newsman (we always sit up a little straighter when Tom Brokaw is in the room), a mix of movie moguls and the usual roundup of public relations pitchmen and women. Peggy Siegal... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Post-Hasselhoff, All Business - Posted March 21, 2007
We're guessing many of our favorite media celebrity regulars have headed south with their families for spring break or to rev up from the endless winter doldrums that have left us feeling a bit grumpy. Today, the tables were packed with a cross section of Prada and Gucci ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Tina Brown, Downright Subdued - Posted March 14, 2007
On the menu at today's lunch: a tasty stew of pop culture icons, publishing legends and power brokers — with a side of TV's young-ish guns. There must have been big things afoot. Instead of the usual glad-handing and table-hopping, most diners were deep in conversatio... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Is Dave Zinczenko Ready For Prime Time? - Posted February 28, 2007
Magazine moguls kept things interesting today at 55th and Fifth. Without the usual intriguing mix of celebrities (who were, undoubtedly still recovering from Oscar overload) to observe, we spent the afternoon wondering what the editors and behind-the-scenes execs were plo... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Teddy, Liz & The Gang - Posted February 21, 2007
The dining room at Michael's was buzzing today with moguls and media mavens who did more than the usual amount of table-hopping between bites — standing-room only in the bustling lounge as the regulars and requisite movers and shakers were out in force. (Liz! Lesley! T... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Valentine's Hangover - Posted February 15, 2007
It's the calm after the storm. The biggest — and only — snow storm of the season couldn't keep the movers and shakers away yesterday. On Valentine's Day the bustling dining room was host to a "low-key" birthday celebration hosted by Sherry Westin... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Al Roker, Katie Joel and A Special Birthday Celebration - Posted February 8, 2007
No doubt by attending the Michael's Media Jamboree on a Thursday — due to flu and flood, a day later than mediabistro.com's customary weekly report on the media bigwigs who lunch — things were bound to be a little off-kilter. But as the slightly-less-than-packed c... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Ex-CBS News Prez Says Give Katie A Chance - Posted January 31, 2007
As much as we've come to enjoy our perch at the bar with its bird's eye view, we were thrilled when one of our favorite television titans, Andrew Heyward, invited us to join him and his guests for lunch. Today's lunchtime chronicler, Diane Clehane... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Joan Rivers Keeps An Eye On The Door - Posted January 24, 2007
It was a typically atypical lunch crowd today at Michael's — Tom Brokaw here, Joan Rivers there, Cobb salads everywhere — making the Diet Cokes and Pellegrinos go down like fine wine. A quartet of Rubensteins — Howard, Richar... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Gay Talese, John Huey and The Guys - Posted January 17, 2007
The scene at 55th and Fifth resembled something of a men's club today where the power suits -- and ties -- ruled. Media machers including Time Inc.'s editor-in-chief John Huey, ad man Jerry Della Femina and the sartorially splendid Ga... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: A Kareem Dream - Posted January 10, 2007
It's official — the holidays are over! It's back to business, people! Now that the weather has finally turned cold (it is January, after all), things are heating up once again at Michael's. The dining room was abuzz with the usual mix of movers and shakers, mo... [FishbowlNY]