Michael Kramer

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]

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]

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]

Kathie Lee Gifford, Marlo Thomas And The Best Seller Brigade - Posted May 11, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The joint was jumping when I arrived for my weekly lunch at Michael's today. Between the bestselling authors, media mavens, and the social swans of the Upper East Side, there was a real buzz in the room -- or was it just all that pesky pollen from the azaleas... [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]

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]

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]

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]

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Bo Dietl and The Post-Election Posse - Posted November 3, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE The votes are in and this week's big winner is Michael McCarty whose dining room has been packed every day with A-list celebs and politicos of every stripe in town this week to dissect every nuance of election night. T... [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]

Vernon Jordan, Paul Shaffer and Richard Belzer Grab a Bite at Michael's - Posted October 6, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE We missed Harvey Keitel (who, we hear, is a pretty nice guy) by a day, but the usual suspects kept things hopping in the dining room at Michael's today. By now, we've grown used to seeing ... [FishbowlNY]

Mogul Mania with Jack Welch & David Geffen - Posted September 29, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It was SRO at Michael's today with moguls Jack Welch and David Geffen holding court at their respective tables while the celebrity du ... [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]

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]

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: Harold Ford, Jr., Ken Starr, and a Slew of Fashionable Folks - Posted April 28, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE There was definitely something in the air (besides all that pesky pollen) at Michael's today. The dining room was so jam packed with every conceivable type of boldfaced name I could barely keep track of all the wheeling and dealing that was going on around me. While the fashionistas... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Tina Brown, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Media Mavens Galore! - Posted April 21, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE They were dining and dishing like it was 2006 today at Michael's. When I mentioned to one of the regulars that I hadn't seen the dining room jam packed with so many power lunchers in a long time, he summed up the scene this way: "People are tired of... [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: Glenn Close Talks Fatal Attraction - Posted March 10, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE I love when the stars align just right on a Wednesday at Michael's, and I get to chat with a star I've always admired. I hit the jackpot today when I spotted Glenn Close in the dining room. Just l... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Johnny Weir Is "Not From Mars," Nate Berkus Readies Transformations - Posted March 3, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE You just never know who's going to turn up at Michael's, and I've learned to expect the unexpected during my weekly lunches. That's just what I got when U.S Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: 'Bag Lady' & Madoff Victim Alexandra Penney: 'Writing Well is the Best Revenge!' - Posted January 27, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Things must be looking up in the journalism biz, because Michael's dining room was jam packed with media folks of every stripe. While CEOs and spinmeisters held court from their usual perches, writers and editors were shoehorned in all over the place. I was glad I got there earl... [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: TV Titans, Ivana Trump, & Devo! - Posted November 18, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE You never know who you're going to meet on any given Wednesday at Michael's. I've chatted with former presidents, Oscar winners, and tabloid targets who have made the usually unflappable crowd turn and stare, but it's those unexpected, below the radar moments that are often the... [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: Charlie Rose, Dan Abrams & The Rain-Soaked Usual Suspects - Posted October 28, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The biblical rain kept most of the moguls and media mavens away today. So, rather than people watch, I passed the time by flipping through the latest issue of Avenue featur... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: A Smiling Anna Wintour, Hungry Brian Williams, & A Tasty Mogul Stew - Posted October 21, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE They were dishing like it was 1999 today at Michael's where it was SRO at the bar and in the lounge and filled with movers and shakers of every stripe in the dining room. I got a serious case of whiplash trying to keep track of it all. Between... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Joan Collins Holds Court at Table One, Plus Barbara Walters & Vernon Jordan - Posted October 7, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The dining room at Michael's was buzzing as boldface names settled in to plot their next big move and dish over their Cobb salads. We overhead plenty of chatter about the David Letterman and ... [FishbowlNY]

It's Spin City for Moguls & Machers at Michael's - Posted September 30, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The flacks were certainly out in full force today at Michael's. It seemed anyone who was (or represents) anyone was out and about with something to spin. Well, at least it's a sign that life goes on in Manhattan no matter how bleak New York magazine says ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Christiane Amanpour Draws an A-List Crowd - Posted September 16, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE On the menu at Michael's today: a tasty stew of media mavens and moguls with a heaping helping of famous faces on the side. We could barely keep up with the goings-on in the dining room, since every other minute there was some boldface name heading to the Garden... [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: Andre Leon Talley Stops By -- and Hugh Jackman is Coming Tonight! - Posted June 3, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Our invitation to tonight's party for Joel Grey hosted by Hugh Jackman and his wife, ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Barry Diller (on a Vespa!), Harvey Weinstein & Judge Judy - Posted May 6, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Maybe it was because it finally stopped raining for five minutes, but the power-lunchers were out in force today at Michael's. There was a crowd gathering in the lounge before noon waiting for tables. Of course, most of the regulars breezed in at their appointed hours, making su... [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: Barbara Walters, Barry Diller & Dana Perino - Posted April 15, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE I'm glad I got to Michael's early today because by 12:30 they were literally lining up outside the front door to get in the joint. Even the Garden Room (Siberia to the uninitiated) was SRO. The groups of wannabe diners at the bar and in the lounge were enviously... [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: Liz Smith, Frank Langella & A Bevy of Social Swans - Posted March 11, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The streets may be eerily empty these days (at least you can always get a cab), but you can pretty much count on a full house on Wednesdays at Michael's. Today the dining room was buzzing as media mavens and a fair share of fashionistas made the scene. Before... [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: 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: The Special Post-Election Edition - Posted November 5, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE The Michael's crowd was in full party mode today as television titans, media mavens and talking heads mingled gleefully with politicos who were celebrating Barack Obama's historic victory. "Fina... [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 At Michael's: Judy Collins Stops By - Posted December 12, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE Last week we developed some serious whiplash craning around to keep up with the A-listers that table hopped at lunch. Today's crowd was much more... [FishbowlNY]