And we’re back, with much pre-Christmas revelry at Michael’s – a bit quieter than last week, but still very festive. Everyone seemed to be having fun, which is a good thing. Cobb Salad is meant to be enjoyed. So, too, was the mystery dish in the big white bowl that I’d never seen before. Is Michael’s serving Ramen these days? I will sleuth the answer out. Note: nary a french fry was spotted by my discerning eye. Light on lunch for party-circuit indulgences later, perhaps? Good advice for us all. ‘Tis the season!

7: Court TV’s Henry Schlieff.

8: David Patrick Columbia‘s customary table, where he was joined by Chris Meigher, publisher of Quest Magazine (available in the Michael’s waiting area and, you will recall, absconded with by Avenue‘s Pamela Gross last week).

1: Here’s where the sweet, sweet jazz comes in: Elvis Costello and Diana Krall enjoying lunch and, presumably, each other.

2: Time Warner editor-in-chief John Huey, who was not in our sightlines so we can’t say whether he looked troubled by yesterday’s surprising round of pre-holiday layoffs.

3: “Mayor of Michael’s” and former New York publisher Joe Armstrong with Jim Peterson, son of Pete Peterson and brother of Newsweek‘s Holly Peterson. Only the Peterson son was at Michael’s though. Wait, that would make him “Pete Peter Son’s Son” which is kind of funny, if you like goofy wordplay.

4: William Morris’s head literary agent Owen Laster.

11: Lloyd Grove with CNN morning anchor Soledad O’Brien, who even from across the room was really glowing (you too, Lloyd). Apparently getting up for 6 am start time is not as killingly painful as it sounds.

6: Hotel magnate Jerry Inzerillo (Atlantis and the Ocean Club).

5: Stanley Schuman, head of the media practice at Allen & Co, with someone whom I could not identify.

20: Hotshot music lawyer (and Lizzie dad) Allan Grubman, joined by an upbeat salt-and-pepper-haired man in a suit and a soul patch.

14: Pam Fiore, editor of Town & Country.

16: National Television Academy president (and Emmy macher) Peter Price.

18: NBC exec Jim Gaines with acclaimed photojournalist Harry Benson. Despite being at the next table, we did not hear anything of note, possibly because we were so highly entertained by…

15: …HarperCollins executive editor David Hirshey and New York Observer editor Peter Kaplan. Hirshey presented Kaplan with a gift: not-on-TV Larry King‘s biography of revered Harper‘s editor not-the-agent Willie Morris. Kaplan was excited. We all had the Cobb salad while chattering about Sondheim, Vincent Youmans in musical history and Cole Porter lyrics, and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Kaplan had better luck naming the character played by comic Shelly Berman on the show — Larry David‘s father “Nat David” — than divining the identity of mysterious Blank author Noah Tall: “Is it Harry Evans?” No, said Hirshey, it is not. And then we ate Madeleines).

26: First shift: David Corus from NBC. Second shift: Fetching WWD “Memo Pad” scribe Sara James with fetching Gawker scribe Jesse Oxfeld.

19: This is where the earmuffs come in: a bubbly blonde who was later identified as actress Taylor Stein (sp?) happily unwrapped a package from Bendel’s: fluffy white earmuffs! Very cute. She modeled them for her companion, who we are told is Heather Koheine. We were not, however, told how to spell Koheine. Apologies. From the dessert with the candle, we guessed it was Taylor’s birthday. Happy birthday!

28: The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of Blazered Magazine Editor Cuteness And Big Bowls of Broth, David Zinczenko and Adam Moss (it’s a hotly contested title). Both were in fine form (and both were in white shirts, black blazers, and rakishly ruffled hair), laughing, smiling and seeming to have a great time — they were there in celebration of Zinczenko’s birthday (yesterday) — Taylor would no doubt have shared her dessert, if only she’d known. When Peter Kaplan arrived and saw Moss, he went over to say hi and gave him a big hug (they used to work together). Aw. I never knew Adam Moss was so smiley – he seemed far less scary than some staffers imply. That said, we were not so bold as to go over and give him a hug.

25: Peter Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Premiere

24: Lou Kona.

Schematic after the jump; please send tips, corrections and your own favorite Vincent Youmans moment to rachel@mediabistro.com!

Michael’s Schematic