— DIANE CLEHANE

Michael’s was packed with plenty of familiar faces this afternoon. Seems the gang was out in force before disappearing for the true dog days of August. The real side show in the dining room took place last night, when none other than Sarah Palin dropped in with Bob Barnett and took the staff completely by surprise. A little birdie told me Bob was dining with a couple of folks, left and came back with Palin and her husband Todd, the ex-’First Dude.’ According to all accounts, the former governor was clearly enjoying her new role as a private citizen last evening: She drank Deutz champagne and ordered lobster ‘off the menu.’ Could she have been celebrating some big soon-to-be announced TV deal? As they say on the small screen, stay tuned!

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. Cablevision’s Barry Frey presiding over a table full of Red Bull marketing execs

2. Public relations powerhouse Lisa Linden (loved that amazing handbag!) with Silda Spitzer, who was wearing a pretty summer toile dress

3. Jim Wiatt, Tim Armstrong, and another gent we didn’t recognize.

4. Would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for this one: Barbara Walters and ex-Portfolio editrix Joanne Lipman

5. Michael J. Wolf and another dark-haired fellow

6. Ed Victor, looking natty in a fedora, linen jacket and canary yellow pocket square, with a fellow we didn’t get a chance to meet

7. Harriet Weintraub and Lauren Verones

8. Francine LeFrak (in leopard!)

9. Pat Mitchell and Lynn Lear (Norman’s wife)

11. Patricia Duff

12. Jim Abernathy

14. Power blondes: Susan Lyne and Pat Fili-Krushel

15. Dan Wassong and my pal Suzanne Bracker

16. Nielsen’s Gerry Byrne

17. Gillian Miniter and Quigley Paxton

18. Sam Haskell

20. Glamour editrix Cindi Leive in killer heels with fashionista Gabriella Forte

21. Quest‘s Chris Meigher with ABT’s director of development and my pal Peter Lyden (long time no see!)

23. William Scaffel, owner of Soho House, in case you didn’t know

24. Martin Puris

26. Style.com’s Candy Pratts Price

27. Jim Casella

29. Amy Raskin

Faces in the crowd: Pierre Bouvard with my good pal Richard Bilotti and Scott Eisenberg

Please send comments and corrections to DianeClehane AT mediabistro Dot com and lunch at mediabistro DOT com.