Yes, there was royalty at Michael's today, and Michael Gross and other people of great note, but still, we are grumpy. We can't seem to get a table any more on Wednesdays. Could someone please invite us to lunch, so we could sit at an actual table? We're seated at the bar each week because you VIP people (you know who you are) are taking up all the tables. VIPs, please have your secretaries or bookers or whathaveyous write in and let's do lunch. The right way. Our Goal: 52 lunches with 52 separate VIP-types over the course of the year. In the words of that infamous songster from the Pussycat Dolls (revised just a bit), "Dont cha wish your lunch date was fun like me?... don't cha wanna have your lunch with me...don't cha?"

Whoever writes us first gets us for lunch (we'll call it the Power 52 Lunch Table to be all official and whatnot): LaurelT AT mediabistro.com

BAR area: Laurel Touby, Lisa Dallos of Freud PR, MPA's Howard Polskin and various other characters.

Table 1: 740 Park was a definite theme today. Author of the book 740 Park Michael Gross was dining with Nancy Stoddardt (who used to live at 740 Park), Deborah Kurlewitch (apologies for butchering your name, Deb) of Estee Lauder's marketing department and Fayette Hickox (that's a made up name if I ever heard one!), also of Estee Lauder. [Corrections: Nancy Stoddardt's ex Peter Huang still lives there.]

2: Esther Newberg with Peter Gethers, the editor at Random House who edited Gross' book on 740 Park.

4: Mr. and Mrs. Neil Sedaka, who weren't allowed into 740 Park (Gross says: "Read the book to learn why!").

29: Christine Taylor (the hot flack who works for Ron Perelman, who used to live at 740 Park, and also occasionally lunches at Michael's). With Jonathan Capeheart.

So, like, WOW -- Michael, did you plan a 740 Park attack for today's column, or what?

Table 3: Rosanna Scotto, of Channel 5, with Lynn White of WB11 News.

UPDATE! from a little birdie: Along with Channel 5 anchor Rosanna Scotto, was Lynne White, former WB11 anchor currently an on-air host at Court TV, Barri Chattman, VP at Court TV, Heidi Banks, TV Host and personal development expert, and Jessica Ettinger Gottesman, Anchor at 1010 WINS and Sirius Satellite Radio.

5: Peter Brown with Nancy Murray

6: Bob Schieffer, CBS Evening News

7: Lynn Tesoros, HL Group, with another woman

8: David Patrick Columbia with David, Viscount Linley (the nephew of Queen Elizabeth, son of late Princess Margaret, and first cousin to Prince Charles). We hear he's doing some kind of commerce here in the states. Also present: Wendy Moonan of the New York Times, Tim Knox of the John Soane Museum in London and William Blaney-Blair who works with Linley. [A little birdie writes: David Patrick lived at 740 Park (in a friend's mother's apartment) for months when he was a college student.]

11: Eden Collingsworth

12: Shirley Lord, wife of Abe Rosenthal (NYTimes)

14: David Mariness, Washington Post; wearing a brown jacket and looking staunchly writerly, seated with Alice Mayhew.

15: Michael Caruso with David Hirshey. Hirshey was waving around two books put out by Judith Regan, both had Nicole Richie on the covers. One was Bad Girl Richie, the other was Good Girl Richie. We like the Bad Girl cover, if anyone's asking.

16: Kate Betts. Who were you with, Kate??

17: New York magazine's publisher Larry Burstein, looking adorable today. He was with Kimberly Grabel, VP of marketing for Saks.

18: ?

19: ??

20: Fredi Friedman
Second seating: AMI's corp comm guy, Stuart Zakim was dining with Glamour's PR gal, Samantha Rosenthal.

21: Terry McDonell, managing editor of Sports Illustrated.

22: Super Flack Peter Himler with an extremely dapper Justin Smith, president of The Week magazine. Just in time, is what we say! Also, present, Margaret Carlson (TIME, CNN and now DC editor-at-large for The Week).

23: Gerry Byrne, a former publisher of Variety who serves as the chairman of the Quills Literacy Foundation.
Second seating: Jon Auerbach, executive editor of the Star and one of the Brit invasion chics from the National Enquirer, Deputy Editor Louise Oswald, according to a very in-the-know little birdie.

24: The NY Post's Keith Kelly with Vanity Fair's Flackette Beth Kseniak, VF publisher Alan Katz, and Sara Switzer, also with the VF PR Department. Gee, wonder what they were discussing?

25: ?

26: Judith Agisim. Sorry for the butchered spelling.

27: Chuck Pfeiffer (sp?)

28: Miles O'Brien, Morning co-anchor.

Back Room:

Attorney Bob Bennett
Paul Begala
Flack Rosemarie Terencio
Lauren, M. Tyler, Partner at JPMorgan

IF you were at Michael's today (or any day) and would like to report in, or correct the record, please email LaurelT AT mediabistro.com

Map of Michael's