We’re always kept more than occupied checking out the bold faced names in the main dining room on our weekly visits but today our radar was truly put to the test when the usually celeb-free Garden Room was the hotbed of activity with an estrogen-fueled, invitation-only lunch hosted by Peggy Siegal for Arianna Huffington. The luncheon (where no one touched dessert) brought out the most head-spinning cross-section of alpha females, power blondes and social swans we’ve seen in a long time.

The Gotham gals we spotted: Joni Evans, Karenna Gore, Naomi Wolff (who must be so proud of Al Gore‘s newfound mojo), Zoe Baird, Nora Ephron (who seemed to be traveling incognito in her dark sunglasses while checking out the dining room on her way inside), Fern Mallis, Dayle Haddon (who somehow lost her cellphone in the fray), Fran Drescher, Karen Duffy, Arlene Dahl (sporting her favorite black patent leather newsboy cap!?!), Deborah Roberts, Erica Jong, Maria Cuomo Cole, Somers White and InStyle‘s Cindy Weber Cleary. Lunchtime chronicler Diane Clehane, who was dining with OK! editrix Sarah Ivens, got the lowdown on the crowd from Joan Rivers, who summed up the afternoon thusly: “You’re better off out here! That was a roomful of bitches in there!”

Here’s a rundown of the rest of the crowd:

Table 1. A pow-wow of beauty industry bigwigs: GCI (Global Cosmetic Industry) editor-in-chief Karen A. Newman, Marc Rosen and a table full of colleagues. A photographer from Cosmetic World/Beauty Fashion hovered nearby to capture the big doings.

2. Uberagent Esther Newberg, who was spotted picking at the plate of her guest.

3. John Josephson.

4. Herb Siegal.

5. Stanley Schuman.

6. Henry Schlieff toting a Hallmark goodie bag to his lunch with newsgals Lynn White, Rosanna Scott, Jane Hansen and Penny Crone. The tireless showman was overheard asking Charles Stevenson who was seated at David Patrick Columbia‘s table about his golf game and promising to hit the links with him soon .

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We were even more intrigued when a little birdie told lunchtime chronicler Diane Clehane it was likely the first time fashion’s $10 billion man was in the same room with biographer extraordinaire Michael Gross, who penned the deliciously dishy tome Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren. New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn praised the book in her review, saying it “hacks through the hype and half-truths” of Lauren’s far flung lifestyle empire. We’re pleased to report the two gentlemen remained on opposite ends of the room, keeping things oh so civilized.

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

Table 1. Ralph Lauren and a table full of business types.

2. Peter Brown.

3. Attention parrot heads: An almost unrecognizable Jimmy Buffett — in a blue blazer and dress shirt! — with two guests. (Mr. Mayor, were art thou?)

4. Jeffrey Katzenberg. The DreamWorks CEO was sporting his signature California casual look (v-neck and T-shirt). He passed the time waiting (?!) for his guest by sipping iced tea and reclining back in his chair elbows akimbo. When a blonde gal in a black power suit finally arrived to join him, we recognized the face, but no one seemed to know her name …

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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 for Mayor Bloomberg, who received kudos all around for the bang up job he’s doing. (The big question everyone was asking: is he running for president? Why not? Everyone else is!) We, not of the Town Car set, postponed our weekly visit a day so as not to slog it out with the elements. We’re pleased to report all is right with the world once again: regulars and boldface names mixed it up amicably over the hum of pleasant media conversation.

Here’s the rundown:

1. Blonde ambition: Liz Smith and Cynthia McFadden with a lovely looking lady we didn’t recognize. Note to Liz: we’re impressed by how neat your desk and office looks in the new Vanity Fair. Who knew orderliness was the secret to longevity!

2. A casually clad Henry Schlieff.

3. Five fashionable types (from Palm Beach, we’re told) including Iris Cantor and Larry Kaiser.

4. Hachette’s Jack Kliger with Jay Kriegel and Jim Abernathy.

5. Lou Cona and a bevy of female staffers.

6. Frederic DeNarp.

7. Author and radio host Lisa Birnbach and Alexandra Trower.

8. New York Social Diary’s David Patrick Columbia and a petite blonde pal who passed the time waiting for DPC (“I couldn’t get a cab!”) by chatting with Kathie Lee Gifford.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Here’s the rundown:

1. The birthday group, including Brooke Duchin, Tom Fallon, Bill Rondina, Giovanni LoFaro, and Alex H, all there to fete Alex “The Weasel” Hitz (who seemed to like his nickname enough when Millington used it in the birthday song).

2. Patrick Murphy and Joan Jakobson.

3. Pat Altschul, Katie Lee Joel (consistently animated with laughter) and other unidentified guests.

4. Barry Diller in full media mogul mode with an unidentified blond gentleman.

5. “Some actress,” which isn’t terribly helpful, I know.

6. Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television and friends.

7. Manolo Blahnik’s George Malkemus with Instyle.com editor Candy Pratts Price.

8. New York Social Diary‘s David Patrick Columbia at his customary table, with PR exec Debra Davis and her new client Vincent Licari who had his first Fashion Week show the day before.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.