While Hillary and Obama enter the final stages of battle — at least that was the consensus of today's crowd — there was some serious political posturing going on today at Michael's.
Lunch: Joan Rivers & Some Serious Stealth Campaigning (FBNY)

This week Hollywood on the Hudson was strictly a downtown affair as it seems all those Tinseltown types were staying busy downtown with the Tribeca Film Festival. Today's crowd at Michael's was the usual mix of movers and shakers with one MIA mogul (Welcome back, Ron!) resurfacing after an extended absence.
Lunch: Moguls, Mavens and a Vampire Primer (FBNY)

Timing is everything. Just ask Hillary Clinton. If we'd come a day earlier we would have dined with Karl Rove. (Well, okay, we'd have been in the same room.) Our spy says the sight of 'Bush's brain'-turned-Fox commentator at table five had the joint buzzing (or was it hissing?). In any event, politics were still very much front and center today.
Lunch: Politics As Usual (FBNY)

It's not always the random movie star sighting or bold-face name at table one that captures the lion's share of our attention at Michael's during our weekly Wednesday visits. Sometimes it's the sheer force of the buzz from radiating from all those titans and moguls plotting their next big move that keeps us riveted.
Lunch: Bottoms Up! (FBNY)

Television's comeback kid and newly minted Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford held court today in the top spot with her cohost Hoda Kotb (who worked the room in a fiery red dress like nobody's business between courses). The mood at the table was downright celebratory as the gang — which included none other than Tony Bennett — gathered to cheer Kathie Lee's return to morning television
Lunch: Kathie Lee Holds Court (FBNY)

You know things are really hopping at 55th and Fifth when Renee Zellweger doing her movie-star best to go unnoticed — sporting a gorgeous white coat, oversized shades and sky high stilettos — barely warranted a second glance from today's power lunch crowd.
Lunch (FBNY)

Some of our favorite regulars were on hand — along with the first ever (at least since I've been at my perch) Wednesday Anna Wintour sighting — kept us more than interested in the goings on in the dining room today at 55th and Fifth today.
Lunch (FBNY)

We're still exhausted from hob nobbing with last week's overflow of A-listers, so we were almost glad things were a bit more subdued at 55th & Fifth today. It gave us a chance to catch up and chat with some our favorite regulars.

Lunch [FishbowlNY]

As much as we love our bird's eye perch from the bar, it's always a treat when we're invited to dine in the grown up section — especially when the scene is as head-spinning as it was today.

Lunch [FishbowlNY]

The scene at 55th & Fifth was bustling as always. We've become accustomed to the clubby vibe that has the usual suspects and random celebrity air-kissing and table-hopping between courses in the front room, so it's always intriguing when a bold-faced name opts out of the media circus for a low profile table in the back.

Lunch [FishbowlNY]