BlackBook Staff Picks: Dining, Drinking, Shopping, & Staying

Here at BlackBook, we pay a lot of attention to where cool customers go out -- bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, hotels, you name it. So why not flip the frame and let you see where we go out? Here's a periodically updated, exhaustive list of hotspots currently favored by everyone at BlackBook, from the mighty bosses down to the humble interns, from the charming local lounges around the corner to the jet-setting temples of luxe living.

EDITORIAL
● Editorial Director/Editor-in-Chief - Ray Rogers, Café Mogador (NYC) - Hummus, crack-caliber coffee, and outdoor patio for primo people-judging and "novel writing."
● Creative Director - Jason Daniels, Babettes (East Hampton) - Don’t let the word “organic” turn you off .
● Executive Editor - Chris Mohney, Pegu Club (NYC) - OCD cocktail heaven. Pith helmet and ivory cane optional.
● Senior Editor - Nick Haramis, The Jane Hotel and Ballroom (NYC) - Latest smash from Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode gets all Edwardian on the WVill.

● Editor-at-Large - James Servin, The Raleigh (Miami) - The local equivalent of LA’s Chateau Marmont.
● Staff Writer - Ryan Adams, Republic (NYC) - Minimalist fave and only vaguely communist, which is more fun than the full-bore thing.
● Writer-at-Large - Alison Powell, Wurstküche (LA) - Hey, sausages! Downtown hipsters with a secret inner-manly-man are pleased.
● West Coast Editor - Matt Diehl, Cole’s (LA) - The 100-year-old buffet-style cafeteria comes back as something new (but the French dip stays).
● Nightlife Correspondent - Steve Lewis, La Esquina (NYC) - Day and night, eating, meeting and playing.
● Paris Correspondent - Dana Thomas, Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel (Paris) - Posh sips & historic ambiance at the Ritz.
● Assistant Editors - Ben Barna, Tokyo (Montreal) - Buy one for the buff bartender while you’re at it—he’s a starving actor. Cayte Grieve - Café Asean (NYC)
Foster Ethan Kamer - La Superior (NYC) - Quite possibly the best little taqueria this side of town.
● Editorial Assistant - Eiseley Tauginas, Alta (NYC) - Alta, as in “high,” as in “haute,” at this sexy Village tapas spot.
● Copy Editor - Michèle Filon, Sripraphai (NYC)
● Editorial Interns - Annie Clinton Moto (NYC) - High-flavor food with dungeon loos. Sure, Moto’s for metros, but it’s hot anyway. Delia Paunescu Schiller’s Liquor Bar (NYC) - McNally’s successful entrée into the LES mess. Desiree Pais, Lit (NYC) - Rock bar du jour for hos and bros of the ain’t we the shit? set.
Alexandra Vickers, Colette (Paris) - Art, style, music, sex and water.

ART
● Art Director - Amy Steinhauser, Five Leaves (NYC) - Café posthumously funded by Heath Ledger does justice to the work and hype put into it.
● Photography Assistant - Stephanie Swanicke, Brandy Library (NYC) - Highbrow mixology, let us know when it’s time to dust off the antique bottles on the upper shelf.
● Design/Photo Interns - Angela Chen, Dinosaur BBQ (NYC) - Roadhouse bringing southerners to Northern Manhattan. Krista Quick - Ottobar (Baltimore) - What can we say, this place rocks.Jeremy Jones - Tokyo Bar, (NYC) - Schizo décor and food, but decently done all the same.

FASHION & BEAUTY
● Fashion Director-at-Large - Elizabeth Sulcer, China Grill (NYC) -Heaping plates of Asian fusion amid fashionable environs.
● Market Editor - Bryan Levandowski, Bondi Road (NYC) - Wizards of Aus in NYC, we like your style.
● Fashion Assistant - Wilson Mathews III, Per Se (NYC) - Advanced gastronomy at the Time Warner Center. Thomas Keller pulls out all the stops.
● Fashion Interns - Samantha Shaw, Chez Janou (Paris) - Boisterous southern bistro near the Place des Vosges. Julien Blanc, La Esquina (NYC) - Fairly authentic Mexican and one of the city’s best-known “secret” bars. Laura Watters, Café Habana (NYC) - Scarfing roast pork is so much better when Mary-Kate is watching, longingly. Lindsay Abrams, Sketch: Gallery (London) - Quirky soho hot spot.
BlackBook magazine Founder - Evanly Schindler, The Smile (NYC) - Earnest Sewn owners take over abandoned Double Crown space for Med-inspired cafe/boutique.

BLACKBOOK MEDIA CORP
● Chairman - Bob Hoff, Guys & Dolls (LA) - Sophisticated sexy in West Hollywood. 7 nights a week.
● CEO - Ari Horowitz, L’Ecole (NYC) - Get schooled in fine French cuisine at this tasty training center.
● Associate Publisher - Brett Wagner, Café Select (NYC) - SoHo café marries Swiss Alpine to downtown design, garners Next Brunch Place status.
● Director of Finance and Operations - Joe Friedman, Lucky Strike Lanes (NYC) - Scenester bowling from the dudes behind Marquee and Tao.
● Corporate Counsel - Drew Patrick of Drew Patrick Law, Dutch Kills (NYC) - Modern-day antique saloon from New York’s cocktail kings.
● Executive Assistant - Bridgette Bek, Motorino (NYC) - Belgian-bred Mathieu Palombino’s Billyburg pizza joint serves up personal pan-sized genius, one pie at a time.

ADVERTISING
● Senior Account Executive - Dina Matar, Gascogne (NYC) - Southern French cooking without the Southern French ‘tude.
● Account Executive - Brian Kantor, Botanica (NYC) - Dive that must be working some kind of Santeria to keep prices down in this excessive nabe.
● Executive Director, BlackBook Access - Gregg Berger, La Piaggia (Miami) - Keep your feet in the sand and your hand on the rosé glass at this waterfront café francaise.
● Detroit Account Executives - Jeff Hannigan, Blind Tiger Ale House (NYC) - Beer bar institution finds new home, devoted crowd. Kristen von Bernthal, Pure Food and Wine (NYC) - Say goodbye to a future of pacemakers and a gut the shape of China. Raw food is real food.
● Midwest Account Executives - Susan Welter, Perennial (Chicago) - This could easily become Chicago’s summer hotspot for years to come.
● Andrea Forrester, Mirai (Chicago) - Thumpin’ music and bumpin’ elbows don’t deter crowds from gathering for some of the city’s finest sushi.
● Southwest Account Executive - Molly Ballantine, Gjelina (LA) - New Venice, new American hotspot takes on Hollywood posturing and tude.
● Northwest Account Executives - Catherine Hurley, 15 Romolo (San Francisco) - Bourbon & Branch without the passwords and financial types. Shawn O’Meara, Suppenküche (San Francisco) - Fun place, hearty food. Check the diet at the door.
Sales Coordinator - Claire Pujol, Fat Baby (NYC) - Dank in a clean way. Do not enter without skinny jeans.

MARKETING
● Marketing Manager - Julie Fabricant, Kingswood (NYC) - Creative Aussie eats. Feel like king of the W. Vill woods.
● Partnerships & Promotions Manager - Andrew Berman, Bozu (NYC) - Sunken Japanese paradise. Delectable sushi, incredible drinks.
● Interns - Rebecca Hill, Chicago Brauhaus (Chicago) - One of the last of Chicago’s great German restaurants with live oompah bands and an Oktoberfest menu year-round. Delna Joshi, Hudson Terrace (NYC) - Rooftop pleaser for drunk summer afternoons. Brianne Murphy, Beauty Bar (NYC) - Kitschy theme bar serving up mani/drink combos under a row of hair dryers. Elizabeth Pirozzi, Pink Elephant (NYC) - Gangsters, models, and house. Where one goes, the others must follow. Monica Dybuncio, Cha Cha Cha (San Francisco) - The Haight’s never-ending Caribbean party where Santerias and sangria rule. Emily Pflug Presidio, Delfina (San Francisco) - Overly moussed males, technophiles, and high-class hipsters collide in this local fine dining favorite. Lea Abeyta, The Annex (NYC) - Grown-up newcomer from Dark Room boys. Tiswas Saturday, Interpol’s Paul B holding down Wednesday. Joanna Rubinstein, Bar Breton (NYC) - Fleur de Sel’s tastes of Brittany now available in brasserie form. Marie Baginski, East Andrews Cafe & Bar (Atlanta) - Label toters run amok at Buckhead restaurant-bar and pack the place on Thursdays and Fridays. Megan Kunecki, Blender Theater at Gramercy (NYC) -New indie rocker hosting artists you put on your iPod for show while you’re really listening to “Since U Been Gone” again. Jay Kassirer, The Smile (NYC) - Earnest Sewn owners take over abandoned Double Crown space for Med-inspired cafe/boutique. Suhee Eom, Momofuku Ssäm Bar (NYC) - Chef-of-the-minute David Chang fancies up Korean burritos and gets avant-garde after 6pm. Jaime Marie, Sueños (NYC) - Sweet dreams of organic tequila and make-your-own-tacos really can come true! Rana Razavi, Sanctuary (Miami) - Swank rooftop bar and the promise of hanky panky in the pool.

DIGITAL
● Director of Development - Daniel Murphy, Yerba Buena (NYC) - Petite hot zone with wide range of Pan-Latino small plates.
● Lead Architect - Matt Hackett, Beast (Brooklyn) - Small plates and top brunch, come get lost in Prospect Heights.
Developer - Bastian Kuberek, Motor City Bar (NYC) - Front like you remember how to drive and these 8 Milers might let you hang.
● Developer - Dan Simon, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill (NYC)
● Designer - Matt Strmiska, Manuel’s (Austin) - Immaculate cleanliness, smart design, and Wine Spectator-designated mole don’t come cheap even for the downtown lunch crowd.
● Developer - Sam Withrow, Pacific Standard (NYC) - Mellow, big-hearted Slope pub keepin’ it pacific.
● Quality Assurance Engineer - Sunde Johnson, Stone Park Café (NYC) - White on white, Williams-Sonoma, Maclarens, fish sandwiches, and burgers.
● Mobile Developer - Otto Toth, Centolire (NYC) - Mangia, mangia, and then ride up and down in the funny glass elevator until the hostess kicks you out.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
● Bob Hoff, Guys & Dolls (LA) - Sophisticated sexy in West Hollywood. 7 nights a week.
● Ari Horowitz, L’Ecole (NYC) - Get schooled in fine French cuisine at this tasty training center. 
● Eric Gertler, SoHo House (NYC) - Members-only decadent den where you may find scruffy English rockers or snaggle-toothed English bankers. Guess which is more likely.
● Joe Landry, Local (LA) - Anything goes, as long as it’s not beef.
● Irwin Lieber, Fishtail by David Burke (NYC) - Fresh seafood in the UES by celeb chef David Burke.
● Dan Pelson, Marea (NYC) - Hopes for a high tide abound at Michael White’s temple to Italian seafood.
● Barry Rubenstein, Shun Lee Café (NYC) - Haute Chinese and dim sum on a glossy, ‘80s-fabulous set.
● Jack Sullivan, Blue Ribbon (NYC) - Bromberg bros brasserie takes care of Soho’s after-midnight crowd.


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