It's that time of year again. People close to me are flitting here and there, filling stockings and making wish lists. It's my busiest time, as there is so much to write about -- parties and openings and on the design end everybody is rushing to get open in time to thrive and establish crowds and their brands before the summer heat. I need interns for my BlackBook columns, and, well, everything else. I could use a wife too, but that's another column. Maybe the best way to tell you what I'm looking for is to describe the best interns I've had to date. They are Nadeska Alexis and Nathali Glanzmann. Very different folk, but both worked very well with me.

Nadeska is super-bright and very impatient. She wants to get to the bottom of the story fast and is very often bored if a person takes a long hike around a point. She digs deep and is rarely fooled by the crap people put up in front of them. She was involved in all aspects of the mess I've carved out. She was supremely helpful, even when I didn't think to ask. She has a heart of gold, and I miss her ...she still writes an occasional story here at BlackBook, and I read every word twice ... she's brilliant. Nathali Glanzmann is driven. She quietly observes, and then tells me what she saw. She has been more help on the design side than anyone I've had before. She just gave us an incredible floor which we are using at a restaurant fast on its way to you . She also loves interacting with the people we meet at BlackBook. I've never met anyone who doesn't like her. One of her best attributes is learning from both her mistakes and successes. Sometimes people just get lucky, and a victory isn't always going to lead to more victories. The bottom line is there's lots going on, and there are opportunities to express your creativity. Sometimes you will see your ideas executed, or you'll write about them yourself. I need bright peeps who can think outside the box and understand that my living comes from building pretty and functional boxes. You need to take a meeting and be articulate and observant and feel comfortable in many environments and with many different types of people. If you have some time and some inclination send an email to {encode="bbookjobs@gmail.com" title="bbookjobs@gmail.com"} with the subject line "Steve Lewis Intern."

The Marc Dizon-designed Hudson Terrace is being looked at by various groups. It's right across the street from Pacha, which is drawing zillions of people as it approaches its fourth anniversary this Saturday. With its major legal cases behind it, Pacha is a more stable property than it has been in years. With little or no danger of Pacha getting shut, the Hudson Terrace space becomes more viable. It's supremely hard to be the only joint in a location like 48th and the river. Pacha did it by spending major dollars on undeniable DJs. Hudson looks good to a lot of operators who think people might be used to the hood by now. I hear the Copacabana might be moving in.

Little hints on Facebook and by the drinking bars speak of the gut renovation of Ono and its transformation into Provocateur, which seems close to opening . This place is geared to make an impact, and I'm very curious to see what niche it will find. Will it draw from Avenue and 1Oak, or will it be just a better alternative to the Gates or Griffin set? Claims of the best place ever are circulating from folks who would say that. I hear Naeem Delbridge will be a manager. The scene right this second seems a bit predictable or dialed-in by management, and I and a lot of people are looking for something new. Shoot, I'm in Brooklyn every week nowadays, or enjoying dive bars yet again. The buzz about a renewed Beatrice and Jane and an Amy Sacco 17th Street entry are lights at the end of the tunnel.