Whether strolling through a bustling metropolis or driving along a forgotten, corn-edged byway, you can always find a diner. It's practically our birthright as Americans. Diners are a symbol of what once was, a 99-cent slice of history frozen in time. Menus never change, staying reliably identical. The coffee is always brewing, if slightly burnt. Diners are the only establishments where harsh, overhead lighting actually makes you feel more cozy. My ideal diner sits far off some desert road, where a middle-aged woman called Dolores calls me toots and smacks her gum as she pours me a hot cuppa joe. But, seeing as I dwell on the isle of Manhattan, I've resolved to seek out that same lingering feeling, that same sweet and savory On the Road deliciousness in the city. My goal is to hit up as many diners as possible in an attempt to determine who has the best staples of diner cuisine: coffee, eggs, and pie.

Summer is supposed to spell glory for your bathing suit—and your body—but it seems I've returned to the island of Manhattan after my August getaways feeling ready to prematurely dip into the knitwear I'll be hiding in for the rest of the year. After a music festival, a (gourmet) beach wedding, and some stressful encounters with bakeries, I find that I'm now more sluggish and paunchy than refreshed and ready to take on autumn. With just a few short weekends of beachwear left, I've realized that my mostly healthy lunch stops aren't as forgiving as I pretend they are and instead decided to seek out some truly healthy, detoxifying—without getting all Gwyneth Paltrow-y—lunch options. My first find: Jus outside of Coffee Shop in Union Square.

Amanda Lepore's BIG*TOP, a weekly Wednesday night party that started last night, is.. well, over the top. It is a triumph of glitz, glam and, more importantly, fun. All the usual and unusual gathered for this 3-ring purpose. We often judge these "fashion fag" events by the familiar faces, the cast of tried and true characters who have shaped this scene for decades. Their presence laid credence and their attendance was often the barometer of success. What I saw yesterday was much better. A new generation as magnificently styled, as beautiful and as relevant as days of yore has taken over. They needn't be defined by what was, but do carry respect for those like hosts Kenny Kenny and Amanda Lepore who have, for eons, broke it out, tore it and wore it without getting worn out. Many of the legends who led the way have moved on to live on farms or become stylists to the stars or some such thing and are not seen as often at these galas. Of course many have succumbed to the pains that are inevitably the price of their past pleasures. Having attended the services of Marc Berkley earlier in the evening I was melancholy as I walked to Amanda’s soiree. A chill spring wind added to the mood. Then sparkles from a glass-enhanced sidewalk broke the spell. If I were king of the forest all sidewalks would dazzle.

Peter Shapiro, the owner of Williamsburg’s music venue/bowling alley Brooklyn Bowl, has been a mainstay in the New York music scene since the mid-’90s when he purchased TriBeCa jam band headquarters Wetlands at the age of 23. Environmentally conscious and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, Brooklyn Bowl is packed every night of the week. With Bowery Presents promoter Josh Moore and Brooklyn Bowl’s Will Griggs, Shapiro books talent from Snoop Dogg to Galactic to Neon Indian. More on upcoming events and the path to hipster and commercial success after the jump.

With Spring comes a veritable shift in nightlife. Not only are rooftops reopening and patios getting their shine on, but people start feeling inspired to jumpstart their social life and there are plenty of new offerings vying to be the jumper cables. Simonez makes a jump to Pravda on Wednesday nights (an attendees sardonic review: "Like the Vanity Fair Oscar party combined with being backstage at Woodstock"), and Mike has started using his Apartment to shoot rap videos. Meanwhile, all wait with baited breath to see what will become of the old Nells/new Scott and Richie spot, which is set to open next month.

Every day without fail Senior Editor Nick Haramis comes over to Assistant Editor Ben Barna's desk and debates lunch. They aren't necessarily arguing about where to go, they're arguing about logistics, how quickly they want to eat, type of food and, most importantly, the length of walk, since the selection of good eating around Union Square is sprinkled throughout the Flatiron, Gramercy and even Greenwich Village. Here, a list of what is getting Seamless Webbed, called in and brought back to the BlackBook offices during the workday lunch.

Lowdown: This is Manhattanites' Friday night. Whipped has moved to Baddies, the hipster alcoholics moving closer to their hipster roots. Hot Now: ● CV (Lower East Side) - Something has finally been done with the over-saturated spot formerly known as 105 Rivington. Let's see how long this minor revamp will last. ● BEast(Chinatown) - Main Man, Ryan McGinley's night of debauchery, is still in swing. Expect a Misshape or two, Sophia Lamar, and a band of insiders. ● Coffee Shop (Union Square) - One of the true day clubs, chocked full of promoters networking via text message; the basement named USL will be making random appearances throughout the week. Avenue, Boom Boom Room and 1Oak are still great standbys for good times, while the down-belows like Macao's basement opium den, is also great. ● Baddies (West Village) - The former Butter party was screwed with until it finally flew the coop to the basement bar of Kingswood. Resident hipster DJs Matt & Maia draw out big name fashion folks like Alexander Wang and the Ronsons.

Well that was fast. Mardi Gras is fin, and most New Yorkers were too distracted or bleary-eyed from the long weekend to get truly fat on Fat Tuesday. Now Lent is here and people have rushed into giving things up and fasting and otherwise resorting to being good and decent people for the next 40 days. What does this mean for New York nightlife? Judging from the long lists of places to-go and people to-see, I'd say not much. This week we've got Brooklynites saying Bryant Park what? as they host a fashion week(end) of their own, while Oak takes it upon itself to get its own magazine credits by releasing another issue of their popular Oak.a.zine fashion rag. Hotel Rivington tries out a new party with the old dogs from Stereo, people flood Rose Bar to see if they can't shmooze their way into Nur Khan's new Kenmare, StyleCaster hits up Goldbar and free booze tries its damnedest to revive Happy Endings.

In partnership with the aspirationally driven folks at HBO's How to Make It in America, we're proud to offer you the chance to achieve a personal gold standard by unlocking the exclusive BlackBook Nightlife badge on Foursquare. Make HTMIIA your Foursquare friend, then check into any 3 of 20 possible New York nightlife or dining destinations (restaurants are the new nightlife, you know), and you'll get the shiny new Foursquare badge pictured here. Soon we may provide an even more material motivation to have fun with this, but for now, download the BlackBook Guide iPhone app and start hitting the hotspots. Complete list of eligible joints after the jump.

"We're trying to keep it beachy but not too homeless-looking," stylist Dennis Lanni said about the hair at Lacoste during last February's Fall Fashion Week. As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2010 kicks off today, alongside Blizzard Week 2010, the fashionistas descending upon Bryant Park can only hope to walk that fine line themselves. You may end up on the side of homeless-looking, lest you have your own personal umbrella holder, Jimmy Choo buffer and car service to the tents, but that doesn't mean you should stay away. Stuff your feet into your LL Bean waterproof blizzard-booties and hit up the after parties. Because who needs the shows when you have free booze? If you're the fashion-y type, but not exactly the fashion show type, the Barneys Warehouse sale starts this week. If you couldn't give a hoot about fashion week, free booze or warehouse sales, there are a few good shows to snow-shoe your way to. For shows of a different kind, head up to Bryan Park and watch show-goers slip and eat it in their couture. Lord knows I might be one of them.