“One of the reasons we decided to sign on is because it’s the first building in New York that famed architect and interior designer Thierry Despont has done, not only the hotel rooms, but the hotel lobby bar, the restaurant dining room, special events room, and the lounge,” says nightclub owner and restaurateur Jeffrey Jah of his newest midtown New York eatery, The Lambs Club. With partners David Rabin and Will Regan, Jah brought on Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and his wife Margaret to concoct the traditional American menu, with a focus on seasonal items in the opulent, 1930s-inspired space. Sasha Petraske's cocktails rise to the level of the elegant decor as well, with such singular concoctions as the Gold Rush and Cherry Fix gracing the menu.

Around 9:30 p., on Friday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, a modest line trickles into the fluorescent-lit entrance to see Ra Ra Riot. It's a rather cute crowd of post-grads in bouclé jackets and tidy jeans—a far cry from the swarm of neon tank tops, striped button-ups, and gelled hair we passed at the neighboring Sea Thai Bistro just moments before. The block is alive, livelier, even, than the last show I had caught on the block a mere 4 months ago. And it's not just the block; the whole drag is more diverse and overrun than what I had gotten used to. Punky girls still pout on street corners, and half of the neighborhood still looks as if they're lost members of Belle & Sebastian, but for the most part, Williamsburg doesn't discriminate. Before my partner in crime and I made it over to North 6th Street, we were lured away from an overly-crowded sidewalk by signs advertising frozen margs in Vera Cruz, a Mexican spot on Bedford. A few older, pot-bellied men sat at the bar alongside what seemed to be a sorority date function. When the food is good and the drinks are cold, the crowds don't care who they're sitting next to.

We did it last year, when this interview series was borned, and back then our pal Rachel Uchitel was #2 to a doorman. No more! Half a million pageviews later, Rachel, you're second to none, but we're retiring your number. It's time to make way for the class of 2009.

Author Brantly Martin, once a wonder boy of New York City nightlife, has returned from exile, purgatory, marriage, overseas, and five or six other speculated places armed with a 200-plus page book that's is the buzz about town. “Which is worse?” a savvy pal asked me, "To be in it or not be in it?” Pillage describes some days and some nights in the life of the model/promoter/owner club set in decidedly non-PG rated terms; there’s more sex and drugs than Woodstock. As I read it, I became increasingly revolted, then jealous, then revolted, then I laughed and was revolted again. It’s a rollercoaster ride through the world of the young, rich, beautiful, and passionately immoral. Brantly seems to have come to terms with his demons. He is actually married to a beautiful Italian woman and lives in Rome. He admits to being the main character of the tome ("Cracula"). He is super hush-hush about the identities of the other characters and wouldn’t give me even one. In this case, the names have been changed to protect the guilty -- but I managed to poke my rather cute nose in some of the right places and came up with a few reveals.

Manhattan's hottest club and the minds behind it.

What clubs offer that bars and lounges generally don’t is sound and DJs. There are a few guys at the top of the heap in the sound world, and Daniel Agne is one of those guys. If the sound is crisp and clear, chances are that the club owner spent a great deal of cash to make that happen. As a designer, sound considerations are a day-one thing. The open entrance to the mezzanine level at Marquee with no apparent break to stop the bleed from the main floor was a major design move. The padded ceiling and columns and front of the bar at Home overcame the tremendous bounce from the hardwood floors, brick walls, and concrete ceilings. Joe Lodi hid bass speakers behind banquettes and added a scoop that pushed the sound where it needed to be. The club world is never as easy as people think, and I hope this interview with Daniel gives you insight on the process of sound installation

A game of musical chairs is being played by most of the major promotional entities as the summer roof season is upon us. While the highly successful 230 Fifth will still dominate this market just as the Empire State Building dominates its incredible view, some places remain unsettled or don't have a clear opening date due to a myriad of problems. Highbar is getting a quick polish, while the roof at the Stay Hotel is still under construction. Mixed reports come from Cabanas and The Park, and the highly-touted Above Allen will finally get to open its windows amidst hopes that the sound spill doesn't disturb too many hotel guests and nearby residents. Daemon O'Neil, Rose Bar's patient, sweet, and very good-looking door guru (not to be confused with Damion Luaiye), is packing his clipboard and heading over to the Bazaar Bar at the upcoming Trump Soho hotel. The economic downturn, a weak dollar, and a laundry list of safety issues make travel abroad a lot less attractive this season. I hear reports that Hamptons summer rentals are sluggish, yet the Surf Lodge in Montauk is riding high.

Nightlife impresario Dirk Van Stockhom on his new venture at 98 Kenmare Street, being a 13-year-old English playboy, and why Sudan is the new global hotspot.

DJ Todd Mallis on being born with a DJ's name, why you'll never be Amy Sacco, and how people in the scene can go from green to dark if they aren't careful.

I was asked by my editor to compile a list of the best joints on any given night -- i.e. Mondays at Butter or Tuesdays at Rose Bar. As I travel in and enjoy many scenes, I answered the question as where you might find me on any given night. As has been pointed out constantly in the comments section, I am a flaming schizophrenic, so what I feel like doing one night might not apply a week later. That said, here are my choices, with explanations and alternatives for the left side of my brain.