So if I'm beating a dead horse, let me know, but I have a feeling the Travertine/XIX space is not dead at all. It is getting more free ink here than the people at Fineline Tattoo are giving out this Saturday in honor of Sailor Jerry's 101st birthday. I love all the players at Travertine, even the players who aren't players anymore and possibly never were. It gets confusing as everyone is nice and every story is completely believable. So were's the beef? I promised the owner and former chef Danae Cappelletto a chance to speak her piece. She only speaks Australian so it was a rough go a couple of times. We were being all Facebook-fuzzy nice when I told her about the lawsuit her company threatened me and Blackbook with in a legal letter put out yesterday. The Facebook exchange went as follows. I will translate when the Australian gets too thick. I'll also correct some spelling.

So this Travertine/XIX piece I posted Friday seems to have stirred the pot. I think that metaphor is a little weak -- it was more like the chubby kid doing a cannonball and drenching the sunbathers by the pool. There's even a lawyer involved now, although who he represents isn't clear to me. The weekend was spent conversing through various media with the players involved.

Nightlife is sometimes a game of musical chairs. Sometimes those chairs move around, go up and down, disappear two at a time, or even come back. As my 8- year-old-niece might say, "It gets wonky." That Travertine, XIX space is being redefined once again. As reported here earlier, Mark Baker and Artan Gjoni came on to finally get the restaurant working right, but now we learn that main man Ruben Rivera has quit and moved over to W.i.P., which just gets better and better. Ruben will man the door and add his flair to the totally hip spot. He is the real deal, one of the most talented people in the business. I adore Mark Baker and Artan, but am leery about them going forward without Ruben.

This Friday, a list of top-of-the-line owner/promotion types are throwing a bash at the newly restored Liberty Theatre in Times Square. This Gangs of New York bash is a Halloween party with super star DJs Felix the Housecat, Behrouz, and Sneak entertaining what figures to be a massive turnout. I took a tour of the old theater and talked to Mark Baker and designer Ray Trosa about the space and its future use.

Personally, I’m a Hamptons Shmamptons kind of guy. I must admit, I have spent many a winter weekend in Montauk beach-combing and walking puppies, but the mayhem and traffic and insanity of the “season” always left me limp. This weekend, I will absolutely enjoy the empty city. Mark Baker, however, will not. The nightlife guru has been “Hamptoning” when most of you were riding in the back of the car in children’s seats, spitting up on yourselves. Mr. Baker, with his James Bond-ish manner, is getting his game plan together, and is ready to shine this summer with his new club, Elm.

With the world seeing its horrible future unfold every day on TV, many are choosing to bury their heads in the sands of Charlie Sheen and American Idol gossip. Others have chosen to try to help. This horrible crisis makes me worry. If anything, the Japanese seem better than us at most technological things, and if they can’t get a handle on this, then what will happen when one of our own nuclear reactors suffers a similar “glitch.”

The long delayed Camille Becerra restaurant on Orchard and Rivington is nearing completion. It’s amazing how fast the pieces come together once the bones of a place are in order. Upon completion of the wiring, the plumbing walls are closed up and the installation of finishes is a relatively short process. I felt very satisfied with the feel of the place as I left it yesterday afternoon. I headed to the Juice Press on 1st and 1st to reboot. A crowd of the beautiful people surrounded club god Mark Baker, who is hawking the place. It’s a win-win for the newly svelte Mr. Baker, who gets paid and fit with the new gig. Afternoon informal juice parties with familiar club gods, celebrities, models, and bottles filled with healthy nectars, have become common. I’m obsessed with the watermelon juice and kale chips. I’m going to live to be 100.

● The Juice Press (East Village) - Rejoice in rejuvenation at this downtown health spot, stocked with fresh juice, raw sandwiches, and live organic produce. ● Coach Men's Store (West Village) - First men's-only shop for legendary leather maven.

Club icon Mark Baker is best known for running A-list joints and hanging with the fastest of crowds. His following is a “who’s who” list of jet-setters, trendsetters, celebrities and the beautiful. His club history is a “where’s where" of the best joints in 20 years. He is currently the go to guy over at Juliet Supper Club.What many don’t know about Mr. Baker is that he is an athlete too. Those used to seeing him tool around in a Ferrari don’t realize that back in 1978, he was the European skateboard champ. Mark has joined up with my man Marcus Antebi to open up a small outpost of healthy satisfaction called the Juice Press on 1st Avenue and 1st Street. Here you can offset the jet-set lifestyle, including all the stress, bad intakes and imbibes of nightlife. According to Marcus, their juice can even cure a hangover. I caught up with this dynamic duo and asked them a few questions about the venture.

At first, it may seem like an odd fit: the street wise Ruben Rivera from the block, manning up at the door at the very non-street club, Juliet. Juliet Supperclub is a home run. The old opera/area space on a forgotten factory/gallery block in Chelsea was never supposed to happen. Jon B., the crafty, never-say-die, owner was trying to get rid of the space and couldn’t find a buyer, so he went for it and created one of the most financially viable places around. Jon B. (who will never be known as John “A”—and likes it that way) brought in big time player, Bon Vivant and international man of mystery, Mark Baker, celebrity chef (and my pal) Todd English, ex-Norwood superhero Artan Gjoni and his usual cast of characters to brand his West 21st Street restaurant/club. Jon, at Mark Baker’s insistence, added an unusual cast member… Ruben Rivera. Mark and Ruben worked together at Mansion. Shattered dreams often result in life long friendships. He wants to use the connections he’s made at the door to be an actor. He’s been doing that since 1994 when he appeared in Carlito’s Way with Al Pacino.