Guys may come from Mars, and women from Venus, but Friday night dance parties are universal lingo. From glittering warehouses to stealth doors at intimate lounges, these slick floors ache for some unbridled dancing debauchery.

● Butter (NYC) - Friday night party Whipped is so fresh, most can't believe it's Butter. Resident hipster DJs Matt&Maia draw out big name fashion folks like Alexander Wang and the Ronsons and buddy up with special guest DJs like Interpol's Paul Banks. Mixed clientele harbor a serious need to put on their dancing Miu Mius.
● Cielo (NYC) - New York's dance addiction reigns supreme. Deep Space house heads maintain the sunken dance floor, which still attracts the pretty people looking to move something.

They are not your average married couple. The dynamic and outspoken duo that call themselves House of Diehl has a daughter, a party-filled life in New York City, and an avant-garde fashion company. Roman and Mary Jo have redefined the American dream and cultivated their own cutting-edge vision of what life and fashion mean. To them, life is fashion, especially when it's deconstructed and made into something revolutionary. Roman and MJ have taken their high-energy, one-of-a-kind show, Style Wars, on the road, dazzling fashionistas, style mavens, celebs and plain old party people across four continents. Style Wars kicks off with a whole new season of Scotch Tape binding, safety pin fastening, and jewel bedazzling this November. After watching the duo give a lecture on “how to cheapen your couture” at an event they call Glambulance at 92YTribeca in downtown Manhattan, they sat down with me for a vibrantly colorful chat.

For a decade now, Miami's citizens have flocked en masse to a party called Poplife. Initially created as an antidote to all that’s tried-and-trite in nightlife, the weekly throwdown blew up into a bona fide event-hosting group. The Poplife principals are Barbara Basti, Jake Jefferson and Aramis Lorie. Basti and Lorie are two of the original four founders; Jefferson came on board after he’d been sneaking into Poplife parties for so long that the other members decided to induct him into the crew. Together, the current threesome have devised some of the most incredible evenings in Miami, from bringing in record labels Fool’s Gold and Ghostly International during the town’s much-heralded Winter Music Conference to one-offs with everyone from Calvin Harris to Black Moth Super Rainbow.

Oh, ye old time tested and treasured art of the Bachelor Party. A rite of passage. It signifies an end of one era, heralds another, and reveals just how brilliant or sleazy your male counterparts may be (as if you didn’t already know). Some celebrate with strippers, steak, and one-night stands. Others keep it classy, opting for a day of golf, steak, and cigars. Whatever your forte, gentlemen, South Beach on the Ocean Drive home stretch has this male bonding event covered. A little bit cheesy, a little bit rock 'n' roll. Let the male bonding commence.

Stay: The Clevelander. Enough debauchery for your cousin; enough class for your fiancé’s brother.

Joaquin Phoenix is rising from the ashes of his abandoned acting career, reborn as a rapper. And tonight, when he grabs the mic for the first time at a Vegas club, his pal Casey Affleck will be there to record every jaw-dropping minute of it for a planned documentary about Phoenix's effort to subvert our expectations. When Phoenix announced his retirement to pursue a career in music, we thought it was going to be in some Dogstar meets 30 Odd Foot of Grunts mash-up --just Joaquin and some hometown boys jamming out on some psychedelic shit. Never did we think he'd be making a hip-hop record with P. Diddy as producer.

We tried for a top 10, but settled for 5. After all, we are in recession, people. If Cup O' Noodle and sparkling cider is on your New Year’s Eve menu, may we suggest rolling out a blanket on Ocean Drive and 8th Street for some free-of-charge fireworks viewing. If, however you wanna be a baller, consider the following.

1. The Mondrian Miami hotel is teaming up with Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth to ring in "Recessison," a.k.a. NYE 2009. Two hundred bucks will buy you an entry into the Sunset Lounge, where a 20-piece orchestra will mix with tunes spun by DJ Tavin. Resident eatery Asia de Cuba offers a range of packages depending on your wallet and/or appetite.
2. If you're a reality TV junky, head on up to the Shore Club, where Kristin Cavallari is set to make an appearance. Organized by Skybar and New York’s Tenjune, live performances will include Busta Rhymes, Ron Brownz, and Pras. Mos Def spins while you pay -- $275 to be exact.

Welcome back to another year of Art Basel. You've seen our first picks, now check out even more ideas for burning your arty candle at both ends this week. So many shows, so many parties, exhibitions, exhibitions within exhibitions. Whichever of many potential routes you take during these next five days, do yourself a favor and hit up a few of these choice events.

Wednesday, December 3
● Cartier Cocktail Party, Miami Beach Botanical Gardens. (2000 Convention Center Drive, 19th Street and Dade Boulevard), 6 p.m. Find someone with a VIP pass and latch on. AB sponsor Cartier tapped filmmaker David Lynch to play interior designer for their acclaimed 4,000-square-foot dome in the middle of the Botanical Gardens. If you’re diced from the cocktail reception, at least try to get inside to see the gold walls, hand-painted carpeting, a film Lynch created for the affair projected onto the ceiling, and specially-designed-for-Basel Cartier jewels abound.
● Honorable mention: “Jesus is My Homeboy” Exhibit, Wolfgang Roth & Partners Fine Art Gallery. 201 NE 39th Street, 2nd Floor, NE 2nd Avenue; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. WWJD. “Shock artist” David LaChappelle exhibits his take on it by juxtaposing Christ himself and bizarre modern settings. This one pushes the envelope – you won’t know whether to laugh or be disturbed. Also won’t be able to get enough.