I love a good brief encounter. Just the other night, I ran into downtown sensation Justin Bond on First Avenue. He looked radiant, and raring to go for a night out. I was on my way to see The Wrestler. (He hadn’t seen it, but his cute friends said they liked the trailer.) “Well, I’m going to see people,” Justin said in his uncanny delivery, and he and his two pals were off to the Metropolitan Bar. Not a minute later, while en route to Sunshine Cinemas, I stopped into my local coffee shop for a surprisingly delicious vegan red velvet cupcake, and in walks BlackBook’s Icons issue cover star Matt Dillon. I was happy to hear that our story elicited such “great feedback -- I got so many emails and calls about it.” He had seen The Wrestler and gave it serious praise.

So where does the King of Cool prefer to dine when in New York? Matt Dillon prefers Greenwich Village's Bar Pitti. But forget about the al fresco dining in summertime beloved by other Pitti fans; paparazzi attention makes it impossible for Dillon, so he's looking forward to fall and the requisite retreat to the more private indoor tables. May we recommend the penne arabiata?

November is the "Icons" issue of BlackBook, and Matt Dillon takes the cover with ease. The mag hits newsstands today; inside we also profile Karl Lagerfeld, Perry Farrell, John Varvatos, Stella McCartney, and Philippe Starck, among others. Get it in print, and watch this space for highlights and exclusive extras. And take a gander at our complete cover gallery while you're here.

He sits alone, slouching on the phone at an outdoor table at the Maritime Hotel, in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. All grown up now, a little scruffy around the edges. Not in a bad way, just not trying to look perfect, wearing the kind of canvas jacket and jeans you might see on a handyman-style hipster.

Matt Dillon has been a movie star since 1979, when a film director spotted the 14-year-old, black Irish altar boy from New Rochelle cutting class one day, and promptly cast him in the anarchy-in-suburbia, teen angst drama Over the Edge.

For our November "Icons" issue, cinema king Matt Dillon reigns on the cover. Inside, you'll encounter the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Perry Farrell, John Varvatos, Stella McCartney, Philippe Starck, Chrissie Hynde, and more of their exalted ilk. Hits newsstands October 28, with online exclusives to come.