Every field of endeavor has its icons, and nightlife is no different. To be an icon in this world, one has to be successful and stay relevant. After all, you’re only as good as your last party. For every genuine icon, there are swarms of scenesters who occupy the pantheon in their own minds -- putting the “I” and “con” in the word. But it takes a certain amount of swagger to succeed in this business, so they should be forgiven. Besides, they are always the easiest people to shop for around Christmas: any mirror will do. Listed below are my six New York City club icons -- solo artists and teams -- and the up-and-comers with the potential to replace them, if only their predecessors would move to India (or somewhere even more remote, like Brooklyn).

Way back in August at The Smile, I spoke to Jesse Eisenberg as part of a profile on the actor for our October issue. The self-conscious, fiercely self-critical thespian was easily the most reluctant star I had ever spoken to. Weary of the system he so relied on, terrified of the fame he was most likely destined for, Eisenberg struck me as giant paradox. But you kind of felt it--there was no turning back. And sure enough since then, Zombieland has tasted the zeitgeist (thank you, cameo), is a bona fide box office hit (and franchise!), and Eisenberg is officially a movie star. And then there's that thing about starring as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg opposite Justin Timberlake in David Fincher's new movie. Yeah, that can't help.

Jesse Eisenberg hates going to the movies. “I get anxious watching them because I’m aware of the artifice,” says the 25-year-old elfin star of such heartfelt coming-of-age tales as The Squid and the Whale and Adventureland. “I start to feel like I’m part of that.” By the end of this year, Eisenberg will have filmed more movies than he’s seen. (He’s only caught three.) And don’t even get him started on the torture of seeing himself on camera. “My therapist made me watch the trailer for [my upcoming film] Zombieland as immersion therapy.”

The owners of Noho's mixed-use hotspot, The Smile, Carlos Quirarte and Matt Kliegman have done their best to turn their joint into the coolest clubhouse in town. Located in a circa-1830's Bond Street building, the bar effortlessly fuses a rustic cafe and boutique with the basement tattoo parlor of legendary ink artist, Scott Campbell. The pair may also be spotted at the the Jane Hotel Ballroom, which they run after the sun goes down.

Harley Viera-Newton and Cassie Coane have been deemed New York nightlife "It" girls more than they care to get into. Both NYU students, originally from Los Angeles, they've somewhat surprisingly secured nights at the hottest, hipster-esque venues in town. They started DJing as a side gig at recently-shuttered Beatrice Inn, which led to nights at Lit Lounge and Avenue in addition to working private events. The longtime best friends are known for their absolutely comical bickering, and have an East Village Radio show, Teenage Kicks -- where they dispute freely and jam out to obscure punk. BlackBook talks to the sensible nightlife duo about the balance of being successful girl DJ's and having a damn good time while doin' it.

I entered the historic Jane Hotel (see gallery) and was hit by a wave of nostalgia. It was here that I tried my first attempt to make money at clubbing. It was at that time a decrepit hotel with a balcony all around. Hotelier/proprietor Sean MacPherson showed me where this upper level was. "It was kind of silly, as it blocked the windows." I told him that my deal was revenue-sensitive and that I actually jumped behind the bar to replace a rather slow (in many ways) bartender. Even then, I wouldn't tolerate incompetence. It was a rough punk crowd with mohawks, torn jeans, and stomping boots. I think the Undead, a band I managed, were on stage, or was it "Khmer Rouge"? Time and impatience burn brain cells. The party was tattooed in my cerebrum when a leather-clad hardcore menace leaped from the balcony onto the bar as I served up a couple of brews. It was bedlam, and lots of fun.

Serge Becker is a partner in New York dining and nightlife staples like The Box, Joe's Pub, Café Select, and La Esquina. His stake in the nightlife industry began as art director at Area and continued with his involvement in some of the city’s most exclusive spots (MK and Bowery Bar). Currently, he's taking a break from nightlife and exercising his green thumb.

How did you start in this business?
I started as Eric Goode's art director at Area, doing art installations. There were six or seven of us that were the core group.

There is so much chatter about The Smile at 26 Bond Street. The blogosphere is abuzz about this concept of general store/cafe/tattoo parlor, and when I took a tour back in February, I felt then that this was going to be a special shop. So this morning at 12:30 a.m., co-owner Carlos Quirarte and I had a chat. I asked him what he felt like less than 10 hours from the opening, and he told me that after 9 months of trying to make things perfect he had "only a little anxiety. ... I'm psyched to be opening, and I feel at ease because the place has an amazing crew." The Smile will open only for lunch (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for the first few weeks, with a limited menu.

Like ships steering into a typhoon wind, a number of places are on the verge of opening in this awful business climate. First up is super-chic café The Smile at 26 Bond Street, run by Matt Kliegman and Carlos Quirarte, which I believe will capture the imagination of the neighborhood hip set. I’ve heard they only have a beer and wine license, which I’m trying to confirm, but they will definitely be serving food. Official opening date is March 8, but I took a tour of the place while it was under construction, and it's simply wonderful. The downstairs tenant is renowned tattoo artist Scott Campbell, which is a hot twist. I wish them well. The local tenants (through their condo associations) don’t seem pleased about nocturnal business on the block, but I am told that there is a much gentler wind blowing regarding licensing at the SLA. There is a novel concept being circulated that bars, clubs, and restaurants mean jobs and tax dollars, and that is a good idea. Change in SLA board members is predicted to ease the backlog of licensing and get things back to a semi-logical decision process. All hail.