As an update of sorts to our March look at Monkey Bar's preferred—and, yes, unpreferred—seating choices comes our boy Allen Salkin in today's Times to talk to proprietor and chief table-assigner Graydon Carter about his real estate and how he decides who gets it. Seems Graydon's on the same page as the special Eater operative who scribbled the above for us:
· A sunken area in the center of the dining room that you see when entering is known as "the pit." It is important to have "young, attractive people" at the first of two round tables in the pit, Mr. Carter said. "It gives a certain energy." [Translation: Siberia.]
· Pointing to the two tables on an elevated area to the right side of the room, he said these were for people looking for a quiet meal. [Translation: B-List.]
· On the opposite side of the room are four nice booths. "This is fashion and literary and young," he said. That night, Cynthia McFadden of ABC news; Liz Smith, the gossip columnist; and Marjorie Gubelmann, a socialite, were in those booths. [Translation: A-List.]
· And behind them was the most-prime real estate, a line of booths on the back wall overlooking the whole scene. "This is young and media moguls," Mr. Carter said, pointing to the booths, "and sort of single-name people." On that night, Calvin Klein, Rupert Everett, Prince Andrew, Ron Perelman and Louise Grunwald were in those booths. When Madonna comes in, she gets a back booth. [Translation: A+++ List.]
Also finally revealed: why the restaurant turned off its phone number (resys are via email only now, of course, if you're not one of the 90% of tables accorded to friends and associates of the owners). That reason: according to Carter's partner Jeff Klein, the joint was getting 1,000 phone calls a day. Mercy. No, really. Mercy.
· Many Called, but Few Were Seated [NYTimes]
· Monkey Bar's Emerging Social Stratification Revealed [~E~]