When we told you about Macondo’s menu and its genius outdoor bar stools earlier this week, we had only a cell-phone photo to offer, but let’s face it, that doesn’t do justice to Creme Design’s handiwork. That’s why we asked our photographer Melissa Hom to go on a shooting spree — she came back with some lovely shots of fishbowl lights, iridescent-bubble-gum-and-chocolate booths, white-leather-and-pin-striped banquettes with adjustable armrests, color-changing lights, and, probably our favorite touch, the fruit baskets on the ceiling. We’ll let you discover the bathroom’s chalkboard walls for yourself — make sure to thank Grub Street when you write on them.

At dinner with Chicago chef and recent Top Chef judge Art Smith last night, we learned that the James Beard Award–winner is taking notes from Charlie Trotter and plans to open his own New York restaurant. The meal, a “secret supper” launch of Santa Margherita's new Chianti Classico wine, involved being whisked away by car to an undisclosed location. It turned out to be David Bouley’s test kitchen, so we were safe. “I think probably in the next year or so we’ll come to New York with a restaurant,” Smith said. “I’d love something that’s not about waiting four months to get into.”

Last time we checked in with neighbors Cordato's and the Pussycat Lounge, they were in a fight for their lives with hotelier Sam Chang. According to The Real Estate, however, that changed in May when Chang sold 96 Greenwich to Pussycat owner Robert Kremer for $2.5 million. Kremer recently celebrated by installing a small lap-dance room, meaning that after 35 years, dancers are no longer confined to shaking their moneymakers behind the bar.

What to make of the Country Club, the lounge that Guest of a Guest reports will open next Wednesday in the short-lived Dirty Disco’s space at 248 W. 14th Street? According to a press release, it’ll be a “contemporary interpretation of classic clubhouse lounges found in early 20th century country clubs throughout the United States and Great Britain.” Designer Jeanie Ziering says she was inspired by a vision of “the Rolling Stones recording an album at a traditional English Manor and the environment that would be left upon the album’s completion.” There will indeed be live music at the venue, as well as D.J.'s, of course. The menu, meanwhile, will consist of Truffled Grilled Cheese, “Pigs in a Blanket” Lollipops, and a variety of flavored popcorn such as Sweet Georgia Pecan and Chocolate Chunk & Caramel. Gourmet popcorn aside, this place sounds like a replay of Manor, which recently closed nearby, but we’ll wait to see how it comes together. When we peeked in earlier this week it was still under construction.

The Country Club Of New York Almost Ready To Open [Guest of a Guest]

Everyone’s favorite online ordering tool, Seamless Web, which recently partnered with Zagat, now has a Facebook page, and they’ve posted edgy, viral videos on it in which a couple of bros order “fried water” and stuff! We doubt you’ll have the patience to watch, so we’ll just give you the good news coming out of the Seamless camp: You can now place orders for pickup rather than just delivery! Meanwhile, a friend of Grub Street, Hugh Gallagher, is at work on a tell-all about working at the place. Literary agents and movie producers, we invite you to read this exclusive snippet, and contact us if you have a million dollars to offer for The Devil Orders Enchiladas.

The blogger feud seems to have cooled, but Guest of a Guest and Down by the Hipster are still being catty with each other. DBTH hit last night’s Interview party at Delicatessen and wrote, “We spotted everyone who is anyone, including that girl you like and her cousin, the guy who did that thing that makes everyone jealous,” prompting Guest of a Guest to condescend: “I was personally pleased to see Scott [Solish, a.k.a. DBTH] try his hand at normalcy for a change, actually appearing at the new hot spot to give us the details, while we were in Montauk chowing down on Sam Talbot’s burgers.” Oh, Montauk! That’s gotta sting! DBTH then linked to the post in which GoaG writers Scott Buccheit and Naeem Delbridge promised the Eldridge would be “more exclusive and luxurious than anything currently out there,” and decided it was “just those two being silly.” We await Guest of a Guest’s next jab — we’re pretty sure it’ll involve playing lawn darts with Surf Lodge owner Jamie Mulholland.

On the Circuit: Interview at Delicatessen! [DBTH]
Delicatessen “Hip” Enough For DBTH [GoaG]
The Eldridge Will Blow Your Mind [DBTH]
Earlier: Down by the Hipster Responds to Latest Dis From Guest of a Guest

Yesterday, Guest of a Guest recapped a night of parties and caught its breath just long enough to tell us that Matt Levine, owner of Steelo Clothing, is opening a club called the Eldridge within the next couple of weeks. “We know you’ve all heard this before,” GoaG shills, “but we believe this time it’s true. The Eldridge is going to be unlike any club in New York City. The Eldridge is going to be more exclusive and luxurious than anything currently out there. It is going to raise the bar of New York nightlife. And that’s all we can say…for now.” Of course, we can tell you a little more.

When Starbucks released a partial list of store closures this week, Grub Street exhaled upon learning that the only New York location affected was in Staten Island. That was until we saw the complete list. Now, three other boroughs are in mourning. Midtown Manhattan will suffer the worst casualties, with six closures. We'll pour out some latte for the 340 Madison Avenue location — two blocks from our old office — which was clearly affected by New York's move downtown. The Glendale neighborhood of Queens lost two Starbucks, and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, will soon find itself short a Starbucks as well. These stores will close sometime in 2009, but Starbucks isn't done yet. The company said it would "continue to update the confirmed store list."

Starbucks to Close 10 Stores In New York by Mid-2009 [NYT]
Full List of U.S. Store Closures [Starbucks Corp.]

Earlier: Starbucks to Close 600 Stores, Lay Off 1,200 Employees

Today a blog checks in with the Tailor team a year after its opening. Of course, our series the Launch was in large part responsible for the hype surrounding Sam Mason’s debut, so we read the interview with interest. Mason shrugs off the “field day” that critics — who he thinks are increasingly bloodthirsty — had with him, and doesn’t care whether they rereview him: “I'm fine with them going on to their new restaurants to bash.” Chicago, Mason thinks, is the “best food city in the country” because the media isn’t as negative. Aside from Mason’s ruminations about the savory/sweet, small/big plate, booze/food dichotomies, the real news here is that Tailor may start serving brunch at the end of the summer! No new restaurant in the works, though we’re thinking the next one will be in Chi-town.

Update: Speaking of Tailor and negative press, cocktailian Rick Stutz live-blogs a lecture from Tales of the Cocktail, the New Orleans mixology conference. Says Eben Freeman: “I don’t care if you made bad drinks. I don’t care if you steal my ideas. Just don’t talk shit about me on your blogs.”