Lunch at Michael's: Al & Meredith Talk Skateboarding

On the menu today: a tasty stew of media moguls and television titans with a dash of talking heads to spice things up. After making the rounds and checking in with some of our favorite regulars, we were thrilled to chat with our good pals Today's Meredith Vieira and Al Roker. The always affable Ms. Vieira (who we've not seen at Michael's before) and Mr. Roker told lunchtime chronicler Diane Clehane that plans are in the works for the show to travel to China this summer to do some segments as a walk up to next year's blowout Olympic coverage in Beijing. "Meredith is going to be skateboarding on the Great Wall," joked Al. Somehow, we wouldn't put it past Today. Here's the rundown on the rest of the crowd: 1. The Early shift: Charlie Rose and Neal Shapiro; late shift: Cheri Kaufman of Kaufman Astoria Studios. 2. Nightline's Cynthia McFadden (sporting a great tan), Silda Wall Spitzer (wife of Governor Spitzer) and her director of Children for Children Margo Jones. 3. Mayor Joe Armstrong (who was happy to show us that Jimmy Buffett signed his "boot" which doubles as a vase on his last visit while Joe was away). Joe was dining with two lovely ladies: Dr. Sarah Simms Rosenthal and Jane Hartley. When we complimented Dr. Simms Rosenthal, an Ali McGraw lookalike, on her stunning summer ensemble, she told us she's actually turned last year's dress into a fabulous white embroidered skirt which she was wearing with a classic black T-shirt. Tres chic! 4. Time Inc.'s John Huey. 5. Gerald Schoenfeld, chairman of the Schubert Organization. 6. Fashion central: Cece Cord, Cameron Silver, owner of Decades, the haute Los Angeles boutique, Becca Cason Thrash and IMG's The Daily Jim Shi. (Thanks for filling us in, Jim!) 7. CBS Early Show producer Steve Cohen. 8. New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia, with the New York Times Geraldine Fabrikantand Shelby White, the co-benefactor of the new Shelby White-Leon Levy Greco-Roman wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 9. Gerry Byrne and Ad Age's Scott Donaton. 10. Bob Pittman and Gerry Inzerillo. 11. PR guru Bobby Zarem. 12. Mike Medavoy (who gave ex-wife Patricia Duff a cordial greeting as the blonde stunner made her way to her table) and a table full of gents including Allen Grubman. We were surprised to see the uber attorney taking a call at the bar ... 14. First up: Al Roker and Meredith Vieira. After the Today teammates departed, Peter Brown with surprise guest Renee Fleming settled in. The superstar soprano cooled her heels briefly in the lounge while a "quiet table" was located. She didn't want to shout over the din and strain her voice, we're told ... 15. Former Shop Etc. Cynthia Lewis with, we're told, the publisher of Latina magazine. 16. Today's Marc Victor and Bobbie Thomas. 17. Toni Goodale. 18. Patricia Duff with Debbie Bancroft and Tiffany Dubin. 19. Civilians. 20. Glamour's Cindi Leive and Dorothy Kalins, who left Newsweek to freelance and is writing for lots of magazines these days including Town & Country. 21. Today executive producer Jim Bell 22. Publishing powerhouse Jack Romanos. 23. Lin Claire. 24. Nick Rubenstein. 25. Kate Johnson who says she's dating Burt Reynolds (even though a little birdy told us the couple spilt months ago). 26. Heart hot shot Deb Shriver. 27. Hallmark prexy Henry Schleiff. 28. Brenda Siegel. 29. Stuart Rekant. Spotted on their way to the Garden Room: Jack Myers and Pamela Clarke Keogh. Please send comments and corrections to diane AT mediabistro DOT com & lunch at mediabistro DOT com.

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Lunch at Michael's: Al & Meredith Talk Skateboarding

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