Pissed that we're in the midst of an unauthorized war in Libya? Upset that Guantanamo Bay is still open? Think that health care legislation last year was watered down? You can tell President Obama yourself at a series of fundraisers that he's holding in Manhattan on Thursday, but it won't be cheap. A dinner at four-star Upper East Side restaurant Daniel will cost you $35,800 a plate, while tickets to the LGBT Leadership Gala start at $1,250, but a performance of Sister Act to benefit the campaign with the president in attendance is a steal at $250 (you could also spring for the $10,000 VIP seats that include a photo). more ›

A lawyer for a former bartender at Cafe Boulud is filing a class action lawsuit against the restaurant's parent company and famed chef/restaurateur Daniel Boulud, claiming that his client was fired after he voiced concerns about unsanitary conditions behind the bar. Specifically, Arie Ohayon says he witnessed a bar manager putting ice in customers' drinks with her bare hands. The lawsuit also alleges that the same manager put tools inside clean ice bins. more ›

The Charlie Sheen frothing saga just can't stop, won't stop providing the gory, decadent details. Sheen was actually lucky that his coke-and-prostitute filled bender ended inside the relative confines of the Eloise Suite, since the night almost came to an abrupt end in the bathroom of the fancy Daniel restaurant. Some innocent diner could have easily walked in on Sheen in coke facepaint with his pants around his ankles, after his special lady friend refused to have sex with him in the bathroom. “When the assistant opened the door, there was Charlie standing there naked with cocaine all over his face! He was delusional and just completely lost. Totally out of it,” a source told RadarOnline. more ›

Sophia and Jayden surpassed Isabella and Daniel to become the most popular baby names in NYC, according to the Health Department's annual report [pdf] on infant nomenclature. 872 newborn males were named Jayden (the most popular name for black and Hispanic boys) and 511 newborn females were named Sophia (the most popular name among Asians). Madison became a new favorite for girls born to black families, while Ashley was the most popular girl’s name for Hispanic families. For white babies, Daniel is #1 for boys, and Olivia for girls. And as usual, there were some novelties in the mix. more ›

In 2007, a high-water mark in white truffle excess was reached when Le Cirque owner Sirio Maccioni dropped $7,000 on a 1.1 pound white Alba truffle. Now see how the mighty have fallen: Last year NYC restaurateurs were outbid for the biggest truffle of the season by Chicago, and this year Philadelphia has made the Big Apple look like small potatoes. Philly steakhouse Barclay Prime just outbid Daniel for the biggest truffle to hit town this year, a 1.1 pound monster bought for $4,100. Grub Street has video of that bad boy, which sure could upgrade plenty of cheese steak sandwiches. Of course, as Mauro Maccioni once told us, "what really matters is firmness, not size." more ›

This week in the Village Voice, Robert Sietsema has his turn with The John Dory (photos), the new seafood place from the owners of The Spotted Pig. He concurs that "the menu is sometimes shockingly expensive. On our first visit, a half-dozen oysters set us back $24." But some items are worth it, like the cod milt (fish sperm, $16), "a dish that defines just how far the menu will go to deliver novel seafood sensations. While this may conjure up images of ejaculating fish and hapless under-chefs running after them with paper cups, the semen comes in a sac that fries up like sweetbreads. For aficionados of weird food, it's delicious." And Sarah DiGregorio loves Bushwick's Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos, where "the tortillas are wonderful: thick, slightly chewy, and fragrant." more ›

On day three of the StarChefs ICC, Daniel Boulud spoke about his two American chef de cuisines: "Sometimes Damian (Sansonetti) and Jim (Leiken) cook better French food than me!" This got some laughs, especially from the French cooks in the audience, but evidence suggests that Boulud was being sincere. more ›

Daniel: After a major renovation, chef Daniel Boulud has reopened Daniel with a flashy new look, courtesy designer Adam D. Tihany. Eater, which has gorgeous photos, deems the new space “cleaner, brighter, less stuffy.” And, presumably, still cost-prohibitive for dogs like us. But if you’ve got the Euros, by all means, enjoy the four star French-stasy. 60 East 65th Street, (212) 288-0033 more ›

In addition to taking your money, an increasing number restaurants are also taking video of your dining experience, at least according to the Post’s trend-spotting Carla Spartos. She notes five Manhattan restaurants that use closed-circuit video cameras to record customers in their dining rooms: Boqueria, the four star Daniel, Dos Caminos, Philippe, and Momofuku Noodle Bar. more ›