The boys behind the Dime and Winston's are gearing up to open Crown Bar tonight and, after an exclusive tour this morning, it looks like this will be the brightest jewel in their, well, crown. Starting with tonight's opening bash, the hotshot promoters behind the Alliance will team up with Samantha Ronson to command Wednesday nights. Given their record, expect every celebrity worth an Us Weekly headline.

That's not to say the other nights of the week won't lure in buzz-worthy power players. If you ask me, the owners are even more exciting! Andy Fiscella is an actor signed with Endeavor; Chris Huvane is the West Coast Editor of GQ; and Beau Flynn is a producer. (Their connections help explain how their other venues have managed to stay hip long past L.A.’s usual expiration date.) For this venture, the power trifecta has also brought on Matt Lavin and Charlie Lew from Hardball Productions, which often works with the cool kids at Flaunt magazine.

Unlike the the Dime and Winston's, which both have a neighborhood New York City vibe, Crown Bar is Hollywood glam meets 1940s gentleman's club. Gavin Bordin of Vantage Design made it so there are three distinct areas—lounge, dining area, lush patio—situated around a circular white marble bar. He also gave it a color palette that ranges from milk chocolate (the banquettes) to mahogany (the floors, tables) to amber (the lighting).

Speaking of palette: I got a one-on-one with the very handsome chef Chris Ennis (formerly of Vibrato) who put together a menu he calls "American Bistro Bar." I'm especially excited for the green papaya salad, but manager Emily Maclure tells me it's all about the bacon burger and the celery-and-basil tortellini. Click here for more on the menu from one of my fave foodies.

If you're anything like me, you've already stopped reading this post and are trying to score dinner reservations for tonight. Not so fast! A dinner reservation won't get you past the velvet rope on Wednesdays. For now, restaurant service is available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I should also mention that Crown Bar will open at 5 p.m. on those nights for the nearby folks at Quixote Studios and the Lot who're bound to make this their new after-work hangout. How's that for a reason to rush out of work? I, on the other hand, work later hours and will be rushing out more often to catch Michelle Pesce, honestly my favorite DJ in the whole city.

Crown Bar just a few blocks away from Winston's on the same Santa Monica Boulevard stretch east of Fairfax, west of La Brea. It's right across the street from Trader Joe's. (No, this is not their logo.)

—Alexandra Le Tellier

Basque always knew how to heat up a room figuratively (sexy burlesque dancers performed behind windows at the bar) and literally (clubbers had no choice but to walk through the smoking room at the entrance). This morning, however, it took on a whole new meaning when it caught on fire at 5:30 a.m. It took more than 100 firefighters (that's 23 fire engines) and two hours to get the flames under control, according to KTLA. No one is believed to have been trapped inside, but officials can't confirm injuries or casualities at this time. What can be confirmed? The building is under demolition 

—Alexandra Le Tellier