Actor/writer/onetime TV quizmaster Ben Stein laments the imminent shuttering of his favorite L.A. power eatery, where he went to observe the restaurant's A-list patrons, become entangled in feuds with Joan Rivers, and get ignored by a new generation of celebrity trainwrecks: "At its peak, however, Morton's was the ultimate. In 1994, it moved across the street, and it was better than ever, with more space between tables, more light and, best of all, it was open for lunch. In fact, it was at lunch there that I saw and fell hopelessly in love with Britney Spears. (She ignored me.) BUT times change. I have no idea where the beautiful people went, but fewer of them were going to Morton's. (Many big players now have their own chefs.) It still drew a rich crowd, but not the famous crowd it used to have, and the gorgeous girls who used to be at the bar were gone. [NY Times]