Michael Mina Parties Hard Before Tuesday Opening

On Saturday night, we hit Michael Mina's pre-opening party at 252 California where the 90s hit-playing DJ and live drummer took up enough sound waves to make idle chatter nearly impossible. The joint was cram-packed with a nicely dressed crowd, willing to wait in alarmingly long lines for a drink. High heels, suits, air waves and dark lighting took over the dance floor as the night wore on. Click through for some hangover observations.

· Michael Mina was in his element, working the crowd and all smiles. He said a few words as the night wore on.

· Notable chefs in attendance included Jeremy Fox, Traci Des Jardins, Staffan Terje and Dominique Crenn. Bauer's honey Michael Murphy and Anna Weinberg of Marlowe appeared to arrive together. And Andrew Zimmern and Chris Cosentino showed up after a long day of offal and filming at Off the Grid. [Correction: Anna Weinberg tells us she actually arrived with her husband James, Tyler Florence and his wife Tolan after her birthday dinner at Wayfare Tavern.]

· The main source of entertainment was a DJ with a live drummer playing 90's hits from the likes of En Vogue and Ace of Base.

· A lone ranger cruised the scene in a cowboy hat and turned out to be a member of the band Gun and Doll Show, playing at Bottom of the Hill next Wednesday.

· At around 11 p.m. some the forty- and thirty-somethings started tearing up the dance floor for the benefit of an in-house film crew that happened to be on hand. Revelers shoveling lobster corn dogs with mustard aioli and crab cakes seemed to be the major point of focus. They even had a boom mike they would lover over unsuspecting shit-talkers.

· Carlo Splendorini of Gitane was behind the bar, mixing drinks, including our pick: a kaffir lime, pineapple gum and Beefeater cocktail.