Last month, we shared an e-mail we (and probably you) got in support of Travertine, a Mediterranean restaurant planned for 19 Kenmare Street. Despite loud neighborhood opposition (as in actual hisses), owner Danae Cappelletto got the nod for a liquor license from Community Board 2. How'd she swing that? Cappelletto and her brother asked Mark Thompson of Capalino + Company to convince CB2 members of their good intentions. In short, they hired a lobbyist. In an interview with the Observer, Cappelletto referred to Thompson as Batman, able to swoop in and save their childhood dreams of owning a restaurant. Take note, aspiring restaurateurs: Before you get the chef, plan the menu, or pick out the china, find some hired help to sweet-talk the neighbors.

Third Time's a Charmer [NYO]