Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo returned to their original romping grounds — Manhattan — and joined the ever-exclusive Monday night party at Butter. The couple had been down in Mexico away for a while, and out Tinseltown for a spell, but they clinked glasses and otherwise lived the high life with the likes of rap mogul Russell Simmons at the Lafayette Street celeb-boite.

The couple then scurried into the night, hopping into a yellow cab with a friend and a bodyguard the size of most Manhattan studio apartments.  Enjoy the ride, Nick!  Watch the video courtesy of TMZ.com!