Rainy Day in New York

  I persuaded Alice (Waters) to come on the Leonard Lopate show today, to talk about Slow Food.  Alice always says that she's shy, and the tininess of her voice makes this seem true, but when she cares about a subject, she can roar.  And she cares, deeply, about Slow Food.
   I picked her up at Otto, where she had just talked Joe Bastianich into helping her raise seed money for the big Slow Food Nation event she's planning next May in San Franciso.  I snagged a couple of pieces of pizza as I walked out the door; they do make great pizza!
  I think it was a really good show; Leonard is such a great interviewer, and Alice was enormously articulate.  Leaving, we decided to stop in at David Pasternak's book party at Esca.  We knew we'd be late, but Ed Levine was still there, with Lolis Elie, who was in from New Orleans. So we sat down outside, and David brought us some razor clam ceviche and crudo. It was lovely there, until  the rain chased us inside.  David consoled us, first with wine and then with the sweetest softshells I've ever tasted, the meat juicy and rich, the shell so tender it barely existed.  Dave introduced us to his  crabman, who he calls the "Ed Norton of the business" because he apparently works for the Department of Sanitation when he's not out on his boat.
  The rain was torrential now, so we stayed and ate trawberries.  They're the best I've had this year - from Tim Stark - and even Alice was impressed into admitting that she hasn't had any this good in California yet.  Then she admitted, Jersey girl that she is,  that our tomatoes are better than the ones out west.
  By now I had to get back to work, so we ran through the rain. Alice and Lolis were going up to Lincoln Center to drop in on a rehearsal of Wynton Marsalis.  I was tempted... but I do have a job.
   Tonight I'm having dinner with Nancy Silverton, who's in town promoting her book. 
   It's been a fine food day.