Even before we got to the Osteria Salina on route 27 in Wainscot, the reincarnation of the Italian restaurant from School Street in Bridgehampton, the word was owners Tim and Cinzia Gaglia (she is also chef) put in a barroom baby grand for Billy Joel, just in case he popped by for some pasta, as The Piano Man was wont to do. The rumor was firmly denied by Tim with a laugh, before he launched into a tale about the foibles of having music in restaurants. And by the way, he concluded, Billy Joel did drop by last Monday, and he performed. Alan Alda, dining in the porch room overlooking the pond, made his way to where Joel was playing his signature tunes to greet him, reported Tim.
We wondered whether Billy or Alan had eaten what we were now feasting on: refreshing cucumber slices, Italian meatballs as big as baseballs, a special of burrata with melon balls, veal chops, bass, and a medley of desserts including cannoli and ice cream sandwiched between homemade cookies.
On Saturday, at LongHouse Reserve, as guests moved along the path past Yoko Ono's wishing tree to the art show, and to the pool where nymphs waded through water, and Joshua Jay, a magician, pulled coins from the air, Soundwall performed on homemade instruments themselves works of art. Alice Malloy made music emanate from her Theremin bra. And Jenni Muldaur sang. Kiki Smith and Nico Muhly were to be honored later in the night. Cindy Sherman, Ralph Gibson, Joe Pintauro, April Gornick and many others had donated work for the silent auction to benefit LongHouse. Jack Lenor Larsen wore a linen Korean "business" suit in blues and tans to offset the heat. He had on Asian flipflops that were very uncomfortable, he admitted. Gibson's 1967 archival photo of Mary Ellen Mark, the photographer who passed away in May, made a big impression. Gibson said they both came to New York at the same time. He snapped the photo when they met.
We then made our way to Guild Hall for the annual Wordtheater evening of short story readings to benefit The Pushcart Prize turning 40. Produced and directed by Cedering Fox and sponsored by Ann Oster and her family, the event pairs actors with authors. Many--Carla Gugino, Amber Tamblyn, Zach Grenier, and Vincent Piazza who read from Andre Dubus III-- return yearly, wouldn't miss it for the world.
A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.