Purple Olive Restaurant - St. Augustine, FL

RESERVATIONS, PLEASE!

You say toe-mah-toe, I say toe-ma-toe. You say po-tah-toe, I say po-ta-toe; you say creative dining - I say 'Purple Olive.'

An invitation from our friends to dine prior to the Joe Cocker concert on Friday sounded like a great idea. Leaving the restaurant choice to our friends from St. Augustine, we merely followed their directions south to 4255 A1A and then right into the Seaside Plaza. Our destination restaurant - The Purple Olive International Bistro.



We sauntered into the bistro hoping for a quick meal and then a dash to the concert. What we experienced was far from a quick meal, but a perfect meal, it was!




The Purple Olive International Bistro immediately transported us from the usual beachy-quaint to this charming bistro in just moments. Not knowing a thing about the bistro - we glanced around enjoying the bursts of purple in the tablecloths, napkins, and wall paint. When seated, we viewed the array of local art and art glass displayed to feast our eyes upon as we prepared for the feast to our palates.



The staff was aware of our sense of urgency, yet in no way compromised our service or dining pleasure. We were served quickly and were delighted with our selections -- seafood marinara, seafood bisque with just the right amount of 'bite,' a caesar salad like no other, and a few other delectable treats suggested by our waitress,Tara. In a way, we were sorry we had to dash off, but knew we would be back. Do yourself a favor and check out their website for their unique story and then hurry on by to treat yourself to this local bistro. http://www.purple-olive.com/index.htm

Our compliments to the chef!

Joe Cocker

I'll go on record saying, "I didn't see him at Woodstock in '69, and I didn't see him at the 'Mad Dogs and Countrymen Tour' in '70; but I saw him Friday night - April 17 at Florida's premier venue - The St. Augustine Amphitheater, in St. Augustine, Florida where JOE COCKER did it right!"

Can you remember where you were in 1970 when Joe Cocker's hit song,'The Letter' became his first U.S. top hit; or, when again in 1975, he hit the U.S. Top Ten with 'You Are So Beautiful To Me?'

I, for one, was barefoot and pregnant, making my contributions to the male population of the early 70's. I followed his songs on the radio while nursing babies and changing diapers. What I lacked in 'real face-time' at the concerts in the 70's, I made up for on Friday night, right here in St. Augustine, Florida. Instead of rocking babies, I was rockin' in the house' as I screamed, danced, and rocked with the crowds, letting Mr. Cocker take me back to the day when rock and roll was here to stay!

The house was packed with all ages, but the balance leaned heavy on the real fans from the over 40 crowd. The crowd that grew up with Joe Cocker and through thick and thin, they remained true to him and to his sound. On Friday night, Joe Cocker remained true to his fans and his reputation. His raspy voice laid it all out for us in a 1 1/2 hour concert and 3 encores. At the end, we were all content and fired up - remembering the songs that brought us to where we are today. He made us all feel like we were all ......'Up Where We Belong.'

Hats off to the St. Augustine Amphitheater for providing the Florida Coast with such a superb covered venue, where we can enjoy all the artists, come rain or come shine. (http://www.staugamphitheatre.com).

So, with 'A Little Help From My Friends,' I'll see you next time.