"Taste of Pinellas, 2014"

Sometimes you have to leave your home to attend a festival or weekend get together.  This was the case with Taste of Pinellas.  The “Taste of Pinellas”, is a food and music festival produced by Bill Edwards Presents Inc. that benefits All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. The event, scheduled annually for more than 26 years, was postponed in 2013 and is back in full force this year!

Over the years, Taste of Pinellas has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for All Children's, the most advanced children's hospital on Florida's west coast.  With 259 beds and more than 50 pediatric specialties, All Children's Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine, is a leading provider of care for Florida's children. It is dedicated to advancing children's health through treatment, research, education and advocacy.

This year's Taste, scheduled Friday and Saturday, May 9-10, brings an updated combination of local food, celebrity headliners, music and family fun to an all-new venue - Albert Whitted Park in downtown St. Petersburg. The park is located across the street from The Mahaffey Theater and Dali Museum.

Sondra and I decided that we would take on this week end of 70s long hair bands and as well as some of the best disco.  The full lineup included:     Friday 4 p.m. T. C. Carr & Bolts of Blue, 5 p.m. Loverboy,  6:30 p.m. Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers and at 8:30 p.m. Pat Benatar.  On Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Dan Orlando Band, 5 p.m. The Black Honkeys, 6:30 p.m. KC and the Sunshine Band, ending at 8:15 pm with The Blues Brothers. 

The food was all over the place and choices on what to eat became an important debate.  We settled by taking what we knew would be a tasty meal at Pipo's Café, St. Petersburg which gave us some of the best Jumbolia, pork and rice with a few sides.  After tasting Sondra’s Jumboia, I made a decision to go jumboia on Saturday.  This may not have been the best choice as the flavor o
f it was totally different than the day before.  Almost like a spice was overlooked and not placed in the recipe.  

Musically we had a great time.  Loverboy, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Blues Brother’s all gave great performances but the stand out was Pat Benatar.  I know I told the News article that Loverboy was my favorite only bc Loverboy was , but I have to give kudos to Benatar who is hitting notes like it was her early days.  She was phenomenal!!  On Friday we were approached by a reporter as I just touched with you and we had an extensive conversation about the bands, back in the day, as well as why we were in the area.  

Here is the interview with him, not a lot but enough.  The funny thing about the reporter is that he interviewed myself with Sondra and had a photo graph in his write up that was not us.  Actually and here is the funny part.  Just behind the dancing girls in the photograph is Sondra’s sister Laura, her fiance Kenny, and Laura’s daughter Sarah not the focal point of the picture, but to be in it is pretty amazing as well.  We did not even notice this until it was pointed out to us by my sister in law on Saturday evening.  The website with the interview will be obtainable on here as well.  

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/taste-of-pinellas-returns-on-a-hot-night-of-food-and-music/2179138

While we were in St Petersburg, Fl we stayed at the Hollander Hotel on 4th Ave N and 4th St. N.  The hotel was a very nice place with a delicious breakfast for a small cost.  We even received a ride over to the concert and back if we choose.  The people at the Hollander were awesome!  

http://hollanderhotel.com/

Summing it up, Sondra and I had a real good time enjoying music we listened to when we were kids.  Eating food that made us say, “YUM!!” and staying in a hotel that was clean, quiet, and reasonable in cost.  Good chance we will come back next year!!  Until next time, have a great day and a better tomorrow!!  Oh be sure to catch Sondra's recent blog too.