All we wanted was a pizza

But what we got was much, much more. :)

It was a typical Thursday night, and I was avoiding Weight Watchers like the plague since I had been feeling sorry for myself. My niece (and namesake ) Julie, who happens to have lived and worked on this island for close to 15 years, suggested we grab a quick bite to eat at the newest pizzeria, Flatbread Company, at the airport with my sister-in-law Carol (her mom, you'll get the connections sooner or later).

So far, so good.

With everyone arriving separately, I had no idea (and apparently neither did they) for what was in store when I hit the overflowing parking lot. Hmm, maybe this pizza is way better than I thought.

I just barely got inside when they closed the doors - no tables left, standing room only. Wow, this pizza must be way better than I thought. Luckily, Julie had secured a table for us down near the stage. The pizzeria shares its uber-cool, tin-roofed warehouse with a small-venue bar/club now called Nectar's, (owned a long time ago by Carly Simon).

I sat down quickly, surprised to see a stranger, already eating, also seated at the table. Usual Sidekick Carol was nowhere in sight.  As with all places on-island, who sells you the cute, boutique shirt in the morning may also serve you dinner at night. Tonight we were lucky: one of my niece's work assistants was also waiting on us.

inside Flatbread Co./Nectar's

Julie introduced me to the stranger, Stephanie, and mentioned that apparently there was some kind of concert (she didn't know quite what) also happening tonight, so we were fortunate to get the table. We immediately set to work finding Sidekick Carol so that we could order and perhaps get out before the concert started and we had to pay? we weren't sure.

Making careful conversation, since I still didn't know what the connection was with the stranger, and since said stranger was also finishing her meal and I didn't want to interrupt, we continued to call and text Sidekick Carol so we could get the order in and get the heck out of Pizzeria Dodge.

Shortly thereafter Sidekick Carol appeared at the table, looking as bewildered as we apparently looked, and we set about deciding what to order. We continued to make polite conversation - oh hell, we just plain conversed, on this small island, you just get on with it, you know what I mean? - And as we did, we soon discovered this was not just some concert, it was SOME CONCERT, celebrating 25 years of local radio DJ Barbara Dasey's career at MVY radio.

Livingston Taylor

And remember when I mentioned the island has a soft spot for musicians, especially local ones? Well they really do, for this concert would feature a great many new and established island artists, especially one local singing family... you might remember them as the Taylors? As in Livingston, James Taylor's brother and also sister Kate, and Ben, his son with Carly Simon, Ben. New to island life, I had no idea how serendipitous and frequent these family sing-alongs were!

And the other musicians, equally awesome - among them Mike Benjamin and his lovely daughter Charlotte, who has a set of pipes that could put Norah Jones and Joss Stone out of business, and Tom Majors, drummer extraordinaire, of  Entrain.

So all in all, it was a great little surprise of a night. We had super delicious made-to-order organic pizza, I was ushered into how local the nightlife really is, we fell under the spell of the Taylors and Benjamins, I began to understand just what a unique and brilliant little island this is, and I had dutifully scoured the crowd for any other celebrities I might spy. After all, I am still a greenhorn at brushes with fabulousness. As for the stranger in the midst? It was the island version of a four-top community table lol.


Oh, I forgot.
Was Prince there? Though he is rather striking, and it shall long be debated amongst ourselves ... you be the judge.
There under the exit sign, at the end of the show. :)

The Purple One?

Have a good one.