Viva La Frida owner relying on karma, not cops
St. Petersburg Times Tue, 14 Mar 2006 6:46 PM PST
The restaurant and gallery's co-ower, Angelica Diaz, is seeking the return of pieces of art that have been stolen over the past five years as she prepares to retire to pursue travel and art. (more)
Shame, shame, shame on the people who stole art pieces from Viva La Frida's. If you don't return them, the spirit of Frida Kahlo is really going to screw up your life.
Although there has been some controversy over the restaurant, Angelica has been supportive of the arts and artists. Perhaps as a going away present, artists could make some Frida tchotchke's to give to her to help replace the stolen art.
Karma works both ways.
ReplyDeleteThis article, now in today's Tampa & State of the Times, makes me see red!!!
ReplyDeleteSo now another parting shot from that venomous shrew, Angelica, basically telling the world that Seminole Heights if full of thieves. Please, let's hope she leaves soon, and take her rudely anti-community sentiments with her! Why does her nasty BS get so much press??? Most of her problems are of her own making! I hate that the rest of Tampa gets this bleak impression of our neighborhood.
I'm with the previous poster, Karma runs both ways....and I hope Angelica will get more of what's coming to her.
How does someone pull art off the wall and walk out with it during business hours? You'd have to have zero customers and a staff that never enters the dining area for that to happen.
ReplyDeleteThere may be a good reason why she doesn't call the cops having nothing to do with the moral high-road.
I worked there. The only theft that went on there was the mark up on the food and the wine.
ReplyDeleteI am Angelica's daughter Allegre, if only you walked in our shoes would you truly understand what we go through, and that's from a teenager's point of view who is involved in the family business; and yes, all the pieces that were stolen were small enough to fit in a purse/handbag. You should support the business, it's better than a car lot. And no my mother isn't a venemous shrew, she's just trying to provide a living for the family. I know my mother better that any of you swell peoples.
ReplyDeleteIf you read the rather extensive postings regarding your mother's establishment, not just in this one entry, but several others on various topics regarding local businesses, you will find consistent complaints regarding poor service and quality of food, and examples of disregard for various city ordinances. My own experience is as follows: I live two blocks away from the restaurant and have been kept awake on more than one occasion by loud music from your open air stage well after 11pm. This is indoors with windows shut, air conditioner and fans running, two blocks away. The city cut off is 10pm if I'm not mistaken. After repeated attempts to contact the restaurant to address the noise issue, I ultimately had to contact police recently, and the noise stopped shortly thereafter. No one is saying running a restaurant is easy, but it appears that perhaps it wasn't the best choice of businesses for her to try. Several people would love to support the business, but the business must be worthy of the support. We shouldnt be expected to just throw money at you because youre in the neighborhood, provide good consistent food and service and people would line up.
ReplyDeleteJust a note... I've recently gone back to Frida's to re-evaluate the service. I've generally found the food to be a little inconsistent but always on the okay to good range. The service has been consistently bad. However, on my recent trip, the service was good. I will return until it either closes or the venue changes to something I don't care for (like a jazz club).
ReplyDeleteThey still have the best sangria in the city, in my opinion.
This is so sad...however, I would have to agree with the first post-Karma works both ways, and say my sincere hope is that Angelica gets the mental health care she so desperately needs. This is not intended to be wounding to her or her family (and friends). Just sincere- get help.Get help somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThen, the foggy existence will clear up enough to show that giving away art or selling it, does not entitle one to then scream theft when sobriety shows up...