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Florida Restauranteur Finds $10K In Left-Behind Purse

Ever left your wallet or purse in a restaurant? An unsettling feeling, no doubt. A customer left her purse in a Florida restaurant. It could have been a disaster, but…

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Photo credit: Cipariss

Ever left your wallet or purse in a restaurant?

An unsettling feeling, no doubt. A customer left her purse in a Florida restaurant. It could have been a disaster, but it turned into a feel-good story.

There's a Mexican restaurant in Panama City Beach called AutentiKa Mexican Grille. Lucy Rodriguez is the owner and she said last weekend, she discovered a bag someone had left behind at one of the tables.

She needed to find out who it belonged to so she checked inside to look for identification of the owner. But what did she find? A whole lot of cash! Almost $10,000.

Rodriguez didn't let anything happen to the purse. She kept it with her until the owner was able to make it back to the restaurant.

She shared that her mother taught her how important it is to have integrity.

Rodriguez said, “It doesn’t matter whether it’s $40 or $10,000… You always do the right thing, and that’s what I want to pass on to people out there. When you come to my house, we will take care of you. As simple as that.”

Rodriguez added, “mi casa es su casa.” And she explained that's it's must more than just a casual expression at AutentiKa. They really mean it.

What is the craziest thing or most valuable thing you've ever left behind? You know what totally annoys me...when I leave my to-go box in a restaurant. First off, I undoubtedly was looking forward to my delicious leftovers, but second of all, you just feel like a complete idiot. I can also recall a time when I was traveling with a friend of mine in New York City, and he left his wallet in a cab. (That was in the old days...before Uber.) So it was darn near impossible to track down the cab driver. My friend lost all of his cash, credit cards, and his identification, which made for a difficult time trying to get back home because, of course, you need your license to get through airport security.

You can find out more details about this story here.

If you're looking for something to do that's a little different, check this list out. These are not the familiar and popular places to visit. Instead, here are a few lesser-known attractions around Tampa Bay.

Summer is here and schools are out. If you're looking to visit someplace you haven't been yet, here are some places around the Tampa Bay area that you may not have though about before.

1 Whimzeyland, Safety Harbor

Owned by a couple of artists, this Safety Harbor home has nearly everything covered with tile mosaics. Then there are the bowling balls, painted and decorating the property.

2. Dysfuntional Grace Art Co., Ybor City

Filled with natural and unnatural oddities, many you can actually purchase.

3. 3. Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg

Sunken Gardens has been open for over 100 years, and is St. Pete's oldest roadside attraction. Get a visitors guide and explore the more than 50,000 tropical plants and flowers. Take lots of photos of the waterfalls and their flock of flamingos,

4. Chihuly Collection, St. Petersburg

Glass art brought to its highest peak. Add to that, the drawings and limited edition prints. You can also purchase your new home decorations.

5. International Independent Showmen's Museum, Riverview

Learn the history, and mystery, of the traveling carnival.

6. Church by the Sea (The Chicken Church), Madeira Beach

Whether the design is intentional or an unfortunate result, the building is certainly memorable.

7. The Sea Hagg, Bradenton

As their sign reads, "Nauticals, Antiques, Curiosities." It's someplace you need to visit to find that special, one-of-a-kind treasure.

8. Ulele Fairyland Figures, Tampa

Originally on display at Lowry Park, the figures were acquired by Ulele (and Columbia Restaurant owner) Richard Gonzmart, who put them on display at his restaurant on the Hillsborough River.

9. Braden Castle Ruins, Bradenton

On land acquired by brothers Dr. Joseph Addison Braden and Hector Braden, a two-story manor, nicknamed 'The Castle' was built. The property fell to hard times, and much of the remaining structure has been grown over by the natural flora.

10. National Comedy Hall of Fame & Museum, Holiday

Get some laughs, and learn about some of your favorite comedians. Clearly, noplace screams "National Comedy Hall of Fame & Museum" like the town of Holiday, Florida!

Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.