Workers at Bliss Raw Cafe in Dallas striking on Saturday for alleged non-payment

mafedu, anonymous:

There has to be a way for the city to check on the veracity of claims by this and other restaurants as to whether they use organic or non-organic foods. This is an outrage!!!

OEsophagus, anonymous:

It's already kind of hard to find a parking space here.

miab13, anonymous:

I have no respect for liers. And when you lie and put people's health at stake, well, that's 100% UNacceptable. I am very disappointed in this and I will support those who tell the truth.

dcforliberty, anonymous:

On top of the comment below, they also never paid a good friend for some consulting work she did for them. Update: "I have quit working at Bliss Raw Cafe. A lot has been happening & because I cannot provide customers with the quality they expect (and what is advertised), I will no longer wish to be associated with Bliss. I will continue to offer desserts made to order, because I'm committed to using ingredients of the best ...quality.... I will continue to offer private coaching/prep classes as well. Thank you all for your support!" MIRANDA

dallasrawfood, anonymous:

Travis, the person who wrote the email hasn't worked their since last summer! She is supporting the current staff.

bg1, anonymous:

well, for a first hand account from the inside,,,,,read here.

1) Bliss Raw Cafe cheats by claiming %100 raw and organic and buys food from the Mexican store down the road, cuz its inexpensive. i.e. Corn, avocados, tomatoes, carrots, onions.

2) hires illegal immigrants and lets them rack up countless hours then tell them to hit the road without paying them. (you pick the moral issue)

3) Makes employees "pay" for missing a day by holding their pay for weeks.

4) Pays cash and claims to have already taken SS and IRS from it.

5) didn't rprovide any W-2 or 1099 forms to anyone.

6) verbally abuses her right hand woman (M.) Side note: dont feel too bad for M., she is a snake and will defend the owner to the bitter end.

7) I am NOT into raw food. the owner (D.) loves to play the victim and turn things around. You can tell who she is by her ALL CAPS RANTS and sometimes by her incoherent postings. (angry and/or Drunk)

retzel, anonymous:

Used to go weekly. Will not go there again until workers' concerns are resolved.

sassymassy, anonymous:

I have dined at Bliss several times, the first time my stomach was in utter pain and I had severe cramping. Why did I go back? To support a friend. The next time my boyfriend was there, he became violently ill soon after, throwing up. Can't 100% say its Bliss, but can't point to anything else either.

It is such a shame that we can't trust anyone these days. All in the name of the almighty dollar.

avaclients, anonymous:

I have never ate at Bliss, but was wanting to go there. We live in Fort Worth and go to Sprirals. I am FURIOUS that someone would claim food to be raw/vegan, which we pay MORE FOR to assure a healthy, pure body and non-abuse to animals and earth and then it NOT BE RAW/VEGAN!

Why is there not any checks/balance on the restaurants? Can there be something done legally for false advertisement?

ALSO, to the original poster-----YOU ARE A LOSER/LIAR too! You obviously kept working there and serving LIES until you didn't get paid!

SHAME ON YOU! I do NOT have any sorry for you or the other employees! You were not prisoners---just liars! NOW hypocrites!

rawcheflissa, anonymous:

Sorry to hear this isn't working out. We do need a raw food venue where one can feel secure knowing that the food is safe and the employees are not angry. Thank goodness we can still make the food in our own kitchens and enjoy the raw food meetups. Thank you all for the information.

dallasrawfood, anonymous:

We agree with rawcheflissa -- DFW would benefit from having several good-quality, raw or mostly raw/vegetarian places to dine. That's how it's working on both coasts, and there is plenty of room for 'healthy' competition here in the Metroplex.

There are many local Raw Food meetup groups that offer regular potlucks and educational gatherings, and we believe that their popularity is what jump-started this restaurant's initial success. We've observed what Bliss has done, both good and bad, during it's first year in business. Even though our groups are comprised of the entire gamut of raw food lovers (from extreme raw, to those interested in trying to include more raw for health reasons), nearly everyone has tried Bliss at least once, with sadly mixed reviews.

Maybe this latest exposure will convince the non-raw owner that she could benefit from solid management that knows both the restaurant business, plus the specific demands of quality, organic, vegan raw food service. If she's going to have a raw restaurant, she should just do it. No waffling or compromise; there are plenty of other restaurants for every taste.

But ... when you want the BEST, FRESHEST, RAW, ORGANIC dining experience in DFW, right now it is not Bliss Raw Cafe. It is the raw potlucks held in homes around town that score on this account, and that's a shame.

Maybe some other restauranteur will answer the call???

bg1, anonymous:

From the inside:

the conditions gradually got worse.... hence the workers leaving this last weekend. The workers including myself did not want to LIE for the ownership.

The situation had reached critical mass, therefore action in the form of a walkout was a must.

WE stand in solidarity for those that are being abused, not necessarily because we were abused. (some of us were not)

Clay213, anonymous:

Raw food hippies can cram it

Clay213, anonymous:

Annoying yuppie food fetishists who are completely miserable and insufferable.

boohag, anonymous:

Not all the workers had issues with ownership. Some of them, myself included, were able to communicate and make changes. Disgruntled ex-employee/raw-food idealists are taking a stab at Bliss just because they were unable to make it their own hippie haven. Bliss has never claimed to be "100%" organic, and it is still the healthiest restaurant in Dallas.

katherineh, anonymous:

Following the Bliss Raw Cafe news over the past year because people I know have been affected more than once. I went there to hear the story first hand. Everytime the owner gets in trouble she gets people to do what she shoulda been doing all along and then everythings running the same a few weeks later just like it happened to my friend. She is an addict so we are placing best for what day she will go back to drinking and the old Bliss will come back? If you want to win a big jackpot of money this is the game you want to be playing right now. Ten gets you and the pot is is up to 4,060 right now. She has never gone more than a few weeks without the juice. Your jackpot is one beer away!

bg1, anonymous:

the walls have ears @ March 23rd, 2010 at 4:34 pm

Sounds familiar, I found this blog about ms. Pisarro. What's the connection you ask?

What does a restaurant in Tulsa have to do with Bliss?

Well, glad you asked. PURE was started in Dallas….. ms. Pisarro claims to have been the financial backbone of this RAW VEGAN cafe. Bliss claims to be opening a Raw food cafe in Tulsa.

Raw Food for thought:

Dec 16, 2009 at 10:48 am Pure Raw cafe is under attack from a previous employee. This individual is attempting to sink the wonderful restaurant by every means possible. I’m trying to help make people aware of what is happening. I’ve eaten at Pure Raw cafe and love the atmosphere and the food. So now, this individual has been fired from Pure Raw Cafe due to extremly abusive treatment of the staff. I recently spoke with a former employee who informed me that this person would throw cussing fits and blow up at the slightest comment. This person would completely degrade anyone with an opposing view. Even the owner of the Pet grooming business next door noticed the abusiveness of this person. Following the termination, this person seems to have a vendetta against Cynthia. She has not only attempted to sue Ms. Beavers several times, but has stolen property from Pure Raw cafe, and has attempted to have the cafe shut down. To top it off, this former employee has decided to open her own raw food cafe within a mile a Pure Raw with all of Cynthia’s recipes. She also plans to start a shipping business. Please be aware of what this person is trying to accomplish. If she is successful, Pure Raw will be forced to close!!!! It would be a complete shame to see a wonderful business woman and chef life Ms Beavers be forced to leave town due to a disgruntled former employee. Please join with me in protest to prevent this from happening.

[Reply]

cynthia beavers Reply: December 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm James….who are you?….Thank you for your support? Do you have an email? thanks Cynthia 749-

[Reply]

Clay213, anonymous:

Crazies always have this ability to completely underestimate just how little anyone gives a crap about their crazy ramblings.

adisachs, anonymous:

Clay has a lot of comments for someone who I'd assume doesn't care about this issue.

Clay213, anonymous:

Moonlady.

jtmbls, anonymous:

I would be afraid to eat at a vegan restaraunt simply because of the potential for stink. A very close relative of mine decided to try a vegan diet once and lets just say she peeled a few layers off of the ozone within the first week. It scared her all the way back to dairy land.

Do us all a favor people and eat a cheese burger.

maat_9, anonymous:

My friends and personal clients witnessed the drama and chaos during my employment there. They are furious that they paid almost $20 a meal for supposedly organic food. why charge so much if you dont care to provide organic?

WhitneyTM, anonymous:

I heard the new Whole Foods (within walking distance of this stupid place) has a raw food bar. AND a parking lot. whee!

Clay213, anonymous:

jtmbls can eat my vegan mock meat sausage

dallasrawfood, anonymous:

Pavel, the result of the "strike" is that the 2 most important raw chefs at Bliss quit, along with one other employee. The owner became frantic -- that day she payed the staff she had strung along or neglected paying, so they stayed, and she cleaned the restaurant up in case media came by.

There is a lot of back and forth on these local media blogs about the "allegations" that were initially made. FYI, Johnny Appleseed was not the organizer of this, she simply volunteered to be the contact person, and now the owner is HOT after her, pursuing legal action. Everything Johnny spoke in her original email is true.

We hear that business at Bliss is not so good, and we do not wonder why.

rawcheflissa, anonymous:

Conquer a man who never gives by gifts; Subdue the untruthful men by truthfulness; Vanquish an angry man by gentleness; And overcome evil men by goodness. ~ Indian proverb

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Back in town and connecting with my home and what do I see BLISS IN THE NEWS and the HOT CHECK QUEENS. I am not a past employee of Bliss or of Pure Cafe but I know of these two women very well. Lisa Petty and Teresa Gibbins need to do some work on their story telling. Start back in the day when Cindy Beavers and Dee Pisarro were a couple. BOTH of them didnt pay employees, Both of them stole other peoples idea and then played good cop, bad cop, acting like they didn't know what each other were doing, laughing it up with their closest friends. I will never forget the scams these women pulled. How many people did they scam for money back then? at least 25. Dee and Cindy had the best scam of all, working people for build equipment and their talents because they live the life of raw food and then they were always being short on money while they went out spent money like there was no tomorrow and their employees and contractors went without. They never even lost sleep over it we can be sure of that. Cindy knew everyone was going to catch up with her and Dee because Dee was getting too drunk to cover their lies, Cindy's ride was over. For a while she laid low doing her delivery service in Tulsa but by the post above she must have started her scams again and someone didnt bend over and take it. Pure Cafe was not then nor is it now organic or gluten free or anything else Cindy is lying about. If these two womens lips are moving they are lying and if their lips arent moving they are lying through their teeth.

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Now for tonight. I read this story earlier and went to both Bliss locations to see if the story was true. Bliss was as dead as their food. I remember when Bliss was busy all the time but the $$$$ started ringing up and Dee started getting drunk and it looks like she has gone back to scaming to make more money. They love to cut corners at Pure Raw Cafe and Bliss as long as its at the customers and employees expense and not theirs. Tonight at Bliss I had chocolate bliss. Noticed that they must have racked up some bills with vendors because the original Bliss mix is no longer there. The new guys didnt seem to know anything about anything on the menu. WHERE ARE THE RAW FOOD CHEFS? Not these wanna b's. Can Cindy and Dee ever hire adults or do they always have to go with kids that read a book, look the part they cant and look like drug users in their off time? No. Kids will not fight back or for their rights.

Clay213, anonymous:

Overpriced Salad: It's serious business.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

Didnt eat the food because my glass had a milky glaze on it around the lipstick print that was left over from the last customer and the workers didnt seem to care. Is Cindy and Dee back together because nothing has changed? Went to the patio and a smell of Sh was coming from the floor. The "chef" came out and explained that the sewer has been broken forever and just leaks under the building every time they flush it and they have been putting cleaning soap in the hole to keep it from coming up . I had enough information to get the hell out! Walked out of the building and stopped to get a fresh breath and the air wasnt any cleaner. Did either of these reporters on this story notice that Bliss does't have a dumpster for trash service because its stacked to the top of their building in the back with rats the size of small motorcycles eating at the bags. WHERE IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT!? Is Dee and Cindy still paying them off? For sure! Went to the new Bliss around 8:30 pm and the waiter was talking to me about all the news and everyone leaving. He started laughing that he isnt even a rawfoodie and tried it for a while but its not his life plan,but its a job and the tips were supposed to be good cause Preston has the dough. He attributed the loss in business to all the news about their food not being organic and not paying employees that had worked for them and they still charge organic prices with no organic vegetables and fruit and still dont pay employees since they have had more walk out since he came to work. The employees are covering up for their own pocket.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

If I can get the information straight from current employees and by LOOKING around why can't our own Dallas reports serve their readers better? Dee and Cindy have always been drunkazz scam artists and they always will be until they run out of people to scam. How many people are on the planet? They have an endless appetite since they are meat eatters. They were made for each other as much as a hand is made for an arm. I call for an immediate Boycott of Pure Cafe and Bliss Raw Cafe so these women will learn their lesson and go back to hotdog stands and hookin. BOYCOTT so they cant hire more people to scam so they can look like their living large so other business owners and people believe their stories. Im driving to Tulsa tomorrow to see what Cindy is getting away with because I WILL investigate rather than cover up for them like these reporters did. I will post the juicey details when I get back. BOYCOTT so they cannot poison any more people that pay them for implied services because they will never be ethical enough to care. After 14 years of knowing both Dee and Cindy I am an expert on their drama. BOYCOTT! Dee and Cindy will change long enough to cover for reporters and the health department but give it two weeks or even a month and check them again RANDOMLY to find the real truth.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

Dear Employees, Is Delia Pisarro and Cynthia Beavers still playing the victims when they get caught? Are they telling you they think they need rehab and help for their problems? Are they asking you to find them help because they will listen to you since they trust you? Are they treating you good long enough to get you to help them and then having some problem you have to help save them from? Are they always pretending to be on the phone talking important deals? Do they expect you to lie and then when you ask them about it they act like they didnt hear you or it was no big deal? Do they seem really interested in you but every conversation leads back to them? Do they take you to do things because they say you have earned it for getting them out of a crunch? Do they seem like they are your best friend and caring for you and your family? Do they act like you are their right hand and they couldnt do anything without you? Are they having you sign checks or give checks to other people on their behalf? Do they promise you something but cant find the time? Do they leave you to give other people checks? Do their signatures ever match or do they look like scribbles and their banks wont cash them? Are you giving people false documents and they will "tell you about it later"? Are you able to file with the IRS, probably not? Are they still screening calls and telling you to tell the person they are in the hospital or having surgery? Do they still change bank accounts and say someone stole their account or passwords? Do they still threaten people or get other people to do it for them?Are they still writing hot checks and driving nice cars? See a pattern here? BOYCOTT, Purely Blissed the hell off

Clay213, anonymous:

bg1, anonymous:

wow BLISSEDOFF! you know them down to the very details. You are right about everything you are saying. They still do most of those things except dee doesn't drive a nice car anymore. One of her current employees said she was evicted from her apartment and is living on credit in a hotel. It's funny, you touched on everything that's going on there. I believe it when you say you have known them for years. The drainage issues leave a never ending stench. That's why they had one of their chefs out one day with a machine to clean the sewer lines! Gross, i hope he cleaned his hands. I actually have seen rats run across the patio! Sick stuff. If you really want to know anything, just ask the chef. The shorter hispanic lady will tell you anything you need to know! lol. poor lady, i think she likes talking about it. And to think i once called dee my friend. Manicures for everyone!!!! lol

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Mani's and Pedi's for everyone = getting ready to not get paid if you're an employee

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Poem about Delia Pisarro and Cynthia Beavers

Contemptuous of those who seek to understand them Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them Authoritarian Secretive Paranoid Seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired Conventional appearance Goal of enslavement of their victim(s) Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love) Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim Incapable of real human attachment to another Unable to feel remorse or guilt Extreme narcissism and grandiose May state readily that their goal is to rule the world Glibness and Superficial Charm

Manipulative and Conning They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

Grandiose Sense of Self Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."

Pathological Lying Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.

Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

Shallow Emotions When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

Incapacity for Love

Need for Stimulation Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.

Callousness/Lack of Empathy Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.

Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.

Irresponsibility/Unreliability Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.

Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts.

Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.

Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

Definition of a SOCIOPATH. Snap, snap. Snap, snap.

Clay213, anonymous:

Holy crap.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.

Now we have crazy hippie cat lady poetry?

Clay213, anonymous:

(save it for the poetry slam, nutbag)

lnl295, anonymous:

I was looking to find a job in a raw kitchen as I will graduated culinary school in may and am returning to dallas. The raw food diet is starting to be the next trend (I know you all probably hate me because I am calling it a trend but in my industry you have to follow what is popular and cool or you will get stuck at Mc Donald's flipping hamburgers your whole life. I'm not trying to insult you all by calling this diet a trend) and the only restaurants I could find where Pure Raw Cafe and Bliss Cafe. I was about to email Ms. Beavers but am really glad I came across this before I did. FYI incase any one is wondering it is absolutely illegal to advertise that you have an entirely organic menu if you do not. It is the same as telling some you have angus steak when really you are serving choice beef. The are numerous "truth in menu laws" that forbid false advertisement like this.

And a note on the sewage. If you have sewage leaking in to your restaurant then you should get it fixed asap especially if you are a raw restaurant. The food that is served in raw restaurants is in what we call the temperature danger zone, meaning that bacteria thrives at these temperatures. So by having sewage in your kitchen you are increasing the already high risk of food borne pathogens.

But now that that rant is over I was wondering if any of ya'll know of any other good raw restaurants in the area? I'm looking to get a summer job but would settle for like a week long stage type situation. Thanks for any help you all can provide!

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Other than big mouths, what does Delia Pisarro and Charles Barkley have in common?

bg1, anonymous:

One thing i know is Dee is not a child or animal abuser. I think that's going way too far.

Sociopath, maybe

Narcissist, yes

Child and/or animal abuser, no way.

The facts are: untrue claims of organic products, verbal abusive, tax evasion.

She lies, however I don't think we need to raise falsehoods against her. there are plenty of things she is doing that are wrong without crossing the line and slandering her. I know, i know..... she slanders anybody that goes against her, however we cant stoop to that level.

If you have proof of your accusations, you should feel morally obligated to report her to the authorities.

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Its a definition for two people. I have seen her abuse at least three animals and several children with her abusive and emotional behaviors.

Obligation? Noted

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

What do Delia Pisarro and Charles Barkley have in common? What does Delia say about her friends when they are not there?

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

I just went in to see how things are going at the Blisses. Pure unhappiness is what my sources say ( the waiter and the "chef"). The staff is still changing over from lack of payment. The kitchen was filthy. Nothing is organic so the food is only worth about $1 for the amount you get and Dee. Congratulations to those still paying $20 for a mini pizza that is full of pesticides and $10 for a drink.

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Im a HIM not a her. The kitchens are open so anyone can see the filth.

Clay213, anonymous:

I guess everyone just assumed you were a her since you bitch like a woman and you are obsessed with overpriced salad

bg1, anonymous:

purelyblissedoff I'm still trying to guess who you are. lol I also thought you were female. however the SNAP, SNAP, SNAP may have narrowed it down for me. Are you bigger than a dehydrator?

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Im not obsessed with over priced salad. Im obsessed with people the amount of years these two women have been doing this to people and getting away with it.

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

This was just posted by Mike Mirabal, the employee that defended Delia and threw the other employees under the bus the first chance he got.

"The first time I drove by and saw the bright green sign for Bliss Raw Café, I was so excited that I googled it immediately. Then when I found a print advertisement saying that it would open in March 2009, I started counting down the days. As soon as I first dined at Bliss, I was hooked. Despite the pricey menu, I wanted to try everything! The first time someone recommended I apply at Bliss, I felt inspired. So I called immediately and left a message with the manager. About a week went by before I called again. Two or three more days, then suddenly I got a call asking me to come in for an interview. I dressed up nice and showed up early, all excited about the concept of working with raw food. I was told that I would be called in to work at the beginning of the week, and that I would most likely just be squeezing lemons for $8 per hour. Somehow that was an awesome prospect considering how much I loved the idea of a raw food restaurant in my neighborhood. The beginning of the week rolled around, and I didn’t receive a call. So I came in to inquire and found out that the manager no longer worked there. Someone told me that they would contact me if they need any more employees. So I didn’t hear anything for at least a couple of months, during which time I tried to dine at Bliss as frequently as I could afford, or as often as I could convince anyone to go with me. Usually I just showed up by myself and enjoyed a veggie sandwich on the breezy patio. Then one day I was checking out facebook and noticed an employment ad post from Bliss! I immediately emailed my information. Two days later I had just finished teaching a yoga class when received a call. I was urged to come in immediately, even wearing sweaty yoga clothes. I sat down at the bar with the manager and owner, trying my best to sell myself as a hard working raw food enthusiast. They told me they would call me back later. So I went about my business for another month or so. Out of the blue, one day I received a call from a server at Bliss, asking me to come in right away and work. I was in the middle of a nap, and not quite sure if I was dreaming. So I jumped out of bed and got there in 10 minutes. That’s when it all started… Eating at Bliss is exciting and delicious, but working for Bliss is the complete opposite. Almost immediately I was shocked to find out that servers are not paid an hourly wage, there is no change in the register, and there was no employee schedule! I was determined to make it work, so I started showing up early every day with at least $60 change in my pocket and a smile on my face. I wasn’t even deterred when my manager, the third replacement I had met so far, quit unexpectedly a couple days after hiring me. It seemed that Bliss had a fairly high turnover rate for employees, but I still hadn’t caught on to the full spectrum of insanity of the place. Over the next few weeks I found out little by little that there are increasing amounts of menu items that are sometimes or always unavailable. I found ways to stay positive as I explained to numerous customers how they can’t have what they want to order. Still naïve and headstrong, I set out to learn to operate the elixir bar. I found out very quickly that all you have to do is read a menu and use a blender. The reason the bar is so dysfunctional, as well as the ridiculous amount of unavailable menu items, is because the ingredients are not being purchased. I was shocked to find out that all the food at Bliss is purchased at retail, only after it has run out, and upon constant urging by text message and phone. A large amount of the elixir bar ingredients are unavailable because the owner either owes money to, or pissed off the retailers and representatives. This seemed completely ridiculous, considering the availability of wholesale produce and internet ordering…

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Part 2 of Mikes Rant:

It was not until I was fully working the elixir bar and waiting tables that found out bartenders can make $8 hour salary in addition to tips. My eyes lit up, and I jumped at the chance. Then the next phase of awakening; I soon learned that employees of Bliss are required to log their own hours, and turn them in by putting them in the register. The cash register at Bliss was always empty of money, but full of papers and receipts, so full that one night I had to take it apart with a screwdriver to open the drawer! Needless to say, the hours that I turned in were consistently lost or misplaced, which seemed to delay my pay a few days. Whenever I did get paid, after numerous reminders of the hours, it was always in cash or cashier’s check. There were taxes deducted somehow, but there was never any paycheck stub or printed receipt. Occasionally I was literally paid “under the table.” In the meantime I heard complaints from former and current co-workers about how they were not getting paid on time or at all. This seemed to be a recurring theme with all of my co-workers throughout my time at Bliss. At the time I was happy because I was getting paid fairly regularly and making quite a bit of cash in tips every day. Then tax time came around, and I was frequently urged by family to file my taxes. I inquired with the owner of Bliss several times over a couple of months, when could I expect a W2? The answer ranged from “give me a week,” to “my accountant had a stroke and died, so I can’t get the information.” Everyone at work told me to just file, that she is lying, and I will never get the tax forms. Eventually I found out that a former co-worker who had recently quit decided to call the IRS. As a result, the owner just received a small fine, and nothing changed. I filed my taxes without listing Bliss because I had no other choice. Over time I found out more disturbing news about Bliss. Not only were the majority of employees outraged about not getting paid legitimately or on time, but the place was totally filthy and disgusting. The floors were consistently caked with black gunk, trash piled all over the kitchen, rotting wood under the sinks, drains so clogged with food that sewage seeped up from various grates, refrigerators broken, serving unfiltered water, people not washing hands or wearing gloves, rats, roaches, termites, stinking pipes masked by incense, piles of trash bags and dirty linens behind the restaurant, and on and on… Not the sort of environment you would expect from a raw food restaurant.

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Part 3 of Mikes Rant: I continued to work hard and help clean, trying to keep a positive attitude. I found myself having to practice yoga at work because of the stress and tension that I felt in my body. From the outside, Bliss appears exotic and relaxing, but inside it’s a chaotic drama factory. One day, three of the elders decided to quit. I saw that as an opportunity to step up and help make changes. All of the sudden, I was the last man standing. It seemed like an awesome opportunity when I suggested that I take on the manager role. There hadn’t been a manager for a few months and I had so many ideas for how to improve the place. Despite warnings from numerous people, I decided to take the responsibility. There was a new location opening up soon, and I was the only one who knew how to wait tables and work the bar. I felt like if I left, then the ship would sink.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

Part4 :So enthusiastic, I made arrangements to hire and train a new waitstaff, make new menus, maintain a schedule, reformulate the elixirs, make an inventory list, assist in purchasing ingredients, re-organize certain aspects of the restaurant, and so on… I got a decent amount of things done in the following week and a half before Bliss opened the new location in Preston Center. That is when the sh really hit the fan. It was way understaffed and there was virtually nothing at Preston Center when it opened. Even as manager I was unable to get the owner to purchase necessities for the restaurant. She would only give about $20 cash at a time upon consistent demands. So I had to start bringing things from home, like a trashcan for the kitchen, a step stool, knives, and bottles! I finally got her to go shopping at Walmart with me one evening, so we bought some mixing bowls, cutting boards, sht glasses, strainers, measuring cups, etc. This was about a week after opening the restaurant. So that helped a little, but there was still so much to do. Several times I purchased supplies for the restaurant, and kept receipts, most of which I was reimbursed for. I eventually refused to purchase anything out of my pocket because by that time I was not getting paid wages regularly.
Upon opening the second Bliss, things got much worse. People were not getting paid on time, some were racking up thousands of dollars in back pay. I was dealing with getting paid half of my check in cash a few days after the 15th, then waiting another week to get ¼ more, and again the next week. Today is the 27th, and I finally received my final secretive, “under the table” type payment for my previous paycheck. A lot of the people who still work at Bliss really need the job, so they are willing to put up with hardly ever getting paid, or being strung along with a few dollars here and there. The waiters have it best because they walk away with cash tips every day. So I started to miss my waiter position, while loathing as manager. Aside from the illegal “payroll” scheme, I grew completely intolerant of the relentless text messages from the owner as well as waiters and kitchen staff. I feel as though I’m on call 24 hours a day, answering questions about all sorts of issues, arranging the schedule, receiving complaints, taking orders for ingredients, and listening to wild rants. Right now I feel like I’m at the edge of my tolerance level. My mom and my girlfriend are stressed out from hearing about how stressed out I am at work. All my friends are urging me to quit. So I’m sitting here thinking… “The ultimate goal of yoga is to achieve Samadhi, or Bliss. Liberation from the body and mind, oneness. I’m teaching and practicing yoga while working for a restaurant called Bliss. Ironically a raw food restaurant called Bliss is extremely counter-productive to my goals with yoga. Over the past few weeks, managing, I have become so stressed out, tense, foul, and bitter, that I can hardly stand it. This is the opposite of my Bliss.” There is so much more to be said about the shenanigans at Bliss, but needless to say, I cannot take it anymore. I must relinquish my duties and follow my own bliss, by focusing on my yoga practice. I wish the restaurant the best of luck and hope that someone will eventually be able to sail that ship straight. Raw cuisine is a blessing. May it be prepared and shared with love.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

Mike, You made Bliss even more dysfunctional because you covered up for Delia. You "enthusatically" took the first opportunity to screw over your fellow man for your own gain and you did it all in the name of your yoga practice. You were more "zen" than the others you threw under the bus. How did that work out for you? You should be ashamed of everything you covered up and YOU are responsible for all the other people that have not been paid since the walk out because you covered up for Delia. You deserve everything you got from your experience. May Karma continue to pay it forward to you for your screw up. I hope Karma pays you back for a long time for all of the people that have never gotten paid.

lovejennifer11, anonymous:

Wow... what a mess. So sad and all so true.

Clay213, anonymous:

Yeah.

We get it.

You are a pissed off former employee or someone with a grudge that doesn't like this restaurant.

Get a life and move on.

pureblissedoff, anonymous:

You move on. Dont stop to read it. Freedom of Speech.

Clay213, anonymous:

'Don't stop to read it'

If you think for a second that I have read any of the long winded obsessed garbage you are posting you are even more self important than I thought!

purelyblissedoff, anonymous:

Glad for protests. Its really horrible when people work for weeks and have bills to pay and companies like this one walk away with money from so many people but gladly take the labor. No wonder she isnt paying into the IRS.

lovejennifer11, anonymous:

i am very glad you're posting what's happening with bliss.i was a huge fan initially but i stopped going when i started finding out things and heard people were getting sick when they ate there.

docneu, anonymous:

i am glad to find out the truth of what has been going on. i was a fan of her first restaurant Pure and was sad when that one went away. Was excited about Bliss and went a couple of times but then started hearing what was going on, how the owner was taking advantage of her workers, the food wasn't what was advertised and heard people were getting sick when eating there. now it's not at all surprising because I had already heard most of the story from different sources. Glad people are speaking up.

pinkelephant37, anonymous:

I am about 95% raw and have enjoyed going to Bliss, mostly to gather ideas of how to make my own stuff.

But, I'll admit, I've been reading the writing on the wall for some time. First, it was reading an article in the Observer about how some guy - the original co-owner, perhaps? - walked out on the restaurant because he disagreed with some things going on there. Mainly the water. At least that's what Buzz had to say about it.

Then, we heard from some friends that the owner had a bad reputation at Central Market, where she was purchasing some of the produce that she passed off as organic. This was a year ago or so.

So lately? We've seen a lot of turnover, especially these past few weeks. And we've seen employees take smoke breaks and not wash their hands when coming back into the kitchen.

But for some reason, the things that have always bugged me most about the place...

...what's up with the styrofoam and plastic to-go containers? this movement is supposed to be about doing things for the environment, at least in part. Or so I thought... ...and what's up with the cheap-o bleached TP in the bathroom? And soft soap. soft soap?!? That was my first big hint that something was really off about the place. What kind of healthy foods place uses soft soap? Right now they have Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, which is a bit better, i suppose, but still laden with synthetic fragrances (do some online research; Mrs. Meyer's is just as bad as Bliss as far as presentation goes. It's still better than some of the alternatives, but it is NOT a natural cleaner).

Anyway, a shout out to my homeboy Clay213!!1!1!!, ya big ole' carnivore, you. Let's get together at your ranch again and make kale smoothies or something. I know it didn't go over so well last time, especially after that crazy hippie came over and read you poetry (man you were alllll over her!) but we can try again. I know your health is important to you. You want to be strong and virile enough to comment when we bring out the next string of raw vegan rants, don't you?

suswil1, anonymous:

Cynthia Beavers owes me $396 for a delivery package that I have not used. I am dis-satisfied with my current package as my food orders are always messed up and the food makes me feel ill. I keep having allergic type/intolerances to her food. She refuses to respond to my e-mail requests for a refund, even though her website guarantees that if you are dis-satisfied you will get a full refund. She won't call me back or e-mail me back and has removed me from the weekly menu e-mail list. So I can't even order the food that I have paid for! But all I want is my money back. She has made lots of money off of me for the past year and a half and all I have to show is declining health. When I make my own, I feel so much better. I think there is gluten, too much agave, cacao, non-raw items, and too many nuts in everything. I am not sure of anything anymore. Except that her food makes me very ill.

Clay213, anonymous:

If they stopped eating crap that made them ill what would they have to complain about?

suswil1, anonymous:

What is your problem travis and clay? I was trying to get well and that is one of the premises behind raw food. I don't have the energy to make my own and cynthia said this is what she is here for. To help sick people get better with her food. But I didn't get better. She guarantees her food and I just want my money back for the last package. Why would you have a problem with this?

suswil1, anonymous:

And it is Cynthia Beavers of Pure Cafe in Tulsa, formerly of Dallas. A business associate of Dee and more from what I am hearing now.

jtmbls, anonymous:

Holy peta parts! That's a lot of typing. And stalking!

In Doyle's absence, I feel obliged to say: PARAGRAPHS!, grumble, LINES! grumble, grumble, SPACING! grumble…grumble…

jtmbls, anonymous:

Nice catch there Pavel. Not sure I would have noticed that slight change in screen names.

Isn't being a sucker how we all learn not to be a sucker? Or maybe that's just me. It's certainly not productive to dwell.

Although, there is one very relevant, very facinating, but as yet unanswered question brought up in this thread - "What is your problem travis and clay?" Could anyone answer this please?!?! I'll give you a dollar.

jtmbls, anonymous:

Awww! That is too cool Jason. I have something in my eye...sniffle...

jtmbls, anonymous:

Damn Vegan Capitalists! They need to decide if they are going to be peace-loving hippies or amoral money-makers! We all know what happens when you try to walk on both sides of the fence! Apocalypse! Not to mention the chaffing.

Clay213, anonymous:

Uh. Veganism has nothing to do with capitalism or hippies. Thanks.

jtmbls, anonymous:

Like a carnivorous foot print! You're like the Al Gore of meat eaters Jason! Lead the way Pied Piper!

bstnbstn, anonymous:

Boo Hoo-Former employee my A##. I ordered food from Pure Raw and guess what, the charge went through on my card-and I never got the food. They do not answer the phone and now I am hearing that they are horrible with the taste here on this board and elsewhere! Stay away. Ms. Beavers should be ashamed of the unprofessional nature of her business.

linke308, anonymous:

If the food makes you sick, it may have nothing to do with the quality. It's possible you have allergies or sensitivities to one ore more of the ingredients.

allthingsequal, anonymous:

I just want to second all the reports of Dee being a lying swindler who will do and say anything to take advantage of people to get the money she needs to cover her bad business habits. I personally tried to help Dee out while engaging in a mutually beneficial business opportunity. Three months later, Dee is still avoiding my phone calls because she owes me well over $5,000 dollars. I know that none of you have any reason to believe this, but hopefully if enough people speak up about her, others will start to see the truth.

--allthingsequal

Clay213, anonymous:

For every sock puppet who posts some dumb hippie crap on this thread I am going to buy an entree from Bliss.

ssenzyme, anonymous:

I was thinking about ordering from them and now I'm glad I never did. Cynthia bragged about the food in an e-mail to me, saying it was "INCREDIBLE."

well, this whole thread has been INCREDIBLE, lol.

Cynthiatulsa, anonymous:

TTY

Cynthiatulsa, anonymous:

TTY

Namasteyoga, anonymous:

Y

Namasteyoga, anonymous:

Bliss cafe and pure cafe are 2 seperate companies in 2 seperate states and have nothing to do with one another.

Cynthia started a raw potluck in Dallas over 10 years ago and helped hundreds of people with the raw diet. She then open Pure Cafe Dallas in 2005 and relocated to Tulsa and open pure cafe there. She shipped gourmet raw food nationwide and I have been a long time customer.

Apparently, Delia pisarro who owns Bliss worked at pure cafe in 2005. When Cynthia moved away  she jumped on the rawfood bandwagon and stole Cynthias recipes, idea, design etc... And called it Bliss...

I believe they were friends at one time but Cynthia found out Delia had a very long criminal record and had been in prison. She cut all ties only  to learn later she tried to  copy Pure by opening bliss.

Delia became so obsessed with Cynthia she had been stalking and harassing her for 4 years. Delia has many warrants for her attest in Dallas and Tulsa ok for stalking Cynthia. This is all public record.., 

Cynthia is a very health conscience individual that has helped so many people through the years. I have personally seen horrific threatning emails from Delia the stalker trying to scare Cynthia. Cynthia had to move away from Texas to get away from this lunatic... She is completly mentally unstable.

So, I wanted to point out Cynthia never had  anything to do with bliss cafe... It is run by a full blown sociopath. I have wintessed her hurt Cynthia numerous times at the cafe.

Angela

Namasteyoga, anonymous:

Y

daritter, anonymous:

Keep on trucking.Seems as tho Bliss Raw Cafe is sailing forward while all the rawfooders complain.Hats off to Bliss Raw Cafe.Apparently there is a new restaurant that they are opening on Henderson Avenue that is a vegan vegetarian cooked restaurant,allthewhile others ranted moaned groaned and cried in self pity, Bliss Raw Cafe apparently didn't respond and trudged forward with plans of a third location.I can say this,there are two sides of a story.Bliss chose to keep silent which was a great pr move.Lesson to be learned rawfooders.

Yoga, anonymous:

http://www.lookwhogotbusted.com/tulsa...

Check it out!

Yoga, anonymous:

http://www.lookwhogotbusted.com/ tulsa-ok/pisarro-delia-elizabeth

Yoga, anonymous:

http://www.bustedmugshots.com/texas/ dallas/delia-pisarro/8296212

info9859, anonymous:

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mspantherina, anonymous:

I think I will let everyone know about my experiences in dealing with Cynthia Beavers, if I don't receive a full refund of my money by the end of the week.

mspantherina, anonymous:

I am very happy to announce that I received a full refund of my money. Cynthia Beavers is not a crook. She apparently had a stalker who trashed her all over the place online. I was worried, but now all fears have dissipated.

The smoothies are always yummy and the desserts are heavenly! Do give her a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Cynthia Beavers is a beautiful woman with some healthy meals and juices that she will send right to your doorstep.