Viva la Frida: A Richmond Escape

Haven’t made it to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts yet? That’s a bold move — but not in the artistic way. 

Frida: Beyond the Myth is more than a museum visit. It’s a reason to turn your entire weekend into a bold, artful escape. On view through September 28, 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition offers an intimate look at Kahlo’s deeply personal, powerfully symbolic work.

Pair your exhibition experience with curated cocktails, Mexican menus, and vibrant stays all woven together in true Kahlo fashion with equal parts passion, artistry, and spirit.

Whether you're traveling to Richmond for the weekend or planning the perfect staycation, make a point to lean all the way in. Explore the artist’s powerful paintings, indulge in tequila-laced toasts, and shop expressive keepsakes that channel Frida’s revolutionary style. Make your plans now for an immersive, Frida-forward weekend getaway bursting with flavor and flair.

See

The spellbinding exhibition Frida: Beyond the Myth is open at VMFA through September 28. Visitors can admire Kahlo’s powerful paintings, embedded with vivid symbolism, while learning about the deeply personal contexts and events that inspired her work. The exhibition is accompanied by English and Spanish interpretive texts and audio guides.

Stay

Quirk Richmond offers out-of-town visitors exclusive accommodations including an overnight stay in a delightful king room adorned with décor that reflects Kahlo’s artistic spirit. This thoughtful hotel package is complete with two VIP passes to the exhibition Frida: Beyond the Myth at VMFA, a 20% discount at the VMFA Shop, a 10% discount in the Quirk Gallery, and two Frida-inspired cocktails at Quirk's Lobby Bar & Q Rooftop.

Sip & Savor

Richmonders and travelers can also enjoy dining at partner restaurants that offer bespoke drinks and imaginative Mexican food dishes.

Conejo Cocina Mexicana mills heirloom corn from small family farms daily to make authentic Mexican tortillas, sopes, and tostadas. Freshly squeezed signature margaritas, frozen cocktails, and a curated list of tequila and mescal highlight their bar menu.

Kahlo’s Taqueria is serving the Mango Marigold Mirage cocktail, inspired by the vibrant flavors and cultural richness of Mexico City, which features milk-washed mango, Centenario tequila, Tajín oil, and marigold round ice.

Little Mexico’s dedicated cocktail, I Can Buy Myself Flowers, features Libélula tequila, Combier Liqueur d’Orange, lemon juice, and butterfly pea tea.

Lolita’s Víva la Vída cocktail, inspired by Kahlo’s painting of the same name, features xoconostle gin, Tepache de sandia, limón, sweet bougainvillea tea, herb liqueur, Mezcal, guava, fresh mint, and manzanilla bitters.

No trip to see Frida: Beyond the Myth would be complete without enjoying artful Mexican-inspired cuisine at VMFA’s award-winning Amuse restaurant or critically-acclaimed Floris tea room.

Delicious menu items offered by Amuse include these savory items: jumbo lump crab tostada served with spring pea guacamole, pickles, radish, and cilantro; Ruby’s spoonbread topped with elotes-style lime crema, cilantro, smoked paprika, and Cotija cheese; and grilled chorizo adorned with chickpeas, Swiss chard, ramp aguachile, and frizzled onions. 

Save room for these two dessert options: Talavera’ tres leches cake accented with fruit coulis and fruit powder or Mexican chocolate mousse made with Mexican vanilla sabayon, mole powder, and fresh fruit. 

Finally, choose from two Frida-inspired sips: Self Portrait with Monkey, a heady cocktail composed of brandy, espresso, Licor 43, and banana café de olla meringue or The Love Embrace, a concoction of Cirrus vodka, prickly pear liqueur, Damiana herb liqueur, and tonic.

The flavorful tiered sampling at Floris includes the following: asparagus tarts highlighted by avocado salsa and queso fresco, pepita ‘hummus’ accompanied by salsa macha and toast, poblano croquettes punctuated by pickled onion and walnut sauce, pineapple tarts sweetened with muscovado and hibiscus sugar, ‘Frida’s Kitchen’ cake featuring guava and whipped queso ganache, and coffee and cinnamon flan topped with quico brittle.

Shop

VMFA visitors can take a piece of this once-in-a-lifetime experience home. From insightful exhibition catalogues to jewelry, nichos, notecards, books, flowered crowns, stickers, milagros, T-shirts, home décor, and more, the museum shop offers a variety of unique merchandise featuring Kahlo’s art and celebrating her cultural heritage.

Whether you came for the art, the food, or the vibrant Richmond culture, you’ll leave with inspiration and memories that linger long after the weekend ends.