Glassblowing

I absolutely love trying new things – food, places, experiences, just about anything.  My personal opinion is – “it could be my new, most favorite thing in the world and how will I know unless I try it?”  So when my wonderful friend Mary presented me with the opportunity to make my own Christmas ornament at the Tulsa Glassblowing Studio – well, you can just imagine my elation.

We met Alex, our instructor for the morning, on a bright Saturday.  He walked us through the gallery and working studio and answered our endless questions.  Even though it was brisk outside, it was nice and toasty in the studio, with the ovens and kilns running.

The Oven

He showed us, step-by-step, how we would make our ornament and the different factors that shape each piece.  We started with a “blob” of molten glass on the blowing rod and heated it in the oven – slowly spinning the rod at all times – until it was soft enough to work with.  We then rolled the liquid glass through a pile of colored glass shards (I chose multi-colored and Mary chose black & white), melted it all together, and repeated the process.  Interesting tidbit – regardless of the color of glass shards chosen, when you heat the glass in the kiln, it all appears to be a bright orange but once it starts to cool, the true colors appear.   After the glass was melted together (spinning constantly) we had to roll the glass on a metal table to cool and shape it into a cone.

Firing the ornament

 

Now came the hard part.  You had to keep spinning the rod while Alex used giant tweezer-looking tongs to slowly pinch the blob of glass.  Alex would direct us on when to blow on the tubing to make a more round shape.  After it formed a round shape (more or less) we then scored the glass so it would release from the rod.  The bad news was mine broke when it released from the rod.  The good news was that I got to do it all over again!

Still in progress

 

 

The Final Product

 

After successfully creating an ornament, it then goes into the drying oven to finish curing.  The whole process took about 30 minutes from beginning to end and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  The possibilities are endless and I can easily see how one would get caught up in creating all kinds of nifty things – vases, sculpture pieces, martini glasses, wine glasses – well, the list is endless.

The Tulsa Glassblowing Studio is located at 19 E. Brady (on Brady between Main and Boston).  They offer classes for ages 13 and up, demonstrations, and tours.  Most artwork is also available for purchase.  Check them out on Facebook or give them a call at 918-382-0085. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pinot's Palette

Before we jump into this week's post, there are two items I want to alert you about.

1. You can now follow my blog by email.  Simply enter your email address in the box on the right and whenever I put up a new post, you'll get a handy-dandy email alert.
2. You can now make comments without having a blogger user name.  Just select "anonymous".  Comments and feedback are welcome!

And so, without further ado......this week's post.

I come from a family of extremely talented people – my Granny, my mother, my aunt April, my cousin Sophey, just to name a few and you would think that some of that talent would be passed down in the gene pool.  You would be wrong!

Recently, a group of my dearest friends gathered at Pinot’s Palette for a little artistic endeavor.  I’m sure you’ve seen these establishments all over the country – The Paint Bar, Bottle & Bottega, Sketch & Sip, etc.  Here in Tulsa it’s called Pinot’s Palette and the premise is pretty basic – its paint by numbers (without the numbers) while having a glass of wine or beer.  They provide all the materials and you follow along with the instructor to create your own “masterpiece”.  It sounds simple enough but for OCD people like me, it was a nervous breakdown waiting to happen.  Thank God they served wine and I am not even kidding!  We started off by painting the background colors and that was pretty basic and simple and I was going along okay.  But then – we had to mix our green paint with “about half of your yellow” and paint some stems.  It took me a good 5 minutes to determine I had exactly half my yellow paint mixed with my green and then another 10 minutes to determine how many stems I should paint and how they should be placed.  Meanwhile, on either side of me – Mary’s all “just paint some stems, it doesn’t matter” and Rebecca’s all “just be free and paint what you feel”.  And as bad as it was for me – my poor, dear, sweet friend Britni was near tears because her background wasn’t blended just like the instructors (Britni makes me looks like a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person).  But before long, we got the hang of it and started flinging paint on our canvases like we were modern-day Picasso’s. 

The highlight of our evening (or should I say, the lowlight) was the table behind us.  For a few brief moments I felt like I was in an episode of The Real Housewives of Tulsa.  I’ve never experienced so much liposuction, botox, and implants in one concentrated area as I did at this event.  And for awhile there, I felt our table and TRHOT table were bound to end up in an all-out brawl.  But I knew we would be the victors because a) we weren’t nearly as inebriated as them and b) we had Jenn S on our side. 

The whole evening lasted about two hours and in all honesty, I would probably do it again – nervous breakdown and all.  It really was a lot of fun and it’s a great way to get to know someone or just spend some time with people you care about. 

They offer classes for all levels of skill, including children 6 and up.  Which, to be honest, is probably way more along my skill level.

Visit http://www.pinotspalette.com/cherrystreet for more details, to review the schedule, and to sign up for a class.

Underground Supper Club

I have made no secret of my love for food and the dining experience as a whole.  I think when all the elements work together – the food, the atmosphere, the location, the company – it creates an intimate experience like no other.  For example, I once shared a meal in NYC with my very dear friend CJM.  It was close to midnight.  The restaurant was small and dark.  The warm breeze blew in from the open patio doors.  He had the rustic vegetables and I had the octopus.  On the surface it would seem like just another meal but all the elements came together to create such a decadent dining experience, I’ll remember it forever.

I had the same experience again this past Wednesday.  Back in the spring I stumbled across a two sentence blurb about Tulsa’s Underground Supper Club.  Well obviously I was intrigued – how could you not be?  The premise is pretty simple – about once a month 20 diners gather together (chosen by a lottery system) and a chef prepares a meal of his choosing.  But it’s so much more than that.  It’s an experience like no other.

After entering the lottery on three previous occasions I was finally selected.  The theme for our evening would be “The Curious Chicken” and all components of the meal would feature either eggs or chicken.  To add to the illicit and secretive feel of the event, you are not informed of the location of the dinner until 24 hours before the event.  How exciting!!

Our event would be held at the Campbell Hotel (http://www.thecampbellhotel.com/).  The Campbell Hotel was originally named The Casa Loma and was built in 1927.  After many years of being in disrepair, it was completely renovated in 2011 and was featured in the Designer Showcase that same year.

My date and I arrived at the Campbell Hotel promptly at 6:00pm for the Cocktail hour.  The cocktail for the evening was The SOCIAL fizz – a nice mixture of Makers, white vermouth, bitters, solerno, and egg whites.  We mingled with the other diners for the evening and found it was a fascinating mix of ages, professions, and personalities.  While we mingled we were also offered a tour of the hotel.

Precisely at 7:00pm we were escorted to the ballroom and seated for dinner.  All guests were seated at long banquet table lit with candles; soft music playing in the background.  I found myself between a gentleman who makes his living buying and selling coins and gemstones and a man who handles wealth management.  Other diners at our table included an author, a furniture salesman, a few accountants, the chairwoman of the board of directors for a hospital, a stay-at-home mother, and a postman, just to name a few. 

The first order of business was the introduction of the chef – Marcus Vause, former executive chef of the recently closed Brasserie on Brookside.  His new venture will be the opening of SOCIAL at 7^th and Boston (in the lobby of the OG&E Building), hopefully in April of 2013.

The second order of business was to have all first-timers stand and recite the supper club pledge.  I kid you not!!  We even received a lapel pin.  I was so excited!  It was like Fight Club for Foodies.  And once the dinner service started, I felt like I was in an episode of Top Chef – the presentation, the chef describing each course, the way we all discussed the food – it was spectacular.

Our first taste of the evening was an amuse bouche (a bite-sized appetizer).  It was an empanada filled with chicken, beans, and rice and topped with a dab of guacamole.  As soon as I tasted it I knew we were in for a culinary adventure. 

First Course – Oysters & Caviar.  This wasn’t your traditional oyster.  The dish was served in an oyster shell on cubes of warm lemon gelee (chicken bouillon and lemongrass blended together).  The ‘oyster’ was actually a chicken oyster which is a small, round piece of dark meat located near the thigh.  This was topped with a touch of caviar.  When eaten in one bite it did have the taste of an oyster but not the texture.  It was amazing!  And you might as well get used to me saying “it was amazing” because I think I’ll be using that term a lot to describe the menu.  This was paired with a Riesling.

Second Course – Tortelloni.  The tortelloni was served on a piece of crisp pork belly resting in a broth of calvados consommé and pressed apples.  The tortelloni was stuffed with a nice mixture of chicken liver and gizzards (yes, yes, I know how you people feel about organ meat but deal with it!  It was awesome!).  When you would take a bite of all the elements – bacon, liver, gizzards, and apple – it was the perfect combination of flavors.  This was one of my favorite dishes and it was paired with Angeline Chardonnay.

Third Course – Breast & a Wing.  This was not what I expected.  The chicken breast was a small strip of breast plated on the curried squash, topped with crisp skin.  The textures all worked together to make a really interesting bite of food and the curried squash was to die for.  It was more of a puree and the curry brought a nice balance to the sweetness of the squash.  The wing was cut in the “lollipop” style, meaning the bone was stripped clean except for a cluster of meat at the end.  It was fried crisp and then plated on top of a dollop of pomegranate roulade.  To sum it up – it was the most elegant, delectable, buffalo wing I have ever tasted.  This course was paired with Stoller Pinot Noir.  When they cleared my plate, the only thing left was the bone.

Fourth Course – Short Rib Leg.  I will admit, by the time we got to this course, I was starting to get really full.  The short rib leg was a deboned chicken leg, split and then stuffed with brisket.  It was then served with smoked beech mushrooms, corn sponge ‘cake’, and onion marmalade.  The chicken had almost a BBQ feel to it and the mushrooms really added a special element with their smokiness.  This dish was paired with a red blend. 

Fifth Course – Orange Blossom-Chile Sorbet.  The fifth course (yes, fifth!) was a delicious palette cleanser.  It was just a dollop of this amazing orange blossom sorbet with a light chili drizzle.  The sorbet had such floral undertones; it is what I would imagine eating honeysuckle ice cream would be like.  It really was so refreshing and I probably could have eaten twice as much as I was served.

Sixth Course – Cardamom Yolk.  The banana cream was like a really rich egg custard but the way it was plated, it looked like slices of bananas (which makes perfect sense now that I type this sentence).  Each slice had a drop of cinnamon cream on top and the whole thing was sprinkled with cinnamon puffed combs.  The cinnamon puffed combs were coxcombs that had been finely diced, fried crisp and coated with cinnamon and sugar.  This was served with a steaming cup of Turkish coffee.  It was absolutely the perfect ending to a perfect meal and I don’t even drink coffee!

We were seated for dinner at 7:00pm sharp and it was 10:15pm when we finally ended the evening.  It was such a decadent, illicit, sexy evening.  The food, the wine, the people, the music, the location, the whole thing was…..well, amazing. 

After it was all said and done, it was one of those rare moments when everything comes together – the meal, the drink, the location, the company – and a meal turns into an ‘experience’.  As we were leaving, these were the words of my date: “this is by far the coolest thing I have ever done in my adult life”.  I think that sums up the evening perfectly.

*Normally I try to include pictures that relate to each post but this is a special case.  I don’t want to give out too much information because the more people who know about this fabulous event, the less my chances of winning the lottery the next time, but on the other hand I want to share this wonderful experience.  It’s such a quandary – share the news or keep it all secret.  Much like Fight Club, the first rule of Supper Club is don’t talk about Supper Club.  But that’s not really the case.  The host of this extraordinary event wants to spread the word about the great culinary scene in Tulsa.  Such a dilemma!

Winterfest / Pop Up Shopping

Although you wouldn’t know it by the recent spate of warm weather we’ve had – it’s almost time for Christmas!  Which also just happens to coincide with Winterfest and the Pop Up Shops – how convenient is that??

Just exactly what is Winterfest you might ask?  Well, it’s Tulsa’s take on NYC’s Rockefeller Center and it’s awesome.  This is the 5^th year of Winterfest and for many; it’s become a holiday tradition.  You can skate under the stars and enjoy the scenic Tulsa skyline, all while watching free entertainment – on the outdoor stage, not the people, although I think people watching is all kinds of entertainment.  This year the rink has grown and expanded, taking in most of 3^rd street in front of the BOK Event Center and if you get a little chilly, just pop into the warming tent for a few minutes.

Along with the ice skating, you can enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets of downtown, grab some snacks (soup, grilled cheese, s’mores, coffee, hot chocolate, etc) and on Saturday December 8^th, the Holiday Market will take place in the lobby of the BOK Center.  The holiday market will feature hundreds of vendors selling seasonal gift items, so you can surely finish up your Christmas shopping.

Visit http://www.bokcenter.com/events/winterfest-2011 for more information, a detailed listing of live entertainment, and a complete calendar of events.

The other thing I love about Tulsa in the winter is the return of Pop-Up Shopping.  Now in its second year, pop up shopping gives holiday shoppers an alternative to the nightmare that is 71^st & Memorial and provides some really unique gift ideas.  The shops are located inside the lobby of four buildings in the area of 5^th to 7^th and Boston to Main.  Some retailers this year include The Dog Dish, Bison & Bear (great men’s gifts), Candy Castle (where else can you find candy cigarettes?), The Tulsa Zoo and Theraganics, just to name a few.  You will also find some entertainment to go along with your shopping – Steve Liddell is scheduled to perform on December 19^th.  And word on the street is that you will find a certain jolly, fat man every Wednesday as well.

Find out more at www.decodistricttulsa.com 

Tulsa City-County Library

"When you open a book, you can go anywhere, be anyone, achieve anything.  A book is a doorway to other worlds".  This is one of the very first lessons my dad ever taught me.  To say my dad read a lot was like saying it gets a little warm here in the summer.  The man read constantly and his love of books was the greatest gift he ever gave me.  I never go anywhere without a book and with the recent acquisition of my Kindle - I now have the ability to have several books with me at any given time.

I'd always loved the library but really, bookstores were more my thing.  Libraries were dusty, had a slight odor of mold, and all the books seemed to be five years out of date.  Bookstores though - now that was the ticket!  They were bright and shiny, it smelled new, and had all the latest bestsellers.

But then something happened.  I bought my home and wouldn't you know it - right around the corner was the Brookside branch of the Tulsa City-County Library.  So one afternoon, while I was "busy" at work, I decided to check out the library online.  I was amazed.  Here were all the latest bestsellers available to me with just the click of a mouse.  Why hadn't I realized that the library was this great?  Why had I waited so long to check this out?  What was my problem?

That afternoon I stopped at my local branch and got my first, official, Tulsa City-County Library card.  The next day, the search was on.  I started requesting books left and right.  Some were available right away and those that weren't - I was simply placed on the waiting list.  And I requested that they be delivered to my library so I wouldn't have to go out of my way.  Basically - it was like bringing the bookstore to me.

There are some drawbacks to using the library - sometimes you do have to wait a bit to read that latest bestseller and just because it's on the shelf at Barnes & Noble doesn't mean it's at the library - yet; sometimes the lag time is a couple of weeks.  But the amount of money I save every year is well worth these small annoyances.  Seriously - using the library probably saves me close to $700 each year and that's nothing to sneeze out.

The library system has also recently added e-books.  Although the collection is small, it's growing every day and most everything I've looked for is available.  The one complaint I have is that they have two sites working - one for traditional printed material and another site for electronic material.  But I've been assured that before long, the two sites will be integrated and work as one.

So get to your local library and check it out or go online at http://www.tulsalibrary.org/ (printed materials) or http://tulsa.lib.overdrive.com/ (electronic material).  Winter will be here before you know it and there's nothing like curling up on a chilly night with a great book.

Food Trucks

You've seen them - sitting there on the corner, looking all tasty and smelling all fabulous.  And you think to yourself - how good can the food actually be?  Well, I'm telling you - pretty freakin' good!  Long a staple of thriving metropolises (metropoli?), the food truck is finally making its mark here in Tulsa.  This past Saturday was the Eat Street Tulsa Food Truck Festival, held in the Blue Dome district.  With more than 15 of the best trucks going - there was something to satisfy every palate - Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, along with more American fare such as BBQ, hot dogs, and pizza.

We arrived shortly after 6:00pm and the crowd was thick and in a festive mood (helping with the festive mood was the fact that the McNellies Pub Run had recently finished and half the crowd was working on an endorphin / Guinness high).  We started with tacos from Mr. Nice Guys.  They were your standard street tacos filled to the brim with a nice mix of chicken, lettuce, and some pico.  Next we headed to The Pink Tamale.  The tamales were delicious and had a super texture.  Then we found ourselves at Smoke on the Street (affiliated with Smoke on Cherry Street).  Here is where we sampled fried dill pickles and fried pig ears.  I've had fried pickles before and always enjoy them.  The fried pig ears?  Well, that's another story.  I just could not get past the fact that they were pig ears.  Now, let me be clear - the reason I am not a vegetarian is because of the pig - ribs, bacon, pork chops, bacon, pork loin, bacon - but the pig ear was really too much for me.  Tasty, but it messed with my mind.

There has been some resistance to food trucks here in Tulsa.  Many people mistakenly believe that the food quality is sub-par or that the truck conditions may be unsanitary.  But having worked my way through college at a local pizza joint, I will take my chances with the corner hot dog man any day over a fast food meal served at the Golden Arches.  Those places are swimming in grease and I truly believe the wash-your-hands-after-using-the-facilities is taken more as a suggestion than a requirement.  With the food truck - what you see is what you get.  And even better - with the food trucks, you know you are supporting a local business, not some conglomerate based in Illinois.  Food truck vendors most often buy local, shop local, use seasonal ingredients, and the food is usually fresh, not frozen.

So the next time you leave the BOK Center on a Saturday night and pass the hot dog man - get one!!  I guarantee you it will be the best dog you've ever had.

Local Eats & Drinks

food-ie (noun) - a person having an avid interest in food.

Yes, I am a foodie (despise the word, love the concept).  I love trying new restaurants and foods.  Thankfully, I live in Tulsa, which means I can indulge my hobby at least once a week as long as my pocketbook agrees.  And for my money - it's hard to beat the local joints.  Below is a list of some of my favorite places and why.

Cosmo's (33rd & Peoria) - to be honest, I think the original place had a more relaxed vibe but it's still hard to beat this neighborhood hang out.  They don't allow sports on the TV, they do frequent "theme" nights (The Big Lebowski night, Speakeasy night, etc), they have board games you can play and the menu offers a HUGE selection of sandwhiches and salads and everything always taste so fresh!  But more than anything else - they have the BEST bloody mary in town.  The best!  Plus, this one time, I was quoted on their menu.  So I've got that going for me.

El Guapo's Cantina (1st & Elgin) - Tulsa's only roof top restaurant, El Guapo's is part of Elliot Nelson's bid to take over the world (ok, maybe just downtown Tulsa).  The food is great, the staff is the friendliest, and the atmosphere is amazing.  And on Tuesday nights, you can get street tacos for $1.  Now how great is that?

McNellie's Tavern (1st & Elgin) - Ahhh....McNellie's.  Everyone knows about McNellie's.  They have the coolest bar atmosphere going and the largest selection of beers in the region (350 and growing).  Their burger is pretty good, especially on Wednesdays ($3 burger night) and the sweet potato fries are something to write home about.  Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Dalesandro's (18th & Boston) - If I'm in the mood for Italian food, there is no other place I can think of other than Dalesandro's (Ciao on Brookside runs a close 2nd).  Dalesandro's first opened in Skiatook, moved downtown and now they have a new, spacious place at SoBo.  The menu is fairly small but they have everything you could hope for and the food is fresh!  And as an extra perk - Vintage 1740 is right next door - Tulsa's most hip wine bar.  Except for Valkyrie, which isn't really a wine bar but rather a bar that serves some of the best drinks in town.

The Rusy Crane (1st & Detroit) - the motto of this restaurant is "Be Here" and I think that pretty much sums it up.  The food is fresh and tasty and the menu is varied - suitable to every palate including my one and only vegetarian friend.  And for a refreshing change of pace, they offer "no crash lunches" - lunch entrees that are guaranteed to give you energy throughout the day.  But be warned - the service is.....well, let's just say not good.






The Brook (34th & Peoria) - Mac & Cheese.  That is all.

Yokozuna (2nd & Detroit) - featuring a diverse menu of Pan-Asian food, they have some of the best sushi going.  Fun, different sushi rolls (hello, Hot Mess) and a fun atmosphere, Yokozuna is my go-to place for sushi.  Plus, they offer happy hour on their rolls from 3pm-6pm Monday - Friday, and 10pm-midnight on Friday and Saturday.  Granted, I have to plan accordingly and take a nap if I'm going to be out past 10:00pm, but it's worth it.

Fat Guy's Burgers (1st & Greenwood) - located adjacent to Driller's Stadium, this burger place serves the BEST burgers around.  Thin patties, intriguing toppings (peanut butter?), great french fries - it's nirvana!

Brother's Houligan (15th & Atlanta) - if you're looking for a classy setting and fine dining, just turn around and leave.  The Bros Houligan is all about comfort food and by comfort food, I really mean everything is fried and served with a side of gravy.  I've tried just about everything on the menu and although the chicken fried steak is super-yummy, it's the chicken livers that keep bringing me back.  Yes, chicken livers.  They're awesome and tasty and I don't care that it's an organ meat.  Get over it.

Vintage 1740 (17th & Boston) - I love this place.  Small space, intimate feel, velvet couches, great drink selection - what's not to like???

Valkyrie (13 E. Brady) - this new bar opened this past summer and already it's one of my new favorite places.  The decor is pretty industrial with an open floor plan, but it stll feels warm and cozy.  The premise is a continuously rotating selection of wines, beers, and cocktails based on the seasons.  And you won't fine bottled anything here - the fruit juice is squeezed daily, and all other ingredients (such as grenadine) are made in house.





So that's it - my Top 11, if you will.  So what's your favorite place to grab some sustenance?  If you always find yourself at a chain - branch out!!  Support your local business owners!!  Try something new.  Start creating your own Top 10 list today.

River Parks Trail System

Oklahoma consistently ranks in the top 10 for obesity.  That's ridiculous!  It's time to change that and there is no better place to start than River Parks.  The River Parks Trail System is truly Tulsa's crown jewel.  It got its start in 1974 as part of a civic project designed to celebrate Tulsa's 75th birthday.  With 2 million in urban renewal funds, the first steps were the installation of the asphalt-surfaced trails and the conversion of the railroad bridge into the pedestrian bridge located at 29th street.

In recent years, thanks to a combination of private and public funding, most notably a generous grant of 12.4 million from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the trail system has grown and expanded.  The heart of the trail runs from 11th to 101st street on the east side of the river.  From 11th street you can travel a little further north and find yourself on the "Katy" trail, taking you into Sand Springs, or head west from 11th and you will cross the river and find yourself on the west bank, which runs from 11th to 71st street and connects to Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness.

From the 29th street bridge, head east and find yourself on the Midland Valley Trail (an old railway path that has recently undergone a much needed update) taking you into the heart of downtown.  At the south end of the trail, you can turn at 96th street and connect to the Creek Turnpike Trail, taking you to the NSU campus at BA.

With 26 miles of paved trails, you can easily bike or walk from Sand Springs to Broken Arrow and never leave the trail system.  Now that's impressive.

Some highlights of the trail -

Tulsa Townies - launched in 2007 by Saint Francis Health System (hence the pink color) to promote an active lifestyle, this project is one of a kind in northeastern Oklahoma.  Research has shown that cycling helps burn calories and improve cardiovascular fitness.  And although it's not a proven scientific fact, I truly believe that nothing comes as close to making you feel like you're 9 years old again like riding a bike.  The old-fashioned "townie" bikes can be checked out from one of four kiosks along the trail.  Although there is no fee to check out a townie, you will need a credit card for identification purposes and to prevent theft.  Check out http://www.tulsa-townies.com/ for more information.

41st Street Plaza - the 2.8 million plaza was privately-funded, with QT being the lead donor in celebration of the company's 50th anniversary.  The most popular feature by far is the splash pad/playground and it has become THE place to be on those hot summer days.  You will also find a covered pavilion perfect for that summer picnic, restroom facilities, a townie kiosk, and more people watching that you can handle.

  

Bronze Artwork - the trail is home to the city's largest collection of bronze wildlife sculptures, gifts to the citizens of Tulsa from NatureWorks, Inc.  The centerpiece of the collection can be found at the BOK Plaza (71st & Riverside) - Bruins Riverpark Picnic - and depicts a family of bears playing in a fountain.  NatureWorks is completely 'Tulsa'.  The non-profit organization originated and resides exclusively in Tulsa with no national or other organized affiliation.  There are no paid employees and is completely a labor of love.

  

Zinc Dam/29th Street Pedestrian Bridge - at 29th street it's hard not to notice the old trestle bridge.  Once part of the Midland Valley Railroad, the bridge now allows trail users to cross to the west side of the river.  The Zinc Dam, created in 1983 and located adjacent to the bridge, creates Zinc Lake.  It's not uncommon to find men fishing off the pedestrian bridge but honestly, I'm not sure I would want to eat their catch of the day....

East Meets West Sculpture - at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza (11th street & SW Boulevard) you can't help but notice the larger than life art work recently installed.  It depicts Cyrus Avery (apparently he's the Father of the Mother Road) and his family in their Model T as they encounter an unsuspecting oil field worker and his team of horses.  Created by artist Robert Summers, and nearly 10 years in the making - it's quite something.  The sculpture weighs nearly 20,000 pounds, stretches more than 60 feet, and rises 15 feet in the air.  If you're out and about - cruise by and check it out!!

The park also offers an 18-hole disc golf course (I don't get this "sport", but whatever...), a skate park (23rd street on the west bank), an outdoor gym (53rd street), a rugby field (38th street) and two places to quench your thirst or grab a bite to eat - The Blue Rose Cafe and Elwood's, both near 19th street.  Elwood's is a very casual cafe serving cool drinks and sandwiches.  You can grab an outdoor table or dine picnic style on the lawn.  And most weekends you can also enjoy the live music being offered.  The Blue Rose is more formal (well, compared to Elwood's) in that there is indoor seating, a large patio overlooking the river, and a greater menu selection.  Blue Rose also features live music most weekends but between you and me, it's a little loud and overwhelming at times.

I think the citizens of Tulsa are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful natural resource at our disposal and generous benefactors who see the potential in what can be achieved.  So get the family together, leash up the dogs, and go for a walk.  It's free, it's good for your health, and it's a great way to spend some quality time with your family.

dedicated to CJM

Oktoberfest - It's Wunderbar!

The weather is getting cooler, the leaves are changing and that can only mean one thing - it's Oktoberfest time!  Oktoberfest, for those of you living in a cave, is the annual celebration of all things German - bratwurst, beer, chicken dancing, and wiener dogs.

Tulsa Oktoberfest began in 1978 as a small festival to help raise a little money for River Parks.  34 years and close to a million dollars later, the festival is thriving and is now recognized as one of the top 10 Oktoberfests in the US and, according to NBC Today, the best one outside of Munich.  Not too shabby, Tulsa!

And here's a little tidbit of information I bet you didn't know - the Chicken Dance (originally called the Duck Dance) was introduced to the United States in 1981 during the 3rd annual Tulsa Oktoberfest!  Rumor has it that a German band wanted to demonstrate the dance in costume but no duck costumes were available.  The only thing the organizers were able to scrounge up was a chicken costume.  And the rest, as they say - is history!

The festival officially kicked off on Thursday, October 15th at 5:30pm (Wednesday evening is Corporate Night) with a keg tapping ceremony.  Other events this year included the Lederhosen Run, the Cornhole Competition, the McNellies Bier Barrel Race, the Strong Stein competition and last, but in no way least, the 5th Annual Running of the Wieners.  I was lucky enough to witness the Running of the Wieners and I can sum it up in one word - pandemonium!  I have never seen anything so ridiculously funny in my entire life.  Along with all the adult attractions and activities, Oktoberfest also offers a kids tent and carnival rides.  So it really is an event the whole family can participate in.  The children's tent featured face painting, balloons, games, and all kinds of kid-friendly things to do.

I didn't make it to Oktoberfest until Sunday afternoon but word on the street is that Saturday night's attendance set a new record!  The Sunday afternoon crowd was still plentiful if not quite as rowdy as the Saturday night group and there were a ton of families out and about.  I actually spent Sunday volunteering in the souvenir booth with Jenn P., selling chicken hats and beads.  Yes, it's a dirty job but someone has to make the public look like idiots.

I say this all the time and I will continue to spread the word - Tulsa has an amazing array of events, activities, and attractions.  Don't sit at home every night watching TV.  Get out and enjoy what Tulsa has to offer.  So when "Oktober" rolls around next year - remember, one of the best festivals in the US is at your door step.

Check back next week for the latest in KeepingTulsaLocal.

Wine Tasting

I'm not exactly sure how it came to be, but I recently had an amazing opportunity to attend a wine tasting event at the home of Randa Warren, Oklahoma's only Master Sommelier.  To put in perspective why this was such a big deal - there are only 197 Master Sommeliers world wide.  So - you know - it's kind of a big deal to achieve this ranking because they aren't handing out this honor to just any Joe off the street.



But back to the story.  I am not what you would call a wine aficionado.  As a matter of fact, I pretty much choose my bottle of wine based on how cool the label looks.  Twist cap, cork, box, or bottle - I don't care.  I do know I prefer the Pinots over Chardonnay and I know you should pair whites with seafood and chicken.  Yep - right there pretty much sums up my complete knowledge of wine.  So I really wasn't sure what to expect or how bad I might embarrass myself.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The theme of the evening was "Wines That Are Easily Confused".  We started the evening with three glasses of whites - a Riesling, an Albarino, and a Gruner Veltliner.  Randa was very informative and kind.  She explained how to properly smell a glass of wine, how to taste it on your tongue, and what you should look for from each sample.  Was the wine new world or old world, what type of "finish" did each glass have, and she discussed the different acid levels.  Our next flight of wine involved the reds and we were presented with a Chianti, a Grenache, and a Rojas.  Again, we learned what to look for as far as smells, color, and acidity.  But here's the kicker - she didn't tell you which glass was what.  Based on her overview of each wine, you had to determine which one was the Chianti, which was the Grenache, and so on.  Out of six wines, I got one right!!  Yay me!!

Even if wine isn't your thing, if you ever get a chance to take part in something like this - do it!  You may really surprise yourself and come away with a whole new respect for wine.  But between you and me, I'm just glad I didn't embarrass myself.

And mucho gracias to Jennifer, Henry, and Bruce for including me in this amazing event.  I promise not to bring Two Buck Chuck to any more events.

Wine, Eats, & Easels

Every once in a blue moon, I like to venture outside my comfort zone, especially when it's for a great cause.  This past week I packed a bottle of water and my passport and traveled out to the Broken Arrow Farmers Market for the annual Wine, Eats, & Easels benefit.  Wine, Arts, & Easels benefits Broken Arrow Neighbors (BAN), a local agency helping those in need by "nourishing the body with food and the spirit with dignity and respect".  This annual event began several years ago as a way for Sonny Kinion to honor his mother, Ruby.  BAN was her favorite charity and he felt this would be an appropriate way to carry on her memory.

This event has become one of the most attended and applauded social events of the year and this year was no exception, even with the chilly weather.  The crowd was large and festive and it was a such a delight to mingle with people who enjoy coming together for a great cause.  Patrons sampled wine and cocktails from local businesses and there was a Wine & Pearl Pull for the first 100 patrons.  For a small donation, guests could select a concealed bottle of wine and also receive a string of pearls, courtesy of J. David Jewelry. 

The "eats" offered this year were delectable.  Participating vendors included Main Street Tavern, Oklahoma Joes' BBQ, Ted's Cafe Escondido, The Ridge Grill, and Bone Fish Grill, just to name a few.  By the way, the bang-bang shrimp being offered by Bone Fish Grill was so delectable, I went back for seconds.  As patrons sampled wine and eats, they had the opportunity to stroll through the exhibits featuring local artists and listen to the musical stylings of Grady Nichols.  And let me say - there are some amazingly talented people in this state.

The "Living Statues" were a big draw and some considered to be a personal challenge.  Two men were painted up to look like bronze statues and they were more than believable.  They never blinked (that I saw) and they could hold a pose for hours!

      Another big draw was the world famous Original Butt Sketch artist.  If you haven't seen this in person, you are missing out.  A professional butt-sketch artist draws you from the backside, each sketch taking approximately 2 minutes.  It's unbelievable and so life-like.  I know it sounds weird but it's amazing and fun and so entertaining.  Again, if you have the opportunity to participate in this - don't miss out.  Get up there and strike a pose!!

All in all, the whole evening was wonderful - from the food to the drink to the entertainment to the people.  I can't wait for next years benefit and many, many thanks to Sonny for being such a gracious host.

Tulsa State Fair

First and foremost - I FREAKIN' LOVE THE FAIR!!!!  I love the smell of all that greasy food, the sounds of the midway, the weirdos, the cheap giveaway crap the vendors offer you!  Growing up, the fair was treated as a national holiday.  You talked about it, you made a game plan, you organized, you attacked!  And that has not changed!

My ultra-fabulous Granny, my mom, and I ventured out on a recent evening.  And it's always the same - the first thing, and I mean the VERY first thing we do, is hit the Oklahoma Pork Chop exhibit for a pork chop sandwich.  I don't know what it is, but that piece of pork loin on a plain bun with a little BBQ sauce is so amazingly good.

Our next stop on our culinary journey found us having some corn on the cob at the east end of the IPE building (now known as the QuikTrip Event Center).  In my humble opinion, this is the MUST eat item at the fair.  These amazing people roast the corn over an open fire, peel back the husk, did it in a vat of butter, and serve it up hot and juicy.  What's not to love??  We follow that with a serving of fried green tomatoes.  They slice the tomatoes thin, fry them up and serve them piping hot with a side of ranch dressing.  It was also that this point that I realized, with utter clarity - I am my mother's daughter.

Another must for us is to walk through all of the exhibits.  And we don't just stroll through casually but we look at every piece of crap, every offer, every exhibit and sample everything.  If you are giving away something, we will take it - magnets, pens, yard sticks, cups, bumper sticker - you name it.  It's part of the beauty of the fair.

And the people watching?  It's like winning the lottery.  Sweet goodness, there were some "looks" out there.  This is what I learned and I'd like to pass these tips on to you:

• Just because you can fit into skinny jeans doesn't mean you should
• Pink hot pants and cowboy boots do not work well on women with "ample" legs
• If you are shaped like an M&M, maybe you should reconsider wearing that M&M jacket
• Regardless of what you may think, the bare midriff is not making a comeback

So get out there and experience what the Tulsa State Fair has to offer.

And check back next week to learn about Wine, Arts, & Easels.....

Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness

Oh my gosh!  I knew Turkey Mountain existed but I hadn’t ventured there in a good 20+ years.  To be very accurate, the last time I was at Turkey Mountain I was still in high school and went there with a boyfriend to make out.  But moving on…

Turkey Mountain has undergone a remarkable transformation.  Thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the entrance is beautiful.  There is ample parking (including a lot for horse trailers), climbing boulders, restroom facilities, an outdoor shower, and a water fountain for trail users and their furry friends.

There are four main trails – yellow, red, blue, and pink – and endless unmarked trails – totaling about 45 miles of running/hiking/biking enjoyment.   You can walk for an hour and not encounter another person and then turn a corner and meet a group of mountain bikers or trail runners. 

A recent outing with a friend and my two pups found us on the yellow trail.  The yellow trail is a 4.4 mile loop along the east side of the mountain.  Now let me clear something up right now – I am not an experienced hiker by any stretch of the imagination.  At all!  The only thing I can ever remember about the outdoors is “leaves of three, let it be”.  Well, that and what to do in case of a bear attack, which is “big and brown - lay down; big and black – fight back”.  And as we all know – the bears are rampant in Brookside.  But I found the yellow trail to be a fun, easy hike.  It took about 2 hours to complete (we could have gone faster but the boy dog had to pee on something EVERY 5 MINUTES) and it was really very fabulous.  There were some amazing boulders the size of small cars, the views were phenomenal, people were friendly and I felt very Daniel Boone-like.

Along the way we saw some remnants of old pump jack stands from when the mountain was prospected for oil in the early 20th century.  We saw an amazing view of downtown Tulsa, the Arkansas River, and a not so amazing view of the sewage treatment facility. 

Another outing involved the blue trail.  I found the blue trail to be a little more challenging even though it's shorter in length (1.5 mile loop).  It's a bit rockier and steeper than the yellow trail and takes you into the heart of the mountain. 

If you are new to hiking, don't have a lot of time, or just curious about what Turkey Mountain is all about - I would suggest the red trail.  It's less than a mile and only takes about 20 minutes.  It winds south of the parking lot, running parallel to 71st street for just a bit, and then back into the mountain.

The red trail will give you a very good idea of what to expect on the other trails without leaving you exhausted or feeling overwhelmed.

The pink trail looks intimidating on the map but it’s really not that bad.  Keep in mind however that the pink trail is not as clearly marked as the other trails so you do need to pay more attention and be aware of your surroundings.  It’s also a lot more private. 

When you are in the middle of this urban wilderness, it is so easy to forget that you are only 7 minutes from downtown.  Remarkable!  And let me add that I felt very safe the entire time I hiked.  Not once did I feel any trepidation or concern. 

If you choose to venture out, I would recommend taking basic safety precautions –

• Hike with a buddy.  If you go alone, make sure you let someone know when to expect you back.
• Take some water and perhaps a granola bar.  Yes, there is a fountain at the trail head but it's always better to be safe than sorry.
• If you're new to hiking, follow the trail markers.  As tempting as it may be to go off on your own, you don't want to get lost and then have to call 911 and then make a big scene.  It's easier to just avoid the embarrassment altogether.

For more information and a detailed trail map, visit http://www.turkeymtn.com/.

And don't forget to check back next week for the latest in Keeping Tulsa Local.