Tulsa Tourist

'Twas the Weekend Before Christmas, Tulsa!

2009-12-16T22:19:00.003-06:00

As we head into another weekend packed full of holiday happenings and festivities, can you believe it's only one week 'till Christmas? Time to bundle up, and head out to finish that last minute holiday shopping, enjoy concerts, shows, parties, and fun for the whole family! Who knows, we might even see a snowflake or two, if we're lucky!

Wednesday:
Holiday Party - Tulsa Garden Center, 2435 S. Peoria. Wine & cheese party in the mansion. Free for TGC members, $5 for non members.

Thursday:
Holiday Concert at the Mansion - Tulsa Historical Society Travis Mansion, 2445 S. Peoria. Free concert at 1:30 pm.
Marvellite Christmas Run - All Souls Church at 29th and Peoria, starting at 6pm.
Holiday Stroll - Main St., Downtown Sapulpa. From 5:30-8:30pm, enjoy discounted Christmas shopping, food, carraige rides, carolers, and photos with Santa!

Thursday-Saturday:
Shepherd's Living Nativity & Pecan Festival - Shepherd's Cross, 16792 E. 450 Rd., Claremore. Running from 10am-8:30pm each day, this free event features a walk through live nativity, refreshments, activities, gifts and hand crafted items for sale, and of course, pecans!
Friday:
Breakfast with Santa - Whiteside Community Center, 4009 S. Pittsburgh, 9:30am. $6 for breakfast, games, and goodies with Santa!
First Annual Holiday Concert - Monte Cassino Auditorium, 2200 S. Lewis Avenue. Tulsa Community Band puts on free concert starting at 7:30pm.

Friday & Saturday:
Toy Classics Exhibit - Sand Springs Museum, 9 E. Broadway, Sand Springs. Free admission, exhibit features toys from the 40's-80's. Hours are 10-5 Fri, 10-2 Sat.
Tulsa Boy Singers Christmas Concert - Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati. Tickets are $5 for the shows at 7:30pm each night.
A Song of Winter - Tulsa PAC, 110 E. 2nd St. Tickets are $8, show times are Friday eve at 8; Saturday at 2 & 8pm. Comedic version of Ebeneezer Screech Owl, as well as Christmas carols, performed by the American Indian Theatre Company.

Friday - Sunday:
The Nutcracker - Tulsa PAC. Tickets start at $15, shows are Friday eve at 7pm; Saturday at 2 & 7pm; and Sunday at 2pm.
A Christmas Carol - Tulsa PAC. Tickets are $24, shows are Friday, 7:30pm; Saturday, 2 & 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm.
The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge - Sapulpa Community Theatre, 124 S. Water St., Sapulpa. Tickets are $10 for performances at: Friday eve at 8pm; Saturday, 8pm; and Sunday at 2pm.
Christmas Trade Show - Woodland Hills & Promenade Malls. Shop unique vendors all weekend, including Summerside wines with free tastings!

Saturday:
All you can eat breakfast - VFW Post 577, 1109 E. 6th St. Only $5 for a great breakfast of eggs, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, gravy and pancakes! Come out and show your support for veterans!

Free Holiday Films - Central Library, 400 Civic Center. Drop by for free movie showings 9:30am-4:30pm.
A Christmas Story - Circle Cinema, 12 S. Lewis Ave. A free showing of the holiday classic at 11am.
Christmas Make-and-Take Party - Whiteside Community Center, 4009 S. Pittsburgh, 10:30 am. Kids holiday crafts & gifts. Cost is $15.

Skate with Santa! - Oilers Ice Center, 6413 S. Mingo. Skate with Santa & holiday music!
Skate & Share - Roller Sports Arena, Broken Arrow, 5-7pm. Only $5, including skates, and proceeds go to the Tulsa Emergency Shelter.
Christmas Wonderland Lights Tour - McClure Park, 7440 E. 7th St., 6pm. For $15, register for a tour of Tulsa's best neighborhood light displays.
Falala Ball - Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, 621 E. 4th St., 7-11pm. Bring non-perishable food items, toiletries, and pet food for local charitible organizations.

Joe Momma's Ugly Sweater Party -112 S. Elgin. 9pm-12am, win stuff from Shoe Gypsy, while enjoying live music, 1.50 domestic long necks and of course, pizza!

Sunday: Family Free Sunday - Price Tower Arts Center, 510 Dewey Ave, Bartlesville. Free kids and family activities from 12-5pm.

106.9 K-HITS Jingle Ball - Mabee Center, 777 S. Lewis Ave. 7pm, tickets start at $25 for the concert featuring Justin Bieber, Bowling For Soup, Kristinia DeBarge, Push Play, Jaicko and Priscilla Renea.

For more holiday fun, be sure and check out my Guide To Everything Christmas, for info on holiday attractions and events, light displays, Christmas stores, tree farms, and more! Have a great weekend and Happy Holidays!!

More Holiday & Other Fun Coming Your Way This Weekend, Tulsa!

2009-12-10T17:10:00.002-06:00

The weekend's almost upon us, Tulsa, and as usual there's plenty of fun, holiday & otherwise, to be had around these parts...so let's get the party started!

Thursday:
Ida Red Open House - 3346 S. Peoria. Featuring a showing of Jack Frank's "Tulsa A to Z", and Frank himself will be there signing copies of the film. Ida Red will also be unveiling their new digs and merchandise.
Messiah Song & Art Gala - McBirney Mansion. Christmas Open House event of song, music, drama with performances by the Metro Christian Academy.

Friday:
Transiberian Orchestra - BOK Center. Showtime's at 8pm, tickets start at $39. The popular contemporary rock band performing their holiday hits are sure to fire up your weekend and get you in the spirit of the season!
Xmas parade & santa workshop - Skiatook, starting at 7pm.

Friday & Saturday:
YMCA Holiday Fair - Thornton Family YMCA, 5002 S. Fulton Ave.(off 51st near Yale). Finish up your holiday shopping at this free fair. There will be arts, crafts, jewelry, books, toys, purses, baked goods and more!
Friday, Saturday & Sunday:

Gingerbread Villages - Inverness Village, 3800 W. 71st St. 1-4pm, cast votes for your favorite gingerbread house; Santa & Mrs. Claus will be there, as well as cider, hot chocolate and cookies!

Saturday:
Christmas Town 2009 - Daily Family YMCA of Bixby, 7910 E 134th St S. 7am-1pm, free pancake breakfast, holiday arts & crafts fest, activities for kids, Santa, silent auction and drawings!
FlapJack Fundraiser - Applebee's, 3900 Elm Pl, Broken Arrow. 7-10am $6 all you can eat breakfast of pancakes & sausage to benefit Broken Arrow Lion's Clubs.
Tulsa Arthritis Jingle Bell Run- 35th & Peoria, Brookside. Annual run/walk/costume contest/dog costume contest all starting at 8am!
Owasso Christmas Parade - Downtown Owasso, starting 9:30 am.
Holiday Open House - Tulsa Garden Center, 2435 S. Peoria. From 10am-3pm, the gift shop is having a free "holiday open house", with cider & cookies, and drawings to win free merchandise!

Christmas Bazaar - Silver Arrow Estates, 2601 S. Elm Pl, Broken Arrow. Another holiday shopping opportunity to get great gifts for everyone on your list!

Candy Cane Hunt - Owen Park, 560 N. Maybelle Ave., 1pm. Since when are candy hunts just about Easter eggs? Not anymore! Pack up the kids and head out to Owen Park for a FREE candy hunt! Santa will be on hand to help, and pose for pics at $2 each!
Bark Park Toy Drive - Joe Station Bark Park, 227 Charles Page Blvd; and Hunter Park-Biscuit Acres, 5804 E. 91st St. Benefitting the Salvation Army, bring your pooch out to enjoy the park, and bring a new, unwrapped toy, canned food, or new/gently used winter wear to help the area's less fortunate.Free Second Saturday - Philbrook, enjoy the last weekend of the Festival of Trees, plus plenty of stuff for the kids to do!

Bartlesville Christmas Spectacular - Bartlesville Community Center, 300 Southeast Adams Blvd, Bartlesville. Evening of contemporary dance celebrating the season. Tickets are $14, show starts 7pm.
PSO Holiday Parade of Lights - Downtown, 6pm. 20th annual parade will feature more than 60 floats/bands and crowds of 30,000 are expected!
Oilers v Texas - BOK Center, game time is at 7:35pm.
Nutcracker - Tulsa Ballet, TPAC, starting Dec. 12th, tickets start at $15 for the beloved holiday classic.

Saturday & Sunday:
Yule Fair - Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, 621 E. 4th St. Free arts & crafts fair also will have lectures, workshops, books, jewelry, food and more! Donations of new unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots are welcome.
Scuba Santa - Oklahoma Aquarium, Sat & Sun at 3:15, photos & feeding. Also on Saturday at 1pm, Theatre Arts Inc. will be putting on a FREE concert in the Great Hall!

Sunday:
A Day in Bethlehem - Kirk of the Hills, 4102 E. 61st St. 9am-12pm, enjoy crafts, jewelry, bread making, candy and more!
Abate/Tulsa Toy Run - 30th annual run will feature a parade of over 25,000 motorcycles as they make their way from Expo Square down to River Spirit Casino!
Lebanese Christmas Lunch - St. Therese Church, 8315 S. 107th E. Ave. 11:30am-3:30pm. Tickets are $15 for a great lunch Lebanese style! There's also a bake sale and kids activities!
Catoosa Christmas Parade - 200 S. Cherokee, Catoosa, starting at 2pm.
Holiday Concert- Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, 701 S. Main Street. Free concert Sunday at 2pm to help support the local toy drive.
Adventsfeier - German American Society of Tulsa, corner of Terrace Dr and 15th St. Sunday at 3pm, German advent service and Christmas carols!
3rd Annual Green Country Roller Girls Charity Bout - Sunday at 6pm, Tickets are $12, bring new unwrapped toys to donate!

The weather forecast may be on the chilly side, but with all the events going on this weekend, you're bound to stay warm! So bundle up, enjoy your weekend, and I'll see you around T-Town! :)

Make Your Weekend List & Check It Twice, Tulsa!

2009-12-03T22:40:00.000-06:00

This weekend, it seems holiday parades are abound and in full swing, but there are tons of non-holiday events to match! In any case, check out the fun happenings in T-Town this weekend:

Thursday:
Hospitality House of Tulsa - 1135 S. Victor Ave. Starting at 5:30 pm and running nightly through Jan. 3rd, 2010, the fundraising event will feature holiday music, a visit from Santa, and the lighting of over 5,000 musically synchronized Christmas lights. Donate $10 to sponsor one light, representing one night of lodging offered to families in need.
Christmas Parade of Lights - Downtown Pryor, starting at 7pm.

Friday-Sunday:
Carson & Barnes Circus - Expo Square. The Circus has come to Tulsa! And on Friday, tickets are only $5!!
Christkindlmarkt 2009 - 2301 E. 15th street. Experience the holidays German style at this free event featuring homemade crafts by local vendors, music, food, puppet shows, and even St. Nikolaus himself!
Bethlehem Walk - Christview Christian Church, 2525 S. Garnett. Running nightly throughout the weekend, this free event includes a 45 minute guided outdoor walk through a live interactive nativity, and refreshments afterward. Call (918) 407-9195 to make reservations.
Friday:
Joy to the World - Oral Roberts University, 81st & Lewis. This free event will include a Children's Open House from 6:15-7:15, concert at 7:30 featuring a live orchestra & choir celebrating Christmas. Don't forget to bring an unwrapped toy for the Salvation Army.
Christmas Parade - Downtown Catoosa, starting at 6:30 pm.
Festival of Lights Christmas Parade - Downtown Sand Springs. The 26th annual parade gets fired up starting at 7pm!

Saturday:
More Parades!
Civitans Broken Arrow Christmas parade - Mainstreet, starting at 10am. And, get there early for their $4 pancake breakfast from 7-10am!
Christmas Parade - Downtown Muskogee, starting at 1pm.
Winterfest Christmas Parade - Downtown Sapulpa, starting at 6pm.
Claremore Christmas parade - Downtown Claremore, also starting at 6pm. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate.
Old Fashioned Christmas - Downtown Bartlesville. All day event includes a Jingle Bell & Motorcycle Toy Run, Christmas market, music, tree lighting, Santa, and parade at 5:30!

Holiday Home Tours:
Claremore Christmas Home Tour - 1st Christian Church, Claremore. From 9am-4pm, check out 4 homes all dressed up for the holidays, and a craft show. Tickets are $10.
Christmas Lights Tour & Holiday Bazaar - Pryor. The bus tour is $20 and benefits the local animal shelter; the bazaar is free and will feature homemade gifts and door prizes!

Cascia Christmas Walk - Sat, Midtown, Tickets are $10-15(includes tix for Scrooge! A Musical, Sunday @ 2pm and 6pm

Morning Bird Walk - Oxley Nature Center, 5701 E. 36th St. North. Guided bird walk starting bright & early at 8am; bring binoculars and cameras!
Tulsa Treasures Architectural Tour - Oklahoma Natural Gas Building, 7th & Boston. This free guided tour of select historic buildings downtown begins at 10am. A great opportunity to learn more about Tulsa's historic past!
Enjoy Museums on Us at:
ArtBlast@Gilcrease - 1400 N. Gilcrease Museum Road, 10am-3pm. There will be plenty of activities for kids, live music, tours, and the movie "National Treasure"!
Festival of Trees- Philbrook. Enjoy free admission with your Bank of America card here also, and if you haven't yet, check out the Festival of Trees and Garden ablaze with lights!

Christmas Wine Festival - Oak Hills Winery, 26677 S. Hwy 66, Claremore. 11am-5pm Saturday, it's only $10 for wine tasters, music and more!
Christmas Around the World - 7700 S. Lewis. Two free shows (2pm & 7pm) will show how different countries celebrate the holidays & their traditions.
24th Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Show - 211 N. Cabaniss, Bixby Community Center. Over 70 booths of hand made & crafted as well as commercial items for sale!
Carols & Crumpets - Tulsa Garden Center, 8am-3pm. Free herbal craft fair celebrating the season!
RiverParks Winter Wonderland - 41st & Riverside, 3:30-5:30pm. Join the tTownmoms at this first annual event! Kids can get a free picture taken with Spot the mascot, there will be hot chocolate, music, tree lighting, and a parade at 5:30!
Lights on at Whittier Square - Admiral & Lewis. From 5:30-7pm this free event will include free food, Santa, crafts, games, lights and Santa!

Sunday:
Santa's Motorcycle Toy Meet - Myers Duren Harley-Davidson, 4848 S. Peoria, Midtown, 10am-1pm. Bring new unwrapped toys for the Salvation Army, register to win a $500 gift cert to Myers-Duren, first 1,000 riders receive a commemoritive pin, holiday bike decorating contest, free coffee, hot choc and more!
Pet Photos with Santa - The Humane Society of Tulsa, 6232 E. 60th St. From 1-4pm, bring your beloved furry friend for a photo with the Jolly Man himself! A donation of $10 is suggested.
"Follow Your Dreams" Home Tour-Jenks Middle School, from 1-5pm. For $15, there's admission to 4 holiday decorated homes and musical entertainment.
Trinity Brookside -3737 S. Peoria. Starting at 6pm, the free concert will include a visit from Santa!
Lights, Sound, and Tinseltown- Light Opera of Oklahoma's Annual Holiday Supper at Mayo Hotel will feature fantastic food, wonderful entertainment and a perfectly-timed auction for your holiday shopping against the backdrop of one of Tulsa’s iconic structures from the glory days of the 1920’s. Call 583-4267 for tickets and more info.

And a look ahead to the coming week:
Tuesday, Dec. 8th:
Christmas on Main St - 4071 Southwest Blvd., community of Red Fork. From 5:30-7, there will be music, prizes, Santa, and a special holiday dinner at Ollies Station!

See you next weekend for more holiday fun! Till then, be safe & bundle up, Tulsa!!

Your Thanksgiving & Holiday Weekend Roll Out, Tulsa!

2009-11-25T17:15:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's that time again, Pilgrims. That once a year when families unite, birds are stuffed, fixings and trimmings and dressings are thrown together before we commence the BIG FEAST, otherwise known as Thanksgiving! My mouth is already watering with anticipation! How will you be celebrating this year? Waking up to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, (marking the start of the holiday TV programs), so many warm memories come to mind: helping prepare the 'main attraction' along with the stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and last but not least, the pumpkin pie! It seemed no matter who cooked, dinner was never a timely affair. Then there were the naps or, on rare occasions!, a neighborhood walk afterwards. Let's not forget football, too - LOTS & LOTS of football - college games, NFL games...Then it was time to scan all the newspaper's ads and circulars in preparation for the next day's main event, Black Friday. Every year stores' doors opened earlier and earlier to thongs of frenzied shoppers who had anticipatedly camped out in line for several hours to take advantage of those HUGE savings that only happens once a year. Black Friday also marks the official start of mall madness, where you are lucky if you can find a parking spot, never mind that it's out in the boonies!

With that in mind, here's some of what's going on around T-Town this weekend. Be on the lookout as I'll be posting a Holiday/Christmas Special soon!

Wednesday, November 25th:
Mannheim Steamroller - Chapman Music Hall, Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Getting to see and hear the "18th century rock band" perform their popular Yuletide hits will be a royal treat for me, which will double as my first time seeing them in concert as well as my first visit to the PAC. This will definitely put me in the holiday spirit!
Update: I was lucky enough to attend their matinee performance, and let me just say I, along with the entire audience, was blown away! This marked my first Mannheim Steamroller concert AND first visit to the TPAC, and it won't be the last for either! Hearing them play all of their classic hits & holiday favorites evoked so many special memories for me. I especially recall making a time lapse video decorating my Christmas tree to "Deck the Halls"! The concert marked a great start to my holiday weekend!

Thursday, November 26th (Happy Thanksgiving!):
TRC Von Franken Family Food Run - 31st & Riverside, 9am. Get a head start on burning your turkey day calories before you've even stuffed the bird! Join the Tulsa Running Club for the annual Food Run for the 4.3 mile fun run around Zink Lake. Not only will this give you an energized start for the holiday, but by bringing your donations of non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army, you're giving to those less fortunate, making for a very heart warming combination indeed. Drinks, finger food, and door prizes will be awaiting you at the finish line!
Lights On! - Utica Square, 6:30. What happens when you take over 700,000 lights, drape them over 175 trees, and join in with hundreds of other Tulsa families singing carols, sipping cocoa, and welcoming the Big Jolly Man himself?? Why Utica Square lights on, of course! The annual Tulsa tradition kicks off tonight and runs nightly through Dec. 31st. This event is so popular I recall a fellow passenger telling me not to miss it during a visit out here last fall! So I will be there with bells on!!
Oilers v. Missouri- BOK Center, 7:05pm. Come on out & celebrate Turkey Day with our favorite hockey team as they take on Missouri tonight!

Let us be thankful...no matter how you celebrate your holiday season, please remember those who are less fortunate. As a special note, I've included a couple of heartwarming links:
Free Thanksgiving meals:
(I'm just naming a couple here that I've read about, but there are many others going on in communities throughout Tulsa)
Frank's Cafe - 5451 S. Mingo Rd. This year, owner Al Chami's restaurant will be open and serving up free Thanksgiving meals for those in need, and those who just want company :)
Tally's Cafe - 1102 S. Yale Ave. Tally Alame will also be opening his doors and serving up traditional Thanksgiving feasts starting at 11:30am.
Project Elf - Just hearing about how Project Elf came about is heartwarming. It all started with one mom...and four years later, the organization designated to meet school age children's needs is growing strong.

Secret Santa in Tulsa! - Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus! If I was a millionaire, I would join this club! Not only does Santa spread cheer and helps those in need, he also requests people to "pay it forward", which is something we can all do!

And for those of you preparing your own bird today, here's some tips & tricks!

Friday, Nov. 27th (Black Friday!):
Ahh yes, that much anticipated (& dreaded!) time of the year is here...Black Friday! Just what time will you be heading out to camp out in ~~style~~ line this year? I'm not even going to attempt a run down on all the specials and deals, but to help you out, I've included a few links!
Black Friday strategies

List of store openings and specials
918Moms Talk Black Friday
918 Coupon Queen Sarah Roe - Be sure & check out her new book, "The Power of Coupons", which makes a great gift itself!
Kohl's- With over 300 holiday specials, there's bound to be something for everyone on your list! Stores open locally at 4am, but online the savings start at midnight! Which means you don't have to leave the comfort of your fireplace and fuzzy slippers!

Dwelling Spaces - 119 S. Detroit, Downtown. Make sure you stop in this weekend for specials and gift sets for the Okie lovers on your Christmas list!
Tasha Does Tulsa Gift Guide - Don't miss Tasha's run down of great gift ideas! Shop local, friends!

Also, Beware & Shop Safe!

For those not joining the masses in shopping, or if you can manage to squeeze in some room, you can enjoy these fun Friday events:
ABA Grand Nationals - QT Center, Expo Square. American Bicycle Association BMX, will feature racers competing for various classes all weekend long, starting at 7am this morning with the Race of Champions and concluding on Sunday with the grand national!
Turkey Trot - 11th & Riverside, 9am Friday. The 5k Run and fun/run will be benefitting Special Olympics of Oklahoma, so don your feathers and join in the Trot!

T-Town Trolley Coat Drive - Stopping at McNellies, Leon's on Brookside, Camille's in Jenks, or bring to the BOK Center - your donation of an old coat or jacket gets you a free ticket to tonight's:

Oilers v. Texas Game - BOK Center, 7:35pm. Don't forget, it's Ladies' night!!

Facebook Meet & Greet - Flytrap Music Hall. Friday night, 8pm, $10 in advance or $20 at the door. C'mon, you know you want to meet other local FB fanatics - well here's your golden opportunity!

Saturday, Nov. 28th:

Thanks For Giving Run - 41st and Riverside, 5k run/walk benefiting Achilles Track Club Tulsa starts at 9am and will have food, drinks and awards at the finish line!

Flapjack Benefit Breakfast - Applebees, 4733 S. Yale, 8-10am. Proceeds benefit Jack & Jill of America, supporting childrens' growth & development projects.
Bedlam OSU v OU - Norman, game time 11:30 am. Which of our favorite college teams will you be rooting for? Watch the action live in Norman, or at any of the hundreds of bars across town that will be televising it on the Big Screen! Also be sure & participate in the Bedlam Food Drive, with various drop off locations.
Cancer Sucks! Concert - Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., 5:30pm. Cancer Sucks, but for only $10 you can get to enjoy 10 local bands performing AND help the Gateway for Cancer Research.

Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday Events:

Muskogee Events:

The 1st Annual Muskogee Civic Center Christmas Bazaar! Nov. 27th-28th, 9am-5pm at the Muskogee Civic Center Arena

Trains, Trees and Treasures: Christmas Memories of the Past at the Three Rivers Museum, 220 Elgin. Beginning this weekend and continuing weekends through Jan. 1, 2010, enjoy this special exhibit including music and refreshments. Admission is $3.

Arts & Crafts show - Sat & Sun, 8:00am - 4:00pm at the Masonic Temple, 121 S 6th St.

Garden Glow - Philbrook Museum. 4-8pm Sat., for the second year in a row, there's a Garden party at the Philbrook, and everyone's invited...free! The gardens will be aglow starting a 6pm, and there will be food, hot chocolate, music, and plenty of stuff for the kids to do! While you're there, be sure to check out the Festival of Trees, running through Dec. 13th, including a plethora of gingerbread houses throughout the rotunda, and do some Christmas shopping at the ever popular Gift Shop!
Prelude to Christmas- Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Lyon Chapel Fine Arts Center, Bartlesville. Sat. at 7pm. Tickets are $10 to enjoy the visual & musical art pieces reflective of the holiday season. At 8:45 there will be a lighting ceremony, fireworks, cookies and cocoa!
Breakfast with Santa - Bass Pro Shops, 9-11am Sunday. Tickets are $10 for 11+, $5 for kids 10 and under. Also visit Santa's Winter Wonderland through Dec. 24th, where kids can play games, make crafts, and even visit with Santa himself and get a free photo!
Deck The Halls Historical Home Tour - Historical Museum, 400 S. Main St.,Broken Arrow, Sunday, Nov. 29th 1-5pm, $10. For more info, click here.

And that's a wrap for THIS weekend Tulsa! Stay tuned for more upcoming & holiday events! Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holiday Season! :)

Tulsa's Weekend Forecast!

2009-11-20T09:36:00.001-06:00

And I thought there were plenty of happenings going on just last night! Well, here it is folks....your weekend lineup! And stay tuned, or better yet, subscribe, so you don't miss out on my Thanksgiving & Holiday posts coming up!

All weekend:
Holiday Open House - Jenks. Last night was the lighting ceremony on Main Street in the Downtown Antique District. Tonight the celebration continues at RiverWalk Crossing with live entertainment, Santa, carolers, carraige rides, and much more! The fun starts at 6pm. Saturday from 7-10am at the Jenks City Hall Community Room (211 N. Elm), the Jenks Lion's Club will be serving up a Pancake Breakfast for $4. Then at 10am the Kiwanis Holiday Parade featuring bands, floats, and yes, Santa Claus, will tour down Main Street! All weekend long, shoppers can take advantage of the "Sales Tax Holiday" weekend at participating merchants!
Shows, shows, and more shows this weekend:
Affair of the Heart - QT Center, Expo Square. Check out arts, crafts, antiques, collectibles and more from over 700 vendors! Admission is $6 good all weekend long! Happy Shopping!
Continental Antique Show, Expo Square. Admission is also $6, where you can continue your holiday shopping fun!
Fall Festival & Horse Show - Ford Arena at Expo Square. Presented by the Oklahoma Hunter Jumper Association. While you're shopping at the various shows this weekend at Expo, check out the horse show!

Friday & Saturday:
National Cage Bird Show - Renaissance Tulsa (6808 S. 107th E. Ave.). Featuring thousands of birds from canaries to parrots! Bring your birdy in costume, or have them show off their best trick! Admission is $5. If I still had my lovebird, I would definitely take her there! Hmm...come to think of it, her "best trick" was laying eggs!!
Health & Fitness Expo - Tulsa Convention Center. In conjunction with the Route 66 Marathon, there will be a free health and wellness expo Friday and Saturday.

Saturday:

More holiday shopping:
Center Holiday Mart 2009 - Pearl District, 815 S. Utica, 9am-1pm. Continue your holiday shopping at this arts, crafts, and horticulture sale, featuring handmade items by Center members.
8th Annual Native American Flair Arts & Crafts - Tulsa Indian United Methodist Church, 1901 N. College Ave. From 10am-5pm, you can enjoy some great Native American food, and shop local artists and craftsmen; admission is free!
30th Annual Martha Gragg Doll & Toy Show - Expo Square Exchange Center. Admission is $4.
Tulsa Flea Market - QT Lower Level, Expo Square. Free admission!

If you're shopped out, how about some great music:
Prairie Dogs in Concert - Tidal School Vineyards, Drumright. The Prairie Dogs are giving a free concert from 2-4pm Saturday!
The Music of America - Tulsa PAC, 101 E. 3rd St., Downtown. The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra presents their 3rd concert of the season. Enjoy a great evening of music from Gershwin, Ellington, Rodgers, just to name a few! Concert starts at 7:30 pm, tickets are $10-65.

Holiday, Arts & "Feastes":
Salvation Army Angel Tree Lighting and Ceremony - Macy's Court of Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial Dr., Saturday 3-4pm. Adopt an "angel" from the tree and provide a gift for a needy child or senior.
Champagne & Chocolate - Living Arts, 307 E. Brady, 6-10pm. Tickets: $15 in advance or $20 at the door. 15th annual Gala & Art Show includes an art sale and silent auction, hors d'oevres and of course, complimentary champagne and chocolates!
Boares Head Feaste - Castle in Muskogee, 7pm. Tickets are $34.95 for this festival 'fit for a king'! From the description it sounds like a Medieval Times dinner & show, complete with hearty food (I wonder if they give you utensils??!), and lively merriment!
Route 66 Marathon pasta dinner and free concert -Cain's Ballroom, 5-7pm; followed by a free concert with Trust Tree. The dinner's already sold out, but all registered race participants, volunteers and their guests are invited to the concert which starts at 7:30.

Saturday & Sunday:

Tulsa Holistic Health Fair - Tulsa Elks Lodge, 5335 S. Harvard. Another free health fair's on tap for this weekend - this one's all about holistic medicine, and will feature lectures, demos, products, services, educational information and more.

Sunday:
Williams Route 66 Marathon - Veterans Park, (18th & Boulder). The action gets underway starting at 7:30am, but for those of us who are not prepared to run all 26.2 miles(!!), there's also a fun run, 5k, and half marathon. Spectators can enjoy the free Classic Car Show at Veterans Park starting at 10am.
Festival of Trees - Philbrook. There's a "Treeview Party" Friday night from 7-9pm, where you get a first opportunity to buy unique creations and enjoy food & fun! Then, starting Sunday at 10am, and running through till December 13th, get in the holiday spirit by checking out dozens of beautifully decorated trees on display throughout the museum. Also, on Sunday, from 3-5pm only, the 85 foot tall Blue Spruce on its way from Arizona to our nation's capitol will be making a stop at the Philbrook! Admission is $8.50.

More of the sporting life:
Oilers v. Wichita - BOK Center, gametime is 4:05. Tickets are $10-30. Stay and skate with the players after the game!
Skate, Rattle & Roll -551 W. Oakland, Broken Arrow. Starting at 6pm, tickets are $12. Watch Women's Flat Track Roller Derby action as the ThunderDollz take on C.A.R.D.!

Well, I don't know about any of you, but I'm officially exhausted from just listing all the stuff going on this weekend! I wish I could hit up all the events, but I'm only one person! Let me know what you decide to do this weekend and I'll give you my recap on Monday! Till then, see ya around T-Town!! :)

Decisions, decisions!......What to do tonight in Tulsa!

2009-11-19T13:21:00.003-06:00

Wow, it's not even the weekend yet, and there's tons of stuff to do around T-Town today!

Philbrook Museum - 2727 S. Rockford Ave. It's 3rd Thursday and Facebook Fan Free Day today at the Philbrook, which means you not only get in free, but enjoy 3rd Thursday's "Design Decoded" - starting at 5:30 tonight, there's a design challenge (with prizes awarded!), cash bar, ad campaign, and informative lecture about the world of industrial design!
Holiday Open House - RiverWalk Crossing, Jenks. Starting tonight at 6pm and running through till Sunday, Main Street in Downtown Jenks will be transformed into the sights and sounds of the holiday season! Enjoy shopping and dining enhanced by live music and decorative lights. There will also be horse drawn carraige rides, Santa pictures, and more! Admission is free.
Oklahoma Ink - Harwelden Mansion at 2210 S. Main St. From 6-8pm you can do some holiday shopping while supporting local authors who will be on hand at the book fair with signed copies of their works. There will also be refreshments. The book fair is another great fundraiser put on by the Tulsa Press Club.
Latte Art Throw Down - Topeca Coffee, 115 W. 5th St. (Suite 169), Downtown. Who knew that creating Latte was an art, let alone, sport?! Wow, I think I need to "throw down" $5 to compete for some serious prize money! This sounds like fun!!! Registration gets under way at 6pm, and the 'throw down' officially starts at 7! To learn more about the art of latte, check out TashaDoesTulsa's great video!
The Tulsey Awards - Cain's Ballroom, starting at 7pm. This free 2nd annual event will recognize 10 movers and shakers in our community, and is the climax of the 2009 Global Entrepreneurship Week!

Make a Wish Party - Clubhouse Bar & Grill, 105th & Memorial (SpiritBank Event Center). Go dig up that gold jewelry you have collecting dust and turn it into helping make kids dreams come true. Tulsa Gold & Silver will be on hand from 7-9pm to collect your gold and give you the cash to donate to the Make a Wish Foundation.
Dinner Club Chili Cook-Off - 7-11pm. Are you a chili master? For a $2 entry fee, you can compete amongst the Dinner Club in their 2nd chili cook off! Even if you're not an expert, your recipe just might win, like mine did earlier in the spring - and I was just as shocked as you are, especially considering I didn't even have a stove or oven at the time, and had to use a hot plate!
Joe Momma's 1st Birthday Party - 112 S. Elgin Ave., Downtown. Head down to Joe Momma's from 9pm-2am tonight where you can show your support and yes, eat free cake too! Plus, there will be trivia at 9pm and live music by Ben Kilgore at 10, with prizes and give-aways all night!
New Moon Opening - in Tulsa area theaters, starting at midnight. For those of you Twighlight fanatics out there (and yes, apparently there are plenty of you!), if you haven't gotten your ticket for tonight's midnight showing yet, you might have to wait until 3am, as a lot of showings have already sold out! Don't worry about me, I haven't seen the first one yet, so you can have my seat!

Finally, before you head out tonight, check out Tulsa Restaurant Deals' Thursday night specials!
(My personal favorite regular Thursday night hangout is Full Moon on Cherry Street, can't beat their $3 burgers & fries! If you sit outside at the bar, tell my favorite bartender, Landon, I said hi!)

And "Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-... That's all, folks!" ('till tomorrow, that is!)

It's Tuesday deals, Tulsa!

2009-11-17T14:36:00.003-06:00

And here's just a taste of the deals going on today in T-Town!

Indigo Joe's Sports Pub - 10438 S 82nd East Ave (off Memorial near E. 31st St.), is offering Buy One Get One Free Burgers today from 11am-4pm (RT Tulsa Restaurant Deals)

La Hacienda - 3114 E. Pine St., North Tulsa, is offering 99 cent tacos all day till close! (RT Tulsa Restaurant Deals)

El Guapo's - 1st and Elgin, Downtown. El Guapo's is well renowned for their "Taco Tuesday" where you can enjoy their delicious tacos for only $1 each, and washing them down with $2 beer! Mondays they also offer Wet Burritos for only $5.99 after 4pm! Don't forget to catch the sunset and downtown skyline from the rooftop!

Leon's - 3301 S. Peoria, Brookside. Leon's has specials going on pretty much throughout the week! Mondays are 40 cent wing night, Tuesdays are $2 sliders, Wednesdays are $5 pizzas, Thursdays are ladies nights, and all week long from 2-7pm appetizers are half off! (Weekends are "reverse happy hour", with appetizers half off from 10-1)

$2 Tuesdays with the Tulsa Oilers - $2 beers and sodas, as well as military and college discounts. Tonight our beloved Oilers take on Wichita starting at 7:05pm!

Also, if you haven't checked out Wimgo yet, be sure to go to their site for the latest news on events, movies, restaurants, deals and more, including contests! You could win Christmas cash, Billy Joel/Elton John tickets, or $200 just for submitting a review!!

More tasty deals coming, so STAY TUNED!!! :)

Happy Friday the 13th, T-Town!

2009-11-13T14:57:00.000-06:00

But who cares if a black cat should cross your path?? Mine does all the time! :)
So throw aside any superstitions and check out all that's going on this weekend!

Friday-Sunday:
Hafli - St. Antony Orthodox Church, 2646 E. Sixth St. The Church's annual Lebanese Gourmet Dinner & Bake Sale will feature a chicken dinner (for only $12.50 per person!), deli items for sale, and of course, lots and lots of baked goods! There will also be church tours, and the bookstore will be open. Food item donations for the neighborhood food bank will be welcome. This is Tulsa's largest Lebanese food festival, so I anticipate crowds of mouth-watering folks (like myself!) going to check this out! YUM!
Bead Renaissance Show - Expo Square. This free show will feature thousands of wholesale and retail beads! For bead enthusiasts and jewelry makers everywhere!!

Friday:
Tulsa Oilers Ladies Night - BOK Center, 7:35 pm. Ladies, this is our night: Admission is only $7, plus $2 Beer/Sodas, free massages, free week long Gold's Gym memberships, and $10 Match Play to River Spirit Casino! If only I wasn't going to see Ghostland, this is where I'd be spending Friday evening, rooting on my favorite hockey team!!
Ghostland Observatory - Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., 8pm. Thanks to my favorite bartender, Landon, I became a fan of Ghostland months ago, and heard about how great they are in concert! Tickets are $29 at the door, if you haven't already gotten yours in advance! I'm trying to think how to describe this band...electronic meets rock meets funk??....in any case, they are unique and awesome, and you should hear them for yourselves! See you at the show!!

Friday & Saturday:
Women's Professional Rodeo Association - Expo Square. Tickets are $15 for each night, starting at 7pm. Friday night enjoy a free concert with Thomas Martinez; watch the excitement as riders compete for $3 million in prize money!

Saturday:
McNellie's Pub Run - 401 E. 1st St., Downtown. Ahh, yes, what goes down better after a run than beer? Well, register starting at noon for the 3pm run (4 mile or 1 mile fun run) through the historic Brady & Blue Dome Districts. Participants receive a t-shirt and 2 free beers (for those aged 21 and over, of course)! Plus there will be entertainment and awards! And what is this?? Anyone who chugs down 3 Guiness pints during the run and beats down the competition wins a $300 house account at McNellie's?!?! And I thought those coveted mugs were impossible to get!!!
"Symphony Safari" - Tulsa Zoo, 2-4pm. The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra will be performing at the Zoo's new indoor venue, the Chapman Event Lodge, and afterwards, you'll get the chance to meet the musicians and learn about instruments! And thanks to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Oklahoma, any child or "Little" is admitted free with paid adult admission!
Second Saturday - Philbrook Museum, 10:30am-4pm. Once again, it's free admission this Saturday at the Philbrook! Hopefully the weather will be perfect to enjoy traversing the gardens and taking in the splendor that is fall. And if it's not, you can still take in all of the interesting exhibits inside, not to mention activities for the kids!
Fresh Roast Gift Expo - 81st & Harvard, 2-7pm. The local Tulsa Craft Mafia and Fresh Roast Coffee House are kicking off their holiday shopping event featuring handmade gifts, craft demos, live music, and special locally roasted coffee blend!
Literati Indie Book Fair - McBirney Mansion, 1414 S. Galveston, 11am-5pm, free. This giant book fair at the historic McBirney Mansion will feature local & regional authors from all over the state, in every genre! Not to be missed!
A Nashville Night with Ladd Smith - Tidal School Vineyards, Drumright. Tickets for the dinner & concert are only $24.95 (or if you were lucky and saw their Facebook special, you could have gotten TWO tickets for $24.95!). The Southern Fried Dinner starts at 5:30pm, and there will be samplings of TSV's new releases, tours, and the concert starting at 7pm!

Saturday and Sunday:
Antique Glass & Pottery Show & Sale - Tulsa Convention Center Exhibit Hall A, 100 Civic Center. Featuring depression glass, pottery, linens, postcards, costume jewelry and collectibles. Admission is $3.50 (good for both days), and there will be door prizes as well!

And there you have just a small smattering of events going on this weekend! I'm still going to try & fit in one last 'fall scenic drive' while there's still leaves on the trees! Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend, be safe, and see you around T-Town!! :)

How to Enjoy This Weekend's Heatwave, Tulsa Style!!

2009-11-06T15:47:00.001-06:00

If you haven't been outside yet today, get going!!

First up, all you beer lovers head on over to the Blue Dome Diner, at 311 E. 2nd St., tonight from 6-10pm, for the "First Draft, Fifth Edition". And what the heck is this cool sounding event all about? More than 40 varieties of craftbrew, wine, and food will be featured! Tickets are $35 each, or grab a buddy and save $5! Proceeds benefit the Tulsa Press Club Foundation. Call (918) 583-7787 for tickets & more info. Don't forget to wear your favorite beer shirt for the tee shirt contest! While you're there, walk on over to nearby Brady District for their First Friday Art Crawl starting at 6pm.

Saturday:
Tulsa's Mock Marathon & Half - Calling all Runners! Get to Veterans Park (18th & Boulder) early at 7am for a 13 or 22 mile casual run. Cost is $5.
Belk Charity Day -If you're not up and running the Mock Marathon, get a jump start on your holiday shopping at the annual Charity Sale at Belk's (71st & Highway 75), from 6-10am. Purchase a ticket for $5, and proceeds will go towards the charity of your choice. You also are entered in a drawing for the chance to win $1,000, while getting up to 55% off a variety of items! This is one time you can definitely "shop 'till you drop!", all for a great cause!
Sister Cities International Program - Tulsa City County Library - If you've got kids, be sure and take them to explore Tulsa's eight "sister" cities at some of the local branches, where they can learn about other countries' cultures - check the site for more details on this free event taking place this Saturday and next!
Celebrate Freedom Hangar Dance and Wings over Tulsa - Tulsa Technology Center, Riverside Campus, 801 E. 91st St. Go back in time this weekend to the 1940s! First, check out the historical aircraft & displays, vintage & military vehicles, reenactments, children's activities, and even airplane rides. Admission is $5 for the event from 9am-3pm. Then stay for the Dance, which starts at 5pm. Enjoy dinner, live music and swing dancing to sounds from the Big Band Era. If you don't know how, there will even be free swing dance lessons! Tickets are $17.50 per person.
High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies - If after last night's First Draft you've got a hunkering to try your hand at making your own brewski, why not stop over at High Gravity where members of the Homebrew Club will be giving demonstrations and how-tos; there will be pizza and discounts available!
Mopars At The Park - Tulsa Raceway Park. Gates open at 8am for this final event for the Mopar (short for Chrysler Motor Parts) Point Series and benefitting the Broken Arrow Neighbors Food Drive. Admission is $15 (or $14 with a non-perishable food item), and will include drag racing, and a Hot Wheel Mopar Shootout! There will also be a car show, swap meet, kid's area, and vendor midway.

Saturday and Sunday:
Oklahoma Gold Rush Grand Prix - For more racing fun, head on out to Jennings (35 miles west of Tulsa) for motorcycles and quads races! There will be 2 days of events, so be sure and check the schedule, or you can even camp there the entire weekend!
Vintage Tulsa Show - SpiritBank Event Center, 10441 S. Regal Blvd., Bixby. Speaking of vintage, here's another event going on both Saturday and Sunday. For $5, (or 4 if you grab the coupon from their site), you can peruse over 35,000 feet of everything from antiques to collectibles in just about every category!

Crazy for Crafts Fest - Feeling a little crafty this weekend? Then Downtown Main Street in Claremore is the place to be as two of the city's large historic properties play host to the area's largest craft show. And, if you bring a non-perishable food item for the local food drive, admission is only $1! Both buildings will feature handmade crafts for sale - another great holiday shopping opportunity!
Museums on Us - at the Philbrook, Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free when you present your BoA credit/check card. If you haven't been here yet, don't miss this weekend freebie!
Pinto Horse Association World Show - Expo Square, Saturday & Sunday. If you're a horse lover, you'll definitely want to check out the World Championship competition going on at Expo Square, as horses, ponies and miniatures all vie for titles in various events!

And that's a wrap, Tulsa! Hope to see everyone enjoying this beautiful fall weekend in and around T-Town!

The Witching Hour Is Almost Upon Us, Tulsa!!

2009-10-30T14:39:00.001-05:00

Boo!! Well, I've already been out and about in Thrill Town today - there's a Halloween "Bag It" Sale going on at the local Goodwill Stores - where you can get 50% off any apparel that can fit in one of their bags:

I almost felt like it was Black Friday! But, although it was crowded, it wasn't bad, there was still a LOT of stuff when I left around 1pm, and many shoppers there didn't even know about the sale! I definitely got my money's worth and then some! Gotta love Goodwill!

Now I'm off to get some more last minute Halloween shopping done before I come back and celebrate my cat Mischief's 4th birthday. Then I'm heading to the gym for a much needed workout, and since we unfortunately ended up missing Dinner Club, we still need to carve our pumpkin! Then the plan is to head to El Guapo's for their Halloween party! Be sure & check my updated Halloween guide for this weekend's main events, in addition to some stuff I have listed below!

Friday:
Vincent Price Double Feature - Gardner's Used Books, 8:30pm. Start your Halloween weekend chills and thrills by going to this free movie night! They're also having a costume contest, so dress to kill!! (pun intended!)

Saturday:
Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden Open House - 10am-1pm. Even though it is Halloween, you might want to make room for the last Open House of the year. For those of you, like me, who aren't familiar with the Botanical Garden, check out their site! Currently in its first phase of construction, the Garden will be home to 60 acres of various themed gardens, a 7-acre kajem an amphitheater, visitor center, observation tower, and much more, while another 100 acres of ancient forest and prairie being preserved. Located in the Osage Hills just northwest of Downtown, this weekend's free Open House will feature a snake curator, and 1.5 mile walking trail through a persimmon grove where you can pick your fill! Check the website for directions.
Arsenic and Old Lace - Philbrook Museum, Oct. 31st, 1pm. Free with museum admission.
Ida Red Thriller Dance Class - Brookside, Oct. 31st, noon -3pm. The free class starts at 2, followed by a costume contest at 3. Then, later on that evening, you can show off your newly learned dance at the
"This Is It" Thriller Bash - Doubletree Hotel Warren Place, 8pm-1am. There will be a special tribute performance and the largest thriller dance-off ever, followed by the "Jazzoween" costume contest. Tickets are $15 in advance at Starship Records & Tapes.
And if you haven't yet, be sure & catch Michael Jackson's This Is It during its two week limited engagement (sadly, from my understanding, not playing in IMAX here in Tulsa).

One last thing: Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour this weekend - Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday morning! Be safe my little witches and ghosts, Happy Halloween! See you around T-Town! :)

It's Pumpkin Week, Tulsa!

2009-10-26T20:42:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I sure did, as always! Oktoberfest (twice!), Owasso for the Health Fair & Harvest Fest, Catoosa for the Route 66 Pecan & Fun Fest, watching the Oilers win their opening game (woot!!),and the Arabian Horse Show! (see an upcoming post for the complete recap!)
We're now just days away from one of my favorite holidays, and already I've been getting into the spirit of things by roasting pumpkin seeds and making some baked squash. Mmmmm.....next up, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie, Dinner Club Wednesday night where we'll all be carving our pumpkins and roasting more seeds!
Lots o' cookin' this week!!

Update: Well today's Wednesday, the week is flying by as usual, and I went on a 'mission' early this morning - the Great Halloween Hunt, if you will. All I was looking for basically was a cheap carving kit, those disposable butane lights for pumpkins, and a long butane lighter. The lighter was easy enough, but the carving kit??! I hunted high, low, and everywhere in-between! Walmart, Kmart, Target, Halloween Express, Party America, and yes, they had carving kits, but they were all expensive, and I just wanted the basic dollar carving utensil and scooper. I know I bought one at Walmart last year, but got rid of it in the move out here!
Finally, I lucked out at the second Walgreens I checked, and it was a good thing I asked about it! Alas, though, no lights to be found anywhere, so I settled with tea lights. That will work. I also picked up our pumpkin for tonights' Dinner Club extravaganza! I can't wait. I've been baking all afternoon - my secret recipe soon-to-be world famous pumpkin cake, and pumpkin pie!! Mmmmm.....
I've got some of the Halloween classic horror movies all lined up from Netflix: The Shining, Sleepy Hollow, Wrong Turn, The Funhouse, to name a few, and of course, let's not forget the perennial cult favorite, Halloween! Now, save a trip to Goodwill for some last minute costume accessories, I'm all set for the big day & A Rocky Halloween!!
Be sure & subscribe for updates!!! See ya around Halloween Town! :)

Get Your Groove On With Brats, Beer, Chicken Dances and much more in Tulsa this weekend!!!

2009-10-23T10:39:00.004-05:00

It's definitely fall weather here, T-Town, as we head in to another event & fun-filled weekend! Here's just a sampling of what's going on:

Friday:
Josh's Sno Shack - get a free snow cone (that's ANY flavor, size or add ins!) till 10:30 pm tonight! Yes I know it's cold, but it's free! So bundle up, think summer heatwave and head on over to Josh's! You'll be glad you did :)

Now thru Sunday:
Oktoberfest - get there before 4 tonight and admission is free! Will you get 'ogschdocha' or 'fetznrausch' while doing the Chicken Dance?! In any case, "Prost!!"
Arabian Horse Championship Show - Expo Square, running now through Oct. 31st. Arabian horses will be competing for titles in various classes; and there's also barn parties, shopping and the opportunity to get up close & personal with these beautiful creatures! Call the ticket office at (918) 744-1113 for more info.

Saturday:
Smith Farm Marketplace Heath Fair - Owasso (off of Hwy 169 & 96th St N.), 10am-1pm. Get healthy at this free event brought to you by St. John Health System Owasso. There will be lots of health screenings, info, goodies, prizes and stuff for the kids, including a (weather permitting) LifeFlight helicopter fly-in!
Harvest Art Faire: Potters, Paints, and Posies - "Little Square" at 15th & Boston (my neck o' the woods!), 10am-3pm. Over two dozen local artists will be on hand as well as a debut of new rose varieties. Check out Mrs. DeHaven's Flower Shop and The Gadget Company. While you're there be sure and stop in Ooley's Salon and tell my awesome hairdresser & neighbor, Ty, I said 'Hi'!!
Downtown Muskogee Heritage Day - 10am-5pm. Gander on over to Downtown Muskogee and step back in time to the 1880s as you enjoy Native American song and dance, shootouts in the street, a medicine show, bluegrass concert, crafts, a Kids Corral, and even an "authentic" cook-on-site chuck wagon dinner! The event is free, but the chuck wagon meal and bluegrass concert is $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 4 to 12.
Route 66 Pecan & Fun Fest - Route 66 Nut House, Claremore, 10am-5pm. Are you nuts? If not, you can definitely go nuts at this free family event featuring a car show, crafts fair, kid's are, pecan pie eating contest, and an old-fashioned Sock Hop, not to mention NUTS!!
Owasso Harvest Festival, Centennial Park - 15301 E. 86th St N., 11am-9pm. Held in conjunction with the OK State Chili Cook-Off, this free event includes chili tasting, a car show, hay rides, pumpkin carving, costume & scarecrow contests and more stuff for the kids.
Lobsterpalooza at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church and Preschool - featuring live Maine lobsters at $20 each, or $20 for 1 1/4 lb cooked, and a parish potluck lobster boil at 6:30. Proceeds benefit the preschool and childrens' ministries. You need to pre-order or sign up for the potluck by Oct. 19. Call 918-492-7140.
7th Annual Drumright Wine Fest - Whitlock Park, Drumright, noon-6pm. If you love wine festivals (and who doesn't?!), this is one of the largest and best in the state, and one you don't want to miss! This year there will be samples from 6 Oklahoma wineries, live music, art, food, drawings and more! A trolley will also be giving free rides to the winery all afternoon. Admission is $12 for tasters, $5 for non-tasters.
Speaking of wine, il Bacio, South Tulsa's newest upscale wine bar is now open. Featuring over 120 wines & over 70 beers, mark your calendars for their upcoming Grand Opening Party Oct. 30th starting at 4pm.
Oilers Opening Game - BOK Center, 7:35pm. Tulsa takes on the Wichita Thunder in this bound to be exciting season opener; let's not forget it's 'Big Al bobble head night' plus the Oilers Ice Girls!! Tix are $10-30.
Playdate Tulsa - Flytrap Music Hall, Sat. 8pm. A 'PlayDate' is an "alternative to the typical night out", providing a fun atmosphere for grown ups, where you get to play all kinds of games, socialize & meet people, while enjoying great food, music & cocktails. Admission is only $10 to this awesome event where you can get to be a kid again!

Sunday:
Music on the Lawn - Tulsa Historical Society, 3-6pm. Bring lawn chairs or blankets (you'll need those to help keep warm!) to this free family oriented fun event including live music, concessions, and the Grand Opening of the "Your House, My House" hands-on exhibit sponsored by the Tulsa Children's Museum, as well as, of course, access to all of the Historical Society's museum exhibits.

Wow - I am speechless....seems every weekend there's increasingly MORE stuff to do than there is time! I can't even fit it all on my calendar! Don't forget my Haunted Halloween Fun Guide too!!! I don't know where to start, but I'm sure I'll be having lots of F-U-N!! Hope you do as well!
See you around T-Town!! :)

Ladies Night Out or Do the Chicken Dance!

2009-10-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

Depending on your mood (oh, and gender!) there's two great events from which to pick tonight in T-Town:

Fables, Fantasy and Fairytales - 7-9pm at the Tulsa Convention Center. Tickets are $15 for the Fall Collection presented by Ihloff Creative Team; proceeds benefit Resonance.

Oktoberfest - 5-11pm, River West Festival Park. Get your free ticket for tonight at Geek Rescue!

I can't decide! Maybe I'll attempt both?!?!

See you around T-Town!! :)

Great Deals this week in Tulsa!

2009-10-19T20:49:00.000-05:00

'on the QT': I first realized how much this company values its customers during my initial visit to one of the stores when I moved out here. To me it's the "mother" of all 7-Elevens....bigger, cleaner, 'friendlier'. But it really all started during this last Driller season. At quite a few of the games, QT reps were on hand giving away free sandwiches as well as coupons for free sandwiches upon leaving the game. As if that weren't awesome enough, last month Quick Trip had the free sandwich coupon offer at coupons.com - but note that this offer may or may not show up, (you might have to refresh or enter a different zipcode), and I've had problems trying to print the coupon. For even more coupons and special offers, join the QT Web group - the first thing you'll receive is a coupon good for a free hot dog & soft drink! I love Quick Trip!!! :)

Speaking of great deals, do you have your ticket for the Oktoberfest yet? If not, you can get one FREE, good this Thursday, courtesy of Geekrescue.com. Get ready to enjoy some brats, beer, and of course, do the Chicken Dance!!!

I just realized this past weekend that there's a new farmer's market in town, and it's right down the street! At 18th & Boston, right in front of Pink, every Sat. from 8-noonish. Will get more details on this for you soon!

If you haven't already, be sure and check out my frightful Halloween guide - chock full of everything from where to shop for costumes and parties, to pumpkin patches and area haunts!! Keep checking back as I'm continually updating that post!

Your Guide to Haunted Happenings and Everything Halloween around Tulsa!

2009-10-16T16:35:00.179-05:00

Happy Halloweenie T-Town!! From pumpkin patches to haunted attractions, I've got you covered, Tulsa!
This is actually a compilation that I'll be adding to as the month progresses and I find out about new events, and as always, I welcome your input/feedback on anything I might be overlooking!

While we haven't gotten ours just yet, here's a guide to some of the area's Pumpkin Patches:
Carmichael's - located in Bixby, they have a free Petting Zoo & Hay Maze as well as pony and camel rides, hay rides, a cane maze, pumpkin pie fudge, and lots of you know what!
Livesay Orchards - in Porter; their Pumpkin Playland includes a hayride to the pumpkin patch where you can pick your very own pumpkin! The kid's play area has a hay maze, learning centers, an observation bee hive, pumpkin games and more! Admission is $3 which includes the hayride; pumpkins cost extra.
Pumpkin Town - on the corner of 81st and Mingo, check out their calendar for weekend events going on throughout the month! In addition to pumpkins, gourds, and other fall decor, there's also hay rides, pony rides, and other kids' activities!
Pleasant Valley Farms - located at 22350 W. 71st Street, hours are 9am-dark, daily throughout this month. They also have hay rides, a petting zoo, and of course pumpkins!
Shay's Landscaping, Nursery & Pumpkin Patch - If you're out in Bartlesville and wanting to pick your own, then stop by Shay's where there's mazes, hayrides and pony rides, a gift shop, snacks and more!
Shepherd's Pumpkin Festival - located in Claremore, the free pumpkin patch includes a petting zoo, games, story times, a maze, and a learning center all at an Amish barn and real working farm. They also have $4 hayrides, and $2 scarecrow making, in addition to pumpkins and fall decor for sale!
Southern Hills UMC - at 6160 S. Lewis, open daily, has pumpkins, crafts and kids activities, with all proceeds going to missions here and throughout the world.
Park Plaza Church of Christ - located at 5925 E. 51st St., also is selling pumpkins and offering hay rides and kids games with proceeds from the pumpkin patch going to Key Elementary School.
The Great Pumpkin Patch - Red Fork Church of God, 5010 W. 41st St. Admission is free to the pumpkin patch which also includes craft activities, baked goods, storytelling and Christmas decor.
Two other Tulsa churches hosting pumpkin patches are:
St. Peter's Episcopal Church on 21st St., and St. Matthew's United Methodist Church on East 31st St.

If 'fear factor' is your thing, you can definitely get your heart rate up at the area's haunted attractions:

The Haunted Castle of Muskogee - As I've already been to this hauntingly good time, I'll let you read all about my experience. With 9 different attractions on 60 acres, in my opinion this is one frightful adventure you won't want to miss!
Scream Country - Drumright. Now in its 12th year, this attraction lives up to its name with 3 haunts deep in over 40 acres of dark twisted forest. There's the Dead Block Zombie Prison, Night of the Scarecrow Corn Mayhem, and Grimm's Scary Tale Forest. In addition concession and merchant vendors will be offering ghoulish delights to the brave. Tickets here are $18, or $35 for a Scream Pass. A frightfully great time I'm sure!
Psycho Path Haunt - Sperry. Even the name and website are spooky! Psycho Path features a ride (not your ordinary hayride!) deep into a 'haunted forest', and a walk-through 'haunted' Spybuck Manor. Tickets for the ride are $17, while the Manor Walk-Thru is $8, or you can purchase a combo ticket for both for $20, or VIP Combo (express line) for $40. Concessions and souvenirs are also available. Woah, I just read the 'warning and disclaimer' section on the site - I don't think this is for the faint of heart!! ; )
Frozen Morgue Funeral Home & Coffin Works - Located in Chouteau (near the intersection of US 69 & 412 south of Pryor). Beware! The Mortician awaits you but the moment you enter you'll be walking with the terrorizing undead! There are actually two haunted attractions: Crypt of the Vampires and CarnEvil of Lost Souls. Tickets for either attraction are $7 or $12 for both haunts. There are also 'Doom Buggy Rides' Oct. 23rd-24th at $5 per person.
The Hex House - located across the street from Woodland Hills Mall, the House features 3 levels of fright, with each level more intense than the last? Can you survive all three or will you need to escape early? The Hex House is based on a real legend, and you can read about it here. This must be pretty scary, as kids under 10 aren't allowed, and ages 10-13 with a parent/guardian. Tickets are $15, or $20 for a speed pass. Speed pass...that's another sign that this place is popular; usually speed passes are something you see at Disney or Universal Studios.
The Maize - in Broken Arrow. Open weekends this month, you can do more than get lost in the haunted mazes (there's 2); there's also paintball, campfires, hay rides, and stuff for the kiddies. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for kids.
Nightmare XVII - at Guts Church. I haven't been to this, but I must say I am intrigued. Even the website doesn't really tell you much, but you get a general 'idea.' Admission is $8, for those 12+, and runs weekends in October.
Cherokee Cemetery Tours - What could be ghostlier? Guided candlelight tours of Ross Cemetery & Fall Cultural Festivities at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill. Hear stories of generations past as you walk the grounds of Cherokee ancestors and watch historical reenactments. There will be food and fun for the whole family including storytelling, pumpkin decorating and face painting as well as arts and crafts and concessions. Admission is $10.
Tulsa Spirit Tours - Speaking of ghostly tours, how cool is this? Getting to board the Old Time Trolley for tours of some of T-Towns rumored haunts and learning about some of Tulsa's rich history sounds like quite a night. These tours are so popular, they aren't even advertised and sell out quickly - they may, in fact, be "souled out" by the time you're reading this. If you're lucky, however, $30 will land you a spot for one of the trolley tours, and keep in mind no one under 16 is allowed without a parent/guardian. SOLD OUT!
Haunted History Tour - at the Tulsa Garden Center, Oct. 31st, 7-10pm. If you can't make a Tulsa Spirit Tour, be sure and join the Paranormal Investigation Team as they give you a ghostly tour of the mansion and its spooky history. For ages 10+, tickets are $5 in advance, $8 at the door.

Musical Events:
Freaktoberfest 2009 - Friday, Oct. 16th, 7pm-2:00am. Costume contest and raffle in addition to great local live music at Tulsa's 'Most Kick Ass Halloween Party!' Tickets are $10 at the door. Get freaky Tulsa!
~~Murderfest Tulsa - Sunday, Oct. 18th, Cain's Ballroom. Doors open at 1pm, and for $13, the event features 16 bands as well as a costume contest!~~
All Hallows Hangover - Rose Bowl Events Center (7419 E. 11th), Friday, Oct. 30th, 6:30pm. General admission tickets are $10. Mischief night celebration with 3 local headliners performing.

Theatre:
Costumes - An Original Hallowe'en Musical, Oct. 22-24th, to be held at Woodward Park (Linnaeus Garden Barn). You're actually encouraged to come in costume to the performance by local actors and musicians, and the garden will be lit and open during intermission. Tickets are $10, call for reservations and more info (918) 746-5125.
Finders Creepers - Sapulpa Community Theatre, Sapulpa. Oct. 23-25. Two boys visit their uncle who just happens to be a mortician; before long strange things start to happen! Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and reservations are required so call (918) 227-2169.
The Seven Deadly Sins - Fri., Oct. 30th, 8pm at the Living ArtSpace, Brady District. A costume party with poetry by some of our best locals, followed by a performance by the Portico Dans Dance Troupe. Tickets are $7. Come dressed as the "sin" of your choice!
Dracula - Tulsa PAC, Oct. 29th-Nov. 1st. Tickets are $20-70 for the Tulsa Ballet's performance.

Just for Kids:
5th Annual Hogwarts on the Hill Party - at the Hope Unitarian Church, 8432 S. Sheridan Rd, Sat. Oct. 24th, 6-9pm. A FREE Halloween Party & Family Fun Night, come in costume, play games & win prizes, and there will also be a special magic show!
~~Halloween Bass Pro Style - Oct. 24-25th, 30-31st (times vary). Free crafts, marshmallow roasting, apple cobbler samples.~~
Hallowmarine at the Oklahoma Aquarium, Jenks - Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for kids, and features a trick-or-treat trail, haunted feed shows, carnival games, and pirates.
HallowZOOeen at the Tulsa Zoo -General admission is $7, and features a trick-or-treat trail, haunted train ride, games, and more.
Camp Cute & Spooky at Discoveryland. Lots of activities for the kiddies, including a "Monster Mash" dance stage, a trick or treat trail through an 'enchanted forest', a haystack jump, bonfire and more. Admission is $6.
Nightmare on Yale Street - Kingspointe Village, 61st & Yale, Oct. 29th, 5pm. A family fun-filled evening of a fun run/walk, trick-or-treating, costume contests, food & drinks, with proceeds going to LIFE Senior Services.
BooHaHa - Brookside. Starting at 8am on Halloween, this free event will have a Kids' Zone, trick or treating, a pet costume contest, followed by a children's costume contest, and Parade.
Family Fun Fest - First United Methodist Church, 1115 S. Boulder Ave., Oct. 31st, 6-8pm. Carnival games, food, music, giant inflatables and more. Costumes are encouraged, but nothing scary please! Game & concession tickets are $.25 each.

Tulsa Parks/Community Centers/Libraries:
Spook-A-Rama - at Kiddie Park, Bartlesville, Oct. 16th & 17th, 6-10pm. Featuring the Great Pumpkin Contest, Costume Parade, trick or treating and the 6th Annual Fall Fun Fest, which offers game booths, candy and prizes.
Annual "Pumpkin" Hunt - Central Park, Broken Arrow, Halloween 5:30pm. What a great idea: You've got your Easter Egg Hunts, why not have a pumpkin hunt?! Imagine 4,000 plastic 'pumpkins' filled with candy, and kids are encouraged to come out in costume for this free event, to be followed by the Main Street Merchants Night Out Against Crime, which promises more treats for the kids.
Hey, I'm all for it, but this candy addict dreams of the day when they have one for ADULTS!!! 4,000 eggs, I mean, pumpkins! I want to go trick or treating, who's with me?!?!?
Tulsa area Parks will be holding various events Halloween weekend, everything from pumpkin painting and parties, to Halloween carnivals, to spook hunts, games, crafts, and contests; even a flashlight candy scramble (I remember doing that back in Tampa for the neighborhood kids!) and parades! Check the Park link for event locations & times.
Also check out the Tulsa City-County Library, where your local branch will be presenting everything from story telling to plays, games, pumpkin decorating and much more!

Other Events:
Barktoberweenfestivary at the Dog Dish - The Farm Shopping Center, 51st and Sheridan. Sat., Oct. 24th, 1-3pm. Celebrating its 7th anniversary, the Dog Dish will be having a party for four-legged guests and their owners. There will be a costume contest, and Oktoberfest canine fare as well as door prizes! Maybe I should dress my kitty up as a dog for this! Meow, ahem, I mean, Woof!
Vampire Prom Nite Murder Mystery - at the Whispering Vines Vineyard & Winery, 7374 W. 51st St., Oct. 24th & 31st. Tickets for the 3 hour interactive dinner show are $59.95, and if you're lucky enough to solve the mystery, a bottle of award winning Oklahoma wine! There will also be a haunted scavenger hunt in the orchard! Don't forget to wear your costume!
"A Knight of Murder" Spooky Hallowine Dinner Party - Vinita, Oct. 31st, 6-9pm. Halloween must be popular for wine murder mystery parties; here's another one! Tickets are $30, and after making your reservation, you'll be sent an invitation, your "character", and suggestion for your costume. There will be prizes too!

~~Runners World Halloween Party - 4329 S. Peoria, Brookside, Oct. 29th, 5:30 pm. Free event including a costumed run followed by a costume contest, food & drinks and prizes!~~
Tulsa Run - Starting off Halloween bright & early at 7am, the 31st annual Tulsa Run Downtown includes 15km, 5km, and 2km (fun run) runs. At 8:00 am, the Finish Line Festival begins with award ceremonies at 11:30am.
TU Homecoming - Fri & Halloween, at Tulsa U Campus/H.A. Chapman Stadium. Pep Rally & Bonfire followed by fireworks Friday night; on Sat., there will be trick or treating, food & music before the Golden Hurricanes take on SMU at 1:00pm.

Parties:
El Guapo's 1st Annual Halloween Extravanganza - Fri., Oct. 30th, 10pm-2am. Promising lots of fun with drinks, music, costume contests, and prizes!
It's all happening downtown at the Brady District: The Brady Fall Art Festival starts the party off at10am, with the Brady Merchants Association 'Grown-up Trick or Treating' from 6-8pm. Crossland takes the stage at 8pm, followed by the Rocky Horror Show at 10pm, and the After Party at Club Majestic/The Hunt Club/
along with the Brady Theater Halloween Party!!
Halloween TGS Style - While you're in the Brady District, stop in at Tulsa Glass Blowing from noon-6pm where you can make your own pumpkin or witch ball for $45 per person.
2nd Annual Halloween Ball - at the Marquee, 222 N. Main St., Brady District, Oct. 31st, 8pm, Admission is $5 (in costume), $7 (without costume). Party it up, dance the night away with DJs and costume contests!
35th Annual Freaker's Ball - Cains Ballroom, Oct. 31st, 7pm. Featuring a $1000 Costume Contest, and Monster Mash with over 20 local bands; tickets are only $10!
1st Annual Spider Ball - IDL Ballroom & Enso's (1st & Detroit), Oct. 31st, 8pm-2am. Free mega dance party in TWO clubs! For ages 21+ only, not only will there be music, but a full liquor bar! And this is a costume party, so don't forget to dress up! (or you can wear black & white).
PlayDate Halloween - Allen Chapman Activity Center, Oct. 31st, 8pm. Admission is $10, and don't forget to dress in costume!
Also, as I'm sure you already know, lots of bars & clubs around T-Town will be hosting their own Monster Bashes, including everything from the Hard Rock down to Elote - be sure and check this week's Urban Tulsa Weekly for your favorite pub!

After Halloween:
Dia de los Muertos Arts Festival - Brady District, Sunday, Nov. 1st, 2-11pm. Continue the Halloween festivities into Sunday with this family arts fest. Altars will be set up to remember those who have passed on; there will be bands, entertainment, food & beverages and souvenirs. Admission is $5, 12 & under free.

Costumes & Party Supplies, Decorations:
Top Hat Magic & Costumes - located at 4016 S. Yale, Top Hat Magic has been family-owned and operated for over 30 years! And, they have rental costumes as well as accessories, props and much more!
Spirit Halloween - 8518 E. 71st St., Suite A (next to Incredible Plaza), (918)-459-6973.
Halloween Express - with two Tulsa locations to serve you, the site has 10% off downloadable coupons.

Whether you're out & about town scaring up some fun, or throwing your own 'Boo Bash', be safe and:

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful...." (well, not really!)

2009-10-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

But, it is kinda fitting as we are in the frightful season, AND...since I heard this might be the coldest winter Tulsa's had for over 100 years, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!"
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though, guys and ghouls, because it's not even the end of October yet and there are lots of things going on this weekend, between Halloween, and Sweetest Day (Saturday the 17th, for those romantic minded sweethearts out there!)
In fact, because there are soooooo many Halloween goings on, from pumpkin patches to party/costume shopping to haunted houses, I've devoted an entire post to all of that good stuff!
Meanwhile, here's your sneak peek at what non-scary things lie waiting for you around the corner this weekend:

Friday
Chili on the Square @ Bartlett Square, 5th & Main St., 11am-1pm. Benefitting BlendedLove.Org,
for only $5 you get chili and live music, with a special appearance by Mrs. Oklahoma. What better way to spend your Friday lunch hour?

Saturday
Pancake Breakfast & Fall Bike Show - From 9-11am, the Brookside Lion's Club will be serving up free pancakes & sausage, followed by the Bike Show, where you can enter your motorcycle to be eligible for $1500 in prizes and trophies! Celebrating 95 years of Harley in Oklahoma, the event will be held at the Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson at 4848 S. Peoria, Brookside. I've gotta go to this, it's actually being held at the same time as Daytona's Biketoberfest. Daytona Beach, (where I lived before I became a Tulsan!), is famous for quite a few things: spring break, the Indy 500 and NASCAR, not to mention the annual Bike Week in February, and Biketoberfest. Even though I'm now out here in Tulsa, and no longer own my sweet Ninja, I have really great memories of both bike events (as well as Daytona), that I'll save for sharing in a future post. Let me just say that there's nothing like driving down Main Street, with thousands of onlookers, party-goers and fellow bikers cheering you on! It's like YOU are the Parade!!! But I'll be there in spirit this weekend as I celebrate locally! :)

The Sea of Orange takes Oklahoma by storm Saturday led by none other than OSU alumni Garth Brooks as he Grand Marshals, (along with outstanding ball players Barry Sanders and Robin Ventura), the OSU Homecoming parade. Being from Bulls Country and alumni of USF myself, I know what a big deal these homecomings and the subsequent games usually are, and even though a lot of friends and people I know are OSU grads, shamefully I have not been to a Cowboy game yet! I must find out what all this "Go Pokes!" is about!! The parade will be held in Downtown Stillwater of course, at the corner of Main and 12th, starting at 2pm. It will even be simulcast online! Then OSU takes on Missouri starting at 8:15pm, which will not only be broadcast on ESPN2, but there are plenty of 'watch parties' going on all over as well; just check out the current issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly!
Hopefully the Cowboys will follow up the Sooners' earlier game win in Texas!! I'm excited already!!!

Fall Wine Festival - Another wine fest this weekend, this one is at Roberdes Family Vineyards & Winery, 20505 E. 460 Road in Claremore. Featuring wine from four local wineries, food & live music. For more info call (918) 342-1038. I did mention that today is Sweetest Day, didn't I? ; )

Looks like Saturday is also going to the dogs! (sorry, couldn't resist!)
Dogtoberfest - Sat., 11am-5pm, at the Village Vet Animal Clinic, 2026 W. Houston St., Broken Arrow. There will be a pet costume contest, pet & owner look-alike contest, visit from Safari Joe's, and activities for the kids at this free event.
Paws in the Park - RiverWalk Crossing in Jenks, 9am-noon. On the other end of town, there's going to be more pet costume contests, entertainment by Radio Disney, works of art, pet supplies and more, for this benefit for the Humane Society of Tulsa.
I'm an animal lover, but I currently have a cat...so I'm anxiously waiting for the feline events to come to town! In all fairness, we all know how much our Tulsa kitties want to participate in costume contests! And how much would they love a "cat park"?! (Although Woodward is pretty nice, considering it's currently chock full of squirrels for the hunting!) Sigh, in the meantime I suppose I can attempt to bring Mischief along to one of these events. I don't even need to dress her up in a costume; I'm sure she'll turn plenty of (canine) heads!! Hmm...on second thought, that might not be a good idea! :D

For more ideas on stuff to do this weekend, see my special Halloween post!
Hope to see you around T-Town! :)

Rain, Rain Go Away...Don't Spoil the Weekend for Tulsa!

2009-10-08T19:49:00.002-05:00

Well, guys & gals, according to the weather forecast it's going to be rainy and getting colder as we head in to the weekend! So get out your umbrellas and parkas, because there's lots to do, rain or shine!

Thursday:
Little Black Dress - is a having a special 1 year anniversary party starting at 6pm.
Rock the 918 - A battle of six local bands featuring members of the health care field, and Tulsa's Young Professionals will be competing for People's Choice & Judge's Choice at Cain's, starting at 7pm. Proceeds benefit the United Way and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Oklahoma. Tickets are $8, and fans can vote at the event for $2 per vote.
Also going on, the Rocky Horror Cast photo shoot (for the Oct. 29th cover of Urban Tulsa) and cast party at The Hunt Club.
Don't forget, this is the Fair's Final Weekend now through Sunday! The Blue Oyster Cult will be giving a free concert tonight (moved indoors because of the weather) starting at 8pm., plus get $3 off gate admission tonight with coupon from Tulsa World. Be sure and catch the fair before it blows out of town on Monday!

Friday & Saturday:
3rd Annual Indie Emporium - at the VFW on Sixth St. Featuring over 40 of the hippest local craft vendors, make & take crafting stations, a fine arts gallery, workshops, demos, a fashion show of handmade clothing and accessories, music, food and more! The Emporium will also be holding a canned food drive for the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, as well as a silent auction with proceeds benefitting the Food Bank. Tickets are only $8, and on Friday from 7-10 the first 50 guests will receive a free tote bag filled with "goodies"!

Saturday:
The first annual RiverRush - celebrating 35 years of the River Parks includes a 5k run, a 1km fun run, an activity expo showcasing all the recreation and entertainment River Parks has to offer (all starting at 7:30am), a gala dinner at 6pm on the lawn of Tulsa's historic Blair Estate, and closing the evening, a concert by Grammy award winner Joss Stone at 9pm! (Due to the weather, all events except for the run have been moved to the BOK.)
Green Country Wine Festival - 10am-6pm, at Stone Bluff Cellars in Haskell. Admission is only $5, and wine tasting kits are $10 and include a commemorative glass, or individual tastes are $1. The 10th annual festival will not only feature award-winning wine, wine tasting & winery tours, but also fabulous food, live music, arts & crafts vendors, and a children’s area!
2nd Annual Great Sand Springs Downhill Soap Box Derby Race - Downtown Sand Springs, starting at 9am. Watch as over 100 gravity race cars compete down Main Street! Kids' activities and a pumpkin patch, as well as a book fair at the high school will be there - best of all, everything is free!
Peace, Love and Chili - Blake Park, Fort Gibson Lake. A kids' fishing derby kicks off this free event at 7:30am, followed by 24 varieties of chili competing, with entertainment, music, food, and more! Taster kits are only $5, which includes a burger and chips.
3rd Annual KiteFest will be held at 4295 S. Garnett, 11am-3pm. The free event will be held rain or shine and includes a free kite for the first 500 kids, or you can fly your own! The Tulsa Windriders will be performing kite stunts and aerobatics, there will be radio controlled plane demos, kites and food available for purchase, music, and much more! Did I mention all this was free? What a great family event!
Top of the Hill Car & Craft Show - Chandler Park, 9am-4pm. Featuring cars, crafts, a car parts swap meet, food, music and door prizes!

More art stuff this weekend:
Art on Main - Jenks, Saturday 10am-6pm. Free event will feature over 100 artists showcasing a variety of mediums and Oklahoma wineries offering samples! Live music and a kids art area will also be on hand.
Free Second Saturday at the Philbrook - Saturday, 10:30am-4pm. Free admission, and lots of stuff for the kids!
Sat & Sun: 4th Annual Cherokee Art Market - at the Hard Rock, free event features works on display and for sale by more than 150 Native American artists as well as a youth competition.
Speaking of art, last weekend Tulsa GlassBlowing held classes on creating your own glass pumpkin (they'll be doing it again Oct. 31st!). This weekend, the Living Arts will hold a skeleton making workshop! For only $20, you can build and paint your very own paper-mache skeleton for the Nov. 1st Day of the Dead Arts Festival! To register call 918-585-1234.

And now two words: Holiday Shopping! Yes, it's that time of year again folks! The countdown to Christmas is ON! Only 76 days left, why not get a head start on finding some great xmas presents at these events:
Buddy LaFortune Community Center Fall Cleaning Rummage Sale - LaFortune Park, 8am-2pm. You never know what you might find here, admission is free!
Junior League of Tulsa's Holiday Market - through Sunday, at the UMAC on South Mingo. More than 75 merchants from around the country will be there to satisfy your holiday shopping needs in just about every category! General admission is only $5 for the entire weekend!

Saturday and Sunday:
WWII Warbird Weekend at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum: Featuring fly-bys and aircraft on display. On Sunday, there will be a Concert on the Lawn. Bring blankets or lawn chairs to enjoy the Tulsa Praise Orchestra performing patriotic music while watching vintage aircraft take to the sunset sky! Events are included with museum admission and are good both days.

Sunday:
Tulsa Photo Group Walk - 5-7pm, starting at 324 E. 1st St., Grab your camera and meet up with other local photographers, snap some sunset skyline pics downtown during this free group walk. What a great way to end the weekend!!

Bundle up, stay dry, most of all, have a GREAT weekend and I'll see you around T-Town!! :)

The Tulsa Weekend Recap!

2009-10-05T15:02:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had lots of fun this past weekend, there sure was plenty to do!! From the Fair to Festivals, T-Town had it covered!

Here's what we ended up doing:

Friday evening we went to the Brady Arts District's First Friday Art Crawl. Held on the first Friday of every month, this was our first time there. Each of the stores on Brady had an "open house" exhibiting their works, and the artists were on hand to answer questions, and a few were even giving demonstrations and/or sketching! I really liked the Glass Blowing Studio, and would love to take a class there in the near future! After walking around and taking in all the art, we decided to stop in at Lola's (website is currently down) for a drink. I had heard a lot about this place, and the thing that strikes you first is the hearse parked outside! This is part of the "Dia de los Muertos" theme Lola has throughout the restaurant - it may sound morbid, but it's really iconic for celebration and good times. I'm trying to think how best to describe the bar and restaurant, but only the words tres cool come to mind! I was glad we went - I didn't really know anything about the Brady District, and in a future post I'll be compiling a list of different areas of Tulsa and downtown and the shops, bars, and restaurants in each!
After Lola's, we decided 'Dinner and a Movie' would be in order, so we headed over to Cheddar's to grab a bite. Even now, when I see the name, all I can think of is cheese!! But what this restaurant is about is great food at great prices, and I don't mean cheese! We usually get appetizers when we go out to eat, and tonight was no different. Another great thing about this restaurant is it's location - a short hop across the parking lot from the movie theater! And what movie did we go see? Why Zombieland, of course! A certain someone's latest "thing" has been 'zombie talk' (ie. "you know the zombies are coming right?", "we have to be prepared, the zombies will come up the back stairs and attack!!", yadda yadda yadda...!!!) Now, I don't know if this is supposed to make me scared or what...but after seeing this movie, at least I'm more prepared by knowing some of the "rules"!! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you NEED to see the movie!! Because you never know when ZOMBIES will attack!!! Remember Rule #1!!! :)
Yes, I loved this movie! Woody Harrelson was great! And no, I did not lose any sleep or have zombie nightmares!
In fact, I slept in Saturday, but got up and ready in time to make it to art festival #2, at Utica Square. Despite trying to explore every nook and cranny, I doubt we saw all of the 90+ artists they had. But I saw everything from paintings to clay bust sculpture demonstrations going on, and even managed to stop in a few shops and grab a bite at Pepper's Grill.
Next up, the Halloween Castle in Muskogee! I had gotten a free ticket good for this weekend, and had been looking forward to it since the Renaissance Fest they had in the spring! I was not to be disappointed! We got there shortly after they opened, and lines had already started to form! For those who have never gone, they have 9 different attractions ranging from family friendly to 'not for the faint of heart' - you choose how scared you want to be! Of course, we opted for the 2 scariest attractions: Domus Horrificus and the Trail of Blood. I tried to film being in each, but it was so dark you really couldn't make anything out. I'm a haunted attraction veteran and fanatic, and I must say, the Castle definitely lives up to a frightfully good time! There's something very realistic about the setting, especially being taken on a trailer through the forest and dropped off, left to umm, find your way back! In the dark! The indoor Domus Horrificus was excellent as well, especially the beginning (I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't gone yet, so I will say no more!)
In addition to the attractions, there were shops featuring costumes, candle making, your hand in wax; games of skill, ghost stories, fortune telling, and of course, food & drink. A hauntingly good time, I highly recommend it. I'll be posting an updated Halloween Guide soon!
Sunday we were going to try and go to the Brush Creek Bazaar and the Crosbie Heights Potluck Block Party, but we got tied up working on projects around the apartment, therefore getting a late afternoon start. We did manage to go to the Great American Fleamarket over on Admiral. I was feeling a little under the weather so we didn't stay long, and I would like to check out the 'Tulsa Saturday Flea' sometime as well. I've been told these are "true fleamarkets" and they differ from the ones back east, like The Big Top in Tampa, or the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market. I could shop for hours at those places, but they differ in that instead of being locals hawking their used goods (think 'one man's junk is another man's treasure), the Florida fleamarkets feature newer goods, produce, crafts, and often at "retail prices". Neither are bad, just different and depends on what you're wanting. A little known factoid about us is that we had a booth at the Daytona fleamarket a few years back! (We sold kites & puzzles mainly) Just one of our many endeavors!
In keeping with the unintended Mexican restaurant theme all weekend, we ended up at Mexicali's for a late lunch. Not a bad way to end the afternoon before a quick stop at Reasor's for some groceries and then home to clean up and get ready for the work week!
Will probably be hitting the Fair this Thursday for Blue Oyster Cult, so until then, see you around T-Town!

Ringing in the first of October in Tulsa!

2009-10-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

We had a great night out yesterday - first stop, our local Dinner Club, which we realized we hadn't been to in months! (due to the conflict with "Thirsty Thursdays" Drillers games!). Usually held on Wednesdays or Thursdays at least once a month, there's always a food "theme" and then you bring food/drink based on that theme. It's usually held at a member's house, and rotates. With around 100 members currently, we haven't hosted it yet, mainly because we had been, until mid-summer, living in only 400 square feet, and I thought that maybe it just might be a tad cramped! Now we're in an apartment twice the size, so there's more room...for parties!!! :)
Anyway....tonight's theme was "Breakfast for Dinner" - there was everything from mimosas to waffles to, umm, cold pizza!! Always a fun time with the DCrs :)
As the DC was held near the Fair, we surveyed that opening night expectedly was a little crowded, but everyone we saw was in great spirits. We would have gone in, except we had a B52s concert we wanted to take in!
We didn't get there until a few minutes after the show started, but in time to hear some of their great hits: Love Shack, Rock Lobster, Private Idaho, Roam and some of their current stuff! They looked and sounded great!! As I anticipated, the Mystic River Lounge was packed with fans, as well as the entire casino floor! Fortunately they had TV screens showing the stage throughout the casino, allowing you to view the concert from your slot machine stool!
This was the first time I'd been in one of the area casinos since I moved to Tulsa, and while I didn't play, it was fun to walk around and take everything in, including the B-52s! (I heard they dined at Lola's while they were here - awesome!!) It had also been the first concert I'd been to in a long time! So I definitely had a fun night!!! I'm looking forward to checking out some of the other area casinos too, although I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed that the Hard Rock does not have a "Hard Rock Cafe", well as yet, anyway. I hope they open one in the future, that was a favorite dining spot of mine in Orlando!

Fall is in the air, Tulsa!

2009-10-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

So get out and enjoy this great, crisp, beautiful weather we've been having - there's plenty on tap to do!

Ongoing through Oct. 11th - The Fair - Still haven't made it out there yet, but judging on the stories already filtering in, this year's is one of the best yet! Be sure and let me know in the comments how YOUR time out there was - rides you went on, food you ate, awesome exhibits you saw, etc.! I can't wait to go!

Now through Sunday: Brush Creek Bazaar - A complete outdoor festival for the whole family including artists, entertainment, stuff for the kids, crafts, food and more!! Admission is only $5, with proceeds benefitting Brush Creek Youth Ranch.

Friday: First Friday Art Crawl - 6-11pm tonight in the Brady District downtown; free. Wind your way through everything from the Gypsy Coffee House to Lola's, and end the night at Club 209!!
Sci-Fi & Horror Weekend (Fri & Sat) - Held at the Tulsa Convention Center, hours Friday are 3pm-10pm; Saturday 10am-8pm, with an "after-party" running from 7:30-10:30pm. Admission is $20 for one day or $30 for both days. Everything a sci-fi geek and/or horror fanatic could want under one roof!

Saturday: 40th Annual Zoo Run - starting at 8:15, there's everything from a family fun run to a 10K race; afterwards there will be entertainment and activities. See the link for more info on registration.
Art in the Square- This free event at Utica Square runs 10am-5pm and features over 90 local artists displaying their masterpieces.

Sunday: Crosbie Heights Community Farm Potluck and Music Festival - Bring out the family, even the dogs! to this free event, starting at 2pm. Make your favorite covered dish to help celebrate the block party as you enjoy live music, a kids zone, and the kick off of the area's newest Farmers' Market!

And that's a wrap! (well, for now, anyway!!) More posts coming, see you around T-Town!!! :)

Happy October 1st, Tulsa!

2009-10-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

Holy Halloween, Batman! It's October 1st already! I still have last weekend's recap to post, but I wanted to get all of the goings on for tonight out to you, so without further adieu, here goes:

The State Fair: For those of you who might have been asleep for the past month, the wonderful aroma of fair food & livestock is definitely in the air starting today!! Opening night tonight is $1 gate admission & $1 rides with that special coupon from Ford dealers, or $5 gate admission without!! Be prepared for crowds and traffic jams!!!

Free B-52s Concert: At RiverSpirit Casino, concert starts at 9pm, AND they are opening their brand new 1300 space parking garage!! Woo-hoo!!

(RT@TulsaUnitedWay): Today's our chili cook-off! All you can eat chili/desserts for $7! 11:30-1:30 1430 S. Boulder.

Sam Adams Octoberfest & Margarita Party: To be held tonight at TGI Friday's, 41st & Yale, starting at 7pm.

On my way out the door - see you around Tulsa tonight! Tune in tomorrow for more Tulsa happenings & updates!!!

Another action packed weekend of events in Tulsa!

2009-09-25T13:09:00.001-05:00

now through Monday: The Creek County Free Fair - to get you in the mood for the upcoming Tulsa State Fair, Creek County's features livestock, exhibits, rides (wrist bands are only $15 for unlimited rides!), free outdoor concerts, a kids' zone, food, and more!!

Friday: Someone once told me shortly after I moved here that Tulsans love holding festivals, and that there would be something going on pretty much every weekend, and that has proved to be correct! This weekend is no exception, with the 49th Annual Greek Holiday Fest. Featuring lots of food and dancing, admission is only $2! For the Greek in all of us!
For those stargazers out there, head on over to Jenks or Broken Arrow for the Astronomy Club of Tulsa's free "Sidewalk Astronomy"!
The now infamous and according to many, "the single best rock show of all time", Tulsa's own "Smunty Voje" will be performing at Jewel tonight....you won't want to miss out on them at 10:30pm, as well as Jewel's Customer Appreciation Party featuring drink specials all night long! Jewel will be closing its doors Saturday night to make way for Brookside's first & only rooftop patio bar!! Get Smunty tonight!!!

Saturday: Get an early and FREE start to Saturday's lineup!
Downtown Adventure Walk - 9-11am, a walking tour of Tulsa's architecture. Pre-register by calling 596-1485.
Smithsonian Day - Free general admission to either the Philbrook, the Gilcrease, or the Tulsa Historical Society Museum! Can't beat that!!

Ok folks, who doesn't enjoy a great steak dinner, complete with salad, bread and baked potato, and accompanied by live music? Even better, getting to choose your steak from among 50 teams competing for the title of best in our state? I thought so! Better hurry to purchase your ticket now for the Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-Off , before they're sold out! Or for those grillmasters out there, join one of the teams!

It's all about the wine, people!! Can you believe there are no less than three wine events today?? Drink up and be merry!!
Stone Bluff Cellars - starting at 7:30 am, they'll be holding a "grape harvest" (yes, think Lucille Ball, so dress accordingly! I'm thinking that after all the stomping you'll get to sample some great wine!!)
Tidal School Vineyards "Calabash" - I can almost taste it - fresh caught seafood served up with the best local wines and beers accompanied by live music. Only $35 gives you all the fun you can imagine!!
~~Guns~~ Wine & Roses - maybe a little more formal and romantic than the Calabash, and certainly in competition for the night's wine tastings, this is a little closer to home at the Tulsa Garden Center on Peoria. For $75 (or $60 if you're a member) you can sample 150 wines, complete with hors d'oeurvres and desserts. Sounds like a great date ;)

Free (gotta love that word!) Concerts!
TCC "Education Rocks" concert Sat. at Veterans Park from noon to 8pm, featuring great live music, food, kids area, and info on area colleges.
The Presidents of the United States of America will also be rockin' Tulsa at the Hard Rock - doors open at 8:30 pm, and seats are limited!
Be sure to also mark your calendar for another free concert coming Oct. 1st, 9pm at River Spirit Casino: The B-52s!!!

Sunday: The STBC 6th Annual Car Show - from 5-7pm, hundreds of cars will be on display, from Dodge Vipers to Model Ts, music & food, best of all admission is free! The South Tulsa Baptist Church will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items for their Ministry Center.

A look ahead at the upcoming week:
Tuesday, Sept. 29th: The 3rd Annual Life by Chocolate - 5:30-9:00pm, gourmet chocolate sampling and silent auction to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door. Call 918-430-5090 for more info. (RT Urban Tulsa Weekly)

Whew!!! I'm done for now, time to get the weekend (& party) started!!!
See you around T-Town!!! :)

Tulsa's October Lineup (so far!!)

2009-09-21T21:13:00.001-05:00

It's almost right around the corner, so I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek at some of the upcoming events for next month!

First up, the Tulsa State Fair: running Oct. 1st-11th. Normal admission is $8-10, depending on what day of the week you go, but advance tickets online are only $6.50. Also, opening night is $1 gate admission (with a special coupon from participating local Ford dealers; $5 without the coupon). See the link for other promotions going on throughout the fair's run. I LOVE the fair, and since I haven't been to Tulsa's yet, I can't wait to check out the food, rides, entertainment, livestock and exhibits!!!

Not to be outdone, Tulsa's Oktoberfest, running the weekend of Oct. 22-25th, should be just as awesome. Admission is only $5. I did go to this event while I was here visiting last year, and had the best time! I'm going to see if I can sign up for the annual "Bier Barrel Race" to be held on the 24th! Looking at the concessions they'll be having is already making my mouth water for bratwurst. There's even a map on their site you can check out.

Halloween Happenings! Have you gotten your costume yet? It's ok, me neither! I do know what we're dressing up as (keeping it a secret!), and fortunately our costumes won't be expensive. They will entail visits to both Party City and Spirit - I'm so glad they have them here in Tulsa! Now while you guys don't have the awesome theme park attractions like Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, or Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream, I hear the Haunted Castle in Muskogee is just as frightfully fun! Running Fri/Sat evenings in October, the Festival features 9 attractions on 60 acres! There are child and adult discount ticket combos available online. I went to the Renaissance Festival they had there this past spring, and if that's any indication, it will be awesome! Last but not least, this Halloween won't be complete without going to A Rocky Halloween. To be held on Halloween night at the Brady Outdoor Stage on North Main, the party gets started at 8pm with the band Crossland, to be followed at 10pm with the Rocky Horror Picture Show entertaining the masses. After that, the party will spill over at Club Majestic & The Hunt Club. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the gate. Coinciding, be sure not to miss the Brady Fall Arts Festival going on earlier in the day from 10am-6pm. To me, this sounds like Tulsa's answer to Tampa's Guavaween - one explosive street party!!!

And there you have it, so far....and any additional suggestions for upcoming events are most welcome!!! :)

How was YOUR weekend Tulsa?

2009-09-21T17:32:00.001-05:00

Ours was another enjoyable, fun-filled, packed weekend! My recap:

Friday eve: Let the games begin!! The Highland Games, that is! Hopefully you lads and lassies got a chance to check out the Scottish Festival this weekend. We went Friday night for MacBeerfest, and the weather held out perfectly! After walking around a bit, we headed over to the beer tent where they had several assorted pub beers available. There were also food vendors hawking traditional Scottish fare - I sampled the Scottish pie (not quite brave enough to try the Haggis!), and also some excellent Lemon Shortbread from the House of Douglas Bakery. Other vendors were selling everything from kilts to swords, and while the games weren't starting until Sat. morning, they did have a bonfire ceremony where all the Clans' names were announced, and representatives from each declared their unique battlecry. Great celtic music from bands Celtic Cheer, 7 Nations, and NeedFire could be heard throughout the evening. My friend had been eyeing the Whiskey Tasting tent ever since we got there, so he signed up for the last single malt tasting. It was quite informative as a brief description of each whiskey was given before participants had a taste. You could then jot down notes about the taste of each whiskey, although my friend noted that as he progressed, he didn't really notice a flavor change, but that he "got happier"!!! As Tulsa really is one of America's 'biggest little small town', wherever you go, you always run into people you know, and the Scottish Festival was no different. I have to give a shout out to our friend Vernon! Great people, good times :) Alba Gubra!
We left the Scottish Fest to go hang out with some friends and ended the night playing pool at Sharky's
(I will readily admit I'm no pool shark, but I still love to play!!)

Saturday: BOK & Ribs!!! I couldn't wait to get down to the BOK this morning - they had free tours of the facility, music, and giveaways and a commemorative frisbee listing all the performing acts that have played the BOK over the past year! And since we got there before 1 pm, admission to the Rock 'N Rib Fest just outside was free! Featuring several different award winning rib vendors, I really wanted to try Johnson's "Thermonuclear Sauce", but chickened out after reading you had to sign a liability release!! I did try their pulled pork sandwich...mmmmm. We also tried Willingham's famous Tennessee BBQ, unique in that they serve sauce on the side, so you can appreciate their dry rub. Also awesomely good. I wish I could have tried all the different vendors, as I'm sure they were all tasty, but alas, it was just the two of us sampling, and by the time we got done with Willingham's we were ready for a nap!! (well, HE was, I was wanting to go lay out by the pool as the weather had warmed up and the sun was out in all its glory!)

We 'siesta'd' the rest of the afternoon, as we had our friend's going away party to go to. This is where last weekend's meat sale came in very handy, as the host was planning on grilling burgers - and of course we happened to have plenty of ground beef! After picking up some of our friends, and some beer, we headed on over to the party. Good food, lots of laughter, and tons of empty beer bottles later, we decided to continue the party at the Soundpony. There were about 20 of us, and when we got there around 11pm the place was packed. Tons of people crowded the dance floor as a dj spun house music, and the wait for drinks was incredible, but understandable. We made our way out back and hung out, once again running into more people we knew! Being the DD I could have stayed, but my friend was ready to pass out around 1, so we headed for home. Apparently our friends stayed and shut the place down!

Sunday: We were going to spend a leisurely Sunday at home but we ended up going to meet our friends at Brookside By Day for brunch. I split the sausage-onion-jalepeno-pepper jack omelette, which was delish! While they were deciding whether to play frisbee golf or regular golf, we needed some groceries and opted to head home. However, we didn't realize we would have to find a detour home because of the Hispanic Heritage Run.

And that about wraps up the highlights for this past weekend. Subscribe to stay posted to events coming up this weekend and next month! As always, see you around T-Town!! :)

A Soggy Start to the Weekend in Tulsa.....

2009-09-18T11:36:00.001-05:00

I'm hoping that the 40% showers forecasted for today and tomorrow are in the early am and finish up by early afternoon, because there's a lot going on in T-Town this weekend, as usual! And I was thinking this morning might have been perfect, cooler weather to go walk about downtown and take some pics of all the buildings and points of interest for this blog and upcoming website. Alas, that will have to wait! Meanwhile, kiddos, there's plenty of other stuff to do around here this weekend, rain or shine!

Today through Sunday:

Oklahoma Scottish Festival - We plan on going later tonight for MacBeerfest, featuring bands and BEER! Can't wait!
Rock 'N Rib Festival - For just $3, there will be awesome bands as well as award winning rib vendors. I plan on going tomorrow, because between 10am-2pm, the BOK Center is having a free open house as well!
Can't wait to try the "Thermonuclear Sauce" Ribs - Mmmmmm.... (yeah, I LOVE things hot & spicy!!)
Restaurant Week - Tomorrow's the last day to take advantage of a full course lunch or dinner at a special "fixed price", as participating restaurants proceeds will benefit the local Community Food Bank. Not sure where I'll be going - there are so many great choices!
Oklahoma Indian Summer - In Bartlesville, featuring American Indian artists, intertribal powwow, crafts and demonstrations, and food!
I did want to also mention that tomorrow is the Komen Race for the Cure - a 5K run/walk in memory of those who have been affected by breast cancer.
As if all that weren't enough, we still have our friends' going away party tomorrow!

Good times ahead, see you around T-Town!! :)

From Steak to Art this past weekend in T-Town!!

2009-09-15T14:30:00.010-05:00

Friday night....

Didn't really have anything on the calendar, we were just gonna stay in....but around 9 we found out that a friend of ours was going to be at Vintage, which is a wine bar right down the street from us, so why not? After leisurely getting ready, we strolled over. Had wine and a hurricane (I had the drink, he had the wine!), we shared an appetizer, but our friend never showed, so we headed on home. Don't you know right after we got in the door she called!!! Having nothing better to do, we headed right back on over, but once again, when we got there, she was nowhere to be found! This time we didn't stick around and headed back. Of course, our friend might have been at one of the other 6 neighboring bars, and it was virtually impossible to pinpoint her locale due to the noise decibel!! In any case, friend meetup FAIL! So, we just hung out and watched movies. (Sounds boring, but it was a fun night!! Besides, it worked out because we wanted to get up early on Sat.!)

Saturday: Ok, so our plan for today was -

a) hit up this meat "dock sale" in Owasso

b) afterwards, go to Claremore for the "Bluegrass & Chili Festival"

c) afternoon - Philbrook for "free 2nd Sat" admission

d) eve - Hard Rock for "Urban Indulgence"

Of course, as you know, things pretty much never go exactly as planned, though our intentions were there.

We got going by 10ish, and got over to Owasso. Let me tell you, if you have a spare freezer and want a great buy on meat/poultry, THIS is the place to go! Apparently, they have a sale every month. You just park, go up and tell them what you want, and then you check out! For added incentive, the aroma of marinated steak being cooked wafts through the air! Needless to say, our spare freezer is now stocked!! Ahh, Beef! It's what's for dinner!!! :)

Since the meat was frozen solid, we figured we'd have time to check out the Bluegrass/Chili Fest in Claremore:

We got there around 11:30, and there was already a crowd. A few bands were playing, there was a car show, "fair food" vendors, a train ride for the kiddies, along with a slide, and children's activity tent. Inside the Expo Center were arts & crafts vendors. What we didn't realize that even though the chili vendors had their tents set up, they were just getting started and the actual chili tasting didn't start until 4pm :(

So, we left a little disappointed, but we didn't want our meat to thaw out!

**This is another lesson to be learned in these parts: check out the time schedule of events! (along with getting tickets in advance if possible, before the event sells out!)**

We headed for home and unloaded all the meat to our freezer. Then we got ready to go to the Philbrook!

After enjoying a light snack in Woodward Park (imo the most beautiful park in Tulsa, if not one of the most that I've ever been to!) By now, the weather was overcast, and it was around 2:00. Still plenty of time to enjoy the museum grounds, and since they are apparently doing this through December, I'm sure we'll be going back. (You can't beat FREE!)

Once again, I didn't realize that they were running a free trolley between the Philbrook & the Gilcrease (although there wasn't free admission, the Gilcrease was also offering free activities for the kids.....ahhh, brings back memories!)

Check out the awesome pics at the Philbrook!

One of the very first things you realize is how HUGE this place is. 23 acres to be exact, including lush gardens where they grow everything from sunflowers to corn and other vegetables! All of their produce grown goes to the local Community Food Bank. :)

I would highly recommend exploring the gardens, and apparently it's a popular setting for weddings. Along with the gardens, there's a 'summer house' as well as a creek that winds around the outskirts. We could have taken a nap on the plush lawn, but alas, it started to sprinkle so we headed back inside.

I was ecstatic to learn that photography is permitted (without flash) throughout most of the museum, so I snapped away! Inside, there are THREE levels, with various themed rooms filled with art.

The main entrance level features temporary exhibits, archive exhibits, and the Italian Room & Music Room.

The lower level houses the Native American collection and Santa Fe Room, while the upper level features Modern & Contemporary Design, Antiquities, and African Art. My favorite exhibit had to be the Modern & Contemporary Design, featuring everything from antique radios to the iPod!

By the time we were ready to leave, we were exhausted!

So, we came home to chill for a bit...but my friend ending up passing out, and although I still really wanted to hit up Urban Indulgence, I was tired as well. Wanting to compromise and do something inexpensive, we opted for going to the Sushi Train!
If you live in T-Town and haven't been here yet, this is a MUST! You can order off the menu, but I highly recommend selecting off the train. Most of the dishes are between $2-5, so two people can easily dine for under $30!!! We hadn't been there in a while, so we filled up and left happy, putting a great end to Saturday for us :)

Lazy Sunday (aren't they always?!) - We did sleep in a little on Sunday, and didn't really have anything planned, so first off we headed to Home Depot ISO window screens. Unfortunately, we found out they don't carry them, but Lowe's apparently did so we headed there next. On the way, we took the "scenic route", stopping at this little gem (on Lewis near 12th St.):

This place is SO cool, kinda like a 70's rock psychedelic meets Spencer's. Everything from incense to your fave rock memorabilia & cds!! I had no idea!!! I'll be shopping there in the future!! :)

After browsing, we headed down 15th Street, where I was given the suggestion about hitting up all the clothing/furniture/misc "boutiques" and featuring them on a future blog. Excellent idea!!! :)

By the time we neared Lowe's, we were hungry, so we caved and stopped at Freckles (frozen custard). Food is good, but I loved the old pictures on the wall from Tulsa, going back several decades (including the old amusement park they had where the expo center is now!)

As luck would have it, we found the screens at Lowe's, just in time to install and enjoy the cooler fall weather. On the way back, we popped into the parking lot at the Expo - they are getting ready for the FAIR! (so are we!!) We actually were thinking about going to the gun show, but...there will be more of those (seems like every other weekend!!) to come!

Rest of Sunday spent installing window screens, and cooking dinner. I admit, I LOVE to cook, not that I'm a fancy chef or anything....but I can cook decently, and can be pretty resourceful/creative! Sunday night happened to be ground beef, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and shredded cheese, ala stir fry (what I had on hand). Yesterday, however, the whole apartment was filled with the aroma of chicken (making broth from the leftovers). This plus the lower temperature has put me in the mood for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving....ahhh, can't wait!!! :)

I've added a calendar below of upcoming events and things we have planned, so feel free to check it out.

This weekend, so far: a couple of our friends are leaving town soon, so we have going away parties, plus the BOK Rock 'N Rib Fest, and Restaurant Week now through the 19th!

See you around T-Town! :)