TULSA - Don't Hate the 918
 

Recently a friend of mine who lives here said I gripe about Oklahoma too much. He doesn't understand, because he's not from here originally, that I am not from Oklahoma... I am from TULSA.

Ask any Tulsan where they are from, and they will never say "Oklahoma". We are so snobby about it, we don't attend the Oklahoma State Fair; we hold our own Tulsa State Fair, nevermind the pesky fact that Tulsa is not a state. It is a state of mind.

So this thread is to introduce you to a city I love, and to invite you to come see what it's like to live on Tulsa Time...

Some things you probably don't know
 

You probably already know that two American Idols came from Tulsa, but do you know why they chose to cut their teeth here? Tulsa was ranked #9 in cities with the best local music scene. We have giant venues like the BOk Center and tiny venues like Back Alley Blues, and many musicians call Tulsa home.

According to areavibes, Tulsa is the #1 city in America for low cost of living. This is one of the biggest reasons I chose stay here. I like to travel, so I can hop a plane and spend my money in Copenhagen, not paying the mortgage. I bought a house here at 22 years old, making $8.50/hour. There are very few places in the country that afford you that opportunity.

The economy in Tulsa remains strong. At #20 on CNN Money's list of Recession-Proof cities, Tulsa's diverse economic landscape has held us up. The city is a major hub for healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing and energy, which help keep our unemployment rate a full 3% under the national average, and our housing prices at essentially the same level they were before.

Education is a key part of what makes Tulsa awesome. The schools here are good, with an average student:teacher ratio of 18:1. Students who graduate from high schools in Tulsa county are eligible to attend the Community College or Vo-Tech for free for up to two years. There are tons of colleges and universities in Tulsa, and Tulsa boasts a well-educated populace, with about 28% of the population holding a Bachelors degree or higher, 6% above the national average.

Educated people love the arts, and Tulsa has a thriving arts community. Museums, galleries, and art districts abound, and there are several arts festivals to pawn your wares. Tulsa is one of the smallest cities in the nation to have a full year-round Symphony, and our Opera company attracts some of the nation's biggest talents.

Much more to follow, and pictures!

I lived in Tulsa from the time I was 3 months old until I was 3 years old. And while I don't remember a whole lot, I did go back and visit the home I lived in a few years back and just loved Tulsa proper. Beautiful homes, gorgeous greenery, fabulous eateries and very gay friendly. :bunchflowers:

Don't forget SE Hinton (The Outsiders/Rumblefish series). She still lives here.

I was planning on putting up some pics of the downtown architecture, but I'm documenting all my adventures on my phone, and I haven't been down Boston Ave to take any pics yet. Soon to come!

Speaking of architecture, there are several Frank Lloyd Wright homes here that are GORGEOUS!

Aw, Parker, I'm sorry that happened. Tulsa is one of the gayest cities in the country (per capita). I went to our first Pride parade in 1999, and I can tell you things have come a LONG way since the early 2000's.

Charleston's is delish! I'm more of a locavore (Local Table is like Tulsa locavore heaven), but Charleston's is one chain I'll make an exception for. My work takes us there for dinner a few times a year. I always look forward to it.

Wish I could have met you when you were in town. As far as we can tell, JAGG and I are it for the B/F community here.

Tell us about the climate in the 918.

We generally have cold winters, hot summers, and rainy falls and springs. This year, however, we did not get a winter. It only snowed once, and it was 60 degrees again the next day.

There are sometimes tornadoes, but they tend to stay either north or south of Tulsa. People will tell you 100 different reasons for this. I say it's the River (Arkansas), since tornadoes tend to be dispersed by bodies of water, but there's all kinds of Native American legends and myths saying this place is "protected".

fishing
 

We don't have saltwater, but you can use those deep sea poles to go fishing at the Dam on Keystone lake. A heavy-action pole is not nearly strong enough to catch the spoonbill on the spillway!

I was there in '02, though I think I was drinking too much to remember it! LOL

OK, this is a beautiful picture I totally stole from the Tulsa Deco District facebook page...

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...74089971_n.jpg


The Atlas Life building is one of my favorite Tulsa landmarks! Some history:

The Atlas Life Building, 409 S. Boston, was designed by Tulsa Architect Arthur Rush and had its Grand Opening on Thursday evening Nov. 23, 1922. The inverted “T” design of the building allowed for air circulation in those days before air conditioning. The four-story vertical neon sign was installed in 1946. The Atlas Life Building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

RIVERSIDE!!
 

One of the best places in Tulsa, our largest park, RIVERSIDE!

From RiverParks.org: River Parks’ 26 miles of asphalt-surfaced trails weave past gathering areas, playgrounds, fountains and sculptures along the banks of the Arkansas River in Tulsa. Additionally, River Parks owns and leases hundreds of acres reserved for wildlife habitation and land preservation. River Parks also controls the water levels of portions of the Arkansas River using the gates of the Zink Dam.

I love to walk Riverside in the mornings. There are several bridges that cross the river, allowing for a full loop. Here's the Pedestrian Bridge over Zinc dam:

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...14275295_n.jpg


There's also this fountain nearby (it won't be turned on until Memorial Day):

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...22059322_n.jpg


The 21st Street Bridge, which I think is just beautiful:

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...26573017_n.jpg

And a view of downtown from the West side of the Arkansas River:

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...03857409_n.jpg

I am Okie, born and bred.... I do understand!

(I was born down the 'bee line' in Okmulgee)

Born in OKC, but have never actualy lived in OK.

Thank you for posting the lovely photos!

Sorry I haven't been around to post much lately, but here, for you architecture geeks, are some great pics of the Deco buildings downtown:

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...96014742_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8177939_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2566687_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...7_401705_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...3_212491_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...0_987663_n.jpg

I haven't read all the posts so I may be repeating some facts, so forgive me.
I love Tulsa, it is a wonderful place to live and thrive . I believe every place is what you make it. Tulsa has been very good to me. When I moved here, literally I had no job, no material possesions except , a little nissan pickup a small motorcycle a dresser a pot and a frying pan. And a whopping 7 cents in my pocket, used my last dollar to move here. Got a job the first day I was here, and started to slowly rebuild my life. Tulsa made it easy for me to do. Low cost of living, low crime good wages. When I look at what I have today compared to the day I arrived, it puts a lump in my throat. I am grateful beyond words. I have never experienced any homophobic behavior aside from the usual stares. But I believe that has more to do with people trying to figure out if I'm a guy or a girl.I don't blame them, I would stare too, but when I speak to them, they say hello , smile and are frendly. Once in a great while I run across someone who whispers behind my back etc. 1 out of 200,000 isn't a big deal to me. You get that anywhere.
Neighbors look out for each other, help each other, some of my coworkers are brothers to me.
Tulsa has some of the best restaraunts, and one of the best music venues of any city in the US. Tulsa is a golf mecca. We have over 28 public courses and at least 12 private ones. The public courses are beautiful and very affordable. If you are a runner or cyclist we have miles of trails . In fact a new trail completed 2 yrs ago, spans the length of the city, so no worries about dodging traffic while you workout.
Okay that's enough for now.
Hey Diva thanks for the awesome thread, love the title!

It's sounds like a wonder place to live. I know I get tired of reading about all the crime here in FL. Good luck to you jagg. :hangloose:

gay tulsa!
 

Yeah, I've gotta say, Tulsa is a bit of a midwest gay mecca. All the LGBTQ folks from the rural areas within 100 miles or so will move here. We have the largest Pride center in the midwest right downtown, and lots of bars if that's your scene. And as you can probably imagine, a plethora of gay friendly churches. But there are tons and tons of gay families here. Our Pride has a whole kids section because there is such a need.

I'm out at work, I have been for the last 8 years or so at every job I've had, because I found that even in the most conservative work environments, people tend to react positively on an individual level. We don't have a gay "district" here, gay-friendly places are spread through town. We don't feel the need to segregate ourselves.

It's not the most liberal place in the world, but it's a little liberal oasis in Oklahoma, and a nice place to be "different", whether you're gay or just a weirdo. (or both like me) :)

Love this thread...

Keep writing my friend and keep posting pictures, im enjoying the tour!

Perhaps Jagg you can get a pic or tow of one of those many great golf courses..

You'll definitely have to ask JAGG about golf. Not my thing. Perfect waste of a lot of nice public land, if you ask me. :)

Let's talk BARBEQUE!
 

OK, let's talk Oklahoma-style BBQ. For those of you who are BBQ fanatics, you my already know, but Okie style is a little sweeter than most, with none of that nasty mustard stuff they use in the Carolinas. EW. What IS that?

For those of you who like Kansas City style, or what I call Georgia/Mississippi style, you'll LOVE Oklahoma Barbeque! The sauce, like I mentioned has a little sweet in it. Depending on where you go, this could be honey or brown sugar. The good places will put a little clove in there too. MMM MMM MMMMMMMM For best results, mix the sweet sauce with a little bit of hot if you like a kick.

One of my favorite places in Tulsa is actually a Memphis Style BBQ place called Back Alley Blues and Barbeque. They have Okie Sauce and Memphis Sauce. (Memphis style is more vinegar-based.) I generally have the Okie with a little dash of hot sauce for the kick. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, right down to the corn and potatoes, is smoked. Here's a two meat dinner with pork and beef:

http://i46.tinypic.com/2re31b9.jpg


Now Back Alley is good, mainly because they have LOTS of sides, like the ones you see above, as well as Fried Pickles and Fried Green Tomatoes. (damn, I miss fried foods! but anyway...) BUT for the best meat in town, you'll have to go to a little place on the North side called Wilson's. Don't be fooled by their 2nd location near the University of Tulsa, it's not the same. Wilson's slogan is "You don't need teeth to eat our beef," and that couldn't be more accurate! If you're looking for beef that will make your mouth water, for smoked ribs that almost fall off the bone and melt in your mouth, Wilson's is the place to go. The menu is small and simple, but every bite is delicious, down to their homemade tiny sweet potato pies.

A pound of beef from Wilson's (makes about 6 meals for me LOL):

http://i49.tinypic.com/v45nxg.jpg

hahaha hey wait a second now. lol. I used to think the same thing until I got hooked!!!! :sunglass:

I bet you didn't know Brad Pitt (born in shawnee) James Garner and Chuck Norris were from Oklahoma.
We have the world's largest McDonalds. Lol that alone should make you want to visit. hahaha
Roy D Mercer (The dream child of Phil and Brent from KMOD radio in Tulsa)
is from Tulsa. lol
Tulsa is smack dab in the center of the US. So it's a short plane ride to anywhere north south east or west, if you're traveling in the states. Also Tulsa international airport is one of the easiest airports to get in and out of. And one of the quickest and most efficient TSA check points of any airport you pass through.
Although we are a land locked state, Tulsa has many nearby lakes and rivers. Just an outdoor paradise, if you like kayaking, canoeing, rafting, boating jet ski's. It's a campers dream come true. If you like to fish or just picnic, there are some very pristine waters and beautiful green setting to enjoy , your weekend in. If you like to rent a cabin on the water or just camp in a tent, there are hundreds of places to choose from. Very affordable BTW.
I'll post more later on.

since i do not eat at mcdonalds i had to go have a look and find out more about this mcdonalds business

pretty cool
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...s20house-1.jpg

Built by Conoco Oil Company in 1957, the Glass House
now features an Oklahoma Welcome Center,
an outstanding Gift Shop and the largest
McDonald's Restaurant in the world.
Over 1,000,000 travelers visit the Glass House each year.

pretty interesting stuff...

i don't suppose you have to worry about earthquakes?

SSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

does that confirm the no earthquake thing???

or are ya shushing me for another reason lol

Yes, you pass the World's Largest McDonald's on the way to my mom's house. I used to think it was so cool when I was a kid. Now I'm like, my exit is almost here!

hands down, one of the coolest places in Tulsa
 

http://www.ryan-sweeney.net/digitals...285790_BG1.jpg

The ADMIRAL TWIN!!!

It's back and opening this summer after the fire 2 years ago. I'm so glad!

I have spent many a night making out in the car while watching a movie I cared nothing about. :)

I have also spent a few nights in camping chairs with friends, having a picnic, a few beers (for them), and watching a flick.

And when we were kids and broke, this is how you got your friends in:

http://www.admiraltwin.com/images/Ad...lly%20Kerr.jpg

We have teeny, tiny earthquakes. The kind that won't wake you if you have a good mattress.

It's lake season in Green Country!

I have very fond memories of Tulsa. My mother was born there in 1943 and voted the prettiest baby in the state. My great aunt Lois Parnell opened up the Pancake Place on 11th and Utica and introduced all the different pancake syrups to the state. My grandfather ran the place in the summers while school was out and my partner Red remembers her family going there on Sundays after church. My first solo trip as a child on a greyhound bus was traveling to spend the summer with my Pa and Granny. Utica Square was a major event of shopping for me. I so miss the house they owned on Yorktown and the screened in back porch where my army cot and all the items I needed were supplied for my summer vacation. I love the old Tulsa. Cherry Street Market. Went to my first Ms Gay Oklahoma at the old Camelot that has since been torn down. I do have to say it is a little to right winged for me but as always you make what you make with what you have. Can't beat the beauty of Green Country.

Everywhere in Oklahoma is somewhat right-wing. I find it to be more liberal than any other part of the state. I refer to Tulsa as the Austin of Oklahoma. :)

The Cherry Street market is still hoppin', especially this time of year. I need to go out Saturday and get some fresh Oklahoma blackberries, and other fruit, but Oklahoma grows blackberries like nowhere else!

I don't know about the teeny tiny earthquakes. My parents live near OKC and they sent me this photo of some damage done by the earthquake. Pretty scary if you ask me!






http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/...6/image001.jpg

LOL Yes, that is scary. The last time we had them, I was in OKC. One made me wobble a little on the dance floor. Terrifying!

You sure it was the earthquake that made you wobble a little on the dance floor???:sunglass: