51. Oklahoma

Month: December 2018

Location: Tulsa

As I got close to the last third of these travels, one of the more frequent questions from people was, “Which is the last State that you would be visiting?”  I guess they were anticipating a response like “Hawaii” or something equally glamorous.  When I would respond with, “Oklahoma”, their reaction would be, “Oh”.  It wasn’t as if I had planned each month to be progressively better, just what made logistical sense based on weather.  So, for colder months, I would go south and as it so happened, Oklahoma was still on the board.  I guess I could have saved Hawaii for this December, rather than the last, but going to Hawaii is a complex trip and I did not want to take any chances.  Once I knew which State was the destination, I had to pick between Oklahoma City and Tulsa.  I asked some folks and the recommendation was to go to Tulsa.  So, with that settled months ago, I had booked my travel and stay.  Little was I to know that after 50 of these, the final stop would be where my logistics would hit a hurdle.

While in Little Rock, I was discussing hotel rates with Lisa and pulled out my phone to tell her how much I would be paying in Tulsa.  That’s when I realized that the nightly rate had gone down from when I had booked, and so I cancelled my earlier booking and re-booked in the same hotel at a lower rate.  The week of my travel, I was checking my “confirmation code” to ensure the transaction was as I had expected, when I noticed that not only was my earlier confirmation showing up as “cancelled”, so was the new one.  So, I called the hotel and it was then that I learned that they were shut down for the immediate future due to a fire.  Now, correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn’t it be proper to inform the guests!  With just a couple of days to go, I had to scramble to find new lodgings and fortunately, I did at ‘Residence Inn by Marriott’, a few blocks away from my earlier hotel.  I couldn’t help but think that my conversation with Lisa over beer – when we were supposed to call it a night but had decided on a nightcap – led to me re-booking and thus checking my status.  Typically, I trust the process and if not for the change, I would have showed up in Tulsa and found a burnt down hotel and no place to stay!  I had been extremely lucky!

An overcast day in  Tulsa

I connected in Saint Louis – time which I used for a business call – and landed in Tulsa just before noon.  Riding into downtown showcased this is as any other mid-sized city that I have been to.  My driver was regaling me with things to do and places to visit, though she did say that Oklahoma City was bigger and more popular.  Well, I was in Tulsa and would make the most of it.  I dropped off my stuff in my room – which included a kitchen - and left to get some lunch on an overcast and chilly day.  Across the street was a fancy looking place called ‘The Mayo Hotel’, which I was planning on visiting for a drink sometime this weekend.  One of the interesting things that I saw was the abundance of “Electric Scooters” on many corners, like the bicycles you come across in other cities.  While I saw these a lot over the next couple of days, I did not see anyone riding one!

The more than decent 'Chimera Cafe'

I was going a short distance away, to a place called ‘Chimera Café’.  I went over a bridge and into an area which seemed to have several restaurants and bars, and found my destination, which looked like a cool coffee shop.  I ordered a “Mocha” and “Made in USA Bowl”, which was a fancy name for a bowl with “scrambled eggs and potatoes”.  I was thinking that with limited items on the menu, I could have done better in terms of selecting a place, but the food was quite good.  All you need for a good restaurant is to do simple things well.

Afternoon at 'Tulsa Historical Society and Museum'

For this afternoon, I was headed to ‘Tulsa Historical Society and Museum’ and called a ride to get there.  One of things that I noticed was how “yellow” the grass looked as we headed there, and coupled with the weather, it did give the place a gloomy feel.  The museum was adjacent to a big park and was in a building that looked, well, “historical”.  It was a good museum with a lot of information on Tulsa.  One of the more unique things that I learnt was that the world’s first “Yield Sign” was erected in Tulsa.  Who knew!  There were some other cool exhibits such “radio transmission” from early 20s and several props from over the years.  There was information on “1921 Tulsa Race Massacre”, which was another reminder of how it was in the South back in early to mid-20^th century.

Nourishment at 'Valkyrie'

There were 2 floors of the museum and I spent about an hour here.  Initially I had planned on walking through the park, but with the weather, I decided to head back to my room before my evening activities.  I did not stay for long though and soon I was walking back over the bridge and towards the area where I had been this morning, to a place called ‘Valkyrie’.  This had all the makings of a good cocktail bar with cozy interior and a tall shelf behind the bar with a ladder to get to the top.  Plus, they used clear ice cubes which were as wide and tall as the glass, which always registers bonus points with me.  It was early evening and the place was already getting full, and for good reason, because their menu looked good and the drink that I ordered – “Dem Apples” – was excellent.  A good start indeed.

The beautiful tree behind the bar

My next destination was next door in an entrance through an alley.  It was called, ‘The Lounge aka Bull in the Alley’, well because of the aforementioned entrance and there was a sign with a bull on it above the door.  But the most interesting part was inside, with an oval bar area and a tall, fully-decorated and rotating “Christmas Tree” in the center!  With the dark interiors, the tree looked even more appealing.  Unlike the earlier place, this was also a restaurant. So, the drink menu was quite limited, and I ordered an “Old Fashioned”, which was decent. 

Tulsa's own "Tiki Bar"

I did not have to travel far for my next stop, which was around the corner at ‘The Tavern’.  This place was under the same management as the earlier one, since I had the same bartender, who must have just come in through the common kitchen.  While this one did not have any holiday decorations, it still had a nice bar area and my drink – “Tavern Negroni” – was very good.  It was a nice evening as I stepped out to go to the nearby ‘Saturn Room’, Tulsa’s very own “Tiki Bar”.  Everything about it, from the exterior to the “tropical” interior screamed “tiki lounge”.  In the spirit of the season, they had holiday themed drinks and I ordered “Kris Kringle Colada”.  I enjoyed my time here and so far, the evening was going quite well.

Onward to 'Bird & Bottle'

The next place on my list wasn’t nearby and would require me to take a ride.  It was called ‘Bird & Bottle’ and was in a “strip mall”, whose parking lot was full, as was this place.  It was a “modern-looking” restaurant, with one of those kitchens that diners could look into.  Next to it was the bar and I took a seat there.  I use the term bar loosely since the center was some hardware store shelves where bottles were stored.  However, it was a nice place and I enjoyed my drink here.  I called a ride to my next destination, called ‘Cosmo Café’, which was on a street with some other restaurants and bars.  Now, it had not occurred to me initially, but upon looking at the menu, it finally dawned on me why this place was named so.  They specialized in all things “Cosmopolitan” – a drink that I have never ordered and had no intention of ever doing so.  However, this entire travel plan 4 years ago was based on a simple principle of immersive experiences.  If there ever was a time to order something that would make it so, it was here.  So, despite them having every possible flavor combination, I got “The O.G.” and sipped on it as I watched “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” battle scenes play out on the TV across from me.

The very white 'Oren'

My dining destination was a couple of blocks away and right next to my final bar of the evening, ‘Doc’s Wine & Food’.  Boy, this place was full, and the bar area was quite boisterous.  I ordered a drink called “Naughty Negroni” and engaged some locals in conversation, gathering some recommendations on other bars to visit tomorrow.  The restaurant that I was going to, ‘Oren’ had an interesting entrance, through the back of this place and emerging into an open passageway between buildings.  The theme of this place appeared to be “white”, with the exterior walls and the interior décor, which was quite elegant.  I started with a drink called “Sumac Ya In The Face” and the dinner which followed was quite good.  The layout of this property was interesting, since a trip to the restroom also involved going into some common places.  But I liked everything about them and thought that it had been a good choice.  I took a ride back into my hotel and stopped at the lobby bar for a nightcap, amidst a crowd of - you guessed it – wedding party.  They were still at it by the time I returned to my room to retire.

A quick stop for some coffee

I had booked a “Walking Tour” of Tulsa for this afternoon, but about a week ago I got an email saying that they had cancelled it due to “inclement weather”.  As it would so happen, the weather would be fine for the entire day, so they could have stuck to the schedule.  In any case, now that I had all the free time and since there wasn’t much that I wanted to do in the morning, I took my time getting ready.  I had brunch reservations at noon and thought that I could spend some time prior to that in a coffee shop.  I found a place called ‘The Coffee House on Cherry Street’, named so because it was on “Cherry Street”, as was my restaurant.  So, I took a ride there and arrived at a building that wasn’t much to look at from the outside but was charming on the inside.  It was cozy, with every piece of furniture different than the other, unlike a corporate coffee place.  There was a group of women who were occupying one section, and I got a nice cup of “Mocha” – in an actual cup and saucer and grabbed a seat at a community table.  I was glad to have come here rather than spend the time in my hotel room.

And some brunch

A block away was ‘Smoke Woodfire Grill’, which I was visiting for brunch.  It was busy when I arrived, and it was a good thing that I had made reservations.  There was a “Christmas Tree” in the waiting area and while not quite elegant as the one I had seen yesterday; this one was decorated with beer bottles!  It reminded me a similar concept that I had seen in Hawaii, where that one had beer cans hanging from it.  They presented me with “Mini Muffins” as I sat down, with “Maple Chipotle Butter” as accompaniment.  I also ordered a “Diablo Bloody Mary” and something unhealthy, but good, and that would do me for the rest of the day.

The impressive 'Gilcrease Museum'

This afternoon, I was visiting ‘Gilcrease Museum’, which was located a short distance away from downtown.  It housed “Native American Art” as well as art from the “American West”.  There was a guided tour at 2 pm, but I was early and so went exploring on my own.  Now, this was a very sophisticated looking place, with posh galleries and a nice layout.  Each room was well designed and if not for the dull weather and the straw-colored grass, the exterior gardens would have looked attractive.  There was a lot to see here and though I could have stayed on for the tour, I decided to head back to my room.  There have been cities where I have had to cram a lot of activities in an afternoon, but Tulsa wasn’t quite bursting with options.  I didn’t mind though, since I had a long evening ahead of me.

Cozy basement of 'Cellar Dweller'

I left at 4:30 pm to go to my first place, called ‘Cellar Dweller’, which was a short walk away from my hotel.  When I approached what looked like a residential building, I wasn’t sure this was the right place.  But the place was named so, because there was a stairway going down to, you guessed it, the cellar.  Once down below, you entered a dark lounge with couches and dim red lights.  Finally, my kind of “speakeasy”.  Well, that’s where the similarities ended, since the menu was basic.  However, I was the only person there, and so had a great conversation with the bartender, Toni.  We talked about my travels and she told me about life in Tulsa.  This was another one of those times where I had met someone interesting because of these visits.

Next stop at 'MixCo'

Soon, the people started coming in and I left for the next stop.  The evening had set in and I walked past what looked like the city’s biggest indoor sporting arena, ‘BOK Center’.  Next to it was ‘MixCo’, which was buzzing, and I went over to find a seat at the bar.  Now, these folks took their cocktails seriously and had some unique creations on the menu. I ordered something that was proudly advertised on a board called “Stardust”, which was claimed as being “featured in Philbrooks 2018 Mix Cocktail Competition”.  It was a good drink, though no idea where it placed in the said competition.

Somewhere in there is a bar

I was headed to the rooftop bar at ‘The Mayo’, but when I got there, they mentioned that it was closed for a “private event” and it would open after 8 pm.  I continued and arrived at the address for my next location, to find that there was nothing there but a closed store.  So, this would be another “speakeasy” then.  I am all for that, but the entrance to this was as creepy as I have seen.  Around the corner was an alley and it was dark.  If there ever was a “textbook” example of “do not enter”, it was this alley.  I saw a sign with a picture of a cocktail glass and a door below it with the name, ‘Boston Title & Abstract’.  I took the plunge and after descending a flight of stairs, I saw a dark lounge.  I was in the right place.

Very soon the downtown disappeared

I got a seat at the bar and the folks were very friendly.  Not only did they do cocktails, but the food menu looked quite good.  I got a drink called “Marron”, which was presented with a show that included stuff in the glass being set on fire.  The final product was excellent, and I enjoyed my time here.  I looked at the map for my next place and it was one of those distances where I could have either walked or taken a ride.  Considering that this place wasn’t exactly easy to find for a pickup, I decided to walk.  Boy, how I wish I would have called for a ride.  The directions started taking me away from downtown and into darkness.  At one stage I saw that there was an underpass and a road next to it.  I knew this was turning out to be a bad idea, but by now I was committed and at the other end of this street was my destination.  But there was one problem.  A large locked fence was preventing me from proceeding.

Festive interior of 'Hodges Bend'

There have only been a few occasions when I have been worried about safety while walking on the streets of unfamiliar cities and this qualified as one.  The last time was in Denver, when I was travelling between bars.  I turned back and tried to find some alternate routes, picking a street parallel to the one that was blocked.  I was hoping it would take me to some semblance of civilization and fortunately for me, it did.  I arrived on a street which seemed to have some restaurants and bars and I finally found the one I was looking for, ‘Hodges Bend’.  The interior was festive with colored lights and a lively ambiance.  I had heard good things about their cocktails and the one that I ordered, called “Rule of Nine”, was very good.

And the very empty 'Vintage Wine Bar'

The path to my next place would not be as uncomfortable, so I proceeded on foot.  Plus, I wanted to walk through the cool-sounding ‘The Boxyard Tulsa’, which was a small mall like area made from “shipping containers”.  I had seen similar concepts in other cities and even though all the business’ – most of them independent small startups – were closed, it looked like a fun place to visit.  I arrived at ‘Vintage Wine Bar’, which was as empty as anything that I have visited.  It was a nice-looking place though, with warm interiors and even though the drink of choice would have been wine, I got myself a “Hemmingway Daiquiri” cocktail.

Dinner at 'Juniper'

Dinner was nearby, but I still had some time to spare and so went to ‘Fassler Hall’, which was a good old-fashioned “Bier Hall” with community tables and “steins” of beer.  I got “Spaten Oktoberfest” to pass the time and then went over next door to 'Juniper’, which was widely regarded as the one of the best restaurants in Tulsa.  I ordered the “5-Course Tasting Menu” and a drink called “Yamhattan”, since it was made from “Sweet Potato Bourbon”.  I wonder how much time it took them to come up with that name.  The dinner concluded with a dessert called “Justin’s favorite Chocolate Pie” and while I never learned who Justin was, his pie selection was good, as was the rest of the meal. 

Last stop at 'The Mayo'

I took a ride to ‘The Mayo’, since I had some unfinished business from earlier in the evening.  I was going for a nightcap at their rooftop bar, ‘Penthouse’.  I am not the most frequent visitor of rooftop bars, and once I emerged from the elevator, I remembered why.  They are always crowded and resemble a club rather than a cocktail lounge.  This one was similar and rather than a seating area at the bar, one had to order drinks and then find a place.  I got a drink called “Buttered Toffee”, which was made from “chocolate liqueur” and hence sweet.  I did not stay long and soon crossed the street to return to my room.  As I was putting away my things, I couldn’t find my earphones.  That just wouldn’t do and so after searching frantically, I deduced that they must be in the last place that I was using them, the ‘Penthouse’.  So, I put on my coat and returned to the scene of the crime and awkwardly looked below people’s feet, to try and locate the item, to no avail.  I resigned myself to thinking that I had lost these and came back to my room to grieve.  As soon as I started climbing into bed, I saw the earphones on the sheets.  While emptying my pockets, I must have put them on the bed first and they had blended in with the white sheets.  Despite the duplicate visit to the bar, I was glad that at least I had recovered them.

A beautiful morning in Tulsa

I checked-out of my room and walked over across the bridge – where I had been yesterday - to ‘Woody Guthrie Center’.  I did not know much about Woody Guthrie and this seemed like a good place to start.  I was the only person in there at this early hour and the enthusiastic gentleman selling the tickets told me to start with the “virtual reality” exhibit, warning me that some people find that a bit disorienting. The exhibit was about the famous, - albeit unknown to me - “Dust Bowl”.  There was a  model of a porch with a chair and a “virtual reality headset”, including headphones, and visitors were encouraged to sit down and put it on.  I did so and then started a virtual recreation of the “Black Sunday” dust storm of Oklahoma on April 14^th 1935 and oh boy!  I have seen some “virtual reality” simulations, but this one was outstanding.

At the 'Woody Guthrie Center'

It felt like you were sitting on the actual porch, staring into the plains – in “black & white” – with Woody’s “folk music” playing over a commentary.  The skies started turning dark and within minutes there was a dust storm of epic proportions.  Even though I knew this was not happening at this moment, the simulation was so realistic that at one point I had to take the headset off.  One could only imagine the plight of the people and animals, not just on that day, but during that era when these occurrences were common.  The presentation was fantastic and unsettling.  There was also an exhibit on this which went into details on how this affected the already poverty-stricken region economically.  As good as that was, the main purpose of the museum was to celebrate the life of Woody Guthrie, who as I learned was America’s greatest folksingers and songwriters.  The exhibits dealt with his life and career as well as his travels and songs.  There were his “song journals” as well as his instruments and for some reason an entire room dedicated to John Mellencamp.  

The only visitor at 'Philbrook Downtown'

The main art museum in Tulsa was not the ‘Gilcrease Museum’, which I had visited yesterday, but ‘Philbrook Museum of Art’.  I was going there soon, but first, I wanted to go to their downtown location, which was right next door.  They were just opening when I arrived and seemed a bit surprised at seeing me.  I got a ticket and went upstairs, which had several dark rooms that were supposed to be projecting something.  The problem was that nothing was showing.  I looked for a switch, but eventually went back down and asked about it.  Sure enough, they had forgotten to turn it on, after all how dare someone show up so early!  The projections were too surreal for me to interpret and so after walking around the sparse galleries for a bit, I soon called a ride to go to the main place.

First stop for brunch

As we were departing downtown, I saw a weird pillar and asked my driver about it.  He said that it was called ‘Center of the Universe’, because of some acoustics which magnified echoes if you stood inside a circle.  Seemed like an interesting place to visit, though I wouldn’t be back in this part of town before departing.  I arrived at ‘Philbrook Museum of Art’ and this one was much larger building than the downtown location.  My first stop was at their restaurant, ‘Kitchen 27’, which had a reputation of being a destination for “Sunday Brunch”.  I had made a reservation and was directed to a table at the back, which allowed me to observe the most primal human behavior – navigating the buffet line.  It was a decent place and convenient, since all I had to do next was go upstairs.

It was a very good museum

The museum itself was quite good.  It had nice gardens outside - which I walked through - sprawling galleries, and a good collection of exhibits, including one on “Legos”.  I spent over an hour here before proceeding to my final destination, which was called ‘The Gathering Place’.  One of my business associates, who is from Tulsa, had told me about this place, which is a public park constructed by a local philanthropist.  Spread over 100 acres and costing over $450 million to construct, it was named as “Best New Attraction in the Nation” for 2018.  I took a ride there and as we approached it, I saw some unique pedestrian bridges over the road, which weren’t your typical concrete, but green and ergonomically integrated with the park.

Last stop at 'The Gathering Place'

The drop-off point was like entering some amusement park venue and their “Welcome Area” was like some “National Park Visitor’s Center”.  I picked up a map and saw that there were several attractions like “play areas” for kids, “sports courts”, “skate parks”, a pond, gardens, trails and even a “boathouse”.  The bridges that I had seen from the car were called “Land Bridges”.  This place catered to every demographic, and that’s what made it so popular.  I walked through the park and could see how the locals would enjoy it.  One could easily spend a lot of time here, especially on a nice day like today.  The children’s area was very well done, and the “boathouse” building was a modern tower with nice views.  After 45 minutes or so, I returned and called a ride to take me back to my hotel, where I picked up my bag and then proceeded to the airport.

And so, this was it.  51 consecutive months and I had accomplished what very few, if any, have done.  I had gone 51 in 51.  There will be time for analysis on the top destination, least favorite etc.  But for now, I felt a bit sad that it was over and for a moment considered doing it all over again.  There were places that I went to early on, before finding my right approach, and which I would love to redo.  Then there were places and people that I would love to revisit.  This will probably go down as one of the best things that I have done, and I had enjoyed every single one of my visits.  As I walked through the ‘Woody Guthrie Center’ this morning, I thought that it was perhaps appropriate that this was happening on the last day of these travels.  References to Woody Guthrie’s most famous song was displayed prominently.  I had started off to explore our vast land and seeing those words made me realize that I had done so.

Yes, it is!