Imagine sitting at the light to turn from May to NW 36th, as you start to turn you see a cute van in red and white. I had just enough time to read Donut Man on the side, when I got home I looked it up. There was the cute van and it was a food truck. I started following the Facebook page right then and kept track of their location. Problem was, there was never a point that we would be in the same area at the same time. For years I have wanted to try these donuts and finally the stars aligned last Saturday. Normally he parks somewhere in Mustang on Saturday mornings and I was going to be in Mustang for the Old Volks Show.
We hunted the Donut Man van down at Highway 152 and Mustang Road, he was parked in a commercial parking lot. The line wasn’t long, so I had time to take pictures of this adorable little van while Big K and Mae ordered. We had already decided to get a “bucket”, 35 mini donuts and we just mixed and matched the flavors. These are made fresh in the van, so it was a short wait but it was worth it. Served up warm, these donuts are the best donuts I have ever eaten (and I will call myself a donut expert). They aren’t quite as light as a Krispy Kreme but much lighter than most at “regular” donut shops. Not too sweet either, the toppings take care of that part. We got blueberry, maple, Oreo, and caramel as our toppings. The 3 of us had no trouble taking down these mini donuts and had to leave before we got more.
Looks like the Donut Man has been around for about 4 years. As for his van, it’s name is Kirby and it’s a 1956 International Metro. These vans were produced in different variations by International from 1938 to 1975. They were mostly used as delivery vans, this one in particular was a mail truck in California.
I will say these are definitely the best donuts in the OKC metro, and for that matter, the state. Follow the Donut Man on Facebook to find out where he will be each weekend. I have seen that he travels all over the metro area. I will give him 5 strips of bacon as long as they come with some donuts.
Another nice weekend. Should be in the 80’s with sun. Lots to do, several festivals, car shows, and Tulsa has it’s fair going on as well. Wish I had more time I would be at the Bigfoot festival in Honobia but I’ll settle for the Czech festival in Yukon and, if I have time, the Greek Festival. I want everyone to get out and enjoy something this weekend, no excuses. As always, check the internet for the exact location and times for an event.
When I woke up this morning and checked my phone, I had several texts from friends and family who know I love Oklahoma history. Concerned I read the one from Big K first, “The egg church has been torn down”. I hoped that what he said wasn’t true but a quick look at my Facebook feed confirmed it. The iconic First Christian Church, the “Egg Church”, was a pile of rubble.
The First Christian Chruch was one of the first churches organized in Oklahoma City. Historical records show that their first baptismal was in June 1889. By 1910, the congregation had built a new home for their church at 1104 N Robinson after occupying a few other buildings. This would be their home for many years until the completion of the new sanctuary (this building does still stand and is on the National Register of Historic Places). In 1946, the minister of the church, Bill Alexander, helped the church buy land that had previously been part of the Edgemere Golf Club for a new location. By 1947, an outdoor auditorium had been built. The Sunday evening services were held here, “Edgemere Under the Stars”. On Christmas Day in 1953, the church announced its “Christmas present to Oklahoma City”, a new modern building that was a landmark to all who could see it, the “church of tomorrow”. The church was designed by architects R. Duane Conner and Fred Pojezny. They used concrete to make the large dome by pouring the concrete on steel mesh that was laid on a wooden form. After the concrete cured, the form was removed.
Sunday, December 23rd, 1956, the new church welcomed its first worshipers. It is said that over 2000 people attended that first service in the new sanctuary. The architecture for the time was so spectacular that the church was featured in Life magazine in 1957. This church was a center for the community for many years. It hosted events from weddings to funerals, from school concerts to the Miss Oklahoma Pageant. But most importantly it served as “The Center” during the time shortly after the Murrah Building bombing in 1995. Set up by the church, the medical examiner, and a group of funeral directors, the American Red Cross also set up in the building. It served as a safe haven from the media for those who lost loved ones in the attack. It’s rumored that Oprah Winfrey herself even went to the church to help the victims and their families. For 16 days after the bombing, it was a place of solace for those closely affected. In 2016, the First Christian Chruch put the property up for sale. The size of the congregation had shrunk and the building was becoming expensive to repair. By 2018, the first whispers of demolition started. Many tried to fight back, even trying to get the city council involved. Even though it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011, it was at risk. A couple of other churches stepped forward to buy it but in the long run the property just needed to many repairs.
I never got to go in the building. I only got a few pictures back in 2019, never thought to go back and take more. A sad day for Oklahoma history and for those who love mid-century designs.
I don’t often get to eat on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, but when I get to Norman, I try to stop by Basic Knead. This is a small university run cafe that specializes in personal pizzas and pastas.
I learned about it last year when Mae was a freshman. She was trained to work there just in case someone called out. Soon I was hearing about the pasta she was eating almost every night and I wanted to try it. So one Saturday night last year, we drove down and got our own personal pasta dishes. The have several options but I went with a penne pasta, drizzled with alfredo, then added pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives. After a topping of cheese, the dish is placed in a brick oven to be fired. After a wait, my pasta dish was delivered and it was glorious. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the cheese was melted crisp. On my next trip, I got a personal pizza. This was prepared similarly, personal sized crust, with alfredo, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and topped with cheese. Baked in the same fired oven, this pizza was just as good as a pizza you would get at Hideaway (and much better than the national pizza places).
Basic Knead was her go to dinner spot for the fall semester but it was shut down in the spring due to not enough employees. Mae was anxious when she went back to campus this fall, would her beloved Basic Knead be open again. Fortunately it is and she says it’s just as good as last year. So if you find yourself on campus and looking for some pasta or pizza, try Basic Knead. You can find it south of Lindsey in Cross Village.
Happy Fall to All!!! Hopefully this hot summer has now come to an end. Lots going on this weekend. Last weekend of the Oklahoma State Fair, pumpkin patches are opening, and my favorite car show, Old Volks Show in Mustang. Try to get out and enjoy the events going on this weekend.
Autumnal Equinox Walks- Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center – Sept 22nd
Fall Festival Art Walk- Pryor- Sept 22nd
Territorial Tunes and Tasting- Edmond- Sept 22nd
VIP Grape Stomp- Lexington Canadian River Winery- Sept 23rd
National Public Lands Day- Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge- Sept 24th
Oklahoma Iris Society iris Sale- Oklahoma City Will Rogers Park- Sept 23rd– 24th
Oklahoma Historical Societies Annual Ice Cream Social Fundraiser- Hominy Fred and Addie Drummond Home- Sept 24th
28th Annual Down Syndrome Festival- Oklahoma City Myriad Botanical Gardens- Sept 24th
Tinkerfest- Oklahoma City Science Museum Oklahoma- Sept 24th
National Cavalry Competition- El Reno Historic Fort Reno- Sept 21st– 24th
If you want to learn about Oklahoma’s history way before it became a state, take a trip to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Here you can see dinosaurs, get an idea of current animals native to the state, and learn about the history of the natives who lived here before us.
Opened on May 1, 2000, this museum is popular with schools and any parents who have dinosaur loving children. There is so much to learn here as well. Upstairs is the Hall of the People of Oklahoma exhibit, here you can learn about the residents in Oklahoma over the past 36,000 years. There are clovis tools on display along with a map showing where these items were found. Spiro Mounds is also featured prominently in this exhibit, with several items that were unearthed from the mounds in the late 1930’s. There are reproductions of Native homes and transportation as well as artifacts from those who lived here many thousands of years ago.
Another part of the museum is the Hall of Natural Wonders which has taxidermy of animals that are native to Oklahoma. It’s a nice way for kids to get up close to an animal. They have been placed in settings that are natural to their habitat.
Of course, the big draw to the museum are the dinosaurs. The Hall of Ancient Life where you can trace the history of the Earth from formation. You can see the different time periods that dinosaurs roamed the lands. They do have the largest skull on record for the Pentaceratops. You can also get in the elevator and see the Apatosaurus looking at you. Several of the smaller dinosaurs were unearthed in the Tillman County area of southwest Oklahoma. I like to make the joke that some of them were pets that my dad had.
The long history of the museum goes back to 1899 when the territorial legislature created the Department of Geology and Natural History. The first curator of the museum was Dr. Albert Heald Van Fleet, who spent much of his time collecting artifacts. There were 2 fires, the first in 1903, the second in 1918, that damaged much of the collection. But professors at the University of Oklahoma kept collecting and displaying artifacts in buildings around campus. After many attempts to fund a proper museum, this museum found a home in 1947. Housed in former military buildings on Asp Avenue, south of the main campus, it became the Stovall Museum of Science and History. Named after Dr. J Willis Stovall who came to the university in 1930 and helped fight for funding to house the collection. While the collection grew, there was a danger of the artifacts being destroyed by fire or water, so in 1991 the city of Norman passed a bond that helped the state fund the new building. The new building is named after Samuel Noble, an oilman from Ardmore.
I always enjoyed the Stovall Museum and now enjoy this new museum as well. I encourage all to visit if they are in Norman. It is a fun way to learn about the early history of Oklahoma.
I love cheesecake. Not going to lie, one of my favorite desserts. It is hard to find a decent cheesecake though, most are just ok (even though my daughter makes a really good mint chocolate cheesecake). I have been hearing about Not Cho Cheesecake for a while and on a beautiful Friday night, I decided to stop and try it. Everything I had heard was right, this place is good.
We got some personal cheesecakes to go, I got the Tennessee Whiskey and Big K got the chocolate chip cookie dough. We tried them after we got home and WOW!! So much flavor!! Mine had a graham cracker crust that was perfect. Gave the cheesecake a crunch that I had never had before. Then the cheesecake itself was so creamy, the cheese flavor really popped. Then the homemade caramel sauce on top was just the best. The owner could bottle it and sell it for topping or just spoon straight from the jar. As for the chocolate chip cookie dough that Big K had, after only a couple bites he looked at me and said, “if I die while eating this, put it in the coffin with me. I’m taking it with me.” He thought it was rich and decadent.
This small cheesecake bakery has only been around since 2020. The co-owner passed away not long after the opening and now her husband runs the cafe in her honor. He was the one running the register when we stopped in. He was so nice and friendly. He obviously takes pride of the product he delivers. He has a large variety of cheesecakes from plain to fancy. If you need dessert and want a good cheesecake, stop and see what he has in the case. I guarantee you’ll find something you love. A definite 5 strips of bacon.
Lots going on again this weekend, more car shows, a couple more county free fairs, and of course, the Oklahoma State Fair started today. Weather should be a bit cooler than last weekend, so get out and enjoy.
Yukon Cruise-In- Yukon- Sept 15th
Art Awakening- Oklahoma City Northcare- Sept 15th
Central 4D Barrel Racers- Chickasha Grady County Fairgrounds- Sept 16th
Atoka County Free Fair- Atoka County Fairgrounds- Sept 13th– 16th
Pushmataha County Free Fair- Antlers Pushmataha County Fairgrounds- Sept 14th– Sept 17th
Osage County Free Fair- Pawhuska Osage County Fairgrounds- Sept 14th– 17th
There are so many good places to eat in Oklahoma City that you can drive by and never notice. HD’s Onion Burgers & Gyros is one of those places, I know it’s there and love their food but forget about them. I need to be reminded that when I want a good burger, they’re close to home.
HD’s sits on the corner of a large strip mall on the NW corner of Rockwell and NW 122nd. Just a small restaurant with a big menu and flavor. I always get the bacon cheeseburger, perfectly seasoned beef patty with cheese melted on top. They chop up the bacon and pile it on top, while a pile of fried onions is under the patty. The lettuce and tomato are fresh, and the bun has been toasted to a buttery perfection. This is a good-sized burger, so bring your appetite. We also got the onion rings and bacon cheese fries to share. The onion rings are fried nice and crispy. The bacon cheese fries are a true work of art, crisp fries with shredded cheese and chopped bacon on top. No, not bacon bits, chopped bacon, most pieces were about an inch long. They were so good.
The service was great, plenty of places to sit. This place is a true hidden treasure in NW Oklahoma City. They have lots more on their menu that I haven’t tried, sandwiches, gyros, salads, and lots of burgers to choose. I give them 5 strips of bacon.
From the forecast, I guess it’s going to be a bit warmer Friday and Saturday but Sunday might be nice. So much going on in Oklahoma this weekend, no reason for anyone to stay home. Free fairs in almost every county, festivals, car shows, and different places to spend money like Junklahoma or the Edmond Iris sale or even the Metropolitan Library’s book by the box sale. Even the Hello Kitty truck will be in town at Penn Square Mall. Lots of arts shows as well. I’ll be out, hope you will be as well.
Guided Walking Tour- Oklahoma City Myriad Botanical Gardens- Sept 8th
Atoka Trail Riders Rodeo- Atoka- Sept 9th
2nd Friday Norman Art Walk- Norman Arts District- Sept 9th
LIVE on the Plaza- Oklahoma City Plaza District- Sept 9th
Busker Street Fair- Oklahoma City Myriad Botanical Gardens- Sept 9th
OU School of Dance Five Moons Festival- Oklahoma City- Sept 9th– 10th
The Fat Okie 