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Posts tagged ‘Oklahoma’

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

On a crisp Saturday morning we decided to take off and road trip out old Route 66. This is always a beautiful drive, heading out west from Yukon, past the small town of Banner, into El Reno. From there keep going out west, past the farms and valleys, listening to the rhythmic thumping of the original Portland concrete. I love going down the Bridgeport hill, with the South Canadian River valley spread out in front of you as you glide down the incline. There is a small piece of original pavement where it swept to the left to go across the Pony Bridge. Past the crumbling Hinton Junction, with a quick stop at Lucille’s Provine Service Station, through Weatherford, then into Clinton. Lots to see on the way here but I am here to talk exclusively about the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.

Opened in Sept 1995, this is a nice stop to learn about the history of Route 66 though the state of Oklahoma. Through the black double doors, the first stop is the building of the highway. Not just pictures but the actual tools used are on display. Smudge pots and surveyors tools that show how rough the building of the highway was back in 1926. The next display is of a service station. These were vital along the route back in its heyday. So many cars would fail along the trip, the service stations were a life line for those who had car trouble. Another display shows bus lines and freight transit along the route. Then into a replica diner, just like today, you needed to have a place with good food to sit and relax. Next up is a hippie painted VW Bus, to show how the route was used by their free spirits. Then onto the decertification of Route 66 and its resurgence over the past 25 years.

This is a really cool place to visit. Takes about an hour to go through but you learn a lot about the history of Route 66 through Oklahoma. I love seeing the pictures of what the road looked like not only during the building of the highway but of the years following. The museum also has plenty of static displays inside and out of life as it was on the old route. Of course the heyday of Route 66 was from the 1930’s to the late 1950’s. As the road was bypassed by Interstates 44 and 40 in Oklahoma, many sections of the old highway were left abandoned. Oklahoma does still have over 400 miles of Route 66 still drivable and I’ll talk about that some other time.

The Oklahoma Route 66 museum is a nice stop to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and learn about the old road as it meanders through the state.

Address: 2229 W Gary Blvd., Clinton.

Reproduction of an old gas station on Route 66
Reproduction of an old Ford used to take Oklahomans to California in the 1930’s
Old VW Bus
Diner moved to the museum site

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Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Patty Wagon

patty wagon 3

I’ve said it before, there are lots of burger places in the Oklahoma City metro.  Almost too many, most are just ok but a few are my favorites.  Patty Wagon is tied for first place in my burger world along with Tucker’s Onion burger.

I was first turned on to this place by a friend who had been coming here since it opened.  So one night we tried it and I fell in love.  Located on May Ave just south of NW 36th Street in what was an old Whataburger, this is just a straight up no-frills burger joint.  A good sized menu with burgers featuring different toppings and weekly specials that are always original but my go to burger is the Jailhouse Blues- big beef patty, lettuce, tomato, sauce, big chunks of blue cheese, and a couple of slices of thick cut bacon.

Service is always quick- wrapped in foil, my burger is just peeking out of the spaces just waiting for me to devour it.  Bun is of a sweet bread variety, toasted so it has that buttery goodness that mixes well with the big chunks blue cheese.  The sauce has just enough kick to it but it only accentuates the taste of the burger.  The think cut Applewood bacon is also a delicacy when placed on the burger, really brings the flavors together.  My only real complaint is sometimes the veggies can be a bit overwhelming but I can remove them if I think it’s too much.  Since I’m burned out on fries, I get onion rings.  These are more of a tempura based coating than the typical Sonic type onion rings.  Always a big pile of them to sit aside my burger.

My husband has tried many of the other burgers and even some of the specials.  He always likes them.  Now Mae has to order a kids corn dog every time, just don’t get it- take the kid to a burger place and she wants fair food but at least she’s eating.  So I highly recommend a stop giving it 5 strips of bacon.

 

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Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Hideaway Pizza

hidaway pizza

I have found myself getting picky about my pizza recently.  Back when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was perfectly happy with Ci-Ci’s pizza.  I could damn near eat a whole pizza all by myself and I enjoyed it.  I also liked Pizza Hut and Mazzio’s but now 15 years later I have become a pizza snob.  I shed no tears when Ci-Ci’s on NW Highway closed, I can’t stand the taste of Pizza Hut, have no desire to stop at Mazzio’s, and refuse to go back in Pizza Inn.  So in NW Oklahoma City, that doesn’t leave many options.  Initially, I didn’t want to try Hideaway because it was founded in Stillwater and for a die-hard Sooner (I was also born in Norman, so there’s that as well), it was hard for me to want to stop but my persistent husband finally talked me into it.

I know their pizzas are legendary, but I wanted to try the fried mushrooms to start.  The server brought a bowl with a big pile of steaming fried mushrooms along with ranch and marinara for dipping.  Honestly, these are the best fried mushrooms on the planet.  I was immediately in love with them and have to get them every time we visit.  The crunchy batter is fried to perfection while not over-cooking the mushroom inside.  The homemade ranch that is served with them is a perfect addition to help cool the temperature for eating, plus you can also save it to dip the crust in after you’ve eaten the rest of the slice.

Now for the pizza, our first visit we got the pepperoni palooza.  Three types of pepperoni piled on top of the hand-tossed crust (there is also a thin crust but I haven’t tried it yet).  It was wonderful, there was the proper amount of grease from the pepperoni but not too soggy.  The crust is almost biscuit like, very flavorful but not overpowering.  We got a large and had enough to take home for later.  So needless to say we’ve been back many times now, always trying a different pizza.  We’ve now tried The Boz, Cimarron, the Capone, and the Sicilian.  Every pizza has been great.  There are about 20 different pizza’s to select from plus sandwiches and pasta.  They also have some deserts that look really good but I’m always too stuffed to try them.

The service is always good and we are seated quickly.  Never a problem with cleanliness either.  The price is about the same as the chain pizza places but the quality is much better.  I know the original location is Stillwater has been around since 1957 but they have been spreading out over the state the past few years.  The best part of Hideaway is that there are many locations to try even though I’ve only been to the NW Highway location.  I give it 5 strips of bacon plus a couple of fried mushrooms just for fun.

Addresses: The original in Stillwater at 230 S. Knoblock; Downtown Oklahoma City- 901 N Broadway Ave.; Northwest Expressway Oklahoma City- 5501 NW Expressway; West Memorial Oklahoma City- 5950 W. Memorial Rd.; Western Avenue Oklahoma City- 5022 N Western Ave.; Edmond- 116 E 5th St.; Moore- 835 SW 19th St.; Norman Campus Corner- 577 Buchanan Ave.; Norman University Town Center- 1353 24th Ave. NW; Yukon- 1701 Shedeck Pkwy.; Enid- 2201 W Owen K. Garriott Rd.; Bartlesville- 100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.; Tulsa Cherry St- 1419 E. 15th St.; Tulsa 51st & Memorial- 7877 E. 51st. St.; Tulsa 61st & Yale- 5966 S. Yale Ave.; Tulsa Hills- 7549 S. Olympia Ave.; Broken Arrow- 1150 N. 9th St.; Owasso- 12903 E. 96th St.; Bixby- 10461 S. Memorial Dr.; North Little Rock, AR- 5103 Warden Rd.; Benton, AR- 20260 I-30; Conway, AR- 1170 S. Amity Rd.; Fort Smith, AR- 8302 Phoenix Ave.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Sid’s Diner

sid's diner

I’ve gone through El Reno many times and have always seen Sid’s Diner sitting on a corner of Route 66 but never stopped.  Finally, this past summer, the crowds looked manageable so on a hot afternoon we stopped for lunch.  This is place is a straight up diner, so it is very small but we got a good seat at a small table in the back.  They do have other items to order but since they are known for their onion burgers, that’s what at least 2 of us got (my daughter doesn’t like fried onions, no she’s not human).  The burgers were good, lots of fried onion mixed with the meat.  A downside was that I couldn’t find the condiments so it was a bit dry but not a deal breaker.  The sides are just standard fare- fries and onion rings, nothing really special.  The service was good but like I stated, it is small, so if you are claustrophobic like me, this isn’t the best place to be on a busy Saturday afternoon.  One of the main reasons it gets so busy is because it does sit on a corner of Route 66 though El Reno.  This diner has been on many different national tv shows which has boosted it’s popularity.  It opened in the late 1980’s and was previously the location of the historic El Reno Hotel, which now sits on the grounds of the Canadian County Historical Museum.  I will give it 3 strips of bacon, because I thought with all of the hype, it could have been much better.

Address: 300 S. Choctaw Ave., El Reno, OK

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Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: San Marcos

San Marcos bird

It’s no secret that there are  a lot of Tex-Mex restaurants in the OKC metro but one of my favorites is San Marcos.  I was first introduced to their food in 2002, one of my husbands’ co-workers took him there for lunch.  A few days later, my husband thought I would enjoy their food as well.  At this point I was pregnant and would eat anything spicy (which is interesting since the child now hates everything spicy).  I really like their chips- the queso isn’t bad and even though I haven’t had it in a while, I remember their salsa being good as well.

Now if you’ve been reading me for a while, you know that once I find one thing to eat at a restaurant, I stick with it.  I have been eating their chimichangas with sour cream sauce for ever but one night I got wild and tried their Pizzadilla De Lujo.  Wow, was this good and different.  Between 2 huge flour tortillas there was cheese, fajita beef, onions, peppers, and bacon.  I really love this but you need to have a big appetite to eat it.  Yes it does come with rice and beans.  It was truly a different way to mix up pizza with Tex-Mex cooking.  Their chimichangas are also good, but I have had better at Zarate’s in Edmond.  I love their rice but really don’t care much for their beans, a bit too runny for me.  At the end of the meal you do get a sopapilla, so try to leave some room.

The first location I visited was on the southside of OKC but they have expanded to NW OKC and I frequently visit the North Rockwell location.  A few years ago they took over an old closed up Burger King and turned it into a colorful representation of a Spanish villa.  I have always had good service at the locations I’ve visited and the food has always been good.  I’m giving them 5 strips of bacon just for that pizzadilla.

Address: 2301 SW 59th St; 12201 N Rockwell Ave.; 1732 S Meridian Ave., all in Oklahoma City.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Return of the Bathroom Jedi

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In the women’s bathroom at the new Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs in Edmond.

 

Hello!  This is Mae, reporting for bathroom duty.  I apologize for my recent absence, but I fear my allies in the Intergalactic Resistance desperately needed my guidance in the battle against the First Order to save the galaxy from destruction.  But alas, Starkiller Base has been destroyed and I have been forced to return to this miserable planet. So I am back to my quest of exploring the world’s finest bathrooms.

Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs

When I learned a new Mutts was opening in Edmond, I was automatically excited.  I must admit I did not expect the bathroom here to be as nice as it was, but I must rate it with  5 rolls of toilet paper.  It was clean, smelled nice, a good size, and the blue and green color scheme was very calming.  The polka dot tiles forming a stripe around the wall gave the room a very nice vibe.  As you go in, you are greeted by a smiling dog on the door.  This was by far one of the nicest bathrooms I’ve been in Oklahoma City.

 

Klemm’s Smoke Haus

Just like with Mutts, I did not expect much from the bathroom at Klemm’s.  I was quite surprised at how nice it was in there.  My personal favorite detail was the cluster of black stones in the sink, giving the whole place an earthy feel.  This was intensified by the plant by the sink, as well as the floral print bench by the door.  This restaurant is more than just the bathroom though, I go there for the mac n cheese and pickles.  The mac n cheese is warm and creamy while the pickles are tangy and sour, Klemm’s is the perfect place to go if you are hungry.

5  rolls of toilet paper

Tucker’s Onion Burgers

One of my family’s favorite places to get burgers is the Tucker’s on Classen Curve. Tucker’s bathroom is generally pretty nice.  The room is mostly white, with a door you can see through, though not enough to see anything but a silhouette.  It is a nice clean place to do what you need.

5 rolls of toilet paper

Though not as exciting as my intergalactic travels, my bathroom quest is one I can settle with.  The once disgusting bathrooms of the past are becoming cleaner and cleaner.  I will be sure to update my reviews as often as I can.  Mae out!

 

 

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Edmond Oklahoma, Oklahoma

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Medieval Fair in Norman

Owl at Medieval Fair in Norman 8

Owl at Medieval Fair in Norman.  2015

In Oklahoma, the winter can be cold and boring.  That’s why so many of us look forward to spring and all the activities it brings.  Not long after spring break in March the festivals and fairs begin.  One of the best has been held in Norman at the beginning of April for the past 40 years- the Medieval Fair.

This event was started in 1977 by the English department at the University of Oklahoma.  It was just a one day event held on the South Oval in celebration of the birth of William Shakespeare.  After a few years the popularity of the fair forced it to be moved to the Duck Pond and expanded to two days.  This is how I first remember the fair- I was 15 and as part of my high school English assignment we had to go experience the fair.  There were demonstrations on how to use ancient weapons, exhibitions on medieval clothing,  and a mermaid perched near the stone bridge over the pond.  The crowds were still small but that would change in just a few years.  As a student at OU, I went again in the early 1990’s.  There were more people, most dressed in costume, and vendors selling clothing and fake weapons.  I didn’t go back until 1999 when I tried to take my husband for his first visit, but the crowds were so big you could hardly even see the pond.  We drove by slowly on Lindsay Street and left.

The University and the city of Norman obviously noticed this as well because in 2003, it was moved about a mile south to Reaves Park.  You would think being in a bigger park would help spread the crowds out but I think it just invited more to attend.  In 2007 I finally took my husband with Mae now in tow for their first trip, now we try to go every other year.  This year just happened to have a nice Saturday, so we went.

We got there nice and early to get a good parking spot at the Lloyd Noble Center.  The fair itself is free, but the University charges five dollars to park across the street from Reaves Park.  Once you enter the fair, you can find almost anything you want as long as it’s from the middle ages.  There is an archery stand set up so you can pretend to be Robin Hood, fortune tellers more than happy to tell you what you want to hear about your future, and lots of vendors selling everything from costumes and jewelry to leather and metal goods.  Of course there is also a huge selection of food vendors and that’s where we started.  Yeah, they have the corn dogs, turkey legs, and funnel cake but we wanted something else so we stopped at Helmut’s Strudel.  Mae had an apple strudel while me and my husband shared a Bavarian cheesecake strudel along with a spinach and cheese puff pastry.  It was a good “breakfast” to start with, then we just wandered around, enjoying the atmosphere.  Since Mae is getting more interested in clothing, she had to stop and look at the dresses and corsets for sale.  My husband took a liking to some of the mock medieval weapons, he might need some since Mae is starting to attract male suitors.  But for all the stuff being sold, there are still plenty of reenactments of life in the middle ages.  We watched “knights” doing battle, belly dancers, Irish step dancers, minstrels, and a real jousting exhibition.  The cool part of this fair is that even with the big crowds, the majority are dressed up in costume.  Just about everywhere you look you can find knights, lords and ladies of the court.  Even though there is no pond, you can find mermaids sitting in a ship.

Overall the Medieval Fair in Norman is a lot of fun for everyone.  So set aside the first weekend in April so you can venture back in time for just a while.

 

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Norman, Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Nhinja Sushi & Wok

NhinjaHere is another restaurant my husband introduced me to- Nhinja.  He actually learned about it from the owner, Kang Nhin.  He always likes trying new places, so one night he took Mae with him for dinner.  If she liked it then he knew I would like it.  About a month later we went and even though I really like my Chinese food from a buffet, it wasn’t bad.

They do have a pretty big selection on their menu but I’ve recently been on a sushi trip and they have some of the best in town.  First of all, they list the ingredients on the menu.  I’m real picky about what I have in my sushi- no caviar or fish eggs of any sort, no salmon, light on the veggies.  So it’s easy to order your sushi and it’s made right then, hasn’t been sitting around.  The rolls are huge, so one roll is more than enough for one person.  My two favorites are the Thunder and Geisha, but the others I have had are good as well.  My husband has tried almost everything on the menu but his favorite is the Cashew Chicken.  Once again, huge portions with lots of veggies and rice.  Mae is more predictable, she sticks with her Honey Chicken and then won’t eat the rice.  We do almost always start with the Cream Cheese Puffs.  Crab meat, cream cheese, and scallions wrapped up and deep-fried.

The service is always good, no matter if you are eating there or getting it for take out.  The atmosphere is fun, lots of colors, and bottles of Japanese sodas on the wall.  I give it five strips of bacon.  There are five locations around Oklahoma City, so it should be easy to find one.

Address: Rockwell- 12021 North Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City;  May- 13905 North May Ave., Oklahoma City;  Broadway- 5 West 15th St., Edmond;  Mustang Rd.-  335 South Mustang Rd.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Venezia Italian Ristorante

VeneziaI love Italian food but it really can be hard to find a good Italian restaurant in Oklahoma City.  A few years ago we found one right near our house.  Located in the strip mall on the northwest corner of Northwest Highway and Council is Venezia Italian Ristorante.  We had been hearing good things about it from friends and finally had a chance to stop in one night when we didn’t have a child with us.

It was a busy Saturday night but we were seated quickly.  We started with the fried calamari, delivered on a huge plate, this was some of the best calamari I’ve had in a long time.  It’s really hard to get calamari fried just right but they had pulled it off, so now I had high hopes for the rest of dinner.  I wasn’t disappointed.  After a small dinner salad, my fettuccine carbonara was brought out.  Once again the serving was huge.  The Alfredo sauce was perfect- creamy and buttery with ham and peas mixed in.  My husband had the lasagna, also a huge serving, he enjoyed it as did I when I had a small bite.  For dessert we had cannoli, a treat that was almost unheard of years ago when my grandmother introduced it to me.  For a long time the only way to get it was to order it from back east, but now it’s getting to be more common in Oklahoma.

Everything was really good, like I said it’s hard to find good Italian food in Oklahoma so I’m happy to have Venezia close by.  We’ve been back several times and everything is always good- food and service.  I know there is a second location in Del City but I haven’t been there yet, so this review is only for the NW Expressway location.  I give it 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 8109 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City; 201 S. Sooner Rd., Del City.

 

 

 

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Geary, Home of the Gillespie Building and a Water Trough

Gillespie Building

1903 Gillespie Building in Geary, OK, placed on NRHP in 1989.  2016

Since the month of February was abnormally warm, we picked a nice Saturday afternoon and just went out for a drive.  We ended up in the town of Geary, a small town of about 1,200 people forty miles west of Oklahoma City.  Not really much there and nothing really to do, but they did have a really nice old downtown with some interesting buildings.

Downtown Geary

Downtown Geary, OK. 2016

So lets start with a brief history of Geary first- founded in April of 1892 when the first non-Indian settlers were allowed in during the Cheyenne-Arapaho Opening, the town was actually over a mile north of its present location.  It was moved south shortly after to meet the Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Gulf railroad being built from El Reno.  The post office was officially established on October 12, 1892 with the town being named after Edward Guerrier, a U.S. Army scout and interpreter who settled north of the town site.   The town grew rapidly with the population getting all the way up to around 2,500.  A big boost for the small town came in 1912 when the Postal Highway came through, this later became the original path for Route 66.  Unfortunately, Geary’s portion of Route 66 was bypassed in 1934.

Now the town is quiet, not much to do.  So why was I there, I wanted to see two places that are on the National Register of Historic Places.  The first was hard to miss- The Gillespie Building.  Siting on the southeast corner of Main and Highway 281, can’t miss the big red brick building.  It was built in 1903 by Ed Gillespie.  Originally a bank, it served many other businesses until it became a museum.  Unfortunately it looks as though the museum has been closed for a while.

Just a block east on Main Street is the second NRHP location and has to be the most unique, the Public Water Trough.  I know it sounds weird right, but this was really a big deal to farmers who came to town.  The trough was placed near the railroad depot and grain elevators in 1901.  This was at a time when the farmers would bring their product into town by horse-drawn wagons and it was helpful to have somewhere for those horses to get a drink.  You really have to think of it as an early gas station.  The original trough was wooden with the water pumped from a well close by, but sometime in the 1920’s it was redone with concrete and connected to city water.  It was used frequently up until the 1940’s.  The city of Geary had four of these troughs around the city and for some reason this was the only one to survive.

Public Horse Trough

Public Water Trough, Geary, OK, placed on NHRP in 1989. 2016

So that was my exciting visit to Geary, I did walk around the small downtown but there were no restaurants and all the businesses were closed.  If you ever find yourself in that direction, just take a few minutes to walk around and enjoy the history.

1910 building in Geary

1910 Brake Building in downtown Geary, OK. 2016

old service station in Geary

Another old building in downtown Geary, OK.  Possibly had been a service station or automotive dealership.  2016

 

Category:

National Register of Historic Places, Oklahoma

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