catching up… Good gracious it has been a busy fall. We have been in and out of town every other weekend since August and will continue to be. I do not want to not get TOO behind on trying to share with you fun places that we have been and you should visit if you can. First up, TULSA, OKLAHOMA. One of my good friends is from there but it’s really Jane and Judy (thank you very much) that got me to stop there and really enjoy it on my way back from Kansas. Tulsa is hip, full of art, art deco architecture, good food, hills, lakes, sunshine and oh yeah, just all around beauty. It will surprise you.
*Funny, I just looked up “Tulsa Time” on Wikipedia and it said that in the 1950’s Time Magazine dubbed Tulsa as “America’s Most Beautiful City.” **Be sure to check out this post via Judy for additional details esp if you are a vintage fashion shopper.
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One of the many sculptures — really great sculptures in and around Tulsa. I have to say good public art is often hard to come by but I thought Tulsa was full of it.
The Historic and recently renovated Mayo Hotel. Have to give the Aldridge girls all the credit here for the tip but a very cool place for sure. I LOVE the monogram that is everywhere in this in this beautiful old hotel.
South Peoria Avenue is COOL. Just sayin’. We were super bummed because we were there on Labor Day and almost all of the places we wanted to visit were CLOSED. For Labor Day? Really?!? I know, I didn’t get it either BUT… Looking in the windows alone made me want to make the trip back.
Killer Modern Kitchen showroom, Pohlenz
Black Optical (with a crazy cool window sculpture — um, at an eye glass store for Pete’s sake - LOVE) and Edit. Oh Edit, I know we could be friends… and then I would want to go clean out my entire house to go minimalist again.
And another Judy tip, Mod 50’s. Go see Maurice. He was closed too but was SO KIND to let us in… he’s friends with lots of Mid-Century seeking Dallasites. This place is a trove of treasures for days.
And then finally the architecture MIGHT be what surprised me most. All this great culture settled into Tulsa, who knew? (Clearly not me!)
You didn’t expect it did ya?
That’s awesome. Had no idea.
you must be kidding. hubs and i are headed there this weekend to see his little one! although it’s a weekend all about her, would love to hit some of these spots if/when we have free time one of these trips! thanks for the inspiration! ox
That last picture is so powerful.
I live in Tulsa and I attend meetings at the Mayo often. If you get within 1000 miles of Tulsa you HAVE to see the Mayo Hotel! This is the old hotel where all the oil giants from the 1920s and 1930s made the deals that greased the wheels of commerce on a global basis. EVERY person of note has stayed at the Mayo at one time or another; Elvis, presidents, etc. It is located within a block of the BOK event center. Notable tenants of late; Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Lynard Skynard - and the list goes on and on.
If you visit the Mayo you have to view the ballroom from the 1930s and the internal museum. As I stated, this is a must see hotel and the premier spot in Oklahoma for weddings. I hear they are booked up nearly a year in advance for wedding events! Call WAY ahead for rooms. They can be tough to get as well!
I know someone from a town outside of Tulsa where Phillips Oil was founded. Back in the day, there was a lot of wealth in that town and, as you can see, gorgeous architecture. Frank Lloyd Wright has a building there (Price Tower) and Ben Affleck was making some kind of movie about it 2 years ago. When we went to visit MANY YEARS ago, I was just as surprised as you at all the art deco, culture, and just *cool* places to see. Who knew?!?!
If we drive through there again, I will definitely check out the Mayo Hotel! Thanks!!
[...] out the Tulsa time blog where architecture, design, and places in Tulsa are chronicled during a Labor Day visit to [...]
Hi Sam- Great post about Tulsa & thank you for the kind words about our window display! Next time you’re in town, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to open the store for a private tour.
As a Tulsa-resident, I’m so grateful you featured some of the beauty, elegance and eclectic soul of our town. Most people aren’t aware of the rich history of our architecture, especially in the downtown area. Thank you for the lovely post!
Hi Sam… So happy to hear that you liked Tulsa. We love our little hometown… Thanks for the kind words!
Amy
It’s nice to see our the through the eyes of visitors. It reminds me to stop and appreciate our wonderful history, the fabulous art deco architecture, and truly unique shops Tulsa has to offer.