Oklahoma Survey

I found this survey today trolling around MySpace. It was called, Oklahoma Survey (Stole This From My Cousin Kim). Ha!

Forget answering the questions, since the questions have a lot to say on their own. My personal favorites are #s 13, 14, 18 and 28. Enjoy!

1. Where in Oklahoma have you lived?
2. Where is your fave place to chill in Oklahoma?
3. Have you ever been on a boat in Lake Texhoma?
4. Do you go camping?
5. Do you use the word "y'all"?
6. Have you ever owned a truck?
7. Have you ever had heat exhaustion?
8. How many Oklahoma snows have you witnessed?
9. Have you ever ice skated indoors?
10. Have you ever squirted one of your parents with a water gun?
11. Whats your favorite Oklahoma sports team?
12. Do you like the city or the country?
13. Have you ever been sprayed by a skunk?
14. Have you ever run over an armadillo?
15. Have you ever been to a Hornets Game?
16. Have you ever been to a Blazers or Oilers game?
17. Have you ever attended the State Fair?
18. What's your favorite Mexican food restaurant?
19. Have you ever had Shiner beer?
20. Have you ever been on a hayride?
21. Have you ever ridden a horse?
22. Were you in 4-H or FFA?
23. Which place in Oklahoma has the best scenery/view?
24. Which grocery store do you shop at?
25. Have you ever partied in a barn?
26. Have you ever partied in a pasture?
27. Do you like keg beer?
28. Are you Baptist?
29. Have you ever been swimming in a river or creek?
30. Have you ever been on the Illinois River?
32. Is your high school big?
33. Have you ever been to Tulsa?
34. Who is your favorite Red Dirt band?
35. Have you ever ridden a mechanical bull?
36. Have you ever been to the rodeo?
37. Do you own a cowboy hat?
38. Finally, what's your favorite thing about Oklahoma?

Saturday Lunch at Sand Springs Station

My Meme (grandmother) and I finally stopped in at Sand Springs Station for lunch Saturday afternoon.

I say “finally” because we have driven by the corner at 28 E. Broadway together for years, spying on the restaurants that have filled the space and saying again and again, “We’ve gotta go eat there some Saturday, when we have time to sit back and enjoy it.”

Unlike the other inhabitants of this unique corner space, which was originally the Sand Springs trolley station, Sand Springs Station seems like it might hang around. Offering simple, café-gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, the restaurant always has at least a few cars parked outside. Meme said that on Saturday mornings all parking spaces adjacent to the corner are occupied – not a bad turnout for a bagel or pasty breakfast.

I’m pretty sure Sand Springs folks turn out at the Station just as much for the nostalgia of the space as for the cuisine. Lunching there with Meme, a Sand Springs native, was a special experience, since she had stories of how she and her grandmother used to catch the trolley just outside of where we were sitting. An entire wall of the restaurant is covered in old photos of the station.

For lunch, Meme ordered the bacon avocado sandwich ($5.50), while I opted for the fettucini alfredo with grilled chicken breast ($5.99 on the lunch menu, without the chicken). I’d order either dish when I make my second visit, which I aim to make soon. The service was prompt and friendly, and everyone who walked into the dining room seemed to know someone else inside, which I really love in a cafe.

I wonder if the Station is packed with high school kids on the weeknights, since it offers Topeca coffee, an array of coffee drinks, café-type sweets and free WiFi. If Sandites are going to Tulsa coffeeshops for study dates, they really are missing out on a chance to support a local gem and save gas money at the same time.

Sand Springs Station is open Monday-Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch starts at 11 a.m., and dinner at 5 p.m. Anyone who can give me a review of either the pie or the dinner menu gets a bag of beans from Topeca, on me.

Turning Over a New...Fish?

Blogger: Natasha

Chester has had a tough couple of weeks.

I’m pretty sure he’s not going to make it, especially since I’ve stopped feeding him.

I mean, he’s really been dragging this whole dying thing out. It has been time for him to go to the big fish tank in the sky for, according to my calculations, six months now; I’m just greasing the wheels.

Let’s allow Chester’s impending death to symbolize a re-birth of this blog. The following are some changes you’ll see to Tasha Does Tulsa, starting with the very next post:

More pictures. A Best Buy salesperson, a.k.a. my little sister, sold me and the hubby a digital camera recently. Now that I know how to use the camera, I’m going to use it to benefit this blog.
Shorter, more frequent entries. Easier and more enjoyable for you to read, easier for me to write. Thus!
Now, it’s your blog, too. Since I’m having a baby in a few short months, and since the experiences of the current Tulsa Does Tulsa crew do represent just our experiences, I’m opening this blog to whoever has something to add to it. Send write-ups and accompanying photos to tashadoestulsa (at) gmail dot com; I promise to do only light editing as long as you promise not to send inflammatory, third-grade-level writing and inappropriate photos.
Better format. I’m still thinking on how to do this, but do look forward to a Tasha Does Tulsa blog that’s easier to read and navigate.

Ta-da!

Some entries to look forward to:
• Natasha Gets a New Office Fish
• Geocaching: A Great Way to Get to Know Your Town
• The Poop on Having a Baby in Tulsa

Got an idea for what type of fish I should get? Leave a comment – otherwise, start sending me your accounts on how to best do Tulsa, and I’ll get ‘em posted!

Ice Storm 2007: A Comparison

Blogger: Natasha

As most of you who read this blog know, perhaps a little too well, Oklahoma was pummeled last week by an ice storm that caused unprecedented power outages and property damage.

My family went without power for a mere 34 hours, but not only did we lose a fridge full of groceries (guess it's not always a good idea to stock up before a winter storm, huh?), but we also sustained considerable tree damage.

Check this out:

The Ball house (near 51st and Memorial), Summer 2005

See that big, beautiful tree at the corner?

The Ball house, Winter 2007

Yeah, about that tree...a lot of it is getting chopped tomorrow. Sadness.

Hope my fellow Okies are as warm as possible today!

Run, Tulsa, Run

Blogger: Natasha

As of this writing, there are 15 hours, 9 minutes until the start of the 2007 Tulsa Run.

For those of you who have been training for months in anticipation and preparation for this race, GOOD LUCK! For the rest of you, you have 15 hours, 9 minutes to get to the start line to cheer these troopers on! I bet it's an amazing thing to watch. I'll find out tomorrow, since I ran the 5K last year and didn't know much about the Run before that. To run the race is definitely an amazing experience.

BONUS: There's beer and candy at the finish line. Seriously.

Cover Band Hilarity

Blogger: Mos Jef

Out of complete boredom and morbid curiosity, I have created a poster searching for people that want to start a Hall & Oates cover band. While I still think this is a fantastic idea, I'm really just interested in what kind of responses I would get.





I posted these all over town. Let's all pray that I get tons of responses. This could potentially be the funniest thing ever.

Vote 2-Day

Blogger: Natasha

Assuming you've educated yourself on the issues, don't forget to vote on the river proposal today.

Voting is, for me, one of the ultimate and funnest ways to do Tulsa. Voting isn't just a responsibility; it's a privilege. You - yeah, even you - have the opportunity today to have your voice heard. Heck, you might even have the chance to paint yourself in blue/green or black/red, dress up and drive some of your friends to the polls (pit stop at The Full Moon for lunch, anyone?).

Okay, cutting the crap. Polls are open until 7 this evening, so no excuses - GO VOTE!