Wanna Play More Tulsa Mystery Photo?

UPDATE//We have a winner to what will probably be the easiest TDT Mystery Photo contest evar!!1!

Boot ~C, congrats. You are one Tulsa-fluent cookie. E-mail me ASAP to claim your prize - a $20 gift certificate to the Tulsa-owned eatery of your choice.

Remember how I said that even if you weren't the first to correctly guess the location depicted in the photo that you should still leave a comment? Here's why.

AE, congrats! The Random.org gods are pleased with you and have instructed me to award you with a $10 gift certificate to the Tulsa-owned eatery of your choice. E-mail me soon to claim your prize.

Thanks for playing, y'all - more TDT Mystery Photo contests to come.
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Maybe you're lounging by the pool and need a break from that romance novel you have hidden inside the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. Or maybe you're at the lake and are looking for some reprieve from boating and swimming and weenie roasting.

Or, maybe you're sitting inside on your couch on this beautiful, sunny Saturday of Memorial Day weekend 2010, playing Web monkey and sifting through your feed reader while sipping an Old Pavilion and eating a stale donut while wearing last year's bathing suit.

Not that I would know anything about any of that.

At any rate, here's a little fun for your first "official" weekend of summer: Another edition of Tulsa Mystery Photo.

Here's how this works: If you guess the subject of the picture that follows, you win a $20 gift certificate to the locally owned restaurant of your choice. If a place serves food and it's within Tulsa city limits and you like it enough to grace it with your presence, and if you're clever and quick about what's depicted in today's photo, you're about to be $20 richer in hometown deliciousness.

Since I have a feeling this one's gonna go quickly, I'm not gonna give hints this time - that is, unless by the time I get back from lounging on the deck at my $6.72 million-dollar lake lodge while being fanned and served yet more Old Pavilion by all the mean girls from my high school all afternoon, no one has managed a correct guess.

Here we go:

BAM!

Know what it is? Leave your answer in the comments! The first correct answer gets the prize.

But even if you're too late to make the first correct guess, go ahead and place your bets. I mean, you never know - there might be something in it for you, if you know what I mean.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend!

Tulsa's Own Biggest Loser: The Southie

As TDT’s resident Southie, I like to talk about cool happenings in south Tulsa and the nearby out-lying areas.

And, as a resident of this part of Tulsa, I can’t help but notice that huge numbers of people in this part of town walking around in what I would describe as workout attire.

In fact, living in this part of town, I would have to say that workout attire must be a wardrobe staple for the typical Southie. Knowing this, we could then assume that all of these Southies are constantly working out.

But then, I wondered. Are they really working out 24/7 as how they're usually dressed suggests?

I don’t know, but since Jimmy Lee from Jimmy Lee’s Total Fitness, at 128th and Memorial, would say that most Oklahomans are at least 50 pounds overweight, maybe they should be.

Read more »

Children's Summer Reading Program at Tulsa Library

There's just something about a library. I don't know if it's the quiet, the smell of old books or the crackle of a plastic book jacket, but libraries, they're magical.

I thank programs like the Children's Summer Reading Program for making me into a loyal library patron. I even worked in a library once. Now, I'm the mayor of the Herman and Kate Kaiser Library branch of the Tulsa City-County Library on Foursquare.

And that's some big-time stuff.

Read more »

Blogging With the Stars (with a guest appearance by a Bump It)

Remember how I told y'all that I'd been invited to the Brooks and Dunn concert last night as a Road Trips and Guitar Picks blogger? And that I'd be part of a group that'd sit in on a private, live, acoustic concert with opener Jason Aldean backstage before the show? And that I might get to shake Jason's hand? Or, at least, get to look at him from less than 20 feet away?

Well, guess what - last night, at Tulsa's BOK Center, it actually happened.

(highly entertaining groupie photo after the jump)

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Miss Tulsa Burger Pageant

WE HAVE A WINNER!//Your votes are in and Miss Tulsa Burger has been crowned, ladies and gentlemen. Let me tell you, she's a blushing beauty.

Congrats, Miss Claud's! Wear the Miss Tulsa Burger crown proudly.

Runners up include Miss Fat Guy's at 2nd and Miss Gatsby's at 3rd. You go, ladies!

Thanks to everyone for voting, and be sure to send in your photo nominations for the next Miss Tulsa Burger Pageant!

*cue music* There she is...Miss Tulsa Burger...

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Did you know that it's National Hamburger Day? It's true.

And did you know that one of the many areas in which Tulsans are experts is the world of burgers? That's true, too. In fact, there's a blog based right here in T-Town that's all about the burgers. Plus, it's written by a guy named Joe. How could it not be awesome?

To honor this most beefy of days, I thought it'd be fun to dig through the TDT photo archives and host the first ever Miss Tulsa Burger Pageant, right here on TDT.

Read more »

Here's the Church, Here's the Steeple: Erin Sees Tulsa

UPDATE//Valerie, you are officially the "Tulsa Steeple Know It All," guessing 9 out of 10 of the home of the steeples correctly. Apparently #9 was entirely too difficult. I would apologize, but I like the picture too much to do that. Congrats, Valerie! Wear this title proudly.

For everyone else who is wondering exactly where these steeples belong in this, the greatest city on earth, here are the answers:

1 First United Methodist
2 First Baptist
3 Boston Ave
4 Kirk
5 Vernon AME
6 Holy Family
7 Asbury
8 First Pres
9 Trinity
10 Christ the King

Cheers!

As you well know, there is so much to do and see in Tulsa that sometimes I get overwhelmed with what to share with you each Thursday.

Read more »

Keeping Momentum

UPDATE//News from local preservationists: Anyone with a finance or banking background should call Rep Ken Miller, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, ASAP and speak in support of the trailer bill. 405-557-7360. No emails, just phone calls.//

If you're a downtown Tulsa enthusiast like I am, you might have already seen Michael Overall's piece in the Tulsa World today. Or, Steve Lackmeyer's piece in The Oklahoman Tuesday.

From Overall's TW article:

Revitalization efforts will become impossible to finance if the state Legislature doesn't change its mind about revoking a tax credit for historic properties, Sikes warned.

"Developers are going to turn away from Oklahoma," said Sikes, whose current projects include loft apartments at the old Robinson Packer building near Main and Brady streets.

"All the progress we see right now will stop."

Developers and officials statewide agree with him, predicting that investors will pull out of revitalization projects across Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Muskogee and elsewhere.

Read the rest of the story here.

See, the folks in Oklahoma City who, thanks to us, get to hang out at our state's capitol and legislate, voted last week on a two-year moratorium on certain tax credits worth more money to developers than most of us could shake a stick at - money that often makes the difference between cranes in the sky downtown and none.

The State Rehabilitation Tax Credit was part of the deal. This credit gives a 20-percent credit for managers of projects who do what they're supposed to when they're renovating all those old buildings downtown we all love to visit and patronize once they're restaurants, clubs or housing - you know, exciting points of interest in the heart of our city.

So, if you think about it, those tax credits aren't just for the developers. They're for us, too, the people of this state. These projects increase our tax base and bring jobs to Oklahoma, which translate to an improved quality of life, both in terms of entertainment, housing and office space options (to name just a few) as well as government-supplied public services.

If you care about the continued revitalization of downtown Tulsa, you need to take a minute and do one thing: Call Rep. Chris Benge. His number is 405-557-7340.

Ask him for his support of the trailer bill to SB1267 to reinstate the historic rehab tax credit.

Then, ask your friends, colleagues, neighbors, kids, pets and even your ex-spouses do the same. If your mailperson is friendly, let him/her know, too. Mine isn't friendly at all - he's a crusty old mailman, jaded by years of service in the rain, shine, snow and sleet - but I'm still gonna tell him to get on the phone and call the folks at the Capitol.

If you have a few minutes, call Rep. Kris Steele, too. His number is 405-557-7345. Then, call Sen. Coffee at 405-521-5636. Then, call your local Representatives and Senators.

Tell these representatives that, as a voter, you care about the momentum of historic re-development downtown and that you think this tax credit trailer bill needs to be heard.

Road Trips and Guitar Picks in Tulsa with Jason Aldean

Can I get a heck yeah from everyone who has tickets to that big concert here in Tulsa Friday night? The one at the BOK Center? The one in which Brooks and Dunn perform for the last time ever as a duo in T-Town? The one for which the hunky Jason Aldean is opening?



Yeah. That one.

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FroYo, FroYo, Everywhere: Dessert bar concepts compete in Tulsa market

It’s not a far stretch to say that, in Tulsa, a church and gas station can be found on nearly every corner.

Next, it seems, will be self-serve frozen yogurt bars.

Read about why on the Food page in this week's edition of Tulsa Business Journal.

Weird Tulsa Stuff on Ebay

While Ebay.com isn't the only thing anyone ever talks about anymore (remember when it was? Boy, I'm glad those days are over), it's still better than going head to head with the crazies on Craigslist when it's time to sell some weird stuff.

Lots of folks harboring Tulsa knick-knacks agree. Check it out.

Read more »

A Guessing Game

UPDATE//We have a winner!

You all put forth some clever, well-thought-out answers, but coleelijah's takes the cake. The photo was indeed taken at Topeca Coffee, on Fifth Street in downtown Tulsa. coleelijah, e-mail me to claim your prize.

Thanks to all for playing, and look for other photo contests to come.

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Back when I started this nutty little blog three years ago I posted a mystery photo contest. The reader who could guess the location depicted in this photo:

...won a prize.

I really enjoyed that game, and I love the idea of challenging my readers, who are for whatever reason more attractive than the average population, on their Tulsa knowledge. It's a chance for newcomers to get familiar with the city, too.

So, let's do it some more. Think of this series as Tasha Does Trivia. Or Tasha Does Mystery 918 Locations. Or Where's Tasha?

That last one would probably be infringing on some kind of copyright, but I'm not sure. I'll ask my legal department.

Here's the photo.

Bam!

Like I said, the first reader to guess the location at which this photo was snapped in the comments section of this post wins a prize. At stake is a $20 gift certificate to any locally owned restaurant within Tulsa city limits.

Bam again! That's a great prize, right? I could do some serious caloric damage with a $20 ticket to my favorite Tulsa-owned eatery.

Since I'm pretty sure that if I wasn't the one who snapped the photo in the first place I'd be totally lost on where this could be, I'll give y'all a few hints.

1. It smells really good in the place where I took this photo.
2. Everyone who comes to this location is, much more often than not, fully clothed.
3. This location has been featured in a post here on TashaDoesTulsa.com.

Off to the races with you. If no one has guessed the location correctly by 10pm, I'll give you all some more hints.

Have fun! And do Tulsa today.

A Challenge for Tulsa Moms and Dads This Summer

During a recent read-through of my favorite Oklahoma blogs I came across this post from Shawna Simpson over at Moving4Life.com. She has a challenge for parents with kids home from school this summer: Spend 24 hours on the move with your family.

Get more info on the challenge over at my blog on Ttownmoms.com.

Free Stuff to Do at River Parks This Summer

Sitting back and watching the sunset, as blissful and idyllic as they might be, isn't the only free thing to do this summer at River Parks, Tulsa's most popular park with more than a million visitors each year.

Find River Parks - and these free events - along Riverside Drive from now until the leaves fall.

Read more »

The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher: Dreams Come True

Duncan Christopher thinks he's a rock star. But really, he's not.

That's what's going on with the main character of The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher, a movie about loss, identity, redemption and, perhaps most of all, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Read the rest of the story on page 18 in the June issue of Oklahoma Magazine (note: you might be required to register on Okmag.com to view the online version of the story).

There's a Wedding for That

Maybe you fancy yourself a princess bride for your wedding day. Perhaps you always knew you'd get married on a remote beach in the tropics. Did you and your fiance meet and fall in love thanks to your shared love of rock 'n' roll? Are you looking for ways to tread lightly on the earth as you plan one of the most important days of your life? 

To borrow an expression from a computer manufacturer, there's a wedding for that. 

For as many brides and grooms as there are out there, there's a type of wedding suited perfectly just for them. Oklahoma wedding experts have seen it all, and they have some advice for couples looking to create the wedding of their dreams. 

Get the full scoop (and be mercifully spared any more of my wedding photos) starting on page 73 in the June issue of Oklahoma Magazine (note: you might be required to sign up on Okmag.com to view the online version of the story.)  

See Your City Differently: Erin Sees Tulsa

How many of you take the same, exact drive to work everyday? How many of you reach your destination and couldn't tell me what you saw because you're so accustomed to seeing it everyday?

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Rebecca Ungerman In Concert Thursday. Wanna go?

UPDATE//Congrats, JenHanson5! You're going to Rebecca Ungerman's concert and CD release party Thursday night - that is, if you e-mail me PDQ to claim your prize.

Thanks, everyone, for entering! Don't forget, tickets to the show are just $20.
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Rebecca Ungerman has long been a fixture on the Tulsa music scene. Last year, her fans voted her Urban Tulsa Weekly's Absolute Best Female Vocalist of 2009. And that's a big damn deal, y'all.

What most locals don't know is that Rebecca travels all over the world teaching and working with Jewish teenagers as both a musician and a Judaic educator. For the first time ever, Rebecca combines her faith and her award-winning sound in an all-new album.

Read more »

Canebrake Crab Boil and BBQ on the Bluff: Tulsa Foodies, Rejoice!

Who says snooty foodies can't find good eats around T-Town? Well, you can. And I should know, because I happen to be a snooty foodie myself.

My picks for the next couple of weeks include:

Crab Boil and Beer Tasting at The Canebrake
When: Friday, May 21, 5:30-9:00pm
Where: The Canebrake, 33241 E. 732nd Road in Wagoner
Check out the patio at The Canebrake and a tasting of four beers from 5:30-7pm and all-you-care-to-eat seafood buffet from 6-9pm. The buffet includes a New England Clam Chowder Soup, salads like Green Bean, Feta and Walnuts with Roasted Shallot Dressing and Maine Potato Salad with Boiled Eggs and Pickles, apps like Limed Shrimp and Melon Skewers and Spring Onion and Wild Mushroom Canape, desserts that cover an array of the pasty chef's finest sweets and, of course, the boil: Blue Hill Boil with Peekytoe Crabs, Fresh Corn and Dill, New Potatoes and Canebrake Kicked-Up Crawfish. Beers up for tasting are Dixie, Fuller, Stegmeier and Triple Karmeleit. No need to worry if it rains - if that happens, the buffet will simply move inside. Tickets are $50, which includes tax and tip. Call (918) 485-1810 for reservations.

BBQ on the Bluff at Stone Bluff Cellars
When: June 5, 11am-3pm
Where: Stone Bluff Cellars, 24145 E. 191st St. South in Haskell
The chefs of Silver Spoon Catering will be providing the food for this kickoff to summer at the winery. Check out an evening performance that will feature Autumn Boukadakis. Appetizers and snacks will be provided by Jim's "Never on Sunday" Coney Island - you know, the one you've always driven past at 11th and Harvard and wondered about. Tickets are $10. Call (918) 495-1810 for reservations.

Happy eating!

Summer's 5th Night 2010 at Utica Square

There's no question that Tulsa's Utica Square, on 21st Street between Utica and Yorktown, is a beautiful place, even when my then-15-month-old son did his little break dance last year on its freshly manicured lawns that, as marked, are not to be walked upon.

Oh, well. Whatareyagonnado. It's still a beautiful, peaceful place for live music, trampled grass or not.

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Help San Miguel School Win Most Extraordinary Class on NBC's Today Show

Have you heard that an eighth grade class from Tulsa's own San Miguel School is in the running for the Most Extraordinary Class competition on the Today Show on NBC? On the line is a trip to Orlando for an entire class, along with a trip to the unveiling of the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

The contest is down to four classes, and the class from San Miguel will be featured on the Today Show Wednesday morning. Here's a taste of what you'll see:



I think you know what to do: Vote for San Miguel to win this competition. Their video is second on the page of entries.

With a nonexistent alumni base and parents without the deep pockets enjoyed by students of some of the other schools in the competition, your vote could mean that many of the students from this class at San Miguel would ride a plane and leave home on a big trip for the first time, ever.

From the San Miguel website:

Many of the students entering San Miguel are several academic years behind in their subjects, especially reading, and are also lacking in enrichment experiences and self-esteem. With the one-on-one model of San Miguel Schools, students become excited about learning and set higher goals and dreams for their lives. Without such an educational model, these students most often fall through the cracks, drop out of school, become discouraged, and make poor choices with their lives that often lead to drugs, gangs, and worse.

Exposed to the positive force of a solid education and encouragement from San Miguel, and the commitment of their families, these same children become empowered to reach for the stars and to brighten their own lives as well as others within their community. They become the leaders and examples for others to succeed.

Please cast your vote today for San Miguel School.

Bikes, Balls and You

No, this isn't some kind of accident awareness class for men. Actually, it's the best and one of the biggest play dates in town, and it happens tomorrow at Whiteside Community Center (just west of 41st and Yale) from 9:30-10:45am with Ttownmoms.com.

Read more »

Nachooooo (in Tulsa)

Ever wonder what a brand-new luchador wrestling (lucha libre) ring in Tulsa, Oklahoma, would look like?

See above. It's pretty much like that. I know - awesome, right?

See it in action this Thursday night at Elote Cafe and Catering, 514 S. Boston Ave., starting at 9pm.

I Had An Aha Moment. What's yours? Tell it in Tulsa today (or tomorrow).

You know those moments in life when the lightbulb comes on and all (or, at least, some) becomes clear?

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Starting Tomorrow! Bike to Work Week in Tulsa

Tomorrow kicks off Bike to Work Week here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city that's more bike-friendly than you think.

To urge you to trade the gas guzzler for a more traditional, two-piston mode of transportation, the folks over at INCOG's Transportation Department are hosting a bike-friendly event every day this week, complete with drinks, food, prizes and free entertainment. Here's a list of the goings-on.

Read more »

Tulsa Roads: A Sign of the Times

Sometimes it seems that, more often than not, when we Tulsans look out our car windows, we see these road signs. Whether they say "Caution," "Road Closed," "Keep Right," or "Turn around and go the other way if you want to live," they all mean these things: Road construction. Traffic delays. Fear and loathing.

Some of the worst construction traffic in Tulsa right now is along the I-44 widening project, from Riverside Drive to Sheridan Road. The living hell that is the intersection at 51st Street and Harvard Avenue comes to mind. So does I-44 and Yale Avenue. I avoid these areas like the plague, finding routes around them that add miles to my route. But, whatever. One of my least favorite things to do is burn gasoline while idling in traffic. It's enough to cause a person to sell her motor vehicle and travel exclusively by bike instead. Or, by scooter. Especially if I could have one like that adorable seafoam green model that's always sitting outside of Coffeehouse on Cherry Street.

While I love to complain about road construction as much as anyone else, I'd also like to think that Tulsa's roads and highways will function better once all of this work wraps up. So, it's all worth it, right? And I'd also like to think that I'm willing to give several months of 5-o'clock-traffic-from-you-know-where to get new streets that are pothole-free for years to come.

Because potholes are the bane of our existence here in Oklahoma. If you were to ask a random sample of Tulsans their least favorite part about living in this city, I bet you that nine out of ten of them would mention something about our roads and/or potholes, especially the ones large enough to swallow a farm truck.

So. Do you have a magic answer for all this? If you were in charge of managing and improving the quality of Tulsa's roads, how would you go about it?

Ask a Tulsa Celebrity: What's Your Favorite Mayfest Food?

In the spirit of Mayfest and all that is deep-fried and holy, I asked a few Tulsa celebrities an important question, one that's been weighing on the minds of the public for weeks on end:

What is your favorite thing to eat at Mayfest, and why?

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Weber's Superior Root Beer: Erin Sees Tulsa

Joining us today is Tulsa photographer Erin Conrad. I fell in love with Erin's work in and around Tulsa and with her photoblog, ErinConrad.com. Erin will be blogging at TDT each week as Erin Sees Tulsa.

As the newest columnist here at TDT, you need to know something about me from the very begninning. I love polaroids. And I firmly believe there is nothing quite like the timeless, classic feel that a polaroid image can capture.

Read more »

Drive-Thru Art

If you see what seems like a random tractor trailer around downtown as you enjoy Mayfest, the Blue Dome Arts Festival and the Brady Arts Festival this weekend, don't just stand there and stare. Approach.

Then, be amazed.

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Blue Dome Arts Festival: In Color

If I could put together a slogan that would make everyone involved with the Blue Dome Arts Festival cringe, it would probably go a little something like this:

Blue Dome Arts Festival: Like Mayfest, but a couple of blocks to the northeast.

Read more »

How to Judge a BBQ Tasting: The Southie

If you follow me on Twitter, Kellyology, you know that I was was a-twitter with excitement about judging at the Bixby BBQ ‘n' Music Festival last Saturday.

Read more »

Restaurateurs Expand Downtown

Business has been good for Libby Auld since she opened Eloté Café and Catering, a restaurant serving healthful and ecologically conscious Mexican food at 514 S. Boston Ave., in May 2008.

It’s been so good, in fact, that Auld has been able to reinvest her earnings into a new eco-friendly bar, complete with a Mexican wrestling ring and bimonthly Luchador tournaments, right next door to her restaurant.

Get the full story on downtown's expanding restaurant world on the Food page of this week's edition of Tulsa Business Journal.

Tulsa Historical Society Photo Show: A Preview

Have you heard about the new exhibit at Tulsa Historical Society? It's a showcase of the best photos in the Tasha Does Tulsa group of Flickr.

Read more »

Five Reasons Why Tulsans Should Use FourSquare

Whether you saw the FourSquare story on Fox23 this afternoon and you're here to learn more about FourSquare or you're a regular reader of TDT, I have just four words for you.

You should use FourSquare.

But, why? Here are five reasons.

1. You get to learn about what there is to do in your city in a whole new, more interactive way. Forget guidebooks, maps and calling every last buddy in your address book to find where the new hot place is to eat or hang out that night. Simply log on to FourSquare and see what your hip and cool buddies are up to. Sorry, but you'll just have to find a new way to annoy your friends other than calling them every time you're going out.

2. The more connected you are, the more hidden Tulsa treasures you'll find. The more happy, sunshiny Tulsans you add on FourSquare, the greater the chances you'll find the best and the most unique of what this city has to offer. We're talking about the best hole-in-the-wall dives, the best coffeeshops, the most delicious restaurants and the quirkiest landmarks. Finally you'll be that guy at the water cooler who's the most in-the-know about Tulsa's best and most secret finds.

3. It's much cooler than your old Gameboy. FourSquare isn't just a wayfinding tool - it's also a game. The more you use FourSquare, the more you earn these cool merit badges. After a certain number of check-ins, you get the newbie badge. When you visit another town and check in at a hip restaurant or cool coffeeshop there, you get an explorer badge. See where I'm going with this? These badges are a mark of honor (remember how you felt when you got your first Boy or Girl Scouts badge) and are a whole new way to totally pwn someone online. Or, however the kids are saying it these days.

4. You can follow along with and have mayorship fights with the likes of KRMG's Joe Kelley, Joe Momma's owner Blake Ewing, local jazz singer and hottie Olivia Duhon and, duh, me. See, when you use FourSquare to check in at your favorite locales, and when you check in more than any other FourSquare user at that same location, you become mayor. Ta-Da! I've been mayor of the Herman and Kate Kaiser Library for awhile now, and Joe Kelley rules a few Walgreen's and Reasor's locations with a firm hand, but nothing's saying you can't oust him. Because you wouldn't want to oust me. Would you?

5. If you own a small business or are looking for a job, it's just one more tool in your arsenal to win minds and influence people. FourSquare is great for me because it serves as an extension of my blog, the whole purpose of which is to help Tulsans find things to do in their city that they'll enjoy. But, say you own a hamburger stand and you'd love to see more foot traffic. Register your stand's location on FourSquare and offer a discount to users who check in (read: visit your hamburger stand and, odds greatly are, buy something) a certain number of times. Example: For every FourSquare user who checks in five times at your hamburger stand, s/he gets 50 percent off the next order. See? It's like a frequent customer card, only universal (anyone with a smart phone can participate in your deal), green (no need to print new cards when you run out or when your customers inevitably forget them) and, of course, way cooler.

Here's more more about how to get started using FourSquare.
Find me on FourSquare.

Got more questions about FourSquare? Have a FourSquare success story or gripe? Sound off in the comments.

Oxley Nature Center: A Full Moon Walk

You're not going to see a Mary K. Oxley Nature Center billboard anytime soon. Oxley doesn't boast several buildings full of fancy exhibits or concession stands selling souvenir sodas at $7.50 per or splash pads as far as the eye can see.

Really, there's just a bunch of trees. And grasses. And critters.

And lots and lots of opportunities to teach your kids valuable lessons about the world around them.

Moon Walk! Read about our first trail hike at Oxley on the night of a full moon on my blog at Ttownmoms.com.

Luna moth photo from the Oxley Nature Center Facebook page.

Do Casa Bonita, TDT-Style

If you still think Tulsa's Casa Bonita closed forever in 2005, you're not the only one.

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Mother's Day Post

One of my grandmothers has a nickname for me.

Read more »

Peachwave Self Serve Frozen Yogurt: Dave Rides the FroYo Wave

Guest blogger Dave joins us from his blog, Accidentally Albino, with his review of Tulsa's new location of Edmond-based Peachwave Self Serve Frozen Yogurt, at 7388 Olympia Ave. in Tulsa Hills. Take it away, Dave!

Amid the Hills of Tulsa, ‘neath the Sooner sky, nestled between a GameStop and Tulsa’s best Smashburger is one of Tulsa’s best kept secrets.

Up till a few weeks ago, the closest you could get to having a frozen treat this delicious was to pray that the older gentleman at Braums would slip you an extra dip of Birthday Cake Ice Cream on the house.

Read more »

An Oklahoma-Made Mother's Day

Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants, trumping even the biggest date night of the year, Valentine's Day.

Some years it's fun to grab Mom, get out there and get in on the action. Other years it's nice to avoid the rush and eat in instead.

Read more »

Bixby BBQ 'n' Music Festival: The Southie

Yesterday with my new role as Southie Extraordinaire at TDT in mind, I e-mailed a friend of mine who is a member of the Rotary Club of Bixby asking him if I could have back stage access to the judging of the barbecue at the Bixby BBQ ‘n Music' Festival this weekend.

He passed me on to the people in charge of the judges for the festival, and a few hours later I found out that not only did I get access, but I get to be one of the judges.

Booya!

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Mother's Day Brunch in Tulsa

So, you still haven't figured out where to take Mom for Mother's Day brunch this year, huh? That's okay. I have a few suggestions on to where you and your sibs should whisk her away. The flowers and thoughtful gifts, though, all that's on you.

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Cinco de Mayo in Tulsa 2010

Cinco de Mayo in Tulsa: Yeah, it's kind of a big deal. Here's your itinerary for partying the day - and I do mean the whole, entire day - away.

Read more »

Live Event Trivia at Louie's in Jenks: The Southie

I have some exciting news. I'd like to introduce TDT's first-ever columnist, Kelly Kinkaid. Kelly writes Kellyology.net, a blog about life in Oklahoma, motherhood and the general stuff of life, and she's a founding member of The Real Housewives of Oklahoma. She'll join us here at TDT as The Southie.

What's a Southie, you ask? Here's the technical definition: Southie, n. A Tulsan who lives, works and plays south of Interstate 44.

What folks from every other part of this town of very geographically and culturally (and otherwise) distinct districts actually mean when they use the term: Southie, n. A suburbanite-esque, SUV-driving Tulsan who spends Saturday mornings at his/her kids' soccer games, Saturday afternoons shopping at strip malls and Saturday nights at big-box movieplexes. The Southie avoids driving north of Interstate 44 like the plague from the seventh circle of you-know-where. But when they do, they drive the wrong way down one-way streets and complain about "the lack of parking space." It's hilarious. 


But we love them anyway. They're Tulsans with quirks, just like me - just like the rest of us.

Kelly will write here about the culture of this geographic part of Tulsa, as well as the growing amount of hip, unique and exciting stuff to do in Southtown, as it's been called. Welcome, Kelly!

For a while now Tasha and I have been debating on where the line between midtown Tulsa and south Tulsa exists. Tasha likes to play it old school and says that the line is I-44. But, as someone who lives out south and sees the tremendous growth that is happening there, I believe that the old established line of 51st Street has recently and clearly moved to 71st Street.

Clearly.

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How to Get Into a Fight at a Donut Shop: Two Ways

Normally not a person who goes easily into combat. Most times I find I don't need to fight to get my way - there are other, more peaceful methods that seem to work better for me when I want to get things done.

Unless you've overcooked my steak and you have the nerve to serve it to me at a restaurant. Then momma's gonna throw down.

Of all places, though, I thought I'd always be safe from a duel in a donut shop. They seem like such safe places. The air smells sweet, and they're always full of smiling faces.

That was, until Saturday morning.

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Changes You May (Or May Not) Have Noticed at TDT

It's the "or may not" part of that post title that I'm concerned about.

Because friends who only read TDT via feed or who visit the front page every day and haven't had the nerve to try out those crazy tabs that have appeared under the masthead may not know that I've added a new feature to this blog: A daily, weekday version of my weekend lists of Tulsa events. Take a second and check out today's version.

That little dose of daily doing Tulsa awesomeness will be under the Do Tulsa Today tab, right there under the masthead.

If you're a regular listener of the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, you might have noticed last week that you'll be hearing from me there more often than just on Friday mornings. Which is totally rad for me because I think doing radio stuff is just about the most fun there's been since the first kid ran through the first sprinkler on the first 100-degree July afternoon. I hope you all enjoy my on-air antics, too.

Your Tulsa to-do list is about to grow so long that you'll not be able to help but to laugh hysterically the next time some bozo complains that there's nothing to do in Tulsa. You might even snort a little. But it'll be warranted, because given how much there is going on in this town right now, that's just a plain dumb thing to say.

Please also notice that the weekly What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend posts are no longer, well, posts. To cut down on confusion experienced by those looking for things to do in Tulsa via the search engines, I elected to create a page just for that content. For those of you reading by feed, don't worry - you'll still be alerted with a post when the weekend events page is available.

I'd be interested to know how all of this is working for you. I'd like to assume that since no one has complained or sent me slugs in the mail during the past couple of weeks that I've been testing this new format that everyone loves it and wouldn't want it any other way, but you know what they say about assuming.

And, as with all things event-oriented here at TDT, you are more than welcome to submit info on your event to me by e-mail.

Happy Monday, everyone!

How to Take Your Kids to An Art Gallery (and Beyond)

Regular TDT contributor, Tulsa Business Journal Senior Editor and Urban Tulsa Weeky Arts Writer Holly Wall has a post for us today that's a must-read for all Tulsa parents with young kids. Newsflash: There's no need to relinquish one's pre-baby life for day after day at at the local Gymboree. Holly doesn't just tell us why, but how. Take it away, Holly!

Being both a gal about town and the mother of a very active toddler, I’m frequently asked about kid-friendly activities in Tulsa. And when I am, I kind of chuckle. Not because it isn’t a relevant question — it is, for sure — but because I’ve never thought to ask it myself.

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Spring FiberFest. Plus, a Giveaway.

There's something you might not know about me.

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