Devon Tower in OKC Unveiled

[cecelia]

I think what's been done to Philbrook is an abomination. It was a beautiful, beautiful place before they decided to doll it all up.  Absolutely criminal what they did.

And yes, Tulsa has an arts scene, but OKC's is much more open and diverse and, as a consequence, interesting.

I would say more, but it's dinnertime and House is on.

[riverrunner]

This is my first post on Tulsanow,I really enjoy learning more about Tulsa and will never understand why Oklahoma city folks try to put Tulsa down.Tulsa is a very nice and unique city.Oklahoma city has alot of flaws that we are trying to remedy.Artist you are correct about my city,the things going on here should have happened years ago LOL.Oklahoma city has  alot of work to do to get where we want to be.It will be interesting watching both cities grow in the next 5 to 10 years.Tulsa citizens should be very proud of their city,I know I am.

[sgrizzle]

I don't seem to remember anything being done to philbrook in recent years other than some landscaping, what did I miss?

[joiei]

quote:Originally posted by cecelia

I think what's been done to Philbrook is an abomination. It was a beautiful, beautiful place before they decided to doll it all up.  Absolutely criminal what they did.

And yes, Tulsa has an arts scene, but OKC's is much more open and diverse and, as a consequence, interesting.

I would say more, but it's dinnertime and House is on.

What does OKC have to compete with Philbrook and Gilcrease?  The museum downtown, I don't think so. The Chilhuly exhibit is nice but almost every museum in the world now has Chilhuly. It isn't all that special.  The Cowboy place, I don't think so, it is more about Hollywood cowboys than what you can see and be amazed by at the Gilcrease.  
Does OKC have 14 local farmer's markets in it's regional market?  
As for the local arts, Tulsa has more than its share of nationally known artists of all mediums.  
To speak of a Korean restaurant,  we have some of those also in case you didn't know. Plus a lot of other ethnic communities.
Markets, okay, I will give you your market over Nam Hai, but do you have the number and quality of hispanic markets that we have?  
Do you have any markets like the ones at Stonehorse Cafe, or Whole Foods, or Petty's or Hebert's?  
What is OKC's higher Intellectual standing over Tulsa, I think we are pretty even on that score. TU has a much higher standing on the College rating than anything in OKC.  

Hope you enjoyed House.

[sgrizzle]

House was a rerun.. want a hint? Amber's Cold Medicine.

Now get back to online mudslinging.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I don't seem to remember anything being done to philbrook in recent years other than some landscaping, what did I miss?

Actually nothing has been done to the Villa itself so that person must be complaining about the landscaping which imo was much needed. The old gardens were getting bare in spots, weeds growing, trees dying from lack of care, stuff falling apart, the pond choked with gunk, etc. Now they have full time staff that tends the gardens and regularly changes out some plants so that the look changes with the seasons. Makes it enjoyable to go several times a year to see them. (for instance in the south gardens the tulips and daffodil bulbs are taken up, nobody wants to look at dead tulips all year, and then more tropical looking plants are put in during the summer months)  The gardens were also expanded. The south gardens were superbly done with quality materials and design.

If the person is talking about the expansion... well thats ooold news. If this person is calling that new, they are showing their age lol. Plus it didnt change the Villa, and added much needed exhibit space for traveling exhibits, dining, classrooms, library, grand entrance, a fantastic auditorium, offices, gallery, gift shop, underground parking, etc. Again, its distinct and segregated from the original Villa and did nothing to change the original part of the museum/home.

[Hometown]

Some of these varying opinions about Tulsa may be based on how old you are and at what point you got to know Tulsa.  

I used to take art classes at Philbrook long before the expansion.  I remember one class in the attic over the car port.  And I have to say that Philbrook did lose architectural integrity with its expansion.  And there was some minor remodeling of the mansion.  But along with a physical expansion Philbrook has also added exhibits and programs and a gift shop.  And I have to say that while the Museum has lost some of its old charm, it enjoys much larger crowds now than it did then.  I suppose that greater community involvement is a good thing.

Speaking of art treasures, I used to live in Living Arts back when it was in a large storefront in the vicinity of the Williams Towers.  This was back in the early 70s.  I saw my first Frank Stella there, hanging in an unguarded gallery and displayed in full sunlight.  And I find it somewhat remarkable that Living Arts is still in operation with a schedule full of cutting edge exhibitions.

I have great memories of OKC (dancing the night away at the Rusty Nail) but I never was attracted to OKC because of its intellectual life or progressive politics, it was more a matter of its citizens being open and friendly.  In fact, OKC's culture reminds me of Los Angeles for those reasons.

Tulsa is fundamentally different because it looks eastward instead of westward and it has two things that OKC cannot have -- great geography and its history as oil capital.

Now if you arrived in Tulsa long after the circus had left town, when it was in one of its more recent slumps, I imagine you would be used to Tulsa playing second fiddle to OKC.  On the other hand, if you grew up in Tulsa when it was still a bustling oil town you are probably uncomfortable with what has happened to Tulsa.

My own competitive nature may also be part of the reason why I could never settle for Tulsa ceding its claim on sophistication or being our state's lead city to Oklahoma City.

Clearly, my generation has presided over Tulsa's decline and I would be ashamed to admit any association with Tulsa's many recent blunders and missteps.  So much has been squandered.

But once Tulsa decides what she wants and gives it some focus, she can have anything she desires.  Tulsa is indomitable.

[okcpulse]

quote:Mayor Cornett, is that you?



And BTW, we have Philbrook, Gilcrease Museum, Jazz Hall of Fame, Cain's, The Brady. What does OKC have? The Cowboy Hall of Fame?

Fitting.

That was a horrible come back.  So that is all you know about OKC.  Try the OKC Museum of Art, Paseo, Civic Center Music Hall, Science Museum Oklahoma, the Asian District and you want to have a sizing contest on concert venues?  Are you serious?

[carltonplace]

Author Charlie LeDuff wrote about Oklahoma City: "The landscape is so flat and barren you could probably watch your dog run away all day long".

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by okcpulse

quote:Mayor Cornett, is that you?



And BTW, we have Philbrook, Gilcrease Museum, Jazz Hall of Fame, Cain's, The Brady. What does OKC have? The Cowboy Hall of Fame?

Fitting.

That was a horrible come back.  So that is all you know about OKC.  Try the OKC Museum of Art, Paseo, Civic Center Music Hall, Science Museum Oklahoma, the Asian District and you want to have a sizing contest on concert venues?  Are you serious?

I spent every other weekend of my life for three years in OKC, so I know plenty.

Plenty enough to know that I don't like it.

Go back to your OKC forum and trash how Tulsans view your town; I expect that post in 3...2...1.

I know enough Citians to know how arrogant they act.  As noted on the original post that received the brunt of my 'comeback'.  That to me is a typical post from the OKC elite.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by okcpulse

quote:Mayor Cornett, is that you?



And BTW, we have Philbrook, Gilcrease Museum, Jazz Hall of Fame, Cain's, The Brady. What does OKC have? The Cowboy Hall of Fame?

Fitting.

That was a horrible come back.  So that is all you know about OKC.  Try the OKC Museum of Art, Paseo, Civic Center Music Hall, Science Museum Oklahoma, the Asian District and you want to have a sizing contest on concert venues?  Are you serious?

Sure, our largest seats over 19,000.

We also have the Tulsa Convention Center, Brady Theater, Tulsa PAC, Cain's Ballroom (which is in the top ten concert venues nationally), UMAC, Union PAC, Broken Arrow PAC, Mabee Center, Spirit Bank Events Center, Rose Bowl Roadhouse, Jazz Hall of Fame, Riverwest Ampitheater, etc, etc, etc. Keep in mind we have multiple music festivals that draw tens of thousands of people. DFest had a PAID attendance of over 60,000. All that is not counting Oktoberfest or Mayfest which draws 300,000 to it's art and 4 stages of music.

[okcpulse]

Do not accuse me of OKC elitism, when you are a Tulsa elitist yourself.  I am in no way an arrogant person, so don't pass any judgement on me.

We are all guilty of cheerleading our city.  If we care about our city, it will be in our nature.

Both cities have a plethora of cultural and entertainment amenities, and while I am all for us challenging each other, my response to your post Hoss was directly linked to your remark that all we have is the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

You say you spent enough time in OKC to know enough, which tells me you have been to our attractions, but regardless of quality, you hate it only because it is not Tulsa.  Give credit where credit is due and supply constructive criticism.  That is the whole points of these message boards.

[Breadburner]

Okc is a dump....Even people that live there agree....

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by okcpulse

Do not accuse me of OKC elitism, when you are a Tulsa elitist yourself.  I am in no way an arrogant person, so don't pass any judgement on me.

We are all guilty of cheerleading our city.  If we care about our city, it will be in our nature.

Both cities have a plethora of cultural and entertainment amenities, and while I am all for us challenging each other, my response to your post Hoss was directly linked to your remark that all we have is the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

You say you spent enough time in OKC to know enough, which tells me you have been to our attractions, but regardless of quality, you hate it only because it is not Tulsa.  Give credit where credit is due and supply constructive criticism.  That is the whole points of these message boards.

And the original OKC posters that got my response indicated essentially that all we had was Philbrook.  And, BTW, you weren't the response on the post, but you sure stuck your nose in.

I didn't get this little mini-battle started.  But I'm now finished with it.  Go watch your basketball.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by okcpulse

quote:Mayor Cornett, is that you?



And BTW, we have Philbrook, Gilcrease Museum, Jazz Hall of Fame, Cain's, The Brady. What does OKC have? The Cowboy Hall of Fame?

Fitting.

That was a horrible come back.  So that is all you know about OKC.  Try the OKC Museum of Art, Paseo, Civic Center Music Hall, Science Museum Oklahoma, the Asian District and you want to have a sizing contest on concert venues?  Are you serious?

Sure, our largest seats over 19,000.

We also have the Tulsa Convention Center, Brady Theater, Tulsa PAC, Cain's Ballroom (which is in the top ten concert venues nationally), UMAC, Union PAC, Broken Arrow PAC, Mabee Center, Spirit Bank Events Center, Rose Bowl Roadhouse, Jazz Hall of Fame, Riverwest Ampitheater, etc, etc, etc. Keep in mind we have multiple music festivals that draw tens of thousands of people. DFest had a PAID attendance of over 60,000. All that is not counting Oktoberfest or Mayfest which draws 300,000 to it's art and 4 stages of music.

And, if I recall correctly, didn't OKC make a bid to try and steal DFest from Tulsa?  I seem to remember that.