Tulsa visit before move

[cannon_fodder]

So when is the official move?  One day I want to meet one of these "moving to Tulsa" peoples, so you'll have to stop by a lunch/happy hour.

[cjmcinty]

We'll be there on August 6th. Moving into Vintage on Yale apartments. I'm sure I will continue to frequent this forum, so I'll keep my eye out for the next get together.

[flybriz]

I'm a day late and a dollar short as usual - Welcome to Tulsa!  I've lived here all my life, save for a few years in Dallas during the dot bomb days.  When you roll into town, may sure you pick up an Urban Tulsa magazine (they are free in most of the restaurants) and check out the local music scene.  There are a lot of very diverse and talented musicians around here and plenty of cozy, laid back bars to have a beer and listen to some Tulsa music if you're into that sort of thing.  Keep an eye out for periodic events like Wine and Roses at the Tulsa Garden Center, Taste of Tulsa, or one of the pub/restaurant crawls that happen on Brookside and Cherry Street.  If you're emotionally prepared for the Tulsa State Fair, it's not far off - It gets lame after you've been to it for a few years but for a first timer there's a lot of eye candy (interesting people watching and plenty to see).  Oktoberfest will be here before we know it and that's always a great time.  Circle Cinema, while still under renovation, is a great place to check out classic and indie films.  Steve's Sundries bookstore at 26th and Harvard has many great books from local authors that document Tulsa's history as well as photo books of our beautiful art deco structures (many of which are sadly gone now.)  And of course there's no better place to stay "in the know" than this forum. 

[cjmcinty]

I'm a day late and a dollar short as usual - Welcome to Tulsa!  I've lived here all my life, save for a few years in Dallas during the dot bomb days.  When you roll into town, may sure you pick up an Urban Tulsa magazine (they are free in most of the restaurants) and check out the local music scene.  There are a lot of very diverse and talented musicians around here and plenty of cozy, laid back bars to have a beer and listen to some Tulsa music if you're into that sort of thing.  Keep an eye out for periodic events like Wine and Roses at the Tulsa Garden Center, Taste of Tulsa, or one of the pub/restaurant crawls that happen on Brookside and Cherry Street.  If you're emotionally prepared for the Tulsa State Fair, it's not far off - It gets lame after you've been to it for a few years but for a first timer there's a lot of eye candy (interesting people watching and plenty to see).  Oktoberfest will be here before we know it and that's always a great time.  Circle Cinema, while still under renovation, is a great place to check out classic and indie films.  Steve's Sundries bookstore at 26th and Harvard has many great books from local authors that document Tulsa's history as well as photo books of our beautiful art deco structures (many of which are sadly gone now.)  And of course there's no better place to stay "in the know" than this forum. 

Well, your last statement is certainly true. Through information gained on this forum, I think I'm already a little ahead of the game; I had checked out Urban Tulsa online before we visited, and we picked up a copy while there. Was excited to see it was the 'Absolute Best of Tulsa' edition. Has been for us to peruse and pick out places we want to check out when we move. Definitely looking forward to the music scene. Have already found a couple of bands I currently listen to playing this fall at Cain's Ballroom. Heard some live music played by a couple of local guys I really enjoyed while having lunch at Ella's Deli after a campus visit. Will be looking to see them again. I am also already on Circle Cinema's email list. Pumped about having access to documentaries and Indie films in a theatre. As for upcoming events, I already have friends lined up to visit the weekend of Oktoberfest!
Your mention of Sundries is the first I've heard about bookstores and I'm glad you brought that up. While shopping at a bargain bookstore yesterday, my fiance and I were discussing the need to find a good bookstore when we move to Tulsa. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the welcome!

[cannon_fodder]

Steve's Sundry is a great little bookstore.  They will order anything for you that you want.  The same clerks have worked there for years.  Some interesting local stuff.

The best, well at least the biggest used book store is on Garnett.  The name escapes me, but the places is huge.  Someone help me out here.

[Conan71]

Steve's Sundry is a great little bookstore.  They will order anything for you that you want.  The same clerks have worked there for years.  Some interesting local stuff.

The best, well at least the biggest used book store is on Garnett.  The name escapes me, but the places is huge.  Someone help me out here.

Gardner's.

There's another good used bookstore 1/2 mile south of TU, Oaktree Books at 15th & Delaware, next to Jo'z.

(Shameless plug for two of my favorite merchants)

[charky]

And don't forget to hit the classic soda fountain at the back of Steve's Sundry. Great grilled cheese...chicken salad and shakes...all at a very reasonable price.

[AngieB]

And don't forget to hit the classic soda fountain at the back of Steve's Sundry. Great grilled cheese...chicken salad and shakes...all at a very reasonable price.

I quit going there after Katherine left. I didn't know Katherine was gone and went in and some woman was working the counter. I asked where Katherine was and she was incredibly rude to me - "I don't know and I don't care" is what she said and continued to badmouth Katherine. I then asked she make my sandwich to go. Haven't been back. I like everyone else there, and sure, it's a neat place to go and grab a quick lunch, but the attitude of that beotch behind the counter turned me off completely.

[charky]

I quit going there after Katherine left. I didn't know Katherine was gone and went in and some woman was working the counter. I asked where Katherine was and she was incredibly rude to me - "I don't know and I don't care" is what she said and continued to badmouth Katherine. I then asked she make my sandwich to go. Haven't been back. I like everyone else there, and sure, it's a neat place to go and grab a quick lunch, but the attitude of that beotch behind the counter turned me off completely.

We still go (my kids love it)...but you're right...it's not quite the same without Katherine. She was so great with my kids. I have no idea what happened. I asked and got a stone-faced "she retired".

[jne]

I didn't know about Katherine being gone, she wasn't in the last few times I went.  Steve's is still a great place - I'll try to find out what happened with her. 

Don't rely on the Urban Tulsa's Best of (best advertising customers of the year).  You'll have much better luck here on these forums.

Ellas Deli:  Just tried it out last week.  Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.

[nathanm]

Ellas Deli:  Just tried it out last week.  Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.

Great place. The specials are often a little unconventional, but that's fine by me.

I wish they stayed open past 4, though.

[cjmcinty]

I didn't know about Katherine being gone, she wasn't in the last few times I went.  Steve's is still a great place - I'll try to find out what happened with her. 

Don't rely on the Urban Tulsa's Best of (best advertising customers of the year).  You'll have much better luck here on these forums.

Ellas Deli:  Just tried it out last week.  Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.

I assumed I needed to take the "Best Of" awards with a grain of salt. My first hint was seeing Westport on the River voted the best apartment complex. This was the first place we looked at when we came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and were not impressed.

While there we also ate at Ella's Deli. Loved it! Our food was great and we really enjoyed the live music as well. Since I'll be a student at TU, I'm thinking I may be there often!

[Hoss]

I assumed I needed to take the "Best Of" awards with a grain of salt. My first hint was seeing Westport on the River voted the best apartment complex. This was the first place we looked at when we came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and were not impressed.

While there we also ate at Ella's Deli. Loved it! Our food was great and we really enjoyed the live music as well. Since I'll be a student at TU, I'm thinking I may be there often!

While Westport has some amenities, it suffers from being in an area of town just a half mile from section 8 apartments at 23rd and Jackson.  I worked just across the street from those Section 8 apartments for about 8 years.  Two police standoffs occurred in which they locked us down.  In my mind that's two too many.

Actually I think there are some nicer apartments on the east side of the river along Riverside Drive.  Finding them would be a challenge I'm betting, though.  Especially the older loft style and duplex looking buildings just south of where Riverside starts at Southwest Blvd.

[TURobY]

I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.

[Hoss]

I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.

I just think an idea like that might have served better on the other side of the river, although I'm betting they had hoped the amphitheater would make the area more desirable.  I do like the open access to the river you have with it, but I haven't been in years.  I initially after moving back to Tulsa and getting my first job when back down there had looked at those apartments, but most of my friends lived east or in BA, so I settled on some apartments at 16th & Memorial, which, at the time, was a nice smaller apartment complex.