Best Western Greentree Inn & Suites

Remington Park

by mrclay2000

Remington Park is among the latest of the world-class horse-racing venues brought by the DeBartolo family. Betting is allowed (this was a huge political issue at the time, but has since won over the populace), and simulcasts at other venues are provided. Quarter horse and thoroughbred racing at its finest are both seasonally available at this immaculate and ultramodern facility. Fans can watch through binoculars from the shaded seats or hear the turf-pounding at trackside. A pair of binoculars, a mini-fan or parasol might come in handy during our warmer months.

Ever had a Pancake Sandwich?

by rexvaughan about Beverly's Pancake Corner

This is the last of Beverly's Restaurants in OKC. The first restaurant was opened in 1921 and when I was in college there in the 50's there were at least 4 others and their specialty was "Chicken in the Rough" (see the golfing rooster on top of the sign). They always focused on fried chicken, huge delicious hamburgers (Bevburgers) and pancakes. I usually visit OKC 2 or 3 times a year (I was born and raised in Oklahoma and went to Oklahoma City University), and on most trips I join my favorite cousin for breakfast at this place. I love their pancake sandwiches: two pancakes surrounding eggs scrambled with sausage (you can opt for bacon). I am sure part of my enjoyment is nostalgia, but the pancake sandwiches are wonderful.

The Survivor Tree

by PinkFloydActuary

The first landmark we saw in the memorial is this magnificent American Elm, which somehow managed to survive the blast of bombing. It was embedded with debris, burned, and lost all its leaves. Yet somehow, a year later, it started to blossom and now stands as a stark reminder of resilience. We saw several people reading books and simply meditating under this tree, which is now over 100 years old. An inscription surrounds the tree: "The spirit of this city and this nation will not be defeated; our deeply rooted faith sustains us."

Inquest at First Baptist

by mrclay2000

This enormous complex covers an entire city block, but though the Gothic towers and other architectural flashes seem to suggest a rich interior throughout, many of the hallways and reading rooms are walled in unadorned sheet rock, and the cafeteria in the basement is among the most homely of soup kitchens. Of special interest to the visitor however is the main sanctuary, complete with its 1910 stained glass (north side), its tremendous 1989 pipe organ (to mark the 100th anniversary of the congregation here), and the great wooden beams that shape and support the high ceiling.

"Oklahoma City is mighty pretty"

by rexvaughan

"This is no bull"

Street art in the form of cows, bulls and penguins has been popping up all over and in Oklahoma City it is buffalo. Actually they are bison, but everyone calls them buffalo. They are all around the downtown area and the capitol. This one is decorated with the Oklahoma state flower, the gallardia or Indian Blanket. The downtown area is quite lovely and the old warehouse district just east of downtown is now called Bricktown and is quite the center for restaurants and clubs. They have even built a canal with "gondola" rides. Bricktown is the happenin' place in OKC.

"The Milkbottle"

It may be strange, but this milkbottle is a historic artifact in OKC. It has been there since about 1930 and recent plans to raze it were thwarted. The store under it was originally an outlet for Townley's Dairy. Now it is a sandwich shop. It is on Classen Blvd at about NW 25th Street. The surrounding area now has a large Asian and Oriental population and is a great place to find such food stores and restaurants. I will do a tip on one of the better restaurants, the Lido.

"Oil has always been big"

I didn't make a mistake on this photo. The oil derrick in front of the state capitol is a unique feature of the Oklahoma capitol grounds. Since the oil boom in the early 20th Century, there have been working oil wells on the grouds. You would think that would make the state rich but it hasn't seemed to work that way. Until recently the capitol had no dome due to shortage of funds at construction. Now it looks like a "real capitol." More on this in Must
Sees.