OKLAHOMA ROAD TRIP

by Kari Huskey and James Frazier

This month we hit the road up the Turnpike to a little town some of you may have heard of, Tulsa, Oklahoma. This trip reminded me of a line from the movie Gladiator when Maximus asks Cicero “ You don’t find it hard to do your duty?” Cicero responds, “Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to. ” This is one of those times that we did what we wanted to do, and it was fun. To be clear, I (James) am an OKC boy through and through, but Tulsa has become a welcome surprise for me and I think Kari would agree. So, let’s dive into this road trip that got out of control.

This trip we have to break it down to a few different categories. There was so much to do in Tulsa that we barely scratched the surface, but that is to be expected from the second-largest city in Oklahoma. Yes, they are still right behind Oklahoma City, but they gained some cool kids points from us on this road trip. So buckle up, this is going to be a ride. It’s not for the faint of heart, but we believe in you.

Cocktail Lounges

Hodges Bend is one of those places that you step into and immediately want to drop anchor and spend some time. Not only does the coffee aroma hit you, but the esthetics also draw you in. The back wall of the bar area is floor-to-ceiling beautiful woodwork, with a collection of bottles you rarely see in a bar this size. On the opposite wall is windows and exposed brick with a silver tin roof that takes you back in time. The menu is luscious with beautiful dishes and I am told the best burger in Tulsa. But alas, we started here for the cocktails, and I am so glad we did. We chose a couple of coffee-infused cocktails which were magnificent. Just what we needed to get the night started off right. We decided to have the Beignets as well and they paired perfectly with our coffee cocktails.

The Saturn Room is one of those places that everyone tells you that you should go to, and when you get there you realize they were right. This is an island tiki lounge in the middle of downtown Tulsa. The tiki list is extensive and I was sad that we only had time for one because I could have melted into the grass hut bar inside this place. They do a fantastic job of transporting you to a place outside of time or cares, and that is what a true Tiki lounge should be. The drinks were amazing. The scare with tikis is that too many times they are just fruit juices with a little bit of rum or whatever the recipe calls for. These drinks were not that. Saturn Room has perfected the art of boozy tiki and for that, I salute them.

Valkyrie hit my list because the name stood out and is fun to say. It was also among the list of places that all the locals suggested, and that I take seriously. When you walk in, the atmosphere screams that this is where you will get a

great cocktail. I am not sure I have ever seen a larger wall of liquor behind a bar. It was majestic and I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t on that wall. As far as cocktails go, we had two, one off the menu, a fun cocktail called Mezcal me Shirley with Mezcal, Lime, Agave, Orange Bitters and Rosemary. It was delightful to another level, bright, smoky, and tart. For the second one, I played my favorite game, the bartender’s choice. This is where you give the bartender a few descriptors and they go to town. This one will sit in my top 5 cocktails of all time as it was smoky with the Mezcal, which was my mood at the time, but clean and savory. I don’t know what it was, but I will ask them to make me something every time I go there because if they nailed that good the first time, I owe them my allegiance and will forever shout Valkykie from the street corners.

Breweries

This brewery was a welcome surprise! Since opening its doors in 2018, Neff Brewing has won awards for both its beer and its food! Located in a historic building known as “The Dock” , they serve some amazing craft beer and food! Unbeknownst to most, all of their offerings are gluten-free, from the beer to the food they serve in their restaurant. It all started when the father & son team of Jon & Jonathan Neff decided to brew a beer that Jonathan could actually drink after being diagnosed with celiac disease. Disappointed with the gluten-free options in the market, they began to put Jonathan’s background in chemistry and engineering to use and came up with a recipe that would make gluten-free beers taste just as good if not better than the beers containing gluten. “Brewed for Everyone” is their motto and this beer drinker believes it. From the Light and Crisp Appollo Blonde Ale to the Hoppy No Barriers India Pale Ale to the Dark and Roasty Astronaut Cookies Oatmeal Stout there is absolutely something for everyone here! When you go make sure and try their Garlic Sage Fries and their Beer Battered Mushrooms which might just be the best fried mushrooms this team has ever consumed!

Dead Armadillo sits right on the other side of the highway from downtown Tulsa and has an awesome selection of delicious beers. I personally love beer that is a little edgy and not for everyone. Dead Armadillo’s staples are solid, with a beautiful Amber, their Breakaway American Pale Ale, a very drinkable IPA, and the Tulsa Flag Blonde Ale that you just can’t put down. On the seasonal side, I love Pickle beers and the Dead Armadillo Pickle Recovery is at the top of my list of pickle beers. Just the right amount of tangy goodness. Even though the weather is a deterrent to stouts in my book, the Morning Bender is the perfect hangover or hair of the dog beer.

There is a little piece of heaven in the form of a sand volleyball at the corner of Peoria and East 5th. I swear If you close your eyes, you can almost smell the salt air and feel the breeze of the ocean. Pearl Beach Brew Pub is an action-packed brewery with a full liquor bar and made from scratch frozen drinks. They have three sand volleyball courts, giant beer pong, corn hole, and more! But when it comes to brewing beer, they score every time. When the names of the beer crack me up, I have to try them and boy do they have some good ones here! Not only is it fun to say but their Blond Ale “Man-Go Get Me A Beer!” is a tasty thirst quencher. Their Flip Cup Lager which is an American Light Lager is just asking for you to set up those red solo cups. And the Lageritaville is a Mexican Style Lager that will have you singing Jimmy Buffet songs in no time!

It’s always fun when you show up at a brewery and are overwhelmed with how good everything is. First off the feel of Nothing’s Left Brewing Co. is warm and welcoming with plenty of photo ops due to the faux greenery everywhere. The swings on the patio are a nice touch and definitely bring out the kid in you. The beer is outstanding. I was especially impressed with the Muy Bien!, a white stout that defied logic. I mean who puts Horchata in a beer, and how can I hug them? The names of the beer remind you that beer can and should be fun. The list of delicious beers is impressive because they don’t do anything that I don’t like. I really do love interesting beers and Nothing’s Left is killing it. I will also tell you that the beer slushes were an absolute delight and brought a little more light into my life on that blazingly hot day. They switch up the flavors regularly and we lucked out with the Peach frozen flight.

Have you ever had a drink of a beer and immediately think, I should be in a cabin in the woods? That is what Cabin Boys Brewery does to you. The list of beers that Cabin Boys does right is extensive. They just have a way of making insanely drinkable beers that make you want to relax on the porch and listen to some music or write the next great American novel. Well, the novel only comes when you are drinking the Bearded Theologian. Visiting Cabin Boys is a treat as the atmosphere is fun and relaxing at the same time, as it sits in the same yard as the next brewery we hit on the trail. We showed up in time to listen to some live music in the warehouse while we sipped on our beers. I can’t think of a better way to spend my Friday evening.

Of all the Breweries on the list, I was most excited to visit American Solera. Not to say the others weren’t way up there, but this one had been on my list for a while, mainly because of the funky creations that I keep hearing about. Wow, did they hold up to the hype. The beer is fresh and fragrant with unique styles and flavors that you don’t get often. The Hawaii Boom Boom instantly worked its way to my heart. An 8% Imperial Gose w/Orange, Pineapple, Coconut, Marshmallow, Vanilla, Milk Sugar, and Sea Salt. That’s a lot of words that don’t normally go together, but these nuts made it work. I say nuts in the most positive way possible as in, it’s so crazy it just might work, and I love them for it.

Marshall Brewing Company has been dedicated to brewing quality craft beer since 2008 and is located just outside of downtown Tulsa on East 6th Street. Make your way down there and enjoy the evening enjoying their outdoor Biergarten with additional seating that is non-smoking plus family and dog friendly. Marshalls has several flagship beers that are available year-round and are absolutely delicious. My favorite is their Kolsch which is their Greman-style beer that is light in body and smooth and mild on the finish. The Atlas IPA is their answer to an east coast IPA. Its pale and caramel malts help give it balance and blended with hops it provides a floral, citrus, and earthly tone. This brewery is committed to quality beer and has a selection vast enough that there is absolutely a beer there for everyone.

I like breweries that are unapologetic about who they are. We don’t need the same old brewery concept copied over and over, and Heirloom Rustic Ales

embodies that spirit and uniqueness to an amazing level. The taproom is a little hidden gem in a neighborhood and welcomes conversations and shared life experiences over ridiculously good small batch craft beer. The beer and their names are very much conversation starters. You’re not going to find overly hoppy trendy beers here. These are beers that make you smile and then look at the menu to try to figure out what that one flavor is that you can’t figure out. In short, this is a thinking person’s beer joint and I look forward to my next conversation over a tasty Heirloom Rustic Ale.

Sometimes you need a beer to slap you in the face. I love it when they do that and Renaissance Brewing Company does it so well. Sometimes a slap comes when you taste a somewhat tame beer and the cleanliness and perfection of the process come through in a way that surprises you like the German Golden Ale. Sometimes that slap comes from a unique ingredient that catches you off guard like the Indian Wheat, a Spiced Hefeweizen. But then sometimes that slap is a little more pronounced, or more deliberate. That’s the Dragon’s Breath, a Gold German Ale with Serrano peppers that is smooth and flavorful with a bite that sends you a couple of steps back. If you don’t like to get slapped with good flavor, go ahead and stay away from this brewery.

Food

What can I say about Mother Road Market? The fact is that there is way too much to be said about this glorified food court in the heart of Tulsa. I almost offended myself there as this place is in no way shape or form a glorified food court, in reality, it’s a haven for local food done right with so much variety that it’s nearly impossible to come to a conclusion of what I’m hungry for each time I dine there. Mother Road is not just food, it’s also a full shopping experience with local and boutique merchants selling their products in a unique and fun atmosphere. The food is the star of the show though with 15 very unique food experiences. I’m still working my way through them, but there hasn’t been a bad bite in the bunch. Since I can only comment on the flavors I have tried, here are the ones that got me in the happy.

Zasa’s Pizza & Wings has some absolutely killer slices of pizza that happen to be the size of a small Buick. The toppings were excellent and the crust was phenomenal. Doctor Kustom blew me away with their Calabrese Pastel which is like a Brazilian savory fried pie with a thin, flaky, and crispy crust. I’m going to have dreams about that thing again. When Chicken & the Wolf says “are you sure you want hot?” You should seriously stop and have a conversation with your ancestors. I love spicy and this was right on the verge of too much for me. It kind of hurt my pride a little bit, but the flavor was abundantly worthwhile. The chicken is tender and juicy and everything you want from a Nashville-style chicken tender. The sauces are superb and Lemon Dill Aoli is enough to write home to mom about. The final place that I can give my expert opinion of is Big Dipper Creamery. The Big Dipper is a small-batch artisan ice cream shop. Yes, it made my heart happy too. The flavor creations these people do are whacky and delightful. It’s a small batch, so it’s always changing. I’m hoping to show up when they are doing another local beer collab.

It should also be mentioned that they have a pop-up kitchen at the market that is constantly rotating out amazing food options, you know in case nothing sounds good, in which case there are some golden arches down the road, save the good food for me. The final thing I will say about Mother Road, for now, is that you will not find a cooler patio anywhere in Oklahoma. There I said it, I threw down the gauntlet.

Family

The Gathering Place is a spacious and beautiful 66.5-acre park is strategically placed along the Arkansas River and was created by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. This natural space was designed to provide inclusive and engaging experiences for all to explore, learn, and play. There is literally something here for everyone no matter what age you are. A few of our favorite attractions are:

The Chapman Adventure Playground is a magical place where kids can run and explore towers, slides, gardens, sand lots, and water areas and engages children at different developmental levels and physical abilities.

Ramble Sensory Garden uses STEAM principles (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) and encourages children to question and wonder about how things work. By using hands-on techniques they are able to use their curiosity to bring things to life.

Skywalk Forest is located on the west side of the park and showcases thrilling slides and climbing net structures to allow you to float twenty feet above the ground while making your way across. The idea is to let your imagination runs rampant through this amazing attraction.

Water sports your jam? Then you have to head over to the boat house and rent a paddle boat, canoe, or kayak. Relax and float your way around the beautiful waterways that run through the park.

There are also several self-guided park activities from bird watching to scavenger hunts you can check out all that they have to offer for these types of activities on their website.

It is also good to know that there are free park shuttles that run to and from downtown Tulsa. You can catch a ride from the shuttle at the Tulsa Community College Metro Campus parking lot. These run only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information about The Gathering Place, check out their website at gatheringplace.org.

If you enjoy a bike ride or getting a run in on your trip, you definitely need to check out the Riverside Trail. Winding alongside the Arkansas River, this scenic path loops up to 14 miles and has bike rentals, cafe's and splashpads along its course.

That wraps it up for what we could do in a 48-hour period in Tulsa and it has left us wanting more time in this beautiful city and all it has to offer. Our advice is to stay somewhere downtown, rent a Lime and explore the heart of the city like a local. Just be careful and look for bumps in the road because although those scooters are fun, it really hurts when you crash on one… don’t ask me how I know lol