CoolGreens is located on Western Avenue next to the Crescent Market, and when you first walk in you will notice the crisp, cool dining area.  It reminded me of something out of a sleek seventies movie, but it was also the perfect highlight to the salad bar.  The workers there were very nice and friendly, and they were able to help us choose something that we would enjoy.  I had a Ahi Tuna salad, and I was able to pick and choose the items that I wanted in my salad.  It was like putting together a salad in the same manner as one would a Subway sandwich, and it was great!

The friend I was with decided to get a Southwest Spicy Chicken salad put together in a wrap.  It was compiled in much the same way that mine was, only at the end of the line they took the salad and wrapped it in an extra large tortilla.  The meal also came with a side of homemade couscous, and it was also delicious.  The salads were very large and even though I am usually not a big salad eater, I ate everything on my plate and even some of my friend’s couscous and was completely stuffed.  However, if you were still hungry they also have a wide variety of smoothie flavors that you can choose from as well.  

The only downside to CoolGreens is that it most people might think it to be somewhat expensive for a salad.  Our meal after drinks was over twenty dollars, but for a special experience it was definitely something that was well worth the price!  When I first heard that I was being taken to a restaurant that only featured salads I was a little bit worried, but now I know that this is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch outing and I am sure that I will be going back.

Read more about CoolGreens on these blogs:

The Oklahoma City Restaurants blog has their own review of CoolGreens.

Dishin’ and Dishes has another review, this one with plenty of pictures.

Finally, Corner Booth has a review of the restaurant, too.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

A Fresh New Take on the Traditional Salad at CoolGreens

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While it’s not in Oklahoma City, I can safely say that Tombstone Tales is worth the short drive. 

There are really two parts to the event.  First, you can wander around Fort Reno and check out all the different historic buildings.  These buildings have been carefully preserved so that they look exactly like they did when they were built.  One, the Fort Reno Chapel, is actually still used for weddings today!

The men and women who dress up for Tombstone Tales have carefully researched the people they are pretending to be.  Each of these people is buried in the Fort Reno cemetery, and the actors proudly stand by their tombstones and tell their stories to each group of visitors.  You’ll learn about explorers, settlers, Native Americas, and more.  Each story is amazingly detailed, just like the costumes the actors wear.  It’s a great event for kids, but adults will also love hearing the many different stories told by the actors.  Fort Reno has set aside a day for schools to bring classes to Tombstone Tales so kids can have a chance to learn all about the history of the area.

Tombstone Tales is a really neat event, and I love going to it.  The actors do a tremendous job drawing in their audience, and the stories they tell are incredibly interesting.  The visitor’s center has information about everything at the fort plus a number of different books and other souvenirs for sale.  Tombstone Tales takes place on September 18^th, and actors will be on the grounds from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm to tell their stories.  More information about the event and about Fort Reno in general can be found at www.fortreno.org.

Want more opinions about Tombstone Tales?  Read these blogs:

Janet Raines has some information on Tombstone Tales on her Examiner.com blog.

The Oklahoma Tellers blog mentions last year’s Tombstone Tales, plus it also talks about many similar storytelling events throughout the state.

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Tombstone Tales—Not As Scary As It Sounds!

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While the exhibits, livestock competitions, and some of the rides stay the same every year, the live entertainment tends to change.  Disney on Ice, however, almost always returns.  This year’s show is called “Let’s Celebrate” and features many of Disney’s most popular characters.  For the first time, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog will appear in the show.  Kids of all ages will love it, and parents will enjoy it too!

Other events include TNA Wrestling Live, which will be held on September 23^rd at 7:30 pm.  If that’s a bit too extreme for you, you can sit back and listen to the Eli Young Band on the 16^th, Grand Funk Railroad on the 17^th, Candy Coburn on the 18^th, and many other entertainers, including MC Hammer!  One event I’m thinking about attending is the Elvis Extravaganza, a regional Elvis impersonator contest, that will be held on the 21^st and 22^nd.  Who doesn’t love to see a dozen or more Elvises take the stage?  I don’t think I’ll be signing up to be in the contest, though!

I’ll admit the fair has changed over the years.  I remember riding the monorail as a kid, but it’s no longer in service.  From what I understand, the Space Needle may not be running this year, either.  I love seeing all of Oklahoma City spread out under me once the needle reached the top of its pole and started rotating.  Several other parts of the fairgrounds have changed, too, but I guess that’s just how life goes.  They’ve added some new buildings and updated others over the years, but while the state fair isn’t the same as it once was, it’s still a lot of fun.

Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children between 6 and 11.  Kids under 5 are free.  Carnival rides are $25 for an unlimited ride wristband Monday through Thursday and $30 Friday through Sunday.  On Thursdays, however, they are $19 if you bring a Dr. Pepper can with you.  Coupons for rides can also be purchased separately, with most rides requiring between three and five coupons.  A family fun pack containing 30 ride coupons is available for $20.  More information about the fair can be found at www.okstatefair.com.

 Want more on the state fair?  Check out these blogs:

 The Culinary Cellar talks about going to the state fair and about the great cookbooks they offer.

While it’s about the 2006 State Fair Centennial, the post over on Doug Dawgz Blog has some great information on the history of the fair and some nice pictures, too.

Fair Slice lists some of the newest events at the State Fair.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

The State Fair Returns

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Go to a sprayground.  These small water parks have replaced some playgrounds in OKC.  They offer pools, sprayers, and other fun toys that can help keep kids cool during the hot August month.

Head over to the OKC zoo.  Yes, it’s hot outside, and walking around the zoo may not be very appealing.  However, the new children’s zoo section is shady and very neat, plus you can always ride the tram around the zoo instead of walking.

Get a jump on your science class by visiting Science Museum Oklahoma.  Previously called the Omniplex, the museum has a lot of very cool hands-on exhibits.  End your visit with a trip through space at the planetarium and a visit to the gift shop.

Visit Frontier City or White Water Bay.  In fact, you can get often get double admission tickets to these two theme parks.  Frontier City features great roller coasters, magic shows, and more, while White Water has some amazing water slides and pools.

No matter what you and the kids do during their last few weeks of freedom, make sure it’s enjoyable.  A nice, relaxing family outing is a great way to bring summer to a close and start the school year off right.

OKC Blog Girl has some cheap things to do this summer on her blog.  Not all of them would make for good family events, though.

Rick Jackson’s Blog also has some ideas for end of summer activities.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

Getting Ready for School in OKC

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The inside of Kamp’s looks nothing like the outside.  It’s very comfortable, and the atmosphere is very relaxing.  You may see a few students scattered around the place studying, and there may even be some live musical entertainment if you come at the right time. 

To order any of Kamp’s great sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers, and other treats, just walk up to the counter, check out the menu, and make your selection.  They’ll call you when your order is done (which is usually not very long).  When I was there last, I had a great grilled chicken caesar salad, and my friend had the portabella roast sandwich.  Both were very reasonably priced.  In fact, there are many meals for less than $5.00. 

The market part of “Kamp’s Market & Deli” can be a bit misleading.  There’s not really a market any longer—there used to be, but when new owners took over Kamp’s several years ago, they slowly began phasing out the grocery store.  Now it features a small stage for live entertainment and a small dance floor for those wanting to get into the groove.

I have to admit that I miss the grocery store part of Kamp’s a bit.  It was nice to be able to grab a few choice cuts of meat and other necessities without going to a large supermarket.  There are few little grocery stores left in Oklahoma City these days, and it’s kind of a shame that it looks like the remaining ones may not be here for much longer.  But at least Kamp’s still has great food.  While the groceries may be gone, I have a feeling Kamp’s will continue to be a great OKC tradition for years to come.

Here are some other blogs that talk about Kamp’s Deli.

The Gossip [&] the Devil blog talks about the Dance Robots Dance DJ group, a group that hosts a dance party every Wednesday night at Kamp’s.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

Kamp’s Market & Deli

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Approved by Governor Henry, this tax holiday takes place throughout the entire state.  No city or state sales taxes are applied to certain items.  For clothing and shoes, they must be under $100 per item.  The tax break also does not apply to any accessories, footwear, or special clothing that is designed for athletic use but is not normally worn except when used for athletic activity.  That’s a little confusing, so if you’re not certain if an item qualifies, ask a sales clerk.

This year’s sales tax holiday begins on Friday, August 6^th at 12:01 a.m. and ends on Sunday, August 8^th, at 12:00 a.m.  Take advantage of it even if you’re not a student or have kids!

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

Oklahoma Sales Tax Holiday

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By “raw material” I mean the artists have created sculptures and other types of artwork by actually shredding, folding, and otherwise transforming books into different forms.  While I was a bit disturbed by seeing destroyed books, I have to admit that these pieces of art are very cool.  What’s neat is that while the books are warped and transformed, the text and spine of the books are kept unblemished—nothing is painted or otherwise covered, so it’s possible to see the title and the text of the books used in each piece of art.

Altered Books opens on July 8 with a lecture by artist Doug Beube at 6:00 p.m. followed by a reception on July 9 where visitors can meet and chat with the nine artists featured in the exhibit.  Altered Books will then run through October 9 at [Artspace] at Untitled.  Admission is completely free.  You can learn more about Altered Books at www.artspaceatuntitled.org.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

Altered Books Presents A Different Look at Books

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I’m a pretty big comic book fan, but I had no clue that our state was home to people like Sterling Gates.  Mr. Gates has written many titles for DC Comics, including Superman: Secret Files, Green Lantern Corps, and Supergirl.  Then there’s Chester Gould, the man who created Dick Tracey.  He’s from Pawnee, Oklahoma.  Another famous Oklahoma comic writer is Archie Goodwin, a Tulsa native who has written for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and did the comic adaptations of the Star Wars movies.

So what do these people have in common besides being from Oklahoma?  Their work and the works of other comic writers and artists are part of The Uncanny Adventures of Okie Artists, an interactive exhibit currently at the Oklahoma History Center.  The exhibit opened on June 12 and seems to be open-ended, as no end date has been listed.  Entry to the exhibit is included in the standard center admission fee ($7 for adults, $4 for students).  The center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you’re interested in cartoons, comic books, or the history of Oklahoma, you’ll find The Uncanny Adventures of Okie Artists to be incredibly interesting.  I loved the exhibit and was really surprised at some of the comics that were drawn or written by Oklahomans. 

You can find more information about the exhibit at www.okhistorycenter.org and at okiecartoonists.org.

Blogs that discuss this exhibit:

Mike Lynch Cartoons includes a press release and video about the event.

The Nerdage blog also has a video showing off some of the exhibit and interviewing some visitors.

The Tulsa World has a nice article about the exhibit.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

The Uncanny Adventures of Okie Artists

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07/01 – 07/04 – OKC Summer Classic Dog Show at the Cox Center

07/01 – Noon Tunes: Okie Dokey Banjo Band at the Downtown Library

07/02 & 07/03 – Soundtrack to a Revolution at the OKC Museum of Art

07/02 – 07/17 – Reefer Madness the Musical at the Carpenter Square Theatre

07/02 – 07/17 – The Taming of the Shrew by OK Shakespeare in the Park

07/02 – WWE RAW World Tour at the Ford Center

07/03 – Red, White & BOOM! by the OKC Philharmonic in Bricktown

07/03 – Stephen Speaks performs at Noona’s Purple Bar

07/04 – 07/07 – Red Hawks vs. Sounds at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark

07/05 – NoNo Jazz Jam at the Prohibition Room

07/06 – 07/10 – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by the Lyric Theatre at the Civic Center

07/08 – Noon Tunes: Marianne Searle & UCO Music Theater at the Downtown Library

07/09 – LIVE on the Plaza! at the Plaza District

07/09 – 10/02 – Altered Books at [Artspace] at Untitled

07/10 – Yard Dawgz vs. Barnstormers at the Cox Center

07/10 – Stephen Speaks at Noona’s Purple Bar

07/11 – Twilight Concerts: Jamie Bramble on the Stage Center lawn

07/12 – NoNo Jazz Jam at the Prohibition Room

07/14 – 07 18 – French Cinema Week at the OKC Museum of Art

07/15 – 07/18 – Red Hawks vs. Cubs at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark

07/15 – Noon Tunes: Sugar-Free All-Stars at the Downtown Library

07/15 – 08/07 – The Comedy of Errors at OK Shakespeare in the Park

07/16 – Bright Night at the Movies at Science Museum Oklahoma

07/16 – Rocky Kanaga performs at Noona’s Purple Bar

07/16 – 08/01 – High School Musical at the Poteet Theatre

07/17 & 07/18 – Water Garden Tour throughout the OKC metro area

07/18 – Twilight Concerts: Hoppy Niles & One-Arm Bandit on the Stage Center lawn

07/19 – NoNo Jazz Jam at the Prohibition Room

07/20 – Lady Gaga in concert at the Ford Center

07/20 – 07/24 – 42^nd Street at the Civic Center

07/22 – Noon Tunes: McMichael School of Music’s Rock Clinic at the Downtown Library

07/23 – 07/25 – Rock-N-America Music Festival at the Zoo Amphitheatre

07/24 – Dancing for a Miracle, a benefit for the Children’s Miracle Network, at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel

07/24 – Day of the American Cowboy at the National Cowboy Museum

07/24 – Rally on the Row at the IAO Gallery

07/24 – Red Dirt Rebellion Rollergirls vs. Broward Country Derby Girls at the Cox Center

07/25 – Twilight Concerts: Tajj on the Stage Center lawn

07/26 – NoNo Jazz Jam at the Prohibition Room

07/27 – ESPN/OKC All Sports Golf Invitational at the Twin Hills Golf Club

07/27 – 07/30 – Red Hawks vs. Express at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark

07/29 – Noon Tunes: Danny Vaughan Trio at the Downtown Library

07/30 – 08/01 – I Am Love film at the OKC Museum of Art

07/30 – Jacob Becannen & Mark Vollertson perform at Nonna’s Purple Bar

07/30 – Yard Dawgz vs. Talons at the Cox Center

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

July Events in Oklahoma City

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Things kick off with a parade downtown.  This parade features over a thousand participants in full tribal garb.  The parade follows the E.K. Gaylord avenue and starts at 10.  Once the parade is over with, visitors can browse the many different art exhibitions.  Here, you’ll find many different types of art, including baskets, jewelry, pottery, paintings, beadwork, sculpture, and more.  Some exhibits are for viewing only, but others include items you can purchase. 

In addition to the parade and the arts, there are also dance competitions and demonstrations.  They’re held all weekend starting at 1:00 p.m. each day.  In addition to the competitions, there’s the Gourd Dance, a very interesting event that must be seen by all festival-goers.

Finally, Saturday morning features the Red Earth Run, a 5k run and 2 mile walk that starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Regatta Park.  All ages are welcome, and for your $25 registration fee, you get admission to the festival and a t-shirt.

The festival is held at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.  Tickets are available online and at the door.  They’re $10 for adults and $7.50 for teens under 17.  Kids under 6 are free.  If you want to attend all three days, it’s $20 ($15 for those under 17). 

For more information about the Red Earth Festival, check out these blogs:

BAM’s Blog also talks about the Red Earth Festival.

Looking for a place to stay?  The Best Western Hotels blog talks about the festival and offers great accommodations.

A video of a previous year’s festival can be found on the You Have to be this Tall to Go on this Ride Blog.

Post from: Clearly Oklahoma City

The Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival

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