Weekend Getaway

What an amazing and fantastic weekend.  You might be thinking, "Didn't she just get back from a vacation to New Mexico last month?" and the answer would be, "Yes, yes I did." J and I had a Groupon to use and it was close to expiring.  So we decided to head up to my second home and land of the Oklahoma Sooners. Boomer!

This, was of course, after I showed him around Sulphur and where I work.  We spent some time in Chickasaw National Recreation Area driving through one of the state's "Fall Foliage Drives." You better hurry if you want to see it since the fall is falling rapidly.  There are lots of deer that frequent the park, but for once I saw a buck! I kept telling J "Look it's a buck, I cannot believe I'm seeing a buck!" I'm sure he was like "Really?"  I have been through that park hundreds of times and have never laid eyes upon one.  So of course I took a picture.

Don't forget while you are in the park to stop by the Travertine Nature Center and see the displays.  They also have a seven minute video that talks about the area around the park.  

Saturday just also happened to be National Bison Day.  Luck would have it, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area has a Bison Viewpoint and they were out front and center that morning.  Usually they are back somewhere in their area and you cannot see them.

Once we finished up there, we headed towards Norman.  Man was that exciting.  It's shameful being an alumni and rarely (because of schedules) being in the land I have come to love.  Since it was a home game and not a chance of finding any parking space anywhere in Norman then we decided to head up to Oklahoma City and knock out the museum.

Now this is not just any museum, this museum is full of Chihuly Glass.  You're probably thinking what? Well let me tell you about Dale Chihuly.  This guy is one of the most amazing artists to ever create something magnificent.  You will not find anything like it.  His glass is all over the U.S. So that kind of makes this museum extra special.  My favorite piece of glass is the three-floor high tower, completely made of glass.

Pretty cool huh? You're welcome.

After we finished getting our Chihuly fix, we went over to Bricktown because J wanted to go to Toby Keith's I Love this Bar.  So that's where we went.  We were not going to get anything big since we had, prior too the museum, been to Buffalo Wild Wings.

We really were only going in for dessert.  Then J decided he really wanted to try the fried bologna sandwich.  So we decided to share that and some sauteed mushrooms...so good, wheel me out and dump me on the sidewalk good.  They do not have the pies listed on their menu, so be sure to ask your waitress if you ever find yourself there.

You cannot go to Norman and not make a stop at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art that is located on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.  We had planned to make a specific stop because of the Immortals exhibition they have going on through early December.  This exhibition is Roman busts from the Musei Capitolini in Rome.  I am all over these kinds of exhibitions like bee on a flower.  You should really take advantage of these types of exhibitions, because believe me they are not easy to undertake.  Plus, you have a chance to see something from another country that you may never have a change to go and physically see.

Last, and certainly not least, tacos.  Oh yes my friends, tacos.  You definitely have not been through Norman thoroughly until you have stopped for lunch or dinner at Tarahumara's Mexican Cafe and Cantina.  This place is the bomb.  The service you cannot beat and the portions, well you can eat on them for days.  J even was quoted as saying this was the best Mexican food he had ever had in Oklahoma.  That is saying something since he was raised in New Mexico and that food is on a whole different level.  

So go people, get out there and have some tacos from Tarahumara's and see the art available in Norman and Oklahoma City.  You won't regret it.