I wish they would ban smoking on the upstairs patio. I was up there last night but it was so heavy with smoke I couldn't stay long.

I wish they would ban smoking on the upstairs patio. I was up there last night but it was so heavy with smoke I couldn't stay long.

No breeze I guess?

No breeze I guess?

Maybe so. It's still something they should get control over. I don't think its supposed to be a smoking area anyways. There are no ashtrays there so the floor is littered with cigarette butts.

If it's outdoors, you really can't ban smoking and this isn't California.

Pete, I probably sound like a broken record, but any indications on a restaurant operator?

If it's outdoors, you really can't ban smoking and this isn't California.

Understood. They should at least put out some ashtrays so people can properly dispose of their butts rather than littering the floor with them.

If it's outdoors, you really can't ban smoking and this isn't California.

So there is no law saying where you can smoke on a military installation in oklahoma or that requires you to be a certain distance away from doors?

If it's outdoors, you really can't ban smoking and this isn't California.

On private property they absolutely can ban smoking, even if it's outdoors.

On private property they absolutely can ban smoking, even if it's outdoors.

You can not smoke on a state facility as well. None of the buildings in the Capitol complex allows smoking in or around the building, outside or not. People walk across Lincoln and smoke on the next street over. Smoking in the parking lot in your car is not allowed.

Do they allow smoking at the O Bar, inside or on the patio?

Do they allow smoking at the O Bar, inside or on the patio?

Allowed on the patio. I can't think of many (or any) of the new bars that have opened that allow smoking indoors. Granted, most of them are a restuarant/bar combo so it would be far less likely. Good trend in my opinion.

Do they allow smoking at the O Bar, inside or on the patio?

They even have a small humidor. Honestly - as a non-smoker (occasional cigars) - a rooftop patio is where smoking belongs. I have no problem with it. And the night Chris was complaining about was absolutely still, which rarely happens in Oklahoma. I do agree though that if they allow it they should provide (regularly-emptied/cleaned) ashtrays.

If it's outdoors, you really can't ban smoking and this isn't California.

Sure you can. Most open air stadiums (be it football, baseball, high school, college, professional) have banned smoking. The zoo is smoke free. Etc. and so on.

Chesapeake does not allow smoking anywhere on their campus, even in the individual's car. They have to get in their car and drive off of campus to smoke.

They even have a small humidor. Honestly - as a non-smoker (occasional cigars) - a rooftop patio is where smoking belongs. .

Plenty of non-smokers would disagree with you, me being one.

Absolutely hate being around it and don't like it when beautiful outdoors space -- which I almost always prefer to indoors -- becomes a concentrated smoking porch.

Plenty of non-smokers would disagree with you, me being one.

Absolutely hate being around it and don't like it when beautiful outdoors space -- which I almost always prefer to indoors -- becomes a concentrated smoking porch.

+1

The Aloft patio deserves better than that.

Plenty of non-smokers would disagree with you, me being one.

Absolutely hate being around it and don't like it when beautiful outdoors space -- which I almost always prefer to indoors -- becomes a concentrated smoking porch.

+1000

how can they stop you from smoking in your car?

I don't smoke and hate it where im going but even I believe a smoker should do as they wish in their own space/car/house.

smoking is banned pretty much everywhere up here but plenty smoke in their cars, yes, I can smell them on the freeway - I just get out of their vector or pass them altogether but I don't care what they do. I don't think my company has law prohibiting smoking in car - just don't see how it could be enforced.

^

When there is a smoking ban on a property and your car is parked there, the ban is still in effect.

This is exactly how it works in schools. Teachers (and students, for that matter) can't merely slip out to their cars and smoke.

hm, Im not sure that is the case here or if I is even enforceable. Just drive off is someone is coming. lol?

Meh, smoke goes up. I'm not bothered by a rooftop. ESPECIALLY if it is big enough to have smoking and non-smoking areas. What is important to me is that interiors aren't sullied with it, unless it is specifically a place like WSKY.

Sid - Looking forward to hearing your observations on the progress in Deep Deuce, and if it's improved any.

Yes, looking forward to Sid.a insider assessment of the city. :..

Bump ;)

Why do they force you to use Valet? Can you explain your experience with that? If I was visiting from out of town, I would not like that. It would waste my time (and money).

The garage entrance on Walnut is blocked and you can only enter the garage from under the canopy. Where they meet you and have a rope across to stop you. You pull up and they tell you that it is valet parking only in the garage. You get out and they drive your car 50' and park it.

The garage was almost entirely empty the entire time. I'm not sure how many people will need to park a car when staying at this hotel simply because of its location, either. I'm sure there are some (like you, maybe). But I'm curious.

This was a peeve of mine also when I recently attended an event in the meeting space. I drove around the block a couple of times looking for an entrance to the garage before If found out that you have to use valet. My parking cost was covered by the event but I still had to tip the valet parker.

Unfortunate how badly our skyline is marred by parking facilities. Any thoughts on how the surrounding neighborhood is progressing?

I'm genuinely curious to see how much foot traffic there will be when all the apartments are finished.

I would certainly think it will have to be a noticeable difference, Sid. There will be a significant change in the number of people in that area on a regular basis.

Yeah, assuming 1.5 per unit which is generally the downtown standard, the Deep Deuce area could see:

400 at Steelyard?
50+ more at The Hill?
150 at Mosaic
300 at Maywood Phase II
450 at Metropolitan?

OKSEA open as a new attraction?

Redevelopment beginning to happen along Harrison? LEVEL East coming after all the under-construction projects? 4-5 more hotels added to the mix?

I am curious to see how vibrant Deep Deuce could be if we do it right, which is always the question in OKC.

Yeah, assuming 1.5 per unit which is generally the downtown standard, the Deep Deuce area could see:

400 at Steelyard?
50+ more at The Hill?
150 at Mosaic
300 at Maywood Phase II
450 at Metropolitan?

OKSEA open as a new attraction?

Redevelopment beginning to happen along Harrison? LEVEL East coming after all the under-construction projects? 4-5 more hotels added to the mix?

I am curious to see how vibrant Deep Deuce could be if we do it right, which is always the question in OKC.

Deep Deuce is getting close to being done already so I'm not quite sure what you're referring to. It's going to be vibrant with what is already happening.

Are the sidewalks crowded?

Does anyone ever run into someone they know?

Are the sidewalks crowded?

Does anyone ever run into someone they know?

LOL, maybe, maybe not. Even in NYC you can walk down the street for days without running into someone you know even if the streets are crowded. It's not likely the streets in DD will ever be crowded, no matter how it's developed. Vibrant doesn't have to mean crowded.

The sidewalks in DD are crowded only because they are too small. Pointless tree and lanscape cutouts everywhere and most of them don't even have an up-kept landscape piece in it.

The sidewalks surrounding Aloft are specifically atrocious - there is still a random streetlight stump that is perfect for tripping over at night. Not sure what it's purpose is since it has been there since inception of Aloft and never been a pole on it.

Betting that OKSea will help a lot in that regard.

OKSEA, the restaurant space at Maywood II, and perhaps a future restaurant at Aloft will help. The Metropolitan doesn't have retail space, so those people will be prowling the neighborhood for services and food. It'll keep getting better.

This was a peeve of mine also when I recently attended an event in the meeting space. I drove around the block a couple of times looking for an entrance to the garage before If found out that you have to use valet. My parking cost was covered by the event but I still had to tip the valet parker.


If valet is the only option, don't tip. Doing so only reinforces their decision to put everyone's car at risk of damage for the sake of appearance of prestige. This is an Aloft, not a Four Seasons.

Never liked the way this project has all the detail and signage on the north side, when the south side is much more visible and much more likely to be seen from the heavily-trafficked Bricktown area.

December 24 2014

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7483/15915585538_08b1d851c4_h.jpg

I went to the wxyz bar last Saturday night. Probably won't be going back -- bartenders (at least the ones on the upstairs bar) constantly ignored me, while racing over to serve every female who walked up to the bar. I hate bartenders like that. You are there to pour drinks, not hit on women and only serving them.

I went to the wxyz bar last Saturday night. Probably won't be going back -- bartenders (at least the ones on the upstairs bar) constantly ignored me, while racing over to serve every female who walked up to the bar. I hate bartenders like that. You are there to pour drinks, not hit on women and only serving them.

Dude, you evaluate on pretty superficial criteria, but that's your prerogative

I went to the wxyz bar last Saturday night. Probably won't be going back -- bartenders (at least the ones on the upstairs bar) constantly ignored me, while racing over to serve every female who walked up to the bar. I hate bartenders like that. You are there to pour drinks, not hit on women and only serving them.

Seems logical to me. I dunno. Bartenders are there to serve, they shouldn't serve only certain people.

For the record, both times I went there I did NOT notice this behavior.

I haven't been to wxyz. It probably depends on who was serving the night you went. But when it does happen, it can completely ruin your experience. The one time I went to the Mule (which people here seem to love), the bartenders did exactly that. I will never go back to that place.

[/B]
Dude, you evaluate on pretty superficial criteria, but that's your prerogative

If your job is to tend the bar, you are there to serve everyone. Why would I go somewhere that I have to wait 20 minutes to be served, when other bars know me by name? Bartenders will make more money by making regulars out of males than they will serving cheap cocktails to hot women.

^^^^^
Fact.

For the record, both times I went there I did NOT notice this behavior.
I noticed it.

Personally am not a fan of wxyz. I love going to the aLoft to hang out on the rooftop and enjoy the view, but the bar there is kind of meh to me. It would be great if I was staying in the hotel but it's not a place I get super excited about going just to go. Now WSKY down the street is awesome.

I went to the wxyz bar last Saturday night. Probably won't be going back -- bartenders (at least the ones on the upstairs bar) constantly ignored me, while racing over to serve every female who walked up to the bar. I hate bartenders like that. You are there to pour drinks, not hit on women and only serving them.

Same thing was happening at Fassler Hall when I was there checking it out this weekend. They were also majorly understaffed.

Happened to me at main event last weekend.

Sounds like some folk need an attractive drinking buddy to hang out with. :)

Nice thought, but I'll not leave my cocktail procurement up to the chance that I am out with an attractive lady. In fact most times I am thankfully without one - by choice - when imbibing. The secret is to limit your rotation to places with professional, high-quality barmen (or women).

Sounds like some folk need an attractive drinking buddy to hang out with. :)

Sounds like the males here need to frequent places with female bartenders. That does exist here, believe it or not.

Sounds like the males here need to frequent places with female bartenders. That does exist here, believe it or not.

I don't care what genitals the bartender has. If I want a drink I should be served one and not have to beg because the bartender is busy flirting or giving priority to those he/she thinks will come home with him/her that night.

I had no problems at WSKY. Or at most of the places I've gone. But on those occasions when it happens, I make note of it, and I don't go back. It's not like OKC is running out of places that charge money for alcohol.

I had no problems at WSKY. Or at most of the places I've gone. But on those occasions when it happens, I make note of it, and I don't go back. It's not like OKC is running out of places that charge money for alcohol.

That's very true. I can't remember ever having that kind of problem here so it just isn't an issue for me. I'm sure it happens though. I have had that happen at resort hotels in Mexico occasionally. It's not an isolated OKC problem and I suggest making sure, at some point, that management is aware of it instead of just venting frustrations here. Just not going back won't remedy the situation for others.

Their management may be interested that a reputation is starting to develop they may want to quash. Lots of people are reading this.

Sounds like the males here need to frequent places with female bartenders. That does exist here, believe it or not.

The Sip comes to mind

I don't pub much. When I am out, more often than not I am with my lovely. She brings out the friendly in all folks. Just something about her soul.
When I used to do the meeting after the meeting evenings with coworkers, well, let's just leave it as I was the lone ugly duckling in a rather good looking gaggle of fine feathery friends from both genders. Guess I've been a bit spoiled over the years.

I've tried going to WXYZ twice - both times within their posted hours and both times the bartenders told me they were closed. Haven't tried a third time.

I second whoever said management needs to take note of these problems and make adjustments. With all the new places opening up in OKC, establishments need to be at the top of their game or people will just go elsewhere. Competition is a lot stiffer than it used to be and because of that, I expect to see survival of the fittest play out among OKC's bar and restaurant scene over the next few years.