New In OKC

[pulse]

I just moved to Oklahoma City(2weeks). I am now just working and sleeping. I am getting bored from here. Give me some advice what can I do here , where can I go?

[kmf563]

What interests you?

[JB1975]

You could hang out on OKCTalk with the other emo twentysomethings and complain about how "uncool" Oklahoma City is.

Seriously, though, unless you have an unlimted amount of time and disposable income, you're going to be "bored" anywhere. I'm thinking you are bored, not because there is "nothing to do" so much as you are new and you don't have many friends. If I were you, I'd tap into my interests....find a club, church, something where there are people with similar interests,....and then you'll find plenty to do.

HTH.

[bandnerd]

If you're just sitting around, then yeah, you're going to get bored. There's plenty to do! But some specifics on what you enjoy would certainly help. Are you a night owl? Do you like movies? Do you like art/sports/etc?

[bwana_bob]

Poor, sad, little purple face. You must have moved here from a city that operates like Tan and Tone America - robotic activity to maintain your sense of hustle and bustle in an exciting and quite possibly, exotic, locale. When you awake from your slumber, please let us know how you disdain everything about our little cow town. Tell us all about the beautiful, sleek, tanned people you were once surrounded by - none of whom needed to contribute to a city wide million pound purge. Regale us with your tales of wine, women and song - if you're into that type of thing - or of cultural events that uplifted your soul and expanded your mind. Even though you seem like a whiny, little sad sack upon first glance, we'll take you under our wings - that's the sort of people we are (and hey, sorry for the smelly armpits, maybe you'd rather stand next to our wings).

Waaaaah!

[pulse]

I don't know about wings, but I like everything from sport except football , I like movies , walking around I don't have many friends here , I like all type of art from modern to gothic , I am not really church person but... When I was moving here I heard that here you have international community (Russians, Armenians) I know both language and I will like to find some friends.

I like everything and I am interested in everything. Please when you are giving me advice think that from way what do you like, and share with me

Thank you

[Mandy]

Don't judge OKC by the responses here. There are so many friendly, wonderful people out in the city. I moved here from the Dallas area a year ago and I love it here. To me it's like a suburb, but with the conveniences of a city.

You need to meet people to find things to do. Have you met people at work? I don't like to work, so it was hard for me to meet people but I managed. There are groups you can join and things you can volunteer for to meet people. There are plenty of websites out there that will tell you about things to do here. Did anyone call you to pick up a welcome basket? We got a welcome basket with info in it. There seems like there isn't a lot to do here at first, but you just have to find them.

[Karried]

Don't judge OKC by the responses here. There are so many friendly, wonderful people out in the city.

I agree.. some of these responses were kind of harsh.. but welcome to OKC. Most people are really nice here..

Keep reading and getting ideas on things to do.. in no time, you'll meet some friends and find a lot of interesting things to do.

Try walking around Lake Hefner.. it's been really windy lately but when it calms down a bit, it's a nice place to walk.

[FritterGirl]

Hi pulse,

Welcome to OKC. You say you like art. There is a great art show this weekend (tomorrow and Saturday night) called "Momentum." There will be over 130 artists whose works are on display, and all of the artists are under 30. All different types of art forms will be represented, from more traditional genres, including two-dimensional paintings and photography, to sculpture, abstract pieces, and performance art.

It's a really neat show. It is taking place in an old furniture warehouse located on Portland Avenue at S.W. 2nd Street. I believe the show starts at about 8 p.m. each night, and admission tickets are $15.

[lpecan]

My take on things. Don't mind the few rough responses. OKC has a largely undeserved reputation of being boring, and people here are very sensitive to it. As far as stuff to do, I'll at least take you through my weekly routine.

I pick up the gazette every Wednesday. They have a website, but I don't think its as useful as the paper www.okgazette.com . That's the best listing of events here in town. It also features a number of independent restaurant suggestions weekly.

I go to the websites for allied arts okc and the arts council okc. There is a decent theater community here and you'll be able to find most things by looking there.

Check the local colleges and universities. OU, Rose State, UCO and OCU. You'll find a lot of guest-speakers, jazz acts (at UCO) and performances.

Check OKCtalk. People post events all the time here.

Also, I like to check out the websites for the Oklahoma Science Museum, Museum of Art etc.; there's always something new.

If you like restaurants, eataroundokc.com is a new website which reviews a lot of local places, you can also cruise the food court forum here.

Lastly, just ask. If there was something you enjoyed doing where you used to live, someone will probably be able to help you find something similar here. I moved from So. Florida, and I was convinced that I was going to hate it here, but I have really enjoyed my time here and met some great people.

[FritterGirl]

lpecan mentioned the art museum. They have a cinema there that screens foreign and independent "art" films every weekend. it's also a great place to go.

[kmf563]

hmmmm.... interesting.

As far as the Armenian connection, there are two churches in the city I am aware of. 1. St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church Tel: 405-271-6582
and then there is the St. Benedict Orthodox Church 405-672-1441 which is more russian orthodox.

There are international student groups at the universities - I know uco in edmond, ou in norman, and ocu in oklahoma city all have these. You could probably make some friends there.

As far as something to do I would agree on picking up the gazette and the look@okc free magazines around town. They have a pretty good listing of all events. You can find these at starbucks, liquor stores, and local pubs.

[metro]

Welcome to OKC! OKC is a city in resurgence right now and you picked a great time to move! Feel free to ask any of us about any event or type of things you like and we'll be happy to suggest things. In downtown's Art Quarter there is the Oklahoma City Museum of Art that has a nice restaurant and indie film theater but the museum itself always has nice traveling exhibits as well as great permanent displays. There is also the Civic Center Music Hall in the Arts Quarter that has wonderful plays, operas, concerts and other events. Automobile Alley and Midtown are also up and coming districts. The Plaza District and Paseo are great eclectic arts districts with lots to see and do. Bricktown is probably the most happening nightclub/entertainment district at the moment which is on the east side of downtown. There are many restaurants and clubs down there, baseball stadium, theater, a canal to walk or ride a boat on. The Oklahoma Riverr (or CORE to SHORE area) is an up and coming area. The River has large events and regattas several times a year. There is always plenty going on downtown as well. The Asian district is a neat little district to explore. Capitol Hill and Stockyards City are also hidden little districts that are nice. Capitol Hill is more of a hispanic downtown mercado type district and Stockyards City is where the old/current stockyards are and has a very western them with shops and restaurants. Penn Square Mall area is good if you like upscale shopping. Memorial Rd. is good if you like chain shopping and chain restaurants, you'll find plenty of them up there. Feel free to ask about anything else.

As someone said, the free Oklahoma Gazette that comes out on Wednesdays is a great start. Also OKCTalk is a huge asset. There are also plenty of organizations to get involved with, young professionals, downtowners, toastmasters, urban league, and tons of other organizations.

[bandnerd]

I'm probably no help, because I'm a total homebody and most of my evening activities are work (school) related, i.e. high school basketball games, concerts, plays, musicals, etc.

The Ford center often has things going on in the sports/concert world, there are comedy clubs around town, the newest being in Bricktown (near downtown) and there is always the zoo or western heritage museum around 1-44 and MLK.

[Misty]

I love living in Oklahoma City, but it's a HUGE adjustment coming from other places. I still can't find enough things (that interest me and are FUN) to fill my time, so I spend a lot more time at home now than I ever have. There are a lot of events here, but I find the "fun" element seriously lacking sometimes. I miss the music scene in Austin every day. But, the people here are nice and once you start meeting people you will make the best lifelong friends you've ever had. You said you like walking around, and we have a serious lack of sidewalks, so be careful! Definitely check out downtown/bricktown. If you look like either of the Klitschko brothers I'll give you a personal tour

[namellac]

Tonite and tomorrow.

OVAC Momentum Tulsa and Oklahoma City

[JB1975]

My apologies if my response was harsh. It's just that I have never had to be "entertained" to enjoy life, and find the need to be kind of shallow. It's difficult to not take personally someone dumping on your home out of their shallow need to be entertained. Not saying that was what you are doing, but trying to give you some perspective on where I come from. Our city is polite (I think "polite" is more accurate than "friendly"), but we also have a chip on our shoulder as not only do we have outsiders that tend to tear us down, but our own likes to tear us down as well. Our culture is one of conservative self-loathing, and I am dying to see that change.

The person that said that OKC is a HUGE adjustment from other places I suspect hasn't been to very many other places. It honestly isn't that much different, unless you are comparing it to NY, the West Coast cities, or Dallas. It admittedly is very different from those cities, but it isn't Mayberry either.


With all of that said, I stand by my statement that it is more who you are with than what you are doing. It'd be nice to live near a beach, but if you have no friends, family, or SO to share it with, what fun is that? I'd love to live in the mountains, but if there is no one to share that with, I'm still a lonely person. I just happen to be a lonely person that lives near a mountain range. Can you honestly afford to go to pro sports game every night? Are you going to go to Sea World every weekend? Are you going to go to Fisherman's Wharf every weekend? And on top of all of this, there are few cities around that have ALL of these things.

"Things to do" is overrated. "People to hang out with" is underrated.

[lpecan]

OK... so this is the last post about me. I just want to let you know what I'll be doing, so you can get a sample of what one might be able to do in a weekend. By the way, I'm probably your typical single 22 yr old male.

Friday:

Go to the Momentum exhibit - $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Go to Gailileo in the paseo, typically live music there - Whatever I spend on food / drinks
Maybe go to the coco flow... by far the best espresso in town, and live jazz on Friday nights - $3

Saturday:

Go to the Full Body Comedy thing at IAO - $7
Have dinner at the queen of sheba (by the way, they turn into an after hours club after 2am, the only one I know of here in town... totally unexpected)

Sunday:

Go grocery shopping in the morning... Everyone is in church, its the best time to avoid the lines. Not that this is entertainment, but it is good advice.
Blazers (hockey) game - $10

Monday its back to work- also The Oklahoma Barack Obama campaign is having a sorta grand opening at noon, if you're into that sort of thing.

I think the gazette says it best. If you're bored, its not their fault. This isn't Manhattan or Miami (I have lived in and loved both), but I've always been able to find something to do. There's no central entertainment district (BT really isn't), so you do a little homework and venture out. You'll be rewarded. You'll find the true blessing of this town is that everything is really cheap, and almost never crowded, which is great for young folks on a budget.

PM me if I can help with anything.

Welcome!

[bwana_bob]

Go to the Momentum exhibit - $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Maybe go to the coco flow... - $3
Go to the Full Body Comedy thing at IAO - $7
Blazers (hockey) game - $10
!

Having the energy of a deranged bunny rabbit on crack and living the dream in OKC.... priceless. For everyone else, there's Cox Cable.

[namellac]

Momentum is AWESOME this year!

Be sure to catch Perpetual Motion Modern Dance!

And there's this dude in a white body stocking who stands motionless for 6 hours - or is it a manequin? The venue is MUCH better this year.

[dismayed]

I think the most striking difference I see here compared to most other cities of this size I've visited is the people. Life is very homoginized here... not a lot of diversity. Wandering around with the general population at times it seems like everyone is white, low to middle class, conservative, Republican, evangelical religious, shops for clothes at the same 4 stores at the mall, enjoys rock that is a few years behind the power curve or country music, has cultural nights out which include drinking 3.2 beer and watching NASCAR or OU football, got married at 19 and divorced by 26, and so on.

Not that there's anything wrong with the above, it's just SO MANY people here fall into that category. Like one of the last posters, I'm one who thinks that the fun comes with the people you meet, and I think it's fun to meet people who are different, interesting, and in some ways challenge you. Unfortunately that is a little harder to come by here. But the good news is that there is hope... there are various communities, clubs, classes, etc. that you can enroll in and become a member of or just pall around with where you can meet people who aren't all of the same cookie cutter. It takes time to find what you are looking for... start now and hang in there.

[Tex]

I think the most striking difference I see here compared to most other cities of this size I've visited is the people. Life is very homoginized here... not a lot of diversity. Wandering around with the general population at times it seems like everyone is white, low to middle class, conservative, Republican, evangelical religious, shops for clothes at the same 4 stores at the mall, enjoys rock that is a few years behind the power curve or country music, has cultural nights out which include drinking 3.2 beer and watching NASCAR or OU football, got married at 19 and divorced by 26, and so on.

Not that there's anything wrong with the above, it's just SO MANY people here fall into that category. Like one of the last posters, I'm one who thinks that the fun comes with the people you meet, and I think it's fun to meet people who are different, interesting, and in some ways challenge you. Unfortunately that is a little harder to come by here. But the good news is that there is hope... there are various communities, clubs, classes, etc. that you can enroll in and become a member of or just pall around with where you can meet people who aren't all of the same cookie cutter. It takes time to find what you are looking for... start now and hang in there.

lmao! you stole the words out of my mouth. I sense the flames coming soon...

[dismayed]

lmao! you stole the words out of my mouth. I sense the flames coming soon...

Well then let me go ahead and throw some gasoline on the fire. In just about any other city of 1.2+ million people, if you are 28, financially responsible, appreciate art and fine wine, and not married, you're considered a normal or cool person. Here, you're weird. Why aren't you married, are you gay? Why do you like wine and not beer, are you from a liberal state? You like art too? You must be gay and liberal. Or Canadian.

[mecarr]

I think the most striking difference I see here compared to most other cities of this size I've visited is the people. Life is very homoginized here... not a lot of diversity. Wandering around with the general population at times it seems like everyone is white, low to middle class, conservative, Republican, evangelical religious, shops for clothes at the same 4 stores at the mall, enjoys rock that is a few years behind the power curve or country music, has cultural nights out which include drinking 3.2 beer and watching NASCAR or OU football, got married at 19 and divorced by 26, and so on.

.

Well look, you get what you make of it. If you do not want to try and find people like yourself but instead randomly walk up to people, do not expect them to be like you. Find your niche. There are not many, if any, communities in the US that are as diverse as you would like them to be. Sure, San Fran is ethnically diverse, but it is as politically diverse as Oklahoma. I dunno, I just can't think of any place out where where there are large amounts of different ethnicities, with strong and significant political differences, that enthusiastically support everything from football to tennis. Just ain't out there.

[CCOKC]

I think the most striking difference I see here compared to most other cities of this size I've visited is the people. Life is very homoginized here... not a lot of diversity. Wandering around with the general population at times it seems like everyone is white, low to middle class, conservative, Republican, evangelical religious, shops for clothes at the same 4 stores at the mall, enjoys rock that is a few years behind the power curve or country music, has cultural nights out which include drinking 3.2 beer and watching NASCAR or OU football, got married at 19 and divorced by 26, and so on.

Not that there's anything wrong with the above, it's just SO MANY people here fall into that category. Like one of the last posters, I'm one who thinks that the fun comes with the people you meet, and I think it's fun to meet people who are different, interesting, and in some ways challenge you. Unfortunately that is a little harder to come by here. But the good news is that there is hope... there are various communities, clubs, classes, etc. that you can enroll in and become a member of or just pall around with where you can meet people who aren't all of the same cookie cutter. It takes time to find what you are looking for... start now and hang in there.

OK, I'll bite on this one too. I lived in Idaho where I could go literally days without seeing a person of color. No exageration. The population of Idaho is 95% white. That is lack of diversity.