NBA Players Think OKC is Boring...boo hoo

[jc4455]

Man, jc, you really have some problems with people if thats your problem. Did your Dad beat you or something? Now, I've lived in Dallas and you can't drink in the parks there. I've lived in Denver and you can't drink in the parks there - but they don't seem to have a problem with harder drugs being bought and sold in certain parks. I'm not sure where you feel like its OK to go drink in a park but you are giving Dallas way more credit than it deserves on that basis.

Really, it kind of sounds like you have uncovered a business opportunity here. Open a bar for 20-30's and make it clear that children aren't welcome. Actually, anyplace in town that is opened as a tavern fits this description because in OK, you can't have children in a bar area. In TX, you can't have children in a bar after 6PM. In CO they don't seem to have a problem with it at all.

wtf? Did my dad beat me? what is that supposed to mean?

For one thing I never said we go to Dallas to drink in parks. We go to Dallas because the clubs are more fun and it's generally cheaper than BT in the long run, not counting gas to get down there.

A pure sports bar would be awesome. I can't figure out why nobody's opened one in BT. I know Daiquiri Zone was a sports bar, but the name and the sorta pretentiousness about it didn't really appeal.

[jc4455]

Have you heard the term, "Ugly American?" That behavior sounds exactly lwhat the Europeans complain about when we go over and act like jerks instead of being respectful to the locals and natives.

Yes, of course you're right. A bunch of people, at a sports-themed establishment, watching a game on the bigscreen, cheering on the game and having fun is the problem.

I should have realized it earlier. The whole situation is the fault of the 20-30 somethings that live in OKC. We're obnoxious, ugly Americans who have absolutely no respect for anyone else.

No wonder we're staying here in droves.

[Bunty]

I'm thinking truck in some hookers and blow.

Let's legalize prostitution first. With some guys, while they may be good looking studs, they want sex even more often than they can get it for free. Prostitution shouldn't be look upon as something for just mainly ugly or homely guys who can't get a date.

[OSUFan]

Ok, this is a major part of the problem.

I know people like to proclaim that every place you listed is "hip", but guess what? They aren't.

Paseo is the only one that comes close, but you've got to deal with the aforementioned middle-aged people trying to recapture their youth. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that, but don't expect a huge youth turnout there.

You know what's Hip? Silver Stallion in Mustang, or 66 Bowl(especially when there's live music and visitors from other countries). These forcibly "hip" places, particularily in BT, "SoSa"(it's midtown, stop making up stupid names, this is a perfect example of forcibly hip), and the Arts District are not even remotely "hip".

If the staggering amount of areas you listed as "hip" truly were, then there simply wouldn't be a problem.

And while I'm sure the "Mass Transit" will cause these areas to grow a bit, I doubt it will "explode". Like I said earlier, nobody I work with, live near or hang out with gives a crap about the trolley system. It isn't going to make any of us move downtown, and will more than likely keep us away from downtown since it's going to take up a lane of traffic in an already congested area.

Please tell me listing the Stallion was tounge and cheek.

[mack1520]

jc,

What's with the victim act? So far, you have blamed your unhappiness in OKC on watered down beer, "middle aged people trying to recapture their youth", "40 something divorcees pretending they're 20", "douchey middle aged men", and outdated laws that prevent you from "getting your drink on" in the park. Geez, man.

Since you and your friends are apparently experts on what's "hip", why don't you all get together and solve the problem yourselves rather than waiting for someone on this board to do it for you.

[EBAH]

I do totally agree with him in terms of the "family friendly" nature of many establishments in the city. There's something to be said for knowing that at an establishment such as a sports bar and grill, your 2 year old is the exception and not the target of the establishment. If you want a quiet family dinner, you probably shouldn't take them to a sports grill on game night...If I go to coach's to watch a game, I should be able to be loud, I mean isn't that what watching a game is all about??!?!

However, once again, the inner city north, has more to offer for the type of customer that I am, and from the sound of it, JC is as well. Check out Iguana on Taco Tuesdays, good cheap food, good cheap beer, and the conversations can be as loud as you want them to be....Also, if you haven't been already, you should try out the 51st St Speakeasy on a week night. You can have a good dinner there, watch a game, have a smoke, whatever you want, and not a kid in sight!

But back on topic, the city is lacking a real urban area. But, from what I've always seen, the people that will inhabit that kind of an area are here. It would just be nice to see them all move to a given area. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for MORE RENTALS in the inner city north, midtown, and downtown areas. Hip is whatever you want it to be, but no matter what, it starts with having permanent residents under the age of 40 in the neighborhood.

[mack1520]

I hope the 66 bowl that he mentioned is not the same one that I just googled. The one I saw will be hosting the 1950's singing sensation Wanda Jackson on November 21st. I am one of those "douchey middle aged men" and even I don't think she's hip.

[jc4455]

jc,

What's with the victim act? So far, you have blamed your unhappiness in OKC on watered down beer, "middle aged people trying to recapture their youth", "40 something divorcees pretending they're 20", "douchey middle aged men", and outdated laws that prevent you from "getting your drink on" in the park. Geez, man.

I'm not unhappy, I'm giving reasons why people my age don't think this city is fun.

I find it facinating that you people are focusing on the "getting your drink on" in the park. It was one of a number of OK liquor laws that I mentioned. I never said anything about "getting my drink on", I simply said that I, and others, have been ticketed by police for having a beer with friends at a park cookout. I didn't realized that the morality police here at okctalk.com would define that at "getting your drink on".

Since you and your friends are apparently experts on what's "hip", why don't you all get together and solve the problem yourselves rather than waiting for someone on this board to do it for you.

We all are solving the problem. Most choose to leave the city/state. From the attitudes of many here, that is looking more and more preferable.

Check out Iguana on Taco Tuesdays, good cheap food, good cheap beer, and the conversations can be as loud as you want them to be....Also, if you haven't been already, you should try out the 51st St Speakeasy on a week night. You can have a good dinner there, watch a game, have a smoke, whatever you want, and not a kid in sight!

Thanks! I'll check out Iquana.

We've been to Speakeasy a few times, but it was usually on Fridays. At work we usually go out as a group Wednesday nights in addition to the weekends, I'll put that into the suggestion pot!

[Platemaker]

No wonder we're staying here in droves.

I know that was meant to be sarcastic.... BUT we actually ARE staying in droves.

[EBAH]

Actually it is the same. Bowl 66 has been a counter culture staple in OKC for years. It used to have a ton of punk, hardcore, and rockabilly bands throughout the 90's and 00's and still has live bands today. Rock 'n' Bowl was an almost church like event for me in my late teen years (meaning that I rarely missed it).

Also, Wanda Jackson, has been performing a lot lately and is VERY in vogue at the moment. She was recently inducted in to the Rock and Roll hall of fame, and modern Rockabilly folks love her stuff. Oklahoma City's underculture has always had a pretty big Rockabilly scene and many of them frequent the Blue Note and 66 bowl.

[mack1520]

jc,

As far as this "morality police" officer is concerned you can drink anything you want anywhere you want. The only reason I mentioned drinking in the park is because you did. It's just an odd observation because I've never heard that as one of the reasons someone is not satisfied with their community.

If leaving the city/state is what solves the problem for you, then by all means do so. However, I tend to take a more proactive approach to problem solving rather than to just give up and move to "greener pastures". In my opinion, you and your friends are the real problem here. Not because you guys feel like you don't fit into the community, but because you see a need for something, and aren't willing to do anything about it. Instead, you would rather move away to a place where someone with more initiative has already done the work for you. Name whatever city you want and whatever amenity you believe they have. Those amenities did not come naturally. They happened because someone stepped up and made them a reality. If we're just losing a bunch of followers to these other cities, I say let them go. They won't be the ones responsible for leading in the future anyway.

[jc4455]

I hope the 66 bowl that he mentioned is not the same one that I just googled. The one I saw will be hosting the 1950's singing sensation Wanda Jackson on November 21st. I am one of those "douchey middle aged men" and even I don't think she's hip.

Actually it is the same. Bowl 66 has been a counter culture staple in OKC for years. It used to have a ton of punk, hardcore, and rockabilly bands throughout the 90's and 00's and still has live bands today. Rock 'n' Bowl was an almost church like event for me in my late teen years (meaning that I rarely missed it).

Also, Wanda Jackson, has been performing a lot lately and is VERY in vogue at the moment. She was recently inducted in to the Rock and Roll hall of fame, and modern Rockabilly folks love her stuff. Oklahoma City's underculture has always had a pretty big Rockabilly scene and many of them frequent the Blue Note and 66 bowl.

What Ebah said.

66 Bowl is very underrated. People seriously travel here from all over the globe just to go there. It's a shame that the City promotes places like Red Pin instead.

and Mack, no offense, but I think you just proved my point.

[mack1520]

how?

[mack1520]

By saying to get off your ass or quit complaining?

[onthestrip]

JC,
A streetcar wont eleminate a lane of traffic. It will be on rails on the far right lane. Cars can use that lane when there is no streetcar. Also Daiquiri Zone is no longer. Another new sports bar opened in its place called Brix.

I do somewhat agree with you that our "hip" places arent all that hip. Western is ok, but it could stand to have better establishments and have them closer together such as Cherry St in Tulsa. And I am kind of surprised that there havent been a few more adventerous young bar/restaurant entrepreneurs in this city. However, things have picked up in the last year or two.
As far as a solution, or more of a prediction: Midtown is the future. There is so much oppurtunity in Midtown its ridiculous. There are vacant lots and older empty buildings that are begging to be redeveloped. If we can just get A) some people to build more housing B) make sure current property owners dont sit and do nothing with their property ala bricktown and C) make sure the street car covers the area fairly well. Everytime I drive through Midtown I just picture what it should be like. Dense, vibrant, urban, popular and most importantly fun.

[okcpulse]

I'm not unhappy, I'm giving reasons why people my age don't think this city is fun.

Okay, but that can always be changed. City leadership obviously wants young professionals in the city, and Oklahoma City does have the market to support the type of entertainment you are looking for.

We all are solving the problem. Most choose to leave the city/state. From the attitudes of many here, that is looking more and more preferable.

When most choose to leave the city/state, it kills the market. So the herd that continues its move to the Big D in hindsight does a disservice to OKC by killing the market. I understand why they left, so now the only question is... who is going to step up to make a difference in OKC?

[jc4455]

Okay, but that can always be changed. City leadership obviously wants young professionals in the city, and Oklahoma City does have the market to support the type of entertainment you are looking for.



When most choose to leave the city/state, it kills the market. So the herd that continues its move to the Big D in hindsight does a disservice to OKC by killing the market. I understand why they left, so now the only question is... who is going to step up to make a difference in OKC?

I understand that it has the market, and I understand that the real solution isn't just up and moving. My problem is that OKC sometimes feels very anti-youngAdult.

That's what I was referring to about the general feeling I get from this forum. That it's our fault. The young professionals that this city wants to draw in work insane numbers of hours. We would LOVE to open up a club or a bar or some sort of establishment that caters to our demographic. The problem is that we're too busy working. We're just starting to establish our careers. The City wants to draw us in and is seemingly doing nothing to accomplish that. The only solution provided to us is a doom-and-gloom promise of "Pass MAPS3 or else" as far as creating an atmosphere for us, with a caveat of recognizing that it won't happen before we're to old to care about it anymore.

The only real solution I can come up with is for the City Leadership to listen to the young professionals in this city instead of listening to 40-something marketing consultants who use flowcharts, google searches and powerpoint presentations to determine what's "hip".

[PennyQuilts]

Yes, of course you're right. A bunch of people, at a sports-themed establishment, watching a game on the bigscreen, cheering on the game and having fun is the problem.

I should have realized it earlier. The whole situation is the fault of the 20-30 somethings that live in OKC. We're obnoxious, ugly Americans who have absolutely no respect for anyone else.

No wonder we're staying here in droves.

Look, you're the one who says it has happened repeatedly. "Numerous times around town." Boorish behavior is what gets you asked to leave. And if it has happened "numerous times" at different establishements, perhaps you might want to think about whether you know how to behave in public.

I've been with and around plenty of loud mouthed drunks and never once has anyone ever been asked to leave or, for that matter, to keep it down. So what you said is either BS, or you are acting way outside the lines of what is remotely appropriate public behavior. I'm wondering if it happened once when you were being ridiculous and rather than examining your own behavior, you are now trying to make OKC out to be the bad guy. I don't know, but I have to wonder.

Look, I don't like to go to nice places and have to deal with screaming kids or ones running around like wild Indians. When my own kids were little, we saved up for a nice dinner and it used to really irk me when thoughtless parents would bring kids to ruin a nice experience for other diners. I "get" that not everyone wants to be around families, all the time. And I also "get" that some families don't use good judgement. But what you are saying is that YOU have been asked to leave at places where you are just spending your own money and having "fun." I think that tells us what is actually happening.

[Platemaker]

jc4455... you really need to pick up a Gazette, Look at OKC, or SOMETHING and involve yourself in the the great variety of things that ARE happening.

I can promise there aren't that many people that work the 'insane hours' I do... and I have all kinds of fun... and I am a 'young adult'.... 29 still counts for that right... or do i need to wear A&F, Hollister, Affliction, or Ed Hardy shirts *gag*??

PennyQuilts... I wondered the same things you mentioned in you last post... I'm picturing obscenities flying left and right.

[jc4455]

I can promise there aren't that many people that work the 'insane hours' I do... and I have all kinds of fun... and I am a 'young adult'.... 29 still counts for that right... or do i need to wear A&F, Hollister, Affliction, or Ed Hardy shirts *gag*??

umm, no, you don't need to wear a special uniform or anything.

I didn't say we work too much to have fun, I said we work too much to try and open up a club or bar or whatever else was suggested as a "solution" to the problem.

[EBAH]

Oh man, dont even get me started on how the shopping here for young men is lacking that could be my own thread as long as this one is getting....

[jc4455]

Oh man, dont even get me started on how the shopping here for young men is lacking that could be my own thread as long as this one is getting....

lol!
you could dedicate a whole forum to the lack of shopping here for young women.

[mugofbeer]

jc4455... PennyQuilts... I wondered the same things you mentioned in you last post... I'm picturing obscenities flying left and right.

I totally agree. After reading thru jc's posts it really sounds like that's whats going on if he's been kicked out of several places.

Overall, I really don't see what his opposition to MAPS3 has to do with a lack of 20-something hangouts where he and his buddies can freely scream out the F-bomb or brew beer and cook brats in the park. One has nothing to do with the other except that approving a MAPS3 type of program should help attract new housing projects and new residents downtown. More residents downtown will mean more privately owned businesses and more places he can go and feel comfortable. Picture MAPS3 a reality and watch the west side of downtown turn into kind of a Deep Ellum type area.

[jc4455]

I totally agree. After reading thru jc's posts it really sounds like that's whats going on if he's been kicked out of several places.

Overall, I really don't see what his opposition to MAPS3 has to do with a lack of 20-something hangouts where he and his buddies can freely scream out the F-bomb or brew beer and cook brats in the park. One has nothing to do with the other except that approving a MAPS3 type of program should help attract new housing projects and new residents downtown. More residents downtown will mean more privately owned businesses and more places he can go and feel comfortable. Picture MAPS3 a reality and watch the west side of downtown turn into kind of a Deep Ellum type area.

Really?

I've never been kicked out of anywhere in this city. We aren't sucking back drinks and hurling F-bombs.

This is exactly what I mean by anti-youth. We were asked to quiet down in a Sports bar while watching a SPORT on tv because we were waking up the infant of the morons that brought it to a place that's going to be loud on a game day. So we decided to leave. Suddenly this forum decides I'm hurling F-bombs and getting kicked out of places all over the city.

I also never said I was opposed to MAPS3. I'm opposed to the use of MAPS3 as a tool for people to say "Vote YES or you'll be sorry!!" BS that I've seen all over this forum. I'm opposed to people saying that NOTHING will be done to attract/keep my demographic here unless we vote Yes for MAPS3.

[mack1520]

jc,

Above you said that, "The City wants to draw us in and is seemingly doing nothing to accomplish that." What would you suggest the city should do to draw you in?

If you have ideas that would make the city better we would all like to hear them. As a group I think we would appreciate hearing any ideas that would benefit the city. Our concern for the city is why we are all here in the first place. My frustration with this thread however, is that it seems like a bunch of random complaints with no solutions offered. There are ways around the 60 year old with the "flowchart", but you have to have some ideas to get the momentum started.