OKC is really Boring

[dcsooner]

I Just returned to VA from OKC over the LD weekend. I can say unequivocially and without prejudice that OKC really is pretty quiet/boring. First, coming improvements in the DT area are evident, but what I am talking about is vibrancy. OKC is not a vibrant "alive" city. I found almost nothing interesting to do outside of college football. One can only do Bricktown so often, then what? Another note is that OKC "people" are country, I mean really country. It is evident as well that few from other parts of the country have infiltrated the area because most are fat, drive really beat up cars and generally leave much to be desired in regards to appearance. I wanted to find something to get exicted about, but the truth is I found nothing to cause me to want to return anytime soon. I hope OKC can support the NBA long term because many African American players will find living and working in OKC even for six months too painful. I really am a native Oklahoman, but, I have to call it like I see it.

[Midtowner]

You just don't know where to go/what to do. Bricktown is too touristy/full of crappy clubs full of Jersey Shore wanna bes for my tastes. Hit up Western Ave. or the Paseo next time you're in town. Bricktown folks appear 'country' because they are. That district lures folks in from all over the state. If you're from some small town in Oklahoma, that's where you go.

[jmarkross]

You just don't know where to go/what to do. Bricktown is too touristy/full of crappy clubs full of Jersey Shore wanna bes for my tastes. Hit up Western Ave. or the Paseo next time you're in town. Bricktown folks appear 'country' because they are. That district lures folks in from all over the state. If you're from some small town in Oklahoma, that's where you go.

Reminds me of a conversation I had a few years back on a hot summer night at an open-air coffee house in Greenwich Village in NYC with a gal from Chicago...interesting...

[Platemaker]

You picked the wrong weekend dcsooner. Labor Day ... or any bank holiday... is dead in OKC. Everyone here leaves and goes somewhere else for a last summer who-ra (lol can't figure out how to spell that!) Downtown hotels were at VERY low occupancies... I'm talking less than 20%... Monday less than 10%.... and most of them were were people just stopping through.

I was at the lake.

[bombermwc]

Just goes to show how little people that live IN OKC know about their own town. There are so many things to do here, but you can't just walk down your neighborhood street and see them. We're a commuter city...so you have to drive to them. As for being "country"...I'm not sure where you looked, but it's been months since I've seen anyone in boots and a cowboy hat. And that person was in their truck hauling horses to the fairgrounds for a show. And the comment about the NBA players...wow. That's just all I can say, how small minded and bigotous.

[Kerry]

I Just returned to VA from OKC over the LD weekend. I can say unequivocially and without prejudice that OKC really is pretty quiet/boring. ... but, I have to call it like I see it.

I think the problem is you have been living in D.C. too long. You have lost your ability to differentiate between 'living' and 'constant on-demand entertainment'. BTW - our NBA players seem to like the place.

[okcpulse]

I Just returned to VA from OKC over the LD weekend. I can say unequivocially and without prejudice that OKC really is pretty quiet/boring. First, coming improvements in the DT area are evident, but what I am talking about is vibrancy. OKC is not a vibrant "alive" city. I found almost nothing interesting to do outside of college football. One can only do Bricktown so often, then what? Another note is that OKC "people" are country, I mean really country. It is evident as well that few from other parts of the country have infiltrated the area because most are fat, drive really beat up cars and generally leave much to be desired in regards to appearance. I wanted to find something to get exicted about, but the truth is I found nothing to cause me to want to return anytime soon. I hope OKC can support the NBA long term because many African American players will find living and working in OKC even for six months too painful. I really am a native Oklahoman, but, I have to call it like I see it.

dcsooner, OKC is still a work in progress. The biggest problem I have with people who say there is nothing to do is that they don't specify what it is they want to do. What do you want to do for fun? I mean, heck, while in OKC, if I get bored with Bricktown, I hit up Western. If I get bored with Western, I hit up Lake Hefner. I enjoy our Zoo. Sometimes I go to the casino with my sibs. I enjoy Hefner for rollerblading, walking or running (not to many of your 'country folk' around there). I enjoy the festivals there. deadCenter, Oktoberfest, Festival of the Arts. I take my kids to the zoo, which is really an awesome zoo, so what exactly is lacking for you? Give an itemized list.

But the last remark about African American players? Does that entail people who are not African American or just people in general? My friends and family are all OKC residents. They are not fat, not boring, are educated and very intellectual. They are not African American, but they are still fun people to be around. So let's not generalize, please.

[BBatesokc]

DCsooner, I think your comments are more of a reflection of your obvious need to 'be entertained' as opposed to finding entertaining things to do. This isn't Disney Land and while we have Bricktown for the totally inept of originality I have lived here 40-years and I still find new things to do all the time.

[ddavidson8]

Everyone here leaves and goes somewhere else for a last summer who-ra (lol can't figure out how to spell that!)

You spelled it phonetically, so I'll take that.

[ddavidson8]

Also, let's not feed the trolls.

[jmarkross]

I Just returned to VA from OKC over the LD weekend. I can say unequivocially and without prejudice that OKC really is pretty quiet/boring. First, coming improvements in the DT area are evident, but what I am talking about is vibrancy. OKC is not a vibrant "alive" city. I found almost nothing interesting to do outside of college football. One can only do Bricktown so often, then what? Another note is that OKC "people" are country, I mean really country. It is evident as well that few from other parts of the country have infiltrated the area because most are fat, drive really beat up cars and generally leave much to be desired in regards to appearance. I wanted to find something to get exicted about, but the truth is I found nothing to cause me to want to return anytime soon. I hope OKC can support the NBA long term because many African American players will find living and working in OKC even for six months too painful. I really am a native Oklahoman, but, I have to call it like I see it.

Sounds like you made the right move when you left.

[Architect2010]

I Just returned to VA from OKC over the LD weekend. I can say unequivocially and without prejudice that OKC really is pretty quiet/boring. First, coming improvements in the DT area are evident, but what I am talking about is vibrancy. OKC is not a vibrant "alive" city. I found almost nothing interesting to do outside of college football. One can only do Bricktown so often, then what? Another note is that OKC "people" are country, I mean really country. It is evident as well that few from other parts of the country have infiltrated the area because most are fat, drive really beat up cars and generally leave much to be desired in regards to appearance. I wanted to find something to get exicted about, but the truth is I found nothing to cause me to want to return anytime soon. I hope OKC can support the NBA long term because many African American players will find living and working in OKC even for six months too painful. I really am a native Oklahoman, but, I have to call it like I see it.

You just sound really rude to me. These sweeping generalizations that most here are "fat, drives beat up cars, and generally leave much to be desired in regards to appearance." Excuse me, but I live in this city, and I know how much bull your spewing. I see every day an eclectic variety of beautiful Oklahoman Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, and everything in between. Yes, a frightening amount of our people are overweight, but it's less than "most", by a big shot. I don't know what you were seeing, it must have been just terrible because I clearly don't know the OKC you saw.

[Richard at Remax]

I drank with the Red Stripe Ambassador at speakeasy on Friday night. talk about vibrant

[okclee]

Dcsooner, I would recommend finding a few new friends.

[G.Walker]

I agree, I live in Norman, but work in OKC and OKC needs more major attractions besides Bricktown. Oklahoma City does not have a major aquarium or dinosaur museum. You only can go to Bricktown so many times, until you are burned out on it, and the parking down there is bad...

[dankrutka]

I agree, I live in Norman, but work in OKC and OKC needs more major attractions besides Bricktown. Oklahoma City does not have a major aquarium or dinosaur museum. You only can go to Bricktown so many times, until you are burned out on it, and the parking down there is bad...

I thought OKC was boring when I lived in Norman, but I have been in midtown for 2 months and it is an unbelievably fun area. There is stuff to do every night.

The guy complaining probably is the real problem, not OKC. I had a ton of fun going out in OKC this weekend. I never go out in Bricktown. That's for tourists and 21 year olds...

[onthestrip]

I agree, I live in Norman, but work in OKC and OKC needs more major attractions besides Bricktown. Oklahoma City does not have a major aquarium or dinosaur museum. You only can go to Bricktown so many times, until you are burned out on it, and the parking down there is bad...

Im not going to claim OKC has all the entertainment you will ever need, but this statement is off base. First, how many times would you go to an aquarium or dino museum in one year? Maybe once? Wow, that provides so much entertainment.
Secondly, I cant take your comments seriously if you are looking at Bricktown as your only entertainment provider.

[Thunder]

I am positive dcsooner was just dreaming. I don't think he was actually here. The descriptions he gave does not appear to be anything like OKC. If it is not a dream, then it is probably just a random boring person from VA decided to bash OKC for self amusement.

Btw, I spent my "Labor Day" weekend at the FOTAS/OKAA events (fish shows, special speakers, etc). Spent $200 on Sunday's 7 hours auction. Been a busy, hectic weekend for me.

[EBAH]

Man, this is actually pretty offensive to me. First off, my cohort and I are just as urban looking and acting as any other group of 20 somethings in any city. I drive a rather nice sports car, am not morbidly obese, am well dressed, and am well educated. But most of all, I live in an inner city that is vibrant, eclectic and full of great things to do at nearly any time of day. I spent my labor day weekend on a bicycle, a hand made vintage Italian bike, so no jalopies in that category either. I rode to paseo gallery walk (after a fine dinner), saw great art, sipped champagne. I then went bicycle bar hopping for the remainder of the evening. Spent saturday riding to the Red Cup, and then to various boutiques. Sunday started with brunch complete with bawdy theater performance, then back yard garden lounging and drinks with close friends. If there is a lack of things to do, you just must not have tried. The CBD is just pretty dead on a holiday weekend, but the rest of the city had LOTS going on. I mean, I've been able to have a fun time in some pretty dull places. So I'm sure in the inverse, it is more than possible to have a very dull time in some pretty fun places.

[EBAH]

oh, and to comment on other posts......1.) totally true, virtually no one who lives in inner city okc goes to Bricktown for nearly ANYTHING. 2.) no aquarium, no NHMuseum, so I guess we'll just have to settle with a good art museum with touring exhibits and it's own art house theater, a large live performance theater (admittedly, closed for remodeling), a very good science museum, a world class botanical gardens (admittedly, closed for remodeling), a very nice zoo, a full scale arts district, the Oklahoma History museum, Oklahoma Heritage museum, yadda yadda yadda.....

[pickles]

Oklahoma City doesn't have a dinosaur museum!

lol

Anyway, it's no surprise that Oklahoma City leaves many things to be desired culturally, but in relation to many of its peer cities, it's not as bad as many perceive. I tend to think much of the effusive geographical self-abasement displayed by the threadstarter (and if you've spent enough time here, you'll recognize this to be all too familiar) is an expression of shame at these perceptions, coupled with a desire to separate their individual conception of identity from their home. It's a timeless provincial attitude, and it is not a mindset that makes for a healthy citizenry.

While we understand that Oklahoma City is not a perfect place, as citizens we should be motivated to participate in its improvement. Blithely criticizing the city's inability to fulfill your every whim, from aesthetics to entertainment while curiously questioning its ability to provide an adequate lifestyle for African-American basketball players (but not white basketball players, Swiss basketball players, Serbian basketball players or German basketball players, who are presumably in less need of distraction?), seems rather pointless. It's Oklahoma City. It's no revelation that this isn't the most cosmopolitan of environments. So, considering that you're not telling anyone anything they didn't already know (apart from the fact that black people won't be comfortable living in a metro with 250,000 other black people in it) what's the point of your comment if not to highlight your own worldliness?

As an aside, hopefully someone with the appropriate university contacts can inform anthropologists that this city has not yet been "infiltrated" by people from "other parts of the country".

[BG918]

OKC can't be compared to DC; not only is the capital of the United States but also one of the largest metros in the country and a global city on par with New York, London, Tokyo, etc. And actually up until about 20 years ago it was pretty rundown in many parts, including areas within a few blocks of the Capitol. DC has seen a major urban transformation, IMO the most dramatic of any large U.S. city. OKC is seeing a similar transformation but on a smaller scale. To compare to a Virginia city look at Richmond which is very similar in many ways to OKC.

[metro]

Maybe the OP is a boring individual and expects entertainment on demand.

[OU Adonis]

So is there something wrong with being country?

Are you saying some hip urban person has more value than someone from the country?

Because thats what it sounds like.

Sounds like you want diversity.... as long as it doesn't involve country in that diversity.

I always find it funny that some people want diversity and acceptance of all cultures except ones they find undesirable.

[dankrutka]

So is there something wrong with being country?

Are you saying some hip urban person has more value than someone from the country?

Because thats what it sounds like.

Sounds like you want diversity.... as long as it doesn't involve country in that diversity.

I always find it funny that some people want diversity and acceptance of all cultures except ones they find undesirable.

Obviously the more "country" part of our population is part of who we are. We should embrace it. I think a lot of other responders are quick to point that not everyone in Oklahoma is country. Diversity is a good thing.