Tag Archive: things to do

Games and Fun for Family Holiday Gatherings

Written on November 2, 2012 by

Does anyone else look forward to that slow moment after the main festivities have taken place during holiday gatherings when you can grab a game and make fun memories? With Thanksgiving just around the corner, be sure to have a few of these up your sleeve. Tried and true along with kid-tested, here are the winners from a family and friends poll I conducted.

Some of these board games are my favorites too. Anyone think a Clue-themed party in full costume sounds exciting? The middle one is “To Bethlehem” a wholesome, historical and little bit of educational fun too.

From trivia to all-out hilarity, most of these can be enjoyed by young and old alike.
RD110212Board Games Games and Fun for Family Holiday Gatherings
I have many fond memories of Uno and SkipBo in the dining room and on my parent’s bedroom floor (I think we played back there waiting for our Nintendo turn on their TV). Later, during band years, I got hooked on Spades (check out the rules here). If you’ve got some numbers at a family gathering, you can have a whole Spades tournament. Lots of fun!
Check out these easy to tote with you games for a quick party pick up while visiting family for the holidays.
RD110212Card Games Games and Fun for Family Holiday GatheringsLet me know, do you have any that your family turns to year after year? I’m just starting my own game collection and would love some that stand the test of time.

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Entertaining, Holiday Tags: , ,

El Dia de los Muertos – Living Arts of Tulsa Celebrates the Day of the Dead

Written on October 26, 2012 by

Dia de los Muertos is coming next week, are you excited? This year is special for me.

You might remember this post about miniature altars. I’ve enjoyed studying other’s cultures and traditions for as long as I can recall. In the fourth grade, it was pioneers, in sixth, Egyptians, many more followed, most notably Italians in college and 20′s era Americans shortly after. I guess I’ve had a little bit of a theme this year too.

RD102612MiniatureAltars El Dia de los Muertos Living Arts of Tulsa Celebrates the Day of the Dead

Image from here

After that post you can imagine my joy when I was contacted and invited to participate in the El Dia de los Muertos celebration at Living Arts of Tulsa. I can’t believe it’s already time, but the altars are available for viewing October 30-31 from 1-5 p.m., and the festival is November 1 (Happy Birthday Dad!) from 5-10:30 p.m.

I really hope we see you there. I’m quite excited about the whole thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween. But I love even more celebrating, remembering and honoring those loved ones who’ve passed before us. I think the tradition of dedicating a day to their memories and lives is special.

RD102612Guitarskeleton El Dia de los Muertos Living Arts of Tulsa Celebrates the Day of the Dead

I’ll be celebrating my own way with a little piece of art to honor my great Grandmother, Nada Minnie Marie Terry who taught me how to crochet when I was young. I have the fondest memories of visiting Grandma and Grandpa Terry’s house after school with my mom. We went a couple of times a week and when you walked through the front door, the whole house smelled of cinnamon from the homemade cinnamon rolls she always made. Grandpa Terry’s specialty was doughnuts.

I plan on making a miniature altar artwork piece every year in honor of different family members. I’d make them all this year if I could find the time…

RD102612DiadelosMuertosInfo El Dia de los Muertos Living Arts of Tulsa Celebrates the Day of the Dead

Last two images from Living Arts

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Art, Events, Tulsa Tags: , , ,

Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Written on July 11, 2012 by

 

SVpawsup2 Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Image via The Resort at Paws Up Montana

I’ve never really been the outdoorsy type.  While the idea of camping always appeals to me – guitars around the campfire, cuddling under the stars, waking up with the sun and all – the reality is a little more than I’m ready for (sore back, bug bites, dirty feet, and bad coffee).  The answer: glamping (Glam Camping, natch).

There are a couple of ways to look at glamping – first, the new crop of resorts that offer upscale ways to get close to nature…from yurts to teepees to airstreams, this is the ideal way to go.  Let someone else take care of the details, in true glamping style.  Check out Glamping Hub for a huge listing of sites.

SVmarfa Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Image via El Cosmico, Marfa, TX 

(PS – I’m SUPER jealous that my sister is visiting Marfa next month!)

SVpawsup1 Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Image via The Resort at Paws Up

SVbigsur Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Image via Big Sur Getaway

Another way to look at glamping is the DIY route…just dress up your standard camping trip a bit.  And really…why wouldn’t you want to make things a little more comfortable?  A few extras like portable beds, outdoor rugs and folding chairs go a long way and don’t take up much room.  While a few of my picks are just a wee bit over the top, do it up to your own taste!

SVglamping Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Pure Fiber Organic Bathrobe, Amazon.com;  Basic Inflatable EZ Bed, Grandin Road; Butterfly Chair, Ballard Designs; Flameless Candles, Target; Sunbrella Valencia Stripe Outdoor Pillow, Crate and Barrel; Recycled Morocco Outdoor Rug, VivaTerra; Kite Kilim Floor Pouf, West Elm; Snow Peak Folding Table, REI; Hibachi Grill, Dwell Studio; Insulated Two Bottle Cocktail Case, Amazon.com; Acrylic Wine Glasses, Bed Bath and Beyond; Deluxe Camper’s Kitchen, Cabela’s, Outdoor Leather Cooler, FarFetch.com.  

 

SVglamprental Glamping: You Know You Want To.

Image via Poppytalk

And finally….somewhere in between.  Did you know you can rent these fabulous teardrop campers and kitchens?  Check out the info  at Vacations-in-a-Can, and in Sunset Magazine (with even more great glamping gear!).

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Inspiration, Trends Tags: , , , ,

Drive-In Movie Night

Written on June 8, 2012 by

ADTwin Drive In Movie Night

 

RD060812BurningAdmiralTwin Drive In Movie Night

Images from Cinema Treasures (you should check out all the photos here)

If you’re a Tulsan, you probably remember the day the Admiral Twin burned down. It was really wild and saddening to see this over 5-stories tall wooden movie screen burn to the ground. It stood tall just off I-244 my whole life and I have many fond memories of my parents taking us to view a double header. I remember the different cars we had over the years and I think my favorite way of taking in a movie at the drive-in is in the back of a pickup truck.

With it’s grand re-opening scheduled on June 15th, I’m hoping to enjoy a movie soon at the brand new Admiral Twin so I thought I’d share my version of necessities for a successful night.

RD060812necessities Drive In Movie Night

1. Flared Caraz Dress from Anthropologie: I think you’ve got to get into the spirit of the Drive-In. Once a place where you could see and be seen, you’ll want to feel cute and comfortable. A loose, soft dress is perfect for staying cool on a warm summer’s night. Just wear some slip-on flats that you can easily shed to relax in the truck.

2. Denise Schmidt Works Quilt: Jersey Stripes in Chartreuse: Grab your favorite quilt or two to create some comfy layers. You never know when a cool breeze might pick up, or you can cover up the kids when they fall asleep early (we never made it through the second movie).

3. Pavilion Pillow in Green from Pier One: I like to borrow the outdoor pillows so I don’t have to worry so much about them. This is where watching from the bed of the pickup gets great. Build up a soft landing place at the front of the bed against the cab and around the corners for maximum comfort.

4.  Sunbrella Pacific Blue Loveseat Cushion from Lowe’s: Be sure to take any bench cushions. These will insure an enjoyable sit so you can make the duration of the movies without a second thought.

5. Bug Be Gone Spray from The Peaceful Housewife: This is the best kind of bug spray, it smells great and you don’t have to worry too much if you’ve gotten it on your hands.

6. Wet Ones from Walgreens: Be sure to include some sort of wipes to make cleaning sticky hands and spills easy. Sometimes its a trek to the nearest concession and I like to keep it as easy as possible.

7. Magellan Outdoors Camping Mat: Raid the camping gear for your first layer of defense against the truck bed. These little air mattresses are quick and easy to get in place and put away at the end of the evening.

8. Organic Crystallized Ginger from Abe’s Market: Last but not least, a little ginger would be the perfect late night nibble; especially after enjoying the fruits of the movie concession.

RD060812BeforeAdmiralTwin Drive In Movie Night

Image from Pinball Rebel

Here’s a reminder of what our much loved landmark was looking like before the fire. I’m excited to attend the movies soon with the new facilities. It’s been fun watching the steel structure rise and I’m thankful Tulsa still has this treasure. Hope to see you there soon!

 

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Fashion, Tulsa Tags: , , ,

Deco District Pop Up Shops!

Written on November 30, 2011 by

Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 

“Silver Bells” has always been my favorite Christmas song.  It’s about shopping, what did you expect?  But more than that, I have always loved the imagery it conjures up – bustling city sidewalks, filled with merry people enjoying the holiday season and shopping happily for their loved ones.  So when I heard that the Downtown Deco District was putting together a group of Pop-Up shops for the month of December, I was giddy with excitement!

I headed down to 5th and Boston for the soft opening on Monday to check out the goods, but the grand opening is TONIGHT from 5-8pm with carolers, Santa, live music and more…finally, a chance for my “silver bells” moment!

 

PUIndie Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 Indie Emporium shop vignettes

My first stop was at our friends at Indie Emporium’s shop – they have several rooms dedicated to some of their core vendors, set up in true indie fashion with vignettes of various products including some adorable paper goods and prints, handmade jewelry and hair accessories, my favorite tea towels (above) and more!

PUIndie2 Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 More yummy smelling candles and adorable felted soaps in the Indie Emporium shop

 

hood Deco District Pop Up Shops!

HOOD shop goodies – Vintage Christmas, dishware and more! 

Next to the Indie Emporium shop, our favorite atomic archaeologist (and Prairie Hive MANDAY contributor), Shane Hood, has set up a shop featuring a jam-packed room full of treasures.  I had to restrain myself from shopping for my own home while I was in here…he has tons of great barware, dishware, vintage Christmas decor, clocks and a few small furniture pieces as well.  Remember that cabinet from Issue One?  Multiply it by 100.  I definitely crossed a few people off my list in this shop!

soap Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 Theraganics Soaps

Just down the hall, you can smell the Therganics room – I had never been in their shop in The Farm, but these soaps and bath products smell so fantastic I couldn’t resist…plus they use all natural ingredients and essential oils in all their products.  I can’t wait to lather up with the scents I bought (I practiced the one for you, one for me principle in this shop)!

 

airplant Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 Airplants a variety of containers (ready to give!) in the Earthly Delights shop

Down the street a bit, Mecca has set up a mini version of their Brookside shop, with kitchen goods, holiday decorations and other gift items.

meccawindow Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 Mecca’s window display

 

mecca Deco District Pop Up Shops!

Oil and Vinegar tasting bar at Mecca…YUM! 

 

Across the street, in the Philcade Building, there is also a bookstore, Bison and Bear men’s gift store, an art gallery and the Candy Castle.  On the corner is Odds and Ends, another great shop for handmade items like scarves, baby booties, jewelry and home goods.

outside Deco District Pop Up Shops!

Odds and Ends Window display 

 

scarves Deco District Pop Up Shops!

Tie Dyed Scarves in Odds and Ends 

(these are now on my wish list!) 

 

In addition to finding some great unique gifts, it felt great to shop downtown, buy from local merchants and chat with the shop owners as I browsed.  This is such a great effort by the Deco District to boost downtown businesses and push for more downtown revitalization with some much needed retail!  I hope you’ll go down and visit and that you enjoy it as much as I did!

 

window2 Deco District Pop Up Shops!

 

Don’t forget:

Grand Opening

TONIGHT, Wednesday, November 30

5-8pm

Live music, Santa, shopping and more!

See below for even more information on this month long pop-up!

 

 

Poster Deco District Pop Up Shops!

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Events, Gifts, Holiday, Tulsa Tags: , , , ,

The Great Big Cookbook Swap…from Booksmart Tulsa and Prairie Hive

Written on November 2, 2011 by

The Food52 Cookbook The Great Big Cookbook Swap...from Booksmart Tulsa and Prairie Hive

 

Have you checked out Food 52? It’s way more than a recipe website…it’s a food community – meant for sharing recipes, getting feedback, talking about food and more.  In addition, their readers wrote a cookbook! When they started the site, food writers and editors Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs had a mission: to discover and celebrate the best home cooks in the country. Each week for fifty-two weeks, they ran recipe contests on their website, Food52.com, and the 140 winning recipes make up this book.

To celebrate the cookbook release, they are sponsoring a series of parties all over the country, and we are happy to be teaming up with Booksmart Tulsa to host a Cookbook Swap!

It’s simple: bring a cookbook, take one home.  We’ll also have food (from the cookbook, of course), prizes, giveaways and more…come join the fun!

Monday, November 7

7:00-8:30pm

Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street

 

To get you in the mood, here are a couple of the recipes we will be trying out for the event…hope to see you there!!

F52chickpea The Great Big Cookbook Swap...from Booksmart Tulsa and Prairie Hive

 

Smoky Fried Chickpeas

F52bread The Great Big Cookbook Swap...from Booksmart Tulsa and Prairie Hive

Grilled Bread with Thyme Pesto and Lemon Cream

F52cookies The Great Big Cookbook Swap...from Booksmart Tulsa and Prairie Hive

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

 

 

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Events, Kitchen, Tulsa Tags: , , , , , ,

Tulsa To Do – Brady Heights Neighborhood Tour

Written on September 16, 2011 by

After Alayna’s fall excursion post, I thought it would be a great time to mention the Brady Heights Neighborhood home tour.  When I get the traveling bug I tend to pretend I’m a visitor in my own city and discover new things.  Brady Heights is just the place to discover if you are unfamiliar with this area.  I talk about how much I love my neighborhood here and now you have the chance to get to know it on an even more personal level with home tours and a couple of churches too.

I’m not sure which homes will be on the tour, but here is a sampling of what you will see in our neighborhood.

RD0916BradyMansion Tulsa To Do Brady Heights Neighborhood Tour

Brady Mansion, Image from Wikipedia

RD0916SaleBungalow Tulsa To Do Brady Heights Neighborhood Tour

Bungalow for Sale, Image from OK by Owner

RD0916monumentfinal Tulsa To Do Brady Heights Neighborhood Tour

Tulsa Spirit Monument, Part of Brady Heights Art Parkway, Image from Brady Heights Blog

RD0916YellowBrady Tulsa To Do Brady Heights Neighborhood Tour

Neighborhood Home, Image from This Old House

So please, come for a visit. Especially if this is a neighborhood in Tulsa you haven’t gotten time to know.  Our neighborhood is very diverse, full of artist and other creative types and families.  It reminds me a little of some of America’s larger cities and I believe it has the full potential to become a destination neighborhood with plenty of restaurants, shops and necessities within walking distance.

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Events, Tulsa Tags: , ,

Indie Emporium!

Written on September 7, 2011 by

 

indielogo Indie Emporium!

 

Less than a month til Indie Emporium!  We are super excited to be participating in this year’s show – both as a sponsor and by hosting Saturday’s Make and Take event!  In case you  haven’t heard, Indie Emporium is in it’s 4th year as one of the coolest places to buy handmade clothing, accessories, home decor, and more!  In addition to craft vendors, the show also features, artists, photographers, runway designers and all sorts of other handmade, crafty goodness.

Indie Emporium 2011:

Living Arts of Tulsa

307 E Brady

September 30-October 1  

 

Come out Friday night and the first 50 guests get a swag bag filled with goodies from vendors and sponsors (like us!)!  Shoppers get a first pass at wares from both the vendors and the art gallery, start the bidding on silent auction items benefitting the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, and just enjoy the scene!

The event continues Saturday from 12-8pm, with live music, craft demos and the continuation of the silent auction.  Stick around til 7pm and catch a fashion show featuring original designs from the vendors.

Between 12-4pm, come say hi to us – we will be running the Make & Take with a super cute and easy project you can do at the show or continue at home! We would love to meet you guys!

Here are a few pics of past shows, just to get you in the mood and give you a sneak peek at some of the goods you might see again at this year’s show!  For more information, please visit the Indie Emporium website!

 

indie10 Indie Emporium!

indie1 Indie Emporium!

indie11 Indie Emporium!

indie6 Indie Emporium!

indie7 Indie Emporium!

indie9 Indie Emporium! indie12 Indie Emporium!

 

All images from Indie Emporium. 

Hope to see you there!

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Events, Tulsa Tags: , , , , , ,

Tulsa Trails

Written on August 26, 2011 by

I love nature and take advantage of Oklahoma’s sporadic good weather days to spend plenty of time outdoors. Hiking is a favorite pastime and I usually reserve it for trips to southwestern Colorado.  However, I decided that it is time to put an end to that and have been investigating the Tulsa area trails.

So far, this INCOG site provides a decent list and shows the old train rail routes that have been turned into pedestrian trails.  I think it’s a great use for land that could have been left with no purpose.  Here are some inspiring pics from trails around town.  I think the first I’ll check out is the Lost City trail in Chandler Park.  That sign just looks too charming.

RDTulsaTrailsLost%20City Tulsa Trails

Image from Carrie Fleharty

The Lost City Trail is also known for it’s draw to local rock climbers and can provide some fun and surprising entertainment for unknowing runners. The KATY trail is about 8 miles long and connects downtown Tulsa to Sand Springs on an easy grade and provides great downtown skyline views, water fountains, benches for resting and trail spurs that connect nearby neighborhoods.

RDTulsaTrailsKatyBench Tulsa Trails

Bench on KATY Trail from INCOG

RDTulsaTrailsKatyRiverCity Tulsa Trails

KATY Trail in River City Park from INCOG

I’m sure there are several running groups and resources in town, so if you know of any great groups, please share with me.  A couple of sites I found are the Tulsa Running Club and Tatur TOTs (Tulsa Area Trail Ultra Running – Traning on Trails) Group. Last winter, the TOTs group took a field trip to the Osage Hills State Park west of Bartlesville to explore the trails. There are some great shots from their run and you can see many thing from old bridges and large rock formations to some creek falls and views across the plains.

Tulsa Trails

Sand Creek Falls in the Osage Hills from Trail Zombie (TOT runner)

RDTulsaTrailsosagetrail24 Tulsa Trails

Sperry Bridge on the Osage Prairie Trail from INCOG

I’m excited to see all the new possibilities for exploring the Tulsa area.  I guess I spent so much time running around in the woods behind our house as a kid that I thought I knew everything this part of the country has to offer. That seems not to be the case since I haven’t explored one of these trails.  Well, that’s not quite true; I’ve utilized the resources at River Parks, Mohawk Park and Redbud Valley Nature Preserve at Oxley Nature Center.

After a day reconnecting with the world around me, I’m always inspired. How about you?  I’m motivated just thinking about all my new adventures and these crafts might be just the thing to keep me busy while I wait for it to cool down just a bit.

RDTulsaTrailsTwigCoaster Tulsa Trails

Twig Coaster from Martha Stewart

RDTulsaTrailsvickie crochetwoodbowl Tulsa Trails

Crocheted Wood Bowl by Vickie Howell from Craftzine

 

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Tulsa, Unexpected inspiration Tags: , ,

Daybreak Date

Written on July 7, 2011 by

SVcoffee1 Daybreak Date

 

If your household is anything like mine, you and your sweetie may be running on such opposite schedules that it’s hard to work in quality time.  Chefs work late hours – so in our house, mornings are often the only times we have to catch up with each other.  Every once in a while – to break up the standing in the kitchen routine – I’ll try to dress things up a bit and make the time feel more special.

A few simple ideas to turn your morning joe into a coffee date with your honey:

- Dress up the table.  I used a vintage cafe table cover, cloth napkins and colorful trays to liven up our deck seating.

- Use the good china.  Well, it’s not exactly china, but I thought plain white mugs would be a nice change from the Chisolm Trail and College of Architecture mugs that usually follow us around the house in the mornings.

- Pick up a special treat.  We don’t exactly have time to bake, so I grabbed these delicious pastries from Blue Moon Cafe the evening before.  Making something from scratch would be swell too, if you are so inclined.

 

SVcoffee2 Daybreak Date

 

And finally, the tunes.  Nothing sets the mood like music, so here are a few suggestions for a morning playlist…

  •  ”Black Coffee in Bed”, Squeeze
  • “Morning”, Iron & Wine
  • “Awake My Body”, Alexander
  • “Java Jive”, The Ink Spots
  • “The Sound of Sunshine”, Michael Franti & Spearhead
  • “Early in the Morning”, The Gap Band
  • “Easy”, The Commodores
  • “One Day”, Melody Gardot
  • “All Arise!”, The Decemberists
  • “Pachuca Sunrise”, Minus the Bear
  • “These Days”, The Black Keys
  • “The Sun”, Portugal the Man
  • “Daybreak”, Bela Fleck
  • “Morning Bell”, Radiohead
  • “I’ve Got the World on a String”, Louis Prima
  • “Sun it Rises”, Fleet Foxes
  • “Good Morning”, Lenny Kravitz
  • “Sunshine”, Simian

 

SVcoffee3 Daybreak Date

Enjoy!

pixel Daybreak Date
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DIY, Entertaining, Kitchen Tags: , , , ,
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