Monday, May 25, 2009

Weekend Getaway

Beautiful and I finally got away for a weekend by ourselves. Our adventure took us a whole 90 miles from home, but it seemed like a million.

Our first stop was at our hotel, The Skirven, built back in the 1920's and refurbished in '07. A beautiful lobby with the old art deco restored beautifully. Our room was on the ninth floor, a corner room that looked down this street that the picture was taken. We picked this hotel as it was with walking distance to all the sights we wanted to see. Friday we checked in late and had a late dinner at the hotel. I was going to take a picture of our meals like Beth does at Switched At Birth, but forgot my camera. So I'll just tell you, it was purty and good. Beth would have given her approval. Afterwards, we sat in the lobby outside a piano bar and listened to some gal tickling the ivories.

Saturday we walked over to the OKC Memorial which is where the bombing took place. There are two walls, (like the one in the reflecting pool photo) that have 9:01 and 9:03 engraved in them. The bombing took place at 9:02. Even with a Memorial Day crowd, the grounds were silent, everyone in awe of the inhumanity of a few demented individuals.


The tree is called the Survivor Elm. On that day cars parked around it were burning and even some of its limbs were destroyed. Today it stands as a symbol to the attitude of the people of OKC who lived through this, we will survive and flourish. The building behind it had heavy damage that day. Today the wall stands the same as that day, untouched all these years later. Inside houses the museum. You run the wide range of emotions while going through the museum. I was outraged, saddened to tears, thankful for the response of people around the world, and mad that these events and events of 9-11, seem to mean so little to people now that they are not on the evening news every night. The statue is titled Jesus Wept which says it all.














We next walked the four miles to the Botanical Gardens, I wasn't much inpressed. The grounds were landscaped beautifully, but the old fat boy was getting tired and so the poor impression. Beautiful liked it, and that's all that matters.









That night was spent in Bricktown, I used my camera phone but didn't save the pictures, datgum newfangled thing. So once again I'll have to use words. We walked over, only about five blocks from our hotel, to Bricktown and ate at Jazmo's Bourbon Street Grill, our table was on the canal, as close as you could get without falling in. A cool breeze swept along the canal and dinner once again was outstanding. Appetizer was Crocodile tail bites, Beautiful had a mushroom burger which had more mushrooms than meat. I had Chicken Bon Ton which was a panneed chicken breast topped with a crab and shrimp Alfredo sauce served over dirty rice. I believe I'll have that again. We walked the canal waiting for time to pass before the live music started when a clap of thunder told us to head inside. We landed in Maker's Cigar Bar, and were the only one's there, I got a cigar and we settled down into a nice leather chair and couch and waited until the band started to play. They started at nine was going to play until around 2. We left around 11:30 when a loud mouth blonde came in with about 10 others and we couldn't hear the music any longer. You know you're loud when the band tells you to settle down, which they didn't. We walked back to our hotel, which is a good thing about OKC. It's safe to walk downtown after dark, other places not, but around bricktown they keep the peace. It was a great weekend getaway, I'm going to schedule another one soon.

8 comments:

Cheryl Peters said...

Good for you and Beautiful. She definitely is that! What's Beautiful doing with Marlon Brando?

I'm glad you had a nice weekend away and that your time was splendid, except for the loud blonde (there's one in every crowd).

I love to read of real people and the places they go to and the things they see. That's how I see the world. Your photos are appreciated.

Thanks for the ride.

Cheryl Peters said...

I forgot to commend you on all the walking you did in OKC. Why not keep it up now that you're home? Even a mile a day would do you good. Take a pocket tablet along and jot down any writing ideas that pop up.

Try it, you'll like it.

(I bet you'd like it more if I'd shut up and mind my own business).

Walk said...

Now if I started exercising, I'd get all skinny and then my pants wouldn't stay up. Can't let that happen....

Cheryl Peters said...

Let me know when that happens and I'll send you a belt or suspenders, whichever you prefer.

That's a promise.

Walk said...

Are the 'spenders those that are rainbow striped? I love those....

Beth W. said...

This one gets my "best of the best yet" award. Funny, plus a punch in the gut, romantic, and pictures, to boot. Really, good. You must have hidden charms, Marlon. Beautiful is gorgeous.

Walk said...

Thank you Miss Beth. Coming from one of my favorite writers it is a double blessing. And yes, I married way above me.

Cheryl Peters said...

Rainbow striped suspenders it will be. Just let me know when you need them.