In gratitude for my lovely hostess, Anna Veronesi, I made brunch. We enjoyed rosemary roasted vegetables (cauliflower, garlic, purple potatoes etc.) baby squash, calamata, basil fritatta, local bacon, organic baby bok choy with gomasio, artisan crustini with evoo and garlic and rose petal tea. After commerative photos and hookin up the bug- I was off.
Sunday evening (before turning the page on Tulsa) I had to take some photos of the amazing architecture in downtown Tulsa. I wasn’t able to find the stained glass of evil world leaders but I did find an abundance of art deco embellishment. Moldings, door frames, wrought iron, glass work, spires and days gone by opulence funded by all the BIG oil families. Drank a cosmo in the Mayo hotel lobby and lamented I hadn’t seen it in its hay day. Followed that beautiful experience with one of the worst films I have ever seen (really) and called it a night.
Sunday we met as a group one last time for an amazing brunch created by some very experienced “volunteers” I came armed with my “stir stick” and whipped up some “”swamp things” for several cartists, Chef Alex gave me a lovely batik wooden spoon from Africa and all enjoyed one last hour of comradarie – group photos (including HB) the swapping of numbers, contacts and stories. We celebrated Mike’s birthday (one of the amazing volunteers) applauded efforts and donors (HB barked.) Shortly thereafter we scattered, as we do, to our other lives and destinations, joined always by our drive to create.
After pondering what to do to extend our day together (we were all a bit slap happy by then) several of us returned to living arts (Nicole, Catherine, Josh, Natali, Mark, Matt, Saphire, me.) After contemplating our options (bowling, clubbing or calling it a night,) Nicolecame up with the brilliant idea of liberating the “art bikes” (including 3 of Natali’s amazing contraptions) and we hit the streets of Tulsa. Loaded with a satchel of PBRs we giggled our way through town stopping at the Pony bar and 2 other venues, ending up at “Joe Mamas” for a slice before returning the art) and dispersing to our respective beds for sleep.)
Saturday a.m. was a perfect day for the Tulsa farmers market – where? Cherry street (of course.) I was impressed by the array of free range, organic and local meats, cheeses and artisan breads. Produce was limited (but bright and enthusiastic.) An art car convoy followed and we spent went public (at several locales) from 1- 10 pm. We had a run in with a “mall cop” but after getting to know about our mottley crew, he softened up a bit. We ended up our official evening up at the Jenks River walk (mall) where we had a surprisingly interested audience. It was a fun, sweaty, utterly exhausting (and all of us got a little sunburnt) Natali regaled us with her soon to be hit single: “bacon and rum” I learned about how “living arts” began. It was a great day for art cars and comradarie and it didn’t end there….
After a brief (and much needed) nap it was time for the art car meet up and dining al fresco at “living arts” artspace. Chef Alex provided a suptous din of roasted corn, grilled kale and romaine salad, cinnamon jerk drumsticks, grilled sweet potato wedges. We traded a recipe or two before Natali showed us what else could be done with shrimp (her “live shrimp” puppet show) creatively addressed both BP oil spill and the death of a loved one. A double feature followed and since the drive in had burnt down, we parked the art cars in the lot, faced the “screen” and enjoyed “Rat fink” and “Automorphosis.” I had seen the later a few times (having 2 small features in it) but hadn’t seen the film on Ed Roth before. Wonderfully done with photos, cartoons, live footage it was a great revisitation of vague childhood memories. Ed Roth was one of the very 1st to create hotrods (0ut of model T’s) and build an empire of graphics, model cars, stickers, t-shirts etc. in the 1950’s. Not sure if Netflix has it but, well worth the time.
Got word yesterday that my eldest niece, Jessica has delivered her twins!! Apparently all went well and Zoe and Rosie arrived yesterday afternoon. I would love to send out congratulations but…. still no outgoing e mail.
Got a couple glimpses of Tulsa’s “dark side” yesterday. During the mid day break we were led by (amazing) host Steve ligget and his main squeeze, Shirley to a derelict building (a former ballroom) where remnants of copies of photos from controversial photographer/filmaker: Larry Clark are displayed. Their content is disturbing and young men, women (17 or 18 yrs old) are captured shooting up. One woman clearly pregnant and in the next panel (presumably) her dead infant. Photos shot in the early 60’s were released in a book simply named “Tulsa” and photos have never had a showing here. The copies in the ballroom were copied by an individual and pasted without permission from the artist and only a half dozen remain relatively intact (they have been exposed to the elements in the roofless ballroom.) On the return trip I was told about the 1921 riots in which the “Black wallstreet” and surrounding blocks of businesses and houses were destroyed in bedlam and fire (over a hundred killed) in race riots here (a fact only recently acknowledged apparently.) The evening closed with a stroll past the “majestic” and the teeming masses pouring out of this downtown Tulsa gay bar. Who knew?
Honey Bun had another 1st in Oklahoma…. she was served in a bar! As Mark Monroe and I chatted and listened to local music (and the butchering of “sympathy for the devil”) H.B. won the heart of our server and had her 1st drink (of water silly) in a bar then curled up beside me in the booth (she was tuckered out!)
Today was the school tour were the art cars split into 2 groups and visited innercity schools. My group was the tiki ship, Whirly bird, Country peddler, Ghost busters, Nicole’s decorated truck and me. The kids were absolutely jazzed by the art cars, the cool day and just 3 school days left til year end. Dave entertained the kids with Whirly bird’s propeller and the “peddler” caused squeals of delight with his water squirting antics. In large the kids were very interested and respectful and super curious about the cars. After our school tour we had an impromtu parade of our own to a garage sale (short sleeve collared shirt- 2 bucks) Life is good.
