Mancation

We have all heard of chick trips. A group of girlfriends get away for a weekend of shopping and fun. Our Tulsa bed and breakfast has hosted many of those. Now there is a new buzz work in the travel industry. The mancation. This is for the guys to get together for a weekend of manly stuff. The Inn at Woodward Park has one of those coming up in March. The NCAA basketball tournament 2nd and 3rd rounds will be played here in Tulsa at the BOK event center. The whole Inn is booked by just guys to attend.
Now a B&B is probably not the first place that comes to mind for a mancation. Why not? They are going to have a comfortable, quiet place to stay and be served a hearty breakfast each morning. They will be able to walk to nearby restaurants and sports bars. They can play cards in the sunroom and it is a 6 minute drive to the BOK event center.
Some guys may be leery of staying at a B&B envisioning death by doilies at grandma's house. Just do your homework first. Visit the website to check out the pictures and read on line reviews to get an idea of the feel of the place. Some B&Bs are very frilly with lace curtains and teddy bears, but many are not.
There is a B&B down in Broken Bow that is very man friendly with a pool table, big screen TV and open bar in the common area. There are several Oklahoma B&Bs that offer fishing and hunting packages. Visit okbba.com or travleok.com to find a B&B that will meet the needs of your next getaway.

Cure for the Winter Blues

Are you starting to feel like this guy? It has been a long, harsh winter for most of the country. Here in Tulsa we have broken records; both for amount of snow in one winter and record low temperatures. I was housebound , or should I say B&B bound, for days on end. I did a lot of baking, both familiar recipes and some new ones to treat our Tulsa bed and breakfast guests. We did have guests over the course of the snowstorm. They were able to entertain themselves with DVDs, card games and a Scrabble tournament.
I think we have finally turned a corner and are headed toward spring. It won't be long before we see daffodils starting to bloom out, followed by the redbuds, dogwoods, tulips and azaleas. Being located right across the street from the lovely Woodward Park, I usually get the first peek of spring blooms.
Until then there are still plenty of indoors activities going on in T town. The roads are clear and the restaurants are open.
Some upcoming events downtown are Cirque de Soleil Alegria, Sugarland, World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions, James Taylor, and the opera Don Giovanni. We have several casinos in and around Tulsa that are bringing in some great acts. In the next couple of months Kenny Loggins, Montgomery Gentry, Pat Benatar, Randy Travis, Heart, George Thorogood, and Blake Shelton will all be at the Hard Rock Cafe in Catoosa a 10 minute drive from the Inn. I have noticed there are some deep discount sales at many area shops, too.
Many of you have been trapped in your house with the kids out of school, and the dogs, and have been mopping the floor 100 times. (I quit counting here) Tell your spouse that the two of you need a little break to restore your sanity and get over here.

Oklahoma weather

Oklahoma enjoys four seasons, sometimes all in one week. Less than one week ago today it was 76 degrees. People were wearing shorts and t-shirts, joggers and bicyclists were out on the Riverpark trails, and the outdoor patio seating was packed at Utica Square. Two days later a big winter storm came in. We had thunder sleet (sounds like the name of a heavy metal band to me). Seriously, it was lightning, thundering and sleet was pouring out of the sky. The following day we had a record snow fall of 14 inches. To all you Northerners that sounds like nothin. We Okies are not prepared for that kind of thing and think we can drive in it. We can't. Before the day was through, the street in front of our Tulsa bed and breakfast was blocked with stuck cars and trucks. A medical delivery truck jack knifed about a quarter mile from us. Thankfully he had already delivered the supplies. After 10 hours of waiting for a tow truck, he decided to stay at our Inn for the night. We were glad to be able to offer him a room with a warm bed and shower.
My husband finally got the drive and parking area cleared yesterday and wouldn't you know it; it is snowing again.
My car has not left the garage in 5 days and I don't know when it will. There are 3 foot drifts against the door. Our Inn was built in 1920 and the garage is a detached building built sometime later. I recently learned the reason garges were built away from the houses when automobiles were first being bought. People just never knew when those new fangled horseless carriages might decide to blow up and didn't want to burn the house down.
Despite the inconveniences of the snow, it is very beautiful and the perfect weather to snuggle up with your honey in a B&B.
Next week is Valentine's Day. Have you made your plans yet?