Tulsa and the State Fair!

Well, it's a Friday on tour...and it's time to catch you all up on our antics here in Tulsa! We got into town on Wednesday, and it was an uneventful day. The drive from Tahlequah was only about an hour and 15 minutes - and then we all just kind of hung out and ran errands. Nothing too exciting.
Thursday brought our first show - a school performance - and it went fine. The space is at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center - in the John H. Williams Theatre. It seats about 440 people - and it's a great stage and house. Please check it out at:
www.tulsapac.com/venue.asp (under venues, click on John H. Williams Theatre. It's ALMOST like you're there)
The big excitement for Thursday was that it was the opening day of the Tulsa State Fair! I mean - let's be honest - WHO could've planned our time in Tulsa better? Everyone was pretty jazzed about going to the fair (that's right...I said JAZZED!) and so after our show and lunch and a bit of relaxing, we headed to the fairgrounds to take part in all of our FIRST Tulsa State Fair!
And I'm going to save you the stress now, WE LOVED IT! (And I'm going out on a limb to say that Tara loved it the most...)

We all arrived and bought our tickets and headed in to walk around...and just scope everything out. Right off the bat, the shopping started....with Eric procuring a new cowboy hat and Jackie ALMOST getting a Ginzu Knife Set. We quickly moved from the exhibit booths to the midway and the livestock and the food vendors. And then madness ensued. Here is what happened:
So I saw a food cart that said 'FRESH FRIED VEGETABLES' - and on the side of the cart, I noticed that it said FRIED PICKLES. Well, being a huge fan of pickles and things fried, I thought WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY! So I did. And people, them friend pickles were simply delish. So those who want to try the fried pickles try them, and then we find Tara (who had come earlier with a local friend) and she tells us about the OTHER fried treasures around the fairgrounds. Well now, it's become more than a fried pickle vendor - it's become a state fair fried EXPERIENCE...so while some people go catch some rides, and a couple of people hunt down their jumbo turkey legs, the rest of us start out on our 'Exploration Of The Fried'...and people, it was good.

So here are the deep friend pickles. Me likey.

You'll be happy to know the first treasure we came across was DEEP FRIED CHEESECAKE!
This takes my happiness for the dessert food to an all new HIGH! Indeed it was fried, with a cinnamon tastiness on the outside - and I think everyone that tasted it enjoyed it. Please see my M.A.S.E. scale rating below!

I mean PEOPLE! This was the highest 8 it could be. It would've probably been a 10 if I had gotten the strawberry goodness to go along with it. But it was INDEED a good choice.

Pickles and cheesecake down, the hunt was on. We passed a booth for Fried Brownies - but collectively, we passed. And then - we turned a corner...and standing there were 2 signs to end all Fried Explorations: Deep Fried Oreos and Deep Fried Twinkies! HELLO? Jen steps up to get the Oreos - Puppetmaster Chris gets the Twinkie - and the next thing you know, we're all sampling these tasty treasures. (I think we all agreed that although the Oreos were good - they could've done their customers a greater service by deep frying Double Stuffs, instead. I mean - you're already deep frying an Oreo - like a Double Stuff is that much worse!)

L-R: Chris and Jen show off the signs. Chris models the Deep Friend Twinkie. 2nd Row L-R: Jen and Chris enjoy their finds. The deep fried Oreos...upclose and personal.

2 more down - an unknown number to go - we headed down the row of food vendors - but were QUICKLY side-tracked by a sign that promises to show up the BIGGEST PIG - ALIVE - 1,100 POUNDS! Well, we were all skeptical...I mean, how big could it be? Well, Eric took the plunge...paid the $1...and headed up the stairs to see THE BIGGEST PIG. I wish I could've captured his reaction - because it was that reaction that had us all reaching for our $1 and heading up the stairs. There are no words to describe it - except to say that it was bigger than I ever could've thought. So go ahead and see the pictures of the pig below - and then tell me what you think!

Here we are...at the big pig pen! Want to know how amazing it is? Just look at Tara's response!

Back on the track, Tara leads us to the deep fried sign she had seen earlier - and we all partook in deep fried Snickers bar (Milky Way was also an option - but Snickers are so...satisfying.)
and then we all dipped into the deep friend peaches. Mmmmmmm....they were both very satisfying, as well. And just about the time we finished all of these, another in our group (hazy on the details of just WHO) showed up with Fried Green Tomatoes.

L-R: The deep fried peaches. That sauce...OFF THE HOOK! Eric and Andrew model the goods. And finally, that IS a deep fried Snickers. Strange...but true. and OH so good.

And then, just like that, we ended our Exploration Of The Fried. And I think we all came away with it THRILLED with the experience. And I'm going to be honest right here on my own blog...there was NOTHING really bad in the lot!
The rest of the night was spent on rides (except for that unfortunate detour into the 'Side Show' - now THAT was a wasted dollar. Unlike the wonder pig!) - and I left everyone as they headed to the midway. I scooted out of the fairgrounds to meet up with my friend, Holly Scott, who was a boss of mine at DirecTV in Boise - and now lives and works here in Tulsa at DirecTV! Holly and I had a great time seeing Tulsa - she showed me some of the cooler areas in town - and gave me a tour of the DirecTV call center here in Tulsa! (A big shout out to Nick - don't be jealous of my schedule every day!)
Upon return to the hotel - I met up with everyone, who regaled me with stories of the rides, the lights, the fun AND the mechanical bull! I can't believe I missed the mechanical bull! But also, probably good...considering all that fried FUN going on inside me!
End of the day: it was a GREAT one! We loved the Tulsa State Fair...and feel pretty dern lucky to have been here for opening day! Tulsa has treated us well...and we still have a couple more days here. Can't wait to see what they hold.

Fried pickles rule -
Gussy


Ah the fair. There is always something for everyone. Eric enjoys a corndog in his new cowboy hat.

Tara, Me and Jackie take advantage of the setting sun and the fair backdrop to strike a pose....

Eric tries out the Passion-Meter...and now wishes he'd have stayed OFF.

Jackie shows off her new hair and eyebrows. She's a 10 on the HOT factor!

Chris, Todd, Me, Andrew and Tara take a moment on the midway!

The Tulsa State Fair from the top of the ferris wheel. (This picture is on loan from the Andrew Frace Photograph Collection)