HELP!! English Couple & Baby need Advice!!!! (Tulsa, Miami: for sale, apartment)

[Manhattan-ite]

Synopsis,

Are you aware of the "no advertising, no copyrighted material" rule?

Reading many of your and some other member's posts I come to the conclusion that you work for the Marketing Department of the City of Tulsa.

I do not think this forum is meant to be a free advertisement platform for any city, but that's how it feels when reading threads such as "LA Times praises Tulsa", "New Auditorium, look at the photos", "List of Art Deco buildings in Tulsa" and so on.

Only if somebody asks about Art Deco buildings should we post the whole big list, or if a question is posted about the Cesar Pelli Building we would post the photos.

Otherwise, it is -in my opinion- shameless, unsolicited publicity with no use for members.

That said, and because the REAL reason for this forum to exist is helping people with their relocation questions, I answered member ccccooper's doubt on walking in Tulsa. At least I gave an answer, and I think we would all agree that Tulsa is not the walkable, art-gallery-filled town she was looking for and that she should get a car.

Was I wrong? Do you think so? Then please give her advice on this matter. Telling us again about the LA Times' article is not going to help her and it is not the subject of this thread.

Last but not least, as I've said more than once, I may live in Manhattan, but a BIG portion of my family lives in Tulsa. I know "a bit".

You ask me why don't I focus on the positives of Tulsa. I'll tell you again:

Because the thread is not about cutting and pasting newspapers' articles but about an Englishwoman moving to Tulsa and looking for a walkable city with art galleries and nice grocery stores.

[Synopsis]

Hey Manhattan-ite (or should I say Davaz),

You can't seem to point anything out about Tulsa that isn't wrong with any other city. It's not walkable you say? Well, that goes for just about 98 percent of any other city in the US. Groundbreaking stuff there.

As for art, Tulsa has a fantastic artistic scene. They have two world class museums in the Philbrook and Gilcrease, the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, some very "chic" districts scattered about mid-town, and lots of festivals such as Oktoberfest, which has pretty much been voted as one of the best in the World, not just the U.S.

Your relatives seem to like it enough that they live in this city that you so detest. I wonder what's wrong with them? Are they not wonder boys like you that have gone on to bigger and better things? Hmmm?

You remind me of a person that had a bad relationship with someone and are obsessed with sticking around, never wanting to move on.

Tulsa is a great place, and I'll not let you bash the city without reciprocating. So, you keep up your somewhat sick little rantings; go for it and give it your best shot. In the meantime, I'll be here as the ying to your yang to offer a more positive spin on things.

[Synopsis]

And here's yet ANOTHER article from the travel section of the LA Times on Tulsa's charm. And who would have ever thought, part of their experience took place in an art gallery.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/travelwest/2006/09/tulsa_who_knew.html (broken link)

[Synopsis]

Just a few of the art galleries in the Tulsa area in response to the first post.

http://www.tacgallery.org/

http://www.tulsagatheringplace.com/

Studio1628
1628 S. Cincinnati

http://www.colorconnectiongallery.com/ (broken link)

http://www.brushworkstulsa.com/

Some more art related "stuff."

AHCT- Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa
http://www.ahct.org/

An events calendar for some art related events for the month of February.

http://www.artsintulsa.com/Calendar/Events-Calendar.htm

[Synopsis]

Some information on the Philbrook Museum of Art, located in <you guessed it> Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Philbrook Museum houses exhibitions from around the world, including one of the finest permanent collections of Renaissance and Baroque art and sculpture in the United States. It features work from such masters as Piero di Cosimo, Biagio d'Antonio da Firenze, Tanzio da Varallo , and Bernardo Strozzi. The Philbrook also features 19th Century European artists, William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, American artists Thomas Moran, William Merritt Chase, and Levi Wells Prentice. The museum is widely recognized for its outstanding Native American and African art collection.

A picture of the grounds of ThePhilbrook.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/59/The_Philbrook_Museum_of_Art_and_formal_gardens.jpg (broken link)

And more information; this time on Gilcrease Museum which houses some of the most notable collections of not only art, but anthropology and literature. This fine establishment is also located in <you guessed it> good ol' Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The museum houses the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art of the American West as well as a growing collection of art and artifacts from Central and South America.

It appears to me that Tulsans like their art, and like it enough to make sure they are home to not one, but TWO world class art museums.

[Synopsis]

So, as for wanting art and art galleries Mannhattan-ite, there are plenty of things to see and do in Tulsa in that regard - and WORLD-CLASS to boot.

As for nice stores for shopping, there are dozens, if not hundreds of great places to shop in the city and suburbs of Tulsa.
If you want expensive, you can shop expensive.
If you want Target or Wal-Mart, you have those as well.
If you want organic, been there - done that. Tulsa has it.
You want exclusive restaurants - they have those all over the city.
Do you like parks? How about Mohawk park - a HUGE park on the northern edge of the city that hosts America's favorite zoo - yes, the Tulsa Zoo.

How about the River Parks, a park that stretches for miles and miles along the Arkansas River, that runs right next to the heart of Tulsa and all the way down to the South Side.

There are dozens of other parks, some of the most beautiful parks I've ever seen (i.e, Woodward Park).

And in regards to walkability; Tulsa is addressing even that issue in the vision 2025 program, which will add miles and miles of walkways throughout downtown and the park system.

To get to these places,yes you will need a car; something that you'll need in practically every other city in the entire United States.

[Sooner-On-The-Move]

There are literally tons of apartments in the Riverside area. And you're in luck, as it's one of the best areas in Tulsa for the things that you seek.

You'll want to be careful, though, because at night that part of town isn't, well, shall we say, the safest place to be? I have lived and worked in that area, though not for a few years. And I imagine that things are not necessarily "better" there now. There were constant car break-ins, muggings, and drug-related crimes in that area when I left it, nearly a decade ago.

I don't mean to be a downer, because it is a beautiful area. The Riverside park is nice during the day, a great place to take a child or get some exercise. And it really is pretty. Further, you'd be surrounded by much of what Tulsa has to offer culturally.

I just would be careful going out at night alone and, rather than walk, perhaps you could choose to take a bus wherever you're going.

As far as a car, well, there's plenty to be found pretty cheap, and you can always sell a car. Perhaps a lease is what you're looking for? However, it is a quite busy, congested part of town, miserable to drive in, especially during rush hours. Again, maybe the bus is a better idea.

[Manhattan-ite]

Sooner, thank you for providing a good, concise and to-the-point answer to the Englishwoman moving to Tulsa. Among the endless, useless and unrelated marketing posted by Synopsis, your advice is smart and honest.

She really needs a car, and she can find one for cheap. Or should she wait for the Tulsa 2025 Vision Plan that City Promoter Synopsis has told us about?

[Sooner-On-The-Move]

Hey, now, don't put me in the middle of this. I like Synopsis fine. Just trying to help a fellow traveler in the world.

And I do agree that Tulsa has some fantastic museums. Philbrook was a favorite childhood place for me.

[sallybell]

Sorry to put my two cents in again here, but I can't believe some of you are sidestepping the question asked. A lady is looking for a safe place to live with her husband and young baby. Husband will be working all day and wife will be home all day with the baby and no car.

Please tell her that she cannot realistically think she is going to live in an apartment next to Riverside Airport and walk everywhere pushing her baby stroller, buying all her necessities and taking her baby to the doctor if necessary.

She needs a car and recommendations for safe places to live in that area. Not commentary on the Philbrook museum of art.

It is not walking distance from Riverside airport anyway.

CCCooper you need a car period if you plan on moving to Tulsa.