SkyDance Bridge

For the holidays Liz and I flew back to Oklahoma. We spent the better half of a week playing connect-the-family-and-friends dots. I am fairly certain that we covered a quarter of the state in a matter of days. It was an enjoyable flourish before we hit I-44 to Oklahoma City.

Since I moved from OKC, I had not seen Devon Tower completed, gone to The Mule, eaten at Kitchen 324, visited The Womb, shopped at Dwelling Spaces OKC, or seen anything but plans for SkyDance Bridge. In 36 hours my to-do list was dominated. Doubly so for The Mule and Kitchen 324.

The new-to-me location that I was most looking forward to was SkyDance Bridge. I was curious to check out the structure that Americans for the Arts named one of the nation's 50 best public art projects. The co-designer and manager of the bridge project, Hans Butzer, was also the designer of the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. My unofficial go-to place for solace when I lived in OKC.

SkyDance Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that spans I-40. It measures 380 feet long, 20 feet wide and 197 feet tall. The design was inspired by the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Oklahoma’s state bird. It is almost as if the oversized, metal bird is flying into downtown to perch on the skyline.

The first visit back to OKC was the perfect balance of comfortable familiarity, and genuine appreciation of the continued growth of a city that I still love.  

Fall Peas

When I would visit my grandparents as a kid, in Pennsylvania, I would inevitably end up in my Grandpa’s garden. My most vivid memories of that garden centered around the peas. I would post up, find the most plump pods, and crack them open to eat the raw peas one by one. I was secretive. Stealthy. I had to be doing something wrong because they were so tasty. You would have thought that little me found a secret stash of candy. Come to find out that is what they were there for. To eat. Raw or otherwise.

After our first spring/summer North Carolina garden failed to produce to our expectations -  because of the heat, poor soil, beginners lack-of-luck, you name it – I decided to plant some peas as the summer heat subsided. Come to find out, the North Carolina fall supports the needs of peas. Because of that, I temporarily had my own candy store.

Now the frost has set in and I’ve since removed the peas from the garden, big me is surprised that they made it inside the house… well, at least half. 

NYC Surprise

The weekend after we returned from Asheville, we had even more plans. Our good friends, Natalie and Travis, were to pick us up at 5:30am on Saturday morning. We didn’t know where we were going, but only that we needed an overnight bag.

That Saturday morning we found ourselves at Raleigh-Durham International Airport to pick up a “rental car”. However, there was no rental car. I found myself trying to pick my jaw up from the parking garage floor as I was handed a boarding pass to New York City.

I was still dumbfounded as I ate an everything bagel, with a half-inch of cream cheese, in Rockefeller Center. Liz and I had never been to NYC. Separately or together. Yet, we found ourselves taking a food tour with the most perfect tour guides. A whirlwind viewing and food tasting tour of everything from Greenwich Village to Midtown Manhattan to Central Park. All in approximately 30 hours. The most pleasant surprise of a weekend for sure.

Highland Brewing Company

North Carolina is a great state for a lot of things: Food, college basketball, Southern hospitality, and… beer. With 61 operating breweries and brewpubs in the state, North Carolina won my heart when I moved from Oklahoma. The names of the breweries range from A to Z. Well, maybe more accurately, from A to W. From Ass Clown Brewing (“Don’t be one, drink one!”) to Weeping Radish Brewery (the oldest microbrewery in the state) located on the Outer Banks. You will find flavors that involve sweet potato, basil, chocolate nibs and locally foraged persimmons. And that is only from my favorite NC brewery, Fullsteam. There are 60 others, with a laundry list of more in the works.

So, when Liz and I found ourselves in the city that brews her favorite beer we had to tour the brewery. Also, it didn’t hurt that there was a distillery right next door. Highland Brewing Company was great to visit. Rightfully set in Asheville, it sits at the top of a hill and at the end of a short winding road. It was nice to hear about their brewing process and to be informed of their seven state regional distribution. But, to be honest, the best part for me was to see the face of a girl light up while standing in the middle of a chilled warehouse full of her favorite beer.

If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach then I have found that maybe, just maybe, the way to m’lady’s heart is through a pint of Highland Gaelic Ale. Cheers.

Asheville

The past few months have been a welcomed whirlwind of activity. Road trip travels. Unexpected jet-setting. And visits from fellow Okies – James surprised me with a post birthday appearance in Durham. Jeremy and Kathleen joined us for a relaxing extended weekend.

Liz and I whipped up the whirlwind when we set off on a four hour drive to spend my birthday in Asheville, NC. The scene was set as we drove to the Smoky Mountains through red and yellow leaves that fell like large snowflakes. An unlikely North Carolina storm washed away any concerns that we may have had before we spent several nights and days balancing relaxation and exploration.

The Airbnb we stayed at was perfect and the host could not have had a better. The neighborhood (just across from the River District) was a pairing of homes that had been there for a while, as well as modern homes, that were all quaintly situated on the steep incline of the foothills. A chicken coop was located just outside of our door (a selling point actually). It was doubly enjoyable waking up to the sound of clucking hens (it has been too long) and having coffee with the sassy egg-laying ladies. Liz and I spent our time eating, drinking, and we were merry.

It was the conclusion of another year of my life well spent. Conversations were had of the accomplishments over the past year. The present was discussed, as was the way that the future should look. Planning life as I all too frequently call it. It deserves a toast…well, that and suiting up.