Wednesday, October 26, 2011

OKC's Arts & Culture

With a downtown urban renaissance and shimmering riverfront, a burgeoning art scene and world class museums, the flavors of the worldand the comforts of homeare alive in Oklahoma City. Our hip, spirited environment blends with a deep western heritage, creating a place where culture & commerce thrive.

With 3 Major Arts Festivals each year and more than 50 independent galleries showcasing local artists, Oklahoma City's  exuberant arts scene provides the perfect mix of mainstream and off-beat art encounters.

The Festival of the Arts is held every spring, with over 150 locally & nationally known artisans, tasty food vendors (The Indian Taco is my fav!), and musicians, it turns downtown OKC into an Arts District!

The Paseo Arts Festival is held during Memorial Day weekend, with artists & musicians filling the streets of the Paseo Arts District (A charming neighborhood offering studios, boutiques & restaurants).

The DeadCENTER Film Festival is OKC's biggest film festival, it attracts filmmakers from across the globe! DeadCENTER screens more than 100 independent films over a 5 day period in June in 7 premiere locations in downtown OKC.

We also have the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. which is accredited by the American Association of Museums. The Museum's collection covers a period of 5 centurieswith strengths in American & European art of the 19th & 20th centuries.
The Civic Center Music Hall is a renovated Art Deco concert hall in downtown OKC, featuring a multi-tiered auditorium with three balconies, 2,500 private seats, a hydraulic orchestra pit and virtually perfect acoustics. It is home to Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, Oklahoma City Ballet, Canterbury Choral Society, BLAC,INC., and Lyric Theatre.

Monday, October 24, 2011

OKC Factoids...

1) Most populas city in the State of Oklahoma
2)The nation's 44th largest metropolitan area
3) Ranked one of the Top 19 Home Markets with the Best Expected Performance.
4) In land area it is the 3rd largest in the nation
5) The Great OKC area includes 10 countieswith more than 1.2 million citizens
6) The Capital building at 23rd & Lincoln is the only Capital in the nation with a working oil well on its grounds
7) Tinker Air Force Base is the 2nd largest military air depot in the nation
8) The world's first parking meter was in OKC on July 6, 1935
9) In addition to being Aerospace Capital, it is also the Energy Capital with industry leaders such as Devon Energy & Chesapeake Energy headquartered here
10) Ranked in the last year as the No.1 Most Cost Effective City in America, the No.1 Best Place to Launch a Small Business and the No.1 Fastest Growing Large MSA in terms of per capita income.

So there you go, 10 facts you may not have known about OKC....

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

A Little OKC History.....

Born at the sound of a gunshot, Oklahoma City was settled by a land run of 10,000 homesteaders on April 22, 1889. OKC is located equal distances from both coasts and has long been hailed as Mid-Americas International Connection. With the central location of the nation's major highway arteries, OKC became a principle distribution center withing the state and the southwest region.
During the 70's & 80's, Oklahoma witnessed a decline in the inner city as people were choosing to live in the suburbs. Thus, the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) redevelopment project was passed in 1993.Through this OKC has been able to develop and renovate a series of 9 public projects which include the Civic Center Music Hall, Convention Center, the Fairgrounds, the Bricktown Ballpark, Bricktown Canal....and more.
So come on, get out and see what's new in OKC!

Monday, October 10, 2011

More OKC statistics

Oklahoma is known for being friendly, but not when it comes to high taxes. OK ranks squarely in the bottom 1/3 of the U.S. for taxes as a percentage of income, BUT OK ranks 47 - for lowest in property taxes according to MSN Money.
OKC's newly renovated and axpanded Will Roger's Airport is the primary commercial airport of OKC and surrounding areas. Will Roger's Airport is classified by the FAA as a medium-hub airport.
Now, if you're used to driving longer than 20 min or so just to get to work in the morning, you are about to gain back some extra free time! OKC boasts some of the lowest average commute times in the nation.According to studies, our city's traffic grid is ultra-efficient. In fact, among the nation's 52 major cities, OKC's commute times are the 1/3 lowest in the country!
So....no need to rush - you've got plenty of extra time to relax in OKC.
HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Friday, October 7, 2011

OKC Statistics....

I can tell you what it's like living here. I can talk about our Art Districts, our museums, the OKC Zoo and waterparks, our professional sports, live theater, Riverfront & Boathouse District activities;our 3rd shortest average commute times; our community spirit and high volunteerism rates and our local restaurants. I could brag about our live music scene, our unbelievable housing value, and the friendliness of the people.I could point out our strong economy, low unemployment, and #1 housing market! I could let you know that we are #3 on Business Weeks 40 strongest US Metro Economies list, #1 on Fortune/CNN Money's "Best Place to Launch a Business" and #1 on KPMG's Business Cost Survey.
I could go on about our quality of life and why Oklahoma City offers more than you would expect. But nothing I say can convince you like seeing it for yourself. Check OKC out and see better living and a better life in action!

HAPPY FRIDAY & BOOMER SOONER!!! (sorry all you Texas fans!)

Thursday, October 6, 2011

OKC is one of the strongest Metros in the Nation!

Did you know that Oklahoma City has been listed as one of the top 20 strongest metros among America's 100 largest Metropolitan areas. Oklahoma City has been in the top 20 for 10 consecutive quarters AND according to The Brookridge Institute Report OKC has been in the top 20 since the recession began!
And here is some more good news! While the majority of  cities saw high unemployment rates, rising foreclosures, and other negatives, OKC has seen a positive trend in nearly all areas! So, guys, this is great news for those of you relocating to Oklahoma City, or those of you who are thinking of buying!
Oklahoma City seems to be consistantly fairing well economically and we continue to grow!
What do you think?

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

OKC in the top 10 places to live!

Did you know that Oklahoma City is #10 in the top 100 places to live?! Do you know what they factor in for that? Well let me tell you, they factor in employment, education, community leadership and overall quality of life as well as the overall economy....so that's pretty good news for Oklahoma City!
Stay tuned for more great info about OKC....