Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – with Kathy L Wheeler

Welcome to Oklahoma City!

  

With RWA PRO writer Kathy L Wheeler

Kathy L Wheeler was born in Presque Isle, Maine.  How she ended up in Texas, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone.  She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems and a minor in Vocal Music.

She has been writing steadily for only four years but has five completed manuscripts, though she is yet unpublished.  She loves to travel.  She’s been to Europe, Mexico, Canada and roams from one conference to another nationwide.  You might not be surprised if you’d run into her in Seattle, Dallas or Atlanta.  She is currently serving her term as President of the Oklahoma Outlaws RWA Chapter.

Kathy lives with her husband in Edmond, Oklahoma where she migrated from Dallas, Texas in 1992.  She has one grown daughter.

Why Oklahoma City?

I admit I had doubts when I moved to OKC from Dallas in 1992, but Oklahoma City is on the cusp!  It is relatively inexpensive to live.  Major additions and improvements in the downtown area include Bricktown and our new NBA Thunder Basketball team, the youngest in the league to make the playoffs in only their second year in the city.

Restaurants a local would know and anything interesting about them?

Charleston’s – always great service, excellent food and wine;

501 Café – eclectic and European feel;

Museum Café – Oklahoma City Art Museum with Chihuly exhibits in the restaurant within walking distance of the Civic Center who hosts major Broadway attractions

A hot local topic for this date

The big thing recently is the addition of the Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball.  The constant improvements of Bricktown’s restaurants on the canal.

What is this city known for that is not stereotypical?

Oklahoma City is one of the largest cities per square mile without the population to match.  In other words, there is room to breath.

How would you describe the general population of this city?

Oklahoma City is two things:  Uptown money and Redneck city.

Famous people from this location

Carrie Underwood, Checotah OK, Reba McEntire, McAlester, OK, James Garner, Norman, OK, Barry Switzer, Norman OK, Chuck Norris, Ryan Ok. (actually this list is very large, I’ll stop here, however).

Something that might interest the Petit Fours type readers

We are at the crossroads of the world.  Where I-40 and I-35 cross.  We are three hours north of Dallas, and five hours south of Kansas City.  We can get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time if the mood should so strike us.

Something that would catch the attention of Hot Tamales

Oklahoma City has fabulous theater.  From Broadway attractions for shows like Wicked, Legally Blonde and Lion King to local theater with shows like Rocky Horror Picture show.  We have one of the largest Art Festivals in the Southwest, if not the biggest.

Description the city to someone visiting from another country who would know nothing about it

Oklahoma City is the big town with a small town feel.  Where else can you go for exciting college sports, the NBA, great theater, karaoke, and ride a boat down the canal in our own Historic Bricktown.  With wide open spaces the winds blows wild.  How about an airport you can get in and out of in matter of moments?  Or an art museum boasting works from greats like Renoir, Boudine, Lacroix and Chihuly Glass. If I’ve shattered your illusions about the wild, wild, west—fear not.  A visit to the Cowboy Hall of Fame should restore your faith.

If there was one must see, can’t miss thing you would recommend to someone new to the city, what would that be?

 

Beautiful Botanical Gardens

Web sites highlighting the city

http://www.oklahomacity.com/

http://www.okccvb.org/

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

 

You can find Kathy L Wheeler at the following locations

www.klwheeler.com

kathylwheeler.blogspot.com/

www.twitter.com/kathylwheeler