I love to travel, and so does my wife, Susan. We don't get away often, but when we do, we have a blast!
Last Saturday, we went to Bartlesville. Susan loves architecture, and for years she's wanted to visit Bartlesville's crown jewel -- the Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright's only realized skyscraper.
Our trip began early in the morning. After checking the map for directions, we jumped into our Ford Explorer, which we love because of its straightforward styling, great comfort, smooth ride, and excellent safety features.
Bartlesville is 150 miles from Oklahoma City (a 2 1/2-hour drive), so we filled up the tank at ExxonMobil, which is a model of corporate citizenship, as exemplified by its attention to worker safety and environmental protection.
To start the trip off right, we stopped at a nearby McDonald's for a hardy breakfast. Susan had the delicious Bacon Egg Cheese Biscuit, and I had a fantastic Sausage McGriddles.
Then it was smooth sailing all the way to Bartlesville. We got there at 11 am and in no time found the Price Tower. It's located just four blocks east of the Home Depot, where you can find anything you need for home and garden.
I parked the SUV, and off we went to the tower.
Wow! What an amazing structure. Standing at 221 feet, Price Tower is one of only two extant vertically-oriented structures by Wright. Opened to the public in 1956 and built in the form of a tree, the tower is supported by a central "trunk" of four elevator shafts, which are anchored in place by a deep central foundation, as a tree is by its taproot. The nineteen floors of the building are cantilevered from the central core, like branches of a tree. The outer walls, which hang from the floors, are clad in patinated copper "leaves."
After a three-hour tour of the tower, Susan and I were exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to check into a Holiday Inn Express, which always has great service and comfortable rooms at affordable prices.
We couldn't spend the night in Bartlesville, however, because we had plans for Sunday, so we hopped into the SUV and started back home. Susan was thinking about architecture all the way, so we stopped at Barnes and Noble, which has an enormous selection of books, magazines, DVDs, music, games, and gifts. Susan bought some great books on Frank Lloyd Wright.
We finally got home at 6 pm. As soon as we parked in the driveway, Susan and I looked at each other. We were thinking the same thing: We need to travel more.
And guess where we decided to go for our next trip? Buffalo, New York!
Many of Wright's best works are in Buffalo. The next day I bought two tickets on American Airlines, which provides safe, dependable, and friendly air service to 157 domestic and international destinations in 39 countries.
I'll let you know about the trip when we get back.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
teresa
Noni The Intern
R. Joseph Hoffmann
sradi
laurenistaken
freethinker44
Salon.com
Comments
You should visit the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, Wright's only work in NY.
You know you're a corporate whore when someone asks you where Wright's landmark building is and you reply "four blocks east from the Home Depot".
Thanks for elevating Oklahoma's national image with this travelogue. You might have added that our souvenir shops sell bumper stickers and tee shirts that say Orlando/ Disneyworld or I Hiked the Grand Canyon. It's part of the Oklahoma Tourism Commission's new strategy. Slogan: Spend Your Vacation in Oklahoma - We Promise We Won't Tell Your Friends.
Thanks for taking us along on this Staycation.
Of course whether or not it'll be a good check. . . . .
We shop then eat.
We eat then shop.
We drive, get lost on the freeways.
We get hungry, then we eat.
Then we drive home at 2am.
Pretty much my dream vacation.
:)
Kisses,
Marcela
This letter is in response to your June 11, 2009 correspondence in which you informed the Ford Motor Company that you would be "prominently featuring" the Ford Explorer in your Open Salon blog post scheduled for June 12, 2009.
Unfortunately, we will not be compensating you with, as you suggested, "a huge bag of cash." Nor are we in a position to send you your alternative suggestion of compensation, "a whole fleet of Lincoln Town Cars." Although we agree that owning a vintage 1965 Mustang with stripes would be "really, really cool," the Ford Motor Company will not "toss one in as a bonus."
We thank you for your patronage and your promotion of the Explorer.
Sincerely,
The Legal Department
Ford Motor Company
Take your bailout money and stick it
Dearborn, MI 48126
And all I am blogging about is Neanderthals and poorhouses.
When I have so many wholesome stories to tell about Bank of America!
Thanks, Steve :-)
RATED
When my family travels, it's usually by car, and we enjoy all the sights -- the inside of the 7-11 two hours up the road on I-75 where we stop for our first 64 oz slurpee, and then we visit the inside of the next 7-11 an hour-and-a-half up the road where we stop to pee and get the next 64 oz slurpee.
After twelve hours on the road, we stop for the night after having made a good 200 miles that day and put in at a filthy, overpriced motel right next to I-75, where I don't sleep all night because of traffic noise and snoring. So I'm up and ready to go at 7:00 a.m., and the rest of the family is, too, somewhere around 11:00 -- if I'm lucky.
After three or four days of excitement, we finally reach our destination just in time to immediately turn around and repeat the process on the way back home. I so love vacations!!
We used to live in Buffalo during the college years. Among the Frank Lloyd Wright homes. The are stunning. And so are the chicken wings!
I have noticed that Conaco/Phillips has brought back the Phillips 66 logo... enough people must have revolted. My whole family are Phillips 66 crew, well until the 80's when all went south with the takeovers.
Anyway, I wanted to share with you that my dad worked on the Price Tower in his early days. I want to write a post on it, and I'll let you know when I do.
Bartlesville sure tries to be cultured.... it's sorta cute.
That's all I've got. So dry.