Best Of The West

The last attraction I visited while in Oklahoma City was the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It seemed to be completely removed from most of everything else in Oklahoma City...or at least the Bricktown area I spent a large portion of my OKC time in. When I entered the museum, I was warmly greeted by a gentleman dressed in a cowboy outfit who apparently took a liking to me right away because we chit-chatted for nearly 20 minutes. He gave me his "business card", and it names him as Mr. Jerry Lee Tyner, BRS. Old West Aficionado, Serendipity Songster. How cool is that?!

This really got you in the mood for the rest of the museum! Kudos!

Turns out he was a docent, and he told me all sorts of facts about the museum and artifacts in it. Most of the conversation focused on a giant white statue directly behind us that depicts a Native American atop a bronco. It's an item featured often in materials about the museum, and when you see it in person, you are going to be simply breathless at how huge it actually is. Turns out it's nearly 100 years old, and the man who posed for the sculptor also posed for the Native profile on the buffalo nickel. How the sculpture ended up in the museum was an interesting (and lengthy) tale about World's Fairs, far away little towns, bureaucratic battles, bronze replacements, and the struggle to preserve plaster that was taken apart for decades.

From here, it gets a little complicated. See, this museum is HUGE. A LOT bigger than it appears to be. The above pictured statue sits in the middle of the east and west wings. I'll talk about the east wing first since I spent the least amount of time there. That's where the cafeteria is, as well as a gallery of Western art the museum has purchased over the years. There's a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln, a smaller bronze one of John Wayne, and some newer artifacts that have recently been acquired by the museum. However, most of the gallery space lies behind Lincoln, and no photography is allowed there, so I didn't go in.

The west wing, however, was PACKED with information and things to see. Even at a slightly hurried pace I didn't get to see it all. It seemed every time I tried to backtrack I found myself in a new room with more artifacts, paintings, or exhibits that taught me about another aspect of Western American culture.

There were areas that showed various Native American clothing:

A section that talked about television westerns (I'm a Rawhide and Big Valley fan myself) where I learned about the first and only African American western star Herb Jeffries aka "The Bronze Buckaroo" (he recently passed this past May at the age of 100):

An area that talked about the history, sport, and evolution of the American rodeo:

A small section that seemed to depict hunting in the early days of the frontier:

A very well done section that discussed the military, including the contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, and women:

A very expansive section that talked about the "basics" of cowboy culture (like different types of hats, rope ties, horses, saddles, etc.) as well as the different kind of cowboys there were. This was an area I wish I would have spent more time in:

There was even an interactive "town" where you could walk in and out of different shops and listen to a shopkeeper tell you about what their average day is like. It was very similar to the McKinley Memorial and Museum I visited in Canton, Ohio except it was larger, newer, and didn't have creepy mannequins incorporated into the shop areas:

There was also a very large gallery full of smaller statues and gorgeous paintings depicting western scenes. One painting in particular had pinks and blues so vibrant and, almost neon looking that I was sure it was a modern piece....but was painted in 1916! No photos allowed in there, and as we know, I (usually) follow the rules. There are also outdoor gardens, but as I was running out of time, my camera battery was dying, and it was over 100 degrees outside, I didn't go and wander about.

This museum was beautiful, and very well put together. But what I loved most was how much I learned there. Did you know that there were cowboys in Hawaii and Canada? I sure didn't. I also learned a lot about the more obscure parts of American history, and about the cultural and economic impact this had on our developing nation. You can go over more than 200 years of history in about two hours, and I think that's pretty cool. I also appreciated that multiple cultures were featured, and that both men and women were portrayed throughout the museum. I also enjoyed that rather than having the material portrayed as a "cowboy versus Indian" theme, both topics were blended throughout without lessening their individual importance. If you have two or three hours to spare in OKC, do yourself a favor and visit this truly amazing and unique museum.

 Well, I thought I was done with Oklahoma but it turns out I have one last very brief entry to go- my first meal at Sonic! I'll try to get that out before this weekend- after all I'll be headed to a "new" state: Georgia! (I put those quotes there because I actually used to live in Atlanta for a very brief period of time...but never ever did any touristy stuff. Shame on me!)

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. As always, you can check out my pictures on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and I'll see you on the next adventure!

A Different Hall Of Fame

In the (almost three!) years since I started this blog, I've been to a few halls of fame. There was basketball in Massachusetts, tennis in Rhode Island, and football in Ohio. Those were all great in their own ways, and while in Las Vegas, I was able to add another- albeit more risque- hall of fame to my list. Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting The Burlesque Hall of Fame!

Imagine a trumpet fanfare and some sexy red curtains revealing this fab sign

This museum was located in Downtown (read: old) Las Vegas, one block away from the last stop of the Deuce Bus. Let me warn you ahead of time- it's tiny. My sister and I walked past it three times before we realized the BHOF was actually a smaller component of some hipster looking bar. It was free to enter, which is a good thing because the "museum" is actually just three small rooms with information on the walls and a few outfits on display.

Image from the wall of the Museum

That's not a slight, mind you. The information covered was very interesting and told a story that I feel is a huge part of the whole Las Vegas "mystique". I was a bit disappointed because I'd missed the exhibit about people of color in burlesque by about a week or two. The woman working pointed out a few postcards left from the exhibit that were still for purchase in the gift shop, but without the story behind them I wasn't as interested. Hopefully (maybe) someday they'll publish a book on it- they'll have at least one customer!

Some of the costumes on display

Now, part of me hopes that one day the BHOF will get its own space and be this big huge marvelous testament to the art of burlesque-- not the seedy soft porn vibe people sometimes associate with it. It's a great concept that deserves a few minutes of your time (my sister and I stayed about 15 minutes). While we were on our way out, another woman came in and started a conversation with the woman working there- apparently they both actually PERFORM burlesque- which was cool. But I was trying to make a check donation and the conversation kinda killed the moment by not being able to step in and ask who I should write my check to. I didn't end up making that donation because she hinted that they didn't accept checks, which kinda sucked because I had no cash on me and didn't want to put my donation on a credit card. I highly encourage everyone to donate a few dollars to them though, it is one of those quirky places that often get ignored in the world of cultural giving. If you don't want give money they also have a wish list of stuff they need too!

Doubly sad I didn't get to add money to the pasty-adorned donation box!

Overall, a pretty cool stop while in Vegas. I'd be interested to see where it goes from here!

You can see the rest of my pictures from the BHOF on my Facebook page, and as always, thank you for reading my blog- we'll see you on the next adventure!

EDIT (6/19/2014)

So in my rush to get this entry typed, I forgot to include the link to a very informative podcast that I listened to days before the trip. It is from the podcast "How Stuff Works", and the topic is of course, burlesque. It gives a very detailed history in about 50 minutes of dialog. I still have it on my phone and will probably listen to it again someday. You can listen to it here. Enjoy!

Red Light Special

One of my more interesting stops in Alaska was my time at the Red Onion Saloon located in Skagway. A former brothel and bar (among other things), this current restaurant and mini museum tells another side of the Klondike Gold Rush-- that is, what those thousands of (mostly) men did when they weren't prospecting. As you could imagine, they drank. They played games and socialized. And they supported the oldest business in the world- prostitution. There were about 80 different brothels of varying levels at one time in the area, and the Red Onion was considered the best of them all.

Red Onion Saloon

They had quite a few different tour options available, but the one I opted for was the $10 "quickie" tour. For 20 minutes, one of the "working girls" would take you to the upper levels of the building where it has changed very little since the its heyday. There is original wall paper still on the walls, with larger swatches framed and displayed. One of the original red lanterns that advertised the "business" available for patrons is still on the inside (protected form the elements now). Even a beaded gown worn by one of the Saloon's former Madams (the woman who managed the brothel) is on display.

Inside the brother area

The Original Red Light

Beaded gown worn by a former Madam

When they were renovating the building (you know, so they could offer tours and operate a restaurant on the lower levels...) they found all sorts of trinkets left behind over the years. These are displayed in glass cases along the wall. In learning about the renovations, we were told that the dividers that would have separated each woman to give her a "room" had been removed so that groups could come through, but you could still see the staples and nails in the ceiling where they were attached.

Some items found under the floor boards during renovations

That is pretty much the gist of the tour (it was a quickie after all). I learned a few neat factoids (like Skagway had electricity before New York City, and that the ladies would curl their hair with electric curlers- in the dark though because you couldn't have your lights and curlers plugged in at the same time). They talked about the resident ghost names Lydia- but I DO NOT play around with stuff like that, so I was thankful she didn't make an appearance for us. Our tour guide (named Annie Whichway- get it?) was very personable and enthusiastic- even if the corny sex-tinged jokes were laid on rather thickly at times. I get it though, they want to play up the whole brothel thing, and dressing up with red lipstick, bustiers, and telling double innuendo jokes that come across in a family friendly way.

Annie Whichway telling us about the last Madam of the Saloon
as we stood in her former bedroom

I didn't eat at the Red Onion for two reasons. One- there was plenty of already-paid-for food on the cruise ship. (Don't let the excursions desks fool you- downtown Skagway is a ten minute walk away from the port, and there is a $2 shuttle that loops all through town if you can't handle that much walking). Two- the only food I saw on everyone's tables that looked halfway appetizing was a plate of nachos- and I didn't go all the way to Alaska for nachos. I liked that with the tour you get a souvenir garter in red and black. A pretty unique and awesome way to promote your business and create memories for your visitors in my opinion.

My hooker garter

Well, I still have a few entries left to type up for my Washington and Alaska adventures. Thank you so much for reading my blog! You can look at the rest of my pictures on my Facebook page, and as always, I'll see you on the next adventure!

Awesome Museum Alert!

I love going to museums, and you will see lots of them by the time I finish this blog up. As a self-professed history nerd, I love them and get a true thrill and exciting tingly feeling being around the ancient, rare, and beautiful trinkets of time and culture. However, I also know how many of you feel about museums....

Image from doughslam.com

I won't take this post to argue about how awesome museums are...but I WILL take this post to tell you about possibly the most exciting and engaging museum I have EVER been in...the EMP Museum in Seattle. With a focus largely on popular music history (think of it as a younger but cuter sister of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland), the museum also covers major nerd bases with science fiction and fantasy exhibitions too. It's loud, colorful, and a lot more laid back than your typical historical institution...and quite frankly I see it as the direction museums could be slowly inching towards.

Let's start with the building. First off, it's huge (140,000 square feet to be specific). I wasn't able to get a good shot of it from any angle because it's so massive. No ivory towers here folks, this place has steel and aluminum of different finishes and colors sculpted in abstract shapes that make the building seem like a giant flowing sculpture in its own right. It's directly next to the Space Needle, and the Monorail actually travels through an outer swoop of the building.

Space Needle, Monorail, and a piece of EMP

Peeking up to the sky from one of the entrances

image from empmuseum.org

This is the first museum I've been to that features science fiction and fantasy (as in myths and legends- nothing perverted folks!) in a way that makes it accessible to everyone from hardcore, costume sporting geeks to those who have no clue who Bilbo Baggins is. Highlights include original Tolkien books and drawings, the original Lion costume from the 1939 classic 'The Wizard of Oz', plenty of costumes from the many 'Star Trek' series, an original Superman costume, and the silver skull face from Terminator. As a HUGE 'Dr. Who' fan, I loved being so close to a Dalek- even though if I were really in an episode I would be running for my life.

EXTERMINATE! (but not really)

Suit used in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video

If this doesn't creep you out even a little...

The largest portion of the museum is dedicated to popular music. There's a giant funnel-shaped sculpture made out of musical instruments- that actually play music. A gallery dedicated to Seattle native Jimi Hendrix featured clothes and instruments and tons of video footage of the late guitarist. I gotta admit I knew very little about him before going through the exhibit (and watching footage of him play in the Sky Church allegedly envisioned by Hendrix with a larger than life sized screen that rotated video footage of various music artists as well) but now have a better respect for him as a musician.

Giant instrument sculpture 

Jimi Hendrix poster

Jimi's "Sky Church" room with the best screen I've ever seen

Another great musician from the state of Washington would come years after Hendrix had already died- Kurt Cobain of the group Nirvana. There was a gallery dedicated to them and the grunge movement of the 80s and 90s. Now, as a black girl growing up in the inner city, it wasn't "cool" to listen to rock music the way it is now. So my friends and I would watch MTV and sing along and bang our heads in the privacy of our homes, and only publicly acknowledge liking the rap and R&B everyone else listened to (I mean, we liked that music too...so it wasn't that difficult). Anyway, for me going through that particular gallery reminded me exactly how far I've come in my life- and about how much suicide (an issue I take very seriously) affects people you don't even realize (Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994- I still remember MTV News interrupting some random video with the breaking news). I felt like I was paying respects to this guy and his former band, and I am so happy this was part of the EMP experience.

Entrance to the Nirvana gallery

Clothes, a guitar and an MTV Moon Man
(VMA Award) from  Kurt Cobain/Nirvana

One of the In Utero creepy angels

One of the most historic rooms was dedicated to the advancement of the electric guitar throughout rock and roll history. It was a very dark room, with a video playing discussing the early blues guitar players that were the roots of rock and roll music. While I LOVED the guitars (they have a ton of one of a kind instruments and some really cool electric basses and cellos too) I did NOT love the woman unable to control her too-old-to-be-disruptive son who was running and yelling.

One of the more interesting instruments there

The last major exhibit I saw there was "Women Who Rock", which sadly ends September 22, 2013. While I enjoyed the exhibit, it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Whereas I thought I would learn more about the struggles of female musicians in a music history context, this was more mini biographies with career highlights jazzed up with famous outfits and pretty pictures. It was also a little misleading- often you would read about the career of the artist pictured, but the outfit wouldn't be from the same era. I took pictures of nearly every outfit there, though, and enjoyed singing along to the music playing throughout the gallery. Some of my favorites (by outfit, singer, or both...) were:

Cher's famous Native American costume next to an outfit worn by Donna Summer

Lady Gaga's meat dress

MY IDOL Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation Hat and Jacket

Well, I could go on and on for quite a few more paragraphs about how much I loved this place. I would recommend you spend AT LEAST two hours there (I spent closer to three and nearly missed my cruise ship because I stayed longer than anticipated). My ONLY gripe is that it's a little confusing trying to find the elevators to move from floor to floor. The highlight of my trip there was the top notch customer service every employee had. The one desk associate even helped me get directions to the (much further than Google Maps led me to believe!) bus stop so I could get on my cruise. Kudos to that magnificent team!

Well, I have a TON more photos from this museum and all of my adventures on my Facebook page. Go on through, "like" it, and I will see you on the next adventure!

I'm a Gold Digger

The land that would eventually become America's 49th state (Alaska) was purchased from Russia in March of 1867. Not even 30 years later gold was discovered, and the Klondike Gold Rush began. 100,000 people from all over the world (but largely America) made the journey towards Alaska. Of those, only about 30,000 actually made it there, and out of that number only 4,000 found any gold. It was a very rough and tedious task to undertake, all on the hopes that one would find a big hunk of yellow metal and become rich.

If only it came out of the ground this way...
Image from www.munknee.com

Let me tell you, that they were much better than I am to have that much hope. I panned for gold for 15 minutes and only found a few dozen flakes. It was tedious and not fun after the novelty of being a city girl gold prospecting wore off. Let me explain...

I did a cruise excursion to the AJ Mine/Gastineau Mill during our (too short) port stop in Juneau, Alaska- the state capital. Early in the morning, myself and about 10 other cruisers hopped onto our mini bus, and took the 10 minute ride up the steep (and scary looking!) wooded mountain side to reach the first part of our experience: the mine entrance.

We had to wear safety helmets to go inside (I mean, we are going inside of a mountain after all) and were escorted by John Hughes. He was really nice and seemed truly interested in not only the entire culture of mining, but in telling us about it and learning about what we did in our non-vacation lives. He told us that he was half Welsh and half Tlingit, and that he also carved masks that were sold in the gift shop we would see later (great self plug, I gotta admit- tell us about the stuff you make before you take us into a mine that could potentially be dangerous).

John and I outside of the mine

What I expected was a ride in an old mine cart on a rickety railway a la every adventure movie involving mines and treasure ever. Instead, there were easily walkable wooden walkways covered in highly textured... stuff... to prevent slipping and falling. John stopped us at various points in the mine to show us different steps on how ore was actually marked, drilled, blasted, and hauled away. I got a few videos of some of the demonstrations, and you can check them out on my YouTube Channel here. All in all we spent about 45 minutes in the mine, which is much colder than the outside, so if you get the chance to go, take a jacket. I had a chill with a heavy cable sweater and corduroy jacket and pants on.

At the mine entrance

John giving us a demonstration of one of the machines

After that, we were bussed back down the mountain (just as scary and steep and bumpy going down as going up!) to an outdoor heated pavilion where we learned this history of the mine and how it used to actually operate and were showed pictures of the mine during its heyday. This was particularly cool, and a little eerie, when you realized the nature-covered structure you are facing is actually the ruins of the pristine looking mine in the photograph.

THEN....

...AND NOW!

After that presentation, which lasted about 10 minutes, we were free to roam the grounds (taking care not to go beyond the rope barriers for safety reasons), and to go to the gold panning station, where everyone is guaranteed to find gold or garnets to take home with them!

Walking around the grounds, there were a ton of old rusty machines and vehicles that were used at some point in the mine's active days. To me, they were beautiful, and the conservationist in me was flabbergasted as to why they were allowed to rust and decay out in the elements without any sort of protection. Why, in a few years most of them will be too rusted out to be recognizable! But perhaps that's part of the "charm" *history nerd shudder* they were going for.

Beautiful and tragic all at once!

So, back to this gold panning. This was done under another awning (no heat this time) in dim light. Two guys showed us how to agitate our gold pans so that the silt and sediment and rocks would eventually filter out to leave us with pretty gold flakes or garnet grains to put inside of our little take home valves. I stood there for fifteen minutes, scooping two pans worth of gunk, and still needed help to get the last few bits of unwanted matter out. It was very slow, and in all that time I only found about $5.00 worth of gold. Now, if I had that much trouble in a touristy fashion, just imagine those poor souls 120 years ago having to do it all on their own without help!

See those light colored flakes to the right of the bottom circle of my pan?
That's my gold!

15 minutes of tedious work for about $5 worth of gold

I really enjoyed my time there. In talking with the two guys who helped us with our gold panning I learned that a lot of college kids from the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest come up to Alaska to work for a year or two, save up their money, and then use it to pay for college. I also learned Alaskan colleges tend to be extra generous with scholarship money. John also told us that with just a high school degree you can start off earning $80K to work in the mines, and that again, a lot of young folks come up and work for a year or two before heading off to college or other locations. While I don't think I personally have what it takes to do such intense manual labor, I applaud them for finding ways to make college more affordable!

The gift shop on site was pretty standard, but the prices were slightly less expensive than the "main" Alaskan tourist shops located in downtown Juneau. The biggest highlight was the lack of a huge confused crowd like in the shops at the port. When we were in Juneau, there were two other ships docked. Now my ship (the Carnival Miracle) holds more than 2000 guests- and we weren't the biggest ship there. So imagine 6000+ people clamoring for t-shirts and ulu knives in a handful of stores---- stressful to say the least! Anyway, at the gold mine shop, I picked up a cute pair of earrings made by a local artist using Alaskan clay and white gold. I love them, even if they are a bit different for me, and was happy to support the local arts scene!

Kinda quirky, but they were calling to me!

Well folks, I still have a TON of things to blog about from Alaska and Washington. I truly appreciate everyone who follows me along my journey via the blog, Facebook, and Twitter, and as always, I'll see you on the next adventure!