Near Gore, Oklahoma in July 2012 Most hotels that call themselves a "resort" don't end up on my notable list. But Fin & Feather is so oddly memorable, I'm forced to add it. F & F sits high up, at the south end of Lake Tenkiller, just west of the Arkansas border. When we lived in Tulsa, our friends would talk about annual family reunions at the resort. Don and I decided to stop by while on a road trip, to check out the place that we'd heard about for years. The Notable Entrance In the 1990's, the Harts used to chuckle about the dated resort. But they loved the place. When we approached the office, I had to smile at the cement urns and birdbaths. I wanted to experience the place just as the Harts had described. I was glad the resort hadn't just completed a major renovation. Welcome! Just inside the glass doors, I spotted the bustling office and gift shop to the left. While Don checked in, I headed to the right and took a seat in a snazzy little area. "Just perfect for a little meeting with my Garden Club friends!" I thought. If I belonged to a garden club... I will admit, I did detect a musty odor, with a hint of skunk. But sometimes you have to put up with smells of the past in order to enjoy a vintage atmosphere. As for the skunk... well, the picture windows revealed a lot of nature out there. I'm sure that smell was temporary. Feeling Like a Lady The mint green door, flowered wallpaper and "marble" statue made me feel like I was in a place where ladies are treated with respect... when their hubbies return from fishing! Having lived in Texas for 15 years I was ready for a restroom door that didn't have a cowgirl or Senorita image on the door. I decided, this little corner of the office building was picture worthy! Closer Inspection As I relaxed a bit, I had time to look about. The "patio furniture", with glass tables and flower arrangements reminded me of my Aunt Marguerite's sunroom on my last visit in 1990. Aunt Marguerite liked the feminine touch. She drove a purple Cadillac. She also had the money to up the classiness a bit. She would have replaced the droopy peacock feathers in the giant vase. Since 1960 1960 is barely old enough to get me excited. But it was fun to imagine this property 55 years ago, opening with 20 cabins and a small cafe. We headed down the drive to find our accommodations in an slightly newer addition. Up the Stairs This building may have been a little younger than 60 years old, but our room at the top of the stairs had the same musty smell of old carpet and tired air-conditioners. No big deal, it's a lake resort after all. I have no photos of the room, but it was spacious, with dated decor and a nice view of the lake in the distance. 100 Degrees Don and I were pretty drained by the sweltering heat that day. We had spent much of our day outside, visiting the nearby Cherokee Heritage Center, absorbing history about the devastating Trail of Tears that ended in Oklahoma. We needed something to help us transition into this very different world and something to cool us down. We fixed some ice-cold gin & tonics and strolled the grounds with our thermal mugs. The metal umbrella over the picnic table made me grin! Empty Pool Where was everyone? The pool was empty, so all the families must have been at the lake. I could picture the Hart Family reunion taking over this glass covered pool area. I'll bet there were a lot of swim caps in this pool when it first opened. Fin Bin Rules We strolled along until we came to the the building that housed the "FIN BIN" recreation room! Oops! "G-rated" and "No Alcohol". We felt like the bad kids at summer camp as we entered the Rec Center, nonchalantly carrying our mugs of... aaaa...Mountain Dew? At the Lake? Once again, things seemed a little empty. But it was quite a sight to see this gigantic recreation area with such a mixture of styles. There was a stone covered water fountain, beside a retro coin operated scale. The '70's fast food style seating was beside a flashy, carpeted wall! And beyond that wall was a sea of pool tables and arcade games! A kid's dream! I wasn't sure about the Skate at Your Own Risk sign. There was a rental station, but I'm not sure where the skating happened. Maybe you could skate from the ping pong table to the pool tables? Pretty curious. Evening at The Fin Actually this photo was taken in the morning from our window, not evening. I didn't have my camera when we strolled to dinner at the newly remodeled restaurant, called Soda Steve's. I wish I had photos of the curious "island themed" dining room and some of the foods (like ice cream nachos) that we saw being devoured. There was an awkward vibe to the place, since many of the tables were occupied by a quiet family reunion. The women all wore long denim skirts and and long ponytails with puffy bangs. I'm not positive, but I think this hints at some fundamentalist religion. I am sure that they were a very proper and mannerly group, in contrast to the sunburned, voraciously hungry family crowds that entered a little later. Food at Soda Steve's We had been lured years ago by this blue & white cookbook gift, given by the Harts. We had always been tempted to try out the resort and it's fun and fattening foods. As we dined on our burgers that evening, we became aware that the menu had changed a bit since Chef Steve came on board. We didn't get a chance to meet him, but we got to know him, since we were surrounded by plentiful photos and write ups and videos that shared about his travels to third world countries on mission trips. Hmmm? What's Notable? "The Fin" as regulars call it, doesn't fit any category on my list. It's not a retro motel or an historic inn. It's more of a family retreat and maybe that's why we felt a tad out of place. We were just two. If Don and I had come years ago with our kids and the Hart family, we would have had a blast. In fact we still would, with our grown kids... mostly because we all like each other! But since we had no family to "play" with on this visit, I'm glad we got to wander and enjoy (with our R-rated cocktails) and imagine the past!
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Route 66 in 2014 Love, love, love a neon sign that belongs to a Route 66 Motel, that's been in operation since 1953! And that's pretty much all there is to love about the Desert hills Motel. Location, Location, Location I already mentioned the Route 66 part, and that was the lure since we were on an Oklahoma road trip. But the motel location was a bit grim. This stretch of the old Route, 5 miles from downtown, was loaded with used car and auto salvage lots. Other Options? There were other motels in the area. Oasis had an appealing sign, too. The Brookshire was quaint and cottage-like... from a distance. And the no-name place... was creepy! We could have stayed downtown at the cute little boutique, Ambassador Hotel where our friends were staying. It was lovely and we had a great dinner there, but we were ridiculously drawn to the motel with the cactus. We'll Take It! So we pulled up to the door so I could run in and inquire about rooms. A little boy peered over the counter and answered my questions with a slight accent. He disappeared to find his mom so I could pay my $45.00. It felt a little odd to slide my credit card through the little dip, beneath the bullet proof glass. Oh, but it is fun living on the edge sometimes! All Alone? Easy parking, since we were the only car in the lot! And what a sleek design! Each room jutted out, so you entered more of a sidedoor. I'm picturing the architect in 1953 as he grinned at his cleverness. "This will make the room more spacious. And the door will open so very discretely." Room 150 Each door proudly displayed the Route 66 shield with room number. And this photo angle shows the nice line up of doors. I wonder if they had air-conditioning in 1953? If not, the high windows would have offered little ventilation on a hot day in Tulsa. Of course for those who valued their privacy, those high windows would have been much preferred. Personalizing Our Room If only I'd known our room was going to be decorated with white painted paneling and accents of mauve and Kelly green. I could have brought a different quilt! Honestly, this is not a habit. I just didn't care for the worn and creepy looking bed spread. I removed it at once and checked the sheets, which still had creases from pressing. Then I remembered I had this quilt in the car and went for it. I have no bathroom photo, but I do think we had to step up or down to reach it. And there was some retro pink tile work that I really liked. Why no photo? Morning We didn't spend too many sleeping hours in our little motel. We got in late the night before, after meeting friends for dinner and a James Taylor concert. I woke early the next morning and announced to Don "We made it through the night." (Our friends had shared some stories about the evidently sketchy area where we were staying!) I stepped out to try to catch the sunrise over the "desert hills" and did manage to see a glow. I also noticed that a few more guests had arrived in the night. How cozy. Our hosts had placed us in rooms next to one another. Kind of like B&B hosts, encouraging their guests to socialize over breakfast! What's Notable? Out of all our oddball, retro, vintage, historic stays, this seems to be the one that confuses people the most. "Why did you stay there?" There was something sort of silly about choosing a place like this, when you can afford better. I guess it was the sign that we couldn't resist. I'm glad we stayed. I'm glad Don got a tee-shirt that he has worn many times. And I'm glad I can cross it off my list!
Chelsea, Oklahoma In July 2012, Don and I took a one week road trip on the Mother Road in Oklahoma. Our journey included an evening at the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, a dancing lesson with Farmer in the old Round Barn, numerous meals in quaint and quirky cafes and diners, but only 2 nights in motels on the actual route itself. The Motor Inn This motel at the north end of 66 was our comfiest stay on the Route. You have to love a place called Motor Inn. They no longer have the original sign, and I do love a retro sign, but there's a grand wooden tower that greets travelers today. Other Signs We spotted some other motels with interesting signs while on the road. But, we had already made reservations after reading decent reviews about our motel in Chelsea. Route 66 Room When I talked to Trudy on the phone a week earlier, she told me about their Route 66 Room. We were pretty darn thrilled to book that room for $49.00. Decor My idea of perfect décor is a place that hasn't changed anything except the sheets and mattress since opening. But I happily went along with the Route 66 themed bedspread and curtains. I appreciated the enthusiasm with the framed prints and the mighty fun fake gasoline pump. But mostly we had fun with the map of Oklahoma on the wall. It was fun following the marked route and spotting the towns we'd been through. Motel and House The office door is at the end near the house. Owner Trudy greeted me upon arrival and warned us not to be worried when cars arrived later, "Family is coming to stay." I was sad to hear some hints about illness in the family. I so hope the motor inn is still open. I know they had big plans to make the house next door into a bed and breakfast. To Ourselves We had the whole "porch" to ourselves. Since no one else had checked in, we borrowed a green metal chair and had ourselves a pleasant happy hour. Lounging We cooled down with icy drinks, in front of our room, #5... ...and read up on some interesting facts about the Mother Road. The View And we gazed across Route 66, to this funny old garage. We even had a few cars wave to us. Now that made my day! Dinner We had dinner in Chelsea, at the Main Street Café. I had the meatloaf special with a navy bean dish. Nearby Sights In the morning we found more cars in the graveled lot. Trudy's family must have been at the house. I think a couple rooms were taken by some construction workers who had arrived late. We checked out and enjoyed a few of the sights a short drive from the motel. You have to love Ed Golloway's colorful, 90 foot cement totem pole, completed in 1948...after 11 years of work. Old Bridge And we were able to find this wonderful old bridge that carried Route 66 traffic, from 1926 to 1933. We met an interesting man from Munich on the bridge. He was visiting The States, riding his motorcycle across the continent and said Missouri reminded him of Bavaria! What's Notable? There was nothing too picturesque or luxurious or even really historic about the motel itself. But the place was welcoming and clean and best of all right there on a 2-lane portion of Route 66! It was hot, but we did what travelers did back in the early days of automobile traveling...when motels weren't air-conditioned. We parked in front of our room and sat out front and watched the cars go by.
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
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