Resident Spotlight

When did you move to Oklahoma City? Where did you come from?

I was born in Oklahoma City but moved away to Texas in 1985, when I was 14 years old. After I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, I moved to New York City at the age of 23 and lived there for 20 hilarious and interesting (but also stressful) years. I had a blast during my fast-paced life in the Big Apple, but when I hit my 40s I knew I wanted to settle down in a smaller, homier, friendlier place, where I could afford to buy a house and enjoy an easier, more peaceful life. Some of my family still lived in OKC, so after a Christmas visit in 2014 that was full of fun I decided to make the move. I’ve been back in OKC since the spring of 2015.  

What has been the biggest surprise about OKC to you?

What hasn’t been a surprise? That Christmas visit back in 2014 showed me how much OKC has changed in the 30 years I’d been gone. We cheered at a Thunder game, toured beautiful Christmas light displays in Midtown, drank German beer at Fassler Hall and sampled calf fries at Cattleman’s. I had one of the best meals of my life at Ludivine and we had our minds blown checking out the graffiti on the bright pink art gallery owned by the Flaming Lips in Automobile Alley.

The cultural revitalization of OKC, along with its burgeoning food scene, blew me away! I fell in love with each charming, distinctive district – from The Paseo to The Plaza to Deep Deuce and more – and I left OKC convinced that the city offered plenty of urban excitement to keep even this self-proclaimed obsessive New York food and culture junkie interested.

What is your favorite thing about living in OKC? 

I love the ease of life. My commute to work is only 10 minutes, which makes me happy literally every day. The cost of living is shockingly reasonable and the house I could finally afford to buy once I finally left NYC fills me with joy. I love that OKC has the feel of a small town (you really can be practically anywhere in the city with no more than a 15-minute drive and virtually no traffic jams, no matter the time of day you’re traveling) while offering a ton of big-city entertainment, dining and cultural options. And I love getting back to nature when I go to the lake with my family on summer weekends. There is so much natural beauty just a short drive from OKC.  I have found that boating with my family at some of Oklahoma’s abundance of lakes is the ultimate relaxation for me.

What would you say to someone thinking about moving to OKC?

Oklahoma City is such a unique place. The people are very welcoming. Each district has a distinct vibe just waiting to be explored. If you come I think you’ll be surprised and impressed by the sheer number of interesting things to eat, see and do.