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Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy! Today we are discussing the in . On the outskirts of Pauls Valley, open from 6:30am to 4pm Monday through Saturday, you can find one of the homiest restaurants around. From the eclectic décor to the friendly staff, you will be impressed with this hidden gem. If you are in need of home cooked country cooking, that your grandma would endorse, then you have to try Community Café in Pauls Valley. The small town of Pauls Valley could take days to explore. Some journey to Pauls Valley, Oklahoma via the AMTRAK Heartland Flyer...

FIRST Robotics Competition - Oklahoma City

Be careful of robots! They byte! Today we are discussing the at the in . Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12). Their programs are suitable for schools or structured afterschool activities and receive support from a vast network of volunteers, educators, and sponsor/donors, including over 200 Fortune 500 companies. FIRST participants are guided by a...

Highway 62 BBQ Competition - Nicoma Park, Oklahoma

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Ribs are the reason I could never be a vegetarian! Today we are discussing in . Help raise money for a great cause while enjoying some of the state's best barbecue at Nicoma Park's annual Highway 62 BBQ Cookoff & Music Festival. Throughout this two-day event, teams of experienced grill masters will compete for the title of barbecue champion with their best brisket, ribs, chicken and small-bite appetizers. In between bites of savory barbecue, enjoy additional attractions like arts and crafts, vendors, inflatables for children and live music. All proceeds from this event will go directly to...

Taste of Summer Ice Cream Festival - Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

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Chasing the summer vibes, one scoop at a time. Today we are discussing in . The Taste of Summer event in Central Park is considered a summer staple in Broken Arrow. This ice cream festival invites guests to enjoy a family fun zone with inflatables and face painting, a car show, art vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, a steak cook-off and all-you-can-eat Blue Bell ice cream. Broken Arrow is home to legendary Blue Bell Creamery, and this event packs a lot of fun into one day. Enjoy a festival atmosphere surrounded by scoops of your favorite Blue Bell flavors. This hometown event boasts...

Que Pues! 2 - Mustang, Oklahoma

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Red Fern Festival - Tahlequah, Oklahoma

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Quit hounding us about spring festivals! Today we are discussing in . Bring the family to Tahlequah and enjoy the Red Fern Festival, a fun, old-fashioned fun event featuring hound dog field trials, 1930s era children's games, a car show and more. Held annually the last weekend of April, the Red Fern Festival was inspired by the renowned novel, "Where the Red Fern Grows" by native author Wilson Rawls. The festival evokes the novel's story of simple childhood joys with a wide array of old-fashioned events perfect for the whole family. One of Tahlequah's premier events, the Red Fern Festival...

Sergeant Space Snax

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Sergeant Space Snax is an Oklahoma owned freeze dried candy company. https://www.facebook.com/sergeantspacesnaxllc

Skull Hollow Nature Trail - Oolagah, Oklahoma

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Wood you like to go for a hike with us? Today we are discussing in . The Skull Hollow Nature Trail in Oolagah is considered an easy route, it takes an average of 27 min to complete. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are March through April. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Oologah Lake provides a great getaway for fishing, boating, picnicking, camping or just drifting over the sky blue waters. Plenty of wide stretches of water, perfect for catching the wind,...

Doo-Whop - Velma, Oklahoma

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I'm souper hungry right now. Today we are discussing in . The Doo-Whop is a small restaurant that knows a thing or two about feeding big appetites. The restaurant lives by its slogan, “It ain’t food if it ain’t fried!” Serving everything from fried pickles and mozzarella sticks, to chicken fried steaks and curly fries, this restaurant has a passion for fried foods. Velma-Alma is a humble, community-loving town with a beautiful countryside of meadows and flowing creeks. Proud home to country music legend Joe Diffie, the 125-year-old annual Old Settler's Picnic, and the tasty Chuckwagon...

Country Bird Bakery - Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Life is what you bake it. Today we are discussing in . Using regionally sourced grain and flour, Country Bird Bakery supports local farmers, while also supporting physical health, economy and ecology. This bakery aims to tell the story of the farmers and the land in a creative, fun, and unexpected way. They source the majority of their ingredients from from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. By utilizing a variety of grains, this bakery yields baked goods that are more nutritious and with a more complex and diverse flavor profile. Visit Tulsa, Oklahoma's second-largest city,...

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This is the history of Van's Pig Stands as written in “Historic Shawnee, The History of Shawnee & Pottawatomie County” by Bob Burke and Eric Dabney, published 2014: Oklahoma’s oldest barbeque restaurant continuously owned and operated by the same family is Van’s Pig Stands. First finding fame in the heart of historic Shawnee, nearly a century later its history is palpable. From the mouthwatering food to the friendly service and comfortable atmosphere, Van’s is a place of nostalgia and great eating. an old black and white picture of a man with his son standing next to wooden store The roots of this venerable establishment were originally planted by Tennessee native Leroy “Van” Vandegrift, who moved with family to Oklahoma City, where he graduated from Central High. He served in the Army before working as a tool dresser in the oil fields of North Texas and began cooking for fellow roughnecks on rig sites. Around 1928, Van opened his first Pig Stand in a hotel in Wewoka, Oklahoma. It was a small little store serving barbecue such as the Pig Sandwich® and Ribs. The menu also included other types of sandwiches such as Liverwurst, Pimento, Chicken Salad, and Cream Cheese. In 1929 a second Pig Stand opened in Seminole and was then sold in 1935. Pig Stands were later opened in Wichita Falls, Texas and Wichita, Kansas. On June 5, 1930, Van opened his third Pig Stand Location at 714 Highland in Shawnee. In the same year, Van married Thelma Maree Glenn. In 1935 the Shawnee store moved across the street to its present location. The stories of these earliest days in the life of Van’s flourishing Pig Stands are legendary among the family. During the Great Depression that swept across America throughout the 1930s, Van’s sandwiches—which originally cost 10 cents and had risen to 30 cents for hungry customers—returned to the 10 cent price, with a malt and pig sandwich costing a whopping 20 cents. The restaurant was also home to the area’s first ice cream machine. Specialized menu items and secret sauces quickly became a trademark event at the Pig Stand. Its loyal customers enjoyed hot BBQ sauces with jalapeño and cayenne pepper mixed so perfectly on-site that they were eventually sold in six ounce bottles from the back seat of Van’s son’s car. Van’s wife, Thelma, came up with the twice-baked potato that packed full of bacon, onions, salt and pepper, and served with garlic butter. Later, she was in charge of dinner banquets that included large private parties where she served her famous chicken pilaf. Van’s son, Jerry, remembers the time well. “When I was working the sandwich corner, my mother was making chopped pork ‘pig’ sandwiches and putting the buns on the grill with butter. We later took the BBQ sauce and thinned it down to paint the buns before we dropped them in a bun toaster. We included a relish, too. On those older menus, we didn’t have BBQ though. We sold pimento cheese, bratwurst, and even a cow’s tongue sandwich for real cheap. Our specials included chicken fried chicken or chicken and dumplings, beans, Rueben sandwiches. I felt like we had too much on the menu in those early days, but dad wanted it that way.” Within its first twenty years, the stand in Shawnee was a bustling place and even included the famous Charcoal Room by the early 1950s. It was originally created with a dance hall and shuffleboard and included an impressive Wurlitzer jukebox. Without a doubt, Van’s remains another great reason to spend some time in Shawnee and get to know its many assets. The restaurant continues to welcome guests from around the country. They have also been catering for more than twenty years and continue to build on its past successes with numerous resources to handle parties attended by thousands. Today, Oklahoma’s historic Van’s Pig Stands is located at 717 East Highland Street and 3815 North Harrison Street in Shawnee and at 320 North Porter Street in Norman, and its newest location opened at 1991 Tower Drive-in Moore in April 2014. https://www.pigstands.com/

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