Toys R Us is important to me, because my dad, sister, and I used to spend all day here. It was like a day at the park for us. I don’t remember us ever buying any of our toys from Toys R Us, but we would just hang out there and play with the toys that weren’t in boxes. I specifically remember a Thomas the Train train set that we spent hours playing with. I guess it is sort of an odd place to go hang out at, but we did it so often, and we really enjoyed it. At the front of the store, near the checkout area, they always had ice cream, so we would get that every time we went and ate it outside on a bench. It was always a fun time, and I was very sad when I heard that Toys R Us was closing, since it was such a big part of my childhood.
Monthly Archives: October 2020
Penn Square Mall
I can’t say I was ever one of those kids that hung out with their friends at the mall like a lot of other people could; however, this building is important to me, because I got one of my first jobs at a retail store here. Originally, when I first started working at the mall, I dreaded going to work since parking was sometimes difficult to find and the mall was always so packed, but as I kept working and bonding with my coworkers, I actually started to love coming to work (which can be weird to say because almost everyone hates retail). I ended up meeting one of my best friends here and it really shaped me into who I am today. As for the architecture of the building itself, I would say it’s a lot nicer than Quail Springs and Sooner Mall.
Kiwanis Cabin — New Mexico
This cabin was built around 1920 but was burned down about 2 months later. In 1930 the cabin was reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), but the cabin restoration was initially planned by a local Kiwanis group. They used limestone as the primary material so that the structure would blend in with the mountain. The initial purpose was to provide shelter for hikers during in climate weather on the trials. The cabin is located near Sandia Crest and faces the western side of the Sandia mountain, giving it the most breathtaking views of Albuquerque. The cabin is also a great place to watch the sunset or balloon fiesta.
My grandparents live near the base of the Sandia Mountain and we would always go to the hiking trails whenever we visited Albuquerque in the summer. When I first saw the cabin I remember looking around the inside and reading all of the names, dates, etc. that people had scribbled on the rocks. The view alone is enough to leave an impact, but the experience of hiking the trails and learning about the history that surrounds the mountain, really makes the cabin seem more like a monument than a viewing point. I have always had a sense of peace and happiness whenever I visit Kiwanis cabin and that is why it is one of my favorite places to visit.
Bass Pro shops
Bass pro shops is a place I visit very frequently. I find the architecture of this building to be unique. The layout of the building is very open, but when I walk into this place I feel as if I am at home. I always enjoy going to the Bass Pro in OKC. There are not many buildings that I enjoy going to more than this one.
PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART
There are so many different words I could use to describe the beauty of the Philbrook museum but the first one that came to mind as a kid was magical. It felt like I was in one the many Disney stories that I loved to watch. The amazing art on the walls combined with the architecture of the building was something I had never experienced before. Being an 8 year old, you are easily impressed and that first impression created a lifelong bond with visiting this building. Now, whenever I have time or there is a new exhibit, I love going back to the Philbrook.
It does not stop inside, out back there is a giant garden filled with gorgeous plants and life. It is possible to get lost for hours admiring the beauty. I hope one day that my residence can somewhat resemble how well put together this place is. While I know it is a museum and attention to detail is important to them, I feel it can be replicated.
Denver international airport
Before I ever stepped foot into the Denver airport I knew of it’s legend. There are countless conspiracy theories about its purpose and its construction. I spent a couple days going down that rabbit hole when I was younger and got convinced of the myth. I learned that the airport had conspiracies dating to even before its construction.
Things like a demonic horse statue and the mural pictured above only add to the theories. The conspiracies are too loony and complex to even attempt to explain here but to sum it up the free masons and the illuminati apparently have a hand in everything we love. Now that I am older and have traveled through the airport numerous times I sort of laugh at my past self and my past beliefs.
Doubleshot coffee company- tulsa, ok
The DoubleShot Coffee Company moved into this new location in 2019. The building is actually a 170 year old barn from Indiana. The barn was deconstructed, relocated then rebuild in Tulsa. They also included old brick that was from an old Coca-Cola plant in Muskogee. I really like how they transformed this barn into such a relaxing, warm and cozy space. And adding in the local bricks is such a nice touch. To me this building looks like it belongs in Colorado or Wyoming, so to have it in downtown Tulsa is really cool. It’s almost like an escape from the urban city to a cozy cabin. The owner of the DoubleShot Coffee company and his friend who is an architect actually came up with the design themselves.
Physical science center – Blender
Built in 1969 by architects Dow Gumerson and Donald McCormick using a newer method of pouring concrete and sandblasting, the materials had given the well-known look of the Physical Science Center. Also known as the “Waring Blender”, the building had never been one of the favorable buildings on campus even by faculty because of the extensive problems it has had. It includes 28 classes and lecture rooms, as well as 54 research and class laboratories that were connected with the Chemistry building. This 5.5-million-dollar project originally included connective buildings that would follow down Elm Street towards Brooks though was cut short when lack of money and resources occurred.
My encounter with this was a negative experience because the one class that I despised and failed was chemistry and it took place in this building. Part of the experience was that most freshman take classes in the building but live on the other side of campus, thus having to walk from one side to the other was brutal in the summer heat. That heat lasted until November and there was no substantial air conditioning most of the time within the building. There were tiny elevators that took forever to run up and down so the students were expected to walk up the twelve flights of stairs that seemed to be narrower than any staircase known to man. You would get bumped by other sweaty freshman going up and down the stairs. The classrooms were tiny in order to fit more into the building schematics. I have yet to encounter a student that enjoys being in the Physical Science Center even after being a student here for four years, even President Cross called it the “Devil Tower”!
MIRA Tower in San francisco, ca
My family is originally from California so we go back there every year to see family. We always go to San Francisco when we’re there, I grew up going to SF at least a couple times a month since it wasn’t very far from our house. This summer we didn’t get to go do much because of COVID but we still went to SF because it’s a tradition. When we were there I was so excited to see this building finally completed. Construction began in 2017 and they finished in July, 2020. This is such a unique building and I absolutely love it! I have never seen a “twisted” building before. Because of its twisting design, every resident has a 180 degree view from their unit. As a bonus, the architect also designed this building with the environment in mind! MIRA tower includes a green roof and a greywater harvesting system which cleans water from the building that does not include waste, such as water from your sink, washer or shower then recycles it back to be used again. The architects who designed the MIRA are the Studio Gang.
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Leadership Square in downtown OKC
Leadership Square in Downtown OKC may not seem like the most beautiful or best-looking building in the world. However, I grew up going here with my dad at least once a week. He worked in the building and brought me there a ton. It brings back awesome memories of my dad and me. We would always have amazing days and spend quality time together whether I was sitting on his couch listening to his work or us getting lunch downstairs. Whenever I see the building it always makes me feel happy.
