I would like to introduce you to my best friend since college, Georgianna Oliver. She is currently the Democratic nominee for US Congress representing District 1 in Oklahoma. She has recruited me to help her run for office and given me the position of Web Master on her professional campaign team. Of course with our history, I could not say no. Not that I would want to, as this has been my friend's dream since the day I met her.
I met Georgianna on the first day of my Sophomore year in 1988 at Oklahoma State University. She was hosting a bean bag toss for the incoming Freshmen on behalf of the Student Government Association and I was a volunteer tour guide taking a group of Freshman through their orientation on campus. I liked her friendly energy immediately, and our friendship was born while the Freshmen threw bean bags at her display.
In college, she was very serious and hard-working. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life and how to achieve it. She worked for the college in a high level administrative position while going to class and still made time for her campus committees and friends. She encouraged me to get involved with the school and through her persuasion I applied and got a position as a reporter with the school newspaper, The O'Collegian. I later went on to work in the Advertising department for the newspaper selling ad space, as that is what my major was in. (I think it is ironic today that I have a degree in journalism but always wanted to work in advertising. So, I built my career around marketing and advertising and now all I want to do is write.)
We had much in common. Her one serious boyfriend in college was friends with my one serious boyfriend in college as they both worked for the school newspaper. She grew up in the small town of Sapulpa, outside of Tulsa and I grew up in the small town of Claremore, outside of Tulsa. She lived off-campus and I lived off-campus. We both graduated from OSU in 1991. She with her degree in political science and me with my degree in journalism. She wanted to help the people of Oklahoma and impact change in the world, I wanted to sell more stuff to more people through my impactful advertising campaigns. Okay, so we did have a few differences.
I can remember sitting in the living room of her small apartment across from the OSU campus and talking about our futures as graduation loomed. She was in the kitchen making green beans from a can and toast for our dinner. Seriously, we ate that many nights. My inner Foodie would not be discovered until later, but don't knock it . . .veggies and wheat toast was a healthy and filling dinner for all college girls on a budget.
That's when she asked me: "So what do you want to do after graduation?"
I said: "I am getting the heck out of Oklahoma, I want to work on Madison Avenue in New York."
She said: "Well, I am leaving to go to Washington D.C., but then coming back to Oklahoma to run for office."
She had so much determination in her voice as she explained how she would go to Washington DC and get a job as a aide on "The Hill", and then come back to Oklahoma to raise her family and run for office. I remember thinking, I wonder if either of us will really do what we think we are going to do with our lives? The talk that night seemed like pipe dreams of young ladies about to be let loose on the world. I clearly underestimated us and our drive and determination at the time.
We had our pictures taking together with our families on our graduation day from OSU, and Georgianna did indeed go to Washington DC and work for Congressman Bill Brewster. I remember traveling up to visit her many times while she was in DC, and I toured Bill Brewster's office and the capital and had brand new respect for my friend who did exactly what she said she was going to. She was on her path.
Georgianna was in my wedding and I was in her's. I gave birth to my son and she adopted her's from overseas. I grew into being a businesswoman, wife and mother and so did she. For a while she and her family lived in Kansas City, where her husband Jack is from originally. This is where she started her technology company, Evergreen Solutions and grew it into the multi-million dollar business it is today.
When she asked me to be on her campaign team, she told me: "Oh, come on, it will be fun." I have traveled to Tulsa many times since her campaign started, and although our days are filled with campaign strategy, plans for winning, fundraising events and appearances . . .she has always remembered to honor my dreams at the same time we are planning hers. Again, just like in college, she is out to help the people of Oklahoma
and impact change in the world and I am out to become a Foodie.
She always makes a point to take me to a different or new restaurant for lunch or dinner while I am in Tulsa. Not that she really wants to, as she is happiest eating at home with her son and husband, but she does it because she knows that I want to. She patiently sits, waiting, while I pull out my camera and take pictures of both her dishes and mine, and she always asks to have the Chef come out to talk to us and introduces me as her friend, "The Foodie from Kansas City." I have learned through her what an interesting food scene Tulsa is cultivating. Much different than when I lived in those parts, for sure. Georgianna doesn't have to do that for me, but she knows I care about it, so she makes a point to care about it too. I love her for that.
We have enjoyed exploring Tulsa's north side, which is full of wonderful authentic Mexican restaurants. We blew through the drive-thru of Mr. Taco, where The Candidate snapped this photo above of the nice man who recommended the shredded beef quesadilla. We were suspicious of what we would get, but we took this young man's recommendation and we were pleasantly surprised to find almost no cheese but instead they were brimming with moist meat, lettuce and a little queso fresco sprinkled on top. Best of all, they came with a home-made red sauce or green sauce for dipping.
Then we went to El Rio Verde which has been in the same location for almost 17 years in Tulsa. The place was packed at lunch with corporate suits, construction workers and at least one Candidate and one Foodie. I had a beef tongue soft taco and a beef cheek sopa so good it would make you cry. Muchas gracias to The Candidate for showing me that delightful place.
We have enjoyed the fun atmosphere and fresh fish at In the Raw on Peoria which is basically restaurant row in Tulsa.
We have had quieter meals of a French persuasion at The Brasserie, where Executive Chef Justin Thompson has been voted the favorite chef in Tulsa by Oklahoma Magazine. The special of the day, Steamed Mussels with Frites stole my heart when it came to the table in a tiny red Le Creuset pot.
After a few evening meetings or fundraisers we have stopped in for a quick snack at the Polo Grill, where we sat quietly and shared a fruit and cheese plate while we went over our notes from the event and made our list of to-do's for the morning.
Oliver Twist was a recent stop for a quick bite before heading off to our next meeting with the campaign team back at the office. We interrupted a staff meeting they were having to order our food, but they did not miss a beat with deep fried olives that had been stuffed with cheese and bacon-wrapped shrimp that were perfectly grilled.
Finally, across the street and down from campaign headquarters is Lucky's on Cherry Street. This is a relatively new spot in Tulsa, but the appetizer of smoked trout with cucumbers, horseradish and crema on toast was an unexpected treat during a long endorsements conversation with the team at the table.
I joke with "The Candidate" about the very different quests that we are on, and how her dream is so much more lofty than mine. She says: "Well, that what friends do, they help each other realize dreams. You are helping me achieve mine by being a part of this campaign and I am helping you achieve yours by re-introducing you to how cool the Tulsa food scene has become." Then she said the thing that makes her the best candidate for US Congress: "How could I be happy living my dream, if you weren't living yours as well?" It's about collaboration and caring for others.
I respectfully ask the people in Oklahoma living in District 1 for their vote for Georgianna Oliver for US Congress.
