OCU alum here who almost moved permanently to Mesta Park in OKC-- lived across from Paseo on NW23rd & Walker but that was around eleven years ago.
Nothing in Tulsa checks off all the boxes when compared to the size, scope, tradition, and architecture of the Paseo, but there's some great new smaller scale and up-and-coming stuff here... just depends on your priorities.
If you don't know Tulsa very well, the easy choice is to start on Cherry Street.
http://www.visittulsa.com/eat/21/cherry-street-restaurants/1/59When I lived there, I had a great time "people watching" at the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings...
http://cherrystreetfarmersmarket.com/Cherry St is on south 15th St between Peoria and Utica, and is centrally located between the Utica Square/Brookside areas and the east part of downtown (East Village/Blue Dome)
My favorite coffee shop these days is the new Phoenix Cafe on 6th & Peoria less than a mile north of Cherry Street.
If you go there on a "date night," please also take the time to patronize Vanessa Somerville's non-smoking
Lot 6 Art Bar across the street.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgWanJpdoJAIf your idea of a diverse crowd is to hangout with artists, creative types, and older bikers/vets with a smattering of younger hipsters (and a few
ZZ Top wannabes?!?), that was my experience on a Tuesday night there... then drive or maybe even walk a few blocks to 3rd and Lansing to hangout in the East Village and take a souvenir pic by the London phone booth...
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A26686 ...a few blocks west on 3rd and Elgin is Fassler Hall
http://www.fasslerhall.com/, the north border of the Blue Dome entertainment district...
And finally (I'm a bit biased here)... one of Tulsa's best kept secrets is the Owen Park neighborhood between the Brady District and Gilcrease Museum Rd.
I've lived here for almost three years (proud owner of a 1928 Craftsman bungalow!) and am happy to say the few duplexes/homes that had been boarded up down the street from me have been fully rehabbed and are now available for rent. The area has a nice mix of owners and renters and a really nice mix of people IMHO... Owen Park is Tulsa's oldest public park (very family friendly and we're proud of our new "splash pad") and there are nice, regularly used bike trails and a bark park all within walking/biking/scooter distance. The neighborhood was the closest to what I'd always liked about Mesta Park in OKC... it has a kind of laid back "bohemian" vibe to it and I've been told we may have a coffee shop in the 'hood pretty soon.... and a performing arts high school located right next door to the park...
http://okarts.us/about/our_future_home.phphttp://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/04/owen-park-tulsas-oldest/ The closest coffee shops to Owen Park are the ones in the Brady District (Chimera and Gypsy)... it's been exciting to see all the new (and often free) stuff over at Guthrie Green and everything in between.
That's all I can think of... for now...