Outlook October 2016 by Outlook Magazine

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Outlook October 2016

October 2016 Driving with Dad My dad taught me how to drive. I remember stalling and grinding gears on chilly fall mornings in our local church parking lot. We had a little Volkswagen bug and he patiently taught me how to use the clutch and shift by stopping and starting over and over again. I’d listen to his instructions and do the best I could. Turn here. Shift there. Be careful backing up. Last week I was in Los Angeles. I spent most of my days driving my dad around. And yes, he was still telling me what to do. But sadly, many of his directions were wrong because he’s not sure of where we were - or where we were going. So I did my best to explain that his way is probably a good route too, but we’re going to follow the directions from my phone. He’s 83 now and has brain cancer. I’m driving him to his daily radiation treatments. I can tell this is frustrating for him, but he doesn’t force the issue. Each day, we get up early, and I take him to his treatment. According to my phone, the cancer center is 17 miles away. According to LA traffic, 17 miles takes almost an hour. So we sit together in stop-and-go traffic and talk. My dad is pretty amazing. He emigrated from Germany when he was 19, worked as a machinist, married my mom, and adopted me and my sister as his own. Then mom and dad had a daughter of their own. His career path took him into manufacturing management, but he never lost the love of hands-on work. He renovated two homes. He could fix or install almost anything around the house. He saved, retired and took care of my mom when she became sick. After she passed, he kept busy gardening, puttering around the house, and visiting his daughters. After a minor car accident in July, a routine scan revealed a rather large tumor. By the end of the week, my dad starts to remember local landmarks on our return trips, and I am happy to follow his directions—even if it’s only the final turn onto my sister’s street. I can tell he’s proud to help me navigate. I tell him I love him, and I thank him for being my guide.

26 Autumn Accoutrements Cooler weather calls for a change of style for men and women

8 Facts & Figures 10 Louise

Fall Festival

13 Food

Smart Lunch Plan ahead with school lunches for successful kids

16 Business

Crossings Community Church Personal Health Partners

28 Fall Activities 34 My Outlook

Erik Lee, Farmer with Pops Arcadia Corn Maze

FEATURES

18 Wilderness Matters

A local organization is making parks more accessible for people with disabilities

23 Paws On Training

A New Leash on Life raises and trains service and therapy dogs for all needs

30 A Vintage Stock

32 Seasonal Magic

Local man opens a new venue for storing and enjoying personal collections of wine Three fun-filled local festivals are happening this fall—plan to attend them all

Front cover photography by Marshall Hawkins To advertise, contact Laura Beam at (405) 301-3926 or laura@outlookoklahoma.com

Dave Miller, Back40 Design President

OUTLOOK

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f a c

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Freaky Figures Around $1.9 billion is spent on Halloween candy each year

11.5% of people will dress up their pets

In 2015, there were 41 million trick-or-treaters aged 5 to 14

Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years

40% of people plan to wear a Halloween costume

50% of kids prefer to receive chocolate candy for Halloween

The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas

35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year

Statistics provided by: 2010 National Retail Federation; 2013 Census Bureau; “Halloween.” National Confectioners Association. Accessed: September 30, 2010; Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003; Skal, David J. Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2002.

Outlook October 2016

Town

Join International Acoustic Music Award winner Kyle Dillingham and Horseshoe Road for their CD Release concert and celebration Oct. 10 at the CHK/Central Boathouse, 732 Riversport Dr. in OKC! Enjoy food and pie trucks starting at 5:30pm and fiery fiddling at 7pm. Tickets are $15 and available at HorseshoeRoad. brownpapertickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006. Savor the season during the Fall Festival at Wings event center in Edmond, 13700 N. Eastern Ave., open daily through Oct. 30! Pumpkins, hayrides and a pumpkin train spark excitement, along with attractions for the whole family, like a 5K and Fun Run, coffee truck, alpacas, face painting, pancake breakfast, Joyful Sound choir, yoga and more. All proceeds benefit Wings special needs community. Visit WingsOK.org for details. Celebrate fall flavor at the Tree to Table fundraising benefit Oct. 25 at OKC Farmers Public Market! Competitors will create dishes highlighting tree ingredients such as apples, cashews and olives, along with other ingredients. VIP reception at 6pm, main event at 6:30pm and awards program at 7:30pm. Located at 311 S. Klein Ave., OKC. Proceeds benefit the Tree Bank Foundation. Visit thetreebank.org for details.

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Louise

Fall Festival by Louise Tucker Jones

Growing up in a small farming community during the ‘50s was about as good as it gets, especially in October. There was the beauty of fall foliage and crisp cool air, but the best thing was a fun indoor carnival, which our little country school hosted for the whole community. The gymnasium would be full of events for all ages. Each grade in the school was responsible for some type of booth. I remember the year I was in 5th grade we had a candy store. Each student was asked to “volunteer” to bring certain homemade sweets. I agreed to bring candy apples, though in truth I had never tasted the delicacy. My mother was stunned when she found out what I was expected to bring. She had never made such a thing and truly had no desire to cook sugary syrup in which to dip an apple. Seemed fruitless to her (pardon the pun). But knowing her daughter would never make it on her own, she managed to get a recipe and help me make candy apples. Not sure of their success. Well, they were purchased. Just not sure if they were eaten, as hard as the candy turned out to be. One of the favorite carnival offerings was a cakewalk where you walked around a room to music then stopped on cue. Whoever happened to be standing on the magic square won a cake and there were dozens of scrumptious homemade prizes. Bingo was a big hit for the adults. They could sit and play the game while their kids roamed the gym. High school seniors were usually responsible for the bingo bonanza set in the middle of the chaos. For weeks prior to the carnival, students would go into town and beg local merchants to donate items for prizes. The proceeds from the booth went toward their senior trip at the end of the year. Mrs. Carder’s first grade class always had the fishpond where little ones could hold a cane pole and

Outlook October 2016

throw the line over a decorative screen that looked like a pool of water with gold fish. Older students behind the scene would clip a small toy onto the clothespin at the end of the line and give a jerk so the kids knew they caught a fish. Smiles on their faces were priceless. And so it went throughout the event. Lots of creative booths and games to play. Ring toss. Basketball throw, and of course, a spook house. New booths appeared each year by imaginative classes. When I was in 7th grade, our class came up with something no one had thought of—the marriage booth. Couples could “marry” in a darkened locker room by a pretend preacher. Plastic wedding rings were provided and a kiss was expected at the end of the ceremony. There was always a line waiting at this event. The carnival was such a fun time and all I ever knew Halloween to be. No “trick or treat” at Wilson. So imagine how excited I was when my granddaughter asked me to come to Arkansas a few years ago and attend her school carnival. What fun. We had our nails polished ten different colors, face painted, and got in line for the haunted house. But when a mummy reached out and grabbed six-yearold Alexandria, it was goodbye scary stuff. We found a game with stuffed animals instead. What a great evening, making memories with my granddaughter while remembering my own childhood. I may be wrong, but I think my alma mater still holds a fall festival. If not, they should. It’s definitely a memory maker.

About the Author Louise Tucker Jones is an awardwinning author, inspirational speaker and founder of the organization, Wives With Heavenly Husbands, a support group for widows. Email LouiseTJ@cox. net or visit LouiseTuckerJones.com.

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Outlook October 2016

FOOD

Lunch Smart Plan ahead with school lunches for successful children What comes to mind when you think of your old school lunches? Did you like bringing your own, or like the food served in the cafeteria better? If you brought your lunch, who packed it? Children’s school lunches should be super tasty, but equally healthy. It’s important for kids to have a healthy lunch to keep their energy up to actively interact and focus on learning, not a growling stomach. The best part about packing a healthy school lunch is that it doesn’t have to be hard! Lisa Johnston, a registered dietitian and owner of Nourish Nutrition & Diabetes, shares some tips that can help parents pack a nutritious lunch for their child. “I encourage parents to provide lunches that contain four components: a protein, a high fiber carbohydrate, a fat source and a vegetable,” says Johnston. “When you provide meals with a good balance of macro-nutrients, kids will feel satisfied longer and will be able to focus better all afternoon.” Johnston shares that some good protein options are meats, eggs, beans, peanut butter, yogurt, milk or cheese. She says some high fiber carbohydrate sources could be fruit, 100-percent whole-grain English muffins, whole-grain crackers, a small whole-grain wrap, brown rice or quinoa. An issue many parents have is accidentally leaving out a fat

Callah Staggs with her daughters

by Chloe Shelby

source in their child’s packed lunches. While we are trained to think fat is bad, Johnston explains how not having healthy fat in their lunches can make children hungrier sooner. A slice of unprocessed cheese, a handful of almonds or peanuts, a tablespoon or two of natural peanut butter, or a small amount of dip for vegetables are all ideal options for a fat source. An avid lunch packer, Callah Staggs, mother of three John Ross Elementary School students, sends her kids off with a packed lunch every day. A mother to one very picky eater, packing lunches could be a challenge, but she allows her kids to be very involved in what they eat and pack. Her children actually enjoy picking out their food in the morning—packing their own lunches with her overseeing. “I think it’s healthier when they pack their own lunch,” says Staggs. “They also don’t have much time to eat at lunch so I like that they can go straight in the cafeteria, relax and start eating.” To save time, Staggs always has their fruits and vegetables continued on next page

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Smart Lunch, cont.

The Staggs family having fun with lunches

washed and ready to be packed in the morning. She explains that having easy grab-and-go items in the fridge makes packing lunch super simple. Some staples that the Staggs use and enjoy in their lunches are carrots, turkey sandwiches or turkey roll ups. They also usually take some yogurt and fruit. “They love getting up everyday and having everything in the fridge ready to go,” says Staggs. “They get in there and make it each day. They enjoy putting it all together.” It’s important to consider what they will actually eat so that food

Outlook October 2016

is not wasted. Staggs says she always gives her kids carrots because she knows they will eat them. She can make sure other vegetables are eaten when they are at home for variety’s sake. However, there are other options besides packing a lunch everyday. If the idea of making lunch each morning is too difficult, parents can simply better prepare their child to make healthy food decisions and teach them what to look for when selecting school lunch. Teaching children to eat right, while also allowing treats along the way, can be a really practical and healthy way for kids to stay healthy longterm. Parents can explain to their children and give examples of what a healthy lunch looks like and encourage them to choose wisely. After all, a parent won’t always be there to pack their children’s lunch. Another great option is when a child’s school participates and provides healthy options. The Smarter Lunchrooms Movement with Sodexo was recently introduced at Deer Creek schools. This food program offers healthy food options for children to choose in the lunch line. Cara Orr, mother to students at Deer Creek, used to pack her kid’s lunch but since Deer Creek adopted the Movement, she has opted to have them eat lunch at school. She shares how her children always begged her to let them eat at school and how this movement finally convinced her. “For me, it seemed they had good healthy options and definitely made it more convenient for me,” says Orr. “They have three healthy entrée options and have to choose a fruit or vegetable, too.” Whether a packed lunch or a school lunch is determined to be the best method for a family, parents should consider the options and plan with their children to ensure healthy eating habits for the school year.

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BUSINESS

Crossings Community Church by Morgan Day Scott Bartlow, Campus Pastor at Crossings Edmond

Soon, hundreds of families who travel from Edmond and beyond to attend Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City will have a brand new campus to call their own. Crossings Edmond, located at 1500 W. Covell Road, celebrates its grand opening service at 9:30am on November 6th. The new two-floor, 32,000-square-foot building will help the church foster connection and community with its northernmost members. “People were driving from all around the region to come to Oklahoma City, sometimes traveling 30 minutes or longer,” said Scott Bartlow, campus pastor at Crossings Edmond. “That sparked an interest in our elder and leadership teams to take the church to the neighborhood. It was a combination of a lot of conversation, prayer and understanding the trends in our church that really moved us to

Outlook October 2016

take the church to Edmond.” Located on five acres on Edmond’s north side, Crossings Edmond features an 800-seat auditorium, called the Venue, which will be the site for contemporary worship. The church will host live worship and simulcast in the sermon from its Oklahoma City campus via live video stream. Crossings Edmond will also offer a Crossings KIDS service, which includes worship, games and creative Bible teaching. Crossings Edmond will be a true gathering place for its members as it features cafe booths and pub tables in its upstairs loft area and firstfloor lobby. Bartlow said that above all else, he wants church members and first-time visitors to feel comfortable in the campus’ warm, inviting atmosphere. “If guests aren’t ready to connect, they can have that anonymity as they walk around and

explore what we’re about,” he added. Bartlow invites members new and old to be a part of the Edmond campus of Crossings Community Church, a community that sets itself apart by three specific things. “First, our church is unapologetically authentic,” he said. “We share our real lives and who we are, and we’re the same people off the platform. Second, our church members are radically generous with their time, their gifts and their money to care for the community. And the third thing is the people and our pastors are just overflowing with compassion. It’s contagious, and people want to be a part of that whenever they experience it.” Learn more about Crossings Edmond by visiting www.crossings.church/edmond.

Personal Health Partners by Morgan Day Felicia Stephens and Nan Bertone, RN of Personal Health Partners

With the help of Personal Health Partners, health-conscious individuals are able to take their personal health into their own hands. “We specialize in low-cost testing that doesn’t require a doctor’s order,” said PHP Clinical Director Nan Bertone, R.N. “People can come in and ask for whatever test they want, and it’s very low cost compared to other competitors. That’s because our focus is on getting them the information they need to stay healthy.” Test results can provide valuable information for early detection of diabetes, heart, kidney and liver disease. Oklahomans, especially, have high rates of diabetes and the conditions related to it. PHP, also offers advice to clients on what kinds of tests they should undergo, depending on their own health concerns. PHP performs

testing for individuals and large groups by appointment and provides results directly to the patient with accompanying educational materials that are easy to understand and can be shared with health care providers. Tests are custom designed for the client’s needs and may include basic body functions, vitamins and hormones. Although no doctor’s order is needed, patients may still bring in an order if they have one. In addition to its location at 30 E. Campbell St., Suite 270, in Edmond, PHP also offers services such as infusions and injections to Tulsa area residents at its main location at 8010 S. 101st E. Ave., Suite 200, Tulsa. PHP also processes tests for several national laboratories at both locations. “On a regular basis we do large events for companies and organizations and can test 400-

500 people in a couple of days,” Bertone said. “We draw blood, do testing and send results directly to the participant.” PHP can bill directly to employers or organizations, to their insurance provider or from participants via cash, check or credit card. “The reason we’re here is so people can take care of themselves personally as opposed to allowing others to take care of them all the time,” Bertone said. “We focus on personal health and wellness. People need to know what their blood test numbers are in order to measure their health status or measure their success when participating in health improvement.” To learn more about Personal Health Partners, visit urhealthpartner.com or call 918-872-9499.

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Wilderness Matters A local organization works to make parks more accessible for people with disabilities Imagine you are in the middle of a field—the smells, the feel of the ground under your feet, the plants and animals around you. Butterflies and honeybees crisscrossing the air in their search for nectar. Spending time in nature like this has been scientifically proven to improve brain function and benefit overall well-being, but what if you can’t get to the middle of a field in your wheelchair? For those with mobility, hearing, vision, developmental or cognitive disabilities, spending time in nature is sometimes no easy task. Peter Hoffman, co-founder and Chairman of the Board for Wilderness Matters is part of a team who believes that access to nature is imperative for all people, regardless of ability. “We’re trying to make it easy for everyone to get out into nature and truly experience it. Not just view it— engaging with it.”

Wilderness Matters

Back in 2013, Jack McMahon had the notion to bring the wilderness to all people. After a major bicycle accident left him a quadriplegic, McMahon realized that his disability limited

Outlook October 2016

by Mari Farthing

his ability to engage with nature. “He was trying to recover and wanted to help others,” says Hoffman. “He realized that there was really nothing available in a wilderness sense for disabled people to reach out and engage with nature. Approximately 20 percent of the population has some form of disability.” Hoffman and McMahon believed that this population would greatly benefit from enhanced access to wildlife. The men started working together to find locations, donors and partners to help their vision come to life. “Jack was instrumental in working with the city and reaching out for funding,” says Hoffman. Eventually, they founded Wilderness Matters, a 501(c)3 non-profit founded on their shared belief that time in nature is essential for all. “We settled on Martin Nature Park because it’s a true wilderness preserve,” Hoffman says. The pair believed that the nature center style park would be a better fit for their vision rather than a more structured, modern park.

Planning for Change

Hoffman and McMahon proposed beneficial enhancements to the location to the Oklahoma City Parks Department. The department was supportive of the project—with the plan that the park would be adapted with self-funded construction and would then be donated to the city along with an endowment to maintain the enhancements. The men utilized their own knowledge and consulted experts to learn what changes would be most accommodating.

“We worked with people who had all sorts of challenges and abilities to find out what would be most helpful.” Their goal was to make it accessible not only for people who physically were unable to navigate the terrain, but also for those who had any type of impairment that impeded their access to natural environments. Once they had their list of improvement ideas, the updates were planned in four phases: Trail Enhancements

A 3/4-mile section of trail was resurfaced to make it friendly for wheelchairs, strollers, canes and those with walking difficulties. This first phase was completed through a partnership with INTEGRIS Health and the Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center. The trail is now called the INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Courage Trail. Interpretive Exhibits Stations will be set up around the upgraded trail that will allow visitors of all abilities to engage with nature, including stations with tactile exhibits and wheelchair-accessible viewing areas. Improved Signage

More comprehensive signs detailing what can be seen in different areas of the nature preserve will be installed. In addition, an interpretive center app using GPS to alert visitors to highlights of what is around them is in the works. Elevated Viewing Platforms

At the north end of the park, long sloping ramps will be installed overlooking the pond and the park, allowing all visitors an enhanced view of the nature preserve. “We are trying to make it easy for anyone to get out into nature and truly experience it, not just view it,” said Hoffman. “It’s about engaging, to get a true sense of what the natural habitat is like.”

Keeping it Natural

So, how do you maintain that pristine environment while adding to it? “The upgrades are not designed to take away from the pristine factor of the wildlife preserve,” asserts Hoffman. “There’s a balance between wildlife and mankind being able to interact without either having to leave, change, or die.” To that end, the improvement efforts have been very carefully planned to preserve the sanctity of nature. “Construction is done certain times of the year so nesting season is not disturbed,” says Hoffman. “Materials are brought in and applied carefully and thoughtfully in order to not disrupt natural patterns of life.” For instance, that new trail surface is made from decomposed natural

granite, which compacts into a hard trail surface but is more natural than asphalt.

Access for All

“Often, people talk about being ‘ADA compliant,’” says Hoffman. “That means it can be accessed but doesn’t offer the full experience. We strive to exceed way beyond ADA compliance rules and regulations, focusing on the principles of universal design,” to see how all the people who might use the adaptations would use them. “Walking, sight, hearing, emotional— people may have all sorts of difficulties that prevent them from accessing nature.” Wilderness Matters is hoping to ease those difficulties and make nature accessible to all. “It isn’t just about a stroll in the park; it’s about bringing the park alive,” says Hoffman. Wilderness Matters is spearheading the collaboration between nature and technology through their efforts to preserve the natural ecology while expanding access. “We hope that this project can serve as a template for others to run with it in their own way.” Anyone interested in donating may contact Wilderness Matters, Inc, 6608 N Western Ave PMB #229, Nichols Hills, OK 73116 or visit wildernessmatters.org.

Wilderness Matters would like to thank INTEGRIS Health, Jim Thorpe, US Recreational Trails grant, the Inasmuch Foundation, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the Cresap Family Foundation, and all the anonymous and individual donors who have helped them to realize this project.

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Outlook October 2016

paws on

Training by Austin Marshall

The bond between humans and dogs has been forged throughout history. Some research suggests this relationship began 32,000 years ago, as dogs and humans developed a co-dependency for one another’s skills. Further research suggests that humans and dogs evolved together, as wolves were domesticated and selective breeding began to be used. Dogs have been used for a variety of purposes throughout human history—farming, hunting and herding are made easier when assisted by a canine companion. Today, service and therapy dogs are providing even more invaluable services to their human companions by assisting them with physical, mental and emotional afflictions. A New Leash on Life, located in Oklahoma City, trains service and therapy dogs for clients throughout the state. CEO Barbara Lewis has been training dogs for most of her life, and her staff shares her expertise and passion for their canine companions. There’s an important difference between a service dog and a therapy dog, Lewis remarks. “Service dogs are trained for specific clients with physical or mental disabilities. They promote independence for persons with disabilities by giving them a more functional lifestyle,” Lewis explains. “They’re with the owner everywhere they go and can do all sorts of tasks. We’ve trained dogs to open doors, pull wheelchairs, turn lights on and off, respond to smoke alarms and all sorts of other jobs.” The agency prefers to use Labradors or golden retrievers due to the breeds’ temperament, size and intelligence. “We need a dog that will be able to maintain its composure in crowds and remain completely obedient to its owner, and they’re among the best breeds for those purposes.” “Therapy dogs provide comfort to individuals or large groups of people without the need to perform specific tasks. We’ve trained dogs that are used in schools and universities, nursing homes, courtrooms, and other environments where people are under stress.” Lewis and her staff train 100-150 volunteers and therapy dogs annually. “Volunteers and their dogs all receive basic manners training before moving on to the therapy portion,” Lewis adds. A New Leash on Life also relies on volunteer “puppy raisers” who help train the dogs so they’re ready for specialized training.

Barbara Lewis, CEO, A New Leash on Life with Arya continued on next page

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Paws on Training, Cont’d

Austin Marshall and Barbara Lewis with Arya

A New Leash on Life also operates the highly successful Prison Pen Pals program, which allows prisoners at the CCA Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville to train shelter dogs into well-behaved companions over the course of ten weeks. Trainers go to the prison each week to work with prisoners and their canine friends. Each dog stays in the cell with two prisoners, who are responsible for house-training and obedience training. “It’s a wonderful program because it teaches the prisoners to value something and it gives them a sense of self-worth. Many of these dogs would otherwise be euthanized, so we save the dog’s life and help prisoners rehabilitate while they’re in custody,” she notes. Service and therapy dogs are donated by breeders when the dogs are approximately eight weeks old. “We continually evaluate their energy, confidence and the traits they’ll need as a service or therapy

Outlook October 2016

dog. We try to make the decision about what each dog will do by the time they’re eight months old,” Lewis says. “We raise around 20 puppies each year, and approximately 40 percent of them will become service dogs.” The rest are trained as therapy dogs or, in some cases, are adopted by new owners who will give them forever homes. I’m fortunate enough to have adopted one of the dogs that didn’t quite make it through her initial training and evaluation. The agency names their dogs after popular Oklahomans and landmarks—our black Labradoodle was named Shartel when my wife and I adopted her, and we were immediately smitten by her sweet demeanor and intelligence. After spending a few days with her, we decided to rename her Arya. For those who haven’t read George R.R. Martin’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire or watched HBO’s Game of Thrones, Arya Stark is a fiercely independent young woman and one of the story’s main protagonists. My wife and I both love the books and show and found that our new dog shared Arya’s penchant for individuality and rule-bending, so the name seemed like a natural fit. When she’s not busy protecting the backyard from squirrels or stockpiling tennis balls, Arya loves to learn new tricks and is eager to please her owners. She’ll begin therapy dog training with A New Leash on Life this month so that she can be yet another of the agency’s goodwill ambassadors to those in need of comfort and support. We’re still learning what dogs are fully capable of, and research continues to reveal more about the special relationship between dogs and humans. Lewis and her staff at A New Leash on Life are fascinated by this relationship and it’s the motivation behind the wonderful work they do throughout the state. Learn more about A New Leash on Life at www.anewleashinc.org.

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Autumn Accoutrements Cooler weather calls for a change in style for men and women

Fall has arrived in Edmond, which is obvious driving down the street seeing fall wreaths adorning front doors, or noticing the excessive sales of pumpkin flavored anything. After the summer heat, Hip & Swanky hardly any Edmond residents are grumbling over the change of season. Besides all the decorations, candles and pumpkin treats, the other surefire way to tell fall is here is with the change of clothing. Hello plaid! The time has come for women and men to switch their wardrobe from summer to winter. Out with the tanks, shorts and swimwear and in with the sweaters, hats and jackets. Besides the addition of more layers, fall offers many more opportunities for accessorizing. While this could be exciting for some, it can also be stressful to others because of the additional decisions to be made. There is no need to fear if someone is unsure of their style decisions— there are plenty of professionals in the area who can help anyone find the right look for their autumn closet. Not only should clothes keep people warm, they should also be stylish.

Pretty Patterns for Women

While there are always some good staple pieces to have in every woman’s closet, fashion trends are always falling in and out of style. It’s important for women to decide how to handle the ever-changing trends while holding on to their personal style and what they feel their best in. It can be fun to adapt with the current styles, but it’s also wise to have staple pieces that can be good options to throw on when a crazy day strikes. Cindi Shelby, owner of R Meyers, loves the trend of menswear in women’s fashion. She loves rich fabrics like houndstooth and pincheck. Along with menswear, any mixing of fabrics is a win in her book. “I love the look of a fitted leather vest on top of a high neck ruffled blouse and a wide leg glen plaid pant.” This look screams fashion. As far as accessories, Shelby exclaims it’s all about the choker necklaces. “I love them casual with jeans, or fancy with an evening gown. They are super versatile and fun to play with.” Pam and Teri from Hip and Swanky are looking forward to breaking the rules this season. They like how women don’t have any rules to follow any longer and how they can keep their white skinny jeans out every season. They share that some of the trends this season are chunky jewelry, lace-up front tops and shirt dresses. As far as shoes, the peekaboo toe is still big for fall, so don’t be afraid to change it up and ditch the boots. Or, try the block heel that will transition through the season.

Staples with Texture for Men

While women’s style is constantly in flux, men’s fashion remains fairly constant and doesn’t have as many trends. One might say that men have it easier by only needing to have a few strong pieces in their closet. Brent Giles from Steven Giles states that men’s quality clothes are too expensive to change constantly with varying trends. Instead of buying cheap trendy clothing, he suggests purchasing timeless pieces that will last. This season, Giles recommends every man own a good sport coat. Sport coats don’t need to be super dressy and should be worn more casual—and more often. A nice sport coat with jeans is a great look for men and can be worn to many different type of events. Interesting and versatile fabrics to look for are tweed, corduroy and other thicker fabrics for the cooler season. Giles shares another trend, as a way to be more fashionable and different, have alternative fabrics in your five-pocket denim. “Try grays or indigo, something besides just the basic,” encourages Giles. Rohit Mahbubani from The Wardrobe Modern Menswear likes mixing and matching genres of clothing, adding more transitional outfits that can be work or play appropriate. For instance, wearing a nicer shoe with jeans. Flannels and textures are big this season and there is a big resurgence of mixing fabrics, according to Mahbubani. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colors, patterns and textures. Specific items to look for this fall? “Car-coats are very popular, along with the double breasted jacket,” says Mahbubani. “Also the Chelsea boots will be big, with suede in particular.” Mahbubani believes men can stretch out their wardrobe by having four or five key items, and simply adding in trendier pieces. He explains you can be surprised at how much you can combine these pieces and make your wardrobe look new again. Learn more at R Meyers: rmeyersokc.com, Hip & Swanky: facebook.com/hipandswanky.edmond; Steven Giles: stevengilesclothing.com; The Wardrobe: thewardrobeokc.com.

The Wardrobe

Outlook October 2016

by Chloe Shelby

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Outlook October 2016

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When many people think of wine cellars, they see an image of cold, dank, cobwebby underground cave-like rooms so dark that the light barely reflects off of the bottles of aged vino. In Oklahoma, however, the OKC Cellar goes more modern and above and beyond the basic wine cellar concept. This facility combines the high-tech, climate-controlled storage of fine wine with a club room full of plush chairs, wood tables and a community kitchen. Welcome to Oklahoma’s only wine storage facility. No wine is sold in this state-of-the-art environment but it is full of bottles from private collections. The collectors are finding a place to not only store their drinkable treasure in the perfect climate, but a comfortable lobby club room to enjoy the flavors of their own bottles. “We store individually-owned wine. It’s such a simple concept, but nothing like it existed in Oklahoma before,” said Hunter Merritt, co-founder of the OKC Cellar. With storage size options starting at a small cubby that holds 58 bottles up to a full locker that can store 396 bottles, collectors of all sizes now have a secure location for those ruby or white bottles .

Outlook October 2016

A Simple Idea

Merritt began plotting a way to open a wine storage facility after seeing a similar concept in Dallas while he was in college. The first facility was popular, and each additional facility the company opened was filled just as fast. “I thought it was a decent signal for success if they sold out of space at each facility,” Merritt said. “Why not here?” Opening a wine storage facility in Oklahoma isn’t a new idea, but Merritt said previous entrepreneurs made the concept too complicated, envisioning multimillion dollar medieval-type cellars that were not cost-effective to the customer. “Ours includes small storage for small collectors to custom walk-in lockers,” Merritt said. “There are lots of young wine enthusiasts that may only have 40 or so bottles. We wanted something for everyone, not just the big collectors with 500 bottles.” The storage room is kept at a perfect and steady 55 degrees. A backup generator ensures that Oklahoma’s ice storms or thunderstorms that knock out power do not ruin a fine collection. “You don’t have to be old or rich to have a collection of wine,” Merritt said. “I think everyone is trying harder with wine these days. Oklahoma City is in the middle of a renaissance, and wine is very popular with both the old and the young.” Merritt said 19 clients currently store their collection at OKC Cellar with room for roughly 40 more clients. Some clients only store a handful of bottles. Others are looking for a place to keep more than 1,000 bottles. Rates range from $33 a month for a small cubby to $198 a month for a full locker. “We’d love to open a facility in Tulsa, Santa Fe and places like that,” Merritt said. “It’s fun to be a part of the renaissance going on here.”

Prairie Wolf Spirits

OKC Cellar is just one of Merritt’s endeavors. He’s also the cofounder of one of a few Oklahoma distilleries, Prairie Wolf Spirits. The distillery is owned and operated solely by the Merritt family. “It’s named after the Prairie Wolf Ranch in Loyal,” Merritt said. “Our first release was vodka, and it’s in 1,200 places now and 95 percent of liquor stores carry the brand.” In addition to vodka, Prairie Wolf also offers a coffee liqueur called Dark. Unlike other coffee liqueurs, Dark uses beans grown in America and Kona Valley certified with only all-natural ingredients with no flavorings or colorings. The Prairie Wolf Loyal Gin is one of the distillery’s highest-rated products. “Tastings.com rated 400 gin products, and Loyal Gin was number 2 in taste,” Merritt said. “We get our botanicals for the gin from Savory Spice here in Oklahoma City and our green tea from Urban Teahouse. We really want to keep it local.” The distillery also offers special releases like the “M” Whiskey, which debuted Oct. 1 and a barrel-finished gin that’s 114-proof— considered navy-strength. “The M Whiskey will be a blend of bourbon and rye whiskeys,” Merritt said. “Every drop is sold already. Our whiskey stayed in the barrels for two years and six months.” When Prairie Wolf first opened three years ago, Merritt’s biggest challenge was educating the public. Today, its popularity is flowing. “I think, again, it’s part of the renaissance of Oklahoma,” he said. “People want to support local. The craft breweries paved the road for us, and we just rode their coattails. We’re still breaking through. Even though our sales are huge, there’s still 90 percent of Oklahomans who have never heard of us. I think we’ll keep growing.” For more information, visit www.prairiewolfspirits.com or theokccellar.com. The OKC Cellar is at 7801 N. Robinson, Ste D9.

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Seasonal Magic There is magic hiding all around you this fall. This season, numerous festivals around the metro are giving families new reasons to welcome the soft oranges and embrace the cool temps of the Oklahoma wind. Shower off the summer drought and drench yourself in these fun activities this fall.

Pumpkinville Oct 7-23

Impossible things are happening every day! Just ask the magical beings of Pumpkinville. For weeks leading up to the festival, volunteers of Pumpkinville dream up large-scale displays all in hopes of adding surprise and awe to families at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. “Pumpkinville is unique to other fall festivals because we try to bring the farm to the city,” Public Events Coordinator Ashley Elkins said. “We also try to create a cohesive theme for our festivals with lots of interactive and educational activities.” A small country pumpkin can truly transform into something magical. This year, the committee behind Pumpkinville will reveal the magic hiding in over 16,000 pumpkins. “We are going to transform the Children’s Garden into a woodland fairytale town,” Elkins said. “Visitors should expect to see some of their favorite fairytales brought to life with pumpkins. Photo Provided by the Myriad Gardens Cinderella, Rapunzel, The Three Little Pigs and other classics will have a spot in this fairytale town.” It takes more than just a Fairy Godmother to bring the story of Pumpkinville to life. “The Myriad Gardens staff has a committee that begins brainstorming and working on this event beginning in late June,” Elkins said. “After we’ve chosen a theme, we take our ideas to local artists such as Nick Bayer and Joe Slack. They create projects and sketches from our ideas and this inspires our staff to come up with even more ideas.” There are more than just sparkles and fairy dust at Pumpkinville

Outlook October 2016

by Lance Evans

this year. The festival also offers educational programs for everyone in the family. “Our mission at the Myriad Gardens is to activate the gardens, to create a fun space for the community to enjoy and to provide horticulture educational programs,” Elkins said. “Pumpkinville tries to really capitalize on the educational elements of where pumpkins, corn stalks, and other items come from and how they can be used in our everyday lives. Not just for fun decorative elements.” Visit www.oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com for more info.

Photo Provided by Edmond Mobile Meals

EdFest Oct 14

There is real life magic hiding in the extraordinary people of EdFest. This fall, EdFest will celebrate five years of giving back to Edmond community. EdFest mixes festival fun with the importance of donating to a worthwhile cause. “The most unique thing about EdFest is its purpose of supporting Edmond Mobile Meals,” Executive Director of Edmond Mobile Meals Cristi Twenter said. “Not only can attendees enjoy a fun, family-friendly street festival, but they can know that the money spent at the event goes to providing nutritious meals and a daily wellness check to the homebound elderly and disabled right here in the Edmond community.” Edmond Mobile Meals has been serving community members in need since 1974. The mission of the organization is to provide healthy, nutritious meals to elderly and disabled community members. One hundred percent of donations received from EdFest will benefit the organization’s participants.

“In 2015, we delivered over 50,000 meals to the homebound in Edmond,” Twenter said. “The need for our service has grown 10 percent in the last year. It is paramount that Photo Provided by funding increases to Downtown Edmond keep pace with this demand. Since last year’s event, Edmond Mobile Meals has added over 200 new clients. Funds raised from EdFest in 2015 paid for approximately 6,000 meals for those clients who are unable to contribute for their meals.” Beyond supporting a great cause, EdFesters should prepare themselves for a good time at the Festival Marketplace in Downtown Edmond. Confirmed food trucks include Flying Pig BBQ, The Saucee Sicilian, 2 Brothers Bistro and a host of other mobile eateries. “Attendees can look forward to delicious local food trucks, local breweries, a raffle of items and services from local businesses, a Kidzone and live music from local band Souled Out courtesy of Main Stage Sponsor John Vance Auto Group,” Twenter said. For ticket information, visit www.edfestokc.com.

Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival Oct 29

The classic Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival captures the family aesthetic of Edmond with the comforts of fall. The Downtown Old Fashioned Festival is all about keeping it local and celebrating connections within the community. The annual event is sponsored by The Downtown Edmond Business Association and is hosted at the Festival Marketplace. The association truly drives home the great sense of community for which Edmond is known. “We get together local organizations to provide free games, activities and candy for families,” said Event Coordinator Elena Listen. “It is a family friendly event where kids can wear costumes and have a free, fun, fall activity on a Saturday afternoon.” Attendees can expect tons of games and candy. The Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival is also supporting a worthwhile cause in Edmond. “We are taking monetary donations for the Edmond Historic Preservation Trust,” Listen said. “Any donations we collect will go to the programming and upkeep of the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse, planning and implementing historical tours, and replacing historical plaques in Downtown Edmond.” Learn more at www.downtownedmondok.com.

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Erik Lee Farmer with Pops Arcadia Corn Maze by Bethany Marshall How long have you been hosting the corn maze? This is the second year we have done the maze. How do you make a corn maze? It starts with the planting. Corn in this part of the country is typically planted in April; however, we wait until June. Next, we use a different planting technique than normal farmers. Typically, when farmers plant corn they make one pass over their field with their planter. When planting the maze, we pull into the field, plant east and west, and then plant it north and south, too. This creates a grid pattern that is very important in the maze design process. When the corn is in the ground, we do what farmers do best—sit, wait, and pray it rains. Once we get the rain, the process of cutting the maze begins. Why do you plant it later than typical farmers? For maze purposes, planting the crop too early creates one simple problem. The corn does what we call “drying down” where it changes from a thick bright green plant to the typical yellow corn stalks you see people using as decorations. If it’s dry corn, people can see right through the maze and it isn’t nearly as challenging or enjoyable as walking in a thick wall of green where you can’t see what’s coming next. How do you get the lines so straight? We use GPS guided tractors so our rows of corn are extremely straight and if seen from above our planting pattern would mimic a piece of graphing paper. This grid pattern is the most important part of the entire design process and acts as a road map for when it’s time to cut the maze.

When do you start the process of cutting the maze? Corn germinates and sprouts very rapidly. After a good rain we typically see sprouts within a week. Once the plant becomes established it can grow up to eight inches a day. The cutting process is the next step and takes place when the corn is around a foot tall. It is a lot easier when the corn is only a foot tall versus 6-8 feet.

How do you cut the corn? I say “cut” but what we really do is walk around the field with five-gallon backpack sprayers and spray the corn with a herbicide that kills plants the width of our trails. Essentially the backpack sprayers become like a big paint brush for us to use on a very large canvas. How do you know where to spray? This is where the very important grid pattern created by our planting technique comes into play. We use the grid as our road map to cut the maze. We use flags

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Outlook October 2016

and paint to mark where we have been and count squares to know our location in the field. After the maze is cut, we once again sit, wait, and pray for more rain. How do you design the maze? We draw the maze out on a computer program that takes the size of our field into consideration and also the grid pattern we created while planting the field. How do you keep the pattern? The grid is really the key for how the maze is so clean and accurate. What inspires the designs? Pop’s, 66 highway. How big is the maze? 10 acres. Do you still harvest the corn after the season? Yes, we harvest the corn, and use it to feed the wildlife on our farm up the road all winter. Has anyone ever gotten lost in the maze? Multiple groups got lost in the maze last fall, and they all happened to be right at closing time when it was getting dark. My staff and I know the maze really well so we can track down lost visitors relatively quickly. How many people participate in the maze every year? Last year we had around 6,500 visitors come out to the maze. How tall does the corn get? Seven to eight feet. When do you start on the next year’s maze? We start planning for next year’s maze shortly after this season is over. What other activities do you offer? There will be live fishing, bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, a paintball shoot, a golf challenge, hay fort, pumpkin patch, gem mining pit, corn hole, tether ball, food trucks and more! How much does it cost to attend? Adults and children are $10, seniors citizens are $8, and children under 3 are free. The Arcadia Corn Maze is located east of Edmond on Hwy 66, right next to Pops and is open through October 31st..

(minimum of 300 sq. ft.) Time to say out with the old tile and carpet and in with new wood floors. Are you dreaming of new wood floors, but dread the mess associated with tearing out your tile? Are you tired of your 70’s carpet, but the thought of working with unreliable installers stop you in your tracks? Kregger’s Floors and More is here to help. Not only does Paul Kregger and his crew offer outstanding friendly and dependable service, but they have also created a system that eliminates many of the hassles most associated with tile removal. Their new dust collection system minimizes the dust. Although their technique is not dust-free, Kregger says it is “light-years ahead of the rest.” With most companies, replacing tile can take a week or more. Besides eliminating much of the dust, with Kreggers, your floor can be free of tile and prepped for new flooring in no time. “Most people think that the task of replacing tile is more construction than they want to deal with. With our manpower and no ‘middle man,’ your tile can be gone in as little as one day!” said Kregger. The installers are what set Kregger’s apart. This ensures customers are getting someone who knows and shows skills he’s familiar with to install their flooring. “In some stores the installers are folks the store has known maybe a day, maybe a year. It’s hard to say. At Kregger’s all of our installers are long-time

employees or family members.” Edmondite Christy Dowell says, “We have a home full of Kregger’s floors! New wood floors, tile floors, rugs, a shower and soon to be carpet. Paul and Chris and the rest of their crew have been a pleasure to work with; always courteous, respectful and punctual. They are also very trustworthy. We left our home to them for a week and came back to beautiful wood floors. It seems to me that ‘satisfaction’ is their number one goal...and I am completely satisfied! I highly recommend Kregger’s Floors and More.” Kreggers is now offering an unbeatable $5.99 psf on genuine Mohawk hand-scraped wood

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