Oklahoma Magazine March 2018

MARCH 2018

VOTE NOW FOR 2018 THE BEST OF THE BEST AT WWW.OKMAG.COM

Spring Fashion

Gangland Oklahoma Gang activity continues in the state

Fresh Perspectives See gardens, backyards and entertainment areas in a new light

Grade Expectations The pros and cons of gifted programs

A Sordid Past

The state’s dark history echoes today

Inspired to make a difference for her patients.

Medical oncologist Dr. Vicki Baker had a simple reason for going into medicine, “I wanted to make a real difference in my patients’ lives,” she said. As a member of the clinical team at the Saint Francis Cancer Center and Warren Clinic Medical Oncology, Dr. Baker specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer and blood disorders.

“Every cancer is different, every person is different and we focus on individualized care,” Dr. Baker said. She is encouraged by the great strides made in oncology with research focusing on more targeted treatments that are genetically customized for the individual. “As a part of the Saint Francis Health System, we provide comprehensive care—everything from medical to spiritual care,” she said.

“It is an honor to be a part of my patients’ lives and to help them and their families through these challenging times.”

Cancer Center

Healthcare for life.

Vicki Baker, M.D. ONCOLOGY

918-556-3000 | saintfrancis.com/cancercenter

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YOU ALWAYS PLANNED ON BUILDING YOUR DREAM HOME. (You just didn’t plan on it needing so many bedrooms.)

Some expenses in life you know are coming.

Others come out of nowhere. That’s why planning helps you enjoy all that life has to offer without worrying about everything else life throws your way. Let us help you plan for the unexpected.

Financial Insights and Guidance | Mortgage and Lending | Retirement www.bankofoklahoma.com ©2018 Bank of Oklahoma, a division of BOKF, NA. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

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Features MARCH

44 Spring Fashion

2018 Oklahoma Magazine Vol. XXII, No. 3

Transport yourself to Saint-Tropez and feel the heat of spring’s hottest trends.

58 Grade Expectations

Gifted programs may not be what all students need to navigate public schools successfully.

62 Summer Camp Directory

Find a wide array of summer camp options in Oklahoma Magazine’s Summer Camp Directory.

52

Fresh Perspectives

As the warm weather comes, you can see gardens, backyards and entertainment areas in a new light.

66 A Sordid Past

VOTE NOW FOR 2018 THE BEST OF THE BEST AT WWW.OKMAG.COM

THE COVER: Spring ON THE SPRING FASHION COVER Fashion

Soaring criminal activity in the 2000s has seen a decrease in big cities thanks to intensified law enforcement.

Gangland Oklahoma Gang activity continues in the state

Fresh Perspectives See gardens, backyards and entertainment areas in a new light

Grade Expectations The pros and cons of gifted programs

2

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Visit us online.

MORE ARTICLES

MARCH 2018

70 Gangland Oklahoma

WANT SOME MORE? March 2018

Oklahoma’s dark history, mostly from lawless times before statehood, echoes today.

A Sordid Past

The state’s dark history echoes today

SHOT FEATURES SET DESIGN

BY PARTY PRO RENTS, A MODEL FROM BRINK MODEL MANAGEMENT, HAIR BY SHAWNA BURROUGHS, MAKEUP BY STARLA WARD, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FROM SAKS FIFTH AVENUE AND TRAVERS MAHAN, AND JEWELRY FROM BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS. PHOTO BY NATHAN HARMON

Read expanded articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition.

MORE PHOTOS

View expanded Scene, Style, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

MORE EVENTS

The online calendar includes more Oklahoma events.

S T RONG A ND ONLINE, ON YOUR

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Departments

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

11 State 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

People Outside the Metro Nature With the change of

18

seasons, flocks are migrating, so watchers can scope and note scores of species in Oklahoma.

Looking Back Sports Icons Insider

29 Life and Style 31 32

Hidden Gems Interiors A new home in

36 38 40

Health Destinations Style Take your fashion advice

43

Scene

northwest OKC is built to evolve as a family grows and gets older.

from the experts: spring is all about stripes, florals and ruffles.

75 Taste 76 78 79

From ribeyes and drumsticks to local brews and delicious baked goods, Edmond’s Meat House keeps it as local as possible.

Local Flavor Chef Chat Random Flavors/ In Season/Gadgets

81 Where and When 82 86

Entertainer John Davidson’s two roles drive Finding Neverland, a musical about finding the courage to be yourself.

In Tulsa/In OKC Film and Cinema

88 Closing Thoughts

4

40

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

32

81

75

+ 74° – Nursery

With Cox Homelife’s security, cameras and climate control, it’s never been easier for your home to take care of you.

And your (thankfully) sleeping child.

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA™ PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

OKLAHOMA

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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LET TER FROM THE EDITOR March breezes, blooms and beauty provide a perfect time to look toward beautifying your home and garden ... and your wardrobe, too. You’ll get inspiring ideas in both our home and garden and spring fashion features – everything you need to do a little springtime sprucing. We also bring you the gritty world of gang-related crime and a bit about Oklahoma’s sordid past in two features this month.

We have a panoply of splendid offerings in our State section for you to enjoy. Meet an Oklahoman whose book, adapted for the silver screen, nabbed four Academy Award nominations. Then read about birdwatching – the weather will soon be perfect to observe birds in their natural habitats. Meet a longtime University of Oklahoma coach with a stellar record and enjoy Oklahoma’s odd assortment of “state icons.”

In our Taste section, we bring you a meat-lover’s heaven in Edmond, an authentic Mandarin joint in Tulsa, and a chef working hard to bring two unique eateries to fruition at once.

We’ve brought you another amazing issue of Oklahoma Magazine, but don’t forget to visit okmag.com and vote for The Best of the Best. This annual July special section introduces you to the cream-of-the-crop in every Oklahoma business, but we need your vote to determine who deserves those honors. And make sure you don’t miss our annual 40 Under 40 feature in April – these picks will impress!

Sincerely, Wendy King Burton Managing Editor

What’s HOT At

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Each year, Oklahoma Magazine gives readers a look into the upcoming 2018 spring fashion season with the latest men’s and women’s styles available at Oklahoma’s premier retailers. In this month’s bonus video content, take a peek behind the curtain of our 2018 spring fashion photo shoot with footage shot on the set of our luxurious outdoor lawn party. Also at okmag.com this month, find web-exclusive photo galleries and even more great entertainment options not found in the print edition. Don’t forget to join our more than 74,000 social media followers for even more fun Oklahoma Magazine content, including prize giveaways.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE VIDEO STICK AROUND AND WATCH ALL OF OUR WEB-EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS AT OKMAG.COM/WEB.

OU - Oklahoma’s Leader in Excellence

• OU is the only public university in U.S. history to ever rank first among both public and private universities in the number of freshman National Merit Scholars.

• OU was recently awarded the prestigious Davis Cup for the fifth consecutive year in recognition of its record-setting enrollment of United World College international freshmen.

OU is the only public university to ever be awarded the Davis Cup.

• OU has achieved an all-time record freshman-to-sophomore retention rate of more than 92 percent, ranking OU among the top universities in the nation. OU is one of only 30 public institutions in the nation currently reporting retention rates of 92 percent or higher.

• The OU Honors College is one of the top 25 programs at a public university in the nation.

• OU is the only university in the nation, public or private, whose students have won Goldwater, Mitchell, Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright and National Security Education Program scholarships in the same year.

• This fall, OU has become one of the first public universities in the country to build residential colleges for upperclassmen and women, patterned on those at Yale, Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge in England. The living/learning communities will serve as the cornerstone of the undergraduate experience.

• OU has been awarded the largest federal research grant in its history — a five-year, $161 million grant by NASA to advance understanding of Earth’s natural exchanges of carbon between the land, atmosphere and ocean.

• OU is a leader among all American universities in international exchange and study abroad programs. OU currently offers programs in 88 countries and over 220 cities on six continents.

Students from more than 120 countries are enrolled at OU.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo

- The Impact of Excellence

Mom, wife, daughter, cancer fighter.

Jennifer Thigpen Breast Cancer Patient

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I wanted to fight with a team of doctors who were experts in my specific disease—just like the cancer specialists I found at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). They explained all my options, answered my questions and had a real sense of urgency throughout my treatment. I also liked having everyone in one place working together focused on me. This kind of team approach is what made me want to come to CTCA®. And I’m so glad I did.”

No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results.

Call 888.568.1571 or visit cancercenter.com/tulsa Located in Tulsa

Rising Tide 10© 2017 OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

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State

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

THE STATE PG 1 Ready in Times of Need

O

ABOVE: THE CHEROKEE NATION’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM FILLS SANDBAGS IN PREPARATION FOR OKLAHOMA’S SPRING STORMS.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE REMER, CHEROKEE NATION COMMUNICATIONS

Emergency responders from the Cherokee Nation become Oklahoma’s fourth Type 3, all-hazard incident management team.

klahoma is notorious for natural disasters, and living under a severe storm warning is par for the course each spring. In the heart of Tornado Alley, residents know there is sometimes no escaping Mother Nature’s fury, but we also know the value of preparation.

To this end, the Cherokee Nation’s emergency management team completed a lengthy certification process last year to become a Type 3, all-hazard incident management team; it’s one of the first tribes in the nation

to attain this classification.

“We are able to handle the initial response to any large-scale event and remain active and on-scene for several days, coordinating resources to help put a community back together,” says Jeremie Fisher, the team’s manager.

The Cherokee team joins the ranks of three others in Oklahoma and just over 120 in the nation with Type 3 certifications. Fisher saw firsthand the effectiveness of this type of program after an EF5 tornado hit Moore in 2013. Shortly after he was hired by the tribe, he decided that obtaining this

certification would be valuable.

“We are responsible for 14 counties in Northeastern Oklahoma,” Fisher says. “We are an asset to the tribe as well as our community partners.”

Nearly a year into operations, the Cherokee team has assisted in the response to and recovery from a dangerous ice storm, two 500year floods and an EF1 tornado that touched down after dark in the hamlet of Greasy in Adair County. The team’s main area of operation lies within tribal land, but it has helped communities outside Oklahoma.

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

11

The State

“We were on standby to assist with Hurricane Harvey and some of our team members went to help in communities in response to Hurricane Irma,” Fisher says.

In a natural disaster, a public health emergency or another crisis, Fisher says the Cherokee team uses personnel from different departments and agencies and a specially built, 36-foot mobile command center to orchestrate operations.

“Our team becomes the central point to organize response and recovery efforts,” he says.

With high-tech tools like satellite communications, computers and drones, the team works with first responders and agencies like the National Weather Service and American Red Cross to assess damage, coordinate logistics, allocate resources and track funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We are self-sustaining,” Fisher says. “We have 15 people on our team, but we are training more. We want to be two deep in most positions so we can run seamless operations during an event.”

The team has one main function – response – but it also helps with recovery.

“When an incident occurs, the initial focus is on the accountability for life,” Fisher says.

“Once all the people have been accounted for, the recovery can begin. You begin to clear the area, put street signs back up, put life back together. Response is the quick part, but recovery may take years.”

The team is equipped to handle large-scale disasters, but members maintain their skills by working at smaller functions, such as concerts and tribal events.

“As with any team, you play like you practice,” Fisher says. “Many people look at teams like this and think that we are only interested in large-scale events, but we look for anything that can help keep us sharp.”

LINDSAY CUOMO

TOP: CHEROKEE NATION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT’S JEREMIE FISHER, CENTER, PARTICIPATES IN TRAINING WITH HIS RESPONSE TEAM EARLIER THIS YEAR IN THE TRIBE’S NEW MOBILE COMMAND CENTER. MIDDLE: CHEROKEE PRINCIPAL CHIEF BILL JOHN BAKER LOOKS OVER THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM’S INFLATABLE RAFT. LEFT: THE CHEROKEE NATION’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM SPENT HOURS RECENTLY BAGGING SAND IN PREPARATION FOR OKLAHOMA’S SPRING RAINS THAT SOMETIMES PRODUCE FLOODING. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE REMER, CHEROKEE NATION COMMUNICATIONS

12

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

The University of Tulsa

PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE SERIES Sponsored by The Darcy O’Brien Endowed Chair

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More recently, Schlosser was involved with two films that premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival: He was co-producer of Command and Control, a documentary based on his book; and he was co-creator of The Bomb, a multimedia piece that Entertainment Weekly called “a stunning, avant-garde approach to a plea for nuclear disarmament.”

Shedding light on worlds that are often hidden, Schlosser’s work has earned praise from The Nation, Fortune, Financial Times and National Review.

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The State

PEOPLE

Mudbound Magic

Former Oklahoman Hillary Jordan saw her novel come to life in the Oscar-nominated film Mudbound.

T

TOP: HILLARY JORDAN IS THE AUTHOR OF MUDBOUND, A NOVEL TURNED MOVIE WITH FOUR ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS.

PHOTOS COURTESY HILLARY JORDAN

14

he average author may not live to see an original work garner any recognition – no awards, international translations or on-screen adaptations. Former Oklahoman and author Hillary Jordan, however, accomplished all that and more ... on her first try.

Jordan, born in Dallas, spent many of her formative years in Muskogee – an upbringing that influenced the characters and setting of her debut novel, Mudbound. The book, along with winning a bevy of literary awards, was adapted for the silver screen in 2017 with a stellar cast, including Carey Mulligan and Mary J. Blige. The film has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including best adapted screenplay and best supporting actress (Blige).

The awards are March 4.

It seems obvious that Jordan was born to tell stories, but it took her awhile to embrace the calling. After graduating from Wellesley College, she spent 15 years as a copywriter before experiencing what she describes as a “personal insurrection,” when she decided to pursue writing full time. That insurrection was well worth it; during her rigorous master of fine arts program at Columbia University, Mudbound was born.

“It took me six years and 11 full drafts and was finally published in 2008,” she says.

The novel, set in the 1940s, tells the story of two families – one white, the McAllans, and one black, the Jacksons – living on a desolate farm in the Mississippi Delta during World War II. The McAllans own the farm while the Jacksons work it. Harrowing racism, unlikely friendships, the horrors of war and dangerous romance combine to create a compelling narrative, pieced together through both intensive research and familial anecdotes.

“Mudbound was inspired by stories I heard growing up about my grandparents’ farm, which was in Lake Village, Arkansas. It was a primitive place, an unpainted shotgun shack with no electricity,

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

running water or telephone,” Jordan says. “They named it ‘Mudbound’ because whenever it rained, the roads would flood and they’d be stranded for days.”

Tackling such a heavy subject matter could make for a depressing journey, but Jordan’s addition of an interracial friendship between the story’s two war veterans – Jamie McAllan and Ronsel Jackson – adds a glimmer of hope that Jordan finds almost requisite in today’s politically charged atmosphere.

“Both the book and film portray the cruelty and insanity of racism, but they also offer, in the friendship between Jamie and Ronsel, a hopeful vision of where we might go if we can overcome prejudice and recognize our common humanity,” she says. “It’s a message that I think is desperately needed right now.”

Book-to-screen adaptations sometimes disappoint, with bad casting and an unfaithful retelling, but Jordan says the film’s director, Dee Rees, did just the opposite.

“I was a little nervous initially – I know very few authors who like their adaptations, but Dee did a fantastic job of bringing my story to life,” she says. “A riveting script, superb acting, gorgeous cinematography, four Oscar nominations ... who gets this?”

Jordan lives in Brooklyn and is concurrently working on a sequel to Mudbound and adaptations of her other works, Aftermirth and When She Woke. Visit hillaryjordan.com for more.

MARY WILLA ALLEN

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The State

FUN FACTS OUTSIDE THE METRO

Irish in Name Only

Ardmore, the seat of Carter County, has roots with the Santa Fe railroad, not the Emerald Isle.

I

THE GREATER SOUTHWEST HISTORICAL MUSEUM (LEFT) AND THE OIL PATCH WARRIOR STATUE (RIGHT) ARE MUSTSEES IN ARDMORE. PHOTOS COURTESY ARDMORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

16

n the month of St. Patrick, when millions tap their Irish roots (real or imagined), one might yearn for a place like Ardmore in south-central Oklahoma.

After all, Ardmore, a hamlet in County Waterford, is the anglicized spelling and pronunciation of aird mohr, Irish Gaelic for “great height.”

Thousands in the 19th-century Irish diaspora wound up working for American railroads.

The Ardmore just outside Philadelphia was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad; Oklahoma’s Ardmore was one of the first stops of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway’s line through Indian Territory.

However, no known link exists between the village on the Irish Sea and the seat of Carter County. It’s just a bunch of blarney.

“It was kind of named Ardmore by chance,” says Wesley Hull, director of the Greater Southwest Historical Museum.

“When the Santa Fe [turned] north toward Indian country, financiers … named seven towns that would be created after the railroad crossed the Red River into Chickasaw lands: Marietta, Overbrook, Ardmore, Berwyn, Wynnewood, Paoli and Wayne. These were named after cities on the Pennsylvania line just west of Philadelphia.

“They pretty much drove a peg in the ground and said, ‘Here’s Ardmore.’”

Lifelong Ardmorite Charles Tate, retired as both a tribal judge with the Chickasaw Nation and a U.S. special district judge, confirms that the Irish influence is minimal.

“In our tribe, there was intermarriage with

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Scots mostly; as far as I know, there’s nothing about Ardmore having a direct connection to Ireland,” says the historian for St. Mary Catholic Church, established by the Sisters of Mercy in the 1890s.

But just because there’s neither an elaborate St. Paddy’s parade nor a dyeing green of nearby Lake Murray doesn’t mean that Ardmore lacks a past and present.

The Greater Southwest museum houses the Military Memorial Museum, “one of the best of its kind in Oklahoma,” Hull says.

Downtown is the 7-foot Oil Patch Warrior, a bronze replica of the one in England commemorating Ardmore roughnecks hired by British Petroleum to secretly drill for oil in Sherwood Forest (of Robin Hood fame) during a crippling shortage in 1943.

For something modern, the Sunny Side Up Film Festival arrives March 23-25 with its initial run in Ardmore. The festival began in Willcox, Arizona, in 2016.

“Why Ardmore? We have a lot of friends in southern Oklahoma and we’re from Harrah,” says founder Rock Whitehead, who produces films with his wife, Brenda-Marie.

“Plus, the Goddard Center does a good job of getting the word out.”

Whitehead says of 108 entries from around the world, about 50 will run over the weekend.

Jet

BRIAN WILSON

POPULATION 24,950 INDIAN METROPOLIS According to a U.S. Census document, Ardmore was the second-largest city (behind Muskogee) in Indian Territory when it merged with Oklahoma Territory to become the 47th state in 1907.

EQUINE HUB Hardy Murphy Coliseum, built with Works Progress Administration money, opened in 1937. Now indoors with air conditioning, the facility hosts rodeos, horse competitions and livestock shows 48 weeks of the year.

NO YOLK The origin for the Sunny Side Up Film Festival comes from its founders presenting a bright, cheerful event. Still, the festival’s logo features skillets of fried eggs that resemble a movie reel.

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The State

N AT U R E

Bird is the Word

Reinking both recommend field guides by the National Geographic Society or author David Sibley. Field guide apps, including a free one from the National AuduWith the change of seasons, flocks are migrating, so bon Society, are available. watchers can scope and note scores of species in Oklahoma. Because Oklahoma straddles the 100th meridian and has both eastern and western birds, it is t’s almost spring in Oklahoma and the birding is easy. best to choose a guide that covers all of North America. However, for birdMid-March is a transition watching east of the Panhandle, an period between seasons, eastern guide should suffice. when opportunity for spotAudubon chapters are scattered ting multiple avian species is particuacross the state; many organize field larly ample. trips and provide monthly programs Bill Diffin, past president of the about birds, Reinking says. Bird Oklahoma City Audubon Society and counts take place each December and current president of the Oklahoma are a good way to get involved. The Ornithological Society, says birds Oklahoma Ornithological Society also wintering in the southern United has field trips.

States, Central America and South Locations for prime bird-watching America are migrating. It’s a great include state parks and national time to view 20 or more different wildlife refuges, Reinking says. These ducks, gulls, geese and many sparinclude Tulsa’s Oxley Nature Center, row species – all which winter in Martin Park Nature Center in OklaOklahoma. homa City, the Red Slough Wildlife “Early mornings and evenings Management Area south of Idabel in are when birds are generally more McCurtain County, the Hackberry active,” Diffin says. “Joining a club Flat Wildlife Management Area south has great social benefits, but the of Frederick in Tillman County, the best thing about bird-watching is Great Salt Plains National Wildlife just getting out in nature and being Refuge near Jet in Alfalfa County, outdoors.”

Black Mesa State Park and vicinity Dan Reinking, author of the near Kenton in far western Cimarron seminal Oklahoma Winter Bird Atlas, County, and the Wichita Mountains agrees that the state is prime territory National Wildlife Refuge near Lawfor birders. ton in Comanche County.

“With 480 species of birds Don Wolfe, senior biologist at the documented in Oklahoma being G.M. Sutton Avian Research Center a record total for a state without a in Bartlesville, heads several projects seacoast, Oklahoma is a great place that study, count and preserve various to bird-watch,” he says. “Oklahoma’s bird species. He invites anyone to mid-continent location spanning both bird-watch, help educate others and eastern and western habitats, from the pine forests of the southeast to the support habitat conservation.

A BEVY OF BIRDS CAN BE SPOTTED DURING pinon-juniper mesas of the western The Sutton Center has a long hisSPRING IN OKLAHOMA. Panhandle, results in a corresponding tory “of successful avian conservation PHOTOS BY VERNIS MAXWELL diversity of birds.” and restoration projects, including Bird-watching requires only the re-establishment of breeding bald binoculars, a field guide and a eagles in Oklahoma, of which there notebook to record sightings, are now approximately 160 breeding Reinking says. There is a pairs in the state,” Wolfe says. “It is big difference in quality important to realize that increased between $50 binoculars awareness and appreciation of all and a $200 pair, wildlife and valid conservation efforts and a noticeable directed at rare or declining species improvement are considerably easier and less costly in the $500than attempting to bring a species $1,000 range. back from the brink of extinction.

Diffin and “Public involvement in activities

I

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

SONY DSC

such as Christmas bird counts not only enhances that appreciation, but can provide early indicators to changes in distribution or abundance.”

TRACY LEGRAND

RENHARDWOOD.COM 918.298.4477

The State

LO O K I N G B A C K

Havens for Freed Slaves

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MEMBERS OF THE BOLEY TOWN COUNCIL MEET IN AN UNKNOWN YEAR.

3377.D.2 OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION

CHURCH MEMBERS POSE FOR A PICTURE IN EITHER CLEARVIEW OR BOOKERTEE.

20699.02.197.329 STATE MUSEUM COLLECTION

THE TULLAHASSEE CREEK INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL SERVED AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN (APRIL 1891).

PHOTO BY J.F. STANDIFORD, MUSKOGEE, IT. .1553 ALICE ROBERTSON COLLECTION

C.S. TRICE IS SEATED ON A TRACTOR AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY. TRICE WAS THE HEAD FARM WORKER FROM 1921 TO 1963.

Between 1865 and 1920, Oklahoma had the most all-black towns and settlements in the country.

C

ities founded by freed slaves are an integral part of Oklahoma’s history.

“There were a number of folks who came to Oklahoma during the land run in 1889 and began boosting Oklahoma as a destination of choice for AfricanAmericans,” says Larry O’Dell with the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Today, only 13 of the approximately 50 original all-black towns remain. Oklahoma used to be home

20819.8.4 ZELLA PATTERSON COLLECTION

THE PHOTO DEPICTS WORKING CATTLE FOR THE BUSINESS LEAGUE IN MAY 1914. THE BRICK BUILDING IS BELIEVED TO BE THE PRESENT CITY HALL, TAFT, FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWINE, INDIAN TERRITORY. 20819.8.4 ZELLA PATTERSON COLLECTION

A FAMILY STANDS OUTSIDE THEIR HOME IN BOLEY IN 1918.

20699.02.197.502 STATE MUSEUM COLLECTION

LIMA’S ROSENWALD SCHOOL WAS OPEN FROM 1906-1973.

14576.MURIEL WRIGHT COLLECTION

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

to more of them than anywhere else in the country. They stretched across more than half the state.

O’Dell says when the federal government relocated the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole nations to present-day Oklahoma, the tribes brought along slaves. During the Civil War, many of the tribes sided with the Confederacy, and their treaties with the government were ultimately annulled. When they renegotiated, the slaves became

freedmen and were compensated with land.

“They were treated just like the other members of the tribe when they allotted land to them and broke up their communal living,” O’Dell says. “So, when these freedmen got land, obviously they settled near each other and eventually these towns in eastern Oklahoma developed.”

In Oklahoma Territory, AfricanAmericans from the Old South took part in the April 22, 1889, land run; more than 50,000 settlers raced to a claim a piece of the more than 2 million acres of unassigned land in Indian Territory. Altogether, African-Americans – land run settlers and freedmen – created more than 50 identifiable towns and settlements between 1865 and 1920.

In these towns, African-Americans lived free from the prejudices and brutality found in other racially mixed communities of the Midwest

and the South, O’Dell says.

All-black settlements offered the advantage of residents depending on neighbors for financial assistance and having open markets for crops. According to O’Dell, the all-black towns in Oklahoma were, for the most part, small agricultural centers that gave African-American farmers a market.

Prosperity generally depended on cotton and other crops. Men were gainfully employed as farmers or in other types of agriculture, while the women were homemakers and teachers, O’Dell says.

“These towns were the same as any other small town in Oklahoma, with schools, churches and retail,” he says.

According to the Sept. 22, 1921, edition of the Tulsa Daily World, a school in the historically all-black town of Bookertee in northeastern Oklahoma took in about 50 children orphaned by the Tulsa Race Riot.

While Bookertee is no longer a town, nearby Clearview, also a historically allblack town, still exists.

Clearview was once a bustling town of about 618 people, and boasted of the Creek and Seminole Agricultural College northeast

listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and the town of about 1,200 hosts the nation’s oldest African-American community rodeo each Memorial Day weekend.

Pleasant Valley, a settlement in Kingfisher County, was staked by African-Americans in the land run, some of those Civil War veterans.

However, the Great Depression devastated these towns and forced residents “They were treated just like to go west and north in search of jobs. the other members of the These flights from Oklahoma caused a tribe when they allotted huge population decrease, O’Dell says. land to them and broke up As people left, the tax base withered and put the towns in financial jeopardy. their communal living.”

In the 1930s, many railroads failed and isolated small towns in Oklahoma from regional and national markets.

As a result, many of the black towns did not president of Sears, Roebuck and Company survive, but their legacy of economic and who began the initiative to provide Africanpolitical freedom is well remembered.

American children a better education by SHARON MCBRIDE funding the first such schools in Alabama.

Boley’s downtown business district is of town. In 2010, the population was down to 48.

Lima, located in south central Oklahoma, was one of several towns that had a Rosenwald School – funded by the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which was named for the

MARCH 2018| WWW.OKMAG.COM

21

The State SPORTS

Trust and Unity

University of Oklahoma head softball coach Patty Gasso says her team’s championship mindset is the reason for great success.

W

PATTY GASSO HAS LED THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA TO BACK-TO-BACK NCAA SOFTBALL TITLES AND FOUR OVERALL. PHOTO BY STAN LIU

22

hile Patty Gasso acknowledges she’s not one to focus too much on numbers or titles (such as back-to-back NCAA championships), the statistics and bragging rights she and her team have racked up during the last 23 seasons tell a distinct story of success.

Gasso, head softball coach at the University of Oklahoma, has led her team to four national titles, along with reaching the Women’s College World Series 11 times and advancing to postseason play every year she’s been with OU. According to soonersports.com, OU is one of only three programs in NCAA history to win more than two national titles.

“Our philosophy in two words is ‘championship mindset,’” Gasso says when describing the “secret sauce” of her team’s success and hers as a coach.

She further explains that the championship mindset is about giving all you have and fighting

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

to make yourself better – not just for yourself, but for your team. It’s also about unity with that team and harvesting trust – “trusting that what you have is good enough; what your teammates have is good enough,” she says.

This idea of trust is one that Gasso had to learn herself by relying upon her gut.

“I used to think a decision might not be right or too risky, or the fans or public might not like it,” Gasso says. “But once I decided what I am doing is good enough, things started to change for me.”

Gasso gives her team credit for maintaining its championship edge.

“I can define it, but it’s another thing to live it. And that’s what this team has done a really good job on is living in that world,” she says.

Recently, Gasso took on another exciting challenge: She was named the head coach of one of the two national teams for softball’s annual World Cup tournament. She’ll coach the teams through training in the United States and Japan, then the

World Cup will take place July 7-15 at the Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine, California.

Gasso has looked forward to this opportunity for a long time.

“The first time I put on a USA sweatshirt or visor, it’s like, wow.

Wow. I’m living the dream – just like these players are – and I’m really excited about it. I look forward to working with a lot of new athletes and helping them get better in a short period of time,” she says.

Helping athletes is her focus, even when she receives accolades for her coaching.

“There are so many people involved with what we’re doing. I don’t accept awards as if it’s given to me; I accept it on behalf of the team,” Gasso says.

As for this year’s OU team, Gasso is optimistic about the season.

“I am planning to go on a great journey with some talented and hungry young women who are ready to play,” she says. “I’m really excited about this next chapter.”

BONNIE RUCKER

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2017

The State

ICONS

A Ba le Royal

Among Oklahoma’s assortment of official emblems are two dinosaurs who would have made formidable foes.

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VISITORS CAN GET VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES OF SAUROPHAGANAX MAXIMUS AT THE SAM NOBLE OKLAHOMA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

PHOTOS COURTESY SAM NOBLE OKLAHOMA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

24

ill Rogers, Oklahoma’s favorite son, made bank by observing the contradictions and redundancies of Americans in general and Oklahomans in particular.

His statement, “It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble; it’s what we know that ain’t so,” could easily apply to the oddities in the Oklahoma’s official flora, fauna and minerals. In many cases, we just can’t leave well enough alone.

On the recognized list are two dinosaurs, three flowers, a vegetable that many botanists call a fruit, two birds and three mammals. But who’s counting?

As Cortney Stone writes in the Oklahoma Historical Society’s guide to educators on the state’s emblems, “It was almost as if someone was afraid of leaving something out.”

The fights over flowers have had some people’s knickers in knots since statehood; we originally had the mistletoe, which was supplanted by the Oklahoma rose as the official flower before the former was recast as the official floral emblem. Not to be denied is the Indian blanket, the official wildflower.

If that’s not confusing enough, consider food. The strawberry is Oklahoma’s official fruit, but the watermelon, widely considered a fruit, became the official vegetable because it is genetically related to the gourd. The fruit-vegetable debate caused much consternation among politicians about 10 years go, but the arguing subsided as the financial crisis and the state’s repeated budget shortfalls took priority

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

for legislators in Oklahoma City.

Regardless, these species and the controversies surrounding them are small potatoes when compared to two enormous creatures with long names: saurophaganax maximus (the official fossil) and acrocanthosaurus atokensis (the official dinosaur).

A battle royal between these two bruisers would be epic. The only problems are that they lived about 40 million years apart and dwelled in exact opposite parts of the state.

But that hasn’t kept Richard Cefelli, Ph.D., curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Sam Noble Museum in Norman, from speculating who would win a bout between these two meat-eating, relatively nimble titans. Both were about 40 feet in length.

“Acro was probably heavier, but they would have been pretty evenly matched,” says the witty Cefelli, using a common abbreviation for the species that’s Latin for highspined lizard from Atoka. “It’s one of those ‘any given day’ situations. You’d probably have to go best out of seven with these guys, even though the first one would probably be a death match, which would keep the other six from happening.”

Cefelli’s humorous nickname for the lord of lizard-eaters is Snax because “what are you going to do? There are just too many syllables … and unfamiliar ones at that.”

He and other paleontologists were a bit surprised in 2006 when Acro received its designation because “we thought we already had a state dinosaur with Snax,” which became Oklahoma’s official fossil in 2000.

“Still, the more the merrier,” Cefelli says.

“The more people know about paleontology, the more they get excited about science.”

Cefelli says both Snax (from 150 million years ago) and Acro (105-110 million years ago) “had outsized heads and fully functional hands with large claws, unlike T-Rex [tyrannosaurus rex]. These guys could grapple and tear prey with their hands.”

“They were apex predators for their times.

Not much could stop them.”

These giants are associated with Oklahoma because of significant discoveries. Saurophaganax fossils were found in Cimarron County in the Panhandle in the early 1930s; remains of acrocanthosaurus were found near Atoka and Broken Bow in 1940 and 1983, respectively.

BRIAN WILSON

A ROSTER OF EMBLEMS Following is a rundown of some of Oklahoma’s official floral, faunal and mineral symbols:

Mistletoe (floral emblem)

Strawberry (fruit)

Indian blanket (wildflower)

Redbud (tree)

Rose rock (rock)

Watermelon (vegetable)

Scissor-tailed flycatcher (bird)

Collared lizard (reptile)

Bison (mammal) MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

25

The State

INSIDER

Mining for Solid Gold Tommy Poole highlights his students’ work as the OSU Jazz Orchestra records with noted trombonist Michael Dease.

T

ABOVE: RENOWNED TROMBONIST MICHAEL DEASE LENT HIS SKILLS TO THE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA. BELOW: THE ORCHESTRA AND DEASE PERFORM.

PHOTOS COURTESY TOMMY POOLE

26

ommy Poole readily admits he’s “not expecting to make millions” on the new CD he produced and engineered, even though it’s got a twotime Grammy winner front and center.

He is, however, expecting Solid Gold, featuring trombonist Michael Dease with the Oklahoma State University Jazz Orchestra, to do something important.

“I made the CD because it puts the word out in the world about what OSU Jazz is doing,” says Poole, director of jazz studies and assistant professor of music at Oklahoma State. “I remember when I did the big-band CD back in 2012 with [saxophonist] Seamus Blake, a guy from Russia emailed me, asking for the arrangements I’d done [for the disc]. So it’s international. You do a CD like this, it’s going to pop up on [the internet music-streaming service] Pandora.

“If enough people have been listening to the record, and it gets enough notoriety, it might end up in a shuffle play or something like that. That’s why you get that Grammywinning star power of someone like Michael Dease to record. And it’s an incredible experience for the students.”

Dease, who won Grammy awards for his work with singer-songwriter Alicia Keys and the Christian McBride Big Band, is just the latest major jazz act to work with Poole and his students. Since 2009, when he began

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

his career as a college-level jazz educator at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Poole has brought in nationally known artists to work with his students in both concerts and the recording studio. And, like Poole – an accomplished and in-demand saxophonist – most of his guest performers are proficient in both performing jazz and teaching it.

“There are some players I think are really great who aren’t necessarily going to be all that effective communicating with students,” he says. “It’s just not their thing. So not every one who’s a monster player is also going to be passionate about teaching. But I think most great jazz players today also teach. The vast majority of them do, and a lot of them are very passionate about it. Jazz is a complex idiom. No one pops out of their mother’s womb playing great bebop.

It has to be worked on. So, for that reason, it’s very natural for a lot of great jazz players to be able to talk about the road they’ve taken – specifically, what they did to get their jazz-playing together.

“The guest artists I have come out to OSU – as was the case with the artists I’d bring out to NSU – they like to teach. I don’t really want a guest artist who doesn’t enjoy talking to students.”

As he’s gotten proficient at booking big-time players for his classes, the 44-year-old Poole has come to recognize one of the red flags that may signal a performer’s lack of interest in teaching.

“Say I hear someone wonderful, and I call up, and maybe I talk to their agent,” he says. “The agent rolls out a ridiculous figure, an unaffordable figure. That leads me to believe that the artists is either so crazy busy on those dates that they’re going to have to take a flight from Guam, you know, just to get here, or they just aren’t into doing the whole thing, so they price themselves so high that it weeds out the market.”

That was not the case with Dease, whom Poole first contacted a few years ago.

“It would’ve been back in November of ’14,” he says. “That’s when I was talking to Dease about coming to NSU and having him as the NSU [jazz] festival artist and getting him to record with the NSU Big Band. I loved his trombone-playing, and I loved his compositions. I thought I could do my arranging thing with them.

I enjoy arranging and composing, so I wanted to contribute to the arranging and composing sides of the CD.” In addition to appreciating Dease’s talent as a trombonist and composer, Poole also knew that Dease taught at Michigan State

University, which has a top-notch jazz program.

So, in Poole’s eyes, Dease was the perfect guest artist.

By the time the deal got done, Poole had left NSU for OSU in 2015. Still, they recorded the Solid Gold disc at the NSU Jazz Lab, in a studio Poole knew well.

“I was at NSU for six years, and I built a lot of that studio, replaced a lot of equipment, upgraded a lot of microphones,” he says. “I knew it was going to be cool recording in Tahlequah again because I knew the room, I knew what equipment was there, and I knew how to situate the band so I could get good fidelity.”

The eight-song disc that came out of those sessions feature five Dease compositions, one of Poole’s, a classic jazz tune (“After You’ve Gone”), and “Discussao,” a lesserknown work by noted Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim (of “Girl From Im-

panema,” “Desafinado” and “Wave” fame).

Half were arranged by Poole. In addition to Dease, featured players include saxophonists Matt Floeter, Charlie Chadwell and Sydney Pointer; trombonists Kyle Hunt and Jacob Eyler; trumpeters Tyler Murray and Noah Mennenga; pianist Dylan Shadoan; bassist Mickey Webster; and drummer Matt Durkee.

“I had some great students at NSU, and I’ve got some great students at OSU,” Poole says. “There’s just a lot more students at OSU. And this group records so well. Their tonal qualities are really well-balanced.

They’ve got a great ear for pitch. They listen to each other, and they play with impeccable intonation.

“One of our trumpet players, Noah Mennenga, was a sophomore when he played his solo on ‘After You’ve Gone,’ the last track on the CD. He’s a great player, and when he graduates, he’s got a professionally mixed, mastered and tracked CD he recorded with one of the greatest trombone players of all time. And he can say, ‘Oh, by the way, here’s me soloing on this cut.’ It’s a great solo that’s going to get a foot in the door for him down the line.”

One of the names you’ll not see among the performers on Solid Gold is Poole himself. He has a long list of performing

Freeze Your Way To Fabulous

credits and appears on several national and regional releases, but he prefers to stay in the background when it comes to his students’ records.

“I’m going to be recording with Count Tutu, a rock group that’s got some jazz elements, in Tulsa,” he says. “You may remember the CD [Jazz on a Summer’s Night] that [vocalist] Pam Van Dyke and [bassist] Bill Crosby did; I was on that one. I just recorded for a CD with a guy out of Kentucky, and I’m looking forward to that one coming out.

So there are opportunities for me to highlight my playing on my own CDs, as a sideman or whatever.

“But as a teacher, I prefer to let the students shine as much as possible. If you’ve ever seen a concert I’ve conducted, you know that I like to count off the first tune and then walk offstage. I don’t want it to be about me. I want the audience to witness the power of these students. I just enjoy people coming up afterwards and saying, ‘Man, they sure played well.’ And I’ll say, ‘Didn’t they?’”

He laughs.

“Then I’ll say, ‘Thank you.’ That to me is the reward.”

Solid Gold is available at cdbaby.com in both CD and downloadable formats.

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Life & Style

A M A P TO L I V I N G W E L L

‘Le ing Go of Perfection’ Enrichment classes – creative, artistic or practical – can free a person’s mind and induce happiness.

CARA FITZGERALD LEARNS GLASS BLOWING FROM ANDY BOATMAN AT BLUE SAGE STUDIOS. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

F

or Broken Arrow resident Brent Ramsey, his first enrichment class was an act of self-preservation.

Ramsey was in a rut – the stress and anxiety of his information technology position had caught up with him and he had trouble sleeping.

That’s when his doctor-appointed therapist told him to find an outlet, which turned out to be a short class at Tulsa Stained Glass. From there, making stained-glass art became a permanent habit.

“I’m not normally a creative person,” Ramsey says. “I’ve always been more technically minded, but

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

29

Life & Style

this gave me a chance to explore that part of myself.”

That’s a common theme with enrichment classes: Rather than advancing a person’s career, they enhance the person. Many classes focus on artistic or creative pursuits, like writing or drawing.

Across Oklahoma, these classes are presented by businesses or as continuing education classes at colleges. They can also be found at places like the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which has an entire department dedicated to learning and engagement.

Tracy Truels, that department’s director, says the museum’s classes help people break into new hobbies or return to old ones.

“It’s really open for everybody,” she says.

“Our classes tend to attract a mix of total first-timers and people who haven’t done art in a while.”

The institution offers a variety of classes every semester, including painting, drawing, glass-blowing and photography, Truels says.

“We’ve also been listening to our students, so we have a DSLR photography class,” she says. “We’re getting people who already knew their camera and people who’ve never used one. We had somebody come in with their camera still in its box.”

The schedules for the museum’s classes vary; some last six weeks, but others might be just one afternoon, Truels says.

“We used to have this really standard approach to how long classes were, and we realized each class had its own sweet spot,” she says. “We have an introductory watercolor class and that’s three Sunday afternoons.”

The overall goal, Truels says, is for people to create art for themselves, from themselves.

“We want people to come and get in touch with that creative side,” she says.

ABOVE: STUDENTS AT TULSA STAINED GLASS WORK ON A PROJECT TOGETHER. RIGHT: A DISPLAY AT TULSA STAINED GLASS SHOWCASES THE WORKS OF TALENTED STUDENTS. PHOTOS BY LUKE OPPENHEIMER

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Dina Hunt, assistant marketing director for Tulsa Stained Glass, says exploration is exactly what enrichment classes should provide.

“Lots of times when people are going through whatever season of their life that may be troubling them, it can be hard to express it in words,” she says. “It’s kind of a way to let people free their mind and find what makes them happy.”

That creative side can benefit anybody. At Tulsa Stained Glass, owner Richard Bohm says he has students “all the way from corporate America team-building to a person on the street to people with physical or mental disabilities or issues. Art’s a wonderful thing.”

Bohm says he wants to help people “ex-

press themselves in a positive way” when they attend classes.

“We take it from a fun and entertainment standpoint,” he says. “There’s no judgment.

People don’t have to be an artist.”

Hunt describes the process as “letting go of perfection.” It’s not about making masterpieces so much as it is creating something that makes a person … enriched.

“We help everybody become successful, by which … they create art that they’re happy with,” she says. “It’s kind of an enlightening experience to allow yourself to break away from the hustle and bustle and focus on you.”

Beginning classes abound. Tulsa-area residents can check out the City-County Library’s adult learning program at guides. tulsalibrary.org/adultlearning or Tulsa Community College’s Continuing Education program at cewfd.tulsacc.edu.

In and around Oklahoma City, options include Rose Community College’s Community Learning Center (rose.edu/content/ business-community/community-learningcenter) and Everything Goes Dance (everythinggoesdance.com/class-info/adults).

Whichever route one might go, it’s meant to make a person more complete, Ramsey says.

“What really matters is whether … you feel happier by the time you’re done,” he says. “If it ends up becoming a hobby, great, or if you decide you want to start making stuff and selling it online, or if you finally get started on a novel or something – that’s great. Just as long as you end up happier than you were.”

CHESLEY OXENDINE

HIDDEN GEMS

From Helmets to Cartoons

The Reaves collection is superseded only by ones at the U.S. Military Academy and the Smithsonian Institution. West Point’s collection is not fully on display, while none of the Smithsonian’s can be seen by the public.

“You will see historic American military firearms in the Reaves collection that you won’t see anywhere else in the world,” Gonzales says.

World War II buffs will recognize the iconic “Willy and Joe” cartoons drawn by Bill Mauldin, who won a Pulitzer prize for these illustrations.

“The museum has the largest collection of Mauldin’s two cartoon characters … who came to epitomize the American soldier during the second World War,” Gonzales says.

Maulden started his career when the 45th Division headquarters recognized his talent as a cartoonist. Every Friday afternoon Mauldin was sent to the back lines, away from the military front, where he drew cartoons for his division’s newspaper, Gonzales says.

Most of his work appeared in 1944 and 1945.

Along with its wide collection of famous artifacts are displays of captured enemy weaponry from Nazi Germany and then-Communist countries.

“Primarily the museum exists … as a memorial to those Oklahomans who have sacrificed life and limb in support of the nation and the freedoms the we all enjoy today,”

says Gonzales, adding that the facility also provides an education for younger people not taught about World War II in school.

The 45th Infantry Division, created in 1920, drew its soldiers from Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado and New Mexico. It reverted to various National Guard units after World War II. Those wanting to donate World War II material must follow guidelines. Gonzales says the museum has Class A uniforms “coming out our ears,” but he will accept combat boots, field jackets and German helmets because they are generic, historic artifacts.

Gonzales won’t accept a World War II Japanese weapon because the 45th Infantry Division did not serve in that area then.

“I’m looking for more generic stuff – elements of enemy captured artifacts,” such as steel pots and backpacks, Gonzales says.

Touring the 27,000-square-foot museum can take from 30 minutes to three hours, with another two hours for the 15-acre Thunderbird Military Park, where the facility sits.

“The park is filled with more than 70 different kinds of military vehicles, including artillery pieces, armored pieces, [and] rotary and fixed aircraft,” Gonzales says.

MARK HUGHES

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MUSEUM, VISIT 45THDIVISIONMUSEUM.COM.

Spend a quiet afternoon at the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City some time; learn more about World War II and historic firearms.

A

ABOVE: THE 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION MUSEUM IS A MUST-SEE FOR WORLD WAR II BUFFS. RIGHT: THE 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION MUSEUM FEATURES ABOUT 500,000 WORLD WAR II ARTIFACTS.

PHOTOS COURTESY 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION MUSEUM

museum with the world’s largest public collection of items once belonging to Adolph Hitler can be found at the 45th Infantry Division Museum, which has about 500,000 World War II artifacts, but not all are on display.

In addition to the Hitler collection, the Oklahoma City museum has the widely recognized Jordan Reaves U.S. Military Firearms Collection, which curator Michael Gonzales describes as “fabulous.”

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

31

Life & Style INTERIORS

Design With Kids in Mind

A new home in northwest OKC is built to evolve as a family grows and gets older. rian Jaggers faced an interesting challenge when Sean and Jennifer Snider asked him to design and build their new home at the Lakes at Rose Creek in northwest Oklahoma City.

Jaggers, who studied architecture at Oklahoma State University, was familiar with Rose Creek’s luxury homes.

“I’ve designed three at the Lakes and I’m finalizing plans for another,” he says.

The Sniders wanted a home that would easily adapt to the everchanging lifestyle of a young family. Jaggers spent a year in the design stage and another in the building process.

“The biggest challenge was not knowing exactly how many children would eventually live in the home,” he says.

The Sniders also wanted a home that would make an impressive exterior statement, without being ostentatious – an old world look with modern touches. Jaggers achieved that with turrets to keep the lines of the home distinct, pops of color (turquoise and red) and outlining windows and shutters.

“Smoothed stucco exterior walls paired with clean-cut stone and copper patinas suggest that old world feeling,” he says. “They didn’t want their home to resemble a castle.”

But it does reflect a small glint of royalty. The formal entry, with its grand spiral staircase, is dramatic and surrounded by large windows adding natural light. The staircase is on the right side of the entry, with Sean’s study and home law library on the left. The grand living room is straight ahead through a barreled-ceiling alcove.

To create a feeling of continuity throughout the 5,300-square-foot home, Jaggers anchored the alder wood floors in every room with a stained patina. A taupe/gray color was used on all the walls with trim stained white.

“I liked the cleanliness of white paired with the gray to establish an old, traditional look,” he says.

The open kitchen hints of a farmhouse. To accommodate the fam-

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

PHOTOS BY FLOW REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY

B

By M.J. Van Deventer

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: REGAL LANDSCAPING ENHANCES THIS HOME. THE FORMAL LIVING AREA IS INVITING WITH ITS AMPLE SEATING AND BRIGHT COLORS. AMONG THE UPSTAIRS FEATURES ARE A POOL TABLE AND A BILLIARDS ROOM. THE FORMAL DINING ROOM OVERLOOKS THE PATIO AND FEATURES A TRESTLE TABLE. A WOLF RANGE AND SUB-ZERO REFRIGERATOR ARE AMONG THE TOP-OF-THE-LINE APPLIANCES CHOSEN FOR THIS FAMILY’S KITCHEN. MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

ily’s children – one at the time when Jaggers was designing; now two – he created a staircase from their upstairs bedroom suites directly into the kitchen.

“That way, they could come downstairs, eat breakfast, get ready for school and be on their way,” Jaggers says. “I also designed a small work station on the inside of the kitchen’s main area. It’s perfect for studying or tutoring.”

A large center island in the kitchen is dressed in white Carrera marble and provides ample seating for entertaining. The cabinets are all white.

“Rustic, reclaimed beams are used throughout the kitchen and travel well into the main living area,” Jaggers says.

A major design feature to accommodate the Sniders’ children is a luxurious nanny suite next to the downstairs master bedroom.

It’s perfect if the baby sitter needs to spend the night. As the Sniders’ children grow, the nanny area will evolve into a place for the children’s overnight guests or grandparents’ visits.

Excellent design taste is also evident in the master suite, which opens to the expansive back lawn, pool and patio. It also overlooks the Rose Creek golf course and ponds. The master suite exudes a quiet, serene feeling. The adjacent master bathroom has a large walk-around shower, a television and white Carrera marble lavatories.

Some of Jaggers’s most forward thinking design plans are seen on the second level – the children’s atelier. This area is designed for entertaining, from their children’s grade school years through high school or even college. There’s a game room, a ping-pong area and a powder room for guests.

“I particularly like the small billiards room,” Jaggers says. “It’s one of the unique features I like about the house.

“The Sniders wanted a growing family house they could call their ‘forever’ home.

It’s a perfect home for a growing family. I’m glad I was able to give them everything they wanted.”

BELOW: A FIREPLACE ACCENTS A LAW LIBRARY AND HOME OFFICE. THE RICH WOOD CABINETS ADD ELEGANCE TO THE ROOM.

TOP DOWN: THE DOWNSTAIRS MASTER SUITE IS A COUPLE’S RETREAT WITH A FIREPLACE, TELEVISION AND COMFORTABLE SEATING. A GEOMETRIC PATTERNED SHADE COMPLEMENTS THE LIGHT FIXTURES. A FROSTED WINDOW OFFERS PRIVACY IN THE MASTER BATH. THE COLOR PALETTE IS CRISP AND CLEAN. THE KITCHEN/LIVING AREA INCLUDES A SMALL BUILT-IN DESK AND A STUDY AREA DESIGNED FOR THE FAMILY’S CHILDREN.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

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Life & Style

H E A LT H

Don’t Wait with Bowel Issues

Early detection is critical with colorectal cancers, so you should always talk to your doctor about observed changes.

S

urvival rates of colon and rectal cancer have risen, due to improvements in prevention, early detection and treatment, according to the American Cancer Society.

This is great news, considering this type of cancer is the “third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States,” the society states.

Dr. Scott Hendrickson, director of metabolic services and gastroenterology fellowship at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, says increased awareness and timely screenings are the “most important factor[s] influencing the detection and survival from the disease.”

“We believe colorectal cancers

arise from precancerous polyps, and therefore, improvement in finding and removing them is extremely important,” he says. “Advances in colonoscope technology, physician training and new screening modalities, such as fecal DNA, have all improved our ability to detect and remove polyps and early cancers.

“There have also been many advancements in surgical techniques, chemotherapy and now immunotherapy to provide a variety of treatment options for colorectal tumors diagnosed at a later stage.”

Dr. Christian Clark, with Adult Gastroenterology Associates in Tulsa, says techniques used during endoscopy – a procedure examining the interior of an organ or cavity of the body – include spraying a dye on

the lining of the colon to allow physicians to identify subtle lesions, which previously would have been missed.

“The process by which patients are sedated for the colonoscopy has also greatly improved,” he says.

“Patients are now able to carry on a conversation with their physician after the colonoscopy and don’t remain in a state of grogginess for several hours after the procedure.”

It’s recommended for everyone to have a colonoscopy at age 50, but if you have a family history of colorectal cancer, early screening may be advised. You might lower your risk of colorectal cancer by maintaining a healthy weight and diet, being physically active, not smoking, and avoiding excessive alcohol intake.

In the beginning stages of colorectal cancer, it’s easy to attribute symptoms to common ailments.

“Many of the early symptoms of colorectal cancer are easily confused with … hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation,” Hendrickson says. “Any of these symptoms can represent early cancer and should be investigated by a physician. When these symptoms are ignored and become severe, the stage of tumor at diagnosis is often much more advanced, leading to reduced survival. Unintentional weight loss is always abnormal and should necessitate immediate evaluation.”

Clark adds: “Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding is a major warning sign. Others, such as change in bowel habits (including new constipation, diarrhea, and change in the caliber of stools), new abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue, should also be addressed with your physician.”

He says despite advancements in the field, many patients hesitate to talk about intestinal bleeding and bowel habits.

“Further, there seems to be a stigma that a colonoscopy is painful and difficult,” Clark says. “This procedure is very safe, rarely causes any pain or discomfort, and is extremely effective in detecting and removing lesions which would lead to cancer. Finally, the preparation process leading up to the colonoscopy is not nearly as onerous as in the past.”

REBECCA FAST

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

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Life & Style D E S T I N AT I O N S

Hiking Mont Blanc Getting to the top of the Alps’ highest mountain involves rigor and training, but some creature comforts line the way there.

A

specific hiking trek takes intrepid souls to the breathtaking vistas of Mont Blanc, the highest of the Alps. The snow-capped peaks inspire the French name for white

mountain.

Hikers flock to Mont Blanc because of the challenge. For those not quite ready for Mount Kili-

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

manjaro, Mont Blanc seems like the perfect start: challenging, yet luxurious. One theory is that it’s a “step above camping” by using hostels or simple, mountainside hotels.

Besides airfare, there’s the price for the excursion, food and lodging. Three meals daily consist of delicious fresh foods. Hefty bovines on the mountain supply the milk, and there’s a full variety of breakfast items.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: MONT BLANC MASSIF REFLECTS IN THE STILL WATERS OF LAKE BLANC (LAC BLANC).

CHAMONIX HAS CHARMING INNS BALANCED BY EXALTED SCENERY. THE STUNNING SCENERY PROVIDES A ROMANTIC BACKDROP FOR COUPLES TO SHARE A RIGOROUS CHALLENGE. HIKERS VIEW THIS UNIQUE, ADVENTUROUS TRIP AS A VICTORY, PUSHING THEM TO A NEW LEVEL OF FITNESS. FARMHOUSES AND CHALETS ADORN THE COUNTRYSIDE NEAR MONT BLANC. VISITORS MIGHT ENJOY A DELICIOUS CAKE NAMED AFTER MONT BLANC AT ONE OF THE FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENTS ALONG THE WAY.

Excursion

Travelers can research program itineraries online and consult travel agents for flights and hotels to stay at before the trek starts. Arrive a few days early to acclimate to the altitude.

In the rugged terrain, guides provide assistance when needed while hikers carry day packs with about 15 pounds of layered clothing, photographic gear and small amounts of food. A van transports luggage and heavier gear between the lodges, plus food for large lunches.

Getting to an ice cave is accomplished by ascending the mountain by train, having lunch and hiking on the glacier. Hikers sleep indoors, which is one of the many reasons they choose this trip – it’s not a tent on Kilimanjaro.

Training and preparation RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS

• Backwoods Adventures • REI Adventures • National Geographic Expeditions

To train for this trip, hikers should begin at least three months ahead of time. They should perform at least an hour’s aerobic activity four times weekly. A high-tech workout could include a step machine with an oxygen mask that mimics altitudes of 3,000, 6,000, 12,000 and 16,000 feet. Veterans recommend wearing hiking boots while running, power walking several miles a day, or using the Stairmaster.

Since hiking poles are used for pulling and supporting you when you’re tired, you should strengthen your biceps and triceps.

You don’t want to quit after the first day because the guide finds you unprepared. If so, resting hikers can catch up to everyone by car.

The route for this particular trip starts in Chamonix, France, and continues into Italy and Switzerland before looping back into France. The day starts at about 7 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. The only way to the summit is with ropes and ice shoes because of solid ice at 15,781 feet. Ice rappelling is the method of descent. Guides are a must with three or more people per guide.

Culture

Spending a couple of days in each splendid country makes this a cultural trip as well. The villages you walk through add variety to the landscape.

Chamonix has charming inns balanced by exalted scenery, waterfalls and brooks.

Hillsides of pine trees enhance meadows.

Farmhouses and chalets adorn the countryside.

Savor the cafes’ sumptuous meals of authentic country cooking, including charcuterie, fondue

and raclette. Enjoy the Maison Vielle while in Courmayer, Italy. Celebrities frequent this cozy tavern.

Hikers view this unique, adventurous trip as a victory for themselves. It pushes you to a new level of fitness and creates lasting memories. The stunning scenery provides a romantic backdrop for couples to share a rigorous challenge.

GINA MICHALOPULOS KINGSLEY

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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ALICE AND OLIVIA

NAEEM KHAN

REEM ACRA

MONIQUE LHUILLIER

Life & Style

ST YLE

BALMAIN

Power to the Petal Let your style bloom with hundreds of floral variations.

PARKER OFF-THE-SHOULDER SILK TOP, $228, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN IVORY AND PINK SCARF, $425, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE TORY BURCH PARKER PRINT SHOULDER BAG, $398, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE SALVATORE FERRAGAMO WOMEN’S SLIDES, $295, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

ALICE AND OLIVIA RAPUNZEL FITAND-FLARE DRESS, $350, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO LEATHER FLATS, $495, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

MANOLO BLAHNIK SUEDETRIMMED PUMPS, $865, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

PARKER TUNIC DRESS, $348, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

KAREN KANE TAYLOR DRESS, $119, DONNA’S FASHIONS

KATE SPADE NEW YORK MADISON LAYDEN MACKIE PURSE, $398, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE KUT BUTTON-UP BLOUSE, $83, DONNA’S FASHIONS

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Ruffle Riot

Ruffles are the rage – add some fancy frills to your closet.

KATE SPADE NEW YORK DEMMI DENIM SANDALS, $298, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

BCBG MAX AZRIA MINI-DRESS, $228, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE THREE FLOOR ASYMETRICAL FLORAL DRESS, $518, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

JOSEPH RIBKOFF MILITARY JACKET, $280, DONNA’S FASHIONS SCRIPTED DENIM RUFFLE PANTS, $265, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

KATE SPADE NEW YORK TAPESTRY LACE TOP, $328, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

ALICE AND OLIVIA RUFFLE-SLEEVE BLOUSE WITH CAMISOLE, $330, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

CINQ A SEPT SILK TOP, $325, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

ERDEM

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

MILLY

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

BALMAIN

KATE SPADE NEW YORK BEAU LEATHER SLIDES, $168, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

Earn Your Stripes

ALTUZARRA

SONIA RYKIEL

GUCCI

BALMAIN

Horizontal, vertical, thick, thin – make sure stripes are in your style arsenal this spring.

BAILEY 44 SHIBUI OFF-THE-SHOULDER TOP, $178, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

JOIE MIDNIGHT PORCELAIN SWEATER, $268, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

DE LA OSCAR

KATE SPADE NEW YORK OLIMA SLINGBACK PUMPS, $298, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

RENTA

ELLA MOSS RUFFLE-SLEEVE TOP, $168, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

SCRIPTED BLACK AND SILVER RUFFLE-TIER SWEATER, $195, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK ADMIRAL BLUE BLOUSE, $368, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

KATE SPADE NEW YORK WATSON LANE SAM HANGBAG, $198, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

PARKER PEPLUM TOP, $188, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

SCENE

Sheri Stinson, Howard & Billie Barnett, Karen & Carlin Connor; Icons and Idols, Tulsa Ballet, Tulsa

Susan Harris, Andres Franco, Marcia MacLeod, Marcia Brueggenjohann; Overture: A Speakeasy Experience preparations, Signature Symphony, Tulsa

Mitch & Melinda Adwon; Monarch Ball, DVIS, Tulsa

GT & Susan Bynum; Toyland Ball, The Parent Child Center of Tulsa, Tulsa

Karen Proctor, P.B. Odom III; Annual Banquet South Chamber, South OKC Chamber of Commerce, OKC

Larry & Polly Nichols; Campaign Kickoff, Allied Arts, OKC

Toni Garner, Jenny Helmerich, Laura Linney, Jono Helmerich; Laura Linney speaking event, Tulsa Town Hall, Tulsa Craig & Erin Johnston; ArtNow 2018, Oklahoma Contemporary, OKC

Mark & Celeste Davis, Tiari & Tim Harris; A Gift of Hope Celebration, Tulsa Boys’ Home, Tulsa

Kelli Hefner, Ivy Pierce, Miki Farris; Boots and Ball Gowns Gala, Infant Crisis Services, OKC

Mary Pointer, Elizabeth Ngo, Denise Castelli; What Are You Doing this New Year’s Eve? fundraiser, American Heart Association, OKC

Hayli & Adam Leavitt; Brainiac Ball preparations, Family and Children’s Services, Tulsa MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

43

g n i r Sp Fashion

n Harmon

Photography by Natha

rT ansport yourself to

Saint-Te hropez ea t

na dof fsepelritnhg's hottest trends.

ESCADA PLEATED MAXI DRESS, $525; JIMMY CHOO METALLIC WEDGE SANDALS, $450; LOEFFLER RANDALL TASSEL STRAW CLUTCH, $195, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. JOHN HARDY CLASSIC CHAIN WAVE JEWELRY SUITE: HAMMERED EARRINGS, $995; 18K GOLD NECKLACE, $1,495; HAMMERED SADDLE RING, $895; HAMMERED BRACELET, $2,295, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

CHIARA BONI LA PETITE ROBE FLORAL DRESS, $695; MANOLO BLAHNIK ANKLE-TIE STILETTOS, $745; TORY BURCH LEATHER ENVELOPE CLUTCH, $258, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. DAVID YURMAN JEWELRY SUITE: BLACK SPINEL/FRESHWATER PEARL EARRINGS, $950; PETITE CERISE PEARL AND DIAMOND RING, $675; PEARL AND DIAMOND CROSSOVER BRACELET, $1,750, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO PARTY PRO RENTS FOR THE SET DESIGN/BACKDROP AND OMNI LIGHTNING FOR THE LED TREE • FEMALE MODEL COURTESY BRINK MODEL MANAGEMENT • HAIR BY SHAWNA BURROUGHS, JARA HERRON SALON AND SPA • MAKEUP BY STARLA WARD, STUNNINGBYSTARLA MAKEUP ARTISTRY • CLOTHING, SHOES AND HANDBAGS COURTESY SAKS FIFTH AVENUE AND TRAVERS MAHAN • JEWELRY COURTESY BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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ALICE AND OLIVIA CROSS-FRONT STRIPED BLOUSE, $350; ALICE AND OLIVIA STRIPED PANTS, $350; JIMMY CHOO CORK HEEL SANDALS, $750; TORY BURCH LEATHER SHOULDER BAG, $395, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. PENNY PREVILLE JEWELRY SUITE: DIAMOND TRIPLE DROP EARRINGS, $5,350; GOLD DIAMOND WRAP-AROUND RING, $3,565, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK CHECKED OFF-THE-SHOULDER TOP, $368; LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK CHECKED PANTS, $348; MANOLO BLAHNIK FLORAL SLINGBACKS, $695; FURLA LEATHER TOTE, $398, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. DAVID YURMAN JEWELRY SUITE: CHATELAINE AND ONYX DIAMOND EARRINGS, $1,100; CONTINUANCE BOLD BRACELET, $995; CONTINUANCE RING, $450, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

ON ALEX: CHIARA BONI LA PETITE ROBE RUFFLED COCKTAIL DRESS, $695; SALVATORE FERRAGAMO ERACLEA FLORAL BLOCK HEEL SANDALS, $575; FURLA SMALL METROPOLIS SATCHEL PURSE, $448, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. ROBERTO COIN PRINCESS FLOWER DIAMOND JEWELRY SUITE: EARRINGS, $2,200; DIAMOND PENDANT NECKLACE, $2,950; BRACELET, $2,950; BYPASS RING, $2,250, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS. ON MITCH: ROBERT TALBOTT WOVEN STRETCH BLAZER, $498; JZ RICHARDS LINEN POCKET SQUARE, $50; PETER MILLAR SEASIDE POLO WITH STRETCH, $78; PETER MILLAR WHITE COTTON PANTS, $125; MARTIN DINGMAN NYLON STRETCH BELT, $85; PETER MILLAR CANVAS SNEAKERS, $278, TRAVERS MAHAN. MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

ON ALEX: HALSTON HERITAGE CREAM FLOWING DRESS, $475; SALVATORE FERRAGAMO METALLIC THONG SANDALS, $495; LOEFFLER RANDALL STRAW TOTE, $350, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. IPPOLITA JEWELRY SUITE: TURQUOISE AND SILVER ROCK CANDY HOOP EARRINGS, $695; TURQUOISE AND SILVER ROCK CANDY NECKLACE, $795; BLUE TOPAZ, MOTHER OF PEARL, TURQUOISE AND SILVER BANGLE, $495; SQUIGGLE SILVER BANGLE, $250; WONDERLAND SILVER AND TURQUOISE BANGLE, $1,495; SENSO DIAMOND AND SILVER BANGLE, $995; LOLLIPOP DIAMOND AND TURQUOISE RING, $1,095, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS. ON MITCH: TOMMY BAHAMA LONGSLEEVED SUMMER LINEN SHIRT, $135; TOMMY BAHAMA COTTON TENCEL CHAMBRAY SHORTS, $89.50; SWIMS WATERPROOF PENNY LOAFTER, $160, TRAVERS MAHAN.

BLUE LES COPAINS POLKA DOT BLAZER, $625; BLUE LES COPAINS STRIPED AND FLORAL BUTTON-UP BLOUSE, $385; BLUE LES COPAINS POLKA DOT CAPRI PANTS, $315; JIMMY CHOO TWEED PUMPS, $750; TORY BURCH FLEMING CONVERTIBLE LEATHER SHOULDER BAG, $478; SAINT LAURENT BLACK SUNGLASSES, $420, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. MARCO BICEGO LUNARIA JEWELRY SUITE: MOTHER OF PEARL DIAMOND EARRINGS, $4,200; MOTHER OF PEARL RING, $2,240, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

MARCH 2018| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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ON ALEX: ST. JOHN TWEED DRESS, $1,295; ST. JOHN TWEED JACKET, $1,595; JIMMY CHOO KNIT-EMBOSSED NUBACK SLINGBACKS, $695, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. STORE 5A JEWELRY SUITE: BULGARI WHITE CERAMIC EARRINGS, $2,100; INLAY MOTHER OF PEARL AND DIAMOND RING, $795; GOLD OVAL LINK CHAIN BRACELET, $1,075, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS. ON MITCH: SAMUELSOHN SHARKSKIN SUMMER SUIT, $1,350; EDWARD ARMAH DOUBLE-FACED ROUND POCKET SQUARE, $85; DAVID DONAHUE WHITE-GROUND PIN-DOT DRESS SHIRT, $135; TRAVERS MAHAN PRIVATE LABEL TIE, $140; MARTIN DINGMAN SOFT-CURED AMERICAN ALLIGATOR BELT, $475; JACKSON PAYNE HAND-BURNISHED DEERSKIN CAP-TOE DRESS SHOES, $300, TRAVERS MAHAN.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

ALICE AND OLIVIA BOW-COLLAR FLORAL BLOUSE, $295; ALICE AND OLIVIA STRIPED PANTS, $350; JIMMY CHOO CORK HEEL SANDALS, $750; TORY BURCH LEATHER SHOULDER BAG, $395; SAINT LAURENT BLACK SUNGLASSES, $420, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. PENNY PREVILLE JEWELRY SUITE: DIAMOND TRIPLE DROP EARRINGS, $5,350; GOLD DIAMOND WRAP-AROUND RING, $3,565, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS.

ON ALEX: ESCADA SHORT LEATHER JACKET, $895; ESCADA HI-LO PRINTED BLOUSE, $375; ESCADA WHITE CROPPED JEGGINGS, $325; SALVATORE FERRAGAMO PATENT LEATHER ANKLE STRAP SANDALS, $575; TORY BURCH JULIETTE LEATHER SATCHEL, $498, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. ARMENTA NEW WORLD COLLECTION JEWELRY SUITE: CRIVELLI OVAL AND BLACK SAPPHIRE EARRINGS, $990; FOUR-STRAND SCROLL CHAIN NECKLACE, $850; BLACK SAPPHIRE CUFF BRACELET, $350, BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS. ON MITCH: RICHARD CHOI COTTON/SPANDEX SPORTSWEAR BLAZER, $495; ROBERT TALBOTT LINEN POCKET SQUARE, $50; CULTURATA ITALIAN LINEN SPORT SHIRT, $225; BRAX STRETCH DENIM, $200; PETER MILLAR COLLECTION GRAY SUEDE SNEAKER, $278, TRAVERS MAHAN.

FOR AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE OF THE SPRING FASHION SHOOT, VISIT

OKMAG.COM/WEB.

MARCH 2018| WWW.OKMAG.COM

51

h s e r F

PERSPECTIVES

By M.J. Van Deventer

SEE GARDENS, BACKYARDS AND ENTERTAINMENT AREAS IN A NEW LIGHT. As spring sneaks in on cool breezes and sunny days, redbud trees burst into their fuchsia glory and tulips begin to peek through the soil, your backyard and all the fun you plan to have in it are likely on your mind.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

It’s time to sweep away fall’s leaves, turn over the soil and start anew. Learn more here about the latest gardening trends, luxurious backyards and how to grow ever-beautiful azaleas.

TIPS AND TRICKS

FOR THE NOVICE OR PROFESSIONAL

Getting started on a new garden project can be a breeze.

LINDA VATER PLANTS BLOOMING SHRUBS WITH TULIPS AND A VARIETY OF ANNUALS IN HER GARDEN. FILE PHOTO

If you want an enticing spring/summer garden, it’s essential to plan ahead. To see what’s new and unusual this season, visit your local landscape centers to survey what works best for your planting zone.

Think in technicolor terms when planting your garden. Use vivid colors as a companion to the green you want as a backdrop. Evergreens like cedars, boxwood and Nellie Stevens hollies are staples. Hostas also serve well as a spring/summer background for colorful annuals and perennials. Pale gray/green plants, such as dusty millers and lamb’s ears, also add unusual color and texture.

Think of your garden as a painting, and consider what colors you love to see in nature. You want a pleasing mix of lights and darks, shade and sunlight and, in certain areas, real showstoppers – something brilliant and flamboyant – like luscious tropicals, hibiscus or mandevillas.

Don’t be afraid to have dramatic clashes of color. Mix purples with light blues and whites. Mix reds with pinks and fuchsia. Add surprises with hues of orange, splashed with shades of lemon, lime and chartreuse.

Think, too, about varied shapes and heights. For drama, nothing beats irises, lupines, sunflowers, hollyhocks, gladiola or alliums. Add interest under your trees with low-growing plants; pansies are perfect in spring and fall.

Perennial favorites like begonias, dahlias and marigolds have new varieties this spring and some don’t set seed. Instead, they bloom from spring through fall and are a good buy for your garden dollar.

Linda Vater, host of a weekly garden program on Channel 4 in Oklahoma City, adores shaped boxwoods, her garden signature. Her favorite area is the potager, a French-style garden that mimics a small vegetable farm.

To make her garden look fresh every season, Vater plants more blooming shrubs, like hydrangeas, viburnums and crepe myrtles (an Oklahoma standby), along with her favorite perennial, tulips, and a variety of annuals.

Her advice for the beginner is simple.

“Start small. Figure out what works for your area. Then move on to bigger spaces and projects,” she says.

“Nature has so graciously provided a wealth of colors, shapes and sizes for your garden. Don’t be afraid to tantalize nature’s color palette. It’s your garden.”

Numerous other garden professionals encourage novices to do the same by starting with inexpensive seed packets, which provide all the necessary planting information. The packet’s cover photo shows what to expect.

Proper tools are a must. Hardware stores are your new best friend for seasonal updates. Remember to keep tools clean.

For more inspiration, tour public gardens, like Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park, Tulsa’s Woodward Park, the Tulsa Garden Center and its Linnaeus Teaching Center, the Tulsa Botanic Garden, the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens or OKC’s Will Rogers Gardens.

Museum gardens offer a wealth of ideas; try Philbrook and Gilcrease in Tulsa and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Every site is worth a field trip.

Always remember that gardening is trial and error. If this year yields a disappointing garden, there’s always a new horizon next season.

Another helpful tool for any gardener – from novice to professional – is Oklahoma State University’s Extension Service. According to Brian Jervis of the Tulsa County office, OSU tests your soil for you, the first step to creating a successful garden.

Jervis also warns gardeners about this season’s crepe myrtle bark scale, a pesky insect. Look for black, sooty mold on leaves, branches and the trunk.

“OSU has fact sheets on how to rid your crepe myrtles of this pest,” he says.

For specific lawn and garden help, go to tulsamastergardener.org.

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: LUSH LANDSCAPING SURROUNDS THE POOL AND PATIO AREA AT THE RODDEN RESIDENCE. PENN BLUE FLAGSTONE ANCHORS THE AREA, WITH FLAGSTONE COPING FASHIONED OF LEUDERS CHOPSTONE SEALING THE WALLS. CAST STONE COLUMNS ARE A STRIKING ADDITION TO THIS OUTDOOR LIVING AND ENTERTAINING SETTING. A COVERED PATIO PROVIDES AN UPSCALE AREA FOR OUTDOOR COOKING. PHOTOS COURTESY RED VALLEY LANDSCAPE

Year-Round Outdoor Oasis Mike Freeman took what he calls “a raw piece of land – a wild piece of nature” in Arcadia, northeast of Oklahoma City, and turned it into a masterpiece. Today, that once-barren property is home to the growing, young family of Mark and Ashlee Rodden, who love their outdoor lifestyle.

Freeman, owner of Red Valley Landscape and Construction in Edmond, came to his calling as a builder of beautiful homes and outdoor living areas via a unique route. He grew up in Montana and Dallas, two different environments for outdoor living, then attended the University of North Texas in the mid-1990s to study business and marketing.

“After living and working in the Dallas landscape industry for 25 years, I moved to

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Edmond six years ago and formed my own company,” says Freeman, known for his unusual, inventive outdoor living projects. “My passion is in creating new living spaces for people to enjoy.”

The Arcadia project was the second time around for the Roddens to enlist Freeman’s expertise. He designed their previous home and they called him back to create this 6,000-square-foot dwelling.

The home, which took a year to build, is fashioned of brick and natural stone on three acres in woods near Lake Arcadia. The lush, 5,000-square-foot outdoor living area includes a pool and patio.

Freeman used Lueders chopstone for the outdoor kitchen and living areas. He comple-

mented the stone with Belgard pavers, a man-made material, for the patio. He did this in lieu of concrete and gravel in the outdoor entertaining areas.

“The chopstone is from a West Texas quarry and has become very popular with Oklahomans,” he says. “These pavers have come a long way in shapes and colors in the past years.

They are worry-free and don’t get cracks from nature’s unpredictable moods or earthquakes.”

That was all the better for this designer/ builder, who loves the freedom of creating a project from the ground up. He used the same materials in the outdoor living area as he did throughout the rest of the home’s exterior to maintain a consistent architectural theme.

That entertainment space encompassed

GARDENING TRENDS Edible Gardening

Carla Grogg, co-owner of Grogg’s Green Barn in Tulsa, designs her family’s urban garden to include a variety of treats that feed numerous guests in the barn’s dining room. Grogg’s business is a good example of organic gardening, which uses zero human-made chemicals or pesticides. It’s a user-friendly style of gardening – easy on people, pets, insects and the environment.

“Edible gardening is still a hot topic that will increase as natural food markets and more chefs continue to include local, farmfresh ingredients in their menus,” Grogg says.

“That creates an awareness of sustainability that people want to be involved with. They are seeking classes on sustainability.

“People want easy fruit and successful vegetable gardens as a way to participate in sustainability on a personal level. That takes patience and knowledge, but the payoff is huge when it comes to health.”

People want fresh ingredients and Grogg says growing produce like freckles lettuce, dragon carrots and blood butcher heirloom tomatoes at home is a breeze.

She adds that many Tulsa chefs, including Matt Owens at her business, have stepped away from the monotony of repetitive menus to create from-the-garden meals for their patrons.

Freeman’s ideas for the outdoor living and entertaining.

“I designed the expansive back lawn as a place to entertain different age groups,” he says. “There’s a 400-square-foot, glass-tile tanning ledge where the small children can play in the pool all summer. There’s a fire pit for roasting marshmallows in the fall.

“The Roddens wanted a master plan design for the entire property, from the landscape and

Northeastern Oklahoma landscape designer Jim Thompson, who worked for Tahlequah’s Greenleaf Nursery for more than a decade, offers a great shopping list of trendy flora for 2018. ❍ ❍ ❍

❍ ❍ ❍ ❍

❍

❍ ❍

❍ ❍

Dwarf crepe myrtle varieties, especially the 24-inch-tall Pocono dwarf The micropoly variety of boxwood, similar to dwarf yaupon holly The late-blooming limelight hydrangea and its little brother, little lime (their white blossoms turn pale yellow and can be easily dried for lasting flower arrangements; they bloom right up until frost.)

Ornamental grasses, especially the small Hameln dwarf fountain grass Magic carpet spirea, a great low-blooming plant Shelly border forsythia, which holds its blooms longer than the typical two weeks Purple crepe myrtles, a good bloomer that only reaches 6 inches (Thompson notes crepe myrtles could have problems this year, thanks to Oklahoma’s capricious weather conditions.)

Sunshine ligustrum, a yellow and green plant that holds its color in the Oklahoma sun and doesn’t overgrow itself (Thompson says it was Southwood Landscape and Garden Center’s No. 1 seller last year.)

Lowe’s black diamond crepe myrtle with pink blossoms Bright edge yucca, which has a striking yellow-and-white flower spike (“If it will grow in a ditch, and it does, it will grow in your backyard,” Thompson says.)

Lantana’s bandana series (“A great bloomer, compact, good strong colors, polite – it stays where you want it to,” Thompson says.)

Crossandra orange marmalade (“A nice border plant that blooms all summer, then bids you farewell on the first strong frost,” he adds.)

hardscape to the driveways and walkways.

They wanted to create an oasis where their young children could grow up and have a place to entertain their friends.”

The outdoor cooking area features a state-ofthe-art grill favored by many professional chefs and culinary artisans. The full patio kitchen provides a variety of casual furnishings and seats six guests. A pavilion easily hosts a dozen people or more. There’s a large television on

the patio and an additional area where guests can relax and enjoy the outdoors. A fireplace and heaters warm the setting on chilly fall or spring nights; ceiling fans help to chase away the summer heat.

“We tried to create outdoor spaces the family can use 12 months out of the year rather than just five,” Freeman says. “This way, the Roddens and their children can enjoy their outdoor living area 365 days a year.”

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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A Garden Center’s Viewpoint Susan Brammeier of Southwood Landscape and Garden Center in Tulsa touts new varieties of old favorites for spring and summer planting; many of them play to the vivid color theme popular in gardens.

Among those are calliope geraniums and cone flowers, which attract pollinators.

Sun impatiens is also hot, as are beefsteak begonias.

A new version of lantana, which is sun and heat tolerant, has more flower power this year, Brammeier notes. A profusion of red zinnias can make a real show, and new varieties of petunias, planted from seeds rather than cuttings, add a fresh look in gardens. Brammeier describes these flowers as “big, showy and colorful.”

“There’s also a lot of buzz about bees this year,” she says, with gardeners planting flowers designed to attract these busy creatures.

For more information on Southwood’s selections, contact, Brammeier at info@southwoodnursery.com.

56

THE ALLURING

Azalea

This unique flower may be tricky to grow, but the payoff is worth it.

For 28 years, Rick Ewing has pampered azaleas, especially those in Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park. His affection for these floral beauties shines especially bright during the city’s monthlong Azalea Festival in April.

“Azaleas’ blooms emit very little fragrance, even though pollinators love them,” says Ewing, assistant director of Muskogee’s parks and recreation department.

Azaleas’ birthright is Asian – China, Korea, Japan.

Today, they are revered in the American South, which has a more temperate climate, the key to successfully growing the flowers.

“Oklahoma’s mercurial temperatures are no friend to azaleas, yet they can survive,” Ewing says.

In compatible conditions, azaleas can live indefinitely. Honor Heights has a 40-year-old azalea, and the park has a designated area for older azaleas that still have curb appeal.

Ewing says those older azaleas’ quality of life is akin to those of people. “Some have good genetics and live in almost perfect situations,” Ewing says.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

itions Perfect Growing Condthat drains

Azaleas need abundant moisture nic content soil quickly. They prosper on a high orga t in wooded pies hap and proper fertilizer. They are e. shad in areas, under trees and rt shopping.

A thriving azalea garden requires sma n spots or brow “Shop for full green leaves missing split, put it is bark stem insects,” Ewing says. “If any ” back on the shelf.

d Preparing the Azalea Beurag es suc-

A raised bed – minus borders – enco fortably. The cess. This allows azaleas to live com loam vegetay sand of mix soil needs an amended combinaThis s. mos t pea with d tive compost mixe rish nou ment. tion holds moisture and provides

Planting the Azalea

. You must plant “A $1 plant will prosper in a $10 hole comfortgrow can it so the azalea deep enough any deeper ea azal an t plan ’t “Don . ably,” Ewing says pot. the in the ground than it is growing in n planted.

“Azaleas don’t take much effort whe gardener.” a as d goo ly real But they make you look contact EwFor more information on the festival, eparks.org. koge ing at 918-684-6302 or rewing@mus

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Grade

xpectat ons

By Wendy King Burton

Gifted programs may not be what all students need to navigate public schools successfully.

The prevailing expectation for a precocious child who might read early, find simple math easier than the rest of the class and have a voracious appetite for learning is that the student will excel throughout school, go to college and launch a stellar career.

But many parents know that isn’t always true.

Children considered gifted or talented by criteria specified by the Oklahoma State Department of Education have a chance of

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

slipping through the cracks entirely, despite ongoing efforts in education to identify and serve those students.

A 30-year study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development concluded that some gifted children face roadblocks to reaching their full potentials in regular public-school classrooms because teachers often focus on underachievers.

Muskogee resident John Fudnil knows how it feels to slip away from getting a quality education, despite showing great promise at a young age. He dropped out of high school and later earned a GED certificate.

“The fact was, I was bored to tears, and honestly I think many of the teachers and the counselor knew it, but there was no alternative at this school,” says Fudnil, who would have graduated in 1989. “If it was a subject that interested me, a 45-minute test would take me 10 minutes and get me scolded for cheating, which I never did.”

Fudnil struggled, not academically, but because he became increasingly absent from and dispassionate about school.

“I was failed my first year in seventh grade – due to attendance – in a vain attempt to get me to go to school,” he says. “I got in a great deal of trouble in school and at home for my attendance, and honestly I was ashamed.”

But Fudnil says he simply found the curriculum an endless stream of uninspiring content that never took him to a higher level – or a high enough level.

And that was that, he says. School wasn’t for him and he left against his parents’ wishes before graduation.

Fudnil says he was a child who “absorbed everything like a sponge” and “skipped into class now and then and aced the exams,” but school officials focused more on his attendance than his accomplishments. He says this warped, cookie-cutter way of thinking from the school’s point of view was the core of the problem.

“You see, I was never broken – the schools were,” he says, “in that they failed to challenge me, failed to identify me, or much worse never asked me why before they wrote me off for not fitting into that old, worn-out mold they’ve been using since the 1930s.”

In contrast, a young man who graduated high school just a few years ago, and who was identified as gifted at a young age, says he wishes he had never been labeled.

Brodey Nelson, of Bellingham, Washington, attended Oklahoma schools beginning in the second grade. He was home-schooled before then.

He immediately bounced up a grade because of his advanced academic abilities, participated in gifted-and-talented programs throughout school, took honors and Advanced Placement courses in high school, and graduated at age 17.

But he doesn’t care a stick for calling kids gifted and talented.

“While some children may need more attention than others, there is a problem with separating into a ‘gifted class,’” he says.

“Being told repeatedly that you are a ‘gifted child’ puts these kids (myself included) into a headspace of, ‘I’m naturally talented so I don’t have to try as hard.’”

He didn’t realize he had developed that attitude until after high school, however.

“I think this leads to self-esteem and moti-

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Private school is likely the first idea that comes to mind for a parent watching an otherwise bright child fall through the cracks in public school. And for many, it turns out to be the answer.

According to niche.com, which offers a platform for private school students and parents to write reviews and rate their schools, smaller class sizes and self-paced instruction are two reasons private schools seem to be a good fit for gifted students.

In addition, high competitiveness is noted as a strength for most of the reviewers of Oklahoma’s

private schools, and most schools report that 95 percent of their graduates attend a four-year college after graduation.

Oklahoma private school tuition costs range from about $6,000 a year to nearly $20,000 a year, and many schools have religious curricula or affiliations.

Most of the schools indicate they offer scholarships for students whose parents can’t afford the tuition, and the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Act allows students with disabilities to receive funding to attend a private school.

MAGNET/CHARTER SCHOOLS Charter schools, free public schools open to all qualifying students, have to participate in state testing and accountability programs like any other Oklahoma public school.

However, charter schools have a bit more freedom to educate students in innovative ways, or become focus schools for higher-level science and mathematics or fine arts.

For students who find regular public school uninspiring, these schools can be just the environment they need. Each school has an application process with deadlines, some have specific guidelines that applicants must meet to be accepted, and there could be a limited number of seats.

Oklahoma has 30 charter schools, ranging from science

HOME SCHOOLS

Many parents turn to homeschooling (legal in Oklahoma) by utilizing a variety of educational resources, support groups of other families who home-school, and religious centers.

It can also be a way for parents of gifted children to give their them a more stringent curriculum without exposing them to more mature students and scenarios that skipping grades would provide.

Online resources for homeschooling abound,

academies and college-preparatory schools to virtual academies.

According to the state education department, most charter schools perform well in standardized testing. Among the highest scoring are Dove Science Academy in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Harding Charter Prep and Harding Fine Arts in Oklahoma City, and the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences.

Magnet schools are similar, but are generally specialized campuses within districts. For example, Muskogee Public Schools includes Sadler Arts Academy, a highperforming elementary school focusing on dance, music and theater, and Tulsa Public Schools features, among others, Booker T. Washington High School, the Dual Language Academy, Edison Preparatory Middle School and Mayo Demonstration School.

including complete kindergarten through 12th grade online programs, mail-order curriculum and religion-based curriculum that parents can buy, borrow or rent.

According to the International Center for Home Education Research, about 23,000 children are homeschooled each year in Oklahoma.

The state department of education offers free resources to homeschooling parents at sde.ok.gov.

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

59

vational problems later in life when you realize, ‘Oh, life isn’t going to be a breeze and I’m not naturally talented.’ I just happened to be good at early academics,” Nelson says.

“It’s not a realization that springs on you out of nowhere, but this slow crawl of immediately losing interest in new things once you realize you aren’t immediately good at this.”

Nelson says his solution to meet the needs of all students – exceptional or not – is to eliminate gifted and talented programs entirely and focus on improving what is already in place.

“More funding means higher paid teachers, better supplies, more extracurricular activities,” Nelson says. “All of these things lead to more interaction in the classroom, and a thriving community between students.

That will get any kid more excited to learn or even keep their interest.”

Gifted-and-talented education was mandated in Oklahoma in 1981. The law defines students who score in the top 3 percent on any nationally standardized test of intellectual ability as gifted and talented.

Children known to excel in creative thinking, leadership, and visual or performing arts can be labeled gifted and talented, too.

The state provides funding for gifted-andtalented programs – about $45 million a year.

School districts, however, decide how they spend that money to support such students.

Cindy Koss, state deputy superintendent for academic affairs and planning, says sometimes teachers are able to differentiate instruction within a certain subject, so gifted students can advance quicker.

“Or perhaps the gifted student is able to do a project related to the topic they are studying,” she says. “There are a variety of ways schools and teachers can differentiate. And there are a variety of programming options.

There are many districts that have enrichment classes, often during the school day, sometimes across grade levels. Again, that varies, but the focus is developing critical and creative thinking.”

Schools across the state use a variety of programs to serve gifted students, including mentorship programs, seminars, summer and after-school enrichment programs, creative and academic competitions, honors and Advanced Placement courses, and correspondence courses.

But not all gifted-and-talented programs are created equal – largely attributed to funding, which amounts to about $463 per gifted-and-talented student on average.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Education, a small district such as Wagoner Public Schools, with 2,371 enrolled students in kindergarten through 12th grade (with 365 of those students identified as gifted and talented), receives about $134,000 a year.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

10k

GIFTED AND TALENTED STATISTICS 1k s

ent of education’s annual According to the state departm 6, education for fiscal year 201 report on gifted-and-talented ved ser and d tifie iden e ts wer more than 96,000 gifted studen . ools sch lic pub ma aho in Okl

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irls re g ntified o m tly ide Sligh ys were ented. l o a b t than ted and f i as g

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Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education

THE STATE’S PUBLIC ‘PRIVATE’ SCHOOL

Mo r stu e than den gift ts w 58,00 0 ed in m ere ide of tho ore ntifi se tha ed a no s ne are a.

Perhaps one of Oklahoma’s bestkept secrets, the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, is a state-funded school for high school juniors and seniors with exceptional skills in science and math.

Funded by legislation in the 1980s, and free for Oklahoma students accepted to attend, OSSM is a residential school. Students go home to visit for four days, twice a month, but otherwise live in college-style dorms at the Oklahoma City school.

Bill Kuehl, director of admissions, says OSSM offers a collegiate-type classroom experience and university-level curriculum, particularly in science and math.

“You’d have to look in a college

In much larger districts, such as Tulsa Public Schools with more than 39,500 enrolled and more than 3,900 identified as gifted and talented, that amounts to more than $1.9 million a year.

Talihina Public Schools has 576 students, with 69 identified as gifted and talented. That amounts to $65,836 a year for programs.

The differences between gifted-andtalented programs available in these districts

catalog to find those courses, and their textbooks are college textbooks,” Kuehl says. “We follow the protocols for graduating from high school in Oklahoma, and the other required courses are rigorous, as well.”

OSSM’s goal, he says, is to create well-rounded students who will get into their first choices of colleges – and begin with a firm foundation.

For students who don’t want to live away from home, Kuehl says eight regional centers offer higher-level courses outside of their regular school days.

“It’s a pretty unique thing,” Kuehl says. “A lot of states don’t even step into this arena. There’s only 10 schools in the country like ours.”

are striking. One district offers after-school programs that include enrichment field trips, robotics, crafts and pre-engineering courses.

Another mostly relies on the teachers assigning more challenging work to students in the classroom and offering a robotics club that meets twice a week. Another has a classroom dedicated to gifted-and-talented students with a teacher trained in higher-level curriculum.

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Summer Camp Directory

F

inding the right summer camp for your child can be challenging – some want athletic adventures, some want musical or artistic endeavors. Others still may want to keep their education going with science or math challenges. Oklahoma Magazine’s Summer Camp Directory can help find the camp that’s the perfect fit for every unique child.

Kanakuk Kamps

Kanakuk is a premier summer camp outside of Branson, Missouri, for boys and girls ages 6 to 18. More than 70 activities, sports and themed parties provide ageappropriate, fun, safe experiences to help Kampers grow spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially.

The leadership programs, rigid hiring procedures and low staff turnover rates allow Kanakuk to hire summer camp staff who are leaders in their schools, churches and communities. Learn more about customizing your child’s experience at kanakuksummer.com.

Camp Monte

Join Camp Monte, where summer dreams are fulfilled one week at a time! Camp offerings include drama, cooking, outdoor exploring, science, athletics, fashion design and other activities. Camp Monte partners with Tulsa artisans to offer sewing, calligraphy and cartoon drawing classes. Camps run daily through the month of June and the last week of July; morning and afternoon sessions are available for $160 per camp. Visit montecassino.org/campmonte to register or contact charris@montecassino.org for details.

The Woody Guthrie Center Summer Camps

Head to the Woody Guthrie Center for summer fun! The Little Folks Summer Camp guides students through the creative process in several different media, from art to dance to songwriting to music. The weeklong camp has a little something for everyone. The Youth Rocks! Summer Camp for teens takes students with music experience and pairs them with other musicians to form bands, where they learn tips on songwriting and performing together. For more information, visit woodyguthriecenter.org.

Camp Incredible

Camp Incredible consists of six one-week day camps

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

offering exciting themed classes that combine learning and fun. Students explore and learn while having incredible summer adventures. Camps are offered at University School at the University of Tulsa for children in Pre-K (with minimum age of 4) up to the eighth grade. The camps are co-ed and run June 4-29 and July 9-20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, email campincredible@utulsa.edu or visit utulsa.edu/ uschool.

Oklahoma School of Science and Math Summer Programs

The OSSM Summer Academy is just the ticket for kids with a passion for learning! This is a weeklong academic summer camp where students take exciting, interactive classes with OSSM’s nationally-renowned faculty and visit cultural attractions around Oklahoma City. Evenings are filled with fun activities led by camp counselors. OSSM also hosts no-cost, one-day workshops for high school freshmen and sophomores in a variety of subjects. Visit ossm.edu for more details.

FC Barcelona Soccer Camp

Boys and girls of all playing levels, ages 6-18, can attend the FC Barcelona Soccer Camp. The camp is led by official FCB coaches who travel from FCB’s famed La Masia youth soccer academy. The staff focuses on teaching campers the same championship methodology employed by, arguably, the best club in the world.

The camp runs July 9-13 in Tulsa at Titan Sports and Performance Center, and July 16-20 in Oklahoma City at Heritage Hall. Visit fcbarcelona.us for details.

OKC Thunder Youth Basketball Camp

The goal of this camp is to provide every Thunder Youth Basketball participant with quality instruction from Thunder-certified youth basketball coaches, who create developmentally appropriate drills and custom-

ized instruction for each camp. The camp strives toward a focus on defined fundamentals. Visit nba. com/thunder/youthbasketball for more details.

Project Sew Summer Camp

Welcome to B-Sew Inn’s Project Sew Summer Camp!

During camp you learn to make a “Perfect Pocket Apron,” “Pieced Hot Pad,” a “Let’s Do Lunch Bag,” and a fun towel topper! Upon completion of camp, each participant receives a sewing machine. Visit bsewinn. com/project-sew-summer-camp-2018 for details.

Gilcrease Summer Art Camp

Gilcrease Museum and the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education are pleased to offer an exciting variety of camp programs for students 5–12 years old this summer! Each weeklong camp features art discussion, along with exploration and hands-on art projects.

Visit gilcrease.org/programs/summercamp for more information.

Saint Francis Summer Camp

Enrollment is open for Health Zone’s Summer Challenge for kids ages 7 to 12. Each themed week includes swimming, games, indoor and outdoor activities and creative projects. Full and half-day options are available. For information, or to enroll, contact Jenni Rowe at jrrowe@saintfrancis.com or 918.494.8214.

Greenwood Cultural Center ‘Young Entrepreneurs’ Summer Program

Now in its 21st year, the Greenwood Cultural Center’s annual award-winning summer program is held during June for children ages 5-11. Classes include fun, educational, hands-on activities that expose children to various forms of the arts. The fee is $160 for the entire month. Visit greenwoodculturalcenter.com/summerarts for details.

Little Gym Day Camp

Day camp at The Little Gym of southeast Tulsa gives your kid the summer camp experience without the bug bites, poison ivy and weeklong commitments. Combining fun physical activity, games and arts and crafts, this camp helps your child beat the summer heat.

Camps are for children ages 3-12. Visit thelittlegym. com for details.

Aim High Academy

Aim High Academy builds bright futures for urban children from North Tulsa through gymnastics. Two summer ninja camps are offered June 11-14 and July 16-20.

Ninja kids navigate obstacles and learn acrobatic skills to develop strength and body awareness. The camp is $150 per student. Register online at aimhighgym.org or call 918.664.8683.

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT OUR ONLINE SUMMER CAMP DIRECTORY AT OKMAG.COM/DIRECTORY.

CAMP GUIDE

ACADEMY FITNESS.

FAITH.

FUTURE.

Summer Ninja Camp June 11th-14th from 10:00am-1:30pm July 16th-20th from 10:00am-1:30pm Boys & Girls ages 5-12

Have some ninja fun this summer!

Cost is $150.00 per student per camp. Students will need to bring a sack lunch. Space is limited, register now! www.AimHighGym.org | 918.664.8683

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The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) was created through legislative action in 1983 and graduated its first class of 44 seniors from across the state in 1992. It is designed as a two-year residential public high school for academically-gifted students in mathematics and science.

2018 OSSM PROGRAMS · 8th and 9th Grade Sneak Peek April 14

Special program in conjunction with the OSSM math contest to acquaint families with the OSSM community, allow them to meet faculty, staff and students, and investigate the academic environment that has achieved national recognition.

·

One-Day Summer Math Workshops June 19, 21, 26, 28

·

One-Day Summer Science Workshops June 22, July 10, 12

·

OSSM Summer Academy 2018 July 15-20

Free for middle school students - four completely different sessions.

OSSM will once again host no-cost, one-day science workshops for high school freshmen and sophomores. This year’s workshops include: Examining Engineering; Health Care and Medical Careers; and Science in the Summer – Lab Day. For all interested students who love to learn and want to get a small taste of the OSSM experience! If you are currently in the 8th through 11th grade and have a passion for science and math, you are eligible to apply.

1141 North Lincoln Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104

405.521.6436

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www.ossm.edu

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CAMP GUIDE

SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS

2018

For more information, please call 918-494-1671 or visit saintfrancis.com/healthzone.

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"Young Entrepreneurship" Summer Program

Registration is now open!

June 4 - 29, 2018 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

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CAMP GUIDE

University School University School

Summer Parent Teacher Institute Art Camp Parent Teacher Institute 2018 Presentation on An exciting

summer camp for kids age 4 through grade bullying by 8th on Presentation

bullying by

Jean Peterson Jean Peterson Professor Emerita Purdue University Professor Emerita College of Education Purdue University College of Education

7 p.m. Sept. 15 7 p.m.

Sept.

15 TU Student Union TU Student Union

ALSO: Private School Showcase

June 11 through Aug. 10, 2018 9:00 a.m.-Noon & 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Ages 5-6, 7-9, 10-12 Prices per week Half-Day Classes: $100 members; $125 not-yet members All-Day Classes: $200 members; $250 not-yet members After Hours Care: 4-5 p.m.; $25/week

Register online at gilcrease.org/summercamp.

including University School at TU, Bishop Kelley, ALSO: Private School Showcase Cascia Hall, Holland Hall, Mizel, Cassino, 6 one-week day camp sessions inMonte JuneHall, and JulyHall, including University School at TU,School Bishop at Kelley, Cascia Holland including University TU, Bishop Kelley, Riverfield, Town & Country and Undercroft Montessori Mizel, Monte Cassino, & Mizel, CountryMonte and Undercroft Montessori Cascia Hall,Riverfield, HollandTown Hall, Cassino, 918-631-5060 utulsa.edu/uschool • Riverfield, Town & Country and Undercroft Montessori

918-631-5060 utulsa.edu/uschool Educating •Gifted Students Since 1982 918-631-5060 • utulsa.edu/uschool The University of Tulsa is an EEO/AA institution.

The University of Tulsa is an EEO/AA institution.

For our full list of programs, visit our website. TU is an EEO/AA institution.

GILCREASE.ORG

The University of Tulsa is an EEO/AA institution.

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BOTTOM: ACTOR TOM MIX TENDED BAR IN THE NOTORIOUS BLUE BELLE SALOON IN GUTHRIE BEFORE HIS MOVIE CAREER. PHOTO COURTESY POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY MUSEUM

Y PHOTO 2012.012. COURTES

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ETY

SOCI OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

1893 GUTHRIE DAILY STAR COURTESY OHS

A

TOP: KEOKUK FALLS ONCE HELD A DUBIOUS REPUTATION AS A HANGOUT FOR NE’ER-DO-WELLS DURING THE PROHIBITION ERA.

THE BLUE BELLE SALOON IN GUTHRIE HAD A ROWDY REPUTATION IN ITS EARLY DAYS. PHOTO 4099. COURTESY OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A Past d i d Sor

By Tara Malone

Oklahoma’s dark history, mostly from lawless times before statehood, echoes today.

ABOVE: MR. KOBERLING, LEFT, AND MR. PURZER POSE IN FRONT OF THE CAVE HOUSE IN TULSA, WHICH THEY BUILT AS A RESTAURANT DURING PROHIBITION.

PHOTO COURTESY LINDA COLLIER, CAVE HOUSE OWNER

Oklahoma may have a tame reputation in the present, but it was once one of the roughest territories in what is now the United States.

Jonita Mullins, author, speaker and proprietor of Okie Heritage Tours, has written a weekly history column for the Muskogee Phoenix for 15 years as well as nine books on Oklahoma history. She often refers to the state’s past as “wild and woolly.”

“Oklahoma has been described as the wildest section of the Wild West,” she says. “One of the primary reasons for this was … that from the 1830s, the area that came to be called Indian Territory was actually never a true territory. It consisted of

five sovereign Indian nations. These tribes had jurisdiction to arrest and try only their own citizens, so criminals from the surrounding states found the sparsely settled territory a perfect hideout.

“The Indians were helpless to arrest these outlaws and bring them to justice.

Not until Isaac Parker – known as the “hanging judge” – was given the authority to send U.S. deputy marshals into the territory to round up the bad guys did this era of lawlessness end. Even so, it is estimated that more deputy marshals were killed within a 50-mile radius of Muskogee than in any other location in the West.”

Following are a few favorite places of Oklahoma’s hell-raisers. Some were rowdy, some deadly and some heartbreaking. All shaped the place we call home.

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PHOTO BY PAUL SOUTHERLAND PHOTO BY CASEY CROWDIS

Blue Belle Saloon

In a city with a storied past, few locations in Guthrie were more lively than the Blue Belle Saloon. John Sempsel bought the grounds on the day of the 1889 Land Run; by the next day and under a tent, he offered refreshments and tobacco to other settlers.

It wasn’t long before a proper structure was built, and the business became one of the most popular saloons in Guthrie. Miss Lizzie’s Bordello did a feisty business on the second floor. The saloon was shut down when Oklahoma went dry upon statehood, but the bordello is rumored to have survived until World War II. Silent film star Tom Mix tended bar in its early years before heading off for Hollywood, and more than 100 years later, rumors still abound about mysterious deaths in the basement. Today, echoes of the Blue Belle’s salacious past linger.

Though the building sits empty today awaiting its next proprietor to knock the dust off the bar, some say they have heard mysterious noises resonating throughout the upstairs and seen the specter of a dark-haired female – perhaps Miss Lizzie herself – on the premises.

PHOTO 20242.105 BY LESLIE H. BUTTS

Robbers Cave

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Robbers Cave near Wilburton is far more than a prime location for nature lovers.

Nestled in the San Bois Mountains in Latimer County, the cave was a hiding

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

place for Civil War deserters from both the Union and the Confederacy. However, these were not the culprits who gave the area its moniker. Legend has it that such infamous criminals as Jesse James, the Youngers, Belle Starr and the Dalton Gang all made the area their hideouts after pulling off famous heists and running from the law. The dense forest and deep rock formations made the perfect lair for outlaws, their horses and their loot.

The cave is rumored to have a secret exit, known only to its notorious visitors, in case anyone needed to make a quick escape.

Rumors persist of hidden treasure in the area, not all of which are unfounded; according to The Oklahoman, Robbers Cave State Park employees discovered a large stash of golden wedding rings in the 1950s. Today, anyone can enjoy the spectacular scenery, rock climbing and a glimpse of the state’s rowdy history.

Horsethief Canyon

Another storied location where history and lore blend seamlessly is Horsethief Canyon, about eight miles west of Perkins in Logan County. Legend has it that the canyon on the bank of the Cimarron River was a common loitering spot for criminals, and that a dugout discovered in the canyon wall was a common meeting spot for members of the Dalton and Doolin gangs, horse thieves, cattle rustlers and general ne’er-do-wells. As more settlers came to the lawless area, they demanded a crackdown on nefarious activities, and the Anti-Horse Thief Association soon had a foothold, with backup from local cowboy legends like Pistol Pete. Eventually, Horsethief Canyon lost its nasty reputation and became a popular spot for picnickers and nature lovers. Today, the canyon is owned

by Ben Holder, who offers access to the area by reservation. Holder has built an eagle observation deck that offers spectacular

vistas over the Cimarron; picnicking is still allowed. Interested parties can reach Holder at ben.horsethief@gmail.com or 405.880.5551. Admission fees are by donation.

Keokuk Falls

Keokuk Falls, a dubious attraction in present day Pottawatomie County, had a reputation as one of the nastiest towns in the Old West.

One of the many liquor towns that sprang up just outside dry Indian Territory, the Falls had two distilleries, which kept bars flush with alcohol, including the town’s Seven Deadly Saloons, and made a lucrative (and deadly) sideline for bootleggers in nearby Seminole and Creek nations.

While extremely dangerous, the town wasn’t technically lawless; marshals just had a bad habit of getting killed. Parker, the infamous “hanging judge,” sought to put an end to that; his last case was a man convicted of murder in the Falls. The boardwalks of Keokuk Falls – rumored to be covered in blood from the propensity of inhabitants to settle arguments with guns, knives, axes or whatever else happened to be at hand – remained a favorite tramping ground into the

PHOTO COURTESY POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY MUSEUM

Many Tulsans and out-of-towners have passed by the strange structure at 1623 Charles Page Blvd. and wondered how it came to be. While the outside looks like something from a Flintstones cartoon, the Cave House was built as a restaurant – the Cave Garden – in the 1920s. But the restaurant was just a ruse; savvy diners could come back when the sun went down to enjoy the forbidden fruits of a speakeasy dug into a hill near the Arkansas River.

Patrons dashed through a secret passageway behind the fireplace to enter a network of tunnels where liquor was made and sold.

Floyd, sometimes called Oklahoma’s favorite gangster, is said to have tossed a few down the hatch with his gang at the secret bar.

The unstable structure of the Cave House has not allowed the current owner to excavate behind the fireplace, but there have been many interesting finds in the house over the years, including secret vaults, stashes of money and bootlegging bottles.

Visitors might even run into a few spectral inhabitants, according to paranormal investigators. Tours of this loca-

tion are available by appointment only at 918.378.1952.

Osage County

Of all the episodes in Oklahoma’s dark past, few if any are as heartrending as the systematic killings of members of the Osage Tribe.

Driven from their homes in Kansas into Indian Territory in the 1870s, the Osage discovered oil in what would become Osage County. This made tribal members fabulously wealthy – and tragically vulnerable. In the 1920s, the Osage began to mysteriously vanish or die in alarming numbers. Their riches often went to their closest family members: either other Osage who shortly perished or white settlers

to whom many tribe members were married.

Scores of Osage were estimated to be killed in the most Machiavellian of fashions: firebombed homes; staged car crashes; and, the perennial coward’s weapon, poison.

Entire families were eradicated, sometimes by the very people they had taken into their homes. Those who tried to help tribal members often met with grim fates as well; one man was thrown from a train on his way to seek aid. Eventually, agents of the nascent FBI uncovered a large-scale conspiracy to defraud and slaughter the Osage. Author David Grann tells the story of the Osage killings in his National Book Award finalist, Killers of the Flower Moon.

PHOTO COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Cave House

PHOTO COURTESY LINDA COLLIER

1920s for the likes of such big-time baddies as Pretty Boy Floyd. But after statehood cut off the flow of liquor, it was only a matter of time before this party town became a ghost town.

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Gan

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d n a l ng

By Charles W. Sasser

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klahoma City police say the Nov. 14 slayings of a 26-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were the outcome of “two gang sets having problems with each other,” according to The Oklahoman.

On Jan. 13, a jury convicted Marcus Boyd, 28, in the “gangland ambush” of a vehicle in which 17-year-old Daniel Carter was killed and four others wounded, including a 16-year-old girl, according to the Tulsa World.

News headlines reflect the proliferation of gang infestations not just in Oklahoma’s major cities but throughout the state, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation tracks information and statistics on gang activity around the state.

An estimated 1.4 million members of 33,000 different gangs – motorcycle, prison or street – operate in the United States, according to the FBI’s website, fbi.gov.

Oklahoma City ranked fifth, after Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Camden, New Jersey, on a list of America’s most ganginfested cities – numbers based on municipal law enforcement agencies, the FBI and gang information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to a 2010 OSBI report, 62 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties reported one or more gangs, with Oklahoma, Tulsa and Comanche counties accounting for nearly 60 percent of them.

In the OSBI’s 2016 Uniform Crime Report, law enforcement across the state reported 17 “gangland killings” in 2016, 17 in 2015, nine in 2014, and 18 in 2013.

Graffiti in the 1970s and ’80s at Oklahoma shopping centers and on project housing walls, with phrases like “Crips Are All” and “Bloods Rule,” announced the beginning of a gangland era, according to news headlines from those decades.

An Oklahoman story on Aug. 27, 1986, said rumors circulated that organizers from Los Angeles had arrived to mold bored, unemployed youth into networks of violent drug dealers, thieves and pimps.

At the time, Thomas Brown, a staff member of Higher Dimensions Family Church in southeast Tulsa, predicted that the city “is a baby Los Angeles growing into a full grown Los Angeles,” The Oklahoman reported.

An older, experienced criminal lures teens by paying them as drug dealers, Brown explained in the story.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

“He’ll show them Cadillacs and Mercedes,” Brown said in the article. “He’ll show them hundreds of dollars and pounds of cocaine. He’s clicked them. Then he’ll start showing them the ropes.”

The OGIA (Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association), whose motto is “The gangs are only as strong as the community allows them to be,” identifies and describes different gang types.

The least numerous of these, criminal motorcycle gangs, are perhaps the least threatening when it comes to random violence. Older than most other street gang members, they tend to operate in smaller cities and communities and concentrate on making money rather than having disputes with rivals. Their businesses includes drugs, chop shops, fraud or whatever they can do to turn illegal profits.

Street gangs, commonly broken down by ethnicity and race, are younger and more volatile and account for most drive-by shootings against rival gangs. One trend finds such gangs filtering into suburbs like Edmond, Moore and Norman, where they feel they can operate under the radar of police who might be ill-equipped to deal with them, the OGIA reports.

The number of rural and small-town gang members has gone up significantly in recent years, with many towns reporting an increase in gang activity to the OSBI, according to a 2015 report. In and around Lawton, the 107 Hoover Crips hold sway with drugs, guns and numerous homicides, according to a 2018 OGIA report called “Gangs by Region.”

Situated along the Interstate 35-U.S. Highway 69 “funnel” connecting the southern U.S. border with profitable street drug markets further north and east, Oklahoma has experienced a rise in Latino gangs specializing in drug running and human trafficking, the same report says.

Gang members sentenced to prison do not necessarily give up their activities, particularly if they are in leadership on the outside.

Hardcore prison gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood, the Bloods and the Irish Mafia can maintain their criminal enterprises “behind the walls” by dictating criminal activities to members on the streets.

OGIA, supported by state Department of Corrections officials, reports that protective custody is required for almost half of those inside the walls to guard against retaliation by other gangs.

OKLAHOMA GANG

AFFILIATION

BY REGION

CENTRAL • More than 100 gangs represented with an estimated total population of about 8,000 • The six largest gangs are the South Side Locos, 107 Hoovers, Westside Rolling 60’s, Grande Barrio Centrale, Juaritos and the Rolling 90’s.

NORTHEASTERN • The largest gang in the area is the Hoover Crips, with main sets 107, 54, 63, 57 and 27.

• Other gangs include the Bloods, Surenos and Nortenos.

SOUTHWEST • An estimated 4,000 gangs members in this region, with seven different gangs with numerous sets • The Crips, Bloods/Piru, Folk Nation, Peoples Nation, Surenos, Outlaw Motorcycle Bikers and White Supremacists Source: Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association

One of OGIA’s goals is to train law enforcement and related agencies to combat and control gang activity.

According to a September 2017 article in The Daily Ardmorette, training and a 2017 Safe Oklahoma grant from the state attorney general’s office helped Ardmore and its 25,000 residents to manage gang-related activity.

The grant paid officers to work overtime in special gang details to gather information, identify and target gangs. After receiving the grant, the newspaper reported, police made 81 gang-related arrests and confiscated 16 illegal firearms.

Deputy Police Chief Kevin Norris said

in the article that the objective was to put “as many boots on the ground as possible” where gangs congregated.

“It wasn’t always about officers getting out of the car, making contact or shaking someone down,” Norris told the newspaper. “It was just the mere presence of being there.”

Oklahoma City has faced similar threats on a larger scale. There was a dramatic increase in gang activity between 2000 and 2010, according to the OSBI’s “Evaluation of Oklahoma Gang and Violent Crime Program” report. There was a drop in the number of what the OSBI calls gangland killings in 2009, but subsequent years have seen that number rise above pre-2010 numbers, OSBI reports show.

Nonetheless, Oklahoma cities and towns continue to fight gang activity with some success.

Along with an aggressive presence, Oklahoma City law enforcement, working with state and federal prosecutors, employ an intelligence-centered, multi-level approach to gang violence. By utilizing mapping software, police reports, phone records, street-level intelligence, field interview

cards, electronic surveillance, wiretaps and other demographic aids, gang-unit officers identify, locate and target key players with grand jury subpoenas, search warrants and arrests.

“We are trending in the right directions,” says inspector Timothy Hock of the OKC gang unit. “Our gang population has been over 6,000, but is now down to around 5,300 documented. We have had years when there were as many as 265 drive-by shootings.

That number is now down to as low as 55.”

Tulsa police used a similar approach in October with the launch of Operation Blue Thunder Task Force against gangs and other violent offenders. In less than two months, the unit chalked up 102 felony arrests, recovered 17 stolen vehicles, garnered 48 illegal firearms and confiscated pounds of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, according to a Nov. 15 article in the Tulsa World.

“If you’re one of these people [gangsters],” Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said in that story, “just understand that we’re coming for you.”

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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If the wreck occurred in Oklahoma, under most circumstances you have two years to either settle your case or file a lawsuit. However, there are ESTHER M. SANDERS circumstances that can shorten that period. If the at-fault driver was on the job for a political subdivision or tribal entity, or if a political or tribal entity was in some way at fault for the wreck, then there are steps that must be taken within a much shorter period of time. In that event, you should immediately contact a lawyer to find out what you’re required to do to pursue a claim for your damages.

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FINANCIAL ADVISOR I am a business owner who is planning on retirement in the near future. How should I prepare for the change?

Having a well-defined path can help you develop peace of mind as you enter the next phase of life. Looking ahead allows you to anticipate future opporDAVID KARIMIAN tunities and challenges, as well as give CFP®, CRPC® you time to create financial contingency plans that improve your prospects down the road. Here are five ways to constructively think ahead: 1. Decide what the future looks like – for you and your business.

2. Assess your retirement savings.

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4. Consider what income you may receive from selling or passing the reins.

5. Prepare for the non-financial aspects of retirement.

Consider working with a financial advisor to create a plan for your future. Together you can determine your savings targets and explore a wide range of strategies to meet your financial goals as you begin planning your retirement.

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC® Prime Wealth Management A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise 7712 S. Yale Ave. Suite 240 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2003 • David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Esther M. Sanders Sanders & Associates, P.C. 1015 S. Detroit Ave. Tulsa, OK 74120 • 918.745.2000 Telephone 800.745.2006 Toll Free

PERSONAL TRAINER Why can’t I lose weight as fast as I did during the first month of my diet?

Scientifically, in order to lose one pound of fat (3,500 calories), your food intake must be 3,500 calories less than your usual calorie expenditure. The first two weeks of a reduced calorie diet, up JOHN JACKSON to 70 percent of the initial weight loss is in the form of water. As your body burns its most accessible fuel – the glycogen stored in the muscles – it releases three or four grams of glycogen. For the first two weeks of a low-calorie diet, you may lose three or more pounds per week. This is a dramatic amount of weight loss, but it isn't until about two weeks into your reduced-calorie diet that your body starts burning fat. Fat contains more calories per pound than glycogen, meaning it takes longer to lose fat. After the first couple of weeks into your diet, it is crucial that you exercise. This is because your body will start to convert protein from lean tissue into energy, actually burning up muscles for energy. Exercise will keep your muscle mass from diminishing, furthermore a nutrient rich food program will keep you healthy and energized.

John Jackson, Personal Trainer St. John Siegfried Health Club 1819 E. 19th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.902.4028 jljackson70@hotmail.com

HOSPICE CARE My father has Alzheimer’s disease and recently took a turn for the worse. His diagnosis is not good, so we are discussing hospice care but do not know much about it. What do we need to do to find out if he qualifies or if it is a good option?

There are Medicare regulations in place to determine if a patient qualifies for hospice care. This is to protect both the patient and his or her family. First – your father must have a life-limiting illness and a prognosis of six months or less left to live. Second – two physicians must make this determination and certify it in writing. At Grace Hospice, our registered nurses evaluate prospective patients using the Medicare guidelines and we can do the same for your father.

Once those steps are all met, the patient or their legal representative can then choose to use his or her hospice benefit.

At Grace Hospice, we provide care during the course of the disease and provide support to the family throughout the duration of care and for a 13-month period of bereavement after the death. For more information or to schedule an appointment with a hospice nurse, please call 918.744.7223.

KEN BACHELOR

Ken Bachelor Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6400 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL 5 Easy Ways to Help Lower Your Auto Insurance Premiums Reducing your car insurance premiums can be an easy way to save money. Here’s how: 1. Vehicle safety and security features. Check your policy to see if you qualify for discounts like airbags, anti-lock brakes and anti-theft RUSS IDEN systems. 2. Set higher deductibles.

Higher deductibles, which is the amount you pay in the event of a claim, generally means a lower premium. Consider this change before deleting coverage like comprehensive or collision.

3. Take a defensive driving course. Safe driving courses, whether they’re taken online or in a classroom, qualify drivers for an auto insurance discount regardless of a driver's age. 4. Clean out that garage. Some insurance companies offer discounts for vehicles parked in a garage, rather than outside as they’re less likely to be stolen or in an accident. 5. Compare rates. Be sure to get several quotes and compare them side by side to pick the one that’s best for your situation.

If you have questions about other ways to save on auto insurance premiums, call a AAA agent near you.

Russ Iden AAA Oklahoma 918.748.1034 800.222.2582, x1034 russ.iden@aaaok.org Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its affiliates.

Taste

F O O D, D R I N K A N D O T H E R P L E A S U R E S

A Step Back in Time

From ribeyes and drumsticks to local brews and delicious baked goods, Edmond’s Meat House keeps it as local as possible.

I

STORE MANAGER HOLDEN STONER SHOWS OFF A BACON-WRAPPED MEATLOAF AT THE MEAT HOUSE. PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS

f you focused only on this one spot and ignored all the hustle and bustle at the corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Danforth Road in Edmond, you could swear you were in easier times – free of corporate grocery stores – and back to a simpler, local, special way of procuring sustenance.

This is a giant foodie welcome to The Meat House.

Through the double doors of the joint, you walk on wood-planked floors (laid out on the bias) straight to a tall, bright, shiny, refrigerated case, lined with bowls of delectable, homemade specialty salads. Platters of inhouse smoked brisket and ribs, pastrami and even blocks of smoked cream cheese await you. Whole smoked chickens, grilled chicken breasts and smoked salmon are not to be left out.

The big standout is a seven-cheese mac ’n’ cheese, cut into portions the size of bricks.

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Taste aged up and taken home for dinner … or stop in for lunch to nosh sandwiches, aged cheese and all the fixings.

Wandering past the deli case leads you to the butcher block. Choice cuts of beef come first – anything from giant tomahawk beef ribeyes, sirloin steaks and filets to prime, marbled cuts of the same kind. The Meat House takes great pride in its homemade marinades and rubs; customers vie to snag a pound (or five) of marinated beef tips to grill at home.

And it’s not just beef. Homemade sausages and bacon-lattice meatloaf are sure to cause a glorious onset of “meat-sweats.” Pork of all styles and cuts abounds, as well as chicken, from whole to quartered to drumsticks. Some lamb, some veal and some seafood can be ordered to your liking. If it once had a face, The Meat House can do its darnedest to find it for your next cooking adventure.

LEFT: CUSTOMERS FIND FRESH MEATS OF ALL KINDS AT THE EDMOND MEAT HOUSE.

Chefs, caterers and food service profesTHE MEAT HOUSE OFFERS sionals, listen up: The SEVERAL TYPES OF Meat House is not just HOMEMADE SAUSAGE. for home cooks. For those last-minute requests, The Meat House is happy to cut your orders à la minute, and the staff even has access to quail, duck, venison, elk and alligator. This joint is a dream come true for always-creative food professionals and adventurous home cooks.

The Meat House also sells non-meat products. Since it strives to be as local as possible, one can find fresh, unpasteurized milk from the Marak Family Farm in Meeker and cheese from Lovera’s Caciocavera in Krebs.

Fresh eggs from Oklahoma farms and even brews from Coop Ale Works and Rough Tail Brew are available.

When it comes to pantry and baked goods,

fresh homemade desserts from Oklahoma City’s Ingrid’s Bakery and La Baguette are the perfect finale to any home-grilled meal.

Also find special olive oils and vinegars, coffee from Eote (a local company), pepper jelly, pumpkin butter, and a host of local and national artisanal condiments. Your next house dinner party could be the talk of the town.

The Meat House scales down the huntand-forage for today’s knowledgeable chef.

It is a welcome art form.

SCOTTY IRANI

LEARN MORE AT EDMONDMEATHOUSE.COM.

L O C A L F L AV O R

“I missed the taste of China.”

Always poised and elegant, Sally Yau has a wistful look as she recalls leaving Beijing in 1999 to study in Tulsa. She fell in love, got married, stayed. Yearning for the food she grew up with, she hired chefs trained in China and opened Mandarin Taste.

Every year she takes her family back to China to teach her daughters their heritage, and, she says, “to discover new recipes, taste new things.” As a result, Mandarin Taste offers dishes not usually found outside China. For first time visitors, however, “I ask what flavors they like. Sweet or spicy?” The timid might opt for delicious sweet and sour pork or kung pao chicken.

For the more adventurous, there are dishes from every

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

region of China, especially Sichuan. There is pork belly with jalapeno, lamb with cumin, mapo tofu. There’s hot pot and dry pot and even spicy pig brains with tofu, which was, until now, available only from a street vendor in Chengdu.

And Yau proudly announces that “we have a dish so new it’s not on the menu. [It’s rough translation is fat cattle.] My friend flies up from Dallas just to try it.”

Out comes a bright red stew of beef and spice. How can a dish be sweet and fiery and subtle and explosive all at once, with such complex layers of swirling spice? You eat until you burst and plan your next visit.

6125 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, mandarintasteonline.com BRIAN SCHWARTZ

PHOTO COURTESY MANDARIN TASTE

A WIDE-REACHING TASTE

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77

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Taste C H E F C H AT

A Rugged Man on the Go

T

here are certain wild herbs and mushrooms that can only be found above the treeline of the Colorado Rockies. Most chefs don’t use them. Those who do hire a forager.

Tulsan Stephen Lindstrom picks them himself. So there he was one summer morning, two miles above sea level and hours from the nearest road, and what he noticed most was joy and silence.

“When you pick food from where it has naturally been for the eternity of the earth, not touched by human hands,” he says, “there’s a sense of rightness and perfection. Everything is working in harmony. Of course, you always have to have one eye out for bears.”

Lindstrom seems to have stepped out of more rugged era. Put him in the Game of Thrones world and he’d lead a band of warriors. He can take a whole pig and break it down.

“I used to dream of owning an old-fashioned butcher shop,” he says.

Like his father, who was also a restaurateur (his whole family has accomplished cooks), Lindstrom is a skilled photographer.

He uses film, not digital cards.

“I get more heart and soul from film,” he says. “I love the beautiful little flaws that weren’t meant to be there.”

He sees similarities with food.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

“I love the rustic heartiness of Italian food,” he says. “I love peasant food, comfort food. I was never one for fine French dining. But I’m young and I don’t yet have a defined style. When you settle down to a signature style, that’s when you become stagnant and complacent.”

Lindstrom stands amid a Jenks construction site, soon to be the RiverWalk Crossing branch of Bramble, Tulsa’s beloved brunch destination.

“Look at the rich natural grain on these old wood panels,” he says. “I love opening a new restaurant. It is stressful, exhausting, exhilarating. We’ll have brunch all day, seven days a week.”

Knowing Lindstrom, you won’t be surprised to learn that he is opening two restaurants at once, working 70 hours a week and doing some of the hardest physical labor himself, alongside the construction workers. He did the demolition work on St. Michael’s Alley, the venerable Tulsa restaurant (opened in 1960, billed as a San Francisco coffeehouse) that will morph into Bird & Bottle.

Bramble is casual (“Bring your family; bring your bridal party,” Lindstrom says).

Bird & Bottle is more upscale, a fine-dining destination, yet still informal and welcoming, with whimsical touches such as, in honor of the name, rotisserie chickens and its own label of wine bottled by Michael Zinke. The rest of the menu can’t be pigeonholed.

“I might use five-spice or I might use masala,” he says. “America is a melting pot and that’s the defining characteristic of American cuisine.”

Lindstrom will always use the freshest ingredients, sourced as much as possible from farms around Tulsa. And he respects tradition. Those wood panels he proudly points out at Bramble were salvaged from the old St. Michael’s Alley.

BRIAN SCHWARTZ

BONUS RECIPE SEE STEPHEN LINDSTROM’S PIE CRUST RECIPE AT OKMAG.COM/RECIPES.

PHOTOS BY LUKE OPPENHEIMER

Stephen Lindstrom picks wild mushrooms, does demolition work and opens two restaurants at once.

IN SEASON

EAT YOUR GREENS March is the month of green – from the blooming flora outside to the St. Paddy’s celebrations in every pub. Another green treat available in March? Asparagus.

The veggie can be found everywhere from February to June, but the spring months provide the best pickin’s. With just three calories per spear, plus a boatload of Vitamin K and B1, these tasty vegetables should be a no-brainer addition to your diet. Pop them in the oven, add garlic or Parmesan and enjoy yourself a delicious and healthy snack all spring long.

GADGETS

HASSLE-FREE HERBS

If you want to start a new project this spring, why not grow your own (legal) herbs? Basil, parsley, thyme, mint and plenty of other spices could be within arm’s reach of your kitchen with self-watering potted herb keepers. No re-potting, no constant watering, no maintenance – just insert a hydro felt pad in your container, fill the container with water, plant your herbs and let the pot do the rest. Try the Cole and Mason SelfWatering Single Potted Herb Keeper – the hydro pads last three months, meaning hassle-free, low-maintenance herbs to enjoy with every meal.

R A N D O M F L AV O R S

PHOTO COURTESY SMOKE

SMOKE IT OUT

Searching for swanky digs with high quality American grub? Look no further than Cherry Street’s staple joint, Smoke.

Start your meal with crispy quail legs or cider-braised mussels, then graduate to the true stars of the evening: main courses.

Choose from fresh market fish, beef tenderloin or crab-stuffed catfish. Stick around for original cocktails, an expansive wine and beer menu and the ever-popular cigar lounge. A plus: Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and boasts its own food and cocktail menu. 1542 E. 15th St., Tulsa; smokewoodfiregrill.com.

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

79

SCOTT THOMPSON METEOROLOGIST KIRSTEN HORNE METEOROLOGIST

LISA JONES

WORKING FOR BRETT ANTHONY OUR COMMUNITY EVERY WEEKDAY BRANDON WHOLEY

CHIEF METEOROLOGIST

METEOROLOGIST

TODAY 4:30a - 7:00a

Where & When

G R E AT T H I N G S TO D O I N O K L A H O M A

The Child Within

PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL COURTESY CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS

D

Entertainer John Davidson’s two roles drive Finding Neverland, a musical about finding the courage to be yourself.

uring childhood, you likely heard or watched the story of Peter Pan; what you probably didn’t learn was how this prolific character came to be.

Finding Neverland: The Musical, based upon a film of the same name, explores the life of Peter Pan’s creator, J.M. Barrie, and the experiences that inspired his iconic character. The Celebrity Attractions’ show comes to the Tulsa PAC March 6-11.

John Davidson, a member of the show’s national touring cast, says the musical brings more to the table for audiences than the film.

“I think people will find – if they’re familiar with the movie – that the musical is much funnier,” says Davidson, a widely seen TV entertainer in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. “It’s more entertaining, more powerful. It is a very powerful story.”

Davidson’s experience on the show is unique. He plays both Charles Frohman, the theater producer hell-bent on keeping Barrie’s theatrical version of Peter Pan off his stage,

and the nefarious, conniving Captain Hook.

Davidson has held countless roles on and off Broadway – from Oklahoma! to Man of La Mancha – but has never experienced a dual role quite like this. He says his two characters pull Barrie in separate directions during the show.

“When I’m playing Frohman, I’m trying to get Barrie to not write Peter Pan. In 1904, no one wanted a play about children. They didn’t want children in the theater – the thinking was, they have no money,” he says. “But as Captain Hook, I’m trying to get him to do that very thing – to write his own story. In both cases, I’m driving the show, and Barrie, forward.”

His two roles contrast wildly – in posture, dialect and motivation – but Davidson says he doesn’t struggle with the quick transition.

“I go back and forth twice,” he says. “I don’t know why, but that [character] change comes quickly. You get into the whole thing – the hook, the sword, the pirate hat, the boots – you start to walk like a pirate and you say

really gross things. The metamorphosis takes place, and you just slip into it.”

A 45-week contract keeps Davidson on the road for months at a time, but he makes the most of it.

“Most of the cast flies city to city, but my wife and I travel on the road with our dog,” he says. “I look forward to coming back to Tulsa. I’m a big Will Rogers fan; I’ve done Will Rogers Follies three times. I used to go to the Will Rogers Museum to pick up tips for the show.”

Davidson hopes people leave Finding Neverland with a sense of empowerment to be whatever they want to be.

“At the end of the first act, Hook says, ‘A man who is not willing to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.’ You can be what everyone expects you to be, or find the courage to write your own story,” he says.

“You have to write your own story and find the child within.”

Visit celebrityattractions.com for tickets.

MARY WILLA ALLEN

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

81

Where & When

IN TULSA PERFORMANCES SHERIDAN ROAD PRESENTS: THE ROAD TO ELLINGTON March 1 TULSA PAC Enjoy a vocal

jazz tribute to Duke Ellington, the prolific, inspiring and influential 20th-century jazz artist. tulsapac.com

THE DRUNKARD AND THE OLIO March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 TULSA SPOTLIGHT THEATRE Boo and hiss the

villain, cheer on the hero, sing along to some grand old tunes and enjoy some of the Tulsa area’s finest talent during this exciting show.

spotlighttheatre.org

TULSA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: CARNEGIE HALL LINK UP, THE ORCHESTRA SINGS FAMILY CONCERT March 4 TULSA PAC For more than

30 years, Carnegie Hall Link Up has paired orchestras with students in grades 3-5 to explore orchestral repertoire and fundamental musical skills. tulsasymphony.org

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS PRESENTS: FINDING NEVERLAND March 6-11 TULSA PAC The winner of

Broadway.com’s Audience Choice Award for Best Musical, this breathtaking 2015 smash captures the kid-at-heart. It’s a must-see you’ll remember for years to come. tulsapac.com

THEATRE TULSA PRESENTS: INTO THE WOODS March 9-10, 16-18 TULSA PAC Journey into a

world of magic and mystery in this unforgettable storybook fantasy from musical theatre maestro Stephen Sondheim.

theatretulsa.org

AMERICAN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: A STEADY RAIN March 9-11, 15-17

TULSA PAC A Steady Rain explores the complexities of a lifelong bond tainted by domestic affairs, violence and the rough streets of Chicago.

the ultimate romantic comedy. tulsaballet.org

TULSA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: MAHLER’S SYMPHONY NO. 4 March 24 TULSA PAC TSO welcomes

back Sarah Coburn as the soprano soloist for Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.

cainsballroom.com

BROWN BAG IT: THE BART CENTER FOR MUSIC

songwriter Matisyahu has been on journey inward for more than a decade.

THE AVETT BROTHERS

March 2

bokcenter.com

girl experiences one magical night, thanks to her fairy godmother and a pair of glass slippers. This classic story is

tulsapac.com

show, international pop icon P!nk announces her Beautiful Trauma World Tour 2018.

CHAMBER MUSIC TULSA PRESENTS: HORSZOWSKI TRIO WITH MASUMI PER ROSTAD March 11 TULSA PAC In addition to

TULSA BALLET PRESENTS: CINDERELLA March 16-18 TULSA PAC An ordinary

start in coffeehouses in San Diego, Mraz has brought his positive message and soulful, folk-pop sound to audiences around the world.

MATISYAHU: FOREST OF FAITH TOUR March 1 CAIN’S BALLROOM Singer-

COX BUSINESS CENTER

chambermusictulsa.org

AN EVENING WITH JASON MRAZ March 29 TULSA PAC Since getting his

CONCERTS

americantheatrecompany.org

playing Robert Schumann’s Trio in F major, the Horszowski Trio introduces the music of Andreia Pinto-Correia with a work she composed especially for them. Joining the trio is Masumi Per Rostad, violist of the renowned Pacifica Quartet.

tulsasymphony.org

bokcenter.com

March 7

TULSA PAC Bring your lunch and enjoy live music at the Kathleen Westby Pavilion.

Enjoy a special evening with bluegrass/folk-rock/Americana band The Avett Brothers.

tulsapac.com

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE

breaking, age-defying Johnny Mathis. riverspirittulsa.com

March 2

RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT This band’s

legendary journey has set the standard for music of all genres and made a profound and lasting impact on popular culture. riverspirittulsa.com

STEVE WINWOOD March 3 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT Steve Winwood

has sold more than 50 million records in his five-decade career. riverspirittulsa.com

P!INK March 5 BOK CENTER Known for her

incredible and entertaining live

JOHNNY MATHIS March 8 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT See recordLOS LOBOS AND LOS LONELY BOYS March 9 HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO TULSA Enjoy

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

American alternative rocker Alanis Morisette hits the stage.

hardrockcasinotulsa.com

EXCISION March 15 CAINS BALLROOM It

should come as no surprise that the sounds behind this group are just as filthy, brutal and unforgiving as its name suggests. cainsballroom.com

JUSTIN MOORE March 16 BRADY THEATER See

HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO TULSA Four-time Grammy winner Olivia Newton-John is on tour.

hardrockcasinotulsa.com

JEEZY: COLD SUMMER TOUR March 23 CAIN’S BALLROOM Over the

course of his legendary career, Jeezy has sold more than 5 million albums worldwide and has had multiple chart-topping hits. cainsballroom.com

SYLVAN ESSO March 26 CAIN’S BALLROOM Sylvan

Esso’s sophomore album, What Now, is the sound of a band fulfilling the promise of its debut. cainsballroom.com

K.FLAY March 27 CAIN’S BALLROOM Since

Justin Moore on his Hell on the Highway Tour with special guest Dylan Scott.

making her debut in 2010, K.Flay has spun fearlessly detailed lyrics that show the bright and dark of the world in her head. cainsballroom.com

bradytheater.com

LORDE March 21 BOK CENTER Lorde has

announced her 2018 North American Melodrama World Tour dates, with Run the Jewels and Tove Styrke. bokcenter.

com

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN

BADFISH, A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME March 29 CAIN’S BALLROOM Badfish,

a Tribute to Sublime continues to channel the spirit of Sublime with a fury not felt for some time. cainsballroom.com

ART March 2

cainsballroom.com

monthly event features all of the galleries, studios, museums and part-time galleries of various shops opening their doors.

100,000 bulbs.

“What better way to wind down after work than strolling amongst thousands of tulips with music, food and friends on a spring evening?” says Lori Hutson, communications director at the garden.

In addition to gorgeous blooms, the gardens stay open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays starting March 15 to celebrate a bevy of new events.

“We’ve got so many activities planned – spring break activities, Bunny Hunt, Kite Day ... and we have planned a mini-concert series of three Thursday nights – March 22, 29 and April 5 – with music and food trucks,” Hutson says.

The festival runs for 6-8 weeks beginning in midMarch. Visit tulsabotanic. org for details.

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA BOTANIC GARDEN

82

March 15

HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO TULSA Canadian-

FLOGGING MOLLY March 11 CAIN’S BALLROOM The

KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLOR

ALANIS MORISETTE

hardrockcasinotulsa.com

social-political awareness that drives Flogging Molly’s music is never more prominent than in its newest release, Life is Good – a striking album at a strikingly key time.

March 22

is back with another star-studded lineup for his Hits Deep Tour. bokcenter.com

two powerhouse bands as they hit the stage together.

COMMUNIT Y

March at the Tulsa Botanic Garden bustles with activities revolving around beautiful, budding flowers during the Tulsa Botanic Blooms festival.

The 2018 floral display is bigger and better than ever, with over 80 different varieties of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils and over

TOBYMAC March 15 BOK CENTER TobyMac

FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL BRADY ARTS DISTRICT This year-round,

thebradyartsdistrict.com

PAC GALLERY PRESENTS: ROOTS OF ART March 2-29 PAC GALLERY Talitha Jacobs

is a mixed-media artist who paints on re-purposed wood pieces that she finds in or around Tulsa. tulsapac.com

structures.

108contemporary.org

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: UNEXPECTED VIEWS OF GILCREASE MUSEUM

Through April 1

GILCREASE The works presented in Hidden in Plain Sight make obvious that photography, regardless of technology, unites light with thoughtful compositions to create moving, inspirational art. gilcrease.org MUSEUM CONFIDENTIAL

Through May 6

LIVING ARTS OF TULSA

PHILBROOK This groundbreaking exhibition turns the museum inside out by revealing practices, archives, stories and an unprecedented number of never-before-seen works of art. philbrook.org

NOISE LEVEL 2.3 AND 3.56

NORMAN ROCKWELL: BEHIND THE CAMERA

KINETIC SCULPTURES March 3-29

The majority of this work consists of kinetic sculptures and installations that reference human biology. livingarts.org March 3-29

LIVING ARTS OF TULSA

Enjoy works by Jessica Davenport at this month-long exhibition. livingarts.org

RENA DETRIXHE: RED DIRT RUG March 14-June 30 PHILBROOK Rene Detrixhe

uses Oklahoma red dirt in order to connect her project with the land and the people who live on it. In addition, she creates the piece in a public setting, connecting our visitors to her process. philbrook.org

SHELTER: PATRICK DOUGHERTY AND RACHEL HAYES Through March 25 108 CONTEMPORARY

Shelter brings together two nationally recognized artists, sculptor Patrick Dougherty and fiber artist Rachel Hayes, in a thought-provoking exploration of space, architecture and

Through June 10

GILCREASE Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera is the first exhibition to explore in-depth Rockwell’s richly detailed study photographs, created by the artist as references for his iconic paintings. gilcrease.org ROTUNDA SERIES: RACHEL HAYES Through Nov. 1 PHILBROOK Acclaimed

artist Rachel Hayes transforms the Philbrook rotunda with fabric structures that vibrantly explore quilt making, architectural space, light and shadow. philbrook.org

TO ENDURE IN BRONZE Through Dec. 31

GILCREASE The permanence

of bronze, from antiquity to the present, has artistic immortality. gilcrease.org

March 10-11, 16, 23-25

BOK CENTER Watch the

JAMFEST NATIONALS

UNIVERSITY OF TULSA MEN’S BASKETBALL

COX BUSINESS CENTER

JAMfest features numerous cheer and dance competitions.

Oilers take on East Coast Hockey League teams. bokcenter.com

March 4

REYNOLDS CENTER Enjoy

coxcentertulsa.com

a night of hoops as TU finishes its regular season.

UNIVERSITY OF TULSA HOME SOFTBALL GAMES

OK PINTO SPRING PREMIER

March 8, 13-14, 21, 29-31

COLLINS FAMILY SOFTBALL COMPLEX See the Hurricane

play in early season games.

tulsahurricane.com

March 23-24

EXPO SQUARE Enjoy a

weekend of beautiful pinto horses. okpinto.com

COMMUNITY NATURE TRAIL FULL MOON HIKE March 1 TULSA BOTANIC GARDEN

Explore the garden during the full moon on an exciting hike.

633 S. BOSTON AVE. Join local architects for their monthly architectural walking tour. tulsaarchitecture.org

tulsabotanic.org

TULSA FLEA MARKET

NEW GENRE FILM FESTIVAL

EXPO SQUARE This

March 1-4

LIVING ARTS OF TULSA

This showcases the most thought-provoking, boundarystretching interdisciplinary work through performances, exhibitions, workshops and chances to meet the artists.

livingarts.org

2018 PRIMETIME DANCE March 2-4

COX BUSINESS CENTER

PrimeTime Dance was launched in 2006 with the idea that every competition can have the excitement of a national final.

coxcentertulsa.com

INTERNATIONAL COOKING CLASS March 3 RAINDROP TURKISH HOUSE

Take classes featuring a variety of international cuisines. internationalcookingclasses. eventbrite.com

COMMUNITY DANCE LESSONS March 4, 11, 18, 25 THE CLUBHOUSE ON MEMORIAL Dance lessons

in a variety of styles are held every Sunday at the The Clubhouse. The first lesson is free. tulsaswingdanceclub.net

TULSA’S STORY TELLING COMPETITION March 8 IDL BALLROOM Every event

has a theme, and everyone in the audience is invited to share a personal story related to the theme. If you have a story you want to tell, leave your name at the door. facebook.com/oksotulsa

GREATER TULSA HOME AND GARDEN SHOW March 8-11 EXPO SQUARE Improve your home and garden at this massive expo. tulsahba.com

FOOD TRUCK WEDNESDAYS March 7, 14, 21, 28

GUTHRIE GREEN Grab

some tasty eats by the lawn. guthriegreen.com

SECOND SATURDAY ARCHITECTURE TOUR March 10

March 10, 24, 31

family-owned and -operated flea market is the place for a unique, enjoyable shopping experience.

tulsafleamarket.net

TU PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE SERIES: ERIC SCHLOSSER March 15 DONALD W. REYNOLDS CENTER Each year,

Signature Symphony’s March concert, Made in America, is about honoring homegrown artists.

“One of our jobs as an American orchestra is to present music written by American composers,” says Andres Franco, the symphony’s music director. “This season we continue this, while putting an emphasis on local connections. Throughout the season, we have programmed music by Noam Faingold, Tobias Picker and Joseph Rivers, all of whom currently work in Tulsa in different capacities.”

This concert focuses on the works of American composer Aaron Copland, with his masterwork, Appalachian Spring, as the centerpiece of the evening. A local professor also gets the chance to perform material during the show.

“Joseph Rivers is the J. Donald Feagin Professor of Music and Professor of Film Studies at the University of Tulsa, and a dear friend to the Signature Symphony,” Franco says. “We have premiered some of his compositions in the past, and are very excited to

The University of Tulsa’s Presidential Lecture Series hosts enlightening and captivating speakers who discuss a wide range of topics. utulsa.edu/ presidential-lecture-series

ZZZS IN THE SEAS March 16 OKLAHOMA AQUARIUM There are so many cool places to spend the night in the Oklahoma Aquarium beyond the shark tunnel, that it has expanded its popular Sleep with the Sharks events to include all kinds of ZZZs in the Seas. okaquarium.org

ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION March 17 DOWNTOWN TULSA Enjoy

pub crawls, including McNellie’s and Arnie’s and enjoy the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. mcnellies.com

TULSA TOWN HALL PRESENTS: RUDY MAXA

ART BY GENE DAVIS COURTESY OKCMOA

March 3-4

Made in America

TULSA OILERS GAMES

wrestling traditions at schools throughout the Big 12 Conference, fans get to see top athletes compete.

bokcenter.com

PERFORMANCE

tulsahurricane.com

March 23

TULSA PAC Rudy Maxa

is a consumer travel expert whose writings and Emmy Award-winning TV shows help travelers save thousands of dollars. tulsatownhall.com

NATIONAL FIDDLER HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY AND CONCERT

March 30

MABEE CENTER Five

talented musicians are inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame during this concert. mabeecenter.com

ART

BACK-TO-BACK EXHIBITS

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art celebrates the golden anniversary of a collection’s acquisition during The New Art: A Milestone Collection Fifty Years Later. This groundbreaking purchase from the Washington Gallery of Modern Art put Oklahoma City on the map as a leading collector of

present Lisa Wagner and Sarah Evans – two of our very own musicians – as soloists in his Concerto for Oboe and English Horn.”

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. March 17 at Tulsa Community College’s Van Trease PACE. Visit signaturesymphony.org for tickets.

PHOTO BY SEAN CAPSHAW

SPORTS BIG 12 WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP March 3-4 BOK CENTER With rich

abstract expressionism, post-painterly abstraction, color field painting, minimalism and pop art.

The exhibition offers examples of the nation’s early contemporary American art. Anthony Triana, a representative for the museum, says this collection still positively affects the museum.

“The acquisition ... is still impacting the OKCMOA today in the form of recent gifts, like the 125 paintings, sculptures, drawings, pastels and screen prints by Washington Color School artist Paul Reed,” he says, “a gift that instantly transformed the OKCMOA into the definitive collection of Reed’s work.”

The exhibition runs until May 13.

March also welcomes Apichatpong Weerasethakul: The Serenity of Madness to the museum. Weerasethakul, a pioneer in realistsurrealist style, depicts the everyday and the supernatural together in his photography, sketches and archival materials. Triana says this may be the only time you’ll get to see it.

“OKCMOA is one of only two locations in the United States to see the exhibition, and is the last opportunity to see it in the U.S.,” he says.

The exhibition runs from March 31 to June 10. For details, visit okcmoa.com.

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

83

A DAY AT THE CIRCUS

TULSA MEMORY GALA March 2

Relive the magic of simpler days with the India Shrine Circus, performing at State Fair Park. The March 22-25 shows benefit day-to-day operations of the local India Shrine, a constituent of Temples of Shriners International.

“This year’s show is our 75th annual circus,” says Gene McKelvey, an administrator at the nonprofit. “We will be showcasing the Royal Hanneford Circus company again this year. This circus company is 300-plus years old and originated in England.”

Activities appeal to children and children at heart, with a wide range of attractions, including elephants, acrobats, tigers, highwire acts and motorcyclists.

“We will also have face-painting, novelty booths and will be giving away tablets to lucky winners,” McKelvey says.

Performances run at varying times throughout the weekend at State Fair Arena.

For tickets and more information on the circus and the nonprofit, visit indiashrinecricus.com and indiashriners.org.

samples paired with a gourmet menu prepared by chef James Shrader of the Palace Cafe and narrated by sommelier Joe Breaux. All funds go to the support of Total Source for Hearing-loss and Access.

HARWELDEN AWARDS LUNCHEON March 2 HARDESTY ARTS CENTER

BRAINIAC BALL March 9 COX BUSINESS CENTER

This event honors individuals and organizations that have been exemplary advocates and supporters of the arts and humanities in the Tulsa community. ahhatulsa.org

RED RIBBON GALA March 3 COX BUSINESS CENTER

Tulsa CARES provides care coordination and social services for people affected by HIV/AIDS. redribbongala.org

OPERA BALL March 3 MAYO HOTEL Dinner,

dancing, drinks and the presentation of debutantes and squires comprise a magical night. tulsaopera.com

OVERTURE: A TULSA CONNECTION TO FOOD AND MUSIC March 3 BOND EVENT CENTER This event is a speakeasy experience, with dinner, libations in a prohibition-era atmosphere and Roaring ’20s music featuring Tulsa singers and players.

signaturesymphony.org

SAPPHIRE CELEBRATION

March 3

SPORTS

Take Me Out to the Ball Games

their season at home during the Courtyard Marriott tournament, March 2-4, followed by the OG&E tournament, March 9-11. Other non-tournament home games occur March 7 and 23-25 at Marita Hynes Field.

For more Sooner magic, enjoy home baseball games March 2-4, 6, 9, 10-11, 1314, 16-18, 23-25, 27 and 29-31 at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

If you’d prefer to root for Oklahoma State University, the baseball team hosts games March 9-11, 13, 16-18 and 30-31 at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

OSU’s softball team boasts star senior Vanessa Shippy, included in the Top 50 “Watch List” for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. Home games at Cowgirls Stadium run March 2-4 (the Mizuno Classic), 13, 23-25 and 27.

Visit soonersports.com and okstate.com, respectively, for more information.

PHOTO BY JOHN WILLIAMSON COURTESY MCCLENDON CENTER FOR ATHLETICS

As temperatures rise and Oklahomans emerge from winter hibernation, a bevy of college baseball and softball games welcomes you back to the great outdoors.

The University of Oklahoma softball team – the two-time defending NCAA champion – is the preseason pick to win the Big 12 Conference again. The Sooners begin

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Guests enjoy wine

COX BUSINESS CENTER

This annual gala celebrates the Alzheimer’s Association and the accomplishments and victories of all those who support, volunteer and make strides against Alzheimer’s disease. memorygala.org

PHOTO COURTESY INDIA SHRINE

Where & When

CHARITABLE EVENTS

FA M I LY / K I D S

RIVER SPIRIT EVENT CENTER Celebrate the

largest fundraising event for Riverfield Country Day School. riverfield.org

SPLASH March 4 OKLAHOMA AQUARIUM

Don’t let the fish have all the fun. Dive into a night of live entertainment, beer tasting from more than a dozen breweries and the flavors of local cuisine. okaquarium.org

THE PEARL PARTY: WOMEN OF THE YEAR PINNACLE AWARDS March 8 DOUBLETREE BY HILTON DOWNTOWN The Pearl

Party is an annual celebration to honor 10 fearless women and the Anna C. Roth Legacy Award winner for their active roles in making Tulsa a better place, hosted by YWCA Tulsa and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women. tulsapearlparty.com

VINTAGE ‘53 March 9

tsha.cc

Family and Children’s Services offers a night of mystery and sleuthing. brainiacball.com

BOOTS AND BLING March 10 CHARLES SCHUSTERMAN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER Celebrate the

annual fundraiser benefitting the Flo and Morris Mizel Jewish Community Day School. mizelschool.org

ALZHEIMER’S AWARENESS NIGHT WITH THE TULSA OILERS March 10 BOK CENTER Help turn the

arena purple and stay after the game for a live, limited-edition hockey jersey auction.

alz.org/oklahoma

SIP FOR SIGHT GALA March 10

SUMMIT CLUB Enjoy a black-tie wine dinner to support Vizavance. sipforsight.com

FOUNDER’S DINNER March 15

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH This event honors

Iron Gate’s founders and others who have influenced the agency since its inception in 1978. irongatetulsa.org

CARNIVALE: STARS AND STRIPES March 24 COX BUSINESS CENTER

“The Best Party in Town” revels in fine dining, lively dancing and plenty of surprises, all benefiting Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s housing programs and other services. bestpartyintown.org

SIP FOR SIGHT GRAND WINE TASTING March 24 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO AND RESORT Visit this business-

casual wine tasting with local vendors. sipforsight.com

THEATRE TULSA SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY

March 29

DENNIS R. NEILL EQUALITY

CENTER Theatre Tulsa announces its 96th season lineup with a casual art party featuring cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres and live entertainment from acclaimed performers. theatretulsa.org

IN OKC PERFORMANCES

PLATINUM COMEDY TOUR March 2 COX CONVENTION CENTER

Mike Epps brings his Platinum Comedy Tour to OKC with Deray Davis, Rickey Smiley and special guest host Sommore. coxconventioncenter.com

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: CLASSICS 6, JOYCE YANG, PIANO March 3 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Joyce Yang captivates audiences with her virtuosity, lyricism and interpretive sensitivity. okcphil.org

years, the name of Florence Foster Jenkins has been synonymous with unintended comedy for fans of classical singing. See a performance honoring her hilarious legacy.

paintedskyopera.org

LYRIC THEATRE OF OKLAHOMA PRESENTS: JUNIE B. JONES, THE MUSICAL March 8-25 LYRIC AT THE PLAZA This

adaptation of Barbara Park’s best-seller features a lovable first-grader in a musical comedy packed with lively characters. lyrictheatreokc.com

HALL Finding Neverland

tells the story behind one of the world’s most beloved characters, Peter Pan. okcbroadway.com

STAATSKAPELLE WEIMAR: AN EVENING WITH BRAHMS March 15

ARMSTRONG AUDITORIUM

The Staatskapelle Weimar, founded in 1491, is one of the oldest, most illustrious orchestras in the world. armstrongauditorium.org

CITYREP THEATRE PRESENTS: GREATER TUNA March 15-April 8

OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Back by popular demand, Oklahoma’s award winning professional theater, CityRep, opens a can of side-splitting comedy with the smash hit Greater Tuna. cityrep.com

CANTERBURY VOICES PRESENTS: MOSAIC

March 9

OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL The ultimate choral music experience awaits you as three groups join forces. canterburyokc.com

OKC BROADWAY PRESENTS: FINDING NEVERLAND March 13-18 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: POPS 5, PINK MARTINI March 30-31

OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL An international

phenomenon mixing glamour and sophistication with a multilingual range of songs and a bit of the unexpected, this musical extravaganza includes the sounds of cabaret, samba, pop and jazz. okcphil.org

CONCERTS

diamondballroom.net

PATTI LABELLE March 2 RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN As time evolves,

the soulful songbird’s name has become synonymous with grace, style, elegance and class. riverwind.com

DROPKICK MURPHYS

March 2

DIAMOND BALLROOM

Check out American Celtic rock band the Dropkick Murphys. diamondballroom.net

warm smile and fueled by a wild spirit, Watson’s rebellion echoes the land that helped make him. riverwind.com

WHISKEY MYERS March 10 THE CRITERION Whiskey Myers performs with special guest Muscadine Bloodline.

criterionokc.com

EASTON CORBIN March 3 RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN With two No.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE March 14

1 singles, multiple awards and nominations, plus performances on some of the biggest stages in the world, Mercury Nashville’s Easton Corbin has made a lasting impression on the country music landscape. riverwind.com

SHOOTER JENNINGS

March 8

TOWER THEATRE See

honky tonk star Shooter Jennings with the Black Lillies. towertheatreokc.com

MIRANDA LAMBERT March 9

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Lambert embarks on

her Livin’ Like Hippies Tour with guests Jon Pardi and Sunny Sweeney.

chesapeakearena.com

STARSET March 9 DIAMOND BALLROOM

DIAMOND BALLROOM Enjoy

the metalcore rockers from Scranton, Pennsylvania. diamondballroom.net

AMERICA March 16 RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN Check out

perennial classic-rock favorite America. riverwind.com

GARY ALLAN March 17 RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN With the allure

of a modern outlaw, Gary Allan has won over fans, peers and critics with his blend of smoldering vocals, rebellious lyrics and raucous performances. riverwind.com

WINTER JAM 2018 March 17 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling and Billboard Music Award-winning rockers Skillet headline the Winter Jam 2018 Tour Spectacular.

chesapeakearena.com

Rock out with Starset.

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK March 2 PASEO DISTRICT Art

AARON WATSON March 10 RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN Delivered with a

ART opening receptions showcase

the new work of the gallery/ studio owners or the work of guest artists. thepaseo.org

COMMUNIT Y

On the Sunny Side

Support local filmmakers and their work at two festivals this month – the Sunny Side Up, March 23-25 in Ardmore, and the BisonBison, March 30-31 in Ponca City.

Sunny Side Up celebrates its inaugural year in Admore. Organizers Rock and Brenda Whitehead also host the Wild Bunch Film Festival in Willcox, Arizona, and decided to begin one at home for their newest venture.

“Since we’re from Oklahoma, we wanted to start another film festival so we can run two a year,” Rock Whitehead says.

While the Arizona show focuses on the western genre, Sunny Side Up welcomes all genres.

Rock encourages local filmmakers to take in the approximately 50 films at the Goddard Center.

For more details, turn to page 17 or

visit sunnysideupfilmfestival.com.

The BisonBison Film Festival focuses on student filmmakers enrolled in accredited academic programs in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Christina Rich-Splawn, a festival organizer, says the event is a great asset for young, creative minds.

“These college-level students are the future professional artists,” she says. “We want to help nurture their desire to become professional artists, ensuring that thoughtful, educated film making survives and grows.”

Films are screened at the downtown Poncan Theatre. For details, visit bisonbisonfilmfestival.org.

PHOTO COURTESY BISONBISON FILM FESTIVAL

PAINTED SKY OPERA PRESENTS: SOUVENIR BY STEPHEN TEMPERLEY March 2-4 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL For more than 70

TAWNYA CORRENTE + SARAH DAY-SHORT

Through March 4

DNA GALLERIES See the

work of two talented artists in this exhibition.

presents a variety of items that have seldom been “out of the vault,” and gives the visitor a unique look at why, what and how museums collect art.

dnagalleries.com

nationalcowboymuseum.org

HOLEY KIDS + ANTHONY FREEMAN March 8-April 8 DNA GALLERIES Explore

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? PAINTED CONVERSATIONS

BY THEODORE WADDELL

dnagalleries.com

NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM This exhibition

the works of local artists at DNA Galleries’ latest exhibition.

MOMENTUM OKC March 9-10 GOLD DOME The Momentum

exhibition works with Oklahoma artists ages 30 and younger in a venue created specifically for them to help them gain experience and meet new audiences. ovac-ok.org

CARTOONS AND COMICS: THE EARLY ART OF TOM RYAN Through April 1 NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM Dating from

1936 to 1945, these small drawings provide a snapshot of Tom Ryan’s high school and Coast Guard years. nationalcowboymuseum.org

UNLOCKING THE VAULT: MYSTERIES AND MARVELS OF THE MUSEUM Through May 13

NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE

SPORTS

MUSEUM This exhibition

Through May 13

redirects the visitor’s attention to the importance of what you do not see rather than what you do see on the canvas.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

THE ART OF OKLAHOMA Through Sept. 2

OKC MOA The Art of

Oklahoma celebrates the museum’s diverse collection of art created by or about Oklahomans. okcmoa.com

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA VS. IOWA STATE March 2 LLOYD NOBLE CENTER, NORMAN The OU men’s

basketball team wraps up its regular season against Iowa State. soonersports.com

PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP March 2-5 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Teams in the Big 12 Conference battle to gain an advantage for the NCAA tournament.

chesapeakearena.com

OKLAHOMA BJJ CHAMPIONSHIPS March 3 COX CONVENTION CENTER Watch the

championships for the American Grappling Federation. coxconventioncenter.com

AS LONG AS GRASS GROWS Ongoing

EDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Indian removal from the eastern United States began in earnest in the 1830s and continued until the 1870s.

The exhibit depicts both the struggles and triumphs. edmondhistory.org

OKC THUNDER HOME GAMES March 6, 8, 10, 12, 16,

23, 25, 30

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Enjoy the state’s

only major professional sports team. chespeakearena.com

OKC BLUE HOME GAMES

March 7, 9, 10, 22

COX CONVENTION CENTER The Blue is the

state’s only NBA G League team and an extension of the Thunder.

oklahomacity.gleague.nba.com

AMERICAN FOLKSTYLE WRESTLING March 23-25 COX CONVENTION CENTER Enjoy the U.S. Marine

Corps girls folkstyle nationals, along with the junior women’s folkstyle duals and under-23 national championships. coxconventioncenter.com

COMMUNITY BACKWOODS HUNTING AND FISHING EXPO March 2-4

STATE FAIR PARK This 31st

annual event features a large, exciting program of attractions, exhibits and seminars.

backwoodsshow.com

EAGLE WATCH March 3, 17

LAKE THUNDERBIRD STATE PARK, NORMAN Come for an eagle watch that you won’t forget. travelok.com

FOUR-STRING OPEN JAM SESSION March 3 AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM Visitors are

MARCH 2018 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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COX CONVENTION CENTER

March 4

Jack Canfield is an award-winning speaker and an internationally recognized leader in personal development and peak performance strategies.

portion of the show’s profits go to various Oklahoma community organizations.

March 15-17

americanbanjomuseum.com

GYPSY GLAM ROADSHOW: MADE IN OKLAHOMA DEVON BOATHOUSE A oklahomagypsyglam.com

YOGA IN THE GARDENS March 6, 13, 20, 27

MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS This is an all-levels class led

by Lisa Woodward from This Land Yoga.

oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com

READING WEDNESDAYS March 7, 14, 21, 28

MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS Bring your

youngster for story time each Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Books have nature themes and match the season.

oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com

OKC AUTO SHOW March 8-11 STATE FAIR PARK

coxconventioncenter.com

NORMAN SWAP MEET CLEVELAND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS Buy and

sell parts for cars, trucks, street rods and other vehicles. normanswapmeet.com

JURASSIC QUEST March 16-18

STATE FAIR PARK Jurassic

Quest is America’s largest, most realistic dinosaur event. Guests walk through the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods and experience what it was like to be among living, breathing dinosaurs. jurassicquest.com

ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION March 17 BRICKTOWN Enjoy green

beer, live music and merry moods at this outdoor celebration. bricktownokc.com

Automobiles of all makes and models are on display at this expo. okstatefair.com

SPRING BREAK AT THE ORR FAMILY FARM

OKLAHOMA YOUTH EXPO

the farm’s outdoor attractions, from the fun yard and hay mountain to the giant slide and play areas. orrfamilyfarm.com

March 9-16

STATE FAIR PARK Explore this livestock expo where the state’s youth compete. okstatefair.com

OKLAHOMA GARDENING SCHOOL March 10 MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS The annual

Oklahoma Gardening School is the state’s premier symposium for home gardeners and professional horticulturists.

oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com

OKC LAND RUN ANTIQUE SHOW March 10-11 STATE FAIR PARK This event has grown to become the largest antique and vintage event in Oklahoma. heritageeventcompany.com

LEGAL SHIELD March 15-18

March 19-March 24

ORR FAMILY FARM Enjoy

OKC HOME AND OUTDOOR LIVING SHOW March 23-25 STATE FAIR PARK Get inspired and get started. okstatefair.com

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION March 28-31 COX CONVENTION CENTER Fans of

robotics and engineering can’t miss this exciting competition. firstinspires.org

LEARN TO PICK A TUNE WITH LUCAS March 31 AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM Reservations are

required and participants must never have played the banjo before. Banjos are be provided.

americanbanjomuseum.com

CHARITABLE EVENTS OMELET PARTY March 2 BRICKTOWN EVENTS CENTER Get ready to party

with live music, food from acclaimed local chefs, an open bar and a local art raffle, all to support the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. okcmoa.com

OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME HUSTLE March 3 OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME GAYLORD PICKENS MUSEUM A family 5K

and 1-mile fun run benefit Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s field trip program for organizations across the state.

oklahomahof.com

RED TIE NIGHT March 3 NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM This high-visibility annual gala raises funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS for the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund.

redtienight.com

FIGHT FOR AIR CLIMB March 3

LEADERSHIP SQUARE This

is the American Lung Association’s signature event, where participants conquer both towers of Leadership Square to raise money to prevent lung disease.

fightforairclimb.org

FOR MORE EVENTS IN TULSA, OKC AND AROUND THE STATE, HEAD TO OKMAG.COM.

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PHOTO COURTESY LEGENDARY PICTURES

Where & When

encouraged to sit, listen, tap their feet and enjoy the music.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

FILM AND CINEMA

From Docs to Bots

A Missouri festival, a Scorcese one-off, a children’s classic and a robot-alien action flick run the gamut of genres.

Around Town

It’s March, which means it’s time to leave Oklahoma’s borders for the best film festival in the region: the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri (March 1-4). The festival – 5½ hours from Tulsa and 7 hours from Oklahoma City – is worth every minute of the drive, because it brings a carefully curated collection of documentaries from around the world to central Missouri over an intense, long weekend. Many people zone out when they hear the word documentary, but T/F offers a mix of films designed to stretch and inspire audiences. In three of the four years I’ve attended the festival, my favorite film of the year has been one that I’ve seen first at T/F. Beyond films, the festival offers a seemingly never-ending array of music, parties and special events to keep even the busiest social butterfly satisfied.

At Home

Martin Scorcese’s work is inextricably linked to New York City. In the ’90s, however, he departed from his usual gritty, contemporary realism to make a New York film of a different sort – his adaptation of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence.

The departure paid off well and resulted in one of Scorcese’s most beautiful and subtle

films. Michelle Pfeiffer, Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder star as the three points in a delicate love triangle, with personal feelings playing against social mores. A new DVD from the Criterion Collection features a Scorcese-approved digital transfer of the print, plus an interview with the director himself.

In Theaters

Once again, I offer a split bill, with two movies opening that could be worth your while. One feels more like a sure bet, while the other is a bit of a gamble – with a potentially big payoff.

What I anticipate to be a slam dunk is Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of the children’s literature classic A Wrinkle in Time. Madeline L’Engle’s space-hopping adventure looks not just exciting – it deals with heady philosophical and ethical problems that other books aimed at young readers tend to avoid.

DuVernay’s last fiction film was the searing, sharp Selma, so this is a big shift in genre for her, but she definitely has the directing chops to make this the rare well-directed blockbuster for kids. That her cast includes solid actors like Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling and, yes, Oprah Winfrey, gives another reason to hope for worthwhile results.

Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 action film Pacific Rim was a gonzo confection of goofy fun, but, given the box office returns, my approval was apparently in the minority. Thankfully, the film’s strong overseas showing has made room for a sequel, Pacific Rim: Uprising, which promises even more tantalizing giant robot vs. alien monster action. My only hesitation stems from del Toro’s replacement behind the camera by first time director Steven S. DeKnight, but there’s plenty else that bodes well, not least the replacement of the wooden Charlie Hunnam by charismatic John Boyega (of the new Star Wars films) in the lead role. Let’s hope there are plenty of elbow rockets to go around.

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

Amanda Bleakley

A

s the executive director of the Paseo Arts Association, Amanda Bleakley is an artist’s advocate who works hard every day for the people of Oklahoma City. She plans annual events like the Paseo Arts Festival, raises funds and writes grants to ensure the district continually improves. We caught up with Bleakley and picked her brain on …

… the district’s history.

In 1929, the Paseo was developed by G.A. Nichols as the first shopping district north of downtown OKC. The Elms, a resident art gallery and studio, was built in 1920; it was the first artist studio and gallery in Oklahoma City. In the 1950s, the Paseo was home to small businesses, student partying and jazz clubs. The ’60s brought the counter-culture with its creativity and free spirit. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the Paseo began its transformation into an arts district. The first annual Paseo Arts Festival was held on Memorial Day weekend in 1976 and the Paseo Arts Association was formed in 1982 to organize and energize Oklahoma’s first arts district.

… the association’s goals.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2018

Awards Dinner and Auction. The PAA remains a resource for artists, residents, visitors and all of those seeking to experience how the arts can transform a community.

… her accomplishments.

I have worked hard to increase the visibility of the Paseo Arts Association and all of the work we do for Oklahoma. I have strived to improve and create new, simpler and more efficient ways of working by streamlining our processes and systems. This will generate a higher quality of cultural exchange between artists and the public and allow us to continue programs, exhibits and our annual festival.

... the future.

It is my hope that we can brand the Paseo Arts District as the first and only place the public visits to buy all of their art. Supporting local artists and businesses is what we’re all about. I’m interested in creating more spaces for people to relax and enjoy. My legacy would be to just leave this place better off for me being here. I’d like to play a bigger, more active role in Oklahoma City as it continues to grow. It’s important not to lose charm as we become a big league city.

PHOTO COURTESY AMANDA BLEAKLEY

We accomplish our mission by offering programs and events for the community. The Paseo Arts Festival is an annual three-day festival with over 90 juried artists, two stages of live music, two free children’s arts areas and 20 food and drink vendors. We partner with Edgemere Elementary to provide art programs for their students and StarDanceSwan to provide two events, Fairy Ball and Magic Lantern for children. We offer an annual community-based dinner designed to provide micro-grant funding to artists called FEAST (Funding Emerging Art through Sustainable Tactics). We also partner with the Skirvin Hilton Hotel to provide an artist residency program called SPACE (Skirvin Paseo Artist Creativity Exposition).

On the first Friday of every month, rain or shine, we hold the First Friday Gallery Walk.

Every November, we hold the Paseo Arts

ON DVD & BLURAY

MARCH 2018

Celebrate Women’s History Month with “Bearer of the Morning.”

To purchase online , find a local retailer and for upcoming screenings visit www.chickasawfilms.com.