Oklahoma Magazine March 2017

VOTE NOW FOR 2017 THE BEST OF THE BEST AT WWW.OKMAG.COM MARCH 2017

E XCLUSIVE

Sweet Home

ethnic cooking Unique flavors from diverse cultures

Spring fashion

a m o h a l k O The first interview with the cast of Bravo’s newest show

&GARDEN Backyard Living HOME

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

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Features

2017 Oklahoma Magazine Vol. XXI, No. 3

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

March

48 Tastes of the Homeland

Oklahoma Magazine found a handful of Oklahomans who prepare dishes atypical of what’s found in “foreign food” restaurants.

They discuss why preparing food has personal, ethnic and generational importance to them.

Make the most of your outdoor space this spring and summer.

PHOTO BY NATHAN HARMON

68

54 Backyard Living

Evergreen Style

Be bold: vibrant colors, florals, stripes and off-theshoulder looks define our lush spring fashion feature.

WANT SOME MORE? MARCH 2017

March 2017

Visit us online.

MORE GREAT ARTICLES

VOTE NOW FOR 2017 THE BEST OF THE BEST AT WWW.OKMAG.COM

64 Bravo, Oklahoma!

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

MORE PHOTOS

Bravo’s latest reality show follows the lives and laughs of four Nichols Hills residents.

SPECIAL SECTION 76

2

Summer Camp Directory

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

EXCLUSIVE

Sweet Home

ethnic cooking Unique flavors from diverse cultures

Spring fashion

Oklahoma The first interview with the cast of Bravo’s newest show

&GARDEN Backyard Living HOME

ON THE COVER: OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE HAS THE EXCLUSIVE LOOK INTO SWEET HOME OKLAHOMA, BRAVO’S NEWEST REALITY SHOW. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

View expanded Scene, Style, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

MORE EVENTS

The online calendar includes even more great Oklahoma events.

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Online tools that give you greater access to care.

Completely on your time.

Experience a virtual visit with a board-certified physician 24/7/365 from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you need to visit the ER or one of our Urgent Care locations, you can reserve your spot online instead of spending time in the waiting room.

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Departments

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

11 State 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

People Culture History Makers Sports Business Insider

29 Life and Style

TPC Studios in Tulsa refurbishes the old Swinney Hardware space with a vibrant, contemporary look.

30 34 36 38 40 42 46

42

OSU Center for Health Sciences offers unique opportunities for graduate students and law enforcement professionals.

11

29

Interiors City Life Health Hobbies Destinations Style

Spring has sprung in the fashion world, with super fresh graphic and oral pieces.

Scene

81 Taste 84 85 85 86 86

Irish options abound for diners in Oklahoma.

Chef Chat The Pour Recipes Folklore Irish Pub Directory

81

89 Where and When 90 94

Botanic gardens in Oklahoma celebrate the commencement of spring.

In Tulsa/In OKC Film and Cinema

96 Closing Thoughts

4

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

89

You may not be prepared for trauma, but we are.

Throughout its history, Saint Francis Hospital has built a reputation of excellence in trauma care. As a part of a team of fellowship-trained acute care surgeons, Dr. Nathan Powell and his colleagues at the Saint Francis Trauma Institute provide specialized care for patients in some of the most critical life situations. “We know when a patient is on their way and prepare for them before they are brought through the emergency room doors,” he says. “That dedicated level of care continues throughout a patient’s hospitalization and through their outpatient follow-up.” The Saint Francis Trauma Institute draws patients from all over the region with an in-house trauma surgeon available 24/7. “Our team sees it as a privilege and responsibility,” Dr. Powell says.

“We take pride in providing care for this community.”

Nathan J. Powell, D.O. TRAUMA SURGEON

Healthcare for life. saintfrancis.com | 918-488-6688

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA™ OKLAHOMA

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Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to Oklahoma Magazine, c/o Reprint Services, P.O. Box 14204, Tulsa, OK 74159-1204. Advertising claims and the views expressed in the magazine by writers or artists do not necessarily represent those of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Company, or its affiliates.

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LET TER FROM THE EDITOR You may have heard about Sweet Home Oklahoma when Bravo announced the cable TV show, but Oklahoma Magazine has an exclusive look at the series that no other media company in the state provides. Whether you’re looking for how the show started, details on filming or additional insights from the cast about their life in Oklahoma City, we have you covered.

Also in this issue, we go into the kitchens of Oklahomans who brought food of their home countries to the state. We talk to these people about where they’re from, what dishes are important to them and why. Even better, we share with you online the recipes of the dishes.

This month, we also welcome the start of spring with our Home and Garden feature. We talk to area lawn and outdoor patio builders to find out the latest trends and how you can turn your backyard into your own retreat, custom suited to your tastes and interests.

If you’re not much of an outdoor type, check out our Spring Fashion feature, where we look at the most popular styles to keep you cool while looking great.

Also, it’s never too early to plan for summer, which is why we include our annual Summer Camp Directory. It includes activities to suit any child’s needs.

Finally, Oklahoma Magazine’s The Best of the Best issue is rapidly approaching – voting closes March 13. Be sure to promote your business by creating customized graphics at okmag.com/tbob-promote and sharing them on social media.

As always, feel free to contact me at editor@okmag.com.

Sincerely,

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OKLAHOMA

2017 OKLAHOMA

Justin Martino Justin Martino Managing Editor

What’s HOT At

OKMAG.COM Oklahoma

BLUE WHALE OF CATOOSA

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Each month, Oklahoma Magazine produces web-exclusive video content to supplement our favorite features in the print edition. In March, we present our annual spring fashion photo spread featuring apparel and accessories for men and women available at select retailers in Oklahoma. At okmag.com, see behind-the-curtain footage of the photo shoot with Nathan Harmon, one of the state’s top photographers, as he shoots each hand-selected outfit with a scrupulous eye that captures beautiful images. See the work that goes into each final photo in a fun, energetic music video.

In this issue, we move the spotlight from celebrity Oklahomans to a popular landmark with its own growing social media following: the Blue Whale of Catoosa.

Built in 1972 but closed in the 1980s, the 80-foot-long, 20-foot-tall attraction was restored by Catoosans and it lives as one of the quirkiest waterfront monuments along the famous Route 66. In 2016, this site was selected by Snapchat as the third location for its secret Spectacles vending machines.

Follow the Blue Whale of Catoosa on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and search #bluewhaleofcatoosa to find photos of this one-of-a-kind landmark.

PHOTO BY CAROL M. HIGHSMITH

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ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

Forensic Teachings

OSU Center for Health Sciences offers unique opportunities for graduate students and law enforcement professionals.

FORENSICS STUDENTS AT OSU-TULSA WORK WITH ACTUAL AND RE-CREATED CRIME SCENES DURING THEIR TRAINING.

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

T

he School of Forensic Sciences at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa offers its graduate students an experience that can be found few other places. The Tulsa Police Department forensic laboratory, TPD property and evidence vault, and the state medical examiner share the campus at West 17th Street and Southwest Boulevard, giving students easy access to professionals in the field.

“We have outstanding working relationships with those organizations,” says Ron Thrasher, Ph.D., head of the forensic psychology department at OSU-CHS. “For example, evidence – once it has been disposed of in criminal cases, we work with the Tulsa Police Department to utilize sometimes actual physical evidence from criminal cases in our teaching and in our research. Our graduate students actually cooperate and participate with the State Medical Examiner.

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

11

The State “So, our students have the opportunity to go over to witness actual autopsies in an actual autopsy situation. We also utilize a lot of those practitioners in our training courses as well.”

When opportunities arise, the faculty tries to pair law enforcement agencies in need of assistance with graduate students looking for a research project.

“We had an agency contact us, and they were working on several homicides that occurred over several different states for a long period of time,” Thrasher says. “They asked us if we could work with them on developing a technique to actually use social media to look for leads in a serial murder investigation.”

Across the street, the retired Fire Station 6 has been turned into a forensics teaching tool. It was remodeled to include a fully functional kitchen, office, bedroom and bathrooms where crime scenes can be

12

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

simulated. With the exception of the bathrooms, each room has a camera mounted to the wall to record students as they process each scene to later critique as a class. There is also a room designed for blood spatter analysis, in which every surface is covered in a lacquer that makes for easy cleanup with a hose. Outside, there is a grassy area where students can practice exhuming bodies. Thrasher strives to teach his students to collect more than fibers and fingerprints.

“We also want to collect behavioral evidence,” he says. “We want to collect things like hate, anger, entitlement, lust, sexuality.

We want to collect that behavioral evidence, and what we find is many times that behavioral evidence will lead us to physical evidence we might not have even thought to look for.”

Not every crime scene can be replicated at the repurposed fire station, however, and the faculty at OSU-CHS continually finds

inventive ways to prepare students.

“In the past, we borrowed a local elementary school, Eugene Fields, and we set up a school shooting and explosives scenario there,” Thrasher says. “Last year, American Airlines had given OSU an MD-80 aircraft, and we set up a crime scene there simulating a drug overdose in flight. I usually set up those kind of crime scenes dependent upon the students I have in that class.

“For example, if I have a large number of DNA students, then there will be a lot of blood and biological material. If I have a lot of toxicology students, then there will be a lot of drugs and that sort of thing. There may be an illegal spill. We’ve simulated industrial dumping here” on the nearby Arkansas River.

Thrasher’s students process a different staged scene each week. The biggest one of the semester gets taken to moot court.

Students process the scene, run the chemical analysis and send their reports to Steve Kunzweiler, the Tulsa County district attorney. Then, they schedule a court date with District Judge Rebecca Nightingale.

“I tell my students, ‘Put on your marrying, burying and courting clothes,’ so we get all dressed up and we go to court,” Thrasher says. “The bailiff calls court to order; we’re called in just like in an actual courtroom situation. Students are called up, they’re sworn in, they sit on the witness stand. [The] first assistant prosecuting attorney is the prosecutor, and they examine them as though they are expert witnesses on the stand.”

Thrasher says Kunzweiler typically acts as a defense counsel and cross-examines the students. Forensic psychology student Emily Wiesen says the experience is invaluable.

“There’s really no way to prepare yourself for that, besides being in that situation, and we’ll get experience doing that this semester and we won’t even have graduated yet,” she says. “They prepare us well for what our jobs will be for the future.”

The program offers master’s degrees in forensic biology, forensic chemistry, forensic psychology and death-scene investigation. From there, students can pursue careers in everything from crime analysis to DNA technology.

“We’re looking for students who have a passion and interest for the field, and we’re looking for students interested in the field beyond what they see on TV once a week,” Thrasher says. “We just feel like once that interest is there and it’s a knowledgeable interest, we feel like we are their vehicle to get there.”

BETH WEESE

LEFT: STUDENT EMILY WIESEN SAYS THE FORENSICS PROGRAM PREPARES HER NOT JUST FOR FIELD WORK, BUT ALSO HOW TO EFFECTIVELY TESTIFY IN COURT. RIGHT: FORENSICS PROFESSOR RON THRASHER HAS STUDENTS COLLECT PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE AS THEY WORK A CRIME SCENE. PHOTOS BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

13

The Voice of The Met Mary Jo Heath, a Norman High and OU graduate, anchors opera’s long-loved radio broadcasts.

I

n the 86 years that the Metropolitan Opera has had radio broadcasts, only four people – one born and raised in the Sooner State – have held the position of lead announcer.

“Can you believe that? A girl from Norman, Oklahoma,” says Mary Jo Heath, a two-time graduate from the University of Oklahoma. “You just never know where you’re going to end up.”

Millions of opera fans hear Heath live on 570 U.S. stations (and 47 more overseas) during The Met’s 20 Saturday matinees each season. Thousands more listen throughout the week on the company’s satellite broadcasts. This spring, Heath will complete her second full season as host after inheriting the job from Margaret Juntwait, who died of ovarian cancer and whom Heath produced for nine years.

The only other hosts of Met broadcasts were Milton Cross (1931-1975) and Peter Allen (1975-2004).

“I tell my daughter, who’s a sophomore at OU, that we survived our freshmen years, and that the sophomore year will be even better,” Heath says. “And it has. It’s been an amazing ride.”

Heath, with a bachelor’s degree in music and master’s degree in music theory from OU, became the first director of the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company (out of Norman) in the late ’70s before earning her doctorate in music theory at the Eastman School of Music.

After working on classical music broadcasts for the Rochester, New York, public radio station, she landed a job with Philips Classics Records, which took her for an eight-year stint in Amsterdam. When Philips went out of business, Heath held various musicrelated positions in Connecticut before becoming the producer of The Met’s broadcasts in 2006.

In the Netherlands, Heath, a lifelong sports aficionado, replaced football with voetbal and became a fan of club powerhouse Ajax and the Dutch national team.

“Whenever you had the World Cup team playing on TV, everyone had their windows open, and you could hear all the cheering when they scored a goal,” she says.

Heath, “proudly a 17-handicap golfer,” finds many similarities between opera and sports, both in terms of broadcasting and action. Two of her favorite announcers are Joe Buck and Cris Collinsworth with Fox and NBC sports, respectively.

“At The Met, we want that live vibe,” she says. “It is epic like sports.

I appreciate the ebbs and flows of the performance and the tremendous talents that come off stage and from the pit. And you have that acoustical intensity with no enhancement and no microphones. The difference is that we know the outcome of an opera.”

In addition to visiting her daughter, Heath makes the rounds to reunions at Norman High and OU. Plus, her husband of nearly 38 years, Ronald Heath, is from Seminole and her brother, David Renner, is a videographer for the Fox TV affiliate in Oklahoma City, so extended family will bring her back home for years to come.

The Met’s season finale in May will challenge Heath emotionally.

Superstar soprano Renee Fleming, a dear friend who taught voice lessons to Heath while both were graduate students at Eastman, will have her last performance as Marschallin in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavelier. That broadcast will be intense because of their many experiences together in the United States and Europe (in addition to their daughters being close).

“I hope I’m not a bucket of tears,” she says.

BRIAN WILSON

You can hear Mary Jo Heath’s weekly overthe-air radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera at noon Saturdays on KWTU from the University of Tulsa and KUCO from the University of Central Oklahoma, along with its simulcast stations, KBCW in McAlester and KCSC in Woodward. The Met also has broadcasts throughout the week on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Read more of our interview with Mary Jo Heath @ OKmag.com.

14

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

PHOTOS BY JONATHAN TICHLER/METROPOLITAN OPERA

The State

PEOPLE

TRUE BLUE Tulsa Spine & Rehab is a successful, growing Oklahoma business. When owner Sean Riley, DC decided to take his practice to the next level, he knew he could count on Michael Holt and the team at Blue Sky Bank to provide the solutions necessary to make that growth happen.

Dr. Riley’s patients count on him for a proactive, sound treatment plan. Similarly, Dr. Riley counts on Blue Sky Bank to support his professional ambition with creative, resultsdriven financial direction.

Our goal is to build a dynamic working relationship, focused on your success. We’re on top of it for Dr. Riley; we’ll be there for you, too.

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Dr. Sean Riley (above, right), owner of Tulsa Spine & Rehab with Michael Holt, Vice President, Blue Sky Bank

bluesky.bank

The State

C U LT U R E

Reaping the Harvest

Community gardens impact more than just dinner plates.

C

ommunity gardens can take on many forms, ranging in size and complexity from intricate large scale networks all the way down to a simple shared space between neighbors. Large or small, the impact tends to stretch beyond just a harvest to eat.

“Gardening provides so many avenues for nourishing some very essential needs of the body and the mind.

It helps us get exercise, sunshine, living foods and the joy of accomplishing something together,” says Tyler Black, garden manager with the pH Community Garden in the Crosbie Heights neighborhood in Tulsa. “Community gardening nurtures and strengthens our collective awareness of the relationships which structure the natural world, as well as our own lives.”

For Tulsa’s Brady Heights Historic District, community gardening grew out of an abandoned lot and the desire to create relationships within the neighborhood.

“We have seen so many amazing returns on our investment we didn’t even consider. The garden has helped unify and turn around our neighborhood,” says Nathan Pickard, a member of the Brady Heights Historic

MASON WEAVER OF THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF OKLAHOMA SPENDS TIME IN THE ORGANIZATION’S GREENHOUSE TO HAVE PLANTS READY FOR THE SPRING. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

16

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

District board of directors. “It is now a community space where we do monthly movie nights, plant swaps and barbecues.”

Over the past decade, the Brady Heights garden has grown beyond the borders of that abandoned lot, moving into the Tisdale Food Forest and even Emerson Elementary, the neighborhood’s school.

The success of community gardens across our state has led Oklahomans to join together to work for benefits beyond their own neighborhoods. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma supports a network of charitable community gardens growing food for those in need.

“As a hunger relief organization, we often see people who don’t have a positive relationship with fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Mason Weaver, director of Urban Harvest at the Regional Food Bank in Oklahoma City. “In the store, fruits and vegetables tend to be more expensive per calorie than packaged items and aren’t as often available.

“It can be a risk to prepare new fruits and vegetables. Community gardens help change that experience by increasing access

to healthy foods. Gardening also provides an intellectual and emotional experience with your food.”

Community gardens have shown they are capable of providing benefits both diverse and, in many cases, sustainable. The recently rejuvenated Crosbie Heights garden group is prepping the soil once again for another harvest.

“The pH Community Garden has developed under various guises since at least 2010 and has most recently come alive once again this past year,” Black says. “We are able to access our cumulative hours and what did and did not work.”

As with anything worthwhile in life, community gardens only thrive with hard work and dedication as well as a few other essential ingredients: knowledge, space, permission, water and manpower.

“Successful gardens are almost always in a community space with easy access and have a committed core of volunteers to be the driving force to provide guidance and labor,” Weaver says. “Over the years, I have seen dozens of community gardens come and go. The lasting gardens change things up and slowly grow the endeavor over years.”

There are a host of nonprofit and community organizations eager to help community gardens thrive. Urban Harvest, for example, provides seeds and plants to gardens willing to donate a portion of their harvest.

Organizations like Up With Trees, of which Pickard is a board member, offers education classes.

“Local county extension offices have staff to help the community with soil testing and [horticultural] guidance,” Weaver says.

As Black can attest, success comes from learning as you grow.

“Experimentation is part of what a garden is all about. Play with different methods,” he says. “This coming year we expect to see a literal tenfold increase in successful food production based on the lessons learned. We each know what it takes now.”

LINDSAY CUOMO

HELPFUL TIPS

FOR THE COMMUNITY GARDENER • Start small with high value crops like radishes,

lettuce, sweet potatoes, garlic or onions to help you fine tune your skills.

•

Don’t overlook cool weather gardens in the spring and fall.

•

Experiment with beneficial plant relationships and companion planting.

•

Learn how to compost.

•

Consider going vertical to make the most of your space.

•

Invest in perennials like fruit trees and berry bushes because they tend to require less maintenance than annuals.

•

Have a problem? Call your local county extension office.

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

17

The State HISTORY

Academic Glory Days

For 28 years, tiny Kingfisher College produced graduates that helped to change the world.

J

ust outside Kingfisher is a hill that is mostly empty now. But a century ago, this area was a bustling bastion of education known as Kingfisher College.

High-achieving scholars attended long-ago classes here and achieved accolades that had far-reaching effects. The institution was only in existence for 28 years and graduated 117 students, but the quality of education received at Kingfisher College was extremely high, especially for an institution of learning established before statehood in Oklahoma Territory.

And the graduates were proof.

A few years after the land run of 1889, Kingfisher had a population of 4,000. But this was where the Association of Congregational Churches of Oklahoma Territory chose to establish a college, and in 1894, Kingfisher College was chartered. And if colleges founded by the Congregational Church sound familiar, that’s for good reason.

Kingfisher College “would perpetuate excellence of the highest standards, taking its place among the ranks of fellow institutions also founded by the Congregational

18

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Church, such as Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth,” says Adam Lynn, director of Enid’s Chisholm Trail Museum, which currently features a special exhibit on Kingfisher College.

Stories of the graduates highlight the level of achievement at this small school on the prairie. Three students passed the Rhodes Scholarship examination and were accepted into the prestigious program at Oxford University just after the turn of the 20th century, Lynn says. And their achievements didn’t stop there.

Charles D. Mahaffie, one of the three Rhodes scholars, pursued a career in law and

served as both an instructor of jurisprudence at Princeton, under then-university-president Woodrow Wilson, and later as solicitor for the Department of the Interior under U.S. President Wilson.

“Mahaffie would go on to serve under U.S. presidents in several capacities through 1958,” Lynn says.

Joyce Stearns, a Kingfisher College graduate, was a physicist and administrator for the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb during World War II. Stearns, director of the University of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, “developed the metallurgical aspects of the atom bomb from 1944 to 1945,” Lynn says. However, he also signed the Franck Report, which recommended against the use of the bomb, in 1945.

Ernest Burgess, another Kingfisher College graduate, studied the field of sociology at the University of Chicago and joined the faculty.

He is credited with the Burgess method of unit-weighted regression, which attempts to measure the predictability of success for an inmate on parole. He also served as president of the American Sociological Society in 1934.

Another notable achievement of a Kingfisher College graduate was that of Harriet Parker Camden, daughter of Kingfisher College founder, the Rev. Joseph Homer Parker. Camden “would influence the state of Oklahoma by composing the first state song, ‘Oklahoma: A Toast,’ which was signed into law by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1935,” Lynn says.

Despite all its educational success, Kingfisher College was unable to weather the changes that World War I brought to the country. The college closed in 1922 after a drop in enrollment during the war and the difficult economic times afterward. According to Lynn, the Kingfisher College endowment, all academic records and library holdings were transferred to the University of Oklahoma, where the history of the school lives on in the Kingfisher College Chair of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics.

BONNIE RUCKER

ABOVE: KINGFISHER COLLEGE WAS KNOWN FOR ACADEMICS, BUT ALSO FIELDED A FOOTBALL TEAM.

PHOTO COURTESY THE CHISHOLM TRAIL MUSEUM KINGFISHER COLLEGE

MURVYN ATHIS COLLECTION, COURTESY OF THE OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, #22140.83.198.1

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 fourth 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 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.

• The University of Oklahoma has been awarded the largest federal research grant in its history - a five-year, $166 million grant by NASA to advance understanding of Earth’s natural exchanges of carbon between the land, atmosphere and ocean.

• OU is the only Big 12 university to be selected as having one of America’s 25 most beautiful campuses.

• OU has achieved an all-time record freshmanto-sophomore retention rate of 90 percent, ranking OU among the top universities in the nation. OU is one of only 34 public institutions in the nation currently reporting retention rates of 90 percent or higher.

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

• With construction underway and move in set for this fall, OU will 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 become the cornerstone of the undergraduate experience.

• OU is a leader among all American universities in international exchange and study abroad programs. OU currently offers programs in 79 countries and over 220 cities on six continents.

Students from 120 countries are enrolled at OU.

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

- The Impact of Excellence

The State MAKERS

Head of the Glass

A

mid sweltering heat and cacophony, beauty is created in a 2,000-squarefoot studio in Tulsa’s Brady Arts District. Kenneth Gonzales, project director at Tulsa Glassblowing School, is one of the artists who transforms molten-hot glass into stunning vases, bowls and sculptures.

Gonzales learned the art form 16 years ago as a student at Nebraska’s Hastings College, where he also played football. But glassblowing isn’t something he had any initial interest in pursuing.

“I was not drawn to it at all,” Gonzales says.

“It’s hot and loud. It’s a very off-putting environment.”

One of his art professors recognized Gonzales’s affinity for 3-D and persuaded him to take a glassblowing class.

Gonzales relented and, after a couple of minutes of his first class, he was addicted. He went on to graduate with a studio art degree with an emphasis in glass.

Gonzales says he was drawn to the “overall control it takes and the focus and physically demanding” aspects of glassblowing. “It’s all-encompassing.

Some art just uses your brain. This takes every part of your body, mind, spirit and ideas to be successful.”

The pieces he creates take approximately 90 minutes to three hours to physically make. Gonzales then finishes them with multiple processes, such as

20

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

carving, cold processing and sandblasting. Some projects take up to 40 hours. Others he has worked on for several months.

“When you make a good piece of glass, it relates to any of those big moments in sports,” Gonzales says. “Like when you hit a hole-in-one in golf, when you make that piece you’ve been struggling to make and you pull it off, it’s a euphoric high feeling. I get to do that once a week, twice a week. It still teaches me. It still forces me to be better.”

Gonzales’s work ranges from realistic to abstract and is sold in galleries across the country, including Tulsa’s M.A. Doran Gallery.

But his main concentration is Tulsa Glassblowing School, where he’s worked the past five years. He teaches classes of all skill levels and has taught students ranging in age from 6 to 88. Gonzales is also an adjunct professor for Tulsa Community College, where he teaches three glassblowing courses. In addition, he teaches Tulsa Glassblowing School’s veterans’ program, which has four free six-week sessions.

“I love teaching because everything that I enjoyed when I was starting out, I get to see it all over again,” he says. “The same way the cool pieces make me feel, I get to watch the same thing for the students. Watching them find something that motivates them is really rewarding. We do a lot of programs that are one-time things. But in all our classes, I want students to be able to leave here an accomplished glass blower.”

For those who are interested in glassblowing, Gonzales recommends watching YouTube videos about the craft to see what it’s like. Tulsa Glassblowing School offers one-time classes where participants create a flower or paperweight. It also has an adult beginner class and a beginner class affiliated with TCC. CAMILLE TORRES

PHOTOS COURTESY KENNETH GONZALEZ

Kenneth Gonzales shares the love of his art with students at Tulsa Glassblowing School and TCC.

KENNETH GONZALEZ LEARNED GLASSBLOWING IN COLLEGE AND NOW WORKS TO TEACH THE ART TO STUDENTS IN TULSA. PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

21

Fast Dreams Fulfilled

and began competing in the local scene. He made a name for himself, established contacts, gained experience and even Broken Arrow resident Russ Dugger harnesses the won some races, but he also need for speed by racing cars and trucks. ran up credit card debts to keep the truck on the track while not hile many making the living he had hoped. people may “I finally decided to move to Okladrift into homa and give up the ghost,” he says. daydreams His move to the Sooner State, howabout a life ever, breathed fresh life into the old in the fast lane, most will never have dream. With the help of a friend, he the opportunity to ride a rocket like got his old truck running and racked Wile E. Coyote. But every now and up a few more victories. He sent his then, someone will set his sights on resume, DVD and photos to every the Road Runner. racing team in North Carolina, the hub Broken Arrow resident Russ Dugof NASCAR. ger is one of those daydreamers.

“I got one call back to race the Sitting in his insurance office, NASCAR truck series,” he says. “The sporting casual business attire, Dugger sponsor hunt then ensued. This would may not look like someone who drives lead to my first race in 2008.” around a track at speeds approaching Eventually, the hous200 mph in a machine with temperaing market tanked and tures in the driver’s seat reaching 130 people began hanging degrees. One slight mistake can have onto their dollars. catastrophic consequences.

Discouraged, Dugger That image quickly changes when accepted that it was Dugger explains how a young boy’s again time to move on. dream of being a race car driver never After all, less than 1 perabated as he grew into adulthood. cent of people on the planet “I always knew I could race. It was get to race at the NASCAR something that came very natural to level. me,” he says.

“I know I am fortunate,” But ability doesn’t always equal he says. opportunity, and Dugger says it can be Dugger found a different difficult to get into the sport without road because his supporters and a recognizable name or lineage when sponsors wouldn’t let him give generations of drivers come from the up. In 2010, he climbed back into same families. a race car for the Automobile Dugger is not a member of the club, Racing Club of America series and followed other directions in life. and a truck with the CampHe joined the U.S. Air Force and was bell Series. He set the in the service for five years, but the fastest passion to race could no longer be curbed. After he was discharged, he began pursuing his career on the track.

From the beginning, he explains, he had “one goal of deviation.” If someone told him that racing was not for him because of a lack of talent, he would back off.

“No one said that to me,” he says.

Living in San Antonio, Texas, in 2001, he found his first sponsor, acquired his first racing truck

W

22

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

ARCA practice lap at Daytona that year. The momentum continued and in 2012 he got a six-race Campbell sponsorship, but he hasn’t raced trucks since then.

At Talladega in 2015, he led all practice ARCA races, qualified 12th and finished fifth, which was 0.003 seconds behind the winner. This success then led to Kansas, where he finished 11th. In February 2016, he was back in Daytona; an early crash ended that race for him as well as the rest of the season.

But his dreams for speed again lie with hopes of driving the ARCA series at Talladega in May. C.L. HARMON

PHOTO COURTESY RUSS DUGGER

The State

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The State BUSINESS

Drone Vigilance

An OKC company is at the vanguard of keeping unmanned aircraft safely away from other planes.

W

hether a drone is on unmanned pilots air a reconnaissance traffic alerts, mission or conflict delivering an warnings and collision avoidance online order, it is commands,” says Kraettli Epperson, quickly becoming the go-to technology for Vigilant Aerospace CEO. “The system many organizations. The Federal Aviation can also send avoidance commands to Administration forecasts that millions of an autopilot and drones will soon fly in uses the existing air our national airspace.

“We are on the edge traffic control system For drones to safely of a new technical and aviation radio fly alongside manned aircraft and to comply frontier, and the land transponders to detect, with FAA regulations, run has just begun.” track and avoid an aircraft.” they need a system to Drones are in identify and avert other demand thanks to an increasing need to aircraft. Companies like Vigilant Aerospace do certain tasks, like delivering supplies Systems in Oklahoma City develop that to remote locations, at a low cost. In the product. past, drones were more commonly used for “Our system provides the capability military purposes, but regulators have begun [to detect and avoid aircraft] and gives

24

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

to catch up to the technical capabilities and open the door for practical commercial use. The FAA predicts that drone sales will increase from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million by 2020.

“It is a very exciting time to be working in the autonomous systems and remote sensing industry because we are on the edge of a new technical frontier, and the land run has just begun,” Epperson says. “Drone technology is experiencing big improvements on a monthby-month basis, including lighter aircraft, longer ranges, better batteries, motors, cameras, sensors and radios, and especially more capable software.

“We are fortunate that our technology came along at the right time to help solve a big industry problem that nearly every commercial drone operator will have, which is how to safely fly their aircraft beyond visual line of sight, especially when there may be other aircraft somewhere along their path.”

As society becomes further datadriven and the need for autonomous systems rises, drones will become a more critical part of our future by allowing us to use resources more efficiently, better maintain infrastructures, and deliver the right products to the right places at the right times, all with lower costs and

risk to human life. However, using drones will require us to adjust policies and laws to accommodate unmanned vehicles, which take time and thought. But as with any expanding technology, society pioneers forward.

“We are making the same adjustments for self-driving cars, electric vehicles and both industrial and household robots right now,” Epperson says. “New technology always brings change, which can sometimes be difficult or even disquieting. Humans adjust, adapt and thrive when given new technologies.

“Almost nobody wants to exchange their car for a horse and buggy or their plane ride for weeks on a leaky ship. Science and technology improve human life, so long as we are deliberate, careful and principled in their use.”

ALAINA STEVENS

THE DJI PHANTOM 4 COMES EQUIPPED WITH A 14 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA. PHOTO COURTESY DJI

VIGILANT AEROSPACE SYSTEMS IS WORKING TO MAKE DRONES SAFER WHEN FLYING AUTONOMOUSLY. PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS

DRONE AT HOME

Unmanned aircraft may be on the cutting edge of technology, but drones are also accessible to many people who have an interest in flying them.

While you may see drones for sale for as low as $50, you’ll likely spend more than that to get a full range of features that will last for a while. Consider what you want to use your drone for – if you’re hoping for breathtaking aerial footage, expect to spend extra money to get a high-quality camera. The DJI Phantom 4, with a list price of $1,199, comes with a 12 megapixel camera and is capable of shooting video at 4K resolution. If you’re looking to save a few dollars, there are other options available, both from DJI and other companies. The Parrot BEBOP 2, which lists at $549.99, has a 14 megapixel camera and is capable of filming in 1080p.

Once you purchase a drone, beware of safety concerns and regulations. The FAA sets no-fly zones, especially around airports, and ignorance of the no-fly zones won’t save you from potential fines or even jail time. In addition, if you purchase a drone that weighs more than half a pound, you’ll need to register it with the FAA. MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

25

The State

INSIDER

Last Man in the Band

Jim Karstein is the lone survivor of the Leon Russell band that swept LA in 1962 at Pandora’s Box.

O

ne of the nicest things about working with author Steve Todoroff on his upcoming biography of Leon Russell, Longhair Music, is that it has given me the excuse to once again talk for the record with my friend Jim Karstein, who, like Leon, was in that first wave of Tulsa rockers to hit the West Coast around the time the ’60s dawned.

By the middle of 1962, Jim held down a steady job as the drummer in a teen nightclub called Pandora’s Box in Los Angeles, playing alongside two other Tulsa boys, Carl Radle and Leon. A few years later, the place would become notorious as the focal point for what were known as the Sunset Strip Riots (which inspired the Buffalo Springfield song “For What It’s Worth”). During the months the Tulsa trio had its gig there, however, Pandora’s Box shone as LA’s brightest in-spot for hip kids.

“It’s mad! It’s gay! It’s elegant! It’s maybe just a little bit expensive … but it’s THE PLACE for teens in search of a glamorous dining and dancing NIGHT CLUB!” enthused an anonymous writer in the January 1963 issue of Teen Life magazine. “It’s tres chic! It’s called PANDORA and it reeks with atmosphere and excitement. From the moment Pandora opened its doors, it became the most popular nightclub in Hollywood.”

A reader of those words back in landlocked Tulsa – or anywhere else – could be forgiven for envisioning Pandora’s Box as a colossal entertainment palace packed to the rafters nightly with young show-biz types and West Coast swingin’ teens. But while it was often packed, it was anything but colossal.

“In Los Angeles, there’s a street that comes up and intersects Sunset Boulevard,” Karstein says. “It’s called Crescent Heights.

As you approach Sunset, it forms a Y. In this Y was a little esplanade, an island; now, it’s just a curb filled with chat.

“If we got in the car and drove by that island right now, you’d say, ‘It doesn’t look like there’s enough room on that thing for an outhouse, much less a whole club.’ But that’s where Pandora’s was. There was even actually room for a few cars to park around it.

“I guess at capacity they could get maybe 70 people in there. If they really packed

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

’em in, standing room only, they might have gotten 80 or 90. But it was a small place, Lshaped, and the bandstand was just a postage stamp in the corner with an upright piano against the wall.”

Leon Russell was the man who pounded that piano, and, with Karstein on drums and Radle on bass, the trio – which Karstein believes was unnamed – worked unceasingly for several months.

“Maybe we played Monday through Saturday and had Sunday off. I don’t remember exactly. I’m sure we played six nights a week, five hours a night.” He laughs. “We used to really work.”

The gig not only entailed playing sets of their own, but also backing all the vocalists booked at the club, many of whom were well-known recording artists.

THOUGH SMALL, PANDORA’S BOX WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE HOTTEST NIGHTSPOTS IN LA IN THE EARLY ’60S.

PHOTOS COURTESY JIM KARSTEIN AND STEVE TODOROFF

“We’d do a set, and then maybe Bobby Rydell or Jan and Dean or Dick and Dee Dee would come up and do a set with us,” Karstein says. “Then Preston Epps would come up, and I cannot for the life of me remember what his act was besides sitting there and playing bongos. I don’t know if he chanted or sang. I don’t think he had any band behind him.

“After that, we’d do a little bit more, and maybe Bobby Rydell or whoever would come back and do a few more tunes.”

Epps, best known for his 1959 instrumental hit “Bongo Rock,” had been an original owner of the place, along with actor Tom Ewell. By the time the Tulsa trio arrived on its stage, however, Pandora’s had been taken over by yet another Oklahoman, Enid native Jimmy O’Neill. As a disc jockey, O’Neill had come up through Enid’s KGWA and Oklahoma City’s WKY on his way to becoming what Karstein called “the No. 1

The new tack called for the three transplanted Tulsans to be a house band and, while DeShannon was recuperating, play behind a variety of guest artists. It worked. Pandora’s Box attracted big crowds that included, as the fan magazines reported, some of America’s hottest young stars. Photos in those old publications show TV and movie actors like Clint Eastwood, Johnny Crawford, Shelly Fabares, Lori Martin, Paul Petersen, Connie Stevens, Linda Evans and Tommy Kirk, all living it up at Pandora’s.

“The place could’ve been loaded with movie stars; I’m sure there were a lot of them,” Karstein says. “The only one I really remember was Sal Mineo, who was sitting right beside the stage one night, right at the end of Leon’s piano. On the break I went over and introduced myself. He’d played Gene Krupa in the movie [1959’s The Gene Krupa Story], and Gene was my hero drummer.”

With Radle (who died in 1980) and Russell both gone now, Karstein is the only surviving member of that house band, which made so much noise for those few months in the early ’60s. (O’Neill, another eyewitness, died in 2013.)

“Now you look back and think, ‘Wow, I wish I’d paid more attention to what was going on, who was there,’” Karstein says. “But we didn’t think in those terms then. We had a job. We were in Hollywood. Out there, you could make some money and be where the action was.”

Karstein does remember one other act that played the club regularly, whenever his group was off.

“They sounded like the prototype garage band,” he remembers with a chuckle. “The original No. 1 garage band.”

Some time later, after the Pandora’s Box job was over and Karstein had returned to Tulsa for one of his periodic visits, he called Russell, who’d remained on the West Coast.

“I said, ‘Leon, you remember that band that used to come in and play Pandora’s on the weekends? They were awful. And now they’ve had three hit records!” “‘I know,’ he said, ‘but that piano player’s a genius.’”

The pianist was Brian Wilson. And the garage band was the Beach Boys.

DISPLAY IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA OR IN YOUR STOREFRONT WINDOW

That’s when rock ’n’ roll was going off like a hydrogen bomb, and the Sunset Strip was coming alive.

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DJ on the No. 1 radio station in Los Angeles, KRLA.” (O’Neill would later become nationally famous as the host of the ABC-TV rock ’n’ roll series Shindig, which featured Tulsan Chuck Blackwell as drummer in its house band, the Shindogs.) And while at least one fan magazine of the time refers to O’Neill as the owner of Pandora’s Box, Karstein believes KRLA may have leased the club as “a big promo deal,” with O’Neill ballyhooing the place on his daily show.

“That’s when rock ’n’ roll was going off like a hydrogen bomb,” he says, “and the Sunset Strip was coming alive.”

Karstein, Russell and Radle had something to do with all of that, as did O’Neill and another music figure, singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon, whose long recording career was just getting started.

“Leon was dating Jackie, and Jackie’s closest girlfriend was [songwriter] Sharon Sheeley, who was married to Jimmy O’Neill,” Karstein says. “So the powers-that-be got their heads together and said, ‘Let’s get that Pandora’s Box and turn it into a showcase for Jackie DeShannon.’ Everybody just thought that was a grand idea, and since Jackie was going with Leon, who better to put the band together, right? So Leon gets Carl and me and they’ve got this whole deal planned out – except that Jackie forgot to tell anyone she was having some surgery.

That monkey-wrenches the whole deal, so they go to plan B.”

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Life & Style

A M A P TO L I V I N G W E L L A SLEEK, CONTEMPORARY TABLE IS ACCENTED WITH A COLORFUL PAINTING BY OKLAHOMA ARTIST MATT GOAD. THE PAINTING IS ONE OF SEVERAL WORKS BY TULSA ARTISTS ENRICHING THE FIRM’S EYE-CATCHING DECOR.

Nuts and Bolts Overhaul TPC Studios refurbishes the old Swinney Hardware space with a vibrant, contemporary look.

By M. J. Van Deventer • Photos by Nathan Harmon

A

n aging hardware company in Tulsa’s historic Kendall-Whittier district has been revitalized into an upscale, trendy office for TPC Studios, a cuttingedge branding and event planning organization known for its originality and creativity.

Clients of TPC find their new meeting space a vibrant, colorful,

contemporary setting, anchored at First Street and South Lewis Avenue in the original Swinney Hardware Company.

TPC Studios, organized in 2012 as Talmadge Powell Creative, has planned spectacular events in Tulsa since 2000. In 2012, TPC expanded into a full-service branding agency, originally based in an old automotive repair shop at 11th Street and Cheyenne Avenue. The firm not

only outgrew that location, but it surpassed the original business plan.

So Talmadge Powell and partners Todd Pyland and Pat Chernicky went shopping for a new corporate address. They previewed properties for a year. Swinney Hardware, which dates to the 1900s, kept calling them back.

Their first visit to the store was intimidating.

“It was raining. There was MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

29

Life & Style

LEFT: A CRISP, STREAMLINED, MODERN LOOK GREETS CLIENTS AT TPC STUDIOS. DIFFERENT SHADES OF WARM RED ARE AMONG HIGHLIGHTS IN THE COLOR PALETTE. BOTTOM: A LONDON-STYLE BRITISH RED PHONE BOOTH IS A CLEVER CONVERSATION PIECE IN THE TPC RECEPTION AREA. “IT WAS A PROP FROM A FUND-RAISING EVENT WE PLANNED AND WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT A HOME IN THIS AREA,” TODD REMARKED.

a river of water inside the abandoned, 13,000-square-foot building that was in total disrepair,” Pyland says.

Prospects for any architectural or design revival seemed bleak, yet the partners could see sunshine and promise beyond the rain.

Plus, they loved the old windows and high ceilings in the derelict building.

Working with Tulsa’s Selser Schaefer Architects, Pyland, TPC’s principal and creative director, says, “We gave them a tall order. We wanted multiple conference rooms, a props area, kitchen, photography studio, floral rental warehouse and an efficient loading dock for the varied merchandise arriving daily for special events the firm plans.”

Pyland says Selser Schaefer was “so thoughtful” in considering the needs of a business based on branding development and fund-raising events for Tulsa’s nonprofit and corporate communities. The architectural firm also studied the Beryl Ford Archives at the Tulsa City-County Library to research the hardware store’s architectural history.

The building’s historic position in Tulsa was a plus, enabling TPC to utilize tax credits available for historic properties from Oklahoma’s Urban Renewal and historical societies.

Perhaps the biggest challenge that Powell and Pyland gave to Selser Schaefer was, “everything has to blend together.” And it does.

Shannon West, Selser Schaefer’s project manager, says the firm used a planar style of architecture rather than the typical enclosed box-like spaces in homes and some offices.

“Two major white walls define the open space of the office and gallery,” West says.

“Other walls use accents of red, green and yellow, defining the separation between offices and other spaces. The offices still have a sense of privacy but have a visual connection with other spaces. Those vibrant pops of color add architectural interest.

“This is a very mid-century modernist way of composing an interior space. I’m influenced by that era of architecture. It’s an aesthetic that has a clean, interesting impact. We

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

CLOCKWISE: A SMALL TABLE FOR THREE IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION WITH CLIENTS. BOOKSHELVES IN THE RECEPTION AREA REFLECT THE PRIMARY COLOR THEME OF YELLOW, GREEN AND RED, CONTRASTING WITH WHITE, BLACK AND RED. TODD PYLAND, A PRINCIPAL AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT TPC STUDIOS, PAT CHERNICKY, MANAGING PARTNER AND TALMADGE POWELL, PRINCIPAL OWNER, STAND IN THE LOBBY OF THEIR REVITALIZED BUILDING.

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

31

Life & Style

tried to capture the character and personality of TPC. It’s an architectural representation of the elegance and sense of whimsy found in the products and events they create.”

Pyland calls it a “trendy, colorful upscale space that shines a light on our business.”

Among notable clients are the Tulsa Botanic Garden, St. John Health System, Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, Patriot Bank, Tulsa Ballet and the Tulsa Club building, scheduled to reopen in 2018.

Creating an inspirational environment is important to the TPC principals. The firm produced the recent grand re-opening of the overhauled downtown Tulsa library, along with planning a scavenger hunt at the Post Oak Lodge in the Osage Hills for the Boy Scouts of America in April and creating a new BSA branding concept.

Among notable events they have planned are the “Memory Gala,” voted one of the top three fundraisers in the nation for Alzheimer’s disease by the Alzheimer’s Association; “Carnivale,” Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s annual fundraiser; and, an Oklahoma Magazine favorite, “Tulsa Cares Red Ribbon Gala” for AIDS awareness and research.

By the way, if you need a life-size faux elephant for a spectacular fundraising event, TPC Studios has one just waiting for you in its well-filled stock room.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

TOP: THE LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE SEATS 25 COMFORTABLY AND IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT TO THE COMMUNITY. ITS VIVID RED TOP INVITES STIMULATING CONVERSATION AS CLIENTS SHARE THEIR IDEAS. RIGHT: EVEN THE GUEST BATHROOM CARRIES OUT THE COLOR SCHEME WITH A BRIGHT RED COUNTERTOP AND LED LIGHTING FOR THE LAVATORIES. BOTTOM: THE WINDOWS AT SWINNEY HARDWARE HAD BECOME A MIXTURE OF VARIOUS PANES, SAYS SHANNON WEST, ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT DESIGNER. SELSER SCHAEFER RESTORED THE BRICK EXTERIOR AND REPLACED ALL THE WINDOWS WITH HISTORICALLY SENSITIVE ALUMINUM STOREFRONT GLAZING.

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Life & Style

LITTLE SAHARA STATE PARK OFFERS 1,650 ACRES OF SAND DUNES.

PHOTO COURTESY OKLAHOMA TOURISM AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

FUN FACTS

927 P O P U L AT I O N

HOME OF THE

WAYNOKA AIR RAIL MUSEUM,

which is in the old HARVEY HOUSE HOTEL, built in 1910 with the Santa Fe Depot.

CIT Y LIFE

Sand and Schnitzel

Tiny Waynoka offers geological and gastronomical anomalies.

Y

ou don’t need an ocean beach for your dune buggy, and you don’t need a metropolis to satisfy a hankering for a five-star schnitzel.

Just head to Waynoka.

Northwest Oklahoma may be typical flyover country today, but early coast-tocoast, rail-and-air service had layovers in this Woods County town as part of the Transcontinental Air Transport, begun in 1928 and offering 48-hour service between New York and Los Angeles.

Flights landed in Waynoka (70 miles west of Enid), where passengers boarded trains to continue their journeys in either direction. As more airlines provided east-west service, the TAT merged with Western Air Express with stops in Tulsa, ending Waynoka’s 21 months of aviation fame.

But Waynoka remains an extraordinary stop. Little Sahara State Park offers 1,650 acres of sand dunes 25-75 feet high. Most riders bring their all-terrain vehicles, but some can be rented in town, which connects to the park via a milelong trail. The cost is $10 per driver to enter the dunes, which draw 210,000 visitors annually, depending upon the weather and economy.

“This is an expensive hobby,” interim park manager Greg Grimsley says. “That’s why attendance can fluctuate so much. The spring and fall are our busy seasons because of the nice weather. But even in winter, we can have

34

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

100 riders out here on a weekend.”

The dunes, a quirk of nature, formed when the ancient Permian Sea gathered sand on its shores. When this inland sea drained from continental uplift, sand remained. Prevailing winds and the Cimarron River kept the dunes in the area, although native people call them Walking Hills because they can form and reform within a few days.

The dunes led to another anomaly when Dieter Dorner, a native of Nuremberg, Germany, arrived 18 years ago. Dorner immigrated in 1998 to start a destination restaurant.

Knowing of all visitors to the park, he opened the acclaimed Cafe Bahnhof, whose most popular dish is Rahm schnitzel with onionmushroom cream sauce.

Dorner picked the cafe’s name (German for train station) because “we couldn’t find a better one. We knew a lot of folks may have been in Germany in the armed forces and might know what the word means. Plus, we’re only a block away from the old train station.”

The cafe is modeled after small, rural eateries throughout Germany, many of which “are old and the furniture is dark, so we wanted to show that,” Dorner says. “We picked many earth tones to reflect the area: reds like the Oklahoma soil and different yellows.”

Cafe Bahnhof, with 42 seats, is open Wednesday through Saturday; reservations are recommended.

BRIAN WILSON

Famed aviators

AMELIA EARHART

CHARLES LINDBERGH

and

visited in their roles with the

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SOURCE: OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

4

LITTLE SAHARA STATE PARK is miles south of the city. The park offers over

1,650 ACRES RIDEABLE SAND DUNES

of

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35

Life & Style

H E A LT H

Workstation Woes Sitting too much can damage your health.

T

ied to a desk all day? Then you’re one of the millions of Americans who are – and it’s not necessarily a good thing.

“Studies have shown that prolonged sitting time increases mortality, as well as our risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers,” says Dr. Rebecca Thrun, an internal medicine physician with St. John Clinic in Tulsa.

“Short term, the inactivity can lead to physical deconditioning and weight gain, as well as aches and pains related to poor posture.”

These are serious consequences for days spent in a cubicle. To help combat these negative health effects, individuals and organizations are trading in traditional desks for standing desks – a growing trend with a growing market of products.

Melanie Trask is a registered nurse and clinical lead for the Centralized Telemetry Monitoring Unit at St. John Medical Center.

The telemetry monitoring area is a centralized location within the hospital which closely monitors patients’ heart rhythms.

“St. John installed standing desks in the central telemetry department for the monitor technicians to provide a healthy work environment,” Trask says. “Monitor technicians at traditional desks spend most of a 12-hour shift in a seated position. This is not only tiring, but also causes back, neck, wrist and leg pain.

The standing desk allows alternation between standing and sitting as well as customized table height for each individual. When I have the opportunity to act as a monitor technician, I try to alternate standing and sitting every hour or so.”

She adds that she may stand between three to five hours during a shift and that she especially enjoys being able to place the monitor at eye level to prevent neck strain.

“My favorite thing to do with the standing table is to adjust the table to elbow height, lean lightly on it and watch the monitor screens,” says Trask. “The only negative is you will love the standing table and will want to take it home.

I know I do.”

Thrun comments that while standing desks

36

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

take away prolonged sitting time and potentially the related detrimental side effects, studies aren’t currently available to help identify the ideal balance between sitting and standing – but decreasing sitting time in general is a good

place to start.

If a vertical workstation isn’t for you, Thrun offers the following advice.

“Taking intermittent breaks to walk or stretch would be a great way to break up sitting time,” she says. “If it is difficult to get away from the desk, arm and leg stretches or exercises can be done in the chair. You could exchange a desk chair with an exercise ball to improve core strength and posture, keep small dumbbells nearby for arm exercises or try a pedal exerciser.”

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37

Life & Style

HOBBIES

Fly-In Fanatics

With 32 clubs in a nationwide organization, Oklahomans know all about model aviation.

F

or some, it’s the accomplishment of seeing a project to completion. For others, it’s the thrill of defying gravity. For everyone, it’s the camaraderie, support and joking at get-togethers.

Oklahomans in the Academy of Model Aeronautics have just as many reasons for attending fly-ins in state and around the country as they do ways of life. Teachers, clergy, mechanics, owners of hightech companies, unemployed folk, youngsters aspiring to become pilots – all who build and/or fly model airplanes enjoy the friendships found in the 2,400 clubs nationwide.

“I’m mechanical-minded, and I like to build stuff,” says Jack Rogers, safety coordinator for the 130-member Tulsa Glue Dobbers, one of 32 AMA clubs in Oklahoma.

“You get that satisfaction of turning a box of wood into something that comes to life and flies.”

Rogers especially enjoys the road trips to out-of-state clubs, where “you see the beautiful craftsmanship of other guys’ planes.”

The Dobbers, created in 1947, is the oldest continuously chartered club in the AMA, which has 195,000 members. One of the newest clubs is the Oklahoma City R/C Flyers (R/C stands for radiocontrolled). Chartered in 2014, the Flyers formed when 30 hobbyists wanted a place to fly in northern

Oklahoma City.

Flyers president Mike Hill, like many, fell in love with model airplanes at an early age.

“I was 13 and living outside Houston,” he says. “We would go watch fly-ins at the Rosenberg [Texas] club. All these NASA engineers would build some of the weirdest planes you’d ever seen just to see if they could fly. I got hooked.”

Hill takes a lot of pride in building his own planes.

“I like to design my own,” he says. “When it works, I don’t think there’s a better feeling than seeing it fly.”

Mike Pennell, the Dobbers’ president, was 12 when he began building and flying models.

“Once you get this in your blood, it doesn’t go away,” says Pennell, who commanded remotely piloted vehicles for three branches of the military through the 1970s.

A trait common to flyers is their wicked sense of humor. Hill has been a member of a lot of clubs “and they all joke with each other.

And it doesn’t help if you do something stupid or run into a one-ina-million chance of disaster. It is funny. The other guys laugh with you, then help pick up the pieces.”

Rogers concurs.

“There’s a lot of ribbing that goes

PHOTO COURTESY MIKE PENNELL

38

Chartered clubs in the Academy of Model Aeronautics commonly educate children and have done so since the association’s founding in 1936. The AMA has a full-blown education department at its headquarters in Muncie, Indiana.

Jack Rogers of the Tulsa Glue Dobbers says many Oklahoma members go into schools to promote model aviation and the

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

BRIAN WILSON

on, especially with guys who bounce a landing 4-5 times,” he says. “We all give each other a hard time.”

One of the Dobbers’ primary givers and takers of grief is Doug Bromley.

“I never fly alone. There’s no point to it,” he says. “I really enjoy the time outdoors with my buddies. If I grease a landing, I stand tall. If

AVIATION OUTREACH RETIRED TEACHER AND COACH DOUG BROMLEY OF THE TULSA GLUE DOBBERS READIES HIS PLANE, THE SOPWITH CAMEL.

I bounce it three times, [Pennell] is sure to razz me.”

Pennell stresses that not all pilots build their own craft and they are just as welcome to meetings and flyins as anyone else. Because of time constraints from running NewNet66 computer systems, Pennell flies models from kits.

“You’d be amazed at what you have ready-to-fly out of the box,” he says. “I’m stunned by the advances in technology and the reliability of the radio signal.”

Flying models can lead to unexpected pleasures. The Flyers’ Charles Trice, a Department of Defense sustainment engineer at Tinker Air Force Base, found a part-time job flying the Chesapeake Energy blimp at Thunder basketball games.

Hill says his favorite times have come at the Elk City fly-ins, where he pilots his from-scratch B-52 replica with an 86-inch wingspan. He “bombs” kids with loads of candy “and there’s nothing like seeing them run to get it. They even remember the plane and want to know if it will be back next year.”

benefits of science, technology, engineering and math – all integral to flying. For instance, Dobbers member Dennis Mitchell runs Light Speed Air Show, which reaches more than 150 Oklahoma schools and 75,000 children. The goal is to get younger generations to fall in love with aviation.

“Many pilots got interested in flying because of model airplanes,” Rogers says. “We want that to continue.”

“I used to build furniture and loved seeing the beauty of a finely sanded and finished piece.

But you can’t fly a dining room table.”

- Doug Bromley

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

39

Life & Style

D E S T I N AT I O N S

No Reason to Dodge Brooklyn

Visitors lodge across the East River from Manhattan to find a mix of the past, present and future.

M

ore visitors to the Big Apple are basing themselves in Brooklyn and

BELOW: GRIMALDI’S SERVES SOME OF THE BEST PIZZA IN BROOKLYN, BUT ONLY FULL PIES ARE SERVED. © NYC & COMPANY/JOE BUGLEWICZ

40

for good reason.

Brooklyn today would be America’s fourth most populous city had it not merged in 1898 with New York City. Its 2.6 million residents are a microcosm of the world with ethnic enclaves – from Ukrainians in Brighton Beach to Latinos in Bushwick. We’ll focus on a trio of neighborhoods in the shadows of

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Manhattan that highlight Brooklyn’s industrial past, revitalized present and trend-setting future.

Brooklyn Heights

America’s first suburb has the largest concentration of pre-Civil War homes in the nation. Tree-lined streets look much like they did in the mid-1800s, making it easy to see why this was designated the city’s first historic district and named one of America’s most beautiful neighborhoods. It’s so perfect that Sesame Street is based on it.

The commercial corridor of Montague Street leads to the tranquil Brooklyn Heights Promenade for cinematic Manhattan skyline views.

Stroll toward the Brooklyn Bridge, under which thrives the pizza institution Grimaldi’s. Arrive hungry – only full pies are served.

For that special romantic meal, River Cafe Restaurant is tucked next to the bridge on a barge in the East River against a background of glittering skyscrapers.

Also along the water, Brooklyn Bridge Park connects sports fields

and landscaped green space on the site of old shipping piers. Even Brooklyn-shy Manhattanites cross the river to recreate here.

DUMBO

Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, this neighborhood just north of Brooklyn Heights once hummed with factories making shoes, paint, machine parts, steel wool, coffee and sugar.

Post-industrial DUMBO is full of cobblestone charm. From Wash-

ington Street, take DUMBO’s signature photo of warehouses framing the Manhattan Bridge.

From a certain angle, the Empire State Building fits in between the bridge’s “legs.”

Warehouses are now pricey loft apartments with boutiques and bistros occupying ground-floor loading docks. Despite gentrification, an artistic vibe remains. See what’s playing at avant-garde theater St. Ann’s Warehouse inside a repurposed brick tobacco warehouse.

Local fave OddFellows Ice Cream scoops homemade exotic flavors near the old Domino refinery, which is being converted into – what else? – apartments. Sugar was one of Brooklyn’s biggest industries, so consider this an educational stop.

End your BK extravaganza with a late-night flick at Nitehawk Cinema and order dinner and boozy drinks to your seat.

Manhattan, should you need it, is easily accessible by subway, Citi Bike or scenic walk over the Brooklyn, Manhattan or Williamsburg bridges.

JEFFREY TANENHAUS

Williamsburg

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK OFFERS GLIMPSES OF THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE. © NYC & COMPANY/JULIENNE SCHAER

WILLIAMSBURG HAS A REPUTATION AS THE HIPPEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN BROOKLYN. © NYC & COMPANY/JEN DAVIS

THE BROOKLYN PROMENADE IN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS IS A POPULAR PLACE FOR ENJOYING NICE WEATHER. © NYC & COMPANY/MYRNA SUAREZ

THE WILLAMSBURG BRIDGE CONNECTS BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN.

© NYC & COMPANY/JULIENNE SCHAER

Meet Billyburg, Brooklyn’s hippest neighborhood. You can’t go wrong wandering Bedford Avenue, whose vibrancy feels more European than American. Soak up a French bistro atmosphere on the roof deck of Juliette Restaurant or eat and drink Italian style at Diviera Drive’s spacious tables.

Wythe Hotel is a trendy place to stay or play; the rooftop bar is for scenesters. Keep it casual across the street by throwing strikes at Brooklyn Bowl or downing pints at Brooklyn Brewery.

A towering new hotel, The William Vale, looks more Miami than Brooklyn and boasts the city’s longest hotel pool. A few blocks away, Hotel Delmano isn’t a hotel, but a throwback to Old New York with killer cocktails from the speakeasy days.

Steak aficionados need look no further than Peter Luger, established in 1887 and arguably still the city’s best. You’re here for the porterhouse and remember to bring plenty of cash or debit cards.

Every Saturday (April through November), the East River State Park hosts an eating frenzy called Smorgasburg. Indulge in artisanal sandwiches, ethnic noodles, homemade pretzels, jerky, ice pops and experimental creations that could be the next food craze.

Just a block away, also on weekends, browse 100 sellers of art, fashion and vintage items at the Artists and Fleas market.

Hipster Brooklyn is a real trend, and Diner is a shining example. Don’t ask to see a menu; there isn’t one. Your server scribbles the day’s dishes on the table inside an old railroad dining car.

FROM TOP: BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK PIER 6 HOLDS MANY ACTIVITIES FOR NEW YORK RESIDENTS. © NYC & COMPANY/JULIENNE SCHAER

DUMBO HOLDS ITS OWN COBBLESTONE CHARM APART FROM THE SKYLINE VISIBLE ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER. © NYC & COMPANY/JULIENNE SCHAER

GRIMALDI’S IS LOCATED UNDER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. © NYC & COMPANY/JOE BUGLEWICZ

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK CONNECTS SPORTS FIELDS AND LANDSCAPED GREEN SPACE ON THE SITE OF OLD SHIPPING PIERS. © NYC & COMPANY/JULIENNE SCHAER

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

41

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CAROLINA HERRERA

REEM ACRA

REEM ACRA

Life & Style

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KAREN KANE FLORAL PRINT DRESS, $129, DONNA’S FASHION

“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” Miranda Preistly, The Devil Wears Prada.

It’s an obvious choice, but c’mon. Florals will never go out of style.

REBECCA TAYLOR FLORAL BLOUSE, $275, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

42

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

TORY BURCH ELLIS EMBROIDERED LEATHER MULES, $395, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

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STUART WEITZMAN NOODLES EMBELLISHED SUEDE SANDALS, $398, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

TORY BURCH BLOSSOM LEATHER BLOCKHEEL SLINGBACK SANDALS, $350, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

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JOIE SHEER FLORAL BLOUSE, $228, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

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Go Graphic Stripes and colorblocking are everywhere this spring – bold and beautiful.

TOMMY BAHAMA STRIPED SWEATER, $138, DONNA’S FASHION

THEORY LEMDRELLA PROSECCO STRIPED SHIFT DRESS, $395; DIOR MIRRORED LENSES, $585; VINCE ACKER SUEDE ESPADRILLE SKATE SNEAKERS, $225, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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43

On trend: the mini-bag. It’s just big enough to hold everything you need, and packs a small but fierce punch.

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN

ST YLE

Compact Couture

Life & Style

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: FURLA RUBY MINI-BAG, $208; COACH RED CROSS-BODY MINI-BAG, $175; FURLA HOT PINK MINI-BAG, $328; REBECCA MINKOFF POM-POM SILVER MINI-BAG, $195; FURLA CAMO-PRINT MINI-BAG, $378; REBECCA MINKOFF LEATHER SADDLE BAG, $295; LOEFFLER RANDALL HOT PINK SUEDE CROSS-BODY, $350; FURLA GLITTER LEATHER MINI-BAG, $328; LOEFFLER RANDALL NAVY FLORAL EMBROIDERED MINI-BAG, $350, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE.

44

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Door Unlock

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

And your poor back.

Life & Style

SCENE

DON & SUSIE WELLENDORF; ICONS AND IDOLS, TULSA BALLET, TULSA

DANIELA BUSON, MARCELLO ANGELINI; ICONS AND IDOLS, TULSA BALLET, TULSA

JOHN & CHARLOTTE RICHELS, POLLY & LARRY NICHOLS; SNOWFLAKE GALA, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA, OKC

JOHN & ROCHELLE DOWDELL, LUIS ALBERTO URREA, JILL AND BOB THOMAS; LUIS ALBERTO URREA EVENT, TULSA TOWN HALL, TULSA

KAREN KANTOR, DEBORAH FRITTS, LORI MCGINNISMADLAND, KATIE MABREY; STREET PARTY 2017 PREPARATIONS, STREET SCHOOL, TULSA ANA HELMERICH, ANDREA GARNER, LEANNE HELMERICH; TABLESCAPES GALA, TULSA GIRLS’ ART SCHOOL, TULSA

TIM SCOTT, CINDY BATT, G. CALVIN SHARPE; BOOTS AND BALL GOWNS GALA, INFANT CRISIS SERVICES, OKC

JIM & LINDA PACULA; BIGBASH GALA, GATESWAY FOUNDATION, TULSA CHRISTIAN KEESEE, AUBREY & ANTHONY MCDERMID; ARTNOW EVENT, OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY, OKC

ANN-CLORE & WALT DUNCAN, CAMILLA & DAVID OSTROWE; CAMPAIGN KICKOFF, ALLIED ARTS, OKC

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

DAVE & GINGER KOLLMANN, JAMIE & KRISTIN MCCOY; TOYLAND BALL, PARENT CHILD CENTER OF TULSA, TULSA

MOLLY ROSS, SEAN OLMSTEAD; RED TIE NIGHT GALA PREPARATIONS, OKLAHOMA AIDS CARE FUND, OKC

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2/13/17 2:29 PM

Tastes of the

Homeland Oklahomans with unique ethnic backgrounds share their

stories with food.

By Brian Wilson

“It’s in my blood.

I want to make the best cookie I can.”

Rick Sattre Norway

Owner of Autobahn Foreign Car Repair in Oklahoma City, Rick Sattre is the proud great-great grandson of a Voss, Norway, native. He supervises many activities for the 61-year-old Scandinavian Club of Oklahoma, which meets the fourth Tuesday of each month. At many of these gatherings, Sattre prepares rosettes, flash-baked on a miniature branding iron and cooked in light oil.

“Whenever you make stuff, it’s impressive of your heritage,” he says. “It’s in my blood. I want to make the best cookie I can. I want people to like them.” Sattre’s rosettes are so popular that his mail carrier looks forward to a container of them every Christmas. He says freezing fresh rosettes retains their taste for up to a year.

RECIPE ONLINE @ OKmag.com

48

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

In every land, every heritage, every kitchen, food unites people. Science has shown that the breaking of bread isn’t just a figure of speech … that physiological changes in blood pressure, heart rate and brain chemistry occur when people share meals, regardless of relationship. On social levels, barriers fall and bonds strengthen.

Food and the preparation of it are important for people to share their cultures and to learn about others. For many, however, the limit of understanding occurs by eating at the typical “foreign food” – Chinese, French, German, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Vietnamese – restaurants.

Besides these places, it may be difficult to find someone who brings an alternative taste of the homeland into a private kitchen.

We found some of those cooks, who discuss why preparing food has personal, ethnic and generational importance to them.

Saima Abbasi Pakistan

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

“Food is a universal language that brings cultures together.”

Saima Abbasi and her family travel a lot, which means eating out often. That’s why they relish her cooking when they return.

“We really appreciate what we fix at home,” says Abbasi, a native of Karachi, Pakistan. “It’s comfort food because it’s what I grew up with. It has all the right combination of spices that we want and can’t get when we go out. I don’t have to think about it.

“For instance, you really can’t find a dish with goat at a restaurant here in Tulsa, but I can buy some at the store and bring it home and fix it.”

Abbasi, a homemaker, earned a master’s degree in economics before immigrating in 2000 and is working on a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Her favorite meals to prepare are curries, which are not, as some may think, dishes that have several teaspoons of store-bought curry powder thrown in for taste. Instead, they are special blend of flavors unique to her kitchen.

“Every Pakistani household has a different combination of ingredients in curry dishes,” she says. “Pakistani food, like our culture, is colorful, and I take a lot of pride in what I cook.

“Food is a universal language that brings cultures together. We love sharing food with people; it helps us make friends, and find love and hospitality.”

Top on her list of curries is karhai gosht (meat cooked in a wok-like pot) “because that’s my husband’s favorite. He doesn’t really like the soupy curries.

It’s thick and colorful.”

RECIPE ONLINE @ OKmag.com

MARCH 2017| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Patrick Nwakoby Nigeria

In rearing their U.S.-born children, Patrick Nwakoby and his wife have taught them how to cook the Nigerian way. Their oldest, 19-year-old Ekene, even calls home from the University of Oklahoma with cravings for their dishes. “It’s really important to pass these cooking traditions to our three children,” he says. “It helps me stay rooted and it allows our children to understand their heritage.” Nwakoby, from the eastern city of Enugu, immigrated in 1983 to attend the University of Tulsa, where he earned a degree in petroleum engineering. Nwakoby says rice is a Nigerian staple used in meals 3-4 times a week and jollof rice “is easy to make. I grew up with it.” As for the children becoming as adept at cooking as their parents, “they’re coming along,” says Nwakoby, adding, “Cooking at home allows me to share my culture.

I have friends who aren’t Nigerian who love to come over and have this food.”

RECIPE ONLINE @ OKmag.com

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

“It’s really important to pass these cooking traditions to our three children.”

“I cook for convenience many times, and I go with recipes of the Hungarian country folk when I’m in a rush.”

Rege Stewart Hungary

In many ways, Rege Stewart has gone nonstop since 1956, when she, her mother and her brother escaped raging battles during the Hungarian rebellion against Soviet occupation and wound up in Gowanda, outside Buffalo, New York. A retired psychiatrist who teaches classes on anxiety disorders at Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and is a docent at Philbrook Art Museum, Stewart has a hectic schedule, so turos csusza (cottage cheese noodles) is a quick, go-to dish. “I cook for convenience many times, and I go with recipes of the Hungarian country folk when I’m in a rush,” she says. “The traditional style of this has bacon, but my husband doesn’t eat bacon, so he puts maple syrup on it. It turns it from a savory dish to a sweet one. Hungarians like the bacon.”

PHOTOS BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

RECIPE ONLINE @ OKmag.com

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Marti Rickman Colombia

Whenever hairstylist and dance instructor Marti Rickman wants a taste of home, she prepares sancocho, a hot soup, regardless of the temperature outside. “It was what my mother used to make,” says Rickman, who owns Clips ’n’ Hips in Warr Acres, an Oklahoma City suburb.

“It reminds me of my childhood.” Rickman says sancocho is often cooked in a big pot at special gatherings such as birthdays, sometimes over an open fire. Rickman immigrated to the United States in 1985 from Calmira, which is outside Cali. She has lived in Oklahoma City since coming to America. When she teaches dance classes, while not cutting hair, food from Colombia and her clients’ homelands are often shared and eaten at the studio.

“[Sancocho] was what my mother used to make.

It reminds me of my childhood.”

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

RECIPE ONLINE @ OKmag.com

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Spice I t Up

Looking to get creative in the kitchen? Here are some of the spices and ingredients the cooks use in their recipes and more information about them.

Ginger

Ginger is mainly used in sweet delights such as ginger ale or gingerbread in Western cultures, but many others add its hot, fragrant taste to meat, fish, soups and curries.

Saffron Coriander

The leaves are known as cilantro, but coriander seed, whole or ground, produces different tastes to different people. At its best, coriander has a refreshing, citrus-like flavor. Others, however, have described the taste as “soapy.”

Azafran, or saffron, has a complex flavor that many people may describe in various ways, although many say it’s slightly bitter and semisweet. It also gives food a distinct yellow-orange coloring.

Cumin

Cumin may be most familiar as an essential spice in South Asian and Latin American cuisines, but it can also be found in some cheeses and traditional French breads. Cumin has a bitter taste when eaten raw but, when cooked, lends a warm and earthy taste to food.

Turmeric

A staple in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, turmeric is commonly used with savory food. In South Africa, turmeric is used to give a golden color to white rice.

Goat

While not a common meat in the United States, goat is used heavily in Africa, Asia, South America and Central America. Savory and less sweet than beef, goat has become more available – check with your local butcher.

Plaintains

Belonging to the banana family, plantains are starchy and low in sugar, and require cooking before eating. Plantains are popular in western African and Caribbean countries.

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13 E. Fourth St., Edmond MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Backyard Living

By M. J. Van Deventer

Make the most of your outdoor space this spring and summer.

As the weather turns warm, be sure to get the most out of the OUTDOOR SPACE around

your home. Whether you’re into GARDENING,

LIGHTING, LANDSCAPING OR COOKING,

we talk to the true outdoor experts about ways to PERSONALIZE YOUR BACKYARD.

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KELLY CAVINESS OF CAVINESS LANDSCAPE DESIGN SAYS WATERFALLS ARE BOTH ATTRACTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC. PHOTO BY KO RINEARSON

DIVE IN

Nothing adds to the luxurious allure of an outdoor living experience like a swimming pool.

Whether set in the midst of an upscale resort hotel or accenting the grounds of a sprawling country estate, a swimming pool signals a grand way to enjoy summer.

Kelly Caviness of Edmond has been designing custom pools for Oklahomans for 34 years. He has encountered every type of terrain the state offers. And some of his clients’ requests have stretched his imagination – and probably his sense of humor – for innovative pool design.

Caviness has loved every minute of his pool building career. “I’ve built a lot of fun pools and it’s been a blast to do it,” he says.

The options for pool design are endless.

“Everybody has their own idea about what they want in a pool,” he says.

Some like a clean, streamlined look. Others want an interactive pool with tunnels and grottoes that give it a more natural look. He has had clients who want him to design a pool that has places where people can jump

in the pool and make a big splash. Others want elevated platforms for showing off their diving prowess.

In recent years, some clients have requested boulders as an eye-catching feature for their pools. Others like their pools to be accented by nearby fire pits or fire bowls, which he sees as an emerging trend for pool designers.

Waterfalls have also become a pleasing accessory in pool design. Caviness has created a variety of waterfall styles from simple to elaborate. He finds them not only attractive and eye-catching but extremely therapeutic.

“The sound of water, in whatever form, is medicinal,” he says. “It’s bound to lower your heart rate.”

Along the way, Caviness has gleaned a variety of tips to help owners maintain their pool’s safety and cleanliness, whether they have saltwater or freshwater content in their pools. Maintenance is a must if a pool is to be part of a home’s landscape design.

A saltwater pool utilizes a salt generator that sanitizes the pool and is corrosive outside the pool, but he cautions that “if the water

temperature goes below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it is necessary to supplement the pool with chlorine. Salt generators last about three years, and a lot of pool owners don’t know those generators need to be replaced.

“My biggest concern about saltwater pools versus freshwater pools is if someone does a big cannonball splash in a swimming pool, all the water evaporates but leaves the salt on the stone or concrete coping and patio. It can tear everything up on the outside of the pool.”

Caviness suggests using a sealer on the patios and deck surfaces once a month when the pool is in use.

For a fresh water pool, he says, chlorine is still a good cleaner, unless a person is allergic to it. There are multiple sanitizers on the market that use a lower level of chlorine and might be supplemented by a mineral pack to help sanitize the pool.

As part of a maintenance regimen, Caviness reminds that “pools also have to be tested frequently for pH, hardness and total alkalinity and to make sure their pool filters, skimmers and pump baskets are clean so the water flows easily though all parts of the system.”

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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PHOTO COURTESY LUNASCAPES LLC

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OKLAHOMA MA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

PHOTO COURTESY RICHARD NEEL INTERIORS

PHOTO COURTESY KICHLER

When it comes to illuminating the outside of your home, a porch light just isn’t enough anymore. Luckily, landscape lighting in Oklahoma offers plenty of additions to the regular outdoor lighting of the past.

Along with strategic area lighting, grazing – a type of illumination that accents the texture of the building – has grown popular in recent years, along with moon lighting – soft, natural, over-head lighting, often in trees. Shadowing and silhouetting also offer captivating views of the home, along with sleek and simple pathway lights. Also a plus: it’s very possible to keep your yard almost completely undamaged during installation, as low voltage lighting wires are buried far more shallowly than other forms.

With all these services, it’s rare if any two houses will be lit the same; lighting treatments depend on several factors.

“It really comes down to the architectural style and features of the home,” says Bob Ramsey, owner of LunaScapes, a custom landscape lighting company in Tulsa. “When I get to a job, the first thing I do is look for a centerpiece or focal point.

My main goal, though, is to avoid glare. I want it to look warm and welcoming, not like a football stadium.” -MWA

PHOTO COURTESY KICHLER

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

FUN WITH FABRICS

Don’t get stuck with dull, drab colors and fabric options because you’re worried about weatherproofing and fading.

Companies like Sunbrella specialize in fabrics that are meant for both indoor and outdoor use – no matter what your planned use is, all the fabrics have the same high resistance to color fading and strength loss from sunlight and chemical exposure. The feature is engineered into the fabric instead of added as a finish or sprayon product, meaning the fabric is designed to stay bright over its lifetime. -JM

PHOTO COURTESY JAMES LOUDSPEAKER

home, but if you’re looking to expand the ways you can spend time outside, it’s possible to have a complete theater experience in your backyard.

Many manufacturers produce televisions, stereo systems and speakers designed to last through all types of weather, says Austin Morton, project manager at Video Revolution. This durable equipment is not only designed to be weatherproof, but also to compensate for the differences in outdoor and indoor use. Outdoor televisions are brighter than those designed for indoor use because of the higher amount of ambient light, and the system has to be built differently in order to keep internal components from overheating despite weatherproof casing.

Outdoor sound systems can be as extensive as the homeowner wants. James Loudspeaker, for instance, sells a pergola with a speaker system built for cinema-like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X object-based surround sound.

For people looking for a less extensive system or one that doesn’t have to be installed permanently outdoors, Morton says there are other options, including portable projector setups that use a cart with audio and an inflatable screen.

Morton says nearly any electronic device can be weatherproofed, and Video Revolution works with several companies that can provide solutions if a person has unique and specific needs. However, it is generally more cost effective to buy electronics that come from the factory intended for outdoor use, he adds. -JM

PHOTO COURTESY JAMES LOUDSPEAKER

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT There are many traditional ways to enjoy a nice lawn area at your

“Where you live dictates how you design an outside living area.

In Oklahoma, we have to design what is sensible. “

PHOTO COURTESY SUNBRELLA

PHOTO COURTESY RICHARD NEEL INTERIORS

-Lance Cheney, Richard Neel Interiors

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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furnishings for relaxing, a dining area and a bar – what more do you need for a perfect outdoor entertaining area?

Carolyn Nierenberg, of CDA Designs, has embraced the trend for an outdoor living area that is an extension of a home’s living or great room, even the master bedroom.

Sometimes this third living area is actually a screened-in porch, as it is in her home.

“This is where people are enjoying morning coffee while reading a newspaper or watching breaking news or sports on TV,” she says. “It’s also a favorite place for early evening drinks after work.”

This area may also have electric mesh screens that drop down when needed to thwart insects.

Many of Nierenberg’s clients travel frequently and bring her ideas from luxurious resorts that have poolside bars and entertaining areas. She sees an outdoor beverage area more essential for those families with pools.

A pullout storage area for wine or liquor seems to serve these clients better than having a full open bar competing with unpredictable weather.

Clients with children often like a small fridge on the patio that stocks water and fruit juices for an after-swim beverage.

64%

PHOTO COURTESY KINGDOM LANDSCAPING

PHOTO COURTESY KINGDOM LANDSCAPING

PATIO ENTERTAINING An outdoor grilling area, a fireplace, a covered patio or pergola, a pool, nice

Nierenberg has designed some outdoor living areas with special countertops that host pitchers and stylish plastic glasses so guests can prepare their drinks inside an adjacent kitchen. She especially enjoys cooking and her favorite menu includes grilled salmon, a Caprese salad of heirloom tomatoes, yellow watermelon and avocado squares with slivered fresh mint, grill-roasted veggies, wine, Margaritas, specialty beers and gourmet ice creams.

Nancy Edwards of Kingdom Landscaping has designed lawns for 37 years. “Outdoor living is the number one hobby in America,” she says.”

There’s something about it that is really healthy for people.”

She recalls a design project that encouraged a family to begin eating together outdoors and told her, “I can’t believe we lived without this area.”

“The beauty of being outside just seems to bring something different out of people,” Edwards says.

For outdoor entertaining, she says it’s essential to make sure your guests are comfortable. She and her husband enjoy cooking out, especially burgers. She laments it’s sometimes hard to juggle being the cook and the hostess.

“I prefer catering in food in so I can spend a special time with my guests,” she says.

BACKYARD COMFORT

PHOTO COURTESY BROMIC HEATING

of people with outdoor living spaces are planning to grow edibles in their yard.

-Houzz

While outdoor heaters were once reserved mainly for commercial use on restaurant patios, in the past 15 years more people are installing the same heaters in their backyards. Karl Tschauner, director of sales for Bromic Heating, says he is seeing patio heaters being included in dining patios, outdoor kitchens and more. Many times, these are added to complement a firepit or outdoor fireplace by homeowners looking for a complete heating solution. He adds the current trend is to install wall mounted gas and electric heaters rather than the parasol and mushroom style heaters that used to dominate the market. -JM

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

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ADVANCES IN OUTDOOR COOKING As the founder of Oklahoma Joe’s Smokers and the owner of Oklahoma Joe’s

PHOTO COURTESY CHAR-BROIL

chain of barbecue restaurants, Joe Davidson has expertise into what makes outdoor cooking so popular.

“It’s an extension of your kitchen,” he says. “Smokers and grillers allow you to cook outdoors all year round in Oklahoma. It’s truly a great way to keep from messing up your indoor kitchen. Plus, everyone wants to eat barbecue.”

Today, smokers are highly sophisticated, high-tech pieces of cooking gear.

Davidson says Char-Broil, Sabre and TEC brands have made infrared technology available to the average consumer at prices ranging from $250 to $500.

“This technology has been out of reach for the average consumer until now,” Davidson says. “It sears the meat so hot that it locks in the moisture of a steak.

Any meat that is tender before you cook it should be cooked very rapidly.”

This technology vaporizes the fatty part of meat and eliminates the scary flare-ups common in outdoor cooking. Davidson says outdoor cooking fans have multiple methods at their fingertips, including smoking, more a method of curing meat than cooking; the always-popular grilling over direct heat; and barbecuing, which cooks with indirect heat and smoke from wood, charcoal or wood pellets.

“There are more options now for outdoor cooking than ever before,” Davidson says. “Plus, a lot of this new equipment is more user friendly so everyone can cook outdoors with safety and confidence.”

Outdoor cooking can go much further than just a smoker or grill. Jeremy Dunn of Refined Living in Mounds has designed and built full outdoor kitchens that include nearly everything, including refrigerators, warming drawers and built-in sinks.

One of the most common trends in outdoor cooking is a hot plate by Evo that allows people to use a flat surface on their grills instead of the traditional grates.

“They’re pretty popular because the food can’t fall through,” Dunn says.

“You can actually cook breakfast on there.”

Dunn says his company always tries to set up projects so they’re usable on days with bad weather. That includes covering the kitchen area. He has a current project that uses a vent to clear smoke from a covered grill and has heaters installed for year-round use.

Outdoor kitchens are popular for people who prefer sitting outside rather than inside, but they’re also helpful for people who like to entertain outdoors.

Dunn said an outdoor kitchen helps keep everyone in the same place during gatherings where people may be in and out of a swimming pool, for instance.

“It’s creating a whole new environment where you can have everything you need outside,” he says.

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PLAN BEFORE YOU PLANT

So, you’ve decided to establish a relationship with Mother Earth.

Great! But before you start digging, it’s smart to create a plan.

Size, soil quality and money are major considerations in creating a garden. It’s cash well spent to work with a landscape architect/ designer. Not possible? Study seed catalogs and garden books, visit local garden centers and watch garden shows on TV. Choose Proven Winners plants for performance and disease resistance.

Your county extension office offers a wealth of knowledge and can test your soil to see what nutrients are lacking. Make friends with a master gardener to be your guru.

Creating a garden is a reflection of your personality. If you like formality, you’ll love an English style, a symmetrical or geometric theme, requiring detailed care. Boxwood, shaped into elaborate forms, is often the centerpiece of formal gardens. Think old English estate gardens.

If you’re more romantic, consider the cottage style. It’s less formal and often includes fragrant flowers that birds love. Picket fences usually line these gardens. Plus, with abundant plants, weeding will be minimal.

A contemporary style suits a no-frills personality and often matches a modern-style home. Plants with texture, unusual grasses, cacti and water features often grace these gardens.

An eclectic style lets you do whatever your passion pleases. These gardens are often whimsical and feature found objects, collectibles and old statuary. Veggies grow next to perennials. You can sing Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way” while you plant this garden.

Love to cook? A potager garden is perfect, especially if your space is small. Plant a variety of cool and warm weather vegetables. Add an herb garden and dwarf fruit trees, and grow grapes on an arbor to keep your kitchen stocked with fresh produce from spring to fall.

A partere French style features plants shaped in artistic squares, circles or rectangles.

These are all garden styles for novices to consider. Creating a garden is hard work but a pleasant addiction. Gertrude Jekyll, a noted English gardener, once said, “The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.”

BLURRING THE LINE BETWEEN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR Remember when outdoor furniture was little more than a metal lawn chair and a glider?

That look is design history now. Lance Cheney, owner of Richard Neel Interiors, says the current trend is to bring upscale outdoor furnishings inside a home’s main living areas. For a long time the trend was to take the indoors outside.

Cheney believes patio, deck and veranda furnishings have been greatly influenced by a California style that features massive sliding glass doors that open a home to the outdoors. Beautiful interior rooms flow into expansive outdoor terraces and patios.

“Clients bring in photos of these grand California homes and I can’t help but say, ‘Remember where you live.’ We don’t have California weather in Oklahoma and there aren’t that many days when we can go outside with no scorching heat or bugs,” Cheney says. “Where you live dictates how you design an outside living area. In Oklahoma, we have to design what is sensible. “ Cheney sees one of the biggest and prettiest trends that will linger is creating traditional furnishings out of teak so they will withstand the weather outside. Cast iron chairs are now being built with lighter-weight aluminum. A traditional outdoor favorite, the striped awning canvas, is giving

way to traditional indoor fabrics.

“So many fabric companies have developed technical, anti-bacterial fabrics that resist water, heat, sun, mildew, pet stains and insects.

These materials have been inspired by the hospitality industry and are created for the hottest desert heat and the coldest Canadian winters.

There is no limit to what can be designed now.

“Some of these fabrics resemble fine luxury gray flannel menswear suiting, sumptuous velvets, faux mohair and quality oxford cotton shirting. There’s also no dominant color.

Now every color is a possibility for outdoor living.

“To me, it seems like people are in a dance between inside and outside, and there’s no definition between the two. A plush pile custom carpet or area rug that would have only been used inside is now popular for patios. The line has really blurred between what is used inside and what should be outside.”

For homeowners, that spells freedom to design your outdoor living space to accommodate your lifestyle. Cheney says the only element that is constant in Oklahoma is its always changing, ever unpredictable weather.

PHOTO BY KO RINEARSON, COURTESY CAVINESS LANDSCAPE DESIGN

REAL OR FAKE?

We’re not talking about diamonds. We are looking at the difference between the emerald green grass that graces your lawn versus the artifical turf you see in many football stadiums and commercial settings.

Both have benefits as well as limitations, according to Dennis L. Martin, Ph.D, a professor and turfgrass specialist at Oklahoma State University. He has spent the past 26 years working with commercial and governmental entities as well as consumers, all hoping to have beautiful, functional lawns or commercial grounds like golf courses, sports fields, rights of way, sod farms or cemeteries.

For Oklahoma lawns, he says Bermuda is the most common, widely used grass in full sun and the easiest and least expensive to work with.

“It’s relatively low growing, can tolerate sun and heat, munching from animals or trimming by a mower,” he says.

Other warm-season grasses that work well in Oklahoma’s mercurial climate are zoysia and buffalo grass. Cool-season grasses that thrive in certain areas are tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye grass.

These should be confined to light shade because they use more water in full sun.

As a specialist with Oklahoma’s Cooperative Extension Service, Martin recommends choosing a grass that fits your lawn’s condition and your personal desires. Grass in your lawn should be suited to the physical or environmental location of your site. Sun, shade, drought tolerance, winter hardiness and soil conditions are also factors to consider.

“Both real and artifical turf have benefits and disadvantages,” he notes. “Real turf grass has better rainfall infiltration into the soil and pet droppings can be washed into the soil with a water hose.”

Artifical turf has a dead zone underneath since no shoots or grass roots are produced

and decomposed to build soil health. Air in summer can be 20-30 degrees hotter over artificial than real turf.

Martin says artificial turf is also expensive, has a limited life span and needs frequent cleaning. Eventually, it must be either recycled, repurposed or thrown in landfills.

Turf grasses can be harmed by human error, he says.

“The biggest mistakes people make with turf grasses are injuring the grass by letting it get too tall between mowings, over fertilization or overwatering – all forms of killing the grass with kindness,” Martin says.

Martin knows people often have many questions about caring for their lawns. The OSU Extension program provides a variety of fact sheets invaluable to gardeners. Each county extension office provides fact sheets on numerous topics pertaining to lawn, garden and farming issues. It’s a service well worth considering, especially if you’re a newcomer to creating a lawn.

MARCH 2017| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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o v r0 a Oklahoma

By Tara Malone • Photos by Brent Fuchs

The Bravo channel’s latest reality show follows the lives and laughs of four Nichols Hills residents.

Oklahoma

has been called home by many big names in sports, music and movies. At 9 p.m. March 20, the world will meet the newest brace of Sooner celebrities – a “ride-or-die” group of Oklahoma City area residents ready to show the nation the sassy side of the state.

Sweet Home Oklahoma, the Bravo network’s latest reality television offering, will follow a whip-smart (and smart-mouthed) circle of friends living in the well-heeled enclave city of Nichols Hills as they tackle this thing called life – together.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

MARCH 2017| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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JENNIFER WELCH

“This is a light-hearted show about long friendships,” says Jennifer Welch, one of the show’s stars. “We all have a sharp, witty, wicked sense of humor and have overcome a lot of adversity using those things.”

The show’s cast members aren’t just eager to show the nation how true friendships can save the day, but also how Oklahoma City defies expectations in many ways.

“Oklahoma City has definitely grown over the course of my life,” says Lee Murphy, a longtime compatriot of Welch’s and another star of the show. “I love that it’s growing and progressing so much. We have a hidden gem.

“We all went through some mental gymnastics, asking, ‘Is this right?

Wrong?’ We finally just trusted where Bravo wanted to take this,” Murphy says of doing the show. “It just sounded fun.

I have three school-age boys, and that was a definitely a consideration. I also have a fulltime job and support my family 100 percent,

Jennifer Welch may have been born in Texas, but she moved to OKC when she was 7 years old and has stayed ever since. She is a commercial and residential interior designer.

but I loved everyone we spoke with at Bravo.

We were really excited to do the show.

“It’s not lost on us that there are people that don’t agree with us or the choices we made, but that’s life in general. We can’t please everyone. I’m so proud of this show.

I’m proud of what we’ve done. It portrays our friendship very truly and in a fun way.”

The group’s path to the series began in summer 2015, when Welch received a Facebook message from a casting agent asking for a Skype interview related to a possible reality show about Welch’s interior design business.

“I did it more out of curiosity,” Welch says. “I thought, ‘What harm is there in a Skype interview?’, not really thinking it was for real.”

Development of the show evolved rapidly after initial conversations.

Rather than focusing on Welch’s professional endeavors, it was eventually decided that the docu-series would follow the lives of Welch and her merry group of bandits. When a producer from Bravo flew into OKC, Welch says she

“I always say that the theme of the show is that we attack life and all of us keep laughing, in part to keep from crying.”

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SOONER STATE JOSH WELCH

Josh Welch is a former criminal defense attorney who quit practicing law as he struggled with addiction. He is now a year and a half sober and trying to work out his relationship with Jennifer, his ex-wife.

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Natural disasters.

Draconian legislative sessions. Snowballs on the U.S. Senate floor. Like it or not, Oklahoma has a national reputation, and it’s not always sterling. But the stars of Sweet Home Oklahoma want to change all that. The group has been described

by Bravo as people unafraid of “challenging the conventions of

conservative society,” and, according to the stars, they are eager to do just that.

“I think the nation would be surprised that not all of us are climate-change deniers,” Jennifer Welch says. “There are blocks of people that cringe when our senator [James Inhofe, wanting to disprove global warming] throws a snowball.

I’m surrounded by many open-minded people who believe in science. When that

happened, we felt the same way as the rest of the nation did. The rest of the country will be surprised that there are progressive people here and we fight hard for it as much as people on the coasts. The notion that we’re rubes with guns, climate change is a hoax, ‘Drill baby drill’ – sure, there are sections of Oklahoma like that. But there are parts of California like that, too.”

Josh Welch adds: “People’s perceptions

couldn’t have been more surprised.

“They were not at all what I had in my mind of what a Hollywood producer-type would be,” she says. “I think that was the first surprise. I’ve never worked in television and we don’t have a big TV community here. I think in my Oklahoma brain, I had a stereotype in mind. What I had in my head and who they turned out to be were the antithesis of each other. After that it moved really quickly.”

Welch’s ex-husband, Josh, is also her costar on Sweet Home Oklahoma. He describes his ex-wife as his “baby mama and the love of my life.”

“Lee is my sister-wife who I try to torture with love,” he says of Murphy, “and Pumps [Angie Sullivan] is my oldest friend from college and law school who shares my same absurd sense of humor.”

Once a premier Oklahoma City attorney, Josh Welch has often struggled with addiction, which culminated in resignation from his law practice and the breakup of his family. Sober for one-and-a-half-years, he speaks frankly about his troubled past.

“We know there will be criticism of the show, and social media can be really cruel at times,” he says. “We accept that, by putting ourselves out there, but want to make sure that people know how much we love our state and the people in it. We all have real-life problems, and I have dealt my entire life with addiction. The show is an honest portrayal of myself as a recovering drug addict, and I’m very honest about it. I always

of Oklahoma as a fly-over state with pastures and horses are misguided. OKC is a very sophisticated city with a lot of progressive, intelligent people who live here and we try to capture parts of that in the show.”

Sullivan, agreeing whole-heartedly with the Welches, says that regardless of worldviews, Oklahomans are never divided.

“I think people assume Oklahomans

are not cultured or are ‘redneck,’” she says. “That could not be further from the truth. Oklahomans are diverse in their thinking and ideas. I think what makes our state unique is the fact we have so many different philosophies, but people care about each other regardless of differences.”

Murphy says: “Oklahomans are not ‘typical.’ We are strong and resilient.

With the nature of our up-and-down

LEE MURPHY

say that the theme of the show is that we attack life Lee Murphy was born and raised in and all of us keep laughOklahoma City, but spent her 20s living, in part to keep from ing in San Francisco and Boston. crying.”

She moved back to OKC after the Sullivan says she birth of her first son and works has “known Josh since in medical device sales.

I was in law school. We weren’t in school together but traveled in the same social circles. Josh was using during that time, and when I would see him out he would kiss me on the cheek. Every time, there would be slobber all over my cheek. So my roommate and I dubbed him ‘slobbery mouth’ and would try to avoid running into him.”

Sullivan says that when she was on the fence about participating in Sweet Home Oklahoma, her oldest child strongly encouraged her to do it.

“He said, ‘Mom, 99 percent of the people in the world never get an opportunity like this. You did.’ I thought about that a lot and realized I would always wonder what might have happened if I passed on the opportunity.”

Nevertheless, Sullivan says, her top priority is protecting her children and their privacy as the show commences.

She describes her initial reaction to the show’s green light as shock, which led to excitement.

“I hope the show exhibits the wonderful things about this state and the people who live here,” she says.

economy, people have had to develop that strength and grit.

I think the people have developed a huge sense of humor.

Our weather, our phenomenal Native American populations … people are always pleasantly surprised A native Oklahoman, Angie Sullivan when they is a University of Oklahoma graduate come here. who met Josh Welch while both were People are in law school. She practices marblown away riage and family law and shares by the kindness three children with her people have, and ex-husband. how fun we are.”

ANGIE “PUMPS” SULLIVAN

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Style

Evergreen Be bold: vibrant colors, florals, stripes and off-theshoulder looks define our lush spring fashion feature.

OUGHS, NA BURR YSTARL A W A H S Y N � HAIR B UNNINGB N HARMO STARL A WARD, ST EL MANAGEMENT S A H T A N Y K MOD APHY B EUP BY STUDIO PHOTOGR RON SALON �MAKLS COURTESY BRINP COURTESY TCP R O E E R D H D CK � MO JARA ENCY � BA ARTISTRY MAKEUP LINDA L AYMAN AG AND THE

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Alice and Olivia crochet lace camisole, $250; Alice and Olivia crochet lace skirt $295; Stuart Weitzman leather block-heel sandals, $498; Nancy Gonzalez metallic crocodile clutch, $1,325; Alexis Bittar crystal hoop earrings, $145; Alexis Bittar Miss Havisham bar choker, $295; Majorica double clasp pearl and leather bracelet, $135; Majorica coral cuff, $150; Alexis Bittar Miss Havisham bar bracelet, $175, Saks Fifth Avenue. Leisure Society Eve 18k gold mirrored sunglasses, $1,135, Hicks Brunson.

TREND ALERT! Pops of metallic are hot this spring.

Rebecca Taylor red ribbed top, $275; Rebecca Taylor red ribbed skirt, $325; Manolo Blahnik floralembroidered pumps, $765; Tory Burch floral-embroidered handbag, $450; Alexis Bittar crystal hoop earrings, $145; Alexis Bittar elements liquid dome bangles, small $195, large $245; Alexis Bittar crystal-encrusted bangle, $255; Givenchy yellow shades, $395, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Samuelsohn suit jacket, $1,450; Robert Talbott Estate dress shirt, $278; Robert Talbott Best of Class tie, $155; Robert Talbott pocket square, $85; Jackson Payne hand-burnished deerskin penny loafer, $300, Travers Mahan.

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A little ruffle goes a long way.

Alice and Olivia black and white off-theshoulder blouse, $225; BCBG Max Azria pencil skirt, $178; Nancy Gonzalez metallic crocodile clutch, $1,325; Jimmy Choo suede and leather mule sling backs, $895; Alexis Bittar crystal-encrusted hoop earrings, $225; Alexis Bittar elements liquid dome bangles, small $195, large $245; Swiss MB gold watch, $695; Alexis Bittar crystal jaguar ring, $295, Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Robert Talbott sport coat, $948; Ledbury sport shirt, $145; Samuelsohn slacks, $335; W. Kleinberg belt, $150; Jackson Payne hand-burnished deerskin penny loafer, $300, Travers Mahan.

Paige black and white striped bodysuit, $118; Frame denim white lace-up jeans, $249; Furla red mini-bag, $378; Manolo Blahnik pompom linen anklestrap sandals, $815; Majorica pearl and leather choker, $100; Majorica navy cu, $150; Majorica double clasp pearl and leather bracelet, $135; KYBOE! white silicone and stainless steel strap watch, $270; Majorica organic pearl and sterling silver ring, $115, Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Robert Talbott sport coat, $948; Robert Talbott dress shirt, $268; Carrot and Gibbs pocket square, $55; Robert Talbott Best of Class tie, $155; Peter Millar cotton pant, $125; W. Kleinberg belt, $150; Jackson Payne hand-burnished deerskin penny loafer, $300, Travers Mahan.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

St. John sleeveless scoop neck dress, $795; St. John speckled tweed jacket, $1,595; Jimmy Choo veto studded suede block-heel sandals, $850; Nancy Gonzalez crocodile chain crossbody bag, $2,350; Alexis Bittar crystal hoop earrings, $145; Alexis Bittar Miss Havisham bar choker, $295; Adriana Orsini pave ID bracelets in gold and silver, $110 each; Alexis Bittar Miss Havisham bar bracelet, $175; Alexis Bittar liquid gold armor ring, $125, Saks Fifth Avenue.

A peek of shoulder adds a sexy touch to any outfit.

Parker striped cold shoulder top, $220; Adriano Goldschmied flared jeans, $198; Jimmy Choo veto studded suede blockheel sandals, $850; Nancy Gonzalez Erica crocodile tote, $3,950; Alexis Bittar elements lace agate and crystal three-strand necklace, $495; Alexis Bittar elements cushion crystal cuff, $225; Alexis Bittar liquid gold armor ring, $125, Saks Fifth Avenue. Face a Face Bocca Divine 1 marble sunglasses, $530, Hicks Brunson.

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Lace-up shoes are everywhere this spring – and they're worth the hype.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Splendid floral dress, $198; Stuart Weitzman supersonic suede lace-up flats, $398; Nancy Gonzalez origami flap chain shoulder bag, $3,650; Alexis Bittar crystalencrusted earrings, $395; Alexis Bittar crystal-encrusted bib necklace, $275; Alexis Bittar elements liquid dome bangles, small $195, large $245; Alexis Bittar crystal cuff, $295; Dior sunglasses, $670, Saks Fifth Avenue.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE video @ OKmag.com

SFA white embroidered dress, $575; Vince leather sneaker slides, $250; Furla camo-print mini-purse, $378; Alexis Bittar crystal hoop earrings, $145; Majorica navy cu, $150; KYOBE! white silicone and stainless steel strap watch, $270; Majorica organic pearl and sterling silver ring, $115; Gucci round glitter sunglasses, $400, Saks Fifth Avenue.

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CAMP GUIDE

Summer Camp Directory

S

Give your child the best summer ever.

ome of a child’s fondest memories may be formed at a summer camp, but it’s often difficult to decide exactly which camp would reap the most benefits for your unique youngster. Whether he or she is interested in outdoor activities, sports, theater, science, math, procuring leadership skills or just enjoying time away from home, Oklahoma teems with summer camp experiences.

Camp Incredible

Camp Incredible consists of six one-week day camps offering exciting themed classes in Tulsa that combine learning and fun. Students will explore and learn while having incredible summer adventures. Camps are offered at University School or the University of Tulsa for children age 4 to the eighth grade. The camps are coed and will run from June 6 to July 1 and July 11–22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 918.631.5060, email campincredible@utulsa.edu or visit utulsa.edu/uschool.

Camp Kanakuk

Kanakuk is a premier summer camp experience for boys and girls ages 6–18 in Branson and Lampe, Missouri. Its five overnight camps provide children with age-appropriate, fun, safe, professional outdoor youth camping experiences that grow them spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially. Kids have fun with friends participating in more than 70 activities, sports and amazing themed parties. Camp Kanakuk’s fulltime and summer staffs are committed to their mission to develop dynamic Christian leaders. Sessions run from June 3 to Aug. 11 with one-, two- and four-week options. Learn more about customizing your child’s summer camp experience at gokanakuk.com or by calling 417.266.3000.

Camp Monte

Each summer, Monte Cassino offers Camp Monte, a fee-based boutique summer camp retreat in Tulsa.

Instructors design camps focused on gross and fine motor skills, theater, dance and much more. Younger

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

kids have pretend play and art activities along with fun cooking and baking classes. Older campers participate in athletics, cheerleading, science and much more.

Registration has begun, so availability is limited.

Sessions run throughout June and welcome Pre-K through eighth grade students. Go to montecassino. org/campmonte or call 918.746.4190 to register.

Cascia Hall Summer Camps

Cascia Hall Preparatory School will offer summer camps in eight sports, plus engineering, robotics and the performing arts. Camps will be held on the Cascia Hall campus in Tulsa during June and July and will be taught by varsity coaches and school faculty and staff.

There will be something for boys and girls of all ages.

Students from other schools are welcome to attend.

Visit casciahall.com or call 918.746.2600 for more information.

FC Barcelona Soccer Camp

The official FC Barcelona summer soccer camp series returns to Oklahoma City. Boys and girls ages 6-18 from all playing levels are invited to attend. The camp is led by official FCB coaches who will travel to the United States 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 camper who displays the most positive values emphasized in camp will receive an FCB jersey signed by the entire first team, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Registration is limited. The camp runs June 5-9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Heritage Hall. Visit fcbarcelona.us or call 1.888.FCB.CAMP for details.

Gilcrease Museum and Zarrow Center’s Summer Art Camp

Gilcrease Museum and Zarrow Center’s Summer art camp is an adventure in art making and fun with eight weeks of morning and afternoon classes to choose from to custom design a special art experience in Tulsa. Gilcrease campers will explore the galleries and gardens. Zarrow Center students will explore the Brady Arts District and participate in fun extra activities.

Daily shuttles to Gilcrease will be available for inspirational museum visits. Sessions run June 18-Aug. 11 with 9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and all-day options available. Camps are offered for ages 5-12. Head to gilcrease.org or called 918.596.2752 for details.

Project Sew Summer Camp

The Project Sew Program introduces kids to sewing in a fun group atmosphere. The camp fee of $199 includes printed instructions, fabric kits and supplies; upon completion of camp, each participant will receive a sewing machine valued at $299. Project Sew has classes in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Muskogee for children ages 9-16. Sessions occur June 12-16 and 2630 from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 5 p.m. For further information, call 888.560.3227 or email bsi@bsewinn.com.

Health Zone Summer Challenge

Each themed week at Saint Francis Health Zone Summer Challenge includes swimming, games, indoor and outdoor activites, and creative fun. The camp also has fun field trips and special visitors. Healthy snacks are served daily. Sessions occur June 5-9, June 12-16, June 19-23, July 17-21, July 24-28, July 31-Aug. 4 and Aug 7-11, and camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Before- and aftercare are available for additional fees. For more information, visit saintfrancis. com/health-zone, call 918.494.1671 or email jrrowe@saintfrancis.com.

CAMP GUIDE

Be...A Mentor Be...A Cascian

Anthony BArBer ClAss of 2003 “The great faculty at Cascia Hall prepared me to pursue a challenging Electrical Engineering degree in college, and I am very grateful to them. Now, I am able to give back by mentoring tomorrow’s future engineers and business leaders in the CH Commando Robotics (Commandobots) program.” Anthony Barber Watch for Summer Camp Information on website.

•

Eagle Scout

•

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering The University of Tulsa

•

Masters of Education The University of Notre Dame

•

Served in AmeriCorps

•

Mentor, Cascia Hall Robotics Team

2520 S. Yorktown Ave. Tulsa, OK 918-746-2604

www.casciahall.com admissions@casciahall.com

22466 Cascia Hall.indd 1

1/16/17 4:44 PM

Gilcrease Museum and the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education

Summer Art Camps 2017 June 19 through Aug. 11, 2017 9:00 a.m.-Noon & 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

5-6 years old at Gilcrease Museum • 7-12 years old at Zarrow Center Prices per week Half-Day Classes: $100 members; $125 not-yet members All-Day Classes: $200 members; $250 not-yet members Registration and payment are required. Members-only registration begins March 1.

General public registration begins March 20. Register online at gilcrease.org/summercamp.

The University of Tulsa is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action institution.

For EEO/AA information, contact the Office of Human Resources, 918-631-2616; for disability accommodations, contact Dr. Tawny Rigsby, 918-631-2315.

GILCREASE.ORG 22490 Gilcrease Museum.indd 1

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CAMP GUIDE

HealthZone at Saint Francis

SUMMER CAMPS

2017

FOR KIDS WEEK 1: June 5-9 WEEK 2: June 12-16 WEEK 3: June 19-23 WEEK 4: July 17-21

WEEK 5: July 24-28 WEEK 6: July 31-August 4 WEEK 7: August 7-11

For more information, please visit saintfrancis.com/healthzone.

5353 East 68th Street South, Tulsa, OK

B Sew Inn Project Sew

22502 Saint Francis Health Zone.indd 1

2/15/17 5:00 PM

Sewing Quilting Embroidery

LEARN. FUN. INSPIRE.

Summer Camp

June 12-16 or June 26-30 or July 10-14 or July 31-Aug 4 *Not all dates & sessions available at every location.

Two Sessions each week

Session One 9am-12pm Session Two 2pm-5pm Camp fee of $199 includes printed instructions, fabric kits & supplies PLUS upon completion of camp each participant will receive a sewing machine, valued at $299!

Ask about availability and details, including if you already own a Baby Lock machine.

Limited Spots...Sew Hurry!

Sign up today at stores or at www.bsewinn.com

1624 W I-240 Service Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73159 405-680-9100

5235 S Sheridan Rd the Farm Shopping Center Tulsa, OK 74145 918-664-4480 Mon-Sat 10-6 Thurs 10-8

78 1 OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017 22494 Kanakuk.indd

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Mon-Sat 10-6

2530 Chandler Rd. Muskogee, OK 74403 918-687-3488 Mon-Fri 10-5 Sat 10-2

2/2/17 10:13 AM

CAMP GUIDE

University School University School

Parent Teacher Institute Parent Teacher Institute 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 including University School at TU, Bishop Kelley, ALSO: Private School Showcase

6 one-week day camp sessions inCascia JuneHall, and JulyHall, including University School at TU,School Bishop at Kelley, Holland including University TU, Bishop Kelley, Town & Country and Undercroft Montessori Mizel,Riverfield, Monte Cassino, Riverfield, Town & Country and Undercroft Montessori Cascia Hall, Holland Hall, Mizel, Monte Cassino, Cascia Hall, Holland Hall, Mizel, Monte 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.

The University of Tulsa is an EEO/AA institution.

22485 University School Camp Incredible.indd 1 Emily was abandoned by her mother.

So were her three sisters.

They live in four different foster homes.

r oluntee CASA V ERE. nH Steps i

And will likely never see each other again.

A LOVING FAMILY L. ADOPTS THEM AL

1/30/17 8:59 AM

A premier private independent school with a powerful Catholic Benedictine identity, Monte Cassino School offers dynamic and diverse co-curricular programs that foster critical thinking, spiritual formation and personal excellence.

Be the Difference.

918-584-2272 www.tulsacasa.org

Look inside for all the excellent reasons to attend Monte Cassino.

www.montecassino.org 22520 CASA.indd 1

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE PROFESSIONALS HOSPICE CARE My father has Alzheimer’s disease and is declining quickly.

His physician has recommended hospice care. Our family would like to keep him at home where he will be comfortable and surrounded by all of us. Is this possible?

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

How can I form a financial strategy for being a caregiver for a family member?

Yes, it is. We provide care in patients’ homes quite often. The goal of hospice care is to make the patient as comfortable as possible and provide them with meaningful time with their loved ones.

Often the best place is in that patient’s home. In fact, nearly 80 percent of all hospice patients receive care in their home or a senior living facility. At Grace Hospice, we have a team of experts that works with your family and physician to create a specialized plan of care. Please call Grace Hospice at 918-744-7223 and we can provide you with more information.

Caring for a family member can be emotionally taxing and present unexpected financial challenges. If you may need to become a caregiver, it’s a good idea to plan a financial strategy today.

• What do you know about your loved DAVID KARIMIAN CFP®, CRPC® one’s financial situation? Knowing the particulars can make it easier.

• What is your strategy to pay caregiving expenses? Think about the bills your loved one is currently paying and consider what expenses you may incur as a caregiver.

• What is the financial impact if you need to take time off from work? You may be covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a family member while health benefits continue.

• Are your loved one’s assets legally protected? Being proactive from a legal standpoint can help ensure your loved one’s wishes are known and assets are protected.

• How will you balance your financial goals with caregiving expenses? Caregiving often requires more immediate expenses that can make it challenging to focus on other financial goals.

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

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC® Karimian & Associates 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.KarimianAdvisors.com

AVA HANCOCK

INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL Are the toys in your garage insurance ready?

Oklahomans enjoy a variety of outdoor activities like boating and operating off-road vehicles. While these activities are fun, they come with their share of personal and financial risk for their owners.

Despite continual crashes causing RUSS IDEN injuries and fatalities, Oklahoma still does not require boat and offroad vehicle owners to be insured.

Take the following steps to protect your family and your pocketbook when it comes to insuring your toys. Some homeowners’ policies offer limited liability coverage for small boats, but a separate boat policy will provide broader coverage protection. For off-road vehicles, your homeowners’ will cover it on your premises, but it won’t when you take your ATV on a hunting trip.

Make sure all the boat passengers wear life vests, require helmets for all off-road riders and passengers, and ensure all operators are age appropriate for the equipment they’re using. Have fun stay safe, and sober!

If you have questions about insuring boats, ATVs, or any other insurance needs, call a AAA agent near you.

Russ Iden AAA Oklahoma 918.748.1034 800.222.2582, x1034 russ.iden@aaaok.org

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

What’s the difference between BHRT and other hormone therapies?

For starters, BHRT (bio-identical hormone replacement therapy) is customizable. In other words, it can be adjusted to fit your needs – unlike conventional HRT, which has a few standard dosage strengths. Unlike MALISSA SPACEK typical oral and transdermal forms of BHRT, which produce “roller coaster” hormone levels resulting in mood and energy fluctuations for the patient, Hormone Pellet Therapy is the only method of hormone therapy that provides sustained hormone levels throughout the day for up to 4 to 6 months without any “roller coaster” effect. Pellet implants, placed under the skin, consistently release small, physiologic doses of hormones providing optimal therapy. Most people experience increased energy levels and sexual drive, consistency in mood, relief from anxiety and depression, decreased body fat, increased mental clarity and many other immediate benefits from being pelleted with BHRT. For more information on how BHRT may be right for you, call us at (918) 872-9999.

Dr. James R. Campbell D.O. and Malissa Spacek, Founder BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 500 S. Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com

PHYSICAL THERAPY

ATTORNEY AT LAW I was injured at work. When the doctor released me from his care, he gave me restrictions that prevent me from being able to return to work for the same employer. What are my options?

I’ve developed heel pain during marathon training. What may be going on and can therapy help?

Generally, medical providers will diagnose this as plantar fasciitis, however, other muscles and soft tissue may be involved. The typical approach to care is oral anti-inflammatory medication, injections, ice, stretching, arch supTIM MINNICK, PT ports, shoes that minimize pronation and ankle strengthening exercise. This approach may help solve the problem some of the time, but I often see patients who continue to have pain even after this course of care. I certainly use some of these treatments, but often include a more aggressive approach including dry needling and ASTYM (Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization), especially if the problem is chronic in nature.

Tim Minnick, PT Excel Therapy Specialists 2232 West Houston, Broken Arrow, OK 918.259.9522 www.exceltherapyok.com

Under the workers compensation system, whether it be before or after the changes in the law that took affect February 1, 2014, an employee is entitled to be retrained to get back into the work force if retraining can successfully be completed. If retraining is not possible, then the employee would be considered permanently and totally disabled and therefore entitled to ongoing workers compensation weekly benefits. It is best, particularly in this situation, to get legal counsel to assist you to determine your options available and to protect your legal rights.

ESTHER M. SANDERS

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

The Pluck of the Irish

W

Irish options abound for diners in Oklahoma.

hether you’re looking for the host of one of the most popular St. Patrick’s Day parties in Oklahoma or a bookstore and bistro with a popular lunch menu, there are options to serve any taste for those looking for some Irish ambiance with their food.

O’CONNELL’S IN NORMAN SPECIALIZES IN PUB-STYLE FOOD, INCLUDING FISH AND CHIPS. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

O’Connell’s Irish Pub and Grille If you’ve never celebrated the most (in)famous Irish holiday at O’Connell’s Irish Pub and Grille,

you’ve been doing Norman wrong.

Since the late 1960s, hundreds of patrons have flocked to O’Connell’s each St. Patrick’s Day for a marathon of music, mastication and (mostly benign) mayhem. This classic campus icon may not be unique in its approach to the annual March 17 bacchanalia – it’s about as Irish as a bald eagle soaring majestically over Washington, D.C. – but it is especially beloved by townies and students all the same. Many line up Black Friday style the night before, the better to get through the door at 7 a.m. That golden hour starts every St.

Patrick’s Day with a hearty traditional Irish breakfast of green eggs and ham before moving on to emerald beer in honor of the Emerald Isle.

At the old location on Lindsey St. and Jenkins Ave., it wasn’t unusual to spy revelers lost in the mystical, enchanted forests of the Duck Pond nearby. Although O’Connell’s moved from its original freestanding location to Campus Corner a decade ago, they brought the party with them. Luckily for those who may not be up to braving the St. Paddy’s Day crowds, they also brought the food.

Frequently voted the Best Burger in

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Taste

Norman, O’Connell’s is just as treasured for its grub as it is for its traditions. Each day of the week is home to a regular rotation of reasonable specials, and the loaded cheese fries are the best in Norman. A word to the wise: O’Connell’s is just as likely to be rowdy on game days as it is on St. Patrick’s Day, but here’s a pro tip – produce an OU ID any time and get 20 percent off your food order. (Don’t even think about trying it with your bar tab.)

THE ST. ALEXANDER THE SPECHT BURGER IS POPULAR AT SAINTS. PHOTO COURTESY SAINTS PUB

ST. PADDY’S DAY AT O’CONNELL’S IS A NORMAN TRADITION. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

Saints Pub

Once upon a time (okay, back in 2010), Saints was the new kid on the block – the 1700 block of 16th Street, that is. As the only anchor restaurant during the tenacious renaissance of Oklahoma City’s Plaza District, it was go Irish or go hungry for diners and drinkers in the fledgling arts area.

Over the past seven years, the neighborhood has wholly transformed. Hungry diners have access to some of the most popular restaurants in OKC, from homemade bowls of Japanese ramen or Guatemalan delicacies to artisan ice cream and (seriously) addictive pies. Fair-trade coffee, local brews and food trucks abound.

But despite the influx of culinary delights, one thing in the Plaza hasn’t changed: the good food, copious drinks and excellent vibes to be had at MCHUSTON’S SERVES AN the corner of NW IRISH-INSPIRED LUNCH MENU. 16th Street and PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN Gatewood Avenue.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Offering “contemporary Irish cuisine” and a substantial variety of beer and house cocktails, it’s hard to go wrong with a meal from Saints’ small but stellar menu. Enjoy dinner and a drink in their open and comfortable dining room or while people-watching on the patio as the hip kids of the Plaza parade by. Everything from the Shiner Bock fish and chips to the house-made bread and butter with smoked Maldon salt is worth a taste. In short, Saints is everything you’d want from a local pub in the Old Country: relaxed but fun, comfortable yet elegant, and utterly devoid of shamrocks and rainbows.

-Tara Malone

McHuston’s Booksellers and Irish Bistro

Located in the heart of Broken Arrow’s Rose District, McHuston’s Booksellers and Irish Bistro is not just one of the few independent

bookstores left in Tulsa County; it also serves a popular Irish lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Co-owner Larry Hoefling has sold books in Broken Arrow for more than 10 years, but it wasn’t until McHuston’s moved into its current location five years ago that he began serving food, mostly stews and soups. When co-owner Dustin Hoefling, his son, started working at the store and took over the bistro side of the business, the menu expanded to include shepherd’s pie, along with other favorites like bangers and mash (mildly spicy sausages served over mashed potatoes and topped with the house stew gravy).

The bistro also offers sandwiches and low-point beer. -JM

CORNED BEEF IS ONE OF MANY IRISH FAVORITES AT PADDY’S. PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

Paddy’s Irish Restaurant

Who better to serve you authentic Irish fare than a chef from the heart of the Emerald Isle? That’s what you’ll get when you stop in to Paddy’s Irish Restaurant on 99th and Mingo in Tulsa. Chef Kenny Wagoner, Oklahoma Magazine’s pick for Chef Chat this month, was born and raised in Dublin, and that influencial upbringing translates into the food created at Paddy’s. Although the restaurant closed its doors in 2008, Wagoner and his twin brother, Keith, reopened the joint in 2016 to bring back all the old culinary favorites.

There’s the traditional Irish breakfast – fried eggs, bangers (sausage), rashers (bacon), beans and more – plus sheperd’s pie, Bushmill steak, bangers and mash, and of course, fish ‘n’ chips. Paddy’s also serves up pasta, stew, sandwiches, drinks, desserts and a slew of Irish-inspired appetizers.

Along with delicious, bona fide Irish cuisine, Paddy’s prides itself on a warm, friendly and family-oriented atmosphere – just like what you’d get in Ireland. There’s live music on the weekends, and Wagoner claims people often get up and sing with the band. Regardless, Paddy’s is a restaurant best experienced in person – so do yourself a favorite and visit. -MWA

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Taste

Create the Craic

Kenny Wagoner brings Irish fare back to Paddy’s after its nine-year hiatus.

K

enny Wagoner has been involved in the art of food since a young age. At 13, he was already learning the ropes at fish and chip shops and pubs in his hometown of Dublin.

In the early ’80s, Wagoner and his family made the big move from Ireland to Oklahoma. When asked how he got to the Sooner State specifically, Wagoner is quick to showcase that famous Irish wit.

“On an airplane, love,” he says.

But really, it’s an interesting story.

“How did I get to Okla-homa?” he asks with an exaggerated, faux-American accent.

“Well, my old man was talking to a Marine outside the American Embassy in Dublin.

He was saying Oklahoma was a great place to go if you ever have a chance to visit America.” And so, off they went.

Fast-forward to Tulsa in 1993, and Wagoner’s career blossomed under the leadership of chef Jacques Lissonet at the now-closed Westin Hotel. Wagoner later finished his appenticeship in Hilton Head, South Carolina, but returned to Oklahoma soon after and has been here for 18 years.

Always ready for a new adventure, Wagoner and his twin brother, Keith, bought

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

Paddy’s Irish Restaurant in 1998, and ran it together until its closing in 2008. Wagoner also began a career at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in 2004, where he acted as the executive chef for 12 years.

“I learned a lot about food and how you can use it as a type of medicine,” he says.

“My mother is a breast cancer survivor.

That’s what drew me there initially. It really was a personal endeavor of mine to get to know all that better.”

However, the call to reopen the family business beckoned, so Wagoner and his brother did just that in August 2016. The revamped restaurant has a similar vibe to what Wagoner refers to as the “old Paddy’s,” with the same beloved Irish dishes and a staff filled with many of Wagoner’s relatives.

“Families have grown up at the old Paddy’s, and we wanted to bring that back,” he says. “We’re also a working class family, and we wanted our pricing to speak to that.”

With such a lively, warm atmosphere, Paddy’s can be defined quite simply.

“If there was one word to describe [Paddy’s], it’s the Irish word ‘craic,’” he says. “It’s great fun, great food and all the above at a reasonable price.”

MARY WILLA ALLEN

5

1½ tbs ½ lb ½ cup 12 oz 1 cup 11 ½ cup 1 cup 2 cups 1 cup 1 tbs 1 cup

slices of sliced and diced raw turkey bacon fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced frozen whole kernel corn white cooking wine crabmeat mayonnaise fresh eggs Dijon mustard shredded cheddar cheese panko crumbs chiffonade fresh basil chopped fresh parsley all-purpose flour

Saute onions until golden brown in a hot pan. Add garlic, bacon and corn.

Deglaze pan with white wine and set aside to cool.

Mix crab, mayonnaise, mustard and four eggs in a large non-reactive bowl. Add onions and mix.

Add cheese, panko crumbs, basil, salt and pepper.

Crack and whip seven eggs; the mix should hold together when molded. Make a tester, saute and test for flavor.

Adjust seasoning as necessary and mold into 3 oz portions.

Bread using classic breading technique.

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

C H E F C H AT

CORN AND CHEDDAR CRABCAKES

THE POUR

GO REAL ON IRISH DRINKS

Drinkers of green beer are missing out on true Irish tastes.

Guinness Draught

One of the most recognizable Irish beers, Guinness is known for its dark color and rich chocolate and coffee flavors. Its creamy taste is its most distinctive feature, Adams says.

Guinness also floats on other beers – “It’s not really heavy, it’s thick,” Adams says.

Smithwick’s

Another option to stout is Ireland’s red ales, Smithwick’s has been brewed since 1710. The beer has a caramel, malty flavor and crisp taste, and Adams says it’s suited for people who want a dark ale without the creaminess of a Guinness.

Let’s be honest: Domestic U.S. beer dyed with green food coloring is about as Irish as a box of Lucky Charms cereal. If you’re looking for true Irish taste this St. Patrick’s Day, here are some options from Kenneth Adams, a bartender at Arnie’s Bar in downtown Tulsa.

Harp Lager

If you’re not ready to make the jump into ales, Adams recommends trying a Harp Lager.

Introduced by Guinness in 1960, the beer has a crisp, smooth taste. Adams recommends Harp for anyone who wants to try an Irish beer, but may not be ready to try a stout.

Magners Irish Cider

Dating back to 1935, Magners first started production in Clonmel, South Tipperary, by William Magner. It may be a cider, but don’t expect apple juice – Adams says Magners leans more toward the bitter side rather than the sweet.

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Like Guinness for beers, Jameson is probably the most popular and recognizable Irish whiskey.

Formally established in Dublin in 1810, Adams says Jameson is more similar to American whiskeys than other Irish options.

Arnie’s sells more Jameson than any other bar in Oklahoma.

Powers Irish Whiskey

Powers was first distilled in Dublin in 1791 and is the most popular brand of whiskey in Ireland, selling over 2.5 million bottles each year. A mixture of pot still and grain whiskey, Adams says it has a peaty taste and is more like Scotch.

RECIPES

IRISH FLAVOR AT HOME

Chef Scotty Irani helps home chefs with an Irish favorite.

If you don’t feel like fighting crowds, you can celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in your own home. OKC chef Scotty Irani gave us one of his favorite Irish recipes.

Irish Cheddar and Stout Potato Au Gratin 2-2½ lbs 2 cups 3 tbs 1½ cups ½ cup 6 oz ¼ cup To taste ½ cup

Golden Yukon potatoes, washed and unpeeled sliced leeks, washed and dried unsalted butter (more if needed) whole milk Irish stout or porter Irish cheddar, shredded all-purpose flour In the Kitchen With Scotty “Cook’s Line” all purpose seasoning (or salt and pepper) fresh minced curly parsley

BONUS recipe @ OKmag.com

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Begin slicing your cleaned and dried potatoes, preferably unpeeled, to about the thickness of a quarter. Add to a bowl and toss the slices with 1/4 cup of flour. Set aside and pull out your favorite cast iron skillet or heavy bottom oven proof skillet, at least 12” diameter.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTTY IRANI

Add the three tablespoons of butter and begin melting. Then add the washed and dried sliced leeks to the pan and lightly sauté until tender. Remove from the pan. With the pan still heating, add a little more butter if needed, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Begin “shingling” in the sliced potatoes: just overlap each slice like roof shingles. For best results, go in a circle starting with the outside edge, coiling around until reaching the center of the pan. Be mindful to work rather quickly, as the heat is still on and you are slowly pan frying the first layer. Be careful to not burn that layer.

Sprinkle the first layer with salt and pepper, a good sprinkle of minced parsley, followed with a good layer of the shredded cheddar. Repeat the layering process with a new layer of potatoes, the seasonings, parsley and cheddar to follow. Continue until all the potatoes and parsley have been used. Reserve a good handful of the cheese for the gratin on top.

Whisk together the whole milk and stout in a bowl. Pour into the pan over the potatoes, careful to watch for steam and splattering. Top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven. Cook approximately 40-45 minutes or until the potato slices are tender and the top is a golden brown gratin. Remove from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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DIRECTORY

TULSA METRO Taste

Arnie’s Bar

318 E. Second St., Tulsa 918.583.0797

Kilkenny’s Irish Pub 1413 E. 15th St., Tulsa 918.582.8282

McHuston Booksellers & Irish Bistro 122 S. Main St., Broken Arrow 918.258.3301

James E. McNellie’s Pub

409 E. First St., Tulsa; 7031 S. Zurich Ave., Tulsa 918.382.7468; 918.933.5250

Midleton’s Bar & Grill 9711 E. 81st St., Tulsa 918.940.2740

Paddy’s Irish Restaurant 9999 S. Mingo Road, Tulsa 918.615.6999

OKC METRO The Abner Ale House 121 E. Main St., Norman 405.928.5801

The Black Raven Pub 14429 NE 23rd St., Choctaw 405.390.1400

James E. McNellie’s Pub

1100 Classen Drive, Oklahoma City 405.601.4768 F O L K LO R E

Tales from the Emerald Isle

Beyond the leprechaun, Ireland harbors a wealth of interesting folklore.

Several countries around the world have an abundance of delightful, scary or downright strange folklore that can impart wisdom, stave off poor decision making or explain the country’s customs. Ireland is no stranger to this mythology, and most Irish stories contain fabled creatures, both good and evil, who teach lessons to mortals walking the Emerald Isle.

Although the term “screaming like a banshee” is widely used, most don’t understand the meaning. A banshee, according to Irish mythology, is a spirit in the form of a lamenting, wailing woman who appears in warning of the forthcoming loss of a loved one. If you’re worried about receiving a visit from one of these terrifying banshees, fear

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

not: only those of high rank and pure Irish blood can hear her screams.

Expectant parents, watch out for the far darrig. These small creatures are donned in red caps and gowns and delight in stealing babies, leaving a changeling in its place.

The changeling is, to put it simply, a fairy full of issues – it may look and act like a child, but will have a dull personality and a handful of diseases and disorders.

Ending on a lighter note, the fear gorta tests a person’s capacity for generosity.

Taking the form of an emaciated man during times of famine or drought, this spirit will approach unsuspecting mortals by asking for food or water. If the human helps, he or she will be rewarded with good fortune.

O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grill 769 Asp Ave., Norman 405.217.8454

Saint’s Bar and Lounge

1715 NW 16th St. H., Oklahoma City 405.602.6308

GUINNESS AND JAMESON WHISKEY ARE POPULAR CHOICES AT ARNIE’S BAR. PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

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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

Welcome the Warmer Weather Botanic gardens in Oklahoma celebrate the commencement of spring.

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA BOTANIC GARDENS

W

hat greater way to shake off the cold and welcome the warm than by reveling in spring’s greatest gift – flowers? In March, visit Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City or the Tulsa Botanic Garden to see their newest floral-laden attractions.

In OKC, Kaleidoscope of Colors will offer viewing of hundreds of orchids and other spring bulbs in a “rainbow of colors,” says Nate Tschaenn, Myriad’s director of horticulture.

“I expect to have as many colors as pos-

sible,” he says. “The exact colors and types of flowers will depend on availability at the time, but one of the main features of the show is orchids. The show has been moved back a month to coincide (hopefully) with the spring bulb displays.”

Tschaenn also says he and other employees of Myriad have gone above and beyond this year to make the show visually dynamic for visitors.

“We’ve planted more tulips than ever before, added even more daffodils, and are experimenting with some other kinds of bulbs like crocuses and striped squill,” he says.

As for the Tulsa Botanic Garden, the Botanic Blooms event has been in the works for quite some time.

“The planning for the spring bulb display begins the summer of the preceding year, as

the horticulture staff begin choosing a color palette and then specific bulbs for the planting design,” says Lori Hutson, communications and programs director at Tulsa Botanic.

In addition, the staff strategically plants these blooms to ensure the utmost longevity for viewers.

“When the flowers begin to blossom is dependent on weather – usually March-April.

Our staff chooses a mix of early, mid-season and late blooming bulbs to extend the display,” says Hutson.

Kaleidoscope of Colors runs from March 10 to April 15, and Tulsa Botanic Blooms runs throughout March and April, depending on the weather. For details, visit oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com or tulsabotanic.org.

MARY WILLA ALLEN

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Exploring New Genres

Art and its many mediums are constantly evolving, and Living Arts in Tulsa strives to honor the brilliant and courageous creators who utilize non-traditional forms of art at its New Genre Festival. Steve Liggitt, the artistic director at Living Arts, explains that the inspiration for this festival came from the desire to magnify Tulsa’s artistic community.

“A trip to New York, where I saw Meredith Monk, caused me to ask ‘Why are we not seeing this kind of art in Tulsa? – the kind of art that leaves you not knowing the questions to ask, much less have any of the answers,’” he says. “And so, each year since we have tried to support local artists who are doing exceptional artwork as well as bring in artists from outside Tulsa to stimulate thinking and questioning about what art (and life) is.”

Living Arts takes proposals year-round for this festival, which are then sent off to

IN TULSA BIG 12 WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP March 2-4 BOK CENTER This marks the second neutral-site Big 12 Conference championship for the sport and the first-ever in Tulsa. – bokcenter.com THEATRE TULSA PRESENTS: SWEENEY TODD March 3-12 TULSA PAC The Demon Barber of Fleet Street wreaks havoc and seeks vengeance against the wicked judge who has banished him for 15 years.

– theatretulsa.org HARWELDEN AWARDS EXHIBITION March 3-April 23 AHHA TULSA This event honors individuals and groups as exemplary advocates and supporters of the arts and humanities in Greater Tulsa. A committee of Past Presidents of the Council decides the six potential awards. – ahhatulsa.org 40TH ANNIVERSARY ART SHOW March 4-April 1

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

the proper committees. There, the proposals are reviewed and voted on based on Living Arts’ mission statement: “to present and develop contemporary art in Tulsa Oklahoma.” Committee members also travel to major presentations across the country to find artists who fit the mission statement. This year, art forms include live performance, video technology, latex balloon sound installations, clay and even holograms.

At the end of the day, Liggett wants people to simply extend their horizons and try attending shows that exist outside the normal realms of commercialized “art.”

“Art causes one to dream and wonder, and Lord knows we all need more of that,” he says. “It causes us to take action and think.”

The New Genre Festival runs March 1-4.

Events are free, but reservations are encouraged. Visit livingarts.org to reserve.

TULSA PAC An exhibit commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center is presented by the University of Tulsa School of Art. – tulsapac.com JAMFEST NATIONALS March 4-5 COX BUSINESS CENTER JAMfest Tulsa Nationals will feature scores of different cheer and dance competitions. – coxcentertulsa.com STEVIE NICKS March 6 BOK CENTER Stevie Nicks, from the legendary band Fleetwood Mac, is on her 24 Karat Gold tour with The Pretenders as an opening act. – bokcenter.com GREEN DAY March 7 BOK CENTER Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and Grammy Award-winning band Green Day is on its 2017 Revolution Radio North American Tour in support of its new album, Revolution Radio. – bokcenter.com TULSA HOME AND GARDEN SHOW March 9-12

EXPO SQUARE This show is where you can knock your home-improvement list out of the park. Oklahoma’s largest home and garden products trade show has more than 500 exhibitors. – tulsahba.com ZZ TOP March 10 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT ZZ Top, “that little ol’ band from Texas,” has the undisputed claim as the longest running major rock band with original personnel intact and, in 2004, the Texas trio was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. – riverspirittulsa.com AMERICAN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL March 10-18 TULSA PAC Herman Wouk’s dramatic novel of life – and mutiny – on a warship was immediately embraced upon its publication in 1951 as one of the first works of American fiction to grapple with the moral complexities of World War II. – americantheatrecompany.org JIMMY EAT WORLD March 10 CAIN’S BALLROOM After a successful 10th anniversary tour revisiting Futures, the musicians of Jimmy Eat World briefly went their separate ways at the end of 2014.

When the band reconvened in November 2015, they teamed up with producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen and began creating new and exciting music.

– cainsballroom.com STARPOWER TALENT COMPETITION March 10-12 COX BUSINESS CENTER Starpower enters its 30th anniversary year in the world of dance competitions and is stronger than ever. – coxcentertulsa.com TULSA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: ROUTE 66 March 11 TULSA PAC Get your kicks on the Mother Road. Sit back and relax as the Tulsa Symphony creates the perfect Route 66 road trip mixed soundtrack for your journey. Conducted by Ron Spigelman, the TSO will delight audiences with a swell sundry of tunes.

– tulsasymphony.org FLYING FEZ WINE TASTING FESTIVAL March 11 BEDOUIN SHRINE TEMPLE Sample award-winning wines from some of the best Oklahoma wineries at this annual event. Gourmet Italian food will be served, and guests to the festival will receive an embossed wine glass. – bedouinwinefestival.com MIRANDA LAMBERT March 11 BOK CENTER On the heels of the announcement about her highly anticipated double album The Weight Of These Wings, Miranda Lambert will perform these new songs on the Highway Vagabond Tour.

– bokcenter.com SIGNATURE SYMPHONY PRESENTS: OF LIFE AND DEATH March 11 TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE-SOUTHEAST Signature Symphony teams with Tulsa Opera to feature classical works by Joseph Bologne, one of the first renowned classical composers of African heritage; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with his Requiem; and Martinez Companon, an 18th-century Peruvian bishop who also wrote orchestral pieces.

– signaturesymphony.org JANE MONHEIT WITH SPECIAL GUEST NICHOLAS PAYTON AND THE TULSA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA March 12 TULSA PAC The Performing Arts Center celebrates its 40th anniversary with a concert headlined by jazz vocalist Jane Monheit. – tulsapac.com CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS PRESENTS: MOTOWN THE MUSICAL March 14-19 TULSA PAC Motown The Musical is the true American dream story of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and his journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and

PHOTO COURTESY LIVING ARTS OF TULSA

Where & When

ART

O N T H E S TA G E

BENNETT’S BACK

PHOTO COURTESY RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT

many more. – celebrityattractions.com NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL March 17-19 BOK CENTER Share the experience with your family and friends as March Madness begins with a slate of first- and second-round games, hosted by the University of Tulsa. – bokcenter.com OKLAHOMANS FOR EQUALITY PRESENTS: MISS RICHFIELD 1981 March 18 TULSA PAC In an all-new show, 2020 Vision, Miss Richfield 1981 offers a survival guide for the world. With comedic songs, videos and a unique take on audience participation, she calms post-election panic.

– tulsapac.com OPTHA PREMIER PINTO CLASSIC March 18 EXPO SQUARE The OPtHA charter held its first horse show in 1959. Its purpose is to promote and encourage the general interest and breeding of pinto horses. To see these majestic creatures in person, visit the classic.

– oklahomapinto.com SHERIDAN ROAD ENSEMBLE PRESENTS: THE ROAD TO LOVE IS... March 23 TULSA PAC The road to love is long, winding, magical, mysterious, elusive – and irresistible! Look for that Sheridan Road musical twist on the many ways of love – whether it’s head-over-heels romance to sassy Ella Fitzgerald, bittersweet Stephen Sondheim, silly love songs or the love that’s ironically “out of tune.”

– sheridanroadjazz.org CHICAGO March 24 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT With signature sounds of horns, distinct vocalists and a few dozen ever-classic songs, this band’s concerts are celebrations. 2017 marks the band’s 50th consecutive year of touring without missing a single concert date. – riverspirittulsa.com TULSA BALLET PRESENTS: SWAN LAKE March 24-26 TULSA PAC Odette, a maiden trapped in the form of a swan due to an evil sorcerer’s curse, must find eternal love to break the spell. – tulsaballet.org KANSAS March 25 BRADY THEATER This two-hour special concert will debut songs from the band’s upcoming album, The Prelude Implicit. – kansasband.com REO SPEEDWAGON March 25 RIVER SPIRIT CASINO Formed in 1967, signed in 1971 and fronted by Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon is a band whose main constant over the decades is a never-ending desire to give its all to fans, year in and year out. – riverspirittulsa.com

TULSA TOWN HALL PRESENTS: JOEL SARTORE March 31 TULSA PAC As a freelance photographer for National Geographic magazine, Joel Sartore has produced more than 30 stories from around the world. He documents endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. – tulsapac.com

IN OKC PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP March 1-6 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Don’t miss the crowning of the Big 12 Conference champion. With an automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line, games are sure to be action-packed. – chesapeakearena.com FRANKIE BEVERLY AND THE MAZE March 3 RIVERWIND CASINO Fans know that when they attend a Maze concert they will be treated to an evening of honest, raw soul music. It’s been that way for more than 40 years. – riverwind.com

Tony Bennett, 90, redefines the idea that age is just a number. In 2015, he released a full-length album, and in 2016, he performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2017, he’s touring with a frequency of dates that would tucker out a 25 year old. Age, it seems, has no hold on him.

A World War II veteran, Bennett returned to the United States in 1945 and attended the American Theatre Wing School to study vocals. He was discovered by Bob Hope in a New York City nightclub in 1949, and after changing his stage name from Joe Bari to Tony Bennett, a star was born.

Bennett has won numerous Grammy and Emmy awards along with garnering a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a handful of lifetime achievement awards from various organizations. He continues to dazzle and delight fans each time he steps on stage.

Bennett comes to the River Spirit Casino’s Paradise Cover at 8 p.m. March 17. Visit riverspirittulsa.com for tickets.

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: CLASSICS 6 March 4 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Guest conductor Daniel Hege is widely recognized as one of America’s finest conductors, earning critical acclaim for his fresh interpretations of the standard repertoire. – okcphil.org NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF UKRAINE March 9 ARMSTRONG AUDITORIUM This distinguished ensemble brings its brilliance, warmth and expressive versatility with Kiev-born pianist Alexei Grynyuk, who won the Vladimir Horowitz International Competition in Kiev and the Shanghai International Competition.

– armstrongauditorium.org OKLAHOMA YOUTH EXPO March 10-17 STATE FAIR PARK The expo is recognized as the largest youth event in the state. The livestock show brings more than 7,000 exhibitors along with their educators and families from all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.

– okstatefair.com STYX March 17 RIVERWIND CASINO The six men comprising Styx have been “Rockin’ the Paradise” together with audiences far

SPORTS

PHOTO BY ZACH BEEKER COURTESY OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Thunder Up

Nearing playoff time in the first season after departure of leading scorer Kevin Durant, the Thunder players have adjusted the rotation, welcomed new players and helped to mold fresh stars on the court. Apart from the ongoing development of Russell Westbrook as one of the best guards in the NBA, recent additions Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter have emergered as excellent assets to the Thunder’s new team dynamic.

In the month of March, the Thunder will play at Chesapeake Energy Arena several times during three-game home stretches. The team takes on the Portland Trail Blazers on March 7, the San Antonio Spurs on March 9 and the Utah Jazz on March 11. The Thunder returns to play the Sacramento Kings on March 18, the Golden State Warriors on March 20 and the Philadelphia 76ers on March 22. The month closes out with another game against the Spurs on March 31.

Visit nba.com/thunder for broadcast information and tickets.

MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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AROUND THE STATE RED DIRT FILM FESTIVAL March 2-4 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY The films selected for the festival compete for awards in 25 categories, including Best Film by an Oklahoma director. Awards are

MUSIC

Take Me to Chicago

With five decades of success and five Grammy Awards under their belts, the members of Chicago continue to thrill audiences worldwide. See them live at the Choctaw Casino and Resort on March 25.

Originally Chicago Transit Authority, the band signed with Colombia Records in 1968 and began creating hit record after hit record in the ’70s, including the beloved “If You Leave Me Now” in 1976.

The subsequent decades brought a series of changes to the band, both in sound and in members, but Chicago remained a staple in American rock all the while. The members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 and a biography, Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago, was released in late 2016. Thus, it seems Chicago still reigns rock today.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. March 25. Visit choctawcasinos.com for tickets.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

PHOTO COURTESY MEDIEVAL FAIR

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Who will be the next star to emerge from games that will decide an entrant into the Final Four? – chesapeakearena.com MASTERS OF SOUL March 25 HUDSON PERFORMANCE HALL This is celebration of legendary songs and performers that defined Motown and soul music is the ultimate stroll down memory lane. – hudsonperformancehall.com OKC PHIL PRESENTS: CLASSICS 7 March 25 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Guest conductor Vladimir Kulenovic was recently designated Chicagoan of the Year in Classical Music by the distinguished Chicago Tribune critic John von Rhein. – okcphil.org LYRIC THEATRE PRESENTS: JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH March 29-April 9 LYRIC AT THE PLAZA A delightfully offbeat adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure, this new musical is by the Tony Award-nominated team of Bejn Pasek and Justin Paul. – lyrictheatreokc.com 35 CONCERTS PRESENTS: RONNIE MILSAP March 30 CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Ronnie Milsap represents much more than a conventional definition. He’s a humble, overtly friendly fellow with a talent as vast and multi-dimensional as the American South.

– okcciviccenter.com UPTOWN UNCORKED March 30 OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER Uptown 23rd District’s fourth annual fundraiser includes food and beverage tastings from Uptown restaurants and merchants.

– uptown23rd.com

PHOTO COURTESY CHOCTAW CASINO AND RESORT

Where & When

and wide by entering their second decade of averaging over 100 shows a year. Each musician is committed to making the next show better than the last.

– riverwind.com CHARLIE WILSON’S IN IT TO WIN IT TOUR March 17 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA In It To Win It is the title of Charlie Wilson’s new album, featuring guests Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, Robin Thicke, Wiz Khalifa and TI. Special guests include Fantasia, Johnny Gill and Solero.

– chesapeakearena.com OKC PHIL PRESENTS: POPS 5 March 17-18 OKC CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Join Maestro Joel Levine as he presents a night of Broadway favorites, old and new, featuring seven decades of music from the Great White Way. – okcphil.org AARON LEWIS March 18 RIVERWIND CASINO If you want to get to know Aaron Lewis, just listen to The Road. On his first full-length album, the Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum singer, songwriter and guitarist tells one story after another. – riverwind.com BRICKUNIVERSE LEGO FAN EVENT March 18-19 COX CONVENTION CENTER BrickUniverse is a huge LEGO fan convention that brings the universe of the bricks together under one roof for fans of all ages.

– brickuniverse.org JERUSALEM STRING QUARTET March 23 ARMSTRONG AUDITORIUM Since its debut nearly 20 years ago, this ensemble has evolved with immense maturity and a commanding presence.

– armstrongauditorium.org MOMENTUM OKC March 24-25 PLAZA DISTRICT, OKC The exhibition works with Oklahoma artists ages 30 and younger in a venue created specifically for them as they gain experience and meet new audiences. –ovac-ok.org NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REGIONAL March 24-26

C U LT U R E

GET MEDIEVAL

Explore an ancient kingdom come alive at the 41st annual Medieval Fair in Norman, where one can find anything and everything pertaining to the Middle Ages in a single three-day event. This includes live musical entertainment, jousting shows, human chess games, artisan booths, food vendors and so much more.

Although the fair is now a major cultural staple in Oklahoma, it’s an unlikely source that’s to thank for the fair’s humble beginnings.

“The Medieval Fair was originally a one-day event held on the south oval of the University of Oklahoma for the English department,” says Ann Marie Eckart, director of the fair. “By its fourth year, the fair had outgrown the space available on the campus.” It then transferred to OU’s Duck Pond, but soon it outgrew that space, too.

In 2003, the fair transferred again to Reaves Park and now welcomes more than 300,000 visitors each year.

The fair is more than just a lively event to attend on a weekend, however. As the fair is closely tied to the university, educational aspects are important features.

“The fair has continued to expand its educational mission to ignite the spark of curiosity that leads to lifelong learning through educational entertainment,” Eckart says. “In recent years, the fair has partnered with OU’s Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies to provide a free public lecture series on a variety of subjects pertaining to the Middle Ages.”

The Medieval Fair runs March 31-April 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Visit medievalfair.org for details.

COMMUNIT Y

Faith and Begorrah: Tulsa, OKC Liven Up St. Paddy’s Day

PHOTO BY STEVEN CHRISTY COURTESY PRODIGAL, LLC

St. Patrick’s Day, one of the most beloved holidays for the Irish and non-Irish alike, sweeps every major city on March 17 with leprechaun costumes, green beer, Irish food and festive activities. Luckily, Oklahoma is no stranger to these celebrations.

In Tulsa, kick off the holiday early at Cain’s Ballroom on March 1 to hear the ever-popular Dropkick Murphys as they perform with The Interrupters and Dublin-based Blood or Whiskey (cainsballroom.com). If that’s not your jam, the Blue Dome District downtown (bluedomedistrict. com) hosts an annual St. Paddy’s day celebration.

Try local bars like Arnie’s, Woody’s, Kilkenny’s and McNellie’s (or all four) to get into the Irish spirit.

The Oklahoma City St. Patrick’s Day Parade (ocityparade.com) winds through downtown OKC with traditional Irish music and stepdancing, and the Bricktown Block Party offers free beer samples, food trucks and live music.

Regardless of where you find yourself March 17, stay smart and make good decisions! announced March 4. – reddirtfilm.com WATONGA TROUT DERBY March 3-5 ROMAN NOSE STATE PARK Bring your favorite fishing pole and try your hand at catching trout for cash and prizes. – watongachamber.com STAMPEDE THE TRAIL 5K AND MARATHON March 4 SIMMONS CENTER, DUNCAN At this USA Track and Field-sanctioned race, participants enjoy free T-shirts, as well as a 10K course for runners only. Medals go for first and second place in each age division.

– simmonscenter.com PEORIA STOMP DANCE March 4 OTTAWA-PEORIA CULTURAL CENTER This annual festival by the Peoria tribe celebrates American Indian dance and is an exciting display of slow, stomping steps set to rhythm. – peoriatribe.com THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES March 4-12 GASLIGHT THEATRE Michele de LaVaca’s adaption of The Emperor’s New Clothes is a clever telling of the popular Hans Christian Andersen fable about the pitfalls of vanity and greed. It is perfect for the whole family.

– gaslighttheatre.org ALAN JACKSON March 10 CHOCTAW CASINO AND RESORT For more than 25 years, Alan Jackson’s music has provided a soundtrack for American life. Whether someone is plowing a Kansas field or toiling away in a factory in an urban metropolis, Jackson’s songs have chronicled the hopes, dreams and values of everyday people. – alanjackson.com JUNK UTOPIA March 11 HEART OF OKLAHOMA EXPO CENTER, SHAWNEE Junk Utopia is a traveling vintage, junk, handmade and antiques show with promoters that have more than 22 years experience producing shows and events.

– junkutopiashow.com

OKLAHOMA CROSS COUNTRY RACING ASSOCIATION ROUND ONE RACE March 11-12 WILLIAMS RANCH, SKIATOOK OCCRA is a motorcycle and ATV racing series that began in 1983 when a small group of off-road riders grew weary of the long drives out-of-state to attend hare scrambles, enduros and other off-road events. OCCRA starts out its 2017 season with its eighth visit to Skiatook. – occra.com 33RD ANNUAL SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL RENDEZVOUS March 15-25 WOOLAROC MUSEUM AND WILDLIFE PRESERVE Join us for a step back in time before 1840, when mountain men and American Indians lived during the Fur Trade Era. – visitbartlesville.com PRE-WAR AUTO SWAP MEET March 17-18 GRADY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS This free meet has the largest selection of brass era parts anywhere. It is limited to automobiles, parts and transportation items pre-1945. – pwsm.com WILLIE NELSON AND FAMILY March 17 WINSTAR WORLD CASINO Willie Nelson, the “outlaw of country music,” and his group return to the spotlight.

– winstarworldcasino.com DOWNTOWN ARTS FESTIVAL March 18 MAPLE STREET, ENID Grab the family and head to this event by Creative Arts of Enid. Artists from all over the state display their work to sell at this exciting event.

– creativeartsenid.com THE COMMODORES March 18 WINSTAR WORLD CASINO Come get your funk on with these Vocal Group Hall of Famers.

– winstarworldcasino.com BRAD PAISLEY March 24 WINSTAR WORLD CASINO Brad Paisley is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer

whose talents have earned him numerous awards, including three Grammys. – winstarworldcasino.com ADA GEM, MINERAL AND FOSSIL CLUB SWAP, SHOW AND SALE March 24-25 PONTOTOC COUNTY AGRI-PLEX This annual event features numerous dealers displaying diverse collections of gems, minerals and fossils. – travelok.com WALKIN’ ON CHALK ARTS FESTIVAL March 26 DOWNTOWN ALTUS Up to 70 spaces are provided for artists of all ages to compete for cash and prizes.

First-grade children all the way through adults should bring their A game to this free, fun event.

– mainstreetaltus.org TASTE OF ARDMORE AND MUSIC March 31 HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ARDMORE Enjoy an evening filled with live music and great food prepared by some of Ardmore’s finest restaurants. – chickasawcounty.com BRIAN WILSON March 31 CHOCTAW CASINO AND RESORT He is one of popular music’s most deeply revered figures, the creative force behind some of the most cherished recordings in rock history. It is no exaggeration to call Brian Wilson one of the most influential composers of the last century.

– brianwilson.com STILLWATER ELKS LODGE BLAZATHON BBQ CONTEST March 31-April 1 ELKS LODGE This contest welcomes everyone out for a fun, family-friendly weekend of smoked meats and live entertainment. –blazathon.org

FOR EVEN MORE EXCITING EVENTS IN TULSA, OKC AND AROUND THE STATE, HEAD TO OKMAG.COM. MARCH 2017 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Where & When

In Theaters

LOGAN PHOTO BY BEN ROTHSTEIN

FILM AND CINEMA

A Truly Great Month for Festivals True/False in Columbia, Missouri, and Red Dirt in Stillwater offer thumbs-up events.

Around Town

What if I told you one of the country’s best film festivals happens every year just one state over from Oklahoma? Well, it’s true: The True/False Film Festival celebrates its 14th year of existence from March 2-5 in Columbia, Missouri – a not too bad drive of five and a half hours from Tulsa. It’s worth every minute of the commute, as True/False highlights the best of nonfiction filmmaking from around the world. Pushing at the limits of what’s considered documentary, the festival encourages experimentation and risk-taking, to great ends – in the last three years, my favorite film of the year has been one I’ve seen first at True/False.

Even better, the festival feels like one big party – festive, but intimate. All the venues BEING THERE

PHOTO COURTESY THE CRITERION COLLECTION

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

are within walking distance of each other, and Columbia, a college town, provides plenty of bells and whistles. Each screening features music beforehand from the (often offbeat) bands that come to busk at the festival, and audience feedback and participation are highly encouraged in all areas of the festival. Simply put, it’s a heck of a film festival and a great way to get away for a weekend. For more information, visit truefalse.org.

For an international film festival a bit closer to home, check out the Red Dirt Film Festival, which runs from March 2-5 at the Oklahoma State University Campus in Stillwater. The festival, which is celebrating its fourth year, features films, music, panels and parties. For more information, visit reddirtfilm.com.

At Home

In the current political climate, it’s either comforting or discouraging to remember that many of our contemporary issues have played out in the past as well. This month the Criterion Collection re-releases Hal Ashby’s prescient 1979 comedy Being There, which features a man raised only by television rising through the ranks of the power elite. It’s a scathing satire anchored by an incredible Peter Sellers performance in the lead role and game supporting performances by Shirley McClaine and Melvyn Douglas.

March looks to be a good month for movies about humans with rather animalistic impulses. At the beginning of the month, James Mangold’s Logan will wrap up the Wolverine franchise, at least with Hugh Jackman on board as the wisecracking mutant. The films that feature Wolverine apart from his X-Men coworkers have been uneven at best, but this iteration appears more mature, and will hopefully provide a satisfying ending to Jackman’s iconic run as the character.

For families, Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast comes along mid-month.

Sure, it appears to be a nearly scene-forscene (and song-for-song) remake of the animated version, but that’s not worrisome since that movie is Disney’s greatest modern achievement, and a stellar cast (Dan Stevens, Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, and many more) should keep the film feeling fresh, even 25 years after the fact.

HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES FILE INTO THE MISSOURI THEATRE TO WATCH THE BAD KIDS. PHOTO BY NOAH FRICK-ALOFS

Expelled from his home after the death of his employer, guileless Chance the Gardener (also known as Chauncey Gardiner) sets off on his own, only to be quickly adopted by a dying, wealthy man who imagines Chance’s blank naivete to be a sign of brilliance.

Chance gains more and more influence, even though his only skill is repeating cliches he has learned on TV. Sellers’s blank stares and Ashby’s crisp direction make this a satire played for bone dry, and still timely, laughs.

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C LO S I N G T H O U G H T S

N

ext month, Gary Batton marks his third year as chief of the Choctaw Nation, which has emerged as an economic and health-care powerhouse in southeastern Oklahoma. He has worked for the tribe since 1987.

On April 3, Gov. Mary Fallin will honor Batton as one of seven Oklahoma Creativity Ambassadors for 2017.

With a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in business management, Batton became deputy director of the Choctaw Housing Authority. In 1997, as executive director of health, he oversaw the building of a state-of-the-art health care center, the first tribally funded hospital in the United States. He directed improvements of clinics in Hugo, Broken Bow and Talihina. After becoming assistant chief in 2007, he helped expand gaming facilities in Durant, Grant, McAlester and Stringtown.

As chief, he often shows up at travel plazas and medical facilities in the dead of night to ask tribal workers what he can do to help them and improve their jobs.

We caught up with Batton and got his thoughts on …

… his management style.

Putting others first is all part of it; it’s servant leadership. You have to serve before you can lead. You have to get people the support, the resources, the guidance that they need to succeed. If they need funding for a project, you do everything you can to get it. I found out that some of our restaurant workers were making less than a competitor, so we raised their wages.

… how bottom-up, not top-down, management succeeds.

A good example is the hunting-fishing compact that we signed with the state in September. That suggestion came from a tribal member. Years ago, diabetes was a tremendous problem, so we started a wellness center in Talihina to reduce all the amputations and eye problems. I’d like to take credit, but the best ideas come from others. It’s just a matter of listening and having a good ear.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017

… the Choctaw way of management.

It’s organization-wide leadership. With every major decision, we try to get unanimity; if we can’t get that, then consensus; if not that, then a majority. On rare occasions, I have to make an executive decision, but that’s only after we’ve tried to get everyone’s buy-in. This is a historical piece of our tribe. The Choctaw Nation many years ago had a function for everyone in the community. Everyone pulled together. It’s always been about the betterment of the community.

… his personal growth as a leader.

The tribe is spiritual. I am spiritual. We’ve had a firm belief in God, and who was a better servant than Jesus? Who helped the poor? Who served? He did.

Along the way, I’ve had stuff happen [divorce of parents; living with extended relatives; suicide of his brother when they were teens] and I could have given up. I could have taken that as my assignment in life. But many people – like my old pastor, Brother Bob Muncy; my in-laws; my wife of 30 years, Angie – and everything that’s happened make me who I am and how I lead.

… his goals.

We don’t want to look to the almighty government or tribe. We need to make our own way.

We need to continue to grow our economy and increase jobs for tribal members.

We need to expand college education and vocational training.

Our Choctaw University trains younger tribal employees to become leaders, who will sustain our tribe and keep it strong.

Internally, I promote the bottom-up leadership, which is opposite of much of popular, modern culture. That mindset will take at least a generation to change.

Externally, I empower people by giving them opportunities, not entitlements.

PHOTO COURTESY THE CHOCTAW NATION

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