LIFE & STYLE | DESTINATIONS

CLIENT: Choctaw Casino

Job #:074894

PUB: OK Magazine

TRIM: 2.475 X 10.875

LIVE: .25

BLEED: .125

ISSUE: June 2023

RESORT: Durant

CONTACT: Karen Newman 214-891-5875

Leandro Ehrlich’s large-scale “Swimming Pool,” a senses-defying experience above and below the surface of the water that reminds us things are not always as they appear.

At the legendary Omicho market, the only rival to the just-picked farm produce is the fresh catches from the sea. Omicho has been crammed with traders buying and selling the day’s harvests for 300 years. Restaurants in the area do a brisk business selling sushi, Kanazawa curry and bowls of rice crowned with seafood.

For dessert, have some ice cream covered with Kanazawa’s specialty, edible gold leaf. Then shop for ornamental mizuhiki knots, lacquerware and paper umbrellas.

Among Kanazawa’s inviting neighborhoods is the Nagamachi Samurai District, its streets lined with earthen walls hiding the homes where former high-ranking Samurai lived. Nicknamed “the Ninja Temple,” Myoryuji Temple is filled with secret staircases, concealed spaces and hidden passageways dating back to 1643.

The three remaining Chaya teahouse districts in Kanazawa are also very well maintained. Many geisha teahouses still open every day.

Kanazawa is the gateway to the rugged, sea-swept Noto Peninsula where locals haul in great catches of buri, yellowtail, shrimp and black scraper. Seaside restaurants serve that bounty in hot pots called oden where it meets umami-rich dashi broth and vegetables. Enjoy with local sake, hot.

Accommodations run the gamut. Simple ryokans are Japanese cottages, usually with communal baths and thick woven straw mats, called tatami, on the floors. In addition, many fine western-style hotels dot the skyline. But for my money, I’ll take the Yuzuya Ryokan Kanazawa Ryokusone, up in the trees above the city. Seven well-appointed guest rooms, each based on a theme such as Japanese Dogwood or bamboo, terrific views of city and scenery, and an excellent restaurant.grand dame in the heart of Centro. The impressive former convent is filled with patios, gardens and all the amenities in an atmosphere of French savoir-faire.

CHUCK MAI

NO MEETINGS. NO DEADLINES. NO TELLING WHAT THE NIGHT HOLDS.