Good Morning Grizzly attacks! Page 5
REVIEWS • Music: Cody Canada & The Departed, Teddybears • Book: ‘Stories of Old-Time Oklahoma’ • Food: Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina
Friday, July 15, 2011
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Photo illustration, featuring Carter Lamey, by Kendall Brown and Levi Lee.
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THE DISH
High Notes
MILKSHAKES
CLASSIC 50’S By K e n d a ll
Bro w n
POP Edit or
The Magical World of ... Norman A s of today, the reign of Harry Potter comes to a close. Pause. Let me say that again. As of today, the reign of Harry Potter comes to a close. Now, to many, that may not mean a lot. It’s just the end of a book series, the final movie in theaters. For a whole generation, however, it means no more midnight movie premieres, no more staying up all night to read the latest book…no more magic in the world. You’ll notice that this week, POP is filled with a lot (and I mean a lot) of Potter. That’s for two reasons. First, here at POP we’re big fans of Harry Potter, and we know this is our last chance to write about him and his magical world. Second, we know that there are hundreds of you out there that are just like us – sad to see the end of an era and looking for what’s next. To that end, this week in ‘High Notes’ I’d like to highlight a few local places that will help you maintain that magical, Harry Potter feeling. From a shop selling incense and other magical things (where Harry resides permanently) to a real life castle where one can dine, Norman and the surrounding areas offer many places where one can find that magical spark that Harry Potter lit in all of us. Sandalwood & Sage — At 322 E. Main St., Sandalwood & Sage not only provides a store full of mystical, magical items, it provides a permanent home for Mr. Potter. Earlier this year, the owners of Sandalwood & Sage purchased a life-size Harry Potter cutout that now resides behind the counter at
Friday, July 15, 2011
Brenda Jennings nominated Classic 50’s this week for ‘The Dish’ great place to get a milkshake. Priced at $2.49 for a regular size and $2.99 for a large size, Classic 50’s offers a cool way to beat the heat. Available flavors are strawberry, vanilla, pineapple, banana and chocolate. Classic 50’s is located at 1521 W. Lindsey St. The Dish is a weekly feature dedicated to reader suggestions on Norman’s culinary highlights. Next week’s category: Burgers — who makes your favorite? To nominate, email pop@normantranscript.com.
DIY DELICACIES Soft Pretzels Ingredients • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast • 1 teaspoon white sugar • 11⁄4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) Photo by Kendall Brown
Dumbledore sorts kids into their Hogwarts houses during Mugglefest at the Norman Public Library. the store. Many of the items for sale inside their doors would be perfect to make your home look and smell just like the wonderful wizarding world. Great Reading Room — Nestled in the Bizzell Memorial Library on the University of Oklahoma Campus, the Great Reading Room is like a scene straight out of Harry Potter. The tall gothic windows, the red bound dissertations lining the walls and the long wooden tables leave you expecting Professor McGonagall to come in and tell you to sit down and be quiet. Word to the wise, however. The Great Reading Room’s silence is so sacred that often students unzip their backpacks before entering the room as to not disturb other student’s study time with the noise. Norman Public Library — Any place that hosts an event called “Mugglefest” is a friend of mine. The Norman Public
Library, 225 N. Webster Ave., and there is no better place to escape the “Potter blues” than at the library. After all, the biggest appeal of the Harry Potter series was the ability to escape into a world of fantasy, and that is exactly what the library offers room after room (and page after page) of. And if you’re at a loss for what to snag off the shelves now that Harry has left us, check out Levi Lee, our literature columnist’s newest column in this week’s POP. He has lots of great suggestions for your next fantasy series. So there you have it. This weekend, let’s all us Muggles don our cloaks and our house scarves of choice (mine will be blue and bronze for Ravenclaw) and celebrate the last Harry Potter with as much exuberance we can muster. Once it’s over however, skip the moping. There’s still magic in Norman, you just have to get out and look for it.
• 5 cups all-purpose flour • 1⁄2 cup white sugar • 11⁄2 teaspoons salt • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1⁄2 cup baking soda • 4 cups hot water • 1⁄4 cup kosher salt, for topping Directions 1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. 2.In a large bowl, mix together flour, half cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 3.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water. 4.When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. 5.Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned. Have a DIY recipe for a beverage or side you want featured? Email pop@normantranscript.com
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Dary weaves a colorful tapestry of state history
MUSIC REVIEWS Cody Canada & The Departed “This Is Indian Land” Thirty Tigers (2011)
In the liner notes to “This Is Indian Land,” the debut album from former Cross Canadian Ragweed frontman Cody Canada, co-founder of The Departed, the Yukon native writes about his earliest days as a burgeoning songwriter learning all he could from the Red Dirt music pioneers living out on the “Farm” near Stillwater. Indeed, Cody Canada, who led CCR towards great musical heights over more than 15 years admits he owes a debt of gratitude to that Red Dirt community and helped him become the person he is today, fronting a new band. Writes Canada: “… I have a wonderful family of musicians and am complete as a father/husband/musician/man because of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Texas is home for The Departed now, but the blood in our veins is as red as the soil in Payne County.” And with “This Is Indian Land,” Canada, along with fellow Ragweed vet Jeremy Plato on bass, Texas blues-rock guitarist Seth James, keyboardist Steve Littleton and drummer Dave Bowen, this musical love letter to Red Dirt, America – Oklahoma, USA and all the great music that has come out of here in recent decades – is highlighted in the form of some amazing covers Following a phone message recording left by songwriter Randy Crouch, The Departed kick off the new album with a quirky, cosmic, country-jazz Crouch
original called “Face On Mars.” It is by far one of the coolest tracks on the 15track “This Is Indian Land.” And while Ragweed’s Grady Cross and Randy Ragsdale are not part of this project, there is a Ragweed vibe that remains largely intact, thanks to Canada’s love of authentic Americana music. That’s not to say this is all countrytinged rock with a folk edge. There is that, in spades, but The Departed, a looser, jamfriendly collective, likes to try groove-centric tracks like “True Love Never Dies” where Littleton gets to incorporate some 70’s-era Stevie Wonder synth-funk. And while Canada handles the majority of the vocal duties, the plaintive Plato handles lead vocals on the Mike Shannonpenned song “Long Way to Nowhere,” another highlight. J.J. Cale’s “If You’re Ever In Oklahoma” is a bit paint-by-numbers (check out the 2003 version by Texas singer Luke Olson for a truly amazing interpretation) while the Tom Skinner song “Skyline Radio” is a poppy, lyrical gem. Having seen the band perform the album live for an album release party at the Wormy Dog Saloon a few weeks back, I am pleased to say that these songs sound as good live as they do on disc. In fact, I’d say Canada’s live version of the Dust Bowl-oriented “A Little Rain Will Do” was better than the recorded version. Fans of the ever-expanding Red Dirt music genre should definitely make “This Is Indian Land” part of their collection. It’s a keeper, fellow Okies. — Andrew W. Griffin
MORE NEW MUSIC • JILL SCOTT “The Light of the Sun” (Blues Babe, 3 stars) — Jill Scott’s fourth album — her first to reach No. 1 on the Billboard album chart — puts her positivity to the test. • VARIOUS ARTISTS “Red Hot + Rio 2” (E 1 Entertainment, 3.5 stars) — The Red Hot Organization ups its own ante and heads into the rougher wilds of Brazil for the psychedelic sonic
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whirl of Tropicalia and some of its best compositions • CURREN$Y “Weekend at Burnie’s” (Warner 2.5 stars) — Curren$y sounds as Curren$y as ever, but as subtly as last year’s two Pilot Talk albums distanced themselves from typical weed-obsessed Gfunk, Weekend at Burnie’s is subtly typical.
Friday, July 15, 2011
— Philidelphia Inquirer
Teddybears “Devil’s Music” Big Beat/Atlantic Records (2011)
Teddybears is a Swedish pop/rock trio who have been playing and recording together since 1993. Devil’s Music is their sixth LP. Many are familiar with their music because they’ve made a career selling songs for use in movies, video games, TV shows and commercials. Additionally they’ve collaborated with lots of better known artists who appear on their albums. The Flaming Lips give Teddybears a kiss here in track 6 “Crystal Meth Christians.” It’s not the first time Teddybears have criticized the American religious right wing. In this song Wayne Coyne lyrically slaps some Bible thumpers’ insufferable claim to superiority, accusing them of turning “diamonds into sand.” Others contributing their talent to this highly listenable and danceable disc include The B52s, Robyn and Eve. Punctuated by sexy girl kitty meows Cee Lo Green sings a story about the feline he loves and how his ladies are jealous of Cho Cha the Cat. Most of the music is lit up with synthesizer, vibraphone and bombastic percussion. “Get Mama a House” featuring Bobby Ray Simmons (B.o.B.) sports magical curb appeal and not surprisingly has been chosen for a Swedish real estate company ad. The title track refers to rock n roll being disparaged as the tunes of Satan but this music sounds angelic. — Doug Hill
David Dary, a journalist by training and profession, knows how to tell a good story. When he retired as director of the University of Oklahoma’s journalism program, he began to research and write stories about the old West. He wrote about frontier medicine, newspapermen, cowboys and their forms of entertainment. Now Dary, a Norman resident, has penned a collection of tales in “Stories of OldTime Oklahoma.” It was published by OU Press this summer and is available from online booksellers, in bookstores and directly from the OU Press. Dary’s work is indexed with a pronunciation guide, making it easy for readers to find facts about their favorite Oklahoma character. It helped me on a recent outing to the Hudson River area of upstate New York, the setting of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Mr. Irving had come through Oklahoma, and Cleveland County and my traveling party was curious as to the year. It was late October 1832 when Mr. Irving and his fellow travelers camped near the head of Little River in northern Cleveland County. They spent two days there hunting buffalo and chasing wild horses before following the flooded Little River east of present-day Norman. Oklahoma was home to some colorful characters back then. It was Indian Territory and some criminals and societal malcontents found sanctu-
BOOK REVIEW
“Stories of Old-Time Oklahoma” by David Dary ary here. Indian courts had no jurisdiction over whites and the closest justice was handled by a few U.S. marshals in Fort Smith. Dary’s latest work looks at early towns and the state’s wildlife, rails and trails, Indian lore, outlaws, lawmen, artists, writers and entertainers. He also looks at the state’s most valued treasures — people such as Angie Debo, Will Rogers, Woody Guthrie, Gene Autry, Patti Page and Kay Starr. An added bonus is the book’s cover, an Oklahoma-inspired watercolor by the author’s wife, Sue Dary. The book is a must-read for Oklahoma newcomers who have trouble keeping up in conversations about the state’s history. It’s also a quick read for old timers who just want to smile at the characters and stories that make up the colorful fabric of Oklahoma. — Andy Rieger
MUSIC
Smooth Siren Sounds of Jolie Holland coming to the Opolis By Kendall Brown POP Editor
Photo by Kendall Brown
Daniel Redmond, Harrison Morris, Tyler Slemp and Jordan Herrera make up the band Good Morning Grizzly, which will play at the Opolis on Saturday night.
Good Morning Grizzly set to attack By Kendall Brown POP Editor
Oklahoma local band Good Morning Grizzly will be playing their first Norman show Saturday at the Opolis. According to band members, they did not necessarily start out to form a group. It was just hanging out, making music with people with similar musical influences. “We just kind of jammed together one night,” band guitarist and lead vocalist Tyler Slemp said. “We didn’t really have a vision, we were just writing songs together.” Band members Slemp and bassist and vocalist Jordan Herrera met at a songwriter’s showcase and after hearing each other’s music, knew they’d click. Their sounds were very similar.
IF YOU GO Who: Good Morning Grizzly with Brother Bear and Colin Nance When: Doors open 9 p.m. Saturday “Tyler and I both made it to the top 10 finalists in a song writing competition in Tulsa,” Herrera said. “After hearing one of his songs I knew instantly that he liked the same music as I did and everything else progressed from there.” Aside from Slemp on vocals and guitar and Herrera on bass and vocals, the band also includes Harrison Morris on lead guitar and Daniel Redmond on drums.
Although the music scene has become heavily inundated with hybrid bands, with genres like metal-core, indie punk and rap rock, Good Morning Grizzly is a band that has stayed true to their influences. No hybrid genre needed here. “We’re indie, all the way,” Herrera said. “I’ve been in bands before where there was a mixture of sounds going on to where slashes were needed to divide what people were hearing but I’m glad to say that we are 100 percent indie. Our influences are heavily welled from Manchester Orchestra, Thrice, Deathcab for Cutie, Explosions in the Sky, and Local Natives.” Maintaining a clear musical focus is no easy feat for a band that collectively writes
their songs. According to Slemp, most songs within the Good Morning Grizzly repertoire derive from a riff someone plays at practice, and then band members collectively build from there. That music first, lyrics second mentality is a method that’s worked well for the band so far. “We’ve written all of our songs music first so far,” Herrera said. “Then we’ve let the feelings and mood of the song tell us what it should be about and then write lyrics to fit. It seems backward to me but the songs have actually been really deep.” Good Morning Grizzly will be playing an all-ages show at the Opolis with Brother Bear and Colin Nance. Doors open at 9 p.m., with a $7 cover.
When Jolie Holland’s smooth, haunting voice first rounds the opening lyrics of her new album, “Pint of Blood,” a listener can’t help but be drawn in as a ship to a siren. Her voice, at once sad and strong, saying “I can’t believe you’re treating me like all those girls” is enough to inspire listeners to take up arms and track down the one who broke her heart. That’s the power of Holland’s music. It pours without dripping, smoothly communicating both heartbreak and joy and all the nooks and crannies of life inbetween. Holland is currently on tour to support “Pint of Blood” and will be making a stop Monday at the Opolis. As a touring musician, Holland did not necessarily always think she was going to end up pursuing music as a career. “When I was 18 I thought I was going to be a visual artist,” Holland said. “Now I’m on the road all the time. I think it requires living in one place more.” Whether it was intended or not, however, music was something that came naturally to Holland. Born in Houston, several of Holland’s family mem-
Jolie Holland
IF YOU GO Who: Jolie Holland When: Doors open for the show at 9 p.m. Monday Where: The Opolis bers were musicians and she grew up going to shows to watch them play. “I grew up going with my family to see my uncles play,” Holland said. “I’m sure when I was two, people were two-stepping and carrying me on the dance floor. That sense of rhythm has just been built into me.” Holland’s Opolis appearance will also feature Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 the day of the show, with a $2 surcharge for anyone under 21. For more information, visit www.starlightmints.com/o polis.html.
Friday, July 15, 2011
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COVER STORY
Growing up Potter Local kids prepare for end of series that defined their youths By Kendall Brown POP Editor
When Sarah Hartley and her friends were planning their senior trip this summer, it was a no-brainer. Having just graduated high school, they knew there was only one place they wanted to go: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
From the top: Carter Lamey attempts to catch his toy snitch as he pretends to be Harry Potter. Kaylin Lamey poses as Hermione Granger. Rebecca Whitehead, Kimmy Berry and Sarah Hartley pose for a photo in their Gryffindor robes in the Great Reading Room on OU’s campus. Photos and photo illustrations by Kendall Brown.
VIDEO There’s more on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”
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As huge fans of the Harry Potter series, the anticipation for the trip built for quite awhile and once they were there they wasted no time but jumped right into the experience. “There are two parts to Universal and you have to walk through the first part to get to the Islands of Adventure where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is,” Hartley said. “Instead of walking like everyone else, my friends and I sprinted the entire way so we could get to the castle and see everything.” Hartley has been a fan of Harry Potter for nearly her entire childhood. She said that she feels like she’s grown up with Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Hogwarts gang. She’s stirred cauldrons with them in potions class, squinted into tea leaves with them in divination lessons and been there as a founding member of the D.A. (Dumbledore’s Army, for you muggles out there.) She was there with them from the very beginning and now, as the final movie is released in theaters, she’ll be there at the end. “I’m really sad that it’s about to be over,” Hartley said. “Every time I watch the trailer, actually, I get really scared because I hate looking at Voldemort. He scares me. I get legitimately nervous, because I feel like I know the characters. I’ve grown up with them, and they’re about to go into this crazy, scary battle with him.”
Magic for all ages Carter and Kaylin Lamey aren’t old enough to have grown up with Harry Potter. They’ve come in as a part of the second generation of Potter fans, won over by the movies, and then read the books by their mother. Don’t mistake either of them for any less of a fan, however. Carter, who will be turning eight this next week, will also be attending the film. He’ll be dressed in full Gryffindor regalia. With his dark hair and bright eyes peering out from behind costume spectacles, he plays the part of a young Harry well. Little sister Kaylin, on the other hand, chooses to dress as Hermione. Don’t think it’s because Hermione is the default costume for girls, though. Kaylin chose her costume carefully, and with a specific purpose. “I like Hermione because she’s really smart and she beats all the boys,” Kaylin said. Of particular appeal to Kaylin was the scene in the Prisoner of Azkaban when Hermione lands a right hook on the face of Draco Malfoy. She likes that Hermione stood up for herself. Carter, on the other hand, is attracted to the series for other reasons. The consummate boy, he particularly enjoys the battle scenes. He is also particularly interested by the subject of potion making. When he has a friend over to visit, they often pretend that they are in the middle of a potions
lesson. “We mix up stuff and basically make potions,” Carter said. “One of the really cool things that makes the colors for the potions is Gatorade.”
Preparing for the end Kristy Stewart has spent the majority of her life anticipating the next book release or midnight premiere. After Friday, however, that anticipation is gone forever. Stewart said that while she is excited for the film, she’s sad to see the end of it all. “I have been doing a lot of mental exercises so I don’t break down into tears at the end,” Stewart said, laughing. “My life for the past 12 years has been waiting on the next book or the next movie. I know it sounds crazy, but every year, I have been looking forward to something new, and after the 15th, I won’t have that any more. It is like the end of an era.” Stewart will be attending the premiere along with her mother and little sister. She plans to dress as Harry Potter and is currently working to convince her sister to dress as Voldemort. She said that although the official age of Harry Potter is ending, she plans to keep the spirit of the series alive. “Even though the whole thing is coming to an end, I still feel like Harry Potter will live on forever,” Stewart said. “When I have children, I assure you they will read the books.”
‘Til the very end By Kelsey Marcussen Special to POP
Well, this is it. The end of Harry Potter as we know it. No more year long waits. No more surprises. Just re-reads, re-watches and newly designed book covers that will never be as iconic as the originals. This is really happening, isn’t it? Harry has been in our lives for 13 years. And now he’s gone. Poof. Just like that. Well, not really just like that. We have video games and that curiouser and curiouser site of Pottermore to look forward to. We still have talks about what we loved and what we hated coming up. And all-day marathons of the movies. But that’s not on the same level as when Harry just started. We have literally run out of Harry Potter midnight releases. Out of theories and speculations. No longer will we sit around discussing the loyalties of Severus Snape or why exactly Dolores Umbridge was such a cat-loving twit. No longer will we see a Harry Potter trailer and fight back the urge to squeal in pure delight. We won’t judge movie castings or have arguments about who J. K. Rowling will kill. That’s done. Over. This is the end of a childhood. And something so incredibly special we didn’t realize it until too late. How many books can you
say have or will ever have midnight releases? Remember those? You reserved your book at the first bookstore you happened to be at. And then weeks, maybe months, later you spent a night on the town bookstore hopping. A night of pure geek, where you could discuss the most trivial Potter characters like Piers Polkiss and not be given strange looks. A night where silly Quidditch games with foam balls and wimpy broomsticks were cheesy but brilliant. And then, when you got the book, the goosebumps that crawled your arms, the excitement in your belly, and the all-consuming need to read all of the book right then and there. How many books can lay claim to millions of children being up all night because they refused to sleep and only to read? Harry meant the world to us. He was our friend. We grew up with him. And yes, the anticipation is dead, but there’s too much of Harry for it to completely die. This might be the end of a childhood. But it’s also the beginning of something more. Something that tingles the fingers and makes you smile like a goof and carries conversations long into the night. Like J.K. Rowling said at the “Deathly Hallows: Part 2” premiere. “The stories we love best, do live in us forever. Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there
to welcome you home.” Now we can sit around watching the last three Harry Potter movies and talk about just why Bellatrix LeStrange is such a frightening yet awesome Death Eater. Or how it was such an awful thing for Rowling to do when she killed off the last Marauder and his wife. We can forever promise that we solemnly swear we are up to no good. And then bicker about which Qudditch team sounded the coolest or which Hogwarts House we would, definitely, for sure, have been in. And it is definitely not Hufflepuff. We may never have a midnight book release again. And Las Vegas may never see a bet on the fate of a fictional character again. But that doesn’t mean everything. Because now we can go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, taste Butterbeer and receive a wand. We can even attend a Quidditch game where fans run around with broom sticks and chase a human snitch. This is the end of Harry Potter, yes. And that’s shockingly sad. But its not the end of his world. Its not the end of what he’s created in us. And what we will do to keep that world alive. And that’s why I say, in the words of Albus Dumbledore, “I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me.”
POP GETS LIT
Life after Potter: Keep fantasy alive W
ith the release of the final film in the Harry Potter series an entire generation of fantasy fiction fans may likely see the genre’s head on the chopping block, just waiting for the glistening blade of popular opinion to drop and send fantasy fiction tumbling back into literary obscurity. It is my humble opinion, however, that good fantasy will never die as long as there are wonderful books out there and hungry readers to gobble them up like so many chocolate frogs and treacle tarts. So here’s a list of fantasy classics, new and old, to help you through your mourning process of the bespectacled young wizard.
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‘His Dark Materials’ My recommendation of this series is sure to bristle more than a few hairs, but “His Dark Materials” is an absolutely stellar series. With more than a few allegories to our modern society, “His Dark Materials” comprise a trilogy of books written by Phillip Pullman that weave a tale across a multiverse of worlds. The series follows two coming-of-age children as they struggle to free a world enslaved by a fascistic church that has grown completely out of control. This series has drawn a good deal of criticism for its negative portrayal of Christianity, but it’s still an excellent collection of fantasy fiction.
‘The Chronicles of Prydain’
‘The Mortal Istruments’
“The Chronicles of Prydain” were written by Lloyd Alexander in the sixties, but have remained a mainstay in young adult fantasy fiction ever since. Growing up, this five-volume series were among my favorites in the genre. Some of you out there may remember the 1985 film, “The Black Cauldron,” which was based on the series and was Disney’s first PG-rated animated feature. The series follows a young assistant pig keeper named Taran who dreams of being a great warrior and the adventures he has with his companions: Princess Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam and Gurgi. The books are loosely based on Welsh mythology, but are embellishments and conflations rather than direct retellings.
“The Mortal Instruments” is a young adult urban fantasy series set in modern day New York. The series is ongoing with four books published thus far, the first of which was released in 2007. It follows Clarissa Fray and her journey of realization as she discovers the supernatural/fantasy underbelly of the city she knows as home. None of these are anything like some of the blatant Potter rip-offs that are out there these days. They are, however, some seriously solid fantasy fiction to quench the oncoming thirst for good stories that is sure to come in a world without new Harry Potter yarns. The most important thing is that you keep reading, and that genre fiction fans don’t let fantasy go quietly into the night.
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IN GOOD TASTE
Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina offers great drinks, fair food FAST FOOD FACTS
Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina Location: Corner of Northwest 36th Avenue and Robinson Street. Cuisine: Tex Mex Price Range: $10 - $20 Atmosphere: Semi-Casual You Have to Try This: Fajita steak street tacos Alcohol: Full-service bar The Skinny: Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina offers great drinks, fair food and a fun, friendly atmosphere.
By Kendall Brown POP Editor
Located off the beaten path, restaurant Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina may not be known to many in Norman. Nestled in Brookhaven Village at the corner of Robinson Street and Northwest 36th Avenue, the restaurant dishes up a mix of Tex Mex and bajastyle food. The bright, shining star on Cha Cha’s scorecard is their service. The waitstaff and management at the restaurant are friendly and appear eager to serve customers. The general atmosphere of the restaurant is upbeat and bright. In fact, the interior is surprisingly huge. The extra space and large separate party rooms make the space ideal for large groups or gatherings.
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Included in the Cha Cha’s layout is a large patio. While the weather lately has not been conducive to lounging under the sun, on more temperate days the patio is perfect for exactly that. On Thursday evenings, the restaurant hosts live music on the patio and entices customers outdoors with Pacifico buckets on special for $9.99. The food is enjoyable, but not quite exceptional. The enchilada dip ($8.49, pictured) is tasty, but is a little to thick to be what I would call a “dip.” At the very least, simply using chips to scoop the cheese and chicken deliciousness is impossible to do gracefully. Too often the chip snaps, leaving your fingers covered in the dip. While the dish is worth ordering, be prepared to eat with silverware instead of chips, begging the question, ‘Aren’t I just eating open faced
Friday, July 15, 2011
Nestled in Brookhaven Village at the corner of Robinson Street and Northwest 36th Avenue, Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina dishes up a mix of Tex Mex and baja-style food. One of their most popular drinks is their signature “Margarona” (below, at right), a rather large margarita with a full bottle of Corona turned upside down in it. Photos by Kendall Brown
enchiladas?’ Also of note are the street tacos. I especially recommend the fajita beef. The meat was tender and well cooked. Americans used to ordering tacos with all the fixings
should take note of the menu item’s description, however. True to street taco style, the item includes the simple ingredients of tortilla, meat, onions and chopped cilantro. If you’re like me and like
lots of cheese on everything (and I mean everything) be sure to ask for some on the side. Cha Cha’s Grille y Cantina features a full bar and one of their most popular drinks is their signature “Margarona.” Priced at $7.99, the drink is a rather large margarita with a full bottle of Corona turned upside down in it. I’m not kidding. If that won’t take away your post-workday blues, I don’t know what will. Ultimately, my verdict is this. If you’re looking for a place to go that’s friendly to have some great drinks and some good food, Cha Cha’s is the place for you. The staff will take care of you and you’ll have a good time. You may not have a meal that knocks you off you’re feet, but you won’t leave dissatisfied either.
FILM
The MOVIE GEEK with
Jeff Johncox
NOW PLAYING
HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter Rated: PG-13 What Jeff says: The final installment in a near-decade-long journey promises excitement, humor, emotion and the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort — oh, and Alan Rickman being awesome. Watch the @ review online
.com
COMING SOON July 22: Captain America: The First Avenger Starring: Chris Evans, Natalie Dormer, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones Rated: PG-13
MOVIE LISTINGS
New Releases
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again. PG-13. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Winnie the Pooh — During an ordinary day in Hundred Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh sets out to find some honey. Misinterpreting a note from Christopher Robin, Pooh convinces Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and Eeyore that their young friend has been captured by a creature named “Backson” and they set out to save him. G. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14)
Also Showing
• Bad Teacher — A comedy centered around a foul-mouthed, junior high teacher who, after being dumped by her sugar daddy, begins to woo a colleague — a move that pits her against a well-loved teacher. R. (Warren, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Cars 2 — Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. G. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Green Lantern — A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. PG-13. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Horrible Bosses — Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness. R. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer — Third grader Judy Moody sets out to have the most thrilling summer of her life. PG.
(Robinson Crossing) • Jumping the Broom — Two very different families converge on Martha’s Vineyard one weekend for a wedding. PG-13. (Robinson Crossing) • Larry Crowne — After losing his job, a middle-aged man reinvents himself by going back to college. PG-13 (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Monte Carlo — Three young women vacationing in Paris find themselves whisked away to Monte Carlo after one of the girls is mistaken for a British heiress. PG. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Rio — When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams. G. (Robinson Crossing) • Soul Surfer — A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack. PG. (Robinson Crossing) • Super 8 — After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon. PG-13 (Warren Threatre) • Transformers 3 — The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets. PG-13 (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Thor — The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders. PG13 (Robinson Crossing) • X-Men: First Class — In 1962, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend ... and future archenemy. PG-13. (Robinson Crossing) • Zookeeper — A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zookeeper (Kevin James) find love — without opting to leave his
AP Photo
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) raises the Sword of Gryffindor in a Scene from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” which opens today.
$QZ QHHKEG VQR Domestic revenues, July 8-10 Rank • Film • Weekend gross (millions) Gross to date • Weeks in release • Theaters
1. Transformers (3-D) $261.1 • 2 • 4,107 2. Horrible Bosses $28.3 • 1 • 3,040 3. Zookeeper $20.1 • 1 • 3,482 4. Cars 2 (3-D) $148.8 • 3 • 3,990 5. Bad Teacher $78.7 • 3 • 2,962 6. Larry Crowne $26.2 • 2 • 2,976 7. Super 8 $118.1 • 5 • 2,292 8. Monte Carlo $16.1 • 2 • 2,473 9. Mr. Popper s Penguins $58.1 • 4 • 1,996 10. Green Lantern (3-D) $109.7 • 4 • 2,015
$47.1 $28.3 $20.1 $15.2 $8.9 $5.9 $4.8 $3.8 $3.2 $3.1
SOURCE: Hollywood.com Box-Office
AP
current job for something more illustrious. PG. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) For Hollywood Spotlight 14 showtimes, call 579-0911 or visit gohollywood.com. For Robinson Crossing 6 showtimes, call 447-1005 or visit starplexcinemas.com. For Warren Theatre showtimes, call 703-3777 or visit warrentheatres.com
a 3-D premium will be applied to each purchased 3-D ticket. Why wait in line? PRINT TICKETS AT HOME www.GOHOLLYWOOD.com
HARRY POTTER 3D (PG-13) ZOOKEEPER (PG) 1:00 1:30 2:00 3:05 4:00 1:10 4:45 7:15 9:45 5:00 6:15 7:00 8:00 10:00 CARS 2 3D (G) HARRY POTTER 2D (PG-13) 12:55 3:55 6:35 9:25 12:30 12:45 1:30 3:30 BAD TEACHER (R) 4:30 6:30 7:30 9:15 1:25 4:05 6:45 9:15 9:30 9:45 LARRY CROWNE (PG13) WINNIE THE POOH (G) 4:15 6:40 9:20 12:40 2:35 4:35 7:10 MONTE CARLO (PG) HORRIBLE BOSSES (R) 12:35 4:20 6:50 1:15 4:50 7:25 9:50 GREEN LANTERN 3D (PG13) TRANSFORMERS 3 2D (PG13) 12:30 10:10 12:50 4:10 7:35 TRANSFORMERS 3 3D (PG13) 1:20 4:40 8:05
Friday, July 15, 2011
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NINE NIGHTS IN NORMAN 16 SAT
10 p.m — Pidgin CD Release, The Brewhouse, $5 pop pick TBA — Montu with The Floozies, The Deli TBA Porch Mice, Brad Fielder and JV’s Fillin Station, Bluebonnet Bar, $5
9 p.m. — Brother Bear, Good Morning Grizzly and Colin Nance, The Opolis, $7 pop pick 10 p.m — Ben Irwin and South 77 Band, The Brewhouse, $5 TBA — Mama Sweet, The Deli TBA — Devil Christ’s CD Release Party featuring Bloody Ol Mule, Devil Christ and Brother Gruesome, Bluebonnet Bar, $5
6 p.m. — Firehouse Art Center Faculty Show Opening Reception, Firehouse Art Center, Free
17 SUN 9 p.m. — PMB, Jabee, Zone, Dane, Rob Vader and SOS Music Group, The Opolis, $8 TBA — Mike Hosty Solo, The Deli
1 p.m. — Family Day, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Free
18 MON 7 p.m. — Travis Linville, The Deli, Free 9 p.m. — Jolie Holland and Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, The Opolis, $12 10 p.m., — The Damn Quails, The Deli
19 TUE
20 WED
7 p.m. — TBA — Luna Moth, Singer/Songwriter Eleanor Murray and Association of Norman Abigail Peachtree, The Meeting, Deli pop pick Michelangelos Coffee and Wine Bar, Free TBA — Papa Win and Caravact, The Deli
7 p.m. — Camille Harp and Alan Orebaugh, The Deli, Free 10 p.m. — The Gunship, The Deli 10 p.m — Feathered Rabbit, The Brewhouse, $5 pop pick
22 FRI 7 p.m. — Old 97’s, Robert Ellis, The Workweek, Kentucky Knife Fight and The Lusitania, The Opolis, $20 pop pick 10 p.m — Aaron Squirrell and Friends, The Brewhouse, $5 TBA — Hosty Duo, The Deli
23 SAT 9 p.m. — Dorian Small and Cherry Royale, The Opolis, $8 10 p.m — The Stumblers, The Brewhouse, $5 TBA — Dead End Drifters, Bluebonnet Bar, $5 pop pick TBA — Moai Broadcast, The Deli
7:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m. — 8 p.m. — Ragtime, 2 p.m. — Ragtime, Ragtime, OKC Civic Center Ragtime, OKC Civic Center OKC Civic Center Music OKC Civic Center Music Music Hall, prices vary Music Hall, prices vary Hall, prices vary Hall, prices vary 8 p.m. — Ragtime, OKC Civic Center Music Hall, prices vary
FILM & LIT
7 p.m. — Indie Movie Night, Michelangelo’s Coffee and Wine Bar, Free
8 a.m. — Farmers Market, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, Free 10 a.m. — Free Admission Day, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Free
OFF BEAT
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21 THU
10 a.m. — Free Admission Day, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Free
7:30 p.m. — Ragtime, OKC Civic Center Music Hall, prices vary
PERFORMING ARTS
VISUAL ARTS
MUSIC
15 FRI
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Friday, July 15, 2011
4 p.m. — Toddler Time, Sam Noble Oklahoma Musuem of Natural History, Free with museum admission
8 a.m. — Farmers Market, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, Free
EVENT SUBMISSIONS To get your show or event in POP’s Nine Nights calendar, send the event name, time, date, location and admission price to pop@normantranscript.com. Weekly deadline is noon Tuesdays.
PATRONS: MIDSUMMER NIGHTS’ FAIR, SUMMERBREEZE
At the 2011 Midsummer Nights’ Fair last weekend are, clockwise beginning with photo at far left: Elizabeth Johnson, Janna Gentry, Osizimete Aken’Oua and Calypso; Madison Light and Dominic Triana; Antone Triana and Zach Porterfield; and Katherine Dawson, Sarah Neal and Megan Smith.
At a recent Summerbreeze concert are Ron and Sherry Moore, left photo, and at right are Amy, Jackson and Huck Laizure.
PHOTOS BY KYLE PHILLIPS Friday, July 15, 2011
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