Oklahoma Gazette

OFFICIAL PROGRAM INSIDE

LIFE: EAST MEETS WEST EVENTS BLEND CULTURES, COMMUNITIES. P.35 SXSW: FESTIVAL TRENDS, MUSIC AND MUSIC NEWS. P.8, P.43, P.49

MARK H ANCOCK

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CONTENTS 32

37

ON THE COVER Cover story: Lyric Theatre is more than a building; it’s a key part of Oklahoma City’s art history and Plaza District’s continued growth. By Christian Wilson. P.37 In this issue: Check out our continuing coverage of the South by Southwest technology, film and music conference and festival in Austin. By Ben Felder and Christian Wilson. P.8, P.43, P.49

NEWS

43

22

LIFE

LIFE

4

Education: teachers learn Spanish

16

OKG picks

37

Cover: Lyric Theatre

6

Analysis: unopposed lawmakers

21

39

Performing Arts: Ordinary People Lounge

8

Culture: OKG @ SXSW

Food & Drink: Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery, Caffeine Crawl, The R&J Lounge and Supper Club, food news, OKG eat: kid-friendly

40

Sudoku / Crossword

10

News briefs

32

Culture: The ANIMAL Conference

42

12

Chicken-Fried News

33

43

14

Commentary

Youth: Student Inventors Exposition

Active: Harding Fine Arts Academy martial arts

15

Letters

Music: SXSW reviews, house concerts, music and productivity, event listings

34

Pet Gazette

35

Culture: East Meets West

49

Film: Son of the Congo, Cinderella

36

Visual Arts: writing fellowship

50

Astrology, Classifieds

MISSION STATEMENT Oklahoma Gazette’s mission is to stimulate, examine and inform the public on local quality of life issues and social needs, to recognize community accomplishments, and to provide a forum for inspiration, participation and interaction across all media.

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NEWS EDUCATION

GA RETT FI S BEC K

would be nice, she said most students have some grasp of English while many parents do not.

“The district is doing a good job of implementing more Spanish-speaking teachers, but there is also a need to have more Spanish-speakers in the office and the other support staff positions,” Orellana said.

Schools like Coolidge also send worksheets home in both languages so parents can work with children at home.

Critical communication

Speaking Spanish as a teacher means you not only get to teach these kids but communicate with them and their parents and show them that you care about them.

— Kelly Forbes

Schools look for ways to adapt to an increasing Hispanic population.

BY BEN FELDER

Assistant Principal Kelly Forbes likes to joke that he can communicate with every student at Hillcrest Elementary, unlike the actual principal.

“I speak Spanish probably more than I speak English,” said Kelly, who is bilingual. “I always tease that the other principal only talks to half of the kids but I talk to 100 percent of the kids and the parents.”

With Hispanic students making up half of the Hillcrest enrollment, Forbes’ bilingual skills come in handy when it comes to communicating with students and parents who don’t speak English and building relationships with those same students and parents who can sometimes feel isolated because of the language barrier.

“Speaking Spanish as a teacher means you not only get to teach these kids but communicate with them and their parents and show them that you care about them,” Forbes said. “I like to call it pedagogy with passion.”

Learning Spanish is no longer just a bonus skill for teachers in the Oklahoma City Public School District; it has become a necessity. Half of the district’s student population is Hispanic, and 20 out of 55 elementary schools have Hispanic populations over 60 percent, including several with over 90 percent Latino enrollment.

The district has hired bilingual communications staff, offers most paperwork in English and Spanish and

4 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

welcomed its first Latina school board member last year. But there is also an effort to hire bilingual teachers and offer Spanish lessons to those educators already in the district.

“You might have noticed that there are a lot of children here that speak Spanish,” said Stephanie Toney, a science teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, where 80 percent of the student body is Hispanic. “I felt like [learning Spanish] would help me communicate better with parents and students.”

Toney is one of 50 teachers, principals and school staff members across the district currently taking Spanish lessons through the district.

Mastery of the language can take years, but those teachers who are just a few weeks into the lessons are already finding a benefit.

“I can now get through a parent conference — with a translator, but I can say some things,” Toney said. “And when the kids are speaking Spanish, I can now pick up enough words to say, ‘That’s not really on topic, is it?’ [The students] go, ‘Oh, she understood.’”

While many Spanish-speaking students are able to communicate in English, their parents — some who were not raised in the U.S. — might not understand English at all.

At Coolidge Elementary School, where 69 percent of students are Hispanic, teachers across the district learning Spanish recently attended a

Children work with pattern blocks at Coolidge Elementary, where half of the students are Hispanic. math night event to practice their skills with non-English speaking parents.

“They don’t have any Spanishspeaking teachers at [Coolidge], but they do have some Spanish-speaking teacher assistants and staff in the office,” parent Angeles Orellana said through a translator. “It makes it easier to have someone who speaks Spanish, because every time I have a question about my child’s development or academic achievement, it is helpful.”

Orellana has a kindergarten student and a second-grade student at Coolidge and said there can be a language barrier in the school district, especially on the south side, where much of the city’s Hispanic population lives. While having a Spanish-speaking teacher

Percentage of Hispanic students by district Dallas

70%

Houston

62%

Fort Worth

61%

Austin

60%

Oklahoma City

50%

Wichita

33%

Tulsa

30%

Kansas City, Missouri

27%

“It means I can help my children out with their homework,” Orellana added.

As the district’s Hispanic student population grows, there will continue to be a need to help students learn English and have staff members who can speak Spanish. This process not only helps the student but also helps increase parental involvement.

“I would hope [some of the parents] feel like it is a more comfortable relationship between the teacher and the parent,” Toney said. “I can’t imagine someone speaking Russian to me, so I know it’s hard for many of the parents [who don’t speak English].”

Beyond just communication, learning Spanish can also help teachers better understand the growing Latino culture in the district.

“We have about 15,000 English learners in the district, so learning Spanish is important,” said Patricia Hargrave, an area resource coordinator for the district who has helped present the Spanish classes to staff.

“But these teachers are also learning about the culture, and sometimes the cultural differences are what lead to miscommunication.”

The district’s Hispanic population has risen steadily over the past several years, and many of the region’s large urban school districts also have large Latino student populations. This year, Oklahoma City joined districts in Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth and Austin, Texas, as a mostly Hispanic school system.

“This is about finding ways to help our students and parents,” Forbes said.

“This is who we are.”

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Don Barrington

John Bennett

P ROVI DE D

Sally Kern

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

Dan Fisher

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

NEWS ANALYSIS

No-win victories Many controversial candidates often win reelection because they run unopposed.

BY BEN FELDER

Lawmakers behind some of the most controversial bills and statements this legislative session have drawn their share of opponents — just not on Election Day. Rep. Dan Fisher, R-Yukon, the author of a bill to alter Advanced Placement (AP) history curriculum to more positively portray American history and its Christian heritage, was reelected without an opponent in the primary or general election in 2014.

Rep. Sally Kern, an Oklahoma City Republican, also drew fire for a series of anti-LGBT bills she is pushing this year, and her criticism of same-sex marriage has landed her in the national spotlight. But, like Fisher, Kern also ran unopposed during last year’s elections.

Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, author of the so-called “Hoodie Bill” that was another attention-grabber with local and national media and drew heavy criticism from civil libertarians, along with some Republicans, was unopposed in the 2012 Republican primary before beating a Democratic challenger in his heavily Republican district.

Rep. John Bennett, R-Sallisaw, who drew attention for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, also ran unopposed in the Republican primary or general election last year, even though he failed to crack the 55 percent vote mark in two prior elections.

These lawmakers are all Republican, the party that holds a supermajority in the state Legislature. Also, each benefits from legislative districts that are heavily Republican, and without any competition from challengers of any party, many are able to run far to the right on a host of issues.

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“This pandering is directed at the vocal minority who decide GOP primaries,” said Andrew Rice, a former Democratic state senator. “[This is] a faction that actually has considerable influence over the entire Legislature because of gerrymandering and the political culture in Oklahoma that is easily manipulated with fear and misinformation.”

While Rice is admittedly politically biased, he said the party in power when new district lines are drawn — both Republicans and Democrats — often look for ways to get an advantage.

“The gerrymandering of legislative districts by the majority party, in this case the GOP, is the most detrimental factor right now in Oklahoma in terms of what we are seeing with incompetent government and extreme policies,” Rice added. “Whichever party is in power will protect and consolidate their power and weaken the voice of the minority party via gerrymandering — it is human nature. If Oklahomans want to see more competitive political races and, therefore, moderate forms of policymaking as a result, then they should reform the reapportionment laws.”

Forrest Bennett, founder of Applied Civics Initiative, an organization that seeks to educate voters, said that redistricting is just one of many reasons the election process can lack competition.

“We can look at the process of redistricting and blame it on legislative districts that are drawn to favor one party or another,” Bennett said. “[But] we can look at money in politics and say that the incumbent’s financial advantage is too insurmountable

because he or she has been building their campaign war chest much longer than the challenger, in most cases.

We could look at voter turnout, where we would discover that an average of around 30 percent of Oklahomans are voting, and ask ourselves if the real problem is crisis-level voter apathy. We can look at the ever-more polarized news media and recognize that many voters are tying their votes in local and state elections to what’s happening in Washington and misplacing their frustration with Washington upon local candidates. Chances are it’s a combination of all the aforementioned factors and a few others.”

Low voter turnout is an issue in Oklahoma, as just 28 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in 2014, according to the United States Election Project.

Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in turnout, which does not seem to be a partisan issue; New York and California, both liberal-leaning states, also have turnout rates in the high 20s.

Even if candidates like Fisher and Bennett drew a Democratic challenger, chances are they would easily win reelection in their deeply red districts.

But Rice said that for lawmakers like Kern, whose district is conservative but has some Democratic pockets, a challenger can keep an incumbent closer to the middle.

“A good example is someone like State Rep. Jason Nelson [R-OKC],” Rice said. “He strikes me at heart as more reasonable and moderate compared to most GOP legislators.

Given that he represents a more diverse and politically moderate urban district, it was important for him to have a strong challenge in the general election.”

Nelson won reelection last year, beating Democratic challenger Collin Walke by six points, a close, but not razor-thin, margin.

The lawmakers that seem to draw the most ire from Twitter to The Tonight Show do benefit from uncontested races, but so do many state incumbents.

In 2006, half of all Oklahoma state representatives were elected without challengers. The number of unopposed candidates was 43 in 2008. Sixty-one of the 125 open seats in 2012 featured unopposed candidates, the highest rate in 32 years.

Last year, 58 races were uncontested.

Low turnout rates indicate a high level of voter apathy, but uncontested races show apathy among potential candidates.

“Few people truly understand what an overwhelming sacrifice it is to run for office,” Forrest Bennett said. “If you’re doing it right, you’re spending most afternoons and evenings — and just about every Saturday — knocking on doors. You’re carving out several hours of your workweek to dial for dollars because these days, it takes a staggering amount of money to run a competitive race. You’re essentially putting your personal life on hold, slowing your professional life down, all for the campaign.

“And when, after all that, the candidate — who’s run a good race and raised a lot of money from close friends, relatives and professional contacts, a very humbling and challenging thing — loses by 20 to 30 percent, it’s hard for onlookers to justify making the decision to run in districts that are pretty safe for the incumbent.”

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 7 3/5/15 2:57 PM

P HOTOS BY BEN FEL DE R

NEWS CULTURE

OKG @ SXSW

Austin’s South by Southwest festival shows participants the future of urban culture and offers lessons for Oklahoma City.

The Greater OKC Chamber of Commerce hosted a Meet Oklahoma booth at the SXSW exhibit hall in Austin.

BY BEN FELDER

AUSTIN — Austin’s annual COVER AGE South by Southwest festival highlights the blend of culture, technology and business that are the staples of any modern thriving urban environment.

The festival brings together some of the top minds in new technology, creative thinking and urban planning in the nation, offering lessons for cities that aspire to be relevant in the 21st century.

If the focus and popularity of SXSW is any indication, Oklahoma City has been right to focus on attracting young creatives over the past several years, especially those with a drive toward entrepreneurship and technology. But simply creating an economy that aides tech firms and other startups might not be enough.

“People are moving to Washington DC because of the lifestyle; forget about the job market,” said Brian Kenner, DC’s deputy mayor of planning and economic development.

Kenner was on a SXSW panel titled City 2.0: Why Local Gov. Bets on Civic Innovation because of DC’s recent surge in technology companies and its growing millennial population.

But he said that growth had as much to do with the city’s quality public transit system and nightlife as available capital for new tech companies or any other pro-tech and business characteristics.

“DC is walkable and it’s bikeable,” Kenner said. “Those [young] people are not moving here for a job. When they come here, it happens to be that those folks tend to be more entrepreneurial ... but we want to make sure our city

OKG SXSW

8 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

has an attractive urban quality of life because that’s what people are looking for above all else.”

If the hundreds of panels, presentations and exhibits at SXSW offer a realistic glimpse of the future, it’s one of the dramatic changes that will require cities and communities to become more flexible and more quick to adapt.

“It’s a complete game changer ... society will change,” said André Weimerskirch, a research scientist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, about the development of self-driving cars.

Weimerskirch was one of four panelists at a SXSW forum on advanced mobility and said he believed self-driving cars would be a major part of the auto landscape in several years, a shift that would not only increase safety but also make longer commutes more acceptable.

“If you are in an automated car, you can commute 90 minutes one-way because you can work in the car or sleep,” Weimerskirch said. “You don’t feel like the time is a waste.”

For those who value urban living and short commutes — whether they are driving or not — self-driving cars might not be a reason to live farther from the city’s core. But the Oklahoma City region already has experienced steady sprawl over the past few decades, and panelists said this technology wouldn’t necessarily reverse that trend.

“Self-driving cars are not going to be the only answer for mobility,” said Alisyn Malek, an investment manager with GM Ventures who believes there will still be a need for urban-based

modes of transportation, like public transit.

Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft were a lengthy topic of discussion for city leaders last year. How much would self-driving cars push those who oversee regulations in Oklahoma City?

Another theme of several panels at SXSW was the fact that non-coastal cities are on a more level playing field with their East and West Coast counterparts.

“There is thinking out there that someone who is in Ohio or Iowa is two or three years behind someone in San Francisco,” Kerry Bennett, vice president of marketing for PetVacay, said at a forum on Middle America tech growth. “But I think that is outdated thinking.”

SXSW still features large numbers of attendees from Silicon Valley and Brooklyn who are pushing new mobile apps and advanced technology. But the conference features a healthy number of tech entrepreneurs from the Midwest,

making it clear that cities like OKC can become active players in the high-tech game.

“The great thing about the Internet is ... you can start having a conversation about technology and business that breaks down the geography barriers,” said Craig Elbert, director of finance and analytics at Bonobos, an Iowabased online men’s fashion company.

During a panel discussion on tech companies in middle America, Elbert noted that his business was building a presence in an industry that is often associated with New York City and its high-fashion scene.

“We were launched by people who were kind of outside of the fashion world,” Elbert said. “New York City can be a very insular fashion world, but we can come at it with a different angle and also be just as relevant from a tech stance.”

Personal tech

Exhibitions showcasing flashy and scifiesque devices draw the largest crowds in the SXSW exhibit hall, but hundreds of startups pushed more practical products.

Urban Crop offers customizable containers for growing almost any vegetable indoors. The Puerto Rican company’s tagline is “Turning foodies into growies,” and it is using a portable and attractive design to do it.

“This allows for food growing in urban living, where space is a premium,” co-founder Marie Custodio said. “It’s modular, so you can customize and decide how big you want to grow your garden.”

Judah Schiller was another vendor hoping to mass-produce a bike for water later this summer.

“This would be perfect in Oklahoma City with your river,” Schiller said about the S1, a bike that uses two inflated tubes to move across the water.

“There are a billion bikes built for land on a planet that is more than twothirds water,” said Judah Schiller, the San Francisco-based founder of Schiller Bikes.

A line forms outside The Paramount Theatre during the SXSW film festival.

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NEWS BRIEFS

BY BEN FELDER

will turn a corridor of

NW 23rd Street from Western to Robinson into a car-free space for biking, walking & playing to promote an engaged, active & connected community.

3-22-15

12-4

opeNStReetSokc.com

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Charter bill Senate Bill 68, which would allow the cities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City to become charter school sponsors, received approval in the Senate, setting up a hearing in a House committee.

Sen. David Holt, R-OKC, said he authored the bill to give the city more control in establishing charter schools.

However, Ward 4 Councilman Pete White said the control is not needed and could harm the relationship between the school district and city.

“If Oklahoma City wanted to sponsor a charter school, the first people we ought to ask is [the school district], as opposed to us having the unilateral authority to do that,” White said during a council meeting last week. “I think it destroys the relationship ... I have worked really hard to build over the last three years. I think it is very destructive to create a situation where we could go around the [district].”

Holt said his bill was not a request by the city, but he wanted to give them the power to establish a charter school in a neighborhood in which the local school might be holding back development or population growth.

“The school board’s perspective is — and rightfully so — demanding excellence in their existing buildings,” Holt said. “A mayor and a council, they just want their citizens to be satisfied with their education options, regardless of where that comes from.”

The bill has been referred to the House Common Education Committee, where it has not been heard as of press deadline.

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

Local developers are being sought to showcase their projects during the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Development Roundtable on May 6.

The city has announced that six recently completed or planned local development projects will be highlighted during a series of mini presentations during the event.

Presenters will have six minutes and 40 seconds and will be allowed to use 20 slides. They will use 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide during the lightning round format.

Ten applicants will be selected to audition for six spots. Those interested in submitting a presentation can do so online on the city’s website.

Take a ride After an unsuccessful attempt last month to strengthen the city’s enforcement of cycling laws, Ward 8 Councilman Pat Ryan (pictured) received approval from the Oklahoma City Council last week to adopt the state’s law concerning bikes passing cars and giving police the power to write tickets.

Oklahoma law already prohibits bicycle operators from passing other vehicles between lanes of traffic, but Oklahoma City police are not able to issue tickets for violating a law only on the state books. The passage of Ryan’s proposal gives police the ability to issue tickets ranging from $50 to $500 to a cyclist.

“This is just [an adoption] of a state law that will allow a more efficient means of enforcement,” Ryan said. “I think [the fine] should be even higher than that, personally.”

MARK H ANCOCK / FILE

Seeking developers

Mick Cornett

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

Job fair The city’s parks department is looking to increase employment from April to September as local parks facilities enter the busy spring and summer season.

The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department doubles in size from 220 year-round employees to nearly 500 during the busy summer season, according to the city, and two job fairs have been scheduled in the coming weeks.

Jobs are available for qualified workers in grounds maintenance, recreation and aquatics, and qualified candidates must be at least 18 years of age (16 years old for lifeguard and litter crew positions) and must pass a conditional job offer drug test and background check.

Job fairs are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 4-8 p.m. April 2. Both job fairs will take place at Will Rogers Senior Center, 3501 Pat Murphy Drive, inside Will Rogers Park.

“A lot of people would say that the reason why African-Americans aren’t doing well in math, for example, is that a lot of them are living in poverty and there are factors in their home and community environment that are impacting their ability to achieve,” said Jane Davidson (pictured at far right), a consultant with The Learner First, an organization that has been studying the Oklahoma City Public School District in recent months.

“Well, if that’s the case, then kids on free and reduced lunches, kids who are living below the poverty line, should be doing worse than African-American kids because some of those African-American kids are not living below the poverty line. But the reverse was true. You are actually worse off in this town being black than you are being poor.”

BEN FE LDER / FILE

Quotable

By the numbers 41,000. That’s how many petition signatures are required in Oklahoma to put a new political party on the 2016 ballot. The Liberty Party of Oklahoma (OKLP) has announced it is in the process of gathering signatures for the next presidential election.

However, House Bill 2181, if passed, would reduce the signature

requirement from 5 percent of the last general election to 1 percent, setting the new goal at 8,200.

“The OKLP seeks to be a fully recognized political party in Oklahoma, which includes the ability to run candidates under our party name, including the 2016 Libertarian Party nominee for president,” the group said in a statement.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 11

CHiCKEN CKEN

FRiED NEWS

Golden opportunities

The dome is dead. Long live the dome?

The landmark Gold Dome building on the corner of 23rd Street and Classen Boulevard is up for sale.

Again.

TEEMCO — the “professional environmental engineering” company (according to its website) that promised to be the building’s anchor tenant and boasted restoration plans for the structure that included saltwater and freshwater aquariums and the “world’s largest” salt crystal lamp — abandoned its plans. It appears it was all too good to be true.

The building’s owner, David Box, confirmed to NewsOK.com that he’s putting the property back on the market.

TEEMCO backed out due to financial struggles related to the decline of crude oil prices, NewsOK.com reported.

Anyone interested?

Perhaps it could still be turned into the best disco ever. Or

even a real business headquarters with aquariums and everything. We’re not so sure, however, about that lamp.

Monumental decision

Thou shalt not get your hopes up about getting rid of the Ten Commandments monument on the Oklahoma Capitol grounds.

U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron ruled March 10 that American Atheists Inc. lacked legal standing to file its lawsuit and dismissed it, much to the joy of some state politicians.

“I’m pleased that Judge Cauthron and the court confirmed what is obvious to Oklahomans — that the Ten Commandments is a vital part of Oklahoma and American history,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).

The Red Tornado (we just gave him a nickname!) earned a master’s degree in divinity (not law) from Southwestern Baptist Theological

Seminary, so we’ll just have to side with the courts on this one. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who says he knows the law, also read the dismissal on legal standing as a vote in favor of the monument’s right to stay.

“The historical relevance of the Ten Commandments and the role it played in the founding of our nation cannot be disputed,” said Pruitt, who also hasn’t tried to dispute it. “I commend Judge Cauthron’s decision to rule in the state’s favor.”

However, State Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow — who paid for the monument in the first place — seemed to understand that a dismissal without prejudice isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.

“I am very pleased that this case was dismissed and that Oklahomans can continue to enjoy the monument and understand the Ten Commandments’ historical significance to our nation,” Ritze said. “I doubt that this is the last challenge we will face, but we will continue to fight to have the monument preserved at our state Capitol.”

Lord Baphomet (@BaphometOKC) said the ruling was “not a shock” and

will make it harder to remove his own (pending) statue.

“Seriously, it’s the best monument of all time and it will rest in eternal bliss upon the Capitol, no matter how jealous James Lankford is,” said the Church of Satan mascot. “Come at me, bro.”

Conventional wisdom

Oklahoma City is searching for a location for its new MAPS 3 convention center after backing away from its first choice earlier this month. Land west of Chesapeake Energy Arena proved to be too expensive, unless perhaps the city wanted to issue a TIF for itself. (Think about that for a moment.)

It’s a setback for the convention center, but options remain.

We have recommendations.

For example, the Native American Cultural Center is still sitting uncompleted south of the river, and taking it back for the purposes of the convention center wouldn’t be the first time a promised sacred ground was reclaimed. (Ouch — we’re already sorry for typing that one.)

Another idea: Building a new convention center underground might

explore the ultimate open house – inside & out Meet THE BEEKMAN BOYS, Brent & Josh, of Cooking Channel’s The Fabulous Beekman Boys. Learn about their farm-to-table movement and how to garden with the seasons. See Brent & Josh each day on The Little Project Stage.

JOHN AND WHITNEY SPINKS of HGTV’s Flipping the Block will showcase their flair for affordable design and share their best DIY design tricks. They’ll also give you the tools you’ll need to overcome common renovation challenges.

See John & Whitney Sat. and Sun. on The Little Project Stage.

Explore this year’s FEATURE GARDENS. Top local landscapers will showcase designs from relaxing outdoor retreats to technologydriven entertaining spaces al fresco.

Inspiration abounds at the indoor and outdoor feature gardens.

Experience the outdoor living event, PLAZA PALOOZA and sample delicious dishes from the GRILL-IT STAGE, shop the START SPRING-UP! GARDEN SALE and enjoy live music at the BANDSTAND STAGE.

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& SAVE $3 Adult admissions only. Not valid with other offers.

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attract those organizations scared away by our reputation of tornadic weather.

If none of those prove to be viable options, there has to be a historic building somewhere the city hasn’t torn down yet.

Cookie crunch

Can’t meet your Girl Scout cookieselling goal? Don’t fret your pretty little beret-laden head; the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department will help you out.

Nine-year-old Girl Scout Chloe Stubbs from Nicoma Park Troop 3463 decided to skip the traditional house-tohouse route and go straight to the mecca of sweets-lovers — cops like more than just doughnuts, you know.

Stubbs set her goal at 500 boxes since it’s just her first year selling the delicious confections. NewsOK.com reported that the police bought enough cookies for Stubbs to exceed her goal.

In case you didn’t know, you no longer have to become a Girl Scout stalker to get your hands on those scrumptious

cookies; the girls have become technology-savvy and organized, and you can now make purchases through March 29 by calling 528-4475 or visiting gswestok.org or girlscoutcookies .org.

Friends for-never

Friendship is an amazing thing.

For Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, friendship means that he can author a bill that could keep his friends from shopping in some stores or eating in some restaurants.

Silk is the author of State Bill 440, AKA the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2015, which seeks to provide “certain protections from governmental action for certain religious beliefs.”

According to a story in The New York Times, he is worried that the LGBT movement restricts Oklahomans’ freedom to “live out religious convictions.”

“And I say that sensitively, because I have homosexual friends,” Silk said.

As any good friend would, Silk is determined that his buddies don’t get any special treatment. Like having “services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges” provided to them by anyone who disagrees with them based on sincerely held religious beliefs.

“They don’t have a right to be served in every single store,” Silk told The New York Times. “People need to have the ability to refuse service if its violates their religious convictions.”

Which is great news for business owners who don’t want to serve food to, employ or rent facilities to politicians ... based on sincere religious beliefs.

As of press time, Silk’s office has not returned calls from the Gazette to help connect reporters with his homosexual friends for comment.

On March 3, Carrie Underwood tweeted a photo of newborn Isaiah Michael Fisher, showing the wee child’s face and hand.

The baby was born Feb. 27 and is her first with hubby Mike Fisher of the Nashville Predators hockey team.

Underwood first announced the gender of Lil Fish (patent pending) through a happy accident at the 2014 Country Music Awards when fellow country star Brad Paisley referred to the baby with a gendered pronoun but has since kept her followers in suspense withholding the delivery.

There’s no word yet on the inspiration for the name, though Rolling Stone reports that it’s possibly something to do with the Bible. Regardless, you probably wouldn’t remember even if we told you.

Country grown Oklahoma’s country music queen has an heir. And apparently, his hands and feet are very small.

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COMMENTARY

P ROVI DE D

U-turn toward true brotherhood

BY KRYSTAL YOSEPH

I am a black woman who graduated from the University of Oklahoma and was in a predominantly white sorority.

Shortly after news broke on recent events concerning the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, I was on the road and watched as the driver of another car started having a seizure while approaching a red light and swerved toward oncoming traffic.

I was approaching the intersection from the opposite direction and luckily had time to stop, but I had a frontrow seat as he glided over the median through another two lanes of traffic before skimming a guardrail as a stopping point. I immediately made a U-turn and the 911 call.

Leaving that scene, between tears and other thoughts, I wondered if any of those frat boys so enthusiastically cheering about lynching would see color before they helped another person. More questions started pouring into my head.

How will that institutionalized N-word song of “brotherhood” apply in their real lives? How could the long-term impact of that chant affect me if I am in danger? If any of these boys become police officers, could this conditioning make the difference between opting for a gun over a Taser when approached by an unarmed individual in the heat of the moment?

Whether or not you were surprised by the video’s blatancy, the aftermath is now undeniably, irrevocably apparent.

It leans on us all as participants in future conversations about bigotry and prejudice, and we Okies now have the power to accept our part of a challenge from which this country desperately needs an earnest reprieve.

It’s almost like the aggressive fist pumps in video served as the dropping of a colossal mic — now what, people?

Beyond the surface, let’s dig further.

For example, yes it’s too bad to hear that

the OU football recruit de-committed as result, but the Internet also tells us that OU’s black student population is down to only 5 percent. If I remember correctly, it was at least double that more than 10 years ago. Hmm. Let’s talk and hopefully have fun meeting and understanding some new faces.

Gratefully, I’ve had access to some extremely progressive minds in OKC, of all skin tones, backgrounds and interests at local events like Q Commons and the establishment of Dinner Table OKC (both pre-incident, by the way, which is pretty cool. Learn more at qideas. org/qcommons/okc. They are just the beginning of widening access to be truly inclusive and representative of all contributors.

There is space for every voice and vantage point as we all strive to make our private moments ones that mirror how we would want to be seen in public. Whether innate or learned, it’s

a commitment, sure, but our collective appearance and effective change needs you.

Mistakes are a human condition.

We are only as good as our character, but tackling misplaced and outdated angst and ignorance across the board is something we can all work on together.

Releasing that video was a brave, bold move in stepping away from that perpetuated dark cloud.

Life is short, and as I witnessed firsthand this week, some people don’t make it from point A to B alive and/or well. We owe it to ourselves to be wholly more invested and genuine, to make the true feel of our growing metro area just as pretty as it looks.

Krystal Yoseph is an account director at Bumbershoot PR, a public relations agency with offices in Oklahoma City and Boulder, Colorado.

PROVIDE D

How to talk about climate change

BY CATHERINE HOBBS

Talking about climate change is tricky everywhere, but especially in Oklahoma.

Researchers at Yale’s Project on Climate Change Communication say “global warming” might be the more persuasive term. But this sounds almost cozy after the brutal late winter we’ve just had.

“Warming” at least has the advantage of being descriptive, as the fossil fuels we burn heat the atmosphere.

Then again, some say it’s best just not to talk about global warming at all in Oklahoma, where just about half of all our relatives work in the oil business.

Nevertheless, when you do talk about global warming in Oklahoma, it might go better if you don’t bring up some of the harder facts, such as our oil and gas companies and others worldwide don’t need to look for petroleum at all — scientists have warned they

should leave much of what they’ve already found in the ground to prevent a planetary shortage. Business as usual won’t cut it in the face of a meltdown this big. But they won’t or can’t get off the fossil fuel merry-go-round on their own, and who is going to tell them to?

This is where bipartisan language can fall flat. But what if we decide to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels democratically?

Other countries, such as Germany (with its 25 percent total wind and solar energy use), have better economies and stronger electric grids than Oklahoma.

Studies show that petroleum industry produces fewer jobs than clean energy does. However, we are more entrenched in oil and gas than in the mid-’80s.

If you do want to talk about warming, the best place to do it is

probably in church. Stanford professor Rob Willer’s advice in the recent New York Times story “Is the Environment a Moral Cause?” recommends using language that appeals to conservative members and stresses the earth’s “moral purity” in regard to protecting natural areas from desecration. Most every denomination now has an environmental platform that mentions planet “stewardship,” a bipartisan term.

When talking in public about climate change, even at church, be ready to discuss the paucity of technological fixes for global warming.

Geoengineering projects are probably more dangerous at this stage than the effects of global warming itself, but people always want a quick fix.

The solution to global warming is to move away from petroleum as

Opinions expressed on the commentary page, in letters to the editor and elsewhere in this newspaper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

14 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

quickly as possible. To that end, many conservatives have joined liberals to favor putting a price on carbon. A fee on carbon with revenues returned to U.S. households would make a “carbon tax” more fair — and it isn’t a tax if the government doesn’t keep the money (to paraphrase George Shultz). That might give us a nudge away from oil and gas and help make the playing field for renewables more level. You might use the term “free market” to describe this solution — but the fossil fuel market is not actually free, being heavily subsidized by taxpayers. It’s time for us ordinary Oklahomans and our leaders to get on board and do something rather than nothing, something more moral and effective than just talking about climate change.

Catherine Hobbs is a member of the Citizens Climate Lobby in Norman.

LETTERS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section.

The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@ okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette. com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification.

Flashy

While attention was focused on the fraternity event at OU this week there was another occurrence that went uncovered. On the March 8 broadcast of KFOR’s Flashpoint, the guest was new OKCPS Superintendent Rob Neu. While discussing issues of our innercity district, Flashpoint host and former Mayor Kirk Humphreys made what I believe is a shockingly racist comment.

Referring to the Putnam City School District, Humphreys stated that the district was once the “best … in the state” until the “best gene pool” moved out to the suburbs.

I must vehemently disagree with Humphreys. These people are not the best of the “gene pool” in our area but rather the worst, running ever farther out of town to ensure their children do not have to sit next to brown, poor or English-learning children. I am proud

to have graduated from Northeast High School in the early days of white exodus. I am even more proud now to have three children excelling and thriving in the OKCPS district.

I welcome Neu and thank him for coming here to try to lead our district.

I’m certain by now he is well aware that people with the Republican Kirk Humphreys ideology are the real battle.

— Jamie Levescy Oklahoma City Racism

I wish the current racist chant filmed on a bus full of tuxedoed SAE fraternity brothers and their party-gowned dates was an aberration. But in business dealings, I occasionally experienced covert racist remarks among my colleagues. Sometimes it was subtle, sometimes blunt, but it always left me with a filthy feeling, like I wanted to take a shower. And I was angered that those perpetrators felt they could express their racism in my company. One Memphis broker didn’t realize that by exposing his racism to me, he effectively lost our bank as a prospective lender.

And I wish I didn’t know people who will laugh at the video.

These aren’t cast members from Here Comes Honey Boo Boo; they come from middle-class, if not affluent, families.

Racism is learned behavior. I associate it with ignorance, but these frat brothers have had the benefits of private schools, travel, exposure to the world. Perhaps their parents don’t know of their racist beliefs, but it’s more likely their own comments and actions influenced those of their children.

Here’s the thing: Videos like this one remind me that racism is pervasive in the highest segments of society, unfettered by economic circumstances.

There’s still a lot of work to do.

— Mike Mager Oklahoma City Private education

It’s not surprising to see Brandon Dutcher promoting the privatizing of public education since he is

for privatizing most everything (Commentary, “An Argument for Education Choice,” March 4, Oklahoma Gazette). The poll he constructed and touts does not have any validity. I am surprised that even 33 percent of OKC respondents would answer in favor of public schools now that the GOP chopped down funding to a level that all teachers able to move to another state have, a fact that has led to shortage of teachers, a fact that also increased class sizes beyond a working level.

Let’s see the results of a poll that asks where the responders would like to have their children go if their local school was funded at least at the level of the national average.

— Chadwick Cox Norman

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 15

s U w o ll o F OKG picks are events

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BOOKS St. Patrick’s Signing with David K. McDonnell, author of the multiple award-winning book, ClanDonnell/A Storied History of Ireland will sign his book followed by a special Irish Storytelling event, 5:30 p.m., Mar. 18. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 340-9202, bestofbooksedmond.com. WED Lori Ericson Book Signing, author of A Lonely Country will discuss and sign her novel which tells the story of the murder of a young boy and Danni Edens and small town reporter as she tries to beat the competition to the story and redeem her career, noon, Mar. 21. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT Book Signing, authors Zara Green and Alfred Edmond, Jr., authors of Loving in the Grown Zone, a guide to healthy decision-making and relationships will discuss and sign their book, 4-6 p.m., Mar. 22. Barnes & Noble, 6100 N. May Ave., 843-9300, barnesandnoble.com. SUN Stephanie Perkins Book Event, author of Anna and the French Kiss and internationally best-selling author will talk about her work, explain the writing and publish process, answer questions and sign books, 6 p.m., Mar. 25. Northwest Library, 5600 NW 122nd St., 606-3580, metrolibrary.org. WED

FILM Beloved Sisters, (DE, 2014, dir. Dominik Graf) two sisters fall in love with the same man and what begins as a playful relationship soon turns serious, 7:30 p.m., Mar. 19; 8 p.m., Mar. 21; 2 p.m., Mar. 22. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com.

THU/SAT-SUN Four Blood Moons, (US, 2015, dir. Kieth Merrill) docudrama explores the supernatural occurrence in which science, history and scripture all align, 7:30 p.m., Mar. 23. Cinemark Tinseltown, 6001 N. Martin Luther King Ave., 424-0461, cinemark.com. MON Goldeneye, (US, 2006, dir. Martin Campbell) Tuesday Night Classics at Harkins brings James Bond and his mission as 007, 7 p.m., Mar. 24. Harkins Theatre, 150 E. Reno Ave., 231-4747, harkinstheatres.com. TUE

HAPPENINGS

BI GSTOC KP HOTO.COM

on

recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members.

For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

Just Breathe Exhibiting the art of the lungs and the symptoms of cystic fibrosis, Brass Bell Studios seeks to raise money for the Oklahoma City chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Exhibiting artists’ work will be for sale, with revenue split equally between the artist and the foundation. The show is 5-9 p.m. Saturday at Brass Bell Studios, 2500 NW 33rd St. Admission is free. Call 361-3481.

Saturday walk and talk through the Myriad Gardens, noon-1 p.m., Mar. 18. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 4457080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. WED Shop Hop, explore all that Automobile Alley has to offer; open house events at shops, live music, street artists, discounts at local restaurants and more, 6-9 p.m., Mar. 19. Automobile Alley, 1015 N Broadway Ave., 488-2555, automobilealley.org. THU

Plant Walk Series, planning for year round color in your garden led by plant guru Linda Horn; she will teach easy ways to introduce more color into your garden as you

Oklahoma Gazette

Premiere on Film Row, family-friendly block party featuring film screenings, live music, art exhibitions and food trucks, 7-10 p.m., Mar. 20. Film Row, 700 W. Sheridan Ave., filmrowokc.com. FRI

Spring Celebration!

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16 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show, featuring experts and vendors with budget-saving tricks, DIY ideas, tips on remodeling, cooking, decor, entertaining and more, noon-9 p.m., Mar. 20; 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Mar. 21; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Mar. 22. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., 948-6700, okstatefair.com. FRI-SUN

There are few better ways to celebrate the warmth of spring than with a flower class and a morning of kite flying.

Director of Education Ann Fleener will teach kids about the flowers and weather patterns of the spring season and lead them in crafting paper flowers and kites to fly on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens. The event is 10-11:30 a.m. Friday at the gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Registration is $10 for members and $12 for nonmembers. To sign up, visit myriadgardens.com or call 445-7080.

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OKC Energy FC v. Missouri Valley College As a final tune-up to its 28-match regular season, Oklahoma City Energy Football Club hosts Missouri Valley College. The match starts 3 p.m. Saturday at Casady School soccer field, 9500 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Admission is free. Visit energyfc.com.

Saturday Open Streets OKC, local health and wellness project encouraging people to be active while visiting local businesses and discover the charm that the historic neighborhood has to offer, noon4 p.m., Mar. 22. Uptown 23rd District, 23rd St. and Western Ave. SUN

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FOOD Tea & Tips, health tips and refreshments, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Mar. 19.. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Road, Edmond, 509-2700 , uptowngroceryco.com. THU Food Truck Event, hosted by OU Physicians in recognition of National Nutrition Month featuring Green & Grilled, Katiebugs, Healthy Hippo, Off the Hook, Organic Squeeze and many more delicious and healthy food trucks, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Mar. 19.

Sacred Valley Park, Stanton L. Young Blvd. and Phillips Ave. THU Heard on Hurd, enjoy a variety of food truck options, live music and shopping, 6-10 p.m., Mar. 21. Downtown Edmond, 32 N. Broadway Ave., Edmond. SAT

YOUTH Make & Take Historical Crafts, free crafts for kids to do during spring break; each day features a new craft along with story time, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Mar. 17-20. Edmond Historical Society & Museum, 431 S. Boulevard Ave., Edmond, 340-0078, edmondhistory.org. TUE-FRI Thunder Youth Basketball Camp, spring break basketball camp for ages 5 to 16; an opportunity to improve basketball skills along with teamwork, sportsmanship and respect, 9 a.m.-noon, Mar. 1820. Santa Fe Family Life Center, 6300 N. Santa Fe Ave., Edmond, 840-1817, sfflc.pscok.com. WED

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 17

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

continued

OKC Tiny Tuesdays ATTEND ONE OF THE LARGEST CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION CONFERENCES IN THE WORLD!

Each month through May, Oklahoma City Museum of Art hosts an openended art-making event for children ages 2-5, to participate in with a parent or guardian. Designed around varying themes such as this month’s Dr. Seussinspired art, each session features a guest artist to help lead the proceedings. The event runs 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday at 415 Couch Drive. Tiny Tuesdays are free for members or included with general admission. Visit okcmoa.com or call 236-3100 ext. 231.

Tuesday

REGISTER HERE: STATEOFCREATIVITY.COM/FORUM

THE EVENT WHEN

TUESDAY MARCH 31, 2015 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

WHERE

CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL 201 N.Walker Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73102

#CWF15 @OK_Creativity

This Spud’s For You: Interactive Potato Planting Demonstatration, discussion and demonstration of making a potato tower, 11 a.m.-noon, Mar. 21. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. SAT Young Readers Book Group, discuss the book, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham with peers and snacks, 2 p.m., Mar. 21. Barnes & Noble, 6100 N. May Ave., 843-9300, barnesandnoble.com. SAT Fifth Annual Cowboy Round-Up, a day bringing the cattle era to life with dutch oven cooking, slide shows, rope making and a lot of other fun activities, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Mar. 21. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 521-2491, okhistory.org/historycenter. SAT

PERFORMING ARTS JR Brow, stand up comedy, 8 p.m., Mar. 18-19; 8 & 10:30 p.m., Mar. 20-21. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 239-4242, loonybincomedy.com.

WED-SAT Flowers For Algernon, production based off the novel

by Daniel Keyes; Charlie undergoes an experimental surgery that was performed on a mouse named Algernon which increased his intelligence and then regresses, Charlie fights to keep his progress and not have the same result as Algernon, 8 p.m., Mar. 19-21; 2:30 p.m., Mar. 22. Jewel Box Theatre, 3700 N. Walker Ave., 521-1786, jewelboxtheatre.org. THU-SUN Corpus Christi, a story that parallels the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; Joshua, a young gay man leaves his home town in search of acceptance and gathers followers along the way who are bound to him by his message of love and tolerance, 8 p.m., Mar. 19-21. Civic Center Music Hall, CitySpace, 201 N. Walker Ave. THU-SAT So My Son Married His Boyfriend In Frogville, Buddy Bovine and Jasper Hallow Jr. plan to get married in the small town of Frogville since marriage equality passes in Oklahoma and all heck and panic ensues as they prepare for the big day, 8 p.m., Mar. 20-21. Actors

18 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Casting & Talent Services, 30 N.E. 52nd St., 702-0400, actorscasting.com. FRI-SAT Leah Kayajanian & Friends, comedy show with special guests including Jonathan Rowell, Rachel Mac, Greg Edwards and other talented performers, 9-11 p.m., Mar. 25. Opolis, 113 N. Crawford Ave., Norman, opolis.org. WED

ACTIVE Barons vs. San Antonio, The Oklahoma City Barons host the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, 7 p.m., Mar. 20. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 602-8500, coxconventioncenter.com. FRI Lynn Institute St. Paddy’s Day Race, 5K, 8K, or 1 mile fun run; family and pet friendly event with fun activities, live music and food; dress in your favorite St. Paddy’s themed attire, 10:15 a.m., Mar. 21. Lake Hefner East Wharf, 9101 Lake Hefner Parkway. SAT Go Girl Run, half marathon and 5K celebrating friendship and sisterhood, 7 a.m., Mar. 22. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. SUN Wheeler Criterium, OKC’s premier cycling festival for friends and family of all ages; cheer on OK’s top cyclists and enjoy yummy food trucks, 5:30 p.m., Mar. 24. OKC Downtown Airpark, 1701 S. Western Ave. TUE OKC Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers, NBA basketball game, 7 p.m., Mar. 24. Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave., 602-8700, chesapeakearena.com. TUE

VISUAL ARTS Acosta Strong Show, art show featuring artists of the Taos Society of Artists and other important western artists, 5:30-8 p.m., Mar. 19. Acosta Strong Fine Art, 6420 N. Western Ave., 453-1825, acostastrong.com.

THU

Chicanita on the Plains, new works by street and folk artist, Jeannette Herrera also known as BlueFaceKiller; she creates visual narratives using alla prima which marries her Peruvian heritage with street culture and personal experiences. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com.

From My Family to Yours, Theresa Hurt brings together a unique offering of talent from her related family and her Pirates Alley family showcasing a stunning array of styles and talent from handmade journals to photography, abstract paintings, landscape works and more. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com.

Fabric Painting Workshop, create your own custom design on a t-shirt, pillowcase, apron, or any fabric of your choice, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Mar. 21. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE 3rd St., 815-9995, artspaceatuntitled. org. SAT FOR/give, solo exhibition of Christie Hackler who uses enamel wall hangings and sculpture to focus on the beauty of letting go and setting free our pasts. The Project Box, 3003 Paseo St., 609-3969, theprojectboxokc.com.

Grow, earthy abstract pieces inspired by dreams, the artist’s experiences, and overlooked small beauties; organic forms in watercolor, charcoal, pastels, and acrylics by artist Amanda Johnson. Elemental Coffee Roasters, 815 N. Hudson Ave., 604-9766, elementalcoffeeroasters.com.

Hunting Down My Childhood, Nicole Moan relives her childhood by creating 3-dimensional clay sculptures of the 2-dimensional characters that inhabited her youth. DNA Galleries, 1709 NW 16th St., 525-3499, dnagalleries.com.

Intuitive Nature, artwork by local provocative abstract artist, Kevin Thomas whose work is intuitive in nature and explores positive and negative space. Jann Jeffrey Gallery, 3018 Paseo St., 607-0406.

Ladies of Norman, exhibit celebrating a group of creative and talented women and their various works of art. The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman, 3079320, pasnorman.org.

March Into Spring, spring exhibit to get you ready for warmer months ahead showcasing colorful Spring inspired paintings by gallery artists.

Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com.

Megan Gerety and Jessica Lutz, March featured artists; Megan Geretly creates mixed media pieces representing nature while photographer Jessica Lutz is drawn to the raw landscapes of Texas. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 528-6336, jrbartgallery. com.

Metro Camera Club Art Exhibit, juried exhibit featuring 40 photographs each printed on a polished aluminum plate. Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 297-3995, myriadgardens.com.

Photography by Josh Fisher, a collection of contemporary photography. The Purple Loft Art Gallery, 514 NW 28th St., Suite 400, 412-7066.

Strange Lands, exhibit featuring three international artists and 3 local Oklahoma artists; the collection seeks to reconcile humankind’s reach towards the heavens as well as its deep roots in Earth. SIG, 131 Dean A McGee Ave., Suite 135, sigokc.org.

Tailored Jackets, take a trip down musical memory lane with 59 signed album jackets dating from 1923 to 2003. Oklahoma City Community College, 7777 S. May Ave., 682-1611, occc.edu.

The New Deal and its impact on Oklahoma Art, look at the various New Deal art related programs, such as the Public Works of Art Project, the Works Project Administration/Federal Art Project, and the Section of Fine Arts, that were active in Oklahoma in the 1930s and early 1940s, 6-7 p.m., Mar. 26. Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, 2354458, oklahomaheritage.com. THU Western Bronze, figures sculpted by nationally renown sculptor HR Kaiser. The Summer Wine Art Gallery, 2928-B Paseo St., 831-3279, summerwinegallery.com.

For OKG music picks

D.G. SMALLING / PROVIDE D

see page 47

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D.G. Smalling Choctaw artist D.G. Smalling creates art with a single line. But far-flung from Barnett Newman’s “Onement, I,” Smalling’s works reflect his heritage and interest in minimalism through whole Native American tableaus. Think Etch A Sketch. See his pieces 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at Exhibit C gallery, 1 E. Sheridan Ave. Admission is free. Visit exhibitcgallery.com or call 767-8900.

Wednesday-Wednesday, ongoing

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Doors open at 7:00pm Chevy Bricktown Events Center 429 E California Ave

$50 in advance or $75 at the door purchase tickets online at jhok.org

SPONSORED BY:

C.A.T.’s Illusions • ClimateCraft, Inc. Hugh R. Burch, DDS • JAM Events and Productions Lamar Advertising • Oklahoma Gazette Tyler Outdoor Advertising • Connie M. Wolfe

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 19

20 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery in Oklahoma City

Italian beef sandwich

Hedonistic haul Find an Italian beef sandwich, Chicago dog and mouthwatering pickle fries — and Cal himself — at Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery.

Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery 7202 W. Hefner Road | 721-7700 | calseatery.com WHAT WORKS: Italian beef sandwiches, pickle fries and Chicago dogs.

WHAT NEEDS WORK: You will need a new belt.

TIP: Pickle fries are big enough to share, but you won’t want to.

BY GREG ELWELL

Hedonism, thy name is Gyro Burger.

If you look hard enough, there are a few things on the menu at Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery, 7202 W. Hefner Road, that are probably healthy — salads, perhaps, or the grilled chicken sandwich.

But let’s be honest with one another. If you’re craving health food, there are other destinations. If you’re craving something to sate a healthy appetite and then some, you’re going to Cal’s.

Ah, Chicago! Sin City! The Big Apple! The Windy Doorknob!

Canada’s Gateway to Peru!

Whatever you call it, Chicago is definitely a city. And like several cities, it has a cuisine all its own.

Specifically, Chicago likes meat.

Lots and lots of meat. Which is why the gyro burger ($8) makes so much sense. See, it’s a third-pound cheeseburger topped with gyro meat and tzatziki sauce.

“Why put those things together?” you might ask.

It’s the same reason you climb

Mount Everest: Because it tastes good.

Another “thing on top of a thing” burger is the Philly burger ($10), which puts thinly shaved beef, Swiss cheese, onions, peppers and mushrooms on top of a burger. It’s more than you need and just what you want, which should probably be the motto at Cal’s.

Bigger isn’t always better, but bigger and better is better. And bigger.

(Is it possible English is my second language?) Cal’s does good food big because you’re supposed to walk out stuffed.

Few dishes make me happier than the Italian beef sandwich ($8), which is the first dish I sought out when I went to Chicago. It’s simple and amazing: a soft hoagie roll stuffed full of shaved roast beef topped with peppers (hot or sweet, but you should get the hot) and dipped whole into a vat of flavorful broth called gravy. It’s a big, messy, wet, delicious beast, and I want one right now.

(For $1 more, you can get the Italian beef and sausage, which — you guessed it — includes Italian sausage.)

One of the best deals on the menu is the Chicago dog ($4), which is a big beef frank with neon green relish, sport peppers, a dill pickle and mustard on a poppy seed bun. Sport peppers will not make you good at sports, but they are crunchy and a little spicy and utterly wonderful. Hot dogs without sport peppers live lives of quiet desperation because they will never truly be loved.

Have you ever eaten french fries and thought, “I wish these were pickles”? Lucky you; Cal’s sells pickle fries ($4). They’re shaped like fries.

They crunch like fries. They taste like pickles and fries that moved to a more progressive state, opened an antique store, let their passions run wild and raised a family together. You can taste that passion in every bite, unless you dip them in ranch dressing, which is also a valid life choice.

Fun fact: In order to get my son to eat anything, for about a year, we had to tell him it was meatballs — cut-up chicken breast, hamburgers, vegetables; all meatballs.

So it was kind of a relief that he liked actual meatballs from the meatball sub ($7). Not quite as messy as the Italian beef or the gyro burgers, this is still not a great sandwich to eat while wearing a wedding dress. It’s covered in marinara made from the All-American Pizza recipe (the owner of AAP is Cal’s father-in-law) and mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, so it’s hot and delicious and I might still have a little of it in my beard … ladies.

Aside from the food (and the soundtrack, which featured a lot of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry), the best reason to visit Cal’s Eatery is Cal. His accent alone would be wonderful, but he’s also ridiculously friendly. The dining room is an upgrade from Steve’s Rib, which previously occupied the space, with big, cushioned booths and a clean, well-lit atmosphere.

There’s no deep-dish pizza at Cal’s.

There are, however, giant portions of delicious meats and cheeses and peppers forced against their will into bread products. And for that, I am thankful.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 21

P HOTOS BY GA RETT FI S BEC K

Gyro burger

Spirit Mind & Body Expo

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Presented by O.P.E.R.A. March 21 & 22 • State Fair Grounds Oklahoma Expo Hall South Section #3 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd.

Saturday, March 21 10:00am-6:00pm 10:30: Dale & Pat Clark - Soap Making with Earth Energy 12:00: Stephen Dillard/Carroll - Connecting to Earth Energy Through Mindful Meditation 1:30: Stanley Maness - Angel Message, Earth to Heaven 3:00: Corina Bell - Magical Earth Guardians 4:30: Elf - The One True Human Emotion

Vendors, Readers, Healers, Energy Balancing, Past Life Regression, Artwork, Crystals, Stones, and more Sunday, March 22 12:00pm-6:00pm 12:30: Joseph Glosmeyer - 21st Century Shaman 1:30: Shoena - More 21st Century Shaman 3:00: Barbara Clayton - Our Energy Relationship with Earth 4:30: Dr. Steven Summers - A Guided Journey Within

www.operaok.org

facebook.com/operaok • twitter.com/operaok

ROLL IN FOR

Spring Break!

Treat the kids to OKC’s best burgers & coolest bowling under one roof!

Automated bumpers, made-from-scratch fare, cartoons on the video wall and servers at the lanes. $4.00 games with lunch purchase. BOGO games Monday Friday from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Reservations always welcome!

On the Canal in Lower Bricktown > 200 S. Oklahoma Avenue > 405-702-8880

LIKE US ON

22 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Fresh joe from Coffee Slingers during last year’s sold-out Caffeine Crawl.

Jittery jaunts The third annual Caffeine Crawl is so popular it sold out all six routes.

BY GREG ELWELL

Caffeine Crawl Saturday Multiple locations caffeinecrawl.com/oklahoma-city Sold out

Some folks can barely make it to the kitchen without their morning cup of coffee, but the metro’s third Caffeine Crawl will have 150 ticketholders roaming the streets Edmond, Norman and Oklahoma City for their next sweet, sweet hit of jitter juice.

Masterminded by Kansas City, Missouri-based The Lab, the Caffeine Crawl is a chance for a city to highlight its coffee, tea and chocolate offerings to a crowd of energetic enthusiasts, said founder Jason Burton. The events began in 2011, and Oklahoma City joined in 2013.

“We really wanted to bridge the gap between coffee shops, mainly baristas, and the passionate consumer,” Burton said. “I started working in the specialty coffee world in 2004 and saw a huge difference between that interaction within craft beer and cocktails at bars. We felt like coffee needed this outlet, too.”

Though the idea began with coffee, it soon spread to tea and chocolate as a way to get more businesses involved.

This year’s event includes stops at Elemental Coffee Roasters, Cuppies & Joe, Kitchen No. 324, Junction Coffee and t, an Urban Teahouse in OKC; Café Evoke and Compass Coffeehouse in Edmond; and Gray Owl Coffee, Mariposa Coffee Roastery, Second Wind and Syrup in Norman.

Ticketholders purchase one of six routes and will visit about six shops.

Shops chosen or asked to be a part of the event can’t be part of a national chain, Burton said.

“This is for the individuals and families that work hard on creating a local business for their community,” he said. “You have to fit under the craft or specialty umbrella, and there’s a good amount of room under there.

We have a wide range of diverse shops and roasters. Some [are] uber geeky and progressive, and others more old school and thrive on baked good pairings with your morning joe.

There’s room for everyone who cares and has passion.”

Though coffee gets a lot of attention, t owner Kristy Jennings said she joined the crawl to help bring more people into tea culture.

“So often, people are still learning a lot about tea, so at my stop, I’ll be doing a Tea 101,” she said. “With the coffee shops, they can focus on country of origin or roasting methods, but I need to give a larger view of tea.”

Compass Coffeehouse owner Ally Moore said her shop will show off its Tulsa-based Topeca Coffee and make samples of its brews.

At Elemental Coffee Roasters, ticketholders will see a demonstration and tasting of its sparkling cold brew.

The entire event wraps up that evening at Coffee Slingers for a Latte Art Throwdown.

The businesses aren’t closed during the Caffeine Crawl, Burton said.

“Cities like Portland and San Francisco have had some packed shops, but it’s cool and odd that ticketholders are OK being packed like sardines at a shop when they are sipping on some of the best coffee they’ve ever had,” he said.

JAS ON BURTON / P ROVI DE D

FREE ADMISSION | FREE LECTURES

SANDBBURGERS.COM 20 NW 9TH • 405-270-0516 || 5929 N MAY • 405-843-8777 14020 N MAY • 405-418-8477 7745 S WALKER (I-240 & Walker) • 405-631-0783

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 23

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Kitschy class The Special salad

BY GREG ELWELL

“This place is not that place.”

In some ways, the success of Ludivine has haunted The R&J Lounge and Supper Club. Patrons who were enamored with the hyper-local farmto-table concept from owners Jonathan Stranger and Russ Johnson might have been confused when the throwback bar opened its doors with a menu quite consciously out of the past.

But over time, the new venture has built a solid customer base and found a loyal following for the dimly lit dining room, stiff drinks and classic fare.

“It was a rollercoaster in the beginning, like having a kid,” Stranger said. “Right now, we’re cruising along and fine-tuning the experience.”

The R&J is, first and foremost, a bar. The drink menu is chockablock full of classic cocktails. These aren’t modern renditions of classic drinks — they’re just the classic drinks. Patrons can choose from different brands of liquor, and the bartenders put plenty of care into re-creating old favorites like the Painkiller, Harvey Wallbanger and Sloe Gin Fizz.

One very popular feature from the beginning was sparkling white wine on-tap. Served in carafes or by the glass, it’s a swanky touch of class that keeps with the decor, which is important to the owners.

Fried catfish

something people treasure about a very specific time.”

That includes a menu filled with dishes that saw their heyday long ago, foods that taste like memories.

The appetizer menu is filled with kitschy classics like cocktail wieners ($7.90) in a sweet and savory sauce served over a can of Sterno to keep them hot and cheesy crab toast ($8.90), a decadent blend of creamy melted cheese, white bread and Maryland blue crab meat. It’s over-the-top in that way restaurants used to be because dining out was a very special occasion.

The relish tray and spreads tray The R&J Lounge and Supper Club are also throwbacks.

Stranger said the relish 320 NW 10th St. | 602-5066 | rjsupperclub.com tray items ($4.90 each or WHAT WORKS: Classic cocktails $12.90 for three) are 100 and throwback dishes. percent vegetarian, which is both period-accurate WHAT NEEDS WORK: With just a few tables, it can get crowded fast. and convenient for those on a restricted TIP: The Tiki drinks are strong. diet. He’s especially partial to the classic “Food, drinks, decor — it’s all part spicy cucumbers. of the experience,” Stranger said.

One new addition to the menu is The wallpaper doesn’t just look old; the shrimp cocktail, Stranger said. it is old. The naugahyde and design of “I don’t know how we missed that the chairs were such relics they had to one,” he said. be resurrected by companies that no The simple blend of perfectly longer made them in order for them to cooked shrimp, a chilled glass and a be purchased. spicy horseradish cocktail sauce is both But it’s worth it for the experience, elegant and timeless, not to mention Stranger said. deeply satisfying.

“Some things we lose for a reason, The R&J also features seafood on and some are just forgotten,” he the entrees list, with mussels marinière said. “We think we’ve brought back ($14.90), fried catfish over a sausage-

and-tomato stew ($15.90) and the light, ocean-kissed sweetness of the lobster roll ($19.90).

A bit heartier fare is the pork and beans ($16.90), which is about as “chefly” as Stranger’s menu gets with big, bone-in pork shanks braised until they fall to pieces with the slightest poke of the fork.

The croque tartine parisienne ($14.90) is the id’s appetite manifest.

A big slab of bread is covered with ham, bechamel sauce, Gruyere cheese and two fried eggs. Each bite is a mess waiting to be made and a joyous experience for the tongue. It’s a heavy dish, a true meal, and it requires either a large coffee or a long nap to survive the aftermath.

The lamb burger ($15.90) is not a classic supper club dish, as Stranger will tell you, but it was a best-seller at Ludivine, and it continues to find many admirers at The R&J. Part of the appeal is the quality of the meat, which comes from Walnut Creek Ranch in Waynoka and is raised especially for use in this burger.

Painkiller drink

24 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

The flavor is out of this world. Lamb tastes just enough like beef to have broad appeal, but it is leaner and mildly gamey and pairs amazingly well with the blue cheese topping. Like the croque, this burger is a messy mouthful. But when it tastes this good, who cares if you need a napkin?

Still, it is a salad that made me a believer. The Special ($11.90) not only has tender greens but includes a poached egg, prosciutto, a wedge of Brie, a croissant and fresh jam. It has a little something for everyone — or, if you’re smart, a lot of something for just you.

Finally, there is the beef stroganoff ($15.90), which famously (or infamously) uses a can of cream of mushroom soup as an ingredient. If that seems incongruous with what you think about Johnson and Stranger’s approach to food, understand this: It just tastes right.

The touches— fresh noodles, expertly seasoned and cooked beef — are all still there, but in all the preparations they tried, the one that tasted the way that wanted was the classic household dish with canned soup.

Taste it yourself and you’ll see that it was a decision well-made.

Since opening, The R&J has adopted a few new features. A brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday, including the DJ Brunch on that patio Sunday mornings, has found a following, especially for those who enjoy a cocktail with breakfast. They’re even printing up a limited run of Brunch Club cards that will carry special benefits for members.

How can you earn one? That’s a secret they won’t tell.

But after six months in business, The R&J is no longer OKC’s bestkept secret.

P HOTOS BY GA RETT FI S BE C K

The R&J Lounge and Supper Club fine-tunes its retro menu with everything from wine on-tap to cheesy crab toast and beef stroganoff.

SPONSORED PROGRAM

SPONSORED PROGRAM

VISIT THESE ANIMAL-FRIENDLY PL ACES AND HAPPENINGS IN DOWNTOWN OKL AHOMA CITY AND THE METRO!

MARCH 30 & 31, 2015 THE CAT CAFÉ & BOOKSTORE AT THE SKIRVIN-HILTON HOTEL

S P E A K E R S

Be sure to stop by the west entrance of the hotel where the Cat Café and Full Circle Pop-Up Bookstore will feature coffee from Café Evoke, book signings, and adoptable pets from Central Oklahoma Humane Society and Bella Foundation.

Making her celebrity appearance at the Cat Café (times to be announced on social media), star feline Sauerkraut (inset) is one of five finalists on Animal Planet’s America’s Next Cat Star, premiering on May 2.

DREW EDMONDSON

is a former Oklahoma attorney general and district attorney, having been involved in some of Oklahoma’s highest-profile and most-complex criminal and civil litigation cases. He brings more than thirty years of legal experience in practice areas including administrative law, case settlement, commercial litigation, government law, and white collar crime. He now practices law with Gable Gotwals.

During The ANIMAL Conference at the Skirvin-Hotel, businesses and organizations will welcome animal lovers throughout downtown Oklahoma City. Join in the fun and share your experience digitally by using the #animal2015 hashtag. You can tag us at @kirkpatrickfdn or @oklahomaanimals.

MIDTOWN MUT TS

OKL AHOM A CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

409 WEST PARK PL ACE (CORNER OF PARK & HUDSON)

Concurrent to The ANIMAL Conference’s Monday morning sessions, Basic Animal Rescue Training (BART) will be made available to local first responders, free-ofcost, at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. This three-hour course, instructed by veterinary professionals, will prepare first-responders to provide on-the-spot care for animals. Participants will gain the knowledge to assemble planning measures for their communities. They will also learn how to handle and restrain animals and provide first aid for companion animals in disasters. For more information, visit www.basicanimaltraining.com.

Midtown Mutts is a collaborative project of Oklahoma City’s Midtown Renaissance, Downtown Oklahoma City, and the Central Oklahoma Humane Society. Designed

by Larry Pickering, the park caters to the district’s many apartment-dwelling pets and pet owners.

Entirely mobile and centered by a repurposed shipping container, this fresh concept has given new life to a once-vacant lot in the Midtown area. Its mobile design will allow the park to move once its current lot is contracted for development.

DIANA WEBSTER

is a California attorney and an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) in Northern Minnesota. As president of the Native American Humane Society, Webster draws on her cultural traditions, education, experience, and passion for helping animals to make tribal communities safer for tribal members and animals.

Oklahoma City Community Foundation

DR. ROBIN GANZERT

is president and CEO of the American Humane Association, the nation’s oldest organization dedicated to the protection of both animals and children.

AHA programs include Humane Heartland for farm animal welfare, and Five Star Rescue, which focuses on emergency response. The AHA also grants the “No Animals Were Harmed” entertainment certification.

JONATHAN BALCOMBE is director for Animal Sentience

with the Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy. He has published more than fifty scientific papers and book chapters on animal behavior and animal protection. His books include Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good and Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals.

OFFICER TIM HARRISON is a first-responder, exotic wildlife specialist, and consultant. He has combined his unique skill set to become a sought-after authority on the rescue and capture of wild and exotic animals, often in suburban settings. Harrison’s work has inspired two books and an HBO documentary, The Elephant in the Living Room.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

On the Sunday evening preceding The ANIMAL Conference, wildlife photographer and Ponca City native Joel Sartore will present an evening of witty travel stories and extraordinary photography.

Joel is a National Geographic fellow and regular contributor to National Geographic magazine. The Omaha resident specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes and is the founder of the Photo Ark, a multi-year photography project to save species and habitats.

WHO WILL BE THERE » People interested in animal care and wellbeing » People interested in quality-of-life civic issues » Thought and opinion leaders, policymakers, community advocates and leaders, social workers, and government officials including legislators and city councilors » City and county animal-shelter staff, animal rescue employees and volunteers, farmers and ranchers » Veterinarians and animal-science professionals » Nonprofit staff and board members » Corporate and for-profit industry representatives » Students and retirees

Sunday, March 29, 7:30 to 9 p.m, Oklahoma City Museum of Art; free and open to the public

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND BICENTENNIAL PARK

THE JOAN KIRKPATRICK ANIM AL HOSPITAL

Adopt a pet at Oklahoma City’s Bicentennial Park, located in the heart of the arts district. A part of the Project 180 development initiative, the park is nestled between the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and Civic Center Music Hall. On Thursday, April 2, Downtown OKC (@DowntownOKCInc) and Leadership Oklahoma’s young leaders group, LOYAL (@LOYAL_OKC), will host a pet adoption event in the park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In 2011, the Kirkpatrick Foundation and Kirkpatrick Family Fund announced a joint gift of $1 million to advance a capital campaign to fund a new animal hospital at the Oklahoma City Zoo (@okczoo). The gift, combined with membership and private fundraising, as well as taxpayer funds, resulted in the state-of-theart Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital, which will open in April 2015. The hospital will house new surgical facilities; radiological and pharmacy rooms; and holding, quarantine, and exam areas. The hospital will also feature an observation deck for zoo visitors who would like to have an inside look at the zoo’s veterinary operations.

HIGH FLYIN’ DISC DOGS AT MYRIAD GARDENS

DR. VINT VIRGA

has been a leader in veterinary medicine for more than twenty-five years. As a behavioral specialist and consultant to zoos and wildlife parks, his expertise spans the animal kingdom from dogs and cats to wild species such as leopards, gibbons, wolves, and giraffes.

Virga’s book, The Soul of All Living Creatures, is a winner of the 2014 Silver Nautilus Award.

DR. AYSHA AKHTAR

is a neurologist and public health specialist who says she is on a mission to demonstrate how protecting animals provides a mutual benefit to both humans and animals. She is the author of Animals and Public Health: Why Treating Animals Better is Critical to Human Welfare.

CURT PATE

conducts demonstrations and clinics on stockmanship, colt starting, horsemanship, and safety. Mr. Pate recognizes the growing public scrutiny surrounding livestock production and the impact that improved livestock handling practices create for the sustainability of the cattle industry. When not at speaking events, Mr. Pate is managing his grazing operation in western South Dakota.

ALONG WITH

Disc Dog Champion Lee Fairchild

The ANIMAL Conference is proud to partner with Valir Hospice and Myriad Gardens (@myriadgardens), where international disc dog champion Lee Fairchild and partner Chris Meyers will demonstrate their SkyHoundz champion dogs on the Grand Lawn, Tuesday, March 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; shows start at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. Bring your office colleagues and enjoy lunch from Cornish Smokehouse food truck or Mob Grill food truck, and check out the vendor and info booths, including Plenty Mercantile, Barking Dog Bakery, A1 Pet Emporium, Full Circle Obedience School, Carey Pet and Home Care, Pet Lovers Pet Shop, Central Park Dog Daycare, and Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division.

» You care about animals and the people who love and care for them » You want to join the dialogue, educate yourself, and share knowledge on how to improve the quality of life for animals whether on the farm, in the wild, in neighborhoods, or in homes » It will be fun!

WHAT WE WILL DO » Engage in dynamic conversations about animals including pets, wildlife, farm animals, and exotics » Learn about animal behavior and recent discoveries about the animal brain » Obtain strategies for improved animal treatment in industry and communities » Meet leaders in the fields of animal science, public health, the human-animal bond, disaster relief, rescue and law enforcement, journalism, and philanthropy » Discover new programs for youth to increase social and emotional learning, empathy, compassion, and character » Build awareness of the value of animals in service, therapy, and rehabilitation » Develop a sense of active compassion that will allow attendees to view their world, fellow humans, and animals in a different or enhanced way

“WE CAN JUDGE THE HEART OF A MAN

BY HIS TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.” — IMM ANUEL K ANT

CHARLES SIEBERT

New York Times Magazine Journalist

NICOLE FORSYTH

President and CEO of RedRover

LISA LUNGHOFER

Director of AniCare and Rapid Response for Animals and Society Institute

PHIL ARKOW

Coordinator of the National Link Coalition

DAVID KIRBY

Author, Death at SeaWorld

TIM HETZNER

President of Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry

ANDREW GUNTHER

Program Director of Animal Welfare Approved

BEN CALLISON

Director, Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch

For a complete agenda and list of speakers, visit www.theanimalconference.com

SPONSORED PROGRAM

PHOTO ARK: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S JOEL SARTORE

SPONSORED PROGRAM

REGISTRATION JOIN US AT THE CONFERENCE Please go to www.theanimalconference.com and click the Register Now link. You can find more information about attending the conference, speaker bios, and the conference agenda on this website as well. Should you need to pay for registration with a check, print the form and mail your remittance to Factor 110. Register now as space is limited. A few scholarships remain for qualifying individuals.

CONTACT US If you have questions or would like more information about the ANIMAL Conference, please contact the Kirkpatrick Foundation at 405.608.0934. For registration information, please contact Factor 110 at 405.604.0041.

The ANIMAL Conference will be hosted at Oklahoma City’s historic Skirvin-Hilton Hotel (@skirvinhiltonok). This landmark, conveniently located in downtown Oklahoma City, will be the site of the 2015 conference plenary and breakout sessions, the Cat Café and Full Circle Pop-Up Bookstore, several exhibits, a Monday evening reception, and the award luncheon for the newly established Kirkpatrick Honor for Animal Wellbeing.

# AN IMAL 2 0 1 5 @ KIR KPATRI CK FD N @ O KLAH O M A A N I M A L S

The Kirkpatrick Foundation is celebrating its sixtieth year of philanthropy in Oklahoma City. Established in 1955 by John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick, the foundation has given away more than $65 million in charitable funding to central Oklahoma’s nonprofit organizations. The Kirkpatrick Foundation grants funding year-round to area nonprofits with efforts focused in arts and culture, education, animal wellbeing, environmental conservation, and historic preservation. The foundation has made contributions toward the establishment of many city institutions including the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

Safe & Humane, a Kirkpatrick Foundation project, is a collaborative effort to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane place to be an animal by the year 2032. Efforts include the establishment of the Oklahoma Roundtable for Animal Welfare, Oklahoma Link Coalition, and the forthcoming Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital at the Oklahoma City Zoo. The Oklahoma Animal Wellbeing Study, a survey of statistics and conditions, will be published in spring 2015.

The ANIMAL Conference serves as a triennial opportunity to network and learn about issues affecting animals in Oklahoma and beyond. To learn more about Safe & Humane, visit www.safeandhumaneoklahoma.org.

HORSE AND CHEETAH PHOTO: JOEL SARTORE

P ROVI DE D

FOOD BRIEFS

Flipped off The sign in front of Flip’s Wine Bar & Trattoria, 5801 N. Western Ave., simply read “ART THIEF PLEASE RETURN OUR ART.” “I ended up taking the sign down,” said co-owner Betsy Mitschke. “We try not to get political with our sign, but when stuff like this happens, that’s pertinent to us and I have that outlet ... well, this really pissed me off.”

Three small Clos Du Val posters — art that predated the 30-year-old restaurant — went missing from the bathrooms, and Mitschke wants them back.

Security cameras caught the culprit, and management is trying to get in touch with the frequent customer in order to bring about the art’s return without pressing charges. Six months ago, a more valuable item — a large, framed black-and-white photo of a cow — also was stolen from the foyer. If these local Thomas Crown wannabes would like to return the pieces without involving the authorities, contact Flip’s at 843-1527.

Rolling stone

MARK HANCOCK / FILE

Tickets are on sale for Isaiah Stone Foundation’s annual fundraiser on April 9. The event, No Stone Unturned, will be at The Bleu Garten (pictured), food truck park, 301 NW 10th St. In 2010, former University of Oklahoma basketball player Renzi Stone and LeeAnne Stone lost their infant son Isaiah to epilepsy. The foundation, named in his honor, began raising money for pediatric epilepsy research and aid in 2014.

“We hope to create a landmark event that is a departure from the typical ballroom dinner, stuffedshirt affair,” said foundation events manager Danielle Barber.

The Saucee Sicilian, Smokin’ Okies Catering & Mobile Smokehouse, Kaiteki Ramen, Pinky’s Rolling Fresh and Crepe Brewers are participating.

Live entertainment includes Alexander Webb, Mike Hosty and Graham Colton. Tickets are $125.

Visit isaiahstonefoundation.com or call 202-5508.

MARK H ANCOCK / FILE

Healthy appetite Food trucks aren’t always associated with eating right, but OU Physicians hopes to draw a crowd of conscientious diners to its healthy food truck event on Thursday.

March is National Nutrition Month, during which the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics urges folks to “bite into a healthy lifestyle.”

Food trucks and vendors include Green & Grilled, Katiebug’s (pictured), Super Juice, The Healthy Hippo, Pinky’s Rolling Fresh, Off the Hook Seafood & More, Organic Squeeze, Kind Bars and the American Heart Association. They’re open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. near Sacred Valley Park on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center campus, at the corner of Stanton L. Young Boulevard and Phillips Avenue.

“There’s a niche for [healthy eating] food trucks,” said Pinky’s owner Vondah Stockbridge.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 29

Offspringfriendly fare Whether you have kids or you just never grew up, it’s great to take your taste buds for a walk on the child side.

These are a few options for places where you can make a happy plate happen.

— by Greg Elwell Photos by Mark Hancock and Garett Fisbeck

Waffle Champion

Bricktown Candy Co.

The Red Cup

1212 N. Walker Ave. wafflechampion.com | 525-9235

100 E. California Ave. Suite 100 bricktowncandy.com | 600-9009

3122 N. Classen Blvd. theredcupokc.com | 525-3430

Much of the menu skews savory, but this restaurant wouldn’t be the champ without offering plenty of sweets as well.

Maybe your kids aren’t into brown sugarrum bananas or small-batch lemon curd, but no one would waffle over chocolate ganache or something called “liquid cheesecake.”

There’s nothing that can’t be achieved with a little grit and determination — or, as a shortcut, a boatload of sugar. And for the best-tasting sugar around, it’s hard to beat Bricktown Candy Co. If you need a burst of energy, it offers unique sodas, chocolates by the score and just about every other type of confection you can imagine. It’s the sugar rush you’ve dreamt of all your life.

Sloppy Joes are a childhood favorite, but for a vegetarian twist, check out The Red Cup’s tasty Sloppy Jane. It’s all the messy, face-smearing fun with none of the meat!

And while you’re enjoying a cup of coffee, let your inner child peruse the case filled with cookies and no-bake bars galore.

Steaks • Seafood • Lobster • Rack of Lamb

Celebrating 50 years at this romantic country estate.

RESERVATIONS PREFERRED

HAUNTED HOUSE R E S TAU R A N T

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There are few things more dangerous than a hungry child. Science Museum Oklahoma did the research, which is why it opened Pavlov’s Cafe to soothe those ravenous beasts. Alongside favorites like burgers and hot dogs, the menu has something for those in the most immediate and dire need: Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks and applesauce.

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Pizza is the chameleon of foods. It can be a taco, a bacon cheeseburger or even Buffalo wings. If you’re a kid visiting Pizza 23, pizza is finally a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Much like its delicious rumble bread, the PB&J pizza is a baked dough round, but instead of olive oil, garlic and Parmesan, it’s topped with the sweet, creamy combination. It’s the perfect treat to distract a picky child while chowing down on a classic pepperoni pie.

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Not everybody can afford to take their kids on a trip around the world, but you can educate their taste buds — and your own — at Nunu’s with a variety of delicious treats from the Mediterranean.

Vegetarians can nosh on tender falafel sandwiches, and meat-eaters can dig in to a plate of sweet-and-savory hashwa.

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LIFE CULTURE

Safe and humane The Kirkpatrick Foundation hosts a two-day conference to discuss animals in Oklahoma.

The ANIMAL Conference: A Forum of Ideas, Impact and Inspiration March 30 and 31 Skirvin-Hilton Hotel 1 Park Ave. theanimalconference.com 608-0934 $199-$300

A 2009 study from the National Institutes of Health confirmed that having a pet can help reduce health risks, including lowering your blood pressure and motivating you to be more active.

While many have long believed that animals help take care of people, officials from Oklahoma City-based Kirkpatrick Foundation announced plans to open lines of communication to talk about flipping the proverbial script.

Kirkpatrick Foundation will host The ANIMAL Conference, a two-day symposium on current and future trends affecting animals. The foundation started its Safe and Humane campaign in 2012; its vision is to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane place to be an animal by 2032.

Louisa McCune-Elmore, executive director of the Kirkpatrick Foundation, said this conference — which has been a work in progress over the past year — is the first of the foundation’s triennial conferences designed to bring together “the brightest minds related to animal programming, care, science, protection and sustainability for vibrant presentations and discussions related to this rich field of wonder.”

‘Finding common ground’

The foundation has shown visible support to the Oklahoma City Zoo and various other animal sanctuaries, humane societies and research institutions. However, McCune-Elmore said the chasm of opinions on animals and their well-being in Oklahoma and across the country has taken on a political bent — so much so that she included a disclaimer for all groups involved with animals and those attending the conference.

“We are not promoting a vegan agenda or aiming to put the

32 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

agricultural industry out of business,” she said, adding that representatives from animal welfare groups and those from agriculture and farm advocacy groups plan to attend the conference.

McCune-Elmore stressed the importance of dialogue between ideologically opposing groups not only through the Kirkpatrick Foundation’s efforts but also through the mission for the conference.

“Finding common ground is ... difficult, and keeping lines of communication open is one of our approaches,” she said.

The range of support for the conference and foundation is evident by the involvement of foundationsponsored Oklahoma Roundtable for Animal Welfare, a consultative forum that addresses the most pressing issues facing animals in Oklahoma today.

Not only does McCune-Elmore attend that roundtable but representatives from other animal-related organizations also take part. Groups like Central Oklahoma Humane Society, Oklahoma Chapter of the Humane Society of the United States and Oklahoma Chapter of The Nature Conservancy are all represented, along with members from Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Oklahoma Beef Council and Oklahoma Pork Council.

Depth and scope

The varied experiences and backgrounds of the scheduled keynote speakers at the conference are evidence of the diversity of opinions represented.

Some of those speakers include such visionaries as Jonathan Balcombe, director for Animal Sentience with the Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy; neurologist and public health specialist Aysha Akhtar; stockmanship, horsemanship and safety expert Curt Pate; Diana Webster, president of The Native America Humane Society; animal emotion and human-animal relations journalist and author Charles Siebert; and veterinary expert and behavioral specialist and consultant Vint Virga.

Additional activities are planned for the Sunday night before the conference kicks off. National Geographic

MARK HANCOC K

BY ZACH JACOBS

Louisa McCune-Elmore, executive director of the Kirkpatrick Foundation. photographer Joel Sartore will feature some of his animal-themed photography in a special exhibit, It Just Takes One to Build an Ark, at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Sartore is the only photographer in the world to have photographed every species of animal in captivity — more than 1,000 in all, McCune-Elmore said.

A legislative breakfast with senators and representatives from the Oklahoma Legislature is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

‘Inspire and inform’

According to event literature, the conference is “designed to inspire and inform those who are personally and professionally part of the animal-wellbeing community.”

It’s geared toward policymakers, community advocates and leaders, animal shelter workers, farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, animal-science professionals and others who are interested in animal care and qualityof-life civic issues.

The Kirkpatrick Foundation’s involvement with animal concerns began in 1963, when John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick donated more than $25,000 to the Oklahoma City Zoo. Since then, the zoo and many other state and national animal-

We are not promoting a vegan agenda or aiming to put the agricultural industry out of business.

— Louisa McCune-Elmore

related organizations have benefitted by the foundation’s donations, which, along with those from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, have totaled more than $7 million, according safeandhumaneoklahoma.org.

Registration for The ANIMAL Conference continues through Saturday.

A one-day registration fee of $199 or a two-day $300 registration fee covers the conference, along with breakfast, lunch and breaks. Attendees affiliated with nonprofit organizations pay only $150 for a one-day fee and $250 for a twoday fee. Scholarships for attendance are available for those who qualify.

For more information about The ANIMAL Conference, including events and offerings or how to register, call 608-0934 or visit theanimalconference.com.

LIFE YOUTH

GUTHRIE

Critical solutions The Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition awards imaginative students.

KE N BE AC HL E R / P ROVI DE D

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26th Annual Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition 8 a.m.-2 p.m Tuesday Hudiburg Chevrolet Center Rose State College 6000 Trosper Road, Midwest City okstudentinventors.org 367-7385 Free

In the current educational and legislative atmosphere, where there is a struggle to agree on the next step of teaching, one event continues to foster creativity and critical thinking in a unique way.

The 26th Annual Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition (OSIE) challenges students to find original solutions to everyday problems. The event is free to enter and is open to private, parochial, public and home-school students statewide in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Rose State College Performing Arts Center hosts the exposition 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. The event was originally scheduled for Feb. 24 but was canceled due to weather.

Inventor Julian Taylor and Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame Inductee Betty J.C. Wright founded the event in 1988.

Taylor, president of OSIE, said students must ask themselves multiple questions when brainstorming ideas for inventions.

“They must contemplate, ‘Does this solve a problem? Is this the best, cheapest way of doing it? Would I buy it?’” he said.

The problem-solving aspect of the competition and the idea of inventing itself is key. Creating a device for the sake of creating will not fly in the exposition or the real world. The idea must address situations that everyday people often confront.

Along with a critical eye, participants use science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills — also known as STEM — in the planning and creation of their

Advanced Training

above Last year’s exposition crowd. project. Students must explain and demonstrate how their invention works and solves a problem.

“The students must know how to speak and present,” Wright said.

“They must use models and pictures to demonstrate their project.”

A hierarchical prize system rewards the best inventors. Kindergarten12th-grade entries are organized into five age-specific categories. The top five inventions win trophies and cash prizes, with first place receiving $50.

Next, those winners are promoted into Division One, Kindergarten-5th grade, and Division Two, sixth-12th grade. The two divisional champions are awarded $100, and an overall grand prize winner receives $150. All winners and their schools win trophies, while all participants take home a medal.

Recent grand prize winners took inspiration from school tragedy. In 2013, Nichols Hills Elementary fourth-grader Genesis Franks unveiled the anti-bullying smartphone app Qwik Response, allowing students to immediately notify school officials about a bullying or emergency situation. The Sandy Hook Elementary School Shootings motivated Franks to invent the app, hoping faster communication will save more lives in dangerous circumstances.

Heritage Trails Elementary School fourth-graders Jadyn Waddle and Kylie Thompson presented the Safety V at last year’s exposition. It’s a brightly colored, padded and hooded vest worn by school children during stormy weather. Inspired by the destruction of Plaza Towers Elementary School during the May 2013 tornado, its attachments include a colored strobe light, an alert whistle, glow sticks and ID holders.

Taylor said he is proud of the students and inventions he has seen in the last 25 years and looks forward to the next event.

Metro Technology Center Rose State Community College

Oklahoma City Community College Red Lands Community College

Oklahoma State University-OKC

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Worldly wonder

M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

LIFE CULTURE

The East Meets West series brings together global cultures for food, drinks, education and fun.

BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

East Meets West 5:15 p.m. March 26 B&B Theatres Windsor 10 4623 A NW 23rd St. movietickets.com 917-7469 $20-$30

Windsor Hills Shopping Center, located at the intersection of NW 23rd Street and N. Meridian Avenue, was built in 1959 as a specialty and local, higher-end retail destination.

Retail growth waxed and waned as the communities around it grew and diversified.

“We’ve spent the last 14 years working to revitalize the area,” said Kimberly Lowe, president of Windsor Area Business Group, which operates and manages The Windsor District.

Now, instead of a single shopping center, it’s more of a hub surrounded by everything from eateries and retail stores to a bowling alley.

“It’s becoming an international destination,” Lowe said.

Larry Hopper of the Gold Dome Multicultural Society recently came to Lowe with an idea. Residents and businesses of The Windsor District — spanning from the Capitol to Lake Overholser along 23rd Street — represent cultures that span the globe. Why aren’t they all celebrated?

Together, they organized East Meets West, a five-part series at Windsor Hills Shopping Center.

Each of the themed events includes a showing of a coinciding episode of the BBC documentary series The Incredible Human Journey.

The first was “Out of Africa” in January. March 26 features the episode “Asia,” May 14 features “Europe,” July 23 features “Australia” and “The Americas” screens Sept. 24.

Lowe said the group also shortened the district’s name to The W to emphasize its inhabitants’

above Guests chat during January’s East Meets West series kickoff. global unity.

On March 26, Serena Prammanasudh Greenwell, job developer with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, will speak about her role helping refugees resettle and reestablish themselves in the city.

Yasuko Hildebrand, a bodhisattva reverend who has dedicated her life to Buddhist tradition, also will speak.

Lowe said that check-in starts at 5:15 p.m., and a social mixer is at 5:30 p.m. with wine and beer and ethnic cuisines made by restaurants in the corridor: Queen of Sheba, Gopuram Taste of India and Smokey’s BBQ & Diner. Food and drink are included in the ticket price.

The Incredible Human Journey episode “Asia” screens at 6:30 p.m., followed by open discussion and guest speaker presentations.

The things people learn about other cultures often impact neighborhoods and communities, Lowe said. “[At the first event in January,] people were asking such engaging questions,” she said.

The discussion went longer than expected, as guests engaged with cultures and each other.

“That’s the ideal scenario,” Lowe said.

Gold Dome Multicultural Society’s mission is to promote crosscultural awareness through ethnic celebration and education, according to its website. The W works with the businesses that serve these communities.

Tickets to the March 26 event are $20 each or $30 per pair.

Proceeds benefit Gold Dome Multicultural Society and The Windsor District.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 35

LIFE VISUAL ARTS

Creative growth P ROVI DE D

Artists from Oklahoma and around the country will gather to discuss all things art.

BY JACK FOWLER

Beloved Sisters Thursday | 7:30 p.m.

Saturday | 8 p.m.

Sunday | 2 p.m L’Avventura One Night Only!

Friday | 6 p.m.

When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism Friday | 9 p.m.

Saturday | 5:30 p.m.

For movie descriptions and ticket sales visit

OKCMOA.COM

36 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Community-Based Practice in the Arts 1-3 p.m. Saturday Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave., Norman ovac-ok.org 879-2400 Free

A series of panel discussions organized

by Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition will give the public a chance to learn from several local artists and more than a dozen visiting art world luminaries from around the country.

Community-Based Practice in the Arts, scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman, is the first in a series of free panel discussions that are aimed to help Oklahoma’s diverse artists, writers, curators and visual arts professionals gain access and new perspective about the national art scene.

The program, presented in partnership with The Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship, places a heavy emphasis on art writing, or the written critique or discussion of art.

“Our three guest mentors for the program will each present about their own practice on the first panel,” said Kelsey Karper, associate director of OVAC. “They each have different approaches to their work but are connected through their emphasis on building community and using art as an impetus for change.”

Karper said that, especially in a burgeoning art scene like Oklahoma City’s, infusing that scene with fresh ideas is always beneficial.

“I think it’s important for any community to always be learning and making connections outside their own boundaries,” said Karper.

“Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition has several programs with components that emphasize building a network beyond our own state lines, and The Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship is one of them.”

Mentors for the 2015 fellowship include several “esteemed professionals in the arts.” During Community-Based

Practice in the Arts, audiences will hear from Chloë Bass, an independent conceptual artist and cultural critic from Brooklyn, New York; Julia Cole, an interdisciplinary artist, educator and community strategist and Rocket Grants coordinator at Charlotte Street Foundation from Kansas City, Missouri; and Daniel Tucker, an artist, writer, curator and assistant professor and graduate program manager in social and studio practices at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The panel is moderated by Kirsten Fleur Olds, a writer, curator and

I think it’s important for any community to always be learning and making connections outside their own boundaries.

— Kelsey Karper assistant professor of art history at the University of Tulsa.

Twelve fellows were selected from Oklahoma and the region to participate in this state-based contemporary art program for writers and curators.

Through the yearlong program, each of the 12 fellows will produce art writing and exhibition projects in mentorship with art world luminaries.

The fellows were chosen through a competitive application process and represent independent artists, writers and professionals in museums and educational institutions within 350 miles of Oklahoma City or in regional partner communities.

One of the fellows is Alyson Atchison, a local artist and the curator of exhibits at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Atchison said that she’s looking forward to sharpening her own skills and finding new ways to contribute to Oklahoma’s newly exploding art scene.

“Most of the art writing that I’ve

Fellow Alyson Atchison is a local artist and the curator of exhibits at the Oklahoma State Capitol. been doing for the past six years is for the didactics for the exhibits that I curate at the State Capitol,” Atchison said. “There’s wall text, about a fiveto seven-hundred-word essay that accompanies and explains all of the exhibits, but that’s only one small kind of art writing. In that kind of art writing, that’s not a place to express an opinion. That’s where we’re just describing or explaining the show.”

Atchison said she is interested in learning about writing critically about other people’s art.

It’s not a desire born from anything other than honing the skills of fellow artists and contributing in a positive way to the scene.

“One of the great things about Oklahoma’s art scene right now is that we’re all cheerleaders for each other,” she said. “That’s awesome and everything, but on the other side of that coin, if we don’t like your work, we won’t say anything. I think that leaves out a lot of room for growth.

A critique doesn’t even have to be negative; it just has to be something that encourages growth.”

Atchison and local artist Laura Reese even started their own art writing blog so they could begin the process of acclimating fellow Okie artists to the process of art writing.

“Other than maybe Art Focus [Magazine], there aren’t a whole lot of places locally to practice art writing,” Atchison said. “Nationally, you’ve got Art in America, The New York Times, publications like that with great art critics. But we wanted to start something locally because we think it’s very important for artists to hear critical feedback about their work.”

The focus on growth is just another reason Atchison said she’s excited about being named a fellow and the series of panel discussions.

For more information, call Kelsey Karper at 879-2400 or email publications@ovac-ok.org.

COVER PERFORMING ART

Oklahoma’s Theatre

After 50 years of developing local talent and recruiting nationally acclaimed performers, Lyric Theatre is the state’s premiere performance stage.

On Nov. 7, 1962, 14 men and women filed into the elegant Beacon Club on the 24th story of 210 Park Ave. downtown. These notable community leaders, including E.L. Gaylord, were gathered that day at the behest of oilman John E. Kirkpatrick, who, after seeing a production of Bye Bye Birdie, had decided that something must be done.

Oklahoma must have a musical theater. The group quickly set up a board and went to work, making its mission to “produce quality professional theatre ... encourage and educate talented individuals ... promote collaboration among the arts ... and enrich the quality of life for the people of Oklahoma.”

A few weeks later, on Jan. 9, 1963, newly-christened Lyric Theatre launched an inaugural three-show summer season beginning with the beloved musical Oklahoma! The board agreed that Oklahoma City University (OCU) would be a good choice to house the fledgling company, and the two organizations began what would become the premier theater in the state.

After a brief learning curve for patrons — who attempted to leave during a scene change following an hourand-a-half-long first scene — the theater met with quick success. The show season expanded from three to four and five shows under Artistic Director Carveth Osterhaus.

Despite its rising popularity, the company had its struggles. For roughly the first six years, there were financial problems, even though OCU was contributing and Kirkpatrick had given the organization a sizable loan, said Paula Stover, a former volunteer and board president and current executive director of Lyric Theatre.

To save on costs, the company developed what would come to be known as The Guild. Composed of nearly 400 mostly female volunteers, The Guild cut costs by supplying the womanpower to run the box office, concessions, advertising, subscriptions and fundraisers and even cooking for opening night parties.

In 1971, Lyle Dye stepped in as art director, raising the company’s standards and enhancing its profile. He formed a partnership with music director Joel Levine, whose accomplishments at the theater led him to renowned positions

P ROVI DE D

BY CHRISTIAN WILSON

Murder for Two

Wednesday, March 25-April 12 Plaza Theatre 1725 NW 16th St. This rowdy musical combines the Marx Brothers’ comedic simplicity with an Agatha Christie murder mystery.

Oklahoma!

June 23-27 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. A classic love story of cowboy meets farm girl, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s collaboration is the pride of state theater.

Mary Poppins

July 7-11 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. Featuring the most famous of nannies and chimney sweeps, this family production has always been a spoonful of sweet enjoyment.

Big Fish Oklahoma!

with the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra and the present-day Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

Contrary to what you might hear, Stover said, Lyric established a precedent of bringing in outside talent from the start, even if it was from Kansas City, Missouri, or Dallas. This formed the cornerstone of the Lyric design today, offering less experienced local performers the chance to work with acclaimed outside talent and grow to greater heights.

With these pieces in place, Lyric built momentum, performing at OCU until 2002, when the next page was turned and the company invigorated its ascent to the forefront of American musical theater.

Even better

In 2002, Lyric repositioned itself in newly renovated Civic Center Music Hall.

The Civic Center, which undertook a $53 million investment as part of the Metropolitan Areas Project (MAPS), was an appealing prospect. Then under the direction of Stover and Artistic Director Nick Demos, the company moved from a venue with hundreds of seats to one with 2,477.

“It was a perfect time for us when it came back,” Stover said. “We had been wanting to go down there for years.”

For the opening performance on June 25, 2002, Lyric produced dance spectacular The Will Rogers Follies. It has staged its summer season at the Civic Center every year since, performing six productions of four large-scale musicals

over two months.

“Our model makes it easier to do true large-scale musicals, which sets us apart,” said Michael Baron, Lyric artistic director.

“We have the freedom to see things in new ways and visualize in new ways because we build our sets specifically for the scale of the Civic, whereas the touring productions build one set to fit different venues.”

Last year, Lyric performed Les Misérables, with a cast of 45 people, a choir of 55 and a floor orchestra. The national tour that came through two years prior had a cast of 23 and an orchestra of 10.

The scale allows the company more creativity with traditional large productions, Baron said, such as this season’s Oklahoma!, Mary Poppins and Billy Elliot, while allowing for experimentation with new musicals such as July’s Big Fish.

Solidifying its position as a major theater player, Lyric had more in store and purchased two unassuming buildings along the rundown pavement of 16th Street in a move that would help restore one of OKC’s oldest districts.

Revitalization

Neither Stover nor Baron look back fondly on the state of the Plaza District when Lyric first considered the properties at 1727 and 1801 NW 16th St., but they like where it got them.

Demos wanted to make Lyric a yearround theater, and board member Lou

July 21-25 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace, this new Broadway musical reveals the truth within the tallest of tales and the complicated relationships between parents and children.

Billy Elliot

August 4-8 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. Following a young boy’s journey from boxing to ballet, this Broadway hit, featuring the music of Elton John, shows how passion sometimes lies in unexpected places.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair

October 7-25 Plaza Theatre 1725 NW 16th St. Small-town girl Bernice explores the roaring ’20s in a revolutionary big-city scene in this world premier musical.

For tickets and info, visit lyrictheatreokc.com or call 524-9312.

Kerr knew just the space in which to make that happen.

The state’s first air-conditioned movie theater in 1935, Plaza Theatre was a dilapidated mess when the group first moved in. “[The area] was really quiet,” Stover said. “There was an old mattress shop and Laundromat. It was broken, the way the streets were up to the buildings ... ugly ... dirt ... broken concrete.”

Baron said the group remained undaunted by the shambles.

“The theater was abandoned with birds and things,” he said. “But the board remembered going to the movies here CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 37

GA ZE T T E STA FF / FI L E

LIFE PERFORMING ARTS

The Rocky Horror Show

and wanted to rejuvenate the theater and have a year-round place for the academy kids to perform.”

Before they could start, however, the green paper thing that always seems to get in the way — money — got in the way.

Enter Mike Turpen, a board member and former board president.

With Turpen’s business pitch to educate students to “break the silence of a room with the sound of their voice” and preserve a key piece of history, Lyric raised $10 million to renovate what would become Lyric at the Plaza and Thelma Gaylord Academy.

The 279-seat theater breathed a new life in 2007, adding two shows in the spring and fall to round out Lyric’s yearly productions to eight per year.

“We had all these thoughts that it would be a big rental income for us when we weren’t in there,” Stover said. “In just a couple years’ time, we were doing so much in there we rented for very few things. Now, [we’re so busy] that we have to save one window where they do cleaning and maintenance.”

As Plaza Theatre grew roots, the surrounding neighborhood bloomed.

Shops opened, and new roads were put in. Due to MAPS — and in large part to the Plaza District Association— the district’s beauty emerged.

“The Plaza District Association worked really hard over the years,” Stover said. “One of the first things they did was come and talk to us because, at that time, we didn’t have the theater done yet and they wanted to know if we were really going to open. Once we opened, it really started moving with businesses moving in and redoing the buildings.”

Baron added that businesses are sustainable now because they can thrive on the attraction of the arts.

With the support a flourishing district provided, the theater gained traction among both the traditional older

38 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

generations and younger crowds.

The Plaza Theatre also provided intimacy. Edgier shows like Spring Awakening or Xanadu offer nice complements to Civic Center classics, while staples such as The Rocky Horror Show and A Christmas Carol rope in loyal followings.

“The audiences are full,” Baron said.

“When I first got here, I was hoping we’d GAZE TTE STAFF / FILE

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Michael Baron

have 50 people to a show. Now, we never have less than 150 to 175. It’s full for the kids show too.”

Just down the street is Thelma Gaylord Academy, which functions as the youth and outreach branch of Lyric Theatre. Servicing youth ages 6-18, it nurtures young talent and instills in them an appreciation for theater. It also offers scholarships to guarantee that whoever wants to attend can.

“If these kids continue, they’ll go on to college and conservatory programs, but if not, they’ll have confidence from the school if they want to be a lawyer,” Baron said.

The kids take classes and attend summer programs. Just because the actors are half-size doesn’t necessarily mean the productions they put on are

too. Students can participate in one fullscale production each semester and can audition for the summer camp held each June. Past productions include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Urinetown: The Musical and Cats. Many students also fill young secondary roles in the company’s main productions.

“Most musicals that might be programmed for kids are licensed as a junior version around an hour and 15 minutes,” Baron said. “A lot of times, we don’t do the junior version; we do the full with all the costumes, and the kids sing all the songs.”

All in all, Lyric puts on eight mainstage professional shows and six academy shows, including musicals by age group, a summer musical, a full academy musical and a rock academy in which students create a rock musical led by Matthew Alvin Brown.

The three-pronged theater built a stable place for itself with big and small stage productions and a pipeline academy.

But its success isn’t just on the local level, where it sells out shows and nurtures community relations.

From its start at OCU, the theater has established a reputation for developing talent not only through the academy but through its practice of bringing in big names for principal roles, directors and designers and filling out ensembles with local performers who can learn from direct experience with the pros.

Big names such as Megan Mullally, Lucille Lortel Award-winner Annie Funke and two-time Tony-winner Chita Rivera stick out among a host of other Broadway and national performers Lyric recruited.

Other names like Sasha Hutchings, now in the off-Broadway hit Hamilton, and Christopher Rice in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon went the other way, starting at Lyric and gaining prominent roles on American theater’s biggest stages.

From back to front

Christopher Rice made his Lyric debut at

age 10 as Winthrop in The Music Man. “Being exposed to the professionalism as a child and having that expected of me as an adult was fantastic,” Rice said, “because no matter where you live, you won’t always have New York brought to you. But Lyric does a really good job of doing that.”

Into high school, he took dance, voice or acting lessons every afternoon.

He took advantage of the work-study scholarship program the academy offered, sweeping floors, taking out trash and doing other chores in exchange for extra or discounted classes.

As he progressed in his studies and talents, he began taking performing more seriously.

“I grew up on the classic musicals and Disney movies like Beauty and the Beast,” Rice said. “I was always running around the house, singing and dancing. I didn’t realize you could make a living of it.”

Between child roles and his production roles as an adult, Rice did backstage dressing. He loved being a part of the shows in any way he could.

With all his talents and willingness to contribute, it isn’t surprising his breakout came so quickly.

“The training the academy provided as well as the live experience and the chance to perform with Broadway professionals ... there’s really nothing that can replace those experiences,” Rice said.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2011 and performing in Lyric’s A Chorus Line, The Who’s Tommy, Disney’s High School Musical and The Producers, Rice moved to New York.

After his first audition, he was cast in the Broadway tour of West Side Story.

Immediately following that came a role in White Christmas and after that, his current The Book of Mormon role.

“In seven years, he’s gone from being a dresser backstage to being on Broadway,” Baron said.

Carrying the mantle

“I think our reputation is wonderful,” Stover concluded. “I think a lot of people don’t realize we’re really the only theater like this in the state.”

Having spent more than 50 years establishing and refining itself, Lyric looks to further improve its reputation. Part of that includes an increased focus on its interactive youth outreach program, which provides theater performances and education to more than 35,000 Oklahoma children.

As Lyric and the city grow, the theater needs to become a more diverse organization, Baron said.

“There are three parts to our future,” Baron said. “Maintain the classics in the large scale they were written, expand our new works program and expand the academy and involve the community more.”

M A RK HA N COC K

Lounge act A new venue brings together a crowd of creative, extraordinary individuals.

BY JAMES BENJAMIN

The John Legend song “Ordinary People” is an ode to the type of love that endures beyond unachievable Hollywood perfection.

The song lyrics go, “I know I misbehaved/And you made your mistakes/And we’ve both still got room left to grow/And though love sometimes hurts/I still put you first/ And we’ll make this thing work/But I think we should take it slow.”

The song helped serve as inspiration for Ordinary People Lounge, 3024 NE 23 St., a small performance venue with a young and open heart.

The label fits, too. The Ordinary People — or OP — crowd is one aware that real life is not a fantasy. It knows there are setbacks just as there are victories. Perseverance is cheered.

There is little room for pessimism.

Once a week, performers grace the OP stage to sing, rap, dance, joke and deliver the type of poetry that can light a creative spark in others.

Crowd members are actively engaged in the performances and those who take the stage are almost always complementary of those before them.

“Everybody’s so supportive,” Tori Beechum, 22-year-old founder of the OP Lounge, said. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s kind of like a family, and that’s one of the things I really am proud of.”

Late in 2012, Beechum, who said she never dreamed of being involved in anything like this, began discussing plans to open up a performance space so friends could display their talents.

The building OP currently uses was completely bare when Beechum started. It took eight months to clean, prepare and decorate the space. It opened in May 2014.

above Tori Beechum leaving Ordinary People Lounge.

If there’s one key distinction between OP and its namesake song, it’s that the lounge does not have much “room left to grow.” A show at the beginning of the year packed the already-tight venue.

The OP crowd is a young one, and the lounge is busiest when school is on break. It’s currently close to finalizing a deal with a new, larger location where Beechum said it would also offer buffet-style dining.

OP has grown faster than Beechum ever expected it would.

Growth has come primarily through word-of-mouth and effective use of social media.

“Our Instagram is probably what people follow the most, and we went from zero followers to, right now, we’re almost at 700, and it’s only been like seven or eight months,” she said.

She’s thankful for the support of her family. She said her mother is great at coming up with creative ideas and her father is good at handling finances. Other family members work collecting money at the door and making sure the night runs smoothly.

OP has become a cross section between literal family and a larger, creative family. And, like good families should be, both are always supportive.

“Every time, it doesn’t matter how I’m feeling; everybody shows love,” she said. “Everybody here is happy to see each other.”

Admission to Ordinary People Lounge is $5. Open mic nights usually are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 39

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ACROSS 1 Exploit, e.g.

4 Mountain cat 8 All-____ 11 Careen 15 New Adventures in Hi-Fi band 18 Thickness 19 Subject of a prophecy in Genesis 20 Ad ____ 21 Eponymous Indian tribe 22 Cry on the bridge 23 The last one in, perhaps 25 Toledo-to-Akron dir.

26 “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” asker 28 Move quickly, as clouds 29 Shames into action 32 Puts on 33 Darlings 34 Cross 35 Confuse 37 Capital near the 60th parallel 38 Sushi coating, maybe 40 Currency in Turkey 41 Bully on The Simpsons 43 “____ no doubt” 45 Mess 46 2009 Newbery-winning author Gaiman 49 Where you might exchange tender for tenders 52 Something off the top of your head?

54 Particularly: Abbr.

55 Make content 56 El Amazonas, e.g.

57 Hole punchers 58 Heart-to-heart, e.g.

62 Shaving ____ 63 Wood in Lucius Malfoy’s wand 64 Chum 65 Setting for part of Frankenstein 69 With 94- and 72-Across, a mnemonic for the first eight digits of [symbol in the middle of the grid] 71 XV years before the Battle of Hastings 72 See 69-Across 74 “I” strain?

75 Jeremy of the N.B.A.

76 77 78 81 82 85 86 88 89 91 93 94 101 103 104 107 108 111 113 114 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124

Like much of Italy in 700 B.C. Encrusted Atop ____ Bay, site of a historic Admiral Perry visit of 1853 Israeli diet Disquietude “Carry on” It never starts with 666: Abbr.

Beast imagined in Beasts of the Southern Wild “That makes sense now” Practice runners: Abbr.

See 69-Across Trips up?

Computing pioneer Lovelace Agitates It’s revolting One way of learning, it’s said Parish head Belch Risky venture Cropped up Snitch Fabled 90-Down Needle case Like two lowercase letters of the alphabet Mormon V.I.P. English author Blyton 1/2, for one Brings around

DOWN 1 Bank inits.

2 Not far apart 3 As is usual 4 Remains unsettled 5 Exploit 6 Smith of Downton Abbey 7 Portends 8 Heat, informally 9 Breather 10 Stock of certain companies?

11 12 Like the previous clue (which originally read “Place of Jewish worship”) 13 Red Cross work 14 Place to get clean 15 How questions may be asked

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16 Derelict buildings, e.g.

17 Eau holder 24 Money in la banque or la banca 27 “Rolling in the Deep” singer 30 Bank inits.

31 “Where would ____ without you?”

33 Puts on 36 [Good heavens!]

38 Enter through the back door, say 39 Frat Pack member Ben 42 Slip-____ 44 Slugger’s stat, for short 47 “Who goes there?” response 48 Deadly 49 One end of the hotline

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61 x 65 N.A.A.C.P. or N.C.A.A. part: Abbr.

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P HOTOS BY GA RE TT FI S BE C K

LIFE ACTIVE

Kicking class

Jennifer Allman watches as Bryce Dalton left spars with Nieko Ligons at Harding Fine Arts Academy.

Harding Fine Arts Academy has students learning martial arts for school credit.

BY ALYSSA GRIMLEY

Yes, it’s called martial arts, but students don’t often have the opportunity to get a fine arts credit for taking karate.

However, Harding Fine Arts Academy in Oklahoma City lets its students do just that.

The school regularly puts on performance and exhibition programs that showcase various arts-related fields and activities to the students. One year, there was a gap in the scheduled performance and exhibition program from a last-minute cancellation.

Jennifer Allman, a photography teacher at the time, filled that gap by putting together a martial arts exhibition with family members. The interest her performance generated prompted the school to offer karate as a class.

Allman, a black belt in karate, started martial arts at a young age. She said her father was largely responsible for her training.

“I started learning karate when I was old enough to walk without falling on my face,” Allman said. “I took a break when I was a teenager, when it wasn’t ‘cool’ to do martial arts with your dad.”

A few years later, after she got married, her husband expressed interest in learning the skill. About the time he earned his black belt, Allman’s interest resurfaced.

“I was like, ‘You can’t be a black belt before I am!’” Allman said.

Soon, she made the transition from practicing martial arts to teaching it at a high school.

“In a traditional setting, sparring is a huge part of [karate],” Allman said.

“In a high school setting … I get lots

42 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

of students that, after a year, become more comfortable and let me know that they’re willing to try sparring.”

Teaching karate in a school setting has its advantages. While most classes meet once a week, Allman gets to spend five days a week with students. She said this extra time gives her students an edge at tournaments.

Because Harding’s high school team is unique — no other area school offers credited martial arts class — her pupils compete against private clubs and academies in statewide tournaments. All the practice paid off when, in her team’s first year of competing, they came home with 50 first-place trophies. The next year, they brought home 70.

Teaching has helped the instructor grow as well.

“Students will ask you why and how — they’ll ask you to explain,” Allman said. “It’s forced me to stop and think about why I do things certain ways.”

There also are real-life results from Allman’s class. A student credits her for saving his life over winter break. The student was attacked with a knife and stabbed in the back of the neck and defended himself because Allman ran class drills with rubber knives.

Nieko Ligons, a Harding senior, has been in Allman’s program since his freshman year. He is a first-degree brown belt and is preparing to test for his black belt in May. “I really like the philosophy behind it,” Ligons said. “It’s taught me discipline. I don’t normally like being told what to do, but karate has made me more humble.”

I want them to know that they can do or be anything they want and no one else can determine that.

— Jennifer Allman

Students at Harding join for a variety of reasons. Many, like Ligons and sophomore blue belt Sierra Wilkinson, have martial arts experience. Other students, like Mireya Sanchez, have other motivations.

“I decided to take karate because I’d just gotten braces and my mom wouldn’t let me do boxing,” Sanchez said.

Whatever the reasons, most find karate is not like other forms of martial arts.

“I thought we were just going to brawl,” Wilkinson said. “When I saw all the choreographed movements we had to do, I thought, ‘I could’ve taken ballet for this.’ But then I saw that there was a lot more to it.”

The choreography is part of a kata (Japanese for “form”), or training exercises to hone technique.

Allman’s students said Jennifer Allman

there are emotional and mental benefits from kata work.

Learning karate helped Wilkinson control her emotions and taught her to focus. It also helped her build relationships.

“I got to make more friends,” Wilkinson said.

Allman hopes her students walk away from the program feeling confident and inspired.

“I want them to know that they can do or be anything they want and no one else can determine that,” she said.

LIFE MUSIC

Alive and loud

BY CHRISTIAN WILSON

OKG SXSW

With the final edition in this year’s series of South by Southwest (SXSW) music previews, Oklahoma Gazette offers a bigger picture and (we hope) your next summer listen. Presenting nine acts you would be too daft (or too drunk) to miss.

The Austin megafestival runs through Sunday. Learn more at sxsw.com.

COVER AGE

The Lees of Memory

The Lees of Memory Nashville, Tennessee

for college town inebriation to a more refined national audience. And with such a distinct but widely appealing sound, it won’t be disappearing anytime soon.

10 p.m. Friday at Soho Lounge

Amason Stockholm Kadence Oklahoma City

11 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 at Icenhauer’s, 12 a.m. Saturday at Central Presbyterian Church

7:10 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 and 8:20 p.m. Saturday at PromiseLand Church

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear Kansas City, Missouri 10:30 p.m. Thursday at St. David’s Bethell Hall, 4 p.m. Friday at Radio Day Stage Austin Convention Center, 9 p.m. Friday at The Gatsby

The award for most adorable act goes to this mother-and-son duo. Singer and songwriter Madisen Ward and his mother, Ruth, keep their sound simple.

There are two guitars and two voices.

And how they resound! In their released single “Silent Movies,” Ruth carries the beat with soft-stringed strumming while Madisen’s picking melodies fly with vocals that bring to mind Alabama Shakes.

Classified as Christian rap, but with an album cover that throws you the bird, Kadence hits new listeners with more than a touch of contradiction, but that’s just the territory that comes with trying to merge faith-based passions with street-level narratives. As he raps over deep-jam synths and a simple backbeat in “My City,” “Adam caused division but Jesus paved the way.” A talented rapper with strong roots loyalty (he features fellow SXSW OKC acts Sean C. Johnson and Dillon Chase), Kadence makes a purposeful genre work in ways not many can.

Wilson New York

Chastity Belt Seattle 12 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 at 720 Club Patio, 9 p.m. Thursday at Hype Hotel

The opportunity to compare a band to drunk, grungy puppies with feminist sensibilities doesn’t come around often, so you’ll forgive us for taking advantage of it. There’s some true rock here, but with stuporous drafting and walking guitar riffs, this band is definitely classified more on a next-gen fem punk spectrum.

Consisting of four friends from DIY roots, the band has progressed from playing

P HOTOS P ROVI DE D

With SXSW upon us, we’re previewing more acts you shouldn’t miss.

Hailing from the country capital of the U.S., The Lees of Memory is British Sea Power meets Smashing Pumpkins light. It self-describes as a “kitchen sink of sound” with layers of organs, synth, reverb, pedal steel, 12-string and bass, but the description doesn’t do justice to how compatible each layer is in regard to one another. Regardless, the band will have you out of yourself and in its swirling fog of melodies by the end of the first song.

This Scandinavian band of merry musicians rises with the swells of singer Amanda Bergman, but it wouldn’t exist without the happenstance meetings of members Petter and Pontus Winnberg (Miike Snow), Nils Törnqvist and Gustav Ejstes (Dungen). The psychedelic space rock is nothing but creation, especially given that the band’s first songs were composed during studio recordings. As a result, the tracks have a rough finish to them but are so invitingly warm that you won’t really notice.

Dillon Chase Oklahoma City

Tanya Tagaq Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

Twerps Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

11 p.m. Thursday at Flamingo Cantina,

9:10 p.m. Friday at Hotel Vegas Patio

11 p.m. Thursday on 18th Floor

11 p.m. Friday at Speakeasy, 12 a.m.

at Hilton Garden Inn

Saturday at Swan Dive

Berklee-trained musician and London native Tamsin Wilson combines the breathy and fragile longing of Dido with sonic textures of Euro pop — that is to say, half of xx or only a just breathier Daughter. The resulting sound produces a feet-on-the-ground head-in-the-clouds sensation. The synth is strong but reserved in potent but palatable spoonfuls. It’s clear there is a sharp attention given to sound construction. The sparsely instrumented EP release Magnolia is enchanting, a fusion of intuitive edits and hypno flourishes that float you past mental mire into an ethereal and, at times, romantic sky.

Tagaq’s work contains the kind of visceral, elemental compositions the old no-frills crowd refuses to call art. It heaves. It chokes. Situating Inuit throat singing within overexposed avant-garde collaborations with violinist Jesse Zubot, drummer Jean Martin and DJ Michael Red, her latest Animism is nothing but complex. By juxtaposing the deepest of traditional human sound with the furthest experimental futures, Tagaq creates fluidity in contradiction. There’s a reason she has three showcases. This is a top-five-musical-experiences-of-your-life sort of opportunity.

7:45 p.m. Thursday at PromiseLand Church

Chase raps about a childhood troubled by addict parents. Turned from expectations that he’d fall to the same, he draws from his religious faith, rapping resurrectionfrom-the-streets reactionist narratives.

Often eschewing club jams, his 2014 release BDFFRNT carries softly, more spoken words with message than grind beats with refrain.

The squad’s relatable pop has served them well since their formation in 2008.

Within months, the band was supporting Deerhunter, Black Lips and Yo La Tengo, and by 2011, it was on the U.S. circuit.

Behind vocalists Martin Frawley and New Zealander Julia MacFarlane, the group’s lazy familiarity hints of nostalgic 1980s mid-tempo, and while that doesn’t break new ground, it’s just fine with us.

Read more online at okgazette.com.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 43

P HOTOS BY GA RETT FI S BE C K

LIFE MUSIC

Inch by inch

The walls of the music industry have crumbled, and the long-surviving house show is instrumental in that change.

BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

above James Hammontree has played and attended house shows for nearly 10 years.

The divide between producer and consumer is shrinking.

Art mirrors commerce, and as artists sidestep record labels with crowdfunding to put out records, more also forgo booking agents and club promoters when booking tours.

Instead, they fill their schedules with house concerts hosted and arranged directly by fans.

“People are just getting together and trusting each other more than they ever have,” Oklahoma singersongwriter Graham Colton said.

It created one-of-a-kind experiences for musicians and fans alike, which many believe is the purest form of art consumption.

“Any barriers between the artist and the crowd, they are down,” said Brad Merritt, who hosted performances by Bryce Merritt, his Nashville-based, jazz pop crooner son, at his Edmond residence. “With a house show, you’ve got a very dedicated audience.”

DIY or die

It’s not that these are new.

“As long as there has been music, there’s been house shows,” Colton said.

And while recent years saw a marked growth in singer-songwriter circles, it has long been a reality in DIY punk and hardcore scenes in a central Oklahoma landscape starved for counterculture-friendly spots.

Age restrictions and the relative financial draw of a punk band make it hard for people like James Hammontree

44 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Graham Colton says house concerts are more popular than ever.

to see the bands he wants.

The Power Pyramid bassist and one-third of post-punk act Sex Snobs has been attending these shows for more than 10 years and playing, hosting and booking them for nearly as long. His first shows at The Roustahouse in the early 2000s brought Florida art pop act

Merchandise through his place, and he remembers being a part of so many others at Park Down The Street House and Capitol House.

“Houses would come and go, and we were always searching for more places,” Hammontree said.

These gigs are some of his most profitable stops when on tour and some of the most special he has taken in as a fan.

“If a band is cool enough to play your house, they are generally cool enough to hang out, have a few drinks and get to know you,” Hammontree said.

Thrown together with borrowed PAs (Hammontree said one band lugged around a home karaoke kit) in rooms with furniture pushed aside, a rowdy punk show in a private residence might sound like a recipe for disaster, but they rarely amount to anything close to that. Streetside smoking, parking and curfew management are the biggest concerns, with rare noise complaints or other isolated incidents.

Keeping addresses private and publicity low-key helps in toeing the line between a welcoming atmosphere and a safe, contained environment.

Like home

Brad found that to be the case when his son Bryce convinced him to host one in his backyard to over 100 guests,

an invite-only affair. He’d never put on a concert before, but he found it little more demanding than a simple gathering of friends and family.

“When Bryce first told me about the concept, it sounded like a frat party. It’s nothing like that. It’s relaxed and controlled,” Brad said, noting his intention to showcase other acts that aren’t his offspring. “I think some people don’t know how simple and easy it is to do.”

More people like Brad seek opportunities to feature artists they love to the people they love directly, like Sheri Guyse’s Sheri’s Living Room series or the fundraising gig Quentin Bomgardner scheduled at his iconic Norman residence The Chouse.

But it doesn’t take close relationships with musicians to make these happen, and that is where Colton’s upstart entity Fanswell comes in.

The OKC native has played house concerts since the start of his career, and as the years went on, those intimate, fan-driven experiences consistently proved to be the brightest spots on Colton’s national tours. His friends and colleagues felt much the same, leading to Colton concocting the idea for the website, which connects artists to fans to directly book performances in homes, galleries and other outside-thenorm rooms.

“I wanted to build something that was fun and easy and social but still legitimized these shows,” Colton said.

The idea was conceived with cofounder John Cooper two years ago, just as the concept was starting to spread in singersongwriter circles. Fanswell made its public debut last summer.

With an acoustic-heavy roster of artists from across the country, Colton hopes and plans to expand the site’s scope and offer similar services to a more genre-diverse stable of bands and other types of performances (dancers, poets, lecturers, comedians) to further close that gap between the people who love art and the people who make it.

“That’s what is cool about the movement,” Colton said. “It’s something you create together, a one-of-a-kind experience.”

ADULT WORKSH OP

Get the dirt on

gardening SATURDAY, APRIL 18 9 a.m. to noon

LOOKING FOR TIPS TO GROW YOUR GARDEN? Join the Master Gardeners of Cleveland County as we explore soil types, composting and how to plant a garden. Proper planting techniques will be demonstrated and supplies for practice will be provided.

Cost: Members $20; Non-members $25 Registration deadline: Friday, April 10, 2015 Sponsored by: Arvest Bank and Republic Bank & Trust

2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, OK 73072-7029 (405) 325-4712 | www.samnoblemuseum.org The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please call (405) 325-4712.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 45

Playing favorites What’s good to your ear is good for your work.

BY CHRISTIAN WILSON

With new album releases, concerts and music festivals ahead this season — not to mention spring semester finals — research illuminates the relationship between music and how the brain works, especially how it impacts productivity.

Science shows how different genres influence creativity, the positive effect of music versus silence, music’s effect on concentration and its usefulness in accomplishing tasks, according to information compiled by Space Chimp Media.

Christian Almonrode, a University of Oklahoma aerospace engineering major, frequently uses music to center himself while working and studying.

“I listen to a lot of indie, piano and a little more classical style of folk,” he said. “It’s softer and carries me through my study a bit better. It blocks out the outside noise but blends in with my own thoughts.”

The data, consolidated from an article by Gregory Ciotti of the Sparring Mind blog and a 2012 article from The New York Times (that also cites other studies) notes that mood improvement — usually dictated by personal preference and familiarity — might play a more prominent role than what kind of music is playing.

Almonrode also mentioned that if he’s low in energy, there’s no better fix than a few tracks of death metal to get pumped.

A 2005 research study cited in the Times article explored the effect of music listening on work performance for employees of four software companies. The study varied the presence and genre of music over a five-week period, noting differences in mood, work quality and the time spent on tasks.

One participant in the study captured this with a comment that “[music listening] helped in relaxation, getting around [mental] blocks by

46 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Christian Almonrode, 21, an OU junior majoring in aerospace engineering, studies at Gray Owl Coffee in Norman. changing thoughts instead of getting ‘tunnel visioned.’”

Hand surgeon Stephen Mihalsky agreed.

“I listen to music while I’m operating, usually classic rock,” said Mihalsky, who works with Oklahoma Sports Science & Orthopedics in Edmond. “It’s what I grew up with and like. [The hard beats] of rap and hip-hop music I can’t listen to. It’s too distracting.”

Specifically, the results suggest that mood improvement and positive feelings associated with worker’s preferred music improved performance through increased energy and focus and by helping listeners establish better work pacing on tasks.

These findings support what office drones, college students and industry creatives have long known: music moves us.

Space Chimp also cited articles that touch on other aspects of research studies, namely that the best music for demanding tasks tend to be repetitive and softer instrumental genres such as classical, electronic and gaming music, and that our brains take a while to kick into gear regardless of what’s chosen to listen to.

It’s something Almonrode has picked up on; he allows himself to listen to a wide variety of music for the first and last portions of his study time, while reining in his ears to softer genres for the bulk of his work time.

“Music fills me,” Almonrode said.

“I think humans were made to listen to music. Rhythm is built into people and the things we do.”

See the Space Chimp infographic online at okgazette.com.

C HRI STI A N W I L S ON

LIFE MUSIC

Idre/In the Company of Serpents, Blue Note Lounge.

ROCK

A.J. Croce, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Monte Montgomery, The Blue Door. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Aaron Newman Band, Baker St. Pub & Grill. FOLK Coal Chamber/Filter/Combichrist, Cain’s Ballroom.

ROCK Edgar Cruz/Jeff Nokes and Freinds, Avanti Bar & Grill.

ACOUSTIC

DJ R&R, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. VARIOUS Gentry, Kendell’s Bar. VARIOUS

Jeremy Thomas Quartet, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ

Randy Cassimus, Full Circle Bookstore. ACOUSTIC Rotting Out/Expire/Suburban Scum, The Conservatory.

ROCK Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

LUCKY/Shaun Suttle, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. COVER

STYX, Riverwind Casino, Norman. ROCK

Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

The Clique, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

Self Defense Family/Colourful Hill/Hex, The Conservatory. ROCK

The Great Divide, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Sunshine Hahn, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Wild Heart, Cee Gee’s Club, Edmond. COUNTRY

Yam Dankees, Capital Bicycle Co. VARIOUS Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

What She Said, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK

SATURDAY, MAR. 21

THURSDAY, MAR. 19

Attica State, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

Atom Ray Funktet, O Bar. VARIOUS

Chad Sullins & The Last Call Coalition, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Brent Saulsbury/Will Galbraith/Wayne Duncan, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Carter Sampson/The Macktet, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. JAZZ

Drive, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

Dustin Prinz, Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar, Norman.

ACOUSTIC

Grizzly Mojo, 51st Street Speakeasy. VARIOUS The Clique, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS The Hillbenders, The Blue Door. BLUEGRASS The Matchsellers, The Bluebonnet Bar, Norman.

BLUEGRASS

Grammy-nominated R&B artist Charlie Wilson, who was born in Tulsa, kicked off his 2015 Forever Charlie tour in Cleveland, Ohio, and comes to Oklahoma City on Saturday. Wilson, OKG who is known for his smooth romance, released his music latest album, Forever Charlie, in January. His early career included a stint with his brothers in R&B funk act The Gap Band, which ran from 1967-2010 with hits including “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops)” and “Early in the Morning.” Both songs were later sampled by dozens of modern hip-hop and R&B acts. He has earned eight Grammy nominations and received a lifetime achievement award from BET in 2013. The concert starts 8 p.m. Saturday at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave. Tickets are $36.50-$82. Visit chesapeakearena.com.

pick

Erica James, Full Circle Bookstore. ROCK Felix Martin/Machine in the Mountain, Opolis, Norman.

ROCK Grant Stevens, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Hosty Duo, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK Ike Lamb, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

Tyler Hopkins/Sioux City Kid/Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Blue Note Lounge. VARIOUS

Jahruba & The Jahmystics, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. REGGAE

100 Bones Band, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

Saturday

Eldredge Jackson, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ

Tolar/Steel Bearing Hand/Frontline Attack, The Conservatory. ROCK

FRIDAY, MAR. 20

Charlie Wilson

Chase Bryant/DJ Hish, Diamond Ballroom. COUNTRY

David Morris, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Edgar Cruz, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. ACOUSTIC

P ROVI DE D

LIVE MUSIC WEDNESDAY, MAR. 18

Jay Falkner, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY Life of the Party, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. COVER

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

Little Big Town, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Catoosa.

COUNTRY

The Clique, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

TUESDAY, MAR. 24

2AM, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK

Monte Montgomery, The Blue Door. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Voodoo, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

80’z Enuf, Remington Park. COVER

Primer 55/Munkie Gunn/Hanging Hayley, The Conservatory. ROCK

Wild Heart, Larry’s Unique Club. COUNTRY

Fallujah/All Have Sinned/Dischordia, The Conservatory.

ROCK

Wino Browne, Oklahoma City Limits. VARIOUS

LUCKY/Shaun Suttle, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. COVER

The Clique, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

Mitski, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS

Replay, Remington Park. COVER

SUNDAY, MAR. 22

Eldredge Jackson UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond Saturday

Ali Harter Residency, Blue Note Lounge. SINGER/ SONGWRITER Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK Stargazer Lillies/Dott/Nightschool, Capital Bicycle Co. ROCK

SUNDAY, MAR. 15 Joel Rafael, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER Moongiant/Aaron Pierce/Idabel/We Are The Willow, Opolis, Norman. ROCK The Wrong/Sin Motivo/Violent Affair, The Conservatory.

ROCK PROVIDED

Christian Pearson/Gary Johnson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel.

PIANO

Typesetter/Trash Pops, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

Pile/Tonne/IndianGiver/SonicViolence, Dope Chapel, Norman. ROCK

WEDNESDAY, MAR. 25 Cover Me Badd, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER Edgar Cruz/Jeff Nokes and Freinds, Avanti Bar & Grill.

ACOUSTIC Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Issei Aoyama Duo, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. VARIOUS Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings.

Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible.

Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

OKL AHOMA GA Z ET TE | MARCH 1 8 , 2015 | 47

48 | MARCH 18, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

LIFE FILM

Homecoming P ROVI DE D

Thunder star Ibaka offers an intimate look at his native Congo in a South by Southwest documentary premiere.

BY BEN FELDER

OKG SXSW

NBA star Serge Ibaka is trying to shut the door to his family’s house, but the crowd on the other side is pushing back. Dozens cry out to Ibaka, some asking for money and others just looking for recognition.

It’s the summer of 2014, and Ibaka is in the Congo, the land in which he grew up.

Ibaka’s story is well-known in Africa, and so is his wealth. During this trip home last year, a camera crew followed along, the result of which is Son of the Congo, an ESPN-backed film that premiered Saturday night at the South

by Southwest film festival in Austin.

“I feel like I am still those kids,” Ibaka said about the children in the crowd. “For others, I’m sure [the film]

COVER AGE

showed something they are not used to, but for me, it was nothing new.”

Many fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder power forward know he was once homeless when growing up in the Congo, that his mother died when he was seven, his father was imprisoned and his journey to becoming one of the league’s top defenders is an inspiration to those back in his home country. But few, if anyone, knew the depth of his struggle growing up on the dirt streets of Brazzaville and how closely he holds the area to his heart. Those storylines are put on raw display in Son of the Congo. “[Ibaka] doesn’t have anything to hide about how he operates life. He is not ashamed of anything; he is who he is, and I just thought that was pretty rare to see from an athlete,” said Bill

Simmons, editor of Grantland, the ESPN-owned website that will distribute the film in a five-part Web series in the near future.

Following Saturday’s premier — which also was Ibaka’s first time to see the film — Simmons said he felt like this was an important story to tell, not just because of Ibaka’s celebrity status but out of his own curiosity.

“I didn’t know enough about him, and I have always been interested in him. And he’s been someone who has been pretty private,” Simmons said.

“Getting behind the curtain with him was really appealing.”

Ibaka gives the camera a tour of his former neighborhood and the basketball court he practiced on as a child. But Adam Hootnick, the film’s

Austin-based director, becomes a fly on the wall during many intimate scenes of Ibaka dancing with family, scolding a Congolese basketball player who was sent home from America after getting into trouble and inserting a hearing aid into a young girl’s ear and placing her hand on his throat so she can feel his voice.

“When I think about my life, I always thank God,” Ibaka said after the screening. “I’m always dreaming. I’m dreaming of one day winning defensive player of the year or dreaming that [I] win a championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But most of my dreams are real-life dreams, like helping people.

Giving back, to me, is more important than anything.”

Modern dreams

BY CHRISTIAN WILSON

After celebrating public and feminist acclaim with its animated hits Tangled and Frozen, it seemed Disney was committing to the modern woman.

There was feminine solidarity, equity, courage and the positioning of women in status roles above men. What happened?

With what will only be remembered as yet another re-creation of a classic tale, Disney has disappointed by perpetuating the female diminutive rather than adapting to evolved cultural attitudes. It’s time for Disney to change.

Cinderella stands for all that the original story crafters in the 1600s — namely Charles Perrault — decided was good in a girl: beauty, innocence, kindness, love and temperance. They also instilled the ever-sought and admirable traits of naiveté, passiveness, reliance on externality and lack of selfdetermination.

PROVIDE D

Amid magic, beauty and innocent humor, fallible expectations are delivered through a veil of dreams.

Cinderella

The newest release from Disney seems to agree on all counts, though it adds cleavage glitter, spray tanning and what had to be five-inch heels to the list.

Here, it should be stated that the film was highly magical and entertaining and communicated the primary conflict of the film efficiently to its intended audience. Exaggerated wide eyes and sweeping motions were augmented with dark tones in unnaturally lit environments and saturated, colorspruced fairytale landscapes. The children in AMC Quail Springs’ theater 13 gasped and cackled, delighting in a visual language they could understand.

They roared with laughter when unbelievably raucous scenes of horse racing, pumpkin expansion and carriage disassembling came between spurts of adolescent dialogue. The comedic high point came from a goose-turned-carriage

master, who, upon the order to drive, aptly replied, “I can’t drive. I’m a goose!”

It was splendid. It was easy to follow.

It sparked imagination. No one got hurt. It was all the things that made Cinderella of the ’50s and on so potent and important. Dreams came true.

Yet this makes it so dangerous.

Fallible expectations are delivered in the downy-swaddled veil of dreams.

It’s well to teach young children to dream. It might be good to feel that they will be nurtured and that their innocence and naiveté will be rewarded.

It reassures adults that our mistakes and shortcomings won’t have permanently negative impacts. But life will teach many of those children differently.

They might so fiercely believe in these lessons that, come early adulthood, those they love seem wellintentioned in conflict, even with

violent or abusive evidence to the contrary. They might believe that in the face of hardship, the burden of inspiring them to overcome obstacles rests on someone else. They might be so disillusioned with comparing themselves to Lily James’ corseted waist that they self-harm, degrading their natural bodies to align with an admired actress. According to a March 6 USA Today article, James herself couldn’t even eat solid food while wearing it.

Film critique can’t disregard the cultural context in which the film exists.

One can only hope that there will come a stroke of midnight when Disney abandons its 1950s female caricature, admits that its magic is as good as squash and reflects the new-world female ideal.

Whatever modern discourses reveal that to be, it is not Cinderella — no matter the magic.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18, 2015 | 49

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Homework: If you could be any other sign besides the one you actually are, what would it be, and why? Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com.

appreciation not just for the parts of them that are easy to love but also for the parts that are not yet ripe or charming.” Now feel free, Gemini, to show this horoscope to those whose affection you want.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You’re entering a time and space known as the Adlib Zone. In this territory, fertile chaos and inspirational uncertainty are freely available. Improvised formulas will generate stronger mojo than timeworn maxims.

Creativity is de rigueur, and street smarts count for more than book-learning. May I offer some mottoes to live by when “common sense” is inadequate? 1.

Don’t be a slave to necessity. 2. Be as slippery as you can be and still maintain your integrity. 3. Don’t just question authority; be thrilled about every chance you get to also question habit, tradition, fashion, trendiness, apathy, and dogma.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You have recently been to the mountaintop, at least metaphorically. Right? You wandered out to the high frontier and ruminated on the state of your fate from the most expansive vista you could find. Right? You have questioned the limitations you had previously accepted, and you have weaned yourself from at least one of your devitalizing comforts, and you have explored certain possibilities that had been taboo. Right? So what comes next? Here’s what I suggest: Start building a new framework or structure or system that will incorporate all that you’ve learned during your break.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) By 1993, rock band Guns N’ Roses had released five successful albums. But on the way to record their next masterpiece, there were numerous delays and diversions. Band members feuded. Some were fired and others departed. Eventually, only one original member remained to bring the task to conclusion with the help of new musicians. The sixth album, Chinese Democracy, finally emerged in 2008. I’m seeing a similarity between Guns N’ Roses’ process and one of your ongoing projects, Taurus. The good news is that I think most of the hassles and delays are behind you, or will be if you act now. You’re primed to make a big push toward the finish line.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) According to the international code of food standards, there are 13 possible sizes for an olive. They include large, extra large, jumbo, extra jumbo, giant, colossal, super colossal, mammoth, and super mammoth. If I had my way, Leo, you would apply this mind-set to everything you do in the coming weeks. It’s time for you to think very big. You will thrive as you expand your mind, stretch your boundaries, increase your territory, amplify your self-expression, magnify your focus, and broaden your innocence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) “Half the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough,” proclaimed humorist Josh Billings. That’s an exaggeration made for comic effect, of course. (And I think that some of life’s troubles also come from saying no too much and not saying yes enough.) But for you, Virgo, Billings’ advice will be especially pertinent in the coming weeks. In fact, my hypothesis is that you will be able to keep your troubles to a minimum and boost your progress to a maximum by being frugal with yes and ample with no.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) The anonymous blogger at Neurolove.me gives advice on how to love a Gemini: “Don’t get impatient with their distractibility. Always make time for great conversation. Be understanding when they’re moody.

Help them move past their insecurities, and tell them it’s not their job to please everyone. Let them have space but never let them be lonely.” I endorse all that good counsel, and add this: “To love Geminis, listen to them attentively, and with expansive flexibility.

Don’t try to force them to be consistent; encourage them to experiment at uniting their sometimes conflicting urges. As best as you can, express

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Your mind says, “I need more room to move. I’ve got to feel free to experiment.” Your heart says, “I think

feeling sufficiently challenged. Let this serve as a gentle warning, Capricorn. In the coming weeks, seek more relaxation and downtime than usual. Focus on recharging your psychic batteries. But please be sure that doesn’t cause you to get bored and then dabble with self-sabotaging stimuli.

maybe I need more commitment and certainty.” Your astrologer suggests, “Be a bit more skeptical about the dream lover who seems to be interfering with your efforts to bond with the Real Thing.” I’m not sure which of these three sources you should heed, Libra.

Do you think it might somehow be possible to honor them all? I invite you to try.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) English is my first language. Years ago there was a time when I spoke a lot of French with my Parisian girlfriend, but my skill faded after we broke up. So I’m not bilingual in the usual sense. But I do have some mastery in the language of music, thanks to my career as a singer-songwriter. Having raised a daughter, I also learned to converse in the language of children.

And I’ve remembered and worked with my nightly dreams every day for decades, so I speak the language of dreams. What about you, Aquarius? In the coming weeks, I bet you’ll be challenged to make more extensive use of one of your second languages. It’s time to be adaptable and resourceful in your approach to communication.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) “Without your wound where would your power be?” asked writer Thornton Wilder. “The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living.” Let’s make that one of your ongoing meditations, Scorpio. I think the coming weeks will be an excellent time to come to a greater appreciation for your past losses. What capacities has your suffering given birth to? What failures have made you stronger? What crucial lessons and unexpected benefits have emerged from your sadness and madness?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) “Creating is not magic but work,” says Kevin Ashton, author of the book How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery. In other words, inspiration is a relatively small part of the creative process. Over the long haul, the more important factors are self-discipline, organized thinking, hard work, and attention to detail. And yet inspiration isn’t irrelevant, either. Brainstorms and periodic leaps of insight can be highly useful. That’s a good reminder as you enter a phase when you’re likely to be more imaginative and original than usual. I expect creative excitement to be a regular visitor.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Do you need a reason to think sharper and work smarter and try harder? I’ll give you four reasons. 1.

Because you’re finally ready to get healing for the inner saboteur who in the past has undermined your confidence. 2. Because you’re finally ready to see the objective truth about one of your self-doubts, which is that it’s a delusion. 3. Because you’re finally ready to stop blaming an adversary for a certain obstacle you face, which means the obstacle will become easier to overcome. 4. Because you’re finally ready to understand that in order to nurture and hone your ample creativity, you have to use it to improve your life on a regular basis.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was a good Capricorn, born January 6, 1854. In the course of Arthur Conan Doyle’s 60 stories about his life, he revealed his exceptional talent as an analytical thinker. His attention to details was essential to his success, and so was his expertise at gathering information. He did have a problem with addictive drugs, however. Morphine tempted him now and then, and cocaine more often, usually when he wasn’t

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of this law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings in our newspaper are available on an equal housing opportunity basis.

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | MARCH 18 2015 | 51

BMW USA

bmwusa.com

WE MAKE EVERY DAY LESS EVERYDAY.

Since every BMW is an Ultimate Driving Machine, it makes every day that much more special. And, as part of BMW Ultimate ServiceÂŽ, when you purchase a new BMW, it covers maintenance costs for 4 years or 50,000 miles*. This can save you up to $2,000 in maintenance costs compared to other luxury vehicles.

NO-COST MAINTENANCE

Jackie Cooper Imports, LLC.

Up to 4 YRS / 50K MILES1

Jackie Cooper Imports, LLC . 14145 North Broadway Ext . Edmond, OK 73103-4120 . 866-597-5676

www.cooperbmw.com

*For model year 2015 or later vehicles sold or leased by an authorized BMW center on or after July 1, 2014, BMW Maintenance Program coverage is not transferable to subsequent purchasers, owners, or leasees. Please see bmwusa.com/UltimateService or ask your authorized BMW center for details. Š2014 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

2015 320i Sedan

$

2015 328i xDrive Gran Turismo

309

*

Lease for 36 months.

$

419

*

2015 528i Sedan

Lease for 39 months.

$

499

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 320i Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $309.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $35,300.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 328i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $419.00 for 39 months based on MSRP of $46,300.00.

* Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 528i Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $499.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $52,700.00.

2015 740Li

2015 X5 xDrive35i

2015 Z4 sDrive28i

$

839

*

Lease for 24 months.

$

659

*

Lease for 36 months.

$

429

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 740Li vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $839.00 for 24 months based on MSRP of $82,950.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X5 xDrive35i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $659.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $62,150.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW Z4 sDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $429.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $52,200.00.

2015 640i Coupe

2015 X1 sDrive28i

2015 X3 xDrive28i

$

839

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 640i Coupe vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $839.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $81,850.00.

$

299

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X1 sDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $299.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $35,550.00.

$

479

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through March 31, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $479.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $44,400.00.