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inside COVER P.19 Back by reader demand, Oklahoma Gazette’s brunch guide helps you find the perfect latemorning cocktail toast and meal.

On the cover: Stella’s chicken and waffle with a Parmesan-crusted chicken breast, a potato and leek waffle, sausage gravy and fried eggs.

By Greg Elwell. Photo by Garett Fisbeck.

NEWS 4

Metro Local Impact, part 4: Federal cuts threaten local social services and humanities agencies

6

Metro partnership brings legal and health aid to Spencer

8

Community Kids Belong helps in-need foster youths

10

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expectant moms with health and parenting resources

13 Health Children First joins

14 Commentary Earth Day 14 Letters

16 Chicken-Fried News

EAT & DRINK 19 Cover brunch!

22 Review Rococo’s brunch

24 Event Top Gun pop-up bar 25 Briefs

26 Gazedibles mambo Italiano

ARTS & CULTURE 29 Culture Delmar Gardens

past and future

31 Art Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s

Cowboys & Indians

31

Easter Services

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33 Shopping Midtown 35 Theater Jewel Box Theatre’s

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38 Culture Julia Laughlin and

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40 Youth Russell Westbrook opens

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42 Calendar

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46 Feature rapper Mike Turner

47 Event American Banjo Museum’s

America’s Super Picker: Roy Clark

48 Event Josh Sallee at NMFX 49 Live music

FUN 49 Astrology

50 Puzzles sudoku | crossword

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Local impact

Proposed federal budget cuts threaten to reduce or eliminate social services and humanities agencies. By Laura Eastes

Editor’s note: Local Impact is an Oklahoma Gazette news series examining how federal policies and decisions impact local communities.

Last summer, with the growing national discord over law enforcement and race, the American public poured into sacred and public spaces to speak against police brutality and racial discrimination and for civil rights, attempting to make sense of the nation more than 50 years after the Civil Rights Act. Across the country, political, faith and community leaders spoke eloquently about race after conflicts in Tulsa; Baltimore; Cleveland; New York; Ferguson, Missouri; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Members of those communities described the brutality and racism they personally experienced.

On one such occasion, on the evening of Aug. 11, three scholars asked participants to consider their deepest concerns and listen to others’ before taking the discussion a step further. In its first In the Light Bulb Room event, Ralph Ellison Foundation uniquely faced race issues in a conversation about Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man. “In discussing race relations — which are contentious and emotional — and race in Oklahoma, we can use Ralph Ellison’s writing and pull from his experience in Oklahoma City, living in Deep Deuce under Jim Crow laws,” said Oklahoma Humanities executive director Ann Thompson. “What can we learn from Ralph Ellison, and what does Ellison have to say in this important conversation?”

Literature tends to humanize the world around us and can powerfully move an individual or mobilize a community.

In the Light Bulb Room is one of many public programs supported by Oklahoma Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

For the past 46 years, Oklahoma Humanities fed federal funds into the humanities — studies of literature, language, history, philosophy and more.

From a panel discussion on the sport of rodeo to a Smithsonian Institution exhibit, Oklahoma Humanities has provided an endless list of book discussions, lectures, panels and educational programs throughout Oklahoma.

“We want to see people gain new perspectives and become informed active citizens,” Thompson said. “Democracy demands wisdom and vision, and it needs to come from knowledge; that’s what the humanities disciplines have in 4

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abundance.”

Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the proposed federal budget calls for termination of the NEH in addition to National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Institute of Museum and Library Services and 15 other federal entities. Currently, the proposed budget would have a profound effect on Oklahoma, which stands to lose key federal funds.

AmeriCorps member Brittny Meeks reads to students during an afterschool program at northwest Oklahoma City’s Hilldale Elementary. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Community resource

When Melinda Points receives feedback from school leaders about AmeriCorps members assisting classroom teachers during the school day or tutoring students in afterschool programs, she can easily summarize their comments.

“We wouldn’t be seeing the academic gains if it wasn’t for AmeriCorps,” said Points, Oklahoma AmeriCorps executive director.

Oklahoma AmeriCorps administers federal AmeriCorps programs in the state. Its goal is to strengthen communities by assigning members to various nonprofits and initiatives to tackle poverty, literacy, hunger and health challenges.

Since AmeriCorps was founded in 1994, more than 12,000 Oklahoma residents have served over 14 million hours and qualified for education awards — post-service stipends for college — totaling $29 million. AmeriCorps, along with Senior Corps and the Social Innovation Fund, falls under the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency that would be eliminated under the Trump administration’s federal budget proposal.

This year, CNCS committed $14.7 million to support its various Oklahoma programs.

In recent years, Oklahoma AmeriCorps has supported programs like Project Transformation, in which 50 AmeriCorps members read to and mentor children in high-poverty neighborhoods in a summer day camp, and Putnam City Best Out of School Time program, in which members provide literacy enrichment for second- and third-graders in northwest Oklahoma City.

“We have such a big footprint in education,” said Points, who said the organization has invested in education initiatives because of Oklahoma’s shortcomings in the wake of reduced state funding. “If this goes away, it is going to make it even harder, especially for those small communities.”

AmeriCorps member Abby Shelley works with Putnam City students during an afterschool program. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Legal lifeline

Michael Figgins describes the role of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. (LASO) with the illustration of a law library, in which one shelving unit contains brown leather-bound criminal law books that list statutes and penalties.

The library itself contains countless books stacked on other shelves. Those books represent civil and administrative laws. Those are the laws that affect our lives, even unwittingly.

“Those are the laws that determine whether to take away your kids, take your house, take your car, take your job, take your income and all kinds of things,” Figgins said. “Civil laws are supposedly there to protect you, but they are not self-enforcing.”

The constitutional right to legal counsel is reserved for criminal cases only. In civil matters, people must obtain a lawyer on their own, represent themselves or forego legal relief altogether.

Attorney fees are costly, which makes it especially difficult for low-income individuals to obtain representation.

Annually, millions of federal dollars from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) are distributed to the offices of Legal Aid and Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Inc. to provide low-income Oklahomans in all 77 counties with legal assistance. Those funds might be eliminated, too, as the federal administration’s budget recommends eliminating the LSC, the largest funder of civil legal aid.

While legal aid groups play an essential role providing legal services, legal aid attorneys meet a vital need in a court system that is often overwhelmed with record-setting caseloads. When people with no legal education whose lives are in crisis try to represent themselves, it mostly leads to costly mistakes or caseclosing outcomes, which further impedes the system because justice is foreclosed.

Inside LASO’s Oklahoma City office, Figgins said the organization is granted federal funds from the LSC and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (to represent domestic abuse victims) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (to represent people who experience housing discrimination).

In addition to eliminating some federal agencies, the federal budget proposal calls for deep cuts in many federal departments but boosts defense spending by over $50 billion.

In many Oklahoma communities, LASO is an agency of United Way and is also supported by private donations. As Figgins said, LASO is one of many nonprofits in the state faced with possibly losing federal funds.

“This is an effort that is going to hurt a lot of people,” Figgins said. “Legal Aid is in the boat with everyone else.”

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Rural outreach

A new medical-legal partnership at Spencer health center makes a difference for rural Oklahoma County residents who can’t afford to hire attorneys. By Laura Eastes

On the morning of Sept. 10, Kendra Coleman walked into Spencer’s Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Center, unpacked her laptop and took a seat at a conference table.

Then she waited.

Nervous and excited about her role as the pro-bono attorney for a new, oncea-month civil legal clinic, she remembers telling herself, “If I can help just one person, then it’s enough. It’s a success.”

By noon, Coleman and a Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. attorney had helped a handful of people.

By the end of December, over the course of four monthly Saturday clinics, the two lawyers helped more than 100 rural eastern Oklahoma County residents, advising them on everything from veterans’ benefits to fighting foreclosures and rental evictions.

“For a lot of people, this is their first opportunity to talk to a legal professional because they simply can’t afford it,” said Coleman, an Oklahoma City private practice attorney who lives in the Spencer community. “Sometimes its not a legal issue — they just need legal guidance. Those are the people who love it the most; you shouldn’t have to pay for the small information that you need, but in general, you can’t call a lawyer.”

Rich resource

Hiring a private lawyer is expensive, even for middle-class Oklahomans, which often makes legal help beyond the financial reach of elderly and lowincome residents who need guidance on non-criminal matters such as employment, health care, housing or educational or government services.

Some turn to nonprofit Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma for no-cost help.

Others navigate the often-complicated legal system on their own.

In general, people in rural and remote areas have difficulty accessing legal services, and Coleman said distance and transportation can make providing legal aid even more challenging.

There’s also a lack of awareness that attorneys can help people protect their livelihoods, health and families.

Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Center operates under the guidance of Community Health Centers of Oklahoma.

It is a vital health care provider for low-income and medically underserved rural eastern Oklahoma County residents.

Patients come from Spencer and its surrounding communities, where 6

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thought it would be the perfect fit for us. For three months, I searched for an attorney. Kendra was the very first to say, ‘Sure,’ and there was no hesitation.

When there is no hesitation, you know it’s from the heart.”

In a medical-legal partnership, health care providers and legal professionals collaborate to address patients’ health-harming civil legal needs.

Improving access

Kendra Coleman provides free legal aid to rural eastern Oklahoma County residents through a medical-legal partnership at Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Center. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

median household incomes fall below $32,700.

The federal poverty line for families of four is $24,300 a year.

Even for families with household incomes above the federal poverty level, it is a struggle to make ends meet.

Poverty and its effects have devastating consequences on physical and mental health.

Mary Mahoney’s services include preventive and general care, but patients also arrive dealing with issues surrounding poor mental health and are coping with emotional and psychological trauma.

We get people who come from all the small towns.

Kendra Coleman

While public health workers address health concerns, residents’ legal needs were largely left untouched.

“We knew that there were individuals that had other issues,” said caseworker Marguerita Shaw. “After reading about [medial legal partnerships], I

As a Spencer native and Star Spencer High School graduate, Coleman knows firsthand the challenges of accessing social and legal services.

Some families don’t have reliable transportation or multiple people in the household share one vehicle.

As a result, some miss opportunities to access help or can only make it as far as Spencer, a town with just under 4,000 residents.

Traveling the extra 10 miles to Oklahoma City is nearly impossible.

“Many do qualify for Legal Aid Services, but they’ve never gone into the office,” Coleman said. “We get people who come from all the small towns: Spencer, Jones and Choctaw.

People in Oklahoma City have access to many services and transportation; that’s not the case out there. Many are not getting what is being offered.”

Coleman and a Legal Aid Services lawyer bring those services to Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Center, 12716 NE 36th St., 9 a.m.-noon April 22, May 20 and June 17 during their monthly Saturday visits.

The health clinic is also open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. those days. Shaw said some clients see both an attorney and a health professional in one visit.

Coleman said the civil legal clinic’s greatest benefit is its ability to offer legal resolutions to veterans, single parents and their children, the elderly and other Oklahoma County residents regarding disability, family, housing and property issues.

She said the clinic is key for answering legal questions that, if ignored, can turn small problems into big ones.

She said she has pondered the question, Where would people turn if there wasn’t a legal aid option?

As the clinic’s caseload continues to grow, Coleman focuses on recruiting attorneys to volunteer their services.

She would like to see between five and 10 lawyers contributing to the clinic over a year’s time.

“People ask, ‘How do you spend your Saturday morning there after you’ve been working all week?’ It’s one of the easiest things I do,” Coleman said.

“Once you are able to help, there is no better feeling.”

Learn more about Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Center at communityhealthok.org or call 405-769-3301.

Learn more about Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma at legalaidok.org or call 888534-5243.

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Fostering success

Oklahoma’s Kids Belong program builds bridges to connect hundreds of Oklahoma foster children with forever families.

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Almost 550 Oklahoma children in the foster care system are classified as “legally free,” which means they won’t be going back to their biological families and hope to find adoptive homes.

A local organization helps raise awareness of how large this number is and find every child a forever home.

“As long as I’ve worked with children and families here in the state of Oklahoma, I had no idea that there are 550 kids that will go to bed tonight without a forever family,” said Scott Werner, president of Oklahoma’s Kids Belong, which launched in October.

Werner got involved w ith Oklahoma’s Kids Belong through Life.

Church, where he served as children’s pastor for six years.

He became a conduit between the church and the Oklahoma Fosters initiative started in 2015.

Oklahoma Fosters connected with several organizations, including America’s Kids Belong (AKB), a group that creates photos and videos for youths in Colorado’s foster system.

Werner closely collaborated with founder Brian Mavis, who told Werner AKB decided to establish an Oklahoma chapter.

Mavis asked Werner to serve as its president.

DHS can be a good partner, and ... we’re willing to do some things differently, think outside the box to attack some of these significant problems to help these kids.

Tom Bates Werner, who owns My Small Wonders Childcare and Development Center in Edmond, has worked with children and parents for several years but was shocked with the complexity of Oklahoma’s foster care situation.

“The deeper we get into it, the more heartbreaking it is, because you find out how many kids are involved in this situation,” Werner said.

Oklahoma’s Kids Belong and the overall effort to transition more children into foster and adoptive homes.

“By us all working together, we feel like we can really change this, but on your own, it’s hard to, just because of the sheer size and volume of it,” Werner said.

Agency collaboration

Oklahoma’s Kids Belong president Scott Werner | Photo provided

‘I Belong’

The organization primarily focuses on the I Belong project, which creates a two-minute video for each legally free child up for adoption.

The videos are posted on the Oklahoma Heart Gallery website, which also takes photos and writes short bios for each child for its Waiting Child Heart Gallery.

Oklahoma’s Kids Belong also works with Lacey Lett from KFOR-TV for the A Place to Call Home segment that features Oklahoma youths awaiting adoption. Werner said he feels many people just aren’t aware of how dire the situation is.

“I fully believe that if Lacey got on the news at 6 o’clock tonight and said ‘There’s been a tragedy in Oklahoma and 550 kids have been left orphaned,’ I think Oklahoma would respond, just like Oklahomans always responds when tragedy happens,” Werner said.

Being affiliated with a national organization like America’s Kids Belong is an advantage, Werner said, because the national group has already gone before this one, successfully doing the I Belong project in Colorado.

After just a few years, the number of Colorado children awaiting homes dropped from 800 to around 280 and has stayed low.

Partnering with other groups and agencies around the state also helps

Oklahoma’s Kids Belong works closely with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, which has a videographer/photographer on staff to put together the videos but is limited on how many children it can feature at a time.

“It would just be difficult for DHS to do above and beyond something that special for each child, because with the workload, the funding and so forth, that would become incredibly challenging,” said Tom Bates, Gov. Mary Fallin’s special adviser for child welfare services, Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS).

Bates hopes that having Oklahoma’s Kids Belong involved will help the state meet its goals for the foster care system and show that DHS is committed to help kids in state care and willing to work with organizations that have talents and skills the agency can benefit from.

“That allows DHS to demonstrate to the community that it is willing to engage with community partners in a way that is beneficial to everyone, and that DHS can be a good partner, and that we’re willing to do some things differently, think outside the box to attack some of these significant problems to help these kids,” Bates said.

He also noted that many kids in state custody are older, have been traumatized because of abuse or have special needs that can be challenging.

However, through the I Belong videos, they can show their personalities to prospective foster or adoptive parents.

“Kids that are in DHS custody can tell their story in their own words in a way that’s compelling and also does honor to the kids and what they’ve been through,” Bates said.

For Werner, a primary focus is to prevent the large number of kids aging out of the system without ever finding a family, along with the higher numbers of adverse effects such as homelessness, incarceration and drug abuse that can accompany that.

“If a child ages out without ever really having a chance of finding a forever family, I don’t think any of us should be able to live with that,” Werner said.

Visit americaskidsbelong.org/oklahomaskidsbelong.

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Building families

For 20 years, Oklahoma’s Children First partners with first-time, low-income moms and families to build safe, stable, healthy homes for children. By Laura Eastes

There’s a story told about starfish in social services and philanthropic circles. A boy walks down the beach as he pauses to toss starfish back into the ocean after the tide stranded them in the sand. A skeptic points out that with thousands of them wilting in the sun, his effort probably won’t make much of a difference.

The child picks up another, launches it to sea and replies, “It made a difference to that one.”

That’s Children First, making a measurable impact on the lives of children, mothers, families and the communities in which they live since 1997, explained Denise Howard, program administer for Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD).

“We can’t reach every family, and we can’t make a difference in every single child’s life, but we know we are making a difference in the lives that we do touch,” Howard said.

Poverty is a vicious cycle with multiple elements — underemployment, financial hardship, poor health and housing, child maltreatment, domestic violence, lack of self-worth and hopelessness — that combine to form a rising tide. Programs like Children First, supported by two-generational, evidencebased methods, can stem that tide and even reverse poverty and its effects.

“We feel the change goes from generation to generation,” Howard said.

“We can help change the trajectory for families.”

In 2016, Howard and a team of 15 home-visiting nurses served 558 Oklahoma County mothers and their children, answered pregnancy questions and marked child development milestones. A statewide program administered by the Oklahoma State

Department of Health, Children First impacted more than 2,500 families and made 26,729 home visits last year, according to state records.

Poverty and pregnancy

As a deterrent to child maltreatment and to improve Sooner children’s health and well-being, Children First was created in 1996 under the direction of the Oklahoma Legislature.

It was one of the first nurse-family partnerships programs in the nation and holds a mission to empower firsttime parents “to care for themselves and their babies by providing information and education, assessing health, safety and development and providing linkages to community resources, thereby promoting the well-being of families through public health nurse home visitation, ultimately benefitting multiple generations.”

Now, families in more than 40 states welcome nurses into their homes starting early in mothers’ pregnancies and continuing until the child turns 2.

In early 1997, Oklahoma’s Children First debuted its pilot program in four counties. Later that year, it expanded to Oklahoma County.

The program’s philosophy and mission is grounded in multiple studies that show families with low socioeconomic resources tend to have the worst health outcomes. The early child health consequences of poverty and pregnancy include greater risks for preterm birth, low birth rate and infant death.

In its 20 years, the program has consistently boosted the health of mothers, improved children’s well-being and safety and curbed child maltreatment, state reports show.

Funded by local, state and federal

taxes, Children First is offered in 71 counties, including all seven metro OKC counties. Previously offered in each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties, the program has felt the sting of state budget cuts in recent years.

The state reports the program’s cost per family is $3,739. National Institutes of Health analysis shows that, by 2031, nurse-family partnership programs will save the federal government $3 billion in spending on Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps. That same analysis also found the program will prevent as many as 500 infant

Following enrollment, a nurse visits weekly for the first four weeks and then every other week until the baby is born.

The first six weeks after the baby is born, the nurse visits every week and then every other week until the infant reaches 21 months. Then, the nurse visits monthly until the child turns 2.

“Nurses give the client the choice of what they are interested in: ‘What can I answer for you; what would you like me to bring for our next visit?’” Howard said. “We cover the information and provide materials that the mom is interested in to help her be engaged and the best parent she can be.”

Graduate Karla Andazola credits

Karla Andazola left and her son Adan completed Children First, Oklahoma’s family-nurse partnership program, in June. Spring Hodges right was their home visiting nurse. | Photo Laura Eastes

deaths; 10,000 preterm births; 13,000 dangerous, closely spaced second births; 4,700 abortions and 42,000 child maltreatment incidents.

Modeling great parents

In Oklahoma County homes, Children First nurses address a variety of issues, from health and nutrition to employment and educational opportunities.

Moms are encouraged to determine long-term goals, and the nurses then connect them with community resources to help the women achieve them.

“We educate the mothers throughout the pregnancy about what is normal, what to expect and when to be worried,” Howard said.

Children First for helping her become a stronger parent and person. Andazola and her son Adan completed the program in June, and she said its influence continues. She said she often utilizes child development tips she learned and one of Adan’s favorite storytime books is one that nurse Spring Hodges brought with her during her visits.

“She was a nurse for him, but she was like my counselor,” Andazola said. “My child is not a perfect child, but she would watch to see how I handled him when he had a tantrum. She would acknowledge when I was doing good. I tried things I would have never tried if it weren’t for Spring. She was my backbone all along the way.”

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NEWS

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.

Blue Marble Day

letters

I was a kid of the ’70s. I loved The Brady Bunch, the Major Matt Mason action figure, Space Food Sticks snacks, Star Trek — the works. I was also a kid obsessed with the Apollo missions, moon landings and what would come next. From my home in Oklahoma City, I watched hours of television coverage of each launch. I monitored the space vehicles to and from the moon. As a teenager, it was no surprise that the pinup on my wall was Mother Earth. The Apollo 17 crew took the iconic snapshot on Dec. 7, 1972, from some 28,000 miles away.

It’s probably not a coincidence that around that time, humanity also began an annual celebration of Earth on April 22, 1970.

What we did not know on that first Earth Day is now clear: Humans are radically changing our atmosphere, and those changes are altering our climate. We do not know how much the changes will ultimately hurt people, but we do know that the climate changes we’re already seeing are hurting human health. Things will likely get much worse.

Ironically, the very ingenuity and drive enabling us to look back at ourselves from space are, arguably, the things putting us in jeopardy. I hope that human ingenuity and determination also will help us.

The World Health Organization, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, recently released a

The climate changes we’re already seeing are hurting human health.

new Climate and Health Country Profile focused on the United States. This profile is among dozens from countries around the world that compile a host of evidence about our climate and health.

First, some bad news for Oklahoma: Climate change does and will have substantial negative effects on the health of Americans. Full stop. Between 2001 and 2014, the United States has already witnessed significant spread of insect-borne diseases like Lyme due to earlier seasonal activity of disease-carrying insects.

We expect to see significant increases in heat- and cold-related deaths, especially in Oklahoma. Air pollution and resulting respiratory illnesses and deaths will increase. There will be an increase in large fires, particularly in places like Oklahoma. Those fires will increase air pollution, respiratory illnesses and deaths related to those illnesses.

There’s also good news. Efforts to address climate change can improve health and save lives. Mitigating climate

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.

Open letter

Dear Sen. James Inhofe: With all due respect sir, you are a liar. You said, “The Senate traditionally does not confirm a Supreme Court nominee in the final year of a president’s term.” This is patently and demonstrably false.

President William Taft, during an election year, nominated Justice Mahlon Pitney, who was confirmed. President Woodrow Wilson, during an election year, nominated justices Louis Brandeis and John Clarke. Both were confirmed.

President Herbert Hoover, during an election year, nominated Justice Benjamin Cardozo. He was confirmed. President Franklin Roosevelt, during an election year, nominated Justice Frank Murphy.

He was also confirmed. President Ronald Reagan, during an election year, nominated Justice Anthony Kennedy. He was confirmed unanimously.

As a matter of fact, the last time the Senate took no action on an election year 14

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nomination prior to this instance was over 100 years ago. In 1881, President Rutherford Hayes nominated Associate Justice Stanley Matthews. It is inarguably tradition for the Senate to confirm Supreme Court nominees during an election year.

It shows tremendous disrespect for you to lie to me, and even more to assume that I would be too dumb to know — or too illiterate to research — the truth.

You have lost my support as a constituent, and you have lost my respect as a person. I look forward to voting for someone who puts morality over partisanship and who actually understands the lessons in the Bible that they so frequently hide behind.

Mike Tate Oklahoma City

The Problem Party

Why is it seemingly that the Republican Party is always the one that becomes entangled in wrongdoing and scandal? Not that Democrats are invulnerable, like with Bill Clinton’s sexcapades or some congressman trying to scam the system for a little extra cash, but as a whole, their psyche doesn’t seem to work that way.

Maybe it’s because they really are out to help the people and that they derive a certain amount of spiritual satisfaction from their endeavors.

If I think about it, it doesn’t strike me that when the Republicans caucus together in some extravagant hotel or getaway, they would be gathered in groups in deep discussions of how they can bring relief and help to certain American groups

change could result in 57,000 fewer deaths per year in the United States that are caused by poor air quality (more than all annual U.S. motor vehicle fatalities), 12,000 fewer deaths from extreme heat and cold and could save 1.2 billion hours of lost work.

Learn about the health impacts of our changing climate and then decide what steps you can take to cultivate a healthy climate for Oklahoma’s future. You could help your community become less reliant on fossil fuels for its energy needs. You could help neighbors understand the risks and prepare. You could help your town become more resilient and sustainable while also helping it be a healthier place to live, work, worship and play.

So, Happy Earth Day! Celebrate. When you’re done, get right back to work protecting your home.

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Michael Painter, JD, MD, is a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. | Photo provided

or cultures or how they can reduce college tuition fees. On the contrary, they hate all entitlement programs.

Possibly the reason their thinking doesn’t work this way is because it takes a certain amount of maturity to think of others instead of oneself. And if this is correct and is due to a lack of maturity, that’s when situations can go awry.

Picture some teenage boys jumping into Dad’s car while he is out of town and joyriding without a thought in the world about the consequences. If they drive through a stop sign or cross the double line into oncoming traffic, as long as they’re all in agreement and they’re having fun, they must be invincible.

One could make an analogy of President Donald Trump and the Republicans and the teenage boys. Trump is the ringleader, of course. It used to be Paul Ryan, but the bigger bully won out and is now head honcho. Of course the new “gang” on the block wants to tear down everything the previous, more mature gang leaders built to make the neighborhood a better and safer place.

But since the adolescent gang is too immature to understand what all the fuss is about, they not only don’t see the need to save anything; what is more frightening is that they’re unable to understand the gravity of their actions. The truly sad thing is the damage they do to the American people and their knowing it.

Joe Wright Oklahoma City

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chicken

friedNEWS

Scouting scholars

We’re No. 7!

The Dallas metro gets a lot of things Oklahoma Citians want: IKEA, The Container Store, In-N-Out Burger, a rapid transit system, etc. Now they have turned the tables and are coming after our teachers.

It’s no secret that Oklahoma educators aren’t paid enough. KOCO.com reported average teacher pay in the state is $44,921, the lowest in the sevenstate region.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 1114, which is being reviewed by a Senate subcommittee.

HB 1114 would raise teacher salaries by $6,000 over three years, but the state has yet to figure out where the money would come from — and it might be too late to keep some from leaving.

Dallas Independent School District (ISD) visited OKC March 30-April 2 to recruit city teachers, KFOR.com reported. Dallas ISD held interviews and information sessions and can offer things — like $50,000 starting salaries — that our state won’t.

“We are definitely at a crisis level as you see Dallas coming to Oklahoma and offering a beginning pay at $51,000 versus an Oklahoma school offering at $31,000,” Shawn Hime, Oklahoma State School Boards Association executive director, told KFOR.com. “We just can’t compete anymore.”

Not that we know any teachers who launch their careers with hopes of earning expansive affluence.

“None of us are in education to make a lot of money or to be wealthy,” Millwood High School teacher Phreed Evans told NewsChannel 4. “We don’t want to be in education and live just above the poverty line. … To hear that someone from outside of the state is coming in to offer us to something that we should be getting at home is frustrating.”

According to its Facebook page, Dallas ISD Recruitment also visited Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico.

The Lost Ogle — Oklahoma City’s obscure local news blog — recently ranked Oklahoma Gazette one of the “10 best free print publications in the OKC Metro…”

TLO even gave possibly the best circular praise ever to everyone’s beloved weekly Chicken-Fried News feature, saying it “is obviously a lame attempt at replicating what we do at TLO, even though this website started as a lame attempt to replicate what The Gazette did with Chicken-Fried News.”

Every single word of that is true — probably.

So which publication earned the No. 1 honor? Auto Trader! “…Or whatever that free brick of classified automobile ads that lurk near the entrance to any grocery store, gas station, or Mexican Restaurant,” wrote TLO columnist Lucas in his April 5 blog.

It is an honor just to be recognized at all — probably.

Email lies

Remember that time your mom asked who spilled the milk and

you responded, “Not me”?

And that one time your parents said no to watching that PG-13 movie? And then you countered, “But Johnny was allowed to see it!”

Then there were all the times you said you finished your homework just so you could turn on the TV in time to watch Full House and Family Matters.

Admit it: Lying to our parents was second nature.

We at Chicken-Fried News think we recognize a similar pattern happening with politicians and their email.

Really, who of them hasn’t used private email servers to conduct official government business? There’s former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and even former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who is now administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Who uses their private email server for official government business?” the public asks.

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“Not me,” they reply.

Then, we imagine, they point at each other.

“Who uses their government email for personal business?” the public asks.

“Not me,” they reply.

Then they probably point at each other.

During a U.S. Senate committee meeting for his confirmation hearing, recent email denier Pruitt stated he only used his state AG email address for official business, The Washington Post reported.

But according to the Post and other media outlets, open records documents show that Pruitt did indeed copy official emails to his personal account.

According to FOX25.com, the Oklahoma Bar Association is now investigating Pruitt for violating professional conduct rules during his tenure as Oklahoma AG. The Center for Biological Diversity and University of Oklahoma law professor Kristen van de Biezenbos filed the complaint.

“I don’t want my students to see someone who is a member of the

Oklahoma Bar Association violate its ethics rules and no one do anything about it,” Van de Biezenbos told Tulsa World.

The Oklahoma Bar Association contacted Pruitt for a response to the complaint. Should we guess what it might be?

Business time

“We need to get down to business [working on the state’s budget woes],” Gov. Mary Fallin told Tulsa World. “It is time.”

When did she say it? Probably in 2014, when Oklahoma had a $188 million budget shortfall caused by a combination of falling oil prices and the state’s strict diet of tax cuts. Or maybe she said it in 2015, when the budget hole was $611 million. Hmm. We bet it was late last year, when everyone learned the state faced an $868 million budget hole.

Ha ha! Wink emoji! She said it March 30, about halfway through the state’s 2017 legislative session.

So here’s our question: What have lawmakers been doing up to now?

Feb. 14: Senate passes Senate Resolution 1, “applauding the 2016 Class 3A State football champions, the Jones Longhorns.”

Feb. 28: Senate passes SR3, “congratulating the 2017 Class 3A Academic Team Champions, the Wilburton Diggers.”

March 21: House passes House Bill 2177, which “authorizes counties, municipalities, schools and all other political subdivisions to display replicas or statues of historical documents such as the Ten Commandments, Magna Carta, and Bill of Rights on public property.”

Okay, but Fallin made her declaration on March 30. That probably lit a fire under the lawmakers. What have they done si— April 5: Senate getting close on SB 408, creating various special license plates.

Awesome!

DeBarr Avenue, just east of Campus Corner, is named for Edwin DeBarr, founder of the school’s chemistry department and former University of Oklahoma vice president, who was also, according to historians, a grand dragon in an Oklahoma Ku Klux Klan chapter.

A 1988 Oklahoman news report shows DeBarr was eventually censured by the university.

City Councilwoman Breea Clark recently posted an online petition asking residents to sign off on a name change. She needs 75 percent of Norman homeowners to agree in order to act on it.

“I’m not trying to hide from our past, but we don’t have to honor that past with street names,” Clark recently told The Oklahoman.

Road block

It’s always important when bestowing a long-standing honor on someone to consider how said honor might age over time.

One Norman resident is hoping to turn back the clock on the naming rights for one such street in the city. Norman’s

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EAT & DRINK

Let’s do brunch

Here’s your field guide to the perfect late-morning cocktail toast and meal. By Greg Elwell

Brunch, like a shirt, is not one-size-fitsall. Most shirts will cover the important bits, but finding one that fits in all the right ways takes more work.

That wasn’t an option in Oklahoma City until a few years ago. Brunch was an indulgence most restaurants didn’t offer. But as goes the nation, so goes Oklahoma — eventually.

It’s now almost mandatory for restaurants to serve brunch. And that doesn’t even count the new eateries that began seemingly out of a devotion to offering daily brunch.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by so many choices, so we came up with a few categories to help you find the right brunch for every occasion.

Fancy Perhaps the best-known of all is the fancy brunch: white tablecloths, women wearing hats and waiters pouring mimosas while reciting a list of specials.

This is the brunch you see in movies but might not have experienced yourself. Perhaps the cost or worries about the dress code kept you at bay. Don’t let your anxiety keep you from enjoying a truly magical morning at Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge, 900 W. Main St. The restaurant of 21c Museum Hotel, Mary Eddy’s is helmed by executive chef Jason Campbell. Its menu ranges from traditional to trendy, and prices are quite reasonable. Start by ordering a large, warm sticky bun ($5) for the table while you peruse the restaurant’s offerings.

Eggs Benedict is a fairly common brunch entree, but Mary Eddy’s version replaces the ham with roast beef and uses a tarragon hollandaise over coddled eggs.

For a sweeter option, check out “The King” Dutch baby ($11), a cast-iron skillet filled with an airy cross between

a pancake and a crêpe and covered with a decadent mix of peanut butter, chocolate chips, banana slices, bacon and whipped cream.

The restaurant also serves both alcoholic and nonalcoholic refreshments.

Mary Eddy’s brunch is a wonderful experience made even more fanciful by the venue’s adjacent art gallery. Walk around and soak up the culture while working off those calories.

Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge 900 W. Main St. maryeddysokc.com | 405-982-6960 Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse 1101 N. Broadway Ave. broadway10okc.com | 405-212-3949 Cheever’s Cafe 2409 N. Hudson Ave. cheeverscafe.com | 405-525-7007 Deep Fork Grill 5418 N. Western Ave. deepforkgrill.com | 405-848-7678 The Drake Seafood and Oysterette 519 NW 23rd St., Suite 111 thedrakeokc.com | 405-605-3399 Fancy That 215 E. Main St., Norman fancythat.us | 405-307-0541 Kitchen No. 324 324 N. Robinson Ave. kitchen324.com | 405-763-5911 La Baguette Bistro 7408 N. May Ave. labaguettebistro.com | 405-840-3047 The Lobby Cafe & Bar 4322 N. Western Ave. willrogerslobbybar.com | 405-604-4650 Scratch Kitchen + Cocktails 132 W. Main St., Norman scratchnorman.com | 405-801-2900 Viceroy Grille 1200 N. Walker Ave. viceroyokc.com | 405-898-8120

“The King” Dutch baby at Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge includes bacon, bananas, peanut butter and chocolate chips. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Guyute’s The Pisces is citrus-poached salmon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce over Texas toast and “home fryz.” | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Boozy What makes it brunch and not just breakfast? Two things: Brunch generally starts later, and most breakfasts don’t feature so much alcohol.

Those more interested in the daydrinking aspect of the meal than the (equally valid) hollandaise-drizzled-overeverything aspect want a boozy brunch.

Locating one isn’t difficult. Start by seeing which bars serve brunch, and then look at the menu. If the booze comes before the food, you’re on the right track. It’s one of many reasons to make an early visit to The Pump Bar, 2425 N. Walker Ave. Some might remember The Pump as the bar that, by some accounts, won the right for Oklahoma bars to infuse their own alcohol, which comes in handy in the establishment’s bacon vodka bloody mary ($8) and jalapeño-garlic bloody mary ($6.50). Either is a worthy companion to a brunch burger ($11), which packs havarti cheese and bacon onto a burger with a poached egg, hash browns and a deli mustard hollandaise sauce. For the bun, The Pump uses a jalapeño-cheddar bagel.

If you can’t stomach waiting for refills, check out The Pump’s “bucket” of mimosas for $15. It includes a bottle of Brut champagne and a carafe of orange juice, which means diners can mix the drinks as strong as they like.

The Pump Bar 2425 N. Walker Ave. pumpbar.net | 405-702-8898 Aurora Breakfast Bar & Backyard 1704 NW 16th St. facebook.com/shinewithaurora | 405-609-8854 The Barrel 4308 N. Western Ave. barrelokc.com | 405-525-6682 Blu 201 S. Crawford Ave., Norman gldining.com/blu | 405-360-4258 The Boom 2218 NW 39th St. theboomokc.com | 405-601-7200 En Croûte ​6460 Avondale Dr. encrouteokc.com 405-607-6100 Hatch 1101 N. Broadway Ave., Suite 100 facebook.com/hatchokc | 405-609-8936

The Hutch on Avondale 6437 Avondale Dr. hutchokc.com ​405-842-1000 Lumpy’s Sports Grill 5909 Northwest Expressway lumpyssportsgrill.com | 405-728-7000 and 12325 N. May Ave. lumpyssportsgrill.com | 405-286-3300 The Mule 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave. themuleokc.com | 405-601-1400 Nic’s Place Diner and Lounge 1116 N. Robinson Ave. facebook.com/nicsplacedinerandlounge 405-601-9234 Oak & Ore 1732 NW 16th St. oakandore.com | 405-606-2030 Pearl’s Oyster Bar 5641 N. Classen Blvd. pearlsokc.com | 405-848-8008 Power House 1228 SW Second St. powerhouseokc.com | 405-702-0699 The Pritchard 1749 NW 16th St. pritchardokc.com | 405-601-4067 Pub W 3720 W. Robinson St., Norman pubdub.com | 405-701-5844 S&B’s Burger Joint 5929 N. May Ave. sandbburgers.com | 405-843-8777 Saints 1715 NW 16th St. saintspubokc.com | 405-602-6308 Sunnyside Diner 916 NW Sixth St. eatatsunnyside.com | 405-778-8861 VZD’s Restaurant & Bar 4200 N. Western Ave. vzds.com | 405-602-3006 Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar 1845 Northwest Expressway whiskeycakeokc.com | 405-582-2253

Patio Oh, what a beautiful morning! If brunch can’t make a day beautiful, then nothing can. So why not enjoy your life-affirming meal in an equally positive environment?

When the weather is right, there’s no finer feeling than enjoying a meal on a restaurant’s patio. A slight breeze and continued on page 20

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EAT & DRINK

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Flint’s steak and eggs | Photo Garett Fisbeck

the sound of the city waking up while sharing great plates of food makes Stella, 1201 N. Walker Ave., an obvious choice.

Executive chef Melissa Aust created a stunning menu that seamlessly pulls in the best brunch has to offer with the high-end Italian cuisine that made Stella a Midtown success story.

The restaurant offers a few glutenfree options, including poached eggs ($10) served over a plank of grilled polenta with capicola ham, provolone and a rustic tomato sauce.

But there’s perhaps no better dish to complement a lush Oklahoma spring than green eggs and ham ($12). Delicious in a box or while dining with a fox, the entree of herbed eggs, prosciutto and Parmesan cheese is served in a brightly colored and richly flavored spinachartichoke puree. Stella serves mimosas by the glass or carafe and has a buildyour-own bloody mary bar. But if you need to wake up without alcohol, ask for something from the espresso bar.

Stella 1201 N. Walker Ave. stella-okc.com | 405-235-2200 Café do Brasil 440 NW 11th St. cafedobrazilokc.com | 405-525-9779 Flip’s Wine Bar & Trattoria 5801 N. Western Ave. flipswinebar.com | 405-843-1527 Packard’s New American Kitchen 201 NW 10th St. packardsokc.com | 405-605-3771 Pelotón Cafe 900 N. Broadway Ave. peletoncafeokc.com | 405-605-0513 Waffle Champion 1212 N. Walker Ave., Suite 100 wafflechampion.com | 405-525-9235 The Wedge Pizzeria 4709 N. Western Ave. thewedgeokc.com | 405-602-3477

Laid-back As a meal, brunch often carries an expectation of class and pomp that sounds kind of taxing, but that wasn’t the initial point of the meal.

In 1895, Guy Beringer wrote a piece 20

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for Hunter’s Weekly called “Brunch: A Plea” and asked for a meal that would end the need to wake up early on Sunday and make life a bit easier on those who stay up late partying on Saturday nights.

Those who love the nightlife will find succor in the laid-back brunch at Guyutes, 730 NW 23rd St. The bar and restaurant is known for its upstairs patio, jamtastic soundtrack and a menu that leans heavily on stoner food. The place is named after a Phish song, after all.

Diners can choose from the eatery’s selection of always-available lunch and dinner fare or order from its menu of excellent brunch dishes.

Its 23rd Street tacos ($9) blend tender barbacoa beef with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, green chile salsa and queso fresco. It’s a breakfast that is at once filling for the day ahead and restorative for the night before. Guyutes has a fresh take on eggs Benedict with The Pisces ($14), pairing citrus-poached salmon and poached eggs with Texas toast and hollandaise. Instead of hash browns, the restaurant serves The Pisces with a side of its popular “home fryz.”

Guyutes 730 NW 23rd St. guyutes.com | 405-702-6960 All About Cha 7300 N. Western Ave. allaboutcha.net | 405-840-7725 Beverly’s Pancake House 3315 Northwest Expressway 405-848-5050 Classen Grill 5124 N. Classen Blvd.

405-842-0428 Coffee Slingers Roasters 1015 N. Broadway Ave. coffeeslingers.com | 405-609-1662 The Diner 213 E. Main St., Norman 405-329-6642 District House 1755 NW 16th St. districthouseokc.com | 405-633-1775 Eggington’s 737 W. Danforth Road, Edmond eggingtons.com | 405-285-1580 Elemental Coffee Roasters 815 N. Hudson Ave. elementalcoffee.com | 405-604-9766

Florence’s Restaurant 1437 NE 23rd St. florencesrestaurant.com | 405-427-3663 Good Gravy! Diner 8014 N. Western Ave. 405-761-8886 The Hash Retro Diner 1149 E. Second St., Edmond facebook.com/hrdedmond | 405-471-6747 Hungry Frog Restaurant 1101 N. Pennsylvania Ave. 405-524-0686 Ingrid’s 3701 N. Youngs Blvd. ingridsok.com | 405-946-8444 Jeff’s Country Cafe 3401 N. Classen Blvd.

405-524-2023 Jim’s Diner 6317 N. Meridian Ave. jimsdinerok.com | 405-495-5105 Joey’s Cafe 12325 N. May Ave. joeyscafeok.com | 405-748-5878 Kamp’s 1910 Cafe 10 NE 10th St. kamps1910cafe.net | 405-230-1910 Katie’s Country Griddle 229 S. Santa Fe Ave., Edmond 405-359-6372 Old School Bagel Cafe 211 N. Robinson Ave. oldschoolbagelcafe.com | 405-778-8938 Pierre Pierre Crêperie 7 NW Ninth St. pierrepierreokc.com | 405-600-9494 Pops 6447 Avondale Drive pops66.com | 405-446-8767 Sherri’s Diner 704 SW 59th St. 405-634-4796 Stevie’s Cafe 6072 S. Western Ave. 405-631-8300

Exotic If the idea of another plate of eggs Benedict prompts a yawn, don’t fret — Oklahoma City is home to many nontraditional brunch spots, as well.

Experiencing the dim-sum brunch at Grand House Asian Bistro, 2701 N. Classen Blvd., is unlike just about any other meal in the city. Servers wheel around carts filled with tasty samples of dumplings, noodles, buns and porridges. Take one from the cart and they’ll mark a card on your table. When you check out, they add up all the little plates and charge you for the total.

The hours are a bit more forgiving than other brunches, as Grand House opens at 9 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

That is good knowledge to have when you want to have a fun gathering but don’t want to wait until almost lunchtime to eat.

The same is true for Bethany-based Birrieria Diaz, 6700 NW 39th St. The Mexican restaurant opens at 9 a.m. daily and serves breakfast all day. The traditional huevos rancheros ($7.99) are excel-

lent, but spice lovers might find it worthwhile to try huevos Mexicanos ($7.99).

The dish blends scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes and diced serrano peppers for a potent kick.

Birreria Diaz is best known for birria, a spicy consomme made with lamb or beef. Much like Vietnamese pho, birria is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The restaurant also serves beer and micheladas, a cerveza preparada, or kind of beer-bloody mary hybrid that is especially good on hot days.

Grand House Asian Bistro 2701 N. Classen Blvd. grandhouseokc.com | 405-524-7333 Birrieria Diaz 6700 NW 39th St., Bethany facebook.com/birriaok | 405-603-1304 Aja Bleu Cafe 2222 W. Hefner Road, Suite A 405-607-0553 Barrios Fine Mexican Dishes 1000 N. Hudson Ave. barriosmexicanokc.com | 405-702-6922 Big Truck Tacos 530 NW 23rd St. bigtrucktacos.com | 405-525-8226 Cafe Antigua 1903 N. Classen Blvd. facebook.com/cafeantigua1 | 405-602-8984 Cafe Kacao 3325 N. Classen Blvd. cafekacao.comm | 405-602-2883 Cultivar Mexican Kitchen 714 N. Broadway Ave. cultivarmexicankitchen.com | 405-610-2676 Guernsey Park 2418 N. Guernsey Ave. guernseypark.com | 405-605-5272 Iguana Mexican Grill 9 NW Ninth St. iguanamexicangrill.com | 405-606-7172 La Oaxaqueña Bakery 741 SW 29th St. 405-635-0442 The Loaded Bowl 1211 SW Second St. theloadedbowltruck.com | 405-820-9599 Pizzeria Gusto 2415 N. Walker Ave. pizzeria-gusto.com | 405-437-4992 The Red Cup 3122 N. Classen Blvd. theredcupokc.com | 405-525-3430

Anything goes The most successful restaurants know that specificity is key. Knowing your clientele is valuable because it allows the kitchen staff to focus on making a smaller menu better instead of trying to please everyone. Yet there are those few for whom doing one thing well isn’t an option.

Some restaurants must cater to a larger cross-section of guests because that’s the clientele. To see it done right, one need only look at Flint, 15 N. Robinson Ave., the restaurant inside Colcord Hotel.

Because it caters to travelers as well as residents, Flint is expert at pleasing guests. It’s common to see a group wearing business suits next to a table filled with guests wearing jeans and baseball caps. The kitchen staff works at peak capacity, handling diners in the restaurant as well as room service for the hotel.

The bar is fully stocked and serves special bloody mary variations every weekend. And when weather permits, the patio gives guests a great view of Myriad Botanical Gardens.

Flint 15 N. Robinson Ave. flintokc.com | 405-605-0657 Cafe 501 5825 NW Grand Blvd. cafe501.com | 405-844-1501 and 501 S. Boulevard, Edmond cafe501.com | 405-359-1501 Cattlemen’s Steakhouse 1309 S. Agnew Ave. cattlemensrestaurant.com | 405-236-0416 Ember Modern American Tavern 6300 Waterford Blvd. embertavern.com | 405-858-2490 Legend’s Restaurant 1313 W. Lindsey St., Norman legendsrestaurant.com | 405-329-8888 Park Avenue Grill 1 Park Ave. skirvinhilton.com | 405-702-8444 Picasso Cafe 3009 Paseo St. picassosonpaseo.com | 405-602-2002 syrup.

123 E. Main St., Norman syrup-breakfast.com | 405-701-1143

Join us for a caipirinha on the patio

Bossa Nova

Caipirinha Lounge 405-525-9779 440 NW 11th St. www.cafedobrasil.com

Stella’s green eggs and ham entrée is made with herbed eggs, prosciutto and Parmesan cheese and served in spinach-artichoke purée. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

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Review

EAT & DRINK

Cruise in

Rococo Penn and Rococo Northpark offer diners two ways to eat brunch. By Greg Elwell

Rococo Penn 2824 N. Pennsylvania Ave. | rococo-restaurant.com 405-528-2824

Rococo Northpark 12252 N. May Ave. | rococo-restaurant.com 405-212-4577 What works: House-cured salmon Benedict is top-to-bottom perfection.

What needs work: “Cruise ship-style” brunch is a great deal if you come hungry.

Tip: Vegetable-infused vodka makes Rococo bloody marys irresistible.

There will always be similarities between the menus at Rococo Penn and Rococo Northpark. Owner/chef/bon vivant Bruce Rinehart spent more than a decade learning the tastes of Oklahoma City, and he’s not one to let that kind of information go to waste.

But they are absolutely different restaurants. The original Rococo, 2824 N. Pennsylvania Ave., is still a bastion of mobster-style cool. The building has the air of a classic trattoria with a dose of laid-back charm.

Northpark

Rococo Northpark, 12252 N. May Ave., is its much bigger younger brother. It’s a wide-open restaurant with a big bar, room for meetings and enough space to

many items as you’d like in your omelet. Bacon, crawfish, scallions and cream cheese? Wonderful. Or go classic with a Western omelet or a simple cheese omelet. All are cooked fresh before your eyes.

The big, fluffy, diner-style omelet is a joy to devour. But if you’d rather not wait around for eggs, the kitchen keeps the buffet well-stocked with cheesy scrambled eggs, piles of crisp bacon, sausage links, biscuits, gravy and the rest.

In the eternal battle between sweet breakfast enthusiasts and savory breakfast diehards, there is no winner.

Happily, Rococo is neutral like the Swiss in this age-old conflict. Just around the corner from the omelet station is a sweets bar with freshly cooked Belgianstyle waffles, French toast and warm syrup.

Both Rococo locations are well-loved for their seafood, and Sunday brunch is no different. The cold bar features a rotating cast of characters, including peeland-eat shrimp, seafood dips, cheese and charcuterie. It changes a little every week, but it’s always one of my favorites.

The restaurant has a full bar, including a bloody mary made with vegetableinfused vodka that is one of the best in Oklahoma City and mimosas for $3. It’s a relaxing spot to kick back with a big group, have a few laughs and nosh to

Smoked salmon Benedict | Photo Garett Fisbeck

host a 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday “cruise ship-style” brunch for $25 a head.

If you are ravenous, Northpark is the place to be. As the name suggests, the “cruise ship” brunch is an all-you-caneat affair with enough tempting options that it’s actually hard to choose what to gorge on next.

My first stop is always the omelet bar.

As one might expect from an upscale bottomless buffet, the chefs are incredibly generous with portions. Pick as 22

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your heart’s content.

The cost is worth it if you’ve got the time and the appetite to really enjoy a lot of food.

Pennsylvania Avenue Rococo 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for Sunday brunch.

The Penn location is a bit quieter and cooler. The main room is my favorite for the fireplace, which the staff happily get started on chilly mornings. There are couches nearby so patrons can lounge with a drink or wait for a table.

There are two high-backed “gangster booths” that are perfect for having a little privacy in an otherwise-exposed dining room, but it’s a pretty cool place to be seen. Some brunch dishes — like Belgian Hangover ($14) — are less visually pleasing to eat than others, though.

I love pasta, but long noodles are extremely difficult to eat without looking like a doofus. That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for Rococo’s Belgian Hangover, a dish that has a few things in common with a carbonara. Each bowl of Hangover is full of tender linguine, diced capicola (a spicy Italian ham), toasted garlic, Gruyére cheese and chicken broth served with two sunny side up eggs on top. Cut up those eggs as soon as the dish arrives and let the yolk mix into the broth and coat the noodles.

Ideally, this will create a sauce that will help the capicola stick to the linguine so you can taste it all in one bite.

The spice of the ham gives the dish a nice zing, but it doesn’t overtake the other flavors. Belgian Hangover is actually a pretty mild dish that’s easy on the stomach. The blend of protein, starch

Belgian Hangover: two eggs sunny side up over linguine with spicy capicola | Photo Garett Fisbeck

and warm broth is perfect for diners who might have overindulged on alcohol the night before.

Smoked salmon is a classic brunch dish. Rococo treats its fish to a cure of molasses, salt, pepper and basil before it is cold-smoked. In the classic East Coast-style smoked salmon bagel ($8), it comes simply with cream cheese, red onion, lettuce and tomato on a bagel.

I prefer the slightly more ostentatious presentation in the house-cured salmon Benedict ($10). The fish is as tender as a cowboy riding a horse without a saddle for the first time (but tastes much better).

The Benedict is a classic configuration with an English muffin on the bottom, followed by salmon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. The only real resistance comes from the muffin.

Everything else cuts as smoothly as a hot knife through butter. The poached eggs are textbook examples of the form, and the hollandaise is rich and lightly sweet. The dish also comes with roasted potatoes, which I recommend dragging through the remains of the Benedict to capture as much flavor as possible.

Another great value pick is Bruce’s Big Breakfast ($9), which comes with two eggs any style, some Caribbean-style jerk pork, grits and a grilled tortilla. As much as I love a meal that stretches the stomach, this “big breakfast” was actually the perfect size to kick off Sunday without necessitating a nap.

Whichever location you choose, the food will be wonderful.

You just have to decide how much you want to eat.

The original

If you’re on a shorter schedule or you’re not interested in trying a bit of everything, head to the original

Bruce’s Big Breakfast: eggs, grits, Caribbean jerk pork and grilled tortilla | Photo Garett Fisbeck

HealtHy breakfast for busy people!

Hot Bar Entrees, Freshly Made Salads, Grab & Go Meals - all made from local, farm-fresh and organic ingredients

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farmers Market�

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e v e nt

EAT & DRINK

Feel the need

Top Gun-themed pop-up bar. | Photo Andon Whitehorn / provided

Embrace your inner Maverick at a Top Gun-themed pop-up bar happening April 23 in Bricktown. By Greg Elwell

Top Gun: A Pop-Up Bar at Timeout 4 p.m.-midnight April 23 Timeout 103 E. California Ave. facebook.com/timeoutokc

Chances are high that someone will sing a song by The Righteous Brothers.

At 4 p.m. April 23, Timeout, 103 E. California Ave., becomes a different part of California — Miramar, the setting of Top Gun. “So, Top Gun is my favorite movie.

Has been since I was a kid,” said coorganizer Andon Whitehorn. “Dad was in the Navy and all.”

Whitehorn, who usually tends bar at O Bar, joins Ludivine bartender Colby Poulin and Timeout owner Anna Mains to create a one-day-only movie-themed pop-up bar.

“Andon and I are friends in the in-

24

Miramar is a cocktail created for a one-day

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dustry,” Poulin said. “He and I were sitting at one another’s bars and started quoting Top Gun.” Ludivine and O Bar regularly offer themed cocktail menus. Last year, Ludivine offered a drink menu related to The Beatles album Revolver and, more recently, Oklahoma City’s districts. O Bar had a full menu based on TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

At first, Whitehorn and Poulin considered hosting a crossover between the bars but took the idea to Mains, who recently took ownership of Timeout.

Eventually, the space will be remodeled and become a new bar, Rum Rebellion.

Until then, Mains has fun creating different pop-up bars.

“Andon and Colby are handling the drink recipes; I know they’ve been working on them a couple of months, … and we’ll have Top Gun-themed music and sing-alongs,” Mains said. “The drinks are going to be fantastic. They’ve done an amazing job at cleverly tying things to-

gether. It’s going to be a tongue-in-cheek good time with serious cocktails.”

Mains said combining craft cocktails with a fun theme drains the pretentiousness out of the scene and hopefully draws all kinds of visitors to Bricktown.

But that doesn’t mean these cocktails don’t fully reflect the themes of the film.

“Miramar is where Top Gun is set, so the idea for that cocktail is that it’s ‘hot, dry, and pretentious,’” Whitehorn said.

“Buzz the Tower is a play on a Bee’s Knees with Szechuan peppercorn for

an electric buzz on your tongue.”

In his Take My Breath Away cocktail, Whitehorn uses a wasabi simple syrup that gets hotter the more it’s aerated.

“And my favorite is the MiG-28. In the movie, the MiG-28s are actually just F-5E Tiger IIs painted black and given a Soviet-esque red star,” he said. “So the MiG-28 cocktail is an Aviation with black food coloring.”

Poulin said he enjoys the creative process.

“We’re creating a cocktail to that quote or area or whatever’s going on in the movie. It’s not just putting names on stuff,” he said. “We want a good meaning behind it.”

At some point, Mains would like to make pop-up bars like Top Gun monthly or bi-monthly events with a portion of proceeds going to charity. Part of the Top Gun pop-up’s proceeds will benefit Veterans for Peace, a nonprofit organization with a mission to build a culture of peace while showing people the true costs of war.

The Top Gun pop-up bar runs 4 p.m. to midnight April 23.

b r i e f s By Greg Elwell

•Rolling in

This summer, Holey Rollers will open a brick-and-mortar eatery in Paseo Arts District. | Photo Garett Fisbeck / file

Another food truck finds a permanent home as Holey Rollers readies a brick-andmortar doughnut shop in Paseo Arts District.

Founder Andrea Koester said it should open this summer inside the Paseo Plunge building, 3008 Paseo St. “It’s a pretty small space, so it shouldn’t be a long build-out process,” she said.

“We plan on keeping it dairy-free and vegan and some gluten-free, but we’ll also be adding a fried doughnut line. That’s a big deal people were wanting, but we couldn’t do it in our tiny trailer.”

Holey Rollers has built a strong local following by appealing to vegans and those with dairy allergies.

Opening the store won’t affect the operation of the food truck, she said. There continues to be demand, especially in Edmond and Norman, so the trailer will keep rolling.

Visit holeyrollersdonuts.com.

catalan chicken

Co as t St y t s le Ea lunch & dinner

6014 n. May 947.7788 | zorbasokc.coM Cruise Ship Brunch @ Rococo Northpark 10am - 3pm every Sunday

•Better brewing

If you know how good coffee can be, brewing a substandard pot at home is a real letdown.

The java experts at Coffee Slingers Roasters, 1015 N. Broadway Ave., are ready to teach the public how to create outstanding cups of joe at home.

The Brew Better Workshop is 2 p.m. Saturday at the shop.

The hands-on class includes coffee brewing basics, making pour-over coffee and French press brews and discussions of other brewing methods.

Tickets are $20. Tickets are available until 7 p.m. Friday at coffeeslingers.com.

Brunch Headquarters

Traditional Brunch @ Rococo Penn 11am - 3pm every Sunday Coffee Slingers Roasters will lead its Brew Better Workshop on Saturday.| Photo Gazette / file

Woopsy daisies

The center of New York City’s hipster cool sent a little ray of awesome to Oklahoma City in the form of Woops!

Local franchisees Melanie Thomas and Jennifer Friend brought the Williamsburg, Brooklyn-based dessert shop to Penn Square Mall, 1901 Northwest Expressway, in December.

It has since ranked in the top three in business sales nationwide.

Woops! focuses on making macarons, those tiny, delicious French sandwich

cookies.

Thomas and Friend had the idea to bring the restaurant to Oklahoma City during a road trip in 2016.

“Macarons are the new cupcake,” Friend said in a press release. “We’ve seen an upward trend nationwide of the popularity of macarons.”

The treats are naturally gluten-free and are at about 100 calories each.

Visit bywoops.com.

12252 N. May Ave. | 2824 N. Penn Ave. Rococo-Restaurant.com O kg a z e t t e . c o m | A p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

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eat & DRINK

Mambo Italiano

Cutting sugar out of a diet isn’t easy, but it’s doable. Getting rid of bread really impacts your sandwich game, but if you’re willing to just pile those fixin’s on a salad, that’s a workable compromise. But there’s no give when it comes to pasta. Lovers of Italian food know that nothing satisfies like a big bowl of pasta covered in a slurpworthy sauce. Add in some roasted chicken or slow-braised beef and you’ve got a one-dish meal that is simply too good to give up.

By Greg Elwell Photos Garett Fisbeck, Garett Fisbeck / file and Gazette / file

Patrono Italian Restaurant

305 N. Walker Ave. patronookc.com | 405-702-7660

Orecchia is Italian for “ear,” which is how orecchiette — small ear — pasta was born.

At Patrono, the Arts District’s home for authentic Italian cuisine, you can dine on orecchiette Calabrese. Made with chicken thighs, white wine, rapini (aka broccoli raab) and Parmigiano Reggiano, this dish will have you hearing things — like, “We should get another bottle of wine” and “Where did you find out about this place?”

Save a little room for tiramisu for dessert.

Bella Vista

5801 S. Western Ave. bellavistaokc.com | 405-631-1717

In Italian, bella vista means “nice view.” In Oklahoma City, dining at Bella Vista means you’re about to get a nice view of some truly delicious pasta. Ravioli alla bolognese are ricotta-stuffed pasta pillows covered in a hearty meat sauce. Chicken Marsala is tender chicken in a wine reduction sauce over al dente spaghetti. But for a dish that will have you hating Mondays (when Bella Vista is closed), get the ever-popular lasagna with six kinds of cheese.

PortoFino’s Italian Restaurant

4700 W. Reno Ave. portofinositalian.com | 405-601-8873

Named for a famous Italian fishing village, PortoFino’s Italian Restaurant loves to mix seafood into pasta dishes. Spicy shrimp diablo soaks up the hot marinara for added kick. Salmon piccata includes salmon sauteed in white wine and lemon butter over perfectly cooked linguine. Or start off the meal with delicate mussels cooked in garlic and marinara sauce. If you’re on a budget, PortoFino’s has killer daily lunch specials starting at $6.95.

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Gabriella’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria 1226 NE 63rd St. gabriellasokc.com | 405-478-4955

Some of the best red-sauce Italian food in Oklahoma can be found in the small town of Krebs. But if you’re not up for driving more than two hours east of Oklahoma City, you can get the same quality in a more convenient location at Gabriella’s. The enormous restaurant can be seen from the interstate and used to house The County Line Barbeque. Gabriella’s is only open for dinner, but it’s worth the wait to dine on roast beef pappardelle, chicken pomodoro and Coal Miner’s Spaghetti.

Oliveto Italian Bistro

1301 S. Interstate 35 Service Road, Moore olivetobistro.com | 405-735-5553

Oliveto discovered the key to great macaroni and cheese is to keep adding cheese and don’t worry about the shape of the pasta. That’s how the restaurant’s Mac n’ Cheese n’ Cheese n’ Cheese came to include three kinds of cheese, red onions, jalapeño bacon and bow tie pasta. If you’re more interested in the protein, check out Oliveto’s roasted citrus cedar plank salmon, which comes with a luxuriously creamy jalapeño risotto.

Moni’s Pasta & Pizza

17200 N. May Ave., Suite 700, Edmond monisokc.com | 405-285-5991

Here we come now, saying, “Eat at Moni’s.”

Well, order penne vodka if you eat at Moni’s.

Hey, don’t forget about the veal picatta.

How anybody eats at Moni’s Pasta & Pizza without hearing Tommy James’ voice is a mystery, but if you want to feel so good (SO GOOD!) — so good (SO GOOD!) — then say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” when someone asks you to dine at this marvelous Italian eatery.

Because at Moni’s, they don’t stop cooking, and it feels so good, yeah.

Amada’s American & Italian Cuisine 2421 N. Council Road facebook.com/chefjose405 405-470-5530

Amada’s is new, and even though American comes before Italian on the sign, the Italian food is the real focus. Grilled chicken carbonara is a treat with peas, bacon and scallions livening up the pasta. But the menu item we’re most excited for actually doesn’t include pasta. Chicken Vesuvia is marinated for 24 hours, cooked with white wine and garlic and served with roasted potatoes, Italian sausage and peppers.

Sunday Brunch 11am - 3p Penn Square 848.4660

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weddings & rehearsals graduations Social Events

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c u lt u r e

ARTS & CULTURE

Gardens fresh

Downtown OKC’s Farmers Market District retains its organic history while expanding to serve today’s diverse communities. By Kevan Goff-Parker

The up-and-coming Farmers Market District is known for its array of shops, bar and dining options and the historic OKC Farmers Public Market building.

The area’s focal point was once Delmar Gardens amusement park, the 40-acre, boardwalk-lined home to horse races, a water slide, a dance pavilion, a baseball park, a penny arcade, a swimming pool, a zoo, a beer garden, a trolley and more.

Jody McAnally and her husband Burt purchased six acres from John E. Harden, grandson of the original OKC Farmers Public Market owner, for $850,000 in 2002.

District evolution

Photographs taken during Delmar Gardens amusement park’s heyday from 1902 to 1910 depict men wearing suits, hats and ties accompanying women in Victorian dress and enjoying boating on the nearby North Canadian River.

The district featured amusement rides, including a wooden roller coaster, and a 3,000-seat theater that drew the day’s top names, including stage and film star Lon Chaney Sr. and screen cowboy Tom Mix. The venue flourished for years, but by 1910, the prohibition that arrived with statehood, along with seasonal flooding and the inevitable arrival of mosquito swarms, conspired to diminish the venue’s popularity.

The waterway — renamed the Oklahoma River in 2004 — was eventually transformed into a 7-mile stretch of river lakes, trails and parks.

Years later, local resident John J. Harden invested $500,000 to help build

OKC Farmers Public Market owners and Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park managing members Jody and Burt McAnally inside their historic downtown venue. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

40,000-square-foot Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave., at the former amusement park location.

It opened in 1928 and centralized merchants of all kinds, including farmers selling fresh produce. The venue’s first floor soon hosted a meat market, a bakery, a candy shop, a grocery store, a drugstore and a cafe. Upstairs, the venue brought in performing greats of the day, such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Hank Williams, Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Thompson and Jim Reeves.

Urban sprawl of the 1970s pulled traffic from downtown, including the west-end district. Even so, the venue’s Antique Mall opened the following year and grew into the state’s largest shop of its kind through the mid-’80s. It still operates Tuesday through Sunday at the same location.

In 2002, the McAnallys purchased the building and the six acres it sits on and invested millions more in renovations.

Today, OKC Farmers Public Market again welcomes a popular farmers market, and vendors sell fresh, locally sourced goods to customers from across the region.

Upstairs, 14,000 square feet of maple dance floor was refurbished, too, and welcomes concerts, parties, special events and more.

Building community

Surrounding the Farmers Market District’s centerpiece are Power House bar and farm-to-table eatery, Urban

Agrarian local food market and wholesale distributor, Rewind Pub, The Loaded Bowl vegan restaurant, Pam’s Plants and Produce, Oklahoma Food Cooperative, Silo creativity boutique and more.

The McAnallys also are managing members of Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park, which recently launched for the season at 1225 SW Second St. The district now draws crowds like it did decades ago, said Jody McAnally, and the park also hosts an eclectic collection of eateries and special events, including farm-to-table dinners presented by Urban Agrarian.

“Food truck parks are an integral gathering place, and most of the larger cities have really good ones,” she said. “We’re going to bring the area back to its original history as a food hub. It’s a natural extension of what we do, plus the addition is a nice homage to the history of the area.”

Urban Agrarian founder Matthew Burch has operated his Farmers Market District shop since 2008. He recently scaled back his business and operating hours after last year’s turbulent sales year.

It’s still open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Additionally, Burch said he and his employees still deliver nut mixes, probiotic foods, dairy, produce and meats to Oklahoma City Thunder, Dodgers and Blue sports teams via A Good Egg Dining Group’s Sports Nutrition division.

His business also regularly hosts booths at metro area farmers market events.

Burch and district business leaders get together often to discuss options and pitch calendar ideas. He said he’s excited that Andrea Koester, OKC Farmers Public Market marketing coordinator, is organizing Delmar Sunday Market events, which run 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each Sunday beginning May 7, in the district.

“I love the work, the offerings and the customers,” Burch said. “Andrea used to help me organize our farm-to-table dinners, and I’m happy she’s organizing the Sunday market.”

Delmar Sunday Market events will feature family-friendly offerings, including food demonstrations and a youth activity booth. Koester said downtown needs the district and its farmers markets because the neighborhoods that surround it lack options for locally sourced, fresh food.

“It’s a food desert over there,” Koester said. “We are working with Oklahoma Child Nutrition Services and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help lowincome families purchase nutritious food from authorized stores like ours.”

Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park Fourth Friday runs 6-9 p.m. April 28 and return each month through October, said Fourth Friday marketing coordinator Kerry Myers. The events offer pop-up shops, children’s games, live music and more at Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park.

She hopes the monthly events help establish the venue as “one of the go-to destinations in Oklahoma City.”

When you go Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily 1225 SW Second St. delmargardensokc.com 405-445-9435 >> Fourth Friday events begin 6-9 p.m. April 28 and return each month through October. >> Delmar Gardens Spring Plant Festival runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 6. >> Delmar Sunday Market runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each Sunday beginning May 7.

OKC Farmers Public Market 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday 311 S. Klein Ave. okcfarmersmarket.com 405-232-6506 >> Market Saturdays are 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. >> The Antique Mall is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaysSaturdays and noon-4 p.m.

Sundays. >> Cirque du Couture’s Walk This Way Fashion Show is 6 p.m. Saturday. >> Cinco de Mayo, hosted

by Upward Transitions, runs 6:30-11 p.m. May 5.

Power House 1228 SW Second St. powerhouseokc.com 405-702-0699 Urban Agrarian 1235 SW Second St. facebook.com/urbanagrarian 405-231-1919 The Loaded Bowl 1211 SW Second St. theloadedbowltruck.com 405-820-9599 Pam’s Plants and Produce 211 S. Ellison Ave. facebook.com/pamproduce 405-270-0507 Rewind Pub 1209 SW Second St. rewindpub.com Oklahoma Food Cooperative 1305 SW Second St. oklahomafood.coop 405-605-8088 Silo 1205 SW Second St. silo.market

O kg a z e t t e . c o m | a p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Spirit and history

Cowboys & Indians exhibit unites works by Harold T. ‘H’ Holden and Mike Larsen. By George Lang

Cowboys and Indians might suggest childhood play, but the upcoming exhibit at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum creates an artistic juxtaposition between two recent Hall of Fame inductees — artists Harold T. “H” Holden and Mike Larsen.

Bringing together the two friends — an actual team-roping cowboy sculptor/painter and one of the most respected artists to emerge from the Chickasaw Nation — gives the notion of cowboys and Indians new resonance.

Cowboys & Indians opens April 20 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, 1400 Classen Drive, and coincides with Holden’s April 22 induction into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Western Heritage Awards event. The artists contacted Marissa Raglin, Oklahoma Hall of Fame director of museum experience, at the suggestion of Holden’s wife Edna Mae. The two artists also offer a unique study in stylistic contrasts. Holden is known for the remarkable realism of his sculptures, particularly his work depicting horses, while Larsen delivers strikingly expres-

sionist depictions of his fellow Native Americans. Holden, who is known for public monuments such as “Boomer” at Enid’s Cherokee Strip Conference Center, works in a realistic style that projects movement and energy. He described Larsen as a vivid, expressionistic artist who captures the true essence of his subjects.

“The thing about Mike is that he’s got this style with the Indians that most people recognize — kind of a little abstract,” Holden said. “He can do realistic, too, but he’s got this style that he’s had that’s — I don’t know how you’d say it — they’re realistic, but they’re exaggerated. Great color and everything. He can do everything, but that’s what he’s known for.”

Larsen, who recently published his autobiography, Don’t Never Let Go of Your Horses: Looking Back, is known for his large-scale works in painting and sculpture. These include 2012’s sculpture “The Arrival” at the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur and his massive 1991 mural in the State Capitol rotunda, “Flight of Spirit,” which depicts the Oklahoma Native American ballerinas known as the Five Moons: Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Harold T. Holden’s “Monarch at Rest” bison monument was installed outside Oklahoma History Center in 2005. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

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April 13 | MAUNDY THURSDAY 8:30 am Morning Prayer | 5:30 pm Evening Prayer 7:00 pm Holy Communion | 8:00 pm The Watch April 14 | GOOD FRIDAY 8:30 am Morning Prayer 12:00 pm Good Friday Liturgy with Homily 5:30 pm Children’s Stations of the Cross 7:00 pm A Meditation on the Passion of Christ April 15 | The Great

Vigil of Easter

5:30 pm Holy Communion April 16 | EASTER DAY Holy Communion 7:30 am, 9:15 am, 11:00 am 5:00 pm

All Souls’ Episcopal Church 6400 N. Pennsylvania | OKC www.allsoulsokc.com

Mike Larsen’s “Flight of Spirit” mural adorns the State Capitol rotunda. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Moscelyne Larkin, and Maria and Marjorie Tallchief. Larsen praised Holden’s work for its sharp-eyed realism.

“My things are pretty stylized, for lack of a better word,” Larsen said. “I don’t know, quite frankly, of anybody else around who is painting like I do. ‘H,’ on the other hand, is very realistic and very good at what he does. I think it’s going to be a very good show just because of that.

The differences between he and I are pretty obvious. I think you could call both of us very stylized — his style is very real, and mine is more expressive.”

Despite their differences, Larsen and Holden both spent their artistic careers capturing the spirit and history of their cultures. In recognition of those efforts, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame inducted Holden in 2014, followed by Larsen in 2015.

With Holden’s induction into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners, he becomes the first Oklahoma artist to be inducted and only the 10th artist overall since the awards began in 1955.

An opening reception is 5-7 p.m. April 20 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. An artist talk is 6 p.m. July 27. It provides an in-depth look at the artists and the people and events that inspire them.

For the exhibit, Raglin said she expects that pieces by both artists will be placed alongside each other, establishing a dialogue between Holden’s depictions of working cowboys and Larsen’s historic and modern works illustrating the Native American experience.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen an exhibit of this caliber,” Raglin said. “I think we show that both of them have spent their time honing in on their skill sets, so they’re very similar in their dedication to their craft.”

Good Friday Worship 6pm

The six congregations that call FBCOKC home, joined by The Academy of Classical Christian Studies, join in worship.

Pastors from each congregation and the school will lead us in a Good Friday worship service.

These congregations represent several languages, denominations, and Christian traditions.

Easter Sunday

Breakfast at 8:30am Worship at 10:30am 1201 N Robinson Oklahoma City (405) 232-4255

Cowboys & Indians 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays April 20-Aug. 26 Oklahoma Hall of Fame | Gaylord-Pickens Museum 1400 Classen Drive oklahomahof.com | 405-235-4458 Free-$7 O kg a z e t t e . c o m | a p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

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Christ the King Catholic Church 8005 Dorset Drive (1 block north of Wilshire halfway between Penn & May) www.ckokc.org

Palm Sunday

April 8th at 5 pm April 9th at 8 am, 10 am, 12:15 pm

Holy Thursday

Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 13th at *7 pm

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows Mass until 12 Midnight

Good Friday

Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion

April 14th at *3 pm & *7 pm

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Mass April 15th at 8 pm

Easter Sunday Masses April 16th at 8 am, 10 am & 12:15 pm

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shopp i n g

ARTS & CULTURE

Block party

Midtown Walkabout celebrates revitalization with music, sales and giveaways. By George Lang

Midtown’s rapid expansion in the past five years has transformed a sparsely inhabited shell of a district into a powerful magnet for businesses and new residents. Midtown Walkabout, a daytime festival noon-7 p.m. April 22 throughout the district located between Shartel and Broadway avenues and 13th and Seventh streets, is an opportunity for businesses to interact with the community and celebrate the area’s success.

“We realized as business owners that there’s so many people who live in Midtown and who might not know that some of our businesses exist,” said Rachael Gruntmeir, owner of The Black Scintilla, 1112 N. Walker Ave., Suite 104.

“So, our goal isn’t to reach far out, but to reach the people who are currently in our neighborhood and let them know about the businesses that are right around the corner from them. So, whether that’s services, retail or restaurants, we just encourage families, singles or couples on a date ... to get out and walk around. It’s kind of like an old-school block party.”

The event features music from Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@ UCO) students, who will busk throughout the event. Gruntmeir said this was an opportunity to showcase emerging local talent while keeping everyone circulating through the district.

At The Black Scintilla, each customer will receive free popcorn, and most stores will offer other enticements — cupcakes, cookies, and yoga sessions to work off the free sweets — throughout the day.

Midtown Walkabout is Aprill 22 in the Midtown District. | Photo Garett Fisbeck / file

“As soon as our doors open, we offer fun incentives, discounts or giveaways, whether it’s popcorn, balloon animals or face-painting, and some restaurants will have bar specials,” Gruntmeir said.

“There’s something for everyone.”

Walkabout guests can enter for a chance to win a free month of unlimited classes at 405 Yoga OKC, 1004 N. Hudson Ave.; enjoy coupon giveaways for makeup services and blowouts at Brushed Salon & Makeup Studio, 1212 N. Walker Ave., Suite 101; buy three traditional cookies for $3 at Insomnia Cookies, 1131 N. Walker Ave.; receive a free pair of earrings from mode., 1227 N. Walker Ave.; eat mini cupcakes at Nhu Avenue, 1111 N. Walker Ave.; and find the MVP Photo Booth and print free photos.

Midtown redevelopment projects continue to be announced. In March, David Wanzer, Jonathan Dodson and Ben Sellers of Pivot Project announced plans to renovate the former Uptown Theater at 1212 N. Hudson Ave. It will include office space and space on the south end for Elk Valley Brewing Co. In addition, The Union at Sosa opened March 24 at 616 NW Fifth St., converting an old union hall into a bar and restaurant complex.

Because of the speed of development in the area and the success of Midtown Walkabout, Gruntmeir said merchants decided to make the event a twiceyearly affair.

“The first one was so successful and so many people turned out for it that it really kind of blew us away,” she said.

“Midtown’s growing, with more and more people and businesses moving here, so it’s great to do it every six months. That way, there’s something new every time we do it.”

Midtown Walkabout noon-7 p.m. April 22 Midtown District Between Shartel and Broadway avenues and 13th and Seventh streets downtownokc.com/midtown-walkabout 405-235-3500 Free

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Pacific theater

Jewel Box Theatre closes its season with beloved musical South Pacific. By Ben Luschen

Around 2005, long before Angela Prock was directing the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific at Jewel Box Theatre, she made her community theater debut as part of the ensemble cast for the same show at the same theater. Her role as Nurse McGregor wasn’t a huge one, but she was thrilled about it anyway.

“Really what was on my mind was, ‘How can I better myself as an artist so that I can go out to the world and be a good performer and a good part of the community?’” Prock said.

The popular World War II-era musical is set on a small Polynesian island where members of the military and resident islanders confront issues stemming from prejudices as they relate to interracial relationships.

Prock directs South Pacific, Jewel Box’s last production of the 2016-17 season. The show runs Thursday through May 7 at the theater, 3700 N. Walker Ave. South Pacific was one of three shows Jewel Box presented Prock with after she expressed interest in again directing with the company. Prock said she knew she wanted to do South Pacific because of the emotional connection she has with the production.

“It’s really near and dear to my heart because it’s what launched my career as an artist and as a director,” she said. “It all just came together and made sense.”

She actually returns to South Pacific with some of the same faces that appeared in her 2005 debut. Twelve years ago, Scott Hynes played Seabee Luther Billis in Prock’s debut. Now, Hynes plays Emile de Becque, the French expatriate

Hannah Descartin as Liat and Jeremy Small as Joseph Cable in Jewel Box Theatre’s South Pacific | Photo Jim Beckel / Jewel Box Theatre / provided

who falls in love with United States Navy nurse Nellie Forbush (played in the 2017 production by Katie Sperry).

Other cast members include Jeremy Small, who portrays Lieutenant Joseph Cable, a young Marine who falls in love with Tonkinese woman Liat, portrayed

by Hannah Descartin.

Prock said the current political and social climates make South Pacific as relevant as ever.

“South Pacific is a show about not judging a book by its cover and not being prejudiced,” she said. “I think Nellie and Cable both struggle with understanding someone else’s walk in life and finding a way not to be prejudiced or not letting your life suffer because of other people’s views.”

The production is expected to be one of Jewel Box’s most popular shows of the season and, at press time, was close to selling out.

One of the director’s favorite things about working in theater is forming a tight bond with a new group for each new show she’s involved in. She has especially enjoyed working with the South Pacific cast and crew.

“We’re lucky as theater artists to create a new family every three months,” she said. “That creates a really nice world for us.”

South Pacific closes out Jewel Box’s 59th season. As the company heads into a landmark 60th year, Prock said a family atmosphere is what has come to define Jewel Box for her.

“It’s more than 10 years later, and I’m working with people I worked with 10 years ago,” she said. “I think that is one of the most beautiful things. Their family is connected; they all come back.”

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• Fellowship-trained Urogynecologists include Dr. Lieschen Quiroz and Dr. Jameca Price.

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South Pacific 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through May 7 Jewel Box Theatre 3700 N. Walker Ave. jewelboxtheatre.org | 405-521-1786 $20-$25

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ARTS & CULTURE

Changing scenes

Oklahoma City Ballet adds new depth to a classic tale. By Lea Terry

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set in a magical world populated by mortals and immortals who experience a series of misadventures after a mischievous servant’s love spell goes awry. Oklahoma City Ballet artistic director Robert Mills had long wanted to bring the story to the stage.

His neoclassical version premieres April 21-23 at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Opening the evening is a contemporary, avant-garde piece called If These Walls Could Talk created

by Denver choreographer and dancer Sarah Tallman. Mills said seeing these two dramatically different pieces side by side will help audiences understand that ballet is a “living, breathing art form.”

“What I’d like people to come away

Oklahoma City Ballet borrowed A Midsummer Night’s Dream costumes from Salt Lake City’s Ballet West. | Photo Ryan Galbraith / Ballet West / provided

with is just an understanding that ballet is actually very multifaceted,” Mills said.

One major challenge with choreographing A Midsummer Night’s Dream is that it’s so famous that many people have already seen in it some form. Mills expanded the role of the changeling child that Titania and Oberon, two of the starcrossed lovers in the tale, become fixated on.

“I was always perplexed with the changeling child, and specifically, you’re not left with much explanation as to where the child comes from, how it ended up where it is or why Titania and Oberon are so enamored with the child and why

they’re fighting over it,” Mills said.

There are many theories regarding just what a changeling child is, Mills said.

One folklore version posits that it’s a child who can pass through realms and through portals of time.

In Mills’ version, the ballet begins in present day, with two quarrelling parents attempting to put their child to bed. The child falls asleep, and her dream leads the audience into the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which her parents become Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies.

Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet student Hannah White portrays the child at the beginning of the piece.

Several younger children from the school portray fairies, bugs and fireflies.

Mills also gives this first scene a twist by using a selection from Benjamin Britten’s opera of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which gives it a distinctly different feel from the Felix Mendelssohn score used throughout the rest of the production.

“It sounds mystical, it sounds otherworldly, but I like that it’s so drastically different from the Mendelssohn,” Mills said. “That’s what that scene is; it’s drastically different — you’re in a whole other world, essentially. And really, depending on how you view the ballet, you can view it as just a child having a dream or you can view it as the child actually going to another dimension and coming back.”

To create the fantasy world for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the company borrowed the costumes and sets from Ballet West in Salt Lake City, something Mills said is a common practice, given it’s often not practical for a ballet company to invest between half a million and a million dollars for a production it might not do again for several years.

Community words

Tallman, who choreographed the evening’s opening piece, was one of Mills’ dancers when he led Ballet Nouveau Colorado, now called Wonderbound.

“I’ve watched her career blossom, and so I wanted to give her an opportunity to come here because I knew she’d create a great work,” Mills said.

Tallman first got the idea for the piece

while on vacation, when she began to take an interest in World War II. She was especially focused on the French Resistance and an incident in which the French police took people from Jewish families out of their homes.

She started researching the era, eventually reading a novel based on the time, and was struck by how historical accounts are sometimes something people learn by rote without necessarily thinking about the human element and tragedy involved.

“We sort of forget they had families and animals and these lives were disrupted and what that might be like,” Tallman said One of the main messages in the piece is the need for connection and the fact that even if we think we can go it alone, in the end, we need to connect with another soul. This is especially true in traumatic situations, Tallman said, when people often cling to others.

“It starts to feel a bit desperate, I suppose, but in that desperation, there’s an abundance of beauty,” Tallman said.

“We discover things about ourselves that perhaps we didn’t know before, and we begin to have a new perspective and connection to love.”

Tallman set the piece to piano music

by German composer Robert Schumann.

When she listened to his work, she felt like it wanted to be heard to help tell the story. She also liked the juxtaposition of Schumann’s music, which consists mainly of solos, with the group of 12 dancers she was choreographing.

“It kind of plays to the thought and desire and need for community, for oneness, particularly, perhaps in traumatic times or desperate times or happy times as well,” Tallman said. “So there’s one voice musically, and we all share in that musical voice.”

Tickets are $15-$65.

Visit okcballet.org.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 8 p.m. April 21-22 and 2 p.m. April 23 Civic Center Music Hall | 201 N. Walker Ave. okcballet.org | 405-848-8637 $15-$65

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ARTS & CULTURE Radio personality Julia Laughlin splits her time between organic farming at northeast Oklahoma City’s Prairie Earth Gardens pictured and co-hosting popular KTOK radio program The Garden Party. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

green kitchen waste is a fairly simple first step. Those still new to gardening are advised to seek guidance from their county extension office and start small.

“Pick something easy,” Laughlin said.

“Herbs are easy to grow. Just do one basil or some mint in a pot on your porch and I promise you’ll have fun.”

No one should feel weird about asking for help. Laughlin said cooperation is an important part of the farming ethos.

“Even if we had farms on every corner, we’d never be able to grow enough food for all of us,” she said. “There’s not a lot of competition between farmers. We’re more about helping each other. We’re a close-knit community.”

C U LT U R E

Taking questions

Party person

KTOK radio expert Julia Laughlin dedicates her life to sharing sustainable growing and farming techniques. By Ben Luschen

Maybe the name Julia Laughlin doesn’t immediately ring any bells, but chances are most Oklahoma City residents enjoy her work.

She is perhaps most recognized as co-host, alongside Gwin FaulconerLippert, of News Radio 1000 KTOK’s popular Saturday program The Garden Party. For years, she taught sustainable growing at Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma City and, as a faculty member, helped kickstart the school’s popular Saturday farmers market.

Even those who aren’t into gardening have likely eaten Laughlin’s work at local restaurants. She manages northeast Oklahoma City’s Prairie Earth Gardens, 8500 N. Eastern Ave. The farm, situated on the land of local businessman James Pickel, provides fresh, organically grown produce yearround to about 25 local chefs and restaurants. A Good Egg Dining Group, Ludivine, Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge, Hatch and En Croute are a few of its most frequent buyers.

“It’s so fun growing food for restaurants, and the chefs get so excited,” Laughlin said. “They’re like artists — every piece of their media has to be perfect.”

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Laughlin spent decades assisting Oklahomans with their growing and farming needs, but things started to get really interesting in her life when she retired from teaching in 2014.

Almost simultaneously, she was offered Prairie Earth and KTOK gigs.

The regular radio spot allowed her to continue helping and teaching others, which she says is one of her true callings.

Although she practiced some small-scale sustainable growing on her own land during her teaching career, Laughlin said working with Prairie Earth allows her to utilize and experiment with the techniques she spent years telling other people about.

Kids have their jungle gyms and sandboxes. Laughlin said the gardens are her playground.

“Now I really get to play, which is cool,” she said.

Sustainable practice

Laughlin comes from seven generations of vegetable producers. She grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a few miles south of the family farm in nearby Hatch, the region from which the eponymous green chiles originate.

She attended Oklahoma State

University because the school’s agriculture programs were recognized as among the best in the country. Through several career opportunities and starting a family, she has never had reason to leave her new home.

Prairie Earth Gardens can’t technically be called “organic” because its business is currently too small to qualify for official certification. Still, the farm uses organic growing practices. It sells produce to private citizens who have signed up for its online mailing list.

I take a lot of questions. I even take questions on email between shows.

Julia Laughlin In the 1980s and early ’90s, Laughlin spent the first six years of her career in a local county extension office, trying to convince growers not to use pesticides.

She said few people accepted the idea that using synthetic chemicals could be a bad thing. Sometimes, little consideration was paid to recycling or composting on an individual level.

“Now, everyone is into it,” she said.

“Therefore, there’s a lot of products and stuff available, too. You can go into almost any store and get an organic fertilizer or organic pest control.”

Laughlin said the key for those who want to adapt some sustainable growing practices at home is to not overwhelm themselves too quickly. Composting

Nearly every job Laughlin has held in agriculture assisted others in some way.

The Garden Party is a natural continuation of her calling.

“That’s why the garden show is perfect, because I love to help people,” she said. “I take a lot of questions. I even take questions on email between shows.”

Before joining as a regular co-host in 2014, Laughlin sometimes filled in as a guest host. She said she has developed great on-air chemistry with FaulconerLippert, who shares a similar background in education.

Faulconer-Lippert also is a broadcasting and media professor at Oklahoma City Community College.

Laughlin’s co-host sometimes “plays dumb,” like asking whether one should plant something leaf-side down. She said this keeps the show light and funny but also helps create an atmosphere in which callers aren’t afraid to ask what they think might be dumb questions.

“She’s really smart,” Laughlin said, “but she knows how to say things that get people to feel comfortable asking questions.”

Likewise, Laughlin makes a point to demonstrate to listeners that she’s not infallible and that failure is a part of learning.

“I share things we make mistakes on, and I think that makes them more comfortable,” she said.

Laughlin knows there are other people local gardeners and farmers could call with their questions, and she will always recommend contacting county extension office officials. Still, few ways are as fun as calling into The Garden Party. And Laughlin is as eager to assist as her fans are to get on the air.

“I like to help people,” she said.

“That’s the main thing.”

The Garden Party airs 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturdays on 1000 AM radio. Listeners can call in at 405-840-1000. Visit facebook.com/prairieearthgardens.

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YO U T H

ARTS & CULTURE

Reading rules Russell Westbrook recently visited Adams Elementary School to open his 19th reading room. By Michael Kinney

In 2015, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook decided to take on illiteracy in America. That year, he opened the first Russell’s Reading Room in Oklahoma City at North Highland Elementary. Two years later, his motivation hasn’t wavered.

Westbrook and his Why Not? Foundation launched 10 new Russell’s Reading Rooms throughout Oklahoma City on March 21, totaling 16 in the city with three more in Los Angeles.

“With the support over the years of people all over the world supporting my foundation, they’re finding ways to help me make these things possible for the kids,” Westbrook told Oklahoma Gazette.

“It’s important to be able to constantly keep giving back any way I can, in as many places I can at the same time.”

Russell’s Reading Room is a literacy initiative created by Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation. The rooms provide students access to more than 1,200 books and a safe environment to read while at school. Books are provided by Scholastic and include a variety of genres, subjects and reading levels.

“There are very few outlets anymore for children to purchase books,” said Scholastic’s Chris Müller. “As you have noticed, all the major book stores are closing. For the kids to have access, we bring them right to the school.”

When the first reading room opened, students could only come in and read the books at school. Now, students at all 19 schools can also purchase books to take home and keep.

“Literacy is very important to me and my foundation and what I believe in,” Westbrook said. “It starts young, in elementary. I think kids, once they get a room like this, they feel excited about it … I think it makes it fun for them.”

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Russell Westbrook handed out gift certificates at the opening of his Russell’s Reading Room at Adams Elementary on March 21. | Photo Michael Kinney / for Gazette

The newest group of OKC elementaries to open rooms are Adams, Arthur, Bodine, Britton, Edgemere, Green Pastures, Gatewood, Greystone, Oakridge and Pierce.

“It means a great deal to our community, to our families, for Russell to come and give some attention to our kids here on the southside of Oklahoma City,” said Adams principal Heather Zacarias. “It encourages reading; it encourages that community feel that he is a part of Oklahoma City. I just really appreciate what he did for our school.”

The Why Not? Foundation, in partnership with Scholastic, sponsored school-wide book fairs at each of the 10 schools. Each student received a gift certificate from Westbrook’s foundation, allowing them to take home and keep one free book.

“The proceeds from that sale go back into the school, and we can use it to buy more books for this room, furniture for this room,” Zacarias said.

Westbrook said the fact that he’s opened 19 reading rooms just two years after he opened his first one still comes as a shock to him. But he is far from being satisfied.

“I was just hoping I could constantly keep growing it and growing it,” Westbrook said. “Now, I am here, about to be at 20, which is great. I will keep going until I can’t go any more, keep trying to find ways to reach out to different communities.”

Visit facebook.com/whynotfoundation.

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YO U T H

or email specialsections@okgazette.com

Control feats

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s family-friendly Party for the Planet celebrates Earth Day. By Christine Eddington

Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden’s annual Party for the Planet happens on Earth Day 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 22 at 2000 Remington Place.

All Earth Day and Party for the Planet activities are free with paid zoo admission.

“Our event is a series of activities imagined through the lens of childhood,” said Greg Heanue, Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden chief marketing officer.

Party for the Planet events include a safari scavenger hunt for children ages 11 and younger, with eight conservationthemed stations that also lead them on a tour of the zoo grounds. Participants unlock clues at each station to complete a secret word, Heanue said. The scavenger hunt directs them through rhino, gorilla, giraffe, lion, buffalo, reptile, elephant and butterfly garden habitats.

Debuting at this year’s celebration will be Groundswell International, which empowers family farmers around the world and helps strengthen local food economies. Heanue said the nonprofit will lead seed-planting demonstrations throughout the day and give away seed packets. Other scavenger hunt stops examine novel water conservation tools, such as rain barrels made from old soda syrup barrels.

Regular zoo activities will shift focus to Earth Day-related conservation themes for the day, including Keeper Connections, a series of hourly talks led by zookeepers, who are responsible for animal care. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and is considered to be the official beginning of the modern environmental movement.

April 22, the zoo also will feature live entertainment in the Global Plaza, located near the park entrance.

One scavenger hunt tour highlight is

a

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Party for the Planet scavenger hunt directs children through rhino, gorilla, giraffe, lion, buffalo, reptile, elephant and butterfly habitats. | Photo bigstock.com

teaser for the worldwide Bowling for Rhinos event created by the American Association of Zookeepers.

Party for the Planet attendees can warm up their bowling game on a miniature lane at the group’s booth inside the park. The full-sized event happens in July at Heritage Lanes.

“Since the Bowling for Rhinos events began, participating zoos have collectively raised more than $6 million, which is used to fund rangers, Land Rovers and, in some cases, even drones, which are used to spot poachers,” said OKC event chairwoman Erica Buckwalter, who also is an education naturalist at the zoo.

Since 1990, Bowling for Rhinos has been dedicated to rhino conservation and ending poaching.

Buckwalter said all five remaining rhino species in the world are considered endangered, three of them critically. Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden is home to three Indian rhinos.

Zoo admission is $5 for children age 3 to 11 and seniors and $8 for adults.

Children under 3 years old get in free.

Zoo It All admission is $15-$25 per person. Group and military discounts are available. Visit okczoo.org.

Party for the Planet 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 22 Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden | 2000 Remington Place okczoo.org | 405-424-3344 Free with zoo admission

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calendar are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

The Adventures of Robin Hood, (US, 1938, Michael Curtiz and William Keighley) when Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard’s absence, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a rebel guerrilla army, 4-9 p.m. April 15. The Paramount, 701 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-517-0787, theparamountokc. com. SAT

Cards Against Humanity tournament. Only two of the most horrible minds will win gift cards, 8 p.m.

April 19. The Pritchard Wine Bar, 1749 NW 16th St., 405-601-4067, pritchardokc.com. WED

FOOD Eats on 8th, offering over 25 gourmet food trucks, unique pop-up shops, a kids zone, live music and more, 12-8 p.m. April 15. Robinson and Harvey Ave., NW Eighth St., 405-234-7960, facebook.com/eatsoneighth. SAT

Reasons to Believe, (US, 2017, Ben Fama Jr.) a thought-provoking documentary exploring the psychology of belief and challenges the question: Why do we believe? Screening followed by a Q&A with the cast, 7:30-10 p.m April 15. Radke Fine Arts Theatre, University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 405-974-2000, uco. edu. SAT

Jordan Vineyard Wine Dinner, discover the skillful pairings of fine wine with a four-course meal, 6-9 p.m. April 18. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. TUE

Doctor Who season 10 premiere, come together with fellow fans to celebrate the return of Doctor Who with a special two-night event featuring bonus programs and never-before-seen bonus features, 7 p.m. April 17 and 19. Cinemark Tinseltown, 6001 N. Martin Luther King Ave., 405-424-0461, cinemark.com. MON ,WED

Filmography at 21c Museum Hotel Screen special movies monthly during 21c Museum Hotel’s Filmography series, presented by deadCenter Film and OKC Film Society. Beasts of the Southern Wild shows 8 p.m. April 21 at 900 W. Main St. in Film Row. The Academy Awardnominated film follows young Hushpuppy and her father Wink as they battle his failing health and a storm that threatens to wipe out their tiny bayou community. Visit 21cmuseumhotels. com/oklahomacity or call 405-982-6900.

April 21 Photo Fox Searchlight Pictures / provided

BOOKS Mestizos Come Home: Making and Claiming Mexican American Identity, author Robert Con Davis-Undiano reads and signs his book exploring the recognition of mestizo identity, the re-emergence of indigenous relationships to the land and the promotion of Mesoamerican conceptions of the human body, 6:30-8 p.m. April 13. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. THU Freaks, author J.O. Young discusses and signs the first season of her five-part dystopian novella saga, 1-2 p.m. April 15. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok. com. SAT

Boston: An American Running Story, following the tragic events of 2013, this documentary records the preparations and running of the 118th Boston Marathon one year later. Narrated by Matt Damon with an original score by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. April 19. AMC Quail Springs Mall 24, 2501 W. Memorial Road, 405-755-2406, amctheatres.com. WED

HAPPENINGS Oklahoma Arts Day, arts and culture supporters from across the state are invited to join together to deliver a unified message to Oklahoma legislators on the importance of developing communities in the industry, improving education and growing the economy, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. April 12. Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., 405-887-3515, ok4arts.org. WED Women in Leadership Conference, a professional and personal development event that offers enhanced leadership training, high-level networking and inspirational presentations from global business leaders, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. April 13.

Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 405208-5540, okcwomeninleadership.com. THU Good Friday in the Park, enjoy a night of live music from local bands, food trucks, giant lawn games and a paint-by-number mural, 5:30-10 p.m.

April 14. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-2973995, myriadgardens.com. FRI Live! on the Plaza, businesses stay open late with featured artists, live music, special events, local shopping and more with the theme of April being Earth Day, 6-10 p.m.

April 14. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-367-9403, plazadistrict.org. FRI Kaleidoscope Of Colors, a unique perspective on the colors of spring in a new orchid and spring flower show. See thousands of tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs in the celebration of spring, 9-5 p.m. through April 15. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-297-3995, myriadgardens.com. WED -SAT

Lost and Found Cat, author Amy Shrodes discusses today’s refugee crisis and a true story of a cat named Kunkush and his journey to reunite with his family, noon-2 p.m. April 15. Nappy Roots Books, 1800 NE 23rd St., 405-410-2677, facebook.com/nappyrootsbooks.

New Ink, meet-and-great with featured authors Steve Clark, Amy Shrodes, Eloise Campbell and Rosemarie Sabel Durgin, 3-5 p.m. April 15. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT

Donnie Darko, (US, 2001, Richard Kelly) a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes after he narrowly escapes a bizarre accident, April 14-16. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

FRI -SUN

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Board Game Day Break out the 20sided dice and roll for a +5 cloak of fun at Board Game Day at Coop Ale Works.

Oklahoma Board Game Community offers more than 100 games to play noon-8 p.m. Saturday at the brewery, 4745 Council Heights Road. Admission is free to this 21-and-older event. Don’t know the rules of the game? No problem.

People there are on stand-by to assist.

Visit okboardgame.com or call 405-4584263. Saturday Photo bigstock.com

Eggstravaganza, a spring party of Jurassic proportions featuring pictures with the celebratory bunny, dino prize walk, face painting, crafts, an egg hunt and more, 4-7 p.m. April 12. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. WED Easter Enrichment Day, watch zoo animals receive special Easter treats from their caretakers while enjoying fresh spring flowers and treat-filled eggs, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

April 13. Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden, 2000 Remington Place, 405-424-3344, okczoo. org. THU Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, enjoy storytime, Easter crafts and more with the Easter Bunny, 10-11 a.m. April 15. Orr Family Farm, 14400 S. Western Ave., 405-799-3276, orrfamilyfarm.com. SAT

Wednesday, April 19 Photo provided

Plant the Plaza, friends of the Plaza are invited to join the annual Plaza District clean-up by planting flowers, picking up trash and other tasks to beautify 16th Street, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. April 15. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-367-9403, plazadistrict.org. SAT Wanderlust Pop-Up Shops, outdoor market including artist exhibitors, artisans, boutiques, vintage and unique local businesses, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. April 15. Wheeler Ferris Wheel, 1700 W. Independence St., Shawnee, 405-655-8455, wheelerdistrict.com. SAT Caddo Festival, join the Metro Caddo Cultural Club for a day of presentations, dances, an art show and more, 11-4:30 p.m. April 15. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum. ou.edu. SAT OKC Tax March, march a half-mile from Bicentennial Park to the OKC offices of the Internal Revenue Service as part of a nationwide demonstration of the people’s call for President Donald Trump to release his tax records, 12-1 p.m.

April 15. Bicentennial Park, 500 Couch Drive, 405297-3882, facebook.com/okctaxmarch. SAT

Cirque du Couture, the sixth annual Walk This Way Fashion Show benefiting humanitarian medication programs, Other Options, Friends Food Pantry and HOPWA, 6-10 p.m. April 15. OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave., 405-760-1406, otheroptionsokc.org. SAT

FILM

Personal Shopper, (US, 016, Olivier Assayas) an American working as a high-fashion personal shopper to an especially demanding celebrity in an ethereal ghost story set in modern-day, April 13-16.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. THU -SUN

Christopher Titus Guests will be exhausted after 90 minutes of laughing with Christopher Titus, the prolific standup comic most famous for his former FOX show Titus. The comedian has released seven full-length comedy albums in as many years. He performs 8-10 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, 1727 NW 16th St. Admission is $35-$100. Visit christophertitus.com or call 405-524-9310.

Doggy Easter Egg Hunt, join Midtown Vets and A1 Pet Emporium for a tail-wagging good time with eggs full of treats and prizes for your pup, 1:30-3 p.m. April 15.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-297-3995, myriadgardens.com. SAT

SAT

Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett are on the big screen for a never-before-seen riffing on the beloved z-grade action film of the early ’90s, 7 p.m. April 13. Cinemark Tinseltown, 6001 N. Martin Luther King Ave., 405-424-0461, fathomevents.com. THU

YOUTH

MLK Music Department Fundraiser, LD Smith Properties hosts an open-house fundraiser to benefit MLK Elementary School’s music department with matched funds from the OKC School Foundation, 2-4 p.m. April 15 and 16. LD Smith Properties 1505 NE42nd St., 405-204-4308, ldsmithproperties.com SAT-SUN Celebrity Paint and Sip Fundraiser, benefiting the Not on My Watch Women’s Initiative featuring guest painters such as radio personality Nikki Nice, beverages from Water’s Edge Winery and a silent auction, 6-8 p.m. April 18. DC on Film Row, 609 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-796-6080, notonmywatch. org. TUE Oklahoma ’89er Celebration, four-day carnival in historic Guthrie including food, crafts, vendors, a 5K run, a hot rod car show, a concert and more, April 18-22. Downtown Guthrie, 212 W. Oklahoma Ave., Guthrie, 405-282-1947, guthrieok.com.

TUE -SAT Cards Against Humanity Tournament, good wine and dirty minds come together for the ultimate

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

Arts on the Corner Arts on the Corner returns to Norman’s Campus Corner for its second year 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday on Buchanan Avenue near Boyd Street.

The free event includes art demonstrations from Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 10 a.m.-noon, free face painting from Okie Artistry 11 a.m.-5 p.m., vendor booths, dancing and live music.

A portion of event proceeds benefit visual arts programs at Norman Public Schools. Visit artsonthecorner.com.

Saturday Photo Uncovering OK / provided

Geekster Egg Hunt, enjoy costumed characters, games and an egg hunt with proceeds benefiting local charities, 2-6 p.m. April 15. My Chic Geek, 4413 N. Meridian Ave., Warr Acres, 405-367-7955, mychicgeek.com. SAT Power and Prestige Children’s Gallery, designed to complement the temporary exhibition Power and Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains, the museum offers an activity space to explore bravery, pageantry, artistry, community and respect for culture and diversity, through May 14. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Ugly Bugs!, Oklahoma Ugly Bug contest with an exhibition of larger-than-life photos of insects all captured by the contest’s 2016 winners, through June 18. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-3254712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu.

VISUAL ARTS Animation Workshop, an experimental hands-on animation workshop lead by artist Nicole Emmons-Willis combining puppetry, shadow play, poems and animation, 1-4 p.m. April 15. IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-232-6060, iaogallery.org. SAT Graph I, installing an exhibition made from unfired clay, which will visually change and adjust to time and climate, Steve Hilton and Dale McDonald invite the public to contribute to the project with a hands-on influence, through April 14. The Lightwell Gallery, Norman, 405-325-2691, art.ou.edu. WED FRI

Meditative Spaces, exhibition featuring abstract art works from Brandon Mitts and Katie Henderson, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 27. Melton Gallery, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 405-9742000, uco.edu.

Live Figure Drawing Artist couple Sara and Shane Scribner lead an instructional figure drawing session with assistance from a live model. The session is open to guests with all levels of art experience. The free event is 2-4 p.m. Saturday at JRB Art at the Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave. Guests are encouraged to bring their own sketch materials. The couple’s exhibit Reverie! is on display at the gallery through April.

Visit jrbartgallery.com or call 405-5286336. Saturday Image Sara Scribner / provided

PERFORMING ARTS Tim Kidd, with childlike exuberance and high octane fueled stage, Kidd’s presence delivers a fast-paced record of his life from an exceptionally funny point of view, April 12-15. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED -SAT Native American New Play Festival, festival celebrating Native American writing and performance with playwriting workshops, family events, music performances and panel discussions, April 13-15. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 405-626-6605, okctc.org. THU

New Works by Eric Tippeconnic, conveying Indigenous peoples in a way that demonstrates that they are not a remnant of a bygone historical era, but instead are a vital part of the modern world, through May 14. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 405-604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com.

Plein Air Paint Out, bring your paint, pastels or pencils and set up an easel in the museum’s gardens to capture a trail, scenic vista, portrait or water scene, 1-4 p.m. April 15. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. SAT Power and Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains, original exhibition includes nine headdresses from Northern and Southern American Great Plains along with historical photographs and other supporting artifacts including ledger art depicting Indian warriors and bonnets from the museum’s permanent collection, through May 14. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-4782250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

The Complete WPA Collection, the museum’s Works Progress Administration collection features a large proportion of rural American landscapes and depictions of labor, infrastructure and industrial development. All are figurative, as was favored by the WPA, and there are significant representations of female and foreign-born artists in the museum’s holdings, through July 2.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting, features watercolor studies and Smith’s own words and observations, it introduces the man, his methods and his belief in the power and potential

The Cultivated Connoisseur: Works on Paper from the Creighton Gilbert Bequest, Creighton Eddy Gilbert (1924-2011) was a renowned art historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance and was one of the foremost authorities on Michelangelo. The bequest includes a total of 272 objects, the majority of which are works on paper, spanning a time period from the 14th century to the 20th.

Through June 4. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma.

WED

Hollywood and the American West, candid, intimate and raw, these photographs showcase private access to the greatest movie stars, musicians and directors of all time. Subjects include John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Ann-Margret and more, through May 14. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

After the Floating World: The Enduring Art of Japanese Woodblock Prints, images carved onto wooden blocks used to create colorful prints on paper are among the most famous Japanese art forms. Ukiyo-e artists produced prints in a variety of subject matter including actors in the kabuki theater, female portraiture, folktales, mythology and landscapes, through May 14. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

ACTIVE Master Gardener Program, gardening series featuring OSU-OKC horticulture expert Jamie Ashmore on the topic of award-winning plants for an Oklahoma garden, 6 p.m. April 12. Will Rogers Garden Center, 3400 NW 36th St., 405-943-0827, okc.gov/recreation. WED Basketball, OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets, 7 p.m. April 12. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave., 405-602-8700, chesapeakearena.com. WED

Learn-to-Swim Program, giving residents of all ages and financial situations the opportunity to learn to swim with proper technique and basic water safety at their own pace offered by the King Marlin Swim Club, ongoing, Lighthouse Sports, Fitness and Health, 3333 W. Hefner Road, 405845-5672, marlinswimamerica.com.

of creative energy, through July 9. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum. org.

Jeffrey Gibson: Speak to Me, Internationally known multimedia artist Jeffrey Gibson’s first Oklahoma solo exhibition will feature recent artworks that draw upon his Native American heritage, aesthetics and traditions, through June 11. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org.

The Producers, a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mildmannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the biggest flop in history, April 14-May 6. The Pollard Theatre, 120 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie, 405-282-2800, thepollard.org.

Baseball, OKC Dodgers vs Nashville, 7:05 p.m. April 18-21. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 405-218-1000, milb.com. TUE- FRI

Photography / provided

A Yard of Turkey Red: The Western Bandanna, a rare collection of period bandannas provides museum visitors a glimpse of authentic neckwear once sought after by young horsemen on the range and later popularized in Western fiction, through May 14. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

The Whipping Man, a tale of loyalty, deceit and deliverance set after the Civil War. Follow a young confederate officer who has returned home and now waits for his city to come back to life while wrestling with the past, through April 22.

Carpenter Square Theatre, 806 W. Main St., 405232-6500, carpentersquare.com.

The Aging Well Fair, senior adult seminars for brain fitness, posture health, navigating prescriptions and supplements, mindfulness meditation and more with classes such as tai chi and Zumba, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 15. Will Rogers Garden Center, 3400 NW 36th St., 405-297-1459, okc.gov/parks. SAT

OKC Architectural Tour Architecture buffs, mark your calendars for American Institute of Architects Central Oklahoma Chapter’s 16th annual Architectural Tour noon-5 p.m. April 22. The self-guided tour leads crowds through seven destinations, including significant residential homes and commercial structures. Tickets are $20-$25. Visit aiacoc.org or call 405-948-7174. April 22 Photo Simon Hurst

Shane Mauss Shane Mauss is known for two things: comedy and psychedelic drugs. Fans of either areas have reason to check out the comedian during his A Good Trip standup tour stop and following DMT psychedelics talk in Oklahoma City. The show begins 7:30 p.m. Friday at ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 25 S. Oklahoma Ave. His talk begins 10 p.m.

Tickets for each event are $15-$20. Visit shanemauss.com or call 405-974-4700.

The Unsettled Lens, showcasing new acquisitions in photography from the museum’s permanent collection. Each of the photographs in the exhibition build tension with the viewer based on a sense of the uncanny with photographs take viewers to unfamiliar and often unsettling places within the bounds of their own minds, through May 14. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

Celebrity, Fashion, and the Forgotten Man, best-remembered for striking, modern portraits of American celebrities and elegant fashion photography, Lusha Nelson pursued documentary photography before his untimely death in 1938. This exhibition celebrates Philbrook’s recent acquisition of the artist’s estate and the rediscovery of this little-known talent in this first-ever, one-person exhibition, through May 7.

Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road, Tulsa, 918-749-7941, philbrook.org.

Friday Photo provided

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

The Artistry of the Western Paperback, study the works of A. Leslie Ross, Robert Stanley, George Gross, Stanley Borack, Tom Ryan and Frank McCarthy and decide: Is it art or something else?

Does it belong on a bookshelf, on exhibit or both? through May 14. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-4782250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge.

Shared Science., stories from four indigenous communities, providing real-life examples of how traditional knowledge and Western science together provide complementary solutions to ecological and health challenges we face today, through May 7. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu.

Exhibit C Ledger Art, four contemporary artists experienced in ledger art will have their distinctive artwork on display. Discover a captivating scene showcasing the creations by Paul Hacker, George Levi, Dylan Cavin and Lauren Good Day Giago, through June 30. Exhibit C, 1 E. Sheridan Ave., 405-767-8900, exhibitcgallery.com.

Expressionist paintings, American expressionist Bert Seabourn is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and teacher.

Seabourn makes each piece of art a unique fusion of design, color, form and composition, using a layering of texture with drips, smears, runs and splatters, through April 29. 50 Penn Place Gallery, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-848-5567, 50pennplacegallery.com.

Cloudscapes, 16 oil-on-canvas works of art by Oklahoma artist Marc Barker, drawing inspiration equally from his backgrounds in science and art, through May 14. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-297-3995, myriadgardens.com.

Submissions must be received

by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date.

Late submissions cannot 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 email them to listings@okgazette.com.

Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

For okg live music

see page 49

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event

MUSIC

The feelin’

You In Me isn’t just any Neil Diamond tribute act.

When a local karaoke singer and bona-fide rock star get together, heartlights shine. By Ben Luschen

Alan Novey is a self-described Neil Diamond superfan, but not to the point of being crazed.

Sure, his tribute act You In Me, formed in 2011 with Flaming Lips multiinstrumentalist Steven Drozd, shows a level of dedication that’s a notch above any average enthusiast. And while hundreds of 45 rpm vinyl pressings of the duo’s eerily Diamond-esque original singles “The Drifter” and “Hot Coffee (and Mornin’ Lovin’)” might occupy Drozd’s garage and other dusty record collections in the metro area and beyond, Novey insists their obsession is a manageable one.

Novey said he’s attending Neil Diamond’s 50th Anniversary Tour stop in Oklahoma City 8 p.m. Sunday at Chesapeake Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave. He has watched the touring veteran perform hits “Sweet Caroline,” “Cracklin’ Rosie” and “I Am... I Said” during at least three of Diamond’s prior OKC tour stops. Novey said he has witnessed many middle-aged female fans throw lingerie and hotel keys onstage 44

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while the 76-year-old singer performed, sometimes with their husbands right next to them.

“I always wondered how Neil was going to know what hotel room it was,” Novey said. “Like, do you have to write the room number on there?”

Novey’s day job is video production (he has assisted The Lips in several video projects), and he has turned his fair share of heads with his online videos in which he mimics Diamond’s distinguished, textured voice. In December, You In Me unveiled its Yuletide jingle “(You Are) My Christmas Wish.”

“Hey yah, hey yaaaa, hey yah hey,” he warbles — a playful nod to Diamond’s trademark ad-libs. “You are my Christmas gift; I gave you my Christmas love.”

Three songs and hundreds of vinyl pressings later, some wonder about Novey’s motive. He said it’s nice to get a few laughs while paying homage to one of his all-time favorite artists.

It’s also a plus to work with Drozd, whose love for Diamond matches — if

not exceeds — Novey’s.

But above all, Novey said, You In Me’s main objective is to earn Diamond’s attention and approval. He’s confident Diamond would appreciate their work — if only he knew of it.

“He’s going to fall in love with us,” Novey blurted. “He’s going to call and he’s going to want to fly us out to his ranch or wherever he lives.”

Karaoke king

Novey grew up listening to his father’s Diamond albums but became a devoted superfan while in college.

He would later become a practical karaoke pro, but as a young man in the early 2000s, Novey didn’t recognize many of the tunes available at local karaoke joints like Cookie’s and what is now known as Nancy’s 57th Street Lighthouse. But he did recognize his dad’s old Diamond favorites.

People immediately began to tell him how much he sounded like Diamond.

While Novey admitted he thinks they share some vocal similarities, his familiar, Diamond-esque tunes are more like impressions than duplicates.

After college, Novey met Drozd through his video work with The Lips.

The men bonded over their mutual admiration of Diamond and would perform the icon’s hits at Drozd’s private holiday parties.

One day, without any expectation from Novey, Drozd called and said he

You In Me is a wink-and-nod Neil Diamond tribute act led by Oklahoma City karaoke singer Alan Novey right with Flaming Lips multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd left. | Photo Delo Creative / provided

wrote an original song as a shared Diamond tribute. They recorded “The Drifter,” along with “Hot Coffee,” at Drozd’s home studio.

“We had met several times, but we had never hung out one-on-one before, so that made it a little awkward,” Drozd said during a recent Oklahoma Gazette phone interview. “But now we’re a lot closer.”

The duo later decided to get the songs pressed into vinyl 45s. The company rejected their first attempt, saying it wasn’t allowed to press Diamond’s copyrighted material.

“They really thought it was Neil Diamond,” Novey said of the 2011 release.

“We had to sign these affidavits saying, ‘Hey, no; relax. This is not Neil Diamond.

We’re a tribute group.’”

You In Me finally released its followup in December. Reconciling their schedules between work and family commitments is challenging, especially for Drozd. In preparation for Diamond’s return to Oklahoma City, Novey said they recorded “My Christmas Wish” in a few days, hoping fresh material might help them catch his attention.

“We had to try and stay relevant,” he said.

The dream

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of You In Me is the dynamic between Novey, a local karaoke enthusiast, and Drozd, a legitimate rock star. “[Drozd] works so fast, and he’s patient as well,” Novey said. “I was a musician as a child in band and stuff, but I’m not a paid musician at all.”

The Flaming Lips instrumentalist said Novey is not a precision singer but does a great job of capturing the essence or idea of a sound, particularly the gruff and manly qualities that characterize a lot of Diamond’s late’60s and early-’70s songs. Drozd recalled their first recording session and trying to get Novey to sing an exact melody.

“He was just like, ‘Huh? Oh, alright.

Hey, let’s drink, man,’” Drozd said.

While “The Drifter” represents mostly Drozd’s work, Novey has taken a greater hold of the creative reins and wrote the lyrics for “My Christmas Wish.”

As a teen, Drozd’s love of Diamond was emboldened by the singer’s lead role in The Jazz Singer, a lukewarm 1980 remake of the pioneering 1927 classic film featuring music by Al Jolson. The remake ran regularly on cable, and Drozd grew very familiar with Diamond’s performance.

There are many Diamond tribute bands and impersonators. Drozd said what separates You In Me from the rest is that it’s not a cover act and it isn’t trying to be the next best thing after the legend. Instead, the pair writes original songs — just as Diamond has done throughout much of his career — as if the artist had written them.

At its core, You In Me is a fun group, but it’s not about having fun at anyone else’s expense. Drozd said in this case, imitation is indeed the highest form of flattery, and he thinks Diamond would appreciate it.

“He seems to have a pretty sharp sense of humor,” he said.

Drozd said he wants You In Me to eventually be able to more consistently create new material.

Novey still hopes Diamond’s Oklahoma City stop, which might be part of one of his last national tours, will lead him to his goal of acknowledgement from the singer. He also admitted he dreams of singing on stage with him, but Novey said his real hope is that he could make it to Nancy’s with Diamond without telling anyone.

“I would start the song, and then Neil would come up and finish it,” he said. “Then we just drop the mic and have some whiskey shots.”

Visit youinme.us.

Neil Diamond 8 p.m. Sunday Chesapeake Arena | 100 W. Reno Ave. chesapeakearena.com | 1-800-745-3000

A SeASonAl Guide to CentrAl oklAhomA

Summer never seems long enough so Gazette is giving its readers the go-to guide for filling every second with fun across the state.

Register for

Sessions begin June 19

FeAturinG A 3 month CAlendAr

Along with expanded editorial content PubliShinG mAy 3, 2017

Ad deAdline APril 26, 2017

Attention

publicity seekers!

Submit calendar events at okgazette.com or email to listings@okgazette.com Please be sure to indicate ‘Summer Guide’ in the subject line. We do no accept calendar items via phone.

Deadline to submit items for our Summer Guide calendar is Wednesday, April 12, 2017 by 5pm.

Call 405.528.6000 today to reserve your space.

1700 Northeast 63rd Street • Oklahoma City, OK 73111 Mon – Sat, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Sun, Noon – 5:00 p.m.

(405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org/summercamp

$28-$624

O kg a z e t t e . c o m | a p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

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MUSIC

40 & 8 Dance Club The Best Hardwood Dance Floor in OK

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f e at u r e

cash Bar

Rap dish

Mike Turner speaks with Oklahoma Gazette during a break in his day job at Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s Museum Cafe. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Local rapper Mike Turner rides a wave of musical momentum while balancing a day job. By Ben Luschen

Guests at some of the city’s biggest hip-hop shows in recent months have more than likely seen and heard Mike Turner.

The Oklahoma City rapper has spent this year opening for name-brand artists like Migos, 21 Savage, Lil Debbie and Ugly God. In February, he co-headlined the Loverboys show at 51st Street Speakeasy with Josh Sallee.

A wave of momentum carries Turner and his MØTM (middle of the map) movement/budding record label despite not having released an album in more than two years. It has been hard to record and release new music while balancing his day job, working as many shifts as he can waiting tables and slinging drinks at Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s Museum Cafe. The rapper took a break from a recent day shift at the cafe to speak with Oklahoma Gazette.

Turner is making up for lost time by scheduling two new projects in close succession. He’s targeting a May release for his new Line It Up album with a release show planned at a to-be-determined time that month at the fashion boutique Tymless 1824, 6900 N. Western Ave. Soon after that album drops, Turner hopes to release follow-up project Trap Dreams.

“There’s a lot of new fans coming in,” Turner said. “I’m starting to get a lot of new exposure, which is perfect for releasing these projects. It’s not going to fall on deaf ears.”

Turner is grateful for the opportunities he has had in music, especially after a car wreck last winter made him re-

evaluate everything he thought he knew about himself.

The crash

Turner and some associates were scheduled to record with Florida rapper Robb Banks after his Feb. 12 show at ACM@ UCO Performance Lab. Around 2 a.m., they headed over to Studio XII in the Classen Ten Penn neighborhood to work.

However, after they opened up the studio, a crowd of friends, friends of friends and drunk afterpartyers began to fill their workspace with distractions.

Turner and his friends decided to leave.

He loaded into a car with DJ Hollywood, producer Barshawn Cooper and friend Rachel Harris. They hadn’t gone far when another car blew past a stop sign and collided with the side of their vehicle.

“It was one of those really scary car wrecks where everyone gets knocked out [of the car],” Turner said. “It was pretty bad; there was blood everywhere.”

Luckily, the occupants didn’t sustain life-threatening injuries. Hollywood broke his hand — a tragic setback for any DJ. Harris had some serious bone bruises on her leg, and Turner’s hand was cut wide open.

“I didn’t know the blood was coming from my hand,” he said. “I was trying to use the light from my phone to look at her injuries. I was afraid I was going to look at her legs and it was going to be like SpaghettiOs or something. But then I look at my phone and I’m shooting blood all over it.”

Turner and his friends soon recovered. He said the driver of the other vehicle accepted responsibility for the collision. For the first time, he became fully aware of how precariously balanced a music career, and life in general, really is. Turner recommitted himself to music and living a complete life.

“Anything could happen, and I could be taken away from this situation at any point in time,” he said. “I need to take full advantage of this situation while I have it, because a lot of people don’t have this opportunity.”

Finding a groove

Line It Up does not follow a central theme or concept. Instead, Turner wanted each song to capture a different vibe.

The single “Bodega,” featuring rapper Zie, is high-energy. Other songs feel more dreary and ominous.

“It’s meant to capture a bunch of different moods for a bunch of different situations,” Turner said. “I feel like you could listen to Line It Up before you go to work out or before you go to bed.”

Part of the reason Turner took months to release a new album is because he struggled with writer’s block caused by insecurities about himself as an artist. The near-death experience, coupled with recent success and exposure, reaffirmed his passion and sorted his priorities.

“It’s the plight of the artist, being selfconscious about your work and being afraid to put it out there,” he said. “That wreck threw all of that away. What’s you being self-conscious compared to you not being here?”

Visit thatsmike.com and facebook. com/miketurnerokc.

event

Show time

Country music icon Roy Clark welcomes his American Banjo Museum exhibit with a concert and an interview. By Ben Luschen

On the heels of a successful exhibit showcasing actor, comedian and noted picker and frailer Steve Martin, downtown Oklahoma City’s American Banjo Museum amplifies its star power with America’s Super Picker: Roy Clark.

The longtime Oklahoma resident and country music icon helped launch the exhibit last week with a Thursday concert and reception at the venue.

The exhibit, on display now at the museum, 9 E. Sheridan Ave., features several banjos, photographs and other artifacts from his personal collection.

Visitors can also watch an exclusive interview between Clark and museum executive director Johnny Baier.

“I’ve been given so many accolades,” Clark said during a press conference at Thursday’s event. “I don’t want to say I don’t deserve them, but then there’s some other things I didn’t deserve either.”

The musician — whose playing repertoire includes the harmonica, guitar, banjo, mandolin and plenty of other pluckable instruments — was born in 1933 near Washington, D.C., but in 1976 settled in Tulsa for good. In the 1960s, he played guitar in Maud native Wanda Jackson’s rockabilly band the Party Timers.

Global missionary

Clark said the first instrument he learned to play was his dad’s four-string banjo.

From there, he moved on to guitar and the realization that there was a whole world of pluckable instruments out there for him to play. His stringed instrument

collection now numbers in the hundreds.

Clark plays his role as on-air personality as well as he does any stringed instrument. His first TV appearance was at age 14, playing guitar on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network.

“I was watching The Tonight Show one night, and Bob Hope was on,” Clark said.

“He was talking about how long he’d been on television. I forget what it was, but when he said it was 40 years or something, I said, ‘I’ve been on television longer than Bob Hope!’”

Clark also made guest appearances on popular shows like The Drew Carey Show, The Muppet Show and The Odd Couple and had an occasionally recurring role as Cousin Roy on The Beverly Hillbillies, for which he once wore a dress to portray his own mother.

“The pantyhose, they wouldn’t fit,” he reminisced. “Wardrobe was back there, pulling and tugging, and finally had to go out and cut the feet off so they could just pull them all the way up. Then the boots covered up the part without anything.”

Clark made his mark overseas as well.

In the 1970s, he became the first country music artist to perform behind the Iron Curtain as he toured the Soviet Union.

Clark said the banjo was semi-familiar to his foreign audience. The instrument was played in a way that resembled Russian balalaika.

“They loved [the banjo],” he said.

“Anything American or West — American jazz or American country music. They put everything into general categories.

If it was real, they loved it.”

Part of Clark’s allure is his role an ambassador for country and Americana music. There is no telling how many musicians across the globe were first exposed to banjo or guitar through one of Clark’s many television appearances, album releases or live performances.

“Some of these young English and European pickers and singers credit me with inspiring them to want to learn,” he said. “It’s a nice feeling.”

Voluble achievements

In September, the country music legend also will be inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame, which is located at the museum and features more than 70 inductees, including Martin, Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, the Walt Disney company and Mel Bay. The exhibit and hall of fame honor are just the latest in a long line of achievements by the accomplished and versatile picker and singer. Clark is widely recognized for his role as a host on the longlived syndicated variety program Hee Haw and as an occasional guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.

Clark is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee. He has earned many significant awards, including Entertainer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music (ACM), ACM’s Comedy Act of the Year and a Grammy Award for his version of “Alabama Jubilee.”

The exhibit runs through March 2018.

Visit americanbanjomuseum.com.

America’s Super Picker: Roy Clark 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays through March American Banjo Museum | 9 E. Sheridan Ave. americanbanjomuseum.com | 405-604-2793 Free-$8

Musician Roy Clark talks with Oklahoma Gazette during Thursday’s launch of his American Banjo Museum exhibit America’s Super Picker: Roy Clark. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

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EVENT

MUSIC

Cash, flow

Rapper Josh Sallee enters Norman Music Festival 10 on a roll with fresh content. By Ben Luschen

Editor’s note: Oklahoma Gazette is featuring Norman Music Festival performers each week leading up to its 10th anniversary event April 27-29 in Norman.

Though never accused of making anything close to a dumbed-down sound, some associate local rap fixture Josh Sallee’s music with a good, thoughtful, time-out. Considering the linguistic and conceptual intricacies of hip-hop’s underground, some listeners have looked elsewhere.

Those who have not paid the Tulsaborn emcee much attention since his widely celebrated 2014 release Know Society, however, are missing out on experiencing his more bluntly real, layered musical approach. For the last few years, Sallee has quietly created some of his smartest music to date — and is earning a decent, consistent living while doing it.

Sallee performs April 28 on Norman Music Festival’s Bud Light Depot Stage in downtown Norman. His most recent studio release, the Red Aromas EP, is a collection of personal, relationshiprelated songs he produced entirely on his own. His last full album was June 2016’s Hush Hush, a gripping project in which Sallee opened up about his struggles with depression and anxiety. “[Hush Hush] was a really special project for me because it is very personal,” Sallee said during a recent Oklahoma Gazette interview. “A lot of people have said it’s my best work, and I think that’s what you want; you want to keep improving.”

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Hush Hush is how well Sallee stitches together his narrative by sampling historical interview excerpts from Beatles icon John Lennon.

Sallee said he was thinking about how he felt an emotional connection between the feelings related to his own turmoil and the events surrounding The Beatles’ breakup in 1970. For inspiration, he watched a few old Lennon interviews online. In the first clip, the English musician speaks about the pressure he’s enduring. “Pressure” is Hush Hush’s opening tune.

“I’m just like, ‘Oh my God; that’s my intro track,’” Salle said. “As I went through songs and interviews, thinking about it, I just thought about how it was telling my story.”

Though Hush Hush received considerably less media attention than Know Society, the rapper said he’s now earning his best, most consistent living to date as a musician, even while his 48

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Josh Sallee | Photo Dalton Latham / LikeMindedCreative / provided

average number of live shows per month has dropped.

How is such a feat possible? Sallee said Spotify and other music-streaming services, though sometimes maligned by artists and musicians, has been a game-changer for independent artists at his level.

“It’s not free money, but it’s money while you sleep,” he said. “It’s all the time; people are always listening to music.”

Sallee said fans have streamed a few of his songs a total of 300,000 to 400,000 times, and his music averages about 70,000 streams monthly. He also admitted the services indeed dinged early album sales. While a first-week check might not be huge, Sallee said he expects his projects to earn consistent revenue for months or even years to come.

“It’s much more stable than anything I’ve experienced in the last five years,” he said.

Visit soundcloud.com/joshsallee.

Norman Music Festival 10 April 27-29 downtown Norman normanmusicfestival.com Free

LIVE MUSIC These are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

WEDNESDAY, 4.12 Bear Grillz/Midnight Tyrannosaurus/ P0gman/Wooli, ACM Performance Lab. ELECTRONIC

Bryce Merritt/Tony Foster Jr., Opolis, Norman.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Edgar Cruz, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. ACOUSTIC

Adam Aguilar Band, The Martini Lounge, Edmond.

Justin Witte, Noir Bistro & Bar.

Applied Music Program/Tonne/Youthesize, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS

Kansas, Riverwind Casino, Norman. ROCK

ROCK

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Layken Urie, Brewskeys. COUNTRY

Bill Connors/Paul Hoefler/Wiz, Malarkey’s Dueling Piano Bar. PIANO

Nicole Lawson/Shortt Dogg, Riverwind Casino, Norman. R&B

Brandon Jackson, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. SINGER/

Sex Snobs/Astral Planes/Ugly Duck/Psygasm, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

SONGWRITER

Haniwa/Name Sayers/Sun Riah, Power House.

INDIE

Shadowman Blues, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES

Hook Echo, Alley Club. ROCK

Shotgun Rebellion/Left to Die/Locust Grove, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK

Jade Castle, Noir Bistro & Bar. SINGER/

Space4Lease/Brother Moses, Opolis, Norman.

SONGWRITER

Katie Williams, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. SINGER/SONGWRITER

ROCK

THURSDAY, 4.13

T-Zank/Ben Frankie, 89th Street Collective. HIP-HOP

2 Chainz Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz makes his return to Oklahoma City as part of his Friendz Fest performance alongside genre-bending electronic DJ Jauz. The show begins 7 p.m. April 19 at Lost Lakes Amphitheater and Water Park, 3501 NE Tenth St. Tickets are $45-$150. Visit lostlakesamp.com or call 405-702-4040. Wednesday, April 19

Blake Lankford, JJ’s Alley. SINGER/SONGWRITER

The Sunday Flyers, Stash, Norman. ROCK

Photo bigstock.com

Christophe Murdock, Your Mom’s Place. VARIOUS

Tyler Wilhelm & a Few Dollars More, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Larry V TheRemedy, Oklahoma City Limits. ACOUSTIC Liquid Assassin/Scum/Kdaver/Kraziak, 89th Street Collective. PUNK Mike Hosty, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar.

Kestral & Kite, Full Circle Bookstore. INDIE OakVille, Oklahoma City Limits. HIP-HOP

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Saint Loretto/Swim Fan, IAO Gallery. VARIOUS

SK Love, Red Brick Bar, Norman. ROCK

Steve Tyrell, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ

The Soulmen, Bourbon Street Bar. R&B

Flow Tribe, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. BLUES Fred Hersch Trio, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ K.C. Clifford, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER Like Pacific/Shut Up Matt Jewett/Ultra City, 89th Street Collective. PUNK The Garage Band, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

FRIDAY, 4.14 89th Street Band, Bourbon Street Bar. ROCK

Stoney LaRue, Diamond Ballroom.

COUNTRY

SATURDAY, 4.15 80z Enuf, Remington Park. COVER BC & The Big Rig, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY Brandi Reloaded, Wicked Piston. POP Caleb McGee, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES Cavern Company/Brett Connally, Anthem Brewing Co. INDIE Dan Martin, The Bluebonnet Bar, Norman. FOLK

David Lindley, The Blue Door. FOLK Evolution Underground, Oklahoma City Limits.

ROCK

Hope Cory Duo, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. JAZZ

Howard Brady, Full Circle Bookstore. ROCK

The Isley Brothers, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville. R&B Zuzu Petals, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. COVER

SUNDAY, 4.16 Neil Diamond, Chesapeake Arena.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Live music 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 to listings@okgazette.com.

Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

Husky Burnette, Lost Highway Bar. BLUES

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

free will astrology Homework: Test this hypothesis: The answer to a pressing question will come within 72 hours after you do a ritual in which you ask for clarity.

Testify at Freewillastrology.com ARIES (March 21-April 19)

elegant, yet also big and weighty. Because of your intensity, you may not look flight-worthy, but you’re actually quite aerodynamic. In fact, your sorties are dazzling and influential. Though your acrobatic zigzags seem improbable, they’re effective.

Before visiting Sicily for the first time, American poet Billy Collins learned to speak Italian. In his poem “By a Swimming Pool Outside Siracusa,” he describes how the new language is changing his perspective. If he were thinking in English, he might say that the gin he’s drinking while sitting alone in the evening light “has softened my mood.” But the newly Italianized part of his mind would prefer to say that the gin “has allowed my thoughts to traverse my brain with greater gentleness” and “has extended permission to my mind to feel a friendship with the vast sky.” Your assignment in the coming week, Aries, is to Italianize your view of the world. Infuse your thoughts with expansive lyricism and voluptuous relaxation. If you’re Italian, celebrate and amplify your Italianness.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Picasso had mixed feelings about his fellow painter Marc Chagall, who was born under the sign of Cancer. “I’m not crazy about his roosters and donkeys and flying violinists, and all the folklore,” Picasso said, referring to the subject matter of Chagall’s compositions. But he also felt that Chagall was one of the only painters “who understands what color really is,” adding, “There’s never been anybody since Renoir who has the feeling for light that Chagall has.” I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will be the recipient of mixed messages like these. Praise and disapproval may come your way. Recognition and neglect.

Kudos and apathy. Please don’t dwell on the criticism and downplay the applause. In fact, do the reverse!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

“Go Tell It on the Mountain” is the title of an old gospel song, and now it’s the metaphorical theme of your horoscope. I advise you to climb a tall peak -- even if it’s just a magic mountain in your imagination -- and deliver the spicy monologue that has been marinating within you. It would be great if you could gather a sympathetic audience for your revelations, but that’s not mandatory to achieve the necessary catharsis. You simply need to be gazing at the big picture as you declare your big, ripe truths.

It’s closing time. You have finished toiling in the shadow of an old sacred cow. You’ve climaxed your relationship with ill-fitting ideas that you borrowed from mediocre and inappropriate teachers once upon a time. And you can finally give up your quest for a supposed Holy Grail that never actually existed in the first place. It’s time to move on to the next chapter of your life story, Taurus!

You have been authorized to graduate from any influence, attachment, and attraction that wouldn’t serve your greater good in the future. Does this mean you’ll soon be ready to embrace more freedom than you have in years? I’m betting on it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

The heaviest butterfly on the planet is the female Queen Victorian Birdwing. It tips the scales at two grams. The female Queen Alexandra Birdwing is the butterfly with the longest wingspan: over 12 inches. These two creatures remind me of you these days. Like them, you’re freakishly beautiful. You’re a marvelous and somewhat vertiginous spectacle. The tasks you’re working on are graceful and

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

If you were a snake, it would be a fine time to molt your skin. If you were a river, it would be a perfect moment to overflow your banks in a spring flood. If you were an office worker, it would be an excellent phase to trade in your claustrophobic cubicle for a spacious new niche.

In other words, Virgo, you’re primed to outgrow at least one of your containers. The boundaries you knew you would have to transgress some day are finally ready to be transgressed. Even now, your attention span is expanding and your imagination is stretching.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

For over a century, the Ringsaker Lutheran Church in Buxton, North Dakota hosted rites of passage, including 362 baptisms, 50 marriages, and 97 funerals. It closed in 2002, a victim of the area’s shrinking population. I invite you to consider the possibility that this can serve as a useful metaphor for you, Libra. Is there a place that has been a sanctuary for you, but has begun to lose its magic? Is there a traditional power spot from which the power has been ebbing? Has a holy refuge evolved into a mundane hang-out? If so, mourn for a while, then go in search of a vibrant replacement.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Most people throw away lemon rinds, walnut shells, and pomegranate skins. But some resourceful types find uses for these apparent wastes. Lemon rind can serve as a deodorizer, cleaner, and skin tonic, as well as a zesty ingredient in recipes. Ground-up walnut shells work well in facial scrubs and pet bedding. When made into a powder, pomegranate peels have a variety of applications for skin care. I suggest you look for metaphorically similar things, Scorpio. You’re typically inclined to dismiss the surfaces and discard the packaging and ignore the outer layers, but I urge you to consider the possibility that right now they may have value.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You’re growing too fast, but that’s fine as long as you don’t make people around you feel they’re moving too slowly. You know too much, but that won’t be a problem as long as you don’t act snooty. And you’re almost too attractive for your own good, but that won’t hurt you as long as you overflow with spontaneous generosity.

What I’m trying to convey, Sagittarius, is that your excesses are likely to be more beautiful than chaotic, more fertile than confusing. And that should provide you with plenty of slack when dealing with cautious folks who are a bit rattled by your lust for life.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Until recently, scientists believed the number of trees on the planet was about 400 billion. But research published in the journal *Nature* says that’s wrong.

There are actually three trillion trees on earth -almost eight times more than was previously thought.

In a similar way, I suspect you have also underestimated certain resources that are personally available to you, Capricorn. Now is a good time to correct your undervaluation. Summon the audacity to recognize the potential abundance you have at your disposal. Then make plans to tap into it with a greater sense of purpose.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The poet John Keats identified a quality he called “negative capability.” He defined it as the power to calmly accept “uncertainties, mysteries, and doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”

I would extend the meaning to include three other things not to be irritably reached for: artificial clarity, premature resolution, and simplistic answers. Now is an excellent time to learn more about this fine art, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Are you ready for a riddle that’s more enjoyable than the kind you’re used to? I’m not sure if you are. You may be too jaded to embrace this unusual gift. You could assume it’s another one of the crazy-making cosmic jokes that have sometimes tormented you in the past.

But I hope that doesn’t happen. I hope you’ll welcome the riddle in the liberating spirit in which it’s offered.

If you do, you’ll be pleasantly surprised as it teases you in ways you didn’t know you wanted to be teased. You’ll feel a delightful itch or a soothing burn in your secret self, like a funny-bone feeling that titillates your immortal soul. P.S.: To take full advantage of the blessed riddle, you may have to expand your understanding of what’s good for you.

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.

O kg a z e t t e . c o m | a p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

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puzzles New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle INITIAL DESCRIPTION

By Jerry Miccolis | Edited by Will Shortz | 0409

VOL. XXXIX No. 15 1

2

3

4

5

6

19

108 Stop, in sailor’s lingo 112 Shudder of emotion 117 WASP 120 Opening letters?

121 One of the Wahlbergs 122 One way to pay 123 Introversion 124 Idol worshiper 125 Yoga poses

DOWN 1 Musical Mama 2 Cut 3 Something delivered by a diva 4 Droopy 5 Capital of Uganda 6 Nearly out?

7 Gullet 8 Second first lady 9 Foolish oldsters 10 K thru 12 11 King who spoke at Kennedy’s

inaugural ball 12 Lugs 13 Samuel Adams, e.g.

14 Rich supply 15 Natl. Guard counterpart 16 Small, as Beanie Babies 17 1961 title role for Charlton Heston 18 A comic called Wanda 21 Burglar frightener 24 ____ Nui (Easter Island) 25 Mooers’ mouthfuls 30 Muse of lyric poetry 32 Flight of fancy 34 Publisher’s pile: Abbr.

35 ____ Park, Ill. 36 Commercial lead-in to Caps 37 “____ Boom-De-Ay” 38 Certain house … or house dressing 39 Land next to Peru: Abbr.

40 Obligation 41 Drop a line, say 42 Raise 47 Banned insecticide 48 Desdemona’s husband, in opera 50 Candidate’s goal 52 Bobby of the Black Panthers 53 Stephenie who wrote the

Twilight series 54 Periodic table figs.

8

35

36

13

14

61

31 38

48

39

62

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79

68

69

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81

71 76

82

97

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107

117

Accounting/HR Manager Marian Harrison 87

88

89

90

96 99

103 106

Marketing Manager Kelsey Lowe

95

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102

VP, CORPORATE AFFAIRS Linda Meoli

72

83

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109

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81 Actress Anderson 82 They may match presidential administrations 83 Train 88 Nonspecific amount 89 Mild exclamation 90 Supplemental work for actors 92 Golden ____ (General Mills cereal) 94 Winter Olympics activity 95 Willa Cather’s My ____ 96 Bad-mouths 97 Writer who coined the term

“banana republic” (1904) 98 Drab songbird 99 Airport amenity 100 Realm chronicled by C. S. Lewis 101 ____ expected (predictably)

56 Actor Holm 57 Where cultures thrive?

58 Horse bit 59 Wonder Woman is one 60 City, but not county, leader?

61 Yale of Yale University 62 La ____ (notre planète) 68 Neuter 69 Med. scan 70 Poetic time 71 Stop: Abbr.

72 That life evolves, to Darwin 74 Pressed 75 Apothegm 77 Global sports org.

79 German for “first” 80 Cole Porter’s “Well, Did You ____?”

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1991 Wimbledon champ Michael Ghostbuster Spengler ____ Préval, two-time president of Haiti Say further Brandy grade, briefly Volcano at the meeting point of the African and Eurasian plates Pet-protection agcy.

White House spokesman Spicer Greek peak Some degrees Bad start?

Col.’s superior

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ACROSS 1 Ascribes, with “up” 7 Title film character played by Tyler Perry

12 Hails 19 Showy gymnastics maneuver 20 Togalike Roman cloak 22 In an attentive manner 23 SWAN 26 Crunchy green vegetable 27 Profitable 28 Sportscaster Johnson 29 Show up 31 Wet blanket?

33 They contain libidos 34 MARS 43 Largest city of Yemen 44 French region now part of the

Grand Est 45 Ally (with) 46 Hershey product similar to a

Heath bar 47 Part of a domain name 49 Gists 51 Foreboding atmosphere 55 ATLAS 60 Fixed fee 63 Spa sound 64 “Once in Love With ____” 65 Objectivist Rand 66 Fat-substitute brand 67 Pride-parade letters 69 Self-referential 71 Fifth-century pope dubbed “the Great” 73 An evergreen 74 Martinique, par exemple 75 Exist 76 Musical instruments that lie flat 78 TRIO 84 Jose ____ (tequila brand) 85 ____ the Explorer 86 Chapel Hill sch.

87 It’s a long story 91 Squealed 93 Really bothers 96 Drew useful material from 97 OKAY 101 Fiery end?

103 ____ es Salaam 104 Of a heart chamber 105 Direct

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The Heat and Frost Insulators Joint Apprenticeship Committee is seeking applicants, male and female, for apprenticeship training in the commercial and industrial insulation trade. The JAC anticipates selecting one to three apprentices in the near future. commercial insulation, industrial and process plant insulation, refrigeration and low temperature insulation and prefabrication of fittings, head covers and related work. Applications may be picked up at the Heat & Frost Insulators Local #94 union office, 716 SE 79th St, OKC, OK, from 9:00am-5:00pm, on May 4th – May 18th, 2017 and must be returned no later than May 31st, 2017.

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