Okgazette 082014 Best of OKC by Oklahoma Gazette

free every wednesday Metro OKC’s Independent Weekly Vol. XXXVI No. 34 august 20, 2014

✴ ✴ ✴ Hepcats and kittens, the BEST OF OKC FINAL results are in! P.20 ✴ ✴ ✴

Shannon cornman

OF THE

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CONTENTS 69

ON THE COVER

NEWS

LIFE

Hey, hepcats and kittens! The Best of OKC results are in. Celebrate 30 years of reader-driven voting and all things local with 17 pages of win. From best place to play backseat bingo, er, Best Place to Burn Calories to best chefs, restaurants, businesses, local personalities and more, it’s all here. This list is tight. P. 20 — Jennifer Chancellor, editor-in-chief

OKG picks

Performing Arts: Colored Lights

Best of OKC Results

Sudoku / Crossword

Music: Electric Würms, Christian Lee Hutson, Noon Tunes, Cosmostanza, event listings

Film: Borgman

Astrology

Classifieds

Education: John Rex Charter Elementary 6

Gazette: Best of OKC history

City: regional transit

Metro briefs

Food & Drink: So Fine Eatery & Pub, Oak & Ore, Skyline Food Truck Festival, food briefs, Asian noodles, OKG eat: food trucks

Election: primaries to watch

Sports: NASCAR

Chicken-Fried News

Culture: street performers

Commentary

Letters

Visual Arts: The Symbols Within Us, Perception

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

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NEWS EDUCATION

John Rex Charter Elementary School builds neighborhood spirit in the heart of downtown OKC. BY BEN FELDER

P HOTOS BY M A RK HA N COC K

‘Whole child’ education left, Joe Pierce, head of school for John Rex Charter Elementary, checks out progress of the new building in downtown Oklahoma City. above top, Kindergarten teacher Karin Rowe demonstrates circular reading spaces at the new John Rex Charter Elementary. above bottom, Construction progress outside John Rex Charter Elementary. John Rex Charter Elementary’s status as a downtown school goes well beyond its location at the corner of Sheridan and Walker avenues. Its access to the cultural institutions of Oklahoma City’s central business district will create an urban education setting not seen in any other school. “We can go out in the community and access resources that no other child in Oklahoma can access,” said Joe Pierce, head of school at John Rex. With a public library, a modern art museum and a botanical garden all within walking distance of the school, the concept of a classroom without walls takes on a whole new meaning at John Rex. “It’s as if they were adjunct faculty of our school; we can use their expertise,” Pierce said about the community partners — including downtown business and cultural leaders — he has formed relationships with. The excitement is obvious when talking with teachers who feel a sense of freedom and creativity they might not have experienced at other schools. “We get to walk to the library, the museum has an open-door policy for us, Myriad Gardens is right across the street — it’s amazing,” said Karin Rowe, a kindergarten teacher at John Rex. “It’s going to be excellent for the education of the students to really get out and experience things.” John Rex will focus on core subjects like reading and math, but there will also

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be resources devoted to those subjects that tend to take a backseat in today’s budgetcrunched culture of public education. “You need to teach to the whole child,” Rowe said. “It’s not just the reading and math; it’s everything: the science and technology, the arts and music.”

Building a community

Of all the businesses, restaurants and cultural institutions that are new to downtown in recent years, it could be argued that John Rex will have the largest impact on making OKC’s core business district a true community. “You don’t get much more community-based than an elementary school,” said Jane Jenkins, president of Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. “It’s the place that communities rally behind.” As a charter school, John Rex aims to boost educational achievement in the city’s urban core. But it is also addressing a concern for many young families who might be interested in moving downtown but are unsure about the schools. “It makes downtown more attractive for families and makes living downtown more of a realistic achievement for families,” said Daniel Chae, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) secretary at John Rex and a parent of two students. Chae said the excitement of parents can be found not only in enrollment numbers but in the involvement in PTA. Before the school even opened, more than 130 parents signed up to be involved.

“The energy behind it and the location in the downtown area is amazing,” Chae said. “I come from a background of community development, so seeing a school in the heart of downtown was very attractive to me.” The addition of a school downtown is also about continuing the momentum of recent years, Jenkins said. “The lessons that we need to learn now are how … we capture and keep our former investments while we focus on building new communities and new experiences. This school helps us do that,” Jenkins said. Pierce said the school has been overwhelmed with enrollment questions and it’s not uncommon for him to receive a visit from a young couple that don’t yet have a school-aged child. “I think as we meet young families, we are seeing that there are a lot of people who want to live downtown, they want to walk their child to school and they want to be involved,” Pierce said.

Class in session

John Rex welcomed its new students for the first day of class. Around 325 students are enrolled in pre-kindergarten through second grade. Each year, the school will add another grade level until it reaches sixth grade, which will bring total enrollment to 600. A waiting list exists for each grade level as the school uses a four-tier system

in considering students. First priority goes to students living in the downtown area, which is roughly between the Oklahoma River and 13th Street. Residents of the Oklahoma City Public Schools district, students who have parents working downtown and then all families are considered. Sixteen full-time teachers are on staff, along with other support staff and administrators. Bright colors are seen throughout the school building, along with large windows that allow the surrounding skyline to be visible in almost every room.

Student-centered approach

The uniqueness of John Rex will go beyond its downtown location, as the school will also use student-centered curriculum in an effort to tailor the school experience to each child. “We are really taking into account that child’s abilities and interests, what they want to do and what they can do, and then shaping their education to fit them,” said Brittney Bierschenk, a secondgrade teacher at John Rex. “That is not something you see in the cookie-cutter generation of education.” John Rex embraces Oklahoma Academic Standards and a personalized learning plan (PLP) to create specific learning styles for each student, taking into consideration academic weakness along with student interest.

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8/8/14

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2014 Dodge Ram® Giveaway • Wednesday, August 27

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NEWS GAZETTE

30 years! Best of OKC celebrates three decades of local growth with the city’s first and longest-running reader’s poll. BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

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For 30 years, Oklahoma Gazette has rounded up reader feedback in this glorious Best of OKC process. The readers speak. This isn’t a ballot about who advertises most with OKG, who our staff likes the most or who has the prettiest eyes. (Maybe the last could be a voter category — we’ve had weirder ones.) Best of OKC was the first organized, reader-driven effort to support OKC local arts, food, entertainment and personalities. It’s also the longest-running contest in the city. It has been copied many times — The Oklahoman has its version, as do The Tulsa World, The Moore Daily, Oklahoma Magazine and many others. “When Oklahoma created the Best of OKC in the 1980s, we committed ourselves to a hyper local, credible poll of our readers to recognize the best in personalities, goods and services in Central Oklahoma,” said Bill Bleakley, owner and publisher of Oklahoma Gazette. And, boy, has it grown. This year, we received more than 200,000 votes in 85 categories. Back in 1985, categories included everything from Cleanest Public Restrooms to Best Full-Service Gas Station (Remember

those places?) and Best Place to Have an Accident (unrelated to the bathroom category). By the mid’90s, however, people were voting for MAPS as the Best Thing to Look Forward to in the Next Year. In the mid-aughts, readers were aflutter about meteorologist Gary England (now retired) for Best Television Personality Who’s Too Good for This Market. This year, we delve into myriad local food genres, restaurants, bartenders, chefs, shopping locations, karaoke joints, blogs, smartphone apps and more. More than 20 percent of metro residents read Oklahoma Gazette every week, and it’s the largest independent weekly newspaper in the state. Weekly cumulative readership tops 207,000. So when readers speak, it matters to us. And each voice counts. “Many imitators have come, and most have gone, but none have matched the value of Best of OKC to our readers,” Bleakley said. “Some publications make their own choices; others open the floodgates of unlimited voting. Our requirements of ‘one person, one ballot’ and voting in 50 percent of the categories provide a quality recognition program of value to our readers and advertisers.” Don’t be fooled. Oklahoma Gazette’s Best of OKC is the original alllocal, community-driven survey, and it’s organized by Oklahoma’s largest locally owned independent newsweekly. Read more and see this year’s winners in this issue.

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Transit’s next stop A regional rail-based transit system plan could reach voters in a few years.

Santa Fe Depot seen from the grassy median on EK Gaylord Boulevard.

BY BEN FELDER

Oklahoma City might be more than a decade away from having a truly regional public transportation system, but it’s also already well down the road toward creating one. A well-researched route for streetcars and a commuter rail? Check. Passed legislation that allows for the creation of a regional transit authority? Check. Conversations and support from various city leaders? Check. “I don’t think that the type of regional transit [system] we envision for Oklahoma City is just around the corner; I think it’s a ways off [from completion],” Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said. “But keep in mind how far we’ve come.” Cornett serves as chair of the regional transit committee working with the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG), which recently finalized a transit proposal that has been years in the making. Continued support from metro city leaders and a dedicated funding source are still needed, but voters in Oklahoma City and beyond could be asked to dedicate tax dollars to a regional transit system in a few years. The plan calls for commuter rail service from Norman and Edmond into downtown Oklahoma City. There are also streetcar lines extending from downtown east into Midwest City and north along Classen Boulevard, along with significant enhancements to local bus service. “If we got the funding for it tomorrow, this is what would be built,” Eric Dryer, a transportation planner for ACOG, said about the plan that was announced this summer. Of course, that “funding” component is easier said than done and is an important hurdle to clear in the coming years. ACOG officials and transit supporters plan to continue talking with city leaders in OKC, Norman, Moore, Edmond and other cities, and Cornett said that will involve making presentations in front of city councils across the metro over the next year. “Right now, it’s about continuing to increase support for this,” Cornett added.

Political factor

Since a regional transit system would rely on lawmaker support and a voterapproved tax, transit advocates say they are aware of the politics involved in building a regional system.

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before a regional transit plan is brought up for a vote. Cities with successful streetcar or light rail starter lines have had success in winning voter approval for expansions. In cities where an initial streetcar line is not yet operational, expansion votes have failed, which was the case in Kansas City this month. One of the most important steps to building a regional transit system was getting House Bill 2480 past the Legislature and governor’s desk this year. Before passage of the bill, a regional transit authority would have had to be built around city and county boundaries. However, it can now be drawn to any configuration.

There has been some great momentum in the city through MAPS over the past decades. — Jeff Bezdek Rush-hour traffic lines up as it heads into downtown OKC.

Some ideas call for pushing forward a vote in conjunction with the next possible Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) vote around 2017, attempting to harness the popularity of the sales tax program. However, even MAPS has had its detractors, and transit supporters want to make sure their plan can withstand possible opposition. “There has been some great momentum in the city through MAPS over the past decades,” said Jeff Bezdek, a volunteer with the Modern Transit Project, an organization partially responsible for building the grassroots support for a regional transit plan. “But we don’t want to take that support for granted.” Because a regional transit election would include several cities, it is also important officials take into consideration the taxing and political climate in other municipalities, not just Oklahoma City. “Timing is everything,” Bezdek said. Part of that timing includes the downtown streetcar system, which some advocates say is important to be operational

has to be established by participating cities before an election will be set, but transit advocates already understand the importance of creating a sophisticated and organized campaign in an effort to get voter approval. Transit can be a politically charged issue, as was the case last year, when Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid spoke out against OKC’s downtown streetcar system in his bid to become mayor. Shadid argued that rail-based transit was too expensive and neglected the city’s bus system, which serves the working poor who rely on public transit. “The average person that commutes that you are trying to get out of their cars, they don’t like riding buses,” said a local transit advocate who did not want to wish to be named because of the political implications. “But they will vote for rail. All this talk about rail ... it’s also about building better buses.” A regional transit system would also include enhanced bus service, and advocates say simply asking for better buses now, without looking to attract new riders through regional rail, is shortsighted.

The next step “Let’s say we went to a vote to try and get a funding source [for the authority] ... and it was all of Oklahoma County and all of Cleveland County and all of Canadian County,” said Marion Hutchison, a member of ACOG’s regional transit dialogue steering committee. “What do you think most of those people who live in the rural areas are going to vote for? The service may not go out to them, and they may not feel like they are going to use it. So the densely [populated] communities are where we can draw our boundaries around.” Passage of a dedicated sales tax for transit is more likely to happen if those asked to vote for it are ones who have a history of supporting transit systems, like MAPS 3, and would be likely riders, Hutchison said. It also means tax collections would only take place in the designated transit authority boundaries. “Not only do you want to capture likely voters but you want to capture likely riders in an election,” Bezdek said about the proposed rail corridors and the possible authority boundaries. The regional transit authority still

Transit advocates plan to make more presentations to city leaders in the coming year and hope an agreement between cities like OKC, Norman, Moore and Edmond can be made to form a regional transit authority. That step will not include a financial investment toward building rail, but it would allow metro leaders to speak with a unified voice in promoting the plan. In a few years, a ballot asking for a funding plan for the system, such as a half-cent sales tax, could be brought to voters. That number is based on an ACOG estimate that would pay for construction and operation of the proposed regional transit system. However, with a streetcar system soon to be built in downtown and the acquisition of Santa Fe Depot, which will act as the hub for a regional system, work is underway. “Keep in mind how far we’ve come,” Cornett said. “We are currently funding the streetcar element of the [regional plan]. In a way, we are building out that transit system we envisioned nine or 10 years ago.”

P HOTOS BY M A RK HA N COC K

NEWS CITY

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METRO BRIEFS

Food for thought M A RK HA N COC K

52 schools now offer no-cost lunches for students.

rather than listening to their stomach grumble,” said Spencer cafeteria manager Kevin Huffman. Huffman views free lunches as a way to assist attentiveness in the classroom as well as help his lunch line move faster. “It allows us to get done a little quicker in the day and concentrate on making sure the food is good, which is what we should be doing,” Huffman said. Schools will no longer be bill collectors, and entering pin numbers at the end of the lunch line will be a thing of the past.

A single mother of two making $37,000 a year doesn’t qualify for a free lunch for her children. Add up the normal bills of a middle- or low-income household, and $3 a day for lunch can become a challenge. That’s about the change for parents with children in one of 52 Oklahoma City schools that will now offer free lunch to every student, regardless of income level. “Sometimes those kids who [do not qualify for] free or reduced lunch are marginal, so we are now for sure that they have adequate food for learning and are ready for the afternoon,” said Mary Coughlin, principal at Spencer Elementary School. Ninety percent of Oklahoma City students already qualify for free or reduced lunch, and some schools, like Spencer, have an even higher rate. But the federal government’s Community Eligibility Provision will now cover the cost of all lunches in schools where more than 40 percent of students come from households that receive government food assistance. “The stigma of kids not having a meal is gone,” said Kevin Ponce, child nutrition services director at OKC Public Schools. The district receives $3 for each child. A third pays for kitchen equipment, another third goes to labor and the remaining third pays for food, Ponce said. In high-poverty communities, schools can sometimes be the only source of nutrition for some students, and a full stomach can be the difference between an attentive student and a fatigued one. “If the kid has a full belly, they are more apt to concentrate on learning

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Mary Fallin

BE N FELDER

Kevin Ponce

Fallin backs marijuana oil in limited medical use

If Oklahoma’s medical marijuana supporters have asked for a mile, then Gov. Mary Fallin seems willing to give at least an inch. Fallin remains opposed to marijuana legalization, including for medical treatment. But at a press conference last week, she announced her willingness to consider legalizing cannabidiol (CBD) oil on a trial basis, joining a wave of lawmakers in several other conservative states that have embraced this product, which is produced from marijuana. “I am not for legalizing marijuana in Oklahoma, nor am I for legalizing medical marijuana in Oklahoma,” Fallin said, specifically referencing two petitions currently circulating in hopes of putting a marijuana legalization ballot before voters this fall. “I do support allowing potentially life-saving medicine to find its way to children in need.” Research has shown that CBD oil is a possible treatment for a variety of health issues, including seizures in toddlers and children. CBD oil does not contain more than 0.3 percent of THC, the ingredient in marijuana that creates the stoned feeling. Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City,

who is leading a legislative study into the use of CBD oil, joined Fallin on Wednesday and said his niece suffered from seizures. “This is pretty personal for me,” Echols said. “The legislative process moves slow … I say that with a heavy heart.” Progressive lawmakers in Oklahoma — including Sen. Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, who has filed several legalization bills — have argued for legalizing medical marijuana in the past. However, the majority of Republican lawmakers have remained opposed to the measure, even though a Sooner Poll last year found 71 percent of Oklahomans support medical marijuana. Fallin and the Republican Legislature might not be willing to embrace medical marijuana yet, but CBD oil has become a gateway drug of sorts in conservative states. “What the CBD movement has done, I think, is brought in the soccer moms to the discussion,” Josh Stanley, owner of a medical marijuana business in Colorado, told The Denver Post earlier this year. “It’s brought in the mainstream, and it’s brought in the conservatives.” Twelve states, mostly in the Republican South, have legalized CBD oil without legalizing medical marijuana. Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, who is challenging Fallin this fall for governor, issued a statement saying he was pleased to see the governor follow his lead on the issue. “Fallin had staunchly opposed the use of cannabidiol oil in any fashion up to now, but suddenly she’s in favor of it,” Dorman said in the statement. “I’m not surprised she’s flip-flopped on yet another issue.” Fallin was asked about the timing of her announcement and said she was unaware of Dorman’s stance. “I had no idea he supported this issue,” Fallin said. By the numbers

$2.2 billion. That’s how much Oklahoma City plans to spend on new infrastructure to bring water into the growing city. Because of that expense, and the need to encourage conservation, the Oklahoma City Council is considering a water rate increase.

S HA N N ON CORN M A N / FI LE

M A RK HA N COC K

BY BEN FELDER

During a meeting of the city council last week, Marsha Slaughter, utilities director for OKC, said the proposed rate increases would include a higher rate for the largest water users. “This [proposal] includes a block structure to help encourage water conservation,” Slaughter said. If approved, Oklahoma City residents would see the base rate per 1,000 gallons of water rise from $2.65 to $2.73 next year. Another round of increases would go into effect in 2016 and in 2017, when it would be set at $2.89, resulting in a 9 percent increase. However, once residents hit the 10,000 gallon mark before the end of the month, which nearly half of all homes do at least once during the year, each additional 1,000 gallons used would be charged at a higher rate. The 2017 rate for each 1,000 gallons used past the 10,000 gallon mark would be $3.50. Similar rate increases have also been proposed for non-residential customers. The proposed increases were introduced to the council last week, and a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday’s council meeting. Say what?

“The scope of the project in option No. 1 would be no different in the public’s eye,” Mike Mize, a MAPS 3 consultant, told the MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board. The board was presented with three options of a whitewater facility on the Oklahoma River after initial bids came in over budget. The board agreed to go with option No. 1, which moves forward on the project but looks for ways to make cost-saving reductions that Mize said would not be apparent to the public. The city council will have to approve the plan in an upcoming meeting.

NEWS ELECTION

Races to watch The vote is nigh, and there are three top metro face-offs you should keep an eye on. BY BEN FELDER

Half of the state senate and house races facing a primary runoff next week are located in the Oklahoma City area, and several will decide the ultimate winner due to the lack of a candidate from the opposing party. On Tuesday, voters in 12 senate and house districts across the state will pick one of the top two vote earners from June’s primary in which neither candidate received at least 51 percent of the vote. As another Election Day is upon us, here are the top three metro races to watch, along with a rundown of other state and federal runoff elections. 1. Jason Dunnington vs. 2. Paula Sophia, Democratic primary for House District 88 1 The winner of this Democratic primary will become the next representative of this urban OKC district. Dunnington had the 2 highest vote count in the June primary with 40 percent, 17 points higher than Sophia. While Dunnington has a sizable lead, Sophia could make up ground with the support of voters for Mark Faulk and John Gibbons, the other two primary candidates who framed Dunnington as the “establishment” candidate. 3. Stephanie Bice vs. 4. Mark Thomas, Republican primary for Senate District 22 3 Of all the Oklahoma City-area primaries that were forced into a runoff, District 22 featured the closest race between candidates. 4 The three-candidate primary election in June resulted in each candidate receiving at least 29 percent and no more than 37 percent. Stephanie Bice, who received 37 percent of the June vote, and Mark Thomas, who grabbed 33 percent, emerged to the runoff. District 22 includes portions of Edmond and Yukon, although its largest geographical area is the rural community of Piedmont. Bice, who lives in Edmond, and Thomas, who lives in Yukon, will be competing for

the support of those who voted for third-place finisher Leif Francel, a Piedmont resident. 5. Ervin Yen vs. 6. Steve Kern, Republican primary for Senate District 40 5 The top two Republican candidates to emerge in a crowded senate District 40 primary in June were Ervin Yen and Steve 6 Kern. Yen, a medical doctor and AsianAmerican, has a campaign with a sixfigure bank account and received an initial boost last year in contributions from various medical political action committees, such as the Associated Anesthesiologists PAC and Oklahoma Osteopathic PAC. Yen’s personal campaign contribution list is also filled with high-dollar donations from physicians and other medical professionals. Kern’s campaign bank is not nearly as full, but he has name recognition thanks to his wife, Sally, who is a state representative, and his post as pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in OKC. Both candidates have been critics of liberal policies. Yen is outspoken on the Affordable Care Act, and Kern champions conservative social values. Kern will have the biggest ground to make up in the runoff. He earned 20 percent of the vote compared to Yen’s 39 percent in June’s election. District 40 includes portions of The Village, Nichols Hills and northwest Oklahoma City. Other OKC area runoffs: Democrats Mary Sosa and Shane Stone in House District 89, Democrats George Young and Eleanor Darden Thompson in House District 99 and Republicans John Paul Jordan and Jonathan Clour in House District 43. State and federal runoffs: Democrats John Cox and Freda Deskin for superintendent of public instruction, Democrats Connie Johnson and Jim Rogers for U.S. Senate, Democrats Tom Guild and Al McAffrey for Congressional District 5 and Republicans Steve Russell and Patrice Douglas for Congressional District 5.

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CHiCKEN

FRiED NEWS

Organic overkill

It’s just not natural. Don McGehee, who owns D&H Farms, said the farm will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary. This year, the cake’s candles won’t light, the hired clown is passed out and all the metal foil balloons are flat. Most of his crop is gone or can’t be sold. Around 200 plum trees and several blackberry bushes are dead, and McGehee can no longer classify his crops as organic because Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative allegedly had someone spray his property with herbicide. Until this incident, he claims, the farm has been chemical-free. “That’s all gone,” McGehee told KOCO.com. “The legacy of this farm has been destroyed.” He also claims that he has lost more than $140,000 in the debacle. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is looking into the

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incident, as McGehee said he signed an agreement with the cooperative allowing him to cut any growth that might interfere with power lines, which means that this mass kill and crop ruination wasn’t part of the deal. The bright side? He expects his crops to come back — in at least three years.

Moving on

The well-documented split between former Flaming Lips drummer Kliph Scurlock and Wayne Coyne is rather complex. But for the uninitiated, here’s the condensed version: Scurlock no like Coyne. Coyne no like Scurlock. It all started back in March, when Scurlock took to social media to criticize Christina Fallin (our governor’s daughter) for sporting an American Indian headdress in some sort of bizarre glamor shot-type thing. So when Coyne — a friend of Christina’s — found out about those mean words, he had some disparaging comments of his own for the band’s thendrummer, even going so far as to “fire”

him Donald Trump-style. Fun stuff, right? Well, it wasn’t so fun for the parties involved. But Scurlock, who drums now for Super Furry Animals frontman YOU’RE Gruff Rhys’ FIRED! backing band, told The Kansas City Star he’s in a much better place in his post-Lips days. “I hadn’t really liked Wayne very much for a few years now,” he said, “and as I get more perspective on it, I miss the guys and the songs and knowing where next month’s rent was coming from. But for the most part, I’m a lot happier.” So it sounds like everything worked out, even if Coyne and Scurlock are no longer “fwends.”

The Shat vs. The Switz

What do Barry Switzer and Captain Kirk have in common? A love for win. William Shatner, the original leader of the starship USS Enterprise, and

Switzer, the former Oklahoma football coach, appear set to work together on Shatner’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show. Switzer has agreed to provide the wine for the event from his Switzer Family Vineyard. Tulsa World pop culture writer Jimmie Tramel wrote about the wine pact and even took credit in bringing the two together. “I asked Shatner on Twitter if he had gotten his shipment of wine from Switzer yet,” Tramel wrote, not only informing readers of the pact but that he also converses with Hollywood stars on Twitter. “That sparked a Twitter conversation between the actor and the coach.”

Squirrely behavior

A devious squirrel caused a recent brownout at the Payne County Administration building in Stillwater. “Our alarm system went haywire, calling an average of 30 times a minute,” District No. 2 Commissioner Chris Reding told Stillwater News Press. In the middle of the night, the furry

little mammal was fried while scurrying around an air conditioning unit. The scaredy squirrel’s fatal blunder impacted power ! supply to the building, including A/C, phones, ! ! 911 battery reserve and 911 “eventually, the alarm ! 911 ! system,” the paper reported. What’s that old saying? Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile? Looks like this guy found his eternal home.

911

followed up with breezy reassurance that all is fine. Of course, in record time, the epic game of Telephone that 91 is the Internet had no doubt 1 ! ! upgraded her medical status 911 9 911 11 to somewhere between ! 911 ! “grave” and “at death’s door.” Chenoweth reassured fans it was nothing out of the ordinary and thanked them for their positive support. She brushed it off as a “flare-up.” The Broken Arrow native suffered a serious injury on the set of The Good Wife in 2012. A lighting rig fell on her, Everyone, she’s OK. fracturing her skull and straining and Really. spraining her hip, neck and ribs. If we Kristin Chenoweth is really, really okay. know anything about the dynamo, it’s No, really. that you can’t keep her down for long. According to E! Online, Twitter was awash with concern for everyone’s Glenda James Marsden, the Good Witch, Kristin Chenoweth. mysterious sharpshooter The diminutive stage and screen star of Have you enjoyed watching native Wicked and Pushing Daisies fame sent Oklahoma actor James Marsden kick ass out vague missives about her symptoms, as Cyclops in the last four X-Men movies? asking, “anyone who prays please do!” Well, you’re in luck; he has been cast in a She then reported that she was headed to new sci-fi show on HBO. the hospital for an evaluation. She soon

Westworld is about a theme park full of androids who “fulfill human desires,” according to Entertainment Weekly’s website. We’re not sure exactly what that means, but it certainly sounds intriguing. The show’s page on IMDB.com says that the theme park simulates life in Roman and Medieval times as well as the old Wild West — until something goes awry. Dun dun dun! Marsden will play newcomer Teddy Flood, a man with loads of charm and some impressive pistol skills who also happens to be shrouded in mystery. Oh yeah, and he falls for a local babe, which causes him some trouble — what else would it do? Marsden will be joining an impressive cast including Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood and Ed Harris. Westworld is based on a 1973 sci-fi Western film written by novelist Michael Crichton and is currently is pre-production.

Social climber

had to take a break mid-set during the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival at the OKC Downtown Airpark. It wasn’t because of an ironic lack of energy but because someone climbed the scaffolding tower. And the band, along with everyone except the crowd, feared for the person’s safety. After 15 minutes of flailing around 30 feet above the ground, personnel were able to get the person down unharmed and the show resumed. Shame on Avenged Sevenfold! Obviously they were desperate for attention and put the person up to it. Who can blame them? They have been forced to follow Ice-T’s thrash group Body Count during the Mayhem tour. The band reportedly ended their night in OKC with a Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-themed party that included hot wings and members of Korn singing karaoke.

Neu-hesher rockers Avenged Sevenfold

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COMMENTARY

Refugee youth would be great citizens BY MIKE MALES

“Suffer the little children to come unto me,” Jesus said, but not to Oklahoma or elsewhere in America. Right-wing, self-proclaimed Christians are yet again demonstrating their disdain for Jesus’ teachings that don’t suit their tribal nativism. Oklahoma’s Republican congressional delegation voted to deport the Central American youngsters who journeyed thousands of miles seeking refuge from unspeakable violence (much of it fostered by drug gangs supplying upscale, aging America’s insatiable habit). There’s no room in the inn. Yet, who would make better citizens — if that’s what some refugees ultimately want — than those who trekked thousands of miles, enduring rape, robbery and beatings to get here? How many of these xenophobic mobs screaming at buses of children would make that kind of sacrifice?

“Patriots” endlessly whine and threaten to secede from the union over Obamacare, gun checks, gay marriage, dark-skinned people in “their” country, made-up culture-war junk, any taxes at all, curly light bulbs — whatever doesn’t go their way. White House liberals regard refugee children as a political vexation to be deported as quickly as possible. Do swarthy newcomers bring crime, violence, shootings and drug epidemics, as anti-immigrant activists proclaim? Oklahoma’s Hispanic population has tripled over the last two decades to over 350,000, plus an estimated 75,000 undocumented immigrants. The reality is that more Hispanics have brought down Oklahoma’s rates of crime, violence, gun fatality and drug abuse. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s crime figures show that relative to their respective populations, Hispanics actually have considerably lower

rates of violent crime, total crime and drug offenses than do non-Hispanic whites. A non-Hispanic white Oklahoman is 30 percent more likely to be arrested for a criminal offense and 50 percent more likely to be arrested for illegal drugs than a Hispanic Oklahoman. (These figures involve subtracting offenses by Hispanics from totals for whites.) Centers for Disease Control tabulations of deaths from guns and illegal drugs in Oklahoma over the last five years show that Hispanics — 9 percent of Oklahoma’s population — comprise just 4 percent of firearms deaths and 2 percent of illegal drug deaths. In contrast, non-Hispanic whites, 71 percent of Oklahoma’s population, account for 73 percent of gun deaths and 83 percent of deaths from illegal drugs. Oklahoma’s worst populations for illegal drug abuse are not young or minority but non-Hispanic whites ages

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.

40 to 54 (who also have extraordinarily high gun fatality risks). Non-Hispanic whites ages 30 and older, 45 percent of Oklahoma’s population, account for 60 percent of Oklahoma’s firearms deaths and 68 percent of its illegal-drug deaths. Which circles back to a major crisis driving Central American children to the United States: Americans’ rampant drug habit that funds ruthless international traffickers who generate horrific violence in countries along supply routes, like Guatemala and Honduras. Oklahoma and the rest of America will survive rotten behaviors, our Neanderthal politics and us aging whites. A few tens of thousands more Central American youngsters who will soon be contributing their payroll taxes to our Social Security checks should be welcome indeed. Mike Males, Harding High School grad (1968) and senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, lives in Oklahoma City.

LETTERS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette.com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification. Is national comparison fair?

I really appreciate Michael Barlow’s letter regarding teachers’ pay, “Starting salary isn’t the problem” (News, Commentary, Aug. 8, Oklahoma Gazette). The guy has been around the block a few times and has been heavily involved in all facets of the Sooner educational system. The fly in the ointment is the repeated comparison of how many dollars an Oklahoma teacher earns compared to the national average. Can one really compare an earned Oklahoma dollar and its associated buying power to one in San Francisco, Hartford, Albany, etc.? Oklahoma is tied for 17th place nationally with Idaho and South Carolina with respect to educational spending as a ratio to personal income. That’s a much fairer comparison. In that regard, I would

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contend Oklahoma education is not underfunded. — Thomas L. Furlong Oklahoma City Pigs don’t listen

Scott Esk, Muslim extremists, Nazis and professional sports owners still have a lot to learn. Scott Esk (News, Chicken-Fried News, “Stoning gays ... to death?” June 18, Gazette) made the mistake that all persons with concrete belief systems make sooner or later. They speak to them, or as Jesus said, they “cast their pearls before swine.” The swine are the listeners and reporters who have contrary belief systems. It is a fool who thinks that the swine will attentively listen and critically analyze what you are trying to say. — Michael Moberly Mustang Ignorance isn’t bliss

Mickey McVay, the man who told Gazette readers that our atmosphere is 95 percent water (News, Letters, “Mistaken environmentalists,” Sept. 14, 2011, Gazette) continues his tradition of willfully ignorant letters with “Who’s to Blame?” (News, Letters, July 30, Gazette). I damn well remember 9/11. But I

also remember who was actually culpable for that dastardly act. It was not Iraq. No one even remotely informed ever thought otherwise. He accuses Obama of prematurely withdrawing troops. Those troops left when they did because of the “U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement, 2008” signed by the Bush Administration. The full text is online — look at Article 24. As for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, at the time, I fell for it. I did not comprehend just how spineless Clinton administration people and other Democrats could be at standing up to the Bush administration. The “evidence” provided prior to the war was garbage. The Bush administration

played the same game used by creationists and climate-change deniers: Start with the conclusion, cherry-pick the “facts.” Most of the media lacked the will to do the work to find the truth or the courage to say it. Those with Netflix might consider watching Ken Burns’ The Central Park Five for example of a press that failed to dispute indisputably false evidence provided by those in power. Thus, the media debate continued decades longer than it should have. Finally, three words: Gulf of Tonkin. — Michael Hopkins Norman

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OKG picks are events

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

BOOKS A Writer’s Vision Literary Symposium, community organizations provide classes and experiences for aspiring authors, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 23. Langston University - Oklahoma City Campus, 4205 N. Lincoln Blvd., 962-1620, langston.edu. SAT Thomas Strawser Book Signing, author of Spiritual Engineering, 1-2 p.m., Aug. 23. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks. com. SAT

M A RK HA N COC K

Paul Ryan Book Signing, U.S. Congressman and author of The Way Forward: Renewing the American Idea, 4 p.m., Aug. 25. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth, Edmond, 340-9202, bestofbooksedmond.com. MON Powerful Prose Discussion Series, OKCU President Robert Henry leads a book discussion about The Nicest Nazi: Childhood Memories of World War II, 6:30 p.m., Aug. 25. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. MON

FILM Exhibition, (U.K., 2013, dir. Joanna Hogg) an intimate examination of a contemporary artist couple whose life and work are disrupted by the sale of their home, 7:30 p.m., Aug 21; 5:30 p.m. Aug. 22-23; 2 p.m. Aug. 24. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 2363100, okcmoa.com. THU Borgman, (Netherlands, 2013, dir. Alex van Warmerdam), a vagrant enters the lives of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process, 8 p.m., Aug. 22-23. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI

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In Color Film Festival, event focusing on the contributions of minority independent filmmakers, Aug. 23. The Paramount OKC, 701 W. Sheridan Ave., 517-0787, theparamountokc.com. SAT

Brian Winkeler is riding high after the release of new comic book, Knuckleheads. So high, in fact, that he’s throwing a pizza party and meet-and-greet with three of its four creators. That’s right; free pizza and comics. Need we say more? It all goes down noon-3 p.m. Saturday at New World Comics, 6219 N. Meridian Ave. Admission is free. Call 721-7634 or visit newworldcomics.net.

Saturday Oklahoma Professional Sales Association (OKPSA) Luncheon, Michael Byrnes, president and general manager of the OKC RedHawks, is the August speaker, 11:30 a.m., Aug. 20. Devon Tower, 333 W. Sheridan Ave. WED

Algo Trunk Fall Show, showcasing the latest designs, Aug 20. Balliets, 5801 NW Grand Blvd., 848-7811, balliets.com. WED Oklahoma County Free Fair, 100th annual event featuring special contests and activities for all ages, Aug. 21-23. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd. THU

HAPPENINGS

Leading in Crisis: The Oklahoma City Bombing, featuring former governor Frank Keating, 11 a.m., Aug. 26th. Rose State College, 6420 SE 15th St., Midwest City, 733-7673, rose. edu. TUE

Hats Off to Kids, hosted by the Salvation Army to raise funds to purchase back-to-school items for children in need, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Aug 26. The Greens Country Club, 13100 Green Valley, 751-6266, thegreenscc.com. TUE

FOOD Eat For Your Health: Fiber, what fiber is, why it’s important and where to get it, 10 a.m., Aug. 20. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Rd., Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. WED

Sharknado 2: The Second One When it comes to describing the Sharknado series, cultural phenomenon doesn’t even begin to describe it. The first Sharknado took the world by storm (sorry) with its over-the-top nature and sheer ridiculousness. Sharknado 2: The Second One made its TV debut on July 30 to over 4 million viewers, and now it gets the big-screen treatment it deserves. See it 8 p.m. Thursday at AMC Quail Springs 24, 2501 W. Memorial Road, and Regal Spotlight Stadium 14, 1100 Interstate Drive, in Norman. Tickets are $12.50. Visit fathomevents.com.

Thursday

Taco Truck Thursday, enjoy street tacos alongside an award-winning steel band and music by Grupo Escandalo, 6-9 p.m., Aug. 21. Capitol Hill’s Historic District, SW 25th and Harvey. THU Skyline Food Truck Festival, over 30 local trucks, a car show, live music and comedy to raise money for the Red Dirt Relief Fund, 9 a.m.-11 p.m., Aug. 23. OKC Downtown Airpark, 1701 S. Western Ave., 364-3700, okcairpark.com. SAT

PR OV IDE D

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The Lego Movie, (U.S., 2014, dir. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller) an ordinary Lego worker is recruited to stop an evil tyrant, 9 p.m., Aug. 22. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, myriadgardens.org. FRI

Knuckleheads Pizza Party

Saturday Cooking Class: Mango Chicken Curry, learn how to prepare delicious meals at home, 1 p.m., Aug. 23. Buy For Less, 3501 Northwest Expressway, 946-6342, buyforlessok.com. SAT More Than Just Bananas & The tropical fruits of the world, the tropics of the world are home to dozens of exotic fruits that we rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to see or taste in Oklahoma, 6 p.m., Aug. 26. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 4457080, myriadgardens.org. TUE

YOUTH David Payne’s Wild Weather Camp, learn about Oklahoma weather and proper safety procedures, 10 a.m., Aug. 20. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St., 602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. WED

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Back in the olden days, when movies were literally silent, a live musical performer or set of performers would accompany the film right there in the theater. OU’s School of Music seeks to recreate this magical setting with a screening of 1928’s The Cameraman, starring Buster Keaton, and Peter Krasinski providing the tunes on a one-ofa-kind theatrical pipe organ. The screening begins at 8 p.m. Friday in Sharp Concert Hall inside OU’s Catlett Music Center, 500 W. Boyd St., in Norman. Tickets are $5-$10. Call 325-4101 or visit music.ou.edu.

Friday

Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma’s Over the Edge, a unique experience to rappel from Leadership Square, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 23. Leadership Square, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 2350877. SAT

Chess Saturdays at the Meinders Garden Terrace, hosted by Jake Williams, open to all ages and skill level, noon-6 p.m., Aug. 23 Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, myriadgardens.org. SAT

Drop-in Art: Op Art Checkerboard, join guest artists as they interact with families to create extraordinary works of art inspired by the Museum’s collection, exhibitions and special occasions, 1-4 p.m., Aug. 23. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. SAT

Little Big Chefs, make circus food this week, 2 p.m., Aug. 24. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Rd., 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. SUN

Glengarry Glen Ross, two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents willing to sell undesirable real estate to unsuspecting buyers by any means, 8 p.m., Aug. 21-23; 2 p.m., Aug. 24. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2584, okcciviccenter.com. THU–SUN

Lysistrata, the women of Greece go on a sex strike in efforts to end war in this musically comedic sex farce, 8 p.m., Aug. 22-23; 2 p.m., Aug. 24. Reduxion Theatre Company, 1613 N. Broadway Ave., 651-3191, reduxiontheatre.com. FRI–SUN Adult Improv Workshop with OKC Improv, try something new, be more creative and expressive or learn to generate ideas on the spot, 2-5 p.m., Aug. 23. Actor’s Casting and Talent Studio, 30 NE 52nd St., 702-0400, actorscasting.com. SAT

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The Phantom of the Opera Andrew Lloyd Webber. Brandon Mackintosh. The Phantom of the Opera. Three heavyweights if there ever were any, and there’s a reason this 28-year-old production is the most successful musical of all-time. The national tour kicks off its Oklahoma City run with a premiere 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Tickets are $40-$135. Call 800869-1451 or visit celebrityattractions.com.

Contra Dance, hosted by the Scissortail Traditional Dance Society and featuring live music, 8-11 p.m., Aug. 23. First Unitarian Church, 600 NW 13th St., uuokc.org, 232-9224. SAT Rick Guiterrez, stand-up comedy, 8 p.m., Aug. 20-21; 8, 10:30 p.m., Aug. 22-23; 8 p.m., Aug. 24. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED–SUN Drag Float!, comedy combining elements of Hitchcock, 70s disaster movies and drag queens, 6:30 p.m., Aug. 22-23. The Boom, 2218 NW 39th St., 601-7200, theboomokc.com. FRI–SAT

ACTIVE OKC Redhawks vs. El Paso Chihuahuas, minor league baseball, 7:05 p.m., Aug. 20-23. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Dr., 218-1000, bricktownokc.com. WED–SAT Spirit Sprint 5k Run and Spirit Stroll Fun Walk, annual 5k run and walk to benefit special needs recreation, 8-10 a.m., Aug. 23. Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W. Vandament-Yukon, 350-8937. SAT

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Wednesday, Aug. 27, ongoing

Midnight Streak While not technically streaking in the traditional sense, the 10th annual Midnight Streak is still butt-loads of fun. The 5k race supports Oklahoma Contemporary’s mission of artistic expression through exhibits and education, with kid-friendly activities and local artist demonstrations to boot. The run begins 8 p.m. Saturday at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center’s future location, NW 11th Street and Broadway Avenue. The event is free to attend, and registration for runners is $35. Call 951-0000 or visit oklahomacontemporary.org.

Saturday

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gloRUN, third annual blacklight 5k and 1-mile fun run, 6 p.m., Aug. 23. Mitch Park, 1501 W. Covell-Edmond, 359-4630, edmondok.com/parks. SAT OKC Redhawks vs. Albuquerque Isotopes, minor league baseball. 6:05 p.m., Aug 24. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Dr., 218-1000, bricktownokc.com. SUN

VISUAL ARTS 19th Annual Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee artists display works of art. Cherokee Heritage Center, 21192 S Keeler Dr., Park Hill, 456-6007, cherokeeheritage.org. 42 Years of Art & Artists in the Edmond Area, depicting historical information about the Edmond Arts Association and showcasing current members’ works. Edmond Library, 10 S. Boulevard St., Edmond, 341-9282, metrolibrary.org. Anji Bryner, works primarily in oils but incorporates other media into her work, including acrylics, watercolor and mixed media. Gallery 66, 6728 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, 314-2430, gallery66ok. com. Aquaticus: An Ocean on the Prairie, exhibit includes information on the building of the Midwest’s only major aquarium in the 1980s. Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington, 424-3344, okczoo.com. Art Gone Wild: Paintings by OKC Zoo Animals, pieces of art created by the Zoo’s own talented animal artists made especially for the show with some help from their care givers. AKA Gallery, 3001 Paseo St., 6062522, akagallery.net. Art Moves, live painting demo by Ashley Smith, 12-1 p.m., Aug. 20. Robinson Renaissance, 119 N. Robinson Ave., 232-2000, artscouncilokc.com. WED Brandice Guerra’s Wunderkammer/Totemic Taxonomy, a wondrous display of art and natural history curiosities and a collaboration between Pete Froslie and Cathleen Faubert, where totems are explored in the current context of the 21st century.

Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St., 6026664, sciencemuseumok.org.

James Mock, Ph.D. UCO Professor of Philosophy

Contemporary Flora, exhibit by Linda Hiller is all about bright colors, bold forms and modern beauty. Summer Wine Art Gallery, 2928 B Paseo St., 831-3279, summerwinegallery.com.

Joanna Lambert UCO Graduate

Formed in Stone, the natural beauty of fossils. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 325-4712, snomnh.ou.edu. Midsummer Nights Art Festival, regional artists showcase artwork of all kinds- pottery, jewelry, drawings, etc. 6 p.m.-11 p.m., Aug. 22-23. Lions Park, 450 S. Flood Ave., Norman, 366-5472, ci.norman. ok.us/parks. FRI–SAT

Mentors Matter

New West, featuring emerging and established artists from New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Kansas and Oklahoma. Acosta Strong Fine Art, 7302 N. Western Ave., 464-9719, johnbstrong.com. Perception, contemporary artwork by four Chinese artists, including porcelain, cut-paper and collage. The Lightwell Gallery, 520 Parrington Oval, Rm. 202, Norman, 325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. Power Play, exhibit explores human physiology and the power of the human body. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St., 602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. Spacial Recognition, two innovative artists exploring the nature of spaces, both those surrounding us and those within us. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com. Tee Party, bring a blank t-shirt, pillowcase, apron or tote bag for a free printmaking demonstration, 5-7:30 p.m., Aug. 22. The Lightwell Gallery, 520 Parrington Oval, Rm. 202, 325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. FRI

Joanna Lambert thought she was just fulfilling a

humanities requirement when she registered for “Philosophy of Life” with Dr. James Mock. Instead, she found fulfillment in her own life, along with the resolve to change her major. In Dr. Mock, she says she found a mentor who taught her how to think, not what to think, a lesson that has led to personal and professional success.

PROVIDED

“Dr. Mock made it fun to learn. His authenticity stands out. When you are your most authentic self, you give permission for others to do the same. This is the great gift Dr. Mock gives to his students. His example has allowed me to be effective in my work as a mental health counselor. I have found when I am my most authentic self, I give my clients the permission to do the same – and that is where healing begins.

Tee party For a good six years now, the OU art department has held an annual tee party. No, not the kind where you throw tea bags into the ocean; theirs is more fun than that. Bring a blank t-shirt, pillowcase, apron or tote bag and the OU Print Club will teach you how to screen-print some wicked cool designs. Stop by between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday at the OU School of Art and Art History in the Fred Jones Jr. Art For OKG Center, 520 Parrington Oval, Rm. 202. Participation is free and open to the public. Visit art.ou.edu. music picks

Friday

I attribute the knowledge I gained as a philosophy student at Central, in part, to what has made me a more complete person, a whole person.” Tell us how a Central faculty or staff member inspired you at univrel@uco.edu.

Live Central

see page 53

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA Edmond, OK • (405) 974-2000 • www.uco.edu TM

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BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR, KORY B. OSWALD, ZACH HALE, BRITTANY PICKERING, DEVON GREEN, BEN FELDER AND EMILY ANDERSON PHOTOS BY MARK HANCOCK AND SHANNON CORNMAN

or the 30th consecutive year, Oklahoma Gazette readers went ape for all things local. After more than two months of voting, the winners are made in the shade. Dig this list of the best of everything that our metro has to offer. Now, at any time, when someone asks you, “Who’s the best chef in Oklahoma City?” “Where’s the best place to find a hipster?” or even, “Hey, Clyde, where’s the best scooter shop?” you’’ll have the answer. The answers are Brice Rinehart at Rococo, Paseo Arts District and Indian Motorcycle. Best of OKC results are better than Google. Keep reading for boss places to cast an eyeball (museums, shops), the best places to play backseat bingo (or Best Place to Burn Calories, if you want to be formal about it), best places to scarf an exotic plate of grub, the best places to take your little monsters and more. In fact, there are close to 90 things you need to add to your bucket list right now. This list is radioactive, thanks to the guys and dolls (that’s you!) who have made the truly unique Best of OKC awards a success for 30 years. This isn’t rigged. Nobody paid for placement. We received more than 200,000 votes, and you have spoken. Your vote counts, and this list is tight.

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Best Local Annual Event or Festival

Festival of the Arts

Dr. Tim R. Love, M.D.

Best Place to Get a Non-Surgical Update

Best Radio Personality or Team

No Regret’s Tattoo

Best Bicycle Shop

Jack & Ron

AL’s Bicycle shop

98.9 KISS FM, KYIS

Best Person to Follow on Social Media

Best Place to Get Cosmetic Surgery

Kevin Durant

Central Oklahoma Humane Society

Best (National or Regional) Retail Establishment You Wish Wasn’t a Chain

Best Smartphone App (Local or National)

Best Free Entertainment

Best Family Getaway

Best Website or Blog

Best Live Music Club

Facebook

The Lost Ogle

TheLostOgle.com

Best Local Living Author

Ree Drummond

Best Local Singer / Songwriter Blake Shelton

Best Community Leader Kevin Durant

Best Chef

Bruce Rinehart Rococo

Best Waiter or Waitress

Ariana Khalilian Cheever’s Cafe

Best Bartender

Samantha Morphew Tapwerks Ale House

Best Business Owner Greg Seal Grandad’s

Best Local Band

The Flaming Lips

Best DJ

DJ Diverse

Best Performing Arts Group (EX: theater company, dance company, orchestral groups)

Lyric Theatre

Best Television News KFOR Oklahoma’s News Channel 4 (NBC)

Best 5K or 10K Race Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

Best Word to Describe the Metro in 2014

Best Place to Volunteer

H&8th Night Market University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab

Best Concert Venue Chesapeake Energy Arena

Best Dance Club

Whole Foods Market Oklahoma City Zoo

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners

OKC Thunder game

Best Adult Entertainment Establishment The Boom

Best Karaoke Bar

Best New Retail Establishment to Open After 6/1/13

Best Art Gallery

Best NonprofIt

Groovy’s

Nancy’s 57th Street Lighthouse National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Best Museum

Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Best Fine Jewelry BC Clark Jewelers

Dry/Shop BlowDry Bar & Boutique Central Oklahoma Humane Society

Best Vapor Shop OKC Vape

Best Place to Get a CertiFIed Therapeutic Massage Cottonwood Spa

Best Vintage, Thrift or Resale Store

Best Place to Meet a Hipster

Best Men’s Clothier

Best Motorcycle/ Scooter Shop

Bad Granny’s Bazaar Blue Seven

Best Women’s Clothing Boutique

Paseo Arts District

Indian Motorcycle

Jimmy’s Egg

Best Weekend Brunch

Best Western European Restaurant, Not Italian (Danish,

Best Quick Lunch

English, French, German, Irish, Scottish, Spanish, etc.) Ingrid’s Kitchen

Best Hamburgers

Best Mediterranean Restaurant

Cheever’s Cafe

Big Truck Tacos

S&B Burger Joint

Best Sandwich Shop The Mule

Zorba’s Mediterranean Cuisine & Bar

Best Indian Restaurant

Best Barbecue Restaurant

Earl’s Rib Palace

Best Pizza Place Hideaway Pizza

Best Steakhouse Cattlemen’s Steakhouse

Gopuram Taste of India

Best Japanese Restaurant

Musashi’s Japanese Steakhouse

Best Chinese Restaurant

Best Sushi

Grand House China Bistro

Sushi Neko

Best Vegetarian, Gluten-Free or Healthy Menu Options

Best Thai Restaurant

Best Patio Dining

Lido

Coolgreens

Red Rock Canyon Grill

Thai House II

Best Vietnamese Restaurant Best Pho Restaurant

Best Liquor Store

Pho Lien Hoa

Byron’s Liquor Warehouse

Best New Restaurant to Open Since 6/1/13

Best (National or Regional) Restaurant You Wish Wasn’t a Chain

Best Fine Dining Establishment

Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar

Empire Slice House

Cheever’s Cafe

Best Neighborhood Pub

Best Seafood Restaurant

The Shack Seafood & Oyster Bar

Best Dessert Menu

James E. McNellie’s Public House

Best Dive Bar Edna’s

La Baguette Bakery & Cafe

Best Fancy-Pants Bar

Blue Seven

Best Place to Experience Something Different

Best New Bar to Open Since 6/1/13

Best Place to Make the Most Out of Your Pad

Best Mexican Restaurant

Best Diner

Blue Seven

Best Place to Find the Perfect Gift

Best Place for a First Date

Best Breakfast

Bricktown/Downtown

The Mule

Hobby Lobby

Best Place for Continuing Education

Ted’s Café Escondido

The University of Oklahoma

Best Coffee or Tea House

Best Place to Burn Calories

Best Cocktail

Lake Hefner

Republic Gastropub

Cuppies & Joe Lunchbox at Edna’s

Best Latin Restaurant

Cafe do Brasil

Empire Slice House Classen Grill

Best Food Truck or Food Cart Big Truck Tacos

Best Italian Restaurant

Stella Modern Italian Cuisine

Growing

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M E T R O P O L I TA N L I B R A R Y P R E S E N T S :

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2014 Downtown Library Atrium every Thursday from Noon to 1pm SEPTEMBER 4 Buffalo Rogers Trio: acoustic roots SEPTEMBER 11 Victor Andrada: blues, Latin, Americana SEPTEMBER 18 Maurice Johnson: smooth guitar jazz SEPTEMBER 25 Aaron Newman: singer-songwriter OCTOBER 2 Mark Giammario Trio: jazz standards, originals OCTOBER 9 Carter Sampson: folk rock OCTOBER 16 Pierce Hart: Celtic Duo OCTOBER 23 Jane Mays: originals, vocal, piano, drums OCTOBER 30 Angelika Jones, solo cello

Noon Tunes - gaz jr page.indd 1

8/7/2014 4:39:36 PM

PEOPLE Jack & Ron

Facebook app

Blake Shelton Ree Drummond

PEOPLE

Kevin Durant

Best radio personality or team

try not to be weird and bother him 24/7. He has a job to do, you know.

, 98.9 KISS FM, KYIS

2. The Lost Ogle 3. Russell Westbrook Worth Mentioning: Floyd Martin, Salsa Maritza, Steve Lackmeyer

JACK & RON

Jack “Damn” Elliott and Ron “Damn” Williams have been entertaining Oklahomans for over 15 years. They keep the radio waves alive with jokes, commentary, news and gossip reports and “soap opera moments” so we can stay awake and alert during our morning commute. That’s why they’ve been voted the best in OKC for 13 straight years. 2. Ferris O’Brien, The Spy FM 91.7, KOSU 3. Joey & Heather, WILD 104.9, KKWD

Worth Mentioning: Rick & Brad, ROCK 100.5 The KATT; TJ, Janet & J-Rod, 102.7 KJ103, KYJO

Best person to follow on social media

KEVIN DURANT

@KDTrey5

Ever wonder what superhero Thunder forward KD does when he’s not killing it on the basketball court? You can follow his every move — well not his every move; that would be stalking, which is not cool. But you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He posts photos of Thunder summer kids camp, NBA teaser videos, information about charity basketball games, advertisement campaigns he’s involved in and even fashion photos. And he frequently holds spontaneous Q&A sessions on Twitter, so you can ask him anything you want. Just

Best smartphone app (local or national)

FACEBOOK Facebook has been keeping the world connected and in everyone else’s business since 2004. A few years ago, the company even made it possible to Internet-stalk your friends on your mobile phone. As of December 2013, it had 945 million mobile users! We’re not sure if it’s the political debates, chain posts, motivational workout posters, cat videos or actually sharing with friends, but OKC sure does love it. (That doesn’t mean you have to accept your mother’s friend request or show her how to access it on her smartphone though.) 2. Instagram 3. Keep It Local OKC Worth Mentioning: Uber, Yelp!

Best website or blog

THE LOST OGLE

TheLostOgle.com

It’s often informative, occasionally funny and usually borderline inappropriate, and it’s going to stay that way no matter what you say — luckily, OKC doesn’t mind at all. The Lost Ogle has been serving its news with a handful of satire and an entire case of irreverence

The Lost Ogle

since 2007. And OKC loves it as much as its co-founder and editor-in-chief claims to love his premature gray hair. 2. The Pioneer Woman, thepioneerwoman.com

3. Red Dirt Report, reddirtreport.com Worth Mentioning: Feed the Children, feedthechildren. org; OKC Talk, OKCTalk.com

Best local singer/songwriter

Best local living author

to know who Blake Shelton is — he’s a household name, after all — but you should join the rest of the state and be proud that he’s one of our own. Over his 13-year career, the Ada native has had 24 hit singles on the country music charts, 11 of them reaching No. 1; has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has won four Academy of Country Music awards. You can even see him foster young new up-andcomers as a judge on TV competitions Nashville Star, Clash of the Choirs and The Voice. He’s kind of a big deal.

REE DRUMMOND

Today, most people know her as The Pioneer Woman from the Food Network. But when Ree Drummond isn’t in the kitchen, showing viewers how to make delicious, no-fuss homecooked meals, she spends her time working on her exceedingly impressive blog, where readers first fell in love with her — seriously, she should be crowned queen of blogging forever. It’s full of mouthwatering recipes; remodeling and homeschooling tips; photographs of life on the ranch; and stories about her strange Basset Hound, Charlie. 2. Lauren Zuniga 3. Emily Alexander Worth Mentioning: Carolyn Hart, P.C. Cast

BLAKE SHELTON You don’t have to enjoy country music

2. Carrie Underwood 3. Garth Brooks Worth Mentioning: Carter Sampson, Graham Colton, Samantha Crain, Vince Gill CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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PEOPLE Samantha Morphew

Greg Seal

Kevin Durant

best community leader

KEVIN DURANT Durant has been wowing us with his superb sense of community spirit and just being a generally decent person since he moved to OKC in 2008. That’s why you’ve repeatedly voted him the best community leader over the past four years. After the devastating EF5 tornado that tore through Moore last year, he gave $1 million to the American Red Cross, which inspired his team and Nike to match his donation. When he’s not giving to charity, he’s a public spokesperson for a national after-school music program and visits terminally ill children in the hospital. What’s not to love? 2. Mayor Mick Cornett 3. Ed Shadid Worth Mentioning: Al McAffrey, Governor Mary Fallin, Jonathan Fowler

Ariana Khalilian

Best bartender

SAMANTHA MORPHEW

Bruce Rinehart

TapWerks Ale House, 121 E. Sheridan Ave.

2. Kurt Fleischfresser, The Coach House 3. Jonathan Stranger, Ludivine Worth Mentioning: Josh Valentine, The George; Ryan Parrott

Best waiter or waitress

ARIANA KHALILIAN

Cheever’s Cafe, 2409 N. Hudson Avve.

Best chef

BRUCE RINEHART

Rococo

Do you spend your days dreaming of eating steaming clam chowder, lobster and crab cakes by the Atlantic Ocean? We do too. Luckily, we don’t have to break the bank buying a plane ticket to Maine. Bruce Rinehart has us landlocked seafood lovers covered. He’s the mastermind chef behind metro gem Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine. He spends his days exercising that glorious foodie mind of his, thinking up delicious East Coast recipes we can devour by Rococo’s cozy fireplace.

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Every diner hates having to wave down his or her waitress and ask for things like water refills and silverware. A good waiter or waitress anticipates such simple needs and even anticipates those you might not have thought of yet. Ariana Khalilian, manager at Cheever’s Cafe, is that sort of waitress. You don’t get voted the best in OKC by being lazy. So while you’re at Cheever’s, indulging in Southwest comfort food, you can just relax and let her take care of you. 2. Tien Nguyen, Sushi Neko 3. Natalie Colton, Texas Roadhouse Worth Mentioning: Andrea Bryan, Nona’s Euro-American Ristorante & Bar; Avinash Kumar, Gopuram Taste of India; Rocky Rippeteo, Jimmy’s Egg

When it comes to beer, TapWerks knows what’s up. Whether you prefer your brews in ale or lager form, dark or pale — or even technically not really beer (cider) — OKC’s best bartender, bar manager Samantha Morphew, can help you quench your thirst. TapWerks sells hundreds of brands both on tap and in bottles and even boasts the first fancy rare and aged beer cellar in Oklahoma. And you can rest easy knowing that Morphew is serving them up. Plus, she’s reclaiming her 2012 Best of OKC crown, so watch out, lesser bartenders. 2. Chris Barrett, Ludivine 3. Kevin Alexander, Tramp’s OKC Worth Mentioning: Avinash Kumar, Gopuram Taste of India; Natalie Colton, Alibis

Best business owner

GREG SEAL

, Grandad’s, 317 NW 23rd St.

Greg Seal takes his grandfather’s legacy seriously. That’s why he modeled his bar after the man. He also takes the comfort and security of his patrons seriously. That’s why his bar is so

The Flaming Lips

popular and why he was voted this year’s Best Business Owner. “Hate isn’t on tap at Grandad’s,” Seal has said, but there is plenty of great booze, live music and fun to be found there. We also heard if you bring a framed photo of your grandfather, Seal will hang it on the wall. 2. David Green, Hobby Lobby 3. Eric Burfict Jr., Hands of a Titan Worth Mentioning: Krystal Campbell, Alibis; Patsy Hutchens & Darren Fernandez, 3sixty Dance Studio

Best local band

THE FLAMING LIPS That’s right, the Lips are still at it and we all still love them. The biggest rock band out of the reddest state still has the vision and glory that endear them to everyone from the most common of Okies to the most polychromatic of pop stars. When they aren’t committing their eccentricities to video, they can be found covering the likes of the Beatles and Pink Floyd or smashing through their own hits. Look for members’ side projects while you wait for new music and relish in the weirdness that is Oklahoma City’s Best Local Band. 2. My So-Called Band  3. Banana Seat Worth Mentioning: Idre, Salsa Shakers

Lyric Theatre

DJ Diverse

KFOR NEWS

Best DJ

DJ DIVERSE Get stuck in traffic with this seamless DJ and you won’t need roads because you’ll be dancing hard enough to fly home. As the man that crabwalks through the Wild 405 Traffic Jam Mix on 104.9 FM, DJ Diverse lives up to his name, combining rap, R&B, hip-hop, dance, top 40 and all points in between. Honing his craft since the seventh grade, DJ Diverse can be found dropping beats like rain and thunder all over the map. Check him out and you’ll see why he was voted Best DJ. 2. DJ Jonny Tsunami 3. Blake O the DJ Worth Mentioning: DJ Andres Guerrero, Anthony Spano, DJ Saad

Best performing arts group (ex: theater company, dance company, orchestral groups)

LYRIC THEATRE

1727 NW 16th St.

With a nationally recognized theater and routine Broadway-caliber performances, this theater company has come a long way since its humble origins. It opened its first season in 1963 and has been going strong ever since. The group found its current home in the Plaza District when it opened the newly renovated Plaza Theatre in 2007, which also enabled them to extend their performance seasons to the spring and fall. Now the show goes on stronger and

better than ever. With teaching opportunities like Thelma Gaylord Academy and musical groups that travel to schools, Lyric helps ensure a thriving theater future for OKC. 2. Oklahoma City Philharmonic 3. Oklahoma City Ballet Worth Mentioning: Pollard Theatre, Reduxion Theatre Company

Best television news

KFOR OKLAHOMA’S NEWS CHANNEL 4 ,

(NBC) kfor.com

With a reputation for the best of Oklahoma news, it’s not hard to imagine KFOR is once again your vote for the best. The station celebrates its 65th year in Oklahoma broadcasting and a legacy of trailblazing. It was one of the first color programs in the country and has the double distinction of hiring the first female anchor and the first female evening co-anchor. KFOR’s coverage is timely, thorough and full of heart. Oklahoma superwoman Linda Cavanaugh and Kevin Ogle are welcome guests in our home anytime. 2. KWTV News9, (CBS), news9.com

3. KOCO, Eyewitness News 5 ( ABC), koco.com

Worth mentioning: KOKH Fox 25 (FOX), The Oklahoma Network (OETA) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Friday

PEOPLE

August 22 Starts at 10 pm featuring artists: Thomas Who? Fresh Air Chief Peace Original Flow Jacob Derusha

@hubblybubblyokc 2900 N. CLASSEN BLVD. • FRI-SAT 4P-2A • SUN-THURS 4P-12A

LARGEST SELECTION OF PREMIUM FLAVORS IN OKC • DELICIOUS DESSERTS • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT OKC Memorial Marathon Growing

Festival of the Arts

Best 5K or 10K race

OKLAHOMA CITY MEMORIAL MARATHON

okcmarathon.com

Founded in 2001, the OKC Memorial Marathon is a celebration of Oklahoma’s triumphant spirit in the face of tragedy. Over 25,000 runners participated in 2013’s race, and thousands more cheered from the sidelines. Whether you celebrate by running or showing your love from the sidelines, the marathon continues to be the biggest event of its kind in OKC. All funds raised during the weekend of events and in marathon participation go to the Oklahoma City National Memorial. 2. Color Me Rad 5k, colormerad.com 3. Red Bud Classic, redbud.org Worth mentioning: Dirty 30, McNellie’s Guinness Pub Run and The Color Run

Best word to describe the metro in 2014

GROWING And boy, are we! The expansion of Oklahoma City and its outlying suburbs is a joy to behold as you venture around in OKC. Remember when a trip from OKC to Norman involved driving through empty pastures? What about Yukon? That used to be a much lonelier stretch

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of Interstate 40. If you’re new in town, grab a local and have them explain how, mere years ago, there was pasture along that highway and not much else. Here’s to being a bona-fide metroplex, OKC! While other parts of the nation are emerging from the recession at a snail’s pace, we are thriving, and it shows. 2. Booming 3. Thriving Worth mentioning: Awesome, Exciting

Best annual event or festival

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

artscouncilokc.com

Now in it’s 47th year, the Festival of the Arts has become a rite of spring that draws artists and guests from all over the country. Hosted in and around the beautiful Myriad Botanical Gardens, the festival features local and national artists and musicians and legendary food items, some of which you can only get once a year. Everything in the festival, including the food, is judged and curated, meaning you only see the very best. 2. State Fair of Oklahoma, okstatefair.com

3. Paseo Arts Festival, thepaseo.com

Worth mentioning: Norman Music Festival, OKC Pride

places

UCO Jazz Lab

Central Humane Society

Places Best place to volunteer

H&8th Night Market

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HUMANE SOCIETY

free (nor is the booze), but the live music — which has featured local powerhouses and rising stars alike — is, and so is the people-watching.

7500 N. Western Ave.

Let’s face it; there’s nothing worse than a helpless, homeless or abandoned pet. That’s why a program like the Central Oklahoma Humane Society is vital to any local community. The organization works miracles to keep our furry friends healthy, safe and ready for adoption, but they couldn’t do it without the many selfless volunteers who devote their time to the organization’s lifesaving programs. Furthermore, if you’re in the market for a new pet or two, give them a call and save some lives in the process.

2. Festival of the Arts, Downtown 3. Bricktown, 429 E. California Ave. Worth mentioning: First Friday on Paseo, Live! On the Plaza, Myriad Botanical Gardens

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA JAZZ LAB

, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond

4224 N. Lincoln Blvd.

Worth mentioning: Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, Feed the Children]

Best free entertainment

H&8TH NIGHT MARKET

If you have ever been to H&8th Night Market, this should come as no surprise. The immensely popular food truck, beer and live music extravaganza has grown from a small but fervent community to the largest food truck event in America. Did you hear that? The largest food truck event in America. Technically, the food isn’t

OKLAHOMA LEGEND!

Best live music club

2. Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, 3355 S. Purdue Ave. 3. Infant Crisis Services,

815 N. Hudson Ave.

COME DINE WITH AN

The UCO Jazz Lab is exactly what it sounds like: a jazz club in the mold of the diveiest of New Orleans dives. The venue features weekly entertainment from some of the brightest and most talented jazz musicians in the world, plus a bevy of local talent to boot. Bonus: It also features a top-of-the-line, fully redesigned recording studio functional for both students and professionals alike. This is easily the most unique live music club in all of Oklahoma. 2. The Blue Note Lounge, 2408 N. Robinson Ave.

3. The Wormy Dog, 311 E. Sheridan Ave.

Worth mentioning: Grandad’s, VZD’s Restaurant & Club CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

1309 South Agnew • 1st Light South of I-40 Located in Historic Stockyards City. 405.236.0416 • CattlemensRestaurant.com

Open 6am Every Day

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places OKC Museum Of Art

Chesapeake Energy Arena Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Nancy’s

Best concert venue

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA

100 W. Reno Ave.

When it comes to housing larger-thanlife artists, Chesapeake Energy Arena towers above the rest — and we’re not just talking basketball. The venue can house over 16,000 for its concerts, and it’s a good thing, given some of the names that have been booked over the last year (Jay Z, John Mayer, Rihanna, Pearl Jam — need we go on?). So if you’re looking for spectacular epic shows, great acoustics and star power, Chesapeake Arena has you covered. 2. The Zoo Amphitheater, 2101 NE 50th St.

3. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave.

Worth mentioning: Diamond Ballroom, OKC Downtown Airpark

Best dance club

GROOVY’S

, 5705 Mosteller Drive

Groovy’s couldn’t have picked a better name. The local club features a passionate crowd and a variety of throwback tunes that just beckon

you to break down the dance floor each weekend. There’s also a live DJ each Thursday night to ensure the rhythm never stops. And if you’re worried you’re too young or too old, worry not; this is one of the most diverse crowds in town. At a club like Groovy’s, everyone is welcome to dance. And usually, everyone does. 2. The Copa, 2200 NW 40th St. 3. Dollhouse Lounge & Burlesque, 210 E. Sheridan Ave.

Worth mentioning: Candy Nightclub, Graham Central Station

Best karaoke bar

NANCY’S 57TH STREET LIGHTHOUSE ,

5708 N. May Ave.

Cocktails and karaoke go together like Salt-N-Pepa, Guns N’ Roses or Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. And if you’re looking for these things in OKC, Nancy’s 57th Street Lighthouse is your jam. The uniquely nautical karaoke bar has steadily become the de facto hotspot for amateur pop stars and professional drinkers alike. Even if you don’t fully appreciate the art of karaoke (that’s right — art), you’ll still feel at home at Nancy’s. Don’t stop believing,

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Groovy’s

sweet Caroline; this is the place to be. 2. Cookie’s, 2304 N. Western Ave. 3. Don Quixote Club, 3030 N. Portland Ave.

Worth mentioning: Alibis, By George Tavern

Best art gallery

NATIONAL COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM

, 1700 NE 63rd St.

We’re proud of our heritage here in Oklahoma, and we have a lot of it, from native culture to the Land Run. The masterful exhibitions at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum capture the essence of our state like no place else. Exhibitions like this year’s Prix de West, a prestigious collection of more than 300 Western paintings and sculpture, reflect the confluence of culture, geography and wildlife that makes the American West such a fascinating piece of our history. 2. Individual Artists of Oklahoma (IAO) Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave. 3. DNA Galleries, 1709 NW 16th St. Worth mentioning: Istvan Gallery, JRB Art at the Elms

Best museum

OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART

415 Couch Drive

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is genuinely the people’s museum of art. Since its incorporation in 1945, the museum has offered something for everyone, whether it be prestigious, historical masterpieces (Gods and Heroes), lauded independent cinema (Boyhood) or family friendly art workshops. Print art, European art, photography, contemporary art — you name it, this museum has it. It has also become the center of our film scene, playing a role in the breakout hit deadCENTER Film Festival and weekly film screenings you won’t find anywhere else. 2. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St.

3. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, 620 N. Harvey Ave.

Worth mentioning: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Sam Noble Museum of Natural History CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

2 GREAT

LOCATIONS

YOUR CATERER

NORTH 14101 N. May Ave, STE 117

405-748-DELI (3354) Ext 2 | Mon-Sat 11am-8pm Sun 11am-3pm

Downtown 120 N. Robinson, STE 175W

405-748-DELI (3354) Ext 3 | Mon-Fri 7am-2:30pm

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LIKE US!

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places

BC Clark Jewelers Blue Seven

Bad Granny’s Bazaar

Best fine jewelry

BC CLARK JEWELERS

Several metro locations

BC Clark Jewelers knows what it’s doing. It has been doing this whole jewelry thing for, oh, 122 years or so. Diamond engagement ring? You got it. Rolex? Yup. General bling? You betcha. And it’s not just jewelry, either; it also offers a variety of kitchenware, office decor and more. No matter your vice, BC Clark has you and your finger, wrist, neck or earlobe covered. The best part, though, is that with three metro locations, you’re never far away from luxury. 2. Naifeh Fine Jewelry, 9203 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

3. Mitchener-Farrand Jewelers, 2844 W. Wilshire Blvd.

Worth mentioning: Lewis Jewelers, Samuel Gordon Jewelers

Best vintage, thrift or resale store

BAD GRANNY’S BAZAAR

, 1759 NW 16th St.

In the midst of all the new businesses that have risen in the resurgent Plaza District, Bad Granny’s has remained the strip’s cornerstone. You could even argue that no store has as much charm or character in all of OKC. From vintage clothing to affable home decor, every nook and cranny of this Granny has diamond-in-the-rough potential.

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Plus, their back-room record shop is home to a variety of lost gems and occasional live performances. 2. Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma, 316 S. Blackwelder Ave.

3. Rink Gallery, 3200 N. Rockwell Ave., Bethany

Worth mentioning: Daisy Exchange, RetrOKC, The Nearly New Shop, Uptown Thrift Store

Best men’s clothier

BLUE SEVEN

7518 N. May Ave.

Attention, dudes: If you haven’t already noticed, the ladies (and other dudes) love you in Blue Seven. The Oklahoma-centric store has become the go-to source for wellcrafted, locally designed menswear, including tops, bottoms, outerwear and footwear. You can even find other accessories, like Oklahomathemed books and delicious coffee packaged right here in the Sooner State. Basically, Blue Seven is kind of like Urban Outfitters, but with good intentions, better products and no baggage — oh, and it’s just down the road. 2. Mr. Ooley’s, 1901 Northwest Expressway, Suite 1023A

3. GQ Fashions Fine Menswear and More, 3525 NW 23rd St. Worth mentioning: Gil’s Clothing, Spencer Stone Company

Hobby Lobby

Blue Seven

Best women’s clothing boutique

BLUE SEVEN

7518 N. May Ave.

If the guys consider your store the best place to wardrobe-shop, it definitely means something. But when the ladies do it too, you know you’re really doing something right. The women of OKC love Blue Seven just as much as their male counterparts, and with the variety of dresses, tops and general stylishness the store has to offer, it’s easy to see why. When it comes to expressing your unique personality through the clothes you wear, Blue Seven meets and often exceeds the needs of its female shoppers. 2. Bow & Arrow Boutique, 617 N. Broadway Ave.

3. Balliets, 5801 NW Grand Blvd. Worth mentioning: Body Trend Boutique, Gil’s Clothing, Ruth Meyers

Best place to find the perfect gift

BLUE SEVEN

7518 N. May Ave.

You know those stores that are chock full of things you didn’t even know you needed? Blue Seven is that store. Whether it’s bandages in the shape of strips of bacon or the latest tees created by local artists, Blue Seven has you covered. The shop’s quirky, curated collection of clothing, housewares and hand-

Blue Seven

made gifts will keep you looking and gifting like no one else. Passionately local owner Caleb Arter stocks cool threads and one-of-a-kind gifts. Yours will be the most talked about, guaranteed. It’s no wonder it is one of OKC resident’s favorite places – you truly never know what to expect. 2. Craig’s Curious Emporium,

LIKE US ON

3004 Paseo St.

3. Plenty Mercantile, 807 N. Broadway Ave.

Worth mentioning: DNA Galleries, Olive & Co.

Best place to make the most out of your pad

HOBBY LOBBY

, Several metro locations

What do the Ramones and Hobby Lobby have in common? They were both started in a garage in the 1970s. Granted, that’s about where the similarities end, but this start-up has been a local staple of crafting and inspiration (both creative and spiritual) ever since. Whatever crafty thing you’re into, one of the company’s 584 stores can help you find it. It can help make all your Martha Stewart crafting dreams come true.

Driving home the news everyday.

M-F 4-7p • Sat-Sun 5-6p

2. Retro OKC, 1708 NW 16th St. 3. Mathis Brothers, 3434 W. Reno Ave. Worth mentioning: King’s Green Cleaning, Plenty Mercantile CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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places

Lake Hefner

No Regrets Tattoo

Whole Foods Market

Al’s Bicycle Shop

Best place for continuing education

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

Dr. Tim R. Love, M.D.

660 Parrington Oval, Norman, ou.edu

Boomer Sooner! Our readers agree that the crimson and cream are the best, and not only because of their athletic program. The verdant Norman campus is the heart of the town. The university, which offers a wealth of degree opportunities both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, also boasts an impressive athletics department that you might have heard of. Boomer Sooner is the cry, and come game day, you can hear it all the way in OKC. 2. University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond

3. Oklahoma State University at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Worth mentioning: Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma City Community College and Oklahoma City University

Best place to burn calories

LAKE HEFNER

, 3701 S. Lake Hefner Drive

Oklahoma City isn’t known for its coastal views, but a jog around Lake Hefner during sunset can make you forget it sits hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean. The view can actually make exercising an enjoyable experience. A 12-foot-wide asphalt trail loops for nine miles around this urban lake, offering joggers and cyclists one

of the best views around. Playgrounds, ball fields and a golf course around Lake Hefner also offer other ways to burn calories at this city-owned park.

Best place to get a non-surgical update

2. YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City, several metro locations 3. 10 Gym, several metro locations Worth mentioning: 3Sixty Dance Studio, Integris Pacer Fitness Center

1712 NW 16th St.

Best place to get cosmetic surgery

DR. TIM R. LOVE, M.D.

11101 Hefner Pointe Drive

From facelifts to breast enhancements and every other type of “trouble spot” improvement, Dr. Tim R. Love offers increased confidence through cosmetic surgery. This 2013 Best of OKC winner is back at the top after building a loyal following across the region. Dr. Love promises consultations with realistic expectations, and it’s that honest approach that has earned him the top spot for the second year in a row. 2. Shadid Plastic Surgery Associates, Dr. Derek Shadid, M.D., 13820 Wireless Way

3. Laser Light Skin Clinic, Dr. Victory Johnson, M.D., 6442 Avondale Drive

Worth mentioning: Advanced Aesthetics; Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates; Dr. Juan A. Brou, M.D.; Rejuvena

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University of Oklahoma

NO REGRETS TATTOO

This Plaza District tattoo parlor offers custom ink by appointment, along with piercings. The tattoo market has become more crowded in Oklahoma City in recent years, and No Regrets Tattoo is viewed as one of the top places to color your body in the metro. Whether you’re a teenager (with parental approval) looking to show off your rebellion or are in the midst of a midlife crisis and need to tap into your youthful side, this shop is a destination that appeals to all. 2. Dr. Tim R. Love, M.D., 11101 Hefner Pointe Dr.

3. Mariposa MedSpa, 1907 N. Broadway Ave.

Worth mentioning: Advanced Aesthetics, Body Trends, The ElectroSpa

Best bicycle shop

AL’S BICYCLE SHOP

Several metro locations

As Oklahoma’s largest independent bicycle dealer, Al’s Bicycle Shop has a selection of hundreds of bikes for beginner or pros. Four locations across the metro offer riders a place to shop for a new ride with the help of experienced staff who share a passion

for cycling and understand the local bike culture. Al’s Bicycle Shop also offers an in-depth website with buyer guides for all types of bike riders, giving customers a chance to do a lot of research before spending a dime. 2. Schlegel Bicycles, 900 N. Broadway Ave.

3. The Bicycle Store, 336 NE 122 St. Worth mentioning: Melonbike, Wheeler Dealer

Best retail establishment you wish wasn’t a chain

WHOLE FOODS MARKET

6001 N. Western Ave.

When Whole Foods Market opened its doors in 2011, it was another sign that some of the most popular national retailers were starting to pay attention to OKC. As the anchor to the new Triangle at Classen Curve, Whole Foods Market rarely has a slow hour as shoppers from across the region come looking for organic produce and diet-specific ingredients. Whole Foods Market also offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and regularly puts its food on display through summer markets in the parking lot. 2. Target, several metro locations 3. Anthropologie, 6100 NW Grand Blvd. Worth mentioning: Dillard’s; Half Price Books, Records, Magazines, Inc.

OKC Thunder Game

OKC Zoo

Best family getaway

OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO

The Boom

2101 NE 50th St.

For over 100 years, the Oklahoma City Zoo has been home to exotic animals and an impressive plant collection. Open year-round, the zoo features 1,900 animals, including 54 endangered species. It’s friendly to family wallets and also offers several free and reduced fare days throughout the year. When looking for a fun family outing, it’s hard to beat a classic trip to the Oklahoma City Zoo. 2. Beavers Bend State Park, 435 Oklahoma 259A, Broken Bow

3. Turner Falls, Exit No. 51, Interstate 35

Worth mentioning: Frontier City, Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees

Best place to take out-of-towners

OKC THUNDER GAME

100 W. Reno Ave.

The best face of Oklahoma City is a Thunder game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Regular national broadcasts of Thunder games during the season give the world a look at the passion and energy Oklahoma City has for its lone professional sports team, but it’s hard to get the full Thunder experience without being there in person. The collegiate atmosphere, the stunning pre-game

videos and, of course, the play of one of the league’s most talented teams makes a home Thunder game the best place to show off our city. 2. Bricktown, east downtown 3. The Plaza District, 16th Street Worth mentioning: Eischen’s Bar, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Best adult entertainment establishments

THE BOOM

, 2218 NW 39th St.

Six nights a week, there is always something happening at The Boom. This establishment is located in the city’s gay district, and while it does attract many LGBT guests, it also offers a fun night of dinner and dancing for people of all sexual orientations and walks of life. The Boom’s dinner theater shows attract a crowd, and the Sunday Gospel Brunch is a performance worth checking out.

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210 E. Sheridan Ave.

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2. Night Trips, 220 S. Vermont Ave. 3. The Dollhouse, Worth mentioning: Double D Saloon, Little Darlings, Red Dog Cafe

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places

Dry/Shop Blow-Dry Bar and Boutique

Paseo Arts District OKC Vape

Central Oklahoma Humane Society

Best retail establishment to open after 6-1-13

DRY/SHOP BLOW-DRY BAR AND BOUTIQUE ,

1212 N. Walker Ave.

Dry/Shop promises a look that a lot of women want but can’t achieve at home. Talented blow-dry artists welcome women from across the region who are looking for a new style, and the on-site boutique offers clothing and gifts so you can take this unique experience home. Dry/Shop seems to fit nicely in the growing and eclectic Midtown community and has expanded the retail scene in OKC. 2. Weldon Jack, 3621 N. Western Ave. 3. On the Edge with Skulls and Stones, 1218 Pennsylvania Ave. Worth mentioning: Apple Tree Antique Gallery, Ratio

Best nonprofit

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HUMANE SOCIETY ,

7500 N. Western Ave.

Founded in 2007, the Central Oklahoma Humane Society has found homes for over 16,000 cats and dogs. It has also spayed and neutered

over 64,000 pets, helping the Oklahoma City region control its animal population. With the belief that euthanizing healthy pets is not an option, Central Oklahoma Humane Society works hard to provide each dog and cat it encounters with a loving home. In this pet-friendly town, the Humane Society is local favorite nonprofit. 2. The Bella Foundation, PO Box 20035

3. Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, 3355 S. Purdue Ave. Worth mentioning: Feed the Children, Infant Crisis Services

Best vapor shop

OKC VAPE

, 3710 NW 50th St.

It’s no easy feat being the city’s best vapor shop. Earlier this year, The New York Times profiled Oklahoma City as America’s vapor capital, and OKC Vape has earned the honor as the top vapor shop in this competitive market. With a wide variety of electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices, OKC Vape promises a customized shopping experience.

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Cottonwood Spa 2. The Vapor Hut, 6205 SE 15th St.

3. Liquid Vapor Lounge, 6608 N. May Ave.

3. Sweet Mimosa Day Spa, 3916 NW 36th St #300

Worth mentioning: Party Moore, The Flavor Vapor North

Worth Mentioning: Likeminded Therapies, Oklahoma Therapy Institute, Royal Treatment Massage

Best place to get a certified therapeutic massage

Best place to meet a hipster

COTTONWOOD SPA

35 E. 33rd St., Edmond

Everything you need to look and feel your best can be found at Cottonwood Spa, but the real magic is in the hands of their massage therapists. With eight certified therapists (that’s 16 hands and 80 fingers of feel-goodness) and at least nine different massage services to choose from, the spa can exorcise any ache. Go with the Swedish massage or get real with the Deep Tissue massage, all sold in increments of 15 minutes. Either way, Cottonwood Spa can rub you down and have you out, relaxed and ready for the world in no time. 2. Hands of a Titan, 4500 N. Classen Blvd. #205

PASEO ARTS DISTRICT Situated in the guts of OKC (28th Street and N. Walker Avenue to 30th Street and N. Dewey Avenue), the historic arts district takes the inherent openness of the arts and applies it to the galleries, art schools, restaurants and boutiques that comprise it. Everyone is welcome in the Paseo, and most heed its call at some point — especially hipsters. So grab some binoculars and visit this district to see hipsters — and all of their tight-jeaned irony — in their natural habitat. 2. Plaza District, 16th Street 3. The Mule, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave. Worth Mentioning: Empire Slice House, Saints Irish Pub

Indian Motorcycle of OKC

Bricktown/Downtown

Best motorcycle / scooter shop

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF OKLAHOMA CITY ,

7 NE 10th St.

Those with a thirst for the road can now ride in style, thanks to the new Indian Motorcycle shop in OKC. Indian Motorcycles are revving their way back onto a street near you, and this namesake shop is the go-to for its bikes, accessories and more. Indian hit it big in 1922 with its Chief model and quickly became synonymous with style and innovation before going the way of the buffalo. Now, with Indian Motorcycles of OKC opening this past May, the brand is roaring back into the hearts of bike enthusiasts of all stripes. 2. House of Kawasaki, 7900 NW 10th St.

3. Maxey’s Motorsports, 4112 NW 39th St.

Worth Mentioning: Harkey’s Machine Scooter Shop, Performance Cycle OKC

Best place for a first date

BRICKTOWN/ DOWNTOWN What do you usually do on a first date? Dinner? Movie? A sporting event or some live music? You can do all of that and more in Bricktown. Check out some street performers between dinner and the event of your choosing, or head directly to one of the many bars for a drink. Bricktown also has the perfect nightcap to a romantic first date: a quiet stroll along the canal. Unless you have the chemistry of asbestos and fire, you’ll be neckin’ in no time along the red brick roads. 2. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave.

3. Plaza District, 16th Street Worth Mentioning: Redrock Canyon Grill, The Mule, Oklahoma City Zoo CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Artsy Fartsy

Food/Drink

YOUR MOM

THINKS WE’RE THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PAD

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Residential & commercial cleaning. Safe for you, your family, & your pets!

Art | Film | music | theAter in this issue

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Lunchbox at Edna’s Cuppies & Joe Jimmy’s Egg

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Passion for fresh homemade Italian food is what makes dining at Gabriella’s an unforgettable experience. • Our ingredients are made fresh every day. • Our meatballs, ravioli and Italian sausage are prepared in house. • Sauces are made from scratch. • We dry age and hand cut our beef. • We cure and smoke our own bacon! Also get your deli meats and cheeses here to take home!

Now delivering to zip codes 73111 & 73116 Mon - Fri | 4p to 10p • Sat | 3p to 11p Always closed on Sunday

478-4955 | 1226 NE 63rd St. www.gabriellasokc.com 3 6 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

orange-juice wonder is known as the “best box in OKC.” Experiencing this strange but delicious tincture is a necessity — and what’s better than trying something new while surrounded by Edna’s rich decor? If you are fortunate enough to have already tried the Lunchbox, be sure to spread the word to all those Lunchbox virgins. Add another number to the 1,237,369 already sold as of Aug. 1.

Food/ Drinks

2. Any “Mule” drink at The Mule,

Best coffee or tea house

1630 N. Blackwelder Ave.

CUPPIES & JOE

727 NW 23rd St.

Cuppies & Joe is a little slice of home with its quaint atmosphere, delicious drinks and great desserts, including cupcakes like its Boom Boom Pow, Chocolate Rain or Lemony Snicket. Plus, its joe is roasted by local Elemental Coffee Roasters. Along with its central location, free Wi-Fi and tasty food and drink options, Cuppies & Joe is at the top this year. This repeat winner is a must-see for those visiting central OKC and a chance to sneak into a cozy nook and enjoy some quality desserts and beverages. 2. The Red Cup, 3122 N. Classen Blvd. 3. Elemental Coffee Roasters, 815 N. Hudson Ave.

Worth mentioning: All About Cha, Coffee Slingers

Best cocktail

LUNCHBOX AT EDNA’S

5137 N. Classen Circle

Trying a Lunchbox at Edna’s is like a rite of passage for the residents of Oklahoma City. This beer-and-

3. Bloody Mary at S&B’s Burger Joint, several metro locations Worth mentioning: Fish Bowl at Alibis, The Curve at Upper Crust

Best breakfast

JIMMY’S EGG

, Several metro locations

There’s no better way to start the day than with a hearty breakfast. Jimmy’s Egg has become a staple icon for breakfast in OKC. First opening in 1980, Jimmy’s Egg now boasts 38 locations in OKC, all of them offering scrumptious breakfast favorites, including hearty coffee, freshly baked bread and more omelet options than you can count. For a friendly atmosphere with great food that doesn’t break the bank, Jimmy’s Egg is the place to indulge your early morning cravings. Also, it just reached its 16th win for best breakfast in OKC. 2. Classen Grill, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave.

3. Kitchen No. 324, 324 N. Robinson Ave.

Worth mentioning: Cafe Kacao, Waffle Champion

Big Truck Tacos

Cheever’s Cafe S&B’s Burger Joint

The Mule

Best weekend brunch

CHEEVER’S CAFE

Best hamburgers

2409 N. Hudson Ave.

A local favorite since 2000, Cheever’s prepares a delectable brunch spread that even caters to those glutenfree eaters. Brunch-goers will be presented with a myriad of tasty options to satisfy their bellies. But be sure to make a reservation to enjoy Cheever’s brunch. This popular spot requires some planning in advance. Part of A Good Egg Dining Group, Cheever’s has become a pillar in our Best of OKC awards. 2. Ingrid’s Kitchen, 3701 N. Youngs Blvd.

3. Jimmy’s Egg, several metro locations

Worth mentioning: Kitchen No. 324, Picasso Cafe

S&B’S BURGER JOINT

Several metro locations

Burger connoisseurs have deemed S&B’s Burger Joint the pinnacle of OKC hamburgers. Offering fresh gourmet burgers and sliders, S&B’s is a fun place to eat with friendly staff ready to recommend classic and new hamburger options. Try one of its specialties, such as The Fatty, The Elvis or Hot Lips Houlihan. It’s hard to beat a great burger on a summer day with one of S&B’s drinks from its full-service bar and a piece of homemade pie or a root beer float. 2. The Garage, several metro locations 3. Tucker’s Onion Burgers, several metro locations

Best quick lunch

BIG TRUCK TACOS

530 NW 23rd St.

You might have seen its green bumper stickers around town. Big Truck Tacos will leave any patron happily full on some appetizing Mexican food. It is especially great for those on the go who need something quick for lunch. Enjoy tacos, burritos, gorditos and other Latino cuisine created with the freshest ingredients. Any place with the motto “Saving the world, one taco at a time” is sure make taste buds happy. Keep an eye out for the food truck too. 2. Saturn Grill, several metro locations

3. City Bites, several metro locations

Worth mentioning: Café 7 Delicatessen & Pastaria, Coolgreens, Someplace Else Deli

Worth mentioning: Irma’s Burger Shack, Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler

Best sandwich shop

THE MULE

, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave.

Voted best new restaurant and sandwich shop last year, The Mule solidifies its notability with this year’s win. Its unique “sandies” offer a little something for everyone’s palette. Standouts like the Macaroni Pony, Fancy Pants and The Cortez are what helped put The Mule on the map as a great sandwich place as well as a latenight hangout. It put its individual stamp on some classic favorites too; try its Big Ass Grilled Cheese. 2. City Bites, several metro locations 3. Someplace Else Deli, 2310 N. Western Ave.

Worth mentioning: Lee’s Sandwiches, Neptune Submarine Sandwiches CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Food/Drink

Hideaway Pizza Cattlemen’s Steakhouse Red Rock Sushi Neko

Best barbecue restaurant

EARL’S RIB PALACE

Several metro locations

Oklahomans take their barbecue seriously. To be named the best barbecue restaurant is quite an honor from residents who know what they’re talking about. For over 18 years, Earl’s has been the chief of OKC’s barbecue scene. Menu items include hickory smoked pork ribs, beef brisket, smoked chicken and meats and side items that are made fresh daily for some fingerlickin’ good eatin’. Gazette readers know to grab an extra napkin or two to cover all the delicious goodness of Earl’s. 2. Iron Starr Urban Barbeque, 3700 N. Shartel Ave.

3. Swadley’s B-B-Q,

Best steakhouse

CATTLEMEN’S STEAKHOUSE

, 1309 S. Agnew Ave.

Cattlemen’s has been host to all sorts of celebrities. Charles Barkley, George H.W. Bush and Reba McEntire have all experienced Cattlemen’s cuisine. It has been featured on Diners, Driveins and Dives and Man v. Food. With a rich Oklahoma history, this steakhouse has become an Oklahoma icon. The more adventurous should try the lamb fries. They’re said to taste just like catfish or fried chicken. Located in historic Stockyards City, Cattlemen’s celebrates 100 years of serving and feeding Oklahomans. 2. Red Prime Steakhouse,

several metro locations

Worth mentioning: Back Door BBQ, Bedlam B-B-Q

Best pizza place

HIDEAWAY PIZZA

504 N. Broadway Ave.

3. Ranch Steakhouse, 3000 W. Britton Road

Several metro locations

There are many options when deciding where to go for pizza. Hideaway Pizza has been a top favorite for so long it has become a household name. The second pizzeria in all of Oklahoma, this pizza powerhouse has been around since 1957. This repeat winner knows how to toss that pie, spread that sauce and sprinkle those toppings. Expanding from a tiny Stillwater joint to several metro locations, Hideaway Pizza has the means to be on top for a very long time. 2. Empire Slice House, 1734 NW 16th St.

3. The Wedge, several metro locations

Worth mentioning: Boulevard Steakhouse, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse

Best sushi

SUSHI NEKO

, 4318 N. Western Ave.

Seven-time reigning sushi champion Sushi Neko has not only defended its title but has also blown the rest of the competition out of the water. Sushi lovers will be treated to a menu full of traditional and contemporary styles of sushi as well as a sake and beer menu. If you hear the sushi chef yelling, “Irasshai,” it means welcome and make yourself at home. Sushi Neko is more than deserving of its win and is definitely a must-try.

Worth mentioning: Sauced on Paseo, Upper Crust

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2. Go Go Sushi, 432 NW 10th St. and 1611 S. Interstate 35, Moore

3. In The Raw, 200 S. Oklahoma Ave. #130

Earl’s Rib Palace

Worth mentioning: Saii Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar, Tokyo Japanese Restaurant

Best vegetarian, gluten-free or healthy menu options

COOLGREENS

, Several metro locations

It’s not always easy finding good healthy alternatives, but with Coolgreens, it’s easy. With many delicious options, even the pickiest eater will be able to find something tasty and healthy. This establishment lets you tailor just about everything on the menu — from vegetable pizza to frozen yogurt and vibrant salads — to fit your taste bud needs. Coolgreens creates a full wholesome dinner atmosphere better than visiting the lonely salad bar tucked in the corner. 2. Picasso Cafe, 3009 Paseo St. 3. The Red Cup, 3122 N. Classen Blvd. Worth mentioning: Green Goodies, Tamazul

Best patio dining

RED ROCK CANYON GRILL

Coolgreens

cuisine in a hacienda-style atmosphere accented with stone walls, deep mahogany beams and an open kitchen. Customers will be indulged by the friendly and intelligent staff and enjoy some mouthwatering patio dining.

, 9221 Lake Hefner Parkway

2. The Mont,

It can be challenging to find comfortable patio dining, especially in the Oklahoma summer. Since 1999, Red Rock Canyon Grill has had no problem providing its customers with excellent outdoor dining. Moving up to the top spot this year, Red Rock offers Southwest and American

3. Louie’s Bar & Grill,

1300 Classen Blvd., Norman several metro locations

Worth mentioning: Cafe do Brasil, Pearl’s Oyster Bar, Picasso Cafe CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

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Food/Drink La Baguette

Byron’s Liquor

The Shack

The Mule

Ted’s Café Escondido

2. Pearl’s Oyster Bar,

Whiskey Cake

several metro locations

3. Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine,

Best liquor store

2824 N. Pennsylvania Ave. &

BYRON’S LIQUOR WAREHOUSE

2. Moore Liquor, 914 S.W. Fourth St., Moore 3. Sam’s Liquor Warehouse, 2933 NW 63rd St.

Worth mentioning: Freeman’s Liquor Mart, Pancho’s Liquortown

Best (national or regional) restaurant you wish wasn’t a chain

WHISKEY CAKE KITCHEN & BAR

, 1845 Northwest Expressway

Bumped up to first place this year, Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar serves up tasty, made-from-scratch farm-tokitchen dishes and cocktails from its kitchen and bar. It uses slow-cooking methods on its live wood grill, smoker

and spit. Customers can appreciate this succulent dining with their feet kicked up in one of the rocking chairs, dining at a fancy table or relaxing out on the porch. Just you and a whole whiskey cake meant for 12-18 people, but nobody will judge you if you eat it all by yourself. 2. Panera Bread, several metro locations

3. PF Chang’s, 13700 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Worth mentioning: Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Chili’s

Best seafood restaurant

THE SHACK SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR

, Several metro locations

Another repeat winner, The Shack delivers on the seafood front. Its oysters are perfect for all seafood lovers. Now serving at three metro locations, The Shack offers countless delicious options, including shrimp and crab fondue and seafood gumbo. For a taste of the sea, The Shack Seafood & Oyster Bar gives customers the feel of being right

4 0 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

“sandies.” Its Rosemary Palmers are especially refreshing on a summer evening. With a little something for everyone, The Mule solves the ageold debacle of deciding where to go to eat. Though it’s no longer the new kid in the Plaza District, The Mule continues to make quite the splash. 2. Guernsey Park, 2418 N. Guernsey Ave.

Worth mentioning: Catfish Cove, Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, Trapper’s Fish Camp & Grill

3. Ludivine, 805 N. Hudson Ave. Worth mentioning: La Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, Queen of Sheba

Best dessert menu

Best Mexican restaurant

, Several metro locations

12252 N. May Ave.

, 2322 N. Broadway Ave.

If you can think of it, Byron’s probably has it. It’s the grown-up equivalent of a toy store, and inside, customers view a sea of choices in beer, wine and liquor. The complex is over 10,000 square feet and features more than 6,000 wines and 1,500 beers. Right off I-235, Byron’s is a one-stop shop for stocking up for a party, a quiet get-together or a beer after dinner. You can stick to old favorites or ask one of the friendly staff members for a suggestion that will wow your palate.

on the ocean. For a landlocked state, Oklahoma has some great seafood options, and The Shack is a standout for local seafood.

LA BAGUETTE BAKERY & CAFÉ

Even the most hardened health nut would be hard-pressed to turn down a dessert from La Baguette. This French bakery and cafe is a one-stop shop for cakes, tarts and pastries. Stop by and try a bombe au chocolat, an Italian crème or one of the luscious cheesecakes. Brother’s Alain and Michel Buthion opened the original bakery in 1984. They have continued to expand and now run several locations, a deli retail section and a boucherie meat market in memory of their father’s butcher shop. 2. Pie Junkie, 1711 NW 16th St. 3. Ingrid’s Kitchen, 3701 N. Youngs Blvd.

TED’S CAFÉ ESCONDIDO

It always seems like you have to roll out of Ted’s because the food is so good you can’t help yourself. It starts with yummy salsa and chips and fresh flour tortillas. The entrees are delicious and include everything from fajitas to quesadillas and more. Its drink menu, which includes cactus coolers and mixed beverages, is just as intriguing. This longtime favorite continues to present great food and service. For food so good you’ll definitely end up with a food baby, check out Ted’s Café Escondido. 2. Iguana Mexican Grill, 9 NW Ninth St.

Worth mentioning: Cuppies & Joe, Sara Sara Cupcakes

3. Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant,

Best place to experience something different

Worth mentioning: Abel’s Mexican Restaurant, Alfredo’s Mexican Cafe

, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

several metro locations

THE MULE

The Mule is currently the belle of the ball in OKC’s cuisine. It is nestled in the hip Plaza District, where Gazette readers enjoy some of its unique

O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 4 1

Food/Drink

Stella Modern Italian Cuisine Cafe do Brasil

Ingrid’s Kitchen

Zorba’s Mediterranean Cuisine & Bar Musashi’s

Gopuram Taste of India

Italian wines. Guests will enjoy quality food and service in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Owner Lori Tyler has brought a little slice of Italy to OKC.

Best Latin restaurant

CAFE DO BRASIL

440 NW 11th St.

Cafe do Brasil offers unique cuisine not often found in OKC. With a central location in Midtown and a rooftop with a killer view, Cafe do Brasil features food from all five regions of Brazil. Live a little on the wild side and try Picanha Brasileir, a picanha steak served with rice and collard greens, or Feijoada, a Brazilian national dish. For something a little different from the humdrum dining experience, Cafe do Brasil is worth the visit. 2. 1492 New World Latin Cuisine, 1207 N. Walker Ave.

3. Cafe Kacao, 3325 N. Classen Blvd. Worth mentioning: La Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, Zarate’s Latin Mexican Grill

Best Italian restaurant

STELLA MODERN ITALIAN CUISINE

1201 N. Walker Ave.

Starting in 2010, this taste of Italy became a fast favorite for OKC residents. Located in Midtown, Stella is an upscale Italian experience. Gathered around the wood-fired brick oven, customers can sit at the bar and watch as cracker-thin pizzas cook to perfection and enjoy custom seasonal cocktails, traditional favorites, local and imported beers and American and

2. Gabriella’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria, 1226 NE 63rd St. 3. Papa Dio’s, 10712 N. May Ave. Worth Mentioning: Tommy’s Italian American Grill, Vito’s

Best Mediterranean restaurant

ZORBA’S MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE & BAR ,

Best Western European restaurant,

6014 N. May Ave.

not Italian (Danish, English, French, German, Irish, Scottish, Spanish, etc.)

It’s all Greek to OKC. Zorba’s has been cooking up delicious Mediterranean cuisine for more than 20 years. With a menu that features recipes passed down through generations, Zorba’s is one of OKC’s favorite Mediterranean restaurants. It showcases the flavors of Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Morocco, and its loyal customers come back again and again for its delectable gyros, baba ghanoouj and flavor-packed paella (available only on weekends). If you’re lacking a bit of spice in your diet, Zorba’s is guaranteed to add a little kick.

INGRID’S KITCHEN

3701 N. Youngs Blvd.

For more than 35 years, Ingrid’s Kitchen has been one of Oklahoma City’s most beloved choices for the best in German food, as well as its other European and American specialties. Authentic recipes, old-world charm, a welcoming environment and value are the trademarks that distinguish this individual combination restaurant, bakery, delicatessen and catering service. Step out of your comfort zone and try some bratwurst, knackwurst, schnitzel or sauerkraut, and be sure to leave room for streusel and nuessecken for dessert. You won’t be disappointed in this repeat winner. 2. La Baguette Bistro, several metro locations

3. Old Germany Restaurant, 15920 SE 29th St., Choctaw

Worth mentioning: Royal Bavaria, Sean Cumming’s Irish Pub

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2. Mediterranean Import & Deli, 5620 N. May Ave.

3. Couscous Café, 6165 N. May Ave. Worth mentioning: Capers Mediterranean Buffet & Bistro, Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe & Market

Best Indian restaurant

GOPURAM TASTE OF INDIA

can handle any type of Indian cuisine. It has become a well-known name among the ethnic food restaurants in Oklahoma and neighboring states for its outstanding atmosphere, delightful food, friendly service and traditional touch. Gopuram is not to be missed, and the food is wonderfully tasty. 2. Taj Cuisine of India, 1500 NW 23rd St.

3. Himalayas, 709 N. Moore Ave. Worth mentioning: Kabob and Curry, Khazana Indian Grill & Buffet

Best Japanese restaurant

MUSASHI’S

, 4315 N. Western Ave.

Located in the heart of Western Avenue, Musashi’s is a feast for the senses. The chefs juggle knives at a frenetic pace that makes the food as much of a delight to watch as it is to eat. The decor is both minimal and striking, and the staff is unobtrusive but attentive. It all takes a back seat to Musashi’s mouthwatering dishes. With sumptuous choices like Kobe steak, succulent shrimp and perfect fried rice, it’s no wonder this is a top choice for diners in Oklahoma City. 2. Shogun Steakhouse of Japan,

4559 NW 23rd St.

You get three times the charm with Gopuram Taste of India. This is its third win in a row for best Indian restaurant in OKC. Gopuram has brought Indian food to the masses since 1994. Its staff

11900 N. May Ave.

3. Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, 7516 N. Western Ave.

Worth mentioning: Shiki Japanese Restaurant, Yamato Japanese CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 4 3

Food/Drink

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Thai House II

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Grand House China Bistro

Best Chinese restaurant

GRAND HOUSE CHINA BISTRO

, 2701 N. Classen Blvd.

With a menu that covers the gamut of Chinese cuisine from Westernized interpretations to traditional favorites like dim sum, this beautifully decorated restaurant in the Asian District is a crowdpleaser. The lunch menu includes generous portions of rice dishes, Cantonese pan-fried noodles and lunch specials with soup and rice. The star of the show, however, is the dim sum, the Chinese tradition of small bites at a leisurely pace. 2. Dot Wo Garden, 6161 N. May Ave.

3. Golden Palace, 1500 S. Meridian Ave.

Worth mentioning: Chow’s Chinese Restaurant, Fung’s Kitchen

Best Thai restaurant

THAI HOUSE II

500 NW 23rd St.

You know the adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? This restaurant is a perfect illustration of it. While the outside could use a facelift, it’s what’s inside that counts. Between the generous buffet and the scrumptious menu offerings, Thai House has

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Lido Restaurant

its priorities straight. The friendly ownership and thoughtful service are icing on the cake — or peanuts on your pad thai, rather. A tip: If you plan on enjoying the buffet, go early. 2. Sala Thai, 1614 NW 23rd St. 3. Thai Kitchen, 327 Dean A. McGee Ave.

Worth mentioning: Panang Thai Restaurant, Tana Thai Bistro

Best Vietnamese restaurant

LIDO RESTAURANT

, 2518 N. Military Ave., #101

Lido is an Oklahoma City institution, and with good reason. With a huge menu of traditional and Westernized dishes from across Asia, it’s easy to forget this little gem right off Classen Blvd. It would be a shame if you did, as this family restaurant has built a strong following by doing what it does best: consistently producing some of the freshest and most delicious dishes the Asian District has to offer. 2. Guernsey Park, 2418 N. Guernsey Ave.

3. Pho Thai Nguyen, 3221 N. Classen Blvd.

Worth mentioning: Coriander Café, Pho Cuong

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Cheever’s Cafe

burnouts — it looks as if pop-culture nerds decorated it after a thrifting binge. It offers full pies as well as pizza by the (enormous) slice, and its lunch meal deal is a steal.

Best Pho restaurant

PHO LIEN HOA

2. Kd’s Southern Cuisine,

901 NW 23rd St.

1/13

T-GYA-1234305

Ali-

y r e h c u Ba

224 Johnny Bench Dr.

Pho Lien Hoa is another situation in which judging its cover would lead to missing out on the best pho in the metro. Inside, you will find a sparkling clean and efficient pho factory with charming dishware and a helpful staff. The delicately seasoned, piping-hot noodle soup comes with generous helpings of the usual addin ingredients. Playing with your food has never been this much fun. Make sure to save room for the fried spring rolls and café sua da, too. 2. Pho’Nomenal, 7504 N. May Ave. 3. Mr. Pho, 1133 NW 25th St. Worth mentioning: Pho Cuong, Pho Kim Long

Best new restaurant to open since 6-1-13

EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE

1734 NW 16th St.

What can be said about this funky, perfectly Plaza pizza parlor that hasn’t been said? Its hip and funny interior with a cool bar and even cooler patio make it a choice hangout for everyone from professionals to

3. Waffle Champion, 1212 N. Walker Ave. #100

Worth mentioning: La Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, Nani Japanese-Choctaw Kitchen, Tommy’s Italian-American Grill

Best fine dining establishment

MONDAYS BEER OLYMPICS

50¢ domestics | 10-Cl

TIPSY TUESDAY

Roll the dice for your price of domestic beer | 4p-7p Train Wreck Trivia | 9p

CHEEVER’S CAFE

WILD CARD WEDNESDAY

The first of A Good Egg Dining Group’s restaurants, Cheever’s quickly established its reputation by offering comfort food with a twist. Executive Chef Robert Black’s menu is full of innovative interpretations of comfort food staples like chicken-fried steak and macaroni and cheese. It also offers catering guaranteed to make the food at your next event the star of the show.

THIRSTY THURSDAY

2409 N. Hudson Ave.

2. Red PrimeSteak, 504 N. Broadway Ave.

3. Vast, 333 W. Sheridan Ave. Worth mentioning: Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, The Coach House, The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro

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FREEDOM FRIDAY

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SINFUL SATURDAY

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SUNDAY FUNDAY

Frozen Fresh Fruit Smoothies & Bloody Mary Bar | 12p-2a

1200 N. Penn 405.605.3795

M - F, 3p - 2a Sat & Sun, 12p - 2a

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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James E. McNellie’s

Edna’s

Pick a Winning Team, Choose

Republic Gastropub

Neal McGee Homes

Best neighborhood pub

JAMES E. MCNELLIE’S PUBLIC HOUSE ,

1100 Classen Drive

To step into James E. McNellie’s is to enter a nostalgic, cozy world of tradition complete with a warm wood interior and a multitude of beer offerings. The menu is derivative of traditional pub food, offering favorites like Shepherd’s pie and fish and chips. Make sure to peruse the huge beer menu, full of brews from around the world; if you’re stumped, its canny staff is always helpful with recommendations to guide you to your new favorite libation. 2. The Mule, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave.

3. Grandad’s, 317 NW 23rd St. Worth mentioning: Henry Hudson’s Pub, Saints Irish Pub

Best dive bar 16709 LITTLE LEAF ROSECREEK LN $619,900

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EDNA’S

anytime someone plays “Great Balls of Fire.” It’s home of the Lunchbox, its signature amaretto, orange juice and Coors Light confection that has existed since before the area at Classen Circle became “The Trifecta.” You owe it to yourself to check out this dive. While the exterior got a facelift in recent years, the interior is the same smoky, busy, casual place we know and love. Belly up to the bar. You can thank us later. 2. Cock O’ the Walk, 3705 N. Western Ave.

3. Grandad’s, 317 NW 23rd St. Worth mentioning: Alibis, HiLo Club

Best fancy-pants bar

REPUBLIC GASTROPUB

5830 N. Classen Blvd.

This ritzy, take-no-prisoners Good Egg Dining Group concept takes itself seriously, and it should. The striking modern interior is home to a curated collection of excellent beer choices. The menu items are highbrow interpretations of pub food, and they are as pleasing to the eye as the palate. It’s no wonder it’s packed most nights; it has a great thing going, and the secret has long been out. Be prepared to wait on weekends, or grab a seat at the bar and sample some of the finest pub food in OKC.

, 5137 N. Classen Circle

2. Red Piano Lounge,

There are dollar bills plastered on every surface that’s nailed down. Edna herself is known to dance on the bar

3. Vast, 333 W. Sheridan Ave. Worth mentioning: Ludivine, The O Bar at the Ambassador Hotel

Skirvin Hilton Hotel, 1 Park Ave.

Classen Grill

Empire Slice House Big Truck Tacos

also a great place to take out-oftowners because it never disappoints. 2. Beverly’s Pancake House, 3315 Northwest Expressway

3. Jimmy’s Egg, various metro locations

Best new bar to open since 6-1-13

EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE

1734 NW 16th St.

Ah, Empire Slice House — what’s not to love? From the charming decorations on the small front patio, including Star Wars figurines in the planters and a pink elephant outside the front door, it’s a welcome addition to the Plaza District. While the decor and menu item names are pure whimsy, the food is anything but. Interesting combinations of ingredients (we recommend the Rock Steady) and by-the-slice availability make it a welcome hangout. Empire Slice is open late as well as for brunch, making it possible to get it anytime you have a craving. 2. Kd’s Southern Cuisine, 224 Johnny Bench Dr.

3. Urban Johnnie Bar & Grille, 121 NE Second St.

Worth mentioning: Pink Cadillac, The Barrel, The O Bar at the Ambassador Hotel

Worth mentioning: The Boomerang Diner; The Diner, Norman

Best food truck or cart

BIG TRUCK TACOS When founders Kathryn Mathis and Cally Johnson started Big Truck Tacos, the idea was simple: Elevate the humble taco truck using fresh, gourmet ingredients. Little did they know they would start a revolution in dining in OKC. The truck went on to win Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. The brick-andmortar location, 530 NW 23rd St., is invariably packed with hungry diners, and the ubiquitous truck is always a favorite at any location, with fans willing to stand in long lines to sample its greatness. 2. Roxy’s Ice Cream Social 3. Kaiteki Ramen Worth mentioning: The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen, The Loaded Bowl, Taste of Soul Egg Roll

Best diner

CLASSEN GRILL

, 5124 N. Classen Blvd.

This OKC staple has been serving up classic dishes to hungry early morning diners, and, well, hung over brunch diners for decades. It’s not unusual to see a line out the door. The reason people are willing to wait is the same reason it is this year’s winner. It delivers consistent, delicious made-to-order items with attentive service. The fresh-squeezed orange juice is an added bonus. It’s

THE END

O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 4 7

Steaks • Seafood • Lobster • Rack of Lamb

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Now showing football games in the Tavern 4 8 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

M A RK HA N COC K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

So fine

Chicken fingers and fries and a bacon cheeseburger and fries at So Fine Eatery & Pub.

From cheeseburgers to tortilla chips, the fare at this pub brings back memories of childhood. BY GREG ELWELL

So Fine Eatery & Pub 733 NW FOURTH ST. FACEBOOK.COM/SOFINEEATERY 236-2222 WHAT WORKS: Good homestyle fare like burgers and spaghetti. WHAT NEEDS WORK: Signage might let people know they’re there. TIP: The Wi-Fi password is written on the wall.

What makes food good? Maybe that’s an odd way to start off a restaurant review, but I honestly wonder sometimes why some places are popular and others are slow and hordes of unlucky restaurateurs see their dreams whither and die. Why can some restaurants truck in frozen entrees and get lines out the door while those who do the damned hard work of really cooking are overlooked? I would like for you, if you get the chance, to look in on So Fine Eatery & Pub, 733 NW Fourth St., and owner Larry Jenkins and cook Tammy Landers. In the sky-blue concrete building that used to be the Neighborhood Lounge, in view of the luxurious accommodations of the Oklahoma City Jail, Landers is cooking up the kind of simple, honest food that will make you think of your childhood — and wish your mom was a better cook. She told me everything is prepared

in the kitchen, and I believe her. When she told me to get the chips with queso and salsa ($4), I did. Let me tell you about these chips. They were tortilla chips. They cut up tortillas and they fried them and they put salt on them and they were perfect. The salsa tasted like Pace, and the queso seemed like Rotel and Velveeta, and if I’m honest, I didn’t care. The chips were so good, everything else tasted like growing up. Next came the cheeseburger ($5.50), and I don’t want to shock you here, but it was tasty. Fresh beef cooked all the way through but seasoned well and still juicy. I don’t think you’ll see people lining up out front like at Nic’s Grill, but if you want a tasty burger, this is a tasty burger. It came with fries ($1.50), also fresh and seasoned perfectly. They’re the kind of fries you don’t realize you’re still eating even after announcing that you’re no longer hungry. Subconsciously, you must eat them. Hey, kid. C’mere. You want to hear something sad? Most places that serve chicken tenders ($6) just open a box and throw them in some frying oil. That’s why you have to put a gallon of barbecue sauce on to finish them. At So Fine, they cut up chicken and then they fry it up like you would fried chicken. The result is a bite that is crisp with a

good kick of black pepper. They’re good alone or with gravy. If she put it in a sandwich, I’d say “Please” and “Thank you” and “Can I have another?” If you come on a Wednesday, which is as good a day as any, you can get the spaghetti with meat sauce ($5). Now, if you’re trying to compare it to Stella or Rococo, stop. This spaghetti is a meal, but it’s also a time machine zooming you right back to being 8 years old and positively giddy at the idea of a big plate of noodles for dinner. I regret to inform you that I was unable to sample the Friday special, which is an Indian taco ($5). I do not

regret to inform you that I’ll be going back at my earliest convenience to experience it myself. So Fine Eatery & Pub is also a bar, so if you’re looking for a drink to go along with your dining, congratulations. But if you are a teetotaler, they will allow you a soft drink or water. They are not monsters. What makes a restaurant good? I’m not sure of the answer for everyone else, but for me, I like tasty food and nice people. And if So Fine doesn’t impress you from the outside, remember that — like people — it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

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HEY OKC! WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR A GREAT YEAR AND ALL YOUR SUPPORT. WE LOVE YOU FOR REAL! Micah Andrews

Iron and ale

Micah Andrews’ Oak & Ore will be a celebration of local businesses and craftsmanship. BY DEVON GREEN

Oak & Ore 1732 NW 16TH ST.

2310 N. Western • 524-0887 M-F 7am-6:30pm Sat 9:30am-4pm

6305 Waterford Blvd #100 Oklahoma City • (405) 848-1065

7408 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City •(405) 840-3047

5 0 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

FACEBOOK.COM/OAKANDORE @OAKANDORE

Micah Andrews is on a hunt for a door — not just a typical door that goes between rooms or on the front of a house. This one has to be special. It’s going to hang in his new restaurant, Oak & Ore, set to open this fall in The Plaza District, and it will get a lot of attention. He’s pretty sure he has found the right one. It’s at local furniture store Reclaimed Lumber Solutions, 400 S. Western Ave. The door is massive. It’s an oxidized metal slab that used to be a sliding door entrance for cars and trucks in a Bricktown warehouse. Reclaimed Lumber Solutions, a furniture and raw material shop, is full of such stuff that’s getting a new life as decorative touches and functional pieces. Andrews is all about cooperation. He’s working with several local businesses to make his restaurant a funky, local hangout. It started with beer — craft beer, to be specific. Andrew’s interest in local craft beer led to experimentation with home brewing. In honing his craft, he met a few other local brewers and got to talking. They dispelled a notion that a lot of people have about people who make beer. “One thing I don’t think a lot of people know is that craft brewers are very cooperative,” he said. “Their main competition is Coors and Budweiser, so they work together on a lot of things. I would like people to know that it’s a lot more of a community than you might

think; there’s a lot less competition.” He said that it is precisely this spirit that prompted local Roughtail Brewing Company to market its anniversary beer on its website. It is also what drives his vision for Oak & Ore. He has talked with a lot of local microbreweries. His plan for Oak & Ore is a casual, full-service bar and restaurant that focuses on local craft spirits, especially beer. The name Oak & Ore is a nod to the two components of a beer barrel. Andrews pointed at a piece of ornate stamped tin and explained that it will have a place near the bar as an accent. He pointed at another pile of thick, sturdy planks of wood and said the pile came from a warehouse in Chicago. Andrews plans to use it for the floor of Oak & Ore, and he explained that it was particularly fitting; a trip to Chicago with his brother was what prompted his journey exploring craft beers and brewing. “It’s nice to incorporate a little nod to that trip to Chicago in the finished place; [it] brings it full circle,” he said. Andrews is now putting the finishing touches to his restaurant. He’s working with the builders to maintain some of the key elements of the original building. However, the façade of the building at 1732 NW 16th St. will start to look markedly different in the coming weeks. He’s also working to nail down his menu and the beers, wines and spirits that will be available. The menu will include knife-and-fork sandwiches and items that suit a variety of tastes and dietary needs, including gluten-free items.

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Year of the truck The inaugural Skyline Food Truck Festival celebrates two things that Okies love: food trucks and helping out a good cause. BY DEVON GREEN

Skyline Food Truck Festival 9 A.M. SATURDAY OKC DOWNTOWN AIRPARK 1701 S. WESTERN AVE. SKYLINEFOODFEST.COM $0-$70

Steve Stein is pretty up front about his reason for the Skyline Food Truck Festival. It’s for a great cause that has helped many of his friends, and he hopes it sticks around for a long time to help more of them. The Red Dirt Relief Fund is a nonprofit that helps Oklahoma musicians get back on their feet due to housing or medical expenses. One of the most anticipated guests, Mike Hosty, benefited from the fund in the spring. Okie musicians raised money for his medical expenses. Hosty is now back in top shape and ready to rock. Stein owns Route 66 Road House, 4328 NW 39th St., a bar that features live music on the weekends. He has made connections with various Oklahoma musicians in his time running his bar and the food and beverage service at OKC Downtown Airpark. His friend Stoney LaRue was also a big help. “How this even came up is we were sitting in Stoney’s bus and he thought it would be a great idea,” Stein said. “He’s able to help because he’s part of the Red Dirt Relief Fund, and sometimes when a musician has a little bit of clout like he does, he can encourage other musicians to contribute their time.” LaRue had a prior engagement for this festival, but he plans on performing at future ones. That’s right; there will be more food truck fests. “It’s a show we can keep going once or twice a year, and we’re committed to having only Oklahoma trucks and musicians,” Stein said. He was quick to list several sponsors contributing. Mustang Brewing Company is donating beer for the VIP tent and will have a presence at the fest. Local businessman

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A line forms for food and drinks during a recent festival at OKC Downtown Airpark. Guy Clark, who is part owner of Tumbleweed Dance Hall at Lakeview Drive and Country Club Road in Stillwater, is another sponsor. Starting at 9 a.m., there will be a car show and four to five breakfast trucks, including OKC favorites Crepe Brewers and Stillwaffles out of Stillwater. Coffee and Cars, which has a monthly car show at Northpark Mall, is sponsoring the show. According to Stein, around 400-500 cars will be at the festival. The car show begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until about noon. “Starting at noon, we’re going to have bands on two stages, and the bands that are going to play are all Red Dirt-Americana,” Stein said. The list of entertainers includes The Chase Sandford Band, Chad Sullins and the Last Call Coalition and Aaron Newman & The OK Caravan. During that time, there will be 35-45 trucks lining the perimeter of the outfield. The festival is more than an opportunity to visit H&8th Night Market favorites like Kaiteki Ramen and The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen; there are plenty of trucks from out of town, including Mexiasian Fusion from Lawton and The Dog House from Tulsa. For the ultimate experience, including free beer, festival swag and a shaded place to cool down, you can purchase a VIP ticket. General admission to the fest is free; however, there is a fee to park. Klein hopes the festival will become a regular OKC event. “It’s kind of the old drive-in movie theory — you can stuff 10 people in your car or you can have one person in your car, both for $10,” he said. For information about the festival, including a complete list of both bands and trucks, visit its website at skylinefoodfest.com.

Play it again OKC Urban Ag Coalition helps metro residents learn about agriculture.

BY DEVON GREEN

Ken’s Pizza opens in Edmond

Remember Ken’s Pizza? Of course you do. The first Ken’s Pizza, owned by founder Ken Selby, opened in Tulsa as Pizza Parlor in 1961. Selby expanded the brand and had over 100 locations by 1975 before transitioning to Mazzio’s later that decade. The Edmond Ken’s Pizza location at 628 W. Danforth Road is the first fully new location to open since 1982. David Greer and his family operate the Edmond store and locations in Chandler, Prague and Guthrie. Remember that patience is a virtue and there is enough pizza for everyone. We hope. Call 285-8733 or find them at kenspizzaoklahoma.com. Cars, music and food trucks

Fowler Holding Company makes no secret about its support of local businesses. Now, it is teaming up with local food truck app Truck It OKC to host local food trucks in two locations on Saturdays. Fowler Volkswagen in Norman and Fowler Dodge in OKC will have some of OKC’s best eats in hand from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays through August. Fowler

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Oklahoma City Urban Ag Coalition helps city residents learn more about agriculture in urban environments. The group hosts various activities, including workshops and demonstrations, throughout the year. This month, it is hosting a series of films that deal with modern agriculture. The next event is 7 p.m. Friday in the Terrace Room at the Crystal Bridge at Myriad Botanical Gardens. There will be a showing of Symphony of the Soil followed by a reception. Tickets are $5, and the event is open to the public. For more information, visit goinglocalokc.com or myriadbotanicalgardens.org or call 445-7080.

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It’s chile in here

There’s one more reason to celebrate this time of year, and it comes to us from Hatch, New Mexico. Hatch green chiles are famous for their unique flavor, and this is the only time of year to get them fresh. The Hatch harvest takes place from August to early September, and chiles are shipped nationwide so others can celebrate this yearly party. Buy For Less, 10011 SE 15th St., and Uptown Grocery, 1230 W. Covell Road in Edmond, both offer the chiles fresh off the truck, or you can buy them pre-roasted. You can also buy them in bulk and roast and freeze them so you can enjoy their flavor all year long without having to buy the canned stuff. Move fast — they always sell out. Taste them and you’ll understand what all the fuss is about.

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We couldn’t be more excited to be one of your favorites for Best Chinese 2701 N. Classen • Okc • 524-733 | www.GrandHouseOKC.com

Hot and slurpy Asian noodle dishes can be a delicious, quick lunch or an elegant dinner, and are all easy to find in the metro area.

BY ANGELA BOTZER

Whether stir-fried, simmered or steamed; served hot or cold; in soups or complete dishes, Asian-style noodles have captured our hearts since time immemorial. Noodles are said to have been created in China’s eastern coastal region during the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) and were first enjoyed by nobility. Along with rice, they are daily staples throughout Asian cuisine, and each region has a myriad of ways to serve noodles.

Chinese

Fung’s Kitchen, 3231 N. Classen Blvd., offers home cooking at its finest with its Chinese beef with dry flat noodles ($8.95). These wide, flat, Chinese-style noodles are accompanied by scallions and mung bean sprouts in a sweetened soy-based sauce — what Mom would make at home. Infused dried chrysanthemum blossom tea would be perfect with this — the blossoms puff out beautifully when hot water is added. For adventurous foodies, here’s an insider tip: There is a separate, authentic Chinese menu (not the American-Chinese menu) available upon request. Most notable are duck tongue in salt and hot pepper ($14.95), marinated jellyfish ($8.95), needle flower with clam ($12.95) and deep-fried pig intestines ($9.45).

Korean

In Korean cuisine, wheat noodles often appeared on the table as festive wedding fare. Until recently, Koreans would affectionately pester their unmarried friends by asking, “When

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Chinese beef with dry flat noodles with a pot of oolong tea at Fung’s Kitchen. will you treat me with chanch’i kuksu (feast noodles)?” In other words, when are you finally getting married? A wedding day is also referred to as a day to eat kuksu, feast noodles. There’s no reason to wait for a wedding to sample festive noodles at Seoul Garden Korean Restaurant, 6012 SE 15th St. The flavorful Japchae ($5.99) is made with cellophane sweet potato noodles, cabbage, carrots, spinach, onions and Korean bulgogi beef, all in a savory sauce. Served with rice, two mini chickenfilled dumplings and a pork egg roll with a sweet dipping sauce, this is a full meal in itself. The kimchi (fermented vegetables) is the freshest I’ve ever had. It’s crispy and spicy, and I could eat it all by itself as a separate course.

Vietnamese

The first thing that comes to mind when mentioning both Vietnamese cuisine and noodles is the ever-popular pho noodle soup with fresh green herbs. But there’s more to Vietnamese noodles than the flavorful pho. Pho’Nomenal, 7504 N. May Ave., offers a classic thin vermicelli noodle dish of stir-fried broccoli, onions, mushrooms, carrots, snow peas and water chestnuts topped with the classic Vietnamese condiment fried shallots ($6.95). The noodles are springy and cooked to perfection, a perfect foil for the sauce and vegetables.

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Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish traditionally made with four components. First is the soup base from pork, chicken, seaweed and sometimes dried bonito fish. Next is the tare, a delicious flavor essence such as miso paste or soy sauce. Third are the wheat noodles themselves, which are finally topped with slices of pork, chicken, scallions, nori seaweed and cooked eggs. Here in Oklahoma City, the Kaiteki Ramen food truck (kaitekiramen.com) serves up fresh, creative Asian-fusion comfort food that is deliciously stalk-worthy. This is not the ramen you scarfed down as an impoverished college student — it’s the real deal. Choose the signature Kaiteki ramen ($8) with a shoyu broth, braised pork belly, noodles, marinated egg (the egg is so yummy), nori and kamaboko fish cake. Accompany this with the pork belly bao ($3.50), a handmade steamed bun with roasted pork belly, Kaiteki’s own plum sauce and pickled cucumbers. These are small; order one to accompany ramen or three on their own — they’re that good. Note: To be a ramen noodle pro, there’s actually an authentic method to the madness. First, slurp the noodles. Then sip the soup and savor the toppings.

Malaysia

Char kuch Teow is a popular Malaysian street food dish, meaning “stir-fried rice cake strips.” Banana Island, 1117 NW 25th St., has a lovely version of this with stir-fried noodles, succulent shrimp, calamari,

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crispy bean sprouts, eggs, soy sauce and spicy chili paste ($8.95). This Penang version reigns supreme with its lightly charred fragrance of noodles stir-fried over high heat — authentic and heavenly.

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In Korean cuisine, wheat noodles often appeared on the table as festive wedding fare. THURS 11AM-8PM | FRI-SAT 11AM-9PM | SUN 7AM-7PM

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The cozy Thai Thai Asian Bistro, 780 W. Main St., in Norman offers its adored pad thai ($9.99), featuring flat rice noodles. A dish originally believed to be introduced by Vietnamese traders visiting the ancient Thailand city of Ayutthaya, pad thai became popular in the 1930s, when the Thai government pushed to reduce domestic rice consumption as part of its nationalism campaign. Thailand’s largest export was rice at the time, hence the popularity of rice noodles. Usually served as part of a luncheon meal or as a midday snack, this healthy noodle dish features chicken, beef, shrimp, pork or tofu with rice noodles and a homemade peanut-lime sauce. Refreshing spring rolls with cucumber salad round out a wonderful meal.

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So trucking good There’s something about food from a truck that makes it more delicious. Maybe the tiny kitchen space compresses the flavor. Maybe it’s it’s that it can come to you. Whatever it is, here are a few metro trucks that you should check out. Speaking of, there will be dozens of them Saturday at Skyline Food Festival at OKC Downtown Airpark. Check out our feature in this section.

Lalo’s I Love My Taco Chop & Grill @LalosTacoChop 535-7532

Notice the striking resemblance between the name of this truck and a certain well-known eatery on the Bricktown Canal? Well, that’s on purpose. You see, owner Lalo Hernandez is a man of many talents, and as a musician, he struck up a friendship with fellow Okie musician Toby Keith. He told Keith of his plans, and a running joke about the name led to this truck. The food, however, is no joke.

— by Devon Green, photos by Mark Hancock, Shannon Cornman

20% OFF ENTIRE TICKET (Excludes drinks. Cannot be combined with Happy Hour prices. Must present ad for discount.)

Big O’s Pork & Dreams

Klemm’s Smoke Haus

porkanddreams.com 432-4155

@KlemmsSmokeHaus 562-8616

If there are two things that Okies love, it’s barbecue and helping out fellow Okies. Big O’s is those two great things put together. Business founder Owen Wilson, behavioral consultant at Edmond Public Schools and assistant football coach at Edmond Santa Fe High School, combines his family love and recipes with a chance to support a mentorship program. The truck business works to help teach hard work and attain goals. It helps that his family has been perfecting its barbecue for three generations.

This truck hit the streets in early spring and has been generating quite a buzz with its smoked meats and hand-cut fries. As you might have guessed, the Klemm family — Jen, John and JJ — owns the truck. Catch them on the fly at locations like A Date With Iris, 4201 N. Western Ave. Also, try The Jowler: pulled pork, red cabbage apple slaw and housemade mustard on a pretzel bun. Make sure you bring your best appetite or a friend to share with.

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Katiebug’s Shaved Ice facebook.com/katiebugsshavedice @katiebugsokc

There are a wealth of snow cone stands in the metro, especially during this time of the year. Among those, Katiebug’s stands out in more ways than one. The cute turquoise-and-white trailer serves up all-natural shaved ice. Katie Morgan uses fresh fruit and juices to make flavors like the crazy-popular blackberry lavender and the alluring lime, sea salt and coconut cream. She ties them all together with organic sugar, and there are no artificial colors. No glowing neon snow here! We promise you won’t miss it.

Kosmos Q BBQ Truck & Catering Kosmos Q BBQ Truck & Catering kosmosq.com facebook.com/KosmosBBQ @KosmosBBQ 590-8490

In the barbecue game, Kosmos has a few tricks up its sleeve. The company has made its name making injections and rubs for competition cooks. Spoiler: Those cooks often win. Now it’s bringing the show to you, offering pulled pork sandwiches, chopped beef brisket and much more. The Okie Cheesesteak with caramelized onions, tender brisket and Cheez Whiz on a soft Philly roll is amazing.

The Pasta Monsta

G’s Chili Company

pastamonsta.com @Pasta_Monsta 378-6600

itschilibaby.com facebook.com/gschilicompany @gschilicompany

This truck has been loose for about three months now, and it has developed quite a following. The truck serves pasta the way that Italians do leftovers: sautéed noodles in olive oil with your choice of marinara, Alfredo or garlic butter. You can get your dish piled high with your choice of Italian sausage, meatballs or grilled chicken. It also sells panini, sub sandwiches and pizza. Don’t forget to save room for pie: cherry, blueberry or apple with cinnamon and sugar caramelized to perfection.

If you’ve never had your chili the way they serve it in Cincinnati, you have no idea what you’re missing. G’s aims to open a few minds by specializing in chili and fixings, especially noodles. Try the O.G.: chili with beans, spaghetti, cheese and onions cleverly served in an oyster pail — or, as we know them, Chinese take-out containers. The menu also features hot dogs and hot link sandwiches.

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Race cars A native Oklahoman participates in NASCAR’s drive for diversity. BY JOSH HUTTON

Forty-three stock cars streaked across the Talladega Superspeedway. More than 100,000 fans crammed into the grandstand and infield, toting coolers of beer, luncheon meat and soggy bread, to cheer on the drivers. The force and sheer noise of the passing cars reverberated through not only the bodies of the spectators but also the bottles of water in their hands, making the liquid appear to boil. Sponsored cars — Bud Light, Home Depot, Viagra — blurred past, averaging speeds of 184 mph, all driven by white males and identifiable only by their trademark colors.

NASCAR is a major sports organization that is followed by fans around the world, and our company tries to reflect that in our culture. — Paula Miller

Amid the superlative speed, sound and crowd at the 2001 Talladega 500 was an 8-year-old Native American girl from Muskogee. Jordan Leatherman, who is Cherokee, remembered being awestruck by her first NASCAR race. “The atmosphere, the adrenaline of it all — it was addicting,” she said. Now 21 and a senior at Oklahoma State University, Leatherman has spent her summer interning at NASCAR as part of the association’s Diversity Internship Program. She, along with 15 others, spent the summer in Daytona,

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Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, lead a group of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 in July. Florida, working in various departments. The program exists as an answer to NASCAR’s history of exclusion and oft-held perception of being a white Southern sport.

History of exclusion

At its birth, stock car racing was segregated much like baseball. AfricanAmericans were not allowed to compete in the same racing series as whites. Throughout the 1930s, the bulk of competitive racing took place on small dirt tracks throughout the Southern United States. There was no central organizer and no governing body to standardize permissible vehicle modifications. “Race promoters were often scoundrels. They’d promise a winning purse of a certain amount and then disappear with the money. There was no point system. The whole thing was a mess,” NASCAR Hall of Fame historian Buz McKim said. Many of the early drivers honed their skills by bootlegging, the smuggling of untaxed, illegal alcohol across the country during Prohibition. Bootlegging not only strengthened their ability to drive with terrific speed, often through the hairpin turns of the Appalachian foothills, but also their abilities as mechanics. They constantly altered their vehicles for carrying capacity, handling and speed. In some instances, race promoters banned known bootleggers from events to prevent further debasement of stock car racing’s credibility. Wendell Scott Jr, the first African-

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Jordan Leatherman participated in NASCAR’s Diversity Internship Program, a program meant to encourage diversity in the ranks of the racing association. American driver in NASCAR, competed in the Grand National — the top national racing series, now the Sprint Cup — for 13 years. Like many other competitors, Scott became both a skilled driver and mechanic by bootlegging. Despite 147 top 10 finishes, McKim said Scott struggled to secure sponsorships because tracks across the country banned him based on ethnicity. “A lot of tracks wouldn’t allow African-Americans to compete. Wendell would pick up a small sponsorship from a gas station here and there, but most of his expenses were out of his own pocket,” McKim said. In 1963, he won first place at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida. However, Scott was not recognized as the winner until hours after the race. Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Donovan wrote about the final laps of the race in his biography of Scott, Hard Driving: The Wendell Scott Story. “Apparently, in just a few minutes, a Negro driver would win the race. Then he’d go to victory circle and step up for his trophy. If custom prevailed, he would kiss the race queen, a white woman, in front of the white crowd,” Donovan wrote. Officials removed Scott’s name from the scoreboard before he crossed the finish line. When he finished the last lap, no checkered flag waved. Hours later, NASCAR officials conceded that Scott had won. The bittersweet victory still stands as the only win by an African-American driver in the association’s top-tier racing series. “I think one factor that has CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Wendell Scott Jr., the first African-American driver in NASCAR, what is now the Sprint Cup for 13 years. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

deterred minorities from racing is the amount of money it takes to start,” McKim said. Most racing teams spend approximately $6 million annually on vehicle upkeep and travel. The high price of launching a career has allowed established racers to set up family dynasties like the Earnhardts, the Pettys and the Waltrips.

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Combating misconception

Diversity is one of NASCAR’s main initiatives. “We are committed to this growth process, which is helping the sport more closely reflect the rest of the country,” NASCAR’s Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Paula Miller said. A key component in the process is the association’s Diversity Internship Program. Leatherman’s internship application process was competitive. She interviewed seven times before taking a position in June. Many of her fellow interns had minimal knowledge about NASCAR, and she said her background in racing made her stand out. Her grandfather has been racing for 50 years. She grew up at Oklahoma dirt tracks like Outlaw Motor Sports Park in Oktaha, Salina Highbanks and the now-defunct Thunderbird Speedway in Muskogee. “Racing has been a part of my life since I was a baby. I’m accustomed to it. I could fall asleep to the noise. It’s soothing to me,” she said. Leatherman, assigned to multicultural development, acted as a liaison between the other interns and her department. She attended the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona during her internship and received a Hot Pass, the NASCAR equivalent of backstage access, and said more people would catch the racing bug if they experienced a race firsthand. “NASCAR wants to go to different

markets, to different groups of people and give them a behind-the-scenes look,” she said. She contends that efforts by the association will produce a more diverse fan base in the future. In Nielsen’s 2013 Sports Media Report, the research firm reported 94 percent of Sprint Cup series television viewers were white, two percent were black and another two percent were Hispanic. The viewership was predominately male, at 63 percent. NASCAR’s rebranding focuses not just on different ethnicities but also on younger audiences. Nielsen reported that 49 percent of the sports viewership was 55 or older. Nielsen’s statistics focus on those watching events strictly on television. Miller said the racing associations research has found that 20 percent of fans are multicultural. “Some people are surprised, but NASCAR is a major sports organization that is followed by fans around the world, and our company tries to reflect that in our culture,” she said. Aside from its Diversity Internship Program, NASCAR trains minority drivers through its Drive for Diversity Program. Two Drive for Diversity graduates have garnered national attention with recent achievements. Asian-American Kyle Larson is driving full-time in the 2014 Sprint Cup, and Darrell Wallace Jr. is currently racing full-time in the third tier Camping World Truck series. Last year, 50 years after Scott’s victory in Jacksonville, Wallace became the second African-American to win a national series race at the Camping World Truck Kroger 200 in Ridgeway, Virginia. Since Leatherman’s first race at Talladega, racing culture has slowly changed. “With great drivers like Darrell Wallace Jr. coming up, I think it will continue to reach a wider audience,” she said.

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M A RK HA N COC K

Busker du Street performers add more culture and entertainment to busy OKC streets and events. BY CONRAD KERSTEN

It was an ideal night, but not so ideal that the thousands gathered on Hudson Avenue would forget that they were in Oklahoma. The only thing longer than the line of food trucks were the lines of patrons glazed in sweat standing in front of those trucks. The people bubbled about H&8th Night Market like boiling water. Among the hive of people were three young men comprising a small band that softly pumped out jazz tunes on drums, a guitar and a saxophone. Patrons taking a break from their tacos filled with gourmet beef or those patiently waiting for craft beer would stop to watch the talent. Some months, a red-haired boy with black-rimmed glasses belts out fan favorites like “Piano Man” while playing the keyboard and harmonica. Josh Fudge plays fearlessly for his age. Fudge is a 12-year-old piano major at Classen School of Advanced Studies and started performing as a street musician when he was 11. He performs seasonally at block parties like Live! on the Plaza for the experience and to raise money for more music gear. “[Street performers] add to the culture of a community in the same way the local festivals, the area cuisine and the style of buildings do,” said Hannah Kalfas, who has been a street entertainer for two years. Brian Bergman, H&8th event manager, said that busking zones — areas where public art is sanctioned by the city — were added to H&8th to add to the amount of live music while also passively encouraging the idea of busking. There are programs, like Out of the Box, that promote street performers in OKC. Out of the Box is a program put on by the Arts Council of Oklahoma City that hires street entertainers to perform in OKC. “The street performance culture

Out of the Box performer Chad Slagle plays near the Mickey Mantle statue at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. in OKC is growing,” said Gilbert Magdaleno, director of Out of the Box. “Since I started directing this program six years ago, I’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of people interested in street performing.” Both H&8th and Out of the Box have specific permits that allow them to have street performers. Due to the type of permit that Out of the Box has, performers are not allowed to ask for tips. Oklahoma City’s municipal code states that if any street performer asks for tips, they must obtain a license from the city. According to Kristy Yager, an Oklahoma City public information officer, there were 112 street entertainer licenses issued from July 2013 through July 2014. The annual licenses cost $30. Anyone wishing to get a license can apply for one through the city. Kalfas obtained the proper license from the city and has been seen performing near Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse in Bricktown. Kalfas, 17, sang current hits and played an acoustic guitar for those passing by during a breezy Saturday night. Onlookers who liked what they heard shyly placed small bills in the guitar casually opened next to her. While Kalfas admits she can make a few extra dollars performing, that is not the reason she does it. “The biggest and best part of [performing], to me, is the people. Kids will come and sit in front of me, and they’ll talk and sing with me. It brings me joy to know that I can put a smile on their face,” she said.

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For more information call 405-271-6552 or visit www.tobykeithfoundation.org. O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 6 1

LIFE VISUAL ARTS

Symbolic feminism A joint exhibition sheds light on two sides of the same gender-centric coin.

BY MOLLY EVANS

The Symbols Within Us Through Aug. 30 JRB Art at the Elms 2810 N. Walker Ave. jrbartgallery.com 528-6336 Free

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The world is overrun by the patriarchal male. We need more positive qualities of the feminine. ART PROVID ED

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Two artists, who grew up worlds apart, have come together to celebrate the feminine form and explore female identity in more than 100 mixed-media works. Behnaz Sohrabian, a Tehran, Iran, native, and Janet O’Neal, a longtime Santa Fe, New Mexico, resident, produced dozens of pieces for The Symbols Within Us, two simultaneous solo exhibitions on display during the month of August at JRB Art at the Elms gallery in the Paseo Arts District.

— Janet O’Neal “After Dancing” by Behnaz Sohrabian

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Despite their different backgrounds, Sohrabian and O’Neal approached the theme of the show from a similar social standpoint. “It’s about women,” Sohrabian said. “They’re being oppressed.” Sohrabian began painting as a child and later witnessed and experienced female oppression in her Iranian homeland. Around age 25, she became intrigued by painting the female form, and from then on, it became a fulltime passion. “Women are suppressed in the whole world, but in Turk countries, they suppress women more,” she said. Now, as an Oklahoman, Sohrabian recognizes that female oppression is

“The Soul Whispers” by Janet O’Neal

“Shaman II” by Janet O’Neal

universal — a fact she communicates in her 81 oil and acrylic paintings on display. Through intentional distortion of lines, blending of foreground and background and color choice,

Sohrabian tries to “say something about personality, identity and character of human beings.” O’Neal, a 28-year veteran of the art scene in Santa Fe and in Oklahoma

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“Moth Woman” by Janet O’Neal

City, believes both men and women have a feminine side, and through her mixed-media assemblages, she seeks to reveal it. “I honor [Karl] Jung’s vision of recognizing both the light and dark aspect of the feminine by the use of the shadow silhouette in a number of images,” O’Neal said in her artist statement. Known for her experimentation in media, O’Neal’s half of the exhibition comprises 32 pieces featuring three-dimensional elements in the form of found objects, such as watch faces, metal hinges, old photographs and text. Currently, she’s working with different types of wax and resin, creating a glossy effect on her assemblages. O’Neal presents various female archetypes, including the mystic, muse, maiden, divine mother, empress and more feminine symbols, connecting with Earth and nature. “I feel that we need more feminine in the world,” she said. “The world is overrun by the patriarchal male. We need more positive qualities of the feminine.” Through these specific symbols, O’Neal is asking the viewer “to venture across the portal into the world of the collective unconscious and dwell there for a while basking in the mystery of the feminine — finding yourself within these images.” To learn more about Sohrabian and O’Neal and their exploration of the feminine and see online galleries of their artwork, visit jrbartgallery.com.

O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 6 3

LIFE VISUAL ARTS

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The work of four Chinese artists and an OU printmaking student arrives just as students return to campus. BY MOLLY EVANS

Perception

P ROVI DED

Through Sept. 3 Lightwell Gallery 520 Parrington Oval, Norman art.ou.edu 325-2691 Free

Four artists from China will exhibit works in porcelain, cut-paper and collage for Perception, the kickoff exhibition of the fall semester at the University of Oklahoma’s Lightwell Gallery. Perception culminates the work of Xinxin Liu, Jing Zhang, Xiaomiao Wang and Xiaohong Zhang as well as Tracy Shi, an OU graduate student in printmaking who curated and organized the show. Shi, a Chinese artist, knew the four artists through professional connections, and she applied to the Lightwell Gallery committee to have the work exhibited. Jason Cytacki, an assistant professor and member of the committee, said Perception was scheduled to coincide with the first day of the school year because it would attract incoming students as well as visitors from beyond the OU community interested in an international art experience. “Exposing students to different cultures and art outside of our own local area is especially important,” Cytacki said. “It’s the job of the university to not only provide the culture for our students but for the community as well.” Shi is interested in the art of both Eastern and Western culture and finds the comparison helpful to her as an artist. “Art is the language that everyone could understand through their own perception,” Shi said. Although the show is comprised of all traditional Chinese elements, gallery visitors will easily recognize how the pieces fit into contemporary life. For example, Jing Zhang created handmade paper, a historical nod to China’s invention of paper in the beginning of the second century. Other work includes a bamboo

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A porcelain bowl created by Xiaomiao Wang. utensil used for steaming food crafted by Liu; porcelain bowls made by Wang in Jingdezhen, a city in China known as “The Porcelain Capital”; and intricate, symmetrical designs from Xiaohong’s Chinese papercutting work. The work of three of the artists — Liu, Wang and Xiaohong — is informed from their teaching backgrounds. Liu teaches in Beijing at Tsinghua University, the top school in China, while Wang and Xiaohong have taught in U.S. universities for more than six years. Liu, Wang and Jing Zhang, along with Shi, will attend the opening of Perception 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday. Cytacki encourages visitors from outside of the OU community to attend the free opening, which will include printmaking demonstrations by members of the OU Print Club. The sixth annual Tee Party will be held in conjunction with the opening reception. Visitors can bring a blank T-shirt, pillowcase, apron or tote bag to be custom-printed by members of the club. All proceeds from donations and art purchases of student work will help the Print Club attend the Southern Graphics Council Conference in the spring and to bring visiting artists to OU. Perception will be on display until Sept. 3 in the Lightwell Gallery, located on the second floor of the School of Art & Art History. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and admission is always free.

LIFE PERFORMING ARTS

Sullivan’s travels From overseas to Broadway, Oklahoma native KT Sullivan — who returns home for a one-night performance — has literally been around the world. BY ERIC WEBB

Colored Lights

UCO’s Broadway Tonight series opens its new season, Oklahoma Voices, with a performance by veteran Broadway actress, cabaret legend and Oklahoma native KT Sullivan. In addition to performing on Broadway, Sullivan built a reputation overseas with her West End debut in Vienna to Weimar. She has also appeared on TV and has a successful recording career with seven albums, including Crazy World, to her name. It’s perhaps as a cabaret performer that she’s best known. That is how Greg White, director of UCO’s Music Theater program and producer of the Broadway Tonight series, came to know her. He used to be a regular at Sullivan’s New York cabaret shows at notable venues like the Algonquin Hotel, Café Carlyle and Triad Theatre. White was surprised to discover that Sullivan had never performed in Oklahoma City. “I’m honored to be the one to bring KT back home to share her talent with Oklahoma audiences,” White said. “KT is absolutely fascinating to me. She’s this sophisticated international cabaret diva, and yet she is from small town Oklahoma (Boggy Depot).” White said that Sullivan’s unique combination of sophistication, girlnext-door charm and irresistible wit makes her an unforgettable performer, but she is first and foremost an actress and a storyteller. “Her ability to transport an audience through song puts her in a league of her own,” he said. “She’s one of those performers that holds the audience in the palm of her hand. Every song is a one-act play.” For her visit to the University of Central Oklahoma’s Mitchell Hall Theatre, Sullivan will perform Colored Lights, a semi-autobiographical onewoman show of classic theatrical pieces that humorously depict a singer’s ups and downs. She will be accompanied

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by Ted Firth on the piano. The set list will include songs from Sullivan’s Broadway career, including ones from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Threepenny Opera (an illfated production she appeared in with Sting), as well as many standards from the Great American Songbook. “Audiences are in for an entertaining treat as KT demonstrates her exceptional voice, comedic timing and colorful theater anecdotes that will entertain all ages,” White said. In addition to her performance of Colored Lights, Sullivan will lead a master class that is open to the public at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Y-Chapel on the UCO campus. In keeping with the theme of Oklahoma Voices, all of the guest artists in this season of Broadway Tonight are homegrown. “Oklahoma has such an incredible range of diverse talents. KT, Sandi Patty and Jimmy Webb were already on my short list,” White said. “Once I started noticing the thread, the collective history, I knew that we needed to celebrate who we are and what we’ve shared with the world.” White went on to say that while the season might seem to be about the familiar, it will also challenge audiences, opening their eyes to aspects of Oklahoma they’ve yet to discover.

OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 65

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66 • AU G UST 20, 2014 • OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS Puzzle No. 810, which appeared in the August 13 issue.

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ACROSS 1 Count back? 4 Not the final version 8 Lab report? 11 “Coffee Cantata” composer 15 Role on Frasier 18 Clear the deck? 19 Acknowledge 20 Provo sch. 21 Singer with the triple-platinum album The Memory of Trees 22 Shepherded she? 23 Book-jacket bit 24 *What to call a female ambassador [the Johnsons] 27 Gen ___ 28 Table scraps 30 Hillock 31 Off-white shade 32 Very 33 Mexican wrap 35 It’s all uphill from here 39 Very busy 41 Consider necessary 42 Upright 43 Baseball’s Alvarez and others 44 Damon and Dillon 46 ___ prosequi (“proceed no further” court entry) 47 Program carrier 48 Crude crowd 50 Motorcycle demos, e.g. 53 One side of the pH scale 56 Makes unnecessary 58 French “Inc.” 59 Experiences with great enjoyment 61 Expensive spoonful, maybe 62 What the answer to each of the six starred clues starts with 65 Old antipoverty agcy. 66 Purell target 68 Max Peel, for example: Abbr. 69 Partner of scratch 70 Slight 71 Days ___ 73 & 75 Bark 76 Prefix with pressure 78 ___ Cup (candy with a gooey center)

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Utah ski resort Director Nicolas On-track Bobby Common deli-meat order: Abbr. Modern know-it-all? Mayberry kid Between: Fr. Dickinson of TV’s Police Woman “Not likely!” Hardy heroine How school kids are grouped Mike who directed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 98 Some computers, familiarly 99 Hectic hosp. areas 100 What a packing person may pack 101 General public 103 Part of lye 104 It can make waves 105 Lasagna ingredient 113 Think 115 Any of nine kings of Thailand 116 *Pairing up for safety [the Clintons] 117 Accusatory words 118 Pitcher Hershiser 119 Freedom trail? 120 Huntsman Center team 121 Earthy deposit 122 Climax 123 Whacks 124 Brighten (up) DOWN 1 Give some relief 2 Many a ball 3 *Cleaning supply [the Bushes 43] 4 “Phooey!” 5 City north of Seattle 6 Doughnuts 7 Wows 8 Epitome of simplicity 9 Alternative to pumpernickel 10 Suffix with art 11 Smartphone sound 12 The King and I heroine 13 One with an eye for a storyteller? 14 Cow chow 15 *My Fair Lady co-star [the

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Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute). The answers to the New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle that appeared in the August 13 issue of Oklahoma Gazette are shown at left.

Oklahoma Gazette

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(1959) French prayer addressee One never stooping Larger ___ life Place to caucus A big head may be on one Pooper ___ *Singer with the 1964 #2 hit “My Boy Lollipop” [the Bushes 41] 70 *Egg order [the Obamas] 72 Some gold medals 74 Slight people 75 Composed 77 Contract-bridge tactic 78 Zombie’s sound 79 Actress nominated for a Golden Globe for Rhoda 80 Dancer’s wear 81 Pretty picture connector? 83 Some fridges 85 Oscar, e.g. 54 55 57 60 63 64 67

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NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 1 FRIENDS By Elizabeth C. Gorski / Edited by Will Shortz

86 Rowing machine, for one 87 Stagger 97 Not interfere with 100 Item in Baudelaire’s oeuvre 102 March great 103 Editorial instructions 104 Dance with a king 106 Year John Dryden died 107 West of the screen 108 Information gleaned from a dating site 109 Sugar suffix 110 Firebug 111 Starting 112 Double ___ Oreo 114 Perfume ingredient

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OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 67

6 8 • AU G UST 20, 2014 • OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE

LIFE MUSIC

Through the Würmhole P ROVI DED

A new Flaming Lips offshoot has afforded Steven Drozd and his cohorts a bevy of creative freedom. BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

The world of The Flaming Lips is as big and boundless as the one we all live in, a free-roaming plane of existence void of borders, gravity or order. If they have a motto, it’s “Why not?” — and they are prone to saying yes with those internal inquisitions. An album designed to be played on four separate stereos at once? Check. Collaborations with artists as varied and unlikely as Miley Cyrus, Ke$ha and Bon Iver? Sure. Music encased in a gummy skull? A 24-hour song? Recreating classic albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with a little help from their fwends? Yes, yes and yes. Wayne Coyne & Co. have released every type of music in every medium and performed those songs with every freaky prop and delivery mechanism they can pull from the deepest, darkest crevices and synapses of that collective marijuanasoaked mind of theirs. And that makes Electric Würms — a side project featuring Coyne and maestro Steven Drozd — and its debut album, Musik, die Schwer zu Twerk (roughly translating to “music that is hard to twerk to”), something of a shock. It’s a comparatively commonplace experiment that has somehow been entirely skipped over all this time, the volcano science project to decades of DNA splicing. The new music doesn’t represent any seismic shift from the Lips’ willfully eclectic back catalog. You don’t find Drozd spitting rhymes over a Timbaland beat or Coyne crooning country ballads. In fact, the Würms’ earliest output slots in neatly beside The Flaming Lips’ two most recent studio LPs, Embryonic and

The Terror. Yet a line in the sand was drawn, a border constructed in that sprawling Flaming Lips world where everything goes, which begs the question Why Electric Würms? Why now? “It was this weird moment where Wayne and I both wanted to do a different thing but wound up doing that together,” Drozd said. “It was a way to make music without it being The Flaming Lips.”

Early Würm

The idea first circled about in spring 2012, with Drozd and Coyne both searching for a new outlet despite a playing in a band that hadn’t ever selfimposed creative boundaries. But even the largest and freest of kingdoms carries a history with it. Oklahoma City’s freakiest native sons’ biggest hits also represent some of the band’s heaviest baggage. A new project represented a chance at partial liberation, an opportunity to explore the most discordant, noisy and ambitious sides of themselves without the tether to the cheerier splinter of the pair’s creative psyche. “I don’t know that it’s different enough to be categorized as a different thing, but we wanted to be able to play a show and not necessarily have to play ‘She Don’t Use Jelly’ or ‘Do You Realize??,’” Drozd said. “There’s a freedom to do whatever you want to do.” That means diving into the deepest depths of sonic oddity. The most feverish Miles Davis outtakes, the most feral ends of ’70s prog and the ghostliest corners of krautrock — that’s where Electric Würms

There’s moments where there’s not a melody, not a structure. It’s mainly about sound.

felt like a good jumping-off point for trying to see if we could do a different kind of music.”

Lipshift

— Steven Drozd

derived its sound and material for Musik, which was released this week. The Flaming Lips are no strangers to those layered, frenetic downpours of sound used to blanket their lucid melodies, but the Würms are content to let their songs sit in that rain for no other reason than to get wet, as heard in lead single and Yes cover “Heart of the Sunrise.” “There’s a disconnect from pop music or songs, per say,” Drozd said. “There’s moments where there’s not a melody, not a structure. It’s mainly about sound. Granted, the Flaming Lips do a lot as well, but it’s more so here, more worried about creating a vibe than a song.” Coyne and Drozd aren’t in this alone, though. New Fumes and Stardeath and White Dwarfs make appearances on the LP, as do Nashville rockers Linear Downfall, with whom Drozd and Coyne became intimately acquainted after they opened for the Lips. “It’s just pure, driving energy and rhythms,” Drozd said. “We wanted it to be these musicians at the peak of their musicianship just making noise. That

Distinctive aural outposts aside, Electric Würms do operate in a different manner than Coyne and Drozd are accustomed to. Namely, the roles are reversed: Drozd assumes the bulk of vocal duties, while Coyne is mostly devoted to auxiliary guitar, percussion and general racketmaking. Coyne is also quick to give Drozd most of the credit when it comes to the Würms, though Steven feels it’s as true a collaboration as it has ever been. “The way you imagine it and the way it is are pretty different. It’s not blackand-white, where all of a sudden I’m the star of the show. We’ll see if Wayne can actually stand off to the side and let someone else be in the spotlight,” Drozd joked. “I don’t know if he can actually allow that to happen.” It’s precisely there that Drozd thinks Electric Würms will truly come into its own slithery skin, the usual antics of The Flaming Lips’ famed live set substituted for a more straightforward, snarling dose of enveloping audio. And for those prone to artistic invention, to have a new territory to conquer is always a good thing. “I’m really hoping this is just the beginning of something — something that we can do for a while,” Drozd said. “We’ll play some shows and see if it’s an utter disaster, but I don’t think it will be. It’s a great energy that’s hard to describe, and I think it can stand alone.”

OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 69

THE LEGEND LIVES ON

70 • AU G UST 20, 2014 • OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE

LIFE MUSIC

The folksy creative spirit of Christian Lee Hutson is emboldened with every tour stop.

ERI N RA M BO

Christian mingling BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

Christian Lee Hutson 9 p.m. Sunday Red Brick Bar 311 E. Main St., Norman 579-6227 Free

Anyone can write a song. There’s more than technical skill and charisma required to write a good one, though. As Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt and John Prine would all tell you, songwriters need to study their soul as long and hard as they study their craft; a song that transcends beyond the first listen rests on a certain understanding of the human condition. As self-aware as he is selfdeprecating, Christian Lee Hutson is a student of those disciples and isn’t afraid to cut deep into his psyche to further his work and mine a new song. He has plenty of time on his hands to sit alone with his thoughts, too, spending about 250 days a year traveling the country and playing shows all on his lonesome. “When you are moving fast and in a different place every day, you experience life faster,” Hutson said. “A week on the road feels like a year. It sort of ages you more rapidly. Your emotional capacity kind of demands that you get rid of whatever good or bad thing is going on to be able to digest more.” Maybe there’s something to be said for slowing things down, though. Consumption and the subsequent purge might be at the core of his

creative spirit, but the songs from his 2013 debut album, The Hell with It, felt like they died before they even got a chance to live. That’s why Hutson decided to experiment with the release of his sophomore album, Yeah Okay I Know. The record has slowly leaked out as a single and video on the last day of each month with a full vinyl release plotted for the end of 2014. “This makes it so that every month feels like a party for me. Maybe that’s selfish, but it makes it so that I get to focus and process what a song is really all about. This is a way to force people to actually listen to an album in the most excruciating way possible,” he joked. It helps that his modern take on folk — à la Jason Isbell — was delivered with a more radio-friendly lilt this go-around, at least according to Hutson. “The intention was to make a pop record,” he said. “I’ve had people argue with me about that, but in my weird, messed-up mind, that’s still what I did: Make a Taylor Swift album. I tried learning how to be Kanye West.” Playing Sunday at Red Brick Bar, Hutson doesn’t know how or when he’ll release either album waiting in the wings, but he is seeking to find the perfect balance between moving forward and looking back. “Nostalgia is toxic,” he said. “It’s good to a point, but when you sit with something for too long, it will anchor you in a bad way, and I don’t want to feel anchored down.”

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OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 7 1 Oklahoma Gazette 08-20-14.indd 1

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LIFE MUSIC

Lunchtime live Each Thursday, the Noon Tunes series transforms the Downtown Library into a concert hall.

BY ADAM HOLT

Noon Tunes

The library many of us grew up with is a place associated with old books, card catalogues and the sound of pen on paper in pin-drop silence. But as technology and society evolves, so does the library. The sounds of keyboard clicks now fill the air, and the drawers of catalogued cards gave way to the blinking cursor of a search box. There are also new ideas of the library’s purpose, a modern model of not only a place to study but to further improve community. In this specific case, a place of education is also a venue to entertain. For a little over two years, Noon Tunes has filled the air of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. The event brings live music from across the spectrum of styles to the library’s atrium every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. It is free to the public. Kim Terry, director of marketing and communications for the Downtown Library, thinks Noon Tunes fills a void in lunch-hour entertainment. “It’s an opportunity for people to take a break, bring food and listen to new music every week,” Terry said. “There’s nothing like it downtown, and it’s better than a crazy, loud restaurant.” An eclectic mix of musical genres has graced the event: classical guitar, jazz, singer-songwriters and even a marching band. “Yep, they were pretty loud,” Terry said of the marching band. “But we received no complaints. We never received a single complaint from the event. Only compliments.” The artists are chosen through a list provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council, and all musicians are screened to ensure the acts are appropriate for the atmosphere. The Downtown Library has never experienced a shortage of interested artists and chooses a mix of new and known

SHANNON CORNMAN

Noon-1 p.m. Thursdays Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library 300 Park Ave. mls.lib.ok.us 231-8650 Free

The Kanaga Piano Jazz Quartet prepares for a Noon Tunes performance.

There’s nothing like it downtown, and it’s better than a crazy, loud restaurant. — Kim Terry

performers. Two of these known performers are Oklahoma City’s Sugar Free Allstars. Chris “Boom!” Wiser and Rob “Dr. Rock” Martin tour the country playing funk-influenced family music. Their performance history with the Downtown Library spans many years, as they regularly play for the Summer Reading Program. However, Noon Tunes offers a much different

atmosphere. “When we play for the Summer Reading Program, it’s in the auditorium,” Wiser said. “People come to us, to the auditorium, to see a show. Noon Tunes is in the atrium, and you have a combination of people. There are the families and kids who come to see us but also people who are there using the library or eating lunch.” In an interesting twist, the Noon Tunes idea of exposing visitors to a wide range of musical styles for new experiences goes both ways. The artists perform in an ever-changing, flexible environment where the audience’s composition can drastically differ in a span of a few minutes. For performers like Sugar Free Allstars, who are interactive with the audience, the change in consistency and unfamiliar spectators offers an avenue of fun they usually are not afforded. “I remember seeing people who were there for a break or lunch look up

at us and begin to watch. I would talk to them and draw them in,” Wiser said. “They would usually smile and talk back. It’s just fun to help people relax and enjoy lunch.” Wiser is impressed with the event. “It’s a cool thing,” he said. “There’s a different type of entertainment every week; there’s a lot of variety, which is really cool, and it’s free. The library system has always been good at providing entertainment.” Terry is also happy about the event’s success. “We want to continue to be part of downtown’s entertainment and continue to bring more community into the library,” she said. “Everyone loves it.”

OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 73

LIFE MUSIC REVIEWS

Cosmic shift BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

Growing up sucks. Bills, insurance, student loans, taxes — it’s inescapable. Youth is fleeting, and responsibilities are oppressing, but at least the boys behind Oklahoma City duo Cosmostanza will have documented the best years of their lives with something much more revealing and immersive than a yearbook: music. The garage rockers have always made songs inextricably tied to their youth. Video game marathons, house parties, puppy love and pizza buffets fueled, steadied and informed the raw but preposterously precocious tracks found on its first two EPs, 2012’s Rad Vibes and last year’s CHAMPS. This was good-time music from two teenagers — singer-guitarist Maxwell Moore and drummer Raney Aboud — who were perfectly happy being teenagers, content to let realworld worries, fears and adversities stay at bay for as long as possible. With College Dayze, all those things are starting to creep in — to their grievance but to the listener’s delight. The EP comes after the pair wraps up its freshman year, and you start to see the Mountain Dew being traded in for coffee and dumb backyard stunts ditched for late-night philosophical conversations. With college comes enlightenment, but most students leave as jaded as they are educated. “I need to grow up, but I don’t really care,” Moore hollers in the lead-up to a sharp bridge of blistering riffage and propulsive percussion in “FALL OUT BOYZ.” Maybe he really doesn’t, but the frustration with which those words sizzle clues in on an outside pressure to toss childish

things aside that is getting under his skin. But if the light of youth is closing in on them, the twosome is prepared to fight tooth and nail for every last second in the sun that it can. It’s in that concerted mix of ire and unbroken spirit that Cosmostanza’s darkest but best work succeeds. Reactionary is one way to put it. That stark jump from the sugary neon buzz of CHAMPS and Rad Vibes stands in stark contrast to the more caustic choke of College Dayze. Not that Cosmostanza has lost itself along the way, growing much in the same way we’ve seen Cloud Nothings and Wavves develop in the past 24 months. Post-Nothing-era Japandroids might be the best point of reference, though; “Coyote” in particular is woven to a rocky, “Wet Hair” spindle. Opener “Sunglass Sweat” is a lo-fi, punky opine the same way Cosmoback-catalog cuts “You Make Things Fun” and “Never Cool” did, but in a way that feels more recollected than presently relevant, an increasingly distant memory. Even if they are less inwardly concerned with writing partystarting garage anthems, the songs have never been tighter and more effective. “Champion LVL” captures Cosmostanza’s boyish rebellion in a cleaner attempt than ever, and the thrashing “FALL OUT BOYZ” is the duo’s best singular moment to date. “Coyote” wraps with a fitting series of cathartic howls from Moore, a signal that Cosmostanza understands it just fought its first meaningful battle of many, eager to stay young or die trying.

Cosmostanza Album: College Dayze | Available now | cosmostanza.bandcamp.com

74 • A U G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 • O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

LIFE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC

Gary Johnson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 20

Jason Young Band, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY

Marshall Crenshaw/The Bottle Rockets, The Blue Door. ROCK Nickel Creek, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ACOUSTIC

Jordan Law, Nonna’s Purple Bar. ACOUSTIC Josh Sallee/Travis Traps & Burke/Breezy Burns, Opolis, Norman. HIP-HOP Juicy J, Imperio Event Center. Tulsa. HIP-HOP Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

North Meets South/Lazy Rooster Rhythm Co., The Deli, Norman. ROCK

Lower 40, Brickhouse Saloon, Shawnee. COUNTRY

North/Lost Empires/Tumbling Nebulae, The Conservatory. ROCK

Matt Blagg, Red Rock Canyon Grill. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Replay/80’z Enuf, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER

My So Called Band, The Deli, Norman. COVER

Steve Crossley, Red Rock Canyon Grill. COVER

Stat Band, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. R&B

The Friends No BS Jam, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

Street Kings, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK

THURSDAY, AUG. 21

Tequila Songbirds, Wormy Dog Saloon. FOLK

2AM, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

The Flat Land Band, Fort Thunder Harley Davidson, Moore. FOLK

Bold McCoy, Myriad Botanical Gardens. ACOUSTIC Brent Saulsbury/Will Galbraith/Wayne Duncan, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK David Morris, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Eric Dunkin, O Asian Fusion, Norman. ROCK Eric Tessmer Band, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY Kierston White and Elizabee/Sherree Chamberlain, The Deli, Norman. FOLK

P ROVI DED

Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Jason Elmore, VZD’s Restaurant and Club. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Superfreak, Firelake Grand Casino, Shawnee. ROCK

The All-American Rejects, Frontier City. ROCK

Anais Mitchell

The Clique, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

Wednesday, Aug. 27

The Offspring/Bad Religion/Pennywise, OKC Downtown Airpark. ROCK The Uncanny Violet Unicorn, The Paramount OKC. ACOUSTIC

OKG

music

Anais Mitchell is somewhat of an enigma — the good kind of enigma. Her music is complex yet approachable, her voice rigid yet alluring, which is why the singer-songwriter’s epic, transcendental brand of folk is meant to be seen and heard in an intimate setting. Good news: You can do both of those things 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27 at The Blue Door, 2805 N. McKinley Ave. Tickets are $15-$20. Call 524-0738 or visit bluedoorokc.com.

pick

Victor & Penny/Kyle Reid & The Low Swingin’ Chariots, The Blue Door. JAZZ White Shockolate, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. POP ZZ Top/Jeff Beck, Zoo Amphitheatre. ROCK

Randy Cassimus, Bricktown Brewery. ACOUSTIC Replay, Nonna’s Purple Bar. COVER Robby Hecht, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER The Dave Thomason Band, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COVER

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

MONDAY, AUG. 25

Kelley Hunt, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Charlie Robinson, Wormy Dog Saloon. ROCK

Lower 40, James E. McNellie’s Public House. COUNTRY

The Forum/Gentle Ghost, 51st Street Speakeasy. ROCK

Colt Ford, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. COUNTRY

Marca Cassity, The Paramount OKC. ACOUSTIC

Time Machine, Red Rock Canyon Grill. COVER

DJ Evan C, Colcord Hotel. DANCE

Maurice Johnson, Avanti Bar & Grill. JAZZ

DJ RnR, Aloft Downtown Oklahoma City. DANCE

Max Ridgeway, Uptown Grocery Co., Edmond. ACOUSTIC

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. FOLK

Mike Hosty Duo, VZD’s Restaurant and Club. ROCK

Grant Stevens, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Mitch Casen, Friends Restaurant & Club. COUNTRY

Gum, Opolis, Norman. ROCK

Mountain Smoke, Red Rock Canyon Grill. BLUEGRASS

Hey Diddle, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. ACOUSTIC

Panic! At the Disco/Walk the Moon/Youngblood Hawke, Zoo Amphitheatre. ROCK

FRIDAY, AUG. 22 2AM, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK Brent Blount, Full Circle Bookstore. COVER

Hi-Def Howlers, Captain Norm’s Dockside Bar. ROCK

Alan Orebaigh and Friends/The Handsome Devils, The Deli, Norman. ROCK

TUESDAY, AUG. 26 Christian Pearson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27

Bryce Merritt, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Jamie Bramble, Nonna’s Purple Bar. ACOUSTIC

Plebeian Grandstand/Reproacher/Shabiha, The Conservatory. ROCK

Christian Pearson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Jay Falkner, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY

Stat Band, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. R&B

Anais Mitchell, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Drive/Charles Scott Duo, Louie’s Grill & Bar, Lake Hefner. ACOUSTIC

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Steely Dan Tribute, Oklahoma City Limits. COVER

Attica State, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

Tallows/Power Pyramid, The Deli, Norman. ROCK

Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

The Weathermen, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

Johnny Polygon, Opolis, Norman. HIP-HOP

Three Away/Forum Walters/Matt Jewitt and the Rowdy Dow, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

Mark Vollersten, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

SUNDAY, AUG. 24

North Meets South/Deli All-Star Jam, The Deli, Norman. ROCK The Friends No BS Jam, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

Broke Brothers, Myriad Botanical Gardens. REGGAE Edgar Cruz, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. ACOUSTIC Handsome Devils, Lions Park, Norman. ROCK I Declare War With Oceans/The Last Ten Seconds of Life/Barrier, The Conservatory. ROCK Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Johnny Pologon, Opolis, Norman, Wednesday, Aug. 20

KARINE SIMON

Mike Hosty, The Deli, Norman. BLUES

Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

OK L AH OMA GA Z E T TE • AU G UST 20, 2014 • 75

LIFE FILM

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Borgman

Dutch oven Borgman is a tense, often cryptic tale from Dutch auteur Alex van Warmerdam.

BY ZACH HALE

Borgman 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive okcmoa.com 236-3100 $5-$9

Some of the best films use ambiguity to their advantage, leaving an openendedness that lingers upon their conclusion. Borgman, a nominee for the Palme d’or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, certainly meets this criteria, leaving a lot open for interpretation. And while many will feel alienated by its abstruseness, those seeking a well-crafted, thoughtprovoking thriller will find reason to wallow in its symbolism. Dutch director Alex van Warmerdam follows Camiel Borgman (Jan Bijvoet), a vagrant who has riled up some folks from the film’s onset. It opens with a mob — led by a priest with a shotgun, if that tells you anything — on a hunt for Borgman and his cohorts, all of which seem to reside in their own personal underground lair. After escaping, Borgman stumbles upon the home of an upper-class family and asks to use their shower. The husband, Richard (Jeroen Perceval), doesn’t take kindly to Borgman’s persistence, using violence in order to shoo him off. But Richard’s wife, Marina (Hadewych Minis), empathizes with the deceiptful Borgman and furtively (yet somewhat reluctantly) takes him into their home. From this moment on, Borgman debases Richard, Marina and their three children by piecemeal, slowly driving a stake through the heart of the family and prying it apart with ominous precision. Yet he does so through some rather surreal, almost supernatural methods. A nude

Borgman preys over Marina in her sleep and plants nightmarish thoughts into her psyche; greyhounds lurk through the property like demonic spirits; and after a fresh-shaven Borgman uses questionable means to land a job as its new gardener, the family’s subversion becomes excruciatingly tense. Borgman is not a horror film, but it isn’t that far off. Its successes are largely predicated on inciting tension and fear — psychological in nature but with an outward-looking purview — beckoning you to extract social or religious commentary from its allegory. But depending on which side of the metaphorical fence you fall, its vagaries will either bewilder or befuddle, whether through the seemingly impervious references to fantasy and fable or the opaque intentions of its characters. The dubiousness of Borgman’s motives in particular makes it difficult to have a stake in the matter. Are his actions a plot to take down the arrogant bourgeois? Is he some sort of vessel for or embodiment of evil? Van Warmerdam shows little interest in answering these questions, opting instead to let his audience carry the brunt of the intellectual legwork. For less patient viewers, this can make for a tiresome watch, and the lack of closure throughout much of the film — and ultimately its conclusion — might leave you vanquished and cold. Yet, despite its flaws, Borgman is frequently captivating in its bleak portrayal of modern-day folklore. Its pacing, performances and direction all teeter on top-notch, and as long you’re willing to endure its mental calisthenics, it’s also a deeply engrossing and impactful piece of cinema.

7 6 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E

P ROVI DE D

Homework: “You know what to do and you know how to do it.” True or False? Why? Testify at Truthrooster@gmail.com. ARIES March 21-April 19 An American named Kevin Shelley accomplished a feat worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. While wearing a blue satin martial arts outfit, he smashed 46 wooden toilet seats over his head in just one minute. Some observers may be inclined to dismiss his efforts as frivolous and ridiculous. But I admire how he playfully mocked his own competitiveness while fully expressing his competitiveness. He satirized his ego’s drive to be first and best even as achieved the goal of being first and best. I recommend you try something similar. You’re entering a phase when you’ll be wise to add a bit of humility to your bold self-presentation. TAURUS April 20-May 20 You are about to make the transition from plodding to skipping; from moping to exulting. You will no longer be bogged down by cloudy doubt, but will instead be buoyed by giddy hope. To what do we owe this imminent turnaround in your fortunes? One reason is that it’s Justifiable Narcissism Week -- for Tauruses only. During this jubilee, the Free Will Astrology Council on Extreme Self-Esteem authorizes you to engage in unabashed selfworship -- and to corral a host of other people who want to join in celebrating you, praising you, and helping you. GEMINI May 21-June 20 An eagle does not catch flies. A lion won’t hunt for mice. A gourmet chef shuns recipes that call for canned soup and potato chips. And I trust that you won’t indulge a hankering for non-nutritious sweets and treats that would spoil your appetite for more robust sustenance. You understand I’m not just talking about your literal eating habits, right? Interpret this oracle metaphorically, please. CANCER June 21-July 22 Now is an excellent time to phase out fantasies that bog you down or drag you backward. Are you up for that challenge? Can you summon the courage to leave the mediocre past behind? If so, here are your assignments: Wean yourself of longings to reconstruct bygone pleasures. Forget about trying to be like the person you used to be and to have the keys you used to have. Stop feeding the feelings that keep you affixed to obsolete goals. Break any taboo that makes you scared to change what needs to be changed. LEO July 23-Aug. 22 The artist Amedeo Modigliani lived in Paris from 1906 until his death in 1920. For most of that time, he was destitute. Proprietors of local stores and restaurants sometimes accepted his art work as payment in lieu of actual money. They didn’t necessarily appreciate it, though. One food seller used Modigliani’s drawings as wraps for the fried potatoes he sold. Another stashed the artist’s paintings in his cellar, where they turned into feasts for rodents. Too bad for these short-sighted people and their heirs: The worth of Modigliani’s works eventually increased, and some sold for millions of dollars. In the weeks ahead, Leo, don’t be like those food sellers. Know the value of what you have, even if it’s still latent. VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22 I’ve got three new vocabulary words for you. I need them to provide you with the proper oracle. First is the German term Schwellenangst. It refers to timidity or nervousness about crossing a threshold and heading into unknown territory. The second word is a new English term, “strikhedonia.” It means the joy that rises up when you feel the courage to say “to hell with it.” The third word is from Portuguese: desenrascanço. It means the spontaneous improvisation of haphazard but ultimately effective plans. Now let’s put them all together: To conquer your Schwellenangst, you must summon a bolt of strikhedonia and have faith in your ability to carry out desenrascanço. (Thanks to other-wordly.tumblr.com for the new words.) LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Desire can conquer fear. Love trumps cowardice. The power that your tenderness affords you may not completely dissolve your

doubt and worry, but it will quiet them down so much that they will lose their ability to paralyze you. These truths are always good to keep in mind, of course, but they are especially useful to you right now. No obstacle will faze you, no shadow will intimidate you, as long as you feed your holy longing and unshakable compassion. SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21 On August 2, 1830, Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême, was King of France for 20 minutes. (It’s a long story.) I offer this to you as a cautionary tale. A few weeks from now, I don’t want to have to be comparing you to him. If you hope to hold your new position or continue to wield your added clout for longer than just a little while, you should take all necessary steps. How? Nurture the web of support that will sustain you, for example. Don’t burn a single bridge. Cultivate real empathy, not just the showy kind. Avoid manipulative behavior, even if you think you can get away with it. Be a skillful gatherer of information. SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Golda Meir was Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. Her admirers described her as “strong-willed, straight-talking, grey-bunned grandmother of the Jewish people.” She had a good sense of humor, too. “Let me tell you the one thing I have against Moses,” she said. “He took us forty years into the desert in order to bring us to the one place in the Middle East that has no oil.” I bring this up as a teaching story for you, Sagittarius. If you plan to make any big moves, transitions, or journeys in the coming months, I suggest you choose destinations that will allow you to gain access to wealth-building resources. CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Do you know what phase of your cycle it is? Here are a few hints. It doesn’t come around often. It’s not characterized by predictable events or boring certainties. And it may allow you, even encourage you, to take a break from being your usual self. Give up? OK. I’ll tell you. You have entered the Nicholas Cage Phase of your cycle. Cage is a Capricorn, but not a typical one. He’s eccentric and manic and certifiably batty. He refers to his acting technique as “Nouveau Shamanic,” once lived in a fake castle, and owns a Lamborghini that belonged to the legendary tyrant, the Shah of Iran. For our current purposes, he has also testified, “I am not a demon. I am a lizard, a shark, a heat-seeking panther. I want to be Bob Denver on acid playing the accordion.” AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18 Here’s one of my goals in life, Aquarius: to show you a type of astrology that does not infringe on your free will, but rather clarifies your options. In this horoscope, for instance, I will outline your alternatives so that you will be fully informed as you determine what course of action will be most closely aligned with your high ideals. Ponder the following question, and then briskly exert your freedom of choice: Would you prefer to have love make your head spin, knock you off your feet, tickle your X-factor, kick you gently but firmly in the ass, or all of the above? PISCES Feb. 19-March 20 “God changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls, and coal into diamonds by using time and pressure,” says pastor Rick Warren. “He is working on you, too.” Let’s make that idea your meditation, Pisces. If the word “God” doesn’t suit you, substitute “life,” “nature” or “Wakan Tanka,” the Lakotan term for “The Great Mystery.” The essential point is that you are being worked on and shaped by forces beyond your conscious awareness. Some of them are vast and impersonal, like your culture, the media, and the entertainment industry. Others are intimate and close at hand, like your genes, your childhood imprints, and the characters you encounter daily. Now is an excellent time to contemplate all the influences that make you who you are. 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 1-900-9507700.

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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS • ASSISTANT MANAGERS • • MANAGERS •

Please Send Resumes

WE OFFER: • BASE PAY $11/hour + attainable BONUS structure • Part-Time positions(mostly weekends) • Flexible Hours • Paid Training • Fun Environment • Integrity Based Company • Advancement Opportunity REQUIREMENTS: • Aggresive, enthusiastic, & Self-motivated • Must have reliable transportation • Able to work evening, weekend, and occasional weekday events • Able to pass a criminal background check

Please send resumes to OKC or TULSA Events to: eventjobs@rbaoftx.com

MidFirst Bank currently has over 50 banking center locations in Oklahoma with plans for continued growth. We are seeking high-energy, dynamic customer oriented people for the following opportunity.

SMILES WANTED! PENN SQUARE MALL

APPLY FOR A T

H O L I D AY POSITIONS

ES KI M OJOES.COM/JOB S 7 8 | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

MONEYLINE PERSONAL BANKERS

Personal Bankers are responsible for handling a wide variety of customer transactions in a call center environment with new and existing customers, identifying beneficial financial products and providing quality service in an enthusiastic, responsive and articulate manner. Qualified candidates must have PC Skills, and be customer service oriented. Currently we have several shifts available:

Full Time Hours

Monday through Friday, 9AM-6PM, , 10AM-7PM, 11AM-8PM, 12PM - 9pm, and alternating Saturdays, 8am - 6pm, and Sundays 12PM- 4pm.

$1.50 shift differential Monday-Friday from 6 pm to 9 pm. $2.00 shift differential Saturdays from 4 pm to 6 pm and all Sunday hours. $250 Sign On Bonus

If you interested in this position or other opportunities, please visit our website to complete an online application:

www.midfirst.jobs

AA/Equal Opportunity Employer-M/F/Disability/Vets

P H O N E (4 0 5 ) 5 2 8 - 6 0 0 0 | E - M A I L : A D V E R T I S I N G @ T I E R R A M E D I A G R O U P. C O M Lic. OCC-11417

Certified Therapeutic

Hands of a titan

Petra’s Massage

1565 SW 44th 405.681.2626

4500 N. Classen

60 Min • $39 Waxing Offered

Therapeutic Table Massage Body Waxing Private Studio & Outcalls

CHINESE SPIRIT SPA

THIS IS A MODEL

www.HandsofaTitan.com

Free table shower w/one hour hot stone massage 6165 N. May Suite C

This is a model

Eric @ (405) 481-6163

205-4876

OCC 13233

Lic. BUS-16395

Lic. OCC-09421

842-8889 M-Sat 10-10 ❖ Sun 11-9 Walk-ins welcome Lic. #13248

Advertise in the Gazette’s

2206 A N.W. 164TH • 405.509.6021

Peony

Day Spa

Check for daily specials

5005 N. Rockwell • 405.603.5300 Lic. 100895

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Shields Salon 7 days • Gift Certificates

Call Penny 631-6200

405.748.6888

546 E. Memorial, Okla. City

Tao Massage

(at Broadway Ext.) Lic. OCC-04587

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Head to toe Reflexology • Body Massage

Open 7 Days 10-10

405.286.6885 6900 N. May•OKC

405.237.3989 1620 SW 89th•OKC

Body & Sole MASSAGE CENTER

405.632.8989

OPEN 7 DAYS 9:30 A.M. - 10 P.M. 1 Hour $49.99 40 Min. $39.99 Foot Massage $29.99

Lic. OCC 04591 • tHIS IS a moDeL

Shanghai Massage Therapy

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Theraputic Massage

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Now Accepting New Patients!

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• Suboxone/Subutex Detox & Maintenance Treatment • Methadone to Suboxone Switch • Counseling for all Drug Addictions

Daisy Spa

Walk-ins welcome.

HELP IS A PHONE CALL AWAY Lic. BUS-13440

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405.528.6000

Health

Mon-Sat 10a-9p • Sun Closed

428 W. 15th St., Edmond 340-0400

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Royal Treatment Massage

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Massage therapist wanted

Call us today! www.edmondokmassage.com

BUY 10 GET 1 FREE (405) 455-6300

1800 S. AIR DEPOT BLVD. #D | MIDWEST CITY 73110

9:30-6:30 • 4505 NW 36th St. For Appt. call: 405.603.4777

I-40 & Meridian Open 7 days

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Full Body Massage

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Couples ♥ Welcome

License 08521

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6909 W Hefner, Ste. B14

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405-525-2222

O K L A H O M A G A Z E T T E | AU G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | 7 9

BMW USA

bmwusa.com

BMW xDRIVE. MORE THAN A LUXURY.

BMW xDrive is much more than a luxury. Its peace of mind when weather and road conditions change. And as part of BMW Ultimate ServiceÂŽ, when you purchase a new BMW, it covers maintenance costs for 4 years or 50,000 miles*. This can save you up to $2,000 in maintenance costs compared to other luxury vehicles. NO-COST MAINTENANCE

Jackie Cooper Imports, LLC.

Up to 4 YRS / 50K MILES1

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

www.cooperbmw.com

*For model year 2015 or later vehicles sold or leased by an authorized BMW center on or after July 1, 2014, BMW Maintenance Program coverage is not transferable to subsequent purchasers, owners, or leasees. Please see bmwusa.com/UltimateService or ask your authorized BMW center for details. ÂŠ2014 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

2014 320i Sedan

2014 328i xDrive Gran Turismo

309

Lease for 36 months.

379

2015 Z4 sDrive28i

Lease for 36 months.

519

Lease for 36 months.

829

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2014 BMW 320i Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $309.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $36,875.00.

*Lease financing available on 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through September 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $379.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $44,575.00.

* Lease financing available on 2015 BMW Z4 sDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $519.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $55,350.00.

2014 528i

2015 640i Coupe

2014 740Li

439

Lease for 36 months.

979

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2014 BMW 528i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $439.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $53,025.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 640i Coupe vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $979.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $81,850.00.

*Lease financing available on 2014 BMW 740Li vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $829.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $82,925.00.

2015 X1 sDrive28i

2015 X3 xDrive28i

2014 X6 xDrive35i

359

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X1 sDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $359.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $36,550.00.

529

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $529.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $46,000.00.

729

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2014 BMW X6 xDrive35i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through August 01, 2014. Monthly Lease payments of $729.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $65,025.00.