405 Magazine July 2018

PLANS AND PITFALLS FOR THE FUTURE IRONWORKS DISTRICT

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All across downtown Dallas

in this issue

Features

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FOUR IN FIVE FROM THE 405

Here at the height of summer, there might not be time to plan a trip to Rome or the Seychelles – but you have plenty of opportunities for relaxing, adventurous or just plain fun road trips right here in the central U.S. Any or all of this foursome of recommendations should be ideal for making some great memories.

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THE WAYS TO WELLNESS

From emotional to occupational to intellectual, experts describe the various elements that contribute to our overall well-being, and offer a few tips on keeping all those aspects in a healthy balance ‌ hopefully leading to a more optimal existence.

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2018

JULY 2018

Discover all that is Santa Fe

Experience the arts, discover new flavors, spend a night on the town, or enjoy all of the above.

In Santa Fe, the possibilities are endless. Discover The City Different at santafe.org 2 0 1 7 W O R L D ’ S B E S T AWA R D S

15 Cities Top #11 World’s in the U.S. 15 Cities #2 Top

in this issue

JULY 2018

In the 405

17 Pawhuska’s lengthy Boy Scouts legacy; a range of temptations in the NCWHM’s store; hot summer accessories; Social Security woes

Culture

44 Seeking improvement, not gentrification, in OKC’s Ironworks District

Home

47 Matt Goad’s Mid-century modern retreat; looking sharp with cacti-themed decor

Travel

57 Top spots for scenic, memorable golf getaways

Dining

63 Sean Cummings Irish Pub returns; musttry mussels from chef Ryan Parrot; Johnnie’s classic Theta burger; Bellini’s signature treat

Events

73 OK Shakespeare’s season heats up; Native tribes showcase their creations; saddle up for the Saloon Series

In Every Issue

12 From the Publisher 14 Web Sights 67 Food and Drink 76 Speakerbox 78 On the Radar 80 Backstory

ON THE COVER

Vibrant and Vintage Designer Matt Goad is a huge fan of Mid-century modern design, and it shows throughout his Edgemere home – this Midori green stove dates back to 1948, and perfectly complements the kitchen’s original color scheme.

A spectacular sunrise at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas. Photo by Matt Payne

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VOLUME 4 / NUMBER 7, 405 MAGAZINE (PERIODICALS 21350) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY, 12 TIMES A YEAR, BY 405 MAGAZINE, INC., 1613 NORTH BROADWAY AVENUE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73103. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OK AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO 405 MAGAZINE, P.O. BOX 16765, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91615-6765.

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5521 North Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

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Publisher | Editor-in-Chief Heidi Rambo Centrella heidi.centrella@405magazine.com

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H as a 9 -foot nearly re h a s n e a c h; v dunkeder

405.942.1234 405.246.0404 972.377.2850

Editorial Coordinator Louise Scrivens louise.scrivens@405magazine.com

Occasional cover model

Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Mark Beutler, Jerry Church, Christine Eddington, Greg Horton, Lauren Roth, Elaine Warner

ART Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@405magazine.com Graphic Designer Brian O’Daniel brian.odaniel@405magazine.com

Never us to Itinvites aly …

Social Media Coordinator Tiffany McKnight tiffany.mcknight@405magazine.com Contributing Photographers M.J. Alexander, Shannon Cornman, Fran Kozakowski, Charlie Neuenschwander, Don Risi

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Follow 405 Magazine on Facebook and @405Mag on Instagram and Twitter

Story Ideas and Letters to the Editor Your views and opinions are welcome. Include your full name, address and daytime phone number and email to editor@405magazine.com. Letters sent to 405 Magazine become the magazine’s property, and it owns all rights to their use. 405 Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

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READER SERVICES 405 Magazine 1613 N. Broadway Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Phone 405.842.2266 Fax 405.604.9435 info@405magazine.com, 405magazine.com Back Issues Back issues are $9.50 (includes P&H) each. For back issue availability and order information, please contact our office.

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405 Magazine Volume 4, Number 7, July 2018. 405 Magazine is published monthly by 405 Magazine, Inc. at 1613 N. Broadway, Oklahoma City, OK 73103, 405.842.2266. © Copyright 2018 405 Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of 405 Magazine content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

405 Magazine is not responsible for the care of and/or return of unsolicited materials. 405 Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed detrimental to the community’s best interest or in questionable taste. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Basic annual subscription rate is $14.95. U.S. single-copy price is $4.95. Back issues are $9.50 each

CIRCULATION AUDITED BY

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Visit our 28,000 sq ft warehouse where you can watch 100-year-old reclaimed furniture being made while shopping our retail store, lumber yard, and candle company. Shopping the adults can enjoy while the kids play in our two-story playhouse! Visit Urban Farmhouse located in downtown OKC.Â

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Keeping It Moving I WA S A LWAYS active as a child, and through my teens, 20s and

HEIDI R A MBO CEN TRELL A Publisher | Editor-in-Chief heidi.centrella@405magazine.com

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PHOTO BY SIMON HURST

30s, exercise never seemed a chore. I thrived on it. I craved it. Exercise and me? We had a strong bond. But something happened in my 40s. First my eyes started to strain, which resulted in readers, then graduating to prescription lenses – heaven sent! But soon thereafter, I began to notice other changes. Those 5 a.m. runs didn’t seem so much fun, which resulted in hitting the snooze button a few more times instead. It wasn’t too long before I noticed that getting sweaty at the gym during a noon class sounded much worse than powering through the lunch hour at the office and then going straight home.

Sure, that scenario was fine for a couple of years, but when a couple of years became a few years, I knew something had to give. And by something, I meant someone; and by someone, I meant me. So today, after a few not-so-subtle nudges, I met a couple of coworkers at Pilates on Western for a Barre class. Having never tried Barre and despite how my limbs feel at this moment, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was challenging, yet doable – not at all boring, as some group classes can be, and not so frustrating that newbies such as myself walk right out the door in shame. I tried something new that was not in my comfort zone, and I think it’s going to be good for me.

Stepping outside said zone can be difficult, whether it’s joining an exercise class or spending an afternoon with a book, forcing yourself to step away from the screen and just sit there … quiet, reading and going where the story takes you. For some, especially those of us who feel like we have to be doing something productive at all times, taking a break to connect with Mother Nature and dig deep into our most personal of places – our minds, our psyches, our cores – can feel quite awkward. But that’s what trying new things is all about: stepping outside your norm.

Christine Eddington delves into the topic, talking with experts across many fields that are nevertheless all related to wellness: physical, emotional, occupational, social, intellectual and spiritual (pg. 32).

Their advice should provide some suggestions for stepping outside your comfort zone, trying something new … and moving yourself toward a more complete, balanced whole.

On the other hand, if your focus is more external at the moment, we also have several options for trying new things by way of travel. Whether you prefer to take a memorable road trip (pg. 26) or find a favorite new golf getaway (pg. 58), Matt Payne and Elaine Warner have done the homework for you.

However you choose to travel – on the metaphorical road to wellness, on the actual road to adventure or on the greens – we wish you happy trails.

圀栀攀渀 礀漀甀 瘀椀猀椀琀 眀攀 椀渀瘀椀琀攀 礀漀甀 琀漀 攀渀樀漀礀 漀甀爀 挀漀洀昀漀爀琀愀戀氀攀 眀愀椀琀椀渀最 愀爀攀愀 眀椀琀栀 挀愀戀氀攀 吀嘀Ⰰ 挀漀洀瀀氀椀洀攀渀琀愀爀礀 圀椀ⴀ䘀椀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀 戀攀瘀攀爀愀最攀 戀愀爀⸀ 䐀漀渀ᤠ琀 栀愀瘀攀 琀椀洀攀 琀漀 眀愀椀琀㼀 䄀猀欀 甀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 䰀椀渀挀漀氀渀 倀椀挀欀 唀瀀 ☀ 䐀攀氀椀瘀攀爀礀⸀

㄀㘀㠀㄀ 䔀愀猀琀 䤀ⴀ㐀 䔀氀 刀攀渀漀Ⰰ 伀䬀 㜀㌀ ㌀㘀 㐀 㔀⸀㈀㘀㈀⸀㐀㔀㐀㘀

Web Sights What’s online at 405magazine.com

Alabama Bound

It gets a little crazy around Mardi Gras, but the Gulf Coast community of Mobile, Alabama, makes a marvelous destination any time of year. Elaine Warner is happy to lead readers through some of its many highlights, including outstanding seafood and sweets, engrossing museums, blossoming beauty in abundance … and more Moon Pies than you might be expecting. Visit 405magazine.com/ July-2018/Mobile-in-Motion/ to get a move on.

Scouting Report If you’re interested in learning about Oklahoma’s involvement in the history of the Boy Scouts, be prepared (see what we did there) to look back quite a few years: the city of Pawhuska prides itself on having had a troop for more than a century. As M.J. Alexander explains on page 18, they were one of the first troops – though not the very first – in the nation, and even predated the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. It’s a legacy rich in detail, such as the leader’s personal connection to Scouting inspiration Robert Baden-Powell, so we’ve gone deeper online. Read more about these early Scouts, and the others who were even earlier, at 405magazine.com/July-2018/OKs-Advance-Scouts/.

Prize Provisions Considering what the weather in Oklahoma is generally like in July, we’re guessing that one of the last things you want to do when you get home is turn on the oven. So why not go out for dinner instead? Better yet, why not let us pick up the check? Our Friday $50 giveaway rolls on this month, giving one reader per week a gift certificate to a featured local restaurant. Participating is free; just visit 405magazine.com/newsletters/ to sign up, keep an eye on your inbox and click the link in our e-newsletters to enter.

We’ll draw a new winner each Friday – bon appetit!

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405

in the

Troop #1

PHOTO BY M.J. ALEXANDER

The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910, but Oklahoma already had a troop of its own. For more than a century, Pawhuska has prided itself on its Scouting heritage, with exhibits in the Osage County Historical Society Museum and public art including “What It’s All About,” a larger-than-life grouping by sculptor Jim Hamilton depicting a scoutmaster and two boys at work over a bronze campfire.

JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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in the 405 OKLAHOMYTHS

Although demonstrably not the first American troop, the Pawhuska Scouts appear to be the best documented and most stylish of the early U.S. Scouts.

Its founder, Mitchell, knew Baden-Powell personally, as they served together in South Africa. His Pawhuska Scouts wore official British Boy Scout uniforms ordered from England, opened each meeting by singing the British national anthem, “God Save the King,” and were led in parades by two drummers and two buglers.

OKLAHOMA’S ADVANCE SCOUTS Trustworthy, loyal, helpful … first?

LOCAT ED J UST SOU T H of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Pawhuska is the seat of Osage County. The town made national headlines in the 1920s for its oil boom riches, and in 1932 as the place where a stolen car triggered the nationwide pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde. Today, it is widely known as the home of Food Network star Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman Mercantile.

But the city’s first claim to fame was pioneering Boy Scouts. Pawhuska Troop 1, founded in May 1909 by Rev. John Forbes Mitchell, was among the early forerunners of the scouting movement, and predates the official founding of the Boy Scouts of America on Feb. 8, 1910. They were definitely trailblazers, but …

THE CLAIM: America’s first Boy Scout Troop was founded in Pawhuska.

THE SOURCE: Osage County Historical Society Museum FACT CHECK: False The idea of a civic-minded youth group emphasizing self-reliance and good deeds sprang from a field guide written by British cavalry officer Robert Baden-Powell. The first edition of his book — which has seen an estimated 150 million copies produced in the past 110 years — was published May 1, 1908, under the title Scouting for Boys.

Scouting’s popularity boomed beyond expectations. More than 60,000 Scouts had joined in Great Britain alone by the end of 1908, and record-keeping was not a top priority.

In the United States, the earliest reported Scout troops inspired by Baden-Powell’s writing appeared in 1908: one called Eagle Troop in Burnside, Kentucky, and two in the Pennsylvania towns of Pottsville and Bala Cynwyd. In fact, a troop in Merrickville, Canada, was the continent’s first of all.

Editor’s note: Oklahoma is rich with history, lore and fun facts, but some of them aren’t quite factual. In this series, M.J. Alexander hunts for the accuracy – or lack thereof – behind some of our state’s stories.

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More than a century later, the troop is still in existence and a point of pride for Pawhuska’s population of 3,600.

The Osage County Historical Society Museum devotes one of its five main exhibit sections to its Boy Scouts. Among its extensive exhibit, in the final paragraph of a three-panel display, the society acknowledges that the oldest-in-America claim has been “hotly debated.” In tacit acknowledgment of earlier troops, caveats are added: The Pawhuska troop, it is clarified, was the first Scout troop in the United States to 1) receive a British charter and 2) wear British uniforms.

In the end, the Boy Scout spirit of trustworthiness wins the day. - M.J. ALEX ANDER

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in the 405 FAVORITE THINGS

2017 Prix de West bolo by John Coleman, $75 “Titled Dragonfly, Coleman drew inspiration for this commemorative bolo from the Plains Indians’ use of dragonfly imagery in their designs.”

Deldrick and Lorenda Cellicion pottery, $125 “Beautifully unique Zuni Pueblo pottery is indicative of the American Southwest, and makes a statement in any room.”

Laura Nauman, Laney Carey, Leigh Bloskovich

Bandanna baby bibs, $8 “Have a messy little cowpoke on your hands?

These stylish bandannas will protect them from dribbles and spills.”

Old Kingman turquoise squash blossom necklace, $3,800 “Boasting one of the largest collections of Native Americanmade jewelry in Oklahoma, The Museum Store has a vast selection of one-of-a-kind pieces.”

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Must-haves at The Museum Store

F IR ST OF A L L , if you’ve never been to the National Cowboy

& Western Heritage Museum, take care of that ASAP. But while you’re there, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much The Museum Store inside it has to offer. Yes, they have all the merchandise you would expect: jewelry, Remingtons, pickled okra and fry bread mix, not to mention chocolate in the shape of Oklahoma. It’s all there. Plus, you’ll find table top and serving pieces you will want, Pendleton blankets to swoon over, vases and rain catchers and a great selection of beautiful books, as well as unique kids toys to bring a smile to any child’s (or grown up’s) face – think old-fashioned pick-up sticks to wooden yo-yos. Tea towels and votives, socks and hats … the list could easily go on and on.

Laney Carey, Leigh Bloskovich and Laura Nauman are the powerhouse team who use their collective talents to make this place tick. From their beautiful store displays to the impeccable customer service and innovative marketing, the three of them have made this a retail haven that supports the museum’s educational mission.

You’re practically guaranteed to find more than one treasure when visiting this store; it’s a definite must. - SAR A GAE WATERS

Canoe canvas and cowhide tote bag, $285 “This American-made tote is the perfect size to carry all your essentials.”

Buffalo Bill bronze, $900 “One of the Museum’s most popular sculptures is reproduced in miniature in the heart of Oklahoma City.”

Framed “Cactus Country” giclée,

by Harold T. Holden, $750 “Holden is a renowned Oklahoma artist whose work depicts cowboy life in beautiful paintings and sculpture.”

The John Wayne Code, $15.99 “‘The West – the very words go straight to that place of the heart where Americans feel the spirit of pride in their Western heritage.’

Just a small sample of the words of wisdom in this book!”

NCWHM Pendleton Legacy blanket, $250 “This blanket’s vintage design was revived to commemorate the continued celebration of the American West at the Museum.”

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Charlie 1 Horse Gold Digger hat, $220 “No cowgirl’s look is complete without a statement hat! Charlie 1 Horse hats are renowned for their fashionable designs, and the Gold Digger is no exception.”

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JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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in the 405 TRENDS

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PR E -POOL , mid-beach or apres-swim, we all need a little preparation for summertime festivities. The right suit plus the right accessories, from jewelry to nail polish to the cover-up/going-out outfit … you need to pay attention to the details. Load up the stylish tote, throw on your heat-beating best – and at the end of the day, don’t be shy about giving your skin a post-sun treat. All in all, wherever your beach is, lakeside, poolside or oceanside, you can make it look good. - SAR A GAE WATERS

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JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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in the 405

Social Insecurity The waiting is the hardest part ON A L A R K , the Beau and I tied the knot a month or two ago during a weekend in Santa Fe. The process went so smoothly, it felt more like a dress rehearsal than a legally binding agreement.

Much as I dreaded bureaucracy and red tape, everything went off without a hitch. In a matter of an hour, we were newlyweds.

As we walked away from the courthouse, my mind was racing: I’d just signed on for a new name! I needed to get on Facebook to make it official. Ohhhh, if only it were that easy. To make things governmentally official, I’d have to start at square one – Social Security, the root canal of American existence.

Upon my return to work, I mentioned to a co-worker that I’d be going to the Social Security office one morning to present my ID and assorted documents. “Make sure your phone is fully

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charged,” he replied. “I went with my wife to change her name, and we were there for four hours.”

“I’ll go on a Tuesday while it’s raining. Maybe they won’t be busy then,” I said, still glowing from the effortless success of my Santa Fe nuptials.

With my phone fully charged, I set off for the Social Security office at Shepherd Mall. Google Maps had even suggested nearby parking, but once inside, I saw nothing that suggested the office had ever even been there. I did, however, work in my 10,000 steps as a mall walker while searching.

Nothing on the pickled-in-1990 Social Security website said, “Hey, fool – we moved.” I learned about the move by scrolling through the customer comments section on a third-party website – something I’d never do on a normal day. My eyes had only rolled back into my head three or four times before I saw the embittered customer comment that cracked the code. “You mother*#%@^$ need to update your &%&*# site! It’s on north Kelley now.” Thank you, and good day. Off I went, thinking, “This will be nice.”

I entered the relatively new building and quickly recognized the telltale signs that I was in the right place: security X-ray, armed guards, overabundance of cranky toddlers.

Once I cleared security, I would only have to answer a few preliminary questions on a touchscreen monitor before getting a ticket. A 20-inch monitor, located about 30 yards across the room, displayed the ticket numbers of the customers being served.

The monitor indicated that customer N92 was on deck. I looked at my ticket: N185.

I selected a lightly cracked pleather chair, as far away from the open-mouth cougher as possible.

Dimly lit and painted nicotine-stain yellow, the fairly new waiting room already had all the charm of an aging government office. It could just have easily been the set from a Tracy Ullman sketch. It was a sea of humanity, the huddled (unwashed) masses, the mother lode of people watching/people smelling.

In many ways, the waiting room was like a bingo hall. Customers sat, clutching their tickets, while an announcer called sets of letters and numbers. After waiting for hours and hearing every number ahead of them called in order, customers would still act surprised to hear their number. Staggering about in groggy disbelief, they’d ask bystanders, “Did he just say R112?

What window did he say? I don’t know which window! Did he call R112?”

Hours – and I do mean hours – later, the announcer called N185. I couldn’t believe it! I stood up and looked around a sea of noisy walkers, house shoes and the germ-masked faces of my fellow captives. “What? Did he just say ‘N185’?” I asked.

“That’s what he said,” someone coughed back.

“That’s me! BINGO! BINGO! BINGO!” I shouted as I waved my winning ticket. - LAUREN ROTH

ILLUSTRATION BY ZEKE SAUCEDO

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Fin our Five from the 405

Outstanding summer getaways

By Matt Payne and Elaine Warner Although the summer is halfway finished, it’s never too late to jump in the car and spend half a day driving so that you can get to someplace new, have an adventure, eat some good food and recharge the batteries. Sometimes, though, rather than trying to find a city or a town to visit, then figuring out where to stay, what to eat and what to do … you want to simply go to a place that has it all. From a stay at a mountain lodge in New Mexico to a weekend in Arkansas’ most scenic state park, or a couple of days of pampering at one of the country’s most beautiful and historically significant hotels, or even an iconic Midwest tourist destination, we have identified four destinations that are perfect home bases for a last-minute weekend getaway.

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(ish)

PHOTO BY REED WEIMER

no problsnemow-?rno river rema ed packed withins activities

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The Adolphus Dallas, Texas oodrs s g e c r e Comsmupply offeline & e stetson her th among ot oods. g artisan

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sk any Oklahoman from any generation if they’ve ever stayed in downtown Dallas’ famed Adolphus Hotel, and if they have, they will qualify their stay with something in the vein of “I went there for a wedding” or “That’s where my spouse and I got engaged.” The property is as significant in the lives of those who stay there as it is to the city of Dallas itself. For 106 years and counting, the ceremonious lodging has wowed guests with opulence, gracious staff and nuance.

After such a long and esteemed tenure, two years ago, it was finally time for a facelift. The goal was to revamp The Adolphus to broaden its appeal to today’s young travelers while maintaining the heart of its stately presence.

Design firm Swoon aimed to give the hotel a residential vibe by adding curated art, furnishings, books, etc. to give the impression of a savvy young couple inhabiting a European family estate – and they have succeeded.

The hotel’s most elegant space, The French Room features a marble floor and stunning furniture including gilded Louis XVI style chairs, as well as Italian Murano glass chandeliers. And in this dining room, the menu is as regal as the décor. The French Room features an ever-evolving, three-course seasonal menu; a seven-course meal complete with wine pairings; and for

PHOTOS: ADOLPHUS COURTESY ADOLPHUS HOTEL; THREE BEARS LODGE COURTESY THREE BEARS LODGE, ROPES COURSE BY REED WEIMER

I the bravest, a 15-course experimental menu designed by executive chef Michael Ehlert.

The French Room’s bar is equally exotic, focusing on artisanal cocktails and small plates, in the midst of an amazing collection of museum-quality art.

The hotel also houses City Hall Bistro, a more casual environment featuring dishes created by Louisiana chef Jeramie Robison, and a spectacular rooftop pool. With an uninterrupted view of the Dallas skyline and a full bar, as well as a fireplace, ample seating and cabanas, it’s a tempting place to linger. A limited menu is also available, so if you’re looking for a spot to have breakfast, you could do a lot worse. The spa at The Adolphus is a welcome indulgence after a workout in the spacious fitness center or a stroll through downtown.

While it would be easy over the course of a weekend never to leave The Adolphus property, it is located on Commerce Street in the heart of downtown Dallas, and many of the city’s premier attractions are within walking distance or a short drive. For the shopper, the original Neiman Marcus and Forty Five Ten are a stone’s throw away. The Nasher Sculpture Center and Tony Tasset’s “The Eye” – which is literally a giant, realistic sculpture of the artist’s eyeball – are also nearby, along with The Dallas Museum of Art, one of the 10 largest museums in the country.

Three Bears Lodge

Red River, New Mexico

f you’re craving some altitude and Dallas isn’t getting you quite as high as you’d like to be, head to Red River, New Mexico, which is just more than an eight-hour drive from Oklahoma City. At 8,750 feet, Red River is a prime ski destination, but there is plenty to do in the summer, as well. The log cabins at Three Bears Lodge are a perfect place to post up and breathe in the fresh smell of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. The family-run lodge features 11 cabins that range in size from one bedroom to three, and at night, owners Christopher and Deborah Yates host a firepit s’mores roast.

Whether you are into extreme things or simply want to relax, Red River offers a variety of activities. The ropes course challenge at Red River Ski and Summer Area is one of the region’s most popular activities, and the ski area also offers tubing, ziplining and scenic lift tours. New Mexico River Adventures offers multiple rafting trips on the Rio Grande, and if you’d rather see the river from the air, a hot air balloon ride with Eske Air Adventures – who operate out of Taos, a 45-minute drive from Red River – will give you an experience to be remembered.

There are many walks to sample, but for the true hiker, try climbing to the top of Wheeler Peak. Just south of Red River, it is the highest peak in New Mexico at an elevation of 13,167 feet, and offers breathtaking views.

There are two paths to the top: Bull of the Woods Trail, a 7.5-mile climb that’s scenic but challenging, and the easier 7.9-mile Williams Lake Trail, which includes a stop at the aforementioned Williams Lake. To see both, simply take one trail up and the other down. With a little planning in terms of how best to get back to your car, this is the best way to see it all.

Aim High at challenginthe ropes cours g e

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Devil’s Den State Park

For beauetsitfsu, lcasves and beckon in Dceenery Den State Pavil's rk.

J

ust past dusk, after a day of hiking in the hills around Lee Creek in Devil’s Den State Park, the water is still.

With multiple waterfalls and caves, stunning hikes and mountain bike trails to explore, the day has been full. The air is thick with smoke as park guests light fires to cook burgers and celebrate another successful day in the wilderness.

Tucked into Arkansas’ Ozark Valley, Devil’s Den State Park is perhaps the state’s most beautiful. Its robust oak-hickory forests surround the ethereal blue-green waters of Lee Creek, which is dammed in the center of the park to create the tranquil eight-acre Lake Devil. At the lake’s far end, a dramatic waterfall cascades back into the creek, which continues onward.

As the last pink disappears from the sky, Mother Nature has one more surprise. One by one, along the banks of the creek, tiny yellow lights begin to flash. Soon there are 10 fireflies, then dozens and then a thousand. As the night turns dark, from the viewpoint of an old bridge on the park’s east end, the entire forest begins to flash, each flicker mirrored in the still water below. Frogs sing and campers chatter. Somewhere an owl alerts the world of its presence. Soon, the Milky Way creeps out above the horizon, complementing the light show as it continues on into the night. It is sublime.

One of Arkansas’ many Civilian Conservation Corps projects, the park was built in the 1930s and is one of the state’s most treasured. Folks are drawn to it not only to enjoy the tranquility of Lee Creek and Devil Lake, but also because of the selection of hiking and mountain biking trails throughout its hills. For

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the novice, there are three walks around the lake and through the park’s beautiful forests. More ambitious visitors will find six moderate hikes. Yellow Rock Trail takes hikers up 300 feet in elevation, where there is a grand lookout over the entire park.

The Devil’s Den self-guided Recreation Trail has perhaps the most to offer: Spanning a mere mile and a half, it includes grand vistas, lakeside trails and birdwatching opportunities as you hike above the canopy. It ends in climactic fashion with two stunning waterfalls located side by side – one you cross by way of a bridge and another you walk underneath.

The park is also home to unique geological features and wildlife. Devil’s Den features both sandstone and limestone caves – a geological rarity – the longest of which is the 550-foot Devil’s Den Cave. For wildlife enthusiasts, the caves are home to a variety of bats, although most are now closed to the public to prevent erosion and to protect declining bat populations.

The park has pet-friendly cabins that range in size from three bedrooms to studio, and recently added camper cabins that create a camping/cabin hybrid experience. Each lodging features screened porches and beds, but shares restrooms with other guests outside the cabin. There are also dozens of campsites, as well as hike-in camping opportunities, for those seeking a more rugged experience.

PHOTOS: DEVIL'S DEN BY MATT PAYNE; BIG CEDAR LODGE BY ELAINE WARNER

Arkansas

Big Cedar Lodge Ridgedale, Missouri

letsloen n i d n a s k o o N e ragged Tab th ck shoreline Ro r quiet spots offe exploration. for

ig Cedar Lodge is much bigger than its name. It tries to expand on itself with the tag line, “America’s Premier Wilderness Resort,” but even that doesn’t begin to describe the myriad activities to be enjoyed at this Ozark getaway.

Yes, there is a lodge – a couple of them. But accommodations also include a variety of cabins and cottages; it might be wilderness, but none of the facilities could be considered roughing it.

Located on beautiful Table Rock Lake, the resort boasts the expected water activities, and rentals and professionals to make those things happen – all sorts of water craft, fishing equipment, guides, even a summer ski school and bowfishing lessons. The Goin’ Jessi is an exact replica of vintage Chris Craft, perfect for a cruise complete with champagne. A larger boat, the Lady Liberty, offers sunset dinner cruises several times a week during the summer season.

Games are the thing, from shuffleboard to sand volleyball, horseshoes and miniature golf. Add board games and bonfires, the fitness center and 5k walking trail and you’ll never be bored. Swimming pools, hot tubs and a spa and salon serve sybarites.

In addition to the attractions around the lodge area, guests won’t want to miss more Big Cedar experiences just short drives away. The Top of the Rock, perched on limestone cliffs, features several do-not-miss attractions, including the nine-hole, par-three, Top of the Rock Golf Course that incorporates the talents of three of golf’s greatest players: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson.

Meanwhile, the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum includes one of the most important collections of Native American artifacts ever assembled, and a nature trail winds through Lost Canyon Cave, offering views of waterfalls and impressive canyon walls. Top these off by dining in the Osage Restaurant with a spectacular view of the lake.

Just about 16 miles from the heart of the Lodge is Dogwood Canyon, 10,000 acres of beautiful Ozark country.

Almost everyone who comes here wants to take one of the tram tours that wind through the park, even crossing into a bit of Arkansas. The tour passes brilliantly blue trout pools, waterfalls and scenic bridges, and spotting bison, elk and longhorn cattle are highlights. Other activities available include horseback riding, biking, trout fishing, dining, mill demonstrations and climbing into a treehouse built by Treehouse Masters.

This long list of amenities at Big Cedar is far from complete. There are also two other golf courses – the 18-hole, Tom Fazio-designed Buffalo Ridge Springs course and a 13hole, Gary Player-designed short course. Also convenient is the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy, which offers training and experience in shooting sports from trap and skeet to sporting clays.

Big Cedar is truly a something-for-everyone destination.

It combines nature, sport, entertainment, education and family fun in one great package.

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The Ways to

Wellness How to be your best self, or die trying

Advice about health and fitness is everywhere. Increasingly, the same is

true for a new-old buzzword, wellness. Some of it is straightforward and full of moderate common sense, while some of it is a big bucket of balder-

dash with a sprinkle of silliness on top. Things become a little more complex when asked the question, “What makes a person well?” It’s a balancing act, and it’s multi-dimensional and inter-related.

There are six official dimensions of wellness set forth by Dr. Bill Hettler, a co-founder of the National Wellness Institute (NWI): emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual and spiritual. When they are correctly managed, a person feels content, calm and happy. According to the NWI, wellness is a “conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential. Wellness is positive and affirming.”

Fortunately, none of it is rocket science, and most of it requires nothing but a little focus, self-awareness and consistency.

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHAD CROWE

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Emotional Wellness

Admittedly, emotional wellness can be complicated. In many instances, brain chemistry goes awry, but counseling combined with medication can provide relief. In other cases, working to reduce stress and modify the way we react to stress can make life nicer. Integris Medical Center takes a less-traditional approach to helping people emotionally, which, in turn, helps them physically – by employing meditation, exercise and ancient techniques such as acupuncture, along with offering lectures and classes.

Molly Ross Fuhrman, executive director for Integris’ James L. Hall Center for Mind, Body and Spirit, has a favorite motto: Where the mind goes, the body will follow. “Nothing is exclusive.

Every piece works together. That’s what we teach people here.

We’ve found, through offering classes and lectures about different mind-body modalities, that people are craving these practices and this information,” she says.

“At the center, we provide educational opportunities and a resource center that is open to the public. Our goal is to offer people the tools to become empowered in the way they interact with, and react to, situations in their lives that are difficult or stressful. Studies show that 80 percent of hospital visits have a stress-related component.

“Our theme this year is resiliency. Our Women’s Health Forum, which we do in October, is focused on fostering resilience.

It’s hardiness, grit or the will to survive,” she says. “Resilient people have the ability to bounce back from adversity. How we respond to adversity is something we do have control over. Resilient people also heal faster, both physically and mentally.”

Less traditional modalities for managing our mental states are explored in monthly lectures and classes at the center. Topics range from meditation and reflexology to integrative medicine, yoga and essential oils.

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Occupational Wellness

Being happy or unhappy at work will affect all of the other parts of your life. That’s the view of James Farris, founder of James Farris Associates, an HR consulting, search and outplacement firm in Oklahoma City.

“If you don’t enjoy your work, that’s a red flag. That flag becomes a brighter red when you find yourself not even wanting to go to work. The next thing that occurs, generally, is that you’ll start to bring those problems home, and that will start infecting your relationships,” Farris says.

“People will stick with a job out of fear of the unknown, or for the benefits or because of a good salary. However, unhappiness on the job will affect job performance.” In turn, that can lead to the ultimate kick in the pants: being fired from a job you hate.

Over the decades, Farris has helped thousands of people reimagine and reinvent their work lives, which often also transforms their personal lives. His approach is equal parts compassion and “suck it up, buttercup.” He has a message for people paralyzed by fear, while mired in a lackluster job: “When you choose not to decide to make a change or explore your options, you have made a decision.

Failing to decide to leave is deciding to stay.

“A big part of what I do is to help people understand that they have options, and that all of the skills and qualities that got them the job they have still exist – and there is another organization that needs them,” Farris says. “The odds are immensely favorable. In all my years of doing this, I’d say more than 85 percent of the people I’ve worked with have come out ahead. That may not mean you are making more money immediately, but what that does mean is that you are more in control and feel happier.”

Physical Wellness

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times. Eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep. That’s because the health benefits of doing those three simple but unsexy things are unparalleled. “Good sleep reduces the risk for developing some medical problems, specifically coronary heart problems, hypertension and diabetes, to name a few,” says Dr. Elwood Williams Jr., sleep medicine specialist. meals from a local eatery. “I use a meal service myself, and I am Williams runs the Oklahoma Sleep Institute Clinic in OKC, and a chef. It’s a great way to take the shopping and planning off of explains that poor or insufficient sleep can also lead to decreased your to-do list. The key to making it work for me is to do all the cognitive function, obesity and issues with memory or mood. chopping and prep at once,” he says. “I get my “The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was associatboxes on Tuesdays, and so on Tuesday evening ed with sleep deprivation, and so was the ExxI go through the recipes and prep, so when I on Valdez oil spill,” Williams says. am ready to cook, it’s all ready. Doing this also Most people need six to eight hours a night. greatly improves the probability that my hus“I’ve met very few people who can get by with band will cook. For easy, healthy lunches, we fewer than six hours a night, and usually when offer grab-and-go meals at Provision Kitchen, they say they can, they’re proven wrong in which you can buy for the week, and then you a sleep study,” Williams says. Sleep science don’t even have to think about it, you know wasn’t even a thing until a few decades ago, and you’ve got healthy meals ready to go.” there are still mysteries about exactly what Bartel is also a huge proponent of exercise, happens during REM sleep. “Before the 1960s, especially yoga. He and his husband, Braden it was thought that the most important funcHisey, moved back to their home state of Oklations of the body happened during the day, but homa a few years ago, and Bartel decided to it’s not the case.” make some changes. He altered his career Scott Bartel, head chef at Provision Kitchen, path completely, and loves that his work is all the fast-healthy spot in Nichols Hills Plaza, is about helping people be healthier and feel betalso a yoga instructor with a growing and loyal ter. “I took my first yoga class three years ago. following, teaching at This Land Yoga, Hidden A year ago, I started teaching,” he says. “Now, Dragon Yoga and Yoga Theorem. “Health-foryoga is the only exercise I do. Before, I ran and ward food choices will make you feel better in lifted weights, which is fine, but yoga gave me the moment, and will also improve your health a different perspective. All of my training bein the long run,” he says. came useful.”

“Ideally, we should eat a green vegetable at Yoga is considered to be a functional exerevery meal. We are adults, we can do that. Easy, cise; that means it’s designed to produce the fast, go-to meals at my house include a protein, most enhanced version of yourself by gradua starch and a vegetable. Simply prepared pasally increasing your natural abilities. To put it ture-raised, organic chicken, grass-fed beef or another way, you’ll be able to reach for a can fish, plus a grain, plus a green vegetable. Roast DR. ELWOOD WILLIAMS JR. on a high shelf, get up and down off the floor your vegetables on a sheet pan. When you do, and have better balance as you age when you use the smallest possible drizzle of oil on the do things that work your body like yoga does. pan and toss the vegetables with your hands “I have students of every age, every fitness level and every body to coat them evenly,” Bartel says. Make your week smoother by type in my classes,” Bartel says. “I tell everyone this about yoga, roasting a big batch on Sunday and pairing with meals through which can be intimidating for some at first: As long as you are the week, he suggested, adding that a teaspoon of oil will work in breathing, you are doing everything right. I don’t care if you lie on any recipe that asks for a tablespoon. your back and breathe for the entire class, you’d be doing it right.

If improving your diet seems daunting, Bartel suggests using a Everything else will come.” meal delivery service such as Purple Carrot, or ordering healthy

“

Before the 1960s, it was thought that the most important functions of the body happened during the day, but it’s not the case.

”

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Intellectual Wellness There is an organization in Oklahoma entirely dedicated to celebrating the life of the mind, which it has been doing since the 1960s. It’s called Oklahoma Humanities, and the intellectual wellness of everyone in our state is its concern.

Ann Thompson, its “new” executive director, has been on the job since 2005. She is only the third in the agency’s five decades, and as she shares some of the language from the 1965 document authorizing the creation of the National Endowment for the Humanities, it’s clear that the findings outlined within it are as relevant today as they ever were – maybe more so. Articles 1-4 ring especially true: The arts and the humanities belong to all the people of the United States.

The encouragement and support of national progress and scholarship in the humanities and arts, while primarily a matter for private and local initiative, are also appropriate matters of concern for the federal government.

An advanced civilization must not limit its efforts to science and technology alone, but must give full value and support to the other great branches of scholarly and cultural activity in order to achieve a better understanding of the past, a better analysis of the present and a better view of the future.

Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster and support a form of education, and access to the arts and humanities, designed to make people of all backgrounds and wherever located masters of their technology and not its unthinking servants.

Oklahoma ranks 42nd in the nation for the share of its population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Oklahoma Humanities Council brings its programming – which includes reading-and-discussion groups and exhibits produced by the agency – as well as its its grants, which allow communities to dream up their own humanities programming, to all the farflung (and near-flung) reaches of our state.

“Reading, or exploring humanities programming, matters because those things improve the quality of life for the individual,” Thompson says. “They are enriching. People feel that they are a part of the larger human experience, and by association become more reflective of their lives. People say things to us constantly after our reading program like, ‘I felt I was alone until I read that book,’ and that kind of connection just makes people happier.”

The other important things that happen when people engage in the sharing of thoughts and ideas are heightened civility, empathy and tolerance. Again, the more the merrier.

The takeaway? Join a book club, attend a lecture or just read.

Like you are now.

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“

Reading, or exploring humanities programming, matters because those things improve the quality of life for the individual.

A N N THOMPSON

”

STRETCH YOURSELF Scott Bartel’s Top Three Reasons to Try Yoga It’s beneficial for your mind. The No. 1 rule in yoga is to breathe. Remembering to breathe is helpful on and off your mat.

If you take a few deep breaths while sitting at your desk, that’s yoga.

Yoga helps us feel our power. The movements of yoga, called asanas, take our breath and pair the inhales and exhales with movement. This allows us to literally open up to the world. Our hips open, our shoulders open and we breathe power into our bodies.

If you do other sports, yoga will make you better at them. If you run, for example, yoga is a great addition because it will help loosen up the hamstrings, which shorten and tighten while running. If you like to lift weights, yoga will enhance your flexibility and give you better balance.

TRY SOMETHING NEW Looking to up your grit game? Attend an upcoming free lecture at the James L. Hall Jr. Center for Mind, Body & Spirit at Integris. View the entire calendar at integrisok.com/mbs.

July 24, 6 p.m.

LAUGHTER YOGA Ellen Mercer will lead the group in learning about the fun, innovative wellness and resilience tool dubbed Laughter Yoga. This practice incorporates a technique called intentional laughing, which when combined with breathing exercises will oxygenate the body, move your muscles, alleviate stress and boost your intrinsic joy. Bold claims! This will be followed by a six-week laughter yoga workshop beginning in August.

Aug. 28, 6 p.m.

AN EVENING OF ACUPUNCTURE Led by Seneca Dewbre, MAOM, L.Ac., this event explores one of the oldest, most common medical practices in the world. Based on ancient Chinese medicine dating back thousands of years, acupuncture has been used to diagnose, treat and prevent illnesses. In conjunction with standard Western medicine practices, acupuncture can help maximize the effectiveness of medicine and reduce potential side effects.

Social Wellness

Social wellness is the ability to interact with people around you. It involves using good communications skills, having meaningful relationships, respecting yourself and others and creating a support system that includes family members and friends.

Bob Spinks, Ed.D., is the director of the nonprofit leadership program, and professor of sociology and justice studies, at Oklahoma City University. Before that, he was the president and chief executive officer for United Way of Central Oklahoma, and before that he served as executive director of the Community Council of Central Oklahoma, the regional research and planning organization for the nonprofit community. He also worked for the Boy Scouts for years.

All of which is to say that this man has made a career out of bettering Oklahomans’ lives, and he believes unequivocally that social wellness is crucial to the well-being of individuals, and by extension, communities. “Social wellness is a person’s framework,” Spinks says. “Wellness used to be thought of as just medical. Now we know that there are many factors that, together, equal a well person. One of those is having people and social structures in your life.”

For some, a social network starts with their family. For others, it may be church or nonprofit work, perhaps work colleagues. People whose social networks – meaning actual, in-person interactions – are robust and healthier, mentally and physically, than those whose are less robust.

“Volunteering is an excellent way to interact with a group of people with similar interests, and it also helps our nonprofits, many of whom struggle to provide programming which is designed to make our lives, social and otherwise, healthier and happier,” Spinks says.

On the whole, Spinks thinks our social wellness is on the decline. “I don’t think it’s any one thing, but a variety. You walk into any restaurant, and whole families or groups of people are sitting at the same table, but nobody is interacting. They are looking at their phones. Some of the institutions that used to be our social anchors are also in decline. Church attendance is down. Houses aren’t built with front porches, which means you’re less likely to chat with your neighbor,” he says. “The benefits of social relationships, in addition to making life more pleasant, are that you gain empathy and concern for others.”

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INNER PURPOSE Rabbi Harris’ Top Three Tips for Maintaining Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual Wellness

Rabbi Vered L. Harris, who became the spiritual leader of Oklahoma City’s Temple B’Nai Israel in 2012, defines spiritual wellness this way: “It’s an internal wholeness. Religion and spirituality are different. Religion is the system, the action we take according to our beliefs. Religions have, almost, a checklist. When you do them regularly, you are practicing the religion. Spirituality is the intention we put into our practice, the goal of which is to access that which is bigger than ourselves.

Spiritual wellness means having the intention of justice, mercy and love.”

Harris’ rabbinical path was born of a natural curiosity. Her undergraduate degree from California State University, Northridge, was in liberal studies with a focus on the ethnic child, and a minor in Jewish studies. “I was finishing college, and had decided to go to grad school to pursue Jewish studies.

It was during my senior year of college when I realized I wanted to learn what rabbis know, and as I was finishing my master’s degree work, I figured out that I would be ordained,” she says.

She received her master’s degree in Hebrew Letters and her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), and her Master of Arts degree in Jewish education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR. In 2002, Rabbi Harris was awarded the title of Reform Jewish Educator from the National Association of Temple Educators. Before coming to Oklahoma City, Harris spent 12 years as the education rabbi at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas.

Her joyful, curious nature is evident in the way she ponders and answers questions. She laughs as she thinks, and patiently brings all of her answers back to the concept she believes to be key to achieving spiritual wellness, R A BBI V ERED L. H A RRIS regardless of an individual’s religion. It comes down to one concept: intention.

“To me, it is an intentionality that goes outside myself. I can work on my mental, or intellectual, wellness because it’s good for me, in an internal way. I can work on my physical wellness, which is also good for me. The difference is that spiritual wellness connects me to a power and a greatness that is outside myself, which is good for me, but because of that external connection, it allows me to remain calm and compassionate,” she says. “Intentional people tend to be the most at peace with themselves, and live their lives calmly and with humility.”

“

Spiritual wellness means having the intention of justice, mercy and love.

”

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Develop a daily practice of prayer or intentional words and thoughts to connect yourself to something bigger, whether you call it God or something else. Listen for the voice of the eternal while you are in stillness.

In Judaism, there are traditional morning prayers, first thing in the morning, before eating breakfast.

Find the thing that reminds you that you are connected to something larger than yourself. For some, it’s religion. For others, it’s running, studying, being in nature or yoga. While doing these things, add the intention of connecting. You could start by saying to yourself, “may this be for all the right reasons.”

Try to have courage in being humble. When we truly believe in something bigger, we must have the courage to allow ourselves to be humble before God. Rabbi Mark Borovitz, who heads up the Los Angeles based Beit T’Shuvah residential addiction and treatment center, calls this being “right sized.”

That means to not make yourself so small that you lose a sense of self-worth, while also not becoming so big that you take up more space than you are due. Be as bold as you are worthy and as humble as you should be. “Women especially tend to diminish or demure from our worth. Remember that there is a right size,” Harris says.

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405.715.4496 | OptimalHealthAssociates.com Optimal Health AssociatesTM DBA Optimal Health

NORTH OKC - 9800 Broadway Extension, Suite 200 | SOUTH OKC - 3110 S.W. 89th, Suite 104

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Forging an Identity

Causes, concerns in the future Ironworks District

BY GREG HORTON

PHOTOS BY DON RISI

Development in the Ironworks District, located on the west edge of downtown, is almost underway. That may be the first time you have heard the name, and it’s true that references in print to the district are somewhere between sparse and nonexistent, but the neighborhood bounded by Western and Penn (east and west) and NW 10th and Main (north and south) has attracted a great deal of developer attention in the past year.

Property owners in the neighborhood asked local architect Mark Seibold to help with zoning issues last year with an eye toward improving the neighborhood.

A LexisNexis crime map of the area shows a staggering amount of crime between Jan. 1 and the end of April 2018 – including sexual assault, murder and enough icons for burglary, theft and auto theft to nearly obscure the map beneath a collage of symbols.

“The property owners told me they had plans for the neighborhood,” Seibold says, “and that’s the first time in a long time that any developers have talked about that neighborhood. However, they were talking about development that took social justice issues into account, and you rarely hear that, so I was interested.”

Seibold, with help from commercial real estate adviser Ian Duty, arranged a charrette-style meeting at Stonecloud Brewing Co. in August 2017. Among the invited participants were Kim Woods, deputy director of The Homeless Alliance, and Laura Massenat, owner of Elemental Coffee and member of the Factory Obscura development team.

“After that first meeting, I had a feeling that we were all of a similar mind,” Massenat says. “We all seemed to want a walkable neighborhood with

good lighting, a focus on the arts, security and good design.”

Massenat and her fellow team members have been looking for a new, permanent location for Factory Obscura, an immersive art experience similar to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. As such, they are looking for a large facility that is scalable upward – to add floors – and that has outdoor space. The district is home to dozens of abandoned and occupied industrial buildings, making it a good hunting ground for what Massenat’s team needs.

“We really like the idea of the Ironworks District because we can get a facility that meets our need without displacing poorer people,” Massenat says. “We’d like to be art-focused without gentrifying the area.”

Seibold echoed her concerns about gentrification, as the line between gentrification and “improvement” is very hazy.

“By definition, what we are talking about is gentrification, but I think it can be done differently than in other areas of the city,” Seibold says. “First, I don’t think a TIF district on this scale would help, and I don’t really think it’s a good idea to raise property taxes on really poor people. This neighborhood has problems that are not going to be solved by architects and developers.”

In fact, two organizations are already in place to help with the problems Seibold references, and one was invited to the meeting and one was not.

Holy Angels Catholic Church was established in 1926, as a ministry of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in downtown. Currently, the parish has 1,200 member JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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families for a total of more than 5,000 active members.

Many of those members live in the neighborhood, and the overwhelming majority are Spanish speaking. In fact, its current pastor, Father Russell “Rusty” Hewes, said there is only one Anglo family in the parish, and that more than 99 percent of members are Latin American.

The numbers are moot, as there were no members of the church at the meeting, nor Spanish language materials, nor any representative of Holy Angels. They weren’t invited. We were referred to Ian Duty to ask about invitations, but Duty has not returned messages left on his answering service about this story.

Hewes, who has been the pastor for four years, said he is excited about improvements to the neighborhood. He referenced the death of three homeless people in January in an abandoned home on Blackwelder, just blocks from the church, as well as concerns about lighting.

“Someone tried to break into my home just two weeks ago,” says Hewes, who lives in a clergy house on the church campus. “We also just purchased the old Methodist Church on 2nd and McKinley for a children’s ministry – we have more than 1,000 children in the parish – and we’ll need to put up a fence and good lighting.”

The church works with the homeless and the poor every day, providing benevolence in the form of food, clothing and help with utilities and the sundry needs that afflict the poor. In that task, they partner officially with Catholic Charities and, unofficially, with The Father Russell “Rusty” Hewes Homeless Alliance.

The Homeless Alliance was present at the September meeting, and Deputy Director Kim Woods said Seibold personally reached out to her organization.

“When DEMAND IS HIGH , “The meeting landlords can afford to was essentially be more picky. Part of a question of ‘What do we addressing homelessness is want the neigha variety of AFFORDABLE borhood to be?’”

HOUSING OPTIONS ...”

Woods says. “We talked about HOM EL E S S A L L I A NCE DEPU T Y DIR ECTOR K I M WOODS parks, bus stops, lighting, sidewalks and some of the less safe areas. Mark (Seibold) talked about repairing the neighborhood in a thoughtful manner, being mindful of current stock of affordable housing so as not to price people out. residents, and even allowing them to play a part in the process.”

Families – people – do better with scatter-site housing, living Seibold and the Homeless Alliance agree on one key point in in fourplexes, small houses, duplexes, those sorts of options. development: Seibold wants to focus on smaller, family-focused Mixed-income housing is best for the health of a neighborhood housing and medium-sized developments, such as fourplexes and to combat homelessness.” and eightplexes, rather than the city-block sized developments In truth, Seibold said, the neighborhood is a long way from that have dominated gentrified housing to this point. development. The planning has only begun, but he has al“When demand is high, landlords can afford to be more ready reached out to the city of Oklahoma City to start talking picky,” Woods says. “Part of addressing homelessness is a varithrough the process. For the moment, the Ironworks area’s ety of affordable housing options; we have to keep our current future remains unforged.

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home A Mid-century Statement

PHOTO BY DON RISI

Matt Goad’s love for Mid-century modern design has led to accumulating striking pieces such as this rare marble Eames Herman Miller dining table. “My former business partner and I saw it at an estate sale and bought it,” he says. “It fits this room like a glove. It took five guys to get it in here.”

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home HABITAT

MATT GOAD’S OWN ABODE A Mid-century modern dream home

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS BY DON RISI

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I N 1998, a young designer named Matt Goad lived in a garage

apartment in Oklahoma City’s historic Edgemere Park neighborhood. He had landed a job at a big ad agency, and every day when he drove to work, he passed a certain house that caught his fancy. To say Goad is a fan of great design is an understatement. He was, and is, especially fond of a style that is all the rage these days, but had not yet recaptured the public’s imagination in the late 1990s: Mid-century modern.

“This house had been for sale for at least a year,” Goad says. “I came in to work one day and talked to my boss, and he said to call.

So I called and went to look at it. I knew when I walked in and saw the fireplace – two steps in and I knew I wanted to live here.”

Over the years, slowly but surely, Goad has furnished his entire home in the style of its architecture. “I began collecting Mid-century modern furnishings as a college student. I’d go to thrift shops and find Eames chairs and little vases, or a funky fiberglass cone lamp. I’m always more proud of a piece I’ve found in the wild,” he says.

(From top) “Music is a huge part of my life. I grew up in a musical family, and I have been making music since I was 18 or 19. I had a paper route when I was 11 years old; I saved for a year and bought an electric guitar. My mom bought me the amp – I didn’t know you needed an amp!” In Goad’s study, his vast collection of albums and movies serves as entertainment and inspiration.

Reclaimed glass from a bottle factory is upcycled into glowing, beautiful sculpture in what originally was a planter dividing the living room and hall.

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Goad and Jackson, his rescued terrier mix who Goad found at the Bella Foundation, survey their kingdom from beneath a painting by former OSU art department chair Jay McVicker.

He’d called Arizona home during his teen years, but before that had lived in eight separate states before he was 10 years old. “I spent my adolescence in Arizona. I think of it as home. I’ve lived in Oklahoma longer, but the desert will always have a piece of my heart,” Goad says. He feels that his time in the desert southwest informed his aesthetic sensibilities. “Good design is about function. Whether people realize it or not, people are surrounded by good design. Design is ever present, whether good or bad. I live my life fighting against bad design.”

Goad thinks of himself as an artist and designer, who also plays music. “I would describe my style of art as geometric, hard-edged and very colorful. I am a big fan of composition, and of a little story being involved in it.”

Through his company, Goad Abode, he’s created work many will recognize, including the logos for the city of Edmond, Oklahoma City’s Film Row district, Midtown Vets, the Keep Our Land Grand anti-littering campaign and Midtown Dog Park. “Branding and logos are the cornerstone of my career,” he says.

The house has a story of its own to tell. It was once owned by Aristotle “Johnny” Papahronis, whose iconic restaurant Johnny’s Lunch Box occupied a spot on Sheridan from 1929 to 2012 – just west of the Devon Tower once it was built. Many of Johnny’s beloved recipes were devised at what is now Goad’s abode.

“I love the history, and I love design. You can keep the spirit of a way of thinking, and a community, alive in a way,” Goad says.

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The color scheme in the kitchen is original to the home. The massive stove is a 1948 Western Holly, which Goad had powder-coated in lush Midori green. The designer’s eye is evident throughout the home – each space is curated but not overly so.

Matt Goad’s abode is a Mid-century modern masterpiece in the heart of Oklahoma City’s historic Edgemere neighborhood.

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home DÉCOR

From The Social Club: Greeting cards, $15; Tea towel, $16; Rocks glasses, $17

The Cacti Craze Prickly, pretty succulent accessories IF YOU H AV E N ’ T noticed the boom in cacti-

From Stash: Outdoor rug, $35; Cacti print, $27

From Tulips: Prickly pear tray, $20; Plush cacti, $12

From The Museum Store: Stoneware cups, $7 each, and plate, $10; Candle, $17.50; Mug, $12; Vases, $25, $55, $30

The Social Club, 209 E Main, Norman, wearethesocialclub.com; Stash, 412 E Main, Norman, stashok.com; Tulips, 570 Buchanan, Norman, tulipshome.com; Calvert’s Plant Interiors, 5308 N Classen, OKC, calverts.com; The Museum Store, 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, store.nationalcowboymuseum.org

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From Calvert’s: Live cactus in small silver bowl, prices vary

PHOTOS BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

themed accessories for, well, just about everything, you will now. While a cactus might seem like a curious choice of thing to own, let alone have depicted on your coffee mug, it’s actually quite charming. Small caricatures of the plant can be spotted almost anywhere, from a welcome mat to your serving dishes … not to mention that, if you want a living cactus, the choices are almost overwhelming, as there are so many. Sometimes cute and whimsical, they can also bring a sense of warmth, conjuring feelings of desert air and big, blue skies. Real or not, make this design accent a treat for any room in your home. - SAR A GAE WATERS

Win this House Built by Foster Signature Homes in the Addington Farms subdivision in Edmond, OK, estimated value $650,000.

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2300 NW 220th Terrace | Edmond, OK 73025 Register for free at the Open House for a chance to win the Open House Prize — a $10,000 furniture shopping spree at Edmond Furniture Gallery.

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#Meet Me In Dr. David Birdwell is a Board Certified Orthodontist and has created beautiful smiles in Oklahoma City for more than 30 years. Orthodontic Arts is a family practice in Midtown that treats patients of all ages with traditional braces and Invisalign. Orthodontic Arts offers flexible payment options and complimentary consultations. Explore our range of services and achieve the smile of your life.

405.604.3745 | OrthodonticArts.com | @OrthoArtsOK

Modern Italian Cuisine 1201 N Walker Ave | 405.235.2200 | stella-okc.com

Join us @ Bossa Nova Caipirinha Lounge Happy Hour - Tue. Sat. 4 pm - 7 pm

MODERN DENTISTRY. HOMETOWN SERVICE.

LUNCH. DINNER. SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH. LIVE MUSIC.

Brazilian Regional Cuisine 440 NW 11th St #100 | 405.525.9779 | cafedobrazilokc.com

1112 N. Walker Avenue #103 | 405.606.6500

Midtown Old-school charm is found in each of the 54 guest rooms, featuring a mix of the modern (iPod docking stations) and the traditional (windows that open, overlooking Midtown, the Oklahoma City Capitol building, or historic Heritage Hills). Guests can take in sunset views of the downtown skyline at O Bar, with its seventh-floor outdoor balcony, and soon experience approachable French cuisine at Café Cuvee.

1200 N. Walker Avenue | 405.600.6200 | AmbassadorOKC.com | @ AmbassadorOKC

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Did you know Midtown offers: 28 restaurants 6 places to grab a cup of Joe 13 local retail shops 1 dog park 2 places to lay your head 2 locations to grab a Spokies bike 4 streetcar stops (opening fall 2018)

Clothing | Swimwear | Shoes | Gifts

1227 N. Walker Avenue | 405. 601.3895 www.shopmode.fashion

Escape to Big Cedar Lodge and experience a secluded haven of natural beauty in the Missouri Ozark Mountains, overlooking Table Rock Lake. With a full-service marina, spectacular golf courses, a 50,000 square-foot adventure center and so much more, Big Cedar has everything you need to make lasting memories with your family. Call or visit the website to start planning your stay.

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travel Greens Mean Go

PHOTO COURTESY REDLANDS MESA

While the sport itself is often jokingly referred to as “a good walk spoiled,” you should be serious about not letting a poorly chosen course ruin your golfing excursion, especially if you’ve planned a getaway around it. Fortunately, these recommendations, including the gorgeous Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, Colorado, are all perfect places to play through.

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travel FORE!

SPECTACULAR GOLF GETAWAYS An adventure of links There is no shortage of places in the U.S. to play golf, if that’s all you want to do – but not all courses, or destinations, are created equal. If you’re taking a trip and looking for someplace special to show off your short game while making memories that will last a long time, these are some of our favorite courses that have a little something extra.

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Incredible views surround The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa (top and above)

PHOTOS: REDLANDS MESA COURTESY REDLANDS MESA; LAKEWOOD AZALEA AND ROSS BRIDGE BY MICHAEL CLEMMER; TIARA RADO COURTESY TIARA RADO GOLF COURSE

GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO It is one thing to play a challenging round of golf in the high desert of Colorado, and it is another equally incredible experience to visit one of the most epic landscapes in the National Park service. In and around Grand Junction, Colorado, you can come pretty close to doing both. Western Colorado’s Grand Junction is in the oft-egregiously overlooked part of the state, and perhaps the definitive attraction to the area is the Colorado National Monument. This dramatic slice of high desert, covered in juniper and defined by dramatic geological structures such as The Monument and the Kissing Couple, is the backdrop for both Tiara Rado Golf Course and the other-worldly Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, designed by famed course architect Jim Engh.

Tiara Rado is a good warm-up for the more challenging Redlands Mesa. The front nine wanders manageably through a neighborhood, but the course really comes alive on the back nine. Beautiful fairways cut through the desert, with fast greens and elevated tees. The course’s premier hole is the 18th – also the highest, it includes a water feature near the green, making it as beautiful as it is challenging.

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa is a whole different ball game. At nearly 7,000 yards from the championship tees, with wild banked fairways and more than 40 bunkers, as well as elevated tees on several par threes, it’s no wonder that this course has wound up on dozens of Golf Digest’s “Best of” lists, including Most Fun Course, as well as countless appearances as one of America’s Top 100 Courses. And let’s not forget, you’re having this masterpiece of a golf experience against the backdrop of towering reddish-pink sandstone of the Colorado National Monument. -MAT T PAYNE

THE ROBERT TRENT JONES TRAIL, ALABAMA If you just can’t get enough golf, make tracks to the Robert Trent Jones Trail (rtjgolf.com) in Alabama. The Trail’s 11 locations are scattered from the Tennessee border and Appalachian foothills to southern marshes, wetlands and Mobile Bay. Hit them all and you could play 468 holes on the 26 courses. Golf Magazine has described the Trail as “the American golfer’s equivalent of Disney World.”

Course terrains vary from traditional Scottish-style links to dramatically sculpted fairways and greens. Variety is the spice of life, and the RTJ Trail provides it.

Grab your mashie for a Scots-styled challenge on the Senator course at Capitol Hill, whose layout is punctuated by more than 150 pothole bunkers. Bring plenty of water balls for the Lake course at Grand National, Auburn/Opelika, and prepare for a journey at Ross Bridge – one of the world’s longest courses at 8,191 yards of spectacular, rolling terrain.

For the ultimate in luxury, stay at the historic Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa in Point Clear on Mobile Bay. In addition to golf, enjoy tennis, water sports and a spa fit for a Roman emperor, and top it off with afternoon tea. This is the total package for families, and the two golf courses, Azalea and Dogwood, are among the lushest and most beautiful courses on the Trail.

The Lakewood Azalea (top) and Ross Bridge (above) courses, both found on the Robert Trent Jones Trail

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e r u t n e Adv dma Gran ELAINE WARNER IS …

It’s hard to pick a crown jewel among so many sparkling choices, but Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa near Birmingham is certainly a top contender. Golf Digest has named this destination one of their favorite golf resorts in both 2016 and 2017. The Renaissance Ross Bridge hotel looms over the landscape like a majestic, English country manor. The golf course stretches over a lot of territory with nine miles of cart paths along lakes and by a picture-worthy waterfall. Nearby Oxmoor courses add more interesting options to bring the total number of holes to 54.

Relax after a round with a spa treatment or a dip in either the indoor or outdoor saltwater pools, or just kick back with friends and enjoy the resident bagpiper saluting the sunset. -ELAINE WARNER

CHARLES L. BOWDEN GOLF COURSE, MACON, GEORGIA If you enjoy history with your golf, consider the 18-hole Charles L. Bowden Golf Course in Macon, Georgia.

You won’t find it touted in Golf Digest or Golf Magazine, but its connection to the WPA and the Civil Rights movement, and its classic ’40s style, earned it a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, a division of the National Park Service.

The 18-hole, 6,492-yard, par 72 course opened in 1940. Part of the land on which it was built had once been an airfield where Amelia Earhart landed. The course is fairly flat but liberally landscaped with mature trees. It was created in an era before large, earth-moving machines were in use – built with tractors, shovels and mules and the help of WPA workers.

From the beginning, blacks were only allowed on the course as caddies. Walter Worthen, one of those caddies, recalled that some of the players, when they were out of sight of the clubhouse, would allow their caddies to hit a few balls.

Worthen, along with other caddies and black golfers from the area, made several requests to the City Council to allow them to play. In 1961, after being put off for six years, four of the caddies took clubs and matters into their own hands and walked into the clubhouse, paid their greens fees, walked to the first tee and played the course, unchallenged. With that, Bowden became the first integrated public facility in Macon.

Today’s golfers, whether they realize it or not, are walking in historic footsteps. -EW

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I was born to be a writer – I wield a mean pencil. An athlete? Not so much.

Back in the day, colleges required so many hours of physical education to graduate. I always looked for the easy out; I was good at walking, so I took golf. It was a good choice, although 90 percent of the course was in the classroom. I was a whiz at the rules and terminology, and came out with an A.

The No. 8 hole at the Ross Bridge course on the RTJ Trail

My folks took up golf in their late 60s. My dad was a fair golfer, and my mom was unconventional. She didn’t so much address the ball as dance to it. Her preparation resembled an enthusiastic football spike performance with lots of hip-waggling. Arms akimbo, she’d haul off and flail at the ball … and it would arc straight as an arrow to her target.

We usually played a flat-as-a-pancake public course in Enid. One day as she went through her motions, making an amazing chip shot onto the green, a disgusted golfer on the next tee yelled, “Lady, there’s no way you deserved that shot.”

My folks regularly skunked me. Completed rounds were accompanied by chuckles and the question, “What did you make in that course?”

Today, thanks to a tricky shoulder and two trigger fingers, my outings are limited to course tours with pros who proudly show me signature holes. We talk terrain, hazards and slope. I see lots of beautiful courses.

And I write about them. Just don’t hand me a golf club!

PHOTOS: REDLANDS MESA COURTESY REDLANDS MESA; ROSS BRIDGE BY MICHAEL CLEMMER

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa

Holbaˇ Pisachi ˇ Film Festival & Native Fashion Show — JULY 14 Homeschool Day — AUG. 23 Labor Day Celebration —

SEPT. 1 - 2

E X H I B I T S & A D V E N T U R E Two fascinating exhibits headline our midsummer season through Sunday, September 2 (Labor Day Weekend). Enjoy Stomp Dance demonstrations and Stickball action. Tour the Village houses and gardens and try your hand at archery. Join us!

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dining A Hearty Welcome Back

PHOTO BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

After a hiatus that lasted about three and a half years – and felt considerably longer – Sean Cummings Irish Restaurant is bringing the flavors and atmosphere of an Irish public house to OKC again.

Dishes such as this rich, savory stew of beef and lamb are only part of the reason why that’s such welcome news for visitors.

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dining

LOCAL FLAVOR

AN IRISH REVIVAL

Sean Cummings relaunches namesake pub

BY STEVE GILL PHOTOS BY SCOT T Y O’DANIEL

SEAN CUMMINGS IRISH RESTAURANT 7628 N May, OKC 405.841.7326

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I H A D W R I T T E N it off as a missed opportunity. The Irish pub up

in north OKC had been on my mental list of places to try since shortly after it opened, and for a few years, intermittently but regularly, I heard people say, “You should try Sean Cummings; it’s great.” I meant to. I was going to. Maybe not that day, but eventually. Then in 2014, *poof* – it was gone. The advice changed to “You should have tried Sean Cummings; it was great,” but like hearing the Stones play Owen Field in 1997, I had the chance and let it pass me by.

But now … well, what’s Gaelic for “phoenix”? Three and a half years after closing its doors, Sean Cummings Irish Restaurant is alive and well and serving up traditional pub cuisine, and after all this time, I’m finally in a position to say this: You should try it; it’s great.

Give much of the credit to personal expertise. The name doesn’t refer to a cartoon leprechaun or focus-grouped corporate mascot; Sean Cummings is an OKC chef who has emerald and orange in his blood.

He has family in Ireland whose roots are centuries deep, and periodically visits to take a few shifts at his cousins’ pub near Galway or their specialty bakery called The Foods of Athenry. If he calls one of these dishes a family recipe, that means it’s legit. Cummings has kept busy over the last few years with multiple dining projects, but this one is closest to his heart … just ask him.

Despite his elation at having the opportunity to renew his dream gig by taking over the old Sophabella’s space on N May, he told us, he decided immediately that it would only work if he could do it alongside his former GM, Diana Ogle.

Fortunately, she came along for the ride, and even managed to ensure that she wasn’t alone: Seven former staff members have joined her.

Considering the small size of the old location and that more than three years have elapsed, that’s quite impressive. It means increased camaraderie among the staff and longtime customers, which only benefits the overall atmosphere. You’ll see familiar faces if you’re a former patron, and they’ll be glad to see you, too.

And the food is enough to make anyone glad, if they’ve a hearty appetite. Filling as the shepherd’s pie is, I mowed through a dish of it and a glass of Guinness (which basically counts as a side of bread) and still managed an enormous square of bread pudding afterward. “Pudding,” incidentally, is a somewhat mutable concept, basically whatever an Irishman says it is at any given moment. For example, the same word describes the loosely formed sausage patties in the traditional Irish breakfast, where they star alongside a tender rasher of bacon, a pair of eggs, a fried tomato half and a marvelous housemade banger. They’re not shy about protein, as you can see – we even got a salad that was topped with steak and potatoes. Everything we tried was outstanding, in fact, from the golden-fried fish and enormous chips to the single best Reuben I’ve ever had, bar none. I didn’t ask whether head chef Chris Bickel is also Irish, but he’s a ferociously good cook.

Even now, years later, the sea bass from Land and Sea remains one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had in OKC. The bounty at Bacon, especially its sampler platter, was an absolute pleasure. But if Cummings is going to restrain himself to a single project, I’m thrilled to have this be the one – and so is he. Here’s to second chances.

A WORD ABOUT MUSIC The cuisine, tempting though it is, forms only part of the picture – it wouldn’t be much of an Irish pub without music, and the conviviality it engenders. If you stop in for lunch or an early afternoon pint, you’ll get a dose of the classics over the speakers, but there’s no substitute for hearing “Rocky Road to Dublin” live. Fortunately, that’s not difficult given the regular rotation of performers who visit the pub nightly.

Pro tip: Even if you don’t know the song and need to read the room a little to pick up the timing, don’t hesitate to join in when the tune, say “The Wild Rover” or “Whiskey in the Jar,” calls for banging on the table. That’s the kind of memory you don’t often make in a burger joint.

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dining

CHEF’S TABLE

HOW IT’S DONE Beer-Steamed Mussels 2 cups good quality lager, something light and refreshing, not too hoppy 2 cups white wine 1 cup rice wine vinegar 2 Tbsp sea salt 3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp fresh garlic, chopped 1/4 lb butter 1/2 oz fresh thyme 1/2 oz fresh oregano 1 Tbsp smoked Spanish paprika (hot) 1 bay leaf 1 Tbsp fennel seed 2 tsp curry powder 3/4 cup lemon juice Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

Return to a full boil, stir in 2 pounds of mussels and cook until all mussels are opened.

Be careful not to disrupt the shells and break them while cooking; discard any mussels that do not open while cooking.

Serve in a large bowl while still hot with some charred, crusty French bread, or freshly made French fries.

Chef Ryan Parrot and Malana Means enjoy a homemade specialty on a summer afternoon.

Mr. Parrot’s Palate I T ’S R A R E T H AT our parents give us the same gift for birthday and Christmas, but Chef Ryan Parrot’s mother gave him the same cookbook – not the same title, the same book – twice.

“I can’t remember which birthday it was,” Parrot says, “I think 9 or 10. I’d asked for a cookbook. My mom got me the Better Homes & Gardens Junior Cookbook. It contained a variety of made-from-scratch recipes like grilled cheese and spaghetti.”

A few years ago, Parrot’s mother was cleaning house, found the book and wrapped it as his Christmas present. He still has it, and the made-from-scratch philosophy has stuck with him, especially at his current gig: culinary director for Humankind Hospitality, which includes Picasso Café.

While Parrot was growing up, his family ate like most Oklahomans of the time, except that they ate almost nothing processed. Chickens were purchased whole and roasted or boiled; pizza was made from scratch; noodles were made by hand and rolled out with a rolling pin.

“Eggs were always fresh, biscuits made by hand and bacon was made from pork,” Parrot says. “None of this ‘turkey bacon’ crap. And remember Sizzlean? That was outlawed in our house. Our family car was incapable of passing a roadside produce stand without stopping. Grandma canned fruits and vegetables that we enjoyed throughout the year.”

By the time he was 16, he knew he wanted to be in food service, and he took a job at Tommy’s in Northpark Mall when he was 18, learning from older chefs, cooks and restaurateurs. Although he was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America in New York, he chose college at UCO over culinary school.

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These days, he applies much of what he’s learned since the Tommy’s days to helping Shaun Fiaccone and Kim Dansereau expand their Paseo operations. When he’s not involved in culinary operations, he brews beer at home or spends time with his wife and five kids.

The family loves the outdoors, especially camping or hiking. The recipe he chose for this month comes from that outdoor time with friends and family.

“Summer is a great time to share a story and a pint over a batch of steamed mussels,” Parrot says. “I like PEIs, but pick your favorite. By late summer, you’ll probably have to go with frozen ones, but quality frozen mussels are available.” - GREG HORTON

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

The Paseo chef flexes his mussels

food drink Symbols

$ most entrees under $10 $$ most entrees $10 to $25 $$$ most entrees over $25 outdoor dining reservations accepted valet parking new or updated entry

American AURORA Its warmly comfortable atmosphere makes a perfect backdrop for a quick cup of Hoboken coffee or hearty breakfast or lunch assembled from superb ingredients – just be certain not to miss the beautiful secluded backyard area. 1704 NW 16th, OKC, 609.8854 $ BAR ARBOLADA OKC residents near Film Row have a neighborhood bar to call their own – but visitors from farther away also are welcome to sample the local beers, well-executed cocktails and seasonal menu of small plates. 637 W Main, OKC $$ BUTTERMILK Get a fresh, hot start to the day at the Paseo’s brick-andmortar version of a beloved OKC food truck, specializing in a wide range of deliciousness served between biscuits.

605 NW 28th, OKC, 605.6660 $ THE DRUM ROOM March your own drumsticks in for a heap of crispy, juicy fried chicken (among the city’s best) starring alongside fried okra, waffles and a fully loaded bar. 4300 N Western, OKC, 604.0990 $$ EDDIE’S BAR & GRILL This stylish spot not far from UCO is equally ideal for a casual drink, appetizers while watching the game or a dinner date. And bear in mind that the wings are outstanding. 930 E 2, Edmond, 285.7725 $$ FLINT Approachably casual style, plus the kitchen’s impeccably serious attention to detail in the outstanding contemporary cuisine, winningly combined in the Colcord Hotel. 15 N Robinson, OKC, 601.4300 $$ GREY SWEATER Chef Andrew Black offers guests an imaginative culinary journey via a three-tiered tasting menu drawing on flavors from around the world – unpredictable, but always outstanding.

102 NE 4th, OKC, 455.6274 $$$ HATCH They call it “early mood food,” and if you find yourself in the mood for a sumptuous made-from-scratch breakfast (or lunch), it should be right up your Automobile Alley. 1101 N Broadway, OKC, 232.3949 $$

HUNNY BUNNY Bringing the allure of fresh, hot breakfast treats to Uptown 23rd, this purveyor of made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches located in the Tower Theatre is a must for comfort food lovers. 429 NW 23rd, OKC $

HOUSE 333 Meatballs are only the beginning at this Campus Corner hangout; a broad menu of everything from wings to lasagna to vegetarian options sets off the ample bar very nicely indeed. 333 W Boyd, Norman, 701.3800 $$ THE HUTCH ON AVONDALE The all-time classic Coach House receives an update with a more modern menu sprinkled with experimental twists, and a full suite of tempting cocktails, wines and spirits. 6437 Avondale, OKC, 842.1000 $$ THE JONES ASSEMBLY It’s noteworthy as a spectacular concert venue, but don’t overlook the kitchen’s output the rest of the time. The bar (try a Frosé) and main menu (try everything) are sufficient to make memories even on non-special occasions. 901 W Sheridan, OKC, 212.2378 $$ KITCHEN NO. 324 A seasonally inspired café and craft bakery serving spectacular rustic American cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner, and a thorough treat for breakfast or brunch. 324 N Robinson, OKC, 763.5911 $ MARY EDDY’S Inside the inviting environs of Film Row anchor 21c Museum Hotel, this showplace of a restaurant turns out a seasonally driven menu of expertly tuned flavors and dishes meant to be shared. 900 W Main, OKC, 982.6900 $$ NASHBIRD Make tracks to this 9th Street spot serving Nashville-style “Hot Dang!” chicken, with whatever spice level you like. Speedy service, whiskey cocktails and beer and a spectacular patio add extra savor. 1 NW 9th, OKC, 388.0033 $ NEIGHBORHOOD JAM Serving tasty takes on classic American dishes and more specialized options such as pineapple bourbon pancakes, this breakfast-centric spot aims to become a community favorite through outstanding execution. 15124 Lleytons Court, Edmond, 242.4161 $ NIC’S PLACE Already justly renowned for his skill at the grill, burger master Justin Nicholas offers breakfast, dinner, drinks and late night treats served in outstanding style at this Midtown diner and lounge. 1116 N Robinson, OKC, 601.

9234 $$ PICASSO CAFÉ Their neighbors in the Paseo are painters, potters and sculptors, so it’s apt that creativity abounds in these zippy sandwiches, salads, pizza and surprises, including plentiful selections for vegetarians. 3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $

THE R&J LOUNGE AND SUPPER CLUB A sentimental dining experience

with vintage recipes and atmosphere.

Seating is limited but the patio is a year-round treat, and the drinks menu is a thing of beauty. 320 NW 10th, OKC, 602.5066 $$ THE PRESS Built in a former printing facility and garage, this concept from The Mule’s team adds Oklahoma-inspired comfort food to the Plaza District – the chicken-fried steak comes recommended.

1610 N Gatewood, OKC, 208.7739 $$ REDROCK CANYON GRILL Rotisserie chicken, enchiladas, pork chops and steak by the lake in a casual, energetic, hacienda-style atmosphere of stone walls and mahogany beams around an open kitchen. 9221 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 749.1995; 1820 Legacy Park, Norman, 701.5501 $$ SCOTTIE’S DELI Soups, salads and especially sandwiches, all made from scratch and featuring meats that are cured, smoked and cooked in-house. Start with the pastrami and get ready to fall in love.

427 NW 23rd, OKC, 698.3696 $ SCRATCH Isn’t that the best place for food to come from? Top-of -the-line ingredients are combined into entrees and sides that are carefully concocted in-house, as are the bevy of wondrous craft cocktails.

132 W Main, Norman, 801.2900; 607 NW 28th, OKC $$ SUNNYSIDE DINER A new day dawns for breakfast and lunch on the west side of downtown as a former service station becomes a no-pretense, made-fromscratch diner. Order up! 916 NW 6th, OKC, 778.8861 $ SYRUP The most important meal of the day is also the most enticing at this unique breakfast boutique serving a heaping helping of signature dishes (the crunchy French toast is something special) and Stumptown coffee. 123 E Main, Norman; 1501 NW 23rd, OKC, 701.1143 $ VAST Keeping your attention on the steaks, seafood and other temptations might be difficult; the view from atop the Devon Tower is truly unparalleled in Oklahoma, making this a fantastic date spot. 280 W Sheridan, 49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$$

Asian EL TORO CHINO Big, bold flavors from disparate cuisines are blended in this self-described “Latin + Asian Kitchen” - creating results that are as excitingly distinctive as they are delicious. 2801 NW 36th, Norman, 708.9472 $$ GOGI GO Fast-casual Korean barbecue comes to Midtown thanks to chef Kevin Lee’s dream of making the traditional

cuisine approachable for OKC diners.

Pick your protein, grab it as it comes off the grill and get ready to come back again and again. 1325 N Walker, OKC, 778.8524 $ KWAN’S KITCHEN Cantonese classics and French-Chinese cuisine in truly sumptuous surroundings? The roomy, regal Kwan’s has you covered. And try the lunch menu’s array of $8 selections for a quick, savory bite. 3031 W Memorial, OKC, 607.8838 $$ SAII With a dark, rich ambiance that elevates it over its surroundings, the captivating Saii serves expertly done Japanese, Thai and Chinese fare plus an extensive and adventurous sushi menu.

6900 N May, OKC, 702.7244 $$ TSUBAKI SZECHUAN Bold flavors are a hallmark of Szechuan cuisine, so tell your taste buds to buckle up; spice is always present but never overpowering in this mouthwatering collection of staples and authentically executed dishes. 1117 NW 25th, OKC, 609.6606 $$

Bakery BELLE KITCHEN Doughnuts, macarons, pastries and ice cream created from scratch, in small batches – making treats like these with care and passion a difference that’s easy, and a pleasure, to taste. 7509 N May, OKC, 430.5484; 30 NE 2nd, OKC, 541.5858 $ GANACHE They serve les sandwiches, but this patisserie is most enthusiastically celebrated for its mouthwatering croissants, macarons, tarts and other baked treats inspired by the owners’ studies in Europe. 13230 Pawnee, OKC, 267.912.5536 $ PIE JUNKIE A Plaza District haven for serious pie aficionados. Call ahead to order a whole pie or quiche or walk in and choose from what’s on hand; either way the flavors are incredible, and you may never find a better Key lime. 1711 NW 16th, OKC, 605.8767 $

Bar & Pub Food THE BARREL The menu is well-stocked with intriguing and delicious twists on pub cuisine, but the equally ample bar makes it a great spot to relax over drinks as well. 4308 N Western, OKC, 525.6682 $ BLU FINE WINE & FOOD Just south of Main Street, this sleek bar stands out due to quick, courteous service and a menu with gourmet range from mojitos to barbeque chicken pizza to fresh hummus. 201 S Crawford, Norman, 360.4258 $$ THE MANHATTAN A stylish neighborhood bar in the heart of

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downtown, its cocktail menu is packed with variations on its namesake classic, and don’t overlook the selections of sandwiches, salads and tasty treats from chef Bruce Rinehart. 210 Park Suite 150, OKC, 605.5300 $ OAK & ORE A Plaza District port of call built with repurposed rustic materials, it offers more than a handful of creative sandwiches that practically require a knife and fork, as well as a tantalizing selection of lovingly chosen craft beers. 1732 NW 16th, OKC, 606.2030 $ REPUBLIC GASTROPUB Part beer bar and part upscale eatery, this noisy, amply attended locale pairs a vast selection of quality brews with tasty menu items, including a great burger selection. 5830 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 286.4577; 13230 Pawnee, OKC, 907.5900 $$

A Taste of History The Theta Burger lives at Johnnie’s OKC’S C U LI NARY L AN DSCAPE has steadily grown broader and

more cosmopolitan over the past couple of decades, providing diners with possibilities from ramen shops to a Brazilian churrascaria to really excellent Irish pubs (see page 64). But with Independence Day lighting up the calendar, this seems like a good time to concentrate on the iconically American hamburger, especially a variant with local roots. Let Philadelphia have its cheesesteaks and New Orleans its muffulettas – central Oklahoma gave the world the Theta Burger.

It’s a standard beef patty – although for authenticity’s sake, it should be cooked over charcoal rather than on a griddle – topped with pickle chips, mayo, optional shredded cheese and the semi-secret ingredient: tangy hickory sauce.

Both eateries that helped introduce this innovation, Norman’s Town Tavern and the Split-T on Western, have since gone to the great Restaurant Row in the sky, but the Theta Burger (which is commonly agreed to be named for an OU sorority) lives on. In fact, Johnnie Haynes managed the Split-T for nearly two decades before founding his own restaurant, and Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler has been dishing up Thetas since 1971. There are now eight Johnnie’s locations metro-wide, give or take the one on the NW Expressway that’s closed for renovations and classier spinoff Urban Johnnie’s in downtown, and each one has the flavor combination that helped make them an Oklahoma institution.

Even emigres continue craving the Theta taste: Photographer Shannon Cornman said her sister moved to Seattle years ago, but Johnnie’s is still her first stop when she comes back to town, and she routinely takes a container of the hickory sauce back to Washington with her. Since you’re already here, grab a #9 with onion rings and savor a classic. - STEVE GILL

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SEAN CUMMINGS IRISH RESTAURANT The namesake chef brings the food, drinks, music and atmosphere of an Emerald Isle public house back to the metro – go raise a glass. 7628 N May, OKC $$ THE WINSTON A menu packed with intriguing possibilities among “elevated pub food” balances out an impressive selection of beer, wine and whiskies.

Cheers. 106 W Main, Norman, 561.7616 $$

Barbeque THE BUTCHER BBQ STAND It’s open three days a week and is a good distance from the heart of the metro – but it doesn’t matter, because this is absolutely some of the best barbeque you’ll find anywhere. Go early and prepare to be dazzled. 3402 W Hwy 66, Wellston, 240.3437 $$ EARL’S RIB PALACE A popular choice among locals in a genre that’s hardly lacking in options, the local chain pounds out hit ribs and turkey as well as a top-tier burger. 6 metro locations, earlsribpalace.com $ IRON STAR URBAN BARBEQUE Iron Star specializes in “a unique and tasty spin on comfort food.” While its entrees are excellent, the sides here are equal players as well. 3700 N Shartel, OKC, 524.5925 $$ LEO’S BAR-B-Q Dense, rich flavor and tender texture, delivered in genuine unpolished style for commendable value – no wonder its ribs and brisket are favorites among Oklahoma connoisseurs. 3631 N Kelley, OKC 424.5367 $ SWADLEY’S Expertly prepared meats – the sausage is especially succulent – form the backbone of this Oklahoma chain’s crowd-pleasing menu. And if there’s a special occasion approaching, they’re also award-winning caterers. 5 metro locations, swadleys.com $$ TEXLAHOMA BBQ Family owned and fabulously flavorful, its meats (especially the beef ribs) are eye-rolling good. Don’t forget the espresso barbeque sauce! 121 E Waterloo, Edmond, 513.7631 $$

Burgers & Sandwiches THE FIXX Massive, monstrous burgers and hot dogs, put together with thought and care. Don’t forget to get a shake or something from the full bar. 644 W Edmond, Edmond, 285.2311 $ THE GARAGE BURGERS & BEER It can get noisy in the sports-bar atmosphere, but even so your focus will likely be on savoring the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 8 metro locations, eatatthegarage. com $ IRMA’S BURGER SHACK Hand-cut fries, hand-breaded onion rings and simply great burgers, especially with No Name Ranch patties - lean and flavorful thanks to a local breed of cattle. 1035 NW 63rd, OKC, 840.4762; 1120 Classen Drive, OKC, 235.4762 $ THE MULE Solid beer and beverage selection plus a delectable array of gourmet grilled cheeses and melts fill the menu at this relaxation destination in the Plaza District. 1630 N Blackwelder, OKC, 601.1400 $ NIC’S GRILL It’s small, it’s crowded … and it’s incredible. It’s only open for lunch and the lines are often long, but the colossal burgers are easily among the metro’s best. Don’t forget some money, since it’s cash-only. 1202 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999 $ S&B’S BURGER JOINT Good news: these burgers’ exquisite flavors - including such ingredients as peanut butter or a coffee crust - come as sliders too, all the better to sample more kinds. 5 metro locations, sandbburgers.com $ TUCKER’S ONION BURGERS With one burger, plus the recently added Impossible Burger (vegetarian), one side (fries) and one salad, the menu is easy to remember - and the execution makes the meal unforgettable. Add a shake and enjoy.

4 metro locations, tuckersonionburgers. com $

Coffeehouse ALL ABOUT CHA Universal standards and unusual concoctions (the sweet potato latte is a wonder) in a cheerful atmosphere; the food options are worth investigating, as well. 5 metro locations, allaboutcha.net $ CLARITY COFFEE The vibe is crisp, clean and cool while remaining welcoming and comfortable – including seating for sipping or getting some work done – and the brewers have their beverages down to a science. As the sign says, “Drink the Coffee.” 431 W Main, OKC, 252.0155 $ ELEMENTAL COFFEE Seriously spectacular coffee roasted in-house - the passionate staff is always eager to share knowledge about the process - augmented with locally sourced salads, breakfast options and other treats. 815 N Hudson, OKC, 633.1703 $ RED CUP Comfortably ramshackle surroundings encourage curling up for conversation over great coffee, baked

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

GOOD TASTE

treats, vegetarian-friendly breakfast and lunch specials, and live music. It’s highly recommended. 3122 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 525.3430 $

Continental BLACKBIRD A Campus Corner gastropub pairing succulently creative dishes like pot roast nachos with a broad beer, wine and whiskey list. There’s little on the menu that won’t tempt palates. 575 S University, Norman, 928.5555 $$ CHEEVER’S Southwestern-influenced recipes (the chicken-fried steak is a house specialty) and love of seafood drive the contemporary comfort food in one of the city’s finest dining destinations. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$ EN CROUTE A warmly welcoming, comfortable café in Nichols Plaza offers treats all day long, from fresh pastries to select spirits and beer, with special emphasis on artisanal cheese and charcuterie. 6460 Avondale, OKC, 607.6100 $ LUDIVINE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$ THE MANTEL Marvelous steaks, seafood and other specialties combine with a refined atmosphere and outstanding service to set the stage for a truly memorable meal, especially if you have a date to impress. 201 E Sheridan, OKC, 236.8040 $$$ THE METRO A perennial favorite that feels comfortably upscale without exerting pressure to impress on its clientele, the farreaching menu covers culinary high points from vichyssoise to crème brulée. 6418 N Western, OKC, 840.9463 $$

select dishes. 1317 E Danforth, Edmond, 330.4548 $$$

French

FAIT MAISON Foie gras to Brandy Alexander, this classical French restaurant delivers exceptional cuisine made with exacting care – the name translates to homemade – for exquisite, if pricy, event dining. 152 E 5th, Edmond, 509.2555 $$$

German DAS BOOT CAMP Longtime fixture for Deutsch festivities Royal Bavaria has brewed up a second round of exceptional cuisine and magnificent beer in a less expensive, faster-paced location in downtown Norman. 229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $ FASSLER HALL Bringing German flavor to Midtown via house-made sausages, warm soft pretzels with cheese sauce, duck fries and a heftig beer menu, plus a weekend brunch – what’s not to love? 421 NW 10th, OKC, 609.3300 $

5516 W. MEMORIAL RD. | 405.470.5577 | TOMMYSITALIANGRILL.COM

Indian

PASEO GRILL Quiet and intimate inside, cheerful and comfortable out on the patio, with an award-winning menu filled with distinctive flavors inspired by the cuisines of Europe in both areas – try the duck salad. 2909 Paseo, OKC, 601.1079 $$$

MISAL OF INDIA A Norman institution for over 30 years, specializing in tandooricooked delicacies and boasting healthy, natural, delicious cuisine served amid splendid ambiance. 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, 579.5600 $$

SIGNATURE GRILL Unassuming locale; magnificent culinary rewards.

The expertly considered menu mixes French and Italian flavors to present a wide spectrum of amazing flavors in a few

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK LUNCH | DINNER | BRUNCH | COCKTAILS | WINE | PATIO | PRIVATE PARTIES

ROYAL BAVARIA Superb takes on traditional dishes like Weinerschnitzel, Jagerbraten and sausages, plus fantastisch house-brewed beers. The time spent is a worthy investment in this familystyle dining hall. 3401 S Sooner, Moore, 799.7666 $$$

GOPURAM - TASTE OF INDIA A fullservice restaurant whose richly appointed interior and attentive staff accord patrons the feel of fine dining, even during the plentifully stocked lunch buffet. 4559 NW 23rd, OKC, 948.7373 $$

ROCOCO An “East Coast-style” restaurant with a diverse menu of international dishes, all set off by carefully selected wines to create the perfect dinner pairing. 12252 N May, OKC, 212.4577; 2824 N Penn, OKC, 528.2824 $$

Your neighborhood Italian bar & grill

LA BAGUETTE BISTRO Les Freres Buthion have deep roots in the city’s culinary landscape, and this flagship combines fine dining with a great bakery, deli and butcher on site. 7408 N May, OKC, 840.3047 $$

MICHAEL’S GRILL Thoroughly urbane dining in an intimate setting: the steaks, chops, seafood and pastas are all reliably excellent, and the Caesar salad prepared tableside is the stuff of legends. 2824 W Country Club, OKC, 810.9000 $$$

THE PRITCHARD WINE BAR Tempted by tempranillo? Musing about muscat? This Plaza District stop is amply stocked with an extensive list of exceptional wines, and sampling the varied dishes is a pleasure in itself. 1749 NW 16th, OKC, 601.4067 $

JOIN ME AT TOMMY’S

TAJ A tremendous set of Indian staples and delicacies - the menu has sections for vegetarian, tandoori, South Indian and Indo-Chinese specialties - plus full lunch and dinner buffets. 1500 NW 23rd, OKC, 601.1888 $$

Italian & Pizza EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style (that means thin, flexible crust with a lot of surface area to cover in cheese and tasty toppings), it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1734 NW 16th, OKC $ FLIP’S WINE BAR & TRATTORIA Managing to feel rustic despite its location in a busy corridor of OKC, this cozy Italian

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joint keeps extended hours, and tends to get busier and louder as the hour gets later.

5801 N Western, OKC, 843.1527 $$ THE HEAT There’s really no need to be humble about this true Chicago-style pizza, boasting perhaps the best crust known to man. It’s one of our favorites; choose your toppings and think deep thoughts. 1319 S Broadway, Edmond, 715.1818 $ MONI’S Handmade, New Jersey-style brick oven pizza and authentic pasta recipes from Southern Italy in a casual, comfy ambience (ideal for dates). 17200 N May, Edmond, 285.5991 $$ PIZZA 23 The tempting selection of specialty pies on especially buttery, flaky crusts is available for takeout, but dining in is recommended; the Uptown joint’s good beer selection and crisp, urban décor add savor to the flavor. 600-B NW 23rd, OKC, 601.6161 $$

The Cold and the Beautiful A summer sensation at Bellini’s

LOO K , LE T ’S NOT mince words: It’s hot. Around this time of

year, Oklahoma finds itself flirting with or reaching triple digits regularly, and that means the occasional cool, refreshing beverage is more apt than usual to hit the spot. Fortunately, those in search of some liquid satisfaction need only remember one name.

The Bellini found at Bellini’s, 6305 Waterford at the corner of NW 63rd and Penn, is a light orange in color, but as a summertime thirst-quencher, it’s solid gold.

The classic version of the cocktail – invented in Venice sometime around the second World War – is peach puree and prosecco; Bellini’s signature variation adds a little white rum for extra oomph. Without going into specific proportions, owner Diana Buthion says it contains “a luxurious amount of alcohol.” And perhaps most importantly for the current environmental conditions, it’s served frozen, a flute filled with frosty goodness and crowned with a rum-soaked maraschino cherry. By the way, the cocktail originally was named for the Renaissance artist, but it’s a happy coincidence that “bellini” could be roughly translated to a little beautiful thing. It certainly applies to this chilly concoction.

And while several of the metro’s more sun-soaked patios aren’t likely to have many lingerers this month, Bellini’s peaceful backyard arbor remains a pleasure, especially when a breeze drifts past from the Waterford’s fountains. Just keep your beverage to yourself; Arthur is gregarious, but he’s under 21, and also a goose. Humans, though? With a Bellini in hand, your summer can be made in the shade. - STEVE GILL

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PIZZERIA GUSTO Neapolitan-style pizza (which harnesses an extremely hot fire to quickly cook superfine flour crusts and quality ingredients) stars alongside Italy-inspired salads, pastas and appetizers. 2415 N Walker, OKC, 437.4992 $$ STELLA MODERN ITALIAN CUISINE A luscious spate of legitimately Italian tastes for a casual lunch, or romantic dinner, amid stylish scenery. The weekend brunch offerings are especially superb. 1201 N Walker, OKC, 235.2200 $$ SUSSY’S An OKC tradition continues, as this quick downtown eatery serves up recipes from one of the city’s first pizza providers more than half a century ago.

Try a Fleetwood or one of the pasta or salad options and see why it succeeded in the first place. 200 S Oklahoma, OKC, 600.1195 $ TOMMY’S ITALIAN-AMERICAN GRILL Stylish and welcoming, this northside neighborhood Italian bar and grill offers up a full selection of beautifully done classic dishes, in addition to more imaginative creations, weekend brunch and some truly excellent brick oven pizza.

5516 W Memorial, OKC, 470.5577 $$ UPPER CRUST A chic, contemporary pizzeria and wine bar specializing in wood-fired, thin-crust New York-style pies complemented by a full menu and wine list. 5860 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 842.7743; 1205 NW 178th, Edmond, 285.8887 $$ VICTORIA’S A comfortable atmosphere, with local art on its walls and the art of pasta on its plates – the chicken lasagna and linguine with snow crab are especially excellent. 327 White, Norman, 329.0377; 3000 SW 104th, OKC, 759.3580 $ VITO’S RISTORANTE Homestyle Italian cuisine in an intimate setting where the staff and management treat customers like guests in their home.

It’s a small space, so calling ahead is recommended. 7521 N May, OKC, 848.4867 $$ VOLARE A flavor-filled variety of Neapolitan-style pizzas, produced with haste from a specially imported oven, fill this stylish Campus Corner space boasting

a serious rooftop patio. 315 White, Norman, 310.3615 $$

Japanese // Sushi CAFÉ ICON Tempting sushi, Japanese specialties and delicious spectacles like steak cooked at the table on a sizzling stone fill the menu to bursting with visually splendid and palate-pleasing treats. 311 S Blackwelder, Edmond, 340.8956 $$ GORO An “izakaya” is a Japanese pub; visitors to the Plaza District will quickly come to associate the term with expertly crafted deliciousness thanks to this cheerful spot for ramen, yakitori, bar snacks and more. 1634 Blackwelder, OKC, 606.2539 $ MUSASHI’S Exquisitely flavorful Japanese cuisine prepared with genuine artistry, thanks to the skilled chefs executing culinary performance art at tableside hibachi grills. It’s a great spot for a special occasion. 4315 N Western, OKC, 602.5623 $$ TOKYO It’s neither huge nor lavishly appointed, and the menu focuses on tradition rather than creativity; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited as among the metro’s best sushi. 7516 N Western, OKC, 848.6733 $$ WAGYU BBQ Extremely high-quality meats, including the namesake top-shelf beef, brought to you so you can cook them yourself on the grill set into the table.

As a group experience, it’s a meal like no other in OKC. 3000 W Memorial, OKC, 285.9796 $$$ YUZO Variety is the word in this sushi tapas bar, boasting a tempting swirl of Colombian, Brazilian and Japanese culinary influences. 808 N Broadway, OKC, 702.9808 $$

Mediterranean & African HAIGET’S Vegan-friendly – and friendly in general, due to the influence of the warm, patient namesake owner – this gem rewards the adventurous with Ethiopian and Kenyan specialties to explore and share. 308 W Edmond Road, Edmond, 509.6441 $$ QUEEN OF SHEBA Practically the definitive example of a hidden treasure, the spicy, vegan-friendly menu of Ethiopian delights awaits the bold. Bring friends and be prepared to linger. 2308 N MacArthur, OKC, 606.8616 $$ ZORBA’S For well over 20 years, Zorba’s has satisfied appetites and pleased palates.

Serving dishes from recipes passed down through generations, they proudly share flavors of Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Morocco. 6014 N May, OKC, 947.7788 $

Mexican & Latin American BARRIOS A serious collection of Latinflavored deliciousness, including a brunch

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

AT THE BAR

that’s maravilloso, in a cool Midtown space with a back patio that’s pure paradise.

1000 N Hudson, OKC, 702.6922 $ BIG TRUCK TACOS It’s nearly always standing-room-only at lunch, but don’t let that deter you; spend a few minutes in line and get an ample reward in the form of fast, fresh, imaginative taco creations. 530 NW 23rd, OKC, 525.8226 $ CAFÉ ANTIGUA Visitors can enjoy lunch options from beef stew to a club sandwich, but once they sample the luscious variety of Guatemalan breakfast options – served anytime – they may be perfectly happy to never order anything else. 1903 N Classen, OKC, 602.8984 $ CAFÉ KACAO A sunlit space filled with bright, vibrant flavors from the zesty traditions of Guatemala.

Lunch possibilities beckon, but it’s the breakfast specialties that truly dazzle.

3325 N Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $ HACIENDA TACOS Quality, of both ingredients and execution, and variety make this restaurant in the Shoppes at Northpark a pleasure to visit, and to explore the menu again and again.

12086 N May, OKC, 254.3140 $ IGUANA MEXICAN GRILL Unique Mexican flavor in a fun atmosphere at reasonable prices - a treat from the house-made salsas to the handcrafted cocktails, and all the tastes between. 9 NW 9th, OKC, 606.7172 $$ TARAHUMARA’S Beloved by locals (there’s usually a line but it moves quickly), this airy ristorante serves huge, tasty Tex-Mex classics plus less ubiquitous fare like carnitas de puerco and mole poblano. 702 N Porter, Norman, 360.8070 $$ ZARATE’S In addition to the familiar joys of enchiladas and the like, the chef’s Peruvian heritage shines in dishes featuring plantains, yuca and imported spices. Try something different; find something tasty. 706 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.6400 $$

Seafood BRENT’S CAJUN Sit down to a massive platter of jambalaya, crawfish etoufee, Pasta Orleans or any of the well-seasoned temptations on the weekend brunch menu – and spice up your life. 3005 S Broadway, Edmond, 285.0911 $$ C’EST SI BON Crawfish etouffee, frogs’ legs, fried chicken and shrimp po-boys are among the highlights, but the award-winning catfish is a must-try. 101 N Douglas, Midwest City, 610.2555 $ THE DRAKE The Good Egg Group’s flagship and a standard-bearer for diners who crave excellent seafood, it serves chef’s creations featuring the sea’s finest, plus an oyster bar and tempting cocktails. 519 NW 23rd, OKC $$$ OFF THE HOOK It’s a choice destination for po’ boys, fried or grilled baskets and specialty items such as the smothered seafood fries. Go get hooked.

125 S Britton, OKC, 840.3474; 1920 S Meridian, OKC, 606.6040 $ PEARL’S OYSTER BAR A perennial OKC favorite for its flavorful seafood and spicy Creole-inspired dishes: Shrimp Diablo, Tabasco-infused Caesar salads, Andouille omelets at Sunday brunch and more. 5641 N Classen, OKC, 848.8008 $$ TRAPPER’S FISHCAMP Zesty, widely varied flavor from the Pearl’s family of restaurants finds a comfortable home in a backwoods fishing lodge atmosphere. Don’t forget the bountifully stocked bar, either.

4300 W Reno, OKC, 943.9111 $$

Steakhouse BOULEVARD STEAKHOUSE Perfectly soigné ambiance down to the last detail and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sumptuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard, Edmond, 715.2333 $$$ BROADWAY 10 Cruise into the Buick building in Automobile Alley to savor steak supremacy or seafood selections (even sushi) in a cozy enclave amid urban bustle. 1101 N Broadway, OKC, 212.3949 $$$

in g n i m o C ember Nov

THE FOOD ISSUE Featuring the cover story, key articles and the always popular Food & Drink Guide!

Showcase your restaurant to over 130,000 monthly 405 Magazine readers!

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CATTLEMEN’S Almost as old as the state itself, this Oklahoma institution’s immense corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew, OKC, 236.0416 $$ JAMIL’S STEAKHOUSE Saving room for your steak, lobster or prime rib is difficult when your gratis appetizers arrive in the form of a Lebanese bounty, but make the effort. Jamil’s has been feeding Oklahoma exceptionally well since 1964. 4910 N Lincoln, OKC, 525.8352 $$$ MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE The ambiance and service are sublime, but fine aged steak broiled to perfection is the star. 3241 W Memorial, OKC, 748.5959; 100 W Main, OKC, 208.8800 $$$ MCCLINTOCK Where better to find a saloon than in Stockyards City?

There’s plenty of room at the massive, 50-foot oak bar, and plenty of cocktails and whiskies behind it, but the main draw may be the massive, excellent steaks and chops. 2227 Exchange, OKC, 232.0151 $$$ MICKEY MANTLE’S This lushly atmospheric social spot in Bricktown serves powerhouse entrées and sides with a full complement of amenities destined to impress. 7 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 272.0777 $$$

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RANCH STEAKHOUSE Customaged hand-cut USDA Certified Prime tenderloins and ribeyes, served amid warm Southern hospitality. 3000 W Britton, OKC, 755.3501 $$$ RED PRIMESTEAK Visionary design and atmosphere house super-premium steaks, vibrant, imaginative flavors and amenities to make some of the state’s best dining. 504 N Broadway, OKC, 232.2626 $$$

405.604.8940 427 NW 23rd, OKC ScottiesDeliOKC.com JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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Family fun at your fingertips!

Take a vacation by visiting one of Oklahoma’s more than 500 museums today.

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SU I T E 20 8

OK L AHOM A CI T Y

OKMuseums.org

events Center Stage

PHOTO BY MATT PAYNE

Can a play still be called a comedy if its protagonists end it by being executed? In a fictional tale of real historical figures, four women who aim to change the world manage to inject quite a bit of humor into the Reign of Terror – The Revolutionists, the latest production by Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, is taking over the Myriad Gardens Water Stage July 5-21.

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events PRIME PICKS

Edmon Perkins, grooved thumb print vase

Tribal Pride Through Sept. 22, Oklahoma Hall of Fame Museum Making art is a personal undertaking, but as individuals we tend to have rather a lot in common – much as the Chickasaw and Choctaw peoples are different tribes, but the word “Ikbi” means “to create” in both languages. It’s also the name of this exhibition, in which artists from both cultures come together to express their separate identities, their societies’ history and how everything interacts.

Collage Scholarship Through July 14, MAINSITE Contemporary Art

Cutline

Hot Licks

Brandy Zdan

July 1-29, Lions Park

If you need a little extra incentive to get outside, The Norman Depot’s Summer Breeze concert series has the free musical juice: Old-school rock and roll inspiration fuels singer-songwriter Brandy Zdan July 1, acoustic not-quite-folk tunesmiths The Mulligan Brothers visit July 15 and Norman native Caleb McGee and the Underdogs host a blues blowout to close the month out July 29.

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Freedom Ringers Through July 4, Throughout Edmond Edmond loves its Independence Day festivities so much that they began celebrating back in June, but there’s still plenty to enjoy in 2018’s iteration of LibertyFest. The Road Rally’s vehicular scavenger hunt, community relaxation of KiteFest and citywide feast Taste of Edmond are all set for July 1; then the Fourth begins with a glorious parade, continues through the all-day fun of ParkFest and concludes with a truly stunning fireworks display at UCO.

PHOTOS: BRANDY ZDAN BY ALYSSE GAFKJAN; VASE COURTESY OK HALL OF FAME; LIBERTYFEST COURTESY UCO

If you’re looking to learn a bit about assembling pictures into greater artistic wholes, Norman’s MAINSITE Gallery is a good place for inspiration.

Currently the artist-in-residence at the Skirvin, Marissa Raglin has spent the past few years cutting and pasting, working to tell unified stories by combining disparate elements into collages.

Her exhibition, which is on display alongside oil paintings by J. Chris Johnson, is proof that an idea can bring different pieces together for good.

Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper features the life-size, trompe l’œil paper costumes of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave (born 1946).

This exhibition is organized by Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Society of the Four Arts, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Frick Art and Historical Center, and Artis—Naples, the Baker Museum.

Isabelle de Borchgrave, Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency, Princess of Condé (detail), 2017.

Frick Art and Historical Center, Pittsburgh.

events SPEAKERBOX

Pixies in the 405?

Yeah, When Monkeys Go to Heaven

T HE JON E S A S SE M BLY scored a coup, and sent music fans into a frenzy on Twitter, with

the announcement that the restaurant and concert facility is hosting Pixies on July 1.

The legendary quartet, originally formed in Boston, first started making noise in the indie world in the very late 1980s, after songwriter Black Francis and guitarist Joey Santiago met in college. The Pixies’ second record, Surfer Rosa, released in 1988, was produced by ex-Big Black guitarist Steve Albini, who was in the process of creating his distinctive sound.

Surfer Rosa was a blueprint for the loud/quiet, oil and water combination of screaming guitars and vocals that would influence artists such as Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails.

As fate would have it, around the time Nirvana became the biggest band in the world, the Pixies released Trompe le Monde, opened for U2 and then took a decade-long hiatus. But everyone loves a comeback, and in 2004, they started playing and touring semi-regularly. A few changes to the lineup have occurred, but the trio of Francis, Santiago and drummer David Lovering have kept the band going with tours and two new records since 2014.

The Wombats also are on the bill for this rare appearance at The Jones Assembly, 901 W Sheridan. At press time, there were still a few general admission tickets available, but all VIP packages are sold out. Go to ticketfly.com for more information. - JERRY CHURCH

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Daryl Hall and John Oates, the original purveyors of Mom Rock, make a return to the big room of Chesapeake Arena on July 22. The pop duo had their first Top 10 hit in 1975 with the now radio staple “Sara Smile.”

A few more hits, such as “Wait for Me” and “Rich Girl,” kept them on “American Bandstand” throughout the 1970s. Then, with the release of Voices in 1980, the two lads blew up on radio, and this new cable station called MTV. It wasn’t that the two men – Hall, tall and blonde, and Oates, dark and muscular – were particularly telegenic. It’s just that they made cheap (and frankly awful) videos to every one of their singles, and MTV was starving for programming.

By 1985, they had amassed 11 Top 40 singles and multi-platinum records, but everyone was sick and tired of Hall & Oates.

It would take years of introspection and time off before the public would admit to how wonderful they were. Respect came in 2014 with induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Hall’s musicianship would have an amazing showcase with his “Live from Daryl’s House” TV and web series. And because good music never really goes away, casinos, amphitheaters and arenas wanted them back.

Co-headlining the show is Train, with special guest Kandace Springs. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com. - JC

PHOTOS: PIXIES BY TRAVIS SHINN; HALL & OATES COURTESY WOLFSON ENTERTAINMENT

Hall & Oates Bring H2O, Music Back

CHIYOKO CHIYOKO MYOSE MYOSE

Chiyoko Myose: Sojourning Chiyoko Myose: Sojourning Exhibition through Aug. 11 | Make + Take: 1-4 p.m. July 14 Exhibition through Aug. 11 | Make + Take: 1-4 p.m. July 14 Fairgrounds Fairgrounds See grand, sweeping works in fiber at the fairgrounds in See grand, sweeping works in fiber at the fairgrounds in Chiyoko Myose: Sojourning.

Chiyoko Myose: Sojourning.

Chiyoko Myose sees herself as a sojourner, traveling place to place Chiyoko Myose sees herself as a sojourner, traveling place to place creating connections to communities. Her installations explore these creating connections to communities. Her installations explore these relationships between individuals and countries. relationships between individuals and countries.

Join us Saturday, July 14 for an afternoon of FREE hands-on activities, Join us Saturday, July 14 for an afternoon of FREE hands-on activities, a gallery talk and a chamber music performance. a gallery talk and a chamber music performance.

Learn more about this exhibition and related programming, including Learn more about this exhibition and related programming, including tours and talks, at bit.ly/OCmyose. tours and talks, at bit.ly/OCmyose.

Exhibitions at Oklahoma Contemporary are always free.

Exhibitions at Oklahoma Contemporary are always free. more info: oklahomacontemporary.org | @okcontemporary more info: oklahomacontemporary.org | @okcontemporary 3000 General Pershing Blvd. | Oklahoma City | 405 951 0000 3000 General Pershing Blvd. | Oklahoma City | 405 951 0000

events SPOTLIGHT

Step Back Into the Saloon The NCWHM revives its weekly whistle-wetting event BACK I N 1878, a local looking to unwind after a busy day could head over to the local saloon and enjoy a drink or two, a bite to eat and the chance to hear some music and do some socializing. Here in 2018, OKC residents have – well, pretty much the same opportunity, only cleaner and with air conditioning. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s weekly Saloon Series is back, giving visitors a dose of the Western life each Thursday evening in July and August.

Participants will pay a $25 entry fee to receive a flight of three selected whiskies with expert insights on the particular type of spirit featured that week, plus a food and beverage ticket and the chance to enjoy the live music and explore the museum. Chief public experience officer Inez Wolins calls the whiskey-based event “an ideal fit for a Museum about Western culture. Plus, we already had a recreated frontier town with a saloon in it, so we turned it into the bar and the Saloon Series just took off from there.

“Saloons in the old West became a community’s gathering place,” she continues.

“After the terrific response to last year’s

ON THE RADAR EVENTS JUL 4 OKC 4th Fest Whitewater rafting, outdoor games, live music and - naturally - a shimmering fireworks display fill this Independence Day bash. Boathouse District, 725 S Lincoln, OKC, 552.4040, riversportokc.org JUL 27 OICA Heroes Ball Capes and costumes are encouraged at this super-powered fundraiser for the OK Institute for Child Advocacy, opens for both adults and kids. Skirvin Hilton, 1 Park, OKC, 236.5437, oica.org JUL 28 Dealing for Dreams It’s the tenth anniversary for Make-A-Wish Oklahoma’s casino-style fundraiser - bet big on having a great time. Cox

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four-week series, we knew we were well on our way to becoming a gathering place in the new West. The Saloon Series [gives] friends and co-workers a chance to mingle with new people, and an entertaining way to learn about different types of whiskeys.”

Even if you’re not looking for a few slugs of quality bourbon, for a $5 cover you can

get admission to the museum, the whiskey class, a more varied cash bar and the musical guests: The Dalbys July 5, Casey & Minna July 12, Grassland Caravan July 19 and Mallory Eagle July 25. Visit nationalcowboymuseum.org for more information, and plan to go – it should be a hoot. - STEVE GILL

WANT TO SEE MORE? VISIT OUR ONLINE CALENDAR AT 405MAGAZINE.COM Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 627.3425, dealing fordreams.org

MUSIC JUL 1-29 Twilight Concerts Free outdoor concerts to close out the week, from the 145th Army Band to Orquestra d’Calle. Myriad Gardens, 301 W Reno, OKC, 270.4848, artscouncilokc.com JUL 3 Red, White and BOOM! One of the metro’s favorite patriotic spectacles returns with the OKC Philharmonic’s powerful performance of patriotic favorites and a huge fireworks display.

State Fairgrounds, 333 Gordon Cooper, OKC, 842.5387, okcphil.org JUL 14 Smashing Pumpkins Three decades in, the band’s road hasn’t

been completely smooth, but the sonic showcase of Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin is still primed to overwhelm the ‘Peake. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno, OKC, 602.8700, chesapeakearena.com JUL 24 Pentatonix Five voices, one impeccably harmonious show as the Top Pop vocalists bring their exceptionally fun a capella mastery to OKC. Zoo Amphitheatre, 2101 NE 50th, OKC, 602.0683, thezooamphitheatre.com

SPORTS JUL 2 The Bearded Open No facial hair necessary; just willingness to enjoy a day of golf in aid of Positive Tomorrows and the fight to end underage homelessness. Oak Tree Golf

Club, 700 W Country Club, Edmond, thebeardedopen.com JUL 14 Norman Conquest Conquer the hills, conquer the heat and help the J.D. McCarty Center aid kids with disabilities in this 23rd annual bicycle tour. J.D. McCarty Center, 2002 E Robinson, Norman, bicycleleagueofnorman.com

THEATER JUL 1-21 My Brilliant Divorce Separated from her cheating husband, a middle-aged divorcee must figure out what to do next in CST’s witty season-ender. Carpenter Square Theatre, 800 W Main, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com

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JULY 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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backstory

Belle Isle Memories Sharing the love of a lost OKC getaway

BY MARK BEUTLER

PHOTO COURTESY DAVID RIESENBERG

T HER E’S NOT HI NG QU I T E like a refreshing dip in the pool on a hot summer day. A century ago – long before White Water Bay – Oklahoma City residents flocked to the ever-popular Belle Isle Lake and amusement park.

The Oklahoma Railway Company built the lake around 1907, just after statehood, to power the city’s streetcar system. Located where Penn Square Mall sits now, Belle Isle Lake offered turn-ofthe-century Oklahomans a place to relax and temporarily escape the oppressive summer heat.

“It offered a break for the hard-working class in Oklahoma City in the early 20th century,” says David Riesenberg, partner and owner of Belle Isle Restaurant and Brewery in 50 Penn Place. “Belle Isle Lake and amusement park offered swimming, dancing, a beer garden, boating and fishing, as well as a carousel and other rides. It was a big difference from what we need to entertain us today.”

The lake offered picnic areas, sandy beaches and, of course, swimming. A dance pavilion was built on the island, and “Honeymoon Bridge” became a favorite place for young couples on warm summer evenings. The Great Houdini appeared one Fourth of July, and thousands of people attended his show.

By the 1930s, Oklahoma Railway sold the entire site to OG&E, which built a new power plant. The amusement park

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closed, the carousel burned and the glorious Belle Isle site faded into memory.

Today, Riesenberg helps keep the memories alive. His restaurant and brew pub, which opened in the summer of 1995, is furnished with photos and mementos from the bygone era.

“When we decided to put a brewery in 50 Penn Place, we struggled for a name,” Riesenberg says. “After many attempts and a lot of research, we decided on the name ‘Belle Isle’ and used the old Belle Isle theme. The lights hanging over the tables are old lights from the power plant that we had rewired. We have two old trolley control boxes, and of course, all the old pictures hanging on the walls remind our customers of what was on this site a century ago.”

The restaurant and pub is open six days a week, and features steaks, burgers and salads.

“Our menu has evolved over the past 23 years,” Riesenberg says.

“We have added some south-of-the-border favorites, and a heavy bar food appetizer section. Our most popular item is our brick oven pizza. We also brew our craft beers right on the premises, and we have other domestic and import beers, as well as liquor and wine.

We also have a patio for al fresco dining on the lower level.

“The lake and park may be long gone,” he adds, “but we are doing our part to keep the memory alive for a new generation.”

Climbed 5 peaks this month Won the bouldering World Cup Forgot to lock her front door

People are amazing, but we’re still only human. Manage your lights, locks and thermostat from your device with Homelife. Learn more at Cox.com/homelife Cox Homelife is available to residential customers in select Cox service areas. A high-speed Internet connection is required. Applicable monthly service charges, installation, additional equipment, taxes, trip charges and other fees may apply. Subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply. Local ordinances may require an alarm user permit or external lock box. Service provided by Cox Advanced Services: Oklahoma, LLC–License #2002. ©2018 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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