March 2020 by 405 Magazine

FASHION: DENIM ON DEMAND

OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY LAUNCHES NEW ERA

ENTERTAINING: BLOOMING LIBATIONS

NEIGHBORHOODS WE LOVE A TA S T E O F J A PA N I N T H E PA S E O

P. 5 2

P R O F I L E : C R I M I N A L J U S T I C E A D V O C AT E K R I S S T E E L E P. 4 0

MARC H 2020

Make this your Healthiest Year yet. SPECIALIZING IN HEALTHCARE FOR MEN AND WOMEN. EXPERTS IN GYNECOLOGICAL AND WELLNESS CARE

With over 25 years experience in Hormone Replacement Therapy, Optimal Health continues to provide customized treatment plans formulated specifically to your needs. HOW WE CAN HELP

Individualized Care Innovative Science Combined with Critical Analysis In-House Lab Years of Menopausal Experience BioTe for Hormone Replacement Therapy MonaLisa Touch for Vaginal Dryness and incontinence

CALL TODAY 405.715.4496 To schedule an appointment for any of your healthcare needs.

Benjamin J. Barenberg, MD

OptimalHealthAssociates.com Noel R. Williams, MD, FACOG

NORTH OKC - 9800 BROADWAY EXTENSION, SUITE 200 // SOUTH OKC - 3110 S.W. 89TH, SUITE 104

Optimal Health AssociatesTM DBA Optimal Health

405.321.10 0 0 // w w w.henr yinteriors.com // Brook haven Village 3720 W Robinson St, Norman, Ok

Furniture & design for sophisticated living.

YOU RETIRE. YOUR MONEY SHOULDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T.

TrustOk.com | (405) 840-8401

2516 NW Expressway | Oklahoma City Protecting Your Assets. Growing Your Wealth.

Advising You For Life.

FE AT U R ES

4 05 M AG A Z I N E | VOLU M E SI X I S SUE TH RE E

Neighborhoods We Love The best neighborhoods for where you are in life

The Reformer

How Kris Steele has changed the way we look at criminal justice

Photo by Rachel Waters

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

DEPA RTM EN TS HOME 56

EN TERTAINING 101 Cool down cocktails with colorful botanicals

AT HOME WITH The art of living well with Justin and Sara Dorr

DESIGN Rebuilding with character in Nichols Hills

4 05 M AG A Z I N E | VOLU M E S I X I S SUE TH RE E

24 IN THE 405

OUT & ABOUT

FA SHION Denim is versatile and chic

WH AT’S ONLINE Best posts from around the 405

GIVING BACK Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund goes from Red Tie to No Tie PER SON OF IN TER EST One nun’s mission to care for the sick and homeless

ROAD TR IP Discover the color and grit of cowboy history in Wichita

SOCI AL HOUR A look into OKC’s social gatherings

PR I ME PICK S What to see and do in March

ARTS & CULTUR E Oklahoma Contemporary looks to a new era

DINING 48

GOOD TA STE Taste of Japan in Paseo at Gun Izakaya

THE DISH The unlikely and delicious pairing of chicken and waffles

THE DR INK New appreciation for the Old Fashioned

LOCAL FL AVOR A guide to the city’s top restaurants

EVERY ISSUE

LOOKING BACK What’s old is new again with OKC’s fabled Interurban

L A ST L AUGH The benefits of owning a “Y” chromosome

ON THE COVER Charming and comfy to avant-garde, these homes in the SOSA district reﬂect the architectural diversity of Oklahoma City’s neighborhoods. Photo by Rachel Waters

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Join us this month for storewide specials to help celebrate our 25th anniversary! LISA LESSEG, AMIE COOK, JANICE CARTY, BRAD BRANDON

“

We started our family-owned business in a small space with

barely enough merchandise to fill it, and have grown through

several expansions thanks to the support from long-time

customers and new ones stopping in to explore. Just as styles and

trends change through the years, so have we, and we are proud

of what our store is today. We couldn’t have done it without our wonderful clients and friends; thank you for trusting us with

your most sacred place… your homes. We are truly grateful! FURNITURE • DR APERIES • BEDDING • UNIQUE ACCESSORIES 848.9663 • 7650 N. W ESTER N, OKC

”

Amie and Janice

MARCH 2020

VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 3

OWNER | PUBLISHER

Jordan Regas jordan.regas@405magazine.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Melissa Mercer Howell melissa.mercerhowell@405magazine.com ART DIRECTOR

Christopher Lee christopher.lee@405magazine.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

OKC’s Newest Choice In Dentistry

Emiley Sexton emiley.sexton@405magazine.com STYLE EDITOR

Sara Gae Waters saragae.waters@405magazine.com TRAVEL EDITOR

Matt Payne matt.payne@405magazine.com SENIOR WRITER

Greg Horton greg.horton@405magazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Linda Miller, Kimberly Burk, M.J. Alexander, George Lang, Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman, Elaine Warner, Lauren Roth CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Miranda Hodge, Fran Kozakowski, Rachel Maucieri, Charlie Neuenschwander, Matt Payne, Don Risi, Elaine Warner, Rachel Waters, Shevaun Williams

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

Whether you’re building from the ground up or

editor@405magazine.com. Letters sent to 405 Magazine become

remodeling a home, the tile selections can set the tone for every room. For a beautifully bespoke

the magazine’s property, and it owns all rights to their use. 405

look in your home, come to Artisan Tile Studio.

Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

We offer the unique tile & stone that no one else in the 405 has. We exclusively carry the premier custom lines New Ravenna and Maison Surface. We’ve got something for everyone, and we bring

Volume 6 / Number 2, 405 Magazine (periodicals 21350)

in new things every chance we get. Visit our cozy showroom to be inspired.

is published monthly, 12 times a year, by 405 Magazine, 7108 N. Western, Suite D1, OKC 405.242.2227 | @artisantilestudio

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.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

from the collection of

VA L E R I E N A I F E H D E S I G N

N A I F E H F I N E J E W E L R Y. C O M | @ N A I F E H F I N E J E W E L R Y | 4 0 5 . 6 0 7. 4 3 2 3 | 6 4 7 1 AV O N D A L E D R I V E

MARCH 2020

VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 3

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@405magazine.com DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Drew Smith drew.smith@405magazine.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

Ronnie Morey ronnie.morey@405magazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Emily LaFleur emily.lafleur@405magazine.com

Pam Link pam.link@405magazine.com

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.

BULK ORDERS CMY

For multiple copy order information, please contact our office.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

405 Magazine is available by subscription for $14.95 (12 issues), $24.95 (24 issues) or $34.95 (36 issues). SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE

405 Magazine P.O. Box 16765 North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. CST Phone 818.286.3160 Fax 800.869.0040 subscriptions@405magazine.com 405magazine.com/subscribe DISTRIBUTION Raymond Brewer

405 Magazine Volume 6, Number 3, March 2020. 405 Magazine is published monthly by 405 Magazine, Inc. at 1613 N. Broadway, Oklahoma City, OK 73103, 405.842.2266. © Copyright 2020 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 reﬂ ect 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

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Inn and Spa at Loretto Santa Fe

Experience New Mexico

El Monte Sagrado Taos

Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe

Palacio de Marquesa

Eldorado Hotel & Spa

Hotel St. Francis

Hotel Chaco

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces

Taos

Albuquerque

Santa Fe

HHandR.com

Santa Fe

F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R

A New Leaf on Life T

H E PE A R TR EES W ILL BE BLOOM I NG in a few weeks, then the redbuds, the crabapples, the peach trees. When we see the buds blossom from their winter slumber, it will be their new beginning – the start of a new growth cycle that will occur each year in perpetuity. I like the thought that renewal is an ever-present and indispensable part of life. We’re all afforded our “new beginnings.” As Oklahoma wakes to warmer temperatures and burgeoning life outside, it’s the perfect time to take to the sidewalks and explore our neighborhoods. Oklahoma City and its environs provide a diverse landscape of small communities with character, local merchants, eateries, schools and nightlife. Read Greg Horton’s extensive take on some of the neighborhoods we love throughout the OKC metro. Page 35 The fresh breezes of spring are blowing through the offices of Oklahoma’s lawmakers, too, as attitudes begin to evolve on low-level, nonviolent crime. George Lang has a conversation with former Speaker of the House Kris Steele, and examines the impact he has made on criminal justice reform. Page 40 March also represents a blossoming, of sorts, for Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center – its new 4.6-acre campus will open March 13 at NW 11 and Broadway. The site’s central structure is a four-story, 53,916-square-foot building titled “Folding Light,” that blends luminescence and practicality into an amalgam of gallery space, dance and classroom studios, a theater and terrace. M.J. Alexander takes us on a tour filled with anticipation for the city’s creative future. Page 24 And speaking of blossoms, why not infuse a little bit of spring into your cocktails with edible botanicals – either frozen into ice cubes or mixed in with citrus slices for a colorful libation? Sara Gae Waters and Rachel Maucieri provide the inspiration. Page 60 The coming of spring also is a time to heed the siren call from the closet and that cute, denim jacket or skirt that’s begging to be worn. Linda Miller and Shevaun Williams offer a peek into denim trends and the fresh ways to wear it. Page 16

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

On the food front, Greg Horton and Miranda Hodge take a tasty dive this month into the unlikely pairing of chicken and waffles and which establishments do it best. They also do a stellar review of Gun Izakaya, a little slice of Japan in the middle of the Paseo District. Pages 52 and 54 Meanwhile, Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman and Don Risi take us through a home with its own story of renewal via a complete rebuild. It became a resurrection story of style, love and passion. Fresh ideas and new perspectives are the hallmark of the spring season as we leave the quiet and introspection of winter. We at 405 Magazine hope to bring a fresh focus on the treasures and new beginnings hiding in plain sight right here in our beautiful city.

Melissa Mercer Howell EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dallas is the Official Home of the Frozen Margarita! Restaurateur Mariano Martinez invented the frozen margarita machine here almost 50 years ago, forever freezing in time our city’s claim to America’s favorite cocktail. Now enjoy decades of heritage on the Margarita Mile—a curated collection of Dallas’s best margaritas. Sip your way through some of our city’s most unique neighborhoods, all while enjoying the unforgettable cuisine of Bon Appétit ’s 2019 Restaurant City of the Year. To learn more and get a full list of participating restaurants, please visit MargaritaMileDallas.com

Download the app, and please enjoy the Margarita Mile responsibly!

DALLAS BLOOMS

BON APPÉTIT 2019 RESTAURANT CITY OF THE YEAR

Experience the largest floral festival in the Southwest, with gardens bursting with over 500,000 blossoms—including tulips, azaleas, Japanese cherry trees and more. Plus, bring the kids and enjoy the interactive magic of the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.

Dallas has the best BBQ and Tex-Mex in the world. But the diverse flavors of our city don’t stop there. From the Laotian street food of Khao Noodle Shop to the inventive charcuterie of Petra and the Beast, there are new culinary delights waiting around every corner. Maybe that’s why we’re Bon Appétit ’s 2019 Restaurant City of the Year. So come taste for yourself—and bring your appetite.

DallasArboretum.org

bonappetit.com/story/dallas-texas-city-of-the-year-2019

February–April

Dallas Arboretum

DALLAS ARTS MONTH

All Year Long

All Over Dallas

COME SEE THE MANY SIDES OF DALLAS

Get a taste of everything the Dallas arts scene has to offer during this monthlong, citywide celebration. See the debut performance of new Dallas Symphony Orchestra Music Director Fabio Luisi, explore the intersection of classical music and contemporary art at SOLUNA, enjoy a free night of theater as the Dallas Theater Center presents Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night or catch the latest in independent cinema at the Dallas International Film Festival. dallasartsmonth.com Dallas is a city with many sides. Need help planning your visit? Check out these events or try our more customized itineraries and guides for a perfect-for-you Dallas experience.

April

All Over Dallas

Learn more at VisitDallas.com

• Physicals (work, school, athletic) • General health management (including chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, chronic pain) • Routine immunizations and vaccinations (including flu shots) • Symptoms causing concern (lingering pain or fatigue, depression, anxiety) Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care • Coughs, colds, flu, sore throat, earache • Minor injuries (cuts, wounds, punctures, burns, falls) • Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

• Rashes, aches and pains • Urinary pain • Mild or moderate difficulty breathing • Sprains/strains • Insect/animal bites • Allergic reactions

Emergency Room* • Severe wounds, burns, heavy bleeding • Chest pain or racing/abnormal heart rate • Poisoning/drug or medication overdose • Sudden intense pain/headache • Loss of consciousness • Broken bones Crescent • Choking/drowning/suffocation • Sudden loss or change of vision, difficulty speaking

Mercy has you covered, 24/7/365.

In case of emergency, call 911 immediately.

Watonga

Kingfisher

Guthrie

mercy.net/OKCare

*A department of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City.

When care can’t wait, Mercy is ready for you with ERs, urgent care and primary care close by. Your choice for care depends on your symptoms. Use this guide to find the right care, from check-ups to emergencies.

OKLAHOMA

44 77

Know Where to Go • Primary Care – See your Mercy doctor for non-emergency care such as health exams, colds, flu, minor injuries, and chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis.

40 81

• Mercy-Go Health Urgent Care – When you can’t see your doctor and need immediate care, Mercy-GoHealth treats colds, flu, minor injuries, stomach pain, rashes, mild/moderate breathing difficulty, sprains, bites and allergic reactions. • Emergency Room – Go to the ER or call 911 immediately for serious or life-threatening problems like severe wounds, chest pain, poisoning or drug overdose, sudden intense pain, loss of consciousness, broken bones and sudden loss of vision or speech. Find the closest ER at mercy.net/OKER Locate an urgent care and reserve your place at mercy.net/OKUrgent Meet your new doctor at mercy.net/OKPrimary Your life is our life’s work.

Edmond

Yukon Midwest City Oklahoma City 240

Primary Care Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care

Moore

Emergency Department Norman MRC_37339 (11/14/19)

Your life is our life’s work.

In the 405

What’s Online

Giving Back

Person of Interest

Arts and Culture

Denim in Demand America’s favorite textile brings versatility to everyday fashion.

Page 16

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

I N

T H E

4 05

FA S H I O N

Much Ado About Denim IN PRAISE OF A FAVORITE FABRIC’S FASHIONS BY LINDA MILLER PHOTOS BY SHE VAUN WILLIAMS

L’Agence frayed denim jacket and Gilli top from CK & Co.; Sanctuary high-neck blouse from rosegold; Rock & Roll Denim flares and Dingo booties from Tener’s; bolo and rings by Moth Wing Metal Works by Brittany Jacobs.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

ET’S H E A R IT FOR DEN I M; always in style, forever a favorite and most definitely a classic. Who among us doesn’t have at least one denim piece – the perfect-fitting pair of jeans or a beloved jacket – in the closet, where we reach for it again and again? Denim is getting even more attention this season. Mention denim and jeans immediately come to mind. They’re the workhorse in many wardrobes, easily paired with athletic shoes, loafers, boots, pointy-heel pumps or strappy flat sandals, and worn with anything from a white T-shirt to a tailored blazer, silk blouse or flirty top. Jean styles usually get refreshed or reintroduced every few years. Skinnies have claimed the most popular title for a decade, but women ready for a change are reaching for straight-leg and wide-leg jeans, as well as flares. They look good, modern. Add a collared shirt and fitted jacket for a low-key but sophisticated vibe. This year, slightly distressed and vintageinspired styles, sometimes with paper bag waists, pleats or leg-lengthening front seams, command much-deserved second looks. Denim isn’t just about jeans, though. Skirts, mini to midi lengths, are unexpected with a nod to the past while embracing what women want today. Denim skirts are fun, even chic at times, and not already in every closet. They’re versatile, just like a perfect pair of jeans, and can be elevated with a statement belt, chunky necklace, peep-toe bootie, strappy sandal or tucked-in top. Skirt styles range from simple A-lines to slim versions to full and ruffled. Side slits, front slits, frayed hems, faded wash treatments and patchwork keep them from looking stuffy, serious or boring. Other denim looks ready to tempt include jumpsuits, culottes and knee-length shorts. So play with different styles, layer on several pieces to add a bit of interest and let your personal style shine. And always say yes to denim on denim.

Pistola jeans fashioned into a head wrap and Pistola jumpsuit from Cayman’s; Lucky Brand denim shirt and Wrangler jean jacket from Tener’s; Ateliers white boots from Betsy King A Shoe Boutique.

PHOTO GR A PH Y: SHE VAUN WILLIAMS ST Y LIST: PHILIP WASHINGTON, PRIM M ANAGEMENT MODEL: JADE MILTON, PRIM M ANAGEMENT H A IR A ND M A KEUP: TERESA LUZ

BE T SY K ING A SHOE BOUTIQUE, 3001 Paseo,

MSGM sheer and metallic bow

betsykingshoes.com

blouse from Gretta Sloane;

BL ACK SCINTILL A , 1112 N Walker, blackscintilla.com

Elie Tahari front-seamed jeans

CAYM AN’S, 2001 W Main, Norman, shop-caymans.com

from CK & Co.; JUST belted

CK & CO., 6429 Avondale, ckandcompany.com

denim jacket from rosegold;

GRE T TA SLOANE, 6476 Avondale, grettasloane.com

Kat Maconie sandals and

ROSEG OLD, 6423 Avondale, shoprosegold.com

Sondra Roberts bag from

TENER’S, 4320 W Reno, tenersboots.com

Betsy King A Shoe Boutique. 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

I N

T H E

4 05

FA S H I O N

Helmut Lang cobalt crop jacket and miniskirt and Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Agence snakeskin blouse from CK & Co.; Veronica Beard jacket with button detail from Gretta Sloane; necklace by Moth Wing Metal Works by Brittany Jacobs.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

MERCY HOSP ITAL PH YSICIANS TOWER

4200 W. MEMORIAL ROAD, SUIT E 101

405-749-4285

I N

T H E

4 05

W H AT ’ S

O N L I N E

@alonzoadadamsphoto

Instagram Shoutout Alonzo Adams is a local sports photographer, and boy, does he show it off on his social pages. Adams captures incredible highlights, from OKC Thunder games to performers at the OKC Ballet. Check him out at @alonzoadadamsphoto.

H AV E A G R E AT P H O T O TO SHARE? Tag #Your405 on your photo for a chance to be featured in one of our issues!

What’s Online A R E Y O U S I G N E D U P F O R O U R M O N T H LY F O O D F O R T HOUGHT N E WSLETT ER? The fi rst week of every month, we feature amazing restaurants and recipes from around the 405. From delicious food trucks to gourmet fi ne dining, we’ve got you covered.

Head to 405magazine.com/newsletters to receive the Weekend 101 in your inbox today!

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

G I V I N G

B A C K

No Tie, No Problem OKLAHOMA AIDS CARE FUND CONTINUES ITS FIGHT BY GREG HORTON | PHOTO BY STE VE SISNE Y

Theodore Noel in his office at Guiding Right, which receives

“When we got into their homes and visited with their families, we learned that many of the kids had parents who were living with HIV/AIDS,” Noel says. “At the time, there were no culturally appropriate services working with the African-American community in terms of providing services to those living with HIV/AIDS.” A friend invited him to Red Tie Night, and he made connections there that led to the formation of Guiding Right, a 501(c)3 organization that helps connect people living with HIV/AIDS to services, case management, testing and other tangible needs.

financial support from the Oklahoma Aids Care Fund.

The needs can be as basic as clothing, meals and employment. We also provide case management, connections to medical treatment and care and resources for testing.

OR TH E FIR ST T I M E I N 28 Y E A R S, Oklahoma City will not have a Red Tie Night in 2020. The annual fundraiser by the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund will instead be No Tie Night, held March 5 at the Park House event center in Myriad Gardens. Lauren Sullivan, executive director of OACF, said Red Tie Night will return in 2021, but the organization has yet to make a decision about how often it will occur. “Nonprofit organizations around the country are looking at an every-other-year approach to the big galas,” Sullivan says. “While it does save some money, the real benefit is in attracting new people. Tickets can be expensive, and that’s easier to manage every other year.” Attracting new allies has always been a goal of Red Tie Night – and will be for No Tie Night, as well. Theodore Noel attended a Red Tie gala about 20 years ago. An Oklahoma City native, he went to the University of Idaho on a basketball scholarship and completed a social science degree. When he came back to OKC, he started an after-school program for children with behavioral issues.

“The needs can be as basic as clothing, meals and employment,” Noel says. “We also provide case management, connections to medical treatment and care and resources for testing.” Testing is trickier than the public realizes, Sullivan said. “A person can go to their general practitioner and tell them ‘I may have HIV,’ and they won’t test that patient,” she said. “If it were any other virus, they would test for it. It’s one of the reasons we put the ‘Get Tested’ button so prominently on our website.” Funds raised by No Tie Night go to benefit its partner organizations, all of which are dedicated to serving those living with HIV/AIDS or providing education and awareness to the larger community. Visit okaidscarefund.com for more details. “We’ve been doing this for almost 30 years and we still have an epidemic,” Sullivan says. “Oklahoma is one of only seven states nationwide still facing epidemic status, and according to recent data, an Oklahoman contracts HIV every 29 hours.”

To learn more about Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund, visit okaidscarefund.com. Go to www.guidingright.org for information about Guiding Right to learn about its programs and services. 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

I N

T H E

4 05

P E R S O N

O F

I N T E R E S T

The Home of Compassion FAITH AND GRACE IN A MOORE MISSION BY KIMBERLY BURK PHOTOS BY STE VE SISNE Y

T EPH E N’S BODY and soul were worn out from years of drug abuse and life on the streets. His family relationships were fractured. He was 42, and death was imminent. But on what was surely one of the luckiest days of his relatively short life, Stephen was placed in the care of Sister Maria Faulkner. And a hospital social worker was able to find Stephen’s 81-year-old adoptive father. “His father came to his bedside and said, ‘Hello, son, it’s Dad. I love you,’” Faulkner says. “He died free of pain, and clean, and he looked handsome.” A few days later, there’s a fire burning in the great room of the spacious home in Moore known as the St. John Paul II Dwelling. It’s one of three homes for the elderly and terminally ill run by Faulkner’s Gospel of Life Association. Faulkner, 56, who wears a simple white habit and leather sandals, is quick to mention that the firewood was donated. She has to remind herself not to be apologetic about the beauty of the house. She knows it was a gift from God. After she toured it with the real estate agent, her conversation with her Creator went something like this: “Lord, I want to live poorly and simply, and that house is too big and too nice, and I don’t want to have anything to do with it.” And His reply, she said, was “You live poorly and simply, but it is not too nice for the dying you are to care for in My name and in the name of the Church.” A donor purchased the home, and it was occupied on Oct. 16, 2018 – named for the pontiff who died in 2005 because “he lived his illness and

MARCH 2020

old age in the world’s eyes. It touched the world the way he let people see him get old. Every life has worth until we are called home to God,” Faulkner says. On that chilly day in January, residents were also missing Loraine, who died the same week as Stephen. Vicki, who came from South Dakota to be near her son after she had a stroke, said Loraine was always looking out for her fellow residents. “She never complained,” Vicki says. “She was a lovely person.” Vicki attended Loraine’s funeral, as did the LifeGuards, which is the ministry’s title for the volunteer caretakers. “I miss her,” Vicki says – but with a smile that never seems to leave her face. “I love it here. They are so good to me.” Like many of the residents, Vicki has relatives who love her but can’t provide care, due to their own health problems or work schedules.

405MAGAZINE.COM

Lupita, 51, has ovarian cancer. Her daughter, a single mother with two jobs, took care of Lupita until she was no longer able to meet her needs, Faulkner said. “I’m happy here,” Lupita says. “As soon as you walk in, you can feel God’s presence.” Faulkner is protective of the privacy of the residents and volunteers, and asked that they be identified only by first name. But she has nothing against publicity. In fact, the Moore house was added to the ministry after the real estate agent read a 2018 article about Faulkner. The agent thought the house was perfect, because it had been custom built by a couple who had five children and adopted 10 special needs children. It came with a stone chapel, a

Sister Maria Faulkner starts her days with prayer, often rising well before dawn. She finds peace in the chapel that came with the nonprofit’s property in Moore.

asked if she liked dogs, as two were on the premises. Fran said she loved dogs. And then Fran was asked if she liked men, as two would be her housemates. Fran replied that she could “take them or leave them.” She was in. Residents work together to get the food on the table and clean up afterward, said Max, a livein LifeGuard. Manuel, who is blind, came to the United States from Cuba as a teenager. Rosalio is a retired mechanic. Fermin started out as a volunteer and moved in after he developed health problems. Annabelle was a cloistered nun for 25 years. She likes to help in the kitchen. Lucy, who moved in after she fell and broke her hip, enjoys the camaraderie at the house. She likes to play solitaire and gin rummy. Faulkner said her vocation was revealed to her after college, as she was praying about which Lupita, who has cancer, receives loving care from Sister Maria Faulkner.

guest cottage and a barn that Faulkner converted into an events center. The owner donated the furnishings. Faulkner was born in Oklahoma and grew up in Minnesota. After making her religious vows, getting hospice training in France and taking care of the elderly all over the world, she felt called in 2013 to return to her birthplace. She joined St. James the Greater Catholic Church in Oklahoma City and started her ministry at a house across the street, working under the authority of the Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The St. James Dwelling has expanded to three adjacent houses. In addition to it and St. John Paul

And that’s when God stepped in and called me to give my life to Him. I’d known a lot of love in my life, and God called me to share that love. II in Moore, the third facility, called the St. Adelaide Dwelling, is in Grand Prairie, Texas. Faulkner works there one or two days a week, often taking the train. Fran has vertigo and can no longer live alone. She joked that Faulkner put her through a vigorous interview process before she could move into the St. James Dwelling. She was asked if she liked cats, one of which was living there at the time, and Fran told Faulkner she could tolerate them. Faulkner

man to marry. There were two good candidates. “And that’s when God stepped in and called me to give my life to Him. I’d known a lot of love in my life, and God called me to share that love.”

405MAGAZINE.COM

To donate or become a volunteer, go to gospeloflifedisciples.org. |

MARCH 2020

I N

T H E

4 05

A R T S

& C U LT U R E

An artist’s rendering of the gallery space at Oklahoma Contemporary’s “Folding Light.”

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

NEW DAWN OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY TO OPEN ‘FOLDING LIGHT’

BY M.J. ALEX ANDER

Editor’s note: M.J. Alexander’s work has been exhibited at Oklahoma Contemporary in the 2006-07 show “Heroes and Outlaws” and in 2018’s “OK Collects: The Art of Collecting.” She is one of six Oklahoma photographers featured in “Shadow on the Glare,” the inaugural show in the museum’s third-floor gallery, focusing on themes of light and place in the landscapes of Oklahoma.

ECADES IN THE DREAMING, TWO YEARS in the making, the structure stands cloaked in 16,800 silver fins that reflect the kaleidoscopic moods of the sky. It is the lone artwork in the permanent collection of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, and will be unveiled to the public March 13. Its title: “Folding Light.” A study in luminescence and practicality, the four-story, 53,916-square-foot building is the hub of Oklahoma Contemporary’s new 4.6-acre arts complex opening this month at Broadway and NW 11th. “Our city has great light, ever-changing light,” says the facility’s architect, Rand Elliott, of his inspiration. “Light is the essence of life, and … light is the essence of any artistic endeavor.” Although the building is new, its artistic endeavors are not. Founded in 1989 at State Fair Park as City Arts Center, the organization rebranded as Oklahoma Contemporary in 2012. Its mission remains the same: to engage the community and nurture the creative spirit through free exhibitions, performances, workshops, artist talks and low-cost studio art classes for all ages and abilities. The entrance to the world of Folding Light is beneath a porte-cochère that evokes the lines of a Mid-century filling station, a vibe similar to the architect’s iconic Route 66 roadside attraction Pops near the Round Barn in Arcadia. Through the doors is a lobby awash in white, a blank canvas of possibilities. A January hard-hat tour with Eddie Walker, executive director, and Jeremiah Davis, artistic director, reveals a soaring space that they estimate will hit 100,000 unique visitors: triple last year’s attendance in their old home. “We’re about breaking down the barriers,” Davis says. “We’re in the business of disabusing people of the notion that art is inaccessible.” The anticipation of welcoming crowds into the world of Oklahoma Contemporary may be even more exciting to Walker and Davis than the thrill of occupying the extraordinary building. After all, its facilities – 8,000 square feet of gallery space on the upper floors, the 200-seat Te Ata Theater, the dance studio, nine additional classroom studios, the terrace – and its grounds, including the Campbell Art Park, sculpture garden, children’s playground, the remodeled warehouse

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

T H E

4 05

A R T S

& C U LT U R E

that will expand the working studio and classroom space, are just a means to an end. “We think – we know – that art is for everyone,” Davis says, reiterating Oklahoma Contemporary’s mission of encouraging artistic expression in all its forms. Visitors to this month’s opening will experience exhibitions centered around the theme of light and place. “Bright Golden Haze” will bring viewers “on a visual journey exploring varied manifestations of light in artistic practice, beginning with traditional landscape images and ending in immersive, technologydriven installations that rupture the boundaries between physical and digital realities.” On the third floor, “Shadow on the Glare” is inspired by Oklahoma landscapes and the writing of N. Scott Momaday. To illuminate and expand upon the works on display, Folding Light will host artist talks, panel discussions, performances, film screenings and gallery talks. Thursday Night Late offers drop-in studio times, artist demos,

performances and “ephemeral experiences.” The second Saturday of each month is a free community day of hands-on art-making, pop-up performances and gallery adventures. Its Veterans Initiative notes that 10 percent of the state’s adults are military veterans and that studio practice has helped veterans “discover new ways to connect with each other and their community. The arts are proven to build resilience, strengthen coping skills and improve self-esteem and well-being.” Oklahoma Contemporary and its programs are funded by a $30 million capital campaign, which has raised $22.1 million from more than 200 private donors, including anchor gifts from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, Kirkpatrick Foundation and Christian Keesee. Its staff includes 50 full-time employees and more than 60 part-time instructors, studio assistants and Camp Contemporary workers. The guides leading the daily 12:30 p.m. gallery tours will be paid part-time employees. In contrast to the contentious political divisions in the

An artist’s rendering of the gallery space at Oklahoma Contemporary’s “Folding Light.”

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Part of our work in forging these partnerships is functioning as being a creative hub, a nexus for the community to come together. We don’t see ourselves in competition with our peers. We see ourselves as potential collaborators, partners with these institutions.

corridors of the Capitol just a mile and a half to the northeast, Oklahoma Contemporary unequivocally stakes out progressive ground. Among the public programs is an expanded Learning Gallery, inviting visitors to interpret and engage with the art on view: “This will be an inclusive space, open to people of every background, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender/gender expression, language, immigration status, ability, age and faith/ worldview. We recognize other identities exist beyond these and remain dedicated to broadening the scope of our language and practices to include all voices and experiences.” The gallery’s description ends with the declaration: “YOU AR E WELCOME HER E.” Welcoming visitors from the main entrance, a membership and information desk is positioned to the left, as is the Creative Lounge, a hang-out and public gathering space that will feature natural light, soft seating, free Wi-Fi, a 500-volume reading library and a standing invitation for people to just come in and be.

PHOTO PROVIDED

I N

ABOVE: COURTESY THE ARTIST AND SIMON PRESTON GALLERY, NEW YORK / BELOW: MAX CLEARY

Josh Tonsfeldt, Untitled, 2015

“Every space we treat as multipurpose, multi-programmable,” says Walker. “Our staff really challenges itself to find ways of programming everything. We may do things in the elevators, the stairwells. The whole building is a canvas, for performance as well as visual.” A wall of ground-floor studio classrooms lines the west side of the building, facing Broadway. With the March opening, the expanded space will allow the number of classes offered to more than quadruple, from 12 to 50. There will be painting, drawing, sculpting and ceramics – and also classes in movement, sound painting, DJing and knife-making of blades with antler handles. The museum shop will feature local artists and artisans, offering works inspired by the state and the rotating exhibitions. An elevator as big as a Manhattan studio awaits to transport sculptural works and host art happenings between the floors. The whitewashed stairway will pulsate with LED lighting, offering concertworthy acoustics. “All the places are really dynamic,” says Davis. To the right of the entrance is Cafe Contemporary, operated by chef Avery Cannon of Empire Slice House. It will include drinks (coffee program! craft cocktails!) and food (Walker’s tip: “The Portobello mushroom reuben will change your life; it’s pretty special”). After touring the gallery, classrooms and performance spaces on the middle floors, Walker and Davis shared the view from the open fourthfloor space that soon would be their offices, and their vision for the future. “Aspirationally, five years, 10 years ahead, I would like to see Oklahoma Contemporary as the indispensable cultural institution of the state,” Davis says. “With the span of work that we exhibit and present and teach, there are opportunities for us to make creative connections with our colleagues

Robert Montgomery, The Stars Pulled Down for Real, 2015

and partners from across the state. We’ve forged partnerships locally with a lot of different institutions – we’ve mentioned a few of them – and also Inclusion in Art, Oklahoma City Ballet, RACE Dance Company, the [OKC] Museum of Art, the science museum. “Part of our work in forging these partnerships is functioning as being a creative hub, a nexus for the community to come together. We don’t see ourselves in competition with our peers. We see ourselves as potential collaborators, partners with these institutions. Because we do so much across all the fields of creativity, it’s incumbent upon the institution to build to the point where we can say we’re the most indispensable” – he smiles and corrects himself – “among the group of indispensable creative institutions.”

Walker noted that Oklahoma Contemporary is committed to live up to the second part of its name: “Part of that is a nimbleness to our mission. At every turn, we can be a clean slate and start from scratch with a new collaboration. And not everyone can do that. We don’t have a collection; we respond to things as they change. This is an institution that will reinvent itself multiple times over the decades.” Before leaving the space, they peered out the south window toward downtown as an approaching streetcar was about to make the stop on Broadway in front of Folding Light. Above the street, the building’s aluminum skin hangs like 16,800 vertical blinds, breathing and rattling ever-so-slightly in the wind. Operating like a giant mood ring, it reflects the changing Oklahoma sky: dazzling sterling in the light of midday, sherbet pink at sunrise, molten gold at sunset or camouflaged into near-invisibility under a pewter sky. The shadows of trees lining Broadway extend onto the building late in the day, creeping incrementally across the facade toward the southwest corner, which will soon be alight with the four-story LED lantern overlooking Campbell Art Park. The lantern is a nod to the campfires that used to dot the Plains, echoing the orange-and-red beacon at the tower entrance pavilion and cafe of the new Scissortail Park. “Part of contemporary is change,” Walker says as he descends the stairs, inviting a return on March 13. “We’ll always be looking at the trends that are just ahead, and try to anticipate those as best we can.” 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

SETTING THE NEW STANDARD IN FINE CABINETRY

In her 1920 bestseller, Household Engineering, Christine Frederick wrote about the basis of kitchen efficiency: arranging, grouping, and storing equipment while creating the appropriate space to work. It was revolutionary thinking for the day. In the 100 years following, the kitchen has remained the heart of the home and cabinetry has evolved into the hardest-working amenity in every room, with high demands placed on style, creativity, durability, and longevity. Today, Wilshire Cabinet + Co has begun another revolution by redefining cabinetry in Oklahoma. We are dedicated to providing superb selections carefully chosen to meet every design demand and budget need at an unrivaled level of service. We take the time to get to know you and your style of living and working in your home. We focus on the function and beauty of your custombuilt, pre-finished cabinetry and help complete your selections with beautiful designer hardware and quality CambriaÂŽ quartz countertops. Our lines meet a high standard of quality. From dovetail constructed drawers to fully adjustable shelving and soft-close doors to undermount soft-close drawer glides, your cabinets will function as beautifully as they look. All of the cabinetry and countertop options on display at Wilshire Cabinet + Co are made in America by family-owned businesses. Because of the high-quality finish processes that can be accomplished in controlled manufacturer environments, our pre-finished cabinetry lines deliver smooth, silky, highly-durable products that offer a limited lifetime warranty on both construction and finish. Whether you are a homeowner or designer, builder or remodeler, you will always feel at home in our gallery! Our qualified team of designers, project managers, and sales staff are here to assist you in making all the perfect choices for your kitchen, bath, outdoor or whole home projects.

Our team: Shara Castillo (fabrication partner); Jim Haller,

KITCHEN & PANTRY

BATHROOM

From contemporary to transitional and modern to traditional, we can help you design spaces that are both functional, beautiful and reflect personal style. Our cabinetry is fine furniture with strength and durability to last a lifetime.

Let us create your perfect oasis: whether the space you ease into and start a busy workday ... or the place you retreat to and melt away a hectic week.

D i s c o v e r o u r c u r a t e d c o l l e c t i o n s t h a t s h o w c a s e s t y l e , v e r s a t i l i t y, a n d i n d i v i d u a l p e r s o n a l i t y.

Ander Vicente Ertze, Jamie Lowe, Travis Morelock, Cher (our mascot), Jason Grife, Lisa Workman, Robin Givens, Jennie Peterson & Miranda Morrison

320 W Wilshire Blvd wilshirecabinetco.com 405- 286 - 6282

@wilshirecabinet FABRICATION PARTNER

BAR & LAUNDRY

THE GREAT OUTDOORS!

Cabinetry with purpose and function all throughout the home. Think convenience!

Oklahoma boasts more than 250 days of sunshine each year, so you can enjoy yearround alfresco dining and entertaining.

Come visit our galler y and experience how fresh inspiration meets leading-edge innovation!

Expect more.

At Sage Sotheby’s International Realty, we believe in setting industry standards and then exceeding them. Because when it comes to the investment of your life, we think you should expect more from your broker. We employ full-time, professional agents with a passion for excellence in customer service and unrivaled knowledge in the field. We are the vanguard of cutting edge marketing, backed by an iconic brand with the largest global share of voice in luxury real estate. The bare minimum is simply unacceptable to us. It’s time to be inspired by high expectations and limitless possibilities. For representation that speaks to integrity, proven expertise, and requires the very best from the very best, there is only Sage Sotheby’s International Realty.

Only

sagesir.com © MMXIX Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.

LIVING CONDITIONS Finding (and Loving) the Right OKC Neighborhood for You

RACHEL WATERS

BY G R E G H O RTO N

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

Nearly 500 neighborhoods comprise the Oklahoma City metro area, a geographic space that extends from Choctaw to Yukon-Mustang, and from Edmond to Norman. If large apartment complexes are included, the number goes even higher, much like the numerous reasons people choose a particular living space over any available others. When assessing the neighborhoods and communities we love, we took into account various factors for choosing a home: economics, stage of life, proximity to amenities, quality of schools, family-friendly options, lifestyle demands and a whole host of other contributing reasons we discovered when talking to the people who have chosen a spot in the OKC metro to live. A neighborhood, broadly conceived, is a cluster of homes or units and the public spaces that knit the community together: parks, streets, sidewalks, schools, houses of worship and businesses. Given that, it’s much easier to focus on distinct neighborhoods in the older parts of the city, and then focus on communities in the outlying areas such as Choctaw and Deer Creek. As a rule, the newer the development, the farther out from the urban core it is and the farther from shopping, arts and local dining. That reality creates a separate set of priorities for choosing a home: close to the fun or close to wide-open spaces and larger lots. The neighborhoods we love feature an array of options for people who want different things, because a home is the place you love with the people you love, not a specific kind of structure. Several people may think of an apartment as a temporary living arrangement until they can afford a “real home,” but for many urbanites, an apartment or condo is home – period. In talking to people, we discovered that stage of life has as much to do with choosing a neighborhood and structure as any other factor, and that makes sense, especially when upsizing or downsizing based on the number of family members. Because we kept finding more and more categories to consider, we are focusing on five neighborhoods and communities – and then we tossed in a couple of wild cards that seem to be the kind of thing people would love to be a part of at a different stage of life. Also, more than any other factor for families, schools were cited as the number one priority for choosing a particular area. For that reason, we begin with Deer Creek.

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS TO SEE WHAT OUR FEATURED NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TO OFFER. ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD

HISTORIC

KIDS

OUTDOORS

PARKS

SCHOOLS

WALKABILITY

The icons under each neighborhood highlight the strengths of that particular area, but do not indicate that other neighborhoods don’t have those amenities or options.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

DEER CREEK he community on the northernmost edge of the metro is known for its schools. The district was founded in 1921, but was explicitly rural for decades. Even now, large tracts of Deer Creek are undeveloped, and the community exists primarily as a school district. With nearly 7,000 students enrolled in the public school system, Deer Creek is bursting, with no end to transfers in sight. The district is large enough to be part of three different counties, and new developments are scattered throughout all three. Lorrie Bamford is a vice president and legal counsel for a gaming company. She’s also a recently elected school board member for DCPS, and the proud mother of a young man who just agreed to a college scholarship to play football at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Her son was her introduction to Deer Creek when he was still in elementary school.

“Aaron was playing with some friends from the Deer Creek Optimist Club, and I kept hearing wonderful things about the schools from football parents,” Bamford says. “I looked hard for a place to move, and we finally found a rental.” She and her two children lived in the rental until she bought a home in the Summit development. “The only downside to being out here is the 30-minute drive into OKC, but it’s totally worth it. The principals and teachers have been wonderful; they do an amazing job, and the level of parental involvement is unbelievable.” Deer Creek has added amenities to the community such as the Township of Deer Creek, a common space on NW 179th and MacArthur, used for a farmer’s market, concerts, community events and even goat yoga. The developments, like Summit, The Ridge and The Reserves at Still Meadows, feature large homes on oversize lots, with access to parks, recreation, schools, and – for the southernmost developments – quick access to shopping and entertainment via Memorial.

E AST NO R M AN niversity towns can be a challenge thanks to continuous the influx and outflow of humans semester to semester, and the resultant ups and downs faced by local businesses – but they also present a historical record of architecture and urban development. The Miller Historic District in east Norman is exactly the kind of neighborhood university towns are best at developing. Originally

built between 1910 and 1938, the homes in Miller were occupied by professors and community leaders, due in large part to its walking distance from the railroad and OU. The historic district designation helps guarantee that the Craftsman-style and bungalow homes will remain as they are, and the proximity to the university and The Mont (justly famous for swirls and queso on the patio) continue to be a draw.

M I DTOWN A N D PASEO he two best dining and drinking districts in Oklahoma City are located in the urban core. It turns out they both have ample housing, too, and in the case of Midtown, even more on the way. Ryan McMullen, a community developer on the leadership team of the Paseo Neighborhood Association, said he moved to Paseo three years ago and quickly became interested in promoting his new community. “The neighborhood association had been defunct for a few years, and we had this great group of people who wanted to see it thrive again,” McMullen says. That group became the core who reinfused the district with energy, and they also chose to treat everyone in the district as a neighbor. “We told people that we don’t care if they’re renting, crashing on a couch or running a local business; they’re part of our neighborhood, so they’re welcome to join us.” The arts focus of Paseo has been the neighborhood’s identity for nearly 100 years, but recently, Rachel Cope, Shaun Fiaccone and Kim Dansereau have transformed it into a dining and drinking destination as well. Mixed in with the roughly two dozen galleries are some of the city’s newest and best restaurant destinations: Gun Izakaya, Oso and Frida Southwest. Midtown boasts some of the best dining density in the city via Café Cuvee, The Collective, Ludivine, Stella and many other choices – and the bar scene is hopping, including Barkeep Supply, McNellie’s, OBar and R&J Lounge and Supper Club. More than an entertainment district, though, Midtown is home to the SoSA neighborhood, one of the most interesting architectural neighborhoods in the city, and one with more hypermodern architecture in a small area than any other city in the country. Cantilevered homes – an homage of sorts to Frank Lloyd Wright – sit side-by-side with uber-modern designs, bungalows, Midcentury modern architecture and even the kinds of glass houses that gave rise to the old adage about throwing stones.

RACHEL WATERS

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

T H E T I F FA N Y A PA RT M E N TS riginally built in 1962, the Tiffany had become something of an eyesore along the eastern end of the Northwest Expressway. Thanks to a remodel from 2016-2018, the fully modernized and beautifully revamped complex is an example of how older apartment units can be transformed into hip, accessible, sought-after living spaces. Karina Cisneros, a wine professional, moved into The Tiffany in August 2019. A single, professional female, Cisneros found apartment hunting more difficult than anticipated for a few reasons, not the least of which was her 65-pound Australian shepherd. “Very few places are okay with large dogs,” she says. “This place has a dog spa on the first floor, though. And, as a single woman, the secure building was an important factor in making the choice. I feel very safe here, and the people who live here really are a community.”

PAGE WO O DSO N he heart of this development is the old Douglass High School, now converted into 60 modern apartment units, but the new construction around it creates an eye-popping contrast with modern apartments and mixed-use space, including the newly opened Culture Coffee at The Seven. The high school and adjacent building have 128 units total, with the high school on a wait for available units since late 2019. The shape of the old classrooms was retained, as well as few chalkboards, making Page Woodson one of the most architecturally unique apartment complexes in the state.

The Seven – literally, seven modern units just north of the high school – are attracting OUHSC students, nurses and visiting doctors, as well as more local residents. Gina Sofola, the project manager and developer’s representative, said the name is a tribute to seven individuals, chosen by a committee of locals, who made significant contributions to the historic community. Brief bios are on display in the seven courtyards. Phases 3 and 4 are already in the works, which will bring more mixed-use areas, restaurants and living spaces to this community on the northeast side.

C H OC TAW ocated just east of the metro, Choctaw was always the place people who lived in Jones went to buy gas or groceries. Now, the city is exploding with growth, made evident in part by the new Starbucks. A quick 10- to 15-minute drive from Tinker’s main gate makes it the ideal bedroom community

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

for military personnel and civilian contractors assigned to Tinker, but it’s also now a destination for people who want large green spaces, access to the interstate and proximity to nature. Located a mile and a half north of I-40, Asheville is the prototypical new development in Choctaw. A network of trails and winding streets connects large, wooded lots, creating a suburban warren of homes, sport courts and fields, swimming pool, splash pad and easy access to Choctaw Public Schools.

NO RT HW EST hoosing one quadrant of a sprawling city may not be the best rubric for selecting neighborhoods, but there are some impressive options to be found in this area. The Village makes the list because it’s a go-to for young families looking for well-made, affordable starter homes in an area that’s close to the cool stuff they loved before they became young families. Situated between downtown and the Memorial corridor, access to dining, drinking, and entertainment is only moments away, including favorites such as La Baguette Bistro, The Hamilton, Sean Cummings’ / Vito’s and Ned’s Starlite Lounge. The homes are old enough that the streets are lined with stately trees, but not so old that it costs a year’s salary to keep them in working order. Brookhaven is one of those neighborhoods you notice and then do a double-take. If you enter in the west side, almost directly across from the Belle Isle Chili’s, you’ll see a row of concrete-block houses with flat roofs and cacti all over the place, almost as if someone dropped a section of Southern California or Arizona in the center of OKC. The homes were built in the 1940s, and theories as to why the primary material was concrete blocks abound. David Glover and his partner Jayne DePanfilis moved into Brookhaven a few years ago, but Glover had been aware of the neighborhood all of his life. “My mother used to bring us here on Sunday drives when I was a kid,” he says. “The architecture is unique to Oklahoma City, and the neighborhood is storied like Carey Place or other historic neighborhoods.”

RACHEL WATERS

One historical note: the smaller of the metro’s two famous – and now destroyed – power plants was in Brookhaven, just north of the concrete block homes. Its sole task was to burn coal to generate enough energy to power the old streetcar. Finally, no list is complete without Nichols Hills, which manages to keep reinventing itself thanks to visionary developers and a willingness to change with the times. That the neighborhood is also flexible enough to embrace businesses such as The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro and The Olive Tree – both technically on the “wrong” side of Western Avenue to be in NH

proper – has made it a shopping and dining destination for many years. The palatial homes have also been a magnet for people drawn to beautiful architecture, and for photographers looking for beautiful backdrops. Steven Goetzinger, the mayor of Nichols Hills, said new development in the municipality is focused on an aging populace. “The new development along Cumberland Court features zero-lot-line homes, so that retirement-age residents who can no longer manage or enjoy yard work and maintenance can live in the neighborhood. Traditionally, our lots have been very large, so this is a new feature for Nichols Hills.” 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

THE REFORMER Community Leader Kris Steele Is Changing How Oklahomans View Incarceration

G EORG E

MARCH 2020

L A NG

405MAGAZINE.COM

W hen Oklahoma conducted the largest commutation of nonviolent offenders in U.S. history, releasing over 500 individuals on Nov. 4, 2019, the former inmates were not just taken to the gate and told they were free to go. Because of efforts by Kris Steele, they had important tools to make their transition into society much easier. “Department of Corrections removed a major hurdle for these folks trying to reintegrate into society,” said Gov. Kevin Stitt at a commutation hearing Nov. 1. “They worked to get driver’s licenses – stuff we take for granted – and state-issued IDs available before discharge. This was a major hurdle. We were provided with a very special grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation [and] the Arnall Family Foundation along with The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) to make that all happen.”

‘Hundreds of kiddos will be reunited with their parents’ Steele, who serves as executive director of both TEEM and Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR), was instrumental in lobbying for State Question 780, an initiative petition that called for the reduction of simple drug possession and property cases, to be retroactive. “I would just tell you that it was a true moment of celebration and realization – that it’s not just the fact that these individuals have a second chance,” says Steele in his office at TEEM, 1501 N Classen Blvd. “It’s the fact that literally hundreds and hundreds of kiddos will be reunited with their parents. We’ve just taken a step forward in strengthening our workforce, and I think perhaps the most significant aspect of that is the realization that addiction is a disease. It is a health issue, and it ought to be treated as such.” 38

MARCH 2020

Steele began his criminal justice reform efforts while serving as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, but his move into the private sector in 2012 helped speed the sea change at the state Department of Corrections. As a nonprofit executive director, he was able to speak more forcefully on behalf of Oklahoma’s prisoners without the danger of political reprisals. Gene Rainbolt, founder and chairman emeritus of BancFirst and a longtime member of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, started observing Steele when the TEEM leader was a rising star in the state House of Representatives. He said Steele had an awakening during that time, realizing that “tough on crime” as a political gambit was a deadend for Oklahoma, and pointed out that Steele’s background as a United Methodist minister is key to understanding from where his morality originates. “His motivation is absolutely pure,” Rainbolt said. “His whole life is dedicated to doing what Jesus would have done, and not just on faith. He’s a very compassionate man, a passionate, caring person.”

600 percent rise in incarceration rate since the 1970s Steele’s experience in the Oklahoma legislature provided a front-row view of how corrections policy is made in a state that has seen the incarceration rate rise 600 percent in the past 50 years. There are many reasons why this happened, and quite a few reasons why, despite Steele’s efforts and those of his allies in criminal justice reform, it continues. Steele, who grew up in Ardmore and Broken Bow before attending Oklahoma Baptist University and making his home in Shawnee, said that the war on drugs that began in the 1980s – the “three strikes and you’re out” life sentencing that came to prominence

during the Clinton Administration – combined with truth in sentencing laws and the rise of private prisons contributed to a kind of “prison industrial complex” that locked up more Oklahomans every year. But Steele said that the most consequential event in the past half-century regarding the rise of incarceration in Oklahoma was the creation of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association in 1973. He said prosecutors’ roles in lobbying the legislature for more offenses punishable by imprisonment has stymied real reform in the state. “Prosecutors are opposed to meaningful reform, and I will tell you that they are very effective politically at the state Capitol,” he says. “They tend to speak in hyperbole, they tend to use outrageous anecdotes to scare people and protect the status quo. It is not OK; it is holding us back. “I do believe prosecutors have found their political worth based on the number of convictions and based on the mindset of being tough on crime,” Steele says. “I do think it is incumbent on the people of Oklahoma to challenge that culture.” Rainbolt agrees. Real change in Oklahoma, Rainbolt said, will come from people like Steele who can look at a problem with clear eyes that are unclouded by political posturing.

We almost have meta-analysis to inform us on what is driving our female incarceration rates, and the research concludes that the No. 1 cause is domestic abuse.

405MAGAZINE.COM

–KRIS STEELE

domestic abuse,” he says. “According to the Department of Corrections website, 69 percent of all the women in prison in Oklahoma are victims of domestic abuse.” In addition to that data, Steele said there are several other “pathways” that account for most female incarceration. Unresolved trauma from abuse, untreated mental illness, self-medication and addiction play key roles. He said that many of these issues are co-occurring, with trauma leading to mental illness, which can result in self-medication that leads to addiction. “Here’s the reality,” Steele says. “Oklahoma has the highest number of grandparents raising grandchildren per capita of any state in the nation. In every study that has been conducted to understand that dynamic, mass incarceration is the No. 1 reason. Being reactive and incarcerating people we’re mad at rather than discussing the core issues behind the behavior is making the situation worse.” “It’s an evolutionary thing that has to happen,” said Rainbolt, who is widely known for his philanthropic work. “And there are so many things wrong that must be fixed. This a multiyear, multi-generational process.” Rainbolt said that Steele’s conflicts with prosecutors over criminal justice reform will likely continue, but his mission and goals are resonating with Oklahoma residents, some of whom are interested in the fiscal savings achieved through commutation and reform, some of whom are swayed because of the movement’s moral underpinnings. That awakening among the citizenry, he said, is what will finally stem the “tough on crime” tide. “I think the ‘winning over’ will come from the support of the public,” Rainbolt said. “They will have to come to understand that it’s bad public policy.”

ABOVE LEFT: Kris Steele with Jimmie, who

The fight for female inmates

Conservative values

was released from his incarceration in 2019.

Despite political hurdles, Steele continues his fight, particularly in the case of female inmates. Since 1991, Oklahoma has ranked No. 1 in female incarceration, which stands at two and one-half times the national average per capita. “In the past nearly 30 years, hundreds of studies have been conducted to try to figure out what is causing this epidemic of female incarceration in Oklahoma,” he says. “Certainly it’s not because the people in this state are somehow more criminogenic than the people who live in Arkansas, or Texas or Kansas or New Mexico and the rest of the nation. “We almost have meta-analysis to inform us on what is driving our female incarceration rates, and the research concludes that the No. 1 cause is

Many of Steele’s arguments stem from lower-case conservative values. He said it costs the state about $19,000 a year to incarcerate a low-level, nonviolent offender when that individual could be working and contributing to his or her community. This requires a radical reversal in how society views issues such as mental health and addiction. “Individuals who struggle with addiction ought to be viewed as patients, not as prisoners,” he says. “There is no such thing as a spare Oklahoman. We cannot afford to throw people away or exclude individuals from participating pro-socially within our communities. Our communities are at their best, their strongest, their healthiest when everyone is able to contribute to the greater good.”

He works at the Renaissance Hotel as a chef. Photo provided ABOVE RIGHT: Steele with attorney Francie Ekwereku, Kenny Belyeu and Community Sentencing Supervisor Jaime Patterson at Community Sentencing Graduation in the Oklahoma County Courthouse. Photo provided BELOW: Steel with LaTerrian at OSU-OKC graduation where he received an associate’s degree in in Enterprise Development. Photo provided

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ask the Expert: Cosmetic Procedures & Med Spas The field of aesthetics is constantly evolving. With new advances in care and a wide variety of treatments available, it is hard to know what is right for you. Get to know our local industry experts as they answer your need-to-know questions. 40

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ask the Expert

Janelle Wagner APRN, C-NP Cosmetic Procedures without surgery Often, people begin to look like they’ve had “too much work done.” How can they avoid that? Start early and take a “less is more” approach rather than having a lot done all at once or over a short period of time. It is better to look like a better version of your self and stay looking natural. Going to the right provider can help you with that.

Is it better to have little things done more often, or wait and have a lot done at once? What’s new in cosmetic treatments? Regenerative treatment’s such as O-Shot, P-Shot, and injecting PRP which is using the patient’s own platelet rich plasma is more up and coming. Magnetic muscle stimulation (MMS) is the hottest thing on the market right now. Cool Tone is a magnetic muscle stimulation treatment that is non-surgical, FDA cleared treatment that is designed to trigger strong muscle contractions that your body could not otherwise achieve on its own. After treatment, the muscles in the abs, glutes or thighs will be firmer and more toned without working out. Thread lifts are becoming more popular. They are great for lifting the skin non-surgically and for stimulating collagen. Sculptra injections into the buttocks for butt augmentation as well as for cellulite is very popular as well currently.

When should a person consider having a cosmetic procedure? Millennials which were born between 1981 and 1996 are the most popular age getting treatments currently. Both men and women are starting at an earlier age which lead to stimulation of collagen therefore better outcomes and greater skin health. However, for the rest of us anytime he or she feels like having a treatment is the right time. If patients want to get ahead of something that is bothering them, but might not be quite so noticeable now, preventive care is a great option.

Having procedures done gradually helps people stay youthful and natural. Do small amounts of work more frequently. Stay on a maintenance program and plan to help stay looking like the best version of you possible.

What is the benefit to seeing an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse? When choosing a provider, you want to look at his or her credentials and training, but also years of experience. You want to make sure your provider stays current on present technology and continues to stay up to date on their skills and knowledge through continual training and education. Experience is what sets us apart from our competition as well as practicing safe medicine.

Why should someone consider a cosmetic procedure? To look and feel your best and improve your confidence. Prevent, and correct, to be the best version of yourself. To not only look beautiful and feel beautiful. There are so many non-surgical options in the market to help everyone look and feel better about themselves with natural looking results with minimal downtime which are safe and effective when you are in the right hands.

What is your favorite procedure to perform? Combination approach of injections with neurotoxins and fillers as well as providing lasers for skin health provides the best outcomes for patients. I am all about doing what is best for the patient. My goal is to make my patient happy.

What sets you apart from the rest of the competition?

1 3 3 01 N . M E R I D I A N S T E 300 A O KC , O K L A H O M A 7312 0 (4 05 ) 8 49 -5391

Years of experience, I have been practicing in Aesthetic medicine for 24 years. Continual education and training. As well as keeping up with the latest technology which continually changes in this market. I am also proud to be a part of Allergan Medical Institute’s faculty where I train physicians and nurses in the state of Oklahoma on injection techniques with Botox and Allergan fillers. 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ask the Expert

Benefits of Placental-Derived Exosomes and PRP Therapy Placental-Derived Stem Cell Exosomes

What are the potential benefits of PRP Penile Rejuvenation?

Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles that play a primary role in cell-tocell communication. Of their many essential functions, exosomes provide the regenerative properties and the anti-inflammatory response necessary to create new tissue, and ultimately heal injuries. Research shows exosome therapy, the process of delivering the nano-particals to targeted areas of the body, is a catalyst for wholebody health and regeneration.

• • • • • • •

Improved overall sexual health Improvement in or resolution of penile curvature from Peyronie’s Disease Increased libido Heightened sensitivity Increased firmness Improved blood flow Increase in length and girth

Optimal Aesthetics

What can exosome therapy offer patients? • • • • • •

Pain and joint management Immune system modulation Tissue and organ repair Sexual reinvigoration Aesthetics and hair restoration Wholistic cellular revitalization of bodily processes

What should I expect from Exosome Therapy?

How can PRP improve women’s sexual health? PRP Vaginal Rejuvenation is a procedure designed to deliver lasting improvements in sexual wellness to women. This safe and effective procedure has been shown to be an ideal treatment option for those women who are experiencing incontinence and/or post childbirth laxity (prolapse), as well as for improving sexual dysfunction.

How does PRP Vaginal Rejuvenation work?

Prior to exosome therapy, certain testing may be performed to evaluate your overall health. The treatment itself typically takes less than 30 minutes, and can be administered in the comfort of Optimal Health. Since exosome therapy is noninvasive, recovery is minimal. Most patients resume normal activity the following day.

This treatment involves numbing the area to minimize any discomfort and, like with Prp Penile Rejuvenation, the patient’s own Platelet Rich Plasma is carefully administered with a syringe. The PRP concentrates platelets and bioactive proteins, which release growth factors to stimulate cellular regeneration and accelerate tissue repair. There is little to no down time needed after this procedure.

How does it help sexual dysfunction?

How can women benefit from PRP Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP Penile Rejuvenation is a procedure designed to deliver lasting improvements in sexual performance to men. This safe and effective procedure has been shown to be a potential treatment option for those men who are having erectile dysfunction due to prostate issues, surgical side effects, drug side effects, Peyronie’s disease or other medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes.

For incontinence and post childbirth laxity: PRP strengthens and tightens the ligaments, tendons and tissues that support the bladder and bladder sphincter, thereby reducing incontinence and/or prolapse. For sexual dysfunction: PRP regenerates nerve function and smooth muscle function, as well as increases angiogenesis, thereby enhancing and improving sensitivity, sensation and orgasm.

What does the PRP Penile Rejuvenation Procedure involve? This treatment involves numbing the area to minimize any discomfort and carefully administering the patient’s own Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) into the area of concern with a syringe. The PRP concentrates platelets and bioactive proteins, which release growth factors to stimulate cellular regeneration and accelerate tissue repair. There is little to no down time needed after this procedure.

9 800 B R OA D WAY E X T. S T E 200 O KC , O K L A H O M A 7311 4 (4 05 ) 7 1 5-4 49 6

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ask the Expert

Conquering Hair Loss and Facial Rejuvenation What new treatments are being used for hair loss? Losing your hair is a deeply personal concern that can affect your self-esteem and how others perceive you. Research has shown that Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and placental exosomes can increase hair regrowth significantly and to decrease hair dystrophy and burning or itching sensation.

Optimal Health

What are the potential benefits of PRP Hair Restoration? PRP injections may stimulate hair growth and provide greater density to fine and thinning hair. Hair restoration with PRP is a natural and safe treatment. It is proved to be more effective than most topical products on the market and provides a solution to avoid hair transplant surgery. Patients with thinning (not totally bald) areas are the best candidates for this type of therapy. Supercharge the effectiveness of PRP with the addition of exosomes, which are tiny extracellular vesicles that are derived from stem cells and bring a wide assortment of growth factors to stimulate and modulate the healing cascade. Exosomes initiate stem cell bioactivity and facilitate cell-to-cell communication, giving PRP additional anti-inflammatory and healing properties for hair regrowth.

How does PRP facial rejuvenation work?

Dr. Noel Williams

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Regenerative medicine in aesthetics allows the doctor to use your body’s cells to naturally enhance your appearance. PRP facial rejuvenation can improve the texture, tone and firmness of skin on the face, neck, décolleté and backs of the hands. In combination with growth factor serums, the procedure can refresh the complexion, reduce acne scars and hyperpigmentation, and address fine lines and wrinkles.

What are the potential benefits of PRP Facial Rejuvenation Whether injected or micro-needled into the skin, the platelets in PRP will rapidly release growth factors, triggering the healing cascade. The treatment will help promote and stimulate regrowth of collagen and elastin, which are the building blocks of young, radiant and healthy skin. With repeated treatments, patients will see an improvement in the thickness and overall appearance of their skin, and a return of a “youthful glow.” PRP Facial Restoration is a minimally invasive treatment, so there is little down time, and you may return to your normal activities within 24 to 48 hours. Results are best when the procedure is repeated three to six times approximately four to six weeks apart, based on skin condition and skin goals.

98 0 0 B R OA D WAY E X T. S T E 20 0 O KC , O K L A H O M A 7311 4 (4 05 ) 7 15 -4 496

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ask the Expert

Merlyn Zientkowski APRN, C-NP Aesthetic Medicine What is Dermalinfusion? Dermalinfusion is an advanced resurfacing treatment. Using a diamond-tipped pneumatic chamber, this 3-in-1, non-invasive treatment simultaneously extracts, exfoliates, and infuses the skin with a medical-grade serum specific to the client’s skin condition.

Aura Spa

What are the benefits, or what makes it unique? What makes Dermalinfusion unique is its optimal timing, with the serum—pore clarifying, ultra hydrating, skin brightening, and Vitamin C—infused in the skin right at the moment of exfoliation. It’s doing three steps at once, rather than separately! Exfoliation triggers skin’s wound-healing process, which can prevent product absorption, so this treatment nails the timing to increase product efficacy. As for benefits, Dermalinfusion improves hyperpigmentation, irregular texture, lackluster tone, acne, and aging skin. It also leaves skin plump, soft, and glowy.

Who or what skin type most needs the treatment? Because Dermalinfusion uses condition-specific, plant-powered serums, this treatment really is universal. Exfoliation pressure is adjustable, too, so sensitive types shouldn’t worry. For the best, lasting results, we recommend a series of treatments. After three, I see significant improvements in my clients’ skin. After six treatments, I see dramatic changes in texture, complexion, and firmness.

and synthetic perfumes. Our brands go beyond caring for the skin, too. We stand behind products that are eco-friendly, sustainable, and cruelty-free!

Are clean products available in all the procedures you offer? Yes! Bringing clean, result-driven beauty to the 405 area is one of my top priorities as an aesthetician and business owner.

Is it a quick recovery time, or will I need to plan a day or two off work? Dermalinfusion has no down-time. We always recommend clients use an SPF following the treatment, and advise against heavy makeup for a few days.

In terms of the serums and other products you sell, you emphasize clean products. Why is that important? Clean products are crucial in effectively but safely caring for skin. The beauty industry is fairly unregulated, and the mindset is typically that ingredients are safe until proven otherwise, rather than the other way around. I don’t want to recommend products including toxic ingredients linked to health concerns, or skin-aggravating chemicals 44

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

20 0 1 W M A I N S T # 105 N O R M A N , O K 73 06 9 (4 05 ) 70 1-122 1 S H O PAU R A B E AU T Y.C O M I G : @ S H O PAU R A B E AU T Y _

Are You Ready?

The journey is done better

PILATES is for

TOGETHER

everyBODY

Experience a Professional, Experienced, Fun Loving Studio

PILATES

BARRE

YOGA

3712 N. WESTERN AVE, OKC WWW.PILATESONWESTERN.COM 405-524-1489

REVIVE.RENEW.

REFRESH.

Ask about our Exosomes and PRP treatments

SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR TODAY! Botox ® | Fillers | Latisse ® | Skin Care

1225 Lakeshore Drive, Edmond, OK 73013 405.715.4496 | @OptimalAestheticsOK optimalhealthassociates.com/optimal-aesthetics

LyndaleEdmond.com AL 5525-5525

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED FOR OVER 35 YEARS! 1 Company... 2 Service Options! 1 Company... 2 Service Options! 1 Company... 2 Service Options!

DUMPSTER RENTAL DUMPSTER RENTAL DUMPSTER RENTAL 1. We deliver it. 1.2.We Youdeliver fill it. it. 1. 2.3.We You fill it.it it. Wedeliver pick up! 2. fill it.it up! 3. You We pick 3. We pick it up!

$25 off mention $25 this offad to recieve discount mention this ad to $25this off

recieve this discount mention this ad to recieve this discount

JUNK REMOVAL JUNK REMOVAL JUNK REMOVAL 1. We're on-time. 1. on-time. 2.We're We load it. 1. on-time. 2. We it. 3.We're We load haul it away! 2. 3.We Weload haulit. it away! 3. We haul it away!

Call 405-256-1908 or Book online at: www.junk.pro Call 405-256-1908 or Book online at: www.junk.pro Call 405-256-1908 or Book online at: www.junk.pro

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Personalized Customer Service. Complementary Gift Wrap. 405.848.1415 • 7638 N. Western, OKC www.learningtreeokc.com

Dining

Good Taste

The Dish

The Drink

Local Flavor

Brunch with a south-of-the-border twist This benny from El Heuvo is a comfort-food triumph, combining the yumminess of Eggs Benedict with the spicy flavors of Mexico. For more of the 405â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive offerings, see the Restaurant Guide on Page 52. 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

D I N I N G

G O O D

T A S T E

The Way of Gun TASTE JAPAN IN THE PASEO BY GREG HORTON | PHOTOS BY MIR ANDA HODGE

R A NSL ATI NG FOOD IS NOT an easy thing, both in terms of language and approachability. Asian restaurants have dealt with it for decades by including English and the original language – Chinese, Korean, Thai, etc. – side by side on the menu. The language component is just one part of the translation, though. What about ingredients, textures, aromas, even utensils? Much of the genius of Gun Izakaya is in the ability of Rachel Cope and executive chef-partner Jeff Chanchaleune to translate Japanese pub food for an Oklahoma audience. Cope said that one of the hurdles was educating staff, and then educating the public.

MARCH 2020

A spread of traditional items, including chicken meatballs and shishitos. 2nd The interior of Gun features a beautiful mural by Japanese-American artist Juuri.

Goro, the sister restaurant to Gun, was the first installment of what was always going to be a fully realized vision of Goro and Gun – the names intentionally chosen from 1985 Japanese buddy film Tampopo. “We had the grill when Goro opened,” Chanchaleune says. “We just had functionality issues at Goro that made it impractical to do there what we’re doing at Gun.”

405MAGAZINE.COM

What they’re doing is primarily yakitori (skewers of chicken) and yakimono (skewers of peppers, mushrooms or pork belly). Skewers are 3-5 pieces of chicken or veggies, typically, and so prices are low and sharing encouraged. Noodles, dumplings, sandos and catfish come from the back of the house, and except for udon noodles, in small-plate sizes. Speaking of catfish, it’s the perfect example to talk about translation. “In Japan, the fried fish would be red snapper or a white fish, but this is Oklahoma, so we thought catfish would be perfect,” Chanchaleune says. The fish is flaky and moist, avoiding the density of some catfish preparations, and the acidity of the yuzu kosho slices through the fat with a pop of zest. At its heart, though, it still tastes like delicious catfish – thus the translation. The diner has now had a dish with which they are familiar, presented in a new “container.” “We’ve learned a lot of lessons from Goro,” Cope says, “and one of those is that you have items on a menu that sound familiar.” For adventurous OKC eaters, Jeff Chanchaleune has become a household name, and for vegans, he’s a star chef. The eggplant dumplings are arguably the best thing on Gun’s menu, and they’re vegan – even if you think you don’t like vegan food, the dumplings will have you writing power ballads praising them: complex, flavorful, intense layers of flavor in one bite. Vegan udon will have been added to the regular menu by the time this issue is out, and it, too, is arguably better than the non-vegan udon dish currently on the menu … even though that is itself extraordinary. The hands-down bestseller in the bar is the Japanese highball, a remarkably clean, crisp whiskey soda made with Suntory Japanese whiskey. Cope imported the equipment to make the simple concoction, and while we know that was pricey, it was absolutely worth the investment. Goodman’s other cocktails range from fruity to savory, and light to boozy, but they’re thoughtful, creative and well balanced across the board. Service is team centered, since skewers come off the grill nearly constantly when Gun is busy, and generally excellent. Don’t be afraid to ask for a fork, especially when eating udon. And one final tip: If Chef Jeff has prepared a fish feature for the night, don’t say no.

Gun Izakaya 3000 Paseo, OKC, gunizakaya.com

LOCAL DJ NIGHT SATURDAY 9pm-midnight LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR STARTS @ 10pm JOIN US SUNDAY FOR UNLIMITED PRAIRIE WOLF BLOODY MARY BAR $20 SINGO 12-2 PRIZES EVERY ROUND

Shop in our “Boucherie” and Wine Shop

AT LA BAGUETTE BISTRO 7408 N May Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 labaguettebistro.com • 405.840.3047

Now with 2 Locations to Serve You! 7700 N May Ave Oklahoma City, OK 1333 N. Santa Fe, Ste 103, Edmond, OK

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

D I N I N G

T H E

D I S H

Broasted chicken and waffles at McClintock’s Saloon and Chophouse.

Savoring an Unlikely Marriage MAKING SENSE OF WHY CHICKEN AND WAFFLES IS SO DELICIOUS BY GREG HORTON | PHOTOS BY MIR ANDA HODGE

HICKEN AND WAFFLES REALLY don’t make sense; not in the way that other foods are natural pairings and lie beautifully on a plate together. With chicken and waffles, it’s stack or sprawl, because how else do you plate things that don’t actually work together? Food historian Tori Avey traced the history of chicken and waffles (the work appeared in PBS publications), and the origin of the dish makes a little more sense. She writes: “The earliest American chicken and waffle combination appears in Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1600s, when home cooks made waffles and topped them with pulled chicken and gravy.” Essentially, it was a savory dish, and the waffles were closer to flatbread, so it was a very American variation on a European dish that began as a way for bakeries to make communion wafers. Weird, right? Still, flatbread with chicken and gravy is a sensible dish, both practically and aesthetically. The modern version, Avey says, arrived in Harlem in the 1930s, when jazz musicians stopped into Wells Supper Club after a gig, a time at which they had the leftovers from dinner and a waffle for the upcoming breakfast shift. That soul-food-inspired version is now the archetypal chicken and waffle dish. The dish is a favorite of kids and adults, and both components are easy to love. Some restaurants avoid the hassle of cooking chicken on the bone by using strips; a compromise that, when done properly, definitely pays off.

MARCH 2020

McClintock’s Saloon and Chophouse, 2227 Exchange in Stockyards City, offers both versions. Co-owner Michel Buthion drove to Tulsa to purchase the broaster – a piece of equipment that uses steam and hot fat to cook – because he believes it makes the best fried chicken. Tasting McClintock’s dish, it’s hard to argue with him. Executive chef Ethan Williams said he uses a proprietary mix for the batter that comes from the company. “We asked for the ingredients for food allergy reasons, but they won’t even give us a basic ingredient list,” he says. The chicken is so good, though, that they can be forgiven for naming it Slo-Bro Coating. For the strips, Williams uses Shawnee Mills AP flour, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. It’s a very simple recipe leading to crunchy, juicy chicken that works with the slightly sweet waffles. Pub W also features chicken strips with the waffles at their four metro locations, and as tasty as their chicken is, the star is actually the waffle. Syrup is one of those condiments about

405MAGAZINE.COM

The dish is a favorite of kids and adults, and both components are easy to love.

which people are regularly divided. Maple or nah? Warmed or room temperature? How much is too much? You may not need any with Pub W’s waffle, given that it’s slightly sweet and wonderfully buttery without syrup or butter added. The strips are tender and juicy – the fork slides right through with very little resistance – and we tried them with and without gravy. We recommend both choices! Bar Cicchetti, 121 NE 2nd, departed from the traditional route with its coccoli and chicken, a nod to the European cuisine found in the Deep Deuce restaurant owned by Jonathon Stranger and Fabio Viviani. Coccoli is a traditional Italian dish made with fried beignet batter, and for the Bar Cicchetti variation on chicken and waffles, it adds spicy honey sauce and chicken strips. The touch of heat is nice and very much in the comfortably warm range. The best savory version was the spicy potato and leek waffle at Stella Modern Italian, 1201 N Walker. It’s served with a fried chicken breast and sausage gravy, so schedule in a nap after brunch.

D I N I N G

T H E

D R I N K

An All-Time Classic NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE OLD FASHIONED BY GREG HORTON

H E O L D FA S H I O N E D H A S returned to prominence in bars all over the country – and around the metro – because it represents a return to normalcy. According to Alex Larrea, beverage director for the Tower Theatre group, which includes Ponyboy, the Old Fashioned is emblematic of “what cocktails were all about in the first place.” “It was about dressing up hooch that was available with ingredients that were available,” Larrea says. “In the past decade, bars everywhere went screaming

past neighborhood-appropriate bar offerings and into the realm of esoteric drink ideas.” That move forward was actually just a boundaryextending foray into “borderline edible ingredients and the literal use of smoke and mirrors,” so that now we can comfortably order an Old Fashioned, Bee’s Knees or even a Sazerac with full confidence that a bartender will have a better-than-average chance of knowing how to make it without referring to a recipe library or Google. Classic cocktails are the new normal at craft-centric bars and better restaurants.

Brenna Murphy, a bartender at Barkeep Supply in Midtown, said the Old Fashioned is a favorite of bartenders and customers because it packs a ton of flavor into a relatively simple cocktail. “I think it’s popular again because of its versatility,” she says. “It’s just sugar, bitters and spirit, so it’s easy to construct, and it’s also easy to reconstruct with different ingredients.” “Something about the bitter, brown and boozy format lends itself to endless variation around the simple concept,” Larrea says. The classic version included muddled fruit and granulated sugar, but good bars now use house-made syrups and expressed orange peels to achieve the balance of sugar, acid and spirit. Larrea is a purist in one sense; he believes Angostura bitters are the best way to go. That is the classic build of the Old Fashioned, but bartenders typically choose their favorite booze to change up the basic structure even if they stick to Angostura. Ponyboy uses Evan Williams black label for the bourbon version, but several bars around town are using Old Overholt Rye for a spicier version of the drink. Murphy and Julia McLish at Barkeep make a variation with Larceny Bourbon and Cocktail Punk Smoked Orange bitters that is less punchy and fruitier without losing any seriousness. R&J Lounge, surely the state’s best day-drinking bar, uses Old Overholt Rye or Four Roses Bourbon for their builds. High-proof whiskey is an important choice because the Old Fashioned is designed for people who love whiskey, so once the simple syrup and bitters are added, the high proof ensures the whiskey kick and flavor still come through. In defiance of the trend toward sugary $14 cocktails and the inexplicable popularity of cheap but blasé vodka tonics, the Old Fashioned hits the sweet spot for quality and cost by existing in the $6-$10 range on menus all over the city. That’s partly because cost is low for bars – as Larrea pointed out, it’s just bitters, booze, syrup and an orange peel – but the experience is rewarding for consumers; it tastes like a much more expensive indulgence because there’s so much flavor and punch in that one glass.

A riff on a traditional Old Fashioned using Larceny Bourbon at Barkeep Supply. 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

D I N I N G

L O C A L

F L AV O R

Restaurant Guide These listings are not related to advertising

A SI A N

BRE A K FA ST & BRUN CH

C O N T INEN TA L

in 405 Magazine. If you find that a restaurant differs significantly from the information

Goro An “izakaya” is a Japanese pub, like this

Neighborhood Jam Serving tasty

Ludivine The menu adjusts constantly to reflect

missing from the list, please let us know.

cheerful Plaza District spot for expertly crafted

takes on classic American dishes and more

availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredi-

Email steve.gill@405magazine.com

ramen, yakitori, bar snacks and more. 1634 Black-

specialized options, this breakfast-centric spot

ents - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary

welder, OKC, 606.2539 $

aims to become a community favorite. 15124

artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$

in its listing or your favorite restaurant is

Symbols

Lleytons Court, Edmond, 242.4161 $

$ MOST ENTREES UNDER $10 $$ MOST ENTREES $10 TO $25

Gun Izakaya A Paseo District hot spot, Gun

$$$ MOST ENTREES OVER $25

features yakitori and yakimono, as well as dump-

Sunnyside Diner Traditional breakfast

comfortably upscale, the far-reaching menu covers

lings, gyoza, hot chicken and regular fish features.

spot in multiple locations, serving excellent

culinary high points from vichyssoise to crème

The catfish is stellar, and the whiskey highball will

classic breakfasts, as well as specialty items like

brulée. 6418 N Western, OKC, 840.9463 $$

bring you back for cocktail hour. 3000 Paseo, OKC,

Eggs in Purgatory and verde tamales. 824 SW

900-6615 $$

89, OKC, 703.0011 $

The Hamilton Tucked into Northpark Mall,

Tokyo It’s neither huge nor lavishly appointed,

this Okie-centric supper club features upscale

and the menu focuses on tradition rather than cre-

BURG ERS & S A ND W ICHES

casual dining with regional favorites like bison

ativity; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited

tartare, quail and steaks, as well as an excellent

as among the metro’s best sushi. 7516 N Western,

New State Burgers A small, focused

beef Bourguignon, Dover sole, escargots, and

wine list and creative cocktails. 12232 N. May,

OKC, 848.6733 $$

menu with burgers and a few sandwiches and

delicious French desserts. 1200 N. Walker,

sides in a burger joint that understands the

OKC, 600.6200 $$

A MERICA N

OKC, 849.5115 $$$

The Metro A perennial favorite that feels

FREN CH Café Cuvée A classic French bistro in the Ambassador Hotel, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Choose from fresh oysters,

Yummy Noodles Szechuan noodle house

most important thing is the burger. Sneaky

The Hutch On Avondale The all-time

with outstanding pork soup dumplings, Szechuan

good whiskey list, local beers, and thought-

Fait Maison Romantic French restaurant in

classic Coach House receives an update with a more

beef, spicy pork and some very authentic dishes

fully crafted cocktails round out a great meal.

Edmond offering elevated cuisine, cocktails and

modern menu and a full suite of tempting cocktails,

for the more adventurous eaters. 1630 NW 23rd,

1705 NW 16th, Ste. A, OKC, 724-7524 $$

wine. 152 E 5th, Edmond. 509.2555 $$$

wines and spirits. 6437 Avondale, OKC, 842.1000 $$

Ste. D, OKC, 604.4880 $$

B A K ERY

Nic’s Grill This is the one everyone talks

La Baguette Bistro Les Freres Buthion

The Jones Assembly It’s a spectacular

about, including Guy Fieri. Ask a local where

have deep roots in the city’s culinary landscape,

to get a burger, they’re going to say Nic’s. It’s

and this flagship combines fine dining with a great bakery, deli and butcher on site. 7408 N May,

concert venue, but the bar and main menu are sufficient to make memories on any occasion. 901

Cuppies & Joe The name is only part of

a classic onion burger, but somehow so much

W Sheridan, OKC, 212.2378 $$

the story: the Uptown nook holds cupcakes and

more. 1201 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999. $

OKC, 840.3047 $$

C O FFEEHO USE & T E A RO O M

G ERM A N

coffee as well as pie, live music, a cozy, trendy Kitchen No. 324 A seasonally inspired

vibe and more. Park around back and take a

café and craft bakery serving rustic American

peek. 727 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.2122 $

Das Boot Camp Longtime Deutsch

cuisine for lunch and dinner. It’s a thorough La Baguette Comfortable ambience and

Clarity Coffee The space is crisp, cool and

fixture Royal Bavaria brews up exceptional

exquisite baking make a tres chic destination

comfortable – including seating for sipping or

cuisine and magnificent beer in a less expensive,

for brunch and beyond. 1130 Rambling Oaks,

getting some work done – and the brewers have

faster-paced location in downtown Norman.

Picasso Café Their neighbors in the Paseo

Norman, 329.1101; 2100 W Main, Norman,

their beverages down to a science. 431 W Main,

229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $

are painters and sculptors, so it’s apt that creativity

329.5822 $

OKC, 252.0155 $

B A RBEC UE

Elemental Coffee Seriously spectacular

dishes like Weinerschnitzel, Jagerbraten and

coffee roasted in-house, augmented with

sausages, plus fantastisch house-brewed beers.

Iron Star Urban Barbeque Iron Star

locally sourced salads, breakfast options and

The time spent is a worthy investment. 3401 S

Scratch Isn’t that the best place for food to

specializes in “a unique and tasty spin on comfort

other vegetarian and vegan friendly treats and

Sooner, Moore, 799.7666 $$$

come from? Top-of -the-line ingredients are

food.” While its entrees are excellent, the sides

entrees. 815 N Hudson, OKC, 633.1703 $

combined into carefully concocted entrees,

here are equal players as well. 3700 N Shartel,

sides and wondrous craft cocktails. 132 W

OKC, 524.5925 $$

treat for breakfast or brunch. 324 N Robinson, OKC, 763.5911 $

abounds in this laid-back spot’s menu, including plentiful selections for vegetarians. 3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $

Royal Bavaria Superb takes on traditional

IND I A N

T, An Urban Teahouse Proving that an establishment’s focus can be at once narrow

Sheesh Mahal While billed as a combina-

Leo’s Bar-B-Q Rich flavor and tender tex-

and broad, these retreats offer over 100 vari-

tion of Pakistani and Indian cuisine, the menu

Vast Keeping your attention on the elegant

ture, delivered with authenticity for commendable

eties and expert counsel to explore a world of

will be familiar to fans of Indian food, with butter

cuisine might be difficult; the view from atop the

value – no wonder its ribs and brisket are favorites

possibili-teas. 519 NW 23rd, OKC $

chicken, delicious curries, basmati rice, and fresh

Devon Tower is truly unparalleled in Oklahoma,

among Oklahoma connoisseurs. 3631 N Kelley,

naan. You won’t find a buffet in the building, but

making this a fantastic date spot. 280 W Sheridan,

OKC 424.5367 $

you get complementary tea with every meal.

Main, Norman, 801.2900 $$

4621 N. May, OKC, 778.8469 $$

49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$$

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Jones Assembly features creative, seasonal cocktails at the downstairs bar and upstairs in the swanky T Room.

I TA L I A N & PIZ Z A Patrono Not only is Chef Jonathan Krell’s food some of the best in OKC, the service at Patrono is professional, friendly and seamless. Krell is as adept at seafood as pasta and chops, so it’s impossible to go wrong with this spectacular menu. 305 N Walker, OKC, 702.7660 $$ Sparrow Chefs Jeff Holloway and Joel Wingate have put together stellar Italian dining in Edmond with this sleek, modern space. The agnolotti is house-made for an elegant, delicious dish, and the pepperoni pizza and 100-layer lasagne are a must. 507 S Boulevard, Edmond, 815.3463 $$ Stella 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 $$ Victoria’s A relaxed atmosphere for enjoying superb pasta – the chicken lasagna and linguine with snow crab are especially excellent. 215

PIZ Z A

E. Main, Norman, 329.0377; 3000 SW 104th, OKC, 759.3580 $

MED I T ERR A NE A N & A FRICA N

Hideaway Pizza If you’ve been serving a devoted following for over half a century, you’re doing something right. In this case, that’s incredi-

lent seafood, it serves chef’s creations featuring

restaurant in Northpark a pleasure to visit, and to

the sea’s finest, plus an oyster bar and tempting

explore the menu again and again. 12086 N May,

cocktails. 519 NW 23rd, OKC $$$

OKC, 254.3140 $

S O UL F O O D

ST E A K HO USE

Brielle’s Bistro Blueberry beignets are

Boulevard Steakhouse Perfectly

the draw, but Chef Dwayne Johnson’s gumbo,

soigné ambiance down to the last detail and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sump-

ble pizza in jovial surroundings. 8 metro locations, hideawaypizza.com $$

Queen Of Sheba Practically the definitive example of a hidden treasure, the spicy, veg-

Pizzeria Gusto Neapolitan-style pizza

etouffee, and catfish round out a Southern

an-friendly menu of Ethiopian delights awaits

(which uses an extremely hot fire to quickly

menu with Louisiana spice. 9205 NE 23, OKC,

tuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard,

the bold. Bring friends and be prepared to

cook superfine flour crusts) stars alongside

259-8473 $$

Edmond, 715.2333 $$$

linger. 2308 N MacArthur, OKC, 606.8616 $$

Italy-inspired entrees, pastas and appetizers. Florence’s For more than 60 years, this

Cattlemen’s Almost as old as the state

eastside eatery has been serving crispy fried

itself, this Oklahoma institution’s immense

chicken, hearty meatloaf, tangy greens, and all the

corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are

country cooking associated with soul food. Don’t

history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew,

leave without trying the pear pie. 1437 NE 23rd,

OKC, 236.0416 $$

ME X ICA N & L AT IN A MERICA N

2415 N Walker, OKC, 437.4992 $$

PL A N T B A SED & V EG E TA RI A N

Café Kacao A sunlit space filled with bright, vibrant flavors from the zesty traditions of

Plant The Midtown restaurant features

Guatemala. Lunch possibilities beckon, but it’s

beautiful, creative vegan cuisine--including ice

the breakfast specialties that truly dazzle. 3325 N

cream--for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food

Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $

is fresh, smoothies are made without ice, and

OKC, 427.3663 $$

S O U T H W EST ERN

Mahogany Prime Steakhouse The ambiance and service are sublime, but fine aged steak broiled to perfection is the star. 3241 W

flavor is the focus. A small selection of beer

Cheever’s Southwestern-influenced recipes

Memorial, OKC, 748.5959; 100 W Main, OKC,

El Fogon De Edgar Colombian food

and wine is also available. 1120 N. Walker,

(the chicken-fried steak is a house specialty) and

208.8800 $$$

made from family recipes is the heart of this

OKC, 225.1314 $$

love of seafood drive the contemporary comfort

hidden gem. A bowl of aji verde accompanies every meal and it should be ladled liberally

SE A F O O D

food in one of the city’s finest dining destinations. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$ For more, visit

on nearly everything, including flank steak, morcilla, arroz con pollo and patacones. 7220 S

The Drake The Good Egg Group’s flagship

Hacienda Tacos Quality, of both

Western, OKC, 602.6497 $$

and a standard-bearer for diners who crave excel-

ingredients and execution, and variety make this

405magazine.com/Eat-Drink

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

Dream Home? Dream Loan… And now, Dream Rates! Yes! Rates have drifted down to historic lows once again. If you financed a home in 2017 or later, you might discover that NOW is the time to refinance, take on that home improvement project, or buy that new house. And, we are here to ensure you have a loan experience that is more than a great rate. From application to closing, we don’t just give you a loan, we give you the right loan. Kirkpatrick Bank. Specializing in Oklahoma real estate lending for 50 years. Conventional Mortgage, FHA, VHA, Jumbo and Bridge Loans (lot purchase through construction to permanent financing).

BARBARA DRAKE

CONSTANCE LADD

GINA BRITT

405.241.0831 bdrake@kirkpatrickbank.com

405.241.0832 cladd@kirkpatrickbank.com

Construction Lending 405.715.8914 gbritt@kirkpatrickbank.com

kirkpatrickbankhomeloans.com

WHAT ’S ONLINE

Are you signed up for our Weekend 101?

26 NE 9TH STREET OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73104

Discover the best in Oklahoma City Metro’s Dining, Events, Travel, & Homes

DAY CARE • BOARDING • GROOMING • TRANSPORTATION S I G N U P T O D AY AT

405magazine.com/newsletters

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT 9THSTREETBARKINGLOT.COM 54

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Home

Entertaining 101

At Home With

Design

Roses on the Rocks Cool down warmweather cocktails with iced botanicals and citrus. Page 60

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

H O M E

E N T E R T A I N I N G

101

BY SAR A G AE WATERS

Flower Fêtes LOOKING AHEAD TO BOTANICAL PLEASURES

PHOTOS BY R ACHEL MAUCIERI

I T H T H E T H AW of wintry weather coming on and the promise of spring in our future, there’s no better time than the present to think about entertaining in the warmer months. Even if the flowers aren’t in full bloom quite yet, that doesn’t mean they can’t be on your table, in your home or even in your cocktails. Edible flowers and spirits infused with botanicals are a great way to up your game in the drinks department. There are many options, from floating a flower on top of your drink (don’t forget to ensure that the flower is edible) or submerging a blossom, such as a hibiscus, beneath a pour of prosecco or champagne. It’s an easy way to wow your guests with a welcome hint of spring. Try coating a slice of lemon in lavender to go on top of a cool glass of lemonade – perhaps spiked with a litt le lavender-infused vodka – or maybe just a simple gin and tonic with a pansy ice cube to add a litt le fl air to the otherwise modest drink. There are endless possibilities that don’t require a lot of prep time on your end. The signature drink I’m looking forward to the most this spring is a grapefruit- and rose-infused vodka with soda … with a small rosebud and slice of grapefruit, please!

Juliska glassware (Tulips, Norman) showcases these floral libations.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

SHOP

DINE

STAY

YOU

DESERVE

GOOD

FOO

BREAK AWAY FROM YOUR BUSY ROUTINE, AND SIT DOWN FOR A LITTLE WHILE! We are now open for breakfast, lunch & dinner!

MARCH 25 - APRIL 11 • LYRIC AT THE PLAZA Darrell Waters, a successful young attorney, returns to his childhood home in Montana to broker a deal that can benefit the impoverished Blackfeet Nation. He soon faces his reclusive father about their painful past and grapples with the paradigm of what it means to be Native American in the United States. Cultures collide and unite through music, dance, stories, and faith as we witness the dawning of a Distant Thunder.

(405) 524-9312 | 1727 NW 16 | LYRICTHEATREOKC.ORG

1704 NW 16th Street | The Plaza District

Group Discounts Available for 8 or more! Email: Groups@LyricTheatreOKC.org

closed Daytime Monday Tuesday – Friday 7am – 2pm Saturday – Sunday 8am – 3pm

Dinner Tuesday – Saturday 5pm – 10pm SHINEWITHAURORA.COM

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE PL AZ A DISTRIC T

H O M E

W I T H

Well-appointed and comfortable, the Dorr home is a study in how to make a home welcoming.

Creative Expertise AT HOME WITH DUSTIN AND SARAH DORR BY SAR A G AE WATERS PHOTOS BY R ACHEL MAUCIERI

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Dustin and Sarah Dorr returned from California in 2014 with their young son and daughter in tow. Living well is at the heart of what both do professionally, albeit in diﬀ erent mediums. Dustin is a designer, whose extraordinary prowess is evident in his many projects and overall style. Likewise, Sarah, a blogger, is unparalleled in the wellness and beauty space, which is immediately refl ected in her personal and professional life. In light of those factors, it’s easy to see how living well isn’t just a career for this couple – it is a way of life. Tell me a litt le bit about yourselves and what you consider your role to be in the wellness space (Sarah) and the design world (Dustin). SARAH: I just entered my 15th year of blogging

at Whoorl.com, and while I’ve writt en about a myriad of topics from parenthood to essential style over the years, one of my truest passions in terms of wellness is clean beauty. I love to arm women – and men – with the knowledge that looking and feeling great doesn’t need to be fussy, nor do they need to be bound by conventional, unhealthy ingredients or products. D U S T I N : I consider my role in the design world [to be] a curator of environments that reflect and represent the individuals who use them. My goal is to help educate and elevate intrigue, influence taste, strengthen style and cultivate soul. When it comes to furnishings and art, personality and uniqueness come fi rst for me, provenance second. My take is: Budget counts, and appropriateness is worth every penny. Timelessness is priceless, and creative value stands the test of time.

MARCH 2020

With the commonality of both being creatives, do you fi nd yourselves drawn to the same kind of aesthetics? S A R A H : Our true passions differ in terms of specifics – where I eat and sleep beauty and style, Dustin feels equally … passionate about interiors. I trust and fully enjoy Dustin’s eye for design (especially in regard to ou r home), and in turn he respects and appreciates my love of fashion and beauty. It’s a very peaceful coexistence in terms of aesthetics. D U S T I N : Sarah and I have similar aesthetic likes and dislikes, in part due to being together for nearly 20 years. Sarah prefers fewer things, yet I’m a collector (otherwise known as a high-class hoarder), so more is more.

405MAGAZINE.COM

What inspires each of you in your work? S A R A H : My main inspiration is the ability to change someone’s outlook on wellness without employing hard-and-fast rules or fear tactics. Clean beauty is not an all-or-nothing situation; everyone is on their own journey in terms of their own wellness, and I’m here to make sure we collectively move in the right direction. Also, I absolutely delight in helping people feel better about themselves. It puts the biggest smile on my face, time and time again. D U S T I N : I’m inspired by art, design and architecture. Being studied and degreed in both architecture and interior design, my education is paramount to delivery of fi ne work. My extensive travels and experience living in many cities around the country have burgeoned my sense of culture and refi ned my aesthetic.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show Ushers in Long-Awaited Spring

UR STATE’ S MILD WINTER TEMPER ATURES mean our heavy winter coats have been tucked in closets for most of the season. It also means that garden tools, home improvement plans and outdoor accessories have been itching to make their spring debuts. The

OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show will celebrate its 10th anniversary March 27-29, and visitors can get a jump on those spring cleaning, home improvement and landscaping projects. In addition to offering special promos, surprises and giveaways, the show welcomes visitors to stroll through the Bennett Event Center at State Fair Park to learn from more than 250 exhibitors, experts and craftsmen and see features such as: • LAKESIDE LIVING will showcase 3,000 square feet of inspiration for a lakeside retreat. The area will

The OKC + Outdoor Living Show Bennett Event Center at Oklahoma State Fair Park

feature a 2 bed, 1 bath Smart Cottage by Oak Creek Homes for guests to tour and get decorating and remodeling ideas for a vacation or full-time home. • OUTDOOR RECREATION where guests can make plans for their next adventure in the water, woods and other outdoor spaces. • BACKYARD GARDENING shop where visitors can purchase an array of vegetable and fruit seeds, plants and seedlings in time to get gardens growing. • THE COOKING STAGE where chefs from favorite local restaurants will cook up yummy creations that any novice cook can recreate at home. • THE GARDEN CENTER presented by Marcum’s Nursery. Guests can peruse flowers, plants and gardening accessories that will make the perfect addition to any garden or landscape. • PET PLAZA for our four-legged friends. Even they deserve inspired design, fashion and treats. • WINE VILLAGE featuring wines from around the region. Guests can stroll through the Wine Village to sample and learn about some of the best wineries and vineyards that are just a short drive away.

March 27-29

Friday, 12-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. A D MI S S I O N Adults are $10 at the box office or $8 online at homeshowokc.com Seniors are $7 on Friday $6 after 6pm on Friday and Saturday Children 12 and under are free

• FOOD TRUCK FUN ON SUNDAY. The food trucks will feed the crowds and offer a yummy snack break. They will be located in front of Bennett Event Center.

SPECI A L A DMIS SION DAYS: Friday is TRADE DAY when all home-related tradespeople or members of an affiliated association get into the show for free. Simply show your valid ID or business card at the Box Office for entry. Sunday is HERO DAY. All active military personnel, veterans, police and fire and first responders will receive free admission when they show a valid ID at the Box Office. Readers of 405 Magazine can save $3 when they purchase tickets online by using promo code 405MAG. Valid on regular adult admission only. For more information about the events or tickets, visit homeshowokc.com or call 512-813-5338.

H O M E

D E S I G N

The entryway reflects the Wolfsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eclectic taste and love for old books. A high-backed Verellen chair adds to the intimacy in the nook, and the canvas artworks on the stairs were items that Wolf found in a resale store.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

L IL L IE - B E T H

PH OTO S

D O N

S A N G E R

B R IN K M A N

R I S I

A Remodel of Perfection T HE

W O L FS ’

NE W LY

ID E A L

H O USE

immikā Wolf likes to joke that two small, octagon-shaped windows – one in a closet upstairs and one in a bathroom – are the most expensive items in her Nichols Hills home. But the joke isn’t because the windows cost a lot. As it turns out, those windows were the only two items they salvaged when they realized they were going to have to tear down the entire older house and start over. Over a four-year period, the Wolfs kept running into issues with the previous home, which resulted in dismantling it piece by piece to fix the problems … before they finally had to tear down the entire house and rebuild. “We kept thinking, ‘Oh, we can save this part. Oh, we can save this part,’ until we had an empty lot,” Wolf says. “It was one thing after another. Foundation problems, termite problems, rot problems. Everything they … got into was just one more problem.” Oklahoma City builder Roger Jones of Jones Construction and architect Stephen Blair worked together with the Wolfs to 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

H O M E

D E S I G N

Jimmika Wolf

TOP RIGHT: Deep custom couches covered in Zoffany fabric anchor the front living room with its floor-to-ceiling antiqued mirrors and quartersawn white oak floors. LEFT: Guests step through the front door of the Wolfs’ Nichols Hills home to find a cozy entryway and living room that looks into their dining room. CENTER: The lanai overlooks the pool in the backyard. RIGHT: In this study off of the bedroom belonging to one of the Wolf’s daughters, one shelf is filled with the pointe shoes that she danced in during years of ballet. She also plays the guitar, which you can see in the corner. The shelves also reflect the Wolfs’ love of old books.

MARCH 2020

build the new home with a neo-classical design that sits on the lot today. With a style that includes French country and urban French elements and many repurposed items, the new home fits elegantly among the other homes on their street. It also is filled with Jimmikā Wolf ’s decorative touches and design sense, with family items that mean a lot to the Wolfs and their two daughters and with items that Jimmikā has found along the way. “I really wanted it to be a reflection of me and my family and all the things we love,” she says. “It’s very personal.” On shelves in a study off the dining room are toys that belonged to her great-grandfather and great uncle — they were twins — and photos of them and her great-grandmother, along with the same great-grandmother’s books tied with strings. On those shelves is a painting of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf by her husbands’ brother, the late Ray Wolf, also known as “Ray the Painter.” In her younger daughter’s bedroom is a shelf stuffed with the ballet pointe shoes she danced in through the years. The ottoman in the keeping room off the kitchen is covered in a wool blanket that belonged to her great-grandparents. Old books and interesting dishes, many passed down from previous generations, are on display in nooks throughout the home. Behind her pool and guest home, she has what she calls a “secret garden,” where she enjoys working. Jimmikā even considers her kitchen appliances to be monogrammed in a way – her dad worked a long time for both Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliances,

405MAGAZINE.COM

I really wanted it to be a reflection of me and my family and all the things we love. It’s very personal.

and she put in a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Wolf cooking range. Jones said that it would have taken X-ray vision to see the problems before the remodel started on the home, reportedly built in the 1950s, because they weren’t visible until he began working. Some of them were due to inadequate add-ons over the years, built on slabs instead of a proper foundation. As the builder tried to fix the issues piece by piece, he realized there wasn’t any way to save the house. Hidden water damage was the final blow, and he said he hated to break the news to the Wolfs. “I was probably sicker than they were. You adapt, you overcome. You just keep plugging away and keep going,” Jones says. However, Jones said he was really happy with the way the remodel turned out — features include custom-built cabinets, repurposed brick from one of the historic Fred Jones Auto buildings downtown, snowmelt technology on the steep driveway, pavers in the sidewalks out front rescued from another historic Bricktown building, energyefficient construction from the ground up and a backup generator. “This house, I would tell you, has a lot of character,” Jones says. “Kudos to the Wolfs that they were willing to go the extra mile.” Jimmikā said she and her husband loved working with both Jones and Blair. Jones “was a perfectionist, which my husband and I loved. And he was here every day,” Wolf says. “So it took longer, but in the end, I feel like we really have a solid, quality house that really reflects what we want it to.” 405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

Shopping , culture, food and entertainment are hallmarks of the Moore-Norman area with world-class museums, diverse eateries and loads of family-friendly activities. COME SEE WHY MO OR E -NOR M AN IS THE PL ACE TO BE.

SHOP, EAT. ENJOY.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

RESTORE Behavioral Health THERAPY

CHRISTIAN COUNSELING

LIFE COACHING

GROUPS

TESTING

Restore offers faith and non-faith based counseling and is a safe place to find help, hope, and healing.

ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS INDIVIDUAL | MARRIAGE | FAMILY

CHILDREN 2-12 YEARS

RESTORE-BH.COM

405.310.3262 | 2212 WESTPARK DRIVE | NORMAN, 73069 PRIVATE PAY RATES AND ACCEPTED INSURANCES ARE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE

COME THROW AT THE BEST AXE THROWING VENUE IN THE METRO Book online at www.twistedaxesthrowhouse.com

New Leagues Start April 6 & June 28 609 NW 8th St, Moore, OK 73160 | 405.676.8697

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

Gifts * Sorority * Home Decor * Apparel * Paper 2214 West Lindsey Norman, OK 73069 405.360.5211

LAKE HOUSE LUXE Customizable prefab and modular homes, with land and home packages. We deliver anywhere in Oklahoma, with financing available!

405.360.5211

Christmas

2214 West Lindsey Norman, OK 73069

405.360.5211

Monday – Friday 10–6 | Saturday 10–5

Expressions

2214 West Lindsey Norman, OK 73069

Gifts * Sorority * Home Decor * Apparel * Paper

405.360.5211

Expressions

Christmas

405.360.5211

Expressions

2214 West Lindsey Norman, OK 73069

Christmas

Now taking Pre-Orders for the Jon Hart Graduation Sale Trunk Show Thursday, April 9 | Sale April 1–30

Gifts * Sorority * Home Decor * Apparel * Paper

2214 West Lindsey Norman, OK 73069

Gifts * Sorority * Home Decor * Apparel * Paper

Christmas

Expressions

Central Oklahoma’s premier home and design resource.

Spring Edition Arrives This April 405 Home is filled with ideas for buying, constructing, renovating, repurposing or redecorating the indoor and outdoor spaces that define our lives, and the

Whitney Sudhoff

resources to bring those ideas to fruition.

S A L ES R EPR ESEN TAT I V E

405.589.8631 CONSU LTAT ION BY A PPOI N T MEN T

REACH OVER 120,000 AFFLUENT READERS!

RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW! 405.842.2266 info@405magazine.com 405 Home is a biannual publication from 405 Magazine.

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Ikpomambo micha pomamba' ki'yo The Chickasaw people have always had a strong culture and joyful spirit, and today both are shared with the world at the Chickasaw Cultural Center. We invite you to experience the beauty, warmth and vibrancy of our unique culture through immersive exhibits, delicious cuisine, a traditional 1700s era village and so much more.

CULTURAL CENTER S U L P H U R, O K L A H O M A

C h i c k a s a w C u l t u r a l C e n t e r . c o m | 5 8 0 - 6 2 2-713 0

Out & About

Road Trip

Social Hour

Prime Picks

‘Look Up Child’ “American Idol” alumna and multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle will be at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on March 6, touring in support of her Grammy-winning album “Look Up Child.”

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

O U T

& A B O U T

R O A D

T R I P

Head ’Em Up … A ROUNDUP OF SIGHTS IN WICHITA BY EL AINE WARNER

N T H E 18 6 0 S , T R A D E R J E S S E C H I S H O L M forged his way north from the Red River into Kansas to establish the famed Chisholm Trail. At the confluence of the Arkansas and the Litt le Arkansas Rivers, he founded a trading post that served cowboys and American Indians who ran goods and catt le along the trail. Between 1867 and 1872, more than 3 million head of catt le were driven up the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Abilene, and Chisholm’s trading post grew into what now is the city of Wichita, Kansas. For those hoping to taste the color and grit of cowboy history associated with those catt le drives, Wichita offers Westernthemed att ractions including the Old Cowtown Museum – an authentic cow town set in the late 1800s, featuring historic structures such as a blacksmith and carpenter shop, a dressmaker and the city marshal’s office. Munger House, an 1869 log combination house and trading post, is thought to be the city’s oldest two-story structure. And if that doesn’t satisfy your inner cowboy, check out the Delano District. Th is was the cowboy “entertainment” area aft er city fathers decided Wichita was too sophisticated for the Trail transients. It’s especially worth seeing Hatman Jack’s, where founder and owner Jack Kellogg has created headwear for working cowboys and celebrities from Luciano Pavarott i to Harry Connick, Jr. My favorite stay in Wichita is the Hotel at Old Town, a repurposed warehouse in the middle of a bustling downtown arts and entertainment district. Lots of restaurants to choose from here, as well as the fascinating Museum of World Treasures, covering everything from dinosaurs to the Berlin Wall. Public is one of my favorite restaurants; be sure to try its homemade pickles with Yoder salami, horseradish cheese and a toasted baguette. For South American favorites, Sabor’s menu is sure to please. The Museums in the River District is home to the Wichita Art Museum, Exploration Place (science center) and the MidAmerica All-Indian Center. Botanica is Wichita’s garden spot. Highlights include a Chinese garden with a spectacular dragon wall, the Children’s Garden, the Sensory Garden, Railroad Garden and, in summer, a butt erfl y house. If shopping’s your thing, upscale Bradley Fair has big-name shops plus cool local boutiques. Cocoa Dolce is a great spot for coffee, chocolates and even wine pairings. For an elegant meal, try Newport Grill. While it specializes in fi sh and seafood,

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

The Keeper of the Plains and Arkansas River from Exploration Place.

The Dragon Wall at Botanica.

the menu includes numerous other options. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining overlooking a beautiful litt le lake. If you’re in for a wild weekend, visit the Sedgwick County Zoo with 3,000 animals representing almost 400 species. Further west in Goddard, Kansas, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, a family-owned, fully accredited facility, is defi nitely worth a visit. For an easy drive and a wow of a weekend, head for Wichita. Th is Kansas city offers great accommodations, great food, an alphabet of att ractions and an all-around great getaway at a good price.

Opens March 6th

Escape to the rustic luxury of Camp Long Creek at Big Cedar Lodge, and enjoy a tranquil getaway in the great outdoors. Situated on Table Rock Lake, enjoy a serene backdrop while relaxing in one of the unique accommodations: camp huts, camp cabins or glamping tents. Designed for the whole family to enjoy, Camp Long Creek features pet-friendly units, a picturesque infinity pool and a full-service marina, all just minutes from the Big Cedar activities and attractions you love. For a special evening expedition, take a dinner cruise aboard the Lady Liberty. Call or visit the website to plan your stay!

855.494.1077 CAMPLONGCREEK.COM

O U T

& A B O U T

S O C I A L

H O U R

The 2019 Beaux Arts Ball

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club BeneďŹ ting the Oklahoma City Museum of Art 1. Kelley Meacham, Patti Lewis, Keli Segell 2. Lucinda and King David Huffman 3. Mary Catherine Heaven Downs, Anna Marie Medley, Ashley Catherine Gawey, Lyvia Lee Lauderdale, Ellen Thompson DeGiusti 4. Nelson and Rachel Bolen 5. Margo McCann, Margaret McCann, Sarah Bozalis, Laurie Hyde, Millie McCann 6. Master Daniel Pierce Ward, His Majesty King David Huffman, Master Duncan Thomas Beck

7. Sarah Bozalis, David Bozalis

Senior Follies Gathering University of Central Oklahoma

1. Charlotte Franklin, Cathy Costello, Carla Joy 2. Ann Lacy, Billie Rodely, Mary Pointer, Mercedes Russow 3. Paul Coulter, Jane Hall 4. Barbara Waggoner, Becky Ivans 5. Becky and Jim Ivans, Christy Carson 6. Carla Borgersen, Tom Nix

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

Sister Cities International OKC Reception for the Oklahoma Consular Corps Harn Homestead 1. Consulate of France Grant Moak, Royal Norwegian Consulate

4. Dr. Ron Sutor, Dr. Paul Silverstein, Dr. Mark Hanstein

Jon Stuart, Ruth LeBron, Consulate of Republic of Korea Dennis

5. Hsi and Janice Tai, Andrea Yang, Marcy Yu, Sinnie and Larry Li

Durham, Lou Kerr, Consulate of Switzerland Rico Buchli,

6. Leigh Ann Hardin, Lloyd Hardin, Mary Blakenship Pointer

Consulate Boliva Elias.JPG

7. Ling-Cha Lin, Sinnie Li

2. Dr. Amalia Miranda, Lou Kerr, Richard Sias

8. Sophia Yu, Russ Tallchief

3. Dr. Joe Fallin, Debbie & Mark Stonecipher.

O U T

& A B O U T

P R I M E

P I C K S

Cher will perform March 21 at the Chesapeake Arena.

The Cher Thing OUT OF RETIREMENT AND ONTO THE STAGE, CHER MAKES A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE ’PEAKE BY GEORGE L ANG

MARCH 2020

O R E T H A N A F E W A R T I S T S H AV E gone through transitions, but Cher’s career has nine lives. The former Cherilyn Sarkisian was only 16 years old when she met one of Phil Spector’s studio workers, Salvatore “Sonny” Bono. He introduced her to Spector, who produced her first single, a novelty song called “Ringo, I Love You” that was released under the entirely invented name Bobbie Jo Mason. But Cher, who performs at 7:30 p.m. March 21 at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W Reno, quickly asserted her own identity after she married Bono in 1964. In Sonny and Cher, Cher was the one who could actually sing, and whose distinctive vocals ushered “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On” to the top of the charts and into pop history. After their recording career faded, Sonny and Cher parlayed a successful Las Vegas act into one of the biggest variety shows of the 1970s, “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.” This prime-time phenomenon revitalized

405MAGAZINE.COM

Cher’s recording career, which spawned No. 1 hits including “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “HalfBreed” and “Dark Lady.” After the Bonos divorced, Cher’s star faded until her acting career took off in the 1980s, including career-defining roles in “Silkwood,” “Mask” and “Moonstruck,” for which she won an Academy Award for best actress. In the 1990s, Cher returned to music with her number one single “Believe,” which introduced the world to Auto-Tune and defined much of pop music for the next decade. Her latest album, “Dancing Queen,” injects some new energy into ABBA classics like the title track and “SOS.”

Tickets start at $31.95. Visit chesapeakearena.com for more information.

LAUREN DAIGLE “American Idol” alumna and multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle will be at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on March 6, touring in support of her Grammy-winning album “Look Up Child.” Daigle is the recipient of two Grammy awards for contemporary Christian music and was a contestant on two seasons of “American Idol.” She returned to the program as a mentor for contestants in 2019. Johnnyswim will open the show, which – like all of Daigle’s shows since her second Grammy – is expected to sell out.

KAMASI WASHINGTON For aficionados of modern jazz, word that Kamasi Washington is headed to Tower Theatre on March 7 will be like Christmas and their birthday on the same day. While not a household name, Washington is a living jazz legend, known as much for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” as for his near-orchestral and often experimental forays into the limits of jazz. GQ Magazine described his music thus: “He plays cosmic spiritual jazz of the highest order. (Think John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.”) The kind of stuff that feels like a journey through outer space and the human interior at the same time – but always with a solid groove.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

MOMENTUM Artists under 30 are the focus at the annual Momentum art show, one of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition’s largest and most popular annual events. From 7 to 10 p.m. March 20-22 at Dead People’s Stuff aka Architectural Antiques on Linwood, Oklahoma’s emerging artists will present their work in a variety of media for display and sale. Attendees can expect painting, sculpture, mixed media, film, photography and even performance art. Live music from local bands and a cash bar contribute to a festive atmosphere of art, music and the celebration of our state’s best young talent. Check out ovac-ok.org for more information.

405MAGAZINE.COM

MARCH 2020

L O O K I N G

B A C K

tra in ran The Inte rurban commuter later to from Edmond to Moore and r line ran Norman and Guthrie. Anothe Reno. from Oklahoma City to El ity to The last route, Oklahoma C Norman shut down in 1947.

Riding the Civic Rails A TRIP THROUGH OKC HISTORY ON THE INTERURBAN BY L ARRY O’DELL AND MELISSA MERCER HOWELL | PHOTO COURTESY OF OKL AHOMA HISTORY CENTER

K L A H O M A C I T Y ’ S FA B L E D C O M M U T E R train, the Interurban, operated in the early 1900s. The line centered in Oklahoma City and reached out to Norman, Guthrie and El Reno. Following World War II, however, the city’s residents became more prosperous and were more easily able to purchase automobiles. The trains gradually lost their appeal; the Norman-to-Oklahoma City interurban ceased operation in 1947, and the network was disbanded by the mid-1960s. A popular transportation medium in the United States during the first half of the century, interurbans became integral to the state’s urban development. Typical promoters of interurbans were local residents, such as Anton Classen and John Shartel in Oklahoma City. The interurbans’ small cars were similar to railroad passenger cars, but were much cleaner in operation because they used electrical power from overhead lines. In addition to passenger services, interurbans hauled freight and, like today’s city buses, provided a moving advertisement for community businesses. The tracks ran along the city’s main thoroughfares and connected regional towns. For the last half century, the popularity of commuter trains has been relegated to wistful nostalgia, but no longer. Passage

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

of the MAPS3 sales tax ushered in a suite of streetcars that run from Scissortail Park through Bricktown, Midtown and Automobile Alley. Additionally, the metro’s newly established Regional Transportation Authority has plans in the works to revive many of the old routes with modern commuter trains. “Metro area cities have been working on the goal of regional rail transit since about 2005,” says Marion Hutchison, vice chair of the RTA. “Our current plan … is to run commuter rail between Edmond and Norman, then from Tinker (Air Force Base) and Midwest City to downtown. We also had existing rail tracks out to Yukon.” The Authority currently is working on funding, and is in talks with BNSE [do you mean BNSF?] to see if the plan is viable. Hutchison said the law, as it stands, would require the municipalities involved in the RTA — Edmond, Oklahoma City, Del City, Midwest City, Moore, Yukon and Norman — to raise sales taxes through a ballot initiative in order to fund a new rail system. “We are probably looking at a vote in three to five years,” he says. “Once you pass that … we could be looking at six to 10 years from today (to complete the commuter rail system), depending on all the requirements. That’s being realistic.”

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE THE

B E ST

405 O

M AY 8 T H , 2 0 2 0

6: 3 0 - 9: 3 0 PM OKL AHOMA C ONTEMPOR ARY

FOR INFORMATION ON SPONSORSHIPS, CONTACT INFO@405MAGAZINE.COM

L A S T

L AU G H

One of the Guys PERKS OF THE XY LIFE B Y L A U R E N R O T H | I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y M A R C I E J A C K S O N

N ONGOI NG CON V ER SAT ION in the Roth household (and maybe we should get out more) involves what I would call “gender envy” — the idea that life for the opposite sex, whichever that may be, must be better, easier, more fun and more interesting than our own. Trust me when I say that we’re not wringing our hands over weightier issues of societal import like the gender gap or equal rights. We’re just bellyaching about how easy the other one has it in the smaller details because of an X or a Y chromosome. I think I have the upper hand in every version of this debate: It’s hard to be a girl. At least half the population will agree. Life as the litt le spoon 80

MARCH 2020

405MAGAZINE.COM

is complicated. And it’s expensive. Girls burn through more words, more emotions, more hair care products, more clothes, more toilet paper. As we age — even a litt le — being a woman becomes exponentially more complicated, more expensive and more difficult to contain. By comparison, a man’s life seems enviably simple. I offer the austerity of Mr. Roth’s vanity or his side of the closet (one-eighth) versus mine to validate my point. Or the fact that the name on his birth certificate is the

same one he has on every other legal document, and it always will be. No matter the outing — work, dinner, social occasions — men can be ready in 15 minutes or less, thanks in no small part to their willingness to embrace the 3-in-1 combo shampoo, conditioner and body wash. That’s a $3 product whose XX equivalent, even if it somehow weren’t laughed right out of femaledom, would come with a $40 price tag. Several movie storylines have explored the prospect of life in another person’s pumps. Internet forums never tire of the discussion, even though 99 percent of people fi xate on the attention they would direct to their new body parts. These people will never get anything done. For my money, it’s the practical side of being a man that appeals to me. Lunch hour at the gym? If you’re a guy, you betcha. If you’re me, the answer is: You betcha. I’ll see you back at the office at 3. Th is barn won’t paint itself. Weekend away? Men can pack in five minutes and pull it all together with a weekender bag. Women are the reason checked baggage fees were invented. Need to use the restroom in a public venue? For men, it’s a sprint. For women, it’s the Forrest Gump crosscountry running scene — a long-term commitment. As a man, with my more efficient fat-burning metabolism, I would have seconds, maybe thirds, at most meals. I’d get the fries. I’d feel shameless as I waited on a double fudge sundae in the Braum’s drive-thru at 9:30pm. I’d go to bed without worrying about what I’d be wearing the next day or brooding over my hurt feelings from a nonsensical exchange. I’d spend 95 percent less on clothes, toiletries, dry cleaning, razors and home décor. I’d kill bugs and wasps wherever they turned up ... without screaming. If my waistline expands too much, I’ll push it over the top of my waistband. If it still bothers me, I’ll give up French fries for the next couple of weeks and lose 15 pounds, just like that. I’d let my roots go gray. I’d wear flat shoes every day and never break a heel. I’d celebrate not shaving my legs, although I’d probably still be committed to regular pedicures, especially with man toes. My manicure, on the other hand, would come in the form of a nail clipper on my keychain. And while I could have muscular thighs as a woman, I’d much prefer to enjoy them as standard equipment on my man legs. I’d avoid public restrooms entirely by emptying my bladder wherever I jolly well please. Still, I’d convince all my men friends to put the toilet lid down at all times and to take out the trash without ever being asked. I’d also reassure them that asking for directions is super manly and that crying in public is socially acceptable. I’d walk alone confidently after dark. I’d call everyone “Chief.” Yeah, I’d even buy the dang 3-in-1 combo shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN OUTDOORS! ®

Event and Monthly Yard Sprays

Permanent Mosquito Misting Systems An Oklahoma-based company with 15 years in business, an A+ rating with the Central Oklahoma Better Business Bureau and exceptional customer reviews, SWAT believes that “You have the right to remain outdoors!” Protect your yard and family from mosquitos – Call SWAT today!

405.610.7928 | SWATOKC.COM

If You Have A System, We Can Service It