405 Magazine January 16

The trolley that saved El Reno

10 must-have denim trends

Learning to love cardboardeaux

Local joys for your to-do list

CLEAN LIVING 5

manageable ways to have a healthier, more positive 2016

is now SLICE

5 0 4 zine Maga

JANUARY 2016 405MAGAZINE.COM

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in this issue

january 2016

Features

44

HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH

Progress is a process. Grand, sweeping resolutions for improvement often lead to burnout and disappointment, but these five completely doable behavioral adjustments will help you turn the corner to a healthier life.

52

THE 405 CHECKLIST

If you’re not fully experiencing life in the 405, you’re doing yourself a disservice – consider these selections for local pleasures to do, watch and otherwise enjoy to be absolute musts for a marvelous 2016.

70

NEW NEIGHBORHOOD HOPE? Although the metro overall has undergone an impressive growth spurt, time and development haven’t been kind to the northeast side. With an increased focus on communication, consensus and cooperation with the community, better days may be on the horizon.

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OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST II

rolex

oyster perpetual and datejust are 速 trademarks.

in this issue

january 2016

Departments

Home

75 Inside the lovingly decorated Yukon abode of CEO and pioneering entrepreneur Terry Neese; on the hunt for well-made trays that serve up decorative interest in addition to utility.

In the 405

17 Denim options destined to become mainstays of your casually stylish wardrobe; Rachael Gruntmeir of bounty-filled boutique The Black Scintilla shares a few of her favorite things; Andrew Rice chats about politics, the public good and seeking a new platform for local journalism; a vintage trolley that helped save downtown El Reno; a doctor’s advice on recognizing and dealing with the post-holiday blues.

Dining

81 Culinary influences from around the world find a tasty new home on Norman’s Campus Corner at the Meatball House; chef Jonathan Groth shares advice on what to do for a more savory stew; expert recommendations for delightfully drinkable boxed wine; Cheever’s whips up a tantalizing tamale; West’s take on an Old Fashioned classic.

36 Territory Ahead While they might not be as fast as superhighways, Oklahoma’s many less-traveled roads continue to offer the promise of possibility, especially for travelers in search of outstanding scenery.

Events

101 A Sam Noble exhi-

38 Creatives No instrumental skill?

No problem – Scott Booker has spent a lifetime learning about music, and cultivates talent in others through his work at ACM@UCO.

63 Wedding Resource Guide When a day this important is in your future, there’s no time like the present to get preparations in gear. Local pros offer dos and don’ts for arranging more joyous, less stressful nuptials.

ON THE COVER 4

Splendor by the Sea

96

From the lush jungles and picturesque temples of Ubud to the breathtaking beauty of a radiant sunset washing over the rocks of Jimbaran Bay, the Indonesian island of Bali is a true feast for the senses. It’s simultaneously teeming with life of every description and suffused with a sense of peace – take a break from the Oklahoman winter by exploring this tropical paradise.

bition featuring a copy of the First Folio offers a chance to brush up your Shakespeare; Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center celebrates the present at its all-new ArtNow fete and sale.

In Every Issue 8 From the Editor 10 Web Sights 24 On the Scene 26 Laugh Lines 88 Food and Drink 104 On Film 106 Speaker Box 108 On the Radar 112 Backstory

Laura Bowen and Steve Wood demonstrate some sage advice for living clean in 2016 – with help from Lexi and Skeeter. Photo by Simon Hurst

405 magazine • january 2016

for the style of your active life

Makeup by Jeff Bowlsby Dillard’s

PENN SQUARE MALL | QUAIL SPRINGS MALL | SOONER MALL

JANUARY 2016

Publisher Elizabeth Meares elizabeth.meares@405magazine.com Editor-in-Chief Heidi Rambo Centrella heidi.centrella@405magazine.com EDITORI A L Managing Editor Steve Gill steve.gill@405magazine.com Style Editor Sara Gae Waters saragae.waters@405magazine.com Fashion Editor Jennifer Salyer jennifer.salyer@405magazine.com Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Bobby Anderson, Phil Bacharach, Mark Beutler, Jerry Church, Brett Dickerson, Christine Eddington, Ben Felder, Lauren Hammack, Jill Hardy, Greg Horton, Susan Lanier-Graham

Why wait another day?

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Why wait another day to look and feel your best?

See Dr. Krista Jones.

Offering restorative and cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Jones can design a smile just for you ... a smile that’s white, straight and stunning. A smile that complements your features and looks completely natural.

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405 magazine • january 2016

A RT Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@405magazine.com Graphic Designer Brian O’Daniel brian.odaniel@405magazine.com Design & Production Coordinator Tiffany McKnight tiffany.mcknight@405magazine.com Contributing Photographers M.J. Alexander, Justin Avera, David Cobb, Shannon Cornman, Terrell Fry, Simon Hurst, Charlie Neuenschwander, Quit Nguyen, Carli Wentworth A DV ERTISING Business Development Manager Heidi Turner heidi.turner@405magazine.com Executive Director of Advertising Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@405magazine.com Account Executive Debbi Knoll debbi.knoll@405magazine.com Account Manager Ronnie Morey ronnie.morey@405magazine.com A DMINISTR ATION Distribution Raymond Brewer Website and Social Media 405magazine.com

VOLUME 2 • NUMBER 1

REA DER SERV ICES 405 Magazine 729 W. Sheridan, Suite 101 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 Phone 405.842.2266 Fax 405.604.9435 info@405magazine.com, 405magazine.com Story Ideas and Letters to the Editor Your views and opinions are welcome. Include your full name, address and daytime phone number and email to editor@405magazine. com. Letters sent to 405 Magazine become the magazine’s property, and it owns all rights to their use. 405 Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

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405 Magazine Volume 2, Number 1, January 2016. 405 Magazine is published monthly

by Open Sky Media, Inc. at 729 W. Sheridan, Suite 101, Oklahoma City, OK 73102, 405.842.2266. © Copyright 2016 Open Sky Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of 405 Magazine content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. 405 Magazine is not responsible for the care of and/or return of unsolicited materials. 405 Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed detrimental to the community’s best interest or in questionable taste. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Basic annual subscription rate is $14.95. U.S. single-copy price is $4.95.

Back issues are $9.50 each

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 405 Magazine, P.O. Box 16765, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765.

FROM THE EDITOR

What a wonderful world?

I

HEIDI RAMBO CENTRELLA Editor-in-Chief heidi.centrella@405magazine.com

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SIMON HURST

In a new year, a time of potential and hope, we are instead reading about terrorism, the politics of open bigotry, mass shootings, lack of gun control and regulations against panhandling. While these are not topics found among the pages of this magazine, they’re practically inescapable in the larger sphere.

Traditionally, the time of year reserved for peace, love and understanding is followed by fresh starts and forgiveness.

But that’s not being discussed at the dinner table … nor on social media.

All of this negativity makes this month’s issue so important.

The positive energy we create for ourselves and share with those around us is what we all need more of today. While it may be difficult to remain positive in times such as these, it is possible. How can we achieve that better state of mind? There are many opportunities, and they’re all around us, even at home.

Maybe it’s making time to turn off the TV talking heads or step away from the online echo chamber and get turned on to a good book. Maybe it’s taking up a yoga class or meditation. Maybe it’s trying to lean more toward clean eating – no, vegetables are not as scary as some would lead you to believe. Each of these suggestions and more can be found in our cover story “Here’s to Your Health: Five Ways to Live Clean in 2016” (page 44).

And if the end of the holidays or the winter weather has you feeling blue, see what the experts have to say about the causes and ways you can beat this mental letdown (page 30). You know what might make you happy? What about planning a trip to Bali? If you’ve never been there, learn more about the temptations of this tropical beauty on page 96.

Ignoring the problems of our city, state and world won’t make them go away, but our attitudes are our own to create, and we should meet the challenges that await with our best selves. I hope 2016 is good to you, and that we can all find that positive energy to store and share.

Peace.

KEEP YOUR COLD OUT OF THE COLD

With INTEGRIS Virtual Visit It’s the most wonderful time of the year, until you get sick. But this year you’ve got a secret weapon when a cold catches you, the flu keeps you up all night or your child gets a nasty bug: doctors and nurse practitioners online, ready to video chat 24/7, right from home.

For a flat $39 rate, regardless of insurance, you can get diagnosis, treatment and prescriptions if needed for things like:

COLDS, FLU, COUGHS, SINUSITIS, ADULT BLADDER INFECTIONS (UTI), FEVER, RASHES AND MORE.

Virtual Visit

integrisvirtualvisit.com

Web Sights What’s online at 405magazine.com

MORE ROADS TO EXPLORE

If M.J. Alexander’s photographic paean to the allure of Oklahoma’s back roads (On the Road to a New Year, p.36) only whets your appetite for the wide open spaces of our scenic state, good news: more visual records of her journeys are waiting to be discovered on our website. Take a look at 405magazine.com/oklahomaroads/ for an expanded gallery, and get ready to get pleasantly lost.

While you’re online, check out the web version of January’s “New Neighborhood Hope?” for a closer look at the ripe-for-redevelopment northeast side.

STAY IN TOUCH Keep up to date on what’s new in the 405; visit 405magazine.com/newsletters/ to sign up and start receiving:

Weekend 101 Our recommendations for fun stuff to see and do as the week winds down

Snapshot!

A pictorial showcase of local

events and the people

enjoying them Insider

The scoop on exclusive deals

and special promotions

from our partners; perfect for

savvy shoppers And by the way, if you want an extra copy of 405 Magazine but haven’t seen it in the old familiar places, it’s because increased demand for the magazine on newsstands has accounted for the supply – visit 405magazine.com/subscribe/ for an updated list of locations.

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405 magazine • january 2016

THE NEED

IS GREAT.

Insider

PROMOTION

events | products | exclusive offers

We’ll See You Now You never know when the flu or a sore throat might sneak up on you, but this winter you’ve got a secret weapon when a cold catches you, a bladder infection knocks you down for the count or a nasty bug keeps your child up all night: doctors and nurse practitioners online, ready to video chat 24/7 – right from home.

Whether you need a simple antibiotic to get you back on your feet, reassurance from a medical professional or help figuring out just how urgent an issue might be, INTEGRIS Virtual Visit is here to help with conditions like:

Colds | Flu | Sinus Infections | Adult Bladder Infections (UTI) | Fever Cough and Sore Throat | Rashes | Pink Eye | Bites and Stings

SO IS OUR CAPACITY

FOR KINDNESS YOUR GIFT SAYS IT ALL. It says you stand behind lives in crisis across Central Oklahoma. Behind all 61 United Way partner agencies and behind our drive to mobilize kindness, one gift at a time. At StandUnitedOKC.com

Get a diagnosis, advice and even prescriptions if needed, right from your home, for a flat fee of just $39 – regardless of insurance coverage. When you need a hand with your health right away, we’ll see you now.

Integrisvirtualvisit.com

Jump-Start Your Fresh Start It’s a new year, time to turn the page and meet whatever lies ahead with renewed vitality and vigor … of course, nothing says you can’t get a little boost to get your revitalization started off right.

Ihloff Salon and Day Spa in Norman’s Brookhaven Village is a prime source for serenity and rejuvenation – offering treatments from a rosemary mint awakening body wrap to a radiant facial, as well as standard-setting Aveda beauty products.

A visit is an outstanding way to refresh yourself, and we’d like to help make that happen. On Wednesday, January 20, we are giving away a $100 gift certificate to one lucky subscriber to our weekly e-newsletters.

Not already on the list? Sign up for free at 405magazine.com/newsletters/, and good luck!

405magazine.com

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405 magazine • january 2016

VOTE NOW!

New hair for the New Year!

Look your best for only $3 per graft!

2016 405.751.LOVE

and after you’ve cast your votes, don’t forget to register to win one of 5 prizes, from shopping cards to fine dining.

Member, Int. Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery Fellow, American College of Surgeons Member, American Society of Plastic Surgeons American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery CareCredit & Prosper Healthcare Lending welcome

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405 magazine • january 2016

405MAGAZINE.COM/VOTE2016 Votes will be held in confidence. See 405magazine.com/vote2016 for complete rules and eligibility.

Double Wedding Ring Quilt, 1940. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Gift of the Pilgrim / Roy Collection, 2014.1945. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. .

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405 magazine • january 2016

405

in the

CARLI WENTWORTH

Strokes of Jean-ius

They’ve come a long way since their initial adoption as rugged work clothes for cowboys, miners and factory toilers – jeans are now a wardrobe staple. Possibilities abound among brand, cut, fit and shade, which means your particular preferences are probably available from some source … and more to the point, the right pair (like this Rag and Bone Skinny Bedford Wash from Cayman’s) can be the key to making your ensemble look effortlessly stylish.

january 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 405

TRENDS

Denim Dynamite You’d be hard-pressed to find an item of clothing more universally popular than the beloved pair of jeans. Styles come and go – jeans evolve from year to year and can be a reflection of what’s in style, or back in style for that matter – but whether you prefer a skinny leg or flare, light color or dark, or even a brand-new pair made to look old, the ideal staple for your repertoire is waiting to make you look casually great. - SARA GAE WATERS

Blank NYC Destroyed skinny ($88) from Cayman’s, Norman

Citizens of Humanity Fleetwood high rise flare ($198) from On A Whim, OKC

Joe’s slim ($140) from Gil’s; AG The Protégé straight leg ($168) and J Brand Kane straight fit ($225) from Caymans

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405 magazine • january 2016

Citizens of Humanity Racer low rise skinny ($268) and Citizens of Humanity Rocket crop ($228) from On A Whim

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Hudson Krista super skinny crop ($184) and 7 For All Mankind Kimmie bootcut ($185) from Gil’s, OKC

CALL US!!!

405.848.2371 WE’LL CALL YOU

FAVORITE THINGS

More Than a Little to Love Men’s, women’s and kids’ clothing, accessories of all kinds, playful pet-themed items and a rainbow of gifts … “scintilla” means “a tiny bit,” but the Midtown boutique named The Black Scintilla offers much more than that in terms of cool stuff to explore.

With inspiration stemming from travel, Rome being a favorite, the store has a crisp, modern aesthetic that only enhances the merchandise.

Merchandise that Rachael Gruntmeir finds through her trips to market in L.A., not Dallas, something she believes is beneficial for our community.

She’s also firm in the belief that everyone should be able to look and feel their best, so her store carries clothing from small to 3XL in both men’s and women’s fashion. Overall, The Black Scintilla offers the unique and eclectic with as much style as the owner herself. - SARA GAE WATERS

Bow Tie Bottle Stopper, $12.99 “This fun wine stopper with electroplate, featuring a large gold bow, is a perfect item to have handy for your cocktail parties.”

Extra-Long Casual Tee, $19.99 “This is the only T-shirt you need to own. Seriously. It is incredibly soft, never shrinks and never fades.

These sell out so fast that I place orders for them every other week.”

Available in 12 different colors.

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Beard Oil, $24.99 “This beard oil is made locally from The Clad Stache. Great as a gift for your favorite bearded man in your life. Keeps the beard soft and smelling great!”

The Moustache Grower’s Guide, $9.99 “Whether it’s a Handlebar, a Fu Manchu or a Laser Loop, this illustrated guide will help men everywhere achieve the moustache of their dreams. Included are instructions for how to grow, groom, and maintain 30 classic and modern moustaches, as well as fashion advice on how to rock each look.” Classic Lumberjack or Steampunk-inspired Aeronaut, Crustache or Pyramid, “The Moustache Grower’s Guide will add major style to any ‘stache.”

Rise and Shine Sippy Cup, $8.99 “A great gift idea for a coffee-loving soon-to-be mom, or even for your own little one! This little sippy cup is an eye-catching crowd pleaser.”

Yay! Stemless Wine Glass, $12.99 This 18-ounce glass with metallic gold foil finish enlivens “any occasion you’re celebrating, and also makes a great gift. Throw a little confetti in the air, celebrate and look stylish while doing so.”

Fill-In-the-Blank Journal, $9.99 “This little book contains fill-in-the-blank lines to describe some aspect of kiddo love. Just complete each line and voilà: You have a uniquely personal gift your kiddo will read again and again.

Make it as sappy, sassy or silly as you choose.”

Kitty Paw Doorstop, $14.99 “‘I can has door open?’

In or out? Cats can never make up their minds. If you’ve decided to keep the door open, you can call on our Here Kitty Cat Paw Doorstop to prop it purr-fectly. Made of silicone rubber, this is not only funny but also extremely practical. It works so great that anytime you see the door of the store open, this stopper is in use.

Even holds up to our high Oklahoma winds.”

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

in the 405

Mustache Pacifier, $9.99 “If you want to be the hit at a baby shower, be sure to give this as your gift. There’s nothing more adorably wrong than a baby with a mustache. This pacifier is quality-molded from nontoxic plastic and baby-grade silicone, and supplied with a handy storage shell.”

Dog Dishtowel, $9.99 “Show your love for your favorite four-legged ‘fur baby’ with this cotton dishtowel.”

Chic Envelope Zip Clutch, $34.99 “This chic clutch is a must-have for any wardrobe. Each clutch includes a detachable leather wrist strap and a detachable gold cross body strap. Numerous pockets [are] located inside, and all closures are gold. But hurry in quick, because these always sell out fast.”

Blood Orange Lotion Bar, $11.99 “Made locally by Meg Rinehart from Local Lather, this is such a unique item in that it is a solid lotion bar. To use, simply take the lotion bar out of the tin and begin rubbing on your hands. The natural heat from your body will heat up the bar and make it pliable to your skin. You’ll be smelling great all day long.” There are several scents to choose from in the store.

OK Bison Coaster Set, $24.99 The owners of local vendor JL Woodworx “handmake coasters of real wood that are hand stamped and absorbent. Perfect for at home or even to keep in your office.”

OKC Bracelets, sterling silver $69.99 and 14k gold $79.99 “These bracelets are a crowd-pleaser and hard to keep in the store. The coordinates engraved on the outside are the latitude and longitude of Oklahoma City. The inside inscription reads ‘Oklahoma City.’

What better way to show your love for this great city than with a timeless inscribed bracelet?”

ABOUT RACHAEL Rachael Gruntmeir didn’t always dream of being a store owner.

The Oklahoma native has been fueled by creativity all her life, amassing degrees in marketing management from Oklahoma State University, as well as interior design and art history from University of Central Oklahoma and finding success as an interior designer in OKC. She was no stranger to hard work either. “I was always planning events, designing my own clothing – even as early as age 10,” she says.

Furthermore, travel has been one of her favorite activities for years. All of those facets converged in April 2015, and The Black Scintilla was born. The staff recently has grown just a little, too: Rachael is pictured here with Oliver, her new kitten.

january 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 405

CONVERSATION

Politics, Publishing and the Public Good

Andrew Rice and the search for a new platform

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405 magazine • january 2016

Memoir Sheds Light on Little-Known Aspect of WWII January 27 is Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Barbara Rylko-Bauer’s biography of her mother, Polish doctor and concentration camp survivor Jadwiga Rylko, is a poignant reminder that the horror inflicted on Europe by Germany had several facets.

Rylko’s life would be impressive enough aside from her wartime experience.

One of few female doctors in 1930s Poland, she was working at a hospital in Lodz when the Germans occupied it and she was arrested. Jadwiga survived internment in three concentration camps – where, in some cases, she provided medical care to Jewish slave laborers – and endured a death march that lasted 42 days.

Rylko’s daughter Barbara, a medical anthropologist, muses in the introduction to A Polish Doctor in the Nazi Camps about her role as both historian and daughter in sharing her mother’s incredible story, and the narrative is a gentle blend of fact and loving recollection.

Readers are exposed to an unfamiliar-to-most aspect of Germany’s war against their fellow Europeans, and are also reminded of the importance of hearing these stories from survivors before that generation is completely gone. Repeated ponderings of how such devastation is possible may seem unnecessary to “civilized” society, but to quote the poem by Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska (as Rylko-Bauer does in the book’s introduction), “ … there are no questions more urgent than the naive ones.” - JILL HARDY

ANDREW RICE PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

A decade ago, Andrew Rice was the new kid on the block – the rising star of Oklahoma politics. He gave a much-needed shot of adrenaline to the state’s Democratic Party, and was making waves at the state Capitol. Then just as suddenly, it seems, he was gone.

Voters in Oklahoma City’s District 46 elected Rice to the state Senate in 2006. He was in the middle of his second term when he resigned his senate seat to follow his wife, Apple, to her new job in Nashville. A year later, however, they were back home in Oklahoma City, and Rice took his career down a different path.

“I never had much interest in politics as a young person, or even in college,” he says. “But it was the loss of my older brother David in the September 11th attacks that prompted me to care a lot more about government and the policies we make in a democracy. That piqued my interest in the process, and my frustrations with what I saw made me interested in trying to make a difference.”

Rice says his time as a state senator was a good one, helping him grow and gain experience in valuable ways that are beneficial to him now. Upon his return from Nashville, Rice worked for three years at Variety Care, one of the state’s largest community health centers. Last summer he made another significant change, launching a new media online magazine called Non Doc. “Our idea was to create a platform for good and novel journalism for contributors who might not readily have a platform to publish their work,” Rice says. “It is an attempt to add to the good local media that is out there and contribute to a better informed and stimulated community.”

It is also the first time, Rice says, that he has ever owned a business that is both stressful and exciting at the same time.

“Non Doc has been a great experience where I learn something new every day,” he says. “In addition to the magazine, I am also really enjoying doing some consulting on some dynamic projects for a tech company in Nashville. It is a local energy company that is finding ways to encourage common ground between the industry and environmental groups. And I am still doing some health care and community development work with Variety Care. This assortment of different projects keeps my interests stimulated and keeps me learning new things, which is important to me.”

In what little spare time he has, Rice makes a concerted effort to be involved in the community around him.

His philanthropic work includes serving on the finance committee for Teen Recovery Solutions, an accredited sober high school in Oklahoma City for teens in recovery. He works with the Oklahoma City Police Department’s F.A.C.T. gang prevention program, and is on the Red Tie Night committee, the state’s largest fundraiser for HIV/ AIDS prevention, education and research.

While he’s been out of politics for a few years, Rice watched last fall as Democratic candidate Cyndi Munson won a House seat in a district that has traditionally been Republican-dominated for 50 years.

“I think she was an exceptionally gifted candidate, and the demographic changes in Oklahoma City helped her, as well,” he says. “I think it is a trend toward the middle, and one that is inevitable in urban areas. However, this trend is not going to start giving Democrats lots of new electoral opportunities overnight; it will be gradual.”

Returning to politics himself is hard to imagine, Rice says, at least in the short term.

“I don’t think my need to be productive and pragmatic can be currently fulfilled in a system that seems to be incentivizing partisanship and hostility to different ideas and diversity,” he muses. “And let me be clear that I hold the voting public responsible for this brokenness as much as politicians. Maybe if we can revitalize the tradition of public service as an honorable and unifying force in civic life, I would consider doing it later in life after my kids are grown. But as of now, it doesn’t seem to be near embodying that.” - MARK BEUTLER

“TRIUMPHANT” —JOANNA BROOKS, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON GIRL

“COMPASSIONATE, COMPELLING, AND PROFOUND” —CLAIRE BIDWELL SMITH, AUTHOR OF THE RULES OF INHERITANCE

“A PORTRAIT OF REAL COURAGE”

“HAUNTING” —KELLY CORRIGAN, AUTHOR OF THE MIDDLE PLACE

—APRIL CHRISTOFFERSON, AUTHOR OF TRAPPED

THE RIVETING, TRUE STORY OF ONE GIRL’S COMING-OF-AGE IN A POLYGAMIST FAMILY COMING JANUARY 5, 2016 from FLATIRON BOOKS

ruthwariner.com

in the 405

ON THE SCENE

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Assistance League Gala The Assistance League of Norman raises finds to aid the community by getting a jump-start on holiday celebration at its lavish “Naughty or Nice” soiree.

1. Deidra Turley, Martin Ozinga 2. Todd and Kris Booze, Jesse Mashburn, Laura Bobb 3. Mike and Ashleigh Talk 4. Jennifer and Lance Sanders 5.

Charlie and Gale Johnson, Steffani and Tim Allen

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Taste of Western Beautiful murals adorn the namesake avenue outside, while inside the Will Rogers Theater guests savor beautifully tempting food from the excellent restaurants along Western Avenue.

5 1. Therese Booth, Keith Parker 2. Nancy Lynn, Ben and Ashley Sellers, Caleb Mitchum, Emily Masters 3. Robert Miner, Christine Jolly 4. Valerie Lorenz, Bill Wilhite, Brian Davis, Judy Federa 5. Dusty and Kristen Gilpin, Lavern Miller, Carey Freeman 4

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ASSISTANCE LEAGUE GALA, TASTE OF WESTERN, MORE THAN A DRESS GALA AND RED DOT AT IAO GALLERY PHOTOS BY TERRELL FRY; BINGO FOR BABIES PHOTOS COURTESY INFANT CRISIS SERVICES

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More Than a Dress Gala Dress for Success Oklahoma City, an organization that helps disadvantaged women find and keep employment, marks its first year with an inspirational celebration.

1. Andy and Rhonda McKamie (and Dove) 2. Lindy Green, Rachel Smith, MaKenzie Magnus, Malorie Magnus, Amy Fallon 3. Vicky Palmer, Robyn Fain, Dianne Bullock 4.

Valerie Truong, Michelle An-Ho, Miss Oklahoma Alex Miller, Samantha Vu, Dom Othon, Diana Ngo-Le

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Red Dot at IAO Gallery The art, and the enjoyment thereof, are both fantastic in this colorful event hosted by the Individual Artists of Oklahoma featuring (and benefiting) more than 70 local creators.

1. Marissa and Nathan Raglin 2. Kristy Boone, Sterling Springer 3. Laura Coury, Kate Kirk, Joi Adams 4.

John Wolfe, Megan Clement, Ben Pickard

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Bingo for Babies Food, drinks, live music and edge-of-theseat gaming fill an evening with fun to help nonprofit Infant Crisis Services provide aid to area babies in need.

1. Co-chair Erik Salazar, Infant Crisis Services executive director Miki Farris, co-chair Phi Nguyen 2. Amanda and Nathaniel Harding 3.

Miss Oklahoma USA Alex Miller, Lauren Stanfill, Jessica Wills 4. Tim and Erin Scott, Amy and Craig Parish, Chaney Horn, Mike Conway

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january 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 405

LAUGH LINES

Manifest Destiny: Peas Out About this time last year, I sat down to write this article, having just stocked up on several cans of black-eyed peas. Convinced that their supernatural powers of luck-bringing would ensure the best year ever in 2015, I consumed a generous helping to pave the way for all the backordered luck I needed these peas to expedite.

Any Oprah guest will tell you that the key to manifesting the karmic juju you want begins with sending your intentions out to the universe and letting the abundance flow back. Still reeling from a pisser of a year in 2014, I announced to the universe and everyone in it the many things I intended to manifest. I then took out additional insurance in the form of a strict, 24-hour black-eyed pea-laced diet on New Year’s Day. A year later, the results are in. Let my 2015 recap serve as a warning; it’s probably too late for me to get a refund on the case of peas I bought, but you can still save your money.

Before the year was half over, I had lost a valuable piece of jewelry and a major tooth. Twice, I learned about anaphylactic shock the hard way, and it wasn’t pretty. I suddenly became single, which also wasn’t pretty. I could set my watch to the semi-annual bank notices about my debit card being “compromised,” as well as a couple of routine TSA suitcase inspections that always end the same way: theft.

Depending on your perspective, it may seem that I had a pretty easy year. Compared to some, that’s true. Poor Madonna suffered whiplash when she was yanked off a stage and tumbled down the stairs. Harrison Ford crashed his plane and survived – unlucky and lucky. Bill Cosby crashed his career and reputation – there were no survivors in that.

During my pre-manifestation phase that began in December, I came across a list of nice things we can (and should) do for ourselves – not in lieu of doing nice things for others (karma never takes a holiday, don’tcha know) – and I decided to light a fire under the universe with these kick-starts to my own manifest destiny.

More Gruyère. This is one of life’s lovely indulgences that I will no longer ignore because of its unlovely price per pound. I might go to Switzerland to indulge properly. Either way, there will be fondue in 2016.

Lots of fondue.

The good makeup. I could have bought the karma I wanted with the money I’ve frittered away on makeup that solved a temporary need (or a temporary compulsion, as was usually the case). Good makeup costs money because it looks good. I’m giving up the cheap stuff.

More of what I love. Remember the “big revelation” in 2015 that bacon and processed meats are bad for you? My big revelation for 2016 is that I love bacon. I’ll be having more of what I love (and the statins it will take to keep me alive), without the need to justify enjoying it.

Less of what I don’t love. There’s a saying that we’d all worry less about what others think of us if we really knew how infrequently they thought about us in the first place. I’m going with that and liberating myself from seeking approval from anyone else.

Higher thread counts. On everything.

No regrets. I have no intention on looking back at 2016 and being relieved that it’s over. This year, and in all the years to follow, I’ll be writing my own script, adjusting whenever it’s needed, and manifesting the kind of destiny that I just can’t get from a can of black-eyed peas – I hope you will, too.

More sleep. It’s hard to keep the dream alive during the waking hours.

More massages. If I did nothing more in 2016 than have my knots a-plenty ironed out on the reg, the year would be an epic win.

Happy, happy New Year! - LAUREN HAMMACK

Brace yourselves, Normanites; 24-hour cookie bakery and delivery service Insomnia Cookies is set to open a location on Campus Corner in 2016.

Founded in 2003 by then-University of Pennsylvania student Seth Berkowitz, Insomnia has grown to more than 70 locations nationwide, to the great relief of the cookie-craving among us.

The Norman location will set up shop on White Street. - JILL HARDY

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ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC SCHOCK

COOKIES ARE COMING

in the 405

PLACES

Heard on Hurd a Rousing Success The last few years have seen the meteoric rise of the street festival in the 405; the birth of the wildly popular H&8th in 2011, Open Streets in 2014 and several others in between. 2015 was the inaugural 8-month season (March to October) for Edmond’s Heard on Hurd, and it was a attracted more than 100,000 attendees and generated more than $2.6 million.

Sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond (which does not benefit financially from the festival), 15 percent of Heard on Hurd’s alcohol and T-shirt proceeds go to the Edmond Public Schools Foundation, a gain of $7,000 this year.

Investing in your community by partaking of good food, good music and good vibes … does it get any better than that? - JILL HARDY

Plains, Trains and ISTEA How a trolley saved a sinking town El Reno born and raised, Heather Brothers still remembers looking out the window of her high school and seeing the bright red Heritage Express Trolley coming down Main Street.

Fast forward a few years, and now Brothers – El Reno Convention & Visitors Bureau deputy director – uses Oklahoma’s only rail-based trolley to help sell people on her city.

Then and now, it’s a source of pride for her and the denizens of this Canadian County town of 16,000 born by the 1889 Land Run and named for nearby Fort Reno.

“I think what really makes the trolley is the conductor and the tours,” Brothers says. “They’ve always got some funny stories to tell and … things from the golden years.”

But no one in El Reno has to be sold on how important this single car is.

As trolley lines go, El Reno’s less-than-a-mile trek is far from the longest, most scenic or even most famous, but, in 2001, it literally saved a sinking city.

A PLACE IN HISTORY El Reno is divided by the 98th Meridian, with the eastern part opened to settlement in the Land Run of 1889, and the western section included in the April 1892 run into Cheyenne and Arapaho lands.

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the town was one of two sites selected for land district offices in anticipation of the 1901 land lottery drawings.

El Reno was the final selection, and business and industry flowed.

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The city enjoyed a heyday (clockwise from top left) The until the Chicago, Rock Island Heritage Express and Pacific Railroad pulled out Trolley; driver of the station for good in 1980.

Kendall Watson; El Reno CVB Work on the Rock Island deputy director kept the lights on and put food Heather Brothers on many El Reno kitchen tables.

About 750 of the company’s 970 Oklahoma employees worked in El Reno.

“It trickled down to everyone,” says Vicki Proctor, president of the Canadian County Historical Society. “It was so scary when it shut down.”

But 20 years later, it was El Reno’s long rail history that saved the city once again.

El Reno had long had downtown drainage problems, with several businesses flooding regularly.

A project to fix the issue was beyond the city’s budget.

In researching the issue, city leaders found out the state of Oklahoma could get grant money to fund

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

banner one; this event

80 percent of the project on two conditions. The first condition was that the city had to come up with the remaining 20 percent of the cost. The second was that the city had to install and maintain a rail-based trolley in order to qualify for the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act grant.

“The city thought they were crazy,” Proctor recalls. “The state just assumed they wouldn’t do it and they were off the hook. The city came to the (historical society) board and asked if we would be interested in running the trolley.

“It didn’t take us but one evening to decide.”

A six-month search yielded a 1924 J.G. Brill Strafford Car collecting rust in a Philadelphia field.

Interestingly enough, it looked identical to the old interurban car that used to take Proctor’s grandparents shopping at John A. Brown in downtown Oklahoma City.

Backers paid for a 454 engine (that’s a big one) to go under the hood, and a conversion from electric to propane, while the trolley was refurbished right down to the brass handles and walkover seats that can be flipped according to which direction the car is traveling.

“Congressman Frank Lucas found $150,000 to help bring a dying community back to life,” Proctor says. “The rest of the money all just came in.”

Today, a $3.50 ticket and the half-hour ride not only takes you downtown but back in time. The Heritage Express connects the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad station with the downtown shopping area along Bickford Avenue.

For Brothers, Proctor and many more, it’s well worth the price of admission. - BOBBY ANDERSON Canadian County Historical Museum curator Pat Reuter (top) with a circa 1940 photo of the interurban trolley; 75 years later the trolley rides again.

january 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 405

WELLNESS

Battling the Post-Holiday Blahs

A doctor’s thoughts on keeping your mood from capsizing

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to a regular schedule, feelings should return to normal.”

While it’s still too early to think about shorts and flip-flops and all the fun summer has to offer, what else is there to do in the doldrums of winter? Hobson says staying on a normal schedule and exercising is important; that almost always helps with short-term blues. It’s equally important to be aware of your thoughts and expectations.

who may have an increased sense of loneliness during the holidays. Overall, post-holiday depression should be short in duration. If it lasts longer than one or two weeks, it may be an indicator that professional help is needed.

“If sad feelings and negative thoughts continue well past the holidays, then the person may need to be assessed by a professional,” she continues. “First, try a good diet full of fruits and vegetables and mild exercise, and of

“Keep your perspective; relationships are much more important than the turkey dinner and gifts being perfect.”

– GALE HOBSON

“Use [Christmas] day to enjoy your family,” she urges. “Be careful of over-doing both physically and emotionally at this time of the year, and avoid eating or drinking to excess.

Keep your perspective; relationships are much more important than the turkey dinner and gifts being perfect.”

Depression can affect any age, and Hobson says parents need to monitor their children’s activities so they do not become exhausted.

It’s also important to keep in mind the elderly,

course, get plenty of regular sleep. Depression that continues into spring can be concerning, because the suicide rate is actually higher as the weather warms up and people become more active.

“The bottom line is this: Christmas is just one day of the 365 days we have to live each year. It is important to not let family issues become all-focused on this one day. It can be a precious time and there are not many of them available to us over a lifetime.” - MARK BEUTLER

ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER ARMSTRONG

A

A short time ago, everyone was involved in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Brenda Lee was rockin’ around the Christmas tree and Bing Crosby was dreaming of a white Christmas. There were parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting and caroling out in the snow. Well, you get the idea.

And just like that, it was over. There’s nothing quite as forlorn as a picked-over, after-Christmas sale in the middle of January.

Thus sets the stage for post-holiday depression.

“Symptoms for post-holiday depression basically look similar to depression in general,” explains Gale Hobson, a psychologist and medical director for Mercy Behavioral Health.

“Lack of energy, sleeping too long or too little, crying, sad thoughts that will not go away, focusing on negative events and comparing our lives to others. It is easy to think everyone else is having a great time, believing others have the perfect family or perfect holiday events.”

Hobson said it’s natural around the holidays to have some “blue days.”

“The blues are common, especially if expectations set from our childhood memories are high,” she says. “That can lead to a few days of let-down. But it really should not last longer than a week, and as a person returns

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territory ahead

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.

Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.”

LOUIS L’AMOUR (1908-1988), Former Choctaw resident

On the Road to a New Year As 2016 begins and an as-yetblank calendar yawns ahead, less-traveled Oklahoma roads call us toward the horizon

T

By M.J. Alexander The open road beckons Oklahomans, maybe more than most.

We are descended from those who moved here – whether forcibly on the Trail of Tears, or, hopefully, with the dream of a fresh start in a new land.

Within Oklahoma’s borders today, 673 miles of interstate account for just over 5 percent of the state’s roadways – but one-third of the miles traveled each year.

The other 95 percent is a latticework of highways and streets and back roads winding around curves, leading through towns, running along fence lines, stretching to the horizon.

At the dawn of a new year, in the place that gave birth to the romance of Route 66 and Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” they offer the promise of possibility and the journey to come.

See more inspirational vistas like these online at 405magazine.com/oklahomaroads/

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405 magazine • january 2016

“There is no poetry where there are no mistakes.”

JOY HARJO Born May 9, 1951, in Tulsa

“Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know why I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren’t paved.”

WILL ROGERS (1879-1935), Born in Oologah, Indian Territory

“If anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add but when there is no longer anything to take away.”

MARIA TALLCHIEF (1925-2013), Born in Fairfax, Oklahoma

january 2016 • 405 magazine

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creatives

The Art of Listening Scott Booker shares insights from 35 years of musical prowess

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go to Sound Warehouse and hang out, figure out what I would buy that week, and I would buy a record a week.”

And once he turned 15, he already knew so much about music and people that Sound Warehouse hired him. He worked there until his junior year in college, when he took his deep knowledge to Rainbow Records – and there honed his music curator skills even further.

It was at Rainbow that he met Lips bassist Michael Ivins. And he got to know more members of the band as he started hanging out at the most intense music venues of the day, which included the Velvet Underground.

He brought his ability to connect people with music as he moved gradually into the role of manager for the Lips. He says there wasn’t any formal contract to be their manager … and there still isn’t. One day one of them just started referring to him as “our manager” and it stuck.

Today, Booker can be seen in a number of venues and milieus, including the Master

Class for which he brings in seasoned artists such as Jackson Browne, Moby, Hall and Oates and other well-knowns to visit with ACM students and the public about how they navigated their own careers and brought their talent into full view.

He also teaches classes on how to manage the business of performing arts.

Some of his students may move on to work for well-known large companies such as Warner Brothers, and others may use that knowledge to manage their own music careers.

Is he a musician himself? No. But that doesn’t stop him.

“I don’t think it’s been a hindrance in any way,” he says. “Maybe it’s almost the opposite. Maybe because I didn’t know theory, some music that would be discordant and annoying to people was actually still beautiful to me.”

And he continues to recognize the beauty of talent in others as he cultivates it through classes at ACM@UCO. - BRETT DICKERSON

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

I

If you visited the historic Rainbow Records at 23rd and Classen in the 1980s, you may well have talked to a young Scott Booker.

Thirty-five years later, he’s the CEO of Academy of Contemporary Music at UCO in Bricktown, a unique incubator of performing art talent.

What happened between then and now is a story of constant curiosity, a willingness to pay close attention to the interests of others and a drive to achieve.

Mixed in that time from Rainbow Records to ACM@UCO have been many years as the manager of Oklahoma City’s enduring, Grammy-winning Flaming Lips.

But before he ever met Lips front man Wayne Coyne, he learned how to listen carefully to the desires and preferences of others.

Starting out prior to turning 15, he sold a national general-interest newspaper called Grit. Roaming through his neighborhood of Midwest City, he learned to engage potential customers in an easy conversation about what they liked and didn’t like. He calls it his “first job in the entertainment industry.”

But when Booker wasn’t going to school and selling Grit door to door, he hung out at his local Sound Warehouse, then a regional chain of record stores back when vinyl was the main method of listening to music other than a live performance.

In addition to the growing skills of selling entertainment, Booker says that his gig, “also gave me five dollars per week. In 1978, that was the price of an album. Every day I would

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HEALTHINNOVATIONS

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WHERE SCIENCE MEETS COMPASSION Better Health Begins Here and Now

Trust Optimal Health Associates to bring science, technology and innovation, combined with human compassion and caring, to bear on solving patient problems.

Noel R. Williams, M.D., explains, “Over the years, the practice has been the first in central Oklahoma to offer a variety of unique services that have then become standard throughout the community. Optimal Health stays abreast of current trends while always searching for future treatment opportunities; whether with its lead position on menopausal management, genetics, integrative medicine and adoption of advanced in-office technology including state-of-the-art laser, laboratory, radiology, or surgical services.”

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405 magazine • january 2016

Among the latest of those treatment opportunities is the MonaLisa Touch laser, an exciting new FDA-approved treatment option for improving vaginal atrophy – a condition that is often caused by hormone changes and can cause painful intercourse and affect daily vaginal comfort. The MonaLisa procedure is non-hormonal, requires no prescription, is done in the office, takes less than 5 minutes and is relatively painless … and best of all, most patients have significant relief and improvement of symptoms after just one of the three recommended treatments.

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HEALTHINNOVATIONS

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ST. ANTHONY BUILDS FOR THE FUTURE The Pavilion Marks 12 Years of Midtown Investment Visitors to Midtown OKC today are welcomed with an atmosphere of energy and excitement resulting from almost twelve years of development by local businesses, developers and neighbors. It’s hard to imagine that in 2003, Midtown had very different vibes. Many businesses had vacated properties, streetscapes were not pedestrian-friendly and dilapidated structures were common visual clues that Midtown had seen better days. The condition of the neighborhood had officials at St. Anthony wondering if continued investment in the area was viable, or if a suburban location would be better suited for the more than 100-year-old hospital.

As the result of planning and collaboration with the City of Oklahoma City and investors who believed in the future of Midtown, in late 2003, the hospital announced its plans to remain in its current location and invest $220 million in a campus expansion project. Recognizing the value of enhancing the healing environment for patients and families, in addition to numerous building projects, the hospital committed to campus and area beautification efforts.

Momentum started to grow. In August of 2006, a $30 million, state-of-the-art surgery department opened on the hospital’s fifth floor. An outdoor garden and spacious waiting areas welcome family members while they wait for their loved ones in surgery. All around Midtown, construction signs and detours became very common – all signs of progress.

In September of 2008, a new gateway to the St. Anthony campus opened on the east side with a boulevard-style entrance from Walker Avenue. The four-story Saints Medical Plaza building opened with physician offices plus a Walgreen’s and Starbucks. In that same time-

frame, the City of Oklahoma City completed final touches on the streetscape projects along 10th Street. Many restaurants caught the Midtown excitement and started moving in, the Midtown YMCA opened and residential development was spurred in the area.

While the Midtown revitalization continued to take shape, St. Anthony began to look for new ways to reach into the community to further its healing ministry. The result was the opening of four new St. Anthony Heathplex campuses offering convenient access to a wide range of services for the residents of east, south and north Oklahoma City as well as Mustang. These modern, upscale facilities include full-service 24/7 emergency rooms, outpatient services and primary care and specialty physicians.

In August 2014, the crowning point of the St. Anthony development in Midtown was celebrated with the groundbreaking for The Pavilion. The Pavilion, located on the hospital’s east side, will house a new, expanded emergency department, intensive care and inpatient care units. The 111,000-square-foot, four-story facility project is slated to be complete in May 2016.

St. Anthony’s commitment to the community remains strong with a priority placed on high quality patient care to fulfill its Mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.”

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january 2016 • 405 magazine

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HEALTHINNOVATIONS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BIGGER SPACE, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Dental Design Studio’s New Home

Left to right: Dr. Susan E. Whiteneck, Dr. Jennifer M. Jenkins, Dr. Sara K. Spurlock

Dental Design Studio is moving into a new custom-built facility at 561 Merchant Drive in Norman, expanding practice space as well as welcoming another dentist to the team.

The practice includes Dr. Susan Whiteneck, who has provided comprehensive and cosmetic dental care for over 30 years. Dr. Sara Spurlock joined her eight years ago after reaching out to Dr. Whiteneck in dental school looking for a friend and mentor. Dr. Jennifer Jenkins, a dental

school classmate of Dr. Spurlock, came on board last summer with the same drive to provide friendly and high-quality dental care.

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EXPERTISE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE Working Together to Save Limbs and Lives

Dwayne A. Schmidt, M.D., FACC and Jim G. Melton, D.O.

This year alone, there will be approximately 185,000 new amputations in the United States, bringing the total number of Americans living with an amputation to around 2 million. The number one cause of this alarming number of amputations is vascular disease, often secondary to diabetes. Limb loss can be devastating, and has lasting effects that are both physical and psychological in nature.

Critical limb ischemia is the immediate threat of loss of limb due to loss of blood flow, and often involves wounds of the feet. There are

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a variety of endovascular and open surgical procedures that can re-establish blood flow and reverse the effects caused by limb ischemia.

Limb salvage can be achieved through a multi-disciplinary approach of identifying those at risk, assessing, intervening and following up on a routine basis. It requires a team that can include primary care physicians, podiatrists, wound care providers and cardiovascular specialists.

Cardiovascular Health Clinic is a team of experienced health care providers who have committed their practice to treating critical limb ischemia and preventing limb loss. Many of the diagnostic studies needed to assess for ischemia are available in the clinic on a same-day appointment for convenience to patients. Through advances in surgical procedures and techniques, many disorders of the vascular system can now be treated with minimally invasive procedures. This commitment to limb salvage is not only saving limbs, but saving lives.

References: 1) Ziegler-Graham K, MacKenzie EJ, Ephraim PL, Travison TG, Brookmeyer R. Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2008;89(3):422-9. 2) Owings M, Kozak LJ, National Center for Health S. Ambulatory and Inpatient Procedures in the United States, 1996. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics; 1998.

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HEALTHINNOVATIONS

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Laura Bowen educates Oklahomans about the benefits of juicing.

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HERE’S TO

YOUR HEALTH Five ways to live clean in 2016

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON HURST

It’s January. Viva la resolution, right? This is the month we’re going to turn over a new leaf and eat healthier, kick off and dominate a mad workout plan, set some super unrealistic goals and give up, only to slog through February defeated, full of French fries and wine, and sick of sweater weather. Does it have to be like that? Again? In the immortal words of Austin Powers’ nemesis Dr. Evil, “How about no?”

Instead, let our team of experts help you choose something manageable to try. Something a bit healthier, but doable. Do it for a while, then try adding a second thing when you’re ready. Do not expect to change everything at once, but do expect positive change because, my dears, you’re worth it.

Whether you need to calm down, rev up, eat better or move more, we can help. Here are five great ways to start.

EAT CLEAN, EAT GREEN

Dr. Jimmy Conway, one of the founders of Plant Based OKC, was really sick. He had a severe blockage in a major artery, and his cardiologist told him he needed triple-bypass surgery. A surgeon himself, Conway was hyper-aware of the enormity of what was about to happen to his body, and he agreed that something drastic needed to happen.

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“A plant-based diet is like a marriage. You can’t cheat and expect it to work.”

- RANDY TITONY

Where he differed from his doctor, though, was in the approach he wanted to try. No surgery, no sir, no way. A word about Conway: He is one focused individual. He dove headlong into the Internet, and when he came up for air, he had read everything there is to read about the effect of diet on heart health, and health in general.

“After I read The China Study, and Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, my wife Andrea and I began eating a plant-based diet,” he says. Another helpful thing he did was to stop drinking a daily six-pack of Mountain Dew Code Red. “The first week we switched to a plant-based diet, I immediately had more energy, no afternoon slumps, and I felt so much better. And believe me, I never feel deprived, and I love to eat. My love of eating is what got me in so much trouble.”

“I didn’t want to,” says Andrea. She laughs and shakes her head. “Not at all. But it was for Jimmy’s health, so I said OK.” OK to what, exactly?

“We began eating only minimally processed, whole foods. Foods in their original state,” she says. The Conways are trim and healthy looking, and their skin is amazing. Each easily looks a decade younger than they are, as does their collaborator, Randy Titony.

Conway, his wife Andrea and fellow veg head Titony formed Plant Based OKC after Titony ran into the pair at a concert. “I was fat and cranky,” says Titony. “Every day for breakfast I was eating a Sausage and Egg McMuffin and a large Dr. Pepper. I used a ton of that powdered hazelnut creamer – the powder – in my coffee every day. One September, I was at the Train concert and at intermission I saw Jimmy and Andrea and I said, ‘Man, you guys look good,’ and they told me about The China Study and that was it. I said, ‘I’m in, and I want this to be a club.’”

To this trio and their ever-growing band of converts, eating plantbased foods is all about what you can eat, not about what you can’t or choose not to eat. It required a bit of adjustment, and daily and weekly planning to accomplish, but the way its adherents feel makes it more than worth the effort.

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As Conway points out, “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” Or, as Titony says, “A plant-based diet is like a marriage. You can’t cheat and expect it to work.”

So what does a day’s worth of plant-based meals with no added oil look like? It’s beautiful, colorful and aromatic. It tantalizes all of the senses. And it’s a ton of food. For Titony, routine is king.

“I eat the same breakfast every day,” he says. He concocts a tried-and-true blend of old fashioned oats, Uncle Sam’s Wheat Flakes, Grape-Nuts and small shredded wheat. To that he adds some flaxseed, cinnamon, a small handful of walnuts, blueberries, a banana and unsweetened almond milk. Lunch is simpler. Quinoa with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, Wright’s Liquid Smoke (which all three swear by) and a shot of balsamic vinegar. Dinner might be black beans and brown rice, topped with Ro-Tel tomatoes and peppers, and spinach.

The Conways are smoothie people in the mornings. Andrea spends a couple of hours each week washing and chopping vegetables for the “buckets” of salad the two enjoy for lunch most days. These filling concoctions are combinations of vegetables, greens, nuts and seeds, maybe some dried fruit and wonderfully fragrant herb-filled dressings Conway whips up. Dinners vary but always include a complex carbohydrate, so a meal might be a black bean burger and potatoes.

There’s a monthly dinner and meeting open to everyone. It’s the first Monday of each month – for example, Jan. 4 at Rococo in The Shoppes at Northpark. The meeting is free, and there’s a plant-based menu of which you can partake. Learn more at jimmyconwaymd.com/plant-based-okc/.

Steve Wood with Lexi and Skeeter

YOU’VE GOT TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT Angela Jones, director of health and wellness initiatives for the YMCA of Oklahoma City, is all about taking a realistic approach to increasing fitness, and suggests that people start by finishing the sentence “The last time I felt well … .” Maybe your answer will involve sleep, or maybe you used to take better care of yourself by exercising.

From there, she says, it’s a good idea to take a look at your support system. Does your family exercise? If you have children, will someone help you watch them while you work out? Or can you take them with you?

“Time is the biggest killer of good intentions,” Jones says. “We are all trained to want instant gratification, and when we’re tired or low on time, we opt for what’s easiest, especially if we don’t have a support system in place.”

The next crucial piece of the puzzle is a readiness for change. “This could be from an external source, like a doctor saying your health is

“Put your sneakers on and walk.

Start there. It’s as simple as tying your shoes.”

- ANGELA JONES

suffering, or maybe you have an internal desire to become stronger and fitter.” In either case, what follows is the same, she says. “Put your sneakers on and walk. Start there.” Jones explains that there are far fewer barriers to becoming physically active than there are to eating well. “It’s as simple as tying your shoes.”

How do you make the habit stick past January? “Repetition, readiness and commitment,” says Jones. For six to eight weeks. If you can make it that long, your odds of continuing are fantastic. You’ve likely formed a connection to exercise at that point and hit a milestone or two.

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“The good news about brains is that they have phenomenal capacity, more than we even know.

When we are better able to harness them, they become a secret weapon for health. But first we have to calm the chatter.”

- DR. SHANNA TEEL

NOW BE STILL

Dr. Shanna Teel is a psychologist and executive coach who finds the direction of her work changing to include a greater emphasis on food as medicine and the mind/body connection.

The first step in cleaning out your brain, according to Teel, is to let it rest. Quietly.

“The goal is to unplug and get quiet,” Teel says. “You want to eliminate incoming stimuli. Our brains are overwhelmed. The good news about brains is that they have phenomenal capacity, more than we even know. When we are better able to harness them, they become a secret weapon for health. But first we have to calm the chatter.”

Another word for chatter is rumination. Rumination, or you might call it stewing, is very different from its healthier cousin, reflecting.

Reflecting is looking back at something that has occurred, whether it was good or bad, then calmly evaluating it and extrapolating lessons that will benefit you as you move forward in your life.

When a person ruminates, it’s problem-solving gone off the rails. It’s a damaging tornado of obsessive thinking, a non-stop instant replay of the negative over and over and over. For a healthier outlook, it must be stopped. Easier said than done, though. How not to do it? Repeat, “Why can’t I stop ruminating? Stop ruminating right now,” to yourself every Sunday night as you try to fall asleep.

Steps Teel recommends to encourage a calmer mind are simple and sensible but not necessarily easy at first. “Start by putting your phone away – for example, during meetings. Remove your phone from beside your bed at night. Don’t even use it as your alarm clock, get another one,” she says. The phone is distracting in a meeting and at night, any light from a backlit screen will disrupt your body’s production of melatonin.

“The message your brain takes from light is ‘wake up,’ not ‘it’s time to shut down for the night.’”

We’ve forgotten how to rest, and Teel says there are obvious signs of it. “You may be experiencing one or more of these: fatigue, restlessness, anxiety, short-temperedness, impatience, brain fog or food cravings.

Your skin may look puffy, or you may say things like, ‘I feel like I’m about 100 years old.’”

Another way to rest and recharge is, ironically, to do something physical. “Get out of the mind and into the body,” Teel says. Clean out a closet or take your dog for a walk. Without your phone. “You know that satisfied feeling of accomplishment when we finish a project we’ve been immersed in? That’s what we want to shoot for.”

A NEW SHAPE STARTS NOW Get that summer body in winter months

If you want to look good at the pool next summer, January is the perfect time to start a new workout regimen and get in shape.

Many folks have that goal in mind when they try to start

shedding the holiday pounds and make New Year’s resolutions to hit the gym. Unfortunately, a lot of them give up and lose interest when those Valentine’s Day chocolates arrive.

Kevin McBride owns Four Star Fitness with locations on

N May and in downtown Oklahoma City. He says they have a simple philosophy: “Summer bodies are made in the winter.”

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your desired physique

body takes consistency and everyone may get discouraged at some point.

“It’s common to lose motivation as the New Year’s resolution

hype fades, but dedication is harder to lose,” he says. “Finding the right goal and a place full of dedication is really the trick. All new people start with good intentions, but a lack of knowledge leads to a lack of immediate results, which leads to frustration, then snowballs into quitting. A key to breaking that cycle is having easy, non-intimidating access to gain the right knowledge.”

McBride says the novice who walks into a gym full of hard,

fit bodies should not feel intimidated.

“Everyone was new to the gym at some point,” he says.

won’t be either,” he says. “Everyone in our gym has a story and

“We are all built uniquely, but a great body is inside all of us.

a starting point, and most all of them are eager to share and

Don’t compare yourself to others. Even for the genetically

support new members in their journey. Fitness is exactly that

blessed, there is no magic pill. It takes hard work, dedication,

– a journey, with ever-changing goals. That makes it exciting to

and it is always worth it. No matter what your age or shape,

witness the changes our members continue to make.”

there is a success story to give you inspiration. Anything is

possible if you set a goal, follow a plan and have the right

The best time to start is now, McBride says. Not yesterday

and definitely not tomorrow. Changing routines, habits and your

guidance.”

- MARK BEUTLER

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YOUR HEALTHY HABIT CHEAT SHEET Forming more rewarding routines Eat well even if you can’t cook Maybe you didn’t chop up enough vegetables for the week, or maybe you need a break from cooking. Either way, Whitney McClendon, owner and creative force behind Provision Kitchen in Nichols Hills Plaza, feels your pain, and lucky for you, she’s done all the hard work. She’s researched nutrition, grown produce on a 160-acre organic farm, harvested the vegetables, sourced nutrient-dense organic meats and cooked it all up into color-coded, environmentally friendly packages that are ready for you to pick up whenever you need them.

The food is perfectly portioned and will keep for a few days so you can buy in batches.

Things like chicken teriyaki bowls, chicken Bolognese, buffalo burgers, quinoa fried rice and lots of delicious sides will keep your palate engaged and your body healthy.

“We create delicious, craveable, clean foods that will give you lots of energy and make you feel happy. We apply science to food,” says McClendon, who is an epidemiologist. “We even have curbside pickup so you can call ahead and we’ll walk it right out to you.”

Get juiced Laura Bowen is an artist, mother and avid juicer (fruits and vegetables, not steroids) and has helped to educate Oklahomans about its benefits unofficially and officially for years. In fact, she’s dabbled in the practice for 25 years. “For the last three years, I have really committed to juicing as a way of life,” she says.

She explains that there are several ways to go about it.

“Traditional juicers create heat, which means that in minutes the benefits of the juice begin

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to decrease. Cold pressers, on the other hand, gently press the juice from the fruit or vegetable like an auger and allow the phytonutrients to survive.”

She suggests watching the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead to witness the magic of juicing. It’s a documentary – the story of Joe Cross, who, more than 100 pounds overweight and unable to correct his resulting poor health via traditional medical means, begins to use fruits, vegetables, exercise and the body’s ability to heal itself to become well.

She also recommends starting a juicing regime slowly.

Have juice as a meal one day a week, and start with “anything with apple,” she says, because the newbie juice palate won’t love the more savory juices right off the bat.

Create a culture of health Surround yourself with healthy inspiration. “One healthy thing leads to another,” Bowen asserts. “As you begin to feel better, you will naturally make better choices.”

Fill the fridge with colorful fruits and vegetables. “Food can be medicine or poison,” says Teel. “Eat fewer things from packages and more real food.

Cooking and preparing foods daily can be a meditation and a source of joy.”

Find ways to make healthy connections with people. “We spend so much of our lives at work,” Jones says. “So form a connection with your work family and gather three or four colleagues to train for a 5K run with. Or meet up for a spin class instead of going to happy hour after work. Or start a ‘water initiative’ with others and challenge each other to stop drinking soda.”

YOUR GRAY MATTER MATTERS

Adventure and experimentation go together like peas and carrots, and are fantastic for your brain. Teel and Jones agree that getting out of your comfort zone is a great idea. “The tricky thing is that as we age, we become more inclined to stick with a routine,” says Teel.

But fighting that urge and branching out will change your brain’s neural pathways for the better. It will make your brain stronger. “Certainty makes the brain feel good.

The brain gets lazy. When we do new, scary things that take us out of our comfort zone, there are huge benefits,” she says. So switch some things up. This does not mean that if you’re a golfer you should switch to skydiving. “But you want to engage in moderate challenges that require you to exert effort and experience some discomfort.”

If you usually only read biographies, read a piece of fiction. Say yes to things. Do the opposite of what you might normally do. Swim laps instead of running or take up yoga.

Other ways to wake up your brain? Drive home a new way every so often, or play a board game you haven’t tried before.

“Just try some things and get out of your comfort zone.

There’s no stronger connection to self than to learn how to do that,” Jones says. Meaning that trying new things boosts your self-esteem.

ADJUST YOUR ATTITUDE

Step as far as you can outside of the natural inclination toward immediate gratification. Rather than setting your sights on massive, sweeping change, set lots of smaller, short-term goals. “Be sure to reward yourself. A good starter goal if you have not been active is to work out two times a week, for half an hour at a time. Do this for two weeks. Then reward yourself with something – a movie, a pedicure, a new workout top – or create a reward jar with slips of paper you can draw out,” Jones says.

The most important thing you can do is approach your plan with a good attitude, says Jones. “You are never too old to make a difference in your health. Don’t let fear of failure stand in your way. We all ride a roller coaster as health seekers – sometimes it’s easier and sometimes it’s harder.

Be gentle with yourself. Don’t be harsh when you have a setback. Keep your focus on the reason you are doing what you are doing: you.”

While you’re at it, make time for other people. “We are social and emotional beings, and when we get stressed we often ignore that need,” Teel says. Small touches work just fine. She suggests reaching out to two people every day with a text. “Our social health affects our emotional health, which affects our physical health.”

Healthy change is worth it, and you are worth the effort.

As the ever-straightforward Conway puts it, “It’s never too late to start. If you’re breathing, you’ll benefit.”

LOCATION COURTESY TOM STEINER

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SandRidge Sky Zip

Now that Oklahoma City is getting so much national attention, including status as one of National Geographic’s must-see locations for 2015, some of us have to shake off the old idea that there just is not much to do here. Clearly, people not from our city have assessed our offerings and found them worth a trip.

With that as inspiration, it makes sense to think about a 405 bucket list as places or activities that are part of the quintessential Oklahoma experience. This is not just a matter of where you would take a visitor from out of state; it’s also a list of places and activities that are woven into our cultural narrative as Okies, and so meant to be enjoyed and appreciated by us, too.

One of the major misconceptions around here for years was that we only had food and sports as activities, and while they did dominate for a long time, there were always extra options. With our amazing growth and development over the past decade, the choices have increased – and while we want to talk about the new, we also want to highlight the tried and true, and the less traveled.

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E D I S T U O Y A L P O G

s

ome of our state’s most beautiful locations are outside the 405 – Black Mesa, Quartz Mountain and Beaver’s Bend come immediately to mind – but there are plenty of options inside the area too.

Just south of Lake Overholser is the Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge, a spot that is popular with paddleboard enthusiasts but largely unknown to much of the general public. Recommended for kayaking, canoeing and paddling, Stinchcomb connects to Lake Overholser and the North Canadian River, making it possible to see parts of Oklahoma City, Bethany and Yukon in one continuous trip.

Kerry Myers teaches paddleboard yoga at Stinchcomb twice a week during summer – apparently just staying on the board is not quite yoga but should be – and she said she loves the proximity to the city, both for convenience and safety. In addition to the sports on the waterways, Stinchcomb is great for biking, birdwatching (especially waterfowl) biking and foraging.

Myers forages in all seasons, even winter. “I go out there for oyster mushrooms and soapberries in winter, and persimmons start to ripen in late fall or early winter,” she says.

Kerry Myers at Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge

PHOTOS: ZIPLINE AND RIVERSPORT RAPIDS COURTESY GEORGIA READ; KERRY MYERS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

You won't find wild berries there, but a new source for

fun on the water is coming to the still-in-progress Boathouse District. Scheduled to open in May 2016, the Riversport Rapids will add an exciting whitewater experience to an area of the city that combines some of the best things about our home: natural beauty, architectural treasures, collaborative community offerings between corporations, organizations, universities and citizens and the ongoing development of our city, thanks to MAPS dollars.

Before Riversport Rapids opens, you can still get out to the district to enjoy stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, dragon boating and rowing.

Riversport Rapids

Play areas are available for kids with age-appropriate entertainment options. And while you are there, you also have to take advantage of the zip line.

You’re scared of heights?

The SandRidge Sky Zip is only about 80 feet above the water.

That’s probably less than all the Thunder players standing on each other’s shoulders. However, this is a bucket list, and doing it is the important part.

So close your eyes if you must, but if you leave them open, you can check out the Oklahoma River as you make the 700-foot trip over (way over) the river, traversing it safely while tucked into your harness.

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E R U T L U C E M O S T E G

M

iki Kawamura may be the greatest “thing” in Oklahoma right now.

The principal dancer for the Oklahoma City Ballet is mesmerizing. We love our sports around here, clearly, and while it’s amazing to have two of the greatest athletes in the world – Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook – in our city, there is a reason sportswriters use dance metaphors to describe athletic achievement.

Shane Jewell, executive director of OKC Ballet, says of Kawamura, “The artistry she brings to the company magnifies the talent of the company exponentially. More importantly, Miki is unique in that ballet is a nomadic craft by design.

Dancers come and go, but Miki has made Oklahoma City her own, and she gives everything because she cares so deeply for this community.”

The commitment to her craft, the grace, the perfect hand position, the mind-bending body control and the beautiful, blinding smile that allows the naïve to believe that what she is doing is so simple that she does it effortlessly ... all mark her as a superior artist and athlete. The ballet season runs from fall through early spring (the season in progress has installments pending in February and April), so catch a show, at least one. If non-narrative storytelling is not your thing, go to “The Nutcracker.”

There are multiple performances every December, and the new sets Devon helped make possible in 2014 cause this old, familiar story to burst with new life.

For the more bookish or studious, the city and sur-

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rounding areas have amazing museums. A teacher once said that all kids are artists, but at some point, we put the crayons down, or the pen or the brush or the guitar. A few labor on and make an art of a task, but most of us choose to become consumers of the arts.

Museums can help you rekindle that love you had of art – and, yes, science – as a child.

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has regular traveling installations that feature masterpieces old and new.

The Chihuly collection has a permanent home on the third floor, and if you have never seen it, you will be amazed what glass can do for your sense of wonder and appreciation for life’s whimsical side.

Want to keep your kid interested in science or find your inner nerd?

Science Museum Oklahoma is interactive and fun. Really fun. Half the problem with science in our culture is that we lose sight of how fun it actually is, and not just blowing stuff up or setting things "Janus" by Josephine Lans, for 12 x 12 on fire. For the dinosaur lovers – everyone, right? – the a year where you can meet local Sam Noble Museum of Natural artists and buy their work.

History on the campus of the We recommend 12 x 12 University of Oklahoma has difrom OVAC, as it features art nosaurs … well, bones anyway. made to that specific size (12 The Hall of Ancient Life is only inches by 12 inches), meaning one of the permanent exhibits, it will fit anywhere in your home though, and the museum is or office. Also recommended: truly one of the most educaRed Dot, IAO’s annual fundraistional and fascinating places in er. If you don’t want to wait for the state. events, drive over to The Paseo Art is more than a passion the first Friday evening of each month. You can meet artists or hobby for some people; it is working late in their galleries, actually how they make a living.

As part of the list, why not add and you can actually buy things “buy local art?” Organizations that look amazing on your walls. such as the Oklahoma Visual Your aunt will never know you threw away the “Wives, Submit Arts Coalition (OVAC) and to your Husbands” cross stitch Individual Artists of Oklahoma (IAO) host events several times she made for your wedding gift.

Miki Kawamura

Chihuly at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art

, A R E M A C , S T LIGHD TRIP ROA

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Chickasha Festival of Lights

Byron Berline (center) PHOTOS: MIKI KAWAMURA BY SHEVAUN WILLIAMS; 12 X 12 ARTWORK COURTESY OVAC; OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART COURTESY OKCMOA; DEADCENTER COURTESY DEADCENTER; CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COURTESY CHICKASHA FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS; BYRON BERLINE COURTESY MARTY LANDERS

ecause no one needs yet another Griswold reference, and because all reviews of Chickasha’s Festival of Lights are variations of, “It’s really beautiful,” we’re just going to recommend you go see what 3.5 million lights look like – when they’re on, obviously. That means you will need to wait until November, but the drive south along Interstate 44 will be worth it. The display is in Shannon Springs Park, and you can stay warm in your car as you drive through. If you don’t like lights, they also have donkeys (for the live nativity), and everyone loves donkeys.

The deadCENTER Film Festival started in 2001, and what began as a couple of friends showing flicks by local filmmakers has morphed into a genuinely international film festival. Held in June every year, the event brings together artists and technicians from all

A packed deadCENTER screening

over the world to screen films, offer classes and panels and meet with fans. Movie junkies already know about deadCENTER, but if you like film at all, this is a must-do.

To make attendance simpler, deadCENTER screens films in multiple locations and at multiple times. Single event tickets are easy to come by if you just want to test the waters, but all-access passes are also available. Nearly every category is represented, including shorts, and where else are you going to see shorts?

YouTube does not count.

The 405 is also home to one of the best bluegrass festivals in the world. Our weird neighbor to the north, Guthrie, hosts the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival every October. Don’t worry about that terminology, by the way; they’re proud of it. They have street parties called “Keep Guthrie Weird.”

International is not hyperbole. The 2015 festival featured artists from Japan, Sweden, Italy and Canada.

(To be fair, Canada is basically Northern America, but they count.) Byron Berline, one of the greatest musicians and storytellers in bluegrass music, makes his home in Guthrie, and it’s possible he helps to draw names such as Suzy Bogguss, Kathy Mattea and John Fullbright. The 2016 festival will be the 20th anniversary.

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T I O D RSELF YOU

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very once in a while you do something out of the ordinary, something way off the well-trod path of your habits, and you realize you will definitely keep doing this new thing.

Bucket lists should include activities that force you to create something, to make a mark, to contribute something, to do something that does not necessarily benefit you. The options here range from the artistic to the philanthropic.

Virtually hidden away just north of NW 10th and Western is Blue Sage Studios, a venue/gallery/studio that's home to glassblowers. The

exciting news is that you can learn how to make glass ornaments of your very own because Blue Sage offers classes through the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. How many kids did not want to combine liquid glass and fire?

If booze is more your thing, why not brew your own beer in 2016? Or make your own wine?

The Brew Shop on N Penn has been helping people make beer and wine since 1995. While

that’s not as long as Trappist monks in Belgium, it is an excellent track record for a local business. It doesn’t even matter what your preferred style is; there’s a kit for it, even if you believe hops is a gift of the gods rather than the bitter pill it actually resembles in flavor.

Clayton Bahr has been working with local businesses and charities for many years every Thanksgiving. His annual Turkey Tango combines the efforts of chefs and restaurants around the city to provide a chef-made meal for the homeless every Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, his advice is that you not volunteer on Thanksgiving.

“There are more volunteers on Thanksgiving than people who need to be fed,” Bahr says. “Volunteer other times of the year when resources are scarce; everyone gives during the holidays.”

Using that solid advice as a guide, pick a reputable charity and give your time for a worthwhile cause. Popular choices

around the metro include the Regional Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, OKC Beautiful, Bella Foundation, Other Options and many, many more. Honestly, a simple Google search will yield more opportunities than you can imagine, and it doesn’t matter what breaks your heart; there is a way to help unbreak the world.

T I L L A C E SOMIGION REL

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ithout belaboring a point: sports.

Some of you are rolling your eyes, but we offer hope, not just the same old recipe. If you love football or basketball, you absolutely should see a Thunder game, or go to an OU or OSU football game. Tens of thousands of people packed into one location to cheer for “their team” creates amazing energy and camaraderie – just ignore the hooligans.

However, if you can’t imagine being a spectator at the country’s most popular professional sports (college or otherwise – that’s a sports

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joke for the insiders), options abound, beginning with roller derby. Sometimes the difficulty of enjoying sports is knowing the rules, and if you think only newbies get confused about them, just tune into sports radio when they open the phones for your neighbors to talk.

Roller derby is amazing for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a rare opportunity for women to be commended for being violent and aggressive. Second, and this is crucial, the rules are pretty basic, beginning with this: The job of the jammer is simply to lap as many opposing skaters as possible without suffering too much physical mayhem. There are a few teams from which to choose in the metro area, and their seasons are typically in spring and summer.

While we are on the subject of female athletes, Oklahoma City gets to play host to one of

the best collegiate contests in any sport. The NCAA Women’s College World Series is at Hall of Fame Stadium every June. If you consider baseball too slow and boring, collegiate softball takes the good parts and does them better. Whether or not you have a daughter who plays, this is one event that will make you exceptionally proud of our city, and you’ll also be amazed at the level of athleticism.

To be fair to baseball, it is a grand old game, and we are lucky to have the Dodgers in town. The Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is one of the best home stadiums in the minor leagues, and fans are regularly treated to good baseball.

However, you may have noticed that a new sport is slowly taking over in our city, state and country. The Oklahoma City Energy Football Club has exceeded everyone’s expectations for professional soccer in the state. You need not join The Grid to enjoy a game, but you will enjoy OKC’s rowdiest fans if you sit close.

, N O I G I L E R L A RE T OF SOR

B

efore getting to the serious business of spiritual or peaceful retreat locations, we should mention an Oklahoma City institution that almost deserves its own category.

Sunday Gospel Brunch at The Boom is strictly adults only, and if you are easily offended, this is definitely not for you.

However, if the idea of drag queens Kitty Bob Aimes and Norma Jean Goldstein doing a lowbrow mash-up of old-time AM radio preachers, Sunday School puppets and televangelist kitsch sounds amazing,

Sunday Gospel Brunch at The Boom

just know that it is. The hosts do two shows every Sunday, and if you volunteer when asked, well, that is on you.

Retreats are good for the soul, or if you don’t like soul talk, they are good for recharging, inspiration or simple rest. St. Francis of the Woods

near Coyle is an ecumenical retreat center for individuals or groups. Not only is it located in the middle of beautiful countryside, there is a gorgeous chapel and well-stocked library for those needing contemplation, meditation or learning.

Take a weekend and disconnect from the electronic hum that follows us all.

St. Francis of the Woods

PHOTOS: BLUE SAGE STUDIOS, THE BREW SHOP AND SUNDAY GOSPEL BRUNCH BY SHANNON CORNMAN; ROLLERDERBY BY AMANDA SMITH OF SUZY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY; ST. FRANCIS OF THE WOODS COURTESY ST. FRANCIS OF THE WOODS

Any list like this will be the product of curating, which is to say, some things will inevitably be left out due to space or bias, and some will be overlooked. For example, things that easily could have made the list include ghost hunting, the Masonic Temple in Guthrie, Pops, Martin Nature Park, the Philharmonic, Red Earth and more things than we could possibly list. Perhaps the best approach is to take the list and just add to it. We really have become a remarkable city in a remarkable state, and that people are finally noticing is testimony to the kindness, curiosity, creativity and Okie-ness of our wonderful neighbors, be they native or not. Have a marvelous, adventurous 2016.

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New Neighborhood Hope?

Fresh development may be on the horizon for northeast OKC

BY BEN FELDER PHOTOS BY SIMON HURST

As Ron Summers drives along Lottie Avenue in northeast Oklahoma City, he recalls the thriving business community that once existed where there now are vacant lots, boarded-up homes and abandoned storefronts on both sides of the four-lane road.

“When I was a kid, maybe 8 or 9 years old, I remember on Lottie we had a grocery store, we had the drug store, a bakery, an ice cream shop and all kinds of businesses,” Summers, 62, says. “Along Lottie, from 13th to 24th, was a thriving community.”

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Those memories come from a time before forced integration in local schools sparked a residential exodus, and a government-led effort to revitalize the neighborhood resulted in demolished buildings and broken trust between the city’s African-American community and City Hall.

Following the court-ordered busing plan in Oklahoma City Public Schools in the early 1970s, the entire school district saw its enrollment plummet by almost half, according to enrollment figures from the district. Since 1971, student enrollment in just northeast Oklahoma City (east

of Interstate 235) dropped by 73 percent, according to district enrollment data.

Summers, who owns several homes in the northeast that he has revitalized and rents out, was not one of those who left.

“I’ve lived in the northeast my whole life,” Summers says.

“I never moved northwest. My sisters have moved up north and they have told me to move up there, but I don’t see it. I’m a home-grown boy; plus things are actually changing for the better.”

Residents in the northeast part of the city, which is predominantly an African-American communi-

“I think it’s great, but you know, talk is cheap. I want to see them do something because it’s always been the city saying, ‘We will do this’ and ‘we will do that.’

But nothing ever came.” – RON SUMMERS ty – zip codes east of I-235 have African-American populations in the high 70 percent, compared to white populations being more than 70 percent on the west of I-235 – have reason to hope for better days, even if they justifiably remain somewhat skeptical.

“That anger and that fear, it was justified,” said Michael Eric Owens, a community development director for the Alliance for Economic Development – that’s the city’s arm in partnering with private developers in specific communities, especially those that utilize tax incentives such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF).

Part of Owens’ job over the past few years has been to work with residents and businesses in

the northeast as the city looks to make another run at urban renewal, completing a promise that wasn’t kept just a few decades ago when Oklahoma City announced plans to demolish and rebuild large portions of the inner city.

But after the demolition created a blank canvas in many northeast neighborhoods, the promised development never came.

“I can honestly tell you, a year and half ago, we couldn’t even have this conversation because people were extremely skeptical, angry and fearful, and we had to deal with that fear, understand it, empathize with it and try to move them along to a point where we could work together,” Owens says. “In the past, development

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minority-owned construction crews to prepare the site for its renovation, and there has been a close conversation with the community about the process, which was not always the case with past plans for redevelopment.

“Ron was so committed to ensuring he has some diversity with his project,” Owens says.

“The first contractor he had put up his fence was a minority contract. He is sort of doing things the right way.”

The new mixed-housing building will complement other recent construction in the surrounding John F. Kennedy neighborhood, which has seen more than 120 new homes built over the past few years.

An even more ambitious development plan might be at the intersection of 23rd and Martin

“In the past, development was done to them.

But now we are trying to do development with them, with the community.” – MICHAEL ERIC OWENS was done to them. But now we are trying to do development with them, with the community.”

The city has created a TIF district where it hopes to use growth in property tax revenue to spark development projects in the northeast. The same tool has been used in the revitalization of downtown, and now the city hopes to stimulate economic growth in a part of town that has been stagnant for decades.

While urban renewal of the ’70s and ’80s resulted in demolished structures and very few rebuilds, Owens said a more community-sensitive and longterm vision attempt is underway.

The city owns hundreds of lots across the northeast and has created new design standards in an attempt to preserve local styles.

“When a developer comes with a plan we say, ‘Don’t start

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with the drawings or the plans,’” Owens says. “We say, ‘Let’s start by talking to the community first.’ That’s a shift in the way things used to be done.”

One of the more visible examples of blight in the community is the former Page-Woodson school, which served as a black high school during segregation before eventually shutting its doors in the early 1990s. Boarded up and blocked off by a chain-link fence for several years, the old school building had been an eyesore to many residents and the site of trespassers, vandalism and fires.

After purchasing the building two years ago, Ron Bradshaw announced a plan to turn the school into an apartment complex offering more than 60 affordable housing units.

Owens said Bradshaw has worked to hire local and

Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where a new Uptown Market grocery store hopes to anchor new businesses and residential units. “[Northeast] Oklahoma City has been forgotten for a long time,” says John Pettis, the city council representative for Ward 7.

“We lack the retail development of other neighborhoods, but that is going to change.”

Pettis, who has been drumming up support for development in the northeast since his election to the council in 2013, said the newly created TIF district will help build a new grocery store that will anchor the new development.

Pettis spoke about the coming development at a September town hall meeting that he said drew more than 1,000 residents from the northeast.

“[Getting over 1,000 people] at the town hall shows that the people of northeast Oklahoma City care about what is happening in the northeast and are in support of it,” Pettis says.

Standing in front of the future grocery store while waiting for a bus, Camilla Wise said she’s hopeful that what’s been promised will be delivered.

“You can look around and see we’ve kind of been forgotten here in the [northeast],” Wise says. “I’m just happy we might have more options here instead of having to travel to other parts of the city.”

Alliance for Economic Development president Cathy O’Connor said the impending project, referred to as King’s Crossing, could provide the spark for future development the community has been missing. “[This] will serve as encouragement for other landowners to

renovate the area,” O’Connor said last August. “The area is on the cusp of an overhaul and ready to provide the community with great offerings.”

For Summers, who has hung onto hope that his neighborhood had better days ahead, the plans seem to have more substance and vision than those that have come in the past.

“I think it’s great, but you know, talk is cheap,” Summers says. “I want to see them do something because it’s always been the city saying, ‘We will do this’ and ‘we will do that.’ But nothing ever came.”

When asked if he thought the current plans including King’s Crossing and the new Page-Woodson school would lead to actual change, Summers paused before letting loose a smile.

“I think this might be different,” he says. “I’m hopeful.”

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THE CENTERPIECE OF

Oklahoma’s Love Story SINCE 1892

BCClark.com

WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE

I Do ing It Right The way to create a blissful walk down the aisle

BY MARK BEUTLER PHOTOS COURTESY OF KINDT EVENTS

T

he marriage of a couple – whether it’s a man and a woman, two men or two women – is a joyous occasion. It’s a celebration of love, respect and commitment. But the perfect wedding day requires a little forethought and some deft attention to detail.

One of the best ways to make sure that perfect day comes off without a hitch is to hire an event planner. We spoke with three of Oklahoma City’s top organizers, and while each has his or her own unique approach to weddings, they all agree that following your hearts is the simple key to a perfect day.

“The best advice I can give someone is to start by hiring a wedding planner,” says Camden Chitwood with Emerson Events and Design. “I am not just saying this because it’s what I do – I promise. A wedding planner will prioritize your needs, (and) keep you relaxed and on track. Aside from that, start by creating your guest list and that will help you determine your venue and, ultimately, your budget.”

Chitwood says friends and family often will give their opinion on how to plan a wedding, but a couple needs to remember this is their day.

Putting too many cooks in the kitchen can be a recipe for disaster. Hire vendors you are comfortable with, and remember early on to decide how much you want to spend. A memorable day doesn’t necessarily need to cost thousands of dollars.

And for those planning a same-sex marriage, Chitwood says there really isn’t much of a difference when it comes to weddings.

“Besides the obvious differences of having two boutonnieres, or two bouquets, at Emerson Events all love is the same,” she says.

Factor 110 is one of Oklahoma City’s trendiest event planning companies. Christina Ford, one of their leading designers, says her first piece of advice is to choose a venue and a date.

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WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE

“That helps set the tone in many aspects of the wedding: theme, budget, what is needed or not,” Ford says. “Once you have a better feel of what the venue may have to offer, you can then start looking into what furniture and décor is needed and what your catering needs will be.”

It’s also wise to start planning early, she says.

Many venues book so far in advance that if a couple has their eyes set on a certain place, planning early ensures a better chance of getting it. Staying calm about any unforeseen obstacles is also a wise move.

“If any last-minute issues arise, keep them in perspective,” Ford says. “Things may not happen exactly as planned, but they always have a way of working themselves out. Just take a deep breath and remember – you are marrying the love of your life!”

Every couple has a different idea of what their perfect day will be, along with certain expectations and dreams. There’s also the potential for a snafu to arise, so it’s wise to be prepared.

“Remember, your guests bring with them the human element, which is what makes the party,” says Kindt Steven Myers, event designer and creative director at Kindt Events. “Make sure your plans include a little margin for the unknown.”

Make a solid plan to ensure gracious hosting, Myers said, and remember to have plenty of help on hand within whatever your budget allows.

“There is a margin for error with any event, but true professionals can help mitigate the differences when the unexpected happens,” he says.

“They will be able to deflect this from you as the host, so you can continue to enjoy and entertain your guests while the pros troubleshoot any issues behind the scenes.”

Hosting can quickly become very expensive, and shortening the guest list will increase the opportunities for your guests to make lasting memories, Myers said. Consider what is most important to you at the end of the day and begin there with your budget.

“Two regrets we hear most on national panels of former wedding clients is that they wish they had budgeted differently, to make allowances for hiring a wedding planner,” he says. “A great wedding planner can work themselves into your budget, and likely will still save you money. Make the decision to have help early. Party planning should be fun. So remember to have fun and make memories, both during the planning process and especially on your big day.”

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INDOOR & OUTDOOR ACCOMMODATIONS

the elegant Bennett-McClendon Great Hall the breathtaking Edith Kinney Gaylord Garden the stately Front Steps INFORMATION OR BOOKING

special events director Corie Mills

G AY L O R D - P I C K E N S

MUSEUM

405.523.3206 | clb@oklahomahof.com

1400 Classen Drive | Oklahoma City 73106 | 405.235.4458 | OklahomaHoF.com Photos courtesy of (clockwise, from top left): Tara Lokey Photography, Tara Lokey Photography, Candi Coffman Photography BRC Photography, and Prints Charming Photography.

WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE

Do This, But Don’t Do That Advice from the pros So you’ve met the love of your life, you’ve set the date and now you want to share the celebration of your love with family and friends. Here’s a list of the top dos and don’ts from Camden, Christina and Kindt that will help you make the most of your big day.

CAMDEN CHITWOOD, EMERSON EVENTS AND DESIGN:

Do: Make the wedding day reflect you as a couple. Add small, personal details that will make people walk into your wedding and say, ‘‘Wow, this is so fabulous!’’

Keep perspective about the small things.

Invest and hire a good, reputable team of vendors.

Don’t: Let other people’s advice get in the way of what you want or envision for your wedding.

Focus too much on what you can’t control, like the weather.

Let planning the wedding get in the way of what is important.

CHRISTINA FORD, FACTOR 110: Do: Be flexible and organized.

Delegate when possible.

Send thank you notes.

Don’t: Sweat the small stuff.

Have too much time between the ceremony and the reception.

Most important, don’t forget to enjoy yourself.

KINDT STEVEN MYERS, KINDT EVENTS: Do: Write a budget.

Hire true professionals and not hobbyists.

Host in the most generous ways you can host.

Don’t: Charge your guests for items – host in the way you would host in your home. You would not hand anyone a glass of wine in your living room and then ask for a five-dollar bill.

Overestimate the amount of time you’ll have on your wedding day – make a plan to delegate and hand off duties so you can relax and enjoy your friends and family.

Worry about the things out of your control. If Cousin John will wear blue jeans when the invitation clearly says “Formal Attire” – if he’s there, he’s come to celebrate you, so allow him to celebrate you in the best way he knows how.

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IGNITE SOMETHING O N LY T H E P E R F E C T C U T C A N U N L E A S H A DIAMOND’S BRILLIANCE.

H E A R T S O N F I R E S T O R E S , A U T H O R I Z E D R E TA I L E R S , H E A R T S O N F I R E . C O M

10633 Western | Oklahoma City www.huntingtonfinejewelers.com

When typical won’t do Valentine’s 2016

Wedding Resource Guide ATTIRE/APPAREL Bella Rose Bridal 405.340.8105 bellarosebridal.biz

La Baguette Bakery & Café 405.329.5822 405.329.1101 labaguette.com

BeLoved Bridal Boutique 405.701.8745 belovedbridalboutique.com

Madison’s on Main 405.872.6717 madisonsonmainstreet.com

The Bridal Boutique 405.801.3377 bridalboutiqueoklahoma.com

Mishelle Handy Cakes 405.348.5938 mishellehandycakes.com

The Bridal Maison 405.775.9020 bridalmaison.com

Nothing Bundt Cakes 405.751.8066 nothingbundtcakes.com

J.J. Kelly Bridal Salon 405.752.0029 jjkellybridal.com

Pie Junkie 405.605.8767 piejunkieokc.com

Meg Guess Couture 405.418.8898 megguess.com

Sara Sara Cupcakes 405.600.9494 405.216.3562 sarasarabakery.com

Men’s Warehouse 405.843.2575 menswearhouse.com

2500 N. MAY • 405.842.2444 9221 N. PENN PLACE • CASADY SQUARE • 405.840.LEAF (5323) WWW.NEWLEAFFLORIST.NET • WWW.NEWLEAFOKC.COM

Moliere Bridal 405.840.0100 molierebridal.com Mr. Ooley’s 405.879.0888 mrooleys.com Spencer Stone Co. 405.608.0586 spencerstoneco.com Steven Giles Clothing 405.607.4633 stevengilesclothing.com Tuxedo Junction 405.946.7853 tuxedojunction.com

CAKES/SWEETS

42nd Street Candy Company 405.521.8337 42ndstreetcandy.com Amy Cakes 405.360.1131 getamycakes.com Andrea Howard Cakes 405.509.5043 andreahowardcakes.com Brown Egg Bakery 405.343.0309 browneggbakery.com Coco Flow 405.524.9500 cocoflow.com

HOME FURNISHINGS • ANTIQUES • ACCESSORIES • GIFTS MAIN STORE 3720 W. ROBINSON • NORMAN WAREHOUSE 3550 BART CONNER DR. • NORMAN THEOSMARKETPLACE.COM • 405.364.0728 •

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Gigi’s Cupcakes 405.286.6200 405.801.2525 gigiscupcakesusa.com

Uptown Candy 405.418.8881 uptownkidsstyle.com You Need A Cake 832.613.3991 facebook.com/you.need.a.cake

CATERING

Abbey Road Catering 405.360.1058 abbeyroadcatering.com Aunt Pittypat’s Catering 405.942.4000 auntpittypatscatering.com Bellini’s Ristorante & Grill 405.848.1065 bellinisokc.com Blue Label Bartending 405.651.8373 bluelabelbartending.com Good Egg Dining 405.652.1182 goodeggdining.com Holloway Restaurant Group 405.202.5306 parkhouseokc.com Ideas in Ice (ice sculpture) 405.495.4423 ideasinice.com Ingrid’s Kitchen 405.842.4799 ingridskitchen.com Kam’s Kookery 405.409.7312 kamskookery.com La Baguette Bistro 405.840.3047 labaguettebistro.com

Bridal Registry Available

[m\ [m\ [m\ [m\ [m\ [m\

[m\ [m\ [m\ [m\ [m\ [m\

WHERE HIGH PERFORMANCE MEETS HIGH STYLE™ 7222 N. Western • Oklahoma City • 405.418.4884

WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE Lottinvilles Wood Grill 405.341.2244 lottinvillesrestaurant.com

Gary Good Entertainment 405.840.2020 garygood.com

Gibson Events 405.830.1689 gibsonevents.com

Juniper Designs 405.464.6356 juniperokc.com

Pepperoni Grill 405.848.4660 pepperonigrill.net

M&M Productions 405.528.3548 okcdj.com

Jane Kelly Weddings and Parties janekellyweddingsandparties.com

Madeline’s Flower Shop 405.341.2530 madelinesflowershop.com

The Prairie Gypsies 405.525.3013 prairiegypsies.com

Nexus Productions Inc. 405.512.4354 nexusproductions.com

Judy Lehmbeck Bridal & Party 405.630.5453 facebook.com/Judy-LehmbeckBridal-and-Party

Rococo 405.528.2824 405.212.4577 rococo-restaurant.com

The Oklahoma Photobooth Company 405.260.7627 theoklahomaphotobooth.com

KINDT Events 405.546.5365 kindtevents.com

Running Wild Catering 405.751.0688 runningwildcatering.com

PartyBox Productions 405.743.8303 okpartybox.com

Stella Modern Italian Cuisine 405.235.2200 stella-okc.com

The SNL Booth 405.720.7777 thesnlbooth.com

West/Urban Johnnie Bar & Grille 405.208.4477 urbanjohnnie.com

T-Bird Mobile Music Service 405.420.9912 tbirdmobilemusic.com

Western Concepts Restaurant Group 405.605.2262 westernconceptsdining.com

EVENT STYLISTS/PLANNERS

ENTERTAINMENT

About Last Night ... Event Planning 405.722.0059 aboutlastnight.net

Box Talent Agency 405.858.2263 boxtalent.com

Emerson Events 405.757.4186 emersonevents.com

Fanswell fanswell.com

Factor 110 405.604.0041 factor110.com

Leslie Herring Events 405.607.6262 leslieherringevents.com

The Wedding Belle 405.250.4998 weddingbelleweddings.com

FLORAL

A Bloom Above the Rest 405.341.2050 abloomabovetherest.com Birdie 405.255.4335 birdieblooms.com Calvert’s Plant Interiors 405.848.6642 calverts.com The French Tulip 405.948.3330 thefrenchtulip.com

New Leaf Florist 405.842.2444 405.840.5323 newleafokc.com Poppy Lane Design 405.225.1008 poppylanedesign.com Tony Foss Flowers 405.843.4119 tonyfossflowers.com Trochta’s 405.848.3338 trochtasflowers.com

RENTALS

Conventions and More 405.949.0641 conventionsandmore.com Eventures Inc. 405.755.3333 eventures-inc.com Innovative Event Solutions 405.286.1254 ies-events.com Marianne’s Rentals for Special Events 405.751.3100 mariannesrentals.com

OKC’S NEW ROWING FUSION FITNESS STUDIO

• ROWING • YOGA • BARRE

430 W. Wilshire Blvd. | Oklahoma City | 405.840.4231 | dhbyfaye.com

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9215 N. PENN AVE. | 405.414.4090 | URBANROWOKC.COM

Mood Party Rentals 405.840.2081 moodpartyrentals.com

Lewis Jewelers 405.703.4644 lewis-jewelers.com

Ely Fair Photography 405.850.9118 elyfairphotos.com

Redeemed Productions 918.728.9122 redeemedproductions.com

INVITATIONS/STATIONERY

Mitchell’s Jewelry 405.360.2515 mitchells-jewelry.com

Holli B. Photography 405.310.8945 hollibphotography.com

Mitchener Farrand 405.842.4243 mitchenerfarrand.com

Kevin Paul Photography 405.819.1280 kevinpaulphotography.com

Pen Weddings 918.645.2695 penweddings.com

Von Wedding Films 918.258.0258 vonweddingfilms.com

Naifeh Fine Jewelry 405.607.4323 naifehfinejewelry.com

Laske Images 405.340.3339 laskeimages.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Lynn Timmons 405.749.4698 lynntimmons.com

Chirps and Cheers 405.509.6336 chirpsandcheers.com No Regrets 405.753.5485 noregretsokc.com Occasions 405.217.8467 occasionspaper.com The Paper Lion 405.348.0952 paperliononline.com

Amanda Watson Photography 405.385.9381 amandawatsonphoto.com

Paper N’ More 405.842.4177 papernmoreok.com

Beautiful Day Images 405.720.7777 beautifuldayimages.com

JEWELRY

Blue Coyote Photography 405.210.7113 bluecoyotephotography.com

B. C. Clark Jewelers 405.232.8806 405.755.4040 405.840.1441 bcclark.com Diamonds Direct 405.608.8802 diamondsdirect.com Huntington Fine Jewelers 405.692.4300 huntingtonfinejewelers.com

Randy Coleman Photography 405.509.9395 randycolemanphotography.com

VIDEOGRAPHY

Cameron Wilson Video 405.689.0564 cwilsonweddings.com

Candi Coffman Photography 405.615.7519 candiphoto.com

Denny Vanderburg 405.201.8882 denny@vanderhouse.com

Choate House Photography & Video 405.802.3611 choatehouse.com

Glorious Day Films 405.887.7995 gloriousdayfilms.com Leslee Leaming Films 405.385.9336 lesleeleaming.com

HAIR & MAKEUP

Chelsey Ann Artistry facebook.com/chelseyannmakeup BRUSHED Salon & Makeup Studio 405.761.2485 dry-shop.com Eden Salon & Spa 405.525.6110 405.231.4772 405.722.3336 edensalon.com Elegantly Finished Faces 405.633.0267 elegantlyfinishedfaces.com L.J. Hill Makeup Artistry 405.819.4649 ljhill.com The MakeUp Bar 405.810.1226 themakeupbar.com Sooo Lilly 405.306.2060 sooolilly.com

PERFECT SKIN Perfect Day

Microdermabrasion Chemical Peels Fractionated CO2 Laser ProCell Microneedling Photofacial IPL Hair Removal Facials Botox Perlane Juvaderm Radiesse & Much, Much More!

Free Consultations january 2016 • 405 magazine

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WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE Splendid Beauty Bar 405.810.5944 splendidbeautybar.com Trichology Salon 405.302.6499 trichologysalon.net

VENUES

1015 Rooftop (Allied Arts Rooftop Patio) 405.659.8751 1015rooftop.com Aloft Hotel Downtown 405.605.2100 aloftoklahomacitybricktown.com Ambassador Hotel 405.600.6200 ambassadorhotelcollection.com/ oklahomacity Boathouse Brides 405.522.4040 boathousedistrict.org The Caliber 405.641.4500 facebook.com/calibermuseum Chisholm Springs Events 405.757.5352 chisholm.thepringsevents.com Colcord Hotel 405.601.4300 colcordhotel.com Coles Garden 405.478.1529 colesgarden.net

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Embassy Suites Norman 405.364.8040 embassysuites3.hilton.com Gaillardia Country Club 405.302.2875 gaillardia.com Gaylord-Pickens Museum 405.235.4458 oklahomahof.com The Greens Country Club 405.775.2113 thegreenscc.com Grisso Mansion – Seminole Nation of Oklahoma 405.382.2445 sno-nsn.gov/grisso-mansion Harn Homestead 405.235.4058 harnhomestead.com Hidden Trails Country Club 405.685.7751 hiddentrailsokc.com IAO Gallery 405.232.6060 individualartists.org The Loft on Film Row 405.208.8836 theloftonfilmrow.com The Magnolia Room 405.641.4500 facebook.com/the-magnoliaroom-826461447404591/

Myriad Botanical Gardens 405.445.7092 myriadgardens.org National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum 405.478.2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org

Rooftop at Plenty Mercantile 405.888.7470 plentymercantile.com/pages/ rooftop Rose Creek Golf Club 405.330.8220 golfrosecreek.com

Oak Tree Country Club 405.340.1010 clubcorp.com/Clubs/Oak-TreeCountry-Club

Sam Noble Museum of Natural History 405.325.7975 samnoblemuseum.org

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club 405.848.5611 okcgcc.com

Santa Fe Depot 405.307.9320 pasnorman.org

Oklahoma History Center 405.522.0745 okhistorycenter.org

Skirvin Hilton 405.272.3040 skirvinhilton.com

Oklahoma City Museum of Art 405.278.8286 okcmoa.com

Southwind Hills 405.837.9463 southwindhills.com

Oklahoma City Farmer’s Public Market 405.232.6506 okcfarmersmarket.com

Upstairs at RED Prime Steak 405.232.2626 redprimesteak.com/showroom

Quail Creek Golf & Country Club 405.286.6714 quailcreekgcc.com Remington Park 405.425.3270 remingtonpark.com River Oaks Golf Club 405.771.5800 riveroaksgolf.com

V2 Events at Vast 405.601.4300 vastokc.com Will Rogers Theatre 405.604.3015 willrogerstheater.com

WEDDING. PARTY. make your day historic

SKIRVI N •

•

CEREMONIES

•

WEDDINGS

S K I R V I N H I LT O N . C O M

RECEPTIONS

•

•

WEDDING NIGHTS

•

HONEYMOONS

•

january 2016 • 405 magazine

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405.888.5353 | kbgallerie.com

kitchens • baths • living spaces

"Great Design has now met Form and Function."

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM: 100 N. CLASSEN, OKC

405.272.0821

www.youngbrosinc.com MARBLE • GRANITE • TILE EST 1969

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home

SHANNON CORNMAN

A CEO’s Sanctuary

Business owner, public policy strategist, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women – Terry Neese wears several hats. Her busy schedule makes free time spent in her Yukon home a treasured resource, but welcoming spaces like the kitchen, with its cool neutral cabinets and countertops, warm lighting from striking crystal chandeliers she found via Overstock.com and cheerful decorative items, make it a pleasure, as well.

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home

HABITAT

Neese’s dining room is a grand space with a unique painting holding court above the table.

It’s a depiction of Oklahoma City’s Bricktown entertainment district, one of four commissioned by the builder of Neese’s previous home, Steve Allen.

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A Legend and Her Lair At home with the driven Terry Neese

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

T

Terry Neese has more energy than you and me combined. She is currently serving as presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina’s national finance chair, while still keeping up with her beloved nonprofit, the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2016. She founded an employment company 41 years ago, and it’s still going gangbusters under the leadership of her daughter Kim. She has squeezed every drop of life out of her years thus far, and odds are good she will never stop. She is a staunchly conservative feminist from Cookietown, Oklahoma, and she is one of a kind.

She has been blessed with a strong streak of determination; after working for multiple personnel agencies that folded, she decided to open her own. At the time, women couldn’t legally borrow money without a male co-signer.

This was 1975. Neese is quick to point out that the law regarding women and lending changed, but not until 1988.

“It was October 25, 1988, HR 5050. I was there,” she says.

Undaunted, she worked out a deal with her landlord to rent space, then to purchase space. When a highway project obstructed access to her building, she kept working but made a mental note to get more involved with local politics.

When her newly renovated building burned to the ground, she found office space just a few doors down, and cobbled together some furniture. Within 24 hours, the company was back up and running: it had hardly missed a beat. And revenue? They quadrupled it.

Neese also is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women. Its mission is to give women – both in the U.S. and abroad; its Peace Through Business program mentors women in Afghanistan and Rwanda – the tools to grow their businesses, pursue greater entrepreneurial ventures and become more active public policy advocates.

Her beautiful Yukon home is her fortress, and she relishes spending time here, where she can slow down, enjoy the company of her 94-year-old mother (who lives here also) and prepare for the next challenge.

One of Neese’s most-treasured pieces hangs on the wall of her office. It is a painting of the White House, done in the late 1800s, before the West Wing was added to the structure. Close examination reveals distinctive tracks from horse-drawn carriages in the snow in front of the building. A collection of Turkish, Greek and Rwandan small art fills the custom-built shelves behind the desk. A decorative spoon was a gift to Neese from the president of Greece in 1995. Rwandan artwork in the form of a hand-woven basket created from banana leaves adorns the wall, a gift from some of the hundreds of women Neese’s nonprofit has helped lift themselves from poverty.

Sentimental curios from Neese’s many travels fill an antique writing desk on the second-floor landing, and are impossible to walk past without closer examination.

Beautiful objects from Afghanistan, Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Japan and Greece are housed here. Neese estimates that she has visited more than 25 Greek islands and loves the history of that country, particularly Patmos, where John the Baptist wrote the Book of Revelation.

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home

HABITAT

The scale of Neese’s master bath is luxurious.

The oversized painting of tulips is a find from one of Neese’s favorite shops, Edmond’s I.O. Metro.

The sculpture originally captured her attention because its subject matter is near and dear to her.

“To me, it clearly looks like three international, ethnically diverse women lifting each other up.”

Neese worked with a designer to create custom window treatments for her new nest. In her bedroom sanctuary (above), neutrals steal the show.

A dozen throw pillows of all sizes and a tufted headboard add drama. Twin hanging sconces and mirror-accented night tables give a formal feeling to the room. Neese’s beloved husband Earl was a man of many talents. He was the accounting arm of Terry Neese Personnel for many years, and was also an author. Poster-sized covers of two of his books (left) hang in Neese’s cozy home theater room on the second floor.

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New & Beautiful... hand-crafted mouth blown glass and silver jewelry

Painted Door gift boutique

®

Bricktown . 124 E. Sheridan . 405.235.4410

©PDG2016

home

DÉCOR

Style Is Served

From top to bottom: Hand-carved wooden tray ($29) from Antique Garden, Norman; Beatriz Ball rectangular tray ($106) from In Your Dreams, Norman; Arendal wood tray with white side pattern ($43) from Antique Garden; Black-and-white Elle tray ($124) from Cayman’s, Norman; Wooden cheese tray with galvanized metal handles ($149) from In Your Dreams; Gold-and-white tray ($150) from Cayman’s; Crema wooden tray with polished silver handles ($94) from Starr Home, OKC

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CARLI WENTWORTH

Trays in all shapes and sizes are great vehicles for serving up decoration; while they are utilitarian, these finds are also stylish, as well as functional. Placed on a coffee or side table, a tray adds a layer of visual interest, and with a vase of flowers, a picture frame or some personal keepsakes, it can be a showpiece to draw attention. - SARA GAE WATERS

dining

Pick Your Pleasure Versatility is a highlight of the dining experience at Meatball House on Norman’s Campus Corner. This trio – top to bottom, a lamb ball drenched in mushroom gravy and topped with gorgonzola; a mixture of fish and potato breaded and fried then crowned with streaks of chimichurri and sriracha mayo; and a beef ball lacquered in barbeque sauce with shredded parmesan – represents a mere fraction of the possibilities in play. While diners can order spaghetti, Italy is only one of the influences at work in this globe-encircling flavor roundup.

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dining

LOCAL FLAVOR

’Round Here Meatball House makes itself home to a world of flavors

BY STEVE GILL PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

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Our Man From Japan appetizer (top), Chefs Andrew Black and Sara Miller with manager Sarah Shearer (above). Chef Black might be the celebrity name in OKC food circles, but he was quick to credit his staff, as well, saying that he considers the restaurant their baby.

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When you try the Meatball Case in point: The three options for appetizers all House, the newest restaurant on orbit the meatball but take the Campus Corner, there are two concept in deliciously different things you should know going directions. The Lollipops present in – no, make that three: It’s not small versions on sticks bathed solely an Italian place; the chef is in a preposterously good peanut the renowned Andrew Black, who sauce that’s savory as it hits has helmed kitchens from Paris to the palate and gets spicier and Las Vegas to South America, and more delicious the more you who OKC diners might recognize eat. Our Man From Japan has from stints at the Skirvin and Vast; a yakitori sauce underneath and he is not afraid to experiment and a chimichurri on top for with big, bold flavors.

“We’re so not Italian,” Black a simultaneously sweet and says through his huge smile, piquant taste. And the French for “we’re all over the world. This Goat Cheese reduces the spheres menu is everywhere, and we to crumbles among chewy bits wanted it that way; we wanted of candied bacon, bell peppers variety, we wanted people to say, confit and near-molten morsels ‘They’re taking meatballs to a of baked chèvre. Any one is a new level.’ People are loving it.” good choice; seeing them togeth To Oklahomans, it might er and sharing them around the seem like an unusual choice for table reinforces the restaurant’s a foundation atop which to erect breadth of possibilities.

Now for the meat, so to a menu. Black explains that he speak, of the menu proper. and partner Rudy Khouri, who Diners navigate it by deciding founded La Baguette in Norman, what sort of protein they want traveled to various countries – options include beef, pork or while working on ideas for a a blend of the two, plus turkey, concept – this is a project three lamb, a vegetable medley and a years in the making. They kept crunchy, breaded mixture of fish running across the tasty spheres and potatoes. Then they choose in multiple food cultures, and whether they want that selection decided to make meatballs their as sliders, or accompanied by a focus. And now, with a prime salad or wedge of focaccia, and location right across from OU, what sort of sauce and cheese they’re rolling out a surprising will top it all off. This approach amount of versatility for visitors. allows for optimal “What we’re about customization, as is giving guests a MEATBALL well as encouraging flavor combination HOUSE experimentation: they might not have 333 W Boyd, Norman Are the lamb balls thought of, but 405.701.8300 meatball.house better in a rich they’re gonna love.”

Getting the Ball Rolling If this sounds promising but you’re not in Norman all that often, here’s some good news: Chef Black is planning for this concept to have a snowball effect. Ground has already broken for a second location of the Meatball House in Deep Deuce, targeted to open later this year, along with a La Baguette Express and a chef’s table concept that Black is confident will knock some socks off. Stay tuned.

(clockwise from top left) Meatballs with peanut sauce, baked chevre, mac and cheese, tomato-basil sauce and pizza; flavors abound in the Meatball House’s kitchen (below).

tomato-basil marinara finished with provolone, or as a miniature burger whose barbeque sauce is sweet and tangy with a hint of cinnamon? Or should you get beef with a mushroom gravy and gorgonzola?

Even the pizza (with mini-meatballs, naturally) comes with a set of tomato-basil, chimichurri and sriracha mayo dipping sauces to encourage giving your taste buds a workout.

And sides range from sea salt French fries to a risotto of the

day to creamed corn, although it’s hard not to recommend the extremely rich mac and cheese – for the record, it’s mac and five cheeses. And yes, you can order it with meatballs, too.

The price tag is also a plus; it’s easy to recommend as a group hangout or date spot, especially in conjunction with the robust drink menu, and worth savoring more than once for its ample and far-ranging variety. After all, the world is big and round and full of flavor.

A Sidebar on the Bar The penny-clad bar is a visual pleasure even without the flat-screen TVs in the back. It’s well stocked with beer, including several local labels and a longer-than-you-might-expect wine list, but the real draw should be the cocktails. Try the Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky (bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and rosemary) or a Painkiller (basically a pina colada, but an excellent one) and you’ll probably become a fan very quickly. I’m not even fond of gin, but I found the Sooner 75 that general manager Sarah Shearer mixed up (gin and Chambord with a splash of lemon and champagne on top) light, fruity and delicious.

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CHEF’S TABLE

SLOW AND SAVORY How to do stew

For his stew, Groth uses the teres major cut of beef. Located next to the tenderloin, the teres major is similar in texture but less expensive, and it’s a favorite of butchers and chefs.

Beef, cubed and seared Diced onion (2 to 1 proportion to root vegetables) Carrots Potatoes Celery Tomato puree Beef stock (Groth makes his own by roasting and then boiling the bones. The good news? Stock is still good after freezing, so make extra and freeze for use throughout the winter.)

1-2 cups of dry, red wine That recipe will feed about six people, or two for a few meals. For a variation, Groth makes shepherd’s pie. (Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, cottage pie with beef, but both are delicious.)

He suggests leg meat for lamb. It needs to cook longer, so the CrockPot is a perfect tool. Since you’ll be adding a layer of mashed potatoes to the finished stew, leave the potatoes out and add green peas (Groth said the frozen ones are fine). After applying the layer of potatoes, brown with a torch or place uncovered in a 400-degree oven for a few minutes.

Cold Weather Comforts Hibernating with Crock-Pot cooking

O

Once the holiday rush subsides, you will probably have exhausted all your desire to spend extra hours in the kitchen. The holiday favorites take more time and care, so January is a chance to back off the special dishes, extended hours and attention to detail. However, it is also one of the coldest months, so food needs to be heartier just to keep us warm.

Jonathan Groth was the 32nd graduate of Chef Kurt Fleischfresser’s training program. After tenures at Platt College and The Tasting Room, Groth accepted the position of executive chef for Outside the Box Restaurant Group, parent company of WSKY and Slaughter’s Hall in Deep Deuce.

Because he is an executive chef, his days are long, so in the winter he relies heavily on his Crock-Pot. Who knew our parents were doing chef-y stuff when they put chili or queso in that old reliable pot?

“I leave the house at six or seven in the morning, and I don’t get home until six or seven in the evening,” Groth says. “I put a stew in the Crock-Pot and let it cook low and slow all day.” - GREG HORTON

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Many of the seasonings associated with holidays are still excellent for stew and sides.

“I use cinnamon, cloves, star anise, ginger and nutmeg,” Groth says. “They work for spiced wine, sides like squash and in the stew. For star anise, you’ll want to take them out once the stew is finished.”

Acorn squash is a favorite side.

Groth slices the squash from top to bottom, scoops out the seeds and then adds seasoning. The rule of thumb – and it’s one of the first rules his grandfather told him – is that you can always add more, but you can’t take any out. Cloves and ginger can become overwhelming really quickly.

“I add a quarter teaspoon at a time until I get it where I want it,” Groth says. “You can use any of those seasonings with meat, even cinnamon, but balance is the key.” - GH

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Tip for reducing wine before using in stew or sauces: Cook on the stovetop in a skillet at medium heat. Waft the steam toward your nose. As long as you get the burn at the back of your nose, the alcohol hasn’t reduced.

When the burn is gone, add to your stew base.

224 johnny bench drive | lower bricktown OKC 405.701.3535 | www.kdsbricktown.com

dining

WINE

Bottles, Beware

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In the world of wine, the phrase “It’s good for what it is” is not damning with faint praise, even if it sounds a bit like that.

Imagine you have been invited to a romantic dinner at your date’s house. You arrive to find the place dimly lit, jazz or some British chanteuse is barely audible in the background, and the table is illuminated with candles on each side of fresh flowers.

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Your date comes in from the kitchen. “Red or white?” he asks, holding aloft Franzia Chillable Red and Bota Box Pinot Grigio.

The wine snob ends the date at that exact moment, begging off for unspecified symptoms of impending illness. The truth is, though, that at least one of those two wines is not bad for what it is.

We asked some certified sommeliers around Oklahoma City to recommend a boxed wine without being snarky, and to explain why it was a good consumer choice. There was a time when a certified sommelier would not have been caught on the record recommending a box wine.

Those days, it seems, are over.

Adam Rott works for Thirst Wine Merchants, a brokerage in the state, but he spent a few years at Broadway Wine Merchants. During his tenure there, he pushed gallons of Arrumaco Rosé of Garnacha (Grenache).

Watching people taste a box wine like Arrumaco for the first time is revelatory. It is clear that our expectations are low when we approach a box, but Arrumaco – both the rosé and the Verdejo (a light white) – destroys expectations.

“Good boxed wine offers a great financial incentive,” Rott says. “The Arrumaco is nearly four standard wine bottles, and at the $30-ish price range, that means high quality wine at about $8 a bottle.”

The three-liter box is standard for box wines, and nationwide, prices range from $16-$20 per box, so Arrumaco is clearly pricey by that standard.

Compared to comparable rosés, though, which typically sell from $10-$12 per bottle, it’s a steal.

Amie Hendrickson is the sommelier at Edmond Wine Shop. She recommends the Viña Borgia from Jorge Ordoñez, one

of the most respected names in the wine world.

“The Viña Borgia is a great find for those who want light, fruity, unoaked reds,” Hendrickson says. “It’s a Spanish Grenache that drinks more like a Gamay.

Buy a bottle to try it out and then keep a box on hand to make sangria or mulled wine.”

Portability and convenience are two other compelling reasons to consider box wine. Having three liters in your refrigerator means fewer trips to the store, less space occupied in a rack or cabinet and the ease of pouring from a spout.

Hendrickson also recommends the La Vieille Ferme red and white, both Rhone-style blends from France. Finding box wines from France is nearly impossible, but La Vieille Ferme took a chance and it paid off.

Priced a little higher than standard three-liter boxes, these wines are of exceptional quality, and if you offered wine snobs a glass of either with the box out of sight, there is zero chance they would know.

On the American side, Tyler Fender of Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club recommended Bandit from Joel Gott. There is an entire line of these wines (Fender prefers the Pinot Grigio) and the quality is virtually guaranteed, as Gott’s name already is synonymous with excellent winemaking. The boxes – Tetra Paks – are eco-friendly and picnic size.

Box wines are certainly worth a try, even if you feel like you need to hide them. A good wine shop such as Broadway Wine Merchants or Edmond Wine Shop will happily make a snark-free recommendation. - GREG HORTON

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

The “cardboardeaux” is growing more popular among certified sommeliers

LUNCH WITH US

will make your day

NW 23rd & Walker | 405.605.3399

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

American A NCHOR DOW N Sip a beer or specialty cocktail and munch on a selection of gourmet corndogs in this fresh Deep Deuce concept housed within repurposed shipping containers.

30 NE 2nd, OKC, 605.8070 $ CA FÉ 501 Rustic stone oven pizzas, fresh salads and specialty sandwiches on house-made artisan breads. Add welcoming atmosphere and enjoy. 501 S Boulevard, Edmond, 359.1501; 5825 NW Grand, OKC, 844.1501 $$ COOLGREENS This healthconscious establishment has a menu, but customization is encouraged; every available component in their salads, wraps and even the frozen yogurt is naturally delicious. 3 metro locations, coolgreens.com $$ DEEP FORK GRILL Crisply elegant atmosphere complements the menu of superb seafood (wood-grilled cedar plank salmon is a house specialty), steaks and accoutrements. 5418 N Western, OKC, 848.7678 $$ THE FIT PIG The flavor is abundant in this Automobile Alley stopover’s selection of grab-and-go meals; the good news is that the chefs have gone the extra mile in formulating them to make sure they’re healthy as well as delicious. The menu covers breakfast, quick salads or heartier meals, and most options are gluten-free, dairy-free or both. 722 N Broadway, OKC, 290.7080 $$ FLINT Approachably casual style, plus the kitchen’s impeccably serious attention to detail in the outstanding contemporary cuisine, winningly combined in the Colcord Hotel. 15 N Robinson, OKC, 601.4300 $$ GU Y UTES The vibe is definitely and deliberately mellow in this Uptown watering hole; the diverse and musically named collection of pizzas and wraps

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and such have a ton of flavor to offer, adding more temptation to the loaded drinks menu and incredible patio. 730 NW 23rd, OKC, 702.6960 $ HEFNER GRILL Upscale fare of hand-cut steaks and seafood plus a tempting brunch to boot, enhanced by a live piano and a spectacular view overlooking scenic Lake Hefner. 9201 Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 748.6113 $$ INTERURBA N Great food (and prices) in casual comfort – while there are plenty of options for the healthconscious on the menu, visitors really should try the chicken-fried steak and anything with honey-pepper bacon. 4 metro locations, interurban.us $$ K A ISER’S DINER A venerable Midtown location is back in business, offering juicy burgers, sandwiches, tempting entrees and a vintage sodafountain experience. The handmade shakes are a summertime must. 1039 N Walker Ave, OKC, 232.7632 $ KITCHEN NO. 324 A seasonally inspired café and craft bakery serving spectacular rustic American cuisine.

Open for lunch and dinner, and a thorough treat for breakfast or brunch.

324 N Robinson, OKC, 763.5911 $ LEGEND’S A Lindsey Street landmark for over 40 years, this casually upscale restaurant still serves exceptional seafood, steaks and more amid welcoming surroundings. 1313 W Lindsey, Norman, 329.8888 $$ ME ATBA LL HOUSE Round, robustly flavored and right up your preferred taste alley given the menu’s customizability, the focus in this Campus Corner restaurant is right where the name says, but the variety in ingredients, sauces and presentation in salads/sandwiches/pizza/pasta gives a surprising breadth of satisfying dining options. 333 W Boyd, Norman, 701.3800 $$ PACK A RD’S NEW A MERICA N KITCHEN They’re not kidding about the “new” – the entire lunch and dinner menus are filled with innovative tastes for a distinctive dining experience. 201 NW 10th, OKC, 605.3771 $$

sculptors, so it’s apt that creativity abounds in these zippy sandwiches, salads, pizza and surprises, including plentiful selections for vegetarians.

3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $ POPS There may not be room in Nichols Hills Plaza for a duplicate of the giant bottle-shaped sculpture found at the Arcadia location, but the incredible profusion of soda varieties will still dazzle visitors – and the sandwiches, salads, burgers and diner fare are certainly worth careful, repeated examination. 6447 Avondale, OKC, 928.7677 $ PROV ISION K ITCHEN The concept sounds deliciously promising: fresh and local meals for the taking.

This Nichols Hills Plaza locale offers chef-prepared portion-controlled meals and salads in a seasonally rotating menu of organic and locally sourced ingredients; perfect for taking a healthy lunch or dinner to go. 6443 N Western, OKC, 843.2310 $ THE R&J LOUNGE A ND SUPPER CLUB A sentimental dining experience with vintage recipes and atmosphere. Seating is limited but the patio is a year-round treat, and the drinks menu is a thing of beauty. 320 NW 10th, OKC, 602.5066 $$ R EDROCK C A N YON GR IL L Rotisserie chicken, enchiladas, pork chops and steak by the lake in a casual, energetic, hacienda-style atmosphere of stone walls and mahogany beams around an open kitchen. 9221 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 749.1995 $$ SAT UR N GR IL L A star of the lunchtime stage in Nichols Hills Plaza, its rotation of daily specials and tasty twists on pizza, sandwiches and salads keep it crowded on weekdays.

Calling ahead is recommended. 6432 Avondale, OKC, 843.7114 $ SCR ATCH Isn’t that the best place for food to come from? Top-of -the-line ingredients are combined into entrees and sides that are carefully concocted in-house, as are the bevy of wondrous craft cocktails. 132 W Main, Norman, 801.2900 $$

PA RK HOUSE The view of the Myriad Gardens adds extra savor to a carefully curated menu of contemporary American tastes. Rotisserie chicken is a specialty, and don’t overlook brunch.

125 Ron Norick Blvd, OKC, 445.7080 $$

SY RUP The most important meal of the day is also the most enticing at this unique breakfast boutique serving a heaping helping of signature dishes (the crunchy French toast is something special) and Stumptown coffee. 123 E Main, Norman, 701.1143 $

PIC A SSO C A F É Their neighbors in the Paseo are painters, potters and

VA ST Keeping your attention on the steaks, seafood and other temptaitons might be difficult; the view from atop

the Devon Tower is truly unparalleled in Oklahoma, making this a fantastic date spot. 280 W Sheridan, 49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$$ V ICEROY GR IL L E Opulent décor, comfortable environs and some outstanding cuisine make a strong recommendation for the Ambassador Hotel’s in-house restaurant; don’t overlook the brunch options. 1200 N Walker Ave, OKC, 600.6200 $$ WA FFL E CH A MPION A food truck that expanded into a brickand-mortar location in Midtown, its gourmet flavor combinations use waffles as the foundation for sweet and savory sandwich treats. 1212 N Walker, OKC, 525.9235 $ W HISK E Y C A K E High-quality locally sourced ingredients, prepared using slow cooking techniques that’s a prime recipe for outstanding dining.

Enjoy – and don’t forget the namesake dessert. 1845 NW Expressway, OKC, 582.2253 $$

Asian CH A E Found near OCU, this pan-cultural treat puts a delectable influence on embracing traditional Korean cuisine and showcasing its versatility by blending its ingredients with dishes from around the world.

Grab your chopsticks and enjoy.

1933 NW 23rd, OKC, 600.9040 $$ DOT WO GA R DEN With an elegantly appointed location, Dot Wo continues its crowd-pleasing legacy of over two decades by pairing sumptuous classics of Chinese cuisine with fiery, fresh sushi. 6161 N May, OKC, 608.2388 $$ GR A ND HOUSE The takes on Asian classics are quite delectable, and this venerable Chinese restaurant goes the extra mile to provide enjoyable ambiance alongside its excellent cuisine.

2701 N Classen, OKC, 524.7333 $$ GUER NSE Y PA R K A hidden treasure on an Uptown back street, reflecting traditional Asian flavors expertly fused with a hint of French influence. Try the chicken lollipops and curry salmon. 2418 N Guernsey, OKC, 605.5272 $$ O A SI A N F USION Sublime quality in a wide span of culinary influences – freshly rolled sushi to fiery curry – in cool, vibrant digs. Call ahead for dinner, because it becomes a packed house in a hurry. 105 SE 12th, Norman, 701.8899 $$

SA II With a dark, rich ambiance that elevates it over its surroundings, the captivating Saii serves expertly done Japanese, Thai and Chinese fare plus an extensive and adventurous sushi menu. 6900 N May, OKC, 702.7244 $$

Bakery CUPPIES & JOE The name is only part of the story: the Uptown nook also holds cupcakes and coffee and pie and live music and a cozy, trendy vibe and more. Park around back and take a peek. 727 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.2122 $ L A BAGUET TE Comfort and exquisite baking make a tres chic destination for brunch and beyond.

They supply pastries throughout the metro, but the source is especially delicious. 1130 Rambling Oaks, Norman, 329.1101; 2100 W Main, Norman, 329.5822 $ PIE JUNK IE A Plaza District haven for serious pie aficionados. Call ahead to order a whole pie or quiche or walk in and choose from what’s on hand; either way the flavors are incredible, and you may never find a better Key lime. 1711 NW 16th, OKC, 605.8767 $ SA R A SA R A CUPC A K ES The ambiance and milk bar make great additions to the variety of specialty cupcakes - selections range from traditional chocolate to blueberry honey and even bacon, egg and cheese.

7 NW 9th, OKC, 600.9494 $

Bar & Pub Food 51ST STR EET SPE A K E A SY A converted house with a perennially packed porch and patio, the joint jumps with energy and the spirits and beers flow with joyous abandon. 1114 NW 51st, OKC, 463.0470 $ THE BA R R EL The menu is wellstocked with intriguing and delicious twists on pub cuisine like shepherd’s pie and shrimp and chips, but the equally ample bar makes it a great spot to relax over drinks as well. 4308 N Western, OKC, 525.6682 $ BLU F INE W INE & FOOD Just south of Main Street, this sleek bar stands out due to quick, courteous service and a menu with gourmet range from mojitos to barbeque chicken pizza to fresh hummus. 201 S Crawford, Norman, 360.4258 $$ THE MON T While the food should tempt palates inclined toward a Southwestern zing, it’s beverages like the beloved Sooner Swirl and the primo patio (with misters) for which this landmark is justly renowned. 1300 Classen Blvd, Norman, 329.3330 $ OA K & OR E A Plaza District port of call built with repurposed rustic materials, it offers more than a handful of creative sandwiches that practically require a knife and fork, as well as a tantalizing selection of

lovingly chosen craft beers. 1732 NW 16th, OKC $ O’CONNEL L’S IR ISH PUB & GR IL L E Beloved by students, alumni and townies alike, it’s served up killer burgers, beer and festive atmosphere since 1968. A St. Patrick’s Day must. 769 Asp, Norman, 217.8454 $ PUB W Multiple sections provide a choice of atmosphere, but the menu filled with choice beer and “new classic” fare from barbeque wings to pork chops is a constant pleasure. 3720 W Robinson, Norman, 701.5844; 3121 W Memorial, OKC, 608.2200 $$ R EPUBL IC GA STROPUB Part beer bar and part upscale eatery, this noisy, amply attended Classen Curve locale pairs a vast selection of quality brews with tasty menu items, including a great burger selection. 5830 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 286.4577 $$

SCHWAB & CO.

SA IN TS An inviting Irish bar in the Plaza District where whiskey and beer offerings pair nicely with classics like shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash or fish and chips. 1715 NW 16th, OKC, 602.6308 $$ SIDEC A R The fully stocked “barley and wine bar” (including wine on tap and plentiful spirits) keeps Automobile Alley patrons fueled, with a few delicious tidbits to boot. 1100 N Broadway, OKC $$ V ZD’S A revamped menu yields a new dining experience in a classic locale on Western – soups, sandwiches and salads can be found in plenty, plus a few special touches and gourmet twists as well. 4200 N Western Ave., OKC, 524.4203 $

Barbeque

A perfect 10.

E A R L’S R IB PA L ACE A popular choice among locals in a genre that’s hardly lacking in options, the local chain pounds out hit ribs and turkey as well as a top-tier burger. 6 metro locations, earlsribpalace.com $ IRON STA R UR BA N BA R BEQUE Named for notorious outlaw Belle Starr, Iron Star specializes in “a unique and tasty spin on comfort food.” While its entrees are excellent, the sides here are equal players as well.

3700 N Shartel, OKC, 524.5925 $$ L EO’S BA R-B-Q Dense, rich flavor and tender texture, delivered in genuine unpolished style for commendable value – no wonder its ribs and brisket are favorites among Oklahoma connoisseurs. 3631 N Kelley, OKC 424.5367 $

Burgers & Sandwiches COW C A L F-H AY This tempting burger spot offers ample flavor combinations, and the delicious never-

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frozen patties are mmmmmassive.

Don’t forget the onion rings. 3409 Wynn, Edmond, 509.2333; 212 N Harvey, OKC, 601.6180 $ THE GA R AGE BURGERS & BEER It can get noisy in the sportsbar atmosphere, but even so your focus will likely be on savoring the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 5 metro locations, eatatthegarage.com $ HIL L BIL LY’S Don’t let the unassuming name throw you; there’s mighty appealing flavor in their tasty land-based or seafood sandwiches, and the licit thrill of moonshine cocktails is a bonus. Kicking back on the shady patio is a genuine pleasure. 1 NW 9th, OKC, 702.9805 $ IR M A’S BURGER SH ACK Handcut fries, hand-breaded onion rings and simply great burgers, especially withNo Name Ranch patties - lean and flavorful thanks to a local breed of cattle. 1035 NW 63rd, OKC, 840.4762; 1120 Classen Dr, OKC, 235.4762 $ LOUIE’S GR IL L & BA R Casually cool and come-as-you-are, these popular bar-type hangouts excel at inexpensive burgers, sandwiches and pizzas - and there’s probably one right nearby. 12 metro locations, louiesgrillandbar.com $

A Bite of the Southwest

Contemporary comfort food in an OKC standard Cheever’s Café in Uptown OKC does a number of things well, but if it has a specialty, it’s dishing up entrees with an extra dash of Southwestern flair. Case in point: the Mixed Seafood Tamale, one of the menu’s most popular dishes. Sauteed shrimp, lobster, halibut and scallops are laced with a mild ancho pepper cream sauce and stuffed in a tamale handmade from sweet potato masa, accompanied by a helping of zesty cilantro rice. It’s just a little spicy, and extremely delicious.

Cheever’s history is as rich as its flavors: The building was once the family home of Oklahoma Belle Cheever nee Cunningham, who had been the first baby born in the brand-new Oklahoma City. The family were florists, and much of their stamp remains on the property, including the large glass flower case that now holds wine bottles and desserts. While it’s been a bastion of the Good Egg Group and cherished local restaurant for more than 15 years, a meal at Cheever’s still feels palpably like visiting a friend’s home for dinner.

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THE MUL E Solid beer and beverage selection plus a delectable array of gourmet grilled cheeses and melts (ingredients range from fontina to figs) fill the menu at this relaxation destination in the Plaza District. 1630 N Blackwelder, OKC, 601.1400 $ NIC’S GR IL L It’s small, it’s crowded … and it’s incredible. It’s only open for lunch and the lines are often long, but the colossal burgers are easily among the metro’s best. Don’t forget some money, since it’s cash-only. 1202 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999 $ S&B’S BURGER JOIN T Good news: these burgers’ exquisite flavors - including such showcase ingredients as peanut butter or a coffee crust - come as sliders too, the better to sample more kinds. 5 metro locations, sandbburgers.com $ T UCK ER’S ONION BURGERS With one burger, one side dish (fries) and one salad, the menu is easy to remember - and the execution makes the meal unforgettable. Add a shake and enjoy. 3 metro locations, tuckersonionburgers.com $

C A FÉ E VOK E Outstanding coffee drinks and other beverages from one of the area’s great caterers; if patrons wish to stick around to sample soup, sandwiches, snacks or sweets, so much the better for their palates. 103 S Broadway, Edmond, 285.1522 $ COFFEE SL INGERS Rocking a brisk, urban vibe on Automobile Alley, it has become a gathering place for genuine java enthusiasts, especially during its periodic educational sampling seminars. 1015 N Broadway, OKC, 606.2763 $ EL EMEN TA L COFFEE Seriously spectacular coffee roasted in-house - the passionate staff is always eager to share knowledge about the process - augmented with locally sourced salads, breakfast options and other treats. 815 N Hudson, OKC, 633.1703 $ R ED CUP Comfortably ramshackle surroundings encourage curling up for conversation over great coffee, baked treats, vegetarian-friendly breakfast and lunch specials and live music. It’s highly recommended. 3122 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 525.3430 $ T, A N UR BA N TE A HOUSE Proving that an establishment’s focus can be at once narrow and broad, these retreats offer over 100 varieties and expert counsel to explore a world of possibili-teas. 511 NW 23rd St, OKC, 7518 N May, OKC, 418.4333 $

Continental BIN 73 Think of it as a wine bar but don’t overlook the tasting menu - diners can fill up on filet mignon or simply top the evening off with tapas while enjoying the full gamut of libations and chic ambiance. 7312 N Western, OKC, 843.0073 $$ BL ACK BIR D A Campus Corner gastropub pairing succulently creative dishes like pot roast nachos with a broad beer, wine and whiskey list.

There’s little on the menu that won’t tempt palates. 575 S University, Norman, 928.5555 $$ CHEE V ER’S Southwesterninfluenced recipes (the chicken-fried steak is a house specialty) and love of seafood drive the contemporary comfort food in one of the city’s finest dining destinations. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$

Coffeehouse & Tea Room

THE COACH HOUSE Definitively among the metro’s most refined, elegant, upscale dining experiences, the rotating menu’s specialties are prepared with classical perfection.

Dress up and prepare to be dazzled.

6437 Avondale, OKC, 842.1000 $$$

A L L A BOU T CH A Universal standards and unusual concoctions (the sweet potato latte is a wonder) in a cheerful atmosphere; the food options are worth investigating as well. 3272 S Broadway, Edmond, 340.9959; 7300 N Western, OKC, 840.7725 $

LOT TIN V IL L ES Rotisserie chicken and wood-grilled salmon are the featured players among a host of Southwestern-influenced entrees, salads and panini; the Sunday brunch is sincerely pretty epic. 801 Signal Ridge, Edmond, 341.2244 $$

QUIT NGUYEN

GOOD TASTE

LUDI V INE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$ THE M A N TEL Marvelous steaks, seafood and other specialties combine with a refined atmosphere and outstanding service to set the stage for a truly memorable meal, especially if you have a date to impress. 201 E Sheridan, OKC, 236.8040 $$$

a wide spectrum of amazing flavors in a few select dishes. 1317 E Danforth, Edmond, 330.4548 $$$ W EST The staff is speedy, the décor sleek and modern, and the entrées - like bucatini with meatballs or roasted salmon and ratatouille - are wideranging but elegantly simple. 6714 N Western, OKC, 607.4072; 1 Mickey Mantle, OKC $$

French

THE MELTING POT Special occasion? Here’s where to make a meal into an event. Specializing in four-course fondue dinners, this Bricktown restaurant rewards a time investment with delectable memories.

4 E Sheridan, OKC, 235.1000 $$$

BONJOUR Make your morning tres bien with marvelously executed breakfast and lunch classics in this petite café - biscuits and gravy to salmon linguine, the menu isn’t vast but the execution is sublime. 3705 W Memorial, OKC, 286.9172 $

THE METRO A perennial favorite that feels comfortably upscale without exerting pressure to impress on its clientele, the far-reaching menu covers culinary high points from vichyssoise to crème brulée. 6418 N Western, OKC, 840.9463 $$

L A BAGUET TE BISTRO Les Freres Buthion have deep roots in the city’s culinary landscape, and this flagship combines fine dining with a great bakery, deli and butcher on site.

7408 N May, OKC, 840.3047 $$

MICH A EL’S GR IL L Thoroughly urbane dining in an intimate setting: the steaks, chops, seafood and pastas are all reliably excellent, and the Caesar salad prepared tableside is the stuff of legends. 2824 W Country Club, OKC, 810.9000 $$$ THE MUSEUM C A FÉ A setting as inspiring as the OKC Museum of Art warrants something special in cuisine: delicately light or delectably robust, its European-inspired menu delights for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. 415 Couch, OKC, 235.6262 $$ PA R K AV EN UE GR IL L A one-ofa-kind dining experience inside the luxurious Skirvin Hilton, blending traditional steak and seafood with the high style of its 1930s setting. 1 Park, OKC, 702.8444 $$$ PA SEO GR IL L Quiet and intimate inside, cheerful and comfortable out on the patio, with an award-winning menu filled with distinctive flavors inspired by the cuisines of Europe in both areas – try the duck salad. 2909 Paseo, OKC, 601.1079 $$$ ROCOCO An “East Coast-style” restaurant with a diverse menu of international dishes, all set off by carefully selected wines to create the perfect dinner pairing. 12252 N May, OKC, 212.4577; 2824 N Penn, OKC, 528.2824 $$ SE V EN47 A Campus Corner hotspot boasting sleek, swank décor, an appealingly broad menu including a tantalizing brunch and a consistently celebratory vibe - in toto that makes this a winner. 747 Asp, Norman, 701.8622 $$ SIGNAT UR E GR IL L Unassuming locale; magnificent culinary rewards.

The expertly considered menu mixes French and Italian flavors to present

Book your gathering in our Wine Room

Photos: Quit Nguyen, quitnguyen.com • CooperHouse: cooper-house.com

German DA S BOOT C A MP Longtime fixture for Deutsch festivities Royal Bavaria has brewed up a second round of exceptional cuisine and magnificent beer in a less expensive, faster-paced location in downtown Norman. 229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $

7408 N May Ave • Oklahoma City • 405-840-3047 labaguettebistro.com

FA SSL ER H A L L Bringing festive German flavor to Midtown via housemade sausages, warm soft pretzels with cheese sauce, duck fries and a heftig beer menu, plus a weekend brunch – what’s not to love? 421 NW 10th, OKC, 609.3300 $ INGRID’S Authentic German fare at its best, including outstanding Oklahomamade bratwurst. Join weekend regulars for breakfast, and remembering the bakery counter. 3701 N Youngs, OKC, 946.8444; 6501 N May, OKC $$ ROYA L BAVA R I A Superb takes on traditional dishes like Weinerschnitzel, Jagerbraten and sausages, plus fantastisch house-brewed beers. The time spent is a worthy investment in this family-style dining hall. 3401 S Sooner, Moore, 799.7666 $$$

Indian GOPUR A M - TA STE OF INDI A A full-service restaurant whose richly appointed interior and attentive staff accord patrons the feel of fine dining, even during the inexpensive and plentifully stocked lunch buffet. 4559 NW 23rd, OKC, 948.7373 $$ MISA L OF INDI A A Norman institution for over 30 years, specializing in tandoori-cooked delicacies and boasting healthy, natural, delicious cuisine served amid splendid ambiance. 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, 579.5600 $$

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

Italian & Pizza BEL L INI’S Tasteful in décor and Italian offerings alike, this romantic nightspot quietly, confidently exudes elegance. It’s worth a visit even if only for a couple of the namesake beverages on the shady patio. 6305 Waterford, OKC, 848.1065 $$ BEN V EN U TI’S Subtly flavored minestrone to rich, hearty ragouts, the splendid menu keeps the booths full and diners planning return trips to this vintage building by the railroad tracks; don’t overlook Sunday brunch.

105 W Main, Norman, 310.5271 $$ C A FFE PR A NZO The atmosphere raises first-time diners’ hopes; the execution exceeds them. Classic dishes, as well as less ubiquitous options that should be better known, are elevated to greatness. 9622 N May, OKC, 755.3577 $$ EMPIR E SL ICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style (that means thin, flexible crust with a lot of surface area to cover in cheese and tasty toppings), it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1734 NW 16th, OKC $

Old-School Excellence

Appreciate the classics at West in Bricktown To say that the Old Fashioned has earned its moniker is completely accurate. Not only can the cocktail’s history be traced back more than 200 years, but the earliest uses of the term “cocktail” itself to refer to an alcoholic beverage described this very concoction.

Its few ingredients don’t leave much room for variation, but West puts its own spin on the Old Fashioned by augmenting fine ingredients – including either Woodford Reserve THE WEST bourbon or Bulleit rye – with OLD FASHIONED fragrant, flavorful bitters crafted in-house. Next time Woodford Reserve bourbon you’re in Bricktown, stop by Sugar cube the new West location on the Cherry and orange bitters corner of Sheridan and Mickey Garnish with fresh cherry Mantle and ask Reese to let and orange you taste why the classics never go out of style.

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GA BR IEL L A’S A fresh chapter in the Giacomo family’s delectable legacy of success in Krebs, McAlester and South Padre; one bite of the chicken piccata or homemade Italian sausage should win diners’ hearts with ease. 1226 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.4955 $$ HIDE AWAY PIZZ A If you’ve been serving a devoted following for over half a century, you’re doing something right. In this case, that’s incredible pizza in jovial surroundings - a true Oklahoma success story. 7 metro locations, hideawaypizza.com $$ HUMBL E PIE PIZZER I A There’s really no need to be humble about this true Chicago-style pizza, boasting perhaps the best crust known to man.

It’s one of our favorites; choose your toppings and think deep thoughts. 1319 S Broadway, Edmond, 715.1818 $ JOE Y’S A creative pizzeria on OKC’s Film Row, Joey’s serves first-rate appetizers and salads along with its mouth-watering pies. Try to budget room for both, but remember to come back for a sandwich or pasta. 700 W Sheridan, OKC, 525.8503 $$ K N UCK’S W HEEL HOUSE Homemade daily with sauces from scratch and local beer in the crust, it’s a tasty and varied stopover for Bricktown wanderers as well as a pizza-lover’s destination in its own right. 103 E California, OKC, 605.4422 $

MONI’S Handmade, New Jersey-style brick oven pizza and authentic pasta recipes from Southern Italy in a casual, comfy ambience (ideal for dates). 17200 N May, Edmond, 285.5991 $$ OTHEL LO’S Garlic bread and warm mussels to tiramisu and coffee – all you could want in a romantic Italian café. The Norman location regularly hosts live music, too. 434 Buchanan, Norman, 701.4900; 1 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.9045 $$ PEPPERONI GR IL L Pizza, salads, seafood and plenty of pasta-powered classics and innovations fill both locations of this local favorite; even the bread is a pleasure. 1901 NW Expwy, OKC, 848.4660; 1000 W Covell, Edmond, 285.5454 $$ PIZZ A 23 The tempting selection of specialty pies on especially buttery, flaky crusts is available for takeout, but dining in is recommended; the Uptown joint’s good beer selection and crisp, urban décor add savor to the flavor.

600-B NW 23rd St, OKC, 601.6161 $$ PIZZER I A GUSTO Neapolitanstyle pizza (which harnesses an extremely hot fire to quickly cook superfine flour crusts and quality ingredients) stars alongside Italyinspired salads, pastas and appetizers.

2415 N Walker Ave, OKC, 437.4992 $$ STEL L A MODER N ITA L I A N CUISINE A luscious spate of legitimately Italian tastes for a casual lunch, or romantic dinner, amid stylish scenery. The weekend brunch offerings are especially superb. 1201 N Walker, OKC, 235.2200 $$ TOMM Y’S ITA L I A NA MER IC A N GR IL L An old favorite returns to the metro to provide fresh, plentiful doses of primo pasta and pizzas, always served with plenty of ambiance. 5516 W Memorial, OKC, 470.5577 $$ UPPER CRUST A chic, contemporary pizzeria and wine bar specializing in wood-fired, thin-crust New York-style pies complemented by a full menu and wine list. 5860 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 842.7743; 1205 NW 178th, Edmond, 285.8887 $$ V ICTOR I A’S A comfortable atmosphere, with local art on its walls and the art of pasta on its plates – the chicken lasagna and linguine with snow crab are especially excellent. 327 White, Norman, 329.0377; 3000 SW 104th St, OKC, 759.3580 $ V ITO’S R ISTOR A N TE Homestyle Italian cuisine in an intimate setting where the staff and management treat customers like guests in their home.

It’s a small space, so calling ahead is recommended. 7521 N May, OKC, 848.4867 $$ THE WEDGE Wood-fired pies crafted from fresh ingredients (the possibilities range from pepperoni all the way to figs or truffle oil) and made-from-scratch

CARLI WENTWORTH

AT THE BAR

sauces. 230 NE 1st, OKC, 270.0660; 4709 N Western, OKC, 602.3477 $$

Japanese // Sushi C A FÉ ICON Tempting sushi, Japanese specialties and delicious spectacles like steak cooked at the table on a sizzling stone fill the menu to bursting with visually splendid and palate-pleasing treats. 311 S Blackwelder, Edmond, 340.8956 $$

BIG TRUCK TACOS It’s nearly always standing-room-only at lunch, but don’t let that deter you; spend a few minutes in line and get an ample reward in the form of fast, fresh, imaginative taco creations. 530 NW 23rd, OKC, 525.8226 $ CAFÉ DO BR ASIL It’s a long way from OKC to Rio, but the savory menu in this Midtown hot spot covers the distance in a mouthful. Even brunch is a spicy, inimitable treat. 440 NW 11th, OKC, 525.9779 $$

MUSA SHI’S Exquisitely flavorful Japanese cuisine prepared with genuine artistry, thanks to the skilled chefs executing culinary performance art at tableside hibachi grills. It’s a great spot for a special occasion. 4315 N Western, OKC, 602.5623 $$

CAFÉ K ACAO A sunlit space filled with bright, vibrant flavors from the zesty traditions of Guatemala. Lunch possibilities beckon, but it’s the breakfast specialties that truly dazzle. 3325 N Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $

SUSHI NEKO An established OKC favorite combining style (sleek, brisk, classy) with substance (in the form of an especially wide-ranging and creative sushi menu). 4318 N Western, OKC, 528.8862 $$

CHILTEPES Chuchitos to atol de elote, this Plaza District ristorante serves as a guided tour to the wondrous flavors of Guatemala, and its patio is perfectly situated to enjoy warm-weather sunsets.

1800 NW 16th, OKC, 601.0384 $$

TOK YO It’s neither huge nor lavishly appointed, and the menu focuses on tradition rather than creativity; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited as among the metro’s best sushi. 7516 N Western, OKC, 848.6733 $$

IGUA NA MEXICA N GRILL Unique Mexican flavor in a fun atmosphere at reasonable prices - a treat from the house-made salsas to the handcrafted cocktails, and all the tastes between. 9 NW 9th, OKC, 606.7172 $$

Mediterranean

MA MA ROJA MEXICA N KITCHEN A festive atmosphere on the scenic shores of Lake Hefner sets off a menu loaded with hand-rolled tamales, vendor-style tacos and signature dishes .

9219 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 302.6262 $$

H A IGET’S Vegan-friendly – and friendly in general, due to the influence of the warm, patient namesake owner – this gem rewards the adventurous with Ethiopian and Kenyan specialties to explore and share. 308 W Edmond Rd, Edmond, 509.6441 $$ MEDITER R A NE A N IMPORTS & DEL I The menu is stocked with authentic, quick and savory options from Greek salad to eye-watering cabbage rolls, and there’s even a minigrocery stocked with select staples.

5620 N May, OKC, 810.9494 $ QUEEN OF SHEBA Practically the definitive example of a hidden treasure, the spicy, vegan-friendly menu of Ethiopian delights awaits the bold.

Bring friends and be prepared to linger.

2308 N MacArthur, OKC, 606.8616 $$ ZOR BA’S For well over 20 years, Zorba’s has satisfied appetites and pleased palates. Serving dishes from recipes passed down through generations, they proudly share flavors of Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Morocco.

6014 N May, OKC, 947.7788 $

Mexican & Latin American 1492 Authentic Mexican cuisine in an elegant atmosphere, combining its caliente flavors with fusion decor to make an ideal spot for a romantic evening ... including perhaps the world’s best mojitos. 1207 N Walker, OKC, 236.1492 $$

TAR AHUMAR A’S Beloved by locals (there’s usually a line but it moves quickly), this airy ristorante serves huge, tasty Tex-Mex classics plus less ubiquitous fare like carnitas de puerco and mole poblano. 702 N Porter, Norman, 360.8070 $$

Batter-fried Lobster Tail Steaks Prime Rib Onion Rings

TED’S CAFÉ ESCONDIDO The universal standard of OKC Tex-Mex comparisons - fast, fresh and amply portioned, it’s often very crowded and always supremely delicious. 4 metro locations, tedscafe.com $$ Y UCATA N TACO STA ND A Bricktown haven for feisty Latin fusion cuisine such as paella and tamales wrapped in banana leaves plus signature nachos and combos … and a selection of over 75 top-shelf tequilas. 100 E California, OKC, 886.0413 $ ZAR ATE’S In addition to the familiar joys of enchiladas and the like, the chef’s Peruvian heritage shines in dishes featuring plantains, yuca and imported spices. Try something different; find something tasty. 706 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.6400 $$

Seafood THE DR A KE The Good Egg Group’s flagship and a standard-bearer for diners who crave excellent seafood, it supplies a passel of chef’s creations

7101 Miramar Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73111 Reservations Recommended 405.478.1417 www.jbruners.com

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featuring the sea’s finest, plus an oyster bar and righteous cocktails. 519 NW 23rd, OKC, 605.3399 $$ L A ND & SEA Chef Sean Cummings harnesses the delicious possibilities of multiple biomes in this savory concept.

Look closely; it’s pretty small, but the sea bass will make you a convert. 7523 N May Ave, OKC, 755.2622 $$$ PEA RL’S CR A BTOW N A huge Bricktown warehouse where the Cajun Crab Boil is a favorite, guests are encouraged to “leave the silverware at home and dig in,” and taste is king. 303 E Sheridan, OKC, 232.7227 $$ PEA RL’S OYSTER BA R A perennial OKC favorite for its flavorful seafood and spicy Creole-inspired dishes: Shrimp Diablo, Tabasco-infused Caesar salads, Andouille omelets at Sunday brunch and more. 5641 N Classen, OKC, 848.8008 $$ THE SH ACK SEA FOOD & OYSTER BA R A massive selection of nicely spiced Cajun and Creole cooking, plus fried and grilled seafood, in an atmosphere that’s not shy about being as casual as it can be. 3 metro locations, theshackok.com $$

Soul Food THE DRUM ROOM March your own drumsticks in for a heap of crispy, juicy fried chicken (among the city’s best) starring alongside fried okra, waffles and a fully loaded bar. 4300 N Western, OKC, 604.0990 $$

East Coast Style Fresh Seafood, Killer Pasta & So Much More.

2824 N. Penn Ave • 12252 N. May Avenue • Rococo-Restaurant.com

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JA X SOUL K ITCHEN The team behind Blackbird and Blu dishes up big ol’ helpings of jambalaya, pork ribs, fried catfish and many more deep South classics for OU-adjacent crowds.

575 S University, Norman, 801.2828 $

J. BRUNER’S AT THE H AUN TED HOUSE Renowned for its spooky past (its name is no accident), it’s a must for its steak, lobster and enduring charm. 7101 Miramar, OKC, 478.1417 $$$ JUNIOR’S The classic restaurant’s decor sets the perfect stage for handcut Angus steaks and lobster to fight for attention with knockout fried chicken. 2601 NW Expressway, OKC, 848.5597 $$$ M A HOGA N Y PR IME STE A K HOUSE The ambiance and service are sublime, but fine aged steak broiled to perfection is the star.

3241 W Memorial, OKC, 748.5959; 100 W Main, OKC, 208.8800 $$$ MEAT MARKET REFECTORy The well-aged steaks are excellent, but they’re the tip of the ample menu’s iceberg: fresh seafood and Australian lamb chops command attention as well, and from Hatch green chili crab cakes to champagne sabayon, the carefully selected flavors pop and sparkle in this prime dining experience. 2920 NW 63rd, OKC, 608.8866 $$$ MICK E Y M A N TL E’S This lushly atmospheric social spot in Bricktown serves powerhouse entrées and sides with a full complement of amenities destined to impress. 7 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 272.0777 $$$ OPUS PR IME STE A K HOUSE It aspires to the ultimate in upscale dining via hand-cut USDA Prime Black Angus steaks, a vast wine selection and intimate ambiance. 800 W Memorial, OKC, 607.6787 $$$ R A NCH STE A K HOUSE Effortless opulence, custom-aged hand-cut USDA Certified Prime tenderloins and ribeyes, served amid warm Southern hospitality.

3000 W Britton, OKC, 755.3501 $$$

K D’S Sleek ambiance, down-home inspiration, pork chops, stuffed catfish, shrimp and grits and more of Kevin Durant’s favorite foods, presented with skill and vim – and a dose of star power. 224 Johnny Bench Dr, OKC, 701.3535 $$

R ED PR IMESTE A K Visionary design and atmosphere house superpremium steaks, vibrant, imaginative flavors and amenities to make some of the state’s best dining. 504 N Broadway, OKC, 232.2626 $$$

Steakhouse

Thai

BOUL E VA R D STE A K HOUSE Perfectly soigné ambiance down to the last detail and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sumptuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard, Edmond, 715.2333 $$$

SA L A TH A I Pineapple curry, basil squid, fried rice with crab, cinnamon beef ... the variety is exceptional, making this Midtown diner a popular midday option. 1614 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.8424 $

BROA DWAY 10 Cruise into the Buick building in Automobile Alley to savor steak supremacy or seafood selections (even sushi) in a cozy enclave amid urban bustle. 1101 N Broadway, OKC, 212.3949 $$$

SW EET BA SIL The enormous aquarium adds to the cozy ambiance; with its outstanding curries and specialty dishes, it makes a great venue for a dinner date. 211 W Main, Norman, 217.8424 $$

C AT TL EMEN’S Almost as old as the state itself, this Oklahoma institution’s immense corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew, OKC, 236.0416 $$

TA NA TH A I There’s a lot to like about the food in this little spot, from red snapper filet to pad thai. Pay special mind to the varied soups, and do not play chicken with the spice level.

10700 N May, OKC, 749.5590 $$

INNOVATIVE INTERIOR DESIGN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SINCE 1950

R AC H E L ZO E Mon - Wed: 9am - 5pm • Thu: 9am - 7pm Fri: 9am - 5pm • Sat: 10am - 5pm heenanshomefurnishings.com 3841 NW 63rd St. • Oklahoma City, OK 405.848.2461

NICHOLS HILLS PLAZA | 63RD & N. WESTERN | 405.842.1478 RMEYERSOKC.COM |

Character in Students In the classroom and in Chapel, Casady teaches ethical decision-making, reinforces virtuous behaviors, and develops compassionate individuals who make a difference.

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travel

INTERNATIONAL

Bali’s Tropical Beauty Exploring an Indonesian paradise

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KISIK RESTAURANT, VILLA POOL AND KECAC DANCE COURTESY AYANA; PURI SAREN PALACE AND DETAILS BY SUSAN LANIER-GRAHAM

I

I first read about the tiny island of Bali as a child.

It fascinated me even then – a distant land with beaches and jungles, coffee plants, exotic spices, flowers, monkeys and temples. My husband and I had a chance to visit this past fall; it was everything I had imagined and more.

The Indonesian province is predominantly Hindu – there are temples on every corner. The reverence the Balinese people have for life is palpable. Nowhere have I ever felt more welcome. It is an island paradise waiting for you to explore.

THE JUNGLES OF UBUD We focused our visit on two areas – the jungles and cultural center of Ubud (about 90 minutes north of the airport) and the southern coast overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Ubud is filled with art, paintings, carvings and dance. The area’s wide green rice paddies are intersected by rivers and jungle-filled ravines. Our remarkable journey began the moment our guide met us at the airport. The roads, like those in most developing countries around the world, were filled with a cacophony of motor scooters, cars, vans and buses creating five or six traffic

lanes on every winding two-lane road. I was thrilled someone else was driving.

LUXURIOUS MANDAPA RESERVE Our stay in Ubud was at the newly opened Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, with 35 suites and 25 private pool villas.

Mandapa reflects a traditional Balinese village with the customary temple, rice paddy and walled homes.

When our driver turned down a side street in the middle of Ubud, I could not imagine we were approaching a luxury resort.

As you pass through the split

gates, however, you know you have arrived someplace magical.

Our exquisite villa sat on the edge of the Ayung River, the massive bedroom decorated in traditional hand-painted Balinese artwork. Its full-sized pool became our favorite spot to relax. At the edge of the pool, only the occasional rafter interrupted our view of the river and the jungle beyond.

(clockwise from top) Kisik restaurant; Puri Saren Palace in Ubud; Puri Saren Palace details; Ocean view villa pool (facing page) Kecac dance

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travel

INTERNATIONAL

BEFORE YOU GO

EVA Air, based out of Taiwan, flies from Houston to Bali via Taiwan. evaair.com Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: mandapareserve.com AYANA Resort and Spa: ayanaresort.com RIMBA Jimbaran Bali: rimbajimbaran.com

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KUBU AND POOL VILLA COURTESY MANDAPA; GADO GADO AND SUNSET AT RIMBA COURTESY RIMBA; SARASWATI TEMPLE BY SUSAN LANIER-GRAHAM

EXPLORING UBUD’S CULTURE AND HISTORY Although tempted to spend every moment at Mandapa, we hired a guide to help us explore Ubud. We watched children learn traditional Balinese dances at the Ubud Palace.

We wandered past blooming lotus in the ponds at Saraswati Temple.

The street market buzzed with locals and visitors shopping for everything from tourist knickknacks to fruits and vegetables.

We wandered past grand stone carvings that my husband only half jokingly tried to figure out how to ship home.

A bit outside Ubud, but well worth the ride, is Tirta Empul Tampak Siring, or Holy Spring Water Temple. Built in 962, this is a place of spiritual rebirth for people from around the globe who bring food offerings and line up to make their way through a series of 12 cleansing fountains.

Back near Ubud, we visited Bali Pulina, where a guide

pointed out some of the local agricultural specialties, including snakeskin fruit, ginger and cocoa. In addition to growing and roasting rich Balinese coffee, Bali Pulina is also home to the infamous Luwak coffee.

The buzz is that this drink is made from the excrement of civet cats, but there’s more to it than that: our guide explained the complicated process of collecting the untouched beans, and then washing, shelling and roasting them over an open fire.

There is also a chance to sample specialties such as ginger tea and pure cocoa.

Our final stop in Ubud was at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Located in the center of town, this is a protected jungle home for hundreds of Balinese long-tailed monkeys.

You can walk the path leading through the sanctuary and past temples to watch monkeys in their natural habitat.

RELAXING ON JIMBARAN BAY After a few days in Ubud, we made our way back south to the joint destination resorts of RIMBA Jimbaran Bali and AYANA Resort and Spa on the island’s southwest peninsula. The resorts are fewer than 10 miles from the airport and offer some of the most breathtaking vistas in the world. We stayed in a villa at AYANA, where a butler answered our every request.

There are multiple restaurants, pools and shops, but the one spot you must not skip is Rock Bar. Getting to it is an adventure. You take an “inclinator” down the side of the mountain, about a half dozen people at a time, to a series of ledges perched more than 45 feet above the crashing waves. The sunsets from here are breathtaking.

For a more traditional Balinese evening, visit Kampoeng Bali at RIMBA. The open-air theater is the perfect setting to

experience the island’s culture and food. A sunset ritual kicks off an evening of celebration, complete with a massive spread of authentic dishes – be sure to sample the gado gado salad with peanut dressing and the nasi goring fried rice – followed by a musical performance of a traditional Balinese tale.

Bali is captivating. It offers a unique culture defined by a friendliness unlike any I’ve experienced elsewhere, along with breathtaking tropical vistas, rich flavors of local spices, smells of incense and flowers in the air and plenty of luxurious pampering. - SUSAN LANIER-GRAHAM

(top) Sunset at RIMBA (opposite, clockwise from top) Kubu at Mandapa; Gado Gado at cooking school; one-bedroom at pool villa; Saraswati Temple in Ubud

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events Playing the Hits

FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

If Western literature has a Holy Grail, this is it – and that’s taking into account everything written about the actual Holy Grail. The Sam Noble Museum is playing host this month to a Shakespearean exhibition based on the First Folio, the 1623 collection of 36 of the greatest plays ever penned, and centered around one of the fewer than 250 copies still extant. (Yes, verily.)

A project of the Folger Shakespeare Library to mark the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare includes a spate of interactive activities and programs, as well as information contextualizing the magnitude of the author and his influence. It’s free to explore Jan. 4-31, so if you’re wondering whether to be or not to be present, go with the former.

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PRIME PICKS

Of Cocoa and Creativity January 30 NCED Marriott A vast hall filled with deliciously sweet creations from dozens of local restaurants, and hundreds of visitors eager to support community arts by sampling from the bounty – it must be time for the 34th annual Chocolate Festival. Proceeds aid the Firehouse Art Center’s commendable visual arts education efforts, so while grabbing a box full of bites, be sure to feast your eyes on their displays, as well.

A Hoedown for Kids’ Health January 23 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Infant Crisis Services calls its annual Boots and Ball Gowns shindig a “friendraiser,” a term that has some merit given that it’s grown from 200 guests in its first year to a sold-out 900-plus in the eight years since. It’s also a great opportunity to pair fancy dresses with Noconas, tuxedo jackets with Levi’s and bolo ties, and relish the festivities. Joining in even provides financial support so ICS can aid babies in need.

It’s a Bout Time January 14 Bricktown Events Center

Dreams of Spring

January 15-17, State Fairgrounds

However cold and dreary it might be now, spring is coming. That makes this a fine time to start thinking about a new and greener season, and to get inspired with ways to make your great outdoors even better. The Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show gathers more than 500 vendors and experts in landscaping, home remodeling and interior design – from HGTV host Matt Blashaw to local gardeners and manufacturers – to provide a burst of enlightenment and excitement for future projects.

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That is to say, it’s the perfect occasion to don a tux, savor a cocktail or two, light up a cigar and get set for a full evening of professional boxing and mixed martial arts matches: OKC Charity Fight Night is back. Undisputed star Evander Holyfield serves as this year’s host for a card packed with brawls – headlined by reigning heavyweight kickboxing champ Randy “Boom Boom” Blake – to benefit the juvenile support programs of the OKC Police Athletic League.

Ding ding!

events

ON FILM

Ten at the Top

5. THE DIARY OF A

TEENAGE GIRL It’s been a long time since I felt legitimately surprised by a movie, but rookie writer-director Marielle Heller did it for me in this unflinching adaptation of Phoebe Gloeckner’s graphic novel. Newcomer Bel Powley, astonishing as 15-year-old heroine Minnie Goetz, is by turns selfish, volatile, vulnerable, funny and angst-ridden. In other words, she is as real and rewarding as The Diary of a Teenage Girl itself.

The best films of (most of) 2015 It wouldn’t be a new year without a Top 10 list from a film critic, and far be it from me to trample on time-honored tradition. Before reading this subjective take on 2015 at the movies, however, bear in mind the caveat that as of this writing, your humble reviewer (that’s me) has not seen a handful of widely anticipated films, including Joy, The Revenant, The Hateful Eight and some obscure revival of a defunct sci-fi franchise.

7. ROOM A high school girl

10. ABOUT ELLY Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi earned international acclaim in 2011 for his Oscar-winning A Separation, but his cinematic genius was evident in About Elly, which predates that picture but only last year received a proper worldwide release. In detailing a group of vacationing friends from Tehran, Farhadi finds an ideal canvas for examining the complexities of relationships.

is kidnapped by a psycho and held captive in a garden shed for seven years, during which time she is raped and gives birth to a child. That horrific (and sadly plausible) scenario might not sound like the stuff of human uplift, but the ambitious and absorbing Room rejects easy categorization. Brie Larson is excellent as the young mother, while Jacob Tremblay is a revelation as her 5-year-old son.

the Red Planet, but The Martian’s true star is its intelligent and exciting storytelling.

8. BEST OF ENEMIES 9. THE MARTIAN If this adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestseller doesn’t inspire a generation of kids to become scientists, then nothing will. Director Ridley Scott knows his way around outer space (Alien, Prometheus), but here he keeps the science rooted in reality. Matt Damon plays a resourceful astronaut stranded on

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2015 boasted an abundance of fascinating documentaries about everything from Amy Winehouse to the uprising in the Ukraine, but perhaps none were as wry, sly or flat-out entertaining as this chronicling of the televised debates between conservative pundit William F. Buckley Jr. and leftist novelist Gore Vidal during the 1968 presidential conventions.

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4.

LOVE & MERCY Few movies about musicians nail the creative process, which makes Love & Mercy all the more remarkable. In chronicling the story of Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson (played by Paul Dano and John Cusack in various periods of life), who persevered despite mental illness and the clutches of a charlatan therapist, the biopic captures the dizzying exuberance of the recording sessions that resulted in the seminal Beach Boys album “Pet Sounds.”

6.

99 HOMES Film critic Roger Ebert was an early and enthusiastic champion of indie filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, so it is fittingly touching that Bahrani dedicates 99 Homes, his finest work to date, to the late reviewer.

Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield are extraordinary in this Faustian tale of greed and seduction amidst the 2007-2008 subprime mortgage crisis. Ebert would be proud.

3.

BRIDGE OF SPIES Steven Spielberg’s best film in nearly 20 years looks back to the Cold War for subject matter, but its themes – patriotism and adhering to ideals despite fear and hatred – pulsate with modern-day urgency.

Tom Hanks is solid as James B. Donovan, the real-life lawyer who represented Russian spy Rudolf Abel and brokered the freedom of American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, but Mark Rylance, who portrays the Ruski spook, manages to steal his every scene.

2. CAROL Todd Haynes’ tale of a forbidden love affair set in the repressed but oh-so-stylish 1950s, Carol is awash in the meticulous period detail that characterized

CUSTOM DEVELOPMENT Application Architecture Design & Development Solution Consulting and Design the director’s Far From Heaven in 2002. Cate Blanchett is entrancing as the title character, but Rooney Mara is every bit her equal as a department store clerk who falls hard for the middle-aged woman.

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Much like the four-person investigative journalism team depicted in the film, Spotlight is no-frills, straightforward and devastatingly effective. Director-writer Tom McCarthy’s inkstained newspaper thriller is reminiscent of 1976’s All the President’s Men, only this time the culprit isn’t merely a presidency, but instead a Catholic Church hierarchy in Boston that covered up the crimes of pedophile priests. An ensemble cast that includes Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams does justice to McCarthy and Josh Singer’s lean, riveting script. - PHIL BACHARACH

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events

SPEAKERBOX

ROCK N’ READ

Petty: An American Boy

Life’s Rich Pageant Kacey Musgraves’ rhinestone revue comes to the 405 It seems that contemporary female country music has been defining feminism of late as the angry ranting of a crazed bitch hell-bent on revenge. It mostly started with “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks in 1999, in which an abused wife murders her husband by poisoning his black-eyed peas. Soon after, Miranda Lambert set fire to her ex-boyfriend’s house in “Kerosene,” and Carrie Underwood destroyed Tony Romo’s perfectly good Ford F-150 pickup truck with a baseball bat in “Before He Cheats.”

Kacey Musgraves is a progressive feminist singer-songwriter who doesn’t resort to extreme measures. At 27, she’s an old soul who preaches empowerment, rationality and no patience for intolerance.

She’s also brutally honest as her song’s characters assess their lot in life.

Born in Golden, Texas, Musgraves was recording for an independent label until she signed with Mercury Nashville in 2012. Her Mercury debut, “Same Trailer Different Park,” was a smash hit that featured “Merry Go ‘Round” and “Follow Your Arrow.”

She continued her storytelling on “Pageant Material,” one of last year’s best albums. In just two releases, Musgraves has been able to create a quirky trademark by combining self-deprecation and worldly reflection. Traditional country and western listeners were initially appalled by her daring lyrics. “Mama’s hooked on Mary Kay/Brother’s hooked on Mary Jane and Daddy’s hooked on Mary two doors down,” she sings on “Merry Go ’Round.” On the titular song of her latest, she sheepishly admits, “I ain’t pageant material, I’m always higher than my hair.”

Lyrics and personality and her classic cowgirl pin-up image are all part of her packaging and appeal. She’s engaging because she’s so honest and tongue-in-cheek. Her “matter of fact” homespun advice comes shining through in “Biscuits.” “Pourin’ salt in my sugar won’t make yours any sweeter/Pissin’ in my yard ain’t gonna make yours any greener,” she sings, before she extols you to “Mind your own biscuits, and life will be gravy.” She’s like an inexpensive life coach, except she wears a pink cowboy hat and bustier.

The Kacey Musgraves Country & Western Rhinestone Revue continues its trek across America with a visit to the 405 this month. Though she played the 918 last fall, she makes her debut in the metro with the “Pageant Material” tour. Musgraves will perform Jan. 22 at the Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S Eastern. Tickets for this all-ages show are available at Buy For Less locations, and by phone at 866.977.6849. More information can be found at diamondballroom.com. - JERRY CHURCH

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Among the slew of rock and roll biographies on diverse artists such as John Fogerty, Elvis Costello, Chrissie Hynde and Tom Petty that were released in the last few months, Petty’s was perhaps the most curious. While I’ve always liked his songwriting and early records with the Heartbreakers, I never thought of Petty as a compelling artist with great stories to tell.

Before Gregg Allman and Sammy Hagar released their respective biographies, I anticipated both books were going to be fantastic reads (and they were), because I could easily identify with the tragedy and triumph with both musicians. With Petty, I always found his interviews to be aloof and drama-free. I knew his history of working with legends such as Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. I knew he had problems with certain members of the Heartbreakers, and that he battled for years with his record company over pricing, production and control. But I didn’t know his duality, his demons and his personal motivations until reading Petty: The Biography.

Written by former Del Fuegos guitarist Warren Zanes, a self-described “super fan,” the book unveils the darkness that helped shape Petty’s life and music.

Zanes is not only an ex-musician who toured with Petty, but is an academician and historian, as well. Zanes’ capabilities help him to carefully detail Petty’s previously unknown heroin abuse, as well as the future star’s boyhood, living in an abusive Florida household.

A large portion of the book focuses on the emergence of Petty’s band the Heartbreakers, and the acrimony of dealing with the music business. These stories showcase why bands break up and how money and the clash of egos become insuperable barriers to making good music. At 65, Petty has earned the right to tell his life story, and Petty: The Biography is a good one. - JC

Can’t Stop the Signal How I learned to love iTunes and digital music I never hated iTunes; I just wasn’t a fan. I had my reasons. I used to own a record store, so I was predisposed to appreciate vinyl. Also, I was never into singles. I made an early habit of buying the whole album.

When compact discs took over, my collection went from one shoebox in 1984 to two rooms of floor-to-ceiling shelves in my house today.

In the mid-1980s, compact discs were still in limited production, and most artists released their music on vinyl and cassette first. There were only a few manufacturing plants globally that could make CDs, so sometimes it would take months for CDs to hit the stores.

For the few years before simultaneous formats, I would generally buy the vinyl first and wait for the CD. One day in the mid ’80s, I foolishly assumed that everything was going to come out on compact disc, and I got rid of all of my vinyl.

What I didn’t anticipate was that record company contractions and mergers would create a situation where a large chunk of music from the ’80s was never going to be released on CD. Compact discs had a great ride as the primary format for popular music until spring 2003, when the iTunes Store was introduced. While digital music has a substantial share of pop music available, and despite the mild resurgence of vinyl for audiophiles, CDs are still the most accessible music format for music collectors and archivists. But digital music has its appeal: It’s instantaneous. Download it and it’s ready to play.

For the last few years, when I was bored on a Friday night, I would sit at the computer and play YouTube roulette. Just think of an obscure video, search YouTube and see if it pops up. As if by magic, almost every time it seems someone in this small world has uploaded the video, probably sourced from a homemade VHS tape.

A few weeks ago, I opened iTunes and started searching for lost music from my youth. I unearthed a treasure trove! I found an unreleased record from Candy, Gilby Clarke’s power pop band. Face to Face, a Boston-based new wave band that released two records on Epic, can be found on iTunes. I even came across the Producers’ “You Make the Heat,” featuring one of my favorite songs, “She Sheila.” I rediscovered long-out-of-print records from Nik Kershaw, Tony Carey, Prism, Shooting Star, Red Rockers and A Flock of Seagulls.

Another great thing about the digital catalog is that most of the albums are available for $5.99. That’s actually cheaper than when they were originally released on vinyl 30 years ago. So, I’ve come around to iTunes. It now has a place in my heart … although I still refuse to listen to music using ear buds. - JC

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on the radar

WANT TO SEE MORE? Visit our online calendar at 405magazine.com

“Monarch” by Marissa Raglin

Present Perfect

Oklahoma Contemporary Celebrates Now Normally, the general public being familiar with your fundraiser would be a good thing, not a potential cause for concern. But since this event’s organizer and beneficiary is the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, and the fete is called ArtNow, doing the same

Dance

W Covell Road, Edmond, 274.1638, edmondoutdooricerink.com

CINDER EL L A Jan 25 They’re back! The magnificent Moscow Festival Ballet returns to Armstrong for a one-night-only performance of the Prokofiev masterpiece.

Armstrong Auditorium 14400 S Bryant Road, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org

DOW NTOW N IN DECEMBER Through Feb 1 Downtown OKC 301 W Reno Ave, OKC, 235.3500, downtownindecember.com

SL EEPING BE AU T Y Jan 26 It’s a long trip back to Russia, so here’s one more for the road: the magnificent Moscow Festival Ballet returns to Armstrong for a one-night-only performance of the Tchaikovsky masterpiece.

Armstrong Auditorium 14400 S Bryant Road, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org YOUNG CHOR EOGR A PHER’S SHOWC A SE Jan 28-31 A juried array of the freshest moves mapped out by OU School of Dance students.

OU Reynolds PAC 560 Parrington Oval, OKC, 325.4101, ou.edu/finearts

Events ONGOING EDMOND OUTDOOR ICE RINK Through Jan 10 Mitch Park 1501

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2ND FRIDAY CIRCUIT OF A RT Jan 8 A monthly community-wide celebration of creativity, focused on historic Downtown Norman. Norman Arts Council 122 E Main St, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org LI V E ON THE PL A Z A Jan 8 Vendors, artists, residents and passerby unite for a monthly fiesta. OKC Plaza District 1618 N Gatewood Ave, OKC, 367.9403, plazadistrict.org OKC HOME & GA RDEN SHOW Jan 15-17 Three days of blissful anticipation for the coming of spring; get ideas, products and expert guidance to get your green thumb back in shape. State Fairgrounds 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd, OKC, 301.5525, oklahomacityhomeshow.com AUTO A LLEY SHOP HOP Jan 21 Discounts, giveaways, special mini-events and have-to-be-there fun fill this monthly mercantile excursion.

Automobile Alley 1015 N Broadway Ave, OKC, 235.3500, automobilealley.org

405 magazine • january 2016

thing year after year would hardly be ideal. So while the exhibition and sale on Jan. 22 still combines art, cocktails and company for a can’t-miss evening, guest curators and local creativity all-stars Kelsey Karper and Julia Kirt have ensured an all-new viewing experience.

“With the ArtNow exhibition now in its fifth year at Oklahoma Contemporary, Julia and I decided to bring a fresh approach by including only artists who have never been featured in this show before,” Karper says. “Oklahoma has an abundance of artistic talent, and we think ArtNow is a perfect venue to introduce audiences to new artists.”

From ceramics to CGI, painting to photography, fine metals to light-emitting diodes, this year’s 25 artists span a wide range of media, attitude, traditions and technology. Guests will also find a variety of price points, with artworks starting as low as $50.

You can get a sneak peek at these fresh creations when the exhibition opens Jan. 11, and more than 100 works will go on sale at the party on Jan. 22. To get tickets or more information, visit oklahomacontemporary.org/events/artnow/ or call 951.0000. And this might go without saying, but: act now. - STEVE GILL

A RT NOW Jan 22 They’re Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center; of course they want to focus on the present and the finest in fresh creations at their glittering annual soiree. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd, OKC, 951.0000, oklahomacontemporary.org SNOW FL A K E GA L A Jan 22 The United Way of OKC announces its fundraising total for the previous year and applauds the donors and volunteers who helped amass it. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 523.3502, unitedwayokc.org BOOTS & BA LL GOW NS Jan 24 There’s still a bit of time to polish up your “Yee-ha!” before this westernthemed gala benefiting Infant Crisis Services, but get tickets now. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 778.7608, infantcrisis.org CHOCOL ATE FESTI VA L Jan 30 It’s the sweetest thing in town - the Firehouse Art Center’s yearly fundraiser lets visitors sample treats by dozens of elite local restaurants. Don’t overlook the kids’ art activities! NCED Conference Center 2801 Hwy 9 E, Norman, 359.4523, normanfirehouse.com

SPEAKER IN THE CIT Y Jan 31 The Junior League launches a new series of inspirational guest presentations by welcoming strength trainer and life coach Jillian Michaels. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 843.5668, jloc.org UPCOMING CHOCOL ATE DECADENCE Feb 4 An annual event that’s a perennial sellout, the smooth soiree features jazz, wine, champagne, coffee and plenty of taste excursions in chocolatey bliss.

Hudson Essex Lofts 825 N Broadway Ave, OKC, 618.8820, downtownokc.com OPER ATION RELIEF Feb 6 A Mardi Gras theme enlivens the Red Cross’ evening of food and fun entitled “All Bets on Red,” whose proceeds help support disaster relief services. Grand Casino 777 Grand Casino Blvd, Shawnee, 228.9500, redcross.org/okc

Film CL A SSICS SER IES Jan 5-26 Catch a masterpiece you missed the first time around or just want to re-experience on the big screen check online for the featured flicks.

Harkins Theatres 150 E Reno Ave, OKC, 321.4747, harkinstheatres.com

CIRCLE THE ATER SHOWS Jan 7-31 The OKC Museum of Art screens overlooked treasures and unsung independent films for cineastes who want to step outside the multiplex.

OKC Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive, OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com

Galleries

get a chance to vie for prizes and show off their creativity in this annual show organized by the Fine Arts Institute.

Edmond Community Center 28 E Main St, Edmond, 340.4481, edmondfinearts.com

ONGOING JA MES SUR LS Through Jan 3 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave, Nichols Hills, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma

HOL I DAY A RT E X T R AVAG A N Z A Through Jan 10 Kasum Contemporary Fine A rt 1706 NW 16th St, OKC, 604.6602, kasumcontemporary.com

COW BOY CROSSINGS Through Jan 3 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org

PA SS WOR DS Through Jan 22 I AO Gallery OKC, 232.6060, individualartists.org

BERT SE A BOUR N: A MER IC A N E X PR ESSIONIST Through Jan 9 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Museum OKC, 235.4458, oklahomahof.com

CH R IST I E OW EN Through Jan 31 Verbode OKC, 604.7947, christieowen.com T H E SECR ET L I F E OF T H E CI T Y Through Feb 12 The Underground OKC, 235.3500, downtownokc.com BR EN DA K I NGERY Through Feb 29 Exhibit C OKC, 767.8900, chickasawcountry.com/exhibitc JA N UA RY AT T H E EL MS Jan 1-Feb 4 The cozy gallery in the Paseo is home to intriguing art, inside and out: this month it celebrates the legacy of pioneering artist Oscar Jacobson alongside a collection of white pieces by gallery talent. JRB A rt at the Elms 2810 N Walker Ave, OKC, 528.6336, jrbartgallery.com F I N E A RTS I NST I T U T E Jan 4-29 The FAI hosts a collection of colorful works created by guest artist Christina Hagemeier. Fine A rts Institute of Edmond 27 E Edwards St, Edmond, 340.4481, edmondfinearts.com HE A L ING ST UDIO E X HIBITION Jan 8-23 The Firehouse hosts a collection of pieces produced by participants in its open class for older adults or those with learning disabilities. Firehouse Art Center 444 S Flood Ave, Norman, 329.4523, normanfirehouse.com

OKLAHOMA CITY

Museums

ONGOI NG R ET R ACI NG Through Jan 8 M A INSITE A rt Gallery Norman, 360.1162, mainsite-art.com

F U R I E S A N D GR ACE S Through Jan 23 The Project Box OKC, 609.3969, theprojectboxokc.com

ARTS COUNCIL

EN TER THE M ATR I X: INDIGENOUS PR IN TM A K ERS Through Jan 17 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma QUILTS A ND COLOR Through Feb 7 OKC Museum of Art OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com

ART MOVES

FREE DAILY ARTS PROGRAMMING

WEEKDAYS AT LUNCH IN DOWNTOWN OKC LET’S GET SOCIAL: #ARTMOVESOKC ARTSCOUNCILOKC.COM

COL L ISION A ND CR E ATION Through Feb 21 Sam Noble Museum Norman, 325.4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu NAVA JO W E AV INGS FROM THE PA R R ISH COL L ECTION Through May 8 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org

BIRTHDAY, WEDDING DAY… ANY DAY!

THE A RT OF CL A NCY GR AY Through Dec 30 Red Earth Museum OKC, 427.5228, redearth.org GA L IL EO’S WOR L D Through Aug 31 Across the OU Campus 401 W Brooks St, Norman, 325.4142, galileo.ou.edu F IRST FOL IO Jan 4-31 This traveling exhibition centers around one of the bare handful of first editions remaining in the world of William Shakespeare’s iconic plays. Sam Noble Museum 2401 Chautauqua Ave, Norman, 325.4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu A N A RTF UL OBSERVATION OF THE COSMOS Jan 22-Apr 3 Part of the campus-wide Galileo’s World project, this astronomical exhibition combines works from the museum’s permanent collection with books from the Bizzell Library. Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma

A RT NOW Jan 11-22 Brandnew pieces contributed by some of Oklahoma’s top working artists … all of whom are new to this year’s event. Oklahoma Contemporary A rts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd, OKC, 951.0000, oklahomacontemporary.org

Music

YOU T H IMPR ESSIONS Jan 18-28 Students from across the state

R I V ERW IND SHOWS Jan 2-29 The Casino hosts a flood of

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music this month: the Casey Donahew Band Jan 2, Elvis impression expert Travis LeDoyt Jan 9, Eric Paslay Jan 16, Tank featuring Ginuwine Jan 23 and the Randy Rogers Band Jan 29.

Riverwind Casino 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com

NEW YEAR.

NEW YOU.

NOON TUNES Jan 7-28 Free lunchtime serenades to sonically spice up your Thursdays: Jenny Rucker and Miho Fisher Jan 7, the Savoy Trio Jan 14, Adam & Kizzie Jan 21 and Carter Sampson Jan 28. Downtown Library 300 Park Ave, OKC, 231.8650, mls.lib.ok.us JA ZZ L A B SHOWS Jan 8-26 A mass of music for UCO students and the community as a whole: fresh jams from Shortt Dogg Jan 8 and three installments of the UCO Faculty Artist Concert Series with Caprilli/ Johnson/Searle Jan 12, the Brisch Center’s historical performance Jan 19 and clarinetist Jenny Rucker Jan 26.

UCO Jazz Lab 100 E 5th St, Edmond, 359.7989, ucojazzlab.com

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BLUE DOOR SHOWS Jan 8-30 Self-billed as “the best listening room in Oklahoma,” it certainly has some of the best music, including Samantha Crain and Will Johnson Jan 8, Kyle Reid Jan 13, Joe Ely Jan 22 and Sam Baker Jan 30 - check online for updates. The Blue Door 2805 N McKinley Ave, OKC, 524.0738, bluedoorokc.com PHILH A RMONIC: A M A STERPIECE - A SURPRISE Jan 9 With guest Stephen Hough at the piano, the OKC Philharmonic showcases its musical skills by sharing Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique Symphony as well as a Dvorak concerto never before performed in OKC. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org W INTER W IND: V ICTOR & PENN Y Jan 10 A new month of the Depot’s Winter Wind series begins courtesy of this must-hear antique pop duo, featuring Prohibition-era jazz and a blazing ukulele. Santa Fe Depot 2 S Mickey Mantle Drive, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org

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405 magazine • january 2016

SA R A SA NT’A MBROGIO Jan 14 The Grammy-winning cellist and founding member of the all-star Eroica Trio exhibits the erudition of her bow in an all-Chopin recital.

Armstrong Auditorium 14400 S Bryant Road, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org DI A MOND BA LLROOM SHOWS Jan 16-29 Crank it up on the south side with Aaron Watson featuring Kevin Fowler Jan 16, Kacey Musgraves Jan 22 and outlaw singer Shooter Jennings Jan 29. Diamond Ballroom 8001 S Eastern Ave, OKC, 866.977.6849, dcfconcerts.com W INTER W IND: HORSESHOE ROA D Jan 17 Their special genre blend is known as Heartland Acoustic; catch a passionate performance from a widely traveled but purely Oklahoma

combo. Santa Fe Depot 200 S Jones Ave, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org BRIGHTMUSIC: PI A NO & FRIENDS Jan 18 Brightmusic welcomes pianist Tanya Bannister to take the central instrument in this quartet of classical pieces. St. Paul’s Cathedral 127 NW 7th, OKC, brightmusic.org DOC SEV ERINSEN Jan 19 One of the all-time great bandleaders (and one mean performer on the trumpet, even at his age), Severinsen will swing through a big band set with the aid of the OKC Jazz Orchestra. OCCC Theater 7777 S May Ave, OKC, 682.7576, occc.edu/cas A F TER HOURS FR IDAY Jan 22 Relax after a long week over a glass of wine - and get cozy, because the evening features the soothing sounds of star musicians Annie Oakley. Native Spirits Winery 10500 E Lindsey St, Norman, 329.9942, nativespiritswinery.com L INDA EDER Jan 22 Broadway Tonight’s season resumes with the lush, powerful, genre-spanning voice of the international songstress. UCO Mitchell Hall Theater 100 N University, Edmond, 974.3375, uco.edu/ cfad/broadway RHONDA V INCENT A ND THE R AGE Jan 22 Don’t be fooled by her backup band; Vincent is no death-metal howler but “the Queen of Bluegrass,” with vocal and mandolin chops to spare.

OCCC Theater 7777 S May Ave, OKC, 682.7576, occc.edu/cas GR A ND CASINO SHOWS Jan 29 It should sound great at the Grand this month, thanks to a special performance by continental rockers Europe. Grand Casino 777 Grand Casino Blvd, Shawnee, 964.7263, grandresortok.com POPS: DO YOU HEA R THE PEOPLE SING Jan 29-30 The OKC Philharmonic Pops Series rolls on with a concert combining the heart-stirring drive of two famous musicals from one creative team: “Les Miserables” and “Miss Saigon.” OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org W INTER W IND: CA RRIE NEWCOMER Jan 31 Her name belies her years of experience touring the country and world; she paints, sculpts, writes and shares her soaring, emotionally resonant voice with rapt listeners at concerts like this. Santa Fe Depot 200 S Jones Ave, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org UPCOMING M A RI ACHI LOS CA MPEROS Feb 4 This ensemble dedicated to spreading the love for Mexico’s musical traditions has a solid legacy of its own: they’ve been touring internationally for more than 50 years.

Armstrong Auditorium 14400 S Bryant Road, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org

Sports OU MEN’S BA SK ET BA L L Jan 2-26 The Sooners’ house should be packed as they square off against Iowa State Jan 2, Kansas State Jan 9, West Virginia Jan 16 and Texas Tech Jan 26. Lloyd Noble Center 2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman, 325.2424, soonersports.com OSU MEN’S BASKETBA LL Jan 2-27 The season rolls on for the Cowboys as they host TCU Jan 2, Oklahoma Jan 13, Kansas Jan 19 and Baylor Jan 27. Gallagher-Iba Arena 1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater, 877.255.4678, okstate.com THUNDER BASKETBA LL Jan 4-29 Another push for the Finals is underway - Thunder up! OKC faces Sacramento Jan 4, Memphis Jan 6, Dallas Jan 13, Minnesota Jan 15, Miami Jan 17, Charlotte Jan 20 and Houston Jan 29. Chesapeake Arena 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 208.4800, nba.com/thunder OSU WOMEN’S BASKETBA LL Jan 9-30 The season rolls on for the Cowgirls as they host Texas Jan 9, Oklahoma Jan 16, Iowa State Jan 20 and TCU Jan 30. Gallagher-Iba Arena 1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater, 877.255.4678, okstate.com OU WOMEN’S BASKETBA LL Jan 10-27 The Sooners’ house should be packed as they square off against Kansas State Jan 10, Texas Tech Jan 20 and West Virginia Jan 27. Lloyd Noble Center 2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman, 325.2424, soonersports.com OKC BLUE BA SK ETBA L L Jan 12-28 The Thunder’s D-League affiliate brings its A-game to battle Texas Jan 12, Los Angeles Jan 22 and 25, Bakersfield Jan 23 and Rio Grande Valley Jan 28. Cox Center 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 208.4667, oklahomacity. dleague.nba.com OKC CH A RIT Y FIGHT NIGHT Jan 14 The great Evander Holyfield hosts a black-tie evening (for spectators) of enjoying a drink, a cigar and several bouts of top-tier pugilism, benefiting the OKC Police Athletic League. Bricktown Events Center 429 E California Ave, OKC, 706.7484, okcfightnight.com

IN TER NATIONA L F INA LS RODEO Jan 15-17 Cowboys and girls saddle up and ride for glory in 8 different events, with World Champion status (and prizes) awaiting the victors.

State Fairgrounds 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd, OKC, 948.6800, iprarodeo.com/ifr/

Where Vintage Industrial Meets Farmhouse Charm

PBR IN V ITATIONA L Jan 22-24 Brave riders and seriously big bulls tear up the dirt in three days of brawling, brawny action. Chesapeake Arena 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 800.745.3000, chesapeakearena.com

Theater FROM W HITE PL A INS Jan 8-30 Thoughtful, passionate and poignant, this play examines the power of the past as two grown men deal with ramifications from a highschool tragedy. Carpenter Square Theatre 800 W Main, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com JERSEY BOYS Jan 12-17 The musical tale of the smooth pipes and big dreams of some kids named Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, courtesy of Celebrity Attractions. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 800.869.1451, celebrityattractions.com

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CONDESCENDIN’ W HITE BOYS Jan 21-31 A scathingly funny and culturally resonant theatrical examination of some of the ongoing stereotypes plaguing American citizens with African ancestry. It might get raw.

OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 626.6605, okctheatrecompany.org A S LONG A S W E BOTH SH A LL LI V E Jan 21-Feb 14 It’s not really a question of cold feet, more that comedic contrivances keep popping up between Addison and the altar. Now if only she can beat the rap on killing the wedding planner … Jewel Box Theater 3700 N Walker Ave, OKC, 521.1786, jewelboxtheatre.org

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january 2016 • 405 magazine

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backstory

Haute Cuisine in The Cellar at Hightower

Chef John Bennett (second from left) and a staff of skilled cooks and waiters created marvelous dining experiences in The Cellar at Hightower, a culinary jewel beneath its namesake building (above).

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405 magazine • january 2016

Fifty years is a pretty long time in the life of a city, especially if that city is only around 126 years old to begin with. Consider Oklahoma City in the 1960s: The clothes were different, the cars were different, the politics were different … and dining out was about to reach new heights by going underground.

In 1964, Chef John Bennett took a small tearoom in the basement of the Hightower Building at 105 N Hudson and turned it into one of Oklahoma City’s premier dining establishments. The Cellar at Hightower introduced Oklahomans to fine dining unlike anything they had seen before.

“We set the standard,” Bennett recently told 405 Magazine.

“There was nothing like it in Oklahoma City then. It was elegant, it was pricey and it was a totally new experience.”

Diners entered via stairs or an elevator into a foyer with black and white marble floors.

Down the hall was the main dining room.

“Mr. Hightower wanted everything to be opulent,” Bennett says.

“He owned The Store at Frank Hightower Hightower, which was next door to the restaurant, and it carried Waterford china and Baccarat crystal. Downstairs in The Cellar, the red carpeting had gold wreaths, the tablecloths were snowy white and the damask napkins complemented the china and silver, which was stamped with the Hightower family crest.”

The menu was equally elegant. Cellar specialties included New England clam chowder, Filet of Beef Lucius Beebe and Chicken sauté with Scotch whiskey, morels and cream. The dessert cart featured Mama Bennett’s four-layer coconut cake, luscious chocolate mousse and Cellar three-layer chocolate cake with fudge filling and White Mountain icing.

Notable patrons included everyone from Boston Pops maestro Arthur Fiedler to legendary Broadway star Carol Channing.

The Cellar closed in 1984, but Bennett says it remains today just as it was when they turned out the lights.

“It is really like a time capsule,” he says. “The fine paintings that hung on the walls are still in storage there; the stock pot remains, and on a recent trip back, I opened a cabinet and found about 150 fish knives,” he laughed. “Those were good days.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

F

BY MARK BEUTLER

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