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in this issue

JULY 2016

Features

40

GET OUT AND DINE Al fresco is the way to go for summertime events … as long as you plan ahead. Selecting the right food, beverages, decorations and accouterments is essential, and with these tips from OKC experts, you can make certain your party is entertaining rather than enervating.

46

FOUR IN FIVE

Live music in Austin, exquisite paintings in Bentonville, a scenic ramble through Palo Duro Canyon – travel broadens the mind and enriches the soul, and it can be especially rewarding to just jump in the car and go. If you’re feeling a bit of wanderlust, these four destinations within about five hours of OKC are ideal getaways.

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

AQUARACER CALIBRE 16 CHRONOGRAPH

Cristiano Ronaldo is born to break all the records. His motivation is to win at every occasion to challenge the human statistics. Like TAG Heuer, Ronaldo surpasses the limits of his field and never cracks under pressure.

in this issue

JULY 2016

In the 405

fabrics to give your home a fresh face for summer.

ment of OKC’s rapidly developing riverfront; finding great new favorite merchandise in little boutique Shop Good; luggage for style and convenience in the long haul; correcting misconceptions about Oklahoma’s Capitol dome; finding funding for nonprofits dedicated to sharing the arts; a chat with a.m. anchor Lacie Lowry; carousing with bar patrons who’ve passed a certain age.

Dining

13 The fun and excite-

65 On beyond salad OKC efforts to enhance the community’s appreciation for thoughtfully prepared vegan fare; a grilled lamb recipe that truly cuts the mustard from star Chae chef Taylor Desjarlais; Paseo Grill’s absolutely divine duck breast; sampling the complex concoction Sage & Sour at Blu in Norman is a wise decision.

Travel

34 Territory Ahead

80 Filled with a rich sense of history, top-tier entertainment and sublime cuisine, a taste-filled Deep South sojourn to the hotspots of Atlanta is immensely rewarding for travelers.

M.J. Alexander delves into history on the hoof while visiting the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s rodeo graveyard.

38 Creatives World-traveling fiddle ambassador Kyle Dillingham never tires of sharing music with audiences; it’s the performing connection that keeps his playing fresh.

Events

83 The fearsome pre-

54 Culture New laws governing Oklahoma’s beer, wine and liquor sales are on the ballot in November, but some merchants caution their passage could result in a painful hangover for consumers.

Home

59 Julie Richardson, who loves her art-filled abode almost as much as she loves her neighborhood, is perfectly at home in the Heights; Fabulous

ON THE COVER

4

Seaside Serenity

76

Balmy breezes, blue water on every side and the traditional greeting of “Bula, bula!” on every lip – there is no shortage of pleasures to luxuriate in while visiting the tropical paradise of Fiji. However, as writer Matt Payne discovers, one of the most lasting joys is the sense of being welcomed into a family by the islands’ inhabitants.

historic snake known as Titanoboa stars in a new exhibit at the Sam Noble Museum; OKC native Megan Mullally returns to the metro with star husband Nick Offerman – and a comedy showcase – in tow; the annual Fiberworks exhibit showcases new spins on an old art form.

In Every Issue 8 From the Editor 10 Web Sights 26 On the Scene 70 Food and Drink 86 On Film 88 Speaker Box 92 On the Radar 96 Backstory

Brenna and Ross See in their Heritage Hills backyard, where they love to entertain guests. Photo by Shannon Cornman

405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

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JULY 2016

VOLUME 2 • NUMBER 7

Publishing Director Scott Crystal scrystal@openskymediainc.com Editor-in-Chief Heidi Rambo Centrella heidi.centrella@405magazine.com EDITORIAL 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

oined Recently rej JAChurch) Twitter (@ ar hiatus.

-ye after a six

Contributing Editor Terry Clark

Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Mark Beutler, Jerry Church, Brett Dickerson, Christine Eddington, Lauren Hammack, Greg Horton, Matt Payne, Elaine Warner ART Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@405magazine.com

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FROM THE EDITOR

Got a Getaway?

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

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

SIMON HURST

I’ V E BEE N T RY I NG to plan a summer getaway since last fall. So far, it’s failed miserably. Planning trips – not my jam. The good news is that it’s turned into a fall trip … if I can get my act together. I’ve got the place locked down, it’s nailing down the dates and working around everyone’s schedules that leads to the unavoidable blood-pressure spike. So, I procrastinate.

And that’s working real well for me.

Now, weekend trips closer to home? I got this. Throw a few personal items in a bag, download an audiobook or three, fill the gas tank and drive a few hours to a not-too-faraway city (or all-but-deserted town) of your choosing. It’s easy! No need for a rental car, and you can roam as you please – with or without company.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dissing the whole plan-a-vacation notion, it just seems more of a laborious chore to me. So if you’re interested in a closerto-home weekend escape, check out Matt Payne’s 4 in 5 (page 46), in which he lists where to stay and what to do, see and eat in four locations that are five-ish hours away from OKC. Consider your trip planned, compliments of Matt.

Of course, many of you might enjoy an even closer-to-home getaway, such as in the oasis of your own backyard. Hey, you can do that, too. For our cover story this issue, Christine Eddington spoke with event planners and other party-throwing pros to put together some simple, sage advice. The informative guide of dos and don’ts (page 40) for entertaining outdoors will solve all your planning woes (unfortunately, it does not apply to my personal woe of trip planning – that’s a work in progress). Our panel of experts even addresses the best food and drink for such a soiree.

Speaking of alcohol, Greg Horton spoke with area retailers and brokers about some ramifications of SB 383 and SJR 68, and aims to shine some light on the proposed liquor laws and the potential impact such measures might have on local businesses in his Blurred Lines feature (page 54). Hopefully this read will inspire you to vote in November and let your voice be heard. You’ll be seeing more coverage about additional issues that need addressing this November in upcoming issues of 405 Magazine; please take time to read and weigh in. We always enjoy your feedback.

Peace, in the name of voting (and vacationing).

© CAMBRIA 2016

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Web Sights What’s online at 405magazine.com

Notes From the Road In his profile (p.38), violinist and fiddler Kyle Dillingham shares that one of the factors that keeps his music sounding fresh is the spirit of collaboration with his audience – if you’re interested in being on the other end of that equation, his 405 Thank You Tour continues around the metro and state this month. For performance dates and locations, check out our online calendar of events at 405magazine.com/ calendar or visit horseshoeroad.net. And get ready to share the musical wealth.

Winning Time It’s summertime, and the livin’ is delicious: One of our most popular giveaways is back in full swing as The Friday $50 continues to end readers’ weeks on a savory note.

Each Friday in July, we’ll be giving away $50 worth of some of the city’s most delectable dining in the form of gift cards and certificates to leading area restaurants. To enter, keep an eye on our e-newsletters (you can sign up for free at 405magazine.com/newsletters/) and be ready to click the link within. We’ll draw a winner at random each Friday at noon – so you could have something extra to celebrate just by staying in touch with the 405.

Forum for You So what do you think? We’re always interested in hearing readers’ reactions and opinions, and that means we’d love for you to drop us a line.

Feel free to share your thoughts by emailing feedback@405magazine.com, and we might share them with readers in a future issue. Thanks for writing!

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

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in the

Rapid Transit

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Local residents and more distant visitors alike are experiencing a surge of interest in the Oklahoma River – already an Olympic training site, the recent addition of the Riversport Rapids complex and ancillary diversions for guests of all ages is making it an even more popular destination. Time to get out on the water.

JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

13

in the 405 PLACES

Riversport Rapids, OKC’s shooting star MIK E K NOPP, Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation execu-

tive director, envisions Riversport Rapids and its surrounding grounds as Oklahoma City’s public beach. “Riversport Rapids is a game-changer,” he asserts. “In addition to becoming a unique travel destination, it will also have a tremendous impact on Oklahoma’s outdoor culture. We hope it will help to inspire a healthier lifestyle.”

The installation is visually magnificent, and its engineering is incredible. The rapids are powered by six huge pumps, each weighing 12,000 pounds, which at full throttle could fill an Olympic-size swimming pool in 80 seconds. They can be adjusted for people of all skill and adrenaline levels, from the novice recreational rafter to the elite Olympic athlete, and up to 2,000 people can enjoy the course in a single day.

“The water volume can be turned way down for rafting groups that include children, or for tubing, or it can be turned up for a more gnarly ride,” says Elizabeth Laurent, senior director of marketing and sales for the Boathouse District. “Every rafting adventure begins with a trip talk given by the raft guide, who is with you in the raft the entire trip. It’s a real river rafting trip.”

A day pass costs $39 and includes access to all Riversport activities in the Boathouse District and at Lake Overholser, except for the SandRidge Sky Zip. “It’s absolutely free to come out and walk around and watch the rafting,” Knopp says. “We’re also planning lots of fun activities

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

GO WITH THE GLOW Free family fun nights, called GLOW Nights, will happen on alternating Friday nights – and there’s zero charge to attend and enjoy the movie and activities. Food trucks will be on hand for those wishing to buy dinner or a snack, but picnics are welcome, even encouraged. The GLOW night movie lineup: Goosebumps July 8, Ant-Man July 22, The Goonies Aug. 5, Pixels Aug. 19, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (ooh!) Sept. 16, and a double billing of Hotel Transylvania 2 and Beetlejuice Oct. 28.

Knopp, Laurent and Newby were each as emphatic as emphatic can be that the Oklahoma River is there for everyone to enjoy, no matter whether you’re buying a ticket. So grab the kids, pack a basket and a blanket and head to the river for fun all summer long. - CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

that the whole community will enjoy, like family rafting days, summer movies viewed floating in a tube, urban camping and twilight tubing, which will be toned down and relaxed.”

STAY AND PLAY “Urban camping will be available Saturday nights this summer,” adds Greg Newby, Boathouse Foundation marketing coordinator, listing the remaining dates of July 16, Aug. 13 and Sept. 18. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and tent sites are available on Rapids Island, the grassy area in the middle of the whitewater channels. Cost is $50 per tent, and urban campers are responsible for bringing any gear they might require.

SPLASHY CINEMA Floating Films are geared toward older kids and adults, and are $15 per tube. The Friday night movies are screened from 7 to 10 p.m., and the remaining lineup is water-themed: Oxford Blues July 15, Jaws II July 29, Without a Paddle Aug. 12, Captain Phillips Aug. 26, and The Perfect Storm Sept. 9. (Viewers need not worry about being lost at sea.)

Urban Style with Farmhouse Charm

shopping • kids area• lumber company • workshoP 28000 sq ft warehouse • Food trucks

in the 405 FAVORITE THINGS

Like It Says on the Sign

Retailer Shop Good lives up to its name

T HE STOR E’S NA M E isn’t inaccurate, but don’t take it at face value: Audrey and Justin Faulk are being modest. “Shop Good” does have a better ring to it than “shop great” … but some might say great is probably a little understated, as well.

The Faulks slowly began “dipping their toe into retail” by selling their screen-printed tees at festivals and art walks before they dove into what is now Shop Good in 2009. The small house on NW 9th that’s been converted into retail space has a surprisingly welcoming feel: windows spilling in natural light, a big front porch and, when weather allows, the front door wide open and waiting to welcome you in for mercantile delight. With those same screen-printed tees and other curated items that are carefully handpicked by the husband and wife team, you definitely feel at home. Audrey says, “We are committed to sourcing products that are good for you, for the artisan who crafted them and for the planet.” – SARA GAE WATERS

“Part-Time Rapper” kids tee, $18 Designed and hand-printed by Shop Good on a USA-made shirt with eco-friendly ink. Sizes 3mo – 6T.

Oklahoma City market bag, $68 Generously sized jute and leather tote with water-resistant lining.

Handcrafted at a fair trade co-op in Bangladesh.

“I [heart] Your Butt” card, $4 Designed and hand-printed by Shop Good. Blank inside for your own sentiments.

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

Glass bead necklace, $36 Handcrafted at a fair trade artisan cooperative in India.

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

“Stay True” patch, $5.50 Iron-on inspiration, designed in Kansas City.

OKLA sweatshirt, $45 Designed and hand-printed by Shop Good on a USA-made lightweight pullover.

Thunder tee, $26 Unisex fit, designed and hand-printed by Shop Good on a certified sweatshop-free soft cotton shirt.

The Truman shave set, $20 for regular colors (pictured), $30 for chrome From Harry’s, American-owned & German-engineered.

Includes plenty of extra blades and shave gel.

Audrey and Justin Faulk

WHAT’S GOOD, NEIGHBOR?

Dreamcatcher, starting at $12 (the one pictured is $65) Handmade in Oklahoma with traditional deer sinew, leather and cruelty-free feathers.

SHOP GOOD 3 NW 9, OKC | shopgoodokc.com

Handmade porcelain hanging planter, small $39, large (pictured) $49, double (2-tiered) $89 Perfect for indoor plants.

You’ll find a generous amount of merchandise to choose from in Shop Good: jewelry, eyewear, tees, tanks and sweatshirts to stationery, kitchen items and art. However, generosity goes way beyond the range of their inventory.

“We’re always looking for goods that encourage us to live generously,” Audrey says, “to both appreciate and enjoy what we have, as well as share our lives with our neighbors.” And speaking of neighbors, they love their location.

“We can’t imagine a friendlier place to call home than Oklahoma City. It’s the perfect combination of big city energy with small-town values. And it’s been a dream to be part of the renaissance of the urban core, with new mom-and-pop shops, family-friendly parks and vibrant public art sprouting up on every corner.”

So far, so good. Or, rather, Shop Good.

JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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in the 405 TRENDS

Getaway Gear It’s in the bag!

SU M M ER M E A NS T R AV EL , and travel means baggage. Not the emotional type, the “pack your bags and let’s get the heck out of here” kind. Both the long weekend and the week-long vacation will have you in need of some type of luggage, so why not go in style? From the hardcore and heavy duty to the cute and stylish, here are some possibilities for about every kind of trip you can imagine. Happy trails and safe travels! - SARA GAE WATERS

Velocity backpack duffel, from Kambers, OKC, $70 Pathfinder Gear high performance duffel, from Kambers, $170

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Pink stripe carryall, from Kambers, $37.50

Kayla leather tote, from Anthropologie, OKC, $298

Merrimon Weekender, from Anthropologie, $148

Majolica Weekender, from Anthropologie, $158

405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

Peace Love World wheeled suitcase, from Kambers, $200

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Day Trekr by Mosaic leather duffel, from Kambers, $199.99

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in the 405 OKLAHOMYTHS

Over the Top At home with no dome

A SK A R A N DOM Oklahoman about the Capitol – the building that houses our state gov-

ernment – and if they don’t mention oil wells or Ten Commandments or “American Ninja Warrior,” or make reference to its current architectural disrepair, odds are good they’ll say something about the dome. It was the subject of much discussion when built, well after the building itself, but did we really need one to avoid the ignominy of being different than other states?

THE CLAIM: The original State Capitol building, completed in 1917, 10 years after statehood, went without a dome for almost a century – the only statehouse in the nation without one.

SOURCE: Oklahoma Magazine, Feb. 2016 FACT CHECK: Eleven U.S. state Capitol buildings do not have a dome: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Virginia. It’s 12 if you count Nebraska, whose Capitol is surmounted by a 400-foot tower that has its own diminutive dome on top.

HOWEVER: Oklahoma is unique in that it was the only domeless Capitol to have had a dome in its original blueprints, designed by Solomon Andrew Layton. Construction on the $1.5 million building, inspired by classic Greco-Roman architecture, began July 20, 1914, and concluded on June 30, 1917; as money grew tight and World War I dragged on, the dome was ruled superf luous. In advance of the state centennial, private funds were raised for the project – which came with a price tag of $21 million, 14 times more than the original building – and construction on the long-awaited dome began in 2001. The addition was dedicated the next year on Nov. 16, Oklahoma Statehood Day. SOURCE: Oklahoma Department of Libraries So the Sooner State’s seat of government now has a distinguished-looking chapeau. Economic concerns being what they are, however, the recently proposed addition of a reflecting pool and arch (at an estimated $28.5 million) may not be in the cards. Although Hawaii’s citizens got its Capitol a pool … - M.J. ALEXANDER Editor’s note: Oklahoma is rich with history, lore and fun facts … but some of them aren’t quite factual. In this series, M.J. Alexander hunts for the accuracy – or lack thereof – behind some of our state’s stories.

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

in the 405 NONPROFITS

In Search of Arts Funding I T ’S NO SECR ET that the state of Oklahoma is in the midst of an unprecedented budget crisis. Cuts to education, health and human services and other agencies have been in headlines for months. As those cuts begin to take hold, the trickle-down impact is making itself felt on other groups and programs.

One of those is the Allied Arts grants program. But instead of wringing their hands and crying “the sky is falling,” leaders are looking at ways to get the community involved as they stress the importance of continued funding.

“At Allied Arts, we are constantly hearing testimonies of students whose lives are being changed by the arts,” says Deborah McAuliffe Senner, Allied Arts president and CEO. “We hear about a middle schooler who is from an underprivileged area and is growing up around gangs and violence, but finds structure, discipline, acceptance and mentorship through an in-school and after-school ballroom dance program and turns his life in a direction he never thought possible.

“We hear about rural school children who are getting the opportunity to experience first-class theater, ballet and orchestral performances during school that would never have the opportunity otherwise. In fact, we could give endless anecdotal examples of the ways students are growing, being challenged and transforming due to the power of the arts.”

Allied Arts was founded in 1971 to act as a stable funding source for the local community, Senner said. But in a growing city experiencing shrinking resources, stability is hard to come by: This year, two of its grants programs – Educational Outreach and Capacity Building – awarded $67,000 fewer in funding compared to the previous fiscal year.

“We didn’t have the resources to fill an additional $143,954 in submitted requested funds this year,” Senner says. “The demand for funding is greater than ever before. Oklahoma City has come a long way and we want to continue building the arts, and the only way we can do that is with increased funding. It is a complex issue that delves into quality of life, economic

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

PHOTOS BY JAMES PRATT

Allied Arts seeks financial answers

FEELING THE PRESSURE

impact, attracting and maintaining talent, revitalization and beautification of neighborhoods, education and so much more. It is immensely important not to just maintain funding for the arts but to continuously increase funding for the arts. As the arts are pushed out of schools, where will the gap be filled? The answer lies within our arts groups.”

“The arts are enduring A FISCAL TORNADO of mass proportion.”

DEBOR A H MCAU L IF F E SE N N ER

Like many other agencies and groups, Allied Arts is making budget cuts and operating “very smart, very lean,” Senner says, and they know how to be extremely resourceful.

“We are also developing numerous strategies to diversify so we may attract and educate new donors,” she says. “We looked at new and unique ways to tell our story of the transformational power of the arts – because sometimes when people think of the arts, they think of the next big show at the Civic Center or the next exhibit at a museum, and the arts

are so much more. We wanted people to know the stories of the thousands of kids’ lives that are impacted every day by the arts. We want people to know of underserved groups who would not have been exposed to the arts without the programs of our member agencies. Our focus is on making the arts accessible to everyone.”

One of Allied Arts’ new campaigns is the recently completed 45 Day Giveaway.

The online raffle was a strategy to get more people donating to the arts by appealing to micro donors.

“Overall, we run a community-wide campaign, but have very few in the community who contribute,” Senner says. “If every resident gave $1, $2, $5, $10 or more, we could help close the arts funding gap. We help fund programs that reach every part of the state, but we do not have the donors that we need. Every donation helps. Everyone can be a part of the solution through a donation and through supporting arts advocacy. When legislators want to consolidate, eliminate or reduce funding for the arts, we need to let them know how we feel.” - MARK BEUTLER

ON E OF TH E G RO U PS on the receiving end of the Allied Arts grants is Oklahoma City’s deadCenter Film Festival.

“This is one of the toughest years for fundraising I have ever seen in my 20 years of work with nonprofits,” says deadCenter Executive Director Lissa GumersonBlaschke. “The arts are being hit from all sides with less funding/ income available, while at the same time having increased need for our programs in the community.

We have already started to see our kids’ music and arts programs disappear from the curriculum. This is why supporting Allied Arts is more important than ever.”

Most Allied Arts agencies provide free programs to kids and the community, Gumerson-Blaschke said. When someone supports Allied Arts, they play a direct role in keeping Oklahoma’s arts programs alive and strong and helping agencies expand their reach in the community.

Robert Mills, artistic director for Oklahoma City Ballet, agrees.

“Our Allied Arts funding is an important and significant percentage of our annual budget,” Mills says.

“We would definitely have to make significant cuts to our programming if we were not to receive that support from Allied Arts, or if it was drastically lessened.”

Looking ahead, Allied Arts leaders say they remain positive while continuing to look for additional funding sources.

“The reality is that if we do not do something significant, the arts will suffer, and it is a step backward we cannot afford to take,” Senner says. “The fact remains that between two funding entities, Allied Arts and the State Arts Council, there will be over a million dollars less to allocate to arts groups. And we know the arts in schools have been a continuous target for budget cuts. The arts are enduring a fiscal tornado of mass proportion. The situation is dire, because the demand and the need for the arts continue to grow.”

To learn more about funding campaigns and other ways to help, visit alliedartsokc.com. - MB JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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in the 405 CONVERSATION

Start Spreading the News Reporting in with early bird Lacie Lowry W HIL E MOST OK L A HOM A NS are still sleeping, snug in their cozy beds, Lacie Lowry is hitting the shower, doing her hair and makeup and preparing to start her day. As anchor for “News 9 This Morning,” Lowry is up at 3 a.m. and on the air by 5 a.m.

It’s a strange shift – one where she is eating chicken or spaghetti at 8:30 a.m. while everyone else is having donuts or omelets. But Lowry is following her dream, enjoying the life of a TV anchor and reporter.

Her stint in Oklahoma began six years ago working in Tulsa for Griffin Communications’ “News on 6.” Eventually she headed down the turnpike for sister station KWTV and never looked back.

Did you always want to be in television news? “I wish I could say I wanted to be a journalist ever since I was a little girl, but it was much less glamorous for me. I thought I wanted to be a doctor for a while, but then realized I can’t stand seeing blood and broken bones. I actually went to college not knowing what I wanted to do and finally had to list a major. I figured if I love writing and I’m pretty good at it, and I also love interacting with people, maybe I should give the reporter thing a try. I’m also an athlete, so I started off as a sports writer for the college newspaper, and when I graduated I tried to get a sports reporter job. But those are few and far between, so I took a news reporter job and my career took off in that Describe your perfect day off. “Fishing all day long, dinner on a direction. God’s plan is always better than anything we have in mind.” patio and a glass of red wine to celebrate another perfect day in the A friendly rivalry exists between Oklahoma and Texas, and to a books. Boom!” certain extent, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Have you noticed that?

So you like being outside? “I’ve always loved the outdoors, but I’ve “Yes! Forget the OU/Texas rivalry – the OKC/Tulsa competition is always developed a love for hunting and fishing since I moved to Oklahoma. hot! Tulsa is pretty, everything is green and the hills paint a beautiful Fishing and being on the water is so relaxing. I even backdrop for this gem of a small city. There’s a huge noodle, which is hand-fishing for catfish. My biggest emphasis on local flavor, art, music, and it doesn’t take is a 30-pounder!” a long time to get around or get to surrounding areas.

Summer nights or a winter wonderland – what’s OKC is this huge, spread out area that offers great EMBRACED your pick? “Summer – and any setting where flipentertainment and way more options than Tulsa. The flops are appropriate. It’s the one time of year my Thunder is the heartbeat of the city, and the downghostly pale complexion gets a little bit of color, and I town renovation is exciting. It’s flat (no hills), but the don’t look like death walking.” different districts certainly aren’t. OKC has these great SECOND FAMILY Penn Square or Quail Springs, where are we pockets of activity that offer something for everyone. I L ACIE L OW RY more likely to find you? “Quail Springs, because it’s love both cities.” close to me and has everything I need. That’s another You’re on the air so early; what time do you go local rivalry: Quail Springs versus Penn Square.” to bed? “I split my sleep up so I don’t have to go to bed at 6 p.m., which What’s something about you that might surprise our readers and means an afternoon nap and then I hit the hay at 9:30 each night. your viewers? “I blare country music from my car stereo when I peel Surprisingly, it’s working … and I’m not even using coffee to do it.” out of work. Of course any flashback ’90s music also takes me back to Anchor or reporter – which do you prefer? “I’ve done both since my roots. I love all things Garth Brooks. ‘Calling Baton Rouge’ is my the start of my career, and I truly love both. I’ve always wanted to favorite song. My dream came true when I got to interview him before anchor a morning show, and now that it has happened, I love anchoring his Tulsa show last year, then I got tickets to that concert.” more each day.”

When your family visits from Texas, what do they think about When you’re out in public, do people do a double-take? “Lots of our city and state? “They love how friendly everyone in Oklahoma double-takes. I love when people come up and talk to me when I’m out City is. This community has embraced me with open arms and has and about. It means people watch News 9, so I’m truly thankful they really become my second family. And that is so important when your recognize me from my job. I love mingling with viewers and thanking support circle is in another state. I love Oklahoma.” - MARK BEUTLER them for watching our station.”

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PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

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in the 405 ON THE SCENE

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Broadway & Brew

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Lyric Theatre fills the Myriad Gardens with festivity at an event featuring tasty treats, outstanding beers and live entertainment.

1. Michael Baron, Lance McDaniel, Jeffrey Meek 2. Eric Stokes, Daryl Montgomery, Jeff Anderson, Michael Pullen, Jim Pullen 3. Bailey Gordon, Tyler Bolton 4. Jessica Martens, Cora Winstead, Madeline Dannenberg 5. Meredith Scott, Vamsi Kaliki 6. Heather Matthews, Shelley Fuller, Steve Fuller, Ian Fuller, Lance McDaniel 7. Melanie O’Gwynn, Lindsey Fry

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Canterbury Masquerade Ball

Roaring ’20s style gets an extra dash of intrigue as Canterbury Voices gives its annual fundraising gala a “Speakeasy” vibe.

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1.Jeffrey Pican, Randi von Ellefson, Grant Moak, Camille Anderson 2. Alaina Regan, Joe Wilkerson, Blake and Nicole Hopiavuori 3. Ryan and Whitney Tatum 4. SquadLive 5. Cindi Shelby, Dr. Joe Phillips, Lisa Love

BROADWAY AND BREW BY JUSTIN AVERA; CANTERBURY MASQUERADE BALL BY TERRELL FRY

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RED Rooftop

Guests boost the life-improving efforts of AIDS Walk OKC by having a ball at this cocktail party in Automobile Alley.

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1. Monty Milburn, James Siderias, Lisa Pitsiri, Marty Coltrane, Felix Curbelo 2. Jamie Leaper, Kale Leaper, Jon Davis 3. Chris Stinchcomb, Juliana Marin, Thomas Robert 4. Steve and Donna Hall, Felix Curbelo, Adrian Soto 5. Bryan Newell, Herb Eakers, Kyle Foltz

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RED ROOFTOP AND SAINTOBERFEST BY JUSTIN AVERA

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Saintoberfest

Music, games, tasty treats and a ton of beers to sample give guests the makings of a great time while they support St. Anthony Hospital’s lifesaving care.

1. Huy Le, Thanh Ngyuen 2. Addie, Sherry, Lee and Kerri Beasley 3. Emileen Pinon, Bre Little, Marlow Craven 4. Hanna Dilliner, Lauren Dennison 5. Abby Ellender, Grant Moffett, Hannah Glover

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in the 405 LAUGH LINES

Cocoooon I N A BR E A K from good judgment a

couple of weeks ago, I went to a bar, an outing that runs counter to my aversion to mingling with crowds in any non-sale setting. In most social situations, there’s a point at which you can size up the group and instinctively categorize them. You either think, “These are my people,” or you figure, “Whoaaaaa – I must have missed my exit.”

Somewhere, during an outing with my new beau and some acquaintances, the evening’s itinerary changed course to include a late-night detour to a smoky bar. The acquaintances were self-professed bar hoppers who were especially fond of a particular locale with a “great vibe” (translate: any working tap and a jukebox). Too far into the throes of a bender that must have begun at breakfast to notice my shaking head, the other couple insisted that the Beau and I join them for a nightcap at the bar.

Rationalizing that there would be plenty of time for regret later, I checked my snobbery and good judgment at the door and crossed the threshold of what looked to be the Furr’s Cafeteria of smoke-filled bars. Walking in was like passing through a time warp. I felt young instantly! No, these were definitely not my people – not even my demographic – but I could see that this crowd was going to be great for my ego.

The regulars might as well have been the cast from Cocoon. They immediately recognized the Beau and me as “new meat,” no doubt feeling nostalgic for an earlier time when they could still chew meat. The rest of the bar was a grab bag of Kingfisher farmers, Walmart greeters, Merle Norman’s entire clientele and a possible 4H alumni reunion among a sea of mesh ball caps with tractor logos and high-waisted, Bedazzled jeans.

Who are these people? The Beau obviously had missed the exit and taken us into someone’s cult. I would have been

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very happy to turn around at the doorway and apologize for the intrusion on my way out. Instead, we cut a wide, nicotine-saturated swath on our way to the back, where a band was killing it with a set of hits that spanned the decades of our smooth-skinned years.

There will be dancing, the Beau announced – possibly to highlight the evening’s coming attractions, or just as a warning to stand back. Either way, we’d need a table close to the dance floor, I told the Beau, in case my bunion flared up or his bad knee locked up. Cocoooooon.

I cringed at my surroundings, despite the absolute kickassery of the band. The crowd on the dance floor was a fox-trotting AARP commercial, and the Beau and I were stage center. Next to us, an old dude (not a day younger than 90) in a tuxedo was tearing up the dance floor (and why the hell not, I say). This alone was mesmerizing, but watching Father Time flail his arms into the air and yell, “Cause uptown funk gon’ give it to ya! Cause uptown funk gon’ give it to ya,” convinced me we’d blown past our regular exit. Cocoooooon.

From the end of my raised nose, I struggled to see through the dusty cloud of smoke, Old Spice and Cialis that hung heavy over the dance floor. At some point, I realized that the instigators of this outing were nowhere to be found. They had stumbled in and stayed for about 10 minutes of bonding with us – just long enough to order a couple of drinks and spill one on the Beau during a high-volume, slurred fight about how many drinks each had consumed since breakfast.

Before the band finished “I’m Your Boogie Man,” the other couple had boogied out with a pronounced stagger, leaving us to fend for ourselves in a mosh pit of Wranglers and Hoverounds. Had they been sent to bring us there and, with their mission complete, slipped away to lure in some more? Does that look like Rod Serling over there in the corner?

I told the Beau I wanted to leave before someone I knew wandered in and mistook me for someone who had come to the bar on purpose. Or worse, a confused passerby might mistake me for one of the rug-cutting seniors on the dance floor. It was best to avoid causing confusion altogether.

Besides, I said, it was 10:30. Almost bedtime. I needed to take my pills and soak my feet. My bunion was on fire.

Cocoooooon. - LAUREN HAMMACK

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Professional Passion, Golfing Excellence Hidden Trails Golf and Country Club is undergoing a renaissance.

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enewed vision, renewed facilities and renewed emphasis on the complete club experience have formed the foundation of this rebirth – due in no small part to Golf Pro Wade Walker. Texas Hold ‘Em, Horse Race Derby and Mega Wolf are a few of the new and exciting elements he’s added to the Hidden Trails golf lineup, plus Walker brings a wealth of experience as a pro who can relate to golfers of all levels.

Walker’s career as a golf pro began with the entrepreneurial spirit of a 10-year-old. He explains, “I started mowing lawns, and I knew then that if I had to have a job as an adult, I wanted it to be sports related.” It was when he was watering greens at Coffee Creek Golf Course that golf caught his attention. “I bought a used set of clubs and taught myself to play.”

Walker’s love of sports is a lifelong passion: He played six sports in high school and was an inaugural member of the Deer Creek High School golf team.

The sport provided for Walker, who worked at Oak Tree during his college years while refining his game by playing with members of the UCO golf team. He graduated from UCO with a marketing degree in 1999, then worked in sales for 3 years before his childhood commitment to make a living in sports became a reality.

He took the position of Assistant Pro at Tinker Golf Course, followed by another stint at Oak Tree. In 2007, Walker created USGolfEvents.com, where he launched golf events software in cooperation with Callaway Golf.

He helped open OKC GolfTec in 2010, and came to Hidden Trails Golf and Country Club in 2014.

Says Walker, “I love sharing the passion of golf with others, and I like helping make others successful in the sport while also making our business successful.” Walker has worked diligently to restore Hidden Trails as a gem in the community. “My goal is to ensure that our golf programs are top notch with every member in mind, whether you’re a beginner or the best player on the course.”

A 2 Star Distinction PGA member, Walker was one of only three Certified PGA Professionals in Golf Operations in Oklahoma at the time of his completion of the

program in 2009. In two years, he will be eligible to participate in the PGA Master program and become a 4 Star Distinction member.

Walker and his wife, Lisa, met at church in eighth grade. They are still active members of Waterloo Baptist Church, and are raising their twin 12-year-old sons to love sports. The boys enjoy soccer and snow skiing, but haven’t yet picked up their dad’s passion for golf. “They play, but they aren’t interested in playing competitively. I hope they grow to love it like I do.”

It seems likely they will. Golf is in their blood.

405.685.7751 | HiddenTrailsOKC.com

JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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territory ahead

Final Rest for Legends of the West Oklahoma City’s most exclusive cemetery marks 50 years

BY M.J. ALEXANDER

T HE BON E S W ER E dug up a half-century ago, removed from their resting place near the Wyoming-Colorado border and transported 640 miles to Persimmon Hill.

On April 30, 1966 – a cooler-than-usual Saturday, marked by traces of fog – they were reburied in side-by-side coffins in a shared grave in what was to become Oklahoma City’s most exclusive cemetery.

Fifty years after its first interment, the south garden of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is now home to memorials to 11 souls, and the graves of four.

Beyond the lobby statue of a defeated warrior astride the nameless horse of “The End of the Trail,” behind the four anonymous galloping bronze steeds in “Coming Through the Rye” on the Western States Plaza, the museum’s manicured gardens are home to winding paths, towering shade trees, koi ponds, rock-lined waterfalls … and these modest, heartfelt tributes to legendary horses and bulls with names that resonate in cowboy lore as symbols of courage, determination and the spirit of the American West.

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asked: “Is that Midnight?’ The answer usually given: “Darn close” – or “Five Minutes To.” Tumbling Mustard eventually was renamed Five Minutes to Midnight. He is said to have been ridden to the bell 14 times out of 1,200 attempts, retired in 1946 and died Aug. 1, 1947. His epitaph reads: Again the reaper has visited the corral He took 5 Minutes to Midnight, the cowboy’s pal.

– A Cowboy

THE BULLS TORNADO The most famous bull in Oklahoma history, Tornado

was four-time winner of the National Final Rodeo’s Meanest Bull Alive. The 1,600-pound Brahman-Hereford mix was one of four bucking “weather bulls” – Cyclone, Hurricane, Twister and Tornado – owned by 16-time world champion cowboy Jim Shoulders of Henryetta.

He was unridden in 220 attempts from his 1960 debut in Mesquite, Texas, to Dec. 1, 1967, at the National Finals Rodeo at the fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, when 46-year-old Freckles Brown of Soper drew Tornado in Chute 2 for the final ride of the night.

Brown’s successful ride is arguably the most thrilling eight seconds in rodeo history, living on in song and legend. Tornado was ridden four more times – once more by Brown – and retired two years later. His memorial plaque notes that Shoulders “retired his bull to a well-deserved rest in a lush pasture on his J Lazy S ranch

THE HORSES MIDNIGHT The first interments were the earthly remains of a

pair of jet-black Canadian-born bucking horses that dominated the rodeo circuit between the world wars. Midnight was foaled sometime between 1907 and 1910 on Jim McNab’s Cottonwood Ranch in southern Alberta. Son of a thoroughbred mother and a Morgan-Percheron sire, the 16-hand, 1,300-pound Midnight dominated the circuit for 11 years, receiving top billing at rodeos as “the buckingest horse in the world.” He made his final appearance at the 1933 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo and died on Nov. 5, 1936. At the 1937 Denver Stock Show, the crowd stood for a minute of silence in tribute. His Oklahoma City tombstone carries an epitaph penned by Colorado State Sen. Chris Cusack: Under this sod lies a great bucking hoss.

There never lived a cowboy he couldn’t toss.

His name was Midnight; his coat black as coal.

If there is a hoss heaven, please God, rest his soul.

FIVE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT Sharing a plot with Midnight is a smaller stablemate, foaled in 1924 and purchased from the Tsuu T’ina First Nations tribe of the Sarcee Indian Reservation in Alberta. Tumbling Mustard, as he was first called, also became renowned for throwing cowboys. The question would be frequently JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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at Henryetta, Oklahoma. Tornado died in 1972 of old age – he was 15 – and is buried here in the shade.”

ABILENE For four years, a Texas longhorn steer named

Abilene – Ab, for short – held court as museum mascot from his corral on the grounds. His 2,100-pound frame and eightfoot horn spread was touted as the most massive of any living longhorn. Ab died in 1970 and is buried beneath a set of wood posts with a crossbar engraved with his name and a bronze plaque saluting him as a beloved ambassador and example of a bygone era.

THE CENOTAPHS In addition to the four graves on the museum grounds, seven horses are memorialized in cenotaphs around the gardens.

TIPPERARY The bucking horse Tipperary was discovered during a search for World War I mounts, and won by a saloonkeeper in a poker game. Foaled in the Long Pine Hills of South Dakota in 1905, he is credited with throwing more than 80 riders before stuntman Yakima Canute rode him to a standstill in deep mud at the Belle Fourche Roundup in 1920. He retired from rodeo in 1926 and died in a blizzard in 1932. He is buried

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in Buffalo, S.D., population 330, home to a bronze statue of his likeness by cowboy sculptor Tony Chytka, as well as the Tipperary Motel & Lodge and Tipperary Rodeo Arena.

POKER CHIP AND BALDY Colored a striking dappled iron gray,

Poker Chip was foaled in 1950 on California’s Rancho Jabali. He is considered one of the best calf-roping horses in rodeo history,

winning at the Pendleton Rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Calgary Stampede before his retirement after a trailer wreck in 1962. Baldy was foaled in 1932 in Talala, Oklahoma, and raised on the Cross J ranch near Nowata. He carried riders to world championships in 1944, 1947 and 1949, earning more than $300,000 in prize money, and retired in 1950 after suffering a heart attack.

ELIJAH THE PACK HORSE Elijah, the most famous horse in the nation 60 years ago, is perhaps among the least known today.

In February 1956, a wayward horse made international headlines for 100 days after a pilot discovered him snowed in near the top of a 12,800-foot saddleback ridge in the Colorado Rockies. Headlines ricocheted around the world, and an airlift was organized to drop hay to the horse, which a reporter from the Denver Post named Elijah, after the prophet who was sustained by ravens brining him bread in the wilderness. As the weather warmed in late May, a “fat and sassy” Elijah was led off the mountain to parties and parades. Turns out his name was Bugs, and had escaped his pack-trip guide owners the previous fall. Bugs returned to a quiet life and survived until 1971.

more than $400,000 for her riders before falling to a ruptured intestine at a rodeo in Salina, Kansas. She died in August 1960 in the arms of her heartbroken owner, who brought her back home to Checotah. The Nov. 7, 1960, issue of Life magazine published a photograph of graveside services for Baby Doll, including a line of grieving bulldoggers.

STEAMBOAT Foaled near Chugwater, Wyoming, in 1897,

Steamboat was named for the whistling sound he made when he bucked, the result of an injury that chopped a bone near his nostril. He was prized for stiff-legged, bone-jarring jumps that would boost the score of any cowboy who could ride him out, and became the first famous bucking horse in the world.

A 1903 photograph of the flashy Steamboat, being ridden by cowboy Guy Holt, inspired the University of Wyoming logo. He was put down in Cheyenne on Oct.14, 1914, after contracting a blood infection from barbed wire. The whereabouts of his body remains a mystery.

HELL’S ANGEL Foaled near Dillon, Montana, in 1926, Hell’s Angel was a feather-legged, 1,300-pound son of a Percheron stallion and a Pinto mare, known for powerful jumps and high kicks. Over his 1933-1942 rodeo career, he was ridden successfully 20 times. In 1939, bronc riders voted him the World’s Greatest Bucking Horse. While returning from a tour in November 1942, Hell’s Angel was found dead in his railroad car at a stopover in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and was buried near the tracks.

BABY DOLL Tucked under a shade tree at the far south of the gardens is a marker for Baby Doll Combs, foaled in 1947 out of Miss Boctick and Oklahoma Star Jr. She was purchased by Willard Combs of Checotah, and carried him to the 1957 world bulldogging championships – as well as carrying the cowboys who finished second, third, fourth and fifth, since Combs lent out Baby Doll to others for a cut of their prize money. She earned

BUFFALO BILL AND BRIGHAM Larry McMurry’s iconic monument to Buffalo Bill Cody and his horse, Brigham, reaches 33 feet tall and weighs 19 tons, dominating the southeast corner of the gardens. Named for Brigham Young, in honor of his origins in Utah Territory, Cody called him the “fleetest steed I ever owned” and reported shooting dead 4,280 buffalo in 17 months from his back. At the end of his contract with the railroad, a 22-year-old Cody raffled off Brigham (10 chances at $30 apiece) to pay for expenses to send his wife and son to Leavenworth for the winter. A proud Cody recounted in his autobiography that Brigham continued to surprise crowds as “his appearance was not very prepossessing, and nobody suspected him of being anything but the most ordinary kind of a plug.”

McMurry’s rendition remedies any physical shortcomings Brigham may have had, memorializing him with heroic proportions.

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creatives

Musical Connections THE FA R M T RUCK radio of Kyle Dillingham’s grandfather was always set to a station that played songs from country greats like Bob Wills. It was an everyday thing as little Kyle rode around his family’s farm near Enid.

“Man, that music just got in my soul,” Dillingham says. “I started playing violin when I was in the 4th grade. And I just couldn’t wait. I knew the songs, so it was just a matter of learning to play the violin.” And while learning to play classical violin in school, he was also using that technical training to help him become a better fiddler.

It was both of those influences – and his performance-centered talent – that made it possible to launch a career in music.

But his interests have spread far beyond just classical violin or country fiddle, and an extra ingredient beyond skill and expertise has helped fuel his success – performing locally, playing in Nashville on the Grand Ole Opry stage twice and collaborating with various performers abroad in Thailand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Burma and Russia.

He is a popular performer in constant demand, bringing a uniquely energetic and interactive style to the stage.

As Bob Wills once did, Dillingham often dances and sings as he plays fiddle. Those animated performances have an enthusiasm that causes crowds to stand, clap, dance and sing along.

And that connection to his audience is the key element of Dillingham’s creativity. Yes, he composes in solitude quite often; the piece may be intended for large audiences, or just for his wife and two small children. But no matter the imagined audience, “I can’t wait to perform it for someone as soon as I’m finished.”

That interaction is critical to his creativity. It’s why his performances are never quite the same even if done with the same song titles and the same group of musicians on stage with him.

He often performs with his band Horseshoe Road, a 20-year collaboration with Peter Markes, an award-winning music teacher at Edmond North High School.

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“I can tell you it is pure joy to have such a fruitful music relationship,” Dillingham says. “It is also just so much fun. Honestly, with a lot of the same songs. Just play ‘em every time.”

So how does that happen? How does he stay creative and fresh while playing many of the same songs with the same band?

“It’s the crowd. It’s the crowd that keeps this fresh.”

He explained that even though it may be many of the same songs, he and the band do something different with them each time because the crowd is different each time. “Peter and I will be playing something so familiar as ‘Orange Blossom Special,’ and there will be new things happen, still.”

He says that it has to do with a deeper philosophy about whether music is primarily for the performer or for the people who are present at the performance. If it were for the performer only, “then you could just do that alone in your living room.”

Instead, Dillingham believes that a performance is something that happens between the performer and the audience, not something the audience simply listens to in a passive way.

“When you are out performing, there’s something really magical and special about the connection that music creates between people,” he says. “And it’s a spiritual thing. And it’s a human thing.

It’s an encouraging thing.” Even though “it may be the fifth time that the performer has played the tune,” the people who are hearing it are unique, and may have never heard the tune before.

What’s next? He and Markes are completing a new Horseshoe Road album that should be released in late summer. And he can’t wait to play it for you. - BRETT DICKERSON

PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

Enthusiasm and interaction fuel Kyle Dillingham’s fiddle

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Get Out and Dine TAKING YOUR PARTY OUTDOORS Entertaining outdoors in the 405 is a breezy, sunny joy … if done properly. In our beloved, weather-fickle Oklahoma, it also can just as easily be an overheated, windblown, buggy nightmare, or a frigid test of your guests’ mettle, no matter what month of the year. While we prefer the former, we’ve inadvertently unleashed the latter upon ourselves and our family and friends a few times.

Never again, though!

By Christine Eddington Photos by Shannon Cornman 40

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PHOTO BY AARON SNOW

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Rich colors add visual interest (left) to a cheerful al fresco dining setup designed by 110 events president Brian Ferrell (below). Previous page: a scintillating evening at Downtown OKC’s Starlight Supper

“We’ve done really large events, like the opening of the Devon Tower and Open Streets OKC, which was for 40,000 people,” says Brian Ferrell, founder and president of 110 events. “We’ve also done smaller events like Starlight Supper for DOKC.” With bona fides established, he says, “Holding any event outdoors means you have to have a Plan A, B and C. And sometimes you go straight to Plan D or E.” Ferrell is one cool, unflappable cat with a bit of a Cheshire smile, and his preternatural calm is a trait he says comes naturally to him. That certainly makes his career choice seem logical.

His expertise and tactics, although largely earned by executing huge, complicated events, can be applied just as easily to your Fourth of July bash. “The best way to stay cool under pressure is to have a plan, and to communicate that plan with the people involved in making your event happen. That way, when something changes, you can go into execution mode instead of crisis mode.”

His best preliminary advice is to literally walk through your space from the perspective of your guests. Is your front door well lit and, more importantly, unlocked? Will your guests be in your yard? Have you turned off the sprinklers and sprayed for mosquitoes?

“Think about all the logistical details. The wind is something people don’t always factor in, and it can make or break your event,” he says.

“Disposable plates and cutlery are great, unless they’re blowing all over your yard. It may behoove you to rent dishes instead, and you may want to invest in stemless wine glasses, which are much less likely to tip over.”

A low vase filled with pebbles and succulents makes for a pretty, wind-resistant centerpiece. Adding sandbags under the table may be necessary, and for linens, there is a fantastic new innovation: spandex table coverings – effectively Spanx for your table!

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3 WAYS TO KEEP IT CHILL

Want to keep you and your guests as cool as a Yeti eating frozen spaghetti? Try these tips on for size.

Serve cold things. Nobody wants to sit outside in July and eat a hot plate of lasagna.

So cool it, and serve things at room temp or lower. Gazpacho, savory salads, chilled shrimp, cold sliced tenderloin and plenty of fresh fruits make for a make-ahead, low-stress, crowd-pleasing menu.

Taste-test the margaritas.

It’s OK, you’re still a responsible adult. Nobody is saying you should swim to the door to greet your guests, but a great way to mitigate pre-event adrenaline, or to make the transition from organizer to socializer easier, is to enjoy a little wine or a small cocktail while you’re getting dressed.

Let things unfold as the universe chooses for them to. Within reason. Have a rain plan, or a snow plan, think about the wind and its effects on your centerpiece choices … and once you’ve done that, take a tip from Elsa and let it go.

THE POWER OF 10 For the last four years, the crew at Downtown OKC Inc. has hosted 400 or so of their closest friends at the outdoor gala Starlight Supper. It’s inspired by outdoor farm-to-table and slow-food trends, and guests are seated and served family style in early April of each year.

“Outdoor dining events are so different from events held indoors,” says Staci Sanger, DOKC marketing manager. “Guests walk in, grab their seats and then they are up and moving. They trade seats, sit in [one] spot for the entrée and mingle around. Starlight Supper, in particular, feels much more like a family event. We learned not to even try to assign seats.”

Another tip from these pros: “Salad will blow away if it’s windy. Long garlands of flowers are a great centerpiece choice,” says DOKC Marketing Assistant Riley Cole. “We now use heavy metal chargers and tuck the napkins under them.

We’ve completely ditched candles because it’s impossible to keep them lit, and we’ve contemplated going stemless for our wine glasses but have opted against it so far because stemmed glasses are more elegant.”

Recently the group attended a conference on placemaking, and learned about the power of 10, Sanger says. “For someplace, or for an event or even a dinner in your backyard, to become a place, meaning someplace people will want to linger, there need to be 10 layers, 10 touches.

You know when people have reached that point because things happen: shoes come off, there’s lots of laughing and showing of affection and people will be on social media and taking lots of pictures.”

The power of 10 is simple. Think of it this way: Three courses plus wine and a small takeaway gift gets you to five. Add a great cup of coffee, scrumptious dessert, great music, comfortable seating, beautiful flowers and maybe another ambiance element like a portable fire pit or a little uplighting and you’ve dialed it up to an 11.

Kindt Steven Myers, whose events business Kindt Events handles more than 50 events each year, agrees. “You can get a DIY kit for lighting that comes with six uplights and gels for about $100. Special lighting really creates ambiance for your event, especially if you’re outdoors, in a backyard or by a pool.”

Kindt Steven Myers (above) is a staunch proponent of incorporating fresh fruit into menus for outdoor summer events – including punch or other beverages prepared in advance to give hosts one less thing to do.

KEEP COOL In the summer, Myers encourages his staff to focus on keeping guests cool, and his tricks of the trade easily translate to the at-home host or hostess. “Cooling towels are wonderful and refreshing for an outdoor or poolside event. You can buy multi-packs of small white towels – choose white because they look freshest and cleanest on first use. Fold them in half and roll them tightly, then submerge them in a chest filled with ice water with a little bit of mint essential oil in it. It’s an upscale touch that’s easy to do.”

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Fresh, cool dishes like this melon salad with feta cheese and basil, and chilled smoked salmon from Guilford Gardens and Kam’s Kookery are perfect for warmweather fetes.

He suggests cooling your house down early, like six or seven hours early, and incorporating lots of fresh fruit into your menu. “Twenty people will really affect the temperature of a room,” he says. “Start cooling your home early in the day and cool it to the point of being uncomfortably cold. You’ll be glad, and your guests will be glad.”

Fresh, whole fruit makes a pretty centerpiece display and can double as dessert. “Soak fresh fruit in a sinkful of water with just a tiny drop of dish soap in it and a few alkaline drops, which you can get at Whole Foods. It will keep the fruit looking fresh and keep pests away from it. Just a 10-minute soak will do it. Alkaline helps balance the body, and diseases can’t grow in an alkaline environment.”

Since pot roast and potatoes appeal to almost nobody when it’s 90 degrees, Myers says to focus on fresh. Melon salads made sophisticated with a sprinkling of feta, drizzle of good olive oil, dash of Himalayan salt and a chiffonade of basil feel hearty and satisfying but are also refreshing.

“Smoked salmon is great, chilled and served with capers and crema. Serving your meal on platters is smart,” he says. “Always include some dollar rolls when you do, so guests can make a little sandwich if they’d like. Be sure to have plenty of water. Plenty.

And lighten up your cocktails by making a classic spritzer, or in the case of sangria, by replacing the fruit liqueur with a fruit juice. Batch your cocktails and do everything in advance so you can enjoy your guests. Dolley Madison said if you are able to greet your guests at the door, you’ve done it right.”

That’s the skinny on food, but what about décor?

As Brenna Sees It The See family has lived in Heritage Hills since 2014, after a seven-month restoration of the property made it a showcase – in fact, it will be a featured home on the upcoming Heritage Hills Home Tour in September. Brenna See loves to entertain outdoors and uses every inch of her home to make her guests feel welcome.

“We truly enjoy entertaining outdoors at any opportunity,” See says. “We’ve hosted wedding showers, baby showers, birthday parties and – of course – dinners with family and friends. It’s always been my priority to make our home inviting and welcoming for our guests. One thing I love about our backyard is its unique layout. Our outdoor space allows us the flexibility of entertaining friends and family in settings that can handle large or small groups of people.”

Her enthusiasm is contagious. “Nothing says summer like dining al fresco!

Brenna and Ross See with friends Penelope, Leighton Our favorite time is when we can fill up our table with friends while watching and Brett Price in the Sees’ well-equipped backyard. our kids swim in the pool and play in the yard.”

For her, making sure her home and yard are at their very best is one key to being a great hostess. “My husband Ross and I both thoroughly enjoy working in the yard. I think we both come by this naturally, as both of our mothers do, as well. I have to say that they, too, deserve some of the credit. There is something special about making your home look beautiful together. Even our little ones help with the veggie garden.” – CE

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TIP, TIP HOORAY A few notions to set your mind awhirl. Take them and run with them.

Maximize your fun by doing things you can only do outside. Set up a few yard games such as corn toss or croquet.

Consider building décor around a nature theme: This Guilford Gardens setup has leaves for placemats, blades of grass as napkin rings and river rocks as guests’ place cards.

THINK OUTSIDE THE VASE Le Fleuriste’s Master Florist George Catechis jokes that the most challenging thing about having an outdoor event in Oklahoma is “that the event is outside. Just kidding. Oklahoma weather is so unpredictable that you can try to have a plan for event day, but just know it may not work. The weather constantly changes, so you have to be prepared with a back-up to your back-up plan. We’ve had plenty of events get delayed due to floods and tornadoes, but we always make it happen.”

When planning your tablescape, be clever but also be realistic. “Heat and flowers don’t really mix, so succulents and air plants are great options – and smart, since they can take the direct sun,” Catechis says. “If you really want to use colorful flowers, make sure you put the arrangement outside right before your party starts to avoid as much wilting as possible. Once you put the centerpieces outside, you will have two to six hours before they aren’t looking so fresh. The hotter the day or the more direct the sun, the shorter your time window will be. For best results, keep your flowers out of the sun and make sure there is plenty of water in your container to keep the blooms hydrated.”

He also encourages you to think outside the vase, as there are endless possibilities when you entertain outside. “Team Fleuriste is definitely into hanging objects anywhere we can, and I mean from anywhere! We’ll use the patio, trees, pergola and anything else we can to create a ‘wow.’ Think unconventionally. Adding touches like glass that glistens in the sun or LED candles will enhance the look of your party.

Don’t forget to look around your yard and find things from nature that you can use to accent your décor.

“Vines from your garden can become a napkin ring, branches from your backyard are the perfect centerpiece base, and you can even create a placement out of leaves,” he says. “If you have a tree stump or two, they are great to use for additional seating or side tables. Oversized planters are also great ice buckets for your drinks! Don’t limit yourself … trust yourself to experiment and have fun.”

If you have a fire pit, do a sophisticated s’more for dessert. Do a coconut-peanut butter-Sriracha s’more by swirling a little (or a lot) of Sriracha into some all-natural, chunky peanut butter.

Sandwich a dollop of the spiced-up mix, a toasted marshmallow and a sprinkle of sweet coconut flakes between plain graham crackers for an upscale version of campfire comfort food.

Go au naturel – with your décor, that is. Work with what’s on hand. River stones and a Sharpie make for clever place cards. Muddle some mint, straight from your herb patch, into ice-cold water for a bracing refresher. Give each guest a tiny tomato plant in a diminutive terra cotta pot to take home and enjoy.

Think inside-out. “A huge trend right now is bringing traditional indoor furnishings outside,” Ferrell says. Center a beautiful Oriental rug under a tree and hang a chandelier from a branch. Bring your antique buffet out for some fresh air and enjoy the energy that juxtaposition will bring. Whimsy is a beautiful thing.” – CE

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Stars glitter above the spectacularly scenic Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

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FOUR FIVE IN

FOUR GETAWAYS, EACH WITHIN FIVE(ISH) HOURS OF OKC ACCORDING TO A RECEN T TRIVAG O STUDY, more and more people are giving up the annual weeklong family vacation, choosing instead to go on two or three minivacations over the course of the year. Rather than begrudgingly dropping thousands of dollars on airfare, rental cars and hotels only to have it rain the whole time you are at Disneyland, it is becoming viewed as far more desirable to find varied destinations within roughly a five-hour drive from your hometown. These shorter excursions allow the work-weary and restless to embrace their wanderlust, stepping away from the keyboard into new, culturally stimulating cities and beautiful natural settings to recharge the batteries and reconnect with why they work so hard in the first place.

Given its centralized location, Oklahoma City affords outstanding opportunities in all directions to satisfy the primal need for respite. Here are four noteworthy destinations in our neighboring states within roughly a five-hour drive from the metro that offer a combination of world-class cuisine, natural wonder and enlightening cultural experience.

BY MATT PAYNE

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PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK AMARILLO, TEXAS | DISTANCE: 280 MILES | TIME: 4 HOURS

Sure, the Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but it is also a thousand miles from Oklahoma City. The awe-inspiring Palo Duro Canyon State Park, voted by Fodor’s last year as one of America’s best state parks, is known as the “smile of Texas.” Located half an hour outside Amarillo, this park is home to the country’s second-largest canyon and a stunning retreat for those who want the scope of the Grand Canyon without the chaos.

WHERE TO STAY The Courtyard Marriott in Downtown Amarillo: This isn’t your typical Marriott. Located in the center of downtown, this beauty is built into the historic 1929 Fiske Building, and is within walking distance from several bars and restaurants, and minutes from the famed Cadillac Ranch.

Camp in Palo Duro: You’ve gone this far to get out of the city, so stay out of the city entirely and sleep under the stars in one of Palo Duro’s campsites. Whether you are looking for a place to park and camp, or you want to hike into somewhere remote, there is no shortage of space under the Texas stars – and yes, they’re big and bright.

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WHAT TO DO Hike/bike/horseback ride: This spectacular park offers several access points with sweeping vistas along the canyon’s rim.

While the views are great, to make the most of this vast canyon, it is best to get into the interior by way of foot, hoof or pedal. The canyon offers more than 30 miles of trails spanning 30,000 acres for hiking and biking, and for the equestrian-inclined, there are more than 1,500 acres dedicated to horseback exploration.

Visit Amarillo: Amarillo, although mostly known as a cattle town, has grown considerably, offering guests several attractions including the American Quarter Horse Museum, the Amarillo Botanical Gardens and, of course, the world-famous 72-ounce steak at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery.

WHAT TO DO

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI DISTANCE: 354 MILES | DRIVE TIME: 5 HOURS

Kansas City boasts more fountains than any city in the world short of Rome. These fountains, many of which come from Europe and can be traced back to the 1800s, are the perfect representation of the city known affectionately as “The Heart of America.” Like Kansas City itself, the fountains are beautiful and steeped in history, and like the torrents of water that animate them, Kansas City is also a vibrant city, ever in the present.

Nelson Atkins Museum of Art: Home to Monet’s “Water Lilies,” Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California” and a 29-foot shuttlecock designed by Claes Oldenburg that adorns the museum’s grounds, The Nelson Atkins Museum is one of the country’s finest.

Country Club Plaza: This beautiful 15-block plaza, architecturally themed after Seville, Spain, and exploding with fountains, is the heart and soul of Kansas City. Home to high-end stores, hotels and fine dining, this area known affectionately as “The Plaza” is this part of the city’s most famous attraction.

WHERE TO STAY The Raphael: This European-style boutique hotel is one of Kansas City’s most elegant. Located steps from the Country Club Plaza, the Raphael offers old-world elegance with modern convenience. Nightly music in the lounge is a perfect way to wind down an evening – and if you get Marriott Points, The Raphael is the spot for you.

Hotel Sorella: One of Kansas City’s newest hotels, also located in Country Club Plaza, is equal parts contemporary and Mediterranean. There is no better spot to overlook the city than Sorella’s rooftop swimming pool complete with fire pits and cabanas.

The American Jazz Museum/Blue Room: This museum not only pays tribute to some of jazz music’s greatest icons, but also serves as a revered stage for emerging and established musicians to showcase their talent.

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WHAT TO DO South Congress Avenue: South Congress, known locally as SoCo, is a funky thoroughfare packed with top-notch restaurants like the famed Torchy’s Tacos or Botticelli’s, bustling music venues and eclectic shops and art galleries.

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: This center, established by former First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, is an organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Texas Hill Country and South Texas’ native plants and wildflowers. With several trails, as well as interactive exhibits, the Wildflower Center is a stunning and inspirational reprieve with interactive exhibitions and extended walking trails.

DISTANCE 388 MILES | TIME: 5 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Located at the base of Texas’ stunning hill country and boasting thriving culinary, music and film scenes, Austin has long been the prototype for those who want big-city culture but an easy-going lifestyle. With a downtown that sits along the picturesque Colorado River, Austin is a quirky and ever-expanding city that combines culture and nature in a way that turns any preconceived notion of Texas on its head.

WHERE TO STAY The Driskill: Located in Austin’s bustling downtown area, minutes from the state Capitol, Lady Bird Lake and famed music hub and nightlife scene Sixth Street, the historic Driskill Hotel is an exercise in old-world elegance. Built in 1886, the Driskill not only rightfully claims the title of Austin’s finest hotel, but also boasts one of the city’s finest restaurants. The Driskill Grill, with its famed wine list and inventive yet familiar menu, is not to be missed.

Hotel Saint Cecilia: This high-end bohemian hotel located just off of South Congress is named after the patron saint of music and poetry, and that lyrical spirit infuses every aspect of this shabby chic hideaway. With both hotel rooms and poolside bungalows, the Hotel Saint Cecilia is a haven for free spirits with a taste for the finer things in life.

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Catch a show: Austin lives and dies by its live music scene.

Whether it’s attending South by Southwest, one of the country’s premier music and film festivals, or catching a show at a local venue like The Elephant Room or The Continental Club, the music of Austin is truly its heartbeat. Stop

by Waterloo Records and Videos, established in 1982, and pick up a vinyl as a memento of your trip. Or to experience true Texas, go down to the Broken Spoke on South Lamar Boulevard for live country music and line dancing lessons.

WHAT TO DO

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

DISTANCE: 221 MILES | TIME: 3 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Frank Lloyd Wright homes, Andy Warhol paintings and James Beardnominated chefs historically have not been associated with tiny Northwest Arkansas towns, but that is no longer the case. Bentonville, home to the world’s first Walmart – then called Walton’s 5 and 10 – is an idyllic town set on a picturesque, tulip-lined square, ripped straight from a Norman Rockwell painting and nestled gently into a pastoral Ozark forest. In Bentonville, true Americana collides with progressive culture and cuisine in a way that is nothing short of delightful.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: The town’s renaissance can most aptly be attributed to this tremendous American art museum founded

by Walmart heiress Alice Walton.

This museum, said to celebrate the spirit of America, spans five centuries and houses works from Warhol and Rothko to John Singer Sargent.

Set on 120 acres, with more than three miles of walking trails, Crystal Bridges was designed with the aim of incorporating meaningful art into Arkansas’ natural beauty.

The Food Scene: The burgeoning food scene in this tiny town is among the country’s best. Tusk and Trotter Brasserie and Table Mesa are among Bentonville’s finest – and chef Matthew McClure at 21c Museum Hotel’s The Hive was nominated for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards in the “Best Chef: South” category.

WHERE TO STAY 21c Museum Hotel: This contemporary boutique hotel is located inside Bentonville’s modern art museum a block off of the main square. One could spend an hour simply observing the art in the hotel’s lobby … and the rooms are pretty wonderful, too.

The Laughlin House Bed and Breakfast: This historic, Victorian-style B&B, located just off the town square, is a beautifully appointed old home divided into three stately suites. These suites have all the technological touches one could need with all the grandeur of a classic home. Owners Jenny and Don Wallace are tremendous hosts, and while Bentonville’s food scene is among the best, you could do a whole lot worse than a breakfast prepared by Don himself.

Cycling the Razorback Regional Greenway: This cycling path includes 36 stunning miles of both paved and mountain bike trails connecting Bentonville to neighboring Fayetteville, and is the best way to experience the area’s natural beauty.

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culture

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Right of Passage?

Fight to amend liquor laws could result in consumer casualties

BY GREG HORTON ILLUSTR ATION BY CHAD CROWE

W I T H T HE PA S SAGE of SB 383 and SJR 68 in May, Okla-

homans will be voting for large-scale changes to our alcoholic beverage laws in November. Rather than approach the reformation of our liquor laws conservatively, state legislators – notably Sens. Stephanie Bice and Clark Jolley – pushed to completely rewrite Article 28 of the state constitution, as well as Title 37 of the Oklahoma statutes. It’s essentially a total overhaul of how our state deals with alcohol, the main focus of which has been allowing the sale and purchase of strong beer (higher than 4 percent ABV) and wine of less than 15 percent ABV in retail locations such as grocery and convenience stores.

According to Bryan Kerr, president of the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma, SJR 68 repeals and replaces Article 28, and SB 383 replaces the language of Title 37, legislation that covers all Oklahoma statutes related to alcohol (beer, wine and liquor). In November, voters will decide on a state question to replace Article 28 with Article 28A, legislation that includes all the proposed verbiage from SB 383. If it passes – and SB 383 has already been approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor – some provisions will go into effect in 2017, but most will be delayed until October 2018.

Retailers and brokers (agents of the manufacturers) and some wholesalers in the state have raised strong objections to the legislation, but Bice (R-Oklahoma City) and Jolley (R-Edmond) have not responded to multiple requests for clarification of the bill’s verbiage. Matt Sterr, managing partner of Spirit Shop in Norman, called SB 383 a “wholesale change to the system to benefit out-ofstate interests.”

Sterr said the legislation has been sold to consumers as a slate of new conveniences, but those conveniences are not without substantial consequences, most of which the retailers believe are bad for consumers.

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When a piece of legislation is sold using words that are difficult to define or the definition of which is questionable (e.g., convenience, or modern versus archaic laws), it is worth looking at what is actually being sold. Convenience is a good thing, but liquor retailers insist there are multiple costs to these new conveniences, including a reduction in selection, a rise in prices, a loss of small businesses and a system that will be incredibly difficult to regulate. If local beer and boutique wines don’t end up in large retailers – and it is unlikely they will if the legislation passes – then consumers will be driving across town to one or two niche stores that carry their favorites.

Some of this is due to the tendency of retailers to maximize shelf space, meaning only high-volume products would be stocked – ones that cost less and have high name recognition, which is not to say the best available choices. Additionally, pricing is sure to go up at the wholesale level, as the current system guarantees that Oklahoma prices on a product offered by the distributors (wholesalers) can be no higher than the lowest price offered in the six surrounding states, and, according to Kerr, “the current wholesale model allows for unfettered competition among many different Oklahoma-owned wholesalers.”

“The legislation would create a franchising system much like Texas has,” Sterr says. “Their costs are 25-40 percent higher than ours.”

Modern here, it seems, means more expensive. Confusion arises when people drive to Texas and see their favorite bottle of liquor priced cheaper than it is in Oklahoma, but that is a function of the franchising system and usually only applies to a small number of offerings – special discounts to retailers on certain “loss-leader” items, much like Walmart operates. Under current Oklahoma law, those sorts of arrangements are illegal. All alcohol products coming into the state must be offered by all distributors at the same price.

While Sterr calls the franchising system the most egregious change to the laws – it would allow for price controls and gouging, for example – Kerr also points to the inequity in the way wine and strong beer will be handled in stores such as Walmart or Target if the legislation passes.

“A retailer in Oklahoma may now have one license to sell liquor, wine and beer, and a married couple may have two,” Kerr says, “but SJR 68 and SB 383 would give unlimited wine and beer licenses to large retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven while maintaining that Oklahoma citizens would still only get one license per person.”

This is one of the provisions of the proposed law that has come under fire from opponents because it is fundamentally unjust. The extension of multiple licenses will lead to an expansion of wine and beer in retail locations, from the current 658 licensed establishments to more than 4,000 potential licensed establishments. This leads to Kerr’s strongest warning about the new legislation.

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“How much more access will minors have once strong beer and wine are in more than 4,000 locations?” he asked. “In fact, there is nothing in the legislation to prevent 16-year-olds from handling alcohol at large retail locations. The legislation also reduces the age at which someone can sell stronger alcohol from 21 to 18. Is it really good public policy to increase underage access to stronger alcohol just to save grocery and convenience stores a few extra bucks in their hiring and training practices?” (This is one of the questions that proponents had not answered as of press time.)

Sterr has a timely and pragmatic question, too. “At a time when we are facing a $1 billion budget shortfall, why are we going to send hundreds of millions in revenue out of state to Walmart, Target and Costco?”

In addition to the revenues lost to out-of-state interests, there is also the question of impact on local businesses. Kerr said he expects that many mom-and-pop stores would have to close. High-volume bottles keep some of the smaller stores in business, but those high-volume bottles would be the ones that large retailers stock the most.

Alex Kroblin is the managing partner of Thirst Wine Merchants, a brokerage in Oklahoma. The brokerage tier is the most endangered as a whole in the proposed legislation. “We would essentially to convert to a wholesaler,” “ … Why are we going have Kroblin says. “That would to send HUNDREDS mean expenditures on trucks, drivers, et cetera, or we would OF MILLIONS IN also have to sell our goods to REVENUE out of whatever wholesalers would state to Walmart, still be around.”

This is one of the more Target and Costco?” complex problems with the proM AT T ST ER R posed system. The state’s two largest wholesalers – Central and Jarboe – would be able to create exclusive agreements with large brokerages; the state’s two largest are Republic National Distributing and Glazers (owned by Southern Wine & Spirits). According to SJR 68, those brokers would then be able to buy controlling interest in these same wholesalers, essentially designating themselves as the sole distributors of their family of products, representing more than 80 percent of the wine and spirits sold in our state. This is the heart of franchising.

According to Kerr, manufacturers would control their products’ distribution and pricing via exclusive agreements with and ownership in large wholesalers, thereby creating a veritable monopoly on specific brands – ironic given that proponents of SJR 68 and SB 338 accused the current licensed retail stores and distributors of having a monopoly under current legislation. In fact, the current system is rigged for competitiveness, as all entities have access to all products at the same prices from the brokers, and then have to compete at both the wholesale and retail level to offer the best prices to the consumer.

Are some elements of these proposed new laws beneficial to consumers? Certainly. Is the gain in convenience free from side effects as a result? Unfortunately not – and time, and the ballot box, will tell how strong a hit might be in store for all elements of the industry, including the customers.

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The Tab for New Legislation WHAT WE HAVE Open, competitive wholesale system with seven different distribution companies all vying for business.

Selection driven by local consumer demand.

Prices held down by competition at every level.

Limited underage access to strong alcohol due to local ownership, restricted hours of operation and severe penalties.

Liquor, wine and strong beer served by 18+ and sold by 21+.

Fewer than 700 retail licenses.

Restricted access for minors (not allowed in bars, liquor stores).

Sales revenue primarily benefits local owners and state of Oklahoma.

One license per person and two for a married couple.

WHAT WE’LL GET Closed, franchise system with up to 90 percent of the market controlled by two distribution companies.

Selection dictated by two wholesalers/distributors.

Price increases due to lack of competition and additional cost of delivering to thousands of new outlets.

Increased underage access to strong alcohol due to corporate ownership, extended hours and lighter penalties.

Liquor, wine and beer sold by 18+ and stocked by 16+.

More than 4,000 retail licenses, including convenience stores.

Unrestricted access for minors in Walmart, Target, 7-Eleven, etc.

Sales revenue primarily benefits out-of-state companies.

One license per person, two for a married couple, and unlimited licenses for large retailers (Walmart, Target, 7-Eleven, etc.).

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MARK T. HANSTEIN, DDS

Bringing over 30 years of dentistry to the Oklahoma City & metro area

2012 Best of Oklahoma City Award for Dental Bonding and Cosmetic Dentistry

UMBRELLAS • REPLACEMENT CUSHIONS IN STOCK

Teeth Whitening | Lumineers™ | Mercury-Free Practice | TMJ/Grinding Disorders Reduced Exposure/Digital X-Rays | Bonding | Root Canal Therapy Botox® | Caring Staff | Enjoy your favorite music & an amazing view

GENERAL, RESTORATIVE & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

MARK T. HANSTEIN, dds

www.swansonsfireplaceandpatio.com

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Bank of Oklahoma Plaza | 201 Robert S. Kerr, Suite 521 235.7288 | www.okcdrhansteindds.com

home

Hail to the Heights

PHOTO BY DAVID COBB

A longtime resident of Crown and Edgemere Heights, Julie Richardson isn’t the only family member who loves her neighborhood: Regal terrier mix Edith commands all that she sees from her perch on the hearth of the outdoor fireplace in Richardson’s gorgeous back yard, while a statue of Saint Francis keeps a watchful eye.

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home HABITAT

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A CROWN JEWEL

Julie Richardson loves her neighborhood, art, life

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS BY DAVID COBB

T HR EE T HI NGS A R E immediately clear about Crown Heights-Edgemere

Heights resident Julie Richardson: She’s gregarious, hilarious and unimpeachably dedicated to her family and neighborhood. Her three sons – Greg, 40, Russ, 36, and Will, 27 – all grew up in Richardson’s beloved neighborhood, and Greg’s children are the third generation to have called its idyllic surroundings home.

“My story, if I have a story, is such a Crown Heights story,” Richardson says. “I can’t think of a better place. The kids went to local schools, Westminster and Bishop McGuinness, and grew up playing in the park and roaming the neighborhood with their friends.”

(Clockwise from left) Richardson’s den is filled with beautiful objects and classic, comfortable furnishings. An irreverent dotted rug winks from below, encouraging guests to sink down into the plush sofa cushions and take a good look around. Her home is a Who’s Who of local artists, and includes works by ceramicist Suzi Swinford, Harold Holden, Ellen Dow, Rebecca Friedman Wheeler, Ernesto Sanchez, Shirley ThompsonSmith, Bert Seabourn and Linda Warren – whose painting of hummingbirds, which Richardson loves, hangs above the fireplace.

Clean, Scandinavian-inspired Mid-Century lines ensure that the sun-dappled traditional galley kitchen looks sleek, not cluttered.

Julie Richardson enjoys a moment in her beautifully manicured back yard.

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home HABITAT

(Clockwise from top) Acclaimed American interior designer Sister Parish may well be Richardson’s spirit animal. Parish famously said, “From the beginning, I never followed trends. If I was aware of them, I didn’t care, for I believed as I do now, that rooms should be timeless and very personal. Home, the idea of home, is my principal purpose.” Richardson’s warm family dining room, with its massive table, mismatched chairs and smattering of objets d’art, is the embodiment of Parish’s sentiment. Here one finds a deft combination of a large Oriental rug, paintings in the Southwestern genre and whimsical oversized thistles in a massive vase.

In the living room, an intricately carved marble mantel, adorned with candlesticks and a statue of Saint Francis, is perhaps the most formally composed area of the home. The portrait feels somber, almost mournful.

A pair of wing chairs covered in neutral damask anchors one side of Richardson’s living room. On the living room tables, frozen as if they were about to scamper, live a variety of little bronzes of small creatures. Little horned toads, lizards and the like add whimsy, but you’ve got to look for them.

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Richardson’s treasured Moyers painting anchors one wall. Nearby is another extraordinary piece, this one by Southwestern art luminary Miguel Martinez. Below Martinez’s piece is a tray filled with art made by Richardson’s favorite artists: her children.

Her youngest, Will, stops in to hang out and have lunch as she tells her story, and interjects stories – some printable, some not. “The first word I think of when I think about my mother is loyal,” he says. “And she’s one of the funniest people I know.”

Her home, which she shares with Benny the Labradoodle and Edith the terrier, both rescues, is gracious and elegant, with pops of whimsy and lots of great art. “My love of art comes from my parents. They spent time at their home in Santa Fe, and I suppose I inherited my interest in Southwestern art from them.”

Her most treasured piece, by acclaimed Western artist John Moyers, hangs in her den. “I love the night sky in this piece, and the horses. It was such a big deal to me to buy this painting. It was my most serious art purchase and it was a stretch for me to afford it, but I bought it anyway and it was totally worth it,” Richardson says.

Her neighborhood has been a constant in her life since she came here in 1979. Through thick and thin, through tragedy and triumph, it’s always remained true with its bucolic parks and immaculately tended medians, friendly neighbors who’ve become lifelong friends and beautiful variety of architectural styles.

And in return, she’s remained true to it, serving on the neighborhood association’s board of directors and coordinating the

annual tree lighting and sleigh ride in December. She is also a longstanding member of her book club, many of whose members are fellow neighborhooders.

“I’ve lived in several homes in the neighborhood. My house now is in Edgemere Heights, which means it was built in the 1950s. To me, after living on the Crown Heights side, where the homes were built in the 1930s, it seems like a brand-new house.”

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home DÉCOR

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Fabulous Fabrics Give decor new life with a new look

IF YOU A R E looking to freshen up, or “summer up,”

your home, it might be easier than you think. A new fabric for your window treatments, new throw pillows or even re-covering a couch may be just the trick. Florals, whimsical stripes, even palm leaves don’t just fit the bill, they are on point. Whatever shade or scope or direction you take, adornments like these samples will give your home that summertime vibe. - SARA GAE WATERS

FROM WEST ELM, OKC 6. Dusty Blue linen, $25 per yard; 7.

Natural linen, $25 per yard

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FROM FABRIC FACTORY, OKC 8. Lysander in ivy, $61.90 per yard; 9. Orissa Diamond Blue by Sunbrella, $53.90 per yard; 10. Jo Jo Corn Yellow Slub, $15.90 per yard

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

FROM KETCH DESIGN CENTRE, OKC* 1. Orangerie – Rose by Designers Guild, $290 per yard; 2. Barbary Toile in amethyst by Nina Campbell, $184 per yard; 3. Broken Stripe in green by Christopher Farr Cloth, $170 per yard 4. Palma in green by Christopher Farr Cloth, $220 per yard; 5. Manaos – Perroquet by Christian Lacroix, $204 per yard; *all prices retail; ask about potential discounts

dining Garden Fresh Ideas

PHOTO BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Eating a diet free from animal products is by no means a new idea – but it is often still difficult to find vegan options that aren’t afterthoughts in mainstream restaurants. That may be in the process of changing, though, as establishments like Vast plan to elevate the perception of thoughtful meat-free dining.

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dining

LOCAL FLAVOR

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VASTLY VEGAN

A high-profile experiment in vegan dining

V EGA N CU ISI N E E X ISTS on the periphery of mainstream food culture, not as a trend, but as the preference of a small minority of diners who choose a plant-based diet based on convictions or nutrition. In May, though, Chef Kurt Fleischfresser added vegan to the menu at Vast, and not as an afterthought. Does the city’s most visible restaurant adding a vegan menu signal a shift in the culinary landscape of Oklahoma City?

Some ethnic foods (notably Indian) provide traditional vegan options. Vietnamese diner Pho Ca Dao on NW Classen even has vegan pho that uses mushroom broth instead of meat stock. Andrea Koester, the co-owner of mobile donut and pastry vendor Holey Rollers – which produces vegan pastries – says that vegan can be done well if there is a commitment to it.

“One of the main reasons vegan has been easier for other cultures is that they don’t share our obsession with cheese. That’s why Indian restaurants typically have so many vegan options: no cheese and no cooking with animal fat.”

Holey Rollers sends out their donut truck a couple of times a week, and many customers have no idea they are eating vegan, partly because the donuts are so good and partly because vegans don’t typically have a ton of dessert or pastry options.

The typical experience of vegan diners is very consistent. Greg Dimond, a regular at Elemental Coffee – a destination restaurant for vegans in the metro – said he has seen many restaurants where a salad or veggie plate was all that was available. “I was in a popular Tulsa restaurant recently that specialized in smoked meats,” he says. “All they could put together was a head of iceberg lettuce, quartered, with tomatoes and vinaigrette.”

Fleischfresser said that is not atypical for restaurants that don’t have a commitment to vegan dining. “It’s frustrating for a customer to discover that a restaurant only has steamed broccoli or cauliflower or a salad,” he explains. “At the same time, it’s really difficult to make good vegan food if you don’t plan for it.”

Vast Executive Chef Patrick Williams came up with the idea of a trial vegan menu. The restaurant has several regulars who are vegan, and while Williams and Chef de Cuisine Kevin Le could put something together with a little advance notice, Fleischfresser said making menu items part of daily prep makes for better quality, simply because good stocks and purees take time to do right.

“Kevin Le has spent a lot of time on this menu,” Fleischfresser says. “He is not looking up recipes online; he’s creating them himself.”

For the May dinner, Le made tomato carpaccio with smoked onion jam, beet risotto with chive oil and rigatoni pasta with morel mushrooms and English peas. In other words, he is not just throwing together veggie plates or boring salads.

BY GREG HORTON PHOTOS BY CARLI WENT WORTH

Le was a graduate of Fleischfresser’s apprenticeship program at The Coach House, and Fleischfresser said Le excelled at the vegetarian/vegan element of the curriculum. “The training is technique-driven,” Fleischfresser says, “but how you apply the techniques is up to individual chefs, especially given the large number of fresh, local ingredients we have to work with.”

The vegan menu is available the last week of the month and only at dinner, and features a four-course meal – usually an appetizer, soup/salad, entrée and dessert. Optional wine pairings from Vast’s expansive list will be available at an additional cost of $20. Fleischfresser asked that interested customers make a reservation and inform the restaurant that they are coming for the vegan menu.

July will be the last month of the official experiment unless it is well received. Diners who give it a try might find themselves with a new perspective on vegan flavor.

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dining

CHEF’S TABLE

HOW IT’S DONE LAMB AND MUSTARD CRUST 1 full rack of lamb 1/8 cup pearled barley 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water) 1/4 cup butter (room temp) 1/2 cup panko (fine ground) 1/2 tsp yellow mustard seed 1/2 tbsp mustard powder 1 tbsp Dijon 1 tbsp whole grain mustard Salt and pepper to taste Put the barley and yellow mustard seeds in water in the fridge overnight to hydrate.

Strain the mixture and add the other ingredients to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip until homogenous.

Sear the lamb on all sides and let rest.

Taylor Desjarlais’ simple stunner

TAY LOR DE SJA R L A IS is the chef

de cuisine at Chae: Modern Korean, but his beginnings in the food industry were not auspicious. His first job was at a now defunct restaurant in Lawton called Lone Star Steakhouse.

“I was a 16-year-old server, and I told a guy at a table not to be such a bitch about his order,” Desjarlais remembers. “What can I say? I was 16.”

The restaurant still needed help, though, so they put the future chef to work in kitchen prep. That was the first step in a long process that led to Chef Kurt Fleischfresser’s apprenticeship program.

Desjarlais grew up like many Oklahoma kids, with casseroles, sandwiches and the occasional “breakfast for supper.” He still counts his mother’s chicken tetrazzini as his childhood favorite, as well as nachos – so many chefs are junk food devotees.

At Chae, the chef oversees an incredibly complex menu of modern Korean food, and the restaurant’s popularity means he has very little time to cook at home. In fact, he

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has very little time for any of his hobbies, among which he names his Boxer-mix dog Felix, baseball and the Oklahoma City Thunder, in that order.

“I’m a Red Sox guy all the way,” Desjarlais says. “I would get written out of so many wills on my father’s side of the family if I chose any other team.”

When he does get to cook at home, he and his wife Hunter – who manages the front of house at Chae – like lamb.

Specifically, Colorado lamb. Desjarlais said the protein is very underutilized by home cooks.

“I think a lot of people are afraid of it, thinking it’s too complicated,” he says. “This recipe is really straightforward and should make it very easy to cook.”

For this month’s recipe, the chef chose mustard-crusted rack of lamb and smashed fingerling potatoes, thereby combining a meat-and-potatoes simplicity with a little chef-y flair. The good news is that the crust for this recipe is super easy for non-professionals. - GREG HORTON

Press the crust on and bake at 375°F to desired temperature. The crust turns into a shell and will not burn easily. When the crust is golden brown, the lamb should be done (medium temperature).

FINGERLING POTATOES 1 pound potatoes (washed) 10 chive stalks (chopped finely) 2-4 tbsp creme fraiche (depending on how creamy you prefer) 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Roast the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper until you can run a skewer through one with no resistance. While you wait, mix chives, creme fraiche and vinegar in a bowl. Smash each potato with the bottom of a jar and mix in the sauce while warm. - GH

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Lamb That Cuts the Mustard

Spread the crust on about 1/4 inch thick. Tip: You can also roll it out evenly between two pieces of parchment paper and cut into a block the size of your rack of lamb. The reason this crust works so well is because it comes out like a paste so it’s easier to put on the meat.

224 johnny bench drive | lower bricktown OKC 405.701.3535 | www.kdsbricktown.com JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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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

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 $$

American

INTERURBAN Great food in casual comfort – while there are plenty of options for the health-conscious on the menu, visitors really should try the chicken-fried steak and anything with honey-pepper bacon. 4 metro locations, interurban.us $$

ANCHOR DOWN 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 $

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 $

CAFÉ 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 $$

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 $$

COOLGREENS This health-conscious 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 $$

MARY EDDY’S Inside the inviting environs of Film Row anchor 21c Museum Hotel, this showplace of a restaurant turns out a seasonally driven menu of expertly tuned flavors and dishes meant to be shared. 900 W Main, OKC, 982.6900 $$

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 $$ EMBER A spate of classic cocktails and some nicely comfortable ambience make this “Modern American Tavern” in the Waterford a solid gathering place for drinks, but the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner is filled with food temptations, as well. Try the Prohibition Brunch on Sundays. 6300 Waterford, OKC, 585.2490 $$ 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 $$ GUYUTES The vibe is definitely and deliberately mellow in this Uptown watering hole; the diverse and musically named collection of pizzas and wraps and such have a ton of flavor to offer,

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MEATBALL HOUSE The focus in this Campus Corner restaurant is right where the name says, but the variety of ingredients, sauces and presentation in salads/sandwiches/pizza/pasta gives a surprising breadth of satisfying dining options. 333 W Boyd, Norman, 701.3800 $$

PROVISION KITCHEN 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 $

Walker Ave, OKC, 600.6200 $$

THE R&J LOUNGE AND SUPPER CLUB A sentimental dining experience with vintage recipes and atmosphere.

Seating is limited but the patio is a year-round treat, and the drinks menu is a thing of beauty. 320 NW 10th, OKC, 602.5066 $$

WHISKEY CAKE 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 $$

REDROCK CANYON GRILL Rotisserie chicken, enchiladas, pork chops and steak by the lake in a casual, energetic, hacienda-style atmosphere of stone walls and mahogany beams around an open kitchen. 9221 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 749.1995 $$

Asian

SATURN GRILL 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 $ SCRATCH Isn’t that the best place for food to come from? Top-of -the-line ingredients are combined into entrees and sides that are carefully concocted in-house, as are the bevy of wondrous craft cocktails. 132 W Main, Norman, 801.2900 $$ SUNNYSIDE DINER A new day dawns for breakfast and lunch on the west side of downtown as a former service station becomes a no-pretense, made-from-scratch diner. Order up!

916 NW 6th, OKC $

PACKARD’S NEW AMERICAN 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 $$

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

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

3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $

VAST 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 $$$

POPS The incredible profusion of soda varieties will dazzle visitors – and the sandwiches, salads, burgers and diner fare are certainly worth careful, repeated examination. 6447 Avondale, OKC, 928.7677 $

VICEROY GRILLE 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

WAFFLE CHAMPION A food truck that expanded into a brick-and-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 $

CHAE Found near OCU, this pancultural 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 $$ DOT WO GARDEN With an elegantly appointed location, Dot Wo continues its crowd-pleasing legacy of over two decades by pairing sumptuous classics of Chinese cuisine with fiery, fresh sushi. 6161 N May, OKC, 608.2388 $$ EL TORO CHINO Big, bold flavors from disparate cuisines are blended in this self-described “Latin + Asian Kitchen” – creating results that are as excitingly distinctive as they are delicious. 2801 36th NW, Norman, 708.9472 $$ GRAND 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 $$ GUERNSEY PARK A hidden treasure on an Uptown back street, reflecting traditional Asian flavors expertly fused with a hint of French influence. Try the chicken lollipops and curry salmon. 2418 N Guernsey, OKC, 605.5272 $$ O ASIAN FUSION 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 $$ SAII With a dark, rich ambiance that elevates it over its surroundings, the captivating Saii serves expertly done

Japanese, Thai and Chinese fare plus an extensive and adventurous sushi menu.

6900 N May, OKC, 702.7244 $$

Bakery BELLE KITCHEN Doughnuts, macarons, pastries and ice cream created from scratch, in small batches – making treats like these with care and passion makes a difference that’s easy, and a pleasure, to taste. 7509 N May, OKC, 430.5484 $ CUPPIES & JOE The name is only part of the story: the Uptown nook holds cupcakes and coffee as well as pie, live music, a cozy, trendy vibe and more.

Park around back and take a peek. 727 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.2122 $ LA BAGUETTE 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 JUNKIE A Plaza District haven for serious pie aficionados. Call ahead to order a whole pie or quiche or walk in and choose from what’s on hand; either way the flavors are incredible, and you may never find a better Key lime. 1711 NW 16th, OKC, 605.8767 $ SARA SARA CUPCAKES 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 THE BARREL 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 FINE WINE & FOOD Just south of Main Street, this sleek bar stands out due to quick, courteous service and a menu with gourmet range from mojitos to barbeque chicken pizza to fresh hummus. 201 S Crawford, Norman, 360.4258 $$ THE MONT 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 $ OAK & ORE A Plaza District port of call built with repurposed rustic materials, it offers more than a handful of creative sandwiches that practically require a knife and fork, as well as a tantalizing selection of

lovingly chosen craft beers. 1732 NW 16th, OKC $

Barbeque

O’CONNELL’S IRISH PUB & GRILLE 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 $

EARL’S RIB PALACE A popular choice among locals in a genre that’s hardly lacking in options, the local chain pounds out hit ribs and turkey as well as a top-tier burger. 6 metro locations, earlsribpalace.com $

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 $$

IRON STAR URBAN BARBEQUE Iron Star specializes in “a unique and tasty spin on comfort food.” While its entrees are excellent, the sides here are equal players as well. 3700 N Shartel, OKC, 524.5925 $$

REPUBLIC GASTROPUB 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 $$ SIDECAR The fully stocked “barley and wine bar” (including wine on tap and plentiful spirits) keeps Automobile Alley patrons fueled, with a few delicious tidbits to boot. 1100 N Broadway, OKC $$ VZD’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 $

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

Burgers & Sandwiches COW CALF-HAY This tempting burger spot offers ample flavor combinations, and the delicious neverfrozen patties are mmmmmassive.

Don’t forget the onion rings. 3409 Wynn, Edmond, 509.2333; 212 N Harvey, OKC, 601.6180 $ THE GARAGE BURGERS & BEER It can get noisy in the sports-bar

BISTRO • BAKERY • BOUCHERIE

BOOK OUR PRIVATE ROOM

7408 N May Ave • Oklahoma City • 405-840-3047 labaguettebistro.com JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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HILLBILLY’S There’s mighty appealing flavor in their land-based or seafood sandwiches, and the licit thrill of moonshine cocktails is a bonus. The shady patio is a genuine pleasure. 1 NW 9th, OKC, 702.9805 $ ICE HOUSE Follow the tantalizing aroma to find this walk-up burger depot on the east edge of the Myriad Gardens.

It rewards a little time spent in line with sizzling onion burgers inspired by Nic’s Grill, big helpings of fresh, hot fries and creamy milkshakes – the better to make the outdoors greater. 125 Ron Norick, OKC, 232.6427 $ IRMA’S BURGER SHACK Hand-cut fries, hand-breaded onion rings and simply great burgers, especially with No Name Ranch patties - lean and flavorful thanks to a local breed of cattle. 1035 NW 63rd, OKC, 840.4762; 1120 Classen Dr, OKC, 235.4762 $ LOUIE’S GRILL & BAR 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 $

Proprietor Lesley Rawlinson

The Best of the Breast Paseo Grill’s dazzling duck WH I LE DU C K’S RO LE in cuisine is relatively paltry compared

to its poultry relative chicken, the darker, richer meat is exquisitely tender and savory when prepared correctly. Or, you might instead say, when prepared at Paseo Grill.

As could be expected from its name, the comfortable restaurant is an anchor of the Paseo Arts District – and it exhibits a level of culinary artistry commensurate with the painting, sculpture and photography of its creative neighbors. In a menu filled with standout examples of classic American fare, the Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast is a star in its own right.

This entrée features a sliced, sautéed breast of top-quality Pekin duck over a raspberry bourbon sauce – three words that should be music to the taste buds of practically anyone. Despite being poultry, duck is a red meat, not a white, so plenty of pink in the center of a slice is a sign that it hasn’t been overdone to the point of losing all its tenderness and succulence. It’s accompanied by a helping of orzo with toasted pine nuts and sautéed green beans, and also by a chorus of appreciative murmurs from the diners who chose it. - STEVE GILL

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THE MULE 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 GRILL It’s small, it’s crowded … and it’s incredible. It’s only open for lunch and the lines are often long, but the colossal burgers are easily among the metro’s best. Don’t forget some money, since it’s cash-only. 1202 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999 $ S&B’S BURGER JOINT Good news: these burgers’ exquisite flavors - including such showcase ingredients as peanut butter or a coffee crust - come as sliders too, the better to sample more kinds. 5 metro locations, sandbburgers.com $ TUCKER’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 $

CAFÉ EVOKE 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 $ CLARITY COFFEE The vibe is crisp, clean and cool while still remaining welcoming and comfortable – including seating for sipping or getting some work done – and the brewers have their beverages down to a science. As the sign says, “Drink the Coffee.” 431 W Main, OKC $ COFFEE SLINGERS 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 $ ELEMENTAL COFFEE Seriously spectacular coffee roasted in-house - the passionate staff is always eager to share knowledge about the process augmented with locally sourced salads, breakfast options and other treats. 815 N Hudson, OKC, 633.1703 $ RED CUP Comfortably ramshackle surroundings encourage curling up for conversation over great coffee, baked treats, vegetarian-friendly breakfast and lunch specials, and live music. It’s highly recommended. 3122 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 525.3430 $ T, AN URBAN TEAHOUSE 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 possibiliteas. 511 NW 23rd St, OKC, 7518 N May, OKC, 418.4333 $

Continental BLACKBIRD A Campus Corner gastropub pairing succulently creative dishes like pot roast nachos with a broad beer, wine and whiskey list.

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

Coffeehouse & Tea Room

LOTTINVILLES 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 $$

ALL ABOUT CHA Universal standards and unusual concoctions (the sweet potato latte is a wonder) in a cheerful atmosphere; the food options are worth investigating, as well. 5 metro locations, allaboutcha.net $

LUDIVINE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

atmosphere, but even so your focus will likely be on savoring the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 8 metro locations, eatatthegarage.com $

GOOD TASTE

THE MANTEL Marvelous steaks, seafood and other specialties combine with a refined atmosphere and outstanding service to set the stage for a truly memorable meal, especially if you have a date to impress. 201 E Sheridan, OKC, 236.8040 $$$ THE MELTING POT Special occasion? Here’s where to make a meal into an event. Specializing in four-course fondue dinners, this Bricktown restaurant rewards a time investment with delectable memories. 4 E Sheridan, OKC, 235.1000 $$$ 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 $$ MICHAEL’S GRILL Thoroughly urbane dining in an intimate setting: the steaks, chops, seafood and pastas are all reliably excellent, and the Caesar salad prepared tableside is the stuff of legends. 2824 W Country Club, OKC, 810.9000 $$$ THE MUSEUM CAFÉ 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 $$ PARK AVENUE GRILL A one-ofa-kind dining experience inside the luxurious Skirvin Hilton, blending traditional steak and seafood with the high style of its 1930s setting. 1 Park, OKC, 702.8444 $$$ PASEO GRILL Quiet and intimate inside, cheerful and comfortable out on the patio, with an award-winning menu filled with distinctive flavors inspired by the cuisines of Europe in both areas – try the duck salad. 2909 Paseo, OKC, 601.1079 $$$ ROCOCO An “East Coast-style” restaurant with a diverse menu of international dishes, all set off by carefully selected wines to create the perfect dinner pairing. 12252 N May, OKC, 212.4577; 2824 N Penn, OKC, 528.2824 $$ SEVEN47 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 $$ SIGNATURE GRILL Unassuming locale; magnificent culinary rewards.

The expertly considered menu mixes French and Italian flavors to present a wide spectrum of amazing flavors in a few select dishes. 1317 E Danforth, Edmond, 330.4548 $$$ WEST The staff is speedy, the décor sleek and modern, and the entrées - like beef pad thai or roasted airline chicken

- are wide-ranging but elegantly simple.

6714 N Western, OKC, 607.4072; 1 Mickey Mantle, OKC $$

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

German DAS BOOT CAMP Longtime fixture for Deutsch festivities Royal Bavaria has brewed up a second round of exceptional cuisine and magnificent beer in a less expensive, faster-paced location in downtown Norman. 229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $ FASSLER HALL Bringing 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 Oklahoma-made bratwurst. Join weekend regulars for breakfast, and remember the bakery counter. 3701 N Youngs, OKC, 946.8444; 6501 N May, OKC $$ ROYAL BAVARIA Superb takes on traditional dishes like Weinerschnitzel, Jagerbraten and sausages, plus fantastisch house-brewed beers. The time spent is a worthy investment in this family-style dining hall. 3401 S Sooner, Moore, 799.7666 $$$

It’s Time to Rediscover

the

Haunted House

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

Batterfried Lobster Tail Steaks Prime Rib Onion Rings

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

TAJ A tremendous set of Indian staples and delicacies - the menu has sections JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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for vegetarian, tandoori, South Indian and Indo-Chinese specialties - plus full lunch and dinner buffets. 1500 NW 23rd, OKC, 601.1888 $$

joint’s good beer selection and crisp, urban décor add savor to the flavor.

600-B NW 23rd St, OKC, 601.6161 $$

Italian & Pizza

PIZZERIA GUSTO Neapolitan-style pizza (which harnesses an extremely hot fire to quickly cook superfine flour crusts and quality ingredients) stars alongside Italy-inspired salads, pastas and appetizers. 2415 N Walker Ave, OKC, 437.4992 $$

BELLINI’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 $$ EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style (that means thin, flexible crust with a lot of surface area to cover in cheese and tasty toppings), it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1734 NW 16th, OKC $ FLIP’S WINE BAR & TRATTORIA Managing to feel rustic despite its location in a busy corridor of OKC, this cozy Italian joint keeps extended hours, and tends to get busier and louder as the hour gets later. 5801 N Western, OKC, 843.1527 $$ HIDEAWAY PIZZA If you’ve been serving a devoted following for over half a century, you’re doing something right.

In this case, that’s incredible pizza in jovial surroundings - a true Oklahoma success story. 8 metro locations, hideawaypizza.com $$

Sage Advice Try Blu’s herbaceous beverage IT ’S A LI NGU ISTIC coincidence that the word sage can refer to either a savory herb or something profoundly wise and prudent – but there are occasions when the two uses dovetail, such as describing the visually striking, deliciously complex cocktail dubbed the Sage & Sour.

A specialty of the house at Blu Fine Wine and Food, the beverage is a carefully constructed collocation of layers: Bulleit rye mixed with lemon and a sage simple syrup, topped with a float of red wine, topped with a whisper of egg white and a sage leaf. It calls for a bit of expertise and artistry in the preparation, so while you could try this at home, it would be much more pleasurable to drop by the downtown Norman hangout. There’s even a SAGE & SOUR tempting menu and also an excellent INGREDIENTS patio once the sun begins dipping Bulleit Rye slightly toward the horizon. Ask bar Lemon juice manager Nikki Snider or one of her Sage simple syrup colleagues for this crafty concocRed wine tion, and prepare to feel wise about Egg white Sage leaf garnish your decision. - STEVE GILL

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HUMBLE PIE PIZZERIA 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 $ JOEY’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 $$ KNUCK’S WHEELHOUSE 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 $

STELLA MODERN ITALIAN CUISINE A luscious spate of legitimately Italian tastes for a casual lunch, or romantic dinner, amid stylish scenery. The weekend brunch offerings are especially superb. 1201 N Walker, OKC, 235.2200 $$ TOMMY’S ITALIAN-AMERICAN GRILL An old favorite returns to the metro to provide fresh, plentiful doses of primo pasta and pizzas, always served with plenty of ambiance. 5516 W Memorial, OKC, 470.5577 $$ 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 $$ VICTORIA’S A comfortable atmosphere, with local art on its walls and the art of pasta on its plates – the chicken lasagna and linguine with snow crab are especially excellent. 327 White, Norman, 329.0377; 3000 SW 104th St, OKC, 759.3580 $ VITO’S RISTORANTE Homestyle Italian cuisine in an intimate setting where the staff and management treat customers like guests in their home.

It’s a small space, so calling ahead is recommended. 7521 N May, OKC, 848.4867 $$ THE WEDGE Wood-fired pies crafted from fresh ingredients (the possibilities range from pepperoni all the way to figs or truffle oil) and made-from-scratch sauces. 230 NE 1st, OKC, 270.0660; 4709 N Western, OKC, 602.3477 $$

Japanese // Sushi

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 $$

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

PEPPERONI GRILL 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 $$

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

PIZZA 23 The tempting selection of specialty pies on especially buttery, flaky crusts is available for takeout, but dining in is recommended; the Uptown

SUSHI NEKO An established OKC favorite combining style (sleek, brisk, classy) with substance (in the form of an especially wide-ranging and creative

PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

AT THE BAR

sushi menu). 4318 N Western, OKC, 528.8862 $$ TOKYO It’s neither huge nor lavishly appointed, and the menu focuses on tradition rather than creativity; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited as among the metro’s best sushi. 7516 N Western, OKC, 848.6733 $$ VOLCANO Creations from the hibachi grill or dazzling displays of handcrafted sushi prowess – this restaurant might not have much seating, but it’s certainly far from short on flavor. 2727 S I-35, Moore, 759.3888 $$

Mediterranean HAIGET’S Vegan-friendly – and friendly in general, due to the influence of the warm, patient namesake owner – this gem rewards the adventurous with Ethiopian and Kenyan specialties to explore and share. 308 W Edmond Rd, Edmond, 509.6441 $$ MEDITERRANEAN IMPORTS & DELI 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 $$ ZORBA’S For well over 20 years, Zorba’s has satisfied appetites and pleased palates. Serving dishes from recipes passed down through generations, they proudly share flavors of Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Morocco.

6014 N May, OKC, 947.7788 $

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

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

3325 N Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $ CULTIVAR A farm-to-fire Mexican kitchen that stresses sustainability, local sourcing and fresh, fast, flavorful food. Gluten-free options, chef-crafted tacos, a substantial bar and plenty more are on the menu. 714 N Broadway, OKC $$ IGUANA MEXICAN GRILL Unique Mexican flavor in a fun atmosphere at reasonable prices - a treat from the house-made salsas to the handcrafted cocktails, and all the tastes between. 9 NW 9th, OKC, 606.7172 $$ MAMA ROJA MEXICAN 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 $$

PEARL’S OYSTER BAR A perennial OKC favorite for its flavorful seafood and spicy Creole-inspired dishes: Shrimp Diablo, Tabasco-infused Caesar salads, Andouille omelets at Sunday brunch and more. 5641 N Classen, OKC, 848.8008 $$ THE SHACK SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR A massive selection of nicely spiced Cajun and Creole cooking, plus fried and grilled seafood, in an atmosphere that’s not shy about being as casual as it can be. 3 metro locations, theshackok.com $$

Soul Food C’EST SI BON The name is accurate: it is impressively good for lovers of Cajun-style catfish and poboys. Crawfish etouffee, frogs’ legs, fried chicken and shrimp po-boys are among the highlights, but the award-winning catfish is a must-try. 101 N Douglas, Midwest City, 610.2555 $

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

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 $$

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 $$

JAX SOUL KITCHEN 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 $

YUCATAN TACO STAND 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 $

KD’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 $$

ZARATE’S In addition to the familiar joys of enchiladas and the like, the chef’s Peruvian heritage shines in dishes featuring plantains, yuca and imported spices. Try something different; find something tasty. 706 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.6400 $$

Steakhouse

Seafood THE DRAKE The Good Egg Group’s flagship and a standard-bearer for diners who crave excellent seafood, it supplies a passel of chef’s creations featuring the sea’s finest, plus an oyster bar and righteous cocktails. 519 NW 23rd, OKC, 605.3399 $$$ LAND & 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 $$$ PEARL’S CRABTOWN A huge Bricktown warehouse where the Cajun Crab Boil is a favorite, guests are encouraged to “leave the silverware at home and dig in,” and taste is king. 303 E Sheridan, OKC, 232.7227 $$

BOULEVARD STEAKHOUSE Perfectly soigné ambiance down to the last detail and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sumptuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard, Edmond, 715.2333 $$$ BROADWAY 10 Cruise into the Buick building in Automobile Alley to savor steak supremacy or seafood selections (even sushi) in a cozy enclave amid urban bustle. 1101 N Broadway, OKC, 212.3949 $$$ CATTLEMEN’S Almost as old as the state itself, this Oklahoma institution’s immense corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew, OKC, 236.0416 $$ J. BRUNER’S AT THE HAUNTED 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 $$$ JAMIL’S STEAKHOUSE Saving room for your steak, lobster or prime rib

is difficult when your gratis appetizers arrive in the form of a Lebanese bounty, but make the effort. Jamil’s has been feeding Oklahoma exceptionally well since 1964. 4910 N Lincoln, OKC, 525.8352 $$$ JUNIOR’S The classic restaurant’s decor sets the perfect stage for hand-cut Angus steaks and lobster to fight for attention with knockout fried chicken.

2601 NW Expressway, OKC, 848.5597 $$$ MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE The ambiance and service are sublime, but fine aged steak broiled to perfection is the star. 3241 W Memorial, OKC, 748.5959; 100 W Main, OKC, 208.8800 $$$ 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 $$$ MICKEY MANTLE’S This lushly atmospheric social spot in Bricktown serves powerhouse entrées and sides with a full complement of amenities destined to impress. 7 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 272.0777 $$$ OPUS PRIME STEAKHOUSE 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 $$$ RANCH STEAKHOUSE Effortless opulence, custom-aged hand-cut USDA Certified Prime tenderloins and ribeyes, served amid warm Southern hospitality.

3000 W Britton, OKC, 755.3501 $$$ RED PRIMESTEAK Visionary design and atmosphere house super-premium steaks, vibrant, imaginative flavors and amenities to make some of the state’s best dining. 504 N Broadway, OKC, 232.2626 $$$

Thai SALA THAI 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 $ SWEET BASIL 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 $$ TANA THAI There’s a lot to like about the food in this little spot, from red snapper filet to pad thai. Pay special mind to the varied soups, and do not play chicken with the spice level. 10700 N May, OKC, 749.5590 $$ JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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INTERNATIONAL

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FAMILY VIBES IN PARADISE Fiji’s abundant beauty T HE SA LT Y SPR AY from

the sea felt refreshing as our tiny boat cut its way across the channel from Turtle Island, our Fijian paradise, located an hour’s ride by sea plane from the city of Nadi. In this humble, vibrant fishing village, accessible only by boat, we would spend the afternoon along a powdery beachfront among local Fijians, hearing their music and dancing traditional dances … and drinking Kava in the community’s Kava ceremony, an age-old ritual and the cornerstone of Fijian culture.

Many of the villagers worked on Turtle Island as staff members, and over the course of our stay, they had gone

from staff to something more like family. It was now my chance to be a guest in their village, and I was eager at the opportunity to look behind the curtain at what made Turtle Island so magical.

Five days earlier, the entire staff lined the serene waterfront of the reef-surrounded island as our seaplane touched down into the cerulean waters of the Yasawa Island chain. Two men, Arthur and Erami, waded out into the knee-deep water toward us with beaming grins.

“Bula, bula!” they said with infectious enthusiasm. Bula, which translates roughly to the word “life,” is a traditional Fijian greeting similar to the

Hawaiian’s aloha. The word’s primal, playful tone, which we would hear and speak a thousand times in the days to come, is enough to awaken anyone’s sense of joy and

curiosity in a way reminiscent only of a carefree childhood.

After placing a necklace of flowers around our necks, Erami and Arthur helped us from the plane’s float into

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the knee-deep, bath-warm water. A team of more than 30 out of the 120 total staff, each grinning radiantly, sang to the upbeat strum of a fivestringed guitar and ukulele as we made our way through the low tide toward the pristine beach where breakfast and a welcome drink awaited.

While the lyrics were in Fijian, it was clear that the song was one of joy and welcome.

Once on shore, we met Mama Sala, a bright-eyed, gentle Fijian woman who greeted us – not with a handshake, but rather with a hug not unlike that of a mother whose child has returned home after his first year of college. Her sole task for the week, she explained, was to ensure that our every need was met, from adventure to relaxation, meals to massages. “At Turtle Island,” she said, “you are like family.” A sentiment that with each day grew more and more true.

Turtle Island is an entirely private, eco-friendly island. It is the only resort of its kind in Fiji and offers guests unrivaled access to some of the world’s best diving, snorkeling, fishing and adventure paired with personalized luxury, exclusivity and intimate service. There are only 14 bures (private huts) on the entire island. Each bure’s

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well-appointed oceanfront living space offers a sitting area, balcony, his and hers sinks and toilets, an indoor and outdoor shower and a “bure mama” dedicated entirely to the needs of its guests. In addition to structured adventures such as diving, biking, sunrise horseback rides and fishing, at Turtle Island, guests always have access to stand up paddleboards and snorkel gear to explore the rich coral reefs just beyond your bure’s lazy beach hammock. Each day, guests also have the opportunity to reserve their own private beach where your bure mama will make sure that your picnic basket of fresh fruit, freshcaught lobster and champagne awaits you when you arrive at the time of your choosing.

When engineer Richard Evanson purchased the

island in the early 1970s, goats had stripped it of nearly all its natural vegetation and left it sitting barren for decades. Evanson saw promise in the space with its stunning coves, and made restoring the island to its natural beauty his life’s goal.

Not long after its purchase, the island received global recognition as the backdrop for the blockbuster The Blue Lagoon. Since, Turtle Island has become one of the world’s premier travel destinations, and a vital source of income and opportunity for locals

living on the surrounding islands. The Turtle Island Resort provides more than 120 jobs to local villagers and has begun a secondary school where 50 of the islands’ children receive their education at Turtle Island’s expense.

Not only does the island excel in community outreach, so too does it spare no expense in its effort to be environmentally conscious. Solar panels produce 90 percent of the resort’s energy needs, and most of its produce is grown on the island.

The island also plays a critical role in saving both green and hawksbill sea turtles, rescuing and tagging them to devalue their shells and releasing them back to sea.

Starry nights are filled with beautiful meals served family style. On special nights, visitors dine while floating on a raft in the middle of the protected moonlit cove. After dinner is when the true Fiji emerges. One night, the staff performs traditional songs and dances, and every night after dinner, guests participate in a Kava ceremony.

Kava is an age-old island tradition in which the eldest member of a community mixes a crushed root with water into a ceremonial bowl. After a brief ritual, each participant takes a sip of the grainy elixir, binding visitors eternally to the Fijian people as has been done in this island nation for hundreds of years.

Kava at the resort is certainly a taste of true Fijian culture, however, a trip to the village is an immersion.

Children play rugby and chickens run wild. There are no roads in this small village, and the houses have no windows. Some of the homes run on generators, others are lit only by the smiles of their

residents. As we make our way toward a group of locals who have gathered for a Kava ceremony, they ask us to join.

With the chief’s blessing, we take our Kava. As the drums begin to beat and the parade of dancers pulse, one by one, we are pulled in. A mile across the channel is one of the world’s most luxurious resorts, but here among the Fijians and their beautiful way of life, for the first time, we feel at home. Mama Sala was right: In Fiji, you do feel like family. – MATT PAYNE

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travel STATESIDE

Deep South Style T HE AT L A N TA OF “Gone with the Wind” is gone with the wind. Today’s Atlanta is a vibrant metropolis with a great economic outlook, historic and entertainment attractions, an exciting food scene and innovative reinvention of older areas of town. A nonstop flight from Oklahoma City, it’s the perfect escape for a great weekend getaway.

ATLANTA ON TWO WHEELS My purpose was to see my grandson Calvin, who was finishing a Master’s degree at Georgia State. In his two years living there, he’d been dependent on public transportation, Uber and the kindness of friends, so he had seen some of the sights. I was there to complete his education.

Our first outing was a Segway tour with ATL-Cruzers, a fast, fun way to see a bit of the city. We covered seven and a half miles in two and a half hours. We stopped for photo ops as we rolled past landmarks such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Margaret Mitchell’s house, the High Museum and the Federal Reserve Bank. We cruised through Ansley Park, an early 20th-century residential area now

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(From top) A spectacular sunset is reflected in Lake Clara Meer in historic Piedmont Park. | ATL-Cruzers gives all riders thorough training before Segway tours.

PIEDMONT PARK COURTESY OF ACVB; ATL-CRUZERS BY ELAINE WARNER

Seeing and savoring Atlanta

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOME BY JAMES DUCKWORTH, COURTESY OF ACVB; MARGARET MITCHELL HOME AND CARTER PRESIDENTIAL CENTER COURTESY OF ACVB

(From top) Martin Luther King Jr. was born in this 1895 Queen Anne-style home and lived there until he was 12. | The Carter Presidential Center houses a museum and archives of presidential materials, including approximately 27 million pages of Jimmy Carter’s presidential documents.

on the National Register of Historic Places, and into Piedmont Park, also on the NRHP, a beautiful green space used in 1895 for an international exposition.

Every Segway company gives preliminary instruction, but ATL-Cruzers did the best job of any I’ve tried. If you’re leery about a Segway adventure, they also offer a 90-minute, 15-mile electric car tour. I’ve done them both and highly recommend them as great introductions to the city.

HISTORICAL HOT SPOTS The two big do-not-miss spots for history buffs are the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. The Carter Museum is like the man: unassuming.

Exhibits cover his life, military and public service and humanitarian efforts he’s undertaken in retirement. Of all the presidential museums I’ve seen – eight of 13 – I believe this one has the smallest display of lavish gifts given to the president, perhaps another mark of humility. Of course, one of its most precious exhibits is the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the former president in 2002.

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site encompasses several structures. Start in the Visitors Center with exhibits and films on King and the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

Then take a self-guided tour of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both King and his father were preachers, or insight-filled guided tours of his birthplace and childhood home. The crypts of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King stand on an island in a pool in front of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. An eternal flame burns nearby.

I’LL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN Scarlett would have a fine time in Atlanta today, and turnips would not be involved. Atlanta has it all, from chocolate sea salt Popsicles at King of Pops to elegant dining. Our quick trip was heavy on the Popsicles.

During our Segway tour, guide Laura Castelli pointed out a number of popular eateries, but one in particular caught our attention: Cypress Street Pint and Plate, a favorite stop boasting a big outdoor patio and big burgers.

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One of their signatures is the Sublime Doughnut Burger – a creation featuring a half-pound Angus patty topped with cheddar, caramelized onions and applewood-smoked bacon between two Sublime glazed doughnuts. (Sublime Doughnuts, Atlanta, produces the crème de la cruller of doughnuts!) Yes, we had one … and it was delicious. The only problem was getting it into our mouths.

Atlantans are geniuses at re(From top) Once the world’s largest purposing old buildings. Krog Sears Roebuck store, Ponce City Street Market was a warehouse Market now houses restaurants, shops, offices and residences. | in the 1920s. Now it’s a hip and Cypress Street Pint and Plate’s happening mart with a variety burger between two doughnuts is only for the stout-hearted. of vendors and restaurants.

One of the most superior is Superica – owner/chef Ford Fry and chef Kevin Maxey are a couple of good ol’ Texas boys who really know their frijoles. Their Mex-Tex menu promises and delivers the goods.

The largest redevelopment project is Ponce City Market. The 2 million-square-foot space opened in the ’20s as the world’s largest Sears Roebuck store. Today it’s a popular mall with super food selections, interesting shops, residential and office space.

This was where we got our first Popsicle fix. We probably spent as much time eating as sight-seeing; Atlanta is great for both.

GRAND FINALE We barely scratched the surface of Atlanta offerings in this quick visit, but there was one last stop I wanted to make – the Fabulous Fox Theatre. I love movie palaces, and this is probably the most palatial I’ve ever visited.

Originally built as headquarters for Atlanta Shriners, the group began construction in 1928, but their plans were so grand they ran out of money and had to sell the building to movie mogul and theater owner William Fox. The building is a fantastic pastiche of Arabian nights and Egyptian temples.

Sitting in the main auditorium is like being in the courtyard of

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(From top) Lights still shine brightly on the historic Fox Theatre marquee. | In addition to hosting tours, the fabulous Fox Theatre presents approximately 250 shows per year.

While we were at the theater, purple balloons, flowers and other tributes memorialized Prince, whose final appearance had been here at the Fox.

PONCE CITY MARKET COURTESY OF ACVB; BURGER AND FOX THEATRE BY ELAINE WARNER

an exotic palace. The sky overhead is a deep blue dotted with stars. Persian carpets draped over the parapets hide speakers.

The custom-made Moller pipe organ is the second largest in the world. A tour of this magnificent structure is definitely worth the time and money.

You can have a great time in Atlanta in a short time. But why settle for an appetizer? There’s a whole menu of entertainment to be had in this great southern city.– ELAINE WARNER

events

IMAGE ©2012 SNI/SI NETWORK, LLC

Hail to the King

Even in a time when faunae in general were bigger and meaner, this prehistoric reptile had no trouble carving out some space in the food chain – visit the Sam Noble Museum July 2–Sept. 25, and you’ll understand quickly why the 48-foot-long, 2,500-pound, crocodile-devouring Paleocene predator was dubbed Titanoboa. Nearly 60 million years after it roamed central America, Titanoboa cerrejonensis is still a fearsomely impressive sight. Make its acquaintance during a traveling Smithsonian exhibition aptly subtitled “Monster Snake.”

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events PRIME PICKS

Take a New Look July 2-31, Kasum Contemporary Art Gallery When was the last time you invented a new genre of painting? California-born artist Stephen St. Claire created dialuminism – working in oil on metallic leaf that is then sealed with resin, interacting with illumination to form a vividly colorful, almost backlit, effect. Explore his latest oeuvre in the Plaza District as it fills part two of the Kasum gallery’s Contemporary West series.

Stephen St. Claire, “Autumnal Fire”

Dream Some Little Dreams July 1-30, OKC Civic Center

This Jam Is Your Jam

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K.C. Clifford

Lyric believes in the power of musical theater to transport viewers into other times and lives – and with the month they have coming up, they’re likely to win a few hearts and minds to their way of thinking. July sees the end of their run on Motown hopefuls tale “Dreamgirls,” followed by a trip over the rainbow to meet “The Wizard of Oz” and finally a tuneful meditation on changing times and the everlasting bonds of family in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

July 13-17, Okemah

Move ‘Em Out

Okemah is a bit of a ramble outside the 405, closer to Henryetta than to Shawnee, but fans of exceptional musical storytelling will find plenty to enjoy at the 19th annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, including more than a few familiar faces from around OKC: John Calvin Abney, Ali Harter, Beau Jennings, K.C. Clifford and Kyle Reid are merely a fraction of the scheduled performers, headlined by the great Graham Nash.

July 9-31, OKC Zoo Amphitheatre

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Summer is supposed to be a season for taking your enjoyment outdoors – why shouldn’t the principle apply to music as well? Grab your shades, suntan lotion and willingness to have your face rocked and head to the Zoo for three powerhouse shows: electronica- and hip-hop-fueled rockers Twenty-One Pilots; indie titans Weezer with Panic! At the Disco; and Good Charlotte backed by X Ambassadors.

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events ON FILM

TOMMY BOY iTunes and Netflix Among the funniest road trip movies ever made, and one that can be watched again and again and again. David Spade’s Richard plays stepbrother to Chris Farley’s Tommy, who has just inherited his father’s auto-parts company. Richard is desperate to sell the company and sets off on a journey to find a buyer – but sentimental dimwit Tommy, who’s determined to keep the family business, decides to tag along on said journey. A duel of epic comic proportions between the two characters ensues.

Silver Screen Travels On the trail of great road movies

TH E ROA D TR I P F I LM has been a longstanding, cross-genre tradition in American cinema,

one that has existed since pictures began moving and before widespread adoption of the automobile. These often humorous, frequently tragic, always heartfelt films tap into not just America’s love for seeing the world, but a human desire to better know oneself by way of grand adventure.

Be it a journey of reluctance, escape or simply chasing a thrill, the road trip movie takes us to places in the world and inside ourselves that we might otherwise never have known were there.

“To know the road trip movies, we have to go back to before movies existed. The modern road trip is, in many ways, a wink to the Western,” says Andy Horton, the Jeanne H. Smith Professor of Film and Video Studies at the University of Oklahoma. “But to really understand the road trip movie, we’ve got to go back to where the road trip story started in the first place.

We go back to Homer, Ithaca and The Odyssey. The road trip movie is really about the hero’s ultimate desire to go home and the journey along the way.”

Here is a roadmap to just a few of the best American Road Trip movies – since the days of Hope and Crosby, anyway – now streaming online. - MAT T PAYNE

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES iTunes This classic John Hughes movie starring John Candy and Steve Martin is about two strangers forced to drive from Kansas City to Chicago for Thanksgiving after bad weather grounds their flight.

This quintessential road trip film masquerades as a comedy, until the final seconds of the film when it reveals the movie’s true humanity with signature John Hughes sentiment.

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RAIN MAN iTunes Set partly in Guthrie, Oklahoma – before Guthrie became the local film hub it is today – this Oscarwinning film is a moving story (ha!) directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman as an autistic man, Ray, and Tom Cruise as his morally corrupt brother, Charlie. In the aftermath of their wealthy father’s death, Charlie takes Ray on a road trip across the country to attempt to control the family fortune by gaining custody of this new brother he didn’t know he had.

NEBRASKA iTunes One of Alexander Payne’s two Academy Awardnominated films (the other is Sideways, and is also streaming), Nebraska stars Will Forte and Bruce Dern in a father/son story. Dern’s old alcoholic curmudgeon believes he’s won a sweepstakes and demands his son, played by Forte, drive him from their home in Montana to Nebraska to claim his prize … which, obviously to most, is not real.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE iTunes This indie film, starring Steve Carrell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear, embraces the road trip genre, as well as the dysfunctional family film, in a wild adventure. In this film, each member of the Hoover family faces his or her demons as they rally around the youngest daughter, who is determined to win a children’s beauty pageant in California. This emotional film seamlessly oscillates from the hysterical to the heartfelt enough times that by movie’s end, you can’t help being grateful for your own family’s idiosyncrasies.

PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE iTunes and Netflix This early Tim Burton film – in which Paul Reubens launched his beloved if slightly creepy Pee-wee Herman character – is a tale about a very child-like grown man who sets off on a wild journey across the country after his treasured bicycle gets stolen.

His quest leads him from quiet suburbia to the Alamo and on to Hollywood in what is one of the most iconic films of the ’80s. Tell ’em Large Marge sent you.

THELMA AND LOUISE iTunes Submissive housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon) on a joyriding trip that goes sideways when a bar patron attempts to rape Thelma and is subsequently killed.

Rather than turn themselves in, the two women decide to flee their mundane lives and head to Mexico, but a sympathetic detective and a massive police chase corner them into one of cinema’s more spectacular endings. - MP

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events SPEAKER BOX

We Want the Punk Don’t Blink (182) on this show

A L L FOU R of the original members of the Ramones are dead – they’re like the Golden Girls of punk rock. American punk rock was essentially founded by the four unrelated young men from Queens, New York. The Ramones begat a host of alternative, new wave and post punk bands that carried on the tradition of Power Pop and Power Trash that acts such as Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, Green Day and eventually Nirvana and Pearl Jam would claim.

Post-Ramones breakup, power pop and punk reorganized into a slew of young bands from the West Coast and the Midwest that wanted to carry on the mantle. Blink-182, Fall Out Boy and the Plain White T’s emerged with energy and enthusiasm.

For a brief time in the late 1990s, pop and rock bands generated band names with a random word and a number, as this was a completely original way to name a band (I’m being sarcastic). Out of this derivative spell came Blink-182, Matchbox 20, Eve 6, Sum 41, Sister 7, Sun-60 and mom rock faves Maroon 5.

Blink-182 started off as a classic punk trio in 1992 San Diego with guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus. When drummer Travis Barker joined the group prior to their enormous commercial breakthrough “Enema of the State” in 1999, famously featuring pornstar Janine on the cover, the band simply blew up big time. “All the

Small Things” and “What’s My Age Again” went on to become huge radio and video hits. The album went on to sell nearly 5 million copies and vaunted the band to arena status.

Things change. DeLonge is a UFO-obsessed weirdo who now fronts a band called Angels and Airwaves. He has regrouped with the Blinks over the years, but he now appears to be done with them. Blink-182, in survival mode, has recorded a new record “California” with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio and is now touring arenas. Skiba is of different voice and writing style, and appears to be on loan. Blink-182 will survive this tour and the next one.

That new album “California” is set to release July 1, and the band is bringing its road show here to the Chesapeake Energy Arena July 28.

Touring with Blink-182 is A Day to Remember, from Ocala, Florida, and Stillwater natives the All-American Rejects. Tickets are available by phone at 800.745.3000 or ticketmaster.com. - JERRY CHURCH

SUMMER ALBUM REVIEWS Yes. Albums, as in Vinyl

SANTANA

MARGO PRICE

CHEAP TRICK

Time heals old wounds. After Santana’s “III” was released in 1971 (45 years ago!), the group that generated the now-distinct fusion of Latin, blues, soul, jazz and rock made its namesake leader, Mexican-born Carlos Santana, into a guitar hero. With his trademark sound in place, the band essentially dissolved into in-fighting – and after several key players left, the band Santana morphed into an ensemble of hired help, and was no longer a traditional group.

A few years ago, Carlos decided to call up his old bandmates and said, “Hey, man, let’s get the band back together.” Over four decades later, the band that made “III” a classic has largely returned intact to produce “IV.” Returning to vocals is Gregg Rolie, who left in 1973 to form Journey with his fellow mate Neil Schon, (who also returns on guitar). Michael Shrieve is back on the drums, and Mike Carabello has returned on percussion. The new recording is better than a time machine. The old sound is back, but with digital production, Santana sounds better than ever. Santana “IV” is a pleasant surprise.

In The Blues Brothers, Elwood Blues asks the barkeep what kind of music the crowd at Bob’s Country Bunker prefers. She says, “Both kinds: Country and Western.” Bob’s Country Bunker in rural Illinois was a genuine honky tonk, the kind of place that can still be found in plenty in the 405.

If there’s ever a house singer in a honky tonk in the 405, that seat should be reserved for Margo Price. With her debut record “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter,” Price rediscovers the oldschool vibe of true, pure, authentic Country and Western music. She is a modern-day feminist, post-Taylor Swift, Dixie Chicks, Kacey Musgraves, but with a hard-earned real world vibe.

Price spent more than a decade in Nashville, and couldn’t make the corporate scene before retreating to the mountains. Her bright voice and real lyrics are Honky Tonk Heaven. She’s more Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette confessional, with a bit of bro-country in songs like “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” and “World’s Greatest Loser.”

This is old-school, new-school, gender-free Country and Western.

Although they tour like they are still in their 20s, with nearly 200 shows a year, the normally prolific quartet from Rockford, Illinois, has been strangely quiet in recorded output for the past seven years.

Now that they are signed to superfan Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine (i.e., Taylor Swift’s label), the newest members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have returned to form in the studio.

On their 17th record, and first with drummer Daxx Nielsen (guitarist and icon Rick’s son), the band hasn’t sounded this good and polished since “Standing on the Edge” in 1985. Producer Julian Raymond reminds us all that Robin Zander is a truly great rock singer. On “When I Wake Up Tomorrow,” he conjures up a near homage to David Bowie. Roxy Music’s “The In Crowd” is given a different arrangement and is practically unrecognizable. “Bang, Zoom, Crazy … Hello” is a great welcome back to a band that never left us. - JC

IV

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events COMEDY

On the Road Again Comedy powerhouses Mullally and Offerman return I T ’S BEE N 10 Y E A R S since the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace”

ended, putting an end to the eight-season run during which Oklahoma City native Megan Mullally portrayed boozy-butloveable socialite Karen Walker.

In the decade since the show went off the air, the Emmywinning actress has re-invented herself time and again.

There was her stint as a daytime talk show host, as lead singer for her band “Supreme Music Program” and, more recently, her cabaret act “Nancy and Beth” with actress Stephanie Hunt.

Now Mullally’s latest incarnation is a tour with her husband, actor Nick Offerman. The couple brings their show “The Summer of 69: No Apostrophe” to Norman’s Riverwind Casino for one performance July 30.

“Don’t bring your 7-year-olds to this show,” Mullally says during an interview with 405 Magazine from her Los Angeles home. “This is certainly for adult audiences. We started this tour last year and Oklahoma City was our first show, and it’s also our first show this year. It’s actually changed quite a bit from when we first started doing it. We have a lot more songs and a lot more fun. But it is somewhat adult material.”

Taking it to the people is what this show is all about, Mullally said. They rent a vehicle, load up their dog they got in Oklahoma City and hit the road.

“We just drive and listen to audio books,” she says. “We tour from city to city, stay in really low-end motels and basically have a blast doing it. We get to see a lot of the country.

We are like the Partridge Family, except there are no kids and we’re not on a bus. And if we sing ‘I Think I Love You,’ we are putting a much different spin on that song!”

Coming back to Oklahoma City is always a treat, Mullally said. Her mom, Martha, still lives in the same Nichols Hills home she grew up in.

“Mom is doing well,” she says. “She is 94 now and has 24hour care at home and she’s got her faculties and is doing great. She’s funny, and she still looks me up and down if she doesn’t approve of what I’m wearing. I did pretty well the

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last time I was home; I had one of my best approval ratings of the past several years. She liked my hair, and she liked my clothes.”

And home is still home, even though her childhood bedroom has changed a bit.

“My old bedroom is pretty stripped down,” Mullally explains. “Some of my stuff is still there, some of my books and some of my old clothes. But my mom turned it into kind of a guest-roomy kind of a room. Which was good – she should have, because it was crazily decorated in the ’70s. It had flowered wallpaper and a bright yellow beanbag chair. It was sort of ridiculous.”

On the heels of the “Summer of 69” tour, Mullally fans can see her on the big screen in the Fox comedy Why Him?, which stars James Franco and Bryan Cranston and hits theaters on Christmas Day. Mullally still keeps up with her “Will & Grace” co-stars, she said, usually via text or Twitter. And where does she think her former alter-ego Karen Walker is now?

“She’s probably drunk off her ass somewhere,” Mullally laughs.

“I really hope everyone will come out and see us in ‘Summer of 69,’ because Oklahoma City is not only my hometown, it’s becoming a hometown for Nick, as well,” Mullally adds. “Of course, his hometown is Minooka, Illinois, but he has spent a lot of time in Oklahoma City. In fact, we’ve talked about getting a little place there. He likes all the friends I grew up with, and my mom and the neighbors – and he knows the city as well or better than I do. So come on out and support two daily Oklahomans.” - MARK BEUTLER

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on the radar

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

Get caught up in Fiberworks

WEAVING, QUILTING, KNITTING, crocheting (yes, there are

distinctions) – the varied techniques of fiber art are on display in the height of their creative application in the IAO Gallery on Film Row this month as Fiberworks returns to OKC. Touring this annual juried show, presided over for 2016 by Santa Fe textile artist Kay Kahn, is an education in possibility as well as a feast for the eyes.

It’s an exhibition based around techniques that are millennia old – but the result is anything but predictable, as innovation in the use of those techniques drives the entries. Karen Collier, currently president of Fiber Artists of Oklahoma, has been attending this show for the last 15 years, and marvels, “Every single year I go and I see something I’ve never even imagined existed, much less seen before.”

Collier says the variety of work submitted draws on traditional skills but pushes toward innovative execution, like telephone wire knit into a sculpture.

Events 1ST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK Jul 1 The historic arts district’s name means “stroll,” which happens to be the preferred form of locomotion while taking in its wonders during a monthly display of arts and culture.

Paseo Arts District 3022 Paseo, OKC, 525.2688, thepaseo.com FREEDOM FEST 2016 Jul 3-4 Live music, a car show and parade, kids’ crafts, free tasty treats, a barbeque cookoff and plenty of fireworks - Yukon does Independence Day right. Chisholm Trail Park 500 W Vandament, Yukon, 350.8937, cityofyukon.gov LIBERTYFEST FINALE Jul 4 The celebration of American independence closes with a concert and immense pyrotechnic bang. UCO Campus 100 N University, Edmond, 340.2527, libertyfest.org 2ND FRIDAY CIRCUIT OF ART Jul 8 A monthly community-wide celebration of creativity, focused on historic Downtown Norman.

Norman Arts Council 122 E Main, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org LIVE ON THE PLAZA Jul 8 Vendors, artists, residents and

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passerby unite for a monthly fiesta. OKC Plaza District 1618 N Gatewood, OKC, 367.9403, plazadistrict.org RIVERWIND COMEDY Jul 8-30 Often a mainstay for music, Riverwind is turning its spotlight on comedy this month, thanks to appeareances from Jim Gaffigan Jul 8 and Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally Jul 30. Riverwind Casino 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com BEATS AND BITES Jul 9 It’s free to the public and family friendly, and when you put music and food trucks together, it’s a good recipe for entertainment. Riverwind Casino 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com JIM NORTON Jul 14 The author, actor and above all comedian brings his Mouthful of Shame tour to the metro. UCO Mitchell Hall Theater 100 N Broadway, Edmond, okccomedy.com EXCHANGE ON FILM ROW Jul 17 Hit the Row for pop-up shopping from area merchants, live music and food truck bliss in a free community festival. DC on Film Row, 609 W Sheridan, OKC, exchangefilmrow.com

“Even people who think they know what the phrase ‘fiber art’ can mean will be surprised – and often completely blown away – by the breadth of the various types of work that get into Fiberworks; things that look semi-traditional all the way to things the gallery-going public have never seen before.”

The most outstanding entries will earn cash awards for their creators, Janette Meetze, “Red Dirt Days/Journey but for viewers the Through 2014” (detail) rewards are manifest throughout: witness new spins on creativity July 15 through September 3. - STEVE GILL

DEALING FOR DREAMS Jul 16 Casino-style fun is the order of the evening, but whether or not Lady Luck is on your side, Make-a Wish OK will make sure the state’s ill children benefit. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 286..4000, oklahoma. wish.org HEARD ON HURD Jul 16 A free monthly festival of live music, food trucks and pop-up shops - come enjoy! Downtown Edmond, 32 N Broadway, Edmond, 341.6650, facebook.com/heardonhurd AUTO ALLEY SHOP HOP Jul 21 Discounts, giveaways, special minievents and have-to-be-there fun fill this monthly mercantile excursion.

Automobile Alley 1015 N Broadway, OKC, 235.3500, automobilealley.org DAY OF THE AMERICAN COWBOY Jul 23 Where better to enjoy the fun side of cowboy culture than the NCWHM? Packed with kids’ events and fun, this annual roundup is a pleasure. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org EATS ON 8TH Jul 29 A fleet of food trucks to tempt every palate is just

the beginning in this monthly festival that also boasts fun music and lots of shopping. NW 8th and Harvey, OKC, 519.8001, KRAZY DAZE Jul 30 Shop local with the encouragement of big savings during this huge collective sales event. Downtown Edmond 32 N Broadway, Edmond, 249.9391, downtownedmondok.com SLIDE THE CITY Jul 30 Why come to this outdoor event? Well, the phrase “world’s longest slip and slide” should pique some interest, Food, live music and a big, big block party await.

Midtown OKC 911 N Shartel, OKC, slidethecity.com

Film CENTER THEATER SHOWS Jul 1-31 The OKC Museum of Art screens overlooked treasures and unsung independent films. OKC Museum of Art 415 Couch, OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com CLASSICS SERIES Jul 5-26 Catch a masterpiece you missed the first time around or just want to re-experience on the big screen: Top Gun Jul 5, Jaws Jul 12, Terminator 2 Jul 19 and Footloose Jul 26. Harkins Theatres

IMAGE COURTESY FIBER ARTISTS OF OKLAHOMA

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150 E Reno, OKC, 321.4747, harkinstheatres.com

Galleries

District 3022 Paseo, OKC, 525.2688, thepaseo.com

SONIC SUMMER MOVIES Jul 6-27 Tis the season for kicking back with a movie - swing by the gardens for some great food trucks and a free flick: Three Amigos Jul 6, Minions Jul 13, Hook Jul 20 and Spider-Man Jul 27.

Myriad Gardens 301 W Reno, OKC, 445.7080, myriadgardens.com

ONGOING WHERE TO WONDER, WHERE TO WANDER Through Jul 8 MAINSITE Contemporary Art Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org

CONTEMPORARY WEST II Jul 2-31 New pieces from California-born artist Stephen St. Claire, whose style of painting in oil on metal leaf and sealing the result with resin is called dialuminism. Kasum Contemporary Fine Art 1706 NW 16th, OKC, 604.6602, kasumcontemporary.com

RIVERSPORT MOVIES Jul 8-29 Head to the river for some free cinema fun: The FAA Credit Union series is Goosebumps Jul 8 and Ant-Man Jul 22, while you can catch a floating flick with Oxford Blues Jul 15 and Jaws II Jul 29. Riversport Adventures 800 Riversport, OKC, 552.4040, http:/riversportokc.org MOVIES @ MITCHELL Jul 9-30 Feel like a free family flick? Get to UCO for Annie Jul 9, Mary Poppins Jul 16, An American in Paris Jul 23 and The Wizard of Oz Jul 30.

UCO Mitchell Hall Theater 100 N Broadway, Edmond, 974.3774, mitchellhalltheatre.com OUTDOOR MOVIE SERIES Jul 15-29 Movies plus the great outdoors equals a delightful evening for families - catch face painting, concessions and a screening of Minions Jul 15 and Zootopia Jul 29.

Andrews Park 528 N Park, Norman, 366.5472

VETERANS: EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION Through Jul 23 Firehouse Art Center Norman, 329.4523, normanfirehouse.com CAROL ARMSTRONG Through Aug 1 Summer Wine Art Gallery OKC, 831.3279, summerwinegallery.com FINE ARTS INSTITUTE Jul 1-29 The FAI hosts a collection of beauty produced by local artist Jason Wilson.

Fine Arts Institute of Edmond 27 E Edwards, Edmond, 340.4481, edmondfinearts.com MISSING PIECES Jul 1-30 The community art space in the Paseo welcomes a solo show from fiber artist and nature enthusiast Leigh Martin.

The Project Box 3003 Paseo, OKC, 609.3969, theprojectboxokc.com PRINT ON PASEO Jul 1-30 A juried exhibition of printmaking excellence in multiple styles and a panoply of themes, drawn from work submitted by artists in the Paseo and the community. Paseo Arts

BEYOND Jul 9-30 A collection of vibrant, vivid works inviting examination and interpretation, brought into being by local artist AK Westerman. Graphite Elements 1751 NW 16th, OKC, 919.0578, plazadistrict.org FIBERWORKS 2016 Jul 15-Sep 3 Experts from across the state weave a completely engrossing exhibition of fiber-based art in a juried competition judged by the renowned Kay Khan. IAO Gallery 706 W Sheridan, OKC, 232.6060, fiberartistsok.org

Museums

Jul 30 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Museum OKC, 235.4458, oklahomahof.com PRIX DE WEST Through Aug 7 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org PRY THE LID OFF Through Aug 12 Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center OKC, 951.0000, oklahomacontemporary.org GALILEO’S WORLD Through Aug 31 Across the OU Campus Norman, 325.4142, galileo.ou.edu OUR CITY, OUR COLLECTION Through Aug 31 OKC Museum of Art OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com SCHOOL OF ART & ART HISTORY FACULTY EXHIBITION Through Sep 4 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma MATISSE IN HIS TIME Through Sep 18 OKC Museum of Art OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com

ONGOING GEOETHICS Through Jul 16 Artspace at Untitled OKC, 815.9995, artspaceatuntitled.com

EDMOND PEOPLE, EDMOND POLITICS Through Dec 17 Edmond Historical Society Edmond, 340.0078, edmondhistory.org

O. GAIL POOLE: REDISCOVERED OKLAHOMA MASTER Through

LOWELL ELLSWORTH SMITH Through Dec 30 National Cowboy

What’s your idea of cool?

We love museums.

There are more than 500 museums and cultural institutions in our great state.

Oklahoma boasts some of the most culturally diverse and entertaining venues for visitors to enjoy.

Check out OKMuseums.org to see a full list of great museums, cultural attractions and other fantastic locations.

Plan a trip today to visit one of Oklahoma’s many museums. You will be surprised and delighted.

OKMuseums.org • 405.424.7757 JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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on the radar & Western Heritage Museum OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org

Downtown Library 300 Park Ave, OKC, 231.8650, mls.lib.ok.us

TITANOBOA Jul 2-Sep 25 How big is a big snake - 2, 5, 10 feet? Think 48 feet long, bigger than a school bus, and then get ready to meet it in this traveling Smithsonian exhibition of a massive creature from prehistoric Colombia. Sam Noble Museum 2401 Chautauqua, Norman, 325.4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu

DIAMOND BALLROOM SHOWS Jul 8-19 Crank it up on the south side with a musical blast from Marianas Trench Jul 8, Zakk Wylde Jul 9, Buckcherry Jul 15 and Mushroomhead Jul 19. Diamond Ballroom 8001 S Eastern, OKC, 866.977.6849, dcfconcerts.com

Music

United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Women’s Leadership Society is an influential network of women making positive changes in central Oklahoma. For more information go to www.unitedwayokc.org.

OPOLIS SHOWS Jul 1-29 Metro, meet Opolis - you’ll make beautiful music together, including Stardeath and White Dwarfs Jul 1, Portal Immortal Jul 2, Thhe Commons Jul 5, Rooney Jul 16, Elms L Ramesh Jul 22 and Wye Oak Jul 29. Check online for updates. The Opolis 113 N Crawford, Norman, opolis.org BLUE DOOR SHOWS Jul 1-30 Selfbilled as “the best listening room in Oklahoma,” it certainly has some of the best music, including BettySoo Jul 1, Amy Black Jul 2, Caroline Spence Jul 22, Washitas Jul 28, Dana Cooper Jul 29 and Terri Hendrix Jul 30 - check online for updates. The Blue Door 2805 N McKinley, OKC, 524.0738, bluedoorokc.com FRONTIER CITY SHOWS Jul 2-30 The amusement park offers a bit of extra incentive to visit with performances from Sabrina Carpenter Jul 2, Kansas Jul 9, Night Ranger Jul 16, Kellie Pickler Jul 23 and American Authors Jul 30.

Frontier City 11501 N I-35, OKC, 478.2140, frontiercity.com

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RED, WHITE AND BOOM! Jul 3 The OKC Philharmonic wishes the U.S.A. a happy birthday via marches and patriotic standards, capped with a fireworks extravaganza. State Fairgrounds 333 Gordon Cooper, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org

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405 MAGAZINE JULY 2016

TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES Jul 3-31 The Arts Council of OKC shares a free, family-friendly performance every Sunday evening on the Great Lawn: The Push Jul 3, Direct Connect Jul 10, Hannah Wolff Jul 17, Jahmystics Jul 24 and Susan Herndon w/ Sky Smeed Jul 31.

Myriad Gardens 301 W Reno, OKC, 270.4848, artscouncilokc.com CONCERTS IN THE PARK Jul 7-28 A free showcase of local music for families to enjoy: Red Dirt Road Band Jul 7, Michael Fresonke Jul 14, the Howard Brady Band Jul 21 and Souled Out Jul 28. Hafer Park 1034 S Bryant, Edmond, 341.4344, visitedmondok.com NOON TUNES Jul 7-28 Free lunchtime serenades to sonically spice up your Thursdays: 3 Amigos Jul 7, Simoleons Jul 14, Shade of Blue Jul 21 and the Panhandlers Jul 28.

ZOO AMPHITHEATRE SHOWS Jul 9-31 Settle in under the Oklahoma sky for a stellar show from Twenty One Pilots Jul 9, Weezer With Panic! At the Disco Jul 16 and Good Charlotte Jul 31. Zoo Amphitheatre 2101 NE 50th, OKC, 866.977.6849, thezooamphitheatre.com GRAND CASINO SHOWS Jul 9-23 It should sound great at the Grand this month with The Art of Rap Festival Jul 9 and Chris Isaak Jul 23. Grand Casino 777 Grand Casino, Shawnee, 964.7263, grandresortok.com SUMMER BREEZE CONCERTS Jul 10-24 The Norman Depot swings into the news season with a fresh slate of free, open-air performances: Kyle Reid and the Low Swingin’ Chariots Jul 10 and Brave Combo Jul 24. Lions Park 450 S Flood, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org KYLE DILLINGHAM Jul 12-28 The award-winning fiddler and Oklahoma cultural ambassador is embarking on a quick 405 Thank You Tour to share his gratitude with the metro and the state via performances in Miami and Ponca City in addition to the metro - check the schedule online.

Throughout the metro 808.8804, horseshoeroad.net WOODY GUTHRIE FOLK FESTIVAL Jul 13-17 The event’s not technically in the 405, but it stars a number of names with which metro residents should be familiar: John Calvin Abney, Ali Harter, Beau Jennings, K.C. Clifford, John Fullbright and many, many more will help celebrate the musical inspiration of an Oklahoma legend. Okemah 918.623.0123, woodyfest.com CRITERION SHOWS Jul 18 The downtown concert hall keeps pounding out the hits with a performance by Glass Animals. The Criterion 500 E Sheridan, OKC, 308.1803, criterionokc.com POUYA Jul 24 Get a feel for this young Miami rap star’s fiery flow as he performs tracks off his debut Underground Underdog. ACM @ UCO Performance Lab 329 E Sheridan, OKC, 974.4700, acm-uco.com BLINK 182 Jul 28 California - that’s the name of the newest album by these feisty pop punk purveyors - comes to OKC in a show with plenty of verve. Chesapeake Arena 100 W Reno, OKC, 800.745.3000, chesapeakearena.com

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Sports OKC ENERGY FC SOCCER Jul 2-23 Open wide for some soccer!

The Energy look to continue the momentum from last year’s deep playoff run by kicking off against the Rio Grande Valley Toros Jul 2, Orange County Blues FC Jul 16 and Tulsa Roughnecks Jul 23. Taft Stadium 2901 NW 23rd, OKC, 235.5425, energyfc.com DODGERS BASEBALL Jul 4-25 Join OKC’s boys of summer as they host Colorado Springs Jul 4-6, Omaha Jul 7-10 and New Orleans Jul 22-25.

Chckasaw Bricktown Ballpark 2 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 218.1000, okcdodgers.com ROLLER DERBY Jul 9 Take the edge of your seat and watch the belles of the brawl do their thing as the OKC Roller Derby squads face off against the Oklahoma Victory Dolls in a crosstown battle for supremacy. Skate Fever 5909 Aero, Tuttle, okcrd.com INTERNATIONAL FINALS YOUTH RODEO Jul 10-15 Some of the country’s finest competitors - the ones who are still in high school gather each year for this exhibition of riding and roping skills. Heart of OK Expo Center 1700 W Independence, Shawnee, 275.9780, ifyr.com OKLAMANIA Jul 17 You say you want an Imperial Wrestling Revolution?

Jim Ross presents Sting, Jeff and Matt Hardy, Matt Sydal and many more star grapplers in a showstopping event.

Cox Center 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, coxconventioncenter.com FULL MOON BIKE RIDE & RUN Jul 19 It’s not a race, more of a monthly opportunity to burn some calories in the company of friends and well-wishers as the sun goes down.

Myriad Gardens 301 W Reno, OKC, 445.7080, myriadgardens.com

Theater ONGOING AMERICAN IDIOT Through Jul 2 The Boulevard of Broken Dreams runs through the Pollard this month, as the Broadway adaptation of Green Day’s smash-hit rock opera album comes to life. Pollard Theatre 120 W Harrison, Guthrie, 282.2800, thepollard.org DREAMGIRLS Through Jul 2 A stellar showcase of girl group sound in the story of a set of singers headed for the top … they hope. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 524.9312, lyrictheatreokc.com THE AGONY AND THE AGONY Through Jul 16 A dried-up writer tries to get back on the literary horse despite a passel of pernicious distractions. Carpenter Square Theatre 800 W Main, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com

SCENES FROM AN EXECUTION Jul 7-23 A struggle between art and commerce, personal integrity and the demands of an employer - this play set in medieval Venice is filled with contemporary resonance. Shakespeare on Paseo 2920 Paseo, OKC, 235.3700,  oklahomashakespeare.com PATIENCE Jul 8-10 Norman’s Cimarron Opera dips into the archives of all-time masters Gilbert and Sullivan to present a musical mocking art for art’s sake, but holding plenty of enjoyment for audiences. Nancy O’Brian Center 1801 Stubbeman, Norman, 364.8962, cimarronopera.org MARY POPPINS Jul 8-31 Magic?

Maybe a little. But mostly this Poteet Theater show shares the marvelous side effects of embracing life’s various joys, especially music. St. Luke’s Poteet Theater 222 NW 15th, OKC, 609.1023, poteettheatre.com THE WIZARD OF OZ Jul 12-16 Talking lion, tin man and wicked witch aside, most of the magic in this Lyric production comes from inside you, the viewer. Head off to see it!

OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 524.9312, lyrictheatreokc.com BYE BYE BIRDIE Jul 21-30 Edmond’s Upstage Theatre searches for true love amid the rigors of a rock and roll lifestyle - enjoy an enchanting outdoor experience, and have a good trip! Mitch Park Amphitheater 1501 W Covell, Edmond, 285.5803, upstagetheatreok.com FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Jul 26-30 Time keeps movin’ on - sunrise, sunset, you might say - but you should invest a few moments of it in enjoying Lyric’s adaptation of this beloved musical about tradition, family and the winds of change. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 524.9312, lyrictheatreokc.com

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ANNIE JR. Jul 27-31 The junior thespians of Oklahoma Children’s Theatre follow the adventures of a cheerful, determined orphan with curly red hair as she seeks a new and better life. Oklahoma Children’s Theatre 2501 N Blackwelder, OKC, 951.0011, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org INTO THE WOODS Jul 28-31 The Sooner Theatre’s performers come together to give audiences a little Sondheim for their summertime.

Sooner Theatre 101 E Main, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org IN MY LIFE Jul 31 Stuffed with familiar songs but not quite a jukebox musical, this narrative portrays the Fab Four through the eyes of Brian Epstein as the lads from Liverpool bestow Bealtemania upon the world. Hudiburg Center 6000 Trosper, Midwest City, 297.2264, okcciviccenter.com

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JULY 2016 405 MAGAZINE

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Steel Magnolia I T ’S DIF F ICU LT NOW to imagine

a time before drive-through, pump-ityourself gas stations. You know the kind – park, fill up, then go inside and treat yourself to a Big Gulp.

One of the first of these “filling stations” was in downtown Oklahoma City at NW 7th and Broadway. The Magnolia Building was the regional headquarters for Magnolia Petroleum, which later became Mobil Oil. And on the ground floor, motorists in early 20th century Oklahoma could drive through and fill up their swanky Model Ts. “The first level served as one of the city’s first drive-through service stations,” says Cy Prigmore, events coordinator for the newly renovated Magnolia Building. “The building was designed with archways that allowed you to drive right through and fill

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up. It was truly an innovative design for the day, and operated from 1919 until as recently as 1960.”

The five-story brick building sits in the heart of Automobile Alley. It was designed

by Hawk-Parr Architects, a local firm that was responsible for a number of Oklahoma landmarks between 1915 and 1935.

“The Magnolia is one of their earliest and last surviving structures,” Prigmore says. “Some of their other works include Oklahoma City’s Municipal Auditorium, Guthrie’s Scottish Rite Hall and the fabulous Biltmore Hotel, which was demolished in the 1970s. The Magnolia was completed in about a year at a cost of $150,000.”

Besides being a drive-through service station, the second floor functioned as the headquarters for Hawk-Parr, and the

top floors were reserved for Magnolia Petroleum’s land office records, legal department and an office for exploration.

“They were one of the top oil producers of their day,” Prigmore continues, “comparable today to Chesapeake or Devon. They got their start in Texas and expanded into Oklahoma, and by the time the Magnolia Building was built, their refinery capacity amounted to 47,000 barrels a day.”

During the chaotic Urban Renewal days of the 1960s, many Oklahoma City landmarks fell to the wrecking ball. But the Magnolia survived since it was technically not located within the “urban core,” Prigmore said.

Like many other structures downtown, the Magnolia suffered extensive damage during the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995.

“It was just a few blocks from the Murrah Building, and had a lot of damage,” Prigmore remembers. “The roof was damaged, the windows were blown out – but it survived. Major renovations began to take place, and today we are home to law firms, advertising companies [and] an independent oil company, as well as a communications technology provider.

And the Fit Pig restaurant occupies part of the first floor.”

Today local businessman Chris Salyer owns the building. He was on the founding team and past president of Automobile Alley Inc., a National Main Street Program dedicated to the restoration and revitalization of downtown Oklahoma City.

An event space occupies the top floor and is frequently used for everything from fashion shows to weddings. The nearly 100-year-old arches remain on the ground floor, and the space where motorists once filled their tanks is now a drive-through for First Fidelity Bank.

“I love this building,” Prigmore says. “It has really gone through a renaissance in the last few years. I consider it the grande dame of Automobile Alley and also just a beautiful reminder of historic downtown Oklahoma City and the way things used to be.”

PHOTO COURTESY OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

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