405 Magazine March 16

CITY SEEKS “CHOICE RIDERS” FOR BUS TRAVEL

w is no E C I SL

5 O 4 zine a g a M

ARE LOCAL RESTAURANTS’ PLATES TOO FULL?

OKC’S PLANS FOR FUTURE WATER DEMANDS

THE HUMBLE JOE SMITH’S EPIC METAL CREATIONS

bright ideas

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colorful spring fashion finds

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in this issue

march 2016

Features

50

ENOUGH TO DRINK? While “sufficient water supply” might not be the first thing a city touts as a glamorous amenity, it’s definitely something a citizenry needs. But keeping a community that grows as quickly as ours hydrated requires a tremendous amount of planning – 50 years’ worth.

60

START SPREADING THE HUES A new season is an excellent impetus for making sweeping changes to your wardrobe, and the rebirth of nature in the weeks to come means it’s time to fill your closet with color. Whether you’re looking for casual or classy, consider it a must to have this vibrant couture in your future.

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405 magazine • march 2016

OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE

rolex

oyster perpetual and day-date are 速 trademarks.

in this issue

march 2016

Departments

landscape and architecture are wonderfully picturesque, but one of the greatest draws of Spain’s Cáceres region is its spectacular traditional cuisine.

In the 405

15 Investigating whether the city may be nearing restaurant saturation; Cayman’s owner Shelley Cox shares a few of her favorite things; a visual paean to Pantone’s cool, soothing colors of the year; exploring the gubernatorial Seay Mansion in Kingfisher; humorous life lessons gleaned from Craigslist; a look inside OKC’s inspirationally collaborative tech community; setting the table for nonprofit fundraiser Design Appetit.

Dining 77 West in Bricktown gives downtown diners a fresh new direction; Chef Vuong Nguyen shares a robust recipe for beet salad; South African wine flows more freely into the metro; Rococo’s specialty Fisherman’s Stew; a Sidecar cocktail with a smoky surprise.

Events 99 The 405 prepares

48 Creatives Gallery owner Tony Morton discusses finding the mindsets and vocabulary to bridge the conceptual communication gap between artists and patrons, creating benefits for both.

70 Culture While bus service remains a must for many citizens, recent improvements aimed at making the user experience more appealing to “choice riders” are revving up community interest in public transit.

Travel

74 The area is rich with history, and its

ON THE COVER 4

Assembled With Care

42

Joe Smith avers that he isn’t an artist – but his is a minority opinion. Practically everyone else who’s visited the home base of this lifelong Western Oklahoma resident is wowed by his creative prowess. Well into retirement, his ceaseless imagination continues to spin out ideas for decorative sculptural assemblages and his self-taught hands patiently bring them into being. In an area without much to look at, Smith’s home is a stunning exception.

to gain a major musical venue as The Criterion plans its inaugural show; the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition gives young artists a boost of Momentum in a vibrant annual exhibition; the OKC Museum of Art’s Omelette Party gets ready to rock patrons’ ears and taste buds.

In Every Issue 8 10 26 86 102 104 106 112

From the Editor Web Sights Laugh Lines Food and Drink On Film Speaker Box On the Radar Backstory

Talor swings into spring in a pink Tahari jacket and distressed skinny jeans by JAG Jeans from Von Maur, with a Great Bag Co. by Verdi handbag from R. Meyers. Photo by Simon Hurst

405 magazine • march 2016

Pillars of Excellence Educating in Mind, Body, Spirit Building Character Cultivating Individuality Outstanding Academics Supporting Family Honoring Tradition

In 1947, Casady School’s founders created a school with a college preparatory curriculum to provide an exceptional education for students. Today, as Casady’s college preparatory school curriculum for grades PreK through 12 continues to evolve to exceed the standards, the School’s traditional Pillars of Excellence are consistently evident in the programs and when guests visit the campus to see collaboration and exploration in process.

At Casady School, these centers of excellence are the pillars on which the School was built and are articulated through these six core messages: Educating in Mind, Body, Spirit: Casady’s holistic approach to education leads students to pursue a diverse range of interests, inspiring academic, athletic, artistic, and spiritual growth.

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

Cultivating Individuality: The individual student. Casady educators know each student as an individual and can therefore focus on each student’s unique strengths, encourage academic growth, and guide each student to pursue his or her passions.

Outstanding Academics: Casady is a college preparatory Episcopal day school with high academic standards that develop critical and creative thinking skills. Casady School’s curriculum is college preparatory throughout; every course develops in students the critical and creative thinking skills that will serve students well in college and beyond.

Supporting Family: In Casady’s Community, adults work together to watch over the students as they explore their interests, accept and meet challenges, and reach their full potential.

Honoring Tradition: One mission since 1947. Casady School develops excellence, confidence, and integrity in students and prepares them with the skills and knowledge that serve as the foundation for success.

Casady’s challenging and supportive environment allows its students to explore, collaborate, communicate, participate, and to achieve a solid global understanding.

Learn more about Casady’s Pillars of Excellence by visiting youtube.com/CasadySchoolLife, which features six videos focused on each of these pillars.

Retirement Investment Advisors has been recognized by leading local and national publications as among the best in the business and seen in the pages of Bloomberg Business, Fortune, and Money magazines.

MARCH 2016 Publisher Elizabeth Meares elizabeth.meares@405magazine.com

Retirement Investment Advisors designs portfolios for a lifetime.

Wherever you are on the retirement path, talking with an experienced, professional financial advisor is a step in the right direction. Retirement Investment Advisors acts as a fiduciary – required by law to put your best interests above all else. Adhering to the highest standards of their profession, these CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ design portfolios balanced to invest for retirement while providing asset protection with less volatility.

The retirement path can be a long journey.

Fortunately, the first step is easy.

Simply call Retirement Investment Advisors or visit them online at TheRetirementPath.com.

Editor-in-Chief Heidi Rambo Centrella heidi.centrella@405magazine.com EDITORI A L Managing Editor Steve Gill steve.gill@405magazine.com Style Editor Sara Gae Waters saragae.waters@405magazine.com Fashion Editor Jennifer Salyer jennifer.salyer@405magazine.com Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Phil Bacharach, Mark Beutler, Jerry Church, Brett Dickerson, Ben Felder, Lauren Hammack, Jill Hardy, Greg Horton, Elaine Warner A RT Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@405magazine.com Graphic Designer Brian O’Daniel brian.odaniel@405magazine.com Design & Production Coordinator Tiffany McKnight tiffany.mcknight@405magazine.com Interns Sabrin Abu Seir Daltyn Moeckel Contributing Photographers M.J. Alexander, Justin Avera, Shannon Cornman, Terrell Fry, Simon Hurst, Charlie Neuenschwander, Quit Nguyen, James Pratt, Trace Thomas, Carli Wentworth

For your complimentary copy of the informative booklet “The Retirement Path,” call your nearest Retirement Investment Advisors office or visit TheRetirementPath.com.

Oklahoma City 3001 United Founders Blvd., Suite A 405.942.1234

Edmond 2952 Via Esperanza 405.246.0404

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A DV ERTISING Business Development Manager Heidi Turner heidi.turner@405magazine.com Executive Director of Advertising Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@405magazine.com Account Executives Ryan Dillard ryan.dillard@405magazine.com Debbi Knoll debbi.knoll@405magazine.com Account Manager Ronnie Morey ronnie.morey@405magazine.com A DMINISTR ATION Distribution Raymond Brewer Website and social media 405magazine.com

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405 magazine • march 2016

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405 Magazine Volume 2, Number 3, March 2016. 405 Magazine is published monthly

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

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FROM THE EDITOR

Future Thoughts, Present-Day Pleasures

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

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405 magazine • march 2016

PHOTO BY SIMON HURST

IT’S A QUESTION that gets asked routinely, almost like clockwork: “What’s for dinner?” And almost as often, especially around my house, the answer is, “Let’s go out. I don’t feel like cooking.”

Sure, eating out too much can put a dent in the pocketbook, but central Oklahoma’s restaurant scene is packed with fabulous offerings – and if familiar favorites weren’t enough to tempt you away from a sink filled with dirty dishes, tantalizing eateries are continuing to open at a steady pace. Who would want to miss out on trying someplace new?

That being said, could it be that all of these new restaurants inadvertently are putting a dent in their own pocketbooks? With oil prices hovering around $30 a barrel, layoffs, bankruptcies and budget cuts, we have to wonder: How is this burgeoning restaurant industry faring, and what might it be forced to stomach in the coming year? Opinions are divided, even among experts, and we found plenty of food for thought on the issue (page 16).

Much as the coming days are unclear for the restaurant industry, the future is also somewhat nebulous for the city of tomorrow’s water supply. In 2014, Oklahoma City used an average of 93 million gallons of water daily, officials say. With the growth projected for the coming years, do you know what that figure is estimated to look like in 2060, and what that means for our population?

Brace yourself, and read up on the city’s plans on page 50.

On the other hand, pondering and planning for tomorrow and the day after shouldn’t obviate enjoyment of today’s pleasures. There’s still much to do and see across the metro – and the state.

From rustic sculptures that the Western Oklahoma creator prefers not to call “art” (page 42) to colorful, city slickin’ spring fashion (page 60), this issue promises to please.

However, if you’re combing the pages to find our monthly home feature, you’ll have to look elsewhere. It’ll be back in April, but with spring on the horizon and rejuvenation on our minds, we’re happy to bring you this month’s launch of 405 Home magazine (formerly known as Design Oklahoma), a companion compendium of resources for improving the spaces in your life.

Spring is a season of optimism, of shaking off the winter blahs and embracing anticipation about the possibilities to come. I hope yours is a great one – enjoy!

Web Sights What’s online at 405magazine.com

Connection Intersection

We’re getting set up to give you more options than ever for staying up to date on what’s new and exciting in the 405. Visit 405magazine.com/newsletters/ to join our free mailing lists and start receiving your choice of:

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

SNAPSHOT! A pictorial showcase of local events and the people enjoying them

INSIDER The scoop on exclusive deals and special promotions from our partners – perfect for savvy shoppers

NOW READ THIS! An advance glance at some highlights from the upcoming issue

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405 magazine • march 2016

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Restaurant reviews and recommendations, recipes and tasty treats of all kinds

@HOME Ideas, advice and beautifully tempting products for décor and more Being on the receiving end of any or all of them is only a few clicks away, and a word to the wise: They’re good spots to keep an eye on for giveaways.

Also, if you want an extra copy of 4O5 Magazine, don’t forget that it’s now available on newsstands around the metro. Visit 405magazine.com/subscribe for an updated list of locations.

Sound Off

Connection with our readers is a two-way street, and we’re always looking for feedback. Feel free – feel encouraged – to share your thoughts with us by dropping a line to feedback@405magazine.com.

Hope to hear from you soon!

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405 magazine • march 2016

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STEAMIST STEAMBATHS This device essentially turns your master bathroom into a home spa, giving you a special place to relax, restore and renew body, mind and soul. Steam soothes sore, tired muscles, helps you get to sleep faster, promotes muscular flexibility, fuels blood flow and can provide relief for allergies, arthritis and asthma. It even helps your skin stay soft and smooth, thereby lessening the effects of aging. Most of all, it feels amazing.

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405 magazine • march 2016

4O5

in the

PHOTO BY QUIT NGUYEN

Finding a Niche for Noshing New healthy dining option The Fit Pig quickly has become a popular destination in Automobile Alley due to its low-calorie but flavorful grab-and-go meal options. In a city where the restaurant scene is growing increasingly crowded – and perhaps reaching the saturation point – that kind of specialization may prove to be the key to a business’ long-term survival.

march 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 4O5

FOOD FUTURES

Room at the Table Is OKC’s restaurant scene on the verge of eating itself?

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405 magazine • march 2016

Bricktown pioneer Spaghetti Warehouse, its windows still encouraging applicants even as its doors are closed.

cease operations Feb. 1. The company declined to offer an explanation at the time, but the Tulsa World reported a possible “real estate play” in the works, and industry insiders say we may see more of the same.

The precipitous drop in oil prices has created some economic turmoil in the state concurrent with the restaurant closings or curtailing

PHOTOS BY QUIT NGUYEN

SIGNS OF INCREASED VOLATILITY in Oklahoma City’s restaurant industry started last year with the closing of Urban Wine Works in the Plaza District. Late in January this year, Pete Holloway, owner of Park House in the Myriad Gardens, announced that the restaurant would cease day-to-day operations in favor of a more conservative schedule that involves being open for special events and Thunder games. By the end of January, seafood restaurant The Drake was preparing to switch to serving brunch and dinner only, dropping its weekday lunch hours.

As if those announcements were not indicative of a possible oversaturation of the market, longtime Bricktown restaurant Spaghetti Warehouse announced – without prior notice to staff – that it would

I wouldn’t open a new “ restaurant now because I DON’T THINK IT’S THE TIME

”

to be aggressive.

– CHRIS LOWER

of hours, signaling to some in the industry that another recession will affect our food service sector.

“I have lived through a couple of recessions related to oil prices,” Chris Lower says. Lower, who owns several concepts, including Big Truck Tacos and Pizzeria Gusto, said he would not be developing any new concepts in 2016 because the oil prices likely would trigger larger economic problems for the state.

“The economy isn’t diversified enough to handle a drop in prices like this one,” Lower continues. “I wouldn’t open a new restaurant now because I don’t think it’s the time to be aggressive.”

That’s not a unanimously held opinion, however. Beginning in late 2015, restaurants opening or slated to open before the end of 2016 numbered roughly 30 between North Memorial Road and the urban core. Chisholm Creek at Western and Memorial attracted several concepts, at least partly due to its proximity to Top Golf. One of those concepts will be a second location of A Good Egg’s RePUBlic Gastropub; owner and founder Keith Paul said he intends to go forward with plans to open three new concepts in 2016.

“We are not planning on slowing down,” Paul says. “I don’t know if this is a recession or just a stall on oil prices, but I do know that when I moved here 20 years ago, I couldn’t walk five feet without running into someone in the oil business. That’s not true anymore.”

SERVING UP NEW CONCEPTS A Good Egg is partnering with Dave Wanzer to open Barrios, a Mexican concept, in the old Swanson Tires building in Midtown. Paul said they’re also planning to open a Tucker’s Onion Burgers in Norman and another RePUBlic in Tulsa.

While most of the concepts we looked at are local, at least one Tulsa eatery will be opening an Oklahoma City location: Asian fusion restaurant Yokozuna. Locally owned Asian restaurants are breaking out of their NW 23rd corridor following the success of Tamashii Ramen House in Midtown. Rachel Cope, owner of Empire Slice House and founder of new hospitality group 84HG, is also opening Goro Ramen + Izakaya just east of The Mule in the Plaza District this year.

“We’ll be opening two other concepts in addition to Goro,” Cope says. “We do have a smidge of concern about market saturation, but

march 2016 • 405 magazine

17

in the 4O5

FOOD FUTURES

we like our business model, and as a new hospitality group, we can attract creative, energetic people who are looking for room to move up.”

Goro won’t be the only new concept in Plaza District. The Pritchard, a wine bar, will open in mid-2016 in the space formerly held by Urban Wine Works. The collaborative effort of Steve Mason, Aimee Ahphetone and J. Mays (Cafe7), the wine bar will feature a wide The former Urban Wine Works, soon to become variety of wines by the wine bar The Pritchard glass and small plates.

The team already has hired certified sommelier Mindy Magers to oversee its wine program.

Revolucion will be an “authentic as we can make it” taqueria and cantina 84HG is opening on Classen and NW 6th in the old Midtown Service Center building. The space Trained staff is always hard will be shared with Sunnyto come by, so WHO WILL STAFF side Diner, a THESE PLACES when there are so new concept many restaurants? from Shannon – KURT FLEISCHFRESSER Roper and Aly Branstetter (S&B Burger Joint). Wanzer, whose buildings in the urban core will house more than a dozen new food/beverage businesses, owns the facility.

“We don’t think Oklahoma City has reached the saturation point yet,” Wanzer says. “We’re being very bullish.”

The property owned by Wanzer and his partners also includes the Main Street Arcade (two concepts), Tower Theater (four concepts), spaces around the Farmers Public Market and the old Sunshine Cleaners. Wanzer said that a new-to-market brewery and restaurant would occupy one of his properties.

“

”

LOGISTICAL CONCERNS Western Avenue finally has finished its streetscape project, and the area is shaping up to be one of the city’s most stable in 2016. Only The Coach House is slated to change, and as of press time, negotiations were still ongoing with the possibility that owner and founder Kurt Fleischfresser would let the property go after the lease expires in June.

Calling this his fourth time through an oil bust, Fleischfresser said he believed the market has hit saturation in the current economy.

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405 magazine • march 2016

“Quality will begin to suffer, if it hasn’t already,” he says. “Trained staff is always hard to come by, so who will staff these places when there are so many restaurants?”

“Trading down” was a phrase that Oklahomans tossed around a great deal in 2008. Even as the worst of the nationwide recession missed us, people still took steps to spend less on eating and drinking.

Fleischfresser, Paul and Lower all cited the need to trade down on ticket prices to survive. In other words, opening fine dining in this climate might not carry the best chance of success, but burger joints such as Tucker’s have better odds, and tacos are exceedingly inexpensive compared to other entrees.

EATING RIGHT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Shaun Fiaccone, co-owner of Picasso Café and The Other Room, is opening Villa Paseo on the corner of NW 28th and Paseo. He said a neighborhood-based concept likely has a better chance of surviving in the oil downturn.

“The city is quickly approaching the restaurant saturation point,” Fiaccone says. “Still, though, our neighborhood surrounds and insulates us, and there is no Mexican concept in the Paseo district.

Organic and fit-eating restaurants in these redeveloped neighborhoods should be OK.” Speaking of healthy eating, Fit Pig opened in early January – and its deceptive name is based on a sandwich, not a category of eater.

The food is superbly healthy, and like Provision Kitchen in Nichols Hills Plaza, the meals are packaged to be reheated at home. The Fit Pig is one of at least four new concepts planned – or already opened – along Automobile Alley. Cultivar, yet another taco concept, opened in February, and two diners are also planned for the area.

Whether we are at saturation likely will be determined this year.

Park House may have suffered from location and parking issues, or it may have been the first victim of over-saturation in 2016. Rachel Cope was the hopeful voice for the bullish team, though.

“People are still eating in chain restaurants,” she says. “What we need to do is move them out of chain restaurants and into local joints.” - GREG HORTON

Health-conscious eatery The Fit Pig in Automobile Alley

BISHOP MCGUINNESS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL,

founded in 1950, is a college preparatory institution of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, providing a Catholic secondary education for students in grades 9 through 12. The teachings of the church permeate the school's spiritual, academic and social life, forming a “Person for Others.�

The school community is dedicated to the development of the whole person, and faith and values are integrated into all aspects of learning, living and service to others. An education from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School is available to students regardless of ethnic origin, religious preference or socioeconomic background.

Each student at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School has an individualized academic plan crafted for them.

This approach listens to the needs of the student and the family, rather than relying solely on test scores, and raises the academic bar for all students as they prepare for college and life thereafter. The college preparatory model allows students to choose from an extensive curriculum of over 130 courses, including 17 AP classes and 10 pre-AP courses. This approach seeks to use information as an opportunity for reflection and growth and helps the student build a foundation that develops their understanding of themselves in high school, their responsibility to their community, and recognizes the gift of every single student at Bishop McGuinness.

Recently the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) class was added as a course offering and the interest in the program has grown exponentially.

In developing the whole person, there are many extracurricular activities available to students. Clubs and organizations provide opportunities for service, spiritual development, outreach and intellectual development. Athletics also play an important role in our community as students learn to balance their academics and spirituality with participation on a sports team. Additionally, all graduates are required to complete 90 hours of community service prior to graduation.

801 NW 50TH ST, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73118 | (405) 842-6638 | BMCHS.ORG

in the 4O5

FAVORITE THINGS

Doing It All Well Live Well. Dress Well. Shop Well. The Cayman’s motto leaves no doubt that this is a one-stop shop, and those are hard to find these days. You would be hard pressed to find a family-owned store – not a chain – that has something for everyone … and not just something, the best. The best in fashion, skincare, home décor, jewelry and even gift items. The list goes on.

“I have a great group of buyers,” says owner Shelley Cox. “It is a collaborative effort. They each have their passions that shine through in what we do. And, of course, we all have an ear to what our customers want.”

And many visitors to the store in Norman’s Carriage Plaza quickly become customers, on the strength of offerings such as these. - SARA GAE WATERS

Fornasetti candles “The history and style of this artist (Italian painter and engraver Piero Fornasetti) makes these pieces collectible and work with any décor.”

Harrow boot by Rag & Bone “Comfortable and easy to wear with my favorite jeans or casual dress.”

Spinelli Kilcollin Ring “I love when designers think outside the box. This ring can be worn multiple ways.”

Diamond Extreme cream by Natura Bissé “This anti-aging and firming cream, I could not do without.”

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405 magazine • march 2016

Reversible tote bag “This bag goes with me on all overnight stays. Perfect size.”

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Missoni pillows “The fabrics of Missoni are rich in history and are timeless.”

The “Madonna” Chair – “Need I say more?”

Mushroom bowl by Match Pewter “Pewter is timeless and works in any décor.”

John Hardy handmade bracelets “John Hardy has been a passion of mine for 25 years. The hand-crafting of this jewelry sets it apart.”

Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrances “It is rare to find fragrances that are this uniquely wearable.”

Handmade turquoise slag glass lamp “I have a love for natural stones.”

The More Things Change …

In a college town, a great many things change with the times.

That’s to be expected, and it’s true for Norman, as well, especially considering the city’s sustained growth over the last several decades. However, there are always exceptions to the tides of change, and Cayman’s – open since May 1980 – is just that.

Shelley Cox seems to have found the secret to long-term success, and the key is not avoiding change; it’s drawing strength from the ability to adapt. The store’s merchandise is constantly rotating to remain current, but the operating philosophy remains unchanged. When asked about the aesthetic of the store, Cox explains, “It is always evolving since we are in the fashion industry. What is constant is that it is warm, friendly and inviting.” - SGW

march 2016 • 405 magazine

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in the 4O5

TRENDS

Cool Colors for Spring PANTONE IS FAMOUSLY KNOWN for selecting the company’s color of the year, and this year they really outdid themselves. They made not only one great choice, but two: Serenity, a very soft light blue, and Rose Quartz, an equally calming shade of pink.

It doesn’t take long to see that these two hues can go way beyond the girl/boy baby shower stereotype. From accessories to full-on outfits, you can already see these two winners out on the fashion scene. - SARA GAE WATERS

Pink Piko dress, $34.95, from Blush, Norman Theory Classic Blue “Nijee” shirt, $265, from CK & Co., OKC

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405 magazine • march 2016

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Light blue beaded chain earrings, $18, from Antique Garden, Norman

Southern Proper gingham check shirt, $98, from Threads, Norman

Light pink and gold beaded necklace, $38, from Antique Garden

Anemone racerback bralette in blush, $12.95, from Blush Tory Burch “Kira” Deco-T mini chain cross-body in light oak, $350, from CK & Co.

(left to right) “Collard Greens” striped bow tie, $55, “High Cotton” gingham check bow tie, $60, “Southern Tide” paisley bow tie, $55, from Threads

Michael Kors light sky leather Hamilton Drivers, $110, from Dillards, OKC and Norman

Tory Burch “York” small makeup bag in Fairview blue, $95, from CK & Co.

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DESTINATION

Seay What?

Visit the Kingfisher home of Oklahoma Territorial Gov. A.J. Seay IF YOU THOUGHT that Oklahoma’s only governor’s mansion is on Lincoln Boulevard, you’d be wrong. Kingfisher has a dog in that fight. It’s the home of Oklahoma Territorial Gov. Abraham Jefferson Seay, Oklahoma’s second or third governor, depending on how you count.

With passage of the Oklahoma Organic Act in 1890, the beginning of formal government in the Territory was established.

President Benjamin Harrison appointed George Steele to the position of governor, Robert Martin as territorial secretary and, among other appointments, A.J. Seay as a justice of the Territorial Supreme Court.

The designated territorial capital was Guthrie, but the fight was on to determine the location of the eventual state capital.

Guthrie, Oklahoma City and Kingfisher all were jockeying for that honor.

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Steele managed to irritate all sides of the newly elected legislature and resigned in frustration before his term was up. Martin served as acting governor in the interim.

Neither of the two men had built permanent housing. When Seay learned he would be appointed to the position, he began building a three-story mansion he named “Horizon Hill” on 15 acres of land just outside of Kingfisher.

Harrison made the appointment official and Seay’s term began on Feb. 2, 1892.

The mansion, which Seay occupied until 1901, is now part of the Chisholm Trail Museum complex in Kingfisher. Very few items in the home are original to his tenure, but, based on a few old photos and the recollections of descendants, the house has been outfitted in appropriate period style.

Visitors enter through the back door. First floor rooms include a front and back parlor, study, dining room and kitchen. The front parlor was used for formal entertaining and contains several Seay pieces – a rose velvet settee, a fainting couch, a small music cabinet that was possibly a gift from the governor’s brother and a couple of paintings by family members.

In the study across the hall is the governor’s official chair and several other pieces of office

furniture.

TOURING THE PAST On his The Chisholm Trail Museum and bookcase Governor’s Mansion are located at 605 Zellars Ave. in Kingfishstands a er. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. photo of Monday – Saturday. Admission Seay taken is $5 for adults, $4 for children. when he served as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Seay never married, but his widowed sister Isabella lived with him and served as his hostess. Her upstairs room has large windows with lace curtains, as she described in a letter she wrote.

Only the governor’s washstand/commode is original in his bedroom, but the red carpet reflects a reminiscence of one of his nephews, “ … elegant red carpeting and big furnishings.” Red was apparently a favorite color of the governor.

The Victorian Shingle-style structure features large porches and a dome-topped turret. The mansion as a whole falls short of the elegance one would expect in such a building, but, considering the times and the location, it was very impressive. And while the road to statehood took the Capitol to OKC, the former home of the territory’s governor remains a worthy Kingfisher destination. - ELAINE WARNER

GOVERNOR’S MANSION PHOTO COURTESY CHISHOLM TRAIL MUSEUM

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LAUGH LINES

All I Really Need to Know I Learned on Craigslist

Life Truth #1: If you’re thinking of getting a dog, you should know that dachshunds have Houdinilike escaping abilities, but no homing skills.

Most of the lost dogs on Craigslist are dachshunds that answer to the name “Lucky.”

Life Truth #2: If you’ve ever made eye contact, however fleeting, with another person at Walmart or Hobby Lobby before continuing your shopping, it is certain that you will be identified as a “Missed Connection” on Craigslist and that the bemoaning of this missed connection will be accompanied by a poorly spelled poem or haiku.

Life Truth #2.5: If you place an ad on Craigslist in hopes of reuniting with a missed connection, try to have a better headline than “Thick girl at Newcastle casino” or “The preggo lil redhead” or “If you still remember that rainy Tuesday in 1972 … ”

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Life Truth #3: If your life is stressful, there’s good news – hundreds of people in the Craigslist world want to give you a free, full-body massage. They’ll often need you to “host” them, and their ads will contain the keywords “send pix so I no ur reel.”

Life Truth #4: If you’ve lost anything, you probably lost it at Walmart, and a kind soul has picked it up and posted an ad about it on Craigslist, often with a poorly spelled poem or haiku. Proceed with caution: Not all “found” ads are legit. One ad boasts a found Fitbit at Walmart. Beware the improbable.

Life Truth #5: If you are lonely and seeking company in the arms of a stranger, Craigslist is your one-stop shop. Don’t worry about whether you’ll be attractive enough. Most strangers make it a point to reassure potential dates with details such as “Thick girls are OK” or “I’m not really picky.”

For good measure, however, they’ll always include the request “send pix so I no ur reel.”

Life Truth #6: If, on the other hand, you are that stranger whose company is being sought by the lonely, you should resist the temptation to post your photo inside the ad. You are much

better looking in the reader’s imagination, although the reader who seeks company on Craigslist has probably never been accused of being picky anyway.

Life Truth #7: El Reno has a disproportionately high number of lonely people.

Life Truth #8: In these modern times, most of you can still join up with a harem, according to Craigslist. I was instantly disqualified when I read the disclaimer that came with one harem solicitation ad: “No back-talkers.”

For the more nostalgic gal in search of a one-woman/one-man relationship, Craigslist still boasts a proliferation of ads from gentlemen seeking the “barefoot and pregnant wife type.” So … good luck with that.

Life Truth #9: In life beyond Craigslist, nothing is really “free.” In the Craigslist world, however, free items require little more than a pickup for hauling off the advertised item, such as the “Sled of Death” that maimed the faces of three teenage boys, or the not-so-gently used “Human-sized Steel Cage” that requires the strength of three weightlifters (or one angry dominatrix) to heave it into a truck bed.

Life Truth #10: Caramel is the best. My favorite ad appeared in the “Free Stuff” category: “20 tins of holiday popcorn (minus caramel corn). You know damn well what happened to all that caramel corn.” - LAUREN HAMMACK

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ERIC SCHOCK

I’VE ALWAYS KEPT CRAIGSLIST, the online home of fodder for a Lifetime movie, in the category of “things I don’t need but want to browse through anyway.”

God knows, scrolling through the ads is an exhausting reminder of why mastering phonics and spelling should advance to the top of every human’s “to do” list, but once I’ve mentally corrected the spelling and syntax of all the listings, I do appreciate the subtext of life truths that abound on the site.

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TECHNOLOGY

And the Magic Begins A vibrant tech community calls OKC home TO BEGIN, there is a blank screen. At the end, there is fully functional computer software code and huge databases that help companies and organizations deliver their services every day.

In between, there is “magic.”

That’s how JavaScript code developer Amanda Harlin describes what she gets to do every workday.

“You get to be a magician – an actual magician – helping whoever needs it,” she says.

To a client who needs her code skills the most, it must seem that way. One month

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hardly anyone knows who that client is, the next, they are connecting with people everywhere to sell, influence or show the world who they are and what they are about.

Amanda’s husband, Jesse Harlin – also a JavaScript developer – finds surprises that can seem somewhat magical.

“The reason I got into this was because I was trying to make generative music,” Jesse says. Generative music is produced by computer systems and is evolutionary by its programming. “I liked the idea

of making a piece of music that I knew I would like because of constraints, but it would surprise me.”

Those of us who are not skilled at programming might think of all programs as static and only changing when more code is applied or changed.

But coding software to generate unexpected results produces an outcome that may even surprise the author of the code, as Jesse pointed out. “I liked the idea of a video game that had generative content because I could play a level having been the person that made the game. I would be surprised at what it gave back to me, and it would be enjoyable.” Magic.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE But Amanda knows that this kind of magic isn’t just an illusion. It’s real and makes a difference in people’s lives.

“The most exciting thing is that you can make something that matters. There are problems that you can solve right now,” she says. “You can make an app to help first responders after a tornado. You can make maternity prenatal apps that help [mothers-to-be] talk to their doctor better. There are so many things that you can do to help communities through open-source software.”

Her comments show a growing sense of civic-mindedness among programmers that

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Ryan Hoegg, Amanda Harlin, Jesse Harlin.

is prominent on the Oklahoma City tech scene.

When she’s not working for a paying client, she is busy with groups such as Nerdy GirlsOKC and Nerdy Girls-Tulsa that promote confidence among girls and young women who are interested in computers and the code that makes them run.

This strong civic sense is something that is not unique to Amanda.

“My perspective is that it means more transparency and openness in local government, and giving citizens easier access to our information,” he says. “With our budget book, we try to put a lot of things in there that meet best practices for all of the information and transparency. Well, it ends up being 700 pages long before you get all of that done.”

Since his department works to develop a budget with integrity, he wants it to be understandable.

CODE FOR CIVIC BENEFIT “So I really appreciate Today, the local tech commuwhat they’re doing to make the nity has a core group of code budget information more accesspecialists who have a clear sible,” he continues. “And they sense of the civic value of their have more of those tools from skills. The Code for OKC project the technology perspective that is an example help make of a nationit easier to The most exciting wide trend of digest and code-writing understand.” thing is that you can and big-data make SOMETHING skills being CULTURE THAT MATTERS. There OF COLused for the public good. are problems that you LABORAHow does TION But can solve right now. a citizen look where does – AMANDA HARLIN into the Oklaall of this homa City budcollaboraget and figure much of anything tion come from among coders out unless they have experience and big-data gurus? The short evaluating city budgets? In answer: It’s a part of the culture reality, they don’t. And Code for of the profession to collaborate OKC volunteers believe that the rather than compete. budget of their city represents all Jesse and Amanda Harlin of the city’s citizens, so it should started a foundation called be understandable to them.

Techlahoma to give people who That’s why the group is developdevelop code an organizational ing code to apply to the budget mechanism to gather and learn database of Oklahoma City that from each other. Its biggest will eventually let citizens easily event, and main fundraiser, pick and choose what kind of is the annual Thunder Plains online information they want to conference in Oklahoma City. see, and in what form.

This year’s packed opening and Outside of the Code for closing sessions challenged the OKC group, one person is popular image of the lone coder. especially excited about the The reality of the profession possibilities: Doug Dowler, in general and Oklahoma City’s budget director for Oklahoma tech community in particular City. Rather than being on is all about humans commuthe defensive, he is all for the nicating with one another to volunteer group’s efforts. develop code that anyone can

understand five years hence.

User groups seek to learn from each other on their own time, to increase the understanding of the code that they write. There is no pay for this, but a big payoff of growth.

COMPUTER CODE STARTS WITH PEOPLE James Gray, a code developer for the Ruby

that’s the easy part. Getting people to understand what’s going on, that’s the hard part.”

Allen Smith and Mark Smith are independent consultants who help companies manage massive quantities of data. Their days are filled with helping large, fast-paced corporations, such as Sonic, make growing data streams yield

“

”

Lucas Watson talks with a Techlahoma Meet Up group of coders at The 404.

code language, has been writing, blogging, podcasting and speaking about computer code for a number of years. He agreed that there is a tendency toward isolation because the profession draws introverts.

But he went on to point out that, “the further you get in programming – the better and better you get – programming has very little to do about computers and a lot about people.

Programming is very much a communication-oriented, people-centric thing. Teaching computers to do something,

quality results faster. So what do they do for fun? This summer they joined a user group to test out new data programs with baseball statistics as they attended OKC Dodgers games.

Allen says, “It was fun! We had a great time learning new ways of looking at data and watching baseball all at the same time.”

This is what programmers do. What would be work for the rest of us is both play and work for those who are immersed in this life. And the results benefit us all. - BRETT DICKERSON

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PHILANTHROPY

Volunteers help refurbish a family’s soon-to-be-new home.

Local nonprofit partners with chefs, architects for Design Appetit WHEN A FAMILY MOVES from homelessness to permanent housing, one of their often-overlooked immediate needs is for furnishings, clothing, dishware and other basics. Focus on Home is a local nonprofit that attempts to help meet these immediate needs.

The organization is the creation of Joli Sanders, an interior designer who, according to her own description, was “once a very poor single mom.”

“I was looking for a way to give back, to plug into the

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community, and the feedback I got from many nonprofits was that this was a huge problem,” Sanders says. “I wanted to apply the skillset I had from my design background and my work with how environment impacts people’s lives.”

Focus on Home works with partner agencies such as Catholic Charities and the Homeless Alliance to gather resources, but Sanders goes a step further.

She goes into the residence and helps create a place that is comfortable, beautiful and,

frankly, homey. Children’s rooms get special attention, as does the dining area, since it is “the center of the home, of people’s lives.”

In February 2015, Sanders attempted a small fundraiser, but she was not happy with the result. A friend introduced her to Nicole Thomas, the owner of Epic Events. Thomas had experienced a fundraiser in larger markets that brought together design, arts, architecture and food to create an exciting, innovative, creative approach to fundraising. She was looking for a nonprofit that could benefit and that made a good fit when she met Sanders.

After discussing the possibilities, Thomas and Sanders decided on the state’s first Design Appetit, scheduled for March 31-April 2 at Cox

Convention Center. The event will feature designers, architects, artists and chefs working together to help provide the resources Focus on Home uses to help families.

“Each design team will partner with a chef of their choosing to create a cohesive

Focus on Home founder Joli Sanders

PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

A New Focus for Philanthropy

dining and design experience,” Thomas says. “The spaces they create will have sponsored, eight-top tables for dinner on Thursday night, and the chefs will create a culinary experience that integrates with the design of the space.”

Local firms Elliott & Associates Architects, HSE Architects and Rees Associates are helping with logistics in addition to their participation in the event.

Libby Gober, a registered interior designer at Rees, said this is the first time she’s seen an event like Design Appetit.

“There are many industry-specific events, but nothing like this kind of collaboration,” she says. “In a lot of those events, you put together a project and it only gets a few minutes of visibility for one evening, but our work will be

on display for three days for Design Appetit.”

Gober said her team has not decided on a chef yet, but initial planning for their space has already begun. “We have the initial idea, but we are going to wait until we pick a chef before finalizing the design.”

The chefs are invited by the teams to join the effort, and in the event a team cannot find a chef, Rees Associates helps make a connection for them. Curtis Bramlett, owner of Bolero, is allowing the chefs to use his mobile kitchen for the gala dinner on March 31. A full roster of chefs was not available at press time, but it’s likely to be an impressive list.

Judy Love and James Pickel are the honorary co-chairs for the three-day event, which will include a cocktail reception on April 2, featuring craft

Welcome home to a new, more inviting environment

cocktails, live entertainment and light hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are available to the public for anyone interested in seeing the spaces. All proceeds from the three days go to Focus on Home.

“We have served 56 families

since August 2014,” Sanders says, “but in the same time, we had to turn away 36 families because of a lack of resources.

We want to raise enough funding that we don’t have to turn anyone away.” - GREG HORTON

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ON THE SCENE

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Architecture of Dance 7

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1. Cynda Shreve, Russell Kim, Lea Morgan 2. Jeremiah Matthew Davis, Annie Holt, Robert Mills 3. Chris Lawson, Ann Lacy, Martha Burger 4. Lolly Anderson, Mike Larsen, Mike Anderson, Martha Larsen 5. OKC Ballet performers 6. Cindi Shelby, Lisa Lawson, Mary Blankenship Pointer 7. Bill Yen, Erin Yen, Celia Yen, Mike and April Mays 8. Janet Fischer, Jeppe Syppli, Sarah Smith 9.

Libby Nelson, Maggie Clayton

PHOTOS BY TERRELL FRY

Dancers from the OKC Ballet provide a sneak peek of the troupe’s upcoming “Scheherazade” to enliven a riverside fundraiser.

in the 4O5

ON THE SCENE

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JRB New Year’s Brunch 2

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1. Jennifer and Mark Hustis 2. Anne Gray, Suzanne Cunningham, Joy Reed Belt 3. Peter Vitali, Jessica Henson 4. Dorothy Danen, Behnaz Sohrabian, Julie Plant

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Boots and Ballgowns A record-setting crowd helps raise more than $400,000 to help Infant Crisis Services provide food and diapers for needy babies - the 8th annual fete boasts dining, drinking, dancing and even a little calf roping.

1. Clayton and Marnie Taylor, Jim Farris 2. Bruce and Donna Lawrence 3. Co-chairs Callie Merritt and Kristine Browne 4. Miss Oklahoma USA Taylor Gorton, ICS director Miki Farris

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PHOTOS: JRB BRUNCH, SERGE IBAKA FOUNDATION GALA AND ARTNOW GALA BY JUSTIN AVERA; BOOTS AND BALL GOWNS COURTESY INFANT CRISIS SERVICES

Paseo gallery JRB Art at the Elms welcomes a new year and starts 2016 creatively by welcoming guests to a midday meal and fresh exhibitions.

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Serge Ibaka Foundation Gala Serge Ibaka and Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe combine their humanitarian efforts for an evening of enjoyment to benefit women and children in Uganda and South Sudan.

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1. Sister Rosemary, Serge Ibaka 2. Crystal Smith, Bobby Smith, Jeremy Smith 3. Saundra Naifeh, Senator Kay Floyd, Jennifer Belardo 4. Sarah and Adam Edwards, Stacy Moon, Casey Davis

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ArtNow Gala Fresh works from local talents fuel a celebration of new creation at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.

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1. Paul Shead, Meredith Downing, Vanessa Morrison, Bruce Waight 2. Randy Crook and Teresa Rose Crook, Kate and Terry Lion 3. Jeremiah Davis, Kelsey Karper 4. Robert Mills, Phil Burke, Titi Fitzsimmons 5. Dick and Glenna Tanenbaum, Adam Davies, Kirstin Reynolds

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in the 4O5

BY THE WAY

Shedding Light on One of the American West’s Most Colorful Characters RICHARD W. ETULAIN’S Calamity Jane: A Reader’s Guide isn’t just a biography, it’s also a reference work for anyone wondering about the historical accuracy of various depictions of Calamity Jane in movies, novels or even other nonfiction works.

From the dime novels that built so much of our nation’s beliefs about the historical figures of the American West to the fictionalized characterization of Calamity Jane in everything from Roy Rogers’ movies to HBO’s “Deadwood,” Etulain exhaustively examines the veracity of the huge number of stories that circulated about her – both second-hand and from her own mouth.

In a place and time where survival could be a struggle – doubly so for women – the figure of Calamity Jane has always stood out as a larger-than-life, heroic example; as a military scout, “Wild Bill” Hickok sidekick, and later on, wife and mother, she seems to embody everything modern women still seek – having and being it all.

The revelation that many of the facets of her personality may be fabricated (and other, lesser known aspects are less than savory) may tarnish her appeal for some, but the more realistic picture that history professor Etulain paints – one of a deeply flawed but incredibly generous and empathetic individual – may actually endear her even more to others. - JILL HARDY

Let’s Stay Together While re-homing pets is necessary in dire situations, keeping an owner and beloved dog or cat together is often the kindest thing to do.

The Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City strives to make that option a possibility by helping owners who are struggling to feed their pets – often people who are homeless or elderly – with pet food and medication, routine vaccinations, spaying/neutering, collars, leashes, tags and shelters.

Reducing the burden on animal shelters is only one benefit of the services that the Pet Food Pantry provides; keeping people and their pets together also allows those who are facing significant struggles in life to keep the comforting companionship that domestic animals bring.

To find out how to donate time or funds, and learn more about The Pet Food Pantry, visit petfoodpantryokc.org. - JH

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Step Up to the Challenge The Fight for Air Climb on March 26 at Leadership Square will provide participants with a fitness challenge – 140 flights or 1,540 stair steps – while raising funds for the American Lung Association’s fight against lung disease.

Fight for Air proceeds help fund patient programs, research and education that aid the millions of Americans who suffer with lung diseases such as asthma, cancer, COPD and conditions brought on by air pollution.

Register at fightforairclimb. org as an individual, or form a team for optimal fundraising.

Then get ready to huff and puff and blow lung diseases away. - JH

A Crawl of a Different Kind Leave the pub-hopping for another time, because one of the most stimulating tours of the metro you’ll ever take is back: check out the 2016 OKC Caffeine Crawl on March 25 and 26.

Six routes, planned from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., traverse a variety of locally owned tea and coffee shops from Edmond to Norman. Participants will get to experience a range of caffeinated (and non-amplified) drinks, from pourovers to cold brews, with plenty of food and pastry possibilities to accompany them.

Visit caffeinecrawl.com to get signed up, and be sure and plan plenty of things to get accomplished afterward … you’ll be very alert. - JH

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territory ahead

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Joe Smith’s Uncommon Creations An Oklahoma craftsman and his unquestionable art

BY M.J. ALEXANDER

EAST OF THE BLACK KETTLE NATIONAL GRASSLAND, near the county lines of Custer, Dewey and Roger Mills, up and down and up and down a hilly dirt road, is the longtime ranch of Joe and Leah Smith.

It is far enough west in Oklahoma that it looks you might be in the Texas Panhandle, or maybe eastern New Mexico. The Smiths’ picture window frames a horizon rippled by an ancient butte.

There is not a neighbor in sight. But there is no lack of company: Their sons pop in between trips back and forth as they tend to the family’s land, and a caregiver keeps an eye out and cooks up lunch favorites such as fresh livers and gizzards. The Smiths also get visits from further afield. Europe. Costa Rica. Arizona.

Some of the visitors are friends they’ve made over the course of their 63-year marriage. But others are strangers – at least when they arrive. They travel down Hill Creek Road to meet the 89-year-old rancher with the common name and uncommon creations.

Joe Ellis Smith is among the pantheon of self-taught Oklahoma folk artists creating larger-than-life works, including Ed Galloway (1880-1962) and his concrete totem poles in Foyil; Hugh Davis (1909-1990) and his iconic

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territory ahead

Blue Whale of Catoosa; and Jim Powers (1934and cogs, marching in formation with pliers 2006) and his junkyard animals in Gage. and tractor seats, hammers and saws, pulleys Smith’s outdoor gallery is the most and bridle bits, twisted augers, angled axes extensive and least and open-jawed tongs. accessible of them One intricate section all, found only by is joined to another, and I call myself self-educated venturing off the then another, creating a through HARD WORK, corridor of framed metal paved road. His altered farm fences, friezes lining the quarthat’s all we knew. towering horseshoe ter-mile long driveway, trees and painted beginning at the mailbox kachinas, bobbing roadrunners and rotatthat’s marked by a 44-foot-tall saguaro cacing depictions of spheres, an airplane and tus crafted of pipes painted sea-foam green. an angry tornado, are the result of 60 years On the way up the drive, high above of collecting and more than three decades the fence line and balanced atop upturned of construction. axles and painted poles, is a parade of lucky “Unless you’re there in person, you can’t charms – a heart, crescent moon, horseshoe see the magnitude of what he’s done,” says longtime friend and fellow blacksmith Bob Kennemer, a member of the museum board in nearby Elk City who has watched the Smith sculptures evolve. “I’ve been up there a hundred times, and still see something new every visit.”

The fence line that follows the rolling red-dirt road transforms just before the Smith place. Within the metal panels – each 16 feet long and four feet tall – is a flotsam and jetsam of relics from the farm: tools and bits of machinery silhouetted in artful symmetry and welded into a frieze of suspended animation.

Wrenches are welded between the spokes of century-old hay-rake wheels. Horseshoes and teeth from long-forgotten threshing machines are frozen in place next to sprockets

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and five-pointed star – maybe 15 feet across, made of welded horseshoes that create a feel more lace than iron.

The totems are interspersed with enormous weathervanes wearing whirligig collars of radiating shovels and wheelbarrows, a steampunk amalgam of Dr. Seussmeets-Mad Max angled to catch the wind and spin above the prairie.

“Joe is very unusual,” Kennemer says.

“There’s not many people who can do what he does. I can’t say there’s no one else around doing what he does. But if there is, I haven’t met him.”

Smith will walk the property pointing out highlights of his work, but refuses to call them art. He concedes of the installation little more than a modest: “You’re not going to see another place like this in the state of Oklahoma.”

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE THE MAKER Joe Ellis Smith was born about a mile away from where he lives now, south and west of Leedey, 90 years ago Sept. 1. His family stayed on the land through the Dust Bowl and Depression, using a horse and mules on their tractor-less farm.

“Everybody was so poor. Everyplace.

Nobody had nothin’,” he says. “Could buy this land up here, some of it sold for a dollar an acre. Nobody had any money. The people up here north of us – on those hills up there – it never did rain and they never could get their seed to come up. They left for California. But

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territory ahead we lived on a place like this, with a creek.

The water would get all over the bottom and irrigate it. But it’d run off the hills up there.”

He and his brother and sister – both now in their 90s and living nearby – walked or rode their horse into Texmo for elementary school, and finished high school in Harmon.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation in 1944, training in San Diego but not being shipped out in the waning days of World War II. After returning home, he bought a used Caterpillar D8, spending long hours in the bulldozer’s open cab, through wind and ice

and heat, building terraces and ponds for farmers from the Texas state line to Clinton, from Elk City north to Camargo.

“I call myself self-educated through hard work, that’s all we knew,” he says. “We bought a bulldozer, and we run that. But you know, that’s all artistic work too, if you do a good, smooth job in a limited amount of time, don’t work forever on it. Cause when somebody’s paying the bill, they didn’t want you goofing off. So you worked all the time.”

The Smiths raised two boys and a girl, and built their new ranch house on the hill in 1973. As Joe dialed back on his work schedule in the late 1980s, he found more time to experiment in his shop, soldering and welding items he had collected in his travels and at farm auctions.

By 1989, he had assembled the first of his farm-tool fence panels, now numbering

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more than 100, and walking below his home’s cedar-beamed installed it on his ceiling, pulling down a hand-crafted ax, property. “When I turning on a light over an oil painting of a first started, I’d put Western scene, pointing out the detail in a a number on ’em. I display case of stamped Navajo bracelets, got to 14 or 15, and fingering the indigo dye in his collection then I forgot my of vintage saddle blankets, unlocking the numbers.” cabinet of pieces of antique Pueblo pottery.

He likes talking “This is art. What I do is nothing.” about the numbers Others disagree. and dimensions “He didn’t learn. He wasn’t taught,” Kenof his work but is nemer says. “I would say he was born with it. reluctant to say He’s so creative. Just sees it in his mind, and much about the can build it. Joe is the most talented man I vision behind his know, as far as dreaming things up and then pieces. For his latest being able to build it.” big project, a halfWith the winter temperature well below scale biplane, the freezing, Smith goes out to the shop, its walls horseshoes in the lined with meticulously arranged tractor wings alone number “seven across times 24 seats and hundreds of vintage tools, and long times four – top and bottom,” a total cranks up the heat to get in a few more hours of 1,344 horseshoes, not including those of work. He is slower than he used to be, but needed for the rest of the body. keeps moving.

But calling what he does art? He’s not He is tickled – but genuinely puzzled – buying it. that the specialist he sees for his lung cancer The fact that his massive sculptures of a asked him for a small sculpture. “Why would longhorn and a buffalo are front and center my cancer doctor in Oklahoma City want at the Route 66 me to make him a Museum complex flower, about that in Elk City, and All you can do is the best you tall? Put it in his that a couple of can do. AND THAT IS IT. You windowsill to look his smaller works at. A fancy doctor can’t go beyond your capabilities. like that.” The and fence sections are featured at the And my capabilities don’t run doctor conveyed Farm & Ranch good news during far enough to suit me.

Museum, pulls no his last checkup, weight. and scheduled the “You want to talk about a piece of next visit for three months down the line. artwork?” And he will show pieces by others, In the meantime, Smith is pondering

“

”

starting a smaller sculpture, a jackrabbit. It might be about 30 inches long, something to keep inside. This time, he will avoid the mistakes he says he made with the roadrunner, when he may have snipped the metal tail feathers too short for his liking. But then he shrugs.

“All you can do is the best you can do.

And that is it. You can’t go beyond your capabilities. And my capabilities don’t run far enough to suit me.

“The work – I enjoy the work. What I don’t like is all the thinkin’ and figurin’ and worryin’, and you go to bed at night and get all that crap in your head so you can’t go to sleep. ‘What am I going to do next? How I’m going to change that?’ It just circulates.

That’s just me. I guess everybody’s got the same trouble.”

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creatives

Allies in Art Tony Morton breaks down barriers between patrons, artists

PATRON SUPPORT Patrons often are intimidated with the process of buying art.

That’s where Morton comes in.

“With the people who come in here, the hardest thing to do is break down the barrier,” he says about those who think that a gallery is the same as a museum. In this setting, people are expected to interact, talk about their preferences and ask him questions.

He says “education is the hardest part” of what he does with prospective purchasers. It is a necessary process of carefully listening to the patron, understanding what appeals to them and then helping them learn ways to talk about what they like in art.

Morton wants his patrons to think of their relationship not as gallery/client, but as “allies.”

ARTIST SUPPORT Morton is not an artist; his background is in marketing. But his wife, printmaker and mixed media artist Stacey D. Miller, keeps him in touch with the artistic process. Their long-term

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relationship has helped in his understanding of what types of support artists need in order to pursue a career.

“Where most gallerists have purely a market experience, I’ve also had the opportunity to stand behind, be a patron for, struggle through the experience of actually being an artist. So it’s provided me with quite a bit of insight,” Morton says.

He understands the frustrations and needs that artists have.

Currently, Kasum Gallery is working with 54 artists and has a list of about 150 regular patrons who buy art that is larger than 30-by-30 inches, with another 500 occasionally buying smaller pieces.

A key element of Morton’s work is helping artists to understand what elements or aspects of their particular art are the most appeal-

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

TONY MORTON SPECIALIZES IN RELATIONSHIPS of a unique sort. The art dealer and owner of Kasum Contemporary Fine Art in the Plaza District is at the hub of a special network he has created that includes a broad spectrum of artists and patrons.

The hard part is helping all parties find what is most deeply satisfying and intriguing to them, whether they are creator or consumer. And if that happens, the business side of things will work.

Both artists and art patrons need an experienced ear, someone who easily interacts with both perspectives. And that means careful listening, which produces a deep understanding of both parties in an art sale.

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ing to his patrons. And that means helping artists to understand criticism that may be upsetting. After all, art comes from deep within, so criticism can seem deeply personal. But it’s not. It’s commentary on how someone else perceives the work and has little to do with the artist as a person.

“I think that a lot of times when an artist is upset initially, that’s the deal,” Morton says about helping artists to keep criticism in perspective. “They are staying in their own perspective.”

Expanding the understanding of perspectives gives Morton the capacity to help patrons acquire art that is meaningful, and to help artists make a living and see their work have an impact on the lives of others.

And when that happens, art adds value to people’s lives. - BRETT DICKERSON

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ENOUGH to

DRINK? How OKC will ensure water availability in the 21st century

BY BRETT DICKERSON PHOTOS BY JAMES PRATT

Oklahoma City’s Draper Lake Water Treatment Plant

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J

ACK FOWLER DOESN’T USUALLY STAND ON THE BOTTOM OF LAKE HEFNER, BUT IN EARLY 2015, HE DID JUST THAT. EVENTUALLY OVERWHELMED

BY CURIOSITY ABOUT THE SHRUNKEN LAKE, HE WALKED OUT ONTO WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS “KIND OF AN ALIEN, UNEXPLORED LANDSCAPE.” Like so many treasure hunters and curiosity seekers, Fowler wanted to explore what was typically

beneath 15 feet of water in the northwest Oklahoma City reservoir. Hefner was far below its optimum level, revealing parts of the lake bottom that most residents younger than 60 had never seen.

For many who visited or drove by the lake, curiosity about the uncommonly dry lake bed next gave

way to thinking about why the lake was so low. It was common from 2011 to 2015 for OKC residents to fret about the water supply and its future. But others, like Fowler, considered it to be a type of justice for water usage practices over the years. “ ... That didn’t bother me,” he says. “I figured we’ve got that coming to us.”

Since spring 2015, the state has seen record rains that have done much to return reservoirs to

normal levels, virtually eliminating the common chatter about water supplies. But water professionals and city leaders in the OKC metro area don’t let episodes of rainfall deter them.

They know the history of drought cycles on the Great Plains and expect drought to return again

someday. The question is not if, it’s when. And when drought happens again, the supply and conservation efforts that are in place will determine whether there is just strain or full-blown crisis.

City leaders are preparing for that future with more investment in infrastructure to increase

supply. But not stopping there, they also are developing programs of education for contractors and residents in how to keep from wasting water. Careful regulation processes will also help to curb waste.

In addition, some private local developers already are using concepts of neighborhood design that will provide a pleasant, livable environment while saving on long-term water use and costs.

These original water treatment tanks at Oklahoma City’s Lake Hefner treatment plant are still in use today.

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Waste first enters the Lake Hefner water treatment plant from the Hefner dam, then runs into a building where ozone is used to kill a variety of organisms.

From there, the water moves to these large sediment tanks, where lime and other coagulants are used to remove sediment from the water.

BIG CITY, BIG NEEDS Today, Oklahoma City is big and

water delivery system that had to constantly grow along with the

thirsty. It takes a lot of water to satisfy the needs of a city of its

quick population growth.

size: An average of 93 million gallons of water was used every day

Seeing that wells were not going to keep up with the demand,

in 2014, according to Marsha Slaughter, the city’s utilities director.

city leaders convinced residents to build a reservoir in 1919. Lake

And she said that in that same year, 63 million gallons of waste

Overholser, named after 16th OKC mayor, Ed Overholser, was built

was returned to the city for treatment.

between Council and Morgan roads and south of Route 66. The

Oklahoma City is constantly growing, so future need is always a concern. For example, in 2010, the Census Bureau reported around 580,000 residents within the 633 square miles of the city limits. By just 2013, the count went up to around 610,000 people.

A 2009 study estimated that Oklahoma City’s water needs would double to 316 million gallons a day by 2060.

Today’s system takes six surface reservoirs, four treatment plants and hundreds of miles of pipeline that connect your house with sources as far away as Atoka Lake – 100 miles from Oklahoma City.

North Canadian River flowing from the northwestern corner of the state was its source.

And not long thereafter, city leaders started a process of planning 50 years in advance for water needs, which is a practice that continues today. As soon as Overholser was completed, city leaders began to explore ways to catch the water that flowed down Bluff Creek, northwest of the existing city at the time.

After an interruption during WWII, water from Bluff Creek and much of its upper watershed was caught by a U-shaped dam, forming a body named Lake Hefner after Robert A. Hefner, the mayor of

A HISTORY OF SMART WATER DEVELOPMENT Constant and rapid growth has placed demands on city leaders from the very beginning of Oklahoma City in 1889 to the present, and one of the most pressing needs that could not be met without foresight and planning was providing enough water.

In OKC’s earliest days, there was one private well and water was sold by the bucket. You had to bring your own bucket, too.

Eventually there were about 15 private wells, which the city bought to establish a public water supply. With that, it started a

Oklahoma City during most of its construction.

And before Lake Hefner was even completed, city leaders already had their eye on southeastern Oklahoma as a more reliable source of even larger supplies of water. Plans were studied to build a supply reservoir near the town of Atoka; a 100-mile, 60-inch pipeline with pump stations; and a receiving reservoir with a treatment plant between Oklahoma City and Norman.

Completed in the early 1960s, today Atoka Lake’s water sent to Lake Stanley Draper is a key element of OKC’s water system.

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Huge pipes underneath the filtration building at the Lake Hefner water treatment plant are used to pump water from each tank, through the filtration media, to a nearby giant concrete mixing tank where chlorine is then added to the water as the final step before it is distributed to end users.

POLITICS OF WATER But the politics of water development were not always smooth, according to Pete White, current Oklahoma City Ward 4 councilman and chairman of the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust.

In fact, White said because of the Council vote to build Atoka Lake, Draper Lake and the pipeline, “The very next election, the four people who were up for re-election lost their seats over their vote to

Oklahoma City councilman Pete White, chairman of the OKC Water Utilities Trust, has been instrumental in guiding Oklahoma City’s long-term water supply efforts. Each of these larger pumps (opposite page) at Oklahoma City’s Draper Lake water treatment plant can pump 40 million gallons of water per day.

bring water from Atoka.”

Not everyone agreed with the additional taxes to accomplish such a huge project that many saw as unnecessary at the time. Not everyone agrees on what needs to be done to meet needs 50 years in advance, and so it is a political struggle, but one that White stresses is important.

“The vision and the foresight of the leadership of Oklahoma City starting in the 1950s has probably gotten us where we are right now,” said White. “Anybody – like me – who tells you what we’re going to do

WATER-SAVING TECHNIQUES FOR HOMEOWNERS 1. Look for leaks around the house. Household leaks waste 10,000 gallons of water a year.

is standing on their shoulders. They’re the people who put the plan together and they’re the reason that we are where we are today and gave us all of the opportunities that we have today.”

And the political struggles are still going on today, only not within the city limits. The strain today is between multiple parties: municipalities – such as OKC – that have historically worked with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to finance construction of reservoirs, and the various tribes of southeastern Oklahoma who claim that water resources in their tribal areas should be in their control and not left up to the state.

Each year over the last five, as the drought in western Oklahoma intensified, the legislators from those districts have pressed for a statewide plan to share water from east to west. Progress has been slow, however, due to disagreements about who the water really belongs to.

SUPPLY FOR THE FUTURE Currently, Oklahoma City is in the process of adding a new 72-inch pipeline next to the existing 60-inch pipeline from Atoka to Draper lakes.

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2. If you have an irrigation system, do a checkup in the spring. A simple investigation may add up to savings all summer.

3. Replace old aerators with WaterSense labeled aerators or faucets. You could save about 700 gallons per year.

4. Make plans to visit a water conservation garden in the spring. You can find them at OSU-OKC, the OKC Zoo, the Myriad Botanical Gardens or Bluff Creek Park.

5. Use a water-efficient shower head. They’re inexpensive and easy to install, and the average family could save 2,900 gallons per year.

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Water at the Lake Hefner treatment plant moves along canals to various parts of the plant. Here, two separate canals are used so that one part of the plant can be shut down while the other undergoes routine maintenance. These canals move water from the various sediment tanks to the filtration buildings.

To illustrate earlier leaders’ ability to look ahead and anticipate

effort, previously worked for OSU doing research on new water

needs of the growing city, White says, “When they built the pipeline

conservation techniques and concepts before joining the city staff.

from Atoka to Lake Draper, they bought enough right-of-way to put

Robert Reaves is the water conservation coordinator and is focused

another pipeline in. That was in the ’50s and everybody thought that

on generating “how-to” videos and leading education programs for the

it was a fool’s deal anyway.”

public. Last summer, he held workshops for homeowners on how to

But now we know that it was not.

maintain yard irrigation (or sprinkler) systems; in 2016, he will add

“We are probably well into the middle of this century in terms of

irrigation contractors to his training schedule.

supply right now,” White says. “But in trying to be consistent with the people who came before us, we’re looking not to wait until the middle of this century to find out. We want to get ourselves in a position where we’re well into the second half of the century in terms of supply.

And that’s where this latest push comes from.”

CONSERVATION FOR THE FUTURE It will not be enough to just continue to try and add more supply of water, though, according to Debbie Ragan, public information officer for the Oklahoma City Utilities Department. Instead, the city is joining the statewide goal to hold the use of water resources in 2060 to the levels of 2016. (See “Water for 2060 Act.”) Two new full-time staff members of the Utilities Department have been added specifically to lead conservation efforts: Malarie Gotcher, water conservation specialist and leader of the city’s conservation

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WATER FOR 2060 ACT

In 2012, the Oklahoma Legislature passed House Bill 3055, which established a statewide goal of not consuming any more fresh water than is consumed today.

The act calls for the use of incentives and education instead of mandates to achieve the goal without limiting economic growth – it will require a good deal of effort and cooperation, but we’re the first state in the country to establish such a goal.

These plots are identified and used to educate contractors and the general public on the best ways to conserve water based on the Oklahoma climate. Each plant is identified and various plants are used to show the types of low-impact shrubs that can be used to conserve water at home and in commercial landscapes.

Gotcher said that in many cases companies do not directly maintain their own landscapes and irrigation systems, but use contractors who may not be fully knowledgeable on how to tune systems for maximum effect with minimum amounts of water. And so the first effort in curbing the waste of business lawns is to give contractors new knowledge on how to design, install and maintain irrigation systems.

While home and even small business lawn irrigation systems may seem inconsequential to water usage in Oklahoma City, Gotcher emphasized the impact of those systems on

Three different types of controllers are used at the OSU-OKC botantical garden outdoor plot. These controllers are connected to external sensors (mounted above and in the ground) to record temperature, soil moisture and rainfall. The controllers then use this information to make watering determinations, thereby conserving water.

water usage. “Just one bad sprinkler head in one yard can waste up to 10,000 gallons of fresh water per year,� Gotcher says.

She also pointed out that when the reservoirs for Oklahoma City were being planned, the automatic irrigation systems that are so com-

Malarie Gotcher (right) and Robert Reaves with the City of OKC Water Department are working to train homeowners and contractors about water conservation in OKC.

mon now were only rarely used. Cities did not anticipate the added aggregate strain of lawn irrigation systems on the supply.

If Oklahoma City can successfully reduce water waste through better design and maintenance of water-using devices, the strain on existing sources will be relieved.

Lawn irrigation systems are a heavy retraining and education focus right now because other widespread consumption of fresh water

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(Above) Ideal Homes has been working with the EPA and the University of Oklahoma on a water conservation study along this street and a nearby "control" street. Water from the house roofs are drained into greenery areas in front of each home. The soil has been amended specifically to help filter contaminants from the water. Once the water passes through this soil, it drains into a capture tank at the end of the street, where OU students and EPA personnel measure the pollution and particulate matter. A recent report after this seven-year experiment shows excellent results in filtering man-made pollution from the water before it runs into the stream below. (Right) Ideal Homes splash pad at Trailwoods neighborhood in north Norman. The splash pad uses city tap water, which after running through the water feature is drained through a filtration garden where particulates are removed. The water eventually flows to a large pond on the property and is used to water common areas in the neighborhood.

has been addressed in such ways as the complete industry-wide shift toward low water use toilets and low-consumption shower heads.

Currently, the lawn irrigation business is largely unregulated and self-taught. Gotcher intends to change that through “education first, and then regulation.” They both said that if their education efforts spread in the future, their regulation efforts will not be as difficult.

What’s the key to Oklahoma City getting a majority of residents to participate? “It’s making sure that you involve all of your customers,” Gotcher says. “It has to be a community effort. It’s hard when your neighbor is watering every day and you’re doing your best to save water.”

But, regulation has arrived. Odd/even lawn watering days used to be a measure that was enforced during extreme drought situations.

Now, it is a standing, mandatory rule with escalating fines with each repeated offense. Gotcher said that this year their approach to enforcement was to “educate first, and then cite someone if they persist in violating the code.”

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CONSERVATION HELP FOR RESIDENTS

A new website by the Utilities Department of Oklahoma City, SqueezeEveryDrop.com, is designed to give the public ideas and information about how to maintain yard irrigation systems.

The amount of fresh water that can be lost over one year from one bad yard sprinkler head is 10,000 gallons – so save yourself some frustration and check it out.

He explains that in Oklahoma the soil is made up of so many clays that retention ponds must be built to allow rain runoff to have a place to go and slowly seep into the ground. His business uses what are called “detention-retention” ponds – designed to hold a certain amount of water year-round and provide an irrigation source as well as visual accent for the development.

Two recent suburban developments have included large park spaces, exchanging common spaces for smaller lots. That saves tens of thousands of dollars per year by using captured water in detention-retention ponds to irrigate these common spaces, while solar panels power the pumps. (top) Zack Roach, Ideal Homes’ vice president of development, was responsible for implementing the water-saving design. Vernon McKown is a co-owner of Ideal Homes and planned the neighborhood. His brother Richard McKown designed the splash park and works with Vernon to implement designs.

Specially designed soil (above) with clay filtration rocks is used to filter the water as it passes through the garden.

Residents have the pleasure and quality of life enhancement of the green spaces, with little cost to the association that maintains the greenbelts. As it turns out, conservation is not only a good goal, it is good business.

INTO THE NEXT CENTURY The advantage that the City of

CONSERVATION BY DESIGN Richard McKown is one

Oklahoma City and private developers such as McKown have is that

partner in his family housing development business, best known

the history of the municipality, and business itself, is to constantly

across the metro area for its Ideal Homes developments. In all, the

look to the future and invent new solutions.

company has 16 developments in the wider metro area.

In recent years, McKown has collaborated with several professors

There truly is something about our shared history of both government and private business that allows us to look for solutions that

of sustainable landscaping to find the best solution to providing green

may not have been tried before. Not every state’s culture and history

spaces for those who buy into his housing developments while still

makes that easy to do. But in Oklahoma City, constant change and

conserving water.

growth has been the rule with only a few exceptions.

“If you want to create better quality of water, you have to use plants,” McKown says.

That’s how we grew in the past. It’s how we can grow into 21st century with the water that we need.

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Start Spreading the

Hues

BY JENNIFER SALYER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON HURST

Brighter days are on the horizon, and we aren’t just talking about the weather; that should apply to your wardrobe, as well. With life and color returning to the natural world, it’s the perfect time to turn up the dazzle on your look. Think bright, think bold, think vibrantly alive … and then think about the springtime splash you’ll make in ensembles like these.

The spirit of springtime seems to imbue this applique-on-nude tulle evening gown, made in Canada by Lucian Matis and worn with handmade rose gold topaz quartz Swarovski drop earrings by Miguel Ases, both from R. Meyers.

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This eye-catching casual look features a pink Tahari Hopsack four-button jacket, distressed Sheridan skinny jeans by JAG Jeans and black Steve Madden Terra style open-toed wedges, all from Von Maur, topped with a gleaming white Great Bag Co.

by Verdi handbag from R. Meyers.

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Turn heads on extra-special occasions in this daring ensemble: a multicolored awning striped skirt by Alice & Trixie and wooden beaded necklace with teal tassel by Lordane, both from R. Meyers, setting off a ravishing Tea Rose ceramic corset made by Nicole Moan – Moan also created the raccoon skull headpiece with dried roses, peacock feathers and Swarvoski crystals.

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Get a boost of effortless elegance from this shimmering, fluid off-the-shoulder cocktail dress by Nicole Miller, worn with rose gold Swarovski circle drop earrings by LK Designs and a metallic blush Exotic evening bag with Swarovski crystals, all from R. Meyers. The heels are nude leather with yellow trim

by Gianni Bini from Dillard’s at Quail Springs Mall.

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Greatness on the go: a multicolor striped slip dress and blazer by Sachin & Babi, magenta suede multistrap pump by Marion Parke, gold link chain necklaces and hoop earrings studded with coral stones by Julie Vos and a yellow pebbled leather crossbody bag by MIU MIU, all from Balliets.

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Sophisticated and striking, Sachin & Babi’s color-blocked high-low dress pairs beautifully with gold Pegasus coin drop earrings and a gold cuff with white quartz stone by Julie Vos, nude suede block heels with ankle straps by Jimmy Choo and a gray ruched leather crossbody bag by MIU MIU, all from Balliets.

Special thanks to: Lilly Stone, makeup artist with Sooo Lilly Exclusive Cosmetics; Carl Wayne, hairstylist with 822 Broadway Salon; Talor Reazin, freelance model; Shelley Caldwell, assistant director

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culture

BLURRED LINES

The Ride Stuff A civic push for increased focus and quality of public transit

BY BEN FELDER PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

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REGGIE WILPON BOARDED THE NO. 22 BUS at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and 23rd Street.

Destination unknown.

“I’m probably headed downtown,” Wilpon says. “No job, but I’m looking.”

Wilpon said he would be searching for a job on this unseasonably warm winter’s day, but didn’t have a detailed plan.

He mentioned a friend he will see downtown who might have a lead on a sprinkler installation gig that could turn into a permanent position, but over the last several months, he’s heard

of plenty of leads that failed to materialize.

Embark, Oklahoma City’s public transportation system, serves a diverse group of riders, or “customers” as Embark officials prefer to call them. But Wilpon’s status as an unemployed resident boarding in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods fits with the system’s current status as a service used mostly by the city’s most vulnerable and impoverished citizens.

In a city that champions plentiful jobs and high access to automobile ownership, the rider demographics of Em-

Jason Ferbrache

bark showcase an alternative well to attract “choice riders,” or Oklahoma City that can be easy those citizens who don’t have to to overlook. According to a 2014 ride the bus. survey conducted in partnership “There is a strategic effort to with the Univerattract new peosity of Oklahoma ple to transit,” Health Science Ferbrache says.

We provide an Center, nearly 55 “When we think IMPORTANT AND percent of riders of choice riders, CRITICAL service have an annual it’s not based household for a specific part of on income, but income of less it’s people who our community. than $10,000, a have a car and - JASON FERBRACHE shockingly low normally drive level that had a car. For us, it’s even some Emabout asking, bark officials initially wondering ‘How can we get them to ride if the survey methodology had the bus?’” some sort of discrepancy.

Over the past few years, The same survey also Embark has undergone a comshowed that 87 percent of riders plete rebranding that sought to have a household income of less embrace a more modern name than $30,000. Fifty-five percent and color scheme. Buses also of riders said public transit is have been equipped with free their only option for travel, and Wi-Fi and other trip-planning 77 percent said they have no tools that can be used on mobile access to an automobile. devices. While these enhance“We provide an important ments can benefit dependent and critical service for a specific riders, Ferbrache hopes these part of our community,” says improvements to the system will Jason Ferbrache, director of the draw the attention of the city’s City of Oklahoma City’s Public choice riders.

Transportation and Parking “Some of the things we have Department. “But we also want done, like free Wi-Fi, we see to be an option for all people.” those as wins no matter what,” Ferbrache says. “It helps our CHOICE RIDERS Without a current customer base, and it car of his own or the income to makes it better for them, but regularly use a taxi or rideshare hopefully it’s the extra thing service, Wilpon is dependent on that can get people who have the bus, as are most of Embark’s never ridden public transit beriders, according to the survey. fore to give it a try. We keep all More than 90 percent of riders customers, current and future, said the bus is either their only in mind when we develop and option, their cheapest option or try to grow the system.” the most convenient way to get It’s nothing new for non-ridaround town. ers to have a stigma about bus While Embark seeks to travel, as cities across the nation constantly improve the service are increasingly seeking ways to for the riders who depend on it attract choice riders who may for travel, there is an effort as have a negative impression of

“

”

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culture

BLURRED LINES

In addition to the Embark rebrand, two routes were expanded last year to include evening service until midnight, giving the city evening transit service for the first time in a generation. Last month, two more routes were expanded to include evening hours.

Factor in the addition of on-board Wi-Fi and increases in frequency of routes by 30 percent over the last two years, and it could be fair to say that public transit in Oklahoma City is undergoing a level of momentum not seen since the interurban trolleys were dismantled in the 1950s.

Leonard McKimble and Mitchell Hummingbird Jr. use the transit system for everyday needs.

public transit. One of the more that the addition of commuter popular steps is to increase railrail and streetcars can be more based service, such as a streetattractive for choice and affluent car line like the one expected riders. But he also believes to open in having a Oklahoma strong bus Choice commuters want system will City in 2018. a TRANSIT SOLUTION be important In an that seems modern, even to commuter article for rail and if it’s actually old school. streetcar The Atlan- AMANDA HESS tic titled success.

“Race, “I think Class and the Stigma of Riding [transit systems] have to be the Bus in America,” Amanda very holistic, and I think we Hess presented studies that can’t just think about the sexy showed affluent commuters are sizzle of rail and just appealing more likely to ride rail-based to that group,” Johnson says. transit than buses, even if “Because once you get off [the buses provide quicker and more commuter rail] at the Santa Fe efficient service. transit hub [in downtown], how “Choice commuters want are you going to get to your final a transit solution that seems destination?” modern, even if it’s actually old Ferbrache also acknowledgschool,” Hess wrote. es some non-transit riders might John Johnson, executive give Embark a shot once the director of the Association of new streetcar system opens.

Central Oklahoma Govern“I think that will put us in ments – the agency helping to front of a new customer base,” create a regional transit system Ferbrache says. “But I also hope for the metro – acknowledged those new riders will then start

“

”

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Tourists Cho and Sue Kim find the transit system a convenient way to see the sights.

to wonder where else they can get on public transit. Maybe they start riding the streetcar and enjoy it, and then consider taking a bus to another destination.”

NEW MOMENTUM After decades of neglect, Oklahoma City’s public transit system lags behind those found in other cities of similar size or even smaller. While it can be easy to focus on the fact that Oklahoma City is one of the largest cities without Sunday bus service, or is the largest city without public transit to the airport, the last few years have also experienced a reinvestment of funds and focus in local public transit that hadn’t been seen in quite some time.

“We’ve seen our average frequency times over the past few years go from 53 [minutes] to 42 minutes to less than 37 minutes,” Ferbrache says. “We’ve also almost doubled the amount of bus shelters over the last two years. We do feel compelled to point out some of the progress we are making, but we’re the first to admit we have a long way to go.”

Ferbrache said the new streetcar line would be a great addition to Embark, and his office is also exploring additional expansions, such as bus rapid transit along Northwest Expressway. He also hopes to work closer with the region’s largest employers in an effort to introduce employees to public

Free Wi-Fi is a positive and popular benefit with commuters.

Shawn Wilson, Charlotte Eisenhour and Tracy Blaylock look over the bus schedule before catching a ride to work from the downtown bus terminal.

transit and the improvements being made.

But customer service remains a high priority for the Embark team, especially considering the vital service provided to many in Oklahoma City who literally would be stranded without local bus service.

“We always talk about focusing [on a rider] as an individual who is paying a fare and should get top quality service,” says Michael Scroggins, Embark’s marketing and public information manager.

As Embark continues to expand, with current support from city leaders who have approved transit budget increases in recent years, there is a goal to create a public transportation system that works for all types of people.

“We are not naive, we know we are not the choice for everyone, and that’s okay,” Scroggins says. “But we want to show that there are options. We just want to provide enough options, and we want to create supporters, whether you use it or not.”

Troiann Burk returning from work to the Metro Bus Terminal downtown.

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travel

INTERNATIONAL

Ancient buildings are framed by the window in one of the ultra-modern Atrio Hotel rooms.

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The main square of Cáceres is a popular gathering place.

An Acquired Taste Experience the culinary luxuries of Cáceres, Spain IF YOU’VE EVER FANTASIZED about living in another age, you may have been brought up short by considering the disadvantages.

Fortunately, there are places to indulge your dreams without depriving yourself of modern comforts. Cáceres, Spain, is one of those spots.

With roots going back to Paleolithic times, the historic center of the city has Roman foundations upon which Moors built from the 10th through 13th centuries, and is topped off with construction from the Christian Re-Conquest through the Renaissance. Pick your period – they’re all here.

Around the old, walled town – A UNESCO World Heritage Site – modern Cáceres and the province of the same name spill over the rolling landscape of Extremadura, one of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions. It’s an area of scenic beauty and varied attractions, but our group was here for one reason: Cáceres was named Gastronomic Capital of Spain for 2015.

GOURMET PARADISE The city of Cáceres is the capital of the province of Cáceres, home to a number of products identified by the European Union as unique and labeled with a Protected Destination of Origin or Protected Geographical Indication designed to promote and protect names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs. These include Torta del Casar cheese, Ibores cheese, Gata-Hurdes olive oil, La Vera paprika, Jerte cherries, Villuercas-Ibores honey, Ribera del Guadiana wine, Dehesa de Extremadura Iberian ham and Extremadura lamb and beef.

Our group visited a cheese museum in nearby Casar de Cáceres before touring: Quesos del Casar, a modern cheese factory. While the company makes several types of local cheese, the Torta is the star. It’s

a pungent, super soft, sheep’s-milk cheese with a taste somewhat like a combination of brie and gorgonzola. To serve, the top rind is sliced off the cake-shaped cheese, and the rest of the rind makes the serving bowl. It’s an acquired taste I quickly acquired. Only small amounts of the cheese are made – it’s not available year round – and it’s expensive.

Surprisingly, I found some at Forward Foods in Norman.

It’s worth seeking out.

On this trip, we spent six to seven hours a day eating … not a regimen I’d recommend for general travel. But we found wonderful restaurants and amazing dishes.

One of my favorites at Eustaquio Blanco in Degusta San Juan on the Calle Pintores modern Cáceres would be east of the Plaza Mayor carries a wide variety of local specialties. Notice the surprisingly easy to duplihams hanging from the ceiling. cate. It was a combination of boiled shrimp, fresh asparagus and scrambled eggs with a little onion, garlic and olive oil.

We visited the Cayena Kitchen Club and watched Chef Iván Hernández prepare salmorejo – a cold soup of tomatoes, bread, garlic,

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INTERNATIONAL

(Clockwise from left) Chef Iván Hernández shows off one of his desserts at the Cayena Kitchen Club demonstration kitchen; This easy Spanish dish combines scrambled eggs, asparagus and shrimp with olive oil and seasonings; A shrimp dish is topped with stem salad and surrounded with sour cream and caviar at Atrio; The yolk cream dessert at Atrio mimics its ingredients; A traditional meal at Parador de Cáceres may include a variety of local sweets; The appetizer plate at Parador de Cáceres showcases ham (jamon) so special it has been recognized by the European Union with a Designation of Origin; Torta del Casar is a rich, flavorful cheese thicker than a dip but softer than cream cheese.

olive oil and salt, which he kicked up by adding a scoop of melon ice and ham shavings. I’m a big fan of salmorejo and was delighted to find it on the menu in Iberia business class on my flight home.

Chef Iván’s lamb stew was also delicious, and he finished with crispy shells with ice cream and honey. The school is associated with the restaurant next door, so if you aren’t interested in taking a class, you can at least try these wonderful GETTING THERE items in the café.

For general information spain.info At Atrio (two Michelin stars) turismo.ayto-caceres.es/en in historic Cáceres, we sampled For paradors the highest of haute cuisine with parador.es/en a 13-course, three-hour tasting lunch. The dishes here were a comTo get to Cáceres Cáceres is about 3.5 hours west bination of creativity, art, taste and of Madrid by car or train; by bus, even humor. One dessert featured a about four or five hours. Technically, you can’t drive in the rich custard, yogurt ice cream and historic part of the city, and you coconut foam looking a lot like a wouldn’t want or need to. (You can drive to the parador parking fried egg. lot.) To really see the countryThe Atrio wine list is one of the side, a car is the best means of best in Spain and the architecturally transportation. The main highways in Spain are excellent. unique cellar is a treat to tour. The collection of Chateau d’Yquem has To get to Madrid There are no direct flights from its own special room and includes Oklahoma City but several choican 1806 bottle of the Bordeaux, one es for one-stop flights. My favorite: American to Chicago then of only three in the world. No, you partner airline Iberia, the flagship can’t order that one. airline of Spain, to Madrid. It’s a We tried more traditional foods great way to get a head start on your Spanish experience. at our parador, which are government-owned accommodations in Did You Know?

Free online language lessons are historic structures or particularly available through the Metropolscenic locations, each offering area itan Library System so you can hablar a little español. specialties.

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The appetizers in Cáceres featured the famous Iberian ham in several guises: on toast, with deviled quail eggs, thinly sliced with melon balls, served in a cone with cream cheese and more. The meal ended with an artful arrangement of small bites of regional sweets on a chocolate tree.

The culinary legacy of Cáceres includes Christian, Jewish and Muslim influences married with traditional Spanish and Portuguese favorites. Not only can you experience the tastes of the past, but innovative chefs are constantly bringing new ideas to the cuisine.

MORE THAN MERELY A MEAL Parador de Cáceres is housed in two medieval palaces complete with suits of armor and regal banners.

The rooms are strictly 21st-century, and the bathrooms have more amenities than you’re likely to use. We also checked out the Atrio Hotel: super-modern, but like its restaurant, artfully ensconced in ancient stone walls.

For a rural getaway, Quinta la Encarnación just outside the city is a delightful little inn with five comfortable rooms, a charming courtyard, pool, spa and gracious hosts Arturo Gonzalez Calzada and Victoria Bazaga.

Although the trip was food focused, there’s so much more in Cáceres and vicinity. Touring historic buildings, shops, museums, browsing local arts and crafts and just wandering through the maze of narrow streets is sure to keep you busy.

And it’s just a short drive to one of the country’s most scenic areas, the Natural Monument of the Barruecos: an area of little lakes, giant boulders and great birding with one of the largest stork colonies in Europe. The Vostell Malpartida Museum, an art gallery featuring works by members of the Fluxus movement, is also located in the park.

With its history, art, architecture and cuisine, Cáceres seamlessly blends the charm of the old world with the best of the new. Altogether, it’s an out-of-this-world experience. - ELAINE WARNER

dining

PHOTO BY CARLI WENTWORTH

Always in Season

While West has benefited from the presence of executive chef Darshon Haines and the revisions he’s recently made to the menu, some things just can’t be improved upon.

Communications Director Kortney Haynes calls the bowtie pasta with smoked salmon in a vodka cream sauce “one of the most popular dishes we’ve ever done,” and it’s easy to taste why. Rich but not heavy, savory without being overpowering, it’s a good reason – though far from the only one – to visit West’s second location in Bricktown.

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405 magazine • march 2016

Setting a New Course

West’s new direction makes downtown a bit more delicious

BY STEVE GILL PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

THERE’S A FAIR AMOUNT of bustle in the kitchen – equipment humming, plates rattling, sous chefs and servers moving back and forth and in and out – but Darshon Haines seems relaxed and focused, a smile playing across his face as he slides a dish of airline chicken across the counter to be sauced. After all, it’s early yet, not quite 6 p.m. on a Thursday evening, and the executive chef knows it’s only going to get busier from here. Since opening a second location in Bricktown, West is deservedly a center of attention.

Director of Operations Janet Estes explains that this spot – the corner of Sheridan and Mickey Mantle in the space that was long home to Nonna’s Euro-American Ristorante – is an excellent nexus for serving varied diners: business travelers staying in nearby hotels, Thunder fans coming by after the game, Bricktown tourists and even the growing population of downtown residents. That last group in particular helps shed some light on the enthusiastic response West has received to its introduction of brunch. And the amount of available space in this location also gives the restaurant extra flexibility, Estes adds. “A lot of people come here for parties of larger groups.” Just ask the table of at least a dozen in one of the private dining rooms for whom that airline chicken is destined.

Having space on two floors also gives diners the flexibility of choosing their preferred environment: the downstairs booths are lower-lit and elegant, with glittering chandeliers and lots of rich wood, while the second floor is sleek, airy and bright from the walls of windows that frame the scattering of tables and central bar. The balcony on the east side (there’s

West’s wine supply (facing page) also serves as a visual spectacle; glittering globes (left) in the main dining room’s chandelier; executive chef Darshon Haines (below)

also a bit of overflow seating to the north) provides a nice elevated view of Bricktown bustle – plus there’s a freestanding fireplace to ward off any potential evening chill.

And upstairs or down, you’ll have access to chef Darshon’s newly fine-tuned menu. Some dishes are only slightly revised, like the beef tenderloin sandwich’s simpler toppings of grilled onions, melted mozzarella and horseradish to keep focus on its wonderfully well-named protein (it’s tender in truth) or the freshly piquant slaw jazzing up the grilled cod in the fish WEST IN BRICKTOWN tacos. Some things are thankfully unchanged – I can’t imagine an 1 Mickey Mantle Drive, OKC 405.601.5306 | westbar.com improvement to the crisply fried

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LOCAL FLAVOR

zuccha chips, which arguably are the only way to eat zucchini. And some choices need no justification beyond the first bite: the new pad thai’s morsels of beef are perfectly done, and the rich, dark sauce lacing it is excellent. It’s easy to recommend as long as you have a glass of water handy to counteract its legitimate kick.

The service is worth a few words of praise, as well. When I went as half a lunchtime duo – unannounced, of course – our waiter Justin was patient with our shillyshallying (direct quote: “There are too many things here I want!”), accommodating in substitution requests and even helpful in offering the unorthodox suggestion of drizzling honey on our sweet potato fries. Try it now, and thank him later.

I do miss Nonna’s baked goods counter, but the deconstructed key lime pie makes up for it quite nicely. When former proprietor Avis Scaramucci announced that West would be taking over the Nonna’s space, she described herself as “personally thrilled” and spoke quite highly of its owners, the Haynes brothers, saying that “Rick and David know what works in Oklahoma City … I know they will excel at this location.

Bricktown patrons will be in great hands.” Thus far, her confidence tastes well justified.

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(Clockwise from top left) Beef tenderloin sandwich, zuccha chips, the second floor’s Copper Lounge, deconstructed key lime pie, beef pad thai

A Feast for the Eyes The paintings that help bring the dining areas to life are by local creative luminaries Dennis Johnson (ground floor) and Joy Richardson (upstairs) – both artists are represented by the Howell Gallery, just a few doors down the street from West’s original location.

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

dining

CHEF’S TABLE

Goodness From the Ground Up BONJOUR’S OWNER AND CHEF, Vuong Nguyen, never stops being fascinated with food, and not just in the passive sense. Even as he’s planning on expanding Bonjour’s hours to include a French-inspired dinner menu, he is consulting, practicing, learning and studying.

Given his wide range of expertise – everything from classical French to Jersey diner to traditional and fusion Asian – we thought he would be a great choice to talk about cooking in early spring. It’s the most difficult time of the year to find a wide variety of foods for people who love locally sourced ingredients, as the winter is just ending and the spring has yet to yield the amazing bounty of foods we associate with the warmer season.

Against my protest, Nguyen insisted Brussels sprouts will still be popular this year, and they are available in early spring.

So, too, are beets, kale, nuts and citrus fruits.

One of his favorite dishes for spring is roasted beets with sautéed kale. Both red and gold beets are available in early spring, but Vuong uses red for their earthier flavor and lesser sweetness. - GREG HORTON

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ROASTED BEETS WITH SAUTÉED KALE

Rub olive oil (not EVOO) onto whole, unpeeled beets and place them on a cookie sheet. The oil on the beets keeps the heat from drying the skin. Use small beets; Nguyen says they have better flavor.

Roast at 350 degrees for 40 minutes to one hour. Use a fork to test for tenderness all the way through.

Set aside to cool.

According to Nguyen, the way you cut beets and vegetables affects their taste. He slices beets thin for a salad to get more of the aromatics (see below), but dices them for this dish. It reduces the amount of earthiness to balance the flavors.

After removing most of the kale’s ribs and cutting it into long, thin strips (chiffonade), sauté it in a small pot using a neutral-flavored oil, such as grape seed or rice bran. “I use rice bran oil for almost everything now,” Nguyen says.

“It’s healthier, has a very high smoking point, and it won’t add any flavor to your dishes.”

He adds salt and pepper to taste, and a bit of distilled vinegar – red or white does not matter; it’s strictly a personal preference.

Nguyen encourages home cooks to experiment with different additions: julienned onions, minced garlic, goat cheese (after it’s cooled), pistachios for flavor and texture, different citrus juices, even candied nuts.

SALMON AND BEET SALAD

“This dish goes great with fish,” Nguyen says. “It’s always around, even in early spring. I like to make it with salmon, and I use the rice bran oil for the salmon, too.”

Sear 5 ounces of salmon hard in hot pan.

Place in 375 degree oven (350 for convection).

Cook 7-9 minutes depending on thickness.

It’s especially tasty with Nguyen’s Mongolian glaze, in the company of sliced beets and braised cabbage, topped with locally grown micro greens (they’re hydroponic).

“Fish is lighter fare, but salmon is still hearty,” he continues, “and it’s a good transition to the lighter fare of late spring and summer.”- GH

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Bridge the gap between seasons with rich, earthy vegetables

Check out the hottest event to hit OKC!

design

appétit

a design competition where

architecture+interiors+art+food collide for a unique dining experience

Cox Convention Center, March 31 - April 2 Calendar of Events: Thursday, March 31, 2016 – The highlight of the weekend will be the Divine Dining Gala featuring patron dining in each of the design vignettes, thoughtfully paired with notable area chefs and restaurants to create a memorable dining experience.

Friday & Saturday, April 1 and 2, 2016 – Daytime public viewing.

Saturday, April 2, 2016 – Cocktails by Design featuring delicious bites, cocktails and unique entertainment.

For tickets and more information visit: DesignAppetitOKC.com

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WINE

Vance Gregory, Edmond Wine Shop

Bottles with Balance

Oklahomans finally seeing a finer pouring of South African wines A CHEETAH IS NOT AN IMPROVEMENT on a kangaroo, which is to say that a bottle of wine with a cartoon critter on the label is a transparent attempt to appeal to our love of cute. South Africa has three centuries of winemaking history, but you never would have known that in Oklahoma because we did not get the best that South Africa has to offer.

We did get a cool cheetah, though.

Vance Gregory, owner of Edmond Wine Shop, has been selling wine since 1973, and in that time he has seen South African vintages come and go. Sometimes it was an issue of quality, sometimes one of steady supply.

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“In the past, we would get a shipment, sell through some, and then wait months to receive a restock,” Gregory says. “You can’t build the category that way.”

However, in the past three years, Oklahoma has seen a steady trickle of quality South African wine turn to a steady flow. The category still is not large, but the wines are now regularly featured on lists around town, especially rosé from Secateurs, Mulderbosch and Ken Forrester.

Rosé is an easy category to like because it’s rare to find the wines above $20 a bottle. Most live in that sweet spot between $12 and $18, inexpensive enough to take a chance on, and the labels aren’t scary for wine novices as some imports can be. Rococo and Packard’s have both had great success with these wines.

Selling the reds is a bit trickier, both because of higher price points and more confusing label information. Ian Bennett, a certified sommelier who works for Premium Brands in Oklahoma City, said he has a difficult time finding a good Pinotage below $60, and how many people know the term refers to a cross between red grapes Pinot Noir and Cinsault?

“Every wine I’ve had from there (South Africa) has a distinctive ‘raw steak’ quality, which I can only attribute to terroir,” Bennett says. “Still, the meaty wines have flavor components like raspberry compote, lavender, flint, barbecued short rib and brambles.” In other words, they are complex, layered wines that show sophistication.

As of last year, Mulderbosch Faithful Hound is available in Oklahoma. The importance of this wine is in the name of its consulting winemaker, Andy Erickson – best known for his work with Screaming Eagle, but also familiar to Oklahoma wine lovers via Favia, Leviathan and Ovid.

He’s involved with Faithful Hound especially at harvest and blending, but the day-to-day operations are the responsibility of Adam Mason, who worked for Erickson at Screaming Eagle.

Having a wine with a strong, familiar pedigree attached should make the chances of South African wines finally earning the shelf space they deserve a little easier. Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most interesting whites from South Africa available in the state. On the red side, Sadie Family produces outstanding Rhone varietals, most especially the Soldaat Grenache and Columella Shiraz Blend. As for the Pinotage under $60, Simonsig is well under that price, and probably as good a place as any to try South African wine. For adventurous wine drinkers, tasting familiar varietals from unfamiliar regions means flavor profiles that are most often pleasant surprises. - GREG HORTON

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

dining

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

American

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

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 $

KAISER’S DINER A venerable Midtown location is back in business, offering juicy burgers, sandwiches, tempting entrees and a vintage sodafountain experience. The handmade shakes are a summertime must. 1039 N Walker Ave, OKC, 232.7632 $

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 $$

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 $

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 $$

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 $$

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 $$

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 $$

THE FIT PIG The flavor is abundant in this Automobile Alley stopover’s selection of healthy grab-and-go meals; the menu covers breakfast, quick salads or heartier meals, and most options are gluten-free, dairy-free or both. 722 N Broadway, OKC, 290.7080 $$

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 $$

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 $$

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 $

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, adding more temptation to the loaded drinks menu and incredible

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POPS There may not be room in Nichols Hills Plaza for a duplicate of the giant bottle-shaped sculpture found at the Arcadia location, but the incredible profusion of soda varieties will still dazzle visitors – and

the sandwiches, salads, burgers and diner fare are certainly worth careful, repeated examination. 6447 Avondale, OKC, 928.7677 $ PROVISION KITCHEN The concept sounds deliciously promising: fresh and local meals for the taking. This Nichols Hills Plaza locale offers chefprepared portion-controlled meals and salads in a seasonally rotating menu of organic and locally sourced ingredients; perfect for taking a healthy lunch or dinner to go. 6443 N Western, OKC, 843.2310 $ THE R&J LOUNGE 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 $$

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 $$ 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 $$ SYRUP The most important meal of the day is also the most enticing at this unique breakfast boutique serving a heaping helping of signature dishes (the crunchy French toast is something special) and Stumptown coffee. 123 E Main, Norman, 701.1143 $ VAST Keeping your attention on the steaks, seafood and other temptaitons might be difficult; the view from atop the Devon Tower is truly unparalleled in Oklahoma, making this a fantastic date spot. 280 W Sheridan, 49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$$ 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 Walker Ave, OKC, 600.6200 $$

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 $ 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 $$

Asian 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 $$ DOT WO GARDEN With an elegantly appointed location, Dot Wo continues its crowd-pleasing legacy of over two decades by pairing sumptuous classics of Chinese cuisine with fiery, fresh sushi. 6161 N May, OKC, 608.2388 $$ 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 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 $

chops is a constant pleasure. 3720 W Robinson, Norman, 701.5844; 3121 W Memorial, OKC, 608.2200 $$

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 $

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 $$

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 51ST STREET SPEAKEASY A converted house with a perennially packed porch and patio, the joint jumps with energy and the spirits and beers flow with joyous abandon. 1114 NW 51st, OKC, 463.0470 $ THE 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 $ 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 $ 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

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 $

Barbeque EARL’S RIB PALACE A popular choice among locals in a genre that’s hardly lacking in options, the local chain pounds out hit ribs and turkey as well as a top-tier burger. 6 metro locations, earlsribpalace.com $ IRON STAR URBAN BARBEQUE Named for notorious outlaw Belle Starr, Iron Star specializes in “a unique and tasty spin on comfort food.” While its entrees are excellent, the sides here are equal players as well.

3700 N Shartel, OKC, 524.5925 $$ 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 atmosphere, but even so your focus will likely be on savoring the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 5 metro locations, eatatthegarage.com $ HILLBILLY’S Don’t let the unassuming name throw you; there’s mighty appealing flavor in their tasty land-based or seafood sandwiches, and the licit thrill of moonshine cocktails is a bonus. Kicking back on the shady patio is a genuine pleasure. 1 NW 9th, OKC, 702.9805 $

Minutes Away. Miles Better.

W-TH: 4-9P / F: 4-10P / S: 11A-10P 114 N Main St., Noble / 405.872.8334 Five minutes south of Norman on Hwy. 77

/peddlersok @peddlersok

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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 $ 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 $

Catch of Any Day Rococo’s big bowl of bliss

CHEF BRUCE RINEHART of Rococo Restaurant and Fine Wine has spent more than a decade bringing “East Coast Style” cuisine to OKC, which means a focus on fresh seafood that carries with it certain tasty benefits for us landlubbers.

For example, you probably don’t spend a great deal of your time hauling a delicious bounty out of the sea, but you can still eat like a fisherman … one with excellent taste, anyway. The Rhode Island Fisherman’s Stew is described on the menu as “all the beautiful things we do with seafood served in one dish,” and they’re not kidding. The bowl is heaped with mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and tidbits of sole, plus half a lobster tail and Andouille sausage to round it out, all swimming in a savory Andouille broth.

It’s a succulent, savory commingling of flavors with a little bit of a spicy kick; it’s no wonder Rinehart considers this stew a specialty of the house. Give it a try, and get hooked.

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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 $

Coffeehouse & Tea Room 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. 3272 S Broadway, Edmond, 340.9959; 7300 N Western, OKC, 840.7725 $ 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 $

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 BIN 73 Think of it as a wine bar but don’t overlook the tasting menu - diners can fill up on filet mignon or simply top the evening off with tapas while enjoying the full gamut of libations and chic ambiance. 7312 N Western, OKC, 843.0073 $$ 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 $$ CHEEVER’S Southwestern-influenced recipes (the chicken-fried steak is a house specialty) and love of seafood drive the contemporary comfort food in one of the city’s finest dining destinations. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$ 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 $$ LUDIVINE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$

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 $

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 $$$

COFFEE SLINGERS Rocking a brisk, urban vibe on Automobile Alley, it has become a gathering place for genuine java enthusiasts, especially during

THE MELTING POT Special occasion? Here’s where to make a meal into an event. Specializing in four-course fondue dinners, this

PHOTOS BY CARLI WENTWORTH

GOOD TASTE

Bricktown restaurant rewards a time investment with delectable memories. 4 E Sheridan, OKC, 235.1000 $$$

salmon linguine, the menu isn’t vast but the execution is sublime. 3705 W Memorial, OKC, 286.9172 $

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

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

MICHAEL’S GRILL Thoroughly urbane dining in an intimate setting: the steaks, chops, seafood and pastas are all reliably excellent, and the Caesar salad prepared tableside is the stuff of legends. 2824 W Country Club, OKC, 810.9000 $$$ THE MUSEUM CAFÉ A setting as inspiring as the OKC Museum of Art warrants something special in cuisine: delicately light or delectably robust, its European-inspired menu delights for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. 415 Couch, OKC, 235.6262 $$ 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

Batter-fried Lobster Tail Steaks Prime Rib Onion Rings

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

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

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 $$ MISAL OF INDIA A Norman institution for over 30 years, specializing in tandoori-cooked delicacies and boasting healthy, natural, delicious cuisine served amid splendid ambiance. 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, 579.5600 $$ TAJ A tremendous set of Indian staples and delicacies - the menu has sections for vegetarian, tandoori, South Indian and Indo-Chinese specialties - plus full lunch and dinner buffets. 1500 NW 23rd, OKC, 601.1888 $$

Italian & Pizza 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 $$

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BENVENUTI’S Subtly flavored minestrone to rich, hearty ragouts, the splendid menu keeps the booths full and diners planning return trips to this vintage building by the railroad tracks; don’t overlook Sunday brunch. 105 W Main, Norman, 310.5271 $$ EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style (that means thin, flexible crust with a lot of surface area to cover in cheese and tasty toppings), it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1734 NW 16th, OKC $ FLIP’S WINE BAR & TRATTORIA Managing to feel rustic despite its location in a busy corridor of OKC, this cozy Italian joint keeps extended hours, and tends to get busier and louder as the hour gets later. 5801 N Western, OKC, 843.1527 $$ 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. 7 metro locations, hideawaypizza.com $$ 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 $$

Where There’s Smoke...

Sidecar serves up a hickory-infused hit IN A SENSE, the secret ingredient to this specialty beverage isn’t actually there at all. The material components – muddled sugar cube, dash of bitters, squeeze of orange juice and jolt of rye, served over ice – are the same as you’d find in bars and restaurants all over the world, and have been served up in just this combination for centuries. What sets the Sidecar’s libation apart is a preliminary step that takes advantage of the close ties between the senses of taste and smell: Jasmine Reed or one of her comrades at the Automobile Alley bar fills the THE OLD SMOKEY glass with smoke from hickory RYE FASHIONED chips. Nothing tangible remains, but the lingering scent Rye whiskey Sugar cube adds a surprising amount of Bitters extra savory complexity to the Garnish with orange peel beverage – it’s no wonder they call it the Old Smokey.

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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 $ 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 $$

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

600-B NW 23rd St, OKC, 601.6161 $$ PIZZERIA GUSTO Neapolitan-style pizza (which harnesses an extremely hot fire to quickly cook superfine flour crusts and quality ingredients) stars alongside Italy-inspired salads, pastas and appetizers. 2415 N Walker Ave, OKC, 437.4992 $$ 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

OTHELLO’S Garlic bread and warm mussels to tiramisu and coffee – all you could want in a romantic Italian café. The Norman location regularly hosts live music, too. 434 Buchanan, Norman, 701.4900; 1 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.9045 $$

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 CARLI WENTWORTH

AT THE BAR

sushi menu). 4318 N Western, OKC, 528.8862 $$ TOKYO It’s neither huge nor lavishly appointed, and the menu focuses on tradition rather than creativity; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited as among the metro’s best sushi. 7516 N Western, OKC, 848.6733 $$

Mediterranean

with fast-food Tex-Mex; delectable doses of authenticity flavor the menu, including Guatemalan specialties and breakfast treats served all day. 1800 NW 16th, OKC, 601.0384 $ 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 $$

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 $$

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 $$

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 $

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 $$

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 $$

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 $$

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 $

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 $$

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 $ CHILTEPES The full name calls it a “taco joint,” but don’t equate it mentally

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 $

Book your catering, special events or dinner in our wine room

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

Seafood 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 $$

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

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

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

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( 1 ' (/ 1HZ )DYRULWHV ( 1 & 0),-

home and dig in,� and taste is king. 303 E Sheridan, OKC, 232.7227 $$

exceptionally well since 1964. 4910 N Lincoln, OKC, 525.8352 $$$

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 $$

JUNIOR’S The classic restaurant’s decor sets the perfect stage for handcut Angus steaks and lobster to fight for attention with knockout fried chicken. 2601 NW Expressway, OKC, 848.5597 $$$

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 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 $$

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BANQUET ROOM AVAILABLE for PRIVATE EVENTS MEETINGS SHOWERS REHEARSAL DINNERS WEDDINGS

NOW CATERING! monthly wine dinners at both locations!

PENN SQUARE 848.4660

EDMOND 285.5454

www.pepperonigrill.net

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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 $ 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 $$

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

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 entrÊes 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 $$$ RED PRIMESTEAK Visionary design and atmosphere house superpremium steaks, vibrant, imaginative flavors and amenities to make some of the state’s best dining. 504 N Broadway, OKC, 232.2626 $$$

Thai

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 $$

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 $

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 $$$

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 $$

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

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 $$

SUMMER PLANNER

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SUMMER PLANNER

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YOUR HEART IS THE KEY TO YOUR HEALTH Did you know that dizziness, feeling faint or fainting (called syncope) can be heart or blood vessel related? Many people go months, even years with these symptoms unnecessarily. This can happen to men or women of any age. An otherwise healthy individual can experience these symptoms. Here at CardioVascular Health Clinic we have great news!

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

events Maison of Music

IMAGE COURTESY BENRECTORMUSIC.COM

Downtown OKC is about to become a lot more musical. It’s a lot easier to attract big names in sonic splendor to perform in the metro when they have a top-tier stage to rock, and the new $6 million, 4,000-listener-capacity music hall The Criterion is all set to be precisely that. Help ring in a new era on March 26 by welcoming Tulsa-born Ben Rector and his passionate, piano-driven power pop. It’s go time!

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PRIME PICKS

Feed the Future March 10 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum This is one event for which you might want a light lunch beforehand – you’ll need to be at your peak to enjoy all of the 29th annual Chef’s Feast, featuring exquisite dishes from 25 culinary all-stars. Sampling all this bounty also helps the Regional Food Bank provide support and sustenance to the 1 in 4 Oklahoma children who are chronically affected by hunger. A better nourished state is on the table for the future.

Amped Up March 26 Taft Stadium How do you follow up an epic, crowd-packed season of repeatedly topping the league standings and making it to the Western Conference Finals in just your second year of existence? We’re about to find out.

Chuy Sanchez, Michael Harris, Golden Boot hopeful Danni König and more are back to kick off a new season for the OKC Energy FC, and it starts here against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

March 5, Cox Convention Center After nearly a quarter of a century as one of the state’s premier fundraisers, the exceptional Red Tie Night has amassed more than $11 million to assist Oklahomans living with HIV/AIDS. And yet, as co-chair Graham Colton asserts, “The need for funding is still there – perhaps even more than it was in the early days of this disease.”

Colton helms the 2016 event – March 5 at the Cox Convention Center – alongside his mother Cindy Cooper-Colton, in honor of his late grandfather Jackie Cooper, who founded the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Dinner, dancing to Dr. Larry ‘T-Byrd’ Gordon and the Music People Luv Orchestra, a high-octane afterparty and more await: It’s a truly outstanding event for an undeniably great cause, so suit up in scarlet and see for yourself by getting tickets from okaidscarefund.com.

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Dream Hoops March 4-7 and 18-20 Chesapeake Arena For sports fans, the concepts go hand-in-hand: March is upon us, therefore it’s time for some madness. And the ‘Peake is playing host to NCAA Basketball showdowns of both genders: The Big 12 Women’s Championship will help determine future seeding and be packed with familiar faces, while the first round of the men’s Big Dance means it’s time to win or go home. That makes OKC home sweet home for fans.

COLTONS PHOTO BY SHANNON CORNMAN

Crimson Avengers

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ON FILM

A Manchurian March In this election year, a great political satire receives the Criterion treatment THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SEASON IS UPON US! And if the deluge of candidate debates, TV talking heads and negative ads haven’t already reduced you to a quivering lump, there is one surefire antidote for politics overload: the Criterion Collection’s March 15 release of The Manchurian Candidate on DVD and Blu-ray.

Not only is this 1962 black-and-white classic what film critic Pauline Kael called arguably “the most sophisticated political satire ever made in Hollywood,” but it also happens to be a riveting thriller, horror flick and black comedy.

Laurence Harvey was at his prickly best as Raymond Shaw, a Korean War veteran unwittingly

NEW RELEASES

transformed into an assassin acting at the behest of his powerbroker mother (a marvelously creepy Angela Lansbury) and stepfather, a Commie-baiting U.S. senator (James Gregory).

Director John Frankenheimer kept the proceedings tantalizingly opaque, thanks to stunning camerawork and an admirably chilling vibe. Even its ostensibly lighter moments carry a whiff of menace, such as when our hero, portrayed by Frank Sinatra, meets, and puts the make on, Janet Leigh aboard a commuter train. The Manchurian Candidate wasn’t properly appreciated during its theatrical release, but its strangeness and cynicism render it perfect for 2016. - PHIL BACHARACH

Other quality choices making their way to DVD and Blu-ray in March …

Carol (March 15)

Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (March 15) The fictionalized Steve Jobs grabbed the critics’ attention last year, but discerning viewers yearning for deeper insight into Apple’s cofounder need to check out this absorbing Alex Gibney documentary.

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The subprime housing crisis of 2008 doesn’t seem like the stuff of hilarity. But The Big Short, based on Michael Lewis’ bestseller, is as funny as it is infuriating – and it is both.

Director Adam McKay, whose principal directorial work up to now has been Will Ferrell comedies, brings an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink aesthetic replete with bizarre tangents, a brisk pace and a stellar cast led by Steve Carell and Christian Bale.

Trumbo (March 15)

An election season mired in fear-mongering seems as appropriate a time as any to revisit the case of Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo.

After World War II, Trumbo was among a group of Hollywood insiders imprisoned and subsequently blacklisted for their Communist beliefs. Trumbo the biopic has its limitations – it could have used less gloss and more subtlety – but Bryan Cranston is magnificent as the bombastic scribe. - PB

TRUMBO IMAGE COURTESY BLEECKER STREET

The Big Short (March 15)

A quick scene in Carol encapsulates the film’s dazzling allure for me. The title character (Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine) and her lover-to-be (Rooney Mara, Side Effects) are leaving for the wintry charms of 1950s-era New England. Their car conversation is inaudible, but filmmaker Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven) gives us a fleeting succession of simple images – a slender hand on a steering wheel, sunlight streaming through a windshield – that mimic the intoxicating feel of initial romance. Carol maintains that spellbinding beauty throughout.

233D4D

Film Fame

Bidding farewell to a multi-talented legend IN JANUARY, the music world mourned the passing of David Bowie, but the starman’s impact on rock and pop, while immense, was not the full extent of his artistry. His alien persona and sexual ambiguity also proved mesmerizing on the big screen.

That cinematic legacy is celebrated this month at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art with Ashes to Ashes: David Bowie in Memoriam.

Three fine movies are on tap. In 1976’s The Man Who Fell to Earth, director Nicolas Roeg deftly plays on his star’s otherTHE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH worldly presence, although Bowie’s March 3

trippy performance might also have had 5:30 & 8:30 p.m. something to do with all the cocaine he MERRY CHRISTMAS, confessed to using during production.

MR. LAWRENCE Regardless of what drugs were being March 10 5:30 & 8:30 p.m. consumed off screen, The Man Who Fell to Earth wields a hallucinatory spell.

LABYRINTH Bowie’s acting chops are on much March 17 5:30 & 8:30 p.m. better display in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), a drama set in a Oklahoma City Japanese POW camp during World War Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive II. Still, chances are moviegoers might 236.3100 have fonder feelings for Labyrinth, a okcmoa.com Jim Henson-directed fantasy in which the onetime Ziggy Stardust takes on the role of Jareth the Goblin King. Bowie’s very Eighties haircut alone might be worth the price of a ticket.

Bowie had an affinity for, and appreciation of, the power of visuals that made him particularly well suited for the cinema. It’s little wonder that his son, Duncan Jones, grew up to become a movie director. - PHIL BACHARACH

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SPEAKERBOX

A Truly Unique Show Two Guitars. Two Voices. One Night of Songs.

ONE OF THE MOST CLICHÉD WORDS in journalism is “unique.” So much so that most editors ban the word, for it elicits an instant eye roll. But for some musicians, “original,” “distinctive” or “inimitable” just doesn’t do them justice. Lyle Lovett, in a word, is unique. And he deserves all of the positive accolades that accompany that description.

With his elaborate Eraserhead haircut, wide grin and penguin nose, Lovett has always looked more like a fancy architect renowned for car park designs than a cowboy poet from Houston.

When Lovett married Oscar-winning superstar Julia Roberts, the paps and tabloid media called it a “Beauty and the Beast” arrangement. Totally unfair.

With Lovett’s charisma and charm, it’s easy now to see how he wooed such a beauty.

Lovett, along with his longtime friend and colleague Robert Earl Keen, will be performing March 9 at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown OKC. The evening is billed as an acoustic show, and will feature the two men, on two chairs, with their guitars. It’s similar to the Front Porch on Church Street tour two years ago, which recalled the two musicians’ origins while attending college at Texas A&M in the late 1970s.

Lyle Lovett Lovett writes deep, dark songs with wicked humor. On “Cowboy Man,” his signature song from his eponymous debut in 1986, he sings in puns that never seem to cross the line of impropriety. “And I can rope her on the prairie, and I can ride her on the plain, and she will be my Cinderella, if I’ll be her cowboy man.”

On “If I Had a Boat,” from “Pontiac,” he sings about being a cowboy again, solitary on the range, without the high maintenance ball-and-chain of female companionship. “If I was Roy Rogers, I couldn’t bring myself to marrying old Dale.” He instead imagines himself astride a pony, on a boat on a calm ocean. “Me upon my pony on my boat,” he sings. It’s a comical image … but adventure is ahead.

While Lovett has the musical depth to perform onstage with just a microphone and a guitar, he is also comfortable touring and recording extensively with his Large Band. The aptly named group brings in a horn section, stringed instruments, back-up singers and full orchestration and arrangements. The diverse combo allows Lovett to meld Western Swing with jazz and traditional pop, forming something wholly unique. See, there’s that word again.

Like his pal Lovett, Keen is a tried-and-true Texan. He made the Nashville reverse commute in the mid-1980s, attempting to achieve stardom in Music City. But he has been synonymous with his home state ever since moving back to where he belongs.

Keen’s songwriting style is far less sardonic than Lovett’s, but equally romantic and inspirational. His most famous song is likely “The Road Goes on Forever,” from his second LP “West Textures.” Keen has had a far bumpier road than Lovett in attaining mainstream success, but his song-writing peers in Joe Ely, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle and Guy Clark have helped him generate a near cult-like following.

The Lovett/Keen show promises to be a special evening and likely will sell out. Tickets can be purchased at okcciviccenter.com. – JERRY CHURCH

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In a Box, Down By the River

Since most classic rock fans are now past middle age and have flexible discretionary income, labels with deep artist catalogues have been digging through the vaults trying to find reasons for extensive reissues with hidden gems and alternate recordings.

For his part, Bruce Springsteen has been forthcoming with revisiting his past, as he has done sporadically with the “Tracks” box set in 1998 and special anniversary reissues for “Born to Run” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”

The latter set, which was intended to be a 30-year-anniversary reissue of the original LP released in 1978, actually came out in 2010 with a two-disc bonus record of 21 previously unreleased songs called “The Promise.”

“The Promise” likely set the blueprint for Springsteen’s latest, “The Ties That Bind” box set.

Known also as “The River Collection,” this 4-CD, 3-DVD set honors the 35th anniversary of 1980’s “The River,” with 22 outtakes previously only heard on fan-made bootlegs.

Some of the songs are familiar, such as “Roulette” and “Held Up Without a Gun.” What’s evident is the challenge that Springsteen faced in whittling 60 songs down to a two-record set. Keep in mind that prior to compact discs, vinyl records could only be mastered to about 22 minutes a side, further constraining “The River’s” eventual final song selection.

No matter now. As Springsteen moves forward with continual writing and recording of new music, he seems less interested in guarding these long-lost treasures. The “Ties That Bind” material is epic and fascinating, and at nearly $100, well worth the cost of admission. - JC

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CANTERBURY VOICES formerly Canterbury Choral Society

It’s more than a concert. It’s an experience.

LOGO USAGE marvel & Prepare to be dazzled by a multi-media that illustrates BRANDING GUIDE the limitless possibilities of percussion.

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More Than Drums Saturday, April 9, 8 pm Civic Center Music Hall

Canterbury Voices welcomes one of Canada’s hottest instrumental groups for an innovative experience of dynamic choral music punctuated by the excitement of Duo Percussion’s namesake specialty. The award-winning combination of OCU alumni Dave Robilliard and Brennan Connolly is an incredible, eclectic, high-energy ensemble who perform at concert halls and community venues both in Canada and internationally. Their diverse programming uses common percussion instruments, as well as innovative items found in daily activities.

Audiences will witness that firsthand during the concert’s interactive moments, as Duo Percussion demonstrates how to turn any everyday object into a percussion instrument.

Guests will then join them to become the “percussion” for a piece called Rainstorm, and are encouraged to commemorate the entire concert experience, collaboration and all, by shooting pictures and video on their smartphones – it’ll be an interactive, action-packed wonder!

Duo Percussion are recognized for their educational work as well as their unique sound; they’re committed to furthering the education of aspiring young students and helping them to discover musical excellence and cultivate a passion for creativity. David Steffens, principal percussionist with the OKC Philharmonic, will host a percussion festival/workshop with Duo Percussion for high school percussionists at Oklahoma City University the day of the concert, and all participants – along with OCU percussionists – will join in the finale of the More Than Drums concert performance.

For individual or season tickets, call 232.SING or visit canterburyokc.com.

on the radar

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

Dance AMERICAN SPIRIT SPRING SHOW Mar 10-12 OCU’s resident dance company pulls out all the stops for a dazzling, whirlwind showcase of American dance from jazz to tap to Broadway hits. OCU Kirkpatrick Center 2501 N Blackwelder, OKC, 208.5227, okcu.edu/dance

Events WISH LUNCHEON Mar 1 This 9th annual event, themed A Bag Full of Wishes, invites guests to enjoy lunch, hear inspirational stories and bid on exquisite handbags and accessories to benefit Make-A-Wish Oklahoma.

OKC Golf & Country Club 7000 NW Grand, OKC, 286.4000, oklahoma. wish.org CHAMPIONS OF YOUTH Mar 3 The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County celebrate those who provide inspiration for young people to excel at this uplifting annual gala. OKC Golf & Country Club 7000 NW Grand, OKC, 602.5713, bgcokc.org 1ST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK Mar 4 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 OKCMOA OMELETTE PARTY Mar 4 The Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser is always an epic (and epically tasty) party - get ready to revel in Eggs, Drinks and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Bricktown Events Center 429 E California, OKC, 278.8225, okcmoa. com MOMENTUM Mar 4-7 The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition puts the spotlight on developing young artists in a multi-day show that really rocks. The Plow 29 E Reno, OKC, 879.2400, ovac-ok.org

OKC, 348.6600, okaidscarefund.com CHEF’S FEAST Mar 10 The chefs are doing all the work; guests are the ones feasting at this delectable tasting event benefiting the Regional Food Bank. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 604.3174, regionalfoodbank.org 2ND FRIDAY CIRCUIT OF ART Mar 11 A monthly community-wide celebration of creativity, focused on historic Downtown Norman. Norman Arts Council 122 E Main St, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org LIVE ON THE PLAZA Mar 11 Vendors, artists, residents and passersby unite for a monthly fiesta. OKC Plaza District 1618 N Gatewood, OKC, 367.9403, plazadistrict.org SECOND SUNDAY POETRY Mar 13 Hardy Jones, director of creative writing at Cameron University, shares some of his words, thoughts and soul with Depot listeners. Santa Fe Depot 200 S Jones, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org OKC MEMORY GALA Mar 15 The annual fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association funds critical research to seek more effective treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 319.0780, alz.org/oklahoma AUTO ALLEY SHOP HOP Mar 17 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 TOWN HALL: BOB DOTSON Mar 17 Veteran correspondent Dotson has developed a specialty in telling the stories of largely overlooked individuals who quietly accomplish extraordinary things; his “Behind the Media Mirror” should be eyeopening. St. Luke’s UMC 222 NW 15th St, OKC, 826.9689, townhall. publishpath.com

JLN CHARITY BALL Mar 5 The Junior League of Norman’s annual fete gets extremely fancy at “Big Hats and Bow Ties,” a cheerful celebration of philanthropy. NCED Marriott 2801 E Hwy 9, Norman, 329.9617, juniorleagueofnorman.org

PREMIERE ON FILM ROW Mar 18 The downtown OKC street festival is family-friendly, free to wander through and filled with treats for the ears and taste buds. Film Row 706 W Sheridan, OKC, 232.6060,

RED TIE NIGHT Mar 5 The state’s largest single-evening fundraiser, and in its very uppermost echelon of elegance, this magnificent gala benefits the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Cox Center 1 Myriad Gardens,

OKC HOME & OUTDOOR LIVING SHOW Mar 18-20 With the advent of spring, it’s time to think about rejuvenating your space inside and out - this huge collection of vendors, experts and their wares is a great

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place to start. State Fairgrounds 333 Gordon Cooper, OKC, 301.5525, homeshowokc.com SESAME STREET LIVE! Mar 18-20 Whatever the weather, there’ll be sunny days as larger-than-life versions of Grover, Elmo and company sing songs, dance and learn about universal truths in “Make a New Friend.” Cox Center 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 800.745.3000, coxconventioncenter.com COWBOY ROUND-UP Mar 19 Crafts, entertainment and some learning too make this 6th annual kids’ event a blast for little wranglers.

Be sure to dress the part! Oklahoma History Center 800 Nazih Zuhdi, OKC, 522.3602, okhistory.org HEARD ON HURD Mar 19 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 CELEBRATION OF RECOVERY Mar 23 This annual dinner supports A Chance to Change, while commemorating the power of determination to improve lives.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 840.9000, achancetochange.org DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS Mar 23 OKC Beautiful’s cheerful luncheon lauds people and businesses who have worked to make the city more visually appealing. OKC Golf & Country Club 7000 NW Grand, OKC, 525.8822, okcbeautiful. com TASTE OF YUKON Mar 24 A delicious food extravaganza featuring over 20 examples of the best fare surrounding restaurants have to offer. Dale Robertson Center 1200 Lakeshore, Yukon, 350.8937, cityofyukon.gov CAFFEINE CRAWL Mar 25-26 Attain beverage bliss in this guided tour of locally owned coffee and tea shops, including owners’ expertise and plenty of samples. Throughout the metro, caffeinecrawl.com PASEO FEAST Mar 29 It’s a cool concept for funding local art: diners get an excellent meal while hearing multiple creativity pitches, then vote on which one to make into reality.

Lottinville’s 801 Signal Ridge, Edmond, 525.2688, thepaseo.com UPCOMING ARTINI Apr 1 This gleeful,

cocktail-themed soiree is a major fundraiser for Allied Arts, and a ton of fun to boot. OKC Farmers Public Market 311 S Klein, OKC, 278.8944, alliedartsokc.com CORK AND CANVAS Apr 1 Music, auction items, delicious tastes and more combine for a cool event that boosts the efforts of Positive Tomorrows. Bricktown Events Center 329 E Sheridan, OKC, 556.5082, positivetomorrows.org ONE EVENT April 2 The Norman Arts Council’s singular yearly fundraiser makes for a staggeringly enticing celebration of the city’s creativity. MAINSITE Contemporary Art 122 E Main, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org

Film CLASSICS SERIES Mar 1-29 Catch a masterpiece you missed the first time around or just want to re-experience on the big screen: Spaceballs Mar 1, The Sandlot Mar 8, The Great Escape Mar 15, True Romance Mar 22 and Boyz N the Hood Mar 29. Harkins Theatres 150 E Reno, OKC, 321.4747, harkinstheatres.com CIRCLE THEATER SHOWS Mar 3-31 The OKC Museum of Art screens overlooked treasures and unsung independent films for cineastes who want to step outside the multiplex.

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

Galleries ONGOING FEBRUARY AT THE ELMS Through Mar 3 The cozy gallery in the Paseo is home to intriguing art, inside and out: this month it displays striking new pieces by Grace Grothaus alongside a group photography exhibition titled The Light Show. JRB Art at the Elms 2810 N Walker, OKC, 528.6336, jrbartgallery.com CONTEMPORARY CERAMIC EXHIBITIONS Through Mar 10 Drop by and pore over the imaginative works submitted by local artisans in the field of cutting-edge ceramic constructs. UCO Melton Gallery 100 N University, Edmond, 974.3774, uco.edu/cfad FINE ARTS INSTITUTE Mar 1-31 The FAI hosts a collection of awardwinning works by junior artists in the Young Visions Photography exhibition. Fine Arts Institute of

Edmond 27 E Edwards, Edmond, 340.4481, edmondfinearts.com JEAN KEIL Mar 4-26 The visually engaging Paseo gallery hosts a collection of ceramic sculptures that beg closer inspection. In Your Eye Gallery 3005 Paseo, OKC, 525.2161, inyoureyegallery.com RELATIVISM AND RELICS Mar 4-26 The community art space in the Paseo welcomes an exceptional show from couple Erin and Tim Cooper, who run design studio CooperHouse but also create dazzling works of physical art. The Project Box 3003 Paseo, OKC, 609.3969, theprojectboxokc.com STACEY MILLER Mar 11-Apr 29 Color reigns joyfully in the mixed media creations of this printmaker, experimenter and award-winner.

Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org

Museums ONGOING AN ARTFUL OBSERVATION OF THE COSMOS Through Apr 3 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma WILLARD STONE CENTENNIAL Through Apr 30 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Museum OKC, 235.4458, oklahomahof.com THE COWBOY RETURNS Through May 8 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org NAVAJO WEAVINGS FROM THE PARRISH COLLECTION Through May 8 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org RIDING THE WHIRLWIND Through May 8 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org PRY THE LID OFF Through Aug 12 Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 3000 General Pershing, OKC, 951.0000, oklahomacontemporary. org GALILEO’S WORLD Through Aug 31 Across the OU Campus Norman, 325.4142, galileo.ou.edu RED EARTH REUNION SHOW Mar 1-Jun 30 Native art simply doesn’t get much better than this: an all-star collection of highlights from pieces made by the Master Artists in the Red Earth Festival’s first 30 years.

Red Earth Museum 6 Santa Fe, OKC, 427.5228, redearth.org OUR CITY, OUR COLLECTION Mar 12-Aug 31 Masterworks from some of the greatest names in the history of art fill this exhibition

recognizing the generous gifts that have helped establish the OKC Museum of Art’s lasting legacy. OKC Museum of Art OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com

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Music JAZZ LAB SHOWS Mar 1-29 A mass of music for UCO students and the community as a whole: Tess RemySchumacher Mar 1, Shortt Dogg Mar 4, the Redbud Brass Quintet Mar 22, Dawn Lindblade Mar 29 and more.

UCO Jazz Lab 100 E 5th, Edmond, 359.7989, ucojazzlab.com TUESDAY NOON CONCERTS Mar 1-29 Spice up your lunch break with a free concert by OU School of Music students and faculty. Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma OU MUSIC Mar 1-31 Join the OU School of Music for stellar performances: Timothy Nevaquaya Mar 1, an organ-fueled Silent Film Festival Mar 4-5, Jonathan Nichol Mar 7, a Piano Rendezvous Mar 8, OU Jazz Bands Mar 9, Jonathan Shames Mar 22, Ching-Yi Ling Mar 28 and the OU Symphony Orchestra Mar 31. OU Catlett Music Center 500 W Boyd, Norman, 325.2081, ou.edu/finearts/music AN EVENING WITH BERNADETTE PETERS Mar 3 CityRep is elated to welcome the Broadway actress and magnificently accomplished singer to the metro for a single night spanning the highlights of her illustrious career. Act swiftly!

OCCC Theater 7777 S May, OKC, 848.3761, cityrep.com POLISH BALTIC PHILHARMONIC Mar 3 Powerful music in a chamber-sized package - the traveling orchestra presents a slate of Beethoven including the magnificent Fifth Symphony.

Armstrong Auditorium 14400 S Bryant, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org 89TH STREET COLLECTIVE Mar 3-22 An all-ages hotspot is alight with music: Pouya Mar 3, I See Stars Mar 5, the Everything Is Not OK festival Mar 10-13, Citizen & Turnover Mar 15 and All Dogs Mar 22. 89th Street Collective 8911 N Western, OKC, 89thstreetokc.com NOON TUNES Mar 3-31 Free lunchtime serenades to sonically spice up your Thursdays. Downtown Library 300 Park, OKC, 231.8650, mls.lib.ok.us RIVERWIND SHOWS Mar 4-26 The casino is hopping this month, with smooth soul from multiplatinum singer Brian McKnight Mar 4, hilarity from star comedian Tracy Morgan Mar 25 and pure country from Travis Tritt Mar 26. Riverwind Casino 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com

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SPOTLIGHT

Driving Forces in Art OVAC’s Momentum Moves Young Creators

Momentum Spotlight Artist Klair Larason at work in her studio.

WHILE ANYONE CAN put paint on a canvas, creating real art, art with soul, requires passion. The drive to create should be encouraged, especially in younger artists – that’s why for the past 15 years, the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition has featured exceptional work made by Oklahomans under 30 at Momentum. The annual exhibition and music-enhanced event gives participants experience and new audiences, while the public engages with fresh perspectives in a multitude of media.

Guest curators Trent Lawson and Catherine Shotick narrowed hundreds of submissions down to the best-of-thebest artwork. In late 2015, three artists received Momentum Spotlight awards of $2,000 to fund the creation of new artistic projects just for this event, as well as three months of oversight from Lawson and Shotick, who provide guidance and help them refine their projects.

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THE SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS Haley Prestifilippo (Norman) Used to working on a small scale, she will expand her horizons by creating large-scale, dreamlike narrative drawings in a collection called “Before It Disappears.”

Klair Larason (Oklahoma City) In “A Boundary of Man, Animal and Intervention,” Larason will explore man’s relationship with the environment and mitigate issues of identity and place by gilding the foil from gum wrappers to articulated animal skeletons.

Gloria Shows (Oklahoma City) Light projections of poppies and cherry blossoms are harnessed to bring the internal environment outward in Shows’ “A Reflection of Inscape.”

The event begins on Friday, March 4 with Downtempo, a more mellow evening with

music by HARPA, Limber Limbs and Sativa Prophets. Saturday is Full Speed, offering a louder and faster-paced experience with music by Costello and Pearl Earl.

Free gallery hours follow the opening weekend from 2-7 p.m. March 6 and 7, and the Spotlight artists will give brief talks about their projects at a closing reception at 6 p.m. Monday. After that, this event will be complete, and the cycle of creative inspiration will begin again.

Momentum never stops.

GET MOVING Momentum kicks off Friday, March 4 at the newly renovated Plow Building on Reno and runs through a closing reception on Monday, March 7.

Tickets for each night of the opening weekend are $10 in advance or $15 at the door; get them, or more info, at momentumoklahoma.org or by calling 879.2400.

BLUE DOOR SHOWS Mar 4-30 Self-billed as “the best listening room in Oklahoma,” it certainly has some of the best music, including Monte Montgomery Mar 5, Walter Humara Mar 10, Chuck Cannon Mar 11, Chris Trapper Mar 18 and Jeff Muldaur Mar 30 - check online for updates. The Blue Door 2805 N McKinley, OKC, 524.0738, bluedoorokc.com PHILHARMONIC: GRIEG’S PIANO CONCERTO Mar 5 Pianist extraordinaire Jon Nakamatsu lends his expertise to the titular instrument on this edition of the OKC Philharmonic’s Classics Series. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org OPOLIS SHOWS Mar 5-14 Metro, meet Opolis - you’ll make beautiful music together, including Great Good Fine OK Mar 5, Titus Andronicus Mar 9 and Basia Bulat Mar 14. Check online for updates. The Opolis 113 N Crawford, Norman, opolis.org WINTER WIND: ELLIS PAUL Mar 6 There’s only one installment in the Depot’s seasonal series this month, but it’s a good one, as frequent guest and longtime rambler Paul brings his guitar, voice and storyteller’s lyrics back to town. Santa Fe Depot 200 S Jones, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org JIM BRICKMAN Mar 8 How do you celebrate 20 years of crowdpleasing piano performance? If you’re anything like Brickman, you go on the road to play some more - he’s bringing The Platinum Tour to OCCC. OCCC Theater 7777 S May, OKC, 682.7576, occc.edu/cas AN EVENING WITH LYLE LOVETT AND ROBERT EARL KEEN Mar 9 Longtime friends and top-tier performers take the stage for a twin acoustic set that will definitely prove a rich, memorable night of music. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 297.2264, okcciviccenter.com ACM @ UCO SHOWS Mar 10 Find some seriously fine musical mastery via the downtown sounds of special guests Ron Pope and the Nighthawks. ACM @ UCO Performance Lab 329 E Sheridan, OKC, 974.4700, acm-uco.com DELBERT MCCLINTON Mar 10 A Texas son through and through, he’s been playing, writing and sharing the blues, country and whatever other music makes its way into his mind for well over 50 years. Sooner Theatre 101 E Main, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org DIAMOND BALLROOM SHOWS Mar 12-30 Crank it up on the south side with a musical blast from Wolfmother Mar 12, Nightwish Mar 18, Locust Grove Mar 26 and Mayday Parade w/ The Maine Mar 30.

Diamond Ballroom 8001 S Eastern, OKC, 866.977.6849, dcfconcerts.com

FINE ARTS QUARTET Mar 13 Chamber Music in Oklahoma welcomes the exceptional ensemble to give listeners a string-laden slate of Rachmaninoff, Kreisler and Zimbalist. Christ the King Catholic Church 8005 Dorset, Nichols Hills, cmok.org BRIGHTMUSIC: THREE COLORFUL TRIOS Mar 15 Resonant pieces by Hartmann, Kernis and Brahms star in this Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble showcase. St. Paul’s Cathedral 127 NW 7th, OKC, brightmusic.org DON WILLIAMS Mar 15 The Country Music Hall of Famer has a deep voice, and a deep bench of classic songs to share with Rose State audiences. Hudiburg Chevrolet Center 6000 Trosper, Midwest City, 297.2264, okcciviccenter.com

DONATE STUFF. CREATE JOBS.

R5 Mar 15 That’s Riker, Ross, Rocky and Rydel Lynch and their friend Ellington Ratliff, ready and rarin’ to rock on their Sometime Last Night tour. Diamond Ballroom 8001 S Eastern, OKC, 866.977.6849, dcfconcerts.com POPS: KRISTIN CHENOWETH IN CONCERT Mar 18-19 Small stature; big, big star power. The OKC Philharmonic adds accompaniment but is happy to give OCU alumna Chenoweth the spotlight for this knockout performance. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org

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RANDY HOUSER Mar 19 It should sound great at the Grand this month, thanks to a special performance by the Mississippi-born singer and songwriter, who’s touring to introduce his new album “Fired Up.” Grand Casino 777 Grand Casino, Shawnee, 964.7263, grandresortok. com FESTIVAL OF SPIRITUALS Mar 20 Myriad voices united in song fill this uplifting annual concert of classic hymns and standards. Donations gratefully accepted, but the event is always free. First Presbyterian Church 555 S University, Norman, 364.8962, cimarronopera.org IL VOLO Mar 20 The Italian vocal trio has taken flight to fame; catch a harmonious burst of their specialty “popera.” OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 297.2264, okcciviccenter.com CRITERION SHOWS Mar 26 The much-anticipated concert hall begins pounding out the hits with an inaugural show featuring the spirited punch of Ben Rector. The Criterion 500 E Sheridan, OKC, 308.1803, criterionokc.com UPCOMING PHILHARMONIC: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Apr 2 The Philharmonic’s Classics series incorporates voice as an instrument

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SPOTLIGHT

courtesy of special guest Sarah Coburn’s showstopping pipes. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org

They Got the Beat

Sports

The OKCMOA Omelette Party gets ready to rock

OU MEN’S BASKETBALL Mar 1 The Sooners’ house should be packed as they make their final home stand against Baylor. Lloyd Noble Center 2900 S Jenkins, Norman, 325.2424, soonersports.com OSU MEN’S BASKETBALL Mar 4 The regular season wraps up for the Cowboys as they host the Longhorns of Texas. Gallagher-Iba Arena 1046 W Hall of Fame, Stillwater, 877.255.4678, okstate.com BIG 12 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Mar 4-7 Someone’s going to win the conference crown, and it’ll happen here in OKC as the titans of the Big 12 square off.

Chesapeake Arena 100 W Reno, OKC, 236.5000, okcallsports.org

The Stars return to rock the Omelette Party.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART is all set to scramble conceptions of how much its annual spring fundraiser can rock, while making sure its signature treats are still front and center on the menu. It’s time for the 32nd Omelette Party: Eggs, Drinks & Rock ‘n’ Roll.

The adults-only show gives guests a culinary setlist packed with egg-themed hits and gourmet omelettes from more than a dozen exceptional chefs, plus an eclectic art raffle with works from 50-plus local artists, an open bar and – of course – live music from The Stars and DJ Brian Smith.

“I’m proud to be part of an event with an incredibly rich history that raises money for a great cause,” says Suzanne Thomas, Chef Henry Boudreaux of the Museum Café fires up who co-chairs the Omelette Party an exquisite omelette. alongside Matt Tipton, and who says she’s excited about the theme. “We love the fact that rock music transcends generations and means something different to everyone. For us, this was the perfect blend of old and new.”

All proceeds benefit the OKCMOA. “Through events like the Omelette Party, we can continue to help fund exhibitions like the incredible ‘Matisse in His Time’ exhibition coming to Oklahoma City in June,” Tipton says. Plus, attendance is its own tasty reward.

Center stage is set for the Bricktown Event Center on March 4, and 7 p.m. is rock o’clock. Start working on your outfit and get tickets by calling 236.3100 or visiting okcmoa.com. And when you do get tickets, bear in mind something else Thomas said: “For those about to rock, we salute you.”

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OKC BLUE BASKETBALL Mar 4-31 The Thunder’s D-League affiliate brings its A-game to battle Santa Cruz Mar 4 and 5, Reno Mar 12, Bakersfield Mar 22 and Rio Grande Valley Mar 29 and 31. Cox Center 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 208.4667, oklahomacity.dleague. nba.com LAND RUN Mar 5 Race through Heritage Hills in this 5th annual 5k, 10k or 1-mile fun run. OK Hall of Fame Museum 1400 N Classen, OKC, 235.4458, oklahoma hof.com THUNDER BASKETBALL Mar 9-31 Another push for the Finals is underway - Thunder up! OKC faces the L.A. Clippers Mar 9, Minnesota Mar 11, Portland Mar 14, Houston Mar 22, Utah Mar 24 and San Antonio Mar 26. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno, OKC, 208.4800, nba. com/thunder NCAA DIV I MEN’S TOURNAMENT Mar 18-20 The road to the Final Four runs through OKC, as the ‘Peake hosts the first two rounds of the Big Dance. Chesapeake Arena 100 W Reno, OKC, 236.5000, okcallsports.org WINGS TO FLY RUN Mar 19 Children’s Hospital Foundation asks the community to get set and go in 15k, 5k and 1-mile dashes. Fort Reno 7107 W Cheyenne, El Reno, 271.9043, okchf.org FIGHT FOR AIR CLIMB Mar 26 Combat lung disease by going vertical – this race up flights of stairs results in exercise for participants and funds for the American Lung Association.

Leadership Square, 211 N Robinson, OKC, 748.4674, fightforairclimb.org OKC ENERGY FC SOCCER Mar 26 Open wide for some soccer!

The Energy look to continue

the momentum from last year’s deep playoff run by kicking off a new season against the Colorado Switchbacks. Taft Stadium 2901 NW 23rd, OKC, 235.5425, energyfc.com

Theater ONGOING 37 POSTCARDS Through Mar 12 A warmly screwball family comedy posits that you can go home again, you just never know what’s waiting there. Carpenter Square Theatre 800 W Main, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com EUGENE ONEGIN Mar 3-6 Tchaikovsky’s magnificent lyric opera takes the stage courtesy of OU students of music and drama. OU Reynolds PAC 560 Parrington Oval, OKC, 325.4101, ou.edu/finearts SERSE Mar 3-6 Invasion and infatuation war for Emperor Xerxes’ mind in a UCO adaptation of Handel’s operatic masterpiece.

UCO Mitchell Hall Theater 100 N University, Edmond, 974.3375, uco. edu/cfad ON GOLDEN POND Mar 3-26 Added to the season at audiences’ request, it’s a loving look back at memories of lives well lived. Jewel Box Theater 3700 N Walker, OKC, 521.1786, jewelboxtheatre.org GREASE Mar 4-6 It’s a little early for summer nights, but not when the Sooner Theatre is taking audiences back to the leather-jacketed glory days of Rydell High. What’s the word? Sooner Theatre 101 E Main, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org JACKIE O Mar 4-6 OCU’s Opera and Music Theatre students sing scenes from the life of a first lady, celebrity, widow and human being.

OCU Kirkpatrick Auditorium 2501 N Blackwelder, OKC, 208.5227, okcu. edu/tickets CINDERELLA Mar 22-27 Orchestral accompaniment and great production values heighten the audience enjoyment of Celebrity Attractions’ take on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical. OKC Civic Center 201 N Walker, OKC, 800.869.1451, celebrityattractions. com RED VS. THE WOLF Mar 24Apr 7 Big? Bad? Bah! The Wolf tells his version of what really happened with Red Riding Hood.

Oklahoma Children’s Theatre 2501 N Blackwelder, OKC, 951.0011, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org NATIVE AMERICAN PLAY FESTIVAL Mar 31-Apr 9 OKC Theatre Company’s 7th annual event provides a stage (literally) for Native playwrights to share their distinctive voices. State Fairgrounds 3001 General Pershing, OKC, 626.6605, okctheatrecompany.org

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Stayin’ Alive in the 405

BY MARK BEUTLER

BACK IN THE ’70S, Disco Fever gripped the nation. Everyone was doing the Hustle, shaking their groove thing and trying out their best Travolta dance moves. Oklahoma City had its share of Saturday Night Fever wannabes at Michael’s Plum, Pistachio’s and the ever-popular Disco 36.

Located in the space now occupied by Iron Star Urban Barbecue at NW 36th and Shartel, the club was one of the first discos in Oklahoma City. It was also home to the city’s first female disc jockey.

Lizz Caywood was just a few years out of high school when Disco 36 opened.

“I always loved music,” she says, “and a friend of mine called and said they were opening this new nightclub. They needed a DJ, and he recommended me for the job. Those were fantastic times.”

Caywood manned the turntables, spinning the latest records from ABBA, the Bee Gees and Donna Summer.

She worked the lights and the mirrored disco ball, all while making sure one track segued seamlessly into the next.

“The music never stopped, and that dance floor was always packed,” she reminisces. “It was a mixed crowd –

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straight, gay – and everyone had such a good time. I had two bodyguards, and they stood on either side of me so I wasn’t bombarded by overzealous fans.”

One night, Caywood said she noticed a familiar face boogieing the night away.

“Her jacket sparkled every time the light hit it,” she says. “I had one of my bodyguards escort the woman to the DJ booth. It was Judy Carne, the Sock It to Me girl from ‘LaughIn.’ It was after her divorce from Burt Reynolds, and she was in town doing a show at the old Lincoln Plaza. Judy came by to dance after her show, and we immediately hit it off.”

The two became friends, and Carne offered Caywood a job as her personal assistant. From then on, it was life in the fast lane for the Oklahoma girl with the Marcia Brady looks.

“I hung out with Fleetwood Mac and went on their world tour with Stevie Nicks and the whole band,” Caywood says. “I met Rod Stewart, and actors like Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. One night I had dinner with Cher when she was married to Gregg Allman. That was so surreal because he was a bad-boy southern rocker, and Cher was very straight-laced and subdued all through dinner.”

By the 1980s, Caywood was ready to come home. She traded the bright lights of Hollywood for a career in real estate, and today she is a top associate at Churchill-Brown.

“I’ve had a charmed, blessed life,” Caywood says. “Sometimes I miss the Disco 36 days, but those memories will last a lifetime.”

About 14 years ago, Caywood had a serious bout with breast cancer. That gave her a new outlook on life, she says, and today, she is actively involved in the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Race for the Cure. For the past 10 years, her team, the “Pink Lizzards,” has been the top fundraising group.

“If there’s one thing I want to share, it’s that I hope people will appreciate and enjoy every day of their life,” Caywood says. “Each day is a blessing. Life is very short, so live it to the fullest. Let go of the past, hold on to what is most dear and love with all your heart.”

PHOTOS COURTESY LIZZ CAYWOOD

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