Slice March 2014

STORM WARNING

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FEATURES

42

March 2014

City Life

Spring is almost here; a season of revitalization and energy where the ever-present winds of change seem capable of making each day differ from the one before.

Fortunately, the fashions in vogue this spring are every bit as versatile – these civic-inspired ensembles are proof positive that the perfect look is here in OKC.

On the cover

52 Weather Why?

It’s a frequent topic of conversation everywhere, but considering how often the weather around here means serious business, it’s definitely something worth talking about. In a quick primer for everything from the science of the weather to what to do with a hail-damaged car, Slice delves into Oklahoma’s meteorological mayhem.

6 SLICE // MARCH 2014

STORM WARNING

TIPS TO WEATHER THE SEASON

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & FASHION HITS THE ADAMS AND WESTON: CITY STREETS BLACK, WHITE AND BRILLIANT HIGHER ED GUIDE

Nature’s awesome power is on display as a high precipitation supercell moves into Paul’s Valley.

Photo by Chris Sanner and Brandon Goforth, TornadoTitans.com

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DEPARTMENTS 37

77 COUNTIES

In her ongoing travels through the state, author and photographer M.J. Alexander visits an abandoned project turned eerie attraction known as The Parallel Forest.

14 From the Editor UP FRONT 18 Chatter St. Vincent’s solo album, a new way to support the arts in Oklahoma and other topics of conversation.

22 Details An appreciative look at some decorative possibilities inherent in 2014’s luminously luxuriant Color of the Year.

24 Retrospective Remembering the way we were with a look back at the lakeside hot spot so lovely it could only be called Belle Isle.

March 2014

88 Monochrome Marvels What’s black and white and beautiful all over? The OKC Museum of Art’s new dual exhibition of works by Ansel Adams and Brett Weston.

92 Now Seating OCCC’s Cultural Arts Series gets a lavish new home in the cutting-edge Visual and Performing Arts Center.

94 Getting Away Scenic splendor, historic sites to explore and plenty of fortifying food and drink: central Arizona makes a great locale for a rambling road trip.

98 See & Do The sights, sounds and various happenings that are enlivening the metro this month.

102 Last Laugh 104 Last Look

26 By the Numbers Fast facts and statistics on the topic of St. Patrick’s Day.

76

28 Exchange A conversational give and take about inspiration, leaps of faith and dim sum with surreal art alchemist Eric Heckert.

30 Mingling Making an appearance on central Oklahoma’s social scene.

FARE 74 A Fresh Take For a taste of true Mexican flavor, give greasy fajitas a pass and try this zesty recipe for homemade fish tacos.

TE PRIVALS & O SCHO ER ED HIGHOURCE A RES IDE GU

63 Page

8 SLICE // MARCH 2014

76 To Do Peru Delectable influences from all over the world come together in Peruvian cuisine … and thus in the varied dishes presented by La Brasa.

78 Eat & Drink Take a gastronomic tour with Slice’s citywide dining guide.

PURSUITS 86 Top 10 Prime picks for a variety of March entertainment.

28

PENN SQUARE MALL DI LL ARD’S M ACY ’S TH E APPLE STORE COACH MICHAEL KORS MICROSOF T STORE OV ER 14 0 S H O P S PENNSQUAREMALL .COM

®

On the Web

THIS MONTH ON SLICEOK.COM

GLAMOUR GIVEAWAY

After the drab quiet of last season, spring is when life turns up the volume and visual brilliance.

Nature completely reinvents its look by adding delicate, daring pops of color and the world hums with reenergized vitality.

Doesn’t that sound like a good example to follow?

As our spring fashion feature on page 42 makes beautifully clear, it’s time to cast off winter’s somber hues and breathe some new, vibrant life into your wardrobe – and we’d love to help: we’re giving two lucky readers the opportunity to make some haute couture dreams into vividly real ensembles by giving away gift cards, for $200 each, to fabulous fashion boutiques LIBERTÉ and R Meyers. Visit sliceok.com/spring to enter, and do it before April 1. Happy shopping!

March 2014

Volume 5 Issue 3

PUBLISHER Elizabeth Meares elizabeth.meares@sliceok.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mia Blake mia.blake@sliceok.com EDITORIAL Associate Editor Steve Gill steve.gill@sliceok.com Contributing Stylists Timothy Fields, Fashion timothy.fields@sliceok.com Sara Gae Waters, Home saragae.waters@sliceok.com Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Sean Becker, Mark Beutler, Lauren Hammack, Jill Hardy, Caryn Ross, Elaine Warner ART Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@sliceok.com Graphic Designer Brian O’Daniel brian.odaniel@sliceok.com Contributing Photographers M.J. Alexander, Justin Avera, David Cobb, Simon Hurst, J. Christopher Little, Claude Long, Michael Miller, Elaine Warner, Carli Wentworth ADVERTISING Executive Director of Advertising Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@sliceok.com

START SPREADING E-NEWS

Account Executives Lori Cathey lori.cathey@sliceok.com

Slice brings you more of the metro with our duo of e-newsletters: Weekend 101 is issued weekly, providing a handful of our suggestions for things to see, performances to hear and experiences to savor as the workweek draws to a close.

Snapshot! collects a selection of moments captured by our photographers at local parties, fundraisers, festivals and other events – the twice-monthly publication is a primo way to see social shots of friends (or yourself) and perhaps buy a print. Sign up to receive these in your inbox at sliceok.com/newsletters.

Jamie Hamilton jamie.hamilton@sliceok.com

SNAPSHOT!

10 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Elizabeth Young elizabeth.young@sliceok.com Account Manager Ronnie Morey ronnie.morey@sliceok.com ADMINISTRATION Distribution Raymond Brewer WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA sliceok.com

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March 2014

Volume 5 Issue 3

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Visibly Exceptional

TSO Optical has for years been an exclusive carrier of frames created by high-end, modern eyewear designer Mykita – so they’re especially excited about the launch of a recent collaboration between the German firm and Damir Doma, a prestigious clothing designer in Paris.

This new collection, which is highly limited in North America and Europe, updates a traditionally intellectual look into a contemporary visual aesthetic with visible construction. Each piece is made to order, and made by hand. This is far from typical mass-produced eyewear that’s pulled from a shelf in a vast warehouse; it’s a personal piece of art.

That makes the Mykita/Damir Doma collection the perfect prescription for a place that’s passionate about personal expression and exceptional design in eyewear. Visit TSO for a better look.

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The New Tools of the Trade

Designer Hardware by Faye, industry experts for over 30 years, is about to partner with Waterworks and online home improvement community Houzz for an informative professional networking event:

“How to Houzz” Tuesday, March 11 Attendees can enjoy drinks and appetizers while learning: • How online tools like Houzz have changed the ways homeowners find and choose professionals and vendors.

• What projects metro-area homeowners are planning for the next two years, as well as up-to-date market demographics.

• How to build a compelling online presence, plus best practices for engaging with an online community.

• How technology can facilitate branding and storytelling that differentiates a business and protects its reputation.

This is the only Houzz event planned in Oklahoma this year, and is limited to the first 200 people to RSVP, so don’t delay; give them a call and see what’s coming.

The event is from 6-8 pm, RSVP at http://info.houzz.com/3.11okcrsvp.html

DESIGNER HARDWARE BY FAYE

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Reproduction of Slice content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Slice is not responsible for the care of and/or return of unsolicited materials. Slice reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed detrimental to the community’s best interest or in questionable taste. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Basic annual subscription rate is $14.95. U.S. single-copy price is $4.95. Back issues are $9.50 each

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MARCH 2014 // SLICE 13

From the Editor

SIMON HURST

EYES ON THE SKIES T

MIA BLAKE

Editor-in-Chief mia.blake@sliceok.com

14 SLICE // MARCH 2014

he genesis for this month’s “Weather Why?” feature came about last summer during a lull in activity at a photo shoot. I was visiting with a recent transplant to Oklahoma after a spate of bad weather events in the metro, and we were discussing the most recent storms (what can I say? Weather is what we talk about here – and we never lack for conversation!) In the course of our exchange, the newcomer revealed that a lot of the fear and anxiety he experienced when first arriving had to do with how completely unpredictable our severe weather seemed to be and how he didn’t know much about it, except that it was very dangerous. Why all the tornadoes?

When did they occur most? What’s the best survival plan? He took it upon himself to research and study our weather patterns to familiarize and prepare, which calmed a lot of his apprehension, but said he’d really wished there was a way to get this kind of information more easily.

Just like that, the seed of an idea was planted. Writer Sean Becker, another recent transplant, lends his fresh perspective with a great primer on our state’s hottest topic on page 52.

I consider myself a born and bred Okie – though I was an Army brat and moved around before returning to Oklahoma – and I wonder if our outlook is instinctive.

Sometimes you can feel the air changing down in your bones. If I ever consciously learned that a particular shade of yellowish-green sky meant it was time to get into the closet, I don’t recall doing so, but I feel like I know it when I see it. Of course, I only know the color because half the time I am standing out in my driveway looking up (also an Okie characteristic, I find). While I am the first to admit this isn’t the smartest place to be during severe weather, I stay close to my house and stream a severe weather app on my smartphone, which is a definite improvement in technology over my forebears.

My earliest storm-related memory was when I was preschool age, and a severe storm was passing over our house in Edmond, hopscotching from one side of town to the other with brief lowerings or touchdowns, then turning and coming back over before lowering again. There were six kids in the house, and we rode it out barricaded in the cushions of the couch while most of the grown-ups stood on the porch to count how many times the circulation passed over us. After it cleared, we ran outside and splashed through the lingering rain in a ragtag parade down the street.

When I think back on the events that day – and the other tall stack of storm stories each of us totes around in our memories – I wonder if we all were astonishingly naive, or simply reckless. Scientists cannot say with certainty if our storms have gotten more frequent or severe, and technology has changed the basis of comparison so much it’s impossible to give a definitive answer. Has our increasingly connected world only opened our eyes to dangers that were always there?

Perhaps it is part of our cultural heritage to take a pragmatic view. After all, this is the land we live in, and the weather is part and parcel of that. Our big skies can be breathtaking in their beauty and terrifying in their ferocity. And there are so many good things about living in Oklahoma that make it worthwhile, in spite of the potential for danger. We should do all we can to be prepared, minimize our risks, strive for safety and draw together in times of adversity with the same fortitude that led our ancestors out into the vast prairie, planting the seeds of future generations.

Stay safe.

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16 SLICE // MARCH 2014

1/24/14 2:47 PM

UP FRONT THE STRAIGHT STORY

MJ ALEXANDER

A century-plus in the making, this grove has long since transcended its original intended purpose to become a slightly eerie attraction: welcome to The Parallel Forest. See page 37.

CHATTER Topics of conversation from around the metro 18

BY THE NUMBERS Checking our figures on St. Patrick’s Day 26

DETAILS Making room, decoratively speaking, for a radiant new Color of the Year 22

EXCHANGE Surrealist Eric Heckert talks leaps of faith, trivial pursuits and Trivial Pursuit 28

RETROSPECTIVE A quick look back at a piece of local history 24

MINGLING Glimpses of central Oklahoma’s social scene 30 MARCH 2014 // SLICE 17

UP FRONT | Chatter

The Gifts That Kept on Giving

RECORD-SETTING COMMUNITY CARING

Getting in Tune A TULSA NATIVE BEARS DIGITAL WITNESS

Once upon a time she was simply known as Annie Clark, but between then and now the native Tulsan joined the Polyphonic Spree, jammed with Sufjan Stevens and collaborated on an album with David Byrne – oh, and these days she goes by the name St. Vincent. Listeners who remember that musical moniker should have no trouble finding her latest album, also titled “St. Vincent,” and no trouble enjoying it either, assuming they’re fans of complex arrangements, lyrics with multifarious meanings and a chanteuse who can (and does) also play the piano, organ, guitar, bass guitar and occasionally a theremin. And if that sounds worrisomely like all posture and no pop, St. V. made it clear that the groove is paramount on this album, saying, “I wanted to make a party record you could play at a funeral.”

“St. Vincent” opens with “Rattlesnake” and closes with the evocatively titled “Severed Crossed Fingers” – devotees who have been keeping tabs on its prerelease press have had the opportunity to hear the tracks “Digital Witness,” “Prince Johnny” and “Birth in Reverse,” but with a release date of February 25 everyone can see how well their anticipation has been rewarded.

Cross your fing- actually, maybe just purchase a copy instead.

P.S. – the Digital Witness Tour for this album doesn’t include the metro (boo!) but will pass through Tulsa (yay!) on March 15; check out cainsballroom.com.

18 SLICE // MARCH 2014

You heard the handbells, you saw the red kettles, you might have dropped a little something into the slot – then after the holidays, the Salvation Army donation stations disappeared along with the Christmas decorations, and probably faded from your mind. However, the end results warrant a bit of recognition: in 2013, central Oklahomans gave more each day than ever before. In a bell-ringing period shortened by weather and a late Thanksgiving date, Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties combined for more than $444,000 in donations – a record daily average of over $22,000, and one that represents a $5,000 per day increase over last year.

“Because of Oklahomans’ generosity this Christmas season,” said Captain Charlotte Gargis, “these funds will continue to meet ongoing needs throughout the year. Please know that your giving was appreciated and truly made a difference this Christmas and beyond. Thank you for remembering those who are lost, lonely and sometimes forgotten.”

A LARGE-SCALE AFFAIR

Ophidiophobes and the herpetologically averse may want to give a wide berth to the State Fairgrounds March 15 and 16. For everyone else, especially those curious about the prospect of acquiring an exotic pet, scamper down to Repticon – a massive gathering of breeders, exhibitors and suppliers dedicated to teaching about tree snakes, introducing visitors to iguanas, selling salamander supplies and sharing their love of reptiles with as many people as possible. There might be no better place to get your hands on a crested gecko. Ssssssssee you there!

Bricktown . 1 Mickey Mantle Drive . 405.235.4410 . www.facebook.com/Nonnas

ŠPDGGGGG

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 19

UP FRONT | Chatter

PHILANTHROPIC FOCUS

Sometimes what we want is a little connection. Allied Arts recently launched a foray into crowdfunding by joining power2give, a Kickstarterlike online vehicle for potential donors to give directly to specific individual projects listed by nonprofit agencies. So patrons can still donate to Allied Arts to help the community’s overall creative development, and in addition will have the opportunity to read over a list and decide to give put some cash toward funding, say, the Sooner Theatre’s Young Producers Summer Camp. power2give – a platform that was founded in North Carolina and now operates in 21 communities nationwide – allows local arts groups to tell their stories and donors to feel a tangible link to the projects they helped bring to being; that’s a win all the way around. Poke around at power2give.org and find something great to connect with.

Calendar Watch March 4 Mardi Gras (Wooooo!)

ON THE PAGE

DRINK DEEP OF NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY The family began its business in a shed and built an empire that spans four continents, sells to more than 150 countries and boasts an annual revenue of somewhere around $5 billion. And along the way, the name Bacardi became inextricably bound to the story of its native Cuba, even after funding opposition to Fidel Castro’s rise to power and abandoning the country during his regime. NPR correspondent and veteran reporter Tom Gjelten recounts the joint saga in “Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba,” a sweeping, in-depth history that The New York Times calls “a vivid portrait of the company’s early, scrappy years and its prominent role in the fight against Spanish rule.”

If reading the book leaves any lingering questions, the timing couldn’t be better: Gjelten is the guest speaker in the next installment of the OKC Town Hall lecture series, March 20 at St. Luke’s UMC. Visit okctownhall.com for details.

March 9 Daylight Saving begins. Alter brunch plans accordingly.

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day

STARRING STATE?

March 18 Speak Quietly in the Morning Day March 20 First day of Spring March ??

First day of feeling like Spring

Oklahoma may wind up a topic of conversation at the Academy Awards March 2; both Meryl Streep (Best Actress) and Julia Roberts (Best Supporting Actress) received Oscar nominations for their respective roles in “August: Osage County,” which was set and filmed in Oklahoma and written by native Sooner Tracy Letts.

“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in the face of certain defeat.”

–RALPH ELLISON, WHO WOULD HAVE TURNED 100 ON MARCH 1 The community-organized events celebrating Ellison’s life and legacy continue this month: a portrait

by Tracey Harris will be unveiled at the State Capitol March 6 and the 28th annual MELUS (MultiEthnic Literature of the United States) conference will discuss Ellison’s work and influence March 6-9, with a free public symposium at the Skirvin March 8.

20 SLICE // MARCH 2014

COLLECTION

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MARCH 2014 // SLICE 21

UP FRONT | Details

PURPLE REIGN

By Sara Gae Waters // Photos by Carli Wentworth

EVERY DECEMBER, PANTONE – A COLOR-MATCHING COMPANY WITH ROOTS IN THE PRINTING INK INDUSTRY – announces its choice for the new, trendy color for the upcoming year. While this may not be an event a lot of people know or care about, it’s something I look forward to each winter, since this color gives a hint as to where fashion and decorating trends will be heading in the next seasons.

The selection for 2014’s Color of the Year was “Radiant Orchid,” and I have to admit it was not the color I was hoping for! Sunshine yellow was my choice, and you only have to take one look around my home to see why. Initially, my hopes were dashed, but now I am ready for purple … I mean, Radiant Orchid.

Do I have the personality to embrace the shade? It seems so wild and out of control. However, I did find a picture I still obsess about in my hoard of inspirational magazine clippings – a linen slipcovered chair with a medium-hued purple monogram right in the middle of it. Maybe now purple has the support and credibility needed to actually get this done!

If you’re paying attention, you can pick up on the color of the year even if you didn’t know about the announcement. Any idea what it was in 2013? Think of an overexposed hue that seemed to be turning up everywhere you looked. Truthfully, this year you will probably see more of last year’s selection finally catching up to fashion and home furnishings due to lead times in manufacturing … it was Emerald Green. I promise, now you will notice it everywhere.

Radiant Orchid is an interesting hue of purple so my prediction is that you will find a lot of different shades floating around in the retail world in the very near future. When I spoke to some shop owners, they confessed they were “upping the orders on purple a bit.” While I wouldn’t ever change my entire style or decor based on one color, jumping on the bandwagon isn’t all that bad unless you go completely overboard. I do think it’s enjoyable to join in on the fun of focusing on a new color.

22 SLICE // MARCH 2014

5

4

7

1 2

3

6

9 8

10

12 11

13

14

If you aren’t 100 percent sure about purple, don’t rush out and change your entire bedding set … incorporating a light purple satin pillow case might be nice. And please don’t think you are the next coming of Prince and dress head-to-toe in the shade, but these John Hardy stud earrings are a subtle and elegant addition to any jewelry box.

If purple is your favorite color and this is inspiring you to finally re-do a room, then go right ahead. Gorgeous wallpapers and carpets in soft purples bring joy to any home. I am continually in a state of redecorating some area in our home, and our “back room” has been the latest endeavor. In an effort to not make any mistakes I’ve been taking it slow.

(Far left) The neutral couch and white walls paired with a mostly white rug (four kids and a dog: I think I’ve gone insane) make it easy to add any color in. I love the purple accent pillows on the couch with the Benson-Cobb painting that has just a touch of purple. My nod to Pantone is the live orchid on the side table.

From Starr Home in Oklahoma City: 1. A&B Home purple garden stool // 8. Branché Charmeuse lavender pillowcase // 3. Sonoma Lavender French bouquet // 10.

LAFCO New York Candle Fleurs de Baies candle // (main photo) throw pillows | From Room 22 in Oklahoma City: 7. velvet ribbon // Company C Rugs, 4. The Gala Rug (floral) and 5. The Spectrum Rug (solid) // 6. decorative knobs | From Uptown Candy in Oklahoma City: 11. rock candy | From Cayman’s in Norman: 9. Tory Burch wallet // 2. John Hardy amethyst stud earrings // (main photo) Benson-Cobbs painting | From Ketch Design Centre in Oklahoma City: 12. and 13. Anna French wallpaper // 14. Nina Campbell wallpaper MARCH 2014 // SLICE 23

o r t Respective

An Oasis on the Prairie

By Mark Beutler // Photos courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society AT FIRST GLANCE IT COULD BE A TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY LOOK AT PARIS’ FAMED CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES. In reality, it was an oasis in the middle of an undeveloped Oklahoma City prairie named “Belle Isle.”

The Belle Isle Lake was built at the beginning of statehood as a way to generate power for the local streetcar system. An amusement park and carousel were added, and Belle Isle became a favorite hot spot for the bustling new city. The “Great Houdini” performed there, while the pavilion, boardwalk and “Honey Moon Bridge” were popular among the young couples of the day.

By the 1930s the amusement park closed, the carousel burned and Belle Isle faded into a memory. Today, Penn Square Mall occupies part of the old amusement park site, while Wal-Mart and Belle Isle Station are a favorite hub for 21stcentury shoppers.

24 SLICE // MARCH 2014

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 25

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

BY THE NUMBERS

By Steve Gill

1903

481,000

year St. Patrick’s Day became a public holiday in Ireland

1962

500+

year OKC’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral held its first service

parishioners who worked together to build the church themselves from plans

by Tulsa architect Robert Jones

500,000

approximate number of Oklahomans who can say “Kiss me, I’m Irish”

45

387

years O’Connell’s in Norman has celebrated by serving green eggs and ham and green beer

year a Scottish lad named Patrick was born (according to catholic.org)

celebrants in Dublin for the fourday St. Patrick’s Festival in 2013

190

31

46

consecutive years Montreal has held a St. Patrick’s Day parade

Bishop Patrick’s age when he arrived in Ireland to spread Christianity

74

years Oklahoma City has held a St. Patrick’s Day parade

20,000

estimated attendance at the 2013 OKC festivities

42.5

198

40 26 SLICE // MARCH 2014

calories in a pint of Guinness (but who’s counting?)

percentage of alcohol by volume (80 proof) of Bushmills Original Blended Irish Whiskey

2

number of green clovers in a 16-ounce box of Lucky Charms (we counted)

number of times in the last 75 years the Church of Ireland and some Catholic churches have moved the observance of St. Patrick’s Day to avoid it coinciding with Easter

Patrick’s age when he died, having converted thousands of Irishmen, built dozens of churches, picked hundreds of shamrocks and driven out all the snakes

0

species of snakes that have ever lived in Ireland, according to the fossil record

1783

year the chivalric Order of St. Patrick was created by George III

Museum

MECCA

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Nasher Sculpture Center present a joint exhibition of the work of artist David Bates on view through May 11.

themodern.org David Bates, The Cleaning Table 1990, Oil on canvas, 84 x 64 inches Barrett Collection, Dallas, TX © David Bates

Art and Appetite is a delightful culinary adventure, featuring iconic paintings by Edward Hopper, Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol. On view February 22–May 18. FREE.

cartermuseum.org Edward Hopper (1882-1967) Nighthawks, 1942, oil on canvas Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection

Plan your escape at

FortWorth.com

Jenny Holzer, Kind of Blue, 2012 9 LED signs with blue diodes, 0.9 x 120 x 576 2012 Jenny Holzer, member Artists Rights Society (ARS)

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 27

UP FRONT | Exchange

TAKE THE PLUNGE

By Lauren Hammack // Photo by Carli Wentworth

Conv A ersat with ion Eric Heck ert

WHEN WE MET UP WITH LOCAL ARTIST AND FOUNDER OF POP ALCHEMY ERIC HECKERT, he was driving back to Oklahoma from Baton Rouge, where his piece, “DA’AT,” was selected from more than a thousand national entries as one of 80 works to be featured at the Baton Rouge Gallery Center for Contemporary Art’s Surreal Salon Six exhibition.

The trip from Baton Rouge, we learned in our conversation, is just one scenic lookout along Heckert’s extremely visual, esoteric and artistic journey through pop surrealism.

Are you a native Oklahoman?

My dad worked for the FAA, so we lived all around the country. I’ve lived in Oklahoma since 1985.

How did you come to be a professional artist? I’ve been an artist all my life. For many years, I worked in air traffic control as a ghost pilot, but I really wanted to give art my full attention, so a few years ago, I quit my job and took the plunge.

And the planes didn’t fall from the sky? No. They did fine without me.

Would you describe that leap of faith as the best decision you ever made? Absolutely.

I was terrified at first, but I’d definitely do it again. That decision allowed me to put out my best work.

What’s the best part of your job? Freedom. Being able to express what makes me, me.

What’s the B-side of the job?

Downtime. That’s when doubt can creep in and you wonder if you’ve made the right decision.

It’s one thing to know in your heart that this is what you’re meant to do. It’s another for the world to catch up with it.

What inspires you for this work? The constant surprise at what comes out of it. It’s like problem solving to me – I start with a concept in its basic form and rebuild it.

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What other skills do you have?

Does karaoke count? I can also do a mean robot.

You must be great at parties.

Do you stockpile worthless trivia, too? Tons! I’m awesome at Trivial Pursuit. I’m a pop culture enthusiast and I feel lucky to have been born at the apex of pop culture and the dawn of mass communications, although I’m crap at social media.

Your website, popalchemy. com, is a fascinating read. Do you keep a blog? Not really, but I’ve got about 400 followers on Twitter, so I guess you could say that’s my blog.

Who do you think you could be mistaken for? I get James Spader a lot. The older, on“The-Blacklist” James Spader.

What can’t you help watching on TV? “Parks and Recreation.”

I’m also renewing my HBO subscription just to watch “True Detective.”

What do you value most in your friends? Love. Loyalty.

Great conversation.

What should people learn to do? Not to worry about what other people think. That’s what holds us back.

What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon? I always got up early to watch “Super Friends,” but I loved “Scooby Doo” and all of them, really.

I had my Saturday mornings planned all the way through “American Bandstand.”

How do you spend your Saturday mornings now? My wife Sandina and I have a Saturday ritual for dim sum at The Grand House (2701 N. Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City).

Do they have fortune cookies at The Grand House? Oh, yes.

If you could stash a little fortune inside one of those cookies for the next person to find, what would it say?

Keep smiling.

What are you most grateful for? Life. Drinking it all in and swimming in it. For my wife, who inspires me every day. She’s the greatest person I know.

What character trait would you happily give up? Nothing.

Part of our lesson is to take the good with the bad. We learn from both.

Which of those traits makes up part of the good? Sense of humor. I think it’s the most important thing.

What did you get in trouble for most often in school?

Talking too much!

What do you hope people will never assume about you? That I take myself too seriously. That I have all the answers. That I’m unapproachable. I love talking to people (that’s why I got in trouble so much in class) and I hope that people always see me as a welcoming person.

Favorite quote? Know thyself.

COUTURE AREA RUGS • CARPET • PILLOWS

7118 N. Western • Oklahoma City • 405.842.9000

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 29

UP FRONT | Mingling

Aiden Street, Rick Bayless, Angela O’Keefe

Paul Odom, Mariann Stone, Beth Odom, Todd Stone

SOUTH OKC CHAMBER BANQUET Photos courtesy ahhshoot.com

2014 begins with a meal celebrating new Chamber leadership, native son Rick Bayless and the future’s potential.

Julie Oseland, Bethany Neighbors, Barbara Brockhaus, Kristen Sorocco, Nicole Rouse

Steve and Linda Slawson Judith Willoughby, Sergio Monteiro

CANTERBURY ART AFTER DARK Photos by Justin Avera

OCU piano paragon Sergio Monteiro performs as guests have a sip and browse the Howell Gallery before dining at The Coach House – an evening that amassed over $21,000 for the beautiful music and projects of the Canterbury Choral Society.

Want more photos? Sign up for our Snapshot! newsletter at sliceok.com/newsletters.

30 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Dr. Randi von Ellefson, Cindi and Mike Shelby

Sandra Payne, Robin Gonzalez, Melissa Phillips

Penny and Dr. Troy Major

CELEBRITY CHEF Photos by Justin Avera

Food Network star chef Anne Burrell makes a culinary splash at St. Anthony Hospital’s annual heart-healthy cooking demonstration.

Ashton Edwards, Chase Thomason

Joe Hodges, Anne Burrell

OU SCHOOL OF ART SHOW Photos by Claude Long

Creativity is cause for celebration at the 100th annual exhibition by students in the OU School of Art and Art History.

Michelle Archambo, Joni Blum

Nancy Goate, Erika Martinez, Kaylee McNeely

Ally Petrich, Blair Creedon, Kasey Colwell

Sherry and Roger Straka

Clyde and Mykel Hill

The Marna family: Doug, Ann, Annie and Gabrielle

COWBOY CHRISTMAS BALL Photos by Claude Long

Country singer Michael Martin Murphey returns to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to help celebrate the season the Western way.

Marvin Staley, Gay Dawn

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 31

UP FRONT | Mingling

FILM ROW HOLIDAY PARTY

Lance McDaniel, Mike Knopp

Photos by Justin Avera

Celebrants jingle all the way to Dunlap Codding in downtown OKC, where the district’s employees and supporters toast the rebirth in progress on Film Row.

Michael Chambers, Keeahna Munoz

OKC FIGHT NIGHT VIP PARTY

Deborah Dallas, Sabrina Dallas, Taylor Fudge

Hosts Liz and Tim McLaughlin

Photos by Claude Long

Patrons and guests mingle at the McLaughlin home prior to a night of top-tier pugilism to benefit the Police Athletic League.

Wayland and Cree Cubit, Vashina Butler

Devon and Micah Sawyer

Jay and Amber McCull

Miki and Jim Farris Peter Robbins, Rex Murrell

BOOTS & BALL GOWNS Photos by Claude Long

The appeal of helping Infant Crisis Services to aid young children in direst need is enough to lift guests’ spirits and heels – and raise over $200,000 – at this festive Western fundraiser.

32 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Cheryl Fraley, DiAnne and Gary Bryant

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MARCH 2014 // SLICE 33

UP FRONT | Mingling Michi Susan, Suzanne Randall

Mary and John Seward

JRB NEW YEAR’S BRUNCH Photos by Claude Long

JRB Art at the Elms begins a new year in style with a complimentary brunch to complement its first of many exhibits.

Leslie Spears, Carolyn Barnes, Kelley Barnes

Vanessa Shadix, Donna Cullins, Steve Sullivan, Gina Cox, Carol Clark

Jim Schuff, Curtis McCarty, outgoing OSHBA president Jeff Click

OSHBA BANQUET

Governor Mary Fallin delivers a laudatory keynote address at a convivial gathering of the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association.

Sandra and Donald Longcrier Mary Ann Prior, Robin Huston

Deborah and Scott Senner, Donna Rinehart-Keever

Sue Moss Sullivan, Peggy Clark, Heather Clark Hilliard

ART NOW GALA Photos by Claude Long

Ken and Linda Howell

Great art and good times make a luminous evening at the Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center’s soiree, “Shine.”

Want more photos? Sign up for our Snapshot! newsletter at sliceok.com/newsletters.

34 SLICE // MARCH 2014

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UP FRONT | Wanderlust

77 COUNTIES:

THE PARALLEL FOREST

By M.J. Alexander

LATE AFTERNOON IS CREEPING TO DUSK ACROSS THE PLAINS AND THE SKY, THE GROUND, THE MOUNTAINS ARE MOVING. Copper clouds swirl and eddy like a celestial lava lamp. Near the road, biscuit-colored rocks skitter this way and that, before freezing in place to show they are, in fact, prairie dogs. On the brittle grassland, the massive hunched shoulders of three grazing bison reflect the same jagged silhouettes as the boulders fading to purple in the distance.

Amid the hubbub, on the eastern side of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, a stand of evergreens appears an island of calm.

In the grove, the trees share three things in common: They are Eastern Red Cedar. They are exactly 102 years old. And each and every one was supposed to be a fencepost.

Yet for more than a century they have survived. They have escaped the ax. Been spared by tornadoes.

Weathered drought. Infestations. Ice storms. Wildfires.

Editor’s Note: This is the 19th installment in a continuing series as author and photographer M.J. Alexander chronicles her travels across the state of Oklahoma.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 37

UP FRONT | Wanderlust

In the spring of 1912, under the direction of superintendent Frank Rush, 20,000 small trees were planted to provide wood for future park projects.

Oklahoma had been a state for not quite five years, and the Plains were at the verge of a changing era. Geronimo had been buried in the earth of Comanche County just three years earlier, at nearby Fort Sill; the body of the Comanches’ last war chief, Quanah Parker, followed in 1911. World War I was two years away. Headlines of the sinking of the Titanic dominated the news.

The tiny trees were planted exactly six feet apart on a rectangular plot 600 feet by 1,200 feet. The idea was to place them close enough together that the trees would have to grow up rather than out, making for tall timber with few lower branches.

And they did.

But the trees ended up within the boundaries of the refuge’s public use area, and were never cut.

The undertaking was officially called the Cedar Planting.

Today it is known by a different name: The Parallel Forest.

38 SLICE // MARCH 2014

The row-by-row trees remain more or less intact: 100 rows in one direction, 200 in the other. The grove occupies 16 acres of the refuge’s acreage of 59,020.

There is no sign indicating where it is.

On busy days, there is an impromptu parking lot by the side of Highway 115, the road to Meers, as the curious venture through the prairie grass and into the darkened forest.

Maybe it is the unexpected symmetry of the forest that is appealing. Or maybe it is the stories of mysterious happenings: tales of ancient drums echoing through the trees, whispers of ghosts, Indian maidens, floating orbs, rituals performed around the ruins of a nearby mill.

The tree canopy blocks much of the light, which dapples the forest f loor, made of packed dirt and tufts of grass.

Trails wind through the woods. Though the spaces between the trees are wide and the trunks themselves are small, the other visitors in the forest cannot be seen.

Disembodied voices ricochet around.

Loud growling noises made by grownups bounce off the trees, to the delight of kids, who shriek and giggle in a mixture of joy

and fear. Hikers try out their Tarzan yells.

Dogs on leashes bark.

Between the rows, rogue oak trees have taken hold here and there. Fallen branches mar the symmetry. But still, the place feels like a forest set expecting the arrival of a music video crew at any time.

The voices fade and eventually disappear. In the quiet, the trees sway almost imperceptibly, creaking gently. I move around, sizing up photo possibilities in the fading light.

Until a distinct feeling settles in: I’m being watched.

I stand still, then scan the columns of trees. Nothing.

A twig snaps to my left.

I freeze.

One of the low branches begins to move, followed by another. They float together, traveling in parallel four feet above the forest floor.

A long back and tail swish by. The branches are the horns of a stray longhorn, flickering white between the trees.

She looks ruefully at me and lumbers away, melting silently into the darkness.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 39

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42 SLICE // MARCH 2014

By Timothy Fields Photos by Simon Hurst

CITY

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 43

City living never looked so good! BCBGMAXAZRIA feather skirt and georgette cap sleeve blouse with shoulder cut outs, topped with a BTB belt that adds just a pop of chartreuse.

The black leather faux crocodile purse is by Due Fratelli and earrings are jet drops by Lordaine, all from R Meyers // And what look is complete without the perfect shoe? These bestselling Gucci sandals are from Gordon Stuart.

AS THE SPRING WINDS OF CHANGE COME SWEEPING ACROSS THE CITY, THEY USHER IN A FUN MIX OF FASHION, COLOR AND STYLE. THE POSSIBILITIES FOR COMBINATION ARE ENDLESS, FROM BRIGHTS TO PASTELS TO BLACK AND WHITE, AND SPORTY TO CLASSY TO BIKER CHIC. TODAY’S WOMAN CAN CHANGE HER MIND AND MOOD WITH THE SLIGHTEST BREEZE. ENJOY!

The daily commuter is mixing soft and hard with Cédric Charlier’s black wool skirt accented with a band of rubber, Moschino white silk blouse with placard ruffle and this season’s must-have item, a black leather biker jacket from Belstaff. Sandals are Emanuel Ungaro Paris. All from The Consortium // Tom Ford “Nastasya” sunglasses from TSO Optical

44 SLICE // MARCH 2014

What’s the weekend for if not comfort? Aly is wearing ombré denim jeans by Goldsign with an Acne Studios boiled nude sweatshirt and bag. From Gordon Stuart

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 45

Gordon Stuart brings a sporty influence to this spring’s looks with Goldsign skinny faded denim jeans paired with Acne Studios print wool and silk top and a Balenciaga piglet pink leather mini biker purse // Tom Ford “Burke” sunglasses from TSO Optical

46 SLICE // MARCH 2014

You’re guaranteed to be noticed when you step out in this Alice & Trixie rainbow reptile print jumpsuit paired with a Luii chartreuse faux leather jacket. Peacock feather gold cuff bracelet by Évocateur, blue lapis drop earrings and a purple crocodile handbag snap it all together. From R Meyers

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 47

Get in touch with your inner rocker in an edgy look with Walter Baker black leather hot pants, Tina black tee, and denim and zipper biker jacket from 200 Park for Her.

48 SLICE // MARCH 2014

From 200 Park for Her, this dress by analili brings spring’s unexpected juxtapositions to life with a mix of geometric lines of color blocked with black // “Calhoun” glasses by l.a.

Eyeworks from TSO Optical

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 49

R Meyers gives street smarts a new meaning with this combo: silk workout-inspired pants paired with an asymmetrical layered tee and racer jacket by BCBG and accented with a silver clutch by MZ Wallace and silver and crystal drop earrings.

50 SLICE // MARCH 2014

The city is pulled into focus in this CĂŠdric Charlier crepe skirt, Philosophy pleated bell-sleeved blouse and Moschino red snakeskin clutch from The Consortium.

Special thanks to our partners on this shoot: aloft Oklahoma City Downtown, Aly and Britta at Tabb Models, Amtrak Oklahoma City, Dakota Gwaltney for The MakeUp Bar, ODOT

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 51

WEATHER CHRIS SANNER AND BRANDON GOFORTH, TORNADOTITANS.COM

Oklahoma’s Meteorological

Mammatus clouds over Norman

52 SLICE // MARCH 2014

WHY? Mayhem Explored

BY SEAN BECKER LOCAL OR NOT, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT OKLAHOMA’S NICKNAME IS THE SOONER STATE. THOSE WELL-VERSED IN STATE STATISTICS AND SPECIALTIES ALSO KNOW THAT THE STATE’S MOTTO IS LABOR OMNIA VINCIT, WHICH IS LATIN FOR “LABOR CONQUERS ALL THINGS.” I WOULD HAVE LOBBIED FOR ANOTHER MOTTO … SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF “WEATHER CONQUERS ALL CONVERSATION,” (LATIN TRANSLATION UNKNOWN) BECAUSE HERE – AND NOW – MORE THAN EVER, WEATHER IS THE TALK OF THE TOWN. MARCH 2014 // SLICE 53

DEW PROCESS

W

hile sunny skies around the metro are seen more often than not, Oklahoma City is also the scene of more of what Lane calls “low-frequency, highimpact” weather events than any other heavily populated place on earth. Hail, high winds, ice storms and of course, tornadoes, are seemingly always just around the corner.

Why is this constant cloud of inclement weather always lurking? In a word – water.

“We’re situated perfectly where two large bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, provide atmospheric moisture,” explains Lane. In particular, Gulf moisture – and how the atmosphere transports it – is the key component in determining the type and intensity of local storms.

Got it. So we’ll mind the humidity and we’ll know what’s heading our way?

Wrong, says Lane. As a measurement that’s dependent upon another factor – air temperature, in this case – humidity is not a reliable indicator of the amount of moisture in the air. “That’s why it’s called ‘relative humidity’,” Lane elaborates. “It fluctuates depending upon the temperature.” In short, humidity doesn’t really tell the whole story. Start again.

“When we’re talking about moisture,” Lane says, “we’re really talking about dew point.” Now we’re getting somewhere! Dew point is an absolute measure of water in the atmosphere, as expressed in degrees.

54 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Lower dew point numbers in the 20s and 30s mean there is little moisture in the atmosphere. Think of those dry, cold winter days that make your skin feel like it’s stretched tight.

Dew point readings in the 50s, 60s or higher mean there is a considerably higher amount of moisture in the air.

And that’s when things get interesting.

In the fall and winter months, high dew points and low temperatures bring thick fog, dense dew, heavy frost and even the occasional ice storm.

Normally the warmth of the daytime hours dispenses with these inconveniences, making the evening commute much less stressful. If cold air temperatures persist, the ice may linger on the pavement for a while. If the breeze picks up, that’s when the tree branches and power lines come down. Fortunately winter is the calm season in terms of wind in the metro.

The real weather news happens in the primary storm season spanning from March through June. High dew points and a low-slung jet stream coming from the west mean trouble. This is when the city gets pelted with anything from torrential rains to heavy hail to damaging winds. Mix in a sharp change in temperature when warm and cold fronts collide, and that’s when the tornadoes tend to develop.

So when it comes to wicked weather, the question is not “if” but really “when.” What can we do? Just grin and bear it? Perhaps, but Lane urges the masses to be proactive.

PHOTOS THIS SPREAD: CHRIS SANNER AND BRANDON GOFORTH, TORNADOTITANS.COM

THERE’S NO SHAME IN THAT, ACCORDING TO KOCO 5 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DAMON LANE. “NEWS IS WHAT WE DO WHILE WAITING FOR WEATHER TO HAPPEN,” HE EXPLAINS WHILE GIVING ME A TOUR OF THE TELEVISION STUDIO. TO ILLUSTRATE, “HERE’S THE NEWS DESK,” LANE SAYS GESTURING TO A TIDY, TWO-SEAT WORKSTATION POSITIONED IN FRONT OF THE FAMILIAR CITYSCAPE BACKDROP. AND WHAT ABOUT THE DOZEN-ODD MONITORS NEARBY, ACTIVELY FLICKERING WITH INFORMATION, UPDATES AND DATA? “THIS IS THE WEATHER CENTER.”

(clockwise from top) Low-topped severe thunderstorm near Newkirk // Clouds gathering near Weatherford // Early evening light illuminates shelf cloud

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 55

THE PERFECT STORM-SAFE SPOT NOW WE’VE SCRAPPED THE CAMPING TRIP, STOCKED UP ON PANTRY STAPLES AND DECIDED TO PLAY IT SAFE BY HUNKERING DOWN IN THE HOUSE. BUT WHERE? ALTHOUGH THEY ARE THE BEST PLACE TO TAKE SHELTER, BASEMENTS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN IN METRO HOUSING STOCK. SHORT OF A BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER, “A SMALL SPACE IN THE CENTER OF THE HOUSE THAT IS FORTIFIED BY SURROUNDING WALLS IS KNOWN TO BE THE GO-TO PLACE,” SAYS JEFF CLICK, OWNER OF JEFF CLICK HOMES AND PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.

“Keep some contact with weather information,” he says. “If a storm is coming, we will be on TV talking about it.”

What happens if we’re out hiking in the woods, blissfully yet perilously ignorant of all media messaging? “Trust your gut,” says Lane. “If you have any doubt about whether or not you’re safe, abandon whatever you’re doing.” Lane also advises us to check the weather before heading out for the day.

Potentially dangerous storm systems are tracked days in advance, and instant updates are always available via text, tweet or TV. It’s sound advice. But even if we’ve done our homework and we’re ready for anything, nothing is going to stop a storm from coming. What do we do now? “Have a plan in place before a storm develops,” Lane cautions. “Most spring and summer storms hit between 2 and 5 in the afternoon.” If a major storm is imminent, Lane suggests taking action several hours ahead of time.

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placed where the entry/exit point of the shelter is exposed beyond the bumper of a car, the car can also serve as protection for the lid of the shelter should the structure above it fail and fall downward. If an in-ground shelter was located in an interior closet, all of that lumber and material would likely be on top of the lid without the protection that a heavy vehicle would have provided had it been in the garage.”

Lightning illuminates metro skies The typical tornado shelter leaves much to be desired in terms of spaciousness but is certainly functional in its utility. For an extra measure of confidence as well as the flexibility to use the space as another living area, what about incorporating a full basement to an existing structure? “You

PHOTOS THIS SPREAD: CLOUD FORMATION BY CHRIS SANNER AND BRANDON GOFORTH, TORNADOTITANS.COM; RADAR COURTESY DAMON LANE, KOCO; LIGHTNING BY KENNETH HUDSON

Amazing radar imagery of a tornado

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ick that space wisely, though, cautions Click. “The garage is where the structural integrity of a home fails first in a significant storm,” he warns. “A space just inside the house adjacent to the garage may not prove to be the safest.” This is because the garage door is not rated with the same shear-resistance as typical framed and bricked walls. If a garage door caves in, it allows for wind intrusion on a large scale and can compromise the roof and walls of the garage.

However, as for locating a tornado shelter within the garage’s footprint, it still makes a lot of sense. “Consider a typical house,” Click says. “Where else can you afford floor space for an awkward opening into the ground? How would finish flooring (carpet, tile, wood) transition around it, assuming the lid is safe to walk on/across? Proper ventilation also is a factor, and that means there is some sort of hole in the floor. The garage seems like an opportune space for such an opening, since it’s less ‘valuable’ functional floor space. Also, if properly

Supercell over a Lexington farm

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 57

Supercell over Chickasha can’t go under the existing slab,” says Mike Hancock, PE, President of Basement Contractors, Inc., “but you can add basement space.” The most popular way to do this is to add a room onto your house and incorporate new basement space underneath.

“It’s kind of an investment for the homeowner then,” explains Hancock. Under this scenario, the additional square footage at ground level pays off in the end.

Myth, misperception and the MLS (the real estate industry’s Multiple Listing Service) make basements more hindrance than help in the local housing market.

“MLS has no option for basement as a foundation type” in the Oklahoma City market, explains Hancock. Houses with basements are out there, but they are hard to find as a result. Homebuilders are reluctant to take on the added construction expense since it is unlikely to pay off in investment terms in the long run.

Fine – we’ll build a new house with a basement and suffer the consequences of higher construction costs along with leaks, cracks, spiders and snakes. We won’t ever need (or want) to go down there unless a storm is coming, right? Not at all. Obviously Hancock urges people to build basements – that is his business, after all – but the dreaded dungeon myth is simply no longer accurate.

“Most of these myths come from basements built in the 1940s and ’50s,” explains Hancock, a structural engineer by trade.

Subsequent advances in technique and technology make modern metro basements safe, dry and enjoyable year-round.

Is building a home with a basement more expensive? Yes. But keep in mind, Hancock says, “You can heat and cool a house with a basement for about half the cost of slab housing.” Plus it’s a great place for a pingpong table. But I digress.

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WHEN ALL HAIL BREAKS LOOSE GREAT NEWS! WE PLANNED AHEAD, CUT OUR DAY A BIT SHORT AND GOT OURSELVES SAFELY STOWED IN OUR NEW BASEMENT GAME ROOM WELL BEFORE THE STORM HIT. THE WEATHER REPORT SAYS WE DODGED THE WORST OF IT – NO TWISTERS THIS TIME. THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS? WE HAVE TO POKE OUR HEADS OUTSIDE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF THE HOUSE.

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ajor storm systems that produce high winds, heavy rains and hail can wreak havoc on a home’s exterior.

Roofs and siding naturally bear the brunt of the storm damage, but there are options on the market that may minimize your losses. Price and neighborhood covenant restrictions make composition the most popular roofing material in the area, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise. “There are varying degrees of impact resistance that can still be considered when choosing a composition roof,” homebuilder Click says.

As for the exterior walls, brick or stone facings will obviously withstand considerable impact. If siding adorns your home, Click notes once again that there are many options on the market. In addition to the familiar vinyl and aluminum versions, siding made of wood and cementitious board is also available. “Cementitious board is becoming a popular choice for the area,” Click shares, “due to its lifespan, rigidity and strength in withstanding impacts.”

If we built or renovated with these durable materials, the outside of our house stands a better chance of avoiding major damage. We may have escaped all personal injury and major property damage … until we realized that we left the car in the drive-

Destruction after tornadoes in Shawnee and Moore

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak in storm damaged area

PHOTOS THIS SPREAD: CLOUD FORMATION BY CHRIS SANNER AND BRANDON GOFORTH, TORNADOTITANS.COM, ALL OTHERS COURTESY OKLAHOMA INSURANCE DEPARTMENT

Nature’s fury

way, where it was pelted indiscriminately by intergalactic comet-sized hail. Whoops.

It might not be as bad as you think if you followed another piece of advice from your friendly local weather forecaster. “Check your insurance plans at the beginning of the year, preferably in January,” says Lane.

“You’re probably going to file an insurance claim every year.”

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak agrees and offers some point-

ers for such a visit. “Sit down with your licensed insurance broker and go through various scenarios,” urges Doak. “Have the agent visit your home or apartment and take pictures of your home and property.”

Business owners should ask their insurers about a business interruption evaluation.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department website (oid.ok.gov) offers a home inventory form. Commissioner Doak stresses the importance of completing such a form

before disaster strikes. “In times of major loss, when everything is gone, those pictures and inventory will be helpful” in determining your losses as precisely as possible.

And unfortunately central Oklahoma is no stranger to total loss. For example, over 100,000 claims were filed in the 16-county area around Moore following last May’s tornadoes – some 60,000 homeowner claims and another 45,000 for automobiles.

Insurers paid out over $1 billion to policyholders in relation to that one set of events.

That’s billion. With a b.

Besides the crucial home inventory form, Commissioner Doak also encourages visits to the OID website for additional information. The Consumer Assistance Division helps over 30,000 Oklahomans file claims each year, and the website generates over 1 million hits annually. While the state’s OID doesn’t track every claim, they do monitor the larger events.

Perhaps most important among the online documents is the Oklahoma Insurance Consumer Bill of Rights. “We worked hard to get that passed for all Oklahomans,” Doak says. Not sure of your rights as a policyholder? It’s all spelled out here in a very clear and concise twopage document. The Consumer Assistance Division is always a free phone call away, too, at 800.522.0071.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 59

GOOD CAR-MA

Cashion, long-exposure lightning show

I

f you own a newer vehicle and have full coverage, your insurance company will probably write an estimate for the repair bill and leave it up to you to get it fixed. If you own a newer model or you’re still making payments, your best bet is to get it fixed.

One of the more advanced repair techniques on the market, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR for short) is increasingly popular across the metro. PDR is an attractive

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consumer option whenever possible for a couple of major reasons, says James McElhany, owner of Hail Restore. “There’s less down time, and the value of the vehicle is restored to the level before storm damage.”

Still, it’s caveat emptor (more Latin – sorry – this just means “buyer beware”) in the PDR business. According to McElhany, doing just a little homework on your repair place of choice will go a long way toward your peace of mind. First of all, watch out for storm-chasers – those fly-by-night

operations that pop up overnight. “Look up a company’s Better Business Bureau page online or call,” suggests McElhany.

For the record, McElhany’s shop, which has been operating on West Reno Avenue for the past six years, carries an A+ rating with the BBB. He also suggests doing the little things that we may forget to do in a stressful situation. “Be sure to ask for references, preferably from insurance companies, or look up consumer reviews online,” McElhany says.

Also, verify that your repair company of choice is certified by Vale Training Solutions, as that is the only certification recognized by the insurance industry. McElhany, himself a Vale certified Master Craftsman, trains all of his employees and monitors the work done in the shop.

Keep in mind that if the damage is too severe, PDR may simply not work. If PDR isn’t an option, make sure the vendor can both repair the body panels using conventional dent-pulling methods and do the paintwork as well. Finally, McElhany suggests asking your repair shop one last question: “Are you insured if I leave my car here?” With all the talk of weather and insurance and general disaster, we might consider making it our first question.

PHOTOS THIS SPREAD: LIGHTNING IN CASHION AND LAKE HEFNER BY CHRIS SANNER AND BRANDON GOFORTH, TORNADOTITANS.COM; DOWNTOWN OKC LIGHTNING BY KENNETH HUDSON

NOW BACK TO THAT CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ONE THAT MOTHER NATURE WHACKED WITH HER BALL-PEEN HAMMER. AN OLDER CAR WITH CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE MIGHT BE CHALKED UP AS A TOTAL LOSS BY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. IF YOU DON’T HAVE COMPREHENSIVE OR “FULL” COVERAGE, IT WILL BE UP TO YOU TO FOOT THE REPAIR BILL.

Lightning stike over Lake Hefner

TODAY’S LESSON: BE PREPARED!

OKLAHOMA WEATHER CAN BE VIOLENT AND DANGEROUS. WHILE NOTHING CAN REPLACE THE LOSS OF PROPERTY, PERSONAL EFFECTS OR ESPECIALLY LOVED ONES, WE CAN STRIVE TO MINIMIZE THOSE LOSSES BY PLANNING AHEAD AND TAKING IMMEDIATE ACTION IN THE FACE OF DANGER.

H

eeding the advice of KOCO Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane, always check the weather report. “We do our best to tell you exactly where a storm is or where it’s heading,” Lane says.

“You might not know every intersection around town, so we’ll tell you it’s near the Target or WalMart,” he explains, “because those are the places everyone knows.”

If you are in the market for safe housing, OSHBA President and homebuilder Jeff Click suggests prioritizing life safety.

“An in-ground storm shelter, basement or well-built above-ground shelter are the only reliable ways to maximize safety in a tornado’s path.”

If you want to incorporate basement space in an existing property or build a new home with a basement, it is possible to do so in Oklahoma. “We’ve built basements

Lightning over downtown Oklahoma City all over the state,” says Basement Contractors Inc. President Mike Hancock. “We can build storm shelters and incorporate a saferoom into an existing walkout basement.”

And if tragedy strikes, you don’t have to be alone, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak reminds us. “We have been on a public relations campaign since May,” he says. “We are encouraging Oklahomans to be educated” about their rights – and responsibilities – as insurance consumers across the state.

By taking a few precautionary steps, we can prepare ourselves for the worst-case scenarios. The best-case scenario? We all have a great disaster-preparedness plan that we never have to use. Then we can get back to talking about the weather.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 61

RUN

N RU

SPUD

5K RUN AND 1 MILE FUN RUN When: March 8th, 8:30 am Where: Brookhaven Village, 36th Ave. NW and Robinson Ave. Cost: $20 for pre-registration; $25 day of run The inaugural run sponsored by Norman North’s SPUD Week! Proceeds will help the Center for Children and Families, Inc. and others in the community.

To sign up, please go to signmeup.com/98164 For more information, contact spudrun2014@gmail.com

2014 OKLAHOMA CITY

HEART WALK April 19 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ball Park

www.OKCHeartWalk.org Presented by

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11/13/13 1:57 PM

Private Schools & Higher Ed A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE MARCH 2014 // SLICE 63

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Tuition rates are exclusive of discounts unless otherwise noted. Schools with parishioner rates often offer alternative rates for members of other parishes; contact the school directly. Enrollment numbers and student/teacher ratios are approximate and based on the most recent information provided. Many schools offer half-day preschool and/or kindergarten programs; tuition rates here are based on five full days. Contact the school or visit the website for more information.

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL 4001 36th Ave. N.W., Norman, 447.4600, allsaintsnorman.org Founded 1996 Current Enrollment 400 Grades PreK through 8th Student/teacher ratio PreK 10:1; K 12:1, 1st-5th 22:1.5; 6th-8th 15:1 Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Annual tuition PreK $6,340 ($4,425 parishioner); K-8th $5,790 ($3,840 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 3616 S.W. 119th, Oklahoma City, 691.8012, academy.antiochokc.org Founded 1996 Current Enrollment 104 Grades Kindergarten through 8th Student/teacher ratio K-1st 15:1; 2nd-8th 12:1 Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian Annual tuition $3,500 Accreditation Currently pursuing Assn. of Christian Schools International BISHOP JOHN CARROLL CATHOLIC SCHOOL 1100 N.W. 32nd, Oklahoma City, 525.0956, bjcs.org Founded 1919 Current Enrollment 209 Grades PreK through 8th Student/teacher ratio PreK-K, 12:1; grades 1-8, 20:1

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Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Annual tuition $3,550 for parishioners Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

BISHOP MCGUINNESS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 801 N.W. 50th, Oklahoma City, 842.6638, bmchs.org Founded 1950 Current Enrollment 700 Grades 9th through 12th Student/teacher ratio 15:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition $12,100 ($8,600 parishioner) Accreditation North Central Assn.AdvanceEd CASADY SCHOOL 9500 N. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, 749.3185, casady.org Founded 1947 Current Enrollment 849 Grades PreK through 12th Student/teacher ratio 8:1 (average) Religious Affiliation Episcopal Annual tuition PreK-K $12,010; 1st-4th $13,605; 5th-8th $15,915; 9th-12th $17,865 Accreditation Independent Schools Assn. of the Southwest THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL OF ST. EUGENE 2400 W. Hefner Rd., OKC, 751.0067, steugeneschool.org Founded 1959

Current Enrollment 355 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio Preschool 20:2; K-8th 14:1 Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Annual tuition Preschool $5,150 ($4,675 parishioner); K-8th $6,400 ($3,400 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC SCHOOL 1905 Elmhurst, Oklahoma City, 843.3909, ckschool.com Founded 1949 Current Enrollment 515 Grades PreK through 8th Student/teacher ratio PreK 9:1; K-8th 15:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition Preschool $4,800; K-8th $6,025 ($3,900 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE ACADEMY 4400 S.E. 27th, Del City, 672.1787, cha.org Founded 1972 Current Enrollment 592 Grades PreK through 12th Student/teacher ratio Elementary 16:1; secondary 24:1 Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian Annual tuition PreK -3rd $6,450; 4th-6th $7,100; 7th-8th $7,500 Accreditation Assn. of Christian Schools International

COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 3002 Broce, Norman, 329.2500, communitychristianschool.com Founded 1986 Current Enrollment 665 Grades Preschool through 12th Student/teacher ratio 20:1 (upper school) Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian Annual tuition Preschool $4,158; K-6th $4,000; 7th-8th $4,250; 9th-12th $4,450 Accreditation North Central Assn., Middle States Assn. of Colleges and Schools, Assn. of Christian Teachers and Schools CROSSINGS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 14400 N. Portland, Oklahoma City, 842.8495, crossingsschool.org Founded 2006 Current Enrollment 830 Grades Preschool through 12th Student/teacher ratio 16:1 lower; 20:1 middle and upper Religious Affiliation A ministry of Crossings Community Church Annual tuition Preschool-PreK $4,158; K-6th $4,000; 7th-8th $4,250; 9th-12th $4,450 Accreditation Assn. of Christian Schools International HERITAGE HALL 1800 N.W. 122nd, Oklahoma City, 749.3001, heritagehall.com Founded 1969 Current Enrollment 866 Grades Preschool through 12th Student/teacher ratio Preschool-PreK 8:1; K-4th 16:1; 7th-12th 18:1 Religious Affiliation No religious affiliation Annual tuition Preschool -4th $13,080; 5th-6th $13,650; 7th-12th $17,470 Accreditation Independent Schools Assn. of the Southwest

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CASADY SCHOOL

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asady School’s mission is to develop excellence, confidence and integrity in each of its students by equipping them with the skills and knowledge that serve as the foundation for success.

One way this can be observed is through the school’s College Counseling Program, which remains unparalleled with a student to college counselor ratio of 35-to-1, compared to the national average of 460-to-1.

“Our college counseling objective is simple: to help each student find their best college fit,” said Josh Bottomly, Casady College Counseling Director. “We take a student-centered approach, not a destination-centered approach. We don’t begin with a college list. We begin and end with the student. In the end, our college counseling aim moves well beyond the utilitarian mindset of ‘just getting your child into college,’ and more toward the relational mindset of finding the college where your student will flourish once they are accepted.”

The results speak for themselves: In the midst of the most competitive early admission cycle in U.S. history, Casady School’s Class of 2014 experienced incredible success, with acceptances to some of the most prestigious technological, research and liberal arts schools in the country and abroad.

“More colleges than ever before are discovering how amazing Casady students are: brimming with scholastic vitality, prodigious leadership and the irrepressible desire to become service-minded ‘change agents,’ both locally and globally,” Bottomly said.

Some of Casady’s 74 seniors received acceptances from more than 40 different institutions in the United States and one in England – including Cornell University, Duke University, Grinnell College, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Pomona College, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, Northeastern University, College of Charleston, Clemson University, Tufts University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Wisconsin and Durham University.

“Casady continues to be a venerated institution and respected independent school in the eyes of college admission offices all across the United States, from Harvard and MIT to our own great flagship universities in the state of Oklahoma,” Bottomly said. “It is very encouraging and exciting to see colleges and universities of every ilk and kind – from technological to research to liberal arts – admitting our students, and thereby validating what Casady students can bring to their respective campuses and Casady’s ability to prepare its students to succeed.”

CASADY SCHOOL

9500 Pennsylvania, OKC 405.749.3185 | casady.org

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

HOLY TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 308 N.W. 164th, Edmond, 844.4000, holytrinity edmond.org/school Founded 1987 Current Enrollment 160 Grades Preschool through 5th Student/teacher ratio K-5th 16:1 Religious Affiliation Lutheran Annual tuition PreK (five half days) $1,530; K-5th $3,510 Accreditation National Lutheran School Accreditation KEYSTONE ADVENTURE SCHOOL AND FARM 19201 N. Western, Edmond, 216.5400, keystoneadventure schoolandfarm.com Founded 2005 Current Enrollment 65 Grades Preschool through 5th Student/teacher ratio 10:1 Religious Affiliation None Annual tuition Preschool $9,000; PreK $10,600; K-1st $10,759; 2nd-3rd $11,024; 4th-5th $11,342 Accreditation North American Reggio Emilia Alliance, Assn. of Waldorf Schools of North America MERCY SCHOOL INSTITUTE 14001 N. Harvey, Edmond, 748.5500, mercyschool.com Founded 1998 Current Enrollment 257 Grades PreK through 12th Student/teacher ratio 15:1 Religious Affiliation Islamic Annual tuition $3,500-$4,000 Accreditation North Central Assn.AdvanceEd

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MESSIAH LUTHERAN SCHOOL 3600 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City, 946.0462, messiahlutheranschool.com Founded 1997 Current Enrollment 118 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio 12:1 Religious Affiliation Missouri Synod Lutheran Annual tuition PreK -8th $4,600 Accreditation National Lutheran School Accreditation MOUNT ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL 2801 S. Shartel, OKC, 631.8865, mountstmary.org Founded 1903 Current Enrollment 395 Grades 9th through 12th Student/teacher ratio 12:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition $9,300 ($7,800 Catholic) Accreditation North Central Assn. of Colleges and Schools OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 1101 E. 9th St., Edmond, 844.6478, ocacademy.org Founded 1987 Current Enrollment 260 Grades Preschool through 12th Student/teacher ratio 11:1 Religious Affiliation Christian Annual tuition PreK-K $6,259; 1st-5th $6,287; 6th-8th $6,966; 9th-12th $7,424 Accreditation National Christian School Assn.; North Central Assn.

OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 4680 E. 2nd, Edmond, 341.2265, ocssaints.org Founded 1970 Current Enrollment Approx. 940 Grades Preschool through 12th

Student/teacher ratio PreK 16:2; K 18:2; 1st-2nd 18:1; 3rd-5th 20:1; 6th-12th 22:1 Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian Annual tuition PreK $4,450; K-3rd $6,050; 4th-5th $6,310; 6th-8th $7,750; 9th-12th $8,300 Accreditation Assn. of Christian Schools International ROSARY SCHOOL 1919 N.W. 18th, OKC, 525.9272, rosaryschool.com Founded 1927 Current Enrollment 240 Grades Preschool through 8thth Student/teacher ratio Preschool-1st, teacher and aide; 2nd-8th 25:1 (max) Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition Preschool $4,260; PreK-8th $4,905 ($3,665 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC SCHOOL 2700 S. Shartel, OKC, 634.5673, sacredheartokc.org Founded 1911 Current Enrollment 215 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio Preschool 18:1; K-8th 23:1 Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Annual tuition $4,325 ($3,300 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO SCHOOL 5000 N. Grove, Oklahoma City, 789.0224, stcharlesokc.com Founded 1954 Current Enrollment 201 Grades Preschool through 8th

Student/teacher ratio 13:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition $5,100 ($3,600 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON CATHOLIC SCHOOL 925 S. Boulevard, Edmond, 348.5364, seascardinals.org Founded 1990 Current Enrollment 400 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio 15:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition PreK $4,280 ($2,780 parishioner), K-8th $5,690 ($3,700 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

ST. JAMES THE GREATER CATHOLIC SCHOOL 1224 S.W. 41st, OKC, 636.6810, stjames-catholic.org Founded 1956 Current Enrollment 195 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio 15:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition 4,150 ($3,550 parishioners) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WHY HERITAGE HALL?

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hen my parents enrolled me in a college “prep” school, they were impressed by the small class sizes (1216 students per section), the individualized attention from teachers, and the rigorous academic program. They were also delighted that there was instruction in (and insistence upon!) good manners and civility. In addition, they appreciated the fact that their chubby 12-year-old boy – an unlikely but aspiring athlete – would have the opportunity to play soccer, hockey, and baseball on school teams.

My parents liked this inclusive philosophy and were grateful to know that, regardless of the activity, there would be room at the table for their son. And when my father’s business suffered a serious financial reversal during my freshman year, my parents applied for and received financial aid from the school, thus discovering that a private school education was accessible even to families of modest means.

Today there are thousands of non-public schools across the country. Many of the most effective of these schools offer class sizes in the 12-18 range, which naturally facilitates more attention and individualized instruction for students. Equally important, but commonly overlooked, is the fact that private school teachers often carry loads of 50-80 students per day, distributed over 4-5 sections.

With this lighter student load, teachers can give thorough coverage to a broader range of material while honing skills in math, science, research, and writing. By way of illustration, we know that the skill of writing is especially responsive to regular practice, coaching, and revision. This is why writing is a skill in which private school students, on the whole, enjoy a significant advantage over their public school counterparts – not because they’re more intelligent, but because they’re literally more practiced.

As mentioned above, student access and participation are significant themes in most non-public schools. At Heritage Hall we believe that involvement in extracurricular activities is an essential component of a sound educational

by Guy A. Bramble, Headmaster

program. Most years, at least 90 percent of Heritage Hall’s students participate in one or more of the following activities: chorus, instrumental music, publications, interscholastic athletics, debate, and student government. By highlighting easy access and broad participation, we’re able to discover and develop student talents and interests that may have been unnoticed or unaddressed in a much larger school setting.

Every child deserves an educational environment that is calculated to enhance his human potential. Our responsibility as parents is to explore the available educational alternatives and then to do everything in our power to make an ideal match between demonstrated student needs and verifiable school resources. If our society is to flourish, how can we do less?

HERITAGE HALL

1800 N.W. 122nd St, OKC 405.749.3001 | heritagehall.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC SCHOOL

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complete education that focuses on building character and faith as well as knowledge – that’s the mission of Christ the King School.

Christ the King offers a Christian environment for children in grades Pre-K through 8. The school hosts weekly Mass and service opportunities, as well as a low student-to-teacher ratio, state-of-the-art computer and science labs and art facilities. Its engaging curriculum includes Latin and Spanish, music, art, drama and team sports, plus opportunities to engage in Scouting, the National Junior Honor Society and Student Council.

It’s all overseen by a caring, committed faculty; in December, Karen Carter was honored with the Distinguished Principal Award from the National Catholic Education Association.

Accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, CTK is anchored on academics, spirituality and service, and since its founding in 1949 has remained steadfastly dedicated to the mental and spiritual development of its students.

After more than 60 years, it remains – as its motto proudly proclaims – a place “Where Everybody Is Somebody and All Live for God.”

CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC SCHOOL

1905 Elmhurst, OKC 405.843.3909 ckschool.com

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ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER 5401 N. Brookline, OKC, 943.8583, stjohnsokc.com Founded 1951 Current Enrollment 100 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio 11:1 Religious Affiliation Episcopalian Annual tuition Preschool -5th $6,250; 6th8th $6,350 Accreditation Southwestern Assn. of Episcopal Schools, member of Oklahoma Private School Accreditation Commission ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL 505 E. Covell, Edmond, 341.9541, smesedmond.org Founded 1977 Current Enrollment 134 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio Preschool 8:1, Pre-K 10:1; K 12:1; 1st 14:1; 2nd-5th 18:1, 6th-8th 20:1 Religious Affiliation Episcopal Annual tuition Preschool $7,463; Pre-K-8th $7,630 Accreditation Southwestern Assn. of Episcopal Schools, National Assn. of Independent Schools ST. PHILIP NERI CATHOLIC SCHOOL 1121 Felix Pl., Midwest City, 737.4496, stphilipnerischool. com Founded 1957 Current Enrollment 195 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio 15:1 Religious Affiliation Catholic Annual tuition Preschool $4,697; K-8th $5,127 ($3,762 parishioner) Accreditation Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Assn.

TRINITY SCHOOL 321 N.W. 36th, Oklahoma City, 525.5600, trinity schoolokc.org Founded 1961 Current Enrollment 100 Grades Kindergarten through 12th Student/teacher ratio 10:1 Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian Annual tuition $9,500-$11,090 Accreditation International Christian Accrediting Assn., North Central Assn.-AdvanceED TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL 603 Classen, Norman, 329.1503, tlsnorman.com Founded 1989 Current Enrollment 65 Grades Preschool through 5th Student/teacher ratio Preschool 10:1; K-5th 16:1 Religious Affiliation Lutheran Annual tuition Preschool -5th $3,700 Accreditation National Lutheran Schools Accreditation WESTMINSTER SCHOOL 600 N.W. 44th, Oklahoma City, 524.0631, westminster school.org Founded 1963 Current Enrollment 550 Grades Preschool through 8th Student/teacher ratio PreK 9:1; K 10:1; 1st-5th 15:1, 6th-8th 10:1 Religious Affiliation None Annual tuition Preschool $10,930; K $11,135; 1st-4th $11,290; 5th $11,660; 6th-8th $12,290 Accreditation Independent Schools Assn. of the Southwest

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

T

he University of Central Oklahoma offers students opportunities to connect to the thriving Oklahoma City metro in ways no other university can.

Jobs, internships, entertainment, culture – it’s all just minutes away from the campus ranked as the top public regional university in the state by U.S. News & World Report.

Let’s start with location. The main campus is nestled in Edmond, about 15 minutes north of downtown Oklahoma City. Central’s main campus serves as an innovative learning community for its more than 17,000 students majoring in 114 undergraduate majors and 59 graduate programs.

Advancing its charge as Oklahoma’s metropolitan university, Central is expanding its reach with programs like the Academy of Contemporary Music at UCO (ACM@ UCO) in Bricktown, the Small Business Development Center in downtown OKC and the CHK-Central Boathouse on the Oklahoma River, set to open in 2015.

Serving as the state’s metropolitan university also means Central can build close relationships with civic and business leaders. These relationships ensure students graduate with the skills employers seek in the increasingly global workplace.

Central students speak fondly of the personal relationships they build with some of the more than 450 full-time and 650 adjunct faculty and staff who are committed to transforming lives through education. Class sizes allow Central professors to put teaching first, a commitment seeded in the university’s roots as a teacher’s college.

Central’s teacher education program remains among the most innovative in the region due to initiatives like the Urban Teacher Preparation Academy, a partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools. Other notable academic programs include Forensic Science, Music Theatre, Graphic Design, Mass Communication, Accounting, the region’s only accredited Professional Golf Management program and Jazz Studies, which is housed at one of the metro’s most popular live music venues, the UCO Jazz Lab. Central has been named one of the top universities to work for by the Chronicle of Higher Education five of the past six

years, and ranked among the top universities nationally for its sustainable “green” practices, like its use of 100 percent wind energy and alternative transportation programs. Central is an official “Green Power Partner” of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and won the EPA’s Green Power Challenge for its athletic conference the past four years. The UCO Broncho athletic teams have a rich tradition of success, most recently winning the 2013 NCAA Division II National Softball Championship. Central also is an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site.

Founded in 1890 as one of the state’s first institutions of higher learning, Central remains a smart investment for students focused on their future success.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

facebook.com/uco.bronchos twitter.com/UCOBronchos 405.974.2000 | uco.edu

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 69

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KEYSTONE ADVENTURE SCHOOL AND FARM

HIGHER ED IN OKLAHOMA

Public Universities

Main campus locations are listed first.

Tuition rates are in-state (Oklahoma resident) rates per credit hour, including mandatory fees.

Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education FY 2013-2014 Tuition and Fee Rates Study

E

very day, Keystone children care for farm animals, work in an organic garden, problem solve their way through projects, learn via art and play and expand their critical thinking awareness through process learning. Visitors to the campus are immersed in these children’s genuine kindness, zest for life, grit to challenge themselves, and courageous curiosity to solve life’s mysteries.

Keystone believes that children have certain rights – their right to safe childhood is sacred; their right to learn their way is paramount; their right to wander and wonder is wholly theirs. Keystone also maintains a foundational commitment to creating a safe and humane environment for all creatures great and small.

Director Jenny Dunning explains the school’s appeal this way: “There is genius in the heart and mind of every child.

Sadly, the practiced hand of traditional education extracts this brilliance from children by ignoring divergent thoughts and emphasizing the monotony of the mean. At Keystone, we strive to reawaken this sacred light of childhood.”

Childhood is alive and well at Keystone Adventure School and Farm. Play-based, project-based, art-based, child-based … all of these are true about Keystone. Even for adults, it is hard to resist the temptation of their call, “Come and play. Come and play all day.” The play is real, and so is the learning.

Come find out why Keystone kids are such happy learners – the school is hosting rolling admissions for 3-year-old preschool through 5th grade, and enrollment is open now for summer farm programs (May 27-July 31) for ages 3-12.

KEYSTONE ADVENTURE SCHOOL AND FARM

19201 N. Western, Edmond 405.216.5400 keystoneadventureschoolandfarm.com 70 SLICE // MARCH 2014

CAMERON UNIVERSITY Lawton, Duncan cameron.edu $168.50 undergraduate; $201.50 graduate CARL ALBERT STATE COLLEGE Poteau, Sallisaw carlalbert.edu $93.60 undergraduate CONNORS STATE COLLEGE Warner, Muskogee connorsstate.edu $111.75 undergraduate EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY Ada, Ardmore, McAlester, Shawnee ecok.edu $173.03 undergraduate; $210.60 graduate EASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE COLLEGE Wilburton, McAlester eosc.edu $117.60 undergraduate LANGSTON UNIVERSITY Langston, Oklahoma City, Tulsa langston.edu $156.83 undergraduate; $190.04 graduate MURRAY STATE COLLEGE Tishomingo mscok.edu $120.67 undergraduate NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE Miami neo.edu $113.90 undergraduate NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY Tahlequah, Broken Arrow, Muskogee nsuok.edu

$166.40 undergraduate; $204.15 graduate NORTHERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE Tonkawa, Enid, Stillwater $96.65 undergraduate NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Alva, Enid, Woodward nwosu.edu $173 undergraduate; $206 graduate OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Oklahoma City occc.edu $103 undergraduate OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE UNIVERSITY Goodwell opsu.edu $203.30 undergraduate OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Stillwater, Tulsa, Okmulgee, Oklahoma City okstate.edu $248.05 undergraduate; $278.55 graduate REDLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE El Reno redlandscc.edu $116.50 undergraduate ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY Claremore, Bartlesville, Pryor rsu.edu $178.35 undergraduate; $223.35 graduate ROSE STATE COLLEGE Midwest City rose.edu $103.47 undergraduate

SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE Seminole sscok.edu $114.15 undergraduate SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Durant, Idabel se.edu $177.15 undergraduate; $217.85 graduate SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Weatherford, Sayre swosu.edu $173 undergraduate; $212 graduate TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Tulsa tulsacc.edu $108.50 undergraduate

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA Edmond uco.edu $181.20 undergraduate; $230.90 graduate UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA Norman, Oklahoma City, Tulsa ou.edu $244.68 undergraduate; $289.59 graduate UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & ARTS OF OKLAHOMA Chickasha usao.edu $193 undergraduate WESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE COLLEGE Altus wosc.edu $104.95 undergraduate

Independent Colleges and Universities Contact the admissions office for tuition information.

BACONE COLLEGE Muskogee bacone.edu MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY Oklahoma City macu.edu OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY Shawnee okbu.edu OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY Oklahoma City oc.edu OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY Oklahoma City okcu.edu OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Bartlesville okwu.edu

PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF EDMOND

ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY Tulsa oru.edu PHILLIPS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Tulsa ptstulsa.edu SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY Bethany snu.edu SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY Bethany swcu.edu ST. GREGORY’S UNIVERSITY Shawnee stgregorys.edu THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA Tulsa utulsa.edu

G

etting the right start can be crucial in life, and helping your children grow to be their best is one of a parent’s most important roles. It helps to have the right partner.

Primrose is a private preschool that provides a premier educational child care experience. With a focus on providing a safe environment for learning, the school’s goal is to help children build the right foundation for future education and life, while developing active minds, healthy bodies and happy hearts.

In ongoing partnership with parents and operating from a bedrock of integrity, fairness, social responsibility and enthusiasm for learning, Primrose maintains a nurturing environment and supports students’ social, cognitive, creative and physical development through a specially developed Balanced Learning curriculum.

Primrose’s accreditation through Accredit-Ed/SACSCASI is the state’s highest for early childhood education, and its teachers’ training and standards of excellence exceed all other preschools. It’s a testament to the strength of their educational concept, and to their commitment to helping every young learner excel in every way.

PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF EDMOND

15000 N. Western, Edmond 405.285.6787 primroseedmond.com MARCH 2014 // SLICE 71

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & HIGHER ED

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

72 SLICE // MARCH 2014

FARE CATCH OF THE DAY

With fresh ingredients and a chef’s seasoned advice, a tasty take on Mexican fish tacos is on the hook and ready to be reeled in. See page 74.

CARLI WENTWORTH

TO DO PERU La Brasa’s nonstop culinary samba 76 EAT & DRINK Variety is on the menu in Slice’s citywide dining guide 78

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 73

FARE | In the Kitchen

A FRESH TAKE

By Caryn Ross // Photo by Carli Wentworth

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, MEXICAN FOOD HAS UNDERGONE A RENAISSANCE OF SORTS. Yep, there is only so much yellow “cheese” sauce and chili con carne one region could take! Now we are seeing more authentic Mexican restaurants come to the metro. They are flexing their food muscles and showing that true Mexican food is so much more than plain fajitas or greasy enchiladas. One of the signature dishes you will find is fish tacos.

These sound intimidating, but they are actually quite simple to make.

My secret to making memorable fish tacos is selecting the freshest fish possible.

I prefer mahi-mahi, but any firm fish is really what’s needed. When it comes to the “pile ons,” fresh vegetables and fruit are phenomenal and the right combinations create a truly memorable taco. As to cheese: I believe less is more. Use a Mexican cheese like queso fresco that crumbles so that you can control the amount you put on each taco.

A little goes a long way with a bossy cheese!

For the shell, there is only one option: corn tortillas. Do not even think of using flour.

The taco gods would frown upon you. Plus your grilled fish and “goodies” would just turn it into a soppy mess!

FISH TACOS WITH CILANTRO CREMA 4 mahi-mahi filets 2 T Daddy Hinkle’s spicy pepper seasoning blend 1 t paprika ½ t cumin lime wedges 1 package shredded cole slaw or cabbage 1 c fresh mango, chopped 1 c queso fresco, crumbled 1 avocado, sliced 8-12 corn tortillas, warmed

CILANTRO CREMA ¼ c mayonnaise ¼ c sour cream ¼ c milk 1 T cilantro

74 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Combine the Daddy Hinkle’s seasoning, paprika and cumin in a small bowl to make a rub for the fish. Coat the filets with the seasoning blend and allow to sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

five minutes per side. If you try to flip the fish and it’s sticking, that means it is not ready and you should stop and wait longer to flip. It will release when it has a good crust.

When the fish is done, remove from heat.

To make cilantro crema, simply stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream and milk until smooth. Add in the chopped cilantro. Pour into a squeeze bottle for easy serving.

To assemble your tacos, place two tortillas on a plate. Layer a handful of cabbage, about half a fish filet (depending on size), a sprinkle of queso fresco, avocado and fresh mango into each tortilla. Drizzle with cilantro crema and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Play with other flavor combinations like red onion and tomato until you find your favorite – you can’t go wrong with this fresh take on Mexican food!

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Brush with vegetable oil. Reduce heat to medium high. Take fish filets from the refrigerator and squeeze lime juice over the top. Place filets on the grill and cook for approximately

THE BEST SEAT IN

Oklahoma

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION BY CALLING 405.701.3535 OR ONLINE AT WWW.KDSBRICKTOWN.COM

224 johnny bench drive | lower bricktown OKC | 405.701.3535

www.kdsbricktown.com

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 75

FARE | Matters of Taste

TO DO PERU

LA BRASA PERUVIAN KITCHEN 1310 NW 25th St, OKC 405.524.2251 labrasaokc.com

Lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. daily Dinner 5-9 p.m. Mon, Tue, Thu; 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Sat-Sun

By Steve Gill // Photos by Carli Wentworth

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE, we’re often told, and while some people apply the adage to all kinds of pursuits, it’s most apt in relation to the realm that actually has spice: food. One of the great joys in watching the OKC metro continue to expand and develop is that its restaurant spectrum keeps growing more colorful, allowing us a wider range of opportunities to sample interpretations of familiar classics and new tastes to expand our horizons.

Some of us needed the opportunity for that expansion more than others – for reference, my home town was small enough that for several years its only option for any sort of ethnic cuisine was Chan’s Oriental Restaurant, whose marquee proclaimed “Friday Night Is Catfish Night.” Southeast Oklahoma is not exactly a proving ground for gourmands. But now I get to check off another area of this big, delicious world of ours, thanks to the impressively wide range of flavors found in La Brasa Peruvian Kitchen.

Variety is one of the restaurant’s strong points: Peruvian cuisine incorporates influences from the cuisines of China, Spain, Japan, various parts of Africa and more – basically, name a protein and they can do something delicious to it. Take an opening dish like the Shaking Beef Salad, which features tender slices of soy sauce-sautéed filet mignon drizzled in zesty Asian vinaigrette, or a host of ceviches that 76 SLICE // MARCH 2014

present various seafood bathed in tangy citrus concoctions. The presentation is especially nice in the Halibut Tiradito, a platter of thinly sliced fish coated in a brightly flavorful sauce of aji amarillos (a yellow pepper) and ginger, served with a wooden box containing a pair of inlaid chopsticks.

The entree called Tacu Tacu is built around a slab of seared ribeye steak, topped with a lightly fried egg (because adding a fried egg is almost always a great idea) and served on a stir-fried mixture of rice and beans, and also accompanied by a heap of fried plantains. It’s an ideal setup for trying a bite of this, and a bite of that, and then this and that together, and then perhaps both with a dab of the zippy aioli that comes with the complimentary sweet potato chips …

But if there’s a single house specialty, it’s the Pollo a la Brasa: a rotisserie chicken that’s been marinated in a special combination of spices for two solid days before being roasted in a charcoal oven. Juicy, bursting with complex, lingering flavor and – if you do it correctly – partnered with those delectable fried plantains, it’s worth a trip all by itself.

Whatever you wind up choosing – chicken, pork, shrimp, even the vegetarian “Chaufa a La Brasa” – the dishes are savory and subtly spiced, the dining experience is impressively accoutered and sleek and the culinary journey eminently worth taking. Bon voyage!

QUICK TIPS

Choose wisely. You may be full at the end of your entrĂŠe. You might be in the mood for a churro, or curious about the mango custard.

Do not let that stop you from trying the Tres Leches cake; it’s spectacular.

Consider the vibe. Dinner is a lowlit affair with a techno-flavored soundtrack; the atmosphere is a little less distinctively celebratory at lunch, but it might be easier to hold a group conversation.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 77

Eat & Drink KEY $ $$ $$$

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

Have an addition that you’d like us to consider?

Send establishment name, address, phone number and a brief description (40 words or less) to dining@sliceok. com. Submissions must be received two months prior to publication.

KAISER’S AMERICAN BISTRO Founded in 1918, Kaiser’s boasts a great view, a topnotch buffalo burger and an ice cream soda fountain. 1039 N Walker, OKC, 232.7632 $ LEGEND’S A casually upscale landmark for over 40 years, it still serves exceptional seafood, steaks and more. 1313 W Lindsey, Norman, 329.8888 $$ MUTT’S AMAZING HOT DOGS Inspired creations featuring prime meats like chicken, bison and duck, topped off with tantalizing and unexpected flavor profiles.

1400 NW 23rd, OKC, 525.3647 $ NEBU This airy, accommodating provider of chef-prepared sandwiches, sushi, pizza and more is in the garden wing of the colossal Devon tower. 280 W Sheridan, OKC $ PACKARD’S NEW AMERICAN KITCHEN They’re not kidding about the “new” – the entire menu is infused with thoughtful, innovative ideas. 201 NW 10th, Suite 100, OKC, 605.3771 $$ PARK HOUSE The staunch wine list and great view of the Myriad Gardens add to a menu filled with contemporary American tastes. 125 Ron Norick Blvd, OKC, 445.7080 $$ PICASSO CAFÉ As creative as its neighbors in the Paseo Arts District; zippy sandwiches, salads, pizza and surprises abound. 3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $

AMERICAN

POPS A bit out of the way but worth the drive, this café has burgers, salads, shakes and an unbelievably broad soda selection.

660 W Highway 66, Arcadia, 233.2020 $

ANN’S CHICKEN FRY HOUSE A Route 66 classic with copious decorative memorabilia, and huge portions of excellent chicken-fried steak. 4106 NW 39th, OKC, 943.8915 $

REDROCK CANYON GRILL Rotisserie chicken, enchiladas, pork chops and steak in a casual, energetic, hacienda-style atmosphere by the lake. 9221 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 749.1995 $$

CAFÉ 7 Fast and casual, with varied salad, sandwich, pizza and pasta options, all priced under $7. 14101 N May, OKC, 748.3354; 120 N Robinson, Suite W 175, OKC, 748.3354 $

SATURN GRILL A star of the lunchtime stage with inspired sandwiches, salads and pizza. 4401 W Memorial, OKC 463.5594; 6432 Avondale, OKC, 843.7114; 1012 N Walker, OKC, 606.8182 $

CAFÉ 501 Pizzas, salads and specialty sandwiches on artisan breads. 501 S Boulevard, Edmond, 359.1501; 5825 NW Grand, OKC, 844.1501 $$

SCRATCH Isn’t that the best place for food to come from? Entrees, sides and more are carefully concocted in-house, as are the tantalizing craft cocktails. 132 W Main, Norman, 801.2900 $$

CLASSEN GRILL Deftly done diner deliciousness, especially breakfast. 5124 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 842.0428 $ DEEP FORK GRILL Crisply elegant atmosphere complements superb seafood (cedar plank salmon is a specialty) and steaks. 5418 N Western, OKC, 848.7678 $$ DISTRICT 21 This sleek, inexpensive bastion of creativity is run by Francis Tuttle’s culinary school. 12777 N Rockwell, OKC, 717.7700 $ FANCY THAT Great for a quick lunch, robust dinner or bakery treats. 215 E Main, Norman, 307.0541 $$ FLINT Casual style plus outstanding contemporary cuisine makes a winning combination in the Colcord Hotel. 15 N Robinson, OKC, 601.4300 $$ HEFNER GRILL Oysters St. Charles to grilled pork chops and a tempting brunch to boot; with the ambiance enhancements of a live piano and a spectacular lake view, it’s effortlessly, intimately elegant. 9201 Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 748.6113 $$ INTERURBAN Great food (and prices) in casual comfort – try the chicken-fried steak and anything with honey-pepper bacon. 4 metro locations, interurban.us $$

78 SLICE // MARCH 2014

SYRUP The most enticing meal of the day is at this unique breakfast boutique (the crunchy French toast is something special).

123 E Main, Norman, 701.1143 $ VAST Steaks, seafood and globally inspired American cuisine, with a view truly unparalleled in Oklahoma. 280 W Sheridan, 49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$ WAFFLE CHAMPION A Midtown diner bringing joy to those addicted to its gourmet sweet or savory waffle options.

1212 N Walker, OKC, 525.9235 $ WHISKEY CAKE High-quality locally sourced food served in a homey atmosphere. Enjoy – and don’t forget the namesake dessert. 1845 NW Expressway, OKC, 582.2253 $$

ASIAN 180 MERIDIAN GRILL Blending Asian cuisine with U.S. culture: sirloin with teriyaki butter, hoisin BBQ duck pizza and sushi options. 2541 W Main, Norman, 310.6110 $$ DOT WO GARDEN With an elegantly appointed location, Dot Wo continues its legacy by pairing sumptuous classics of

Chinese cuisine with fiery, fresh sushi.

6161 N May, OKC, 608.2388 $$

bevy of fresh-baked bread. 6606 N Western, OKC, 879.0330 $

GRAND HOUSE A Chinese restaurant that goes the extra mile to provide enjoyable ambiance alongside its excellent cuisine.

2701 N Classen, OKC, 524.7333 $$

BROWN’S BAKERY An incredible selection of delicious traditional and specialty cakes, cookies, breads and other baked goods. 1100 N Walker, OKC, 232.0363 $

GUERNSEY PARK A hidden treasure on an Uptown back street, it’s home to tasty Asian fusion with a hint of French influence. 2418 N Guernsey, OKC, 605.5272 $$

CUPPIES & JOE The name is only part of the story: for cupcakes and coffee and pie and live music and a cozy, trendy vibe and more, take a peek. 727 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.2122 $

O ASIAN FUSION Sublime quality in a wide span of culinary influences – freshly rolled sushi to fiery curry – in cool, vibrant digs. 105 SE 12th, Norman, 701.8899 $$

KITCHEN NO. 324 Seasonally inspired café, coffee curator and craft bakery serving spectacular rustic American cuisine. 324 N Robinson, OKC, 763.5911 $

SAII Rich ambiance boosts expertly done Japanese, Thai and Chinese fare plus stellar sushi. 6900 N May, OKC, 702.7244 $$

LA BAGUETTE Comfort and exquisite baking make a tres chic destination for brunch and beyond. 1130 Rambling Oaks, Norman, 329.1101; 2100 W Main, Norman, 329.5822 $

VII ASIAN BISTRO A bright, sleek interior and savory spate of Chinese and Vietnamese options. 2900 N Classen, OKC, 604.2939 $

BAKERY BIG SKY BREAD Enjoy cookies, scones, brownies or granola, plus an incredible

NONNA’S BAKERY Scrumptious cream pies, cakes and much more founded on family recipes – walk in and pick or call ahead to order. 1 Mickey Mantle, OKC, 235.4410 $ PIE JUNKIE Call ahead to order a whole pie or quiche from the extremely tempting menu or walk in and choose from what’s on hand; either way the flavors are incredible.

1711 NW 16th, OKC, 605.8767 $

“The Big One” Roll CAFÉ ICON

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FARE | Eat & Drink

SARA SARA CUPCAKES The ambiance and milk bar make great additions to the variety of specialty cupcakes in this charming little converted house. 7 NW 9th, OKC, 600.9494 $

BAR // PUB FOOD 51ST STREET SPEAKEASY The energetic joint’s porch and patio are perpetually packed, and the top-shelf spirits and beers flow with abandon. 1114 NW 51st, OKC, 463.0470 $ ABNER’S ALE HOUSE Beers and whiskies of the best, plus knockout dishes aimed at re-creating the true English public house vibe. 121 E Main, Norman, 928.5801 $$ BELLE ISLE BREWERY Live music, handcrafted beers and a great burger selection in 50 Penn Place. 1900 NW Expressway, OKC, 840.1911 $ BLU FINE WINE & FOOD Popular among OU students and Normanites, blu stands out due to quick, courteous service and a menu with gourmet range. 201 S Crawford, Norman, 360.4258 $$ CLUB ONE15 A nightclub vibe with energetic music and three bars, plus a robust menu including fajitas, pasta bowls and seafood. 115 E Sheridan, OKC, 605.5783 $$ DEEP DEUCE GRILL A funky, comfortable alternative to Bricktown crowds, featuring burgers, beer and a peoplewatching patio. 307 NE 2nd, OKC, 235.9100 $ JAMES E. MCNELLIE’S Designed to bring Ireland’s pub culture to OKC, this Midtown hotspot features 350 varieties of beer. 1100 Classen Dr, OKC, 601.7468 $$ MONT, THE Enjoy tempting pub food with a zing of Southwestern flavor (and a Sooner Swirl from the bar) at a Norman landmark with a primo patio. 1300 Classen Blvd, Norman, 329.3330 $ O’CONNELL’S IRISH PUB & GRILLE Beloved by students, alumni and townies alike, it’s been serving up killer burgers, beer and festive atmosphere since 1968.

769 Asp, Norman, 217.8454 $ PELOTON Brake for a handful of apps, sandwiches and salads plus a great wine and beer selection. 900 N Broadway Ave, OKC 605.0513 $ PUB W Multiple atmospheres for whatever hangout vibe you like, and a menu of “new classic” fare from barbeque wings to thick pork chops. 3720 W Robinson, Norman, 701.5844 $$ REPUBLIC GASTROPUB Part beer bar and part upscale eatery, pairing a vast selection of quality brews with imaginative menu items. 5830 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 286.4577 $$ SAINTS An inviting Irish bar where whiskey and beer offerings pair nicely with classics like shepherd’s pie, bangers and fish and chips. 1715 NW 16th, OKC, 602.6308 $$ SEAN CUMMINGS’ Classic Irish fare delivered with engaging and gracious service. Plus, naturally, there’s Guinness on tap. 7523 N May, OKC, 755.2622 $$ URBAN WINEWORKS Made-in-Oklahoma wine paired with haute culinary creations featuring rabbit, duck, pork belly and more. 1749 NW 16th, OKC, 525.9463 $$

and the bevy of TVs and 83 available beers ain’t bad either. 3121 W Memorial, OKC, 608.2200 $$

fresh fries and colossal burgers, easily among the metro’s best. 1202 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999 $

BARBEQUE

S&B’S BURGER JOINT Good news: burgers – with toppings like peanut butter or a coffee crust – come as sliders too, the better to sample more selections. 5 metro locations, sandbburgers.com $

EARL’S RIB PALACE Beloved by locals in a competitive genre, the chain pounds out hit ribs and turkey as well as a top-tier burger.

6 metro locations, earlsribpalace.com $ IRON STARR URBAN BARBEQUE Named for notorious outlaw Belle Starr, its entrees are excellent, but the sides are equal players as well. 3700 N Shartel, OKC, 524.5925 $$ LEO’S BAR-B-Q Rich flavor and tender texture for commendable value – no wonder it’s a recurring favorite among OK connoisseurs. 3631 N Kelley, OKC 424.5367 $ RUDY’S Totally casual – think cafeteria trays and plastic utensils – with brisket and other staples that speak for themselves. 3450 Chautauqua, Norman, 307.0552; 3437 W Memorial, OKC, 254.4712 $$

BURGERS // SANDWICHES BISON WITCHES Monster sandwiches with standout flavors, best enjoyed with a bread bowl of fresh hot soup and a bag of pretzels. 211 E Main, Norman, 364.7555 $ CAFÉ PLAID Fresh sandwiches begging to be combined with sensational salads (veggie, tuna, pasta…) – an ideal lunch spot near OU. 333 W Boyd, Norman, 360.2233 $ COW CALF-HAY The selections are ample and interesting, and the delicious neverfrozen patties are mmmmmassive. 3409 Wynn, Edmond, 509.2333, 212 N Harvey, OKC, 601.6180 $ FLATIRE BURGERS Burgers boasting innovations like sauerkraut, pineapple relish and habanero salsa.100 N University, Edmond, 974.4638; 6315 NW 39th Expwy, Bethany, 603.2822 $ GARAGE BURGERS & BEER, THE The focus is on the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 4 metro locations, eatatthegarage. com $ IRMA’S BURGER SHACK Handmade fries and rings and simply great burgers; try the tasty OK-bred No-Name Ranch beef. 1035 NW 63rd, OKC, 840.4762; 1120 Classen Dr, OKC, 235.4762 $ JOHNNIE’S CHARCOAL BROILER Fresh-ground burgers cooked over real charcoal; try the Cheese Theta or Caesar varieties. 4 metro locations, johnniesok. com $ LOUIE’S GRILL & BAR Casually cool and come-as-you-are bar-type hangouts excelling at inexpensive burgers, sandwiches and pizzas. 12 metro locations, louiesgrillandbar.com $ LOUIE’S ON THE LAKE An unbeatable view of Lake Hefner from the patio adds ambiance to a tasty spate of entrees under $10. 9401 Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 751.2298 $

VZD’S The unusually broad, tasty bar menu draws a substantial lunch crowd; try the turkey burger, the chili or both.

4200 N Western, OKC, 524.4203 $

MULE, THE Solid beer and beverage selection plus delectable gourmet grilled cheeses and melts (ingredients range from fontina to figs). 1630 N Blackwelder, OKC, 601.1400 $

WES WELKER’S The food shows great variety and imagination, like duck nachos,

NIC’S GRILL It’s small, it’s crowded, it’s cash-only… and it’s incredible. Mounds of

80 SLICE // MARCH 2014

SERVICE STATION A former filling station with vintage décor, its Bentleys, Packards and dipsticks are now the names of delicious half-pound burgers and fries. 502 S Webster, Norman, 364.2136 $ SOONER DAIRY LUNCH This modest little drive-in has been cheerfully feeding its staunch fans burgers, fries, tots and shakes for six decades and counting. 1820 W Main, Norman, 321.8526 $

chic ambiance. 7312 N Western, OKC, 843.0073 $$ BLACKBIRD A Campus Corner gastropub pairing delectably creative food – pot roast nachos! – with an expansive beer, wine and whiskey list. 575 S University, Norman, 928.5555 $$ CHEEVER’S Dress up or down for Southwestern-influenced recipes and contemporary comfort food; truly one of the city’s finest destinations for dining out. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$ COACH HOUSE, THE Definitively among the metro’s most elegant, upscale dining experiences: regional specialties prepared with classical perfection. 6437 Avondale, OKC, 842.1000 $$$

TEXADELPHIA The menu draws raves for burgers and wraps, but especially the monstrous made-to-order cheesesteaks.

200 S Oklahoma, OKC, 208.4000 $

GRILLE SIXTEEN Downtown Edmond’s hot spot serves gourmet tapas and entrees to complement the perfect glass of wine. 16 S Broadway, Edmond, 285.5333 $$

TUCKER’S ONION BURGERS A small menu whose bravura execution makes the meal hard to forget. 324 NW 23rd, OKC, 609.2333; 5740 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 286.3331 $

KYLE’S 1025 For an evening of understated sophistication, Kyle’s magnificent steaks, prime seafood, tapas or even meatloaf are a must. 1025 NW 70th, OKC, 840.0115 $$

COFFEEHOUSE // TEA ROOM

LOTTINVILLE’S Rotisserie chicken, woodgrilled salmon and a host of entrees, salads and panini; the Sunday brunch is epic. 801 Signal Ridge, Edmond, 341.2244 $$

ALL ABOUT CHA Universal standards and unusual concoctions (the sweet potato latte is a wonder) in bright, bustling atmosphere.

3272 S Broadway, Edmond, 340.9959; 7300 N Western, OKC, 840.7725 $ BEATNIX CAFÉ, THE Get a sandwich, cup of hearty soup or powerhouse latte in the lovely laid-back vibe that pervades this stressless dawdling spot. 136 NW 13th, OKC, 604.0211 $ CAFÉ EVOKE Outstanding coffee and other beverages from one of the area’s great caterers; plus soup, sandwiches, snacks or sweets. 103 S Broadway, Edmond, 285.1522 $ COFFEE SLINGERS Rocking a brisk, urban vibe on Automobile Alley, it’s a gathering place for genuine java enthusiasts. 1015 N Broadway, OKC, 606.2763 $ ELEMENTAL COFFEE Seriously spectacular coffee roasted in-house passionate staff is always eager to share knowledge about the process. 815 N Hudson, OKC, 633.1703 $ MICHELANGELO’S Enjoy exceptional coffees and wines, a well-stocked pastry case and even breakfast and lunch selections. 207 E Main, Norman, 579.3387 $ PARAMOUNT, THE A Film Row joint with a screening room attached, its all-day beverage menu delivers the stuff dreams are made of. 701 W Sheridan, OKC, 517.0787 $ RED CUP Comfortably ramshackle surroundings, spectacular coffee, baked treats, vegetarian-friendly specials and live music. Highly recommended! 3122 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 525.3430 $ T, AN URBAN TEAHOUSE This endearing retreat offers over 100 varieties and expert counsel to explore a world of possibili-teas. 7518 N May, OKC, 418.4333 $

CONTINENTAL BIN 73 Diners can fill up on filet mignon or simply top the evening off with tapas while enjoying the full bar and

MANTEL, THE Marvelous steaks and seafood (don’t miss the lobster bisque), in a refined, intimate atmosphere. 201 E Sheridan, OKC, 236.8040 $$$ MELTING POT, THE Make a meal an event to remember with an elegant fondue feast. 4 E Sheridan, OKC, 235.1000 $$$ METRO WINE BAR & BISTRO, THE A perennial favorite that’s comfortably upscale, the menu covers culinary wonders from vichyssoise to crème brulée. 6418 N Western, OKC, 840.9463 $$ MICHAEL’S GRILL Thoroughly urbane, intimate dining: excellent steaks, chops, seafood and pastas, and Caesar salad prepared tableside. 2824 W Country Club, OKC, 810.9000 $$$ MUSEUM CAFÉ, THE In the OKC Museum of Art, its European-inspired menu delights for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. 415 Couch, OKC, 235.6262 $$ NONNA’S EURO-AMERICAN RISTORANTE A cozily appointed, opulent atmosphere housing distinctive cuisine and drinks. 1 Mickey Mantle, OKC, 235.4410 $$$ PARK AVENUE GRILL A soigne dining experience inside the luxurious Skirvin Hilton, blending traditional steak and seafood cuisine with 1930s high style. 1 Park, OKC, 702.8444 $$$ PASEO GRILL Quiet and intimate inside and cheerful on the patio, with an awardwinning menu of distinctive flavors – try the duck salad. 2909 Paseo, OKC, 601.1079 $$$ ROCOCO RESTAURANT & FINE WINE A diverse, delicious international menu set off by carefully chosen wines. 12252 N May, OKC, 212.4577; 2824 N Penn, OKC, 528.2824 $$ SEVEN47 A Campus Corner hotspot boasting sleek, swank décor, an appealingly broad menu including a tantalizing brunch and a consistently celebratory vibe. 747 Asp, Norman, 701.8622 $$ SIGNATURE GRILL Unassuming locale; huge culinary rewards of French and

Italian flavors in a few select dishes. 1317 E Danforth, Edmond, 330.4548 $$$

house-brewed beers. 3401 S Sooner, Moore, 799.7666 $$$

toppings, charged by the ounce. 9 metro locations, orangeleafyogurt.com $

WEST The staff is speedy, the décor sleek and modern, and the entrées wide-ranging but elegantly simple. 6714 N Western, OKC, 607.4072 $$

HEALTHY // ECLECTIC

PEACHWAVE A full 50 flavors – every one low-fat or non-fat – of the finest, freshest ingredients in customized combinations. 3 metro locations, peachwaveyogurt.com $

FRENCH LA BAGUETTE BISTRO Fine dining (linger over multiple courses often) with an exceptional bakery, deli and butcher shop on site. 7408 N May, OKC, 840.3047 $$ WHISPERING PINES B&B A secluded getaway housing sumptuous, savory cuisine in quiet comfort. 7820 E Highway 9, Norman, 447.0202 $$$

GERMAN DAS BOOT CAMP Exceptional cuisine (and magnificent beer) in a fast-paced location downtown. 229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $

COOLGREENS Customization encouraged; every available component in salads, wraps and frozen yogurt is naturally delicious. 4 metro locations, coolgreens.com $$ EARTH, THE Super, super fresh sandwiches, salads and soups in one of the most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly menus you’ll ever see. 750 Asp, Norman, 573.5933 $ LOCAL Using fine, fresh regionally sourced ingredients, its menu changes seasonally but its warm atmosphere is constant. 2262 W Main, Norman, 928.5600 $$ LUDIVINE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$

INDIAN GOPURAM – TASTE OF INDIA A fullservice restaurant with the feel of fine dining, even during the inexpensive and plentiful lunch buffet. 4559 NW 23rd, OKC, 948.7373 $$ KHAZANA INDIAN GRILL The food is superior and very fresh; the staff is delightful, and new diners can even get a guide. 4900 N May, OKC, 948.6606 $$ MISAL OF INDIA A Norman institution for over 30 years, specializing in tandooricooked delicacies in splendid ambiance.

580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, 579.5600 $$ TAJ A tremendous set of Indian staples and delicacies, plus full lunch and dinner buffets. 1500 NW 23rd, OKC, 601.1888 $$

INGRID’S Authentic German fare, including outstanding Oklahoma-made bratwurst. Don’t overlook breakfast, or the bakery counter! 3701 N Youngs, OKC, 946.8444 $$

ICE CREAM // YOGURT

OLD GERMANY RESTAURANT Justly renowned for its Bavarian delights – the schnitzels, soups and sausages are spectacular. 15920 SE 29th, Choctaw, 390.8647 $$$

IL DOLCE GELATO Rich, creamy and decadently delicious, handmade daily from scratch. 937 SW 25th St, Moore, 794.7266; 1318 N Interstate Dr, Norman, 329.7744 $

BELLINI’S Tasteful in décor and Italian offerings alike, this romantic nightspot quietly, confidently exudes elegance.

6305 Waterford Blvd, OKC, 848.1065 $$

ROYAL BAVARIA Excellent renditions of traditional dishes, plus fantastisch

ORANGE LEAF Dozens and dozens of tasty, waistline-friendly flavors and

BENVENUTI’S Subtly flavored minestrone to rich, hearty ragouts, the fare keeps

ITALIAN // PIZZA

the booths full; don’t overlook Sunday brunch. 105 W Main, Norman, 310.5271 $$ CAFFE PRANZO The atmosphere raises first-time diners’ hopes; the execution exceeds them as classic dishes are elevated to greatness. 9622 N May, OKC, 755.3577 $$ EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style, it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1734 NW 16th, OKC $ GABRIELLA’S A fresh chapter in the family’s delectable legacy; one bite of the homemade Italian sausage should win diners’ hearts with ease. 1226 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.4955 $$ HIDEAWAY PIZZA Incredible pizza in jovial surroundings; it’s amassed a devoted following for over half a century.

7 metro locations, hideawaypizza.com $$ HUMBLE PIE PIZZERIA No humility needed for this true Chicago-style pizza, boasting perhaps the best crust known to man. 1319 S Broadway, Edmond, 715.1818 $ JOEY’S A creative pizzeria on OKC’s Film Row, Joey’s serves first-rate appetizers and salads along with its mouth-watering pies. 700 W Sheridan, OKC, 525.8503 $$ OTHELLO’S Warm mussels to tiramisu – all you could want in a romantic Italian café. 434 Buchanan, Norman, 701.4900; 1 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.9045 $$ PIZZA 23 A tempting suite of specialty pies and good beer selection in crisp, urban décor. 600-B NW 23rd St, OKC, 601.6161 $$

fresh, healthy, tasty…

Magical Family Nights begin March 18 333 NW 5 TH STREET 405.601.1644 920 N LINCOLN BOULEVARD 405.239.2233 NEW LOCATION OPENING MARCH 2014 AT ACCESS MIDSTREAM PARTNERS! 525 CENTRAL PARK DRIVE | OKLAHOMA CITY

SHE SNORES MORE THAN I DO, BUT I STILL LOVE MY HUMAN.

Treat your family to a kid-friendly meal with mystifying magic at your tableside. Choose from the regular Melting Pot menu or feast on our three-course Special Family Menu.

— BANDIT adopted 11-26-09

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED | MELTINGPOT.COM 4 E SHERIDAN AVE., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73104 | (405) 235-1000 *Some restrictions apply. Tax and gratuity not included. Not valid with any other promotional offer, discount or dip certificate. No rain checks. No cash value. See store for details. Valid at this location only.

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 81

FARE | Eat & Drink

Experience

Fine Dining at

SOPHABELLA’S A quiet, classy gem offering premier tastes from Chicago and beyond in style. 7628 N May, OKC, 879.0100 $$$ STELLA MODERN ITALIAN CUISINE A luscious spate of tastes for a casual lunch, romantic dinner or brunch, amid stylish scenery. 1201 N Walker, OKC, 235.2200 $$ UPPER CRUST This pizzeria and wine bar specializes in thin-crust, New York-style pies. 5860 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 842.7743; 1205 NW 178th, Edmond, 285.8887 $$ VICTORIA’S A shabby-comfortable atmosphere with local art on its walls and the art of pasta on its plates – try the chicken lasagna. 327 White, Norman, 329.0377 $

Francis Tuttle School of Culinary Arts

VITO’S RISTORANTE Homestyle Italian cuisine in an intimate setting where the staff treat customers like guests in their home. 7521 N May, OKC, 848.4867 $$

D e D i c at e D t o e x c e l l e n c e i n c u l i n a r y e D u c at i o n

Serving as a capstone experience for students, District 21 offers seasonal, modern american cuisine in a shared-plate environment.

WEDGE, THE Wood-fired pizzas starring fresh ingredients (including figs and truffle oil) and made-from-scratch sauces. 230 NE 1st, OKC, 270.0660; 4709 N Western, OKC, 602.3477 $$

JAPANESE // SUSHI Open Tuesday through Friday, with dinner seatings between 6 and 8:30 Call 717.7700 for reservations 12777 N. Rockwell Avenue d21dining.com

CAFÉ ICON Tempting sushi and Japanese specialties fill the menu to bursting with visually splendid and palate-pleasing treats. 311 S Blackwelder, Edmond, 340.8956 $$ GOGO SUSHI Prime for lovers of speed and convenience – go go check it out! 1611 S Service Rd, Moore, 794.3474; 432 NW 10th, OKC, 602.6333 $$

SODA-LICIOUS! +600 SODAS WITH NEW FLAVORS ARRIVING WEEKLY!

660 W. HIGHWAY 66, ARCADIA, OK 405.928.POPS OR 1-877-266-POPS | WWW.POPS66.COM

IN THE RAW DUNWELL SUSHI A chic space on the Bricktown Canal offering excellent sushi, specialty rolls and sake.

200 S Oklahoma, OKC, 702.1325 $$ MUSASHI’S Exquisitely flavorful Japanese cuisine prepared with genuine artistry by skilled chefs at tableside hibachi grills. 4315 N Western, OKC, 602.5623 $$ SUSHI BAR, THE Sushi staples done with élan, as well as options starring more adventurous ingredients, in a bustling, comfortable environment. 1201 NW 178th, OKC, 285.7317 $$ SUSHI NEKO An established OKC favorite combining style (sleek, brisk, classy) with substance (in a broad and creative menu).

4318 N Western, OKC, 528.8862 $$ TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT It’s small with a traditional menu; but it’s palpably fresh and routinely cited as among the metro’s best. 7516 N Western, OKC, 848.6733 $$

MEDITERRANEAN AVANTI BAR & GRILL Casual elegance with contemporary Italian menu twists: crab falafel, bolognese pizza and more. 13509 Highland Park, OKC, 254.5200 $$ BASIL MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ Chicken Bandarri, Beef Souvlaki or a fresh bowl of tangy tabouli; flavor leaps from every corner of the menu. 211 NW 23rd, OKC, 602.3030 $

82 SLICE // MARCH 2014

QUEEN OF SHEBA A spicy, vegan-friendly menu of Ethiopian delights awaits the bold. Bring friends and be prepared to linger. 2308 N MacArthur, OKC, 606.8616 $$ ZORBA’S Family recipes proudly share flavors of Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Morocco. 6014 N May, OKC, 947.7788 $

MEXICAN // LATIN AMERICAN 1492 Authentic Mexican cuisine in an elegant atmosphere, with a romantic setting and perhaps the best mojitos in the universe. 1207 N Walker, OKC, 236.1492 $$ ABUELO’S The variety, plates, flavors and experience are all huge. No passport required. 17 E Sheridan, OKC, 235.1422; 3001 W Memorial, OKC, 755.2680 $$ BIG TRUCK TACOS It’s nearly always standing-room-only at lunch, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying fast, fresh, imaginative taco creations. 530 NW 23rd, OKC, 525.8226 $ CAFÉ DO BRASIL It’s a long way to Rio, but the spicy, savory menu covers the distance in a mouthful. 440 NW 11th, OKC, 525.9779 $$ CAFÉ KACAO A sunlit space filled with bright, vibrant Guatemalan flavors. The breakfast specialties truly dazzle. 3325 N Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $ CANTINA LAREDO A sophisticated take on Mexican fare, specializing in fresh fish and Angus beef. 1901 NW Expressway (in Penn Square Mall), OKC, 840.1051 $$ CHUY’S The portions are substantial, the Hatch chile-fueled flavors are strong and the vibe is playfully enthusiastic. 760 N Interstate Dr, Norman, 360.0881 $$ FUZZY’S TACO SHOP Jumbo burritos and big, flavorful salads – and, with emphasis, shrimp tacos – quickly and in plenitude.

752 Asp, Norman, 701.1000; 208 Johnny Bench, OKC, 602.3899 $ IGUANA MEXICAN GRILL Unique Mexican flavor in a fun atmosphere at reasonable prices. 9 NW 9th, OKC, 606.7172; 6482 Avondale, OKC, 607.8193 $$ INCA TRAIL Flavors from around the world, piquant ceviches to homemade flan. 10948 N May, OKC, 286.0407 $$ LA BRASA Flavors of Peru make for a powerfully delicious dining experience in ceviches, sandwiches, fried rice and other entrees. 1310 NW 25th, OKC, 524.2251 $$ LA LUNA Its festive cantina-style atmosphere only adds to the enjoyment of classic fajitas, enchiladas and bold dishes like the carne ranchera. 409 W Reno, OKC, 235.9596 $$ MAMA ROJA MEXICAN KITCHEN Handrolled tamales, vendor-style tacos and signature dishes, on the scenic shores of Lake Hefner. 9219 E Lake Hefner Pkwy, OKC, 302.6262 $$ MAMAVECA Familiar Mexican favorites plus the diverse delights of Peruvian cuisine. 2551 W Hemphill, Norman, 573.4003 $$

MEDITERRANEAN IMPORTS & DELI Selected groceries and a menu stocked with options; the food is authentic, quick and spectacular. 5620 N May, OKC, 810.9494 $

TARAHUMARA’S This airy, unassuming ristorante serves huge, tasty Tex-Mex classics plus less ubiquitous fare like carnitas de puerco and mole poblano. 702 N Porter, Norman, 360.8070 $$

NUNU’S Tangy, tantalizing, fresh and healthy flavors, reproduced from generations-old recipes. 3131 W Memorial, OKC, 751.7000 $

TED’S CAFÉ ESCONDIDO Fast, fresh and amply portioned, it’s often very crowded and always supremely delicious. 4 metro locations, tedscafe.com $$

! t s e W t a t ee M ’ s t e L

BOOK YOUR RESERVATION TODAY! ½ Price Off Select Appetizers During Happy Hour 3-6pm

Brunch Every Saturday and Sunday 10-4

Book Private Parties/Events in Our North Room

6714 N. Western Avenue | Oklahoma City | 405.607.4072 | www.westbar.com MARCH 2014 // SLICE 83

A SHORT DRIVE WELL WORTH YOUR TIME

FARE | Eat & Drink

YUCATAN TACO STAND Latin fusion cuisine like paella and tamales plus signature nachos and combos… and over 75 tequilas. 100 E California, Suite 110, OKC, 886.0413 $ ZARATE’S The familiar joys of enchiladas and chimichangas, plus Peruvian dishes featuring plantains, yuca and imported spices. 706 S Broadway, Edmond, 330.6400 $$

SEAFOOD FISH CITY GRILL Shrimp and grits, oysters on the half shell… anyone who wishes Oklahoma had a coastline should feel right at home. 1389 E 15th, Edmond, 348.2300 $$ HILLBILLY PO BOYS Unassuming name; mighty appealing flavor in tasty seafood sandwiches and the licit thrill of moonshine cocktails. 1 NW 9th, OKC, 702.9805 $ JAZMO’Z BOURBON STREET CAFÉ An upscale yet casual environment boasting Cajun and Creole-inspired selections. 100 E California, OKC, 232.6666 $$

UMBRELLAS • REPLACEMENT CUSHIONS IN STOCK

www.swansonsfireplaceandpatio.com

PEARL’S CRABTOWN A huge Bricktown warehouse where the Crab Boil is a favorite and taste is king. 303 E Sheridan, OKC, 232.7227 $$ PEARL’S OYSTER BAR A perennial winner in “best of the metro” polls for fresh, flavorful seafood and spicy Creoleinspired dishes. 5641 N Classen, OKC, 848.8008 $$ SHACK SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR, THE A massive selection of nicely spiced Cajun and Creole cooking, plus fried and grilled seafood. 13801 Quail Pointe Dr, OKC, 286.5959 $$

SOUL FOOD BIGHEAD’S Fried alligator, frog legs and simmering, savory seafood gumbo – it’s a bayou treat right nearby. 617 S Broadway, Edmond, 340.1925 $$ THE DRUM ROOM Crispy, juicy fried chicken (among the city’s best) stars with fried okra, waffles and a fully loaded bar.

4300 N Western, OKC, 604.0990 $$ KD’S Pork chops, seafood grits and more of Kevin Durant’s favorite foods, presented with skill and vim – and a dose of star power. 224 Johnny Bench Dr, OKC, 701.3535 $$ MAMA E’S WINGS & WAFFLES A labor of love adored by locals seeking Southern classics flavored with authenticity. 3838 Springlake, OKC, 424.0800; 900 W Reno, OKC, 231.1190 $

STEAKHOUSE BOULEVARD STEAKHOUSE Perfectly soigné ambiance and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sumptuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard, Edmond, 715.2333 $$$ CATTLEMEN’S An Oklahoma institution over 100 years old, its huge corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew, OKC, 236.0416 $$ HOLLIE’S FLATIRON STEAKHOUSE Plush and cozy, with entrees seared on a flatiron grill and a kick of Southwestern spice in the menu. 1199 Service Rd, Moore, 799.0300 $$ JAMIL’S STEAKHOUSE Steak, lobster or prime rib with Lebanese appetizers gratis – Jamil’s has fed Oklahoma

84 SLICE // MARCH 2014

well since 1964. 4910 N Lincoln, OKC, 525.8352 $$ JUNIOR’S A landmark Oil Center building restaurant where hand-cut Angus steaks and lobster fight for attention with knockout fried chicken.

2601 NW Expressway, OKC, 848.5597 $$$ MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE The ambiance and service are sublime, but steak is the star: fine handselected custom-aged beef, broiled to perfection. 3241 W Memorial, OKC, 748.5959 $$$ MICKEY MANTLE’S This lushly atmospheric social spot in Bricktown serves powerhouse entrées and sides and with full amenities. 7 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 272.0777 $$$ OPUS PRIME STEAKHOUSE Supreme upscale dining via hand-cut USDA Prime Black Angus steaks, a vast wine selection and intimate ambience. 800 W Memorial, OKC, 607.6787 $$$ RANCH STEAKHOUSE The effortlessly opulent Ranch offers custom-aged hand-cut tenderloins and ribeyes, warm hospitality and unbridled Southern comfort. 3000 W Britton, OKC, 755.3501 $$$ RED PRIMESTEAK Visionary design and atmosphere house super-premium steaks, vibrant, imaginative flavors and amenities to make world-class dining.

504 N Broadway, OKC, 232.2626 $$$ TWELVE OAKS Lobster, seafood and divine steak, enhanced even more by the ambiance of a hilltop Victorian home.

6100 N Midwest, Edmond, 340.1002 $$$

THAI PAD THAI Dine in comfortably or carry out beautifully executed exemplars of the form: delicately flavored or searingly spiced soups, curries, and noodle dishes.

119 W Boyd, Norman, 360.5551 $ SALA THAI Pineapple curry, basil squid, cinnamon beef... the variety is exceptional, and the create-your-own lunch special is a popular midday option.

1614 NW 23rd, OKC, 528.8424 $ SWEET BASIL The enormous aquarium adds to the cozy ambiance; with its outstanding curries and soups, it makes a great dinner date. 211 W Main, Norman, 217.8424 $$ TANA THAI There’s a lot to like here, from red snapper filet to pad thai. Pay attention to the soups, and do not play chicken with the spice level. 10700 N May, OKC, 749.5590 $$

VIETNAMESE CORIANDER CAFÉ Updating traditional Vietnamese recipes with modern sensibilities, this vegetarian-friendly café makes a quick, casual dining alternative.

323 White, Norman, 801.3958 $ LIDO Spring rolls to vermicelli bowls, this venerable diner runs the gamut of Vietnamese,Chinese and even French cuisine. 2518 N Military, OKC, 521.1902 $$ PHO CA DAO Amid vermicelli bowls, rice platters and more, the main draws are still piping hot pho and icy cold bubble tea. 2431 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 521.8819 $ PHO BULOUS Super fresh and super fast, specialties like Honey Ginger Chicken or Wasabi Salmon merit closer inspection.

3409 S Broadway, Edmond, 475.5599 $

PURSUITS

DEEP FOCUS

Brett Weston’s semi-abstract “Untitled [leaves, Hawaii]” is part of a pair of new exhibits at the OKC Museum of Art that display the depth of Weston and Ansel Adams, and prove lack of color is no bar to beauty. See page 88.

TOP 10 Prime starting points for making the most of the month 86 SPOTLIGHT OCCC’s Cultural Arts Series flips over cushy new digs 92 GETTING AWAY Heading west for a sight-studded road trip through Arizona 94 SEE & DO March’s music, theater, visual arts and other delights 98 MARCH 2014 // SLICE 85

PURSUITS | High Points

The Top

By Steve Gill

IT’S A BIG, BUSY METRO OUT THERE – IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO EVERYTHING, HERE’S WHERE TO START.

SUPPORTING SHADE

March 1, Cox Center Oklahoma has a rich history of generosity in rallying to join the fight against AIDS, but it’s a moving target: while more people are living longer and better lives with HIV infections, nearly 40 percent of new cases are citizens in their 20s, making prevention education a priority. Fortunately, a prime vehicle for providing fundraising assistance is the always-elegant formal delight Red Tie Night.

BLOWN, AWAY

March 2, Santa Fe Depot The advent of spring means an end to the Winter Wind concert series, but the Performing Arts Studio still has a couple of aces up its sleeve in the form of outstanding acoustic talents scheduled to visit the Santa Fe Depot. Mark Erelli loves playing every bit as much as songwriting, and with a resume that ranges from Western swing to lullabies, he’s thoroughly adept at both.

CREATION SONG

March 7-29, In Your Eye Gallery For its March show, the Paseo Arts District gallery moves toward the abstract via the work of MtnWoman Silver. In “Sounds of Self,” the artist’s fluidly color-filled paintings are wrought on varied surfaces and using different tools; the constant is the persistent influence of the music to which she routinely listens during her creative process.

THE LURE OF VENICE

March 8, Embassy Suites Norman Supplying a citywide network of canals instead of roads might be a bridge too far (so to speak), but the Junior League of Norman is ready to roll out all the rest of the mystique and excitement of a Venetian Carnevale at its annual gala; dancing to Avenue, relishing a taster’s affair and vying for travel packages and more at auction await the adventurous.

86 SLICE // MARCH 2014

Eli Casiano, “Phantom Mouse”

Among the Young at Art March 7-8, OKC Farmers Public Market

The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is always eager for fresh talents to get their careers moving. Artists under 30 are the stars as Nathan Lee and Samantha Dillehay curate the annual fete Momentum, featuring Eli Casiano, Elliott Robbins, Katy Seals and more of the cream of the state’s budding creative crop in a two-night exhibition.

CIRQUE DU SO LUSCIOUS

March 20, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Putting 25 elite local restaurants into one tent would result in a big top indeed … and that’s exactly what’s in store for diners at the circusthemed 27th iteration of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Chef’s Feast event. The proceedings will be a joy to remember, and proceeds help fight childhood hunger. Step right up!

THE BIG TIME

March 21, Film Row District A block party for the ages – and for all ages, and also pets – lights up the stretch of West Sheridan through live jams from local musicians, a bevy of gourmet food trucks, new art by Erin Shaw, kids’ activities, film screenings, more music, more food, tons of joie de vivre and no admission charge. Sponsored by Fowler Honda, Premiere on Film Row is a Mardi-Gras themed act you must get in on.

THE ONLY NOW

March 29, MAINSITE Contemporary Art The Norman Arts Council invites you to share in the experience of an event that’s truly in a class by itself: it’s the NAC’s only annual fundraiser, a night that unites the city’s visual creative community, culinary scene and musical spheres in a single sublime shindig.

There’s nothing else like the ONE Event.

ETERNAL SPIRIT

March 25-26, OKC Civic Center China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, ripe with more than five millennia of cultural traditions … and here it is. Spectacular martial arts-derived dance, a live orchestra, gorgeously detailed costumes and skits and reenactments of folklore and more combine for a masterful summation of the soul of a people: Shen Yun is simply divine.

DRINK DEEP

PHOTOS: MARK ERELLI BY RODNEY BURSIEL, SHEN YUN COURTESY SHEN YUN, PINK MARTINI BY CHRIS HORNBECKER

March 29, OKC Civic Center A late – and thoroughly welcome – addition to the season schedule for the OKC Philharmonic’s Pops series brings the delightful dozen-or-so members of the self-described “little orchestra” back to the metro; Pink Martini is visiting to celebrate the March release of its newest album “Dream a Little Dream” in conjunction with old friend China Forbes and new collaborators the von Trapps (who know a little something about the sound of music).

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PURSUITS | Spotlight

Brett Weston, “Untitled [mud cracks]” 1954 and Brett Weston “Untitled [tree bark]” ca. 1975 (next page)

MONOCHROME MARVELS

By Steve Gill

COLOR ISN’T THE ONLY TOOL IN AN ARTIST’S ARSENAL – while the dozens of works on display in the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s newest pair of exhibitions are lacking in vivid hues, they’re anything but lifeless and dull. Two of America’s photographic legends combine for an intensely beautiful viewing experience showcasing the sky above our heads, the earth beneath our feet and the incredible potential of black-and-white film.

Names don’t come any bigger than Ansel Adams; he’s probably the most famous photographer who’s ever lived. Besides developing his own considerable gifts through taking more than 40,000 photographs during his career, he helped refine the science of the medium by co-formulating the Zone System to determine proper exposure for a given shot and, perhaps most importantly, popularized the idea that a camera could be more than a tool for documenting individual moments. In his words, “Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas; it is a creative art.”

For its first century, it simply wasn’t considered an art form, and if that seems strange to us now, it’s because Adams and his successful

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efforts to develop recognition for his name and work helped elevate the medium in the public consciousness.

Adams was also a staunch environmentalist, joining the Sierra Club at 17 and spending the remainder of his life campaigning for the preservation of nature. He helped organize the first museum photography department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, created the first academic photography department at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 by Jimmy Carter for his efforts as a “visionary and environmentalist.”

Organized by the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, the exhibition “Ansel Adams: An American Perspective” will feature nearly 60 examples of his work from 1920 through 1965, including notable highlights such as “Monolith, the Face of Half Dome,” “Yosemite National Park (1927),” “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (1941)” and “Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite Valley, California (1944).”

It’s intended to provide an overview of Adams’ life – from his early years when he discovered the beauty and solace of the American West with images of Sierra Nevada, Yosemite Valley and Glacier National Park, to his later portraits of close friends and fellow artists. As the museum puts it, the exhibition “introduces lesser-known aspects of Adams’ work alongside his most celebrated images that, in the age of climate change and urban sprawl, continue to strike a chord in our collective awareness and satisfy our ideas of natural beauty.”

Where Adams was inspired to investigate photography in his adolescence during a particularly inspirational trip to Yosemite and never lost his love for portraying the beauties of the natural landscape, Brett Weston was practically born with silver nitrate

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PURSUITS | Spotlight

(clockwise from top) Ansel Adams “Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California,” 1944; Brett Weston, “Untitled [broken glass]” 1954; Brett Weston, “Untitled [dead leaf, Hawaii]” ca. 1985

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(top) Ansel Adams “Georgia O’Keeffe and Orville Cox, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona,” 1937; Ansel Adams “Alfred Stieglitz and Painting by Georgia O’Keeffe, An American Place, New York,” 1944

in his blood: his father was a renowned photographer (Edward Weston was a co-founder of San Francisco photography conclave Group f/64 with Adams), and from his earliest frames the younger Weston exhibited a knack for abstraction.

Like Adams, Weston began exploring photography in his teens. At the age of 13, he accompanied his father to Mexico, where he was exposed to the works of revolutionary artists like Diego Rivera and José Orozco, who influenced his sense of form and composition – this was the point at which he began taking his own photographs using his father’s camera. He began to exhibit his own works and received international attention after being included in an important German exhibition, eventually exhibiting in Group f/64 alongside his father and Adams himself. Though Weston preferred close-ups to panoramic vistas, he did share with his pioneering predecessor an appreciation for the importance of the individual in the medium’s success: Weston said that “The camera for an artist is just another tool. Beyond the rudiments, it is up to the artist to create art, not the camera.”

Throughout his career, on photographic trips across the country and the world, Weston repeatedly focused (so to speak) on natural subjects like tangled kelp, plant leaves and knotted roots. He exhibited in his craft a preference for high-contrast imagery, examining abstract form more often by concentrating on details – historian Beaumont Newhall credited him as the first artist to make negative space the subject of a photograph.

Concurrently with the Ansel Adams show, the OKC Museum of Art will present “Brett Weston: Land, Sea and Sky,” an exhibition celebrating a recent gift of 150 Weston photographs to the museum from Christian Keesee. That’s unquestionably a large number, but it represents only part of the total picture; since 2004, Keesee has donated a total of 360 photographs, transforming the museum into a major repository of Weston’s oeuvre.

This exhibition will include pieces dating from 1940 to 1985, mainly portraying mud, rock and ice abstractions, and will also feature examples highlighting the artist’s travels to far-flung worldwide locales like Baja California, Michigan, Florida, Alaska, Mexico and Japan.

COMING INTO FOCUS

The dual exhibits “Ansel Adams: An American Perspective” and “Brett Weston: Land, Sea and Sky” will be on display March 15 through June 1 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive. For hours or more information, visit okcmoa.com or call 236.3100.

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PURSUITS | Spotlight

NOW SEATING

By Steve Gill // Photos courtesy OCCC

THEATRE – IN THE SENSE OF PRESENTING A LIVE DRAMATIC OR MUSICAL PERFORMANCE TO AN AUDIENCE – doesn’t actually require a theater per se; actors can ply their crafts in front of campfires or on rocky hillsides or in dusty barns. But a good performance space can be both a valuable resource and an inspiration for those who tread its boards – Oklahoma City Community College has a new muse, and its name is VPAC: the new Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.

Conceived and designed as a state-of-the-art venue capable of hosting large Broadway touring productions, the theater is equipped with the same light and sound equipment that can be found in facilities such as the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, with an orchestra pit that can accommodate a 20-piece ensemble. The thoroughly ADA-compliant auditorium features eight box seats, 306 balcony seats, 375 upper orchestra seats and 360 lower orchestra seats. Oh, and – naturally – a fully stocked concession stand. The stage and building are acoustically advanced and adaptable to different scales of performance; plus, with the flip of a switch, the theater can become a movie screening facility with 7.1 surround sound – a perfect addition considering the prominence of OCCC’s revered Film and Video Production program.

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IN WITH THE NEW

Patti Page

A 14-foot-tall sculpture consisting of a stylized representation of the college’s initials greets visitors at the entrance of the theater center; titled “Crescendo,” it’s the work of local artist Collin Rosebrook.

Other local artists and student creators will have a space to display pieces, and some students will gain experience as docents, in the Inasmuch Foundation Gallery adjacent to the theater’s west wing. Its first exhibitor, Desmond Mason, called it “perfect,” adding that “this is one of the nicest galleries I’ve ever seen.”

The VPAC also features a rehearsal room, library, six classrooms, seven studios, seven labs and 12 faculty offices.

“These changes have been in the making for 10 years,” said Lemuel Bardeguez, OCCC’s director of cultural programs. “The college had a dream all those years ago to serve Oklahoma City’s south side with facilities like these. This is the product of that dream.”

Curtain up.

The inaugural performance in this magnificent new space is mere weeks away: a one-night production of “Flipside: The Patti Page Story” on Wednesday, March 12. The show was written by UCO’s Greg White from interviews with the chanteuse herself, and tells the story of a soft-spoken Oklahoma native who became one of the highest-selling female recording artists in history.

Born in Claremore as Clara Fowler, Page rose to the very top of the airwaves: she was the topcharting female vocalist and the best-selling female recording artist during the 1950s, and sold over 100 million albums in her career. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy last year.

This off-Broadway musical about “The Singing Rage” features 23 of her chart-topping hits including “Tennessee Waltz,” “Old Cape Cod,” “Mockin’ Bird Hill” and “Allegheny Moon,” as well as possibly her most famous creation, “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?”

For tickets to or more information about this first performance in the VPAC (hooray!), visit occc.edu/cas or call 682.7579.

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PURSUITS | Getting Away

Go West!

The drive from Cottonwood to Flagstaff, Arizona, takes just over an hour. My husband and I did it in four days. We were busy every minute and had to skip several promising sites. This stretch of highway – and the surrounding area – is prime for an über road trip.

BY ELAINE WARNER

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VERDE VALLEY How the West Was Wine THE TOWN OF COTTONWOOD is the queen city of the Verde Valley in central Arizona. Located on one of three good places to cross the Verde River, it became popular as a camping spot for travelers west. Permanent white settlement began in the 1870s.

Old Town Cottonwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and, although the city has moved and modernized to the south, it’s the historic downtown that makes it worth visiting. Main Street is lined with interesting little shops, great places to eat and several wine tasting rooms. No painted ponies or buffalo here; local art icons are painted wine barrels – appropriate since the area has an increasingly popular wine trail.

I’ll be honest. Setting a glass of wine in front of me is like putting a Monet in front of a monkey. That said, Jack and I had a great time touring and tasting at a variety of wineries.

On the banks of the Verde River, Alcantara specializes in Rhone, Bordeaux and Italian-style wines. It’s the largest producer of estate wines in central Arizona. Zinfandel vines grow at Javelina Leap Vineyard in nearby Cornville. Bold reds are their specialty. Their cheese, deli and fruit presentations are works of art – a lunch stop here is a great idea. Down the road, Deb Wahl’s Oak Creek Vineyards and Winery grows Chardonnay, Fume Blanc, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel grapes. She also produces two port wines. Small bites are available and her wine and chocolate pairings are particularly irresistible. Also in the neighborhood, Page Springs Cellars produces Rhone-style wines and tasty plates, and boasts a beautiful deck overlooking Oak Creek.

Back in historic Old Town, we visited Burning Tree Cellars, Arizona Stronghold Tasting Room and Pillsbury Wine Company.

All have award-winning wines but by the time we got here, I had to stop sampling!

In the Neighborhood USE COTTONWOOD AS A BASE TO EXPLORE: Early Native American sites at Montezuma Castle, ancient Sinagua dwellings built into a sheer cliff; Montezuma Well, a circular sinkhole with brilliant blue spring-fed water and an early 12th century Hohokam house; and Tuzigoot, remains of a Sinagua village built between 1125 and 1400.

Painted barrel on the Verde Valley Wine Trail

PLEASURES AND PRIORITIES THE TAVERN HOTEL – a chic boutique hotel in the heart of Old Town.

NIC’S ITALIAN STEAK AND CRAB HOUSE – chef/co-owner Michelle Jurisin’s Italian heritage and East coast background bring authenticity and diversity to the menu.

SCHOOLHOUSE RESTAURANT – Chef/owner Christopher Dobrowolski tweaks old favorites with creative twists in a historic 1906 schoolhouse.

CREMA CAFÉ – self-described as a craft kitchen with espresso, bar and creamery. We were so impressed with breakfast we came back for lunch!

Crema Café: great breakfasts, salads, sandwiches and more

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PURSUITS | Getting Away

The Chapel of the Holy Cross, designed by sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a pupil of Frank Lloyd Wright, soars above a sandstone cliff.

12th century Sinagua ruins at Montezuma Castle

Jerome, a former ghost town clinging to the side of a steep hill, is now a thriving art colony. For background start at the Jerome State Historic Park museum in the mansion of one of the town’s copper mining moguls, James S. Douglas. Visit Bitter Creek and Caduceus tasting rooms – Bitter Creek has a spectacular view – and art galleries. Don’t miss Nellie Bly, the world’s largest kaleidoscope store.

Verde Canyon Railroad offers a fourhour trip to enjoy the view along the upper Verde River – spectacular scenery, wildlife and ancient ruins.

Heading north from Sedona, we entered one of the state’s most beautiful spots, Oak Creek Canyon. Photos don’t do the canyon justice – deep shadows from the forest and towering cliffs make photography challenging. We picnicked at one of the many areas along the creek, serenaded by the splashing water, chattering squirrels and chirping of Sedona ATV Adventure Tours takes guests off-road for scenic views of Sedona’s famous red rocks.

tree in order to fly an American flag. The settlement that grew up on the spot was called Flagstaff. Later travelers came through town on Route 66 and today’s visitors can still find icons of the Mother Road.

We traveled a different path through town – the Flagstaff Ale Trail. Armed with our Passport (check flagstaffaletrail.com) we walked the one-mile, downtown route, stopping at six different brew pubs. And we found a fantastic pizza place, Pizzicletta.

Owner/chef Caleb Schiff combines his love of Italy, bicycling and his fantastic Neapolitan pizza oven into a big experience in a tiny eatery.

There is lots to explore here but we were short on time, so we settled for the Lowell Observatory, marveling at the 138-year-old Clark telescope and finding an Oklahoma connection with astronaut Thomas Stafford and the Apollo missions. We also squeezed in a visit to the outstanding Museum of Northern Arizona, whose extensive holdings include wonderful collections of Native American basketry, pottery and jewelry.

Red Rocks Rock SEDONA AND VICINITY IS FAMOUS for its colorful geology – thank you, iron oxide.

Jack and I got up close and personal and even ate a little rust – I mean dust – on a tour with Arizona ATV Adventure Tours.

Training, gloves, goggles, helmets and bandanas are supplied on these great halfday tours. Just remember two things – go before you go and don’t wear white pants!

Sedona itself is noted as a celebrity hangout with upscale shopping and fine dining – and for the metaphysically minded, its energy vortices. To get acquainted with the area, you can’t beat Sedona Trolley City and Scenic Tours. Their two different fullynarrated, 55-minute tours take you through south Sedona with a stop at the stunning Chapel of the Holy Cross or out of town into the rocks and trees of Coconino National Forest. We took them both!

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unseen birds. A cozy, century-old cabin deep in the canyon was our home for the night. It, along with newer buildings, is part of Butterfly Garden Inn, accommodations now owned by Nicole and Frank Garrison. The cabin was delightful; the breakfast basket beautiful and tasty. But it was chatting with Nicole and hearing the story of how this Florida family came to the canyon that made the stay extra-special.

What’s in a Name?

BACK IN THE 1800S, emigrants headed to California came through the area on a trail called the Beale Road. On July 4, 1876, a party from Boston camped here and, to celebrate the nation’s centennial, stripped a tall pine

Mother Road Brewing Company, a stop on the Flagstaff Ale Trail

A quick stop at Northern Arizona University for fun photos of 20-foot-tall mascot Louis the lumberjack set us to singing “I’m a Lumberjack and I’m okay!” as we headed down the highway.

SPRING IS THE TIME TO

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See & Do DANCE

American Spirit Spring Show Mar 13-15 Tap, jazz and other styles merging influences from Broadway to Hollywood keep audiences’ eyes locked on the stage in this 140-member company’s dazzling show.

OCU Kirkpatrick Auditorium, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave, OKC, 208.5227, okcu.edu/ dance Shen Yun Mar 25-26 How do you share 5,000 years of culture in one show? Quickly! Lavish costumes and incredible artistry fill the stage with color and energy in this traveling spectacle of traditional Chinese music and dance. OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 888.974.3698, shenyun.com/ oklahoma-city The Golden Age Mar 30 The Bolshoi Ballet’s portrayal of life in a jazz- and cabaretinfused Soviet town is presented live in high definition. Harkins Theatres, 150 E Reno Ave, OKC, 231.4747, harkinstheatres.com

EVENTS

Mardi Gras Parade Mar 1 Let the good times roll on down Main Street during the 20th annual post-sundown celebration of Fat Tuesday in all its good-time glory. Downtown Norman, 200 S Jones Dr, Norman, normanmardigrasparade.com Red Tie Night Mar 1 As lavishly elegant a fundraiser as you’ll ever see, the 22nd annual event continues the tradition of accruing donations to continue the fight against AIDS. Cox Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 348.6600, okaidscarefund.com If Purses Were Wishes Mar 4 Designer handbags, jewelry and accessories are among the showcase wonders available to peruse and purchase at this 7th annual luncheon funding the child-focused work of Make-A-Wish of Oklahoma. OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Ave, OKC, 286.4000, oklahoma.wish.org 1st Friday Gallery Walk Mar 7 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 St, OKC, 525.2688, thepaseo.com Momentum Mar 7-8 Oklahoma artists under 30 show off their stuff in this energetic exhibit-slash-party organized by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 S Klein Ave, OKC, 879.2400, ovac-ok.org Green Tie Gala Mar 8 Sure as shamrocks, ’twill be a bonny evening for eating, drinking and changing lives at this fundraising event benefiting homeless services.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 523.3009, catholiccharitiesok.org JLN Charity Ball Mar 8 The Junior League of Norman’s fundraising bash for 2014 draws inspiration from the elegant canals of Venice for a whirlwind of intrigue and entertainment. Embassy Suites Norman, 2501 Conference Dr, Norman, 329.9617, juniorleagueofnorman.org Ralph Ellison at 100: A Centennial Symposium Mar 8 Scholars sit to discuss the lasting impact of one of our state’s outstanding authors during a free one-day symposium. Skirvin Hilton, 1 Park Ave, OKC, 208.5707, okhumanities.org

Arts! Arts! Arts! Mar 10 Broadway star Betty Buckley takes the stage to help laud the OU Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts’ accomplishments and raise funds to help provide for its future. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 325.7376, ou.edu/finearts Byliner Awards Mar 13 The Association of Women in Communications honors a septet of outstanding female entrepreneurs and community advocates. Skirvin Hilton, 1 Park Ave, OKC, awcokc.org 2nd Friday Circuit of Art Mar 14 A monthly community-wide celebration of creativity, focused on historic Downtown Norman.

Norman Arts Council, 122 E Main St, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org Bright Night of Star Wars Mar 14 The museum isn’t far, far away at all, but little Jedi hopefuls can learn all about using forces and having galactic levels of fun at this science-fueled sleepover. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St, OKC, 602.6664, sciencemuseumok.org Live on the Plaza Mar 14 Vendors, artists, residents and passerby unite for a monthly fiesta. OKC Plaza District, 1618 N Gatewood Ave, OKC, 367.9403, plazadistrict.org Chefs’ Feast Mar 20 More than two dozen mouthwatering restaurants pool their repasts to boost the Regional Food Bank’s childhood hunger programs; it’s a culinary circus under the Cowboy Hall’s metaphorical big top. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 604.7109, regionalfoodbank.org Town Hall Lecture Series: Tom Gjelten Mar 20 OKC Town Hall’s ongoing efforts to share a world of viewpoints with metro audiences continue as reporter and author Gjelten discusses “Rum and Revolution: Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba.”

St. Luke’s UMC, 222 NW 15th St, OKC, okctownhall.com Premiere on Film Row Mar 21 Fowler Honda sponsors the downtown OKC street festival; it’s family-friendly, pet-welcoming, free to wander through and filled with treats for the ears and taste buds. Film Row, 706 W Sheridan Ave, OKC, 232.6060 Champions of Youth Gala Mar 22 The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County honor the Sonic Corporation and Ron Norick at its annual fundraiser, dedicated this year to going for the gold. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St, OKC, 602.5713, bgcokc.org Cowboy Round-Up Mar 22 Kids have plenty of entertainment in this 4th annual extravaganza of cowboy culture, including chuck wagon grub and craft demonstrations. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr, OKC, 522.3602, okhistory.org OKC Ballet Gala Mar 22 Plan for a gracefully elegant affair - though fortunately guests aren’t expected to perform plies and arabesques - at an event whose theme is “Once Upon a Time.” OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Ave, OKC, 843.9898, okcballet.com Distinguished Service Awards Luncheon Mar 26 OKC Beautiful hosts this yearly paean to the civic-minded people and organizations who strive to make the metro more aesthetically pleasing. OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Ave, OKC, 525.8822, okcbeautiful.com

Soonerthon Mar 8 OU’s Campus Activities Council hosts this annual endurance party; 12 hours of entertainment (no sitting!) to support the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

OU Huston Huffman Center, 1401 Asp Ave, Norman, 271.2260, okchf.org

25 Candles for CASA Mar 28 Help wish a happy birthday to the organization providing court appointed special advocates for children since 1989 at a lighthearted soiree. Devon Boathouse, 725 S Lincoln Blvd, OKC, 713.6456, okcountycasa.org

Second Sunday Poetry Mar 9 While William Bernhardt is best known as a best-selling author of mystery novels, guests to the Depot will have the chance to enjoy his more poetic side at this free reading. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Dr, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org

The ONE Event Mar 29 Bringing the artistic community of Norman together and raising a year’s worth of funding to keep creativity vital in a single smashing party - it’s one heck of an event. MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery, 122 E Main St, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org

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Pearls of HOPE Gala Mar 29 Raise a glass to 30 years and celebrate the social service and community assistance provided by the HOPE Center of Edmond. UCO Nigh University Center, 100 N University Ave, Edmond, 348.1340, hopecenterofedmond.com Wings of Art Mar 29 Marvelous art fills the gallery in this inaugural auction and gala to boost awareness and raise funds for the unique children of Special Care, Inc. Istvan Gallery, 1218 N Western Ave, OKC, 831.2874, wingsofartok.com UPCOMING ARTini Deco Apr 4 A smashing soiree featuring specially crafted signature beverages, a tantalizing art auction and rather a bit of fun to boost funding for Allied Arts. OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 S Klein Ave, OKC, 278.8944, alliedartsokc.com Medieval Fair Apr 4-6 Armored knights, wandering minstrels and maidens oh so fair gather alongside food vendors, craftsmen, jewelers and thousands of guests exploring it all in this annual living history fair.

Reaves Park, 2501 Jenkins Ave, Norman, medievalfair.org Literary Voices Apr 9 International bestseller Khaled Hosseini makes his way to OKC as keynote speaker for the 12th annual dinner benefiting the Metropolitan Library System. OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Ave, OKC, metrolibrary.org/ literaryvoices

FILM

Classics Series Mar 4-25 Catch a masterpiece you missed the first time around or just want to re-experience on the big screen: Argo Mar 4, The King’s Speech Mar 11, The Artist Mar 18 and The Hurt Locker Mar 25. Harkins Theatres, 150 E Reno Ave, OKC, 231.4747, harkinstheatres.com Dustinn Craig Screening Mar 29 Apache filmmaker Craig provides an introduction to four of his films: the shorts A Snapshot in Time, Home and I Belong to This, and the feature-length We Shall Remain: Geronimo.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma

GALLERIES

Oklahoma Society of Impressionists Mar 1-15 A baker’s dozen of skilled painters with Oklahoma ties came together to promote Impressionism; as guests can see at this show and sale of their work, it’s a style well worth celebrating. Howell Gallery, 6432 N Western Ave, OKC, 840.4437, howellgallery.com The Garden Project Mar 7-29 The cozy gallery in the Paseo is home to intriguing art, inside and out: Creators Adrienne Wright and Lisa McIlroy present a constructed landscape intended for visitors to get cozy in and explore. JRB Art at the Elms, 2810 N Walker Ave, OKC, 528.6336, jrbartgallery.com Healing Studio Exhibit Mar 7-29 Formal excellence is way less important than self-expression in this annual show boosting the creative output of the Firehouse’s class for older adults or those with learning differences. Firehouse Art Center, 444 S Flood Ave, Norman, 329.4523, normanfirehouse.com Sounds of Self Mar 7-29 Lyrical, expressive paintings inspired by music and the emotions it prompts in the artist known as MtnWoman Silver. In Your Eye Gallery, 3005 Paseo St, OKC, 525.2161, inyoureyegallery.com Brad and Nathan Price Mar 14-28 Bold, colorful landscapes painted by a fatherson duo star in this joint exhibit. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Dr, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org Prison Girls Mar 14-Apr 4 Graphic artist Tammy Brummell transforms mid-century arrest photos into richly embellished giclee portraits in this counterintuitively beautiful show. dna galleries, 1709 NW 16th St, OKC, 525.3499, dnagalleries.com

ONGOING Selfie: An Exploration on Identity Through Mar 14 MAINSITE Contemporary Art, Norman, 360.1162, normanarts.org Chuck Webster Through May 16 Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center, OKC, 951.0000, oklahomacontemporary.org

MUSEUMS

Allan Houser Drawings Mar 8-May 18 A full 100 images, the vast majority of which have never been exhibited before, anchor the museum’s efforts to join the statewide collaboration celebrating Houser’s centennial. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma Ansel Adams: An American Perspective Mar 15-Jun 1 Perhaps America’s most famous photographer takes the spotlight in this 50-plus-piece retrospective of his deeply moving career. OKC Museum of Art, 415 Couch Dr, OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com Brett Weston: Land, Sea and Sky Mar 15-Jun 1 A panoply of beauty marking the recent gift to the museum of 150 photographs by blackand-white artist Weston from the collection of Christian Keesee. OKC Museum of Art, 415 Couch Dr, OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com Arbor Day Art Show Mar 25-Apr 12 Using the theme “Trees in Our Town,” students from 12 Edmond schools branched out creatively; the most artistically verdant of their results are on display in this exhibit. Edmond Historical Society, 431 S Boulevard, Edmond, 340.0078, edmondhistory.org ONGOING On Assignment Through Mar 16 Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma The Daily Artifact Through Apr 5 Oklahoma Heritage Museum, OKC, 523.3231, oklahomaheritage.com Come on Down Through Apr 13 OKC Museum of Art, OKC, 236.3100, okcmoa.com George M. Sutton: Exploring Art & Science Through Apr 20 Sam Noble Museum, Norman, 325.4712, snomnh.ou.edu Art 365 Through May 10 [Artspace] at Untitled, OKC, 879.2400, ovac-ok.org Allan Houser and His Students Through May 11 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org Rise, Fall, Resurrection Through May 11 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org Traditionalist and Trailblazer Through May 31 Jacobson House Native Art Center, Norman, 366.1667, jacobsonhouse.com Making Change Through Jun 30 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org Oklahoma Textiles Through Jun 30 Red Earth Museum, OKC, 427.5228, redearth.org

MUSIC

Jason Aldean Mar 1 The Night Train Tour chugs into OKC as backup bands Florida Georgia Line and Tyler Farr and the hotselling Aldean himself share an earful of their musical passions. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 800.745.3000, chesapeakearena.com Philharmonic: Mozart & Mahler Mar 1 Incomparable talents Yolonda Kondonassis and Maria Piccinini interweave their harp and flute, then the OKC Philharmonic brings the house down with a Titan-ic rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No.1, as the Classics Series flexes its musicians’ skill and versatility. OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org Blue Door Shows Mar 1-28 Self-billed as “the best listening room in Oklahoma,”

See Better, Live Better. it certainly has some of the best music: Travis Linville Mar 1, Carrie Rodriguez Mar 12, Chris Trapper Mar 13, MilkDrive Mar 21, Rod Picott Mar 22, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys Mar 27 and Will Sexton with Amy Lavere Mar 28 - check online for updates.

The Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley Ave, OKC, 524.0738, bluedoorokc.com Purple Bar Performances Mar 1-29 A cozy setting, ample menu and outstanding music from local artists. Nonna’s Purple Bar, 1 S Mickey Mantle Dr, OKC, 235.4410, purplebarokc.com Talich Quartet Mar 2 The oft-lauded Czech string ensemble is the latest guest to perform in the Chamber Music of Oklahoma concert series, with a setlist - Smetana, Janacek and Dvorak - that pays homage to their heritage. Christ the King Church, 8005 Dorset Dr, OKC, cmok.org Winter Wind: Mark Erelli Mar 2 Well-versed in multiple genres, guitar man Erelli is in a period of musical introspection; he’s a prime pick for Sunday evening entertainment as the Performing Arts Studio’s concert series rolls on. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Dr, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org OCU Performance Series Mar 2-13 Students, townies and everyone with appreciative ears are invited to enjoy as the OCU Distinguished Artist Series continues with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Mar 2, plus a Wind Philharmonic concert Mar 6, choral concert Mar 8, orchestral performance Mar 11 and concert by Project 21 Mar 13. OCU Petree Hall, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave, OKC, 208.5227, okcu.edu/music Jazz Lab Concerts Mar 3 UCO School of Music students let their hair down while keeping their skill levels up in these inexpensive concerts. UCO Jazz Lab, 100 E 5th St, Edmond, 974.3375, uco.edu/ cfad/events Clint Black Mar 4 The country star is far from killin’ time; he’s recorded nine albums and sold over 20 million of them, amassing an impressive archive of hits along the way that he’s planning to share in an intimate evening at Rose State. Rose State PAC, 6420 SE 15th St, Midwest City, 297.2264, rose. edu/rslive The Conservatory Mar 4-24 Sonic jams of all desciptions in an OKC hotspot: Dead Meadow Mar 4, Primitive Man Mar 6, Absu + The Black Moriah Mar 7, Kevin Seconds Mar 8, Valerie June Mar 11, Russian Circles Mar 14, He Is Legend Mar 15, Ron Pope Mar 17, Two Cow Garage Mar 18, O’Brother Mar 24 and more - adds and adjustments posted online. The Conservatory, 8911 N Western Ave, OKC, conservatoryokc.com Tuesday Noon Concerts Mar 4-25 Its incredible collection of art is free for public perusal, but the museum sweetens the deal further with complimentary lunch accompaniment: Lance Drege’s percussioneers Mar 4, Suzanne Tirk’s clarinet Mar 11, a Spring Break break Mar 18 and the oboe of Dan Schwartz Mar 25.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave, Norman, 325.3272, ou.edu/fjjma Sutton Series Concerts Mar 4-30 The OU School of Music welcomes listeners to a slate of musical mastery: the OU Jazz Bands Mar 4, a Spring Choral Concert Mar 13, guitarist Larry Hammett Mar 25 and Jonathan Shames on piano Mar 30.

OU Catlett Music Center, 500 W Boyd St, Norman, 325.4101, music.ou.edu Noon Tunes Mar 6-27 Free lunchtime serenades in the Downtown Library: Acoustic folk-rockers Lisa and Laura Mar 6, harpist Gaye LeBlanc Mar 13, the Khanagov string studio Mar 20 and Al Soltani and Doostahn Mar 27. Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave, OKC, 231.8650, mls.lib.ok.us Diamond Ballroom Concerts Mar 6-29 Crank it up down by the river with Switchfoot Mar 6, the Josh Abbot Band Mar 7, Bring Me the Horizon Mar 16, Blackberry Smoke with the Delta Saints Mar 27 and The Wonder Years Mar 29. Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S Eastern Ave, OKC, 866.977.6849, diamondballroom.net

Billy Currington Mar 7 Country singer Currington, whose latest album is titled “We Are Tonight,” will on this night be the center of Shawnee fans’ attention, along with backing acts Chase Rice and Brett Eldredge. Grand Casino, 777 Grand Casino Blvd, Shawnee, 964.7777, grandshawnee.com Bret Michaels Mar 7 Michaels seems to enjoy skipping back and forth between hard rock and country - his latest album features covers of both “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Sweet Home Alabama” - so while fans may not know exactly what to expect at Riverwind, they can confidently predict a good time. Riverwind Casino, 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com Brahms’ Requiem Mar 8 While this work of overwhelming beauty performed by the powerhouse Canterbury Choral Society may bring you to tears, they should be happy ones - the composer meant it to comfort the living, not mourn the dead. Don’t miss out, though, as that would truly be cause for lamentation.

OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 232.7464, canterburyokc.com Joe Nichols Mar 8 Six albums in the last ten years is a heck of a run, but Nichols isn’t cruising - the Arkansas singer says his latest record was born from trying to find hit songs that might be a bit unexpected, which should build anticipation for hearing his show.

Riverwind Casino, 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com Bricktown Concerts Mar 9-27 Follow the sound down to Bricktown to hear Andrew Bell & Dianne Birch Mar 9, Vegabonds with The Unlikely Candidates Mar 11 and Alejandro Escovedo and The Sensitive Boys Mar 29.

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Brightmusic: Transcendental Doxology Mar 10-11 OKC native Joshua Roman takes a star turn on the cello in a spiritually elevating set list including works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Schubert. All Souls’ Church and St. Paul’s Cathedral, 6400 N Penn and 127 NW 7th St, OKC, brightmusic.org Brian Stokes Mitchell Mar 11 Tony-winning baritone and actor Mitchell has the mic all to himself in this intimately stripped-down performance, titled “Simply Broadway.”

Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 N Bryant Ave, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org UCO Concert Series Mar 11-13 Take a seat and share listening enjoyment with the university’s Symphony Orchestra Mar 11, Symphony Band Mar 12 and Wind Symphony featuring soloist Tess Remy-Schumacher Mar 13. UCO Mitchell Hall Theater, 100 N University Ave, Edmond, 974.3375, uco.edu/ cfad/events Opolis Shows Mar 16-17 Metro, meet Opolis.

You’ll make beautiful music together, courtesy of a vast and varied lineup of bands - including Ex Hex Mar 16 and Rathbone with Streets of Laredo Mar 17. Check online for the fresh scoop. The Opolis, 113 N Crawford Ave, Norman, opolis.org Menahem Pressler Mar 18 Israeli-American pianist par excellence Pressler has more candles on his birthday cake than keys on his keyboard, but his skill and love for performance remain beautifully solid.

Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 N Bryant Ave, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org Philharmonic: March Madness Mar 21-22 Philharmonic patrons voted on what music to include in this Pops performance, and with soloists Ron Raines, Lisa Vroman and Christina Saffran under the veteran baton of Larry Blank, it’s guaranteed to sound fantastic. OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org Jamey Johnson Mar 28 The impressively hirsute Johnson got his break as a songwriter, contributing track s to Trace Adkins and George Strait, but he’s also a strong presence behind the microphone with guitar in hand.

Riverwind Casino, 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com Philharmonic: Pink Martini Mar 29 This special add-on to the orchestra’s Pops season brings the globetrotting ensemble

MARCH 2014 // SLICE 99

PURSUITS | See & Do

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OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org Winter Wind: Beppe Gambetta Mar 30 It’s the final installment of the Performing Arts Studio’s indoor concert series, so old favorite Gambetta returns to send the season off in style via some lively musical storytelling. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Dr, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org UPCOMING Soweto Gospel Choir Apr 1 The OCCC Cultural Arts Series concludes with a burst of joy to the world courtesy of the Grammywinning choir formed to celebrate African gospel music. OCCC, 7777 S May Ave, OKC, 682.7579, occc.edu/cas Philharmonic: Yo-Yo Ma Plays Schumann Apr 5 Descriptions can probably stop after “Yo-Yo Ma” - the most famous classical musician in the world returns to the metro to perform Schumann’s Cello Concerto as the highlight of a truly spectacular evening.

OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org

SPORTS

Cowgirl Basketball Mar 1 The OSU women make their final home stand of the season against Texas. Gallagher-Iba Arena, 1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater, 877.255.4678, okstate.com OK Victory Dolls Mar 1 Blazing speed, deft athleticism and the occasional moment of bone-shaking violence … hitch your eyes to these rising stars as the roller derby dames kick off their 2014 season. State Fairgrounds, 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd, OKC, oklahomavictorydolls.com Cowboy Basketball Mar 1-3 The OSU men defend their home court against Kansas Mar 1 and Kansas State Mar 3 before heading to the Big 12 tournament. Gallagher-Iba Arena, 1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater, 877.255.4678, okstate.com Sooner Basketball Mar 1-5 The OU men close out the regular season against Texas Mar 1 and West Virginia Mar 5. Lloyd Noble Center, 2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman, 325.2424, soonersports.com Barons Hockey Mar 1-25 OKC’s ice warriors face off against Rockford Mar 1, San Antonio Mar 2, 11 and 25 and Grand Rapids Mar 14-15. Cox Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 232.4625, okcbarons.com Thunder Basketball Mar 2-30 The Thunder take aim at another run to the Finals by hosting Charlotte Mar 2, Philadelphia Mar 4, Houston Mar 11, the L.A. Lakers Mar 13, Dallas Mar 16, Denver Mar 24, Sacramento Mar 28 and Utah Mar 30. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 208.4667, nba.com/thunder Lady Sooner Basketball Mar 3 The OU women finish their season-long defense of Lloyd Noble against Texas Tech. Lloyd Noble Center, 2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman, 325.2424, soonersports.com

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Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship Mar 7-10 The stakes are high - an automatic bid to the ladies’ Big Dance - as the conference’s combatants take aim at the postseason… and ending Baylor’s five-year win streak. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 800.745.3000, okcallsports.org OKC Roller Derby Mar 15 Part graceful race, part all-out brawl, the month’s slate of spectacle includes the Lightning Broads lacing up against the Natural Disasters while the All Stars scrap against their NWA counterparts. Cox Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, okcrd.com 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships Mar 20-22 Penn State has won three in a row (more like Pin State, right? Right?), but skill, technique and pure determination will tell as the nation’s best converge on OKC. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno Ave, OKC, 800.745.3000, okcallsports.org Oklahoma Heritage Land Run Mar 29 Race through scenic Heritage Hills in 5K, 10K or 1-mile runs that provide financial assistance for the Oklahoma Heritage Museum’s educational programming. Oklahoma

Heritage Museum, 1400 Classen Dr, OKC, 235.4458, oklahomaheritage.com UPCOMING Redbud Classic Apr 5-6 Fitness, fun and philanthropy combine in the venerable series of races and events for every level of community competition. Waterford Complex, NW 63rd St and Penn Ave, OKC, redbud.org

THEATER

Side Show Mar 6-8 Nobody’s closer than family, except those family members who physically cannot separate. Conjoined twins Daisy and Violet draw strength from each other as they attempt to balance their somewhat unwelcome notoriety with their genuine, everyday emotions and dreams.

UCO Mitchell Hall Theater, 100 N University Ave, Edmond, 974.3375, uco.edu/cfad/events Cosi fan Tutte Mar 6-9 The Mozart opera’s fiancee-swapping plot ain’t exactly progressive in terms of realistic gender politics, but it sure sounds good as OU’s University Theatre attends the school for lovers. OU Reynolds PAC, 560 Parrington Oval, Norman, 325.4101, ou.edu/finearts Sarah Plain and Tall Mar 7-8 Despite the pioneer setting, the story is timeless since the uncertainty of meeting and getting to know a potential new parent is still very real.

The school kids of the Children’s Theater Company stretch their talents in sharing this tale. Fine Arts Institute, 27 E Edwards St, Edmond, 341.4481, edmondfinearts.com The Tender Land Mar 7-9 It’s a small, simple story - no jewel heists nor long-lost heirs - about growing up and moving on, elevated by the Walker Evans-inspired score composed by the great Aaron Copland. OCU Kirkpatrick Auditorium, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave, OKC, 208.5227, okcu.edu/music Flipside: The Patti Page Story Mar 12 A one-night-only spectacular showcasing the musical life of Oklahoma native Page (the Singing Rage) in the new OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.

OCCC, 7777 S May Ave, OKC, 682.7579, occc.edu/cas Hansel and Gretel Mar 25-Apr 10 The audience is part of the show as Oklahoma Children’s Theater presents the tale of two clever kids thrust into a life-threatening adventure. OCU Children’s Center for the Arts, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave, OKC, 951.0011, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org Triangle Mar 26-Apr 5 An air of mystery surrounds this entirely new production, a musical romance revolving around two unlikely couples separated by a century - and premiering at Lyric. Lyric’s Plaza Theater, 1727 NW 16th St, OKC, 524.9310, lyrictheatreokc.com Jesus Christ Superstar Mar 28-Apr 6 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s passion project (so to speak) rocks to life on the Sooner stage as the self-proclaimed Son of God’s life approaches its turbulent coda. Sooner Theater, 101 E Main St, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org ONGOING Little Shop of Horrors Through Mar 2 Sooner Theater, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org Good People Through Mar 15 Carpenter Square Theater, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com The Miracle Worker Through Mar 15 Pollard Theater, Guthrie, 282.2800, thepollard.org Ragtime Through Mar 16 St. Luke’s Poteet Theater, OKC, 609.1023, poteettheatre.com The Lion in Winter Through Mar 23 Jewel Box Theater, OKC, 521.1786, jewelboxtheatre.org

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MARCH 2014 // SLICE 101

Last Laugh

HELLO. I’M MONICA REID.

By Lauren Hammack

I RECENTLY SAW A FACEBOOK POST THAT CONTAINED A PHOTO OF A FOURSOME OF OLD GALS WITH NAUGAHYDE FLESH, STUFFED IN BATHING SUITS. EACH OF THEM HAD WIDE, TOOTHY (AND NOTSO-TOOTHY) GRINS AND KNOWING EXPRESSIONS, AS IF TO SUGGEST THEY EACH HAD THE GOODS ON THE OTHERS AND THEY WEREN’T AFRAID TO SPILL.

Somewhere in the caption, it was noted that the women have traveled to every imaginable destination together each year for something like 250 years. On each trip, they made up new names and referred to one another by those names for the duration of the trip. Along with the names, the women fabricated interesting backgrounds that they would share with strangers.

The timing of the Facebook post was perfect, as I’m just days away from taking a girls’ trip to New York City with my two best friends – whose names must now be changed to mark the occasion. I doubt they’ll be shocked at my suggestion, since I’ve been changing my name for yeeeeeeeeeears. I’m a big fan of the pseudonym and rely on it often.

I was raised to be friendly to everyone I meet, to talk to and take candy from strangers and, eventually, to ask them for a ride.

Strangers, on the other hand, never seem to understand that friendliness is a habit, like saying, “excuse me,” after a sneeze, touching the roof of the car when a train is passing on the bridge overhead or stepping over the crack to spare my mama’s back.

Friendliness – and this may be breaking news for some of you – is not romantic interest.

Over the years, I’ve come across quite a few strangers who have confused my chipper demeanor with an unspoken vow of lifelong devotion in this way: I say: “Good morning! How are you today?”

(Extra-chipper, with glitter coming out of my breath.)

The stranger hears: “In five minutes, I’m ditching my husband, buying us an island and fulfilling your every desire!! CALL ME!!!”

It’s precisely in those oh-s@%t moments that I feel compelled to unleash my inner sociopath and assume the identity of the oft-named twin I ate in the womb … usually Monica, Stacy, Jennifer or Janet, each with her own phone number that the caller might have to try a few times before he realizes there is no island and his every desire will have to keep floating high above the ethers, unfulfilled for at least another day.

Is it mean to give the interested party a completely false name?

You betcha. But it’s an inescapable social necessity that speaks the subtle message: “I see you’re unaware that we are so very awkwardly mismatched, which is why I cannot possibly utter my true name. So

that I might avoid crushing your budding dream like a butterfly’s wings in my tightly clenched fist, just call me Janet.”

Managing a mental Rolodex of assumed names is trickier than it sounds. At the risk of forgetting my name-of-the-awkward-moment (or just being mistaken for Sybil), I’ve found that it’s best to narrow the list of alter egos down to a handful of believable possibilities, which rules out a cool, Italian name or something exotic and island-y.

For most of the women I know, the fake name is an accessory as standard as a handbag. When I’ve asked my girlfriends about whether they occasionally use an assumed name, they look at me as if I’ve asked them if they sit down to pee. Guys, on the other hand (with the frequent exception of the gay man), tell me they haven’t used a fake name since college.

Maybe it’s the scrutiny of personal identification during the preboarding process, but it seems that most people feel perfectly com-

Jen nifer Ja n et Stacy Mon ica

102 SLICE // MARCH 2014

fortable throwing out a concocted name on an airplane. Vegas-bound planes are probably most susceptible to the phenomenon, but any flight with a chatty passenger in the next seat will do. Is everyone just taking their new names for a test drive before they arrive in the destination city?

It’s exactly what I’ll be doing this weekend, once I’ve cleared security as Lauren Hammack. Among millions of people who probably don’t even give a flip, my friends and I will be introducing ourselves and, no doubt, hitting it off with one stranger after the next in New York City – and really, is there a better city in the world for assuming a new identity?

No, there’s not. Just ask … Monica Reid.

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Last Look

Still Standing Photo by Alex Fitch

Battered by time and the elements, a solitary resident of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge awaits whatever this spring has in store.

To submit your photo for Last Look, visit sliceok.com/last-look

104 SLICE // MARCH 2014

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