Territory okc issue13

issue no. 13

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WINTER 2017

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DENVER TRAVEL TEASE 14.

The Maven, Denver

Not Lonesome for Heroes

Denver reborn as the foodie destination in our region, and the places that have us swooning for more this winter. Hotels, breweries, and history are a part of our prix fixe travel menu.

It's What's Inside That Matters.

DOWNTOWN 20. Stiching Together

the Territory

The reborn Santa Fe Depot tells the story of a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past and future.

24. Broncho 26. Downtown Insider

MIDTOWN 30. Beyond Bibimbap

A look at the journey of Korean food from Tinker AFB into the mainstream scene in the city core.

35. Boogie Woogie Babies 37. Midtown Insider

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Cover photo by Trace Thomas of the newly restored Santa Fe Depot.

UPTOWN/PASEO

WESTERN AVE. & BEYOND

40. Petro Pete, Meet Rep. Dollins

48. Lifting The Curtain

42. Uptown Insider 43. Because Biscuits 45. Plaza District Insider

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52.

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A common-sense approach to governing— and adulting.

Edward Ruscha Red Ants (Insects Portfolio), 1972 Screenprint, 27 x 20 in.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, The University of Oklahoma, Norman Gift of Paul Ruscha, 2017

Oklahoma City Ballet’s powerfully expressive new dancer.

Nyakio Skincare Protecting Both Species No One Dies in Lingerie Wine Column Western & Beyond Insider

FEATURE THE COOL SCHOOL

The true story of how some seriously talented Oklahoma City boys from NW Classen High helped create and define West Coast art.

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901 W SHERIDAN AVE OKLAHOMA CITY 73106 405.212.2378

SERVING LUNCH TUES-FRI 11-2

T H E J O N E S A S S E M B LY. C O M

SARAH JAMES

Contributors

Sarah James is the author of Whoorl.com, a lifestyle blog with an emphasis on clean beauty, unfussy style, and a mindful approach to daily life. Over the past decade, Sarah has written about everything under the sun - with her finger on the pulse of the modern woman’s lifestyle, she’s happy to share her successes and challenges, and is open and authentic in bringing that conversation to the table.

This combination of wit, expertise, and approachability has garnered Sarah several accolades with features in publications such as The New York Times and appearances on several television programs.

WILLIAM W. SAVAGE III

William W. Savage III is the editor-in-chief and co-owner of NonDoc.com, a responsible public forum for news and commentary based in Oklahoma City.

He is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid instructor.

TODD SCOTT BALLJE

Photographer Todd Scott Ballje pursues the real in life: the stories and experiences that open us to each other’s value and remind us of our connection to the earth. His portrait of Rep. Mickey Dollens reminds us of Todd’s ability to show heart in his portraiture.

PUBLISHED BY TERRITORY MEDIA, LLC 3017 N. Lee Ave., Ste. A, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 www.territoryokc.com Trey McNeill, Publisher

Greg Horton, Vicar of Editorial &

claire@territoryokc.com

trey@territoryokc.com

Wine Columnist

Haley Spradlin, Assistant Designer

Veronica Pasfield, Editor

vicar@territoryokc.com

haley@territoryokc.com

editorial@territoryokc.com

Whitney Bryen, Managing Editor

Beagle Design, Website Design

Emily Russell, Arts & Entertainment Editor

whitney@territoryokc.com

Trace Thomas, Contributing Photographer

emily@territoryokc.com

Erin Fitzgerald, Senior Account Executive

Courtney Waugh, Contributing Photographer

Funnel Design Group, Graphic Design

erin@territoryokc.com

Leigh Naifeh, Publishing Associate

funneldesigngroup.com

Claire Blaney, Publishing Associate

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Love. It’s evoked so much this time of year, it’s almost cliche. Yet…y’all…I eventually had to acknowledge that love is the thread binding this entire issue together. As we finish the issue, I’m sitting at my desk marveling at what love can accomplish.

Love of ancient wisdom can turn the Oklahoma granddaughter of a Kenyan coffee farmer into a legit skincare entrepreneur in Los Angeles. Love can inspire teams of experts to toil for years to transform a neglected old building full of pigeons back into a downtown jewel humming with life. Love for hard-working neighbors can inspire a young teacher to fight for them in that swampy mess at the state Capitol. Love is at the heart of mercy, as everyday people set aside fear and backlash to fight for the helpless.

We have a few unspoken agendas here at Territory. (We try not to preach; isn’t it so much nicer to discover on your own?) We sometimes get called out for featuring Oklahomans who’ve achieved elsewhere. This makes us smile. Bigly.

We all know home never leaves a person. Oklahomies such as esteemed artists Ed Ruscha and Joe Goode take OKC to the world, as much as leave it behind. The prairie’s epic,

E

horizontal frame, the constant tension of city and country, and those sky colors still inhabit the work of these artists—as well as the collections and walls of LA’s Getty Museum, the Nevada Museum of Art, and others. Not bad for a handful of kids from Classen High, who headed west but never fully left.

With this issue, we begin our fourth year. (How is that possible?) We are constantly working to evolve what we do. There’s new stuff coming to our Instagram feed, something my team says I guard with the intensity of a rabid dog. (Not even sorry.)

We offer our first travel feature, on Denver's food scene. And just in case you haven’t noticed, the magazine in your hands is also a labor of love for everyone who helps to create it—from our in-house team to the writers, photographers, advertisers, designers, and folks on the press who bring their best to making a magazine about our community.

Thanks for loving us back, friends. It sure feels nice.

Veronica Pasfield Editor & Co-founder Photo from the renovated Santa Fe depot in downtown OKC

by Trace Thomas.

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NOT LONESOME FOR HEROES Denver reborn as the foodie destination in our region, and the places that have us swooning for more this winter. Hotels, breweries, and history are a part of our prix fixe travel menu.

In the life of a city, the past and the future never completely let go of one another. Great cities learn how to let the past season and shape the present. In 1949, famed Beat poet Allen Ginsberg visited Denver with friends Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, who was raised in its most forlorn quarters. Ginsberg saw the city as being “lonesome for her heroes.”

We really wanted to quote a Beat writer in this story, but we could not find a thing that still applies to the Denver of today. The dilapidated city core of an earlier generation has been remade, and smartly so.

Today, an art piece about a Ginsberg poem hangs inside The Maven Hotel. This gorgeous, art-filled new boutique hotel anchors the Dairy Block complex in the heart of downtown, steps from Coors Field and the stunning Denver Union Station complex. The Maven lobby opens directly into Denver Milk Market, which will be the city’s sixth food hall when it opens in early 2018. At its helm, Frank Bonanno, an accomplished chef/restaurateur who now oversees some two dozen concepts with the addition of the Milk Market.

Expansionism is fevered here, especially in food and tourism. Last year, the Colorado Tourism Office reported growth double that of the U.S., with nearly 78 million visitors to the state annually. The food scene stokes that fire. On December 7, Top Chef premiered its new season, set entirely in Colorado. Show producers credit the state’s emerging identity as a food destination as the reason for their choice. Top Chef follows Denver’s Carrie Baird, executive chef at Bar Dough, and other chefs around the city.

Not lonesome for heroes, indeed.

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We researched this story during three trips to Denver, and we still did not get to every highly recommended restaurant, brewery, or craft cocktail bar. (But you know we will keep you in the loop as we make our way down that enticing list.)

As the Beats knew, Denver’s heritage runs deep. We like to experience cities by district, as any reader of Territory might have noticed. Districts are comprised of tribes of like-inclined folks, and we think that’s cool. For Denver, we created a complete night in each of the most interesting districts. We will post more recommendations on our site heading into winter break (www.territoryokc.com).

RIVER NORTH // The New Hotness

The RiNo district has transformed from a struggling neighborhood to the place where the city’s newest concepts seem to burn brightest. It’s also a walkable craft brewery hub. Ratio Beerworks was started by veterans of the ’90s punk scene who learned to make beer in Germany. Taste in beer is so individual, but Ratio’s retro-minimalist space pours some of the most subtly delicious brews we tried.

(See visitdenver.com for tons of info on Denver breweries.)

2920 Larimer St. ratiobeerworks.com.

Hop Alley would work perfectly in NYC’s East Village, and joins a wave of new-Asian restaurants popping up— bang bang—across the country. Put another way: if VICE had a restaurant, this would be it. As their profile says, “cheers to the new chinatown,” where old school red take-out boxes meet a modern take on the classics.

The Maven check in, hickory oxtail grits at Citizen Rail and El Five love (cred: James Florio).

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Owner Tommy Lee also runs cultish Uncle, a ramen shop with a cult following. 3500 Larimer St. hopalleydenver.com.

Choosing only a couple of restaurants is dang hard, but it would be irresponsible to leave RiNo without at least partaking of the desserts and skillful bespoke cocktails at The Populist. (Or if Hop Alley ain’t your thing, dinner here is divine.) The menu is a look inside the mind of a skilled kitchen team, with inventive dishes such as Harissa Jackfruit with Tabbouleh and Avocado-Mint Lassi (how many cultures are represented there??). The Broken Lime Tart is exceptional, too. 3163 Larimer St. thepopulistdenver.com.

We also loved: Denver Central Market food hall + low-gluten pours at Mockery Brewing + Crema Coffee House + The Source food hall, especially Acorn’s refreshed menu via new chef staff.

HIGHLANDS // Where It’s At

Avanti Food & Beverage reimagined a food hall as a restaurant incubator, and there we reimagined downtown sunsets on its rooftop deck. It was fun to graze small plates and a few taps before embarking on a more serious meal. It’s an easy walk to a whole bunch of excellent restaurants in this swanky district. 3200 Pecos St. avantifandb.com.

Ancient cultures lining the Mediterranean Sea produce some of the most diverse and delicious foods on planet earth. From Harissa to olive oil, jamon to kofta…if you have no idea what I’m talking about, a night at El Five is mandatory. This pan-Mediterranean eatery with a glam view of downtown could only be pulled off by a mature restaurant group such as Edible Beats. Located just behind sister restaurant Linger, El Five has stolen the hearts of Denver and this food writer. Rezzos a must. 2930 Umatilla, 5th floor. elfivedenver.com.

A speakeasy behind a shelf in a bookshop? We are so in. Former OKC bartender Donnie Sizemore has never once steered us wrong. He was right about the skill and charm at Williams & Graham, a dimly lit delight in carved-wood and leather booths. 3160 Tejon St. williamsandgraham.com.

We also loved: Chef Baird’s Bar Dough, as seen on Top Chef + Little Man Ice Cream + change-your-life ramen at Uncle.

DOWNTOWN // Stylish & Grand

We do not tire of the gloriously restored Denver Union Station. At all, ever. Way up with the chandeliers and decorative ceiling is Cooper Lounge. Modeled after an elegant cocktail lounge car during the glory days of train travel, happy hour at Cooper Lounge gave us a chance to sit and contemplate the accomplishment of restoring an 1881 depot. Such projects rejuvenate a city’s soul, and ours. 1701 Wynkoop. unionstationindenver.com

Colorado art in The Maven lobby, a room at Hotel Monaco, El Five's Matzah Ball Soup Dumplings (cred: Emily Grossman).

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continued on page 61

#ALLTHELIKES Territory OKC

Denver, CO

On the Road: Follow us on social + online for expanded content on Denver's finest this winter @territoryokc.

ROWS 1-2

from left to right

Denver Central Mkt, Panzano, Citizen Rail, Quality Italian in Cherry Creek, Laws Distillery, Dushanbe Tea House.location

ROWS 3-4

from left to right

Citizen Rail, Acorn, The Maven, Citizen Rail, Denver Union Station, Hop Alley

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DEVON ICE RINK • DEVON’S SATURDAYS WITH SANTA • SANDRIDGE SANTA RUN • BRICKTOWN TREE LIGHTING FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY SONIC • FREE HOLIDAY WATER TAXI RIDES • A DOG DAY IN DECEMBER • LIGHTS ON BROADWAY ANNUAL EVENT • LIFESHARE WINTERFEST AND SNOW TUBING • LITTLE WILLIE’S TRIPLE DOG DARE • AUTOMOBILE ALLEY LIGHT DISPLAY • BRICKTOWN CANAL LIGHT DISPLAY • FILM ROW LIGHT DISPLAY • BRICKTOWN HOLIDAY PARKLET SPONSORED BY PAINTED DOOR • DELUXE WINTER MARKET • HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOPS AT MIDTOWN • MYRIAD GARDENS HOLIDAY EVENTS • OKCMOA HOLIDAY EVENTS • RED EARTH TREEFEST • HISTORIC CHURCH TOUR AND SCAVENGER HUNT • LYRIC’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL PRESENTED BY DEVON ENERGY • OKC BALLET’S THE NUTCRACKER PRESENTED BY DEVON ENERGY • MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER’S CHRISTMAS • OKC PHILHARMONIC’S CHRISTMAS SHOW • CANTERBURY CHRISTMAS AT THE CIVIC CENTER • THE CITY CABARET OKC’S RETRO WONDERLAND • AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM’S CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS • SHERATON DOWNTOWN HOTEL HOLIDAY EVENTS • SKIRVIN HOLIDAY EVENTS • SANTA FE STATION OPEN HOUSE • OKC ARTS COUNCIL’S OPENING NIGHT

FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENT DETAILS, VISIT DowntownInDecember.com 19

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WHAT'S HAPPENING

Stiching Together the Territory Taking a Ride with Broncho Insider

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Stiching Together the Territory The reborn Santa Fe Depot tells the story of a city’s past and future. story by Jezy Gray photos by Trace Thomas

“Intermodal transportation hub” is an ugly name for a beautiful idea, a dream of something else for a city that generations ago evolved decisively for the automobile. It’s what architect Rick Lueb sees when he looks at the pile of construction surrounding the Santa Fe Depot on E.K. Gaylord Boulevard downtown. Lueb is a principal at TAP Architecture, a local firm whose preservation work includes the Skirvin Hilton Hotel and the Oklahoma Judicial Center. The Santa Fe Depot is the newest entry on their list of historic restorations.

The goal of the city-managed project is not only to rehabilitate the building’s gorgeous Art Deco interior, but to expand services and return the depot to its heyday as the crossroads of transportation in downtown Oklahoma City. Beyond serving Amtrak passengers on the Heartland Flyer, as it has since 1999, the new Santa Fe Depot will include a Spokies bike share station and serve as a stop for EMBARK city buses, the forthcoming Oklahoma City Streetcar and—in some distant, utopian future—highspeed and light-rail transit.

“My hope is this place will be a true hub of activity,” Lueb said. “That’s what it was designed for. It was meant to integrate these different kinds of transportation as a jumping off point to enjoy all of downtown Oklahoma City and beyond.”

Lueb strolls through the depot with Kaye Burlison, architect and project manager for the city, to discuss the renovations and grand vision. The two have been instrumental to the restoration since it got off the ground in 2013, and they move through the building with a warm and breezy reverence, like drifting wistfully through a childhood home.

In addition to restoring or recreating all of the depot’s stunning fixtures to their original glory, the renovation team arrived at new interior paint colors by scraping the walls down to the original coat and delivering samples to a lab for photo analysis to ensure the most accurate match possible. The building has been rewired with new air and 21

he

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electric systems, but don’t expect to see any evidence of a contemporary hand in this historic gem.

“It looks old, but it’s all new again,” Burlison said. “If you look at the renovation next to a historical photo of the facility, you shouldn’t be able to tell a difference between them. That’s the whole idea.”

Most of the funding for the $28 million rehabilitation came from a discretionary federal grant program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law by President Obama in 2009. The Santa Fe project is divided into four phases, beginning with the renovation of the existing structure and culminating in 2018 with a pedestrian tunnel connecting the facility to Bricktown.

The car may be king in OKC, but the city wouldn’t exist as we know it without the steel rails of the Santa Fe. Serving this first interstate transportation route, the Santa Fe Depot became the nexus of everything coming in and out of the territory after the original station was completed in 1904. It made OKC the fastest-growing city from 1900 to 1910, when modest population surged from 10,000 to 23

continued on page 60

64,000, according to Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Fort Worth was second at half that, he said.

“The depot is the heart from the beginning,” Blackburn said. “Whether it’s taking a stagecoach to Darlington to sell cattle to the Cheyenne-Arapaho agent, or bringing shipments of coal into town, it was absolutely critical to that first generation in Oklahoma City.”

The Santa Fe Depot is why Grand Boulevard and Main Street became the busiest commercial streets in OKC. It’s why historic hotels like the Colcord and the Skirvin stand where they are today—a quick walk from the busy station where cattlemen, corporate tycoons and deal-makers of all stripes passed through as they pursued wealth in the new territory.

The depot was rebuilt in 1934 by Chicago architect E.A. Harrison—its tracks having been elevated above roads years earlier, as cars became the most efficient transportation for goods and services. Other lines like the Frisco and Rock Island, installed downtown after the Santa Fe, were removed

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TAKING A RIDE WITH BRONCHO interview by Veronica Pasfield photos by Ryan Magnani

When we caught up with BRONCHO singer/guitarist Ryan Lindsey, he and the band were on I-44 listening to a Van Morrison cassette they found in a friend’s trunk in Norman. “He had two Van Morrison cassettes—the same record—and he gave them both to me.”

Um, what? It’s advisable not to read too much into the quirky bits when thinking about BRONCHO. Best to just let it wash over you. We caught up with them in early December, fresh from a European tour with Queens of the Stone Age, where they played arenas like London’s Wembley Stadium. Lindsey spoke with us while the band was headed to a solo show in St. Louis before rejoining Queens at Minneapolis’s historic jewelbox, the Palace Theatre.

BRONCHO’s electrified show at The Jones Assembly last summer, the tour with Queens, and bassist Penny Pitchlynn’s cameo on HBO’s Girls, keeps us curious about this staple of the Norman music scene.

Sex charges rock and roll, and there’s not enough of it in the Oklahoma rock scene for this writer. But I’m from Detroit, where there’s maybe too much sex. (Can you even say that about a rock scene utterly rooted in soul music?) The driving guitar riffs, and open, warbly sound of BRONCHO’s well-received third release, Double Vanity, 25

are kindred to early Iggy or the MC5. Listen to Iggy’s “Search and Destroy” or “I Want You Right Now” by the MC5 and see if you agree. And, truth be told, in that era rock bands from Detroit were really trying to connect with the NYC punk scene. Similarly, Vanity reminds of early Velvet Underground—“White Light” especially. Lindsey acknowledges the influence of these bands.

Of course, BRONCHO is primarily itself—the product of the strange, mesmerizing stage presence of Lindsey, guitarist Ben King, bassist Penny Pitchlynn, and drummer Nathan Price. It’s a band whose sound and lyrics increase curiosity, rather than satisfy it.

What’s inspiring you these days? | We all individually have places that we get inspiration from, and it’s kind of all over the map. But BRONCHO comes from the Iggy world, the Replacements world.

We’re (also) kind of making sense of the world that we’re currently in. Every record we do is more in the moment than (us) thinking about what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to keep things as natural as possible.

Tell me about the songwriting process.

It’s interesting, because I just watched this documentary on the creation of Cats, the musical. Basically, Andrew Lloyd Webber had all these songs and the idea, but he was coming up with lyrics (until) right before the first show. It sounds like us. Eventually it will fall into place. But you never know if it’s gonna happen, and that’s why it’s crazy along the way.

Road life—worst habits? Best kindness?

We are a tight crew. Everybody knows how to be themselves in all situations, which is good. Everybody’s pretty loving in this band. Let’s see here, I think I’m the snack guy for sure. A pretty easy snack if you want a fun little time—you get the spicy bean dip and the Fritos. That’s easy if you’ve got five bucks to spend. But the possibilities are endless out here.

Share a notable memory from the Queens of the Stone Age tour?

There’s a lot of unmentionables, haha.

small motor repairs? …drilling… like if you’re grandma’s vacuum got all stopped up…

Yah, take it out there, clean it out.

Fair, fair.

They just opened up their world to us, and made us feel comfortable. They deal with the same personal issues we deal with, it’s fun to all cope with those things together.

We all eat together, we play, they play, then we hang until everybody has to go home. Doing that every night with people you love—that’s the goal, you know?

You are an 80-year-old man. Tell me about what BRONCHO’s got going in 2018.

We’re working on a record and playing shows. We’ve recorded every record with Chad Copelin at Blackwatch Studios. We’ve done three records together (and) recorded at different places. The first record we did partly at Blackwatch, and partly at The Church Studio in Tulsa, which is Leon Russell’s old studio. We did our second When you come from an underdog place like Oklahoma record down at Sonic Ranch, which is this great studio or Detroit, and you become outside of El Paso (with) a part of this big, shiny a lot of history. It’s a great world, how does it affect your "Eventually it will fall into place. But you place right in the middle perspective on coming home? of a pecan orchard, on the For me, I love coming Rio Grande. It’s got an never know if it's gonna happen, and home. I really like where I energy—I imagine we’ll do came from, and I like being some more stuff that's why it's crazy along the way." there. It’s great to explore, down there. then go back.

We’ve been talking for a while, where are you now?

Okies are always on the road.

We just passed Six Flags. What I’d give for just a couple Oh, totally, we are definitely gypsies. Everybody spins in there. knows distances here, and has a different perspecThat’d be a good music video. tive on distances. When we were told in Europe we Just cruising through town. There’s a Jellystone Park, had a really long drive to the next show, it was, like, right past Six Flags. I maybe went as a kid, but I’d really five hours. Driving five hours to a show is perfect. like to go now.

It means I’m gonna get a nap, get some snacks, I’m gonna get comfortable for a bit.

Be all like, “Hey, Boo-Boo.” Hey, Boo-Boo! You’re like an old man with your overalls, your Fritos and your nap. Then you’re good!

They’ve got good snacks in there.

Then I’m great. Yeah, get some Fritos, maybe some I’m sure they have good snacks. burritos. I like a good little workshop, too. Just, you know, repairs… photos taken at The Jones Assembly 26

INSIDER

DOWNTOWN IN DECEMBER Strapping on our skates and twirling around the Devon Ice Rink at Myriad Botanical Gardens is one of the highlights of the winter season. A live DJ joins skaters Fri. nights, and the popular curling workshops return (tickets sold out until Jan. 6 & 20). Thru January 28. @devonicerink Two of the manmade snow slopes at LifeShare WinterFest at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark have been redesigned this year, meaning there’s even more reason to feel the wind in your face.

Thru January 1. okcdodgers.com Deck the halls with a bright and shiny tour of some of Downtown’s most well-lit byways. The buildings of Auto Alley (Broadway between 4thth & 10thth) are blanketed with nearly 200k LED lights, and the Bricktown Canal is ablaze with color (free water taxi rides some nights). @AutoAlleyOKC and @bricktownwatertaxi

PRAIRIE ARTISAN ALES

GREYSTONE LOUNGE

Tulsa-based Prairie Artisan Ales will anchor 8thth Street Market, the first of what they’re promising will be “Oklahoma City’s first market hall retail center.” For now, Prairie’s large tap room has the warehouse to itself. The space is modeled after The Source in Denver, a trendy market that includes a restaurant, coffee shop, bakery, butcher, tap room, and more.

3 NE 8th St. Automobile Alley. @8thstreetmarketokc

Is the Bricktown party scene about to experience an enlightenment? That might just be the case with the opening of Greystone Lounge, which touts “a nightlife experience for people who don’t go out.” The third feather in chef/restauranteur James Vu’s hat (see Kong’s Tavern and La Brasa), Greystone opened in November, and all signs point to a Palm Springs meets Valley of the Dolls vibe, and we’re intrigued.

210 E. Sheridan Ave. Bricktown. @greystonelounge

Insider recs by Emily Russell Prairie, Greystone, and Stag photos by Trace Thomas.

Downtown in Dec. photos courtesy Downtown OKC. 27

RARE WHISKIES AT STAG When it brought back cigars to the main bar, WSKY Lounge decided to rebrand as Stag Lounge. Not much changed inside, but it did give us the chance to learn Stag offers a Glenmorangie Pride tasting (’74, ’78, ’81). It’s the only bar in the world with a collection verified by the owners of Glenmorangie, according to Stag co-owner Tony Greene.

The tasting is served in three cut Glencairn crystal glasses that you get to take home, and two Padron 1926 series, 80th-anniversary cigars are included. The whole shebang will set you back a cool grand, nbd.

228 NE 2nd St. Deep Deuce. @staglounge

YOUNG BROTHERS INC. Young Brothers is upping the interior design game in OKC with its new slab gallery. Think stone sheets imagined as works of art. Young Brothers is the go-to source for local interior designers for all things tile and marble (and granite, and limestone, and quartz). “Clients will be able to pick from a variety of unique stones they won’t be able to find anywhere else in Oklahoma City,” said Tiffany Astl. “To ensure the quality of our product, we recently visited Carrara, Italy to hand select marble to bring back to our showroom.” We predict heart eyes on their dreamy Instagram feed.

100 N. Classen Blvd. Downtown. @youngbrosinc

BRIGHTMUSIC CHAMBER ENSEMBLE Famed intellectual Johann van Goethe described chamber music as “four rational people conversing.” It’s still an apt descriptor. The way one instrument “begins the conversation” with a melody or motif and a second, in turn, “responds” still holds charm for music lovers.

Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble, a local society of musicians, is led

by Artistic Directors Chad Burrow (clarinet) and Amy I-Lin Cheng (piano). These highly respected OKC musicians now return home from the esteemed University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance to keep their important series alive here.

“With Brightmusic we try to bring as much variety to our concerts as possible,” Burrow said. “In some cases, it is with instrumentation and in others, as is the case for the January program, we focus on diverse repertoire.”

At St. Paul’s Cathedral on January 23, String Theory features string quintet works by contemporary American composer Kenji Bunch, and classical pieces by Dvořák and Mozart.

Tickets $20 (students and active-duty military free with ID). 127 NW 7th St. brightmusic.org 28

LUNCH • DINNER • BRUNCH • 405.235.2200 MIDTOWN • 1201 N. WALKER AVE. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73103

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WHAT'S HAPPENING

I D T OW N Beyond Bibimbap Boogie Woogie Babies Insider

A look at the journey of Korean food from Tinker AFB into the mainstream scene in the city core. story by Greg Horton photos by Trace Thomas

By almost any honest metric, Chae created the mainstreaming of Korean restaurants in Oklahoma City. Daniel Chae’s place in Uptown was the pioneer experiment in bringing Korean food to non-Koreans in the metro, and that is axiomatic even within the Korean community. Kevin Lee, the executive chef at Vast, helped his friend create the concept. Lee is also about to open Gogi Go in Midtown, and he’s very direct about Chae’s influence.

“If Chae didn’t exist, no other Korean restaurant would be experiencing the level of interest we’re seeing right now,” he said.

Radiohead was playing on Chae’s playlist as I sat at the bar and ate dak galbi with kimchi and rice (definitions in the sidebar). That is partly because Daniel Chae has good taste in music, and partly because he is part of a new generation of Korean Americans who are trying to bring their native cuisine to a larger audience. I noticed “True Love Waits” because what Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant in the metro plays Radiohead? In fact, can you remember the music overhead last time you ate in an Asian restaurant?

Daniel Chae, Kevin Lee and John Lee (a Gogi Go partner) represent a new generation of Korean-American restaurateurs, and they are standing between two cultures while trying to explain their methodology to an older generation.

“Korean restaurants have always been confusing to non-Koreans,” John said. “The menus are too big, they are mostly in Korean with very small English fonts, if any, and the ‘serving staff ’ is usually a member of the family who has very little ability with English.”

Daniel Chae has seen substantial pushback from his parents’ generation, primarily because he’s not doing “real Korean.”

“The most common criticism I hear about ‘real Korean’ is that Chae doesn’t offer banchan,” he said. “Restaurant margins are very narrow, and offering free sides to everyone who walks in reduces the margins even further.”

Banchan are the small plates typically offered at traditional Korean restaurants such as fish cakes, seaweed, soy sprouts, radishes, and kimchi. While they are a wonderful part of the experience of Korean dining, they really are margin killers akin to free chips, queso, salsa, and tortillas in TexMex cuisine. The not-so-secret calculus is that the more free stuff you get, the lower the quality of ingredients coming out of the kitchen.

Gogi Go is likely to face similar criticism because they will be the first fast-casual Korean restaurant in Oklahoma City.

Kevin said he intends the Midtown eatery to be a tool in exposing the larger culture to Korean food, and he wants to make it as accessible as possible. At the risk of oversimplifying, just imagine a Korean Qdoba, and you’ll have a sense of Gogi Go, due to open next to Commonplace Books on January 9.

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Diners will enter the line and choose a rice bowl or “burrito.” After that, they will select from three very traditional proteins: beef, pork or chicken. (Tofu will also be available, although in traditional Korean cooking, tofu is typically mixed in with other animal proteins.) Cold toppings, like pickled vegetables and kimchi are next, and the last choice is one of five original sauces. Sides, including japchae noodles and non-traditional options like fried onions, also will be available.

Kevin said he wanted to add non-traditional options that make sense with Korean food. “I didn’t just pick things that are popular in Oklahoma—though buttered corn and fried onions definitely are. I picked options that complement the food, as a way of expanding the cuisine.”

Kevin graduated from Kurt Fleischfresser’s chef apprenticeship, so he brings both traditional Korean and classical chef training to Gogi Go. While places like Korean House and Taste of Korea have shaped the Oklahoma experience of Korean food, Kevin hopes to both expose Oklahomans to Korean while expanding the definition of “Korean food.”

In truth, it’s exploding in major U.S. cities, and the only substantive question anyone who understands food is asking is: what took so long? Kevin and John credit chefs like Roy Choi, whose Los Angeles food truck Kogi helped to popularize Korean food on the West Coast and on

television. Choi made “Korean tacos,” and that, of course, leads to the difficult task of defining “Korean fusion.” It’s a word that Kevin avoids, because it implies mixing two styles as opposed to expanding one.

While that is largely an internal conversation for the Korean-American community—what constitutes “real Korean” food?—2018 is the thirtieth anniversary of Korean restaurants in Oklahoma City. John’s mother, Chang, opened Korean House just west of Tinker Air Force Base in 1988, and like most Korean restaurants since, it was meant to be a gathering place, not a restaurant that appealed to most Oklahomans.

The most accurate analog is German wine or beer. Men and women in the U.S. military have served all over the world, and they are exposed to new food, flavors and experiences. Go to a liquor store near Tinker, and you’ll likely find a large selection of Riesling from Germany.

Korean immigration is categorically different than its most obvious point of comparison, Vietnamese immigration. Military personnel returned from tours of Korea, either as part of the Korean War or later as support personnel for the Vietnam War, with a Korean spouse. Whereas the Vietnam War created a culture of refugees, Koreans were able to settle in South Korea. That meant the penetration of Korean culture into U.S. cities took much longer, decades longer in the case of Oklahoma City.

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Glossary Bibimbap: rice with vegetables, gochujang and egg (usually) Galbi: literally a rib, but typically a short rib dish Kimchi: there are modern variations but the original is fermented Napa cabbage Banchan: traditional sides, usually served in small bowls ahead of the main course Japchae: sweet potato noodles mixed with vegetables and soy sauce Gochujang: fermented red chili paste that runs the spectrum from sweet to spicy to smoky

"There are no huge menus in South Korea, the restaurants focus on one or two things, and they do those well.

–Chang Lee

When Chang Lee opened Korean House, she was creating a space for fellow Koreans to gather, use their native language, share their foods, and work on the slow task of integrating into Oklahoma culture. Chang Lee’s family still owns one of the largest restaurants in South Korea, so food is in her blood. She sold Korean House more than a decade ago, but she still cooks almost every week for family and friends at the First Korean Methodist Church on SE 59th St. At the church, the food is very much like it is back in South Korea.

“There are no huge menus in South Korea,” Chang said. “The restaurants focus on one or two things, and they do those well. My family’s restaurant specializes in freshwater eel.”

As South Korea has become more prosperous, the proteins available have changed a bit, but the heart of the food is still short-grain, white rice and root vegetables. The country was poor for a long time, Chang explained, so people had to cook what they had, and they had to preserve food, so kimchi and other pickles started as a way to stretch the life expectancy of food.

Chang rightly takes some satisfaction in seeing Korean food moving into the mainstream. As son John noted, kimchi now appears on menus, including a burger at Ludivine, and gochujang sauce is nearly ubiquitous in wing concepts. That American concepts are already incorporating Korean components into American food further convinced Kevin and John that this was a great time to open Gogi Go. Korean chefs and restaurateurs should have first say in what the new Korean food will look like, after all.

In the meantime, traditional restaurants like Taste of Korea will continue to benefit from the proliferation of Korean ingredients on non-Korean restaurant menus. As people become more comfortable with the terminology, they will likely become more adventurous.

Sun Ha, the owner of Taste of Korea, moved to Oklahoma City six years ago from Nashville. She moved to the urban core after the success of Chae. One lunch service recently included a table of Latinas, a Chinese father and son, four white businessmen, and two Air Force enlisted men enjoying rustic, traditional food like they enjoyed in Osan, South Korea, on a temporary duty assignment.

The next generation, including John Lee, talk of these concepts as an homage to their mothers and grandmothers.

It was women in the kitchen mostly, according to Kevin and John, but times have changed.

“My parents were not happy about me being a chef for the longest time,” Kevin said. “They wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer; education is important to Korean culture, but chef television has affected Korean perceptions, too. It’s cool to be a chef now.”

FIND THEM

Midtown’s Gogi Go @gogigookc.Uptown’s Chae @chaeokc + urbun @urbuneats. Downtown’s Taste of Korea on Facebook.

Food in photo from Taste of Korea.

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BENEFITING THE OKLAHOMA AIDS CARE FUND

Saturday, March 3, 2018 6:00 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Midnight National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Co-Chairs: Scott Davis & David Leader Sponsorships, Tables & Tickets on sale at RedTieNight.com or by calling 405-348-6600 Hotel accommodations available at the Waterford Renaissance Hotel with complimentary shuttle service throughout the night

Benefiting the grants program of the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund

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BOOGIE WOOGIE BABIES The City Cabaret dives deeply into OKC's musical theater talent pool. story by Kiana Moridi

After a traumatic knee injury during a musical production in 2014, Cristela Carrizales was left confused and distraught about what her life would become. She spent her entire life dancing and performing. From the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Lyric Theatre to dancing in Knockdown Dragout in Oklahoma City, Carrizales felt alive on stage and now her livelihood, her passion, had been stripped away.

“I couldn’t walk for three months and it forever changed the way I would be able to move,” Carrizales said. “I had always been a musical person, able to dance and move, but now those days were behind me.”

Having produced two cabarets in the past, one in 2008 and a one-woman show in 2010, Carrizales decided to take her expertise and love for the industry behind the scenes. The injury “became the catalyst to this creation,” she said.

She invited Corie Melaugh over for dinner and pitched the idea of bringing a cabaret to Oklahoma City. The two met while performing in an OKC musical improv troupe together called Night Rhymers. Melaugh signed on quickly and the pair began searching for a venue and talent.

“The thing that makes cabaret special is that the artist,” Carrizales said. “They’re sharing a song they connect with. It’s a more intimate experience because you’re actually seeing the heart of the artist as opposed to (a theatrical) character.”

Piece by piece, the company formed. Carrizales called in favors from friends. They borrowed mics and amps and speakers, and asked other likeminded artists to lend a helping hand. Melaugh developed the company band, which consists of Christopher Black, Michelle Hedges and Melaugh, and a host of rotating musicians. Finding a venue was the final piece in the months-long jigsaw. The company tried out a few spaces in the city and eventually landed at the Paramount Theatre in Film Row, which has been their home for the past two years. In April 2015, The City Cabaret OKC sold 160 tickets to its first show.

The City Cabaret OKC has showcased 19 singers and more than 10 musicians in 11 themed shows. “I opened a company banking account with $200,” Carrizales said. “My idea was small, but I was fortunate that my friends had a bigger vision...

We’re not like a band who goes to different places and plays the same set list, we create a different experience every time.”

The 2017 season concludes December 21-23 with Retro Wonderland. Festive decorations and vintage costumes transform the Paramount into an intimate 1940’s club, performing songs by the likes of Bing Crosby and The Andrew Sisters, and original compositions. The 2018 season kicks off with a Mardi Grasthemed show in February.

Retrowear is encouraged at the December show. Last year’s show sold out, so snag tickets early at thecitycabaretokc.com. Tickets start at $25. photo courtesy The City Cabaret 36

DINNER | LUNCH | BRUNCH | COCKTAILS | ROOFTOP | EVENTS BOOK OUR BRAND NEW EVENT SPACE

BY CONTACTING CATERING@PACKARDSOKC.COM VIEW EVENT MENUS AND DETAILS AT PACKARDSOKC.COM 201 NW 10TH STREET OKC â&#x20AC;¢ 405.605.3371 37

INSIDER RED ANDREWS PARK Prepare for paradise to be unpaved. For years, those dedicated to the development of Midtown have yearned for and plotted how to bring more green space into the district. Last summer, the city broke ground on the renovations for Red Andrews Park, located on 8thth St. between Shartel and Lee. Cement parking spaces are being replaced with a community gathering place. The $1 million revamp, designed by Fitzsimmons Architects, features a walking trail, lawn, amphitheater, and more.

Public and private contributors include OKC Parks and Rec, Midtown Renaissance, Fitzsimmons, St. Anthony Hospital, Bob Moore Auto, the SoSA neighborhood group, and others.

720 NW 8thth St. @RedAndrewsPark

|View from north site_ looking SE |

Insider recs by Emily Russell RED ANDREWS PARK Pop-Up Shops courtesy of Downtown OKC. Red Andrews rendering: Fitzsimmons Architects January 2015

fitzsimmons

MIDTOWN HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOPS The Midtown Pop-Up Shops have become synonymous with the holiday season in Oklahoma City. Devotees will consider the Top Shopper season pass, where $25 gains access to preview shopping events; beating the lines with a festive adult beverage in one hand and a swag bag in the other sounds just too good to pass up.

More than 40 vendors, including local favorites like Sara Kate Studios, Commonplace Books and PLENTY Mercantile, will cycle thru until Christmas. Be sure to check out Tulsabased STEMcell Science Shop (geeks rejoice), as well as McAlester-based Harper & Grey House for classic architects clothing and home goods.

10th ttth & Hudson. okcpopups.com. @okcpopups 38

L - .W",'' 111lighting.com

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333 Wilshire Ste D OKC 73116

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405.241.9281

WHAT'S HAPPENING

PTOWN/PASEO

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Petro Pete, Meet Rep. Dollins Uptown Insider | Because Biscuits | Plaza Insider

PETRO PETE, MEET REP. DOLLENS A common-sense approach to governing—and adulting.

by William W. Savage III photo by Todd Scott Ballje

By the time he first ran for political office in 2016, Mickey Dollens already had experience convincing complete strangers to believe in him. As a senior on a losing Bartlesville High School football team, Dollens and a friend spliced together a highlight tape and started sending it to college coaches around the country. He would pick up the phone, call various programs and tell them that the footage they were requesting about “that Dollens kid” was on its way.

The tactic worked. Dollens, who now represents southwest Oklahoma City’s House District 93, played collegiate football at Southern Methodist University and wound up in OKC only because he missed an SMU team flight to Birmingham, Alabama. After frantically booking a commercial flight, he sat next to a fellow passenger who owns an oil company in Oklahoma City. By the end of the flight, he had been offered a job following graduation.

From there, Dollens worked on oil rigs, competed as a U.S. Olympic bobsledder, taught English at U.S. Grant High School and published a book titled Recruit Yourself: Earn a NCAA Football Scholarship. When district budget cuts eliminated his classroom position, Dollens ran for political office.

“He invests so much in his job and his constituents,” says Dollens’ wife, Taylor. “When we have people calling us at 9:30 at night, he doesn’t hesitate to answer. He will stop whatever we are doing because it’s what he’s passionate about.”

Last October, Dollens held his ground during a feisty tongue-in-cheek interview with Comedy Central’s The 41

Opposition with Jordan Klepper. What’s so bad about Oklahoma Energy Resources Board donating (pro-industry) curriculum to “95% of Oklahoma school districts?”

The show asked Rep. Dollens, “Couldn’t this solve your budget problem, if you just had more corporations come in to schools? You could have Big Soda sponsor free lunches.

You could have Big Pharma sponsor, you know, nap time.” Mickey wasn’t amused: “That has no place…in any elementary classroom.”

Dollens is concluding his first year as a state representative — or so he thought. The following interview was conducted Friday, Nov. 17, in a nine-hour period between the Legislature adjourning from special session and Gov. Mary Fallin vetoing much of its revised appropriations bill, likely forcing addition session and further political rancor.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED AFTER YOUR FIRST SESSION IN THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE?

The most eye-opening thing I’ve learned is how much time is wasted on socially divisive bills and not on what really needs to be addressed — example, the budget. About halfway through the legislative session, we got to where the Democratic Caucus was asking the same question over and over: Does this add revenue to the budget? We went through everything from the abortion bills to the gun bills, and there was still this looming cloud of the budget. We wasted so much time on that. Then, when things do matter, we are rushed to vote on things without being able to read the bills.

It’s a lack of transparency.

HOW WILL THE RESULTS OF THIS SESSION AND SPECIAL SESSION AFFECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS?

The agency cuts will affect my constituents, from public safety to those who rely on services. I did a two-hour Q&A with my constituents. I knew that if the advantage waiver program wasn’t funded, they would be in a bad situation… we are going into session next year $672 million in the hole. These same constituents are OK this year, but I can’t say that next year. If it were up to me, we would come back with a sustainable budget that funds these agencies and doesn’t cripple our low- and middle-income Oklahomans.

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY POLICY AREAS IN WHICH YOU’RE GOING TO BECOME AN EXPERT?

The things that make me most excited (about) the policy I’ve been working on is my Apprenticeship Oklahoma program, encouraging students and even adults like me who were replaced by automation (in the oil fields) to be re-skilled and re-trained…to have skills that will make them a good living. My wife, Taylor, and I came up with a saying: High fives without the four. There are so many jobs out there that provide a high-five-figure salary without the traditional fouryear degree. I’m so excited to tell kids about these opportunities. If you don’t know what you want to do in college…(y)ou can learn a trade, and then if you choose to go to college you can use that to fund your way.

"The most eye-opening thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned is how much time is wasted on socially divisive bills and not on what really needs to be addressed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; example, the budget."

INSIDER

HOLEY ROLLERS

SQUIRREL PARK OKC’s love affair with repurposed shipping containers expands into Uptown with Squirrel Park, a new for-lease residential space. London’s award-winning Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects designed the project.

Award-winning OKC architect Wade Scaramucci works for AHMM, and has created innovative projects such as the ballet’s new home, now the Susan E. Brackett Dance Center, and Deep Deuce’s OKSea Project (Anchor Down, Wheeze the Juice).

Scaramucci committed to making these modern concepts fit their historic neighborhood. “(They’re) set within the existing grain of the neighborhood.

The units are carefully located to maintain the existing mature trees, while also focusing their view and aspect on a new communal space.”

The containers have been staggered so that each unit has two external balconies and a porch swing. Squirrel Park opens December 8—and we predict new tenants probably needed their names on the list, like, last year.

32nd St. & NW Classen Blvd.

IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND PASS ONE BILL, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

The key right there is to pass a comprehensive, sustainable budget that doesn’t put the burden on low- and middle-income people. To be able to have a society that is well-educated and that takes care of our elders, helping people get on equal footing, addressing the opioid crisis. All of these things — even from the public safety to the roads and bridges — require investment, and if we don’t have the funds to invest, we can expect more of the same. We can expect what has happened in Kansas and other states where trickle-down economics have failed.

HOW DID THE COMEDY CENTRAL APPEARANCE COME ABOUT?

When I made the announcement that I was going to be on that show, one of my friends from high school said, “Oh, yay, Comedy Central is going to be in Oklahoma … ohh, Comedy Central is going to be in Oklahoma.” So any time you have a satirical show in our state, it’s not for good reasons, normally. But I had the opportunity to be on there because of my background as a teacher. Really, the reason I am in the Legislature is because the Republicans have failed to fund public education.

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Holey Rollers has graduated from the food truck to a permanent location in the Paseo—and oh man, did life just get a bit sweeter. These donuts are dairy- and egg-free, but absolutely packed with flavor. Owner Andrea Koester says the vanilla-lavender and spicy Mexican chocolate are most popular. Most donuts are baked, but Chef Tim Mort has recently been experimenting with fried donuts and fritters. Also find hand-pulled espresso, teas, and other breakfast items (these over-achievers are even making their own oat milk). Holey Rollers also takes on savory, i.e. homemade English muffin sandwiches with egg or tofu. Um, yum.

Weekdays 7 am-2 pm, weekends 8 am-3 pm. 3010 Paseo. @holeyrollers

Insider recs by Emily Russell Rendering: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects, Holey Rollers photo by Trace Thomas

My biggest reaction to the show was the third-grade curriculum provided by OERB that pushes Petro Pete and this nightmare world he lives in without petroleum products such as plastics. Well, one of the parts of the interview that they edited was, ‘Well, if they had industrial hemp farms in Oklahoma, he wouldn’t have to rely on fossil fuels for his plastic needs.’ There are other ways to get the things that fossil fuels provide, and…in a much more environmentally friendly way. The fact that a corporation is providing starving schools with curriculum and “generously” giving out handouts to teachers in order for them to push a one-sided curriculum that doesn’t mention any other perspectives about climate change or wind or solar is really a desperate attempt by an industry that is trying so hard to remain relevant with younger generations that will, no-doubt, look toward alternative energy sources in their adult lives.

It’s been great to see reactions (from people) who had no idea this was happening. Parents calling schools saying, “Are you teaching this stuff?” Teachers saying, “I was, but not anymore.”

Dollens’ answers have been edited slightly for length.

BECAUSE BISCUITS It’s biscuit season, and a true expert shares his hard-won tips for success. You’re welcome. story by Greg Horton photo by Ellie Baygulov

THE FLOUR

White Lily Flour is his preference. The bad news?

It’s two to three times the cost of all-purpose flour, and it’s hard to find. Online is the best option.

BUTTER OR SHORTENING? BUTTER OR SWEET?

“Reading through recipes, I came across all kinds of blends of butter and shortening, and some people preferred just butter or just shortening. I tried a bunch of combinations, but I kept coming back to unsalted butter. That’s all I use now.”

If you are using butter, McKenna said to make sure it’s very cold when you add it. You know it’s right when the butter looks like “pea gravel” in the dough.

THE MILK

As for the milk debate—sweet or buttermilk—he prefers the latter because of the “twang” it adds.

Chris McKenna, the executive chef and partner at HunnyBunny Biscuit Company, steadfastly refuses to give us his biscuit recipe. We asked. He said no. Other than saying, “They’re made with a lot of butter,” he refused to offer any more details that would allow a reverse engineering project. Once you taste them, you will understand why we want to reverse engineer them.

We asked McKenna if he would share some pro tips for amateur cooks, because it’s embarrassing to be an Okie and not be able to make good biscuits.

TECHNIQUE

Rule number one, and it’s number one because it’s critical: Do not overwork the dough. When making a small batch—a dozen or less—McKenna uses the hand method. He makes a flour well, similar to pasta making, and then slowly works the wet and dry ingredients together. When the dough comes together, stop working it!

When cutting biscuits, do not twist the cutter: “(W)hen you twist the cutter, it pinches the dough, which can cause it to not rise or to rise unevenly.”

When placing biscuits in the pan, make sure they are touching each other. It helps the rise process. If you are making a small batch, use cast iron for a crispy crust. They just need to be touching, not smushed.

Rather than grease the sheet, use parchment paper.

A good temp is 400-425 for a 2.5-inch biscuit.

If you put enough butter in the dough, you don’t need to brush them with butter.

Opening late December, early January. HunnyBunny Biscuit Co., 429 NW 23rd St. hunnybunnybiscuitco.com @hunnybunnybiscuitco 44

Seasonal flavors Photo by Beau Brand

ARTISAN MADE, VEGAN WITH GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS NOW OPEN IN PASEO

3010 PASEO SUITE 101

405.212.2383

INSIDER

GORO MONDAYS Chef Jeff Chanchaleune and crew at Gorō Ramen offer inventive specials every Monday starting at 5 pm, and they’re definitely worth taking off early from work. Past creations have included Green Curry Chicken Mazemen (no-broth ramen), Mapo tofu with ground pork over thick noodles and Tonkotsu ramen (pork bone broth with soy-braised pork belly, wood ear mushrooms and more). Stay glued to their Instagram feed, because other limited treats like fried okra and pork and kimchi spring rolls frequently pop up.

1634 N. Blackwelder Ave. #102. Plaza District. @gororamen

WORKSHOPS AT THE PRITCHARD If you missed The Pritchard Wine Bar’s Crafts & Cocktails event in December, fear not. Monthly workshops will continue throughout 2018.

Guests will learn how to make—and drink, of course—cocktails, and make gorgeous garnishes. General Manager Mindy Magers and Executive Chef Shelby Sieg will even send you home with ingredients so you can impress cocktail party guests. Stay tuned for more info.

1749 NW 16th St. Must RSVP at mindy@pritchardokc.com or 405-601-4067. @thepritchardokc Insider recs by Emily Russell

Insider recs by Photo provided by Goro Ramen.

427 NW 23rd Oklahoma City, OK (405) 604 8940 www.scottiesdeliokc.com

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SMOKING LOUNGE • PERSONALIZED LOCKERS • PREMIUM ACCESSORIES

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WHAT'S HAPPENING

ESTERN

W

AVE & BEYOND Lifting the Curtain Nyakio Skincare Protecting Both Species No One Dies in Lingerie Wine Column

Oklahoma City Ballet’s powerfully expressive new dancer. story by Whitney Bryen photo by J. Gwyn Rainey

Upon entering the studio where he spent the past four months perfecting his trade, Jonathan Batista exudes the elegance of a stage-worthy performance. Polished street clothes can’t hide the grace with which he glides through the stark white entrance of the Oklahoma City Ballet studio. High ceilings and smooth surfaces vibrate with the echoes of even the slightest noise, but it is silent as the 25-year-old makes his entrance without so much as a tap of his shoe on the hard floors.

Batista’s posture is that of a refined man with unwavering discipline. But a tweed blazer and sophisticated scarf are not enough to distract from the twinkle of youthful exuberance in his eyes as the dancer talks about sacrifice and dedication to his craft.

“For every degree of success there should be a greater amount of sacrifice,” Batista said. “You must be willing to sacrifice things in your personal life so you can grow and add value in the areas you’re passionate about. It’s an investment.”

Oklahoma City Ballet’s newest principal dancer made his stage debut in November as Prince Siegfried in the company’s opening night of Swan Lake at Civic Center Music Hall. The performance was Batista’s first principal role in a full-length production, and his emotional expressiveness and powerful physicality let the audience know a new star had arrived.

“It was everything I ever dreamed of,” he said.

The native of Rio de Janeiro took his first dance class, a ballroom class, when he was 9 years old. Dance was one of many activities his mother encouraged, including graffiti painting, martial arts, soccer and jewelry making, which later paid Batista’s way to the English National Ballet School in London. A broken foot left Batista feeling antsy as he trained so far from home, but he continued to grow as a dancer despite injury. It was only four years ago, during his time with The National Ballet of Canada, that Batista decided to focus solely on dance.

“It was thanks to the people there who spotted my talent and encouraged me,” Batista said. “Their main ballet master wrote me a note, a letter about how to succeed and enjoy this career, and it was so encouraging.”

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continued on page 60

Batista spent the past four years bouncing from company to company, leaving friends and family behind in pursuit of his dream. Boxes of books and music were unpacked and packed again as he accepted roles in Miami, Boston, Milwaukee and Cincinnati before making his way to Oklahoma City last summer. And while Batista will continue to travel the world as a teacher and guest artist, his nomad days are slowing down.

His position as a principal dancer has allowed him to get a green card, making him an official U.S. resident, but it’s the little things that make him feel at home in OKC—the studio in his apartment where he produces music; relaxing with friends and a glass of wine; brunching at Stella; and stacks of books and music from Ella Fitzgerald to The Weeknd that set Batista’s “wild personality” free.

“That’s me—that’s who I am when I’m not on stage playing a part,” Batista said. “That’s why it’s important to have a home, so I have a place where I can be me.”

Despite the usual jitters, Batista also feels at home backstage where he has developed a ritual that fuels his performance. Distractions are key to calming the butterflies. Batista wishes the other performers luck between songs on his iPod—never songs from the show. Only music that takes him away from the role, from the emotions of it.

Music that moves him, that takes him somewhere familiar, somewhere comforting, somewhere else. And within 60 seconds of his entrance, the role kicks in.

“I live to be in that role, everything that happens around me is non-existent if it’s not in the ballet,” Batista said. “All my energy and emotions are then able to be released on stage. I literally give my all to those who are watching.”

For the first time in four years, Batista will return to his hometown to visit family and friends for the holidays. It will be the first Christmas he has spent at home in 10 years, he said. Sacrifice. But before his long-awaited return home, Batista is preparing for The Nutcracker December 9-19.

Batista said he plans to stay with the company as long as he can, and according to Artistic Director Robert Mills, the feeling is mutual. “Jonathan is not only an

ATLAS OF BEAUTY Okla. born, globally informed, Nyakio unites global beauty traditions into a modern luxury line. story by Sarah James

Nyakio Kamoche Grieco vividly recalls summers spent in Kenya with her family, a long journey from her Oklahoma home. A first-generation American of Kenyan descent, Nyakio (pronounced Neh-kay-oh) belongs to a family populated by medicine men, farmers, and educators. She spent many of those summers soaking up rituals and traditions from her grandmother, a coffee farmer.

Her favorite memory entails her grandmother crushing lush, antioxidant-rich coffee beans—can you just smell it now?—and then rubbing them onto the body with a piece of sugarcane, revealing softer, smoother skin. A captivating ritual, no doubt.

Nyakio was raised in Norman, where her father was Professor of African Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Yet the sights, smells, secrets and teachings passed down through her Kenyan family proved to be incredibly influential, too, instilling in the American girl a deep love for global beauty and culture.

Upon graduating from OU with a degree in Business Marketing, Nyakio moved to Los Angeles to work in the entertainment industry. Still, that lifelong passion for beauty simmered within her. Nyakio began culling indigenous ingredients and wisdom from friends and family around the world. Yearning to be an entrepreneur, she began researching the cosmetics industry and noticed that, while many cultures were represented, the sophistication of Africa was missing. Nyakio wanted to fill that gap by honoring her rich family heritage, and those across Asia, Europe and India.

“I had an amazing childhood being raised in Oklahoma,” she said. “I am so grateful to the teachers, mentors, friends and family that shaped my confidence and ability to follow my dreams. Oklahoma is a very special place, full of genuine, driven, generous, and kind-hearted souls.”

Still, her grandmother’s beauty regime would not leave Nyakio’s mind, and eventually became the first product in the new Nyakio skincare line, carried at Ulta stores nationwide.

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When approaching the concept of skincare, Nyakio has unwavering commitment to using natural and ethically sourced ingredients, stating “natural is not a trend... natural has been around for thousands of years.” I couldn’t agree more. I’ve devoted years to researching and educating folks on the importance of clean beauty, as well as working in tandem with many natural beauty brands. I spent the past few months getting to know her products— and by “getting to know,” I mean sniffing, slathering, massaging, patting, and studying my skin ad nauseum.

The Nyakio skincare line is comprised of 16 products, ranging from effective yet gentle exfoliators and cleansers to restorative oils, all made using indigenous techniques and without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, formaldehyde, or butylene glycol.

The line is lovely, indeed. From the ingredients to the packaging to the performance, the products evoke a worldly and luxurious vibe. Companies from all around the world send me clean beauty products, and I recommend my favorites on my blog and social media (whoorl. com and @whoorl). So Territory asked me to share my favorites from this line.

The Marula and Neroli Brightening Oil is truly special.

Prized by Mozambique locals for its moisturizing properties, Marula Oil is a lightweight, yet extremely hydrating moisturizer that I’ve personally used for years. However, combined with the brightening properties of Neroli, primarily produced in Tunisia and Morocco, this particular cold-pressed blend is powerful and its fragrance intoxicating. The Manketti & Mafura Anti-Aging Oil uses varietals long favored by Kalahari Desert dwellers in Zambia.

Manketti is rich in vitamins E and C, and Mafura is high in essential fatty acids.

The Kenyan Coffee Face Polish and Lip Polish are both absolute winners in my book—it’s no surprise that exfoliated skin glows like no other, and the face polish doesn’t disappoint, leaving my skin looking radiant, smooth, and well-rested. Also, as we are entering the driest and coldest months, lips take an extra beating. The combination of the Kenyan Coffee Lip Polish and the Baobab Moisturizing Lip Balm is a must. (Planning on busting out a dramatic red lip this holiday season? You must prep those lips!)

The one product that will take residence in my vanity for years to come (also Nyakio’s must-have) is the Tamanu Firming Face Balm--oh, my goodness. Known as “green gold,” Tamanu Oil is highly coveted in India for helping to create seemingly ageless skin, and also can be used on the décolleté and other areas of the body needing extra care.

Packed with antioxidants and fatty acids, this anti-inflammatory blend is superb for creating supple skin. The consistency of the product is a firm balm, but once it meets the warmth of the skin, it becomes a silky, highly moisturizing oil that smells earthy, nutty, and irresistible. I would happily inhale the scent of this particular product all day, every day.

After learning a bit more about the work of this impressive Oklahoma native, it’s easy to see why Nyakio felt so inspired by ancient, natural beauty regimens.

Sarah James is an Oklahoma City native and internationally recognized clean-beauty expert and blogger at whoorl.com. @whoorl.

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PROTECTING BOTH SPECIES The Kirkpatrick Foundation helps Oklahoma lead the nation in addressing the connections between animal abuse as an indicator of violence against humans.

by Whitney Bryen

Animals are often seen as best friends, confidantes and sources of comfort, but they also can be indicators of human tragedy and pain. The Kirkpatrick Foundation is supporting state programs that help make such connections–and interventions–more visible and treatable.

“People are more likely to report animal abuse than human abuse because animals can’t pick up the phone and call it in themselves,” said Phil Arkow, spokesman for the National Link Coalition.

The connection between animal abuse, child maltreatment, domestic violence and elder abuse is referred to as “The Link.”

State coalitions are forming under the national group, providing resources and training to communities across the country.

Initiative leaders praised Oklahoma’s efforts to raise animal cruelty standards at the state’s first Intersection conference in November, co-hosted by the Kirkpatrick Foundation.

Decades of research show animal cruelty is an indicator of violence against humans. Animal abuse rarely happens in isolation, Arkow said. It is often “the tip of the iceberg,” raising the first red flags for law enforcement or social services to intervene. This is why public awareness is so important, he said, for the protection of both species.

Awareness peaked in November for another reason, following the worst mass shooting in Texas history, when the alleged gunman was discovered to have a record of animal cruelty. In 2014, the shooter was cited by law enforcement after witnesses reported that he “beat a dog with his fists” and jumped on top of a dog, according to a report from the Denver Post. He was later discharged from the military for allegedly assaulting his spouse and child, according to the report.

Animals commonly become victims in the struggle for power and control that accompany these types of violence.

More than 70 percent of battered women said their partners harmed, killed or threatened pets, according to the coalition’s research summary. Animal abuse was reported in 60 percent of child-abusing families, and in some cases children had abused animals as scapegoats for their anger.

Another study found that 92 percent of Adult Protective

Services caseworkers found animal neglect in homes where people were unable to care for themselves.

The National Link Coalition highlights this disturbing evidence targeting policy changes, laws, and education that could lead to earlier detection, intervention and prevention of animal and human violence. Oklahoma has one of the most effective link coalitions in the country, said Randall Lockwood, who is a senior vice president for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). “...This is a city and state that has perhaps gone farther than many other communities in making this connection…,” he said.

The Oklahoma Link Coalition was formed in 2014 by 13 professionals who work in protective services, domestic violence, animal protection, veterinary medicine, public health, social work and other areas.

Now, the coalition represents more than 70 organizations and is the only state group with a paid director.

The group is funded by the Kirkpatrick Foundation as part of an initiative to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane place for animals by 2032.

The initiative is driven by Executive Director Louisa McCune’s personal mantra, “where animals fare well, people fare well. And where animals are suffering, so too are the people.”

Experts point to Oklahoma’s animal cruelty laws, policies and training as models for other states. Oklahoma law requires everyone to report child abuse and mandates veterinarians report animal cruelty, according to the National Link Coalition. Oklahoma is among 32 states that allow courts to include pets or livestock in domestic violence protection orders.

Since March 2016, the Humane Society has trained more than 2,400 local members and law enforcement officials in animal welfare issues. Shelters across the state are building kennels or developing foster programs for pets, removing another hurdle to safety for many victims of abuse,

"Animal abuse rarely happens in isolation, Arkow said. It is often “the tip of the iceberg,” raising the first red flags for law enforcement or social services to intervene."

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continued on page 60

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NO ONE DIES IN LINGERIE ...though it is to die for.

From hospital to high-end intimates: Masion Bleue founders elevate women. story by Heide Brandes

Selling the wispy lace and creamy satin of high-end lingerie is a far cry from saving lives in emergency rooms, but both jobs are designed to help others feel better.

Melony Chambless and Rachel Stiger, founders of Edmond’s new Maison Bleue Lingerie boutique, said they help women not only feel exceptional about their bodies, but improve their posture and health by wearing the correct bra size. In their former lives, Stiger and Chambless also spent their days caring for people as ER nurses, but there is one major difference that came with the change in occupation–no one dies in the lingerie business.

“We want women and men to feel good about the body they are in, and I love that about this business,” said Chambless.

The concept developed over cuba libres in the Dominican Republic. When Chambless was still an ER nurse, she and her then-boyfriend were shopping for men’s underwear and visited the high-end La Perla Lingerie website. Instead of buying men’s underwear, she splurged on a matching cami and panty set.

“I was shopping mainstream, and I had a hard time finding things that fit right,” she said. “I got my first piece, and I loved it.”

Chambless fell in love with the world of lace and satin and tiny little ribbons. She researched different brands, attended lingerie markets in Las Vegas and decided to open her own boutique in Edmond offering ooh la la brands like Audelle, La Perla, Sapph, Kirby Kate, Lise Charmel, Commando, Maison Lejaby, PrimaDonna, Bluebella, Mad & Mac and Elila.

Stiger wasn’t sold on Chambless’ idea in the beginning. She had her own business investing in and flipping houses, but Chambless was passionate and persistent. Over shared rum cocktails during a girls’ trip in the Dominican Republic, Stiger began to see her friend’s vision, especially after buying her first nice set of quality, pretty underthings.

Italy sealed the deal (these women know how to live).

“We went to Italy and visited the La Perla boutique.”

Stiger said. “I fell in love and we had a vision on how to do the layout of the store.”

The shop is reminiscent of a Parisian boutique. Silky burgundy negligees hang demurely on gold hangers. On the wall a black lacy bra twinkles with a string of black pearl-like beads that highlight its wearer’s cleavage. In the back, scotch and wine sit under some of the more spirited selections of harness bras designed to titillate and seduce.

Matching panties are never far from their bra partners, each color-coordinated in dainty sets. The lingerie is more than just “pretty.” It is designed to support and to last.

The ladies worried no one would show up to the opening last summer. By the end of the day, Maison Bleue was nearly sold out of inventory–and there’s only been one complaint about the mannequins wearing lingerie in the window.

Most women come into the store wearing the wrong sized bra, Chambless said. But the boutique specializes in hard-to-find sizes–and designs that are pretty in those sizes. “I never thought I’d know this much about underwear,” said Stiger said, “...to get the best lace, you go to France. The satin is Italian. Most of the handmade lingerie comes from Europe. If we don’t have your size, we will special order it.”

They brush concerns about conservatism aside. For these ladies, it’s about loving your life and your body, and feeling empowered within that.

Campbell Corner, 130 N. Broadway, suite 130, Edmond; (405) 531-9053. maisonbleue.com photo courtesy by Maison Lejaby

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A COMMITMENT TO BALANCE AND RESTAINT

photo by Judy Dater

Distributors expand the distribution–and sanity– of French wine in Oklahoma. story by Greg Horton

Kermit Lynch is essentially a household name for fans of French wine. The American wine importer oversees one of the world’s best portfolios of French wine, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Rhone regions.

Oklahoma has had an excellent selection of Kermit Lynch wines for many years, but this summer, the list expanded.

Kermit Lynch’s portfolio is so large that it’s usually split between wine brokers in different states, and beginning this fall, that same thing started in Oklahoma. Until this year, Putnam Wines, Ltd., was the sole broker.

“I talked to Chris Putnam every step of the way,” said Scott Large, owner and founder of Provisions Fine Beverage Purveyors of Tulsa, which will be representing a new crop of Kermit Lynch wines in Oklahoma. “He’s been great about the entire process.”

When I started writing about wine nearly 10 years ago, local wine rep Clayton Bahr said to me, “you’re going to end up drinking French wine.” At the time, I likely uttered a profanity and mentioned condescension, but ultimately, he was correct. Like most American drinkers, I started with fruit bombs and high alcohol wines, but the French commitment to balance and restraint won me over, and once you discover a love for French wine, you discover Kermit Lynch.

Before moving onto the specific wines, it’s important to evangelize a second for French wine. This is not an apologetic for the superiority of French to all other wines; all major winegrowing regions have great wines. Instead, it’s a nod to the sanity of French winemaking, and its ability to bring us back from the precipice of excess, from alcohol content to fruit extraction or sugar. We need only consider the amount of sugar in a soft drink or Starbucks “coffee drinks,” the salt in the multiple baskets of tortilla chips, and the portion sizes at our restaurants to understand how easy it is to market to our expectation of the bombastic.

The French, it seems, are immune to this. They keep making wine like they’ve always made wine, and Kermit Lynch is very, very good at finding great wine. (His portfolio includes limited selections from other countries, as well, but his emphasis is overwhelmingly French.) The difficulty is in translating those wines—and labels—for new consumers, and we happily recommend you talk to qualified wine professionals, which is why we included a list of wine shops we trust and use.

As for the new Kermit Lynch wines we tried, here are a few to get you started:

Thierry Germain “Bulles de Roche” – a sparkling Chenin Blanc that works well for wine geeks. The salinity is very pronounced, so much so that “interesting” was the first word that came to mind. Still, it’s delicious and very food friendly.

Domaine Ostertag “Barriques” Pinot Gris – an Alsatian Pinot Gris from one of the two names that matter in Alsatian Pinot Gris. The other is Boxler, and Putnam Wines carries those. We have waited a long time for the Ostertag, and it was worth the wait. Stunning is the best way to describe these bright, acidic wines.

Maxime Magnon “Rozeta” Corbieres – a Carignan-heavy blend from the region that specializes in grapes we typically associate with Rhone: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, etc. The Rozeta is spicy, fragrant and elegant, but not soft. A fantastic introduction to the Corbieres region.

Tiercerolles Crozes Hermitage – Syrah the way it’s meant to be. The French just get Syrah, and this beautiful, dense Crozes shows why: spices and dark fruit with a minerally backbone.

Chateau de Bellevue Sauvignon Gris – if you can still find it. Provisions did not get much, so if you see it, grab it. A nearly extinct varietal—only two percent of Bordeaux grapes now—that is devoid of Sauvignon Blanc’s grassy, brassy notes. The Sauvignon Gris is flowers and honey with a great acid backbone.

If you are interested in investigating France, don’t just stop with the new Kermit Lynch. Try the amazing Beaujolais in Putnam’s portfolio: Domaine Dupeuble, Cote de Brouilly, and Moulin-a-Vent, or step up to Morgon or Fleurie. For Burgundy, there is GevreyChambertin, Chevillon, and Puligny-Montrachet.

s

Find good counsel on French wines Here: Edmond // Coffee Creek Wine Shop, Edmond Wine Shop and 2nd Street Wine Co.Oklahoma City // Freeman’s Liquor Mart, Broadway Wine Merchants.Norman // Spirit Shop.

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INSIDER COS BAR Cos Bar has landed in OKC, and we’re smitten. The Aspen retailer has 18 locations across the country and stocks mostly luxury brands with a smattering of rad local/exclusive lines thrown in, too. Territory editor Veronica Pasfield notes that aesthetician Natasha “blew [her] mind,” and that’s some high praise, folks, because V doesn’t mess around. Check their website often for OKC-based sales, events and workshops.

5820 N. Classen Blvd., Suite E01. Classen Curve. @cosbar

does look intriguing. (What, pray tell, makes up the “sassy sauce?”) Most of the buns cradle all-natural Angus beef, but also expect Kobe, lamb, bison, chicken, turkey, sushi-grade tuna and black-bean patties.

Nichols Hills Plaza + Chisholm Creek. @hopdoddy

OSTERIA

THE REAL CAFE

Chef Jonathan Stranger (En Croute, St. Mark’s Chop Room) joins forces with friend and celebrity chef Fabio Viviani to bring down-home, Italian food to Nichols Hills Plaza. Osteria, meaning “tavern” in Italian, will open in a prominent position near Western Avenue in early 2018. The popular business (we can’t say who just yet) that’s currently situated in Osteria’s spot is moving down the street. “True, authentic Italian is what we want to do,” Stranger said.

“We’ll make the pasta everyday in-house, we’ll have wood-fired ovens and there will be a heavy influence on local food, produce and meats.” AHMM Architects is doing the build, and Stranger promises dinner events. P.S.— there’s an Osteria by Fabio Viviani at LAX Airport, but the OKC iteration, I’ve been told, is set to be totally different.

Nichols Hills Plaza. @osteriaokc

Energetic Wellness, a holistic health center in Edmond, may seem like an odd place to grab a meal, but its onsite restaurant The Real Café is worth the trip.

Everything here is organic, grassfed when possible, non-GMO, good for you and in most cases harvested straight from an Oklahoma farm. And it’s not all salads and birdseed—highly suggest the sweet potato quesadilla, made with a sprouted spelt tortilla and stuffed with a savory sweet potato filling and cheddar cheese. The restaurant is open from 8am to 8pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they also have a small market for takeaway items. A steaming bowl of rustic beef chili or lentil soup is sounding like the perfect grab-and-go snack this winter.

2851 W. Edmond Rd. @energeticwellness

HOPDODDY BURGER BAR This Austin-based burger joint—named one of the top 50 in the country by Food & Wine magazine—is making a big play in OKC. They are opening a new space at Chisholm Creek + a new building on NW 63rd St. in spring 2018. It’s hard to predict if Hopdoddy could be a competitor for local burger-based hangouts such as The Garage and Irma’s, but the menu

Insider recs by Emily Russell photo by Trace Thomas

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photo by Jana Carson

Stiching Together the Territory from pg 24

to make room for the sudden influx of drivers on the streets of a rapidly changing city. East-to-west rails weren’t a priority for civic and economic leaders who had no interest in connecting the material opportunities of OKC’s urban core to its Black community on the northeast side, so the Santa Fe remained the city’s defining through-line.

“The depot established what’s north, what’s south, what’s east, what’s west,” Blackburn said. “That goes beyond transportation and the economy. It’s your whole sense of community. It’s how you fit in.”

Today, a stainless-steel and fused-glass sculpture titled Connectivity perches above the main entrance of the Santa Fe Depot. The piece by California artist Marsh Scott is a series of intersecting arcs and circles that play off of the art deco flourishes and original terrazzo floors, cutting a dramatic look straight out of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. An ornate light sculpture hangs on the opposite side, visible through the original window looking out onto the elevated train platform. South of that is the former “colored only” waiting room, now serving everyone.

“This facility speaks to the history of Oklahoma City,” Lueb said, gesturing around the grand lobby as he wraps up his tour. “If this wasn’t here, an important part of that history would be gone forever. You could read about it in textbooks, but that’s not the same as walking through it.”

The depot will host an open house on December 9, but for now it’s quiet. Lueb’s gentle Okie drawl ricochets off the elaborate moulding of the lobby ceiling as he waxes on his role as preservationist, alongside his city partner Burlison, each taking in the empty room as if for the first time.

“I get on a job site like this, and I’m holding something some guy put in place 100 years ago,” he said, his voice pooling with emotion. He pauses to swallow a lump in his throat. “It’s a big responsibility to do it right.”

“I knew he was gonna tear up on us,” Burlison jabs with affection. Their laughter echoes through the grand lobby as a freighter passes overhead, its low rumble blending with the noise of streetcar construction to the west—the familiar sounds of a changing city.

Lifting the Curtain from pg 52

incredibly talented dancer, he is a wonderful person to work with,” Mills said. “He is humble, gracious, and sets a great example of professionalism for the rest of the company.”

Mills called Batista a “world class dancer” who will help raise the bar as Mills moves forward with big plans for the company’s future. Batista hopes to stick around for at least another six to eight years or until he retires and begins to teach, choreograph, and become a motivational speaker.

“That will happen whenever my body tells me I need to,” Batista said. “But for now, I’ve found a place where I’m challenged but also respected, and I can develop myself toward greatness. All I wanted to do is to find a home where I feel connected and challenged at the same time, and I think I’ve done that here.”

Protecting Both Species from pg 56

said Brandon Pasley, director of specialized training for OKC’s YWCA. But these strides are not enough, he said.

Nearly ⅓ of Oklahoma women will suffer physical violence, sexual assault or stalking at the hands of an intimate partner—the highest rate of prevalence in the nation, according to the most recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, released in 2010. Of those women, 25 percent will experience severe violence like broken bones or gunshot wounds.

For years, Oklahoma has had one of the highest domestic violence rates in the country, Pasley said, and there has been minimal improvement despite efforts from various state organizations, including the Link Coalition. But that doesn’t keep them from trying. Pasley said the link between animal and human violence is part of an intensive two-day domestic violence training provided to child welfare workers.

“Oklahoma is definitely leading the trend in the country in terms of recognizing that animal abuse doesn’t exist by itself.

But The Link alone won’t solve domestic violence, child abuse or elder abuse,” Arkow said. “What we can do is keep trying to reduce it, improve our responses to it, and improve awareness of it. We have to remember that we’re moving battleships here. Progress is incremental and often very frustratingly slow, but we can see progress being made.”

Source: “The Link Between Violence to People and Violence to Animals,” National Link Coalition’s research summary.

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photo courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society

Not Lonesome for Heroes from pg 16

Euclid Hall is housemade from the butchering through the mustards. Amazingly affordable. Run by the female chef team behind Rioja. Check, check and check! This Larimer Square tavern showcases what happens when the chef is in charge: small plates of creative sausages, PBR mussels, duck poutine, Pig Ear Pad Thai—all perfection. 1317 14th St. euclidhall.com.

Lordy, where to begin with Chef Christian Graves’ Citizen Rail? It’s a beautiful example of fine-dining fare prepared and priced for a stylish-casual experience, which is so Denver. Behold oxtail over cheesy rice grits and a rice cracker; muscles in a pot with cream, Fresno chilis, and tarragon broth; oysters and a glorious bison filet cooked over wood fire.

Colorado much? The room is gorgeous, too. Rezzos recommended. 1899 16th St. citizenrail.com.

We also loved: Acme Deli breakfast sammies + Stoic & Genuine oysters + Mercantile’s true farm-to-table fine dining, all in Denver Union Station, a mandatory stop.

WHERE TO STAY // Boutique Hotel Heaven

The Maven Hotel makes you feel like you’re doing life right. The concept touches all the best components seen in boutique hotels lately: swoon-worthy design, common spaces meant for co-working and befriending strangers, a stylish cocktail lounge, and Instagram-friendly vignettes that seem aimed at enhancing the brand of the hotel and the guest (oh, hey tiny Airstream that serves breakfast and cocktails). And that’s just the lobby, which also displays a well-curated selection of art

by Colorado artists.

I’m a bit of a hotel freak. It feels like Christmas to fling open the door of a hotel room and encounter a space that’s design-forward and well-planned. Much appreciated were huge windows, a Corbusier-inspired lounger, a deeply comfortable bed and chic bathroom, and a coffee pour-over station with local beans.

Best of all, The Maven is one block from all the amenities and beauty of Denver Union Station and the bookstores and museums that draw us to Lower Downtown (LoDo). 1850 Wazee St. themavenhotel.com.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco charmed us with its historic lobby and stylish traditional décor. If we had small kids in tow, a suite at the Monaco would be our choice. So many hotels underestimate the appeal of coziness at the end of a day of exploring. We loved the plush upholstery and curtains, heavy cotton sheets, and décor flourishes.

Best amenity of all: Panzano Restaurant downstairs. The kitchen operates a bakery, and the beginning or end of a day is well-spent there. I can still taste the warm pizza and respectable charcuterie that room service delivered—such a welcome late meal after a long day in the chilly mountains. Panzano has been a bit eclipsed as the scene explodes, but we feasted on skillful Northern-Italian fare. Their happy hour food and drink deals also pack the place with locals. Located near the Capitol, it’s a short uber to anything that matters. 1717 Champa St. monaco-denver.com.

Cooper Lounge at Denver Union Station, El Five's Ash-Roasted Carrots (cred: Emily Grossman).

TERRITORY AD PHOTO CREDITS Chisholm Creek- photos by Choate House and provided FNB-photos by Trace Thomas, Stocksy, and provided Packard's-photo by Trace Thomas New Leaf-photos by Trace Thomas Revel 8-photos by TWilla Williams, models Nadia Saman, Una Kim, Michaela White, and Ernesto Sanchez Scott Cleaners-photo by Trace Thomas Stella-photos by J. Gwyn Photography and Trace Thomas The Jones Assembly-photos by Maddie Rae Jones and Freely Wonder Photography. ZT Cigars-photo by Trace Thomas.

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Here is a boy, drawing a cartoon of a newsboy, with a canvas Oklahoma Times delivery bag at his elbow. Here is that boy, now artist Ed Ruscha, hanging out with Andy Warhol at Los Angeles’ famed Ferus Gallery. Here is Joe Goode headed west on Route 66 in 1959, freshly graduated from Northwest Classen

The Cool School

High School, joining high-school pal Ed at the famed Chouinard Art Institute in LA. Here is elder painter Joe Goode half a century later, being interviewed by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, about how he and a group of Oklahoma City boys helped remake West Coast art.

These artists express life in these sorts of flash-bulb bursts—by portraying experiences and expressions in disjointed sentence fragments or spare color fields as variegated as the skies of their youth. Irony and a droll humor seem ever bubbling below the surface in their art and interviews, perhaps another influence of growing up in Oklahoma. Known as “The Cool School,” visual artists in LA were determined to build on the momentum of the California Cool jazz scene—think Chet Baker and Dave Brubeck, who

B Y G A R R E T T C O LT O N + V E R O N I C A PA S F I E L D

were carving out a distinct left-coast aesthetic unique from Bebop in NYC. The aesthetic of this group of artists was stylish, skillfully rendered, and divergent from the angsty canvases of Abstract Expressionism in NYC galleries. Premier among them is Edward Ruscha, an artist who’s been honored with exhibitions from Los Angeles’s Getty Museum to the Tate in London. At 80 years of age, Ruscha is still very much a working artist, and one with strong ties to home. Last year he donated works from his personal collection to the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art in Norman. This octogenarian also serves as the gravitational force at the center of a bold exhibition at the Nevada Museum of Art, called Unsettled. (It runs through January 21, but videos and other resources online make the exhibition easily accessible to the curious here.)

This sprawling exhibit engages the Greater West in environmental terms—a massive, arid swath of the planet, including the coastline from Alaska to Patagonia and inland. Yet common themes unite, from aggressive resource extraction to the effects of settler colonialism on indigenous societies.

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Ed Ruscha, Lost Empires, Living Tribes, 1984 Oil on canvas, 64 x 64 inches The Marciano Collection, Los Angeles. Š Ed Ruscha from Unsettled, Nevada Museum of Art

Joe Goode, Photo Cloud painting Triptych, 1969-70, oil on canvas, 36 x 144 inches courtesy Joe Goode Studio & Kohn Gallery, LA.

Most exciting for Oklahoma’s artistic heritage:

conceptual end of the Cool School spectrum, but

Ruscha paintings serve as the touchstone for this

any Oklahoman will recognize his enchantment

massive show of 200 works, and are visible from

with tornados and milk bottles as art. Goode’s

every gallery in it.

cloud series certainly reflects the kind of wide-

“ I th in k of h im as the lead ing voice of the

“It’s pure dumb luck that a group of hometown

Di re c tor at N evada Museum of Art. “He’s

boys from Oklahoma City would migrate West, go

a n a rtist wh o, in everything he’s d one

to the same school, then eventually pursue their

t hro ugh ou t h is en tire career, he’s always

dream on their own terms,” Ruscha told Territory.

re p res en ted a cu l ture that look s more to the

“That seemed to be the age we were meant to

f ut ure rath er th an t o the p ast…He's look ing

live in.” The core impulse of Pop Art is fetishizing

t o w here we’re going .”

everyday objects. Think Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s

As extravagant and improbable as that sounds,

65

open and dynamic skies of his youth.

We s t,” s aid J oan n e Northrup , Curatorial

soup cans or Roy Lichtenstein’s cartoon

Northrup has a point. Ruscha and Classen art pals

paintings—in 1963 and beyond, both shared

Joe Goode and Jerry McMillan drove west, together

gallery space with Ruscha and other Oklahoma

attended art school, and are now deeply embedded

artists represented by the famed Ferus Gallery.

in California’s artistic heritage. Jerry McMillan looms

In a 2013 interview with Britain’s Tate museum,

large as a photographer and sculptor, but remembers

Ruscha explained, “I came from… almost a

fondly raising “a lot of hell together” with his friends.

backward place, in Oklahoma. When I came to

Painter Joe Goode remains a bright light in the more

California it was very sparkly, glamorou s. It

Inside Back Cover

66

issue no. 13

This issue brought to you by Downtown OKC.

WINTER 2017