Territory OKC by Territory OKC

ARTS & CULTURE | MAKERS & MERCHANTS | LIFESTYLE & DINING ISSUE

No.

shop . design . inspire 1 ne 2nd st., suite 103 oklahoma city, ok 73104 (405) 702-9735 â&#x20AC;˘ www.bellavici.com

OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART

6 415 COUCH DRIVE | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | (405) 236-3100 | WWW.OKCMOA.COM

TERRITORY OKC TABLE OF CONTENTS IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE: OKLAHOMA CITY From the North to the South and every direction in between Oklahoma City is bursting with energy and thriving. It is no secret that this town is full of brilliant talent and a hunger to not just see change, but BE the change. TERRITORY OKC is a fresh, new, community minded city guide. It celebrates local craftsmen, artists, merchants & neighborhoods. It is the must-have guide to all things OKC. Enjoy!

13. 21. 29. 43. 49. 55. 67. TERRITORY OKC ISSUE

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DOWNTOWN Finding the unexpected in the city core, from artful China to what drives an OKC Ballet star.

AUTOMOBILE ALLEY Modern living thrives in this historic district. A sustainable mercantile and maker’s culture create a new path.

MIDTOWN Craft cocktailing elevates the art of the drink and boho beauty shines.

UPTOWN PASEO All senses on in the gallery district. Wild foraging, live music, and peach pie—oh my!

PLAZA DISTRICT The indie scene talks back. Fowler, artists, and Chiltepes Guatemalan show why creativity matters.

CLASSEN CURVE Old-school traditions enhance this elegant district with straightedge shaving, farm-to-table feasting, and communal gatherings.

WESTERN AVENUE Prairie Wolf launches the gin craze in OKC, salt block cooking, and the new masculinity. Cover photo by JoshWelch

TERRITORY OKC LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Photo by Bob Protus

OKLAHOMA CITY: A USER’S GUIDE Hello friend, What a grand time to be in Oklahoma City. Every single thing about this town seems just drenched in hope. Could you have imagined such a thing 10 years ago? Or five? Every good city magazine is a love letter. We at Territory are pretty sweet on the hard-working, ingenious, resilient people of OKC. If there is a more supportive, creative, entrepreneurial community in America, we don’t know it. Territory is a city guide. It’s meant to last you a bit. We gathered some of the best things to experience in OKC right now. We wish we had twice as many pages to fill. We will have to save that for our next guide, in March, 2015. The book is organized by neighborhood district, for easier use. Also. Territory is smaller so that you can carry it around. We even left a blank page in the back, to take note of your adventures with us. We need you to know something else: Territory most definitely is not advertorial. There is no pay-to-play in these pages. We think too much of you—and ourselves—to do it any other way. That said, our advertisers are kind of amazing. Territory is only open to the highest quality local, independent businesses. Our motto: no chains, no cheese. We present them to you as “art ads,” to create a look book for OKC with every page. Thank-you so much, Oklahoma City, for making Territory a reality. We hope we did you proud. VERONICA PASFIELD | Editor

veronica@territoryokc.com

TERRITORY OKC THE CONTRIBUTORS

VERONICA PASFIELD

TREY MCNIELL

Editor Veronica Pasfield is an award-winning city magazine editor. Her leadership of magazines in San Francisco and Detroit garnered a dozen national editorial and design awards from City & Regional Magazine Association. Veronica is a discriminating curator of local culture and a devout foodie. She also holds an MFA in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in American Studies/Native American

Publisher Trey McNeill has an extensive sales and media background in Oklahoma City and Dallas: 10 years in television media market, and 10 years as a small business owner. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an Oklahoma City resident since 1999, but his claim to fame is his triple crown as a beach bocce ball champ.

Studies.

CHRIS ENGLAND

JOSH WELCH

Art director Chris England is founding partner at Plenty Mercantile and founder and creative director at England Branding + Communications, both located in OKC. He has employed his skills and design talent to projects both locally and internationally. Chris is a graduate of Oklahoma City University. Chris is community focused and driven to help and inspire others.

Photographer Josh Welch fell in love with photography after buying a cheap camera and capturing images of his boys in Mexico five years ago. Â He was practicing law at the time, but a passion for photography led him to traveling the country with The Flaming Lips and photographing people such as Yoko Ono and Ariel Pink. Welch soon left law; life is too short to not love what you do.

STEFFANIE HALLEY

ROBB LINDSEY

Photographer Steffanie Halley grew up in Woodward, and recently returned to Oklahoma after stints in Savannah and the Virgin Islands. She earned her MFA in Photography from Savannah College of Art & Design and has exhibited her work and taught photography throughout the country. She is mamma to Everly, a muse if ever there was one.

Writer Robb Lindsey is a Kansas City native and OU graduate. He studied history, literature, law, and dead languages whereupon he faced career choices such as law, tending bar, and becoming Indiana Jones. Robb did not want to become a lawyer. When not slinging drinks and quoting Philip Larkin, Robb can be found at many local drinking establishments drinking and quoting Philip Larkin.

PUBLISHING INFORMATION

Territory: OKC Magazine Published by Territory Media, LLC 505 N.W. 30th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73118 Instagram @territoryokc territoryokc.com Trey McNeill, Publisher trey@territoryokc.com

Veronica Pasfield, Editor veronica@territoryokc.com

Chris England, Art Director chris@englandbrandco.com

Eden Turrentine, Account Executive eden@territoryokc.com

Advertising inquiries, call 405.820.3508 Editorial inquiries, email veronica@territoryokc.com

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DOWNTOWN

FASTER, HIGHER, BETTER OKLAHOMA CITY BALLET’S RONNIE UNDERWOOD LETS US UNDER THE HOOD Words byVeronica Pasfield | Photos by JoshWelch

YOUNG CHINA IN OKC | SOUTHERN COMFORT PIE | AUTHENTIC HOT YOGA | OKIE BEEF

“ I’m definitely an

adrenaline junkie. My family pretty much wanted me to go to college, but I wanted to be a professional racecar driver.” Ronnie Underwood

Since then, the Tulsa native has danced stages from South Africa to Oregon. He makes his second run with the Oklahoma City Ballet as the prince in Cinderella October 17-19. (Complete season at okcballet.com/performances.) Underwood’s public has taken notice. His photograph mysteriously vanished from the dancer display board in the lobby of the Civic Center—a first. It often takes two tactful escorts to extract him from the throngs of lady fans after performances. Ronnie kindly shared a bit of time with Territory.

Ronnie Underwood has his mind set on a number: 212. As in miles per hour. Underwood hopes to attain that number on his Kawasaki VX7OR bike at Utah’s Bonneville Speed Week sooner than later. “I know my Kawasaki will go 210 to 215 mph. I’d like to see it go over 211.” For the Oklahoma City Ballet principal dancer, pushing his bike to its limits isn’t so different from what Underwood has demanded of himself his entire life. By the time most kids hit Boy Scouts, Underwood was a competitive motorcycle racer and ballet dancer. His x-ray must look like a jigsaw puzzle; he has broken countless bones in his gonzo drive to achieve. Still, like any good ballet, light and dark play constantly for the storyline. Underwood abandoned dance during crucial years from age 14 to 18. Physical prowess returned quickly, and the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet recruited him after one master class. Though intensely competitive, it was the emotional expressiveness of tender Giselle that grabbed his heart straight out of his chest and made him fall in love with ballet again.

Q: So I’m going to guess you grew up in a family of dancers or artists? A: No! (chuckling) My grandpa had a trucking company in California and my dad had one of the first Pimp My Ride-type hot rod shops. I was born in California, but I grew up in Tulsa. I worked in the shop from the age of five. I made $5 a week. I started out doing things like cleaning and replacing tools—then I eventually got into pulling wheels and tires off cars, sanding frames, all kinds of stuff. It instilled a good work ethic in me. Q: Given that, I’m dying to know your earliest memory. A: Wow, let me think about that. I think it’s riding my bike in front of the shop. My dad drove a ’56 Ford pick-up and I used to ask him to spin his tires. He always would. Q: How’d you go from that to ballet? A: I was racing bikes at five, but my mom wanted me doing something safer. I used to hang out outside my sister’s ballet classes playing with my Hot Wheels. One of the ballet instructors said ballet would help my hand-eye coordination. That sounded like a good thing for a racer. It was really competitive. I loved that.You’d have a roomful of 10 boys doing a chin-up competition, or who could jump the highest. I never lost a chin-up competition and I’m still kinda proud of that. Q: Did you give up racing? A: No, I was also racing bicycles until I was 16 or 17. I’ve been obsessed with cars and bikes since I was a kid. I had duffel bags full of Hot Wheels cars and tracks. Now, I have a few cars and bikes. I’m definitely an adrenaline junkie. My family pretty much wanted me to go to college, but I wanted to be a professional racecar driver. Q: So when did dance take hold for you? A: When I was eight or nine, I was really into the fact that all the cute girls were at the studio. But I quit dance when I was 14 or 15. I was partying by the time I was 16—being a rowdy teenager and doing just about anything I could to piss people off. I was really good at that. At 18, I just needed to get away from being a hooligan. I went to Dallas to take a dance class. I wanted to start racing cars again, and I took a ballet class to help my hand-eye coordination—just like in the beginning. | Story Continued on page 00

MUSEUM OF ART HOSTS LANDMARK SHOW OF CHINESE ARTISTS A great divide still exists in the American psyche about China. The images that do come to mind remain powerfully iconic, but not necessarily contemporary: constructivist party posters of Mao, or the man with the briefcase holding back state tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art offers a rare view of Chinese high culture directly from its fresh visionaries with My Generation:Young Chinese Artists October 25, 2014-January 18, 2015. This landmark show gathers 27 of China’s leading artists. All were born after 1976, the year communist leader Mao Zedong died. Their work reflects an ever-opening engagement with art globally via tech access, as well as China’s increasingly liberalized and capitalist culture.

The result is sophisticated art bursting with exuberant expression in painting, video, installation, photography, and other media. The artists speak with a freedom rarely seen in China in generations. The work’s concern with the personal over the collective, and the world more than the communist state would have been unimaginable a generation ago. As the show’s curator Barbara Pollack explains, “(Some) still question whether creativity can blossom in a country with strict government censorship, but few can doubt the rise of China’s contemporary artists who have made their mark on museum exhibitions as well as set auction records.” Tampa Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg organized the show. The OKCMOA is only the second stop for the exhibit. With My Generation, OKCMOA continues to enhance its engagement with contemporary art.

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TALKING BOUT MY GENERATION

Visit Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive, OKC 73102 405.236.3100 | okcmoa.com Chi Peng (Chinese, b. 1981). Sprinting Forward 4, 2004. Chromogenic print. © Chi Peng, courtesy of the artist. Photograph courtesy Tampa Museum of Art.

THAT PIE PLACE

FOR THE LOVE OF PIE BUTTERMILK PIE Imagine crème brulee dreamy with a hint of tangy buttermilk. In a word: ridiculous. Located in a commercial kitchen downtown, That Pie Place takes individual orders and delivers.You know Southern sweets are love on a fork—and they make all the classics. So what are you waiting on? Visit That Pie Place 405.701.8090 | thatpieplaceok.com

LOCAL FLAVOR

DOWNTOWN

SCENE & BE SEEN COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

OKLAHOMA REGATTA FESTIVAL

10.02 -10.05

A celebration of rowing, kayaking, and dragon boating, as well as a fullon festival of music and food. Visit The Boathouse District 25 S. Lincoln Blvd., OKC 73104 405.552.4040 | boathousedistrict.org

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

09.11 -09.27

Macbeth’s prophecies played out at Myriad Botanical Gardens’ outdoor Water Stage. Visit Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave., OKC 73102 405.235.3700

oklahomashakespeare.org FILM ROW

10.02

Food trucks, art shows, local indie bands and other shenanigans hosted on the third Friday of every month in Film Row. Visit Film Row Sheridan Ave., Downtown OKC filmrowokc.com

SUSTAINABLE BRUNCH

10.02

Urban Agrarian hosts an open-air Sustainable Brunch the last Sunday of every month with healthy and delectable food trucks. Visit Urban Agrarian at

The Old Farmer’s Market 1235 S.W. 2nd St., OKC 73108 405.231.1919 | urbanagrarian.com

TACO, MY OH MY SALT & SMOKE SHOWS US THE WAY Words by Chris Castro

Visit Native Roots Market 131 N.E. 2nd St. & Walnut Ave., OKC 73104 405.310.6300

BOURBON AND BROWN SUGAR STEAK TACOS

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Living in Oklahoma, we are blessed with an abundance of local beef. Native Roots Market in Deep Deuce commits to a huge selection of Oklahoma-raised meats. Owner Matt Runkle passionately sources all over the state, from heat-resistant animals imported from India to more common, but organic, grass-fed varietals. I chose the latter for this recipe. Grass-fed beef is more natural and leaner than industrial meat. Remember, don’t overcook it. I grew up in a home where traditional Mexican street-style tacos were a weekly occurrence. Over the years, I’ve strayed a bit from the traditional tacos that my mother made and have played with fun and different variations. Tacos remain one of our favorite go-to meals off the grill. They are always fresh and light and the possibilities are endless. I developed this recipe for you Territory readers.You can also find it on my food blog, Salt & Smoke saltandsmokefood.com. Enjoy!

Serves 3 to 4 1 grass-fed sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 pounds) 1/4 cup brown sugar, chopped 1/4 cup bourbon 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes smoked salt Put steak, brown sugar, bourbon and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Rub the steak with sugar and red pepper flakes. Place steak in a 1-gallon plastic bag, add the sugar mixture that didn’t get rubbed into the steak, seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Heat your grill. Season the steak liberally with salt. Place the steak on the grill for 4 minutes on each side (medium rare). Allow the steak to rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 1/4” slices -be sure to cut against the grain. Serve with your favorite tortillas. Top with salsa, cilantro, onion, pickled veggies, radishes and micro greens.

BIKRAM YOGA AT LAST Consider these numbers: 26 postures, 105 degrees, 50% humidity. Now consider this idea: yoga that will utterly transform your life. That sounds like a testimonial because it is. Many hours have been spent in that sweaty room, but nothing surpasses this expertly composed series of postures. The notorious Bikram Choudhury is a storied yogi, a reality show waiting to happen. But his old-school training under famed teacher Bishnu Ghosh (Autobiography of a Yogi) served him well. Each posture in Bikram’s series prepares the body for the next. Even if you go in a little scared, Bikram Yoga leaves your body open and your insides cleansed. Visit Bikram Yoga 210 S. Ellison Ave., OKC 73108 405.278.6944 | bikramyogaokc.com

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AUTOMOBILE ALLEY

PLENTY OF PURPOSE WHERE SUSTAINABILITY MEETS ARTFUL, SOULFUL LIVING Words by Robb Lindsey | Photos by Courtney DeSpain & Chris Nguyen

BROADWAY & 10TH FABULOUSNESS | MAKER’S CULTURE TAKES HOLD | GOOD EATS

SCENE & BE SEEN

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

THE ROOFTOP AT PLENTY MERCANTILE

10.23

Join the city’s finest craft cocktailers for a workshop on how to create memorable libations. 6:30 PM Reservations are a must! Visit Plenty Mercantile 807 N. Broadway Ave., OKC 405.888.7470 plentymercantile.com @plentymercantile SHOP HOP Looking for family friendly fun? Hit Automobile Alley for Shop Hop the third Thursday of every month. 6:00-9:00 PM COMING SOON September welcomes the opening of new businesses at Broadway & 10th: Find serious style at Sara Kate Studios Vintage & Dry Goods @sarakatestudios Discover the newest urban steakhouse Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse broadway10okc.com Grab a cocktail or glass of wine at Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar sidecarokc.com FOLLOW THIS Well-curated and locally minded We (Heart) OKC blog weheartokc.com

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AUTOMOBILE ALLEY

“ Mindful consumption is not

far off for Oklahomans... It’s going back to our roots. ” Traci Walton, owner Plenty Mercantile

Take only what you need, use what you took, and care for the land and the people who provide for you. The ethics of sustainability are simple, and deeply human. It also guides the selection of merchandise at Plenty Mercantile. Look no farther for proof that it’s possible to live beautifully and with a heartfelt commitment to creation. The curated merchandise touches every part of daily life, from locally crafted foodie fare to upcycled décor and eco-friendly cleaning products. “What we do today, we have to think about how it’s going to affect the next generation’s ability to meet their needs,” says Plenty cofounder Trace Walton. She opened Plenty with daughter Brittney Melton, a specialist in sustainable entrepreneurship, and branding guru Chris England. Plenty helped inspire the creation of Territory; a visit in 2012 convinced us that a fully progressive culture was up to bat in OKC. (And we were lucky to convince England to be our art director.) Still, Walton reminds that such practices are deeply embedded in Oklahoma’s heritage: “Mindful consumption is not far off for Oklahomans. Think of the Dust Bowl and how they had to make do—or our farming heritage. It’s going back to our roots.” OKC’s thriving local and makers movements also fold perfectly into sustainable practices of “sourcing locally, making heirloom products, and treating your people well.” Plenty creates a platform for articulating a credo of walking a little more softly on the earth. It hosts inspired rooftop workshops like container gardening or craft cocktailing (join us October 23!). “We love to throw beautiful parties, but they’re also educational. We spend a lot of time making sure people walk away feeling enlightened and informed.”

PLAY CONQUERS ALL THINGS Photo byVeronica Pasfield | Photos by CourtneyWaugh

We have a big-time crush on makers culture in Oklahoma City. It seems each season brings a new promise—a class to teach us how to bake like Cuppies & Joe, say, or compose a bouquet as beautifully as Juniper Designs. Makers events gather exploratory folks at communal spaces and, with a glass of wine in hand, share secret ingredients and techniques. It’s one part DIY show, one part cocktail party, and all the way fun. Called “kitchen table industrialists” by The New York Times, makers have started a retro revolution that has captured the fancy of America’s most progressive towns. It’s no wonder why. Makers restore something authentic to our industrialized, digitized lives. The tactile pleasure of working with natural materials, the satisfaction of transforming them into something wonderful, and gathering with community to learn and create? Such impulses define humankind as definitively as opposable thumbs. So get after it! Oklahoma City offers some very fine makers events. Territory recommends following these folks on Instagram or their blogs, for the most up-to-date info on classes, beautiful recipes and inspirations.

THE MAKER'S TABLE workshop in action.

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MAKERS GOTTA MAKE

THE MAKER'S TABLE

CLASSES

Earlier this year, Annie Middlebrooks launched The Maker’s Table workshops. So inspired was she by the plethora of foodies, artisans, and designers here, that Middlebrooks took it upon herself to create a forum for them. Says Middlebrooks, “The Maker’s Table is about celebrating beauty, craft, passion, and skill.” This fall, Maker’s Table events are held at Commonwealth, a communal space on Broadway near 6th St., in Automobile Alley.

Visit oklahomamakers.com @themakerstable

JUNIPER DESIGNS

10.11

Juniper Design’s Alison Fleck will teach how to make floral crowns.

For more info events.juniperokc.com/bloom-culture @bloomculture

WEDNESDAY PRESS

11.01

Edmond’s Wednesday Press letterpress studio will share the art and design behind this heritage process.

romancing the

west

1007 N Broadway Ave Automobile Alley 405-236-4600 www.RawihdeRanchCo.com

DIRECT FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

LOCAL FLAVOR HILLBILLIES PO'BOYS & OYSTERS

COFFEE SLINGERS AND ROASTERS

Brown bags filled with coffee varietals line up in neat rows at Coffee Slingers Roasters on Broadway. The packaging resembles burlap bags of beans stacked by the roaster. Today’s choice: Guyaba beans. “Oh, those are from Juan Diego’s farm!” exclaims owner Melody Harwell, when asked about flavor. “He’s got lots of different elevations at his finca (farm)—and you can taste the guava trees that grow near this lot. There’s a sense of place to coffee beans.” When Coffee Slingers Roasters says farm to cup, they mean it. Harwell travels to South America every year to buy directly from growers. Before an espresso hits our lips in Automobile Alley, chances are Harwell has laid hands on that very batch in the mountains of Guatemala or El Salvador. (And posted cool Instagram pics from there.) “You couldn’t get these beans unless you have a relationship with the growers,” Harwell says. .........

HOW ABOUT THEM NACHOS

Visit Coffee Slingers and Roasters 1015 N. Broadway Ave., OKC 73102 405.609.1662 | coffeeslingers.com

OYSTER NACHOS Photo by Rachel Apple

“This sounds so disgusting, it must be good,” we thought when we encountered Oyster Nachos on the menu at Hillbilly Po’ Boys. We were wrong. It wasn’t good; it was amazing. More often than we’d like to admit, it’s our main dish. Housemade barbecue potato chips create a rich, crunchy crust to the creamiest Alabama Gulf oysters. A lively, from-scratch Remoulade and thick Parmigiano Reggiano shavings create a tangy, salty finish. Co-owner Bryan Neel says he’s trying to bring his Cajun family eats to OKC. We think he must come from good people. Visit Hillbilly Po’ Boys & Oysters 1 N.W. 9th St., OKC 73102 405.702.9805

Photos courtesy of Coffee Slingers MELODY HARWELL overlooks the finca in Guatemala COFFEE BEANS freshley harvested

your guide to arts, commerce, life & culture

MIDTOWN YOUR GUIDE TO OKLAHOMA CITY LIFE & CULTURE

BESPOKE BROTHERHOOD CRAFT COCKTAILS AND THE ART OF THE DRINK IN OKLAHOMA Words by Robb Lindsey | Photos by Chris Nguyen

STRONG TONIC CREATION STORY | MIDTOWN LAND RUN | WARM WEATHER ’DO

JOHN & NICK barrel age at Packard’s.

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It was eight o’clock on a summer night at Vast, and a patron wasn’t happy about her drink. She shot looks of dismay at her boyfriend and her bartender. “What is this…?” the woman asked her man. “Baby, I don’t know! But I like it,” he replied. Then he turned to Mike Powers, the man behind the bar at Vast’s gleaming onyx bar: “What is this?” Powers plunged his hands into the front pockets of his vest and leaned forward. “That’s his drink. It’s not for you. Now what do you like?” Mildly offended, she ordered a vodka tonic. “Nope,” said Mike. I almost dropped the champagne flute I was polishing. My eyes grew wide as he gently persuaded her out of her simple drink, then out of her mild discontentment, and finally into “like… the Best. Drink. Ever.” This, my first night behind a bar, was when I knew I wanted to become a craft bartender. Over the next few months, Powers introduced me to his bold, witty, and skilled cohort. I could drink—I had that going for me—and I began to know each of them through their libations. I began to learn of the heritage and history of craft cocktailing, and to understand the interwoven ancestry of the bartending brotherhood in Oklahoma City. In very important ways, the development of the spirits scene here contributes to, and characterizes,

the growing up of the city itself. For a decade or better, craft bartenders in places like San Francisco and Brooklyn have revived 19th-century libations and elevated modern drinking to a culinary art form. The idea has slowly spread across the country, running tandem with America’s growing foodie culture. In the past few months, Esquire, Saveur, and Food & Wine have all run major features on craft cocktailing. Oklahoma City’s craft bartending scene attained critical mass this year, too. Now every neighborhood in our buzzing city core boasts a respectable, if not remarkable, craft cocktail bar—WSKY Lounge in Deep Deuce, Vast atop Devon Tower, and Midtown’s Ludivine, O Bar, and Packard’s New American Kitchen. As with so much else about OKC, it can hold its head high as a city on the come. “OKC was a perfect screen shot of where bartending was for the last 50 years, locked into this Dark Age,” explains Jeff Cole, one of the city’s most respected mixologists and a bartender at O Bar. “In the last five years, we’ve discovered the time and the passion to research what other bartenders have been doing around the country.” The craft phenomenon’s insistence on from-scratch concoctions and the finest, freshest ingredients makes it a soulmate to the slow foods ethos. Restaurants with that sensibility also support OKC’s finest craft

cocktail talent. Like trained chefs, craft bartenders bring a deep expertise of ingredients and technique, as well as a willingness to devise flavors like fine sauciers. Syrups, shrubs, bitters and infusions—all taking hours and hours of work—lay the foundation for a craft cocktail menu. Behind each, an ossuary of failed drinks, hopes, and ideas. Ludivine restaurant deserves heavy credit for the emergence of craft bartending in OKC. Two parts Portland, one part Burgundy: that’s Ludivine. Its farm-to-table dining requires a masterful chef who can invent around the whims of weather and soil, reinventing the menu weekly. Chef and mixologists alike pivot on a dime, and propel an understanding of cocktails and wine within the context of great food.

ROBB at Vast

“ The reason I do

what I do is because it’s fun. It’s a sensory experience. And then you get to create that experience for another person.”

Highly regarded bartender Chris Barrett, a quiet fellow with kind eyes, presides over the strainers and jiggers at Ludivine’s softly lit bar. Barrett ad libs with the glee of someone in complete command of the cocktail canon dating back to the Civil War era. He happily tutors the curious about the whys of cocktailing’s evolution from concoctions designed to cover low-grade alcohol to today’s trendy pours. “How things were done in the past matters,” Barrett explains. “When you think of how a Brandy Crusta became a Sidecar became a Margarita became a Cosmo, genres of drinks start to make sense.” WSKY Lounge became another cocktail centrifuge when it opened in 2012. Nestled in the burgeoning Deep Deuce neighborhood, WSKY hums with warmth from an amalgam of dim lighting, a sea of orange flickering cigars, and the seductive hum of live jazz. | Story Continued on page 00

CHRIS crushing it at Ludivine

JAMES at WSKY

SCENE & BE SEEN

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

H & 8TH NIGHT MARKET Food truck fabulousness the last Friday of every month through October. 7-11 pm. Visit H & 8th Hudson at N.W. 8th St., OKC 73102 h8thokc.com URBAN AGRARIAN MIDTOWN MARKET Local growers and artisan food purveyors every Friday through October. Walker Ave. at 9th St., OKC 73102 @urbanagrarian OPENING THIS FALL Follow @territoryokc for updates R & J Lounge and Supper Club Ludivine’s tribute to midcentury swank. 320 N.W. 10th St., OKC 73103 @R&J Lounge and Supper Club Bleu Garten Food Truck Court Opens in September with fire pits, bathrooms and big-screen TVs. 310 N.W. 10th St., OKC 73103 bleugarten.com Dust Bowl Lanes & Fassler Hall McNellie’s launches retro bowling and a German beer garden. 421 N.W. 10th St., OKC 73103 @fasslerhall

MIDTOWN

CHANGE YOUR WAY OF DRINKING Photos by CourtneyWaugh Styling by Annie Middlebrooks of The Maker's Table

Glenn Forrester was the new guy on the block in Heritage Hills in 2012. He and his wife had just relocated from Washington, D.C. and were quickly welcomed as only Oklahomans can do. Forrester became the popular guy on the block that Christmas, when he gifted mason jars of homemade tonic syrup to his neighbors. They soon started asking if they could buy jars to gift to their own pals. “That was my aha moment,” Forrester recalls. Within six months, Strong Tonic was launched. Forrester developed a fascination with craft cocktailing in Washington, D.C., where he worked in advertising. He loved the syrups and shrubs made in-house by craft mixologists. “I always wanted to concoct something,” Forrester explains. “I tweaked ingredients and techniques: do I leave the peel on the fruit, how should I boil, etc.?” Forrester hit the sweet spot with his original and hibiscus syrups. The complex, artisan flavors have inspired OKC’s craft cocktailers to develop countless drinks. Forrester finds much inspiration in this. “Craft bartenders are not only talented here, but there’s also a fervor about building a craft cocktail scene,” he says. “The experienced bartenders are all about imparting knowledge to younger folks as the way to raise the bar for everyone.” Strong Tonic’s Instagram regularly lights up with inventive recipes by bloggers all over the country. He plans to keep them inspired with new varieties in development. “I want to have a unique perspective on flavor. Will people talk and think about it after they’ve tried it?” Visit Strong Tonic Instagram @strongtonic | strongtonic.com Food and cocktail blogger Maggie Humphries of Sharing Thyme kindly developed a Strong Tonic Hibiscus Tequila Cooler just for you! Get it Via Instagram @territoryokc or @sharingthyme sharingthyme.com

meow Open!

Located just north of Downtown OKC, in historic Midtown.

www.midtownvets.com

231 NW 1Oth Oklahoma City

4O5.6O6.4477

MON-FRI 8A-6P | SAT 8A-NOON

your guide to arts, commerce, life & culture

UPTOWN/PASEO PICKING NATURE’S BLESSINGS, ONE WEED AT A TIME A SAVORY JOURNEY THROUGH THE FIELDS Words by Claire Ragozzino | Photo by Choate House

GRASSROOTS MUSIC UNPLUGGED | WHERE TO CATCH A SHOW | PEACH PIE TUTORIAL

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Oklahomans spend countless hours and dollars keeping the weeds at bay. Warm weather brings pavement cracks and garden edging crawling with untidy plant life. The fortunate may discover these “weeds” include plants that offer gifts for our tables and bodies. Landscape Architect and Ecoregional Specialist Jamie Csizmadia created a “Backyard Foraging” workshop to share knowledge of edible weeds and how to harness their healing and culinary prowess—and I’ll share a preview of the findings from our October 11th workshop in the Paseo. Purslane is a great example of a “weed” that grows abundantly in Oklahoma. This drought-resistant plant has been used as a medicine for at least two millennia and remains a food staple in the Mediterranean. It offers healing properties for a host of maladies, including high blood pressure and diabetes. It’s also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and a host of essential vitamins and minerals. It’s hard to believe such powerhouse plants could ever be cast aside. Our narrow relationship with plants can be linked to America’s love affair with the perfect lawn, Csizmadia reminds. Bright green, weed-free lawns were really only found on English estates. Until the late 1800s, American yards typically consisted of wild plants and a small edible garden. By 1915, the USDA was collaborating with the U.S. Golf Association to develop lawn grasses. Add the invention of the mechanical lawn mower and the post-WWII surplus of chemicals, and you have a front lawn worthy of the British gentry.

Yet, so much was lost in our reach for a posh plot. A look at any lawn care website offers advice on overcoming “problem areas” with lists of “invasive,” plants and ways to nuke them. A look at an herbalist manual reveals most of these same plants contain powerful nutritional and medicinal properties. What if we were to simply change the language? If we changed our dialogue and outlook from foe to friend, we’d find ourselves with a yard filled with edible opportunities. Instead of buying an expensive box of commercially grown spinach flown in from California, nutrientdense wild harvests like lambsquarters, sorrel and chickweed make for a tasty swap. Chickweed, for example, serves as a rich source of Vitamin C, calcium, and chlorophyll. It’s often used to relieve fevers, sore throats, and arthritic joints. If you catch a bug, use handfuls of chickweed in a smoothie helps boost the immune system. I could go on and on about the benefits of Lambsquarters and Wood Sorrel, too. These are but a few of the long list of wild edibles waiting to nourish us in Oklahoma. On September 28, I join Landscape Architect and Ecoregional Specialist Jamie Csizmadia for our “Backyard Foraging” workshop. We share our knowledge of edible weeds and how to harness their healing and culinary prowess. Attendees take home weed identification cards, a booklet of nourishing plant recipes, and a handcrafted satchel of herbal tea made from harvested local edibles.

CLAIRE can be spotted gathering in the PASEO DISTRICT or teaching yoga.

Story adapted from vidyacleanse.com, the blog of Claire Ragozzino. Her website also offers much more information about using plants for health, food, holistic culture, and clarity.There she shares recipes, ebook downloads, guided cleanses, and guest blogs. And her video collaborations with Oklahoma City’s Choate House are nothing short of a feast for the eyes. claire@vidyacleanse.com for more info.

Sheri’s Living Room concerts draw on so many impulses, it’s hard to pile them all together. In the ‘60s, Dylan and Joan Baez and that folksy crew started at gatherings such as these. Hip hop, too. With apologies to the millennials, MTV Unplugged put major bands on a small stage and showed us how acoustic sets change the way you understand a song. So, too, in Mesta Park. If you think you know Journey’s “Faithfully,” hop over to the Sheri’s Living Room Facebook page and watch Matt the Electrician croon with a banjo and no mic. Those people who’ve been giving Journey props for their poetry? We get it, now. Sheri Guyse hosts the series in her home near 22nd and Dewey. She brings an emerging national phenomenon called “listening rooms” here. Music lovers open their homes to rising indie acts and a microlocal fan base. Bands tour the country this way in a sort of Underground Railroad of safe houses, each stop maybe only raising enough cash to get to the next living room gig. Other times it’s a chance to catch bar-worthy acts in a super intimate session. This is highly grassroots stuff, and the best way to get in the loop is to like the Sheri’s Living Room Facebook page. Guyse is known around town for her incredible taste in music. And after all, isn’t this the essence of why human beings invented music: a few friends, a few instruments, and a lot of love? San Francisco’s KC Turner & Thunderegg come through town August 29.

THE LISTENING ROOM phenomenon hits OKC.

OKLAHOMA UNPLUGGED

UPTOWN PASEO

LIVE MUSIC THE BLUE NOTE LOUNGE Uptown’s Blue Note Lounge has been a staple of OKC music since 1951. It’s now under the management of Grace Gordon, co-host of KOSU’s Oklahoma Rock Show (Thur. at 7pm on 91.7 FM). This makes the venue even more inextricable from the local scene. Super smoky, divey pool tables, and an utterly respectable playbill. Visit The Blue Note Lounge 2408 N. Robinson Ave., OKC 73103 405.600.1166 | thebluenotelounge.com

GRANDAD'S BAR Just around the corner from Blue Note, Grandad’s Bar draws local and regional old-school country, bluegrass, and folk acts. Grandad’s bills itself OKC’s premiere smoke-free honkytonk—and that’s fair. The small room isn’t much to look at, but they get props for their taste in music and beer selection. Visit Grandad’s Bar 317 N.W. 23rd St., OKC 73103 405.604.0922 | grandadsbar.com

PICASSO CAFE Picasso Café creates a warm and intimate stage for local acts on the rise via the Paseo Sessions series. The funky interior, craft cocktails and extensive beer selection make for a worthy hang out. We also thank them for keeping the kitchen open late—rare in these parts. Follow Paseo Sessions on Facebook for the most current info. Visit Picasso Café 3009 Paseo St., OKC 73103 405.602.2002 | picassosonpaseo.com

makers & merchants

CUPPIES & JOE

Photo by Ely Fair Photography

Cuppies & Joe coffee shop and cupcakery hums with activity most of the time. Some mornings, new moms gather with babes in arms or herd toddlers for story times. In the evenings, students tap away on laptops while neighbors gather from the nearby historic neighborhoods. Cuppies’ bungalow bones, homey vintage décor, and rotating art shows draw folks from all over the city, really. Pie Friday makes you want to bend down on one knee and propose. Cuppies owner Elizabeth Deifenderfer and photographer Elyse Fair collaborated on a how-to tutorial for Deifenderfer’s righteous Peach Praline Pie. They’ve graciously shared the recipe. See the entire tutorial at elyfairphotos.com

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PEACH PIE DIY

PEACH PRALINE PIE Makes one 9-in. pie or four smaller ones. 4 c sliced, peeled ripe peaches 1/2 c sugar 2 T quick-cooking tapioca 1 t lemon juice 1/2 c all-purpose flour 1/4 c packed brown sugar 1/2 c chopped pecans 1/4 c butter 1 (9in) unbaked pie crust Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine peaches, sugar, tapioca, and lemon juice and let stand for 15 mins. Meanwhile, combine flour, brown sugar, and pecans. Cut in butter until crumbly. Fill pie crust with the peaches and sprinkle crumb mixture on top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until peaches are tender and topping is golden.

Visit Cuppies & Joe 727 N.W. 23rd St., OKC 73103 405.528.2122 | cuppiesandjoe.com

your guide to arts, commerce, life & culture

PLAZA DISTRICT

PATRON SAINT TAKES THE MIC JONATHAN FOWLER ON WHY ART MATTERS Words byVeronica Pasfield | Photo by Steffanie Halley

GOURMET GUATEMALAN | ROXY’S PARKS IT IN THE PLAZA | SUNDAY STUDIO VISITS

JONATHAN FOWLER Mural by Dylan Bradway,Tanner Frady, and Dusty Gilpin. He’s a seller of cars, this we know. He’s also a fan of all things Okie musical, which is to say he drives a lot—crisscrossing the map to shows and supporting his hometown Norman Music Festival. But Fowler’s most infamous ride, by far, is a Sgt.-Pepper-green 1977 VW Vanagon. In a sense, Fowler is a roadie for what will go down as a legendary Oklahoma music happening—the VDub Sessions. The conceit: to load a band into the van’s Brady Bunch interior and film a performance whilst driving the city streets. Think NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts meets Taxicab Confessions. Chauffeur and The Spy radio DJ Ferris O’Brien keeps a steady hand on the wheel, programming the rolling studio with mighty fine local talent and national acts. That these flash concerts are a marketing campaign for a VW dealership is almost beside the point; the YouTube channel devoted to the series makes for tasty listening. When the VDub Sessions passed the 100-video mark last winter, Fowler and crew celebrated at the Plaza District’s Empire Slice House. The Plaza owes a special debt to Fowler, a sort of patron saint of their monthly street parties. So does the Norman Music Festival and countless other arts-related happenings in Oklahoma. Fowler spent a little time with Territory talking about his bluegrass gypsy days, how Spy radio saved his immortal teenaged soul, and the cyclical magic of good mojo. Q: You’ve made a serious investment in culture in Oklahoma, but it’s obvious you’ve got way more skin in the game than selling cars. Why does music matter so much to you? A: I grew up in Norman, but in 6th grade I transferred to Westminster School in Oklahoma City. At first, I was kind of the odd man out. It was pretty difficult. I first encountered The Spy radio when we were driving up from Norman on the way to school. Sometime around I-240 you’d pick up the signal. I’d hear (Oklahoma bands) like The Flaming Lips and

“ARTS AND CULTURE – IT’S WHO WE ARE. IT’S OUR HERITAGE.”

the Chainsaw Kittens, and in the same segment, the Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. And you’d hear the story of Butch Vig, who produced the Chainsaw Kittens and had just come off of producing Nirvana and the Pumpkins. It was just a great time for music in Oklahoma. For someone who felt a little out of place, to have that type of exposure to that kind of music—I still tell Ferris, ‘Man, the only thing that matters is there’s some kid out in Weatherford who can stream you online now. And you’re what makes him feel okay when he gets home from school. If (kids like that) ever find themselves in OKC around any of these districts, we’ll welcome them with open arms; there will be more of us that felt a little out of place, who will feel a little more in place now. Q: What is it about the Plaza District that grabs your heart? A: The people who moved in five to 10 years ago to start working on this stuff and are still there. They’ve managed to keep the personality of the district despite all the success. It’s only made the community there better, like how they worked with the neighborhood to raise the money and build Gatewood Elementary School a playground. It wasn’t that long ago that the Plaza had crime and all these issues. Because of lifting up this neighborhood and bringing in all these people that care so much about it, crime has been diminished. | Story Continued on page 00

SCENE & BE SEEN

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

ART THERAPY INVITATIONAL

09.07 -09.12

DNA Galleries joins women artists addressing struggles of such. Partial proceeds benefit the YWCA. Shows rotate every second Friday, showcasing some of the best artists in OKC. Visit DNA Galleries 1709 N.W. 16th St., OKC 73106 405.525.3499 | dnagalleries.com PLAZA DISTRICT FESTIVAL

09.27

Art booths, kids’ activities, and bands make this annual event hop. Visit The Plaza District 16th St. at Blackwelder, OKC 73106 405.367.9403 | plazadistrict.org TALL HILL CREATIVE Follow Tall Hill Creative on Instagram to learn of open-studio art showings, lately on the first Sunday of the month. Visit Tall Hill Creative 3421 N. Villa, OKC 73112 @tallhillcreative

PLAZA DISTRICT

ROXY ’S PARLOR OKC'S ON THE GO ICE CREAM GETS A NEW HOME One of OKC’s most beloved food trucks, Roxy’s Ice Cream, makes the jump to a brick-and-mortar space in the Plaza District this fall. Expect the same artisan-quality hand-crafted cones, sundaes, and shakes. Salted caramel, and a Pineapple and Cream (half sorbet, half ice cream) and other foodie flavors elevate Roxy’s beyond the usual. Roxy’s will be located next to Empire Slice House, which is kind of a cruel temptation to anyone attempting to not double their body mass. Or it might be the best thing that ever happened in the universe, we can’t decide. Roxy’s expects to open in September, but follow them on Instagram and Twitter for the most up-to-date info. Because you’re going to want to be first in line. Visit Roxy’s Ice Cream Social 1732 N.W. 16th St., Suite B, OKC, OK 73106 @roxysicecream #roxysokc

GUATEMALAN GOES BIG CHILTEPES GETS A MAKEOVER

When Chef Russell Johnson declares something delicious, it’s probably best to listen. The Ludivine culinary wunderkind shared some of his favorite foodie haunts one night, as he finished the last of the evening’s five-star meals. “It’s this little place behind a Guatemalan grocery store—you don’t even know it’s back there—and the hand-made tortillas are simply amazing.” Johnson was spot on about the corps of skilled women who pat up fresh tortillas all the live long day,

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Photos by Rachel Apple

seed sauce and stewed vegetables. This is ancient soul food, old as the trade routes that brought corn up from South American and across the continent millennia ago. Perhaps this isn’t said enough about Oklahoma City’s plentiful Guatemalan cuisine: the best offer highly skilled artisan cooking refined over centuries. Your only job is to savor in it, and respect its tasteful graces. Visit Chiltepe's 1800 N.W. 16 St., OKC 73106 405.601.0384 | chiltepesrestaurant.com

CHILTEPE'S TORTILLAS in the making.

but a little out-of-date about the market. Chiltepe's Latin Cuisine & Bar is now the largest restaurant in the Plaza District, after a major renovation last summer. The Cifuentes family named its vibrantly decorated new restaurant after the teeny pepper that packs a wallop. A little relish of chiltepe peppers and pickled carrot begins every meal, signaling the authentic food to come. Begin with a mixed-meat Guatemalan tamale, plated with pride and bursting with lush seasonings. It’s a beautiful halfway point between the punch of Mexican tamales and the creamier maiz found in El Salvador. Fresca-cheese-filled Pupusa tortillas, made at the edge of the dining room, are both smoky and light. Guatemalan specialties are a must. The Pepian entrée (shown here) pairs chicken or beef with a rich ground

your guide to arts, commerce, life & culture

CLASSEN CURVE

THE ART OF A GOOD SHAVE CARWIN'S SHAVE SHOP Words byVeronica Pasfield | Photo by Steffanie Halley

FARM TO TABLE FEASTING | FIT TOGETHER | A TASTE OF GERMANY

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“Your dad was too cool to tell you he didn’t know what he was doing when he taught you to shave,” quips the barber, as he runs a straight blade around the contours of a particularly difficult chin. “Really, most guys pick up a blade before Dad has a chance to teach them. Guys can be stubborn like that—we want to learn it ourselves.” Chuck Naifeh knows a little something about this. As the barber at Carwin’s Shave Shop, he spends his days leaning over the faces of Oklahoma City’s best-groomed men. They teach him a lot about guy think. In fact, it was a stubborn independence that propelled Naifeh into his trade. Five years ago, the Edmond native hopped a Greyhound bus “on a whim” and moved to Denver. Once there, he decided to enroll in the city’s legendary barber school. Why? “I had been watching a lot of Sweeney Todd,” Naifeh jokes. Instead of encountering Johnny Depp’s bloody crew, Naifeh trained under elder masters. “I apprenticed with someone who began his career as a barber in 1959. A lot of what I learned about how to treat clients, I learned from that man.” Naifeh opened his own barbershop near the University of Denver, mostly making fraternity boys look swag. After “hanging out and smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and playing darts” for a spell, Naifeh was ready to bring his skills back home. The barber found a new roost at OKC’s most elegant man cave, Carwin’s Shave Shop. Carwin’s staffers happily educate and demonstrate at the showroom’s pedestal sink. Owner Jim Carwin credits his store’s success to this genuine love of the art of the shave: “We are really into it. It brings back a nostalgic feeling, a way of life. It makes a guy take a moment to take care of himself.” Carwin opened the Classen Curve shop three years ago, out of frustration with having to “hopscotch around to ladies shops” for high-end grooming products. Jim and his customers also yearned for a place to get a proper straight-edged shave. Naifeh had just returned from Denver, and he’s been at Carwin’s ever since. Business has “steamrolled.” “There’s definitely a buzz about it,” says customer Monte Turrentine. “It’s very relaxing; it’s like a spa experience. Chuck is a rock star. He has a real passion.” When asked about his zeal, Naifeh begins with an offhanded, “I really just enjoy telling the same jokes ten times a day.” His process tells a different story. Customer cheeks are gently massaged with the finest

quality pre-shave lotion, to create a barrier between blade and skin. Heated towels make stubble supple and easy to cut. Witch hazel towels at the end calm and clean skin. Finally, icy wraps snap pores closed so that ingrown hairs don’t develop. Most importantly, a straight razor requires a deft hand and laser attention to a customer’s natural hair growth. Naifeh tutors customers about skincare and how to best tackle each client’s individual beard growth. There’s a lot of love between the jokes. “I think the relationship between a guy and his barber is an interesting thing,” says Naifeh. “This is a space where they feel they’re with another guy that’s on the same level. They walk in and smell the leather and cologne and know they’re in the right spot.” Visit Carwin’s Shave Shop, Classen Curve 5710 N. Classen, OKC 73118 405.607.1197 | carwinsshaveshop.com

CHUCK’S TIPS FOR A BETTER HOME SHAVE: 1. Shave right after you shower. Heat is the only thing that softens hair, making it easier to cut. 2. Guys tend to think razors dull halfway through the job. In actuality, their face has cooled down. Run hot water during your shave, and warm your face as needed. 3. Men are taught to shave up and down.They should shave with and across; with the grain, and across the grain. Never, ever shave against the grain. And pay close attention to the grain of your hair; chances are it grows in lots of directions. 4. Multiple-blade razors can create ingrown hairs. Singleblade and safety razors are best. 5. End strong. Press a cold towel onto your face to snap your pores closed.Then apply a jojoba-based aftershave balm, as it’s closest to the skin’s own oil.

GOOD IS IN THE DETAILS Photos by Rachel Apple He’s The first impulse upon taking a bite is to close your eyes. To just put your mind into darkness and savor. The second impulse is to stop talking and experience, fully, the sensation of yum. It sounds so simple: soup and sandwiches. But the jalapeños have a gorgeous char, the Tahlequah chicken leaves no chemical tinge, and homemade dressings burst with flavor. When you get to the bottom of a bowl of daily-made soups, you want to start all over again. Cally Johnson and Kerry Marshall began serving lunch at Green Goodies cupcakery earlier in the year. Authentic food starts with premium local, seasonal ingredients. No processed lunchmeat or cheese fortified with tree pulp, what food author Michael Pollan calls “edible food-like substances.” Johnson is one of OKC’s best-known chefs and cofounder of Big Truck Tacos. She has helped develop something intimate here. “It’s been so great to be off the radar for a minute,” she says. “I touch the food every day. It’s every chef’s dream—or should be.” Marshall recently graduated from Francis Tuttle’s culinary program, and had long dreamed of creating such a menu. Her artisan tomato soup is the best this writer has had anywhere. Period. “There are no shortcuts,” Marshall says. “I like the generosity and the communion of cooking.” Feast here; see what it tastes like when two talented people put their hearts into doggedly pursuing culinary perfection. Visit Green Goodies, Classen Curve 5840 N. Classen Blvd., Suite 5, OKC 73118 405.842.2288 | greengoodiesokc.com @greengoodiesokc

Red Coyote Running and Fitness was named a top running store by Competitor Magazine. But based on the store’s schedule events, it seems the soul of Red Coyote belongs with building community. Each day of the week seems to bring a new event. Free Natural Running Form clinics help retrain how to run faster and with less injuries. Red Coyote hosts weekly three-mile runs around Nichols Hills (“walkers and runners, dogs and strollers” welcome) and supports the regular Dirt Dogs Trail Run at Bluff Creek Trails. The Runtoberfest 5k on October 5 is the year’s biggest event. The race finishes at Red Coyote, where COOP Aleworks awaits with a foamy reward, music, and a costume contest. The event benefits Girls on the Run, which fosters self-esteem and fitness.

GUTEN TAG! REPUBLIC GASTROPUB Fall is a great time to hang out at Republic Gastropub. The lovely patio, surrounded by towering box hedges, is a hip little hangout. The dining room’s impressive HDTV panorama makes for great football watching, too. This fall, Republic does it up with German-themed beer and food pairing dinners. The first happens August 26 and features six imported pours, including a preview of one or two Oktoberfest specials.

Barre3 also steps lively to foster community. Owner Andrea Mason has a well-deserved reputation for fostering sisterhood and women’s entrepreneurialism in OKC. She partners with Whole Foods Market to offer free cooking lessons and an 8 pm class on the lawn behind the store each Thursday -weather permitting. Friends also gather for Rise & Dine, a Saturday morning class followed by breakfast at Café 501 the third Saturday of the month. And the free community classes offered at the Midtown space (801 N. Hudson at 7th) and Myriad Botanical Gardens are just a few of the ways Barre3 makes us proud of our town. The best way to keep track of it all is the follow both studios on Facebook.

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RED COYOTE RUNNING & FITNESS BARRE3

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FIT TOGETHER

The four-course dinner helps you understand why Augustus Gloop in Willy Wonka was so obsessed with food. Angus, onion, and sauerkraut-stuffed pretzel bites and pan-seared black cod over toasted spaetzle are just two of the courses to be featured. October and November bring other German craft brewery-themed dinners. $50 per person.

Visit Red Coyote 5720 N. Classen Blvd., OKC 73118 405.840.0033 | redcoyoterunning.com @redcoyoterunning Visit barre3 5800 N. Classen Blvd., OKC 73118 405. 463.3343 | barre3.com/okc

Visit Republic Gastropub 5830 N. Classen Blvd., OKC 73118 405. 286.4577 | republicgastropub.com | @republicokc

your guide to arts, commerce, life & culture

WESTERN AVENUE

OKLAHOMA, DRY PRAIRIE WOLF VENTURES INTO THE GIN JOINTS Words byVeronica Pasfield | Photo by Steffanie Halley

ARTISAN SKINCARE | THE NEW MASCULINITY | COOK THE HIMALAYAN WAY

ELEMENTAL COOKING A SATURDAY VISIT TO CULINARY KITCHEN

PrairieWolf Spirits co-owner HUNTER MERITT at work.

hops and leaves from T, an Urban Teahouse. “Tea adds a perfume-y flavor,” Merritt reports, “a drinkability and softness.” But like its vodka, the Prairie Wolf team intends to stick to core ethics: do it simply, do it well. They’re aiming for a classic, dry London gin, but one that’s been tastefully Americanized. “We want a gin that’s interesting, but not overkill,” explains Merritt. “There’s a lot of funky stuff being used out there—lavender, honeysuckle. But sometimes, you have one drink and you’re sick of it. We want to keep it really simple. We like to let a few ingredients speak.” A dozen barrels comprise the first run of Prairie Wolf gin, plus one “Navy-strength” batch that will meet the British Royal flotilla’s steep proof standards. And next year? Watch for Prairie Wolf whiskey, aging now with a little Oklahoma twist. Cheers to that.

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“Tito’s vodka started it all. But we don’t need to be importing our spirits, especially not from Texas,” says Hunter Merritt, before cracking a wide grin. It’s this Oklahoma-proud attitude that drives Prairie Wolf Spirits. Last May, Prairie Wolf sold its first case of vodka. This fall welcomes Prairie Wolf gin, officially bringing Oklahoma City into America’s obsession with juniper spirits. “Gin is the next whiskey,” Merritt continues. “It’s a big trend on the coasts—gin bars are very hot.” Gin joints do proliferate in hipster towns like Brooklyn, and they grab top titles in places like Chicago. (Chicago magazine just dubbed Scofflaw the #1 bar in a town rife with primo drinking holes.) The Guinness Book of World Records even created a category for the bar with the most varieties (a British lounge grabbed the title with 161 bottles). Once Prairie Wolf mastered an ultra-smooth vodka, it planned to venture into a craft gin. The Merritt family, long-time Nichols Hills residents, takes a methodical approach. They are the first distillers in a state notorious for restrictive laws. Brothers Hunter and Merritt, and dad David, attended distilling workshops all over the country. Once committed, they hired consultants and master technicians from Louisville’s famed Bardstown Distillery and Moonshine U. They installed an artisan still by Carl, a Germany fabricator since 1869, at their Guthrie plant. Now drinkers in Texas, Illinois—and, yes, Texas—sip from Oklahoma’s sweet water. At press time, the Prairie Wolf team was still tinkering with its gin recipe. Potential ingredients include “amazing, very citrusy” locally sourced Australian

Visit Prairie Wolf Spirits prairiewolfspirits.com | info@prairiewolfspirits.com

Every Saturday, Culinary Kitchen’s Claude Rappaport cooks up a midday feast for anyone who wanders by. Rappaport slides fresh pizzas out of the in-store ovens and brisket off the grill out front. Not surprisingly, he has many regulars. Territory was especially curious about the blocks of pale pink something on the stovetop. Thick Gulf shrimp sizzled away on top of these slabs, and came off with a briny flavor and a perfect sear. Rappaport uses Himalayan salt plates ($16.50) to grill scallops and shrimp. The blocks’ trace minerals complement seafood and vegetables especially well. They sustain high heat, which creates delectable sear. A naturally high moisture content helps keep delicacies juicy, too. Kind of perfect. Follow @territoryokc on Instagram for a followers-only invite to a cooking collaboration with Claude and savvy OKC food blogger Chris Castro saltandsmokefood.com | @omarchris

Visit Culinary Kitchen 7222 N. Western Ave., OKC 73116 405.418.4884

makers & merchants

JERROD SMITH

WELL DONE, JACK THE MANLY ART OF LIVING WELL Photo by JoshWelch

We were both sitting in the dark, and you could tell we were both kind of crying. Then I said, “Look at the family you have. How I live my life is very inspired by how you’ve lived yours; understanding that we should all be living under grace and through the perspective of faith.”

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Last December, a new kind of manliness arrived to Western Avenue. Or maybe it was a very old kind of masculinity. Weldon Jack’s closely curated retail space carries an exceptional selection of artisan products. Gorgeous, locally made leather goods by Simpleton, a photo book about Evel Kneivel in OKC, and stylish motorcycle helmets line the shelves. Every corner of the store exudes intention, quality, and beautiful design—as does the adjoining barber shop. We sat down for a visit with Jerrod Smith, artist and merchant at Weldon Jack. Can you tell me about the meaning of Weldon Jack? More than the products (we sell), it was always about the stories for me. Weldon Jack is a play off my grandfather’s name—Jack Weldon Smith. But it’s also like, “Well done, Jack.” My grandfather has always been this joyful, largerthan-life person, and I wanted to get to know his stories. I remember him as an older man who walked with two crutches, but he was always happy as could be. I didn’t know a ton about his life until four years ago, when my grandma passed away. One night, I was there sleeping on his couch and my grandpa came into the living room. He was having a hard time breathing. We started having this really sentimental conversation. He was telling me he hasn’t been feeling well and that he knows that death is a part of life. He ended up saying, “My mind is there, but I’m really scared to die because I don’t know if I ever made a mark on the world. I just spent my life trying to feed kids and raise a family, and trying to do right by people.”

So what is the story that you are creating with your legacy here? I’m scared to be a 29-year-old man who has nothing to pass down to his kids. I just received my grandfather’s slide projector from 60 years ago, with the original bulb. Tell me how many people are going to pass down their iPhone 3 in 60 years. It’s just a product that’s made to be consumed right now. What about the objects that are passed down—that keep namesake, and story, and family alive? You definitely sell heirloom pieces in your store— like high-quality moccasins, or razors that last generations. Is that part of your intention? The name Smith means craftsman. In wartime, they were the ones who made weapons and horseshoes. The Weldon Jack brand is about utilizing local craftsmen who have a higher standard for quality, and helping to promote and build their brands. We want to be the kind of place where you can get products that will last through generations. If you buy a leather wallet, or a razor, or a knife, you’re going to have it 50 years from now and pass it down. Visit Weldon Jack 3621 N. Western Ave., OKC 73118 405.241.5660 | weldonjack.com | @weldonjack

registry available

7222 N WESTERN AVE, OKLAHOMA CITY 73116 | 405.418.4884

6437 6437 Avondale Avondale Dr. Dr. || Nichols Nichols Hills Hills 73116 73116 || 405-842-1000 405-842-1000

4315 N. N. Western Western Ave. Ave. || Oklahoma Oklahoma City City 73118 73118 || 405-602-5623 405-602-5623 4315

4322 4322 N. N. Western Western Ave. Ave. || Oklahoma Oklahoma City City 73118 73118 || 405-604-4650 405-604-4650

4318 4318 N. N. Western Western Ave. Ave. || Oklahoma Oklahoma City City 73118 73118 || 405-528-8862 405-528-8862

Photo by Jerrod Smith

One night, Samantha Olson and a friend tried to figure out life— or more specifically, what to do with it. Majoring in Art can bring a person to that conversation. “What would you do if there were no barriers?” Samantha’s friend asked. Without thinking, Olson blurted, “Make grooming products.” Olson couldn’t get the idea out of her head. There are a lot of impossible dreams in the world, she thought, but making grooming products couldn’t be that hard. She methodically researched natural butters and oils, and experimented with essential oils. Boyfriend Jerrod Smith carries the line exclusively, at his Weldon Jack store. The Activated Charcoal Polishing Mask leaves skin feeling renewed, and the shave creams and oils transform skin. Gorgeous fragrances such as black lavender match national lines at half the cost. “I ask myself all the time, how did we get so far from the things we were supposed to use,” Olson said, “when here are natural alternatives that perform even better?” Halston & Henley is sold exclusively at Weldon Jack 3621 N. Western Ave., OKC 73118 405.241.5660 | weldonjack.com

LOCAL LUXE BY HALTSON & HENLEY

WESTERN AVENUE

SCENE & BE SEEN COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

ON THE LAWN

09.04

Each month, Western Avenue Association hosts a family-friendly shindig in the park behind Whole Foods Market - Western & Grand Blvd. This will be the last one until Spring, and the theme is Family Field Day. The forecast: silliness with a side of food trucks. CULINARY ART: TASTE WESTERN. CHANGE WESTERN.

10.23

Placemaking and community are this district’s focus over the next few years. As Western Avenue undergoes a streetscape and branding transformation, so too will Taste of Western. Art serves as this year’s theme: culinary, performance, visual, etc. Local creatives conceptualize public art for the corridor + great food + drinks + entertainment. Held at the former Crescent Market space in Nichols Hills Plaza from 6-9 pm. VZD'S VZD’s combines two of the greatest things about America: rock and roll and hamburgers. Find everything from cowboy rock to punk here. The kitchen stays open until midnight, with burgers at $3 after 9 pm. Visit VZD’s 4200 N Western Ave., OKC 73118 405.524.4203 | vzds.com

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It was a big shot master class at the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, run by Ben Houk. Ben was a former principal dancer at the Pacific Northwest Ballet and new artistic director of the Dallas company. He sent me to dance with them. A year later, I was getting paid to lift girls. Q: I’m sure they were very happy to be carried around by you. What was it like to go back into that world after four years’ absence? A: It brought focus and drive to my life. I got to dance with the Texas Ballet Theater, I got to dance in South Africa. I danced with the Oregon Ballet Theater, Ballet West, the Oklahoma City Ballet… Q: Were you still dying to race? A: When I was outside of the dance studio. But once I stepped into the studio, I would strive to be the best there. I was always trying to win over the artistic director or the audience—either with how you tell a story in a performance, or with athleticism and technique. Q: When did you settle into the idea that ballet was going to be your life’s work? A: It happened when I was dancing Giselle with the Texas Ballet Theater. I was working with Ben Stevenson, I learned so much from him. We got to an emotional part of the performance and I started balling my eyes out on stage. Whenever you’re on stage, you really have to believe you’re that character. After Ben, I started to realize the artistry and not just the physicality of being a dancer. Q: So this makes me wonder how you feel about love, because maybe only love asks this much of us. A: I’m in love right now (with fellow OKC Ballet dancer Amy Potter). We were in Ballet West in Utah together. We never have danced together. Or, I should say we’ve never performed together. Just booty dancing! Love is one of the strongest things in the world. Everyone forgets that as they’re trying to get to the next level in their careers. But they forget the soul work. Q: So what is the soul work in love for you? A: Love brings out the more tentative side to me because you can recoup from almost any injury. It’s very hard to recoup from lost love. The healing time is way longer than a broken foot.

RONNIE UNDERWOOD | Story Continued

“ I love the environment in

Oklahoma City.Whenever you’re out and about, you can feel the energy. ” Ronnie Underwood

Q: Your drive has resulted in some injuries. How do they affect you? A: I broke my foot on December 23, 2012, I had to take time off from dance for nine months.You’re used to a certain tempo and you have to pull back and slow down. It’s one of the worst things that can happen to you. Q: To me, this gets to the issue of a dancer’s relationship with his body. Tell me about that. A: From the first day we start as young students, we ask our bodies to do things that are not natural. You physically have to remold your whole body to get your legs in the right direction. It takes a lot of dedication to get your legs to split up against a wall. But you have to do it or else you don’t have the right aesthetic in your dancing. It’s like people who were injured and told they’d never walk again and then they do. It has to do with drive. Q: What brought you back to Oklahoma? A: Two years ago, I was burned out. I had travelled a lot and danced with some bigger companies. I did a reality TV show (“Breaking Pointe”). Then my mom got ill. That reminds you of your priorities. I wanted to hang out with her. It had been almost a decade since I was hanging out with my family. I got the chance to return to the Oklahoma City Ballet. Q: What’s it like to be back in Oklahoma? A: It feels great to be home. I have my toys, my business (a trucking company), my family. Now, my girlfriend’s here. I love the environment in Oklahoma City. Whenever you’re out and about, you can feel the energy. The company’s growing so fast and it’s thriving. Our artistic director, Robert Mills, has really stacked his cards and put together a strong company. We are always trying to be better. In the men’s corps, after rehearsal, it’s, “Let’s see who can do six pirouettes in a row. Now do seven.” I like that.

Most nights, an extended Mt. Rushmore of bartenders gathers on both sides of the aged copper bar top. There, we play a little thing they call “the game,” perhaps most akin to bebop’s legendary improve duels. My initiation began with James Etzler, a bartender with the nose of a bloodhound. Etzler can pick out individual ingredients in a cocktail and yeast strains in beers by sniffing. When I first sat at his bar top, I asked for my usual: “just make me something.” James countered my order with an ornery “gimme a word.” Oh, the names—the “Tolstoy,” the “Hendrix,” the “Betty Page,” the “Scotty Brooks” (it was boring). Essentially, the bartender wins if he can cleverly persuade the drinker of the connections between the word and the ingredients via literature, music, history, or geography. James once made the “Balboa” to taste like a Philly cheesesteak. It was disgusting. It was perfect. In a sense, the O Bar’s Jeff Cole and Donny Sizemore play “the game” every night from atop the remodeled Ambassador Hotel. Jeff and Donny draw from a wide array of housemade embellishments. Jars of custom syrups and bitters, tubs of shrubs and the like create drinks as memorable as the O Bar’s seventh-story view of Midtown. The duo induct the uninitiated via craft cocktails similar to their pedestrian pours. Says Sizemore, a titanic figurehead within the booze community: “Bespoke, or craft, bartending is basically spoken word. Figuring out a palate’s inclinations in order to create a cocktail designed for you. It’s an experience.” Packard’s New American Kitchen also credits Oklahoma’s burgeoning foodie culture with more interesting drinking. Packard’s seasonally changing menus and dedication to local ingredients pairs well with a commitment to inventive tastings events and cocktail pairing menus. “(Foodie culture) started with people in communities doing food swaps,” says owner John Ross. “Sharing with each other what good food can be. More than ever, (eating and drinking) is a more socially driven experience.” For Ross and Bar Manager Nick Schaefer, a drinking experience should be creatively expansive and uniquely Oklahoman. A seasonal bar menu entertains beautifully alongside the restaurant’s creative fare. The OKCoffee—Prairie Wolf Vodka, Prairie Wolf Dark liqueur, Eote Coban cold brew coffee, and cream—well, it wouldn’t even taste the same anywhere else. Packard’s barrel-aged cocktail program also siphons off particularly delectable sipping. Ross

BESPOKE BROTHERHOOD | Story Continued

and Schaefer age batch-made cocktails like their Salary Man—a take on the classic Negroni using locally made Strong Tonic—in oak barrels. Some 726 feet above the city, Vast’s globally inspired fine dining demands exceptional drinking. With a white onyx bar top, a backdrop of softly glowing gold paneling, and a ceiling speckled with star-like lighting, Vast is as much Art Deco glam as it is the Starship Enterprise. Michael O’Hara, former Vast bar manager and certified sommelier, cultivated a more adventuresome spirit among OKC’s imbibing set. He’s probably the only motorcycling, gun-loving, Jameson-shooting wine expert in the region. He knows Oklahomans don’t change quickly. Now a member of the team at Mahogany’s new downtown locale, O’Hara eases guests in, talking tableside, teasing out preferences in cost and taste.

“The reason I do what I do is because it’s fun,” he says. “It’s a sensory experience. And then you get to create that experience for another person. A cocktail’s story can change a guest’s worldview when it comes from a real passion to understand the product.” The bespoke brotherhood should only improve in Oklahoma City. Craft bartenders are leading the push to elevate Oklahoma City’s drinking life. They hope to gain national recognition of the Oklahoma Bartenders Guild. This organizing camaraderie fuels the progress of more and better products flowing through Oklahoma’s stringent distribution laws. All of it, Glidewell says, will lead to a better drinking experience for Oklahomans. “I just want to expose people to new things. Cocktails are interesting. Trying to find (flavor) symmetry, balance—it’s a beautiful thing on its own. We have to push our own palates, our own horizons.” I love being a part of this game. When I step into a cocktail bar and can immediately feel the passion, the attention to detail, it’s transformative. It’s history. It’s sensory. It’s fun. I think of Petronius’ lavish party story, Dinner with Trimalchio: “You’re wrong if you think you can leave through the door you came in. No guest has ever been let out through the same door. They come in one way and go out another.” Try a new bar this week. Talk to your bartender. Become intoxicated without ever being drunk.

Q: When did the love of music take hold for you? A: My parents and grandparents were musicians with really eclectic taste. My dad was into classic rock and my mom was into stuff like Tina Turner. I fell in love with bluegrass and played the mandolin and banjo and the washtub bass. I went to OU for a year and dropped out to go to Colorado to work a gondola by day, and play bluegrass at night. I was basically a couch surfer at University of Colorado, Boulder. Tell me about choosing Ferris and videographer Nathan Poppe for the VDub project. Ferris, he’s the beacon. He keeps broadcasting and we keep showing up. He doesn’t just give listeners music; he connects them to a bigger scene. In terms of using Nathan, I used to go to two or three concerts a week. It didn’t matter where or what night of the week it was, Nathan Poppe was there with a camera around his neck fighting his way to the front of the stage. He drove from Stillwater and spent all his money on gas and photography equipment. So when I had the opportunity to hire a videographer, it was ‘how can you not give this person the opportunity?’ That’s what this scene is about. The more synergies we can create, the better off we’re all going to be.

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JONATHON FOWLER | Story Continued

priority. But arts and culture—it’s who we are. It’s our heritage. Oklahoma has a tremendous history of educational and cultural achievement. Ultimately, arts and culture are saved because of that history. It gets back to the personal for me. I have a fourmonth-old baby. Having my daughter has made my wife and me take our passion from a very selfish interest of just loving going to shows, to trying to do things that are more meaningful—not just to us, but to a lot more people than that. Jonathan invites Territory readers to listen in. He created a playlist of some of the tunes that have lifted him up and kept him going through the years. Follow us on Instagram to get connected @territoryokc.

Q: And yet, in the midst of all the growth, doesn’t culture struggle a bit here? A: Ultimately, we’re dealing with the first generation that didn’t have arts education in public school. It’s not like it used to be—arts aren’t as high of a Publisher trey@territoryokc.com

Creative talent blesses OKC big time. Most of our ads were produced specifically for Territory. Many helped with these original “art ads.” BELLA VICI PHOTOS: Interior photo by David Cobb, portrait photo by Steffanie Halley. TUCKER’S PHOTO: Todd Scott Ballje. CONSORTIUM PHOTO: Steffanie Halley. STRONG TONIC PHOTO: Photo by Courtney Waugh, styling by Annie Middlebrooks of The Maker’s Table. RED PRIME PHOTO: Chris Nguyen. RAWHIDE PHOTO: Shevaun Williams. BLEU GARTEN PHOTO: Rachel Apple. PACKARD’S PHOTO: Emily Hughes, Something Gold Photography. SAINTS & RUFF LIFE PHOTO: Rachel Apple. CHEEVER’S CAFÉ PHOTO: Chris Nguyen. BARRE 3 PHOTO: Chris Nguyen. REPUBLIC PHOTO: Chris Nguyen. GREEN GOODIES PHOTO: Rachel Apple. FIRST NATIONAL BANK PHOTO: David Cobb. TRUE NORTH LIVING PHOTO: Undrell Maholmes. GRETTA SLOANE PHOTO: Steffanie Halley. IRON STARR PHOTO: Finch Creative Group. BEBE’S PHOTOS: Plate photos by Courtney Waugh, styling by Annie Middlebrooks of The Maker’s Table + other photos by Steffanie Halley. CULINARY KITCHEN PHOTOS: Chris Nguyen + Trey McNeill. ALL ABOUT CHA PHOTO: Chris Nguyen. WESTERN CONCEPTS PHOTOS: Rachel Apple. A DATE WITH IRIS PHOTOS: Emily Hughes, Something Gold Photography. LEGACY CLEANERS PHOTO: Courtney Waugh. DESIGNER RUGS PHOTOS: Chris Nguyen + Courtney Waugh. PAPER N MORE PHOTO: Steffanie Halley. Dry/Shop and the Make-Up Bar also contributed to an ad image that did not run in the book—thank-you, ladies!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

FRIEND THOUGHTS & DISCOVERIES

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JERRY POOLAW ON LEAVE FROM DUTY IN THE NAVY. ANADARKO, OKLAHOMA, CA. 1944

“ONCE IN HIS LIFE A MAN OUGHT TO CONCENTRATE HIS MIND UPON THE REMEMBERED EARTH, I BELIEVE. HE OUGHT TO GIVE HIMSELF UP TO A PARTICULAR LANDSCAPE IN HIS EXPERIENCE, TO LOOK AT IT FROM AS MANY ANGLES AS HE CAN, TO WONDER ABOUT IT, TO DWELL UPON IT.” DR. N. SCOTT MOMADAY KIOWA WRITER, PULITZER PRIZE WINNER, FORMER OKLAHOMA POET LAUREATE

POWWOW AT LONE BEAR’S DANCE GROUND. CARNEGIE, OKLAHOMA, CA. 1945 The National Museum of the American Indian honors the art of Oklahoma Kiowa photographer Horace Poolaw this fall in its New York City galleries. For a Love of His People:The Photography of Horace Poolaw lovingly documents Native people of Poolaw’s rural Oklahoma home. The catalogue can be ordered at nmai.si.edu/store. The exhibit continues through February. Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian © 2014 Estate of Horace Poolaw.