Working hand-in-hand with the team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, our physicians and staff make it possible for children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders to receive world-class care closer to home.
The St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis in Tulsa provides the latest treatments and access to more clinical research trials than any other pediatric facility in Oklahoma. St. Jude groundbreaking trials are leading to new and advanced treatments that improve pediatric hematology and oncology care.
Our children deserve the full concentration of the best medical minds and technology available—found only at Oklahoma’s only St. Jude Affiliate Clinic.
41
TULSA’S EV MARKET CHARGES UP
Driving, powering and paying for electric vehicles is new territory for most. Local experts weigh in on what to expect.
BYGAIL BANZET-ELLIS
44
‘BREATH OF FRESH AIR’
Change is in the air at East 18th Street and South Boston Avenue.
BYJULIE WENGER WATSON
50 BEYOND BOOKS
Tulsa City-County Library offers free seeds, meeting space and much more.
BY BLAYKLEE FREED
Turkey Mountain trail updates. Ways to celebrate Earth Day. Metal music extravaganza takes over Cain’s. Local students and teachers illustrate Tulsa.
54
HISTORY’S ALL AROUND
Nearby natural sites tell a story of Tulsa’s bygone past. BY KELLY BOSTIAN
SPECIAL SECTIONS
57 Real Weddings
78 topDentists®
Look for the green leaf and find eco-focused, “green” articles.
ON THE COVER: Mark Gorman, Tails and Ales owner; Allison and Todd Robinson, Phoenix Cleaners owners; Kimberly Honea, vice president at Sharp Development; Joe Hull IV, Boston Avenue Realty owner; Hayley Nichols, Main Square Properties manager
PHOTO BY MICHELLE POLLARD
Rehabbing spaces for creatives. Tips for container gardening. Bound for blooms across the state. Connie Cronley’s advice for a niece.
A visit to Tulsa’s longtime steakhouses. 3 places for pretzels.
An Italian bakery fills a niche. A decade of Dead Armadillo.
If daily tasks or short walks are more difficult than they used to be, it might be time to talk with a specialist about your risk for heart disease, and if a heart screening is right for you. Heart care shouldn’t wait. Get heart care sooner to catch things before they could get worse.
If daily tasks or short walks are more difficult than they used to be, it might be time to talk with a specialist about your risk for heart disease, and if a heart screening is right for you. Heart care shouldn’t wait. Get heart care sooner to catch things before they could get worse.
To schedule a screening, visit ascension.org/StJohnHeart
To schedule a screening, visit ascension.org/StJohnHeart
Ilanded a gig waiting tables at the longtime steakhouse as a college co-ed on summer break. is was at the original location, where the front door faced Interstate 44 and just after the restaurant had closed its smoking room.
Along with making really great money via tips that summer, I also learned some extremely valuable lessons.
First, there’s a reason the dining room is so cold. Back then, the kitchen at Jamil’s was not air conditioned. My shift began sometime in the late afternoon wrapping potatoes in aluminum foil. Before the diners arrived, I was already sweating in my white shirt and bow tie, and enjoying any respite I could get while setting my tables in the cooled dining rooms.
As one of Tulsa’s legendary Lebanese steakhouses, Jamil’s serves traditional hors d’oeuvres before the main course — multiple rounds consisting of veggies, pita and hummus; cabbage rolls; and a rib and bologna. Timing all of this became an experiment in both reading people, balance and multitasking — all lessons I continue to work on today. As one table of four was seated, another table of three now needed their cabbage rolls while the table for two’s steaks were ready in the back. Time to re ll the drinks, too.
In the kitchen resided owner Tyrone Elias, who sat at a desk managing the sta , approving guest checks, servicing to-go customers and orchestrating the controlled chaos of a weekend night dinner service.
at summer I learned to work hard and stand up for myself. I also learned one shouldn’t spend a shift waiting tables wearing long black pants while going in and out of a hot kitchen after getting the
worst sunburn of your life earlier that day. Less than an hour into my shift I pulled my senior sta member aside and asked her if I could go home. I rolled up my pants to reveal blisters and she shooed me out the door.
ose working in hospitality and service are hardworking individuals. Tip well.
Since moving further east on 51st Street, Jamil’s has continued to serve its lineup of steaks and seafood. Today it’s the last in a long history of Lebanese steakhouses in the area.
Natalie Mikles documents it, as well as other longtime steakhouses in this month’s Dining Out article (p. 88). In the heart of beef country, Tulsa is lucky to have so many new and old school steakhouses — and there’s plenty of room for both in this city.
is month we also highlight several “green” initiatives happening around town. From citizen scientists monitoring our nearby creeks and streams to the local electric vehicle market to rehabbing structures for others, this issue covers it.
Spring is nally here in T-Town. Read about the countless things to do this month. Explore three nearby sites to learn some of Tulsa’s natural history.
is has been a fun issue to see come to fruition. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. TP
Volume XXXVII, Number 6 ©2023. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, including created advertising in a proofed or printed stage.
TulsaPeople Magazine is published monthly by 1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407
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I’ve spent some time in the service industry, including a very hot Tulsa summer as a server at Jamil’s Restaurant.
Anne Brockman EDITOR
The care and keeping of houseplants can be intimidating, but Tulsan Britt Parrish believes in the power of plants to enhance our daily lives so much she created BotanicallyBe — a plant-focused business that aims to take the guesswork and difficulty out of plant ownership. Parrish offers services such as virtual
or in-person plant consultation sessions, plant-sitting when clients are away, space assessment and interior design, hands-on events, corporate plant care and more.
“I’m everyone’s ‘Plant Bestie,’ and people find me relatable and approachable when it comes to plants,” she says. TP
If you live in Tulsa County, you’ve likely seen the ubiquitous green-lidded Mr. Murph bins around and have probably even contributed your own recyclables to them. But did you know “Mr. Murph” is also the name of the city’s massive recyclable sorting machine itself? American Waste Control, which owns and operates Mr. Murph, nicknamed the machine after the MRF — Material Recovery Facility — technology that automatically sorts the recyclables. According to Paul Ross, American Waste Control vice president, Mr. Murph is helping Oklahoma achieve the highest recycling rates in the history of the state at 53,000 pounds of recyclables per hour and a grand total of 120 million pounds per year.
To educate the next generation of recyclers, American Waste Control recently launched the “Feed Mr. Murph” app game for iOS and Google devices, which teaches users to distinguish between items that can and cannot be recycled in a fun, interactive way. Download the free app from the Apple store or Google Play store. Read more about recyclable
items on p. 28.
“When I was looking for a location to put this thing in Oklahoma, I looked over in the hill area of eastern Oklahoma because that’s where I liked to spend my time. In my time off, I loved the Illinois River. I loved the trees and the hills and the rocks. I finally found (the location) right on the bank of Tenkiller Lake; 230 acres. I didn’t need but about a half an acre, but I had big dreams.”
— John T. Nickel owns Greenleaf Nursery Co., one of America’s largest wholesale nursery growers. A genuine love of nature also led him to founding the J. T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve, the largest privately protected conservation area in the Ozarks.
“Voices of Oklahoma” is an oral history project founded by John Erling in 2009. Visit voicesofoklahoma.com.
Wanda J. Armstrong, owner of Wanda J.’s Next Generation Restaurant, 111 N. Greenwood Ave., with former U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. Walsh visited the Historic Greenwood District in February to discuss economic opportunity for the nation’s Black workforce and underserved communities.
The massive Mr. Murph automatic sorting machine at 1150 N. Peoria Ave. is a $13 million investment in north Tulsa that not only sorts recyclables for Tulsa County but also for Broken Arrow, Bixby, Glenpool, Jenks, Stillwater and a few other outlying areas.
APRIL 6
BASEBALL SEASON
BEGINS
Tulsa Drillers take on San Antonio Missions for a three-day home stretch April 6-8. ONEOK FIELD, 201 N. ELGIN AVE.
COMPILED BY BLAYKLEE FREED
APRIL 1
COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT
Bring the family out to hunt 10,000 eggs in west Tulsa’s eclectic Red Fork District. Be on the lookout for this year’s golden eggs!
ROUTE 66 HISTORICAL VILLAGE, 3770 SOUTHWEST BLVD. FACEBOOK.COM/ROUTE66VILLAGE
APRIL 8
ODDITIES AND CURIOSITIES EXPO
What started as a Tulsa event has expanded to multiple states and venues for lovers of all things weird.
EXPO SQUARE, 4145 E. 21ST ST. FACEBOOK.COM/ODDITIESANDCURIOSITIESEXPO
APRIL 15
CARNEY FEST
Reverend Horton Heat, Ann Bell, Brad Absher and more will play this new, one-day live music festival, that also boasts art and food vendors, as well as a children’s area.
THE CHURCH STUDIO, 304 S. TRENTON AVE. CARNEYFEST.COM
APRIL 20
WINE WALK 2023
After popular demand, Wine Walk is now an annual event with winemakers stationed in homes throughout the neighborhood surrounding Philbrook.
PHILBROOK MUSEUM AREA, 2727 S. ROCKFORD ROAD PHILBROOK.ORG
APRIL 22-23
MVSKOKE ART MARKET
The second annual Mvskoke Art Market returns for another celebration of over 60 Indigenous artists from across the country.
RIVER SPIRIT CASINO RESORT, 8330 RIVERSIDE PARKWAY MUSCOGEENATION.COM/MVSKOKEARTMARKET
APRIL 28
BEN RECTOR
The Tulsa native brings his acoustic tour to town with special guests Stephen Day and Jordy Searcy.
TULSA THEATER, 105 W. RECONCILIATION WAY TULSATHEATER.COM
APRIL 29-30
TULSA DOG SHOW
The competition is ruff. There’s plenty to do at this two-day event featuring all-breed dog shows, showmanship, trials and more.
EXPO SQUARE, 4145 E. 21ST ST. MCKCTULSA.COM
VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM/ABOUTTOWN FOR MORE LOCAL EVENTS AND A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WEEKLY MUSIC LISTINGS.
Pitchers and catchers are in spring training and the new baseball season is less than a month away when Mike Melega, Tulsa Drillers president and general manager, sits down to talk baseball across the street from ONEOK Field at Topeca Co ee, 110 N. Elgin Ave., Suite 120.
It’s Melega’s 30th year with the organization that serves as the Double-A a liate for the LA Dodgers. ere is no career fatigue. Spring is in the air and the April 6 season opener is on deck, and he’s all smiles as he talks about his job.
THE NEW YORKER VIVIDLY REMEMBERS HIS FIRST DRILLERS GAME IN 1994 ... I came in as an intern in food and beverage, and my rst game we had our record crowd of all time, still to this day. It was the biggest crowd we’ve ever had.
We used to do free tickets for opening night. We blanketed the market with them, and it’s like the stars aligned. People were excited about it. We had been doing some renovations to the stadium. e weather was like perfection. We had like 16,000 people there. We put people on the eld. I was running around pushing kegs, changing boxes of Pepsi and cleaning up messes. I said at the end of the game to my boss, “Is it like this all the time?” I worked for a team the year before. I don’t think we drew 16,000 fans all season. It was a madhouse.
WHILE HE’S BEEN DOING THE SAME JOB FOR 30 YEARS, HE ENJOYS HOW IT NEVER STAYS THE SAME ... From the on- eld aspect, I love that it changes all the time. I love the fact we’re watching our guys go on and play at the big-league level. I’m a huge MLB fan. I just get such a kick still to this day out of saying like “that guy” played for us or “that guy” played in the out eld against us. Mike Trout (Angels) played here. Carlos Correa (Astros) played here. e caliber of play that we have to see night in, night out here at ONEOK Field is just absolutely ridiculous. I don’t think people recognize it as
much as they should. MLB is the greatest league in the world, and we’re seeing guys who are going to be making hundreds of millions of dollars, and you just don’t know that until they make it to the big leagues.
LAST YEAR THE DRILLERS AND THE REST OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL USED THE PITCH CLOCK AND LARGER BASES. NOW IT WILL BE UTILIZED IN MLB THIS SEASON IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE GAME TIME AND MAKE THEM MORE LIVELY ... ere could not be a better thing for the game of baseball than this pitch clock. Our average game time was three hours. e night they started implementing it, it knocked o about 28 minutes of game time, and that just remained consistent throughout the course of the year. at is simply cutting out the fat. at’s cutting out the guy stepping out of the batter’s box too long. e pitcher taking a nice long breath, walk around the back of the mound, all of those things that just kill time, but they don’t add any action to the game. I think it’s brilliant.
PART OF THE DRAW OF DRILLERS GAMES ARE THE PROMOTIONS. FIREWORKS NIGHTS, MICKEY MANTLE RING
NIGHT, NOODLERS WEEKEND AND BARK IN THE PARK RETURN. TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS WILL CHANGE ... We traditionally do $2 Tuesdays, but now it will be T-Town Tuesdays. It will be $3 for a general admission ticket, but we’re actually going to lower the prices on all the reserved seats. It will be $9.18 for any reserved seat, whether you’re behind home plate or behind the dugout. We’ll tie-in with other local institutions — there will be a Mayfest Night, a Greenwood Night, an Oktoberfest Night, etc. We’re going to bring in all that stu that makes Tulsa unique and celebrate it.
irsty ursdays will now be $2 ursdays, and it will be $2 beers and $2 drinks and $2 hotdogs, and then we’ll always have a premium giveaway like bobble heads or shirts.
And then our 918 Weekend (June 22-25), we are going to revamp that. I can’t divulge it just yet, but we’ve run the course on the Tulsa ag uniform. We’re going to have a new identity that’s going to tie into some sort of Tulsa historic tradition each year. is year it’s going to be freaking awesome. I’m pumped, and next year is going to be more awesome. We’ve already got it ready to rock. TP
STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM LANDES
If more Oklahomans knew where their drinking water comes from, they would applaud the work of Blue umb, the statewide program that trains volunteers to monitor creeks and streams.
“Stream protection begins with citizens understanding that we all live downstream,” says Volunteer Coordinator Cheryl Cheadle, noting water that ows into storm drains often carries contaminants like remnants of pet waste, oil or brake uid, and anything poured down drains or spilled on streets or driveways. “ is water ows into a stream, then into a river and downstream to a receiving water, which may be a drinking water lake.”
“Everything we do on land impacts our water quality,” adds Program Director Rebecca Bond, who holds a doctorate in environmental science and managed water programs for the Kickapoo tribe in McLoud, Oklahoma, for a decade before joining Blue umb four years ago.
Bond says the good news, however, is “streams have a remarkable ability to heal themselves.” Oklahoma leads the nation in delisting streams impaired by nonpoint source pollution. (A “delisting” occurs when a previously impaired waterbody is removed from the 303(d) list because water quality has improved.)
Blue umb contributes to this e ort by working with volunteers engaged in stream monitoring and in education and outreach. Last year, 134 volunteers actively monitored 79 streams. Another 241 student volunteers — middle schoolers through college age — monitor with their teachers or professors. According to Cheadle, the community of Blue umb volunteers typically contributes around 7,500 stream protection hours
annually. She adds that many volunteers collect data on streams that are not monitored by any other agency or organization.
One of these streams is Crow Creek, which ows through the heart of Tulsa. “Crow Creek has been monitored by Blue umb volunteers since 1995,” says Cheadle, who also helps lead the Crow Creek Community Planning Committee.
e committee was formed after long-term ndings by Blue umb volunteers showed a lack of diversity in larval aquatic insects and sh species. “We are continuously at work trying to help those within the Crow Creek watershed (the area of land that drains to a particular waterbody) learn their actions have an impact on the stream.”
For its 30th anniversary, the organization is planning several regional trips for their volunteers to enjoy Oklahoma’s greatest natural resource gems.
“ is is a great opportunity for people who love the outdoors to connect with other people who love the outdoors,” Bond says.
For more information on becoming a Blue umb volunteer, visit bluethumbok.com. TP
Don’t expect to see dirt or shovels at the Urban Farm on East Apache Street in north Tulsa, as soilless food growth is the M.O. here. This 10,000-square-foot controlled environment agricultural facility will house state-of-the-art aquaponics systems (growing plants in nutrientrich water utilizing fish as a sustainable fertilizer) and will represent “the perfect environment that’ll be the future of farming,” says Kevin Harper, CEO and president of Food On The Move, the parent agency.
Harper expects the Urban Farm to produce approximately 150,000 pounds of organic, fresh produce per year. Most produce will be sold to local distributors and vendors; some will go to local residents in need.
Another growth feature of this aquaculture will be a fresh crop of urban farmers. Mixing education and entrepreneurship, the Urban Farm will train participants in these new technologies so they can start their own urban farms.
The organization educates sixth through eighth graders and will hire five student interns this summer. Anyone interested is eligible for training. “We’re not trying to make money,” Harper says. “We’re trying to empower people.”
Food On The Move began in 2014; Harper has been at the helm since 2019. Describing the process as “holistic and collaborative,” he says, “we live and die by our partners — health experts, community leaders, government agencies, local businesses.”
The Urban Farm is phase one of the Food Home, which will eventually include Food Hub, Community Hub and Market in north Tulsa. Food On The Move fights food insecurity locally and strengthens food systems statewide. The nonprofit was founded by musician/entrepreneur Taylor Hanson
of Tulsa’s pop-rock trio of the same last name. TP
Living green doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, powering your home with energy-saving solutions has never been easier – especially with help from PSO. Go green, and save green, all year long with rebates on ENERGY STAR® certified products, including HVACs, insulation, appliances, electric vehicle chargers, and more!
See all of the ways you can save this Earth Day—and every day—at PowerForwardWithPSO.com
In 2020, Britt Parrish became a plant parent to cope with the pandemic. “I just wanted to have a positive outlet,” she explains.
Like any proud parent, she posted her “pretty plants” on social media. As her following grew, so did the questions from followers about their speci c plant care needs. “At the time, I didn’t realize giving advice about plants through my own journey and experience would lead to me being a plant consultant,” Parrish says.
e consulting grew into BotanicallyBe, a fulledged business that o ers houseplant care, shopping, curation, maintenance and interior design. Part of her interior design options include the creation of a custom Green Wall, which is a handdesigned and assembled curation of faux plants ranging from succulents to owers to palm leaves.
“By using faux plants, my clients don’t have to worry about the upkeep and can still bring a touch of green to their space,” she says.
Her most popular service is Plant.Sip.Vibe. — a fun, hands-on event with a complimentary wine bar, charcuterie, networking opportunities and educational plant-potting exercises to both inspire and empower new plant parents.
After the wild success of the rst event in 2021, Parrish received an idea accelerator grant through Builders and Backers to continue to put on
Plant.Sip.Vibe. With additional accelerator resources and ongoing mentorship and guidance outside of them, Parrish’s business has continued to bloom. Earlier this year, she was awarded a $10,000 grant from Stepping Stones to support BotanicallyBe’s next steps, which includes launching a signature product that will help eliminate the guesswork from houseplant care and eventually opening a storefront.
Along with the success of BotanicallyBe, Parrish is happy to be creating a new community in Tulsa. After originally moving here in 2021 through Tulsa Remote, Parrish noticed a lack of plant stores run by Black business owners. She said to herself, “maybe that’s part of my purpose being here, having that representation out here.” She is focused on creating a space that is accepting and accessible to all plant parents in the Tulsa community.
is summer, be on the lookout for another of Parrish’s signature events — the “Planty Bus” tour. Participants will hop on a party bus for a botanical blowout day full of music, networking, snacks, toasting champagne and exclusive discounts at several local plant shops the bus will stop at along the way.
To catch an event or book a service, visit botanicallybe.com or follow Parrish on Instagram @botanicallybe. TP
In 2008, Quincy Edwards, a business owner and part-time community volunteer, appeared on the cover of TulsaPeople for the impact he was making in the lives of families and kids in north Tulsa. A former youth pastor, Edwards is still making a difference as a basketball coach and continued entrepreneur with his wife, Jada. Edwards’ youngest son is now 12, while his three other children have reached their 20s and begun lives of their own.
Seeing Tulsa’s continued revitalization stands as a point of pride for Edwards.
“With evolution, we’ve seen businesses grow, we’ve seen some good things happening,” he says. “Over the 100-year anniversary of the race massacre, we saw how the city of Tulsa came together. I’m proud to be a part of this community, it’s been a blessing to see us in a place where things are changing, and that’s where we want to keep hope, at the forefront of our city.”
Edwards is still guided by the words of friend Otis Clark or (“Dad” Clark): “If you’re on the Lord’s side, you’re on the right side.” He says these words are a constant source of faith for his family.
In 2011, he and Jada let go of their Q-Tip Cleaning Services company and later ventured into a photography business called Photography with Love by Jada, which is now entering its seventh year. Each new business furthers Edwards’ hope to see people continue to grow and develop in life.
“God has called us to be Kingdom builders. And the only way we can really build a kingdom successfully is by building up people. If we can help put money into people’s pockets, they can start believing and start doing something different, start changing their communities. I absolutely believe that if we start with more love, we can change the narrative.” —
J. D. MYER
Tulsa is a city full of people who love to celebrate. And now there is a children’s book by the Foundation for Tulsa Schools called “Celebrate Tulsa!” highlighting all the wonderful celebrations throughout our community.
e Foundation for Tulsa Schools is a nonpro t founded to help support the needs of Tulsa Public Schools, and after its rst book project, “Goodnight Tulsa,” board members and sta were excited to start on the next. e books not only raise funds but also promote our city.
“We were trying to think of ways to highlight things that are uniquely Tulsa, but also show the breadth and diversity of the city,” says Brena Meadows rash, director of operations.
“With this book,” notes Joey Oneal, director of development, “every single kid within our school walls from pre-K all the way up to 12th grade will be able to see themselves in the pages.”
Local funding partners helped supply a copy of the second book to district students through rst grade.
“District-wide the book went to every single elementary teacher, every library and every principal. Forty- ve elementary schools. So it was a little between 8,000 and 9,000 books that were distributed,” Oneal says.
Recently released books on subjects of local interest or by Tulsa authors.
Pro ts return to the foundation to support programming such as Explore Oklahoma Field Trips, which provides eld trip transportation to teachers across the district. “Transportation’s one of the largest costs for schools and one of the biggest barriers for school leaders to get their kids exploring or experiencing,” Oneal adds.
Other programs include Grants for Great Ideas to empower teachers to bring their creative concepts to fruition and Teacher Supply Days, which provide teachers free access to much needed supplies for their classrooms.
“When people buy the book as a gift, it becomes the gift that keeps on giving,” Oneal says about the book and how it gives back to schools.
Teachers and students contributed the illustrations, making the book a very special compilation of the Tulsa Public Schools community. You’ll nd Tulsa Tough and the Tulsa State Fair, but also long-standing cultural celebrations such as Mayfest, Tulsa Greek Festival and Pow Wow of Champions. “It’s Tulsa-speci c celebrations,” Oneal says, “things that are impactful for our city and make Tulsa great.”
Find a copy at foundationfortulsaschools.org/ book-series or at a variety of local shops including Magic City Books, Kiddlestix and Ida Red. TP
BY ERICA MONGÉ-GREER
Mongé-Greer merges her expertise in divinity with her passion for science fiction to explore the theme of religion in the lives of the beloved characters from sci-fi series “Battlestar Galactica.”
BY BRENNEN MATTHEWS
Journey down Route 66 with a family from Africa as they meet colorful characters, experience historical landmarks and search for authentic America. This true story of Matthews’ journey with his wife and their son captures the essence of America’s most famous highway and the significance of exploring the unknown.
BY DAVID JENNINGS
Jennings compiles 33 original photographs and poems to create an unforgettable montage that will inspire the reader to take a closer look at the ordinary. — ELIZABETH MCCULLOUGH
A new metal extravaganza, 2 Minutes to Tulsa, is scheduled for April 1 at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St. Tulsa nonprofit record label Horton Records is behind the event, which features multiple bands from Europe, Canada, the U.S. and even right here in Tulsa.
Horton Records President Brian Horton hopes the festival will be an annual event that supports fans and the local economy alike.
For Blind Oath’s Stuart Hetherwood and Mitch Gilliam, metal is as much about community as it is about music. Formed in 2018, the thrash quintet was born out of friendships created at Tulsa’s Soundpony, where guitarist Gilliam worked at the time. While their roots in Tulsa’s tight-knit and unexpectedly diverse metal community run deep, the band’s self-titled debut album was just released last month. You can hear them live April 1 at Cain’s Ballroom when they represent their hometown at 2 Minutes to Tulsa, a new metal fest featuring bands from Europe and across the U.S. (See sidebar.)
For those well versed in metal trivia, the “Blind Oath” album includes some notable credits. It was recorded in California and produced by Armand John Anthony, the guitarist for Night Demon, whom the Blind Oath boys had befriended years before during the Ventura-based heavy metal band’s tour stop in Tulsa. Tim Baker, the frontman for California metal band Cirith Ungol, happened to be in an adjacent studio while the band recorded, resulting in his guest vocal contribution to “ e Flame” — a song about protecting the
truth, power and family of the global heavy metal community, according to Gilliam — and a cameo appearance in the related music video.
While no one in the band is ready to give up his day job for a life on the road quite yet, both Gilliam and Hetherwood hope this release creates opportunities for travel and new friendships.
“I think our goal (with the album) is really to have the chance to travel internationally while building Tulsa’s reputation and representing the city, Oklahoma and the Midwest, internationally,” Hetherwood says. “And also just as a vehicle for fun.”
Gilliam agrees.
“I just want to be able to drunkenly scream along to (Iron Maiden’s) ‘Hallowed Be y Name,’” Gilliam says, “in 10 countries a year with the Japanese homies, with Mexico City, Sweden, Brazil ...”
In addition to Gilliam and Hetherwood (drums), Blind Oath is Eric Miller (vocals), Robert Gutierrez (guitar) and Jacob Fuller (bass). For more information on Blind Oath, visit blindoath.bandcamp.com. TP
“We know this event is bringing musicians, journalists and fans to Tulsa from across North America and Europe. Those people are driving or flying to Tulsa. They’re staying in hotels, eating, drinking, shopping — fueling our local economy and experiencing our culture,” he says. “That’s a special thing, and it checks all of the boxes that organizations and our local and state government are striving for when describing Tulsa as a music city and a cultural destination.”
Among the bands performing are England’s Satan and California’s Night Demon and Haunt. Tulsa’s Blind Oath will also be blasting tunes from their self-titled debut released last month. Drummer Stuart Hetherwood says Cain’s will be packed with hardcore fans from Tulsa’s metal community. However, he also encourages those who are metalcurious, albeit a bit nervous, to attend, too.
“I don’t think anybody should have second thoughts about attending the festival because they feel like they would be out of place or that they would feel uncomfortable because it’s not their normal scene,” he says. “They should just put those thoughts out the window and check it out. I think it’s a huge opportunity to see something very unique and very specific for the first time in Tulsa.”
For more information and tickets, visit cainsballroom.com. TP
Nathan Wright is a well-established Tulsa musician who has played and composed for Count Tutu, We Make Shapes, Damion Shade and the Boom Bap Chorus, Autumn Shade and Branjae. In addition to actively creating music with each group, Wright has set o on his own to create “nathan.wright___” — an episodic project that releases a new song and music video every six weeks. So far it totals ve songs and four music videos.
At 15, Wright performed original songs every week at the long-standing Gypsy Co ee House open mic nights back in 2004. en in 2015 Wright co-launched Count Tutu with Mike Cameron, a local jazz musician. Now, Wright’s latest musical endeavor has been learning to produce and mix his own songs as part of this series of singles.
“I kind of just wanted to make whatever I want. By now it’s been 18 years of songwriting, and I really wanted to make something bigger, to do the music equivalent of a novel,” Wright says.
In setting o on his own techno-dystopian narrative, Wright describes the philosophies behind the album as society’s consensual acceptance of tech and its reliance upon it.
“Life isn’t a ‘1984’-style takeover by force, it’s more of a ‘Brave New World’ — everybody’s kind of just accepting it and relinquishing their privacy,
not really worrying about surveillance, not bothering to look into the kinds of things that can harm us in the future because we’re all in the midst of it.”
“Witch Dreams,” Wright’s favorite song thus far, is accompanied by animations from Lane Goza, whose work is also featured in the Feb. 1 release, “Omega Says I’m Here.” Wright says he has not decided on a conclusion date for the project.
“Every time I write what I think is the last song, I wind up writing more context or backstories for one of the characters to better understand them. I’ve got songs lined up that will be releasing through 2024,” Wright says.
“ is solo material is sort of the personality that doesn’t get to come out with all the other projects I’m working on. I really wanted to create something that’s thematically consistent and really detailed in a way that you can’t even get from a concept album, because concept albums don’t feel crafted over time. I feel like music can really go further, especially when blended with video. So that’s the thing, I want it to be experienced as art.”
Wright’s songs are out on any platform that supports music in addition to new music videos, available on YouTube. TP
READ MORE OF THIS STORY AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM.
Tulsa nonprofit The bART Center for Music recently launched its new Midday Mix program, which connects youth in Tulsa’s alternative high schools to local music professionals. Funded by the Oklahoma Arts Council, Midday Mix nurtures students’ passion for music by exposing them to potential careers in the music industry.
“These kids flourish in an environment where they can be creative,” says Allyson Taylor, executive director of The bART. “In other words, these are the people who could have really bright careers in the music industry.”
Midday Mix kicked off in February with events at Street School and Tulsa MET Middle and High School. School visits have continued throughout the semester, offering a variety of musical programming to students such as in-school performances, Q&A sessions and immersive field trips. After the initial visit, The bART team returns to the schools periodically to provide small group, hands-on learning experiences.
“Our goal is to unlock students’ passion and then help them to find purpose,” says Jen Baugess, principal at Tulsa MET. “Programs like this help them connect with people in the community and figure out what they like.”
The bART tailors individual sessions to match the students’ interests at each school.
“We have a very diverse music community,” Taylor says. “It’s really exciting to bring that diversity into the schools and have the kids truly see themselves in these artists.”
The bART has assembled over 40 musicians from the Tulsa area as well as producers, recording engineers, tour managers and more.
“If I had this opportunity in high school, it would have really helped me on my journey,” says St. Domonick, Tulsa rapper and Midday Mix performer. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with kids to develop their creativity and artistry that will carry us into the future.”
— ELIZABETH MCCULLOUGH
At a time when moral courage can seem like a rare and disappearing virtue, the Council for Holocaust Education of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa is honoring an elite group of soldiers who fought for America during World War II and personi ed that trait through military counterintelligence. Some of these soldiers were from Oklahoma.
“Moral Courage: e Story of the World War II Ritchie Boys” is the subject of the 25th annual interfaith Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Commemoration happening at 7 p.m., on April 20 at Temple Israel, 2004 E. 22nd Place. Historian Landon Grove, director of the Ritchie History Museum in Cascade, Maryland, is the featured speaker. e event is free and open to the public.
Numbering around 20,000, the Ritchie Boys (and 200 Ritchie Girls) received their name from participating in espionage and frontline intelligence training at the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Of the soldiers, 2,765 were German and Austrian emigres who had ed Nazi persecution.
“ ey were in their teens and twenties,” Grove says, “but they weren’t kids. ey understood the horror that was going on in Europe. ey had friends and family die in the hands of the enemy, and they still had the moral courage to (serve) in the U.S. Army and go back and ght.” In part, he says, “it was their thank you to the United States for saving them from that atrocity.”
With their language uency and knowledge of German customs and culture, these Ritchie Boys were on the front lines, interrogating German prisoners of war, gathering and analyzing battleeld intelligence.
“ ey provided between 50%-60% of the intelligence information about German war plans and tactics that helped the Allies win the war,” Janet Dundee says, noting their work was the forerunner of the CIA. Dundee and her husband Je Darby have both served on the Council for Holocaust Education for a number of years, and it was Darby’s idea to theme the Commemoration after the Ritchie Boys. Dundee and Darby are co-chairs for the event.
e Commemoration will salute six Oklahoma Jewish Ritchie Boys: Joseph Kantor, Walter Katz, Jack Katz, eodore Goldenberg, Kenneth Renberg and Phillip Sureck. Like most of the Ritchie Boys and others of the Greatest Generation, they are now passed on, but some of their descendants will attend the Tulsa event to
customs and culture, Stern and the other 2,765 German and Austrian emigres within the Ritchie Boys provided between 50%-60% of the intelligence information about German war plans and tactics. In the
V-E
light a candle in their memory. A seventh candle also will be lit in memory of all American soldiers. e mission of the Council for Holocaust Education is to commemorate the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, Dundee says, through public programs like this and by assisting area teachers and students with Holocaust education. In addition to the 6 million Jewish deaths, she says, as many as 5 million non-Jews were also killed. ose included then-termed gypsies (Roma), homosexuals (LGBTQ in today’s parlance), Catholic priests, Poles and other Slavic peoples, Jehovah’s Witnesses, mentally and physically disabled people and “the righteous ones,” which Dundee explains refers to those who helped the Jews of Germany.
Ahead of the Commemoration, Circle Cinema will screen “ e Ritchie Boys” 2004 documentary April 16-19. Tickets are $5, but middle and high school students, teachers, military and seniors will be admitted free of charge.
Additional partners for the 25th Commemoration of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance
Day) include the Tulsa City-County Library, Congregation B’nai Emunah, Temple Israel and the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art.
Visit jewishtulsa.org/connect for more information. TP
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Additional features of the 25th annual interfaith Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Commemoration include:
Theme-related music by local performers Elliott Wulff, Kara Staiger and Rick Fortner
An exhibit of entries from the 2023 Yom HaShoah Art Contest created by Oklahoma students Tulsa City-County Library on-site with Holocaust books and media for checkout
Left, World War II soldier Guy Stern was born in Hildesheim, Germany, in 1922 and escaped from Nazi Germany to the U.S. in 1937. He was drafted into the Army and, along with Walter Sears and Fred Howard (middle and right), became part of an elite group of approximately 20,000 soldiers called the Ritchie Boys who were trained in espionage and frontline intelligence at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Because of their language fluency and knowledge of German photo, the three men celebrate the end of the war on Day (May 8, 1945) in the town of Bad Hersfeld, located in the heart of Germany.
Nate Gormley says in 2016, he was staring down death and the law. Years of drinking, and using and selling meth and heroin had caught up to him, and his best choice was to go into treatment. ere, at what was then called “12 and 12,” a detox in Tulsa, he got clean and moved into its transitional living program. Problem was, he had to get a job to keep his housing.
“I hadn’t had one of those in ve years, man,” Nate says, laughing as he remembers the struggle of getting clean and creating a resume from scratch. So he decided to be honest: “I just put ‘drug addiction and alcoholism treatment’ on the resume, and as you can imagine, there weren’t exactly a ton of employers knocking down my door to give me work.”
So he made his own job.
A family member lent him a truck and trailer, a brother-in-law drove the truck, and Gormley started raking leaves. With no experience, and no driver’s license, at 35 years old, Gormley built a company from the ground up. at company became Oklahoma Fence and Construction, a fence-building company that did $2 million dollars in sales last year, he says.
But the best part isn’t the money; it’s the mission. Gormley exclusively employs people who are recovering from addiction or coming out of the incarceration system. In this way, he hopes to give people the chance he didn’t have.
Crew Chief Keeley Jackson is one such employee. Sober from meth and heroin at 27, Jackson is now known as “ e Boss” by her coworkers at OFC and has worked for Gormley for four years.
“For so long I didn’t even know how to be an adult,” she says. “But working with other addicts, we’re able to be honest and vulnerable with each other and talk about our struggles. OFC is my safe place.”
OFC now employs between 5 to 16 people, depending on the busyness of the season. Getting to help recovering addicts with employment, Gormley says, is the best feeling in the world.
“ is company is not about money. Yes, we have to pay the bills, but I’m focused on putting money into the company so we can hire more people. For me, building people is our mission. ose people build the fences.”
Find out more about Oklahoma Fence and Construction at oklahomafence.net. TP
Here are some tips to keep handy for the next time you aren’t sure what can and cannot be placed in your Tulsa recycle bin:
Yes: Mixed paper, newspaper and magazines; flattened cardboard; glass bottles and jars; aluminum cans and plastic bottles (do not flatten; the automated sorter can’t separate it from paper products); steel cans; plastic tubs (sour cream, cottage cheese etc.) with lids snapped back on; plastic drinking cups (reusable souvenir cups, QuikTrip cups); medicine and vitamin bottles, all colors (remove/mark out any confidential information); aerosol cans and rigid bottles/containers generated from the kitchen, laundry and bathroom only (items from garage, yard or shed can contain pollutants or flammable/combustible materials and should be thrown away).
No: Aluminum foil, pie tins and cooking trays; plastic grocery bags (return to retailer) and flexible firm plastics, like zip-close and cereal bags; cheese and processed meat packaging; Styrofoam; straws; green waste; electronics, lightbulbs and batteries (see themetrecycle. com for other options); ceramic mugs, drinking glasses cookware or dishware; and picture glass, mirror glass or glass of any other kind.
Additional tips:
To rinse or not to rinse? If a steel can is coated in something thick like tomato sauce, rinse it out. But items like jugs or cartons don’t need to be washed unless you’re worried about potential odors. Generally speaking, just “Empty, cap and recycle,” American Waste Control, Inc. says.
Never bag recyclables.
Recycle that pizza box! If cheese or grease remains, tear off the contaminated section and blue bin that bad boy.
Not recyclable? The following can still be composted: Coffee grounds and paper coffee filters; tea and tea bags; wine bottle corks; old herbs and spices, pet feathers and fur; 100% cotton balls/swabs; algae, seaweed and kelp; stale or moldy bread/crackers/ cereal; toothpicks and bamboo skewers; and dryer lint and dust. — TIFFANY HOWARD
ank you to Paul Ross, vice president of American Waste Control Inc., and Tulsa Master Gardener Allen Robinson for their expertise in recycling and composting, respectively.
‘BUILDING
Opens for daily screenings
March 31
It’s 1994 and two country music legends meet in Nashville. Troyal, an up-and-comer from Oklahoma who likes his steaks well done, and the washed-up, viper-tongued George Jones, who has decided he wants to have himself cryogenically frozen. See the latest comedy from award-winning Oklahoma filmmaker Mickey Reece, who will participate in an opening night Q&A screening at 7:30 p.m., March 31.
7 p.m., April 5, free screening
While out adventuring this spring, don’t be without the “Creative Field Guide to Northeastern Oklahoma,” which identi es 90-plus species of plants and animals both native and naturalized to northeastern Oklahoma, and features information on three distinct ecoregions in the state.
Its editor, local writer Liz Blood, says the idea was born early on in the pandemic while spending time gardening and taking nature walks with her newborn.
“(I started) with a species list of what I wanted to include,” she says, noting it was di cult to narrow down the directory because of Oklahoma’s great biodiversity. Ultimately, she selected what people would be most likely to see in the state, in addition to a few rare nds, such as the Greater Prairie Chicken and the Ozark Big-eared Bat.
e rst publication — printed in 2021 and nanced through Blood’s Tulsa Artist Fellowship funding as well as private fundraising and a grant from the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition — highlights a variety of trees, plants, fungi, arthropods, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and sh, as well as original artwork, creative writing pieces, writing prompts and visual art activities from 40 Oklahoma writers and artists.
“ is book showcases the natural beauty found in this part of the state, but it also showcases the incredible artistic talent that we have here,” Blood says. An updated version will be available for pur-
chase this spring containing the same content but with added visual art, more creative writing prompts and a revamped design.
Adjacent a painting by local artist Elizabeth Henley you’ll nd local author Quraysh Ali Lansana’s poem “Sky Songs,” which beautifully depicts the nature of a Midwest gale.
New to this year’s edition is a piece by artist Kayla Anley, whose work showcases native animals and a variety of plant life. She created “Together We Will,” a 14-inch by 11-inch charcoal and graphite on hot pressed cotton watercolor paper, which features two Great Blue Herons within the elements of their environment. It will accompany the rare waterfowl species in 2023’s book.
Both versions were published by Okiebug, a formerly defunct Tulsa brand that began as a bait and tackle shop. Blood and her husband, Will Eagleton, resurrected the brand in 2020 as a publishing company with “the same spirit of love for Oklahoma’s wildlife and wild places.” e Field Guide is its rst title, but the goal is to continue publishing educational and literary texts that showcase nature in Oklahoma and beyond. “My hope is to encourage people to immerse themselves in the nature that we have here in Oklahoma and to want to protect it,” Blood says. “We’re really fortunate to have a lot of public land, and we need to preserve that here in the state.”
e “Creative Field Guide to Northeastern Oklahoma” can be purchased at okiebug.com. TP
Indie Lens Pop-Up presents a free documentary hosted by Sydney Alison (Kendall Whittier Main Street community engagement coordinator), plus a post-film Q&A with local experts, sign language interpreting from TSHA and open captioning on the films. In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement.
11 a.m., April 8
Enjoy a classic silent film with a live score played by Bill Rowland of the American Theater Organ Society on Circle’s restored 1928 theater pipe organ. This month, Charlie Chaplin stars in a 1925 comedy about a prospector venturing out to the Klondike in the 1890s in hopes of striking it rich during the gold rush. Things don’t go exactly as planned. Presented with support from Play Tulsa Music.
Opens for daily screenings April 14
A must-see for Beatles fans, this new doc explores the 18-month relationship (1973-1975) that John Lennon spent with May Pang, his Chinese American assistant-turned-lover (on Yoko Ono’s insistence). With May’s help, Lennon reunited with his son Julian and had his most artistically and commercially productive period post-Beatles.
7 p.m., April 27
National Theatre Live brings the best British theater to audiences around the world. Come early for preshow trivia with prizes hosted by Tulsa actor Nick Cains. A new production of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy — wed in secret, Desdemona and Othello crave a new life together. But as unseen forces conspire against them, they find their future is not theirs to decide.
Jeff Edwards, new CEO and executive director of River Parks Authority, has always been in parks and rec, he says. Born in Tulsa and raised in Sand Springs, Edwards has worked in recreation across the state — and on all sides including design, construction, facilities management and event planning — before joining River Parks Authority this past fall.
Picture this: a brisk spring morning, the sun smiles warmly and a crisp breeze dances by. It’s the ideal day to spend outside.
And where better to enjoy the outdoors than Tulsa’s beloved Turkey Mountain?
Situated along the Arkansas River, Tulsa’s 600-plus acres of urban wilderness area, 6800 S. Elwood Ave., is home to hiking, walking and mountain biking trails. e area, which originally opened in May 1980, is undergoing some changes and improvements, starting with the design and construction of sustainable trails for walking, hiking and mountain biking
“We’re planning to build 25 to 30 miles of new high quality, sustainable trail throughout the life of the project,” says Ryan Howell, project manager at River Parks Authority. To date, more than 14 miles have been upgraded, with construction underway to increase mileage. e improvements are part of the Turkey Mountain Master Plan, which was approved by the River Parks Authority Board in 2020.
Howell’s team is designing the trails with longevity and accessibility in mind.
“We’re making them more sustainable so that our kids and our grandkids can come hike these
trails (without there being) giant erosional areas that are hard to navigate.” Along with sustainable walking and hiking trails, this project will expand its mountain biking trails to include jumps, drops and tabletops for mountain bikers to enjoy.
“From the top of the very top of the mountain to the bottom is around 200 feet of elevation change,” Howell says. “ ose are great opportunities to build downhill mountain biking trails.”
River Parks also plans to build a third parking lot for visitors to access the expanded trails.
“We are also working right now with the Oklahoma Forestry Services to improve the ecosystem out at Turkey Mountain,” Howell says. is will include hazard mitigation for forest res and ridding the area of invasive species.
“Our visitors are often nding the outdoors for the very rst time, so I want to bring those people back,” he says. “I want them to nd a lifelong love a air with the outdoors.”
While the project is set for completion in 2025, many new trails are now open for visitors, including one that connects to the largest natural stone staircase in Oklahoma.
For more information, visit riverparks.org/ experience/turkey-mountain. TP
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT IN THIS NEW ROLE? Turkey Mountain’s trail renovation and expansion. We’ve only scratched the surface of the master plan so as we continue to work through it, I can’t even wait to see what this will look like five years down the road.
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU BRING TO THIS ROLE?
Probably my eye for detail. I majored in journalism but also studied architecture in college, so I’ve always been drawn to the design and layout of facilities, and I think I have a good eye for detailing and curb appeal. Regardless of what position I’ve been in, I tend to pick up on those intricate details.
WHY ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT THE OUTDOORS? We learned a lot about the importance of outdoor spaces during COVID. There are so many things people weren’t able to do, and this was the one thing that could kind of bring them all together. The outdoors gave people some more meaning to life during an otherwise dull time. That’s what parks and rec is all about.
WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON THIS YEAR WITH RIVER PARKS AUTHORITY? I want to take a good comprehensive look at all of River Parks and make a strategic plan for the future. I want to improve trail connectivity throughout south Tulsa and Jenks and westward to Sand Springs. I also want to empower our staff and improve our office spaces. I’ll be thinking about longrange plans this year. TP
Oil and gas wells without legal owners responsible for their care, aka “orphaned wells,” can contaminate the water table and constantly leak greenhouse gases, which accelerates human-caused climate change. And there are thousands of them in Oklahoma.
Tulsans Brooke Swain and Staci Taruscio are hip to the issue. Both women have a long history in the oil and gas industry, and they began working together in various positions and companies about 15 years ago.
Around the time of their mutual exit from their last venture, Rebellion Energy, they came upon a list of documented orphaned wells that stunned them. ey were moved by the problem’s immensity and co-founded a nonpro t in April 2021 dedicated to mitigating it: Fellow Environmental Partners.
e most common way to remedy an orphaned well is aptly referred to as “plugging” it — a complicated and in many cases exorbitantly expensive process. Fellow Environmental Partners estimates the procedure costs between $20,000 and $140,000 on a national level but complicated plugging jobs can cost into the millions. “Even with state and federal funding, there’s a limited amount of resources out in the world to plug wells,” Taruscio says.
While the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board is an agency funded by voluntary tax that Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners pay, Fellow Environmental Partners is not a liated with or funded by the government. Instead, it strategizes to connect with landowners, companies and the public at large. Communicating to landowners the dangers the orphaned wells on their property may pose is important, and working with researchers to
nd the largest liabilities among the many thousands of orphaned wells in Oklahoma is another priority.
“ e problem is not any one well; the problem is this vast quantity of wells that we have scattered throughout our nation,” Taruscio says. e data agrees with her: the totality of unplugged orphaned and abandoned wells outside northeastern Oklahoma numbers in the millions. “I think scale is important here,” she says.
With the process being so cost prohibitive, Fellow Environmental Partners has yet to plug its rst well. Instead, they’re in the data-gathering phase, steering their organization toward what Taruscio describes as a more holistic approach that is scalable and shared publicly with other people and organizations.
According to Taruscio, the organizations with the greatest means and expertise to research and resolve the issue are oil and gas companies, and Fellow Environmental Partners aims to keep them in the conversation. e goal is not only to maximize their impact by plugging the “right” wells, but also to help convince other individuals and organizations how germane this issue really is so large-scale e orts may begin.
ey can’t do all the work themselves. In truth, no one can. So, they’re planning a gathering on Earth Day (April 22) in Nowata that will mix fun activities with a focus on forging connections with local landowners and spreading the word about orphaned wells and land stewardship. Taruscio stresses anyone can come, no registration required. Visit fellowenviro.org for more information on the event and to access the organization’s YouTube channel, where uploaded videos help to visualize the precise way in which gases leak from orphaned wells. TP
Local nonprofi t OK Roots Music will continue its tradition of hosting the Earth Day Celebration on April 22. Head to Guthrie Green, 111 E. Reconciliation Way, between 3-8 p.m. to partake in the free festivities.
The day’s itinerary is packed with speakers and performers, as well as community, educational and crafts booths. Expect interactive arts activities for all ages, acrobatic performances from Inspyral Circus, various Indigenous cuisine and an electric vehicle display.
Poet Joy Harjo will join the festival via a pre-recorded video at 4 p.m. for a land acknowledgment with flute, followed in person by Rev. Gerald Davis on climate justice and activist Kelsey Royce on river issues, among others. Musical acts include Wheat Penny, Samantha Crain and King Cabbage Brass Band.
Local jazz club LowDown also will host a ticketed preamble ($15) to the event the night before that will include sustainable wine tasting, food samples from Native American cultures and a set of “song swapping” in Indigenous languages by Oklahoma songwriters Crain, Kalyn Fay and Ken Pomeroy
The festival is put on by OK Roots Music in conjunction with the Carrie Dickerson Foundation, Arkansas River Rights Coalition, Oklahoma’s Sierra Club chapter, the OK Earth Coalition and George Kaiser Family Foundation.
“Everybody … is going to learn over the coming decades that we all have to be working on mitigating the disastrous environmental stuff that’s going on,” says Mike Koster, director of OK Roots Music. “And so I think this event, at its heart, is really trying to educate the public and keep them up to date on what’s going on in our community, in Oklahoma, and in all the great organizations that are working on these issues.”
Visit okrootsmusic.org for more information. TP
TULSA NONPROFIT WANTS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND LOWER THE NUMBER OF ORPHANED WELLS ACROSS THE NATION.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems tap into the free and renewable energy stored in the earth. By simply moving heat energy to or from the home and earth through a ground loop system, a geothermal heat pump unit achieves efficiency levels that ordinary gas furnace or air conditioners are unable to reach.
As energy costs rise, homeowners and business owners are looking for more energy efficiency solutions that are eco-friendly. Geothermal systems can reduce annual costs for heating, cooling and hot water by as much as 70% per year. In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides up to a 30% credit for geothermal heat pump projects installed before January 1, 2033.
At KMS, we are proud to be a pioneer and national industry leader in the design, installation and service of innovative geothermal heating and cooling systems. Since 1979, we have built hundreds of commercial state-of-the-art systems and thousands of residential systems, virtually all in the Tulsa area.
Our Tulsa company, one of the oldest geothermal contracting companies in the country, was named the 2012 “Contractor of the Year” by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the nation’s largest association of environmental systems professionals.
The 48th annual Newsmakers Awards
Luncheon celebrates Oklahoma women who have demonstrated excellence and impact through communication.
e event is hosted by the Tulsa chapter of the Association for Women in Communication and is both a fundraiser to support the group’s scholarship programs, as well as an opportunity to recognize notable contributions to the eld of communication. is year’s event will be held May 3 at Southern Hills Country Club and will celebrate three honorees and one Saidie Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
“Communication is such a critical skill,” says Teri Bowers, this year’s AWC president. “Of all the skills you can have, communication is one of the most valuable — it transcends all professions, even if you don’t do something in traditional communications.”
is year’s honorees are Ginnie Graham, Victoria Jabara and Lauren Landwerlin, and M. Teresa Valero will be awarded the Saidie Lifetime Achievement award, named for the rst woman in Oklahoma to serve as a general manager of a TV station, Saidie Adwon
GINNIE GRAHAM
Graham, Tulsa World editorials editor, has a 30-year newspaper career and has used her platform to advocate for women’s rights and equality.
“Being a person who is often writing the headlines and stories, it is humbling to be given an honor with the ‘Newsmakers’ label. I am honored and grateful to receive the award but know I stand on the shoulders of women who walked this path before me. For that reason, being named a Newsmaker is one of the proudest moments in my career.”
Jabara is a champion for better handling of hate crimes of men and women at the federal and community level through the NO HATE Act, legislation she advocated after her brother was killed in a hate crime in Tulsa in 2016. She also started the Khalid Jabara Foundation in Tulsa to develop children’s programming centered on peace and justice, including Social Justice Story Hour. She is also a senior marketing manager at BOK Financial.
“I feel honored to be recognized by AWC for the work that we, at the Khalid Jabara Foundation, are doing to combat hate through awareness, reform and education.”
As vice president of strategy, marketing and communications for Saint Francis Health System, Landwerlin has served Saint Francis for 21 years and oversaw its COVID community and media response in 2020, as well as the crisis communication after a shooter event in 2022 killed four people at the hospital.
“To me, this award acknowledges the work and commitment of our entire team. None of us could have responded to the June 1 tragedy the way we did without relying on each other’s professional strengths, personal commitment and emotional support. My job is to tell our story, to represent the 11,000 women and men I get to call colleagues and when crisis strikes, it feels personal.”
Valero, recipient of the Saidie Lifetime Achievement Award, is professor emeritus of ird Floor Design at e University of Tulsa.
Valero has co-created the student-led graphic design agency that provides pro bono promotional materials for nonpro t agencies. In its 30 years, the organization has mentored 150 students and has served 250 organizations, delivering more than $1.5 million in services.
“I’m so honored because the past and present honorees are people in the community who I’ve admired so much. at’s really humbling for me. I am thankful to everyone who has been part of my journey.” TP
Indoor football returns April 15 with Tulsa Oilers football kicking off their first home game at BOK Center. The team’s inaugural head coach Marvin Jones hails from Miami, Florida, and brings a history of success as both a player and a coach. Jones’ football career includes 11 seasons in the NFL as a middle linebacker for the New York Jets from 1993-2003 (excluding 1998).
WHAT COACHING EXPERTISE AND PAST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU BRINGING TO THE ROLE? Being a former NFL player, I know the details of the journey that my players will have to make to get to the highest level. As the head coach of the Omaha Beef in the Champions Indoor Football league, we won the championship in 2021 and came up just short the following year.
WHAT CAN FANS LOOK FORWARD TO? The Tulsa area is rich in talent. You have so many highcaliber football programs from high school to college in the area, fans can expect some of the homegrown talent to make an impact on the field.
WHAT IS MOST REWARDING TO YOU ABOUT COACHING? It is all about seeing these players move up and accomplish their dreams. Players come and go, but building relationships with people is so important to me. Seeing the progress toward success on and off the field is what I find so valuable. — TIFFANY HOWARD
“PLNK is the absolute best workout I have experienced, and I have tried almost everything.
Not only is the workout killer but the atmosphere and instructors are top notch. After a year my results are phenomenal! I love this place!”
1 Aquarium Run
Benefits Oklahoma Aquarium. OKAQUARIUM.ORG
ARTrageous
Benefits Foundation for Tulsa Schools. FOUNDATIONFORTULSASCHOOLS.ORG
Garden Party
Benefits Little Light House. GIVE LITTLELIGHTHOUSE ORG
2 Plein Air Painting
Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden TULSABOTANIC ORG
6
10th annual Oysters and Ale
Benefits Hospice of Green Country. HOSPICEOFGREENCOUNTRY.ORG
Time for a Cause
Benefits Tulsa Area United Way.
TAUW ORG
8 Breakfast with the Bunny
Benefits Tulsa Zoo.
TULSAZOO.ORG
Bright Lights
Benefits Sangha Inc. SANGHATULSA ORG Opera Ball
14
Tulsa Panhellenic Women of the Year
Benefits Tulsa Area Alumnae Panhellenic.
ORG
15
Brewed for Gilcrease
Benefits Gilcrease Museum. GILCREASE.ORG
CASA Casino
Benefits Tulsa CASA. TULSACASA
16
CAN Superhero Challenge
Benefits Child Abuse Network. CANSUPERHEROCHALLENGE.ORG
20
Beyond the Box
Benefits CityServe Oklahoma. CITYSERVEOK COM/GALA
The Dinner Party
Benefits Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. OKFOODBANK.ORG
Uncorking the Cure for MS
Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. NATIONALMSSOCIETY ORG
Women’s Association annual Spring Luncheon
Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. TULSABOYSHOME.ORG
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Days of Caring Food Drive
Benefits Tulsa Area United Way. TAUW.ORG
Play for JA Sports Bowl
Benefits Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. JAOK.ORG
Volute
Benefits Volunteers of America. VOAOK ORG/VOLUTE
22
Aviator Ball
Benefits Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. TULSAMUSEUM.ORG/AVIATOR-BALL-2023
Centennial Diamond Gala
Benefits Junior League of Tulsa. GEMGALATULSA COM
The Glow Gala
Benefits Global Gardens. GLOBAL-GARDENS ORG
Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence Awards (ONE Awards)
Benefits Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. OKCNP ORG/PAGE/ONE-AWARDS
Party for the Planet
Benefits Tulsa Zoo.
TULSAZOO ORG
Pranks and Paws Trivia Night
Benefits Tulsa SPCA. TULSASPCA.ORG
Red Ribbon Gala
Benefits Tulsa CARES. REDRIBBONGALA ORG
Zoo Run
Benefits Tulsa Zoo. TULSAZOO.ORG
24
Wish Upon A Par Golf Tournament
Benefits Make-a-Wish Oklahoma. WISH.ORG/OKLAHOMA
25
Madam President
Benefits League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa. LWVTULSA ORG
27
Raise the Roof
Benefits Revitalize T-Town. REVITALIZETTOWN ORG/EVENTS
28
The Bash in Bloom
Benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa. THEBASHTULSA ORG
Celebrate Cascia
Benefits Cascia Hall Preparatory School. CASCIAHALL COM
Glamp Fire
Benefits Camp Fire Green Country. TULSACAMPFIRE.ORG
Go Girl Gala
Benefits Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. GOGIRLGALA.ORG
29
Best of Brunch
Benefits DVIS. DVIS.ORG
Heart Walk
Benefits American Heart Association. HEART ORG
Mad Scientist Ball
Benefits Discovery Lab. THEMADSCIENTISTBALL COM
Riverfield Rocks Llamapalooza
Benefits Riverfield Country Day School. RIVERFIELD ORG
Shoot for the Center: The Eddie Sutton Challenge
Benefits The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. TULSACENTER ORG
Treasures of Tulsa
Benefits Fostering Connections. FOSTERINGCONNECTIONSOK ORG
Walk MS
Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. WALKMS ORG
More than 300 guests gathered at River Spirit Casino Resort on Feb. 11 to recognize local women who have made a significant impact regarding breast cancer awareness. The Susan G. Komen Oklahoma Pink Stiletto Gala began with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a multi-course dinner, program and live auction. Just over $100,000 was raised, which will serve community members by investing in research, providing direct care, taking action regarding policy and unifying communities through Komen Oklahoma’s outreach and engagement.
1. Guests peruse the silent auction and admire a painting by Chris Mantle and Rebecca Gaines.
2. Valerie Simmons is a Pink Stiletto committee member, Susan G. Komen Leadership Council member and employee of Walgreens, a national sponsor of Susan G. Komen. She speaks to the crowd about Komen’s mission to fund groundbreaking research that brings us closer to the cures.
3. Pink Stiletto Chair Angie Walters of Schnake Turnbo Frank with Emcee Chera Kimiko
4. Quoc and Resha Vo, who gave the keynote address
5. Dr. Laurie Flynn and Tonya Humphrey
6. Zodiac brought people to the dance floor.
7. Dave and Janet Hogan with the painting by John Hammer they won in the silent auction.
8. Leslie Umfleet, Random Act of Purpose recipient and survivor; Amanda King, survivor; Leslie Ireland, Project 31 and survivor; Shari Holdman, state executive director of Susan G. Komen
Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma held its 18th annual Cooking Up Compassion fundraising event on Feb. 3 in the Grand Hall of Cox Business Convention Center. The 1,000-plus guests in attendance were treated to signature appetizers by 17 local chefs ranging from pasta alla Bolognese by Duet’s Chef Tuck Curren to whipped goat cheese bites by Juniper’s Chef Jerod Price. With a theme of “Changing Lives Has Never Been This Much Fun!,” the evening’s entertainment included a “Pick Your Prize” raffle and dancing to live music. Funds raised benefit those served by Catholic Charities.
1. 2024 Co-Chairs Matt and Teresa Gawey with 2023 Co-Chairs Mandy and Blake Atkins
2. Guests Susan and Al Degan won a trip to Monterey Bay in the night’s raffle.
3. Bishop David Konderla, chair of Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma’s board and Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, addresses the crowd.
4. Executive Chef Devin Levine of Cox Business Convention Center provided guests with a main buffet and a mac and cheese bar.
5. Guests dance the night away to live music by The Party Crashers.
THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES ZOOMING THROUGH Tulsa traffic these days is climbing as residents across the city experiment with EV technology.
According to Bill Knight , a Tulsa automotive dealer of the Ford, Lincoln and Volvo brands, recent sales trends show more drivers are becoming curious about the benefi ts and enjoyment it can bring behind the wheel. He says EV sales trends reflect a strong market of early adopters.
“The customer base goes across generational lines. Some choose an EV for environmental reasons, some because it’s new and others just love driving EVs,” Knight says.
Knight drove a Mustang Mach-E — one of Ford’s three EV models — to work for six months. “The driving characteristics are fantastic and (EVs) are extremely quiet on the road,” he says. “You get the sensation of a roller coaster because all of the power is delivered much quicker than a traditional gas-powered vehicle.”
BY GAIL BANZET-ELLISTesla initially generated a lot of EV interest and sales in Tulsa, Knight says.
Many automotive brands also have ventured into the plug-in hybrid market as an interim step to the full EV model. The traditional engine paired with a battery that will shift to EV mode can extend a car’s driving range by hundreds of miles. Hybrids are a way for motorists to become familiar with charging without the anxiety of complete dependence on a charging station.
“To me, the most important vehicles in this transition are ones from the mass brands, and Ford is at the tip of the spear with them,” he says.
Ford’s three EV models, the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit, are available starting at a lower price point of $46,000 and can exceed $90,000, helping additional drivers approach the EV market.
Other luxury brands such as Volvo and Lincoln currently offer one or two EV options and have announced they will go completely electric by 2030 or 2035.
DRIVING, POWERING AND PAYING FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS NEW TERRITORY FOR MOST. HEAR FROM LOCAL EXPERTS ON WHAT TO EXPECT.
The thrill of the ride and the possibilities of new technology are appealing to EV drivers, but Knight explains there is a lot of confusion over the lifestyle required to own one. EVs are still emerging technology and a person’s driving characteristics make more of a determination if they are right for you based on range and availability of charging stations. He’s heard from customers that while trips to Oklahoma City, Dallas or Kansas City are feasible, they can be challenging due to the lack of EV charging stations in the region. EV drivers are no longer tethered to a gas pump but locating a compatible charger can be difficult.
“There’s nothing more stressful than wondering where I’m going to be able to charge my vehicle,” he says. “Variability of range is determined by wind, temperature and driving. If you’re going 75 miles per hour — just like an ICE (internal combustion engine) powertrain — you’re not going to get as many miles.”
Local companies like Francis Energy have assisted Knight with EV charging solutions. The company provides stations across Oklahoma and parts of the Midwest and has helped Knight develop a reliable charging network he’s required to build at each of his dealerships.
Knight says the lack of an efficient power grid for EVs may limit its adoption. EVs are ideal for daily commutes of less than 50 to 100 miles, but there is still work to do to develop a consistent charging network across the country.
“It’s more of a state and federal issue,” Knight says. “It doesn’t matter what state you’re in. What we all need is a modernized and expanded grid. The ability to have charging stations every 50 miles that can charge an EV in 15 minutes — it’s coming. We’re just at the very beginning of an emerging technology transformation.”
In 2022, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated $5 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program funding to help states install EV chargers along interstate highways.
Some public charging stations are an amenity free to use provided by businesses and community organizations. Others located along highways usually require a fee of 15 to 50 cents per kilowatt-hour and can be paid for with a credit card or mobile app.
Wayne Greene, spokesman for Public Service Co. in Tulsa, says many businesses, government offices and institutions like libraries, schools and colleges provide charging stations. The websites and mobile apps for services such as Blink, ChargePoint, Chargeway, Electrify America, PlugShare and Tesla list charging station locations with details on EV compatibility and how fast a car can recharge.
As the public EV infrastructure continues to grow, Greene says many EV owners desire the convenience of charging their vehicles at home. All EVs come equipped with a charging cord that can be used in either a standard 120volt electrical outlet or a 240-volt outlet used to power a clothes dryer. The 240-volt outlet provides a faster charge.
When Knight commuted with the Mach-E to and from the dealership, 12 miles away from his home, he charged it once or twice a week overnight with a 240-volt charger at his house.
“Charging at home can be the least expensive way to refuel an EV,” Greene says. “Using current average prices, a typical driver could save more than $1,200 each year by switching from gas to electricity. The average cost to charge an electric car will depend on where you live and the distance you drive, but the price of electricity is more stable than gasoline and it can cost 66%-80% less than gas.”
PSO customers can receive a rebate of up to $250 for purchasing an Energy Star certified Level II charger. The 240-volt plug can provide up to 30 miles of range per hour of charging.
“We encourage drivers to work with an electrical contractor to evaluate their home’s wiring, electrical outlets and other hardware that support charging requirements for an EV,” Greene says.
PSO partners with ChargePoint charging stations to offer a 240-volt Level II home charger that delivers up to 50 amps of power. Drivers can contact pev@aep.com for installation assistance. Greene says other providers such as Amazon Home Service, HomeServe and Qmerit offer residential and commercial installation of electrical equipment.
Some states and municipalities may offer tax credits and subsidies for EV owners, but Mark Helland, a certified public accountant at Hood and Associates CPAs, says federal tax incentives for EVs historically have not been that appealing to drivers.
“The rules are a little bit fluid and haven’t been all that attractive until the Inflation Reduction Act of August 2022 that expanded to include more qualifying vehicles,” Helland says. “Before, EV tax credits would come and go, and there were caps on how many vehicles could be sold by the different manufacturers before the credits would phase out, meaning a reduced credit or no credit at all. The main change in 2023 is that the sales cap has been removed.”
The federal law’s complete list of EV tax credit guidelines was released in March. Helland says edmunds.com is a quick reference for more than 20 EVs eligible for a tax credit. The latest standards apply to new cars only, and drivers with questions about a tax credit on a used EV should consult their CPA.
“This is all uncharted territory,” he says. “In the past when the Toyota Prius and the first round of hybrid vehicles came out, a lot of people were interested, but since then I have not had a lot of people ask about EVs.”
Edmunds.com lists current EV models for all automotive brands along with the federal government’s tax credit standards for income limitations, vehicle price and even manufacturer requirements.
“There are hurdles that add complication such as qualifying vehicles have to be assembled in North America but can be manufactured elsewhere,” Helland says. “They also have to meet a certain percentage of battery minerals, and components must be sourced from the U.S. or one of its free trade partners.”
Helland says he can recall one client who qualified and received an EV tax credit. Moving forward, he thinks income limits will be the most restricting factor to obtaining a credit.
“If married filing jointly, the modified adjusted gross must be less than $300,000, head of household must be less than $225,000 and single income must be less than $150,000,” he says.
Helland says a new rule in 2024 will allow auto buyers to apply the EV credit immediately to the sales price of an EV rather than having to wait to claim the credit on their personal income tax return.
Although additional details on the EV tax credit listed in the Inflation Reduction Act were clarifi ed in early 2023, Helland says it’s important to remember EVs purchased in 2022 must stick to 2022 tax return guidelines. TP
ALL EVS COME EQUIPPED WITH A CHARGING CORD THAT CAN BE USED IN EITHER A STANDARD 120-VOLT ELECTRICAL OUTLET OR A 240-VOLT OUTLET USED TO POWER A CLOTHES DRYER.
Change is in the air for a quirky neighborhood bordering the southern edge of downtown just off the Midland Valley Trail.
BY JULIE WENGER WATSON
Steeped in history and framed by neighborhoods where century-old oil mansions rub elbows with modest bungalows and apartment buildings, the 18th and Boston district has always had a unique appeal. Although its fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the years to the rhythm of economic vicissitudes and consumer trends, the area now verges on significant growth.
e area sometimes referred to as Tulsa’s SoBo District was once home to the renowned Louisiane restaurant, which opened during the Depression and eventually gained a national reputation for both its elegance and its cuisine. As the former location of culturally signi cant venues the Nine of Cups, the Magician’s eater and Boston Avenue Market, the area was a magnet for musicians and fans alike during the 1970s and ’80s, playing its own role in nurturing the famous Tulsa Sound and fostering the reputation of Tulsa as a music city. Today that musical tradition continues on at e Venue Shrine, where owner Donnie Rich is bringing three to four shows a week.
Establishments like the 111-year-old Phoenix Cleaners, owned today by Allison and Todd Robinson, has called its location at 125 E. 18th St. home for over 50 years, quietly and steadily sustaining and supporting this corner of town, steadfast through changes along the way.
Another such proprietor is Sonny Dalesandro, the self-described owner, chef and dishwasher of Dalesandro’s Italian restaurant at 1742 S.Boston Ave.For a time during his childhood, Dalesandro lived across the street from the restaurant’s current location in a home that had previously functioned as his mother’s jewelry and clothing business. Dalesandro attended the neighborhood’s Council Oak Elementary (formerly Lee Elementary). A retired professional soccer player and current co-owner of Tulsa Athletic semi-pro team, he still recalls playing his rst soccer games as a kid at Dream Keepers Park (then known as Boulder Park).
Dalesandro’s father originally opened the restaurant at East Sixth and South Main streets where it
operated for a number of years before closing and reopening in 2004 at its present location.
“ ere’s been a lot of turnover in these buildings for decades and decades. Lots of concepts have come and gone,” he says. “But it’s in a really interesting place right now with all the new development.”
Although Dalesandro recognizes some of the challenges the district has faced in the past, he’s enthusiastic about the plans in place for improvements and for new businesses.
“I think we all would like to see each other do well,” he says. “When you get those like-minded people together in that spirit, I think the good things start to happen. A lot of credit goes to the people who have organized the SoBo Business Association and the meetings that we’re having, and the visions we’re trying to accomplish through city planning, street improvements and all sorts of events that we might be able to bring to the area. After 20 years of being here, it’s so encouraging. It’s like a real breath of fresh air.”
Born and raised in Ireland, Brian O’Mahony moved to the U.S. 25 years ago, taking a job in pharmaceutical sales in New York City. What was supposed to have been a short two or three yearstint in Tulsa with his work turned into a 15-year (and counting) relocation to the city and a side gig as a co-owner of Mercury Lounge, a neighborhood music venue with a national reputation in a converted Sinclair gas station on the northeast corner of 18th and Boston.
“I think the biggest change I’ve seen in 12 years (as a co-owner) is this realization that 18th and Boston can be a destination place and attract people,” he says. “People want to go out and have a nice meal, and then they want to go for a drink afterwards in a place that’s fun, where there’s going to be some live music. at’s the kind of
environment people are looking for, and that’s why I feel it’s becoming more of a destination.”
According to O’Mahony, Mercury Lounge has created a sense of community over the years, bringing people back to the area again and again.
“ ere’s a community of locals and regulars that come. It’s great to be able to walk in somewhere, see people you know, and sit down and have a conversation, no matter what your background is. ere are all sorts of topics discussed at Mercury Lounge,” he says. “I think that’s what people look for, community and that kind of engagement. at’s what Mercury Lounge delivers.”
A few blocks to the west, DoubleShot Co ee Co., 1633 S. Boulder Ave., just celebrated 19 years of business. Originally located in a leased space near the northwest corner of 18th and Boston, owner Brian Franklin relocated in 2019, moving just a few blocks over into his own building, an old barn transported in sections from Indiana and lovingly reconstructed on-site.
As a young entrepreneur without a track record, Franklin’s initial location for his business had more to do with an a ordable lease than a strategic plan. At the time the neighborhood was “dead,” according to Franklin. Mercury Lounge was a dream in the shape of a lling station. However, the space worked for a co ee shop.
“We didn’t need a bunch of tra c because we were drawing customers. We were a destination,” Franklin explains.
at rental location suited his needs at the time, allowing him to be creative, roast co ee beans and eventually expand into, and build out, an adjacent space. He developed a large and loyal customer base that has followed him with his move and grown in the years since. Franklin believes a co ee shop like his serves a vital role in the district’s overall economic
ecosystem, with a ow of customers complementing that of the surrounding restaurants and clubs.
“ e co ee shop is an anchor to a strip mall or center,” he says. “If people come in the morning and see there’s someplace to come back to at night, then they’ll come back at night. If you have a co ee shop, you can ll up the parking lot in the morning, and then a restaurant lls up the parking lot at noon, and then you have a club that lls up the parking lot at night. at way you’ve got more diversity for the small amount of space.”
When Franklin was ready to move the shop to a bigger location, he knew he wanted to stay in the neighborhood — despite frustrations with street closings and diverted tra c during the construction of Gathering Place, lack of adequate street lighting and other similar issues.
“It’s the type of place that has a mystique about it, which is good,” he says.
A former elite cyclist and endurance athlete, Franklin has capitalized on DoubleShot’s accessibility to downtown to create a welcoming space for participants in sporting events like Tulsa Tough, Tulsa Run and Ironman. He’s looking forward to growing those opportunities to connect to a bigger community.
“I feel like there’s an opportunity to create that same environment with some of the other sports that happen around here, with other races and events,” Franklin says. “When you’re just an average Tulsan like me and you get to experience something that happens normally in big cities, like Tulsa Tough, it changes your outlook on what is possible.”
Plans for development in the neighborhood are many and varied.
David Sharp of Sharp Development and Howard Wolf of Wolf Group Investments are partners/owners of Brut Hotel, which is scheduled to open this summer. e 82-room upscale hotel includes Soma (a rooftop restaurant/lounge/ patio with views of downtown and the Arkansas River), an approximately 2,000-square-foot lawn capable of hosting private events, an outdoor pool and the 1820 Spa.
Sharp has been a heavy investor in Tulsa since the late 1970s. e hotel, a conversion of the former Boulder Park Apartments, derives its name from the building’s Brutalist architecture. Built in 1953, this structure has served as apartments as well as a brief stint as a women’s secretarial school.
“I think David’s vision has always been to heavily invest locally in Tulsa. He pours his soul into his projects,” says Kimberly Honea, vice president of hospitality and development for Sharp Development. “He saw opportunity in this area with Gathering Place and the river expansion. David’s a building hugger. He likes to preserve buildings and make sure they don’t get bulldozed. at building was important to him, and he’s just always loved it.”
According to Honea, the hotel will be a mix of standard rooms and upgraded suites. Each room
is individually designed with large footprints and an emphasis on wellness and calming aesthetics.
ere are various design touches — such as hammocks, daybeds, nooks and bunk beds — in addition to plush beds and original art.
Honea says all the rooms’ millwork and concrete furnishings were made locally by the Brut team.
“What I really like about the hotel is that they went with quality over quantity,” Honea says. “It’s stunning. e building has that stoic, raw exterior of the Brutalist architecture, and the inside is juxtaposition with lots of greeneries, natural wood, leathers and very earthy tones — a masculine exterior with a very feminine interior.”
Honea anticipates plenty of business guests during the week, with families, outdoor enthusiasts and regional tourists on the weekend using the nearby trail system, parks and entertainment districts. She envisions bike rentals and partner-
ships with area attractions like Gathering Place and Discovery Lab. She also sees the hotel as an asset for Tulsans.
“I think a vital part of the hotel is the community,” she says, mentioning plans to incorporate local community events including music nights, yoga sessions, meditation hours and art shows. e space should become an entertainment option for locals, too.
To fully realize these plans and ensure the hotel’s success, Honea believes it’s necessary to have plenty of infrastructure, amenities and development throughout the entire neighborhood. To support that, she reestablished the 18th and Boston (now SoBo) Business Association to bring neighborhood stakeholders together. As its president, Honea represents approximately 30 members who do business in the surrounding blocks.
One of those members is Hayley Nichols,
director of business development for Main Square Properties, a commercial and residential property manager in the neighborhood. Hayley, who manages the business with sister Susan, says her residents and tenants would love to see additional great places to eat in the neighborhood and a place to get groceries nearby. Hayley serves as the association’s secretary. “I think the most important thing we’ve achieved is opening the lines of communication with our neighbors, building connections with each other, and getting people talking about what is possible,” she says. “ is is an avenue for businesses in the area to have direct input as the district grows.”
Challenges include the perceived danger of an area in dire need of street repairs and adequate lighting, with some vacant apartment buildings and a general lack of walkability.
Nevertheless, the association’s e orts to support the community are already yielding results.
“ e momentum we’re building and the marketing and press we’re getting for 18th and Boston is already putting more seats in these restaurants,” she says. “ at makes me feel so good. at’s the whole point, just to help your community.”
is summer will see the addition of Tails and Ales, a dog park with a bar/retail concept in the large green space owned by Sharp Development and located at 1903 S. Boston Ave. Mark Gorman and his wife, Amy, rst began contemplating the concept when they discovered a bar/dog park in Louisville, Kentucky, while traveling with their pandemic pup. He hopes to open in June.
Dog owners can purchase a membership to the park and pets will be registered with proof of vaccinations. e project includes outdoor seating, and plans to convert the wood clad house on the property into a cafe, bar and retail space.
“It’s a social club for dogs,” explains Mark Gorman, who also serves as the vice president of SoBo Business Association. “Our big idea behind it is a community amenity where people can come exercise their dog, get a drink, or grab a co ee. We’ll have dog wash stations, as well.”
Joe Hull IV operates as both a landlord and business owner in the neighborhood. rough his company, Boston Avenue Realty, Hull, along with his father Joe Hull III, owns numerous properties in the area. He also co-founded TXMZ, a restaurant featuring elevated tacos, Mexican street food and margaritas, that is owned by his dad and his wife, Anna Inhofe-Hull, and Mario and Nic Guajardo “We enjoy developing historically signi cant properties,” says Hull, whose real estate investment stretches along the northwest corner of 18th and Boston and includes the property that formerly housed BurnCo Barbeque.
“We think that corner of 18th and Boston has been the unstated center of Maple Ridge and kind of the music center of the universe since I’ve been alive.”
According to Hull, Lilly Architects has created architectural plans to rebuild and expand the space that was destroyed when BurnCo caught re over a year ago.
Brad Venable, Brut Hotel general manager, and Kimberly Honea, vice presidenf of hospitality and development for Sharp Development inside Soma, the hotel’s rooftop bar and restaurant“ at building is almost 100 years old, and as it turns out, it was still in repairable condition,” Hull says. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities to rebuild your 100-year-old building, so we’ve got really great plans to keep the facade of that building because it’s been so many cool things.”
While speci cs are still being settled, there are plans for a craft cocktail bar, a wood- re artisanal sourdough pizza and bread concept, and possibly a neighborhood market opening within the next 10-12 months. Along with those new businesses are concrete plans to make long-needed improvements with the city’s support to the streets, sidewalks, planters, parking and neighborhood lighting.
“ e whole idea is just to very much clean up and brighten the entire area,” Hull says. “Everybody’s really been putting pressure on the City to start giving us this development so we can improve those streets and get our walkability and connectivity.”
Hull feels a strong connection to the neighborhood that translates into a desire to see things continually improve.
“My father and I are lifelong Tulsans who have always lived in this 3-mile radius. My whole life has been in this 3-mile area. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and I’ve also seen the promise of the future,” Hull says. “Tulsa is on its way up, and we’re going make sure that downtown and 18th and Boston, to the extent we have any control over that change, will be as cool as it can possibly be.”
Without a doubt, there is a new sense of excitement, hope and anticipation in this neighborhood as development dreams begin to become reality and potential is realized.
“ e next couple of years are really going to be big for the district,” Gorman says. “It’s the perfect space to really model to the city what a mixed-use environment can look like.”
DoubleShot’s Franklin agrees.
“People have been talking about development in the area for a long time. ‘We’re going to do this; we’re going to do that,’” he says. “ e fact David Sharp actually took that Brutalist architecture building and is doing something, instead of just talking about it, is impressive. He just went in and did it, and I’m glad for that. I hope they’ll continue to build up this neighborhood.”
Honea is still working behind the scenes, helping to support the area’s businesses with the new and expanding neighborhood business association and readying the hotel for its grand opening. She can’t wait for everyone to see what is soon to come.
“We’re located between two historic, beautiful neighborhoods, just north of one of the nation’s best attractions, with a river that is just exploding with development between the pedestrian bridge and the west bank — this general circle right here,” she says. “I really want people to understand. Just give it a year, and it’s going to be phenomenal.” TP
Street Cred is TYPROS annual community development project, and later this year it will take place in the SoBo neighborhood. CODY BRANDT is the Urbanist Crew Leader coordinating this year’s event for the organization.
“Every Street Cred event is unique. It’s a community event where we do pop-up spaces and try to shine the light on a specific neighborhood to show people the possibilities,” he says. “We also try to showcase how the infrastructure of the neighborhood can be better utilized.”
Brandt hopes this year’s Street Cred, which will incorporate neighboring Dream Keepers Park (formerly Veterans Park) and feature vendors and music, will help encourage redevelopment, as well as the repair of area streets and sidewalks.
Alibrary is more than just a collection of tidy shelves and well-ordered books; it’s also a collection of the thousands of individual stories of the people who patronize its rows and rooms every day, constantly shifting and growing to ensure the varied needs of all are met and no one falls through the cracks as technological advancement races on.
Since 1916, the Tulsa City-County Library system has served as a vital resource for the whole community, offering diverse collections, programs, educational classes, events and partnerships.
Libraries collect all the knowledge of human history and preserve a special place in spacetime where questions are encouraged, and help is always ready. Today, the modern library does more than provide books and other bits of information. In addition to Tulsa City-County Library’s collections, programs, events and partnerships, it has solidified its place as a vital resource for the whole community. In 2022, TCCL received a five-star rating from Library Journal, which is the highest rating a library can
receive. Perhaps its greatest resource is the staff members themselves.
Since 2012, TCCL has partnered with Family and Children’s Services to connect adult library customers to the services of a case manager. The service, funded by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, is in highdemand and something primarily shared by word-ofmouth, according to Suanne Wymer, Youth Services Department manager.
The case manager, Karen Knapp, is employed by FCS, and while she primarily works at Central Library, she is available to assist TCCL customers at all 24 branches. “Financial assistance and housing are the top two things she assists people with,” Wymer says. “She can sit down with someone and help them fill out their housing application … she knows what those forms require.”
While Knapp helps adult library users with social services, TCCL staff can help with virtually everything else.
“We have Book-a-Librarian, so we can dedicate up to an hour with individuals to help them with their projects,” says Ellen Cummings , director of customer experience. She points out that while a librarian can’t teach you, for example, how to play an instrument, they can show you where to find lessons — online and for free if you have a library card.
Customers even use Book-a-Librarian to learn how to use the library’s services, including its databases and downloadable content. “We probably set people up multiple times a day (on e-readers),” says Rebecca Harrison, who was Central Library’s adult services manager for five years before stepping into a new role at the library. Another popular request is to help set up an email account.
The Digital Literacy Lab is a space dedicated to not only learning how to use computers and their programs but also allows customers to access specialized software and equipment for creative projects like editing photos
in Adobe Photoshop, converting old VHS home movies to a digital format that can be burned to a DVD, and even accessing a green screen.
“So much of what you used to be able to do in paper format, like apply for a job apply for housing — anything that you used to be able to do via the mail or through paper — is pretty much, you know, gone the way of the dodo, so if you didn’t grow up with computers or you have regular access to computers or high speed internet, that is an incredibly intimidating thing,” Harrison says. “The library is one of the spaces in the community where it’s OK if you don’t know how to use a computer.”
“We are the original green institution because you check out a book, and then you bring it back and more people use it,” Cummings says. The seed library is similar. During each of the three seasons, customers can reserve up to 15 packets of seeds and pick them up at any library. Though not required, gardeners are encouraged to let some of their plants go to seed and return some of the seeds to the library. “And, of course, we have many books on how to save seeds,” Cummings adds.
The Seed Library launched in 2014 to increase access to the knowledge necessary to grow food, Harrison says. It’s also great for hobbyists or anyone wanting to start a home garden. “We want to empower people with the resources they need to make their lives better,” she says. “Seeds are just one way to give somebody that agency to start their own garden at home and grow food for themselves.”
Seeds available include native pollinators, nutritious vegetables and colorful flowers that make a splash.
If you ask Laura Raphael, second graders in Tulsa County have the coolest library cards. Since 2003, TCCL’s Books to Treasure program has chosen an illustrator’s work to honor annually and provides a free copy of their book to every second-grade student in Tulsa County — and those students get exclusive access to a custom library card that matches the book’s cover art.
Raphael, children’s services coordinator, says books are hand-selected by local library staff for immersive illustrations that pull kids in and get them excited to read. This year’s book is “Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness” (Narwhal and Jelly Book No. 6), written and illustrated by Ben Clanton. “They’re the most delightful books,” Raphael says of the series. “(Clanton) is a relentlessly positive human being, too.”
A struggling reader as a child, Clanton became interested in books through their pictures — a story that illustrates the purpose of Books to Treasure, Raphael says, noting second grade is “the sweet spot” for this program. “First grade, they’re learning how to read and by third grade, the expectation is that they’re kind of transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn.”
Books are distributed in October and November, and Clanton will visit in November to speak at Hardesty Regional Library.
“There’s a famous phrase among children’s librarians: ‘There are no children who don’t like to read. They just haven’t found the right book,’” Raphael says. “It’s a little simplistic, but there’s a truth to it. They just hav-
en’t found a thing they connect to … our collection (in all libraries) is all knowledge in the world, all the things in the world. You’re going to find at least one thing you like. It’s our job to try and find what that thing is, and sometimes they don’t know until you introduce them to the topics.”
Childhood literacy programs at TCCL are focused on connecting kids to their interests through events at the 24 branches, like Build A Reader story times and book clubs.
As of March 21, “Children under the age of 5 who live in
Tulsa County can register for the (Dolly Parton Imagination Library) program, and every month until their fifth birthday, they receive a book in the mail from Dolly that’s personalized to them,” says Harrison, TCCL’s community engagement manager for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. “The goal is just to help
and families build home libraries.”
Harrison says Tulsa County joins 30 others in Oklahoma participating in the Imagination Library. “The goal is for it to be in every county in the state,” she says. “Once that happens, Dolly will come visit.”
Sign up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library at tulsalibrary.org/imaginationlibrary. TP
children
BY KELLY BOSTIAN
As we rush through our urban-based days we commute, work and play among concrete and paved elements set upon what once was a wilderness. But those historic wild spaces are not completely erased.
Among the concrete and pavement, some windows to the wooded river valley of Tulsa’s past endure.
At three Tulsa sites, each only a mile or so apart as the crow ies, in certain quieter moments, we can wander back through history as far as our imaginations allow.
Tulsa’s cherished prairie river reveals a lasting limestone formation created 300 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian Period, also known as the Coal Age.
One of only a few stable crossings, the feature played a major role in Tulsa’s formation.
e same receding shallow seas that left coal-lined limestone in what is now Pennsylvania left just a thin, 2- to 3-foot-thick limestone formation in this part of Oklahoma, with just traces of coal here. Locally, geologists named
it the Checkerboard Limestone, thanks to repetitive right-angle fractures in places. It is hidden across most of the area but the Arkansas River reveals the largest outcropping immediately upstream of the historic 11th Street Bridge and west of Newblock Park, 1414 Charles Page Blvd.
“At low water, it becomes as wide and straight as a super-highway with a perceptibly low dip to the west-northwest,” the Tulsa Geologic Society noted in 1972.
e region’s earliest settlers, and no doubt scores of wildlife before them, used the crossing. In the early 1800s, it served the Muscogee (Creek) tribe and traveling traders; later came cattlemen and settlers in wagons. In the later 19th century it played a key role for Civil War troops and by 1901 it connected the city to the Red Fork Oil Field.
e oil boom led to the construction of Tulsa’s rst bridge, just downstream of the crossing, in 1904. is eventually became the site of the historic bridge on 11th Street, known now as the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge, and on the National Register of Historic Places.
On a hill above the river’s north bank, where the Newblock Park bike path meets South Quanah Avenue and West Seventh Street, Tulsa City Parks created an overlook with historic placards about the area. It o ers the best view over the landmark and is a convenient hilltop rest stop for bicyclists or hikers of the park trail system, which connects to the historic bridge and downtown.
A 1-mile jaunt north from the land bridge overlook, where North Quanah Avenue meets West Edison Street, tight neighborhoods and highway overpasses open up to tree-lined streets and the rolling hills of Owen Park, 560 N. Maybelle Ave.
Here, at the Edison Street entrance, stands the ree Tribes Monument, among other historic markers of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Oklahoma is home to 39 federally recognized Native American tribes, and the boundaries of three — Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek) and Osage — converge at Owen Park.
In a quiet neighborhood where birdsong is plentiful, as well as waterfowl on a 1-acre lake that once was a public Tulsa “swimming pool,” the park and its landmarks stir a look back through 200 years of sweeping change.
e monument harkens to an era of tragedy and forced relocations of Native Americans in the early 1800s, but a new beginning and recognition of the importance of the great nations to Tulsa’s growth and history.
Located 682 feet west of the common boundary point of the Creek, Cherokee and Osage Nations, the monument inscription reads: “On June 2, 1825, the Osage Nation, under treaty with the U.S., granted certain lands to the Government for the use and bene t of the Cherokee and Creek tribes who were being removed from the Southern States. is monument is to commemorate that treaty and to mark that spot where the three great nations joined.”
Historians note that a famous visitor to the location with U.S. Rangers in 1832, author Washington Irving, describes a stop at the hilltop and a panoramic view in his “Tour On e Prairies.”
e park is named for Chauncey A. Owen, a Pennsylvanian entrepreneur and Civil War veteran who married a Creek woman, Martha Pendleton Owen, an heir to Creek Indian lands. Martha died in 1902 and before his death in 1928, Chauncey donated the 20 acres to the City of Tulsa for the park.
e Tulsa Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected the ree Tribes Monument in 1935.
No better natural monument could stand in an urban setting than a towering, stately centuries-old burr oak with a strong broad trunk and heavy perpendicular limbs stretching in all directions for the sun.
Just over a mile south of the Land Bridge overlook but nestled into quiet hillside neighborhoods, almost hidden from the river, South Cheyenne Avenue curls around Council Oak Park at West 18th Street.
e Council Oak Tree holds a special signi cance to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation as the site where the tribe met at the end of the Trail of Tears in 1828. Each year, the Nation holds its Council Oak Ceremony at the park. Even the tribe’s recently opened health care campus in south Tulsa bears the name Council Oak.
e site is key to all Tulsans, as the Oklahoma Historical Society notes; it is under this very tree that tribal leaders placed coals and ash from the original res of their homeland towns in Alabama and kindled a re in their new home. e Locvpokv clan named it “Tallasi,” meaning “old town,” the name credited with what would become known as the city of Tulsa.
A circular monument at the park, 1750 S. Cheyenne Ave., represents a rising re and is ringed with placards describing the historical signi cance of the site and the tree.
Directly south, across 18th Street, the city park area continues with Creek Stickball Park, which commemorates an ancient Muscogee (Creek) game played around a tall stick with a brightly painted animal skull and blue ring near the top. Players used sticks similar to lacrosse and scored points by hitting the skull or hitting the stick above the blue ring.
A placard there honors Mary Veasey Leech, a woman who lived in a house across the street from Council Oak from the time she was 8 years old, in 1913. Leech learned the history of the site and revered the tree. Her family even watered it during times of drought. Leech and Dode McIntosh, the last hereditary chief of the Creeks, successfully fought against the development of the land where the tree continues to thrive. TP
RIVER, THREE TRIBES: MICHELLE POLLARD; CREEK COUNCIL OAK: GREG BOLLINGER This monument to the boundary point of the Osage, Cherokee and Muscogee Nations was erected in 1935.
Share in the special moments of three Tulsa couples during their recent wedding celebrations.
The Tulsa natives met at Jenks High School where Mason played football and Jordan was a cheerleader. Mason, who is now a mechanical engineer, and Jordan, an IT recruiter, dated for eight years — with the majority of it long distance — before marriage. Mason proposed at Guthrie Green, followed by an engagement party with friends and family at Jordan’s parents’ house.
In front of 165 guests at Dream Point Ranch’s Mountain Crest Venue, the couple tied the knot on a warm, sunny day. Jordan wore her grandmother’s earrings, and the couple left that night in her great-grandfather’s car. Soft Touch Draping installed disco balls throughout the venue with music flowing all night long. Late night mac and cheese from The Brook was a special treat.
Photography: Mary Keen Photography Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse/The Black Tux Bridal wear: Ellis Bridal Wedding cake: Reasor’s Bakery
Music: RedLine Entertainment Flowers: S&G Creatives Invitations and programs: QuikPrint Hair and makeup: Erica Treat Rentals: Party Pro Wedding planner: XO Event Co.
Longtime friends Tatum and Jake began dating as juniors at Jenks High School. Attending different colleges, the couple spent five years traveling to see one another, saying if they can make long distance work, they could make it through anything.
Jake, owner of Tulsa Tackle and Outdoors, popped the question to Tatum, an accountant, in the backyard of their recently purchased home. They married at the Patriot Golf Club with special touches, such as the couple’s dog, Luna, appearing on the signature cocktail sign and the groom’s cake designed like his bass fishing boat. The couple characterizes their special day as timeless, romantic and fun.
Photography: Carsyn Craytor Menswear: The Black Tux Bridal wear: Pronovias Catering: Patriot Golf Club Rentals: Party Pro and Stay Gold Rentals
Flowers: Poppy Lane Design Music: Jordan Khan Music Co.’s Manhattan Band Invitations: The Inviting Place
Watercolor artist: Alexa’s Illustrations
Hair and makeup: Berkshire Salon and Rachel Newton Wedding planner: Nicole Allen Events
Mutual friends connected the couple at the 2013 Center of the Universe music festival. After several years of dating, he proposed by asking her if he could be her dog’s dad. The couple — she’s an occupational therapy assistant becoming certified as a dog trainer and he’s the lead brewer at Marshall Brewing Co. — make their home in Tulsa.
With a black and white motif, The Mayo Hotel was a stunning backdrop to vows and speeches expressing that this is how they should be married, on this exact day, in this place and with the people present.
Photography: Sarah Eliza Photography Menswear: Jos. A. Bank Bridal wear: Ellis Bridal Wedding cake: Ludger’s Bavarian Cakery Catering: The Mayo Hotel
Flowers: Daniel Weir Design Hair and makeup: Sam Palmer and Megan Prater Rentals: Party Pro and La Vintage Wedding planner: Mary Fencl Events
When planning an event – large or small – there are many details to coordinate. From finding the right space to choosing catering options and amenities, the to-do list can be overwhelming. We hope you will find the TulsaPeople Wedding and Event Venue and Catering Guides to be a helpful resource for your planning.
AGORA EVENT CENTER
1402 S Peoria Ave (918) 819-1044
agoraeventcenter.com
Capacity: 400
THE BLACK BARN AT SPAIN RANCH
732 East 116th Street, Jenks (918) 691-3040
spainranch.com
Event rental contact: Cecily Tawney
Capacity: 100
THE CANEBRAKE
33241 E 732 Rd Wagoner, OK 74491
Canebrake.com
Event rental contact: Corynne Jewson, (918) 400-1122
Capacity: 150
COX BUSINESS CONVENTION CENTER
100 Civic Center (918) 894-4257
coxcentertulsa.com
Event rental contact: Jennifer Thornton, Director of Sales
GAST EVENT CENTER
1429 Terrace Dr. (918) 744-6997
gasteventcenter.com
Event rental contact: Sara Gonzales
Capacity: up to 200
HARWELDEN MANSION
2210 S Main Street
(918) 960-0714
HarweldenMansion.com
Event rental contact: Tyler Quinn, Harwelden@gmail.com
Capacity: 150 indoor/600 outdoor
MARRIOTT SOUTHERN HILLS
1902 E. 71st. St. (918) 523-3561
marriott.com/tulsa
Event rental contact: sales@tmsh.net
Capacity: 10-800
ANDY’S BOWL SOCIAL TULSA
8711 S. Lewis Ave. (918) 299-9494
bowlandybs.com
Event rental contact: Ryland Bristow
Capacity: 600
THE CAMPBELL HOTEL & EVENT CENTERS
2636 East 11th Street (918) 744-5500
EventsAtCampbell.com
Event rental contact: Diane Morrison
Capacity: 225
CIRCLE CINEMA
10 S. Lewis Ave. 918-585-3456
CircleCinema.org
Event rental contact: David@CircleCinema.org
Capacity: up to 200
DISCOVERY LAB
3123 Riverside Drive Tulsa, OK 74105 (918) 295-8144
discoverylab.org
Event rental contact: Events Manager
Capacity: Rooftop Terrace ‘Thirty-One Twenty-Three-300; Exhibit Hall-500; Mezzanine-150
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO TULSA
777 West Cherokee Street Catoosa, OK 74015 (918) 384-5946
hardrockcasinotulsa.com/amenities/meeting-and-events
Event rental contact: meetingsthatrock@hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Capacity: 900
LIVING ARTS OF TULSA
307 East Reconciliation Way
(918) 585-1234
livingarts.org
Event rental contact: Gallery Manager, info@livingarts.org
Capacity: 260
MEADOW LAKE RANCH
3450 South 137th West Avenue, Sand Springs (918) 494-6000 • meadowlakeranch.com
Event rental contact: Susie Warren, manager@meadowlakeranch.com
Capacity: Up to 200. Indoor & Outdoor Venues.
ONEOK FIELD - HOME OF THE TULSA DRILLERS
201 North Elgin Avenue (918) 744-5998
tulsadrillers.com
Event rental contact: events@tulsadrillers.com
Capacity: 10 – 8,000+
PINOT’S PALETTE
Broken Arrow, Cherry Street and Riverwalk locations
(918) 893-6447 (BA); (918) 794-7333 (CS); (918) 518-5433 (RW) pinotspalette.com
Event rental contact: Contact desired location
Capacity: Broken Arrow-56; Cherry Street-48; Riverwalk-60
PLN RESORT + VENUE
Natural Charm with Modern Flare
12361 S 49th W Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066 plnresortandvenue.com • (918) 807-7802
Event rental contact: info@plnresortandvenue.com
Capacity: 150+
STATION 13
3924 Charles Page Boulevard (918) 810.6765 station13tulsa.com
Event rental contact: Jackie Potter, info@station13tulsa.com
Capacity: 500 Indoor/Outdoor
TULSA GARDEN CENTER AT WOODWARD PARK
2435 South Peoria Ave. 918-576-5155 tulsagardencenter.org
Event rental contact: kbutts@tulsagardencenter.org
Capacity: 10 to 250
TULSA ZOO
6421 East 36th Street North (918) 669-6605
tulsazoo.org
Event rental contact: Nicolas Stolusky, Amy Watson
Capacity: 100-350 indoor; 4,000 outdoor
THE WHITE BARN AT SPAIN RANCH
732 East 116th Street, Jenks (918) 691-3040 spainranch.com
Event rental contact: Cecily Tawney Capacity: 200
VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM/DIRECTORIES FOR THE UPDATED 2023 VENUE GUIDE, CATERING GUIDE AND OTHER INFORMATIVE DIRECTORIES.
1115 S. Lewis Ave., Suite A (918) 779-6333
TulsaCatering.com
Catering Capacity: We can cater any sized party!
Additional Information: Featuring elevated cuisine and beverages inspired by concepts within the Justin Thompson Restaurant Group.
608 East 3rd Street (918) 442-2993
catering@mcnellies.com
Catering Capacity: Unlimited
Additional information:
McNellie’s Group Catering is Tulsa’s go to catering service that offers full-service catering and event planning that specializes in weddings, corporate events, special events, and non-profits.
OLIVETO
8922 S. Memorial Drive (918) 994-7000
olivetobistro.com
Catering Capacity: 10-1,000
Additional information: Unchain yourself from the ordinary. A unique variety of fresh appetizers, salads, and pastas that are sure to make your next event special.
For longtime studio mates Sallie Gardner and Rita Rowe, finding space at Tulsa Art Studios has meant more than just a place to do their respective fields of art. They have found community among the other creatives using the 15 units at the Charles Page Boulevard location.
“We fell in love with it because of the light, tall ceilings and congeniality,” says Gardner, a collage and assemblage artist whose medium requires a lot of storage and creative space.
Rowe works at the studio five days a week to work on her abstract acrylic paintings, some seen here adorning the walls. “It’s my refuge,” she says. “It’s where I come to express myself. I feel like I have to come here every day — inspiration won’t come otherwise.”
Bathed with natural light, the walls are filled with recent works, while the floors and tables are scattered with potted plants tended by the third studio mate, Krysta Quinn, a painter who focuses on botanical and wildlife subjects. TP READ MORE ABOUT TULSA ART
In the early aughts Micky Payne and his bandmates were looking for a place to rehearse but found themselves constantly hitting a dead end. It was then Payne, now owner of Tulsa Art Studios, realized Tulsa was lacking a ordable space for creatives.
Several years later, he found the solution. In 2010, he purchased the Alamo building located in downtown with the intent to repurpose the space for numerous commercial rentals. e building now o ers seven spaces for rent, varying in size from 500 to 2,300 square feet.
Most of his tenants are people who have been working out of their homes and are ready to take the next step in their business. He counts several artists and designers among clients, a
few of which he says have been relocated to the city thanks to the Tulsa Remote program, a oneyear program o ering $10,000 to eligible remote workers who relocate to Tulsa.
Today, Tulsa Art Studios has grown to include ve buildings located throughout downtown and west Tulsa. In 2020 he purchased a building at 3105 Charles Page Blvd., which he converted into 15 units ranging in size from 300 to 2,500 square feet and opened in spring 2021. Payne is working to change the zoning for Alamo Studios, located at 629 W. First St., into a live/work structure by the end of 2023. If he is successful, he plans to add a second story to serve as an artist bed-andbreakfast.
Payne’s aesthetic draws inspiration from the
simplicity of Rough Lux design with an emphasis on maintaining the industrial nature of the original buildings. Most walls are painted white, bricks are left exposed when possible and the concrete oors are left bare. Payne says he hopes to provide spaces that allow the ultimate exibility. “I’m basically giving people a white box and they can take it from there,” he says.
Having dabbled in sustainable design, once building a LEED-certi ed duplex with Tulsa architect Shelby Navarro, Payne is keen to recycle materials when possible. He has a junkyard full of reclaimed wood, old bricks, tiles, xtures and more that he tries to incorporate into his projects — especially new builds. “You can’t buy soul,” Payne says. “ at’s always the trick, which
is why I like to embrace the old and add a little bit of new stu .”
For Payne, two factors have made his venture successful. First, nding the spaces early allows him to o er reasonable rent. “I have to get these buildings at a price I can a ord the necessary upgrades, such as sprinkler systems in case of re, and still keep rent low,” Payne says.
Secondly, Payne attributes the success of Tulsa Art Studios to its small spaces. “It’s easy for someone to nd a 5,000-square-foot rental, but you can’t easily nd 250 square feet to rent,” he says. Occasionally Payne rents a single 300-squarefoot unit to multiple tenants who share the space. “Artists don’t always bring in a steady stream of income, so they need those smaller, a ordable options,” he says.
Another bene t to Tulsa Art Studios is rent is always month-to-month. “People don’t like commitment, so you make it commitmentfree and they end up staying.” anks to a healthy waitlist, Payne is not worried when a tenant decides to move out.
In addition to scouting additional studio spaces, Payne recently nished a project he calls the OK Ranch, which lies on 160 acres of land near Keystone Lake. He originally bought the land at the beginning of the pandemic with the idea to create an Airbnb for creatives complete with tree houses, a gathering structure and a pool. Shortly after completing what Payne calls the “Mod Barn,” the ranch’s communal building, lmmaker Sterlin Harjo bought the property for his production o ces. Payne now plans to develop a similar idea on another plot of land nearby with even more of an emphasis on sustainable design.
Currently, Payne is working to expand Tulsa Art Studios to Oklahoma City. Next, he has his sights set on Wichita, Kansas, which he says has a growing arts scene similar to Tulsa and a good inventory of old buildings ripe for creatives.
Learn more at tulsaartstudios.com or on Instagram @tulsaartstudios. TP
Above, Alamo Studios sits at 629 W. First St. with seven units. Below, Sallie Gardner and Rita Rowe are two of three artists whose Create Studios is housed at Tulsa Art Studios.
For me, the warming temperatures this time of the year are a salve to the soul. April showers may bring May owers, but April has plenty of owers of its own to welcome the coming spring. It’s a wonderful time to explore a bit of the Sooner State to see what’s blooming.
Oklahoma State University has a Botanic Garden that is open year-round, but April is a great time to visit thanks to HERBFEST. Stillwater’s “Best Kept Secret” hosts an event that combines a market where herbs and succulents are available for purchase along with the presence of horticulture specialists to help teach those, like me, that have a less-than-stellar track record of keeping plants alive at home. Other arts and crafts vendors are invited to participate, too; HerbFest is on April 22. And if you’re feeling hungry, there’s something special about eating at the original Hideaway Pizza.
roughout the month of April, Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park celebrates the season with its annual AZALEA FESTIVAL . Tens of thousands of the titular owers are on view alongside other emerging ora. e festival, which has been going on for more than 50 years, also features a parade, arts and crafts show, and a 5K run. Check muskogeeparks.org for more information on speci c events throughout the month.
A short drive down the turnpike, ART IN BLOOM at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is a unique showcase of oral sculptures created as an interpretation of the museum’s permanent collection.
e dates this year are April 14-16 with a special cocktail party the rst night.
While you’re in OKC, it’s worth a stop at the city park that is named after Oklahoma’s Favorite Son. e WILL ROGERS GARDENS , right o Historic Route 66, was created shortly after statehood and o ers a peaceful respite in the middle of our capital city. April is an ideal time to stroll among the ponds, ower beds and WPA-era rock walls. ere’s often something going on in its Exhibition Building; the Oklahoma Orchid Association is having a show the rst weekend in May. Less than a mile away, Patty Wagon serves one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten, anywhere. You can’t miss the vintage A-frame building on May Avenue. From April 25-30, OKC’s Bicentennial Park hosts the Oklahoma City Festival of Arts, featuring live musicians, artists and food artisans for this outdoor extravaganza.
In our very own backyard will be BOTANIC BLOOMS at Tulsa Botanic Garden. More than 200,000 tulips, da odils and other spring bulb will be popping up with special activities continuing through late April. TP
Join us for an enchanted evening at Fête des Fées, or Fairy Tale Ball as we celebrate the young men and women of Tulsa Opera
Opera Ball offers lasting recognition and memories to young men, women and their families while embracing Tulsa Opera’s seventy-five year tradition of inspiring, educating and enriching thousands through the power of voice, beautiful music and storytelling.
April 8, 2023
• The M ayo ho T el
To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit tulsaopera.com/operaball or contact Amanda Viles at aviles@tulsaopera.com or 918.494.3508
CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL CROTEAU JOSEPH WALTON CRAFT V NELSON MICHAEL STEWART CHRISTIAN NORTON TRUSSELL LANCE DAVID KRAMER ELLEN PARKS MABREY ABIGAIL SUZANNE HEFFERNAN MEGAN ELIZABETH MULLEN ELLA ELISABETH O'BRIAN ANNABELLE LEA MAIN JAYDEN ALYSSE WHEELER
When two relatives were diagnosed with cancer, Carla Grogg became inspired to research organic gardening. She and her husband began growing their own vegetables, then began finding ways to share that passion for organic, chemical-free gardening with others.
As the former owners of Grogg’s Green Barn, the Groggs used to import organic soil from states such as Oregon and California. They soon found, though, that each state has unique growing conditions. They wanted to create a soil optimized for Oklahoma, where gardeners are dealing with a lot of clay and sand. Grogg worked with a soil agronomist to create the perfect recipe.
“A lot of consumers think they’re failures as gardeners,” Grogg says. “It’s not the person, often they’re doing everything right. It’s the awful products on the shelves.” Grogg created a soil that was locally produced, fully organic and higher quality than she had been able to find available. At first, they sold the soil out of Grogg’s Green Barn, but as business took off, they closed their retail location and formed GP Soils as a wholesale distributor.
The Groggs produce two soils: seed starter and base soil — which is good for anything — and infused living soil, their signature product. The living soil adds an additional 10 nutrients to the mixture. It’s designed to eliminate the need for fertilizer, instead allowing the plant to draw up the nutrients it needs throughout its growing cycle. It works alongside the existing soil to nourish the plant’s roots and lasts for nine months to a year.
“It creates a beautiful microbiology with good, organic ingredients that will equal success to our customers,” Grogg says.
In addition to growing her own vegetables and herbs, Grogg enjoys sharing her knowledge of sustainable gardening with others.
“I encourage people to read the back of the package like they do when they’re buying a drink or food,” Grogg says. “Do you know what’s in your soil?”
Tulsa-area customers can find GP Soils at Riddle’s Plant Farm, Cohlmia’s, Sanders Nursery and Westlake Ace Hardware.
Find more information at gpsoils.com. — ABIGAIL SINGREY
Tune into Tulsa’s eclectic, uniquely programmed, local music loving, commercial free, genre hopping, award-winning, truly alternative music station.
Giveaway Date: June 25, 2023
Get your ticket by April 21, 2023 for a chance to win a countr y concert experience for two in Tampa, including airfare, hotel, and tickets to see George Strait, Chris Stapleton, and Little Big Town, courtesy of K95 5
The drastic increase in opioid overdose deaths is largely due to fentanyl poisoning. Illegal fentanyl is cheaper than most other drugs on the streets and is being intentionally substituted into cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and drugs like counterfeit Adderall®, Percocet® and Xanax® as well.
Learn the facts and protect those you love. okla.st/onepill
Love to garden? Great! Don’t have much space? Not to worry. Container gardening might be the answer to solve your space problem, not to mention it involve less weeding and watering.
All kinds of plants, including annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and fruits, can be grown this way. Container gardens can grow most anywhere — in backyards, front yards, on balconies, decks, patios and even in window boxes. While it may seem better to have a wideopen space to grow plants and veggies, most actually grow quite well in containers if they are provided with the proper soil and care.
Speaking of containers, a big, new, fancy one is not necessary unless you just want one. Choose ones that fi t your style and let your imagination go. There are many items that can be used as a container including metal water troughs, wooden barrels, old pots of any kind, and even old tires or a rusty wheelbarrow. Terracotta pots are okay but do tend to dry out very quickly. Be sure one or more drainage holes are provided.
For a vegetable garden, start by choosing varieties that you love to eat. This will help you determine how to maximize the limited space you have. It also will help to guide your choice of containers, both material and size, as well as their positioning in your garden layout. Then, sterilize the inside of the pot with a 10% bleach solution, rinse thoroughly, and add a nutrient-rich potting mix supplemented by a slow-release starter food such as Osmocote.
Then, a few things to consider are:
• Select plants that fi t the size of the container at full maturity so they do not outgrow the container. The container should be at least 6-8-inches deep
for perennial plants and up to 12-inches deep for taproot plants such as carrots.
• Place potted plants in the container at the same depth as they were in the pot they came in.
• Water your gardens regularly. Containers can dry out fast so make plans to water daily during the hotter months. A drip irrigation system is an outstanding addition to container gardening.
• Fertilize every two weeks. As the plants grow and mature, they use up the nutrients in the soil. And containers can lose nutrients faster because they get washed out of the pot during watering.
• Watch for pests to show up and take action as soon as practical to avoid allowing time for the critters to move to other plants.
• Deadhead often. Removing those spent blooms through the season will coax new blooms to appear. And gently prune when plants are starting to get overgrown.
• A nominal amount of mulch on top will help moderate soil temperature, conserve water and control weeds.
• For better taste, harvest veggies when they are smaller. During peak growing season, check the garden every day as some veggies can grow to maturity very quickly.
• Most containers can stay in place outside yearround and even planted with winter selections such as clover, chives or winter onions. TP
Thank you to Tulsa County Master Gardeners for their expertise in this subject matter. Allen Robinson has been a Master Gardener since 2010.
SpringFestAPRIL 7-8
SpringFest
Now in its 68th year, SpringFest returns from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. inside Woodward Park’s Teaching Garden and Arboretum, 2435 S. Peoria Ave. Visitors can find returning vendors such as Tobi’s Cacti and Succulents, McClain’s Flowers and Dotson’s Produce, and new ones like Prairie Wind Nursery, Tulsa Rare Plant Emporium, Euchee Butterfl y Farm and many more. The “Too Much to Carry” hospitality tent will watch over your new additions while you pull up to the drive-thru area.
TULSAGARDENCENTER.ORG/SPRINGFEST
APRIL 15
Sand Springs Herbal Affair and Festival
From 8 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown Sand Springs is filled with all things spring. With over 100 vendors, this festival has something for everyone. Shop plants, herbal products, gardening tools, local art, decor and more. There will be a kid’s zone with hands-on activities and a plant sitters booth to watch your new plant friends while you sample food trucks and enjoy the live music around Sand Springs
Triangle Park, 4 E. Broadway St. HERBALAFFAIRANDFESTIVAL.COM
APRIL 22
Jenks Herb and Plant Festival
From 8 a.m.-4 p.m., vendors from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas fill downtown Jenks with plants, herbs, vegetables, garden decor and more. Many of the shops lining Main Street also are open to shoppers during the festivities. Enjoy food trucks, sample wineries and get gardening tips and tricks from experts at the Jenks Garden Club booth.
JENKSGARDENCLUB.COM
The nomination pool of dentists consists of dentists listed online with the American Dental Association, as well as dentists listed online with other dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists also are given the opportunity to nominate other dentists who they feel should be included in our list. Respondents are asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and to use only their knowledge of their peer’s work when evaluating the other nominees.
tistry in Oklahoma. A dentist’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that our polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful list of dentists available anywhere.
This list is excerpted from the 2023 topDentists™ list, a database that includes listings for about 80 dentists and specialists in the Tulsa metro area. The list is based on hundreds of detailed evaluations of dental professionals by their peers. The complete database is available at usatopdentists.com. For more information call 706-3640853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, Georgia 30903; email help@usatopdentists.com or visit usatopdentists.com.
“If you had a patient in need of a dentist, which dentist would you refer them to?”
This is the question we’ve asked thousands of dentists to help us determine who the topDentists should be. Dentists and specialists are asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients, use of new techniques and technologies and of course physical results.
Voters are asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting is completed, the scores are compiled and then averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending on the average for all the nominees within the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases are given a careful consideration by the editors. Voting characteristics and comments are taken into consideration while making decisions. Past awards a dentist has received, status in various dental academies can play a factor in our decision.
Once the decisions have been finalized, the included dentists are checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing with the board. Then letters of congratulations are sent to all the listed dentists.
Of course there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of den-
DISCLAIMER This list is excerpted from 2023 the topDentists™ list, which includes listings for around 80 dentists and specialists in the Tulsa Metro Area. For more information call 706-364-0853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, Georgia 30903; email help@usatopdentists. com or visit usatopdentists.com. topDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Copyright 2012-2023 by topDentists LLC of Augusta, Georgia. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission.
ENDODONTICS
Christopher C. DeLong
Owasso Endodontics
12899 E. 76th St. N., Suite 108, Owasso 918-272-2488 owassoendo.com
Eugenia M. Johnson
Green Country Endodontics 10507 E. 91st St., Suite 340 918-994-6000 greencountryendodontics.com
Michael J. Kubelka Kubelka Endodontics 4606 E. 67th St., Suite 201, Building 7 918-494-4144 kubelkaendodontics.com
Laurie L. Southard Southard Endodontics 5010 E. 68th St., Suite 104 918-493-3880 southardendodontics.com
Amy E. Stone Tulsa Endodontic Associates 6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 712 918-481-6622 rootcanalstulsa.com
Michael Strand
Broken Arrow Endodontics 4416 W. Houston St., Broken Arrow 918-615-3600 brokenarrowendo.com
Byron N. Tucker
Endodontic Specialists of N.E. Oklahoma 5555 E. 71st St., Suite 210, Building 9 918-524-3366 esneok.com
Kent H. Wyatt
Endodontic Specialists of N.E. Oklahoma 5555 E. 71st St., Building 9, Suite 210 918-524-3366 esneok.com
GENERAL DENTISTRY
Bonnie L. Arnould
Arnould Dental 7311 S. Lewis Ave. 918-496-3377 drarnould.com
Forrest L. Arnould
Arnould Dental 7311 S. Lewis Ave. 918-496-3377 drarnould.com
Benson L. Baty 7335 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 206 918-496-1051
Seth Bingham Bingham and Howarth Family Dentistry 6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1100 918-481-4925 binghamandhowarth.com
Wesley N. Black
The Dental Studio of South Tulsa 6112 S. 61st St. 918-745-0500 dstulsa.com
Melissa Bowler Collinsville Family Dentistry 1310 W. Main St., Collinsville 918-371-3774 bowlerdds.com
Charles W. Calhoun 10016 S. Mingo Road, Suite B 918-250-8861 calhoundds.com
Jacob Cary Lexington Dental of Owasso 8500 N. 129th E. Ave. 918-740-8500 lexingtondentalofowasso.com
Conrad C. Casler Jr. Casler Dental Group 6911 S. 66th E. Ave., Suite 300 918-477-7677 caslerdentalgroup.com
Carolyn M. Caudle 401 S. Boston Ave., Suite 1800 918-582-3877
Walter M. Davies III Progressive Dental Care of Tulsa 7614 E. 91st St., Suite 120 918-212-5834 dentalcareoftulsa.com
Michael Engelbrecht III 6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1104 918-492-9420 brightsmilesoftulsa.com
Deboria F. Gill Gill Family and Laser Dentistry 6141 E. 91st St. 918-747-4444 gilldentistry.com
Daniel Griffi ths Midtown Dentistry 3345 S. Harvard Ave., Suite 102 918-743-8539 tulsamidtowndentistry.com
Robert A. Gruenberg 133 W. Blue Starr Drive, Claremore 918-342-3477
Lori Hare Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry 201 N. Lynn Riggs Blvd., Claremore 918-343-4300 thehealthysmiles.com
Meghan Hodges
élan by Dr. Meghan Hodges 10031 S. Yale Ave., Suite 104 918-528-7486 tulsadentalcare.com
Bruce D. Horn 7990 S. Sheridan Road 918-492-9090 brucehorndds.com
Kevin Howarth 6565 S. Yale Ave. 918-481-4925 binghamandhowarth.com
David E. Jump Cherry Street Family Dentistry 2105 E. 15th St. 918-742-2888 cherrystreetdentistry.com
Steve O. Lusk 9815 E. 51st St. 918-664-9995 tulsadentalart.com
Joe F. Maltsberger Innovative Family Dentistry 106 Atlas Ave., Oologah 918-992-7020 innovativefamilydentistry.com
Molly Marshall-Hays Marshall Family Dentistry 8830 S. Yale Ave. 918-481-5252 marshallfamilydentists.com
Dale R. Mathis Mathis Family Dentistry 5404 S. Memorial Drive, Suite A 918-663-5215
Thomas L. McGinnity 3747 E. 11th St. 918-834-2330
Nicole A. Nellis Nellis Family Dentistry 9314 S. Delaware Ave. 918-518-6305 nellisfamilydentistry.com
Terry F. Rigdon Implant Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry of Tulsa 10010 E. 81st St., Suite 200 918-494-8666 tulsaimplantdentist.com
Jerry W. Robertson Restorative Dentistry of Tulsa 9224 S. Toledo Ave. 918-492-7263 restorativedentistryoftulsa.com
Carrie D. Sessom Riverwalk Dental Spa 400 Riverwalk Terrace, Suite 200, Jenks 918-770-0027 riverwalkdentalspa.com
Jeffery W. Sessom 4415 S. Harvard Ave., Suite 102 918-742-2096 tulsasculptedsmiles.com
Wrany R. Southard Southard Dental 6333 S. Memorial Drive, Suite G 918-294-1144 southarddental.com
Michael R. Steffen 302 S. Lewis Ave. 918-663-7928 steffendental.com
Marc L. Susman Smile Remodels and Digital Dentistry 5510 S. Memorial Drive 918-228-5416 drsusman.com
Dean O. Todd 7134 S. Yale Ave., Suite 100 918-493-2444 drdeantodd.com
Shannon K. Toler Origin Dental Wellness 2100 S. Utica Ave., Suite 205 918-747-6453
origindentalwellness.com
Corbyn L. VanBrunt
Smiles of Tulsa
6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1103 918-481-4910 smilesoftulsa.com
Chadwick N. Webster
Dental Creations 8190 S. Memorial Drive 918-307-0307 tulsadentalcreations.com
W. Scott White 301 E. 141st St., Glenpool 918-291-6000 glenpooldentist.com
ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY
Daniel Cannon
Cannon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 3345 S. Harvard Ave., Suite 103 918-743-1351 cannonoralsurgery.com
Heath Evans
Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com
Lloyd A. Hudson Oklahoma Wisdom Teeth Center 7316 E. 91st St. 918-392-9970 oklahomawisdomteeth.com
D. Todd Johnson
Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com
Christopher R. Mastin Ashton Creek Oral Surgery Suites 9118 S. Toledo Ave. 918-495-1800 suiteoralsurgery.com
Thomas M. Rogers
Greer and Rogers Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
2105 E. 21st St. 918-747-4760 drjerrygreer.com
Gregory D. Segraves
Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com
Donal R. Woodward 6143 E. 91st St. 918-492-6994 woodwardoralsurgery.com
ORTHODONTICS
Llon Clendenen Tulsa Braces 3305 E. 45th St. 918-932-2707 tulsabraces.com
Jonathan S. Cooper Cooper and Misner Orthodontics 3916 E. 91st St. 918-876-7846 coopermisnerortho.com
Brent S. Dobson III
Owasso Orthodontics 12813 E. 101st Place N., Owasso 918-272-4242 owassoorthodontics.com
Kevin C. Duffy Duffy Orthondontics 1621 S. Eucalyptus Ave., Suite 201, Broken Arrow 918-249-1818 duffyorthodontics.com
Clinton W. Emerson Emerson Orthodontics 800 W. Mission St., Broken Arrow 918-459-0092 emersonbraces.com
Blake R. Henry II Henry Orthodontics 7705 E. 81st St. 918-294-7705 henryorthodontics.com
Phyllis C. Higgins Carter and Higgins Orthodontics 3232 E. 31st St. 918-986-9986 carterandhigginsortho.com
Jeffrey A. Housley
Owasso Orthodontics 12813 E. 101st Place N., Owasso 918-272-4242 owassoorthodontics.com
Douglas A. Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics 5304 S. Harvard Ave. 918-747-1346 klortho.com
Joseph Lai Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics 5304 S. Harvard Ave. 918-747-1346 klortho.com
Ryan V. Nowlin Nowlin Orthodontics 11910 S. Memorial Drive, Bixby 918-369-6100 nowlinortho.com
Van L. Nowlin Nowlin Orthodontics 11910 S. Memorial Drive, Bixby 918-369-6100 nowlinortho.com
Kyle R. Shannon Shannon Orthodontics 3516 E. 31st St., Suite C 918-743-2321 shannonorthodontics.com
Wayne N. Wyatt Wyatt Orthodntics 9840 E. 81st St., Suite 100 918-273-6609 wyattsmiles.com
PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Jeffrey J. Ahlert 14600 E. 88th Place N., Owasso 918-272-1444 owassopediatricdentistry.com
Sarah M. Fox-Broermann Fox Broermann Pediatric Dentistry of Tulsa 6585 S. Yale Ave., Suite 510 918-492-1106 foxbroermann.com
R. Grant Gerety 4606 E. 67th St., Suite 310 918-493-3031 pediatricdentisttulsa.com
Kerry K. Kitterman Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com
April A. Lai Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com
Mark E. Morrow Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com
James G. Steyer Jr. All Smiles Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry 10127 S. Yale Ave. 918-299-1600 allsmilespediatricdds.com
PERIODONTICS
Ray A. Beddoe 2619 S. Elm Place, Suite A, Broken Arrow 918-451-2717 gumsbybeddoe.com
William Brent Burchard Dental Surgical Arts of Tulsa 2902 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-748-8868 dsaot.com
David Stapleton Owasso Perio 12810 E. 101st Place N., Owasso 918-376-2191 owassoperio.com
Trung Tran Transcend Dental Implants and Periodontics 9607 E. 95th Court S. 918-288-0818 tulsaperio.com
David H. Wong
Route 66 Dental Implants and Periodontics 4545 S. Harvard Ave. 918-749-1850 route66implants.com
William B. Wynn IV Eastern Oklahoma Periodontics 6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1008 918-492-0737
eoperiodontics.com
PROSTHODONTICS
Roman M. Lobodiak Jr. Oklahoma Implants and Dentures 6565 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1012 918-743-1558
oklahomaimplantsanddentures.com
Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (EOOMS) is committed to providing comprehensive oral surgery care. They practice the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Common procedures include wisdom teeth and dental extractions with intravenous anesthesia for patient comfort. They specialize in all aspects of dental implant surgery, bone grafting and jaw reconstruction. As a group they offer 24-hour practice coverage and take trauma calls for local hospitals.
EOOMS is comprised of five experienced oral surgeons: Todd Johnson, D.D.S.; Gregory Segraves, D.D.S.; M.S. Heath Evans, D.D.S.; Dr. Cody Mumma, DDS, and Chris Ray, D.D.S. All EOOMS surgeons hold memberships in numerous dental societies including the Tulsa County Dental Society, Oklahoma Dental Association, American Dental Association, Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
For patients’ convenience, most of the group’s services are provided in the EOOMS offices. The offices are board certified for office IV anesthesia to ensure patient comfort. Quality of care and patient safety are always the group’s primary concern.
The EOOMS staff is a committed group of employees who strives to achieve the highest standard of care. Their surgical team has specialized training in oral surgery and anesthesia assisting, which provides for a more comfortable and safe oral surgery experience.
Since launching the Tulsa community of My Brother’s Keeper last year, Director BerThaddaeus Bailey is excited for the organization’s future and initiatives. “We galvanize community members and partners around solving systemic issues facing boys and young men of color, specifically,” Bailey says. In just one year, the organization is already laying the groundwork for change locally.
In October 2022, American Heart Association’s Voices for Healthy Kids awarded $450,000 to MBK to serve as a backbone for local nonprofi ts to launch advocacy campaigns to address health equity barriers in Tulsa. MBK organized community conversations where two focus areas were elevated by the community: healthier food options for children and mental health support in schools.
Bailey says MBK opened applications for local entities to lead the advocacy and policy work and campaigns. MBK granted funding to Hunger Free Oklahoma, Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, Teach Not Punish and Harrison Hope. Campaigns are currently in the infancy stages of implementing advocacy strategies.
This is the first collaboration between MBK and Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, an Oklahoma think tank focused on mental health issues.
“Healthy Minds’ mission is to end untreated mental illness and addiction in Oklahoma through policy and practice transformation,” says Jessica Hawkins , HMPI’s director of community and systems initiatives. “With high levels of mental stress among Tulsa-area youth, ensuring that boys and young men of color have access to the mental health services they need is imperative to helping them reach their full potential.”
The 2022 Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment found 33% of the Tulsa County student respondents reported high levels of psychological distress. Nationally, the Offi ce of Minority Health finds Black people are 10% more likely to experience serious psychological distress, and Indigenous youth experience signifi cant suicidal rates. Hispanic people are 50% less likely to receive mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic white people.
Healthy Minds aims to increase youth access to high-quality mental services through multi-tiered support systems and provide ongoing expert consultation to Tulsa Public Schools’ staff on planning and implementing best practices for the delivery of school-based mental health services and interventions, according to Hawkins.
— ANNE BROCKMAN
My dear Rebecca: I understand you’re having trouble with personal relationships.
I hear you’re feeling so estranged from longtime friends and work colleagues, you think you don’t like them anymore.
Oh, honey. I know this is upsetting because you pride yourself on being a loyal friend. You must feel the ground of your moral universe has fallen from under your feet. You must wonder if you know who you really are.
Sometimes our self-perception is wrong. Like that scrawny lawmaker who ashed a st of strength to reporters, thinking he looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger but actually looked like Pee-wee Herman.
Maybe “like” is too strong and maybe “anymore” is too permanent. And perhaps “friends” is an overstatement.
Maybe you’re being too hard on yourself. After several years of pandemic-related isolation, our people skills are rusty. We have to relearn how to socialize, how to talk instead of whimper or bark. Give yourself credit. Didn’t you recently join a group of young women on an axe-throwing outing? Look at you! Making new friends.
You work for an airline. For three years you worked remotely handling passenger complaints. I’m not surprised you have an a nity for axe throwing. How lucky you found a healthy outlet for it.
Maybe you’re being too judgmental. is is a tough call because we try hard to expand our horizons and improve ourselves, only to look around and see that our friends have stayed ignorant and misguided. We want to help them grow, too, and it is tempting to point out their aws. Try to avoid this; it’s not good for relationships.
I grant you, it seems unavoidable when we di er so radically on ashpoint topics like politics and religion. A problem is that there are more ashpoints than there used to be. Gender, for example, or history. Even food. You might want hold back on your opinions about sugar and ultra-processed food, even when Jennifer serves hot dogs and chocolate cake.
I don’t know how they do it, but people of different faiths or politics can be happily married. Even vegans and carnivores, although I personally don’t know any examples of this one.
On further thought, I recant some of what I’ve just said. When people — even friends and relatives — say things that are untrue, mean spirited and hurtful to other people, I can no longer be in their company. I’m not exactly unfriending or disowning them, but I’m de nitely distancing myself from them. Self-protection and self-care are important.
Days like that, I pull out my battered copy of Judith Viorst ’s book “Necessary Losses.” She writes about the loves, illusions, depen-
dencies and expectations we have to give up in order to grow. She explains di erent categories of friendship: convenience friends (neighbors and work colleagues), special-interest friends (sports or yoga), historical friends (from childhood), crossroad friends (military service or college) and close friends (those we trust with our dreams and secrets). Not all friends are created equal.
When Danny backstabbed me for a job, I wailed to Anne , “I can’t believe it. He and I have been friends for 30 years.” She explained something important — “Just because you’ve known him for 30 years doesn’t mean he’s your friend.”
We all change, like kaleidoscopes. You’re young and have a lot of change ahead of you. You’ll see that at di erent ages, we shed myths and friends. We grow and improve and get wiser. We stop touching the hot stove. ( en we nd a di erent hot stove to touch.) We meet a lot of people who become our colleagues, associates, acquaintances; only some are friends. Don’t y your heart like a kite.
It’s a great quest. I love this from Emily Dickinson: “I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.”
Honey, I think you’ve come to the wrong person for advice on this. ose friends who are not good for you? Dump them.
Your loving Aunt Connie TP
TIM HAYES
918-231-5637
thayes@mcgrawok.com
GORDON SHELTON
918-697-2742
gshelton@mcgrawok.com
SHERRI SANDERS
918-724-5008
ssanders@mcgrawok.com
DIANA PATTERSON
918-629-3717
dpatterson@mcgrawok.com
Amber Waves on Grand Lake, panorama lake views from this lovely three bedroom, three bath home offers two lots (one acre), gated neighborhood, garage and storage area, tons of parking, new roof, hot tub, great outdoor living space, well maintained, new roof, granite, tile and carpet, tons of storage, two living areas and boat slips can be purchased when new community dock is replaced. Location is 12 minutes east of
Rockwood Hills Park is a 22 home development near ORU. Gated access, serene surroundings and one level living are primary attributes of this community. Huge master bedroom w/ an upgraded bathroom with walk-in whirlpool tub is near a 2nd bedroom or TV room. A 3rd bedroom is next to another newer bathroom in the hall. The kitchen is open to the living room and exits to a covered patio. The separate dining room could be an office or 2nd living rom. An atrium is accessible from multiple rooms and is perfectly used a breakfast/indoor garden room! (See floor plan). Refrigerator, washer/dryer remain with the home. Roof was new in 2021 with new gutters in 2022. HOA dues are only $100 per month.
$329,000
Three bedroom, three full bath, two car garage. Situated on 1.1 acres in Southridge Estates. Large rooms including a large master suite. Several recent updates. New gutters and a new oversized outdoor deck area. Enjoy your wooded setting in complete privacy surrounded by mature trees! Jenks school district. $379,000
Secluded Midtown lot in Bolewood Glen just off 47th & Lewis. Lot is situated on a corner at the end of the cul-de-sac surrounded by beautiful mature trees. Easy access to Riverside Drive, River Parks, Brookside & I-44. Approximately .27 acre per Court House. Come build your Midtown dream house! $325,000
Fabulous 1 acre Cul-de-Sac lot in Ashlane Estates. A newer luxury neighborhood conveniently located near Highway 75 South, Creek Expressway & only 15 min to Tulsa Hills shopping. Come see this beautiful neighborhood with amazing hilltop views nestled in rolling hills & surrounded by mature trees. Utilities are provided including city sewer. Wonderful Stocked neighborhood pond! Bring your own builder and build your dream home in this quiet peaceful neighborhood. $93,900
spa, tree house and even a zip line! Truly a Staycation!
9,149 Sq. Ft. $2,290,000
9418 S. Jamestown Avenue| Beautiful home in Jenks schools and desirable Tanglewood Estates. Meticulously updated, every inch has been touched with extraordinary attention to design and finishes. New Primary Suite with Carrera Marble and Caesarstone. Inviting floor plan. Living room, gameroom and office have been totally updated. All new paint inside and out; new high-end fixtures, hardware and window treatments. Reimagined landscaping with new beds, walkways and gated fence; replastered pool and spa! 4,045 Sq. Ft. $899,000
3027 S. Rockford Road| Midtown shopping, dining and entertainment nearby! Easy highway access. Updated Kitchen with high-end appliances, including subzero refrigerator, dishwasher drawers, and gas stove. Large Island with bar seating, walk in pantry, and breakfast nook. Light and airy Living Room with generous space and flexibility for your furnishings. Second casual living area. In home office. Main level Primary Bedroom Suite. Huge laundry with mud area. Three generously sized bedrooms
BY NATALIE MIKLES
When Freddie’s Steak House closed at the end of last year, it signaled to some the end of an era.
Other old school steakhouses — like Eddy’s, Joseph’s, Jamil’s, Silver Flame, Avalon, Molly’s Landing and e Spudder — once also dotted Tulsa’s map. Of these, only three remain.
In 2016, both Eddy’s and Silver Flame closed, breaking the hearts of Tulsans who had celebrated milestones over steak dinners there for years. Freddie’s closed in 2022 shortly after the death of owner Ed Slyman. at leaves just one Lebanese-style steakhouse in Tulsa: Jamil’s. e other two, Molly’s Landing and e Spudder, don’t have the Lebanese steakhouse trademarks, but they are certainly old school.
So what’s the di erence between new school and old school steakhouses? It could be one of those things you have to experience to understand. But a few simple distinctions: Old school steakhouses are born of a particular era and haven’t lost that mid-century style. e waitsta is familiar, even if you’ve never met them. ey’re the kind
of places you feel at ease whether in jeans or a tie. ey’re places where you’re not likely to nd wagyu, but you will nd great ribeyes and T-bones.
In a Tulsa where new school steakhouses (think Mahogany, Prhyme, e Hemingway and others) now far outweigh the number of old school steakhouses, we say there’s plenty of room for both. Long live old school — we can’t imagine a Tulsa without you.
Jennifer Alcott is the epitome of the expression “to know her is to love her.” Within ve minutes of our conversation, I would have gone to the back to wash dishes if she had asked. Her heart for her family business is half the reason Jamil’s, 3823 E. 51st St., has pleased guests for so long.
As the third-generation owner of Jamil’s, Alcott is in a di erent restaurant climate than her grandfather, Jamil, or father, Tyrone. Competition is erce, steady labor is di cult to nd and rising
food costs daily take their toll. e 81-year-old restaurant is feeling its age, but if the Alcott family and countless loyal customers have their say, it’s not going anywhere.
As for the dining experience at Jamil’s, it’s as good as ever. Each entrée begins with a service of Lebanese-style hors d’oeuvres — a delicacy recognized by anyone who’s lived and dined in Oklahoma. It includes tabouli, hummus, pita bread, relish tray, a smoked rib and smoked bologna. When Saveur magazine featured Jamil’s in a 2019 article, they described this mashup as “Middle East meets Middle America.”
Jamil’s is more than a place to eat. For many, it’s a time capsule. e dim light, the family photos on the walls — it’s all part of the memories people have associated with good times there.
Alcott worked weekends at Jamil’s in high school and summers in college, and worked elsewhere before managing Perfect Touch Catering for 17 years and then Jamil’s. e restaurant is now largely sta ed by family, including her husband and four of their six children.
“We just had a man in here the other day — he was probably 80 years old. He said, ‘Please don’t ever close Jamil’s.’ We’re hanging in there, but it’s hard,” Alcott says.
Steve Je ery is asked about e Spudder’s history nearly every day.
“If there are 50 people telling the story, there are 50 di erent versions,” Je ery says.
So here’s Je ery’s. e Spudder, 6536 E. 50th St., was started by John Phillips, grandson of Frank Phillips of Phillips Petroleum fame, and John Brenneman in 1976.
Starting in the mid-’80s to 2011, Duane Croxdale owned e Spudder, building a massive collection of oil signs, gas pumps, globes and more that cover the walls and entryway of the restau-
rant. is genre of collectibles has its own name — petroliana — which is often sold and swapped for high dollars. It’s one of the things that brings customers into e Spudder. ey’re there to eat, of course, but also to check out the memorabilia.
“People will come in here and say, ‘My grandfather used to work for this company,’ and put their hands on a sign and cry,” says Je ery, who also has added to the collection.
So, changing the theme of e Spudder wasn’t even a thought for Je ery when he bought the restaurant in 2011. ough he has made a lot of changes, including major building renovations and a cleanup of the menu. “We changed everything on the menu without changing anything on the menu,” he says. “We improved the beef we were buying. We cut our own steaks. We don’t cook anything from cans or boxes. We went back to what this restaurant was in the beginning, with no pre-made anything.”
Steaks at e Spudder are cooked on a charcoal grill. On weekends, they burn 80 to 120 pounds of charcoal.
“It’s one of the best steaks in Tulsa, and it doesn’t cost as much to eat here as it does at the top-end steakhouses,” Je ery says. “ ere’s an absolute di erence in avor with charcoal. I don’t think there’s a single place that still does that.”
e small beef let is the top seller at e Spudder, though it also sells a lot of bone-in ribeyes, including the Gusher, a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye that will surely have you asking for a to-go box.
Je ery’s wife, Kimberly, makes all the desserts, including cheesecake, key lime pie, bread pudding and carrot cake.
Je ery feels con dent about e Spudder’s future, especially since his sons, Stephen and Chris, also work with him at the restaurant. He says he’s selling more food today than he ever has.
“ e Spudder doesn’t look new — not even remotely,” he says. “But I’m not turning this thing into the crisp, clean 21st century. If you’re charitable, you might call us kitschy. If not, you’d say we’re stuck in another era.”
And that’s just ne by e Spudder’s following.
How do you explain Molly’s Landing to someone who’s never been?
Let’s start here: Molly’s Landing is a barnsized log cabin, just past the Blue Whale in Catoosa, near the Verdigris River. Walking in feels like coming to dinner at a friend’s country home. e front porch is studded with patio furniture, twinkle lights, windchimes and other inviting tchotchkes.
e home-like setting is ampli ed inside with an eye-popping display of knickknacks and collectibles ranging from movie posters and stained glass to taxidermy and artwork. Items range from a huge canoe to a tiny teaspoon. It’s enough stu displayed that if there’s a wait, you really won’t mind so you can have a look around.
e maximalist rustic aesthetic continues into the dining room, with its vaulted ceilings and beams, where it seems every inch of the restaurant is decorated. It’s a friendly, comfortable place devoid of pretenses. But don’t underestimate it when it comes to the food.
Molly’s Landing serves consistently good steaks and seafood, which is what has had customers coming back since it opened in the mid-1980s.
Owner Linda Powell and son and general manager Russ White are the heartbeat of the restaurant. Powell’s quirky style and White’s understanding of what customers want combine for a steak house with staying power.
e peppered and brandy lets are super good, as is the spicy 1872 ribeye. Many customers choose a surf and turf option, like the let with prawns. Quail, not often found on restaurant menus, is another hit at Molly’s Landing.
Molly’s Landing loyalists say dinner here feels like you’re on vacation. It’s a 20 or so minute drive from Tulsa, but feels like a getaway. TP
Steaks and seafood are the stars of the menu at Molly’s Landing, which sits on Route 66 in Catoosa.
GRILLED FLANK STEAK Serves 8
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (3-pound) flank or skirt steak, cut into 2 pieces
In a food processor or blender, put the garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture a few times to combine. Pour mixture into a gallon-size resealable bag. Add steak, and refrigerate and marinate about 2 hours.
Heat grill. When the grill is very hot, remove steaks from bag. Discard marinade. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
Slice steaks against the grain into pieces. Serve hot with the chimichurri sauce.
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE Makes 2 cups
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor or blender, put cilantro, parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil, and pulse, on and off, until the sauce thickens. Do not overprocess.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes or more so the flavors can blend. Stir before serving. TP
It happens now and again — customers stand in front of the bakery case, crying, at Nana Rose’s Italian Bakery.
Owner Samantha Short knows just what to say and can even offer a sympathy cannoli.
The tears are a mix of nostalgia and longing. Customers who grew up on the East Coast tell her they haven’t seen a pistachio leaf cookie or a sfogliatelle since they lived in Brooklyn or ate one at their grandmother’s kitchen table.
The bakery case is full of Italian sweets like cream puffs, eclairs and 18 types of cannoli, as well as hard-tofind cookies like rainbow sprinkles, apricot pockets, linzer tarts and florentines.
The recipes come from Short’s nana and nonna — some dating back to before her grandmother emigrated from Sicily.
Short still has some of those recipes, including a hand-written biscotti recipe framed in the bakery.
As a paramedic, baking was always a hobby for Short until after she took maternity leave with her second child and began thinking about opening a bakery and market. She opened the bakery while pregnant with her third child.
“I loved baking. But I never really saw it as something I could do full time. Being a first responder was a secure path, but with the support from my husband and my mom who owns and runs the Play It Again Sports store a few doors down from the bakery, she pushed me to open a shop and take the leap,” she says.
Short opened Nana Rose’s Italian Bakery and Market, 8929 S. Memorial Drive, last year.
The big move has paid off. Short has had some sellout weekends, and she’s expanded her menu to include family meals (around $25) that feed four and include spaghetti
and meatballs, lasagna rollups and manicotti. Nana Rose’s also sells house-made Italian sausage, fresh pasta, sauces and bruschetta.
Also popular are Short’s homemade breads, made daily.
Nana Rose’s has an entire cannoli menu with 18 flavors including limoncello, pistachio, tiramisu and double chocolate. There are also some unusual, fun flavors like cookie dough, maple bacon and birthday cake.
For Easter, Nana Rose’s will have traditional St. Joseph pastries with Italian custard or cannoli cream. They are made from a dough similar to a pâte à choux that’s then baked like a cream puff. The bakery also will have Easter lamb cakes.
Many of Short’s customers are discovering and tasting Italian pastries for the first time. For some, that includes learning the “lobster tail” at an Italian bakery is a pastry with a sweet dough and cream filling.
Nana Rose’s is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m., ThursdaySaturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday. — NATALIE
MIKLESAs a former paramedic, Samantha Short knows the demands of being a fi rst responder. She created a program at Nana Rose’s where customers can pay $8 to go into a fund for meals for a fi rst responder. When a paramedic, police offi cer or fi refi ghter visits Nana Rose’s, she is able to provide a sandwich, drink and side for each $8 donated by customers. “It’s a way for civilians to give a hard-working person a meal,” Short says.
What started as something fun to do in a garage has become a way of life for Tony Peck , a co-founder of Dead Armadillo Brewery, 1004 E. Fourth St.
Dead Armadillo is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and its growth has paralleled the growth in downtown Tulsa.
Original brewmaster and partner Mason Beecroft created the recipe for Amber, which they started brewing by contract at an Oklahoma City brewery since they had no facility then. Amber was distributed in kegs and cans and got DA’s name on Tulsa’s beer shelves and tap handles.
Amber got them noticed, but nothing like the brand’s blonde ale: Tulsa Flag. Tulsa Flag started as East Village Blonde, a beer made for a festival in the East Village. It sold quickly at the festival.
Around that time, Tulsa was crowd-sourcing a new city flag. The design went on the can of the blonde ale and became Dead Armadillo’s Tulsa Flag, its No. 1 selling beer.
The brewery and taproom — originally a gas station built in 1948 — needed lots of attention, such as proper power sources, air compressor, plumbing and drainage. While a lot of work, it was worth it.
“I love the fact that I’m my own boss and I have built this from the ground up,” Peck says. “I’m super proud of everybody who’s worked here. I love having our own space and am super proud to brew in Tulsa.” — TOM
GILBERTREAD MORE AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM
Pretzels are perfect for sharing, and that fi ts the vibe at BRICKTOWN BREWERY. It’s a great place to hang with friends, catch up with coworkers for a happy hour or meet a date for shareable plates. From the first bite you’ll love the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks ($9.95), with just the right amount of crisp outside and soft center. They’re served with a warm white queso. Get dippin’. 3301 S. PEORIA AVE., 918-895-7878 | 9409 E. 71ST ST., 918-994-4456 | BRICKTOWNBREWERY.COM
You’ll be singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” when this ballpark-style pretzel arrives at your table at ELGIN PARK . The Stadium Pretzel ($12.50), aptly named since Elgin Park sits directly across the street from ONEOK Field, is warm and toasty. It’s served with beer cheese dipping sauce and mustard. The entire pre-game (or postgame) bites menu is great. We also love the “bottle caps,” a great app of fried pickled peppers, onions and dill pickle slices with a chipotle ranch. 325 E. RECONCILIATION WAY | 918-986-9910 | ELGINPARKBREWERY.COM
Shareables, small plates, appetizers — call them what you want, but one of the best appetizer menus in Tulsa is at PUB W. And their fresh baked pretzels are one of the tops on that menu. These soft, snackable pretzels ($9) are just what you want when you need to stave off hunger before your burger arrives. Or maybe you’re there to hang out and watch a game on TV. Order a few rounds of beer and a few shared plates. A few of our favorites: pigs in a blanket (with tender, real pastry dough wrapped around smoked sausage), spicy chicken nachos and squash puppies with honey butter and sweet jalapeño jam. 4830 E. 61ST ST. | 918-551-6675 | PUBDUB.COM TP
Whether rolled, raw, spicy or fried, these are tops in town when it comes to sushi, according to the 2022 A-LIST Readers’ Choice Awards.
In the Raw 110 N. Elgin Ave., 918-779-7600
3321 S. Peoria Ave., 918-744-1300
6151 S. Sheridan Road, 918-524-0063 216 S. Main St., Broken Arrow; 918-893-6111 intherawsushi.com
Yokozuna
309 E. Second St., 918-508-7676 9146 S. Yale Ave., Suite 100; 918-619-6271 yokozunasushi.com
The annual pop-up drive-thru restaurant known as GREEK STREET returns 11 a.m.8 p.m., April 28-29. Hosted by the same community as the Tulsa Greek Festival, fi nd favorites like gyros, spanakopita, baklava, imported beer and wine, and much more. Order online at tulsagreekfestival.com and pick up at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1222 S. Guthrie Ave.
Sushi Hana 3739 S. Peoria Ave. 918-712-9338 sushihanatulsa.com
Fuji 8226 E. 71st St. 918-250-1821 fujitulsa.com
Sake 2 Me 9205 E. 71st St. 918-249-8080 instagram.com/sake2mesushi
1124 S. LEWIS AVE. | 918-984-9001 |
BREAKFAST TRIO
Why settle for one breakfast item when you can try three? The Pick 3 Sampler from Da Yolk lets the diner choose from several favorites. $14.
You can’t miss the colorful florals that mark the entrance to the latest endeavor from McNellie’s Group, nestled between Banana Republic and Muse in Utica Square. Designed to feel like a modern greenhouse, Bar Serra’s wide windows draped with greenery fill the restaurant with natural light. Bar Serra is the perfect place to meet up with friends or catch a game at the bar.
“Our hope is that customers find Bar Serra to be a relaxed restaurant in a casually upscale environment that is ideal for lunch, an afterwork drink, dinner with friends, or a nightcap,” says Jim O’Connor, chief operating officer at McNellie’s Group.
Bar Serra opened its doors in October 2022, welcoming customers into its stylish and airy atmosphere.
“Our vision was to create a neighborhood bar and restaurant in the heart of Utica Square,” O’Connor says.
The menu offers snacks such as crispy artichokes ($12) served with remoulade and chicken tikka meatballs ($11) with cucumber mint yogurt and crispy shallots. If you’re looking for a lighter option, Bar Serra offers salads such as the kale salad ($15) and tomato salad ($15).
BRUNCH BUNCH
Da Yolk has been tempting Tulsans with breakfast, brunch and other fare since opening in Mother Road Market in November 2020. This summer, cool down with one of Da Yolk’s signature, over-the-top milkshakes.
Try The Nest, a hash-brown bowl filled with pillowy soft boiled or scrambled eggs, drizzled in a blanket of creamy hollandaise. A pair of guacamole toasts come slathered with guacamole, thin slivers of radish, and topped with a quail egg. A short stack of pancakes is taken to a whole new level with a smattering of orange curd.
As for entrees, don’t miss out on the crispy chicken sandwich ($15) with spicy slaw, fresh tomato slices, Swiss cheese, pickles and mayonnaise topping crispy fried chicken inside of a toasted bun. The sandwich is served with roasted and fried russet potatoes sprinkled with Grana Padano cheese. This dish is perfect for anyone craving comfort food with a sophisticated touch. Fish tacos ($17) are popular, with beer battered mahi mahi, chipotle crema and spicy tomatillo salsa served with tortilla chips. If you’re craving some late-night comfort food, the cheeseburger ($16) is half-price after 9 p.m.
Popular drinks from the bar include the Skinny Margarita ($10), the Summer Babe ($12) and mocktails Daylily ($8) and Wallflower ($8).
Bar Serra is open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight, FridaySaturday. — ELIZABETH MCCULLOUGH
In the spring of 1897, First Baptist Church of Tulsa was organized by Rev. W.A. King of the American Baptist Home Mission Society and a revival team he helped form. e Missionary Baptist church had 12 charter members and rst met in a building that housed a furniture store and funeral home.
Within a year, a small wooden frame church building was constructed near East Second Street and South Cincinnati Avenue. Despite more space, the growing congregation still held their baptisms in the Arkansas River during warm weather.
e church saw its 10-year anniversary in May 1907, six months before Oklahoma achieved statehood. at same year, the church sold the old property and moved further south on Cincinnati Avenue, nearby the present-day location of the church.
By the summer of 1909, the name had become First Baptist
Church of Tulsa, and by 1915 members had a new place of worship that was constructed of brick and rivaled any church in the city at this time. Soon the church became in uential in helping organize other Baptist churches in town and continued to grow the downtown location.
In March 1927, a full week of ceremonies and special events took place celebrating the opening of the sanctuary in the latest addition to the church. e towering Gothic structure on Cincinnati could now hold 2,200 parishioners and showcased a new pipe organ.
Over the years, First Baptist Church of Tulsa expanded its footprint with the acquisitions of nearby real estate including the adjacent Wells Hotel and the Southwestern Bell Main Dial Building — all of which make up a six-building complex between Cincinnati and Detroit Avenues. TP
