TulsaPeople May 2022

May 2022

2022 C IT Y G UIDE BE A TOUR IST IN TULSA

TEE TIME!

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO SOUTHERN HILLS FOR RECORD FIFTH TIME

SUMMER TRAVEL

LAKE LIFE 101

UTICA SQUARE AT 70

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO

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Saint Francis Hospital Ranked #1 in Oklahoma.

Sure, recognition is nice. It’s a reflection of all the work we put in every day. It is also a way to let you know we’re always striving to do better. Because the real reward comes in making sure our friends, families and neighbors receive the very best medical care. Being named Oklahoma’s #1 hospital is just what happens when we put our patients first.

Visit us at saintfrancis.com

FIRST OKLAHOMA BANK PRESENTS

Leaders with Heart

AMBITIOUS. TALENTED. TRANSFORMATIVE. A crumbling, boarded-up building that is an eyesore to most people looks entirely different to Jeremy Parchman.

Where others see decay, he sees possibilities.

Jeremy not only is passionate about reviving dilapidated buildings, he also loves being an electrician.

Combine those two qualities, and you have the makings of an entrepreneur.

Jeremy, who owns Aspen Electrical Services in Tulsa, always knew from age 7 that he would be an electrician, despite the fact he came from a family with “a bunch of mechanics.”

His Grandpa Clyde, who owned an electric company in Bartlesville, became his role model.

“Grandpa made more money as an electrician than he ever did as an accountant… I didn’t want to sit behind a desk. I wanted to be out there talking to people and doing their projects. I just love what I do,” he says.

In 2007, with only a pickup truck, a few tools, and $3,000, Jeremy started his own business.

Today, Aspen Electric has grown into a successful small business that serves both commercial and residential customers and employs about 26 electricians.

Currently, he is focused on renovating three historic buildings in Okmulgee to support his mother, who is a “huge volunteer” for the

Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce and wants to help revitalize the downtown area. “I really love restoring old buildings. That is my No. 1 cause – bringing buildings back to life and cleaning up the community and area.”

he does, he wants to leave it better than he found it. His resuscitation of old buildings in the community creates an opportunity for economic develop,” says Tom Bennett III, President of First Oklahoma Bank.

Jeremy points to three women – his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother – whose charitable spirit dramatically influenced him. His great grandmother was a greeter at her church in Bartlesville and a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. She was always doing something for the church.

Likewise, his maternal grandmother spent so much time at the United Methodist Church the family hardly saw her.

Jeremy tries to hold back tears as he talks about the difference his banking relationship with First Oklahoma has made. The bank took a chance on him and gave him one of his first commercial jobs. It also paired him with lenders who always have been “super interested” in whatever he was doing.

“Jeremy is a remarkable example of an ambitious young entrepreneur with dreams, who turned his vision into reality with hard work, perseverance, and a can-do attitude.

The heart of his success is that whatever

“They believe in helping small business more than anything,” he says. “Everybody at First Oklahoma Bank knows my name. They always greet me with a smile. They do better and try harder.”

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MAY 2022 | VOLUME 36 ISSUE 7

Ndaya Marguerite, owner of Ndaya Afro Tropical Market

7 CITY DESK Coffee for a good cause.

Storm season ready.

Mayfest artists in action.

A day in the life of four local musicians.

34 MOVING FORWARD

45 LAKE LIFE 101

In its 100th year, Holland Hall looks to diversify its educational environment for current and future students.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

Insider tips for visiting nearby lakes, the history and attractions of Monkey Island on Grand Lake, one family’s lakeside residence and more.

BY KELLY BOSTIAN, ANNE BROCKMAN, RACHEL DUPREE AND STAFF

Looking back on seven decades of the iconic midtown shopping destination.

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

40 INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS Local markets cater to Tulsans looking for a taste of home and authentic, global ingredients.

BY JULIANNE TRAN

Summer fruit bonanza.

Why are allergies so bad in Tulsa?

Gift shop showcases Native-made goods.

Connie Cronley asks a tough question.

57 TULSA’S MAJOR MOMENT Southern Hills Country Club hosts record fifth PGA Championship from May 16-22.

BY TIM LANDES

SPECIAL SECTIONS 102 Summer Travel 112 City Guide

121 TABLE TALK New location for Mondo’s.

ON THE COVER: K.J. Choi during the 2021 Senior PGA Championship hosted by Southern Hills Country Club, which welcomes the PGA Championship this month. Photo by Greg Bollinger.

Three places for chips and queso.

New nacho restaurant layers on the flavors.

At-home seltzer recipes to try this summer.

4

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

CITY DESK: GREG BOLLINGER; MICHELLE POLLARD

36 UTICA SQUARE IS 70

93 LIFESTYLE

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FROM THE EDITOR

Utica Square will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s been a constant in

Volume XXXVI, Number 7 ©2022. 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

my life as a Tulsan.

1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407 P: 918-585-9924 F: 918-585-9926

For years, I would wait outside the post office for

Square marks 70 years in Tulsa, as chronicled in

my mom to pick me up after school. There on the

an excellent feature by Connie Cronley on p.

brick ledge I would finish my homework. If I grew

36. It’s wonderful to hear from Helmerich’s son,

bored, I could walk around the center peeking at

Hans, president of Utica Square’s management

windows or walk inside the shops for a dose of

company Helmerich and Payne. His insights into

air conditioning when the temperature grew too

his parents’ legacy remind me of how indelibly

hot. Longtime postman John was always abreast

linked they are to this midtown gem.

of the goings-ons in our household and far nicer

Also this month, the magazine recognizes 100

than he ever had to be to the annoying redheaded

years of Holland Hall (p. 34), the significance of

girl who just wanted to go home.

the PGA Championship returning to Southern

When it was time to get a job I started my

Hills Country Club for the fi fth time (p. 57), as

working life at Petty’s Fine Foods, ringing up

well as celebrating summer with a robust roundup

customers as a cashier on weekends and over

of things to do at area lakes (p. 45).

the summer. Special thanks to the manager,

Julianne Tran, an intern with us this semester

Mike, who was always patient with me. I still

from the University of Tulsa, wrote a lovely

miss Petty’s chocolate chip cookies and English

feature focused on Tulsa’s diverse food markets

muffins.

(p. 40). Passport not required for this inter-

As I grew older, Utica Square became the place

EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR/STRATEGIST DIGITAL EDITOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Anne Brockman Morgan Phillips Tim Landes Blayklee Freed

EDITORIAL CONSULTING Missy Kruse, The Write Company CREATIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER VIDEOGRAPHER

Madeline Crawford Georgia Brooks Michelle Pollard Greg Bollinger

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Andrea Canada Josh Kampf Rita Kirk CONTROLLER Mary McKisick DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Amanda Hall INTERNS Rachel Dupree Julianne Tran

MEMBER

TulsaPeople’s distribution is audited annually by

national adventure.

my then-boyfriend and I would walk around and

Be sure to pull out and save this year’s City

get to know each other better. He proposed to

Guide, a locals’ primer to seeing and experiencing

me one night while sitting on one of the Square’s

Tulsa. It is a go-to reference for you to act like a

park benches beneath the glow of a garden clock.

tourist in your own town. Special thanks to Senior

He had purchased the ring earlier that day at

Editor/Strategist Morgan Phillips and Art

Moody’s with the help of stalwart salesmen Jim

Director Georgia Brooks on this annual project.

and Michael.

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNITY RELATIONS Susie Miller

As always, happy reading. TP

Today I frequent the many shops and

Langdon Publishing Company sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue of Tulsa People was printed on recycled fibers containing 20 percent post-consumer waste with inks containing a soy base blend. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally, meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. We can have a better world if we choose it together.

Disregard any TulsaPeople subscription solicitation that is not directly mailed from the Langdon Publishing office at 1603 S. Boulder Ave. Contact Langdon Publishing directly if you are interested in subscribing or renewing your TulsaPeople subscription.

restaurants as a respite from the hustle and bustle of our everyday life. I walk under the trees planted at the behest of Utica Square owner Walter Helmerich, beneath the intoxicating wisteria awnings and alongside the beautiful flowers throughout the center. Th is month Utica 6

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Anne Brockman EDITOR

S AY N O T O H A T E

GREG BOLLINGER

Talitha Jacobs paints in her home studio ahead of Tulsa Mayfest.

MAYFEST MAGIC

T

ulsa Mayfest is May 6-8, and local artists like Talitha Jacobs are gearing up for the three-day festival.

Jacobs, a former middle school art teacher, now paints commissions from her home studio, including pet portraits.

“I was used to being around hundreds of people every day and now it’s just me in that quiet house, so I don’t get that interaction, which is why I love doing Mayfest and I love doing shows,” Jacobs says. TP READ MORE ABOUT LOCAL ARTISTS AT MAYFEST ON P. 30.

TulsaPeople.com

7

NOTEBOOK

BY STA F F

CROSSROADS CLUBHOUSE MOVES TO NEW LOCATION Members of local nonprofit Crossroads Clubhouse are enjoying their new space for Tulsa-area adults living with a mental health diagnosis, according to Scott McClung, development/public relations coordinator for the United Way partner agency. The Clubhouse moved from its former location near East 15th Street and South Yorktown Avenue earlier this year.

Designed by GH2 Architects, the new Clubhouse is in a former sports car restoration shop located at 925 S. Yale Ave. The facility features plenty of open space, a conference room, workspaces for members and staff, and a commercial kitchen with a Vulcan gas stove unit granted by ONE Gas Inc. The next phases of construction for the Clubhouse will include a permanent dining area, a covered patio, expanded parking and a Garden of Hope, which will supply fresh, organic fruits and vegetables for member meals.

— GEOFFREY STANDING BEAR, principal chief of the Osage Nation, at a March 25 luncheon at the Tulsa Press Club

TULSA TALKS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

UPDATED BUY BLACK TULSA GUIDE COMING SOON

FOOD BANK EXPANDS OPERATION

On the May 18 episode of Tulsa Talks: A TulsaPeople Podcast, host Tim Landes and producer Morgan Phillips will answer listener questions about Tulsa, magazine production or nearly any other subject. To submit a question for this “mailbag” episode, email contactus@ langdonpublishing.com and include “mailbag” in the subject line. Submissions must be received by May 11.

Listen to previous podcast episodes at TulsaPeople.com/ podcast.

Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, founder of Fulton Street Books and Coffee, launched the Buy Black Tulsa initiative in early 2021, supported by Tulsa Area United Way, YWCA Tulsa and TulsaPeople Magazine. The third iteration of the book — which lists a growing number of local Blackowned businesses in 10 categories — will be printed in time for Tulsa Juneteenth festivities June 16-18 and available at Fulton Street, 210 W. Latimer St. For more information, or to download a PDF version of the book, visit buyblacktulsa.com.

Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, 1304 N. Kenosha Ave., recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a $28 million expansion that will increase capacity in the culinary center, volunteer center and warehouse and increase partner agency access. The expansion will provide greater food relief for those in need through an increased and more efficient use of resources. CEO Calvin Moore, pictured, says the amount of food available for distribution is expected to double. The Food Bank services 24 counties and provides 525,000 meals a week.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

CROSSROADS: SCOTT MCCLUNG; STANDING BEAR: MICHELLE POLLARD; FOOD BANK: TIM LANDES

Crossroads member Sheree helps AmeriCorps staff member Gracie Gibson prepare a meal in the new Clubhouse kitchen.

“When Missouri said, ‘You play by our rules,’ we (the Osage) ended up being removed to Kansas.

And then Kansas said, ‘You play by our rules because the railroads are coming through, and we’ve got to play by their rules.

So you’re going to play by their rules through us.’ In the meantime, smallpox and everything else took out over 90% of our population in one lifetime. So when I hear in Oklahoma City, ‘Level playing field, you play by our rules, one set of rules,’ normally what happens is we’re removed. We’re moved somewhere else. But I can tell you one thing, we’re not going anywhere else. This is our home.

We came from Kansas before this in 1872 ... And now here we are, and we’ve got our rules, and we think diversity is good.”

paradise never sounded So Good.

Tickets On Sale Now Theo Von May 6 Bonnie Raitt May 20 John Fogerty May 21 Starship featuring Mickey Thomas MAY 27 Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr JUN 18

All performances subject to change.

Live Music 7 Nights a Week in 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar Fridays & Saturdays in Margaritaville!

Visit margaritavilletulsa.com for a complete schedule.

81st & RIVERSIDE • (888) 748-3731 • RIVERSPIRITTULSA.COM

MAY MAY 14 “GARDENERS AND THEIR SECRETS” Take a peek at five of Tulsa’s most beautiful gardens during the 71st annual Tulsa Garden Club tour.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. TULSAGARDENCLUB.ORG/ GARDEN-TOUR

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

THROUGH JUNE 5 OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Step back in time among balladeers and chivalrous knights while perusing the annual spring festival, happening every weekend this month.

CASTLE OF MUSKOGEE, 3400 W. FERN MOUNTAIN ROAD, MUSKOGEE OKCASTLE.COM/RENAISSANCE

MAY 5 ART GALLERY OPENING A reception and short film screening featuring muralist VNICE, a graffiti-inspired artist, will preview the upcoming break dance competition qualifiers for World Breaking Classic.

CIRCLE CINEMA, 10 S. LEWIS AVE. CIRCLECINEMA.ORG

THROUGH JULY 31 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO ARK Walk through the Oklahoma debut of this multi-year project by Nat Geo photographer Joel Sartore, who captures wildlife on camera to raise awareness.

ONEOK BOATHOUSE AT GATHERING PLACE, 2650 S. JOHN WILLIAMS WAY | GATHERINGPLACE.ORG

MAY 6-8 GERMANFEST Tulsa’s spring German celebration includes fresh food, beer and entertainment. Children’s activities and more festivities are in the decorated hall and outside grounds.

GERMAN AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TULSA, 1429 TERRACE DRIVE GASTULSA.ORG

MAY 1 “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN” Join Theatre Tulsa for a performance of the timeless musical featuring iconic songs and trademark dance moves.

Also May 6-8, 13-15.

TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 110 E. SECOND ST. THEATRETULSA.ORG

MAY 13-14 STREET CRED: OUTSIDE THE LOOP! TYPROS’ annual community development event returns with a focus on reimagining an area just outside downtown and creatively strategizing development opportunities.

EAST ARCHER STREET AND NORTH MADISON AVENUE TYPROS.ORG

MAY 4 FOOD TRUCK WEDNESDAYS The weekly foodie meetup returns for the summer season through June 29. Hear live music and indulge in some of Tulsa’s finest food trucks.

GUTHRIE GREEN, 111 E. RECONCILIATION WAY GUTHRIEGREEN.ORG

VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM/ABOUTTOWN FOR MORE LOCAL EVENTS AND A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WEEKLY MUSIC LISTINGS EVERY MONDAY.

PHOTO ARK: JOEL SARTORE/COURTESY GATHERING PLACE; OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL, TULSA GARDEN CLUB, CIRCLE CINEMA, STREET CRED: COURTESY; FOOD TRUCK: GREG BOLLINGER; THEATRE TULSA: JOSH NEW

COMPILED BY ANNE BROCKMAN

TULSA

A new STEINWAY EXPERIENCE HAS ARRIVED IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA Steinway Piano Gallery of Tulsa, a family-owned and operated showroom, brings the legendary Steinway commitment of quality and customer satisfaction to Oklahoma. Located in the Center 1 shopping center, our showroom offers Tulsa’s only collection of new and used Steinway & Sons and Steinway-designed Boston and Essex upright and grand pianos set in a unique environment for an exceptional selection process.

STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY 3402 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa, Ok 75105 T E L . (918) 516-1853 www.SteinwayPianos.com

COFFEE WITH

MICHAEL BASCH INVESTMENT FIRM PARTNER SUPPORTS LOCAL STARTUPS. STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM LANDES

M

ichael Basch has called Tulsa home since 2018. He instantly saw potential in his new city, so he launched Atento Capital, which in March celebrated its grand opening in the Tulsa Arts District. The company now employs 18 people.

Inside Atento’s offices, 109 N. Detroit Ave., the California native sat down and talked about his vision for his investment fi rm and his thoughts on Tulsa while enjoying a Topeca Nitro Cold Brew.

HIS DAYS ARE OVERLOADED, WORKING AT LEAST 15 HOURS TO GROW HIS COMPANY ... What we’re trying to do is not easy. We’re trying to not just help one company, another company or another company succeed, we’re trying to create the entire tech ecosystem. It takes a lot of energy.

THE GEORGE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION IS ATENTO’S SINGLE LIMITED PARTNER BECAUSE ... (GKFF) started with early childhood development, and I think what they realized is “we’re really trying to change the course of all these kids’ lives. They’re going to grow up and get jobs. What happens when oil and gas isn’t here anymore? Or how do we keep them from leaving to go work for Facebook or LinkedIn?” We got together and came up with this thesis of: What if we really scoured the center of the country for the best possible entrepreneurs who typically are either overlooked or too early for a venture capitalist or not in the right networks where venture capitalists are oftentimes under-represented or under invested, including here in Tulsa?

AN EXAMPLE IS TULSAN JORDAN GREEN AND HER STARTUP REMBLE ... Jordan has a master’s in psychotherapy, she has a quarter-million followers on Instagram — a huge following. She’s like the love therapist, and she has this company idea of basically creating online courses for mental health.

But going from an amazing idea to building a bankable company, there’s a gap. So we sat down with her, at one point weekly, for months and months and months and helped her find a technical 12

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

co-founder and legal counsel and helped her set up all these structures so that she can go from being this amazing human with a ton of potential to an investable business based locally.

IN FIVE TO 10 YEARS HIS GOAL FOR ATENTO IS ...

I think the two most successful tech companies in Tulsa right now are probably Consumer Affairs and Tenstreet. Both have hundreds of people here. I’d love nothing more than to have five to 10 companies like that, where if you want to work in tech in Tulsa, you got six, seven, eight, nine options of places you can work with several hundred people. And then some of those companies hopefully IPO (an initial public offering) or sell and create a bunch of millionaires, and they start their own companies and start investing and then it creates somewhat of a flywheel. We want that all to happen with a strong, robust, diverse group of people.

HE FELL IN LOVE WITH TULSA ON HIS FIRST VISIT IN SEPTEMBER 2017 ... I remember visiting Gathering Place, and it was opening the following year.

They were fi lling the pond and putting the white roof on the Boathouse. It was a Friday evening at sunset, and Jeff Stava was giving me a tour.

We had visited the Arts District before, and I remember standing on top of that Boathouse and thinking, “Something’s happening here. “ FAST FORWARD TO TODAY ... Eleven members of my family live here now, a 12th being born in June, our daughter, God willing — our second child.

Most of us live within a couple miles of each other, and it’s great. I grew up in L.A., and I look at the lives of my friends who are living and raising their kids there. I lived in New York, and I look at how my friends are trying to raise kids in New York. From a family-building perspective, I’m living my best life. Th is is a healthier upbringing than being around all the insanity I was around.

There is space. Our kid goes to a great school.

There’s a community feeling here.

WHAT MOST INTERESTS HIM ABOUT TULSA ...

I think Tulsa’s slogan should be “Where mission matters.” It’s a very mission-driven place. People move here with purpose. They want to make the city better, they want to engage, they want to be on nonprofit boards, they want to contribute. It is amazing to be around. Everyone can agree that we collectively want to make Tulsa better and more equitable. TP

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PASSIONS

Covers

Sherry Sims is founder and CEO of Empowered Women of God International Inc. The nonprofit plans to give away 100,000 copies of “Searching for Love” to female inmates across the nation.

SPREADING HEALING TULSAN’S OUTREACH TO FEMALE INMATES IS CHANGING LIVES.

BY HANNAH MARSHALL

T

ulsan Sherry Sims has been transparent about her experience with domestic violence to help other women in similar circumstances. After two abusive marriages and ending the cycle of abuse, she found healing and has since shared her story with women of all ages.

In 2015, Sims was asked to speak with the female inmates of Washington County Correctional Facility in Bartlesville. Empowered Women of God International Inc. was birthed from that meeting when she discovered how deeply her story resonated with the women.

“Th rough research, I discovered that over 90% of female inmates have been the victims of domestic violence,” she says. As a result, Sims wrote a mini book titled “Searching for Love” and began distributing copies free of charge to incarcerated women throughout Oklahoma.

The book is a detailed account of Sims’ story, words of inspiration and encouragement, and practical steps to help those needing a way out of an abusive relationship. After reading the mini book, inmates have the option to enroll in a free,

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30-lesson correspondence course called “The Freedom Project.”

Th rough this course, the nonprofit has mentored over 1,800 female inmates across Oklahoma, Texas and Florida, even despite recent restrictions or isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sims says personal relationships are being repaired and restored; generational cycles of abuse, neglect and anger are being broken; and recidivism is being dramatically reduced. Only two inmates who have completed at least eight lessons or more of the curriculum have returned to prison after being released.

The response to the faith-based curriculum has been nothing short of a miracle, Sims says.

Inmates who enroll in the course are encouraged to refer other inmates to the program, which has created somewhat of a snowball effect. The fi rst graduate of “The Freedom Project” referred 62 inmates to the program.

Visit empoweredwomenofgod.org for more information, to donate or to download a free copy of the mini book. TP

In March 2011 Monika MacIntyre offered TulsaPeople readers tips from her experience as a professional organizer and personal assistant.

Today she’s in the same line of work, although several years ago she dropped the personal assistant part of the business and added two new services. “Although I loved helping people with errands and other home management-type tasks, my passion revolved more around making homes beautiful and functional, whether that was through the organizing I was already doing, or with the new services of staging homes for sale and decorating/design,” MacIntyre says.

Thanks to word-of-mouth among real estate agents, vacant home staging boomed for the entrepreneur, who went from working by herself to hiring her husband and his buddies to move furniture, to employing 10 people at her company, Checkmark, in 2021.

By this past fall, however, the manual labor, long hours, logistics and high overhead necessitated a change. MacIntyre got the opportunity to sell all her furniture and accessories, which filled two 2,500-square-foot warehouses, and secure positions for her staging and moving staff at another company.

“Knowing I wasn’t having to fire people was a huge relief, and being able to basically hand a similar position to each of them in the same industry made the decision a no-brainer,” she says.

Now MacIntyre has one part-time employee, and she focuses on small home organization projects, home decorating and staging consultations. “I’m enjoying the ‘change of scenery’ with the shift in our services and focusing on my family and myself a little bit more, too,” she says.

“I knew I needed to pull back a bit and enjoy a ‘normal’ 40-hour workweek instead of the 60-80 hour weeks I’d been used to for years. This pace is much better for my physical and mental health.”

— MORGAN PHILLIPS

GREG BOLLINGER

REVISITED

Tulsa's iconic arts festival returns May 6-8 to the Tulsa Arts District and Historic Greenwood.

Save the date to enjoy 100+ artists, 40+ bands and performers, and festival food!

Learn more at TulsaMayfest.org.

Etan Thomas’ speaking engagements have included the Terence Crutcher Foundation in Tulsa. Top right, he is pictured with Tiffany Crutcher and Terence Crutcher’s son, Terence Jr. Lower right, Thomas blocks Kobe Bryant as a center with the Washington Wizards.

ROOTS

Seth Craven, Not Your Average Joe volunteer

‘THROWBACK ATHLETE’ POST NBA, TULSAN ETAN THOMAS IS AN ACTIVIST, SPEAKER AND WRITER.

BY STEPHEN HUNT

E

tan Thomas considers himself blessed.

Whether it’s been his time as a basketball star at Tulsa’s Booker T. Washington High School; collegiately at Syracuse University; his 11 NBA seasons from 2000-2011; or his post-basketball career as an activist, speaker and writer on issues like police brutality and racism, Thomas has always used his platform in a positive way.

He credits this to his mother, Deborah, a teacher who wanted him to learn about his culture while at Carver Middle School. “She gave me books on Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), Muhammad Ali, Frederick Douglass,” says Thomas, 44. “She was showing how these athletes use their positions and platforms to speak out on injustices happening. She planted that seed really early.”

Thomas published a book, “Athletes and Activism,” in 2018 on the topic of police brutality. He also writes monthly for The Guardian.

At BTW, he played for the late legendary coach Nate Harris, who guided the Hornets

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to 10 state championships. Harris instilled in Thomas the importance of taking care of every part of his life, not just basketball or his activism.

“One of the things (Harris) would always say to me was I was a throwback athlete,” recalls the 1996 BTW graduate. “He said I was like athletes of a few decades before with the things I was into, speaking out about injustice and racism, activism.

He said, ‘I haven’t seen an athlete like you for a while.’ We had a real good relationship.”

Despite spending two NBA seasons injured (2000 and 2008), he considers himself fortunate to have played in the Association. “I remember (growing up) watching Richard Dumas practice (at Hutcherson YMCA) and waiting for my turn,” Thomas says. “Back then, younger guys had to wait your turn until the older guys finished for you to get a chance to play.

“I couldn’t imagine that younger version of me growing up years later to (spend) over a decade in the NBA. It’s just really a blessing. That’s all I can say.”TP

Nestled into the corner of an orthodontics office, Not Your Average Joe in Broken Arrow is more than a neighborhood coffee shop.

“The mission of Not Your Average Joe is to provide quality and wholesome employment for people who live with disabilities,” says Maggie Bond, Tulsa area manager. “We want to break stigmas and change statistics to reflect the true capability of everyone who lives with a disability. We hope (the employees’) time with NYAJ is a stepping stone into even greater success throughout their lives.”

From latte art to cheerful storytelling, NYAJ employees can do more than make a good cup of joe. “Each person works so hard and has their own personalized set of awesome talents,” says Bond, who has two brothers with autism.

“Eighty percent of adults living with disabilities are unemployed,” she says. “Getting involved was without question.”

NYAJ has had support from Emerson Orthodontics, which houses the coffee shop.

“How our shop got to Broken Arrow is nothing short of a blessing,” Bond reflects. Amy Emerson, wife of Dr. Clint Emerson, visited the NYAJ Oklahoma City location and fell in love with its mission. Having already built a coffee shop within the office, the Emersons donated the space to Not Your Average Joe, transforming it into the cozy, modern space it is today.

In addition to coffee, NYAJ serves powerball energy bites, toast and jam, and homemade ice cream. It will soon add cookies and pastries.

NYAJ is a nonprofit and is seeking 1,000 people to support its mission by donating $5 a month or by buying a cup of coffee. Learn more at nyaj.coffee. — JULIANNE TRAN NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE 800 W. Mission St., Broken Arrow 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-noon, Friday

ROOTS: DANAE HAMPTON PHOTOGRAPHY; THOMAS INSET: COURTESY; NYAJ: GREG BOLLINGER

COFFEE WITH A CAUSE

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

TUL SA PROFES SIONAL S

Libby Beaubien Keller Williams Realty Advantage agent knows the Tulsa market.

Meet Libby Beaubien — a rising real estate star in Tulsa! Beaubien’s passion for selling homes has given her the opportunity to help hundreds of people make a move in Tulsa.

Beaubien has deep ties to the local community. She was born and raised in midtown Tulsa and is a graduate of Edison High School and the University of Tulsa.

Beaubien’s first career as a TV news anchor took her to Oregon and southern California, but she decided to return home in 2014 to be closer to family. Beaubien worked as KJRH’s morning anchor, but as those early hours took their toll, she jumped into real estate and fell in love with helping others buy and sell homes.

Her expertise in real estate has come naturally as she loves helping others and dedicates most waking hours to her clients.

“The saying is true,” she says. “It really is hard to call it work when you absolutely love what you do.”

When asked what skills she has that set her apart from others in her profession, Beaubien says she is told by her clients that her attention to every detail and ability to quickly solve any problem is what keeps them coming back.

Beaubien’s expertise in the Tulsa real estate market and her care for each and every client has helped her become one of Tulsa’s Top 100 Realtors with $20 million in homes bought and sold in 2021.

Beaubien is part of the Keller Williams Realty Advantage family and works with residential buyers, sellers and investors, as well as businesses looking for commercial real estate. For more information on Libby Beaubien and how she can help you buy or sell, visit tulsa-realtor.com.

Libby Beaubien

Keller Williams Realty Advantage 918-408-0270 ebeaubien@kw.com tulsa-realtor.com

BIZ WHIZ

Mark Frie

In their

OWN WORDS On the April 20 episode of Tulsa Talks: A TulsaPeople Podcast, Tulsa Performing Arts Center CEO Mark Frie discussed his shortterm goals for the 45-year-old PAC building at 110 E. Second St. Listen to the entire conversation at TulsaPeople.com/podcast.

WHEN IDEAS TAKE FLIGHT TULSAN LAUNCHES BUILD-YOUR-OWN DRONE PROGRAM.

BY TIFFANY HOWARD

C

ombining his natural curiosity and technical talents with a relentless ability to problem solve, Tulsan Caleb Bergquist has created a business concept so game-changing in the field of drone engineering that his client base now extends across the globe.

A 2017 University of Tulsa graduate with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Bergquist discovered a passion for working with open-source electronic projects during his senior year. After graduation he worked as a technical problem solver for a company called Vetsource and continued to build his knowledge in coding and electronics until he eventually decided to build a drone himself.

It was a wild success, and from there he opted to take all he had learned and launch Drone Dojo: a drone education platform designed to help those interested in drone engineering dramatically reduce their learning curve time and get to project actualization much quicker.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Run by Bergquist and his warehouse manager, Hutton Weaver, the Drone Dojo offers courses, consulting services to companies that are developing technology in the drone space, and programmable drone and rover assembly kits. A project library functions “like Netflix for your robot,” according to Bergquist. It’s truly a one-stop shop for quickly turning your unique project ideas into prototypes by eliminating the guesswork phase.

“I think back on how I learned all this material as a total outsider,” Bergquist says. “It was difficult. There was no curriculum to learn how to build and program your own drone. So what the Drone Dojo does is give you that roadmap of exactly what you need to learn. What was a two-year journey for me can now be a one-month process. The (virtual) courses are there, the kits are there and I am there to answer any questions.”

The Drone Dojo can save builders thousands of dollars, Bergquist says. His drone-building kits are $899; courses start at $99. TP

ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: We don’t want to come into a community and create our own thing. We want to come alongside the people who are doing the work but don’t have the resources. This year … we’re going to invest in a group called North Performing Arts Community in north Tulsa, Tulsa People’s Orchestra and Eastside Senior Center.

Those are the three groups we’ve identified that we are going to try to make the biggest impact (with), along with our starting our very own youth choir at the PAC under the direction of Jeremy Stevens, who’s our community engagement director. He’s an incredible musician and director. — TIM LANDES

BIZ WHIZ: GREG BOLLINGER; FRIE: COURTESY TULSA PAC

Caleb Bergquist with his drone and rover kits and a completed drone, inset. Learn more at dojofordrones.com and TulsaPeople.com.

ON THE PAC FACILITY: Over the next five years, Tulsans are going to hear a lot about a capital improvement project we’re going to roll out, and it’s definitely going to take everyone’s help from a public-private perspective. … If you look at companies looking to move here, and if you look at employee retention of some of our larger companies here, performing arts is a major player in that. If we’re going to stay competitive with Oklahoma City, Kansas City … the PAC needs some help. It needs to be brought up to current industry standards. It also just needs to feel more outward facing and a little more energetic in the public spaces.

There are some acoustical issues I’d really like to address in the Chapman (Hall), which I think would be welcome news to our opera and our symphony.

HOW IT’S MADE

STORM SAFETY Tornado Place, 6444 New Sapulpa Road, manufactures above-ground storm shelters that the company calls “tougher than an EF-5.” The shelters have a modular design that can fit anywhere in any home. “We want to keep people safe,” owner Roger Peck says. “We can do that with our engineered structures built to withstand.” The shelters are built above ground because of possible flooding and the risk of being trapped underground.

A completed storm shelter

Doors swing inward so storm survivors won’t get trapped inside because of debris.

SAFETY FIRST

TULSA COMPANY MAKES TORNADO SHELTERS.

BY RACHEL DUPREE Roger Peck, owner of Tornado Place, shows the inside of a shelter.

500-MILE HORIZON Charlie Willsey founded Tornado Place in 2013 with the purpose of designing, building and installing the safest structures possible to protect families in the Midwest and the South. Peck began working for Willsey in 2014 and in 2019 opened a second facility in Rogers, Arkansas. He purchased the business in January 2021.

The business operates in a 500-mile radius, serving dealers in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee.

EVERY SIZE, EVERYWHERE Storm season is the busiest time of the year for Tornado Place. Customers call from all over the U.S., sometimes during a storm. Once a request for a storm shelter is made, the team meets with the customer and determines a plan for installation.

“Our design is so flexible we can fit it anywhere, like a garage or a closet,” Peck says. “We are conscious of the space our customers have, and we take multiple factors into account before installation.”

Shelters range in size from 4-by-4 to 6-by-10 feet. The most popular configuration is the 4-by-6, which fits four to five adults.

SMALL IS STRONG The shelters’ strength doesn’t lie within the steel panels themselves — it lies within the spacing. The standard width of the panels is 16 inches, with a depth of 2-3 inches. “Narrower panels make the storm shelters structurally stronger,” Peck says. “Our 3/16-inch panels bolt together and create a 3/8-inch steel rib cage that provides the storm shelter with all its strength.”

This 3/16-inch plate steel was tested at the National Wind Institute at Texas Tech University, using a cannon to fire debris, which mimicked an EF-5 tornado. TP 20

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

GREG BOLLINGER

BENT, NOT BROKEN The steel plating used to construct the storm shelters is obtained through local providers, and everything is manufactured in-house. First, the steel is laser-cut into the desired shape. Then, holes are laser cut into the steel so the plates can be bolted together. To strengthen the shelter, Tornado Place spaces bolts only 8 inches apart, Peck says. This is the closest in the industry.

The plating is then placed into a press brake, a tool used to bend plate and sheet material. The metal is finally welded together for easy shipping and installation. Shelters are assembled on-site and are anchored into concrete slabs.

We appreciate all our non-prot clients for choosing us this year for their many successful events. We celebrate you and all your accomplishments.

Congratulations!

– The CBCC Team

coxcentertulsa.com

71st & Hwy 75 • tulsaer.com • 918-517-6300

HOW EMERGENCY & HOSPITAL

CARE SHOULD BE

Tulsa ER & Hospital was created to bring around the clock, concierge-level, quality adult & pediatric care for our community.

We strive to provide our patients with the best experience with short wait times in a comfortable & efficient environment.

TulsaPeople.com

21

Kylie Willis and her father, Staff Sgt. Kirk Owen, below

Learn more about Pandemonium Cycling at facebook.com/pandemoniumcycling.

THE ULTIMATE GIFT

TAKING OFF

WOMEN’S CYCLING GROUP TEACHES AND INSPIRES.

BY JULIANNE TRAN

W

hen Shawna Carter fi rst became interested in cycling, she was immediately drawn to Pandemonium Cycling group. “I knew I wanted to be a part of whatever these high energy and positive women were connected to,” Carter remembers.

Pandemonium Cycling was born in 2016 when Stephanie Renee Brown-Cheney saw a need in the Tulsa cycling world. “At the time, there were lots of men’s and co-ed teams, but only one club and one competitive team strictly for women,” Brown-Cheney recalls. “I wanted to get more women riding, racing and training for events.”

And so, she created Pandemonium Cycling, a women’s cycling and race team.

Carter is especially grateful for this allfemale atmosphere. “Pandemonium is a group that allows women to learn cycling and grow at their own pace without judgment in a maledominated sport,” says the club member. “The women involved in this group are some of the most positive and uplifting people.”

Pandemonium’s mission is to “ride, learn and do good in our community.” The group volunteers at local cycling events and offers free training on bike handling skills, race development and event preparation.

“Since its inception, Pandemonium has introduced more than 20 women to racing,” Brown-Cheney says, “We have amassed a group 22

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Pandemonium Cycling member Christina Smith

of amazingly smart, strong and determined women who were not afraid to be competitive no matter their age or athletic background.”

Pandemonium has helped Carter realize her passion for the sport. “Cycling gives me an exultant feeling that rises from your stomach to your face and makes you laugh and smile.”

Carter now loves road and trail cycling, and gravel and mountain biking. “I have six bikes in my garage and no room for anything else,” she laughs. TP

In 2004, Kirk Owen sat his children down on the couch and told them he was joining the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

Staff Sgt. Owen was deployed to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in August 2005, then to Iraq from 2007-2008. He deployed to Afghanistan in July 2011. One month into his tour, he was killed in action. During his service, he was given a total of 25 awards and medals.

After her father’s death, Kylie Willis didn’t know how she was going to fund her college education. Her mother found out about Children of Fallen Patriots — a national organization dedicated to providing college scholarships and educational counseling to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.

Most of Kylie’s tuition was covered by the VA and the grant “Oklahoma’s Promise,” but a scholarship from CFP was crucial to cover her living expenses and help provide her with a computer.

Willis graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in health education and promotion. Not long before her graduation, she was recruited to work for CFP as a scholarship administrator. After 10 months as an admin, Kylie became an enrollment coordinator.

“My job is to find all of the students who are eligible for our scholarship,” Willis says.

“Children of Fallen Patriots estimates that over 25,000 children have lost a parent in the line of duty across all military branches.”

With Willis’ help, CFP is trying to find every eligible child who has lost a parent in the line of duty. To assist with the search, visit fallenpatriots.org. — RACHEL DUPREE

LOCKER ROOM: GREG BOLLINGER; COURTESY KYLIE WILLIS

LOCKER ROOM

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23

MUSIC NOTES

Tori Ruffin (left) plays with his band Freak Juice in March at South By Southwest.

GRIND OF THE GIG

DAILY LIFE FOR TULSA HEADLINERS IS HECTIC AND WHOLESOME.

I

n the early hours of Monday when night and morning intermingle, Paul Benjaman puts away his guitar, ending another workday and another weekly gig with his band at The Colony.

Two miles east, the doors of Tori Ruffin’s Juicemaker Lounge close, and he can finally put down his phone — a multitool for the musician with many hats. Somewhere on the road, Bat-Or Kalo travels with her trio to another gig, and back in Tulsa, Grazzhopper’s Cody Brewer squeezes in practice before bed. Th is is the daily grind for Tulsa’s working musicians.

DREAMS COME TRUE “The ups and downs and uncertainty of the business are a challenge, but I feel so fortunate and blessed to be able to wake up, play guitar, keep the lights on and feed myself and my family just playing music,” Ruffin says. “That’s a dream come true. That’s success to me.”

For over 25 years, Ruffin has toured the world as lead guitarist for Prince protégé Morris Day and his band the Time. He also owns and operates Tulsa’s Juicemaker Lounge with his brother, Greg, and plays with Freak Juice, his local funkrock project.

In a normal year, Ruffi n is on the road around 100 days with the Time. It was closer to 270 the year Prince died. During the gaps, he’s operating his venue, managing Freak Juice and gener24

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

ally taking care of business. Typically, his head hits the pillow between 2 and 4 a.m., and he’s back at it between 10 a.m. and noon the next day, always trying his best to get in eight hours.

A basketball fan, Ruffin starts his day with a cup of coffee and good hour of ESPN’s “First Take,” followed by guitar practice. The rest of his day is spent promoting Freak Juice and Juicemaker, booking gigs and answering emails.

In March, the band played at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, a traveling gig between regular performances at Juicemaker. Ruffin’s days are busy and often stressful, but he’s grateful.

“It’s the greatest life I could ever hope for: to get up and know you have gigs and you’re going to be able to make a living and bring joy to a few faces with your music.”

Learn more at facebook.com/freakjuice.

GRATEFUL FOR TODAY A self-described “seeker,” blues musician Kalo looks for the spiritual in the world and in her music. That journey has taken her across the globe, from her hometown of Haifa, Israel, all the way to her current base in Oklahoma, with numerous stops in between. Pre-COVID, Kalo and her eponymous trio Kalo played as many as 200 gigs a year. “(The pandemic lull) helped me think a little bit more about what I want to do, and what I don’t want to do,” she says. “I can pick and choose.”

Kalo and the band appear on lineups for shows in Dallas and Houston among bi-weekly performances returning to Maggie’s Music Box in Jenks starting May 5. Kalo will play back-to-back shows May 7 — fi rst at Mayfest in downtown Tulsa and then in Shawnee three hours later.

It’s a busy schedule, and Kalo welcomes the variety, open to whatever life brings her way. “I love that I don’t know exactly how every day is going to look,” she says. “I know I’m going to drink my coffee in the morning, and it makes me really happy. There’s a Zen prayer you say in the morning to be grateful for being alive today. You don’t know what’s going to happen in two hours, but you’re really happy to be here right now.” In addition to morning coffee and reflection, each day includes physical exercise and music practice.

Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Kalo says school was often a struggle. Music called to her both as a way to avoid reading and writing and as a way “to feel very free all the time.” Booking shows, and the reading and writing that process requires is her least favorite part of being a working musician. She prefers to explore, checking out venues in new towns and creating relationships with the musical communities she finds there.

It’s a lifestyle that works for Kalo, who believes in living life to its fullest: “What I love about what I do is I know I try every day to have no regrets when I move on from this world.”

Learn more at kaloband.com.

PHIL CLARKIN

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

KALO: ADAM KOLOFF; BREWER, BENJAMAN: GREG BOLLINGER

MAKING THE TIME “My music career has always been at the forefront, and then trying to make a living,” says Grazzhopper’s Brewer, with a laugh. “I like keeping things fresh, but obviously, I like paying my bills, too.”

Music has been central to Brewer’s life since he picked up a guitar at the age of 10. He played electric guitar for years in Tulsa’s genreblending Moai Broadcast, eventually migrating to the banjo and creating his own jazz-grass fusion group — all the while keeping one foot planted in the nine-to-five and a relatively steady paycheck. Brewer is a crop manager at Gravity Grown, a cannabis farm, where he works a sevenor eight-hour day, always fitting in music practice.

“I either practice in the morning before I leave, or when I get back,” Brewer says. “When I’m off, the average day is trying to focus on a set list and just going over warm-ups because I feel like your muscle memory always has to be there.”

Brewer acknowledges the challenges inherent in a musician’s life. “On the outside, it looks like you just have fun all the time, but you realize if you want to be good at something, you have to really spend a lot of time on it,” he says. “Sometimes when you’re not reaching the level you’d like to, there can be a lot of ups and downs, emotionally and psychologically.”

But when everything falls into place, it’s worth it. “The camaraderie when you have a great night, there’s nothing else like it. When everything goes right, it’s just the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Brewer is looking forward to playing with genre-bender string quartet Arkansauce on June 17 at the Venue Shrine in Tulsa.

Learn more at grazzhopper.net.

MUSIC EVERY DAY “You get out of bed, and if you’ve got bananas, you get a banana and try to get your Vitamin C going,” Benjamin says, describing his day. “After that, I make my punch list of what I’m going to accomplish for the day.”

In addition to the dreaded paperwork that comes with being self-employed — as a musician playing gigs and teaching private guitar lessons — Benjaman’s day includes teaching from noon to 7 p.m., booking shows and updating social media. Between lessons, before ending with his own gigs three or more nights a week. Practice and songwriting are squeezed in the margins.

“It’s pretty crazy being a gig worker because you always have that uncertainty,” he says. “If you don’t fit it in, well, what happens when there’s no students and no gigs?”

That kind of lifestyle can come at a cost to your personal life. “It’s so much easier to be dating somebody with real, actual work hours because they go to work at the same time and get off at the same time, and they make way more money,” he jokes.

The best thing about the life Benjaman has chosen? “You know, just the people that you meet, but really, I also have a real sweet tooth for weird adventures.”

Catch Benjaman Thursdays at Mercury Lounge and Sundays at the Colony.

Learn more at paulbenjamanband.com. TP

Bat-Or Kalo

Cody Brewer

Paul Benjaman

TulsaPeople.com

25

MUSIC NOTES

Tulsa Youth Symphony plays its annual winter concert.

Jennifer Marriott, Jana Jae and Mallory Eagle perform last summer as part of a Women of Song series at Maggie’s Music Box in Jenks.

WOMEN OF TULSA SOUND ‘WOMEN OF SONG’ PROJECT PUTS ON A SHOW. STORIES BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

F

or decades, musicians Gus Hardin, Debbie Campbell and Betsy Smittle were fi xtures on the local, regional and national music scenes and an integral part of the “Tulsa Sound” — that genre-defying mix of blues, swing, rock, country often associated with musicians like Leon Russell and JJ Cale.

Th is month, like a big reunion of family and friends at Cain’s Ballroom, the Women of Song (WOS) project will celebrate the lives and careers of these iconic musicians with a May 15 tribute concert. “These are women who need to be known for their talent,” says Brenda Cline, senior executive producer and creator of WOS. “There will be a gathering on that stage unlike anything we’ve seen in a while.”

Blues vocalist Jennifer Marriott is in the lineup. “I’m really excited about collaborating with all of these wonderful women to pay tribute to Debbie, Gus and Betsy, who were instrumental in the Tulsa Sound,” says the Canada-to-Tulsa transplant. Hardin was one of Tulsa’s premiere nightclub singers who signed with Russell’s Shelter Records in the ’70s and later had a successful career in Nashville. A mainstay on the Tulsa music scene for two decades, Campbell also toured internationally with country star Don Williams.

“They’ll get the recognition they’ve always richly deserved,” Marriott says.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

The concert will feature many prominent Oklahoma-rooted female vocalists performing songs written or popularized by each of the honorees during their lifetimes, backed by former band members and other Tulsa Sound alumni. Among the women performing are Mariott, Ann Bell, who toured for years with Russell and, later, British rocker Joe Cocker; and Jana Jae, a violin and fiddle virtuoso and former member of the popular TV variety show, “Hee Haw.” Radio personality and author John Wooley is emcee for the event, and musician Pete Marriott is the concert leader.

Smittle, who died in 2013, was special to Jennifer Marriott. Pete, Jennifer’s husband, was Smittle’s longtime friend and bandmate. “I think it’s important for everyone to know how incredibly talented Betsy was,” Jennifer says.

“She was a consummate professional, and there wasn’t any musical challenge she didn’t rise to and excel at, as a singer, a guitar player and as a bass player.” In addition to her own solo career, Smittle toured for years as the bass player in half-brother Garth Brooks’ band.

“To sing my favorite song of Betsy’s in tribute to her, backed by Tulsa’s finest musicians that played with and also loved her, it’s going to be an incredible experience.” For more information, visit womenofsongok.com. TP

Violinist and concertmaster Stacie Boyls is one of 38 high school seniors in Tulsa Youth Symphony who will take a final bow with the group this month at Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Reflecting on eight seasons with TYS, Boyls says not only has her playing improved, but TYS also has provided her with a community in challenging times. “It’s really helped feed and grow my love of music and really keep it close,” she says. “When I’ve gone through some really tough moments of burnout, or any sort of low moment in my life, I think (TYS) has always been a stabilizer and kept me going.”

This fall, she’s going to Baylor University as a violin performance major.

Though TYS’ Spring Serenade on May 8 has a special focus on TYS graduating seniors and the three winners of the 2021-22 Concerto Competition, all three TYS orchestras will play in the 58th season’s final performance.

Founded in 1963, the nonprofit TYS provides orchestral training and performance opportunities for students in grades 2-12. According to Amanda Kliner, TYS development director, 164 youth are participating in the program this year, representing 42 public, private and homeschool institutions in northeastern Oklahoma.

Students try out each spring for a spot in one of the three orchestras (Preparatory, Concert and Symphony), and although tuition is charged, Kliner emphasizes some scholarships are available.

TYS partners with other area arts institutions to provide opportunities for the students to engage with the broader arts community, Kliner says.

“This Spring Serenade is a special event for us because it’s at this very professional venue,” she says. “It’s really about celebrating our students and all of their accomplishments and all the diverse ways they’re going to give back to our community as they grow.” For more information, visit tulsayouthsymphony.org. TP

WOMEN OF SONG: GREG BOLLINGER; OSCAR HO

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Keep sick kids at home to keep everyone safe. oklahoma.gov/health TulsaPeople.com

27

MUSIC NOTES

Tulsans Jennifer Bettenhausen and Reese Moore, two of Hanson’s biggest fans. The band will play multiple shows at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., for the 2022 Hanson Day celebration.

‘WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER’ HANSON DAY CELEBRATES MORE THAN MUSIC.

“T

he thing that drives me,” says Taylor Hanson, who along with brothers Isaac and Zac comprise the Tulsa pop-rock band Hanson, is “continually adding things into the story of the world that give people that spark.”

May 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the band’s fi rst Mayfest performance, the 25th anniversary since the worldwide success of their fi rst studio album “Middle of Nowhere,” and the 10th anniversary of the music and community celebration known as Hanson Day. Over the Hansons’ career, they have expanded into many creative industries and philanthropic projects, but their passion for creating music and community is at the forefront of every endeavor.

For 2022, knowing they would embark on a world tour, Hanson wanted to have more new music to drive excitement and energy, according to Taylor.

Hanson’s newest album, “RED GREEN BLUE,” is a 15-song experiment with three, fivesong phases that gave each member creative control of the band for a third of the record; Taylor’s section is “RED”; Isaac’s, “GREEN”; and Zac’s, “BLUE.” “We were at somewhat of a creative crossroads where everyone came into this album with different things they needed to do,” Taylor says.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

“We’ve always had three singers, three writers … but in this particular case the consensus was to do something genuinely different.” The result is a personal collection through which the world will experience the brothers’ individual creative voices while honoring their collective strengths.

To help give the record continuity, Hanson involved producers and longtime friends Jim Scott and David Garza who brought glue to the whole project.

Even after 30 years, releasing new music is exciting for Taylor.

“You have to wake up every day, look at yourself in the mirror, and know you’re doing it for a reason you believe in,” Taylor says. “The work you make goes into other people’s worlds. They make it their own. You have no idea what a song is going to mean in somebody else’s life.”

Tulsans Jennifer Bettenhausen and Reese Moore have grown up alongside Hanson’s music.

Their love for Hanson has spanned more than two decades and matured in conjunction with their music. It’s also forged countless friendships.

For Bettenhausen, being a Hanson fan means “a built-in community.” She’s seen fans fundraise for others in need.

“I’ve made so many amazing and supportive friendships because of Hanson,” says Moore, who

notes the band’s music has “taken on so many different meanings” for her over the years.

Bettenhausen adds, “Tulsa is a big city with a small-town feel, laced with musical history, and the Hansons are very proud of their roots.”

In 1997, May 6 was declared ‘Hanson Day’ in Tulsa. “When it fi rst began, we thought it was kind of arrogant to celebrate,” Taylor says. “As time went on, we saw the celebration of Hanson Day was an opportunity to … give people a chance to connect with each other.” It grew from a one-time special event into a week of celebration that sees fans from 30-plus countries come to experience the magic of Tulsa.

Hanson Day 2022 will take place May 9-15 at various Tulsa venues before “RED GREEN BLUE” releases May 20. Events will include a mix of in-person and livestream options. “All of it just surrounds the spirit of community and … celebrating what connects you,” Taylor says.

At the center of Hanson’s music has always been a theme of hope and connection. Regardless of the challenges the world is facing, we have music to unite us.

“It’s just powerful,” Taylor says. “Music is such a crazy connecting thing, connecting people. It reminds you you’re human.”

Visit hanson.net for more information. TP

GREG BOLLINGER

BY ADDIE BOWLIN

TULSA TREKS

Ross Snider

GREG BOLLINGER

Wheel GOOD TIME The 33rd Tour de Tulsa is back after a two-year pandemic hiatus — a timely resurrection for the year of Tulsa Bicycle Club’s 50th anniversary.

Club members have participated among the hundreds of riders in the race held annually the first weekend in May since it began. Ross Snider, TBC vice president, has helped organize some 15 Tour de Tulsa events.

He says the race, which benefits Pathways to Health Community Partnership (the nonprofit branch of the Tulsa Health Department), is a community effort with volunteers from TBC, the Tulsa Heath Department and the Community Health Foundation. Race distances include: 9 miles, 21,37, 52, 63 and 103 miles.

“We have support vehicles out on the route, and we work with the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club,” Snider says. “They have a base station set up so they can relay where the last rider is. (Support vehicles) have bike racks, and they can pick people up if they have a mechanical problem or (if) they get too tired and can’t get back. Three of the Tulsa bike shops are also on the route to help with repairs that can be done on the road.”

— Tom’s Bicycles, T-Town Bicycles and Spoke House Bicycles.

Snider has thousands of miles of rides under his belt, including a cross-country trek. “Five years ago, when I turned 60, I did a tour with a group that started in San Diego, California. We rode to St. Augustine, Florida,” he says.

His advice for rides long and short? “Go at a pace you’re comfortable with,” he says. “Make sure you drink plenty of liquids, and use sunscreen.

As a melanoma survivor, just use sunscreen.”

For more information on Tulsa Bike Club and group rides, and to register for the race, visit tulsabicycleclub.clubexpress.com. — BLAYKLEE FREED

Osborne Celestain Jr., founder of Community Light Foundation, was inspired to launch the nonprofit after helping organize the Black Wall Street 100 commemorative cycling event in 2021.

LOOKING FOR THE LIGHT LOCAL CYCLIST FOUND HIS LIFE’S PASSION AFTER RETIREMENT.

BY ETHAN VEENKER

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fter more than 35 years in the oil and gas industry, Osborne Celestain Jr. retired in 2019 from a successful career — but the Tulsan’s work was far from over.

On Christmas Day 2019, the avid cycler embarked on a busy training regimen to prepare for a slew of cycling events, most notably the IRONMAN 2020, which he hoped to tackle with his son. But when COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to these plans halted the triathlon, Celestain was frustrated, but it didn’t take long for him to reflect and recontextualize the whole event.

“I didn’t lose my job, I didn’t lose any income,” the Idabel, Oklahoma, native says. “I didn’t lose any loved ones, I didn’t lose a business — I virtually had no loss, so why was I sitting around angry?”

He was ready to ride, but more so, he was ready to be part of a larger community. “My passion is dealing with people, helping, getting involved, trying to build a community,” he says. “That had been kind of repressed for the last 36 years.”

Then, on June 18, Celestain helped organize Black Wall Street 100, a cycling event marking the Tulsa Race Massacre centennial. His experience there inspired the genesis of his nonprofit, the Community Light Foundation, which combats food insecurity in Tulsa.

“I met a lot of young people who had their own businesses, who were running nonprofits,” he says.

“These people were so full of life, and all they talked about was building community,” he says.

Th is year, the Foundation is hosting the Ride to Remember Black Wall Street on June 4.

“It started with seeing the hardship around me and choosing to do something about it,” he says. “The one thing I could do where I was, with what I had, was to be a positive influence, to be a light.” TP Register for the race, volunteering or sponsorship at thecommunitylight.org. Races include distances of 3 to 75 miles and cater to cyclists of all levels.

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ART SPOT

For a map, vendor and live music information on Mayfest, visit tulsamayfest.org.

Tulsa artist Lauren Henson recently painted the piece behind her featuring Woody Guthrie’s image and words — not as a commission but because she felt inspired.

CAPTURING CHARACTERS TWO LOCAL PAINTERS TO VISIT AT THIS YEAR’S MAYFEST.

M

other’s Day falls on the Sunday of Mayfest weekend, and one way two Tulsa artists — and moms — are celebrating is by showing work in Tulsa’s largest art festival May 6-8.

It’s the second year at Mayfest for Lauren Henson, who dove into making art full time in 2021. Before that, her two kids were her full-time job. In fact, volunteering at the youngsters’ elementary school bloomed into the beginnings of her painting career.

Henson, husband Trevor and other parents of Carnegie Elementary School students held fundraisers for the school, including art sales. “We’d come up with concepts, bring in all the materials and have the kids do it,” Henson says. “One year we did a (Andy) Warhol-inspired piece. I cut out I think like 50 Campbell’s soup can labels and took them in, and every kid got to name their own soup.” That, combined with her experience in interior design, helped Henson realize her prowess in painting. Commission requests grew, and Henson found herself at the easel for longer stretches of time.

“I could feel myself growing a little bit resentful of the time I was losing out on and the stress

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Talitha Jacobs

that came with that,” she says. “I made myself sit down and really break down my prices and time and how much I was making.”

That work-life balance is crucial for self-employed parents like Henson and fellow local painter Talitha Jacobs, a former middle school art teacher. Both women work from home in spare-bedrooms-turned-studios. Jacobs — who has participated in Mayfest since 2019 when Blue Dome Art Festival’s closure left a hole in

local artists’ schedules — launched her full-time painting career in 2017 after her third child was born. Her side-gig at the time — creating upcycled wooden American flag signs — grew popular. She perfected the preparation with husband Keith, hauling fence panels destined for the dump to her house instead, extracting bent rusty nails and sanding planks to a smooth finish. But as orders grew, canvases became more enticing.

Now Jacobs is known for commissioned portraits of pets and people, but she also offers watercolor paintings that focus on architecture and landscape. “I get my inspiration from nature, mostly just being outdoors,” she says, noting portraits are her favorite. “The people — just anything with eyes. Eyes are my favorite thing to paint. As you add the sparkle in a pet eye or a person’s eye, it brings out their personality.”

Henson, too, likes to capture the essence of a person, often incorporating the subject’s words.

“When I get a commission, (I look at) my subject and go down a deep dive of research,” consuming podcasts, articles and documentaries.

Find work from Henson, Jacobs and other artists at Mayfest in the Tulsa Arts and Greenwood districts. TP

GREG BOLLINGER

BY BLAYKLEE FREED

ART SPOT

Carmen Taylor’s “Imagine” is at Tulsa International Airport’s Departing Flights Entrance, 7777 Airport Drive.

SPLASH OF COLOR LOCAL ARTIST CREATES MURAL AT TULSA AIRPORT.

BY BLAYKLEE FREED

GREG BOLLINGER

F

or more than two weeks, local artist Carmen Taylor spent time nearly every day — between the hours of her fulltime job teaching art to students in Sapulpa — at Tulsa International Airport.

She saw slices of dozens of lives — tearful, begrudging, angry or excited goodbyes from passengers — and met the workers that keep the place running, learning of their own artistic aspirations between painting strokes of her 48-foot-wide mural, “Imagine.” It’s the fi rst piece completed with funds from Tulsa Creates Together, a multi-location project featuring work from different local artists presented by Living Arts of Tulsa and George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Individual projects will debut throughout the year from: Taylor Painter-Wolfe, Cult Love Collective, Grant Stacy, Jamie Pierson, Tammy Mercure and Emily Simonds. Painter-Wolfe’s project will be at Vast Bank downtown, and

locations for the other projects have not yet been announced.

At first, it wasn’t clear to passersby what she was painting because Taylor works in reverse. “I like to build suspense,” she says. “I went from light to dark for the most part, so I didn’t add any black, which is the majority of the detail, until the very end.”

Just then, a woman in a dark work uniform pushes a cart with cleaning supplies past Taylor’s mural. “You’re finished!” she exclaims. “I’ve been wondering what you were painting.”

“Imagine” is meant to evoke a sense of adventure and wonder. Three kids are dressed in a hodgepodge of clothes and accessories, with no care for how they look. Mouths agape in mid-screech, the kids pilot scissortail flycatchers with Indian paintbrush between their beaks. The word “Imagine” is painted behind them.

“I wanted to make sure that I had a lot of fun color with various values — just the spectrum of

color,” Taylor says. “Whenever we think about children (we think) primary colors, red, yellow, blue, but this mural goes beyond that. Many of the colors are complementary color schemes and warm-cool color schemes ... I made sure the background was absent of color, so it wouldn’t compete with the foreground.”

Taylor wanted to show the diversity of Tulsa through the children. “I wanted any kid from around here to look up and be able to resonate with any of them,” she says.

“Everything I do is for a reason,” she says, showing the outline of Oklahoma in the “G” of “Imagine.” Tulsa is a heart on the map. “There are always little things inside of each mural that have meaning.” TP Look for Tulsa Creates Together location announcements at facebook.com/livingartsoftulsa, and follow Taylor’s work at facebook.com/artbycarmentaylor.

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Brainiac Ball A record-breaking $1.2 million was raised for Family and Children’s Services at the organization’s March 5 centennial anniversary gala. Six hundred and fifty Tulsans gathered at the Cox Business Convention Center for Brainiac Ball: Through the Ages. The benefit featured cocktails, dinner, a live auction, dancing and team trivia.

Brainiac Ball was chaired by Lauren and Dave Sherry and honorary chairs Pam and Terry Carter. Sponsors included presenting sponsor Cyclonic Valve; Mary Lee Townsend and Burt B. Holmes; Jill and Robert Thomas; Ruth K. Nelson; Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies; Pam and Terry Carter; George Kaiser Family Foundation; the William K. Warren Foundation; and the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation.

Funds raised will help FC&S continue to provide life-changing services to children who have been hurt and abused, families in crisis and those with mental illness and addiction into the next 100 years.

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1. Sarah and John Graves of presenting sponsor Cyclonic Valve 2. The Grand Hall was lit up for the centennial celebration.

3. Robert and Jill Thomas, 100th Anniversary Celebration Society sponsors 4. Patrons Sandra Quince and Torii Freeman 5. Dave and Lauren Sherry, Brainiac Ball chairs; Gail Lapidus, FC&S CEO; and Pam and Terry Carter, honorary chairs

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St. Jude Home Floor Signing

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1. Volunteers from Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, a community and collegiate service organization 2. Patrons wrote Scripture and well wishes on the bare concrete floor.

3. Alexander, a local St. Jude patient and artist 4. Those in attendance received a sneak peek of the unfinished St. Jude Dream Home.

5. Representatives from Cox Media Group: FOX23, Mix96.5 and K95.5

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BRAINIAC BALL: JOHN BIVENS PHOTOGRAPHY; ST. JUDE: COURTESY

Supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital gathered March 1 to dedicate the 2022 St. Jude Dream Home and sign its floors. Located in Owasso’s Stone Canyon development, the home at 19112 E. Beecher Court will be raffled in June, along with other prizes, to support St. Jude.

It’s tradition for patient families, builders and sponsors to ceremoniously sign the unfinished flooring of the St. Jude Dream Home, offering words of encouragement to the children at St. Jude.

“People who win this home — whether they know about it or they sell this house 10 or 15 years from now and they are replacing the carpet — they will pull that carpet back and discover all those prayers and blessings and well wishes,” says Russ Laney, director for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. “It would give them a good feeling to know they are living in the St. Jude Dream Home that’s providing hope and making a difference in childhood cancer survival.”

St. Jude Dream Home raffle tickets are $100 and can be purchased at dreamhome.org or by calling 800-853-1470. Open house tours are available on weekends from May 14-June 19.

C H A R I TA B L E E V E N T S 2 Tee Off for Town and Country Benefits Town and Country School.

TANDCSCHOOL . ORG / ACTIVITIES / FUNDRAISER / GOLF_ TOURNAMENT

3 Goodwill’s Annual Awards Luncheon Benefits Goodwill Industries of Tulsa.

GOODWILLTULSA . ORG / RSVP

4 Newsmakers Awards Luncheon Benefits Tulsa Chapter of Association for Women in Communications.

AWCTULSA . ORG

6 Great Plains Journalism Awards Benefits Tulsa Press Club Foundation.

TULSAPRESSCLUB . ORG / GREATPLAINSAWARDS

7 Overture Benefits Signature Symphony.

SIGNATURESYMPHONY. ORG Run for the Roses Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home.

TULSABOYSHOME . ORG / RUN - FOR -THE- ROSES

8-15 Spring Online Plant Sale Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden.

TULSABOTANIC . ORG

COMPILED BY AMANDA HALL HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS ARE SPONSORED BY TULSAPEOPLE. BENEFITS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Empty Bowls Benefits Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.

EMPTYBOWLSTULSA . COM

15 Ladies Who Brunch Benefits Sky High for Kids.

SKYHIGH . SALSALABS . ORG /2022 TULSABRUNCH

12 Bunco-Mayo Benefits Broken Arrow Blue Star Mothers — Chapter 5.

BABLUESTAR . ORG

20 Urban Cowboy Soiree Benefits Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding Program.

BITBYBITOK . ORG

14 Aviator Ball Benefits Tulsa Air and Space Museum.

TULSAMUSEUM . ORG

21 Charity Banquet Benefits Mita’s Foundation.

MITASFOUNDATION . ORG

14-June 19 Dream Home Tour Benefits St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

DREAMHOME . ORG

23 Frank R. Rhoades Golf Classic Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home.

TULSABOYSHOME . ORG / TBH - GOLF- CLASSIC

Spring Serenade Benefits Tulsa Youth Symphony.

TULSAYOUTHSYMPHONY. ORG

10 Appetite for Construction Benefits Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa.

TULSAHBA . COM / APPETITE- FOR CONSTRUCTION - COPY

At home on the field and on the stage.

At Holland Hall, students have the freedom to explore it all.

For more information call 918-879-4739 or visit hollandhall.org.

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Holland Hall student Noel Hosterman with Upper School science teacher Grace Weber, a Holland Hall graduate who returned to her alma mater to instruct future generations.

Moving FORWARD IN ITS 100TH YEAR, HOLLAND HALL LOOKS TO DIVERSIFY ITS EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDENTS. “The way we conduct our classes and the way we conduct our school is less like a school and more like a community,” says J.P. Culley, Holland Hall’s head of school.

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estled on a 162-acre campus near East 81st Street and South Yale Avenue, Holland Hall is an independent Episcopal school serving PreK-12th grades.

Th is year, the entire community — faculty, students, alumni and friends — will celebrate the school’s 100-year anniversary, looking back on its founders’ aspirational mission to build a “preparatory school of the highest standing, where each student may receive individual attention, within the reach of any citizen of Tulsa,” and look ahead to the next century.

Holland Hall was established in 1922 with 60 students and 10 teachers in a two-story brick building at West Ninth Street and South Cheyenne Avenue in downtown Tulsa. In 1970 the school began its move to its present-day campus at 5666 E. 81st St., which boasts three libraries, a wooded trail system, the new Tandy Dining and Wellness Center, impressive athletic facilities and an expansive arts building with

a 1,200-seat theater. The 180 faculty and staff educate over 1,000 students between its three divisions — primary, middle and upper schools.

At the college preparatory school, where nearly every graduate attends some type of post-highschool educational program, alumni include actor Tim Blake Nelson, musician Barron Ryan, News on 6 anchor LeAnne Taylor and writer/ movie producer Micah Fitzerman-Blue, as well as countless leaders in government, business, education and science.

Th rough a century of growth, Holland Hall’s philosophy has remained relatively unchanged.

“Winnifred Schureman was the school’s first headmistress. Her approach was to know these children really well and to find out what they’re capable of, and then help them get there,” Culley says. “That was 100 years ago, and we’re still doing the same thing. I think it’s pretty phenomenal that the core values and principles that were seeded a century ago are still very much intact.”

MICHELLE POLLARD; BROWN: COURTESY HOLLAND HALL

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

COMMUNITY

That focus on and connection to its students translates into a broad community invested in the school and its future. Alumni participation as donors, parents, volunteers and even faculty is striking. John Bennett (’70) recently retired after 40 years as a math and science teacher; Tag Gross (’87), head football coach and history teacher, has been at the school more than 20 years, just to highlight a few.

“People respond when they feel like the people around them care about them and want them to do well, and that happens a lot here,” says Culley of the alumni involved with the school. “If you feel like the people around you care enough about you; that they’re invested in you and willing to do whatever it takes for you to be successful or to just become a better person, then you reciprocate that.”

Tulsa musician Nicholas Foster (’10), agrees.

He fi rst began helping with the school’s jazz band program when he was a senior majoring in music at the University of Tulsa. For the past seven years, he’s worked as a part-time faculty member teaching percussion in the same room where he played music from grades 6-12.

“One of the biggest reasons I still teach here is because I just want to give back to the school that gave me so much,” he says. “I found a group of peers at Holland Hall who really motivated me, and we came into our own together. The school really supported that, and they gave us a platform where our band could play at school events.”

Today, Foster even works with some of the same teachers who were there when he was in school. “I love the community, and I was accepted back right away,” he says.

Upper School science teacher Grace Weber (’12) joined the faculty two years ago, and, like Foster, felt welcomed returning to her alma mater. Although it was odd fl ipping the script from student to staff, she’s glad to be on the other side of the desk, specifically at Holland Hall.

“It’s an open environment, and you get a lot of opportunities for personal development and a lot of freedom,” she says.

EDUCATION AND STUDENT BODY

With a 10-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, a 100% college admission rate and an average SAT score of 1366, the school’s statistics are extraordinary. In addition to core requirements in math, science, English, foreign language and social studies, students participate in sports and the arts, with 62 different courses. One of the unique aspects of the Holland Hall school day is its modular schedule, more commonly found at the university level. Upper school students are responsible for scheduling close to 40% of their time, which helps develop time management and organizational skills.

Potential students are administered an admissions test (or a playdate for preschool

J.P. Culley is Holland Hall’s head of school, leading 180 faculty and staff to educate more than 1,000 students. Inset, Charlie Brown has been linked to Holland Hall since 1965, serving as a dean of students, football coach and chemistry teacher.

students). Upper School tuition is currently $23,400, but Holland Hall is quick to note that finances shouldn’t limit an otherwise qualified student’s ability to attend. The school awards nearly $4 million a year in tuition assistance to roughly 30% of the student body. Increasing that support, as well as continuing to grow the diversity of the student body (students of color currently represent 30% of the Upper School enrollment), are a big part of the school’s commitment moving forward.

“You can’t experience a true education if everyone around you is from a similar neighborhood or all think the same thing or all have the same political ideology,” Culley says.

“That’s not what education is all about.”

Former dean of students, football coach and chemistry teacher Charlie Brown established the Charlie Brown Endowment for Financial Aid to make the school more accessible. He’s recruited countless families, coaching and teaching generations of successful students since 1965.

“I’m very passionate about raising financial aid

funds so that any child who has the talent and is capable of graduating from Holland Hall has a path forward to come to the school,” says Brown, 85. “Representing the entire community is very important, and having diversity in the student body is extremely important. Children learn from each other.”

Ken Busby (’85), a former member of the school’s board of trustees, concurs.

“There’s a myth that Holland Hall is only for the elite and the wealthy, but nothing could be further from the truth,” he says. “We want to reflect the community. We believe children learn better and are better world citizens when they are exposed to other views, other philosophies, other cultures, other races and other ways to look at the world.

“If we’re going to create that whole student and have that student ready to engage with the world, be productive and give back to the community, wherever they are, the only way to do that is by exposing them to all kinds of faculty, staff, students and alumni so they have that full, enriching experience.” TP TulsaPeople.com

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BERYL FORD COLLECTION, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY, AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Utica Square’s central garden in 1954

UTICA SQUARE IS 70 Looking back on seven decades of the iconic midtown shopping destination

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

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Imagine the city of Tulsa without Utica Square shopping center.

That would be 1951. Harry S. Truman was president, Patti Page’s “Tennessee Waltz” was the No. 1 hit song, “All About Eve” won the Academy Award and the New York Yankees beat the New York Giants in the World Series. Again.

The local news being made quietly in Tulsa was that a driving range on East 21st Street across from St. John Hospital, considered the outskirts of town, was being developed as one of the fi rst suburban shopping centers in the country. Th is was a novel concept because downtowns were the traditional places for shopping.

Utica Square opened May 22, 1952. Over the following decades, multitudes of shoppers and visitors collected memories of flowering wisteria dripping from the pillars in the spring, thousands of lights winking at winter holiday shoppers, garden beds changing seasonally, Art in the Square sidewalk fairs and the Summer’s Fifth Night free concert series, along with upscale shopping and dining.

Happy birthday, Utica Square. Here are some highlights of your 70 years.

MICHELLE POLLARD

The beginning “My parents were visionaries,” Priscilla Carter Tate says. Her father and his business partner bought the undeveloped property that became Utica Square, and her mother is responsible for the restaurant that became the home of an iconic Tulsa dessert.

Lumberyard owner Dale Carter and real estate developer Don Nix bought the 30 acres at 21st Street and Utica Avenue in 1949 for $150,000.

Before statehood, the land had been allotted to Muscogee Nation citizen Hellen Woodward.

“My father was fascinated by the idea of an outdoor shopping area as he had seen in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza,” Tate says. Carter and Nix hired Tulsa architects McCune and McCune to design the Tulsa shopping center in small blocks. Landscaping was done by Joe Lambert of Dallas, and the center boasted the astonishing feature of parking space for 1,200 cars. At the ribbon cutting, the Tulsa Tribune’s columnist Cal Tinney wrote, “Utica Square is the place where women can come and relax after trying all day to find a parking place downtown.”

The early retail stores were traditional middle America: Humpty-Dumpty and Safeway grocery stores, Oklahoma Tire and Supply Co., TG&Y and a bowling alley. It was no regular bowling alley. Utica Bowl was the largest in the Southwest and the fi rst in town with an automatic pinsettter.

It burned down in 1963.

Renberg’s department store became a flagship tenant in 1955, and the following year the Medical Center opened at the site of the current P.F.

Chang’s restaurant and Fleming’s steakhouse.

Tate’s mother, Dorothy LeMaster Carter, a dietitian with a degree from the University of Illinois, dreamed of owning a restaurant.

So her husband built her one. The result was named 1800 (its address), the Square’s fi rst restaurant, located where Wild Fork now sits.

Tate worked there as hostess when she was visiting home from college. Dorothy hired Gladys Scivally, former house mother at Pi Beta Phi sorority at the University of Oklahoma, to be the restaurant manager. Scivally came with a recipe for baked fudge; the dessert became a Utica Square legend.

On TulsaPeople.com, take a trip down memory lane with a photo gallery depicting Utica Square over its 70 years.

Ownership tectonic shift Oilman William L. Kistler Jr. owned the Square for only a year in 1963 before his death. Energy company Helmerich and Payne bought the property the following year and began an imaginative transformation to upscale shopping and dining in a parklike setting. The Utica Square we know today is indelibly associated with Walter Helmerich III and his wife Peggy (Dow), a former actress. Together they molded it as artistically as potters with clay.

Helmerich returned to Tulsa fresh from Harvard Business School with modern ideas for the family’s energy company. He wanted to (a) diversify their oil and gas production and contract drilling and (b) fi nd a way to be better connected with Tulsa, the company’s headquarter city. Utica Square would become that connection.

“He and mom wanted to make Utica Square a place Tulsa could be proud of,” son Hans Helmerich says, “a great retail presence similar to the city’s great philharmonic and ballet companies. That idea was born out of passion more than real estate business. It was a way to give back to the community.”

Their creative collaboration grew into a lifetime love affair with Utica Square. They, too, were influenced by the Plaza in Kansas City. They traveled the country visiting high-end retailers, inviting them to Utica Square and replacing some of the budget stores in the Square with luxury and specialty shops. Helmerich wanted it to feel like a little village, Hans says, complete with a post office. To achieve a park atmosphere, Helmerich launched an ambitious beautification plan by planting 300 new trees.

The beloved Garden restaurant, influenced by the tea room at Neiman Marcus, was the project of Peggy and her friend Gerri Freeman. “Dad loved it, and Mom was involved every day,” Hans says of the space now occupied by Wild Fork.

“The menus were in her hand script. The hot fudge, the (demitasse) cups of chicken broth — all that had to be perfect. It captures their personal commitment.”

The five Helmerich sons were involved in the tea room, too. Not always voluntarily. “We all bussed dishes at the Garden,” Hans says, “and if we were in trouble at home, we knew we’d be at the Garden. It was quick retribution.”

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Helmerich was responsible for the signature holiday enchantment — the “Nutcracker” models, Santa House, Lights On at Thanksgiving to launch the holiday shopping season. All were his innovation.

For some years, Lights On included Tulsa Ballet dancers. Hope Theodoras, Cynthia Crews, Matt Bridwell and others performed excerpts from “The Nutcracker” ballet on a flatbed truck or the roof of a building. Those tiny stages and the November weather were far from ideal conditions for the dancers, a former Ballet administrator remembers. “They froze their tutus and tights off.”

Live outdoor ballet performances in winter disappeared, but the holiday lights kept growing.

Lights On began in 1968 with a string of lights in about a dozen trees. Now the Square is a fairyland with 50 miles of lights.

The Square plants three times a year to keep the gardens seasonal: 1,000 flats of annuals for spring; 200 flats of mums and 900 flats of pansies for fall; and 16,000 tulip bulbs in the winter.

Helmerich’s careful attention to the Square’s landscaping is mythical. “You hear stories of Walt Disney in the parks in the early years making sure all the lamp posts were painted,” Hans says. “Dad had that same connection (with Utica Square). He watched over it. The wisteria on the columns and the trees had to be trimmed just right. He kept clippers, a stepladder and a little handsaw in his truck. I saw him trimming trees a dozen times.” After 48 years of shepherding the Square, Walt Helmerich died in 2012.

Walt and Peggy tended the Square’s merchants just as tenderly. More like parents than landlords, they were not just friendly and accommodating, but nearly doting, says Jan Stevens, owner of the Snow Goose gift shop. Th is past October, the Snow Goose celebrated its 40th year in the Square.

Margo’s gift shop has been there even longer, since 1964. Margo Nelson, third-generation owner of the store, describes the Helmerich family as not only good customers, but also good friends.

Walt and Peggy Helmerich had an enduring devotion to the Square, Hans says. “My mother likes to tell the story about eating at a barbecue place on the west side of town. A family walked by and one said, ‘Oh, look. There’s the mayor of Utica Square and his wife.’”

Priscilla Carter Tate is the daughter of Utica Square founder Dale Carter, who began developing the property with Don Nix in 1949. The center opened in 1952, including 1800, a restaurant operated by Tate’s mother, Dorothy LeMaster Carter.

BERYL FORD COLLECTION, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY, AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Lights and the landscaping

Utica Square, with St. John Hospital in the background, circa 1954

Seventy years after the high-flying venture to open a suburban shopping center at the edge of town, Utica Square has become an institution for many people. It is such a recognizable part of Tulsa, it is featured in the “House of Night” book series about young vampires by locals Kristin and P.C. Cast.

Some lifetime Tulsans, such as real estate broker Peter Walter, can mark life passages by the Square. “It was my little downtown,” Walter 38

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Wild Fork has been a Utica Square mainstay since 1995.

MICHELLE POLLARD

Everything changes

Utica Square in 1955

Margo Nelson

THE MERCHANTS Utica Square opened with 30 tenants and today has nearly 60.

Margo’s gift shop arrived in 1964 at Walt Helmerich’s personal invitation, which conTULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

tinued a tradition. Margo Kirberger opened her gift shop in the downtown Philcade building lobby in 1935 at the encouragement of another oilman, Waite Phillips. With daughter Ann Nelson, she moved the shop to the Square where it is now operated by granddaughter Margo Nelson.

Hicks Brunson Eyeware is in the fourth generation of ownership. “Hicks Brunson is one name, not two people,” explains Daniel Brunson. “He was my great-grandfather,” Cousins Ron Henson and Robert Henson have been members of the Utica Square landscaping crew for 40 years.

says. “I could ride my bike there. In the fi fth grade, I won a tent from Sid Lazarus Shoes. In the eighth grade, there was a beach party with sand in the parking lot in front of the Doctor’s Building, and I won an autographed Beach Boys record album. When I was a senior in high school, I won the (Square’s) annual contest by correctly guessing the number of Christmas lights. I counted the number of (electrical) plugs at every tree and multiplied that by the number of lights per string — 83,700. I won $100 and blew it all on record albums. But, that ended the contest.”

Hundreds, probably thousands, of young people began their working career in Utica Square, but Walter might hold the record.

From the seventh grade through college he worked for the Glen restaurant (dishwasher),

Wimbledon West (stringing tennis rackets), Petty’s Fine Foods (sack boy), Nicole’s restaurant (waiter) and Connolly’s clothes (salesman).

His resume summons memories of favorite merchants that, for a variety of reasons, have gone from the Square. Others include Miss Jackson’s, Renberg’s, Vandevers, Yorktown Alley bookstore, Scribner’s bookstore, Wolferman’s grocery and bakery, John A. Brown, Dillard’s, Clark’s Good Clothes, Irene Herbert’s, Jenkins Music Co., Skilly’s Studio of Dancing, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Pier One, Brouse’s womens shoes and more.

We miss them — mourn many, in fact — but Utica Square, like other great public landmarks, although buffeted by change, continues to transform and endure, always fashionable and charming. TP

an optician who was asked by two prominent ophthalmologists in the Square’s Medical Center to move his store from downtown in 1952. Other Brunsons working in the optical boutique today are Daniel’s brother Derek and their father, Richard “Rick,” as well as Daniel’s wife Alisha.

Queenie’s cafe and bakery is a newcomer by comparison. Ruth Young opened Queenie’s as a coffee shop in 1983 and moved to the Square in 1985 at Helmerich’s personal invitation. It became an instant classic. In 2019, former manager Brian Hughes assumed ownership, and soon after moved it into a larger space fronting East 21st Street.

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INTERNATIONAL flavors Local markets cater to Tulsans looking for a taste of home and authentic, global ingredients.

S T OR I E S BY J U L I A N N E T R A N PHO T O S BY M IC H E L L E P OL L A R D 40

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

D

rive east on 21st Street past South Garnett Road, and you are greeted with bright business signs densely packed alongside busy roads. Signs advertise fresh tortillas, pho restaurants and Indian spices. Stores like Las Americas and Seoul Super pop up in tight corners and crowded strip malls.

But Tulsa’s immigrant community extends beyond east Tulsa, and so, these small, family-owned stores can be found farther south, as well.

A grocery store tells the story of its neighborhood. It tells the story of the foods people cook, the tastes they crave and the meals that bring them home. It reveals our curiosities and our desires to understand one another.

A grocery store holds the memory of generations past, the meals that sit in the crevices of our mind and the ingredients we remember from the back of our grandmother’s cupboards.

They are meeting places where people are reminded of where they come from and who they are. Store clerks speak their language and know their food. These grocery stores are freedom from the ethnic aisle of your typical supermarket.

KOREAN SIDE DISHES AND STAPLES

“I noticed all the Korean and Japanese people were actually driving all the way down to Oklahoma City or Dallas to get their (groceries),” remembers Casey Cho, owner of Seoul Super: Korean/Japanese Market. “There weren’t very many (Korean and Japanese) products here in Tulsa.”

Cho opened Seoul Super, 3171 S. 129th E. Place, Suite G, nearly 16 years ago. Since then, the store has grown more than Cho ever expected.

The store sells popular items like Kewpie mayonnaise, Korean barbecue sauce and Korean hot spicy noodles — foods that draw Korean pop and drama fans — alongside neatly stocked shelves of Korean staples like gochugaru (ground Korean chili pepper), seaweed and flavored pastes.

Inside lined coolers, you can find house-made items like kimchi and Korean side dishes, including seasoned radishes, cuttlefish, fish cakes and seaweed salad. These freshly made accompaniment foods bring Koreans, young and old, home.

Casey Cho, owner of Seoul Super: Korean/Japanese Market

LITTLE ’NAM AND INTERNATIONAL ESSENTIALS

Athan Lau, 20, holds childhood memories of Nam Hai Oriental Food Market, just a few minutes’ drive from Seoul Super.

Lau, who grew up in Tulsa, spent many Sunday afternoons wandering the narrow aisles of Nam Hai’s former location with his mom after going to church. He remembers trips to the snack aisle for Hello Panda (shortbread biscuits), rice crackers and White Rabbit candy. “I also remember the distinct smell walking next to the fish aisle,” Lau laughs.

Two Vietnamese refugees opened Nam Hai in 1980, five years after coming to the United States. “(My parents) decided to open a grocery store because there wasn’t really one in town,” says Nam Le, son of the owners of Nam Hai, Ut and Loi Le. Their first location near East 21st Street and South Memorial Drive was a small, 500-square-foot store that quickly outgrew itself. Nam Hai sold mostly East Asian products until 2013, when the store moved to its present location at 11528 E. 21st St. With much more space to fill, the Les decided to provide more international goods.

Nam Hai attracts many different communities in Tulsa with its abundance of goods from all over the world. The store serves immigrants from India, Africa, East Asia and Mexico. One could spend an entire day looking through the expansive store. Perusing different Nam Hai aisles is like looking through the cupboards of mothers all over the world.

With specific meals — a bowl of bún riêu or maybe some spring rolls for the family — in mind, customers often go straight to the correct aisle. After years looking for specific ingredients, regulars have a precise map of the store in their minds.

Lau still returns to Nam Hai, sometimes with his mom to buy hot pot ingredients for her restaurant that opened in February 2020. Today’s haul includes bok choy, fish cakes, rice noodles and daikon, and, of course, Lau’s snacks. Now, though, he gets whatever he wants and pays for it himself — the joys of adulthood.

TulsaPeople.com

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Shweta Aggarwal, co-owner of Masala and More, stocks bitter melon at her south Tulsa store.

MORE THAN A SHOPPING TRIP “It’s very strange because I walked in, and it looked the same as the (stores) I used to go to,” recounts Sam Castillo, 24, about Seoul Super: Korean/Japanese Market. “It was a very nostalgic feeling, just walking in. “(I felt like) just being a little kid and walking around in this little Korean grocery store, running straight to the desserts and my mom getting all these vegetables, and I’m thinking we don’t need those, we need desserts.”

Castillo, an Alabama native who recently moved to Tulsa, first visited Seoul Super when he decided to learn how to cook his mother’s food.

“I went home for Christmas, and my mom started cooking all this wonderful Korean food, Korean food I’ve been eating my entire life.

And my entire life, I thought to myself: ‘I’m never going to have this outside of my mom’s kitchen.’”

Realizing he could actually learn to prepare those foods, Castillo found Seoul Super with a quick Google search. Wandering the aisles, he called his mom as he looked for the right ingredients. He had samgyeopsal, grilled pork belly, in mind for his first self-made Korean meal.

After getting all the ingredients along with his favorite Korean side dishes, Castillo spent some more time perusing the aisles. “I’ll just spend five more minutes just walking around looking at stuff, trying to pronounce things.”

Castillo went home and prepared samgyeopsal for the first time. He tucked the grilled pork belly into lettuce wraps with various sauces and side dishes already prepared from Seoul Super. “(The pork belly) was overcooked, but it tasted great, at least to me. And I was like, wow, like this is possible. You just have to do it.”

Castillo now makes biweekly trips to Seoul Super to stock up on ingredients to make more meals from his childhood. He practices his Korean with store owner Cho while wandering the store that reminds him of shopping trips with his mother and the meals he seeks to experience for himself.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

LITTLE MEXICO AND FAMILY RECIPES

While Nam Hai provides many international goods, many Hispanic customers prefer to shop at Las Americas, a Mexican and Latin American grocery store just a short head turn from Nam Hai in the adjacent parking lot. Colorfully crowded shelves line the store with dried chiles, fresh tortillas and beans. The meat counter sells various cuts and types of meat, in any desired portion, like carne asada already marinated and ready to cook up for a quick weeknight meal.

Open since 2012, Las Americas at 11330 E. 21st St. is home for Tulsa’s Hispanic and Latinx community. The second of owner Antonio Perez’s stores, this location of Las Americas is in the heart of Tulsa’s Mexican community while also being the middle point for families in Broken Arrow and Owasso, explains Elena Caldera, Perez’s daughter.

“We have regulars that come in on weekdays along with regulars who own restaurants and buy from us,” Caldera says. “Some of our workers have been here since almost the beginning.”

Regulars know Las Americas by the faces of employees, the short exchanges across the register and the familiar aisles they visit each week.

One can’t gather the ingredients for menudo — a tra-

ditional Mexican soup made from tripe (cow’s stomach), hominy and dried chiles — anywhere else. If your tortilla press is still hiding at the back of your cabinet, grab some fresh tortillas from the shelf and you’re on your way.

INDIAN FLAVORS AND SPICES

Driving southwest toward Woodland Hills Mall, an L-shaped shopping center offers groceries from other parts of the world, an oasis for immigrant families in need of staple ingredients.

Masala and More, an Indian and South Asian store, provides groceries for the local South Asian community, selling dry goods like legumes and long grain rice along with staple spices. Jay Shah, co-owner of the store at 7825 E. 71st St., opened the market in 2017 with his wife Shweta Aggarwal and partners Nikhil and Nikita Annigeri.

At that time, there was only one Indian grocery store. It was difficult to find ingredients for Indian cooking, and the Shahs needed to drive further outside Tulsa to buy groceries. “We wanted to start something we can use and (other) people can use, too,” Shah says, stressing the importance of spending money in your community whenever possible. “I always tell people shop local, support local!”

The store draws Indian families and other customers wanting to try cooking Indian cuisine — perhaps a dal

Ndaya Marguerite, owner of Ndaya Afro Tropical Market, and her son, PJ

(a stew-like dish with lentils, split peas or beans) to pair with naan. “We have a lot of different people from different cultures. They like our spices and food, and they’re willing to try them and use them. So I think it’s a win-win for everybody,” Shah laughs.

EUROPE AND UNIQUE FINDS

The flavors of Europe are just a few steps away, at EuroMart, 7847 E. 71st St. Owned by Gary Copper since 2006, this store serves dual populations: “travelers” and “newcomers,” as Copper describes.

Providing products for European immigrants along with Tulsans eager to try new flavors, Euro-Mart carries memorable foods: of family, of home and of travels.

“It feels more like home,” shopper Olag Nechai says.

Nechai, who moved to Tulsa from southern Ukraine in 2018, visits the store to buy sausage from Euro-Mart’s meat counter along with some jarred, marinated tomatoes for a traditional salad. “(The sausages) smell like home, from my childhood.”

Euro-Mart’s is the perfect store for Lama Penmigton, who calls herself an “international child.” Her family is from Poland, and she grew up in both Russia and Ukraine before moving to the U.S. as an adult. On this particular visit, she buys pelmeni dumplings, from the Euro-Mart’s freezer.

Along with meats and frozen goods, the store sells cheese, breads, crackers, coffee and teas from Europe, including flavors from Poland, Germany, Hungary, Turkey and Ukraine.

“Virtually everything in the store you can’t get anywhere else (in Tulsa),” Copper says. “I want (Euro-Mart) to be a special place to shop.”

Whether you can read most of the labels in the store or remember familiar products from your travels, shopping at Euro-Mart is an experience that brings back memories and sparks curiosities.

AFRICAN GOODS AND MEMORIES

Follow the sidewalk from Euro-Mart and at the end of the L-shaped strip you’ll find Ndaya Afro Tropical Market, which is named after its owner, Ndaya Marguerite.

Like many of these ethnic grocery stores in Tulsa, Ndaya Afro Tropical Market, 7859 E. 71st St., was born from a need for African ingredients for Tulsa’s African community.

Marguerite, born in Congo-Kinshasa, moved from Sweden to the U.S. in 2015. She ended up in Tulsa, and she noticed a lack of options for African food. “I was pregnant, and I was craving my African food,” she says. “I didn’t see any food I liked. There was one African store, but it didn’t have the ingredients I needed.”

Shortly after, Marguerite opened Ndaya Afro Tropical Market. She thought to herself: “Let me open (a store) and mix it with not just Nigerian (products, which African stores usually focus on) but other African products, like those from my own country.”

The store provides ingredients for all different types of African cuisine. Popular products include garri, a fine flour made from cassava, palm oil and Maggi seasoning cubes, especially useful for seasoning African dishes among many other cooking staples.

Regular customers often stock up on their weekly groceries and stop to chat with Marguerite. Customers feel at home at Ndaya Market, walking down aisles of familiar ingredients and spotting foods they haven’t been able to find since leaving their home countries.

“I come here to get a taste of what I miss from my home country,” explains customer Kwesi Compson. He visits this grocery store at least once a month.

Compson likes to shop at Ndaya Market for plantains, yams and ingredients to make fufu, a West African dough made from ground starches from cassava and plantains. “(Being) able to get this food brings me a little bit closer to my culture. It brings me back to my roots. It gives me a taste of what my mother fed me.” TP TulsaPeople.com

43

35861 Walnut Ridge A F T O N ,

O K

7 4 3 3 1

life is gRanD on gRanD lake!

Diana Riley PatteRson 918.629.3717

SOUTHGRANDLAKE.COM

PRoPeRty Details

about this PRoPeRty

The Points on Grand Lake & Large and beautiful 5 BR, 3.5 BA, is ready 5 Bedrooms to be enjoyed by a large family. It offers 165 feet of shoreline in Party Cove, gentle slope to the water, 3 Full | 1 Half Bath nice roadside yard, large outdoor living space with upper deck and lower patio, outdoor fireplaces on 3,156 SQ FT both levels. Granite, tile and carpet throughout, oversized garage, great views of Grand Lake $1,750,000 from almost every room and just 5 minutes from Ketchum!

I love Grand Lake and want my clients to feel the same. To me there is no place like home and this is my home on Grand Lake. I promise to show you all the sweet places Grand Lake has to offer.

- Born and Raised on South Grand Lake - South Grand Lake Chamber Member - Member of the Northeast Oklahoma Board of Realtors - Member of both the Grand Lake & Tulsa MLS - Tribal Member of the Cherokee Nation - Daughter of the Late Pidgeon and Norma Riley who were legends on selling Grand Lake - This is not a job but a passion to make my clients happy!

- I know Grand Lake by Land and Water Recognized as a Top 100 Real Estate Professional in TulsaPeople since 2015.

www.mcgrawrealtors.com 2022 McGraw, REALTORS®. All Rights Reserved. McGraw, REALTORS® has relied upon information provided by sellers, third parties, tax authorities and official government records and may contain inaccuracies of which McGraw, REALTORS ® is not aware. ®Equal Housing Opportunity.

LORI DUCKWORTH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

DIVE IN! GRAND LAKE

FROM WATER SPORTS AND SERENE CAMPSITES TO BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES AND PLUSH AMENITIES, OKLAHOMA HAS SOME OF THE BEST LAKES WITHIN A SHORT DRIVE OF TULSA. FIND SOMETHING TO DO THIS SUMMER WITH THESE TIPS TO ENJOY THE LAKE LIFE.

BY STAFF TulsaPeople.com

45

HOW SOME OF OUR LOCAL LAKES EARNED THEIR MONIKER

BY RACHEL DUPREE

GRAND LAKE O’ THE CHEROKEES Grand got its name from Henry Holderman, often called the grandfather of the Pensacola dam, who envisioned it as a source of power for the Cherokee Nation. The lake was formed with the completion of the dam on the Grand River in 1940.

LAKE TENKILLER Lake Tenkiller is named after a prominent Cherokee family who used to run a ferry service on the river where the dam now sits.

LAKE THUNDERBIRD This lake outside of Norman was dedicated in 1965 and given its name by contest winner Louie L. McKenzie after the Native American mythological legend — a powerful spirit in the form of a bird.

OOLOGAH LAKE Named after a Cherokee chief, the word means “dark cloud.” The lake is most known as the birthplace of the Cherokee Kid, Will Rogers.

Sources: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of Norman, Oklahoma Historical Society, Voices of Oklahoma

BROKEN BOW LAKE

LAKE EUFAULA

DRIVING TIME: 3.5 hours POPULAR ACTIVITIES: Rugaru Adventures takes guests on zipline tours through the forest canopy with views of Broken Bow Lake. Horseback riding is available through multiple outfitters. Those looking to hit the links can do so at two local 18-hole golf courses, as well as several miniature golf amusements.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: Launch your motorboat at any of the public ramps inside Beavers Bend State Park. The park offers paddleboard and canoe rentals, too.

WHERE TO SWIM: The Mountain Fork River has small inlets popular as swimming holes. On the lake, the Stevens Gap area is one of the best spots to take a dip.

BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET: Hike to Rattlesnake Bluff inside Beavers Bend State Park for an only-inOklahoma kind of sunset.

WHERE TO EAT: Nearby Hochatown has several eateries from which to choose. Grateful Head pizza serves up pies like the Dire Wolf (a meatlover’s extravaganza) and the Casey Jones (with Head Country barbecue sauce, chicken, bacon, red onion and pineapple). Just down the parking lot is the Blue Rooster, which cooks up Southern favorites like catfish, fried chicken and po’boys. Mountain Fork Brewery brews beer on-site and features a family-friendly menu and indoor and patio seating.

WHERE TO STAY: This area of the state has seen an explosion in luxury cabin rentals. Bookings for an intimate cabin for two, as well as homes and cul de sacs perfect for a family reunion, can be made on websites like airbnb.com.

Numerous RV parks and campsites dot the area.

Lakeview Lodge at Beavers Bend State Park is currently closed for renovations but is projected to reopen in September.

DRIVING TIME: 1.5 hours POPULAR ACTIVITIES: Disc golfers love the short, but challenging course at Hummingbird Beach. Hike on the 3-mile hilly Arrowhead Hiking Trail at Arrowhead State Park or take on the 2.5-mile Chinkapin Hiking Trail, used by hikers and mountain bikers, at Lake Eufaula State Park.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: Porum Landing — with its campsite, playground, swimming beach and marina — is a popular boat launch site. Dozens of other boat ramps can access Lake Eufaula.

WHERE TO SWIM: Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp Resort offers a water trampoline, splash pad and more.

The City of Eufaula also operates two free swim beaches.

WHERE TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW: The Deep Fork Nature Center welcomes students of all ages to learn about the area’s animals and habitats while participating in naturalist programs and activities.

WHERE TO EAT: Lunch at June’s Restaurant in Checotah is sure to please any picky eater. Choose from one of seven burgers on the menu at Dobber’s Restaurant, just across the Canadian River bridge on Highway 9.

WHERE TO STAY: Live the resort life at Carlton Landing, a community of private homes, vacation rentals and condominiums. The community hosts numerous events, such as yoga, live music and outdoor movies, for guests to enjoy.

Cool off during the hot summer months with a cold, sweet snack from Bud’s Frozen Treats.

***

Lake Eufaula is Oklahoma’s largest man-made lake with more than 800 miles of shoreline and 105,500 surface acres.

***

Deep in McCurtain County lies Broken Bow Lake, a 22-mile-long reservoir surrounded by mountain terrain and dense forest. Beavers Bend State Park sits on its southwestern shores.

The area is popular during autumn for its spectacular foliage.

CARLTON LANDING ON LAKE EUFAULA

RENT A YURT AT BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK ON BROKEN BOW LAKE 46

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

GRAND LAKE: KELI CLARK/OKLAHOMA TOURISM; CARLTON LANDING: COURTESY CARLTON LANDING; BEAVERS BEND/KEYSTONE: LORI DUCKWORTH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

GRAND LAKE O’ THE CHEROKEES DRIVING TIME: 1.25 hours (to Bernice) POPULAR ACTIVITIES: There’s more to do than be on the water. Be sure to visit the Grand River Dam Authority’s Ecosystems and Education Center located steps from Pensacola Dam, which visitors can tour WednesdaySunday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The dam features 51 arches that stretch the length of the river valley and it is on the National Register of Historic Place.

Those who love off-roading head to the GRDA property below the Pensacola Dam for rock crawling. Jeeps and off-road vehicles congregate on weekends and during special events. Also popular is Hogan’s Off Road Park in Disney.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: Ten public boat ramps are available, along with multiple marina options.

WHERE TO SWIM: Several swimming beaches are included at the seven Grand Lake State Park locations.

BEST PLACE TO WATCH FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH: Motorboat over to Duck Creek, in front of Cherokee and Arrowhead Yacht Clubs, for this annual fireworks spectacular — one of the state’s biggest and oldest celebrations.

Don’t miss a flyover by the Tulsa Warbirds.

WHERE TO WATCH THE SUNSET: In Disney grab a table at

Mooney’s Sunset Bar and Grill, known for its ribeye steak sandwich. This live music venue frequently hosts some beloved Tulsa acts.

WHERE TO EAT: In a quaint log cabin in Eucha sits Cosby’s Catfish Restaurant, a favorite for its all-you-caneat catfish, as well as a full menu of steaks, burgers and other fare.

One can find many dining options near the dam in Langley, including Carlos Montez Mexican Restaurant and Cantina for Tex-Mex favorites and the Chicken Coop, where you shouldn’t skimp on dessert. Order a slice of chocolate or coconut pie. New to the scene is the Cove Club, which opened in 2020 and serves up classic and elevated dishes like prime rib, crab legs, steaks and more.

In Ketchum is the family-friendly VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina.

WHERE TO STAY: Built in 1938, the historic Dam Hotel was recently renovated and transformed with two, two-bedroom suites available for those wanting an escape. Just downstairs is the Disney Island Outfitters and Dam Hotel, a boutique swim and gift shop.

Book a short-term rental at a home inside South Shore, a private, gated community featuring a pool, clubhouse and numerous amenities.

Indulge in a vacation at the renovated and luxuriated Shangri-La Resort. (See p. 53 for more.)

*** Created in 1940, Grand Lake has 46,500 surface acres of water with miles of shoreline dotting the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.

Often the host of elite fishing tournaments,

KEYSTONE LAKE DRIVING TIME: 30 minutes POPULAR ACTIVITIES: Fishing is tops, of course, but Keystone Lake also is home to Windycrest Sailing Club, which hosts amateurs and experienced sailors throughout the year and at numerous events.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: Host your big event on a 60-foot yacht rented from Keystone Harbor. Those with their boat already in tow can launch at the New Mannford Recreation Area ramp, or any of the more than a dozen ramps across the lake.

WHERE TO SWIM: Along with the lake’s public swimming areas, a great place to spend the day is Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp Resort. Check out the splash pool, slides and Wibit for water fun.

DON’T MISS: Just east of the lake lies the Keystone Ancient Forest, a 1,300-acre nature preserve protecting 500-year-old cedars and 300-year-old post oak trees. Several hiking trails dot the City of Sand Springsmanaged park that is open Thursday-Sunday.

WHERE TO EAT: After a long day on the water, fill up at Mannford’s Steer Inn, which has been serving comfortfood classics for over 65 years. Don’t leave without trying the hot fudge cake: ice cream sandwiched between two slices of chocolate cake and topped with hot fudge.

WHERE TO STAY: RV and tent sites are available at Keystone State Park, along with 22 cabins that can accommodate intimate weekends or large family gatherings.

***

The area surrounding Keystone Lake is steeped in history. Originally there was a community of Keystone, named for its key position at the junction of the Cimarron and Arkansas rivers.

Botanist Thomas Nuttall explored the area’s plants and flowers in 1819, and famed writer Washington Irving made camp at Bear’s Glen during his 1832 tour.

such as the recent Redcrest 2022, it’s a haven for those fishing for bass.

KEYSTONE STATE PARK

ROCK CRAWLING BELOW PENSACOLA DAM AT GRAND LAKE TulsaPeople.com

47

SKIATOOK LAKE

LAKE TENKILLER

DRIVING TIME: 30 minutes POPULAR ACTIVITIES: Take a hike! The Skull Hollow Nature Trail is a well-marked path with a short and long loop, and a longer 1.3-mile trail with views of the nearby lake and an old Verdigris River horse crossing. The Will Rogers Country Centennial Trail spans 18 miles, beginning near Highway 88.

With its large expanses and wind opportunities, Oologah is a favorite for those who sail.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: There are 14 boat launching ramps, as well as Redbud Marina, which offers a full range of services and supplies.

WHERE TO SWIM: Two beaches, Hawthorn Bluff and Spencer Creek, welcome seasonal swimmers.

WHERE TO EAT: Open seasonally, the Oar House at Redbud Marina serves up Caribbean soul food with an Okie twist. If you’re on the northern end of the lake, head to Nowata for a belly-filling breakfast at the Depot Cafe.

WHERE TO STAY: Bring your RV or tent to Hawthorn Bluff where dozens of lakeside sites are available by reservation on recreation.gov.

DRIVING TIME: 30 minutes POPULAR ACTIVITIES: Skiatook is known for its bass fishing — including largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and striper — as well as walleye, crappie, channel catfish and sunfish.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: With seven boat ramps, if one seems busy you can always find one that’s not as trafficked nearby.

WHERE TO SWIM: There are numerous steep bluffs surrounding this lake, but Tall Chief Cove and Twin Points both offer designated swimming areas for some fun in the sun.

BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET: Just off Highway 20, turn into Osage Park Recreation Area. It’s not very well marked, but a quarter-mile from the entrance is a wooden post with a metal cable that leads to a clearing to a bluff that sits about 80 feet above the water. Be alert: There are no guardrails, but the scenery is second-to-none. It’s often been the site of proposals.

WHERE TO EAT: Before hitting the lake, be sure to swing

by Mac’s Barbecue, an award-winning joint that is a great place to pickup carryout items. Try a “Favorite” like the Messy Pig, a sandwich piled high with pulled pork, slaw and barbecue sauce. Or pick up meat by the pound and a side of campfire potatoes.

WHERE TO STAY: A dozen quaint cabins are available for rental at the Cottages at Crosstimbers. Be near the water and within walking distance of the marina where wave-runner and boat rentals also are available. Get dinner at the marina’s Boomtown Pints and Pies.

DRIVING TIME: 1.5 hours POPULAR ACTIVITIES: The 13,000-acre lake is known for its clear waters that make scuba diving a popular activity at Tenkiller State Park. There’s also plenty of space to water ski, tube or enjoy fishing for largemouth and spotted bass. Numerous marinas rent personal watercrafts, pontoons, ski boats and more.

WHERE TO GET ON THE WATER: There are many marinas and public use ramps spanning the lake, including Horsehoe Bend Public Use Area on the north side, Carlisle Cove boat ramp on the east side and Strayhorn Marina on the southwest corner of the lake.

WHERE TO SWIM: There are swimming beaches at Cherokee Landing State Park and Tenkiller State Park.

DON’T MISS THIS: In the first few months of the year, go on a guided bald eagle or loon tour in the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in nearby Vian. There are also numerous paths to walk in the Tenkiller State Park trail system.

WHERE TO EAT: For three decades, Jimbo’s Restaurant in Gore has been serving home-cooked comfort meals.

There are a lot of great options up the road in Tahlequah, including White Wolf Steakhouse inside Cherokee Casino Tahlequah (reservations recommended).

WHERE TO STAY: There is camping and RV hookups at Tenkiller State Park and Cherokee Landing State Park, plus many private campgrounds in the area. For those looking to rent a cabin or house, Fin and Feather Resort in Gore has plenty to choose from.

***

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-managed lake was once the site of Will Rogers’ birthplace, which was moved and now sits on a hill overlooking the lake. Verdigris River Park, just below Highway 88, is a popular early-morning, bank-fishing spot.

***

Managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Skiatook Lake features 168 miles of shoreline, all nestled in the Osage County hills featuring Blackjack and Post Oak forests among Tallgrass Prairie.

VERDIGRIS RIVER PARK AT OOLOGAH LAKE

TALL CHIEF COVE AREA AT SKIATOOK LAKE

48

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

LAKE TENKILLER

***

South of Tahlequah sits Lake Tenkiller, an outdoors haven with plenty for those on land and water to see and do. Its location is steeped in Cherokee history and numerous significant sites are a short drive away.

OOLOGAH, SKIATOOK: ANNE BROCKMAN; TENKILLER: LORI DUCKWORTH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

OOLOGAH LAKE

South Shore at Grand

A gated and private home community...only an hour’s drive from Tulsa!

S

The View

outh Shore at Grand is the newest development on Grand Lake, and the largest development of Single

The vista from South Shore’s 600 feet of shoreline has an ele-

Family homes on the lake in a decade. Located

vated view of the lake from 60 feet above the water. If you gaze

just a half mile from the intersection of Highways

up at the development from the center of the lake, you feel like

28/82 in Langley, it is the closest property to Tulsa, located on

you are among the Caribbean Islands as you see the diversity

the bluff of South Grand Lake, literally an hour’s drive.

of sandy beaches, rock bluffs, and an unrestricted view up the

A gated and private home community, South Shore offers

main body of the lake for miles and miles.

the perfect combination of laid back luxury and exquisite

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tastes. Only a few lots remain of private single family homes ranging from $300,000 to $900,000.

The space you need to reconnect with family and friends.

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Black Gold Group is a diversified investment company that has significant experience in developing subdivisions, building homes, and planning and executing residential real estate

A nine acre, wooded site is exclusive, gated and has wonder-

developments. Black Gold Group has developed two other

made of native limestone and 4 separate constantly circulating

as the development of many subdivisions and homes in Tulsa

ful continuously circulating water features including 5 dams

successful Grand Lake projects over the last 12 years, as well

nature pools.

over the past 20 years. The builder is Black Gold Construction,

Short-Term Rentals

the architectural design and layout for the homes and site plan.

led by President Chris George, who has provided South Shore

South Shore is unique in that it allows short-term rentals such

as Airbnb & VRBO. Many current homeowners are finding that renting their home a few days a year can result in their

A beautiful and serene place to relax.

mortgage and expenses being paid as well as making additional income.

Private Docks South Shore will have three large private docks to accommodate most any size boat, located a quick walk from all the homesites and accessible by the motorized tram.

The Lighthouse A 60 foot tall stone and wood lighthouse with an internal

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over 100 feet above the lake. The observation deck allows you to view 8 miles up Grand Lake.

The Pool

The Tram

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The docks and swim deck are accessible by a state-of-the-art

area has a wood-burning fireplace that will be a gathering place

stops at the base of the lighthouse to load guests and transport

restrooms and additional amenities. The South Shore commons for those sunny but cool fall and winter days.

motorized tram as well as by walkway and stairs. The tram them safely down to the ramp above the boat slips.

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1) The guest bedroom incorporates hues of blue to complement the lake views just outside the wall of windows. Designer Brenda Rice used dressers as nightstands to maximize space and placed a pieced cowhide rug over the luxury vinyl plank flooring as a durable, yet stylish accent.

2) With six children and nine grandchildren, Linda and Bob Rawlings use the 1,610-square-foot Grand Lake cabin they bought 20 years ago as a getaway. Linda can often be found reading the latest novel in the living room or on the outside deck. Bob loves to fish. A sleeper sofa, appropriately sized furniture and swivel chairs were used in the space.

3) In this update, the home’s kitchen was freshened with a new backsplash. To alleviate congestion, designer Brenda Rice moved the front door, which used to open into the kitchen, several feet.

4) The dining room table accommodates seating for 10 with the use of the banquette underneath the exterior window.

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COZY COTTAGE FORMER FISHING CABIN IS TRANSFORMED INTO A GRAND LAKE GETAWAY FOR A BIXBY FAMILY.

BY ANNE BROCKMAN

MICHELLE POLLARD; MONKEY ISLAND: COURTESY SHANGRI-LA RESORT

EDDY’S LAKESIDE BAR AT SHANGRI-LA

Twenty years ago, as Linda and Bob Rawlings were cruising around Grand Lake they spotted a for sale sign from the water.

“We were looking for a place on the lake — a weekend place we could go,” Linda says. Seeing a person outside the house, their son jumped in the water and swam to shore to ask how to get to the property by land.

“It’s just a small place, but we fell in love with the location,” she says of the waterfront property likely built in the 1930s.

The 1,610-square-foot cottage received some TLC over the years, but it was really transformed when the Rawlings enlisted help from Brenda Rice of GHD Interiors. The Jenks-based design firm had worked on other Rawlings properties over the years, and they knew Rice could make their dreams a reality.

The home’s ceilings were raised, and tongue-ingroove wood and real wood beams were installed in the main living room, where the biggest transformations took place. Rice removed a brick fireplace that gave 30 more inches to the room.

The main living space has nearly a complete wall of windows “Every care and worry you have leaves when you look through those windows,” Linda says. Rice designed a banquette under one of those windows for a reading nook and to provide some additional dining seating.

“One of the other things that makes a house live larger is when you use one flooring in the whole home and one paint color,” GHD co-owner Gina Miller says of the luxury vinyl plank flooring that was installed. “It just unifies everything.”

The master bedroom, with its two walls of windows, features a king-sized bed with a seating area and a pair of swivel chairs so the Rawlings can take in the view while drinking their morning coffee.

“The guest bedroom specifically needed storage solutions,” Rice says. Without a closet, or room to add one, Rice used two dressers as nightstands and added a railing behind the door for hanging clothes, if needed.

The kitchen was freshened up with a new glass tile backsplash and extended countertops and by freeing up the previously congested space by moving the front door. “You used to walk right into that kitchen,” Rice says, “so we moved the door and installed a glass front door to bring in natural light, which again opens up the space.”

With its history as a fishing cabin, Rice recalls the home’s small doorways — some less than 24 inches wide. The Rawlings wanted comfortable furniture that could be accessible for their guests of all ages, so everything had to be measured and carefully thought out before purchasing and installing in the home.

Now retired, the Rawlings spend quiet weekdays at the lake and find joy in the 180-degree views on their property.

“You don’t have to have a big sprawling castle on the lake for it to be perfect,” Linda says. “It’s manageable for your mind and senses.” TP

MONKEY-ING AROUND GRAND LAKE’S MONKEY ISLAND IS HOME TO MANY AMENITIES, INCLUDING RESORT SHANGRI-LA. BY KELLY BOSTIAN Monkey Island is no island and there are no monkeys, but it is a barrel of fun thanks to its numerous lake homes, businesses, a private airport and the renovated and growing Shangri-La Resort at the tip of the 6-mile-long peninsula.

“We broke ground in 2010, and we have not seen a day yet when something was not under construction, and that’s not going to change anytime soon,” says Resort Communications Director Mike Williams, a longtime “Grand Laker” and local historian.

The Monkey Island moniker name comes with some fictitious tales, but Williams says the true version dates to 1938, when the lake basin was cleared for the new reservoir.

A Tulsa World reporter was on site and talked to a man who had recently visited the Tulsa Zoo, where friends and family fed monkeys at an enclosure that included a small island surrounded by a moat. While eyeing the new landscape the man joked with the reporter, “over there will be Monkey Island, where the monkeys will be.”

The name hit the newspaper and it stuck.

When it was completed in 1964, Shangri-La was a modest lakeside destination hotel and golf course at the tip of the peninsula but soon became “the place to be” with bigwigs hanging by the pool or hitting the links with New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle (a local boy from Commerce).

But the 1980s economic downturn bankrupted the resort, and the golf course fell into disrepair. Finally, Eddy Gibbs purchased the land in 2010 and sought to return the site to its glory days.

The 119-room hotel, giant pool and new spa opened in 2017. The renovated and upgraded marina serves watercraft from smallest to largest. Available are boat rentals, yacht tours and the chance to strap in and soar with the only parasailing operation in the state.

Visitors can choose from several dining establishments: indoor, outdoor, fancy dining to fun snacks, a quiet table, or a bar and grill with live entertainment.

The golf course glory days are back. “You wouldn’t recognize it from where we started,” Williams says. “(Before the 2012 renovation) parts of that course were like playing on a parking lot. They were bailing hay on other parts.”

The 27 holes are now rated among the most popular in the state, he says. Under construction is the Battlefield, an 18-hole par-3 that, with 100 feet of elevation change, will be a beauty for amateurs at the short tee boxes and a true challenge for the best sticks from the back tees. It is expected to open spring 2023. “It’s not going to be a simple chip-n-putt course,” Williams says.

The year-round game changer, or game provider, is the Anchor entertainment complex, which covers 6 acres and offers 10,000 square feet of indoor recreation, Williams says.

It has virtual golf, racquetball, tennis courts, and games from pickle ball to corn hole. The Anchor, along with the golf course, hotel and marina are all open to the public.

“It’s the only place between Kansas City and Dallas that offers all these different things,” he says. “I tell people the Anchor is a playground where you can have fun, as long as you’re between the ages of 5 and 90.”

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BEYOND AVERAGE OKLAHOMA’S LAKES AND STREAMS PROVIDE PLENTY OF FUN ON THE WATER, AND EVEN SOME ACTIVITIES YOU MIGHT NOT THINK COULD BE DONE IN OKLAHOMA.

BY KELLY BOSTIAN “Lake Tenkiller is the clearest in the state of Oklahoma, and it has been the best since scuba started,” says John Cotherman, owner of Gene’s Aqua Pro Shop.

SCUBA

John Cotherman, owner of Gene’s Aqua Pro in Gore, says Lake Tenkiller is the top Oklahoma scuba diving location with its own 150-foot-deep scuba park, which is about to get a new feature.

At the bottom of the lake are old airplane fuselages, a helicopter, several boats and a school bus — all put there for divers to explore by local scuba shop Nautical Adventures, according to Cotherman. The bus has been rusting away and will be replaced with an old fire truck this year, he says. “Diving at the scuba park, you can see smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and lots of perch,” he adds. “They’re friendly to divers because they’re used to being fed.”

Shops like Gene’s will rent scuba gear, but only to those who are certified. Most shops offer classes, and the certification process takes three days of work in the pool and at the lake, Cotherman adds.

NOODLING

“All these water systems have good fi sh in them — you have to have different techniques for each of them,” says noodling aficionado Kaleb Summers, left.

The old-fashioned traditional method of catching a big catfish by using your own hand as bait is a pursuit that will never be sullied by high-tech radar or fancy fishing gear, says longtime guide Kaleb Summers.

Noodling involves finding underwater holes in riverbanks and lakesides, where big flathead or blue catfish nest. An invading hand is bitten hard, often shaken like a rag doll, but technique in the grab can avoid injury. Just be ready to hold your breath, and hang on. Nearby noodling meccas include Skiatook Lake, Keystone Lake, Fort Gibson Lake, the Grand River and the Arkansas River.

Neophytes should always seek an experienced teacher and never, ever, go alone, Summers says.

Finding experienced help can be tricky season-to-season. Summers is like many others who have scaled back on guiding noodlers. “Life got busy,” he says. “Most of my time is spent as a rodeo cowboy. I still take a few trips per year, though, so people can still reach out.” He recommends asking around at the bait shops, checking online and making some calls.

“You’ll find someone,” he says. “Word gets around, and people know who will take a guided trip.”

A recent catch during one of Jeremiah Mefford’s guided paddlefi sh fi shing excursions on Keystone Lake.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

The biggest news out of Oklahoma lakes in recent years topped 164 pounds and was nearly 7 feet long. It was a world-record paddlefish, sometimes called a spoonbill.

These fish are caught on rod-and-reel, but this not a typical kind of fishing — they’re snagged, not lured. Nor are these prehistoric critters a typical kind of fish.

Jeremiah Mefford of Reel Good Time Guide Service, based on Keystone Lake, perfected a technique that put two world-record-breakers on his boat in recent years. If you’re itching for a fight, he can arrange it. The activity is popular enough he added assistant guide boats for the coming season.

“I tell people if they kind of want to see what deep-sea fishing is like, this is Oklahoma’s version of deep-sea fishing, or about as close as you can get,” Mefford says.

“Some of these fish will try to rip your arms off.”

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More than 40,000 people are expected to descend on Southern Hills Country Club each day during the upcoming PGA Championship.

GREG BOLLINGER

A MAJOR MOMENT FOR TULSA SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB HOSTS RECORD FIFTH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP FROM MAY 16-22.

BY TIM LANDES TulsaPeople.com

57

“We’ve never been to a venue five times.

It’s tough to stay at that level,

had a steady commitment to championships and keeping the golf course in great shape.”

– BRYAN KARNS, PGA OF AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIP DIRECTOR 58

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Southern Hills Country Club hosted the 2021 Senior PGA Championship, won by Alex Cejka, seen here hugging his caddie on No. 18.

Sometime early in the third week of May, Nick Sidorakis will arrive at Southern Hills Country Club in the darkness of the early hours, his headlights illuminating the tree-lined driveway up to the clubhouse.

It will likely be 4:30 a.m. when the day’s golf maintenance meeting will get underway. Th irty minutes later, Sidorakis will walk the course under the stars until the sky starts to light up over the No. 11 green.

“I’ll watch the sunrise and really just try and take it all in and appreciate what we have and what we’re going to host. It’s pretty neat,” says the 63-year-old SHCC chief operating officer and general manager, who will retire at the end of 2023, ending a 28-year career. “I love to go and see them stamp the greens and get green speeds.

I’m going to try to take it all in and be thankful we’re going to do another one of these.”

On May 16-22, Southern Hills will host a record fifth PGA Championship. It’s the club’s first since 2007 when Tiger Woods won the Wanamaker Trophy. Much has changed since then.

In 2018-2019, golf course architect Gil Hanse oversaw an extensive restoration of the course to return it back to Perry Maxwell’s 1935 legendary design, while adapting the course to meet current U.S. Golf Association standards. The greens were rebuilt, bunkers renovated and repositioned along fairways, six creeks restored and maybe most importantly, the course also was lengthened by over 300 yards from the back tees.

In 2007, 18 players averaged over 300 yards a drive with a tour average of 288.6 yards. Th is season on the PGA Tour, nearly 100 golfers are averaging 300 yards, with the overall tour average at 296.6 (as of March 29).

“They hit it a heck of a lot farther than we ever thought we would be able to hit it,” Sidorakis says. “It’ll be interesting to see how the distance holds up on our golf course. We’ve lengthened it

to the point where they’ll have a driver in their hands a lot more than what happened in ’07. I think Tiger pulled a driver out six times during the four rounds. Well, I don’t think that will be the case this time. I think a driver is going to be in their hands a decent amount of the time.”

Fifteen years ago, this tournament was played in the sweltering heat and humidity of a typical Oklahoma August. Th is year it should be similar conditions to last year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

“If it’s windy, which it normally is in May during that time, it will throw a whole different element at them compared to the humidity in August of ’07,” he says. “I think the golf course will play completely different than anything we’ve seen, and I think with this new breed of golfer, there are a lot more shot makers.”

Sidorakis has witnessed the evolution of the game, the golfers and what it takes to host a major tournament, going back to the 1995 PGA Tour Championship when Billy Mayfair won by three strokes. Th is year will be unlike anything ever seen at Southern Hills.

Sidorakis says the buildout is 30% to 40% bigger than 2007. A more recent comparison for those who attended last year’s Senior PGA Championship: “Think about 10 times bigger,” he says.

“We’re going to be using all 300 acres for the Championship,” Sidorakis adds. “It definitely has a different look and feel to this Championship compared to ’07. Everything’s on the golf course as compared to then when it was on the peripheral of the golf course” or only around the clubhouse.

A CITY WITHIN A CITY

It’s the middle of March and construction is well underway as Bryan Karns, PGA of America championship director, drives a roofless golf cart on the path near where the main entrance will

CONTINUED ON P. 60

GREG BOLLINGER

but they’ve always

CONTINUED FROM P. 58

Years of preparation culminate this May for PGA of America Championship Director Bryan Karns, Southern Hills Country Club COO and General Manager Nick Sidorakis, and SHCC Tournament Chariman Jeff Smith, pictured here with the Wanamaker Trophy.

be located. The flooring is already in place for a 60,000 square-foot gift shop.

“It will be like walking into a big retail store with all your favorite golfer’s attire for sale, plus a lot of other merchandise,” says Karns, a Stillwater native and Oklahoma State graduate now in his 12th year with the PGA. He originally returned to Oklahoma to oversee operations for last year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Then came a Jan. 26, 2021, announcement the organization was relocating the 2022 PGA Championship to Tulsa due to a parting of ways with Donald Trump and his Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

With an operations team in place, a challenging course in great shape and a storied relationship, Karns says it was an easy decision to bring one of golf ’s biggest events back to Tulsa.

“First and foremost, we don’t go to venues that don’t challenge the top golfers in the world, and they’ve done just an incredible job over the years here at Southern Hills,” says Karns, who will move to Charlotte, North Carolina, later this year to begin preparations for the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.

“We’ve never been to a venue five times. It’s tough to stay at that level, but they’ve always had a steady commitment to championships and keeping the golf course in great shape. (Southern Hills Golf Course Superintendent) Russ Myers is as good as it gets, in terms of keeping the golf course in shape.”

CONTINUED ON P. 62

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Scottie Scheffler is the reigning Masters Champion and will compete at this month’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

Southern Hills and is serving as the tournament chairman for Southern Hills. Smith attended every big tournament the course has hosted since the mid ’90s and says on the heels of the recent economic struggles, this tournament is poised to be a big win for more than one professional golfer.

“We view it as a win for our club, but primarily it’s a win for Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma,” Smith says. “It has a huge economic impact the

weeks leading up to the tournament and specifically for the week of the tournament.”

According to Tulsa Regional Tourism, the PGA Championship will have an economic impact of $143.5 million. By the middle of March there were very few hotel rooms available in the metro during tournament week. That means not only will 156 of the best golfers be visiting Tulsa, but also tens of thousands of visitors spending time and money in the city.

“I am so excited about what it means to our club, what it means to our city, what it means to our state, and how the world’s going to be looking at Tulsa for a week and seeing it’s a great place to live and raise your family and enjoy life,” says Smith, who attends lots of operations meetings and serves as a liaison between PGA officials and the Southern Hills leadership.

Come the evening of Sunday, May 22, this year’s tournament champion will pose for photographs as he holds the Wanamaker Trophy.

The droves of spectators, volunteers and workers will clear the course as the sun sets on another golf major. Sidorakis will get in his car and drive home, his final major championship in his rearview mirror.

“It’s going to be fun to look back on it having done seven championships, three of which are majors,” he says. “It’s pretty special. One of the reasons I came to Southern Hills is if I couldn’t play in a PGA Championship, I might as well run it. So it’s been really, really rewarding.” TP

COURTESY PGA TOUR

Karns says the tournament’s relocation to Tulsa one year after the Senior PGA could not have worked out better from a timing standpoint.

“It provided the perfect opportunity for us to work up from a scaled-down Senior PGA,” Karns says. “Everything we built for the Senior PGA could fit in just a few of the tents on the course this year.”

Eight thousand people attended the Senior PGA each day. Last year’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, capped attendance at 10,000 a day due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that caused the 2020 PGA Championship to be delayed and then played with no spectators.

Th is month more than 40,000 people will descend on the Tulsa golf course each day of the tournament. It will take 3,000 volunteers to help make the tournament run smoothly.

Karns has weaved around the course and come to a stop near a complex of giant tents being constructed near South 61st Street. In a couple of months thousands of people will be enjoying the amenities offered inside them.

“Th is is the fi rst full-fledged PGA we’ve had since 2019,” Karns says. “It really feels like in a lot of ways, it’s been kind of this three-year hiatus since we’ve been able to do it. It’s exciting. The fact that we get to do it here just makes it that much better.”

Jeff Smith agrees. He’s a 25-year member of

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

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THE SHOT MAKERS Jordan Spieth

Most of the golfers playing in the PGA have never played a major at Southern Hills. COO Nick Sidorakis says the younger generation’s style of play will make for exciting spectating.

“Patrick Cantlay, (Xander) Schauffele, (Jordan) Spieth, (Justin) Thomas and Brooks Koepka.

They’re shot makers,” Sidorakis says. “It’ll be really interesting to see how they approach the course. They’re pretty methodical anyhow. All of them, for that matter. It’s a different group than we’ve seen here before for sure.”

Viktor Hovland

As golf goes through a youth movement, PGA’s Bryan Karns adds a few rising stars to watch.

“There are so many of those guys who are out there right now who are bringing a new energy to the new tour,” Karns says. “Collin Morikawa won the PGA in 2020 and is one of the bright stars, as are Oklahoma State golfers Viktor Hovland and Matt Wolff.”

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WHERE TO WATCH NICK SIDORAKIS SUGGESTS SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB’S BEST PLACES TO WATCH DURING THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: 4

Behind the NO. 4 green is a great spot to watch the short par 4; you’ll see very interesting approaches and great putts because everything sort of downhill runs toward you, away from down the hillside.

5/6

You can sit behind the NO. 5 green and NO. 6 tee box and see basically two greens and a tee shot. You can see the two greens on 2 and 5, and then you can see the tee shots on 6.

7

NO. 7 is going to be a fun hole because everything has changed.

15

NO. 15 has my favorite green on the golf course. There’s so much movement. It’s hard to read.

17

On 17 it might play a day or two as a drivable par 4, so that’ll be fun to watch.

13/16

Another great spot is 13/16 GREEN. You can see two different approach shots, whether it’s a second shot or third shot on the 13, a par 5, and then a long second shot into 16, a par 4.

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outhern Hills Country Club, site of the 2022 PGA Championship, is considered to have one of the premier courses in the nation and is recognized as one of the top 100 courses in the world. Established in 1936, it is one of only two clubs built during the Depression, the other being Augusta National, site of the Masters.

Southern Hills was designed by native Oklahoman Perry Maxwell on land donated by noted oilman and philanthropist Waite Phillips. Phillips insisted Maxwell design the course; he liked the architect’s style of adorning nature, not disturbing it.

Maxwell designed many outstanding courses during his career, including the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club; Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson, Kansas; the Colonial Golf Club in Fort Worth, Texas; and Dornick Hills in Maxwell’s hometown of Ardmore. Southern Hills, however, is considered to be his crown jewel. The course was restored in 2019 by Gil Hanse.

Southern Hills Country Club has been the site of 16 major championships since 1945, including four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, the 2021 Senior PGA Championship and eight other major championships.

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Course Guide cover photo by Greg Bollinger Course and hole graphics courtesy of Best Approach Yardage Guides, bestapproach.com 70

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

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INSURICA 1 472 YARDS PAR 4

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Andy Johnson

| Three-time Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? The biggest challenge is an approach shot that holds the green … especially if playing the approach shot from the rough.

406 S. Boulder Ave., Suite 500 918-660-0090 | insurica.com 72

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The tee shot presents a classic risk versus reward option. The left side of the fairway provides a much better angle of approach to the green, but the deep fairway bunkers on the left result in a significant penalty for an errant shot.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The left side of this green is diabolical. Even a crisp approach shot to this portion of the green can trickle off the green to a collection area. A chip shot from the collection area can very easily end up back at your feet.

YOUR ADVICE: Th is is a challenging opening hole, and birdies will be infrequent. Play for the middle of the green. Par is your friend.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

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Mike Carter

| Five-time Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Avoiding the multiple opportunities to incur penalty strokes by hitting in the creek or the inability to spin the ball and hold the green by hitting it in the rough.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Danger is looming everywhere from tee to green for a player to make a high score. There is a reason this is the No. 1 handicap hole.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The players must avoid the creek crossing the fairway, the creek on the left, the rough on the right, the tree in the fairway and the creek behind the green.

YOUR ADVICE: Drive the ball in the fairway, avoiding the tree, so you have a clear shot to hit and hold the green.

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COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Central Bank YOUR BETTER BANKING EXPERIENCE STARTS HERE

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

| Two-time Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? This entire hole, from the drive through the green, is extremely challenging. A good drive is crucial. Playing from the tips, the pros will need to hit a 290-plus yard drive down a treelined fairway to get into scoring position. The best approach to the green is played from the center to right side of the fairway, but with a prevailing cross wind from right to left, the trees and thick rough on the left can come into play. A poorly hit drive, if hooked, can even wind up in the creek, which runs down the left side of the fairway. Once you get to the green, the pros will be facing perhaps the biggest challenge of the hole. The green slopes severely from back to front and right to left. Any putt or chip from above the hole requires a deft touch. Any putt or chip from the left side of the green to the right will play slower than most players will realize.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? There is not just one thing.

First, you need to hit your drive to a narrow target being played from the center to right side of the fairway, navigating it through a prevailing cross wind. Although the approach to the green is not long, it is critical to keep the ball below the hole due to the severity of the slope of the green.

YOUR ADVICE: Hit a good drive to the center or right side of the fairway and put your approach below the hole. Your uphill putt will be slower than you expect. Make sure you have enough pace to get it to the hole. Make your birdie or tap-in par and you will have done well.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

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Leigh Ann Fore 2020 Club Champion, Three-time Match Play Champion WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Th is is a short par 4 with a very undulating fairway that slopes from left to right to an elevated green. You need a well-placed drive to avoid an awkward lie for the approach.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Players should avoid going long on their approach, so club selection is key. An up and down from anywhere above the hole can be very difficult on this front-to-back sloped green.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The slope and undulation of the green makes putting a challenge even when close to the hole.

YOUR ADVICE: Keep your drive to the left side of the fairway and play to the middle of the green.

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COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

KingsPointe Village 5 656 YARDS PAR 5

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

| 2016 Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Th is hole requires three well-positioned shots to avoid trouble. If a player misses any of these shots a bogey or worse is in play.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The green complex is difficult and any short sided approach shots will make an up and down difficult.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Players trying to make a birdie on this hole need to avoid the left greenside bunkers.

With the greens fi rm and fast, this sand shot can easily get away and leave a long putt or even chip to save par.

YOUR ADVICE: Position your greenside approach shot to a comfortable yardage where you can control trajectory and spin.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Langdon Publishing 6

THANK YOU

226 YARDS PAR 3

for selecting Southern Hills Country Club to host the

and spotlighting one of America’s great golf courses and cities.

Fred Daniel III WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? The biggest challenge is placing the ball on the green.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? With a south wind and with the tees all the way back it will be difficult to hold the green.

| Six-time Club Champion

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? You must hit to the middle of the green. Anything left, you are in the water. And if you are long, you are against the fence.

YOUR ADVICE: Play to the middle of the green and take your 3. Angel Cabrera, former Masters and U.S. Open winner, made a 10 in the 2007 PGA.

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77

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Greg Ratliff, MD (Plastic Surgery Center of Tulsa) 7 443 YARDS PAR 4

Dr. Ratliff and the staff at Greg Ratliff, MD, and Inject, an Aesthetics Bar, salute all those who are helping to make Tulsa one of the nation’s premiere cities for professional golf.

Greg Ratliff, MD, FACS 2107 E 15th St., Tulsa 918.712.0888 918.712.1767 (Inject) 800.544.3237

pscoftulsa.com injecttulsa.com 78

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Lawrence Field

| 1995 Club Champion

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? The biggest challenge is hitting the fairway off the tee as the hole doglegs to the left.

With the fairway sloping right at the landing area, the objective is to keep your drive on the left side of the fairway.

WHAT PLAYERS SHOULD AVOID ON THIS HOLE? If the pin is placed on the right side of the green, avoid being right of the pin where the ball can easily bounce into the creek located on the right side of the green.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Keeping your tee shot in a fairway that has a significant slope to the right. If the ball kicks right off the slope it will bounce into the trees into the right rough.

YOUR ADVICE: Hit a slight draw off the tee with a long iron or hybrid to about 250 yards on the left side of the fairway. Th is will leave a 135-yard wedge shot ensuring the second shot is between the center of the green and the pin placement.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

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WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Once you pick your line, distance calculation and club selection are the biggest challenges due to subtle uphill conditions and less wind exposure at the tee than at the hole (see the hole diagram).

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Right bunkers are a challenge for almost any hole location, especially front locations due to severe back-to-front slope there.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The need to hit your ball on your intended line because of the bunker protection.

YOUR ADVICE: Hit a little extra yardage and aim between the bunkers to the large part of the green for any hole location. Par is good.

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79

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

CommunityCare 9 395 YARDS PAR 4

Local people who care about you and your health.

Casey Lamb

ccok.com 80

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

| 2012 Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Normally this hole plays into the south wind, which makes the short approach shot difficult to judge distance. And, the green is very undulating with a front roll off.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? A drive in the right rough will block most approach shots. Long of the green will challenge anyone’s chipping.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Controlling your approach and managing the green.

YOUR ADVICE: Find the fairway in order to control the approach. A possible birdie hole with two good shots.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

First Oklahoma Bank

First Oklahoma Bank

wishes OSU legend

Viktor Hovland

much success during the PGA Championship at Southern Hills!

10 406 YARDS PAR 4

Viktor, of course, is an Oklahoma State golf legend who won the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links. During his three seasons at OSU, he was a two-time first-team All-American and three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection. As a junior, Hovland was named the Ben Hogan Award winner and Big 12 Player of the Year, and reached the No. 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

A native of Oslo, Norway, he is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour with victories in the Puerto Rican Open (2019-20 season), the Mayakoba Golf Classic (2020-21), and the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba (2021-22). Additional victories have been at the 2021 BMW International Open, the 2021 Hero World Challenge, and the 2022 Dubai Desert Classic. He competed on the 2020 Ryder Cup Team and in the 2020 Olympic Games.

Viktor Hovland is known for making history as the first Norwegian player to win the U.S. Amateur (2018) and the first player from Norway to compete in the Masters (2019).

Dena Dills Nowotny WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? The biggest challenge is hitting (and staying on) the green with your second shot.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The greatest thing to avoid is missing the green to the left.

| 15-time Club Champion

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The single most difficult thing is putting. (The green has much contour and will be extremely fast). Best to putt from below the cup.

YOUR ADVICE: A well-placed tee shot to left center of the fairway, followed with a short club to the green. Perhaps a wedge. Premium to stay below the hole and, by all means, don’t miss the green to the left. Extremely penal to do so.

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www.FirstOklahomaBank.com TulsaPeople.com

81

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Coldwell Banker Shangri La Realty 11 173 YARDS PAR 3

Scott Mabrey 2018 Club Champion, three-time runner-up; Green Committee Chairman, 2019-2020; Incoming President, 2022 WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Judging the wind. If any wind is blowing, it always swirls in this portion of the course.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Missing it left. There is a creek left of the green and if the ball is not in the creek, it’s one of the toughest up and down on the course.

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? There is not a good place to miss the green. If the player does not hit the green, making par is very difficult.

YOUR ADVICE: Don’t challenge a pin in the back of the green or front left.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

American Bank and Trust

American Bank and Trust Proudly serving Tulsa since 1971

12 461 YARDS PAR 4

Parker H. Foster WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE HOLE? The approach shot, which is typically played with the ball above the player’s feet into a strong prevailing left to right southerly wind.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The left rough and trees are jail and leave little to no chance to hit the green in two shots.

| Two-time Club Champion

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Everything.

YOUR ADVICE: If you have the power, bomb it over the fairway bunker and wedge it on.

Otherwise, play smart like Tiger Woods did in 2007 — short and right of the fairway bunker off the tee. Then aim for the middle of the green and get your two putt and get out! Go birdie hunting on No. 13.

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83

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Renaissance Hardwood Floors 13 632 YARDS PAR 5

Jerry Greer

The Renaissance starts today Nothing brings a Renaissance to your home or office like a custom-designed hardwood floor.

www.RenHardwood.com 84

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Two-time Club Champion, Six-time Senior Club Champion, Two-time Oklahoma Senior Stroke Play Champion WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Hole No. 13, a short par 5, is a great risk/ reward hole. An eagle 3 can be made, but errant shots can produce a 7.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? There is a large tree on the left that affects approach shots. Best to stay on the right side of the fairway.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? There are two ponds guarding the front of the green. They must be cleared when going for the green with the second shot.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

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Kevin Schultz

Four-time Club Champion, Texas State Amateur Champion WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? The length of the hole measuring 230 yards from the back tees with a smallish green requires a solid struck shot to hit the green with the predominant right to left wind.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Short siding yourself around the green makes it nearly impossible to save par on this hole. Usually, a miss to the left side of the green results in a bogey with green sloping away from you.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The length is going to require the pros to hit a long iron or wood into the hole and try to hit a narrow target.

YOUR ADVICE: With a right to left wind, aim it up the right side of the green and if the wind doesn’t push it a miss to the right is a much easier up and down.

TulsaPeople.com

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COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

TULSA HILLS CIGAR CELLAR & MARKET 1,000+ Premium Cigars

TULSA HILLS WINE CELLAR 100+ Bourbons

Tulsa Hills Wine & Cigar Cellars 15 417 YARDS PAR 4

Matt McKee

| 2004 Club Champion

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? With the winds typically blowing 10-20 miles per hour into the player’s face, the position of the tee ball on this mid-length mild dogleg left is the biggest challenge in order to play an aggressive approach shot into a very undulating green.

7420 S Olympia Ave, Tulsa @TulsaHillsCigar | @TulsaHillsWine

TULSAHILLSWINECELLAR.COM 86

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Players need to be aware of the speed of the green. Getting above the hole and even going over the green with your approach shot will generally lead to a score above par.

Avoid going long.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? The toughest single thing about 15 is the distance control of your approach shot. Knowing you’re hitting into the wind and landing on a severely sloped green where long is a penalty makes pulling the correct club and hitting it with the proper trajectory a difficult task.

YOUR ADVICE: Play a conservative tee ball to 150 yards. Aim at the middle of the green on the approach. Give yourself a look at birdie. But accept par as a solid score on this testy hole.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Chinowth & Cohen Realtors 16

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567 YARDS PAR 5

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1991 Club Champion, Senior Club | Champion, WK Warren Champion

Randy Olmstead

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Setting up the approach shot with a driver that must find the fairway because the green isn’t receptive to an approach shot from the rough or the fairway bunker.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The player must avoid the penalty area short and left of the green.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Length of the hole.

Hole 16 is a par 5 changed to par 4 for the championship, and most players will use a driver if they expect to have a lofted iron to the small heavily bunkered green.

YOUR ADVICE: Th is hole should be considered a birdie opportunity provided the player’s tee shot finds the fairway on top of the hill, allowing the player to attack the green.

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87

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa 17 371 YARDS PAR 4

Six-time Club Champion, Match | Play Champion, Senior USGA Women’s Qualifier, Three-time

Jill C. Johnson

USGA Women’s Mid-Am Qualifier, Four-time Fore State Team Member, Five-time State Four-Ball Champion WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? In my opinion, the biggest challenge is the green complex. The green is small and very undulated and is well protected by bunkers and a creek.

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WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? Players should avoid the right side of the fairway off the tee. Players should aim down the left side as the fairway slopes left to right.

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

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WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? No. 17 is tough because it demands accuracy both off the tee as well as with the approach shot.

YOUR ADVICE: Choose the club off the tee that you feel most confident with to put the ball in the fairway. On the approach shot, ignore the pin placement and aim for the center of the green.

COURSE GUIDE HOLE SPONSOR

McGraw Realtors 18

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491 YARDS PAR 4

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Mike Phenicie WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THIS HOLE? Th is par 4 hole is easily the second-most difficult hole on the course. Some may have difficulty dialing in correct yardage with a prevailing south wind and severe uphill approach to a difficult green complex.

WHAT SHOULD PLAYERS AVOID ON THIS HOLE? The right rough must be avoided off the tee box. Trees line the right-hand side and create a near impossible second shot.

| Two-time Club Champion WHAT IS THE SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS HOLE THAT MAKES IT TOUGH? Everything about this great finishing hole requires a player’s disciplined focus. An undulating fairway almost always provides an uneven lie.

YOUR ADVICE: Players must favor left side of the fairway off the tee and fi re an accurate approach that must carry to the green. Birdies will be far and few between on this final hole.

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TulsaPeople.com

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Richard Koenig

T U L S A OPE R A B A L L

2022

event C hAirs

Ashleigh Boedeker

A mAndA duenner

heAther luessenhop

Debutantes & Squires

MICAELA KIARA ATKINSON

ZOE MAE BARKETT

ANNIKA GAIL BARTLETT

GREER ELIZABETH BOEDEKER

DEMI DANIELLE DAVID

BRIDGETTE CARRINGTON DIETERLEN

LAYLA ANNE DROTAR

MILANNE ELISE FIELDS

ADDISON LAVEE FULTON

SADIE DIANE GAWEY

CAROLINE AVA GREER

ABBY NICOLE JOHNSON

EMMA LAVON LEWIS

MEGAN LEANN LOBATO

ALICE ELIZABETH MILTON

SOPHIE GRACE MURRAY

TIERNEY LINDY SHAW

AVERY BLAKE SIEGFRIED

HARPER JANE SIEMENS

AINSLEY BROOKE SMITH

ADISON JANE BAILEY TUNNELL

ANNABELLE SUE WHITE

MARY MADISON WILSON

REESE AVERY WOOSLEY

62 Years

Tradition

of

April 2, 2022 • southern hills Country CluB For more information about the 2023 Opera Ball, please contact Meredith Miers at mmiers@tulsaopera.com or 918-582-4035, Ext. 105.

JOSEPH DAVID KACERE

FORD WITTENBERG LUESSENHOP

LAKE DAVID LUESSENHOP

ROBERT LUKE SHARPE

THOMAS ANDREW SHARPE

ALEX JEFFREY WILHELM

JAKE CHRISTOPHER WILHELM

CONNOR EDELL WILLIAMS

“Why does watching a dog be a dog fill one with happiness?”

– J.S. FOER

Float Coat™

2803 South Harvard | dogdishtulsa.com Open 10-6 Monday–Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday

Berry fresh

J

MICHELLE POLLARD

oe’s Farm, a certified organic farm at 12811 S. Sheridan Road in Bixby, offers pickyour-own strawberries throughout most of May. Picking reservations are required for Saturdays, but Monday through Friday pickers may walk in from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

This year, Joe’s is organizing strawberry festivals for the weekends of May 6-7 and May 1314. Picking hours and the reservation process will stay the same during the festival weekends.

Joe’s will offer more picking opportunities throughout the summer season: blackberries; zinnias, celosias and many other flowers; and possibly okra, cherry tomatoes and melons. Dates will be announced online.

Check joesfarmok.com or Facebook for the most up-to-date information, or call 918-9380077. TP

TulsaPeople.com

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STOREFRONT

Family values

FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO OPEN BRICK-AND-MORTAR TO CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS ART AND CULTURE.

BY JULIANNE TRAN

E

Ashley Bible, daughter Marley and David Bible

Southwest Trading Co. 1306 E. 11TH ST. | 918-760-3237 | FACEBOOK.COM/SOUTHWESTNATIVEGOODS 10 a.m.-7 p.m., everyday

ntering Southwest Trading Co., a little voice greets customers saying “welcome.” It’s Marley, daughter of store co-owner Ashley Bible and the dubbed “mini CEO.” “Marley has the last say in everything we do,” says David Bible, co-owner.

“She is wise beyond her 2-and-a-half years.”

Along with warm greetings, the Bibles offer customers water, coffee, popcorn and snacks upon entry.

“We just think of (the store) as our home,” David explains. “It’s really a shop where there’s more conversation going on than retail purchasing. (We want to) give everybody the opportunity to come to one place and gather.”

David and Ashley, who are father and daughter, started selling Native jewelry and art at pop-up venues like powwows, town festivals and fairs, conferences, and arts and craft shows in 2015. After spending many weekends traveling to these shows, David and Ashley wanted to fulfi ll their shared dream: opening a brick-and-mortar store.

Open since October 2021, Southwest Trading Co. is a Native arts and crafts store located on the corner of East 11th Street and South Peoria Avenue.

“My mother is full-blood Hopi and my father is full-blood Mvskoke Creek, so a lot of our merchandise comes from the Southwest-style designs,” he explains. “It’s our culture. We like to tell the story about how (the item) was made, where it came from, what its meaning (is).”

Southwest Trading Co. sells beaded and natural stone jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, Navajo and Hopi pottery, plush blankets, clothing and much more.

“We buy from the artists directly, and in most cases they are our family and close friends,” David says. “Since the store opened, we have enjoyed offering artists the opportunity to showcase their many talents.”

Southwest Trading Co. celebrates the Bibles’ Native roots and identity.

More than that, the store celebrates family. The youngest member of the family thanks each customer as they leave, saying “Mvto,” which means “thank you” in Mvskoke. TP

Hopi pottery tells stories of generations past and traditions.

Pictured is “Eagle Dancer” by D. Tootsie, $600.

94

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

The Hopi tribe is known for the Kachina figures carved from cottonwood. $500 each.

Shoppers can find silver and turquoise jewelry for sale in the shop’s cases, such as this Navajo squash blossom set, $1,500.

MICHELLE POLLARD

SHOP FAVORITES

Customized advice that changes with your needs.

Havard Lyons

CFP®, CIMA® Private Wealth Advisor

Make her day

Sunday, May 8

3541 S. Harvard Ave, Tulsa, OK 918-712-8785 |

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95

HOME

Picture perfect 5 TIPS TO CREATE THE PERFECT PATIO POT

BY ANNE BROCKMAN

O

ne of Debbie Wilson’s favorite things to do is plant flowers in containers for customers. Wilson, who has co-owned Ted and Debbie’s Flower and Garden with husband Ted since it opened in 1987, follows some tried-and-true suggestions to create a container ideal for a patio or front porch that will last the whole season.

1.

“I like to do different heights to create really good interest,” Wilson says, always placing the tallest in the center.

Along with good soil, use fertilizer to promote new blooms. “If using annuals, you might as well have a heck of a lot of blooms.”

2.

3.

Choose varieties that have the same light requirements.

Add white flowers when possible, as “white really makes everything pop,” Wilson says. White and yellow are the only colors you’ll see at night, she adds.

In this planting, Wilson chose white geraniums. “Geraniums are ideal for pots as they like to be crowded,” she says. As the flowers fade, she suggests breaking off the dead shoots for more blooms.

Work in threes — three colors and three different plants.

Containers require more watering as summer progresses due to the plants’ longer roots and the higher temperatures.

Hesitant to take on the container challenge?

Garden shops like Ted and Debbie’s, 3901 S. Harvard Ave., will plant the container for you; all you have to choose are the colors, flowers and container. TP 96

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD

4.

5.

MAY 4

Andrea Pemberton TYPROS Executive Director

MAY 18

Mail Bag Episode!

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97

12/18/19 3:22 PM

GARDENING

Tried and true THIS YEAR’S ‘OKLAHOMA PROVEN’ SELECTIONS ARE GREAT ADDITIONS TO THE GARDEN.

GINKGO BILOBA

BY ALLEN ROBINSON

“I BUTTONBUSH

CORAL BELLS

COLEUS 98

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

f you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it’ll change.” Where have we heard that before? What a “roller coaster winter,” going from milder than average to sleet and snow and back again, sometimes in just a matter of a few days.

Tulsa’s climate fluctuates outside our normal USDA Hardiness Zone of 6B/7A on nearly a regular basis. We know those conditions can affect our bodies and overall health, but it also can take a toll on our plants. So, how do we know what will grow well here in our quite unpredictable climate?

“Oklahoma Proven” is a great place to start.

“Oklahoma Proven” is a plant testing and promotion program coordinated by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University. Each year it recommends a tree and a shrub, as well as a perennial and an annual plant, that are well adapted for our often-challenging Oklahoma weather. The 2022 selections are: TREE: Ginkgo biloba The Ginkgo biloba tree is unique in that there is only one species of the genus. Also unique is the leaves have two distinctive lobes that are somewhat leathery, fan-shaped and have nearly parallel veins. Ginkgo trees reach 50 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide in ideal conditions.

Keep in mind they are slow growers, so it takes them decades to reach full mature height. If you have the space, this is an excellent selection for an urban environment due to its tolerance to compacted soils, heat and air pollution.

SHRUB: Buttonbush and Mexican buckeye Buttonbush is a native shrub found growing along streams and lakes across most of Oklahoma (excluding the panhandle). It typically grows 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. If you like hummingbirds, buttonbush flowers are attractive to these fast-flying beauties. Bees, butterfl ies and other pollinators also like this shrub, which is tolerant to both heat and soil compaction. Be sure to keep it watered — it does not like very dry soil. It is an excellent selection for a rain garden, pollinator garden or a native garden.

The Mexican buckeye is a smart choice for the adventurous gardener. Th is multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree reaches 15 to 30 feet tall and about 20 feet wide. Native to west and central Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, its fragrant pink flowers bloom as it leafs out. It can be used as a multi-trunk shrub or trained into a small tree. It is very drought tolerant and prefers dry areas, thus making it a great selection for the area.

PERENNIAL: Coral bells (or Heucheras) Coral bells love the sun but need to be planted in an area protected from late afternoon sun.

The light-colored foliage varieties do best in the shade, while those with dark-colored foliage will tolerate more sun. Although drought tolerant once established, this perennial will need watering during dry spells due to its shallow root system. Coral bells might need to be divided periodically to keep them vigorous and healthy. Add a light layer of mulch around the plant in the winter to protect the roots from freezing.

ANNUAL: Coleus Coleus is a time-honored plant that is quite diverse and full of character. It features great foliage colors, patterns and forms. It is known as a colorful plant for shade or even as a houseplant. However, many cultivars are now full-sun tolerant, which make them a terrific addition to the landscape. Too much shade will make the plant leggy (with longer, weak stems). Keep the soil moist. Coleus cultivars range in size from dwarf, 6-inch plants to a large, 36-inch mound.

It is a great selection for a border, hanging basket or container. If grown indoors, keep it near a window for bright light.

You can find previous years’ “Oklahoma Proven” selections, as well as more information about the 2022 selections at oklahomaproven. org. TP Thank you to Tulsa County Master Gardeners for their expertise in this subject matter. Allen Robinson has been a Master Gardener since 2010.

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99

HEALTH

The Tulsa trifecta HIGH POLLEN COUNTS, STRONG WINDS AND TULSA’S GEOGRAPHY MAKE IT A CHALLENGING PLACE TO LIVE WITH ALLERGIES.

BY LAURA DENNIS

I

f you’re a Tulsa resident, recent or seasoned, you are no stranger to its year-round welcoming committee: allergens. In 2020, Tulsa ranked No. 23 (of 100) on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s list of “most challenging places to live with allergies.” And the spring and summer months bring with them a variety of eye-watering nuisances.

Dr. Brandon Humble, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, allergy and immunology at the Allergy Clinic of Tulsa, says tree pollen and grasses tend to be the dominant allergens people battle during these seasons.

Pollens from maple, elm, ash and oak trees are the likely culprits clogging your sinuses during the spring, while Bermuda, Johnson and Timothy grasses are the most prevalent airborne antigens in the summer months. And the unfortunate news is “pollen of any type blows for miles,” Humble says. “Tulsa has plenty of hard-blowing wind, but it also lies at this place between the western grasslands and the more wooded eastern and southeastern parts of the state.”

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

The trifecta of high pollen counts, strong winds and Tulsa’s geography wreaks havoc on airways and nasal passages. Itchy, watery eyes, a runny or congested nose and clogged sinuses are a few ways the body responds to these foreign substances. For those with a reactive airway (think asthma), these immune triggers might worsen an already constricted airway and can sometimes cause anaphylaxis.

Humble says when these reactions occur, the immune system is simply trying to do its job. “It incorrectly perceives pollen as a threat and tries to fight it off (in areas where pollen comes into contact),” he explains.

Whether the effects are mild or harsh, relief for seasonal allergies is available to Tulsans in a variety of forms, including over-the-counter medications, aeroallergen avoidance (getting tested and avoiding/reducing exposure), aeroallergen immunotherapy (allergy shots, which rewire the immune system and minimize the body’s response) and a lesser-known homeopathic alternative (dry-salt therapy).

Melissa Vanderipe, owner of Salt Earth Therapy, offers this noninvasive, natural remedy for allergies and says it’s quite effective. “It works similarly to the way a sinus rinse or a neti-pot would but without the water or the burning sensation,” Vanderipe says. At Salt Earth, treatment involves sitting in a room for 45 minutes while a machine releases aerosol particles of medicalgrade sodium chloride into the air. One session is the equivalent to sitting on the beach for three days, according to the Salt Therapy Association, as it cleans out the sinuses, lungs and every part of your respiratory system. The beauty of this option is that it’s safe, painless and can be used in addition to other remedies.

Although there’s no “cure all” for allergies, there is a range of helpful treatments available to Tulsans that can make life bearable again.

Humble says some patients may require one or two methods of treatment to control reactions, but “your allergist is the best person to speak to about which options are best for you.” TP

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BEYOND CITY LIMITS

Payne’s Valley Golf Course at Big Cedar Lodge pays tribute to Ozarksnative and World Golf Hall of Fame member Payne Stewart. It is the first public-access golf course designed by 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods and Woods-led golf course design firm, TGR Design.

WORTH THE DRIVE DESTINATIONS FOR A SUMMER ADVENTURE CLOSE TO HOME.

BY RHYS MARTIN

CONTINUED ON P. 104

102

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

COURTESY BIG CEDAR LODGE

I

t’s never a bad time to take a road trip, but as the Sooner State enters the warm embrace of summer it becomes nearly irresistible.

Tulsa has more to see and do than ever, but if you wander in any direction, you’re likely to find something new, something exciting and something worth the drive.

For a total getaway for families or couples, BIG CEDAR LODGE in Ridgedale, Missouri, is an Ozark gem. Th is natural resort covers nearly 5,000 acres at Table Rock Lake and provides an experience that includes a family fun center, golf courses, nature trails and even a lake tour aboard a replica 1934 Chris-Craft boat. There is much more to do at this sprawling resort — live music, multiple restaurants, other lake activities — you’ll have to come back several times to experience it all. Branson isn’t far away; neither is the WONDERS OF WILDLIFE NATIONAL MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM in Springfield, Missouri. Th is massive complex is divided into two parts: a wildlife museum with elaborate dioramas and a massive aquarium with all manner of fish and fauna. In fact, it’s been voted America’s Best Aquarium by USA Today multiple times.

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CONTINUED FROM P. 102

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium features numerous dioramas and displays telling the story of America’s wilderness.

Hallett Motor Racing Circuit is a short drive west of Tulsa.

The Park at West End in Fort Smith, Arkansas, has new owners and will expand hours this coming summer season.

WONDERS OF WILDLIFE NATIONAL MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM: COURTESY; PARK AT WEST END: COURTESY FORT SMITH CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU; HALLETT: TIM TURNER/HALLETT FOTO SHOPPE

For race fans, northeast Oklahoma is home to one of America’s Best Racetracks: the HALLETT MOTOR RACING CIRCUIT. The road course in Jennings has been hosting motor sports events since 1976, from go-karts to motorcycles to high-performance race cars. The Mid-America Ford Meet is June 16-17. It’s a short drive from Tulsa, though don’t let that racing energy carry over to your trip on the Cimarron Turnpike.

Those looking for big Texas fun, try The Colony. North of Dallas on the shores of Lewisville Lake, this suburb is host to some hot spots for summer fun. Opening for the season on May 1, HAWAIIAN FALLS water park is fun for the whole family. More outdoor fun can be had at the 200-acre ARBOR HILLS NATURE PRESERVE (in neighboring Plano) with its hiking and mountain biking trails. Hungry? Head to the TRUCK YARD, an outdoor beer garden with live music and a rotating selection of food trucks. While there, check out BARNEY SMITH’S TOILET SEAT ART MUSEUM, open for browsing from 11 a.m.2 p.m.

Is history your thing? Fort Smith, Arkansas, is less than two hours from Tulsa and offers a window into the past at the FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. It was here that well-known judge Isaac C. Parker presided over cases from Indian Territory — you can explore his actual courtroom inside the original courthouse building. The entire site is operated by the National Park Service and full of learning opportunities.

The separate FORT SMITH MUSEUM OF HISTORY nearby picks up where the site leaves off and tells more stories of local significance, including the World War II Army strike force Darby’s Rangers (immortalized in fi lm by Oklahoma’s own James Garner). The Fort Smith area has enough to occupy a whole weekend with a water park, more historic sites, art museums and events at the PARK AT WEST END. If you need to get away from the daily grind but don’t want to drive very far — you’re in luck!

MEADOW LAKE RANCH BED AND BREAKFAST AND CAMPGROUND in Sand Springs is only minutes from downtown and feels like it’s in a whole other county. In addition to the accommodations one would expect to find at a bed and breakfast, Meadow Lake also is a dude ranch where guests can be a cowboy for a day and enjoy activities like horseback riding, straw-calf roping, archery and more. Several of the cabins have attached floating docks for fishing. Paul’s Cabin is named after its most famous occupant: Sir Paul McCartney. In 2008, Paul and wife Nancy took a road trip down Route 66 and the ranch was one of their overnight stays. TP

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Escape the ordinary at Grand Lake’s Shangri-La Resort Just a short drive from Tulsa is Shangri-La Resort, nestled on the tip of Grand Lake’s Monkey Island.

The 119-room resort beckons those interested in rest and relaxation, as well as those looking for fun in the sun with countless outdoor activities.

Get on the lake with ski boats, pontoons and wave runners. The marina can also organize tubing or parasailing experiences for adventureseekers. Soak in the sun at the pool, which boasts lounge chairs, daybeds and private cabanas, along with pool-side adult cocktails and food service. The nearby splash park is perfect for those traveling with the family.

Be sure to visit the Anchor activity park — complete with courts for pickleball, tennis, sand volleyball and basketball — as well as other outdoor games.

Numerous food and dining options are sure to please any palate. Fine dining can be found at the Summit Restaurant, open to members and

hotel guests. Try the Galley for a sports-bar vibe. Doc’s Bar and Grill serves up contemporary favorites like the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, as well as classics like cedar-plank salmon and chicken fried steak. Eddy’s Lakeside Grill features outdoor seating and live music every weekend Memorial Day through Labor Day. Shangri-La offers a personalized experience for golfers of any skill level on its top-rated, championship courses. The Champions, the Heritage and the Legends courses provide 27 new and/or totally rebuilt golf holes. Be sure to take your shot on the Mickey Mantle hole.

Guests from the four-state region flock to Shangri-La for its resort amenities, including a full-service spa that pampers each guest.

Facial treatments, manicures and pedicures, massages and a steam room/sauna are just some of the luxuries that await guests.

As a semi-private golf club, marina and hotel resort, Shangri-La is open to the public and also offers several membership options.

LEARN MORE AT SHANGRILAOK.COM.

Located deep within the rocky, forested terrain of the Missouri Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge is a remote haven of natural beauty that brings conservation to life.

Connect with family by connecting to the great outdoors.

b i g c e d a r. c o m

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Get away, relax, recharge at Big Cedar Lodge In the midst of hectic lifestyles, with our faces pointed toward digital screens in the frenzy of a post-pandemic world, it is far too easy to lose sight of what’s really important. This season, take time out of your busy life to relax, refresh and reconnect. At Big Cedar Lodge, a remote haven of natural beauty awaits. Prepare to enjoy the healing power that Mother Nature has to offer.

Nestled deep within the Missouri Ozark Mountains lies a world-class resort, offering an escape into the immersive relaxation of the great outdoors, with all the comforts of luxury amenities. Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, created Big Cedar Lodge as a destination for families and friends to connect by bringing conservation to life through nature-inspired accommodations, extraordinary attractions, and breathtaking views.

Upon entering the 4,600-acre resort, you’ll be met with winding roads, rugged landscape, trickling water crossings, and magnificent vistas overlooking Table Rock Lake, calling you to slow down and take in the beauty that surrounds you. Here, you can disconnect from the chaos of everyday life and be welcomed by genuine Ozarks hospitality.

With inviting accommodations, spectacular restaurants, two full-service marinas, five golf courses, a 50,000-square-foot activity center, awe-inspiring spa, and countless outdoor adventures, Big Cedar Lodge is a destination where you’ll make memories to last a lifetime.

Yes, the world looks a little different these days. But that doesn’t mean memories, traditions and adventure can’t continue to be enjoyed in the best way possible. Big Cedar Lodge is here and ready when you are.

Reconnect with family by connecting to the great outdoors.

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The Best

Watering Holes

We’ll Show You Around Springfield!

Whether it’s enjoying a refreshing beverage at one of the many local craft breweries or cruising down a scenic water trail on a kayak, we love our city and know the best places to eat, drink and play.

See you in Springfield, Missouri!

Point your smartphone camera at this QR code to find out more about things to do in Springfield.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

When you visit Springfield, Missouri, ask a local!

We know the best places to eat, drink and play. We’ll show you where

Want to get a bite? Head over to Wonders of Wildlife National Museum

to get lost in the great outdoors of the Ozarks with the best places to

and Aquarium and dive with the sharks, or enjoy mouthwatering local

hike, bike and paddle, or if you need to stock up for your adventure at

fare at one of the hundreds of locally owned restaurants in our foodie’s

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paradise.

Locals know the best watering holes, too — whether it’s enjoying a

We’re just a short drive away from Tulsa and the beautiful Ozarks region

refreshing beverage at one of the many craft breweries on the Tap

is packed with things to do. So whether you’re traveling with your friends,

and Pour Tour or cruising down one of the water trails on a kayak. If

family, that special someone or taking a solo trip, you can find ready-

it’s birdwatching you’re into, check out the exhibits at the Dickerson

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Springdale has all the ingredients for a fun family vacation!

Try out the archery ranges of the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, then test your mountain bike skills at Fitzgerald Mountain or at Runway Bike Park, the nation’s largest pump track.

Soar over the Ozarks in a helicopter tour or step back in time on an excursion train ride through the Boston Mountains. Cruise past the city’s downtown murals on your motorcycle.

Sample local beer and wine crafted right here in Springdale and enjoy the only cidery in Arkansas! Finally, enjoy the show at the Rodeo of the Ozarks or catch a baseball game at the Arvest Ballpark.

Adventures aplenty in Springdale

Springdale is centrally located for all your northwest Arkansas travel plans. It’s 20 minutes from the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and 15 minutes away from the University of Arkansas campus and athletic venues.

LEARN MORE AT EXPLORESPRINGDALE.COM.

ExploreSpringdale.com 800-972-7261

110

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

MUSINGS

WHY NOT SAY WHAT HAPPENED?

I

t was the title that attracted me to the book: “Why Not Say What Happened?”

Th is memoir by Ivana Lowell is a dishy account of her chaotic childhood with her mother, Caroline Blackwood, and Blackwood’s husbands, painter Lucien Freud and poet Robert Lowell. The title came from a Lowell poem. He took the line from writer Elizabeth Hardwick, who was another of his wives. These characters led crazy-salad lives, but I still like the title.

It is a profound question. Instead of fiction or myth or silence, why not just say what happened?

Recently I’ve been the guest of several groups and book clubs that wanted to discuss my book “A Life on Fire: Oklahoma’s Kate Barnard.”

She was a politician, a nationally known social reformer called “The Good Angel of Oklahoma,” but most had never heard of her until now. They asked most frequently, and usually with outrage: Why did Oklahoma history not teach about Kate Barnard? How have we not known about the widespread swindle of Native properties in our own state and in our own city? How can we be Oklahoma citizens and not know this?

These were audiences of thoughtful people, caring citizens genuinely concerned about the gaps of our knowledge. Then they asked, more importantly, what are we going to do now that

112

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

we have this information? What should we do and what can we do?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said all history is biography, and Kate Barnard’s biography is certainly the history of Oklahoma from Indian Removal to white settlement and statehood.

Her social reform issues were education, mental health care, criminal justice and labor (livable wages and safe working conditions). Her work in these areas helped the new state of Oklahoma in 1907 be recognized as the most progressive state in the union.

Progressive Oklahoma? What happened?

These issues are still in the news, but now we rank near the bottom among the states.

Then she took on the “Indian Question” as it was called, defending Native orphans being defrauded of their allotment properties in what historian Angie Debo called “an orgy of plunder and exploitation.” Th is campaign destroyed her state department and her life. Like her other issues, a tug-of-war for Indian monies and Native rights is again making headlines in Oklahoma.

Some readers of Kate’s biography ask: How can we make sure young people learn what we didn’t? And then, even harder questions: What about reparations to the Native Americans whose allotments were swindled or stolen?

One woman is making a spiritual response.

She read the abstract of her own Tulsa property with the name of the original Native allottee and now walks on her own property in “stepping prayers.” She told me she is quoting Black Elk: “Let every step you take upon the earth be as a prayer. And if every step you take is a prayer, then you will always be walking in a sacred manner.”

She said, “I want my stepping-prayers to be prayers of gratitude for the land I now own. If I’m feeling particularly regretful about the way our early decision-makers treated the Native peoples, then it could be a prayer of forgiveness.”

The way we critically re-examine history has as much to do with the present as the past, how we want to see ourselves and how we want to be seen as a nation. That’s according to a long article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “What’s Really at Stake in America’s History Wars?”

The past is what happened, but history is what was written down. Usually, history is written by the victors. Barnard lost her final battle, and for years nobody wanted to write that down.

As much as I like the title, “Why Not Say What Happened?” I also I like the title of a Gloria Vanderbilt memoir, “It Seemed Important at the Time.” Which of these titles best fits the story of Oklahoma’s history? And of Oklahoma today? TP

GEORGIA BROOKS

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

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VINITA PROPERTY

HISTORIC MANOR 228 W 17th Place. John Brooks Walton’s 1st book of 100 Historic Tulsa Homes: Moore Manor built only 9 years after Oklahoma statehood is one of the finest examples of Georgian residential architecture. 1st time on the market since 1980, this historic designated prestigious home has 8 Bedrooms with 5 HVAC units, 4 WBFP’s, a 40K watt generator & an in-law plan in the 2 story carriage house with a separate 2 car garage.

It has been used as a law office but is well suited for many other residential or commercial uses. $1,500,000.

30083 S. 4420 Road, Vinita, OK 74301.

Enjoy this 23-acre peaceful and private estate located one hour from Tulsa and Joplin with 5 minutes from the Will Rogers turnpike. This lovely property has four bedrooms and 3 baths, spacious high tech rustic kitchen with a large picture window overlooking the pond, open living space. $789,000

GRAND LAKE TOWNE 223 Cherokee Trl Vinita, OK 74301.

SLovely Grand Lake Towne, three bedroom, three bath home situated on a corner lot with a circle drive, fenced-in back yard, large sunroom, open living space with large kitchen island, knotty aulder cabinets, new roof, mature trees and a lovely neighborhood. Grand Lake Towne offers boat slips for rent and a swim dock located in Ketchum Cove just a golf cart away! $415,000

PRIVATE EUCHA HOME HISTORIC FRANKLIN CASTLE & CHAPEL 415 N College Avenue, Tahlequah.

The Franklin Castle is an architectural jewel that was constructed during the Great Depression and totally restored in 2015. The main house has three levels and features five bedrooms, three full, one half bathrooms. Living room, Dining room, kitchen, study and powder bath on first floor. The Chapel is 1.5 stories with open patios and gazebo area. There are many terraces, balconies, beautiful gardens, stone walkways, a waterfall and other water features. Detached two Car garage. The property is currently used as a celebration venue, it could be a Bed and Breakfast or personal home.

Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone to make this Tahlequah treasure their own. $750,000

6620 Country Road 373 Eucha, OK 74342. Peace and quiet is right here at the back of Drowning Creek on Grand Lake in a protected cove. Charming 2 bedrm, one and one-half bath, part log & sided waterfront cottage has 201 feet of shoreline completely fenced, new single-slip covered boat dock, screened-in porch on the lakeside, able to sleep 8 in the cabin & updated bathrooms. No HOA’s. $395,000

RESIDENTIAL LOT 11805 E 118th Place. Fabulous .5 acre corner lot in The Estates of River Oaks. This South Tulsa exclusive gated community offers wooded lots with mature trees and private streets. It is a masterfully planned upscale neighborhood that is a perfect opportunity to build your new home. Situated in Bixby Public District, Bixby North Elementary. $275,000

E N J OY T H E LU X U RY L I F E ST Y L E YOU D E SI R E 114

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McGraw Realtors

6320 E 88TH STREET T U L S A ,

O K

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PROPERTY DETAILS Listed at $3,600,000 - 5 Bedrooms - 5 Full | 3 Half Bathrooms - 11,732 Sq. Ft. - Gated Community minutes from Holland Hall - Professional Landscaping - Saltwater Pool with Waterfall - 1,000 Bottle Finished Wine Cellar

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY Inviting home on professionally landscaped 2.3 acres. Ludowici 100 yr roof. High-Efficiency AC and Heat Units; 21 & 24 seer 98% efficient, 6 humidifiers, 3 Hot Water Tanks 98% efficiency, Fresh water treatment system for whole home & pool, 2 Bosch dishwashers, Viking double ovens, range & cook-top. Stand alone ice maker, full upright sub zero fridge & freezer.

Kohler 90kVA generator. 2 washer hook ups and 2 dryer hook-ups. Wired Speakers throughout the house (interior and exterior).

Saltwater pool. 8” Copper Guttering

CONTACT DON BURNS

DONBURNS@MCGRAWOK.COM

918.607.2434

CONTACT GEORGIA ERNST

GERNST@MCGRAWREALTORS.COM

918.284.0341

TulsaPeople.com

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McGraw Realtors

WE KNOW MIDTOWN 2414 S CINCINNATI AVENUE

4644 S ZUNIS AVENUE

$966,500

$2,100,000

CALL US IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO B U Y O R S E L L !

2207 E 39TH STREET

4156 S TROOST PLACE

$1,100,000 2439 E 17TH PLACE

$949,000

918.630.4434 116

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

$635,000 2219 E 19TH STREET

2150 S. FULTON PLACE

$350,000

MICKIE BINGHAM

1431 E 35TH STREET

$320,000

PAM CASE

918.809.3247

$307,000

LORI LASSMAN

918.760.7844

McGraw Realtors

7770 S Harvard Place

Julie Tetsworth 918.633.0600

jtetsworth@mcgrawok.com

PROPERTY DETAILS - 4 or 5 Bedrooms - 4 Full | 2 Half Bathrooms - 3 Car Garage with Additional Parking

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY

Nestled on a 1.17 Acre hilltop in Timbercrest at 77th and Harvard Place, designed by Jack Arnold. This 3 level with privacy, heated pool, multiple views and outdoor patios is a glorious retreat for major entertaining, or simply a quiet picturesque setting. Major remodel completed in Master. Great Room, Three flex living areas, Open Kitchen and Outdoor Living.

A little bit of heaven on a hill!!!

918.808.4780

mkeys@mcgrawok.com

and

LauraBryant NG

1103 E 19th Street| Architecturally significant Maple Ridge home featured in John Walton’s “One Hundred Historic Tulsa Homes” Updated throughout while keeping original leaded glass windows and interior architectural features. Thermal windows. Third floor addition offers 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a sitting room. Spacious guest apartment with bedroom, full bath, living room and kitchenette. Outdoor kitchen and covered patio overlook the pool. Near The Gathering Place! 5,624 Sq. Ft. $1,250,000

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12022 S Kingston Avenue| Gated Luxury Home custom built by Mike Harrison in 2012. 4 bed, 4.5 baths 3 car. Backyard oasis pool + spa, outdoor living room w/ kitchen with fridge, ice maker, sink, gas grill, fireplace, & pond view. Pool bath. Yard offers extreme privacy, gas fire pits & mature landscaping. Soaring 22 foot entry hall. Travertine floors. Chef’s Kitchen has double oven w/warming drawer. Expansive Primary Suite. Whole home automation system. Flex room upstairs. Dedicated home office, game room and theater room. 5,606 Sq. Ft. $1,250,000

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4117 S Birmingam Place| Recently updated with meticulous attention to detail!

Expansive primary and guest bedrooms with generous closets! Beautiful lawn, large yard & spacious deck. Kitchen amenities include a 5 burner gas range, wine fridge & drink station. Whole home tankless water heater with instant hot water. Mendota luxury fireplace w/quartz hearth. 3,742Sq. Ft. $649,000

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241 E. 28th St.| Sunset Terrace remodel w/historical 1920s charm & detail!

3 beds (2 down).3 full baths (2 down/1 up) Mstr ste designed by John Brooks Walton w/Bain jetted tub, separate shower, dble vanity & huge walk in closet.

Open & bright eat-in kitchen beautifully remodeled. New Range in Kitchen.

2 liv spaces down & addl flex space up could use as den/office/game room.

Formal dining rm. Oversized garage w/fully fenced yard. Close to Utica Square,Woodward Park,Cherry St/15th,Brookside & Gathering Place. New Roof 2019. 2,374 Sq. Ft.. $599,000

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1516 E. 35th St. | Embrace the Brookside Lifestyle like new 4 bed/4.5 bath.

Executive Homes custom built 2015. Modern transitional style. 1st floor Master suite + additional suite. Luxurious master w/utility connected to closet. Large Chef’s Kitchen w/pantry, DBL oven & 2 dishwashers. Open concept LIV/KIT/ DINING opens to backyard. Covered outdoor living w/dining, & fire pit. 2 BR/2BA + Game/media room up. Quiet tree-lined street near shopping, restaurants, Eliot Elementary, & Zink Park. 3,366 Sq. Ft. $850,000

NG

1610 E 29th Street| Rare opportunity to own one of Tulsa’s Historic Homes.

Built in 1928 by the Morrow Family. Land originally owned by Waite Phillips.

Prominent architect John Duncan Forsythe designed in style of a ‘Connecticut country estate.’ On 1.2 acres, across from Philbrook. Expansive grounds & fabulous landscaping. Fully gated. Pool surrounded by masonry wall offering complete privacy. 6802 sq livable finished footage + unfinished sq footage. 4 beds all ensuite, 3 half baths. Oversized conditioned 3 car garage. 5,796 Sq. Ft. $3,200,000

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2649 E 26th Street | Timeless & Classic in the heart of midtown. Meticulously rejuvenated inside & out. Open & airy floor plan w/living, dining, & renovated kitchen combo. Expansive wall of French Doors overlooks remodeled pool & spacious yard.

Stunning new dry bar/wine room w/custom millwork. Perfect for entertaining. Primary bedroom retreat on 1st floor w/vaulted ceilings, large bath & huge walk-in closet. 3 bedrooms & 2 full baths up. Powder bath, office/game room & laundry on main level.

Oversized garage w/storm shelter. 3,487 Sq. Ft. $799,000

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10866 S 94th East Place|Elegant Luxury Home! Impressive Outdoor Oasis with pool, spa, pergola, covered outdoor living and fireplace. Stunning Entry, Wood Floors, Plantation Shutters, Gourmet Kitchen with Commercial Appliances. Butler Pantry, Formal Dining. Large Master suite on the back of the home, Office down, In -law Suite w/Private Patio downstairs (separate exterior entrance or can also be accessed from home). Upstairs: 3 Beds ,Game room with wet Bar, and Media room. Cul-de-sac Lot! 4,651 Sq. Ft. $667,000

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918.693.2961

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McGraw Realtors

NANCY GOTCHER 918.625.6260 nkavanaugh@mcgrawok.com

11718 S ERIE AVE | $1,100,000 ABOUT THE PROPERTY Located in Forest Hills Estates. This spectacular Family Home has everything. Bixby school district. 3 Levels. 6 Bedrooms, 6 Full Baths, and 1 Powder Room. 2 Game Rooms, a Theater Room, a Huge Workout Room with a Built-in Sauna and Tanning Bed, Multiple Bars, Tons of Storage Space, Sitting Rooms, a Formal Living Room, Formal Dining and Office. This home has high soaring ceilings, wide crown moldings, and details galore. It is perfect for entertaining with large outdoor decks that look out onto a greenbelt, pond, and pool in an established neighborhood with trees, winding roads, and hills. 9,000+SF $1,100,000. Call Nancy for an appointment at 918-625-6260.

allison Mobile: 918.850.2207 jacobs 4105 S. Rockford Ave. Tulsa, OK 74105 welcome to the spring market

Top 100 Realtors in Tulsa CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL REALTORS ON A GREAT 2021!

3805 S GARY PL | $665,000

Ranch-style home with gorgeous updates. This home has 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half bathrooms, large living space with a vaulted ceiling plus a fireplace. The backyard includes a large covered porch, perfect for entertaining or relaxing. Marble kitchen countertops, completely updated. . One of a kind home in Ranch Acres neighborhood.

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1212 S GARY PL | $99,000 Value in the lot! House has been torn down & lot is ready for your new build. Signature Properties can custom build!

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1931 S COLLEGE AVE | $485,000 Darling home in Florence Park with all the updates.

Gorgeous hardwood floors with an open concept kitchen to dining areas. 3 beds + 2 full bathrooms, master has an en suite bath. Great layout, very cozy! The garage has quarters. Fenced yard, new HVACs, new paint, nicely updated.

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4302 E 118TH ST | $550,000 Fabulous home in a gated neighborhood with a pond view. Formal dining room, office, open kitchen to the living area. So much storage space throughout the home. Gorgeous updates including new paint, interior & exterior. Newer roof, new back patio pergola.

Located in the Jenks School district.

3812 E 36TH ST | $259,000 Updated home with new paint throughout, new carpet throughout, & gorgeous new quartz countertops. Large rooms with large living spaces. Full brick home with prime location in Midtown. Must see!

McGraw Realtors

2220 E 23rd St Quality isn’t expensive, it’s Priceless.!

LESLIE BRUNKEN-REYNOLDS REALTOR®

918.695.0981 LReynolds@McGrawOK.com

SOLD IN 18 HOURS!!!

CALL ME IF YOU ARE THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING!

Serving Tulsa and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years.

Catherine Santee hugheS 918.639.4199 |chughes@mcgrawok.com

mcgrawrealtors.com/bio/lbrunken

www.mcgrawrealtors.com

6844 S Florence Avenue

Stately 2 story house with updates. Well maintained. Beautiful entryway with curved staircase. Large scale rooms. Master and study on the first floor. Study has fireplace and 1/2 bath. Kitchen with 6-burner range and island is open to living area overlooking the backyard. Formals. Two utility rooms 1 up and 1 down. Gameroom on 2nd floor. 3 beds up. One bedroom up is being used as exercise room. Lovely landscaping.

Covered patio along with gazebo.

$749,000

Jacki Crews

918.232.7179 |jcrews@mcgrawok.com www.mcgrawrealtors.com

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

STACKED N AND LOADED

acho Experience ($11-$28) is a great option for those who want to dive head-first into the over-the-top menu at Nacho Business. The dish is loaded with tequila lime chicken, bacon, pepperoni, cream cheese, queso fresco, chipotle sauce and cilantro, served over your choice of house-made chips — wanton, white corn or pork rinds.

The restaurant, which opened Jan. 3, has a total of 10 chef-made nacho dishes, two burritos, fresh salads, several appetizers, an array of specialty desserts and a build-your-own option. TP 5964 S. YALE AVE. | 918-764-8124 | NACHOBUSINESS.NET

MICHELLE POLLARD

See p. 124 for more on Nacho Business.

TulsaPeople.com

121

DINING OUT

Salmon piccata

Brookside fixture NEW MONDO’S MAKES ROOM FOR MORE AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FAMILY DINNERS.

BY NATALIE MIKLES

122

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD

I

t’s a rare thing for a more than 50-year-old restaurant to be a hot spot.

But the opening of a new location for Mondo’s has brought with it buzz about the new building in Brookside along with nostalgia about meals eaten and occasions celebrated over the years.

Walking into Mondo’s is like walking into a part of the Aloisio family home. It’s always been the tradition of the restaurant to hang family photos on the walls. But in the new space, those photos feel even more intimate. The cozy 20-footwide restaurant has the feel of a big family dining room, with photos of the Aloisio family, friends and longtime customers smiling down.

The new space, the site of the former Crow Creek Tavern, is just one block from its former location. It has a larger dining room, rooftop amenities as well as patio seating.

A few things haven’t changed. One, the presence of the Aloisio family. Papa Lou, Michael, Rob and Christo, along with several other family members, are fi xtures at the restaurant, stopping by tables to shake hands and to make sure everyone is happy. Two, the food is as consistently good as it’s always been. Perhaps this is no surprise. Customers have been coming back to Mondo’s since it opened in 1969 for those two reasons — the food and the love they have for the Aloisio family.

We visited Mondo’s on a busy Friday night.

Many people were waiting in the entryway, while others spilled out onto the patio. It’s a good idea to make a reservation, especially on a weekend.

Portions here are big, so while there’s no need for appetizers, that shouldn’t stop you. We are fans of the antipasto, caprese salad and bruschetta. The seafood appetizer ($19.95) is a really delicious mixture of shrimp, scallops, mussels and mushrooms sauteed in white wine and garlic butter. It’s great spooned onto the toasty French bread.

Rob Aloisio Aloisio family memories and photographs hang on the wall inside the new Mondo’s location.

Mondo’s pasta dishes are the stars. Homemade lasagna, ravioli and manicotti are all excellent, popular dishes. The baked rigatoni and baked ziti are homestyle and comforting but far better than the versions you would make at home.

Some of the specialties include the seafood dishes, like the salmon piccata ($24.95) that’s fi rst sauteed in garlic butter and then finished on the grill. It’s served with linguine with mushrooms and capers in a light lemon sauce.

It’s the classic Italian dishes like veal parmigiana ($21.95) and chicken marsala ($18.95) that Mondo’s is known for. They’ve been making these dishes, along with classics like spaghetti and meatballs ($15.95) and clams and linguini ($15.95) for so long that they’ve been woven into the fabric of the restaurant.

Entrees are served with soup (the clam chowder and minestrone are both good) or salad. The Caesar salad may seem like the easy pick, but the dinner salad is much more flavorful than a typical restaurant dinner salad. Mondo’s packs it full

with artichoke hearts, olives, garbanzo beans, mozzarella cheese, pepperoncini and red onions.

The pizzas here also are great. Dough is made fresh daily using double ‘00’ flour from Naples, Italy, and the pizzas are wood fi red with a crispy crust and topped with a house-made pizza sauce that’s slightly sweet with hints of garlic and oregano.

Mondo’s also is known for its lively bar, where some people like to sit for lunch or dinner. Waiters are helpful in assisting with wine pairings.

And for cocktails, Mondo’s has some good ones, like the Italian with Malfy con Limone gin, prosecco and lemon soda. For an after-dinner cocktail, try the espresso martini ($9) with espresso vodka, white chocolate and espresso. TP

Mondo’s 3534 S. PEORIA AVE. | 918-561-6300 | MONDOSITALIAN.COM 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday

Mondo’s garden salad TulsaPeople.com

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Nacho s’mores

TRY THIS!

NOT YOUR AVERAGE NACHO

124

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

Fig and Pig pizza from Vista at the Boathouse 2650 S. JOHN WILLIAMS WAY | 918-779-1000 | GATHERINGPLACE.ORG

Gathering Place’s restaurant, Vista at the Boathouse, recently reopened with a revamped menu and the same, breathtaking views overlooking Peggy’s Pond and the Great Lawn.

The Fig and Pig ($16.99) is one of six signature pizzas that now make up half the menu at the restaurant.

The pie features six slices, perfect for sharing with a Caesar or beet salad. The thin, crisp crust is topped with prosciutto, fig onion jam, mozzarella, goat cheese, almonds, fermented honey, fig balsamic vinegar, arugula and lemon zest.

Be sure to order the charred lemon Brussel sprouts to share.

Inside seating is first-come, first-served with a full-service bar open daily. Diners also can order from a serving window on the overlook to enjoy a meal al fresco. Vista is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Sunday.

Other Gathering Place eateries Redbud Cafe and the Patio also received updated menus. Redbud Cafe continues to have its signature pastries and ice cream, with additions like grab-and-go snacks, new sandwiches and breakfast items. The Patio now offers grain bowls and other vegetarian options, as well as burgers (including a falafel burger) and kids’ meals. Mobile ordering is available at the Patio and Vista restaurants. — ANNE BROCKMAN

MICHELLE POLLARD

The white “N” in front of Nacho Business glows with multi-colored lights, inviting curious customers in for a filling experience.

Chef Mark Andrew Ainbinder has it down to a science. “The nachos are layered: Chips, queso, chips, queso, protein and whatever toppings you want. This ensures queso coverage and protein exposure. No other restaurant does their nachos like I do.”

Nacho Business’ menu is nothing short of impressive with a spectacular selection and gigantic portion sizes, ranging from the half, which can serve two to three people, to enorme, which can serve a whole table.

The restaurant also serves more than nachos.

Ainbinder encourages diners to try the ribeye burrito ($17), a monster burrito made with a halfpound of choice grilled ribeye steak, along with all the peripherals. The breakfast burrito ($12), with eggs, spicy chorizo, bacon, pulled pork, black beans, hash browns, queso, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeños is hard to beat, too.

For dessert, Ainbinder suggests the Nacho S’mores ($8), chips topped with imported dark chocolate, American milk chocolate, chocolate graham cracker crumbs, whipped cream, marshmallows that are fire-roasted by Ainbinder himself, and cinnamon and sugar.

This restaurant isn’t Ainbinder’s first endeavor in the food industry. Raised in Florida, he has worked for giants — Disney, Epcot, NASA and even Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (under the supervision of the Secret Service).

“I just want people to sit and be comfortable and enjoy some good food,” he says. “This business has snowballed into something great, and I am very proud.” — RACHEL DUPREE

A LA CARTE

Society Burger

Pub W

BURGERS

Get dippin’ THREE OF OUR FAVORITES FOR CHIPS AND QUESO

Grilled to perfection. These were named the best burgers in town in TulsaPeople’s annual A-List Readers’ Choice Awards.

Society Burger 1419 E. 15th St., 918-392-7667 9999 S. Mingo Road, Suite A; 918-615-6970 societyburger.com

It’s hard to resist a bowl of cheesy queso and crisp, salty chips. One of our favorites is at Pub W. It’s queso fundido ($11), is a delicious blend of pepper jack cheese, feta and poblano crema. It’s topped with pickled red onions and roasted jalapeños. You can spoon it on your chips, creating the perfect bite. Or, stir it all together and dig in with the house-made fried tortilla chips. The apps here are great, so also give the spicy pimento cheese fritters and pork belly burnt ends a try. 4830 E. 61ST ST. | 918-551-6675 | PUBDUB.COM

MICHELLE POLLARD; A-LIST: COURTESY SOCIETY

ARIZONA MEXICAN RESTAURANT

ELOTE

For unapologetic Tex-Mex cheesiness, Arizona Mexican Restaurant’s queso is just what you want. It’s called Arizona’s Famous Cheese Dip, and regulars of the restaurant will tell you that’s for good reason. A small bowl is under $4 and is enough to make your table happy. If you want to kick it up a notch, try the queso fundido with spicy chorizo, or the bean and cheese dip — queso blended with refried beans. If you like it meaty, there’s the beef and cheese dip — Arizona’s Famous Cheese Dip combined with seasoned ground beef. 5800 S. LEWIS AVE., SUITE 151 | 918-488-6163 | ARIZONAMEXICANRESTAURANT.NET Elote’s white queso is an original. It’s made with cream cheese, salsa and signature Mexican spices. This queso ($5.19-$6.59 for a cup or bowl) is perfection with chips before a meal of salmon tostadas or shredded beef tacos.

But it’s equally good poured over Elote’s signature puffy tacos. Elote’s patio is a great place to hang out with white queso, chips and a house margarita. 514 S. BOSTON AVE. | 918-582-1403 | ELOTETULSA.COM — NATALIE MIKLES

Ron’s Hamburgers and Chili 12 Tulsa-area locations ronsburgersandchili.com Fat Guy’s Burger Bar 140 N. Greenwood Ave., 918-794-7782 7945 S. Memorial Drive, 918-893-2232 3950 S. Hudson Ave., 918-574-8870 1009 N. Elm St., Broken Arrow; 918-872-9313 fatguysburgers.com Smitty’s Garage 9718 Riverside Parkway, 918-296-7239 7104 S. Sheridan Road, 918-584-8484 801 E. Hillside Drive, Broken Arrow; 918-872-7060 13303 E. 96th St. N., Owasso; 918-376-6121 eatatthegarage.com Goldie’s Patio Grill 6121 E. 61st St., 918-494-0330 1912 S. Elm Place, Broken Arrow; 918-455-6128 8591 N. Owasso Expressway, Owasso; 918-272-8501 goldies.com TulsaPeople.com

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W H AT’S COOK ING

The season for seltzer AS SUMMER NEARS, HERE ARE SOME TOP LOCAL SELTZERS AND SOME RECIPES TO TRY AT HOME.

BY NATALIE MIKLES

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Pippin’s Taproom at High Gravity

Pearl Beach Brew Pub

American Solera

Welltown Brewing

TulsaPeople MAY 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD; AMERICAN SOLERA: COURTESY

H

ard seltzer might have seemed like just a trend, but it’s been popular long enough to have staying power.

Now’s the time when sales pick up. Canned hard seltzers and seltzer cocktails are a kick-off to summer. Perfect when you want something light, fizzy and fruity.

National labels like White Claw and Truly might lead the pack, but our favorites are the ones made in Tulsa. Local breweries sensed the demand for these bubbly beverages last year and have ramped up the flavors and availability both on tap and in cans.

High Gravity Brewing Co., known as the place to buy homebrewing kits and equipment, also has a tap room where beer and seasonal hard seltzer are sold. Pippin’s Taproom at High Gravity, 6808 S. Memorial Drive, Suite 144, frequently updates what’s on tap online.

At Pearl Beach Brew Pub, 418 S. Peoria Ave., vacation vibes linger with games of beach volleyball in the background and several hard seltzers on tap. All feature bursts of fresh fruit flavor and are available by the pint or pitcher. Lilly, Don’t Be Coy is refreshing with notes of passion fruit and lime. Belinda’s Bellini boasts passion fruit, mango, peach and lime for a punch of summertime drinking perfection.

Another local favorite for hard seltzer is American Solera, 1702 E. Sixth St., where you can find seasonal flavors on tap. One of our favorites is the Solera Club, a 5% lemon-lime hard seltzer with sea salt, available in a six-pack or on draft.

Welltown Brewing, 114 W. Archer St., got in on the hard seltzer game with its Well Water brand of hard seltzers. The sleek cans come in varying flavors, including mojito with real lime and mint, cherry limeade and piña colada.

A fun, sparkly cocktail made with fresh fruit and hard seltzer gives you the taste of summer.

Th is makes enough for two small cocktails. But who are we kidding? Keep it all for yourself, pour it in an insulated cup to keep it cold, and head outside.

FIZZY RASPBERRY SUMMER COCKTAIL 1 can Welltown Brewing Well Water Raspberry Hard Seltzer 1 mini can (7.5 ounces) Sprite or 7-UP 1 tablespoon cranberry juice 1 teaspoon lime juice 10 fresh raspberries 1 lime sliced into wedges

Combine seltzer, Sprite, cranberry juice and lime. Stir until well blended.

In a small bowl or cup, mash raspberries until pulverized. Add to drink. Garnish with lime.

Use any fruit you like for these mocktails. We like lime, peach and blackberry paired with the coconut. Th is makes enough for two to fight over.

COCONUT SPRITZER

Crushed ice Fresh fruit (peaches, blackberries, lime or anything you like) 8 ounces coconut water 8 ounces coconut seltzer (like La Croix)

Fill two glasses with crushed ice. Add blackberries, lime slices and chopped or sliced peaches.

Add coconut water, then seltzer, to each glass.

Gently stir to combine flavors. Garnish with fresh mint or a slice of lime.

Th is slushy spritzer has a light mojito flavor with fresh mint and basil combined with lime juice and a lime hard seltzer. Th is is a great base for adding other flavors, like fresh pineapple, strawberries or mango.

SUMMERTIME LIME SPRITZER

1 can lime-flavored hard seltzer 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 cup ice cubes 2 fresh mint leaves 4 fresh basil leaves Lime slices

In a blender, combine hard seltzer with lime juice and ice cubes. Blend until ice is crushed.

Pour into two glasses. Add a mint leaf and 2 basil leaves to each glass. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to muddle the leaves to extract the flavors into the spritzer. Remove leaves. Garnish with lime slices and additional mint or basil. TP Glassware courtesy of TA Lorton, 555 S. Zunis Ave.

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TULSA TIME WARP

CHANGE OF DIRECTION STORY AND COMPOSITE IMAGE BY PATRICK MCNICHOLAS

O

ilman and philanthropist H.C. Tyrrell purchased property on the northeast corner of West Fifth Street and South Boulder Avenue in 1926 with big dreams.

The site, occupied by an automobile rental company, was formerly home to First Methodist Episcopal Church until 1918 when the church sold the property. The old church was razed in 1926.

Despite Tyrrell owning the land, the building he imagined wouldn’t officially begin construction until 1929. J.M. Gillette, a merchant/oilman turned real estate developer, partnered with Tyrrell to build a 13-story building on the site. Th ree floors were completed in 1930 as office space, to be topped with an extravagant hotel on the upper 10 stories.

However, plans never materialized due to the Great Depression. Both Tyrrell and Gillette lost much of their wealth during the stock market crash in October 1929. These losses directly affected the Gillette-Tyrrell Building already in progress.

Designed by Edward Saunders, the three stories have amazing architectural detail in the modern and zig zag art deco styles. On the roof are a series of structural beams that could withstand an additional 10 floors as planned.

In 1931, the building was sold to an international fraternal order called the Knights of Pythias. The art deco masterpiece was renamed the Pythian Building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The Pythian Building is now owned by Tulsa-based Price Family Properties. Home to Blue House Media recording studio, the building also housed Lasalle’s New Orleans Deli until it closed this past Christmas due to COVID-19 business trouble. TP

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TulsaPeople MAY 2022

BERYL FORD COLLECTION, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY, AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

A 1940s image of the Pythian Building, 423 S. Boulder Ave., shows the Fifth Street entrance overhang that was demolished in 2000.

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Saint Simeon’s is a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma

Celebrate Mom ... with Jewelry!

G I F T S F O R E V E R Y R E A S O N • D ECO R F O R E V E R Y S E A S O N • 9 1 S T A N D YA L E - T U L S A • A M B E R M A R I E A N D CO . CO M