61 minute read
Achieving a dream : Wes Studi, the Academy Award-winning Cherokee actor, left his hometown in northeast Oklahoma for Hollywood.
Actor Wes Studi posed for a portrait in New York in June to promote his film “A Love Song.”
The original ‘Reservation Dog’
Wes Studi left rural Oklahoma to achieve California dream
Jimmie Tramel Tulsa World Magazine
When Oklahoma actor Wes Studi was presented an Academy Award for career achievement in 2019, it was important and meaningful to include historical context.
Studi, who is Cherokee, became the second Indigenous person from North America to be honored with an Oscar.
The first was was Cree musician Buffy Sainte-Marie, a Canadian who, in 1983, won an Oscar for co-writing the song “Up Where We Belong.”
Confirmed: Studi is up where he belongs — on theater screens and on television screens.
Studi was asked during a phone interview if there was anything he watched as a youth that made him yearn to be on the screen.
There was never any exact moment like that, “but I did ask about Jay Silverheels. I used to watch ‘The Lone Ranger’ on television as a young man. I once asked my dad if we could do something like that, be on TV. He said, ‘No, I don’t think so. Most of the people on TV are like 6-foot tall and blond-haired and blue-eyed.’ And I pretty much took that as ‘probably not.’
“But I did enjoy seeing Jay Silverheels (as Tonto). He was the anomaly. He was not the regular thing. At that time, I guess maybe he and Chief Dan George were about the only real Natives that were working in show business — well, not the only ones who were working, but (they were) identifiably so as actors.”
PHOTOS COURTESY, SHANE BROWN, FX ABOVE: Wes Studi plays Bucky in “Reservation Dogs.” He and Paulina Alexis, who plays Willie Jack, are shown in a scene from the season two premiere. RIGHT: Studi returned for season two of the shot-in-Oklahoma series.
Now Studi is part of the critically acclaimed and groundbreaking series “Reservation Dogs,” which features Indigenous creatives in front of and behind the camera. Studi debuted as the character Bucky in the fifth episode of season one, and he returned to help launch season two.
“Reservation Dogs” is shot primarily in Okmulgee and is centered on four Indigenous youths — Elora Danan (Devery Jacobs), Bear Smallhill (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) and Cheese (Lane Factor) — who hatch a plan to leave rural Oklahoma and head to California. If you grew up in small-town Oklahoma, you might feel like you grew up with some of these characters.
“Absolutely,” Studi said. “In a way, it was what I decided to do, which was to leave Oklahoma and go to L.A. back when I was younger.”
Studi made his trip west in pursuit of an acting dream realized. He has appeared in more than 40 films, including “Dances With Wolves,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Geronimo: An American Legend,” “Heat,” “Avatar,” “Hostiles” and “A Love Song,” a July release that gave him an opportunity to play a romantic lead.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, when announcing Studi had been selected for an honorary Oscar, credited him for portraying strong Native American characters with poignancy and authenticity.
Studi is Nofire Hollow authentic. Nofire Hollow is between Tahlequah and Stilwell. His family had allotments there.
“That’s where I spent the first five years of my life,” he said. “It was in the 1940s, so it was a matter of no electricity, no running water. We lived off the land, more or less. I think the only things we bought from the stores at that time were the staples like flour, sugar, salt and that kind of thing. It was definitely a different lifestyle, depending on how old you are.”
Cherokee was his first language. A 2021 GQ profile said Studi was sent to school in Muskogee when he was 5 and, after he returned for the summer, he had to ditch English and re-embrace his Native language. Said Studi in the profile: “There I am in my grandmother’s house and my grandmother looked at me after I said something in English and said, ‘Oh, no, we don’t speak that. Not in my house.’”
Studi said his family didn’t have electricity and running water until after his father got back from Korea. The family relocated from Nofire Hollow to little towns north of Tulsa. His father was a ranch worker.
Korea was his dad’s war. Vietnam awaited Wes.
ABOVE: Bucky (Studi, left) and Uncle Brownie (Gary Farmer, third from left) help Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) and Cheese (Lane Factor) get rid of a curse in the second episode of season two of “Reservation Dogs.” LEFT: The show was shot primarily in Okmulgee.
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE PHOTOS Studi (left) held a U.S. flag and was joined by spiritual leader Frank Thomas and Jay WhiteCrow (from left to right on front row) as they led a group of nearly 400 people protesting nuclear energy during a peaceful march to the edge of a proposed Black Fox power station near Inola on Oct. 7, 1978. They were arrested for trespassing.
After attending Chilocco Indian School (his vocational major was dry cleaning, according to U.S. Veterans Magazine), Studi enlisted at age 17 in the Oklahoma National Guard. He volunteered for active service and spent 12 months in Vietnam.
It was suggested to Studi during the phone interview that volunteering seems brave or gutsy. He’s not sure about that, “but on one hand, I wanted to see what it was like to actually live out the stories that I heard returning veterans tell while I was stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. I was in a company of mostly returning people from Vietnam, and they just had so many stories that they were able to tell, both tragic and lighthearted, as well. It was just something that I wound up kind of testing myself. ‘What would I do in that kind of a situation’ is what I kept asking myself, so the only way to find out was to go over there and see. And so I did.”
So he put his life at risk to satisfy curiosity?
“Well, luckily I came back OK — fairly OK,” he said.
In 2018, one year before Studi’s honorary Oscar, the Academy Awards needed someone to go on stage during the awards ceremony and pay tribute to veterans. That someone was Studi. A montage of scenes from military movies was shown. He spoke about his Vietnam service and said this: “As a veteran, I am always appreciative when filmmakers bring to the screen stories of those who have served. Over 90 years of the Academy Awards, a number of movies with military themes have been honored at the Oscars. Let’s take a moment to pay tribute to these powerful films that shine a great spotlight on those who have fought for freedom around the world.”
Veterans weren’t the only folks who appreciated Studi’s words. So did Cherokees. Here’s why: He concluded by speaking in Cherokee. The Cherokee Nation (Studi once worked for the Cherokee Nation) followed with a tweet that provided a translation: “Hello. Appreciation to all veterans & Cherokees who’ve served. Thank you!”
Studi was amazed at how much positive feedback was generated by what he said at the Oscars. Cherokees were thrilled to hear their language spoken on Hollywood’s biggest night.
Studi, a proponent of Native rights, gravitated to activism after returning from Vietnam. The GQ profile said he joined hundreds of other activists at the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Wounded Knee was occupied for 71 days as a protest against rez conditions. The GQ story said Studi was intercepted by federal agents while
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE Studi, who lives in the Santa Fe, New Mexico, area, returned to his home state for the 2013 Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence at Cascia Hall.
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on a “decoy” mission and was jailed.
Studi’s post-war activism also included joining a 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties march on Washington, D.C., and standing up against a proposed Black Fox nuclear power plant in Oklahoma.
“Those things got me on the FBI’s list for a while,” Studi told the Tulsa World in 2019.
“I came back to Oklahoma, and I had a house in Tulsa after Wounded Knee, and I could walk outside in the morning and see this car parked outside. After a while I’d wave at the guys. They were keeping an eye on me, and on others who were arrested at Wounded Knee.”
Acting didn’t become part of Studi’s story until the 1980s. If you can believe everything you read on the Internet, he got involved in theater (A) because a friend suggested it would be a good place to meet girls or (B) he needed a school credit.
“Both are true,” Studi said. “I was at a point where I wanted to meet different people. I was kind of changing my life from living over in Tahlequah to living in Tulsa. My friend Jay WhiteCrow was part of the American Indian Theater Company at the time, which was growing. Within a year, or maybe two, was when they were able to actually mount an equity show (“Black Elk Speaks”) with David Carradine and Will Sampson.”
Studi was in the cast of the show, which he said ran for a number of weeks at the Performing Arts Center, which means his first paid gig was in downtown Tulsa.
Studi’s appetite was whetted for something bigger than community theater. He did the Rez Dogs thing and trekked to California.
“Probably the worst critic of that move would have been my own self, simply because of the fear of failure,” he said. “I think one of the first things that ever popped in my mind when I was even thinking about going out there was that I could go out there, find no work and then have to come back home with my tail between my legs.”
The opposite occurred. Studi beat the odds and became a working, successful actor.
“Luck and opportunity is what I think happened,” he said. “It turned out to be a good time in terms of there being productions and the fact that I had prepared myself to a certain extent. I had only done two things in front of a camera before going to L.A. ... In a way that sort of prompted me to go out there and see if there was anything I could do out there. Take a chance. See if I could do it rather than the rest of my life saying ‘what if I had?’ That’s essentially it.”
When did he “know” he could do this? He laughed and said, “I’m not sure I know it yet. After each and every job, it’s still the same old thing, I think, in terms of ‘will I ever work again?’ But it’s just a part of being an actor is that uncertainty that many times brings itself on. And I am happy for that.”
Studi credits “The Last of the Mohicans” as being a game-changer in his career. His performance as Magua
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS ABOVE: Wes Studi was presented an honorary Academy Award for career achievement in 2019. RIGHT: Studi is the second Indigenous person from North America to be honored with an Oscar.
- WES STUDI
was buzzworthy. He earned a most promising actor nomination from the Chicago Film Critics Association
“That year, I was even on the Academy Awards’ betting list,” Studi said.
Tulsa World film writer Michael Smith wrote in 2011 that Studi should have secured a best supporting actor nomination for his work in “The Last of the Mohicans.”
Wrote Smith: “Michael Mann’s take on the James Fenimore Cooper novel set during the French and Indian War was overlooked at Oscar time in multiple categories, and perhaps none more so than Studi’s frightening, tragic character of Magua, the duplicitous Huron Indian guide.”
Continuing, Smith said the role required an Indigenous actor, “but it fits the test of any deserving Academy Award-nominated performance: It’s impossible to imagine anyone else in this role, and the film wouldn’t be of the same caliber without Studi, the Cherokee County native who began acting in community theater in Tulsa.”
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE
Studi received a medallion on Circle Cinema’s Walk of Fame in 2010.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Studi introduced a tribute to films that honor military service during an appearance at the 2018 Academy Awards ceremony. Studi capped his appearance by speaking Cherokee.
Studi finally got his Oscar when the Academy saluted his body of work in 2019. His career came full circle when he was asked to be part of “Reservation Dogs,” co-created by Taika Waititi and Tulsa filmmaker Sterlin Harjo. Studi lives in the Santa Fe area and got to return to home turf to play Bucky.
Studi said “Reservation Dogs” is a giant step forward for Indigenous representation on television, “especially the kind of show that it is. It’s a dramedy. It’s a coming-of-age kind of story about some young people that are surrounded by familiars.”
Remember: When Studi was young, he looked for Natives on TV and saw Tonto. The world of “Reservation Dogs” is populated with an allIndigenous cast.
“Those of us that are Native, we have never seen this on screen before,” Studi said. “And here we are in 2022. It took awhile.”
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE
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TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE MAGAZINE
Here are the top 50 things we are loving about Tulsa this year. Call it our recommendation list of things to do, eat, see and experience.
The Hemingway, 1515 E. 15th St., is designed to bring a sense of “rebellious elegance” to the traditions of a fi ne steakhouse.
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
The Canebrake offers guests a chance to retreat and renew in Wagoner.
A guest suite at the Canebrake is shown.
MIKE SIMONS PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
The Canebrake Resort comeback
33241 E. 732 Road, Wagoner
1Six years after closing its doors, the Canebrake is making a comeback.
This unique resort, set on 64 rolling acres of land southeast of Wagoner near Fort Gibson Lake, was a destination for those wanting to rejuvenate with the yoga classes and spa treatments, as well as for foodies who wanted to sample chef and owner Sam Bracken’s four-star cuisine.
The official reopening was Aug. 3, and co-owner Doug Jackson said that, in spite of the property being closed for six years, the facilities are in very good shape, with only minor renovations needed.
The Canebrake includes a luxury spa, 16 rooms for overnight stays, a bar and restaurant, a yoga facility, exercise rooms and a meeting space. The resort’s new executive chef is Bryan Sadler, who will oversee a menu described as “elevated Americana.”
For more, go to canebrake.net.
Et al.
2One of the most delicious trends to hit Tulsa this year is et al.
Et al. is a chefs collective made up of the most talented group of creatives Oklahoma has seen, serving some of the best food in the state.
Formed in early 2022, the name is derived from the meaning “and others” in Latin. Foolish Things Coffee, 1001 S. Main St., serves as its “home base.” The chefs also offer a dinner series. For more information about upcoming dates and reservations, go to etaltulsa.com.
Here are the different pop-ups that make up et al.: Taqueria et al. takes place 5-10 p.m. Tuesday night, is led by Marco Herrera and features Tulsa’s only proper nixtamal program. Every Wednesday from 5-10 p.m. is dumpling night, led by Colin Sato. Look for hand-folded dumplings and Japanese fried chicken along with sake and beer. Bischix is one Sunday per month from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Bischix is a biscuit sandwich concept led by chef Alex Koch, chef Chloe Butler and chef Julia Johnson. Butter Bar occurs one weekend night every month. Butter Bar is a dessert pop-up led by Butler that features seasonally inspired sweet treats and savory snacks. Japanese Breakfast is an elaborated version of a meal from Sato’s childhood. It’s a reservation-only event.
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Et al.’s Colin Sato folds a dumpling while preparing for dinner service at Foolish Things Coffee Co. in Tulsa.
JUDY ALLEN, FOR TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Chloe Butler, a ceramicist and chef/baker in the group, makes custom ceramic teacups and mugs for each brunch, available for $20.
Mon Amie Nails and Spa
31348 E. 11th St. Mon Amie Nails caters to all of its guests with vegan, hypoallergenic, non-toxic and cruelty-free products. Owner Hannah Lee offers everything from manicures, pedicures, massages, body wraps and waxing services — all without the chemical smell you often find at other salons.
Recently, the spa opened a cafe adjacent to the spa serving coffee and pastries made in-house. A lemon cookie paired with a latte is the perfect pre- or post-pedicure snack and is best enjoyed next to the spas’ collection of local art.
Although Lee said she invests more in her products, she does it because she cares about her customers’ health and well-being. It’s because she considers each customer a friend, and if you schedule an appointment at Mon Amie, you will be treated as such.
MANUELA SOLDI, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Mon Amie Nails and Spa offers manicures, pedicures and more, using cruelty-free products.
Nana Rose’s Italian Bakery cannolis
8929 S. Memorial Drive
4If you’ve never had a cannoli, Nana Rose’s Italian Bakery would be a good place to start — and to stop. There’s no need to look further for the quintessential cannoli.
With a list of flavors as long as your arm, everyone is sure to find one they love. Nana Rose’s cannoli pastry is light and flaky. The filling is not too sweet, so those who shy away from frostings and other excessively sweet treats should appreciate them.
Favorite flavors include butter pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough and tiramisu. But don’t forget to try the other authentic pastries as well as the savory foods, such as the fresh-made pasta and sauces and bruscetta.
The bakers work before the sun rises each day, and the warm smell of baking often escapes onto the street before the eatery has opened. Nana Rose would approve.
Cannolis at Nana Rose's Italian Bakery have a light and flaky texture, and the filling is not too sweet.
Nana Rose’s Italian Bakery is owned by Samantha Short and named after her grandmother.
STEPHEN PINGRY PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
MIKE SIMONS PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Pamie, Emmylou, Linus and Sean Davison of England took a selfi e with the Blue Whale in August.
Blue Whale turns 50
2600 U.S. Route 66, Catoosa 5 People from our part of the country travel hundreds of miles to see the ocean. People from other parts of the country drive here to see our whale, never mind that we don’t have an ocean.
A small body of water in Catoosa is home to the Blue Whale, a man-made roadside attraction that turned 50 in 2022. The Blue Whale continues to attract Route 66 travelers in its golden anniversary year. At any given moment, cars or motorcycles are in the parking lot because folks want to get up close and personal with the whale.
The Blue Whale, completed by Hugh Davis as a gift to his wife in 1972, will likely benefi t from ramped-up interest when Route 66 celebrates a centennial in four years. The gift that keeps on giving?
The Blue Whale of Catoosa is celebrating a 50-year anniversary.
Ruth’s Chicken
ruthschicken.com
6Ruth’s Chicken food truck is hoping to give back and build community with its gluten-free chicken TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE sliders and tenders. Ruth’s Chicken uses a premium
The business that began seasoning blend that contains no in a backyard advertises weekly events MSG and is low in sodium. The across Tulsa, where foodies of all diets chicken is brined for 12-24 hours for can enjoy tender fried chicken without maximum fl avor. compromising on fl avor.
Co-owner Alton Andrews named the truck after his grandmother, who died a few years ago. Her spirit lives on in every sandwich and smile.
And, because Ruth’s doesn’t believe in food waste, all of the leftovers are boxed and given to homeless people in need of a good meal. To fi nd their location, follow Ruth’s on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
7AleXa You knew it when you saw her perform on television: A star is born. AleXa, a K-pop music artist from Jenks, had a global following before she appeared on NBC’s “American Song Contest,” a reality competition featuring participants from every U.S. state and territory. Her profile in the U.S. got a significant boost when she was voted the champion of the first-year show.
AleXa (Alexaundra Schneiderman) is a 2015 graduate of Jenks High School. She said people from her hometown know her as Alex Christine.
AleXa debuted the song “Wonderland” on the show and won over viewers with sticks-inyour-head lyrics and visually striking performances. Snoop Dogg, who co-hosted the show with Kelly Clarkson, complimented her work.
The victory felt like the launch of a big career. Stay tuned.
AleXa attended the Billboard Music Awards after winning NBC’s “American Song Contest” in May.
JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP
Rose Rock Microcreamery
Fifth Street and Boston Avenue (Philtower Building); 115 N. Main St., Broken Arrow
Once, we said in our newspaper, “Rose Rock Microcreamery takes ice cream to another level.”
It sure is nice being right. 8 Now that Rose Rock Microcreamery has taken its premium ice cream to another street in downtown, we want to make sure everyone can find it.
Last winter, Rose Rock moved from its original location at the The Boxyard to Tulsa’s iconic Philtower Building at Fifth Street and Boston Avenue. Also, a second location opened in the Rose District of Broken Arrow. Rose Rock creates small-batch ice cream with familiar and unique flavors; it also offers vegan and gluten-free options. Among its signature flavors are Lavender Honey and Rose Rock, named for the state’s official stone. Rose Rock is made with other official state ingredients such as strawberries and pecans, with “Magic Shell” chocolate swirled through it to represent the state’s oil industry history.
MIKE SIMONS PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Flavors such as Sundae in a Scoop and Cherry Cheesecake are served in a waffle cone bowl at Rose Rock Micro Creamery.
Jane’s Delicatessen
1401 E. 11th St. 9 Jane’s Delicatessen reopened its doors on July 30 about a mile west from its former location, and it is ready to start a new chapter. Jane’s offers a unique menu in Tulsa, including Jewish-, German- and French-Canadian-inspired dishes prepared in-house.
We recommend the Dick Richardson — a unique take on a burger with pastrami, sauerkraut, cheese curds, house mustard, swiss cheese, Russian dressing and a pickled green tomato.
Customers are welcome to grab a seat at the bar to enjoy a local, regional or national beer, or they can take a seat near the can’t-miss art piece of a bull from the old location.
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE The Sosa Sammy at Jane’s Delicatessen has roast beef, cheddar, onion, spring mix, tomato and Russian dressing on sourdough.
Jane’s Delicatessen opened in the summer at a new location in Meadow Gold District.
La Michoacana Plus
11360 E. 31st St. 10 At La Michoacana Plus, the flashy, colorful treats are rivaled only by the restaurant’s whimsical neon decor. The first Oklahoma location of this chain restaurant, which opened in June, offers Mexican snacks, desserts and drinks.
Ice cream flavors range from tried-and-true chocolate and vanilla to tres leches, Bubulubu (a popular brand of chocolate bars from Mexico with a strawberry and marshmallow filling), mazapan (peanut-flavored) and many more.
If you prefer your frozen dessert on a stick, paletas de agua (ice pops) and paletas de leche (creamy ice pops) are for you. Dozens of mostly fruity flavors are available. Other desserts include the visually striking mangonadas, shakes, michelaguas and more.
Try the Hot Cheetos esquite (Mexican street corn served in a cup) for a spicy snack, or eat elote off the cob. Cheesy nachos are a familiar standby, or you can go “crazy” with Tostilocos, which are loaded with chopped veggies, pickled pork skins, Japanese peanuts, chamoy, hot sauce and lime juice. Wash it all down with an agua fresca, a sweet fruit drink. 11
La Michoacana Plus offers tasty Mexican treats and a fun atmosphere. Sip on a tangy michelagua.
MANUELA SOLDI PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
The Hemingway
1515 E. 15th St.
The newest concept from chef Trevor Tack is designed to bring a sense of “rebellious elegance” to the traditions of a fine steakhouse. “It’s a modern, chef-driven version of the American steakhouse,” Tack said. “We’re in a smaller, more intimate space, where everything is very detail-oriented and as locally sourced as possible. The atmosphere we want to create is one of everyday luxury.”
That includes the menu, which will feature steaks that have been dry-aged for maximum flavor, seafood and pasta dishes.
“Steakhouses are usually places you go to only for special occasions,” Tack said. “That’s why we’re wanting to offer a variety of dishes, things that people will want to eat on a regular basis. The way I see it, we’ve just come out from under a plague, and it’s time to get out and celebrate life.”
For more, go to thehemingwaytulsa1515.com
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE A kudu head is mounted above a set of stairs at The Hemingway steakhouse.
New eateries by McNellie’s
Mr. Kim’s, 119 S. Detroit Ave. Red Light Chicken, 332 E. First St. 12 McNellie’s Group opened two new concepts this year worth celebrating. Ben Alexander, the head of culinary operations at the McNellie’s Group, is well-known for putting personal twists into the menus he creates. But Mr. Kim’s, the Asian-fusion steakhouse, is by far the most personal restaurant he has overseen, as the food draws from Alexander’s own Korean heritage.
The restaurant centers on Korean barbecue, with its grilled meats and its array of banshan, or side dishes. One can choose to enjoy the Omakase, or tasting menu, that has a curated selection of meats and vegetables, including Wagyu beef; or order a la carte.
For many Okies, those dishes would fall in the unfamiliar category.
Enter Red Light Chicken for a taste of the familiar.
The newest concept from the McNellie’s Group used to be home to the company’s original El Guapo Mexican restaurant. It specializes in chicken dredged in seasoned flour and fried. It can’t get more universal than that. And it’s delicious.
Although its name refers to the somewhat sordid history of the neighborhood it calls home, Red Light Chicken is actually quite the family-friendly establishment.
A habañero mayonnaise adds an extra level of heat to the spicy chicken sandwich at Red Light Chicken. Scallops, steak and pork cook on the tabletop grill at Mr. Kim's.
TOM GILBERT
PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE If you know, you know. The Country Bird Bakery bread has a following.
Country Bird Bakery
1644 E. Third St. 13 The Country Bird Bakery is a dream realized for baker Cat Cox. Cox is known for creating loaves of bread so glorious, they once warranted a separated course on the tasting menu at both FarmBar and Living Kitchen where she worked, and most recently the loaves have been picked up from her home porch in a weekly bread club. In her new retail bakery, Cox offers her much-loved artisanal, naturally leavened sourdough breads, as well as other baked goods.
The sourdough bread loaves that Cox creates are works of art, each milled from grains she purchases directly from farmers and blends with herbs, cooked grains, and unlikely ingredients such as sweet potato, eggplant or even rose petals. In addition, the bakery features sweet baked goods.
Country Bird Bakery is open only on Saturdays for now, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and customers are urged to pre-order those laborintensive loaves she offered in her bread club. Drip and cold brew coffee is available, as well. Baking classes will also be offered.
For more, go to countrybirdbakery.com, Instagram (@countrybirdbakery) or her Facebook page.
Wildflower Market
3314 S. Peoria Ave. 14 Opened in January, Wildflower Market is a female- and familyowned business on Brookside specializing in all things plants. The lush green store is filled with virtually any houseplant you can dream of — peace lilies, philodendrons, pothos — sourced from local wholesalers and the personal greenhouses of owner Erin Danyelle and her mother, Dani Thayer.
What sets Wildflower Market apart, however, is the fact that it offers much more than plants. The store is filled with art, jewelry and other goods crafted by local artisans, and each month, a variety of workshops are offered. They range from macrame classes and potting workshops to yoga and tai chi sessions.
Most popular are the Full Moon Fever workshops, where attendees can practice meditation, manifestation and sound healing and have their tarot cards read while enjoying snacks and cocktails.
Follow Wildflower Market on Instagram @wildflowermarkettul.
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Wildflower Market offers a variety of plants grown by local wholesalers and even owner Erin Danyelle and her mother themselves.
Pork Belly Chicharrones are one of many offerings at Madre’s Mexican Kitchen.
The drinks are worth the trip to Madre's. From left, El Papichulo, White Peach Margarita, Cantarito and Martini de Mazapan are just a few of the drink choices.
TOM GILBERT PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
Madre’s happy hour
6823 S. Yale Ave. 15
There’s one way to turn happy hour into a very happy hour — go
to Madre’s.
The cocktail selection is plentiful and unique. We happen to be partial to the Pepino, which includes Casa Noble Crystal tequila, fresh squeezed lime and diced cucumber, agave nectar, and Cointreau with a Tajin and chamoy rim.
For snacks with your drinks, we recommend the guacamole, queso and Pork Belly Chicharrones.
Be prepared to share the large serving of fresh guacamole because one person can’t eat it alone, and be prepared to become addicted to the Chicharrones. And the white queso has just the right amount of heat!
Okie Spice tailgating
103 N. Main St., Sand Springs 16 It’s football season. This is Oklahoma. Need we say more? There’s going to be some tailgating. And even if you don’t leave your living room, it’s a sure bet there will be football and there will be food. Okie Spice and Trade Co. is one of our favorite headquarters to find all the football feast supplies. Kim Zieg, the owner of OkieSpice and Trade Co., said the shop is stocked with everything from dip and drink mixes to chili supplies and the perfect OU and OSU serving dishes.
Go team!
New barbecue spots
17 The Tulsa barbecue scene has grown to feature cooks who take the tradition of smoking meats seriously but also are willing to explore and invent. We love our classics, but we want to give these new spots some love, too.
1907 Barbecue
1124 S. Lewis Ave. 1907 Barbecue got its start in 2013, and after several mobile years as a food truck, the owners moved to the Cabin Boys Brewery parking lot. It has recently relocated to Mother Road Market to bring barbecue back to Route 66.
Oakhart Barbecue
1644 E. Third St.
Oakhart Barbecue uses post oak wood and only salt and pepper as seasoning — along with an artisan’s touch at coaxing culinary magic from these simple elements — to create mouth-watering barbecue.
Leon’s Smoke Shack
601 S. Sheridan Road; 1529 E. Third St.
Leon’s has been in operation since 2014 and opened a second location this year in what used to be the Swamp House. We suggest Leon’s ribs, beans and the signature Slap Potato, topped with a choice of meat.
Alpha Grill
RIP STELL, FOR TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Among the choices at Mac's BBQ at Cain's Kitchen are (clockwise from left) the Mac Sandwich with brisket, bologna and hot links; the BBQ Frito Pie and the Okie, with brisket and cheese sauce.
Killer Wail Barbecue
2112 E. Admiral Blvd.
One local favorite among barbecue fans can be found in the parking lot of Heirloom Rustic Ales. Chef and owner Oliver Larrabee runs this operation that has been cooking up Central Texas-style barbecue. Killer Wail is open only on Saturdays and routinely sells out by early afternoon.
Mac’s BBQ at Cain’s Ballroom
423 N. Main St.
The menu features items familiar to fans of Mac’s Barbecue in Skiatook, which is a good thing because Mac’s has many fans. The restaurant is usually only open when the venue is hosting a concert, but it also offers Sunday brunches, which are called Brunch with Bob. See the menu at facebook.com/cainskitchentulsa.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE 1907 Barbecue uses a simple salt, pepper and garlic seasoning on its brisket and turkey. 5970 E. 31st St.; 6670 S. Lewis Ave.
Chef and owner Frank Willis calls it “barbecue with a twist.” He opened a second location this year in south Tulsa. Alpha Grill began as a food truck, and in 2020, the business moved into Mall 31, where the Willis family continues to blend Mexican, Cajun and Caribbean foods and flavors with traditional Oklahoma barbecue.
Yourelevatedlunch&dinner experienceawaits.Takeaculinary adventureintothefresh,bold,and earthytasteofauthenticMexico.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Owner Lisa Wakefield said it's important to her to fill Jenkins & Co. with items that are handcrafted by artisans.
Jenkins & Co.
1335 E. 11th St., Suite E 18 Jenkins & Co. specializes in artisan-made home goods, jewelry and apothecary products. Whether you’re looking to outfit your space with new bohemian décor or purchase a gift for a loved one, Jenkins & Co. has something for everyone.
“I love things that have history and a story, so I try to curate a collection that is meaningful, useful and beautiful — everyday things with purpose that bring joy every time you use them,” said owner Lisa Wakefield, who opened the store in 2015.
The store is located on 11th Street next to Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66. Follow Jenkins & Co. on Instagram @jenkinsandcotulsa or visit jenkinsandcotulsa.com for more information.
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TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE
Play pickleball at Whiteside Park.
Pickleball
Here’s a deal — or dill — for you: Jump on the pickleball bandwagon. What’s pickleball? It’s a surging-in-popularity, indoor/ outdoor sport that has roots in tennis, badminton and table tennis. It is played with a paddle and a plastic ball speckled with holes.
The Greater Tulsa Pickleball Club was created in 2019 and now has more than 140 dues-paying members, according to tulsapickleball.org. The site contains a list of places to play and upcoming events as well as information for beginners.
Sweet? Or kosher. You decide.
Milo’s Tea
Milo’s Tea Co. has quenched our thirst for economic expansion in the Tulsa area.
The Alabama-based producer of the all-natural, fresh-brewed teas and lemonade opened a $60 million production and distribution facility in the Cherokee Extension Industrial Park, north of Tulsa and west of Owasso, in 2020 after spending three years researching sites.
This year, the company announced an expansion to the facility that will triple its gallonmaking capacity. It added 50 new jobs to its workforce of at least 110 workers.
Milo’s tea and lemonade has been growing in popularity, with good cause. And Tulsa’s quality water helps make it even better.
We’ll drink to that this year.
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE Construction for the $20 million expansion of the Milo's tea production facility began this year.
Frankoma Pottery
21 One of the most iconic Oklahoma brands, Frankoma Pottery, is opening a new manufacturing facility and storefront this year. And we join the fans who are glad it is coming back.
Frankoma Pottery has been around since 1933, creating sculptures, figurines and dinnerware of earthy colors like Prairie Green and Desert Gold for customers all over the world.
After the company’s founder, John Frank, died in 1973, Frankoma Pottery fell on hard times, eventually closing in 2010. Twelve years later, new owner Dennis Glascock is working to revitalize the Frankoma Pottery brand by opening a new facility in Glenpool.
Visitors will be able to purchase pottery at the storefront and watch from a viewing window as pottery is created by Frankoma craftsmen before their eyes. Glascock said he expects the facility to be open later this year.
For more information, visit frankomapottery.com. 22
Frankoma Pottery's new manufacturing facility and storefront is expected to open in Glenpool later this year.
MIKE SIMONS PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
Greaser Hideout
Who knew that being on the alleged wrong side of the tracks could be so much fun? The “greasers” were from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks in “The Outsiders.” Danny O’Connor of the music group House of Pain rescued the Outsiders House (a filming location from the book-turned-movie) from destruction and transformed the house into a museum dedicated to “The Outsiders” and the works of author S.E. Hinton.
The appeal of “The Outsiders” is such that the museum continues to draw fans and celebrity visitors (Leonardo DiCaprio stopped by in 2021). You can’t stay in the house overnight — but you can stay across the street.
A home facing the museum became an Outsiders-themed Airbnb. The “greaser hideout” opened in early 2022 and is mostly booked, according to O’Connor.
Stay? Stay Gold.
Artifacts from “The Outsiders” hang on the walls of a bedroom of an Airbnb across the street from the Outsiders House Museum.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE ONHISTORICROUTE66 ON HISTORIC ROUTE 66
918.794.7844|1335E11thSt.
www.jenkinsandcotulsa.com jenkinsandcotulsa
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Black Moth
1142 S. Harvard Ave.
Preservation runs in the family at Black Moth.
Maris Blanchard, the owner of the natural history store, followed in the footsteps of her greatgrandmother, who passed on her love for preserving turtle shells and salting skins.
The taxidermy deer heads and birds you might find perched on the walls of your grandparents’ house are all for sale and ethically sourced so the nature Blanchard is passionate about doesn’t go to waste.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious collector or just browsing. The shop offers puzzles, stationery and stickers for those who aren’t ready to build a collection and taxidermy classes for those interested in learning more.
It’s a wild experience you won’t want to miss.
MANUELA SOLDI, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Black Moth offers a curated selection of ethically sourced taxidermy, skulls, bones, rocks and minerals, fossils, insects, seashells, hides, plants and more.
Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar
1515 E. 15th St.; 161 S. Riverfront Drive, Jenks Think of Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar as a “vroom with a view.” These newly opened watering holes are notable as much for the views they offer as they are for their craft cocktails and their extensive selection of spirits, wines and beers.
Each location incorporates garagestyle doors that allow access to rooftop patios that let one take in the downtown Tulsa skyline or a swath of the Arkansas River, depending on your location. Fire pits help take the chill off on autumn nights.
Some of Sidecar’s most popular drink options include the GTO Margarita, which combines a jalapeñoinfused vodka and house-made sweet and sour mix; the Old “Smokey”
24 Fashion, served in a smoke-infused glass; and the Cherry Street Sidecar, a mix of cognac, Cointreau and sweet and sour. Those seeking some nonliquid nourishment can choose from a menu of appetizers, flatbread pizzas and panini-style sandwiches. For more, go to sdcrbar.com
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Two of the more popular signature cocktails at Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar are the Cucumber Cutie (left) and the Old “Smokey” Fashion.
Discovery Lab
3123 Riverside Drive 25 Earlier this year, Discovery Lab opened the doors to its new 57,000-square-foot facility at the Gathering Place. The children’s museum, which spent nearly a decade at Owen Park, presents educational opportunities in a fun, hands-on way.
Discovery Lab’s exhibits encourage the development of critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and more. Exhibits based on the areas of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math) rotate periodically, and fans of the “tape tunnels” in the former building will be eager to explore the new area. 26
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MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Kerr Elementary School third-grader Joseph Lopez slides through a tunnel as Tulsa Public Schools students take a field trip to the Discovery Lab at the Gathering Place.
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE John Swab is a Tulsa filmmaker whose stock is on the rise.
Filmmaker John Swab
This applies to Tulsa’s John Swab: He’s one of those filmmakers who, once you see one of his films, it may motivate you to find and watch everything he has ever done. It was announced in January that Paramount Pictures acquired worldwide distribution rights for his film “Little Dixie,” an action thriller starring frequent collaborator Frank Grillo.
In June, Scott Caan was in Tulsa and talked about teaming up with Swab for “One Day as a Lion,” a film he wrote that was being directed by Swab.
“I think he’s one of the best young directors making movies right now,” Caan said.
Swab’s filmography includes “Let Me Make You a Martyr” (2016), “Run With the Hunted” (2019), “Body Brokers” (2021) and “Ida Red,” which was filmed (and set) in Tulsa.
Zach Bryan albums
We are having a hard time keeping up with rising Oklahoma country music star Zach Bryan. But he has certainly earned his spot in the Tulsa World Magazine 50 for all of his hard work.
In July, the Oologah native released “Summertime Blues,” a nine-track album.
If you’re keeping track, that’s just a few months after he released his record-breaking critically acclaimed Warner Records debut, “American Heartbreak.”
“American Heartbreak” was an instant hit, breaking the record for single-album streams in a 24-hour period and pushing Bryan past 1 billion streams globally.
“Something in the Orange” topped out at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Country charts and was the No. 18 global streaming track overall. “From Austin” was a No. 1 Country Song on Apple Music and debuted at No. 4 on Spotify’s Global Country chart.
Country music star Zach Bryan performed at Calf Fry on April 29 at The Tumbleweed in Stillwater.
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE
COURTESY, DIAMOND CELLAR Stacking jewelry is habit-forming, just like a good cup of coffee. Jewelry featured is from Penny Preville and offered by Diamond Cellar.
Diamond Cellar stacks
28 Stacks on stacks on stacks — that’s the trend we are loving at Diamond Cellar, formerly Bruce G. Weber. Whether it’s bracelets, rings, necklaces or fun ear cuffs and earrings, there are many choices for jewelry to stack at Diamond Cellar.
The pieces are interchangeable, so you can change the look. If you are buying a gift for a friend who is building a stack, it makes gift-buying even easier.
We are mad about stacks!
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Tulsa Symphony goes to the movies
Dec. 2, 2022, and April 15, 2023, at the Tulsa PAC Music has been an important element of movies from the very beginning, when silent films were accompanied by an organist or piano player. The Tulsa Symphony has continued that tradition since it was founded, offering special concerts each season in which the full orchestra performs the score of a popular movie.
This season, these events include the modern holiday classic “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell, Bob Newhart and the late James Caan, in the story of Buddy, who sets out from Santa’s workshop at the North Pole to discover his true father. The Tulsa Symphony will perform John Debney’s score when the film is shown Dec. 2 at the Tulsa PAC.
Another modern classic, “The Princess Bride,” will be presented April 15 at the Tulsa PAC, with the Tulsa Symphony performing the score. For more, go to tulsasymphony.org.
The Tulsa Symphony offers special concerts each season in which the full orchestra performs the score of a popular movie.
TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Locally sourced produce, such as cauliflower, gets an Italian makeover at Il Seme.
Il Seme
15 W. Fifth St. James Beard Award-nominated chef Lisa Becklund has become nationally known for the farm-totable dinners she creates at Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy in Depew and at Tulsa’s FarmBar, focusing almost exclusively on ingredients from Oklahoma producers.
The newest restaurant she and partner Linda Ford have opened, Il Seme, puts that same philosophy to use in an Italian context. And the few essentials that can’t be locally sourced are imported directly from Italy.
The menu changes regularly, depending on what is seasonal, but some dishes that are staples include the arancini (rice balls stuffed with cheese or lamb, deep fried and served with a rich marinara sauce); linguine vongole (pasta with clams in a light lemony sauce); house-made focaccia; and a rose panna cotta for dessert. For more, go to ilsemetulsa.com.
Tulsa distilleries
31 Tulsa is now home to two distilleries: OK Distilling Co. and Red Fork Distillery. Red Fork Distillery is located at 3310 Southwest Blvd., on Route 66, just a few miles from downtown Tulsa.
OK Distilling Co., 1724 E. Seventh St., is next to three of Tulsa’s breweries.
Hunter Stone Gambill owns OK Distilling Co. and plans to open a tasting room on Cherry Street next spring. He came out with Indian Grass vodka in December 2017.
Both distilleries’ products are available in liquor stores and bars throughout Tulsa. They also host private parties in their taprooms.
Red Fork Distillery is owned by Michael and Dana Hoey. After years of figuring out the challenges of doing this in Oklahoma, they opened in 2015.
“We are Tulsa’s first legal distillery since Prohibition,” Michael Hoey said. “We have a full line of spirits, including seven different spirits, but some of our newest products are our Caribe rum, which is our Oklahoma rum that is barrel aged. We have our Apple Pie whiskey, which uses our Heist whiskey blended with natural juices and cinnamon. Then we have our Kivalo, which is our whiskey cream.”
Red Fork also provides the official vodka of the Tulsa Drillers. So anytime you’re at ONEOK field, you’ll find Red Fork Distillery vodka. 32
A chocolate martini can be made with Red Fork Distillery’s Kivalo whiskey cream and Southern Journey vodka.
Dana and Mike Hoey opened Red Fork Distillery in 2015 and continue to roll out new products.
TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
Oct. 20-29, Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St. Tulsa audiences have been waiting more than two years for the touring production of Disney’s “Frozen” to come to town. The stage version of “Frozen” is one of the most acclaimed productions Disney has created, earning praise for the new songs created by the original writers, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the dazzling spectacle of its sets, which evoke the wintry setting of much of the plot, and its story of two sisters who must discover how to use their magical powers for good.
Celebrity Attractions will close out its 2021-22 season with an extended run of this family musical. For more, go to tulsapac.com.
COURTESY, DEEN VAN MEER Caroline Bowman performs as Elsa and Carole Innerbichler portrays Anna in the touring production of “Frozen.”
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Steak Stuffers USA offers authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks.
Steak Stuffers’ authentic Philly flavor
7846 E. 51st St. 33 Travelers who have eaten the most famous food for which Philadelphia is known for know the farther west you travel, the harder it is to get an authentic cheesesteak. Sure, you can find a tasty and similar sandwich at lots of restaurants, but it ain’t a Philly cheesesteak.
Tulsans don’t know how lucky they are to have Steak Stuffers USA on 51st Street just west of Memorial. It opened in 1988 and survived two location changes as Tulsa grew, along with the family of its owner, Philadelphia native George Van Wyck. Its new owners are a family of German heritage, but they haven’t changed the original cheesesteak recipe.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE The Bead Merchant owner Susanne Barnard expects to open a new studio for silversmithing classes this fall.
The Bead Merchant
1547 S. Harvard Ave. 34 The Bead Merchant has been a Tulsa staple since 1990. The store offers beads of all shapes, colors and sizes, finished jewelry works, crystals, stones and charms, and any supplies might you need to create jewelry. Owner Susanne Barnard sources her merchandise from all over the world, gathering goods everywhere from Tibet to the Czech Republic.
Whether you’re a newcomer to jewelry-making or a pro looking to master an advanced technique, The Bead Merchant offers a host of classes and workshops. This fall, Barnard will open a new studio connected to The Bead Merchant for silversmithing classes, as well.
“The Bead Merchant is a great place for people to come other than home or work and do something they’re passionate about,” Barnard said. “It’s a really great creative outlet for so many different kinds of people.”
For more information, visit beadmerchanttulsa.com.
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Yoga classes
Various locations
Tulsans love yoga. Here are a few fun options we found that you might want to try out.
Goat yoga
15362 S. 217th West Ave., Kellyville
For a stretch and a smile, check out High On A Hill Dairy Farm in Kellyville, where you can take a yoga class alongside adorable goats. The class is 75 minutes long, with 45 minutes of yoga and the rest spent interacting with the goats.
Free class
400 Civic Center
Find a free yoga class on Tuesday nights at Central Library. Mats, blocks and straps are provided at this beginner-friendly yoga class.
Beer yoga
Cabin Boys Brewery, 1717 E. Seventh St.; Marshall Brewing Co., 618 S. Wheeling Ave.
Want a beer with your workout? Be Love Yoga Studio has partnered with Cabin Boys Brewery for a beer yoga class, as have High Vibrations Coaching and Marshall Brewing Co. Both studios teach a monthly class at the partnering brewery that includes one hour of yoga and one free beer.
PHOTOS COURTESY, HIGH ON A HILL DAIRY FARM Enjoy an adorable goat with your yoga session at High on a Hill Dairy farm in Kellyville.
Bar Serra
1876 Utica Square 36 Bar Serra, a new concept by the McNellie’s Group, is the newest addition to Tulsa’s venerable Utica Square. It is described as a “neighborhood bar and restaurant, serving elevated bar food, classic cocktails, interesting wines and craft beers.”
It is easy to find — just look for the greenhouselike construction in Utica Square’s new “art alley,” between Muse and Banana Republic. It is set to open in late fall and might not be open by the time of publication. We predict it will be buzzworthy nonetheless.
Bar Serra is the second McNellie’s Group establishment in Utica Square; in 2020, the company took over ownership of the Wild Fork Restaurant. And given the success of such recently opened concepts as Howdy Burger, Dracula Sandwich, Mr. Kim’s and Red Light Chicken, Bar Serra should quickly become a popular watering hole for the midtown crowd.
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Bar Serra is the latest concept by the McNellie’s Group.
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE Nasi lemak at Zogam Cafe is a Malaysian dish with coconut rice, sambal, anchovies, fried chicken wings, peanuts, hard-boiled egg and cucumber slices.
Zomi cuisine
Various locations 37 Earlier this year, the New York Times showcased something Tulsans have known for years — that this city is home to the largest population in the United States of the Zomi people, an ethnic minority group from Myanmar, the island formerly known as Burma.
About 8,000 Zomi now call Tulsa home, and some of them are helping to preserve a portion of their native culture with restaurants that offer traditional dishes, sometimes modified to appeal to Western palettes, or presented as specials alongside dishes of Chinese, Japanese and Thai origin.
The shopping center at 69th Street and Lewis Avenue is the epicenter for Zomi food, thanks to the presence of Kai Burmese Cuisine, 6912 S. Lewis Ave. (facebook.com/ kaiburmese), and Zogam Cafe, 6930 S. Lewis Ave., (zogamcafe.com), as well as the OK Asian Market, which sells many of the ingredients essential to Zomi cuisine.
STEPHEN PINGRY PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Sheet music rises up from a replica of Bob Dylan’s piano in the introductory gallery of the Bob Dylan Center.
Bob Dylan Center
116 E. Reconciliation Way 38 The music world’s attention was focused on Tulsa in May, when the Bob Dylan Center officially opened to the public. Home to a treasure trove of more than 100,000 items ranging from pocket notebooks filled with scribbled lyrics to towering metal sculptures made by Dylan himself, the center is an immersive, multi-media experience.
The facility’s cutting-edge design, created by renowned architectural and exhibit design firm Olson Kundig, exploits audio and visual elements as well as static displays. The greater purpose of the Bob Dylan Center is not simply to impress but to inspire.
Visitors are greeted by a wall emblazoned with a quote from Dylan: “Life isn’t about finding yourself or finding anything. It’s about creating yourself and creating things.” And that, according to Steve Jenkins, the center’s executive director, is the whole point.
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Drunken Chipmunk at CHOCS
1502 E. 15th St.
At Coffee House on Cherry Street, you don’t have to go to the zoo to see grizzly bears, honey badgers and monkeys. They put them in your cup. Since 2006, the coffeehouse and bakery have been serving up unique and locally roasted coffee with decadent pastries. The establishment complements its culinary experience with warm lighting and periodic live music.
We recommend you try a slice of vegan chocolate cake topped with a chocolate rose.
And if you want to wash down something sweet with something even sweeter, try the Drunken Chipmunk. The specialty drink combines Irish cream, vanilla and hazelnut with espresso and steamed milk.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE We recommend the drunken chipmunk and the vegan chocolate cake at Coffee House on Cherry Street.
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Taqueria Azteca taco platter
4050 S. Sheridan Road; 61st Street and Mingo Road; or 12570 E. 21st St.
A pizza box full of tacos may seem overwhelming, but with the tasty carne asada at the Taqueria Azteca taco trucks, you won’t be able to stop eating.
The 24-count taco platter comes with all the colorful toppings you can think of, creating a visually appealing and hunger-satisfying dinner.
It might be tempting to eat all 24 tacos by yourself, so bring a friend and chow down. If you’re anything like us, challenge them to see who can eat the most in one sitting.
TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Omaley B performs during a listening party for the 1921: The Black Wall Street Music Project at Lefty’s on Greenwood.
‘1921’ album
41 Songs from current music artists and a posthumous contribution from music artist and former NBA player Wayman Tisdale are part of “1921,” a collaborative album from the Black Wall Street Music Project released in May on digital platforms.
The project brought together artists of varying styles, including Omaley B, Taylor Hanson of the Tulsa pop-rock trio Hanson, Majeste Pearson, Dangerous Rob, Playya 1000 and others to reflect on the deep musical heritage of Tulsa.
The album title refers to the year of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which destroyed Black Wall Street.
Executive producer and One Tulsa founder Fred Jones had a passion to assemble an album that could bring attention to challenging topics while seeking to spark a more hopeful future for the Greenwood District.
To find out more about the Black Wall Street Music Project, go to blackwallstreetmusic.com.
Tulsa Ballet’s ‘Carmen’
Nov. 7-9, Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St. 42 The fiery temptress Carmen has been the ultimate “femme fatale” from the moment she first appeared in the pages of Prosper Mérimée’s novella. Tulsa Ballet will present the world premiere of the newest retelling of this tragic tale of lust and liberty, betrayal and murder when it presents “Carmen,” choreographed by Kenneth Tindall, resident choreographer of England’s Northern Ballet. The ballet uses music from Bizet’s famed opera based on the story, as well as music by Rodion Shchedrin and Alexandra Harwood, to tell the story of Carmen, who entrances the soldier Don Jose to the point that he is willing to abandon his life to pursue her. But Carmen has no desire to confine her life to one person, and her affair with the matador Escamillo leads to tragedy. See more at tulsaballet.org. 43
COURTESY, JEREMY CHARLES Jaimi Cullen portrays the title character in Tulsa Ballet’s “Carmen,” a ballet choreographed by Kenneth Tindall that will have its world premiere Nov. 7-9.
Mother Road Market to-go
1124 S. Lewis Ave
We love Mother Road Market and its ever-expanding options for delicious food and shops. And we are especially loving its to-go options. Pro tips: You can skip the line and order from your phone. You can order from multiple places on the same ticket.
We’re pretty sure we just blew your mind. Order from motherroadmarket. menu and receive a text when your food is ready.
Bonus pro tip: Try Bodhi’s Bowl, which serves rice bowls inspired by countries from all over the world, and even gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. We suggest the vegan and gluten-free bowl, the Chakra Chana. The dish is a chickpea curry made with Bodhi’s Bowl’s masala blend served on a bed of coconut rice with ginger spinach salad, vegetable sambar, pineapple salsa and cilantro. Request a piece of naan — you won’t regret it.
Anthousai Florals
2411 E. Admiral Blvd., Suite A 44 When Jenny Rausch and Katie Allen opened Anthousai Florals in 2015, they focused mostly on creating unique floral arrangements for weddings and events. In May 2021, the pair and their team of florists opened a retail shop in the Kendall Whittier district, where they sell individual arrangements, indoor plants and gifts, and host workshops.
Anthousai Florals focuses on creating one-of-a-kind floral arrangements using flowers sourced from local vendors.
“We are so passionate about connecting with our clients and customers. … We believe this is the best way to create florals that are truly meaningful to each couple,” Rausch said. “We also work really hard to source unique varieties of flowers as well, and each arrangement and event we create is different than the last!”
Follow Anthousai Florals on Instagram @anthousai or visit anthousaiflorals.com for more information.
MANUELA SOLDI, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE The team of florists at Anthousai Florals creates arrangements for weddings and events, as well as individual arrangements and bouquets available for purchase at the store.
COURTESY, SHANE BROWN, FX Academy Award-winning Oklahoma actor Wes Studi (left) is shown with “Reservation Dogs” cast members Gary Farmer and Paulina Alexis in a season two episode.
45 In 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created what eventually became the Marvel Universe with the debut of the Fantastic Four. Fifty years later, Tulsa filmmaker Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi unleashed the Rez Dogs four.
The four — Bear, Elora Danan, Cheese and Willie Jack — are Indigenous youths who want to escape the modern-day reservation and head to California.
And so began “Reservation Dogs,” a groundbreaking and critically acclaimed series co-created by Harjo and Waititi.
The series, a mix of comedy and drama, has been praised for its depiction of Indigenous life in rural Oklahoma. Filmed primarily in Okmulgee, “Reservation Dogs” began a second season in August with a red carpet premiere at River Spirit Casino.
The characters in “Reservation Dogs” ring familiar to some Oklahomans in an “I grew up with these kids” sort of way. The series reminds us where we have been and makes us curious about where the characters are going next.
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Dalton Cramer is a Seminole actor from Seminole who plays Daniel on “Reservation Dogs.”
46 ‘Tulsa King’ Sylvester Stallone visited the Center of the Universe, a quirky downtown Tulsa attraction, while in town to film a scene for the Paramount+ series “Tulsa King.”
Oklahoma isn’t the center of the filmmaking universe, but “Tulsa King” and other shot-in-Oklahoma projects (among them: “Reservation Dogs” and Martin Scorsese’s upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon”) confirm Oklahoma has a footprint in that universe.
“Tulsa King” is being shot in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It is scheduled to debut Nov. 13 exclusively on Paramount+.
Stallone is starring in a TV series for the first time. “Tulsa King” stars the Academy Award-nominee as 75-year-old mobster Dwight “The General” Manfredi, who, after release from a 25-year prison term, is sent by the son of his former boss to set up shop in (guess where?) Tulsa.
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Sylvester Stallone came to downtown Tulsa in March to shoot scenes at Center of the Universe and other locations for “Tulsa King.”
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE The downtown location of Inheritance Juicery offers a line of signature cocktails.
Inheritance Juicery
108 S. Detroit Ave.; 6333 E. 120th Court 47 This locally owned business, with locations in downtown and south Tulsa, specializes in libations and comestibles made with organically grown vegetables and fruits, from breakfast burritos to all sorts of smoothies, from vegan nachos to craft cocktails.
The downtown location offers a more extensive menu, with breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Signature smoothies include the Okie Dokie, made with coconut milk, juiced orange, banana, coconut cream, mango and pineapple; the Thunder Up, with apple, orange, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, spinach, raw sprouted almond butter and blue spirulina; and the Clean Green, made with avocado, spinach, zucchini, green detox juice, coconut water, ginger, lime and dates.
Turnpike Troubadours
48 The Turnpike Troubadours made their return to touring with epic back-to-back concerts in April at Cain’s Ballroom. If you got to go, you were one of the lucky ones. Tickets vanished in an unprecedented amount of time. Asked if the shows sold out immediately, Chad Rodgers of Cain’s Ballroom responded with “Quicker than immediately.” Cain’s had more than 70,000 users log in to pursue Turnpike Troubadours tickets. And this is not a Cain’s-only phenomenon.
“The announcement of Turnpike Troubadours performances have now crashed at least five separate venue/festival/ticketing servers, often provisioned to handle spikes during announcements and sales,” Kyle Coroneos posted Jan. 26 on the Saving Country Music Twitter account. “I’m not sure any of us really grasp at this point how big they’ve become post-hiatus.”
The band is made up of R.C. Edwards, Evan Felker, Kyle Nix, Ryan Engleman, Gabe Pearson and Hank Early. We join the fans that are happy to have them back.
IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE The Turnpike Troubadours performed two soldout shows at Cain’s Ballroom in April.
TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE FILE Tulsa artist Rachel Rose Dazey creates handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces that often draw inspiration from nature.
Dillon Rose Fine Jewelry
1229 Charles Page Blvd. 49 Rachel Rose Dazey began making jewelry out of necessity — she was living in Mexico at the time, where “bartering was how a lot of things were done,” she said. That sparked a love of the process of working with precious stones and metals and led her to create Dillon Rose Fine Jewelry.
Dillon Rose jewelry creations are handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces that often draw inspiration from nature.
Dazey is known as much for her community spirit as her jewelry-making artistry. In 2019, she became the first Tulsa artist to earn Best in Show in Mayfest’s Juried Art Competition and donated proceeds from her sales to the Take Control Initiative, a local nonprofit that offers women access to birth control products. When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height, she created and sold a line of copper bracelets, donating money from those sales to help support her fellow artists.
Common Tart
1717 E. 17th St. 50 Some days, there’s pie. And those days are Wednesday through Saturday, when Common Tart is open and serving up slices of such creations as key lime, apple crumble, pear almond, peanut butter mousse and banana Nutella pies.
The mother-daughter team of Sherrie and Alexandra Coppinger also have daily specials that usually include something sweet, such as blueberry cobbler, or savory — a quiche or a chicken pot pie, for example.
Whole pies are also available for purchase, although it’s always best to reserve these in advance. For more, go to facebook.com/commontart.
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD MAGAZINE Key lime pie is one of the signature pies available at Common Tart pie shop.
Tulsa World Magazine 50 compiled from suggestions written by newsroom staff: Alexia Aston, Anna Codutti, Stacey Dickens, Tom Gilbert, Nicole Marshall Middleton, Jillian Taylor, Jimmie Tramel, James D. Watts Jr., Grace Wood. Also Judy Allen, for the Tulsa World
Wherethetoolsdo themathforyou
TulsaTechmachiningprogramsofferastraightlinetoajob
Whatismachining? “Thesimplestansweriswe makestuff.”
ThatishowAaron Polliard,coordinatorandinstructorforthe machiningprogramatTulsaTech,explains whathe’staughtformorethaneightyears.
TulsaTechofferstwomachiningcourses: theCertifiedMachineOperatorprogram andtheCertifiedMachineTechnician program.
Polliardsaidthatadultandhighschool studentslearntodesignandcreate advancedprecisionpartsforeveryday productsworldwide.
“It’smainlyasubtractiveprocess.We startwithabigchunkofmetalandmakeit intoaveryspecificsmallpieceofmetal,” hesaid.
WithaCNC(ComputerNumeric Control)machine,theprogramusesalotof mathandnumbers,butPolliardsaidthat shouldnotdeterstudentswhohavenot workedonamathprobleminyears.
“Iwillteachyouhowtousethetoolsto dothemathforyou,”hesaid.
Withadvancedcomputer-controlled technologysuchas3-Dprinting,additive manufacturingtoproducecomponentsis onitswayup,accordingtoPolliard.
“It’snotasquick,andit’snotnecessarily ascheap,butifyouhaveasmallnumber ofparts,it’seasierintheR&D(research anddevelopment)processthantomake somethingoutofalargepieceofmaterial,” hesaid.
Inthemachiningprograms,TulsaTech offersfourclassesperyear.Twoclasses followatraditionalschoolschedule.Half daysstartinAugustandgountilMay. All-dayprograms(8a.m.to3p.m.,five daysaweek)startinJanuaryandgountil October.
Studentsasyoungasjuniorsinhigh schoolareeligibletoapplyforthe program.
“Comehereforhalfaday.Gotoyour homehighschoolforhalfaday.Doitfor thetwoyears,andthenwhenyougraduate, wehaveajobforyou.”
Polliardsaidhehasmorejoboffersthan studentsintheprogram.
“Wehavealotofgoodindustrypartners. WeregularlyinvitesupervisorsorHR managersfromourlocalshopstocampus sotheycangettoknowstudentsandsee whoisagoodfitfortheircompany,”he said.
Polliardsaidthatasurprisingnumber ofhisstudentsdon’twanttogotocollege yetorincurdebt.Hesaidthatthosewho choosethistrademightbeabletoreceive tuitionreimbursementfromtheiremployer toearnadegree.
“They’recominginhereandgetting thistrade.Thenthey’refindingacompany wheretheywanttocontinuetogrow theircareerandusingtheirtuition reimbursementtopayforanengineering degree,”hesaid.
“Intheeveningclass,I’vehadseveral engineerscomethroughbecauseasan engineertheysitthereatthecomputer anddesignit,butthenwhentheytakethat designandturnitintoaphysicalpart,it changesthewayyoulookatdesigningit,” Polliardsaid.
TheTulsaTechprogramisaccredited bytheNationalInstituteforMetalworking Skills(NIMS).Studentswhocomplete theprogramcanearnfourtosixentrylevelcertificationsintegratedintothe curriculum.
“Nomatterwhatweteachthemhere, wherevertheygotoworkisgoingtohave theirownpoliciesandproceduresonhow todotheirworkontheirmachines,so we’rejusttryingtoteachhowtolearnand besafeintheprocess,”headded. ContacttheOneStopInformation& EnrollmentCenterat918-828-5000for startdates.Formoreinformationvisit tulsatech.edu AARONPOLLIARD
MachineProgramCoordinator TulsaTech
Emailusyour questions atexpert@ tulsaworld.com, andourexpert willansweronour TulsaWorldScene Facebookpage!
