Oklahoma Magazine June 2019

JUNE 2019

BEAT THE

HEAT Explore Oklahoma’s lakes, rivers, state parks and other shady respites

TOP

DOCTORS

Neighborhood INFLUENCES

A Tulsa-raised writer on his film about Mr. Rogers

Wedding Guide

284 doctors in 50 specialties

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Features JUNE

2019 Oklahoma Magazine Vol. XXIII, No. 6

41 Top Doctors

The physicians included in the Castle Connolly Top Doctors listing exemplify the many pillars of excellence in medicine. Every doctor recognized was nominated by peers, academic medical centers or hospitals, both for their expertise and their compassion for patients. Doctors run the gambit of specialties and are compiled in a comprehensive list to ensure you get the top health care professionals when medical issues strike.

54 Neighborhood Influences

Tulsa-raised Micah Fitzerman-Blue, with an upcoming film on children’s TV icon Fred Rogers, credits others for his writing success.

58 Beat the Heat

Oklahoma boasts a bevy of rivers, lakes, streams and state parks, along with myriad shady spots, to enjoy the outdoors this summer. Get the latest in on-the-water activities, boating and road trip safety, plus a rundown of a few out-of-state must-see spots.

WANT SOME MORE? JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019

BEAT THE rivers, state parks and other shady respites

TOP 64 Wedding Guide DOCTORS Wedding trends come and go, but the

essentials remain the same. Get help with your venue, flowers, food and more in this annual wedding guide.

2

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Neighborhood INFLUENCES

A Tulsa-raised writer on his film about Mr. Rogers

Wedding Guide

Read expanded articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition.

ON THE COVER:

HEAT Explore Oklahoma’s lakes,

SPECIAL SECTION:

Visit us online.

MORE ARTICLES

284 doctors in 50 specialties

OUR ANNUAL TOP DOCTORS FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS SKILLED PHYSICIANS AROUND THE STATE AND INCLUDES DOCTOR PROFILES AND HELPFUL HEALTH INFORMATION. SCRUBS AND STETHOSCOPE COURTESY RALEY SCRUBS. PHOTO BY JOSH NEW.

MORE PHOTOS

View expanded Scene, Style, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

MORE EVENTS

The online calendar includes more Oklahoma events.

Deciding to have bariatric surgery isn’t easy Attending a seminar can help Our seminars are designed to give you as much information as possible about what it’s like to have weight-loss surgery. Ascension care teams are here to answer questions and create a care plan just for you.

May 21, June 18, June 25 or July 16 6 -7:30 p.m.

Mary K. Chapman Health Plaza LaFortune Room 1819 E. 19th St., Tulsa, OK 74104

Register online at stjohnweightmanagement.com or call 918-205-4503.

© Ascension 2019. All rights reserved.

Departments

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

11

11 State 13 16 18 20

Downtown tunnels in Tulsa and OKC capture history and bolster business, and ‘the weather is always the same.’

Business Community Activities Insider

24

23 Life and Style 24 28 30 31 32 34 36 38

Interiors Hoteliers Tina and Pete Patel restore the historic Tulsa Club, whose ornate ballroom was literally in ashes, to its past glory.

Destinations Health FYI Outside the Metro Style Get ready for another

sizzling summer in Oklahoma with the hottest swim wear trends.

Scene Guide

75 Taste 76 78 79

Grogg’s Green Barn, nestled in an unexpected area in south Tulsa, lures notable chef Andrew Donovan from North Carolina.

Local Flavor Chef Chat Tasty Tidbits

81 Where and When 82 86

The OKC Museum of Art brings out the big guns – Van Gogh, Monet and Degas – with the Mellon Collection exhibit.

In Tulsa/In OKC Film and Cinema

34

88 Closing Thoughts

4

75

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

81

Serving Our Patients with Excellence, Grace and Compassion

5600 N. Portland Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112 (405) 943-4413 • OKEyeSurgeons.com

Steven R. Sarkisian, Jr., MD Steven R. Sarkisian, Jr., MD is the Founder and CEO of Oklahoma Eye Surgeons, PLLC and specializes in premium cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery, with a special interest in helping his patients be glasses free and performing minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). He implants premium lenses such as the Symfony and Restor Activefocus with or without toric correction for astigmatism, and he was the first surgeon in the state to perform the iStent, iStent Inject, the Xen Gel Stent and canaloplasty. He was the first in the USA to use the OMNI device the first in the world to use the TRAB360 and VISCO360 surgical systems, the predicate devices to the OMNI.

Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA and completed a residency in Ophthalmology at the State University of New York (SUNY Downstate) in Brooklyn, NY. After a fellowship in glaucoma surgery at UT Memphis, he was on faculty there for two years before being recruited by OU.

Dr. Sarkisian is the former director of the glaucoma service and fellowship at the Dean McGee Eye Institute and former Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Sarkisian currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and also on the Editorial Board of Glaucoma Today and Glaucoma Physician.

Dr. Sarkisian obtained his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, outside Chicago, IL, received a Certificate in Christian Studies from Westminster

He and his wife Anne have four children and reside in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Due to his involvement in the development of new glaucoma technology, he has been active in presenting and publishing his work both in America and internationally. He co-authored the book “Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, a Practical Guide”.

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA™ PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

OKLAHOMA

DANIEL SCHUMAN

PUBLISHER AND FOUNDER VIDA K . SCHUMAN

MANAGING EDITOR

MARY WILLA ALLEN

SENIOR EDITOR BRIAN WILSON

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

JOHN WOOLEY, TARA MALONE

GRAPHICS MANAGER MARK ALLEN

GRAPHIC DESIGNER GARRET T GREEN

OFFICE/ADVERTISING ASSISTANT OLIVIA LYONS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

NATALIE GREEN, BRENT FUCHS, NATHAN HARMON, JOSH NEW, SCOTT MILLER, DAN MORGAN, DAVID COBB, SCOTT JOHNSON

CONTACT US

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Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890). Daisies, Arles, (detail), 1888. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. Photo: Travis Fullerton. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

5/15/19 11:57 AM

Your summer getaway isn’t far away.

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LET TER FROM THE EDITOR No doubt by the printing of this issue, the sweltering Oklahoma heat has kicked in ... meaning that being outside for more than a few minutes can seem, well, unbearable. In our annual summer travel feature, we uncover some popular – and some off-the-grid – watery destinations to enjoy the outdoors while staying shady, plus tips on buying your first motorboat, and road trip and boating safety (page 58).

Looking to switch up your physician or trying to find a specialist? The 2019 Top Doctors listing, created by Castle Connolly, represents the crème de la crème of health-care professionals in Oklahoma. With 284 doctors in 50 specialties ranging from adolescent medicine to vascular radiology, you’ll find the physician that’s right for you. See the feature starting on page 41.

June means our Wedding Guide returns. Enjoy a pros-cons list of myriad wedding possibilities (think band vs. DJ, destination vs. hometown ceremony, etc.), plus a helpful guide to plan your big day, on page 64.

Fan of the genial, ministerial television personality Mr. Rogers? Micah Fitzerman-Blue is the Tulsa-reared writer behind the new movie about him, dubbed A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring one Tom Hanks. We talk with Fitzerman-Blue about the project, his writing influences, and, of course, his Oklahoma ties, on page 54.

Other gems this month include an inside look into the renovation and reopening of the Tulsa Club Hotel on page 24; our swimsuit shoot on page 34; and our exploration into the underground worlds of both Oklahoma metropolitan cities on page 11.

Remember – next month is our biggest issue of the year: The Best of the Best. We’re hard at work making it great for you.

Feel free to shoot me a line at editor@okmag.com.

Mary Willa Allen Managing Editor

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State

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

Life Beneath the Streets Downtown tunnels in Tulsa and OKC capture history and bolster business, and ‘the weather is always the same.’

N

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND TO EXPLORE TULSA’S UNDERGROUND TUNNEL SYSTEM. PHOTO BY JOSH NEW

arrow tunnels beneath Tulsa’s and Oklahoma City’s downtowns are well-used – sometimes in ways the builders might never have envisioned.

In Tulsa, 9-to-5ers can take some tunnels from parking garages to workplaces and ditch their umbrellas. The passageways aren’t much to admire, but serve a purpose in a city that, according to Tours of Tulsa company owner Kelly Gibson, “experiences all four seasons to the extreme, sometimes

in one day.”

For people who love history and architecture, the buildings on top are the real draw, and tunnels also provide convenient ways to tell fascinating tales.

Gibson says her most popular offering is the “walking art deco historical tunnel tour,” part of which happens on the streets above the tunnels.

“It’s filled with stories of when Tulsa held the title of Oil Capital of the World and about the competition between oil barons,” says Gibson, who accommodates up to 15 people

on each tunnel tour. “There was $1 million worth of construction per month in the early 1920s in downtown Tulsa. Oil barons used $1,000 bills to make boutonnieres.”

People go crazy for the tunnel tours offered every February and August by the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, says Ashley Barrar, office manager for the group.

More than 900 people go on the 24 tours offered throughout the day, Barrar says, and they always sell out.

“They pop into the lobbies of each building,” she says. “They talk about the elevator JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

11

The State

ture tours, Barrar says. For information about the group’s Aug. 10 tour, call 918-583-5550.

Registration opens July 30 on the foundation’s website.

To schedule one of Gibson’s tours, call 918625-4909 or email kelly.gibson@toursoftulsa.com.

LEFT: OKC’S TUNNEL Oklahoma City’s tunnel system, known SYSTEM, DUBBED THE UNDERGROUND, CONas the Underground, is a destination for NECTS TO RESTAURANTS employees and visitors, says Addison Ball, AND OTHER BUSINESSES, operations coordinator for Downtown OKC. AND WALLS ARE ADORNED WITH HISTORICAL PHOTOS Tunnels connect to restaurants and other AND MURALS. businesses (even a barbershop) in the lower PHOTO COURTESY DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY PARTNERSHIP levels of buildings; walls are adorned with IMMEDIATELY BELOW: FOR historical photos, art galleries and murals.

PEOPLE WHO LOVE HIS“It enhances downtown OKC because it TORY AND ARCHITECTURE, is a destination for people to come and visit THE BUILDINGS ABOVE GROUND IN THE TOURS OF the art galleries and interesting lighting that TULSA EXPEDITION ARE makes you feel like you are walking through THE REAL DRAW. an art piece itself,” Ball says. “People use it BOTTOM: KAREN GIBSON as transportation when there is bad weather, GIVES A TOUR, STARTING ABOVE GROUND IN A but increasingly, since we’ve done the DOWNTOWN TULSA improvements, more and more people visit BUILDING. to take pictures and see the artwork.”

PHOTOS BY JOSH NEW Many downtown employees use the tunnels, which stretch for nearly a mile, to exercise during breaks, Ball says. The Underground is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays.

Nan Lay and her husband, Wei Cai, opened the China Chef in the Underground in 1997. They offer a full menu from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lay says her husband does the cooking, and she thinks the secret to their success is that their dishes are what their family enjoys eating; plus, “our food is not so expensive.”

Lay says she likes the Underground because “the weather is always the same.”

And she enjoys her customers.

“I love Oklahoma,” the Cambodia native says. “The people are nice. And it’s not too crowded everywhere you go.”

Ball says OKC’s tunnels were built mostly in the 1960s and 1970s, when downtown offered few attractions and people went there systems and how the tunnel is connected to primarily to work. The Underground was each of the buildings.” once known as the Conncourse.

Tour guides dispel a few myths, Barrar “A banker named Jack Conn came up with says, by using an old Tulsa World photo of the idea so people could go from parking a Navy zeppelin sailing past the city as an garages to buildings,” Ball says. example. She says the craft never docked in Jacob and Andra Conger own Pitchfork Tulsa, but some people believe airships were Pantry, which opened in 2017 beneath the moored to stations atop downtown buildings Continental Resources Building. Their coffee in the 1920s. shop opens at 7 a.m. and lunch is served High-profile kidnappings, including the from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. one involving Charles Lindbergh’s baby, “We serve cafe sandwiches, salads and contributed to oil baron Waite Phillips having homemade chili that uses beef from the a tunnel dug in the 1930s at Fifth Street and family farm,” Jacob Conger says. “We get South Boston Avenue between the Philtower customers from all over downtown; that’s and the Philcade, Gibson says. Phillips also the great part about the Underground. We moved his family from the mansion that cater a lot of special events downtown for became the Philbrook Museum of Art into a lunch and breakfast. penthouse in one of the skyscrapers. “[It’s] a thriving community under the The Phillips tunnel is not used daily but is streets of Oklahoma City.” open for the Tulsa Foundation for ArchitecKIMBERLY BURK

12

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

BUSINESS

A Different Luxury Condo

SET TO BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER, THE GARAGE CONDOS IN SOUTH TULSA WILL HOUSE OWNERS’ MYRIAD BELONGINGS. TONY ISLER, MANAGING PARTNER AT GARAGE CONDOS OF TULSA, STANDS WITH BRETT BIERT, UNIT OWNER, AND HIS 1975 FORD BRONCO. PHOTOS COURTESY GARAGE CONDOS OF TULSA

S

A facility in southwest Tulsa lets people buy (not rent) upscale storage units for all their stuff and get-togethers with friends.

toring your stuff can seem mundane. For some, the idea evokes images of packed-tothe-ceiling closets or crammed cabinets, drawers and garages. Or maybe you are so organized that you know the location of everything you own.

And if garage-sized space is what you want for all your stuff, there’s a new option. Garage Condos of Tulsa, opening this summer, takes long-term storage to a whole new level.

“Garage Condos is essentially a storage unit that you own, and it is the sexiest storage unit you’ve ever seen,” says Tony Isler, the project’s developer and managing partner.

Averaging 1,000 square feet

or more in size, the units include ame- ing experiences. nities such as heat, air conditioning, Garage Condos is unique in that plumbing, epoxy floors, LED lights the garages are owned instead of and cable/internet access. People typi- rented. According to Isler, Tulsa has cally store cars, boats and RVs; Isler a scarcity of quality, secure storage adds that Garage spaces that customCondos are ideal for ers can buy. Garage accoutrements for “People will know Condos allows cuslarge hobbies and to customize their neighbors tomers collections. With units for their needs. and will no doubt many plush comA second phase in forts, these units be in a position 2020 will add three can become spaces buildings with 42 to invite those for relaxation and units and probably neighbors into entertainment as include additional well. their garage.” amenities, such as a Isler says the wash bay and onsite initial phase of the auto detailing, Isler building has 46 says. units, which should provide a comThat second phase is good news munity feel at the facility, which is at for any interested buyers because 87th Street and Elwood Avenue. nearly all of the initial 46 units are “People will know their neighbors claimed. and will no doubt be in a position Despite the grand nature of these to invite those neighbors into their garages, Isler’s goal is simple: “Givgarage,” he says. ing [people] a chance to own their Ownership comes with access to a space, free up a garage at home, clubhouse, which can be used for adexpand their hobby and interact with ditional space and entertaining. Isler family and friends is what it’s all pictures owners with similar interests about,” he says. getting to know one another and sharBONNIE RUCKER JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

13

CONGRATULATIONS to the

2019-2020 Blue Leaders , SM

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top performing agents.

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Andreini & Company of Oklahoma 405-840-4370 andreini.com

Cross Pointe Insurance Advisor LLC 877-785-2912 cp-ins.com

Premier Consulting Partners 918-295-7410 premier-consultingpartners.com

BancFirst Insurance Services, Inc. 405-600-1837 bfins.com

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

The State

COMMUNIT Y

An EarOpening Medium

Vinyl records remain relevant in Oklahoma for collectors, dealers and music fans.

I

RIGHT: SPINSTER RECORDS IN DOWNTOWN TULSA HOUSES BOTH ANTIQUE AND BRANDNEW RECORDS FOR ALL GENERATIONS OF VINYL COLLECTORS. BELOW: SPINSTER RECORDS IS A POPULAR DESTINATIONS DURING TULSA’S FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL. PHOTOS BY JOSH NEW

16

t might be nostalgia … or the next generation discovering the thrill of setting a stylus on a vinyl disc. Either way, the analog musical medium of long-play records has made a comeback in the state.

While some may see the revival as a fad, many have always jammed out with vinyl.

“I remember the dark days of the mid-’90s, when there were almost no major label vinyl releases, but there was still a bustling underground scene that was powered by vinyl releases,” says Justin Sowers, owner of Guestroom Records in Oklahoma City and Norman, and a firm believer in the nuanced sound quality of vinyl.

Calvin Compton, manager of Starship Records in Tulsa, says there is just something about the records that you don’t get with digital audio, and if you have a decent system for playback, it’s even more enjoyable.

“On a well-sorted system, the first-time experience is ear opening,” he says. “Many people these days are so used to hearing music on earbuds from their cell phones that hearing a full stereo setup may make you feel like you’re hearing your favorite songs for the first time. There is something about the reproduction path of the LP playback that is very natural sounding to the human ear.”

David Grover, owner of Spinster Records in Tulsa and Dallas, agrees.

“It’s a perfect format,” he says.

“An album on vinyl has a magic je ne sais quoi that fascinates people.”

Many vinyl fans love the object itself, the engagement it provides, and the act of collecting records. Sowers, Compton and Grover acknowledge the trendy part of collecting but say vinyl has never gone away. None sees the medium dying off.

“I’m not the crystal ball expert, but

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

I think records are like books,” Grover says. “Everyone thought books were going to disappear with online, [digital formats] and Kindle … and obviously that didn’t happen.”

Compton adds: “It definitely has it’s trendy aspects, but it has always existed somewhat. Even at the lowest point of production for LPs, there were still people buying them. For those who are passionate about music and the discovery of the history of it … we will always be listeners and collectors.”

The experts also say new, young recruits and music industry support are major reasons why vinyl remains relevant.

“More listeners are discovering the excellent sound quality, collectability and passion in a well-made record,” Sowers says. “Vinyl records are the best and original way to listen to recorded music, and much of the music [people] listen to now on any format was inspired by music that was destined for vinyl. Many recording artists are vinyl devotees, and record and produce their art with vinyl in mind.”

Grover says: “I’m seeing younger people getting into [record collecting] with their parents. So I think it’s going to be a pretty healthy existing format for quite awhile.”

ALAINA STEVENS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE PROFESSIONALS HOSPICE CARE

CAITLIN EVERSOLE

My father passed away right before the holidays. Your wonderful staff and volunteers at Grace Hospice took care of him and were a huge help to my mother. Now my mother is looking for something to do to make friends and feel connected again. Can you tell us about your volunteer program?

I am very sorry to hear of your father’s passing. Thank you for allowing us to care for your dad during that difficult time. Grace Hospice is very proud of our volunteer program.

Many of our volunteers come to us after we helped care for their loved ones. There are a variety of opportunities available to your mother. We have volunteers who meet weekly at Grace Hospice and work on projects such as crafts, gift bags, administrative tasks and maintenance. We also have many volunteers that see patients all over our service area and they set their own schedules. All volunteers must attend training and pass a background check. For more information, please contact Grace Hospice at 918-744-7223 or visit www.gracehospice.com.

Caitlin Eversole Admissions Supervisor Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6218 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL What type of life insurance should I get?

Making sure you have the right life insurance is one of the biggest decisions you can make. So many people don’t understand how affordable a life insurance plan can be. There are even plans for the family.

BRYAN SMITH There are a few different types.

There is regular term, a term that will also refund you at the end of the term, as well as a policy that has the ability to pay out no matter what, with very few exclusions. I tell most people the most important concept is that we all will pass someday, and having something is key. Getting a free evaluation is a good practice when looking to buy a policy. We do evaluations monthly that help you determine what the right policy and death benefit with options might be for you. Never forget to #callbryansmith.

Bryan Smith State Farm 6770 South Sheridan Road, STE B, 918.481.7283 1410 East 11th Street, 918.794.0001 www.callbryansmith.com Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its affiliates.

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST Will I be involved in the process of ABA therapy as the parent or caregiver?

Absolutely. Parent and family involvement is established at the very beginning of the ABA process. At the initial intake meeting, the board certified behavior analyst, or BCBA, will discuss with the family what BRIANNA BERRY M. ED, BCBA goals they have for the child and how ABA can better improve their family dynamic. ABA is not just about improving the child’s life, but the family’s as a whole. It is our goal as a provider to teach our families about the tools and principles of ABA so they can implement our strategies at home and in the community with their child. ABA is a constant learning process, and Soaring on Hope is happy to provide ongoing parent and caregiver trainings. Our families learn how to facilitate functional language at home, work on cognition during play, increase social skills and manage problematic behaviors at home or in the community.

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LEGAL SERVICES What is a tort?

A tort is a private or civil wrong or wrongful act in violation of a duty to another person or another person’s property, not arising from a contract which results in an injury or damage as a proximate result of such wrongful act. The elements of a tort are a duty to another imposed by law BRAD BEASLEY which is breached, causing damage or injury. There are three primary types of torts: negligence, intentional torts and strict liability (product liability).

Intentional torts include battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, trespass to land, trespass to chattels (i.e. personal property) and conversion. The most common tort is negligence, which often involves claims for personal injuries. One who commits a tort is considered a tort-feasor. Some jurisdictions limit the amount of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, which may be recovered from a tort-feasor.

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17

The State

ACTIVITIES

Overcoming Fear

Skydiving instructors find that thorough explanations of what happens before and during jumps lessen people’s anxieties.

I

f you’re curious about skydiving but too petrified to do it, consider Stephen Stewart, owner of Skydive Airtight in Skiatook. He used to be afraid, too.

“I am terrified to death of heights,” he says. “But depth perception ends at 1,500 feet for most people. When you’re 12,000 feet in the air, your depth perception is gone.”

And so is your “It’s actually all the fear of heights. adrenaline and fun Stewart, who has without losing your made more than 7,500 jumps, says stomach. It’s a pure a lot of people’s shot of adrenaline, anxiety comes from the fear of that’s for sure.” the unknown. He gives customers a thorough look at what to expect – the harness and its fit, properly exiting the plane, SOLO JUMPS, WHILE an overview of freefall, opening DAUNTING, CAN BE COMPLETED AFTER the parachute, and proper landing DAYLONG TRAINING. techniques. While skydiving solo is PHOTO COURTESY OKLAHOMA an option after daylong training, most SKYDIVING CENTER

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

people choose a tandem dive strapped to an instructor for their first time.

“Giving them an idea of what will happen helps trepidation,” he says.

“But when they get to the ground and it’s over, the leap into the unknown winds up being their favorite part.”

Andy and Alyssa Beck co-own the Oklahoma Skydiving Center in Cushing. Andy received a voucher for a jump as a Christmas present years ago – and has made more than 12,200 dives since then. He describes a typical tandem jump.

“In the plane, you get connected to an instructor,” he says. “The plane has a large cargo door. Students sit on the edge and cross their arms. As soon as we leave, we accelerate to 80-120 miles an hour.

“We ask students to do something called an arch – a key building block to skydiving. Their hips move forward, their pelvis is in a curve, so the air moves smooth around the body.

Once we’re out and arched, we will freefall for full minute. In that time, we’ll cover almost 2 miles of altitude.

“Once we’ve done our 60 seconds,

the instructor will open the parachute, and we can talk just like normal. We’ll descend at about 20 miles per hour – about the speed of a brisk bike ride.

“People ask what it feels like. A lot of people are apprehensive; they think it’s like a roller coaster and you’ll lose your stomach. It’s actually all the adrenaline and fun without losing your stomach. It’s a pure shot of adrenaline, that’s for sure.”

To prepare for a dive, both Stewart and Beck recommend dressing appropriately; the air can be as much as 30 degrees cooler 2½ miles up.

Wear sneakers unless you want to lose a shoe in the wind. Both owners recommend a snack or light, small meal beforehand.

“Eat, but don’t eat a whole lasagna,” Beck says.

Both Stewart and Beck try to alleviate fears of new divers and serve as ambassadors for the sport.

“We want them to have fun,” Beck says. “And we want to share a sport we’re passionate about.”

TARA MALONE

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The State

INSIDER

A Racial Separation of Paths

Chelsea baseball talents – and close friends – Gerome Riley and Ralph Terry have excelled professionally but in different ways because of segregation.

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GEROME RILEY PLAYED FOR THE CLAREMORE CLOWNS, A SEMI-PRO BLACK BASEBALL TEAM PLAYING THROUGHOUT THE AREA IN THE 1950S. PHOTO BY JOEY HAMBRICK

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nce again, we’re deep into another season of baseball, and for those of us who love the sport like no other, much of its charm lies in its timelessness.

It’s not just that baseball is one of the few sports with no clock, meaning that any game could theoretically go on forever (just as they sometimes seemed to do during our golden summers of pickup ball). It’s also that, in a sense, the game has gone on forever, with names and faces flowing through it like an unending river.

As Donald Hall writes in his 1976 book, Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball: “Seasons and teams shift, blur into each other, change radically or appear to change, and restore themselves to old ways again.... In the country of baseball, time is the air we breathe, and the wind swirls us backward and forward, until we seem so reckoned in time and seasons that all time and all seasons become the same.”

In no other sport is the past so inextricably linked to the present, and the present to the future, in that timeless continuum. So it’s only right that this column about a ballplayer from my hometown of Chelsea goes back a couple of generations, and that he was a fan of the baseballers of an earlier generation.

“We had a radio, and my dad kept it on the St. Louis Cardinals,” Gerome Riley says with a chuckle. “On Satur-

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

day nights, it was the Grand Ole Opry, and through the week, it was the St. Louis Cardinals. I used to be able to name you all the players the St. Louis Cardinals had – Red Munger, Stan Musial, Red Shoendienst, Harry Brecheen – all of those old guys from way back when. And I could name all the players on most all the teams they played.”

Gerome’s friend Ralph Terry lived a couple of blocks away, and the two boys spent days together hunting, fishing, and, when the season arrived, playing lots of baseball.

“We used to go to [Chelsea’s] McSpadden Park every day in the summer, when school was out, and we’d be up there from sunup to sundown,” Gerome says.

Ralph was the pitcher in a lot of those contests, and Gerome was often the catcher. (Much later, Ralph called Gerome one of the best catchers he ever had.)

However, that pairing only went for what Gerome terms “recreational” games – when a bunch of kids showed up and divided themselves into teams.

It was a relationship that could not extend into organized sports. In those Jim Crow days, Gerome and his siblings attended a different school, named after African-American poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar, so they couldn’t play for Chelsea’s public school teams.

Gerome remembers that legendary Chelsea coach Rupert Cross let him and his brothers practice with the high

school squad; in the summers, when Cross coached Chelsea’s American Legion team, he sometimes put them in as late-inning replacements.

Meanwhile, the 1947 professional baseball season got underway and Gerome switched his allegiance from the Cardinals to the Brooklyn Dodgers – along with millions of other African-American fans, who finally saw a member of their own race crack the major leagues’ color barrier.

“All blacks were Brooklyn Dodger fans because of Jackie Robinson,” Gerome says. “But Ralph was a Yankee fan. And we used to talk about it. He said to me, ‘Riley, I’m gonna play with the Yankees one of these days.’ And I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’”

He wasn’t. At age 17, Ralph signed with the Yankees. Breaking into the majors in 1956, he went on to become a two-time All-Star, a World Series MVP and the top right-handed pitcher on what some say was the greatest baseball team of all time – the 1961 Yankees. He remains the only pitcher to throw the final pitch in two World Series Game 7s.

Well before all that happened to his friend, Gerome began attending high school in nearby Claremore since Dunbar ended at the eighth grade. And it was there that he encountered the Claremore Clowns, a semi-pro black baseball team playing throughout the area. Just about every place of any size

had what was called a town team pull a ball out of his pocket and made up of locals, and the Clowns tag him out,” Gerome says. “Mac played them, Gerome recalls, “on Kilpatrick was our catcher, and he a 60-40 basis.” always caught with a cigar in his “The home team got 60 percent mouth.” of the gate receipts, and the visiBut once the pre-game hijinks tors got 40,” he says. “We made ended, he adds, the team got “real money to buy gas, and money to serious” about playing. buy some beer or food or some“I could name you some of thing, but that’s all. There weren’t those guys I know could’ve gone any individual salaries or anything on and played professional ball,” “I could name you like that. he says. “We just didn’t get the some of those guys “We would probably play two exposure. We had outstanding I know could’ve or three times a week – night ballplayers, but they never got the gone on and played games – and then on Sunday, chance.” when we always had a game. A As an example, Gerome cites professional ball,” he lot of those cities and towns, they teammate Charles Ray, whose says. “We just didn’t were against blacks. But they son ended up notching a 10-year get the exposure. always loved to play us because career as a major league infielder. they loved to see the black guys We had outstanding “Charles Ray didn’t get to play play. That’s [pro ball], ballplayers, but why we drew but his son “We just didn’t they never got the such a crowd.

Johnny got get the exposure. chance.”

Of course, on high they always We had outstanding school and wanted to college ballplayers, beat us, too.” teams and Support but they never Gerome got the Eat Shop was in high got the chance.” exposure,” www.traversmahanapparel.com South Lewis at 81st • The Plaza • 918-296-4100 school when Gerome he started with the Clowns – or, says. “He got that recognition. rather, with an auxiliary team.

That’s why it didn’t happen for us.

“Ange Lee Alexander, who We came up playing just because 23740 Travers Mahan.indd 1 played on the Clowns, got a lot we loved the game.” of us young high school guys and For Gerome, the Claremore made a team out of us,” he says.

Clowns were always a sideline – “We were called the Hot Shots, or, perhaps, a manifestation of that and we’d play before the Clowns lasting love. The Clowns faded against junior teams from those away, along with the town teams towns. Mr. Alexander had hogs. and other barnstormers, in the late He’d haul ’em in an old pickup, 1950s, even as integration reached and when we got ready to go play his native Oklahoma. ball, he’d wash that truck out and So, as Ralph Terry made his that’s what we rode in, in the back.” ascent to the major leagues, his He laughs. friend and former battery mate “I never will forget that.” pursued a successful career with As the original team members Phillips Petroleum by fighting aged out, the Hot Shots, including his way up to become a station Gerome, moved onto the Clowns’ manager in an era when that didn’t roster, and the barnstorming happen much with people of his continued. race.

As indicated by their name, Some 60 years later, Gerome there was a comical aspect to the has become well-known as a Claremore Clowns, something that sports historian as well as an was often part and parcel of black educator and advocate for voters’ touring outfits in those days. rights.

“They had what they called a A couple of years ago, I was ‘shadow ball,’ where a guy would privileged to help Ralph Terry swing and pretend he’d gotten write his autobiography, Right a hit, and they’d act like they Dr. Blane Snodgrass, O.D. Down the Middle. With this colwere throwing it around, hit their umn, I’m happy to have been able Twenty Twenty Eyecare hands in their glove like they were to tell a little bit of his old friend’s 7408 S. Yale Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74136 catching the ball, and when he got baseball story as well.

918.492.2702 • 2020tulsa.com to home plate the catcher would JOHN WOOLEY

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JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

A M A P TO L I V I N G W E L L

A Phoenix Rising

Hoteliers Tina and Pete Patel restore the historic Tulsa Club, whose ornate ballroom was literally in ashes, to its past glory.

THE NEW HOTEL’S GUEST AREAS ARE AN INVITING CONTRAST OF COLORS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS. THE COLOR PALETTE OF EMERALD GREEN AND GOLD MAKES A STRIKING STATEMENT.

F

By M.J. Van Deventer Photography by Josh New

or 67 years, the Tulsa Club was a downtown icon of wealth and sophistication.

Beginning in 1927 as an elite gentleman’s club and designed by noted art deco architect Bruce Goff, the elegant building enjoyed an upscale reputation and clientele during Tulsa’s booming oil days. When the Tulsa Club opened with great ceremony, it became a playground for wealthy bankers, civic leaders and oil tycoons.

However, the Tulsa Club’s compelling charm waned and, by 1994, had lost its luster.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

COZY CONVERSATIONS ARE EASY TO ENJOY IN THE LOBBY, WITH A VARIETY OF WELL-APPOINTED SEATING AREAS.

ABOVE: THE ENTRANCE TO THE TULSA CLUB IS THE SAME TODAY AS WHEN IT FIRST OPENED IN 1927.

RIGHT: THE CONCIERGE AREA IS A WARM WELCOME INTO THE NEW HOTEL.

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“Oil prices tanked and the Tulsa Club closed its doors,” says Kimberly Honea, vice president of sales and marketing for Promise Hotels.

Those intervening years until 2015 were a dismal time for this treasured landmark. The building suffered three fires and frequent vandalism.

The Ross Group bought the building and began a collaboration with Pete and Tina Patel after admiring their vision for an upscale boutique hotel.

Now, the Tulsa Club is a refurbished masterpiece. Credit for this painstaking renovation goes to the Patels, who wanted to make the Tulsa Club a part of their Promise Hotels Collection, which includes 12 other Oklahoma properties.

The stunning restoration began with a historic tax credit and progressed with the combined design vision of The Ross Group, which had worked with the Patels on several of their Curio hotel projects in Oklahoma.

“The inspiration for renovating the Tulsa Club was a combination of many things,” Tina Patel says. “But we wanted to put our mark on the revitalization of downtown Tulsa.”

This collaboration spared nothing to return the Tulsa Club to its glory days. A contemporary style reflects the elegance of the building’s original design.

“We used a combination of new and old world features – historic luxury meets bold modern aesthetics,” Tina says.

Her mission was to maintain as much of

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

TOP TO BOTTOM: THE TULSA CLUB BALLROOM BRIDAL SUITE IS INCLUDED WITH ALL RENTALS. A SPLASH OF RED IN UPHOLSTERED CHAIRS ADDS A COLORFUL TOUCH TO THIS AREA OF THE HOTEL LOBBY. GUESTS CAN RELAX IN THE COMMERCE LOUNGE ON THE LOBBY LEVEL.

THE COMMERCE BAR, NAMED IN HONOR OF THE TULSA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S EARLIER AFFILIATION WITH THE TULSA CLUB, OFFERS INVENTIVE COCKTAILS IN A SETTING THAT MIXES THE TEXTURES OF LEATHER, WOOD AND MARBLE.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

the hotel’s 1927 beauty and character as possible. Most of the original marble throughout the building has been preserved. She used a rich dark green as the anchor color with gold accents.

“Green is the new black, and it highlights the bold elegance of the Tulsa Club’s rebirth,” she says.

The hotel has 96 rooms, dressed in soft grays, greens and golds; 16 are upscale suites. The largest has a petite lounge, which once housed a ladies’ sitting room and still has the original mosaic tile fireplace.

The ninth and 10th floors have been transformed into an elegant ballroom that mirrors the 1927 design. The hall accommodates 400

guests for events and overlooks the historic art deco district.

Planned for late summer is a rooftop event terrace with views of east and south Tulsa.

Other features are a gourmet restaurant and a bar, featuring a mix of marble, leather and wood, exuding a rich impression. A coffee bar is reminiscent of the time when the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce was housed here. The elegant entrance is original to Goff ’s design.

The Patels want guests, when they walk through that entrance, to feel “overwhelmed with genuine hospitality and top-notch superior service,” Tina says.

RIGHT: TINA AND PETE PATEL SPEARHEADED THE RENOVATION AND OPENING OF THE TULSA CLUB HOTEL. TOP TO BOTTOM: TULSA CLUB HOTEL OFFERS A PETITE LOUNGE SUITE WITH A 1927 NONOPERATIONAL MOSAIC TILEWORK FIREPLACE. THE GUEST SUITES FEATURE A COLOR PALETTE OF SOOTHING SOFT GRAYS AND GOLDS IN SETTINGS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE RELAXATION.

THE PATELS’ LEGACY You could call it love at first sight.

When Pete and Tina Patel first saw the ballroom at The Tulsa Club, they knew they had to revive this forgotten, forlorn downtown landmark.

They saw faded glory – a ballroom that once hosted weddings, elegant receptions and black tie society affairs – a shadow of its former glamour.

“The building had gone through several fires,” Pete Patel says. “Our shoes were covered in soot.”

There was a moment when the Patels wondered what they were getting themselves into, but renovating the forlorn Tulsa Club was irresistible.

“Once we learned the history of the Tulsa Club, we wanted to bring it back as a boutique hotel,” Tina Patel says. “We always wanted to create something more than a standard hotel.”

Boutique hotels “offer a distinctive experience and they usually have a fascinating history,” she says.

For the Patels, the Tulsa Club qualified on all accounts. After that ballroom tour, there was no turning back.

“It’s been so gratifying that people who used to come here are now stopping by the hotel and sharing their memories and photos of events at the Tulsa Club with us,” Tina says.

FOR A WEB-EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH THE PATELS, PLUS EXTENDED EDITORIAL ON THE HOTEL, VISIT OKMAG.COM/TULSACLUBHOTEL.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

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Life & Style

D E S T I N AT I O N S

Huzzah to the Azores

The isolated Portuguese archipelago, far out in the Atlantic, is an outdoor paradise with geothermal and volcanic wonders.

N

ine hundred miles west of Portugal lie the Azores, an archipelago paradise that the world is finally discovering.

This Hawaii of the Atlantic is a quiltwork of surprises – lush landscapes, warm breezes, green meadows sprinkled with cows, and an imperturbable, convivial attitude.

For parties, try Vegas. For cathedrals, visit Florence. For rubies, go to Madagascar. But if you want to get off the beaten path and the grid in a beautiful, relaxing part of the globe, drop anchor in the Azores.

A nonet of islands comprises this autonomous region of Portugal: Sao Miguel and Santa Maria to the east, Flores and Corvo to the west, and Faial, Graciosa, Pico, Terceira and Sao Jorge in the middle.

At 360 square miles, Sao Miguel is the largest of the nine and easy to fly into – 4½ hours from Boston. Ponta Delgada, the island’s most populous city (70,000), greets

THE AZORES ARE 4½ HOURS FROM BOSTON

BY JET.

PHOTO COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS. VISITAZORES.COM

BELOW: SAILING IS A POPULAR ACTIVITY IN THE AZORES. PHOTO BY JOSE ANTONIO RODRIGUES/PUBLIÇOR COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

visitors with winding, narrow, European-like streets dotted with eclectic restaurants and unusual museums. Outside of town, take in three spectacular crater lakes hemmed by conifers, ferns and juniper bushes. Hike the area, then soak in one of the many organic hot springs.

On the west side of Sao Miguel, prepare to be awed by the twin lakes of Sete Cidades Massif. One is blue, the other green, and both are protected by evergreens and a soaring volcanic crater.

The island’s geothermal energy is a multi-tasker. Chefs in the town of Furnas bring pots of stew, called cozido, down to small craters and allow the vegetables and meat to cook on the hot ground. A good place to stay in Furnas is the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel with its own hot springs and well-tended gardens.

For centuries, the harbor on the island of Terceira was used as a way station for ships crossing the Atlantic. Tangible evidence of this function remains in the city of Angra do Heroismo with its 18th-century architecture, mosaic pavements and houses accented by brightly colored door and window frames.

Also in Terceira, visitors can descend 300 feet into the actual magma chamber of an extinct volcano. Mosses and ferns adorn the upper walls, with silica stalactites found further down. At the bottom of this natural shaft are the crystal clear waters of a huge lake.

All of the islands offer wonderful hiking opportunities,

but perhaps the best are found on Faial, where trekkers get breath-taking views of calderas, and on Sao Jorge, long, narrow and lined with cliffs and challenging terrain. Sao Jorge is also known for its excellent cheese.

The Azores’ second-largest island is Pico, dominated by a 7,713-foot volcano and famous for vineyards protected by bewildering arrays of crisscrossing stone walls. With its varied restaurants and wine-tastings, Pico is a foodie favorite. Most resorts have restaurants on-site. A good one is Pocinho Bay, featuring individual bungalows made of volcanic rock and a pool overlooking the Atlantic.

For sports enthusiasts, there’s a lot to do in the Azores besides hiking: surfing, fishing, rapeling, sailing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, hang-gliding, zip lining and sea kayaking. For less-active respites, there are bird watching (many species call the Azores home) and chartered outings to view sperm whales and bottlenosed dolphins.

Shoppers can find charming, inexpensive, locally made goods, such as teas, jams, wines, hand-painted clay pots and dishes, hand-woven blankets and sweaters, wickerwork ADVENTUROUS VISITORS TO THE and what the Portuguese consider a AZORES CAN symbol of good luck – small, handEXPLORE SAO painted ceramic roosters, each one JORGE ISLAND. PHOTO BY JOSE ANTONIO unique.

RODRIGUES/PUBLIÇOR CHUCK MAI

ANGRA DO HEROÍSMO IS A BUSTLING MUNICIPALITY IN THE AZORES. PHOTO COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

THE AZORES ARE OPTIMAL FOR SCUBA DIVING. PHOTO COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

RIGHT: THE CAVALHADAS IS ONE OF THE MOST CURIOUS AZOREAN FESTIVALS, OCCURRING ON ST. PETER’S DAY. THE FEAST INCLUDES A HORSE PARADE INSPIRED BY MEDIEVAL TOURNAMENTS. PHOTO COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

BELOW: PICTURESQUE VIEWS IN THE AZORES INCLUDE WILD HORSES AND ANTIQUE WINDMILLS. PHOTO BY EDUARDO COSTA COURTESY AZORESPHOTOS.VISITAZORES.COM

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style H E A LT H

‘Time is Brain’ with Strokes

that can dislodge and travel to an artery within the brain and block oxygen to that part of the brain, causing cell death [a stroke]. The most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke [rupture of an Preventive measures to minimize risks and recognizing symptoms artery within the brain] is uncontrolled hypertension.” quickly reduce the chance of ill effects from this malady.

The potential for disabilities afterward depends on the location and size of the ccording to the American Stroke Asstroke within the brain. sociation, a stroke strikes someone in the “The most devastating … are loss of motor function or United States every 40 seconds. Stroke is the inability to use the arms or legs, loss of speech or swalthe nation’s fifth leading cause of death lowing, and loss of vision,” Shepherd says. and a leading cause of serious, long-term While most strokes are unexpected, 15 percent of disability. victims experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA) Despite the grim statistics, the Centers for Disease Con- beforehand. trol and Prevention reports that up to 80 percent of strokes “A TIA is considered a warning sign of stroke,” Shepare preventable. herd says. “It manifests as stroke symptoms that resolve Vance McCollom, a neuro-interventional radiologist [themselves]. When we look at the MRI of the brain, with Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, says 85 percent it does not show any signs of stroke or cell death. This of strokes are ischemic and characterized by numbness, should prompt [an] evaluation of stroke risks, such as a weakness, slurred speech, clumsiness and double vision. reason for abnormal blood clot formation that would lead Fifteen percent are hemorrhagic and may feel “like you to a stroke.” have the headache of your life.”

He says stroke prevention includes managing risks, such When a stroke happens, every second counts. The as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, controlling American Stroke Association reports that 2 million brain high blood pressure and diabetes, limiting fat intake and cells die every minute during a stroke, increasing the risk participating in regular aerobic exercise. of permanent brain damage, disability or death. Experts As for coping with disabilities caused by a stroke, Mcsay learning the critical signs of a stroke with the acronym Collom says, “Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation are FAST – face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty very helpful in getting both types of stroke patients back to and time to call 911 – can help save a life. their best performance – and this service is started as soon “Time is brain,” McCollom says. “The earlier you reas possible after the event.” ceive treatment, the more brain can be saved and the better He says when left untreated, only 10 percent of patients your outcomes.” get better after a stroke.

Dr. Larry Shepherd, medical director of the Saint “However, with treatment, we are seeing patients return Francis Stroke Program in Tulsa, adds: “Common causes back to living with minimal to no disability 55 percent of of ischemic stroke are atrial fibrillation – an irregular the time.” beating of the heart that can lead to blood clot formation REBECCA FAST

A

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

F YI

Exercise Jargon Working out comes with specialized terms and acronyms to keep you on your toes … literally.

A

naerobic … plyometrics … heartrate zones … HIIT. Whether you’re a fitness junkie or an exercise newbie, it’s important to keep up with fitness terms – not only to look savvy at the gym but to have options for getting fit.

This isn’t as difficult as it might sound because two experts in the exercise field clarify the specialized terminology.

Rebekah Tennis, an independent personal trainer at St. John Health Club in Tulsa and owner of Rebekah Tennis Fitness, says you’ve probably heard of the adjective aerobic – even if the last fitness class you took was Jazzercise in the 1990s – but anaerobic might be an unfamiliar term. Simply put, aerobic means with oxygen, and anaerobic means without oxygen.

“Any type of exercise that one does that increases their heart rate is going to increase their oxygen intake. That is an aerobic workout,” says Tennis, who offers running, walking briskly and bicycling as exercises that increase

heart rate and burn fat. “[Anaerobic exercise] means that your body is working so hard at the state where … it’s shutting down your fat-burning process. You are now in this anaerobic state.”

People should train in the anaerobic state to gain endurance and become more fit, not to burn fat, she says. A great example of this is heavy weight training. “[The anaerobic state] trains your heart to become stronger [and] your muscles to respond quicker,” Tennis says. “It’s the whole cardiovascular system.”

With any cardiovascular workout, heart-rate zones are important to understand.

“When heart-rate zone training is used correctly, you will know the exact [heart-rate] range to be in in order to achieve your desired weight loss, fat loss or peak performance results,” says Roderick Benman, a master trainer at A Plus Fitness in Oklahoma City Some of these levels should be determined by a professional, but Benman says a basic equation for

determining the maximum recommended heart rate is 220 minus your age. Then you choose the zone you’d like to work out in by multiplying with a percentage, typically between 55 and 85. Different zones produce different results.

High-intensity interval training (or HIIT) works on similar principles.

This workout takes the participant through rapid intervals of peak exercise and rest.

Benman says HIIT is “interval training at its finest [and] can be performed in many ways, not just on the treadmill or track. HIIT can be used when biking, rowing, weight training and other [exercises].”

A bonus term to take your fitness vocabulary to the next level is plyometrics.

“Plyometric [exercise] is known as jump training,” Benman says. “You can use plyometrics with weights and your body weight to increase power, speed and strength.”

Now that you have the terms down, it’s time to hit the gym.

BONNIE RUCKER

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life & Style

FUN FACTS POPULATION 6,169

are prototypes, such as a winged Balrog (from Lord of the Rings).

Stark says the Adult Collectors Bedroom Diorama – “thousands of action figures taking over the room; many mothers can relate to this” – and the Bat Cave – “thousands of figures, play sets and Batmobiles” – are must-see exhibits.

The city also goes all in on the Okie Noodling Tournament, whose 20th anniversary is June 14-15.

OUTSIDE THE METRO Chickasaw Country sponsors the main stage, where noodlers hold up their hand-caught fish and a free concert (this year by country singer Casey Donahew) is performed.

Fun-loving crowds in the thousands hang out both days. Food and drink vendors and play areas for kids draw entire families.

Pauls Valley lures visitors seeking the quirk factor with its get real excited when annual barehanded fishing contest and action figure museum. the“People fish start coming in,” says Jason Selman, one of the event’s organizers. “We blow an air horn with each auls Valley might consider a one and people rush to the stage to see.” slight change in its nickname – For noodlers trying to win the tourney, 2015 from Queen of the Washita River and 2017 champion Nathan Williams says to Queen of Quirkiness. The “it’s really serious. Noodling takes passion town presents itself that way. and dedication. You spend a lot of time in the Take the Toy and Action Figure Museum. In water. You have to have a lot of courage.”

2000, city leaders and residents formed a comWilliams holds the tournament record with a mittee to find ways to lure visitors.

73.5-pound flathead catfish. His son Jayce won “At a meeting, I joked that my studio, which last year’s junior tournament as a 15-year-old. already had several thousand action figures, was Anastastia Spruell, last year’s Noodle Queen already an unofficial tourist attraction,” says and herself a noodler, says the entire event “is toy designer, musician and artist Kevin Stark, a blast. It’s a laid-back hillbilly type of thing.” the museum’s curator. “People had found out Participants must catch fish with their bare that I had this huge collection and sometimes hands in any Oklahoma body of water before knocked on my door to ask if they could see it. weigh-ins. Polygraph tests “There are a lot of toy and doll museums, verify the veracity and but we’re the only one that I know of dedicated timing of the catches, which to action figures.” often come in muddy shalThe collection is in the old Lintz department lows.

DUSTIN PULCHNY store, a Pauls Valley landmark for 75 years.

“People get scared DISPLAYS HIS CATCH. Private donations and money from the city’s PHOTO COURTESY OKIE NOODLING of what’s down in there tourism tax funded renovations to start the because they can’t see museum, which draws 10,000-15,000 visitors through the murky water,” FOR MORE FUN Williams says. “Their FACTS ON PAULS annually since its opening in 2005, Stark says.

The 7,000-square-foot facility rotates 13,000 VALLEY, VISIT imagination gets the best OKMAG.COM/ action figures because not all of them can be of them.”

PAULSVALLEY. displayed at once. Some of the rarest pieces BRIAN WILSON

A Town Using Its Noodle

P

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

ROLLING STONES SONG? Visitors can see, and adopt for $125, wild horses (and burros) at the Bureau of Land Management’s off-range corral on 400 acres across 12 pastures. About 75 equines, brought in from their free-roaming habitats in the West, are put up for adoption the second Tuesday of each month.

GERVASE DUAN Those names account for the initials of character actor G.D. Spradlin, born in Pauls Valley in 1920. He often played dark, seedy authority figures, such as in The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse Now and North Dallas Forty. He died in 2011.

GIMME A BRICK OKC has its Bricktown; Pauls Valley is a brick town because it has the most brick streets (17,986 square feet) of any U.S. town, according to its historical society.

PIE-LING ON Known throughout Oklahoma (and shipped nationwide) is Field’s pecan pie. The Pauls Valley company will be 100 years old in 2022.

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33

Life & Style

ST YLE

Life’s a Beach

Get ready for another sizzling summer in Oklahoma with the hottest swim wear trends.

ON JP: TOMMY BAHAMA LONGSLEEVED LINEN SHIRT, $135; PETER MILLAR SWIMSUIT, $89; SWIMS LACE LOAFERS, $160; PETER MILLAR SUNGLASSES, $248; PIG AND HEN WRISTWEAR, $89, TRAVERS MAHAN. RED POOL NOODLE, $4.99, LESLIE’S POOL SUPPLIES, SERVICE & REPAIR. ON JESSI: CREMIEUX BOTANICAL RUFFLE TOP, $58; BOTTOMS, $52; ANNA & AVA STRAW HAT, $38, DILLARD’S. CHLOE MESH LACE FLAT SLIDES, $350; MARC JACOBS CLEAR TOTE, $138.60, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

ON JESSI: BECCA LACE ONEPIECE, $118; ANNA & AVA STRAW HAT, $38, DILLARD’S. KATE SPADE NEW YORK CALIANA STRIPED CANVAS BOW SLIDES, $138; KATE SPADE NEW YORK MEDIUM ROSE TOP HANDLE BASKET BAG, $358; CHLOE GRADIANT SUNGLASSES, $420, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. ON ROB: GOODMAN SHORTSLEEVED SHIRT, $168; PETER MILLAR SWIMSUIT, $89; RIOMAR WATERPROOF SHOES, $199, TRAVERS MAHAN.

ON ROB: PETER MILLAR SWIMSUIT, $89; PETER MILLAR SANDALS, $125; PIG AND HEN WRISTWEAR, $89, PETER MILLAR SUNGLASSES, $248, TRAVERS MAHAN. COOL SUMMERZ STRIPED SWIM TUBE, $9.99, LESLIE’S POOL SUPPLIES, SERVICE & REPAIR. ON JESSI: JESSICA SIMPSON LEOPARD PRINT BIKINI TOP, $56; BOTTOMS, $46; ANNA & AVA SUN HAT, $34, DILLARD’S. VALENTINO GARAVANI ROCKSTUD TORCHON ESPADRILLE WEDGE SANDALS, $795; FENDI MIRRORED SUNGLASSES, $525, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE.

ON JP: PETER MILLAR POCKET TEE, $49; PETER MILLAR SWIMSUIT, $89; PETER MILLAR SANDALS, $125; PETER MILLAR COOLER, $45, TRAVERS MAHAN. ON JESSI: LAUREN RALPH LAUREN STRIPED ONE-PIECE, $120; SUN ‘N’ SAND BEACH HAT, $28, DILLARD’S. CHLOE VIRGINA LEATHER FLAT SANDALS, $675; KATE SPADE NEW YORK WICKER MEDIUM SATCHEL, $398, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE.

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TO SEE MORE OUTFITS FROM OUR SWIM WEAR SHOOT, VISIT OKMAG.COM/LIFESABEACH.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

35

Life & Style

SCENE

April Faudree Moore, Jamie Bissonnette, Julie Nickel; Botanical, Tulsa Botanic Garden

David & Kelley Weil, Marla & Steve Bradshaw; Botanical, Tulsa Botanic Garden

Front row: Lauren Sherry, Jessica Hayes, Kayla Vaughn, Hamel Reinmiller. Back row: Tom Taylor, Jared Jordan; White Party preparations, Family and Children’s Services, Tulsa

Michael Phillips, Krystal Rogers; Go Red for Women Luncheon, American Heart Association, Tulsa

Cole Stanley, Brenda Lyons, Bret Towne; Hall of Fame Event, Edmond Public Schools Foundation

Carrie Vesely Henderson, Kristin & Hugh Robert, Chris & Jo Armstrong; Founders’ Dinner, Iron Gate, Tulsa

Jennifer Bighorse, Amanda Clinton; Go Red for Women Luncheon, American Heart Association, Tulsa

Frank & Debbie Merrick, Bryon Chambers; Sustainer Level Event, OKCMOA Scott & Amy Douglas, Hamed & Nora Albiek; Heart of Gold Gala, Heritage Hall, OKC

Rita Long, Patti Smith; Spring Luncheon Fundraising Event, Tulsa Boys’ Home

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Cindi Shelby, Gene Rainbolt, Becky Johnson; Ballet Ball, OKC Ballet

Michael Blake, Tricia Burke, Sierra & Kevin Burke; Brave Ball, Care Center, OKC

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Life & Style GUIDE

The Sky Isn’t the Limit

Retirement communities around Oklahoma keep residents busy, active, curious and, in some cases, fearless.

P

hyllis Gardner has changed her mind about a few activities since going to live at Inverness Village, a retirement community in Tulsa.

“I made fun of yoga before I came here,” she says. “Now, I recruit people all the time to come to our class. It’s amazing how much that class can make you feel better for days afterward.”

Nursing homes and retirement communities have become increasingly creative with activities to

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

nurture residents’ bodies, minds and spirits.

Inverness Village features independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing on one campus, so some residents switch from one area to another as their needs and conditions change, but their choices of activities remain the same.

“We put everything under one umbrella,” says Jana Decker, director of wellness at Inverness Village. “We want residents who move through the continuum to not see any kind of changes in how things are offered.”

When musical entertainers come to Inverness, independent living residents might walk over to the skilled nursing unit for the concert, Gardner says. The next day, assisted living residents might go to a lecture in the independent living activity area.

“It blurs the lines between the living levels,” Decker says, and helps with “transitional trauma,” which can occur when residents move to a higher level of care.

Gardner, a retired oil and gas landman who has an independent living cottage, says: “There’s such a variety that you can pick something new almost all the time. I’ve been here 13 years and I don’t feel like I’m repeating myself. If you suggest something, Jana will go after it. Last year, they did sky diving for heaven’s sakes. And they did zip lining. I tried to force myself to do that one, but you have to climb these towers. I got weak in the knees.”

In Oklahoma City, residents of Epworth Villa can do some thrillseeking of their own, says Beth Case, community outreach coordinator in the independent living area. Epworth partners with the Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation to allow eight residents, preferably veterans, to go on an openair cockpit flight.

Residents also flock to classes offered by wellness coordinator Blaine Jackson, Case says. The schedule includes water aerobics, a balance class, flexing and stretching, line dancing, tai chi, chair yoga, and golden swan classes taught by the Oklahoma City Ballet. One man found he no longer needed a cane or a walker after signing up for fitness classes, Case says.

At Inverness, residents can take annual fitness tests and choose classes based on their abilities.

“So there’s a lot of support before you even get to the class,” Gardner says. “You don’t feel afraid to try anything.”

Residents of Senior Star at Burgundy Place in Tulsa are always ready to try something new, program director Sonya Pratt says. On Taste Test Tuesdays, she gathers residents of the independent living community to sample a food or beverage they likely have

never tried. Pickled pig’s feet, jackfruit and new flavors of Oreos and M&Ms have appeared on recent menus.

“They prove that they are still up for adventure,” Pratt says. “Their favorite new M&M flavor was jalapeño.”

Taking matters into their own hands, Inverness residents often teach classes and present programs.

“There’s a lot of support before you even get to the class. You don’t feel afraid to try anything.”

“We have quite an extensive resource list available, with residents sharing from their backgrounds, travels, careers and hobbies – everything from art to history to science,” Decker says.

Community partnerships also bring the world to residents.

“Gilcrease Museum comes every Wednesday with a presentation about current exhibits,” Decker says. “University students come and do technol-

ogy classes. A veterans group comes.”

Case says Epworth Villa residents volunteer on and off campus. They can go next door to Quail Springs United Methodist Church to help with the mother’s day out program.

“We call them grandfriends,” Case says.

Residents organized a clothing drive for Skyline Urban Ministries, and Sunday school is led every week by a resident.

Epworth Villa has a book club, a movie club and a Monday night discussion series called Inquiring Minds.

“A body in motion stays in motion, and that applies to your brain, too,” Case says. “That’s why we have so many educational events. A geologist just came and did a rock show.”

The Senior Star Comets, a Wii bowling team, competes against other retirement centers, Pratt says.

Residents also have a drama club, study Spanish together or share their memories of roaming the world during travel club meetings.

If something is happening in Tulsa, an Inverness resident is likely to be there.

“Many are avid season ticket holders in the arts community, to the ballet and symphony,” Decker says.

KIMBERLY BURK

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

39

CORE Hospital congratulates Dr. Chalkin and Dr. Mittal for being selected as Castle Connolly’s 2019 Top Doctors!

OUR SERVICES > Back & Spine > Elbow > Emergency Care > Foot & Ankle > Hand & Wrist

Dr. Brian Chalkin

Dr. Yogesh Mittal

The Center for Orthopaedic Reconstruction and Excellence (CORE) is a Bristow Medical Center affiliated campus, located in Jenks, Oklahoma. Designed by physicians to provide our patients with optimal comfort and safety, CORE’s 51,000 square foot facility boasts:

> Hip > Joint Replacement > Knee

•

All 25 of our in-patient rooms are PRIVATE

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Low surgical site infection rate - less than 1%

> Makoplasty® Hip Replacement

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Six operating rooms and four procedure rooms

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Beautiful on-site physical therapy wing

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Orthopaedic robot - MAKO

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Excellent customer service

> Makoplasty® Partial Knee Replacement

Lovera pain management - a nerve block that can last up to 3 months

The only 24 hour emergency room in Jenks

> Neck Pain

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• •

Joint Clinic – an educational session one week before surgery

> Pain Management

CORE has the largest operating rooms in the Tulsa area, as well as the latest and most advanced medical technology. Our physicians, surgeons and staff are among the best, providing advanced, top-of-the-line care to all our patients in Bristow, Jenks and Cushing.

Just as important, our affiliation with Bristow Medical Center means we are committed to the same standards of quality patient care, dedication to patient satisfaction and rigorous attention to patient safety that have been the hallmarks of Bristow for over 60 years.

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact us at 918.701.2300 or visit us at www.corejenks.com

> Physical Therapy > Shoulder > Sports Medicine > Trauma, Fractures and Tendon Repair

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TOP

2019

DOCTORS The physicians included in the following Castle Connolly Top Doctors listing exemplify the many pillars of excellence in medicine. Every doctor recognized was nominated by peers, academic medical centers or hospitals, both for their expertise and their compassion for patients.

Doctors run the gambit of specialties – cardiologists, endocrinologists, oncologists, nephrologists, neurologists – and are compiled here in a comprehensive list.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. is a health-care research and information company founded in 1992 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help guide consumers to America’s top doctors and top hospitals.

Castle Connolly’s established nomination survey, research, screening and selection process, under the direction of an MD, involves many hundreds of thousands of physicians as well as academic medical centers, specialty hospitals and regional and community hospitals all across the nation.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nominations process – located at www.castleconnolly.com/nominations - is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physicians

are, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialties or among the best in the nation in their medical specialties.

Careful screening of doctors’ educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. The result - we identify the top doctors in America and provide you, the consumer, with detailed information about their education, training and special expertise in our paperback guides, national and regional magazine “Top Doctors” features and online directories.

Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine’s “Top Doctors” feature may also appear online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., was acquired by Everyday Health Group (EHG), one of the world’s

most prominent digital healthcare companies, in late 2018. Everyday Health Group (EHG), a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracts an engaged audience of over 53 million health consumers and over 780,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness websites. EHG combines social listening data and analytics expertise to deliver highly personalized health-care consumer content and effective patient engagement solutions.

EHG’s vision is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant data and analytics. Health-care professionals and consumers are empowered with trusted content and services through the Everyday Health Group’s flagship brands including Everyday Health®, What to Expect®, MedPage Today®, Health eCareers®, PRIME® Education and our exclusive partnership with MayoClinic.org® and The Mayo Clinic Diet.® Everyday Health Group is a division of J2 Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM), and is headquartered in New York City.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

41

TOP DOCTORS

Adolescent Medicine

AMY B. MIDDLEMAN Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405-271-6208 Sp: Eating Disorders, Adolescent Behavior-High Risk, Women’s Health, Depression

Allergy & Immunology

JANE T. PURSER Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Allergy Clinic of Tulsa, Tulsa 918-307-1613 Sp: Asthma & Allergy, Food Allergy

Cardiac Electrophysiology

KAREN J. BECKMAN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Bldg.; Cardiovascular Institute, OKC 405-2717001 Sp: Arrhythmias SEAN M. HALLERAN INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cardiovascular Physicians; Cardiology Clinic, OKC 405-947-3341 Sp: Arrhythmias, Cardiac Catheterization, Pacemakers/Defibrillators, Atrial Fibrillation

Cardiovascular Disease

MUHAMMAD ANWAR Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Heart Clinic Central Oklahoma, Norman 405-321-0199 Sp: Preventive Cardiology, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Hypertension CHARLES F. BETHEA JR. INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center; INTEGRIS Cardiovascular Physicians; Cardiology Clinic Oklahoma, OKC 405-947-3341 PAMELA CRAVEN Oklahoma Heart Hospital; Oklahoma Heart Hospital-South Campus; Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians, OKC 405-608-3800 Sp: Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Disease in Women, Echocardiography, Congestive Heart Failure

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

JEFFREY A. CROOK Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Norman 405-515-2222

Anil Patel

OPHTHALMOLOGIST DEAN MCGEE EYE INSTITUTE

OKC

Anil D. Patel serves as medical director of clinical operations at the Dean McGee Eye Institute, where patients from across Oklahoma come for treatment because Patel is one of four neuroophthalmology specialists in the state.

Patel’s most rewarding days are when “we can restore vision due to neurological disease.”

Patel completed medical school and an ophthalmology residency at the University of Saskatchewan, followed by a fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. After stints in his native Canada, he was recruited to the University of Oklahoma and began his practice at Dean McGee. Patel chose his specialty to treat optic nerve disorders, strokes, brain tumors, double vision, visual field loss, pupil abnormalities, idiopathic intracranial hypertension and unexplained vision losses. He is inspired by advancements that have come with MRI and other technological breakthroughs. He says treatments of optic nerve inflammation also keep advancing with new biological agents.

Patel enjoys time with his wife (a pharmacist) and their two teenage children, traveling and staying active.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

ARCHANA GAUTAM Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Norman 405-515-2222 Sp: Peripheral Vascular Disease, Ischemic Heart Disease, Heart Disease in Women JOHN R. HARVEY Oklahoma Heart Hospital; Oklahoma Heart Hospital-South Campus; Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians, OKC

405-608-3800 Sp: Angioplasty & Stent Replacement, Coronary Artery Disease KATHERINE HAYS Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Norman 405-515-2222 DOUGLAS A. HORSTMANSHOF INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center Oklahoma; INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care, OKC 405-713-9900 Sp: Heart Failure, Transplant Medicine-Heart, Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) RICHARD KACERE St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; 1923 S. Utica Ave., Tulsa 918-748-7650 Sp: Cardiovascular Imaging, Preventive Cardiology, Congenital Heart DiseaseAdult, Nuclear Cardiology ALAN M. KANESHIGE Hillcrest Medical Center; Hillcrest Hospital South; Oklahoma Heart Institute, Tulsa 918-592-0999 Sp: Congestive Heart Failure, Echocardiography, Cardiac Imaging THO DINH LE Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Saint Francis Hospital South; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-494-8500 DWIGHT W. REYNOLDS OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Bldg.; Cardiovascular Institute, OKC 405-2717001 Sp: Pacemakers/Defibrillators, Arrhythmias MUHAMMAD SALIM Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Norman 405-515-2222 Sp: Interventional Cardiology, Nuclear Cardiology MICHAEL LEE VILLANO Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Norman 405-515-2222 Sp: Pulmonary Hypertension

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

ROBYN LYN COWPERTHWAITE OU Medical Center-Edmond; OU Physicians Dept. Psychiatry; Williams Pavilion, OKC 405-271-5251 Sp: ADD/ ADHD, Anxiety & Depression, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Substance Abuse

Child Neurology

DAVID J. SIEGLER Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Child Neurology of Tulsa; Warren Medical Bldg., Tulsa 918493-3300 Sp: Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders, Headache, Neuromuscular Disorders

AMY Z. STAUFFER Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-488-0990

Colon & Rectal Surgery

GARY D. DUNN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, OKC 405-271-1400 Sp: Colon & Rectal Cancer, Anorectal Disorders SCOTT A. FENGLER Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-794-4788 Sp: Anorectal Disorders, Colon & Rectal Cancer & Surgery, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Laparoscopic Surgery STUART D. HOFF St. John Medical Center, Tulsa 918634-7500 Sp: Colon & Rectal Cancer & Surgery, Anal Cancer, Anorectal Disorders, Laparoscopic Surgery

Dermatology

JEFF ALEXANDER Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; 6565 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa 918-494-8333 Sp: Skin Cancer, Facial Rejuvenation, Cosmetic Dermatology PAMELA S. ALLEN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Dermatology, OKC 405-271-6110 Sp: Cosmetic Dermatology LYNN A. ANDERSON St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Midtown Dermatology, Tulsa 918-728-3100 Sp: Cosmetic Dermatology, Acne & Rosacea CHRISTINA G. KENDRICK Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918749-2261 TRACY DEE KUYKENDALL St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Kuykendall Dermatology, Tulsa 918-994-4400 Sp: Medical Dermatology, Cosmetic Dermatology, Laser Hair Removal, Laser Surgery MARK D. LEHMAN Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918749-2261 Sp: Laser Surgery KELLI ANN LOVELACE Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918749-2261 Sp: Botox Therapy SCOTT WILLIAM MEYERS Dermatology Surgery Center, Tulsa 918293-9966 GEORGE WASHINGTON MONKS Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918749-2261 Sp: Skin Cancer, Psoriasis, Botox Therapy

TYPES OF HEADACHES

Nearly everyone experiences some form of head pain on occasion. The throbbing, uncomfortable, distracting malady occurs either episodically (occasionally) or chronically. According to healthline.com, there are 10 types of headaches: • Tension – often dull and aching, • Hypertension – common to those treated for high blood pressure and triggered by stress; with pain on both sides of the • Cluster – occurring in a series; head, often with pulsating sensa• Migraine – deep pulsing that tions and requiring immediate can last for days and may impact medical attention; eyesight; • Rebound – from overuse of pain • Sinus – from an allergy or relievers with feelings similar to infection; a tension headache and the • Hormone – linked to possibility of migraine-like menstruation and pain; pregnancy; • Post-trauma – the result • Caffeine – from of injury, with feelings like too much of this tension or migraine stimulent or going headaches, a duration cold turkey up to a year after an off it; injury and the pos• Exertion – from sibility of becoming intense physical chronic. activity;

Human Connection Makes All the Difference.

At INTEGRIS, we live by a simple promise: that everything we do is For you. For health. For life.

Each of us – from primary care to high acuity specialties – strives to make a genuine, human connection with you; the kind of connection that can be all too uncommon in our technologydriven lives. But it’s also the kind of connection that makes all the difference when you’re scared, tired, sick or hurting. It’s where feeling better begins.

Making that genuine human connection isn’t always easy, but we believe it’s worth it. Combine it with our physicians’ unmatched level of skill and you get dozens of INTEGRIS physicians making Oklahoma Magazine’s Top Docs list again this year. Authentic human connection – it makes a difference and it makes us better.

So to each of the INTEGRIS physicians named as Top Docs: Congratulations.

integrisok.com | 888.951.2277

TOP DOCTORS

PHOTO COURTESY OCSRI

TESTS OVER AGE 50

M. Connie Nguyen

RADIATION ONCOLOGIST OKLAHOMA CANCER SPECIALISTS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Tulsa

M. Connie Nguyen chose her field to take care of cancer patients and to continue a lifelong passion for the use of best technology, physics and science in daily practice, she says.

Nguyen graduated from UCLA Medical School and trained in the highly technical field of radiation oncology at Stanford University. She also completed an externship at Harvard University.

By continuing research and expanding her expertise, Nguyen says radiation oncology is interdisciplinary and works in conjunction with surgery and medical oncology partners at Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute. The goal is to provide the best individualized treatment plan for each patient’s specific needs.

With 12-hour days the norm, Nguyen works to communicate with patients and their families.

“The one thing I want everyone to know about radiation is that it is extremely safe,” she says. “Most people never realize that we are exposed to radiation daily from the sun and that we have built-in repair mechanisms to overcome radiation exposure. The science is highly technical to allow safe delivery of radiation to cure cancer.

“Patients’ fighting strength and endurance humble my spirit and encourage me to find the best way to fight the cancer with minimal side effects.”

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Once you hit the big 5-0, WebMD.com recommends essential screening tests and actions to preserve your health.

• Get a fasting blood-sugar test to • Check your skin for moles and see if diabetes or pre-diabetes is spots to show your doctor. present.

• Get an eye exam every year.

• Track your weight to combat • Update flu immunizations yearly, pounds commonly gained after along with a tetanus booster age 50 and fight back with moveevery 10 years. ment and healthy food choices.

• Ask your doctor if Hepatitis A and • Undergo a colonoscopy, the most B vaccines are recommended frequent method to screen for for you. colon cancer (although other • Vaccinate against the herpes options exist). virus that causes shingles around • Log and know your average age 60. blood pressure. Untreated hypertension targets the heart, brain, eyes and kidneys.

• Have a cholesterol profile done every four years – more often if you’re at risk for heart disease.

• If you’re a woman, get periodic Pap tests, cervical cancer screenings and mammograms.

DONALD RICHARD SEIDEL Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918-7492261 Sp: Medical Dermatology, Geriatric Dermatology THOMAS STASKO OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Dermatology, OKC 405-271-6110 Sp: Mohs Surgery, Skin Cancer, Dermatologic Surgery ASHWINI KAMATH VAIDYA Tulsa Dermatology Clinic, Tulsa 918749-2261

Diagnostic Radiology

DOUGLAS P. BEALL Oklahoma Spine Hospital; Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma, Edmond 405601-2325 Sp: Musculoskeletal Imaging, Interventional Radiology, Sports Medicine Radiology ELIZABETH JETT OU Medical Center; OU Breast Institute, OKC 405-271-4514 Sp: Breast Imaging, Mammography, Women’s Health KELLY N. MCDONOUGH OU Medical Center-Edmond; Breast Health Network, Edmond 405-8442601 Sp: Breast Imaging, Breast Cancer DEBRA S. MITCHELL OU Medical Center-Edmond; Breast Health Network, Edmond 405-8442601 Sp: Breast Imaging, Mammography TIMOTHY L. TYTLE Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Radiology Consultants, OKC 405-752-3324 Sp: Interventional Radiology

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism D. ERIK ASPENSON Hillcrest Medical Center; Hillcrest Hospital South; Oklahoma Heart Institute, Tulsa 918-592-0999 Sp: Diabetes, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Hypertension, Thyroid Disorders

MADONA AZAR OU Medical Center; Harold Hamm Diabetes Center; Adult Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic, OKC 405-271-1000 Sp: Diabetes, Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy, Thyroid Disorders, Metabolic Bone Disorders MARY Z. BAKER OU Medical Center-Edmond; Harold Hamm Diabetes Center; Adult Diabetes

& Endocrinology Clinic, OKC 405271-1000 Sp: Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Pituitary Disorders, Thyroid Disorders

JEFFREY DEAN HODGDEN St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City 405-272-5555

CHRISTIAN S. HANSON Hillcrest Hospital South; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Heart Institute, Tulsa 918-592-0999 Sp: Diabetes, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Hypertension

CHITRALEKHA KATHURIA Saint Francis Hospital South; Warren Clinic South Family Medicine, Tulsa 918-307-3290 Sp: Adolescent Medicine, Women’s Health

DAVID W. HARRIS Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-497-3140 Sp: Diabetes

Family Medicine

ANDREA M. ADAMS Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Glenpool 918-291-5200 RYAN M. BIGGERS OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, Mid-Del Family Med, Midwest City 405736-6811 Sp: Sports Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Preventive Cardiology CLAUDIA E. CEA Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-392-7500 STEPHEN E. CONNERY Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Primary Care, Norman 405-329-0121 MARILYN KAY CULP Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic–South Tulsa, Tulsa 918-392-7500 SARAH R. ELNESER Hillcrest Hospital South; Utica Park Clinic-Jenks, Jenks 918-298-2603 SCOTT J. FOWLER Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic-Bixby, Bixby 918-574-0150 RACHEL M. FRANKLIN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Family Medicine, OKC 405-271-4311 Sp: Women’s Health, Preventive Medicine KYLE B. FRENCH INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center; INTEGRIS Family Care South, OKC 405-425-8190 SCOTT ANTHONY GHERE Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-493-2229 W. DEAN HINZ Norman Regional Hospital; Moore Family Physicians, Moore 405-912-3120

CHANDAN D. LAD Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-481-7700 WILLIAM H. NESBIT Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-493-2229 PHILIP R. PALMER INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center-Oklahoma; Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; Great Plains Family Practice Center, OKC 405-951-2855 Sp: Primary Care Sports Medicine CYNTHIA L. TAYLOR Norman Regional Hospital; Variety Care, Norman 405-632-6688 Sp: Preventive Medicine, Allergy, Diabetes

Gastroenterology

SATISH K. ARORA Norman Regional Hospital; GI of Norman, Norman 405-360-2777 Sp: Colon Cancer, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Gallbladder Disease JAVID FAZILI OU Medical Center; VA Medical Center-Oklahoma City; OU Physicians Speciality Clinic, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Liver Disease, Transplant Medicine-Liver, Hepatitis RALPH T. GUILD III OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, OKC 405-271-3445 Sp: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Peptic Ulcer Disease, Nutrition GARY L. HILLS Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Saint Francis Hospital South; Adult Gastroenterology Associates, Tulsa 918-481-4792 Sp: Liver & Biliary Disease MARKHAM NIGHTENGALE Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Adult Gastroenterology Associates, Tulsa 918-438-7050 Sp: Liver Disease

HARVEY A. TATUM Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-582-6544 Sp: Crohn’s Disease, Hepatitis C, Liver Disease WILLIAM M. TIERNEY OU Medical Center; VA Medical Center-Oklahoma City; OU Physicians Speciality Clinic, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Endoscopic Ultrasound, Colon Cancer, Pancreatic Disease, Gastrointestinal Cancer

Geriatric Medicine

INSUNG KIM Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-497-3650 Sp: Alzheimer’s Disease, Osteoporosis PETER A. WINN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Family Medicine, OKC 405-271-4311 Sp: Palliative Care, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia

Gynecologic Oncology

MICHAEL A. GOLD Saint Francis Heart Hospital; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-505-3200 Sp: Ovarian Cancer, Uterine Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Pelvic Surgery-Complex ROBERT S. MANNEL OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center; Gynecologic Cancers Clinic, OKC 405-271-8707 Sp: Laparoscopic Surgery, Gynecologic Cancers, Clinical Trials DARON G. STREET Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-505-3200 Sp: Cervical Cancer JOAN L. WALKER OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center; Gynecologic Cancers Clinic, OKC 405-271-8707 Sp: Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Uterine Cancer, Gynecologic Cancers

Hand Surgery

STEPHEN W. MIHALSKY OU Medical Center-Edmond; Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; 105 S. Bryant St., Ste 407, Edmond 405-348-5060 Sp: Trauma, Microsurgery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Arthritis

Hematology

VIKKI ANN CANFIELD Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Oncology & Hematology, OKC 405-751-4343 ALEXANDRA P. IKEGUCHI OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center; Blood & Bone Marrow

Cancers Clinic, OKC 405-271-8299 Sp: Melanoma, Hematologic Malignancies, Breast Cancer, Sarcoma

DEBRA KAYE MADAJ Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-493-2229

Hospice & Palliative Medicine

THOMAS H. MERRILL Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic, Norman 405-329-0121 Sp: Geriatric Medicine, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Diabetes, Preventive Medicine

TIMOTHY W. HOLDER CTCA at Southwestern Regional Medical Center, Tulsa 918-286-5000 Sp: Cancer Survivorship, Cancer Palliative Care

Infectious Disease

DOUGLAS A. DREVETS OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Infectious Diseases, OKC 405-271-6434 Sp: Infections-CNS, HIV/AIDS DAVID N. SCHECK Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center; Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa 918-286-5697 Sp: HIV/AIDS

Internal Medicine

SARAH ANDREWS Hillcrest Hospital South; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-392-5600 L. RENE BALLARD Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic, Norman 405-329-0121 Sp: Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Women’s Health JONATHAN A. BRYAN Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Primary Care, Norman 405-329-0121 MANUEL J. CALVIN Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-495-2685 Sp: Autoimmune Disease, Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease BRENT D. DENNIS Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-491-5990 LISA FARHOOD Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; Medical Specialists, OKC 405-458-7188 MICHAEL GEBETSBERGER Hillcrest Hospital South; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-392-5600 Sp: Alzheimer’s Disease, Geriatric Medicine ANDREW GORDON St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; 1919 S. Wheeling Ave., Ste. 404; Bernsen Medical Plaza, Tulsa 918-748-7640 ALLEN J. HAMAKER Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; 3613 NW 56th St., Ste. 140, OKC 405-795-5907 MARTINA J. JELLEY St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; OU Physicians, Tulsa 918-619-4400 Sp: Preventive Medicine, Women’s Health, Hypertension, Diabetes JOHN M. KRODEL Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic, Norman 405-329-0121 Sp: Preventive Medicine, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Chronic Illness

SUPER FOODS

GARY D. RATLIFF Norman Regional Hospital; 500 E. Robinson St., Ste. 6100, Norman 405366-7373 GEORGE TARDIBONO OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, OKC 405-271-3445 Sp: Weight Management, Nutrition & Obesity STEPHEN RALPH TRAVIS OU Medical Center; Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, OKC 405-271-3445 Sp: Rheumatology MICHAEL A. WEISZ St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; OU Physicians, Tulsa 918-619-4400 Sp: Headache

Interventional Cardiology

RALPH DOUGLAS ENSLEY Saint Francis Heart Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-494-8500 Sp: Cardiac Catheterization, Endovascular Stent Grafts, Patent Foramen Ovale NAJI E. KARAM St. Anthony Hospital-Oklahoma City; INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; 608 NW 9th St., Ste. 140, OKC 405-272-8477 Sp: Echocardiography, Ultrasound AGHA K. KHAN Oklahoma Heart Hospital-South Campus; Oklahoma Heart Hospital; Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians, OKC 405-608-3800 Sp: Angioplasty & Stent Placement, Nuclear Cardiology FAISAL LATIF OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Bldg.; Cardiovascular Institute, OKC 405-271-7001 Sp: Angioplasty & Stent Placement WAYNE N. LEIMBACH JR. Hillcrest Medical Center; Hillcrest Hospital South; Oklahoma Heart Institute, Tulsa 918-592-0999 Sp: Cardiac Catheterization, Angioplasty & Stent Placement

Maternal & Fetal Medicine

CHARLES P. MIRABILE JR. INTEGRIS Baptist Regional Health Center; Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; The Perinatal Center, OKC 405-748-4726 Sp: Pregnancy-High Risk JOHN R. STANLEY III Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center-Oklahoma; The Perinatal Center, OKC 405-7484726 Sp: Pregnancy-High Risk

So-called super foods optimize health with high nutritional concentrations, Harvard Health Publishing says. These include: • Berries for disease-fighting nutrients and high levels of antioxidants; • Dark, leafy greens for vitamins A and C, calcium and fiber; • Fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which, along with olive oil, help to prevent heart disease; • Whole grains, which provide fiber and lower cholesterol; • Yogurt, a good source for bacteria and probiotics; • Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes and turnips – for fiber and vitamins; • Legumes, a broad category including kidney, red, black and garbanzo beans, for fiber, folate and plant-based protein; • Tomatoes, which contain vitamin C and lycopene.

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER

CHINTAN A. PARIKH Norman Regional Hospital; GI of Norman, Norman 405-360-2777 Sp: Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Liver Disease

Satish (Steve) Arora

GASTROENTEROLOGIST GI OF NORMAN

Steve Arora, a specialist in advanced and comprehensive gastroenterology care, provides diagnoses and treatment planning for digestive conditions and gastrointestinal diseases.

He says he chose his specialty because “I wanted to make an impact on the wellness of the community, and the GI system is the largest system in the body.”

Arora graduated from the Maharishi Dayanand University Medical College and Hospital in Rohtak, India, and did his residency at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, followed by a gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center, also in New York. On a typical day, he performs endoscopies or sees patients in the office while always preparing for emergencies, such as gastrointestinal bleeding.

Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, so Arora advocates screening via colonoscopies starting at age 50. He says some of the most rewarding parts of his practice are convincing reluctant patients to undergo colonoscopies, catching polyps before they turn into cancer and saving lives by finding early stage cancers.

Arora is excited by advances in his field, including a cure for hepatitis C with oral medications instead of injections; colorectal screenings that test the DNA of a person’s stool; swallowing a capsule with a camera to view the small intestine not accessible by scopes; and immune/biological therapies.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

Medical Oncology

JESS FRANKLIN ARMOR Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Oncology & Hematology, OKC 405-751-4343 JANAE MICHELLE CLAPP INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, OKC 405-773-6400 SHERRI S. DURICA Norman Regional Hospital; Norman Regional Oncology, Norman 405-3214644 Sp: Hematologic Malignancies, Clinical Trials BRIAN V. GEISTER INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, OKC 405-773-6400 Sp: Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lymphoma MICHAEL JOSEPH KEEFER Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Oncology & Hematology, OKC 405-751-4343 CARLA D. KURKJIAN Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Oncology & Hematology, OKC 405-751-4343 Sp: Gastrointestinal Cancer ALI H. MOUSSA Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-505-3200 Sp: Leukemia & Lymphoma CRAIG LEE REITZ Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Oncology & Hematology, OKC 405-751-4343 Sp: Lung Cancer, Lymphoma, Breast Cancer

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

GEORGE B. SELBY OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center; Blood & Bone Marrow Cancers Clinic, OKC 405-271-8299 Sp: Stem Cell Transplant, Bone Marrow Transplant, Hematologic Malignancies

Timothy Mapstone

PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGEON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT OU MEDICAL CENTER

OKC

Timothy Mapstone discovered a love of neuroscience and surgery as a young physician and chose pediatric neurosurgery, he says, because he was drawn to “taking care of children with congenital diseases, such as chiari, tethered spinal cord and craniofacial anomalies, as well as … epilepsy.”

Mapstone graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and, after medical school, subspecialized training and stints at other universities, joined the department of neurosurgery at OU Medicine. Focusing on advancements like neuro-imaging, the former department chair says “with current technology we see in finer detail the anatomy and functioning of the central nervous system, making diagnosis and treatment more accurate and safer.

The tools we use in surgery have vastly improved, allowing better and safer surgery with less injury to normal tissue.”

A primary benefit of his job, he adds, is that “as pediatric neurosurgeons we tend to follow our patients until they reach adulthood. Oftentimes they will need multiple surgeries. It is very rewarding to see them grow and mature from infants and toddlers to young adults and then to get announcements of graduations, marriages, or just cards updating life from them.”

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

JOSE EL-AMM INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, OKC 405-949-3816 Sp: Transplant Medicine-Kidney LUKAS HARAGSIM OU Medical Center; VA Medical CenterOklahoma City; OU Physicians-Nephrology, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease PRANAY KATHURIA OU Medical Center; Hillcrest Medical Center; OU Physicians Nephrology & Hypertension, Tulsa 918-619-4888 Sp: Kidney Disease-Chronic, Hypertension, Glomerulonephritis, Transplant Medicine-Kidney SUDHIR K. KHANNA INTEGRIS Baptist Regional Health Center; Kidney Specialists of Central Oklahoma, OKC 405-942-5442 SATISH KUMAR OU Medical Center; VA Medical Center-Oklahoma City; OU PhysiciansNephrology, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Kidney Disease-Chronic, Hypertension, Kidney Failure

Neurological Surgery

SHON W. COOK Community Hospital-Oklahoma City; INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; Keyhole Brain & Spine, OKC 405-310-6977 Sp: Neurovascular Surgery, Brain Tumors, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Spinal Surgery IAN F. DUNN OU Medical Center-Oklahoma; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-2718299 Sp: Brain Tumors, Meningioma, Pituitary Tumors, Acoustic Neuroma EMILY FRIEDMAN Northwest Surgical Hospital; Community Hospital-Oklahoma City; Pinnacle Neurocare, OKC 405-395-2633 Sp: Spinal Cord Injury, Spinal Surgery

SAGUN SHRESTHA Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center; Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa 800-788-8485 Sp: Nutrition & Cancer Prevention/Control

TIMOTHY B. MAPSTONE Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; OU Medical Center, OKC 405271-4912 Sp: Brain Tumors, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Chiari Malformations, Epilepsy-Adult & Pediatric

CHARLES TAYLOR Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-505-3200 Sp: Leukemia & Lymphoma, Solid Tumors, Hematologic Malignancies

CAPLE SPENCE 8121 National Ave., Ste. 210, Midwest City 405-455-3393 Sp: Brain Tumors, Cerebrovascular Disease

ALEDA TOMA INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center- Oklahoma; Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; Cancer Specialists of Oklahoma, OKC 405-942-9200 Sp: Breast Cancer

Nephrology

MARY ANN CAMERON Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Nephrology Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918-712-5000 Sp: Kidney Stones BENJAMIN D. COWLEY JR. OU Medical Center; VA Medical Center-Oklahoma City; OU PhysiciansNephrology, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Polycystic Kidney Disease, Transplant Medicine-Kidney, Transplant MedicinePancreas, Kidney Disease-Chronic

Neurology

EDUARDO A. DE SOUSA Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Neurology-Mercy Neuroscience Institute, OKC 405-302-2661 Sp: Electromyography (EMG), Neuromuscular Disorders, Peripheral Neuropathy, Myasthenia Gravis DAVID LEE GORDON OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Neurology, OKC 405-271-3635 Sp: Headache, Cerebrovascular Disease RODNEY L. MYERS Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-560-3823 Sp: Parkinson’s Disease, Neuro-Rehabilitation

Obstetrics & Gynecology

CAROL KAY ANDERSON Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex

Hospital; Women’s Healthcare of Norman, Norman 405-360-1264 MARILYN APPIAH Norman Regional Hospital; Care for Women, Moore 405-793-2229 JOHN MARTIN BEAL St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Tulsa OBGYN Associates, Tulsa 918-747-9641 JOHN L. CHERRY Norman Regional Hospital; Care for Women, Moore 405-793-2229 Sp: Women’s Health, Pregnancy GRANT R. COX St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Oklahoma Surgical Hospital; OB-GYN Specialists of Tulsa, Tulsa 918-712-8700 Sp: Infertility, Gynecologic Surgery, Miscarriage-Recurrent KIMBERLY J. FLETCHER INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center; INTEGRIS Family Care South, OKC 405425-8163 JULIE HANSEN INTEGRIS Health-Edmond; INTEGRIS Women’s Health, Edmond 405-6573952 Sp: Uterine Fibroids, Diabetes in Pregnancy, Laparoscopic Surgery MARK HARMAN Hillcrest Medical Center; OU Physicians Women’s Healthcare Specialists, Tulsa 918-619-4200 Sp: Pregnancy-High Risk KATHLEEN HEFFRON Hillcrest Medical Center; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Women’s Health Group, Tulsa 918-293-6200 Sp: Gynecology Only LAUREL M. JORDAN Norman Regional Hospital; Care for Women, Moore 405-793-2229 DAPHNE L. LASHBROOK Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Women’s Healthcare of Norman, Norman 405-360-1264 Sp: Hormonal Disorders, Robotic Hysterectomy ANDREA J. MILLER INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center; INTEGRIS Family Care South, OKC 405-425-8162 ARTHUR COLE NILSON Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Saint Francis Hospital South; Tulsa Women’s Health Care, Tulsa 918-299-5151 Sp: Laparoscopic Surgery LESLIE JUNE OLLAR-SHOEMAKE Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Women’s Healthcare of Norman, Norman 405-360-1264 MUKESH T. PAREKH Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Northwest Obstetrics & Gynecology, OKC 405943-6288 Sp: Pregnancy-High Risk, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair, Robotic Surgery LISA RENEE WATERMAN Norman Regional Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Women’s Healthcare of Norman, Norman 405-360-1264

Ophthalmology

RAY M. BALYEAT St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Eye Institute, Tulsa 918-749-2220 Sp: Retina/ Vitreous Surgery, Retinal Disorders, Retinal Detachment

VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS

While swallowing a vitamin, you may wonder if it actually helps. According to the American Heart Association, the answer is probably yes, in moderation. However, varied and healthy foods always trump a supplement.

The key to having the right amount of vitamins and minerals in your body is a balanced diet. Foods provide many bioactive compounds and dietary fiber not usually found in supplements. Plus, some supplements don’t allow for a full absorption of vitamins.

Supplements most often help when a nutrient deficiency has been identified by a physician, such as anemia, for which iron pills and a healthy diet are recommended.

Congratulations and thank you.

Saint Francis Health System congratulates the Warren Clinic physicians and Saint Francis Health System-affiliated physicians who were named among Oklahoma Magazine’s Top Doctors for 2019. We thank them for their dedication to patient care, commitment to excellence and for improving the lives of those in our community.

Saint Francis Health System | 918-488-6688 | saintfrancis.com

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JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

JOHN M. BELL OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1090 Sp: Cataract Surgery CYNTHIA BRADFORD OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1090 Sp: Cataract Surgery, LASIK-Refractive Surgery, Glaucoma REAGAN BRADFORD JR. OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1092 Sp: Retina/ Vitreous Surgery, Retinal Disorders TODD A. BROCKMAN St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Eye Institute, Tulsa 918-742-5513 Sp: Cataract Surgery GARY T. DENSLOW Pediatric Eye Associates & Family Eye Care, Tulsa 918-949-9898 Sp: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus BRADLEY FARRIS OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1091 Sp: Neuro-Ophthalmology STEPHEN R. FRANSEN OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1092 Sp: Retinal Disorders, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Eye Disease/Retinopathy LAYNE E. GOETZINGER OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1090 Sp: Cataract Surgery MARC A. GOLDBERG St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Eye Institute, Tulsa 918-584-4433 Sp: Corneal Disease & Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Eye Infections, Glaucoma JEAN R. HAUSHEER OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, Lawton 580-250-5855 Sp: LASIK-Refractive Surgery

PHOTO COURTESY GRANT COX

DAVID W. JACKSON OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1090 Sp: Cataract Surgery, LASIK-Refractive Surgery

Grant Cox OB�GYN

OB-GYN SPECIALISTS OF TULSA

Grant Cox brings knowledge and skill to all parts of his specialty, especially infertility and gynecologic surgery.

“Delivering babies is pretty awesome,” he says. “I really like surgery and procedures and very much enjoy having a long-term relationship with patients.”

Growing up on a ranch in Tahlequah, Cox cared for mares and helped them foal. He knew as a young man that he wanted to be a doctor “when I volunteered at the local hospital and thought every minute was inspiring and thought provoking.”

He attended medical school and residency at the University of Oklahoma and was recently awarded the American College of OB-GYN District VII Distinguished Service Award, an honor that covers nine states.

A typical day begins before sunrise with surgery and continues with rounds and deliveries. Cox spends evenings with his 13-year old twins and his wife, also an OB-GYN. “The most rewarding part of my career is watching a new mom hold her moments-old baby for the first time,” Cox says. “Every time is great, but when a certain mother has had years of infertility or miscarriages that moment becomes indescribably special.”

Cox also advocates for access to contraception, especially for adolescents and young adults.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

MAHMOUD KHAIMI OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1093 Sp: Glaucoma REBECCA K. MORGAN OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1793 Sp: Low Vision ANIL D. PATEL OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1091 Sp: Neuro-Ophthalmology JAMES M. RICHARD INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center-Oklahoma; Children’s Eye Care, OKC 405-751-2020 Sp: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus-Adult &

Pediatric, Eye Muscle Disorders STEVEN R. SARKISIAN JR. OU Medical Center; Oklahoma Eye Surgeons, OKC 405-942-5571 Sp: Glaucoma R. MICHAEL SIATKOWSKI OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1094 Sp: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Retinopathy of Prematurity, Strabismus RHEA L. SIATKOWSKI OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1095 Sp: Cornea Transplant, Trauma GREGORY L. SKUTA OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1093 Sp: Glaucoma DEENA A. SYLVESTER Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Sylvester Eye Care & Aesthetics, OKC 405-607-8948 Sp: Cataract Surgery, Eyelid Surgery, Botox Therapy ANN WARN OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, Lawton 580-250-5855 DEANA S. WATTS OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1090 Sp: Cataract Surgery MARK J. WEISS St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Eye Institute, Tulsa 918-742-2428 Sp: Glaucoma TAMMY L. YANOVITCH OU Medical Center; Dean McGee Eye Institute, OKC 405-271-1094 Sp: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, Amblyopia, Glaucoma-Pediatric

Orthopaedic Surgery

JAMES L. BOND Bone & Joint Hospital; HealthPlex Hospital; Oklahoma Sports & Orthopedics Institute, Norman 405-360-6764 Sp: Hip & Knee Surgery, Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine BRADFORD BOONE Oklahoma Surgical Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918494-9300 Sp: Sports Medicine, Elbow Surgery, Knee Surgery, Shoulder Surgery BRIAN A. CHALKIN Hillcrest Medical Center; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Orthopaedic Center, Tulsa 918-582-6800 Sp: Hand & Wrist Surgery, Elbow Surgery ARTHUR CONLEY Community Hospital-Oklahoma City; Essential Integrative Health, OKC 405-703-7300 Sp: Spinal Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, Osteoarthritis

HEALTHY JOINTS

CHAD E. CRAWLEY Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-579-2300 SCOTT M. DE LA GARZA Bone & Joint Hospital; St. Anthony Hospital-Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Sports & Orthopedics Institute, OKC 405-5525764 Sp: Spinal Surgery CHARLES H. FUNDERBURK JR. McBride Clinic Orthopedic Hospital; McBride Clinic, OKC 405-230-9270 Sp: Hand Surgery BRYAN J. HAWKINS Oklahoma Surgical Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918481-2767 Sp: Foot & Ankle Surgery, Arthroscopic Surgery, Sports Medicine RANDALL L. HENDRICKS Oklahoma Surgical Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918-481-2767 Sp: Spinal Surgery, Arthroscopic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery THOMAS P. LEHMAN OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansOrthopedic Surgery, OKC 405-271-2663 Sp: Trauma, Hand Surgery YOGESH MITTAL Hillcrest Medical Center; The Orthopaedic Center, Tulsa 918-582-6800 Sp: Hip & Knee Replacement, Robotic Surgery, Arthroscopic Surgery-Knee, Arthroscopic Surgery-Hip CHARLES B. PASQUE OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansOrthopedic Surgery, OKC 405-271-2663 Sp: Arthroscopic Surgery, Shoulder & Knee Surgery, Hip Surgery, Elbow Surgery COREY E. PONDER Bone & Joint Hospital; Oklahoma Sports & Orthopedics Institute; St. Anthony Physician’s Bldg., OKC 405-552-5764 Sp: Joint Replacement, Reconstructive Surgery, Arthritis TIMOTHY A. PUCKETT OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansOrthopedic Surgery, OKC 405-271-2663 Sp: Spinal Surgery GHAZI M. RAYAN INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center-Oklahoma; OU Medical Center; INTEGRIS Hand and Microsurgery Clinic, OKC 405-945-4888 Sp: Microsurgery, Hand Surgery DAVID C. TEAGUE OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansOrthopedic Surgery, OKC 405-271-2663 Sp: Trauma, Fractures-Complex, Pelvic & Acetabular Fractures

The Arthritis Foundation says common sense plays a large part in staying flexible. baths and/or warm compresses.

• Stretch frequently and practice proper ergonomics.

• Manage pain with topical analgesics, • Avoid extra pounds, fast food, high like capsaicin, or with cold packs and heels, smoking and television. ice massage on sore spots.

• Relax with massage, vacations and • Get an annual checkup and ask your breaks in routine. physician to examine your joints.

• Wear supportive shoes and focus on low-impact exercise and strength training.

• Spend time outdoors.

• Keep a daily food journal and note intakes of calcium, fruits, vegetables, fish oil capsules, glucosamine supplements and multivitamins, all of which help your joints.

• Recover from exercise with warm

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49

TOP DOCTORS

AVOIDING INFECTIONS

Remembering or learning how infectious diseases operate can reduce respiratory diseases and foodborne illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common sense prevails.

Avoid respiratory infections, such as the flu, by staying away from an infected person’s coughs and sneezes. Germs can also live for hours on surfaces, so wash your hands often and do not share foods or drinks with the ill person.

A foodborne illness circulates through a virus, bacteria or parasite and can be contracted from consuming contaminated food and water. Ingest only fully cooked foods, pasteurized dairy products and potable water.

PHOTO BY SHANE BEVEL/SHANE BEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

THOMAS K. TKACH McBride Clinic Orthopedic Hospital; Bone & Joint Hospital; McBride Clinic, OKC 405-230-9270 Sp: Joint Reconstruction

Ralph D. Ensley INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGIST SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL

Tulsa

Ralph Ensley’s specialty means taking care of extremely ill patients. He is inspired by advancements in his field and advocates being proactive in health so that patients never need to see him.

“Much of what we do is treat things that might have been prevented,” he says. “I talk to patients about Dr. Ensley’s 4 E’s: eat less, eat right (think rabbit food), exercise and embrace the hunger as we have to be willing to accept a little sensation of hunger off and on during the day.”

Ensley graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and has practiced for more than 33 years. With no plans to slow down, he says his wife and family accommodate his long hours because new information in his field is frequently discovered.

“Throughout my career, there have been continuous, new and dramatic treatments year after year,” he says. “I’m one of those strange people who liked going to school, and cardiology has been a wonderful opportunity to keep going to meetings and lectures around the country and learning as the field has progressed so rapidly.”

50

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

CARLAN K. YATES McBride Clinic Orthopedic Hospital; McBride Clinic, OKC 405-230-9270 Sp: Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Surgery, Shoulder & Knee Surgery, Elbow Surgery

Otolaryngology

WAYNE E. BERRYHILL Norman Regional Hospital; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, Norman 405-364-2666 Sp: Neuro-Otology JEFFREY ALFON BUYTEN Norman Regional Hospital; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, Norman 405-364-2666 KEITH F. CLARK St. Anthony Hospital-Oklahoma City; St. Anthony Physicians Group-ENT, OKC 405-272-6027 Sp: Airway Reconstruction, Voice Disorders, Vocal Cord Disorders-Botox Therapy, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery EDWARD DIGGES Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; OK Ear Clinic Hearing & Balance Center, OKC 405-607-8222 SHANNON KYLE KANEASTER Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, OKC 405-604-4475 JEREMY A. MOORE Norman Regional Hospital; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, Norman 405-364-2666 CHRISTOPHER A. PASKOWSKI Norman Regional Hospital; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, Norman 405-364-2666 Sp: Pediatric & Adult Otolaryngology, Nasal & Sinus Disorders, Hearing & Balance Disorders, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery JONATHAN M. PILLOW Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, Edmond 405-562-1810 STEVEN V. RICHARDS Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, OKC 405-755-1930 JOSE SANCLEMENT OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-271-7559 Sp: Microvascular Surgery RICKY L. VISOR Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, OKC 405-755-6475 DAVID W. WHITE SR. Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital; Eastern Oklahoma ENT, Tulsa 918-492-3636 Sp: Otology, Neuro-Otology, Hearing & Balance Disorders

Otolaryngology/ Facial Plastic Surgery

IVAN WAYNE Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, OKC 405-748-5950 Sp: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Rhinoplasty, Pediatric & Adult Otolaryngology

Pain Medicine

C. SCOTT ANTHONY Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital; Pain Management of Tulsa, Tulsa 918-447-9300 Sp: PainInterventional Techniques, Spinal Cord Stimulation, Pain-Musculoskeletal-Spine & Neck, Pain-Spine RITA M. HANCOCK Norman Regional Hospital; INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center-Oklahoma; OK Center for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, OKC 405-759-2663 Sp: Pain Management, Pain-Musculoskeletal DARRYL D. ROBINSON Community Hospital-Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Sports Science & Orthopaedics, OKC 405-703-4950 Sp: Pain Management, Pain-Spine, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Electrodiagnosis ATUL A. WALIA INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Pain Management, OKC 405-945-4359 Sp: Pain-Chronic, Pain-Back, Head & Neck, Headache, Pain-Interventional Techniques TRACI L. WHITE Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital; Pain Management of Tulsa, Tulsa 918-447-9300 Sp: Pain-Interventional Techniques, Pain-Musculoskeletal-Spine & Neck, Pain-Spine, Spinal Cord Stimulation

Pathology

KAR-MING A. FUNG OU Medical Center; VA Medical CenterOklahoma City, OKC 405-271-5653 Sp: Neuro-Pathology

Pediatric Cardiology

EDWARD D. OVERHOLT Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405271-5530 Sp: Arrhythmias, Interventional Cardiology, Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatric Endocrinology

LAURA J. CHALMERS Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, Tulsa 918-6194803 Sp: Sexual Differentiation Disorders, Growth/Development Disorders, Obesity, Weight Management

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

RENE Y. MCNALL-KNAPP Children’s Hospital at OU Medical

Center; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405-271-4412 Sp: Brain Tumors, Neuro-Oncology WILLIAM H. MEYER Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405-271-4412 Sp: Sarcoma, Pediatric Cancers

Pediatric Pulmonology JOSEPH N. WALTER Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-502-2000

Pediatric Surgery

EDWARD G. FORD Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-494-9450 Sp: Critical Care

Pediatric Urology

OREN F. MILLER Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918-7498765 Sp: Voiding Dysfunction

Pediatrics

LAMIAA HASSAN ALI OU Medical Center; OU Physicians, Tulsa 918-619-4400 REBA A. BEARD Norman Regional Hospital; Norman Regional Health System, Moore 405912-3100 TERENCE LEONARD CAREY St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; The Carey Clinic, Tulsa 918-481-8100 Sp: Allergy, Asthma, Pulmonary Disease JAMES E. FIELDS Norman Regional Hospital; Premiere Pediatrics, Norman 405-364-6432 Sp: Preventive Medicine JUSTIN E. FIELDS Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic Primary Care, Norman 405-329-0121 EILEEN M. FOX Norman Regional Hospital; Premiere Pediatrics, Norman 405-364-6432 Sp: Developmental Disorders RICHARD A. GORDON Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-493-2229 NANCY R. INHOFE OU Medical Center; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; OU Physicians, Tulsa 918-619-4400 Sp: Asthma DONNA JACKSON Norman Regional Hospital; Norman Pediatric Associates, Norman 405321-5114 ADRIENNE E. KESINGER INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center; INTEGRIS Family Care South, OKC 405425-8150 Sp: Newborn Care, Preventive Medicine

C aring PediatriCs Health Care for Children Allergy Evaluation and Treatment ADHD/Behavioral Medicince

405-360-PEDS (7337) VictorWilsonYourMD.com

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700 Wall St., Norman, OK 23223 Caring Pediatrics.indd 1

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At Oklahoma Sports & Orthopedics Institute, we are proud to congratulate our physicians Dr. Corey Ponder Dr. James Bond Dr. Scott de la Garza & Dr. Seethal Madhavarapu for being chosen as Castle Connelly

Top Doctors.

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Scott M. de la Garza, MD Seethal R. Madhavarapu, MD

405.515.8090 4/19/19 11:26 AM

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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TOP DOCTORS

SHEELA VARDEY Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-493-2229 JILL S. WARREN OU Medical Center; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405-271-6827 Sp: Preventive Medicine, Vaccines VICTOR T. WILSON HealthPlex Hospital; Caring Pediatrics, Norman 405-360-7337 Sp: ADD/ADHD, Asthma, Allergy

Plastic Surgery

PAUL R. CALLEGARI Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Hospital South; 6585 S. Yale Ave., Ste. 1050, Tulsa 918-494-8200 Sp: Body Contouring after Weight Loss, Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Breast, Hand Surgery, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery CHRISTIAN EL AMM OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansPlastic Surgery, OKC 405-271-4864 Sp: Craniofacial Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery JUSTIN MICHAEL JONES INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; Jones Plastic Surgery, OKC 405-848-3459 Sp: Cosmetic SurgeryBody, Cosmetic Surgery-Breast, Liposuction & Body Contouring, Dermatologic Injectables & Fillers ARCHIBALD S. MILLER III Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Medical Center; Tulsa Plastic Surgery, Tulsa 918-492-2282 Sp: Breast Reconstruction & Augmentation, Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Body, Facial Rejuvenation KAMAL T. SAWAN OU Medical Center; Sawan Surgical Aesthetics, Edmond 405-285-7660 Sp: Body Contouring after Weight Loss PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

Psychiatry

Denise Rable

SURGICAL BREAST ONCOLOGIST INTEGRIS MEDICAL GROUP

OKC

The multifaceted field of breast cancer keeps Denise Rable intrigued nearly 30 years after graduating from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

“Emotional support is just as important to the patient’s wellbeing as the surgical intervention,” Rable says. “You can actually see a patient’s anxiety decrease when information is delivered clearly and in a caring way.”

Rable reminds that breast oncology continues to evolve with each discovery and new procedure.

“We continue to study and rapidly develop better treatment modalities,” she says. “Every patient’s treatment plan should take into account many unique factors and be individualized for that patient.”

Rable is also fascinated by genetic and inheritance patterns that explain why some patients develop breast cancer.

“Understanding a family’s genetic predisposition to developing breast cancer can help us proceed in a proactive fashion,” she says.

Patients should assert themselves in the process to increase the chances of positive outcomes, Rable says.

“Perform regular breast self exams,” she says. “Report any changes or concerns. Get your recommended annual mammograms. Seek out a specialist to discuss any abnormal findings and/or recommendations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Get a second opinion if you feel that would be helpful.”

52

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

PHEBE M. TUCKER OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansPsychiatry, OKC 405-271-5251 Sp: Anxiety & Mood Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder JILL K. WARNOCK OU Medical Center; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Indian Healthcare Resource Center of Tulsa, Tulsa 918588-1900 Sp: Anxiety & Mood Disorders, Sexual Dysfunction, Stress Management, Geriatric Psychiatry

Pulmonary Disease

AJAY R. BEDEKAR Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-579-3270 JENNIFER BIERACH Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-382-2560 FRED GARFINKEL OU Medical Center; OU Wayman Tisdale Speciality Health Clinic, Tulsa 918619-8700 Sp: Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD), Asthma DAVID C. LEVIN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Bldg.; Cardiovascular Institute, OKC 405-2717001 Sp: Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD), Smoking Cessation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation DANIEL A. NADER Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center; Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa 800-788-8485 Sp: Lung Cancer, Interventional Pulmonology

Radiation Oncology

OZER ALGAN OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-271-3016 Sp: Brain Tumors, Genitourinary Cancer, Breast Cancer, Sarcoma TERENCE S. HERMAN OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-271-3016 Sp: Breast Cancer, Sarcoma, Brain Tumors M. CONNIE NGUYEN Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Hillcrest Medical Center; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-505-3200 Sp: Stereotactic Radiosurgery KIRAN PRABHU INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, OKC 405-552-0490 Sp: Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy, Intensity Modulated

Radiotherapy (IMRT), Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) J. SPENCER THOMPSON OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-271-3016 Sp: Gynecologic Cancers, Pediatric Cancers, Palliative Care

Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility LATASHA B. CRAIG OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansReproductive Medicine, OKC 405-2711616 Sp: Miscarriage-Recurrent, Ovarian Failure, Menstrual Disorders, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

KARL R. HANSEN OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansReproductive Medicine, OKC 405-2711616 Sp: Infertility-IVF, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis ROBERT A. WILD OU Medical Center; OU PhysiciansWomen’s Health, OKC 405-271-9494 Sp: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery

R. MARK BODENHAMER Oklahoma Heart Hospital; Oklahoma Heart Hospital-South Campus; Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians, OKC 405-608-3800 HAROLD MACDONALD BURKHART Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center; OU Medical Center; OU Children’s Physicians, OKC 405-271-4631 Sp: Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery JOHN CHAFFIN INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cardiovascular Physicians; Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic, OKC 405-951-4345 Sp: Transplant-Heart, Transplant-Lung, Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) IOANNIS MICHAEL KARAMICHALIS Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Saint Francis Heart Hospital; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-494-1710 Sp: Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery

Rheumatology

SCOTT K. LUCAS St. Anthony Hospital-Oklahoma City; Deaconess Hospital-Oklahoma; 608 NW 9th St., Ste. 2110, OKC 405-310-3028 Sp: Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Surgery, Coronary Artery Surgery, Heart Valve Surgery-Mitral, Aneurysm

TIMOTHY L. HUETTNER Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Rheumatology Associates, Tulsa 918-491-9007 Sp: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Lupus/SLE

JOHN D. RANDOLPH Oklahoma Heart Hospital; Oklahoma Heart Hospital-South Campus; Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians, OKC 405-608-3800 Sp: Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Valve Surgery, Coronary Artery Surgery

ELIZA CHAKRAVARTY OU Medical Center; Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, OKC 405-2717805 Sp: Lupus/SLE in Pregnancy, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, Connective Tissue Disorders

MICHAEL A. MALLOY Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Warren Clinic, Tulsa 918-495-2685 Sp: Autoimmune Disease IRA N. TARGOFF OU Medical Center; VA Medical Center-Oklahoma City; OU PhysiciansRheumatology, OKC 405-271-8478 Sp: Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, Arthritis AIKATERINI (KATHERINE) THANOU OU Medical Center; Rheumatic Diseases Clinic of Oklahoma, OKC 405-606-8070 Sp: Autoimmune Disease, Lupus/SLE

FRANK E. SCHMIDT JR. INTEGRIS Baptist Medical CenterOklahoma; INTEGRIS Cardiovascular Surgeons; Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic, OKC 405-951-4345 TIMOTHY H. TROTTER Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Lawton 580-357-4339 Sp: Cardiac Surgery, Lung Surgery

Urology

Sports Medicine

ROBERT BRUCE Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918-749-8765 Sp: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Prostate Benign Disease (BPH), Kidney Stones

SEETHAL R. MADHAVARAPU Norman Regional Hospital; Oklahoma Sports and Orthopedics Institute, Norman 405-360-6764

MICHAEL S. COOKSON OU Medical Center; Stephenson Cancer Center, OKC 405-271-4088 Sp: Urologic Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer

BRIAN R. COLEMAN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Family Medicine, OKC 405-271-4311

Surgery

JOSEPH CARLO BUENDIA Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; Mercy Clinic General Surgery, OKC 405-7494231 Sp: Abdominal Wall Reconstruction WILLIAM C. DOOLEY OU Medical Center; St. Anthony Hospital-Oklahoma City; OU Physicians Bldg., OKC 405-271-7867 Sp: Breast Cancer & Surgery, Sarcoma-Soft Tissue, Appendix Cancer, Cancers-Rare & Unusual JOHN R. FRAME Oklahoma Surgical Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Breast Health Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918392-7950 Sp: Breast Cancer & Surgery ALAN B. HOLLINGSWORTH Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; 4401 McAuley Blvd.; Ste. 1100, OKC 405-9365455 Sp: Breast Cancer Genetics, Breast Cancer Risk Assessment CHRISTOPHER W. LENTZ INTEGRIS Baptist Regional Health Center; INTEGRIS Paul Silverstein Burn Center, OKC 405-951-8042 Sp: Burn Care, Reconstructive Surgery, Critical Care, Wound Care DENISE L. RABLE Lakeside Women’s Hospital-Oklahoma City; INTEGRIS Medical Group, OKC 405-552-0400 Sp: Breast Cancer & Surgery, Breast Disease

DANIEL J. CULKIN OU Medical Center; OU Physicians Urology, OKC 405-271-8156 Sp: Urologic Cancer, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Incontinence-Urinary, Reconstructive Surgery EDWARD S. DAKIL Norman Regional Hospital; Norman Urology Associates, Norman 405-3609966 Sp: Urology-Female, Vasectomy, Erectile Dysfunction, Kidney Stones PAUL GUY HAGOOD Hillcrest Medical Center; Utica Park Clinic, Tulsa 918-579-3130 SCOTT E. LITWILLER Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis; Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa 918749-8765 Sp: Urogynecology, Pelvic Reconstruction, Incontinence CLIFTON WHITESELL Norman Regional Hospital; Norman Urology Associates, Norman 405-3609966 Sp: Urogynecology, Incontinence

Vascular & Interventional Radiology

VANCE MCCOLLOM Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; 4300 W. Memorial Rd., Ste. 212, OKC 405936-5775

LANETTE F. SMITH St. John Medical Center-Tulsa; Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Tulsa 918-585-5658 Sp: Breast Surgery

THOMAS E. WILEY III Saint Francis Hospital-Tulsa; Radiology Consultants of Tulsa, Tulsa 918-4941655 Sp: Peripheral Vascular Disease, Thrombolytic Therapy, Angioplasty & Stent Placement

SARA SUTHERS Mercy Hospital-Oklahoma City; INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center; Mercy Clinic, Breast Surgery, OKC 405749-7023 Sp: Breast Surgery

Advertising in the publication is in no way connected to the selection of doctors for the issue.

Congrats to our very own Dr. Chalkin and Dr. Mittal!

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE’S 2019

TOP DOCTORS Lynn A. Anderson, MD Lindsay Dilbeck, PA-C Cassie Zanovich, LE

They have been named two of the Top Doctors in the state of Oklahoma by Castle Connolly. Dr. Chalkin is a board certified hand and upper extremity surgeon and orthopaedic surgeon. He also trains future orthopaedic surgeons for the OSU residency program and is one of the few surgeons performing reverse total shoulder replacements. Dr. Mittal specializes in adult hip and knee reconstruction, diseases of the hip and knee and is board certified in orthopaedic surgery. He’s also the top MAKOplasty Partial Knee Resurfacing Surgeon in the world.

Hillcrest Medical Center Campus 1809 E. 13th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918-301-3133 | toctulsa.com |

918.728.3100

1725 E. 19th St. Ste. 702 Tulsa, OK 74104 23697 The Orthopaedic Center.indd 1 23741 Midtown Dermatology.indd 1

5/6/19 11:11 AM

Northeast Oklahoma’s most awarded Ophthalmology group by Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors!

5/3/19 11:27 AM

Congratulations To Norman’s Top Doctors

Ray M. Balyeat, MD l Todd A. Brockman, MD l Kali B. Cole, MD Daniel J. Corbett, MD l Shannon G. Cox, MD l Marc A. Goldberg, MD

Ray M. Balyeat, MD l Todd A. Brockman, MD l Kali B. Cole, MD

Walter J. Peters, MD l J. Matthew Roberts, DO l Jamal D. Siddiqui, MD Mark J. Weiss, MD l Vanessa E. Bennett, OD l Alison Hansen, OD

Daniel J. Corbett, MD l Shannon G. Cox, MD l Marc A. Goldberg, MD

Walter J. Peters, MD l J. Matthew Roberts, DO l Jamal D. Siddiqui, MD

Specialties & Services Offered/Conditions Treated

Mark J. Weiss, MD l Vanessa E. Bennett, OD l Alison Hansen, OD

Congratulations to our local physicians who were honored as 2019 Top Doctors.

General Ophthalmology

Find your next Top Doctor today by calling 405.515.5000.

Norman Regional Health System can match you with a physician dedicated to patient-centered care. From cardiology to gynecology/obstetrics and from surgery to primary care, Norman Regional’s team of experts can manage your healthcare needs.

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Oculoplastic, Orbital & Reconstructive Surgery Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus

Retinal Detachment and Retinal Tear Age-Related Macular Degeneration

General Ophthalmology Uveitis

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Eye Cancer

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Oculoplastic, Orbital & Reconstructive Surgery

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Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Retina & Vitreous Treatment & Surgery

Diabetic Retinopathy

LASIK (iLASIK)

Eye Infections

Wavefront-Guided/Custom Vue LASIK

Flashes & Floaters

Drooping Eyelids

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Excision of Chalazion

918.747.3937 www.eyeinst.com

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Excision of Chalazion

918.747.3937 www.eyeinst.com 23794 Norman Regional Health System.indd 1

5/17/19 23677 10:40 AM The Eye Institute.indd 1

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4/4/19 11:55 AM

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Neighborhood Influences Tulsa-raised Micah Fitzerman-Blue, with an upcoming film on children’s TV icon Fred Rogers, credits others for his writing success.

By John Wooley

PHOTO BY JOSH NEW

T

ulsa, not all that far from his old Maple Ridge neighborhood, writer and producer Micah Fitzerman-Blue is having a beautiful day.

Along with hundreds of other adults and kids, he and his family members are experiencing first-hand what USA Today has called the “best new attraction” in the nation – Gathering Place.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life,” he says. “Truly. I’ve got a 3-year-old here and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, I can take her here forever.’ There are a couple of masterpiece parks in London and Berlin that I’ve seen, but nothing like this. It’s world-class.”

World-class isn’t a bad tag for Fitzerman-Blue himself. After amassing a solid set of writing and producing credentials over the past several years, including an Emmy-nominated stint on the TV series Transparent, he’s an executive producer and writer for one of the most anticipated theatrical features of the year, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, featuring Tom Hanks as the late public-TV icon Fred Rogers. In post-production at this writing, the film is scheduled for a Thanksgiving release.

The classic kids’ show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was still on the air when Fitzerman-Blue would’ve been a member of its target audience. (It ran for more than 33 years, beginning in 1968). However, the former Tulsan confesses that he was “more of a Sesame Street kid growing up.

“To be honest, I came to Fred Rogers a little later in life,” he says. “I write with a partner named Noah Harpster, and when his daughter was about the same age as my daughter is now, she was a real handful. Just on a whim, he put on a YouTube video of Mr. Rogers, and all of a sudden, his little firecracker toddles over and does everything this man says.”

He laughs and adds: “And, of course, Noah showed me the video and said, ‘Who is this warlock?’”

Deciding they wanted to find out, Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster researched the reallife man behind the TV program. They soon discovered something both unusual and compelling.

“He was in contact with hundreds of people all the time,” Fitzerman-Blue says.

“He’d pray for them by name. He’d involve himself in the lives of the different people he would meet, people who came to visit him on set or at events, or just people he’d sit next to on an airplane. He was compulsively intimate.

“There was no such thing as small talk for Fred Rogers. He’d ask you how you were, you’d tell him, and all of a sudden he’d ask you for your address or telephone number. And you’d give it to him, thinking, ‘Oh, maybe he’ll send a head shot, or some kind of Mr. Rogers merchandise.’ But he would send you a letter, saying, ‘How are you? That thing you mentioned – how’s it going?’

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PHOTO BY LACEY TERRELL

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“He’d put it in a very quiet, very ministerial way and help the lives of people he met. It was something he did without fanfare, without credit, out of the public eye. But he did it all the time. He was a Presbyterian minister, and this was his own personal ministry.”

However, while Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster found the man “endlessly fascinating,” they both came to realize that Fred Rogers’ life would be challenging raw material for a straight-ahead biopic.

“As much as anyone I’ve ever encountered,” says Fitzerman-Blue, “he lived his life according to the things he truly believed. He was who he was for a very long time, and then he left us. If you’re just telling his story, that doesn’t make for a great movie.”

Then, the two ran into one of those people whose lives had been influenced by Rogers’ ministry – and that ultimately provided them with the tack they needed to take.

“We read this marvelous profile of Fred Rogers in Esquire magazine, written by Tom Junod, a staff writer,” Fitzerman-Blue says. “We got to know Tom, to learn about what was going on in his life at the time he was asked to do a profile of Fred, and that for us became the nucleus of the movie.

“It’s not a biopic. It’s actually about a journalist, inspired by Tom Junod, whose life is in crisis at the time he’s given the assignment to do what he thinks is a puff piece about an American hero. What he ends up writing about is not just Fred Rogers, but about himself, delving into the issues of his own life that he never thought he would.”

With Junod’s story as inspiration, Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster went to the Fred Rogers archives in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where they sifted “through all these other details, these things that are all based on fact and are part of the historical record, about the specific methodologies and ways that Fred helped people. And we were helped along the way by everyone who was involved in the Fred Rogers company, in the making of the series. Joanne Rogers, his widow, read many drafts and helped consult in big ways and tiny ways to make sure that we were able to portray everything correctly.”

Beginning more than a decade before the eight-year process that led to the upcoming Rogers movie, Fitzerman-Blue also got writing help from his teachers and family members in Oklahoma. Unlike a lot of current filmmakers, he was not one of those kids running around town with digital cameras, casting friends and family in no-budget productions.

“I came at filmmaking through writing,” says Fitzerman-Blue, who lives in Los Angeles. “I’ve always loved to write; that’s sort of the driver of it all. I watched my dad [Rabbi Marc Boone Fitzerman of Tulsa’s Congregation B’nai Emmunah] write and deliver sermons every week; he was a certain kind of role model. I had wonderful teachers at Holland Hall, who really invested in me and my writing.

To whatever extent you can take a 15-, 16-, 17-year-old seriously, they took me seriously and gave me the confidence to keep writing. Sharon Irvine, Ron Palma – these are teachers who are still a part of my life.

“No one was saying, ‘You’re going to be a professional writer one day,’” he adds with a chuckle. “But they engaged with my writing – as did my dad. I remember him reading my first essays and giving me a lot of notes – and me getting really angry and saying, ‘C’mon. I’m in seventh grade. This is good enough.’ And him saying, ‘Yeah, it’s probably good enough. But it’s not good.’”

Now, Fitzerman-Blue has become a lot more than good enough, even for Hollywood, where he has two more pictures in the can – Magic Camp and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, both for Disney – along with several other projects in various stages of development. And while he laughingly says, “I’ll let you know,” when asked when he first felt he could make a career of the movie business, he cites Transparent as a turning point.

“I think being able to come onto Transparent when it was just a web series and we had no idea what we were doing, and then to raise that bar, so to speak, with the incredible community on that series, really helped shape me as a writer,” he says. “But early on, I got a great piece of advice from a seasoned writer, who told me, ‘Micah, never write your masterpiece. Never think that what you’re doing is your masterpiece because it will clog you up and stop you from writing. What you should focus on is the writing, the doing of the thing itself, not having done the thing.’

“Hopefully, every project allows me to continue doing that.”

WE ARE

OKLAHOMA

Left to Right: Joseph R. Cunningham, M.D.Janice Hoag, R.N.; Valinda Jones, R.N.; Doug Stewart, D.O.; Kathy Edwards, R.N.; Steven Swyden, M.D.; Becky Bloom, M.D.

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BEAT THE

By Brian Wilson

Oklahoma can become a sauna in the summer, but outdoor recreation at lakes, rivers and state parks is possible if you know where to find the shade and stay cool. As the temperature rises this month and

Oklahoma becomes its usual sticky mess, getting outside to relax or go on vacation may not seem like an optimal choice.

But an effective one-two combination – shade and water – provide the perfect counterpunch to the Sooner State’s hot summers.

The following areas – most well known; some not so obvious – give you the chance to get out of the direct sun and cool off in various ways.

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PADDLING HITS THE MAINSTREAM

/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

PHOTO COURTESY KIM BAKER

PHOTO COURTESY KIM BAKER

Beavers Bend State Park/ Broken Bow Lake/ Mountain Fork River

The deep forests of the Kiamichi Mountains dominate this southeastern corner of Oklahoma. Pine and oak line the lake’s 180-mile perimeter and the 26 miles of hiking trails. The Mountain Fork’s cool waters tend to stay that way as they flow into the lake, 185 feet deep in places.

PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCKWORTH/O

KLAHOMA TOURISM

Lindo says more than 100,000 Oklahomans paddle their ways around lakes, rivers and streams.

“More people in Oklahoma are paddlers than those who play soccer,” he says. “Think about it. There aren’t many soccer leagues RIVERSPORT ADVENTURES PHOTO BY GEORGIA READ for 60- and 70-year-olds.

Grandparents can paddle, but they’re not out there playing soccer.” mental awareness of paddling. People strugLindo says paddle craft unite generations gling in life can make 180-degree changes. and he has “seen teenagers, who normally We’ve seen it as therapeutic for people with don’t want to have anything to do with their post-traumatic stress disorder.” parents, get excited about going kayaking People who take up kayaking, canoeing or with them on a camping trip.” standup paddleboarding tend to get hooked, Lindo advocates for paddle sports’ health he says. benefits, both physical and mental.

“Once people get past the fear of turning “It’s good for your core strength; plus it’s upside down in the water, they see it’s out of the gym,” he says. “I can go paddling not what they thought it would be,” Lindo for hours and not be aware of the intensity of says. “They’re taking themselves to places the workout until later. I have seen customthat others can’t go. It’s empowering and ers who’ve improved their chronic ailments. peaceful.

“The most valuable part, however, is the “It’s a religious experience for me.”

/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

In the 1970s and ‘80s, tennis was touted as the sport for all because just about anyone, regardless of age or ability, could compete or play for fun.

Today, personal paddle craft – kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards – seem to have replaced the racquet as a favorite among recreational equipment … at least in Oklahoma.

Dave Lindo, owner of OKC Kayak and Tulsa Kayak, has seen the popularity of paddling increase dramatically in the past decade.

“When you go back to the first years of the Oklahoma City store in 2004, you couldn’t stop anywhere in state if you were hauling your kayak without someone asking, ‘Where do you kayak in Oklahoma?’” he says. “Now, you have kayak birthday parties for 7-yearolds. It’s pretty mainstream now. The vast majority of our customer base is local, not from the internet.”

Black Mesa State Park/ Lake Carl Etling/ South Carrizo Creek

As far away from Beavers Bend as you can get and still be in Oklahoma is this surprising respite in the Panhandle. A few miles from the state’s tallest point, the park has areas of deep shade beside the lake and creek. Plus, the area’s elevation (4,330 feet high) and low humidity make it seem cooler than the rest of Oklahoma.

Boiling Springs State Park

Don’t let the participle fool you.

The waters of Shaul Lake aren’t 212 degrees; they bubble because they are spring-fed. This oasis is one of the seven Civilian Conservation Corps parks built in Oklahoma during the Great Depression.

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GETTING YOUR E VEHICL READY

WOR PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCK

Chickasaw National Recreation Area/ Lake o’ the Arbuckles

The 44-degree waters in the park’s spring-fed swimming areas take your breath away, but the instant cool-down is worth it during the muggy days of summer. The lake, ideal for any type of watercraft, provides first-rate fishing and forested camping.

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or hydroplane,” Madeja says. “You can’t overdrive the conditions. Give yourself time to get there safely.”

Finally, blown radiators aren’t as common as they used to be, Madeja says, “because cars are made so much better now. But you should have your fluid levels checked and either filled or replaced.”

If you’re pulling a boat for the first time, consider that you may need a larger vehicle.

“Grab that owner’s manual and

check the towing capacity,” Madeja says, “or you can call your dealership and ask. The vehicle has to handle the load. The heavier the tow, the more horsepower your need.”

Once you’re on the road, Madeja advises a 10-second, 10-car-length rule for drivers pulling trailers, because stopping distances increase with all the added weight.

“You want to leave lots of room between you and the vehicle in front of you,” he says.

PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCKWORTH, OKLAHOMA TOURISM

is lock-out service,” Madeja says. “You’re out of your element when you’re on vacation; you need someone to always keep up with the keys so you can avoid the classic, ‘Oh, honey, I thought you had them.’”

Third on Madeja’s list of precautions are tires.

“At the very least, most tire dealerships will give you a free inspection, so you certainly want to do that,” he says.

Next comes inclement weather, which may not seem likely in the summer, “but you can have a sudden downpour and either skid

TH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

Getting yourself into your preferred craft on the water still involves your vehicle. Planning and preventive maintenance help you avoid frustrations that could spoil your trip to a favorite lake or river.

“Make time ahead of your vacation so that you can have a comfortable – not rushed – meeting with your regular mechanic,” says Mark Madeja, senior specialist in the public and government affairs office at AAA Oklahoma.

Madeja says the No. 1 issue that AAA workers see in the summer is a failed battery. A mechanic can easily test its readiness before a road trip.

“Right up there with the battery

Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees Greenleaf State Park Arguably Oklahoma’s most popular body of water, this reservoir has seven distinct areas of the gigantic Grand Lake State Park – Bernice, Cherokee, Disney, Honey Creek, Snowdale, Spavinaw and Twin Bridges. The lake’s fishing is so famous that it has twice hosted the Bassmaster Classic, the most important event in the sport.

Hiking the 18 miles through the forest and along the lake may lead you to believe that you’re in the Ozarks of Arkansas instead of this off-thebeaten-path gem. Water skiing, jet skis and wave runners are prohibited, so it’s much quieter than other lakes in the state. Relax in peace.

Illinois River

One of the most scenic rivers in Oklahoma, the Illinois is popular for its gentle current, which makes it ideal for people on tubes, rafts, kayaks or canoes. Many outfitters along the river rent those watercraft and pick you up downstream. The wooded and craggy bluffs cast long shadows onto the water during the hottest times of the day.

floor jack to spin the wheels to make sure it or the hub is not loose. And look for dry cracking on the tires.”

Boat trailer tires usually take about 50 pounds of air per square inch because they have thick sidewalls, so they need to be properly inflated.

Other pre-trip measures, according to Jones, are: bringing fluids to their proper levels; checking the boat’s horn, lights and signals; verifying that the boat’s drain plug is in place; engaging the trailer’s crank and wench while looking for dry rot in straps and ropes; and having the proper safety equipment (regulation life jackets for everyone, a fire extinguisher and a paddle).

Finally, the best plan for the following summer, Jones says, is to make sure your boat is properly winterized. Depending upon the engine, that could involve pulling plugs, filling the gas tank and putting in environmentally friendly pink antifreeze.

Keystone Lake/Keystone Ancient Forest Preserve

The ancient forest abuts the lake, although trails from the former haven’t yet been cut all the way to the latter.

Nevertheless, you can hike through the canopy of trees in the preserve or in nearby Keystone State Park before getting wet in the reservoir, impounded in 1968 when the Arkansas River was dammed near Mannford.

H/OKL AHOMA TOURISM

You have the image crystallized mentally: relaxing in your boat as you enjoy watery time away from the workaday world.

And – poof! – a tire blows on the trailer or the engine misfires and sputters when you start it up.

Stan Jones, a co-owner of Nichols Marine since 1994, has seen every bit of frustration that comes when hopes for a pleasant outing on the water are drowned because you didn’t think ahead.

A boat service center can help your craft and its trailer get shipshape for the maiden voyage of the summer season.

You can also do it yourself in the driveway.

And if you don’t know how, ask the folks at your dealership.

“For instance, you can use what’s called a flush muff and a regular garden hose and run water through your engine beforehand,” Jones says. “You can start your engine before you leave home to see if there are any problems.”

During winter, rodents find shelter, particularly in places not bothered by humans, so you want “to make sure they haven’t chewed the wires in your boat or on your trailer,” he says.

The boat’s battery needs to hold a full charge and the trailer’s tires and axle should be checked out, too.

“Make sure the bearings have the right amount of grease and no water has gotten inside the caps,” Jones says. “Use a

You’re ready to take the plunge and buy a motorboat, but you have no idea where to start. A veteran in the field offers a quick primer for figuring out which craft is right for you.

“I always say to them, ‘Visualize your day at the lake and what type of activities do you envision,’” Stan Jones of Nichols Marine says. “I ask them, ‘Do you want water sports? Do you want to fish? Do you just want to sit around? Do you want a little bit of everything?’ That helps us dial in on what type of boat fits their needs.”

Jones says the size of the boat should accommodate the usual number of people who will be on the lake with you.

As for anglers, “there’s sport fishing and meat fishing,” Jones says.

“Depending upon which one you do – catch and release or keeping the fish to cook and eat – will determine the type of boat. And you don’t necessarily need a live well; an ice chest might serve your purposes if you’re going to clean the fish after you get back to shore.”

If you still can’t decide, Jones suggests renting various types of boats and seeing which one meets your needs.

“It’s a lot cheaper in the long run to do that than to get stuck with something you don’t use,” he says.

PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCK WORT

GETTING YOUR BOAT READY

WHAT MOTORBOAT TO BUY

Lake Eufaula

The largest reservoir within Oklahoma (Lake Texhoma is, given its name, split between rival states), Eufaula is home to two state parks. The lake’s wide open areas and prevailing winds make for good sailboating. Hundreds of nooks, crannies and coves, often in the deep shade of surrounding bluffs and trees, beckon you to take the plunge.

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Kansas

Colorado

Little Arkansas River – Flowing through Wichita’s Riverside neighborhood, this tributary of the Arkansas hosts many rowing regattas.

Milford Lake – The largest lake in Kansas is encircled by thick woods and provides top-notch fishing and hunting.

Vallecito Reservoir – Deep in the San Juan Mountains, this lake is perfect for cooling off after a long day’s hike atop the Continental Divide.

Animas River – Whitewater rafting doesn’t get much better than this.

CONTIGUOUS STATES New Mexico

Texas

Sequoyah State Park/ Fort Gibson Lake

Oak, hickory and pine provide nearly constant shade at this laid-back getaway. On your bicycle, you make a hilly, 20-mile loop through all the park roads and trails, none of which is more than a few hundred yards from the lake. So if you get too hot in the saddle, instant relief is close.

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PHOTO COURTESY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Tall Grass Prairie Preserve/ Sand Creek

This is another curveball on the list because the prairie preserve’s signature tall grass thrives in dry conditions.

But filtering its way through the area is Sand Creek, picturesque and cool as it cuts through ancient crosstimbers, limestone and sandstone.

Tenkiller State Park/ Tenkiller Ferry Lake

PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCKWORTH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

Caddo Lake – One of the few natural lakes in Texas that’s not an ox-bow, Caddo is part bayou, too – evident by the ancient cypress tress growing right out of the water.

Lady Bird Lake – Formerly called Town Lake, this Austin delight hosts hundreds of people on kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards nearly every day.

PHOTO COURTESY LORI DUCKWORTH/OKLAHOMA TOURISM

Heron Lake – Surrounded by mountain pines and with a nowake speed limit, this place is often called The Quiet Lake.

San Juan River – Fly-fishing enthusiasts and paddlers reach Nirvana here.

Tenkiller is one of the most popular lakes in the state for paddlers of kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards, and for scuba divers. The Cookson Hills’ dense forests surround this outof-the-way bit of heaven.

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Lake of the Ozarks – Many see this as the Show Me State’s premier outdoor destination.

Big Piney River – This serpentine river is spring-fed and perfect for canoes, kayaks and standup paddle-

Arkansas

Beaver Lake/White River – Paddle sports and fishing are among the popular activities at these bodies of water smack-dab in the Ozarks.

Lake Ouachita – More than 40,000 surface acres of clear, cool water lie deep in the Ouachita National Forest.

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Get Hitched Without a Hitch

The happiest day of your life should be filled with Cha-Ching, Cha-Ching To make a couple’s day come to fruition, a wedding budget laughter, champagne toasts, romance, close where dream meets reality. Before any planning occurs, friends and family. What should not be there are is a realistic budget must be set – and you need to determine stress, negativity, disorganization and chaos. if there’s any wiggle room upward. Be warned: if there is, you’ll probably use it.

We offer advice, tips and a handy-dandy Many online tools, such as theknot.com, can help. Using pros-cons list to help you plan and enjoy a professional planner is another way to optimize every your wedding day. dollar spent.

When figuring out the budget, beware hidden costs, like gratuities, rental fees, pre-wedding parties and gifts for the wedding party. Many couples may open a rewards credit card for wedding expenses to earn points and track spending in one place.

Personal tastes are also reflected in cost-cutting measures, such as mismatched table settings, registry choices or a simple, inexpensive cake, bedecked in edible flowers.

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Value Venue

Once a budget is established, choosing a venue early is advised, because many are booked a year or more in advance.

Some couples choose a non-traditional place or an off-season date (in the dead of summer or winter) to save money and eschew tradition.

Think outside the box. There might be a particularly meaningful location, like a public park or zoo, that facilitated your first date. Many couples choose a location where both the ceremony and reception can take place, like a private home with a large backyard.

If you’re stuck between several venues, experts suggest starting a comparative spreadsheet with categories like location, capacity, date availability, type, layout, cost, catering restrictions and general vibe.

Let It Bloom

Your floral choices can influence the overall color scheme and ambiance of the day. Remeber, flowers are more than a few bouquets – think boutonnières, decor and even a flower crown or two if you’re so inclined.

In-season flowers are the best value.

Trends include hanging flowers from the ceiling or beams and the inclusion of all shades of purple, from violet and periwinkle to merlot and champagne. Other colors in fashion are silver, chrome and elements of glitter added to floral arrangements, while less popular hues this year are gold and rose gold. Bright, deep colors are more in vogue than rustic or pastel arrangements. Bringing nature indoors with tailored greenery in all seasons is seen with bouquets, including dahlias and ranunculus.

Dress to Impress

The most elegant and desired wedding dress shapes trending this year reflect the traditional elements of last year’s royal nuptials of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

Other popular shapes include the always flattering A-line, as well as body-hugging, sheath-style and short-skirted frocks. Chic bridal jumpsuits are also trending.

Today’s brides also like personal statements, with many avoiding traditional white and instead opting for shades of lavender.

Whatever style you choose, go to the dress shop with research in hand so you know the basic style choices that suit you.

Don’t forget to bring photos and a pair of shoes similar to the ones you plan to wear on the big day.

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Piece of Cake

The wedding cake can help to tell the couple’s love story – and a “statement” cake is popular and can involve an eight-layer confection of chiffon sponge with crème Chantilly or stylized stacks of dyed meringue. Anything the imagination can conceive can be done … if you give your skilled baker clear instructions and plenty of time (three months for prep, preferably).

Current strategies for some budgetconscious couples are a wedding cake switcheroo, where a rented or display cake is shown, but guests are served slices of sheet cake. Some couples don’t care for cake and go with pies or other favorite desserts, like tarts or frozen treats.

Others present dessert as a self-serve bar or a piled-up tower of s’mores, sundaes, pies, cheese, fruit or even pastries.

AMY CAKES

PHOTO BY BRITTANY STOVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Grub Hubbub

Today’s couples want opportunities for conversation among guests, so the wedding meal is tailored in many cases for a family-style service, with the continuing trend of farm-to-table and organic cuisine. Time of day dictates what sort of spread to provide, and brunch weddings are on the rise as a way to serve light, elegant fare.

Dining options include a sit-down dinner, hors d’oeuvres and light snacks or a casual buffet. For some, the menu choices reflect the couple’s ethnic heritage, and many choose family favorites, like a pig roast or shrimp boil.

Many couples hire a food truck or offer a large “grazing bar” of their personal favorites, like tacos or burgers.

Another trend is making everything miniature, such as shot glasses of soup and elegant, wee bites of food.

This vs. That

Your wedding is full of choices that can change the tone and ambiance of the day. Here are some pros and cons of several options.

Open Bar vs. Beer/Wine Most couples (barring those with personal or religious beliefs against it) must decide how much alcohol will flow at their celebrations. A beer/wine-only wedding is often more economical than an open bar and can prevent over-intoxication … as can a cut-off time, after which only soft drinks and coffee are served.

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Open bars are a crowd favorite, but costs – and intoxication – soar. Some may consider it cheap to forgo an open bar … while others believe as long as alcohol is provided, hosting duties are met. You might bypass the issue with a brunch or daytime wedding. (Mimosas, anyone?)

Destination vs. In-Town If you want an intimate ceremony with only your nearest and dearest as guests, a destination wedding might be the right choice. As a bonus, this is often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an extended family reunion/vacation. Cons include the inevitable angry relatives and friends left off the invitation list and the cost of flights and accommodations.

If you want a big celebration, don’t expect hundreds of acquaintances to fly to a remote location for your nuptials; keep it in-town. You get to invite more people, but that also means a larger venue with more decorations, food and booze.

Band vs. DJ Unless a celebrity is chosen as the announcer, DJ-provided music is usually less expensive than a several-piece live band. Creating a wedding playlist is often a fun and stress-relieving activity that you can do with your spouse-to-be, friends and family.

Bands bring to a wedding an entirely different vibe, which you might crave. Ultimately, it’s up to you because a band leader or DJ can act as the master of ceremony and control the energy of the reception. With either, get your required songs and musical preferences specified in the contract.

Hiring a Planner vs.

Going It Alone As long as your personality meshes well with your wedding planner, she or he can reduce your stress drastically.

Planners are especially helpful for those with children, time-consuming careers or an inability to organize. Many venues offer on-site planning services for the month or day of the wedding.

Going it alone, while undoubtedly more work, might be right for couples on a tight budget or those who prefer to work independently.

Keeping vs. Tossing Traditions Modern couples choose which wedding traditions work for them … and nix the ones that don’t. Traditions often getting the ax this year include the often unintentionally salacious finding of the garter and the bouquet toss (to avoid spotlighting single friends).

Other traditions less-observed now are formal first dances, white wedding

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

A Magical Setting for your Enchanted Event!

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The Zoo’s newest expansion, Sanctuary Asia, is now open and the Lotus Pavilion is the perfect place for your wedding or special event.

Floor-to-ceiling windows allow your guests to see the Asian elephants, Indian rhino, Komodo dragons and more!

For information about this and other amazing event spaces, contact the Zoo’s official catering partner, Salt & Surrey Catering: 405.425.0289 | SaltandSurrey.com 9300 South 51st West Avenue Tulsa, OK 74131 (918) 855-5032

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gowns, large bridal parties and the use of Richard Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” (or “Wedding March”). The bottom line is there’s no wrong way to incorporate traditions. If you prefer to keep them all, go for it … but the sky’s the limit if you want something different.

Uniform vs.

Individual Bridesmaid Dresses It’s up to the bride to choose the bridesmaid dresses. The same-style approach keeps it simple and avoids clashing colors, but different hues of the same color and varying dress shapes can be more aesthetically pleasing. Another bonus of varying gowns is that bridesmaids with different body shapes can find dresses that flatter them. Asking the party members what they prefer can help you decide.

Staying in Wedding Garb vs.

Changing for the Reception Many a bride changes out of her wedding dress into something shorter and more comfortable for the reception, especially if she plans to dance or mill about. This allows for a fun outfit change that can re-energize your evening.

On the flip side, you’ve spent time and money chasing down the perfect dress that you’ll only wear once.

Perhaps it’s better to utilize it for every moment of your magical day.

A compromise could be wearing comfortable undergarments and a bringing a change of shoes, or having an adjustable gown as a quirky, stylistic opportunity to personalize the day.

PLAN FOR ANYTHING

Before disasters strike, have a pack of essentials.

Thinking ahead and creating a wedding emergency kit can keep both the bride and groom cool, calm and collected on the big day. This could be the perfect job to assign to a type-A wedding party member or organized relative.

Essentials should include: spare dark socks for the groom and his party; a small sewing kit, super glue and clear nail polish to stop stocking runs; snacks, tissues and a first-aid kit with headache remedies and bandaids; breath mints, antiperspirant and cologne; and hair supplies, including dry shampoo, a curling iron, extra clips, hair spray and bobby pins.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Other items you may not think about are scissors to remove tags, antacids, stainremoval supplies, a hand mirror, moisturizers, nail polish in the bride’s shade and feminine hygiene supplies.

Make sure to also have an accessible list of important phone numbers, plus mobile-phone chargers and static-cling spray.

It’s a nice touch to include lavender oil to sniff for relaxation and drinking straws to help keep lipstick in place.

One more touch that you’ll be glad to have if you need it: an iron or steamer to get rid of wrinkles – just make sure the fabric can take the heat.

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Taste

F O O D, D R I N K A N D O T H E R P L E A S U R E S

Travels to a Hidden Kitchen

Grogg’s Green Barn, nestled in an unexpected area in south Tulsa, lures notable chef Andrew Donovan from North Carolina.

I

ANDREW DONOVAN SERVES UP THE “WHICH CAME FIRST?” AT GROGG’S GREEN BARN, CONSISTING OF A CHICKEN POT PIE AND DEVILED EGG. PHOTOS BY JOSH NEW

n the morning, Carla Grogg drives south on Mingo Road in Tulsa. She turns east at a taco shop, passes two small strip malls, a golf shop and a school built like a fortress, and turns left through a gate.

Past it, she is in the hidden world of a miniature farm, a tiny fruit orchard, a buzzing apiary and, beside it, a restaurant dubbed Grogg’s Green Barn, open only half the year and serving just two meals a week.

Almost everything on the plate at that restaurant is grown on the farm. In the middle of winter, Grogg carefully places seeds into the soil of the raised beds, which ultimately yield lettuce, kale, carrots, cabbage and broccoli.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles to the east, a veteran chef mulls an intriguing job offer from Tulsa. On the drive from Charlotte, N.C., west toward Asheville (immortalized in Look Homeward, Angel), there’s a point where the flatlands end and the Great Smoky Mountains

begin. That’s where Andrew Donovan grew up. His earliest food memory is of his grandmother teaching him how to pick strawberries in her garden, which was a tiny farm much like Grogg’s.

Donovan’s father, more sophisticated in the kitchen than grandma, took cooking classes in Italy and inspired his son to set his sights on the world outside North Carolina. Donovan became a chef at New York’s Core Club – “exclusive and mysterious,” he says, JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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DINERS BEGIN WITH PEA SHOOTS AND RED REUBEN BASIL. GROGG’S GREEN BARN, OPEN ONLY HALF THE YEAR AND SERVING TWO MEALS A WEEK, IS IN SOUTH TULSA.

BRIAN SCHWARTZ

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

LO C A L F L AV O R

AN OKC METAMORPHOSIS

Sometimes a makeover and rebranding are needed in the progression of a great business. That was the case with the Meat Market Refectory Steak House, which took off the suit, threw on something more comfortable and became the Union Wood Fired Grill.

With chef and partner Jonas Favela still at the helm and calling the shots from the kitchen, the refurbished, relaxed joint makes better use of space on the inside than its predecessor – with a reimagined menu by Favela, too.

Grilled entrees from Favela, the Maestro of Meat, are still front and center, such as the dry-aged ribeye, filet, rack of lamb, chicken and pork tenderloin. Seafood has jumped up in standing at the Union, which also features cedar plank sea bass, wood-fired lobster tail and jumbo scallops.

Union Wood Fired Grill opens for dinner at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

2920 N.W. 63rd St., Oklahoma City; 405-608-8866; unionwoodfiredgrill.com.

SCOTTY IRANI

PHOTOS COURTESY UNION WOOD FIRED GRILL

Taste

THE “WHICH CAME FIRST?” INCLUDES LOCAL CHICKEN AND RESERVE EGGS.

with a $50,000 initiation fee for those lucky enough to be invited – and, later, the executive chef at Tia Pol, where legions of devoted fans waited in line for hours nightly to try his creative take on Spanish tapas. (“I was scared to death until I realized I mustn’t get hung up on what was authentic, but should concentrate on what’s good,” he says.)

These experiences formed a prelude to realizing his dream: opening a seasonal, small-plates restaurant in a North Carolina seaside town. Brine and Bottle became so famous that the Food Network sent a celebrity chef to Nags Head just to film it.

“Everyone said, ‘It won’t work,’” Donovan says, “but we made it work.”

Five years down the road, Donovan, married with children, realized that since he had to work 80 hours a week in the restaurant, he’d never see his children grow up. He couldn’t do that.

Some time later, he accepted the offer at Grogg’s Green Barn. He planned his first menu. He’d be far from home, so he let himself be inspired by comforting childhood memories. And there’d be a lettuce salad.

Meanwhile, months after planting the seeds, Grogg and her staff carefully tend the fragile lettuce plants by watering them and covering them on cold nights.

“It sounds simple,” she says, “but it’s a labor of love. We sweat and get dirty.”

In the spring, leaves cover the fruit trees and brash yellow flowers enliven berry bushes. It is time to plant tomatoes, peppers, okra and squash.

“Now those are really high maintenance, a lot of work,” Grogg says.

“Still, I could never imagine going back to a desk job.”

In the evening, dinner guests arrive.

The smart ones come early so they can tour the farm and see where their dinner was grown.

Donovan begins plating the first courses in a tiny kitchen that forms one side of the bright, airy dining room.

“This salad has several varieties of lettuce – Nancy, tennis ball, dragoon, rouge d’hiver,” he tells the diners.

“The lettuce, the thyme, the honey all come from the property out back. The radishes are from a small local farm in Vinita, and that’s as far as anything you’ll be served tonight has traveled.”

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C H E F C H AT

Taste

A Career That’s in the Cards Christine Dowd of Aunt Pittypat’s uses her diverse experiences to bolster OKC’s foodie foundation.

E

CHEF CHRISTINE DOWD HELMS THE SHIP AT OKC’S AUNT PITTYPAT’S CATERING. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS

FOR CHRISTINE DOWD’S RECIPE FOR PORK MILANESE, VISIT

OKMAG.COM/DOWD

78

xecutive chef Christine Dowd of Aunt Pittypat’s Catering has major street cred when it comes to the food scene in Oklahoma City.

Taking her well-earned experience from restaurants to catering fits in well with family time, along with her love of food and fulfilling the wishes of Aunt Pittypat’s customers.

“I started cooking at a young age and was always interested in cooking,” says Dowd, noting that her jump into the kitchen was part necessity and part fascination. “I was raised by a single mom and she was not the best cook, but we watched a lot of Julia Child together, so my interest really peaked. Also, my grandfather would take me to see shows in New York, and I loved going because I knew he would always take me to a ‘fancy’ dinner afterwards.

“Family played a huge part in my cooking.”

From making her own profiteroles and cream as a kid (and thinking she would focus on being a pastry chef) to being drawn to the cook’s line at culinary school in Hyde Park, New York, Dowd found herself “drawn to the fire” and began the journey many other chefs have taken: the “grand tour” of finding her place in the world of cuisine.

“I attended the Culinary Institute of America and really had a fantastic education from there,” she says. “I worked in New York City and was sent to France to cook, which really cemented my love for cooking.

Cooking professionally has allowed me to travel around this country. I’ve cooked in many cities and that really has been exciting.”

Jump to Oklahoma City in October

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

2004, when Dowd and partner Maggie Howell bought Aunt Pittypat’s Catering from Howell’s father, the legendary Bob Howell. That acquisition did not stop the two from delving into the restaurant side of business; they opened Trattoria Il Centro, once a downtown OKC favorite, and owned it for seven years.

“We were just a little ahead of time in the downtown market,” Dowd says. “Closing that restaurant was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.”

OKC residents remember that extensive revitalization projects downtown, simultaneous construction and unforeseen delays caused some businesses to close their doors. That is the nature of the beast sometimes with chefs and restaurants, built and dearly loved with blood, sweat and tears.

OKC’s restaurant community has a substantial foundation with people like Dowd, who wants budding chefs and entrepreneurs in the business to understand that.

“It is long hours and working holidays,” she says. “It is being away

from your family and missing moments, but the hard work pays off in the end. For young women, entering the field now it is much different from when I started. Stand up for yourself and be better than the person next to you. Keep reading and be aware of trends in the industry, work for a great chef, or pick up and move across country for the job you really want.

“Be determined and don’t let anyone get in your way. You’ll always be able to eat.”

In the kitchen, Dowd’s pork Milanese is a great dish for spring and early summer. She takes her time when pounding the meat and uses tasty breadcrumbs for the coating. Dowd recalls when, in Florence, Italy, her then 3-year-old daughter Scout tried the pork Milanese for the first time.

“We ate at this wonderful restaurant called La Maremma,” Dowd says. “When she took the first bite, her eyes lit up and she dug right in.”

She smiles and adds that a second order was immediately placed after the dish was finished.

SCOTTY IRANI

TA S T Y T I D B I T S

Bringing crowds downtown with Salsafest, chihuahua races and masked Mexican wrestling, Elote Café and Catering is more than a restaurant; it’s a destination.

With both meat and vegetarian options, menu favorites include fried avocados, white queso, puff y tacos, fresh fruit pico bites and guacamole made fresh every hour. The adventurous go for the smokin’ hot quesadilla, brimming with sautéed jalapeño, serrano and poblano peppers, black bean and corn relish, caramelized onions, cheese and a choice of local, all-natural beef or pork, free-range chicken, or spinach and avocado – all served with crema fresca. 514 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, 918-582-1403; elotetulsa.com

PHOTO COURTESY ROSEROCK MICROCREAMERY

ELOTE CAFÉ AND CATERING

PHOTO COURTESY ELOTE

ROSEROCK MICROCREAMERY

PHOTO BY J BENDURE COURTESY COFFEE SLINGERS

Serving coffee from Guatemala and El Salvador, Coffee Slingers Roasters pays meticulous attention to the craft of turning “something unpalatable into a deliciously aromatic beverage,” as the company says on its website.

Don’t look for extremely dark brews at Coffee Slingers because, as the baristas say, over-roasting kills nuanced flavors in the beans.

Instead, find expertise and blended choices, including Malacara and San Joaquin from El Salvador. 1015 N. Broadway Ave., OKC, 405-609-1662; coffeeslingers.com

WEDGE PIZZERIA

In house and made from scratch, everything rules on Wedge Pizzeria’s menu, including many vegan appetizers, salads and pizzas.

Non-vegan highlights are pizzas, sandwiches and pastas, such as the signature brisket pizza topped with roasted garlic sauce, poblanos, red onion and mozzarella. Dairy- and gluten-free dishes are available.

Wedge uses produce only from local growers. Ask about off-menu specials, like the kale Caesar salad. Sip local beer and sit inside, on the patio or in the backyard. 230 N.E. First St., OKC, 405-270-0660; thewedgepizzeria.com

PHOTO COURTESY WEDGE PIZZERIA

COFFEE SLINGERS ROASTERS

Using all-natural ingredients, Roserock offers fresh, artisanal ice cream in a rainbow of flavors, from the familiar to the offbeat.

Each batch is handcrafted in 2½-gallon units, so pretty much anything is possible. Traditional vanilla and chocolate are offered, along with specialized flavors incorporating Oklahoma bounty, such as Stilwell strawberries, blueberries, Porter peaches, local honeys and buttermilk. Vegan options are also available and include sorbets like blueberry lemon-thyme and others made from soy and coconut milks.

502 E. Third St., Tulsa, 918-396-8001; roserockmicrocreamery.com

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Where & When

G R E AT T H I N G S TO D O I N O K L A H O M A

French Masterpieces The OKC Museum of Art brings out the big guns – Van Gogh, Monet and Degas – with the Mellon Collection exhibit.

S

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (FRENCH, 1841–1919). PENSIVE (LA SONGEUSE) OR DAY DREAMING, 1875. VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, RICHMOND. COLLECTION OF MR. AND MRS. PAUL MELLON. PHOTO: KATHERINE WETZEL. © VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

tarting June 22, some of the world’s finest art can be seen by traveling not to London or Paris but to Oklahoma City.

Thanks to generous local donors, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art hosts Van Gogh, Monet, Degas: The Mellon Collection of French Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibit runs through Sept. 22 and is shown by restricted entry. Timed tickets allow patrons to avoid long waits and lines and enjoy the art in an intimate, relaxed setting.

Philanthropists Paul and Rachel Mellon

gave this unique collection of European masters to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

“This exhibition builds on the museum’s history of bringing outstanding, artistically significant exhibitions to Oklahoma City,” coordinating curator Jessica Provencher says. “Many of the works that have passed through the museum in recent years would be difficult, if not impossible, to see anywhere else in our region. Van Gogh, Monet, Degas brings a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Oklahomans to see this collection outside [Virginia]”.

Featuring more than 70 works, the collec-

tion consists mainly of Impressionist paintings but also represents every important school of French art.

“The Mellons never intended to become systematic collectors, nor did they simply collect works because they considered them a good investment,” Provencher says.

“Instead, they acquired art that appealed to their sensibilities – works that reflected their interests or recalled happy memories.”

Admission is $15, with museum members and children under 5 free. Visit okcmoa.com or call 405-236-3100.

DEBI TURLEY

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Where & When

READY FOR AN EXCITING JUNE? READ ON FOR OUR TOP CHOICES THIS MONTH.

MUSIC AND COMEDY

The award-winning musical Fiddler on the Roof is presented June 18-23 by Celebrity Attractions in Tulsa at Chapman Music Hall. Visit celebrityattractions.com or call 918-596-7111 for tickets.

PHOTO COURTESY SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

1

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic, featuring artist Gregory Lee on the violin, presents the music of Antonio Vivaldi and Johannes Brahms on June 1 at the Civic Center Music Hall. Visit okcphil.org for tickets.

Steve Martin and Martin Short team up June 2 at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center Music Hall as a part of their Now You See Them, Soon You Won’t tour. Get tickets at okcciviccenter.com.

The Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City produces the classic Singin’ in the Rain, slated for June 25-30. Visit lyrictheatreokc.com or call 405-524-9312 for information.

Fans of The Bard won’t want to miss The Comedy of Errors during Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, presented June 6-29 at Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City. Visit okshakes.com for tickets.

PERFORMANCE

AT THE MUSEUMS

When he’s not performing, singer/songwriter Bob Dylan spends his time sketching, drawing and painting. Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum, in conjunction with the Bob Dylan Center, presents Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond through Sept. 15. The exhibit showcases writings, drawings and personal effects from the performer. Visit gilcrease.org for details.

The Philbrook Museum in Tulsa commissioned Jason Lee (photographer, actor and skateboarder) to go on road trips in 2018 for his take on life in Oklahoma.

Jason Lee Photographs is on display June 1-Nov. 10. Visit philbrook.org for details.

Those with an appreciation for western art can take in the Prix de West Art Show at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. With more than 300 paintings and sculpture dedicated to this display, see the exhibition June 7-Aug. 5. Visit nationalcowboymuseum.org.

celebrityattractions.com THE GRIFFINS Through June 2 Tulsa PAC It's a hot summer

in 1921. Alex and Mattie Griffin are successful entrepreneurs on Black Wall Street, a bustling African-American business

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district in Tulsa. tulsapac.com

KYLE DILLINGHAM AND HORSESHOE ROAD June 5

bradytheater.com

Tulsa PAC Enid's Kyle

MUSEU

M

Dillingham plays the fiddle and performs the vocals for Horseshoe Road.

AN ARC HIVE/G ILCREA SE

Poseidon, Percy has newly discovered powers he can’t control and monsters on his trail as he embarks on a quest to find Zeus’ lightning bolt.

15 Brady Theater

Wunderbar is a delicious insight into the surreal, fantastic world of Eddie Izzard.

tulsapac.com

GODSPELL June 7-16

Broken Arrow Community Playhouse This musical

retelling of the Gospel of Matthew places the biblical story in modern-day New York City. bacptheatre.com

THE TEMPEST June 8-9 Tulsa PAC An ensemble

composed of participants in Orbit's free community arts classes perform a musical

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

BOB DYL

June 1 Tulsa PAC As a son of

EDDIE IZZARD: WUNDERBAR June

SY THE

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS PRESENTS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF – THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL Through

tulsapac.com

OURTE

PERFORMANCES

adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest.

PHOTO C

IN TULSA

2

PHOTO COURTESY THE BOB DYLAN ARCHIVE/GILCREASE MUSEUM

ART

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS PRESENTS: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF June 18-23

Tulsa PAC Fiddler

on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.

celebrityattractions.com

TOM SEGURA: TAKE IT DOWN TOUR June 27 Hard

Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa

See American comedian Tom Segura. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

CONCERTS JOJO SIWA D.R.E.A.M. TOUR June 1 Brady Theater See the family-friendly JoJo Siwa perform. bradytheater.com

ANI DIFRANCO WITH DIANE

PATTERSON June 1 Tulsa PAC Ani DiFranco is a

Grammy-winning musical artist and feminist icon recognized for her poetry and songwriting. tulsapac.com

JIMMY BUFFETT June 4 BOK Center Jimmy Buffett

and the Coral Reefer Band perform. bokcenter.com

JOHN FULLBRIGHT June 6 Cain's Ballroom Enjoy a live performance by Oklahoma’s own John Fulbright, a Grammy-nominated singer/ songwriter with an “old soul” voice and an arsenal of songs that warm your heart.

cainsballroom.com BRIT FLOYD June 9 Brady Theater Enjoy this popular

Pink Floyd tribute band.

bradytheater.com

FA M I LY / K I D S

WHITEWATER, DOGS AND LIBERTY Give the kids a thrill at the eighth annual Stars and Stripes River Festival at Riversport Adventures in Oklahoma City on June 29. Whitewater rafting, races, food trucks and a fireworks display abound. Visit riversportokc.org.

International canines strut their stuff June 8-9 for the

3

Oklahoma City International Dog Show at State Fair Park. Visit iabca.com.

Recognized by CNN and USA Today, Edmond’s Libertyfest runs June 22-July 4. With a car show, rodeo, KiteFest, road rally and scholarship pageant, this patriotic festival is perfect for all ages.

Visit libertyfest.org for details.

viewers to the open road, neon artist Todd Sanders creates work that celebrates the often underappreciated American art form that paints the Route 66 landscape.

108contemporary.org

WONDROUS WORLDS: ART AND ISLAM THROUGH TIME AND PLACE June 23-Oct. 6

Philbrook The most extensive exhibition of Islamic art to be shown in Oklahoma represents more than 1,200 years of rich creation, illustrating the great geographic expanse of the Muslim world. philbrook.org

COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT: LUSHA NELSON Through

July 7 Philbrook In 2015,

Philbrook acquired a trove of photographs by Lusha Nelson, an all-but-forgotten artist who had a brief, brilliant career in the 1930s. philbrook.org

PULITZER PRIZE PHOTOGRAPHS Through July

14 Gilcrease Museum Pulitzer Prize Photographs, from the Newseum in Washington, brings history to life with the most comprehensive collection of Pulitzer Prizewinning photographs ever assembled. gilcrease.org

BOB DYLAN: FACE VALUE AND BEYOND Through

PHOTO BY GEORGIA READ

Sept. 15 Gilcrease Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond is the culmination of efforts by Gilcrease in partnership with the Bob Dylan Center to create a temporary home for the center’s collection. gilcrease.org SHARON LOUDEN Through Nov. 3 Philbrook Museum

Multimedia artist Sharon Louden creates site-specific installations fostering interaction between the art, the space and the viewer.

philbrook.org AMERICANS ALL! Ongoing Gilcrease Museum This

exhibit, drawn from Gilcrease's permanent collection, showcases the many positive contributions immigrants have made, and continue to make, to American life and culture.

gilcrease.org

THE EXPERIENCE

Ongoing Ahha Tulsa This

PHOTO BY JOSHUA OFFICER

artist-driven, large-scale, fully immersive installation invites participants to explore a fantastic multimedia environment. ahhatulsa.org

SPORTS June 2, 30 Veterans Park See

Tulsa Athletic host St. Louis and Demize, respectively.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Country crooner

Trace Adkins performs.

hardrockcasinotulsa.com CITIZEN COPE June 13 Cain's Ballroom Indie/rock

band Citizen Cope performs.

cainsballroom.com

KIDZ BOP LIVE! June 14 BOK Center Don’t miss today’s

PHOTO BY JOSHUA OFFICER

biggest hits “sung for kids, by kids.” bokcenter.com

PETER FRAMPTON June 18 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Enjoy Peter Frampton on his Finale: The Farewell Tour. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

CASEY DONAHEW June 22 Cain's Ballroom Popular

country artist Casey Donahew

performs. cainsballroom.com

JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT WITH FATHER JOHN MISTY June 29 BOK

Center For the first time, critically acclaimed, awardwinning artists Father John Misty and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit co-headline a national tour. bokcenter.com

ART FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL

June 7 Arts District This

year-round, monthly event features works from galleries, artists, studios and museums.

thetulsaartsdistrict.org

TODD SANDERS: ROADSIDE NEON June 7-July 21 108 Contemporary Transporting

LEAKE CAR AUCTION June 6-9 Expo Square See

hundreds of classic cars – and snag one for yourself – at this auction. leakecar.com

SAINT FRANCIS TULSA

TOUGH June 7-9 Downtown Tulsa See some of the best

cylists in the nation at this exciting event. tulsatough.com

SECOND SATURDAY ARCHITECTURE TOURS

June 8 Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Each month,

the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture offers popular walking tours highlighting some of downtown’s architectural treasures. tulsaarchitecture.org

A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN CUSACK June 15 Cox

Business Center Enjoy a screening of the 1980s hit Say Anything and a subsequent talk with star John Cusack. bokcenter.com

MOTHER ROAD MARKET SUMMER SOIREE June 15

Mother Road Market It’s the summer party of the season that you won’t want to miss.

motherroadmarket.com

TULSA FLEA MARKET June 15, 22, 29 Expo Square Visit for exciting finds at the flea market. tulsafleamarket.net

I AM YOGA, ART AND MUSIC FESTIVAL June 29-30 Cedar

Rock Inn Enjoy a calming retreat with group activities, music and creative outlets. iamyogafestival.com

TULSA AWARDS FOR THEATRE EXCELLENCE June

30 Tulsa PAC The George Kaiser Family Foundation established the Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence to recognize the accomplishments of local groups and to applaud their contributions to the performing arts community. tulsapac.com

CHARITABLE EVENTS ST. JOHN STREET PARTY

June 1 St. John Health System

One of Tulsa’s largest outdoor fundraisers features food tastings from more than 60 popular restaurants, food trucks and caterers, along with wine tastings and live music.

stjohnhealthsystem.com/ foundation/street-party

LINKS FOR LITTLE ONES

TULSA ATHLETIC SOCCER

TRACE ADKINS June 13

rocks, minerals and gems at this expo. exposquare.com

June 3 Golf Club of Oklahoma

This tournament has a shotgun start with morning and afternoon flights, awards, contest holes and prizes.

tulsaathletic.com

littlelighthouse.org

3-9, 17-23, 25 ONEOK Field The season continues with games against Midland, Corpus Christi, Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas. milb.com

Downtown Tulsa This roving

DRILLERS BASEBALL June

OFF-TRACK BETTING June 8

Expo Square Bet on horse races at the Fair Meadows simulcast building. exposquare.com

PINTO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

June 10-22 Expo Square See equine riders compete in the world championships. exposquare.com

COMMUNITY GEM FAIRE Through June 2 Expo Square Find beautiful

TOP OF THE TOWN June 6 cocktail party lets ticketholders have access to the top floors or rooftops of downtown buildings.

csctulsa.org/top-of-the-town LOCAL BREWS June 6 Fuel 66 This event features local

microbreweries, live music and prize drawings with 100 percent of event proceeds benefiting Tulsa CARES. tulsacares.org

RELAY FOR LIFE June 14 University of Tulsa Relay For

Life is a free, family-friendly community event to honor cancer survivors, remember lost loved ones and raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s research, programs and services.

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

83

KIDZ BOP LIVE!

TWENTY ONE PILOTS

CODY JOHNSON

PHOTO COURTESY CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA

4

JIMMY BUFFETT

PHOTO COURTESY CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA

The BOK Center in Tulsa features Jimmy Buffett on June 4, family-friendly Kidz Bop Live! on June 14, and Father John Misty and Jason Isbell on June 29. Visit bokcenter.com for details.

This month, the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City has Luis Miguel on June 4, Twenty One Pilots – The Bandit Tour on June 25, and Cody Johnson and Friends on June 22. Visit chesapeakearena.com.

Around the state, legendary band REO Speedwagon rocks out June 15 at Choctaw Casino and Resort in Thackerville.

On June 22, grab some rowdy friends and see Hank Williams Jr. there, too. Visit choctawcasinos.com.

WinStar World Casino in Durant hosts Kenny Loggins on June 14 and comedian Jerry Seinfeld on June 15. Visit winstar.com.

PHOTO COURTESY BOK CENTER

AT THE ARENAS

PHOTO COURTESY BOK CENTER

Where & When

CONCERT

C U LT U R E

RED EARTH FESTIVAL The 33rd Annual Red Earth Festival celebrates

5

Native American heritage and features hundreds of dancers and artists from across the country June 7-9. Held at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, the event has a parade, powwow, art market and other community events. Visit redearth.org for information.

PHOTO COURTESY RED EARTH

SYMPHONY OF DANCE June

BOZ SCAGGS June 14

okcciviccenter.com

See American singer/ songwriter Boz Scaggs.

Enjoy beautiful music and dancing together.

EDDIE IZZARD: WUNDERBAR June 16 Civic

Center Music Hall Wunderbar is a delicious insight into the surreal and fantastic world of Eddie Izzard. okcciviccenter.com

relayforlife.org/tulsaok

THE CENTER POLO CLASSIC June 22 Mohawk

Park This unique fundraiser

is centered around polo and features fast-paced action with Thoroughbred horses, divot stomping, champagne and sideline socializing. tulsacenter.org

IN OKC

PERFORMANCES OKC PHIL PRESENTS: CLASSICS 8 – DANCE OF THE SEASONS June 1 Civic

Center Music Hall Music can

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come to life not only when played as a stand-alone piece, but different shadings are revealed when played opposite another work. okcphil.org

LYRIC THEATRE PRESENTS:

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN June 25-30 Civic Center Music Hall

twins, each with the same name – what could go wrong? okshakes.org

ASCEND DANCING STUDIOS PRESENTS: A

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Assembly See two folk bands live. thejonesassembly.com

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC June 21 Zoo Amphitheatre See the world's leading parody musician perform. thezooamphitheatre.com

CODY JOHNSON AND FRIENDS June 22

LUIS MIGUEL June 4

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

SON VOLT WITH OLD SALT UNION June 18 The Jones

CONCERTS

behemoths of comedy on the same stage.

June 6-29 Myriad Gardens Water Stage Two sets of

riverwind.com

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS June

okcciviccenter.com

okcciviccenter.com

Riverwind Casino, Norman

Celebrate Hollywood's Golden Age with this romantic, musical-comedy classic.

STEVE MARTIN AND MARTIN SHORT June 2 Civic

Center Music Hall See two

group. towertheatreokc.com

8 Civic Center Music Hall

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Throughout his exceptional 37-year career, Luis Miguel has released 33 albums, many of which have reached gold, platinum and diamond status.

chesapeakearena.com THUNDERCAT June 13 Tower Theatre See this eclectic indie

21 Riverwind Casino, Norman

See this talented quintet live. riverwind.com

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Country star Cody Johnson hits the stage.

with special guest Bear Hands.

chesapeakearena.com

ART FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK June 7 Paseo Arts

District More than 80 artists

and more than 25 businesses, all within walking distance, stay open late the first Friday of every month. thepaseo.org

THE 47TH ANNUAL PRIX DE WEST ART EXHIBITION AND SALE June 7-Aug. 11 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum The

exhibition features more than 300 paintings and sculpture by the finest contemporary Western artists in the nation with art seminars, cocktail receptions and awards.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

ALICIA SALTINA MARIE CLARK June 13-July 7 DNA

chesapeakearena.com PAT GREEN June 22 Riverwind Casino, Norman

Galleries See the work of this talented local artist.

TWENTY ONE PILOTS June

LAYERED STORIES – AMERICA’S CANYONLANDS

Country crooner Pat Green performs. riverwind.com

25 Chesapeake Energy Arena See the popular band

dnagalleries.com

June 15-Oct. 20 National

Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, OKC Enjoy stunning

art of America's many vast canyons in this exhibit.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

VAN GOGH, MONET, DEGAS: THE MELLON COLLECTION OF FRENCH ART FROM THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS June 22-Sept. 22 OKCMOA Featuring more than 70 works by French and European masters, this exhibition celebrates the Mellon family’s extraordinary gift of 19th- and early 20th-century French art to the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

okcmoa.com

HORSEPLAY Through July 14 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

The museum’s Dickinson Research Center is home to more than 700,000 photographs, 44,000 books and (perhaps unexpectedly) at least 1,000 horses.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

FROM THE GOLDEN AGE TO THE MOVING IMAGE: THE CHANGING FACE OF THE

COMMUNIT Y

FIFTH NIGHTS, CARS AND MOZART

6

Summer’s Fifth Night at Utica Square in Tulsa presents live music on summer Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Pack a picnic supper or dine in a restaurant during this free event. This month’s acts are: The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band, June 6; Zodiac, June 13; Eldredge Jackson, June 20; and Denise Hoey and The Boulevard, June 27. Visit uticasquare.com for information.

If cars meet your need for speed, don’t miss the Leake Collector’s Car Show and Auction, June 6-8 at Tulsa’s River Spirit Expo. A two-lane auction block features top-of-the-line auto excellence. Visit leakecar.com.

The 35th Annual OKM (OK Mozart) Music Festival runs June 8-15 in Bartlesville. Events include a concert under the stars and a brown bag lunch concert. Visit okmmusic.org for the lineup.

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COUR

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ECTO

statefairparkokc.com

OKC 50+ BETTER LIVING

EXPO June 19 State Fair Park Looking to stay in shape

over 50? Visit this expo.

statefairparkokc.com

WHEELER SUMMER MUSIC SERIES June 21 Wheeler Ferris Wheel Enjoy live music from Samantha Crain, Mola Mola and Chelsey Cope. wheelerdistrict.com

OKLAHOMA CITY BURLESQUE FESTIVAL June 21-22 Tower Theatre

SPORTS

PHOTO BY CHRIS BARNES

CYCLING EVENTS The Saint Francis Tulsa Tough bicycle racing festival spins itself into a frenzy June 7-9. Categories accomodate everyone from pro bikers to training-wheel toddlers. Races include criterium (laps around a closed course) and Gran Fondo (long distances). Visit tulsatough.com for the schedule.

More cycling fun can be had June 1-2 with the Oklahoma Pro-Am Classic in Oklahoma City in the Midtown, Film Row and Automobile Alley districts. Visit okcpac.com for more information.

Enjoy an exciting festival of burlesque.

towertheatreokc.com

OKLAHOMA CITY PRIDE FESTIVAL AND PARADE June 22 39th St. District

Celebrate equality for all at this annual festival. oklahomacitypride.org

LIBERTYFEST June 22-July 4

Citywide, Edmond Celebrate

the Fourth of July a little early with the city of Edmond. libertyfest.org

SUMMER CANINE OLYMPICS June 26-30 State

Fair Park Don't miss these exciting – and adorable – contests. statefairparkokc.com

STARS AND STRIPES RIVER FESTIVAL June 29 Riversport

Adventure Park This Fourth of July-themed festival combines on-the-water fun with food trucks, whitewater rafting, racing throughout the day and fireworks to end the evening. riversportokc.org

GARDENS MONTHLY WALKING TOUR June 29 Myriad Botanical Gardens

PERMANENT COLLECTON Ongoing OKCMOA The OKC

Museum of Art re-opens its second-floor galleries with a new presentation of its permanent collection.

Headlining this reinstallation is the museum’s latest acquisition, Kehinde Wiley’s monumental new portrait Jacob de Graeff. okcmoa.com

POSTWAR ABSTRACTION: VARIATIONS Ongoing

OKCMOA The half-century or

so following the end of World War II was one of the most fertile periods in the history of abstract painting.

okcmoa.com

APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL'S FIREWORKS (ARCHIVES)

Ongoing OKCMOA Fireworks

(Archives), from 2014, is the first of a series of works by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, an internationally renowned filmmaker and visual artist.

okcmoa.com

SPORTS ENERGY FC SOCCER June 1, 15, 22 Taft Stadium The Energy take on other teams in United Soccer League. energyfc.com

WHEELER CRITIERIUM

June 4, 11, 18, 25 Wheeler District

This is the city’s premier cycling festival. wheelerdistrict.com

OKC DODGERS BASEBALL June 4-10, 20-28 Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark See the

OKC Dodgers take on other teams in the Pacific Coast League. milb.com

NCAA WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES Through

June 5 USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium See top

collegiate softball players compete. teamusa.org

USA SOFTBALL ALLAMERICAN GAMES June 7-10

USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex This prestigious

tournament showcases some of the best talent in the nation.

teamusa.org/usa-softball/ events

OQHA REDBUD

SPECTACULAR Through

June 9 State Fair Park Join

the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association’s annual equine show. okha.org

NATIONAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION DERBY June 15-23 State Fair Park Enjoy

this exciting equine derby. statefairparkokc.com

FULL MOON BIKE RIDE AND RUN June 21 Myriad Botanical Gardens Bring your bike or

your running shoes and meet at the band shell stage on the Devon Lawn.

myriadgardens.org

COMMUNITY BOTANICAL BALANCE FREE YOGA June 1, 4, 8, 15,

18, 22, 25, 29 Myriad Botanical Gardens Visit every Tuesday

evening and Saturday morning for yoga in nature.

oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com

REPTICON REPTILE AND EXOTIC ANIMAL CONVENTION June 1-2 State Fair Park See creepy,

crawly friends at this expo.

statefairparkokc.com

DEADCENTER FILM

FESTIVAL June 6-9 701 W. Sheridan Ave., OKC Enjoy a wide array of independent films at this lauded festival. travelok.com

33RD ANNUAL RED EARTH FESTIVAL June 7-9 Cox

Convention Center Native

artists, dancers and singers from throughout America gather to celebrate the richness and diversity of their heritages with the world. With this event, Oklahoma City is at the center of western and Native art and culture as thousands gather to celebrate the cultures that make Oklahoma unique.

redearth.org

SOONERCON June 7-9

Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center This pop

culture convention has been around since 1983

soonercon.com

INTERNATIONAL DOG SHOW June 8-9 State Fair Park Kids

and adults alike love the fun of this canine show.

Expand your knowledge of Oklahoma plants and find inspiration for your own garden with this free, educational event. myriadgardens.org

CHARITABLE EVENTS PURPLE SASH GALA June 1

The Criterion The evening features dinner, live and silent auctions and a New York-style fashion show and raises money to provide critical services to those in need at the YWCA in OKC.

ywcaokc.org/purple-sash IN FULL BLOOM June 8 Will Rogers Park Celebrate spring

and summer with a brunch benefiting the programs of Oklahoma City Beautiful, dedicated to beautification projects in and around the city. okcbeautiful.com

SIXTH ANNUAL SUMMER KICKOFF June 8 Wheeler

CTION

AR AU

District Join the Cleats for Kids Varsity Board to celebrate the beginning of summer with a citywide collection drive

for young athletes across Oklahoma and other fun activities at the Wheeler Ferris Wheel. cleatsforkids.org

NORMAN REGIONAL GOLF

CLASSIC June 10 Belmar Golf Course, Norman This

four-person scramble benefits health care in the communities served by the Norman Regional Health System.

nrhfoundation.org

LUNG FORCE GALA June 22

Oklahoma History Center Join the American Lung Association for an elegant, fun black-tie evening of dining, dancing and entertaining activities to celebrate the collective power of our breath and voice to stand up against lung cancer and advocate for lung health. lungforcegalaok.org

AROUND THE STATE PERFORMANCES OKLAHOMA SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL PRESENTS: AL-LELUIA June 7-8

Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant See

an exciting performance of Al-Leluia at the festival. oklahomashakes.com

DISASTER! June 7-29 Pollard

Theatre, Guthrie Straight from Broadway, Disaster! features some of the most unforgettable songs of the 1970s. thepollard.org

DISNEY'S PETER PAN June 13-14 Miami Little Theatre

Enjoy the beloved story of the boy who won't grow up. miamilittletheatre.com JERRY SEINFELD June 15 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville See

lauded comedian Jerry Seinfeld perform. winstar.com

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK PRESENTS: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM June 28-30

Government Springs Park, Enid See this classic during

a theater-in-the-round performance. gaslighttheatre.org

CONCERTS RESTLESS HEART AND SHENANDOAH June 1

Choctaw Casino and Resort,

Durant See two musical powerhouses together.

choctawcasinos.com KENNY LOGGINS June 14 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville See

American musician Kenny Loggins perform. winstar.com

TRACE ADKINS June 14

Grand Casino Hotel and Resort, Shawnee Enjoy this country

JUNE 2019 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

85

REO SPEEDWAGON June 15

Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant See this rock quintet perform. choctawcasinos.com HANK WILLIAMS JR. June 22 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Country legend

Hank Williams Jr. performs. choctawcasinos.com

RANDY ROGERS BAND June

29 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Enjoy this

country band's performance.

choctawcasinos.com

ART

okienoodling.com

LION'S CLUB RODEO June 20-23 Stephens County Fair and Expo Center, Duncan This

rodeo is filled with exciting acts, vendors and concessions. travelok.com

COMMUNITY NATIONAL SAND BASS

FESTIVAL June 3-8 Madill Square This free festival

features food vendors, a carnival and numerous craft booths. sandbassfestival.org

STORIES ON THE SQUARE

NATURE'S NATION: AMERICAN ART AND ENVIRONMENT June 1-

Sept. 9 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR This new

exhibition examines American artists’ impact on shaping environmental understanding and stewardship.

crystalbridges.org COLOR FIELD June 1-Sept. 30 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR

Take a whimsical romp through the North Forest this summer and experience Color Field, a new, outdoor exhibition featuring large, colorful sculptures against the lush backdrop of Crystal Bridges’ Ozark forest.

crystalbridges.org TEMPERA Ongoing Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Ark. Tempera

painting (also known as egg tempera) has a rich history as a medium of choice for artists from ancient times to today, and is an older form of painting than oil. crystalbridges.org

SPORTS OKLAHOMA FLYING ACES FOOTBALL June 1, 8, 15 Central National Bank Center, Enid See the Flying Aces

indoor football team take on the Texas Revolution, Duke City Gladiators and Sioux City Bandits, respectively. cnbcenter.com

WOODWARD ELKS RODEO

June 5-8 Woodward County Fairgrounds Rodeo fans come

from near and far to watch the best PRCA cowboys and cowgirls in the business.

woodwardelksrodeo.com

OKLAHOMA FREEWHEEL

June 9-15 Various locations, Idabel Ride over to Oklahoma

FreeWheel for the annual edition of Oklahoma's premier bicycle touring event. travelok.com

June 5, 12, 19, 26 Cherokee National Capitol, Tahlequah

Enjoy Cherokee stories passed down from generation to generation.

visitcherokeenation.com

WHAT ABOUT BOB

CHUCKWAGON RACES June 6-9 2442 Highbridge Road, Wilburton What About Bob travelok.com

AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL June 6-8 Grove Civic Center and Snider's Camp Enjoy

exciting Americana music at this friendly festival.

grandlakefestivals.com/ahmf PECAN FESTIVAL June 6-8 Downtown Okmulgee Join

the townspeople for their exciting Pecan Festival.

okmulgeechamber.org

OKM MUSIC FESTIVAL June

MUSCOGEE NATION

FESTIVAL June 20-23 Claude Cox Omniplex, Okmulgee

Celebrate the life and culture of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. creekfestival.com QUILTFEST June 21-22 Washington County Fairgrounds, Dewey This is

an exciting opportunity for quilting enthusiasts to show off their work and admire the efforts of others. travelok.com

AGING WITH GRACE CONFERENCE June 28

Stride Bank Center, Enid Enjoy this conference about aging, long-term care and medicare. stridebankcenter.com

FORT GIBSON SWEET CORN FESTIVAL June 28-29

Downtown Enjoy a weekend of corn, musical entertainment and activities for the whole family. oklegion20.org/ sweet-corn-festival

while playing in the sand during this family-friendly event. travelok.com

This traditional event features arts and crafts, games, live music and inflatables.

Wacker Park, Pauls Valley

Bring your lawn chair to Wacker Park in Pauls Valley and celebrate the sport of noodling at the world-famous Okie Noodling Tournament.

29-30 Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve, Bartlesville

woolaroc.org

WHEELS OF THE SOUTHWEST AUTO SHOW

June 29 Prague Park Feast

your eyes on rows of cars, trucks and bikes that will be shined, primed and looking their best. travelok.com

FOR MORE EVENTS IN TULSA, OKC AND AROUND THE STATE, HEAD TO OKMAG.COM.

86

OKC’s DeadCenter festival, Toy Story 4, an old flop from the Village People and a zombie comedy cover everyone’s interests.

8-15 Bartlesville Community

Center The OKM Music Festival brings celebrated concert artists and music education programs to northeast Oklahoma. okmmusic.org

WOOLAROC KIDSFEST June

OKIE NOODLING TOURNAMENT June 14-15

Hi ing All the Marks

Chuckwagon Races offers unique, exciting events.

DOIN' THE DUNES June 13-15

Little Sahara State Park, Waynoka Soak up some sun

FILM AND CINEMA

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Around Town

It’s time once more for DeadCenter, the state’s biggest and highest profile film festival, June 6-9 in Oklahoma City.

The DeadCenter Film Festival has such a great vibe, with many parties and extra events, that even friends who don’t love film as much as you do want to come along and bask in the atmosphere. While they’re there, you can convince them to catch some quality cinema, ranging from features to shorts.

The schedule is not out as of this writing, but every year the festival supplies a highquality slate of independent films.

At Home

Recommendations for legitimately enjoyable films usually fill this space, but sometimes there’s pleasure in throwing out bad movies because, in the right setting, these can be just as enjoyable. So grab some snarky friends, get a copy of the new Shout!

Factory Blu-ray release of the Village People’s 1980 flop Can’t Stop the Music and have an excellent time.

An origin story by way of a bad community-theater musical, the film tells a heavily fictionalized account of everyone’s favorite disco act composed of men dressed in outrageous costumes. As you savor the crispness of the Blu-ray’s presentation of the film’s cut-rate cinematography, you’ll be blown away by the musical numbers, especially “I Love You to Death” – the stuff nightmares

are made of. You wouldn’t want to live in this film’s world, but, like the YMCA, it’s fun to stay for a while.

In Theaters

In high gear, blockbuster season can be a bit disorienting, especially when one looks around and sees the high volume of remakes (Shaft), reboots (Men in Black: International) and superhero franchises (Dark Phoenix). However, one unoriginal property this month, Toy Story 4, has possibilities.

Sure, there’s concern about where the series goes after the devastating final scene of Toy Story 3, recent turmoil within Pixar and a slight downtick in film quality. One wonders whether this film can live up to its predecessors. But the addition of Keanu Reeves and Tony Hale to an already stellar voice lineup means, at the very least, that Toy Story 4 should have plenty of laughs.

For decidedly different humor, check out The Dead Don’t Die, a dark zombie comedy from, of all people, Jim Jarmusch, the king of quirky American indie film. Having tackled Westerns (Dead Man), martial arts (Ghost Dog) and vampires (Only Lovers Left Alive), Jarmusch turns his attention to the walking dead. His quiet, understated style seems an odd fit with the zombie penchant for excess, but he’s one of the most gifted filmmakers alive, and frequent collaborators like Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and RZA are onboard to keep the film lively.

ASHER GELZER-GOVATOS

TOY STORY 4, ©2019 DISNEY•PIXAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Where & When

crooner. grandresortok.com

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

Frances JordanRakestraw

F

rances Jordan-Rakestraw, executive director of Greenwood Cultural Center, is a K-12 product of Tulsa Public Schools.

She attended Ralph J. Bunche and John Burroughs elementaries, Roosevelt Junior High and Central High.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Northeastern State University, Jordan-Rakestraw held numerous corporate jobs and became the first black woman in Tulsa’s history to become an executive assistant. She worked for Gerock Swanson of the Swanson frozen-food empire before moving to California, where she co-owned three computer stores. In 1996, she came home to work at Greenwood Cultural Center.

We caught up with Jordan-Rakestraw and got her thoughts on …

… her path to Greenwood.

… the center’s programs.

The Greenwood Cultural Center has enjoyed over two decades as a beacon of community engagement in the city.

Our Summer Arts Program is a successful endeavor, serving over 100 at-risk children each year. Since 2008, we’ve hosted the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program, serving 110 children, from kindergarteners to fifth graders, who are from low-income families, mostly from North Tulsa. Greenwood Cultural Center has also been a hub for arts-based programming for children with classes such as African dance, hip hop dance, visual and theater arts, and tap and ballet classes.

… the center’s collections.

The collections of African art and historical artifacts, such as photographs and newspaper articles, showcase relevant examples of the brilliance and resilience of the African

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

American people. Greenwood Cultural Center offers pictorial exhibits that provide an educational experience regarding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street, and we do tours of the Mabel B. Little Heritage house, which gives visitors insight into life in historic Greenwood District. Our mission is to preserve AfricanAmerican heritage and promote positive images of the African-American community by providing educational and cultural experiences, encouraging inter-cultural exchange and facilitating cultural tourism. The center is adjacent to a burgeoning arts district, ONEOK Field, highway access, and many restaurants, hotels and cultural attractions.

… her legacy.

Many of the children served at Greenwood Cultural Center are now educators, motivational speakers, accountants, coaches, professors and even a former senator. My plan is to continue to reach as many children as possible. I understand the good feeling of making a difference. After all, it’s our responsibility to help and serve others.

PHOTO BY JOSH NEW

I returned to Tulsa with the intent to retire. I agreed to assist at the Greenwood Cultural Center for a few months, which has turned into 23 years. I’ve remained during its roughest times. However, the future of the Greenwood Cultural Center is certainly a bright one.