May Oklahoma Magazine

MAY 2015

JUST ONE MORE SLICE Find the perfect pies in Oklahoma

RIDE FOR THE

BRAND

Oklahoma’s cowboys have a rich heritage

+SOONER SONGCRAFT

A WOMAN’S WORLD Five females changing the conversation

#bloomtown #funinthesun #springinthesquare

7

Capture, Share #uticasquare

uticasquare.com

Experience Utica Square in full bloom during Spring in the Square.

Saturday, May 16th from 10am to 5pm.

You’re invited to tour our flowerbeds, purchase flowers, and talk with expert gardeners.

Bloomtown, in front of the Lolly Garden, will be full of kid-friendly festivities from 10am to 3pm. Enjoy live music from 11am-3pm. And be sure to enter our photography contest for the chance to win a $1,000 Utica Square gift certificate compliments of Commerce Bank.

VOL. XIX, NO. 5

FEATURES

46

A Wealth Of Health

May 2 015 O K L A H O M A M A G A Z I N E

Oklahoma’s biomedical technology sector is strengthening the pulse of our state’s economy, which leaders credit to the cooperative relationship and shared focus between biotech entrepreneurs, investors and researchers. With annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion, Oklahoma City has become a leader in the industry.

52

Just One More Slice

58

Sooner Songcraft

Oklahoma has born and bred many talented musicians, and while there are many stereotypes about the kind of music that comes out of our great state, we spoke with five Oklahoma talents whose sounds span genres that include rock ‘n’ roll, hardcore, R&B and rap. Find out what inspires these musicians and what they want fans to know about their music.

72

A Woman’s World

Our state continually finds itself near the top in rankings of the worst places for women to live. These five Oklahoma women are working examples of those not succumbing to the statistics but rather opening new doors and working to change Oklahoma’s standard.

Find the perfect pies in Oklahoma

RIDE

FOR THE

BRAND

Oklahoma’s cowboys have a rich heritage

+SOONER SONGCRAFT Cover0515.indd 2

2

A WOMAN’S WORLD Five females changing the conversation

Ride for the Brand

Many hear cowboy and automatically think of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and James Arness and their adventures in the Wild West. While modern technologies aim to lighten the workload of today’s cowboy, the cowboy culture remains very much rooted in the same traditional work ethic as cowboys of the past.

OKMAG.COM

Want some more? Visit us online.

MORE GREAT ARTICLES: Read expanded

MAY 2015

May 2015

JUST ONE MORE SLICE

66

ON THE COVER: TRY THE CHERRY PIE AT PHILL’S DINER, ONE OF OUR GO-TO PLACES FOR A GREAT SLICE. PHOTO BY SCOTT MILLER. PIE BY PHILL’S DINER. KITCHEN ACCESSORIES

BY WILLIAMSSONOMA.

4/15/15 9:06 AM

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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

MORE PHOTOS: View expanded Scene, Fashion, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

MORE EVENTS: The online calendar of events includes even more great Oklahoma events.

Get Oklahoma

On The Go!

PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN.

Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, these Oklahoma eateries will feed that hunger with their delectable pies. From coconut cream pie to shepherd’s pie, and even one topped with cheese and pepperoni, we tell you where to find the tastiest slice.

DURING A STROKE, EVERY SECOND COUNTS.

STROKES CAN STRIKE WITHOUT WARNING, BUT KNOWING THE SYMPTOMS COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Early detection and quick treatment can prevent permanent or long-term damage, or even save a life. Common stroke symptoms include sudden vision impairment, drooping in one side of the face and slurred speech.

At the first sign of a stroke, count on the St. John Heyman Stroke Center, eastern Oklahoma’s only certified comprehensive stroke center. Our multidisciplinary team is recognized nationally with top honors from the American Stroke Association. We stand ready 24/7 to provide patients with the highest quality of care when every second counts.

To learn more about the signs and symptoms of a stroke, visit stjohnstrokecenter.com.

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Contents

32

DEPARTMENTS The State

13

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Marcello Angelini serving Tulsa Ballet as its artistic director. We speak with Angelini about the success and world-renowned status he has brought to the company and to Tulsa’s performing arts.

16 18 20 22 24 28 30 32

People Culture Smart Move The Insider Oklahoma Business Scene Spotlight Living Spaces

38 40 42 44

Style Accessorize Your Health Destination

When this homeowner had the opportunity to purchase the home in which she grew up, she took it.

With a goal to keep all the good memories intact while expanding and renovating the space to fit her growing family’s needs, the homeowner reached out to Austin Bean Design Studio. The firm successfully updated the space while keeping it true to its original feel.

Taste

89

Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse offers Oklahoma City a sleek and polished dining experience with refined tastes and serves delicious, aged meats and handcrafted cocktails.

91 92 93

40

13

Local Flavor What We’re Eating This Between That

Entertainment

95

This month, Oklahoma gets to celebrate Bob Dylan turning 74 with three shows in three different cities.

A must-see legend, Dylan’s artistry revolutionized folk-rock music, and his impact and sound continues to resonate through generations.

96

104

Calendar of Events

In Person

95

4

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

89

REP ORT TO THE C OMMUNITY

OUR PRIVILEGE. OUR PROMISE. OUR COMMUNITY. As Tulsa’s only locally owned and operated health system, it is the responsibility and privilege of Saint Francis Health System to give back to the community. Responding to local needs is a testament to Saint Francis’ Christ-centered mission and values.

For the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, Saint Francis Health System provided, at its cost, community benefit in the amount of $74,444,870. These figures are in accordance with the Catholic Health Association.

$6,567,942

$4,414,065

was allocated to provide emergency services to the region—including the Saint Francis Trauma Institute— Tulsa’s only trauma service that offers in-house, round-the-clock coverage by surgical intensivists to meet the needs of the community

$74,444,870 $13,954,288 was provided in uncompensated care related to the treatment of Medicaid patients

was donated to local nonprofits whose values are aligned with Saint Francis Health System; this number also includes payments made to organizations that provide assistance to persons seeking access to or enrollment for healthcare benefits

TOTA L COMMUN ITY BEN EFIT IN FISCA L Y EA R 201 4

$49,508,575 was provided in charity care

TO V I E W A C O P Y O F T H E 2 0 1 4 R E P O R T TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y, P L E A S E V I S I T S A I N T F R A N C I S . C O M .

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA H T

IR E F S

T

PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIREC TOR DANIEL SCHUMAN

OKLAHOMA

PUBLISHER AND FOUNDER VIDA K. SCHUMAN MANAGING EDITOR JAMI MATTOX EDITORIAL ASSISTANT BRITTANY ANICETTI

LAKE HAMILTON, HOT SPRINGS

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS JOHN WOOLEY, TARA MALONE, MEGAN MORGAN

That’s the kind of history made in Hot Springs every day.

GRAPHICS MANAGER MARK ALLEN GRAPHIC DESIGNER BEN ALBRECHT DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST JAMES AVERY ADVERTISING/OFFICE ASSISTANT ALYSSA HALL CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS NATALIE GREEN, BRENT FUCHS, CHRIS HUMPHREY, NATHAN HARMON, SCOTT MILLER, DAN MORGAN, BRANDON SCOTT, DAVID COBB CONTAC T US ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: ADVERTISING@OKMAG.COM EVENTS AND CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: EVENTS@OKMAG.COM QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT CONTENT: EDITOR@OKMAG.COM ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: MAIL@OKMAG.COM

HotSprings.org • 1-888-SPA-CITY

20705 Hot Springs AP.indd 1

3/26/15 2:59 PM

LOVE IN BLOOM

Let Oklahoma Magazine help you plan your special day!

Look for our summer wedding guide in the June issue.

The Oklahoma Wedding Show and issue returning 2016.

Booth spaces now available.

Oklahoma Magazine is published monthly by Schuman Publishing Company P.O. Box 14204 • Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 918.744.6205 • FAX: 918.748.5772 mail@okmag.com www.okmag.com Subscriptions are $18 for 12 issues.

Mail checks to Oklahoma Magazine P.O. Box 14204 Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 Copyright © 2015 by Schuman Publishing Company.

Oklahoma Wedding, The Best of the Best, 40 Under 40, Single in the City, Great Companies To Work For and Oklahomans of the Year are registered trademarks of Schuman Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

All photographs, articles, materials and design elements in Oklahoma Magazine and on okmag.com are protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws, and are owned by Schuman Publishing Company or third party providers.

Reproduction, copying, or redistribution without the express written permission of Schuman Publishing Company is strictly prohibited.

All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to Oklahoma Magazine, c/o Reprint Services, P.O. Box 14204, Tulsa, OK 74159-1204.

Advertising claims and the views expressed in the magazine by writers or artists do not necessarily TM represent those of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Company, or its affiliates.

2013

Member

440 0 UNDER

For more information, call 918.744.6205 or email advertising@okmag.com.

Wedding.indd 1

6

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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LAHOMA OK

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OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA

tbob.indd 8 OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015 1/3 Strip 1

3/17/15 1:01 PM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Home is on the range for some Oklahomans.

We’ve always romanticized the life of the cowboy. Waking up before sunrise, feeding livestock, riding horses, communing with nature. Certainly, these are components of the cowboy way, but thanks to technology, the role of the cowboy – or camp men, as we find out they are often called in “Ride for the Brand,” (p. 66) – is continually changing. Everything from data analysis to smartphone apps are making it easier to adapt to the changing needs of farmers and ranchers.

In February, a device named Moocall was named a nominee for London’s Design Museum Design of the Year 2015. Nominated alongside Google’s self-driving car and Norway’s newly redesigned banknotes, among others, Moocall hooks onto the tail of a pregnant cow and sends a text message when the cow’s ready to give birth.

Designed by an Irish farmer, the device could help save the lives of cows and calves during the birthing process.

But is this the way of the modern farm or ranch?

No doubt that technology is a driving force in the way these operations run today; however, the job of the cowboy, the camp man, remains decidedly low-tech in some ways: There’s still cows to feed, fence to fix and, yes, calves to birth. As long as there is agriculture, there will be cowboys.

Also in this issue: Every year, studies put forth suggest that Oklahoma is a lessthan-ideal state for women to live in. High incarceration rates for women combined with incidences of domestic violence and teen pregnancy often place Oklahoma near the top in rankings of the worst states for women. But there are countless advocates in the state helping to change those realities. In “A Woman’s World” (p. 72), writer Lindsay Cuomo visits five Oklahoma women who are hoping to change the conversation around this topic. We also talk to Oklahoma musicians about their craft and how this state has influenced what they do. And take a pie tour around the state to find out what spots are serving up the tastiest piece in “Just One More Slice” (p. 52).

Jami Mattox Managing Editor

OKMAG.COM DRIVEN

Car owners come in two flavors: those who know the ins and outs of what makes their car run and those who can’t even change a tire. Thankfully, for the latter, Driven Analytics, an Oklahoma City-based startup, aims to help keep car owners up-to-date on the pulse of their vehicle while simplifying automotive maintenance and repair hassles by connecting your vehicle’s onboard computer to your smart device. OKMAG sits down with the company’s founder, Steve Soroosh, to to understand what makes Driven Analytics run and to test drive the app.

Luxury Homes You’re cordially invited to join us for an insider's tour of some of Oklahoma’s most innovative and fabulous homes.

Advertising opportunities available Contact advertising@okmag.com 918.744.6205

10

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

HAPPY HOUR H O T S P O TS With spring officially on full blast and most working adults locked indoors during business hours, many people like to finish off a long work day with some socializing and a cocktail. OKMAG loves discovering the newest places to let loose while enjoying a drink or two. We’ve traveled between the state’s two largest cities and put together a short list of our favorite places to unwind. Cheers.

S TAY CONNECTED

The State

What’s HOT At

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MARCELLO ANGELINI CELEBRATES HIS 20TH YEAR WITH THE COMPANY. PHOTOS BY SCOTT MILLER.

The State ALL THINGS OKL AHOMA

Playing The World Stage This year, Tulsa Ballet’s Marcello Angelini celebrates 20 years as artistic director.

B

orn and raised in Naples, Italy, and watching ballet performances from backstage before he was 1 year old, it might seem unlikely that Marcello Angelini would end up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He says he believes it was destiny.

“Twenty years ago, I was 33 and dancing with Cincinnati Ballet after three years with Les Grands Ballet Canadienes [in Montreal]. I had a strong tendinitis, and my doctor told me that this time, I had to stop for a couple of weeks,” Angelini says.

Frustrated and restless, Angelini called his manager and told him that one day, he would like to direct a company.

“He patiently explained that the fact that I wanted to direct a company didn’t necessarily translate into landing a job,” Angelini says.

“But then he went on to tell me that Tulsa Ballet was looking for an artistic director. He urged me to apply for the position, explaining that with my limited command of the English language, and having no previous experience on the administrative side, it would take awhile and quite a few interviews to learn the process and maybe land a job.”

Angelini says he was stunned when he was later offered the job, which he says was a massive transition. He celebrates his 20th anniversary as artistic director of the Tulsa Ballet this year.

“I knew a thing or two about dance but nothing about all the moving pieces that make a company function, day in and day out. I had to learn a lot and very quickly,” Angelini says. “Of course, the learning never stops. You go from physical overload as a dancer to brain overload as a director.”

Angelini began his dancing career in Naples at the San Carlo MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

13

The State

Opera House school, then studied ballet in the former Soviet Union on a government scholarship. When he joined the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence 35 years ago, he met his wife, Daniela Buson. They danced together as soloists in Berlin and later as principals in companies all over the world: Scotland, England, Chile and all the major Italian companies.

Joining the Tulsa Ballet as artistic director threw Angelini into a completely different side of dance, but he says he saw the possibilities in his new city right away.

“Coming from the outside and having lived all over the world before arriving here, I could immediately see that this community had the potential to become something special. That presented an opportunity – that of being part of something bigger than all of us and the opportunity to be part of the growth and expansion of this region,” Angelini says.

Now, Angelini says, Tulsa is well-known for its ballet.

“Everybody knows the Tulsa Ballet.

Today I can call any choreographer in the world and they know exactly who we are and what we do. Tulsa Ballet plays on the world stage,” Angelini says.

But that’s not to say that this transition happened right away. Angelini says when he began as artistic director, he inherited a good company with a very strong tradition.

However, the company presented works that he called “introspective,” so he sought to expand the company’s repertoire to include the same works by choreographers that are presented in New York, Paris, London or Moscow. Because of Tulsa’s location nearly in the very center of a large country, this wasn’t always easy, but Angelini says he felt it important to bring all the top artists and best art works to Tulsa.

“That made us a player on the national and international scene, a role that we honored. Today, Tulsa Ballet not only presents the top works of the top dance makers in the world, but also creates new works and exports them all over the world,” Angelini says.

To date, works created in Tulsa have been performed in South Korea, Germany, France, Turkey and more. Also, during the past 20 years, Tulsa Ballet has opened its own academy, the Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education. The academy boasts 380 students and continues to grow, Angelini says. The ballet has also built Studio K exclusively for the purpose of creating new works, expanded its dancers’ seasons to 40 weeks and taken the company on its first international tours.

“The only reason we were able to achieve these high goals is that all of us – board,

14

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

ANGELINI, HIS WIFE, DANIELA, AND THEIR TWIN BOYS APPEARED ON THE DECEMBER 1998 COVER OF THIS MAGAZINE.

staff and myself – were all on the same page, shared the same dreams, engineered ways to make them a reality, and achieved what we set out to accomplish,” Angelini says. “I am one person, one member of a great team of visionary people who are not afraid to dream big and sweat hard to make the dream a reality.”

This strong relationship with the entire team of the Tulsa Ballet is one of several reasons he has stayed in Tulsa and greatly enjoyed his job, Angelini says, and he also loves the city and its people.

“It’s a friendly community of smart, simple people – smart, visionary and adventurous,” Angelini says.

At home, Angelini says dance cannot be separated from life. Angelini’s wife, Daniela, is Tulsa Ballet’s ballet mistress, continuing to teach and coach the dancers. After watching his father dance growing up, beginning to dance professionally at 17, and meeting his wife while dancing, Angelini says dance and life are one and the same. On a larger scale, Angelini says the arts are hugely important for everything.

“Culturally, the arts are the human race’s DNA. Through the arts you can discover who we were, who we are and where we are going as a people. And the arts are also important for business,” Angelini says. “It’s the landscaping of a community. Did you ever see a magnificent house with shabby or no landscaping? Do you know of a great city in the world where there are no thriving arts? They complete the wholeness of a community, push and expand the cultural boundaries of a city, and greatly enhance the quality of life of the region.”

MEGAN MORGAN

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The State

STRONG CITY, OKLA., NATIVE SAGE KIMZEY IS QUICKLY RISING THE RANKS OF PRO BULL RIDERS. PHOTOS COURTESY PROFESSIONAL COWBOYS RODEO ASSOCIATION.

PEOPLE

S

Easy Rider

Bull riding champion Sage Kimzey grabs life by the horns.

age Kimzey might be only the second rookie in history to win the National Finals Rodeo championship, but he’s hardly a newcomer to the sport. The 20-year-old, a native of Strong City, Okla., has bull riding in his blood.

“I come from a bull riding family,” says Kimzey, whose father rode bulls and then spent 30 years as a barrelman, the person charged with entertaining crowds in between rides.

Kimzey’s been riding so long, in fact, that he has no memories of the first time he hopped up on a bull.

“It’s just always something that I’ve done,” he says, a statement that highlights both his easygoing nature and his natural humility.

When asked how he learned and progressed as a rider through the years, Kimzey’s reply is a typically self-effacing one: “If you do it enough, you’re

16

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

going to become fairly decent at it.”

One thing he has had to learn through bumpy experience is the rough-and-tumble world of rodeo traveling. Though his father did rodeo for so long, Kimzey admits his own transition into a life constantly on the move took some getting used to. While the winter months are slower, with around two shows a week, during the summer he typically rides in a show every day of the week.

This means lots of travel by various means – “Planes, trains and automobiles, whatever will get us there,” Kimzey says.

Life on the road seems to work fairly well for Kimzey, whose simple tastes make for low-key travel. Unlike touring rock stars, he has no special routines or requests when out traveling, not even any good luck charms he has to take with him. Just a few bags of clothes, and he is ready to go. All the traveling does mean Kimzey has wandered far beyond the borders of his home state.

Arizona has the craziest bull riding fans, he confides, but his favorite place so far has been Montana, which he describes as gorgeous and having perfect weather.

Of course his main focus out on the road is in honing his skills as a rider. His patient dedication has certainly paid off. The last year a rider won the championship in his first year was 1963 – a streak Kimzey was happy to break.

“It’s something I’ve been working towards since I was a baby, so for it to come true this quick – it’s a cliché, but it really is a dream come true,” he says.

Despite his rapid success, Kimzey has no intentions of letting up; for now, his focus is entirely on winning more championships.

The career of a bull rider is short, generally only 10 years or so, due to the high impact nature of the sport – Kimzey has broken several bones – but when his riding days are over, he hopes to keep living the dream life as a cowboy. As long as the future involves riding, it will be a good one for this champion.

ASHER GELZERGOVATOS

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The State

SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NORMAN GATHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO PLAY SONGS AND GIVE FEEDBACK TO MEMBERS. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

CULTURE

Beautiful Music SWAN provides helpful tools to songwriters from all backgrounds.

“E

veryone starts with lyrics, melody and chord,” says Michael Bendure, co-founder of the Songwriters Association of Norman, SWAN for short.

“A successful song really marries those three elements in a way that not only makes sense but captures the listener’s ear.”

Bendure and fellow founder Richard Love are helping songwriters find their creative voice.

“At SWAN, we help people develop and improve their skills in all aspects of being a songwriter,” says Love. “We have programs to help songwriters move ahead in writing lyrics and improving the musical aspects of their songs.”

Love says they help musicians with the technical side, like how to set up PA systems and adjust the mixer, and the business side, including instruction on how to copyright their music. The organization also provides guidance for members’ live performances, from building a set list to interacting with the audience. All of these services are provided by SWAN for only a $20 membership fee.

Bendure adds that the nonprofit provides events for members nearly every Tuesday

18

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

night. On the first Tuesday, the association offers a lesson to help hone the songwriters’ skills. For the next two weeks, they hold open mic nights where performers can play their music and get feedback from others.

One of the most valuable aspects of the organization is the opportunity to work closely with other musicians. The members are able to collaborate throughout the songwriting process, allowing each song to have its best shot to succeed.

“Collaboration can often be overlooked when writing music,” he explains. “As songwriters, we have a tendency to become somewhat hermits and think that our songs are ours alone, but in reality, collaborating can open new doors of expression and perspective that one may not normally consider.”

Through this collaboration, members take away more than improved songs. The tight bonds formed through the shared creativity are lasting ones.

“Songwriting is a healing process for things we deal with in life,” says Love.

“When you take your fear, hurt, stress, insecurity or anger and put it into a song, it’s an amazing release. When you express your friendship, love and admiration of others in a song – well, there’s just nothing better.”

BETH WEESE

SHOUT OUT

INTERNATIONAL

SPOTLIGHT

In 2012, Jay Krottinger and Ryan Tanner formed a new Tulsa theater company: Square 1 Theatrics. During the last three years, the company has seen tremendous growth. Its talents were first applauded in 2013 when Krottinger and Tanner won Tony Awards for the production of Pippin. Now, two years later, they’re bringing home two more prestigious awards.

As co-producers of Memphis The Musical, Square 1 Theatrics’ first international production, Krottinger and Tanner can now add to their trophy case two Olivier Awards, London theater’s most respected award that’s been celebrating its theater industry since 1976.

In April, London’s Royal Opera House in Covent Garden filled with those anxiously awaiting the reveal.

“It was pretty extraordinary,” Krottinger says of the ceremony. “It’s still a little bit surreal.”

Among nine total nominations, making it the year’s most nominated production, Memphis The Musical won Best Sound Design for Gareth Owen and Best Theatre Choreographer for Sergio Trujillo.

Premiering in London’s West End in October 2014 and turning Shaftesbury Theatre’s stage into the underground dance clubs of the 1950s, Memphis continues getting rave reviews that parallel the sentiment.

Krottinger made sure to acknowledge that these awards are not just Square 1’s.

“We share them with our constituents and Tulsa,” he says. “We couldn’t do it without the Tulsa community and those involved in supporting our efforts. This wouldn’t have been possible without our investors and their support and belief in what we do. – Brittany Anicetti

JAY KROTTINGER AND RYAN TANNER ATTEND THE OLIVIER AWARDS.

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The State

S M A R T M OV E

It Takes A Village

A west Tulsa attraction draws travel enthusiasts worldwide.

T

here’s an intriguing, blue-collar grit to west Tulsa – the same west Tulsa where Route 66 is called “Southwest Boulevard” and where Martin Scorsese filmed iconic 1980s movie scenes at Daniel Webster High School.

These days, just across the street from the Webster campus, is the Route 66 Historic Village, an ever-evolving open-air museum featuring restored train cars and a 154-foot-tall oil derrick.

Mother Road travelers from all over the world make tracks to explore and make memories at this unique rail-roadside attraction.

The Village has brought a community together to create something remarkable, putting abandoned trains on a new track through grants, some donated funds (including some Vision 2025 monies), a great deal of hard work and bucket loads of persistence and perspiration.

Mike Massey, Village board president, was among the first to foresee the appeal of renovating train and travel objects.

Like many other west-siders, his fascination was borne of a generational family culture immersed in the rails.

Massey knows the timeline of the project well.

“First, we built the derrick in 2009.

Renovating

the Frisco 4500 Steam Engine took six years – from 2004 to 2010 – and we installed it at the Village in 2011, and that same year, we built the ‘Tulsa 66’ photo-op shield,” he says. “Between 2011 and 2012, we brought in more than 750 dump truck loads of fill dirt to raise the ground level, and we spent the next two years clearing the property of trees and brush on the east and west sides, and demolishing four old houses.”

More recently, Massey says efforts have included installing permanent electrical wiring at the train, which powers up decorative Christmas lighting, four large “Route 66/Oklahoma Centennial” signs that will top the oil derrick, and a Blue Star Memorial Plaque at the Oklahoma-shaped yard display to honor war veterans.

Later, three still-operating vintage oil field pump jacks will be displayed underneath the derrick and a nostalgic cottage-style “gas station” will serve as a visitor’s center. A locomotive cab – with all parts installed – will join the existing bright-red caboose; the interiors of the passenger cars will be renovated and restored. A security fence will surround the entire project.

A STEAM ENGINE Many Village Project volunteers have AT THE ROUTE 66 generously contributed their physical and/or HISTORIC VILLAGE TOOK SEVERAL YEARS professional efforts to keep the project rolling, TO RESTORE. and many businesses, inPHOTO BY VERNIS MAXWELL. cluding Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, have played vital roles. The Route 66 Historic Village is located at 3770 Southwest Blvd., in Tulsa.

TRACY LEGRAND

N AT U R E

SAVING THE MONARCHS

Colorful butterflies that routinely make stops in Oklahoma en route to Mexico are on the decline. The Monarch butterfly, to many, is the most familiar butterfly in the area. Numbers have declined over the past few decades for many reasons, including farmers using pesticides on plants and the decline of certain plants, such as milkweed. Oklahoma isn’t the only state that has noticed the decline in population; efforts are underway throughout the Midwest to protect and preserve the butterfly population.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a statement saying that the “monarch serves as an indicator of the health of pollinators and the American landscape. Monarch declines are symptomatic of environmental problems that pose risks to our food supply, the spectacular natural places that help define our national identity, and our own health.”

According to the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, located in Poteau, planting milkweed may help sustain and possibly grow the monarch population. For more information on milkweed’s impact on monarchs, or for guidelines in planting a pollinator-friendly landscape, visit www.kerrcenter.com. – Jami Mattox

20

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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The State THE INSIDER

A Guide To Yesteryear A Colorado author is still spinning 45s to hear Tulsa hits.

I

TEB BLACKWELL EXPLORES THE HISTORY OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IN TULSA IN HIS NEWEST BOOK. PHOTOS COURTESY TEB BLACKWELL.

22

f you grew up around Tulsa anytime from the mid-‘50s through the early part of the ‘70s and you were at all aware of the local music going on around you, several of the names in Tulsa native Teb Blackwell’s new book will have a familiar ring. They start with what Blackwell calls the “Tulsa Triumvirate:” Leon Russell, JJ Cale and David Gates, along with their various bands. Then there are such well-remembered acts as the Rogues Five, an outfit that seemed to be playing everywhere during my teen years in northeastern Oklahoma; the GAP Band (named after the T-town streets of Greenwood, Archer and Pine), which went national in a big way; and a group that started life as the Mariner Five in the ‘60s and went through a dizzying variety of name and personnel changes on the way to becoming the well-known Mystery Band.

Those are only a few of the hundreds of subjects you’ll find in the just-released Volume 2 of the Oklahoma Guide to 45rpm Records & Bands – 1955 to 1975, covering

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

not only Tulsa but all of eastern Oklahoma. (Volume 1, which came out a couple of years ago, covered the Oklahoma City scene during the same time frame.) And, as you might imagine, for every Junior Markham, David Teegarden or Jimmy Karstein, there are dozens of musicians and groups that flared briefly on the scene, only to die away into obscurity – including my own Stillwater-based band from the late-‘60s and early ‘70s, the Beef Squad. (In our case, it’s certainly possible the obscurity is richly deserved.)

Coming in at nearly 500 pages of interviews, discographies, essays, indices and photos, this spiral-bound opus looks like what it is – an absolute labor of love, assembled by someone who combines the zeal of a true fan with the research methods of a historian. (In the interest of full disclosure, let me add here that I wrote the Beef Squad entry in the book, as well as the foreword, joining my writermusician friend Jim Downing in supplying ancillary text.) It took Blackwell, currently a Colorado resident, some eight years, tons of telephone conversations and a couple of dozen trips back to Tulsa to finally get everything down on paper the way he wanted it.

And at one point, he confesses, he came very close to throwing in the towel.

“I’m student relations coordinator for the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, and I was called in on a Saturday,” he says. “I was in my office, getting ready to leave, when the students who had the information center downstairs called me.

They needed to put money into the safe so they could close, but they had accidentally locked the safe, and their manager had left.

“I went down to open the safe for them, and since I was leaving, I took along my little laptop case that had my flash drive [for the book] with two years of work on it – and, shame on me, it wasn’t backed up. I set it down and went into the back to open the safe, and when I came back it was gone. Someone had grabbed it thinking there was a laptop in it.”

He sighs.

“Of course, I advertised and everything, but I never saw it again.

So I shut down for about six months. I just couldn’t do it. And then a couple of the people – Downing, Karstein, a few others – said, ‘C’mon, Teb. Get back on it.’ So I did.”

At the very beginning, he recalls, it was all going to be a lot simpler. A record collector known for his vast number of 45rpm discs on Tulsa labels, Blackwell was contacted in 2007 by another aficionado, Rhett Lake. As it turned out, Lake was putting together a discography of 45s that had been released by Oklahoma labels and wondered if Blackwell would help him out.

“He had lived all his life in

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Oklahoma City,” Blackwell recalls. “Like me, he was a non-musician, but he’d always been interested in the music and the bands. We started talking back and forth, and we talked to band members about their records, and then we began to realize there were many, many more Now offered at bands that didn’t make records, but still deserved a story.

“So it started out as a guide for record collectors, but then it opened up an avenue to really concentrate on the bands. One thing 918-712-3223 just led to another.”

Lake and Blackwell are listed as co-authors on both volumes of the Oklahoma Guide to 45rpm Records & Bands, although, as Blackwell explains, “To be honest about it, all I contributed to his was my Tulsa 20711 Utica Skin Care.indd 1 discography, and about all he contributed to mine was the existing Oklahoma discography. I wrote the stories in Volume Two, and he wrote the stories in Volume One.” Blackwell readily notes that “it took me several years to get into the confidence of a lot of these people” he deals with in the book.

However, he received early and invaluable help from the aforementioned Downing and Karstein, as well as Jumpin’ Jack Dunham, another important figure in Tulsa rock ‘n’ roll history. They provided Blackwell with leads, contact information and photos, and he was off to the races.

“I thought for sure that once I got the skinny on the Accents or the Starlighters or some of [keyboardist-vocalist] Larry Bell’s bands, I’d just think, ‘Wow,’” Blackwell says. “But I really enjoyed learning Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Jasper about them all.

“One of the things that startled me,” he adds, “is how many of these people went out to California, or went on tour, and made a livelihood out of their music. Karstein did well, Dunham wrote a heck of a lot of songs that were recorded, and there were just lots of others who became professional musicians after getting started back in high school.”

And while he’s justifiably proud of the book’s stories and the people they celebrate, the collector side of his psyche has also been fulfilled.

“As a collector, I’ve been aware of bands like Marble Phrogg, Totty, Xebec and the Skeptics, because of the value of their records.

Collectors throughout the world, and I mean that, pay big bucks for Shady River, Pocahontas their records. Now, I finally have those bands in print, and they get a correct discography, right out of the mouths of their musicians.”

Blackwell even managed to uncover evidence that contradicted his long-held notion about Tulsa Sound godfather Leon Russell’s first record. It is not, he found out, the 1957 Accents single “Lovin’ at Night.”

“I was talking with [saxophonist] Johnny Williams, and he told me that [future country star] Mel McDaniel, when he was working in Tulsa filling stations and playing little clubs, wrote a ‘teener,’ which is what record collectors call a kind of broken-hearted doo-wop song from the late ‘50s. He was going to record it, and he needed a B-side, so he took one of [JJ] Cale’s songs called ‘Lazy Me.’ Johnny said that he and Cale and Leon went to the studio and recorded it in the Oak Crest Cottages and Treehouses, Eureka Springs latter part of 1956, which would’ve been before ‘Lovin’ at Night’ was recorded. It was released on the local Galway label.

“So,” he concludes with a laugh, “go out and buy a copy of ‘Candee’ right now. Leon has such a following that I’ll guarantee you it will go up in value.”

Oklahoma Guide to 45rpm Records & Bands – Volume Two: Tulsa ARKANSAS.COM Metro Area & Eastern Oklahoma, is on sale at four Tulsa locations: The Snow Goose, Dwelling Spaces, Ida Red Boutique and Decopolis.

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23

3/23/15 11:21 AM

The State

OKLAHOMA BUSINESS

The Long Haul

I

Melton Truck Lines opens the door on a new facility.

n 1989 a small trucking company relocated from Missouri to Tulsa to better serve its largest client.

Today, more than 25 years later, Melton Truck Lines has grown from a fleet of 30 trucks and a handful of employees to more than 1,100 trucks and more than 1,200 employees.

Bob Peterson, president of Melton Truck Lines, says that with the growth the company had experienced over the last quarter-century, it was time to build a new headquarters for the trucking business.

“As our business has grown, from 30 trucks to now 1,100, it simply requires more space,” says Peterson. “We would have to push out a wall, remodel, gobble up the conference rooms and turn them into offices … we simply required more space for our employees.”

24

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

Peterson’s goal for the new facility was to provide space for all of its employees to feel comfortable. A large atrium greeting visitors to the facility would connect the administrative personnel to one another, as well as to the truck drivers. Peterson wanted to maintain the feel of Melton Truck Lines of a quarter-century ago, when only a few dozen worked for the company.

“We interviewed several architectural firms and explained to them the feel of what we wanted … we always try to keep a small company feel even as we’ve gotten larger,” he says. “For years at our old facility, there was one floor, one lounge, and you bumped into people all the time.

We needed to build for the next decade or so, but because land is precious for a trucking company, we had to go up.

How do you keep people connected on three floors and 80,000 square feet?”

The Tulsa-based architecture firm Kinslow, Keith & Todd was awarded the project. Lead Architect Jim Boulware says that Peterson’s idea of the open atrium is what drove the design of the three-story building. A large fireplace with an 80-foot chimney anchors the space. A 16-by-10-foot television monitor hangs above the fireplace and shows weather reports from various parts of the country. Commons facilities – including the atrium, a cafeteria, gym and offices – occupy the rest of the first floor.

Offices and conference rooms occupy the second and third floors. Peterson says that because of the atrium, em-

MELTON TRUCK LINES’ NEW HEADQUARTERS WAS DESIGNED WITH WORKERS’ COMFORT AND HEALTH IN MIND. RIGHT: PRESIDENT BOB PETERSON HAS PUT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF HIS EMPLOYEES IN THE FOREFRONT WITH THE NEWLY DESIGNED HEADQUARTERS. PHOTOS BY DAN MORGAN.

ployees can stand on one side of the second or third floor and see into offices across the atrium. More than 40 monitors are located in common areas and convey information about company news, senior drivers that are expected to be in Tulsa, employee anniversaries, birthdays, promotions and the cafeteria’s daily menus.

“It’s really unique that Bob wanted to offer a lot of amenities to employees, and that made this project special,” says Boulware. “A lot of services he’s providing, the big open space, that costs money, and a lot don’t see that return on investment; he saw value in that. It’s worked better than he even thought it was going to. Even though there’s an area dedicated to drivers, he’s been surprised at how often they gather in the atrium with the fireplace. That was his vision, and our challenge was trying to make that happen.”

“We were fortunate to assemble a talented and cohesive team,” says Rhonda Meshew, the primary in-house liaison for the project. “The firm of Kinslow, Keith & Todd brought impressive architectural talents to the table with Jim Boulware, Shannon Darnell and Nicole Watts. Fleming Building Company, under the direction of Ray Miller, was general contractor for the project. Additional team members were Phil Long, interior design consultant, and Russ Elliott, Melton’s senior vice president of operations.

Each party listened well to the open design concept ideas Bob envisioned and developed the outstanding facility we now occupy.”

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

25

The State

FROM TOP LEFT: A CAFETERIA SERVING HEALTHY FOOD WAS INCORPORATED INTO MELTON’S NEW FACILITIES. EMPLOYEES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPANY’S IN-HOUSE GYM. PRESIDENT BOB PETERSON CHATS WITH RUSS ELLIOTT IN THE ATRIUM. THE OPEN-AIR ATRIUM AIMS TO CONNECT WORKERS IN ALL AREAS OF THE COMPANY. PHOTOS BY DAN MORGAN AND COURTESY MELTON TRUCK LINES.

Meshew adds that because connectivity to other buildings on the Melton campus is important, landscape architect Steven R. Williams and Kerry Blankenship were tasked with designing and installing the surrounding area outside of the new headquarters.

“It has been my honor to help Bob and his executives and contractors with this ongoing project,” says Long. “Working with Terry Donovan and his brilliant staff at Interior Logistics and the innovative Mark Hawley on custom furnishings for three floors was pleasant and rewarding. Together, we have created a sophisticated and comfortable setting that is timeless in which the employees, including the drivers, seem to enjoy.”

Commitment To Wellness

“Truck drivers are hard to find,” says Peterson.

He adds that Melton was losing senior truck drivers to heart attacks and other health problems. It was at the funeral for one of those senior drivers that Peterson was moved to act by the driver’s family.

“Every dime spent [on insurance] is our own money,” he says. “If you become insulin depen

26

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

dent, you can’t drive a truck, and that’s bad on all counts. Do we do nothing, or do we start to encourage wellness? We said, ‘Let’s try to do something and encourage people.’”

It was with this in mind that 10 years ago Melton Truck Lines undertook a wellness initiative to encourage employees to maintain good health. The goals of Peterson and of Melton were realized in the new facility. A 4,000-square-foot gym is stocked with cardio machines and weight equipment accessible to all staff, and there is a women’s-only gym.

A cafeteria is operated by California-based Guckenheimer and serves low-calorie, lowsodium meals to employees. An onsite clinic is accessible by employees and their families, and a nurse on staff can see patients during work hours.

A wellness coordinator oversees the initiatives and programs in place to keep employees healthy. Through the program, employees are incentivized to undergo yearly biometric screenings. Information is handed out to employees regarding age appropriate screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies. A Catoosa dentist visits the facility regularly to offer dental

procedures and consultations to employees.

“After starting our wellness program in 2006, our medical costs continued to increase, peaking in 2012, but we’ve now had two years of declining per-person medical costs,” Peterson says.

“I believe our efforts are finally starting to pay off. Our population’s health is improving. We’re getting more people to meet with a primary care provider. If they can’t get to their own doctor, busy parents can bring in their children and receive immediate primary care in our clinic, not spend a dime and hardly miss any work – a win for all of us.”

Melton’s achievements in keeping its workforce healthy have been noticed. In 2014, Peterson received the Healthy Executive award at the Oklahoma Food Security Summit.

“We’ve tried hard in the building design to create a comfortable yet stimulating environment for our folks to work in,” he says. “A beautiful campus, healthy and delicious food in our cafeteria, open spaces for collaborative conversation and listening and a modern gym to work out in. Healthy employees are happier and more productive.”

JAMI MATTOX

CONGRATULATIONS TO

BOB PETERSON OF

MELTON TRUCK LINES! Building on our History of Greatness A Job Well Done!

Fleming

Building Co., Inc.

1001 Fort Gibson Road Catoosa, OK 74015 (918) 627-7800 www.flemingbuildingco.com

The State

SCENE

KRISTI LEONARD, JANIE AXTON, GOV. MARY FALLIN, MARY NICHOLS AND DEBBY HAMPTON WERE ALL SMILES AT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF OKLAHOMA CITY’S ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATION.

WILL HILL, JOSEPH BRUCHAC, LILLIAN WILLIAMS, TERESA RUNNELS AND KIM JOHNSON ATTENDED THE 2015 FESTIVAL OF WORDS WRITERS AWARD, OF WHICH BRUCHAC WAS THE RECIPIENT.

OKLAHOMA CITY MAYOR MICK CORNETT AND TERRI CORNETT ENJOYED ARTINI, A BENEFIT FOR ALLIED ARTS. BART CONNER, JOE THOMPSON AND NATALIE SHIRLEY ATTENDED THE 2015 OKLAHOMA CREATIVITY AMBASSADORS GALA.

MATT SPINKS, SAGUN SHRESTHA AND RHONDA SPINKS ATTENDED A PREVIEW SCREENING OF CANCER: THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES AT CIRCLE CINEMA.

SHAWN ROGERS, ADRIANNA IWASINSKI, JUSTIN EDWARDS AND CHRIS PARKER CELEBRATED FOR A GOOD CAUSE AT ARTINI, WHICH BENEFITED ALLIED ARTS.

RHONDA DANIEL, TIM COLWELL AND LINDA BRADSHAW WERE AMONG THOSE WHO CELEBRATED THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA.

MICHELLE KOSKEY AND KEN MORGAN ARE PICTURED AT THE METRO TULSA HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION’S BENEFIT, FOOD FEST.

BARAK GOODMAN, ANGEE JENKINS, DAPHNE DOWDY AND RICHARD HALDEMAN ATTENDED A PREVIEW SCREENING OF CANCER: EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES AT CIRCLE CINEMA.

28

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

FAITH BOUDREAU AND OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SHANNON MILLER ENJOYED CELEBRATING THE ART OF HEALING.

MANDY LEEMHUIS, JOY MCGILL AND AMANDA CLINTON ATTENDED ROOFTOP RENDEZVOUS, WHICH BENEFITED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION SERVICES’ LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF OKLAHOMA WILL CELEBRATE PAST HONOREES AT THE 25TH ANNUAL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE DINNER ON MAY 14. PREPARING FOR THE EVENT ARE STEVE YORK, KIM PIPER, DEAN LEVINE AND SHANNAN BEELER.

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29

The State

SP OTLIGHT

CARNIVALE

Every year Tulsa celebrates the “best party in town,” and this year’s Carnivale went above and beyond expectations. This year’s cabaret theme was emphasized by burlesque dancers and elegantly dressed patrons who gathered to raise a record-breaking $1.3 million for Mental Health Association Oklahoma.

PHOTOS BY TOM GILBERT.

GENTNER AND WENDY DRUMMOND.

BARRY AND BECKY SWITZER, PATRICIA CHERNICKY, CHEENA PAZZO AND MICHAEL BROSE.

TRENT BEAVER, LAURA CALABRESE AND MISTI CENTER.

The State

MARTINA HUM, TOM NEFF, DAN SCHUMAN, NINA SCHUMAN AND VIDA SCHUMAN.

J.W. AND MOLLIE CRAFT.

DEBBIE MARTIN, HAROLD HAMM, DEDE SIEGFRIED AND JOHN BERREY.

GAIL AND KIP RICHARDS.

FRANKY NEAL, TAMRA SHEEHAN, BILLIE BARNETT TOM AND JUDY KISHNER.

LIZ AND BOB AUSTIN AND LORI SPARKMAN.

AND JENNIFER PALMER.

MARK DAVIS, ELIZABETH BOUCH AND STEPHANIE AND THOMAS REGAN.

GEORGENIA VAN TUYL, JUDY CLAUDETTE AND DOYLE WILLIAMS.

JUDY AND JEFF ALEXANDER AND JOLENE SANDITEN-STEPHENS AND JIM STEPHENS.

2

Magazine • March 2007 30 Oklahoma OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

TERESA KNOX, PATRICIA CHERNICKY AND TONI GARNER.

We Are Proud to be Fueling Melton Truck Lines

Congratulations to Melton Truck Lines upon the opening of their new headquarters.

We are proud to partner with them to provide their employees delicious and healthy food at their new site.

Guckenheimer specializes in corporate dining with restaurant quality meals prepared daily with fresh and organic ingredients.

The State

THE FOCAL POINT OF THE NEWLY ADDED FAMILY ROOM IS THE BRUSHED TRAVERTINE FIREPLACE. LEFT: A SMALL STUDY AREA FEATURES THE TWO-TONE HERRINGBONE PATTERNED FLOOR THAT IS ECHOED IN THE DEN. PHOTOS BY JENIFER JORDAN.

L I V I N G S PA C E S

Home Again

A homeowner finds comfort and style in a familiar space.

T

his homeowner has always loved her midtown Tulsa home. In fact, it is where she grew up.

“She wanted the house to maintain some of the essence of her childhood home, but also wanted to modernize it for her family that includes school age children,” says Mel Bean, coowner of Austin Bean Design Studio, which took on the interior design of the home.

The homeowner worked with architect Scott Ferguson to design an addition that opened up the existing small, enclosed kitchen and added a casual dining area and spacious new family room. A three-car garage and connecting mudroom were also added. Tony Jordan of Jordan & Sons was the builder.

“The goal was to create a large family room space that was both comfortable and cozy for their family, but also an inviting area to entertain,” adds Bean.

Working from the homeowner’s love of blue, Bean focused on creating a neutral, monochromatic color palette that includes grays and blues.

“We used textures and finishes to create a layered design rather than rely on multiple colors,” says Bean.

Because of the sizable volume of space in the family room, a large

32

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

33

The State

FROM TOP: AN OVAL WINDOW AND MIRRORED SUBWAY TILE MAKE THIS BAR AN ATTENTION-GRABBER. A BUILT-IN DAYBED PROVIDES STORAGE. THE ORIGINAL FAMILY ROOM WAS CONVERTED INTO A DEN, AND THE UNIQUE FIREPLACE AND COPPER VENT HOOD WERE MAINTAINED. ONCE SMALL AND ENCLOSED, AN ADDITION TO THE HOME ALLOWED THE KITCHEN TO BE ENLARGED.

scale, custom fireplace of brushed travertine was designed. Above the mantel, an antiqued mirror with a custom steel frame reflects the chandelier and ceiling beams.

“We used a custom paint finish designed to replicate antique beams that picks up the warm tones of the floor, fireplace and furnishings,” says Bean.

Grounding the space are white oak wood floors installed in a herringbone pattern with a custom whitewash finish.

“The bar area is a little more adventurous without taking over the whole room,” says Bean.

An oval window was chosen, and cabinet doors have antique mirror finish insets with nickel hardware. The countertop is blueand-green stone in a leather finish, while the backsplash uses beveled antique mirror subway tiles. The freestanding sofa that sits in front of the bar has a unique sculptural back that adds interest to the space.

The adjoining kitchen renovation was simple. The existing copper hood was maintained as homage to the design of the original house. The existing dark cabinets were replaced with custom cabinetry, painted white, that extend to the ceiling.

Countertops are Calcutta marble with a waterfall edge.

34

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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The State

Nearby, Bean chose a round, hammered metal table surrounded by comfortable chairs to create an inviting, casual dining area. A capiz shell chandelier sparkles above the table.

What is now considered the den was the original family room. It was dark with an old tile floor. The wood paneling and ceiling were painted the same shade of deep blue-gray to highlight the existing copper hood over the fireplace. A custom, two-toned wood floor in a chevron pattern creates a bold statement.

A bathroom accessible through a hidden panel in the den was gutted to make way for a new laundry room. Custom painted cabinets and a silver travertine floor create a light, bright and functional work area.

The new mudroom connects the renovated den with the new garage. It was designed with lots of storage and casual seating and to serve as a location for storing

36

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

FROM TOP LEFT: A CAPIZ SHELL CHANDELIER GLIMMERS ABOVE THE HOME’S CASUAL DINING AREA. A POWDER BATH FEATURES UNIQUE WALL COVERING COMPRISED OF MANY LAYERS OF METALLIC AND MATTE INKS. A CONCEALED BATHROOM WAS CONVERTED INTO A SIZABLE LAUNDRY ROOM.

everything from backpacks to boots.

A new powder bath was created by capturing space from the kitchen and a closet.

The sink cabinet is a repurposed piece of furniture. The marble flooring is custom cut, and the wall covering from the Gilded Age Collection by Phillip Jeffries uses multiple layers of metallic and matte inks.

While Bean was the lead designer, she credits Jinger Denison, project manager for Austin Bean, with keeping the design and implementation moving forward efficiently on the nearly year-long project.

TAMARA LOGSDON HAWKINSON

PHIL LONG DESIGN

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The State

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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The State

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The State

YO U R H E A L T H

W

Sweeping Down The Plain

Oklahoma is a unique state for those suffering from allergies.

hether they are a seasonal nuisance or a yearround affliction, allergies can wreak havoc on daily lives. And unfortunately for Oklahomans, we may have it worse than others. The Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America ranked Oklahoma City fourth and Tulsa at 19 on its list of “The Most Challenging Places to Live with Spring Allergies.”

Dr. Rollie Rhodes, a board certified otolaryngologist and a founding partner of Eastern Oklahoma Ear, Nose & Throat in Tulsa, says there are several factors that make Oklahoma a prime place for spring allergies, or allergic rhinitis, such as relatively short and mild winters, wet springs to initiate and support seed growth and tree blossoming, and a longer growing season than in the northern and eastern states.

“The predominant winds are from the south and the southwest that carry pollens into Oklahoma from New Mexico and Texas. We also have lots of wind in Oklahoma to blow the pollen around – consequently, we have plentiful vegetation, trees, grasses and weeds,” says Rhodes. “With a mild winter, spring allergy symptoms start as early as late February or early March and go on until late May or early June.”

He says that the typical spring allergens are primarily from trees, since the grasses don’t start pollinating until late May or June. For allergy sufferers, the most common symptoms include tearing eyes, congestion, stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, itching of the ears, throat, nose and eyes, coughing and asthma.

Dr. Timothy Nickel, a board certified allergist and immunologist and a partner at the Allergy Clinic of Tulsa, explains that Tulsa is a confluence of several allergy regions. The area features northern pasture grasses like fescue or Timothy grass as well as some southern varieties, including Bermuda and Johnson grass. The list of Midwest-Eastern trees includes oak, ash, pecan and birch, and Southern trees like cedar and acacia. There is also plenty of ragweed and many western weeds, such as tumbleweed.

“Graphically, Green Country and other parts of the Midwest – such as Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee – are all in the overlapping portion of a Venn diagram and have a wide variety of plentiful pollen,” says Nickel. “This is why Tulsa, Louisville, St. Louis, Birmingham and others are consistently at the top of the list. This list is not only based on the pollen count, but also the use of allergy medications and the number of allergy specialists per capita.”

While the environment plays a significant role in triggering symptoms, Rhodes says it’s noteworthy that heredity plays a big part in allergy development.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

“The child who has one parent with spring allergies has a 35 percent chance of developing the allergy themselves,” says Rhodes. “If both parents have allergies, there is a 70-75 percent likeli-

hood of developing allergies in that individual. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the population has allergic rhinitis, depending on the area in which one lives.”

If you’re miserable and moving isn’t in the future, it may be time to seek professional help.

If allergies, despite over-the-counter medications, are negatively impacting your life – if you’re experiencing asthma symptoms, tired of taking multiple medications or suffering from recurring sinus infections or chronic sinusitis – then it may be time for an evaluation by an allergy or sinus specialists, says Nickel.

“The quality of life of the severe allergy phenotype is horribly underestimated, even by many physicians,” says Nickel. “Chronic congestion, sneezing and nasal drainage can interfere with sleep for weeks and sometimes months out of the year. It can affect work and puts a patient at risk for recurrent sinus infections. This can occur even when patients are on aggressive medical therapy.”

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43

The State

BEALE STREET IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF MEMPHIS’ VITAL LIVE MUSIC AND CULTURE SCENE. PHOTOS COURTESY MEMPHIS TRAVEL.

D E S T I N AT I O N

Walking In Memphis

T

Take advantage of the wealth of culture that Memphis has to offer.

he Beale Street Music Festival will welcome residents of and visitors to downtown Memphis, Tenn., during the first days of May. The fun will continue every week of the month, as crowds celebrate the Memphis in May festival, complete with international music, a performance by the Sunset Symphony and a world championship barbecue cook-off.

But Memphis in May is just the beginning of the fun that can be found in Memphis during the summer. Opportunities to hear world-renowned live music, eat some of the best barbecue on the planet and learn about the history of this southern music city are available for a great getaway to a treasure of the south.

Listen

Tupelo Elvis Festival June 4-7 Held one-and-a-half-hours away from Memphis in Elvis Presley’s hometown of Tupelo, Miss., the festival features impersonators and tributes, dance parties and discussions of the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s life. Though he built his mansion, Graceland, in Memphis, Tupelo pays the ultimate tribute to its favorite son. www.tupeloelvisfestival.com Simply Simone June 4-28 A jazz star, civil rights activist and diva, Nina Simone was a musical dynamo and eschewed classification, transcending all musical genres. Her music is lauded just as much today as it was during her height

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

✪

DAY TRIP Memphis is a six-hour drive from Tulsa or a seven-hour drive from Oklahoma City.

OKC GOES TO MEMPHIS

Memphis’ minor league baseball team, the Redbirds, will host the Oklahoma City Dodgers for a four-game home stand June 30-July 3. www.okcdodgers.com

FROM TOP LEFT: SUN STUDIO HOSTED SOME OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN MUSICIANS OF THE 20TH CENTURY. MEMPHIS IS HOME TO THE REDBIRDS, WHO PLAY THEIR GAMES AT AUTOZONE PARK. CORKY’S IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS BARBECUE JOINTS IN MEMPHIS. A MUSICIAN PLAYS THE BLUES ON BEALE STREET. HUEY’S HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY VOTED THE BEST PLACE FOR BURGERS IN MEMPHIS.

of fame. A brand-new revue of her songs and her turbulent life, Simply Simone will be performed at Hattiloo Theatre, one of the few freestanding, independent black theaters in America. www.hattiloo.org Juneteenth Urban Music Festival June 19-21 This three-day festival will bring visitors to downtown Memphis for music, food, arts and crafts and cultural awareness. Festival-goers will enjoy custom cars and bikes on display, as well as entertainment from drummers, majorettes, cheerleaders and steppers. National and local rap, R&B, pop, hip-hop and gospel acts will provide music for all. www.juneteenthmemphis.org

Learn

Sun Studio Considered the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, Sun Studio was a destination of many music greats, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. Still a working studio, daily tours of Sun Studio recount its legendary past. www.sunstudio.com Memphis Rock & Soul Museum Hear the complete history of rock ‘n’ roll at this Smithsoniancurated exhibition. Located on Beale Street, visitors can tour the museum and experience the music and history of Memphis, as well as instruments, costumes and other music memorabilia. www. memphisrocknsoul.org Backbeat Tours Offering themed tours, from the Memphis Mojo Tour to the Memphis Ghost Tour, Backbeat gives

bus and walking tours of the most interesting and unique locations and aspects of Memphis. www.backbeattours.com

Eat

A getaway to Memphis is incomplete without enjoying the city’s great barbecue and soul food joints. Though this diverse city offers dining experiences from high-end to dive, comfort food rules in Memphis.

Corky’s Ribs & BBQ A Memphis institution for 30 years, four locations in the city offer world-class barbecue, dry brisket is a specialty. Choose from an array of barbecue sauces. www.corkysmemphis.com Huey’s Providing burgers, beer and blues since 1970, Huey’s burgers have been voted best in the city for more than 30 years. www. hueyburger.com Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken Hot and spicy, this fried chicken is the reason some travel to Memphis. Order lots of food for not a lot of money, and don’t forget the pie. www.gusfriedchicken.com JAMI MATTOX

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MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

45

A

Wealth Of Health

Biomedical technologies keep Oklahoma’s economic engine healthy.

By Tracy LeGrand

“As long as you have your health” is a cliché most of us relate to; as long as a person feels well, achievements are possible. So as an individual has the choice to protect and enhance her own health, Oklahoma itself has a focus on biotechnology, which has a flourishing role in the state’s economy. This, leaders say, is due to a powerful and symbiotic relationship between entrepreneurs, private and public investors, academic investigators and clinical researchers.

The Beginning

In 1996 Oklahoma City funded Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park (PHF) – a campus of seven buildings totaling 700,000 square feet of space on a 27-acre site meant to provide biomedical firms with modest rent and Class-A facilities. The PHF states its mission as accelerating bioscience research discoveries to solutions that enhance human life. The much-improved PHF campus was one of many moves made then and continuing today by regional and state leaders to increase the state’s allure in the biomedical field.

It appears to be working. CNN Money recently described Oklahoma City as a “haven for entrepreneurial risk-takers,” citing comparatively low costs of living and “a diverse local economy spread across medical research, energy, education and government.

Oklahoma City also benefits from a high concentration of deep-pocketed local investors, many of them veterans of the oil and gas industry, who are willing to take a gamble on

46

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

companies that might spend 10 years bringing a new product to fruition.”

It takes focused coordination to optimize the state’s biotechnology effort, and so, in 2008, the Oklahoma Bioscience Association was launched, says Eric Long, research economist for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. This established a strong, networked and collaborative bioscience community to promote industry growth and provide a strong voice.

Raising capital will continue to be an issue.

“The costs associated with the discovery of new knowledge and the development of new technologies is expensive,” says Long.

“In addition to the research phase, large amounts of capital are needed for longer periods of time to fund business growth and economic development. There are costs involved in market analysis, pricing, developing prototypes, preparing marketing and sales plans and manufacturing. Once the product is developed, there are also costs for

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), has funded 2,461 projects at more than $249 million, which has attracted $5.1 billion in private sector and federal dollars for a return on investment of 21:1.

Source: Oklahoma Bioscience Association

distribution, sales and marketing.”

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, comprised of seven medical schools, has benefited from PHF’s efforts, with more than $65 million in grants for medical research. In turn, the more-than-35 institutions on its campus employ more than 15,000 people with combined general revenue of more than $3.5 billion per year, according to Chamber reports.

“With a world-class caliber of research facilities and wet lab space, abundant funding opportunities and collaborative efforts by legislators to enhance progress, you could say greater Oklahoma City has biotechnology down to a science,” says Long. “Oklahoma City’s bioscience sector boasts annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 27,800 workers with total compensation of $1.5 billion.”

Big Business

According to an Oklahoma City Chamber report, the average yearly wage in the

Oklahoma City area is $37,773, compared to $45,439 for employees in the biotech sector, or $58,343 for those working in the drugs/pharmaceuticals sub-sector of biotechnology. The combined direct and indirect impact associated with the bioscience/biomedical sector contributes $6.7 billion in activity to the region. It is

“Oklahoma City’s bioscience sector boasts annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 27,800 workers with total compensation of $1.5 billion.”

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

47

estimated that $227 million in state and local taxes are generated just as a result of direct and indirect bioscience-related employment.

Another powerful biotech economic engine – the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – has yielded more than 600 domestic and international patents, says Dr. Stephen Prescott, OMRF The 27-acre, $100 president. OMRF has spun off more than a dozen biotech companies, million University which in turn fuel widespread Research Park, part of private-sector growth, creating the Oklahoma Health Center high-quality, high-paying jobs.

The OMRF’s new 186,000 complex, is home to 37 square-foot research facility is science-based companies. home to 34 labs, and the research Source: Oklahoma Bioscience Association tower houses a total workforce expansion from 50 to more than 80 researchers.

In recent years, capital investments have increased for several biotech entities – to name a few – including a new, $100 million, 210,000-square-foot building for the StephenBellmon Research Center with a $70 million son Cancer Center; a investment, says Long. new, 78,000-squareWilliam Paiva, manager of Tulsa-based foot facility for the Oklahoma Life Science Fund, says his group Dean McGee Eye of venture funds was created in 2000 to Institute; and the openfocus on health care investing in the coming of Oklahoma State mercialization of healthcare opportunities University’s Henry that come both from out of state and from Oklahoma’s educational institutions.

“We recognized in the early stages that there wasn’t much early stage capital for Oklahoma’s early-stage companies in that sector,” says Paiva. “At first, we funded five companies, and that attracted $250 million in out-of-state venture capital, which had never invested in Oklahoma before. Then, after we had $75 million more in venture capital, we invested in five more companies. Collectively, we have seeded companies that have gone on to raise over $300 million in venture, and when you add in corporate capital it goes over $2 billion.”

One OLSF-funded company – InterGenetics – is among many biomedical firms with a reach far beyond the state’s borders.

InterGenetics is a predictive medicine company focused on molecular diagnostics and targeted therapy for cancer and has, thus far, signed up 32 testing centers in 21 states and is licensed to operate in 49 states. Its founder, Craig Shimasaki, left California in favor of Oklahoma’s pro-business and biotech-friendly factors.

Attracting out-of-state dollars is something that stimulates the state’s economy to such a

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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degree that leaders are often focused on recruiting new businesses to A drug to treat the state. Many such deep-pocket glioblastoma investors discover the benefits multiforme, of Oklahoma via the biotech developed by scientists sector. For example, in at the Oklahoma Medical 2011, Oklahoma City-based Cytovance Biologics anResearch Foundation, nounced a staged $22.5 milis currently in lion growth equity investment clinical trials. from Great Point Partners, LLC, Source: Oklahoma and a Greenwich, Conn., private Bioscience Association investment firm focused on emerging opportunities in the health care and bio-technology categories. More than 150 people are employed at Cytovance, a contract manufacturing organization serving the bio-pharmacy industry that produces clinical materials supply for biological drug developers such as antibodies, therapeutic proteins and enzymes, says Cheryl Tuck, marketing communications manager for Cytovance. The privately owned company was founded by Dr. William Canfield (he was portrayed by actor Harrison Ford in the movie Extraordinary Measures).

“By working closely with the state’s universities and colleges to develop Oklahoma’s biotech workforce, we are providing high-wage jobs,” says Tuck. “We’re the largest employer in the OU research park, and clinical areas we support include arthritis, bone/cartilage regeneration, cancer, sickle cell, gout, chronic pain and many more.”

Biotech Pays Off

The Bioenergy Center at Oklahoma State University has identified several regulatory and signaling genes that are important for a high tiller number in switchgrass – critical for increasing switchgrass biomass – by using gene expression profiling in inbred lines with a contrasting tiller number trait.

Biotechnology appears to be a win-win for investors and businesses, as the results are often availfar-reachable. ing and Oklaprosperous. homa is This is why comvarious venture petitive capitalists and because of a investors turn to unified vision Source: Oklahoma Bioscience the sector for opporof stakeholdAssociation tunity. Paiva says that ers like PHF, the often the most difficult Noble Foundation thing for a start-up bioand many others. They tech venture is finding that came together to invest first significant phase of funding. in companies right here in this state. Even “Sometimes the hardest thing (for a when we invest, investors are often creators fledgling biotech firm) to do is find capital of technology that will ultimately result in and get it going,” says Paiva. “Those that do funds. There is always room for more coopit successfully are usually in Boston or San eration, to pool resources together to benefit Francisco where there is money more readily the state, and to continue to take a broad,

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

ecumenical approach rather than only trying to optimize individual projects.”

By pulling people together with similar interests, the state’s biotech and biomed industries can continue to thrive and benefit all.

“We’ve got good quality science here,” says Paiva. “It’s one thing to fund our own – quite another to attract $300 million from out-of-state investors – which is a great commentary on bio-tech in Oklahoma. You have to have technology, capital and the right people. If you have two of the three then you can usually get the third. But the people are what make it all work.”

Critical mass occurs when a group of talented people and unique resources, facilities and activities converge to create momentum, says Long. Right now, in Oklahoma’s biosciences sector, critical mass is happening in several areas.

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Just

One

ore M

SLICE

By Brittany Anicetti and Jami Mattox

Sweet or savory, a heaping helping of pie is good for the soul. Here are 16 of the state’s most delicious.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

PHOTO BY SCOTT MILLER. KITCHEN ACCESSORIES COURTESY WILLIAMS-SONOMA.

Phill’s Diner CHERRY PIE Phill’s Diner is a staple in Tulsa and has, over the years, earned itself a loyal following by many in the city and surrounding area. Phill’s greets its customers with a tradition of friendly service and delicious, homemade tastes. Offering its guests a small-town diner experience, Phill’s serves its full menu of comfort food at its diner counter bar, as well as in the dining room.

After a delicious meal of chicken soup, grilled cheese, chicken fried steak, burgers or other menu option, try the cherry pie.

Cherries stew in a glaze beneath a flaky pie crust. Order the cherry pie as a side to after-dinner coffee and dig your fork into this masterpiece. 3310 E. 32nd St., Tulsa.

918.742.4563 MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

53

COCONUT CREAM PIE Producing cakes, macarons and pies fit for a queen, Antoinette has carved out a sizable niche since opening its doors along Brookside a few years ago. Antoinette instituted Pie Night, a chance for Tulsans to get their pie fix on Friday and Saturday evenings, shortly after its opening. The tradition continues, and the pies offered are delectable. From the Velvet Elvis, a banana cream pie filled with bacon, marshmallow and peanut butter, to the Mile High, a chocolate mousse with chocolate crumb layer and whipped cream, Antoinette’s pies are creative, delicious and pack a complex layering of flavors into each slice. The coconut cream pie, filled with creamy custard and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes, is always a winner among the selections at Antoinette’s. 3305 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa. www.antoinettebakingco.com

Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies FRIED PIE If you’re ever driving down south on I-35 and are running low on fuel, stop by Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies to fill up – both your car and your belly. At this quaint pit stop, you’ll get the service and quality that’ll remind you of a trip to grandma’s, and the tastes here are one-of-a-kind.

Arbuckle’s fried pie recipe goes all the way back to 1893, when owner Nancy Fulton’s grandmother made them for Arbuckle Mountain ranch hands who needed a warm treat on a cold day. Nancy grew up learning the craft, and today, she continues sharing some of the best fried pie Oklahoma offers. Enjoy fruit, cream and meat fillings inside Nancy’s famous piecrust. Exit 51 on I-35, Davis.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

Antoinette Baking Co.

Hideaway Pizza PEPPERONI PIZZA With 15 locations statewide, Hideaway provides great pies to hungry consumers all over Oklahoma. The menu is packed with specialty pies that have been curated over the decades, but the classic pepperoni is always a hit.

Whether served solo or topped with black olives, onions, mushrooms or other flavors, the spicy bite of the pepperoni shines through. Enjoy a slice with one of the many beers offered at Hideaway’s locations. www.hideawaypizza.com

Brownies Hamburgers LEMON MERINGUE PIE After an onion-fried burger or big bowl of chili, enjoy a slice of pie and a cup of coffee at Brownie’s. The small, retro diner serves a big slice for a fair price. Take advantage of one of Brownie’s many fruit or cream pies, made fresh daily at both of the diner’s Tulsa locations.

A standout on the pie menu, the lemon meringue is a tart taste topped with fluffy meringue that is crisped on top.

2130 S. Harvard Ave.; 6577 E. 71st St., Tulsa. www. brownies-hamburgers.com

Pies & Such RHUBARB PIE An old, 1920s boxcar diner/drivethru that seats 40 people, this cozy mom-and-pop eatery prepares everything from scratch, a feature you can taste in each bite. While whole pies can be whipped up by special order, those who want to dine in can enjoy all kinds of bites from the lunch menu, which includes delicious pies by the slice. The rhubarb pie, usually mixed with strawberries or raspberries, is Pies & Such’s must-try topseller. This slice of sweetness packs a tart punch with its rhubarb, berry flavor combination. Enjoy fresh and tasty forkfuls on red- and-whitecheckered tablecloths: The pictureperfect backdrop for a delectable pie. 216 E. Second St., Bartlesville.

918.337.3620

Pioneer Pies

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

Kitchen No. 324 CHICKEN P OT PIE The presentation of this pie is impressive: A large crock filled with chicken, vegetables and gravy is topped with flaky pastry crust and a fried chicken drumstick. It’s a feast for the eyes as well as for the body.

The flaky crust dissolves into the thick gravy, creating buttery bites studded with vegetables and chunks of tender chicken.

If you are a fried chicken fiend, don’t save the drumstick for later; there won’t be any room left. 324 N. Robinson Ave., Oklahoma City. www. kitchen324.com

DUTCH APPLE PIE The Shapards – brothers Ed and Bill and their wives Sandy and Veda – have been pioneering the art of cooking, cutting and serving pie since 1982; they even developed a tool that perfectly cuts a pie into five pieces. Serving up country-style tastes, this Oklahoma City diner has the décor to match.

While its saloon-like exterior entices passers-by to stop in for a bite and its interior features make them want to stay awhile – wooden-paneled walls donned with antique country trinkets that include vases, pitchers, plates, mugs, the popular wagon wheel and much more – it’s the tastes that keep them coming back. Pioneer Pies’ full, flavor-packed menu includes 26 pies.

The Dutch apple pie, one of its standout slices, is a bite of bliss. Its apples, cooked just right, come buried under a delicious topping, and its apple glaze has just the right amount of sweetness and spice. 2201 SW 74th St., Oklahoma City. www.pioneerpies.com

Albert G’s S W E E T P O TAT O P I E Ribs, brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken is generally what draws hungry patrons to Albert G’s two Tulsa locations. The joint serves classic barbecue meals, complete with coleslaw, potato salad and baked beans. And those from the south will testify that no barbecue meal is complete without a slice of sweet potato pie. Luckily, Albert G’s MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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has that, too. Sweet potatoes are whipped into a sweet, dense custard, baked and served as a follower to the rich barbecue offered at Albert G’s. 2748 S. Harvard Ave.; 421 E. First St., Tulsa. www.albertgs.com

COCONUT CREAM PIE The sign directing customers into this family-owned and run restaurant and bakery reads Coleman’s All Beef Burgers, but this small, homey eatery on the corner of Fifth and North Seminole Avenue in downtown Okmulgee is about so much more. Two blackboards, behind an extensive display counter showcasing shelf upon shelf of sweet treats, act as Coleman’s menu. With a quaint, tidy dining room comprised of about 10 tables, eating here is always a cozy, familiar experience, with great tastes to top it off.

And because of its size, to-go orders are consistent throughout the day. Famous for its delicious classic burgers and onion rings, the Coleman name is also known for its homemade, old-fashioned pies. When Jack and Myra opened Coleman’s in 1955 at its first location off the highway, Myra would make the pie. Three generations later, at its current locations, their granddaughter Alice runs the operation, and she says the coconut cream pie is the fan favorite, bringing in customers from all over the state, and beyond, for a taste. Dig your fork into one of these slices for a sure way to cure that sweet tooth. 118 N. Seminole Ave., Okmulgee.

THE DEVONSHIRE White Lion is a haven for Oklahomans as well as expats craving an authentic British pub experience. The small, cozy rooms are warmed by fireplace in the chilly months, and the beer and spirits flow at tables surrounded by friends and family. The authenticity of White Lion extends to the food, as well, with authentic British cuisine like fish and chips and steak and kidney pie. The Devonshire pie, filled with chicken and mushrooms in creamy white sauce, is served with “chips” and peas and should be accompanied by a pint for optimal experience.

6927 S. Canton Ave., Tulsa.

918.491.6533.

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PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

White Lion Pub

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

Coleman’s Bakery

Pie Junkie FRENCH SILK PIE Pie Junkie was recently named one of the 10 destinations in America for pie by USA Today, and one bite of the Drunken Turtle or Bird Dog Buttermilk will confirm that ranking.

Though there’s no bad bite at the Junkie, the bakery’s take on the classic French silk pie is breathtaking. Silky chocolate mousse is poured into a baked crust and topped with whipped cream. The simple layers produce a rich, chocolaty bite that is lightened by the whipped cream and complemented with flaky piecrust. It’s a classic done right. 1711 NW 16th St., Oklahoma City. www.piejunkie.com

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

Hammett House Restaurant LEMON PECAN PIE Made from scratch daily, the pies at Hammett House are great for holidays, special occasions or simply an everyday indulgence. Both pie staples as well as specialty pies are offered on a daily basis, and the restaurant’s website boasts recipes for a handful of its famed pies. The lemon pecan pie is an original direct from the kitchen of LaNelle, an original owner of Hammett House. The tart lemon custard is topped with pecans and baked until golden. It’s perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a cup of coffee.

1616 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore. www.hammetthouse.com

Saints S H E P H E R D ’S P I E Saints joined in on the revitalization of Oklahoma City’s 16th Street Plaza District when it opened its doors in 2011. Its friendly, relaxed and cozy, pub-style atmosphere indoors has always welcomed new and familiar faces to enjoy the top-notch Irish cuisine it serves. Whether sitting at the bar or at one of Saints’ tables, a full, Irish-inspired menu offers tasty bites that are sure to impress. Although the pie at Saints won’t cure your sweet tooth, it will satisfy your hunger, because we’re not talking about a slice of pie – we’re talking about the shepherd’s pie.

Underneath Irish cheddar mashed potatoes, lamb, beef, carrots, onions and celery stew in a Guinness broth, and the flavors meld together perfectly, making for one satisfying spoonful after another. 1715 NW 16th St., Oklahoma City. www.saintspubokc.com

Ike’s Chili FRITO PIE The original Ike Johnson opened his first chili parlor in Tulsa in 1908. Today, when people hear the name Ike, they most likely think delicious chili, because Johnson’s experimentation with flavors and ingredients crafted a highly sought-after dish. If you’re walking down 11th Street, you can’t miss Ike’s newest location: A brick building with large windows covered in perforated films depicting historical images of Ike’s and Tulsa. Step inside for a taste that’s 108 years old. While you can’t go wrong when choosing a dish off this famous menu, we recommend feasting on the Frito Pie. If you think you’ve tasted it all and you haven’t tried Ike’s take on nachos, you’ll definitely want to dig in. Ike’s famous chili covers a bowl of Fritos. The chili is crowned with cheddar cheese and onions. After taking a bite out of this pie, you’ll understand what the fuss is all about. 1503 E. 11th St. Tulsa. www.ikeschilius.com

Michael V’s COCONUT CREAM PIE This upscale restaurant with an Italian twist has provided a gourmet dining experience in south Tulsa for almost a decade. One may think an Italian joint would pride itself on cannoli or tiramisu for dessert offerings. But at Michael V’s, it’s the pie – specifically the coconut cream – that attracts those with a sweet tooth. Flaky pastry crust is filled with smooth coconut cream and topped with a fluffy meringue. The pie is perfect consumed with a glass of red wine or strong Italian coffee. 8222 E. 103rd St., Suite 137, Tulsa. www.michaelvsrestaurant.com MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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So Son

SAMANTHA CRAIN WAS RAISED IN SHAWNEE AND NOW TOURS INTERNATIONALLY WITH HER FOLK-INSPIRED MUSIC. PHOTO COURTESY SAMANTHACRAIN.PICSART.COM.

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ooner ngcraft

By Eric Miller

Musicians expound upon influences and inspirations.

Musical roots run

deep in Oklahoma.

From Depression-era folk and Western Swing to modern urban-inflected pop, seeminglY unrelated genres and subgenres assume the shape of strands on one giant geographical genome of artistic expression.

Case in point: JD McPherson, the Broken Arrow-based singer-songwriter whose sophomore album, Let the Good Times Roll, has garnered much in the way of national recognition this year. He performed the title track on David Letterman’s show in February. Meanwhile, the video for an earlier single, “North Side Gal,” approaches 2 million views on YouTube.

Either song serves as a fine entry point

to McPherson’s no-nonsense, unapologetically upbeat style, which might best be described as pure rock ‘n’ roll. His sound is characterized by a sincerity – a refreshing absence of irony or condescension – that is mirrored in his polite and down-to-earth manner of speaking.

His humility extends to a conscious awareness of his place in a long line of musical icons with origins in Oklahoma, including luminaries like Big Al Downing, Wanda Jackson and Chet Baker.

“The state has produced so many brilliant musicians, and it’s got such a nice stew of different folks making music,” he says. “I’m very proud to be operating in that field with these folks.”

Surprising connections emerge within that field. McPherson recalls learning that his aunt’s piano was tuned by Eldon Shamblin, who made his name as a guitarist for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys during the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. Supplementing his income in later years by tuning pianos and teaching music – “all part of the gig” for a working musician, McPherson adds – Shamblin nevertheless continued practicing his craft.

“I saw him play a few times,” McPherson says. “It was incredible.”

Given the heavy influence of early, pre-British Invasion rock on McPherson’s sound – and of the earlier genres that fed into it – his awareness of musicians like Shamblin is hardly surprising. But his sources of inspiration are by no means limited to the state or even the country. He recently experienced a surreal moment when one of his heroes, the English singer-songwriter Nick Lowe, sat in with his band onstage at the Islington Assembly Hall in London.

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“I looked over at him, and it just dawned on me that I’m onstage playing with Nick Lowe,” he says. “Those moments are strange because you’re comparing an experience that’s happening right now with something that you’ve been building up in your brain since you were 15 years old. All of a sudden those memories come flooding back.”

Flooding back from a not inconsiderable distance: McPherson grew up in southeastern Oklahoma under fairly isolated rural circumstances that allowed him a great deal of time to learn about music, he says – a career trajectory that begins on a 160-acre cattle ranch.

Surely this plays into a popular image of Oklahoma – one that, for better or for worse, haunts the nationwide collective consciousness.

Stereotypes & Assumptions

Samantha Crain, another of the state’s prominent singer-songwriters, has gradually changed her mind about the importance of Oklahoma identity in her work. At one point, she would have spoken of a longing for nothing in particular, “just whatever was outside the country backroads,” she says via email – but now, as a well-traveled adult, she is “very much aware that every place is the same,” she says.

“Of course there are differences in environments and culture and architecture and opinion, but the basic human condition is the same everywhere, and people develop the same ideas and wants and needs no matter where they are located,” she says. “So with that said, being an ‘Oklahoman’ doesn’t inform much in my music anymore; it has changed to broader categories; being a woman, or being a human. I love Oklahoma, but I think many of our social issues as a state would improve

if people tried thinking more abstractly.”

Like McPherson, Crain has toured extensively in other parts of the world. But she does not particularly feel that she has been subject to any stereotypes pertaining to her geographical origin. This may be attributable to her eagerness to learn about “other people’s worlds.” She tries to blend in quietly wherever she goes, she says.

“I think I have a very quiet pride about Oklahoma,” she says. “My own beliefs, aesthetics and thoughts come through on the stage before any other assumptions can be decided upon.”

Assumptions about the state may still come into play, but these are not necessarily negative.

“I think, fortunately, the rest of the world doesn’t have much of a picture of Oklahoma other than Woody Guthrie, the Dust Bowl and Indians,” says Crain, whose heritage is American Indian. “So they aren’t really privy to some of our current history, and that probably plays to my advantage, because, really, what romantic-minded music fan doesn’t love the idea of Woody Guthrie and the Dust Bowl and Indians?”

John Moreland, a rising star of the state’s singer-songwriter scene, echoes Crain’s belief that, wherever one may go, people are pretty much the same. At the same time, he acknowledges that living in Oklahoma has probably shaped his artistic identity in some way – or, put differently, that he is not quite the same musician that he would have been had he not moved here from Kentucky at age 10.

“Part of me wants to believe that this is just kind of in me and this is what I do,” says the soon-to-be30-year-old. “But there’s lyrics on my new record like, ‘My baby’s a tornado in the endless Oklahoma sky.’ I definitely wouldn’t be writing about tornadoes if I didn’t live here.”

The songs on the album, High on Tulsa Heat, do indeed evoke a strong sense of

“Part of me wants to believe that this is just kind of in me and this is what I do.”

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SINGER-SONGWRITER BRANJAE PERFORMS ON STAGE. PHOTO BY BRADLEY EDWARD DUGDALE III.

place, and not just through titles like “Hang Me in the Tulsa County Stars” and “Cleveland County Blues” – he has lived in both parts of the state – but in the music itself: plaintive acoustic folk, reminiscent of Tom Waits’ more tender moments, alternating with a full-band roots-rock sound, mostly mid-tempo and all very cleanly produced.

One is tempted to conclude that a summerevening Tulsa sky would be brought to mind by listening to the title track even in the absence of the lyrics.

But perhaps to focus too closely on Americana would be unnecessarily stereotypical in itself.

Genres and the Nature of Influence

No musician can exist in a vacuum; most would agree that the songs and styles they love somehow work their way into the DNA of their music, whether readily discernible in the finished product or not.

These influences need not be strictly musical. Crain lists literary figures like D.H. Lawrence, Buckminster Fuller and Breece D’J Pancake alongside Jason Molina, Patti Smith and Joni Mitchell.

Others are almost impossible to predict.

McPherson describes himself as “a big Madonna fan.” Moreland speaks, with some unexpected enthusiasm, of his affection for 1990s R&B artists like Boyz II Men, TLC and Mariah Carey.

“I listen to that stuff almost daily,” he says. “I don’t really sit down and go, ‘I’m going to write a song like Boyz II Men,’ but it probably is subconsciously influencing me in some way.”

Moreland himself has origins in punk and hardcore, which he played in high school as a frontman of local bands. It was not until after graduation that he switched gears, embracing the music favored by his father – artists like Neil Young, Tom Petty and Steve Earle – but punk still lurks somewhere in his spirit.

“It’s not necessarily a direct influence on my music anymore, but just kind of the way I go about my business, my attitude and booking my own shows,” he says. “I still try to carry on that DIY ethic that I learned from being into ‘80s hardcore.”

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SINGER-SONGWRITER JOHN MORELAND OFTEN USES LYRICS EVOCATIVE OF OKLAHOMA’S UNIQUE TRAITS. PHOTO BY KRIS PAYNE.

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“You’ve got everyone between Tommy Allsup and the Flaming Lips ... That’s a pretty wide spectrum.”

an entire state on the basis of just a few artists.

“You’ve got everyone between Tommy Allsup and the Flaming Lips,” he says.

“That’s a pretty wide spectrum.”

And no survey of Oklahoma musicians would be complete without some consideration of the soul and R&B scene, which finds a worthy emissary in Tulsa-based singer Branjae.

She sees her style as a mesh between genres, with elements of jazz, rock and funk co-existing with the unmistakable influence of Chaka Khan, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston. She is also an ardent fan of local folk singers and describes Tulsa as a kind of crossroads of sound, defined in no small part by its location.

“To me, living in Tulsa has sort of made

me look around,” she says. “We’re right in the middle of everything.”

At the same time, she has encountered her fair share of false perceptions.

“Most people think that we’re still all country music, but we’re part country and part jazz and part rock and part blues and funk and soul and R&B,” she says. “It’s definitely a shock to lots of people, at least to the areas that I’ve traveled performing music, that I’m from Tulsa.

People don’t expect it.”

For Branjae, music is an invaluable cultural tool by which horizons are broadened and barriers eliminated. This applies not only to those who may listen to her work, but also to her enjoyment of other artists’ work.

She stresses the importance of avoiding prejudgment – whether that means a listener prejudging a performer, or an

artist prejudging an audience.

“Just relax and enjoy it,” she says.

To that end, she has gone out of her way to perform in places like smoke-filled biker bars whose musical inclinations are overwhelmingly country. She mentions a specific instance in which the mood in the room “went from weird energy to ‘we got the party started’” as an audience unaccustomed to her chosen idiom quickly warmed to her soulfully expressive vocals.

“We definitely won over some crowds,” she says.

“Born an entertainer,” Branjae has played professionally for 10 years, during which time she has witnessed significant growth in the live music scene, with an ever-increasing

JD MCPHERSON’S LATEST ALBUM, LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL, IS ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION. PHOTO BY SARAH HESS.

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ERIC HIMAN’S LATEST ALBUM, PLAYING CARDS, WAS LARGELY CROWDFUNDED BY FANS. PHOTO BY JOSH NEW.

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number of venues and more interest from the local community – an upswing she is confident will continue, she says.

It pays to be optimistic in this business.

The Need For Support

“Support, support, support” – this is what Branjae emphasizes as she explains what Tulsa in particular and Oklahoma in general needs to establish itself on the musical map. It might entail everything from sharing music online to buying concert tickets, but it is vital that it takes root at the beginning of artists’ careers – not just after they have moved away, found success and returned as hometown heroes, she says.

“I think it really would take the majority of Oklahomans to really respect the music and the artistry that’s happening in Oklahoma and look at it as real and look at it as something that should be paid for, something that should be elevated to the same level as anything that they’re hearing on the radio or what they see on the Grammys or anything like that,” she says.

The constant commercial need to build and maintain an appreciative audience, so often at odds with the artistic motivations that compel creation of music in the first place, is acutely felt by those toiling away in the trenches of the industry, engaging in all manners of selfpromotion just below the radar of mainstream visibility.

“We all have that inner battle, where it’s like, ‘Should I still be doing this? Is it even worth it?’” says Eric Himan, who also makes his home in Tulsa and draws from myriad influences, including soul. However, the pulse of 1980s pop – think Phil Collins – runs more audibly through his work, and he has a special place in his heart for Ani DiFranco.

“But then you meet your idol and they say something nice,” he says. “It’s this weird way

the universe reinforces you.”

For Himan, that reinforcement came from meeting DiFranco, for whom he opened at Cain’s in October 2014.

It also comes from fans, without whose support – much of it financial, via the crowd-funding website PledgeMusic – his newest offering would not have been possible, he says.

The result, Playing Cards, represents a

wanting it for free, but the people who really treasure and respect what you do, which is a gift, they’re willing to spend as much money as it takes to help you get there,” he says.

He envisions Tulsa becoming a more attractive destination for musicians as more industry comes to the city. The growth of the Brady Arts District and plans for the Gathering Place suggest that this is already happening, he says. But he also acknowledges that a relative lack of industry comes with upsides.

“You can breathe out here,” he says.

So will Oklahoma City or Tulsa ever be in a position to truly compete with cities like Austin or Nashville?

“I’m not sure we want that anyway,” Moreland says. “If you go to Austin or Nashville and spend a while sitting in traffic, you might change your mind about that.”

Samantha Crain agrees.

“We certainly have the quality and possibly even the quantity, but I’m not sure how cities become music hubs, and, honestly, I try not to think about it much, because, selfishly, that isn’t what I necessarily want for OKC or Tulsa,” she says. “When cities become these hubs where musicians flock, the music suffers. Everyone’s songs just start to sound alike and people become so comfortable and stagnant. They no longer have the inspiration of different people and ways of life. Everyone just pats each other on the back and commiserates with each other. I personally don’t ever want that for myself.

“I think the reason I can successfully keep writing albums is because my neighbors aren’t all musicians,” she says. “They are artists and bartenders and lawyers and janitors and farmers.”

The artists, the lawyers, the farmers, everyone – they are all there, perhaps the greatest influence of all, their lives woven into the music of their home state, in the songs already cherished and the songs still waiting to be heard.

“I think the reason I can successfully keep writing albums is because my neighbors aren’t all musicians ... They are artists and bartenders and lawyers and janitors and farmers.” concerted effort to repay his contributors with a relatively unique listening experience – an EP split between polished, full-band numbers reflecting his usual mix of favorite sounds, and stripped-down acoustic versions of the same songs, all produced with greater sonic clarity than ever by Zac Maloy in Nashville.

“These songs have so many elements to them anyway, I thought how cool it would be to not give people one or the other, but to give them both,” he says.

With some 14 years of experience under his belt, Himan has known two worlds when it comes to music consumption: one in which people still bought albums, and the current environment in which people expect songs for free, often under the mistaken impression that those who create them are already set financially, he says.

Nostalgia for the CD era notwithstanding, Himan’s outlook – like that of so many other singer-songwriters – remains steadfastly hopeful.

“So you have this idea of certain people

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Oklahoma’s ranching methods may have evolved, but the cowboy is still an integral part of operations.

By Tara Malone Photography by Dan Morgan

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It’s

no coincidence that Oklahoma is home to some of the most iconic personalities and institutions in American cowboy culture. From the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum to the nation’s most famous cowboy, Will Rogers, Oklahoma has a long and storied history of bravos and broncos.

And if you think the dust settled long ago on cowboys in the Sooner state, think again.

Oklahoma hosts scores of major ranching operations, providing support for everything from agritourism to a large chunk of the national beef industry. Many of these ranches’ histories – and their cowboys’ – date as far back as the chaotic years following the Civil War.

The Heart of Cowboy Culture

The Stuart Ranch in south-central Oklahoma is one such operation. The oldest ranch in the state under continuous family ownership, Stuart Ranch sprawls from the tallgrass prairies of Bryan and Atoka counties for more than 100 miles to Jefferson and Stephens counties. Headquartered in Waurika, the business was founded in 1868 by pioneer Robert Clay Feeney, a judge in Indian Territory.

The ranch hosts a large cattle herd, mostly Black Baldies and straight Herefords. The herd divides its time between the original location of the ranch near Caddo in the fall and Jefferson and Stephens counties in the spring. In addition to serving as the base of the business, the Waurika branch of the ranch is home to the family’s show horse and broodmare operations. The cowboys use the horses not only to work cattle on the ranch, but to also participate in competitive events.

The ranch functions as a farm as well, supporting more than 3,000 acres of farm for wheat pastures.

“Diversity helps us through the economic ups and downs of the livestock business,” adds Terry Stuart Forst, “so hunting and outfitting are also part of our ranch operations.”

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suddenly found herself widowed with two young sons and being tapped to take over operations from her father. She went back to school, this time to learn the business side of the family’s ranching empire. Today, she is one of the most respected ranchers in the business, and was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2007.

But even under Forst’s dynamic leadership, running an operation the size of Stuart Ranch takes a dedicated team.

“My sons, Robert and Clay, are the sixth generation to work on our operation,” she says.

And then, of course, there are those vaqueros of lore: the cowboys of Stuart Ranch.

Cowboys over the generations have left their marks on the business, although these days, a cowboy there goes by the moniker of “camp man.” The ranch is home to four camps, and the camp men, each of whom is responsible for all activities at his location, oversee care of the cows, the land and the fences. Gone are the days of the chuck wagon; the ranch provides each camp man with a house, a pick-up truck with a trailer, horses and working facilities for the cattle.

According to Forst, the family’s methods of working cattle have changed little throughout the generations, and the famous work ethic of the traditional cowboy is still a must.

“Many of the older ways of working cattle still are the best,” Forst says. “What has changed is the number of good hands. The best hands probably grew up working cattle, know how to work with a crew, know where to be and how to stay out of the way. Growing up in this culture, one learns about hard work, doing a job right the first time, not quitting ‘til the job is done, manners, respect for people and animals, and strong family values … Cowboys today on this ranch will still care for their cattle, feed during the winter, calve heifers and fix fence and water gaps. At this ranch, the willingness and ability to do whatever needs to be done is a necessity.”

Forst is as passionate about the impact of cowboy culture on her home state as one might expect from someone so steeped in its history.

“Agriculture is a huge part of Oklahoma, both in her history and today,” she says. “ … I think cowboys did and do shape our culture by their values and ethics. We have been taught that our word is our bond. We are taught to help others in need. Family and friends are important, and you ride for the brand, so loyalty and dedication are not questioned. The cowboy culture never gives up. We have the joy of being in God’s creation every day and are so appreciative of the beautiful days … This is often a life, not a job.”

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MIKE ARMITAGE OPERATES A BAR RANCH, A LARGE CATTLE OPERATION EAST OF TULSA.

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It’s Always Been About the Land and the Livestock

Across the state at the A Bar Ranch in Claremore, Mike and Martha Armitage also have felt the pull of the land in Oklahoma.

The couple knows well what it means to be dedicated to the brand; prior to taking over the ranch in 1959, each of them grew up on their own families’ ranches. Today, the Armitage family lives in a 1904 homestead on the original ranch, initially owned by the Rucker family.

“This operation was started from a partnership with a great-aunt in 1959,” Mike Armitage says. “Its growth was fueled only by a desire and love of livestock and the lifestyle and freedom of working on the land.

Both Martha’s and my siblings are in agriculture and cattle production. Our oldest son, Merrit, manages our Mayes County ranches, and our other son, Turner, is a senior at Oklahoma State University studying animal science.”

In time gone by, the A Bar was known as the Rucker Ranch, after the original land allotment to Frank and Dora Rucker in the 1880s. The Ruckers were among the first ranchers to settle in northeast Oklahoma, along with Clement Rogers, father of Oklahoma’s favorite native son, Will Rogers. In 1883, Armitage says, four ranchers (including Rucker and Rogers) settled near modernday Claremore. In that time, the district was home to some 20,000 head of cattle, and during the early part of the 20th century, the Cowboy Poet himself did time as a ranch hand at what would eventually become the A Bar. Rogers often included the Rucker Ranch in his Wild West shows, and the bond between the families was strong. Together, the cowboys of northeast Oklahoma rode for the brand of their respective ranches and worked the individual grazing districts zoned around their base from the chuck wagon.

Over the years, the Rucker Ranch evolved into a 22,500-acre empire stretching east of Claremore. Today, on that same land, the cowboys of A Bar Ranch work a cowherd of 1,500 head, mostly Angus, as well as other cattle the Armitage family breed and graze.

In addition to cattle operations, A Bar is home to 100 American Quarter Horse Association broodmares.

Armitage says that the day-to-day duties of the modern cowboy often change with the season. In the winter, cattle require nutritional protein boosts to combat the cold climate.

In the spring, cowboys have their hands full with calving season and with protecting newborn calves from Oklahoma’s severe storms. During the summer and fall months,

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the cattle are bred, branded and vaccinated.

There is never a slow moment in the life of a cowboy.

While some methods have evolved over the years, the iconic image of the cowboy on horseback is an essential component of modern ranching operations. Armitage agrees with Forst that traditional cattle-working methods have endured the test of time since the era of Oklahoma’s original cowboys.

“The basic principle remains the same of cow care,” he says. “ ... Larger operations continue to utilize cowboys on horseback for cattle handling. The handling of cattle on horseback is an inherited art form from our predecessors of the plains.”

In many ways, however, the operations of the modern cowboy have been transformed in recent years. While Forst credits the advent of technology as a primary gamechanger for such cowboy duties as animal care especially, Armitage notes other developments in operations as well.

“Like all of agriculture, [ranching] has become increasingly productive,” he says. “ … Cowboy-ing today involves all the same skill sets of sorting, roping and riding from the 1880s, with a controlled environment of artificial breeding, tighter calving periods and shorter grazing seasons.”

Call them cowboys or camp men, the cowboys of Oklahoma continue to be the backbone on which the state’s history and culture is built.

“Oklahoma’s favorite son, Will Rogers, gave cowboys and cattlemen an opportunity and image that lives on,” Armitage says.

“The independence of ranching and the cowboy lifestyle portrayed throughout generations continue to thrive today.”

“Yes, this job pays the bills, which we need it to do,” says Forst. “But a love and passion for the land, the livestock, raising our children with strong morals and work ethics, and getting to watch the sun come up between a horse’s ears are the reasons we choose this life.”

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W

A Woman’s World

In study after study, Oklahoma falls towards the bottom, especially where women are concerned. But, true to the Oklahoma spirit, when faced with great adversity, many times, success prevails. The women of our state can impact great change. We have highlighted five women who decided to impact their world for the betterment of their gender.

By Lindsay Cuomo

Making History, Impacting Lives

Judge Sharon Holmes took an unlikely path to becoming the first female black district judge in Tulsa County.

“I started law school late in life,” admits Holmes. “I didn’t go to law school until I was 40.”

Holmes received her bachelor’s degree on an ROTC scholarship and then spent six years in the Air Force on the security police force. After being stationed in Montana and two tours in Germany, Holmes decided it was time for a different phase of life.

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“I decided to focus on being a mother,” shares Holmes.

Inspired by a friend years earlier, Holmes enrolled at Oklahoma City University in 1996. She graduated three years later and went to work for the Tulsa County District Attorney’s office as an assistant D.A. In 2003, Holmes ventured into private practice.

This past November all that changed.

“When I was in private practice, I hadn’t thought about being a judge,” confesses Holmes. “Friends planted that seed, and over time the idea started to appeal to me.”

In a few whirlwind months, that idea became a reality. She filed to run in February

2014 and was officially sworn in on Jan. 12, 2015.

“It took about 30 minutes to get us all sworn in, and then we all went straight to work,” remembers Holmes. “I don’t think I can express how humbled I am to get this position. It is a big responsibility, and the people of Tulsa County deserve a person who understands that and will always do the right thing. When the people of a community show you that confidence, I have a heavy burden to do my best.”

Holmes believes her unique position and life experiences allow her to help those in great need who enter her courtroom.

THE HON. SHARON HOLMES WAS SWORN IN AS THE FIRST FEMALE BLACK JUDGE IN TULSA COUNTY. PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN.

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“People typically look at the criminal system as the worst, but there are successes that come out of it,” says Holmes. “The position I am in now gives me a little more authority to get them the resources they need.

“When you see an individual that everyone else has given up on use the tools given to them to complete their probation or program and come out a better person, that is what inspires me,” explains Holmes. “When you see people come out a success, I relish that.”

As a woman and a mother, Holmes prefers to utilize alternative services rather than a prison sentence, where appropriate.

“Unfortunately, there are people who need jail time,” says Holmes. “But for others, there are wonderful programs that teach life skills and drug treatment to help them reincorporate into society as a valuable contributor.”

When she takes off the robe, Holmes educates youth on the judiciary process. Many of her friends and family feel she is a role model for women. Her life motto is if you want something you can get it by working hard.

“You don’t always have to do things in a traditional way,” encourages Holmes.

Passion For Public Service

Emily Virgin was first introduced to Oklahoma’s political system at the tender age of 4 when her grandfather ran for Cleveland County commissioner. She would go on to spend many of her childhood years helping her grandfather with his campaigns.

“I grew up working on his campaigns and many others,” remembers Virgin. “I always knew that I wanted to be active in politics and perhaps run for office. It became something that I was very passionate about and loved doing.”

Just two decades later, at the age of 23, Virgin was elected to the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, representing district 44.

“All my dad had to say was, ‘I think you could win that seat,’ and I was sold,” says Virgin. “I knew it was something I wanted to do, and I knew I was qualified from my time volunteering at nonprofits in Norman and the fact that I grew up here and knew the issues very well.”

While still in law school at the University of Oklahoma, Virgin won her first election with 63 percent of the vote. She is now in her third term serving the citizens in her district. Virgin says she wants her time in the Oklahoma House to be spent working for

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REP. EMILY VIRGIN (D-NORMAN) WAS DRIVEN TO A CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE AFTER A CHILDHOOD OF WORKING ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS WITH HER GRANDFATHER. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

those who may not otherwise have a voice.

“I feel like I am making a difference by speaking for the people who don’t necessarily have a lobbyist representing them at the Capitol,” says Virgin.

One of those voices she feels a strong connection to is that of women.

“We have such a low number of women in the legislature, I feel it’s important that every female legislator speak out for women,” she says.

Virgin currently sits on the Education Budget and Appropriations Committee as well as the Committee for Higher Education and Career Technology and Judiciary and Civil Procedure. During her term, she has been an outspoken advocate on many issues impacting women and children, from health care and incarceration rates to education budgets.

“I also always propose legislation to increase access to optional and comprehensive sex education in public schools. I believe that’s a great way to decrease teen pregnancies, and its effectiveness has been proven in other states,” says Virgin.

As the assistant minority leader, Virgin informs and unites the Democratic members of the House.

“It’s a role I really enjoy, as it enables me to form relationships with new members of the caucus and help guide them through learning about the legislative process,” says Virgin.

Wearing yet another hat at the House, Virgin spends a lot of her focus championing against legislation she feels would be detrimental to Oklahoma.

“I often say that a lot of what I do is like playing defense,” says Virgin. “I work against proposals that I think would be detrimental to the populations I care about, and I also try to advocate for funding for certain areas of government.”

However, Virgin feels the most important part of her job is not only making an impact herself but inspiring others to get involved as well.

“I have the opportunity to speak to so many young women and girls about the opportunities ahead of them and encourage them to run for public office someday,” says Virgin. “Study after study has shown that women are more likely to be open-minded when it comes to solving the big problems at all levels of government. I think this is a big reason why we need more women in politics.”

Running for a political position is not the only way to be involved, adds Virgin. Never be afraid to talk with your legislator about issues that are important to you.

“Most legislators are very willing to talk to citizens about the problems they’re facing or the issues they see as important to Oklahoma,” says Virgin. “Contacting a legislator is not hard. Most of us are available via email or phone, and some of us are very active on social media as well.”

Level The Playing Field

As a young girl, the game of golf meant a lot to Sheila Dills, currently the president of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association (WOGA). The popularity of women’s golf had not reached the levels it has today. For Dills, a native of Vinita, access to the sport was difficult.

The successes of female golfers, such as

“Girls’ sports are only receiving a third of funding that boys’ sports do.”

Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Kim, have had a positive effect on the sport’s popularity among women; Although, younger females still face similar challenges.

“Women only make up about 20 percent of golfers,” says Dills. “At a golf course, you are lucky if you have one or two girls wanting to play.

“I started playing golf at the age of 7,” recalls Dills. “My parents did not play the game, and it was really the local women who took me under their belt after they saw the desire I had to be a good player.”

These women were an important source of support during her teen years.

“It is an amazing feeling as a teenager to know there are people who believe in you when you are at a time in your life when your belief in yourself can be somewhat shaky,” shares Dills.

She continued to play golf at the collegiate level and beyond, and she won several Oklahoma State Amateur titles and qualified for the U.S. Open twice.

Today, Dills aims to give the next genera-

tion of women golfers the same opportunities she had.

“Women and girls are the fastest growing demographic in the game,” says Dills. “It’s important to offer tournaments and championships for women as well as get more girls the opportunity to get involved in the game of golf.”

In 2012, Dills’ work brought about significant change to the WOGA. In November of that year, the organization became a public charity, allowing donors to contribute to the outreach programs Dills could only dream of before.

“We had no avenue for donors to support the charitable programs we needed to begin making a difference in the lives of young girls,” explains Dills.

The work they now do at WOGA goes well beyond the game of golf. Golf is simply a tool used to create friendship, confidence and so many other important life skills.

“Sport is a very powerful bridge to gender equality,” shares Dills. “We want to inspire girls to live active, healthy lives and create friendships, self-esteem and leadership opportunities.”

WOGA has several tools they use to reach young female golfers: tournaments, school grants, scholarships and the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Chapter, which began in March.

The tournaments provide a physical place for girls to compete, as well as a shared community.

Considered by Dills to be the heart and soul of the work at WOGA, its grant program provides much-needed financial support to junior and high school girls’ golf programs throughout Oklahoma.

“So far, we have been able to give a grant to every school that has applied,” says Dills.

These grants can fund a variety of needs.

“Girls are just as deserving as boys to have the things they need to succeed,” says Dills. “I want WOGA to be a voice for these girls.”

WOGA’s scholarship program was created to help young girls reach their higher education goals, not just the advanced female golfers. Scholarships are open to any young woman who has demonstrated a high level of achievement during high school, has financial need and has shown an interest in the game of golf.

“The application is mainly based on need and educational achievement, not on the applicant’s golf skills,” says Dills.

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ways WOGA reaches more girls. Through partnerships with organization like the WPGA and First Tee, they are reaching girls in elementary school, giving them access to the game of golf.

“We need more women to support us so we can keep growing,” confesses Dills. “Golf is an important way to level the playing field in business. A lot of business deals are made on the golf course and if a woman knows how to play she won’t get left out or overlooked.”

#YesAllDaughters

In November 2014, the hashtag #Yesalldaughters became a worldwide trending topic on social media. What started out as a small group of high school students giving victims support has inspired a new state law and an international political conversation.

Danielle Brown was deeply bothered by the treatment of several alleged victims of sexual assault at her school. The Norman High School student turned to her aunt, Stacey Wright, looking for advice on how to organize a protest and seeking ways to help fellow classmates in need.

“My niece came to me,” remembers Wright.

“She was upset that [a fellow classmate] had been bullied out of school. She felt my knitting circle could help.”

Wright invited the classmate and her mom to share their story with the club.

“A few of us were compelled to act,” shares Wright. “I was still recovering myself from a sexual assault, so I knew firsthand what a soulshattering experience these girls were going through.”

In just a few short days, they had a plan and a name.

“We chose the name Yes All Daughters because we knew it could have been anyone.

It could have been our daughter this happened to,” says Wright.

They set up a Facebook page, a list of demands for the school administration and began making the necessary arrangements for a safe protest.

“We wanted a peaceful, quiet walkout,” says Wright. “It was a very important moment for the girls to see all those people caring about them.”

Students, parents and other concerned community members lined the street outside Norman High School. Wright says that 1,500 people participated in the initial protest on Nov. 24. The success of the student protest helped propel the movement.

“After the protest, we thought we could rest for a bit,” confesses Wright.

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SHEILA DILLS IS PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION AND CHAMPION AMATEUR GOLFER. PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN.

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STACY WRIGHT, LEFT, AND HER NIECE, DANIELLE BROWN, BEGAN THE #YESALLDAUGHTERS CAMPAIGN IN NOVEMBER 2014 IN RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AT A NORMAN HIGH SCHOOL. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

But, the work had really just begun. Norman Public Schools established a Gender-based Violence and Bullying Prevention task force to address the demands. Wright became a member of that task force.

“By the end of the school year, each of the high schools will have a full time victims’ advocate whose sole job is to respond to allegations of assault and bullying and get those students the resources they need,” says Wright.

“We are also building a curriculum for sexual assault and bullying prevention training.

“We hope what we are doing in the Norman

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high schools will be an example for others to follow,” she adds.

Yes All Daughters has impacted more than just the Norman community. Rep. Claudia Griffith (D-Norman) wrote House Bill 1362 hoping to amend the Safe School Committee provisions authorizing the development of an optional rape or sexual assault response program for students and school staff.

Yes All Daughters’ reach has extended beyond the state level. This past March, Wright spent a week in New York City as a delegate of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status

of Women, a global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

“This is an important year for the Commission,” says Wright. “It’s the 20th anniversary of the United Nation’s Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and we worked to write the goals for the next 20 years.

“We had no idea Yes All Daughters would have a voice this loud and for this long,” she adds. “This is and will be the most important work of my life.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Dr. Courtney O’Brien Dr. O’Brien had 14 years of experience in the exercise and physiology business as a business owner and health consultant within a medical setting. She spent those years successfully designing rehabilitative, training, fitness and nutrition programs. After earning a master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. specializing in the field of psychology, Dr. O’Brien continues to work in the private sector as a Licensed Professional Counselor, helping those who struggle with depression, anxiety and other challenging mental health issues within the areas of sexuality. These issues are mental health topics very difficult to find within one practitioner’s specialty.

“These individual and relational concerns affect most of us at some point in our lives depending upon our experiences, desires, needs and expectations.

Depression, anxiety and sexual issues all have an intimate relationship with us, in the same way we have shared a connection with a partner. If sadness, fear, anger or other feelings create retreat from a relationship, the issue itself becomes the primary relationship,” says Dr. O’Brien.

Dr. O’Brien’s success is based on understanding one’s symptoms and finding the best method of treatment. As a rule, her overall philosophy is to treat the causes as well as the symptoms. Attention is given to each individual, providing personalized growth opportunities to facilitate experiences that are holistic, trusting and genuine in nature. Many times, psychotherapy and medication are necessary; however, less traditional means of therapy, such as exercise, nutrition and behavior changes, are needed to meet the requirements of the client’s therapeutic goals. Dr. O’Brien works with all populations, individuals, families and couples.

Dr. Courtney O’Brien PhD/MHR/LPC

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Gleeful Peacock Six years ago Nikki turned 30 and began searching for the colorful and artistic self she once knew. Of all that she pursued, jewelry became her favorite. “I had a sort of rebirth during this time, wanting to do more interesting things with my life. I entered a craft show and did much better than I expected. All of a sudden I found myself thinking, ‘Oh! Maybe I’m onto something…’”

In 2012, Nikki opened doors on Brookside Gleeful Peacock with the motto, “Be colorful, be happy,” and began going to larger craft shows in Austin and Chicago. In this time, she was approached about stocking shops with her fun, hand-painted jewelry. “One of the biggest steps I made in my business was exhibiting at the Dallas Market Center.

Wholesale buyers were so excited about my pieces that we have now exhibited in Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas with over 60 sales representatives and 2,000+ stores internationally.”

With the initial motivation to only support herself, Nikki is now able to employ about 30 people. “The more talented people I hire, the faster my business grows.”

Gleeful Peacock provides good jobs with flexible hours to women with children, often single mothers, and college students. It strives for a work environment that doesn’t make anyone choose between work and family. “A quote that accurately describes our fast growth is one that reads, ‘You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step,’ By Martin Luther King, Jr. I strive to focus on the next hurdle, keeping things from getting too overwhelming while keeping the vision of my goal. It’s important as an entrepreneur to surround yourself with people that get your vision!”

Nikki Halgren Owner/Founder

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Gleeful Peacock Broken Arrow, OK • 918.872.9456 gleefulpeacock.com • custserv@gleefulpeacock.com

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

McGraw Realtors Grand Lake Diana Riley Patterson, top real estate associate for McGraw Realtors Grand Lake, was awarded 2014 $15 MILLION Club in Volume Sales overall at McGraw Realtors. She was also recognized for being in the top 100 Realtors in Tulsa. Having had her license for 36 years, she has only been in the business since 2006. Born and raised on Grand Lake and from a real estate family, her specialty is South Grand Lake and loves listing and selling waterfront and water view properties.

McGraw Realtors Grand Lake Diana Riley Patterson

Diana Riley Patterson

918.629.3717 • dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

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Amy Kesner Counseling Services Dr. Amy Kesner has served in the field of mental health for more than 20 years. She earned her doctorate degree in psychology from Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center. Dr. Kesner practices in Oklahoma as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) as well as a drug and alcohol counselor (LADC). She worked for 15 years with children who have been abused and neglected and placed in Therapeutic Foster Care system addressing attachment issues and trauma; provided alcohol and drug counseling for more than 20 years, including working through her private practice and providing services for DOC and drug court clients; Dr. Kesner also worked within a hospital setting at Brookhaven Psychiatric Hospital in Tulsa. She has copublished one article with Steven Pritzker, Ph.D. in, ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation titled “Therapeutic Horseback Riding with Children Placed in the Foster Care System.” Dr. Kesner started her own practice, Amy Kesner Counseling Services, in 2012. Dr. Kesner and her business partner operate a mental health agency, Keystone Counseling and Therapeutic Services, in Cleveland, Oklahoma, to provide quality services to rural communities. They also run a not for profit organization called the Catalpa Institute with the goal or raising funds to help educate the community on a variety of issues and topics including parenting, nutrition, and education.

Dr. Kesner continues to find ways to help those in need and educate on topics related to mental health and personal growth by speaking at various engagements and offering her services, professional opinion and experiences to help the community.

Amy Kesner Counseling Services 5505 S. Lewis Ave Tulsa, OK 74105 www.amykesner.com • 918.691.2226 dramykesner@gmail.com

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center In today’s fast paced world, we find ourselves requiring more of an “instant gratification” experience when it comes to maintaining our appearance. Instant results and non invasive procedures are the epitome of the BA Med Spa. We strive to provide as little “down time” as possible. With a wide array of services, from Botox® and injectables to body sculpting and weight loss; Founder and Entrepreneur Malissa Spacek has made a mark on the Broken Arrow business scene. Aside from the BA Med Spa, Malissa also owns Sparky’s Wine & Spirits, located at 131st & Elm Place.

BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center • Sparky’s Wine & Spirits 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com • malissa@baweightspa.com

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Keller Williams Preferred Morrissey has been fortunate to have found a career that allows her to be creative and continuously challenged to do the best for her clients. It has allowed her to make changes, like her recent move to Keller Williams, and discover strengths she did not know she had. Because of this, she has been a multi-million dollar producer every year since her second year as a Realtor. “I have found some amazing role models in women in this business that have made me realize how versatile and how much we bring to the table,” she says. “Most of us have been wives and mothers and are natural multitaskers and problem solvers, which is mandatory in this business.

My daughter has recently graduated from college and is working in the education field, and there is no better feeling than when I talk to her and I know that I have passed on some of these traits.”

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Teri Aulph Consulting For business consultant Teri Aulph, the path to achieving measurable outcomes for her clients always begins with listening. An author, speaker and business consultant, Aulph has worked with Fortune 500 companies around the world to help them find the best way to successfully help companies refine “people” processes and improve profitability. She understands the complex issues that companies face and works side-by-side with them to assist with business consulting and solutions; people training and talent management; exective coaching and strategy development.

Teri Aulph Consulting Business Consultant • Executive Coach • Professional Speaker • Author 918.504.7890 teriaulph.com • teri@teriaulph.com

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Summit Recruiting, Inc. “If you can make a positive impact in someone’s life every single day, your own will have true meaning!” — the mantra upon which Debra Cox has built her professional legal recruitment firm, Summit Recruiting, Inc. since 1998. “At Summit, we have the unique opportunity to help people find their dream jobs that will improve their lives, while assisting law firms and corporate legal departments in hiring the ‘best of the best’ talent for their businesses. It’s truly rewarding when we can help both parties achieve their goals,” says Debra. She also firmly believes in giving back to the legal community by serving on TU’s and TCC’s Paralegal Advisory Boards, supporting Tulsa ALA, TCBA, TAPA, NALS and NALA. Additionally, Debra and her German Shepherd, Nala, a member of the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office court therapy dog team, provide therapy assistance to children who must testify in court.

Debra Cox Owner/CEO

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THE PROFESSIONALS PhD LicenseD ProfessionaL counseLor Are you struggling with forgiving and moving forward with your life?

Feelings of anger, resentment and animosity can house a battlefield of emotions that rule a kingdom of hate and fury, slowly developing into a normal, but painful existence.

COURTNEY LINSENMEYERPride and ego can convince us of O’BRIEN, PHD, LPC, MHR a self-righteousness reality and an aversion to accept accountability for past mistakes. As we form alliances to safeguard our positions, our justifications and defenses become our truths and our wars become our lives. This makes living life in a minefield difficult, but predictable over the course of time. The ultimate gift of living in the present moment is letting go of the pain in the past.

Courtney Linsenmeyer-O’Brien, PhD, LPC, MHR 1723 E. 15th St., Suite 250, Tulsa, OK 74104 918.639.0570 www.drcourtneyobrien.com drobrien@drcourtneyobrien.com

Veterinarian What are some helpful summer pet safety tips?

DR. RODNEY ROBARDS

Summer is right around the corner.

Pet owners must be aware that extra care must be given to make sure that their furry friends are healthy and safe.

The extreme heat in Oklahoma can be much worse for our pets. Those with dark coats, geriatric or obese pets, and those with shorter muzzles require extra caution.

• Provide a sufficient amount of water for your pet at all times!

If your pet is outdoors, make sure the water does not get too hot in their bowl.

• Limit your dog’s sun exposure by walking them in the early morning and evening when temperatures are lower.

• Pet fur acts as a sunscreen in itself, so the shorter your pet’s hair, the more susceptible they are to sunburn. Please consider before grooming, and if you must shave your pet, try to do it early in the summer, giving the hair time to grow out.

• If your pet has short hair, pink skin and/or white fur, they will be especially vulnerable to sun damage.

• Pavement and asphalt can get especially hot and burn your pet’s paws, which is why it’s best to walk your dog when it’s cooler out, or keep them on grass and sidewalk.

Rodney Robards, DVM Southern Hills Veterinary Hospital 2242 E. 56th Pl., Tulsa, OK 74105 918.747.1311 www.southernhillsvet.com

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PersonaL trainer

insurance ProfessionaL

How do I stay away from dehydration?

What is Uninsured Motorist coverage?

Dehydration is the excessive loss of water from the body. An average adult should drink 64 to 96 ounces of water every day. Carbohydrate, juice and electrolyte drinks are good hydrators as well. RequireJOHN JACKSON ments vary with activity and age; most active people need two times the average amount. A good way to measure is to drink a 12-ounce bottle every hour, and if hot, increase to a bottle and a half each hour. The hours after exercise are the most important for replenishing depleted fluids. Talk to a health professional to help you choose which brand of hydration is going to be best for specific carbohydrate (sugar) and water needs.

John Jackson, Personal Trainer St. John Siegfried Health Club 1819 E. 19th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.902.4028 jljackson70@hotmail.com

Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on an auto insurance policy is often misunderstood. The most misunderstood part of this coverage involves property damage. Many consumers think UM coverage will pay to repair JARED PETERSON their vehicle if struck by an uninsured driver. In Oklahoma, this is not the case. UM coverage only pays for bodily injury to you and passengers in your vehicle if struck by an uninsured motorist. You must carry collision coverage on your vehicle in order for your auto policy to cover repairs. This provides a coverage gap for consumers who decide to drop collision coverage due to the age or lower value of their vehicle. UM coverage in Oklahoma also has a provision called “underinsured motorist” coverage. If the at-fault driver has insurance but injuries exceed the coverage amount from their policy, UM coverage will kick in to pay more benefits up to your policy limits. If you have questions or your auto insurance or need a quote, contact a AAA agent near you.

Jared Peterson, AAA Oklahoma 2121 E 15th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.748.1030 Jared.Peterson@aaaok.org

Pr & Marketing consuLtant

PhysicaL theraPy

I have a small advertising budget. What is the quickest way to grow my business so I can increase my budget?

Referrals are tremendously powerful and offer your business a chance to grow like no other. People would rather do business with people they JESSICA DYER know, or know of, than with strangers. After all, few things are more reassuring than a positive endorsement from someone you know and trust. Ask for referrals; there's nothing pushy about it. Getting a referral is the highest compliment you can receive, and people won’t give them to you unless you deserve it. One of the most powerful ways to elicit referrals is to give them generously yourself. Most people will appreciate the referral, and it may inspire them to respond in kind. Always thank someone who has given you a referral. Send them a note, keep them informed of your progress and maybe even treat them to lunch. Referrals, partnered with sharp advertising, creative marketing and smart social media can exponentially grow your business.

Jessica Dyer, Emerge Marketing & PR 539.777.6087 Jdyer@emergempr.com www.facebook.com/EmergePR

I’m middle aged, and due to chronic low back pain, I recently had an MRI. The report mentions degenerative disc, bulging disc and facet arthropathy. Will I need surgery to correct these problems or can physical therapy help?

What you are describing is considered spondylosis, which is a term that means spine arthritis. As we age, everyone has arthritic changes occurring in different areas of their body.

MRIs will show some amount of spine arthritis and is often considered normal when taking age into account. Surgery is required at times. Often, however, when the symptoms do not include numbness or weakness due to neural compromise, a person can realize benefit from visiting a skilled physical therapist. Please realize, even an MRI that shows arthritic changes does not mean that the individuals pain is coming from the arthritis. Many people have spine arthritis and no pain at all. Pain can often be muscular in nature and can even result from diminished neural mobility. Certain manual techniques, such as dry needling and neural and joint mobilization, can dramatically help in decreasing pain associated with those issues.

Additionally, certain exercises and stretches can help decrease and minimize the potential for recurrence of symptoms.

TIM MINNICK, PT

Tim Minnick, PT Excel Therapy Specialists 2232 West Houston, Broken Arrow, OK 918.259.9522 www.exceltherapyok.com

Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its affiliates.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

To be included in the Professionals, call 918.744.6205.

LegaL serVices What is a Deed of Trust?

A Deed of Trust, comparable to a mortgage, is a real estate security document used in several states.

Both a Deed of Trust and mortgage grant a security interest in real property to secure repayment of a debt. In a mortgage, the property BRAD BEASLEY owner grants a security interest in real property directly to the party to whom the debt is owed, typically a bank. In a Deed of Trust, a third party is named as the trustee to hold title to the property until the debt is repaid. The party to whom the debt is owed is the beneficiary of the Deed of Trust. If default occurs under a Deed of Trust, upon request of the beneficiary, foreclosure proceedings will be commenced.

Ultimately, the trustee will advertise and sell the property at public auction to satisfy the debt while the sheriff will sell the property at public auction secured by a mortgage.

hosPice care The doctor has recommended that we consider hospice care for my aunt. I am not sure she has the money to pay for this care.

What are the options available to us?

The first thing you should know is that most private insurance companies as well as Medicare will cover hospice AVA HANCOCK care, so I recommend that you first check with your insurance company. At Grace Hospice we work with patients and their families to help them determine their coverage options. Even if your insurance will not cover hospice care, we can help. Grace Hospice is committed to ensure that any patient that needs hospice care will receive it, regardless of ability to pay. In addition, The Grace Hospice Foundation is a 501 c-3 organization that can subsidize the cost of care for any individual who needs hospice care but does not have another source that can cover the cost.

Please call Grace Hospice any time at 918.744.7223 for more information.

“Grace Hospice: Caring for patients and families in Northeastern Oklahoma for 15 years”

Bradley K. Beasley Boesche McDermott LLP 110 W. 7th St., Suite 900 Tulsa, OK 74119 918.858.1735 (Direct Dial) 918.583.1777 telephone 918.592.5809 facsimile

DeVeLoPMentaL oPtoMetrist What is a developmental optometrist?

Yearly eye exams by optometrists are to check the overall health of the eyes and evaluate the patients’ vision and glasses prescription. A developmental optometrist probes deeper into how the eyes function MEGAN KIRKPATRICK, OD and work together. They will provide further testing and also question the patient's academic performance, specifically with reading and math. They are looking to see if there are any possible learning-related vision disorders and make sure the child has developed all the visual skills needed to adequately perform tasks required in their daily lives, especially at school. Developmental optometrists typically complete a post-graduate residency specializing in pediatrics and vision therapy. After two to three years of working in the field, they can become a board certified Fellow of the College of Optometry in Vision Development. It’s important that if your child is struggling in school or has poor visual attention that they be evaluated by a developmental optometrist. To locate a developmental optometrist visit covd.org.

Megan Kirkpatrick, OD South Tulsa Vision Development Center 8988- D1 S Sheridan Tulsa, OK 74133 918.992.2343 www.tulsavisiondevelopment.com

Ava Hancock Executive Director Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6400 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

Weight ManageMent sPeciaList What can I do to protect my skin this summer?

A: During the summer months it is essential to protect your skin from the sun; especially, your face, neck, chest, and hands. Choosing the right sunscreen is crucial so make sure to choose one that is formulated MALISSA SPACEK for your skin care needs and that blocks both UVA (accelerate aging and cause many types of skin cancer) and UVB (protects against burn). This means checking the SPF is not enough. SPF ratings mainly examine only UVB rays.

Sunscreens like Circaidia® SPF 37 work great because it protects against both UVA and UVB rays, and other environmental factors. It is specially formulated to last all day under makeup and through sweat; and its’ oil-free formula works great on all skin types, even sensitive skin.

To schedule a complementary consultation to discuss all your summer skin needs call today at (918) 872-9999.

Dr. James R. Campbell D.O. and Malissa Spacek, Founder BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 500 South Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com

LicenseD ProfessionaL counseLor

Men’s styLe consuLtant I keep hearing about this J.Hilburn Men's Clothier company, and I want to find out more about it. What is it?

Have you ever said to your wife or friend, "Man, I hate shopping," "I can't find anything I like," "It's way too expensive," or "It just doesn't AUTUMN POHL fit correctly?" Then of course, after buying it because you need it, you more than likely will need to get it tailored, which only makes your purchase that much more expensive. To be honest, guys have the raw end of the deal when it comes to clothing. In comes J.Hilburn, a company that is revolutionizing the way that men shop. We are a customized Italian clothing line that offers so much more than the exceptional product. The clients who seek us are searching for a better experience all together, and that's just what we give them. We make it convenient by coming to you at a time that works best for your schedule. We design the wardrobe from many details, from fabrics, stitching, collars, pockets, etc. The fit is made just for your body based on the personal measurements we take. Finally, once ordered and delivered, we bring the product to you and ensure the fit and satisfaction.

Autumn Pohl Independent Style Consultant J.Hilburn Men’s Clothier 918.407.4024 www.autumnpohl.jhilburn.com Autumn.pohl@jhilburnpartner.com

How can I boost morale around the workplace? I have a small company and it seems they get in a slump and it affects job performance.

Often, the focus of mental health falls on the individual. However, mental health affects everything we do. If the overall mood of a workplace is negative, it spreads to others and takes a toll on job performance. We spend most of our lifetimes at our job, so it is important that we find ways to enjoy it or look forward to being there. Recently, several studies found that a sense of meaningful work is good for the worker and for a company, that even employees in somewhat tiresome jobs can find a variety of ways to give their work more meaning. Impressing upon employees how valuable they are and the importance of the job they do can make it feel more meaningful to them. Give praise even for small tasks, make the workplace more enjoyable and do creative lunch break days. Pay attention to the decor of the office environment, as it does affect overall mood. Allowing for ample break times, as long as duties are completed, also encourages the morale of employees, as they feel you value their ability to care for their needs during a day.

AMY KESNER, PHD, LPC, LADC

Amy Kesner, All Things Psychological 5500 S. Lewis, Suite 5505, Tulsa, OK 74105 918.691.2226 www.amykesner.com dramykesner@gmail.com MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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se to home cooking as it gets!

A Northeast Oklahoma Tradition Since 1969 T-Sa 11am-9pm • Sun 11am-8pm • Daily Specials 1616 W. Will Rogers Blvd. • Next to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum

918-341-7333 • hammetthouse.com

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Celebrating our

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Reserve an evening of “World Class” Caesar Salad with Steak, Lobster, Chicken or Fish.

Friday & Saturday night featuring Mark Bryan.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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STUFFED SCALLOPS WITH RED PEPPER COULIS IS AMONG THE SEAFOOD SELECTIONS AT BROADWAY 10.

BELOW: THE CREME BRULEE IS TOPPED WITH FRESH BERRIES. PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS.

Taste

FOOD, DRINK, AND OTHER PLEASURES

Inside Looking Out

F

Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse serves a steakhouse menu with a twist.

or decades Automobile Alley, once a destination for purchasing vehicles, languished. Abandoned buildings that were originally built to house car showrooms served as a reminder of the fallen status of the strip of Broadway Avenue just north of downtown Oklahoma City.

But in the past decade, Automobile Alley has undergone a renaissance, along with many downtown districts, and is now bustling with small businesses, coffeehouses and restaurants that serve both regulars and visitors. Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, which opened in late 2014, is the newest addition to this scene.

The restaurant’s structure was built in the 1920s as a

Buick dealership; the panoramic windows that once attracted passersby to cup their hands to their eyes and stare through the window to view the gleaming, steel behemoths now give patrons a view of those outside.

Intimate tables and leather banquettes occupy the first floor of the restaurant. Neutral colors and dark, rich wood run throughout the space. The second floor dining area is circled by glass. White linens offer a sophisticated touch.

The bar, impressive and imposing, takes up much of the first floor. Nearby, a glassencased wine cellar MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Taste

HEAD CHEF JOHN PATTERSON HOLDS THE SEA BASS BUERRE BLANC.

ON WHEELS

TASTE OF SOUL EGG ROLL

Serving the Oklahoma City metro area, Taste of Soul’s wheels aren’t the only things rolling. If you’re tired of the same old egg roll, keep a look out for this food truck that roams Oklahoma City’s streets, adding zest to the age-old creation. In its mobile kitchen, delicious ingredients are rolled into flavorful, unusual egg rolls. For breakfast, try a deep fried roll stuffed with sausage or bacon, hash browns and cheese. The Original wraps seasoned ground turkey, shredded cabbage and carrots into a golden fried roll. Go with CO-OWNER RICKI The Cluck for chicken, the BLY DISPLAYS A MEAL FROM All Veggie for greens and TASTE OF SOUL the Soul Rice for spice. In EGG ROLL. PHOTO BY BRENT the mood for something

sweet? Tastees come filled with a choice of apple or cherry and is topped with powdered sugar. With selections changing daily, and new creations constantly appearing, follow Taste of Soul Egg Roll on Facebook to see what and where it’s rolling. 405.863.0771 – Brittany Anicetti

FUCHS.

shows off the restaurant’s many vintages.

Private dining areas are available throughout the restaurant, as is a Chef’s Table.

But most don’t visit Broadway 10 for the linens or the views; they come for the food and drinks.

Classic steakhouse favorites make up the bulk of Broadway 10’s menu. Steak tartare, roasted beet salad and French onion soup are three great ways to begin the dining experience. A surprising addition to the menu, Broadway 10 also offers many sushi rolls, perfect as an appetizer or great to enjoy alongside a cocktail.

Steaks, pork and veal chops and New Zealand lamb are aged for 28 days to create a rich, meaty flavor. Enjoy steaks, prime rib or chops with one of five specialty sauces offered by Broadway 10. All are served with a choice of potato or Gorgonzola mac and cheese.

Those searching for seafood options are also in luck. Lobster, king crab, salmon and fresh fish are also served. Dry-roasted mushrooms, green beans and asparagus are a few side dishes that are available to complement meat or fish dishes. Leave room for Kelley’s Chocolate Cake and pressed coffee for dessert.

Broadway 10 is also a lunch destination for those working in the downtown area.

Televisions broadcasting sporting events are located in the bar area, and the crowd can cause a raucous during Thunder games.

1101 N. Broadway Ave., Oklahoma City. www.broadwayokc10.com JAMI MATTOX

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T H E B UZ Z

HOOT OWL COFFEE & ROASTERY

Hoot Owl Coffee has sold direct trade coffee since 2010. The roastery has gained a following in the Tulsa area for its unique blends and exquisite coffee. Now, Hoot Owl followers can get their fix without touching a French press.

Hoot Owl Coffee recently opened its first brick-and-mortar establishment in the historical Kendall-Whittier neighborhood in Tulsa.

Serving hot and cold coffee drinks, espressos

and pour-over, Hoot Owl is a welcome addition to the burgeoning business district here.

In addition to selling individual drinks, Hoot Owl also sells whole bean coffee by the pound in its shop. And patrons can buy their coffee with a good conscience: For every pound sold, Hoot Owl donates one pound of food to local food banks. 1 N. Lewis Ave., Tulsa. www. hootowlcoffee.com – Jami Mattox HOOT OWL SERVES ITS SIGNATURE COFFEE THAT IS ROASTED IN-HOUSE. PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

L O C A L F L AV O R

IN THE LIMELITE

A Lebanese family serves family recipes to Tulsa.

W

hen Mounah Jabara and his wife, Haifa Jabara, moved to Oklahoma in the 1980s from Lebanon, they saw a need for authentic Mediterranean food. Haifa, a talented home cook who learned the craft from her family, decided to fill that niche, and in the ‘90s opened a bakery and deli that sold her homemade pita bread. This was a time before hummus and tabouleh were staples at restaurants and in homes in Oklahoma, says Victoria Jabara Williams, Mounah and Haifa’s daughter.

Today, Limelite Catering – co-owned by the Jabaras and Williams – focuses on providing tasty, homemade Mediterranean favorites for various clients. Limelite also sells its products at Tulsa Whole Foods locations and in bulk form at Petty’s Fine Foods and Nourish Café.

Williams says that recipes are straightforward but are made unique because of the ingredients.

“The recipes are not a secret, but my family has been making them for years,” she says.

The family’s close ties to the country mean that olive oil used in Limelite products comes directly from the Jabaras’ olive trees in Lebanon. Recipes used come from Haifa’s village, where she would

surround herself with the elderly women of the community and learn how to make traditional foods.

Williams’ favorite dishes are tabouleh and hummus, as well as fattoush, a salad made with crispy pita bread. She says the recipe won a salad contest hosted by the Tulsa World in the 1980s and was submitted by her aunt. Williams likes to serve this salad with kebabs or grilled fish topped with tabouleh. www. limelitecatering.com – Jami Mattox

VICTORIA JABARA WILLIAMS AND HER MOTHER, HAIFA JABARA, STOCK LIMELITE CATERING’S DISPLAY AT A LOCAL WHOLE FOODS. PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

Fattoush Salad 2 lbs.

1 lb.

1 1 1-2 ½ 20 1 5

tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped bunch green onions, chopped bunch green mint, chopped bunches Italian parsley, chopped bunch red radish, halved leaves of romaine lettuce, chopped large green/bell pepper, chopped pita bread loaves, toasted and torn into pieces

For the dressing: 2-3 cloves minced garlic 2 tbsp. sumac 1/3 c. pomegranate molasses 1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/3 c. olive oil salt, to taste

Toss salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate container, mix together dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing into the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately so pita remains crispy.

SIP

MISS SCARLETT’S TEA ROOM

The plantation-style, historic Burnett Mansion, a special events facility in Sapulpa, was built in 1911 by Bates Burnett and Dannie Ross. In 2007, after passing through many hands, the Firey family – Shirley, John and their daughters Scarlett and Holly – took the reigns. In November 2013, the entire first floor of the mansion became Miss Scarlett’s Tea Room.

White tablecloths with embroidery and lace cover the tables where tea is served. With delicious sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts on the menu, Shirley Firey emphasizes what Miss Scarlett’s is really about: teatime.

“People really need that break and relaxation and just a little bit of teatime in [their] life,” she says. “Sit with your friends, enjoy a cup of tea and relax.”

With Miss Scarlett’s tea service arrives a teapot and teacup. A silver platter decorated with lemons, sugar cubes, cinnamon sticks and fresh mint, when in season, accompanies the tea. On Saturday, there are more than 40 teas to choose from. Inside the tea chest,

find flavors from all over the world.

Scarlett Firey, the tea connoisseur, even toured the Celestial Seasonings factory in Boulder, Colo., where many of their teas are made.

The Tea Room is open Wednesday through Saturday and can be rented out for private tea parties and special events. 320 S. Main St., Sapulpa. www.burnettmansion.info – Brittany Anicetti

TEA SERVICE AT MISS SCARLETT’S.

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Taste

W H AT W E ’ R E E AT I N G

SHEESH MAHAL

Curries, tikka masala, samosas and naan are but a few of the delicious selections at Sheesh Mahal, an authentic halal Pakistani and Indian restaurant located in northwest Oklahoma City. Favoring traditional takes on cuisine, Sheesh Mahal serves fresh food spiced with flavors of the East. Menu options are written on a chalkboard, and prices are beyond reasonable. Goat curry, tangy with tomatoes, onions, ginger and coriander, is stewed until tender and served with rice.

Butter chicken, palak paneer and chicken tikka masala are also popular options, as are the naan, samosa and pakoray that are traditionally found in Indian restaurants. A friendly staff that’s eager to walk new diners through the menu enhances the great experience at Sheesh Mahal. 4621 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City. 405.778.8469. – Jami Mattox

TANDOORI CHICKEN AT SHEESH MAHAL.

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

SPRING BOUNTY Springtime brings with it the bright, fresh flavors that sing. Eating produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner becomes a luxury; lettuces, artichokes, beans and carrots are bountiful and beautiful gleaming from the shelves at grocery stores and the booths at farmers markets. Asparagus, arguably the king of spring produce, is a versatile vegetable that holds its own. Rich in vitamins K, C and E; folate, copper and selenium, asparagus is a cousin to onion and garlic.

It can be shaved thinly and eaten raw in a salad; steamed and patted with butter as a side dish; or roasted and put on a pizza for a kick. The thinner the spears, the younger and more tender the asparagus will be.

This recipe treats asparagus with the respect it deserves.

Seek out farm-fresh eggs and quality Parmesan for this recipe, to enjoy the true flavor of spring. – J.M.

Asparagus with Eggs and Parmesan This dish makes a great breakfast or starter. Makes six servings.

1 6 18 1/2 c.

2 tbsp.

1/2 tsp.

bunch young asparagus (about 3/4 pound) hardboiled eggs, quartered cherry tomatoes, halved shaved Parmesan cheese good quality olive oil or truffle oil fleur de sel or kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Snap the woody ends of the asparagus off and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle one tablespoon of the oil onto the asparagus, top with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 7-8 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Once asparagus has cooled

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enough to handle, arrange the spears onto six plates or one large serving platter.

Top with the remaining tablespoon of oil, boiled egg quarters, cherry tomato halves and Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BUN TOM THIT NUONG CHA GIO, RICE NOODLES SERVED WITH MEAT, IS A MENU FAVORITE AT PHO LIEN HOA. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

T H I S B E T W E E N T H AT

CAL’S CHICAGO STYLE EATERY Chicago is well known for many things, including its food. With ethnicities of all types, Chicago offers diversity in fare, but Cal’s Chicago Style Eatery keeps it simple in bringing Chicago’s tastes to Oklahoma City.

Sticking with the classics – hot dogs, hamburgers and hoagies – everything on Cal’s menu comes loaded with flavor for reasonable prices.

Among delicious burger options, the most unique is the Gyro Burger, a third-pound certified Angus beef patty with gyro meat piled high and topped with tzatziki sauce.

One of Cal’s classics, the Chicago Dog, is an all beef hot dog topped just how they do in the Windy City: yellow mustard, onion, diced tomato, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and a kosher pickle spear, served on a poppy seed bun.

Others specialties include the Gyro, a popular dish in Chicago, and the meatball sub, topped with marinara sauce. Also choose from the Classic Philly, which comes slathered in Cal’s signature sauce, and the Italian beef, Italian sausage and Polish sausage hoagies. 7202 W. Hefner Rd., Oklahoma City. www.calseatery.com – B.A.

W H AT W E ’ R E E AT I N G

Pho Lien Hoa

Vietnamese flavors liven up taste buds at this popular Oklahoma City eatery. With options like fresh spring rolls, rice plates and vermicelli bowls, the bulk of Pho Lien Hoa’s menu is made up of its noodle soup selections. Inside sparkling white bowls, broth, spices, herbs, noodles and proteins create tasty combinations. Separated into three categories – For The Beginners, Just The Regular and The Adventurer’s Choice – its menu helps customers choose the right dish by explaining the different proteins and associated flavors of each. With every soup, the meat comes thinly sliced, making for perfect sized bites, and cilantro, mint and fresh jalapeños arrive on the side, allowing each patron to mix and mingle the flavors to their liking. For non-meat-eaters, the Pho Khong Thit – pho without meat – is for you. 901 NW 23rd St., Oklahoma City. – Brittany Anicetti

CHICAGO DOGS ARE DONE RIGHT AT CAL’S CHICAGO EATERY. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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YO U R G R E E N C O U N T R Y

W E AT H E R T E A M

TA F T P R I C E

B R I T TA N Y R A I N E Y

BRETT ANTHONY

GEORGE FLICKINGER

C H I E F M E T E O R O LO G I ST

K E E P I N G YO U S A F E

CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FOR A DECADE

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

Forever Young

PHOTO BY WILLIAM CLAXTON.

Bob Dylan turns 74 this month, and Oklahomans can celebrate with him at three shows in three cities.

“Radical artists that shook the very essence of humanity. Revolutionaries with vision and foresight. Fearless and sensitive at the same time.

Revolution in style and scope. Radical to the bone. Songs that cut you to the bone. Renegades in all degrees, doing songs that would never decay, and still resound to this day,” Bob Dylan said about Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash in the speech he gave while accepting MusiCares’ Person of the Year Award in February. His own words singing praise of these music legends describe the man and musician Dylan is and has always been, and it was those kind of rare talents who shaped his sound.

That sound, evolving throughout his career, produced greats like “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (1963), “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965), “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965) and “All Along the Watchtower” (1967).

Dylan’s greatest moments were cloaked with his folk-rock assonance and powerful lyrics.

One of his greatest influences was Oklahoma native Woody Guthrie. At one point in Dylan’s young career, all he wanted to play were Guthrie’s songs.

“His songs are something else ... [they] made everything else come to a screeching halt,” he said of Guthrie’s music in his 2006 memoir, Dylan: Chronicles Volume One. “I said to myself I was going to be Guthrie’s greatest disciple.”

In February, Dylan released his 36th studio album, Shadows in the Night, his take on 10 American standards. While some records on the album use the power of a small orchestra, others rely on Dylan’s five-piece band. The covers include “I’m a Fool to Want You,” “Stay With Me” and “Some Enchanting Evening.”

This month, Dylan will give Oklahomans a special treat, playing at three different venues within the same week. On May 2, he’ll be at Thackerville’s WinStar World Casino; on May 3, he’ll be in Oklahoma City at the Civic Center Music Hall; and on May 9, Tulsa’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will welcome him to The Joint’s stage. For more information, visit www.winstarworldcasino.com, www.okcciviccenter.com or www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

BRITTANY ANICETTI

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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PERFORMANCES • IN CONCERT • SPORTS • FAMILY • ART • CHARITABLE EVENTS • COMMUNITY

Performance MILLION QUARTET

PHOTO COURTESY CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS.

Entertainment

Calendar

PERFORMANCES A Devil Inside April 30, May 1 This dark

comedy follows Gene on a mission to avenge his father’s death. www.tulsapac.com

The Gruffalo’s Child May 1 This adaptation of the award-winning book includes new songs, humor and a touch of magic. www. tulsapac.com Plaza Suite May 1-3, 9-10 A Neil Simon

7-16 Enjoy a festival of American Indian culture through workshops, readings, films, performances and more. www.okctheatrecompany. org

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest May 8-10, 14-16 Presented by American Theatre Company, this play by Dale Wasserman is an adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel. www.tulsapac.com

9 to 5: The Musical May 8-10, 14-16 Three women stand up for themselves against their

On Dec. 4, 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Jones and Carl Perkins found themselves in the recording studio at Sun Records in Memphis, Tenn., for an improptu session that has been called the greatest jam session ever recorded. The next day, an article about the now-famous session was published in the Memphis PressScimitar. It was titled “Million Dollar Quartet.” Inspired by that famed recording session, a musical by the same name is touring North America with a stellar cast. Hear some of the greatest hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Walk The Line,” that are sure to keep your toes tapping. With two stops in Oklahoma, don’t miss this smash-hit production that the New York Times says “whips the crowd into a frenzy with blast after blast of explosive vitality.” The show will run May 5-10 at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center Music Hall and May 26-31 at the Tulsa PAC. For more information, visit www.okcciviccenter.com or www.tulsapac.com.

domineering boss and comical chaos ensues. www.tulsapac.com

XX (Twenty) May 8-17 Don’t miss this special closing program of Marcello Angelini’s 20th anniversary season. www.tulsaballet.org Tulsa Symphony: Simply Cinematic May

Amy Schumer May 23 See one of the

is sure to entertain at Tulsa’s Brady Theater. www.bradytheater.com funniest faces on television stir up laughter a t W i n s t a r W o r l d C a s i n o . w w w. winstarworldcasino.com

Lewis Black May 28 The comedian, author

2 Presented by OKC Phil Classics Series, enjoy Marques: Danzon No. 2, Respighi: “Roman Festivals,” Falla: “Three-Cornered Hat”: Suite No. 2 and Respighi: “Pines of Rome.” www. okcciviccenter.com

The Melodious Percussion Trio May 2 Enjoy unique music and instrumentation at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. www. tulsapac.com

Million Dollar Quartet May 5-10,26-31 Rock

Interwined, Stories of Splintered Pasts: Shan Goshron & Sarah Sense

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

PHOTO COURTESY THE ARTS & HUMANITIES COUNCIL OF TULSA.

and playwright arrives at the Hard Rock Tulsa on his The Rant is Due Part Deux tour. www. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Sun-Drenched Celebrations May

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9 Relate to Kelly’s humor that touches on the topics of divorce and family, friends, dating and more. www.comedyparlor.com

Bill Engvall May 9 One of the original men

2 Wendy Whelan, a member of the New York City Ballet, captivates audiences in a collaboration with four other choreographers, who will all join her on stage. www.tulsapac.com

Southern Stupidity of Gains Kelly May

Kathleen Madigan May 15 A funny show

Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature May

conservatoryokc.com

Jack Ketch and The Bilge Rat Bastards May 1 Vanguard Music Hall. www. thevanguardtulsa.com

Yellowcard May 2 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com

Bob Dylan & His Band May 2 Winstar

World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com

Chris Trapper May 2 The Blue Door. www.

bluedoorokc.com

David Nail May 2 Riverwind Casino. www. riverwind.com

Bob Dylan & His Band May 3 OKC

Civic Center Music Hall. www.okcciviccenter. com

Denny Morouse May 3 Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. www.okjazz.org

Walk The Moon May 4 Cain’s Ballroom.

www.cainsballroom.com

Mr. Gnome May 4 The Conservatory. www. conservatoryokc.com

Hurray for the Riff Raff May 4 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Mastodon & Clutch May 6 Diamond

Ballroom. www.diamondballroom.net

Tony Bennett May 7 The Joint, Hard Rock

Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa. com

Taria May 7 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com Hinder May 7 Vanguard Music Hall. www. thevanguardtulsa.com Tony Bennett May 8 Winstar World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com Randy Rogers Band May 8 Brady Theater. www.bradytheater.com

Rush May 8 BOK Center. www.bokcenter.

com

Nico & Vinz May 8 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com Bonnie Raitt May 8 7 Clans First Council

of Blue Collar Comedy will be at River Spirit Casino. www.riverspirittulsa.com

9 Ron Spigelman will lead the Tulsa Symphony in Academy Award-winning scores by composer John Williams. www.tulsapac.com

play, Plaza Suite is a comedy about three couples who share a suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. www.tulsapac.com

‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins come together one more time in this musical inspired by that one famous night in a recording studio. www. okcciviccenter.com and www.tulsapac.com Native American Play Festival May

DOLLAR

Local H May 1 The Conservatory. www.

Tribute to RD Burman May 29 Presented by South Asian Performing Arts Center. www.tulsapac.com The Drunkard and The Olio Ongoing The

melodrama continues with heroes, damsels in distress and over-the-top characters plus a musical revue featuring celebrity drop-in guests most Saturdays of the year at the Spotlight Theatre. www.spotlighttheatre.org

IN CONCERT ZZ Top and Jeff Beck May 1 Winstar

World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com

Tracy Lawrence May 1 Osage Casino, Tulsa. www.osagecasinos.com Lecrae May 1 Cox Convention Center. www. coxconventioncenter.com

Casino Hotel. www.firstcouncilcasinohotel. com

Jimmy Webb: The Glen Campbell Years May 8,9 The Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.

com

Bonnie Raitt May 9 Winstar World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com Ed Sheeran May 9 BOK Center. www.

bokcenter.com

Bob Dylan May 9 The Joint, Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa. com Chicago May 9 Riverwind Casino. www. riverwind.com Gene Watson May 9 Osage Casino, Bartlesville. www.osagecasinos.com

Psychostick May 10 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com

War of Ages May 11 Vanguard Music Hall.

www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Tom Russell May 12 The Blue Door. www.

bluedoorokc.com

Hollywood Undead May 12 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

Swingin’ Utters May 12 The Conserva-

tory. www.conservatoryokc.com

The Relationhip-Members of Weezer, U.S. Bombs and Bravery May 12 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Chicago May 13 The Joint, Hard Rock Tulsa

Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa. com

Pink Martini May 13 Brady Theater. www. bradytheater.com

In Concert

TONY BENNETT

bokcenter.com

Chase Bryant May 14 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

Birds of Chicago and Smokey & The Mirror May 14 The Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.

com

Foster The People May 15 Winstar World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com An Evening with They Might be Giants May 15 Diamond Ballroom. www. diamondballroom.net

Trout Fishing in America May 15 The

Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Alabama May 16 Winstar World Casino. www.winstarworldcasino.com

Guitars and Country Stars May 16 Osage Casino, Pawhuska. www.osagecasinos.com

Spoon May 17 Diamond Ballroom. www. diamondballroom.net

Howie Day May 17 The Blue Door. www.

bluedoorokc.com

New Kids on the Block May 18 Chesapeake Energy Arena. www.chesapeakearena.com Weird Al Yankovic May 19 Brady Theater. www.bradytheater.com

Mat Kearney May 19 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

Eagles May 20 Chesapeake Energy Arena.

www.chesapeakearena.com

Chevelle & The Used May 20 Diamond Ballroom. www.diamondballroom.net

My So Called Band May 20 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Purity Ring May 21 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

cainsballroom.com

Built to Spill May 21 ACM@UCO. www.

Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and James Durante were the voices that grabbed Tony Bennett’s attention and inspired his love of music. Finding his place in the music industry with pop standards as well as show tunes and jazz, sounds synonymous with Bennett’s name include “I Left my Heart in San Francisco,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Because of You,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “It Had to be You” and many more. In his more-thansix-decade career, his talents have won Bennett 18 Grammy Awards; his most recent Grammy, for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, came just last year with the release of his “Cheek to Cheek” collaboration with Lady Gaga. In December 2014, the two set out on their Check to Cheek Tour through the U.S. and Europe.

While Gaga will not be alongside Bennett on his trip to Oklahoma, his sultry voice and celebrated records, as always, will accompany him onstage. On May 7, he will serenade an audience on The Joint’s stage at Tulsa’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and the follow evening, May 8, he’ll be at Thackerville’s Winstar World Casino. His daughter, Antonia Bennett, will join him for both shows.

For more information, visit www. hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

FEATUREFLASH / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM.

Kenny Chesney May 14 BOK Center. www.

acm.uco.edu

v. Springfield v. NW Arkansas

May 9-12 May 25 Tulsa Athletics www.tulsaathletics.com v. Dallas City May 16 v. Corinthians FC SA May 30

Tulsa Shock (Pre-season) www.wnba. com/shock v. San Antonio

May 22 OSU Men’s Baseball www.okstate. com

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA PAC.

v. Oklahoma v. West Virginia

OU Men’s Baseball

May 1-3 May 8-10

www.soonersports.com v. Stephen F. Austin May 12 v. TCU May 14-26 OSU Women’s Softball www.okstate. com v. Texas v. Oklahoma

May 1-3 May 10

OU Women’s Softball www.soonersports.com

Bone Thugs ‘N’ Harmony May 22 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballrom.com Milkdrive May 22 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com Marshall Tucker Band May 23 Osage Casino, Skiatook. www.osagecasinos.com Meg Myers May 24 Vanguard Music Hall.

www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers May 26 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience May 27 Brady Theater. www.

v. Utah Valley v. Oklahoma State

SPORTS Oklahoma City Energy

www.energyfc.com v. L.A. v. Sacramento v. Austin

May 9 May 23 May 31

Tulsa Roughnecks www.tulsaroughnecksfc.com v. Portland May 30

Oklahoma City Dodgers

bradytheater.com

www.okcdodgers.com

Joey Diaz May 30 ACM@UCO. www.acm.

v. New Orleans May 4-7 v. Iowa May 16-19 v. Fresno May 29-31 Tulsa Drillers www.tulsadrillers.com

uco.edu

La Boheme: ‘60s Bohemian Tribute May 30 VanguardMusicHall.www.thevanguardtulsa.com

Roots & Boots May 30 Osage Casino, Hominy. www.osagecasinos.com

v. NW Arkansas v. Arkansas

May 2 May 5-8

May 2, 3 May 9

Cowboys of Color Rodeo May 2 Head over to Oklahoma State Fair Park to see traditional rodeo competitions that includes cowboys of all cultures. www.cowboysofcolorrodeook. com

Park. www.okstatefair.com

Women’s College World Series May 28-June 3 The 2015 NCAA Women’s College World Series will be held at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, OGE Energy Field in Oklahoma City. www.ncaa.com

Ring of Honor Wrestling May 30 The Road to the Best in the World tour wrestles its way into Oklahoma City with hard hits and body slams. Don’t miss the action at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.rohwrestling.com

Insane Inflatable 5k May 30 Enjoy a wild and fun course filled with the world’s largest and most extreme inflatable obstacles. www. insaneinflatable5k.com/tulsa-ok

FAMILY Shrek: The Musical Thru May 23 Fun

for the whole family, this musical mixes

romance and fairytale at the Pollard Theatre. www.thepollard.org

The Castle of Muskogee Renaissance Festival May 2-31 Costumed performers

and artisans present Renaissance music, magic, comedy, juggling, jousting, tomfoolery, arts, food, drink and more at The Castle of Muskogee. www.okcastle.com

The Emperor’s New Clothes Thru May 8 Enjoy a Caribbean musical adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale where the emperor of the Little Iguana Island sets all the fashion standards. www. oklahomachildrenstheatre.org

National Kids to Parks Day May 16 Chandler Park welcomes families for outdoor crafts and play. www.parks.tulsacounty.org Funday Sunday at Gilcrease May 17 Enjoy fun activities for the whole family. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

PHOTO COURTESY BOK CENTER.

9 to 5: The Musical

Central 4D Barrel Race May 2, 3 Don’t

miss the action at the Oklahoma City fairgrounds. www.central4d.com

Color Me Rad 5k May 9 Celebrate the end of winter and the start of spring by participating in this colorful run at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.colormerad.com 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship May 20-24 The 2015 Big

12 Baseball Championship will be held at ONEOK Field. www.big12sports.com

Great Plains Regional Rodeo May 23, 24 The gates will open at Oklahoma State Fair

Rush

MAY 2015 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

97

Entertainment

Thomas and sculptor Walter Matia are the featured artists. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Warhol: The Athletes Thru July 12 This exhibit is a series of 10 portraits of famous athletes commissioned by Any Warhol’s friend and collector Richard Weisman. www.okcmoa. com Changing Perspectives of Native Americans Thru Aug. 3 This artwork reflects

shifting attitudes toward American Indians over the course of the 19th century. www. crystalbridges.org

Fish Stories Thru Sept. 21 An exhibit featur-

ing 20 gorgeous color plates that capture a number of distinctly American fishes in their natural surroundings while conveying the drama of sport fishing. www.crystalbridges. org

PHOTO COURTESY ONEOK FIELD.

Identity & Inspiration Ongoing Philbrook

Sports

BIG 12 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP/ONEOK FAN FEST The 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship arrives in Tulsa for the first time. Other than two years in Arlington, Texas – 2002 and 2004 – Oklahoma City has been the home of the championship since its conception in 1997, making Tulsa just the third city to host the event. Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Christian University, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia will contend for the title on the diamond and outfield of ONEOK Field in downtown Tulsa. In conjunction with the championship, Guthrie Green and the Brady Arts District will host the ONEOK Fan Fest. For five days, enjoy entertainment and activities for free in downtown Tulsa. The Big 12 Baseball Championship and the ONEOK Fan Fest will run from Wednesday, May 20, through Sunday, May 24. Fill out a bracket, cheer on your team and celebrate afterwards at Guthrie Green. For more information, visit www.big12sports.com or www.guthriegreen.com.

experience art every Tuesday morning at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman, with special guests. Go online for schedules and other information. www.ou.edu/fjjma Tiny Tuesdays Ongoing Guest artists at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Education Center help families with young children create together and understand the museum artworks the third Tuesday of each month through May. www.okcmoa.com

ART 5 X 5 TAC’s Annual Fundraiser May 1-16 Local artists and a variety of media and styles are showcased at the Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery. www.tacgallery.org

Fringe May 1-30 An annual member show at The Project Box OKC. www.projectboxokc.com

Intertwined, Stories of Splintered Pasts: Shan Goshorn & Sarah Sense May 1-July 5 An exhibit featuring

two American Indian artists’ contemporary weaving and basketry at the Hardesty Arts Center. www.ahhatulsa.org

Diane Salamon Art Exhibit May 2-31 Tulsa Performing Arts Center. www. tulsapac.com

Small Town: Portraits of a Disappearing America Thru May 2 Alex Leme

captures the mood of Cotton Plant, a small town in northeast Arkansas in an exploration that looks into the continuing disappearance o f r u r a l t o w n s i n A m e r i c a . w w w. oklahomacontemporary.org

California Impressionism: Selections from The Irvine Museum May 3-Sept.

6 Explore the style of California Impressionism and its use of light and color, specifically how it was cast onto a landscape – a popular subject in California in the early 20th century. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

From New York to Mexico Thru May

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3 This exhibit explores the period that resulted in America’s first truly homegrown, avant-garde movement. www.philbrook.org

14 The 10 masterpieces in this exhibit explore the diversity of still-life in the U.S. www. crystalbridges.org

Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World Thru May

Act III: Harolyn Long, Paul Medina and Sue Moss Sullivan Thru May 17 Act

10 See the works of some of the most notorious and accomplished art frauds and forgers along side original works of art by modern masters such as Charles Courtney Curran, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Paul Signac and others. www.okcmoa.com

Three brings together three established Oklahoma City artists whose work shares a soft and muted tone evoking calmness, quiet reflection and curiosity through fiber and ceramics. www.108contemporary.org

Coyote Songs-Desperado Dreams: The Art of Robby McMurtry Thru May

bronze figures are unique and shed light on daily subtleties. www.oklahomacontemporary. org

10 The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum remembers the artist, illustrator, writer and mentor to countless youth, the late Robby McMurtry. The exhibition looks across his career with 35 pieces spanning 1973 to 2012. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Holly Wilson May 26-Sept. 11 Wilson’s cast

Tulsa Underwater Dream Project May 30-July 19 This exhibit features whimsical creative expressions by Oklahoma fiber artists. www.ahhatulsa.org

The Nature of Man: Paintings and Drawings by Harold Stevenson Thru May 31 Stevenson’s artwork explores masculinity, including works from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. www.ou.edu/fjjma

Rendezvous Artists’ Retrospective and Art Sale Thru July 12 Contemporary Western art will take center stage at this annual exhibition and art sale. Painter Andy

Opening Abstraction Ongoing Philbrook Downtown exhibits abstract work in all its manifestations. www.philbrook.org

Conflict Cast in Bronze Ongoing This exhibit centers on art that remembers the fallen and honors those who served in war. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org Van Gogh to Rothko: Masterworks from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Ongoing Enjoy masterpieces by some

of the most prominent names in art history including Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko. www. crystalbridges.org

Focus on Favorites Ongoing This Gilcrease

Museum exhibit highlights the treasures, art, artifacts and historical documents cherished in the museum’s collection and reflective of the American experience. www.gilcrease. utulsa.edu

On Common Ground Ongoing Through

the mixing of these many works of art and cultural items depicting a great variety of people, one is reminded that all human beings have similar needs that bring us to a common ground. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Orly Genger: Terra Ongoing This massive outdoor art installation made of more than a million feet of lobster-fishing rope – woven, painted and stretched across Oklahoma’s City’s Campbell Park – create a unique experience. www.oklahomacontemporary.org Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly Ongoing Tour the

Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s collection of glass art by the celebrated artist. www. okcmoa.com

Kenny Chesney

Ansel Adams: Masterworks from the Collection of the Turtle Bay Exploration Park Thru May 10 Ansel

Adams’ best-loved and most famous photographs, which he called “The Museum Set,” go on display at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and reveal the artist’s elegant eye for nature. www.nationalcowboymuseum. org

Madonnas of the Prairie: Depictions of Women in the American West Thru May 10 This exhibit features more than 100 works focusing on women in the late 19th century through the present who stood bravely through a myriad of difficulties, tragedies and losses to help build the nation. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Beyond the Battlefield: Depictions of War Thru May 10 An exhibition at Fred

Jones Jr. Museum of Art examines war through the eyes of artists. Beyond the Battlefield focuses on conflicts of the 20th century with paintings, prints and photography. www. ou.edu/fjjma

American Encounters: The Simple Pleasures of Still Life May 16-Sept

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

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Art Adventures Ongoing Children 3-5

Downtown showcases pieces from Philbrook Museum of Art’s extensive collection of American Indian artwork and artifacts. www. philbrook.org

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A World Unconquered: The Art of Oscar Brousse Jacobson Ongoing Jacobson arrived at the University of Oklahoma in 1915 and greatly influenced the School of Art. His career includes more than 600 works of art with inspiration from the landscapes of Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma. www.ou.edu/fjjma

First Friday Gallery Walk Ongoing The galleries of OKC’s Paseo Arts District welcome all each month. www.thepaseo.com First Friday Art Crawl Ongoing Stroll the Brady Arts District in Tulsa for new exhibitions at galleries and art centers as well as live music and other events at the Guthrie Green and other venues. www.thebradyartsdistrict. com.

2nd Friday Circuit Art Ongoing A

monthly celebration of arts in Norman. www.2ndfridaynorman.com

CHARITABLE EVENTS 11th Annual Fashion and Talent Showcase May 1 Celebrate style and

Art

talent with this fun evening of entertainment that benefits the Mental Health Association Oklahoma. www.mhaok.org

CALIFORNIA IMPRESSIONISM

Light, plentiful and lively in California, and the ways it shines upon the state’s mountainous peaks, steep cliffs that dive into blue oceans, rolling hills and other beautiful landscapes, highlighting rich, vibrant colors, was the dominant focus of California Impressionism, an artistic style born in California during the early 20th century. A style that interprets the way light brings the land to life, the artworks that arose from this genre represent “vigor and grandeur,” the Gilcrease Museum’s website explains. “The sun shone its light on the land and gave it color: greens of spring, browns of later summer and fall and everywhere, the deep blue mantle of the sky.” The exhibit comes from The Irvine Museum in Irvine, Calif., which displays California art of the Impressionist Period (1890-1930). California Impressionism: Selections from the Irvine Museum opens at Gilcrease May 3 and continues through Sept. 6. See Franz A. Bischoff ’s Arroyo Seco Bridge (1915), Maurice Braun’s Yosemite Falls from Valley (1918), Paul Lauritz’s Mountain Silence (1922), John Frost’s Near Lone Pine, California (1924) and many more masterpieces. For more information, visit www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu.

Eighth Annual White Party May 1 You know the dress code for this fundraiser dance gala, an outdoor, white-themed event on the rooftop of The Vault that benefits Family & Children’s Services. www.whitepartyok.com Rhinestone Cowboy: Tribute to the Glamorous West May 1 Glitz up Western

style in boots and a pair of jeans and enjoy entertainment by Southern Resonance at Cain’s Ballroom. www.voaok.org

The Painted Pacifier May 1 An art competition open to middle and high school students benefits Emergency Infant Services. www.emergencyinfantservices.org Walk MS: Tulsa May 2 Join others at Tulsa Community College to raise money that supports research for MS. www.msoklahoma.org Run for the Roses May 2 Get decked out

in fine clothes and big hats to celebrate the Kentucky Derby at this gala and auction at Tulsa’s Expo Square. All proceeds benefit Tulsa Boys’ Home. www.tulsaboyshome.org

Ripple 2015 May 2 Enjoy a silent auction and cocktail hour, three course dinner with wine pairing and live auction at Cox Business Center, benefiting Project Hope Worldwide. www.coxcentertulsa.com

AOK Walk for Autsim May 2 Walk from

the Guthrie Green and onto ONEOK Field. Then enjoy Autism Awareness Night with a Tulsa Drillers Game. www.autismtulsa.org

Tee Off for Town & Country School May 4 This year’s golf tournament benefiting Town & Country School will be held at MeadowBrook Country Club. www.tandcschool.org

CF Golf Classic May 4 Enjoy a day of golf at Cedar Ridge Country Club with a live and silent auction that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. www.cff.org/chapters/tulsa

Tulsa Go Red for Women Luncheon May 8 Enjoy a special luncheon at Expo Square’s Central Park Hall with great company to support the prevention of heart disease and stroke in women. www.heart.org/tulsa

Tennis Ball May 9 Enjoy cocktails, dinner, live music and silent and live auctions on the courts of Tulsa’s largest public tennis facility, while dressing in your best Wimbledon whites. www.lafortunetennisball.com Swing Fore Assistance Golf Tournament May 11 Grabyourfriendsandenjoy18holes

at Golf Club of Oklahoma while supporting Assistance in Health Care. www.assistanceinhealthcare. org

Home Run for the Homeless May 12 Tulsa celebrities play ball at ONEOK Field and the annual fundraiser game benefiting Tulsa’s homeless. And an extra bonus – your ticket to Home Run will get you into the Drillers game earlier in the day! www. tulsadaycenter.org

Tulsa Boys’ Home Golf Classic May 4, 5 This annual tournament has become one of Tulsa Boy’s Home’s most successful fundraisers. Enjoy this year’s classic at The Patriot Golf Club. www.tulsaboyshome.org

25th Annual Business Excellence Dinner May 14 Enjoy dinner and an auction

type 1 diabetes. www.coxcentertulsa.com

Center Polo Classic May 16 Enjoy the

that benefits Junior Achievement of Oklahoma, while honoring an individual who has demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit, achievement and a commitment to his/her community. www. coxcentertulsa.com

sport of kings with tailgating, fashion, champagne and divot stomping with the Arrowhead Polo Club of Tulsa at Mohawk park, and support The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. www.tulsacenter.org

Military Experience & The Arts Symposium May 14-17 Veterans, vet

CopLand Classic Bike Ride May 16 Start

families, educators and healers will meet at Cameron University for skill building workshops, activities, speakers, performances and events. www.militaryexperience.org

Oklahoma City Go Red for Women Luncheon May 15 Support the American Heart Association and Go Red For Women at Oklahoma City’s Skirvin Hotel. www.heart.org/ oklahomacity

2015 Promise Ball May 16 Experience a

night of Brazilian culture with food, drinks, dancing and live and silent auctions at Cox Business Center, benefiting JDRF’s fight against

pedaling and enjoy new routes for this annual fundraiser that benefits the Tulsa Police Officers’ Memorial. www.tpdmemorial.com

Bruin Golf Classic May 16 All funds raised at the tournament support Bruin football programs. www.bartlesville.com/calendar

Baby Palooza May 17 The event benefits emergency care of children age 5 and under of families in need of assistance. Look for great entertainment at the Guthrie Green. www. emergencyinfantservices.org

Celebrity Golf Classic May 17, 18 Tulsa

Sports Charities presents a weekend featuring NFL players, college coaches, golf pros and

10th Annual Syllabi’s Revenge Mountain Bike Challenge

5 Outstanding individuals and organizations are recognized for service to the community at the Marriott Tulsa Southern Hills. www. goodwilltulsa.org

Black Canvas 2015 May 8 These five chefs know how to have some serious fun.

Black Canvas 2015 benefits Youth Services and will be held at Cox Business Center. www.yst. org

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

PHOTO COURTESY AR PARKS & TOURISM.

kee Hills Golf Club that supports the ministry at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch Christian Camps. www.shepherdsfoldranch.com

22nd Annual William Booth Society Dinner May 19 Enjoy dinner while raising funds

for The Salvation Army’s mission to provide Christmas gifts for thousands of children and to support Center of Hope, which provides temporary housing, couseling and other programs for those seeking a helping hand. www.coxcentertulsa.com

Knock Out Violence May 21 The Tulsa Drillers play hard to support the prevention of domestic abuse and sexual assault at this 11th annual event that will have fans counting home runs. www.dvis.org.

Iron Gate Founders’ Dinner May 21 The

soup kitchen feeding the homeless and hungry in Tulsa recognizes those who have helped Iron Gate carry out its purpose. Event takes place at Trinity Episcopal Church. www.irongatetulsa.org

Volition America Half Marathon & 5k May 25 The action begins at Veterans Park

Relay for Life of Tulsa May 29 Run at Guthrie Green to fund research to cure cancer and educate communities about preventing it. www.relayforlife.org/tulsaok

Harwelden Awards May 5 These awards

Shepherd’s Fold Ranch Golf Fundraiser May 7 Enjoy a game of golf at Chero-

A Stately Affair in Tulsa May 18 Oklahoma State University remembers Tulsa’s icons who have supported and embraced the university’s two main presences in the city. The black-tie soiree takes place at Southern Hills Country Club and benefits scholarship. www. astatelyaffair.com

in Tulsa. Participants can enjoy challenging and fun courses through downtown Tulsa and its surrounding parks. www.volitionamerica.com

Goodwill Annual Awards Luncheon May

honor students, educators and arts supporters from across the Tulsa area. www.ahhatulsa. org.

Heisman Trophy winners. Event includes a VIP party and golf at Cedar Ridge Country Club. www.rmhtulsa.org

2015 Brainiac Ball May 30 This fundraiser benefiting Family & Children’s Services includes a wine toss, dinner and a live auction, also adding team trivia into the mix. www.coxcentertulsa.com

COMMUNITY A Children’s Clothing & Toy Consignment Sale May 1 Oklahoma State Fair Park.

www.okc.jbfsale.com

34th Annual Toad Suck Daze May 1-3 Enjoy a family-friendly event to kick off

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Downtown Edmond Art Festival May 1-3 Enjoy art, entertainment and shopping in downtown Edmond. www. downtownedmondok.com

Frisco Station Mall Arts & Crafts Fair May 1-3 Shop hundreds of indoor craft

booths at one of the largest crafts fairs in northwest Arkansas. Goods include baskets, woodworks, potpourris, candles, jewelry, clothing, paintings and more. www.nwacraftfairs. com

Ruffles and Rust Expo May 2 This

traveling boutique show that features vintage, hand crafted home décor and other items makes a stop at Southeast Expo Center in McAlester, Okla. www.rufflesandrustexpo.com

The Taste of Claremore May 2 Historic downtown Claremore is the perfect setting for tasty samplings, sidewalk entertainment, shopping, art and more. www. downtownclaremore.org Buchanan’s Vintage Flea Market May 2, 3 There will be great treasures to find as antique dealers from across the country converge at Oklahoma City’s State Fair Park. www. buchananmarkets.com ONA Coin & Currency Show May 2, 3 The hobbies, arts and crafts building at Oklahoma State Fair Park will open its doors to coin and currency collectors and enthusiasts. www.okstatefair.com

39th Annual Toy and Doll Show May 2, 3 This year’s show will also feature the Oklahoma Springtime Train and Hobby Show. www.okstatefair.com

Garrison Keillor May 5 Hear from this author, storyteller, humorist and radio personality at the Brady Theater. www.bradytheater.com INTERFACE Oklahoma City 2015 May 7 Stay up-to-date on the technologies critical to your business’ success at this expo with

vendor-neutral educational seminars. www. coxconventioncenter.com

R.D. Burman

Plains USDAA Regional Championship Dog Show May 8-10 Which one of

our favorite furry friends will jump, weave and run to victory at Oklahoma State Fair Park? www.usdaa.com

Buffalo Bash May 14 Enjoy live entertain-

ment, drinks, food, dancing and even some surprises at the Courtyard at Red Earth Art Center in downtown OKC. www.redearth.org

Tulsa Mayfest May 14-17 Downtown Tulsa comes alive for the annual celebration of art and entertainment with activities, food, music and more. www.tulsamayfest.org Blue Dome Arts Festival May 15-17 With a mission to support local artists, the festival welcomes all mediums of art from across the state. www.bluedomearts.org Nexstar National Talent Competition May 15-17 Don’t miss some of the nation’s

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA PAC.

Entertainment

the summer with entertainment, arts and crafts, a carnival, kids area, 5K/10K race and the World Famous Championship Toad Races. This festival with a fun name in Conway, Ark., has free admission and supports local education. www.toadsuck.org

top talented individuals at the Cox Business Center. www.coxcentertulsa.com

International Greek Food Festival May 15-17 Eat your fill of baklava, gyros, calamari, pastitso, souroto and more at this annual event in Little Rock, Ark. Experience live dancing, church tours and an Old World Market where you can purchase pastries and dinners to go. www.greekfoodfest.com Rose Festival 2015 May 16 Enjoy beauti-

ful roses, rose and art competitions and lots of vendors at this year’s festival at Broken Arrow’s Farmers Market. www.keepbrokenarrowbeautiful. org

Indie Trunk Show May 16 Find handmade, local, vintage and repurposed treasures at this biannual show at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.indietrunkshowokc.com

10th Annual Syllamo’s Revenge Mountain Bike Challenge May 16 Enjoy the outdoors on 50 miles of track with an IMBA Epic trail that’s great for beginner and expert mountain bike riders. This trail spans thousands of acres of the Ozark National Forest and offers changing scenery and beautiful views. www.syllamosrevenge.com

OKC Gun Show May 16, 17 Guns, ammo,

survival and hunting supplies, military surplus and more can be found at this gun show at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okcgunshow. com

Business Center. Donatello, Michaelangelo and Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees are just a few of the characters you’ll run into. www. coxcentertulsa.com

ONEOK Fan Fest May 20-24 In conjunction

Rocklahoma May 22-24 Spend Memorial Day weekend rocking out with a great line-up of muscians and bands at this annual Pryor, Okla., music festival. www.rocklahoma.com

Nitro Circus Live May 21 Bikes and skates

Ruffles and Rust Expo May 23 This traveling boutique show that features vintage, hand-crafted home décor and other items makes a stop at Claremore Expo Center. www. rufflesandrustexpo.com

with the Big 12 Baseball Championship at ONEOK Field, enjoy five days, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m., full of free entertainment and activity at Guthrie Green. www.guthriegreen.com will fly through the air along with the extreme athletes that guide them. Forty of the world’s most extreme athletes will perform tricks in FMX, BMX and skate. Fun stunts will feature tricycles, skis, bathtubs and more. www. bokcenter.com

Tulsa Comic Expo May 22-24 Don’t miss

your favorite heroes and villains at the Cox

RK Gun & Knife Show May 23, 24 Find everything you need at the RK Gun & Knife Show at Tulsa’s Expo Square. www.exposquare.com

Symposium on Reconciliation in America: The Media and Recon-

ciliation May 27-29 The sixth annual sym-

posium will discuss the intersection of traditional and new media and the serious work of reconciliation across society boundaries at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Tulsa. www. okhumanities.org

Redbud Spectacular May 28-June 7 Enjoy exciting shows, exhibits and events at this year’s Redbud Spectacular Horse Show at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okqha.org

Pancham: The Immortal Note May 29 A

tribute to Rahul Dev Burman, R.D. Burman and nicknamed “Pancham,” will take place at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. www.tulsapac.com

Spirit, Mind and Body Expo May 30 Explore metaphysics and paranormal science at this expo at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www. operaok.org

Sunday Matinee Films May 31 See a

screening of Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding School that explores the policy of educating Native Americans that was enacted in 1869. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Movie in the Park Ongoing Enjoy a movie at Guthrie Green most Thursdays through October. Kicks off May 14. www.guthriegreen. com

International Gymnastics Hall of Fame Ongoing Celebrate the athletic and artis-

tic elements of the sport, while honoring its most accomplished athletes at Science Museum Oklahoma. www.sciencemuseumoklahoma.org

Destination Space Ongoing This exhibit reveals the amazing science that allows us to travel beyond the confines of earth. www. sciencemuseumoklahoma.org The Greencards Walking Tour Ongoing Take a walking tour

of historic downtown Tulsa. www.tulsahistory. org

Gilcrease Films Ongoing See various films PHOTO COURTESY MAYFEST.

through the month. www.gilcrease.org

Community

MAYFEST 2015 Every year in May, downtown Tulsa turns into an arts and entertainment festival that draws visitors from all over the state and beyond. Outdoor art exhibits line the streets and sidewalks showcasing artwork and handmade goods from all over the country. Indoor galleries house more than 100 Tulsa artists and their works of a variety of mediums, including oil, metal, photography and more. Top musicians and performers from Tulsa and headliners from all over the country attract crowds to the front of their stages. How can it get any better? All of Mayfest’s performances are free. Food trucks and other vendors offer traditional festival flavors like corn dogs and funnel cakes, among other delicious selections, so patrons don’t have to stray far from the festivities to get a bite to eat. This year’s festival runs May 14-17. Support local artists while enjoying great food and entertainment.

For more information, visit www.tulsamayfest.org.

The Black Keys

102

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

OKCMOA Films Ongoing Oklahoma City

Museum of Art. www.okcmoa.com

Planetarium Shows Ongoing Science Museum Oklahoma. www.sciencemuseumoklahoma. org

To see more events happening around Oklahoma, go to

OKMAG.COM Submissions to the calendar must be received two months in advance for consideration. Add events online at OKMAG.COM/CALENDAR

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103

JAMES PEPPER HENRY IS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GILCREASE MUSEUM. PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN.

IN PERSON

J

Okie At Heart

James Pepper Henry assumes leadership of Gilcrease Museum.

ames Pepper Henry, the new executive director of the Gilcrease Museum, has an impressive work history, as associate director for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, director of Phoenix’s Heard Museum and of the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, but as he says, “I’m an Okie at heart.

“I’ve been back and forth to Oklahoma my entire life,” Pepper Henry continues. “My family roots are there.”

Pepper Henry, of Muscogee Creek and Kaw descent, has many relatives in the state, including in Tulsa, where he is excited to now be working.

While Pepper Henry was born in Oregon, his grandparents were both from Oklahoma, his grandmother from Broken Arrow and his grandfather from Washunga. They met while working at Haskell Indian College in Kansas, and then they were transferred to Oregon.

Pepper Henry, who led the Heard Museum with programs that increased the museum attendance by 58 percent and memberships by 150 percent, is energized about his move to Tulsa to work that same magic for the Gilcrease.

“What I like about the Gilcrease is that it’s not a one-trick pony museum. It has history, art, anthropology, all of these things – important papers, archives of Civil War documents, Western art, South American, Native American art. There’s so much that the Gilcrease 104

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

offers. How could anybody get bored there?”

Though he is an artist, a sculptor who studied art in college, Pepper Henry’s life work has focused on museums.

“I’ve always been a creative person, always making art. I got into museum work to subsidize my art. At some point, because I kept showing up at work on time, I got promoted. It was a career I wasn’t expecting, but I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change a thing. When I haven’t been able to work on my art, I have been able to help other people with theirs,” he says.

The challenges that Gilcrease face are ones that all museums do.

“It’s relevancy with the newer generations, the XYZ people,” Pepper Henry says. “There’s so much competition for their attention, and museums have to revitalize themselves to stay relevant.

“My number one goal is to elevate the profile of the museum and work on the relevancy of the museum in Tulsa and Oklahoma,” he continues. “And then my second goal is to work on its relevancy with the rest of the world.

“In my opinion, it’s an American treasure, a jewel, but a lot of people still don’t know about it. It’s tucked away in a neighborhood where a lot of people don’t travel.”

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