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ARTS & CULTURE | MAKERS & MERCHANTS | LIFESTYLE & DINING
issue no. 2
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131 Dean A McGee Ave. Ste 105Oklahoma City 73102udander.com(405) 605-0313Monday-Friday: 10am-7pmSaturday-Sunday: 10am-6pm
a Scandinavian steam & sauna spa
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131 Dean A McGee Ave. Ste 105Oklahoma City 73102udander.com(405) 605-0313Monday-Friday: 10am-7pmSaturday-Sunday: 10am-6pm
a Scandinavian steam & sauna spa
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(405) 843-8431www.shopbebes.com
Nichols Hills Plaza6480 Avondale Dr.
Nichols Hills 73116
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(405) 843-8431www.shopbebes.com
Nichols Hills Plaza6480 Avondale Dr.
Nichols Hills 73116
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4111 W. Reno Ave. | OKC 73107 | (405) 948-0018www.lorecranch.com
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm - Sun, 11am-6pm
Where Rustic Meets Elegance
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4111 W. Reno Ave. | OKC 73107 | (405) 948-0018www.lorecranch.com
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm - Sun, 11am-6pm
Where Rustic Meets Elegance
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Territory:OKC Magazine Published by Territory Media, LLC
3017 N. Lee Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73103
@territoryokc @territoryokc Territory OKC
www.territoryokc.com
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DOWNTOWNLearning to exhale at a Scandinavian steam spa and a new cult bar.
PLAZA DISTRICT Nani Dinner Club's tiny dishes filled with ingredients from wild foraging, infusing, and preserving fill our hearts and Instagrams feeds.
MIDTOWNWhere the foodies eat and why, and new spirits to try.
UPTOWN/PASEODerby Day hats and SixTwelve centers new community.
AUTOMOBILE ALLEYSara Kate Studios on how decor and social media changed her world.
WESTERN AVELocal makers bring a passion for handcrafted decor and furniture back to OKC, and in praise of prairie gardens.
POINTS NORTHOur new Territory:Makers Series hosts the stories and talents of our city's amazing creatives.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
publishing information
Trey McNeill, Publisher [email protected]
Veronica Pasfield, Editor [email protected]
Cheryl Dillard, Operations & Development Director [email protected] Daren Shepherd, Art Director [email protected]
Bayley Jackson, Art Director [email protected] Skylar Munday, Makers Workshop Coordinator [email protected]
Michelle Bui, Social Media Consultant Whitney Ehinger, Intern
cover photo by Brandon Puffer
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORHappy Spring, Oklahoma City! So much has changed since Issue 1! Trying to capture it all
in one issue feels like taking a snapshot on a runaway train.Territory is evolving quickly, too. This spring, we launch makers workshop and Sunday
Supper series! Come play, learn, and commune with us (story on p. 58).We begin publishing quarterly with this Spring issue, which runs March through early
June. Summer, Fall, and Holiday issues offer the best of each season. Follow our social media and website for the most updated info.
WHAT’S INSIDEIn Spring, we sweep our porches (again and again), put our hands on our hips, and assess
our little homesteads. We make home anew before Summer’s hustle.This issue focuses on making place, and the Oklahomans who inspire us to do it boldly and
artfully. We take a look at the visionaries whose work and risk is shaping what kind of city we will inhabit in the next decade. We also pulled in designers, gardeners, foodies, and others to show us the way.
IN PRAISE OF REAL EDITORIALI guess you could say we have a big, fat crush on you, OKC. We’d like to have a little
straight talk about that.According to many of our advertisers and friends, many of the stories you read in other
publications were paid for by the very businesses being featured. It’s called advertorial. In some magazines, only advertisers can be featured editorially.
At Territory, we take our responsibility to you very seriously. If we tell you a restaurant or shop inspires, or a development seems promising, it’s because we really think so. We think too highly of you, our mission, and the businesses that help us create a magazine that’s as modern and beautiful as our town.
Further, Territory only solicits advertising from businesses we would recommend editorially. And our creative team creates almost every ad. It all feels worth it when readers tell us they’ve sent Territory to places like Denver, LA, and Venezuela to show friends what our fair city is really like, now.
THE OKLAHOMA WAYIssue 2 took a couple of weeks longer to arrive than we hoped. That pandemic flu ripped
up our team pretty good. Up in Michigan, it claimed the life of a close family member, which meant a trip North to be with family and friends. Our collaborators rallied and kept Territory chugging along. The magazine you hold is, as always, the product of many hands and hearts.
We kind of love you for that, Oklahoma City. Issue 2 is our enthusiastic—and wholly sincere—tribute to you.
Veronica Pasfield, Editor
photography by Brandon Buffer
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“Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space,” said famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
In this very season—and in micro-communities more than metrowide—visionary developers are determining the sort of city that we will inhabit for the next decade. Territory took a closer look at two such projects, which many say foretell what kind of Oklahoma City is growing up around us.
The announcement that Uptown’s Tower Theater complex would get another go-round seemed to make us almost too happy to hope. Dare we imagine, again, that we could see a show under that gorgeous neon sign on 23rd? Downtown’s Carnegie Centre was likewise the repository of much nostalgia. Could the humble face of the boarded-up downtown library find new life as a hub of forward and creative living? Yes, indeed.
It is the smaller, hipper, and more nimble projects that have captured our heart in the last year. Developers are not only restoring our streets, their careful curation of businesses into their districts is shaping utterly the kind of day-to-day living that’s possible here.
Some of the boldest projects have sprung from the maturation of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). ULI members play a significant role in these burgeoning micro-communities, and the city’s understanding of itself. Oklahoma City is the envy of the nation on many levels, for its ability to develop and deliver on far-reaching plans. If MAPs is the authoritative, patient patriarch, ULI is perhaps its fly younger brother. If MAPs is the builder of roads, ULI is the host of pop-up farmer’s markets and the proponent of next-gen
THE FUTURE IS NOW REVISIONING HOW WE WILL LIVE HERE, NOW.
by Veronica Pasfield
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urbanism, pedestrian-friendly planning, and bike lanes.This isn’t to belittle the profound impact of such
progressive thought on our city’s culture. Quite the contrary. ULI members such as Blair Humphreys, who started the OKC chapter in 2006, stand to make massive impacts with large-scale developments like the Wheeler District in the downtown Airpark.
ULI started in the midst of the Great Depression, at a time when the nation was asking itself big, hard questions. How had industrialization shaped our national identity, for example, and how was it determining the kind of life that was possible to have in America? In a very real sense, these are the same conversations happening at robust ULI chapters around the world today, including in Oklahoma City.
When the Oklahoma City charter started a young
leaders group in 2013, the inquiry at the kick-off party was: Many of us are working independently on projects…what if we all worked together?
We shouldn’t be surprised that the local chapter has a more inclusive and neighborly quality than in other cities. Architects and urban planners think through game-changing development with hair salon stylists and furniture makers at regular happy hour gatherings and new site tours.
“What this ULI chapter has become is a group of citizens whose common thread is a love for community and urban environment. That’s the underlying theme with everyone I interact with at ULI. It’s old, it’s young, it’s people who just care about the city.”
I’m from Detroit. Trust me, other cities would kill for this.
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The call for collaboration has found incredible response around our city in the last year. The one that squeezed the heart of the city most was the revitalization of the Tower Theater in the Uptown 23rd Street District. Three entrepreneurs—Dave Wanzer, Ben Sellers, and Jonathan Dodson—purchased the 1937 theater last November. Wanzer and Sellers discovered they were often interested in taking on the same projects. Encouragement from people such as financier Jonathan Dodson brought the two developers into collaboration, and together all three made the Tower Theater deal go down.
There is tremendous promise in such, especially since prevailing wisdom says all the easy projects downtown have been done now. The Tower Theater is an excellent example of the potential, and the challenge, facing the next wave of development.
When Territory toured the Tower last December, it looked like a set from Planet of the Apes. The stage’s trap door opened into standing water below. Critters peered from a roof hatch. In the projection room, ribbons of abandoned film spooled loosely across the floor. In the office, broken boxes of flyers promoting adult films lay dankly underneath a Samuel L. Jackson poster. (Catch our photo essay of this on our website in April.) It was a little daunting, but incredibly cool, too.
Why spend energy on such projects? “It’s important that somebody takes them on,” Wanzer said. The theater’s previous owners did important work in maintaining the building and securing National Historic Preservation status. But the new owners have the enviable job of really bringing it back to life—and adding critical mass to the resurgence of Uptown.
“There are very important projects that really help anchor neighborhoods,” Wanzer said. “There’s pent-up energy because people want to see that building come
back to life. They’re complex and challenging, but they can be some of the most meaningful personally—and to the community.”
The theater will stay, the street-level storefronts will welcome retail, and the upper floors will be renovated into office space. Already, the Tower Theater’s developers have been met with eager potential tenants. But—and this is key—they and their peers are being exceptionally thoughtful. They understand their curation is in fact determining the kind of life that is possible in this part of town.
The task is both a pleasure and a responsibility. Synergy and an insistence on local take longer to attain. But as The Rise has shown us right across the street, well-curated historic development gives us savvy, progressive new hubs. Two years ago, who could have imagined Urban Core Pilates, Pizzeria Gusto, and the Pump Bar at the corner of 23rd and Walker?
The lobby of the Carnegie Centre bustles with life. The smell of squash soup wafts in from Nourished clean food bar. Pretties in yoga pants head in for a sauna at udånder Scandinavian Steam & Sauna Spa. Students head down to the University of Central Oklahoma’s massive new learning center in the basement.
Carnegie owner and developer Judy Hatfield greeted many passing through. Her smiled beamed.
“What I feel in this building is energy,” she said. “Positive energy. It’s a whole other feeling to our downtown fabric.”
Not so long ago, this former downtown library sat empty on the bustling corner of Robinson and Dean A. McGee. A call for proposals to renovate the building inspired no takers. Hatfield stepped in to help the city make its call more enticing. She ended up owning the building where she spent many hours as a girl, reading.
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PECHA KUCHA POEM
For Blair
Concision, a thought, what
can be compressed ought
to be. Time is running out
is a myth debunked when time
is released from thought. Just think
what letting go can do for grasping.
We are not asking so much as
we are basking in the act of asking
what becomes of intention
when a city is allowed to walk around
the block a bit, unsupervised and free.
A city must first have blocks to walk around
in order to be a city. Ugliness
is pretty. Across the river
on an abandoned airport strip
a notion takes off and buzzes these clouds
that are more than clouds but
are focal points without which
there is no sky. We compress our thoughts
like clouds or cities. We will never die.
—Chad Reynolds
Car
negi
e res
iden
ts St
efan
i and
Flin
t Sco
tt, D
on a
nd P
aula
Bec
k, a
nd Ju
dy H
atfie
ld. P
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Ste
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“I would sit in the corner and have the most amazing adventures and go places through books.”
Hatfield has earned a place as one of the city’s most high-profile civic leaders and entrepreneurs. She’s radiant, whip smart, and fun. Hatfield hired architect Don Beck to conceptualize a new identity for the Carnegie. It was a bittersweet commission. Beck assessed the old library after the Murrah Building bombing. “A lot of people passed through here and learned to read here,” Beck said. “The building did sustain some damage in the bombing. That seemed to emotionally tie people even stronger to it.”
Beck’s portfolio includes massive projects such as the Oklahoma History Center and Myriad Botanical Gardens. Still, he seems most enthused discussing the human component of his work, which suited this project: “You’re always trying to design buildings so there’s this integration and synergy to encouraging people to meet and form relationships.”
Then the financial crash of 2008 happened, and the Carnegie project ground to a crawl. “I’m pretty spiritual,” Hatfield said. “I have talks with God all the time. I just said, “Okay God, you have to take this from me for awhile. Let me go make rain where I need to.” The developer shook the trees for civic funding and prayed on it. One morning she woke up and thought, “ I’m 60, my building’s 60. I bet it’s historic.”
Hatfield went on a “pilgrimage” to pursue historic tax credits and other resources. She was eventually successful, but the trade-off was scrapping Beck’s bold plans for cantilevered balconies and huge windows.
“There aren’t as many (developers) who would’ve stayed with it as long as Judy did,” he said. “She just would not
give up. So we felt that neither could we; that we were in the fight as long as she was in the fight.”
Hatfield wears her Oklahoma grit with pride: “Dancing with the band on the last song. That’s totally me—rather I’m drinking or not. Doesn’t matter. (Oklahoma women), we get after it, man.”
Beck and wife Paula became two of the building’s early residents. They wanted to be in the heart of downtown’s bustle, and they felt a sense of home in Hatfield’s intentional community of 19 apartments. Residents range from folks at the end of their careers through the newly married. They greet each other warmly and chat in the lobby’s bustle. “There’s a real community and sense of place here,” said Beck.
As developers are doing all over Oklahoma City right now, Hatfield curates her retail with great intentionality. The new Carnegie Centre ranks amongst the city’s most progressive hubs with tenants such as Nourished, udånder, SIG Gallery, and UCO.
Katie O’Brien, udånder co-founder, felt attracted to that energy. She also credits Hatfield with vision.
“What Judy’s creating in Carnegie Centre is really a microcosm of what’s happening in Oklahoma City. How do we take what’s been done before and make it better, new and different?”
Hatfield explains it in heartfelt terms, with reverence for the women who raised the money for the original downtown library on this site in 1890, into her contribution now. “There are different stages of life when you have different goals. The stage of life that I’m in now is very nurturing. I really like that.
Veronica Pasfield is editor of Territory.
“What I feel in this building is energy. Positive energy. It’s a whole other feeling to our downtown fabric.”
photograph by Steffanie Halley
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The downtown address for fresh.
Downtown
7 3 1 0 2
7 A M - 9 P M
D A I LY
( 4 0 5 ) 7 6 3 - 5 9 1 1
K I T C H E N 3 2 4 . C O M
A seasonally inspired cafe, craft bakery, and coffee curator.
The downtown address for fresh.
Downtown
7 3 1 0 2
7 A M - 9 P M
D A I LY
( 4 0 5 ) 7 6 3 - 5 9 1 1
K I T C H E N 3 2 4 . C O M
A seasonally inspired cafe, craft bakery, and coffee curator.
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DOWNTOW
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DOWNTOWNudånder | Towards a More Human Being | Phil Solomon | Please, Don’t Come Here
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Breath does amazing things. It releases so much from within, and opens us to the outside world. The rhythm and power of nature serve as the organizing ethos for udånder Scandinavian steam & sauna spa.
udånder means “exhale” in Danish, and this beautiful sanctuary invites Oklahoma City to make time to do just that smack in the heart and hustle of Downtown. Explains co-founder Katie O’Brien, that’s the point.
“Being downtown is a complete benefit. It speaks to our message of being able to get away from the rush, rush, rush—even Downtown. We created a safe space, a warm and comfortable space, to just decompress.”
O’Brien and partner Andrea Mason shared a true passion for spa girl getaways, and regularly visited many. Not surprisingly, these highly entrepreneurial businesswomen transformed passion into a hip business. O’Brien’s True North Living store in Nichols Hills catapulted her into a leadership role there. Mason is one of the most high-profile women in OKC as owner of Barre3 studios and an impassioned supporter of the city’s growth.
These women also possess maybe the rarest quality of all: a genuine nurturing of other women. That spirit pervades this space—and certainly extends to men. (udånder dedicates separate time for them.)
Visits can be simple; a half-hour steam and catnap on the sleek recliners did us a solid after work. Their massage therapist worked wonders on the bulldog mess that was our publisher’s stressed-out shoulders. The cedar foot soak in a hammered copper bowl felt like a private ceremony, and delivered on the promise to help my strained ankle. And it’s amazing what fifteen minutes in a eucalyptus-infused steam sauna will do for a bad attitude.
“All of these amenities have never been done this way in Oklahoma City,” O’Brien said. “Yes, it’s great that we’re doing and creating all these things. But if you’re not taking time for yourself to exhale, all of it is for naught. Now you can just go downtown and here you are.”
That “here you are” feeling translates to a deeper philosophy at udånder. There is power in our bodies, and in creation. udånder’s invitation: be with that.
Nature’s potent therapeutics, and our breath and bodies—just as they are—have the power to bring us back to balance.
131 Dean A. McGee Ave., ste. 105, Oklahoma City; (405) 605-0313. udander.com.
LEARNING TO BREATHEby Veronica Pasfield
photography by Emily Hughes, Something Gold Photography
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In March, Oklahoma City might just be the smartest place in the world on the issues of animal welfare, and the vitally important connection of human animals to them. Spearheaded by the Kirkpatrick Foundation, The ANIMAL Conference: A Forum of Ideas, Impact, and Inspiration brings exciting and important thought on animal-human welfare March 30–31.
An all-star cast of speakers stuns for its depth and breadth. The nation’s major news sources praise the work of veterinarian Vint Virga. His book The Soul of All Living Creatures makes a strong case for the mutually beneficial and meaningful connections between humans and animals. Neurologist, counterterrorism expert, and Huff Post blogger Aysha Akhtar examines connections between animal welfare and public safety. Author and journalist Charles Siebert also weighs in. There’s plenty of animal-friendly fun to be had, too, including champion dog discus.
The conference is part of a new initiative from Kirkpatrick to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane state for animals by 2032. Why such concern with animal welfare, particularly in a state rife with industrial ranching and farming?
“We can tell how well a community is doing by seeing how its animals are faring,” explained Louisa McCune-Elmore, the Kirkpatrick Foundation’s executive director.
In fact, the Kirkpatrick Foundation holds animal welfare as one of the primary areas of interest. Explained McCune-Elmore, the welfare of animals
is directly related to the health of Oklahoma’s communities, so it makes sense that Kirkpatrick would be involved.
The conference is one component of a six-pronged strategy under the banner of the foundation’s Safe & Humane initiative. Kirkpatrick is also funding studies and compiling information about the welfare of animals in our state. One of those studies, The Oklahoma Shelter Survey, is a county-by-county assessment of shelters in Oklahoma. It was funded by the foundation and conducted by SpayFirst!
The ANIMAL Conference strives to get the best and brightest involved both professionally and personally to learn about the benefits of an active commitment to animal welfare. There will be plenty of fun to be had, too, for regular folks. “The conference is for people who love animals and have an interest in their well-being,” McCune-Elmore said. “That means professionals as well as pet owners.”
Open to the public. More info at theanimalconference.com.
TOWARDS A MORE HUMAN BEINGby Greg Horton, photography by Joel Sartore
PHIL SOLOMONby Greg Horton
Filmmaker Phil Solomon’s works have been likened to jazz as cinematography, and the poetics of Emily Dickinson and John Ashberry. Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s highly respectable film series hosts feature films and an appearance by this most acclaimed of filmmakers on April 24.
Solomon’s Academy Award-winning avant-garde are meant to create a sensory experience more than a narrative. Explains Film Curator Michael Anderson,
“(Solomon’s) films, like many within the tradition he is
working, privilege sensory experience (often as an end itself) over story.” Anderson hopes that viewers will come to appreciate the “possibilities of experimental film.”
Solomon will be present for the screening of his Psalm I: “The Lateness of the Hour”, The Snowman, Psalm IV: “Valley of the Shadow”, and American Falls on April 24th at 8 pm at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. 415 Couch Dr, Oklahoma City; (405) 236-3100.
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Secrets don’t make friends. They keep great bars great.I’m about to let out some whispers about
Oklahoma City’s best-kept secret, and the fact of the matter is, I don’t want to see you there. Call me selfish. But as a bartender and professional bar fly, I spend most nights talking shop with the unsavory and burblingly handsome crowds on both sides of the stick. When I find a spot run by people I love, I send the masses their way. Sometime I can’t get a drink there anymore because I’ve opened my mouth.
If a young Clint Eastwood and Anthony Bourdain each had bars, and those bars had a bar love-child? That bar would be this bar. Located at the corner of [Yeah, Right] and [Find It Yourself ] this joint glows with the rustic earnestness of its owner, Clay Berkes. Clay only recently returned to Oklahoma City, after fleeing for better opportunity in Austin years ago.
Luckily, things have changed dramatically in Oklahoma City. “Now people from Austin are moving here,” said Berkes, “a gaggle of ’em stayed. They just said, ‘We’re living like kings here. Why leave?’”
Berkes’ new place—let’s just locate it deeply Downtown—also remains deeply Oklahoman. Built in 1928, this adobe structure was part of the largest amusement park west of the Mississippi, then a nexus for farm vendors, and finally a small power plant.
If you can’t figure out the name of this place based on that information alone, maybe you shouldn’t come. Equal parts adobe and saloon, it exudes warmth no matter the weather. On the gravel patio, the lights are soft and brooding; votive candles garnish the tabletops,
Christmas strands crisscross overhead, the flames of the portentous fireplace crackle between the lyrics of Woody Guthrie, the Rolling Stones, and Steve Earle. Inside, the paneling patina, gramophone chandelier, and deer skulls offer a feeling of permanence. Behind the bar, a god-knows-how-old refrigerator cleverly serves as the tap system for featured local brews. The beer is cold and the cocktails stout.
The bartenders riff and banter like siblings, and bounce between the many conversations they kindle and stoke throughout the night. They shoot Becherovka, a cinnamon- and anise-flavored Czech spirit. The tiny kitchen lovingly prepares Hawaiian Pork Biscuits, Chili Pork Verde, or the daily pie special.
In the corner of the main room, a small television plays the 1940s home videos that Clay found during the build out. “I found these 8mm reels in the attic. I took two of them to a videographer and, I’ll be damned, they chronicle this one family’s growth in 1940s Oklahoma City. I’m gonna find this family.”
I love this place and these people. They’ve fed me after one too many. They smile and have good taste in music. They give you blankets at the fireplace when it’s cold. If you should venture out and find them, let them find you well. Play with them. Laugh with them. Tread quietly along with the whisper campaign. And don’t you dare tell me this article brought you there.
Robb Lindsey is Territory spirits contributing editor. He also has an awesome nickname.
PLEASE, DON’T COME HEREby Robb Lindsey, photography by Brandon Puffer
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301 NW 10TH ST. OKC • [email protected]
Shown Here: @FlyingPigOKC | @pinkysrollingfresh | @cornishsmokehouse
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MIDTOWN
MIDTOWNLocals Know | The Quiet American | Elemental + Black Mesa | Midtown Songwriter's Series | Boho Braids
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There’s been a whole lot of yahoo! and a little less amen in Oklahoma’s high-end food scene in the last year. Some promising white-tablecloth restaurants have opened in beautiful spaces. But too often, our experiences have left us wanting. Territory would like to recommend the latest greatest, but here’s the truth: our most consistently satisfying meals have been from more established kitchens serving homey, but somehow elevated, Heartland food.
Also, Territory adores fine dining, but most often we prefer to sit elbow-to-elbow with community. Some of our favorite meals ranked thus because of the truly excellent company of strangers also taking dinner at the bar. Somehow, this also seems very Oklahoma City. We gathered a few devoted foodies to share recommendations of their tried and true haunts.
I met all my favorite people eating at the bar at Packard’s. Of course, it all started with an artist pal named Larry. So much does. I’m beginning to liken Larry to bluesman Robert Johnson—he’s the guy at the crossroads who helps determine if you will meet some of the most interesting folks in OKC. There is something incredibly Oklahoman about this baton-passing of one friendly (or crazy) encounter to the next. I like that.
For me, it has everything to do with the food and vibe served up at Packard’s New American Kitchen. Full confession: I’m a newcomer, and Packard’s hip decor and skilled seasonal menu reassured me that OKC was a city I could get behind. I’ve seen Packard’s mature, and arrive at a pitch-perfect place with newish chef Chris McKenna.
Downtown’s most interesting posse of creatives, developers, and urban pioneers line the bar for Tuesday Neighborhood Night. It’s fun to watch chef explore and develop ideas via the $10 weekly specials. McKenna has a very deft hand with seasonal vegetables—he and his crew have fundamentals on lock, in fact. The Spring menu always impresses here; the bones stay the same, but fresh tweaks include deviled ham on the dip platter, a duck rillette pate, bucatini pasta with a lamb ragu, soffritto, and mint gremolata, and Nutella cheesecake mousse. Like we said, comfort food but with a lot of foodie bling.
—Veronica Pasfield, Editor
I turned 33 in 1997—the same age as Jesus when he died. I had a better year. For my birthday, my soon-to-be wife asked where I would like to eat for my birthday celebration. I chose The Metro. I have been
in LaVeryl Lower's restaurant every year since, and to my recollection, I have only missed one birthday celebration in all those years. I think she forgave me.
Sometimes I get out of the habit of going, but LaVeryl still seems happy to see me—if you know otherwise, please do not tell me. Her staff, comprising more careerists than most restaurants, is part of the reason The Metro has been around for more than 25 years. And by been around, I don't mean that they have barely hung in.
What first drew me to The Metro was the promise of good wine. LaVeryl's list is a benchmark, especially the by-the-glass offerings, Napa’s excellent Reynolds Family Winery likened it to California wine bars.
A friend who had never been to The Metro—and I find it hard to call you friend if you have not—once asked what she should order. I told her the fish special.
"What is it?" she asked. "It doesn't matter," I said. I order fish because I love it, not because I like
batter or heavy cream. The Metro serves fish with ingredients that ensure the fish is the star of the dish. LaVeryl cares about fish, which is the key to finding good seafood—I resist the idea we can’t get it in Oklahoma. Once upon a time, LaVeryl had a chef who was not very good at fish. The chef no longer works there. I like to believe seafood was the deal breaker.
—Greg Horton, Wine Writer
I was editor of a magazine in San Francisco during the latter roar of California cuisine at legendary Chez Panisse. Visionary Alice Waters changed us with her insistence on supreme local sourcing and seasonal eating. Any Yelp OKC search reveals we think a lot of such at Ludivine’s close-to-the-red-earth culinary adventures. What locals share more quietly among themselves is the excellent Monday Blue Plate Special in Ludivine’s cozy bar.
Says downtown devotee Miles Mixon: “When I know someone who’s very rehearsed in what they like, and they have good taste, I tell them, “You have to go to Ludivine. Have to.”
Mondays, sous chef Bryce Lack offers a meal for $10. Take it or leave it, and get there before dishes such as Braised Bison Ravioli with foraged mushrooms are gone. They load up the charcuterie platter with housemade delicacies: decadent pates and mousses, succulent salmon, roasted cherry tomatoes that explore brightly on your tongue, and some of the only interesting cheese in town.
So, I asked of Mixon, wine writer Greg Horton, and ambitious Midtown foodie Mike M: is Ludivine
LOCALS KNOW by Greg Horton & Veronica Pasfield
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Oklahoma? They answered all at once. “Yeah…and no,” said Greg. And Miles: “I think the majority of Oklahomans would say no. But it’s a representation of where we are, though.” “It’s all local ingredients, so‥‥” chimed Mike.
Wonderfully unresolved, no? Of this we’re sure: Chef Bryce could be home instead of feeding us an inexpensive meal on a Monday night. Bartender Cody’s Smoking Jacket rocks the charcuterie’s lusty flavors. And in the middle of our meal, the server told Mike
that entrées were running low. Should she set one aside for Mike’s wife? Oklahoma, people. Oklahoma.
—Veronica Pasfield, Editor
Packard’s New American Kitchen, 201 NW 10th St., Oklahoma City; (405) 605-3771. packardsokc.com. Ludivine, 805 N. Hudson, Oklahoma City; (405) 778-6800. ludivine.com. The Metro, 6418 N. Western Ave., Oklahoma City; (405) 840-9463. metrowinebar.com
Top: the bar at Packard's New American Kitchen. Left: the Corvina Spring fish dish at The Metro. Right: a Smoking Jacket whiskey and tobacco tincture craft cocktail and righteous charcuterie platter from Ludivine.
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THE QUIET AMERICANA CRAFT COCKTAIL TRIBUTE AS COMPLEX AS ITS INSPIRATION. by Robb Lindsey
KOSU BOMBING ORAL HISTORYThere are occurrences in life that resonate so deeply within us that the impact can hardly be measured. April 19th marks the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. The world watched as Oklahomans suffered, and also set a precedent for courage and compassion, and the Oklahoma Standard was born. People came together to provide support for a community that had just endured the worst case of domestic terrorism in history.The Oklahoma Public
Media Exchange partners KOSU and KGOU are gathering stories of how the bombing affected you. They are building an oral history to commemorate the anniversary.
Visit kosu.org for details, or call the specially dedicated phone line (405) 325-8700.
INDUSTRY FLEAAfter visiting the Brooklyn Flea market, Pop-Up Shop originator Allison Barta Bailey decided it was time OKC had one, too. Industry Flea opens March 27–8 at the corner of 10th & Hudson, along with the season’s first H&8th. Exceptionally good pop-up shops are joining for the flea, including Sara Kate Studios, Dry/Shop, JL Woodworx, and 42nd Street Candy. www.industryflea.com
SCENE & BE SEEN
An elderly British journalist sits in a sun-drenched Saigon café, brow beading with sweat, drink in hand. A Vietnamese woman sways towards him through the heat. He thought, “You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war… a pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you.”
I created the Quiet American as an homage to the anti-war novel by Graham Greene. The intention was to combine the influences of three very distinct cultures, brought together through imperialism and war.
The ingredients, while chosen for taste and balance, operate essentially as expatriates. From Old Britannia, the most delicious of imperialist residue imports: gin, albeit a particular gin infused with Thai lemongrass and black peppercorn. From France: St. Germain elderflower liqueur for viscosity and balance. From Vietnam: cilantro in two forms (the coriander seed and the cilantro flower). The hibiscus tonic adds an elusive and exotic combination of bitterness and tartness with a dose of astringency.
When imbibed, the Quiet American can make its drinker forget about being landlocked. And for that you could be forgiven.
THE QUIET AMERICAN
2 oz Bombay Sapphire East Gin
.5 oz
.5 ozHibiscus Strong TonicLemon Juice
.75 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 tbs Coriander Seed Brut Cava float
.5 oz Honey Syrup Cilantro or Lemon garnish
Muddle the coriander seed with honey syrup and lemon juice in a shaker tin. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, Hibiscus Strong Tonic and ice. Shake thoroughly for around 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Top with Brut Cava. Garnish with a cilantro leaf and a think lemon slice.
Robb Lindsey is Territory spirits editor. He also presides over the O Bar atop the Ambassador Hotel in Midtown with a band of merry scoundrels. Follow our social media for more craft cocktail recipes.
photography by Brandon Puffer
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COCKTAILS | LUNCH | DINNER | BRUNCH | ROOFTOP PATIO201 NW 10TH STREET OKLAHOmA CITy 73103 | (405) 605-3771 | WWW.PACKARDSOKC.COm
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Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge421 NW 10th StreetOklahoma City 73103(405) 609-3302www.dustbowlokc.comPrivate Party Room AvailableMon-Fri open at 4pmSat & Sun open at noon
Fassler Hall421 NW 10th StreetOklahoma City 73103(405) 609-3300www.fasslerhall.com/okcGerman-Inspired Beer HallBrunch | Lunch | Dinner | Beer Garden open daily at 11am
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We are the blessed and the cursed. Walking into a store with a good beer selection, say Broadway Wine Merchants, can be akin to staring down a tsunami. Black Mesa makes it a little easier. The New York International Beer Competition just awarded their Ethiopian Ardi Stout a silver medal in the coffee beer category (and named the brewery the best in the state). A gold was not awarded this year.
In 2013, Mesa founders Brad Stumph and Chris Sanders walked into Midtown’s Elemental Coffee to buy beans for a new stout. The pair already had won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup for Endless Skyway Bitter. ESB honors Oklahoma in intention, with its evocation of Woody Guthrie, and for its accolades.
“We wanted to try some different beans for a coffee stout,” Stumph said, “so we just bought bags of Elemental. After trying a few different beers that Chris had brewed, he said, ‘I’d take these to Elemental right now and try them.’ They were that good.”
The pair received the blessing of Elemental owner Laura Massenat, who hosted a tasting to determine which test batch would become the final draft. Said Elemental roaster Steve Willingham, the Ardi highlights the coffee: “You can identify the coffee in there; you can taste its strawberry, chocolate, thyme, and cinnamon notes.”
The Ardi is better than last year’s Red Badger Stout. The difference between the Sumatran and Ethiopian beans comes through in the taste of the beers, and that is intentional. Said Stumph: “We have agreed to keep the stout unchanged so that the only variation will be in the beans.”
MIDTOWN SONGWRITER'S SERIESIf there is a hipper venue in town, we don’t know it. City Pres shows are more pulpit repurposed than kumbaya. This altar ego of the historic City Presbyterian makes for a surprisingly cool venue. More than once, we’ve heard folks wonder aloud if there was a catch—maybe a collection basket at the end, or a brief sermon between sets?
Instead, the Midtown Songwriter’s Series seems simply in pursuit of supreme indie music.
ELEMENTAL + BLACK MESAby Greg Horton, photography by Rachel Apple
In March, John Calvin Abney’s poetics rose up to the rafters, wondering if he should be West Coast-bound. Catch Josh Robinson’s excellent Vimeos from City pres vets like honey-haired Kierston White, warbling from the balcony, and Horse Thief. Abney might have a hard time finding better on either coast. The OKC Midtowner also rocks.
City Pres, 829 NW 13th St., Oklahoma City.
DIGGING THROUGH DIRT
JUST TO FIND WHO I AM
AM I A WEST COAST CHILD
OR AN OKLAHOMA MAN?
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COMING TO MIDTOWN IN APRIL
a lifestyle boutique
1112 N. WALKER AVE., SUITE 104
OKLAHOMA CITY 73103
THEBLACKSHEEPOKC
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BOHO BRAIDSphotography by Josh Welch
Lady Godiva, Helen of Troy—these are unforgettable women. There’s a reason Hollywood’s latest damsels have adopted their timeless looks.
“Braids are here to stay,” says Dry/Shop owner and charming Instagrammer, Emily Frosaker. “You can make them look effortless or fancy.”
Dry/Shop’s fun Instagram feed inspired our fascination. French braiding, fishtailing, and side buns had been relegated to the realm of Napoleon Dynamite’s girlfriend until the new tousled looks started to emerge.
Boho up ’dos also provide stylish cover for not-so-fresh locks. It’s a great way to repurpose a blow out two days down the road. Frosaker advises applying dry shampoo and texturizing spray to reinvigorate hair into a controlled messiness. Then, let the braiding begin.
Dry/Shop braid ’dos can take anywhere from five minutes to a half an hour, and cost $5–$25, or they can be added to a blow out. Frosaker also encourages playing at home. “Pinterest made a huge impact on braiding. They’re easy and you can learn how to do them online at home.”
Blogs, videos, and Instagram hashtags also abound. YouTube features thousands of tutorials. Hair & Make Up by Steph produces especially easy, methodical how-tos, but nothing compares to leaving it to the professionals.
Dry/Shop Blowdry Bar and Boutique, 1212 N. Walker, suite 101, Oklahoma City; (405) 761-2485
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HOMETOWN DENTIST, SMALL TOWN SERVICE.
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OKLAHOMA CITY 73107
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AUTOMOBILE
ALLEY
AUTOMOBILE ALLEYHeirlooms from a Stranger | For more information on Automobile Alley check out www.automobilealley.org.
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In better cities, we think, there are things to make our lives more interesting and beauty-filled. Sara Kate Huff bucked Oklahoma City’s millennial brain drain, and committed herself to being part of the change at home. Now, coastal interior designers and e-commerce source from Sara Kate Studios.
Impeccable antique accessories and Brooklyn Flea-worthy vintage furnishings are but a few of the
“heirlooms from a stranger” found in Huff’s light-filled shop. Uber hip new Garza Marfa accent pieces and heritage linens co-inhabit the space.
This woman has style. We chatted her up about her wildly successful digital presence, and her process.
I remember walking into your opening night party and being struck by the interesting people there and thinking, “This is the new ascendancy for Oklahoma City.” I can’t tell you how encouraging that is because these things didn’t happen overnight. After about a year of being a freelancer, I had that confidence (to open the shop). There’s a saying: Jump first and build your wings on the way down. That’s something that I have really had to live by.
Your Auto Alley shop is genius, but you have a thriving e-shop, too? I had been collecting antiques, and then while I was in college my mom said, ‘Why don’t you make this part of your business? It’s what you really love.’ I hadn’t considered that a part of my work because it was so fun. So I took a leap of faith, started collecting, and threw some of it online. Now, most of our customers online are interior designers looking for unusual pieces for their clients.
You’re killing it on social media—17,000 Instagram followers?! In college, I studied in Florence and Paris and I was like, ‘Well, I’ll start a blog just to share what I’m doing.’ It was so strange getting comments from Australia, and encouraging to realize there were these kindred spirits that wanted to connect. That was just enough to keep me curious. I joined Instagram the day after I graduated. I didn’t walk in my graduation, but instead I flew to New York and hung out with friends I met blogging, which was crazy! So that had me hooked. It’s been such a fun thing creating a community, especially in the times when I haven’t felt like there were other women my age doing what I’m doing.
Instagram is like a modern day beauty show where we all come out with perfect smiles. But behind the
Sara Kate is all about using personal items to tell story—from the lowly Italian barnacle to hand-drawn maps. Ephemera gives styled shoots some oomph, and helps spark our memories displayed on a shelf or mirror.
The studio is packed with treasures from Sara Kate's travels, including Moroccan pottery and hand-woven Turkish towels.
scenes it’s more like a bad reality show. I joke about a hashtag called “the sh@t I don’t show you.” (At an install) we’re in sweats and my hair is on top of my head and we’re disgusting. Instagram for me is a way of savoring the beautiful parts of my day, but the photos are carefully edited.
Your travel posts made me excited for your shop to open. So fun to watch the stories of your adventures finding Turkish pottery or rugs, say. I think traveling is the perhaps the best education I’ve ever had. Because what is there to be afraid of? Do I get lost? I mean you’re never really lost. I’ll just find my way.
Sara Kate Studios, 1100 N. Broadway, No. 102, Oklahoma City / (405) 625-7744. sarakatestudios.com. We also love the profile of Sara at elyfairphotos.com.
HEIRLOOMS FROM A STRANGER by Veronica Pasfield, photography by Abby Coyle
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PLAZA DISTRICTNani | For more information on the Plaza District check out www.plazadistrict.org.
PLAZA DISTRICT
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Top: Andon Whitehorn and Colin Stringer (Paul Zimmerman was out feeding Norbert). Left: Ebi–a butter-poached shrimp with sunchoke sauce and slivers. Middle: Nani's serene dining room. Bottom: Fin for dessert, consisting of toasted oats, macerated carrots, coriander syrup, and orange-blossom ice cream.
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AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NANI DINNER CLUB REINVENTS HEARTLAND CUISINE
by Veronica Pasfield, photography by Something Gold Photography
DERBY DAY (May 2) is all about swag, and Ladies & Gentlemen Hats in the Paseo elevates ours considerably. Hometown girl Marla refined her taste via a stint in Brooklyn, and it shows. 3016 Paseo, Oklahoma City; (405) 601-7776.
THE PUMP BAR ranks right up there in a newly overheated bar scene. We love Pump best for its pop-up chef program. Memorable eats by talented cooks elevate this Detroit-esque hang-out. 2425 N. Walker Ave, Oklahoma City; (405) 702-8898.
SIXTWELVE renovated a lovely old building in the Paseo and turned it into a place for community gardening, learning, and gathering. 612 NW 29th, Oklahoma City. sixtwelve.org
UPTOWN/PASEO For more information on Uptown/Paseo check out uptown23rd.com and thepaseo.com.
“Being from a place like Oklahoma, a lot of people feel if you want to experience something new or out of the ordinary, you have to go someplace else. But we believe that we’ve had extraordinary things here all along. You just have to look for them.”
—Andon Whitehorn
Nani Dinner Club is a bit of a phenomenon on Instagram. Their tiny, artful dishes shine in that miniature square world, though I’ve seen more effusive postings by diners than the “Nani Boiz”—Andon Whitehorn, Colin Stronger, and Paul Zimmerman. Can we call Nani OKC’s first Instaraunt? Of course we can. If they can do Choctaw-Japanese fusion, is there anything the rest of us cannot do? That is the point of a place like Nani.
At Nani, our group delighted in food conceived with great creative flair and intention, and executed with zealous precision. Their dishes center on composing few elements—no more than five most times. Wild foraging, infusing, preserving and from-scratch cooking are adhered to with fervor. Meals consist of eight to 10 courses, amuse bouches, and coffee service.
The crew’s social media reveals romps into the woods for mushrooms twisted from a log or aromatics snipped from a meadow. An African tortoise named Norbert presides over a greenhouse that blooms with
herbs and edible nasturtiums. Though Whitehorn’s Choctaw heritage is often tied to Nani’s wildcrafting ways, is this not a practice shared by all of humankind?
Blessedly, it’s BYOB. Our group came with an arsenal of decent vintages, a bottle of small-batch whiskey, Hibiscus Strong Tonic, and a blood orange. It added a jolly note to our gathering as wave after wave of gorgeously composed tastings poured forth. We savored slivers of venison tiny as the tip of a pinky finger, wild crafted herbs floating in elegant sips of broth, wisps of seaweed and dustings of cocoa like debris on the plate after an Oklahoma earthquake. But once on the tongue, these seeming nothings utterly transformed our tasty adventure. It was quietly epic, frankly.
One caveat: some might find the portions overly small. After our meal, Territory Publisher Trey McNeill gave a mischievous grin and said, “So where are we going for dinner?” Trey ended the night with a big plate of chicken and dumplings at R&J Supper Club.
Not me, I was satiated. Not by OKC’s notoriously huge portions. I was satisfied because all of my senses had been turned on, and tuned up. I was deeply contented because I could not ask for more from an Oklahoma dining experience than the Nani Boiz gave that night.
Reservations: naniokc.com; (405) 420-7569. See our blog for more from Nani’s magical mystery tour on our blog, www.territoryokc.com.
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“Let’s make home happen for you.”
Simon ShingLeton5629 n. Classen, oKC 73118 | (405) 633-3611
www.405houseandhome.com
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WESTERN AVEPraise the Makers | The Urban Prairie Gardening | A Thirst for Good Wine
WESTERN AVE
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PRAISE THE MAKERS SOURCING WHAT MAKES HOME BEAUTIFUL AT HOME.
by Greg Horton & Veronica Pasfield
Area artisans hearten in their quest to upcycle materials from sources like retired train cars, turning scrap into gorgeous furnishings. Supporting local makers also keeps trade skills accessible; ever try to fix an upholstered chair in a town with no upholsterers or furniture makers? Not fun. Of course, local makers also create very pretty things that make our lives beautiful to behold, which makes us very happy to share their good work.
Three-season outdoor living is one of the best parts of life in Oklahoma, and we do it up. Ketch Design Centre found a fresh new offering in its powder-coated metal outdoor furniture. Like most things at Ketch’s bustling in-house fabrication studio—which welds beautiful window hardware, sews curtains, upholsters furniture, and more—in-house craftsmen create Ketch’s sleek outdoor furniture. Says owner Ronnie Ketch,
“If you can describe it, we can make it—including the cushions.” 4416 N. Western Ave.; (405) 525-7757. www.ketchdesigncentre.com.
Like Okie coats of arms, the upcycled wood crests adorning Bleu Garten are only the most visible creations by Jay and Christina Long, of JL Woodworx & Design. Their Midtown Pop-Up shop charmed last Christmas—most especially richly stained cutting boards and bison festooned with Thunder colors. “As Okie natives, we value and are inspired by all things Oklahoma,” they explained. Woodworx maintains a booth at Midtown’s Verdigris, and is carried at other shops around OKC. www.jlwoodworx.com.
Urban Ironcraft creates the kind of high-end products usually only available to the trade. Its broad portfolio focuses on crisp and elegant designs in decorative metalwork. Later this year, it also launches nine bathroom hardware collections. Three Nichols Hills-area showrooms showcase Urban, and its social media feeds are a drool fest. www.urbanironcraft.com.
It’s like the whole world has gone flower crazy this spring, and artist Louise Dean is positioned perfectly to bring the trend into our homes. This Brit-born artist creates whimsical designs that charm utterly. Dean’s aesthetic fits jolly well between the craftsman aesthetic of the maker’s movement and Spring’s fussy feminine blooms. www.louisedeandesign.com.
An irrepressible creativity drives The Chalet Woodshop, from cigar box and Edison-bulb lamps to rare-wood tables. Sam Ashford and Anthony DiFabio pursue the impulses of the maker’s movement: “We believe that high quality and handmade products are superior,” DiFabio said. Weldon Jack, at N. Western and 36th, carries Chalet’s cigar-box lamps. www.thechaletwoodshop.weebly.com.
It’s hard to believe the rustic ranch table at Lorec began as a bowling alley, but the furniture maker’s formidable craftsmen churn out furniture like Santa’s elves. The lower-OKC workshop and showroom draws lovers of ranch décor, and those who love solid-wood furniture that’s made to last. Among our faves: cowhide ottomans, J. R. Ewing-worthy desks, and a copper-topped dining table befitting a Napa tasting room. 4111 W. Reno Ave.; (405) 948-0018.
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7300 N. WESTERN AVE., OKC 73116(405) 840-77257300 N. WESTERN AVE., OKC 73116
(405) 840-7725
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Prairie is Oklahoma’s natural heritage. It’s an indigenous ecosystem that has perpetually conspired to feed, awaken, heal, balance, and benefit the planet for millennia. Prairie is a literal grocery store and pharmacy for humans and wildlife alike, and in Oklahoma we are smackdab in the middle of it.
A stunning community of wildflowers and grasses once blanketed every square foot of the Central Great Plains. Yet we Oklahomans sometimes fixate on our challenging weather conditions and difficult red soils, leaving us gardeners feeling defeated before we even get started. With a little information, it’s possible to harness Oklahoma’s perfectly-conditioned harsh climate and iron-rich clay soils to sustain a beautifully dynamic, cost-effective, and water-efficient landscape called the Urban Prairie garden.
Urban Prairie gardens are also the best sustainable landscaping for urban-dwelling Okies. The historical development of Oklahoma City’s neighborhoods has created urban heat islands and overly compacted soils. Believe it or not, they are perfectly suited for Urban
Prairie gardens and just so happen to keenly replicate the ideal setting for prairie to prosper.
The Oklahoma Historic Preservation Standards and Guidelines and the Oklahoma City Office of Sustainability both praise the benefits of this type of gardening, for reasons similar to my own.
HERE’S WHY I LOVE URBAN PRAIRIE GARDENS:Weather-Resilient: Oklahoma’s native prairie plants (think grasses, wildflowers, and thicket shrubs) have evolved over centuries to not only survive these harsh weather conditions and extremes, but to thrive in them. As a matter of fact, the root systems of these plants extend down into the soil over three times the height of the actual plant, firmly anchoring them to resist heavy winds, tornadoes, and even blue northers.
Water-Thrifty: Prairie plant communities seasonally germinate, grow, bloom, and go dormant in tandem with natural rainfall and hydrologic cycles of the Central Great Plains, so additional irrigation is not necessary. The penetrating root systems also allow the
THE URBAN PRAIRIE GARDENING: OKC’S SUSTAINABLE HOME LANDSCAPE BOTANICAL
by Jamie Csizmadia
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plants to reach deeper water sources and persist in natural conditions.
Resource-Reductive: Studies are showing that home gardens that incorporate exclusively native plants translate into $2,200 per year in cost savings, because they use 77% less water, create 66% less waste, and require 68% less labor than traditional gardens composed of non-native plants and vast lawn areas.
Soil-Flexible: Forget about soil amendments, composts, and fertilizers. In a prairie ecosystem, the plants, microbes, invertebrates, and small mammals symbiotically transform the soil naturally over time, not the other way around. Even more amazing, the same wildflowers and grasses that grow in Oklahoma’s clay soils are also growing in Colorado’s gravelly soils, demonstrating their resourcefulness.
Habitat-Generative: Healthy ecosystems boost biodiversity. Native prairie grasses and wildflowers create habitat for a host of invertebrates and pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and beetles. These insects attract birds and small mammals that eat them. Thus, prairie gardens not only sustain life, they create it.
Soul-Inspiring: Growing a prairie habitat garden is a life-affirming opportunity to (re)connect with nature
and open your heart to receive the infinite health and wellness derived from a relationship with the natural world. Learning to observe nature, honor non-human life forces, and love the land engenders humility, an innate sense of stewardship, and even self-love.
A great place to start is converting a portion of unsustainable lawn-scape into a prolifically flowering prairie garden, complete with butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Instead of “keeping up with the Joneses,” try “joining forces with the neighborhood” in creating a continuous habitat corridor of prairie that seamlessly interconnects all yards with a thriving ribbon of living landscape.
In order to re-envision community, we must re-envision our own backyards. It is within that intimate outdoor space where people and plants, families and flora, prairie and concrete meet that we gain inspiration, find personal restoration, and renew our interdependent relationship with the natural world.
Jamie shares more inspiration, information and tips on our website: www.territoryokc.com. She is the founder and president of OLTHIA Urban PrairieSM Gardens, a landscape architecture. www.olthia.com.
“Prairie is a literal grocery store and pharmacy for humans and wildlife alike, and in Oklahoma we are smackdab in the middle of it.”
TERRITORY PHOTO CREDITSCreative talent blesses OKC big time. Most of our ads were produced specifically for Territory. Many helped with these original “art ads.” The following photographers took our ad photos. For more info, see our website www.territoryokc.com.
udånder: Quit Nguyen. Bebe’s: Abby Coyle. Lorec Ranch: Rachel Apple & Brandon Puffer. Kitchen No. 324: Rachel Apple. Scott Cleaners: Rachel Apple. Bleu Garten: Rachel Apple. Packard’s: Emily Hughes. Barre3: Josh Welch. Dust Bowl & Fassler Hall: Meg Carper. King’s Green: Abby Coyle. Black Sheep: Rachel Apple. Bailey Coleman Dentistry: Rachel Apple. Red Prime Steakhouse: Quit Nguyen. The Consortium: Photography by Josh Welch, beauty styling by Jack Odell. All About Cha: Rachel Apple. Dave Wanzer: Brandon Puffer. Simon Shingleton: Abby Coyle. Make-up Bar: Rachel Apple. Ketch Design Centre: Brandon Puffer. FNB Bank: Trace Thomas (Lake Hefner branch) & Dave Cobb (Western Ave. branch). Naifeh Fine Jewelers: Photography by Josh Welch, make-up styling by Chelsey Ann Artistry, fashion styling by Linda Trippe, hair styling by Ali Earnheart & model Ariana of Brink Models. Red Chateau: Steffanie Halley. Paper ‘N More: Abby Coyle. Tree Guy: Steffanie Halley. ZT Cigars: Trace Thomas.
Amy Spicer assisted with photo styling on many of these ads. Major thanks to the volunteers who appeared! Special thanks to: Ryan, Katie & Taylor McNeill, Skylar Munday, Robb Lindsey, Michelle Bui, Miles Mixon, and the Boss Social posse!
For bios of our writing contributors, please see our website: www.territoryokc.com.
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Orson Welles made a wine commercial for television in 1979, but if you were living in Oklahoma at that time, you wouldn’t have seen it. The man who narrated War of the Worlds and changed American cinematography with Citizen Kane once intoned, “Paul Masson will sell no wine before its time.”
Beethoven plays in the background, and Welles compares Masson’s vintage to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (hyperbole? irony? hubris?). Even Beethoven could not get the commercial played in Oklahoma, though. Such ads were illegal in Oklahoma then, and until 1985 that 22 dry counties voted in favor of liquor by the drink.
Fine wine had a difficult time making inroads in Oklahoma for decades after it was popularized in the U.S. Vance Gregory opened Edmond Wine Shop in 1973, and he well remembers the wine climate at that time. “The wine customers I had then were much more interested in imported wines than the California ‘upstarts’ like Robert Mondavi that I had tasted and compelled me into the wine business,” Gregory said.
“In general, serious wine drinkers of the day pursued vintages from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Germany rather than anything domestic.”
A tectonic shift resituated Oklahoma’s wine culture after the 2008 recession, says Gregory: “(It) revealed that wine was not going to be totally eliminated by most wine consumers, but the expensive wines were. Most people traded down. Many of the high-end import and domestic wines really declined in sales, particularly in restaurants.”
Oklahoma actually benefited from the recession, in respect to wine. Wineries that had relied heavily on restaurant and bar sales were forced to allocate some of their product to retailers such as Edmond Wine Shop. The recession also forced wineries to change marketing strategy.
Major markets were not purchasing as much wine, and wineries needed to move their product. Local wine rep Alex Kroblin recognized the opportunity to launch a new brokerage, Thirst Wine Merchant. Kroblin used his West Coast connections, wine events, and travel to push the Thirst brand, and wineries responded. Names associated with some of the best brands in the wine world were suddenly ready to give Oklahoma a second look. Thirst’s portfolio includes some of the most sought-after, even cult-status, wines from California, Oregon, and Washington.
Chris Putnam of Putnam Wines also made much of the post-recession shift. He curates a portfolio that includes small West Coast wineries with sterling reputations and amazing French wines such as those
A THIRST FOR GOOD WINE by Greg Horton
from Kermit Lynch. “I was constantly reading about names like Brewer-Clifton, Copain, Elyse, Pepper Bridge, Raptor Ridge and others in magazines like Wine Spectator and Decanter, and I was wondering why we couldn’t get those wines in Oklahoma.”
Putnam and Kroblin both worked for Hirst Imports, and when that brokerage closed shop in 2004, the young brokers stepped up. “Chris saw the possibility first,” Kroblin said. “I knew from traveling with Hirst that Oklahoma’s restaurant scene really was good. I kept going back to what Chris said when we were discussing the ‘arms race’ that would follow the sale of Hirst: ‘There is a possibility here.’”
As this issue was getting ready to go to print, Wayne Hirst passed away. Facebook lit up with remembrances and expressions of gratitude as eulogy. Kroblin remembers his mentor as the man who founded the fine wine industry in Oklahoma.
“Wayne Hirst ‘invented’ the fine wine industry in Oklahoma. Period,” Kroblin said. “He was a visionary who believed that Oklahoma’s food and wine scene could be better, and then dedicated his life to making it so. At a time when very few Oklahomans drank wine at all, he sold a portfolio of world-class wineries that would be hard to beat even by today’s standards. We all drink better because of his passion, vision, and dedication.”
With the passing of this visionary, it is good to remember just how far Oklahoma City’s wine scene has come. The bias in favor of imported wines was nearly impenetrable until the 1976 Judgment of Paris, when French judges selected California wines over French ones in blind tastings, an event that reshaped the wine world. 1976 was also the year the Wayne Hirst opened Hirst Imports, the first wine brokerage in Oklahoma to take California wines seriously. His first labels are still popular, even iconic: Caymus, Chappellet, Ridge, and Schramsberg. Hirst did such a good job with his brokerage that Oklahoma was one of the first five states to get Kendall Jackson and Opus.
All Oklahoma needed was that opportunity to prove itself as a worthy market. Top brands sell well here. Oklahoma City added two certified sommeliers in 2014, bringing our total to six. In all likelihood, we will see more this year. One of our newest, Adam Rott, works at Broadway Wine Merchants in Automobile Alley. Thirst tags hang from many racks in Broadway’s savvy selection. Monday nights on SpyFM (91.7), wine rep Clayton Barr hosts Tasting Notes.
Once considered too lowly for cult brands, we have shown that our wine culture has matured. Now, the next phase is beginning.
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(405) 286-4183
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Delivering all of the banking services you require, while remaining true to our community banking roots.
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
WWW.FNBOK.COM
10900 HEFNER POINTE DRIVE OKC 73120 | 5101 N. WESTERN AVE. OKC 73118
(405 ) 848 -2001
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COMMERCIAL, PROFESSIONAL & EXECUTIVE BANKING
Delivering all of the banking services you require, while remaining true to our community banking roots.
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
WWW.FNBOK.COM
10900 HEFNER POINTE DRIVE OKC 73120 | 5101 N. WESTERN AVE. OKC 73118
(405 ) 848 -2001
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9205 N. Pennsylvania Ave.Oklahoma City 73120
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-5:30pmwww.redchateau.net
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POINTS NORTHLearn, Play, Do | Sunday Supper Series | Quail Springs Says Bonjour to Promising Chef
POINTS NORTH
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Hello, friends. We have created something for you. It’s a love letter, of sorts. And like all acts of affection, we invite you to spend time with us. We ask you to be silly, to stretch yourself, to have fun and get your hands dirty.
Spring is a time of new beginnings. It seems a good time to launch our Terrritory:Makers Series of workshops and Sunday Supper explorations. Together, we will learn to live a little more artfully.
We want Territory to be something that creates experiences, and connects you to people and things that inspire most. Our thriving Maker’s culture embraces the idea of self-creation and learning from our friends. We know the outstanding creatives in our city will help us walk away with new skills, having spent a lovely night communing with our neighbors.
This season’s workshops gather truly talented folks to teach us calligraphy, Kundalini yoga, natural healing practices, and chiminea cookery. We will convene in the most beautiful spaces.
March 25—udånder Scandinavian Steam & Sauna Spa creates an oasis of calm and self-nurturing Downtown (story on p. 18). Our workshop nourishes body and mind with healthy appetizers, a Kundalini yoga class, and tutorial about the healing properties of essential oils and flowers. Everyone leaves with bath soak sachets they made.
April 1—A hand-written note is one of the most sublime forms of connection. Calligraphers and artists Alex Estes and Brittany Viklund join us at Paper ‘N More shop on N. May Ave. to teach fundamentals of calligraphy and watercolor painting. Everyone leaves with handmade cards, and the tools necessary to continue using both mediums at home.
April 22—Popular food blogger Chris Castro, our home cooking correspondent, teaches the finer points of using chimineas for cooking (see story on the last page). On the lovely Whole Foods Market patio, Chris teaches us how to create a full-flavored feast, cocktail, and dessert so good you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of cooking in a chiminea before.
May TBA—It’s time to plant, and the rooftop at Packard’s New American Kitchen hosts a workshop on how to create a Bloody Mary garden. Urban container gardeners and extreme novices welcome! We also will get a pickling tutorial, for a truly homemade Bloody when brunch hits.
May TBA—The expert needlecrafters at Gourmet Yarn Company join us for pie and knitting lessons at All About Cha café on N. Western Ave. Each participant learns how to knit a beautiful scarf, with plenty of assistance.
We can’t wait to showcase the creative talent that makes Oklahoma City such a special place to be right now. Oklahomans are unique in their ability to connect so easily and to help one another. We’re eager to connect with community, because that’s where the magic happens.
Event and ticket information at www.territoryokc.com and via social media. Photography credit from top to bottom: Alex Estes, Emily Hughes, Rachel Apple
Our Territory:Makers Series includes a little something special—monthly Sunday Suppers hosted by our favorite restaurants. We love the idea of pulling chef from the kitchen to teach techniques, and of our local spirits purveyors advising us on pairings. We feast and learn together, and everyone goes home with recipe and how-to cards.
March 29—Kitchen 324 hosts a Spring feast highlighted by Chris Castro cocktails and Porchetta with spring herbs and Antebellum grits.
April 29—Nani Dinner Club hosts a characteristically eclectic take on local, seasonal eating.
May TBA—Summer Barn shindig, y’all! Deets in development.
Follow Territory:Makers Series on EventBrite for ticket information. Best way to learn about new events is to follow our social media. Instagram: @territoryokc Twitter: @territoryokc Facebook: Territory OKC
LEARN, PLAY, DOJOIN TERRITORY:MAKERS WORKSHOP & SUNDAY SUPPER SERIES.
by Skyler Munday & Veronica Pasfield, opening photo by Brittany Viklund
SUNDAY SUPPER SERIES
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SUNDAY SUPPER SERIES
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QUAIL SPRINGS SAYS BONJOUR TO PROMISING CHEFby Greg Horton, photography by Brandon Puffer
When Saigon fell to North Vietnamese troops in 1975, the United States began an ambitious refugee resettlement program for Vietnamese emigrants. Four military bases in the U.S. were designated as refugee processing centers, and a now-defunct Army base just over the border in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was one. Chef Vuong Nguyen’s grandparents and parents were among the refugees. From there, Nguyen’s family hit a major Interstate and made their way to strange cities to begin a new life.
Nguyen’s sense of indebtedness to previous generations pervades his conversation and intentions.
“My grandparents were instrumental in the creation of the Asian District,” Nguyen said. “They helped form the first Vietnamese Catholic congregation in Oklahoma. They were building the Asian District at the same time that they were organizing Vietnamese festivals to keep our traditions alive.”
The child of immigrants will always exist in two worlds. Sometimes, the metaphors flatten and what was metaphorical becomes opportunity. This was Nguyen’s experience at Guernsey Park restaurant in the Uptown District: “Guernsey was to be right next to the Asian District, and I wanted to create a menu that bridged my two cultural influences: traditional Asian cooking and French/Italian techniques.”
Chef Alain Buthion of La Baguette Bistro trained Nguyen in French techniques. The young waiter was planning to pursue a degree in Pharmacy, but Buthion’s invitation into continental cooking changed
Nguyen’s life. Buthion encouraged Nguyen to enter Kurt Fleischfresser’s apprentice program at The Coach House. Nguyen loved learning and using his acuity to demonstrate his gratitude to his mentors.
Nguyen created at Guernsey Park one of the most innovative, courageous, and delicious menus in Oklahoma City. He combined sushi and curry with chophouse selections like steaks and lamb. Diners were consistently amazed it was possible to fuse these diverse styles into a seamless experience.
Bonjour is next for Nguyen. True to form, he’s looking back to move forward. At Bonjour, Nguyen prepares everything in-house, from condiments to curing bacon and baking the Gruyere biscuits. It will be one of the few places in town to make a Croque Madame, and since he learned from Alain Buthion, and because he honors that tradition, it is excellent.
From-scratch prep work is daunting, but says Nguyen: “Good preparation is 80% of what cooks do. Without prep, there’s no service!”
Food does not have to be complicated to be delicious. Delis or bistros or breakfast joints can represent what is good about cooking. Nguyen and business partner Stephen Du have opened Bonjour believing that Oklahoma City is ready for a place that looks back to move forward.
Open Wed–Fri 8 am–5 pm, Sat–Sun 9 am–4 pm. 3705 W. Memorial Rd., ste. 707, Oklahoma City; (405) 286-9172.
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Serving greater OKC metro area • See our reviews on angieslist.com (405) 323-3908 • thetreeguyservice.com
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2726 W. Britton Rd. | Oklahoma City, 73120(405) 942-0070 | www.ztcigars.com
Smoking Lounge | Personalized Lockers | Premium Accessories
Oklahoma’s largest walk-in humidor, offering 1,800 selections
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PORCH PARTY FEAST IN THE CHIMINEA story and photography by Chris Castro
In the coming months, our family will spend many evenings outside by the chiminea. I love the smell of piñon slowly burning on cool spring evenings. It made sense to start thinking about ways you could use a chiminea for cooking. I mean, you’re already outside enjoying your backyard with friends and family—why not make a meal?
Piñon is great, but in my opinion not the best flavor for cooking. I like to use grilling woods; I chose native persimmon and pecan woods to cook a full meal, including cocktail and dessert.
ROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO SOUPGet the fire going in the chiminea. You will cook in stages, as the heat of the fire fluctuates and creates ideal temps for cooking each dish.
Chop the top half-inch or so off of the head of garlic. Place garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap and twist the foil around the whole head. Set aside.
Dump washed tomatoes onto the center of a large sheet of foil. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Seal the foil into a packet. Place the garlic and the tomato packages on the outer edges of the fire. The tomatoes will be done in about 30 minutes. Cook the garlic until soft, about 45 minutes.
Place the roasted tomatoes and a good pour of olive oil in a blender. Remove the garlic from the foil and pop the roasted cloves out and into the blender (easy to do if the garlic roasted long enough). Lick your fingers!
Blend all ingredients until you have a thick soup, adding more liquid or olive oil if needed. It’s your soup, so I’m not going to tell you how you like it.
ROASTED PETITE CARROTSLine up the carrots side by side on a sheet of foil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with celery seeds and salt. Wrap foil into a packet, being sure to keep the carrots in a single layer. Throw the packet onto the fire (coals should be forming by now) and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
CHIMINEA GRILLED CHEESEButter one side of each bread slice. Flip two slices, and spread soft cheese on the unbuttered side. Grate cheddar over the soft cheese. It’s always better to grate the cheese yourself, to avoid the starchy stuff on the pre-grated kind.
Butter the remaining slices of bread and set atop the cheese. Place sandwiches into the s’mores grill basket. Alternately, you could place an inverted cast iron skillet directly on the coals, and put the sandwiches on top. Toast the sandwich enough to melt the cheese and brown and toast your bead. Flip sandwiches and repeat.
Join Chris Castro for a maker’s workshop April 22. (See story p. 58) Castro is contributing editor of home cooking. His food blog and Instagram feed put us all to shame. Check him out at saltandsmokefood.com and @omarchris.
ingredientsROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO SOUP2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes,
washed and dried1 head garlic
olive oilsaltchives, basil (or any fresh herb you have on hand)foiloak, cherry, apple, or pecan wood for burning
ROASTED PETITE CARROTS1 pack whole young carrots
(the long skinny kind)olive oilcelery seeds (optional)salt
CHIMINEA GRILLED CHEESE4 slices good bread (I love locally
made Farrell Family Egg Bread for this)
1 block quality cheddar cheesesoft cheese of your choice (I like Crescenza Starching, a very young, soft cheese)softened butters'mores grill basket (I like the one from plowhearth.com)
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For a recipe and how-to for Charred Citrus Whiskey Sour and Toasted Pound Cake with Roasted Strawberries and Ice Cream, check out www.territoryokc.com. Castro’s blog is also packed with recipes saltandsmokefood.com.
