territory okc summer issue 3

ARTS & CULTURE | MAKERS & MERCHANTS | LIFESTYLE & DINING

issue no. 3

M o n d a y - Fr i d a y | 1 0 a m - 7 p mS a t u r d a y - S u n d a y | 1 0 a m - 6 p m

a S c a n d i n a v i a n S t e a m & S a u n a S p a

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CONTRIBUTORS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TERRITORY:OKC MAGAZINE

Published by Territory Media, LLC

3017 N. Lee Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73103

www.territoryokc.com

@territoryokc

@territoryokc

Territory OKC

Trey McNeill, Publisher

[email protected]

Veronica Pasfield, Editor

[email protected]

Cheryl Dillard, Operations & Development Director

[email protected]

Bayley Jackson, Art Director

[email protected]

Daren Shepherd, Art Director

[email protected]

Skyler Munday, Makers Workshop Coordinator

[email protected]

Greg Horton, Vicar of Editorial

Michelle Bui, Social Media Consultant

Chad Reynolds, Poetry Editor

TRIBAL VERITE Oklahoma filmmaker Sterlin Harjo talks about creating stories that portray Native Americans in ways that make people care and that make it impossible to stereotype them in our art and lives.

OKLAHOMA RISING The writing is on the wall and in our hearts. OKC's thriving indie music scene deserves a place on the national stage.

ANDREA KOESTERAndrea Koester, a born and raised Okie, has been in the food & wine industry for the past 10 years. After spending a year traveling and working on farms throughout New Zealand, she returned excited to get involved with the local food community. She is very passionate about encouraging Oklahomans to eat locally and seasonally. She currently works for Urban Agrarian coordinating events and developing a prepared food line. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, a good glass of wine, gardening, and most importantly sharing a great meal with friends and family.

AMY HILLAmy grew up in Guthrie and moved to Oklahoma City to earn a degree in business from Oklahoma City University. She enjoys riding her bicycle and hopes to one day steal the state seal and return it to Guthrie where it rightfully belongs.

OKSEA Artist/developer Richard McKown creates a temporary piece of architecture in Deep Deuce for dogs and humans, and talks about downsizing, the tiny house movement, and storage containers.

SLURP ALERT Former food trucker and Empire Slice owner partner for Project Slurp, a pop up promising as can be.

DOWNTOWN

FEATURE

Cover: Leif Vollebeck by Nathan Poppe.Table of Contents: Guthrie by Shane Brown. Ramen by Quit Nguyen. Richard McKown by Chad Bennett.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

BAYLEY JACKSONBayley was born and raised in the Pipeline Crossroads of the World—Cushing, Oklahoma. After this math and science nerd decided the life of a rocket scientist wasn't for her, she found her home in the creative, yet logical, pursuits of graphic design. It is here we find the young Bayley eagerly awaiting life's every opportunity.

PIVOT An Oklahoma City-based business is bringing technology, marketing, and psychology together to benefit our city and state. It's like Kickstarter for good.

HERITAGE BURNING Heritage Hills is a neighborhood full of stories, including this one about an Okie governor, the Klan, a cross burning, and stewardship of our cultural artifacts.

ROSE WINES They are pink and not sweet. Rose wines are perfect for summer, for lovers of white and red alike.

SIXTWELVE Amy Young and James Varnum combine art and sustainability to build a community center in the Paseo District that equips us to be better humans.

PROVISION KITCHEN Whitney McClendon has every intention of making fresh, locally sourced meals affordable and convenient at Provision Kitchen.

SHANE BROWN Oklahoma photographer and cinematographer Shane Brown inspires us to get out this summer, into that strange world called Oklahoma.

CLOSE TO LAND AND LAKE Ludivine chef pairs with hip destination to create a season restaurant without walls overlooking Lake Eufala.

FLORAL CLASSES A Vegas professional and florist to the stars brings his talent and creativity to Oklahoma City, and he shares his art and skills by teaching us how to create beautiful arrangements.

PRAIRIE GOTHIC Guthrie's iconic gift shop that focuses on Oklahoma's remarkable heritage—and loves the bison—is coming to OKC, and the Classen milk bottle is part of the story.

MIDTOWN

WESTERN

BACK COVER

POINTS NORTH

UPTOWN/PASEO

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORAs I type away in my little office in the Paseo, Jason Pawley is painting an enormous

yellow and red wheat field onto the Reno viaduct linking Downtown and Bricktown. When I first saw the Instagram posts about it, I felt startled. In a sense, my adventure in Oklahoma City started there.

I encountered the dark cement walkway under the freeway the first time I came here. I was doing graduate research at the Oklahoma History Center, trying to understand the experience of the Cheyenne families who were chased down by the U.S. cavalry during the Red River War in 1874. I poured over 19th-century archives labeled “Darlington Agency, I.T.”

When the history center closed, I would drive to a restaurant near my hotel in Bricktown. But here’s the thing: I never knew what an incredible city stretched beyond the Reno bridge.

On my very last night in Oklahoma City, I decided to treat myself to Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. I elbowed up to the crowded bar and savored the most delectable petite filet. Then, as Oklahomans are wont to do, a local started chatting me up. He promised there was a whole city out there, beyond the Reno overpass. I just had to explore a teeny bit more.

Adventure changes a person’s life. After dinner, I started driving downtown’s districts. I fell in love with you, Oklahoma City, on that very night. I saw your incredible spirit, your distinctness as a most American place, your commitment to fun. It was obvious to me that this thriving community needed a magazine as fresh and modern as the city itself. Turns out my college friend, Trey McNeill, lived here and he agreed. The rest is a story for another time.

Is there a more storied place in America than Oklahoma? Those contained in the files of the Darlington Agency, I.T. made us want to commemorate Indian Territory—past and present. And most especially now, in summer’s season of exploration.

Our spirits are embedded in the places we explore; I realized that in my bittersweet reaction to Jason’s beautiful mural. These days, 2,000 people move to OKC every month. Jason’s mural, Cultivation, will help foster adventure and story in the city I now call home. We hope this issue of Territory does the same.

Veronica Pasfield, Editor

[email protected]

photography by Eric Lyons, @i_like_boring_things

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Gra

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Col

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by Jo

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Music is one of the most moving agents of change we humans have. Songs prepare us for it. Slaves, laborers, those marching for justice—their songs changed everything. So does music that we create out of the simple joy of being alive.

This summer, Oklahoma City sings its song beautifully. Our community is steeped in incredible music, some of it recorded, some you just have to catch live. Music has secured a place on the national stage for cities like Detroit and a little Alabama town called Muscle Shoals. The songs coming out of those communities have proven that these places have something good to say to the world.

Visionary folks in Oklahoma City are championing deeply cool ideas, and elevating our city’s place on the national stage. Scott Booker manages the Flaming Lips and other bands, and is a principal in the creation of the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma. Many of the most promising local acts went there: John Calvin Abney, John Fulbright, Horse Thief, and more.

“In the past decade, we have seen (change) here more

SUMMER’S MUSIC HAPPENINGS REMIND THAT OKC IS A HUB FOR SOME OF THE BEST ARTISTS, AND IDEAS, IN AMERICAN MUSIC.

OKLAHOMA RISING

than any other time before,” Booker said. “This is basically what I’ve been working towards for 25 years in a weird way. The talent base here has always been huge, and there are people willing to listen. We are about to become the next big place in the U.S.”

If you’re not quite sure what Scott is talking about, summer brings some really fun ways to find out.

OKCFEST—JUNE 26-27Fred Hall, grandson of industrialist Fred Jones, is determined to foster the kind of creative infrastructure needed to grow the music industry in Oklahoma City. OKCFEST is designed to build creative and production capacity here—and to have a whole lot of fun doing it. He’s found able collaboration in Booker, who leads the efforts of ACM@UCO to train musicians, production pros, and promoters. Hall draws heavily on this talent pool for the weekend-long OKCFEST.

We caught up with him in Nashville, where he was getting into an Uber to go see about an act for next year. The Vanderbilt alumnus has had one foot in the Nashville scene since college, when he was Minnie

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Pearl’s valet and later booked acts for “Hee Haw.” With a home in each city, Hall sees the export of talent from Oklahoma City all the time.

“That’s exactly why we are doing the festival. Rock and other types of music can be born in Oklahoma City and create permanent jobs. Everybody who works on this festival lives and works in the city.” Hall also builds capacity by donating all profits from the event to scholarships for youth and other music-related causes.

The aptly named Booker helped curate this year’s acts—10 in two days. He hopes to surprise fans of Sammy Hagar, Rascal Flatts, and Hank Williams, Jr. with lesser known shows by Drive-By Truckers and OKC’s own Graham Colton and Corey Kent White. In a very real sense, this approach expands capacity, too. Schedule and ticket info at okcfest.com.

FANSWELL + LOWER BRICKTOWN LIVE ON THE GREEN—THROUGH JULY 31Indie rock phenom Graham Colton may just change everything. Only time will tell if his new company, Fanswell, will shift America’s music landscape a little or

a lot. But the idea’s too good, too timely, to not shake things up a bit.

Instead of relying solely on bars and venues to see your favorite bands, Colton’s company created a web-based program that helps fans host shows in places like, oh, their backyard. As in, if you pull enough folks together, Oklahoma City’s golden boy of indie rock could play at your next pool party.

Colton saw opportunity in involving fans in booking private shows. The private listening room phenomenon that webs across the country was only one example of this opportune cultural shift. “You see it with Uber and Airbnb—people are trusting each other much more now,” Colton says. “You can use Fanswell to get other fans together to support you, and now you’re playing to 50 people in a cool living room and selling a little merchandise. It’s such a unique experience for bands and fans. I mean, how cool is it to say holy cow, I just saw this amazing band in my friend’s backyard?”

Umm, very.Colton uses this more intimate approach, and

excellent taste in local and indie music, to revamp the

OKLAHOMA RISING

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Corey Kent White, Fred Hall and Councilwoman Meg Salyer at OKCFEST

Lower Bricktown Live on the Green most Fridays this summer. “I don’t know man, call it a trend of whatever. But we wanted to create a backyard vibe in Bricktown. It’s going against the grain a little bit, but the city can support that kind of idea now.

“It’s a special time in Oklahoma City, not only for music but for but culture. So many people are moving back, and there’s so much talent here—so much energy to support fresh ideas.”

Check out fanswell.com. For the Lower Bricktown concert schedule, see lowerbricktown.com.

—Veronica Pasfield

SOUTHERN SOUND CONCERT SERIES—JULY 24 MAKE GUTHRIE WEIRD—MONTHLYHyper-local music can only thrive if community embraces it. Such symbiosis is a treasure. Southern Sound concert series shows us why Southern rock matters a lot when OKC’s John Fullbright and Kyle Reid join Town Mountain on the Myriad Garden stage July 24. “There’s an intimate impact on our culture and our people by our musicians who tell a certain Southern style of story,” says series producer Josh Stratton. “It’s very organic, and down to earth, and accepting of struggle.”

Guthrie’s ferocious pride of place also has swung its arms wide around the music in Central Oklahoma. The music is growing because of it. Guthrie’s monthly Make Guthrie Weird concert series grabs that empty old state capitol building and uses it as a backdrop for some of the tastiest shows to be found in these parts. We would put these acts up against any getting regular radio play.

When one walks down the sidewalk in Guthrie, Oklahoma, it feels like there should be music coming from every building. The way a guitar chord travels down 2nd Street is similar to the train whistle that blows day and night—they are sounds woven into this community by architecture, artistic passion, and the resilience of neighbors.

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Graham Colton plays a Fanswell show.

John Fullbright

When Christie and Shirley Clifford of Prairie Gothic started hosting Make Guthrie Weird downtown block parties, which had at their center some truly fine concerts, the streets and the buildings of this bizarre place grinned like an old man stretching his legs for a dance with his sweetheart. “Remember all the steps to this?” the old man asks. The sweetheart just shakes her head and moves her feet. She never forgets.

Guthrie is similar to so many of the neighborhoods in Oklahoma City that are seeing their streets take big gulps of fresh air. The Paseo, the Plaza, Film Row, Midtown—not just places where trendy businesses pop up, but neighborhoods where people plunge their roots into the fabric of their city. The people of these places have become ferocious with their pride.

That pride of place is making a fascinating connection with music. The people who belong to these places are wrapping their roots around not just the sidewalks, front porches, and neighborhood coffee shops and bars, but the roots are taking hold of the paintings, the sculptures, the songs.

When Samantha Crain, Parker Millsap, J.D. McPherson, or John Moreland let their songs travel down the streets of Guthrie during their Make Guthrie Weird shows, Guthrie’s ancient bricks and wavy-glassed windows welcome the songs home. When artists from around the country like The Cactus Blossoms, Escondido, Valerie June, or Justin Townes Earle park their vans and pull out their guitars, the old brick streets welcome those songs home. When the best bluegrass musicians in the world count in a tune upstairs at Byron Berline’s fiddle shop on E. Oklahoma Avenue, those old walls welcome those songs home, as do the people in this little prairie town.

For complete concert info, check out southernsoundseries.com. Keep up with Make Guthrie Weird on its Facebook page or via Twitter.

—Justin Fortney

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DOWNTOW

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DOWNTOWNTribal Verite | Pigs, and Delicious Ethics | Slurp Alert | Fourth Dimensional Three Dimensions

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It’s not clear to me that Indian Territory, nearly two centuries into it, knows how to think about Indian people. I’m Ojibwe/Chippewa. Two of my great grandfathers signed treaties that saved our people from Removal from Michigan Territory along with our cousins, the Potawatomi and Odawa/Ottawa. History, identity, and an audience that usually has no referent for the issues you address—these things are ever-present for Native artists, even in a place that is named for them.

Some Native filmmakers spend a lot of time bringing their audiences up to speed. Sterlin Harjo, a four-time Sundance Film Festival artist, deeply roots his movies in the interior narrative of the film. Yes, Harjo’s films are informed utterly by his identity and the history of his Seminole and Creek communities. But it is the integrity of the story, and how it’s told in the language of cinema, that Harjo serves first.

Harjo’s new feature film, Mekko, premiered at deadCENTER Film Festival. He shares with Territory insight into the themes of his impressive canon, most notably last year’s documentary, This May be the Last Time. Both examine loss, tragedy, resilience, and the ever-present complexity of Oklahoma. Humor also finds a permanent place, especially with his Native comedy collective The 1491s, whose sardonic silliness has been featured on TedX, The Daily Show, and Huffington Post. (And if you missed the deadCENTER screening, most of Harjo’s work can be found online, including a download on Last Time’s website.)

In your films, the past, the present, the living and the dead all swirl around and affect one another so strongly. This also seems true of Oklahoma; I sometimes think Oklahoma is the most haunted place I’ve ever been.

Personally, I don’t think it’s necessarily haunted, but Oklahoma has always felt very magical to me. Within that is the connotation of haunted, but other things as well. I think when you get that many tribes and cultures in one spot—people who are very faithful and cultural—it creates a hotbed of energy.

I grew up with superstition and magic, and in that is darkness and things like that. Even non-Indians feel it and are a part of that conversation. I always thought all people were like that, and then I traveled and realized they aren’t.

TRIBAL VERITE OKLAHOMA FILMMAKER STERLIN HARJO ON THE ART OF STORY

by Veronica Pasfield, photography by Ryan Red Corn

In a sense, that gave me the courage to be a filmmaker. I realized I had a perspective from home that a lot of people didn’t.

You’re Seminole and Creek. That history, distant and recent, offers an intensely rich perspective.

I hesitate to use the word “storytelling” because that word has been so co-opted by pop culture. But my perspective is informed by our language, our culture—by everything. It’s about rural Oklahoma, too.

Our stories are about the way you get along and go about your day. I feel like teaching is so different with indigenous people. It’s not, ‘here’s the facts.’ It’s more ‘here’s what happened to me, and you can learn from that what you want to.’ It’s very different.

The stories that I grew up with, I didn’t know I was learning from them. But now I do. I was always the kid sitting in the kitchen listening to what the old people said. I still am.

You use some Muskogee, the Creek language, in almost all of your films. You’re easily one of the most ambitious Native filmmakers in that regard.

Our languages are going away, and I think that’s sad. A couple of my films use a Creek narrator, in others the characters speak it. It feels good to be the first person to put Muskogee in films. It’s a storytelling device, too—Muskogee’s a language people are not used to hearing. It’s like a foreign film; what I love about foreign films is that I get sucked into the stories, really pay attention, because of the language difference and the subtitles.

Your films explore death a lot. Characters are facing death, escaping death, dealing with a death…

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The first words Charlotte wove to Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web were “Greetings and salutations.” Wilbur was a pig in E.B. White’s classic, and he was on his way to slaughter before the spider saved him by crafting messages in her web. The idea, of course, is that pigs are people, too.

The notion seems quaint outside of vegetarian circles, but White’s story points out a remarkable problem with America’s industrialized food system: to wit, we rarely have any information about the animals we eat, and we certainly don’t know them as beings.

Commodification strips products of their stories and presents them as goods to be consumed. Two Oklahoma filmmakers, one a chef, are taking steps to fill in connections between farmer, animal, and consumer. Course of Food tells the story of Andy Bowen, a Waynoka pig farmer who believes that happy pigs make for better eats and a better world. Course debuted at deadCENTER Film Festival.

Bowen’s hogs often appear on fine tables such as those at Ludivine and other discriminating eateries in OKC. Located near the eastern edge of the Oklahoma panhandle, farms such as Bowen’s dominate Waynoka country. In addition to raising free-range pigs, Bowen also serves as mayor of his small town. Christopher Hunt, the film’s director, explains Bowen’s appeal: “As a director, you want someone who can convey a story and keep an audience engaged. Andy is extremely smart,

articulate and passionate. He’s a great explainer.”Until very recently, people thought it was important

to raise and kill their own animals. There was a sacred exchange between human and animal, wherein the human recognized and appreciated the animal’s sacrifice; death had an emotional cost for both. Bowen elucidates the importance of sustainable agriculture, both for animals and humans, in Course of Food.

“Things that we don’t value just deteriorate,” explains Bowen. “I want to give people the opportunity to eat an animal that lived a happy life…I hear it all the time: ‘That’s the best pork chop I’ve ever had in my life.’”

Dunham serves as director of The School of Culinary Arts at Francis Tuttle Technology Center.

“I wanted to highlight the food community,” says Dunham, “to show the connections between communities, and to show that how the producers of our food go about their business shapes who we are.”

Dunham and Hunt hope to produce many more videos together. “We have ideas about future shows,” Dunham said, “but right now we are also looking for sponsors to help create the whole series.”

The film is the first time Hunt has directed a 20-minute documentary, but he is excited about the possibility of working with OETA public television.

“As an artist, you are always looking for a canvas to paint on,” Hunt said. “I like the idea that OETA could be that canvas.”

PIGS, AND DELICIOUS ETHICS by Greg Horton, Scene from Course of Food – Director of Photography Christopher Hunt

I feel like it’s more about looking at life through death. When someone passes away, people get more honest; they get closer to each other. You become real in the face of death.

You studied film at the OU. How did someone from the little town of Holdenville, Oklahoma first become interested in cinema?

My dad and I used to watch the same movie over

and over. I remember watching the pacing and the art of it. At OU, my Film & Video Studies professor had an enthusiasm for cinema that was super contagious.

But what made me fall in love with filmmaking was when I realized cinema is a language, and that everyone can’t do it. At OU, I was introduced to foreign films and that’s when I really fell in love. I had mostly seen Hollywood films, but it wasn’t until independent and

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SLURP ALERTby Veronica Pasfield, photography by Quit Nguyen

The Kaiteki Ramen food truck regularly pilgrimaged to the Plaza District last year. Empire Slice House co-owner Rachel Cope made a point of foregoing her excellent pies (let’s meditate on that for a moment) and sneaking over for a pork bun. When you can lure someone away from some of the best pizza around, you know you’re living right.

A few food purveyors have attained almost instant cult status in this town. Fewer still do something truly bold with that mojo. The Project Slurp pop-up dinner series is just such an undertaking.

Former Kaiteki Ramen co-owner Jeff Chanchaleune and Rachel jumped into this idea from very solid ground. Empire was a smash from the start, and I will blaspheme by saying it’s more interesting to me than Ray’s famous New York City ’za. Likewise Kaiteki, which still serves some of the most beautifully flavored casual eats in town.

The pair crossed paths a lot over the last decade in the restaurant biz, and those pork buns motivated Rachel to seek collaboration with Jeff. “David Chang is a person we both really respect, and I had been to momofuku in New York City,” Rachel said. “(Kaiteki) reminded me of that. I felt the next step for Jeff was a brick-and-mortar place, and I wanted to help be a part of that.”

After a year, Jeff felt exhausted by the labor and unpredictable finances of food trucking. The prospect of creating a total dining experience in an actual building, from table settings to tunes, excited him.

“There’s a lot of freedom,” Jeff said. “I hope to not repeat a dish during Slurp. I try to bring to my cooking what’s trending in food ingredients—then think, what can I do from my food culture? My mom cooks every day, she bakes every day. My dad is a certified executive chef. I try bringing in the Thai flavors, Vietnamese flavors, Laotian, Korean, Japanese.”

Downtown has become quite a lab for experimental dining in the last 18 months. Slurp joins a growing cadre of independent, talented culinary collectives nationally who use pop-ups to try ideas and test the waters for restaurant concepts. Slurp joins the likes of Nani, chefs Scotty Irani, and Guy Romo’s new pop-up,

Sous Vide. (Territory social media will keep followers connected to it all, of course.)

Rachel and Jeff feel confident our community is on the cusp of getting its due on the national scene. “It’s coming,” said Rachel with passion. “It’s scary and it’s awesome. I love that we’re young. We’re going to see how much we can get done, and do it well. Oklahoma City is ready and we’re going to take a risk.”

Project Slurp holds its own within this heady scene. Slurp serves a five-course menu, with ramen and Rachel’s cocktail pairings as a focus. Neither disappointed at the launch event in March.

The beautiful DC on Film Row space hosts, and events are announced without notice—though they hope to run every two weeks or so this summer. Minimum donation varies, but the last was $60. The events sell out within a half-hour, but email subscribers get a small heads up before tickets go live.

See ProjectSlurpOKC.com for social media links and ticket info.

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1 lb chicken thigh or breast1 tbsp white miso1/2 c finely sliced scallions1 tbsp sesame oil1 tbsp soy sauce1 tsp kosher salt1/2 tsp ground white pepper6" bamboo skewers

MISO MUSTARD SAUCE:2 c mirin1 c sake1/4 c white miso1/4 c honey2 tbsp soy1 tbsp Karashi mustard powder

1. Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes if you don't want them to burn on the grill.

2. Dice chicken meat—you can pulse in a food processor, dice fine with a knife, or run it through a meat grinder.

3. Combine and mix remaining ingredients in a metal bowl. Add ground chicken and combine well. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to let flavors develop.

4. Portion Tsukune with 1/4-cup measuring spoon and form an oval log around the bamboo skewer.

5. Grill Tsukune over a charcoal grill until cooked through. Gas grill or seared on a stove works just fine.

6. Serve with miso mustard sauce.

1. In a sauce pan, add the mirin, sake, miso and honey. Bring to a boil then simmer on low until reduced by a quarter and thick.

2. Mix mustard powder with 1 tbsp water and add to the sauce.3. Add soy sauce and adjust with salt.4. Let cool and serve at room temperature.5. Refrigerate after use.

TSUKUNE (JAPANESE MINCED CHICKEN MEATBALL):

Sourcing: Super Cao Nguyen or Chinatown supermarket in the Asian District carry these ingredients.

Rachel Cope and Chef Jeff Chanchaleune

LOCATIONS

We depend on your appearance.

The most important dress you will ever wear, preserved with love.

SOUTH OKC 9120 S. Western Ave. 405.735.8522 10520 S. May Ave. 405.378.3305

13316 S. Western Ave., Suite R 405.729.7525

NORTH OKC2827 NW 63rd Street 405.842.4677

DOWNTOWN OKC 520 N. Walker Ave. 405.553.9922

EDMOND792 E. Danforth Road 405.359.8038

CHOCTAW14457 NE 23rd 405.281.5724

NEWCASTLE1005 N. Main 405.387.5580

405.604.6666 scottcleanersinc.com

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by Greg Horton, photography by Chad Bennett

As with so many things in Oklahoma City right now, the use of shipping containers aligns the city with interesting and forward-leaning trends nationally.

Small is the new big, say evangelists of the tiny house movement. Repurposing shipping containers that haul commodities produced in developing nations thumbs its nose at ’90s consumerism, proclaim cultural writers on the Coasts.

Automobile Alley saw the first such builds with Perch’d décor boutique and the Contemporary Museum. Deep Deuce houses the latest shipping container biz in these parts with OKSea, the

brainchild of developer and sculptor Richard McKown. McKown remains one of the most original, fascinating visionaries in a town replete with such talent.

Richard McKown began life as an artist. While at Kansas City Art Institute, Yale offered the Norman native a fellowship between his junior and senior years. McKown finished his art education with an undergraduate degree in painting and an MFA in Sculpture from Boston University. McKown would eventually combine his artistic skills and training with property development, his father’s profession for 45 years in central Oklahoma.

McKown was one of the driving forces behind the Level residential and retail complex in Deep Deuce. While working on Level, McKown’s architects were also tinkering with shipping containers at NE 4th and Oklahoma, on a small strip of land that would be difficult to convert into a traditional project.

“We wanted to do a dog park bar for all the people who walked their dogs in Deep Deuce,” McKown said, “That’s where the conversation started. The shipping container is a fantastic way to create a ‘temporary’ piece of architecture that would occupy the space for a good ten years, until something more permanent could take its place.”

McKown calls the container development a “pioneer species of real estate,” which is to say that the containers are not a permanent solution. They can be easily broken down and transported off-site; all that is required is to cut a few welded joints, and the development can be disassembled. Simple, right?

But the box that becomes the business proved tricky. “This has been one of the most expensive per-square-foot construction projects I’ve undertaken,” McKown said.

How does a $4,000 container turn into a costly development? Shipping containers are not built to house humans, or animals for that matter. They are meant to transport products, and while McKown estimates that they are durable for a solid fifty years, that does not mean they are automatically habitable for people.

“Much of the development you see surrounding shipping containers is done in places were air conditioning or heating aren’t necessities,” McKown explains.

FOURTH DIMENSIONAL THREE DIMENSIONS

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In other words, that shipping container tiki shack on a Hawaiian beach or the shipping container tiny house in a hipster neighborhood in Southern California might be fine for those climates, but in Oklahoma, they need a/c. The Anchor Down Restaurant, the new gourmet corn dog concept, required ten tons of air conditioning units.

“Metal is very conductive of heat and cold,” McKown explained, “so you have to insulate accordingly. With shipping containers, that’s very expensive. So is the process of creating thermal breaks between the metal and living space. You have to keep the steel skin away from the interior structure. Most of the work is done by welders, and they are much more expensive than carpenters.”

Explaining information like this to clients is part of McKown’s specialty. He is a liaison of sorts between designers and contractors. His art background comes in very handy in the process. A focus on aesthetics makes him sympathetic with architects and designers who want to build beautifully.

“I tell my designers that I will back their designs one hundred percent if they hit the cost I give them,” McKown said. That sort of calculus makes everyone involved happy.

There is something quite charming—even beautiful—about OKSea, too. Once upon a time in the 1970s, it seemed there were more feet of hamster Habitrail tubes in suburbia than yards on all the football fields in the same town. Our rooms looked like a small-scale model for a futuristic city: little living areas connected by long stretches of tunnel. OKSea has that same feel, something that is eminently practical, but designed with the future in mind.

THE SUMMER OF SO MUCH AT MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENSOur Downtown District puts on free and affordable events that rival a city thrice our size. We cheer you on as you try to keep up with it all, and we promise to try to keep up, too. Ready, set, go!

JUNE 20, BEEKEEPING FOR BEE-GINNERS Bees play an integral role in maintaining our ecosystem and food plants. Learn more about them, and how to maintain a beehive. 10–11:30 am. $15.

FULL MOON BIKE RIDE AND RUN Sign up for a run between two and eight miles, and have your route mapped and pace tracked. Or bring your bike, or rent a Spokie for an hour-long ride. If exercise and warm summer nights aren’t enough to motivate, enjoy live music and a COOP Ale Works beer garden afterwards. 9 pm. Suggested $5 donation for runners and riders.

FIRST MONDAY, BARRE3 Sweat and shake at the free community Barre3 classes in the Pavilion. Bring a mat and water bottle (you’ll need it). July 6, August 3. 7–8 pm. Free.

JULY 10, OUTDOOR DINNER SERIES: NATIVE AMERICAN CUISINE Dine under the starts at the first of a three-part dinner series. Park House Chef Jonathan Krell and guest Chef Loretta Barrett Oden feast us with a three sisters salad, braised buffalo with sunchoke potato mash, and dark, dark chocolate bread pudding (Loretta calls it Montezuma’s Revenge). Live music by Native flutist, Teresa Smith Galoob. Tickets $60–$75. Reserve at myriadgardens.org.

AUGUST 1, INTERNET CAT VIDEO FESTIVAL Not that more description is needed, but thought you’d like to know that even The Wall Street Journal and NPR like this video festival. Live music, food trucks, beer, crafts and activities gild this lily. Pre-show fun 7:30 pm, screening 9 pm.

DEAL-O-RAMA AT THE BOATHOUSE DISTRICT We are using our Keep It Local card to knock 10 bucks off of the basic membership of $100. A Benjamin gains access to all activities at the Boathouse and Lake Overholser. That was not a typo. Sky Zip, kayaks, paddle boards, bicycles, longboards, stunt jumps and swings over the river...but lions, tigers, and bears are extra. The pass is good for the remainder of the year, and it includes access to the fitness facilities. If you’ve seen crew athletes, you will understand why this is a very good thing.

The Boathouse District also runs a free family-friendly movie screening every other Friday, with live music, food trucks, and a beer garden starting at 6pm.

—Skyler Munday

25

MIDTOWN

MIDTOWNHeritage Burning | Summer Lovelies in Every Shade of Rosé | Food Trucks with a Side of Poetry

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Petaluma, California is one of the prettiest places in America. Still, Lagunitas Brewing Company has hustled the highways to bring its brews to places like Austin and Chicago. OKC serves as Lagunitas’ latest road trip June 23rd. Bleu Garten hosts Midsummer Night’s Beer Dinner, a pairing feast with Buttermilk Southern Sliders, Kaiteki Ramen, Masa and Snow S’More.

In other news, we kinda love movie nights at Bleu Garten, held the second Tuesday of the month. Someone over there has great taste in fun films.

Midsummer Night’s Beer Dinner June 23, 6–9 pm. Tickets $35. More info at bleugarten.com. Photography by Choate House.

Heritage Hills, just north of downtown, bears a name that reflects the kind of storied neighborhood it is.

On the corner of NW 17th and Walker, an Italianate mansion once served as the home for Governor Jack Walton, a man whose tenure in office lasted less than one year. Walton, a Missouri native, took office in 1923, when the Ku Klux Klan was on the rise in Oklahoma. Historians describe Walton as a people’s governor, which is to say he did not have much money. Popular support of “common” people won Walton the office, but he counted wealthy patrons such as Ponca City oil magnate E.W. Marland among his supporters. Walton bought the home on NW 17th from Marland right after the election, but some historians insist the tycoon gifted the home to Walton for political considerations.

Whatever his failings as a governor (an inaugural barbecue that attracted more than 75,000 people over the course of a week might’ve been a wee inclusive, for example), Walton was a staunch opponent of the Klan. That opposition ultimately led to a cross burning in his yard one night. Credible observers are impossible to track, so perhaps

this is a legend, but as with all legends there is some kernel of truth in the story. It goes like this: as the Klan cross blazed on the governor’s lawn, the flames caught fire to the American flag flying there.

Walton’s political career also incinerated; he was impeached in October of 1923. But his flag endures. Really, it is only half a flag. To this day, it hangs in witness to that night’s events. Remarkably, the flag, as well as Walton’s battered leather briefcase, have been passed down from owner to owner over the many decades since the Klan burned a cross in Heritage Hills.

The current owner, who is appropriately enough an oil and gas man, is also an avid history buff. “The artifacts help give a perspective I've never experienced with another home,” he said. “With this house comes a real sense of stewardship, instead of ownership. It's both humbling and fun to be a small part of a long history.”

A collection of old maps, including one of Zebulon Pike’s maps of this area, now adorn the old governor’s home. Visitors to the house are treated to one of the neighborhood’s better stories, along with a tour of history.

by Greg Horton, photography by Trace Thomas

HERITAGE BURNING ARTIFACTS OF A GOVERNOR AND THE KLAN REMAIN.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT DREAMING

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When Ian Bennett, a certified sommelier, created his first wine list at Ludivine, he chose a unique way of categorizing wines. Rather than group them according to price or varietal—two of the traditional methods—he chose descriptors like "These are white and not sweet." Included in his taxonomy was a funny-for-insiders category: These are pink and not sweet.

Rosé is what the category would normally be called, but it has taken rosé several years to achieve any degree of popularity in Oklahoma. Most people associated pink wine with White Zinfandel, which isn't really wine. To be fair, it is wine of a sort, but not a good sort.

Rosé is made by one of two legitimate methods. (We're not discussing pouring red wine into white wine. That's an abomination. It's in the Bible somewhere with the other abominations.) The first is saignée (sonyay), in which the juice from crushed grapes is bled from the tank after very limited skin contact. The remaining concentrated juice is then made into a red wine. There are legitimate winemaking reasons for this method, but many rosé producers prefer to make wines specifically to be rosé.

In that latter method, the juice is separated from the skins and all of it is then fermented to be rosé. If there is a difference in the taste of rosé based on either of those methods, it is difficult to detect for any but experts. The most noticeable difference with rosé is the color of the wine itself; it tends to range from light salmon to bright ruby.

For wine lovers who prefer red wines, the summer months are challenging because Oklahoma heat can make heavy reds difficult to drink. Rosé offers the perfect option for these folks. The structure and dryness are preserved, if at a reduced level, and the wines are served chilled, making them great for hot days. Rosé also tends to be inexpensive. Except for a couple notable French choices like Terrebrune or Tempier, which are absolutely worth the price, most rosé is inexpensive and ranges in price from $9–$25.

To get a sense of what rosé offers, try various grapes from different regions. Stella Modern Italian serves Elk Cove Rose of Pinot Noir by the glass right now. The Pinot Noir grape tends to make a lighter, tangier rose, but that too depends on region. Vinho Verde, a Portuguese wine that is a very easy drinker, also comes in a rosé. Casal Garcia, usually priced under $10, is a great place to start. Finally, don't forget France. Rosé from Provence is an international favorite, but Languedoc is on the rise. Chateau des Deux Rocs Premices is primarily Cinsault, a grape maybe not familiar to everyone, but the wine is light, crisp, and bursting with minerality.

Around the metro, a few restaurants are big fans of rosé, so if you want to try before you buy, visit La Baguette, Packard's New American Kitchen, or Ludivine. Wine shops like Broadway Wine Merchants, Spirit Shop, Edmond Wine Shop, and Coffee Creek Wine Shop also carry a great selection of rosé.

SUMMER LOVELIES, IN EVERY SHADE OF ROSÉby Greg Horton, photography by Elk Cove Vineyards

Wednesday is the best day in Midtown. Retailers and restaurants in this thriving district stage fun stuff weekly. But how could anything top the Jazz Crawl once the sun goes down. Events change with the summer winds, but we are pretty darn partial to live music under the stars at Bleu Garten and the hip stylings of Maurice Johnson at R & J Supper Club. When it comes to Johnson, his jazz sounds more like George Benson than bebop. But the dude can play you some obscure Stevie Wonder on request without breaking a sweat, and the dark, retro sexiness of R & J? Well, just go see for yourself. And bring your favorite along.

To get the lowdown, best to check out the social media of Bleu Garten, R & J Supper Club, Packard’s, and Midtown OKC.

MIDWEEK IN MIDTOWN photography by Rita Johnson

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Look for the little lantern-lit tables in front of Elemental Coffee, amidst the good-natured madness of the monthly H&8th Night Market. Listen for the clack-clack-clack of manual typewriters with your bionic ears. Hear it there, beneath the roar of food truck generators and live bands?

That’s Short Order Poems—a quietly ambitious cohort of poets who tap out to-order stanzas for the masses the last Friday of each month. S.O.P. co-founders and poets Chad Reynolds and Timothy Bradford explain their mad and glorious vision that poetry is necessary in the public square.

Why do you think it is important for poetry to have a prominent place within the public space?

Chad: Poetry is a public act in that poetry is a public artifact. Poems are outward-facing. In this they are different from journal entries, which are inward-facing. I'd go out on a limb and say that most poets think that poetry has the power to change lives. It's just that poets…allow themselves

FOOD TRUCKS WITH A SIDE OF POETRYby Veronica Pasfield, photography by John Jernigan

to be pigeon-holed into the literary journals that very few people beyond poets read or into reading events that very few people beyond poets attend.

Our wager was that poetry could matter to non-poets if you delivered it the right way. We decided to offer people the chance to choose their own topics and this has been very popular.

Have you been surprised or touched by an experience at H&8th?

Timothy: Too many times to list here, but my favorite was last October when guest poet Grant Matthew Jenkins wrote a love poem for a young couple. They picked it up, went away, read it, and were so moved they decided to write a poem for him in response. When they showed up a bit later and gave it to him, he was touched. Most poets are not used to that kind of feedback!

Short Order Poems also produces chapbook anthologies of poems created at H&8th. They’re available at Elemental Coffee in Midtown and Weldon Jack on N. Western Ave. at 36th.

33

EULOGY WRITTEN AFTER A SONNET BY BEN LERNER

In my culture, when a man dies, we steal to the river.

We steal from his children. We show his children to the street.

We drain the blood from our abdomens. We bleed from the abdomens of sculptures.

We taste the calcium from our own kidney stones. We treat ourselves well.

In my culture, when a man dies,

we boil the weak appendages of locusts

into cologne for his quickly deteriorating bones.

Whiskey is complimentary. Bad jazz is expected.

An overture of boredom, of blood, is conciliatory. It is conciliatory

to respond with laughter when asked for your name. Conspiratorially,

everyone ignores everyone. But please, after the eulogy,

when we’re filling our mouths with sleet, don’t follow

the widow through clouded glass, breathe through a shroud,

or ask her what she wants back.

—Derek Graf Derek Graf is the author of the chapbook What the Dying Man Asked Me, available from ELJ Publications. His poems have appeared in Portland Review, The Boiler Journal, and Freshwater Review.

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UPTOWN/PASEOSustaining Community and Play | Scene and Be Seen

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39

Amy Y

oung

at S

ixTw

elve

When Amy Young and James Varnum took over the long-abandoned building at the corner of Lee and NW 29th, the window frames were scorched black and bricks had fallen off the front of the 1929 apartment building. They discovered orange prison pants in the attic crawlspace, but also learned that the building’s charming bones were the creation of developer G.A. Nichols, who masterminded the Paseo District, Crown Heights, and Nichols Hills.

Today, a community garden stands where weeds thrived last summer. The building bustles with life—classes on fostering sustainable living, free rain barrel giveaway days, and kids’ art camps are just a few of the happenings in this fetching, renovated space.

SixTwelve has been a work of heart five years in the making. Young and Varnum have overcome obstacles epic in proportion, but they have persevered with their vision “to share tools to build a better community.”

Because the building was dilapidated, finding a bank willing to provide a loan proved extremely difficult, so Amy and James had to use their own money to get started. It took years to get all of the required permits. Amy likened the project to writing a paper: “There is nothing to edit until you put words down.” They began writing their story from the beginning, and invited the community in for events even before the doors were open.

Amy worked for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, teaching children and creating curriculum for teachers. She also taught music for pre-K through fifth grade for years, and strived to create a space with creativity at the core of learning. “I always had a dream to open a preschool to teach students through every medium of art,” she said.

James came from USC, and always had a dream to bring sustainability to community. His passion is woven into the curriculum.

SixTwelve fosters a much-needed push towards sustainability here. Regular events offer the chance to learn about and partake in sustainable living, as the pair did during renovation. Everything was reused or recycled form the original building. New materials include countertops that were created from recycled paper, as well as cork and bamboo flooring. They use grey water for their gardens and recycled water from the building for irrigation. They have plans for a car sharing system for artists-in-residence, and most spaces are designed to be multifunctional.

The Paseo District is on the verge of undergoing tremendous growth, with restaurants, offices, and a coffee shop opening soon. SixTwelve fits perfectly into that schema. Amy and James are a prime example of sustainable living, and, as Amy suggested, demonstrate a “quiet activism that’s needing to be not so quiet” in our community.

Classes and events for adults and littles all summer. 612 NW 29th St., Paseo District. sixtwelve.org

SEAFOOD AHOY!Uptown's incredible energy will get another amazing boost late this summer with the opening of The Drake Seafood and Oysterette on the corner of NW 23rd St. and Walker. This latest concept is from the spot-on creative minds at A Good Egg Dining Group. Seafood heritage from many celebrated regions comprise the menu. And the skies will be abuzz with fresh fish, flown in twice daily for our dining pleasure.

LOYAL TO FARMERSWithin the first hour, most of the food vendors at the first Uptown 23rd Farmer's Market had sold every single thing they brought. We can safely declare there was a huge need for a farmer's market on the corner of Walker and NW 24th Street.The Uptown 23rd District collaborated with Leadership Oklahoma's LOYAL organization to create this monthly event, and we thank them for it. The market is held the last Sunday of the month through October. We recommend Cheever's, The Pump, and Pizzeria Gusto for amazing post-market eats! uptown23rd.com/ farmers-market

SCENE & BE SEENSUSTAINING COMMUNITY AND PLAYby Skyler Munday,photography by Chad Bennett

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WESTERN AVEBlue Skying Pivot | Fast Food in a Good Way | Grass That's Greener

WESTERN AVE

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When speaking of changing the world, it is exceedingly easy to wander into cliché. But what if we are at a point in human existence where technology, especially internet technology, can be harnessed to bring about real, substantive change? Do we dare say out loud that we believe good can happen when people plus technology plus strategy are brought together for a common cause?

Mike Zserdin and Adrian Young have spent most of their lives in the business world—Zserdin in technology, and Young in advertising and branding. A few years ago, Zserdin, a Boulder transplant, started heralded project called newANTHROPY here in Oklahoma City. The crowdsourcing platform for

philanthropy landed him a spot on an international delegation advising the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation last year.

Zserdin’s shift in focus began with a midlife crisis. “From the outside, everything seemed to be going well,” Zserdin said, “but inside, it was a different story. I was not helping to build a better world, and I decided I want my life to be one of significance.”

Young’s story is similar. The Oklahoma City native worked in branding in Denver before returning home four years ago. She was deeply engrossed in consumer psychology and analytics.

“I noticed a shift in the tide,” Young said. “People started making culture-wide decisions about what they want from life.”

Young is not the first to note that young people—and we acknowledge the arbitrary measurement of that demographic—were not opting for the accumulation of stuff; this new generation was collecting experiences. Many of those experiences, if not most, are shared via technology, especially social media. What if social media could be harnessed for good—and not in a slacktivist sort of way, but real good?

Most recently, Young was director of Western Avenue Association and helped rebrand that district via the Western Avenue on the Lawn parties and the stunning murals up and down the corridor. She and

Zserdin met through mutual business acquaintances in one of those “you two should totally meet” kind of arrangements. Even their friends recognized that the two could combine their experience, expertise, and desire for good to do something profound for Oklahoma City, and if they get their dream, the world.

The strategy is remarkably simple, as most good ideas are when someone finally puts two things together that should always have been together. It was the “you got your chocolate in my peanut butter” moment that led to MadePossibleBy.us, a crowdfunding site that Young calls

“Kickstarter for good.”Their new business, Pivot, is not just a website, though.

Zserdin has always been able to put a website together. “The key distinction here is that we are not a passive platform waiting for people to come to us,” Zserdin said. “We are assembling a collective—a community—both individuals and businesses who are like-minded in terms of values or civic projects. We talk about curating projects that people

believe are important for people, the planet, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The website is already up and running, but the next step is even more important. At some point in July, Young and Zserdin will start polling people in and around the downtown OKC area about what they think the city needs.

“We have already heard several ideas,” Young said. “Some people told us a community pool would be great, and others talked about an indoor urban playground.”

In other words, the projects do not have to be strictly philanthropic as long as they benefit the community at large. Once the projects are identified, Pivot will identify stakeholders—either businesses or individuals—who would like to invest in the project, and then they will ask the collective to crowdfund to complete the final funding.

“We can get a stakeholder that cares about Oklahoma City to donate, say $200,000,” Zserdin said. “At that point, we would ask 20,000 members of the collective to donate ten bucks each to match the contribution.”

Will it work? At this point, there is no reason to believe it can’t. Giving people the opportunity to invest in something they care about deeply while making the donation affordable enough to make it possible for nearly anyone to give is the genius behind crowdfunding. Young and Zserdin believe it can work for the good of people, the planet, and the pursuit of happiness. And why not?

“The key distinction here is that we are not a passive platform waiting for people to come to us… We talk about curating projects that people believe are important for people, the planet, and the pursuit of happiness.”

BLUE SKYING PIVOT by Greg Horton, photography by Clay Taylor

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Pho gets a lotta love in Oklahoma City, and that is as it should be. Bahn Xeo reminds us that Vietnamese restaurants have much more too offer than Pho. For Qui Nhon, owner of Pho Van, this delicate, crepe-like dish was sustenance of the most essential sort. It reminds him of his childhood in rural Central Vietnam.

"When I was nine or ten, I had the equivalent of a dime every day to buy food while my parents worked the fields," he recalls with a gentle smile. "There was a lady nearby who sold Bahn Xeo in front of her house, and I would buy them from here. Sometimes she would give me extra.”

Pho Van dresses up the Bahn Xeo’s omelette base with tiny, sweet shrimp, pork, and a crispy outer crust that rivals any similar dish in town. The excellent texture and bright, savory flavors satisfy utterly. As for the roadside cook who looked out for young Qui? “I tried to find her the last time I went back to Vietnam, but she was gone." 5701 N. Western Ave.; (405) 607-8990.

Organic, seasonal, and farm-to-table—not concepts associated with quick, convenient or affordable. Provision Kitchen intends to change that for Nichols Hills Plaza this August. Provision will be a go-to destination for pre-packaged, chef-prepared, and nutrient-dense meals focusing on fresh and local ingredients straight from the farm.

“Oklahoma City has had a reputation for being the fast food capital of the nation,” said Provision owner Whitney McClendon. “However, in recent years, there has been a significant change in lifestyle and the focus has shifted from fast food to getting good food fast.”

McClendon moved back to Oklahoma after spending the last decade in Texas studying epidemiology in a graduate program at University of Texas Southwestern. While prepping for medical school, she realized that her passion was prevention rather than treatment. This awareness led her down an impressive path, to UT’s MD Anderson cancer center, where she studied lifestyles related to the disease and personalized medicine. She would eventually become director of cancer research at Bio Bank.

McClendon, impressed with the growth of our community, wanted to get involved. With Provision, she deploys her knowledge of nutrition and disease prevention to help Oklahoma City eat better—and with the utmost convenience, maybe the most important ingredient.

Much will be sourced from Whitney and husband Jack’s own farm, Provision Organic Farms. It is one of only three USDA-certified organic farms in the state. Explains Whitney, “This will allow us to use the freshest ingredients possible while still being able to put out affordable meals.”

Scheduled to open in August, Provision Kitchen will sell individually packaged meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a family-sized dinner that rotates daily. A full list of ingredients and detailed nutrition label will accompany each item. A small dining space will accommodate up to 20 people, but Provision expects most customers to take meals home.

“I think Oklahoma City is ready for this,” McClendon said. “I am proud to be part of a city that keeps growing and is embracing a healthier lifestyle.”

SUMMER SUSTENANCE

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Brendan and Carrie Parker

The rain came down in buckets in May. It fell in epic, biblical proportions. Yet despite the record-breaking spring rainfall, drought remains a serious long-term concern for Oklahoma.

A passion for water conservation fueled Carrie and Brendan Parker’s desire to create Always Greener, a synthetic grass company. The couple lived in Los Angeles, and found inspiration in lovely, sustainable fake grass landscapes that popped up with increasing frequency there. They knew Oklahoma could benefit from fake grass, or “frass,” too.

The Parkers are on point. According to Oklahoma State University’s ThinkWater program, drought is “absolutely” still a concern despite the recent rain. “Historically, rainfall has always fluctuated—and climate change affects unpredictability,” explained ThinkWater Communications Director Leighona Bernstein. “As soon as July and August, we expect things to get dry again and the lake levels to get low.”

According to the EPA, the use of synthetic turf saved between 3 to 6 billion gallons of water in 2010. With an average lawn size of 1,800 square feet, the annual savings tally quickly: an estimated 99,000 gallons and $700 a year. Carrie’s product doesn’t require water, sprinklers, maintenance, or chemical pesticides. Further, 75% of the world’s water waste is due to residential water. Always Greener claims the product pays for itself in two to five years. “We love the designer aspect of creating a tailored outdoor experience

GRASS THAT’S GREENERby Skyler Munday, photography by Greer Inez

for our clients,” Carrie said, in the company’s inspiring video by Choate House. “There are no muddy paws from pets, and there are less bugs and allergies.”

ThinkWater recently installed a beautiful drought-tolerant garden at the Oklahoma City Zoo, and its events calendar and website contain great resources for those willing to live a little more harmoniously in today’s Southern Plains ecosystem. “People just don’t know about water conservation techniques in Oklahoma, but they’re available,” encouraged Bernstein.

We’ve been barefoot on frass, and were surprised by how comfy it felt underfoot. Also, let’s be honest, succulents and rocks aren’t as kid-friendly as frass (or as fun to say). What we might like best about Always Greener: fun stays at the heart of the hip little shop—clever rugs, portable putting greens, and furniture also go green here. We’re also a little proud of this Oklahoma business expanding into showrooms and boutiques in Dallas and Atlanta.

Styling by the Idea Collective. Always Greener, 7316 N. Western Ave. (405) 810-5383. agokc.com thinkwater.okstate.edu

50

foreign films that I could really relate. For example, in Spanish films, the women were really strong, and I could relate to that from my own family. French New Wave cinema was about going into the street and saying something beyond ‘catch the bad guy.’ I also felt like they were slower-paced, and there was something about that storytelling that I liked.

I’m from a really small town. I was naïve about this. When I found out people do this for a living, I was like ‘I’m going for it’.

Who are you cinematic influences?Werner Herzog is my favorite filmmaker. I really like

how he handles cinema overall, and what he does with

the camera. I like the spirit of Cassavetes’ films—how he gets actor friends together and they talk about things most people don’t. For American films, Good Will Hunting, American Beauty, and Smoke Signals were big for me because they were personal stories that had a lot of impact.

Tell me about the film that’s showing at deadCENTER: Mekko.

The film is sort of dark, and it’s kind of going back to a (contemporary) Western. It’s about an Indian man named Mekko that ends up on the streets of Tulsa after being imprisoned for 19 years. He was born with the ability see things before they happen, and so Mekko starts seeing this darkness that’s there and he devises his own plan to get rid of this darkness.

Is Mekko a Muskogee word? And what is the significance of naming him that?

In our ceremonial towns and traditional ways, Mekko is basically the chief of the ceremonial grounds and he runs it. He’s a protector and a humble person trying to keep people doing the right thing. In this film, Mekko is a street chief. I love the photography of Richard Way Whitman, and his series on urban Indian

“street chiefs”—check it out online.I’m a huge fan of your comedy company, the

1491s. It shows funny, goofy Indian people. It complicates that whole stoic, tragic thing.

Humor is why we’re still here. People get so earnest about our history, and (it) makes us who we are. But in the 1491s we laugh at ourselves and keep each other honest, and that’s a huge part of the appeal.

Tackling stereotypes is very counter colonial, too.I guess. But I think we’re just as guilty of

stereotyping ourselves. I feel like (the idea of) decolonization is out there so much I don’t even know what it is anymore. I could easily jump on that, but it’s not why I make films. My work is in conversation with that theory, but I don’t like anything that gives the other side power. I feel like the 1491s make fun of everyone, and that’s powerful.

How have your communities responded?It’s always been really positive. I remember I showed

one of my shorts at home, and I was nervous how people were gonna react. The character drops an f bomb, and I knew a preacher uncle of mine would be there. I was like, “Shit, he won’t like the cursing.” But

they all loved it. I realized that as long as you’re telling the truth and you’re genuine, people respond to it.

There are a lot of Harjos in Oklahoma. What's up with that??

It’s really common. Basically, Harjo is a descriptive word. It means “crazy in battle,” or “brave.” Traditionally, when you get a name for ceremony, you’re often named for your clan and then you add Harjo. Also, if people didn’t have a (sur)name when they were signing up for Dawes (land allotment rolls), Harjo was used a lot. I don’t know if they were being confrontational—maybe they were.

You’ve talked about the intense frustration of trying to raise money to keep making films. I was shocked to read you’ve not made money on any of yours. How can Territory readers support you?

The only thing they can do is go see the films. That’s it. Go to local film festivals; go see Oklahoma films. It’s a business that relies totally on likes and views. You can also watch and buy my movies online. {$8.99–12.99 at www.thismaybethelasttime.com, and others on Hulu.}

Is it important to have Native-made cinema—and/or Oklahoma-made cinema?

Indigenous stories and life are important. The scales of privilege are tipped. Oklahoma is rich with story. It’s up to (Native filmmakers) to make good work that makes people care. It’s not up to Adam Sandler to portray us accurately; it’s up to us to tell our stories so well that no one can ever misrepresent us again.

This May Be the Last Time, Harjo's award-winning documentary, can be downloaded or viewed for $3–$12.99 from thismaybethelasttime.com.

continued from page 17

"I was always the kid sitting in the kitchen listening

to what the old people said. I still am."

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POINTS NORTHGuthrie America's Little Bit of Magic | Closed to Land and Lake | Floral Classes for the Season that Blooms

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GUTHRIE AMERICA'S LITTLE BIT OF MAGICby Amy Hill and Veronica Pasfield, section opener photo by Ry Dalee and Evangeline, The Cimarron Dove Studio

There is a case to be made for Guthrie. They brew very good coffee in Guthrie. Here, a stunning 19th-century photographic art has found new life. One of central Oklahoma’s most perfectly Plains boutiques champions a concert series both inspired and haunting. Haunting because the backdrop to some of the finest independent music is the former state capitol—set to go up for auction soon. The whole town is, in fact, an antiques and architectural treasure trove for those willing to wander. We did that, and offer our favorites from the little town that stole our hearts.

THE CIMARRON DOVE AMBROTYPE STUDIOIt is made with silver nitrate and ether, a chemical that can serve as skin and another that captures the light forever. It was thought to snag spirits, too, and it just might, say artists and musicians Ry Dalee and Evangeline. The pair discovered the nearly extinct ambrotype process last winter, and have been “running after it as hard as we can” ever since. Ry wanted to create an artifact of his family that would endure, and in the process fixed his own creative shadow into this Victorian art. Their studio sells and does commissions of architectural and portrait images on glass. They intend to offer classes on other heritage processes soon. 113 ½ W. Oklahoma Ave., Guthrie; 532-2904.

HOBOKEN COFFEE ROASTERSMallory Woods surely ranks among the most charming of humans. Visiting the coffee shop she owns with husband Trey feels like finding an old friend. Vintage furnishings and ever-spinning vinyl create a hip, homey vibe. A huge garage door, on beautiful days, opens the café to breezes and the unmistakable crack of wood hitting leather on the baseball field nearby.

Shortly after getting married, the couple moved to Oregon to learn coffee. A year later, they shipped an espresso machine back to Guthrie and followed behind with a plan. They cleaned out an old garage, and over the next two years, toiled tirelessly to build a roastery.

Folks now make the pilgrimage from miles around. But sometimes a coffee shop is more than just that; the Woods have created a town square as much as a place to grab a truly excellent artisan brew. 224 ½ Division St., Guthrie; 760-3034.

PRAIRIE GOTHICKeenly curated estate sale oddities, animal taxidermy, repro tourist trinkets, and Homa hipster wares all create a funky mosaic. This little shop also serves as a hub of Oklahoma music, some of it recognized nationally more than on home turf. Mother-daughter owners Christie and Shirley Clifford spearhead the Make Guthrie Weird Block Parties that draw big every month (see our music feature).

This summer, the Cliffords take over OKC’s famed Milk Bottle Building at Classen and 23rd. Says owner Elise Kilpatrick, “People come from all over to see the building, but I think (Prairie Gothic is) going to create their own attraction and following.” It sure worked in Guthrie. 118 S. 2nd St., Guthrie and 2424 N. Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City; 293-0066.

GUTHRIE AMERICAHeady has excellent taste in people—his Shipwreck Talks series brings to Guthrie some of the most intriguing creative visionaries in a 60-mile radius. They talk story, and share Five Right Things learned in pursuing dreams. Heady’s Guthrie American website also inspires with interviews from interesting Okies. (Koon Vega shown) guthrieamerica.com.

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CLOSE TO LAND AND LAKECITY CHEFS MAKE CARLTON LANDING THEIR MUSE

by Veronica Pasfield, photography by Rachel Apple

The conversation had been going on for a few years. Would Ludivine co-founder Jonathan Stranger consider doing a concept at Carlton Landing, an intentional community overlooking Lake Eufala? The development has become a destination for visionary and tasteful creatives and entrepreneurs in OKC—just like Ludivine. Posited Carlton Landing developer Grant Humphries, maybe they should collaborate?

Skeptical, Stranger drove the two hours to check it out last summer. He connected immediately. The firm that designed Seaside and Rosemary Beach in Florida steeped the property in New Urbanist tenets. Front porches hug boardwalks to encourage neighborly conversing. Community spaces and stylish programming—including a farm—inspire connection.

Thought Stranger: “it just feels good here.” He envisioned an opportunity to escape the dining public’s focus on celebrity chefs, to further cultivate community and grow specialty items hard to come by in the city.

“This place tells you what to do—in terms of the cuisine. I don’t like the term, “farm to table because that’s just where food should come from. Your job as a chef is to get the best ingredients for your diners. The best is usually something close by, and in season.”

Stranger prodded friend and celebrated Oklahoma City Chef Josh Valentine, most recently of The George, to consider joining him. “Within an hour, he got it,” Stranger recalls. Now Valentine serves as chef-du-jardin, if you will—overseeing Carlton Landing’s new supper series full-times. The May launch (shown here) offered a rabbit and beef menu, devised with Francis Tuttle’s Marc Dunham and Chris Becker of Della Terra Pasta.

All cooking takes place over a wood fire outdoors, and communal tables help to reflect the spirit of place.

“It gave us an opportunity to do a whole food place with no restaurant. People tend to ask, ‘Where’s the restaurant?’ And we say, ‘There isn’t one. It’s a place for culinary adventure.’”

July 17–19 brings the Quail Hunting, Fishing and Foraging dinner, led by Hank Shaw, a James Beard Award-winner and author of Duck, Duck, Goose. The unforgettable Outstanding in the Field annual feast happens October 17.

For updates, follow The Farm at Carlton Landing on EventBrite, Facebook and Instagram (@thefarmcl). (918) 452-2509.

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FLORAL CLASSES FOR THE SEASON THAT BLOOMSby Skyler Munday

He designed all the floral arrangements for Caesar’s Palace. He did Celine Dion’s concerts and homes, too. And back in Red Dirt Country, George Catechis was teaching little old me how to artfully arrange blooms for my kitchen table.

Inside a warehouse at 82nd and Western lies a modern-day secret garden, where 20-foot flower chandeliers, wholly unique floral compositions, and lots of learning come to life. Catechis and his team at Fleuriste create for major events and elegant restaurants, but few realize they also share the most basic—and essential—techniques in a large teaching space as well. Classes at Fleuriste accommodate complete beginners like me, and inspire with a range of topics that includes flower crowns and succulent bars. Hanging driftwood, buckets of blooms, wine and hearty snacks keep the creative fires burning.

That’s where Catechis seems most at home. With clients such as Vegas casinos and international pop stars, the floral designer could allow extrava-gant ideas to flourish. Catechis learned how to create utterly unique designs; he learned that floral design “...is not just a centerpiece, it’s how to make a room into an amazing feeling.” George smiled as he reminisced about some of his creations. If Celine wanted a wall of water, or exotic fish, he found them. If you could dream it, he could do it.

After working for Caesar’s Palace, Catechis became head of the floral department at MGM Resorts. In 2009, he designed the New Year’s Eve set for the ethereal Sarah Brightman. He used wood imported from Brazil to create a life-like forest, and carved trees to become chairs. George described the moment that it all came together. His palms were sweaty and his mind was running a million miles an hour. A friend forced him to pause and relish the moment as guests walked in. From the stage, George could see the wonder and amazement over the atmosphere he created.

George describes his job as more than floral design, but the chance to “turn a room into an amazing feeling.” He did that in the smallest sense, as well. I walked into my Fleuriste class with little concept of what arranging flowers truly meant, or what the evening would entail. I left feeling a lot more confident about creating and preserving my own creations during the season that blooms.

Fleuriste hosts its next arranging classes June 25th and July 16th. For more info, see thefleuriste.com/classes. 1020 NW 82nd St.; (405) 843-8700.

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: Emily Hughes, Something Gold Photography. Bebe’s: Abby Coyle. Lorec Ranch: Rachel Apple, Trace Thomas, & Chad Bennett. Bella Vici: Steffanie Halley. Riversport Adventures: Provided. OKCMOA: Provided. Scott Cleaners: Emily Hughes, Something Gold Photography. Packard’s: Chad Bennett. Dust Bowl & Fassler Hall: Rachel Apple. Bleu Garten: Choate House. Midtown Vets: Provided. Bailey Schnebel Coleman, DDS: Provided. Chaney's Popcorn: Trace Thomas. First Med: Provided. 23rd Street Body Piercing: Rachel Apple. FNB Bank: Rachel Apple, Chris Castro, and provided. Iron Star: Choate House. All About Cha: Rachel Apple (cafe) & Lacey Tackett (food). Make-Up Bar: Rachel Apple. Dave Wanzer: Provided. Naifeh Fine Jewelers: Provided. ZT Cigars: Trace Thomas. Moxie: Trace Thomas. Paper ‘N More: Abby Coyle. Trichology: Provided. Simon Shingleton: Abby Coyle. Ketch Design Centre: Steffanie Halley. CJ Dental: Trace Thomas. Tucker's: Provided.

Major thanks to our volunteers! Special thanks to: Ryan, Katie & Taylor McNeill, Skyler Munday, Michelle Bui, and the Boss Social posse! For bios of our writing contributors, please see our website: www.territoryokc.com.

TIPS FOR A LOVELY ARRANGEMENTGreat arrangements need flowers cut to varying heights. Blooms with the longest lifespan should be at the lowest level, so that the upper layer can be removed without ruining the whole.

Preserve flowers by placing them into a sponge block with food in it, so that flowers suck up nutrients and water.

Perfection is overrated; George says the rules are meant to be broken.

Above: Writer Skyler Munday and photographer Abby Coyle feeling flower proud at Fleuriste. Below: photo provided.

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Within the American mythos, there is an idea that we must go from home, often alone, to discover who we are. That mythos is an echo of the quests that are common among indigenous people all over the world. Oklahoma's multiple topographical and climate regions makes our state an amazing place to start that journey of discovery and self-discovery. Shane Brown, a native Oklahoman, captures this mythological yearning to go, to seek, and to be transformed as we explore our native landscapes and cityscapes.shanebrownphotography.com

SHANE BROWN

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Medicine Bluffs, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Photography by Shane Brown.

territory okc summer issue 3

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