Crowning Achievement: Chef Eric Smith
When an origin story begins with the late Aubrey McClendon and Chef Kurt Fleischfresser — as The Crown Room’s does — you make time to hear the whole story, even at dinner. Or maybe especially at dinner. To quote Fleischfresser, his protege Chef Eric Smith, founder of The Crown Room, “… is part of the show.”
Inside the Industry: Meet OKC fashion hub 1032 Space
Pronounced “ten thirty-two” and located at the corner of NE 2nd Street and Oklahoma Avenue in the Deep Deuce district of downtown Oklahoma City, 1032 Space opened its doors in October of 2018 and offers a curated selection of established and emerging designer brands from across the globe. Beyond being a luxury store, 1032 has established a home for the greater Oklahoma City fashion community.
Sheep, Meet Chic: Stella Thomas Designs
Textiles have been part of the fabric of human history for over 100,000 years, as early as the Paleolithic era. Since then, thanks to the ever-quickening pace of technology, there have been frequent innovations in how fabrics are made and the materials from which they are made.
Let There Be Lights
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall may be entering the lobby to see a show, but glass and mixed media artists Tracey and Rick Bewley have ensured that the word “dazzling” isn’t just reserved for the performances on stage.
Unlocking Voices with Speech Pathway
Speech Pathway, a locally owned full-service speech therapy clinic, is rapidly gaining recognition as one of the most sought-after clinics nationwide. With a personalized and cutting-edge approach, coupled with a steadfast commitment to care and compassion, Speech Pathway stands out as one of a kind.
Oklahoma Watch: Local nonprofit journalism
Although the recent spate of nonprofit news entities popping up around the state may seem like a new phenomenon, the concept of non-profit journalism (NPJ) organizations has been around for centuries.
Sneakers and Self-Discovery: Venita Cooper
Venita Cooper remembers exactly when and where she was when she first got bitten by the sneaker bug. The life-changing moment came in 1995, when her mother bought her a pair of Nike Air Swoopes. The first-ever signature sneakers that featured a woman (basketball star Sheryl Swoopes), Nike Air Swoopes were red, white and blue high tops, with USA printed on the back and a Velcro strap that folded across the middle.
Amelia’s Dream: Wood-fired deliciousness in the Tulsa Arts District
The first thing Amelia Eesley was good at was restaurant service. Well, there were probably other things from her childhood and tween years, but at 16, working at Tippin’s Restaurant and Pie Pantry in south Tulsa, she learned quickly that she was a natural at serving tables.
True Mastery: OKCMOA welcomes Rodin sculpture
Before the French sculptor burst onto the scene in the late 19th century, sculptures were primarily seen as thematic and decorative. But Rodin was more interested in a raw, unfiltered style that drew praise and criticism — both voluminous.
Indigenous Inspiration: Loretta Oden’s “Corn Dance”
Chef Loretta Barrett Oden has spent most of her professional life introducing diners to the foods of the First Americans. The Shawnee native and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation grew up surrounded by Native women — mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunts and great aunts — who taught her how to forage and cook the traditional foods of the tribe, along with its lore. Cooking was a social event; the kitchen a campfire where stories were shared.
American Fundamentals: Catching Up with Tulsa-Born Journalist Judy Woodruff
In April, one of Tulsa’s own returned to her roots to work on an important project. Many will know Judy Woodruff from her years anchoring and serving as managing editor for “PBS NewsHour,” a post she left in December. Today, she’s working on a couple of deep-dive projects, one of which is no small task: an exploration of America’s current state of divisiveness called “Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads.”
OKC Improv: Connections Through Comedy
Oklahoma City is home to an unexpected (and unscripted) pleasure: the OKC Improv Foundation (OKCI). This organization is devoted to bringing joy and laughter to the community, while simultaneously improving lives with improvisational theater.
Designing Elegance: How Sloane Street by Gadbois Jewelry Shines
Craftmanship, vibrant pops of color and a commitment to quality — these are just some of the facets that make Sloane Street by Gadbois Jewelry a major player in the luxury jewelry space, an exclusive line carried by premier OKC retailers BC Clark and Naifeh Fine Jewelry. But while Sloane Street and other brands may use similar types of precious gems and metals, no one else can duplicate this label’s distinctive heart.
A Route 66 Space Oddity: Mary Beth Babcock
Mary Beth Babcock wasn’t always getting her kicks on Route 66. That may come as some surprise, given that she’s the owner of a souvenir shop on that storied highway, one that pays loving homage to the quirky energy of all things Mother Road.
Self-Care at Its Sweetest: Ganache Patisserie
Tiny little daily luxuries make life sweeter. It’s a universal truth. We know this. Why, then, do we constantly find ourselves just slogging along as though we don’t know that there are simple, delicious delights to be had, easily and daily?
Piyush Patel, Intellectual Man of Mastery
The scene: late 1970s London. A young man furrows his brow as he studies a map of the United States, searching for his future. He’s looking for the most auspicious city for he and his wife to launch their new adventure and raise their two young boys, while pursuing their entrepreneurial American dreams. This visionary young man is father to Piyush Patel, whom you’ll meet shortly.
A Shared Imperative: Tulsa’s Greenwood Rising History Center
In May of 2021, Tulsa marked the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. People from around Oklahoma and the rest of the country converged in the Greenwood District to commemorate the tragic events that took place May 31-June 1 in 1921.
In Search of Greener Pastures: Richard & Amy Janes
Movies often have an origin story — whether it’s Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider or Charles Foster Kane leaving his boyhood sled behind, great narratives can stem from the simplest beginnings. Movie studios do, too. For Oklahoma’s Green Pastures Studio, its origin story began innocently enough with a date almost two decades ago in Los Angeles. That is when founders Amy and Richard Janes met for the first time.
ArtDesk at Art Basel Miami Beach
Something big happened in Florida last December. ArtDesk, the magnificent, mission-driven publication produced quarterly by Oklahoma’s Kirkpatrick Foundation — dreamt up by its chairman, Christian Keesee and helmed by executive director Louisa McCune — was celebrated as among the best in the world, along with six other arts publications, at Art Basel Miami Beach.
Heart, Hands and Stitch by Stitch: Sydnie Banks
Sydnie Peebles says she always felt “out of place at school” due to the excessive focus on rote learning. As a self-identified tactile learner, she was honest with herself about going to college just to check a box. All her lack of direction changed after watching one serendipitous YouTube video.