Prime Pub Flavor
Walking into Blackbird, a fair question might be: Why is there an English pub in Norman, Oklahoma? John Howell, co-owner with Ryan Robinson and Victor Rojo, said the team got its inspiration from The Gage in Chicago. “We had…
In The Magazine
Laotian Love
While its geographical neighbors – Vietnam to the east and Thailand to the west – have flourished in the American culinary landscape, Laotian food has had a difficult time finding traction. A mountainous, agricultural country, Laos entered the American…
Virtual Vacation Highlights
As the long summer nights slowly grow shorter, signaling the arrival of fall, many may be wondering, “Where the heck did my summer vacation go?” Whether it was the pandemic or job insecurity, for many of us in the…
Cocktails al Fresco
While the bar cart seems to have become a necessary addition to our lives over these past few months, why not move cocktail hour outside? It definitely takes a bit of effort to bring out all the libations, but…
Smoke in a Glass
Trends are hard to predict under ideal circumstances, making it even more unlikely that even the best prognosticators could have foreseen the rise of mezcal over the past two years. The agave-based distillate from Mexico is known for its…
Barbecue Bliss
To reduce barbecue to its component parts is simple: It’s smoked meat served with sauces, accompanied by carb-laden side dishes and, depending on what kind of joint you’re in, greens, pickles, white bread and/or coleslaw. That summation of its…
Winning Against Ourselves
Nearly 1 in 12 Americans has an autoimmune disease. Many are not easily diagnosed, and women are hardest hit. Cases of the more than 80 recognized autoimmune diseases are trending upward, and researchers are not certain why. Two probable…
Aesthetic Dreams
Sam Day is a partner at the architecture and real estate development firm Dryline, which has championed such projects as the Big Friendly Brewery and the single-family detached homes in Wheeler – and he’s not your ordinary architect. A…
Knockout Jewelry
Statement-making jewelry delivers quite the punch this year. Whether bold or delicate, it plays with texture, shape and color. Often its sparkle can compete with a star-filled night, although sometimes its simplicity is surprisingly stunning. Jewelry is personal, reflecting…
The House That Wanderlust Built
If the walls of the Bradford House could talk, their stories would entertain listeners for hours. Built in 1912 by the first Oklahoma County Clerk, William Bradford, the expansive home has hosted actor Rock Hudson and a campaigning President…
Livin’ on COVID Time
When it started looking like the COVID pandemic was going to free up a lot of time for home and garden projects, personal errands, meditation and a meticulous nail regimen, I began making a mental to-do list. Never in…
Page Picks
Summer is a time when we head to the beach, the lake house or even our backyards and nestle up to a good book. To celebrate the “great summer read,” we asked local authors what their picks are for…
Wide Open Spaces
If there is a better setting than the outdoors for gathering around a table, I’ve yet to find it. Especially in this time, entertaining in small groups in the open air is especially apropos. An intimate dinner, easy luncheon…
Peachy Keen
Chef Jonathan Krell said he had no idea how good Oklahoma peaches are until he moved here. The Pennsylvania native, like so many other transplanted locals, discovered Stratford and Porter peaches from a friend or family member after moving…
Split-T’s Taste Legacy
Any restaurant that stays in business for half a century puts an indelible imprint on its community, and the memories of first dates and family gatherings cannot be separated from that room full of tables and booths. But Split-T,…
Montecito Serenade
The compact community of Montecito, California, is “so beautiful it’s like a screensaver,” says Seneca Beverly, a barista at the seaside town’s Rosewood Miramar Beach resort. Montecito, with a population just under 10,000, sits picturesquely in the shadow of…
Hoots Given
It sat empty for decades, a vestige of a long-gone town and a mode of travel, but Owl Court is once again ready for roosting. Owl Court LLC, a redevelopment group led by Brad Rice, Marcus Ude, Rusty LaForge,…
OKC vs. Tulsa: Rivals No More?
Great city rivalries exist and thrive, jovial in their mutual disdain, across the country: Dallas vs. Ft. Worth, Kansas City vs. St. Louis and, of course, the greatest of them all – Oklahoma City vs. Tulsa. For decades, Oklahoma…
Family Flair
An Oklahoma native, Ashford Thomson is part of the Oklahoma City design team of Thomson + Thomson Interior and Exterior Designs. With his sister Cody and father Cam, he carries on a tradition inaugurated by Cam’s father, Ron Thomson,…
Love for Livegrass
When Livegrass Butcher and Bistro (3601 E 2nd, Edmond) opened in June, chef-partner Josh Valentine was almost a decade removed from Divine Swine, his culinary ode to the pig on N. May that he closed to participate in season…
Lights, Camera, Oklahoma
Location, location, location – key words in real estate and cinematic estate. Check out these films that include Oklahoma in the supporting cast. Twister: For the tiny town of Wakita, just south of the Kansas border, being hit by the…
A Toast to New Hotspots
The development of Oklahoma City’s bar culture has historically been tied to restaurants and hotels. Much of that is no doubt due to the late date at which this state (or at least most of our counties) legalized liquor…
The High Points of Local Pints
Covering the Oklahoma City beer scene 10 years ago meant a one-page story on a handful of breweries and a few beer-centric bars that served mainly domestics and imports. There weren’t enough local beers to fill the tap handles…
Summer Styling
Suiting and color are two of the biggest trends in fashion right now, each appealing on its own. But when they come together in one look, the result is a fresh take that’s cool and comfortable or chic and…
