Philbrook Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, which continues through Dec. 11, can bring up memories of Christmas mornings, footy pajamas and bleary-eyed grown-ups sipping strong coffee. The 27th annual festival honors those family memories and traditions by welcoming the public to stroll the galleries where you’ll find trees decorated tastefully, artistically, eclectically and personally by area designers and artists along with original artwork and commemorative items all for purchase. One of Tulsa’s most popular holiday events, Festival of Trees is also important to the museum through raising funds for programs making Philbrook more accessible to all citizens year round, including the free-admission holiday light display Garden Glow on the museum’s grounds. Time to make more memories and family traditions. www.philbrook.org
Njeri and Alex Haygood
Njeri Haygood
Aesthetician and Artist
What was your first fashion moment? The first time I walked a runway and felt the quality of beautiful fabric and great cut. I was hooked.
What designers/stores do you most admire? Coco Chanel, Rachel Zoe and Balliets, for obvious reasons.
You are invited to have dinner with the President. What do you wear? I actually did have the honor of having dinner at the White House, and I wore a cream tux with satin lapels and a sheer chiffon blouse underneath.
Alex Haygood
Corporate Market Director for the American Heart Association
Is there a fashion icon or someone whose style you admire most? Right now I really love Rihanna’s style. She can go from edgy and haute couture to feminine and flirty, and she knows how to make each look work for her. She encompasses so many aspects of fashion.
What song best describes your fashion sense or sense of style? Beyonce’s “Run the World.”
When you want to look great with little effort, what’s your go-to outfit? A white tank, a fun skirt, and Christian Louboutin heels.
TiTi Nguyen and Brian Fitzsimmons
TiTi Nguyen
Family Medicine Physician, Saints Medical Group
Is there a fashion icon or someone whose style you admire most? Audrey Hepburn. She was a tiny person with a gigantic presence.
What was your first fashion moment? I was such a tomboy, but at 15 I had to dress in the traditional woman’s Vietnamese gown and flowing pants. Suddenly I remembered I was a girl!
You are invited to have dinner with the President. What do you wear? Hopefully my thinking cap – I’d have so many questions – and my Grecian gray chiffon gown.
Brian Fitzsimmons
Architect, Fitzsimmons Architects
Is there a fashion icon or someone whose style you admire most? David Bowie. He is consistently good-looking and always an individual.
What is your favorite article of clothing? My Puma shoes.
What designers/stores do you admire most? I enjoy visiting War Paint, DNA and Collected Thread in the Plaza District of OKC because they represent the local craft and entrepreneurs, and you can always find something good.
Circus City, USA
When Walter White was 10 years old, the circus came to his hometown of Hugo, Okla. That fact alone is not particularly remarkable. The interesting thing is that both White, now 85, and the circus are still there. Hugo has been called Circus City, USA, since 1937, the year Vernon Pratt, a local grocer and circus enthusiast, convinced the owners of Kelly-Miller circus to move their base of operations from Mena, Ark., to the small town just north of the Red River in southeast Oklahoma.
“Over 20 different circuses have wintered here over the years,” the gregarious White explains. “We probably have one of the biggest elephant herds in the country.”
These days the town is the winter home of three circuses: Carson & Barnes, Kelly-Miller and Culpepper and Merriweather.
“We love these circus people,” White says. “When they come back to Hugo in the winter, they know they have a family.
“I’ve got three kids,” he continues with a laugh, “and all three of them ‘went with’ circus kids in high school.”
Many of the performers hail from all over the world, and most travel back to their homes in the offseason, but the majority of the circus workers call Hugo home. Indeed, many were born and raised in the town.
“I literally grew up in the circus,” recalls David Rawls. “Both my parents were performers, and so were all my siblings.”
Rawls, 65, also grew up in Hugo. The one-time owner of the Kelly-Miller circus even served for a time as the town’s city manager before getting back into the circus industry as the current manager of the Carson & Barnes circus.
“The rest of my siblings have all left the circus,” Rawls says, “but even as a teenager I knew I wanted to do this for a living.”
Perhaps surprisingly, the circus business is thriving despite the unstable economy. Even in today’s fast-paced world, there is something about the circus that inspires a sense of wonder in young and old alike.
“There has been a metamorphosis in the entertainment industry as a whole, and we’ve had to change in some ways to keep up. You have to have more modern music, modern lighting,” Rawls explains. “But one thing that hasn’t changed is that mom and dad want to take their children to the circus.”
For White, the town’s tourism director and former president of the Chamber of Commerce, the circus is just one of many reasons people should visit Hugo. There is also the nearby Doaksville archeological site, the Showmen’s Rest cemetery for circus folks who have passed and scenic waterways nearby. But White also knows that the number one reason people will come to Hugo is the same as it’s been since he was a wide-eyed 10-year-old. They want to see Circus City, USA.
“We have elephants in our Christmas parade!” White proudly boasts. “We’re the only town in the U.S. that has Santa Claus ride in on the back of an elephant.”
High on the Hog
Autumn is often associated with cooler weather, pumpkins and giving thanks. It is also a great time to order Blue And Gold Sausage, just in time for the holidays. What was started out of necessity 43 years ago has become a most coveted product in the fall in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
Don Ramsey, the founder of Blue And Gold Sausage, was a high school agriculture teacher in Jones, a bedroom community northeast of Oklahoma City. Always looking for ways to fund FFA (Future Farmers of America) activities, he began making his now-famous sausage in the mid ‘60s for students to sell. The students’ families raised the pigs that Ramsey processed for the sausage.
As the word spread, more FFA chapters began selling it. Ramsey officially started the company in 1970 and then retired from teaching in 1972 to devote all of his time to the business.
A family endeavor, the day-to-day operation of the company is now supervised by Ramsey’s sons, Brett and Greg. Their mother continues to work in the office, while Don, now 84, is still involved in the operations.
Today, Blue And Gold is a household name, and it’s usually easy to find someone selling it. However, the sausage is only sold via fundraisers; it is not available for retail sale nor is it available year round.
“The busiest time of the year is from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. (This time period) accounts for 60 percent of the annual business,” says Brett Ramsey.
After that, sales taper off. From May through August the plant is closed. Once school starts again, fundraising projects resume and the plant once again bustles with activity.
While high school groups like bands and clubs account for most of the sales, other nonprofit organizations, such as little leagues, Boy Scouts and civic organizations, also benefit from Blue And Gold’s fundraising opportunities.
Since Blue And Gold produces around 60,000 pounds of sausage a day, lots of help is needed. The company is proud to employ retirees who help part-time with everything from production to shipping.
Besides sausage, Blue And Gold also makes chicken tenderloin fritters and thick sliced bacon.
Sausage, Fruit And Nut Dressing
Makes 8-10 servings
1 c. dried apples
12 oz. Blue And Gold Sausage
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
8 c. crumbled corn bread
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
1 2/3 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover dried apples with warm water and let soak for three minutes, then drain well and chop. In a large skillet, crumble sausage and sauté with onion and celery until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are soft, about eight to 10 minutes. Place corn bread in a very large mixing bowl; add the apples, sausage and sautéed vegetables, pecans, apricots, 1/2-cup chicken broth, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and place dressing in a large, shallow casserole and bake for 15 minutes. Spoon remaining chicken broth over top and bake for 10 minutes more or until heated through.
Studio D Photography Holding A Cute Kind Contest With Proceeds Going To Make-A-Wish
For the past 15 years, Studio D Photography has been holding what they call “Tot Shots,” a cute kid contest in which the proceeds of the photo packages bought for the contest are donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Studio D enjoys giving back to the community,” said owner Don Crane, “Make-A-Wish is a wonderful and well known foundation with whom we continue to collaborate with to raise money to help kid’s wishes come true.”
According to social media manager, Danielle Culbert, a $10 donation gets your child or grandchild into the cute kid contest.
“With a Make-A-Wish donation of $10 per child, you will receive one 4×6 portrait photo of your child and 10% off any package purchase, plus 50% off any wall portrait,” she said.
Tot Shots will feature three different age categories: 0-2 years-old, 3-6 years-old and 7-12 years-old. The winner of each age group will win a free single portrait package worth $65 and will be entered to win the grand prize of $200 cash.
Culbert adds that the tot shot can be a funny picture or a traditional portrait and any background can be chosen for the photo depending on the child’s personality.
“Out Tot Shot contest continues to be a popular contest and fun for the families who participate,” Crane said.
It is not only parents who enter their children into the contest added Culbert, grandparents like to enter their grandchildren as well.
Over the years, Studio D has donated thousands of dollars through the Tot Shot contest to help kids like Rheann.
“They can certainly donate more than $10 if they would like,” Culbert said. “Anyone can donate to Make-A-Wish through us, whether they want a picture or not. It’s just a wonderful foundation and they do so much good for children to make their wishes come true.”
The Studio D Tot Shots cute kid contest will run from July 1st through August 3rd. For more information or to schedule your child’s Tot Shot portrait session, call Studio D Photography at (918) 494-6686.
Do you think you have the cutest kid in Tulsa? For bragging rights and to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, bring your child or grandchild to Studio D Photography at 8820 South Harvard Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74137.
Have some fun and help make a deserving child’s wish come true!
To receive exclusive offers and information from Studio D Photography and Digital Services, text STUUDIOD to 90947.
To learn more about Studio D Photography and Digital Services, go to their page here.
Wild Brew 2013 Giveaway
Enter below for your chance to win two VIP packages to Wild Brew 2013, coming up on Saturday, July 27.
Winners will be selected from qualified entrants on Wednesday, July 24 at noon. Winners will be notified and must pick up their tickets in person at the Oklahoma Magazine office no later than noon on Friday, July 26. Tickets not picked up by the deadline will be forfeited.
For more information on Wild Brew, visit www.wildbrew.org
Most Haunted
It’s October in Oklahoma – a time of changing leaves, brisk winds, pumpkin patches and apple cider. But according to some, it’s also the time for things that go bump in the night. Oklahoma has a rich history of ghostly lore to go with the season, and some spooky reminders of the state’s storied past remain.
Christy Clark, founder and director of Oklahoma Paranormal Research and Investigations, believes paranormal activity in Oklahoma can be attributed in part to its unique geology, and in part to the legacy left by the land runs. “The battles for Indian Territory, the attachment to the land by eastern Americans and foreign immigrants who had high hopes and dreams for a place to call their own, and the geology and variety of the landscapes in Oklahoma fuel paranormal activity, ” she says.
According to the experts at OKPRI, here’s a rundown of some of Oklahoma’s most famous haunts.
Stone Lion Inn, Guthrie
Built in 1907 by F.E. Houghton for his wife and 12 children, this 8,000-square-foot bed and breakfast is a hotspot for paranormal activity, investigators say. Not long after the Houghtons vacated the premises (Mr. Houghton perished on site), the house became a funeral home for many years. Some believe the inn is haunted by a young daughter of Houghton’s, who was diagnosed with whooping cough and met her end through an accidental overdose. Guests claim to hear a child playing and jumping on beds when no children are staying at the inn. Other apparitions include a ghostly gentleman smoking a pipe or cigar and a dark-haired young woman who haunts the second floor of the mansion.
Concho Indian Boarding School, Concho
Located northwest of El Reno, the decrepit Concho Indian Boarding School looms like a specter of the past. Originally built in the late 1880s as part of the American government’s push to force assimilation on American Indian tribes, the latest incarnation of the school was built in 1969 and ceased operations in 1981. Since that time, the building has sat abandoned, filled with eerie reminders of its sad history. Visitors claim to hear disembodied voices echoing in the night and witness young Indian children roaming the halls. There are even rumors of a mysterious “dark force” at play in the school and shadows that haunt sight-seers.
The Ritz Theater, Shawnee
Once a boarding house, then one of Oklahoma’s earliest movie theaters, the Ritz is a building with a rich past. It is believed to be haunted by the ghost of Leo Montgomery, who served as the projectionist at the theater from 1913 until his death of a heart attack in the projection room in 1965. Visitors to the theater (now closed for many years) claim to see strange shadows and lights and to hear disembodied voices. The theater also is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a former boarder named Amelia, who died young of pneumonia while living in the building.
Built To Suit
The Organized Cook
A Timeless Master Bathroom
A Movie Set Kitchen
Bungalow Charm
A Mid-century Retreat
Ticket Giveaway: LOOK Muiscal Theatre's EVITA (6/24)
Don’t cry for me Argentina!
Oklahoma Magazine is giving away two tickets to the Friday, June 24 production of LOOK Musical Theatre’s Evita.
To be eligible for this prize, you must fill out the form below and correctly answer the following question:
What is the name of the famous cemetery where Eva Peron is buried?
One winner will be selected from the correct responses at 10 AM, Friday, June 24. The winner will be contacted via email and must pick up tickets at the Oklahoma Magazine offices before 6 PM.
About Evita
8:00 PM
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
110 E. Second St.
Tulsa, OK
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s extraordinary musical Evita features some of the biggest hit songs ever written, including "Don’t Cry for Me Argentina," "On This Night of a Thousand Stars," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," "Oh What a Circus," and many more.
The story of Evita, told entirely through song and dance, follows the life of Argentina’s infamous Eva Peron. It begins in 1934 and follows the young girl from her small hometown to Buenos Aires, where she uses her feminine power to climb the ladder of success, first as a model, then as an actress and finally as the wife of General Juan Peron.
When Peron is elected president, Eva becomes the most powerful woman in South America. At the end of her life she questions whether or not she took the right path. With more than 20 major awards to its credit including a Tony award for Best Musical and Best Original Score, this production of the smash hit show promises to be the gem of the LOOK Festival’s season.
