George Washington wore wooden dentures. That may be the most singularly personal fact most of us know about the first president of the United States. A new exhibit at Gilcrease Museum was created to reveal more of the man pictured on the $1 bill. The traveling display Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon opens June 24 in Tulsa to show his views on religion and slavery as well as his experiences as a land surveyor, experimental farmer and entrepreneur. Life-size figures of Washington developed through forensic methods, artifacts from his life and interactive models are included as are tools used by slaves and Revolutionary War armaments. Martha Washington’s influence is represented with pieces of her jewelry, china and reproductions of her gold wedding dress and purple satin slippers. The teeth? They will be there, too. The exhibit runs through Sept. 23. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu
Preserving Culture
Ann Thompson boasts a background in public history. She has worked as an archivist, a museum director and a classroom teacher. Her connection to Oklahoma began with a long-distance master’s degree in liberal studies from the University of Oklahoma. In 2006, she permanently relocated to Oklahoma to accept the position of executive director of the Oklahoma Humanities Council. The OHC funds programs that help preserve the culture of Oklahoma. Additionally, the organization administers programs such as “Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma,” a book discussion group; and “Museum on Main Street,” a partnership with the Smithsonian to bring exhibits to communities in the state with populations below 20,000.
The Oklahoma Humanities Council is the sole organization for the state that provides funding for humanities-based programming. We are unique in that we provide funding for communities around the state who have programs that they would like to see happen. It could be a museum exhibit, lecture, film festival, digitizing historic photographs; anything that has a base in a humanities discipline.
Our organization is the state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which was authorized in 1965 by Congress. The authorizing language includes the phrase, “democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.” If we don’t have an informed society, if we don’t have a thoughtful society, if we don’t have safe places for people to come together to discuss issues in an informed way, then democracy is jeopardized. That lifelong learning is critical to sustain a democracy. We offer those safe forums. We convene people to come together. There’s no advocacy. We don’t tell people how to think, but we present different points of view.
The most common (grant request we receive) is history-related. We’re very happy to support the preservation of Oklahoma’s culture and history, and a typical grant that’s funded by our organization might be a historical society that wants to showcase their history. Our funding makes these events possible. We go all across the state to very small communities. Even if it’s a $5,000 grant, that can make a difference. We bring people together; we call it community building. So, let’s say we’ve given a grant; all of the organizations in that community come together. Are you working with Main Street, the chamber of commerce, the historical society? We do require a match of our dollars because we receive federal funding, and that’s one of our requirements. When we have that kind of match, it illustrates that the community has a buy-in. For every dollar we received from the federal government, communities matched it with $5.60. It shows that these kinds of cultural programs have an economic impact.
Every place thinks they’re unique in some way, but Oklahoma is so rich in diversity. I’m fortunate to get to travel to all corners of the state. The regions of Oklahoma and the towns are so different from one another, and each town has a story that’s so fascinating.
LMFAO
If you thought LMFAO was but an abbreviation expressing a reaction to something so funny that you dropped two dress sizes in an instant, turn on the radio and TV. The group creating a sound dedicated to partying, clubbing and good times is making a case for a new definition: Loving My Friends and Others. With only two albums, LMFAO has found its way to arena stages packed with fans quick to dance to “Party Rock,” “Sexy and I Know It,” “Sorry for Party Rocking” and other singles. If DJs Redfoo and SkyBlu – carefree and even whimsical in giant glasses and clunky, neon Ts – weren’t entertaining enough, the electro pop/rap is enough to make you turn up the volume and tweet “LMFAO.” Redfoo, SkyBlu and their troupe of dancers, rappers and singers have that kind of effect. Watch them play at the BOK Center June 13. www.bokcenter.com
A Taxing Issue
A tax revolution is brewing under the Oklahoma capitol’s dome, and some fear that the building pressure might blow funding for essential state services right out of the state’s budget.
Three tax-specific bills are under consideration. Senate Bill 1623 proposes reducing the top personal income tax rate by one-half percent by 2014. House Bill 3061 proposes establishing a ceiling tax rate of 3.5 percent for single persons making $35,000 or more annually, while establishing the same ceiling for married, head of household, or surviving spouse for income at or above $70,000. Single persons grossing between $15,000 and $34,999, and married couples grossing between $30,000 and $69,999 would cap at 2.5 percent. Oklahomans grossing below those levels would pay no income tax. HB 3061 also allows for an additional one quarter of one percent cut when state revenues increase by five percent or more.
However, it is House Bill 3038 that offers the biggest transformation in Oklahoma’s tax structure. While the aforementioned legislation would counter the reduction in state income with a list of specified exemption repeals, HB 3038 proposes phasing out the state’s income tax with full elimination by the year 2022. The bill also proposes eliminating all tax exemptions except those for volunteer firefighters.
“The reasoning for this bill is two-fold,” says HB 3038 author Leslie Osborn (R-Bethany). “Number one is economic development. Businesses are fleeing the coastline states where they are overtaxed and overregulated. If we phase out the state income tax, we become the state with the lowest overall tax burden at the end of the phase out.”
However, Oklahoma Policy Institute Director David Blatt says such a transformation to the state’s income apparatus threatens the continuation of basic governmental functions. “This really is the wrong path for Oklahoma. You want to be the best educated state in the nation. You want to have the best jobs in the nation. “Frankly,” Blatt continues, “no one has proven that having the lowest taxes in the nation makes you the best in the nation.”
Acknowledging Oklahoma’s overall embracing of small government and low tax philosophies while fighting to maintain quality infrastructure, Blatt adds, “Maybe Oklahoma doesn’t want to be Massachusetts, but it also doesn’t want to be Bangladesh.”
Blatt advocates closing loopholes in the current tax structure to increase the state’s bottom line and guarantee the continuation of essential services. “You’re getting the means and the ends confused,” he says.
Osborn maintains that HB 3038 is a forceful step in the right direction to attracting business and jobs to the Sooner State. “Critics may say taxes do not matter, but they do to job re-locators,” she says. “(Former) Governor Frank Keating said that businesses told him that if he would do two things they would move their jobs here…Right to Work and no income tax.”
“Oklahoma is already a low-tax state,” Blatt argues, adding that business leaders are not pushing for an income tax cut. “We need to be honest and realistic about how we are going to pay for services.”
The fate of the proposed legislation remains uncertain.
Newgrass Charm
On the next one of those fantastic Oklahoma days, when the humidity and wind take the day off and the weather is perfect for opening up the screen door and windows, turn on “On the Mountain Side,” by Oklahoma City’s O Fidelis, and let the goodness wash over you.
Their brand of “newgrass” indie folk is the brainchild of two musicians whose relationship evolved from merely bandmates to newlyweds, yet Brian and Laney Gilillands’s smitten vibe isn’t at all obvious – not cliché in a love song sense, but rather euphoric overall.
Cheerful, colorful and endearingly earnest, it’s easy to hear how with newlywed songwriters/musicians, inspiration is never lacking.
“It was always a dream of mine to write music with a girl. I think that female vocals blended with male vocals makes for something pretty special and unique,” Brian says.
“In the past, I was always writing dark stuff, introspective and kind of depressing. Then I started writing and playing with Laney, and she brought this whole new bright and happy tone to the table, on so many different levels.”
Depending on the venue, O Fidelis offers two different kinds of shows, but regardless of the size of the stage, their style is a whimsical good time, with the shuffle between musicians and their instruments creating a visual aesthetic that is as fun to watch as the music is to stomp and clap your hands to.
Whether getting down to the skeletons of their songs at an intimate acoustic set with Brian and Laney alone, or jamming out at bigger shows that includes the full five-piece band and their stage full of diverse instruments, O Fidelis’ reach extends across a broad spectrum of audiences.
Set for release this summer, their first LP, Bible Promises and Dinosaurs, embodies their self-proclaimed “knack for weirdness,” and is a surefire audible pick-me-up guaranteed to appeal to young folks, old folks, and all ages in between.
Contagious and charming, O Fidelis will put a smile on your face, no matter your mood.
“This was important to us when we were first figuring out our sound. We knew we wanted it to be happy, and something everyone in our family could enjoy,” Brian explains.
“It’s been a priority of ours from the start to be honest in our lyrics, but above all, to be upbeat and happy. To remain family-friendly and always lift people up.”
How About An Adventure?
Experience The Wilderness – In Style
Colorado has a couple of things one can find in abundance. There is plenty of wilderness for countless outdoor activities and adventures. And there are plenty of luxurious resorts with breathtaking scenery and plenty of pampering. Pairing the two together is not an easy thing. Many scenic resorts, for example, are in popular ski areas, so the wilderness views tend to include neon-colored ski bunnies. And a remote cabin in the woods is unlikely to have concierge service. Fortunately, you can indulge in both aspect of Colorado’s wonder at Elk Mountain Ranch. Located 16 miles southeast of Buena Vista and a pleasant two hour drive from Denver or Colorado Springs, Elk Mountain Ranch only accommodates up to 30 guests for its weeklong, all-inclusive, quintessential dude ranch experience. Days are filled with horseback riding, white water rafting, hiking, riflery, fishing and other activities set against a backdrop of unending vistas. It’s the ultimate in traditional western vacations and perfect for families, couples, singles and small groups. Cabin accommodations vary in size and number they can sleep, but all are comfortable and enhance the western outdoor theme.
But a little pampering is in order, too, and you can get that here as well. On-site spa services include massage and Jacuzzi. Oh yes, there is concierge service, and it is very much the affable and accommodating staff that contributes to the pampering experience. Elk Mountain Ranch encompasses a delightful combination of the Rocky Mountain state’s strongest appeals.
Tip: Although Elk Mountain Ranch is ideal for all types of groups throughout much of the season, it offers adults only periods (weeks of Sept. 2 and Sept. 9, 2012) with an emphasis on riding, relaxation and a picturesque romantic setting.
Take A Train To The Big Easy
To most Oklahomans, the idea of leisure travel by train probably seems a bit antiquated, a hold over from a bygone era. And that’s one of the reasons that a summer vacation aboard a train could be an exciting adventure. From Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer terminal in Oklahoma City, you can access a rail network that can literally take you from sea to shining sea. For rail novices, a trip from OKC to New Orleans is a great way to start. The route takes you through a varied terrain, stops at interesting locales and drops you off to experience all the Crescent City has to offer.
The trip takes you on a winding 27-hour journey, but you’ll want to break it up and disembark at some of the fantastic stops along the way. You’ll change trains in Fort Worth and San Antonio, so definitely plan to explore those cities while you’re there – the trains run most days, so take as long as you like. Your route also allows you the opportunity to stop over in Austin and Houston, as well as a host of smaller towns and cities.
Bonus: Through a partnership with the National Park Service, guides from the Amistad National Recreation Area are on board the train between Houston and New Orleans to interpret the unique Gulf Coast ecosystems the train passes by.
Stops
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City > Purcell > Norman > Pauls Valley > Ardmore
Texas: Gainesville > Fort Worth > Cleburne > McGregor > Kileen/Fort Hood > Austin > San Marcos > San Antonio > Houston > Beaumont
Louisiana: Lake Charles > Lafayette > New Iberia > Schriever > New Orleans
www.amtrak.com
Pump Out Some Adrenaline In Arkansas
Just over the Ozarks to the east, Arkansas offers more than just a lush varied environment and scenic retreats. It presents innumerable opportunities for adrenaline-pumping adventures on land, in water and in the sky.
Aerialists have long enjoyed hang gliding at Mount Magazine and Mount Nebo, which offer spectacular views and frequent ideal conditions. For a more extreme experience, Skydive Ranch in Siloam Springs can get you trained and up to speed to personally answer the axiom, Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?
Once back on earth, landlubbers will enjoy hiking or mountain biking the Womble Trail in the Ouachita Mountains and the Syllamo Trail near Mountain View. If you’re packing a specialty vehicle for your Arkansas adventure, the Superlift Off Road Vehicle Park’s challenging course is amenable to motorcycles, ATVs, buggies and four wheel drive vehicles. Rock climbers and bouldering enthusiasts cite Sam’s Throne and Horseshoe Canyon Ranch as two of the greatest regional locations for hands-on challenges. Halfway between the ground and the sky, zip lines offer you excitement with terrific scenery. There are numerous zip lines across the state. Okolona’s Rowdy Adventures, the largest outdoor adventure park in the South, has 15 zip lines in its 300 acres. The Buffalo River Canopy Zip Line Tour in Ponca offers a scenic experience in the Ozark treetops.
If cool water is ideal for your adventure, you can drop your canoe or kayak in countless rivers and streams or on 600,000 acres of lakes. Veteran kayakers s can challenge themselves on the Cossatot River and Cossatot Falls, which features Class IV and Class V rapids.
Whether its relaxing hiking or plummeting from the sky, Arkansas lets you choose just how much adrenaline you want as part of a memorable experience.
“Type B” Adventuring: If your idea of roughing it is domestic champagne and you still want a little Arkansas adventuring, consider an aerial excursion aboard a comfy hot air balloon. Little Rock is home to several purveyors of scenic ballooning experiences.
Fly Fishing In New Mexico
There’s an aura of tranquil beauty, of rightness, of connection to nature surrounding fly fishing. Few other activities conjure up such evocative imagery as that of a cool stream and the rhythmic pattern of fly fishing. However, while a river might run through it, most of us haven’t a clue how to land fish out of it in the arcane sport of fly fishing.
Fortunately it doesn’t have to be that way. You can pick up the necessary skills, plenty of practice and solid advice – all while enjoying the quintessential experience – at Santa Fe Fly Fishing School. Just 25 minutes from Santa Fe, Santa Fe Fly Fishing School sits on a big bend in the Pecos River as it approaches the Village of Pecos. The river runs from out of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north and offers good fly fishing. First, though, you will want to learn what you are doing and what kind of gear you will need. The expert instructors at Santa Fe Fly Fishing School will help you develop the skills you need to be more successful at trout fishing with a fly rod. Other schools often focus on catching fish, but here the focus is on helping you develop the skill set and knowledge you need to be able to fish independently. Instruction is available at different levels and offered to individuals and small groups. With the skills you acquire you will be prepared and in an ideal location to finally indulge in the vaunted sport. Stocked rainbow and brown trout ranging up to 16 inches abound in the Pecos River, surrounded by nearly pristine wooded land. The skills, the setting, the lurking trout – it all adds up to a chance to turn vacation fantasy into memorable getaway reality.
Other Great New Mexico Fly Fishing Sites:
Red River
San Juan River
Cimarron River
Gila River
Rio de los Pinos
Jemez Mountains
Rio Penasco
Upper and Lower Rio Grande
www.pecosflyfishing.com
www.newmexico.org
Learn To Surf In SoCal
Frankie and Annette movies and Beach Boys music might come across to many as outdated, but the appeal of riding the crest of a wave hasn’t lost its epic cool appeal. And, for the uninitiated, you’ll need to leave Oklahoma to catch actual waves no matter how hard the wind comes sweeping down the plain!
Due west is where you’ll need to go, to San Diego and to the Pacific Surf School. The experts can get you up and riding the waves in no time. Well, it will be some time, but not much. Pacific Surf School offers a guarantee that you will be standing up on your first lesson or your next one is free.
That’s powerful motivation for solid instruction and that’s what you will find during your lessons on Mission Bay. All friendly instructors are experienced and trained in ocean safety.
You can choose to learn in private, semi-private (2-3 people in each semi-private lesson) or group environments, available seven days a week, with each lesson lasting about 90 minutes. You can also organize your own group for lessons. Lessons include basic technique, stretching and board familiarity, ample water instruction, water safety and ocean awareness, paddling and positioning, ocean safety, basic wave “reading” and more. In the summer, lessons also include one free hour of board rental after instruction. But by then, of course, you’ll be hooked and ready to use your new skills in the Mission Bay waters, which are less crowded with surfers than many other nearby sites. It wont take long before instructors rapidly progress your skills to the point where you can be off on your own, enjoying riding the waves and maybe hearing just the faint melody of Beach Boys tunes in your head.
Greatest Surfing Movies Of All Time
The top ten, from SurferToday.com
10. Thicker Than Water
9. Step Into Liquid
8. Second Thoughts
7. Point Break
6. Occy: The Occumentary
5. Bra Boys
4. Castles in the Sky
3. Big Wednesday
2. The Endless Summer II
1. The Endless Summer
Immerse Youserlf In Mark Twain National Forest
Sometimes adventure takes the form of completely escaping the trappings of civilization and immersing yourself in nature. Well, maybe you don’t want to dodge all of society’s trappings – level camp sites, lavatory facilities or even a simple cabin can be nice. To truly appreciate getting away from the everyday, though, you’ll need just the right natural environment. Missouri’s spectacular Mark Twain National Forest is just the right place to do just that. Covering a whopping 1.5 million acres in 29 different counties, the forest offers you plenty of canopy under which to commune with nature.
Communing might not be all the adventure you want, but fortunately there is wilderness action available in abundance throughout. There are few better hiking sites in the region and scores of trails throughout offer diverse surroundings for you to enjoy. Sutton Bluff Recreation Area lets you camp, hike trails (including the nearby Ozark Trail), enjoy facilities, mountain-bike, swim or just enjoy placid scenery. Crane Lake Conservation Area’s centerpiece 100-acre lake is blue and crystal clear and near 12 miles of hiking and biking trails. You will want to head to Council Bluff Lake for stocked fishing and a sandy beach – canoes and paddleboats are also available nearby. If you’re an experienced hiker and prepared for something more like a backcountry adventure, Bell Mountain Wilderness Area is both some of the highest elevation in the area and among the least influenced by man. There are 9,027 acres with tall peaks, Shut-in Creek and a spring-fed stream with several gorges along its course. Fourteen miles of designated trails are established for hikers and equestrian use within the wilderness. The Bell Mountain Wilderness Trail turns rugged and is for equipped and veteran hikers only.
Biking, fishing, horseback riding, limited off-roading and hunting in addition to a slew of water based activities are also there for the taking when you choose to immerse yourself in Mark Twain National Forest – a live-action “Choose Your Own Adventure.”
Passes & Permits: Depending on your individual plans for your Mark Twain National Forest immersion adventure, you might need a permit or pass. Common activities that may require a permit include wood cutting, mushroom picking, rock collecting, cutting a Christmas tree, riding an ATV or Motorcycle on designated trails, or holding a recreation event. Check the website or inquire of staff.
www.fs.usda.gov/main/mtnf/home
Indulge In A Texas Barbecue Tour
For a distinctive culinary adventure, you need look no farther than Texas. Despite the long rivalry, most can agree that our neighbors know their barbecue – and they do it better there than most anywhere else. Few culinary experiences, then, are as rewarding as tasting your way through Texas and its best purveyors of barbecue.
Texas Monthly food editor Pat Sharpe offered her take on the best and that’s a good thing. The magazine does exhaustive research annually and invests a ton of man-hours into traversing Texas on the barbecue trail (tough work though it may be). “Central Texas is the barbecue belt,” Sharpe says. “There are good places all over Texas, but the best is in central Texas.”
Sharpe recommends you start in Taylor at the famous Louis Mueller Barbecue, where guests are met with a taste of brisket just to chew on while perusing the selections. Just don’t reference “amuse-bouche,” or you might draw some funny looks. From Taylor, head to Austin, which unsurprisingly has a couple of fine establishments of its own. What is surprising is that Austin’s Franklin Barbecue only launched in 2009 – in a trailer no less – and a year later Bon Appetit named it the best barbecue in the U.S.
“It’s the hottest place right now,” Sharpe confirms.
South Austin’s JMueller is also a must-visit while in town. Meanwhile, little Lockhart, Texas, is your next destination and home to two famed establishments – Smitty’s and Kreuz, both of which routinely vie for “best” labels. City Market in Luling, Sharpe says, is also worth a visit.
However you plot your course across the Barbecue Belt, remember that brisket is the king in Texas barbecue, pork ribs the preferred variety, and those places that make their own sausage deserve brownie points. Sauce is okay, as long as its not used to cover up inferior barbecue – which, done properly, should be plenty flavorful on its own. Armed with map and scorecard, it’s time to hit the trail to Texas for a taste bud adventure.
Tip: Texas Monthly food editor Pat Sharpe highly recommends the website www.fullcustomgospelbbq.com for reviews, research and all other things barbecue.
Explore The Wild West In Kansas
Chances are when you think of the Wild, Wild West, Kansas isn’t the place that comes to mind. Yet, Kansas played an integral role in cowboy history. From the 1860s until the late 1890s, millions of cattle were driven from Texas ranches, through Indian Territory to railheads in Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. Just across the Oklahoma border, Caldwell marks the trail’s entry into the state. The Ghost Rider monument, a series of life-size, iron silhouettes recreating a historic cattle drive, marks this period of the town’s history. A walking tour tells the stories of Caldwell’s days as a legendary town of the Old West.
Wichita too began as a cowtown. That history is preserved at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum and the Old Cowtown Museum, a 23-acre living-history museum that recreates a Wild West town and a rural period farm. Want to dress for the occasion? Head to Sheplers, the world’s largest western wear store, established in 1899. Complete your stay in Wichita with a barbecue dinner and authentic cowboy music at the Diamond W Chuckwagon Supper. Other points of interest include Newton, where you can still see paths carved in the earth by millions of cattle marching north; Abilene, long the northern terminus of the Chisholm Trail and a major city of the era; and Ellsworth, once known as the wickedest town in the West.
Your journey ends in Dodge City, the legendary Old West town made famous by the likes of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday and the television series Gunsmoke. The authentic flavor of Dodge City’s cowboy history is preserved in its historic downtown and the Boot Hill Museum, with its recreated 1870s storefronts, gunfights and Long Branch Saloon, where Miss Kitty performs daily, and the infamous Boot Hill Cemetery. You can learn more about the colorful history and Hollywood legacy of Dodge City by walking the Dodge City Trail of Fame or taking a historic trolley tour. Dodge City is also one of the few places where you can still see the Santa Fe Trail – 150-year-old wagon ruts from the trail are still visible. And if you want to get a feel for real cowboy life, visit Moore Ranch, a working longhorn ranch that offers visitors authentic cowboy experiences.
Want to ride a stagecoach?: Visit the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop in Olathe, Kan. The last Santa Fe Trail stagecoach stop open to the public offers stagecoach rides Wednesday – Sunday, Memorial Day – Labor Day.
Climb A Glacier In Montana
You won’t find glaciers in Disney Land – or even EPCOT Center. In fact, there are not many places to see them in person at all in the continental U.S. But for a true adventure of a lifetime, pack for cool weather and rugged activity and head to Montana’s Glacier National Park. Located on the continental divide, on the northern border of Montana, the UNESCO World Heritage site is a stunning display of the many geological changes that have occurred in North America over the past billion years. Numerous ecosystems, wildly diverse flora and fauna and among the most beautiful scenery in the nation all contribute to making the park a unique destination.
For those, though, looking to get up close and personal with nature, the hiking environment is unparalleled. Glacier National Park is a rock and ice-climbing paradise complete with climbs ranging from beginners’ to expert. You’ll want to familiarize yourself in advance with those climbs that match your proficiency and comfort, as well as with the park’s own classification of climbs. For a non-stressful, easy climb with a great view at the top, Mount Oberlin is definitely a good choice. Another easy climb for beginners, Reynolds Mountain is a great choice. Considerably more challenging is Blackfoot Mountain, which requires ice ax and crampons and ropes. The biggest challenge is the adventure of getting past a 60-foot ice wall, but the payoff is worth it. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, you’ll be amazed that the views are even better at the top.
Several guides are available in the vicinity of the park, able to lead day or overnight excursions – and it’s a good idea to make plans in advance. The result of proper planning is a true adventure of a lifetime.
Accommodations: While many visitors prefer to camp in beautiful Glacier National Park, others like to keep the adventure daytime only. Many Glacier Hotel is the park’s historic flagship and largest hotel, a Swiss chalet style campus alongside Swiftcurrent Lake.
Fresh Music – June 2012
Usher, Looking 4 Myself – Whenever an artist says they’re developing a “new type of music,” the proclamation is generally met with a collective groan. Usher may have come close with his seventh studio album, though. The sultry R&B singer brought in an eclectic group of collaborators, including Danja, Diplo, Empire of the Sun and Pharrell Williams, to weave together pop, electronica and R&B influences to create something unique.
Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel… – Fiona Apple attained international acclaim with her 1996 debut album, but unlike most performers she hasn’t felt the need to regularly release new material. This marks just the fourth album in her 16-year career, and her first since 2005. Apple previewed three songs from the album in widely lauded performances at SXSW, which confirmed the quirky, gritty Fionna Apple we know and love is back.
Kenny Chesney, Welcome to the Fishbowl – Chesney’s 13th major studio album tops off a storied career that has brought more fame and hit records than most country music performers can imagine. Chesney says this status allows him to not only produce the types of songs that allow him to sell out stadium concerts, but also make music he truly loves. The album’s lead single, the Tim McGraw duet “Feel Like a Rockstar,” is the second highest debuting country song in Billboard history.
Maroon 5, Overexposed – Maroon 5 came to prominence with 2002’s Songs About Jane – though it took the album a while to catch on – becoming superstars with a fresh musical sound and cover model good looks. After two subsequent albums that have solidified the band’s fame and talent, while sounding largely the same, the quintet says they’re headed in a slightly new direction with a dance-driven album described as their poppiest. That remains to be seen though, since the lead single “Payphone” sounds much like the band’s previous work.
Banking Blues
Wall Street bankers and massive, often multinational financial institutions were at the center of the U.S. subprime lending catastrophe that triggered the global recession. But legislation ostensibly intended to rein in the errant behavior on Wall Street is worrying banking interests on America’s main street, including in Oklahoma, where banks avoided the pitfalls of risky lending and financial products. While legislators who crafted the legislation that prompted the crisis collect their federal pensions, while Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – the largest players in the crisis – still remain flush with public dollars, and while Wall Street bankers have enjoyed banner years in terms of personal bonuses, the nation’s smaller, regional banks brace themselves for massive new federal intrusion.
“Back then, ‘bank’ was a dirty word, even though it wasn’t traditional banks that brought about the collapse,” says former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating, now president of the American Bankers Association (ABA). “We were assured only large financial institutions would be affected by the Dodd-Frank Act. There are now 7,226 pages of proposed and approved Dodd-Frank rules, and the average community bank is looking at this and it absolutely does affect them.”
Brad Krieger, executive vice president and regional manager for Arvest Bank in Oklahoma and Kansas, certainly agrees.
“Most of the discussion was about investment banks, which weren’t regulated like regular banks – or with whom regulatory power was not used,” Krieger says. “We made an effort to make sure people know that ‘investment banks’ and ‘banks’ weren’t the same thing. The legislation started in paragraph one referencing ‘investment banks’ but by the third paragraph it became just ‘bank.’ And Fannie and Freddie aren’t mentioned at all in Dodd-Frank.”
Krieger says that the smaller the bank, the more compliance “you have to put on people. They’re adding additional expenses without corresponding income.
“We in the banking industry have dealt with regulation a long time and much of it is necessary,” he continues. “Just let us know what to do so we can support our constituency and provide a reasonable return to stockholders. Dodd-Frank creates an impediment to taking care of our customers. A lot of consequences have more of an affect on regular and small community banks than they do on larger players.”
A simple example Krieger offers involves the federal government’s arbitrary decision on appropriate fees for ATM use. While it adversely affects many banks, larger players are better able to offset it than are smaller banks that rely on such fees for income.
Keating points out that overdraft fees are also heavily scrutinized, which could be disastrous to smaller banks.
“For some banks, particularly smaller and community banks, that’s a big portion of their income,” Keating says.
Federal interests also would prevent banks from providing a home loan to an applicant who – despite demonstrated financial wherewithal – had defaulted on a student loan.
“That’s $1.6 trillion in loan opportunities being sucked out of banks, particularly small banks, because of liability from Dodd-Frank,” Keating says.
With waves of new regulators under command of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has virtually no limit in terms of power and for which there is no checks and balance oversight, conducting standard banking business becomes far more expensive, according to Keating. Small and mid-size banks will have to pay more to monitor and guarantee compliance and all transactions are subject to bureaucratic oversight.
“There will be no character taken into consideration – everyone will be put in the same box,” Keating says.
Krieger says that bank customers are already noticing changes.
“Many banks have eliminated free checking and moved to a minimum balance, fee-based system,” he says. “You hear a lot about lending and some of its not true. Banks do have liquidity. But many customers aren’t requesting things because it’s shrouded in uncertainty. It’s paralysis by uncertainty.”
Krieger says that with community banks and small to mid-size banks, it’s customers like farmers and ranchers being beset with unintended consequences. Regulations regarding mortgage compliance have already driven some banks to get out of the mortgage business.
“The federal government is taking some income away, increasing our expenses, squeezing margins and making it much harder to do business,” Krieger says.
The full effects and long term influence of Dodd-Frank remain unclear.
“The long-term impacts of Dodd-Frank on banks like BOK Financial are yet to be seen, but the short term effects are already visible on our income statement,” says Pat Piper, executive vice president, Consumer Banking, at Bank of Oklahoma Financial. “Our organization has been preparing for this so it’s nothing we can’t overcome. Our mission now is to continue to seek greater efficiencies internally, while balancing customers’ expectations for both high service and technology, as well as reasonable charges. Ultimately, Dodd-Frank has changed the world of banking, both for bankers and for customers.”
Keating says that the ABA has several bills being looked at now that could help shore up the deficiencies of Dodd-Frank. The problem is that any of them might accentuate the fact that the legislation’s backers – including most Democrats and the White House – are capable of making mistakes.
“I know many Democrats feel that if they amend the rules it will be proof they didn’t know what they were doing,” Keating says. “Could be that we have to hunker down in the storm shelter and wait to see what happens.”
Krieger says that historically those in the banking industry are optimists.
“That optimism says we can make changes in the right way,” he says.
As for the massive multinational banks characterized as “too big too fail” and blamed for the nation’s banking crisis, however, business has never been better. Two years after being verbally targeted by President Barack Obama, and while main street institutions struggle under massive new regulation, the nation’s five largest banks hold assets equal to 56 percent of the U.S. economy ($8.5 trillion-plus). That’s up from 43 percent of the U.S. economy just five years earlier, according to Businessweek.
Great Society
Last fall, Chicago Tribune art critic Howard Reich asked the question: Can Esperanza Spalding draw a new audience to jazz?
OK Mozart hopes the answer is “yes,” and that the Grammy Award-winning musician can reel in guests to its week of fanfare and music. The 28th annual international festival presents the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer in four different experiences – a chance for many to see why the world thinks so highly of Spalding.
At 27, Spalding has already lived a rich life as a teenage jazz club musician, as a college instructor at Berklee College of Music in Boston and a highly-sought recording artist. Influences from Bach, the diversity of her hometown of Portland, Ore., and a variety of musical genres create a complex sound you enter through two doors.
Spalding’s Chamber Music Society (2011’s best-selling contemporary jazz album) is a sophisticated ode to William Blake poetry from a string ensemble, vocals and percussion. Her recent Radio Music Society showcases jazz artists through an accessible selection of original compositions and covers, such as the Beach Boys, ready for radio play.
Whether she’s balancing a bass or cradling a guitar, Spalding is that refreshing, unexpected element in jazz that fans have been waiting to hear. And OK Mozart has her for both its main stages in Bartlesville and its Oklahoma City Series performances.
Spalding performs in the festival’s first big show on June 9 at the Bartlesville Community Center, sharing the stage with Grammy winning jazz artists Terri Lyne Carrington, who collaborated with Spalding on Carrington’s Mosaic Project album, and Geri Allen. Then it goes to Oklahoma City University for a matinee on June 10.
Spalding helps close out OK Mozart’s 2012 season at the Grand Finale Concert with the Amici New York Orchestra and Kyle Dillingham on June 16 at the Bartlesville Community Center. The grand finale repeats June 17 at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www.okmozart.com
12 Weekends Of Summer
Many of us live for the weekends, and that’s especially true in summer. The pace of life wants to slow down whether we like it or not, and we’re struck with an overwhelming desire to play hooky from the hustle of the daily grind. Here are 12 welcome retreats designed to recharge your batteries and allow you to savor summer in Oklahoma.
1
Celebrity in OKC
Oklahoma may not be as rife with opportunities to hobnob with the rich and famous and live the high life as, say, Hollywood or Manhattan, but Oklahoma City is quickly becoming a world-class city with all the fixins’ for a celebrity weekend. This is a perfect weekend away from reality with your BFFs, and who knows? You may even cross paths with an NBA player or an energy tycoon.
This weekend is all about living it up, so you’ll want to check into well-appointed digs at the Colcord Hotel – one of their luxurious suites or corner rooms if you can get it. Dress to the nines and head to OKC’s hottest new shopping area – Classen Curve – for lunch and retail therapy. Nosh on upscale casual fare with international flare at Café 501 or raw delights at Matthew Kenney. You’ll be fortified to shop the designer fashions at Balliets, On A Whim, Liberté, Black Optical and Steven Giles. If you don’t shop ‘til you drop, swing by the trendy Paseo Arts District to peruse the eclectic art galleries and maybe grab refreshment at Picasso Café.
After a disco nap, you’ll dress for an evening on the town and hop in your limo – yes, you have a limo. Start off with a martini at Red Piano Lounge in the Skirvin Hotel or the Purple Bar at Nonna’s before dinner at a downtown hotspot such as the new Flint or Red PrimeSteak. Next, you’re off for an evening of bar-hopping and maybe a little dancing in Bricktown or at one of many spots along Western Avenue.
After some much needed sleep, you’ll start the day with brunch at West or Café do Brasil. Finish off your weekend fit for a celebrity – sans wardrobe malfunction – with shopping in the local boutiques along Western or The Outlet Shoppes and maybe a little something sweet from La Baguette before heading home.
2
Country Victorian in Guthrie
The picturesque town of Guthrie sprang from the plains with the 1889 Land Run. Overnight, the town had more than 10,000 citizens and soon came modern brick buildings, running water, electricity, public transit and even underground parking for horses and carriages. It enjoyed a short stint as the state’s first capital before a contentious election in 1910 gave that honor to OKC. This led to the decline of Guthrie as a major economic and political player, but ironically preserved the historic Victorian architecture that makes the town a tourist attraction today – downtown is a National Historic Landmark and the largest urban historic district in the country, covering 400 blocks.
To get the most from Guthrie, arrive on Friday and check into one of the town’s many Victorian-style bed and breakfasts or inns – you’ll need to book well in advance. Get the lay of the land with a trolley tour or rent a bike and explore on your own. Enjoy dinner at Gages Steakhouse on the lower level of the Sand Plum Building, and get a glimpse of the network of underground walkways that once connected much of downtown. If your timing is right, you can catch a performance at the historic Pollard Theatre – their production of La Cage aux Folles runs throughout the month of June.
Rise early on Saturday and grab breakfast at one of Guthrie’s down-home diners. There’s a ton to do on a Saturday in Guthrie, ranging from the farmer’s market and local festivals and parades to antique shopping and events at the Lazy E Arena. Plan on lunch at the Victorian Tea Room, and don’t you dare leave without dessert. Spend the afternoon exploring the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and the charming Frontier Drugstore Museum before making the short drive to east Edmond for dinner at the Steak & Catfish Barn, of Man vs. Food fame. Try to catch the famous Byron Berline Band at the Double Stop Music Hall or live music at a downtown tavern. Start your Sunday with a soak in nearly ubiquitous claw foot tubs found at most B&Bs and enjoy breakfast in house before exploring any parts of town you may have missed. Grab some barbecue or a burger and onion rings at Stables Café on your way out of town.
3
Get Lucky
Gaming in Oklahoma has come a long way from the days of the bingo hall. Today, we can have a Vegas-style casino experience without booking airfare, and with major casinos located throughout the state, it’s easy to plan a weekend enjoying the best Oklahoma gaming has to offer.
Tulsa boasts three major casinos, all within in a few minutes’ drive from one another, so it’s easy to hit them all in a weekend. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Claremore boasts 125,000 square feet of gaming, 350 luxurious hotel rooms and suites and five nightclubs and entertainment venues. Other amenities include Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, McGill’s on 19 and the Cherokee Hill Golf Club. Hard Rock also presents big name entertainment at The Joint. This summer, catch Cheap Trick, Dennis Miller, Duran Duran and Tony Bennett, among others. River Spirit Casino, located on the banks of the Arkansas River, offers a full range of gaming options from electronic games to a poker room and other table games. Dining options include Elements Steakhouse and Grill, the state’s largest casino buffet, a 24-hour café and the Scorecard Sports Bar. And you’ll be thoroughly entertained with regional acts in the Mystic River Lounge and headliners in the event center. Just north of downtown, Osage Casino Tulsa offers more than 1,000 electronic games, poker room and table games and an expansive buffet. Big-name entertainment at the Event Center this summer includes Travis Tritt and Crystal Gayle. Just up the turnpike in Quapaw is one of the state’s most beautiful casinos, the elegant Downstream Casino Resort. The vast gaming room includes the latest electronics, table games and a stylish poker room. Other amenities include an 11-story hotel, golf, and a full range of dining options. Regional bands perform at Legends Sports Bar and big name acts, including summer concerts by Chicago, Ronnie Dunn and Boston, can be seen at The Venue.
Near OKC, there’s FireLake Grand Casino in Shawnee. This casino is a haven for card players with poker, blackjack, spinette, craps and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em. Keno is also a favorite. Satisfy your appetite at Embers Steakhouse, the buffet or sports bar and quench your thirst at one of the swanky lounges. FireLake Grand also offers regional acts and regular performances by nationally known acts. Riverwind Casino in Norman offers 219,000 square feet of gaming space including 30 table games, 24/7 poker room and off-track betting. A 100-room contemporary hotel houses guests in comfort and dining options include a buffet, sports bar and food court. National and regional acts perform at the Showplace Theater and intimate performances by local bands occur at the River Lounge.
The luxurious, AAA Four Diamond Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant features a 300,000 square foot gaming floor with more than 4,500 electronic games, a private poker lounge, off-track betting and even bingo. The Choctaw Grand Tower offers 300 elegant rooms and suites with a fitness center, spa, indoor/outdoor pool and a tropical pools with a lazy river and waterfalls. Nine dining options, ranging from buffet to Mexican grill to fine dining offer something for everyone and a host of bars and lounges keep the party going. Five venues host everything from local bands to national acts such as Clint Black on June 7. Nearby, in Thackerville, is the state’s largest casino – and the fifth largest in the nation – WinStar World Casino, named for the recreation of world cities from Paris to Beijing that grace its façade and carry through to eight themed gaming plazas. This massive casino features a 500,000 square foot gaming floor and 19,000 square foot poker room. Amenities include the a 12-story luxury hotel, modeled after an Italian Villa, spa, 27-hole golf course and 10 dining options, including a Mongolian grill and Spanish-inspired pizzeria. The Global Event Center has twice been recognized as casino of the year by the Academy of Country Music, and it’s no wonder; highlights of the summer schedule include Sting, Reba, Kelly Clarkson, Vince Gill, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks.
4
Escape to Quartz Mountain
Quartz Mountain Resort is an ideal base for a range of activities from extreme outdoor sports to a leisurely game of golf. Nestled in the rugged Wichita Mountains on sparkling Lake Altus, the resort offers Western lodge-style guestrooms with a host of amenities, as well as rustic cabins located in the center of the Quartz Mountain Nature Park. In addition to boating, fishing and water sports on the lake, the area boasts a swimming pool, 18-hole golf course with a driving range, an art gallery, a nature center, a fun park with waterslides, go-carts, bumper cars, Ferris wheel and petting zoo, miniature golf and paddleboats and canoes.
Five short hiking trails are located adjacent to the resort, and more advanced hiking opportunities exist throughout the region. The Wichitas also offer the state’s best rock climbing, with rewarding climbs for all skill levels. The nearby Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is a must-see stop for nature lovers. The vast preserve protects a delicate ecosystem of native prairie and animal species, including bison, elk, deer and longhorn cattle. Various guided walks and even a star viewing are held throughout the year.
5
Native America
With the second highest Native American population and the largest number of tribal headquarters in the country, Oklahoma offers many ways to explore American Indian culture and history. In fact, there are far too many to mention here, and you’ll have to focus your efforts on specific tribes and regions to fit everything into a weekend itinerary.
Tahlequah is the capitol of the Cherokee Nation and the best place to learn about the largest tribal nation in the U.S. Begin your tour at the Cherokee Heritage Center, a large complex with notable attractions such as the Trail of Tears exhibit, which tells the story of the forced removal of the Cherokee from their historic homeland to Indian Territory; Ancient Village, a recreation of a pre-contact Cherokee village with historical re-enactors demonstrating tribal crafts and customs; and Adams Corner, which recreates an Oklahoma Cherokee village of the 1890s. Other attractions in and around Tahlequah include the Cherokee National Capitol and Sequoyah’s Cabin.
Alternately, you could travel to southeast Oklahoma to discover the history and culture of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. Important sites to these tribes include the Chickasaw Council House Museum in Tishomingo and Choctaw Nation Museum in Tuskahoma.
Another fun way to learn about Native American culture is through festivals and powwows held throughout the year. Two nationally-known events are the Red Earth Festival, held in Oklahoma City in June, and the Standing Bear Powwow, held near Ponca City in September.
6
Small Town Charm
The spirit of Oklahoma lives strong in hundreds of small towns dotting the map. Pack up the car and plan a weekend visiting those places where the hustle of daily life doesn’t seem so oppressive; where people still sit on the front porch and everyone waves when you walk by. Time your adventure to coincide with a local celebration and party it up with the locals. You’re sure to be welcome.
5 Old Fashioned Festivals
Glenpool Black Gold Days: June 14-16, celebrates the discovery of the Glenn Pool oil field with children’s games, a parade, carnival, live music, festival foods and fireworks.
Pawnee July 4th Games: Pawnee puts its spin on Independence Day with games on the courthouse lawn, including a turtle race, egg tosses, water balloon volleyball, tricycle race and more, leading up to the parade and fireworks.
Pauls Valley Fireworks Extravaganza and July 4th Celebration: Pauls Valley celebrates the Fourth with games, live music, a talent show and fireworks, but the highlight of the day may be the Watermelon Seed Spittin’ World Championship.
Porter Peach Festival: July 19-21, celebrates the town’s most famous crop with the Peach Pageant, Peach Parade, free peaches and ice cream and a host of activities including a pet show, frog-jumping contest and a 5k run.
Rush Springs Watermelon Festival: August 11, celebrates the local watermelon crop with a carnival, live entertainment, car show and tons of watermelon – the festival attracts upward of 20,000, and more than 50,000 pounds of melon are served.
7
Architectural Treasures
Oklahoma’s unique history – a young, frontier state with influxes of great wealth – has created a treasure trove of architectural wonders, including early pioneer homesteads, Victorian main streets, oil baron mansions, Art Deco masterpieces, monumental churches, Mid-century Modern buildings and notable contemporary designs.
Every major Oklahoma town from the early days of statehood and the Oil Boom is blessed with serious public and private architecture. Notable examples are found in Ponca City, Muskogee, Enid and Guthrie, to name a few, but the greatest concentrations of significant architecture are located in Tulsa, Bartlesville and Oklahoma City.
Take a walk or get behind the wheel to make the most of your adventure. The Tulsa Historical Society offers docent-guided walking tours of downtown Tulsa the last Friday of every month. Reservations are required. The society’s website also offers self-guided walking and driving tours, broken down by area and types of architecture. It also offers a driving tour of nearby Bartlesville. While you’re in B-ville, visit the Price Tower Arts Center, located in Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper. You can even stay the night in one of the rooms refurbished by noted architect, Zaha Hadid.
GPSmyCity.com offers iPhone app-based, GPS-guided tours of cities around the world, including Tulsa and OKC. The Oklahoma City package includes two downtown tours and a historic building tour.
10 Notable Oklahoma Buildings
Bank of Oklahoma Tower, Tulsa
BOK Center, Tulsa
Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, Tulsa
Devon Tower, OKC
Gold Dome, OKC
Price Tower, Bartlesville
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Education Building, Bartlesville
Stage Center, OKC
Temple of the Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry, Guthrie
Westhope, Tulsa
8
Go West, Young Man
Oklahoma is home to some of the most diverse terrain in the country. No more is the stark difference evident than in the panhandle of the state, where, rising from the earth, one can spot the point of highest elevation in the state – Black Mesa – from miles away. The hike up Black Mesa, a formation that was long ago an active volcano, is moderately challenging and clocks in around eight miles, round-trip. Upon conquering Black Mesa’s summit, take time to admire the view, which includes glimpses into two neighboring states: Colorado and New Mexico. Hiking to the state’s high point and back will take a half-day, so that leaves plenty of time to explore other points of interest inside Black Mesa Nature Preserve. Outside of the park, several interesting attractions await, including Cimarron Heritage Center Museum. The building, originally a 1949 Bruce Goff-designed home, houses tributes to the panhandle’s heritage, including a homestead dugout, a restored Santa Fe Depot and blacksmith shop, wagons, buggies and more. Natural wonders abound as well; fossils and artifacts from Cimarron County’s rich Native American history are on display at the museum, as is the main attraction: the skull and partial skeleton of an Apatosaurus, a cousin to Tyrannosaurus rex. Black Mesa State Park offers amenities suited to those who wish a rustic camping experience – campsites do offer electric hook-ups and grills – but for those who desire plusher amenities, several bed-and-breakfasts dot the areas outside of Black Mesa State Park.
9
Grape Central
Oklahoma’s long growing season and fertile soils make it an ideal place to grow many types of wine grapes, and local vineyards have sprouted up around the state. The greatest concentration of these is in the central part of the state, where you can make a weekend of tasting local wines at charming vineyards while exploring the Oklahoma countryside. The following are some of the more popular wineries and vineyards in the region. You can find more at www.oklahomawines.org. Most wineries offer free tastings on weekends and some serve lunch and offer special events. Always call ahead to confirm that the facility is open to visitors.
Central Oklahoma Wineries
Tidal School Vineyards, Drumright
Redstone Vineyards and Winery, Luther
Tres Suenos Vineyards and Winery, Luther
StableRidge Vineyards and Winery, Stroud
Territory Cellars, Stroud
Clauren Ridge Vineyards and Winery, Edmond
Farfalla Winery, Yukon
10
Work the Land
We are all familiar with Oklahoma’s agrarian roots. But how about spending a weekend getting in touch with them? Our state offers great options for spending some time with the land.
In addition to being a working ranch, Howard Ranch offers Cowboy & Cowgirl School for those who wish to learn skills that are necessary “for the true American Cowboy.” With 13,000 acres, more than 600 head of cattle and 40 horses, this would certainly be the place to cut your teeth. Activities include roping, tagging and moving cattle, as well as doctoring, sorting and branding them. And of course, what cowboy (or cowgirl) experience would be complete without a few horsemanship lessons? Explore the ranch on horseback with or without a guide, and gather at the campfire at day’s end for a Dutch oven dinner and stunning Oklahoma sunset.
Pick-your-own farms also abound in Oklahoma. Sample some fresh Oklahoma blackberries picked from Owasso Tree and Berry Farm, or try out the peachy offerings at Deep Fork Peach Orchard or Livesay Orchards, home of the famed Porter peaches
Other Working Dude Ranches
Meadowlake Ranch in Sand Springs offers horseback-riding, fishing, canoeing, shooting and even knife-throwing. www.meadowlakeranch.com
Rebel Hill Guest Ranch in Antlers is a third-generation working horse ranch offering rustic amenities along with hiking, swimming and bird-watching in addition to other typical dude ranch activities. www.rebelhillguestranch.com
Tatanka Ranch, located in Stroud, offers modern entertainment, such as an arcade room, DVD rentals and other fun activities in addition to the outdoor activities like horseback riding, fishing and hiking.
11
Commune With Nature
With such diverse geology in Oklahoma, camping in different parts of the state offers an array of experiences.
Beaver’s Bend & Hochatown State Park: Located in the far southeast corner of Oklahoma in the Ouachita Mountains and along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and Mountain Fork River, the lush landscape provides a rich backdrop for a rustic getaway. The park offers lodging, but plan on pitching a tent and cooking by campfire to truly absorb the beauty offered by the area. Hiking, fishing and canoeing are year round activities.
Great Salt Plains Lake: Camping along the shores of the Great Salt Plains Lake in northwest Oklahoma provides unique opportunities for experiences not found with other campgrounds in the state. Visitors can tour the Great Salt Plains and dig for crystals in the basin. The area is also a top spot in Oklahoma for birding; visitors have reported spotting more than 100 species in a single day. Of course, hiking, fishing and canoeing are also available.
Illinois River: Several resorts offer camping along the Illinois River, a favorite among families and Spring Breakers for its scenic beauty and great canoeing. “Floating” along the river is the best-known pastime of this eastern Oklahoma gem, and the resorts along the river specialize in making each floating experience memorable.
12
Feed Your Inner Foodie
It’s very easy to choose a different restaurant to eat at each day for a year in Oklahoma and not get tired of the delicious fare. From top-flight dining to holes-in-the-wall with tasty offerings, filling a weekend with food is a no-brainer.
If fine dining is your thing, then you certainly know that Tulsa’s Polo Grill and Oklahoma City’s Coach House are two restaurants in Oklahoma with reputations for finery. From steaks and chops to sumptuous desserts, both restaurants offer unique dining experiences. If you prefer something less formal, head to Meers, home of perhaps the most famous burger in the state. The Meersburger is a seven-inch behemoth of Texas longhorn beef topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, purple onions, dill pickles and mustard. There’s also the original Van’s Pig Stand in Shawnee, serving tender barbecue that epitomizes the food genre in Oklahoma. Though the restaurant now boasts four locations, it’s the Shawnee location that holds the history of Van’s, the oldest barbecue restaurant in the state. For a bit of an adventure, fly your private plane into the runway next to McGehee Catfish Restaurant. This restaurant, located in Marietta, near the Oklahoma-Texas border, raises its own catfish to serve customers, and has done so for 40 years.
Summer Food Festivals
Indian Taco Championship: Held in Pawhuska, this national competition is sponsored by the Osage Nation. Cooks from around the country gather to celebrate the staple in Native American culture and offer their renditions of the classic.
Blue Bell Taste of Summer: Enjoy live music, an ice-cream eating contests and tours of the ice creamery in Broken Arrow. Brain freeze not included.
World’s Largest Calf-Fry Festival & Cook-off: The event, hosted by the Vinita Chamber of Commerce, celebrates this favorite pastime of ranchers. Sample the tasty “fries” and help determine the winner.
