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The Season of Giving (Back)

By
Drew Joseph Allen
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The holiday season is in full swing. For many of us, it’s a time to get together with friends and family to celebrate a good year. For some, however, it’s just another very cold month without the proper amenities. There are plenty of organizations here in Oklahoma that work hard to help those in need during the holidays and year-round, and most of them are looking for volunteers as often as they can get them. 

“Meals on Wheels of Norman is a great place to volunteer during the holiday season,” says Summer McGuire, the organization’s associate director of fundraising and donor development. “Volunteers can help deliver shelf-stable holiday meals to clients in the Norman community.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters – which has Oklahoma locations in Bartlesville, Norman, OKC, Shawnee, Stillwater and Tulsa – also needs help this time of year. 

“We have approximately 350 children enrolled in our program waiting to be matched with their Big Brother or Big Sister,” says Cat Miller, the organization’s director of marketing and communications. “The most important factor for a child to develop resiliency is having at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive adult. Mentorship is the best gift you can give a child this holiday season. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma needs volunteer mentors to help ignite the potential in vulnerable Oklahoma youth.” 

Besides your time, places like these frequently need donations. Money is, of course, appreciated, but there are often other types of donations people can provide. 

For example, OU Health needs “patient experience items and clothing,” says Jonie Welle, director of volunteer services at the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Things like crossword puzzles, coloring books, colored pencils, sweatpants, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap and combs are all great items to donate. 

“Books have to be new,” she says. “Due to infection control, we cannot use books that have been circulated.”

Meanwhile, Meals on Wheels can always use blankets and holiday cards. 

“Our clients also love handmade pictures from kids,” says McGuire.

Spreading cheer during the winter months is a top priority for these organizations. For some, the joy of the holidays is often unseen due to financial, family, or other circumstances out of their control. 

“Call Meals on Wheels of Norman to volunteer,” says McGuire. “It’s easy and a fun way to give back to our often forgotten portion of the community.” 

Contact Deana Nelson at 405-321-7272 for opportunities. 

The younger and less fortunate population in Oklahoma always needs a helping hand. To apply as a BBBSOK volunteer, go to bigoklahoma.org. 

As for the Children’s Hospital, having blankets for everyone right before Christmas is always the goal, which is why the blanket drive is a major priority.

“This has made such an impact on our patients in the past; our volunteer department wants to keep this an annual event,” says Welle. “We have many patients from the vulnerable population, and a warm blanket to take home may be the only Christmas cheer they have.” 

Whimsical Getaways

By
Carol Mowdy Bond
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The Classen Inn, located in OKC, offers the Superette with snacks and drinks. Photo courtesy the Classen Inn

For those ready to unwind, or are just passing through but hankering for something outside the regular lodging experience, Oklahoma has unique opportunities available for one-night, weekend, or vacation stays in the form of classic motels and inns.

Desert Hills Motel
Tulsa

Tulsa’s Desert Hills Motel is still kickin’ it old school with its slice of Route 66 life. Using a unique architectural design, the motel was cobbled at an angle to allow for more spacious rooms on a small piece of land. Desert Hills has been welcoming guests on the Mother Road since 1953, and the inn’s retro, neon cactus sign beckons to those who yearn for a retro experience … all with fully remodeled units. 

This mom-and-pop motor court offers budget prices, and special rates for guests who stay more than one night. Free HBO is available, and some of the rooms have kitchenettes.

“Our classic neon sign makes our business visually unique,” says owner Jack Patel. “We offer travelers classic, comfortable rooms with parking in front of the door, but without sacrificing today’s comforts. We also have wall-to-wall carpeted rooms and classic, tiled bathrooms with a tub and shower combination. Rooms are also equipped with refrigerators, televisions and Wi-Fi. And we have a guest laundry room on site.”

Classen Inn
OKC

For a colorful array of a stay, pop on over to Oklahoma City’s Classen Inn, which showcases itself with positive slogans like “Stay lively,” and “Where elevated design meets a good time.”

The Classen Inn – which was featured on the Paramount+ show Tulsa King – has its very own convenience store, called the Superette, with hyper-funky charm in every nook and cranny. The inn’s guests, or passersby, may purchase goodies including beer, wine and snacks.

There’s nothing dull about the rooms, which are retro, boho, eclectic and entertaining all rolled into one. Kid and bike friendly, with complimentary Wi-Fi and dogs allowed on the patio, the inn has a shared lounge space, free private parking and a terrace. Some rooms even have private balconies.

A Themed Escape
Tulsa

Then there’s a truly different take on an overnight stay, billed as the “Unique Themed Tulsa Escape,” which is a one-of-a-kind, free-standing, 1,270-square-foot vacation rental that takes eclectic, retro and hyper-pastel to new heights. Even the exterior is painted pastel pink, and guests enter through a turquoise front door underneath a red and white striped awning. 

Overlooking Route 66 near Tulsa’s Utica Square Shopping Center, the location has two bedrooms, and sleeps six (if you count the double sofa sleeper in the living room), plus room for three cars in the driveway and street parking. 

With 1.5 baths, this stylish getaway offers a fully modern, sleek and well equipped kitchen, and an ample dining table. Included are multiple living areas, plus a sunroom. 

Plus, there’s keyless entry, smart TVs, free Wi-Fi, and a washer and dryer. You’ll find this one on the VRBO website – just search for “Unique Themed Tulsa Escape.”

Image cutline: The Classen Inn, located in OKC, offers the Superette with snacks and drinks. Photo courtesy the Classen Inn

One Outfit at a Time

By
Alaina Stevens
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Trang Green participated in pageants before her career at Dress for Success; she says her time spent on the circuit helped her to thrive in other professional environments. Photo by Tony Li

Dress for Success is more than just a nonprofit; it’s a catalyst for change, a support system and a symbol of hope for women striving to overcome adversity and achieve their dreams. 

At the heart of the organization’s Oklahoma affiliate is Alisa Trang Green, who empowers women to write their own success stories, one outfit at a time.

“I always had a passion and calling for helping women,” she says. “I know that we were created for something beautiful, and our contribution goes further than just bearing children. I wanted to be behind an organization that believes that. Dress for Success Oklahoma City has been around for eight years, and we have seen women flourish into entrepreneurs and college graduates and strong mothers. I think only when women see that they are worthy of love and valued members of the community do we all thrive.”

Green’s background informs and drives her passion for helping others. She was born in a refugee camp in Malaysia, and her parents immigrated to the U.S. when she was only ten months old.

“Growing up in Oklahoma City was a beautiful treasure for me,” she says. “We had a lot of hard trials, but we were on the receiving end of a lot of good. Churches, charities and people were so kind to us as refugees, and now that I have the resources to do so, I want to give back to the same community that welcomed us.”

Trang, who was the former Miss Asian UCO and 4th runner-up in national Miss Vietnam USA, believes her pageantry experience has played a significant role in how she operates the organization and carries herself daily. She says participating in pageants is how she learned to be poised, dress appropriately, speak confidently and value the platforms she stood for. 

At the heart of Dress for Success is its commitment to helping women break the cycle of poverty and achieve their career aspirations. The organization provides professional attire to women in need, ensuring they look and feel their bests during job interviews and as they enter the workforce. The clothing, Dress for Success believes, boosts their self-confidence and sends a powerful message to potential employers.

However, the nonprofit goes beyond just providing clothing. The organization offers a range of programs and services, including scholarships, mentorship opportunities and a professional women’s group where clients learn about financial literacy, healthy relationships and how to ask for a raise or job promotion. These resources equip women with the skills and knowledge they need to excel personally and professionally. 

Green says the organization recognizes that success is not a one-time event, but a journey. Therefore, they provide ongoing support to women as they navigate their careers and personal lives. This commitment to long-term empowerment has helped countless women overcome barriers and achieve goals.

“We are so proud to be a part of the growth of our clients and see quality women go out in the community and pass on the torch to another,” she says. “We want women to be financially free, but the end goal is to have our clients thrive in all aspects of their life.”

Photo credit: Trang Green participated in pageants before her career at Dress for Success; she says her time spent on the circuit helped her to thrive in other professional environments. Photo by Tony Li

Uplifting Voices

By
Jeff Thompson
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John Erling started the Voices of Oklahoma project after interviewing notable Oklahoma philanthropists Walt Helmerich and Henry Zarrow. Photos courtesy John Erling

If you grew up in Tulsa and are old enough to have listened to the radio on your commute, you probably remember John Erling, a local radio personality on KRMG. Among his many contributions to the city’s culture and community over the years, perhaps his most enduring legacy is Voices of Oklahoma, an oral history of the state curated in partnership with the Oklahoma Historical Society. 

Voices of Oklahoma got its start in 2009, when Erling decided to record some of the fascinating stories he heard during his frequent lunches with Oklahoma philanthropist Walt Helmerich. After that, Erling conducted an interview with another prolific Oklahoman, Henry Zarrow. With some later donations from the Zarrow and Helmerich foundations, Erling was able to create the Voices of Oklahoma website. 

In a recent podcast on the 14th anniversary of the project’s founding, Erling discussed the origins of the archive. 

“Let me just say: I am not a historian. I never majored in history. History was not interesting to me way back in my younger days,” he says. “And so, I was not trained for what I am doing in any fashion. But I always enjoyed interviewing people. This website is unique in that it’s dedicated to oral history. There are many institutions that do oral history – Oklahoma State University, OU and others will record, but it’s probably mainly for research and it’s not as readily available to the general public.”

That’s what makes Voices of Oklahoma such a treasure. It’s robust enough that any historian could scan the archives of over 200 stories to conduct research, but it’s arranged in a simple, accessible way so that anyone who is interested in the state’s rich history can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. 


John Erling started the Voices of Oklahoma project after interviewing notable Oklahoma philanthropists Walt Helmerich and Henry Zarrow. Photos courtesy John Erling

Voices of Oklahoma is also available as a podcast on the typical platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a notable Oklahoman who wasn’t represented in some fashion on the site – ranging from former U.S. Poet Laureate and artist Joy Harjo to entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Lobeck and business magnate T. Boone Pickens. The most recent interview as of this writing was with American minister Carlton Pearson. 

On the podcast from April of 2023, John Erling discussed other innovations and collaborations that have helped Voices of Oklahoma reach a wider audience.

“We’ve developed a learning center on the website where you dive deeper into Oklahoma history,” he says. “And we have certain topics – Holocaust survivors, philanthropy, lessons from entrepreneurs and business leaders, artists of Oklahoma, sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement – and we write deeper about that than maybe came out in the interview, and then the stories that we’ve interviewed, those storytellers are laced into that in the learning center. A far more sophisticated presentation than I ever thought was going to be possible when I started this in 2009…. [and] we’ve entered into a partnership with the Oklahoma History Society. They’ve been very helpful by suggesting interviews … and promoting our interviews to their enormous following.” 

You can find Voices of Oklahoma on its website: voicesofoklahoma.com, or via its podcasts on multiple streaming platforms. You can learn more about the Oklahoma Historical Society and donate to their mission at okhistory.org.

Creating Connections

By
Sharla Bardin
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Walkability – specifically creating and improving sidewalks – is a major priority in Tulsa. Photo courtesy the City of Tulsa

Cities in Oklahoma are making progress toward creating pedestrian-friendly spaces that bring people together, help boost health and improve both the economy and the environment. 

Planning officials in Oklahoma City and Tulsa say work is under way in their cities to enhance walkability features. That includes building sidewalks and adding crosswalks, lighting and landscaping to make areas safer and more inviting for those who prefer to, or need to, walk.

Walkability refers to the ability to walk to services and amenities – such as dining, shopping, education and outdoor recreation – within a reasonable distance. 

A walkable area features elements such as a center or public space where people want to gather, mixed uses of businesses, sidewalks and streets designed with pedestrians in mind, and parks, green spaces and trees.

A walkable community also offers physical, environmental and economic benefits, says Justin Henry, a transportation program planner with the City of Oklahoma City.

For example, people are getting exercise as they’re walking, there’s less vehicle pollution involved and there are economic benefits to businesses with foot traffic. Henry cites the Plaza and Paseo Arts districts in Oklahoma City as examples of commercial areas that are inviting to pedestrians.

Susan Miller, director of the Tulsa Planning Office, says walkability creates opportunities for people to learn more about one another and their neighborhoods.

“It really just opens up all of this connection in your community,” says Miller.

Henry and Miller say Oklahoma City and Tulsa alike have made great strides with bike paths and trails, but that building more sidewalks remains a goal.

Henry mentions that Oklahoma City has built 175 miles of sidewalks since 2018 but “we still have a lot of neighborhoods we need to get more sidewalks into.”

Another upcoming effort, he says, will be a citywide plan to look at ways to make streets safer, such as with lighting improvements and crosswalks.

“Safety is always the first key element to improving walkability,” he says. 

Miller says that in Tulsa, voters recently approved the Improve Our Tulsa capital improvements package that includes funding for sidewalks and street improvements. Looking ahead, Miller says her hope is that as shopping corridors develop and redevelop, they are done so with pedestrian-friendly elements in mind.

For example, the city is launching an effort to revitalize the 71st Street shopping corridor to include such features as new sidewalks, lighting and landscaping, according to the planning office’s project description.

Miller mentions that another area she’s excited about is the Arkansas River corridor. The city has River Design Overlay regulations that govern design and use for properties located in the district. One of the objectives is to establish the area as an interconnected, pedestrian-oriented cultural and recreational destination.

“We want this really nice, beautiful, connected, active riverfront,” she says.

Oklahoma City and Tulsa aren’t the only communities in the state creating more walkable areas.

“We’re seeing a lot of smaller towns and the smaller cities really invest in their downtowns again,” Henry says, citing Durant and Ardmore.

Check Your Score

Want to see how your city rates on a walkability index? Check outwalkscore.com, which analyzes walking routes to nearby amenities from an address, neighborhood or city at large.

Funky Origins Abound

By
Drew Joseph Allen
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Slapout is just one of a variety of odd territory and town names around Oklahoma. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society

There are only so many town and city names a state can go through before having to resort to some, well, weirder choices. There are some truly bizarre territory, town and city names in Oklahoma, some of which seem completely made up. However, many have interesting origins, which we explore below.

Slaughterville

Located in the Oklahoma City area of Cleveland County, Slaughterville was named after James Slaughter and a local grocery store he owned. In 2004, PETA petitioned the town to rename itself to Veggieville, offering a donation of $20,000 worth of veggie burgers. The town council voted it down. 

Cookietown

A small, unincorporated area in Cotton County, Cookietown comes from a mercantile that was owned by Marvin Cornelius around 1928. Apparently he was known for giving out cookies to children, creating his very own Cookietown! 

Slapout

An unincorporated hamlet in Beaver County, this town was originally called Nye, after the U.S. Senator Gerald Nye. The man who owned the plot of land, Tom Lemmons, opened a store during the Great Depression to try and kickstart the small town’s economy. According to legend, patrons of the store were often told by Lemmon’s sister that they were “slap out” of whatever it is the customer wanted. Although Tom insists the phrase was never used, the name stuck. After a tornado took out the sign for Nye, Lemmons gave in and started calling it Slapout. The total population today is four.

Frogville

Another unincorporated community in Choctaw County, Frogville comes from a fairly guessable origin: the abundance of frogs in the area. Reportedly, at one point, were massive in size and often ate young ducklings. 

Bushyhead

A census-designated area in Rogers County, Bushyhead gains its name from Dennis Bushyhead, who served as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1879-1887. The current population is 1,292.

Bowlegs

A town in Seminole County, this one is named after Holata Micco, called Chief Billy Bowlegs by white townsfolk during the Second and Third Seminole Wars. He was a prominent and crucial leader during those divisive times. Billy’s Creek, located in Fort Myers, Florida, is also named after him.

IXL

A historical freedmen’s town located in Okfuskee County, IXL’s origins are contested. One version says it means Indian Exchange Land, a reference to the town being on Muscogee land. Another says that the letters were taken from the names of three men, although those names are not known. Lastly, it could be seen as an onomatopoeic exclamation, akin to “I excel.” None of these are known to be fully true, but at least they tell an interesting tale. 

Pumpkin Center

A truly odd case, there are actually four unincorporated communities with this moniker. Located in Comanche, Okmulgee, Muskogee and Cherokee counties, Pumpkin Center’s origin is generally unknown, although theories exist. The most popular involves Cal Stewart, a spoken word recording artist in the late 1890s. He often featured a character named Uncle Josh Weathersby who hailed from the fictional town of – you guessed it – Pumpkin Center. 

Home and Happy

By
John Wooley
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Cathy Venable returned home to Tulsa during the pandemic. While she once had plans to move back to New York, she’s now ingrained in Tulsa’s music scene once again. Photo courtesy Cathy Venable

Tulsa’s Cathy Venable spent five years on the road as principal keyboard player and associate conductor for the national touring companies of three major musicals: The Sound of Music, The Phantom of the Opera, and Frozen. She, of course, had no way of knowing that the latter title would turn out to be eerily prophetic, with the COVID-19 pandemic literally freezing the tour for everyone involved.

“The pandemic shut us down in March of 2020,” she recalls. “We were in Portland, Oregon, and the props, the set, all the technical stuff was just left in the theater there, where it sat for several months. We left a lot of our belongings, too, because on a bus you can travel with a trunk that has all the big heavy things and the seasonal things you don’t want to carry in your luggage. Of course, everybody was afraid of COVID at the time and didn’t even want to go back inside the theater.

“So we all went home. And eventually, when things finally started clearing a little bit, they said, ‘Maybe it’s safe to go back in the theater now.’ So they started cleaning everything up and sent us our personal items.”

Hers were shipped to her hometown, where she’d been living since the suspension of the Frozen tour. Then, once the pandemic eased, Venable made plans to leave again for New York, which had been her base for the previous 17 years.

“I was going to go back and say, ‘Okay. I’m ready to be an official regular pianist on a show every night, and I need a gig,’” she says. “But I never got back there. I’m still not back there. That’s okay, because when our industry completely shut down and I moved back home, I thought, ‘I miss Tulsa. I miss my family.’ I realized how homesick I was. I kept saying, ‘I’ve been homesick since I left – in 2003.’ So I told Frozen, ‘Not coming back. Have a good time.’ And it’s still going.

“I do think the time of COVID made us all reconsider everything and figure out what was really important to us,” she adds. “I’d had a really great musical experience in my twenties and thirties when I was in Tulsa. I thought it would be lovely to reconnect with that, and with my family, and to be here and be part of everybody’s lives. Luckily, I have. You never know. I’m glad there were slots for me to fit into here in the music scene.”

Venable first became a part of that scene in the early ’90s, following college and grad school. However, she notes, the seeds for her career in music were sown much earlier. 

“The most important thing was Barnard Elementary School. That’s where I learned more music than I did in all my graduate studies. John Townsend at Barnard Elementary School taught me so much music. He changed my life,” she says. “I was an Edison High School kid, and then I went off to Northwestern to college and grad school at Cincinnati. There was a wonderful conservatory there, and they had a master’s degree in accompanying. So I became really narrow-focused and got a degree in accompanying.”

Once she returned to Tulsa, she adds, “I was playing with the Philharmonic, when it was called that, and I was staff accompanist at TU, which was a big job – a lot of hours, playing for everything that went on: choir, opera, everybody’s recitals. I did everything I could in Tulsa. I played for Oratorio Chorus, now known as Tulsa Chorale, and I’m back playing for that again. So I got my job back.”

Although she was finding plenty of work in her hometown then, she knew, as she puts it, “there was something else I wanted to experience.” That, of course, was America’s Mecca for musical performers.  

“I was getting ready to turn 35, and I thought, ‘Well, I can turn 35 here or I can turn 35 in New York,’ she remembers, ‘So why don’t I go and try it?’”

“I happened to have some singer friends who came here every summer from New York to star in our shows at Light Opera Oklahoma, and they said, ‘We need someone to sublet our apartment for six months. Why don’t you come up?’

“I thought, ‘That’s the sign I needed. I’ll go.’ I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t have a job. In music, you know, you just have to go and be there and then you start networking.”

Plan or no plan, things turned out well for her. Soon, she was freelancing as a piano player for a number of different Broadway productions – and doing a little singing as well.

“On Broadway, I was always a piano player, in the [orchestra] pit,” she says. “But I also played rehearsals for shows – daytime rehearsals, run-throughs for understudies – and if someone was missing, I always said, ‘Oh,  I’ll sing that part.’ I was the person at the piano who would fill in for whoever was missing. I think that came in handy, and it was fun for me to do.

“I was also a paid singer every Sunday in a really fancy Episcopal church that had an all-paid choir. And I did Buttercup in H. M. S. Pinafore with a little opera company. So I can say that I sang on stage while I was in New York. I love singing, and I love playing for singers; I’ve always been in that world of vocal stuff as an accompanist, and I’ve tried to soak up everything I can. It’s come in handy.”

Another thing that will come in handy, should she ever return to New York, is her ability to conduct an orchestra.

“I had avoided conducting my whole life,” she admits. “I had no desire to do it. And then when I went to Broadway, to New York, I found out that to be the pianist every night on a show, you also have to be the assistant conductor. I wasn’t that, so I made a career out of being a substitute for people on Broadway. The great thing about going out on tour is that I learned to conduct.”

Last year, she conducted Tulsa Opera’s performance of Into the Woods, one of many jobs she’s taken since returning to town. These days, she’s playing regularly for the Tulsa Symphony and Tulsa Chorale as well as for worship services at Harvard Avenue Christian Church. Her holiday season performances include a Tuesdays at Trinity concert of sacred Christmas songs, with Harvard Avenue’s choir director Kelly Ford, set for December 19 at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Tulsa. It’s their third year to do the show together.

Still, while she’s happy and busy in her own hometown, Venable admits “there’s always that thought” about returning to New York and perhaps going out on tour again.

“I’ve had a couple of people call me about different national tours, and I’ve said no, because I really want to be here,” she says. “I think it would have to be something pretty regular or substantial. I don’t think I would want to move back and just be freelancing again, like I did for all those years. I like freelancing in Tulsa.

“And,” she adds with a laugh, “the commute is so good. It’s nice to drive a car again.”

Hidden Gems Await

By
Alaina Stevens
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In Bentonville, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has a stunning gift shop with a variety of offerings. Photo by Tom McFetridge courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

The doors of museums are open to welcome visitors seeking a unique blend of culture and history. Yet, it’s not just the masterpieces within the hallowed walls that captivate patrons; it’s the treasure troves within the museum gift shops that truly make the experience unforgettable. 

These gift shops are brimming with artful wonders, captivating mementos and even some seasonal splendor. From one-of-a-kind ornaments and artisan crafts to history-inspired trinkets and timeless souvenirs, let’s take a look at what some of our local museum gift shops have to offer.

You can find everything from gems to handmade jewelry at Excavations, the gift shop inside the Sam Noble Museum on the OU Campus.
Photo courtesy Sam Noble

OKC Museum of Art
Oklahoma City

From collectible art to fun trinkets, the OKCMOA gift shop offers a variety of items for everyone. Looking for decor or gift ideas? Patrons can find Dale Chuhily fine art and merchandise including scarves, blankets, umbrellas and books. The shop also offers art prints, cocktail recipe books, holiday napkin sets and cards, mugs, handmade ornaments by UK-based-company St. Nicholas, sculptures like Betsy Enzensberger’s Crystal Clear Blue Pop and more. 

Oklahoma Contemporary
Oklahoma City

Adorable stuffed animals run the gamut of species at Tulsa Zoo’s gift shop.
Photo courtesy Tulsa Zoo

From apparel and accessories to home goods, stationary, books and kids’ items, Oklahoma Contemporary’s gift shop is the place to find one-of-a-kind wares. You can also buy unique, hand-made gifts at the Artisan Market, which celebrates local talent and provides a platform for artists to showcase their work to a diverse and appreciative audience. This year, the market will take place Dec. 7-10 in the Creative Lounge.

Science Museum Oklahoma
Oklahoma City

The Science Shop at the Oklahoma Science Museum allows shoppers to unearth the wonders of curiosity. It’s a place of scientific marvels, and invites exploration with mind-bending puzzles, educational games, along with sensory and quirky gadgets. From DIY experiment kits to awe-inspiring science-themed apparel, every item will spark the spirit of discovery. Holiday goodies include a science Advent calendar, an elf tracking kit and a super cool, science-themed coffee maker. 

Oklahoma Aquarium
Jenks

Dive into the wonders of the Oklahoma Aquarium gift shop, a marine-themed haven that echoes the oceanic magic within. From playful plush sea creatures to exclusive marine-inspired jewelry and attire, it’s a treasure chest of souvenirs. Immerse yourself in aquatic allure and bring home a piece of the ocean’s enchantment.

At Crystal Bridges’ gift shop, enjoy nature-inspired pins that are as stunning as they are stylish. You can also grab a collection of turquoise jewelry – whose materials are mined at the state’s own Mona Lisa Mine.
Photos by Tom McFetridge courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Tulsa Air and Space Museum
Tulsa

Tulsa Air and Space Museum is just about as festive as you can get during the holidays. The store also sells NASA merchandise, plus prints signed by astronauts and aviators.
Photo courtesy Tulsa Air and Space Museum

Embark on a celestial shopping journey at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum gift shop. Brimming with aviation wonders, the TASM store offers unique gifts for aviation and aerospace fans of all ages, including official NASA merchandise, limited edition memorabilia and framed prints signed by astronauts and aviators. From model planes to cosmic apparel, find the perfect souvenir that lets imaginations soar high above the clouds. Aerospace adventure awaits. 

Gilcrease Museum
Tulsa

The Gilcrease Museum’s Curations store, right outside Mother Road Market, echoes the spirit of the American West. The shop unveils a collection of Western and Native American-inspired crafts, jewelry, books, puzzles, games and exclusive artist prints. From unique home decor to cultural artifacts, each piece allows visitors to carry home a piece of history.

First Americans Museum
Oklahoma City

Step into cultural richness at the First Americans Museum gift shop, known as the FAMStore. Teeming with First American heritage, it offers a curated collection of Indigenous fine art, jewelry and apparel. From traditional tribal pieces to contemporary creations, every item celebrates the diverse tapestry of native cultures and highlights several Indigenous artists. The gift shop also hosts the Winter Holiday Art Market every year to bring Indigenous artists together, offering a unique shopping experience ahead of the holidays. 

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art offers a variety of both holiday-related and just-for-fun gifts. Two offerings include The Alps coffee table book by Monacelli, as well as illustrated mugs by artist Trevor Wayne.
Photos courtesy the Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Sam Noble Museum
Norman

Dig into history and carry home a piece of the past’s mystique at the Sam Noble Museum’s Excavations store. It has everything from dinosaur-themed delights to Native American hand-crafted jewelry featuring gems such as amber and turquoise. You’ll be sure to find something for the paleontologist in your life as you sift through the interactive educational toys, books, replicas, and more. 

Oklahoma City Zoo & Tulsa Zoo
Oklahoma City and Tulsa

The items at the OKC Zoo gift shop will have an animal lover roaring with enthusiasm. Offerings range from cuddly plush creatures to safari-inspired apparel. Now through New Year’s Day, you’ll also get a voucher for one free plush of your choice from Safari Gifts when you purchase an OKC Zoo passport for 1, 2, or 4 people.
    At the Tulsa Zoo Gift Shop, 2023 is the inaugural year for the organization’s collectible ornament, which features footprints of Tulsa Zoo meerkat Shaka. Other goodies include adorable stuffed animals and the brand-new Tulsa Monopoly game.

Crystal Bridges & The Momentary
Bentonville, Ark.

Just across the border in Arkansas, you’ll find not only some holiday books and artistic delights in the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art gift shop, but also something new at The Momentary, a platform for the art, food and music of our time. The Momentary’s new gift shop is hip, vibrant and perfect for the audience that gathers there for music festivals and other cultural events. Gifts include jewelry, quartz crystals, a variety of holiday decor items and nature-inspired pins. 

Main image cutline: In Bentonville, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has a stunning gift shop with a variety of offerings. Photo by Tom McFetridge courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

We Talk a Lot About Juneau

By
Chuck Mai
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Juneau, Alaska, offers temperate weather and all sorts of excursions.

This is a story about a guy named Joe, a tenacious French-Canadian prospector with a fondness for gold.

It was 1880 and Joe and his buddy were exploring uncharted territory in the south of Alaska, having just sailed into the area on the Inside Passage. They had no maps, but their instructions were simple: Follow the creek up into Last Chance Basin and go as far as you can. So they did.

And finally, there, at the head of the tributary, in the water along with the slate and quartz, they spied their prize – marble-sized nuggets of bright, glistening beautiful gold. Lots of it.

As you’ve guessed, Joe’s last name was Juneau. The men quickly staked out a town site, changed the name of the stream to Gold Creek and the rush was on. Wanderlust runs in the family. Joe grew up hearing tales of his cousin, Solomon Juneau, co-founder of Milwaukee.

East of Juneau, the terrain is so treacherous, there are no roads. Everything and everybody must come in by plane or by boat from the west. Alaska Airlines has multiple flights daily into Juneau International and the state’s ferry system runs year-round. You can “drive” to Juneau, but your trip will include catching a car ferry at either Skagway, Alaska, or Bellingham, Wash.

Being so far north, the average amount of daylight varies dramatically winter to summer, from 6.4 hours per day in December when daytime highs average 34 degrees, to 18.2 hours in June when highs top out in the low 60s.

The city becomes a handy base from which to explore what’s colloquially known as the Pacific Upper Left, a region rich with glacier-filled fjords like Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm, plus wilderness areas such as the Tongass National Forest.

The Goldbelt Tram (aka the Mount Roberts Tramway) rises 1,800 feet from the cruise ship docks through a rainforest to restaurants, shops and Mountain House. Down below in the channel, the lined-up cruise ships look like bathtub toys.

The most notable of the hundreds of glaciers in the area is Mendenhall Glacier, an easy drive from downtown Juneau. The ice mass’s mountains of mesmerizing blue ice stretches for 13 miles, continually fed by the 1,500-square-mile Juneau ice field.

Hikers head for the visitors center on Mendenhall Lake, the trail head for paths running up both sides of the glacier, plus one to Nugget Falls that ends dramatically at the five-story waterfall.

Along the way, keep an eye out for bears, both black and brown, as well as moose and bald eagles. Whales, seals and porpoises thrive throughout the Inside Passage, which remains ice-free all year.

Tour operators do a brisk business, whether your passion is humpback whales, massive glaciers or hot fishing spots.

Back in town, there’s lots to learn about the culture and lasting legacy of the Tlingit, Juneau’s first people, about Russian colonization, and about Juneau’s 120-year tenure as Alaska’s capital. The Juneau-Douglas City Museum across from the capitol and the Alaska State Museum a half mile away tell all.

All over town, you’ll find a great diversity of local art: jewelry (especially jade), paintings, woodcuts, photography, sculpture, Christmas figurines, quilts, there’s even a cottage industry in comic book art.

It wouldn’t hurt to buy a Billiken and keep it close. Made of walrus ivory, the small carvings are thought to bring good luck. Among edible souvenirs, check out Alaskan birch syrup, reindeer sausage and wild salmonberry jam.

Bypass the cruise ship crowds by visiting in low or shoulder season. During the summer months, as many as five or six ships arrive in town daily.

Kick back at BW Grandma’s Feather Bed, a quirky Victorian farmhouse turned country inn, up toward Mendenhall Glacier among the pines.

Understanding Ulcerative Colitis

By
Rebecca Fast
-

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 600,000 to 900,000 people in the United States have ulcerative colitis – an inflammatory bowel disease that causes sensitivity, swelling and ulcers on the inner lining of the large intestine. 

“Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that primarily affects the colon…[and]…the cause continues to be unknown,” says George Salem, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and director of the Crohn’s and Colitis Center at OU Health. “The symptoms, when not treated early at the time of diagnosis, tend to be progressive.”

He says patients typically begin to have rectal bleeding, stool urgency and frequency, diarrhea and mucus in stool. 

“If left untreated, patients will experience abdominal pain, generalized fatigue, anemia and poor sleep at night due to worsening diarrhea symptoms, affecting their ability to have an undisturbed sleep at night,” says Salem.

To determine that an individual has ulcerative colitis and not another inflammatory bowel disease, a patient will receive a thorough evaluation that will include taking a medical history, receiving a physical exam, and performing basic food and stool testing.  

“If the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is suspected, performing a colonoscopy, and obtaining samples from the lining colon, is mandatory for the diagnosis to be made,” says Salem. 

He also shares that “the majority of patients are usually healthy before the time of diagnosis, as it tends to commonly affect the younger patient populations, including pediatrics and up to the age of mid-30s.”

The NIH reports that ulcerative colitis is more likely to develop in people between the ages of 15 and 30, those who have a first-degree relative, such as a parent, sibling or child with IBD, and those of Jewish descent. 

However, Salem says a diagnosis can be made later in life as well – a form of the disease known as late-onset ulcerative colitis. 

Along with the many symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, other complications can develop such as low bone mass, slowed growth and development in children, and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.  The NIH states that individuals with ulcerative colitis are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer if their disease affects a greater portion of the large intestine, is more severe, began at an earlier age, or has been present for a longer time. 

In addition, inflammation can also affect other parts of the body beyond the large intestine, including the joints, skin, eyes and liver and bile ducts. People with ulcerative colitis may also have a higher risk of developing blood clots. 

For people living with an illness with no known cure, consistent daily management of the disease is essential to minimizing symptoms. 

“It can be a challenge to describe the concept of ‘treatable, manageable, but not curable’ to patients and their loved ones…[but]…patients who are on appropriate treatment usually manage symptoms well,” says Salem. “For any chronic condition, appropriate treatment options tend to control the inflammation, control symptoms and prevent long-term complications.”

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