OKGazette.com http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/ <![CDATA[Drink thyme]]> Herbs bring out the soul of summer cocktails. At the Cheever’s Cafe bar, Ariana Khalilian pulled out the plastic squeeze container containing a mixture of simple syrup and the pulverized essence of cilantro.]]> <![CDATA[Mod-ified]]> Mid-century modern architecture enthusiasts can’t get enough of its sleek design and creativity around the state. "Despite what many Americans might perceive as an oxymoron, there actually is a Modern Oklahoma,” wrote Rex and Jackie Brown at oklahomamodern.us, where they bring awareness to midcentury architectural marvels around the Sooner State by documenting their finds.]]> <![CDATA[Lead balloons]]> Pencil this in on your calendar: Art created entirely with colored pencils returns to Science Museum Oklahoma. Colored Pencil Art Show
Daily, through Oct. 2
Science Museum Oklahoma
2100 N.E. 52nd
sciencemuseumok.org, 602-6664
$9.95-$11.95]]> <![CDATA[War on logic]]> June marked the 40th anniversary of the so-called war on drugs, but there wasn’t much celebrating.]]> <![CDATA[Nice glass]]> The “Cutting Edge” glass exhibition features “Personal One,” a piece created by Alabama native Donna Branch. Daily, ongoing]]> <![CDATA[Student body]]> The Fellowship Students never officially broke up, and the city-based band prepares to school listeners in power pop once again. The Fellowship Students with Little League Hero
9 p.m. Friday
VZD’s Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com, 524-4203
$5]]> <![CDATA[Freeze, please]]> Hot times deserve cold comfort. That’s where ‘fro-yo’ comes in at Pink Swirls, a Midwest City concept. Baby, it’s hot outside. ]]> <![CDATA[Yeah, mon]]> Rain or shine, the Bricktown Reggae Festival draws crowds eager to hear some of the genre’s best acts. Hey, mon! The 2011 Bricktown Reggae Festival takes place Friday and Saturday night in the heart of Bricktown, on the corner of Sheridan and Oklahoma avenues, rain or shine.]]> <![CDATA[Dragon riders]]> To the beat of a big drum, rowers are propelling traditional dragon boats down the Oklahoma River. The legend began in China more than 2,000 years ago. ]]> <![CDATA[Just like a wavin' flag]]> Andrea Jarman’s “Waving Flags” (pictured) is one of 34 works in “Can You See Me Now: Photos Made on Phones.” Friday opening, ongoing]]> <![CDATA[Streetcar system]]> Actors shine in Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s last production of the season. A Streetcar Named Desire
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
297-2264
$19, $16 students/seniors]]> <![CDATA[Flag this]]> Enlist in ‘Captain America,’ the final and finest superhero adventure of a summer season flooded with them. “Captain America: The First Avenger” is Marvel’s third — third! — superhero movie just this summer, following “Thor” and “X-Men: First Class,” so it would be reasonable to expect audiences to be burned out on men in tights. ]]> <![CDATA[Badd company]]> Reunited stars Color Me Badd resurrect their old-school moves in OKC for the first time in more than 15 years. Color Me Badd
9 p.m. Saturday
Casablanca Lounge
13801 Quail Pointe Drive
$20 advance, $55 VIP]]> <![CDATA[H 2 NO]]> Climate change and population increase could cause possible water shortages. Without water, almost no life on Earth would survive.]]> <![CDATA[Oh, Deer!]]> Deerpeople may have been born out of boredom, but its live shows provide anything but. Deerpeople with Junebug Spade
9 p.m. Friday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org, 820-0951
$8]]> <![CDATA[Flying high]]> OKC and state officials hammer out incentives packages for Boeing as it moves 800-plus jobs here. Oklahoma City officials are likely to consider by next fall an incentives package to Boeing for an anticipated 800 to 900 jobs being relocated from Wichita, Kan.]]> <![CDATA[The Stuffed Olive]]> A south OKC sandwich shop serves up delicious and fresh options for those wanting to stay local. Oklahoma City and the surrounding metro are replete with many a chain deli restaurant, but none of those places do it quite like The Stuffed Olive. ]]> <![CDATA[Oh, Brother!]]> The family that slays together, stays together. So goes it for the sibs of squawk, aka Jeff the Brotherhood. Jeff the Brotherhood with Shitty/Awesome
9 p.m. Sunday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8]]> <![CDATA[‘Now’ or never]]> City Arts Center’s annual fundraiser exhibit, ‘Art Now,’ enables the gallery to ensure free admission year-round.

Art Now
5:30-11 p.m. Friday through Feb. 3
City Arts Center
3000 General Pershing
cityartscenter.org
951-0000

]]> <![CDATA[Defense spending]]> Uncle Sam hosts garage sales, featuring surplus military items. A dimly lit warehouse in southwest Oklahoma City is reminiscent of the closing scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in which the Ark of the Covenant is boxed away and tucked among a never-ending trove of government secrets. ]]> <![CDATA[Lido Restaurant]]> You won’t actually be on a cruise, but life’s a beach at this Vietnamese restaurant. The Internet is a funny place. Ask a question and, most often, you receive a bunch of different answers with a lot of varying justifications.]]> <![CDATA[Some like it hot]]> Hot yoga can keep you sizzling during the winter months. It’s wintertime, and there are a number of ways you can keep yourself warm.]]> <![CDATA[Devouring downtown]]> OKC’s first Downtown Restaurant Week shows off with special three-course dinners. Had your eye on a night out to one of Oklahoma City’s fancier eateries? ]]> <![CDATA[Shame]]> Our daily life is defined by rituals. ]]> <![CDATA[Fur-tive style]]> Fur was once worn to survive harsh climates. Before modern conveniences like seat warmers and, I don’t know, walls, people had to get creative to stay warm in the dead of winter. ]]> <![CDATA[Methotrexate — Camelpacks & Battlerapz]]> Just in his early 20s, Oklahoma City’s Methotrexate is an original in a genre inundated with anyone having access to a mic and a MacBook. ]]> <![CDATA[Breaking fast]]> No more diet sodas and sticky buns! Start the year right by cultivating a breakfast habit. Sometimes it takes a little extra fuel to crawl into work. What better time of year to incorporate a healthy daily habit like a nutritious breakfast?]]> <![CDATA[Black walls]]> The new ‘Afro-Americana’ exhibit explores black culture through visual art created in-state.

Afro-Americana
5-7 p.m. Thursday through April 21
Gaylord-Pickens Museum
1400 Classen Drive
oklahomaheritage.com
235-4458

]]> <![CDATA[‘Family’ matters]]> ‘The Addams Family’ comes to town, this time with song and dance in tow. There goes the neighborhood. The Addams Family
7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, through Jan. 22
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
okcciviccenter.com
297-2264
$20-$65]]> <![CDATA[Black walls]]> The new ‘Afro-Americana’ exhibit explores black culture through visual art created in-state.

Afro-Americana
5-7 p.m. Thursday through April 21
Gaylord-Pickens Museum
1400 Classen Drive
oklahomaheritage.com
235-4458

]]> <![CDATA[‘Something has to change’]]> Baptist ministers push for database of child predators who have worked in churches. For several years, Wade Burleson, senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, has pushed the Southern Baptist Convention to compile a list of sexual predators. ]]> <![CDATA[Brevity, thy name is Sundance]]> See seven stories for the price of one in this year’s crop of shorts from the Sundance Film Festival. 2011 Sundance Film Festival Shorts
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[Good grief]]> When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. For Ryan Lawson, that means music that’s sweet, not sour. Ryan Lawson with Black Canyon and Blue Valley Farmer
9 p.m. Friday
VZD’s Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com
524-4203
$5]]> <![CDATA[Flame throwers]]> Is it hot enough out there for you? We’ve got your tongue-scorching drinks to get you through the rest of the sultry summer. A Bloody Mary is distinctive for its zesty zing, but it’s not the only drink capable of turning up the heat. A new style of spicy cocktails — martinis garnished with jalapeños, margaritas mixed with cayenne, spirits spiked with bitters — is fueling a new trend.]]> <![CDATA[Womb to grow]]> Wayne Coyne’s wildly experimental art space, Womb, is now open to the public, with no messy afterbirth. People had been trying to enter Womb everyday, curious as to what the psychedelic-painted exterior is housing inside. The mural of swirling color, abstract patterns, eyes and candied lips covering the entire structure certainly contrast with the glass, mortar and steel facades of the surrounding buildings on the evolving Automobile Alley. ]]> <![CDATA[Valley rally]]> The Valley Brook Board of Trustees voted to delay a controversial rate increase after a heated meeting. The small Oklahoma County municipality of Valley Brook got a big response from some of its citizens during a heated Aug. 9 Board of Trustees meeting, after residents accused the town leaders of violating the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act to raise sewer and trash rates.]]> <![CDATA[Rest of the Best of OKC]]> Another year, another Best of OKC contest behind us here at Oklahoma Gazette. Well, almost. See, you people love your lists and clamor for more. Shockingly, we didn’t quite cover it all last week, despite running the gamut from Best Coffee Shop to Best Person or Business to Follow on Social Media, so for the third year in a row, we’ve assembled some extras — the rest of the Best of OKC, if you will.]]> <![CDATA[Doggie styles]]> “Picasso” is but one pup depicted in Diana J. Smith’s “Canine Companions.”

Wednesday-Saturday, ongoing

]]> <![CDATA[Oklahoma City’s choices]]> Oklahoma City was built for cars. Like many young cities in this part of the country, its growth sprawled out across a grid of major streets intersecting every mile, overlaid by a wider grid of in-town highways. Most trips take just 10 or 20 minutes even if they take almost as many miles.]]> <![CDATA[‘One-stop shop’]]> WestTown Resource Center aims to provide the homeless and low-income population with a new model of social service. Extreme weather is just one of many obstacles facing most of the local homeless population. Others include crushing poverty, substance abuse, mental health issues, unemployment, legal issues, domestic violence, chronic medical conditions and more.]]> <![CDATA[Like a song]]> Karaoke brings out the singer in all of us. Yes, even those who can’t carry a tune. Karaoke (kar-ee-oh-kee): It’s a noun that means the act of singing along to a music video that comes from the Japanese kara, meaning “empty,” and oke, meaning “orchestra,” according to the Random House Dictionary. That definition doesn’t state if that act is made better or worse by musical ability.]]> <![CDATA[In praise of pork]]> A new restaurant focuses on all things porcine. In a 1995 episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Lisa the Vegetarian,” Homer Simpson exasperates his daughter, Lisa, by asking her to enumerate the meats she will no longer eat: pork chops, bacon and ham. Lisa snaps at him that those meats all come from the same creature.]]> <![CDATA[Cafe central]]> Cafe Kacao is doing Central American food right with colorful cuisine and Latin flavor. Plus, you can’t beat an all-day breakfast.

I have a hard time saying Cafe Kacao without accenting the end like a loud, exuberant toucan. (ka-KOW!) But it somehow seems appropriate for this restaurant, which focuses on the savory, spicy flavors of Guatemala and southern Mexico.

]]> <![CDATA[Backyard blitz]]> Not all alcohol can go toe-to-toe with the sweet, smoky and spicy flavors of a summertime cookout. Don’t take that to mean that there are no right or wrong answers, however. Especially when trying to find a perfect match for the savory and sweet flavors of barbecue, where a cherished red wine can end up fumbling awkwardly with a slab of ribs like two nervous junior-high kids during their first slow dance.]]> <![CDATA[Bite size]]> Chow chat Jason Coursey, assistant general manager at Kamp’s 1910 Cafe, 10 N.E. 10th, said many of the recipes on the menu came out of his culinary background working with KampCo Foods.]]> <![CDATA[Protective measures]]> Amid debate, the Oklahoma City Council voted to add ‘sexual orientation’ to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. During its Nov. 15 meeting, the Oklahoma City Council approved a measure that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for city employees.]]> <![CDATA[The Descendants]]> Say ‘aloha’ to ‘The Descendants,’ a smart film about a fractured family that proves misery is as native to Hawaii as these contiguous states. Arriving with serious Oscar buzz, “The Descendants” is the oddest kind of road movie: one in which the roads don’t exist at all. ]]> <![CDATA[Bite Size: 11-23-11]]> News and notes on OKC dining.
]]> <![CDATA[Protective measures]]> Amid debate, the Oklahoma City Council voted to add ‘sexual orientation’ to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. During its Nov. 15 meeting, the Oklahoma City Council approved a measure that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for city employees.]]> <![CDATA[Smag 7: Open up! ]]> Nosh now at some of the city’s most recent openings. These seven new spots offer pizza, pub food, Mexican and tropical cuisine — even a wine bar!]]> <![CDATA[Thankful for change]]> I have many things for which I am thankful this Thanksgiving. Topping that list, as he has for the last 21 years, is my husband, Wayne. Also high on the list are our four-legged children, my parents, good health, great friends and a job I love.]]> <![CDATA[Protective measures]]> Amid debate, the Oklahoma City Council voted to add ‘sexual orientation’ to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. During its Nov. 15 meeting, the Oklahoma City Council approved a measure that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for city employees.]]> <![CDATA[Freeze, please]]> Hot times deserve cold comfort. That’s where ‘fro-yo’ comes in at Pink Swirls, a Midwest City concept. Baby, it’s hot outside. ]]> <![CDATA[Page One: Inside the New York Times]]> All the news that’s fit to print becomes fit to watch, in the arresting documentary ‘Page One: Inside The New York Times.’

Page One: Inside The New York Times
5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$8

]]> <![CDATA[Staying in]]> Not one for the heat? Enjoy some indoor shopping this Fourth of July weekend. The Fourth of July long weekend is upon us. There’s always a ton to do: The OKC Phil’s “Red, White & Boom” is at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, or Edmond’s LibertyFest parade steps off at 9 a.m. the next morning. ]]> <![CDATA[Prinz of wails]]> Singer/songwriter Dustin Prinz would rather not vocalize, so pay attention to his guitar, won’t you? Dustin Prinz with Stephen Salewon
8 p.m. Saturday
Othello’s Italian Restaurant, 434 Buchanan, Norman
othellosnorman.com, 360-2353
]]> <![CDATA[New Times]]> Leaving behind The City Lives, songwriter Chase Kerby starts from scratch with The Defining Times.

The Defining Times with Gum
9 p.m. Friday
VZD’S Restaurant & Club, 4200 N. Western
VZDs.com, 524-4203
$5

]]> <![CDATA[‘Off’ still on]]> Let’s twist again like we did last summer! Although its longtime venue is dead, Okie Twist-Off is very much alive.

Okie Twist-Off
Friday-Saturday
okietwistoff.com
$10-$15

]]> <![CDATA[New sensation]]> Lyric Theatre closes out its summer season with the singular sensation of ‘A Chorus Line.’ A Chorus Line
7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
lyrictheatreokc.com, 297-2264
$31-$54]]> <![CDATA[Nice glass]]> The “Cutting Edge” glass exhibition features “Personal One,” a piece created by Alabama native Donna Branch. Daily, ongoing]]> <![CDATA[Drink thyme]]> Herbs bring out the soul of summer cocktails. At the Cheever’s Cafe bar, Ariana Khalilian pulled out the plastic squeeze container containing a mixture of simple syrup and the pulverized essence of cilantro.]]> <![CDATA[Mod-ified]]> Mid-century modern architecture enthusiasts can’t get enough of its sleek design and creativity around the state. "Despite what many Americans might perceive as an oxymoron, there actually is a Modern Oklahoma,” wrote Rex and Jackie Brown at oklahomamodern.us, where they bring awareness to midcentury architectural marvels around the Sooner State by documenting their finds.]]> <![CDATA[Best Betz]]> UCO’s new president is no stranger to higher education in Oklahoma. Don Betz isn’t the restoring-sailboats-playing-17-rounds-of-golf kind of guy.]]> <![CDATA[Neu attitude]]> As the wheels spin on the skates of local roller girls, DJ Neu spins records to provide a high-energy soundtrack. Oklahoma Victory Dolls with DJ Neu
6 p.m. Saturday
Oklahoma State Fair Park
Centennial Building, 3001 General Pershing
oklahomavictorydolls.com
$10 advance, $12 door]]> <![CDATA[Tympanic TNT]]> Boom go the dynamite sounds of Explosions in the Sky, the beloved band instrumental to keeping the world interested in moving music without lyrics.

Explosions In The Sky with Wye Oak
7 p.m. Thursday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net
677-9169
$19 advance, $24 door

]]> <![CDATA[That's the ticket]]> Oklahoma City Council members received thousands of free tickets — mostly for Thunder games — thanks to City Hall’s policy. What do Glenn Beck, Bill Maher, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lady Gaga, “Annie” the musical, AC/DC, Jerry Seinfeld and the “JoBros” all have in common?]]> <![CDATA[A fan’s guide to Twitter]]> In Oklahoma and across the nation, student-athletes are being reprimanded for abusing team policy and common sense in fewer than 140 characters. Last fall, Sooner wide receiver Jaz Reynolds was suspended from the team for insensitive tweets following the University of Texas shooting.]]> <![CDATA[Be-jeweled]]> The french Cowgirl’s Jennifer Marcum models feather earrings. I was determined to find gold jewelry when I was in Florence. (Yes, still bringing up Italy. I promise to stop. Besides, I’m already itching to plan a trip to India and/or South Africa, so you have that to look forward to.)]]> <![CDATA[$30 million question]]> Will the substation transfer be included in the MAPS 3 convention center budget now that the location is changing? Preliminary cost estimates are out for all eight of the MAPS 3 projects, and the question of an OGE substation being moved using $30 million from the $280 million for the convention center funds came to a head during recent MAPS 3 oversight meetings.]]> <![CDATA[Bitter pills]]> As police investigate Austin Box’s accidental death from drug toxicity, a nonprofit calls the tragedy ‘a teachable moment.’ The El Reno Police Department’s investigation into Austin Box’s accidental death continues after last week’s release of the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s toxicology report. ]]> <![CDATA[97's in '11]]> Everything Old — as in Old 97’s — is new again, as the alt-country act keeps churning out ‘Fight Songs’ for fervent fans. Old 97’s with Robert Ellis, The Workweek, Kentucky Knife Fight and The Lusitania
7 p.m. Friday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org, 820-0951
$15 advance, $20 door]]> <![CDATA[Get your Phil]]> Once an Oklahoman and a member of Little Feat, guitarist Phil Brown looks to the music of the past to live for today. Phil Brown
7 p.m. Friday
The Blue Door
2805 N. McKinley
bluedoorokc.com, 524-0738
$15 advance, $20 door]]> <![CDATA[That's the ticket]]> Oklahoma City Council members received thousands of free tickets — mostly for Thunder games — thanks to City Hall’s policy. What do Glenn Beck, Bill Maher, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lady Gaga, “Annie” the musical, AC/DC, Jerry Seinfeld and the “JoBros” all have in common?]]> <![CDATA[ROUTE 66]]> Lost route It seems that only on the rarest of occasions could you be separated by such a small distance, yet feel worlds apart.]]> <![CDATA[That's the ticket]]> Oklahoma City Council members received thousands of free tickets — mostly for Thunder games — thanks to City Hall’s policy. What do Glenn Beck, Bill Maher, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lady Gaga, “Annie” the musical, AC/DC, Jerry Seinfeld and the “JoBros” all have in common?]]> <![CDATA[To market]]> Get fresh at these local markets that bring together farmers, ranchers, bakers and crafters. Every Saturday, Crestview Farms of Arcadia packs up its produce, herbs and fruits and trucks down to the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market. ]]> <![CDATA[Giants’ success]]> Alt-rock vets They Might Be Giants ensure endurance by borrowing a page from Big Tobacco: Hook ’em while they’re young. They Might Be Giants with Jonathan Coulton
7 p.m. Sunday
Cain’s Ballroom
423 N. Main, Tulsa
cainsballroom.com
918-584-2306
$23 advance, $26 door]]> <![CDATA[Beat that heat]]> You know it’s bad when the national weather people are using your state to illustrate just how hot it is out there. So maybe it was not my best idea to spend a July weekend in western Oklahoma, a place known for sand dunes (hot), salt flats (also hot) and rattlesnakes (hot and deadly).]]> <![CDATA[97's in '11]]> Everything Old — as in Old 97’s — is new again, as the alt-country act keeps churning out ‘Fight Songs’ for fervent fans. Old 97’s with Robert Ellis, The Workweek, Kentucky Knife Fight and The Lusitania
7 p.m. Friday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org, 820-0951
$15 advance, $20 door]]> <![CDATA[Under pressure]]> OKC implemented then rescinded a water-rotation program last week, and it might not be the last restriction during this scorching summer. For those spending time in a subterranean air-conditioned compound and not watching the weather: It’s hot outside. ]]> <![CDATA[A fan’s guide to Twitter]]> In Oklahoma and across the nation, student-athletes are being reprimanded for abusing team policy and common sense in fewer than 140 characters. Last fall, Sooner wide receiver Jaz Reynolds was suspended from the team for insensitive tweets following the University of Texas shooting.]]> <![CDATA[Bitter pills]]> As police investigate Austin Box’s accidental death from drug toxicity, a nonprofit calls the tragedy ‘a teachable moment.’ The El Reno Police Department’s investigation into Austin Box’s accidental death continues after last week’s release of the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s toxicology report. ]]> <![CDATA[Wizards rock]]> Tonks and the Aurors and Armoured Bearcub are among the five artists slated to play at the Wizard Rock Show. With band names like The Whomping Willows and Justin Finch-Fletchley, it’s no surprise that Harry Potter has taken over America’s musical fandom, too.]]> <![CDATA[Storm watch]]> Photographer David Mayhew’s new exhibit illustrates the beauty in the beasts of severe weather. Stormy Skies
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 3
Visions in the Paseo
2924 Paseo
visionsinthepaseo.com, 557-1229

 ]]> <![CDATA[Art festivals]]> Life’s more fun in the sun, according to organizers of Bricktown Art Festival. “Art Your World” at this weekend’s Bricktown Art Festival
Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
montagefestivals.com, 596-1687
Free
]]> <![CDATA[Book learning]]> A local father-daughter duo penned a book together. It was a learning experience, but they’re already working on the sequel. Book signings, public appearances and sales — not exactly the life of a 12-year-old. That is, unless you’re Anna McKinley, whose days are filled with science camps, catapults and “The Pirate Bride.” ]]> <![CDATA[Mud bath]]> Oklahoma health nuts will get dirty next Saturday during an inaugural mud-running event in Mulhall. The Dirty 30
9 a.m. July 30
Canyon Creek Ranch
3905 E. Country Road 66, Mulhall
dirty30race.com
$55 to race, free to watch
]]> <![CDATA[Ungrateful dead]]> Horrorcore’s [dead] P.o.e.t.s. are disgusted with what passes for hip-hop this days. [dead] P.o.e.t.s. with Mars, Psycho Jesus and more
6 p.m. Friday
The Conservatory, 8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com, 607-4805
$10 advance, $15 door]]> <![CDATA[‘Buck’ stops here]]> Horse trainer Buck Brannaman’s ordinary life is the subject of the extraordinary documentary ‘Buck.’
]]> <![CDATA[Grand proposal]]> Can the Oklahoma City Council commit? Next week it might take the plunge by adopting a MAPS 3 timeline. Two major issues of the MAPS 3 program are likely to come up for approval at the July 5 Oklahoma City Council meeting: a proposed project timeline and a proposed site for the future convention center.]]> <![CDATA[Cowboys & Aliens]]> No joke, pardner: ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ is pure popcorn entertainment. “Cowboys & Aliens” sounds like one of those high-concept flicks for which you might expect the idea went no further than the jokey title. Think “Snakes on a Plane.” ]]> <![CDATA[Reclamation project]]> What do John Wayne, John Birch, dinosaurs and the Pledge of Allegiance have in common? They were all in the house at Reclaiming America for Christ. The intersection of politics, nationalism and religion is often seen as no man’s land.]]> <![CDATA[Turn the page]]> The publisher and editor leading The Oklahoman since 2003 are both leaving, paving the way for new Publisher Christopher Reen this fall. Big changes are happening in Oklahoma City media, as both the publisher and editor of The Oklahoman, the largest newspaper in the state, announced they were leaving the publication.]]> <![CDATA[Saving the leftovers]]> Wineries frequently use second labels to distribute excess juice or work on special projects. The results can be amazing. The wines are naughty. There is a small devil on the label to prove it. ]]> <![CDATA[Black Canyon]]> Looking for some locally grown alt-country? The subject of budding Okie videographer Nathan Poppe’s debut documentary, the foot-stomping Enid alt-country dudes in Black Canyon released their debut record “Battlefield Darlins” on Bandcamp.com last month, and — happy surprise! — they recruited Sherree Chamberlain to guest as the gal in this musical romance.]]> <![CDATA[Mapmakers]]> The redistricting of Oklahoma City’s wards is under way. Oklahoma City is starting the process of redrawing its ward boundaries and will be holding a public meeting this month to discuss the plan.]]> <![CDATA[Loco over local]]> The results are in! Summer in the 405 means three things: excessive heat, excessive heat and the long-awaited results for Oklahoma Gazette’s Best of OKC poll! ]]> <![CDATA[‘Line in the sand’]]> Riddled by conflict and animosity, the Oklahoma City Council rejected a deferral process proposed by a targeted councilman. A measure by two Oklahoma City Council members creating a standard for deferring council agenda items was narrowly shot down at the Aug. 2 meeting.]]> <![CDATA[Joe cool]]> Coffee shops fight back against brutal summer heat waves by offering something a bit cooler to satisfy those jonesing for a perfect brew. After weeks suffering under the blistering summer sun, the thought of a piping-hot cup of coffee might not pique interest as it would in winter. That doesn’t mean coffee shops are closing their doors and waiting out the heat wave, but rather shifting their focus. ]]> <![CDATA[Welcome!]]> Even more new restaurants. Here are several new restaurants coming our way again. Just like summer vegetables, these will be taking root and hopefully growing. All seven are offering hearty flavors, regional influences and prices that are just right for tough economic times. Go get ’em.]]> <![CDATA[Bedroom oasis]]> Betsy Colton of kS Design, lounges on a bedroom display in the kS Design shop. It turns out I missed my calling. I think I was born to name paint colors.]]> <![CDATA[Gentle on our mind]]> Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing The Gentle Art of Floating in space. Now if only the band would release that long-awaited album ... The Gentle Art of Floating with Raiment and You’d Prefer an Astronaut
9 p.m. Friday
Opolis, 113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org, 820-0951
$7]]> <![CDATA[Brady bunch]]> Here’s a story: Tulsa’ Brady District kicks off a new music festival with big names like The Flaming Lips, Pretty Black Chains, Mutemath, Primus and more.

Brady District Block Party Music Festival
Noon-11:30 p.m. Saturday
Brady Village, Tulsa
bradyblockparty.com
866-977-6849
$46.50

]]> <![CDATA[Potter hater]]> Millions of people love the books and movies … but not this guy. When I was in grade school, I had an allergy test at Oklahoma Allergy Clinic, in which a nurse wrote rows of numbers up and down both forearms with a ballpoint pen, and then injected me next to every scribble. Each syringe contained something different, so if the injection point grew red and puffy, they were able to tell exactly what my system couldn’t stand.]]> <![CDATA[Shift happens]]> The convention center has moved to the front of the MAPS 3 pack, but not without some controversy. The Oklahoma City Council approved two major MAPS 3 measures at its July 5 meeting, despite requests to delay consideration of the items by a councilman unable to attend the meeting and harsh criticism from other council members.]]> <![CDATA[Heart of Holland]]> Genre-mixing vocalist Jolie Holland surrenders her soul and offers up a ‘Pint of Blood.’

Jolie Holland with Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside
9 p.m. Monday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org, 820-0951
$10 advance, $12 door

]]> <![CDATA[Lip service]]> In which a podcaster drunk-dials a rock star. No Fun Intended’s live podcast Thursday at The 51st Street Speakeasy, 1114 N.W. 51st, has scored one hot guest: The Flaming Lips’ ringmaster, Wayne Coyne.]]> <![CDATA[Paul revered]]> After folk musician Ellis Paul needed his fans’ help — and got it — he’s been crafting his finest songs ever in thanks.

Ellis Paul
7 p.m. Friday
The Blue Door
2805 N. McKinley
bluedoorokc.com, 524-0738
$20 advance, $25 door

]]> <![CDATA[Big ‘Bang’ theory]]> The Hidden Castle provides a home for Bang Bang’s underground performance art, long missing in Norman’s entertainment options. Bang Bang Queer Punk Variety Show
10 p.m. Saturday
The Hidden Castle
1309 24th Ave. S.W., Norman
310-6518
$5]]> <![CDATA[Radio daze]]> Don’t touch that dial! Because it may be a thing of the past, as more local ventures go online to keep your ears entertained. There’s never a shortage of articles claiming that old X media will disappear because of new Y media: newspaper/radio, radio/TV, newspaper/Internet — same story, different verse. ]]> <![CDATA[Stretch Marx]]> Eighties popster Richard Marx stays relevant by reworking his past hits and writing new ones for other artists. Richard Marx|
8 p.m. Friday
Choctaw Casino
Grant, 800-585-3737
$25-$45

8 p.m. Saturday
Choctaw Event Center
Durant, 800-585-3737
$34.50-$50

]]> <![CDATA[Next stage]]> While Stage Center's future remains cloudy, it's hardly the first obstacle in the iconic building's history An eccentric masterpiece of modern architecture, Oklahoma City’s Stage Center is a longtime subject of both conversation and controversy. ]]> <![CDATA[Fun unleashed]]> Dog parks abound in the metro. A dog may be a man’s best friend, but even our pawed pals like to get out and play with their own kind once in awhile. Thanks to area dog parks, a happening social scene means plenty of room to run, play and stay fit.]]> <![CDATA[Beach reads]]> Whether it’s the beach, the public pool or your own tub, we’ve got a cool summer reading list for these hot days. And don’t dismiss ‘beach reads’ as mere fluff. “Beach reads” is a catchy little term, isn’t it? But how would one go about finding out what a beach read is? Or what actually might constitute a beach read?]]> <![CDATA[Folk hero]]> Those musicians influenced by Woody Guthrie will pay tribute to him at the annual folk festival that proudly bears his name. Woody Guthrie Folk Festival featuring Jimmy LaFave, Stoney LaRue, Shawn Mullins and more
Wednesday-Sunday
Okemah
woodyguthrie.com 918-623-2440
Free]]> <![CDATA[Snow days]]> Cool off with some flavored icy treats. Here’s a roundup of where to track down snow cones in the metro.
]]> <![CDATA[Celtic pride]]> Dropkick Murphys are honored to have audiences shout along to their raucous, Irish-punk anthems. Dropkick Murphys with The Tossers and The Cobra Skulls
6:30 P.m. Wednesday
Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net, 677-9169
$24
]]> <![CDATA[Side of ska]]> Who ordered the extra-large serving of local ska, Sunny Side Up? Sunny Side Up with Classy San Diego and The Last Slice
7 p.m. Thursday
The Conservatory, 8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com, 607-4805
$7]]> <![CDATA['String' it out]]> Active in bluegrass, jazz and country, Mark O’Connor plays the fiddle, violin, mandolin, mandola and guitar. Two-time Grammy-winning violinist Mark O’Connor stops in the metro Sunday to stage his “American String Celebration.”
]]> <![CDATA[Edmond's 'Big Wish' fulfilled]]> Installed in April at Hafer Park, “Big Wish” officially was dedicated in June. Edmond got a “Big Wish” for Hafer Park: a bronze sculpture Colorado artist Linda Prokop made to complement recent renovations.]]> <![CDATA[In praise of pork]]> A new restaurant focuses on all things porcine. In a 1995 episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Lisa the Vegetarian,” Homer Simpson exasperates his daughter, Lisa, by asking her to enumerate the meats she will no longer eat: pork chops, bacon and ham. Lisa snaps at him that those meats all come from the same creature.]]> <![CDATA[Death of a Sooner]]> The shocking death of Austin Box raises awareness about athletes on painkillers. The last time Wade Burleson saw Austin Box, the pastor told the Sooner athlete he looked like an old man.]]> <![CDATA[Wish fulfillment]]> The camps include a commemorative T-shirt, lunch and hands-on science experiences. Did you ever wish you could launch your own rocket? Build your own roller coaster? Make your own slime?]]> <![CDATA[State offers cooling relief for needy]]> Low-income residents can take advantage of $22 million program Low-income households in Oklahoma can apply for summer cooling-system funds of at least $200 starting July 11, by which the state’s dog days of summer will be well under way.
]]> <![CDATA[Murdoch Mysteries: Season 3]]> It’s like ‘CSI’ with manners Appearing on the cover of the Blu-ray season of "Murdoch Mysteries"' third season is the tagline, "Forensic Sleuthing in the Age of Invention."
]]> <![CDATA[A place for people]]> The new Myriad Gardens is special. James Howard Kunstler, the author and urban critic famous for his diatribes against America’s “sprawling” cities, suggested the way people use cities is changing. According to Kunstler, “The 20th century was about getting around. The 21st century will be about staying in a place worth staying in.”]]> <![CDATA[What light beyond thy firehouse window breaks?]]> Behold! The annual Midsummer Nights’ Fair returns Friday and Saturday to Norman. Norman’s Firehouse Art Center hosts its 34th annual Midsummer Nights’ Fair this weekend at Lions Park, 450 S. Flood Ave.]]> <![CDATA[7 Under $7]]> You can set $49 for your lunch budget this week. Your wallet is on the thin side lately, and the thought of money wasted on bad food triggers your emotions. Well, here are seven good places where savvy consumers won’t do any quibbling after that last bite. Everything on the various menus is fairly priced.]]> <![CDATA[Overcoming Momentum’s legacy]]> The Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum, a recently formed nonprofit organization, spent $486,041 to support and oppose candidates during the recent Oklahoma City Council elections in Wards 2, 5, 6 and 8. ]]> <![CDATA[Warehouse 13: Season Two]]> Syfy's slyest series Proof Syfy viewers can have great taste: "Warehouse 13" is the cable channel's most successful original series. And it's not totally geeky.]]> <![CDATA[Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules]]> Not as strong as the first, but amiable enough Last spring’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” caught me by surprise. Not only was it not painful, but it was genuinely funny — arguably the best family film of the past decade.
]]> <![CDATA[Kill the Reflection — 3EP]]> Post-punk with promise and room to grow At its best, Kill the Reflection’s dark, fast music leans toward Joy Division-esque post-punk.]]> <![CDATA[‘God calling us’]]> Oklahoma’s freshman congressman shares his stance on issues facing the nation. “This is not courage; this is just obedience. This is what we (Lankford and his wife) sense God calling us to do, and we’re just doing it,” Lankford said. “We came to a point about a year and a half ago where we knew we would be grandparents one day telling our grandchildren about the time we didn’t follow God if we don’t do this.]]> <![CDATA[Hat trick]]> ‘Punch Cowboy’ has a winning recipe: equal parts comedy, drama and action, with loads of local talent added to the mix. 8 p.m. Saturday
City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing
cityartscenter.org, 951-0000
$5]]> <![CDATA[Cornett’s concerns]]> While OKC Mayor Mick Cornett is generally pleased with the MAPS 3 process, he’s expressing some concerns about implementation of the $777 million program. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said he is pleased with the structure of the MAPS 3 subcommittees, but expressed concern on some aspects of the program.]]> <![CDATA[Adult ice cream]]> Ice cream cocktails sound brilliant, but it takes skill to keep a delicacy from turning into a sludge of cream and alcohol. Ice cream plus alcohol should equate a simple and sinfully indulgent dessert cocktail, but the frozen cocktails are rare delicacies in bars across the metro because they are trickier to concoct than one might assume.]]> <![CDATA[Premium returns]]> Bin 73 retools one of the metro’s most extensive by-the-glass lists and returns to a principle that made it exciting from the start. I first had Cakebread Cabernet at Bin 73 in 2005.]]> <![CDATA[Up top]]> Is there a better time of the year to play around with the accessories up top? Sunglasses, headbands, hats — summer is about getting the hair off your face and the sun out of your eyes without looking like a “Mad Max” extra who’s wandered the Australian outback for 20-odd years.]]> <![CDATA[Killer, no filler]]> The Axe Murder Boyz perfect both their stage presence and brotherly connection. Axe Murder Boyz with Mindshot, F.L.O.W.S. and more
6 p.m. Wednesay, July 13
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com 607-4805
$15-$20
]]> <![CDATA[Salad supreme]]> Long live lettuce! During the long, hot days of summer, salad satisfies. Summer means salad. It’s light and easy — a perfect contrast to unbearably hot summer afternoons.]]> <![CDATA[Meatball mecca]]> Unpretentious pastas, pizza and salads are served in an appealingly intimate dining room at Gaberino’s in Norman. Right across the street from Norman’s Borders bookstore, Gaberino’s is a welcome addition to the side of town where choices such as the homogenized likes of Red Lobster, On The Border and Olive Garden dominate.]]> <![CDATA[Kids art]]> “Mask Extravaganza” is one of the Mabee- Gerrer Museum of Art’s camps for kids. Wednesday-Friday, ongoing]]> <![CDATA[The Pretty Black Chains — Awakening]]> You’d never know that The Pretty Black Chains very recently used to be a Brit-pop band. “Awakening” is proof that their tansformation into a Led Zeppelin-style rock band was as complete as it was swift. ]]> <![CDATA[Destinations on a tank]]> Ready for a day at the beach, but the kids hate car rides and the grown-ups hate the gas prices? It will take longer to pack the car than the trip itself if your is Arcadia Lake in east Edmond. With my three kids in tow, we visited not one, not two, but three beaches at Arcadia Lake. The lake is comprised of three separate parks — Spring Creek, Edmond and Central State — each with its own recreation wonderland of docks, playgrounds and, yes, swimming holes.]]> <![CDATA[Art glass]]> Local artist Nicki Albright serves up fanciful and functional art with kiln-formed glass in her new solo show. Thursday through Saturday, ongoing
]]> <![CDATA[First watch]]> A local author draws on her childhood as an Army brat for her debut novel, ‘Along the Watchtower.’

Constance Squires
6:30 p.m. Thursday
Full Circle Bookstore
1900 Northwest Expressway
fullcirclebooks.com 842-2900

]]> <![CDATA[Extra Cheeze]]> Shea Weaver’s varied monikers — like Cheezecoat — correspond to where music has taken him. Shea Weaver
9-10 p.m. Friday
JJ’s Alley
212 E. Sheridan 605-4543

Cheezecoat
Saturday
Midsummer Nights’ Fair
Lions Park 450 S. Flood, Norman
normanfirehouse.com 329-4523
]]> <![CDATA[Bitter Coco]]> The documentary 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com 236-3100
$8]]> <![CDATA['The new normal']]> With an ongoing budget shortfall, the state Department of Education zeroed out funding for National Board Certified Teachers It took dozens of hours of videotaping class sessions, more than 60 pages worth of writing and more than two years for Meredith Wronowski, a science teacher at Oklahoma City’s Capitol Hill High School, to become a National Board Certified Teacher.]]> <![CDATA[‘Hair’ styles]]> Lyric Theatre gets all done up for its production of the upbeat musical comedy ‘Hairspray.’ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
lyrictheatreokc.com 297-2264
$31-$60 ]]> <![CDATA[Into the ‘Light’]]> Susan Cowsill finds her way home, and celebrates the journey’s ‘Lighthouse.’

8 p.m. Monday
The Blue Door
2805 N. McKinley
bluedoorokc.com 524-0738 $20-$25

7:30 p.m. Sunday
Lions Park
450 S. Flood, Norman

]]> <![CDATA[Universal appeal]]> The Planets Align’s influences come from across the musical galaxy. The Planets Align with Mandala and Killer Gandhi
9 p.m. Friday
VZD's Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com 524-4203
$5]]> <![CDATA[Terrace stamp]]> After shuffling lineup changes, Evergreen Terrace’s remaining members are feeling swell about the band’s current lineup.

Evergreen Terrace with Bury Your Dead, For the Fallen Dreams and more
3:30 p.m. Friday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net 677-9169
$15-$18

]]> <![CDATA[Foot joy]]> Oklahoma City band Left Foot Sally ranges from country to red dirt to rock. Just don’t ask ’em to rap.

8 p.m. Saturday
Wormy Dog Saloon
311 E. Sheridan
WormyDog.com 601-6276
$5

]]> <![CDATA[Chamber Chief]]> A Oklahoma City Community College student preps to direct a Holocaust-based film funded entirely by private donations. Shawn Barfield hopes his film — currently in pre-production and originally his capstone project at Oklahoma City Community College — is more than a mere hit.]]> <![CDATA[Fair play]]> We ate our way through the Oklahoma State Fair. So you don’t have to. (But we know you will.) We passed through the gates of the Oklahoma State Fair with empty stomachs and one goal: Eat. Eat it all. Fried. On a stick. Covered in bacon. Fried a second time. ]]> <![CDATA[Board ‘Brawl’]]> Norman-based VicTim Games has released its first board game, ‘ScrumBrawl.’ Two Oklahoma natives have a new game that will allow you to unleash your inner role-player.]]> <![CDATA[Board ‘Brawl’]]> Norman-based VicTim Games has released its first board game, ‘ScrumBrawl.’ Two Oklahoma natives have a new game that will allow you to unleash your inner role-player.]]> <![CDATA[Nice glass]]> The “Cutting Edge” glass exhibition features “Personal One,” a piece created by Alabama native Donna Branch. Daily, ongoing]]> <![CDATA[‘Line in the sand’]]> Riddled by conflict and animosity, the Oklahoma City Council rejected a deferral process proposed by a targeted councilman. A measure by two Oklahoma City Council members creating a standard for deferring council agenda items was narrowly shot down at the Aug. 2 meeting.]]> <![CDATA[The debt deal]]> Oklahoma’s freshman congressman says the ‘war on debt’ is just getting started. The debt-ceiling fight that consumed politics and media for weeks came to a conclusion on Aug. 3 with President Barack Obama signing a hard-fought deal that would raise the nation’s credit limit and avoid default. ]]> <![CDATA[Loco over local]]> The results are in! Summer in the 405 means three things: excessive heat, excessive heat and the long-awaited results for Oklahoma Gazette’s Best of OKC poll! ]]> <![CDATA[Film schooled]]> A new book covers the story of the historic Film Row district being saved from slipping into obscurity. Oklahoma City: Film Row
1 p.m. Saturday
Joey’s Pizzeria
700 W. Sheridan]]> <![CDATA[Color of blight]]> With heavy riffs, self-medication and talks of sacrifice, you’re forgiven for thinking Rainbows Are Free originates from the swaggering ’70s. Rainbows Are Free with Woebegone and Spank
9 p.m. Saturday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$9]]> <![CDATA[Vending machines]]> What’s your poison: rock, funk, metal? Oklahoma City’s The Venditos offer ’em all. The Venditos with The Chloes and Em and the MotherBitches
8 p.m. Friday
VZD’s Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com
524-4203
$5]]> <![CDATA[Joe cool]]> Coffee shops fight back against brutal summer heat waves by offering something a bit cooler to satisfy those jonesing for a perfect brew. After weeks suffering under the blistering summer sun, the thought of a piping-hot cup of coffee might not pique interest as it would in winter. That doesn’t mean coffee shops are closing their doors and waiting out the heat wave, but rather shifting their focus. ]]> <![CDATA[Glorious garlic]]> The pungent root vegetable is for more than keeping vampires at bay. Garlic, how I love thee.

Let me count the ways. Cut and rubbed on crusty, rustic bread.

]]> <![CDATA[Bam!]]> Maria Bamford brings her self-deprecating humor to City Arts Center. Maria Bamford with Jackie Kashian, James Draper and Zach Smith
7 p.m. Friday City Arts Center
3000 General Pershing
cityartscenter.org
951-0000
$22 Advance, $25 Door ]]> <![CDATA[Rise of the Planet of the Apes]]> Chimps ahoy! Say what you will about Tim Burton’s widely despised 2001 remake of “Planet of the Apes,” but if it hadn't made serious bank, this prequel would not exist.]]> <![CDATA[Water work]]> As 2012 approaches, the Oklahoma River fills with Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls preparing to make a splash in London. For more than 40 world-class athletes, the road to the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics Games in London runs directly through downtown Oklahoma City. There, the National High Performance Center has made the Oklahoma River a prime spot for athletes to prepare to take on the world.]]> <![CDATA[Tube food]]> Televisions are seemingly inescapable in metro restaurants. But not everyone is on board with the dinner-and-‘Dateline’ mode of eating. Dining out? Look around. You’ll probably find a television somewhere in your line of sight. That is, if you haven’t already ditched the dinner conversation to succumb to its shiny, colorful TV-ness.]]> <![CDATA[Womb to grow]]> Wayne Coyne’s wildly experimental art space, Womb, is now open to the public, with no messy afterbirth. People had been trying to enter Womb everyday, curious as to what the psychedelic-painted exterior is housing inside. The mural of swirling color, abstract patterns, eyes and candied lips covering the entire structure certainly contrast with the glass, mortar and steel facades of the surrounding buildings on the evolving Automobile Alley. ]]> <![CDATA[Meditation on the mind]]> ‘Om’ your way to a happy place. When you hear the phrase “Go to your happy place,” do you think about McDonald’s? The bar during happy hour? A beach far, far away?]]> <![CDATA[Three for all]]> Three of Norman’s best, loudest bands help kick-start the school year with a whole mess of chaos that costs a whole lotta nothing. Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Broncho and Chrome Pony
6:30 p.m. Friday
East lawn, Oklahoma Memorial Union, University of Oklahoma, Norman
ou.edu/uosa/cac.html
free]]> <![CDATA[Let it ride]]> Is the horse racing industry winning big since the state wagered on racinos? An industry many considered nearly extinct has been rescued from the brink, and, as it turns out, one of the things that some speculated would lead to horse racing’s demise ended up saving it.]]> <![CDATA[Around the world]]> Plenty of chic towels on the racks at Sabi. Who didn’t get to take that fabulous foreign vacation this summer? I kept pushing for Montreal, but my best friend rudely insisted on getting married, gobbling up my vacation funds. (However, I did just return from a weekend visiting friends in New Jersey, which is almost like visiting another planet where you can’t pump your own gas.)]]> <![CDATA[‘Race’ is the prize]]> In creating an album based on the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey has created harmony out of history. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
9:30 p.m. Friday
The Deli
309 White, Norman
thedeli.us
321-7048
$10]]> <![CDATA[Game on]]> Off-season is over! Do you know where you’ll be drinking yet? The people begin arriving in Norman as soon as the sun begins to rise. They park their vehicles and set up their grills as the tailgating begins. Soon, the campus is full of fans, young and old. By the time the Oklahoma Sooners take the field, more than 90,000 people are on campus, ready to cheer their team on to victory.]]> <![CDATA[Dust a must]]> With Dustbowl Arts Market still in its infancy, spotlighting local music remains an integral part of its upbringing. Dustbowl Arts Market
Friday-Saturday
Campus Corner
211 W. Boyd, Norman
dustbowlartsmarket.com
Free]]> <![CDATA[‘In the shadows’]]> After receiving last-minute advice, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission denied giving an interpretation on municipal elections. A request by Oklahoma Gazette to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for an interpretation on rules and laws governing municipal elections was denied during the commission’s Aug. 19 meeting. ]]> <![CDATA[Elitism for dummies]]> Is Oklahoma’s higher education establishment elitist?]]> <![CDATA[Fiber art]]> “Fluvian” is one of the pieces on display in mixedmedia fiber artist Jean Ann Fausser’s exhibition.

Daily, ongoing

]]> <![CDATA[Final Stage?]]> Stage Center needs deep pockets and committed partners to ensure the building a viable future, according to a new renovation study. Stage Center may be regarded as a masterpiece of avant-garde modern architecture, but the building’s age, unusual configuration, dilapidated condition and the lack of a single well-financed tenant appear to have turned it into a Gordian knot for both the building’s owner and the local theater community.]]> <![CDATA[Down the ‘Rabbit Hole’]]> The Pollard presents a tragedy that avoids the maudlin.

Rabbit Hole
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 17
Pollard Theatre
120 W. Harrison, Guthrie
282-2800
$21.85

]]> <![CDATA[Auto eats]]> The dining options along Automobile Alley have revved their engines and taken off. Cruising through the streets of downtown Oklahoma City, you will find many enjoyable places to dine. No part of town, however, will capture your taste buds the way Automobile Alley will.]]> <![CDATA[Inhofe: Obama an ‘appeaser’]]> Sen. Jim Inhofe credits controversial interrogation tactics in the killing of bin Laden. U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., shared his thoughts on national security and foreign relations during a speech last week at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.]]> <![CDATA[Under there]]> Nikki Martin models P.J. Salvage at The Lingerie Store. I’ve always kind of gone cheapo for swimsuits. No idea why, since I wear the hell out of them each summer and I (ahem) need things kept in place.]]> <![CDATA[Soundcheck: 'This Machine']]> OCCJ adopts the message of Oklahoma's greatest folk singer to fight injustice. Woody Guthrie didn’t die in 1967.]]> <![CDATA[Growing fangs]]> Once lackadaisical about performing, The Copperheads now strike to sink venomous punk straight into audiences’ veins. The Copperheads with Turbo Fruits and The Boom Bang
8 P.M. Saturday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$7]]> <![CDATA[On a stick! ]]> Before the invention of kitchen utensils, people cooked food on a stick over an open fire. Stop in at any of these seven local restaurants to enjoy skewered food.
]]> <![CDATA[Going ape]]> The documentary ‘Project Nim’ recounts the strange case of Oklahoma’s most famous chimp. Project Nim
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$8]]> <![CDATA[Let’s start over]]> Please stop me if you have heard this one before: There is an allegation of abuse, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services sends in investigators, the child is placed in foster care, then after an uncertain amount of time, placed back into the same hellhole of abuse they were removed from. ]]> <![CDATA[Raw diet]]> In the Raw goes for big style in Bricktown. Luckily, it has a sushi menu to back it up. There’s a lot of stock put into image with sushi joint In the Raw. From the highly marketable and perfectly suited name, to the refined-but-fun interior and the elegantly simple sashimi, it’s an attractive, stylish place. ]]> <![CDATA[Midtown mayhem]]> Inspectors shuttered a new night food market just as it started. Witnesses say there were mistakes on both sides. Several government agencies and vendors are grilling each other over the closure of some mobile food vendors at an outdoor event in Midtown on Aug. 26.]]> <![CDATA[The 9/11 Connection]]> The Sooner State’s ties to the twin towers are tight, despite the distance. On Sept. 11, 2001, citizens across the country watched in horror as hijacked commercial jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field near Shanksville, Pa.]]> <![CDATA[A sound shade of Blue]]> One woman changed the Blue Bonnet’s pattern by adding a new item to the Norman bar’s offerings: live music. Bartlesville native Laura Birkett is the kind of lady who walks up to an aging, beer-only bar on the edge of Main Street and sees a promising oasis of Natural Light and sound. ]]> <![CDATA[Tea school]]> Forget the bag. Here’s what you need to know about drinking tea the way it’s meant. Not all teas are created equal. Take that stuff in the little paper satchel. (You know the stuff — it usually comes with a tag that rhymes with “mipton.”) Kristy Jennings, owner of T, an Urban Teahouse, 7518 N. May, said the category in the tea industry for it is “dust.” Tempting! ]]> <![CDATA[‘Education as a common good’]]> The good news: I smile every time I drive past the charter school near my house on the way to drop off my eldest child at our parochial school. The bad news: Not everyone in our state, or even our city, has the ability to choose either of those options. That is why I want to insist that our state and local governments move further and faster in expanding school choice. ]]> <![CDATA[‘Pan’ am]]> Cathy Rigby returns in ‘Peter Pan,’ a role she intends to keep as long as she can: ‘If I can, I should and I will,’ she says. ‘Nothing much more complicated than that.’ Peter Pan
7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, through Sept. 18
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
okcciviccenter.com
297-2264
$20-$60]]> <![CDATA[Cuban crisis]]> Home is where the art is, in Michael Eastman’s photographs of Havana’s crumbling interiors. Faded Elegance: Photographs of Havana
Thursday-Dec. 31
Oklahoma City Museum Of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
 236-3100
$10-$12]]> <![CDATA[Beet it]]> Beetyman’s recipe for his rhymes: being the underdog. The result: rising to the top of his class.

Beetyman with Dom Kennedy, Josh Sallee and more
9 p.m. Friday
Kamp’s Deli & Market
1310 N.W. 25th
819-6004
$17 advance, $20 door

]]> <![CDATA[Chamber-made]]> Brightmusic begins a note-perfect new season of chamber classics, starting with ‘Twilight of Romanticism.’ Brightmusic
7:30 p.m. Monday
Casady School
9500 N. Penn
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
127 N.W. Seventh
Brightmusic.org
$10, free for students]]> <![CDATA[Prost!]]> Direct from the beer gardens in Germany comes Oktoberfest, a marathon celebration that inspired a beloved beer style. There are parties, and then there are parties. When Prince Ludwig of Bavaria decided to throw an all-out beer bash following his wedding in 1810, he announced the rager would go on until the last man dropped. This inspired a festival so epic, it kicked off an annual 16-day tradition that survives to this day named Oktoberfest.]]> <![CDATA[Harvest beer]]> Dropping temps and seasonal ingredients inspire Okie brewers to craft custom beers for the fall. When fall arrives, it’s a different world calling for a different beer. ]]> <![CDATA[Superior sequel]]> Following distaste with the metro music scene, Student Film is ready for its reboot.

Student Film with Penny Hill and the Low Litas
10:30 p.m. Saturday
HiLo Club
1221 N.W. 50TH
843-1722
$5

]]> <![CDATA[Sprawled out]]> When bigger isn’t better: City officials consider sprawl’s burden on municipal functions. Urban sprawl is one of the biggest challenges facing Oklahoma City, Ward 2 City Councilman Ed Shadid said at a Sept. 6 community meeting held on the issue. ]]> <![CDATA[War games]]> You say you love combat simulation games? Well, put down the controller and pick up a fake rifle, soldier! In a gutted-out industrial building west of Stockyards City, a squad of men crouched in the shadows, their rifles trained on a stairwell. Soft footsteps approached; someone shouted “Contact!” and was answered with a swarm of gunfire. The first casualty stumbled backward and retreated, blood dripping from his nose.]]> <![CDATA[Application denied]]> The OKC Planning Commission told AT&T that cellphone towers and neighborhoods do not mix. Three requests to place cellphone towers near residential areas were rejected by the Oklahoma City Planning Commission at its Sept. 8 meeting, and the requests inspired commissioners to ask city staff to look into the possibility of putting a moratorium on new towers in the city. ]]> <![CDATA[Raising the barre]]> A new workout trend offers locals a graceful alternative. As the Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, “It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.” ]]> <![CDATA[Lyrical leprosy]]> The pop-punkers of The Cute Lepers would like to ship FM mainstays and Billboard hits to a colony of mediocrity. The Cute Lepers with Something Fierce, The Easy Lovers and Black Magic Animals
8 p.m. Friday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$8 ]]> <![CDATA[Feeling the heat]]> No one can say with absolute certainty that climate change was a factor in this summer’s record-breaking heat, but it would be foolish at this point to not at least consider its impact.]]> <![CDATA[Float on]]> In fall and winter, rivers become the coolest places to be. Bill Scruggs has set up adventurers with kayaks and canoes on Arkansas’ Buffalo River for 20 years, “every day but Christmas.” ]]> <![CDATA[Cool shoes]]> New fall shoes at Pink Sugar. I bought an amazing pair of Oxford flats in a supersoft, dove-gray Italian leather while in Florence, and have been waiting for the right weather to don them. ]]> <![CDATA[Skinnier cocktails]]> Bars around the metro are starting to offer skinnier versions of sugary favorites, but some cocktails have always been skinny. You know “skinny” is a popular trend when Cheesecake Factory adds menu items under that category. The chain best known for massive portions and the signature dessert in its name added low(er) calorie cocktails at the beginning of 2011, most notably a skinny Mojito and a margarita, classic drinks with a week’s supply of sugar in the recipe. ]]> <![CDATA[Where the bison roam]]> Four seasons at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve: a photo essay The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve north of Pawhuska is the largest native tallgrass prairie protected on the planet. Prior to settlement, the prairie was one of North America’s biggest ecosystems, spanning 142 million acres and 14 states from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.]]> <![CDATA[The Trip]]> Take ‘The Trip,’ a culinary comedy where humor as dry as a Chardonnay is on the menu.

The Trip
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$8

]]> <![CDATA[Right-hand man]]> The state Department of Education gets a new chief of staff, but is he conservative enough? The state Department of Education is seeing change in its upper-echelons, as Superintendent Janet Barresi’s new chief of staff comes on board.]]> <![CDATA[Heart of the city]]> City chefs prove that eating healthy also can taste delicious. Mercy Health System teamed up with American Heart Association on Nov. 2 for an event about preventative care with “Iron Chef” flair. As part of the national Start Eating Healthy Day, the two groups hosted and organized a healthy cooking competition in hopes of sparking interest in living better, healthier and longer.Mercy Health System teamed up with American Heart Association on Nov. 2 for an event about preventative care with “Iron Chef” flair. As part of the national Start Eating Healthy Day, the two groups hosted and organized a healthy cooking competition in hopes of sparking interest in living better, healthier and longer.]]> <![CDATA[Don’t be a Scrooge]]> Lyric’s ‘Carol’ warms even the iciest of hearts. A Christmas Carol
7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, through Dec. 31
Lyric at the Plaza
1725 N.W. 16th
lyrictheatreokc.com
524-9312
$40]]> <![CDATA[In the straw]]> A nonscientific poll shows state Republicans favor Ron Paul for president. With Oklahoma’s presidential primary three months away, GOP voters in the state are sizing up their candidates and picking favorites.]]> <![CDATA[I don't want my MTV]]> This time of year, music geeks across the nation are abuzz over one thing and one thing only: year-end lists.]]> <![CDATA[Villainy]]> Sonic tough dudes Bona Fide Villains want to creep out their fellow Okies. Bwah-ha-ha!

Bona Fide Villains with Them Hounds and Dirty Evil People
10 p.m. Saturday
Blue Note Lounge
2408 N. Robinson
thebluenotelounge.com
600-1166

]]> <![CDATA[And we all shine on]]> It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere in the metro. Judging from increased nighttime traffic around neighborhoods and area businesses, it’s safe to assume Oklahoma City residents love looking at Christmas lights. We admit it: We’re gawkers, too. ]]> <![CDATA[Fair play]]> We ate our way through the Oklahoma State Fair. So you don’t have to. (But we know you will.) We passed through the gates of the Oklahoma State Fair with empty stomachs and one goal: Eat. Eat it all. Fried. On a stick. Covered in bacon. Fried a second time. ]]> <![CDATA[Giants’ success]]> Alt-rock vets They Might Be Giants ensure endurance by borrowing a page from Big Tobacco: Hook ’em while they’re young. They Might Be Giants with Jonathan Coulton
7 p.m. Sunday
Cain’s Ballroom
423 N. Main, Tulsa
cainsballroom.com
918-584-2306
$23 advance, $26 door]]> <![CDATA[Back to the future]]> An Art Deco train depot will serve as ‘Grand Central Station’ for the metro’s awaited intermodal transit system. The Oklahoma City Council voted at its Sept. 13 meeting to accept a plan that places the future intermodal transportation hub at the Santa Fe Depot, 100 S. E.K. Gaylord Blvd. ]]> <![CDATA[Fair play]]> We ate our way through the Oklahoma State Fair. So you don’t have to. (But we know you will.) We passed through the gates of the Oklahoma State Fair with empty stomachs and one goal: Eat. Eat it all. Fried. On a stick. Covered in bacon. Fried a second time. ]]> <![CDATA[Under the sea]]> I promise not to write in all ‘The Little Mermaid’ quotes. Take it from me. I know a few people who refuse to eat anything that “swims.” I say, they’re missing out. We may be landlocked, but it’s not all fried catfish showing up on the plate. Head to local fishmongers (what a great title, right?) and restaurants for all the goodies hanging out — and yes, swimming — under those waves. ]]> <![CDATA[Peep show]]> Stories of the male member get top billing in a collection of vignettes at The Boom. Beneath the Zipper
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
The Boom
2218 N.W. 39th
tarsplace.com
286-9298
$10]]> <![CDATA[Skate, create, repeat]]> Sunday
]]> <![CDATA[Deus Ex: Human Revolution]]>
]]> <![CDATA[Down-home downtown]]> Home cooking goes chic at Sage in Deep Deuce. For metro residents looking for the homey nature of the suburbs with the excitement of city life, there are few districts more suitable than the Deep Deuce neighborhood, which has been in the midst of a renaissance.]]> <![CDATA[Gaylord family selling The Oklahoman, OPUBCO]]> The Oklahoman newspaper and OPUBCO is to be sold in early October, after more than a century of ownership by the Gaylord family, the paper announced Thursday.
]]> <![CDATA[Soundcheck: Modern Rock Diaries - Great Western Civilization]]> Budding local indie band aims high with their debut EP. A lot of local bands could learn a lesson or two from songwriter Brantley Cowan and his new band, Modern Rock Diaries. There hasn’t been an album bigger and more ambitious than “Great Western Civilization” in a long while. It’s the sound of an act aiming for regional and national success, not just hoping for it.]]> <![CDATA[SOLD!]]> The changing face of The Oklahoman A simple headline appeared the morning of Sept. 15 on the NewsOK website. The four words confirmed what some in the journalism world had been whispering about since June: “OPUBCO to be sold.” ]]> <![CDATA[The skin skinny]]> Jack Black products at Essentials. I’ve had some big, stressful things going on lately. (I won’t bore you with the details, but it did lead me to demolish a pint of Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream.) ]]> <![CDATA[‘Special’ performance]]> Could it be ... Satan? No, it’s Dana Carvey.

Dana Carvey
9 p.m. Friday
Winstar World Casino, Thackerville
1-800-622-6317
$35-$55

]]> <![CDATA[Down with downward dog]]> Don’t understand the difference between hatha and vinyasa? Here’s your yoga primer. According to the American Yoga Association, the classical yoga most often practiced today, ashtanga yoga, was developed sometime between the first or second century B.C. to as late as the fifth century A.D. Yoga centers on breathing and movements meant to bring peace of mind and flow. ]]> <![CDATA[To scale]]> OVAC challenges artists to put big ideas into small spaces with its annual ‘12x12’ exhibition. 12x12
7 p.m. Saturday
50 Penn Place 1900 Northwest Expressway
12x12okc.org
879-2400
$30 advance, $35 door ]]> <![CDATA[There will be blood]]> OU’s University Theatre sinks its teeth into ‘Dracula.’ Mwah-ha-ha. Dracula
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Rupel J. Jones Theatre
563 Elm, Norman
325-4101
$14-$22 ]]> <![CDATA[Holy Warr]]> Don’t let the Christian-rock label fool you: Warr Acres’ message is a musical call to arms. A new Oklahoma band is breaking norms by making music that sounds like what would happen if Maroon 5 combined their musical efforts with Rihanna and Jesus. ]]> <![CDATA[Groovin’]]> Hosting an event like Groovefest and need musical entertainment? Just call Caravact! The group will play for hours. Groovefest
Noon- 9 p.m. Sunday
Andrews Park
201 W. Daws, Norman
groovefest.org
Free]]> <![CDATA[Great ’grass]]> Sibling rivalry isn’t an issue for The Quebe Sisters Band headed to the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival. Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival featuring The Quebe Sisters
Thursday-Saturday
Cottonwood Flats
Noble Avenue, Guthrie
oibf.com
282-4446
Day pass $30-$40, three-day pass $80]]> <![CDATA[Manhattan cocktail]]> With the local screenings of the Manhattan Short Film Festival, the power is with the people. Choose wisely.

Manhattan Short Film Festival
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$8

]]> <![CDATA[Wylde thing]]> Zakk Wylde makes everything heavy, from metal to hot sauce to beef jerky. But mostly metal, via Black Label Society. Black Label Society with Texas Hippie Coalition and Anti-Mortem
7 p.m. Friday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net
677-9169
$27.50 advance, $29 door
]]> <![CDATA[Lockout lookout]]> How the NBA’s work stoppage could affect OKC’s baseline. As the NBA and the National Basketball Player’s Association continue to negotiate a deal that would allow teams to play ball, concern is growing that the regular season may be affected by labor stoppage. ]]> <![CDATA[Math test]]> After Oklahoma weather failed them, the men of Mutemath make a calculated move to bring their ‘Odd Soul’ to town. Go forth and multiply.

Mutemath
8 p.m. Friday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805

]]> <![CDATA[Gourmet grinds]]> Forget that stuff in the foam cup. Opt for gourmet coffee instead. When most people think about drinking coffee, a hot cup straight out of the pot comes to mind. It’s a pick-me-up to get the day started right, but it is an acquired taste. For people who generally dislike the taste, there is an alternative in the form of gourmet coffee. ]]> <![CDATA[Downtown digs]]> More people want to live downtown, but they want to rent, not buy. A study commissioned by the city and several downtown and development groups shows that residents have a strong interest in housing downtown.]]> <![CDATA[Senate showdown]]> Republican Greg Childers and Democrat Kenneth Meador contend for the Senate District 43 seat. Voters in Senate District 43 will cast their ballots Tuesday and send a new state senator to the Legislature.]]> <![CDATA[Centennial highs]]> The 100-year-old Skirvin keeps getting better with age. The anniversary party starts Oct. 16. The Skirvin Hilton, the stately hotel situated in downtown OKC, is celebrating a century.]]> <![CDATA[Stoney LaRue — Velvet]]>

You know you’re listening to a Red Dirt — not a country, or worse, pop-country — album, when a song called “Dresses” hits you in the gut with the lyric “You recklessly abandon me / That’s just the way you are.”

]]> <![CDATA[Newbies]]> You have to be buzzed in at Verdigris (1001 N.W. 10th; 602-8986), which makes me feel very posh. (Although, I think it has more to do with the up-and-coming location than keeping out the proletariat.) ]]> <![CDATA[Restless]]> Love means never having to say you’re sorry to the audience, judging from the doomed drama ‘Restless.’ Once in a blue moon, a film comes along so aptly titled. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I give you Exhibit A: “Restless.” ]]> <![CDATA[Charter connection]]> OKCPS entered a memorandum of understanding with a nonprofit to make the downtown elementary a charter school. In a move Oklahoma City Public Schools officials and downtown business leaders hope changes the landscape of public education in the city, the school district entered into a memorandum of understanding with a nonprofit group to make the planned MAPS For Kids downtown elementary a charter school. ]]> <![CDATA[Not everybody’s ready for some football.]]> I don’t like football. I don’t care who won last year’s Heisman Trophy. I don’t care what hilariously named bowl game your team is attending. (Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, really?) And I feel really alone in that sentiment. ]]> <![CDATA[Trimmed TIF]]> Cost overruns and funding shortfalls have city planners looking for ways to save money on Project 180. A major downtown streetscape project is being reduced in scope because of revenue shortfalls in the funding plan and cost overruns, city officials said, dropping E.K. Gaylord Boulevard off the project list.]]> <![CDATA[Mobilizing the majority]]> A protest movement geared toward 99 percent of Americans gets started in OKC. “Who’s the leader of this mob?” said one man, dressed in a button-up shirt and slacks. ]]> <![CDATA[Tympanic TNT]]> Boom go the dynamite sounds of Explosions in the Sky, the beloved band instrumental to keeping the world interested in moving music without lyrics.

Explosions In The Sky with Wye Oak
7 p.m. Thursday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net
677-9169
$19 advance, $24 door

]]> <![CDATA[Chew on this]]> No need to be culinarily impaired in college when local chefs can pitch in with timely suggestions. Back on campus and fending for yourself? Like most everyone else, a college student is on the lookout for cheap, fast, but above all, appetizing cuisine. Face it, meals eaten out tend to get pretty expensive unless you are employed by a restaurant and are allowed to sample a bit. ]]> <![CDATA[Swift justice]]> In which an Oklahoma Gazette writer wonders why one of the planet’s biggest pop stars spurned his interview advances ... Taylor Swift
7 p.m. Saturday
Chesapeake Energy Arena
100 W. Reno
chesapeakearena.com
602-8700
$25-$69.50]]> <![CDATA[Doing a 180]]> The Myriad Botanical Gardens project takes a major step in redefining downtown OKC. On Oct. 15, organizers are hoping to take a major step in redefining downtown Oklahoma City. ]]> <![CDATA[Under-21 action]]> Not every college kid is 21 or older. Here’s what to do when drinking (legally) isn’t an option. Going out on weekends is a rare union of public humiliation and pride for me, the perpetually underage, now-20-year-old student. Being a mature adult is a big deal in college, and Campus Corner is full of them, every Thursday through Sunday.]]> <![CDATA[Soundcheck: Classic Series Concert Previews]]>

Ticketholders to Saturday’s performance of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic are urged to get there early — not to compete for seats, but to hear the story behind the strings.

]]> <![CDATA[Attitude adjustment]]> College students are buying, selling and giving away the prescription College students are buying, selling and giving away the prescription drug Adderall. Do they understand the ramifications of abuse?

Editor’s note: Oklahoma Gazette interviewed eight local students about Adderall abuse. All feared arrest and requested anonymity, so names have been changed.

]]> <![CDATA[Go, Gringo, go!]]> Gringo Star keeps the indie-pop faith with its new identity. Gringo Star with the Wurly Birds and Dad
9 p.m. Tuesday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8]]> <![CDATA[The Mill and the Cross]]> A centuries-old painting comes to life in the slow-going, but visually sumptuous ‘The Mill and the Cross.’ The Mill And The Cross
5:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$8]]> <![CDATA[‘Mind’ mapped]]> KSBI has launched a trivia show for colleges. Two groups of students wearing matching shirts emblazoned with their college logos awkwardly met in the lobby of the KSBI-TV studio. Words were hard to come by for the students, because they knew in the next hour, those in the different-colored shirts would be their enemies. ]]> <![CDATA[Get in ze choppah!]]> “The Terminator” and other nonfeminine films will provide inspiration for artists in the Upcycled Macho Movie Art Walk.

Saturday-Sunday

]]> <![CDATA[Settlement pending]]> Maps, millions and management comprise terms of Chesapeake’s legal settlement. Chesapeake Energy has agreed to settle a lawsuit by shareholders over CEO Aubrey McClendon’s 2008 compensation package, which despite a huge drop in share prices that year, topped $112 million. ]]> <![CDATA[Occupational goals]]> Occupy OKC demands change for the greater good. The 21-year Army veteran at first was unsure whether he wanted his name included in this story.]]> <![CDATA[Tower of cower]]> Of the Tower, the metro’s most adventurous post-punk act, builds a show aimed to blow minds and alienate the weak at heart. Of The Tower with Kill The Reflection and The Secret Post
8 p.m. Saturday
VZD’S Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com
524-4203
$5
 ]]> <![CDATA[About that drought …]]> Recent rains are just a drop in the bucket. The recent rains are appreciated, but it’s just a drop in a very big bucket. About 80 percent of the state, including Central Oklahoma, continues to be in a persistent, expansive, “extreme” drought.]]> <![CDATA[Boy bands + Jesus = weird]]> Are you looking for a revival? You may not find it at this ‘Altar.’ Altar Boyz
7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 2 p.m. Saturday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Oct. 29
Lyric at the Plaza
1725 N.W. 16th
lyrictheatreokc.com
524-9312
$40]]> <![CDATA[Shimmy show]]> A nationally renowned dance troupe utilizes local belly dancers for more intimate performances. Club Bellydance
7:30 p.m. Friday
Edmond Community Center
28 E. Main, Edmond
$20-$25]]> <![CDATA[Rector’s set]]> Building a music career wasn’t easy, but for Tulsa native Ben Rector, all it took were untold thousands of fans. Ben Rector with Andrew Belle
7 p.m. Sunday, Sooner Theatre
101 E. Main, Norman
soonertheatre.com
321-9600
$10 advance, $13 door
]]> <![CDATA[Chromeo must vie]]> Joke band or no, the electrofunk duo Chromeo does what it can to get audiences a-dancin’. Chromeo with Breakbot and Mayer Hawthorne
7 p.m. Friday
Cain's Ballroom
423 N. Main, Tulsa
cainsballroom.com
918-584-2306
$27]]> <![CDATA[‘Act of violence’]]> Metro organizations coalesce in opposition to the death penalty. The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty gathered Oct. 11 to raise awareness of what the group calls “the injustice of the death penalty.” ]]> <![CDATA[Mitt money]]> The Republican presidential front-runner visits OKC on Friday for two fundraising events. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is making a fundraising stop in Central Oklahoma to raise money for his campaign, as well as for the state GOP. ]]> <![CDATA[Stuart no-so-little]]> With the grand opening of its Stuart Wing, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art will have visitors seeing double. The Opening Of The Stuart Wing
Thursday-Sunday
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art
555 Elm, Norman
ou.edu/fjjma
325-3272]]> <![CDATA[From tusk till brawn]]> Weird and winning, ‘Walrus’ makes sport of an arm-wrestling champion whose life gets turned topsy-turvy. Walrus
8 p.m. Saturday
City Arts Center
3000 General Pershing
cityartscenter.org
951-0000
$5]]> <![CDATA[Water hogs]]> Who are the city’s biggest water users? This year has been a hard one for Oklahoma City’s water supply. ]]> <![CDATA[Riot’s race]]> By giving strings a permanent place in its lineup, Ra Ra Riot’s reach for the top is well within its grasp. Ra Ra Riot with Delicate Steve and Yellow Ostrich
7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2
ACM@UCO Performance Lab
323 E. Sheridan
acm-uco.com
974-4700
$15 advance, $17 door
]]> <![CDATA[Ben there, sung that]]> Both timeless and dated, Ben Folds marries his piano-man ballads and improv antics with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Ben Folds with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic
8 p.m. Thursday
Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
okcciviccenter.com
297-2264
$35-$70]]> <![CDATA[Rally in the Hills]]> Don’t call it a protest, but residents stood their ground at Nichols Hills Drug. Every lunch counter seat was taken as people ranging from the very young to very old shared stories and drank the sodas served by the clerks behind the counter. Cooks flipped the burgers on the grill, sending the smell of seasoning and cooking meat throughout the Oklahoma City store. ]]> <![CDATA[Dope heads]]> From a shared love of a half-naked man in a bunny mask, two local music fans give birth to Okie Dope Records. Nobunny with The Boom Bang And The Copperheads
8 p.m. Friday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$10]]> <![CDATA[Blood alcohol]]> Mixing spine-tingling creations for your Halloween party is easy if you look beyond the liquor store for some seasonal novelties. Candy makers are stepping up their game for Halloween with all sorts of creepy confections, from chocolate eyeballs to blood-bag lollipops, so amateur and professional bartenders need to rise to the challenge. ]]> <![CDATA[Rice steps aside]]> As state Sen. Andrew Rice resigns, Rep. Al McAffrey launches his Senate campaign. First elected in 2006, state Sen. Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City (pictured), said he is resigning in January 2012 to support his wife. Dr. Apple Newman Rice, who practices medicine, had a career opportunity arise with a private health group in Nashville, Tenn., the legislator said. ]]> <![CDATA[Point: State must step up]]> “It looks like a Bulgarian veterans hospital.”]]> <![CDATA[Vice control]]> OKC police hope to deter participation in the ‘world’s oldest profession.’ The Oklahoma City Council revised city code, allowing the Oklahoma City Police Department to impound vehicles used to facilitate prostitution. ]]> <![CDATA[Mitt happens]]> Mitt Romney’s two OKC fundraising appearances brought cheers and jeers. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney visited Oklahoma City Oct. 21 to hold a fundraiser for his bid for the presidency and headline a fundraiser for the state GOP. ]]> <![CDATA[Bovine in the breeze]]> Good food and fun in an informal restaurant on OU’s south research campus. First, let’s get one thing straight: Cows do not fly. They don’t normally anyway, unless there’s an aircraft, high explosives or wind-assist from Mother Nature. The Flying Cow Cafe serves the impressive National Weather Center complex on the University of Oklahoma campus immediately southeast of the Lloyd Noble Center. It’s named for a memorable scene in the 1996 movie “Twister.” ]]> <![CDATA[‘Musi-kill’ production]]> This weekend only, OCU presents a pruned-down version of the cult musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ Little Shop Of Horrors
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City University Opera and Music Theater Company
Burg Theater
2501 N. Blackwelder
okcu.edu/tickets
208-5227
$10]]> <![CDATA[Party listings]]>
]]> <![CDATA[Blood alcohol]]> Mixing spine-tingling creations for your Halloween party is easy if you look beyond the liquor store for some seasonal novelties. Candy makers are stepping up their game for Halloween with all sorts of creepy confections, from chocolate eyeballs to blood-bag lollipops, so amateur and professional bartenders need to rise to the challenge. ]]> <![CDATA[Let’s be Frank]]> Give yourself over to absolute pleasure as ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ returns for Halloween. One can feel the antici ... pation. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
10 p.m. Monday
Sooner Theatre
101 E. Main, Norman
soonertheatre.org
$10]]> <![CDATA[The Human Centipede II]]> ‘The Human Centipede II’ madman’s got legs, and he knows how to use them. You’ve been warned. Anyone who can recall our review last year of “The Human Centipede (First Sequence)” may remember an observation that the film’s events weren’t as graphic as everyone expected — that they could’ve been much worse. ]]> <![CDATA[Counterpoint: The private sector’s responsibility]]> The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum will be a welcome addition to our state’s cultural landscape. It will stand as a testament to the central importance of American Indian heritage in Oklahoma’s unique history. It will speak to who we have been and what our future holds. ]]> <![CDATA[Counterpoint: The private sector’s responsibility]]> The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum will be a welcome addition to our state’s cultural landscape. It will stand as a testament to the central importance of American Indian heritage in Oklahoma’s unique history. It will speak to who we have been and what our future holds. ]]> <![CDATA[Girlie action]]> The cat’s meow. The bee’s knees. The chick’s peep. Yep, The Girlie Show is back in town. The Girlie Show
7-11 p.m. Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday
Farmers Public Market
311 S. Klein
thegirlieshow.net
$15 advance, $20 door (Friday), $5 (Saturday)]]> <![CDATA[Rise of the machines]]> While America marvels over ’bots that box, Captured! By Robots proves they can rock your face off, too. Captured! By Robots with Colin Nance
9 p.m. Thursday
opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8 advance, $10 door]]> <![CDATA[Still fancy]]> OKC Beautiful turns 40. The organization is working to landscape parts of Classen Boulevard as a part of its efforts to celebrate four decades as a nonprofit organization. OKC Beautiful landscaped the median in front of its office on Classen Boulevard and 35th Street, and now has moved south to the median at Classen Boulevard and 36th Street.]]> <![CDATA[‘Wham,’ bam!]]> A Baltimore-based touring troupe parades through Oklahoma City with quirky humor. Wham City Comedy Tour
9 p.m. Tuesday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
$8 advance, $10 door]]> <![CDATA[From closet to community]]> How OKC’s gay and lesbian community emerged.

Editor’s note: It’s been 30 years since the first AIDS case was reported in the United States. This is the first of a two-part history of the disease’s devastation in Oklahoma City, and the story of how a community emerged to fight back and save itself. Much of the reporting is based on Aaron L. Bachhofer’s 2006 dissertation, “The Emergence and Evolution of the Gay and Bisexual Male Subculture in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1889- 2005,” and interviews conducted this summer.

]]> <![CDATA[Dickensian delight]]> It’s no mystery: The incredible cast manages to overcome most of ‘Drood’’s flaws. Drood: The Mystery Of Edwin Drood
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
The Pollard Theatre
120 W. Harrison, Guthrie
thepollard.org
282-2800
$15-$25]]> <![CDATA[Take Shelter]]> Your forecast for ‘Take Shelter’: sustained tension with a 100 percent chance of palpable unease. Armpit precipitation possible. Rain the color and viscosity of fluids found in barrels at Jiffy Lube falls from the sky in the opening moments of “Take Shelter,” serving as a dark harbinger of things to come. Right out of the gate, this act of weird weather alerts the audience that something bad is going to happen, and the calm before the storm will be anything but serene. ]]> <![CDATA[Banish the bully]]> A free workshop aims to teach school staff how to prevent and address bullying. Cimarron Alliance of Oklahoma offers an intensive workshop Friday to prevent school bullying. “Stop Hate in the Hallways” is designed for teachers, administrators and mental health professionals who work with students. ]]> <![CDATA[From closet to community: part two]]> How taking a stand carved out OKC’s gay district.

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series highlighting events in Oklahoma City around which a gay community rallied and coalesced. Much of the reporting is based on Aaron L. Bachhofer’s 2006 dissertation, “The Emergence and Evolution of the Gay and Bisexual Male Subculture in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1889- 2005” and recent interviews.

]]> <![CDATA[Take Shelter]]> Your forecast for ‘Take Shelter’: sustained tension with a 100 percent chance of palpable unease. Armpit precipitation possible. Rain the color and viscosity of fluids found in barrels at Jiffy Lube falls from the sky in the opening moments of “Take Shelter,” serving as a dark harbinger of things to come. Right out of the gate, this act of weird weather alerts the audience that something bad is going to happen, and the calm before the storm will be anything but serene. ]]> <![CDATA[Pixies stick]]> For a band that hasn’t released an album in two decades, the Pixies are mighty busy. Pixies with Imaginary Cities
7 p.m. Tuesday
Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center
425 E. California
ticketstorm.com
866-966-1777
$42.50]]> <![CDATA[Highbrow holiday]]> Try these handpicked wines and cheeses for your holiday happenings. Holidays are on the horizon, and a crowd-pleaser is always cheese. Pair that with the right wine, and your guests will dub you “master of the holiday hors d’oeuvre and all things persnickety.” ]]> <![CDATA[Pixies stick]]> For a band that hasn’t released an album in two decades, the Pixies are mighty busy. Pixies with Imaginary Cities
7 p.m. Tuesday
Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center
425 E. California
ticketstorm.com
866-966-1777
$42.50]]> <![CDATA[From closet to community: part two]]> How taking a stand carved out OKC’s gay district.

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series highlighting events in Oklahoma City around which a gay community rallied and coalesced. Much of the reporting is based on Aaron L. Bachhofer’s 2006 dissertation, “The Emergence and Evolution of the Gay and Bisexual Male Subculture in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1889- 2005” and recent interviews.

]]> <![CDATA[Brews for the bird]]> Hometown hops abound for every part of your Thanksgiving festivities. All my extended family lives out of state, so we usually meet at my grandparents’ house in Missouri for the holidays. So close to Kansas City, Mo., Boulevard brews are aplenty, as are St. Louis’s Schlafly (they have a September- October-only pumpkin ale that literally tastes like you’re drinking a spiced pumpkin pie still glowing from the oven), but this year I’ll bring a handful of my favorite Okie beers to share with the cousins, aunts and uncles.]]> <![CDATA[Blacktop book]]> From pavement to page, America’s historic highway comes alive in the photographs collected in ‘Route 66 Sightings.’ Route 66 Sightings
3 p.m. Saturday
Full Circle Bookstore
1900 Northwest Expressway
fullcirclebooks.com
842-2900]]> <![CDATA[Pixies stick]]> For a band that hasn’t released an album in two decades, the Pixies are mighty busy. Pixies with Imaginary Cities
7 p.m. Tuesday
Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center
425 E. California
ticketstorm.com
866-966-1777
$42.50]]> <![CDATA[Great ‘Wall’]]> Metro musicians band together to re-create Pink Floyd’s classic concept album live. The Surrogate Band
9 p.m. Saturday
VZD's Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com
524-4203]]> <![CDATA[Senna / Tabloid]]> While the documentary ‘Senna’ reminds one of the fact that life is fragile, ‘Tabloid’ reinforces that fact remains stranger than fiction. Senna
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Tabloid
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[Brickwork]]> The annual Block Party builds better futures for children, one unique piece of clothing at a time. Block Party
8 p.m. Saturday
The Packard Building
201 N.W. 10th
blockpartyokc.com
601-9200
$75-$150]]> <![CDATA[Put a cork in it]]> Why did a legislative task force studying strong beer and wine sales dry up? Members of the joint task force on the sale of wine and beer in grocery stores voted to disband on Oct. 20 after only two meetings. Jeff Reasor, CEO of Reasor’s Foods and a member of the task force, said there were signs from the beginning that the group would not reach a consensus.]]> <![CDATA[Highbrow holiday]]> Try these handpicked wines and cheeses for your holiday happenings. Holidays are on the horizon, and a crowd-pleaser is always cheese. Pair that with the right wine, and your guests will dub you “master of the holiday hors d’oeuvre and all things persnickety.” ]]> <![CDATA[Settlement pending]]> Maps, millions and management comprise terms of Chesapeake’s legal settlement. Chesapeake Energy has agreed to settle a lawsuit by shareholders over CEO Aubrey McClendon’s 2008 compensation package, which despite a huge drop in share prices that year, topped $112 million. ]]> <![CDATA[Blair niche project]]> Pastor labels pending policy ‘an attack on religious liberty,’ urges action against LGBT ‘rights.’ A measure adding sexual orientation to Oklahoma City’s nondiscrimination policy for city employees is being criticized by one Edmond preacher as “an attack on religious liberty.”]]> <![CDATA[Smag 7: At-ease appetizers ]]> Friends stopping by for seasonal libations and pre-dinner delights? That’s easy enough! Stop in at any of the following local restaurants and pick up appetizers to wow your guests. Give the staff plenty of notice by calling ahead.]]> <![CDATA[Karma chameleon]]> He’s a singer! He’s a songwriter! He’s a builder! He’s a charitable giver! Whoever he is, Steve Moakler is on the bill for Graham Colton’s annual Thanksgiving benefit concert. Steve Moakler with Graham Colton and Ben Kilgore
7 p.m. Saturday
Kamp's 1310 Lounge
1310 N.W. 25th
819-6004
$12]]> <![CDATA[‘Business as usual’]]> The pending trial of current and former legislators is heightening awareness of political gamesmanship. The testimony presented at the preliminary hearing of state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, and former Oklahoma City Democratic Sen. Debbe Leftwich, provided more than enough evidence, according to a judge, to send the two to stand trial on bribery charges.]]> <![CDATA[Going the distance]]> Running your first marathon may be easier than you think.

Have you reached a certain age (or weight) and decided it’s time to hit the pavement in running shoes? Some take it a step further — and farther — and set a goal to participate in local charity runs and marathons. Five-km races, half marathons (13.1 miles) and full marathons (26.2 miles) become the yellow-brick road for new runners.

]]> <![CDATA[Group think]]> Metro merchants have mixed reactions to the Groupon phenomenon. The now-defunct Market C was one of Oklahoma City’s first food-service businesses to work with Groupon, the group-buying coupon service that boasts more than 50 million subscribers. ]]> <![CDATA[Counterpoint: Defending the disenfranchised]]> What began as a single protest in a park on Wall Street two months ago has grown to thousands of cities across the world, including several occupations in Oklahoma. ]]> <![CDATA[Point: What is the endgame?]]> We have heard praise regarding the improvement and development of downtown Oklahoma City. With cranes within view of almost every window downtown, and new roadblocks popping up daily, the morning commute is becoming a game of labyrinth with David Bowie laughing as we try to find our parking spot.
]]> <![CDATA[‘Business as usual’]]> The pending trial of current and former legislators is heightening awareness of political gamesmanship. The testimony presented at the preliminary hearing of state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, and former Oklahoma City Democratic Sen. Debbe Leftwich, provided more than enough evidence, according to a judge, to send the two to stand trial on bribery charges.]]> <![CDATA[Turkey Day takeout]]> Go ahead: Get that Thanksgiving dinner to go. It’ll be our little secret. Some women (and more and more men) love to show off their culinary skills at the holidays — guaranteeing bragging rights for the best damn Thanksgiving feast until next year’s sitdown. ]]> <![CDATA[Use your noggin’]]> Eggnog is a delicious start to the decadent holidays. Here are some new twists to the cool-weather classic. Nothing captures the rich decadence of the holiday season quite as perfectly as eggnog. Dense, satisfying and wickedly fattening, even bad eggnog is still darn good. This seasonal drink has reappeared on store shelves, coolers and on some menus of adventurous bars and coffee shops across the metro. ]]> <![CDATA[Fall into fitness]]> Staying fit among falling leaves outdoors can be done on foot, wheels or rocks. Since the sweltering summer heat has made its exit, so should indoor workouts. Outdoor exercise makes a great boredom-busting option to heat up any fitness routine.]]> <![CDATA[Group think]]> Metro merchants have mixed reactions to the Groupon phenomenon. The now-defunct Market C was one of Oklahoma City’s first food-service businesses to work with Groupon, the group-buying coupon service that boasts more than 50 million subscribers. ]]> <![CDATA[The wizard of gore]]> B-movie legend Herschell Gordon Lewis, the ‘Godfather of Gore,’ got his start in the Sooner State. In 1963, American moviegoers got a glimpse of something they had never seen before: a madman pulling out a screaming woman’s tongue, in bright-red detail.]]> <![CDATA[Go right meow]]> The second longest-running Broadway show ever, ‘Cats,’ prances onto the local stage. Cats
7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Lyric at the Plaza
1727 N.W. 16th
lyrictheatreokc.com
524-9310
$7-$10]]> <![CDATA[Life is an expressway]]> ODOT steps it up with near-completion of I-40 realignment and announces start of downtown boulevard construction. One of the engineers on the project said that within months the newly realigned Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway is expected to begin taking traffic. Construction work for downtown’s new boulevard will begin, although it may look quite different from early renderings. ]]> <![CDATA[On-fire farce]]> Jewel Box’s ‘Idiots’ serves up laughs by way of questionable entrepreneurial endeavors. Flaming Idiots
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 11
Jewel Box Theatre
3700 N. Walker
jewelboxtheatre.org
521-1786
$12-$17]]> <![CDATA[Magic Trip]]> LSD and the Merry Pranksters get the home-movie treatment in ‘Magic Trip.’ Magic Trip
7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[What the pho?]]> This Vietnamese dish of rice noodles and broth is healthy, delicious and comforting. Oklahoma City has a thriving Vietnamese community, and within the Asian District are several wonderful restaurants that specialize in the tantalizing soup known as pho (sounds like “fuh”).]]> <![CDATA[Signs of possession]]> How does metal act The Devil Wears Prada know when it succeeds? When it conjures a sound more confrontational while keeping the faith.

The Devil Wears Prada with Whitechapel, Enter Shikari and For Today
6:30 p.m. Saturday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Easter
diamondballroom.net
677-9169
$19 advance, $22 door

]]> <![CDATA[Zombie Vs. Shark — Wunderkind/Dogs & Guns]]> Norman’s Zombie vs. Shark embody a lot of the purest tenets of rock ’n’ roll, the foremost being the long-standing premise that loud, rude guitar music is one of the best, most fun ways of waggling a middle finger in the face of The Man.]]> <![CDATA[What the flux?]]> A local architect retrofits a DeLorean to the one made famous by the classic film ‘Back to the Future.’ Surrounded by a hoverboard, a workbench and tools, the garage of a Norman resident houses a time machine ready to take its owner “Back to the Future.”]]> <![CDATA[The Muppets]]> Jason Segel (“Bad Teacher”) may be the best and worst man for the job of bringing Jim Henson’s Muppets back to top-of-mind pop-culture status. ]]> <![CDATA[Thankful for change]]> I have many things for which I am thankful this Thanksgiving. Topping that list, as he has for the last 21 years, is my husband, Wayne. Also high on the list are our four-legged children, my parents, good health, great friends and a job I love.]]> <![CDATA[Cheese, please!]]> Pungent or mild, whatever you fancy, local cheese blocks are full of choices! Hundreds of delightful cheeses are popping up in markets and grocery stores, from assertive blues to washed-rind Taleggios or fresh, unripened ones like a queso fresco or queso blanco.]]> <![CDATA[Musical entity]]> As their band name suggests, Norman post-rockers Gentle Ghost play aggressive music that’s unsettling, yet far from menacing. Gentle Ghost with Chris Bathgate and Riley Jantzen & The Spirits
Saturday
The Deli
309 White, Norman
thedeli.us
321-7048]]> <![CDATA[Recs in effect]]> Legislative action is required to clarify and resolve discrepancies in the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act. The state Ethics Commission is considering requesting several major changes to the laws governing municipal elections.]]> <![CDATA[Cheese, please!]]> Pungent or mild, whatever you fancy, local cheese blocks are full of choices! Hundreds of delightful cheeses are popping up in markets and grocery stores, from assertive blues to washed-rind Taleggios or fresh, unripened ones like a queso fresco or queso blanco.]]> <![CDATA[Something’s brrr-rewing]]> Local brewers offer a spectrum of options with the release of beers for winter. Oklahoma City-based Mustang Brewing Company is releasing Session 33, a new line of beers created specifically for grocery stores and convenience stores. The first of two low-point beers will be available at the beginning of 2012, and company co-founder Tim Schoelen said a summer beer will follow. ]]> <![CDATA[Face forward]]> Let’s face it: First impressions do matter. Orc-like complexion: bad. Silky, smooth complexion: good.]]> <![CDATA[Fore!]]> Carpenter Square grants admirable acting to a lukewarm script for the farcifal ‘Fairway.’

The Fox On The Fairway
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Carpenter Square Theatre
800 W. Main
carpentersquare.com
232-6500
$15-$20

]]> <![CDATA[Fore!]]> Carpenter Square grants admirable acting to a lukewarm script for the farcifal ‘Fairway.’

The Fox On The Fairway
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Carpenter Square Theatre
800 W. Main
carpentersquare.com
232-6500
$15-$20

]]> <![CDATA[Fore!]]> Carpenter Square grants admirable acting to a lukewarm script for the farcifal ‘Fairway.’

The Fox On The Fairway
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Carpenter Square Theatre
800 W. Main
carpentersquare.com
232-6500
$15-$20

]]> <![CDATA[Recs in effect]]> Legislative action is required to clarify and resolve discrepancies in the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act. The state Ethics Commission is considering requesting several major changes to the laws governing municipal elections.]]> <![CDATA[Primarily speaking]]> Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain schedules a campaign stop for Monday in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma again will play host to a top-tier Republican vying for the party’s presidential nomination.

]]> <![CDATA[Belle of the bars]]> Dazzle your friends and family this season with your libation readiness. Well-chosen liquor instantly adds a glow to gatherings by inspiring conversation and uplifting spirits.]]> <![CDATA[Musical entity]]> As their band name suggests, Norman post-rockers Gentle Ghost play aggressive music that’s unsettling, yet far from menacing. Gentle Ghost with Chris Bathgate and Riley Jantzen & The Spirits
Saturday
The Deli
309 White, Norman
thedeli.us
321-7048]]> <![CDATA[Blackthorn]]> For a taste of Westerns the way they used to be, carve out a slice of time for ‘Blackthorn,’ starring Sam Shepard as a twilight-time Butch Cassidy. Blackthorn
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[Quaker state]]> What’s at fault with these Oklahoma earthquakes? Just after Austin Holland learned of the 4.8 magnitude earthquake in Lincoln County, he and other seismologists traveled to the epicenter to gather data from the aftershocks.]]> <![CDATA[State of shock]]> Author David A. Farris seeks out Oklahoma’s ‘Spooky Stories,’ all stranger than fiction. David A. Farris
2-3:30 p.m.
Sunday
Full Circle Bookstore
1900 Northwest Expressway
fullcirclebookstore.com
842-2900]]> <![CDATA[Jacket required]]> These Southern-rock giants make music that’s joyous, jubilant and juiced-up, but don’t call My Morning Jacket a jam band.

My Morning Jacket With Delta Spirit
6 p.m. Tuesday
Brady Theater
105 W. Brady, Tulsa
bradytheater.com
918-582-7239
$36.50-$41.50

]]> <![CDATA[Space heater for your heart]]> Forget starting a fire! These holiday treats will have you warmed up in no time. Some holiday sippers locate the nearest bottle of whiskey and mix up a makeshift hot-chocolate treat, but that isn’t what Christmas is about.]]> <![CDATA[Current event]]> It’s not enough for Norman’s scariest psychedelic/Goth shoegazers, Depth & Current, to just sound like your nightmares. They want to cause them, too. Depth & Current with Lizard Police and Paint Scratcher
9 p.m. Thursday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8 advance, $10 door]]> <![CDATA[Melancholia]]> Sadness has never looked so good than in Lars von Trier’s intriguing drama on depression with a sci-fi twist, ‘Melancholia.’

Melancholia
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8

]]> <![CDATA[Just dance]]> From stick figures to muffin tops, anybody can move to the beat toward a better bod. I’m sure you’ve been there: center stage.]]> <![CDATA[Off the grid]]> An Oklahoma City couple demonstrates a life of sustainability. Bruce Johnson and Barbara Hagen expected about 15 people to attend their presentation on living “off the grid.” Instead, more than 100 people packed into the room at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City’s Agricultural Resource Center.]]> <![CDATA[Thai times two]]> Cuisine from all regions of Thailand are brought together in a cozy corner cafe. Thai Thai Asian Bistro boasts a duo of chefs who have been preparing the food of their native Thailand together for a long time. Daughter Koi Strickland and her mother, Samer Charoenpibool, are the core culinary team at this new restaurant that’s already developed a large loyal following. ]]> <![CDATA[45 caliber]]> World War II and the attack on Pearl Harbor are captured vividly at the 45th Infantry Division Museum. This week marks the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the nation’s subsequent entry into World War II. But Dec. 7, 1941, and its aftermath of infamy don’t feel so distant at Oklahoma City’s 45th Infantry Division Museum.]]> <![CDATA[How bazaar]]> From sock monkeys to hoodies, you’ll find gifts galore at the fourth annual Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar. Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
State Fair Park
3000 General Pershing
deluxeokc.net
FREE]]> <![CDATA[Snow job]]> Although incredibly inconvenient, winter storms have a positive effect, as a playful photography exhibit shows. Snowmen Are People, Too: Norman’s Whimsical Transient Winter Population
7 p.m. Friday through Jan. 31, 2012
Sonder Music, Dance & Art
225 E. Gray, Norman
sondermusic.com
474-9734]]> <![CDATA[Fashionista 101]]> This local business owner and college freshman is majoring in a bright future. While most college students are worrying about making it to class and not waking up in a field after a long night of partying, one University of Oklahoma freshman has different things on her mind.]]> <![CDATA[State of shock]]> Author David A. Farris seeks out Oklahoma’s ‘Spooky Stories,’ all stranger than fiction. David A. Farris
2-3:30 p.m.
Sunday
Full Circle Bookstore
1900 Northwest Expressway
fullcirclebookstore.com
842-2900]]> <![CDATA[Park after dark]]> Recent incidents test the calm between Oklahoma City police and Occupy OKC. Unlike the arrests and pepper sprayings that have characterized the Occupy Wall Street movement elsewhere, the relationship between Oklahoma City police and local protesters has not been confrontational. ]]> <![CDATA[Nutrocker]]> It’s the most wonderful time of the year ... for epic, holiday-inspired, theatrical prog rock, courtesy of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
3 and 8 p.m. Saturday
Chesapeake Energy Arena
100 W. Reno
chesapeakearena.com
602-8700
$29-$57.50]]> <![CDATA[A cut above]]> Specialty meat purveyors supply selection and service not common at chain supermarkets. In supermarkets, where most people shop for groceries, it’s rare to find anything in the meat case but plastic-wrapped parts on foam trays shipped from hundreds of miles away.]]> <![CDATA[Like the Dickens]]> OCU joins with Oklahoma Children’s Theatre to gift a solid adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol.’ A Christmas Carol
11 a.m. Thursday-Friday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma Children's Theater and OCU Burg Theater, Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center
2501 N. Blackwelder
951-0011
$8-$12]]> <![CDATA[Don’t be a Scrooge]]> Lyric’s ‘Carol’ warms even the iciest of hearts. A Christmas Carol
7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, through Dec. 31
Lyric at the Plaza
1725 N.W. 16th
lyrictheatreokc.com
524-9312
$40]]> <![CDATA[From Ugg to oomph]]> Boots At Heirloom Shoes When it comes to shoes, I don’t mess around. You shouldn’t either. After all, you wear them every day, so never compromise quality or preference. ]]> <![CDATA[Vintage vantage]]> Restaurant-recommended wines at liquor-store prices for your dining pleasure at Paseo Grill. What if you could buy a bottle of wine at your favorite wine shop and take it to dinner with you? Depending on where you shop and eat, you could save up to 200 percent off the cost on a restaurant wine list. ]]> <![CDATA[The 99 percent]]> Local government officials can’t obscure the larger picture in their ongoing skirmishes with the Occupy OKC protesters.]]> <![CDATA[Heart of the city]]> City chefs prove that eating healthy also can taste delicious. Mercy Health System teamed up with American Heart Association on Nov. 2 for an event about preventative care with “Iron Chef” flair. As part of the national Start Eating Healthy Day, the two groups hosted and organized a healthy cooking competition in hopes of sparking interest in living better, healthier and longer.Mercy Health System teamed up with American Heart Association on Nov. 2 for an event about preventative care with “Iron Chef” flair. As part of the national Start Eating Healthy Day, the two groups hosted and organized a healthy cooking competition in hopes of sparking interest in living better, healthier and longer.]]> <![CDATA[Deep water]]> Regional disputes over water rights lead to state and federal lawsuits. The battle pitting the state and Oklahoma City against two American Indian tribes and a number of southeastern Oklahoma residents might soon take an unprecedented turn in state legal history. ]]> <![CDATA[Slice of life]]> Downtown Mustang’s chic teahouse and cafe is a lunchtime respite. A few decades back, quiche got a bad reputation for being too delicate. Chef LaDonna Andeel is a friendly lady who is quick to point out that, at LD’s Specialties & Gourmet Cafe, real men do eat quiche. ]]> <![CDATA[Bite Size: 12-21-11]]> News and notes on OKC dining.
]]> <![CDATA[Forecast: Thunder]]> With a bitter lockout now in the past, the Thunder is in position to contend for this season’s NBA title.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Orlando Magic
7 p.m. Sunday
Chesapeake Energy Arena
100 W. Reno
nba.com/thunder
602-8700
$157.05-$289.75

]]> <![CDATA[The Oklahoma book holiday gift guide]]> Here’s a novel idea: Give the pleasure of state-related reading this holiday season. As Full Circle Bookstore owner Jim Tolbert told me last year, “At Christmas, people come back to books. A book is a gift.”]]> <![CDATA[Toying around]]> Time again for the Opolis Toy Drive, so bring a new toy and hear a new show. That’s a win-win, loyal fans of local rock.

3rd Annual Opolis Toy Drive with Beau Jennings & The Tigers, Gentle Ghost and Brine Webb
9 p.m. Wednesday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$5 with toy, $7 without

]]> <![CDATA[Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of The Toynbee Tiles]]> An urban mystery is paved with mad intentions in the marvelous documentary ‘Resurrect Dead.’ Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of The Toynbee Tiles
7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[What OETA means]]> We were a little perplexed to see a letter to the editor from Carl Hall (“Elmo A-OK?” Dec. 7, Oklahoma Gazette) stating that no one from OETA had answered his wife’s email about the impact of state funding cuts. ]]> <![CDATA[Enterprising methods]]> Shopper and allegedly resourceful drug entrepreneur Alisha Halfmoon is being accused of trying to cook methamphetamine in the back of a Tulsa Walmart.]]> <![CDATA[Wolf gang!]]> The wolf pack is back! ]]> <![CDATA[Online sales, offline ails]]> The weather is turning chilly, the mall parking lots are full, and one might wonder, “Where is the recession?” As full as the parking lots may be, however, there are many choosing to stay in from the cold and, for convenience, shop from their computers. ]]> <![CDATA[Ono? Oh, yes!]]> The Flaming Lips’ annual New Year’s Freakout sparks with changes: a new venue, two nights and special guest Yoko Ono. The Flaming Lips with Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band and more
8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center
425 E. California
ticketstorm.com
866-966-1777
$100 per night, $150 both nights

]]> <![CDATA[NYE frippery]]> I’m just now Christmas shopping, so of course I’m scrambling for a New Year’s Eve dress, as well. ]]> <![CDATA[Getting schooled]]> The state gets an ‘E’ for effort, but no gold star in the Race to the Top competition for early childhood education funding. Oklahoma has been considered a leader in early childhood education, consistently topping national rankings for accessibility and accountability in that realm.]]> <![CDATA[Reel good]]> What do sex addicts, teen assassins and stunt drivers have in common? They sure impressed Oklahoma Gazette’s film critics this year.
]]> <![CDATA[Getting schooled]]> The state gets an ‘E’ for effort, but no gold star in the Race to the Top competition for early childhood education funding. Oklahoma has been considered a leader in early childhood education, consistently topping national rankings for accessibility and accountability in that realm.]]> <![CDATA[Be it resolved ...]]> Celebrated Oklahomans make their New Year’s resolutions … and share them with you! Aside from 2012 meaning the end of the world (a big shout-out to those kooky Mayans), the new year provides an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start anew. ]]> <![CDATA[In the ’zona]]> Headed west, sports fans? Tote this Arizona agenda along for your OU and OSU bowl season touring. Pokes and Sooners, riding together! Mass hysteria!]]> <![CDATA[Mock mixes, authentic fun]]> Ring in the new year hangover-free.

One New Year’s Eve, Patrick Allmond and a dozen celebrators rented a van to party-hop all over Oklahoma City.

]]> <![CDATA[Getting Randy]]> Happy holidays, Red Dirt fans: You can get a double dose of the Randy Rogers Band at two local, seasonal traditions. Saturday
New Year’s Eve Bash with Randy Rogers Band and Brison Bursey
Sunday
Hangover Ball with Randy Rogers Band, Cody Canada, Jason Boland, Kevin Welch and more
Wormy Dog Saloon
311 E. Sheridan
wormydog.com
601-6276
$50 Saturday, $30 Sunday]]> <![CDATA[Monkey business]]> Bestiality is serious business for Sen. Jim Inhofe and the Tulsa Metro Chamber.]]> <![CDATA[Historic help]]> Lawmakers this next legislative session are poised to scrutinize whether to retain a host of tax credits. Among the incentives that will be under the microscope is the tax credit for rehabilitating historic buildings.]]> <![CDATA[State of nations]]> For Oklahoma’s tribes, it has been a time of major challenge and change. From high-profile elections to high-profile lawsuits, 2011 was a busy year for Oklahoma’s American Indian tribes.]]> <![CDATA[The buffalo: mighty, majestic, proud.]]> And not bad on a plate, either. You might have heard about the health benefits of buffalo. High protein, low fat with lots of iron and that red meat taste we red-meat-eaters are so wild about. ]]> <![CDATA[How to date your dragon]]> Best-selling and award-winning OKC authors release parody nonfiction. Dating can be trying, at best. Maybe, just maybe, you’ve been dating the wrong kind of man — like, the living kind.]]> <![CDATA[Art pays]]> If it cost you a dollar and a nickel a year, would you fork it over to attend Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts? ]]> <![CDATA[Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy]]> Thrills are muted but chilling in the espionage tale of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’ For a guy named Smiley, the central character of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” doesn’t do a lot of smiling. ]]> <![CDATA[Wine, don’t whine]]> January will be an outstanding month for wine lovers in the state of Oklahoma. Just so you know, it’s never too late to add resolutions to your New Year’s list. Add this one: Drink more wine.]]> <![CDATA[Peer review]]> Local musicians dish on the music that got their toes tapping in 2011, both local and national.
]]> <![CDATA[Jackpot jukebox]]> Luck be a lady ... or a lad, providing live entertainment for the high rollers of our state casinos. Although Oklahoma is not quite Las Vegas — or even Reno, Nev. — where performers enjoy lucrative careers with million-dollar contracts, plenty of state casinos help musicians carve out a living.]]> <![CDATA[Save the stage]]> Admirers of OKC’s unique Stage Center say it’s worth keeping. Since the 2010 downtown flood forced the closing of Stage Center, Central Oklahoma architects have taken the lead in trying to save and restore the beleaguered structure.]]> <![CDATA[Powwow highway]]> Across Oklahoma, American Indian tribes will hold powwows throughout 2012. Throughout Oklahoma, American Indian tribes celebrate their rich heritage and culture in powwow celebrations. Below is a schedule of powwows for 2012:]]> <![CDATA[Parents behind bars]]> A state task force makes recommendations to improve the lives of children of the incarcerated. About 26,000 children in Oklahoma have at least one parent in prison. Factor in kids with a parent in a county or city jail or federal prison, and that number is even higher. ]]> <![CDATA[Breaking fast]]> No more diet sodas and sticky buns! Start the year right by cultivating a breakfast habit. Sometimes it takes a little extra fuel to crawl into work. What better time of year to incorporate a healthy daily habit like a nutritious breakfast?]]> <![CDATA[Meat in the middle]]> ‘JY-row,’ ‘YEER-oh’ — whatever. It’s all ‘yum.’ I love gyros. You should know that about me before we go any further in this relationship. ]]> <![CDATA[Pairadime shift]]> After making metro buzz by booking hip-hop acts, the guys of Pairadime Music plan to put their own spin on a record label. Pairadime Music, a local artist management group specializing in hip-hop, is taking steps toward its next venture: a record label. ]]> <![CDATA[Monkey saved, monkey do]]> A Newcastle sanctuary provides a chance for abused and abandoned primates. From the darkness of the dog carrier, the primates shyly emerged into the light, their bright red faces outlined by gray fur as they cautiously looked out of the cage.]]> <![CDATA[A senator’s parting thoughts]]>
]]> <![CDATA[Let’s hear it for the boys!]]> Menswear is a fashionable avenue of style that’s a little daunting to me, and rightly so. ]]> <![CDATA[The Man Nobody Knew]]> A son seeks to learn more about his CIA spymaster father in the documentary ‘The Man Nobody Knew.’ William Colby was the consummate CIA agent: stoic, steadfast and secretive. He rose through the ranks, from clandestine missions in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II to CIA director in the Nixon Administration.]]> <![CDATA[‘Something has to change’]]> Baptist ministers push for database of child predators who have worked in churches. For several years, Wade Burleson, senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, has pushed the Southern Baptist Convention to compile a list of sexual predators. ]]> <![CDATA[Wolf Head]]> With his first feature, ‘Wolf Head,’ Yukon filmmaker Ryan Scott hopes audiences have a howling good time. Wolf Head
7 p.m. Thursday
Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16
150 E. Reno
$7
]]> <![CDATA[Foreign fare]]> Let your taste buds experience authentic international cuisine without ever leaving the 405. International intrigue looms large at several Oklahoma City dining locales. Fortunately, there is no need for a passport to embark on this culinary adventure. Simply let your palate exhibit wanderlust for some remarkably unusual but tasty dishes. ]]> <![CDATA[I want a new drug]]> Could a state proposal to make pseudoephedrine prescription-only crack down on meth production? Efforts to combat methamphetamine abuse in Oklahoma already have resulted in restrictions on the sale of pseudoephedrine, a chief ingredient in meth. Now, some in the state law enforcement community are hoping to take that battle a step further by making the medicine a Schedule III drug.]]> <![CDATA[Ajanta Cuisine of India]]> Get your masala fix at this northside Indian mecca. Ajanta Cuisine of India
12215 N. Pennsylvania
ajantaokc.com
752-5283
]]> <![CDATA[Pie-ssibilities]]> It’s called ‘pie hole’ for a reason, and the metro has many options to fill it. Luckily, we don’t have to throw ourselves into baking chaos to satisfy a craving for a handcrafted, hot-from-the-oven treat.]]> <![CDATA[Dead alive]]> Despite personal setbacks, the leader of Tulsa-based Dead Sea Choir sees waves of optimism in the band’s near future. Dead Sea Choir with Brother Bear
9 p.m. Saturday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$7]]> <![CDATA[‘Rain’ on me]]> Carpenter Square presents a must-see show with excellent direction and stellar acting.

A Steady Rain
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Feb. 4
Carpenter Square Theater
900 W. Main
carpentersquare.com
232-6500
$16-$21

]]> <![CDATA[Burns both ways]]> Can a metal band be beloved by Christian and secular audiences? August Burns Red proves it can, and still rock hard. August Burns Red with Silverstein, Texas in July and Letlive
7 p.m. Thursday
Diamond Ballroom
8001 S. Eastern
diamondballroom.net
677-9169
$18 advance, $20 door]]> <![CDATA[Paint the town Red]]> Bids and bachelors combine to benefit the YWCA.

Red Night
8 p.m. Saturday
Cafe Nova
4308 N. Western
cafenova.com
525-6682
$5

]]> <![CDATA[Civil discord]]> Disagreement between two city entities leads to construction delays for a Project 180 park. They say you can’t fight city hall — but perhaps that doesn’t apply if city hall is fighting city hall. ]]> <![CDATA[Choco-homa]]> Willy Wonka and his factory have nothing on this annual festival. Chocolate Festival 2012
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
National Center for Employee Development
2801 State Highway 9, Norman
normanfirehouse.com
329-4523
$22.50-$40]]> <![CDATA[Pie-ssibilities]]> It’s called ‘pie hole’ for a reason, and the metro has many options to fill it. Luckily, we don’t have to throw ourselves into baking chaos to satisfy a craving for a handcrafted, hot-from-the-oven treat.]]> <![CDATA[I want a new drug]]> Could a state proposal to make pseudoephedrine prescription-only crack down on meth production? Efforts to combat methamphetamine abuse in Oklahoma already have resulted in restrictions on the sale of pseudoephedrine, a chief ingredient in meth. Now, some in the state law enforcement community are hoping to take that battle a step further by making the medicine a Schedule III drug.]]> <![CDATA[Lynne her your ears]]> After more than two decades in the business, sometimes Shelby Lynne feels like she’s only just now got the hang of it.

Shelby Lynne
8 p.m. Thursday
The Blue Door
2805 N. McKinley
bluedoorokc.com
524-0738
$40

]]> <![CDATA[‘Slow’ your roll]]> Life imitates art at The Conservatory, where a documentary about Southern metal will screen before a concert.

Slow Southern Steel
8 p.m. Tuesday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$10 advance, $12 door

]]> <![CDATA[Twitter me this]]> Be @ the city’s first tweet-driven comedy show. OKC Twitter ... Live
9-11 p.m. Friday
Paseo Underground
2415 N. WALKER
sexytornado.com
557-1105
$5-$10]]> <![CDATA[‘Slow’ your roll]]> Life imitates art at The Conservatory, where a documentary about Southern metal will screen before a concert.

Slow Southern Steel
8 p.m. Tuesday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$10 advance, $12 door

]]> <![CDATA[Szechuan Bistro]]> Szechuan cuisine is known for its heat, but this north-side spot has something for everyone. The Chinese New Year, which happens this week, not only means gifts, an early spring cleaning, and the gathering of family and friends, but, more important, a celebratory feast!]]> <![CDATA[Zorba's Mediterranean Cuisine]]> Roll on into one of the city’s favorite Mediterranean eateries. Zorba's Mediterranean Cuisine
6014 N. May
zorbasokc.com
947-7788]]> <![CDATA[Hooked on ’phonic]]> After a brief hiatus, The Polyphonic Spree returns to spread its sweet brand of symphonic pop to all its followers. The Polyphonic Spree with New Fumes
8 p.m. Tuesday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$25

]]> <![CDATA[Alternate route]]> After a recent denial for a federal grant, officials look to other subsidies for the city’s intermodal transit hub. Oklahoma City officials are looking for other ways to fund improvements to the city’s planned intermodal transit hub after failing to win a federal grant. ]]> <![CDATA[Shortt stuff]]> Bank exec turned photographer Carl Shortt Jr. displays the riches of his camera lens in the exhibit ‘As I See It.’ As I See It
6-10 Friday, through Feb. 25
In Your Eye Studio & Gallery
3005-A Paseo
inyoureyegallery.com
525-2161
free]]> <![CDATA[Point: Phase out state personal income tax]]> Oklahoma has the opportunity to establish itself as the nation’s No. 1 location for economic opportunity by responsibly phasing out its personal income tax.]]> <![CDATA[Counterpoint: Scrapping tax won’t help economy]]>

Few public policy myths have been as persistent as the one that espouses the elimination of the state’s personal income tax as the key to enhancing Oklahoma’s economy. As a result, it appears that this myth is about to have its day.

]]> <![CDATA[Va-va-voom]]> A new juice joint brings tassels and fan dances to Bricktown. The ragtime piano number bounces off the ceiling and gets caught in the plush curtains before it has a chance to echo. All the while your old fashioned warms its way into your belly. The music cues, curtains open and a cheeky dancer onstage begins to shimmy. ]]> <![CDATA[Super party]]> Despite several efforts to generate some amount of care, I really have absolutely no interest in organized sports. That being said, I can always get behind a good party … even one centered around a pigskin. For an anti-sports type like myself, the Super Bowl is prime bonding and partying time. ]]> <![CDATA[Steady as he goes]]> Finding success with The Hold Steady, why would Craig Finn want to take a break? To be alone again, naturally. Craig Finn with Horse Thief and Mount Moriah
6:30 Thursday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$12 advance, $14 door]]> <![CDATA[School days]]> Three candidates vie for an open seat on the OKC school board. Three candidates are vying for an open seat on the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education. ]]> <![CDATA[Music Made Me: Nicholas Ley]]> Colourmusic’s drummer dishes on the five albums that tinted his musical roots.
]]> <![CDATA[On-pointe provisions]]> Ballerinas eat! Share a meal and mingle with the lithesome wonders at a special event. Firebird at Ludivine
8 p.m. Friday
Ludivine
ludivineokc.com
805 N. Hudson
778-6800]]> <![CDATA[Taxes got your goat?]]> Would eliminating the state personal income tax help or hobble the economy? Tax reform — specifically reform of Oklahoma’s personal income tax — is shaping up to be a key issue for the 2012 legislative session. Unlike previous sessions that saw reductions in the income tax rate, moves this year could push the state toward eliminating it. ]]> <![CDATA[Going green]]> The human lizard comes to Norman to share his philosophy and talent. Erik “The Lizardman”
Sprague with Rundus,
Jeramy Westbrook,
and James & James
7 p.m. Thursday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8 advance, $12 door]]> <![CDATA[Cupid-approved]]> Is the way to your Valentine’s heart through his or her stomach? Find out with menu specials catering to romance and pleasure. Dim the lights, uncork the Champagne and cue the violins: Valentine’s Day is Tuesday. For many lovebirds, the evening wouldn’t be complete without a romantic repast together.]]> <![CDATA[Picture this]]> OKC photographers snap up Instagram. Once upon a time, cameras were for the wealthy; and photography, as art, for professionals only. Thanks to smartphones and even smarter apps, photos and art have entered into a covenant for the masses at the altar of Instagram, which Apple named the 2011 App of the Year.]]> <![CDATA[Love is in the web]]> Is online dating the way of the future for couples? If you’re out there dating, then you know that Pat Benatar was spot-on: Love is a battlefield.]]> <![CDATA[After Rice]]> Two candidates square off Tuesday to fill the Senate seat vacated by Andrew Rice. The two candidates vying for former state Sen. Andrew Rice’s vacated seat hope voters will take notice. Oklahoma voters don’t usually pay much attention to special elections; the last one that involved a Senate seat drew only 8 percent of registered voters. ]]> <![CDATA[The gap trap]]> OKC budget could face a nearly $19 million gap by 2017. Oklahoma City could face an $18.7 million budget gap within the next five years, the City Council learned during its first budget workshop of the year. ]]> <![CDATA[‘Pride’ and joy]]> OCU and the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre take on a Jane Austen classic. Pride and Prejudice
11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m Saturday,
2 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City University’s
Burg Theatre
2501 N. Blackwelder
oklahomachildrenstheatre.org
208-5227
$8-$12]]> <![CDATA[‘Live from ...’]]> As an intern for ‘Saturday Night Live,’ an OKC native gets a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic TV show. For more than five decades, television’s “Saturday Night Live” has been a staple of pop culture (“Well, isn’t that special?”). For an Oklahoma City woman attending college in New York, however, it meant just another day in the office. ]]> <![CDATA[Silly love songs]]> With Valentine’s Day on the immediate horizon, local artists share their go-to tunes for loving tender. Or, y'know, gettin' your freak on.
]]> <![CDATA[Silly love songs]]> With Valentine’s Day on the immediate horizon, local artists share their go-to tunes for loving tender. Or, y'know, gettin' your freak on.
]]> <![CDATA[Going green]]> The human lizard comes to Norman to share his philosophy and talent. Erik “The Lizardman”
Sprague with Rundus,
Jeramy Westbrook,
and James & James
7 p.m. Thursday
Opolis
113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org
820-0951
$8 advance, $12 door]]> <![CDATA[Core issues]]> Comments in a Core to Shore study rankle some on the MAPS 3 streetcar panel. Oklahoma City’s 6-year-old plan to develop land between downtown and the Oklahoma River, the Core to Shore plan, is still relevant — it just needs a little tweaking, according to a recent review of it. ]]> <![CDATA[Revolt!-ing]]> Looking for a casual, quiet evening out? Then don’t go see fluorescent dance-pop act Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! with Balthazar, Jabee and Little Ruckus
9 p.m. Thursday
Kamp’s Deli & XIII X Lounge
1310 N.W. 25th
kampsok.com
819-6004
$7]]> <![CDATA[Branded]]> As a pioneer of the Red Dirt movement, Tulsa native Brandon Jenkins has music in his DNA. Brandon Jenkins
8:30 p.m. Saturday
Grady’s 66 Pub
444 W. Main, Yukon
gradys66.com
364-8789
$7]]> <![CDATA[Next Stage]]> Could the playful nature of Stage Center be well-suited for a children’s museum? The best neutral term to describe the design of downtown Oklahoma City’s Stage Center is “unique.” The building tends to elicit extreme responses. ]]> <![CDATA[Days of Lives]]> Embraced by critics, NPR and now Radiohead, Stillwater band Other Lives is on the brink of exploding big beyond our humble borders. Sitting opposite a large mural of themselves at Jericho Tavern in Oxford, England, three members of Radiohead watched and listened intently as Other Lives played 45 minutes’ worth of the somber chamber pop that the Stillwater group has spent near a decade refining.]]> <![CDATA[Gras is greener]]> Bling from the Spiral Beadery If you’re saving money on travel this year and parking your bum in the metro, then it’s only fair you incorporate some beads and feathery masks into your Fat Tuesday celebrations. ]]> <![CDATA[Days of Lives]]> Embraced by critics, NPR and now Radiohead, Stillwater band Other Lives is on the brink of exploding big beyond our humble borders. Sitting opposite a large mural of themselves at Jericho Tavern in Oxford, England, three members of Radiohead watched and listened intently as Other Lives played 45 minutes’ worth of the somber chamber pop that the Stillwater group has spent near a decade refining.]]> <![CDATA[Next up]]> Next Stage, one of the town’s new theater troupes, plans to mix venues while showcasing local talent. Fresh Meet
Next Stage Theatre
8pm Friday & Saturday
The Boom
2218 NW 39th
whatisthenextstage.com
367-3774
$12]]> <![CDATA[WTFunny]]> Comedian and ‘WTF’ podcast host Marc Maron brings his brutally honest humor to City Arts Center. Marc Maron with BradChad Porter and Seth Joseph
7:30 p.m. & 10 p.m. Saturday
City Arts Center
3000 General Pershing Boulevard
ticketstorm.com
866-966-1777
$25 in advance, $27 at door]]> <![CDATA[Royal engagement]]> From the miniature to the monumental — not to mention a commode — ‘Princely Treasures’ are unveiled at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Princely Treasures: European Masterpieces 1600-1800 from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London
Thursday-May 13
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$10-$12]]> <![CDATA[Inns and outs]]> Oklahoma City Theatre Company chronicles an affair to remember in ‘Same Time, Next Year.’ Same Time, Next Year
Oklahoma City Theatre Company
8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through February 19
CitySpace, Civic Center Music Hall
201 N. Walker
$20, $16 students/seniors
297-2264]]> <![CDATA[Rick’s their pick]]> GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum champions domestic energy production during his visit to OKC. The candidate was surrounded on stage by cameras and reporters, and just beyond the media crush, a throng of people waited for a chance to witness “Santorum’s momentum.”
]]> <![CDATA[Days of Lives]]> Embraced by critics, NPR and now Radiohead, Stillwater band Other Lives is on the brink of exploding big beyond our humble borders. Sitting opposite a large mural of themselves at Jericho Tavern in Oxford, England, three members of Radiohead watched and listened intently as Other Lives played 45 minutes’ worth of the somber chamber pop that the Stillwater group has spent near a decade refining.]]> <![CDATA[Making the grade]]> State education officials plan to employ a letter-grade system for assessing schools. A strategy to give Oklahoma public schools and school districts letter grades hopefully will be “transformative” to the state’s education system, state Superintendent Janet Barresi said. ]]> <![CDATA[Next Stage]]> Could the playful nature of Stage Center be well-suited for a children’s museum? The best neutral term to describe the design of downtown Oklahoma City’s Stage Center is “unique.” The building tends to elicit extreme responses. ]]> <![CDATA[Bar none]]> When The Sounds asked Kids at the Bar to sidle up for a European tour, the OKC DJ duo made it a double.

Oklahoma City DJ duo Kids at the Bar has many memories over the course of two full tours with Swedish indie rockers The Sounds, one across America and another currently in Europe. Explaining the rules of football ranks among the pair’s favorites … and weirdest.

]]> <![CDATA[Gras is greener]]> Bling from the Spiral Beadery If you’re saving money on travel this year and parking your bum in the metro, then it’s only fair you incorporate some beads and feathery masks into your Fat Tuesday celebrations. ]]> <![CDATA[Branded]]> As a pioneer of the Red Dirt movement, Tulsa native Brandon Jenkins has music in his DNA. Brandon Jenkins
8:30 p.m. Saturday
Grady’s 66 Pub
444 W. Main, Yukon
gradys66.com
364-8789
$7]]> <![CDATA[Linked in]]> Want to attend ACM@UCO’s LiveLink concert series, but don’t know any of the young bands? We’ve got you covered. LiveLink
7 p.m. Friday
ACM@UCO Performance Lab
323 E. Sheridan
acm-uco.com
974-4700
free]]> <![CDATA[The Red Cup]]> This bustling, eclectic dive serves up coffee, comfort food and community. The Red Cup
3122 N. Classen Blvd.
redcupokc.com
525-3430

What works: Delicious dishes made upon ordering.
What needs work: Some comfort-food faves lacked any real standout appeal.
The tip: If you're avoiding meat, this is the place for you.]]> <![CDATA[Statuesque]]> Oklahomans in the movie biz share who they'll be rooting for during the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
]]> <![CDATA[Remembering Anthony Shadid]]> What I remember most about Anthony Shadid from high school was his laugh. It was disarmingly infectious. His eyes would crinkle and his head would tilt back, and he reminded me of a young Ringo Starr, all smiles and shy charm.]]> <![CDATA[The heat is on]]> I recently tried my first hot yoga class at Yoga at Tiffany’s (9610 N May; 708-0564), and I think I’m hooked. Never in a million years had I thought I’d try it.]]> <![CDATA[Know ‘Doubt’]]> A traveling troupe is set to perform ‘Doubt’ for one night only at OCCC. Doubt
Montana Repertory Theatre
7 P.M. Tuesday
Oklahoma City Community College’s Bruce Owen Theater
7777 S. May
686-0254
$10-$22]]> <![CDATA[Let it Wride]]> From Iran to Oklahoma, The Wriders spout hip-hop that’s not only positive, but Persian. Nima Tajbakhsh and Arash Motian didn’t have a particular American dream in mind when they made the move from Tehran, Iran, to Oklahoma City as teenagers in 2001. ]]> <![CDATA[The color of law]]> The battle of Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher in Oklahoma helped fuel the national civil rights movement. The seven steps to the “colored” chair were just seven more humiliations to be endured in Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher’s long fight toward freedom.]]> <![CDATA[Statuesque]]> Oklahomans in the movie biz share who they'll be rooting for during the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
]]> <![CDATA[Bagging the bean]]> Java jitters no more! Tea provides another option for that morning boost. If you made New Year’s resolutions to adopt healthier habits, you likely attempted to overhaul more than just what you eat, but also what you drink. ]]> <![CDATA[Knights of Malice]]> Knights of Malice
8-11 p.m. Saturday
City Arts Center
3000 General Pershing
cityartscenter.org
951-0000
$5]]> <![CDATA[A Cat in Paris]]> A Cat in Paris
12:30 p.m. Sunday
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch
okcmoa.com
236-3100
$5-$8]]> <![CDATA[Soundcheck: Woody Awards nominations]]> Cast your vote now for Oklahoma Gazette's annual local music awards! It’s nom-nom-nomination time in Oklahoma! ]]>