Cover Story
How to Celebrate Route 66 in OKC
Although it was officially decommissioned in 1985, Route 66 continues to exert an influence on American travel and pop culture. Originally proposed by Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, the 2448-mile stretch of highway from Chicago to Santa Monica – variously known by its highway number and literary metaphors like “Mother Road” – was commissioned on November…
Celebrating Art and Community
From its creation in 1929 as a shopping center, the Paseo Arts District has evolved into a staple of Uptown OKC, now featuring fine dining, boutiques, and countless art galleries.The neighborhood’s iconic vibrant color palette and Spanish-style architecture have remained intact through the years, making it a distinctive pocket of the city. Filled with both…
Invest in Oklahoma Act
It’s been 50 years since Oklahoma Gov. David Hall was indicted on charges of racketeering and extortion for conspiring to steer state employee retirement funds to a private investment firm in exchange for a payoff. Hall was convicted and served 19 months in federal prison, making him the only Oklahoma governor (three have been indicted)…
Homestyle Cooking
Ying Yukhontron’s first restaurant job was at Los Angeles’s beloved Thai spot Khun Dom, where she served tables and helped out in the kitchen. The Thai immigrant and child of a single mother came to the U.S. at 15. “I was raised by a single mom who was a bartender,” Yukhontron said. “I didn’t get…
Oklahoma Pulse
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A New Type of Sports Bar
Before opening Bush League Sports Tavern in Northpark Mall, Jimmy “J” Mays and Chris Kana looked at a cross-section of metro restaurants and, according to Mays, “…realized there is a massive gap where locally owned sports bars are concerned, especially family friendly sports bars.” As Oklahoma City continues to expand its sports offerings, the opportunities…
Big Energy
At Edmond Fine Arts, small works have a big payoff. On May 7, the organization’s annual 5×5 Show & Sale returns with its familiar promise: hundreds of original works, each measuring just five inches square, each priced at $55 — and together they add up to something big. What began as a fundraiser has evolved…
Right On Cue
There have been a few moments recently when this city has seemed to step fully into itself. Moments when years of incremental growth, quiet investment, and stubborn belief suddenly present as something undeniable. The NBA Championship parade springs immediately to mind, but so do other snippets: memories of Memorial Marathon mornings, the opening of Okana…
OG Picks – May
ROUTE 66 CELEBRATIONS Capital Cruise ExpoMay 28 & 29 – Expo Squarevisittulsa.com Tulsa’s Route 66 Capital CruiseMay 30, Cars roll out at 8amvisittulsa.com Kickin’ It On Route 66: OKC Centennial CelebrationMay 30, 4-10pm – Scissortail Parkscissortailpark.org The Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the Bethany Route 66 FestivalMay 23, 10am Downtown Bethanykidsmarkets.com Kids Markets at the Route…
The Magic of Route 66
For California artist Dennis Ziemienski, like many other Americans, Route 66 brings back memories of learning about the United States from his parents’ car. “As a kid, it was just fascinating,” explained Ziemienski, recalling road trips taken to visit relatives along the route. “For example, I loved neon, just as an interesting art form. So,…
Stillwater Puts Red Dirt on the National Stage, Again
There’s something about Stillwater and Red Dirt country music. On April 11, 2026, Boone Pickens Stadium welcomed more than 40,000 fans for “The Boys From Oklahoma Round 2,” a return that felt less like a sequel and more like a cultural statement. What started in 2025 as a long-awaited reunion for Cross Canadian Ragweed has…
An Energetic Exchange
Women cloaked in frilly boho blouses hurried into the transformed Film Row restaurant while men sporting mustaches trailed behind them as the sprinkling rain picked up its pace. The reported tornado watch did not deter attendees from coming out to watch indie rock band The Brook & The Bluff perform at The Jones Assembly. Wet…
Thunder Mattress Debacle
The Oklahoma City Thunder told Bob Mills Furniture to kindly stop giving away free mattresses tied to the team’s success –– because nothing says brand confusion like sleeping on a playoff run. The promotion, which promised freebies if the Thunder wins it all, apparently crossed a legal line. Now fans must choose: restful sleep or…
Tourism Takes a Detour
Former Oklahoma Department of Tourism head Shelley Zumwalt didn’t just ride off into the sunset—she apparently took a parting gift with her. After “retiring” amid a cloud of ethics questions, Zumwalt secured a severance package that’s raising eyebrows across the Capitol. Details remain murky (naturally), but the optics are crystal clear: controversy in, cash out.…
Floor Fight Goes Full Soap Opera…
Oklahoma politics took a petty turn when House Speaker Kyle Hilbert fired off a scathing letter to Chuck Hoskin Jr., effectively banning him from the House floor. The dust-up stems from Hoskin’s criticism of state leaders over Medicaid — apparently enough to earn a written smackdown and revoked access. Nothing says “robust public discourse” like…
Oklahoma Should Give Todd Russ The Byrd
If Oklahomans are serious about competence, credibility and basic fiduciary responsibility, then the choice for State Treasurer in June’s Republican primary shouldn’t be close. It’s time to de-elect Todd Russ and replace him with someone who understands stewardship of public funds: Cindy Byrd. Let’s be blunt: Todd Russ has turned what should be a nuts-and-bolts…
Funding Forward
What do you picture when someone says “the arts”? For many, it’s the curtain rising on an Oklahoma City Ballet performance; it’s the sound of the Philharmonic as it tunes up. It’s a festival crowd spilling through the downtown streets; it’s opening night at Lyric. It’s true: those touchstones are such an important part of…
Celebrating Mom
As April showers begin to fade, the pull of patio season settles in with sunny days and cool breezes. That at-home attempt at an omelet turned scrambled eggs does not quite cut it when Oklahoma City is full of enough delicious brunch options to fill the week. With Mother’s Day around the corner, it is…
Stairway to Heaven
Only an artist would have the vision to buy an abandoned historic church, take it apart, and move it 2,000 miles to the heart of an Arts District on the Oklahoma plains. Tom Lee was that artist, the venerable photographer that we lost too soon in 2010. Equally, only an artist would have the vision…
Welcome to Iberia, Oklahoma
Any respectable speakeasy should be discreet, with an entrance hidden in plain sight, preferably around a corner. Such is the case on an otherwise unassuming block of Harvey Ave. on the northeast edge of Midtown. Tucked in between a bakery and a law firm, both good neighbors to have by the way, Later Bye has…
Free Will Astrology – May
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the 19th century, Aries photographer Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904) resolved to settle a debate about whether galloping horses ever have all four hooves off the ground. He developed a system to capture rapid sequential images, which ultimately helped lead to the invention of motion pictures. His answer to a narrow technical…
