Commentary: Blissful ignorance
If we are ever going to seriously confront the realities of environmental change, the flat earth society that consistently denies scientific findings needs to be spun off the globe. Now, I’m not seriously advocating for the systematic launching of climate change deniers into the void of space, but if members of the media thwart progress…
Hidden seams
Reruns Dec. 14-Jan 11, 2019 Mainsite Contemporary Art 122 E. Main St., Norman mainsitecontemporaryart.com 405-360-1162 Free Artist Jason Cytacki has gone from painting scenes inspired by the Westerns he watched on TV as a child to drawing the TV itself. Cytacki, an assistant professor at University of Oklahoma’s School of Visual Arts, exhibits his oil…
Growing gear
If you’re looking to take your green thumb to the next level, marijuana might be the crop for you. Strange Leaf Dispensary, 4700 NW 39th St., currently carries two brands of cannabis seeds. On the low end, one package of three seeds sells for $35, while the female seeds in a five-pack of another brand…
Unique history
More than a restaurant and event center, Castle Falls provides a unique link to pre-Land Run Oklahoma history and is a vessel to showcase long-forgotten elements of downtown Oklahoma City. Nestled on five acres at 820 N. MacArthur Blvd., as a few trees obscure its view from the busy thoroughfare; the driveway acts as a…
Seasonal shopping
Holly Jolly Shops noon-7 p.m. Saturday and noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive revolve-productions.com Free Holiday shopping — it’s the best of times when it means finding the perfect gifts for your friends and family and the worst of times when it involves trudging around a crowded mall or scouring…
Dope hope
Jabee Williams started off his day at 6 a.m. with no wallet, no license and no place to sleep that night. Even armed with an Emmy award and a strong fan base, the hip-hop performer struggled to follow the winding path trod by the city’s homeless population every day as they just try to survive…
The Sanctuary Barsilica
The Sanctuary Barsilica, a religion-themed bar at 814 W. Sheridan Ave. on Film Row, comes festooned with Catholic iconography and the kind of atmosphere that feels equal parts reverent and irreverent. The bar, which opens 7 p.m. Friday, includes signature drinks with names like Satan’s Whiskers and carries a line of craft beers from Utah-based…
Night notes
Amahl and the Night Visitors 7 p.m. Dec. 14 and 5 p.m. Dec. 15 Sanctuary of First Baptist Church 1201 N. Robinson Ave. paintedskyopera.org $5-$10 On a chilled winter night, Molly Johnson guided travelers toward a barricaded side door of a darkened church in north Oklahoma City. Inside, opera singers oohed, yummed and ha-ha’ed their…
Warmth needed
On a sunny but chilly afternoon in late November, 49-year-old mother of four Linda Debard said what so many of us say during this time of year. “I’m cold,” she said. But Debard didn’t confess to the sensation with a smile on her face, gloves on her hands or a coat on her back. She…
Beyond borders
Neighbors Project by John Raymond Mireles through April 15 BOK Park Plaza 427-499 W. Sheridan Ave. jraymondm.com Free When photographer John Raymond Mireles moved to a new neighborhood, he thought of a more original way to meet his new neighbors than borrowing a cup of sugar. He photographed several of the people in his community,…
Chicken-Fried News: School’s out
Oklahoma has once again found itself in the national spotlight after a letter from Canadian County Republican Party chairman Andrew Lopez to newly elected Republican lawmakers was leaked to the public in late November, exposing the overweening bonkers mentality of anti-education extremists for all that it is. Lopez begins his welcome letter by warmly letting…
Paseo possibilities
Along the iconic curve of the Paseo, modern visitors can see longstanding art galleries, new restaurants and the neighborhood centerpiece, The Paseo Plunge, in all its salmon-colored glory. And just south of The Plunge, at the end of the block, they will find an unobtrusive, whitewashed building that is about to get some new life.…
Gazedibles: Great 2018
This year has seen Oklahoma City’s food scene grow by leaps and bounds with several new restaurants, bars and coffee shops that embrace food diversity, locally sourced ingredients and a uniquely Oklahoman perspective. These seven have been welcome additions to OKC. By Jo Light | Photos Alexa Ace, Gazette / file and provided The Press…
Plum roles
Oklahoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker Dec. 14-23 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. okcballet.com 405-848-8637 $17-$75 Oklahoma City Ballet dancers Courtney Connor Jones and Sam Jones don’t remember the first time they saw The Nutcracker, but they have a daily reminder of a performance three years ago: their daughter, Gwyn. “She’s a Nutcracker…
Drawing MAPS
For the hefty price that it takes to fund a Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) plan and for the awe effect that such projects can have on Oklahoma City’s residents, mayor David Holt admits that the process behind choosing a project is fairly simple by comparison. “Since the inception of MAPS in 1993, the responsibility to…
Chicken-Fried News: Silkworm
Meanwhile, as Lopez and Pollard plan to force parents to send their boys to market-driven (re)education facilities while the girls stay home and prepare themselves for servile marriage, State Senator Joseph Silk, R-Broken Arrow, has authored Senate Bill 13, the kind of legislation that indicates many He-Man Woman Haters are using Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s…
Holiday party
Christmas at The Elms Friday-Dec. 22 JRB Art at The Elms 2810 N. Walker Ave. jrbartgallery.com 405-528-6336 Free This December, JRB Art at The Elms commemorates the 15th year of one of Oklahoma City’s most illustrious holiday traditions, Christmas at The Elms. Opening during The Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Gallery Walk, the outing continues …
Socks rocks
JD McPherson 8 p.m. Dec. 14 Tower Theatre 425 NW 23rd St. towertheatreokc.com 405-708-6937 $17-$20 JD McPherson knows you might not like Christmas music, or at least that you pretend not to. “People say that a lot, but there’s a reason why they still play Bing Crosby’s stuff on the radio,” McPherson said. “People like…
Shiny Scratch
Scratch Kitchen and Cocktails Paseo605 NW 28th St. eatatscratch.com 405-602-2302 What works:The craft cocktail selection and the vibe of the restaurant are perfect during dinner service. What needs work:Some of the brunch dishes need improvement. Tip:Ask for bartender Austin’s Spanish Coffee. For me, there are two schools of thought: old Paseo and new Paseo. Old…
Toasty toasting
I was on a mission to find a warm cuppa to fit my hands. The height of hygge, in my eyes, is a spiked cocktail. I did the most important work I’ve ever done in my life as I scoured the metro to find the best hot cocktails in bars and restaurants around the city.…
City man
Oklahoma City’s new city manager is receiving a welcome that is remarkably similar to the farewell given to his predecessor. Newly selected city manager Craig Freeman has received roughly the same level of approval and praise that city employees and Oklahoma City Council gave to Jim Couch in September, when Couch announced his plans to…
