FIRST LOOK: Ludivine to relocate to high-profile NW 10th Street address
Work has started to relocate the ever-popular Ludivine restaurant a few blocks away, from its current location at 805 N Hudson Ave. to a more visible location on NW 10th Street which will directly front the new streetcar route when it starts to roll later this year. Proprietor Russ Johnson, who also operates R&J Supper…
Open meetings
After weeks of sharply negative exchanges on the Oklahoma City Council concerning transparency of the body’s processes, there might be a way to lower tensions and empower the public. Oklahoma Gazette has learned that a proposed resolution has been drafted that, if passed by the council, will give the public more than 30 days to…
Home grown
Mary Najar remembers the day before she and her husband opened their hemp oil and cannabidiol (CBD) products store in Paseo Arts District in the fall of 2017. Their store would be the first brick-and-mortar store to sell CBD oil in Oklahoma City. But it wasn’t nerves about opening day that kept Najar up at…
Great strides
Run for Hope 6:30 a.m. Aug. 25 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 1100 N. Lindsay Ave. runforhopeokc.org 405-841-5832 Free James Bost loves running. He approaches this pastime, and life in general, with an enthusiasm that bubbles over in conversation. His energy is infectious, and his optimism is inspiring. Bost is a pancreatic cancer survivor.…
Wild scenes
Wild & Scenic Film Festival 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday The Mercury 426 E. Main St., Norman earthrebirthnow.org 405-358-3565 $15-$20 Environmental issues can be scary, but documentaries about them don’t have to feel like horror movies. Wild & Scenic Film Festival, advertised as “a festival by activists for activists,” showcases films about nature and the environment,…
Deliberate Words
Annie Oakley CD release 8 p.m. Friday The Blue Door 2805 N. McKinley Ave. bluedoorokc.com 405-524-0738 $10-$15 They just turned 21 this month, but the Babb sisters have been making music together for about as long as possible. “I remember singing with her very early, even in our cribs,” said Sophia about her twin sister…
Decade strong
Grill on the Hill 324 SW 25th St. grillonthehillokc.com 405-634-9866 What works: Fresh and house-made ingredients like chorizo and hand-breaded okra shine. What needs work: The taco salad is somewhat clunky to eat. Tip: Order fruit fritters to go with breakfast or lunch. Nestled at the top of Commerce Street, Grill on the Hill celebrated…
Kerr package
Kerr Park kickoff party 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday Kerr Park 102 Robert S. Kerr Ave. downtownokc.com 405-297-3995 Free Downtown Oklahoma City’s Central Business District will unveil newly renovated Kerr Park at a kickoff party open to the public, many of whom had their say in what they wanted in an urban park. The park, 102…
Doughnut duo
At first glance, the combination of hot, fried mini doughnuts and raw, fresh fish might create cognitive dissonance, but owner John Shelton knows it is merely a way to accentuate an already-popular food trend with another. Sweet Mini’s Donut Company opened at 14600 N. Pennsylvania Ave. over a year ago and added the Poke Loco…
Chicken-Fried News: High number
Lying happens all the time in 2018, often for political gain or just personal amusement, but ask any lawyer or good con artist and they’ll tell you that the last kind of lie you want to tell is one where the revelation of said lie is inevitable. Stitch it on a pillow, Grandma — it’s…
Winged migration
Flight of the Butterflies 7 p.m. Sept. 6 Devon Lawn Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. myriadgardens.com 405-445-7080 Free Conservation efforts to save the monarch butterfly from endangerment have become increasingly more common over the last few years. In Oklahoma, over 40 organizations have joined together in a true grassroots movement to create Oklahoma…
Gazedibles: Summer seasonal
Summer is peak time for produce and inventive menus across the city. These seven restaurants have had fun with food trends and local ingredients to create some memorable seasonal menu additions. by Jacob Threadgill with photos by Jacob Threadgill and provided The Hutch 6437 Avondale Drive, Nichols Hills hutchokc.com | 405-842-1000 Poke has officially become…
On ICE
Her perfect English put mine to shame. So did her mastery of a smartphone. She is a straight-A fifth-grade student. She’s also under order of removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). We met in the parking lot of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building because immigration allies have discovered that having a…
Oklahoma Gazette and OKCTalk.com announce merger
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (August 15, 2018) – Contracts were signed today finalizing local business and civic news site OKCTalk.com’s acquisition of Tierra Media Group, the parent company of Oklahoma Gazette. The independent weekly newspaper’s founder and publisher for 40 years, Bill Bleakley, passes control of Gazette to Peter J. Brzycki, who will serve as publisher…
Nature’s classroom
John Rex Middle School has no loud alarm that rings letting students know that it’s lunchtime and no locker doors slamming shut and echoing throughout the hallways. The 75 sixth-graders who belong to the new middle school do their learning in the spacious and modern interior of the lower-level Crystal Bridge Conservatory at Myriad Botanical…
Dual identity
The sign outside Mamaveca Mexican and Peruvian Restaurant at its 2925 W. Britton Road location only tells half the story. Drivers coming off nearby Highway 74 or May Avenue will see “Mamaveca: Mexican Restaurant,” and miss the smaller colorful sign promoting its Peruvian food. The original Mamaveca opened in Norman, 2501 Hemphill Drive, in 2007…
Laugh passport
The Foreigner Aug. 23-Sept. 16 Jewel Box Theatre 3700 N. Walker Ave. jewelboxtheatre.org 405-521-1786 $20-$25 There are comedies, and then there is the “laugh fest,” a distinctive sub-genre that leaves the audience in stitches from laughter. For Jewel Box Theatre director Chuck Tweed, The Foreigner definitely falls into the latter category. Tweed will direct Larry…
Summer fruit
Biting the Apple 7-10 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday IAO 706 W. Sheridan Ave. individualartists.org 405-232-6060 $25-$30 21+ In the beginning was the Sleaze Ball, but spontaneous bob doesn’t recall anything before Biting the Apple. “It started as the Sleaze Ball,” said Individual Artists of Oklahoma board president David Smith, who makes art under…
Chicken-Fried News: Party that cried ‘George’
The connection between a GOP fundraiser and the biggest fish in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason was too much to ignore, but the party might’ve overexaggerated Paul George’s involvement. The state Republican Party sent out an invitation for its One Enchanted Evening August fundraiser saying that it would be held “in the beautiful showhome of…
Chicken-Fried News: Bad company
You know what they say about congressmen: It’s all drugs, sex and rock and roll. Wait. Maybe that’s a step too far. For congressmen, we suppose, it’s more like pharmaceutical drugs and insider trading, sexual harassment and fancy-schmancy parties on the lawn of the White House where it all goes down. This week’s political scandal…
Strong women
AMP Festival noon-8 p.m. Aug. 25 Film Row Sheridan Avenue, downtown OKC ampfestokc.com Free Film Row is about to get even more artsy than usual. The third annual AMP Festival returns this Saturday, showcasing female musicians, artists and vendors in a celebration of creativity and community. This year, the fest will be held for the…
Next Issue: The Best of Oklahoma City 2018
P. 15 Oklahoma Gazette’s 2018 Best of OKC issue is not just OK, see? It is packed with the best food, culture, goods and services, health options and more. They are the best around — nothing’s gonna ever keep them down. By Gazette staff Cover Kimberly Walker Photos by Alexa Ace
