ADVERTISEMENT LIVING IN FAMILY GUIDE 2016 Discover Oklahoma Whether you’re young or just young at heart, the Sooner State ALSO INSIDE: offers a variety of fun Information on some of your basic health and transportation and educational attractions services and more! ATTRACTIONS/ENTERTAINMENT DINING EDUCATION/TRAINING EVENTS FINANCE HEALTH CARE HOSPITALITY/TRAVEL HOUSING SHOPPING SPORTS/RECREATION TRANSPORTATION OKContents INTRODUCTION 25 Discover Oklahoma! . 2 SECTIONS Attractions/Entertainment ......... 4 Dining ...................... 12 Education/Training ..............15 Events .......................21 The Medieval Fair sponsored by University of Oklahoma Outreach in the College of Finance ......................26 Continuing Education features jousting events and human chess games, as well as kings, queens and knights. Courtesy photo Health Care ...................29 38 Hospitality/Travel ...............34 Housing ......................40 Shopping .....................44 Sports/Recreation ..............46 Transportation .................50 SERVICE DIRECTORY ......... 52 MAP OF OKLAHOMA .......... .52 Quartz Mountain Lodge. Photo by David McNeese ABOUT THE COVER Living in Oklahoma is a publication of THE JOURNAL RECORD • 101 N. Robinson Ave., Ste. 101, OKC, OK This replica of the main statue at To advertise in the Tinker Take Off, call (405) 278-2830 • TinkerTakeOff.com ADVERTISEMENT LIVING IN Chickasaw Nation Headquarters, President & Publisher........................................ Joni Brooks FAMILY GUIDE 2016 “The Warrior,” stands at the Editor .................................................................. Ted Streuli Cultural Center grounds. Advertising Supervisor.................................... Anne Richard The statue was created by Advertising Account Managers .......................................... Enoch Kelley Haney, a former Wendy Duncan, Stefanie Latham,Vicki Madden, Discover Oklahoma Oklahoma legislator and Mark McDevitt, Stacy Merritt and Kent Perkins ALSO INSIDE: Whether you’re young or just Information on some of your young at heart, the Sooner State basic health and transportation services and more! offers a variety of fun principal chief of the Seminole Special Publications Editor ........................ Jessica Mitchell and educational attractions Nation. Courtesy photo provided Copy Editor/Web Editor ........................................ Ron Clay by Chickasaw Cultural Center/ Writer ........................................................... Heide Brandes ATTRACTIONS/ENTERTAINMENT DINING EDUCATION/TRAINING EVENTS FINANCE HEALTH CARE HOSPITALITY/TRAVEL HOUSING Research Analyst .......................................... Dawn Darbon SHOPPING SPORTS/RECREATION TRANSPORTATION Photo by Marcy Gray Graphic Designer ........................................... Michael Duntz 2016 • Living in Oklahoma • 1 1 OKIntroduction Oklahoma is an interesting state, full of interesting and, sometimes, quirky things you won’t find anywhere else in the United States. Besides the fact that Oklahoma has about 400 miles of Route 66 that boasts of a giant blue whale and a big round barn, it also has about 55,646 miles of shoreline, which is impressive considering it’s a landlocked state. Newcomers to the state, and those who choose to remain, often credit the friendliness of the people of the Red Dirt State as why it’s a great place to live. Living in Oklahoma offers a slew of interesting places, unique adventures and stimulating destinations. We’ve listed just a few things that living in Oklahoma offers: Oklahoma’s Selenite Crystals Oklahoma’s Great Salt Plains near the Great Salt Plains State Park in northwest Oklahoma is the only place in the world to find selenite crystals. Along with hiking, camping and other outdoor activities, Oklahomans can actually dig up crystals that exist only in Oklahoma. Millions of years ago, the state park was once flooded by seawater, which evaporated and left a thick layer of salt. Brine created by the salt combined with minerals in soil, creates an hourglass crystal that is completely unique to Oklahoma. deadCenter Film Festival Oklahoma loves art, music and movies, and the deadCenter Film Festival, held each June, is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated film festivals in the U.S. and beyond. More than 1,200 films were submitted for the 2016 festival, the most submitted in the festival’s history. Of the films submitted, 106 Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. Courtesy photo were chosen, including 23 films made in Oklahoma. Price Tower Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper – Located in Bar- tlesville, the Price Tower was world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s only actualized skyscraper. Frank Lloyd Wright called this architectural masterpiece the “tree that escaped the crowded forest” when he built his first and only skyscraper for the H.C. Price International Pipe- line Company in 1956. The Price Tower was one of three skyscrapers that were to be built at St. Mark’s in New York City. The building found its way to the red dirt soil of the booming oil town instead and became a combination apart- ment-office building. H.C. Price kept his tiny apartments at the top, but thanks to renovations by architect Wendy Evans Joseph, visitors can now stay in this upscale 21-room bou- tique inn called Inn at Price Tower. Tulsa Brady District The Price Tower in Bartlesville. A vibrant, hip and hopping revitalized area of Tulsa, the Courtesy photo. 2 2 • Living in Oklahoma • 2016 Brady Arts District is jam-packed with museums, galler- ies, parks, historic music venues, bars, clubs, restaurants and more. As one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tulsa, the area has reinvented itself into an eclectic area with historic sites like Cain’s Ballroom and the Brady Theater. Blue Dome District Famous for its lively nightlife, the Blue Dome District features the Blue Dome building, which sits on the south end of the district. The Tulsa Per forming Arts Center and An independent film plays to a packed theater at the 16th annual deadCenter Film Festival. Courtesy photo the Jazz Hall of Fame/Union Depot building are a mere block or two away. Thousands of other unique and wonderful surprises are tucked into every corner of Oklahoma. Living in Oklahoma means never running out of things to discover. 2016 • Living in Oklahoma • 3 3 OKAttractions/Entertainment Cultivating culture: Lyric Theatre productions offer something for everyone Founded by 14 Oklahoma City busi- abandoned Plaza Theater. By renovating crowd-pleasers,” said Baron. “Lyric’s ness leaders who dreamed of a theater it into a state-of-the-art performing arts true specialty is creating fresh original the city could call its own, the Lyric The- venue, we helped to bring about the re- productions of both classics and current atre of Oklahoma is a theater company naissance of the Plaza District as a whole.” shows that are new to Oklahoma City.” produced by and for Oklahomans. Today, the Lyric Theatre holds shows In addition to an annual selection of Located in Oklahoma City’s revital- at the 2,400-seat Civic Center Music Hall productions, the Lyric Theatre also of- ized Plaza District, the Lyric Theatre is and Lyric’s own 270-seat Plaza Theatre, fers a training ground for young per- now known as a company committed to the touring arts outreach program, Mu- formers honing their musical theater advancing shows, building up the cul- sical Interactive and the Thelma Gaylord skills at the Thelma Gaylord Academy. tural heart of Oklahoma and creating an Academy. Classes are held in the fall, spring and environment that offers something for Lyric does something for everyone – summer for children ages 5 to 18. In ad- everyone. from edgy musicals like “Spring Awak- dition to those children who pursue the- “From the first meeting of that group ening” and “The Rocky Horror Show” ater careers, others gain the skills of the in 1963, to the shows we create today, to family-friendly fare and classics like stage like public speaking, teamwork, Lyric has been committed to the highest “The Wizard of Oz” and Lyric’s “A Christ- confidence and more. standards,” said Michael Baron, produc- mas Carol.” Lyric’s community arts outreach, Mu- ing artistic director of Lyric Theatre of “Because we have the privilege to sical Interactive, brings the art of musi- Oklahoma. perform in two venues that are drasti- cal theater to schools around the state by “Lyric is a part of the cultural life of cally different from each other, we can performing an adapted version of a musi- Oklahoma City, and we displayed that do both smaller, world-premiere plays cal that is designed to be both entertain- commitment when we purchased the and musicals as well as the large-scale ing and educational. As Oklahoma’s largest and only year- round professional theater, Lyric employs more than 250 artists of all types in any given year. “We boldly state that we are a cultural institution that is a part of what makes Oklahoma City a wonderful place to live,” Baron said. “We look forward to bringing the highest-quality theater to Oklaho- mans for many generations to come.” Lyric Theatre opened the 2016 year with a world premiere, “Mann… and Wife.” In addition, the theater will offer a full production of a new musical in part- nership with Disney Theatricals in 2017. “Audiences can expect to have a great night out. We believe that at Lyric, ev- ery ticket tells a story, and audiences can expect to be transported to new worlds by our world-class actors and creative teams,” said Baron. Big Fish, the musical,