405 Magazine

12/22/2022

Oklahoma City had a lot of stories to share in 2022. Many transformative developments that will shape OKC's future broke ground, such as the OKANA Resort, Convergence in the Innovation District and so many more we can't list them all. Projects from the strivingly ambitious MAPS 4 initiative are beginning to take root all around the city. Four — four! — sports franchises have come to The Big Friendly.

Local artists and entrepreneurs are making their passions be heard — spreading their creative ideas across the U.S. and bringing together creative minds from all over to collaborate. One of Oklahoma's most esteemed chefs won a James Beard Award, and another local restaurant was named one of the best in the country by multiple publications.

At 405 Magazine, we've told these stories and tried to capture all the wondrous things about this city: the arts, the food, the places, the things to do and the people who inspire us. It's impossible to choose the "best" stories — they are all a part of what makes OKC shine — but we've gathered the stories that you, our readers, enjoyed the most over 2022. Also, we've picked a few we're just proud of putting together.

Here are 405 Magazine's Most Loved Stories of 2022.

You can find the top 5 stories for each category on our Instagram highlight and you can read through the articles using the link below.

https://www.405magazine.com/405-magazines-most-loved-stories-of-2022/

12/13/2022

According to Walk Score, which calculates a city’s walkability by how many daily errands can be done on foot, Oklahoma City’s downtown is now “very walkable,” with a score of 72. However, downtown is only a fraction of the city’s 621 square miles. Oklahoma City as a whole still has a walk score of 34, which marks it as a firmly “car-dependent city.”

With OKC’s expansive sprawl and ambitious, decades-spanning goals, it’s a long road, but our city is becoming more walkable, step by step.

🚶‍♀️For more on a young couple who has been car-free for five months, forward projections, the “whys” of walking, and the growing community - read the full article using the link below!

Written by: Evan Musil
Photos by: Kerwin Moore
https://www.405magazine.com/the-path-to-walkability-in-okc/

12/12/2022

The Holiday season is about being with your loved ones and celebrating together. We are so thankful for our AFR family and wish all of you a safe and merry holiday season. Whether you’re home for the holidays or traveling to family, AFR Insurance has you covered and will protect you and those you love. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from AFR Insurance.

www.afrmic.com

12/09/2022

| Minimal and Magnificent | Amanda Layton rings in the holidays in simple, refined style.

Meaningful family traditions and simple-but-beautiful decorations give Amanda Layton a sense of peace when Christmastime arrives. The Oklahoma City home stylist starts decorating for her favorite holiday in November and focuses more on adding natural winter touches throughout her home rather than a big splash of extravagant decorations.

Layton began her career as a registered nurse and ultimately returned to doing what she realized came naturally: transforming homes. A “lightbulb went off,” she said, and a new business was born — Layton Designs (). Today she helps builders, home flippers and others stage homes, and she works with individuals who are remodeling or building.

Read the full article with the link in our bio. 🎄

Written by:
Photos by:

12/07/2022

405 Home’s Winter Issue ❄️

“Every season has its charms, and I’ve been known to claim, at one time or another, that each is my favorite. With holiday gatherings on the horizon, it should surprise no one that I’m unequivocally awarding winter first place. This “revelation” of sorts came when our team collaborated to capture luxurious images of the Reynolds family’s dining room (details on page 50). One of my favorites graces the cover. The women of The Set gloriously set a ten-top table while Brandon Smith masterfully photographed the festive scene. As we lit candles and tied hand-calligraphed name cards on Courtney Pryor's sugar cookies (recipe on page 54), winter soared to the top of my list, once again.

Adornment is one way to cope with forced indoor living, colder temperatures and stark landscapes. Even if you aren’t preparing for a party, we all have go-to’s for making our homes more comfortable and cozy the next few months. Gretchen Clark shares some “Winter Comforts” — gifts for ourselves or for others — on page 16. For decorating inspiration, this issue features a juxtaposition of styles: the regal and formal style of the Governor’s Mansion and the relaxed, well-appointed look of the Layton family home, both wonderfully captured by Emily Hart. Evie Klopp Holzer and Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman give us a look into both designs and respectively tell their stories.

In addition to the beautiful interiors and decor throughout, this issue highlights several savvy locals. Adi Mcasland opens the book on TheEllison's mural artist Alaina Hunt (page 28), while Lisa Loyd goes green with the eco-friendly holiday tree company Social Greenery (page 24). On page 20, Greg Horton enlightens us on the genius behind Vault Ice — and special thanks to Charlie Neuenschwander Photography, LLC who braved a snow day to snap some cool pics. Christina Wygant talks about vintage rugs with our own Blake Colburn (page 14), who in turn created the winter mood board on page 12.”

⁃ Sara G*e Waters, Editor-in-Chief

Flip through the issue digitally with the link below.

https://www.405magazine.com/issues/405home/winter-2022/

12/05/2022

Close to a year after the First Americans Museum opened south of the river, the Chickasaw Nation and the City of Oklahoma City broke ground on the OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark (), a future $400 million entertainment complex next to the museum complete with a 404-room hotel, conference center, outdoor beach and lagoon, entertainment center, golf simulator, restaurants and Native American retail, plus the namesake two-level waterpark.

Officials believe the project will open in a few years and bring in millions of dollars to the city’s economy. Not only is the massive development expected to be a “world-class” destination that will boost tourism in OKC, it will solidify the city’s status as “the nation’s capital for Native & Indigenous people,” according to a tweet by Mayor David Holt.

You can read more on OKC’s Ongoing Transformation with the link below!

Written by: .musil
Photo by: OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

https://www.405magazine.com/okcs-ongoing-transformation/

12/01/2022

✨ DECEMBER 2022 ✨

| OKC’s Great Unfinished Symphony |

“Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see."

These lyrics are of course from the smash hit musical Hamilton. One of my personal favorites that is about to have its second run (no doubt sold out) at OKC Broadway next spring — which is the kind of feat the bold people behind Oklahoma City‘s renaissance dreamed of making a reality. The best shows, concerts and a professional team all reside and thrive here simultaneously.

In this issue’s cover feature, we highlight the past, present and future of our city. On a very high level, the inspiration came from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Each December is a time in which we evaluate the previous year and have an opportunity to reinvent the upcoming one. Dr. Jake Durham, Evan Musil and I were thrilled to dive deep into Oklahoma’s City’s legacy and look toward all that is to come (pg. 28).

In the second feature, Evan Musil gives us an update on OKC’s walkability. How did we get here and how can we make this aspect of our town better? It was one of his first thoughts upon moving here this year, and he has been crafting this story for months (pg. 38).

Also in this issue you will find local exercise ideas for the new year (pg. 22), meet the woman who has brought and will bring your favorite retail brands to town (pg. 24), celebrate the Capitol’s art curation (pg. 68), hear about exciting seasonal activities (pg. 78), and indulge in a wine lover’s paradise (pg. 62) and bubble bath bombs (pg. 74).

I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season!

- Julie Partin, Editor-in-Chief

Flip through the issue digitally with the link below. 🔗

https://www.405magazine.com/issues/405-magazine/december-2022/

Cover photo by: Steve Johnson Flight Time OKC

11/29/2022

Careers - 405 Magazine

We are hiring!

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

405 Magazine seeks a motivated, experienced account executive to grow key accounts and add new business across print, digital, and event sponsorship channels.

405 Magazine is the city magazine of the OKC metro. For 25 years, it has told our city’s stories, revealing the best the metro has to offer and fulfilling our mission of impacting our city for good. 405 publishes 405 Magazine, 405 Business, 405 Home, 405magazine.com, and multiple e-newsletters. 405 also compliments their suite of owned advertising solutions with digital advertising services for local businesses.

We have a culture of excellence from the products we produce to the people we hire. The ideal candidate must have excellent communication skills and be able to thrive in a high volume, fast-paced, team-oriented, and hybrid environment.

Find more details on our website.

https://www.405magazine.com/careers/

Careers with 405Magazine.com

11/28/2022

The Monday after Thanksgiving, aka the Monday-est Monday of the year. Dreaming of another break? Book a vacation getaway at the mystical, magical Hotel Saint Vincent in New Orleans.

With St. Vincent's holiday deal, you can stay with 25% off their regular rates.

The city of New Orleans has that little something that can accurately be referred to as “magic.” Steeped in history and lore, there is no other American city like it. Exploring the city is an endless adventure, not only a visual and culinary feast but also a call to wander. In the lower garden district you’ll find all of this captured in one place: the Hotel St. Vincent.

🌴

For more on Hotel St. Vincent, check out the link below.
For more details on the holiday deal, call 504-350-2450.

Written by:
Photos: Courtesy of Hotel St. Vincent

https://www.405magazine.com/place-to-wonder/

11/23/2022

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Here are some yummy treats for you and yours as you cozy up!

Recipes for Spiced Cider & Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are below.

Written by: &
Photos by: Brandon Smith

https://www.405magazine.com/simmer-and-sip/

https://www.405magazine.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-brownies/

11/16/2022

Raising the Bar (Program): New Britton District restaurant El Coyote brings innovative drinks to OKC! 🍹

El Coyote opened in September at 925 W. Britton Rd. to much fanfare and long waiting lists. The bar and patio are sure to bring even more traffic to the growing Britton District.

Stranger’s bar program features some of the usual suspects — like margaritas in various guises — but he’s also done something that we’ve been waiting to see happen in the metro: He’s made what might be the 405’s first frozen horchata cocktail. Stranger also introduced a prickly pear cocktail — the Santa Fe Sunset — that relies on blanco tequila for the kick.

The trend of creating bar programs where the ingredients in the drinks mirror and complement the food is a very welcome one, and incorporating new-to-Oklahoma flavors from around the world in cocktails is a smart and delicious way to increase our city’s palate.

For the full run down on El Coyote, check out the link below!

Written by:
Photos by:

https://www.405magazine.com/raising-the-bar-program/

11/15/2022

Fall and winter bring shorter days with less sunlight, and for about 10 million Americans, the onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Read 'Minding Your Mental Health' to find local resources to help in a sometimes difficult season. Link below.

Written by:
Illustration by:

https://www.405magazine.com/minding-your-mental-health/

11/09/2022

The Hammocks established a solid vision for the home: a sleek California-modern design warmed by tonal neutrals.

The single-level home wraps around the backyard with views from every room. Jessie Hammock says the easy flow of the home lends itself to entertaining, something the couple thoroughly enjoys. While the kitchen is the couple’s favorite space, the living room also warrants attention with its intriguing archway and wood-paneled ceiling.

The Hammocks have garnered a substantial art collection over the years, with several finds from Emily Reynolds of Anonyma Fine Art. Pieces with significant meaning finish out the rooms.

The powder bath features a Pierre Frey wallpaper called “Shaman,” designed by two students at the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris. The dining room is extra user friendly with a washable snake rug from Ruggable. A serene bedroom was achieved through Holly Hunt wallpaper — a cork with foil inlays — and silk-blend draperies by Mokum.

Interior designer: Molly Cooke
Remodel: Kent Stanford and James Staggs of Stanford Remodeling
Plants: Calvert’s Plant Interiors
Landscape: Stan Jennings with Professional Lawn Care
Art: Emily Reynolds of Anonyma Fine Art
Kitchen quartzite: Architectural Surface

🏡 Read the full story using the link below.

Written by:
Photos by:

https://www.405magazine.com/built-on-trust/

11/07/2022

Arts advocate Virginia Sitzes is calling all creatives.

With a passion for bringing artists together, Sitzes co-founded Art Group () and Sunny Dayz Mural Festival (), two welcoming platforms for emerging and underrepresented artists. She also collaborates with the Oklahoma Arts Institute, the Department of Education’s Art Tech program, and print exchange Connect: Collect (.collect), to boost creatives and support their art. Artists need community, and Sitzes is always connecting.

After sitting down with printmaker, muralist and arts advocate Virginia Sitzes, we've begun to see art differently. Read the full article with the link below.

Written by:
Photo by:

https://www.405magazine.com/community-driven/

11/04/2022

Ma Der Magic 🍜

Nestled in the plaza district you will find Ma Der Lao Kitchen (), which has been the hum on everyone's lips since it was nominated as Bon Appetit’s 50 Best New Restaurants in America and The New York Times 50 Best Restaurants in America (2022).

The chef-owner behind it all is the equally impressive, James Beard Award-nominated, Chef Jeff Chanchaleune. Not only is his nationally acclaimed Lao cuisine both traditional and inventive, but his history is nothing short of fascinating.

You can read 'Ma Der Magic' with the link below.

Written by:
Photos by: &

https://www.405magazine.com/ma-der-magic/

11/02/2022

Hello, hello! As we wrap up 2022 and look towards a new year just around the corner, we are hoping to gain your insight on what you would like to see from us! We would greatly appreciate you taking this quick survey. The link to the survey is below!

💙 Thank you, from the 405 team!

https://www.research.net/r/010995

11/01/2022

THE NOVEMBER ISSUE IS HERE! 🍂☕️🧣

Please enjoy this letter from our editor:

“I truly love OKC, and the residents of this town make our jobs easy with their excellence, creativity and hustle. Our features this month make that so apparent. For our cover story, we present the much-anticipated list of “Best New Restaurants” written by a aficionado Greg Horton (pg. 36). Just a warning: Reading it and looking through the beautiful food photographs WILL make you hungry. We are also honored to tell the story of a local Laotian restaurant recently named as one of the best in the country by The New York Times and Bon Appetit (pg. 46)

Also in this issue you will explore a peaceful and scenic Nichols Hills redesign (pg. 32), find mental health resources for those affected by the season (pg. 24), hear all about the shows gracing the OKC Broadway stage (pg. 76) and preview a Texas national park perfect for your next camping trip (pg. 80).

You will meet a jazz musician with an incredible story (pg. 26), applaud the arts advocate behind a new mural festival (pg. 82) and get reacquainted with a legendary Native athlete (pg. 84).

Once again, we are genuinely thankful for you. All of you reading this and all of you making OKC the dynamic city that it is.”

With gratitude,
Julie Partin ()

You can read this issue digitally using the link below! 🔗

https://www.405magazine.com/issues/405-magazine/november-2022/

10/24/2022

Are you ready for some football? 🏈

We can’t think of a better way to kick off this season than by giving away two (2) free OU v. OSU football game tickets! That’s why we’ve teamed up with for their Bring Home the W with Williams Chili Giveaway!

Enter for your chance to win! Visit on Instagram to find out how you can enter for a chance to Bring Home the W with Williams Chili.

Don’t ride the bench. ! 🏈

10/19/2022

Don’t miss the Alliance Kitchen Tour! 
This Sunday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Oklahoma County Medical Society Alliance presents their 30th Alliance Kitchen Tour on Sunday Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Six Nichols Hills-area homes will be featured on this year’s tour with a special focus on their stunning kitchen designs, including this home!

Tickets are $20 each and available at www.ocmsalliance.org and Culinary Kitchen and Home, located at 7222 N. Western Avenue. Buy your tour tickets at Culinary Kitchen, and enter to win a $100 gift card to shop the store.

You can purchase tickets using the link in our bio. 🏡

Kitchen photo by Beth Jansen

10/17/2022

Dr. Tabatha Carr is the fabulous founder of Good Girl Chocolate. She opened her store in July of 2021 and she is the first Black-owned permanent storefront at Penn Square Mall. Her plant-based chocolates that gave rise to the shop were also featured in Grammy and Academy Award goodie bags and won her a grant from Beyonce’s BeyGOOD foundation. In this conversation, Carr discusses how her business — and chocolate — have developed over the past year, and what’s next for her guilt-free sweet treats. ⁠
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🍫 🍫⁠
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Read the full conversation with the link below. ⁠
⁠
Written by: ⁠
Photo 1 by: ⁠
Photo 2-3 provided

https://www.405magazine.com/planting-sweet-success/

10/13/2022

We are still dreaming about our Cadillac sponsored Secret Supper.. Thank you so much to everyone who made this evening possible. We are beyond appreciative of all the hard work that went into this event in order to bring our dreams to life. Attendees, thank you for your support. Special thanks to Prairie Surf Media for hosting and capturing the evening. (photos by )

Below is a list of the outstanding chefs and their affiliated restaurants, along with the incredible bartenders and vendors who knocked it out of the park.

Chef Shelby Sieg:
US Foods:

Chef Andrew Black:
Chef Dylan Morgan:
Grey sweater:

Chef Jeff Chanchaleune:
Ma Der Lao Kitchen:

Chef Josh Valentine:
Milo:

Chef Ashley Gonzales:
Patrono:

Chef Alyssa Ulrich: .a.ulrich
Harvey Bakery + Kitchen:

Bartender Brenna Murphy:
Barkeep & Lunar Lounge:

Bartender Zac Speegle
Frida Southwest:

Music by Logan Rosenbaum:
Personalized decor:
Flowers:
Venue:

10/12/2022

Greens, browns and blushes for fall inspiration. ✨⁠
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This was an open house at Still Meadows Event Center so everyone could meet its new owners before wedding season took off. It was an amazingly styled shoot with one of the hottest color trends of the year — the terra cotta and blushes mixed together with the gold are proving to be great for fall. This vendor team was amazing to work with, as these pictures demonstrate.⁠
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Photographer: ⁠
Venue: ⁠
Florals and Planning: ⁠
Styling and Design: ⁠
Arches and Neon Sign: ⁠
Floral Wall: ⁠
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Written by:

10/11/2022

405 Magazine, the highest quality, most widely read magazine in the Oklahoma City metro, is searching for an Art Director. 405 Magazine is a large format lifestyle magazine that produces a wide variety of stories in every issue—Features, profiles, interviews, food, home, garden, art and book stories, and more.

The ideal candidate must be highly creative, possess solid high-quality lifestyle magazine or ad campaign art direction experience, and be able to drive the conceptual and design direction for the magazine, website and ancillary material.

The Art Director should possess a strong knowledge of photography, typography, and have excellent organization and communication skills. The Art Director will work closely with the Publisher, Editor(s) in Chief, Managing Editor, and Production Director during the story planning process, and may also be responsible for producing some marketing/promotional and website layouts.

To apply for this position, please email [email protected] with your resume and portfolio.

For more details, visit the 'careers' section on 405magazine.com

https://www.405magazine.com/careers/

10/10/2022

Oklahoma-born USA Today bestselling Author Scarlett St. Clair’s passion for writing brings fantasy to life. ⁠
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When we interviewed Scarlett St. Clair, she informed us that she had until 3pm tomorrow to complete the long-awaited second book in her Adrian & Isolde series, Queen of Myth and Monsters, which is expected to be released in December. Her first book in the series, King of Battle and Blood, was an editor’s pick for best science fiction and fantasy for Amazon. ⁠
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St. Clair grew up in Eufaula, Oklahoma, where she wrote her first fantasy novel at just 13-years-old and decided writing was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Later in life St. Clair found her niche and began to weave all her loves together: fantasy, Greek mythology and romance. ⁠
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Today, St. Clair is an International and USA Today bestselling author. To keep up with the author and her works, follow her on Instagram or visit scarlettstclair.com. ⁠
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Written by: ⁠
Photo provided.

Read our story here: https://www.405magazine.com/maker-of-myths/

10/06/2022

Great baked goods lay a delicious foundation at this versatile hot spot. The creative center of Harvey Bakery and Kitchen is pastry chef Alyssa Ulrich. ⁠

Share with us in the comments what your favorite menu item is! 🥐👩🏼‍🍳💛☕️

For more on Harvey’s story, check out our article “The Harvey Hospitality” - link in bio!

Written by:
Photos by:

10/04/2022

Natural Beauty.

Hannah Sutter (Hannah Sutter Interiors) designed this oasis of a kitchen for an organized family that loves to entertain. With the modern white oak cabinets, drum lighting, vaulted ceilings, and large island draped Taj Mahal quartzite, it's no surprise this kitchen landed itself in our 405 Home feature.

You can read more about this lovely kitchen in our article: 'Delicious Designs: Four Kitchens Infused With Exceptionally Good Taste' 🏡 Link in bio!

Written by:
Photos by:
Designed by: