Twenty SomethingMay 2012

Lil DoescherHair & Makeup Artist

Salon 9309405.607.4247

Sherree ChamberlainFeature Writer

Angela HamiltonHair Designer

Elevation Salon405.659.5212

Sharon TabbHair & Makeup Artist

The Makeup Room AgencyTheMakeupRoomAgency.com

Luke StephensFeature Writer

Steve ClausenOneHealthyBod

Monthly Workout

Kealey McIntire &JaNiece CranmerFeature Writers

Alex Mendez-KellyMakeup ArtistFeature Writer

CONTRIBUTORSInterns: Meagan Thomas, Colin Anderson

Kelsey SelfFashion Director

Co-Creative DirectorStylist

Bethany YoungEditor-in-Chief

Co-Creative DirectorPhotographer

Sherree ChamberlainFeature Writer

Sarah EthridgeMusic Writer

Meagan OwenFeature Writer

Chad & Melissa CosperGuest Photographer

VideographyDCMGMT Creative, Inc.

Denver Duncan30 Before 30

Feature Writer

Whitney LynnFeature Writer

Emily DavisDecor Writer

Jeff RaganHealth Writer

Taylor Upchurch30 Before 30

CONTRIBUTORS

DCMGMT Creative, IncVideo and Photography Production ServicesPH 405.503.4120info@dcmgmt.com

facebook.com/dcmgmtcreative

Fashion

Color Me Good!The spring season of fashion is here! With the runways full of florals and color, the spring season is starting to blossom! One of the biggest trends of the spring sea-son is colored denim and pants. A majority of celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Fergie have all been seen wearing this trend. It is not just celebrities who have taken a liking to these statement makers. The stylish girls of the popular music fests like Coachella have also rocked the colored denim and pant trend. Think you’re ready to try on a pair of these popular bottoms? Let’s find out!

Colored denim is the easiest way to incorporate the colored bottom trend into your closet. The fact that fashionistas now have different color options when it comes to their jeans has made this trend the phenomenon that it is for this sea-son. Due to the simple fact that jeans are a best seller for retailers, colored denim is selling at an amazing rate. The great thing about colored denim is that you can dress them up or down however you like. If you want to try this trend but are a little intimidated by the boldness of the look, try a darker wash of colored denim. The cooler colors (like the blues and the greens) are your best bet if you want to tone down your overall look. If you want to really make a statement with your look, red is surely the best color for you. When wearing your colored denim, it’s best to pair them with neutrals to achieve an overall balance of style. Paired with your favorite statement accessories to complete your outfit, you too can be part of the biggest trend of the spring season!

If you want to try the colored bottom trend and look professional, the best way to do this is by trying colored pants. Colored pants are a fun yet sophisticated alternative to your basic professional wear. The tailored look of colored pants can provide the business-like look that young professionals are searching for. The trick to wearing colored pants is to make sure that they are tailored to your body. Your pants need to fit well in the right places in order to have balance. Just like colored denim, the best color to start out with would be the toned-down cooler colors. Then, if you feel comfortable enough, you can start to incorporate other colors into your professional attire. Neutrals are still the best option when it comes to pairing them with colored pants. A sophisticated silk white blouse paired with your colored pants can surely go a long way. Add your own unique accessories and you’re on your way to a chic professional look!

Colored denim and pants are a great way for fashionistas to really have fun with fashion. So, if you are thinking about trying this trend (even for one day), go for it! Be bold! Try to create your own look! Feel free to get style inspiration from the look that I have styled for you. Have fun!

Written by Whitney LynnRag & Bone Denim Featured in Photo

Fashion

Waterproofing Make-UpOld man Winter might have been mild, but I do believe we are in for another hot, hot summer! I think we should approach this early and be ready for anything that might come our way. So weather proofing our makeup is a must.

I may not have created this next product, but it is iconic in the world of makeup and summertime. First introduced eleven years ago as the premier product from a then, very small company Tarte, Cheek Stains are easy-to-use, pop-up cheek gels. They stay moist and dewy looking, and are great for a pool party or cabana hopping in Vegas. You can wear colors from shimmering Light Pink to the staple color Flushed (looks exactly like what the name imparts). The really great thing about this product is you can swipe your cheeks without any

This first product is very near and dear to my heart, as it was the second product I helped create. I spent an entire summer testing its durability, sustainability and beautifulness-ability. I am talking about Sha-lin-er, of course. The Sha-Liner family now consists of 18 colors; from no-shimmer, flesh colored (No Brainer – yes, actual name) to dark sultry colors (Samba). Sha-Liners come in little pots and can be applied with fingers (my fav) or with a little brush. It can be worn, depending on shade, as an eye shadow base, as a liner, or as a sweep of color all over the eyelid. Hence, the very clever name Sha-Liner. Honey Child Boo Boo, these colors do NOT move until you decide to take them off. They can be worn in the pool, from day to night, in sweltering deserts, for brides with water-works, or on the no-fuss girl who just wants to put on one thing and be done. Pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!

real talent and swipe your lips too. It looks very natural and is so easy to boot! Also from Tarte are waterproof eyeliners. This fat, chubby pencil glides on with ease and has a smudger on the end to help blend it in. The colors are fun and a little less intense than the Sha-Liners.

Ahhh, then we have lips. There is no real thing as a waterproof lip anything. BUT! We do have lip stains from Liptini and that is what they do. They have really cornered the market on stains and come in many, many colors. A good application of these aqueous formulas will leave you with some color for most of the day. Cannot be guaranteed after making out, eating BBQ, or lip biting, but can be a great layering tool with gloss over top.

I may not be a fan, but I do know that lots of you wear h2o-proof mascara. Just please remove every last bit! Its formula is really heavy and can weigh down your natural lashes.

Lastly, here are some things to try in your friendly Spa. Lash and brow tints, spray tans, self-tanners, and the ever-popular bikini wax, which we will cover next time. In the meantime…stay cool.

Written by Alex Mendez-KelleyOwner of The MakeUp Bar

Beauty

Makeup: The MakeUp BarPhotography: Bethany Young

Fashion

It all started with the whimsical and spontaneous thought of reinventing fashions, and displaying her creations and thoughts on the Internet where arrays of bloggers aspire to set themselves apart from the ordinary. Grace Gordon, fashion blogger of High Fashion Girl, radio co-host, international journalist and Star Trek enthusiast, displays the inge-nious visions engrained in her mind, and has become what so many pursue and dream of throughout their lifetime. The origin of her eclectic way of life all began when she experi-mented with the art of blogging as a carefree form of leisure. “I started it [the blog] in my junior year in college, just for fun. I was getting two degrees [philosophy and psychology] at OCU and it was just like a hobby. It was like an experi-ment to write about fashion and to talk about things that I liked, and a lot of my writing was about cool stuff you would find at the thrift store,” Gordon says. With thousands of blogs thriving for a receptive audience, Gordon self-evaluates as to how she believes her blog High Fashion Girl is unlike any fashion blog before. She believes it congregates an audience to perceive fashion on levels more than one.

“I write about fashion, and I try to write about it philosophically, psychologically, or socio-logically; in some substantive way. I think that is how it distinguishes my blog from other [blogs], because there are thousands out there, and it’s hard to be different in that world,” Gordon states. Envisioning unique fashions in the most unexpected places plays a clever twist in Gor-don’s journey. She captivates an audience that has catapulted her into a career of many proportions. “It was my senior year in college. I was sitting at home, studying for a test when I got an e-mail from Ruth LeFerla, a New York Times Style reporter. She asked me for an interview with her because of my blog. That was when I started taking it seriously, and really started writing and networking with other bloggers,” Gordon says.

Gordon stands out in the journalism world. Her style of writing shows she executes her vision on an intellectual level. She allures her audience to take on a new perspective and realize how fashion resonates more than just fads and trends. “When it comes to fashion, I don’t view it as a shallow [subject]. I think it’s a form of nonverbal communication. It’s incredibly important when someone is meeting you for the first time and they are fitting and sizing you up; what you are wearing transmits something to them,” Gordon says. Led into a calling in life she never expected, Gordon states how writing has molded into who she is. “I believe with the philosophy degree, it helps me with my writing. I think there is a purpose to writing, otherwise, I would not do it; I am somebody who has to think very long and hard about the reason I do anything,” Gordon says. As she embodies this new, fresh perspective of writing, it has attracted publications world-

Grace Gordon: Writer and Philosopher of Fashion

wide to capture the enticing spark shown in her writing. She was once a diamond in the rough, but she has now become a household name. “It was about two years ago, I had an actual big magazine approach me, ‘Savoir Flair’, based out of Dubai. They asked me to write runway reviews for them. I eventually wrote for them full time; I wrote daily for their online portion of the magazine. They sent me to New York, London, Paris, and I still can’t believe it,” Gordon says.

With the engagements of international publications, they have sent Gordon abroad to document one of the most iconic events in our culture: Fashion Week. Gordon fills us in on her demanding yet rewarding experiences that are Fashion Week. “How it’s structured: I have to write about almost all of the collections, even if I don’t physically see them. I will go to the collections during the day and I’ll do parties at night. Then I will write all night long to meet my next day deadline because I have a 24-hour turnaround for reviews. I’ll get up after about an hour of sleep and go to shows again,” Gordon recalls.

Not only a composer of words that serenade so many, Gordon is also an advocate and product of the local music scene in OKC. “I have a really sincere passion for music; I grew up listening to good music, thanks to my mom. I think that translated into my thriving interest in music now. From the Buffalo Lounge alone, I have met so many cool people; I’ve met Jonathan Fowler, Nathan Poppe, Ryan LaCroix. All of these people are heavily in-volved in the local music scene, and I started developing relationships with them,” Gordon says.

In establishing The Buffalo Lounge, Gordon evolved into an icon that led her into co-hosting the radio program, “Oklahoma Rock Show.” Her insight has become a powerful influence on multiple branches in the music district. “At the end of last year, I challenged most of these guys to a ‘Best of 2011’ music debate on ‘The Spy FM.’ The debate went so well and the listeners responded; it transitioned into me becoming the new co-host for the ‘Oklahoma Rock Show.’ When I went back down to The Buffalo Lounge this year, it was bigger and better than ever before. It has all happened organically and just meeting new people that have the same interests you have. It’s easy to start working with them because everyone wants to collaborate,” Gordon says.

From her worldwide audience to the center of OKC, the demand for Grace Gordon and her philosophical insight of the arts escalates as she encourages a deeper perception for all things in life.

Written by Meagan Thomas

Fashion

Makeup: The MakeUp BarHair: Angela Hamilton

Clothing: IsabellaJewelry: Gil’s

Model: Jessica BohneStyling: Kelsey Self

Photography: Bethany Young

It’s almost time to head to the lake, beach or even just to the pool,

and you most certainly need to be the best dressed

Twenty Something there. Here are a few ways to spice up this year’s swim suit cover ups, turning it up a notch from the go-to terry cloth tube dress.

30 Before 30We’re coming down to the wire! Only a few tasks left, and a month to do them. Some will be harder than

others. Especially if the Thunder keep winning. Which we hope they do! Thunder up! If the Thunder win the title, Taylor will get a tattoo. Not a list item, but still a very worthy task to accomplish. These are

the adventures of Taylor Upchurch, a beloved high school science teacher, husband, and music enthusiast and Denver Duncan, a local musician, husband, and father of two. Friends since childhood.

Spend the Day at a Nursing HomeDenver: I wasn’t sure how this would go. The last time I was really in a nursing home was when my mom made my sister and me go and sing songs for the residents! We got yelled at by an old scary man with fangs!

Taylor: Did he really have fangs?

Denver: Probably not, but when you’re a kid and an adult is yelling at you, you always envision they have fangs!

Taylor: Nobody yelled at us this time though. I’m pretty sure there were no fangs, unless they had tricked out fang dentures.

Denver: Do they make those?!?

Taylor: I’m guessing... no.

Denver: We did have fun though. I brought my guitar and my love for songs that were recorded prior to 1970.

Taylor: Dude they were really getting into Old Blue Eyes.

Denver: Ha ha! We had people dancing and sing-ing, it was really a blast. I’m going to put this out there - Probably one of the most fun shows I’ve played.

Taylor: It was a good turn out.

Denver: I think they made them come in there! Or they just wheeled them in and locked their wheelchairs.

Taylor: Ha ha! You got one guy dancing who they said hasn’t really gotten up to participate in a long time.

Denver: The power of music! It really was a blast and I’ll gladly do it again!

Stay the Night in the WildernessDenver: There is something about being under the stars.

Taylor: Yeah, knowing there are animals hidingbehind that tree or under that rock.

Denver: Nature, man.

Taylor: Whoa man, like far out, man.

Denver: It was pretty tough trying to survive our one night. I wouldn’t want to get lost any longer than that.

Taylor: I’m not sure anyone wants to get lost.

Denver: So once we we got our lean-to built, I felt comfortable. Really settled in, you know?

Taylor: The grass bedding was a nice addition. The tick that lived there wasn’t. We should have started a fire first.

Denver: Yeah, Bear Grylls would not have been happy with our order of operations. Fire first. That is how you survive.

Taylor: Good thing I happened to have that bag of old chips in my backpack. Stale chips taste like regular chips; salty. And they were good kindling.

Denver: I’m pretty sure fires were supposed to scare off wild animals. But it seemed like I started hearing more noises as the night went on.

Taylor: They picked up on our scent.

Denver: ...of potato chips.

Taylor: I will never eat a cricket again. Unless I get stranded somewhere with no food.

Denver: It wasn’t that bad. I’ve had worse. No questions please.

Taylor: Wildernesses are not as fun without tents and sleeping bags.

Denver: I’ll probably take one next time I decide to get lost.

Taylor: Again, no one wants to get lost.

Feature

Twenty Something Girl

Samantha Lamb

Feature

Photography: Bethany Young

Meet our May Twenty Something Girl, Samantha Lamb. If you have been in

Oklahoma long, then you have surely seen her incredible photography, or heard legend

of her enchanting farm and baked goods. We were eagerly anticipating meeting this

talented lady, to see if the stories that precede her were true, and we are happy to

report they are.

Tell us about yourself!Age: 27

Name: Samantha Joelle Honey Lamb

Eyes: I have been told they change every day.

Diet: That of a wolf. Fresh salmon, rare, rare deer, still mooing steak, berries, nuts, greens, tree sap, honey, raw milk... I do also love pie...

Animal most similar to: I have been defined as a Bear-Rabbit-Wolf… or as my best friend the lovely Sam Crain likes to say, “you look as if you took a long while to get ready Sam, and then you walked into the pasture to only wrestle with a bear.”

My parents like to tell me I was never really born; I was simply picked from the ground like a good harvest. I grew up in Yukon, OK, with two broth-ers and wonderful parents. I was and am very close with my Aunt Diane. While growing up, if not trying to climb a tree or getting lost in the forests around our house, I would accompany my Aunt every Friday to my weekend heaven, my grand-parents farm in Hobart. There I would dream in pastures, help Grandma bake cookies, ride in the pickup with Grandpa, shell peas, harvest enough vegetables to fill up the back of a pickup, hang out with old man farmers, and at the age of five talk as if I knew exactly what Harvest was going to be like. “A bumper crop, I tell you!!” I would repeat to my family at the dinner room table, while holding my quiet fist in the air in a passionate Wendell Berry way.

Skip to 20-ish years later, I am graduating from UCO with a photographic arts degree, and, as promised, I waited till graduating college to move out to a little homestead of my own. This home-stead I have fondly named Early Bird Acres. I cur-rently reside within its fanciful world, carving out my own nook of creativity and hopefully adding light to this sweet old world.

What first drew you to photography?During college, I cannot really describe what hap-pened to my heart. As if the land were calling to me by means of sewing seeds into my skin, all of my flesh went to meadow. Most minutes of my day were spent thinking about the farm and farm life. College became more of a thing I needed to get through. For a long while, I thought I was going to be a full time writer. Before that, I was going to conquer the world one news story at a time, and even before that, I was going to be a Doctor whom designed clothes on the side. Even though I do write and am happy to have a few books published, my life went a completely different direction when my skin decided to go to meadow. The need to keep the farm close to me in these fanciful days of living in Edmond with five other girls in a “hip-pie house” as it was dubbed, led me to the art of Photography. I achieved my style from wanting to create the exact image I yearned for in my agrarian thoughts. The rest is History.

What inspires your photography ideas and creations?My constant inspiration in this sweet old world is the Morning. Beyond light, I have come to know the morning as my pastoral Grandfather. This Grandpa can shine a new light on everything in your life and pursues you with the comforting idea that, “yes… this day was made for you Honey Lamb and you have the capability to capture it through your agrarian eyes. The Harvest is great, sweet girl, so reap what these sights have sewn.”On a slightly more cheesy side, bluegrass music, picking berries, baking pies, banjos, beards, hard-working farmers, milk cows, ducks, chickens, pigs that cuddle, my dogs (including my precious Harold), canning, sanding wood, long long harvest tables full of food, and happy people enjoying the bounty of a garden…. Those are a few others of my inspirations. Oh…and the Gnomes. They just reminded me that I couldn’t forget about them. The majority of your photos are of items and scenery, as opposed to portraits of people. Is there a reason why you prefer still life?The very first series I ever did was actually a series of self-portraits. It was called “The Jezebel Series: Faceless Portraiture of a Country Girl.” I suppose it was a time of self-discovery and understand-ing. I was finally settling into the person whom most felt like me, if that makes any sense. I was no longer allowing the influence of the outside world to lure me into being a thing that was void of my

creative conscious. As my art evolved, I found that a large portion of the sketches of future pictures I wanted to create were still lifes, using items that meant the world and a half to me. Simple items like honey jars took on the role of femininity itself, and milk jars represented a bounty from hard work and vigilance through days of rain and drought. More than myself, the few captures I took of any facet of me became more of a character or exag-gerated quality of my nature. In the most recent series I created, the portraits of myself represented a girl whom had turned into an Orchard with the quickness of Dianna of the hunt, instead of the real life girl with messy blond braids and a nest in the back of her hair. But yes, I do enjoy still lifes more than portraits. I can’t help but look onto a pasture or a cottage as a still life of that as each particular season’s creation. Tell us about Early Bird Acres, and how you became involved with it.I feel as if I should begin by saying, “Once upon a time, there was a girl…”… ha-ha….First of all, Early Bird Acres is a magical place where I create art and raise animals. Some for meat, some for milk, and some for wool. I became involved with Early Bird Acres, I believe, since the day I was plucked from the earth like some wild-flower. My Great Grandparents once owned this farm. They are Dutch German and were born in the old country, to only come over on boats when very little. I was told stories about my Great Grand-mother Annie while growing up, and imagined her sweet smile and rounded cheeks, that I too pos-sess, looking back at me from across the pasture, while she wears her many pastoral dresses. I knew I wanted to live in the country, but had no idea I would be living in the house I grew up as know-ing to be vacant and haunted by farming spirits and meadow sprites. Honestly, on a particular visit to my grandparents’ farm, I was contemplat-ing moving out of state since I was asked to join a farming community in Ohio, and dreaded the idea of leaving the great plains of Oklahoma. I stepped outside to the side yard of their house, and peered across the pasture at the tanned and forgotten little house, littered in old metal and new tractors that shined green amongst the aged and overgrown. I all at once imagined the farm as it used to be. My Great Grandmother in the yard taking care of her Acre of flowers in the front, quiet and cooing chickens scattered amongst the grass, the house all shining in a fresh coat of white wash, slick cows mooing in the east pasture, heavy harvests growing to the west, my great grandfather walking up from

the north barn with a rope in his hand, trestled to a pig or young calf, a Dutch apple or cherry pie quietly cooling upon the kitchen sill…witnessing an array of colorful farmers whom were willing to work till they ached in order for the homestead to thrive. THIS is where I wanted to invest my time and effort; THIS was my wholehearted vision for integrating my pastoral art sense and the creativity of farming. Within a week, I was moving my whole life out to Hobart, America. I raise many animals. I have chickens (for eggs and meat), ducks (for eggs and meat), pigs (for cud-dling and meat), cows (for milk and meat), sheep (for wool) and, of course, a large garden to compli-ment it all. I have converted an old granary into a guest cottage and have done lots of improvement to the actual house and many barns on the home-stead. I like to think my Great Grandmother Annie would be proud of me. I do have plans to eventu-ally put in a flower garden, just as she had. My family often spoke of this home being haunted, and honestly I do not mind if it is. In fact, the family of-ten remarks of me as being possessed by my Great Grandmother Annie. I like to create pie recopies and crust creations that just happen to taste like and appear to look like her kitchen creations. They ask me if I found some hidden recipe card some-how lost in an old drawer or found in a box. I look back baffled and speak to them in Dutch German and turn back towards my farm work in my pasto-ral dresses. So, do you shoot all of your pieces at Early Bird Acres?About 90% of my captures are taken here. I do not have the luxury of having an apple orchard nor an ocean, so Oregon is also a popular spot for my captures. What does an average day look like for you on the farm?Every morn I usually wake up at 4:30. Even before I go pee or put on clothes, I run to the coffee maker and start the lovely thing up. While it is brewing, I choose a dress, braid back my hair or twist the nest into some creation & then I am off to the kitchen to boil some water for the bottle babies’ milk (right now, I have bottle baby sheep). By 5, I am walk-ing towards the south barn to milk my cow Ohio. I named her Ohio because I really like this brand of ice cream from there, called Jennies Ice Cream. With full pail in hand, I mosey my way back to-wards the house & filter the milk through cheese cloth to make sure there is no stray pieces of grass

or hair amongst it’s heavy Jersey cream. This milk will either be drank, turned into ice cream, made into a quick mozzarella or into another cheese that might take a bit longer. I am no good at hard cheeses, because I have not the patience to wait for its aging.

Once the milk chores are completed, I grab my sketchbook and walk out to the sheep, chickens and ducks. I feed them, freshen their nests, kiss their noses, replace their water, check them over briefly for health, and, of course, say to them many sweet words. I name them all and call them by their names. I believe this is inductive for a happy farm, and, in turn, happy people. If it is a nice day, I will linger in the pasture and sketch for a bit and do some creative writing. My donkey Fred usually joins me on the ground and nuzzles my pockets for treats, in which almost always lingers a molas-ses cube. Once I have taken care of the poultry and sheep, I head back up to the house and work on my art for a spell. Editing new images, deign-ing pages of books, returning e-mails and letters (I love getting letters…I get a few a day and I am always quick to respond since they took the effort to write me), and packaging prints to be shipped out to their new homes. My second breakfast, as I like to call it, will be eaten around 9am. The gnomes and my dogs usually join me. Nice days are always blessed with picnics. I have access to many a pasture and meadow for picnics. I am observed actually to live in a perpetual picnic.

Evenings are spent in the garden. Harvesting, picking weeds, diving my hands into the dirt for no particular reason…sometimes I wake up out there in the middle of the night. I guess even in my dreams I enjoy Harvest.

When guests are about, I like moving the dining room table out towards the garden and enjoying large dinners amongst its bounty. Pitchers of milk, glasses of sweet tea and bottles of home brew scat-ter its length. Beeswax candles flower the air to a shade of summer divine.

Depending on the day, and the light, I will take a whole morning or evening to do art, or go harvest honey with my old man friend Rodger whom lives in the mountains.

I am often so tired at the end of the day I will fall asleep under a tree or in my art studio…one time, while baking a pie J. But I enjoy working hard, and other people whom also enjoy working hard. Do you sell products from the farm?Ooohh I do, I do. Not only do I sell my artwork, I sell my honey, wool, meat, eggs and such. I do most

of my selling here in Hobart, because the demand for whole-hearted products is so great, there is no need to travel. But, with specialty products, I sometimes sell in lovely OKC. As much as I wish I could sell my delicious Milk and Cheese around, dairy laws are very difficult in Oklahoma. I could not get anywhere near enough money to bring my farm to “code” as a dairy farm. But, if you come visit, you eat all of the cheese you like!! You are farm girl meets photogra-pher - is there one element that you enjoy above the other, or do the two entwine together?There is no separation between my Farming & Art. Nor a separation between my Writing & my Farm-ing. Farming is the inspiration for my art. There would not be one without the other. I milk the cow and pour it into milk jars for a lovely still life. I harvest the honey for lovely backlit photographs. I would not be the person I am today without either of them also. I am simply one happy peach. Tell us about showing your work in galleries across the country!The reception of my artwork out of state is really great. People whom have never been to Oklahoma have never witnessed our lighting, nor our slight rolling hills or natural agrarian spirit that runs through every sinew of this great land. I am proud to display these scenes in my captures and hap-pier than a peach when someone out of state can come to a show and feel a bit of the Okie love, and respond by simply glowing. I often find that indi-viduals cannot help but tell me their single, or one of many, farm stories. There is no need to procure a smile at these shows, because with the new individ-uals who I meet whom purchase my captures and appreciate what I do, I can’t help but smile. Chicago and New York have both really taken to my art-work. I hope to show more in San Fran and around Oregon in the near future. What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue artistic photog-raphy?Be unique… Be Persistent… Carve out your own style… Print Quality Product… & fall in love as often as possible J How can readers find and purchase your pieces?Website: http://samanthalambphotography.myshopify.com/Blog: http://samthelamb.blogspot.com/Stores: Cuppies & Joe, Collected Thread & Visions in the Paseo.Or, just come out and visit the farm… I have lots of art here and would love to cook you dinner.

What We’re Listening To...Album of the Month: The Body Wins by Sarah Jaffe

It has almost been a year since we talked about Sar-ah Jaffe and her music. We saw her perform last July in her haven of Denton, TX and, like always, she made her mark. She shared songs from her previous albums and EP’s, along with new work Jaffe would eventual-ly release. Thank goodness, the time has come.

The Body Wins is Jaffe’s fourth full-length album that was released April 24. We’re able to hear incredi-ble evolution from her first works of the folk/country-influence to a more sym-phonic as well as electronic

persuasion. She did, after all, express her love for electronic music in our last interview with Sarah, and her desire to experiment with it in the future. Tracks like “Glorified High,” “When You Rest,” and her title track “The Body Wins” exemplify her newfound bravery in this genre.

With the help of producer John Congleton, who also worked with St. Vincent (the artist of Strange Mercy: our album of the month for February), Jaffe was able to create an edgier, rougher and sometimes sexier sound than what we’re used to hearing from this 26 year-old. Her new sound, unpredictable as it may be, does not disappoint. She mastered the art of being unexpected with her instruments: tons of haunting strings, a ragged bass, and deep percussion, seamlessly balanced with wispy piano and her almost angelic voice. “Li-merance,” for example, represents the prettier side to her album, showing off her ability to lull us into submission as an instrumental track. This sort of romance she juxtaposed with a much harder, ragged sound is just what makes Sarah so talented and entertaining.

Involving such variety in an album no doubt takes guts that can be rare a find today. Ap-preciate this courage. For Sarah Jaffe, it seems clear that her music is a diary of sorts, an outlet of emotion as most musicians pursue, but an even greater expression of art that does not let us forget just how beautiful music can be.

Music

What We’re Listening To...Artist of the Month: Poliça

Poliça originated as somewhat of an accident waiting to happen. A while ago I wrote about Gayngs, a band made up of over 25 members including Bon Iver. Gayngs also included Channy Leaneagh, a singer who evidently was capable of holding her own as a musician. Ryan Olsen, the creator of Gayngs, knew something different was in store for Leaneagh, so he added two drummers and a bassist, and there you have it, Poliça was created in Minneapolis not even a year ago. They have not been a band for long, but are already creating a huge buzz with their song “Lay Your Cards Out,” featuring Mike Noyce of Bon Iver.

This song is what grabbed my attention to Poliça, pronounced Poe-Lisa, which is Polish for “policy.” Apparently their title represents the guidelines they subconsciously follow when playing together. What-ever they’re doing, it’s working for them. Poliça will capture you when you hear them because they know how to put a twist on what’s popular. They’re one of the few bands that can use auto-tune and get away with it without sounding ridiculous and incompetent. After hearing her sing, you’ll know that Leaneagh is anything but a cop-out. With their compilation of heavy drums, bass and some serious synth, her elec-tronically manipulated voice puts the cherry on top of a digitized masterpiece.

Give Up The Ghost, released December 20, 2011, is their first album and if this is what they came up with after a few recording sessions, I’m in it for the long haul. You should be too.

Song of the Month: “Shapeless and Gone” by Porcelain RaftIf anyone was ever a fan of The Verve or appreciates the likings of Panda Bear or even MGMT, Porcelain Raft de-serves some of your attention with “Shapeless and Gone.” This track is undoubtedly spacey with the echoed vocals of Mauro Remiddi amongst what sounds like drowning gui-tars. Porcelain Raft is Remiddi’s solo project and has pro-duced only one studio album, Strange Weekend, where of which this track belongs. He released it January 30 of this year and I can’t ever turn it when it comes on the radio.

“Shapeless and Gone” has such a retro feel. I get a Europe-an vibe when hearing this Italian-born musician who has been said to have John Lennon and David Bowie as influ-ences. By listening to this track, it’s clear that Remiddi’s imagination is a key factor in his work and aids in his mu-sic’s hypnotic element that sets him far apart from the rest.

Written by Sarah Ethridge

Music

Photo by Bethany Young

Miranda Lambert: On Fire Tour

Wearing boots, a mini skirt, a cut-off tee and a blinged out leather belt that said “Mrs. Shelton” across the back – it became very clear from the beginning that Miranda Lambert was here to put on a great show.

With a set list that included most of the tracks from her latest album, Four the Re-cord, as well as fan favorites like “More Like Her”, the packed crowd at the BOK Center in Tulsa were more than willing to show their enthusiasm for country music’s favorite lady.

We learned in our last interview with Miranda that she loves Beyonce – which be-came even more evident when the concert opened with a video montage of the pop star while “Run The World” blasted through the arena. It seems that Mrs. Shelton’s love for pop music runs deep, because she even did a cover of Lady Gaga’s “You and I.”

Lets admit it, we were all dying to know what Miranda and Lady Gaga’s conversations were like at this year’s Grammy Awards (the two were seated next to each other). And, as if reading our thoughts, Miranda obliged and filled us in. Apparently, Lady Gaga [pronounced by Miranda as “Gaw-Gaw”] asked if country musicians had rivals like she does in pop music. Miranda responded by saying, “No, we’re all one big fam-ily. But I do like to win just as much as the blonde down the row.” After the cheers from the crowd died down, she went on to say that the song “Only Prettier” is all about this very thing. (If you are not familiar with the lyrics of this song, you should definitely look them up now.)

Miranda was recently listed on People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People list, and it seems her confidence is the trick to keeping her there. She told the crowd, “I’m ok with being myself. I like to eat chicken fried steak and drink a beer. When you’re blonde the stakes are high.”

We thoroughly enjoyed the concert, but our favorite moments were when Miranda became more intimate with the crowd. While singing “More Like Her”, Miranda sat down on her knees for the entirety of the song, making us feel like we were sitting in her living room listening to her sing. Another highlight came at the end of “White Liar” where Miranda had the crowd sing the last few lines, making her visibly emo-tional. After regaining her voice, she thanked the crowd for supporting her and her music throughout the years.

For those of you who missed Miranda Lambert’s Tulsa concert, you’ll be glad to know that you can catch her in Dallas this month. If you like country music, and appreciate real talent, then you will definitely want to cross the Red River on May 12th.

As English is my area of profession, I truly appreciate the constant progression and fluid-ity of our ever changing language. That being said, here is a list of 10 words that should be vanquished from all living organism’s vocabularies immediately.

1. Hubby – If you are of legal childbearing age, and are mature enough to commit your entire life to a single person, you should probably cut the baby talk.

2. Y’all – ok ok, I know. If you scroll back through my tweet catalogue you will see this word used in excess. I get it. I loved it. I put it to good use, and now it’s time to put it back up on the shelf.

3. Salt/Salty – I have a personal vendetta against this word because it makes me feel old. All the young’uns these days are calling things salty. I tried to use it once, and all my stu-dents openly mocked me. Delete this word from your vocabulary strictly because it shows your age.

4. Cray – This one is hard for me. I never use the actual word, but I LOVE making fake derivatives. Crayno, cruh-kray, cree-craw… needless to say, people complained about it to me on twitter enough to make it on to this list. You’re welcome.

5. Besty – Seriously? Besty can be lumped into the “babytalk” category along with hubby. Let me help you out – you probably have a BESTYYYY!!!!! because you don’t have a boy-friend, and honeychild, you ain’t gonna get one until you stop screaming the word besty at the top of your lungs every time you meet up with your homegirl for a glass of prosecco.

6. Psyched – Unless you’re a Californian surfer from the 80’s or a middle-America youth pastor, you are not allowed.

7. Indie – “Indie” is not some magical key word to describe all things counterculture. And trust me, if you use the word “indie” to describe something, you are “soooo not in-die.”

8. Epic – I can pretty much guaran-damn-tee you that you have never done, nor will ever participate in something epic. Getting drunk and hooking up with some random chick at the bar is not epic – I believe the word you’re looking for is pathetic. Unless you are a WWII veteran or a tsunami survivor, you are never allowed to use this word to describe your night.

9. “I know right?” –Are you affirming my previous thought while simultaneously asking me to affirm you for affirming me? I know right? It’s confusing.

10. Awkward – I blame THIS word (and Zooey Deschanel) for turning an entire genera-tion of cute, capable young twenty-something women into fake wannabe quirky girls who make “20 things you don’t know about me” lists on Facebook with #1 always being, “I’m sooooo awkward”. God help us.

Disclaimer: I’m guilty of all of the above offenses. This is not meant as a personal at-tack, but rather a harsh reality check. Hugs and Kisses. Y’all are all totes my besties 4 life. YOLO!

Vocab 101

Written by Sherree Chamberlain

Feature

Trendy TrendsAhhhhh... here it is. The doubly-annual, finals week! If there was one trend that most twenty-something’s would like to band, it would be finals. They suck! I’m the world’s worst test taker. I actually fell asleep in the ACT. Not a joke. True story. (Sorry mom!) My college test career just went down hill from there. But, I did learn a thing or two about test taking.

Here are a few study tips and words of wisdom that will help you get through this time that colleges dub “Finals Week.” All of these methods are proven to work. I am living proof that anyone can pass a college course… if I go back and finish my last 38 hours. (Sorry mom!)

1. Breath in through your nose. Your nose hairs and mucous act as a filter for all the germs floating around the library. No one wants to get the sniffles during finals week. More importantly, no one wants to sit next to the kid with sniffles while trying to concentrate on a test. Don’t be that kid.

2. Some say dress for success. I say wear pajama pants and a tee. That means you successfully stayed up late and crammed for this final.

3. Nutrition. Hopefully you prepared for your finals week diet by introducing your stomach lining to things such as sunflower seeds, Red Bull (or Monster for the poor college students out there), excessive amounts of coffee, 5-layer beefy burritos, Big Texas cinnamon rolls, Starbursts, and jalapeño Cheetos. Pre-finals preparation or not, this is bad. You either gained weight prepping, or your stomach will be kill-ing you by the end of the week. Pain is temporary, diplomas are forever.

4. If you have never studied in the library, I suggest finding the thesis section. No one ever reads those things so it’s pretty quiet there. Also, find the person who brought a cooler, extra clothes, and a pillow. As they get up to go to the restroom, borrow their snacks (and maybe pay them back later). Chances are they have fruit roll-ups.

5. If it’s late and your eyelids are itchy and burning, go to sleep. You’ve either got pink eye or you are so tired you can’t focus on the material anyway.

6. Study with a friend. You will most likely get bored and need to talk to someone. It might be really awkward talking to the huge Stephen King picture on the back of “It”. Plus, your friend can tell you to shut up and study - accountability!

7. Download your favorite app to your iPod/iPhone. Your brain needs a break from all the studying. I suggest Coin Dozer. It is mindless. Touch the screen and see the coins fall. You may even win a pair of sunglasses.

8. Figure out where your classroom is located. Oh, never mind. If you don’t know where your class is by now, you have no chance at passing. Sleep in.

9. If you are stressing at this point, stop. You should have been more attentive during lectures. All you can do is study a little and go in relaxed. It is only your fault now.

10. My best trick is to go into the test really having to pee. Your body and brain will have a flight or fight reaction. You will either do great and be the first one done, or you’ll pee your pants and get extra time to go “clean up.” That’s when you look up the answers.

Good luck. By Friday, it will all be over.

Written by Denver Duncan

Feature

Patio Time in OKC!This month we decided to take a step back and soak in the amazing weather we

have been having. So, here it is, our top patios in the metro. Visit these great spots for happy hour and you’re pretty much guaranteed to have an amazing

rest of the week… or weekend.Redrock Canyon Grill

Part of the Hal Smith Restaurant Group, Redrock Canyon Grill pro-

vides a relaxed semi-upscale environ-ment with fabulous food and even better views. All the restaurants on

the East Warf of Lake Hefner are part of the HSRG chain, but the patio at

Redrock is superior to the other three. The only downfall to Redrock is that they are not open for lunch, so happy

hour is especially a must. This is a great patio if you want to feel swept away from OKC to a remote lake lo-cation. The bar opens at 4:00, and for only $2 more Redrock will make any

cocktail a double. Have fun!

Musashi’sMusashi’s is also part of a local chain;

the Western Concept Restaurant Group. Located off the chill Western

Avenue, this patio is spacious and somewhat set off and above the traf-fic of the busy street. The drinks are

fabulous, and specialty cocktails range from $7-$16 dollars (Mai Pie is pic-

tured). Musashi’s is a great date night spot for city-loving people who enjoy the outdoor weather yet want to stay connected to the hustle and bustle of the city life. Happy hour is from 2:00-6:00, and if you buy a Robata you get a sushi roll of equal or lesser value for

free.

Feature

The MontThis locally owned restaurant is home to Norman’s premiere patio. With its lush vegetation you definitely won’t

feel like you’re at the busy intersection of Classen Blvd and E. Boyd. They’ve

got plenty of exotic drinks and the food menu is very well priced. Even

though it’s minutes from the OU cam-pus, the mix of people is all across

the board. Young college students to older friends meeting for a drink will feel comfortable and at home on this patio. Instead of a traditional happy hour, they have monthly drink spe-

cials which are listed on their website: www.themont.com. Definitely order a

swirl, their trademark beverage.

Jazmo’z Bourbon Street This is our Bricktown pick. Really, any patio in Bricktown is nice (for exam-ple, did you know Sammy’s Pizza has tables that also double as swings on

their patio?!) However, we like Jazmo’z because it’s almost always shaded. The

food has a Cajun flare, but you can get just about any kind of drink in

your cup, from a Flirtini (pictured) to margaritas and beyond. Happy hour is

from 3:00-6:00.

Wherever you decide to kick up your feet and relax, be sure to have a designated driver or enough cash for a cab ride home.

We’ll see you on the patio!

Written by JaNiece Cranmer & Kealey McIntire of KSBI’s All About You

Movie

Cinderella

Illustrations by: Dusty Gilpin of Tree & Leaf Clothing & Kristen Vails of the Plaza DistrictHair & Makeup: The MakeupRoom Agency; Shelly Price & Amber FikeModel: Makenzie M of Anthony David Modeling AgencyStyling: Kelsey SelfPhotography: Bethany Young

Clothing & Accessories: Gil’s

Clothing & Accessories: Ruth Myers

Clothing & Accessories: Ruth Myers

Repurposing a Drop ClothI have been really into drop cloths lately. Yes, I am talking about a drop cloth from Lowe’s or Home Depot that is meant to catch paint splatters. If you take a closer look, drop cloths are a great neutral color and have a really amazing texture. And, you can get a lot of yardage for CHEAP. The ways to repurpose and customize drop cloths are really limitless. Here are a few ideas.

CurtainsI recently made some curtains using 4x15’ drop

cloths. I just hot glued black trim to the sides and used curtain clips to hang them… and having

custom-looking curtains was really as easy as that!

PillowA smaller scale project would be custom drop cloth

pillows. After sewing them to whatever size you choose, you can use paint or trim to customize

them. I *love* this pillow. It definitely does NOT look like it was made from a drop cloth!

Table SkirtI created a custom table skirt using a drop cloth,

trim and nail heads. It’s one of my favorite pieces in my house and it was actually really easy to do! Not to mention, it cost a fraction of what I would have paid for something similar if I were to buy it from

a retailer.

HeadboardIf you are feeling REALLY DIY brave, you could

make a Pottery Barn look-a-like headboard using drop cloth and nail head trim.

For more DIY and interior ideas, be sure to check out my blog- www.mainstreetchic.blogspot.com.

xoxo, Emily

Main Street Chic Blog

Main Street Chic Blog

Crazy Wonderful Blog

Tenth Avenue South Blog

Feature

Doing GoodLast month I went to work for a week in Honduras with some of my dear friends (both Honduran and American.) We laid tile, built houses, filled food baskets and did all-around good things. We (my husband and I) go on this trip every year to remind ourselves to be servants to other people, to be humble, to be thankful for what we have, and we always come back having learned so many more lessons than we could have possibly imagined. It’s no newsflash that some people have been dealt with a tough hand in this life and need a little help - and that’s what I think we should give them. I don’t know if you are of Christian faith or maybe even just of a “what goes around, comes around” mindset, but whatever it is, doing good… is doing good. I have heard it said before that, “Everyone’s got something going on.” And it’s true. We all need a smile, a hand, a dollar, a hug from time to time. I realize that not everyone can pick up and head to a third world country to help these people but we can still Keep it Local and spread the love. 1. Check out the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma - They have several volunteer projects that can even be completed in two hours. This particular program I am referring to is one that provides children at several Oklahoma City metro schools a backpack of food for the weekend. We don’t think of hunger as a first world problem most of the time. But even in Oklahoma there are several circumstances where the food children eat at school during the week, is the only food they receive. The RFBO packs up a backpack of food that can be easily assembled by children, and sends it home for food for the weekend. You can get a group together and volunteer one night to pack up the bags! I had volunteered at the RFBO a few times before, but until I heard a story from a friend of mine (at one of these schools) that these kiddos will take condiments throughout the week to build a meal for the weekend, it broke my heart and I knew I wanted to help. I recently led one of these with a big group of girls and you would be amazed how time flies when you are just catching up while packing backpacks for sweet kids. http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/Take-Action/Volunteer/Individuals

2. If packing food isn’t your thing but babies are, check out the Infant Crisis Services. They are always looking for volunteers to donate, organize and sometimes (get this) even rock babies! Now, who doesn’t want to rock a sweet baby as a volunteer project? Of course there are some forms to be filled out and screens to pass to keep everyone safe. But if you love sweet babies, grab a box of diapers and head over! http://www.infantcrisis.org/volunteer

3. Do something so simple as consign locally. You might go through seasons of purging things from the closet and think of so many other 20-somethings that would love to find that in a consignment shop! Pass around the fashion love to total strangers!

4. Join a volunteer organization! There are so many amazing groups in Oklahoma City that focus on promoting volunteerism for young ladies and now is as good of time as any. While most of us are single, dating, newlyweds or have been married for a few years, now is the perfect time to buddy up with some-one and join an organization. I chose the Junior League of Oklahoma, am finishing my provisional year, and have had the opportunity to affect change in Oklahoma City by just doing small things like the above-mentioned consignment shop shifts and the Regional Food Bank. http://www.jloc.org

5. Sometimes spreading the love locally is just to KEEP it local. It is so awesome to see Oklahoma busi-nesses thriving from the love of the people that support it. Support local music, see local theatre, eat local food. You might not even realize the good you are doing for the community, the Oklahoma workforce and the city as a whole! Luckily, I work for JUST such a magazine to keep you in the loop of all things local. Really, spreading the love is giving back, paying it forward and/or reaching out when other people don’t. Mother Teresa said this, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” I promise you, whatever you do will leave a much big-ger imprint on you than you intend to leave on others.

Written by Meagan Owen

Feature

How To Choose a Super SaladWhen you walk into a restaurant with the goal of eating healthy, the first thing you pe-ruse is the salad menu. And why wouldn’t you? Salads are the nutrient dense, low calo-rie vehicle to improved health, vitality and the body you want. They are a healthy eater’s best friend, right? Sadly, many restaurant salads are not your friend. They are not your acquaintance. They can be your enemy. That’s because some restaurant salads contain more calories than orders of traditional, unhealthy foods combined. TGI Friday’s Sante Fe Chopped Salad has a whopping 1800! Almost a day’s worth of calories for most! Don’t worry though, not all salads are this atrocious.

It can be difficult trying to determine a truly healthy option versus a waistline punisher in disguise. To properly sift through the salad menu and be successful, we must be educated, aware, and ready to take action. Basically, know what is good and bad, recognize these on a menu, and follow through with the right choice. To be better prepared to order your healthy salad, check out the common pitfalls and their corrections below. Once you get an understanding of the key elements, try different combinations to find a fun, filling, and flavorful favorite of your own.

1. The Base - Using Only Iceberg Lettuce The green you choose sets the table for the rest of the meal. Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value and is not as visually appetizing as its darker brethren. Build a solid foli-age foundation by choosing darker greens like spinach, chard, arugula, kale, or broccoli.

2. The Main Meal - Adding Fried FoodsFried food has no place on a salad. Yet so many dishes these days are loaded with fried chicken, tortilla strips, or anything else that adds extra calories or bad fat. Go the grilled route. Chicken, turkey, or fish are great alternatives to provide a great dose of muscle-building, fat-burning, and hunger-satiating protein.

3. Extra Toppings - Using Lots of Croutons, Bacon BitsThe only things these add-ons provide are calories and an increased likelihood for fat. Croutons and bacon bits can pile up the calories in a hurry while bringing no benefit to the table. Let’s keep the calories down and the health benefits up by finding better options to add for crunch and flavor. Try adding nuts, seeds, carrots, or apples for a crunch. Any fruit can be added for additional flavor, nutrients, and visual appeal.

4. Drenching Your Salad with Dressing If you follow the previous points to a tee, by this point you should have a great mix of taste, texture, and balanced nutrition. However, you can single-handedly sabotage a great salad by overdoing it with the dressing. Dressings are generally high in calories (most servings are two tablespoons at about 100-200 calories per serving) and most people un-derestimate how much they put on. A better choice is to select a low calorie flavor adder such as lemon juice, lime juice, or salsa. For a creamier and more protein-packed option, try Greek yogurt.

Written by Jeff Ragan

Health

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