LIVE on the Plaza, Velvet Monkey Salon Grand Opening!

June 12th, 7-11 PM 1700 block of NW 16th

Plaza District is taking it back in time to the hey day of the district, Rockabilly style! In celebration of the grand opening of Velvet Monkey Salon, LIVE on the Plaza Second Fridays will have plenty of Rockabilly, featured artists, live music, fashion and more! New businesses and building renovations such as Velvet Monkey Salon are bringing the Plaza District back to the buzzing commercial district it was from the 1930s-60′s. Please join us as we celebrate this comeback!

The fun kicks off at 7 PM at Velvet Monkey Salon where plenty of funky style and art is sure to be found. Local groups including Hellkats bike gang, Red Dirt Rebellion Rollergirls, Roadkillers Car Club, Psuedodance burlesque, and DJ ATM will be buzzing about the newly renovated Velvet Monkey Salon! Featured artist Olivia Frisbee from LA will also be exhibiting art. This grand opening celebration is also a pre-party event for the Rockabilly 50′s Fashion show at Bolero Tapas Bar & Spanish Grill beginning at 11 PM.

Next door, visit Collected Thread to see the collage work of Amy Coldren, plus a great assortment of local handmade and vintage items. Next door to Collected, DNA Galleries will host artist Spencer Tracy, as well as handmade art, accessories and clothes!

Cross the street over to Paula & Co, 1708 and No Regrets Tattoo and enter the courtyard for live pyschobilly music by Billy Joe Winghead, outdoor grilling, food and refreshments. Other stops on the west end of the district include open mic at Coffy’s Cafe, featured artists at Convergence Collective, vintage items Bad Grannies Bazaar, outdoor artist booths and an open house at PhotoArt Studios.

For more info about LIVE on the Plaza Second Fridays call 405-308-5991. The Plaza District is located on NW 16th between Indiana and Blackwelder Avenues, on street parking and lot parking will be available in the district, while neighborhood parking is available on the north side of the district.

Vote for Plaza businesses!

It’s the 2009 Oklahoma Readers Choice Awards for the Oklahoman. There are many opportunties to vote for Plaza District businesses, and so many of our great business are well deserving of these awards! I have included the link below…and list a few categories to nominate our businesses! I apologize if I left off some categories and names, I didn’t realize you couldn’t go back to look after you voted so I will have to look again at the categories and add more tomorrow!

http://www.newsok.com/readerschoice/vote

Specialty foods- health food restuarants- Coffy’s Cafe

Lifestyles-Live Theatre- Lyric Theatre

Shopping A-D- Gallery- DNA Galleries

Shopping A-D- Consigment- Bad Grannies

Shopping A-D- Dance Studio- Everything Goes Dance

Shopping A-D- Salon- Velvet Monkey Salons

Shopping E-M- Made in Oklahoma- Collected Thread

Shopping E-M- Nails- Velvet Monkey

Shopping E-M- Gift Store- DNA Galleries/Collected Thread

and I’m not sure which category it was in, but vote No Regrets Tattoo for Tattoo Studio!

deadCENTER unveils ‘Sneak Peek’

Short program highlights features and shorts for the upcoming festival at LIVE on the Plaza,

Friday May 8th 7:30 PM- Photo Art Studios 1738 NW 16th

deadCENTER Film screens short films on the first Thursday of every month at the XO Lounge in the Colcord Building, downtown Oklahoma City and the second Friday of every month with LIVE On the Plaza in the Plaza District and with Art a’la Cart at the Fred Jones Jr., Museum of Art in Norman.

For May, deadCENTER will showcase a few short films and trailers screening at the 9th annual fest, which is June 10-14. During this five-day period, more than 90 films will be shown at eight downtown venues. Several films made in Oklahoma or by Oklahomans will be part of this year’s offerings, as will national features, award-winning documentaries and entertaining short films.

The short programs for deadCENTER are arranged thematically so audiences can quickly find a program to suit their taste.  For the Sneak Peek in May, deadCENTER will screen “The Spam Job” from Comedy Shorts, “Where Nightmares Feed” from Okie Shorts and “Special Delivery” from Quirky Shorts.  “For the May screening, we wanted to showcase the variety deadCENTER offers in a very short time,” states Chief Operating Officer, Kim Haywood.  “The May Sneak Peek only runs about 30minutes, but you get a fun sense of the scope of the festival in June,” she continues.  The Sneak Peek also premieres two trailers for feature films, “Official Rejection” and “Weather Girl.”

The XO Lounge, which hosts the monthly event, will continue to run beer and drink specials for the screening on Thursday, May 7th.  Doors open at 8:15pm and the program begins at 8:30pm.  Must be 21 to enter.  The LIVE on the Plaza screening will be at PhotoArt  Photography Studio at 1738 NW 16th St in the Plaza District on Friday, May 8th.  Doors open at 7pm and the program begins at 7:30pm.  Art a’la Cart at the Fred Jones Jr., Museum of Art in Norman is also on Friday, May 8th and has screenings every half-hour from 6-9pm.  These events are free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit www.deadcenterfilm.org

Take Your Momma Out! This Friday!

LIVE on the Plaza Second Fridays present “Take Your Momma Out”, a unique evening to entertain, hang out with, or buy gifts for your dear mom. At 8 PM, Lyric Theatre presents “Steel Magnolias”.’Delicate as magnolias, but tough as steel’ are six Southern women who face sadness and loss by finding support, solace, and most of all laughter in their strong bonds of friendship. Made famous by the film starring Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias celebrates the incredible spirit of strong women. A great opportunity to see a fabulous performance and experience the Lyric Theatre. Tickets can be purchased by calling 405.524.9310

Over at Collected Thread, bring mom to the “Plaid Explosion” where there will be plenty of plaid clothing, headbands, earrings, bags, hair bows, rings, and more, plus first 5 people to bring their mom get a pair of free earrings! Next door at DNA Galleries, be sure to come out and support emerging artist Amanda Dyer. This is sure to be a colorfully creative show filled with inspiring works. Live music will be provided by The Workweek. DNA Galleries will also be launching a fun new line of dresses created by Big Mama Productions, just in time for summer and Mother’s Day!

Join us for the grand opening of 1708, a co-op of creative professionals Cafe Evoke Catering, Josh McCullock Photography and Gibson Events. 1708 opens their space with refreshments, hors d oeuvers and lively conversation! Another new business, Coffy’s Cafe will be open with coffee, gluten free meals and live music, located at 1739 NW 16th.

Other shops and business will feature special mothers day retail promotions, discounts and give-aways! Be sure not to miss the deadCENTER short suite screening at 7:30 at PhotoArt Studios, and the outdoor artist booths! Hope you can join us!