Changing Detroit’s Outdoor Narrative - How Dan Cooke Is Redefining Motor City as an adventure destination
AZURE ROAD - Cooke founded Expedition Detroit in 2020, creating what he describes as both an adventure media marketing company and the largest outfitter providing guided hiking tours in the entire Michigan state park system. The business operates exclusively in Metro Detroit, offering guided hikes, backpacking trips, and trail running experiences across 11 state parks within an hour of downtown.
The Sip: Turkish Coffee from the Turkish Coffee Lady
AZURE ROAD - Helmed by Gizem Salcigil White, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, this warm and welcoming space is the culmination not just of years of work for White, but centuries of tradition. Turkish coffee houses weren’t just places to drink. They started in Istanbul and became community anchors where philosophy, literature, religion, and government were discussed. That’s what she’s recreating here.
Dee Robinson – A Spirited Conversation
BOURBON PLUS - March is Women’s History Month, and Dee Robinson has certainly earned her place in it.
In its debut year, Good Trouble made a bold entrance onto the spirits scene, earning a Platinum Medal from the Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards and 11 Gold Medals, including “Best Story” from the International Spirits Competition. She has also earned Double Gold at the 2025 TAG Spirits Awards and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the holy grail, as bourbon insiders call it. Forbes listed Good Trouble as one of the best bourbons under $50.
OSU partners on $6M project to turn livestock waste into energy, water
JOURNAL RECORD - A $2 million share of a $6 million National Science Foundation grant is fueling a unique collaboration among Oklahoma State University and two other land-grant universities to turn animal waste into energy and clean water, a development that could transform the future of Oklahoma agriculture.
An Industrious Grocer in the 1930s Wanted to Make It Easier for His Customers to Buy More. They Just Needed a Push
THE SMITHSONIAN - There was a time when shoppers could buy only as much as they could carry. And as ubiquitous as shopping carts are today, it initially took some convincing to use them
The Accidental Beekeepers
Oklahoma Living - By Heide Brandes, May 2025
What started with a hive is now a thriving indoor farmers market
3 major Texas cities named among top summer travel spots for 2025
The Chron - According to a comprehensive new report by WalletHub, the cities and regions surrounding Austin, Dallas and San Antonio have all secured positions in the top-20 best summer travel spots across the United States.
How Texas wolfdog sanctuaries give another chance at life to special animals
The Chron - Across North America, wolfdog sanctuaries are fighting an uphill battle against time, money and human nature. About 90 percent of wolfdogs are euthanized before age 2, with countless others victims of unprepared owners or unscrupulous breeders. That means sanctuaries like Twin Rivers represent their best chance at survival.
Melvin Moran: Seminole’s oil man with a heart of gold
Melvin Moran has spent a lifetime proving true riches lie not in the black gold beneath the earth, but in the philanthropy that elevates a community.
Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Moran’s journey to becoming an Oklahoma icon began when his family moved to Seminole in 1940 when oil derricks dotted the landscape like steel forests. Over time, the dusty brick streets of the small town would lead Moran to establish a legacy of philanthropy, civic engagement and unwavering optimism.
The secret sauce for successful corporate events: Hiring a professional emcee
Idaho Business Journal - As any corporate meeting planner knows, putting on a successful event requires a dedicated amount of preparation and attention to detail. While professionals focus on booking the venue, lining up the speaker and arranging the catering and A/V, one element often gets overlooked that can take an event from good to great: Hiring a professional master of ceremonies (MC or emcee).
Just Getting Started - A combination of Peruvian, Asian and Latin flavors define James Vu’s cuisine at La Brasa
Oklahoma Magazine - Known for its Asian-Peruvian fusion dishes, the restaurant presents an upbeat, Miami-style vibe. Colorful and lively with greenery hanging from the ceilings and street art decorating the massive space, the restaurant combines the flavors Vu grew up with and the different fusions of Latin American countries he loves.
NFL Hall of Famer launches EIGHT Elite Light Lager in Oklahoma
The Journal Record - An Austin-based beer company, founded by a former professional athlete and Dallas Cowboys star Troy Aikman, launched its signature light lager in Oklahoma on Monday, marking the first expansion for the 90-calorie Eight Elite Light Lager.