Archives for January 2023
Rajun Cajun Grill Now Open in Miamsburg
The Vaughn family has been making cajun for generations. The family hails from New Orleans and the recipes came from Great Grandmother Vaughn. They operated a food truck starting in 2017 at St Rt 225 & Rt. 4 at the Marathon Station and did the fair and festival circuit.
Earlier this month they opened up on a storefront on Main Street in Miamisburg, in the space once occupied by Ms. Pickles, near the Plaza Theater. They’ll be open 11am -9pm every day of the week. The dining room is small, just 6 tables of two, but on my visit there were quite a few carry out orders being picked up.
And while the dining room is small, the food delivered big flavor! Sons David, Jr and Nathan were working the open kitchen, while New Orleans jazz filled the air. I ordered the Big Easy Sampler, which included bourbon chicken, sausage, rice and beans and jambalaya, with a side of macaroni and cheese and cornbread. It was huge with a spicy kick. The cornbread, while not made on sight, was fluffy and moist.
Here’s the full menu:
Rajun Cajun Grill
17 S Main Street
Miamisburg, OH 45342
937-266-4071
Open 7 days a week
11am -8pm
Tell them DaytonDining sent you!
All Laughs for Oakwood Junior High Thespians!
For Director Amy Askins, theater is part of her blood. The beloved local actress/director has taken on a new task…bringing fun theater to junior high students!
Askins, who has a rich history with dramatics, brings her experience, which stretches from Dallas to Dayton, to OAKWOOD Junior High!
‘There are 2 one-act comedies being performed by this really dedicated group of students. The first show, The Internet Is Distract…OH LOOK A KITTEN! By Ian McWethy, is funny but may hit close to home for parents of teens who battle the screen time epidemic-Zombie apps! Instagram break-ups! Micah is trying to finish her paper on The Great Gatsby but these darn devices are FULL of distractions – Amazon wants to sell all the things! Taylor wants her to play Knock Grandma On Her Butt! Can Micah overcome the struggle and make it to school on time?” (Sounds like something all parents know and can totally appreciate. UGH!)
‘The second show, All I Really Need To Know I Learned By Being In A Bad Murder Mystery by Werner Trieschmann, focuses on a hapless crew of actors just want to put on a show but must contend with an over-caffeinated director, a crazed accent coach, and nachos!’ (I think I have performed for that director!)
‘They have put so much time and love into these shorts and I cannot wait for the public to see just how amazing they are!’ Askins goes on.’All plays get to a point where they are ready for an audience…we are READY!’
BREAK A LEG KIDS! Thanks Amy!
What: Oakwood Junior High Theatre presents two short comedies tonight Saturday, 1/21 at 7:00 in the OHS auditorium. 80 minutes.
Tickets ($8/$5) are available at the door or ahead of time at oakwood.hometownticketing.
College Promise Seeking Mentors
Interviews will begin this month for the next cohort of students to be accepted into the Montgomery County Ohio College Promise program. Now in its 13th year, the program aims to help 1,000 area students over 20 years attend college at little to no cost to them and their families.
Mentor recruitment is underway for the more than 55 new students who will be accepted into the program’s 2023-24 school year. Mentor support has proven to be essential to the students’ success, providing them with critical guidance throughout high school that helps ensure a path to college. For more information on how you can make a difference in a child’s life by becoming a mentor, click here.
A mentor is a caring adult who freely gives their own time to a young person. A mentor can have a profound effect on the amount of success that young person might have. To a young person, a mentor guarantees that there is someone who cares and that they are not alone in dealing with the everyday challenges they face.
College Promise mentors meet with their student for 30-50 minutes a week at the student’s high school. Mentors serve as a role model, provide a sounding board, an opportunity to talk and be heard, support, encouragement, guidance, and friendship.
To become a mentor, download, complete, and submit an application or apply online (below). Mentors conduct a free background check and take part in a training prior to meeting with their student freshman year.
Winter’Tainment: Allie Haines is ‘In the Green’ at PNC.
‘In the Green’ a modern retelling of the Hildegard von Bingen story, is at the PNC Arts Annex this weekend. A forceful cast with a strong message, brings the deep and bold tale to life. One of the stars of the show ALLIE HAINES met with me to talk about the play….and the interview went something like this!
JS: Thanks for meeting with me to talk about this undertaking at PNC! Tell me about ‘In the Green!’
AH: It’s an enigma really. It’s a trip inward. You meet some very strong women faced with some deep traumatic experiences. But rather than searching somewhere around them, the search within themselves for strength and answers. It’s a fantastic musical by Grace McLean! And we are premiering in this region.
JS: So I understand it focuses on Saint Hildegard’s story. So it’s a religious tale? Or….
AH: Not really…no. It’s a spiritual journey. It’s a journey to healing and it’s a relevant tale even today. It focuses on women in a patriarchal world, finding their voice. Their inner-peace.
JS: And it takes place in the medieval time frame?
AH: I think it is devoid of time. It’s really beyond the typical why, what and when of musical retellings. I don’t feel this show spoon feeds any particular emotion…rather it lets you unwind your own insights through it’s widely arrayed songs and visual lessons.
JS: So, I know a bit about the Catholic religion. I understand the plight of Saint Hildegard (viewed as the founder of scientific natural history) and her mentor of sorts, Jutta von Sponheim. Are they the focus of the show itself.
AH: Yes, and no. I mean many know of the story and the Hildegard and Jutta…their bond as those who truly sought a community of women who were musical, artistic and free to express themselves. Along this journey, each has to find a way to deal with their own personal trauma. (PSA-there is reference to sexual assault in the show.) You see this healing through music and puppetry. It’s beautiful. It’s unique. It’s timeless.
JS: And you have a great cast to work with…and a new director?
AH: Adelyn Helms, Danielle Ruddy, Melissa Hall and Rachel Hertenstein are the other 4 women who make up the 5 woman cast. They are so strong and we have forged a sisterhood that has been the core energy of this piece. They are amazing! As for our director, Garret Young, he knocked it out of the park. Interestingly, he was the ‘male’ on set, and everyday he listened to us as we explained how these things feel to us as women. He would encourage us to go with those feelings.
JS: That’s what a great director does!! And this is no easy piece to direct….
AH: No, not at all. This is the kind of show that lends itself to personal insight and reflection. It may be one of the most important pieces we have done at TheaterLab. The feel is collaborative and intimate. It’s cutting-edge and yet, relatable.
JS: I am so intrigued by this!! I love when theater gets ‘artsy.’ Y’ know?
AH: Yes. Exactly. We poured our time and energy into this production. More-so, we poured our hearts and our souls into it as well. It’s really an important piece.
JS: I just love talking to you Allie! Y’know to this day, whenever we talk about La Cage people still say ‘the girl that played Jacqueline stole the show!’ It kind of makes me mad….BUT, it shows you have a range! And you are truly a gift to Dayton’s theater community!
AH: Awww….thanks Josh! Can’t wait to work in a play with you again soon! Now, get your tickets to ‘In The Green!’
JS: Got ’em!
***The Director’s Note About ‘In the Green’ follows below.
For tickets and more information got to https://www.daytonlive.org/events/in-the-green/
Showtimes at the Arts Annex are:
Friday 1/20 at 8pm.
Saturday 1/21 at 2pm and 8pm.
Director’s note: In late Fall of 2020, I became aware of a curious new musical. It was written by and starred Grace McLean, who delivered a jaw-dropping performance in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 just a few years prior. It recounted a story about a woman who locked herself away because the world became a place where she could no longer thrive and grow. The traumas that were visited upon Jutta von Sponheim by the world of men grew too much to bear, and she was no longer safe in the world outside. The only possible answer to her problems was isolation.
Jutta’s hard-nosed piety serves as the perfect obstacle to our central character, Hildegard von Bingen, as she seeks to unpack her own trauma while being locked away against her will for 30 years. History remembers Hildegard fondly as a patron saint of music, literature, and medicine in the Catholic tradition. Even in her fractured mental state, we see her natural curiosity about connecting in harmony with the world around her, despite being trapped inside a sparse prison cell. The central action of the play becomes thus: what happens when an unstoppable force, divinely attuned to the natural world, meets an immovable object in one Jutta von Sponheim?
We cannot know what these two visionary women actually discussed or endured during their years locked away together, but McLean has imagined a world that is both wildly fantastical and blisteringly real. Our characters explore and celebrate the power of the divine feminine apart from patriarchal society. Their delicate harmonies are juxtaposed with primal, guttural grunts as the women confront the harsh realities of their pain.
This play serves as an important reminder of the healing power of connection, which remains as important as ever in our world today. Throughout our characters’ healing conversations, I hope audiences can gain some perspective about their own difficult situations. After all, as Hildegard von Bingen herself once wrote:
“We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.”
No matter where you are on your own journey, even if you are terrified of the monumental task set out before you, I hope you feel emboldened to seek out your own light.
DLM’s Bacon Fest is On!
Dorothy Lane Market is hosting their annual BaconFest through the end of the month at all 3 stores. You’ll find legendary sweets, like Bourbon Salted Chocolate-Covered Bacon and Maple Bacon Donuts, as well as game day cravings, including Cajun Bacon Sausage and Bacon Ranch Cheeseball. Don’t forget about the oh-so delicious Bacon & Cheddar Stuffed Portobello Mushroom as well as the DLM Coffee Bar’s Smoked Maple “Bacon” Latte.
Check out exclusive BaconFest items, like the Smoky and the Pepper, Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin, Maple Bacon Baby Cake, Bacon Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread, Bourbon Salted Bacon, and more!
At Jack’s Grill, you can order from from their curated menu or pick any protein from their impressive Meat and Seafood case and they’ll grill it at no extra charge. Available at all three locations. During BaconFest, add bacon for free to any Jack’s Grill, Naples-Style Pizza, or Sandwich Station order.
They’ve even posted bacon recipes you can make at home that include pork tenderloin with bacon-whiskey caramel glaze, Bacon-wrapped dates, bacon cheddar scones and maple & sriracha glazed bacon.
Want more bacon? Join the DLM Bacon Club and get monthly shipments of the DLM Signature Uncured and Thick Cut Bacon that contains no MSG, lactose, nitrates, nitrites, or gluten.
OAKWOOD
2710 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, OH 4541
WASHINGTON SQUARE
6177 Far Hills Ave, Dayton, OH 45459
SPRINGBORO
740 N. Main St, Springboro, OH 45066
Store Hours:
Mon – Sun: 6:00AM – 9:00PM
“CELLARBRATION – An Exploration of Vintage & Barrel Aged Beers”
Saturday, February 4th from 12pm-3pm Warped Wing Brewing Company is bringing a unique cellar beer experience to the Barrel Room & Smokery in Springboro. This event will take place in the back warehouse space – simply check in for beer tickets before entry.
Explore some specialty keg tappings along with a selection of vintage & barrel aged bottle pours from the warped cellar. A selection of these limited bottles will also be available to purchase on-site at the Springboro Taproom during the event only (availability & bottle limits subject to change).
Each 5oz pour (both draught & bottle pours) will require 1 ticket during the event. No presale on tickets. Tickets will be available to purchase on-site during the event for $6 each or 4 tickets for $20. And of course Warped Wing Springboro will have some delicious Smokery specials to enjoy while sampling our cellar offerings including Brisket Poutine & Brisket Birria Tacos – both available that day while supplies last!
Pours on Tap
2015 Esther’s Li’l Secret Milk Chocolate Brown Ale (non-BA)
2016 Pirogue Belgian Style Black Tripel Brewed with Coffee (non-BA)
2017 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels
2018 Cuvée de 75 – collaboration brew with Listermann Brewing Co.
Bottle Pours & Bottles for Sale
2019 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels – $12.99
2019 Flying Heads Dubbel Pumpkin aged in Bourbon Barrels – $11.99
2019 CreepShow Smoked Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels – $11.99
2019 Abominator Doppelbock aged in Maple Bourbon Barrels – $14.99
2019 Baltic Porter aged in Port Wine Barrels – $12.99
2020 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels – $11.99
2020 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Apricot & Honey – $13.99
2020 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Peach, Vanilla, Caramel – $13.99
2020 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels Cuvée Reserve – $24.99
2020 Flying Heads Dubbel Pumpkin aged in Port Wine Barrels – $10.99
2020 Creepshow Smoked Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels – $10.99
2020 Abominator Doppelbock aged in Maple Bourbon Barrels – $13.99
2020 Esther’s Li’l Secret Double Fudge Cream Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels – $14.99
2020 Pirogue Belgian Style Black Tripel Brewed with Coffee aged Two Years in Bourbon Barrels – $11.99
2020 Baltic Porter aged in Port Wine Barrels – $11.99
2020 Baltic Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels – $11.992021 Barleywine aged in Chardonnay Barrels – $11.99
2023 Flying Heads Dubbel Pumpkin aged Two Years in Rum Barrels – $9.99
2023 Rum & Cloak Belgian Quad aged in Rum Barrels – $9.99
2023 Baltic Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels – $9.99
Bottles for Sale Only – No Pours
2017 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels – $14.99 – 10 bottles available
2017 Baltic Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels – $14.99 – 36 bottles available
2017 Baltic Porter aged in Rum Barrels – $14.99 – 24 bottles available
2017 Baltic Porter aged in Port Wine Barrels – $14.99 – 36 bottles available
2018 Whiskey Rebellion Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels – $13.99 – 36 bottles available
2018 Grape Creek Must Barleywine aged in Cabernet Barrels – $14.99 – 21 bottles available
2018 Pirogue Belgian Style Black Tripel Brewed with Coffee (500ml non-BA) – $11.99 – 11 bottles available
2018 Esther’s Li’l Secret Chocolate Cherry Cordial Stout – $15.99 – 12 bottles available
2018 Cuvée Des Stathes – $15.99 – 12 bottles available
2019 Liquid Picnic Farmhouse Pale Ale aged in Mezcal Barrels – $12.99 – 24 bottles available
2021 Whiskey Rebellion Special Reserve In Bissel Maple Syrup Barrels – $21.99 – 22 bottles available
Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery
Springboro, OH, 45066
O’Charley’s “Rock Your Ribs January”
O’Charley’s invites fans to celebrate the New Year with deals on rib combos as part of the brand’s Rock Your Ribs January event.
Running now through January 29, 2023, O’Charley’s is offering the following rib combo options for $13.99 each:
- Ribs & Chicken Tenders: Baby Back Ribs with BBQ sauce and O’Charley’s Famous Chicken Tenders plus your choice of dipping sauce and one side.
- Ribs & Buttermilk Fried Shrimp: Baby Back Ribs with signature BBQ sauce and five buttermilk fried shrimp, all served with choice of one side.
- Ribs & Smothered Chicken Breast: Baby Back Ribs with BBQ sauce and grilled chicken breast covered in BBQ sauce, topped with applewood-smoked bacon and Monterey Jack cheese, served with your choice of one side.
With football playoffs right around the corner, O’Charley’s party platters are also the perfect solution for watch parties. Starting January 14, O’Charley’s is offering 23% off party platters when ordered through the O’Charley’s website. With plenty of options available, you’re sure to find one that everyone loves. Some party platter options include:Some party platter options available include:
- Original Chicken Tenders Platter ($49.99): 36 Chicken Tenders dipped in buttermilk and hand-breaded. Served with your choice of dipping sauce. Serves 12.
- Club Sandwich Platter ($44.99): Turkey, bacon, ham, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a baguette. Serves six.
- Ribs & Tenders Combo Platter ($59.99): 24 double hand-breaded Chicken Tenders and two full racks of slow-cooked Baby Back Ribs in original BBQ sauce. Served with your choice of dipping sauce. Serves six.
- Baby Back Ribs Platter ($59.99): Three full racks of Baby Back Ribs, hand-rubbed with brown sugar and secret spices and slow cooked until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender. Served with original BBQ sauce. Serves six.
O’Charley’s Restaurant + Bar
2260 Miamisburg Centerville Rd
Dayton, OH 45459
(937) 434-7639
An Evening of Sondheim
The Dayton Philharmonic, in collaboration with Joe Deer and the next generation of Broadway stars from the acclaimed Musical Theatre program at Wright State University, salutes Stephen Sondheim, one of the most influential musical theatre creators of our time. Known for musicals that faced the contemporary world head-on, with lyrics filled with wit and complexity, Sondheim was the creative genius behind such favorites as “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “Into the Woods,” and “Sweeney Todd.” Join us as we pay homage to one of Broadway’s greats.
Program
Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) Overture from Follies Comedy Tonight from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Pretty Lady from Pacific Overtures You Could Drive a Person Crazy from Company It Takes Two from Into the Woods Agony from Into the Woods Children Will Listen from Into the Woods A Weekend in the Country Our Time from Merrily We Roll Along - Intermission - Stavisky Suite Broadway Baby from Follies Green Finch and Linnet Bird from Sweeney Todd Not While I'm Around from Sweeney Todd Saturday Night from Saturday Night Anyone Can Whistle from Anyone Can Whistle Not a Day Goes By from Merrily We Roll Along Getting Married Today from Company Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George Shows Jan 20 & 21 at 7:30pm at the Schuster Center. Tickets range from $5-$85 and can be bought online.
For the Loyal
Toby and Mia are graduate students with a bright future ahead of them: a baby on the way and a college coaching job for Toby. But when Toby stumbles across a secret that threatens to derail their future, he and Mia must decide between honesty and loyalty, and whether doing something wrong is the only way to do what’s right. Inspired by the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, For the Loyal is an emotional and thought-provoking play.
Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. The show runs through Jan. 29.
Afternoon Tea at The Last Queen
Come join us for an authentic British Afternoon Tea experience. Held at The Last Queen, a British gastropub, you’ll be transported to England as you sip your tea and enjoy an assortment of British food and fanfare.
Our Afternoon Teas are held once a month on Sunday afternoons at $30 per person, with additional teas here or there for special occasions. You can also contact us anytime to organize a private Afternoon Tea party.
If you’d like to reserve a table for an Afternoon Tea, please select the date and note the number in your party. We’ll also ask for a $10 deposit per person when reserving the table. Once all this is done, your table is reserved and your British tea experience awaits!
So reserve your place, relax and enjoy – you’ll be so glad you did!
Northmont Chocolate Tour
Home Sweet Home Cafe
Kleptz YMCA
Cafe 19
Cosmic Comics & Games
Log Cabin Comforts LLC
Interlink Advantage
Englewood Cinema
Katechis Insurance Agency – Farmers Insurance
Cypress Pointe Health Campus
Palette of Threads Boutique
The Play Cafe – Englewood
Ray’s Wine Spirits Grill
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer…
Ryan Tripp, Dayton’s Donut Entrepreneur
This post written by Mike Hemmert, the original owner of Springboro’s Donut Haus
Bob Evans Adds Fiery Dang Hot Chicken to Menu
Bob Evans has launched Nashville-inspired Dang Hot Chicken. Available as a dinner, Family Meal to Go or sandwich, Dang Hot Chicken features juicy fried chicken paired with new Dang Hot Sauce.
Here’s a closer look at the new Dang Hot Chicken lineup:
- Dang Hot Chicken Sandwich: Three fried chicken tenders topped with Bob Evans Dang Hot Sauce, creamy ranch dressing and crispy coleslaw and served between two slices of griddled brioche bread. Served with pickles and French fries.
- Dang Hot Chicken Dinner: Two hand-breaded fried chicken breasts topped with Bob Evans new Dang Hot Sauce and creamy ranch dressing on top of warm, griddled brioche bread. Served with crisp pickles, and your choice of two Farmhouse sides and freshly baked dinner rolls.
- Dang Hot Chicken Family Meal to Go: For families looking to bring home the heat, Dang Hot Chicken is also available as a Family Meal to Go that serves up to six people. In addition to the above, the Family Meal to Go also includes two family-sized, farm-fresh sides.
For calorie counters, the Dang Hot Chicken Sandwich has 1500 calories, while the Dang Hot Chicken Meal has 1070 calories.
Starting at $11.49, the new Dang Hot Chicken Dinner, Dang Hot Chicken Family Meal to Go and Dang Hot Chicken Sandwich can be found at all Bob Evans locations for dine-in, carryout, or delivery for a limited time.
Wine Tasting Class
Enjoy and learn about wines from around the world! Lead by Brian Demark and assisted by Chris Holloway (A house favorite!) take a journey with them throughout the world’s finest wine regions!
cost:35$ per person call:(937)938-9801 for more information MUST HAVE A RESERVATION TO ATTEND this one sells out so call in advance and get your seat.
Some of Dayton’s Best Storytellers
Stories start at 7:00