Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Bill Franz

Dayton 66 Neighborhoods Photography Exhibit Now On Display

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When I retired I picked up a camera, learned how to use it, and became a volunteer photographer.  My first project was taking photos of animals for the Humane Society.  I enjoyed that so much that I started doing projects for other nonprofits.  As I was doing these volunteer projects, and finding other places of interest with my camera, I felt like I was finally getting to know the area where I had lived all these years.  I decided to share photos of what I was discovering on a facebook page called “Dayton at Work and Play.” 

Greek Festival in Grafton Hill

At the start of 2019 I made a New Year’s Resolution to take and post at least one photo on my facebook page from each of Dayton’s 66 neighborhoods. 

After fifteen tornadoes hit Old North Dayton I photographed volunteers from all over the area helping in the cleanup efforts. A few months later, I again photographed people from all over the region as they gathered together in reaction to the mass shooting in the Oregon District.  Then I started to rethink this project.  I decided I didn’t want to go into a new neighborhood and take photos of buildings or some interesting landscape.  I just wanted to take photos of people from all 66 neighborhoods, people from every corner of Dayton.

Volunteers working in Old North Dayton

The reaction to this project idea was wonderful.  Mayor Whaley and her husband Sam posed for me one Saturday morning and then introduced me to the leaders of some of the Neighborhood Associations.  Bryan Taulbee and others on the city’s staff helped me understand when and where all of the city recreation activities were happening.  City planning division manager Tony Kroeger helped me understand the exact boundaries of the neighborhoods.  People invited me to block parties, to neighborhood events, and into their homes and their businesses.  It was great.

Playtime Nursery School in Residence Park

I remember driving around Dayton’s Pineview neighborhood and seeing a man watering his lawn.  I stopped and told him about my project.  He said he’d grown up on this block and then left to go to college.  After college he lived in Chicago and then New York.  He had recently moved back to Dayton.  

Shoes for the Shoeless Event at Mt Enon Church

“I like being around the people I grew up with, and I like the size of Dayton” he told me.  “In Chicago or New York you couldn’t get the whole community to come together the way Dayton did after the two tragedies we had this summer. This project of yours seems timely, Bill. Having an exhibition of photos of people from all corners of Dayton is a good thing for us to do now. I would be glad to have my photo up in your exhibition.”

Choir rehearsal at College Hill Community Church

The exhibition was being organized by Rebecca Sargent, then the Program Director at K12 Gallery.  The photos were printed, the promotional materials were prepared and everything was ready for an opening April 2, 2020.  Like many things that were planned in 2020, it never happened.  I’m glad the Dayton Metro Library has decided to exhibit these photos now.

Those 66 photos are now on display  through September 25 in the Dayton room of the Dayton Metro Library.

Dayton at Work and Play: Ed Dixon

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I’ve been visiting some of my favorite businesses to see how they weathered the pandemic. This is Ed Dixon at Edward A. Dixon Gallery (133 North Ludlow, Suite 11).
“I started this gallery to bring to Dayton the experience I had when I would visit galleries in New York or other large cities. I wanted it to offer a diverse collection of art in comfortable surroundings, and I wanted it to be welcoming to people no matter what their art or personal background.”
“Initially the gallery was in a large space near the Arcade but because of the pandemic I had to give that space up and move to this smaller space.”
“Because my current space is too small for a show, I rent space in the building on a short term basis for those kinds of special events. That’s what I’m doing now for my show called “We’re Doing it ALL Wrong.” The nationwide response to this show has been amazing. We had entries from all 50 states, and the pieces that were selected by the jurors are very strong. The show is open Fridays 4pm-8pm and Saturdays 1pm – 7pm until July 31.”

Dayton at Work and Play: Artist Patty Brown

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Patty Brown of P.Brown Art with three of her “colorfield florals.”

I first met Patty Brown years ago when I visited her husband, artist Daniel Brown, at his home in Troy. Recently a friend suggested I might like art that Patty was posting online. I loved her work and was glad that Patty agreed to invite me over and be my first post-pandemic ARTIST OF THE WEEK.
“I teach art at Tippecanoe Middle School” she told me. “We spend a lot of time in class on aspects of color theory. I have the students make different colors and then experiment with how a color changes as tit is placed next to other colors. One day the students were enjoying their work with colors so much that they inspired me to do some similar things myself when I got home.”
“I’ve always made art, but this is the first time I’ve created a body of work with a common theme. I feel like I can push this in a lot of directions, trying different ways of combining a geometric color design with my freehand floral drawings. The response to these pieces has been great. I am doing quite a few commissions and I sell on facebook and instagram. Some pieces are also available at a wonderful flower shop in Tipp City called Always Blooming .”

Dayton at Work and Play: Russian Spy George Koval

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A Russian spy once lived on this block in the Dayton View Historic District. I read about it in the new book “Hidden History of Dayton Ohio” by Tony Kroeger.
George Koval was born in Iowa but moved to Russia for several years. He was trained in the 1930’s by the GRU, the Russian Military Intelligence Agency. This group has a long history of spying in the U.S. and ran illegal operations here in both the 2016 and the 2020 presidential elections.
Koval moved back to the U.S. in 1940 and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was eventually assigned to the Manhattan Project and moved to this block in Dayton in 1945. In Dayton he worked in a top secret lab that eventually learned how to make polonium and how to use it to detonate an atomic bomb.
The U. S. thought Russia was far behind America in atom bomb technology, but thanks to Koval and a few other spies they quickly caught up. The Russians surprised the world when they had their first atom bomb test in 1949.
After the war, Koval told friends he was leaving on a European vacation. He never returned to America and died in Russia in 2006. His Dayton spy project became public knowledge in 2007 when Putin awarded him a posthumous title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Dayton at Work and Play: Couple of Quinns

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Laurie and Brian Quinn, known on facebook as Couple Of Quinns

The Quinns are renovating this home in Dayton’s Grafton Hill neighborhood. They’ve also been investigating the house’s history and learned that it was once the home of a French teacher who had a beloved dog named Iris. When the dog passed away the teacher planted irises in the back yard that still bloom every year. The couple are sharing video of their project on a youtube channel called Couple of Quinns. Every Friday they issue a new episode where they show viewers the week’s progress.
Check it out:

The house will be open for a tour soon. Follow their facebook page to make sure you don’t miss it.

Dayton at Work and Play: Bridget Walker

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Bridget Walker at Sweets Boutique Bakery & Cafe in Xenia. When I first visited the shop Bridget told me a bit abut how she came to be in business.


“I started baking cakes for people when we were stationed in England. The families of some of the airmen on base didn’t like English baked goods, so I started baking and selling birthday cakes. Personally, I liked some of the English baked goods, and I often sell hot cross buns here.”

“When we returned to the U.S. I baked cakes out of my home. The business grew, and I needed more space, so I opened Sweets Boutique (28 East Second Street in Xenia).”

Operating during the pandemic has been tough, but I understand that her sale of boxed lunches has boomed. People get a cookie and some fresh baked bread with each lunch

Sweets Boutique
Bakery & Cafe

28 E 2nd St Xenia, OH 45385
937- 372-2224
Tues 11am – 5pm
Wed – Sat 11am -2pm 

Dayton at Work and Play: Foremost Seafood

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This colorful store is Foremost Seafood LTD (1904 Woodman Center Drive). It’s a locally owned business that was started 35 years ago by Tom and Pam Patterson. Tom is a marine biologist who grew up in Dayton.
Their main business has always been supplying fresh seafood to Dayton’s better restaurants. They also sell a small amount to consumers, and we’ve bought our seafood there for years. Their restaurant business probably dropped sharply during Covid, but sales to consumers must be up because the store’s been busy whenever I stop by.
When you walk up to the front desk, they have a list of fresh fish with prices, and there’s a chalk board that shows what fish have already sold out. Then you order exactly what you want. You can choose skin-on or skin-off, and maybe a thick center cut. Only then do they pull the fish out of its refrigerated dark space and cut it for you.
I like the sign over their door that reads “May the World be Your Oyster.”

Dayton at Work and Play: St. Paul United Methodist Church of Dayton Pantry

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Two of my neighbors volunteer each week at the pantry at St. Paul United Methodist Church of Dayton in the Huffman Historic District. Since this is Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, I thought I’d tag along and take some photos.

The pantry is in the church basement. After I helped this customer get her food up the stairs, she posed for me and told me about the pantry.


“I used to walk into the pantry and “shop” for my own food. Now, because of Covid, I stand in the doorway and call for Cora. Then she brings bags of food for me. The first time you come you need to bring an ID and proof of address, because this pantry is only for people who live in the 45403 zip code. I guess the Food Bank has other pantries that are for other zip codes.”

“The amount of food you get is according to the size of your family. Our family is three people – me and my husband and our son. We get 6 cans of vegetables, 4 cans of fruit, 3 cans of meat, a box of cereal, a loaf of bread and some other things. I can come here once a month. It’s been a big help.”

Dayton at Work and Play: House of Bread

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The House of Bread has been serving meals since 1983. They serve a hot lunch 365 days a year. This photo was taken before the pandemic. Now they offer carry out lunches only.


You can help this organization by donating a frozen turkey this Sunday from 9am to 2pm. Just pull into their parking lot at 9 Orth Avenue and a (masked) volunteer will take the turkey from your car.   OR you can drop off turkeys to us any day between 830am-330pm.

We would love to have a big Thanksgiving meal with lots of family but that won’t happen this year. But we have a frozen turkey in our freezer that we will be dropping off at House of Bread this Sunday. It’s a way to share food with others even if we aren’t all at the same table.

House of Bread

9 Orth Ave
Dayton, OH 45402-6422
(937) 226-1520
Current Wish List:
Cooler weather is here!   Our guests can use:
Blankets
Heavy Gloves for children, men and women
Boots/heavy shoes — especially mens sizes 9 thru 12
Bus passes
Gas gift cards, such as BP, Speedway
Hooded sweatshirts or pullovers in sizes XL and XXL 

Food Items
COFFEE – any type, ground or whole bean
Hot Sauce — our most requested condiment!
Creamed soups
Spaghetti sauce
Vegetable oil
Butter or margarine sticks
White Sugar
Coffee and hot chocolate

Hygiene Items for Guests
Razors and shaving cream
Chapstick
Toilet paperChildren’s Items

Baby wipes and diapers, sizes 3 to 6
Stuffed animals— new please
Coloring books and reading books
Healthy portable snacks, such as goldfish or raisinsDonated items can be dropped off any day between 9am-2pm!   We are here until at least 4pm on weekdays.

Donation of perishable food items
If you are interested in donating food items that are frozen or need refrigeration, please call us at 937-239-8859 for specific guidelines on what we can accept.   While we certainly appreciate donations, we have to ensure food safety for our guests.

Dayton at Work and Play: Homefull Mobile Grocery

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My grandparents ran a small country store where farmers could buy groceries. Eventually these stores went out of business because they couldn’t compete with the grocery store chains. Some people had trouble getting to the large stores, and Jewell Food Trucks filled part of this need.  Their drivers delivered to area farms and to towns that were too small to support a grocery store.

Now we have something similar happening locally. Grocery stores have moved out of many areas, creating what people call food deserts. Homefull, a local nonprofit that has been serving the area’s homeless for over 30 years, is addressing the food desert problem with a new Mobile Grocery, a grocery store on wheels.

It’s a custom built 42 foot Freightliner truck. The sides expand to provide shopping space. I took this photo at the Dakota Center which they visit every Thursday morning. If you’re downtown today you could see the truck at Sinclair Community College this afternoon from 3 to 5pm.  Check the schedule here.

Dayton at Work and Play: Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week

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This is Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week. I’ve learned a bit about Dayton’s hunger issue since I’ve retired, by volunteering and by taking photos for several organizations that deal with hunger. But I don’t know much about the area’s organizations that help people when they are homeless. I asked Jessica Jenkins to help me learn a bit. Jessica (on right) is the county’s Manager of Housing and Homeless Solutions. She’s with co-worker Katherine Shanahan (center) and Intern Simbe Wilson.

 

Simbe showed me a book which she recommended – Evicted by Matthew Desmond. She is hosting a ZOOM event this Wednesday which is a community conversation on homelessness. It includes her interviews with people who are currently homeless. You can sign up for this event at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuf-GqqDovHtcar1giJpdqhZnHZmZlzZna

Jessica told me that in 2019, the average person experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County spent 44 days in a shelter before moving to a better housing situation. Her group has put together what they call their 44 day challenge which is aimed at helping people like me increase their understanding of this issue. I signed up, and I’ll be getting a daily email for the next 44 days. If you want to join me, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054da5a822a4ff2-44daychallenge

Dayton at Work and Play: Simeon Oyeyremi

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Simeon Oyeyemi is one of the artists participating in the exhibition “Unity: Creating a Better Tomorrow” sponsored by the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area.
Simeon tells me he has been an artist since he was still in preschool. In the late 80’s he lived in New York where he learned from three famous artists – Haring, Warhol and Basquiat. He met these people after he painted over graffiti by Keith Haring. Haring felt Simeon should learn Haring’s style before painting over his work, and the relationship was born.

Simeon is a graduate of Central State and has also studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He works out of a large studio in the building occupied by Central State West. Simeon works in several different styles, and will be exhibiting three very different pieces in the show.

“One piece is my drawing of Frederick Douglas” he told me. “Another piece is a 1/25 scale model cast iron truck on which I’ve painted graffiti. The third piece is part of a series I’m doing that relates to African art. My father is from Nigeria, and I’ve had a chance to visit there. The figures in this series relate to some of the art I saw in Africa.”

You can bid on Simeon’s work online starting August 26 at https://www.liveuniteddayton2020.org/.

Dayton at Work and Play: Erin Smith-Glenn

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Erin Smith-Glenn is one of the artists participating in the exhibition “Unity: Creating a Better Tomorrow” sponsored by the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area. In this photo Erin is working in the studio where she teaches at Central State University. I asked Erin about the exhibition and about how she’s weathering the pandemic.

“I entered a painting in the exhibition inspired by my daughter. She’s a big fan of the Black Panther movie and her favorite character is Shuri, a princess of Wakanda. I started doing a painting of Shuri as a demonstration for my class, and fell in love with it.”

“The pandemic has been an interesting time for me as an artist. When I was told that Central State was shutting down, I saw that most people headed to the grocery store to stock up on food. I went to the art supply store and bought a lot. I went home and immediately went to work on a large piece and felt my stress going down as I worked. This has been a productive period for me, and a time of learning and growth.”

“Classes start again at Central State soon, and I’ve spent a lot of time getting ready. My art classes will be a combination of in person and online. When students are in the studio here I have things set up in a socially distanced way. Easels and supplies are labelled so we can keep track of which students use which items which can be important for contact tracing.”

You can bid on Erin’s work online starting August 26 at https://www.liveuniteddayton2020.org/.

Dayton at Work and Play: Artist Morris T. Howard

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Artist Morris T. Howard and three of his  paintings, a bit abstracted.

The reaction to the postcards I’ve sent out has been positive, so I’ve decided to make more. As I make an abstract version of a portrait I am putting it on two postcards. One is sent to the subject and one stays with me to display in my office.

Yesterday I sent this postcard to Morris Howard, one of my favorite Dayton artists. Morris paints people, and as I look at his paintings I see more than just what the people look like. There’s also something about the essence of the person captured in the painting.

Before sending Morris his postcard I contacted him to see what he’s been doing. He said he just created a painting for an event called “Unity: Creating a Better Tomorrow.” It is sponsored by the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area and highlights the talent of local African American artists. The community will have a chance to bid on the artwork online. Then the art will be exhibited at Ebonia Gallery / Bing Davis Studio.

“The piece I’m painting for the exhibition is from the funeral of John Lewis,” Morris told me. “As part of the ceremony, his casket was taken on a horse-drawn carriage across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. In my painting, the bridge is renamed as the John Robert Lewis Bridge. Artists get to do things like that.”

Morris gave me a list of the artists who will be exhibiting. I’ll try to get some photos of the artists and/or their artwork and post it before the online bidding opens.

Dayton at Work and Play: Aj Bauer of Smokin Bbq

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“I lived in the Oregon District when I went to the University of Dayton” AJ told me. “I loved the food here and ate here several times a week. I knew the family that owned the place, and when they gave me the chance to buy it I bought it with my brother Brendan in May, 2019.”

A J Bauer co-owner of Smokin Bbq

“Before buying this place I sold restaurant equipment. That gave me a look at the operations of all kind of restaurants, but this is the first time I’ve operated one. This place has been voted “Dayton Best BBQ” so we didn’t want to change the food at all. We kept almost all of the employees and kept the recipes the same except for making the Mac and Cheese a little cheesier.” (I tried it – delicious).

“When the pandemic hit we stayed open for carry out orders, but business was down. Lunch has always been our busiest time, but no one was eating lunch downtown. Our other busy time was late at night on weekends when people stopped by after being at the bars. That died too. Fortunately, our dinner business boomed. That gave us enough business so that we haven’t needed to lay off any of our employees.”

Smokin Bbq

200 E 5th St
Dayton, OH 45402

(937) 586-9790

Hours:
Mon – Thurs 10:30am – 9pm
Fri & Sat 10:30am- 11pm
Sunday- closed

Order Online Here

Open for dine-in & carryout. Grub Hub & Uber eats for delivery.

 

Dayton at Work and Play: Daj’za Demmings

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Daj’za Demmings is a Biomedical Engineer working on artificial vertebrae for people with back disorders. She’s also the Executive Director of Dayton Young Black Professionals.  I met her while she was working to clean up Mallory Park in Dayton’s Pineview neighborhood, as part of the I Love West Dayton project.

I wasn’t familiar with the Young Black Professionals Group and asked Daj’za to tell me something about it.

“We try to empower our members to be leaders in our communities, and to support improvements to those communities to make them the kind of place where we want to live. Last year after the tornadoes hit we delivered food, water and other supplies to people who were impacted. This year we’re working on the Mayor’s Police Reform effort. We also have an after school program, run summer camps and do workforce development training.”

“We could use some help with one of our projects. We’re buying Chrome Books for students who don’t have a computer while schooling from home. The GoFundMe page is https://www.gofundme.com/f/dybps-fight-for-social-justice ”