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Experience the Best of Downtown at Urban Nights

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Photography by Josh Mayes

More than 100 downtown venues are offering special events, discounts and more for the May 10 Urban Nights.

Urban Nights is getting an updated flavor and feel. Entertainment now will focus on three “hotspots” located throughout downtown, allowing visitors to experience downtown’s biggest street party in a new way by visiting hubs of activity throughout downtown. The next Urban Nights will be held 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, May 10, in downtown Dayton, the Oregon District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village. A list of the hotspots at the spring event is below.

“We celebrated the 10th anniversary of Urban Nights last year and felt it was a good time to re-evaluate the event,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, which presents Urban Nights. “It’s clear the event has been extremely successful, as it brings more than 30,000 people to our downtown, many business owners report record sales, and we continue to receive a great deal of positive feedback from the community about Urban Nights.

“Still, we wanted to make sure Urban Nights more effectively meets its overall goal: to showcase all downtown has to offer and the places that only can be experienced in downtown Dayton,” Gudorf added. “We believe this new plan will encourage people to visit more places downtown during Urban Nights while giving us the opportunity to better highlight different areas in our center city.”

A map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, is available online. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook for regular updates and more information.

More than 30,000 people come downtown to experience this free event, when more than 100 establishments showcase downtown’s dining, nightlife, art, music, retail and housing options. The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event busses to help visitors get around.

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with support from Greater Dayton RTA, Bud Light Lime, Miller-Valentine Group, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Mix 107.7-FM, WYSO 91.3-FM, Wright-Dunbar Business Village and the Ohio Arts Council.

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HOTSPOTS

International Street

Sponsored by Miller-Valentine Group

Second Street between Main and Jefferson streets

Enjoy dance performances from a variety of troupes and grab an import brew to go along with foods from many cultures.

Second Street will be closed by the Kettering Tower to make way for dance performances and more.

Second Street will be closed by the Kettering Tower to make way for dance performances and more.

Dancing in the Street Stage Schedule

5-5:25 p.m.:        Troupe Roja
5:30-5:55 p.m.:  McGovern Ceili Dancers
6-6:25 p.m.:        South Dayton Dance Theatre
6:30-6:55 p.m.:  Grupo Caribe
7-7:25 p.m.:        The Beseda Dancers
7:30-7:55 p.m.:  Vivian Zumba
8-10 p.m.:            Son del Caribe

The corner of Fourth and St. Clair streets will be a hub of arts-inspired activity.

The corner of Fourth and St. Clair streets will be a hub of arts-inspired activity.

Arts Corner

Sponsored by Sinclair Community College

St. Clair and Fourth streets

Experience the Urban Nights motto “Walk on the Creative Side.” Enjoy a range of entertainment hosted by nearby businesses, including live entertainment, art exhibits and special sales. The Dayton Art Institute will host a photo booth where you can transform your image into an Andy Warhol-style work of art.
Arts Corner Entertainment
5-7 p.m.:              Sweet Betsy

7-9 p.m.:              By Means of Words at CADC

9-11 p.m.:            Miss Lissa & Co. at Serendipity Bistro

 

Rock out to local bands at the Live on Five stage in the Oregon District.

Rock out to local bands at the Live on Five stage in the Oregon District.

Live on Five

Corner of Fifth and Pine streets in the Oregon District

Grab a draft brew from the beer truck and rock out to a variety of live bands.

Entertainment Schedule:

5-5:45 p.m.:        The Broken Lights Band

6- 6:45 p.m.:       Meghna & the Majority

7-7:45 p.m.:        Cherry Lee and the Daddy Katz 

8-10 p.m.:            Magic Jackson

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

Tours and Exhibits Commemorating the Great Dayton Flood of 1913

Great Dayton Flood of 1913 Bus Tours

Presented by Dayton History, Generation Dayton and Greater Dayton RTA

Get around Urban Nights while learning about our city’s largest natural disaster. Narrators on specially marked Flood Tour buses will detail factors that led to the catastrophe and recount survivors’ personal stories and those of heroic Daytonians from 100 years ago. The free 30- to 45-minute tour will follow the Urban Nights blue bus route and will stop at various locations throughout downtown Dayton. The tour officially begins at the corner of Monument Avenue and Jefferson Street, but visitors can get on and off the bus at any of the designated stops.

The Miami Conservancy District, 38 E. Monument Ave.

At its historical administrative building, the MCD will feature pocket park clean water tours and display 1913 flood inundation maps. The MCD also will host open-mic story telling about the flood along with other displays and giveaways.

The Great Dayton Adventure Race

Starts at the MetroParks Bike Hub at RiverScape MetroPark

This urban scavenger hunt will wind through the Urban Nights action. See how many clues you can answer in two hours as you navigate the city by foot for a chance to win prizes. Team up with friends or tackle the challenge solo. Racers can start anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Register in advance at www.topoadventuresports.org or at RiverScape MetroPark the day of the event. Call 937-274-0126 for more information.

RiverScape MetroPark will be a hub of activity, including live entertainment and activities focused on green living. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

RiverScape MetroPark will be a hub of activity, including live entertainment and activities focused on green living. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

RiverScape MetroPark: Plaza and Pavilion Stage

At the RiverScape Plaza, visit DRG3’s Green Fest: Spring into Green!, featuring green displays and exhibits, recycled arts and crafts, a thrift shop runway, basketball with recyclables, extreme hop scotch, hula hoop, solar race cars, energy bikes and martial arts demos. Also at RiverScape at the nearby MetroParks Pavilion, enjoy live entertainment:
5:30-6 p.m.:        The Dayton Poetry Slam Showcase
6-7:45 p.m.:        New Vega
7:45-8:15 p.m.:  Howard School of Dance
8:15-10 p.m.:      The Ark Band 

 

 

 

Live entertainment, food and activities will be part of the Urban Nights experience in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village.

Live entertainment, food and activities will be part of the Urban Nights experience in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village.

Wright-Dunbar Business Village Entertainment

Enjoy live entertainment, cultural arts, creative and tasty cuisine, and other festivities in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village. Special events include:

• Gospel and R&B Plaza, Third & Williams streets:  Featuring live entertainment and four food vendors.
• Dance Tent, 1133 W. Third St.: Featuring entertainment by DJ Master G, three food vendors and a spirits bar.
• Jazz Plaza, West Third Street: Featuring live jazz entertainment and food stations.
• The Lounge, 1100 W. Third St.: Presenting a ticketed event at 8:30 p.m., a tribute to The Ohio Players by D-Funk All Stars. Call 443-0249 for tickets and information.

Self-Guided Architectural Tour

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dayton Chapter has organized a self-guided tour for those intrigued by the architecture of Dayton and the history behind it. Refer to the Architectural Week brochure (distributed with Urban Nights program books) for more details or start at any of the buildings that are on the tour, where more information also will be available. The tour highlights the exterior architectural features of buildings, and not all buildings will be open to tour the interiors.

• Kuhns Building, 45 S. Main St.

• The Arcade, Third Street across from Courthouse Square

• The Old Courthouse, corner of Main and Third streets

• Kettering Tower, southeast corner of Main and Second streets

• Schuster Center, northwest corner of Main and Second streets

• Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St.

Sideshow 8

Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.

The Dayton Circus Creative Collective again will kick off its two-day celebration of music and art in Dayton during Urban Nights. This event showcases the work of more than 60 artists and more than 20 musicians, and it hosts an event after-party until 1 a.m. Food and refreshments available. Visit the event website for a complete entertainment schedule and list of participating artists.

Join hundreds of cyclists on a ride through the night’s action at Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, which will start at Courthouse Square. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

Join hundreds of cyclists on a ride through the night’s action at Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, which will start at Courthouse Square. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

 

 

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights 

Start at Courthouse Square, Third and Main streets, at 6 p.m.

Get a preview of Urban Nights from the seat of your bike. Join hundreds of cyclists on this police-escorted ride through downtown. Riders are encouraged to wear a helmet and should be able to ride at a decent pace. This is not a ride for young children on their own bikes. From 5 to 8 p.m. on the Square, GetUP Montgomery County will present an event with live music, fitness demonstrations and other interactive activities focused on active, healthy lifestyles.

 

 

 

Sample New Food and Drink Establishments

Several downtown dining destinations either will be newly opened or open during Urban Nights to offer samples from their menus and preview their soon-to-be-open spots:

• Agnes All Natural Grill, 135 E. Fourth St.

• The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St.

• Lily’s Bistro, 329 E. Fifth St.

• Salar Restaurant and Lounge, 410 E. Fifth St.

• Toxic Brew Co., 431 E. Fifth St.

 

Mosaic City Photo Show

St. Clair Lofts building, 39 S. St. Clair St.

Cityfolk presents an exhibit that includes entries from a recent Cityfolk photo contest and work by artist Glenna Jennings, who will present her project “Looking at Looking.” Her photographs depict residents and visitors to downtown Dayton observing historic images from the National Cash Register archive.

Watch large-scale prints being made with a steamroller at the third Steamroller Printmaking event.

Watch large-scale prints being made with a steamroller at the third Steamroller Printmaking event.

Steamroller Printmaking: Flat-Out Fun!

Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St.

Printmakers from the Dayton Printmakers Cooperative and students from Stivers School for the Arts will print large-scale linoleum blocks using a real steamroller as a printing press. Anyone can carve a smaller version of the linoleum blocks prior to the event (available for purchase at the Dayton Visual  Arts Center for $10), called “Parking Prints,” and have it printed the night of the event. At DVAC, 118 N. Jefferson St., view large-scale and parking prints from the previous two Steamroller events.

Light My Fire & Brilliant Trash Competition

K12 Gallery for Young People and TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.

More than 100 hand-crafted mosaic lanterns will be lit in front of and inside the gallery as part of the Light My Fire exhibit. The lanterns will be for sale, with proceeds benefitting programming at K12 and TEJAS. K12 also will host the Brilliant Trash Competition, featuring upcycled works of art by local artists vying to be named Craft Master 2013, along with the exhibition “Can I Get a Witness?,” featuring abstract paintings by Rebecca Sargent and Erika Hess. Enjoy light refreshments, music and salsa dancing.

May 2013 Blockbusters at Rave Cinemas Dayton South

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Hello Dayton!   There are plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week.  Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas!  And don’t forget at Dayton South/Huber Heights, TUESDAYS are $5 all day (*3D $8), The Greene is WEDNESDAYS!  You simply cannot beat this great deal with the superior picture and sound quality versus Netflix!

Opening In May

IRON MAN 3– Opens 05/02/13 

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gl0CoyhlNw’]

 

THE GREAT GATSBY– Opens 05/10/13

“The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARN6agiW7o’]

 

 

STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS– Opens 05/16/13

In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

 

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ec_rPApKCA’]

 

 

EPIC– Opens 05/24/13

“Epic” is a 3D CG action-adventure comedy that reveals a hidden world unlike any other. From the creators of “Ice Age” and “Rio,” “Epic” tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and the forces of evil. When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world and ours.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xu3JLXfuwQ’]

 

 

FAST & FURIOUS 6– Opens 05/24/13

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of all-stars as the global blockbuster franchise built on speed races to its next continent in “Fast & Furious 6.” Reuniting for their most high-stakes adventure yet, fan favorites Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Elsa Pataky are joined by badass series newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2h75LLhxM4′]

 

 

 

THE HANGOVER Part III– Opens 05/24/13

“The Hangover Part III” is the third and final film in director Todd Phillips’ record-shattering comedy franchise. This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9-16WJfJYM’]

 

 

AFTER EARTH– Opens 05/31/13

A crash landing leaves teenager Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his legendary father Cypher (Will Smith) stranded on Earth, 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity�s escape. With Cypher critically injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help, facing uncharted terrain, evolved animal species that now rule the planet, and an unstoppable alien creature that escaped during the crash. Father and son must learn to work together and trust one another if they want any chance of returning home.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZIt20emgLY’]

 

 

NOW YOU SEE ME– Opens 05/31/13

“Now You See Me” pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against “The Four Horsemen,” a super-team of the world’s greatest illusionists. “The Four Horsemen” pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaavRAV8a0A’]

 

 

For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

Taco Loco: The Best Tasting Cinco de Mayo You Will Ever Have

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Beef Shoulder Taco, Squeeze that lime on it

Food Adventures Crew knows there are only a couple of truly authentic Mexican Restaurants in the Miami Valley, and we have found a favorite.  It is a humble place called Taco Loco located at 5392 Burkhardt Road.  It is clean, it is cheap, it is authentic.  But most of all, it has some of the most delicious Mexican food we have ever eaten.    We have some close friends  from Mexico, and upon their recommendation we stopped in.  The experts were right, every trip to Taco Loco is a new Food Adventure.

Why the name Taco Loco? The owners, a mom and pop duo from Mexico, had to renovate before they could open.  They were fixing the old vacant building, putting in many hours painting, putting down flooring etc.  The long days caused them to sometimes sleep in their van in the parking lot overnight, since they lived in Cincinnati.  When a neighboring resident visited the construction she told the owners, “You are working too hard, and sleeping in your van, what are you CRAZY?”  Since ‘Loco’ means crazy in Spanish, they decided the name fit.

Here’s the Skinny:
1) This place is very authentic, so don’t expect the typical queso sauces, cheese and tomatoes like you see on some Tex-Mex dishes at other Mexican restaurants.
2) The prices are low, so you can explore many types of food and have your own Food Adventure.
3) The staff is friendly, the place is a hole in the wall, the dining area is small, and the environment is clean.
4) You know the food is good, when most of the patrons in the dining area are people from Mexico.
5) Not only is the food delicious, but they have a variety of rare, non-alcoholic drinks made from scratch using fresh herbs and other ingredients.
6) Locally owned by Lola and her husband Octavio.  It’s a true mom and pop establishment!

The Chicken Torta – Big and Delicious

Must Eats:

Horchata: Start off your meal with one of these milky beverage specialties.  It literally tastes like rice pudding in a glass.  We were blown away by the taste of this unique drink.

The Beef Shoulder Taco – Tasty meat on a corn tortilla.  These are authentic style tacos, like they eat in Mexico City.  We will tell you it is one on the best tacos on the planet.  Ingredients are cilantro, onion and meat choice.  No cheese, but you may order ‘Tacos Locos’ which means add tomatoes and sour cream.

The Chicken Torta – A sandwich that would give any sub shop a run for its money.  Diced grilled chicken, and the perfect complimentary toppings on homemade telera (Mexican sandwich bread).  An incredibly filling sandwich for $5 and one of The Big Ragu’s favorites.

Whole Fish – Do you want to kick it authentic old school?  Then try this whole, fried tilapia on for size.  You have to deal with a little bit of bones and the fish staring at you, but the taste is worth it.  At the price of $7.50 this is a steal.

The Food Adventures Crew have eaten so many menu items in our trips to Taco Loco, that some deserve an honorable mention:

Whole Fish – Food Adventure on a Plate

The Large Quesadilla’s are fantastic.  Filled with rice, beans, cheese and your choice of meat, this giant menu item will dwarf your plate.

Carne Asada, a skirt steak dish, is a specialty here.  If authentic means anything, we noticed that besides us, a lot of Latinos were eating this dish too.
Have you eaten Sopes before?  Sopes are made with a circular foundation fried masa dough (ground hominy) topped with refried beans, lettuce, and crumbled cheese.  We think of it as an authentic taste version of a tostada.  Ragu loves this unique menu item.  Taco Loco serves similar menu items called Huaraches which are bigger, oval versions of Sopes.  We love them as well, especially the thick base, which almost tastes like potato dough.

The Burritos are delicious.  They come wrapped in foil and are so big, we can usually only eat half of them.

Want authentic fajitas?  The steak ones here are fantastic, and the flavor of the grilled green peppers make the dish.

The Tamales were good too.  Filled with shredded pork and topped with crumbled cheese, they are one of the few items covered with a queso sauce.

Enchiladas Verdes – Fresh Ingredients, Freshly made

A filling meal is the Enchiladas Verdes, stuffed with green chiles and your choice of meat, and covered in lettuce and avocado.

Besides our favorite Horchata, other specialty drinks include a “Tamarindo”, which is made with tamarind fruit.  When Lola brought the fruit out to show us, we made a mustache with it.  Yeah, that’s us.  We take our own pictures, too.
We also drank a “Jamaica” drink (pronounced hamica).  This beverage was a tea made with fresh hibiscus flowers, some of which Lola showed us as well.  We told you this was a great place for a Food Adventure.

For dessert, we suggest the creamy, homemade Flan.  For those of you not familiar with flan, think of an upside down, firmer version of creme brulee.   Lola made us proud with this dessert!

Finally, we have to mention the complimentary table salsas.  Served in two squirt bottles, one is a mild Verdes Salsa made with tomatillos.  The other is a red chile salsa, made with chili peppers.  Careful, the red one has a kick!  Both of these salsas are made in house, and kick up any menu item.   Experiment to your taste with a dash or a squirt on the free basket of extra thick corn tortilla chips.  

With Cinco De Mayo coming up, it is good timing for you to try some really authentic Mexican fare at Taco Loco.  Not many people know about this little secret, but now you know the scoop.   Celebrate with good food and cheap prices.  If you do not check out Taco Loco soon, then you my friend, are CRAZY !

Give us your take on TACO LOCO by commenting below.  Make sure you browse through the photo album for some AMAZING food photos from this little known secret.

“Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Dayton Restaurants – Closed But Not Forgotten!

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Do you have any favorite food places that went out of business, and you still miss them to this day ?  Yeah, we do too.     This week, lifelong Daytonian, the Big Ragu, takes a trip down memory lane and talk about some restaurants we still mourn to this day.  Eateries that used to shine in the Dayton area, which are now gone but not forgotten.  Please join us in this of recollection of  past Food Adventures.  Feel free to add some places of your own, by commenting below.

Here is our list of restaurants that we wish had never closed.  Our “Lost Food Gems of Dayton”

JED’S STEAK AND RIBS – Remember their salad bar?  Sure it had croutons that tasted like crayons, but their steak burger and ‘make your own sundae bar’ were great childhood memories and huge innovations at the time.  There were many Jed’s around the Dayton area, one was located on 725 in Centerville and is now a Goodwill store.  We cannot find any photos or trace of this place online, can you?

SHUCKIN’ SHACK – One of our all-time favorite places was on North Main St. in Dayton.  They would bring steamed clams out in golf ball baskets.  At the raw bar you could sit and eat raw oysters and clams, and throw your shells into a trough.   Who could forget their massive peel and eat shrimp, or  fried smelts?  This was the only place in Dayton that made you fell like you were in a wharf type restaurant in Florida.

THE PEERLESS MILL– The Miamisburg Restaurant with the old fashioned, old school menu.  Inside it was like a mixture of Thanksgiving and Christmas everyday.  We recall the incredible decor and churning wheel waterfall.  This restaurant was warm and inviting, with a trickling water wheel in the lobby.  The food was fantastic, and the service was always exceptional.  It was a great place for family celebrations.

KEENG WHA – This Chinese restaurant used to be on the corner of Woodman and Dorothy Lane.  They served Ragu’s favorite Chinese dish of all time: “Princess Prawns.”  A popular place in the 80’s until the chef left, and it was all downhill until it closed in the mid 90’s.

BILL KNAPPS –  The kids meal was filled with animal names like the “tiger” or the “elephant.”  The best au gratin potatoes ever were served here in a tiny crock pot with browned cheese on top.  Ragu loved the clam strips dinner and their signature chocolate cake.  On Tuesdays is was a full meal deal where every entree came with salad, soup and dessert.  INSANE ! There was a Bill Knapps on 48 near Loop Rd. in Centerville, one by the Dayton Mall, and another near what is now The Greene.

GIRVE’S BROWN DERBY– As kids, we felt like kings in this place.  They had the largest salad bar in town and you could even order a kiddie cocktail.   Ragu  loved the kids menu fish dinner.  Adults seemed to love the “Gus’ Steak” which came out with a wooden stake saying medium, or rare with on onion ring on top.  There was a bar inside and even lobster tail dinners flowed freely.  We felt the Brown Derby “jumped the shark” when it moved from Bigger Rd to the 725 location by the Dayton Mall.  Big mistake,  we really miss this food gem.

Woody’s Grocery Store in West Carrollton

WOODY’S GROCERY –  We might say the bakery and seafood department was the best part of this West Carrollton icon.  Also, we  loved the deli with shaved Corned Beef and Swiss on hard rolls with poppy seeds on top. We remember a cashier named Don Baker who had hair like Elvis that never changed for years.  Noone could forget the plaid dresses and bonnets worn by some of the female workers.

ELDER BEERMAN RESTAURANT –  Who doesn’t love a place where you could get breakfast with Santa and the Easter bunny?  Located upstairs in the Centerville store on State Route 48, our memories are also of the Friday night buffet.  This was a place where the waitresses were “real” waitresses and they had the same staff for decades.

BURGER CHEF- To this day, we crave the Big Chef sandwich and their “works” bar where you could load up your burger with toppings!  Remember that their regular hamburgers were stuffed into clear wrapping pouches and the steam marks would be on the plastic wrap? Bring back Burger Chef !!

CHICKEN LOUIE’S – A 24 hour chicken wing place?  What a great idea ! This was a fixture on North Main Street in Dayton for over 40 years.  Ragu would risk life and limb by ordering through the bullet proof glass at dusk.  The related “Lou’s Broaster Hut on 3rd st had a special place in our heart.

RAX ROAST BEEF – We loved the salad bar, which hilariously offered nacho cheese next to the pudding. The menu had a star, the “BBC” (the beef bacon and cheddar) which proves the theory that bacon makes everything better.   But Rax lovers know that the cheese sauce made those sandwiches.  We frequented the 725 store that is now a Tim Horton’s

ROCKY ROCOCO’S PIZZA– Chunks of roma tomatoes on their pizzas, made for a unique tasting pizza that was full of flavor.

JOE BISSETT’S GRUB STEAK– The killer menu item was the Princess Steak and a salad with blue cheese crumbles on top.  We also rocked the “kiddie cocktail” on North Main St, Dayton.  You may recall our article on the closing of The Grub steak HERE.

Lums – where hot dogs ruled

COZYMEL’S –  Great place for happy hours with margaritas swirling in machines above the bars.  You got lots of food at a great price here.  This sorely missed place was located on 725 near McEwen Rd. in Centerville and became a Smokey Bones which is also now closed.

FARRELL’S – Across from Tri-County Mall in Northern Cincinnati, this place had a ‘sundae on a stretcher.’   The staff would sing happy birthday to customers on kazoos.

LUM’S – An obscure town favorite.  They had hot dogs cooked in beer.  Lum’s was located where Marion’s Pizza is now, in Town and Country shopping center.

PEASANT STOCK – Who could forget the ‘Peasant salad.’  Ragu loved the atmosphere at the restaurant in the Town and Country Shopping Center.  Chef David Glynn served some great food out of this establishment.

We miss Thirsty Dog Brewery!

THIRSTY DOG – A great microbrewery restaurant on the corner of Alex Bell Rd and 48 in Centerville that served homemade chips in dog bowls.  Ragu loved the Raspberry Light Beer, and the burgers and fish dinners were fantastic too.

HUNAN GOURMET – A long gone gem that was on 48 near Whipp Rd.  We loved this place, especially their dry braised shrimp and sizzling rice soup.  Some of their entrees were second to none.  The building was razed about 8 years ago to build a coffee shop.

NOBLE ROMAN’S – We miss the real Noble Roman’s, not the stuff they are serving at the ‘new Noble Romans’ restaurants.  The old restaurants were completely different.  We miss the hand tossed pizza in the window, monster pizza, sicililan pizza and the hand rolled breadsticks with nacho cheese.

MARK PI’s CHINA GATE – The fried rice was addicting at this restaurant that was located upstairs in Town and Country shopping center.  A great atmosphere for special get togethers, the decor on the glass is still there today, even though they closed in the 80’s.

Sambo’s was like a weird, kids version of Denny’s

ARTHUR TREACHER’S FISH & CHIPS – It was fried fish, so Ragu could live here.  The Jersey Mikes on 48 in Centerville is where one of the Arthur Treacher’s used to be.  We hear that some of these still exist in other states.  Dear Fast Food Gods, Bring them back to Dayton ASAP, and don’t forget the vinegar.

SAMBO’S – They featured pancakes served with boysenberry syrup.  This place was located at 48 near Loop Rd in Centerville until it closed in the early 80’s.  It was known for their cheap prices and controversial menu caricatures.  It was a weird, kid version of Denny’s on LSD.  But you couldn’t deny, they had great breakfast food.

 

FOUR’S COMPANY – After the Arthur Treacher’s closed on 48 near Whipp Rd in Centerville, this short lived place served up giant beer battered onion rings.   They were so full of beer you almost got buzzed by eating a few.

Dominic’s – A Dayton Original like us

TOTENKO – This place on the corner of 725 and 741 near the Dayton Mall was like a 70′s verison of PF Changs.  We learned to use chopsticks here while wearing “toughskin” pants.  A great restaurant until it closed because a food critic found roaches on her plate (TRUE STORY).  That critic was Ann Heller, writing one of her first reviews for the Dayton Daily News/Journal Herald.    This place turned into a Chi Chi’s which has since gone out of business too.

D’AMICO and MANZAS – An Italian eatery that was a mom and pop establishment.  Incredible spaghetti dishes highlighted a top notch pasta menu.  This spot is now Savona Restaurant.

DOMINIC’S – The iconic location on South Main Street in Dayton whose manicotti was incredible.  The real attraction here was the house salad dressing with so much garlic flavor that you breathed fire for 2 days afterward.  Ask any Daytonian who was around in the 70’s/80’s, they knew the only place to go where strong garlic breath was excused.

GROUND ROUND– Throw your peanut shells on the floor.  Ragu loved their all you can eat Friday night fish fry.  Remember the scale at the Wilmington Pike site where the cost of a kid’s dinner was a penny for each pound they weighed?

BAJA FRESH – Do you still crave their fish tacos like we do?   The now defunct Dorothy Lane and Kettering Blvd location claimed to not have refrigerators, because they served everything fresh.  We were sad to see this short-lived restaurant go.

PHIL AND JERRY’S FOOD-A-RAMA –  Legendary Centerville grocery that had annual anniversary parties where a hot dog and a coke were around 20 cents.  In business for over 30 years, they had a great seafood section.

Matchbook from Westward Ho on Brown Street

JOE’S IS A FISH HOUSE – This seafood spot on Loop Rd and State Rt 48 offered a one of a kind Sunday brunch that would knock your socks off.  It featured smelts and steamed mussels.  The restaurant was only open a couple of years, but it made an impact on us in the early 80’s.

WESTWARD HO – South Main Street cafeteria style restaurant that had drink glasses as big as your head.  The food was good, the patrons were old, yet this was still a hoppin’ place.  We used to visit the magic store across the street called the “Magic Hat,” after eating.

PO’ FOLKS – Fried food all over the menu, made this one of Ragu’s faves.  The fried clams and fried okra were so good.  The one we frequented was on the corner of Wilmington Pike and Dorothy Lane.

D’Lites – The first ‘Healthy Fast Food’

FAZIO’S GOLDMAN ONTARIO’s DISCOUNT FOOD STORES – This was the best place to shop with bellbottom pants in the 70’s for groceries.  Good deals and wide collars were the norm at this place!

D’LITES-  The first place ever to offer healthy fast food!  We weren’t sure how healthy it was, but Ragu loved their burgers and smoothies at the location of 48 and Whipp Rd.  Another short lived place, that we feel had great food.

CHMIELS GROCERY STORE – Now a Big Lots store in Centerville, this place had some incredible pastries.  Their bakery was almost as good as Woody’s.

Kettering Village Inn – closed but not forgotten

KETTERING VILLAGE INN – A mom and pop Italian eatery known for no frills and good food.  This spot is now an “OinkadoodleMoo” restaurant on the corner of Stroop Rd and 48 .  KVI had great pizza and pasta dishes.  This one is really missed.

ANTONIO’s  – An Italian restaurant once owned by the DiPasquale Family.  When Villanova’s Basketball team would come to town in the 1980’s, legendary coach Rollie Massimino would always eat here.  They had incredible ravioli dishes.  Their marinara sauce was out of this world.   Sweeney’s Seafood House is now located where Antonio’s operated.

KING COLE RESTAURANT – One of the most elegant dining places in Dayton at the bottom of the Kettering Tower.  Known for gourmet steaks and seafood, this was a hot spot in the 70’s and 80’s.

What places do you still think about? Casa Lupita? Charley’s Crab? Tequila Willie’s?  Let us know any and all of them by commenting below!  Check out the photo album below for even more restaurants that are “Closed but Not Forgotten.”

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTON MOSTMETRO.COM

What restaurants do you miss? WHO DID WE LEAVE OUT? Please comment below !

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Big Wedding + Pain Gain at Rave Cinemas Dayton South

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Hello Dayton!   There are plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week.  Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas!  And don’t forget at Dayton South/Huber, TUESDAYS are $5 all day (*3D $8), The Greene is WEDNESDAYS!  You simply cannot beat this great deal with the superior picture and sound quality versus Netflix!

Opening This Week

 

STAR TREK – 04/25/13 @ 7pm!

The Best of Both Worlds – the two-part storyline comprising the third season finale and the fourth season premiere of the beloved series Star Trek: The Next Generation®- will, for the first time ever, be seamlessly tied together as one continuous and uninterrupted story digitally restored with new CGI effects… on the big screen! Audiences will also see special clips from “Regeneration: Engaging the Borg”, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Best of Both Worlds.  This not to be missed movie theater event will feature one of the most memorable moments in TV history and exclusive clips about the making of The Best of Both Worlds and Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3.  The Next Generation became the longest running series of the Star Trek franchise, consisting of 178 episodes over 7 seasons.

Resistance is futile so buy your tickets today!

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57TTj6Fg_Vw’]

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJv95T4L84w’]

 

THE BIG WEDDING – Opens 04/25/13 @ 9pm!

With an all-star cast led by Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, with Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams, “The Big Wedding” is an uproarious romantic comedy about a charmingly modern family trying to survive a weekend wedding celebration that has the potential to become a full blown family fiasco. To the amusement of their adult children and friends, long divorced couple Don and Ellie Griffin (De Niro and Keaton) are once again forced to play the happy couple for the sake of their adopted son’s wedding after his ultra conservative biological mother unexpectedly decides to fly halfway across the world to attend. With all of the wedding guests looking on, the Griffins are hilariously forced to confront their past, present and future – and hopefully avoid killing each other in the process.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnD2EacXk0E’]

 

PAIN AND GAIN – Opens 04/25/13 @ 9pm!

Based on a true story, “Pain & Gain” follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida. First told in an article from the “Miami New Times,” “Pain and Gain” will be directed by Bay and will star Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvMsuONpTLo’]

 

 

IRON MAN 3– Opens 05/02/13 @ 9pm!

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gl0CoyhlNw’]

 

RAVE CINEMA CLASSICS – $3 + FREE popcorn & drink! @ Dayton South

04/29/13 @ 1pm brings us…

MARK OF ZORRO (silent), 1920, 90min

One of the best silent films in the pre-dialogue era.  A young aristocrat must masquerade as a fop in order to maintain his secret identity of Zorro as he restores justice to early California.  Douglas Fairbanks, Marguerite De La Motte

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idMaP6oj5eI’]

 

 

For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

Oblivion + Star Trek at Rave Cinemas Dayton South

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Hello Dayton!   There are plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week.  Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas!  And don’t forget at Dayton South/Huber, TUESDAYS are $5 all day (*3D $8), The Greene is WEDNESDAYS!  You simply cannot beat this great deal with the superior picture and sound quality versus Netflix!

Opening This Week

OBLIVION – OPENS 04/18/13 @ 10pm!

Tom Cruise stars in “Oblivion,” an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of “TRON: Legacy” and the  producer of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” On a spectacular future Earth that  has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead  him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on  Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of  war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly  complete.

Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands  of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a  beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of  events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of  humanity in his hands.

“Oblivion” was shot in stunning digital 4K  resolution on location across the United States and Iceland.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx6_JMDFfWI’]

 

Coming Next Week

 

STAR TREK – 04/25/13 @ 7pm!

The Best of Both Worlds – the two-part storyline comprising the third season finale and the fourth season premiere of the beloved series Star Trek: The Next Generation®- will, for the first time ever, be seamlessly tied together as one continuous and uninterrupted story digitally restored with new CGI effects… on the big screen! Audiences will also see special clips from “Regeneration: Engaging the Borg”, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Best of Both Worlds.  This not to be missed movie theater event will feature one of the most memorable moments in TV history and exclusive clips about the making of The Best of Both Worlds and Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3.  The Next Generation became the longest running series of the Star Trek franchise, consisting of 178 episodes over 7 seasons.

Resistance is futile so buy your tickets today!

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57TTj6Fg_Vw’]

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJv95T4L84w’]

 

RAVE CINEMA CLASSICS – $3 + FREE popcorn & drink! @ Dayton South

04/22/13 @ 1pm brings us…

MAN FISH, 1956, 87min

Three deep sea divers get involved in murder while searching for a lost treasure.   John Bromfield, Lon Chaney Jr., Victor Jory

 

For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

The Big Ragu Recaps 16 Catholic Fish Frys!

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The Big Ragu never does anything half baked (or fried in this instance).  We take Food Adventures to the extreme and set the trends.   Again, we bring you something original that you won’t see anywhere else, a recap of every fish fry we could find in the Miami Valley.   Now, the Lenten season is over, and they last fryer has been turned off.  You know the drill, all-you-can-eat fish dinners, beer, condiment tables, silent auctions, raffle tickets and casino games.  So which ones rocked our gills off?  Answer: They all have their appeal, and special draw, but four of them really stood out.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the “Sweet Sixteen,” our recap of the Dayton’s 2013 Catholic Fish Frys:

Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Favorite Fish Fry

Food Adventures jumps at any chance to support Dayton causes, and with Big Ragu being Catholic, we bought tickets to every fish fry in town.  We will list our favorites aka the “FANTASTIC FOUR FISH FRYS”, then list the others in random order and what makes each fish fry special.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR FISH FRYS:

1) OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY–22 Notre Dame Ave.

This one was the grand daddy of them all and our favorite fish fry.  For the past 52 years they have held fish frys, making this probably the oldest one in Dayton, This church holds fish frys from Sept – February before the Lenten season.  The staff is wonderful and our friend Amy even took us on a tour of the church.  A friendly cook named Joseph makes all of the delicous, homemade desserts himself.  We know because we tried them all.  This church has a heavy influence of Polish, Lithuainian, Hungarian, and German parishioners.  These events have a loyal following of regulars like our pal Ron who drove all the way from Wilmington, Ohio to attend.  The Monte Carlo was fun and food was great.  We especially like the fact that the draft beer is unlimited in the 12 dollar price, along with fresh sausages, Icelandic cod.  In our book, this fish fry is Dayton’s best.

Holy Trinity, Great Hospitality and Delicious Food

 

2) HOLY TRINITY CHURCH – 272 Bainbridge St.

This was a fish fry where everyone seemed to know each other.  The crowd was small, but friendly and tight knit.  The food was absolutely amazing.  The cod was cooked to perfection and hand cut on site.  One of the attractions is they use the Old Focke’s Meats recipe for Waldorf sausages.  We enjoyed the old church located near the Oregon District, downtown.  One unique part of this event is that this church offered an alcohol free family fish fry from 4pm-5:30pm for kids, then had the adult party after.  Three beer tickets are given with paid admission.  The atmosphere, great food and hospitality makes this one of the best fish frys in the Miami Valley.

 

Vic Woeste, 87 year old icon of St Mary’s Church

3) ST MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: 310 Allen St.
Here we find the best story told at a fish fry.  We sat near 87 year old Vic Woeste, an icon of the St Mary’s community who has been dealing casino games at the fish frys for the past 36 years.  His entire family is involved in the church down to 3 generations.  He told us he remembered a fish fry in 1960 where funds were used to buy the nuns a Ford Fairlane car who lived in the convent across the street.  Oh the memories!  Vic is looking forward to his 70th class reunion at Chaminade this year.  He said it will be held in a telephone booth, since not many classmates are left.  Vic also said he was baptized and married at St Mary’s.  He recalls Father Ken Henz telling parishoners decades ago that he hatches, matches and dispatches loyal parishoners.  Vic was a great man to talk to, indeed.  This church group is so charitable that even the volunteers buy tickets as they enter.   to help raise money for the boiler fund, beers were sold for 25cents and an extra 1 dollar donation got you a dessert.  Again this event saw over 3 generations working the fish fry and over 300lbs of fish cooked and eaten.

 

4) CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH – 527 Forest Ave.

The Corpus Christi Fryers Charitable Organization

This event was another fantastic fish fry for $15.  It included all you want food and draft beer, we like those rules.   The crowd was very friendly and it was obvious that many in attendance were close friends.  This fish fry offered a healthy alternative of baked fish, along with the fried fish choices.  The bustling atmosphere included 3 different dining areas.  This particular fish fry has been going on for 25 years.  The event is partially run by the “Corpus Christi Fryers.”  They are a charitable group that donates time, manpower and money into running this event to help the church’s cause.  The fish fry workers could not have been nicer, and the food was terrific.  It was great to see a diverse group from all walks of life coming together for a good cause.

St Peter’s offered Onion Rings and Hot Dogs on their Saturday night Fish Fry

Here are the rest in random order, and what we loved about each Fish Fry!
ST PETER’S CHURCH – 6161 Chambersburg Rd

This event was $15 at door, and was packed.  The line wrapped around the gym, but the wait was worth it.  The food was delicious and the offerings were not only beer battered codfish, but onion rings, chicken wings, and huge hot dogs.  What was even more amazing, is that one or two women seemed to be stocking the whole table for the hundreds of hungry people.  The casino area featured unique games such as horse races.  We also loved the fact that they offered Yuengling Black and Tan Beer.  This was a fun and well attended event.  Tip: come early and avoid the huge crowds.

 

The decor at St Charles’ Fish Fry was Beautiful

ST CHARLES BORROMEO – One of the area fish fry’s run by the Hecht family volunteers.  The fish was hot and fresh.  highlights included the fantastic Saint Patty’s day decor theme.  Some people really put some hard work into those decorations.  Along with the tasty fish, a few beer tickets were included in the $15 price.  Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy beer was available on tap.   This fish fry also offered a “pre-event” that was family friendly and where kids were allowed to attend until 6pm.   The eating area was offered in the school cafeteria while the casino games were in the gym.

 


Cold Beer at the Carrol Fish Fry

CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL – Located at 4524 Linden Ave

This event was $16 to attend and included 5 beer tickets.  The unique thing about this fish fry was the sheer choices of fish.  They offered 3 kinds of fish.  Choices were regular fried, Cajun fried, or baked fish.  There were no fries in sight at this fish fry.  Instead menu items included baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad.  There was a huge choice of desserts at this event.  A couple of long tables were filled with homemade pies, cakes, brownies and more.   This event was steady and the environment was immaculately clean.

 

ST LUKE’S CHURCH – 1440 N. Fairfield Rd.

This fish fry was entirely kid friendly.  The cost was 9 dollars for adults and $3.50 for children.  No alcohol was served.   The event was run by the Knights of Columbus a charity organization that benefits local families.  The fish that was fried was cod from local distributor Foremost Seafood.  There was also no gambling at this event.  It was obvious that this fish fry was more about the family experience. They actually hold two fish frys, one in February and on in March.  It should also be mentioned that the Ladies Auxillary made all of the desserts which were fantastic!

 

CHAMINADE JULIENNE HIGH SCHOOL – 505 S. Ludlow St.

Holy Angels Fish Fry Volunteers

This fish fry held at the High School, had a pretty good attendance.  The fish was great and there were huge sheet cakes and brownies as well.  We even saw one of the cooks bring out some nice cupcake pastries.  Although a fairly new fish fry, this one is run with efficiency.

 

HOLY ANGELS CHURCH – 1322 Brown Street
This fish fry is in its 12th year.  The volunteers Matt, Ruth, Denise, Leila were very friendly and greeted the crowds with a smile.  Prices were 15 bucks at door and included soft drinks and all the beer you wanted as well.  Get there early for this event, because parking is limited and you may get stuck parking across the other side of State route 48.  Delicious haddock was the fried fish served to the hungry visitors.   We really loved the fact that the beer was unlimited, and we didn’t have to fool around with drink tickets.

 

ST ALBERT THE GREAT – 104 W. Dorothy Lane


Three Generations of the Hecht/Sierschula Family helping work the St Albert Fish Fry !

This event was $15 advance or $20 at door.  They served some tasty, fried Icelandic cod.  Like other fish frys, they had a carryout option for 9 bucks.  This event had a ton of volunteers, mostly we saw in kitchen.  We saw the raw fish being thawed, cut, dredged then deep fried by the Hecht Family, who runs a few of the area fish frys.  In fact we saw that there were at least 3 generations of the family at the event.  this event, casino earnings and raffle money all benefited the athletics.  It helps to buy uniforms and keep students cost to participate as low as possible.  We were told that for 40 years this event has been held and many run by the Hecht family.  Attendance price included 5 beer tickets.

 

ST ANTHONY’S CHURCH– 830 Bowen St.

The church was celebrating it’s 100th year anniversary in 2013.  The fish fry has not been around more than a decade or 2, but the place was packed.  The entrance showed off a silent auction area and the casino games.  Lines formed to get the fish and the cafeteria served as the eating place.  The fish was so fresh and hot, that you had to let your plate cool.  the staff was working hard and feeding the hungry event attendees.  It was obvious that the workers took pride in this event and made it a fun and friendly atmosphere.

 

ST HENRY’S CHURCH– 6696 N. Springboro Pike

Event was held in the “Father Stretch Center.”  The cost at the door was 15 bucks.  The head priest Father Tom was greeting the attendees in the dining area.  The fish served was large pieces of fried Haddock.   The volunteers were friendly and the fish was light and flaky.  Some of the better fried fish around was served here.  The event also featured a large silent auction area.

 

INCARNATION PARRISH– 55 Williamsburg Ln.

Mounds of Fish Ready for Breading at the Alter Fish Fry

This event gets packed.  The crowds are big, so get there early.   Like many fish frys they offer a carryout option, but with no discount.  There was a large silent auction area, and many signs hung in the gymnasium featuring sponsors of the fish fry.  Admission was 15 dollars and the fish served was fried Icelandic cod.  Again, we saw some familiar faces of the Hecht family preparing the food for the masses.   There is also a large choice of casino games at this well attended Parrish.

 

ALTER HIGH SCHOOL – 940 E. David Rd.

This fish fry draws the biggest crowds of all the area fish frys.  Sometimes the line can be an hour wait.  Our tip, get there early and plan on making an evening of it.  The casino games are crowded, but there are many to choose from.  There is even a high limit gambling area!  Admission is 15 bucks and comes with 3 beer tickets.  they have amped up the event recently by offering some craft beers for sale.  This event usually has a huge silent auction, and you may even see current NY Jets Center Nick Mangold among the attendees.  Again the Hecht family is responsible for the fish here, so you know you can expect big pieces of freshly cooked fish.

 

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI -6245 Wilmington Pike

This was a very organized fish fry put on dozens of volunteers from the church.  We liked the fact that they had baked fish as a choice as well as the typical fried fish.  The dining area was crowded, so get to this one early.  This was simply a beautiful church with a fun atmosphere at the fish fry.

Baked and Fried Fish at the St Francis Fish Fry

 

NOW YOU KNOW !

Only here, can you see the most comprehensive fish fry summary of the Miami Valley known to man.  FOOD ADVENTURES has given you some pointers on what to expect in 2014 Dayton area fish frys because they ate it all! Make sure that you scroll through the photo album below featuring every single fish fry.  FYI,  unfortunately some of the church websites do not have the greatest information about the fish frys.  For that reason, make sure you stay tuned to DaytonMostMetro.com and Dayton Dining for all the dates and times of future fish frys.  The bottom line here is that each Lenten season, Daytonians should take advantage of the great events and support some local churches.  The fish frys are friendly and welcome all denominations of faith.  It is about fun times and good causes.  Now that the all-you-can eat fish frys have ended, it is time for us to “scale” back and swim on to the next Food Adventure !

DID YOU ATTEND SOME AREA FISH FRYS?  WHICH ONE WAS YOUR FAVORITE?  DID WE MISS ANY ? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW !

For more Food Adventures, “like” us on Facebook  by clicking HERE !

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Food Adventures Gets Cheeky With It !!!

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Cheeky Meat Pies are at Dayton’s 2nd Street Market

DaytonDining Scoop:  Cheeky Meat Pies is going to move from the 2nd Street Market to the concession areas at RiverScape MetroPark. Their contract was just approved by the board this morning. They’ll be open more days of the week and during festivals, programs and other events.

No details yet on exact hours and menus, but we’ll get that to you soon! In honor of the news, here’s a chance to revisit a Food Adventure with Cheeky Meat Pies!

Here is a little known secret for you fellow Dayton Food Adventurers.   It is a place where you can get some authentic Meat Pies like the ones from New Zealand.  They are a vendor at Dayton’s 2nd Street Market and the company is called Cheeky Meat Pies.  They have some incredible items made from scratch!  The owner of the Dayton business is a true “Kiwi,” which is slang for a native New Zealander.

The big attraction is, of course, their meat pies. You hold them and eat them like a sandwich.  Each meat pie features a flaky crust, and depending on the type of pie, the fillings vary. We recommend the “Distinguished Darby” or the “Tandoori Chook” pies to fellow Food Adventurers.  The Darby is filled ground beef cooked in an onion gravy, mixed with Monterey Jack cheese.  It has a melt in your mouth feeling when you taste it.  The Tandoori is a chopped chicken breast and potato pie with a slightly spicy Tandoori sauce.  Indian flavors are popular “Down Under,” and Cheeky Meat Pies‘ twist on this pie is perfection.  They also feature Veggie Pies and Breakfast Pies!  Popular combos are served with a side of Roasted Kumura (sweet potato) fries.  For a full menu of their meat pie offerings click HERE.

The “Distinguished Darby” Meat Pie

The next time you visit Dayton’s 2nd Street Market, make sure you grab one of these goodies to go.  The owner is very friendly, and greeted us with his memorable accent.  Don’t miss this “street food” taste of New Zealand, GET CHEEKY WITH IT !

Click HERE to visit our FOOD ADVENTURES page on FACEBOOK and “like” us to become and official fan!

We are not food critics, we are just 3 people that love to emotionally eat our way through Dayton!

Check out our Weekly Article Every Thursday on DaytonMostMetro.com !!

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Defining (DE-FI)

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defiSo what exactly, is the Dayton Emerging Fashion Incubator (DE-FI)?  Well, since going public we’ve been receiving this question quit a lot!  For starters we are not a Fashion Week nor are we affiliated with DFW; though there are various aspect of what (DE-FI) will do our main two goals are to be a support system for designers and talent looking to make their mark in the Fashion Industry and to keep the “Made in America” tag on our clothing by reaching out to garment manufacturers to have their lines produced here in Dayton.  After all Macy’s is right down the road in Cincinnati and the Limited Brands are in Columbus.

So, exactly how would this Incubator work?

(DE-FI) is working closely with Sew Dayton (Oregon District), Joli Boutique (Centerville), and TIME Magazine recognized Midwest Fashion Week (Indianapolis) to create a unique and affective training program that:

1)      Offers mentoring for emerging designers via a series of workshops designed to teach the designers business skills, sharpen sewing skills, and ultimately providing designers a place to sell and showcase their work on a local level.

2)      Train and provide seamstresses for the designers in the incubator to help them to produce their lines locally.

3)      Provide a forum to profile fashion based talent from across the Midwest whether it’s designers, models, MUA’s, stylist, bloggers, and etc—via our Fashion Blog that will debut in May.

4)      Establish professional models for designers to work with!  The biggest complaint that I’ve heard from designers and photographers in the lack of professionalism that the models present from the area and that happens for several reasons: 1) area models have never really had the chance to receive real training that didn’t cost them thousands of dollars, 2) There’s currently not a lot of work in the area for models, and 3) Because there isn’t a lot of work in the area models often don’t get paid for their time which all can lead to a lack of professionalism.  So (DE-FI) is raising the bar by being the first major fashion event in the area that actually pays their models for the work that they do.

5)      A long term goal for (DE-FI) is to take advantage of the City of Dayton’s Activated Spaces Pop Up Shop Program.  Like our partners at Sew Dayton and Beaute Box are products of Activated Spaces–In the Spring of 2014 it is the goal of the Dayton Emerging Fashion Incubator (DE-FI) to have a store front location in Downtown Dayton that sells local and independent designers from across the Midwest lines in our store.(that have also been produced here locally by those seamstresses that have been trained by (DE-FI).

These are just a few things that (DE-FI) will be doing!  One thing that we constantly remind each other of is that this is a new concept for the area; therefore we are taking our time and making sure that everything is planned out, communicated, and executed well.  This is  learning experience for everyone involved but you can rest assured that we are being realistic with our approach and we are dedicated and committed to following through with these plans.  Right now we are planning our Launch Party scheduled to take place on July 13, 2013 at SunWatch Indian Village—We want this event to be an intimate affair; with a theme of “Fashion In the Mystic Garden”, the night will consist of mixing and mingling with some of the area’s top professionals, complete with New York Fashion Week style show, and dancing under the moonlight in the majestic setting of SunWatch. For more information on how you can get involved with (DE-FI) as either a designer, model, sponsor, and etc—please contact us at info@daytonemergingfashionincubator.com!

 

Manet + 42 + Scary Movie at Rave Cinemas Dayton South

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Hello Dayton!   There are plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week.  Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas!  And don’t forget at Dayton South/Huber, TUESDAYS are $5 all day (*3D $8), The Greene is WEDNESDAYS!  You simply cannot beat this great deal with the superior picture and sound quality versus Netflix!

Opening This Week

EXHIBITION: MANET:PORTRAYING LIFE – 04/11/13 @ 730pm!

The eagerly awaited exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, Manet: Portraying Life will be captured for cinema screens worldwide. This is the first ever major exhibition in the UK devoted to the portraiture of Édouard Manet, spanning his entire career. The exhibition will bring together great works from across Europe, Asia and the USA. Cinemagoers will see exclusive behind-the-scenes moments of the Royal Academy’s exhibition preparation — moments usually hidden from view — and experience a detailed, superbly crafted biography of Manet and 19th century Paris. Host Tim Marlow along with expert guests examines the work of one of the all-time great artists.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2rOP-KgAS4′]

42 – OPENS 04/11/13 @ 10pm!

Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9TJz-vMJq8′]

SCARY MOVIE 5 – OPENS 04/12/13!

The latest installment of the “Scary Movie” franchise includes send ups of “Paranormal Activity,” “Mama,” “Sinister,” “The Evil Dead,” “Inception,” “Black Swan” and pop culture featuring Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Snoop Dogg, Katt Williams, Molly Shannon, Terry Crews, Simon Rex, Jerry O’Connell, Sarah Hyland, Katrina Bowden, Tyler Posey, Shad Moss aka Bow Wow, Kate Walsh, Heather Locklear, Mac Miller and Mike Tyson.

“Scary Movie V” is directed by Malcolm Lee who teamed up and worked side by side with legendary comedy director David Zucker (“Airplane,” “The Naked Gun” franchises). Zucker wrote and directed “Scary Movie 3” and “4” and also co-wrote and produced “Scary Movie V.”

The “Scary Movie” franchise, which lampoons the greatest in horror and genre fare, has grossed over $800 million worldwide.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_MHjqPE4M’]

 

RAVE CINEMA CLASSICS – $3 + FREE popcorn & drink! @ Dayton South

04/15/13 @ 1pm brings us…

DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, 1939, 95min

Kent, the unscrupulous boss of Bottleneck has Sheriff Keogh killed when he asks one too many questions about a rigged poker game that gives Kent a stranglehold over the local cattle rangers. The mayor, who is in cahoots with Kent appoints the town drunk, Washington Dimsdale, as the new sheriff assuming that he’ll be easy to control. But what the mayor doesn’t know is that Dimsdale was a deputy under famous lawman, Tom Destry, and is able to call upon the equally formidable Tom Destry Jr to be his deputy. Featuring a career reviving performance from Marlene Dietrich as bar singer Frenchie, which could well have been the inspiration for Madeline Kahn’s “Blazing Saddles” character, Lili Von Schtupp.  Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBBKJTCxYNQ’]

 

For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

Five Rivers MetroParks Celebrates Golden Anniversary

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Five Rivers MetroParks and local artists collaborated to create unique "hidden nature" pieces. Check out the full exhibit, including Marsha Pippenger's "Ode to King Billy," featured here, at the kickoff celebration on Wednesday, April 10, at the Schuster Center.

Five Rivers MetroParks and local artists collaborated to create unique “hidden nature” pieces. Check out the full exhibit, including Marsha Pippenger’s “Ode to King Billy,” featured here, at the kickoff celebration on Wednesday, April 10, at the Schuster Center.

On April 8, 1963, then-Probate Judge Neal Zimmers approved a petition to start a new park district in Dayton. Thanks to the efforts of a group of forward-thinking citizens concerned with quickly disappearing green space, efforts to protect the region’s natural heritage created what we know today as Five Rivers MetroParks.

For the past 50 years, Five Rivers MetroParks has provided outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. These experiences are unique for each visitor — some come to the parks for their offerings in exciting outdoor adventure. Others visit as a get-away from harried urban life. Still others enjoy the reactions from their children or grandchildren watching them experience nature for the first time (or as if it were the first time). Echoing the individualized experience the parks offer, Five Rivers MetroParks has launched a “Hidden Nature” campaign, showcasing “secret” areas of the parks and glimpses into the history of the organization.

The activities kick off on Wednesday, April 10, with a public event at the Schuster Center in downtown Dayton. The event is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public; complimentary parking is available at the adjacent Arts Garage. MetroParks VIPs from the past and present will be on hand to share stories, and select archive materials also will be on display.

One component of the “Hidden Nature” campaign is an art exhibit. Local artists Amy Kollar Anderson, Bing Davis, Gretchen Durst Jacobs, Marsha Pippenger, and Ron Rollins all contributed nature-inspired artwork. To illustrate the spirit of the campaign, QR codes and telephone extensions have been hidden throughout each piece of the collection. Scan the QR code and enter the four-digit extension to receive a secret message about the parks and their history.

Another way to celebrate MetroParks’ golden anniversary is by trying to find all 50 Things to See and Do. Some items on the list may already be a family favorite, but the MetroParks staff is willing to bet that you can find several cool things you never knew about your parks.

Visit metroparks.org/history and take a peek back into the archives. Staff has been searching through boxes and boxes of photos, scrapbooks, old brochures, and more, in pursuit of some really cool relics from our past.

We hope the community has enjoyed helping us preserve and enhance our regional green spaces as much as we love providing these facilities every day. See you at the Schuster!

Love art. People watch. Buy art.

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Deal

“Think No More” by Amy Deal, Mixed Media on wood 24×24  In her most recent series of work, Amy Deal explores layering typography to create visual texture and pattern. She appreciates typography as an art form that lends itself to affecting imagery and enjoys the balance that can be achieved between visual and verbal designs. Deal is a national award-winning, professional visual communicator living in Oakwood, Ohio. She took a break from fine art to raise a family for the past 18 years, but is now reuniting with her love of painting.

 That’s the word on the street about DVAC’s annual gala Art Auction, which will be held April 26th at the Ponitz Center at Sinclair, silent auctions starting at 6:30pm, live auction begins at 8 pm.

For the 19th year, the Dayton Visual Arts Center is calling on members of the community to help celebrate the vibrant art and artists of the Dayton region. Gear up for an evening of exciting silent and live auctions, good friends— new and old— abundant hors d’oeuvres, wines, and lively music by Puzzle of Light.  And above all: a night of making a big difference to DVAC’s ability to provide programs and exhibitions that support area artists. Of all the fundraising events in town, DVAC’s Art Auction is the only one that features art and only art. It’s the biggest art buying party of the year and DVAC’s most important fund raiser.

This year, 118 DVAC member artists have generously donated work for the auction. This adds up to a genuine feast for the eyes and soul: paintings, photographs, sculptural pieces, and works in ceramic, glass, metal and mixed media. Simply viewing everything in this exhibition is a treat; but it’s even more fun to bid and win a piece or two to grace the walls of your home or office, give as a gift, or wear with style.

If you haven’t already purchased your tickets to the best art party of the year, call DVAC at 937.224.3822 or visit dvacartauction.com to get in on the excitement. See you there!

The Food Adventures Crew Peek Into Yellow Springs Brewery!

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PSSST!! Come here….  wanna peek?  Even though the tasting room doesn’t open until April 13th, Food Adventures got a sneak peek of the new Yellow Springs Brewery on 305 N. Walnut Street.  We think you’re gonna like what you see.  The brewmasters have been busy.  Their beer has been in production for a few months.  Various brews bearing the Yellow Springs Brewery label are already being served in local restaurants.

We sampled a few craft beers and they were delicious.  Our favorite was a beer called the   “Little Bike Brown.”  It is a stout beer with a full bodied, rich taste.  All of the beers are brewed using local Yellow Springs water.    The brewery tries to use other local ingredients in the brewing process whenever possible.

Good pints. Beer model not included!

The tasting room is decorated with a local flair.   The bar is made of an old bowling lane, once used in an alley in Yellow Springs.   How is that for original and unique?  They plan to continue the local theme by adorning the walls with local artwork.  The tasting room grand opening is scheduled for Sat, April 13th from 1-9pm.

Other future plans for Yellow Springs Brewery include an outside patio.  This would be wonderful spot for a Food Adventure in the summer months and suitable stop for thirsty cyclists using the bike path.

This place is going to be a hit.  What’s not to love?  Good local brews, and a tasting room that has a lot of character just like the beer.    Upon opening, Yellow Springs Brewery will sell pints of beer and growlers.   Their motto is “crafting truth to power.”  Make sure you stop in and grab this powerful taste of Yellow Springs, sample some local brewmaster’s works, and pick a favorite of your own.  This brewery is yet another reason to make Yellow Springs your destination for a little getaway.

Comment below if you are excited to try Yellow Springs Brewery !!

For more FOOD ADVENTURES  “like” us on FACEBOOK HERE !!

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Manet + Evil Dead + Jurassic Park 3D at Rave Cinemas Dayton South

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Hello Dayton!   There are plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week.  Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas!

Opening This Week

EXHIBITION: MANET:PORTRAYING LIFE – 04/11/13 @ 730pm!

The eagerly awaited exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, Manet: Portraying Life will be captured for cinema screens worldwide. This is the first ever major exhibition in the UK devoted to the portraiture of Édouard Manet, spanning his entire career. The exhibition will bring together great works from across Europe, Asia and the USA. Cinemagoers will see exclusive behind-the-scenes moments of the Royal Academy’s exhibition preparation — moments usually hidden from view — and experience a detailed, superbly crafted biography of Manet and 19th century Paris. Host Tim Marlow along with expert guests examines the work of one of the all-time great artists.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2rOP-KgAS4′]

EVIL DEAD – OPENS 04/04/13 @ 10pm!

In the much anticipated remake of the 1981 cult-hit horror film, five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvDLWlxxcak’]

 

 

JURASSIC PARK 3D – OPENS 04/04/13 @ 10pm!

Universal Pictures will release Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking masterpiece “Jurassic Park” in 3D on April 5, 2013. With his remastering of the epic into a state-of-the-art 3D format, Spielberg introduces the three-time Academy Award-winning blockbuster to a new generation of moviegoers and allows longtime fans to experience the world he envisioned in a way that was unimaginable during the film’s original release.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jH9iAHSKds’]

 

RAVE CINEMA CLASSICS – $3 + FREE popcorn & drink! @ Dayton South

04/08/13 @ 1pm brings us…

HARVEY, 1950, 105min

Elwood P. Dowd is a mild-mannered, pleasant man, who just happens (he says) to have an invisible friend resembling a 6-foot rabbit.   James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvfXvW2wsuQ’]

 

For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

 

First Friday to Feature Walking Tour, Craft Battle, Beer Tasting, Art Shows, More

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G - 3 DVAC• The Collaboratory (formerly Blue Sky Gallery), 8 N. Main St.: Featuring “Best Time Ever,” a visual collaboration between photographer Glenna Jennings and mixed-media artist Issa Randall. They use Facebook as a stock image bank to create collages that speak to the transient nature of “good times.” 732-5123.

• CADC, 35 S. St. Clair St.: Presenting “Mexican Reflections;” Sandra Picciano and David Brand will demonstrate their jewelry-making techniques and exhibit their rings inspired by a jewelry workshop in Mexico. 313-9883.

• Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, 48 High St.: Opening reception for art exhibit “Intuition,” featuring work by Betsy Molinsky, Marvin Olinsky and Beth Duke. The exhibit features mixed-media art, sculpture and painting. 228-4532.

• Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St.: (Open 5 to 8 p.m.) The opening of “Art Auction Preview,” featuring works in all types of media. 224-3822.

• Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, 220 N. Patterson Blvd.: The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet at 5:30 p.m. for a ride through the city.

• Clash Consignments, 521 E. Fifth St.: Hosting “Aries de la femme,” an art show highlighting local women artisans. This girl-themed art show promotes girl art by girl artists. Categories include visual, audio and fine arts. Call 241-9434.

• Fifth Third Center, 1 S. Main St.: Local artisans Gina Duncan and Judy Riesser will host an opening reception for their artwork, displayed in the lobby, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. 228-2224.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St.: Presents a new collection of hand-beaded pendants and pins by Gallery 510 artist Cathy Helmers. Mention First Friday and receive $5 off winter scarves. 672-6717.

• Grass Roots Enrichment and Wellness Center, 400 E. Fifth St., Suite C: Art opening with paintings by artist-of-the -month Jed Helmers. 723-6747.

• Great Dayton Flood Walk: View vintage photos of the great flood, visit buildings that made it through the flood, see high-water marks from 1913 and much more. Walk starts at 7 p.m. and is $10 per person. Call 274-4749 or email grantsguru501c3@yahoo.com for required reservations and meeting location.

• K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.: The opening reception of the second annual juried exhibit featuring 2D black-and-white art; 16 artists have been selected to participate in the exhibit, which includes photographs, drawings, paintings and collages. 461-5149.

G - 32 510• Olive, an urban dive, 416 E. Third St.: Displaying photographs by Gary Kunze, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2004; 10 percent of all the sales of Gary’s photographs and cards will go toward Parkinson’s disease research. From 6 to 8 p.m., visitors can get a sneak peak at the new The Barrel House, which is being renovated across the street from Olive.

• Requarth Co. Supply One Showroom, 447 E. Monument Ave.: (open 6 to 8:30 p.m.) Join the Fifth Street Brewpub for a beer tasting. Learn about the Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op and enjoy performances by local musicians David Baugham, composer/slap-style guitarist and winner of the Teen Music Slam 2012 (6 to 6:40 p.m.) and Pam Baugham of the folk/Americana group Sweet Betsy (6:40 to 8 p.m.). The tasting will feature six craft beers from a variety of breweries for  $2 per taste or six tastes for $10. Proceeds will help the brewpub renovate its historical space and open its doors this spring. Also, Harvest Mobile Cuisine will be on site with local food for sale.

• Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St.: Hosting a “spring cleaning” sale; fill up an entire bag of scraps of fabric for $1. Artwork by featured artist-of-the-month Cherry Fullam will be on display. 234-7398.

• The Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.: Hosting the second “Dayton Crafty-Con,” showcasing local crafters. Starting at 5 p.m., more than 25 vendors will be giving demos on how to create the crafts they are selling. At 7 p.m.,“Battle of the Crafters” will take place on the main stage. Each team will be presented with a box of unknown supplies and will be judged on its ability to make a craft within the parameters of the specified theme. Zombie Dog food truck will be selling gourmet hot dogs. 203-8175.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association, the Ohio Arts Council and WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org

 

 

 

Walking Dead Food Adventure & Zombie Dogz at Horror Hound Weekend

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‘Juan of the Dead’ Zombie Dog

Here is something you will not see anywhere else.  The Big Ragu and Crew had a VIP experience at last weekend’s Horror Hound convention in Sharonville.  We had a Food Adventure with Merle & Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead (Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker)!  Featured along with the Cast of the Walking Dead and many celebrities was a Dayton’s own,  Zombie Dogz.  Typically a food truck, it was a little different this time for the gourmet hot dog masters.   They operated out of a catering booth inside the convention center.     Owners of  Zombie Dogz,  Lee and David VanArtsdalen and Horror Hound Magazine’s Eric Crowley personally invited us to the event and set us up for an unforgettable Food Adventure.

The Big Ragu and Crew shared some iconic Dayton foods with the celebrities:

We had a Zombie Dog with a Reservoir Dog.  That’s right, we dined and joked with Michael Madsen.  Michael was a great sport, and he didn’t carve our ear off.   He shared some good Hollywood stories and laughs with us.  We also learned he was telling other celebrities about his time with us and the Zombie Dogz.

Legendary horror film director John Carpenter also enjoyed one of Dayton’s Zombie Dogz with us, while he was wearing some pretty sweet black velvet sweat pants.  It was almost as scary as his film “Halloween.”   Meeting this giant of the film industry was priceless.

We gave a hungry Twisted Sister Frontman Dee Snider some Mikesell’s Good n Hot Potato chips.  In fact, the whole cast of his show “Holliston” shared the bag.  What does Dee wanna do with his chips?  ‘He wants them hot, HOT !’   This Celebrity Apprentice star loved the taste of Mikesells, and we were not ‘fired’ in the boardroom.

Dee Snider from Twisted Sister & Celeb Apprentice loves Mikesells Chips

The star of the scary Candyman movies Tony Todd, loved the box of Esther Price Candies we gave him.   He enjoyed them so much, he gave us a high five the next day.   Even movie stars like the Candyman love Esther Price Candies !

Remember the classic 60’s TV show The Munsters?  Well, we ate Muenster cheese with Eddie Munster, thanks to Murray’s Cheese from Kroger in Centerville.  Eddie, played by Butch Patrick, appreciated it so much, he signed a photo for us!

The  Big Ragu and Crew ate lunch with Bengals Defensive Tackle Domata Peko .  We enjoyed some LaRosa’s Pizza while sitting with his family.  Domata is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.  He is also a horror movie fan like us,  and was excited to meet the various celebs.

Where else can you see this kind of stuff?  Only here, only Food Adventures and Dayton Most Metro.  Often imitated, never duplicated.

The Big Ragu also shared French Bread and Perrier Sparkling Mineral Water with 80’s babe Diane Franklin from the movie “Better Off Dead.”  If you saw the movie, you get the significance of the food items, ‘and to drink…. Peru’ .  These days Diane is promoting her new book “Diane Franklin: The Excellent Adventures of the Last American, French-Exchange Babe of the 80s.”  You can buy the book here on Amazon.com.

We hung out with other famous horror actors including Lew Temple, Sid Haig, Tom Savini,  Irwin Keyes, Robert Mukes and many other costumed monsters.  The original car from the movie Christine was there, we wanted to take it to the Root Beer Stande Drive in but she turned us down.  Special mention to our friends at S.T.A.R.S Cincinnati, a costumed fan group of the movie “Resident Evil.”  They do charity appearances and their slogan is “We kill zombies for charity.”  Speaking of Zombies….

The “Calling in Dead” Zombie Dog has Mac N Cheese on top

About Zombie Dogz:

Have you tried a Zombie Dog?  These hot dogs are so big, that they almost look like kielbasa sausages.  The menu at Zombie Dogz is pretty simple.  It all starts with large, juicy all beef hot dog.    The hot dog is placed into a wonderful sandwich roll, strong enough to hold the hot dog and ingredients intact.  What makes a zombie dog special is the choice of toppings.  Each Zombie Dog has a creative name based on those toppings.  The menu is constantly evolving with new creations, but The Big Ragu and Hungry Jax ate these hot dogs all weekend and want to share our favorites.

Zombe’ Grande – The all beef hot dog is topped with cheese queso sauce, lettuce, cilantro sour cream, jalapeno bacon bits and crushed corn chips.  The mix of the cheese sauce and crushed corn chips are a gooey, tasty combination that won us over.  This was definitely one of our favorites

Juan of the Dead – An all beef frank topped with Swiss cheese, homemade bbq pulled pork, sweet and tangy mustard and pickles.  The pulled pork and pickles really make this gourmet hot dog.  The Big Ragu say this is a must eat!

The Nibbler – This time they wrap the hot dog in bacon, then smother it in spicy chili.  The zombie dog is then topped off with diced red onion, sweet & tangy mustard, and shredded muenster cheese.  This one really woke up our taste buds and is a Food Adventure in your mouth.

Owners Dave and Lee VanArtsdalen of Zombie Dogz, with Co-founder/Marketer Michael Whitaker

Calling in Dead  – This over the top creation tops the hot dog with homemade mac n cheese.  The creamy mac n cheese is cooked in truffle oil for a magnificent flavor.  The final touch in this hot dog is a sprinkle of truffle salt and cracker crumbs.  This hot dog was so rich, we could hardly finish it.  It packed a powerful punch on our appetites, but we couldn’t stop eating it.

Brain Daddy – This was the most Caribbean style hot dog that we tried.  The all beef dog is topped with slow roasted mango habanero pulled pork.  It was also topped with pineapple-cherry salsa.  The final dash of white and black sesame seeds finishes this masterpiece.  This gourmet dog promises to have your taste buds dancing the mambo.

The Horror Hound Weekend was incredible. We got to meet Dayton horror film makers like our pals from Concept Media Films.  We even bought a couple of their Dayton-made DVD’s!  Meanwhile The Big Ragu was distracted by the Jersey girls over at GorgeousAndGory.com.  Supporting local people and making new Food Adventure fans seemed to sum up this fantastic experience.

This Zombie Dog is called “The Nibbler”

Miami Valley foodies should keep their eye open for events featuring the Zombie Dogz Food Truck and their unique creations.  The hot dogs will satisfy your hunger at the not so bad price of $6.50 per dog.  There are even have veggie dog options.  Want to catch Zombie Dogz Food Truck’s next event?  Then visit Dayton’s Crafty-Con on April 5th.  The event will be held from 5pm to 11pm at the Yellow Cab Building on 700 East 4th St.   Tell the zombies that The Big Ragu sent you !

 

Feel free to comment on the Zombie Dogz Food Truck below.  Also share any thoughts about Horror Hound Weekend as well.

“Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking here, unless you are scared of zombies and good times.

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