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Patterson Canal Parkway: Connecting Downtown Culture

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Image: MorrisTerra www.morristerra.com

For years, Dayton city planners and downtown advocates have heard the same remark over and over:  downtown has many individual assets, but they need to be better connected physically. If one parks for a Dragons game and then walks to bars in the Oregon District, or watches a movie at the Neon and goes for a stroll to Riverscape, the pedestrian experience tends to leave something to be desired.

Pylons to tell the story of the canal

That will soon change with the completion of the Patterson Boulevard Canal Parkway Project, a half-mile, $2 million complete overhaul of the pedestrian amenities between Second and Sixth Streets. Elements include new landscaping, lighting, historical signage, sidewalks and crosswalks.

“Through conversations and focus groups for the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan,” says Sandy Gudorf of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, “we heard a clear desire to make downtown more walkable and connected, and its eastern edge is our strongest residential area. We’re excited that the City of Dayton has acted so quickly on this critical infrastructure.”

Reinterpreting the Past

The Winters monument is currently being re-installed after many decades in storage.

The City of Dayton is implementing the project with funds from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, who helped define the project with a focus on the history of the Miami-Erie Canal. Its story will be interpreted through text and graphics on striped pylons.The canal ran from Toledo to Cincinnati and crossed Dayton through the path that is now Patterson Boulevard. Construction began in 1825 and lasted twenty years, providing physically demanding work for many Dayton residents and growing our size considerably. Though it was a key shipping artery, the canal struggled to compete with rail throughout its life and suffered a final death blow with the 1913 flood, yet wasn’t filled in for a quarter-century.

Another relic from Dayton’s past – a monument removed from the old library site – has been unearthed from a City of Dayton storage yard after fifty years. The former fountain is being installed at the eastern edge of Cooper Park, greeting pedestrians on the Canal Parkway. The monument was dedicated to Ambrose Winters, a lawyer credited with rallying support for much of Dayton’s early streetscape infrastructure. Project manager Amy Walbridge says, “As a citizen of Dayton, I am so very happy about this.  While it’s important to look forward, it’s good to look back and see what great work the citizens of Dayton who came before us did for this community.”

The new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ will be installed in conjunction with the Canal Parkway Project.

Looking Forward to a Thriving Downtown Neighborhood

Even prior to construction, downtown residents began embracing Patterson Boulevard as the important center to their emerging neighborhood. Last year a group of volunteers made dramatic improvements to the triangular greenspace at Fourth Street, with new seating, landscaping, and art. That small park will see even more transformation with the upcoming installation of the major new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ by local artist Jon Barlow Hudson. The sculpture was commissioned thanks to a $55,000 donation from the Pflaum family and its pedestal has already been constructed as part of the Canal Parkway infrastructure.

Some of the new lighting that will brighten the downtown landscape

Downtown resident, realtor, and Priority Board Chair Steve Seboldt senses new enthusiasm for downtown living. “I think the rapid sales of the townhouses by Simms [Patterson Square] shows that people are interested in the livability of downtown. The improved walkway on Patterson will encourage people to walk to Oregon and around Downtown.”

Construction for the Canal Parkway is scheduled to be completed in the first half of December 2012.

Taken 2 | Frankenweenie | Pitch Perfect at Rave Cinema Dayton South

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Hello Dayton! This week mainly focuses on new openings for the week. Opening the week of 10/05 there are some great new movies!

TAKEN 2

Liam Neeson is back for more in this sequel to 2008’s Taken. His family targeted by a vengeful crime boss in Istanbul, retired CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) must fight an army of killers to ensure their safe return in this action sequel from director Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3) and producer/co-writer Luc Besson (who penned the screenplay alongside Taken scribe Robert Mark Kamen).

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FRANKENWEENIE

In this black-and-white short, director Tim Burton tells the story of Frankenstein’s monster in suburbia as a children’s fable about tolerance. Loving parents Ben (Daniel Stern) and Susan Frankenstein (Shelley Duvall) encourage their son Victor’s (Barret Oliver) home movies, starring their energetic bull terrier, Sparky. Following a terrible car accident, Sparky is dead and Victor is inconsolable. After an experiment with a frog in his science class, Victor gets the idea to make an electrical experiment of his own. After building a fantastic laboratory with only household items, he reanimates his beloved dog. Unfortunately, the family’s nosy neighbors become fearful of the monster, even though he has done no wrong. The climactic ending acts as an homage to James Whale’s original 1931 film and its sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein.

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PITCH PERFECT

A feisty coed joins a collegiate a cappella group and upgrades their song selection for the 21st century during the run-up to a major competition in this melodic comedy from Tony-nominated Avenue Q director Jason Moore. Drifting past the various cliques after arriving at college, Beca (Anna Kendrick) pays more attention to the jams pumping in her headphones than the people she passes on her way to class. But all that changes the moment she stumbles into the one place where every misfit has a voice — the campus a cappella group. Although the competition amongst the singers proves surprisingly fierce, there’s just one aspect of the group Beca can’t wrap her head around: All of the songs they perform are at least a decade old. Convinced that they can do better by adding
some contemporary tunes into the mix, Beca whips up an exciting new set list that will set the group apart and leave their rivals in the dust. Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, and Rebel Wilson co-star.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siEHekc-1oE’]

DISCOUNT DAYS AT RAVE CINEMAS

Did you know Rave Cinemas offers a bunch of discount days for everyone? With today’s economy, everyone is looking to save wherever they can and Rave is providing ways for people to still catch the latest movie while keeping some cash in your wallet!

For the early risers, Rave Cinemas offers Early Bird specials. The shows before noon (on weekends and weekdays when available) are only $5 each ($8 3D)!

Not an early riser? Come to $5 Tuesday at Dayton South or Huber Heights or $5 Wednesday at the Greene. Any 2D movie all day long is only $5! For 3D it’s only $8. That’s a saving of over 50%! The Greene also has IMAX deals on Wednesday too!

If you have a student/military ID we offer you a lower pricing daily.

And finally…Senior Day! Any 2D movie is $5 for those patrons 55+ and $8 for any 3D movie on Wednesday at Dayton South only.

For showtimes click here

ENTER TO WIN TWO MOVIE PASSES!

Fill out the following form and then leave a comment below telling us that you want to win Rave Cinema Dayton South movie passes.  We will pick a random winner on Friday Oct. 5 after 3pm. Passes awarded will be valid for 30 days from close date at Rave Cinemas Dayton South only and must be used by then or will be forfeited. Valid for any showing, except special events. Please bring ID to verify your name and just ask for a manager when attending informing them you won the Dayton Most Metro contest.

Contest Closed – congratulations to our winner: Bethany Locklear!

Parade the District! el Dia de los Muertos!

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We are kicking off the holiday months with a whopper of a First Friday in November!  Celebrate with us! It’s all about family in all its forms, particularly those we have lost that remain lively in our memories and close to our hearts! On All Soul’s Day, November 2nd, we will honor SOULS with a bit of whimsy and lots of creativity, marching through the Oregon District (5th Street) with a family-festive Parade, all the way to Dutoit for a dance performance and reception! Imagine a cool, autumn evening, full of lights and the magic of memorial, drawn beautifully from the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead!

In Mexico, el Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) welcomes the souls of loved ones, who return each year on November 1 and 2 (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day) to enjoy for a few hours the pleasures they once knew in life. Elaborate ofrendas—altars—erected in cemeteries and private homes afford friends and family the opportunity to reunite and celebrate with the departed. What was once a pre-Hispanic religious tradition was transformed by the introduction of Catholicism in Colonial Mexico.

Once more, the tradition morphs itself as it becomes part of Dayton’s celebration of diversity emanating from the city’s Immigrant Friendly Initiative. Missing Peace Art Space and Culture Builds Community are hosting an all-inclusive celebration seeking to unite our diverse populations in the common theme of celebrating departed loved ones. Through this event, community members – including you – are invited to explore this long-held Hispanic tradition.

Join us on Saturday, October 13 from 1 – 5 pm to create items for the community ofrenda, guided by artist Gabriela Pickett. We are also accepting submissions that you make elsewhere for the non-juried, community exhibition. All works that fit the theme of the Mexican Day of the Dead will be accepted, unless there is a safety issue. The community ofrenda is family-oriented, so please refrain from inappropriate material and keep submissions in good taste.

The parade is free and open to all on November 2nd! Participants will line up on Wyandot, behind Arby’s and Hauer Music, for a 6:00pm start down 5th St. This parade will lead to the Reception Performance in the outdoor space at Missing Peace Art Space, featuring works in dance and prose created for this event by students from Cityfolk’s Culture Builds Community residency. Schools/programs included: Stivers School for the Arts, Chaminade Julienne High School, St Albert’s School, East End Community Center and the Hispanic Catholic Ministries After-School teen program. The parade will include life-sized skeleton puppets, a rolling musical sculpture, parade lanterns, innovative musical instruments, written work and paintings on large, bamboo parade frames, dancers and more! The community altar will be on display inside Missing Peace Art Space through November.

Culture Builds Community residency artists are Michael Bashaw, Gabriela Pickett, Joy Levett, Rodney Veal and DeShona Pepper-Robertson. Many other artists from the Greater Dayton area will participate in the “ofrenda.” You can, too!!!!

Missing Peace Art Space is looking for volunteers to help with various aspects of this community-driven exhibition from now until November 2. Please contact them at (937) 241- 4353 if you’d like to volunteer. Also – supply donations for the large puppets would be gratefully accepted anytime: newspaper, flour and glue. Call for details on where to drop off donations!!

Food Adventures Gets Even Cheesier with Murray’s Cheeses

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Murray’s: Quality Cheeses

When we say the Muensters, we don’t mean a TV show.  We mean aged mold, or as you know it  .. cheese.

Gouda, Mozzarella, and Brie are just some of the dozens of varieties of Murray’s Cheeses available at your local Dayton Kroger stores.   The Big Ragu and Crew were lucky enough to be invited by local Cheese Master, Logan Class, to sample some of their premium cheeses.  How cool is that to be hanging out with a cheese master?   We Daytonians do not know how lucky we are to have Murray’s Cheese Shops, allowing for quality and hard to find cheeses at our fingertips!

Brie and Fig Spread Counter Samples at Murray’s

Murray’s Cheeses is a New York based company and has been making and distributing cheese since 1940.   There are 15 Dayton area Kroger’s that feature Murray’s.   What makes Murray’s Cheeses so special?  The answer is the products used in their cheeses.  For example their mozzarella is made with the same milk used in Ben and Jerry’s Vermont Ice Cream, so we are talking premium tasting milk.  They also carry cheeses from France, Italy, Ireland, England and more.

Cheese Master Logan explained to us that there is something for everyone at his store.   There is a $5 and under selection and cheeses that range from $5.99 to $30 a pound.   Other goodies are McClures Pickles, Bucheron 34 fig Spread, Merlot Salami and Olive Oils.   There is even a connecting buffet display of  peppers, olives, and more.  Food Adventures has previously enjoyed Murray’s favorites such as Jarlsberg Cheese, Javarti cheese with Caraway seeds, and Tabouli with Cilantro.  The Big Ragu had to be pulled away from the free cheese on the various counters so the cheese tasting could begin.

Your Food Adventurers were here to sample these unique and unforgettable Murray’s Cheeses as presented by Cheese Master:

1) Cremont – This was a soft, creamy Vermont cheese made from goats and cows milk.  It was simply divine and dreamy.

2) Cabot Clothbound Cheddar – Made in Vermont.  The wheels of this cheese are covered with cheesecloth and lard then aged for 10 months.  Almost like Big Ragu with a wet blanket.  This cheese is one of the tastier cheeses made with Pasteurized milk, as opposed to most high end cheeses which are made from raw milk.

3) Pleasant Ridge Reserve – A mountain style cheese similar to Gruyere.  This is a raw milk cheese and sells at 30 bucks a pound.   We found this cheese to be rich with flavor.  So flavorful that this cheese won the American Cheese Society and World’s Best Cheese Awards.

4) SarVecchio Parmesan:  Looked like your typical Parmesan cheese, but had an incredible fruity flavor to it.  Definitely an amazing tasting cheese that you won’t soon forget.

Rogue River Blue: One of the Most Complex Cheeses You Will Find

5) Rogue River Blue: Made in Oregon, this cheese won the 2006 award for best cow’s milk cheese.  It is the 1st ever raw milk cheese to be exported to Europe.  That’s right, it is so good, even Europeans want it!  The cheese is made through an incredible process, including scrubbing the outside of the cheese wheel with brine for a meaty flavor.  The cheese is then wrapped in Syrah Grape Leaves that have been soaked in a Pear Brandy. After wrapping, this cheese is aged for a year.  The product is perfection and the best bleu cheese we have ever tasted.  With preparation like this, we could understand the $30/pound price tag.

Hey Food Adventure Fans, here are some quick cheese facts:

— All cheese is made with milk, salt and rennet.

— Cheeses that are aged more than a year are typically the stronger tasting cheeses.

— Softer cheeses have a shorter the shelf life than harder cheeses

Who thought we could get any cheesier?  Well The Food Adventures Crew did, and you can too.  Visit your Cheese Master at your local Kroger grocery and look for the Murray’s Cheese Shop !

Visit FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook and “like” their page by clicking  HERE !!

Have you tried Murray’s Cheeses ?   Tell us your thoughts and comment below.

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Volunteers for Dayton!: Opportunities Oct. 2-9

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Your weekly round-up of ways to get involved in Dayton’s urban neighborhoods.

Give Back in the Halloween Spirit!

Volunteering for Hauntfest helps raise funds for the Oregon District!

  • The Oregon District Business Association needs volunteers to sell tickets and serve beer at its annual Hauntfest on Fifth, October 27, 7pm-1am. It’s a great way to meet people and see all the crazy costumes! E-mail Mike Martin to volunteer and ‘like’ their page to stay in the loop. There will be a special beer booth to fundraise for Garden Station – e-mail Lisa Helm to help there. And if you can’t help out, be sure to attend – $5 tickets will be available this First Friday in front of the old Boulevard Haus.
  • Dayton’s costumed Party of Parties, Masquerage, will be held at the Fairgrounds again this year and needs volunteers for everything from selling drinks to taking pictures to simply showing off your “hot body.” Masks required! Sign up at their VolunteerSpot page for this Oct. 20th event. Since 2002, over 10,000 Masquerage volunteer hours have helped raise $1 Million for the Aids Resource Center.
  • I normally don’t feature for-profit organizations here, but I think it’s cool that we have a haunted house downtown. So if you’re favorite pastime is scaring people, sign up to volunteer at the Wayne Avenue Haunted Butcher House on the eastern edge of the Oregon District.

    Step up to help Dayton celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Photo: www.tomascastelazo.com

  • Historic Huffman neighborhood volunteers will be dressing up their beautiful Victorian residences for a Halloween-themed Spirit of Huffman home tour, Oct. 13-14. Your admission will fund neighborhood activities and improvements throughout the year!
  • Not exactly Halloween, but similar – Dayton’s Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) organizers need volunteers for their Community Offrenda, First Friday, Nov. 2, 6-10pm. The Offrenda is organized by Cityfolk’s Culture Builds Community program and Missing Peace Art Space in partnership with an array of Hispanic, school, and neighborhood groups as well as local artists. It will feature workshops, a parade, party, and exhibition. Please contact Missing Peace via e-mail or at (937) 241- 4353 if you’d like to volunteer. And if you would like awesome events like this to continue, please give to Cityfolk’s Post-Festival Campaign at their website.

 

Other opportunities:

  • Can you spare a few bucks to build a bocce court?

    Celebrate the Freedom to Read: The East Branch library in Dayton’s Walnut Hills neighborhood needs volunteers to read aloud for 30 minute or 1hr time slots during Banned Books Week (Oct 1-6). They have a collection of ‘challenged’ books to read from so all volunteers need bring with them is their voice and their enthusiasm for the freedom to read. They are hoping to have readers during all open library hours (MTTH 9:30-8:30; WSa 9:30-6). Contact Samantha or call the branch at 496-8930.

  • Deadline extended for St. Anne’s park fundraiser! St. Anne’s Hill residents hope to raise $1000 to match their City mini-grant for Terry park improvements, including an ornamental gate, bocce courts, and landscaping. Regardless of where you live, can you give $10? If we all give a little to neighborhoods outside our own, we’ll have some great parks! (Plus, you’ll feel entitled when you go there to play bocce.)

    Would this be helpful in Dayton? Image: timebanks.org

Discussions in our group

  • One topic of discussion I raised in our Facebook group is whether there is interest in starting a Time Bank for Dayton. This involves a network of people earning Time Dollars for every hour spent helping others in the network, which they can spend having someone else help them with a project. The exchanges are tracked using simple online software. It’s an incentive for volunteerism, can be helpful for anyone short on cash, and helps build community connections. Share your thoughts here.
  • Another topic that’s been debated in multiple spots this week is what to do with the recently-acquired Hughes Supply property that the City of Dayton recently acquired for development. Obviously it’s a sweet location, being right on the eastern end of the Oregon District at Fifth and Wayne. There are lots of good ideas out there, but the overwhelming majority of commenters on Dayton Most Metro, updayton, and our group hope it becomes a grocery store (BTW – If anyone’s interested in a downtown food co-op, I’ve got a group for that too). What do you think?

Don’t forget to e-mail me your items and report back your successes! And send pictures of your costumed volunteering!

 

The Scream, Art Battle, Dayton Music Fest Among Highlights of Oct. 5 First Friday in Downtown Dayton

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Downtown’s next free First Friday art hop will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5.

Fire dancers from the Soul Fire Tribe, belly dancers from Roja and solo musician Jason Trout will provide entertainment while roving the streets of downtown. Triclectic, an alternative bluegrass band, will play on East Fifth Street across from Omega Music from 6 to 8 p.m.

Artists compete during 2011's Art Off at K12 Gallery for Young People. Round two of the 2012 contest will be held during October First Friday.

The eighth annual Dayton Music Fest will kick off during First Friday, with live music at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern. On Saturday, Oct. 6, the festival will continue at several other downtown venues, including Trolley Stop, Tumbleweed Connection, Blind Bob’s and Oregon Express. Dayton Music Fest aims to spotlight local musicians and other acts with ties to the Dayton area. Weekend passes are $10 for the festival, which features more than 30 musical acts.

Several art galleries will host special events this month. The CADC will host a Halloween tribute, featuring several artist renditions of the famous impressionist painting “The Scream.” Patrons are encouraged to dress as their own version of the painting. K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS will host round two of the Art-Off Battles. At the top of the hour from 6 to 10 p.m., watch artists compete while creating works of 2-D art within the theme of “Time, Memory and Place.” The final round will take place Nov. 9. Blue Sky Project will feature a closing reception for Michael Casselli’s “Slackwire,” a contemporary art show that utilizes high-voltage plasma traveling across music wire and asks viewers to consider the space they inhabit and how impositions affect them. Work by folk artist Omope Carter Daboiku will be shown at Cachet G! International Boutique, including tiles, drawings and weavings.

Band Boston Spaceships rocks out at a past Dayton Music Fest. The festival will kick off during October First Friday at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern.

More than 40 downtown businesses will participate in September First Friday; see a complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday on the DDP website.

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.

All kinds of “outdoorsy” happening at the Midwest Outdoor Experience

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I am not an “outdoorsy” person. But I’m learning. Honestly. If you ask anyone who knew me from grade school, college or even just a few years ago will attest to an increase in the amount of sporting goods equipment I own and the number of shoes featuring actual soles that are created for purposes outside of pure fashion. My greatest impetus for this foray into the outdoors is my husband, followed closely by my occupation. So pretty much “life” is encouraging me to venture off the couch and into the woods.

“Hang out” with the Gibbon Slackline team at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

As a new inductee into a world filled with adventure and hiking boots and roof racks and moisture-wicking clothing, I can tell you it’s a lot of fun. You might feel uncertain about trying a new activity, but if you can brush your trepidation aside for just a little while, you’ll get a peek into what life is like for those friends whose Facebook walls are plastered with photos of their latest exploration.

Your journey can begin Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, when the Midwest Outdoor Experience, presented by Subaru, rolls into Eastwood MetroPark. Regular festival attendees may remember the event as “GearFest.” Props to those die-hards who were with us from that first swap meet in the PNC 2nd Street Market parking lot. Now that’s grown to a full weekend-long event filled with experiential outdoor activities, we thought a name change would more accurately convey the spirit of the event (and it helped nab some sponsors).

There will be plenty of activities to try, including backpacking, mountain biking at the IMBA Bike Village, canoeing, climbing, disc golf, fly fishing, geocaching, cycling, kayaking, orienteering, skateboarding, slacklining, snow tubing, stand-up paddleboarding, yoga and ziplining. Not ready to take the leap? Be a spectator at one of the demos or competitions.

Headlining this year’s competition slate is the Gibbon USA Slackline Championship. What’s slacklining? Dwight Schrute defines it as “tightrope for babies,” but those who attended last year’s event or watched the 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show can tell you it’s an amazing athletic display that’s equal parts Chuck Blondin and Shaun White.

Does your pooch cut the MUTT-stard to be an Ultimate Air Dog?

Also not to be missed is the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs competition. That’s right, in addition to having a full outdoor recreation dance card, this festival is also a celebration of our favorite fuzzy fur-beasts. Enter your dog into the competition or just bask in the gratuitous puppy atmosphere on Subaru Pooch Island. You can even adopt your own dog from the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

It’s a reasonable assumption that you will be having so much fun, you won’t want to leave. That’s OK; on-site camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis. But if you’re idea of “roughing it” means continental breakfast over room service, be sure to book your room at the official hotel, the Crowne Plaza. There will also be performances via Dayton Music Fest, a beer garden and on-site food vendors to round out your outdoor experience.  (listen to the DMF bands playing here on our calendar listing)

It’s OK, Bear Grylls, there are lots of food vendors and a craft beer garden at the Midwest Outdoor Experience. No need to eat bugs.

True to its roots, you can also get the gear you need to “Get Out & Live” all year long. Stop by the exhibitor village and check out the latest in outdoor recreation equipment and hook up with local clubs and enthusiasts who will really get you on your way. Awaken your dormant inner outdoor adventurer October 5 and 6 at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

Urban Bites, Urban Nights

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Ribs from “HIckory River” in Tipp City

Friday Sept 14th, 2012 was a great evening in Downtown Dayton.  The Urban Nights event showcased dining, nightlife, retail shops and more.  Good art and good music filled the city, as did festival goers.  But The Food Adventures Crew were at this huge street party to try the street food for an Urban Food Adventure.  It was great to see the bustling downtown area with businesses and restaurants opening their doors to the public.  Dancers and musicians entertained the masses and there were even people repelling down one of Dayton’s tallest buildings!

Crowds gathered from Riverscape to the Oregon District.  Dayton was hopping during Urban Nights.  There were dozens and dozens of restaurants and food vendors selling their eats.  So many vendors, that it would be impossible to list them all here, so please click on our photos below.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Oyster Shooter from Jay’s Seafood Restaurant

There was soul food and seafood.  There were pies and burgers ‘n fries.  Varieties ranges from Bratwurst eats to vegetarian treats.  We ate South American food, Italian food and Indian specialties.  The event also featured beer and wine vendors.  Some vendors, like the ones near Riverscape, made you purchase 3 dollar tickets to buy food at any vendor.  Other street vendors downtown were on a cash for food basis.

There were even 3 separate stages spread out across the downtown area where you could listen to live bands and more.  We dined to some classic rock by local band ‘Spungewurthy.’

Empanadas from “El Meson” restaurant

Did you miss Urban Nights and the food extravaganza?  Then mark your calendars for Friday night May 10th, 2013 when Urban Nights returns to the Gem City.

The atmosphere was friendly and fun.  It was really something to enjoy a Food Adventure while standing among Courthouse Square or underneath Dayton’s skyline.   Urban Nights was a great time and made us proud of our hometown of Dayton!  Enough of the sentimental stuff, you have to check out these amazing food photos below !!

But first, please comment below and tell us what you thought of URBAN NIGHTS !

Also, check out Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE.

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Lawrence of Arabia | Won’t Back Down | E.T. | Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championship

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Hello Dayton! This week mainly focuses on new openings for the week. Opening the week of 09/28 there are some great new movies and special events.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (10/04)

Lawrence of Arabia has been digitally restored for its 50th anniversary and back for one day only. Originally released in 1962, directed by David Lean and starring Peter O’Toole, the film follows T. E. Lawrence during his experiences in Arabia in World War I. This highly literate historical epic covers the Allies’ mideastern campaign during World War I as seen through the eyes of the enigmatic Lawrence. After a prologue showing us Lawrence’s ultimate fate, we flash back to Cairo in 1917, when Lawrence gets transferred to Arabia and befriends Sherif Ali Ben El Kharish. He then gets caught up in helping the Arabs and leads his army northward and helps a British General destroy the power of the Ottoman Empire. The film received ten Academy Award nominations and seven Academy Awards! Showing on 10/4 at 1pm and 7pm.

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WON’T BACK DOWN (09/28-10/4)

 

A new movie featuring “The Help’s” Viola Davis and “Crazy Heart’s” Maggie Gyllenhaal, where
two determined mothers­, one a teacher, look to transform their children’s failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children.
This feature will open on September 28th.

 

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E.T. (10/03)

 

A meek and alienated little boy finds a stranded extraterrestrial. He has to find the courage to defy the authorities to help the alien return to its home planet. This lovable classic will be back on 10/03, showing at 2pm and 7pm.

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnqB3wvc14′]

 

MALOOF CUP SKATEBOARDING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT (10/2)

 

The world’s greatest skateboarding event comes to movie theaters nationwide for only one night. NCM Fathom Events and Maloof Skateboarding are excited to bring the Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championship to the big screen on Tuesday, October 2nd at 7:30 PM. Captured and broadcast from South Africa the Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championship is a unique on-screen adventure airing exclusively in-theaters and will feature jaw-dropping skateboarding, competition highlights, behind the scenes footage and more. Join us for this exciting ride as we get up close and personal with the competition and its athletes. Don’t miss the Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championship in select movie theaters on Tuesday, October 2nd at 7:30 PM for this special one night event.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Nh0mNLzwo’]

 

 

 

Fashion Without Boundaries

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The 3rd Annual I Am Fashion Show takes place this Thursday September 27, hosted by Casanav Simmons and Christian Richardson; I Am Fashion will feature designers from Dayton, Springfield, Columbus, and Cincinnati including Misti Creations, S.T.Y.L.E.S. by Sheree, and the events producer Aaron Washington and also have live performances by the WRHH Dance Team and Beau Wellington.

The events producer Aaron Washington, who is also known as Dourjé is an aspiring stylist and assistant to local Fashion Designer Sonya Mills of Kerapa Design House.  Washington says that this event is significant for the Miami Valley area and credits Dayton Fashion Week for creating an awareness of Dayton’s growing fashion movement. “Dayton Fashion Week changed my life and allowed me to meet a lot of likeminded individuals who share the same goals and visions that I have for this community” He added “I don’t believe in following trends, I believe in making something that you believe in, owning it, and selling it to the world—Fashion has no limits, it is without boundaries”

I Am Fashion is being held at the 801 Union Hall located at 313 South Jefferson St., Dayton, OH 45402 and starts at 6pm.

 

 

 

 

Volunteers for Dayton! Opportunities Sep. 25-Oct. 2

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Get to know your neighborhood

The City of Dayton and it's 64 official neighborhoods. Image: City of Dayton

Some of our most effective urban revitalization comes from the city’s many neighborhood associations, yet a lot of my well-intentioned friends have never been involved with their local group. Some of them don’t even seem to know what neighborhood they live in. (No, all of Southeast Dayton is not Belmont like your realtor told you.) So I thought I’d take a minute to share with you the City of Dayton neighborhood directory and map, divided into 64 unique planning districts. Sometimes the planning district name might not be the same as the common neighborhood or historic district name – for instance Five Points is now known more as Wright-Dunbar and Historic Inner East as St. Anne’s, Huffman, and Newcom Plain. I also asked our Facebook group members to help me compile a list of neighborhoods with a web presence and here’s what we came up with. Let us know what we missed in the comments section below. Once you find your neighborhood, introduce yourself at their monthly meeting!

Get Involved

Twin Towers neighborhood teens meet with updayton to plan a new park for their neighborhood

  • Our updayton Streetvival team is moving forward with plans to turn a vacant lot at the heart of the Twin Towers neighborhood (Xenia & McClure) into an outdoor ‘reading room’ and performance space with an interactive chalkboard mural. This month we met with the neighborhood association and teens from Peace Academy and Camino de Vida after school programs. In October we will host a Fall Work Weekend to lay the groundwork for completing our pocket park at Xenia & McClure in the spring. Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10am (prep/prime wall and plant trees) and Sunday, Oct 14 at 1pm (paint chalkboard). Contact me to get involved.
  • The “Old” Yellow Cab Building is a 7,000 sqft grassroots community arts space at the eastern edge of the Oregon District near Garden Station; both began as initiatives of the Circus Creative Collective. They could always use help from handy volunteers, and in particular are looking for someone with HVAC experience to get furnaces up and running in their garage performance space. Let Jeff Opt know if you’re that person, or if you’d like to use the space for a creative event, contact Christina Lewis.
  • Garden Station still needs more volunteers at their weekly Saturday morning work sessions. Show up at 4th and Wayne from 8:30am to noon and Lisa  will put you to work!

    Bike Miami Valley found some great volunteers for their valet through this column, including these UD students!

  • What to do with that vacant lot?– Got some energy to help clear the weeds next door? Get a head start on next year’s season by registering with the City’s Care A Lot program. Or learn how to take it over as your own through Lot Links.
  • The Community Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence is hosting a community discussion on what you can do to reduce violence in your neighborhood, Thursday, Sep. 27, 5:30-7:30pm, Northwest Recreational Facility. A nice overview on Dayton’s innovative community policing and its chief can be found here.
  • Walnut Hills Delivery Crew – The mayor’s ‘hood, Walnut Hills, is building a team to hand deliver its new newsletter. So if you live in Walnut Hills, leave a comment here.
  • The last alley sweep of the year will be in Historic Huffman. I’m sure they’d welcome extra hands from everywhere!: Jeff Heath, 301-8556
  • Quick & affordable housing – Check out this cool video of how 100+ Habitat volunteers raised a house in eight minutes last Saturday. To volunteer in the future, visit their website.
  • Don’t forget the downtown dog park cleanup we mentioned last week! Deeds Point, Saturday and Sunday, Sep. 29-30, 9am to 1ish each day. Bring your dog, gloves and any brush removal tool you own. Contact Karen Stephens, 510-6900.

Just For Fun

Volunteers led creative PARK(ing) Day activities in the parklets, from yoga to stories to drumming.

  • Yarnbomb Dayton (or just knit)! – Noticed any colorful ‘knit graffiti’ around the Oregon District? It was probably the work of the Oregon Sip-n-Stitch, which meets every 4th Thursday (e.g. this Thursday) at Deaf Monty’s Inn Port d’Vino from 5-8. Open to any ‘portable handcrafts.’ Wine, beer and light snacks are available for purchase; BYO snacks to share are welcome. Contact Margot.
  • Yogic takeover of the boulevard! When the famous Olmstead Brothers designed South Park’s lovely Park Drive boulevard in the 1880s, I bet they never imagined dozens of yogis praticing their sun salutations. Join the first-ever Yoga on the Boulevard with Practice Yoga, Friday, Sep. 28, 6pm.
  • Meet your Salem Avenue-area neighbors at the Festival of Neighborhoods, Saturday, Sep. 29, 3-6pm, Grace United Methodist.
  • Blanket concert – The Patterson Park neighborhood has planned a community concert on their commons. Sunday, Sep. 30, 6-8pm.

Don’t forget to e-mail me your items and report back with your successes!

Volunteers for Dayton! Opportunities Sep. 25-Oct. 2

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Get to know your neighborhood

The City of Dayton and it’s 64 official neighborhoods. Image: City of Dayton

Some of our most effective urban revitalization comes from the city’s many neighborhood associations, yet a lot of my well-intentioned friends have never been involved with their local group. Some of them don’t even seem to know what neighborhood they live in. (No, all of Southeast Dayton is not Belmont like your realtor told you.) So I thought I’d take a minute to share with you the City of Dayton neighborhood directory and map, divided into 64 unique planning districts. Sometimes the planning district name might not be the same as the common neighborhood or historic district name – for instance Five Points is now known more as Wright-Dunbar and Historic Inner East as St. Anne’s, Huffman, and Newcom Plain. I also asked our Facebook group members to help me compile a list of neighborhoods with a web presence and here’s what we came up with. Let us know what we missed in the comments section below. Once you find your neighborhood, introduce yourself at their monthly meeting!

Get Involved

Twin Towers neighborhood teens meet with updayton to plan a new park for their neighborhood

  • Our updayton Streetvival team is moving forward with plans to turn a vacant lot at the heart of the Twin Towers neighborhood (Xenia & McClure) into an outdoor ‘reading room’ and performance space with an interactive chalkboard mural. This month we met with the neighborhood association and teens from Peace Academy and Camino de Vida after school programs. In October we will host a Fall Work Weekend to lay the groundwork for completing our pocket park at Xenia & McClure in the spring. Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10am (prep/prime wall and plant trees) and Sunday, Oct 14 at 1pm (paint chalkboard). Contact me to get involved.
  • The “Old” Yellow Cab Building is a 7,000 sqft grassroots community arts space at the eastern edge of the Oregon District near Garden Station; both began as initiatives of the Circus Creative Collective. They could always use help from handy volunteers, and in particular are looking for someone with HVAC experience to get furnaces up and running in their garage performance space. Let Jeff Opt know if you’re that person, or if you’d like to use the space for a creative event, contact Christina Lewis.
  • Garden Station still needs more volunteers at their weekly Saturday morning work sessions. Show up at 4th and Wayne from 8:30am to noon and Lisa  will put you to work!

    Bike Miami Valley found some great volunteers for their valet through this column, including these UD students!

  • What to do with that vacant lot?– Got some energy to help clear the weeds next door? Get a head start on next year’s season by registering with the City’s Care A Lot program. Or learn how to take it over as your own through Lot Links.
  • The Community Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence is hosting a community discussion on what you can do to reduce violence in your neighborhood, Thursday, Sep. 27, 5:30-7:30pm, Northwest Recreational Facility. A nice overview on Dayton’s innovative community policing and its chief can be found here.
  • Walnut Hills Delivery Crew – The mayor’s ‘hood, Walnut Hills, is building a team to hand deliver its new newsletter. So if you live in Walnut Hills, leave a comment here.
  • The last alley sweep of the year will be in Historic Huffman. I’m sure they’d welcome extra hands from everywhere!: Jeff Heath, 301-8556
  • Quick & affordable housing – Check out this cool video of how 100+ Habitat volunteers raised a house in eight minutes last Saturday. To volunteer in the future, visit their website.
  • Don’t forget the downtown dog park cleanup we mentioned last week! Deeds Point, Saturday and Sunday, Sep. 29-30, 9am to 1ish each day. Bring your dog, gloves and any brush removal tool you own. Contact Karen Stephens, 510-6900.

Just For Fun

Volunteers led creative PARK(ing) Day activities in the parklets, from yoga to stories to drumming.

  • Yarnbomb Dayton (or just knit)! – Noticed any colorful ‘knit graffiti’ around the Oregon District? It was probably the work of the Oregon Sip-n-Stitch, which meets every 4th Thursday (e.g. this Thursday) at Deaf Monty’s Inn Port d’Vino from 5-8. Open to any ‘portable handcrafts.’ Wine, beer and light snacks are available for purchase; BYO snacks to share are welcome. Contact Margot.
  • Yogic takeover of the boulevard! When the famous Olmstead Brothers designed South Park’s lovely Park Drive boulevard in the 1880s, I bet they never imagined dozens of yogis praticing their sun salutations. Join the first-ever Yoga on the Boulevard with Practice Yoga, Friday, Sep. 28, 6pm.
  • Meet your Salem Avenue-area neighbors at the Festival of Neighborhoods, Saturday, Sep. 29, 3-6pm, Grace United Methodist.
  • Blanket concert – The Patterson Park neighborhood has planned a community concert on their commons. Sunday, Sep. 30, 6-8pm.

Don’t forget to e-mail me your items and report back with your successes!

It’s Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest Weekend !

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Cherry Strudel from “The Original Strudel Factory”

Need a little Food Adventure today?  Well you can have that and more, because this weekend is The Dayton Art Institute’s Annual Oktoberfest Weekend.  The beer starts flowing from noon – 11pm on Saturday (today), and noon – 7pm Sunday (tomorrow).  Grab a pretzel or some strudel and enjoy the art vendors,  food vendors, wine and craft beers.  The event is also kid-friendly with various art activities.  There is even live music to enjoy!  Prices at the gate are:  $7 adults; $5 for seniors; $4 for students.

The Food Adventure Crew were lucky enough to be at Friday Night’s Preview Party as guests of Dayton Most Metro.

Some of the Huge Grilled Bratwurst Available this Weekend

We tried to eat all of the bratwurst and drink all of the beer, but there is still plenty left for all of you Dayton foodies.  Gear up, grab a German hat or some lederhosen and enjoy this Dayton tradition !!  See you there, creme puff !

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS BELOW FROM THE DAYTON OKTOBERFEST PREVIEW PARTY, FRIDAY SEPT 21st, 2012.

“Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Lots to See at Blind Bob’s

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The Italian Burger

Tucked into the Oregon District is a pub with personality called Blind Bob’s.  Cheap drink specials and a unique spin on food has locals becoming loyal regulars.  The Big Ragu first heard of Blind Bob’s through word of mouth, all of which was good.   We were lucky to visit the eatery for a DaytonMostMetro.com Happy Hour event in late summer.   On our next Food Adventure to Blind Bob’s, we ate dinner with Heater from the Dayton Dragon’s.  You never know who or what you are going to see at Blind Bob’s.

You want unique?  How about a cream of pickle soup that is one of their most popular items?  It is sweet, creamy and will leave you wanting more.  Also addicting is the Hummus and Pita Chips appetizer.  You can’t go wrong with homemade pita chips and creamy hummus.

Pickle Soup – This is a must eat !

Blind Bob’s burgers are top notch, with specialty choices like the Italian Burger which is a  half-pound patty, stuffed with provolone, basil, and green peppers. It is then topped with marinara and caramelized onions.  Is your mouth watering yet?  The burger was juicy and the toppings were amazing.  Another specialty sandwich we would highly recommend is the Crabby Patty which includes a handmade crabcake on a bun.  It is topped with sauteed onions, peppers, and provolone cheese, smothered in herbed aioli.  It will have your taste buds rocking and rolling.

Other great menu items worth a try are the Ultimate Falafel Wrap and the Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich.  Actually, they call the choices “sammiches” on the menu.  You know it tastes good with a name like sammich.  We were pleasantly surprised and “blindsided” by the superb menu that quenched our Food Adventure appetite.

Just a buck on Monday nights – Mickey’s 16oz

Drink specials?.. Yeah they have those.  Everyday prices are $2 Miller High Life and $1.50 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers.  On Monday’s the Mickey’s 16 ounce cans are only a buck!  Happy Hour at Blind Bob’s means $2.50 well drinks and 75 cents off all bourbon.  They have an eclectic selection of a few drafts, one of which Big Ragu loved called Leinenkugel’s  Lemon Berry Shandy.  It was refreshing and fruity, so The Big Ragu checked his man card at the door and ordered another.  We also enjoyed a bottle of “Hop Baron.”

But there is more to see at Blind Bob’s.  Their website calendar is packed with trivia nights, karaoke, open mic nights and live bands.   The historic building lends itself to the charismatic appeal of this locally owned eatery.   Blind Bob’s is definitely a great place to grab dinner and an adult beverage.  With a fun atmosphere inside and the Oregon District right outside, this place is a blast.  So, next time you are wanting something different for a bite and a drink, ask yourself: “What about Bob’s?”

Have you been to Blind Bob’s?  Please comment below and tell us what you thought of this Dayton pub. 

Are you a Facebooker?  “Like” Food Adventures  HERE !

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Playing for Change Day 2012

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Playing for Change is an international music education movement that works to break down barriers between people through the universal language of music! Shortened: peace through music! YES! What an incredible initiative! People all over the world follow this movement through videos, concerts and social media. Communities are transformed by shared music, fund drives and ultimately music schools built in their regions to grow the skills and passions of young people through music!

After an inspiration visit with PFC Founder, Mark Johnson, last spring, Cityfolk became engaged in learning more about Playing for Change. The parallels between missions were revealed.  As a traditional arts presenter, much of which has been music, Cityfolk has been driven by the universal language of music in a highly diverse community. Our partnership with the Welcome Dayton initiative has put us in a unique position to explore the breadth of culture in Dayton through our Culture Builds Community program. In a given year, we share a myriad of musical styles and performers. As we talked through the Playing for Change goals, we felt drawn to the tasks. It felt like a call to answer.

Culture Builds Community works in multiples: multiple art forms, multiple ethnicities, multiple schools, neighborhoods and age groups. This outreach arm of the Cityfolk mission was just the place to introduce a year-long commitment to an international movement. In fact, maybe it wouldn’t be just a year. Perhaps this collaboration could really take off! Again, the multiples: multiple staff members, volunteers, musicians and administrators came together and determined that Playing for Change Dayton was going to happen!!!

It all began during the Cityfolk Festival when our street team of musicians, The People’s Music, went out to share music with the gathered crowd. They had lots of interaction with folks there! During our Sunday rain delay, the street team got folks together in the parking garage, spurring a creative experience that motivated all involved: drums, vocals, dancing, over a hundred folks, joining energies to transform disappointment into possibility. PFC Dayton was officially in gear. The spontaneous jam was caught on videotape. Participants shared contact info. Culture was building community, right there, in the eye of the storm. That brings us to current day. Now with a structured Dayton team, a new partnership with Wright State University and lots of interested musicians, PFC Dayton is ready to roll.

This Saturday, September 22nd, is Playing for Change Day! It is celebrated all around the world. Cityfolk has registered an event with Playing for Change Day International here in our Dayton Community. We will be raising money for the local realization of music education across cultures! Our short goal is to share PFC programs in Dayton all year. The long goal: establishing a Playing for Change music school in Dayton. We begin with supporting CBC music programs for the coming year!

PFC Day at the Trolley Stop begins at 6:30 Saturday evening in the beautiful, historic Oregon District! Bring your friends and enjoy the sounds of local musicians with global flare: Son del Caribe, The Odyssey, Eric Jerardi Band, Jay Martinez and Puzzle of Light. This is a fundraiser. These artists are donating their time to support the cause. The event is hosted by Sandy & Michael Bashaw from Puzzle of Light!

(Click here for our event calendar listing where you can listen to the performers)

The Trolley Stop is a local treasure: good drinks, good food, good friends, a lovely intimate music venue and the best patio around! We are grateful for their involvement in Cityfolk projects. (You will notice a giant mosaic banner on the side of the bar when you stop by on Saturday!) We are all cityfolks! Come enjoy the fun! We hope you will give generously!

 

 

How to Buy a Boyfriend

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Some of the Miami Valley's most eligible bachelors will be up for bid this Friday at the third annual PUSH Dayton Charity Bachelor Auction.

Some of the Miami Valley's most eligible bachelors will be up for bid this Friday at the third annual PUSH Dayton Charity Bachelor Auction.

Jennifer Shinkle tells people she “bought” her boyfriend. And it’s true.

Shinkle’s boyfriend was part of the September 2011 PUSH Dayton Men in the City Charity Bachelor Auction, and the two have been going strong since. This year’s event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 21, at the Dayton Racquet Club, with an after-party to be held in the adjacent 29 Stories Lounge.

With 17 of the Miami Valley’s most eligible bachelors up for bid, organizers of this third annual event are hoping for yet another love story. After all, the Bachelor Auction is two-for-two: In addition to Shinkle, chair of this year’s event, PUSH committee member Monica Deal met her husband at the first auction, and they’re now proud parents.

But the Bachelor Auction isn’t only about love. It’s about sex, too — sexual health, that is. The event directly supports Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region’s free condom program and sexual health advocacy in the Miami Valley Region. It’s organized by the all-volunteer PUSH Dayton (Professionals United for Sexual Health) committee, which has held more than 20 events and raised more than $20,000 for Planned Parenthood since it was formed four years ago.

“Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance of practicing safe sex,” said Crystal Justice, associate director of development for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Region’s Miami Valley area. The organization served more than 23,000 patients in its eight health centers just in the past year, Justice said.

“Our work to promote safe sex and access to testing is crucial to sexual health outcomes in the Miami Valley, which has seen a sharp increase in sexually transmitted illnesses,” she added. “Planned Parenthood makes quality care accessible and affordable for everyone.”

Each bachelor comes with a date package on which interested ladies bid. This year’s bachelors range in age from 22 to 55 and their occupations include business owners, dancers, a state trooper, writer, actor, meteorologist, entrepreneur and adjunct professor. Couples packages also will be available for bidding, so those who already have found their true love still can participate and support the cause.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r8G3myEAB4&feature=youtu.be’]“Last year we raised about $5,000 with about 115 guests,” Shinkle said. “This year, we expect to bring in even more attendees and have a goal to raise $8,000 for the cause. This is a very important year for us because we want to establish this as an annual event the community gets excited about. There is no event quite like it.

“The event not only supports Planned Parenthood, those who attend the event can mingle with like-minded professionals from throughout the Miami Valley,” Shinkle added. “You will meet people outside of your normal social circles at the Bachelor Auction and make new friends.”

Profiles and photos of each of the bachelors are available on PUSH Dayton’s website, as well as on the organization’s Facebook page. Advance tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased online, and tickets are $25 at the door. Appetizers will be served, and a cash bar will be available.