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Woodland Lights Brings a Month of Magic, Lights & Festivities

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(from Washington Township)

Lights and color abound at the 19th annual Woodland Lights, a month-long festival of holiday lights, displays and activities in Countryside Park, next to the Washington Township Recreation Center, 895 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd.

Woodland Lights offers a half-mile wooded path winding through a park and around a pond where visitors can enjoy whimsical characters and illuminated critters preparing for the holidays. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. nightly Dec. 2-30, except Dec. 24 and 25.

This year, nine butterflies outlined in lights have been created for the event. Each is about three to five feet high and located where a Butterfly Playground will be installed next spring. Extra spark and color also has been added with more new lights decorating the trees, said Linda Madden, event coordinator.

Along the trail, children can visit with Santa Claus inside an historic log cabin decorated for the holidays. Parents may take their own photos or purchase one for $5.

Other favorite stopping points include eight holiday window displays, an interactive light display for hands-on fun, and the 11th annual collection of home-made gingerbread houses. Visitors can enjoy bonfires, hot chocolate, refreshments and a viewing deck where lights sparkle and reflect off the Woodland Lights pond.

Different nights at Woodland Lights have different moods. Monday and Tuesday Nostalgia Nights offer lights, Santa visits, refreshments and bonfires.

Festival Nights are Wednesday through Sunday and include the same, plus carriage rides, live deer, amusement rides, costumed characters, games and activities. Kids can play on a fun slide and enjoy four amusement rides including a small train, Santa swing, twister and pony carts. Offerings also include face painting and a drawing for a giant stocking filled with toys.

Photo opportunities abound, with whimsical settings that include a country front porch and photo panels where kids can poke their heads through a panel and appear as a jack-in-the box, a mouse, or a gingerbread character.

“When we started Woodland Lights 19 years ago, we wanted it to be magical and enchanting. We’re staying true to that vision,” Madden said, noting that visitors will see areas such as toy land, Santa’s airfield, candy land and a winter play land.

Admission is $3 on Mondays and Tuesdays and $6 on Wednesdays through Sundays. Children under 3 are free. Tickets are available at the gate, or may be purchased from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the front desk of theWashingtonTownshipRecreationCenter. Season passes cost $20 for adults 19 years and older and $15 for youth 3 to 18 years. Group ticket packages also are available.

Details, including options for people with limited mobility and senior tours, are available at woodlandlights.org, or by calling 937-433-0130.Woodland Lights is presented in cooperation with Subaru of Dayton. Media sponsors are Dayton Daily News, MIX 107.7 and 94.5 LITE FM.

Woodland Lights at a Glance… Walk the Path to Holiday Fun!

6 to 9 p.m. nightly December 2 – 30     Closed Dec. 24 & 25
Countryside Park (next to the Washington Township Recreation Center)

Nostalgia Nights
Monday & Tuesday
Cost: $3
Lights, refreshments and visits with Santa

Festival Nights
Wednesday – Sunday
Cost: $6
All the fun of Nostalgia Nights, plus carriage rides, live deer, amusement rides, costumed characters, games & activities

VTA presents Traces

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Victoria Theatre Association is bringing the exciting production “Traces” to Dayton starting December 6 through December 18.  From the Traces website:

Traces takes place in a make-shift shelter, an unknown catastrophe waiting outside the doors of tarp and gaffer tape. The seven characters constructed this clubhouse to live to the fullest what they believe could be their last moments, hoping to leave nothing unsaid or undone. In the face of this impending disaster they have determined that creation is the only antidote to destruction, and their brand of creation is the fleeting impulses and desires that extend through their bodies and unfurl onto stage – the story is told through music, song, dance, speech, illustration, and high-risk acrobatics. The characters use every mode of expression available to them, hoping to leave a lasting mark… to leave their traces as best they can.

As they tell the stories of their past and share their various personal strengths and weaknesses, the audience gets to know these seven performers from every possible angle. The familiarity grows, and the acrobatics – a seemingly “inhuman” element – takes on a startlingly human nature. At its heart, Traces celebrates seven individuals, their particular bond and their particular talents; their risk-taking; the ultimate affirmation of life; and their unbridled energy, proof of a collective pounding pulse.

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Traces is a production of the Montreal troupe Les 7 doigts de la main  which translates to “the 7 fingers of the hand” – representing the seven founding directors of the company and a twist on a French idiom (“the five fingers of the hand”) used to describe distinct parts united tightly, moving in coordination towards one common goal.  7 Fingers was founded in 2002 with a simple mission – bring circus to a human scale.  Traces, one of several shows under the 7 Fingers belt, is “a circus that lets its freak flag fly” (NYT).  Unlike mega-productions like Cirque du Soleil (where the founders of 7 Fingers came from), the performers in Traces share their own personal stories in an intimate setting as they combine acrobatics with contemporary dance and urban elements like basketball and skateboarding.

DaytonMostMetro.com is proud to be a media sponsor for Traces, starting at the Victoria Theatre on December 6th.  Tickets are on sale at TicketCenterStage.com.

TICKET CONTEST

We’re giving away THREE PAIRS OF TICKETS to see Traces!  Just fill out the form below for a chance to win – we have one pair of tickets for each of the following shows: 12/6, 12/7 and 12/8.  Winners will be announced on Friday December 2 at 2pm.  Good luck!

(contest closed)

Congratulations to our following winners!

Amy Forsthoefel

Trang Lickliter

Sarah Muench

Getting a ‘Handel’ on the True Spirit of Christmas

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DPO presents Messiah in original seasonal setting

Here’s a quick tutorial on Christmas:

Definition – “Christ’s Mass”; a holiday to memorialize the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity.

Meaning – the celebration of God coming into the world in human form to do penance for mankind’s sins.

Impact – Each year, Christmas and Easter are the periods of highest church attendance.

Decorations – Greenery, such as branches from evergreen plants, ivy, and holly; nativity scenes; the traditional colors of green (symbolizing eternal life) and red (symbolizing the blood Jesus shed at his crucifixion); and the evergreen Christmas tree, which keeps its leaves in the winter.

Songs – Christmas carols, which first appeared in English in 1426, and completely secular Christmas seasonal songs that emerged in the late 18th century. (Deck The Halls and Jingle Bells).

Meals – A traditional Christmas family meal with each country having its own, special menu.

Cards – the first commercial Christmas card dates from 1843 in London.

Figures – Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus; Père Noël; the Wiehnachtsmann; Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas; the Christkind; Kris Kringle; Joulupukki; Babbo Natale; Saint Basil; and Father Frost.

Writings – Clement Moore’s poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) and Charles Dickens’s novel A Christmas Carol (It’s where the greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ comes from).

Here endeth the tutorial.

DPO and the DPO Chamber Choir will present Handel’s Messiah
December ­11 at 4pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 North Wilkinson Street

Religious holidays such as Christmas have always inspired the composition of sacred songs and hymns for use in church services. For example, in 1741, George Frederick Handel composed an oratorio for another church holiday – Easter. Handel was a German composer, who received his musical training in Italy and spent most of his life in England.

A bit of a loose cannon, Handel – eighteen and frustrated with the musical chauvinism where he lived, actually dueled with another composer over opera music. Eventually, he became become court composer, and his patron at court, the Elector of Hanover, became King George I of England. A few years later Handel recognized his chance and moved to England. Permanently.

The sacred, non-dramatic oratorio he had written for Easter was entitled Messiah.

Here’s a quick tutorial on oratorios:

Embodiment – a large musical composition with arias, performed by an orchestra, a choir, soloists, and various distinguishable characters.

Performance – little or no interaction between the characters; no props or elaborate costumes.

Subject Matter – sacred topics, making it appropriate for performance in the church.

Here endeth the tutorial.

Handel was down on his luck. His last two works, both operas, were duds, and he was ready to chuck it all and head back to Chauvinist heaven when Charles Jennens, a collaborator of his on the oratorio Saul, saved him the bother.

Jennens had written a libretto (text for an extended musical work) based around the birth and Passion of Christ. He gave it to Handel, who wrote a score for it in a little over three weeks. The completed work, text and music, bore the name Messiah.

Messiah has three parts: the Prophecy of the Messiah and its fulfillment, the events from the Passion to the triumph of the Resurrection, and the role of the Messiah in life after death. None of the characters have names. The words express the drama. The Hallelujah Chorus of Messiah has become both a musical, and a spiritual, icon.

Today, orchestras and choruses perform Messiah in churches at Christmas almost as much as at Easter. Why?

Because Christmas, as a religious holiday, has been held hostage. It has become a prisoner of war.

In the U.S. there has been a tendency to replace the greeting Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. Allegations abound that any specific mention of the term “Christmas” or its religious aspects are increasingly suppressed, avoided, or deterred by a number of advertisers and retailers.

Christmas is typically the largest annual economic stimulus for many nations around the world. Sales increase dramatically in almost all retail areas, and shops introduce new products as people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies. In the U.S., the Christmas shopping season starts as early as October. It has been calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas/holiday shopping season.

Some Christian and non-Christians have claimed all this crass commercialization to be an affront to Christmas.

In several Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia they’ve managed a compromise between religious and secular beliefs. Current tradition maintains that Santa makes the toys, which he then gives to the Baby Jesus to deliver to children’s homes.

In Dayton, no one is making any compromises. At least no one at the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. On Sunday, December ­11 at 4pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 North Wilkinson Street, the DPO and the DPO Chamber Choir will present Handel’s Messiah.

Soprano Megan Bell, alto Julia Bentley, tenor Matt Morgan, and bass Curtis Streetman will join DPO Music Director Neal Gittleman and DPO Chamber Choir Director Hank Dahlman for the performance of this revered holiday classic.

And this statement of faith and love at Christmas time, the season of faith and love.

Golden Dragon Acrobats – Family Fun at the Victoria Theatre

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Victoria Theatre Association announces the 2011-2012 PNC Family Series presentation of Golden Dragon Acrobats December 3 & 4 at 1pm and 3:30pm in the historic Victoria Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, via phone 937.228.3630 or online.
Bring the whole family to Victoria Theatre for an amazing experience with the Golden Dragon Acrobats! From contortionists to an eight-person bicycle balancing act to breath-taking acrobatic ballet, Golden Dragon Acrobats will “wow” the audience with their amazing skills.  And while you’re there, check out the Wintergarden Wonderland for holiday fun!
Direct from China world-renowned impresario Danny Chang, choreographer Angela Chang and their Golden Dragon Acrobats combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional Chinese dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. The award-winning Golden Dragon Acrobats center their show on 25 centuries of honored Asian skills and traditions. Their dazzling performances received standing ovations and critical acclaim on Broadway as well as two New York Drama Desk nominations for Unique Theatrical Experience and Best Choreography.
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The PNC Family Series is the largest and oldest performing arts series for children in the Miami Valley. For over 25 years, Victoria Theatre Association has presented quality, entertaining programs for families and friends of all ages. Don’t miss out on fun craft activities beginning one hour before each performance on both Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets for Golden Dragon Acrobats are priced at a family-friendly $20 for adults and $18 for children (ages 12 and under). Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage, and may be purchased at the Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

DMM Ticket Contest

We have a family four-pack to give away for the show on December 3, 2011 at 1pm courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Simply fill out the form below to be entered for a chance to win.  We’ll announce winners here and on our On Stage Dayton Facebook page on Wednesday November 30 at 2pm – good luck!

(contest closed)

Congratulations to Heather Dabbs – she is our random winner!

Hello World – Welcome to Dayton

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When Dayton announced its Welcome Dayton Plan last month, it met with mixed reviews from the public. This was hardly surprising since the topic of immigration is currently a hot button issue in the United States. As the country is still struggling to regain its economic footing the subject of immigrant job seekers is and has been a particularly touchy one. Because of this strong stigma, the Welcome Dayton Plan may face its share of difficulty.

According to Mayor Gary Leitzell – who is himself an immigrant from England – the majority response to the Welcome Dayton Plan has been quite positive. “It’s so simple, it makes sense, all of the people that we’re trying to facilitate are already here anyway,” he said. The mayor added that those opposed to the plan seem to be those who are anti-Hispanic. The complaints he’s received regarding the plan have raised concerns over Dayton becoming a haven for illegal Hispanic immigrants.

However, Welcome Dayton is aimed at legal immigrants only. If an immigrant job seeker or business wants to find their place in Dayton, they have to go through all the verification processes. The word “immigrant” has become tied to the idea of Hispanic or Latino immigrants. However, Dayton has more than just one type of immigrant. A great example is our Ahiska Turk (or Meskhetian Turk) population that has been around for many years and continues to grow. Dayton also regularly receives refugee immigrants from many different countries.

“let’s come up with something to attract immigrants, and therefore attract entrepreneurs…” – Gary Leitzell

Mayor Gary Leitzell said that earlier this year as he and his staff began looking at immigrant statistics in Dayton, they realized the city’s immigrant population was incredibly diverse. In addition to Ahiska Turks, Hispanics and Latinos, the city is also home to people from Nigeria, Libya, Sudan, Iraq, Bosnia, Philippines, and Korea to name a few. “So we basically said let’s come up with something to attract immigrants, and therefore attract entrepreneurs, and come up with a plan that would facilitate their success in Dayton,” said Mayor Leitzell. The decision was influenced by the success the Ahiska Turk population has had as well as immigrant-related research and statistics. The committees were then formed to do just that and they drafted the Welcome Dayton Plan. Mayor Leitzell noted that the plan is a working one and is open and subject to change as new ideas or needs arise.

When it comes down to it, Dayton is on its way to becoming a very diverse population. The Welcome Dayton Plan seeks to make the most of this increasing population resource for all parties involved. But the question is, does Dayton really want to be recognized as an immigrant friendly city? The answer may very well be yes. With big businesses like GM and NCR leaving the state, Ohio has seen not only a revenue loss but also a population decrease as people migrate to other states looking for jobs.  Greaterohio.org has a good layout of this data and the immigrant population here. The Welcome Dayton Plan’s report notes that government studies – such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s report “Immigration Myths and Facts: Labor, Immigration & Employee Benefits Division” – have shown areas with similar economic issues have been rejuvenated with the influx of immigrant business and workers. They brought in jobs and money to these areas. Immigrant entrepreneurship could be a critical tool in the fight to stop the loss of business and profit in Dayton.

At its most basic level, the plan is designed to entice immigrant business and workers to Dayton by making itself immigrant friendly. This means Dayton will begin a two-way education campaign. One end will be aimed at immigrant entrepreneurs educating them on supportive resources to help reduce potential barriers to their integration. Specifically, access to and help understanding government services, laws, and health services. In example, there was a suggestion to put up a website regarding these services for the immigrants to easily access the information. Also recommended is a team of volunteers and public agency workers to help immigrants in their job searches and the process of opening a business. The other end will be aimed at current residents emphasizing the benefits of cultural diversity, immigrant business, and cross-cultural communication.

You might have noticed the mention of the word ‘volunteer.’ Some of this plan depends on community support in the form of volunteer services – the most important service being translation. For the Limited English Proficient (LEP), the plan suggests providing language services like ESL classes and translation support. Translation of both cultural mannerisms and linguistics are some of the largest barriers immigrants and non-immigrants face when it comes to integration.

Volunteering as an interpreter may simply require that you have a number at which you can be easily reached. If there’s an issue late in the night and an interpreter is needed, you may be able to fulfill your function from home through the telephone. Volunteerism could also keep more of the city’s budget in the black as it works to implement the plan, although some positions will be an expansion on current public jobs with a small stipend for the extra work. Now more than ever, being bilingual is an essential asset to any business and we can expect to see more job openings looking specifically for multi-lingual workers in banking, law enforcement, healthcare, and more. For college students wanting more real-world experience, or something nice to put on their resumes, volunteering as an interpreter could be for you.

The plan’s report also mentions the possibility of turning East Third Street in Dayton into an international marketplace. Mayor Gary Leitzell said that his vision is to open up space for a weekly open-air market. He believes selling in the proposed market could provide immigrants with the means to earn around $500 each month; which the mayor noted was typically the difference between owning and renting a house. So far, he’s received permission from Sandy Mendelson – who owns 70% of the large parking lot and the building behind the Webster Market – to set up the outdoor market at Third and Webster. The same rules that apply to Turtle Creek Market and Traders World would also apply to the International Market. This market could bring in more money from the suburbs and other areas as they seek out new flavors, decorations, and the like.

“Everyone needs to be open-minded and realize that when we talk about immigrants, we’re focused on a global aspect and if we can attract people from all cultures and all cultures, then we will increase the flavor that is Dayton,” said Mayor Leitzell. “Let’s realize that anyone who comes here from another country […] comes to America usually with a very open mind and the American dream in their head and they see America as the land of opportunity. And it turns out that a foreign born national is two times more likely to succeed as a small business than somebody that’s native born here.” He noted that not all immigrant workers will focus on small business. Many immigrants come over with specialized degrees that could benefit open positions in Dayton that lack qualified applicants. Perhaps the reason more of the qualified immigrant workers fail to obtain these jobs is due to a lack of understanding how to search for and apply to these jobs.

I’ve heard some people complain that it seems like Dayton will be bending over backwards for the immigrant businesses. I’d like to point out that cities and even states do more for big American businesses – typically including significant tax cuts – just to get them in their area. Big businesses don’t always invest as much in their locales as smaller businesses might because they aren’t terribly dependant on their locations. Especially with outsourcing being such a popular and cheap option.

For those of you still not convinced on the benefits of this plan, keep this in mind. New businesses pay rent, buy groceries, pay taxes, pay for utilities, buy furnishings, pay for construction work, and provide jobs directly and indirectly. New positions will be opening up in the coming years for workers with multiple language skills and to help set up or run services that provide support for immigrant businesses and workers. It’s important to remember the potential percentage of money that will be injected back into Dayton through any new local business. The more successful they are, the more they might spend to improve their business and expand.

There are still more facts, figures, and components included in the plan that I can’t cover here. I highly recommend that readers take a look at the easy to read plan for themselves here: http://www.daytonohio.gov/welcomedaytonreport.

Dayton Playhouse Presents “Scrooge!”

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Emily Cypher (Tiny Tim), Shannon Eastman (Kathy Cratchit) and Scrooge (David Shough)

The Dayton Playhouse is proud to bring the holiday musical “Scrooge!” to the stage December 9 – 18.  The play is being directed byJennifer Lockwood, with musical director Ron Kindell, and choreographer Debra Strauss.

Renowned writer-composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse has adapted the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, into the hit musical “Scrooge!”  The musical closely follows the classic story with the miserly Ebenezer undergoing a profound experience of redemption over the course of a Christmas Eve night, after being visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.  Lockwood has assembled a talented cast to perform this beautiful adaptation.

In conjunction with the production of “Scrooge!”, the Playhouse will host a toy/collectibles raffle.  One of the toys is a reproduction of a toy automobile, which was made inDaytonin 1902.  The original toy was made by DP Clark Toy Company.  The reproduction was made and donated by Dick Cummings and Burt Saidel, both of Oakwood.  Cummings and Saidel are active volunteers atCarillonParkand have worked on many of the restorations at the park.  Cummings and his wife Dorothy have donated 190Daytonantique toys toCarillonPark.   Other items in the raffle will include a Breyer’s Winter Belle – 2011 Holiday Horse collectible donated by Dan Hall and a Victorian doll donated by Blue Turtle Toys.

Dayton Playhouse Cast of "Scrooge!"

Performances of “Scrooge!” will take place at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH45414.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for adults.  Tickets can be purchased at www.daytonplayhouse.org, or by calling the Playhouse box office 937-424-8477.  The box office is staffed by volunteers Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-5 p.m.

(from Dayton Playhouse)

 

The Motel Beds Assist in a Takeover of New York City

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A couple of weeks ago, New York City was under occupation. No, it’s not what you’re thinking, but good job keeping up with the news! I am talking about a completely different group of people. On Tuesday, October 25th, NYC was overrun by college radio staff, DJs, bands, various artists, and many more people from the music industry. So began the CMJ Music Marathon 2011, and Dayton was not without representation.

The CMJ Music Marathon is a chance for those breaking into music, whether from the business side or the performance side, to learn about the current state of the scene. It is also a chance for smaller
unsigned or indie-label bands to be exposed to a vast audience from all over the United States (and, in some cases, the world). I have been in attendance for the past two years, and the Dayton music scene has been represented in both. In 2010, local act Vanity Theft played one of the showcases. This year brought a greater number of southern Ohio acts: major label band Skeletonwitch, bands from other major cities like Walk the Moon (representing Cincinnati!) and, of course, Dayton representation in the form of The Motel Beds.

Back from CMJ and just coming off a recent performance with Bonneville over at WO Wrights, I had a quick chance to catch up with Ian from The Motel Beds and ask them about themselves and their experience at CMJ…

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

Josh McGrath: How long have you guys been playing together?

Ian Kaplan [The Motel Beds]: Tommy, PJ and I have been playing as Motel Beds since 2003 or so… Derl joined in 2006, I believe and Tod joined last year around this time.

JM: What kind of successes have you seen thus far band-wise?

IK: We’ve had quite a few successes, hopefully which will combine into some kind of success Voltron[…]A few years ago, we were asked to be on a compilation for “The Artist’s Den,” The Huffington Post has mentioned us a few times in a column edited by Phil Ramone (who produced Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, etc. etc.). That was really amazing… we grew up listening to the records he produced and it was pretty insane to think he heard us at all, let alone liked us enough to talk about our music. Of course, playing CMJ this year was a huge success for us and the fact that we were hand- picked by the powers that be at CMJ to be included on the 2011 CMJ downloadable “mix tape” was incredible. Our label was invited to showcase at SXSW 2012 and so it looks like we’re going to that as well… We had an interview in “Ghettoblaster” magazine; we were selected by “Turntable Kitchen,” this really great blog that pairs music with food, to be the first band included in their new “Pairings Box,” which also yielded us our first 7” record.  Ultimately though, it’s so fun to make music with these guys… it sounds really corny but I consider that a huge success. Very seldom do you have situations where all the members of a band are like gears in a machine, each one interdependent and each one equally as important as the others.

JM: How did you get involved in this year’s CMJ?

IK: Earlier this year, after we released “Sunfried Dreams” our good friend Shelly hooked us up with
Misty at No More Fake Labels[…]She loved our record and wanted to work with us… the next thing you
know we were playing CMJ. She’s really great and works really hard for everyone on her label.

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

JM: What showcase/show did you play, when and where?

IK: We played at the No More Fake Labels showcase on 10/20/2011 at The Bowery Poetry Club.

JM: Did this show differ at all compared to other shows you have played?

IK: Yes, definitely… we’ve had a couple of good shows in New York, but I think this was definitely the best of all of them. Attendance was great, Doug Gillard came out and told us he loved our music, we had a really good pizza, Kelley Deal was on stage with us… it was really, really cool.

JM: Any other experiences at CMJ you’d like to mention?

IK: The whole trip was such a blur that I don’t really recall anything but being in the van for 12 hours…being in the van for 12 hours was an experience. We also went to Cracker Barrel twice.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to catch the band during their showcase. Being in the biggest city in the US during the one of the biggest music festivals in the country makes you lose track of time…and mind. The Motel Beds, along with the hundreds of other bands that played during the festival, went out to accomplish one thing: to get their music heard by the masses. Judging from the sheer crowd at the festival this year, I would have to say they accomplished their goal.

I asked Ian one last question: Is there anything the band would like to say to those that attended the marathon this year? He took the chance to plug the bands newest album, “Tango Boys,” coming out later this month, give thanks to those who saw the show and have supported the band and left some words of assurance:

“No matter what the CDC says, you cannot catch syphilis from handling our CDs anymore.”

The Motel Beds will celebrate the release of Tango Boys on December 9th with a show at Canal Street Tavern.  They’ll perform with the Buffalo Killers and Chocolate Horse.

Lipstick Traces

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My love of pinup runs deep. I love women who are strong and have curves. I love the nostalgia and what it meant to be a woman in the days of the classic pinup. We stood for something……we were women who could do it all make dinner, have a baby and still have flawless eyeliner and pin curls when the men came home! I am amazed by the women of the 50’s and how they juggled it all plus had an immaculate beauty routine. Do you know how long it takes to do victory rolls? Well I can tell you I have done it and it takes me an hour. How many women can honestly say they would even bother to mess with their hair for an hour every single day?I know I am not the only one who has this passion for the days gone by so I am going to give you some easy steps to have that Mad Men look without actually spending an hour or even 30 minutes to achieve it.

First thing is first you must wear foundation and primer. I don’t care what foundation you use it can be Revlon, Dior or anything in between as long as it actually matches your skin tone. When it comes to primer paying a few extra dollars can make a difference. What is primer and what does it do? Primer preps the skin for the foundation and helps smooth the wrinkles and shrink the pores. Any woman over the age of 25 needs this in their makeup bag. Personally I like Nars but whatever works for you is fine.  So we have the primer and the foundation now to concealer. Concealer is your best friend so be sure and call for its help every day. Under eyes, around the nose and on the eyelids that’s your bare minimum no matter how old you are. The secret to the retro look is the flawless skin so be sure and prep your canvas and give yourself a perfect slate for all the fun stuff.


Step two, you need to create the rosy glow without looking dated. So many women struggle with blush but for this lesson we are thinking retro so don’t think this is the way to do your everyday look. You want to accentuate the cheekbones and create a strong jawline so you will need two colors of blush. You will need a bright pink, red or coral depending on your coloring and then a neutral. Start with the neutral and follow the cheekbone up all the way to your temple. My two favorites are MAC’s Dollymix and Melba. Now don’t get crazy, start off light and build. What we don’t want is you looking like a bad high school play.  Next take your bight color and apply just to the apples of your cheeks and blend with the neutral so they look like they are fading together.  Again start off light you can always add more later. Finish with a face powder all over for a soft glowing complexion.

Next we will move on to the lips. Yes I know you are thinking, “what about the eyes???” we will get there but for this look you need to see what the lips are going to do for your skin. You MUST wear color to get this right. I don’t know how many times I have this conversation with Boudoir clients. Even if you are a gloss kind of girl I promise you this look will fail without color. With that in mind don’t think that you have wear bright red. Revlon makes some great pinup colors that are also 16 hour wearing! Tomato, Tulip and Bare Maximum are a few that I like to use. Have fun and play with lip color you will be surprised how much it changes your skin.  If you are going with the bright red here are a couple tips. One use liner if you are not using an all day lipstick and number two if have trouble with color “feathering” out try a wax product such as Benefits Dr. Feelgood and apply around the lips.

Okay we are finally to the eyes. The eyes are not as difficult as you might think it’s all about precision and keeping it simple. Someone once told me that simplicity is the key to elegance and that is the look we want. Start with a lid primer and there is only one that I will even think about using and that’s Clinique’s touchbase. I have tried everything out there but this one is tried and true. No more creased lids or smeared eyeliner with this little gem. For eyeliner you can either use liquid or cream not pencil. If you are new to this go with the liquid. Lancome Artliners are the easiest to control. You can use dark brown or black and follow the shape of your eye right on the lash line from corner to corner. If you are not used to liquid this may take practice. Next use a light shadow all over the eye, I recommend Shroom by MAC. Apply all over the lid and up to the brow. Now take a mauve or brownish pink and apply to the crease. This you can make as dark or light as you prefer. I like to make the crease darker on the outside of my eye and fade in to the corners. If you like false lashes this would be the time to use them and if you don’t like them use lots of mascara and show off those lashes! Retro women were all about the lashes so use what you have and make them dramatic. The final optional step for the eyes is liner on the bottom. Usually with this look you wont need it but this comes down to preference. Finish up with filling in your brows and setting with powder and voila you have an easy retro look.

Coming up next the truth about lashes, what you need to know about putting them on, keeping them on and everything in between.

DPO Travels Back to a Musical Christmas Past – in 1941

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Travel through time with the DPO to what was perhaps the most poignant Christmas ever

Five by Design

Hear the phrase “Christmas Past,” and you might think of Charles Dickens and the likes of Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchet, and Tiny Tim (the one with a cane, not a ukulele).

Talk about an emotional Christmas!

But that story took place 168 years ago. And those were names of fictional characters, not real people.

If you want to spend what was probably the most poignant Christmas ever with real people who actually lived, you need go back in time only 70 years.

In 1941, America had a population of only 132 million people, compared to 308 million today.

AM radio was the average home’s contact with the outside world; that and the newspaper. The first American commercial TV, the DuMont 180, debuted in 1938, but few could afford one. People listened to 78-rpm shellac recordings of music, which they played on turntables; some electric, some hand-cranked.

Open the hood of the average car, and – regardless the size of the engine – you could still get a great view of the ground. There were no electronic devices, no catalytic converters. Most cars had manual transmissions; in 1940 GM developed the first automatic transmission, the Oldsmobile’s Hydra-Matic drive, followed in 1941 by Chrysler’s Fluid Drive. But few could afford them.

We all know what things cost today; in 1941 they were much, much less costly. The average price of a new car was $925. Gas cost 19 cents a gallon, a new house $6,900, bread 8 cents a loaf, milk 34 cents a gallon, first class postage stamps 3 cents.

Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it? Yes, until you consider that the stock market Dow Jones
Average was only 111, the average annual salary $2,050 (that’s $40 a week or $1 an hour), and the minimum wage per hour was 30 cents. That means an hour’s worth of work at minimum wage earned you enough to buy one gallon of gas, one loaf of bread, and one postage stamp. But not enough to buy you a gallon of milk.

Why?

Radio Holly Days
with 5 by Design
Friday 12/2 & Saturday 12/3
Schuster Center, 8pm
Click for Tickets

The US was coming out of the economic effects of over 11 years of the Great Depression, but slowly. Things had been bleak for a long, long time at home. Abroad, they had turned ugly. The Nazis invaded Poland in 1939 and begun what would become, on the European Continent at least, the Second World War. Diplomatic relations between the US and Japan were deteriorating, due to an oil embargo the US levied in August against Japan to make it withdraw troops it had sent into China.

There was no polyester, Dacron®, or moisture-wicking material. Orlon® was just hitting the market. Trucks (and some horse-drawn wagons) delivered milk in glass bottles to your doorstep. Doctors made house calls. Privately owned businesses were the rule; national chains were the exception. There were no big box stores. Most neighborhoods had a walk-in movie theater. There were no shopping centers, malls, theme parks. People rode buses and trolleys more than they drove their cars. There were few suburbs.

Now, in this simpler world and time the American people were preparing to celebrate Christmas. They either went out in the country and, with permission obtained from a farmer or landowner, cut down a small tree to place in their living room and decorate, or they visited a corner Christmas tree lot and bought one. Kids wrote letters to Santa Claus and listed what they wanted most for Christmas. Department stores created miniature winter wonderlands in the front windows to attract shoppers.

Christmas was coming!

But one December Sunday morning, the world awoke to learn that Japan had perpetrated a surprise attack on the Hawaiian Islands, virtually destroying the US Navy fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor and killing 2,403 Americans.

Suddenly, the ecstasy of the forthcoming Christmas seemed an agony. Peace on earth? Where? Good will toward men? Where? What kind of Christmas would it be when brothers, fathers, uncles, and sisters would be leaving, if they hadn’t already by Christmas, to go to war and perhaps never return. Never.

But these Americans were members of what Tom Brokaw has called The Greatest Generation. They believed in themselves, in one another, and in their country. And, armed with a steely resolve, they faced the future with courage and determination. And marched off to fight in Europe and the Pacific or give their sweat and productivity on the home front and make a crucial, significant contribution to the war effort.

With a song in their heart.

On Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3 at 8pm ­in the Schuster Center, you can travel back in time to Christmas, 1941, with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and the amazing musical group Five By Design as they present Radio Holly Days, a musical re-creation of a radio studio setting of the 1940s big-band era.

Radio Holly Days  is a live radio drama, complete with sound effects, to the heartwarming music that made Christmas special for the boys overseas and the folks at home, with all the great music, newsy inserts, commercials, and comedic antics of radio that provided comfort and relief to a beleaguered nation. And Christmas music we all know and love: I’ll Be Home for Christmas, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride.

So, come on. Remember Pearl Harbor, Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition, and take a Sentimental Journey to a time when Americans had to Kiss The Boys Goodbye, Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, and throw everything they had right in Der Fuehrer’s Face. When a Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy played that G.I. Jive.

And America was Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer.

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Cityfolk brings Christmas in Cape Breton to Dayton

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Natalie MacMaster (photo by Richard Beland)

(from Jon Hartley Fox via Cityfolk)

Christmas is the best time of the year for renowned Canadian fiddler and step-dancer Natalie MacMaster. As a girl growing up on Cape Breton Island, MacMaster was part of a large extended family and tight-knit community, and the holiday season was the high point of her year. Now that she’s a mother with a family of her own—and living several hundred miles from Cape Breton in Ontario — family traditions are even more important to her. With her husband, fiddler Donnell Leahy, they are creating their own new traditions for their growing family.

On December 4th at the Dayton Masonic Center, Natalie MacMaster offers Christmas in Cape Breton, a holiday celebration that joyfully recreates the Christmas customs of her family home. “We have a lot packed into the show.” says MacMaster, “We offer a bit of a contemporary edge to some of our tunes, and other tunes are very beautiful and deep and more thought provoking. But for the most part it’s light, happy, joyful music. There’s lots of dancing, lots of Christmas music, there’s a local choir guesting, a couple of real tender moments where my mother speaks to the audience. There are some Christmas carols, of course, and Christmas melodies played on the fiddle, and some traditions I share with the audience of Cape Breton during Christmas time.”  The local guest choir is the Kettering Children’s Choir.

The northern-most island of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island is home to almost 150,000 people. In the first half of the 19th century, approximately 50,000 Highland Scots arrived there, evicted from their land at home by the forced displacement now known as the Highland Clearances. These Scots became the dominant cultural group on the island and have had the biggest influence upon the evolution of the music, dance and traditional culture of Nova Scotiain general and Cape Breton Islandin particular.

Natalie MacMaster with husband Donnell Leahy (photo by Richard Beland)

Born in 1972, Natalie MacMaster was part of a musical family in a very musical environment; Natalie’s uncle, Buddy MacMaster, was one of the premier fiddlers in the area and the biggest influence on her fiddling. Natalie began playing fiddle at a young age, giving her first public performance at age nine. She recorded her first album when she was 16, about the same time she began step dancing.

“That happened very naturally,” she says of her recording debut. “I just played, and people started asking me to play at concerts, so I did, and one thing led to another. I remember hearing another 16-year-old on the radio who made a recording. I thought, ‘If he can do it, I can do it too.’ I did the whole thing [recording and mixing] in a day. That’s kind of unheard of in this day and age. It was just a lovely little project back then, and I don’t think there’s been any record that’s meant that much to me.”

The traditional music that MacMaster began playing at a young age is community music (as opposed to “at-home” music) that’s primarily played on the fiddle and piano. “Its rhythms come from the dancing,” says MacMaster. “It’s dance music. The traditional Cape Breton style of dance has been partnered with the fiddle music forever. A sign of a good fiddler is one who can accompany the dance and keep the beat. That’s why the very deep groove of the music stays.

“The Cape Breton style is almost like a genealogy, the music of our ancestors. I play and dance to music that carries on a bloodline, and that’s very powerful.” The music is highly rhythmic and highly infectious. “It’s such a pure, honest music,” she asserts. “It doesn’t come from wealth and popularity. It comes from tradition and family. Therefore it has longevity. I don’t think it will ever stop being appealing to people of all walks of life.”

Even so, MacMaster prepared for a career as a teacher rather than as a musician. “It never dawned on me growing up that I’d be doing this as a career,” she says. “All the fiddlers I knew had day jobs.”

MacMaster’s most recent album, is Cape Breton Girl, her first studio recording in five years. It represents a return to MacMaster’s traditional roots and is true to that high-spirited dance music. “While my other albums have included traditional music they have also been more exploratory, more arranged,” she explains.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8fN8YDj1iY’]

Natalie MacMaster is internationally regarded as the foremost standard bearer for the traditional Cape Breton fiddling style. She has collaborated with a dizzying array of musicians that includes Alison Krauss, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Bela Fleck, Faith Hill, the Chieftains, Luciano Pavarotti, and Mark O’Connor. The Boston Herald says that “To call Natalie MacMaster the most dynamic performer in Celtic music today is high praise, but it still doesn’t get at just how remarkable a concert artist this fiddler has become.”

MacMaster has won numerous musical honors in Canada and the U.S., including Juno and East Coast Music awards, and has earned Grammy nominations for several of her albums. She won her first Grammy last year, for her contributions to superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s holiday album, Songs of Joy and Peace. In 2006, MacMaster was made a member of the Order of Canada, a lifetime achievement award (and Canada’s highest civilian honor). She is one of the youngest recipients of that honor.

Natalie MacMaster loves touring and she loves performing. She loves being at home with her husband and children for Christmas even more. She says that these Christmas in Cape Breton performances help get her in the Christmas spirit and ready to celebrate with her family back home. “We’ve done holiday songs and holiday shows, but this was our first more serious attempt at a Christmas show,” says MacMaster. “I think this is the best time of year. I will be baking and loving up my family. I am a Christmas girl.”

Natalie MacMaster:  Christmas in Cape Breton

Sunday, December 4, 2011 – 7 pm

Dayton Masonic Center

Reserved single seats: $35, $28, $20

Click Here for Tickets

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Victoria Theatre Association Presents: Les Miserables

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(Read our On Stage Dayton review of Les Misérables by Russell Florence, Jr.)

Victoria Theatre Association announces the cast for Cameron Mackintosh’s new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables premiere Dayton engagement at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster  Performing Arts Center, November 22-27, 2011. The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.  To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketcenterstage.com, call 937-228-3630, or visit Ticket Center Stage Box Office, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center. Ticket prices start at $40.00.  For more information on the production, engagement dates, and locations please visit www.LesMis.com. For a video sneak peek of the New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables, please visit www.LesMis.com/watch.

J. Mark McVey portrays the fugitive Jean Valjean.  He is joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Richard Vida as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Max Quinlan as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette.  Maya Jade Frank and Juliana Simone alternate in the role of Little Cosette/Young Éponine.  Anthony Pierini and Sam Poon alternate in the role of Gavroche.

The New York Times calls Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.”  The Star-Ledger says “a dynamically re-imagined hit.  This Les Misérables has improved with age” and NY1-TV proclaims “this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: Les Miz is born again.”

“I’m delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh. “Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told.”

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.  The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master Of The House” and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original Les Misérables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker.  The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World’s Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.

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In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first – three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen’s Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena.  The O2 Concert was presented in over 500 cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010 and is now available on Blu-ray DVD through Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Broadway production of Les Misérables originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances.  The US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006.  Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, Les Misérables remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

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Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal.

Les Misérables is welcomed by Victoria Theatre Association, with the help of Leadership Sponsors WHIO-TV and the WinWholesale and The Win Group of Companies; and, Performance Sponsors WHIO AM/FM and K 99.1.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhg3hYA4_dY’]

TICKET CONTEST

We have a pair of tickets to see Les Misérables on November 23, courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Just fill out the form below and you’ll be entered to win in our drawing on Friday November 18th.  Check back here on the 18th to see if you’ve won – GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

Congratulations to Amanda Barhorst, she is our winner!

Become a Leonardo League Volunteer at the DAI

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The Dayton Art Institute is in need of volunteers, especially  during the American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell exhibit that runs through February.  Leonardo League Volunteers support the operations of the museum on a day-to-day basis, performing functions such as:

Your volunteer commitment may be temporary, extending through the end of an exhibition, working a specific event or program, or you may make a long-term commitment to the museum. Volunteers making a long-term commitment are encouraged to become museum members and complete a minimum of 25 hours annually. As a result, volunteers are entitled to:

  • Complimentary tickets to exhibitions
  • Discounts at The Museum Store and The Cafe
  • Attend Volunteer Information Sessions for Training and Art Appreciation (VISTA)
  • Receive quarterly newsletters
  • Receive invitations to exclusive travel and social events

Regardless of the time and commitment you are able to provide, what you can give is honored and greatly appreciated. To begin the process of becoming a DAI volunteer, you must complete the Volunteer Application Form. Send completed application to: The Dayton Art Institute, Monica Walker, Human Resources Manager, 456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton OH 45405-4700. Or email [email protected] or [email protected].

NOTE: Submitting an application to The Dayton Art Institute tells us that you are interested in becoming a volunteer, it does not mean you are a volunteer. You must complete an interview and orientation before you are considered a volunteer. For additional information on becoming a Leonardo League volunteer, contact Monica Walker at [email protected].

Dayton History – Carillon Park is Ringing in the Holidays!

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“Ringing in the Holidays” is an enchanting evening that will kick off the holiday season with style for a 17th year on Sat, Nov 19, from – 10 pm. Guests will be treated to live music by the Erik Augis Trio, tasty hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Matt Hayden  from Scratch Event Catering , delicious desserts, and specialty cocktails while giving them an opportunity to bid on auction items and purchase chances to win fabulous raffle prizes. This year’s Winter Get-Away Raffle features trips to Hilton Head Island and Lake Erie. The event also features the fourth in a series of hand painted commemorative ornaments, depicting elements from the Carousel of Dayton Innovation, by artist Melanie Haislip.

The highlight of the event is our “Dayton’s Most Delightful Dessert” contest, featuring gourmet desserts from  region’s finest chefs. Guests will be invited to sample each of the offerings throughout the evening to vote for the People’s Choice award.

AMELIA’S BISTRO – Chef Marcus Montrevic
Sugar Plum Fantasy -Molasses Marshmallow, Bacon Brittle, Caramel Macchiato Truffle

CAKE, HOPE & LOVE – Chef Shannon Teague & Connie McFarren
Mini Cupcakes – Bite sized cupcakes topped with delicious buttercream

CULP’S CAFE – Chef Jose Calzada
Rustic Hot Chocolate  – Spicy hot chocolate with cinnamon whipped cream and chocolate covered churro

THE DAYTON WOMEN’S CLUB – Chef Joseph Ragno
Holiday DuJour – Layered, spiced carrot cake with an apple cranberry chutney, accented by a cream cheese frosting

OLIVE, AN URBAN DIVE – Chef Justin Mohler
Champagne Chocolate Truffle Tart – Champagned whip cream and an almond sesame Florentine cookie decorate a chocolate truffle tart with raspberries.

As a special treat guests will be treated to a demonstration and samples of coffee using   multiple brewing methods such as the French Press, Pour Over, and more!  The Baristas of PRESS will be on hand to educate and delight with coffee facts.
Expert judges (including Dayton Dining‘s Lisa Grigsby and Superfry & the Big Ragu) as well as WDTN’s Jim Bucher and Amelia Robinson from Dayton Daily News  will award the Critic’s Choice and Best Presentation awards.

Ringing in the Holidays, presented by Liberty Savings Investment Services, Inc. & Rieck Services, is a fundraiser supporting the educational programs and conservation efforts of Dayton History, which operates Carillon Historical Park, The Archive Center, Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial, Patterson Homestead, Memorial Hall, Old Courthouse and Hawthorn Hill – Orville Wright’s home.  The programming of Dayton History reaches over 160,000 visitors each year

Ticket Prices are $60/Dayton History member; $75/non-member.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 937.293.2841 or visit www.daytonhistory.org.

Buckeye Vodka Nabs Gold Medal In National Tasting

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The Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) awarded a Gold Medal to Buckeye Vodka this week. The tasting occurred in BTI’s Tasting Room in Chicago, IL, on November 1, 2011.

Buckeye Vodka actually received two awards. The first was a Gold Medal with an “Exceptional” rating, earning 92 points out of 100 on BTI’s rating scale, as well as a “Best Buy” award, indicating it to be of extraordinary value. Buckeye Vodka is priced under $20 per 750ml bottle across the state. In its review, the BTI praised Buckeye Vodka as “an exceptional smooth and clean vodka for every application.”
“The Buckeye Vodka family could not be happier with the rating,” said Jim Finke, CEO of Crystal Spirits LLC. He continued, “Our team spent countless hours perfecting Buckeye Vodka and to get national recognition for our Ohio brand is just wonderful.”

Finke hopes the Gold Medal will translate into continued success as far as sales are concerned. Last week, the company reported that sales during its first six months of operations tripled expectations. Buckeye Vodka sold 2,000 cases of product between April and October, contributing nearly $500,000 to the Ohio economy.  “We certainly welcome the “Exceptional” rating from BTI and expect it will resonate with Ohio consumers who have not yet tried Buckeye Vodka,” said Robinson C. Cooper, Vice President and General Manager of Southern Wine and Spirits of Ohio, distributor of Buckeye Vodka. He added, “We intend to promote Buckeye Vodka as a gold standard for spirits crafted in Ohio.”  Finke also believes Ohioans will take notice, saying, “The Gold Medal proves that people here in the heartland know good vodka. Our fans have served as our most important ambassadors, consistently promoting and endorsing Buckeye Vodka aone of the best vodkas they’ve tasted. Now, they’ve been proven right.”

The BTI recruits a panel of industry experts to award its annual ratings. The panel blindly tastes each spirit in a controlled environment under identical circumstances. The ratings are then determined by a statistical method relying on the mode, or most frequent score, instead of the mean, the average score. The BTI credits this method for creating ratings closer to the panelists’ true feelings and reducing the
impact of maverick scores.

Buckeye Vodka was one of three Ohio vodka brands receiving Gold Medals from the BTI, the others being Crav Spirits of Avon Lake and Middle West Spirits of Columbus.
About Buckeye Vodka:
Capping its first batch by hand in spring, 2011, Buckeye Vodka is a family-owned artisanal vodka company with a vision of bringing an ultra-premium vodka to consumers at a price that reflects Ohioan sensibilities. Handcrafted in the rolling hills of the Miami Valley, Buckeye Vodka utilizes water sourced from The Crystal Water Company, which has been supplying the Miami Valley with a better water option
since 1919. Its state-of-the-art distillation process ensures an extraordinary purity and exceptional taste. We invite you to make Buckeye Vodka part of your next great Ohio celebration. To learn more, visit us online at www.BuckeyeVodka.com.

Ice skating season is almost here…

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Photo by Leah Stahl

(from Five Rivers MetroParks)

The region’s largest outdoor ice skating rink was a hit when it debuted in 2010, and this year, MetroParks Ice Rink at RiverScape MetroPark (229 E. Monument Ave., Dayton) is set to open Friday, November 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Admission is only $5, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open every day of the week—even special holiday hours—through Sunday, March 11, 2012. Patrons can take advantage of concessions at Café Vélo, which will be open during skating hours, serving snacks, such as hot pretzels and also featuring healthy options, such as chicken snack wraps. Visitors can warm up with seasonal favorites like hot chocolate and cappuccino.

Work off Thanksgiving indulgence calories on the ice and enjoy holiday music during the grand-opening weekend:

  • Friday, Nov. 25, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 26, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 27, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Patrons who bring their own skates can skate for free Mondays through Thursdays when there is no admission to the rink. Rentals are available for $3 on these days. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays cost a $5 admission fee, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as well as several more holidays and special events throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/IceRink to find the complete schedule. Lessons and other skating programs also will be hosted at the rink throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/Skating or read the winter issue of ParkWays to learn more.

Season passes are available for purchase: $60 family passes cover admission and rentals for up to five people, and $25 individual passes cover the same costs. Visit the RiverScape MetroPark Facebook page for a chance to win a family pass!

Slots are still available for businesses, church groups, youth clubs and anyone else interested in renting the rink for a private function. Private rentals include 50 pairs of ice skates and 50 cups of hot chocolate for $200. Call (937) 274-0126 for more information and a list of available dates.

To learn more, visit the website or call the skating office at (937) 278-2607.

Photo by Leah Stahl

Nominate a Women of Influence

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The YWCA Dayton is seeking nominations for its 2012 Women of Influence Awards. This award honors women in the greater Dayton/Miami Valley community who have made a positive influence on the lives of others, as part of their careers, as volunteers, as role models or mentors.

Nominations are accepted from the community and honorees are selected by a panel of community leaders. Nominees do not have to be active in the YWCA. They should reflect the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.  Additionally, nominees should also exemplify community spirit, leadership, volunteerism and making a difference in the lives of others. To nominate a Woman of Influence, go to the YWCA Dayton website and complete the online nomination form. Deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, December 9, 2011.

A luncheon celebration will be held on March 15, 2012 at the Dayton Convention Center to honor the award winners. For more information on tickets and sponsorship, please call 937-461-5550, ext. 118.

YWCA Dayton is a nonprofit organization located in Dayton, Ohio. YWCA Dayton has been dedicated to the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women for over 140 years. YWCA Dayton offers a variety of programs and services including the only domestic violence shelter in Dayton and Montgomery County. The full range of programs and services offered by the YWCA Dayton include: affordable and transitional housing programs (HomeShare, SRO, Safe Haven), teen services (Girls Inc, walk-ins), affordable childcare, and professional services including case management, group therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, hotline services, advocacy and economic empowerment programs.

For more information about this release, please contact Donna Sizemore, Director of Development, YWCA Dayton, at 937.461.5550 ext. 118.