Vibrant, authentic and full of joy, Claudia Carawan is an award-winning singer/songwriter, inspirational speaker & performer whose music runs deep. Her voice has been described as “goose-bump inducing” and her original songs feature buoyant melodies fused with feel-good lyrics. In addition to being an award-winning songwriter, Claudia is also an inspiring speaker and teacher who facilitates classes and workshops. At the heart of Claudia’s music and mission as an artist is a belief that music is transformative. Claudia’s authentic and high energy approach gives her audience a feeling of empowerment, a strong sense of joy and the feeling that anything is possible.
Wright State student crowned Ms. Wheelchair Ohio
Wright State student Jasmine Spradley lives with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, but shines in everything she puts her mind to. That led to her to recently being crowned Ms. Wheelchair Ohio. Unlike the majority of beauty pageants, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio seeks to find a woman who can represent and advocate for Ohioans with disabilities.
Spradley received her first wheelchair when she was in first grade. When you use a wheelchair for a long time and for most of your mobility needs, it becomes a part of you,” she said. “I don’t think that people without wheelchair needs can understand that concept. In a way, the wheelchair becomes our legs or arms or body.” Because of the challenges she has faced with having a disability, Spradley was seen as an influential advocate for others with similar challenges. “I was surprised when they announced my name as the new Ms. Wheelchair Ohio. I wasn’t expecting to win and hadn’t thought about what to do if I did. I was excited, too,” said Spradley. “Ms. Wheelchair Ohio seeks to find charismatic and articulate women who can be an advocate for people with disabilities.”
She will continue on to compete in Ms. Wheelchair America in Des Moines, Iowa, against approximately 30 other women. “I am excited that I get to travel for Ms. Wheelchair America and that I will meet many other influential women with disabilities whom I would never get the chance to meet had it not been for this competition,” she said. Spradley is a psychology major who hopes to be a mental health therapist for families, married couples or college students. Raised in Piqua, with her three brothers, she has lived life with the genetic condition, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which produces fragile bones and a short stature. She relies on a powered wheelchair for mobility needs and avoid injury to avoid weakening her bones. “My class is largely discussion based and she is one of the most vocal contributors to our topics,” said Andrew Hampton, a graduate teaching assistant in the College of Science and Mathematics. “She seems comfortable debating me and generally has interesting insights into character motivations and the application to social issues. She’s also demonstrated a willingness to volunteer help to other students.”
Spradley is a member of the Ohio STEM Ability Alliance, which aims to find success for students with disabilities to locate jobs relating to their preferred STEM major. She also has been a part of Abilities United and Wright State’s Adapted Recreation, two other programs that seek to improve life for students with disabilities. Spradley has been a member of two choir programs, the Psychology Club, Residential Life through the Community Council and Student Government and volunteers for on-campus events. “My motto since coming to Wright State has been ‘Get Involved!’ I cannot stress it enough. If there is an activity, club or sport that you have a passion for, Wright State most likely has it,” Spradley said. She plans on earning her master’s degree in counseling in two years. Spradley is accepting funds for the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant. For more information, email her at [email protected].
This article was written by Sarah Olsen and originally appeared on the Wright State University Newsroom.
BEBOP- Dayton Performing Arts Alliance Introduces Unique Summer Camp Experience
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance is starting a new summer children’s education program, called BEBOP – Beginning Experiences in Ballet, Opera and Philharmonic. The aim is to provide children, ages 8-10, early exposure to ballet, opera and the philharmonic orchestra during a week-long day camp filled with experiences designed to encourage creativity, to motivate curiosity and to inspire a life-long love of the arts.
We have an opportunity to help launch BEBOP through matching funds at .50 to every dollar donated! The project is live on CultureWorks’s Power 2 Give site and we are 89% to our goal! If you care about exposing kids to the arts, this would be a great way to help! Please consider a donation and share with your friends!
Is your child 8-10 years of age? Would you like them to experience the performing arts? This is a wonderful opportunity to do exactly that! This summer camp will be held at Wright State University June 15th-19th , 10am-3pm daily. Campers will explore:
- The communicative and expressive value of dance, singing and instrumental music!
- The ways that all three art forms work together, and the qualities that makes them unique!
- Improvisation and movement!
- A basic understanding of how to use their voices in song!
- How orchestral instruments work!
- Creating an information original performance piece!
Download a brochure with additional information here:
http://daytonperformingarts.org/files/uploaded/_pdfs/bebop_web_version.pdf
Register here: http://daytonperformingarts.org/BEBOP
For more information contact Gloria Pugh at 937-224-3521 Ext. 1118 or [email protected]
THANK YOU to DP&L Foundation for matching funds, and Culture Works for facilitating this and on-going support!
This article contributed by Libby Ballengee
Ethan Hawke’s Shout Out to Dayton
Photo by Nicolas Genin (used with permission)
Like many in Dayton, Ohio I was extremely pleased when actor/director Ethan Hawke (Boyhood) mentioned filmmaking in my hometown at this year’s Oscars. But it really should not be that astonishing since Dayton is so closely associated with performing arts. Theater certainly is well represented with the Schuster Performing Arts Center, Dayton Performing Arts, the Loft Theatre, the Victoria Theatre Association and The Human Race Theatre Company (just to name a few).
Dayton also has a history of famous actors within the community: from the voice of Bart Simpson (Nancy Cartwright) to Apocalypse Now’s Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) to President Kennedy (Rob Lowe in Killing Kennedy – it is interesting that both Sheen and Lowe have played President Kennedy in their acting careers, and that Sheen has played both John and Robert Kennedy.) At the inception of the silver screen Dayton was there in the form of silent film star Dorothy Gish. Dayton residents Katt Williams and the late Jonathan Winters have caused the world to laugh through their creative comedy antics. And of course there were, and are, many more from the Miami Valley who made or make Hollywood their home.
Dayton is also the home of budding filmmakers. Wright State University has a well-recognized film school and FilmDayton is a growing community of filmmakers who demonstrate their creative art. Nor does one have to travel far to find other filming communities; both the Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association (SOFA) and Mid Ohio Filmmakers Association (MOFA) are near Dayton. And of course the Ohio Film Office, and the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission are there to help creative filmmakers.
The point is that while my hometown was mentioned by name, it should come as no surprise. Nor, for that matter, if it were your hometown; for while these groups and associations are always helpful, the truth is that any art can flourish wherever there are creative people. Location certainly can be a benefit in building an artistic career, but nothing replaces individual creativity and ingenuity. Which when you go back and listen to Mr. Hawke’s comments, you realize that was his point. Art’s only limits are found in our lack of expression or use of our creative gifts. So let your art grow – whatever it is and wherever you are. When you do, there really are no limitations.
YouTube Link (a special thank you to Dayton’s own Gina Ferraro for capturing Hawke’s comments at the right moment)
Film Director Tom Dallis
Born in Columbus, Ohio and raised in Dayton, Tom Dallis is an American film director, producer, editor and scriptwriter. To date, Tom has produced dozens of documentaries and features including award winning films such as: Through A Lens Darkly, The Fall of Jericho, We The People: The Character of a Nation, Ancient Ways, Future Paths (a 6 episode film series), The Shortest Way Home, and the science fiction feature film The Watchers: Revelation. He will also be directing the upcoming horror film, Vestiges, and a science fiction web series.
He and his wife Amy have been married since 1994 and have one daughter, actress Carissa Dallis.
Be sure and check out his Creative Crosswalk Blog.
Top Ten for Dayton Visual Arts, 2014
For the second year in a row, Shayna V. McConville, Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Kettering, has put together and shared with us her look back at the best of 2014. We hope you enjoy it!
Another year of amazing art exhibitions, artists and events! Although I couldn’t make it to everything and even putting this list together was challenging because of the many, many terrific activities of 2014, this does offer a glimpse of a great year of creativity in Dayton. Enjoy!
The Motel Beds and We Care Arts
January 18
Yellow Cab
We Care Arts, a nonprofit organization supporting artists with disabilities, and The Motel Beds, a Dayton-based rock/indie band, collaborated on an art/record series that would in turn support the WCA mission. WCA clients created 500 unique LP covers for the release of the Motel Beds’ “These are the Days Gone By.” A fundraiser, live performance and exhibition, the record release/art exhibition celebrated the musical and visual community in an accessible, meaningful evening, celebrating so many things that are great in Dayton.
Benjamin Entner and Steven H. Silberg
April 21 – May 16, 2014
Rosewood Gallery
The artwork of Benjamin Entner and Steven Silberg were refreshing examples of artwork not meant to hang on a gallery wall or sit on a pedestal. Entner’s singular piece Colossus was a larger-than-life, realistic inflatable black marker drawing of the artist, the figure’s feet crushing against one gallery wall and his head another. Floor to ceiling, the sculpture’s unexpected scale was awe-inspiring, as was encountering the subject himself, clad only in socks. Silberg, on the other hand, works primarily with the pixel, transforming vernacular pieces of technology into interactive artworks. When a viewer entered the gallery, a video camera activated and recorded movements throughout the space. These movements were translated into layers of color and form on a projection, thrown onto a large gallery wall. The longer the visitor was active in the space, the more complex the composition became, capturing layers upon layers of imagery. Read more about the exhibitions here.
Migiwa Orimo, Adornments
Dayton Art Institute’s Experiencenter
May 10, 2014 – April 12, 2015
Ordinary household items find transformation into beautiful, fancy objects, in the series Adornment. Migiwa Orimo, an artist known for her work exploring humanity and narrative through thoughtful, carefully constructed installations and paintings, created a subtle and exquisite body of work with these altered, everyday objects. Tassels, gemstones and ribbons adorn gloves, mop head yarn and mirrors; a carefully constructed cape and a banner; all pieces perfectly neutralized in immaculate white and frames.Architecture Week Kettering Art Tour
May 12, 2014
AIA Dayton celebrated Architecture Week 2014 with many activities, including a night of contemporary art and mid-century modern design. Organized by AIA member and artist Terry Welker, the private mid-century home of painter Susanne Scherette King was opened to participants, with architectural details, period furnishings, and her own contemporary paintings on display. Following King’s home, Studio 4095 at Town & Country Shopping Center, one of the first suburban shopping centers of its kind in the US, highlighted both the revitalization of an older Kettering landmark as well as the artwork of painter Ron Rollins and sculptor Terry Welker. Read more here.
Third on Third
Front Street
Rediscovering a place lost in the busy hum of a city is an exciting moment, particularly when it’s assets and vitality are brought into focus by a fresh, timely resurgence of activity. This is the beauty of the monthly Third on Third events, taking place both in an outdoor market on Third Street and also the Front Street Warehouses. With studios open to the public, the third floor of Front Street is suddenly a lively, creative place, allowing access to established and new artists and gallery spaces. Spearheaded by Peter Bekendorf of the Collaboratory, Third on Third is creating a new momentum for this arts destination.HWD Regional Sculpture Competition
August 25 – September 26, 2014
Rosewood Gallery
Featuring sculpture by artists from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, this year’s HWD Regional Sculpture Exhibition was an incredible variety of materials, techniques and concepts. Particularly interesting where the sheep rug, bear skin, aviation inspired sculptures and the use of common materials transformed into dense, lovely sculptures. Read more about the exhibition here.
Variations on Likeness: Keliy Anderson-Staley, Glenna Jennings, Julie Jones and Daniel McInnis
September 5 – October 18, 2014
Dayton Visual Arts Center
A curated selection of photographic portraiture including tintypes, installation, and large format pieces, the exhibition was thoughtfully selected and interesting in content, technique and formats. Anderson-Staley’s tintypes were mesmerizing visions into the faces of people from around the country, through the use of an intimate, romantic process; McInnis’ large format portraits captured individuals and couples in their own environments in great detail with clarity and vulnerability. Read more about the exhibition here.
Mary Ellen Croteau and Locked-In
Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery
October and November 2014
Chicago-based artist Croteau inspired many artists and visitors this fall with her installations created from found plastic objects. Collecting thousands of bottle caps and disposable shopping bags, Croteau has built new worlds out of plastic waste, drawing attention to the excessive materials utilized for each installation. Bottle cap paintings and recreations of a corral reef out of woven plastic bags were exciting and easily translatable to DIY art projects (although perhaps not at the same level of Croteau’s mastery). As Croteau’s exhibition came down, “Locked In” began. Three artists were selected to live in the gallery space with the following rules: 3 Days Locked In to Create an Art Installation, 3 Art Tools Each, 3 Boxes of Unknown Stuff to Work From, 1 Videographer 24/3 Filming It All. It was an unusual premise with incredible negotiations, ideas and processes, resulting in a successfully unique experiment. Read more about Croteau’s exhibition here.
Dick Black Estate Sale
October 24 – 25
Dayton Visual Arts Center
For over five decades, Richard Black churned out illustrations, graphic designs, paintings and drawings as a prolific artist and arts educator. When he passed away early in 2014, he left behind a massive collection of thousands of artworks. A weekend sale purged this collection—walls were filled from floor to ceiling with paintings, tables were layers deep in illustrations and sketches, and portfolios were bulging with graphic design work. The sale was a remarkable event, an uncurated view into the reality of an artist’s lifetime of production. Oddly, we were witness to work that was never meant to find an audience alongside work that put Black on the national art scene. The display of the bad, mediocre and the gems made this artist suddenly vulnerable but also allowed us a deeper understanding of his world.4th Annual Art Off
November 14
K12 and Tejas
An annual fundraising event for the K12 and Tejas scholarship program, Art Off was a lively, participatory event featuring artists of all ages. Painting over the course of a few intense hours, spectators watched and even voted for their favorite artist. Finished pieces were auctioned off, with an elementary school and high school “artist” taking first and second place for their innovative, unexpected and passionate paintings. Proclaiming this as the “Iron Chef” style battle for visual artists, the energy, variety of skills, diversity of participating artists and clear passion for art made this event dynamic and celebratory.Bonus Picks:
Beth Holyoke
Dayton Visual Arts Center
January 17 – February 28
Whimsical, funny, dramatic and sincere, Holyoke’s ceramic portraits touched upon a multitude of ideas of self, ethnicity, origin and color. A part of the REACH conference, which explores cultural similarities and differences, Holyoke’s work was a testament to the diversity of humanity, beyond her masterful ceramic techniques. Read more here.
Materialized
October 27 – December 7
Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries at Wright State University
Featuring 58 artists incorporating three-dimensional printing into their artwork, this exhibition was a glimpse into the present and future of this tool.Deco Japan
November 15, 2014 – January 25, 2015
Dayton Art Institute
A traveling exhibition featuring the decorative arts from an era marked by cultural shifts and Western influence, Deco Japan brought another world to life through prints, textiles, ceramics, metals, jewelry, painting and sculpture.
Presidential Proclamation — Wright Brothers Day, 2014
WRIGHT BROTHERS DAY, 2014
——-
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
The United States has always been a land of exploration and innovation. Determined to build a Nation where all things were possible, our country’s Founders crossed a vast ocean and launched an improbable experiment in democracy. Early pioneers pushed west across sweeping plains. Dreamers toiled with hearts and hands to build cities, lay railroads, and power an automobile revolution. And on December 17, 1903, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, would write their own chapter in America’s long history of discovery and achievement.
After years of painstaking research and careful engineering, Orville and Wilbur Wright accomplished what was once unthinkable: the world’s first powered flight. Above the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they revolutionized modern transportation and extended the reach of humanity. Their inspiring feat opened the door to more than a century of progress and helped spark a new era of economic growth and prosperity. Today, we celebrate those 12 seconds of flight that changed the course of human events, and the determination and perseverance that made that moment possible.
America has always succeeded because as a Nation, we refuse to stand still. As heirs to this proud legacy of risk takers and dreamers who imagined the world as it could be, we must constantly work to empower the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs. That is why my Administration is investing in programs that encourage science, technology, engineering, and math education, especially for traditionally underrepresented groups. And we are fighting to ensure that innovators and startups have the resources and opportunities they need to build the future they seek.
Our Nation brought the world everything from the light bulb to the Internet, and today — in laboratories and classrooms across America — our scientists and students carry forward this tradition as they work to develop new sources of energy and code the computer programs of tomorrow. Less than seven decades after Orville and Wilbur’s flying machine lifted into the air, American ingenuity brought us to Tranquility Base — and as the lunar module touched down on the surface of the Moon, it carried with it pieces of the brothers’ historic airplane. Today, the Wright brothers’ spirit lives on in the aspirations of a resolute people — to cure disease, walk on distant planets, and solve the biggest challenges of our time.
On Wright Brothers Day, we lift up the scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors, builders, and doers of today, and all those who reach for the future. Let us recommit to harnessing the passion and creativity of every person who works hard in America and leading the world through another century of discovery.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963, as amended (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143), has designated December 17 of each year as “Wright Brothers Day” and has authorized and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2014, as Wright Brothers Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.
BARACK OBAMA
A Glimpse Back in Time Inspires Dayton’s Tipping Point
Dayton, we’ve reached the tipping point.
Over the last two decades there’s been a number of significant blips on the radar that have suggested downtown still has a pulse.
Since I moved out of the suburbs and into Dayton in 2007, I’ve been one of the dedicated many shouting that battle cry.
I think those blips have hit a threshold. I think that momentum is finally reaching something special.
I’d like to thank America’s brewery boom and reaching back to our roots. This year the number of breweries in the U.S. topped 3000 for the first time since the 1870s.
The Dayton area itself has experienced much of the same. For downtown’s sake, it got its first neo-foray into brewing when Toxic Brew Company opened in 2012. Toxic brought Dayton its first brewery since the closure of the Dayton Brewing Corporation in 1961.
This was another blip on the radar, albeit a very important blip that led up to this year.
I’m not sure where I had read it, but I remember hearing something about a brewery in the old foundry building on Wyandot Street.
In college my band had played a show at The Foundry, and while Dayton wasn’t ready for it then, you couldn’t deny the industrial feel was something special.
Every time I passed it, I gazed inside and wondered if it, like many grandiose Dayton dreams (The Merc), were big plans that didn’t pan out for one reason or another.
Then, out of nowhere on Twitter I read “Hey! this Warped Wing place is opening in like two weeks!”
After catching The Coens’ “Inside Llewn Davis” at The Neon, a friend and I ventured over to Warped Wing for their opening day.
Much of the place was just as I remembered it, a wide-open, factory-like space, constructed mostly of concrete, only the stage was replaced by a large 30 barrel brewhouse and three 60 barrel fermenters.
The turnout was great. It wasn’t overwhelming, but a steady crowd of mostly Gen X’ers slowly introduced themselves to a fine new establishment deeply rooted in Dayton’s history.
That’s where I think the buy local trend and Warped Wing have meshed so well that a firestorm of momentum is moving this city forward.
Inside everything Warped Wing has to offer, there is a story, rooted in Dayton, its innovation, and its past. The brewery itself is named after the breakthrough concept in wing construction, discovered by Dayton’s own Wright Brothers while developing their famous Wright Flyer.
So they’re a brewery, what about their beer, what makes this place special?
Again, it’s the storytelling. Ermal’s Cream Ale? An homage to Ermal Fraze, who invented the pop-top in Dayton in the 1950s. The Flyin’ Rye IPA? Another tribute to the Wright Brothers, and Dayton’s rich history in aerospace. How about the 10 Ton Oatmeal Stout? An homage to the 10 ton box crane inside the building itself, that was part of the foundry when it was constructed in 1937.
If you want to learn about the power of storytelling, any Peter Gruber or Jim Signorelli book is a great read, but what good is storytelling if it stays inside the walls of the old iron foundry warped wing operates in?
The key connecting all the dots has been Warped Wings mindblowing ability to distribute its product. When the president of your company is the brains behind Dayton’s wildly popular AleFest, you know you’re off to a good start, and Joe Waizmann has shown just that.
Within two weeks of opening I needed more than two hands to count the numbers of bars and restaurants that proudly served Dayton’s own Warped Wing beer.
Then summer arrived and Warped Wing can 4-packs were a real item you could go to your local grocery and buy Dayton’s own. Each can, brilliantly illustrated, tells its story of how it came to be.
I headed south to a party with friends in Cincy and gave the birthday girl a 4-pack for her birthday. EVERYONE wondered when they too could get Warped Wing at their grocery store.
Not only are they just telling amazing stories, they’re working with other Dayton originals and creating new ones. Dayton’s own Press Coffee? Why not make a beer with them. Dayton’s renowned Century Bar? Of course you HAVE to create a beer with them.
Their partnerships are not just reserved for the cool places in town, how about Esther Price, a staple in Dayton since 1926? Of course, Warped Wing has created a beer with them also.
All of this brings me to this past weekend. Thanksgiving weekend, when everyone journeys in from the current place they call home to return to the first place they called home.
The tasting room at Warped Wing isn’t small by any means. Friday I stood in line, shoulder to shoulder with strangers when I ran into some old friends, and a group of guys I went to high school with.
One of the guys I went to school with has been living in Chicago for some time, and he asked some questions about Warped Wings beers and by the end of this conversation he arrived at stating “Man, this place is almost too good to be true for Dayton, isn’t it?”
A few minutes later, I ran into the old friends I hadn’t seen in a while, one of which has been living in DC. Big smile on his face, he says “This place…this place is great.”
This was probably the tenth time I’ve been to Warped Wing in the nine months its been open, and it’s a rare occasion I see someone I know there, but that’s what makes the place so special.
It’s not just a hipster place where the kids are hang out; there are just as many people from the 35+ crowd. EVERY TIME I’m there, I see new faces I don’t see elsewhere downtown.
It’s completely realistic that on any visit you could share a pint, and make a friend, Warped Wing’s motto.
This is the place that is finally luring people out of the the suburbs to visit and try Dayton’s own Warped Wing.
In the scheme of things Warped Wing is just another brewery that sells beer, but this brewery has done something much more important, it’s inspired Dayton.
Hopefully you’ve all seen the Dayton Inspires campaign, it’s awesome, but I think a lot of the real problem has lied somewhere else…
No one has inspired Dayton.
Warped Wing has instilled a sense of pride in people. They can visit their local bar or restaurant, and order Dayton’s own and watch it come right of the tap next to the big dogs of Anheuser-Busch.
People can throw a a barbeque and offer friends a pint of beer proudly rooted in Dayton’s history.
It doesn’t have to be Tumbleweed’s famous “Dayton’s alright if you haven’t been anywhere else” sticker anymore, it’s alright to take pride in Dayton again.
People are holding their class reunions at Warped Wing, they’re showing it off to their families, and it’s the new place people want to check out when they’re in town for the holidays.
Warped Wing absolutely isn’t leading this resurgence alone. Dayton continues to step up with monumental improvements in key areas, like the ball park area for instance…
- Over the last 5 years the Litehouse and Simms townhomes nearby have exploded onto the scene.
- Water Street is primed to be the new jewel of the Gem City.
- Riverscape has made tremendous progress and River Run will be here in no time.
- Chris Wire’s Proto Build Bar is a fresh, and innovation concept.
- Finally the old mendelson building by the ballpark is going to be developed into something I have no doubt will be amazing.
The Dayton Dragons and the Schuster Center were huge players in laying the framework to create districts people want to visit, and with the Downtown Dayton Partnership and the Greater Downtown Plan working full steam ahead to connect those, you can already start to see the dominoes falling.
While these huge investments were necesary to the viability of downtown, they haven’t created an experience that is uniquely Dayton; they’re more a means to providing exceptional entertainment from around the country.
I would argue Dayton has almost always had great local entertainment options, but since everyone moved to the suburbs over 50 years ago, Dayton-area people have needed a little help believing in what downtown has to offer.
Ironically, we had to go back 150 years to an industry forgotten in Dayton to retell the city’s story, to reaffirm it’s something to be proud of, and that Dayton does in fact inspire.
Alex Smith is a marketing and communications specialist with 3+ years of experience in managing strategic marketing efforts, media relations, and social media.
For a little over the past year he’s served as project manager on multiple marketing efforts at Kettering Health Network.
In the past he’s worked in a media relations, as well as contributed web content for a local tv station. In print, he’s contributed to local and national publications about anything from local events, to the importance of college, and how to prepare for the job market.
Juan’s Top 5 Breakfast Spots in Dayton
Hello again my dear friends and fellow Daytonians! (Editor’s Note: We last heard from Juan this summer when he shared Juan’s Top 5 Hispanic Restaurants In The Dayton Region). I come bearing tidings for my favorite breakfast locations or in some cases brunch, if you’re not an early riser (Lord knows I am most definitely NOT). If there is a secret breakfast place in the Dayton Area that you think I cheated by not putting them on mailing list, leave a comment below and let me know! I wanna try it!
- Golden Nugget. I was just introduced to potato salad this year (I’m Puerto Rican- I didn’t know potato salad was a thing) so, potato pancakes were never even close to my radar. There I am, ever suspicious of this pancake imposter, with its deceptive pancake color and texture, layered with butter whip cream and apple sauce… I skeptically tried a corner like a child would a foreign dish and I am happy to report that it’s fantastic! I spent the following 20 minutes attempting to eat my weight in Potato Pancakes and I believe you should try too.
2932 S Dixie Dr, Dayton, OH 45409
- Butter Café .
Butter Café is where I go feed the sweet tooth. They have a wonderful variety every time I walk in and I am particularly fond of their French Toast, which they often mix with seasonal flavors. 1106 Brown St, Dayton, Ohio 45409
The Original Pancake House. I’m a coffee lover… It’s a Puerto Rican priority and these people have bottomless Hawaiian coffee and if you haven’t had Hawaiian coffee, think floral notes with a strong kick in the caffeine count. You can of course go for the pancakes here, and that would not be a mistake, but know that they do great in other areas. I am particularly fond of their Monte Cristo sandwich, that balance between savory and sweet, powdered sugar atop the French toast and layers of turkey waiting for you inside. A very satisfying meal.
1516 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton OH 45459
- Cherry House Café. This little treasure trove found its way into my calorie loving heart with their omelets! I suggest starting with the meat-lovers, bits of ham and bacon and the perfect about of cheddar await you in this 3 egg omelet. When you go for one, just be sure to ask for their afternoon house-sauce to go with your breakfast, it is close to a Southwest style BBQ sauce and it does well to complement that meat-lovers omelet. While you are at it, take a cup of their chicken pot pie. Simply the creamiest chicken pot pie I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. 241 Meadow Bridge Dr, Beavercreek, OH 45434
- The Brunch Club. When I was young boy I remember going to a diner much like this one after Sunday church. That is ju
st how I feel, this place is like stepping into memory lane of classic, good diner food. If you are feeling particularly ravenous, go for grandpa’s breakfast. I think it feeds three people with your choice of meat, eggs, hash browns all cooked to order topped off with three fluffy pancakes. It’s the kind of meal that could only be justified in consumption if your day-job was labor intensive, like a construction worker, or a farmer.
601 S Main St, Dayton, OH 45402
Juan Manuel Muñoz Jimenez is a travel and food blogger based here in Dayton as well as an MBA marketing student at Wright State University. After completing his degree he plans on more extensive travel around the world and a career in digital marketing. If you wish to follow his antics regularly you can reach him on twitter and/or Instagram @tainonomad or follow his blog tainonomad.com
What I think about: Chocolate
London challenging us to Date Our City at TEDxDayton 2013
On the eve of the 3rd anniversary of her Fair Trade Store, Peace on Fifth, Dayton entrepreneur London Coe reflects on her relationship with chocolate:
There are many ways to say I love you and throughout history one of the most favorite ways has been with chocolate. It can be said with great confidence and ease that nearly every love letter written could be sung to a bar of chocolate. In fact I would venture to say that Emma Lazarus laid her best words at the feet of a woman whose call to the world sounds very much like the sounds from the chocolate bars and stashes of chocolate cookies in my cupboard calling to me on rainy Saturdays. Whether you like chocolate or not (and there is a growing cult of the anti- chocolate, I have seen them) there is a social indoctrination, a soft hum, a sweet scent, dense melting nostalgia of chocolate as the go to food of love and happiness.
Last week was Chocolate Week in London U.K. and it got me thinking about chocolate and me. Chocolate powered my childhood; it was my joy delivery system. I ate so much chocolate…. everything. Chocolate ice cream. Chocolate cake. Chocolate cookies. Chocolate chip brownies. Oh sweet chocolate happiness. Memories of me dancing in a field and making wishes with dandelions as I eat chocolate cover the walls of my youth. In my small chocolate colored eyes the world was because there was chocolate.
Just for good measure, one more time ….chocolate.
At some point this changed not in a dated but a gradual way, the change melted chocolate for me. When it happened I stopped eating chocolate immediately for nearly twenty years; a miserable divorce indeed.
The genesis of this change was my mother. In a full moment, she moved my practical application of chocolate as kid crack into the theoretical notion of chocolate as simple regenerative pleasure. My mother paid great honor to the belief that a bath and quiet will restore. Her meditative crime was eating Dove chocolate during a long soak while reading a trashy novel. This was my introduction to kid vs. adult as a type of chocolate.
While this was great for her, it created for me the concept that I was not having a full chocolate experience. Yes, at eleven a true concern, a full chocolate experience. This dear friends was the divorce. I began to collect and catalog all the conversations that I had ever heard about chocolate. The social games, the historic legends: Chocolate’s romantic iconography and I grew disgusted. Questions like: if chocolate is an aphrodisiac why do we stuff it in the mouths of babes? Was chocolate supposed to be spicy or sweet? Where was chocolate born? Was the legend of chocolate as beer true? Many facts about chocolate turned out to be myth but I was still intrigued. My curiosity grew.
During this cocoa velvety divorce what I learned about chocolate was that this vegetable, this legume had variety and strata like wine, that there were strains of chocolate as varied as the family primate. That species of chocolate Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario were all different in taste, smell, mouth feel, pod color. Chocolate was more that the skin it was in.
Here is the science behind chocolate: reduces the risk of diabetes, increases brain blood flow, contains the compound pentameric procyanidin which upsets cancers capacity to spread, linked to endorphins (feel good chemicals), serotonin, (feel relaxed chemicals) and Harvard discovered in 2008, that eating chocolate actually adds two years to your life expectancy. Jeanne Louise Calment, said to be the oldest person in recorded history lived to the age of 122 and ate two and a half pounds of dark chocolate per week.
The more I looked, the more I also discovered the art behind chocolate. Stories worthy of flashlights and bed sheet forts, the Indiana Jones, Crocodile Dundy, Dan Brown stories of intrigue about the adventures of the amelonado strain trekking in the 1880’s across the world on a quest to diversify cocoa crops and protect against a chocolate shortage due to disease and how it is now vibrantly on the rise.
I read stories of farmers with heirloom and wild beans who could not even imagine magical places their chocolate would see or could even suppose what their chocolate would become. I read about children stolen, some kidnapped, all beaten to work as slaves on chocolate plantations discovered picking chocolate for companies like and including Hershey’s, Mars and Nestle.
I read stories that called to me about chocolate, forcing new eyes to open. This is how it went for nearly two decades, reading, learning, discovering and falling back into love. This new world view of chocolate made me new. And so… my life and to some degree my love became chocolate.
As with most new vibrant love, we tend to be evangelical. I was not different. There are regular chocolate services with preaching, dancing and singing. I want to shout it from the rooftops, sing it in the rain. When I considered creating a store, I knew my why, I knew my what but not the how. While I thought I found an investor, they pulled out ten days before the store was due to open and I was left with a space, some chocolate and a dream. I was lucky to have protected my research and a bit of cash tucked away to protect my dream. My dream was and is to change our personal and collective experience with chocolate. To see chocolate for what it was meant to be.
My chocolate, the chocolate I sell, is amazing and challenging the impression of chocolate as candy and as novel treat. It sings, this chocolate and demands, to be seen as how it truly is more than s’mores, chocolate chip cookies or as ribbons of chocolate syrup sinking into milk at grandma’s house.
It is time to treasure chocolate with wine, with popcorn, with beer, with olives, with fruit, with peppers, with moonlight, with kisses, with graham crackers and fire, with eyes closed head tilted back sweeping away drama, chocolate wants to be the amazing thing it was created to be. Chocolate wants to be more than Clark Kent. It wants to take off its glasses and be seen, really seen as being this amazing thing. Chocolate deserves it.
And in some way, isn’t this what we all or may be some of us? Our moment in time, a moment to be seen as the best we can be.
Catapult Creative Branding Dayton Bike Share
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]It’s hard to believe that only 10 months ago we were sitting in one of the four rooms that made up our office on Linden Avenue late one evening and began concepting ideas for how we could share our love and appreciation for the city we call home. Namely, to create the landscape and platform to help showcase and motivate others to truly embrace exploring and discovering all the wonderful things Dayton has to offer – to date your city.
The positive response to these initial concepts has been very humbling, especially how much we’ve managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time, with so much yet to come. These efforts have paid off, and now we are charged with developing an identity for one the most exciting expansions to hit downtown in recent years.
Left to right: Josh, Baton founder Jordan Hockett, Matthew
But first, let’s take a look at what got us here.
With the rise of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram it’s never been easier to showcase what moves and inspires you, and then share it with the world. We saw this happening everyday with three Dayton-centric social media accounts who used gorgeous photos to prove that Dayton is a great American city. We contacted and met with the creators of these accounts – Dayton Baton, Daytongram and Dayton’s Best – and shared our vision with them. That Vision: Work cooperatively and our goals will be that much easier to achieve. They got it immediately. So we united them under a thematically similar brand and began concepting the various ways they could work together.
The next step was joining forces with Dayton Most Metro to provide an additional platform and unifying entity to tie these social media accounts together. Matthew and I were brought on as co-publishers and got to work on planning the redesign for the next iteration of the site to actualize our vision. The first step was building a portal that both explained who the social media accounts were, their mission, and gave them the online tools to achieve that mission. The Mission: To inject our community with positivity and self-worth, and show everyone every day a new perspective on what makes our city great.
Meeting at 5th Street
We continued to put these social media accounts in touch with other community members who shared the same ideals, which led to a meeting with Olivia Barrow, of the Dayton Business Journal. What was supposed to be a quick meetup over a drink at 5th Street Brew Pub with Jordan Hockett, Tom Gilliam, Matthew, Oliva and myself became a two hour discussion that led to the idea of developing a well-branded self esteem campaign for the city. Tentatively called “I Love Dayton,” Olivia presented the idea at the UpDayton Summit. Amazingly our collaborative idea was chosen.
Provided by Dayton Inspires
Soon a committee was formed to develop the concept and Catapult became an obvious choice to participate in both the vision for the campaign and to create the brand itself. In the end our idea for Dayton Inspires was chosen among a number of different great brand names. We then designed the logo, and worked closely with Olivia and the committee to concept and design everything from stickers, posters, temporary tattoos and even a photobooth backdrop that have been unrolled over the past two months.
During all of this we also participated in the Activated Spaces program to move our offices downtown into the Talbott Tower. Downtown is where the action is, which is where we wanted to be, and just being here has led to a tremendous amount of growth and opportunity. Our street level office lets Dayton see our creativity on a daily basis, and demonstrate that a young creative agency can succeed here.
With Batman donning the cowl in our window, he has become a mantle of inspiration for us to focus on something greater than ourselves. To absorb ourselves in our city, to give back and help change the perception of fear, apathy and doubt into a calm, renewed sense of community. Everyday we are in the thick of it and are reminded of why we chose to be here.
All of these efforts have culminated in an exciting announcement and opportunity for Catapult Creative. We have been selected to concept and create both the name and logo for the Dayton Bike Share Program. We believe this project ties in perfectly with our vision of a Dayton that’s both growing and redefining what it means to live here. It is also perhaps a key reason we were selected among some true goliaths in the industry. We are excited to bring a youthful energetic passion, outside the box solutions, and outstanding design and branding to this elemental project for downtown.
We are Dayton. Dayton is us. This must be great.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”50501″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]
Provided by Bike Miami Valley
Some key points on the Dayton Bike Share:
- When it launches in spring 2015, Dayton will be one of 25+ cities across the U.S. with bike share systems.
- There will be 22 bike stations within a two mile radius of downtown, with each station containing six to ten bikes – totaling more than 200 bikes.
- Customers, who range from one-day users to annual subscribers, unlock the bikes and may ride to any other station or back to the original location at the end of their trip.
Made up of 9 local organizations, The Bike Share Planning Team is a fantastic example of the collaborative mindset that is so crucial to Dayton’s continued development.
There’s been a refreshing new appreciation for the value of knowing your community, and the Bike Share Planning Team has made that a primary focus for this branding effort.
We begin our journey with the Dayton Bike Share Program this week with an excitement fueled by fresh ideas and a sense of ownership that this must be great not only for the program and for our business, but for the citizens of this city we love.
I look forward to taking the first ride around this spring, and seeing a much more connected downtown.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Guest Post: In Support of the Human Services Levy
Guest Contributor Bill Perry, Director of Brand Management at United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Our power to affect change in this world can often feel limited. Child abuse, disease, natural disaster…at times, so many problems can feel too big for one person to impact. But this November, we have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people right here in Montgomery County with our votes. Our votes FOR Issue 11, the Montgomery County Human Services levy, will protect quality programs and critical services to people in need in every community in Montgomery County. That’s a big deal.
Issue 11 provides human services that include early diagnosis and treatment of mental and physical disabilities, valuable in-home support for our frail elderly, and foster care and adoption services for children who need loving homes to thrive.
Human services provide programs and services we might all need someday. Children are born with disabilities every day, and the sickness of addiction can attack anyone regardless of background. Have a friend or family member who has been laid off and had a difficult time finding work? What about an elderly neighbor who wants to remain in their own home but needs some support with nutritious meals, health or personal care to do so? Today more than 50,000 people from every community in Montgomery County rely on these critical, quality human services that help change lives for the better.
Human services help more than just individual families, too. Consider the outbreak of disease and what it would be like to live in a community without the nearly 21,000 immunizations provided to the public in a year’s time. Vaccinations prevent our children from contracting crippling vestigial diseases, and flu shots keep us healthy and prevent us from missing work. Public health services also conduct nearly 10,000 restaurant and grocery inspections and nearly 5,700 workplace air-quality reviews every year. Issue 11 can help keep these major lines of defense strong.
Montgomery County Human Services’ finances are reviewed regularly to assure accountability with our tax dollars. A local panel, the Human Services Levy Council, that includes independent business leaders, financial experts, and citizen volunteers work very hard to make sure human services programs work and run efficiently. Since 2011, the Montgomery County Human Services budget has been reduced by $16 million. Knowing the budget is lean and accountable, the Human Services Levy Council recommended Issue 11, which is a renewal of the current 7.21-mill levy and an increase of one mill.
It is $3 a month more per $100,000 of property to protect human services from $70 million in cuts— that represents more than half of the annual funding. Cuts of that magnitude would mean falling woefully short of meeting actual human services’ needs.
With our votes FOR Issue 11, we can continue to protect our county’s at-risk children, serve citizens with developmental disabilities, enable frail seniors to stay in their homes, provide supportive services to people looking for jobs, and help our community fight infectious diseases and drug abuse.
Between working and taking care of our families, it can feel like there is no time to make a difference in the world. So, on November 4th, we have a real opportunity. Voting FOR Issue 11 will protect services for others and for ourselves, and improve quality of life for everyone in Montgomery County.
Please join me in supporting and voting FOR Issue 11 to protect critical human services.
Submited by Bill Perry of Kettering, Ohio, Director of Brand Management at United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Guest Post: Stephanie Hicks Shares What October Means To Her
Guest Contributor Stephanie Hicks
For many, October signifies the start of fall… People begin enjoying pumpkin “everything” and start thinking up amazing Halloween costumes. While I, too, partake in pumpkin latte, cheesecake, pie, cookies, etc. binge eating, and spend hours online trying to find the perfect, creative costume for my son, I also celebrate my wedding anniversary and my husbands birthday (along with eight other birthdays in our family).
But this year, October means something more than fall flavored goodies and special days… This year I’ve come to recognize that October is “Breast Cancer Awareness” month.
During this past year, both my mom and my younger sister (age 26) had breast cancer scares. Within a few short months, they each found lumps in their breasts, had ultrasounds, mammograms, biopsies, and eventually surgery. Waiting for results for my mom and baby sister proved to be one of the hardest moments of my life. Every worst case scenario would constantly fly through my head: What would I do with out my mom? What would I do with out my best friend/sister? Henry (my son) hasn’t spent enough time with them.
After what seemed to be the longest waits ever, both my mom and sister received negative results and a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders (and theirs as well). 
We thought that our family had dodged a bullet and we were in the clear, but not long after my mom and sisters happy news did we receive the opposite from my aunt.
Aunt Donna has always been like a second mom to me, and the moment we found out she was diagnosed with breast cancer, I feel like a little piece of me died. How could this even be happening? The three most important women in my life were faced with this incredible fear, and now my Aunt’s nightmare was coming true.
Aunt Donna, wife and mother of three, and proven to be even stronger than I ever believed possible. She underwent surgery to have one of her breasts removed, continued working during her chemotherapy, and even moved my grandmother into her home so she could take better care of her. 
Not once did she complain”why me” or show the world how scared or tired she was. She is the epitome of what a breast cancer survivor is.
On Wednesday, October 1st (the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month), Aunt Donna had her last chemo session. She will have to continue with radiation before they can reevaluate her condition, but in the mean time we could not be more proud of her.
On Saturday, October 18th, my family and I will be walking in the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, OH. While I know it’s too much to ask for everyone to join our team and walk with us, I ask that you contribute something to this cause, as every donation matters.
Here is the link for you to join our team “Save Second Base” or to make a donation.
The Ohio Coffee Co. Celebrates Five Years
Reaching the five year milestone in the restaurant business is a tremendous accomplishment. Especially in downtown Dayton during a recession. But The Ohio Coffee Co. has fought to stay alive and has even grown during its first five years. Wednesday, 10/1/14, is five years in business for this independent mom and pop shop.
The owners of the OCC are Robert Gray and Becky Ledingham Gray. When they first opened their business in 2009, they only wanted to be a coffee shop. But, customers kept
Owners Becky & Robert Gray
asking for food. The Grays had months to plan for a coffee shop and only weeks to plan for a kitchen. With the help of their devoted family, friends and employees they have a stayed alive, serving the Central Business District of downtown Dayton.
Wanting to be closer to more businesses in downtown, the cafe moved in 2012 from 5th & Ludlow to their current location at 3rd and Main St. The cafe is inside the Fifth Third Tower, right beside court house square. Located at 1 S. Main St., you will find an espresso bar as well as a breakfast and lunch hot spot. In the Grand lobby enjoy the natural light from the atrium ceiling while being surrounded by plants to add to your relaxation. Or sit inside the cafe and chat it up with the baristas Bill or Burt. The conversations and music variety will brighten your day.
OCC’s Temple of Shroom
The kitchen crew makes food fresh daily using quality products such as soups from scratch, fresh salads, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, gyros, wraps and quesadillas. The daily specials keep you trying new things, while the names of the dishes will sometimes crack you up. Customers who are in a hurry can check the deli case for grab and go items also prepared that morning.
“The cafe could have never opened without the support of family and friends” said Becky Ledingham Gray. Rob’s sister and brother-in-law Carrie and Duane Dow make the Big Yummy cookies, and Becky’s mother Sally makes the pumpkin bread. “The employees are just like family to us” said Robert Gray.
The Ohio Coffee Co. has expanded to include breakfast, lunch and coffee catering as well as lunch box orders and is open Monday through Friday from 8am – 3:30pm. Customers can call 937-228-5282 (JAVA) or e-mail [email protected] for more information. Like us on facebook to get our daily specials.
Story submitted by Becky Ledingham Gray
Dayton Brewvet Midterm Report
We’ve reached the half-way point of the Dayton Brewvet:
Tom Morgan a columnist for Telephone Weekly, introduced tbe Brewvet concept to us a few weeks ago and this column is a follow up that.
We are three weeks into the six weeks of biking and beer that ends on August 8, 2014. I’d like to assume that all of you are out 
there riding your bikes and enjoying local craft beer, but I haven’t seen much activity online (#daytonbrewvet).
Well, besides my own. Maybe you all are going on rides and not posting, or maybe you are waiting until the last minute and planning on cramming all the rides in the last eight days (I’m looking at you, Kevin Gray). You wouldn’t do that, would you? In the off-chance that you are procrastinating, I figured a friendly reminder was in order so that the waning days of summer are filled with bikes, beer, and good times, and not, well, good times that may or may not involve the aforementioned bikes and beer.
If you need some extra motivation, you’re welcome to join me on Wednesday, July 23, when I’ll be headed to the Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op. I’ll be there from 6-8, so feel free to stop by, say hello, and have a beer—I’m hoping Fifth Street’s beer will still be on tap to sample.
There are also undoubtedly some of you who haven’t yet heard of the Dayton Brewvet. For those of you that haven’t, the full description and the rider information card can be found here. And while you only have three weeks left, there is still plenty of time to complete the eight following rides:
1. Local Brew: During your ride, stop at a local brewery and enjoy a beer.
2. Local Bar: Ride to your favorite local bar and enjoy a craft beer.
3. Co-op Brew: Ride to the Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op and enjoy a craft beer. Sorry to be self-serving, but I’m a co-op member, and you should be, too.
4. Patio/Outdoor Beer: Ride to a local bar with a patio, or to an outdoor event, and enjoy a craft beer outdoors.
5. Beer at Home: Take a spin to the store, and bring home a craft beer to drink. 
6. Go Exploring: Ride someplace new, stop in at a new bar or restaurant, and try a new craft beer.
7. Can Beer: Canned craft beer is all the rage, in part because it packs in and out with ease. Find yourself a bike ride that incorporates beer in a can. Remember, though: you’re adults. Don’t get either of us in trouble.
8. Bike Path Brew: Plan a longer ride to explore some of Dayton’s bike paths, and use this as an excuse to visit one of the breweries close to the bike path: Yellow Springs Brewery in Yellow Springs (via the Creekside Trail and the Little Miami Trail), Star City Brewing Company in Miamisburg (via the Great Miami River Recreational Trail), or, for the truly brave of heart, Fifty West in Cincinnati. If you’re willing to ride to Cincinnati, I’m pretty sure you can figure out a route on your own.
Thus far, I’ve completed three rides: Can Ride, Local Bar, and Go Exploring. Yes, I’m a bit of a procrastinator myself. Thus far I’ve racked up 53.1 miles on those three rides, although 52 of that was for just one ride. Yes, it was a doozy. I plan on hitting another one this weekend, so that I’ll be halfway finished by the time Wednesday rolls around. Check out the #daytonbrewevet to see more of my (and soon hopefully others!) Dayton Brewvet shenanigans.
Hope to see you at the Fifth Street Brewpub on Wednesday!
Juan’s Top 5 Hispanic Restaurants In The Dayton Region
Friends of ours over at Lion + Panda had an intern that gave them a list of his favorite Hispanic food spots in Dayton. They sent it to us and we thought it was a pretty good list so we’re sharing it with you! Enjoy!
1. Arepas & Co. Colombian Comfort Food– This made it to the top of my list because it’s so much goodness for such a low price. It has is set up like a Chipotle point and serve assembly line and the variety of plate or arepas one can get leaves the palate craving for more. If you are not familiar with Colombian cuisine, it isn’t about hot pepper infused sauces like you would find in Mexican cuisine, it is more savory, a lot of corn, rice, beans and meat are used.
1122 E Dorothy Ln, Dayton, Ohio
2. Taqueria Mixteca– This place will forever hold my heart for the Chimichangas (say that 5 times fast). Who doesn’t want a meat stuffed burrito deepfried and dunked into freshly melted Mexican queso? Wash that down with some delicious horchata beverage and you have yourself a fine day.
1609 E. 3rd Street, Dayton, Ohio
3. Antojitos Criollos– I am Puerto Rican, and as such I give myself authority to tell you where all the authentic Puerto Rican locations are. This place is it. I eat the Mofongo here like I would back in my island. In case you don’t know, Mofongo is a delicious green plantain creation, twice fried, mashed with spices and bacon bits into its ultimate form, paired with your choice of properly cooked and seasoned meats. Need I say more?
3937 Linden Ave, Dayton, OH
4. Taqueria las Tapatias– Would you like to know what a soft taco is supposed to be like? Go eat their specialty tacos and get back to me.
5524 Airway Rd, Dayton, OH
5. La Colombiana– Would you like to eat a plate full of delight and regret all at once? I know I do, and often. If you are like me, feel free to order the Bandeja Paisa, which includes a hunk of meat, sausage, rice, beans, fried plantains of the sweet variety, an arepa, a hardy amount of avocado and what can only be described as bacon’s superior Colombian cousin.
2495 Commons Blvd, Beavercreek, OH
JuanManuel Muñoz Jimenez is a travel and food blogger based here in Dayton as well as an MBA marketing student at Wright State University. After completing his degree he plans on more extensive travel around the world and a career in digital marketing. If you wish to follow his antics regularly you can reach him on twitter @tainonomad or follow his blog tainonomad.com
40 Reasons I Love Dayton, OH
This guest post comes to us from Elizabeth Caraway, a Dayton blogger perhaps better known as Super Veggie Mom, who shares health and wellness information, recipes that have worked for her, tips about saving money, and angst over parenting struggles. She’s an Air Force veteran, former NASM-certified personal trainer, and a distance runner with almost a dozen half-marathons under her Adidas. She’s the mother of two young girls and married to a scary-smart engineer who says that when they’re not watching Yo Gabba Gabba, they enjoy theater and the arts. We hope you enjoy her post as much as we did.
I tend to gush about the Dayton, OH area. I grew up in the military and then served in the military (and am now back in the Reserves), so I have lived my fair share of places. I still stand by my assertion that you can be happy wherever you live, but the Dayton area (aka the Miami Valley) has been so amazing in so many ways that I am constantly talking about how much I love it. I’ve even begun sending my parents and sister house listings in hopes that they’ll find a place they adore and move here. Then it truly would be perfect. 
A friend recently lamented the cost of homes in her area and I told her she should consider a move here. Nice, affordable housing is just one of many perks. Then I jokingly told her that, if she wanted, I could send her an entire list of reasons that Dayton is great. She said, “I’d like to see that list.” I posted my list, initially 15 reasons, on Facebook and was immediately flooded with more reasons my local friends love it here. I want to share the list we’ve come up with.
Regarding places to visit, I’ve tried to restrict it to places less than an hour away; otherwise, this would be a “Reasons I Love Ohio” post. Incidentally, I do, and I subscribe to Ohio magazine, which reinforces monthly why this is a great state to live in.
So without further ado, in no particular order:
40 Reasons I Love Dayton, OH
1. Broadway (and other amazing) shows at the state-of-the art Schuster Center (ex. we saw Wicked)
2. The (free) National Museum of the United States Air Force
3. Public (free) beaches easily accessible (Caesar’s Creek State Park, Kiser Lake, Cowan Lake) as well as hiking
4. An extensive park system (the Five Rivers Metropark) as well as dozens of city and county parks (for example, our small suburb has 36 parks)
5. Wonderful farmer’s markets (like 2nd St Market with entertainment on Saturdays and Oakwood Farmer’s Market)
6. The Dayton Art Institute
7. IKEA and Jungle Jim’s are just 45 min away
8. King’s Island Amusement Park is also about 45 min away
9. Scene 75, the largest indoor entertainment center in the country, is here
10. The Newport Aquarium is about an hour away
11. Dayton is an easy drive from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis
12. A surprising amount of good restaurants (although our faves aren’t on the list)
13. It has an international airport, and is also close to other major cities so the prices are competitive
14. Tons of shopping between the multiple malls
15. Major concerts and shows come to the Wright State Nutter Center (we’ve seen Rascall Flatts and Transiberian Orchestra)
16. Extensive, interconnected library systems (e.g. Dayton Metro library, Greene County library)
17. Close proximity to two top-rated zoos, Cincinnati Zoo and Columbus Zoo
18. Home of the popular Class A minor league baseball team the Dayton Dragons
19. Young’s Jersey Dairy Farm, a working dairy farm with restaurant, bakery, miniature golf, driving range, and batting cage
20. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, a a children’s museum that focuses on science and offers a “mini-zoo” of live animals native to Ohio
21. Dorothy Lane Market, regularly rated the best (independent) gourmet grocery store in the country
22. Ohio named the cheapest state in the country by TIME magazine; Dayton has a low cost of living
23. Home of the popular United States Air Force Marathon
24. Tons of local festivals, found here, that include everything from the Troy Strawberry Festival to the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival
25. Largest system of bike trails in the country
26. The Neon, a movie theater that shows independent films, as well as drive-in movie theaters
27. Numerous top-rated school districts as well as a large homeschooling community
28. Affordable colleges like Wright-State University and Sinclair
29. An abundance of thrift stores and flea markets, including massive Treasure Aisles and Trader’s World, about 30 min away
30. Carillon Historical Park, a 65-acre park and museum containing historic buildings and exhibits on history of tech & Dayton (as well as a killer carousel for kids)
31. Skydiving available in Middletown
32. Yellow Springs, home to a huge arts community
33. Sunwatch Indian Village and Archaeological Park
34. Kids Bowl Free and discounted movie theaters during summers
35. (Usually) moderate traffic compared to other cities
36. Dayton Air Show
37. The Fraze Pavillion hosts top musicians during the warmer months
38. Dayton Performing Arts Alliance provides top talent in ballet, opera, and the Philharmonic Orchestra
39. America’s Packard Museum
40. The Oregon District, a scenic downtown Dayton area renowned for its architecture, atmosphere, and restaurant/bar nightlife
As I write this, I have only lived in the area for 3 years. I am certain that I have missed aspects of the area’s awesomeness. Feel free to add them in the comments.
