Lisa Grigsby

Originally started in 2005 Restaurant Week has become a major event in Dayton Dining. The original concept was a 3 course meal for a set price that related to the year, say $20.16 with $1 being donated to local charities. Since I left the helm of the MVRA, the program has morphed and now includes multiple price points, chains restaurants and more casual eateries, which offer meals deals for two at various price points. I’m not sure if they still do the $1 to charity, I could find no reference to that on the MVRA website or in the promotions for this years event. They have added a night, giving you more chances to sample some of the Miami Valley’s restaurants at a discount. It kicks off Sun, July 24th and runs through Sun, July 31st. Take some time and peruse the menu’s, some eateries offer 4 courses, some add beer or wine to the offering, and be aware of the restaurant’s hours, some are closed on Sunday & Monday.

Here are our suggestions to get the most out of Restaurant Week:

 

1. Reserve Early

Popular Restaurant Week choices will be booked up quickly, so the sooner you get on the phone to make your reservations, the better. Reservations for dinner early in the week (Monday – Wednesday) tend to be easier to get than Friday and Saturday. Some of the more casual restaurants don’t take reservations, so arriving before or after the dinner rush will minimize your wait.

2. Manage Your Expectations

It is Restaurant Week and most restaurants offer fairly limited choices on the Restaurant Week menu, so if you’re a very picky eater, it might not be the best option for you. Menu’s are predetermined for price, volume and ease of service, so don’t be surprised if substitutions aren’t possible. Frequently, the Restaurant Week menu won’t include a restaurant’s “signature” dishes, but you can often order them a la carte if you’d really like to give them a try. Some menu’s may actually differ from what’s listed here, due to product availability.

3. Understand the Price

The $20.16 – 35.16 prix-fixe meal doesn’t include beverages, tip or tax. Beverages can add up quickly, so if you’re concerned about your budget, ask about prices before you order. On the other hand, since your meal is discounted, this might be the best time to splurge on a bottle of wine. Many restaurants offer multiple price points options, so you can decide how much to spend. For the more budget challenged, check out the eateries offering to feed 2 for a set price, like Bunkers Chappy’s Tap House & McGillicuty’s.

4. Vegetarians Beware

Some of the menu’s don’t offer a lot of options for you, but you’re probably not surprised by that. On the other hand places like Christopher’s and Meadowlark always offer creative and tasty options. The tilapia or mushroom options offered by many aren’t much of a restaurant week deal.

5. Tip Your Server Well

Just because you’re getting a discount on your dinner doesn’t mean that the waiter or waitress is getting a break on their rent this month, so tip generously if you get good service. And as a former waitress, let me remind you 20% is the baseline for good service these days.

 

Restaurant Week menus are courtesy of the MVRA Site:

Over 500 beer lovers gathered today at The Yellow Cab Tavern for the annual annual beer tasting event that is a celebration of Dayton brewing culture. All of the Dayton area breweries submited one beer for tasting and attendees were able to try a 6oz pour from all 13 breweries. Then you get to vote for your three favorite in this unique “people’s choice” event.

Musical entertainment by Todd The Fox, and outdoor games like cornhole and giant jenga kept the crowd entertained and food trucks kept them fed, as they worked their way through the following beer list:

Star City Brewing Adena APA  American Pale Ale

Hairless Hare Brewery  Strawberry Kolsch

Crooked Handle  Roadside Peanut Butter Porter

Dayton Beer Co Upright Kolsch

Fifth St Brew Pub  Mango Cure All  Cream Ale

Carillon Brewing Co  Berliner Weisse

Lock 27  Wicked Hopsta  IPA

Warped Wing  Trotwood Lager

Eudora  Mother Fuggle  Brown Ale

Toxic Brew  Brunette  Belgian Brown

Nowhere in Particular  Beat You Wheat

Yellow Springs Grapefruit wobbly wheel

 

The camaraderie of the local brewers was obvious, as many of the owners and managers were on hand, sharing insights on their beers, the industry’s explosive growth and upcoming plans for August’s 7th beer week celebration.

“Considering that there were no breweries in the Dayton area just four years ago, it is great to see the number of breweries growing and that they all have so much support,” shared event organizer Brian Johnson.

In the first year of this event Fifth Street Brewpub was declared the people’s choice.  Last year Hairless Hare Brewery edged out the first champ by just 7 votes.  Tallying the votes this year  put Eudora in third, second place went to Yellow Springs Brewery and for 2016 the popular vote was in favor of  the Peanut Butter Porter from Springboro’s Crooked Handle. “With Crooked Handle being the newest brewery and taking home the people’s choice award just goes to prove that Dayton’s a region that supports all of our great breweries,” Johnson says.

Votes were counted after the event was over, so no trophy photo was available, but we’re sure you’ll be seeing this big stein behind the bar at Crooked Handle, when you visit them at 760 N. Main Street, in the same shopping center as Dorothy Lane Market, just off St Rt 741.

Crooked Handle is open

Tuesday – Thursday                   4 – 10PM

Friday – Saturday                      12 – 11PM

Sunday                                        1 – 8PM

 

 

 

 

The PokemonGo craze has landed hard in Dayton! The groundbreaking A game has surged to the No.1 free game and No.1 grossing game in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in record-breaking time, qualifying Pokémon Go as a certifiable global phenomenon.

We’ve seen plenty of folks walking around downtown, in parks and shopping centers with phone in hand, a look of concentration on their face and then a yelp of glee, fist pumping in celebration of a capture!

For those that want to know more, you can join the Better Business Bureau today from 11am – 1pm as they host a Lure Party on Fourth Street.

Or stop by Cake, Hope and Love for the best cupcakes and a guarantee of pokemon.  Shop owner Shannon Teague got inspired and as she says, “I spent last weekend watching every video, reading as many articles as I could find about Pokemon.  And I  realized I could use lures to attract the pokemon hunters and offer incentives to them as well.  I’ve met so many new people through this promotion and we’re having fun with it!”

Chili’s in Beavercreek learned that the game has made their restaurant a hot spot for captures.  While we didn’t really have anything to do with it it seems to be drawing people to our location.  Manager Macy comments, “I see all kinds of people walking around the restaurant with their phones, in and out of the bathrooms and around just searching.  Our business has been up the last week or so, and I’m not sure if it’s do to the Pokemon Go hunters, but we’re happy to have them.”

Proto Build Bar is welcoming the POKEMONGO community tonight with  two pokestops  at their  location  tonight.  They’ll also pulling out their retro consoles and arcade machines. They are also raffling off two tickets to Daytons Mini Maker Fair this Saturday.

And the Oregon District is planning a Poke Pub Crawl July 30th at 9pm all over the District  What better way to bring more people together than Pokemon and beer! Start at one end of The Oregon and finish at the other end.  Who knows how many pocket monsters you’ll find that night!

One things for sure, Dayton is into Pokemon GO, but a word of caution- you will use data, so if you don’t have an unlimited data plan for your phone, be careful.

Since 2007 Fleming’s Wine List has been recognized by  Wine Spectator‘s Restaurant Awards for having a wine lists that offer interesting selections,  appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.  The 2016 Award Winners were just announced and Fleming’s is just one of 53 Ohio restaurants that made the list.

They’re pouring the entire Fleming’s 100 over two nights for an expansive tasting experience.Take advantage of this unique opportunity to taste and compare varietals, flavors and styles. Savor the difference between California and Oregon Pinots. Sample Chardonnays side by side. Get introduced to those new reds from South Africa and Argentina. What if your favorite wine is one you’ve never tasted?

Saturday, July 16 5 pm–6:30pm
Saturday, August 20 at 5 pm–6:30on

$35 each night, includes passed hors d’oeuvres

According to the Cornell University Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Group,  on average, you can expect a chair or recliner to last about 10 years with regular use.

The chairs at downtown Dayton’s only movie theater,  THE NEON,  have been around for 30 years, though they were reupholstered 15 years ago when the theater closed for remodeling and reopened with 2 screens.  With an average of 60,000 people a year attending shows, we’d say this is more than average usage!   It’s time to replace those chairs!

Neon Manager Jonathan McNeal anticipates  “closing the theater on a Monday, ripping up the old chairs, fixing the floor painting  in mid-September.   Since we’re open 365 days a year, this brief closing will give us time to do some other minor touch-ups we can’t do at any other time. The new seats are a forest green faux leather rockers and the arm rest between seats will go up, and the cupholders are much nicer than the ones we have now.  We’ll also have the aisle seats on the back 2 rows in each theater with arm rests that go up, allowing for easier seating for those with mobility issues.  We’ll be losing a few seats in each theater but gaining more room for wheelchair or scooter seating.”

 

The entire project will cost about  $50,000.  That’s $250 per seat!

So THE NEON has launched a campaign to find some “NEON Lumbar Supporters” to help fund this project.

For each donation of $250, you will be buying a Brand New Comfy Chair for THE NEON.  As a special “Thank You,” they will recognize you (or your company) in our lobby when the project is done.  We will also give you a card for one complimentary small popcorn per month for the next 12 months.

If you’d like to go upgrade to the  “Sitting Pretty” level (at $350 or more), you will have the option to claim two of the current seats upon removal (while supplies last) in addition to the “Thank You” details listed above.

Neon Manager Jonathan McNeal wants you to know  “that although they are a for-profit small business, they offer very reasonable prices and our profit margins are slim.  Any donations you make are not tax deductible, but they are greatly appreciated.”

If you’re interested in making a donation, we encourage you to come into THE NEON and check out our sample seats.  You can also use  GoFundMe  and make a donation online or you’re also more than welcome  to make your donation in person with a credit card, check or cash during the traditional operating hours of the theater.

McNeal shared that this project has been in the planning stage for over a year and he conferred with Jenny at the Little Art, who went through a recent upgrade at the Yellow Spring theater.

 

The Dayton Playhouse will hold open auditions for the musical Camelot with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, on Monday, July 25 and Tuesday, July 26, at 7:00 pm. Camelot will be directed by Ranger Puterbaugh, a Language Arts teacher and director of the Drama Club at Northmont High School. Puterbaugh’s recent directing credits include The Addams Family, Moon Over Buffalo, and Children of Eden. Musical director for the production will be Brennan Paulin. Production dates for Camelot are September 16 – October 2 (Fridays through Sundays).

Camelot is the timeless legend of King Arthur brought to the stage. Based on the classic work The Once and Future King, Camelot was a successful Broadway show before being turned into a musical movie in 1967. The story begins with a young Arthur nervous to meet his new wife, Guinevere. Before disappearing forever, Merlin offers some last advice, and Arthur sets out to build the ideal society of knights. With the help of Guinevere, Lancelot, and Pellinore, Arthur begins his quest to establish the Knights of the Round Table. However, it’s not long before old sins and new betrayals threaten to undo all the things they’ve built. This musical blends humor with drama in a wonderful story of chivalry and the legacy we leave behind.

Those auditioning should come prepared to sing a 16-32 bar musical selection that shows range and character, preferably a selection from the classical/golden age of Broadway to best match the show. An accompanist will be provided. Dress comfortable for movement. Auditions will consist of vocal and movement portions, as well as cold readings from scenes. The director asks that everyone try to attend both nights of auditions. Please come to the audition with any and all possible conflicts you may have with the rehearsal calendar. Rehearsals will run Monday through Thursday, generally from 7pm to 10pm for the months of August and September. Final week before opening will require every night rehearsal.

 

The director will be looking to fill the following roles:

• King Arthur (Male/ Young Adult-Middle Aged/ Lead/ Baritone) – an ambitious and idealistic man who must wrestle with the struggle between his vision for the future and the reality of the world around him.
• Guenevere (Female/ Young Adult-Middle Aged / Lead/ Soprano) – an adventurous spirit caught in the world of high society. She is excited by the idea of adventure and has romanticized the world of knights.
• Lancelot (Male/ Young Adult-Middle Aged/ Lead/ Baritone) – a righteous and pure knight whose desire to serve the greater good comes into conflict with his own personal desires.
• Pellinore (Male/ Middle Aged and older/ Supporting/ Spoken) – a bumbling, well- meaning knight on a long forgotten quest.
• Mordred (Male/ Young Adult/ Supporting/ Tenor) – an ambitious, power hungry man who shares none of the ideals of his father.
• Nimue (Female/ Young Adult – Middle Aged/ Featured/ Mezzo-Soprano) – a mysterious magical woman who lures Merlyn to his fate.
• Morgan Le Fey (Female/ Young Adult – Middle Aged/ Featured/ Spoken) – an estranged witch who uses her powers for mischief.
• Merlyn (Male/ Older/ Featured/ Spoken) – a wise mentor whose words don’t always make sense at first.
• Tom of Warwick (Male/ Young Adult/ Featured/ Spoken)- a young boy who stumbles on the biggest battle of the age.
• Sir Dinadan (Male/ Young Adult – Middle Aged/ Featured/ Tenor)- a knight of the round table who serves the King and Queen faithfully.
• Sir Sagramore (Male/ Young Adult – Middle Aged/ Featured/ Tenor)- a knight of the round table who serves the King and Queen faithfully.
• Sir Lionel (Male/ Young Adult – Middle Aged/ Featured/ Tenor)- a knight of the round table who serves the King and Queen faithfully.
• Squire Dap (Male/ Young Adult/ Featured/ Spoken)- Lancelot’s loyal squire.
• Ensemble: (Assorted scenes, lines, moments)
• Lady Anne
• Lady Sybil
• Guilliam
• Colgrevance
• Bliant
• Castor
• Clarius
• Page

 

(casting may not be race specific)

 

 

The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414. For additional information regarding the Dayton Playhouse and complete character descriptions, visit www.daytonplayhouse.com.

The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions to Miami Valley audiences of all ages for more than fifty years. The Playhouse is nationally recognized for FutureFest, an annual festival of new plays.

The Oregon District’s hottest new eatery launches lunch to go today. It’s a clever way to extend Corner Kitchen’s audience, without having to deal with service, scheduling and other challenges of lunch at a fine dining restaurant.  Lunch will be available Tuesday through Saturday from 11am – 2pm.
Glancing at the menu, there are a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and sides items to choose from in a very affordable $6-8.50 price range.   Beverages including soda’s, tea  and Elderflower Tonic are also available. According to their website, they’ll even  deliver box lunches to businesses and organizations downtown and nearby, though there is no mention of cost for delivery.

While the entrance to the restaurant is on the corner of Fith and Wayne, lunch boxes will be served out of a side entry on Wayne Avenue, next to Sew Dayton.  Looking forward to picking up lunch soon! Here’s a look at the menu, an art piece of its own, created by Marysa Justine.

After 20 years as a dental hygienist, Maria Walusis decided it was time for a career change.  So she began to apprentice with accomplished chefs from L’Auberge and  Cumin in Cincinnati, restaurants that have since closed.  She launched her catering business about 6 years ago and then in Jan of 2015 she opened the intimate  800 square feet fine dining eatery Nibbles at 105 S. Second Street, which is the former Hamilton Hotel building in historic downtown Miamisburg.  Seating just over 30 guests inside, patio seating doubles the occupancy when weather permits.

Chef Maria shares that she customizes her menus “each season so you can have a unique food experience and not the same old thing you see all the time.”  With the start of summer, she introduces her 11th menu starting with a shrimp roll, fried green tomatoes and lobster hush puppies.  Entrees include her amazing chile relleno, jerk chicken or a tomahawk pork chop. See the full menu here.

 

Chef Maria agreed to take a break from cooking long enough to answer our 10 ?’s interview:

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?    Hard to pick just one!  I love all seafood and there is always a variety of seafood items on our menus!  The current menu has lobster hush puppies!  I am already craving some.

What ingredient do you dread?
Artichokes are a pain in the butt.  They are prickly, and quickly turn a yucky shade of gray. I love to eat them but hesitate to work with them.

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I have a thing for braised meat of any kind. It’s some comforting and homey and smell amazing when cooking and just falls apart with a fork.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Definitely pizza!  Pizza is amazing and when you want something late at night it’s the way to go!

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? There are so many great places and great chefs here in Dayton!  I like to support all the chefs as much as I can. Favs are Rue Dumaine, Meadowlark, Wheat Penny and Salar!  Very excited about some of the new places coming to Dayton soon like Basils!

What’s your best advice for home chefs?  Cook! Cook! Cook!   Read cookbooks and study and just cook. Try  new things and have fun creating.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
I would invite all the local chefs who could get away from their restaurants!  We all work so hard and its difficult to actually get together for any sort of social time, so to be able to get us all together and cook some great food and kick back together would be awesome, and spoil them a little bit with some great food.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I have had some mentors who have encouraged me along the way to becoming a chef and are a source of support, and answers to my sometimes silly questions.  Chef Anne from RueDumaine has taught me a lot along with Chef Michael from Michael Anthony’s at the Inn in Versailles.  Two amazing chefs with different styles and strengths who have both influenced my cooking and how I run my restaurant.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?  Well, since I haven’t had a “day off” in weeks I’m not sure!   We go out to dinner/drinks when we can to enjoy someone else cooking for us!  WE enjoy spending time with family and friends, our daughters and parents.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or an interesting story:
I was running a private party for another chef as a favor, a private party in a home. As I was trying to get the filet cooked to temp it was taking forever and I finally realized the oven wasn’t working. I opened the door to the pro-viking range and the entire door literally fell off the oven into my arms! I was completely horrified and had to figure out how to finish cooking steaks for 60 guests with no oven!!

Wild Hearts Zoological Park began as a vision to offer a unique and personal wildlife experience within the community. Amanda Dalton, zoo founder, began pursuing her dream by caring for wildlife at a small animal sanctuary, working in the education department at a well-known zoo, and earning her master’s degree in Zoology. She now has several years of zoo experience and aims to launch this new educational organization in the coming year with the help of dedicated staff and volunteers.

Wild Hearts will be a community-oriented organization striving to provide low-impact educational experiences of nature, ecology, and conservation through an interactive approach.  Amanda is taking her vision on the road, and you’ll be able to meet her and some of her animal ambassadors around town.

In order to raise visibility for Wild Hearts Zoo, Amanda is out on “tour” raising friends and funds to support her vision.

 

Thurs, June 23rd 5-7pm     Birds & Brews with Wild Hearts Zoo at Warped Wing Brewery!
Stop by Warped Wing Brewery to meet and learn about the raptors from Wild Hearts Zoo! Her “warped wing” ambassadors cannot be returned to the wild due to wing injuries, so now they help educate the public about bird of prey ecology. Also meet Orville and Wilbur, “The Rat Brothers”.  Have a pint, make some friends and help some animals!

Catch her at libraries around town where her program is  open to all ages who want to learn about hawks, reptiles and mammals as the zookeeper discusses their significance in our environment and their protection through conservation:

June 25th – 10am: Burkhardt Branch Library
June 27th – 6:30pm: West Carrollton Branch Library
July 9th – 11am: Vandalia Branch Library
July 14th – 6:30pm: Madden Hills Branch Library
July 16th – 10am: Temporary Main Branch Library
July 26th – 6:30pm: East Branch Library
August 6th – 10am: Electra Doren Branch Library
August 13th – 10am: Trotwood Branch Library

 

She’s also got an upcoming event on June 25th – 12:30 – 2:30pm at  Cabela’s Centerville.

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Wheat Penny is  looking to fill the dining room all day and evening on Tuesday to help raise funds to donate to victims and their families in Orlando! 10% of all sales, all day Tuesday will be sent to Equality Orlando, in support of victims and their families.

The fantabulous The Rubi Girls will be slinging food and drinks and enticing you to open your wallets from 7-9pm. Not only will they be displaying their beauty and comedic wit, they will be matching the 10% Wheat Penney is donating to Orlando!   So show up hungry; spend lots and share your love !

Wheat Penny is located at 515 Wayne Avenue and is open from 11am – 10pm Tuesday.
Reservations are suggested for large groups.  Call (937) 496-5268 for more information.

On July 19, 1910, the governor of the U.S. state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first “Father’s Day.” However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States.

Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.
If you’re looking to treat Dad to a great meal, check out these restaurants for some special meals created with Dad in mind.  We’ve also included some meal deals and freebies being offered to celebrate the special men in your life.

 

Rue Dumaine  5 – 9pm 

Iceberg wedge, AWS bacon, oven-roasted tomatoes, Jaime’s blue cheese buttermilk dressing

Running Free Farm Porchetta** (pork loin wrapped in the belly of the pig), BG’s baked beans, broccoli** slaw (whole mustard vinaigrette)

Cornbread

Chocolate –peanut butter Ice Box Pie

$45++  $20 children under 12

 

Texas Beef & Cattle Co.  4 – 7pm

See what all the hype is about – Dayton’s ONLY Co-op Style Smokehouse!!

$20 Per Person for a buffet style dinner in the coolest smokehouse in Dayton. We’ll fix you a to-go plate if you can’t stay or we’ll send you packin’ with meat by the pound instead – Either way you cut it, you wont find a better dinner for Dad!

 

Chappy’s Tap House 11am – 9pm
Chappy’s Social House  11am – 9pm

Big Poppa’s Pork Platter – $18.95 – includes generous portion of Pulled Pork, 1/3 Slab of BBQ Ribs and Beer Brined or Char-Grilled Pork Chop with choice of 2 sides and Chappys Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake for Dessert.

 

Young’s  Golden Jersey Inn Father’s Day Buffet

Breakfast: 8am-11am: $11.95 (age 11+) $5.95 (ages 4-10)
Scrambled eggs, Pancakes, French Toast, Pork Sausage, Turkey Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy, Bacon, Hash Brown Casserole, Fresh Fruit and donuts.

Brunch: 11am-2pm: $16.95 (age 11+) $8.95 (ages 4-10)
Scrambled eggs, Pancakes, French Toast, Pork Sausage, Turkey Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy, Bacon, Hash Brown Casserole, Fresh Fruit, Sweet Chili Chicken, BBQ Meatballs, BBQ Beef Brisket, BBQ Baked Beans, Pulled Pork BBQ, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Bread, Corn on the Cob, Young’s Farmstead Fried Cheese Curds (all varieties) and a salad bar.

Dinner: 2pm-Close: $16.95 (age 11+) $8.95 (ages 4-10)
BBQ Brisket, Pulled Pork BBQ, Sweet Chili Chicken, BBQ Meatballs, Brats and kraut, Au Gratin Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, Home Fried Potato Chips, Sweet Corn Bake, BBQ Baked Beans, Corn on the cob, Sweet Potato Casserole, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato Bread, Young’s Farmstead Fried Cheese Curds (all varieties), Salad Bar and a Dessert Bar.

Buffet only on Father’s Day. Our regular menu will not be available. No reservations.

 

Fleming’s  at The Greene  3 course Father’s Day Brunch  10am- 3pm
 The cost is $39 a person and includes the choice of appetizer: lobster bisque, Modern Caesar or fresh seasonal fruits; select sides and a choice of entree: Signature Eggs Benedict, baked brioche french toast, blue crab omelet, prime rib with a trio of sauces or porcini-crusted Filet Mignon and choice of desserts: white chocolate bread pudding, cheesecake and walnut turtle pie.

 

Beef O’Brady’s   Beavercreek   11am – 9pm
Dad’s eat free with purchase of equal or greater value
Serving a traditional breakfast, flat bread pizza’s, burrito’s wraps and of course burgers

Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurant
On Father’s Day  they’ll be serving Dad a FREE Lasagne or any Original Recipe Spaghetti Entree!– no coupon needed! Please note that there is a limit of 2 FREE meals per party.

First Watch is offering  Dads  a free small bag of premium coffee if they dine in on Sunday

McAlister’s Deli -all  Dad’s get a free dessert (no purchase necessary)

Several national restaurants are handing out promotional cards with a meal purchase this weekend:

• BJ’s Restaurant: Get a free $10 bonus card with the purchase of $50 in e-gift cards by Sunday, June 19. The bonus card is valid June 20 through July 10. On Sunday, dads also get a free commemorative pint glass and free VIP card good for 20 percent off their next visit.
• Bonefish Grill: Get a free $10 bonus card for every $50 you spend on gift cards by Sunday. The bonus card is redeemable on your next visit by July 15.
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Get a free $10 bonus card for every $50 you spend on gift cards by Sunday. The bonus card is redeemable on your next visit by July 15.
• Outback Steakhouse: Get a free $10 bonus card for every $50 you spend on gift cards by Sunday. The bonus card is redeemable on your next visit by July 15.

 

In the late 1980’s, Dayton fundraising leaders, including Dave Foubert, Russ Raker, Eric Winston and George Mongon, came together with a common interest – to find a local group of fundraisers who can come together to share common fundraising challenges or share educational opportunities.  The chapter was formally chartered in 1988 and elected their first chapter president, Russ Raker, ACFRE.  In 1989, the chapter celebrated its first National Philanthropy Day honoring The Charles F. Kettering Family as Outstanding Philanthropist and Carol Bauer, S.C. as Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser.  In 2008, the Miami Valley Chapter changed its name to the Greater Dayton Region Chapter.  Today, there are over 120 local members of the chapter committed to upholding the ethical standards of the fundraising profession.

 

Continuing the tradition, National Philanthropy Day (NPD) promotes philanthropy and recognize individuals, organizations and businesses that are inspiring change through their significant impact on nonprofit organizations.  Each day, generous benefactors and volunteers make a difference to people across a spectrum of nonprofit organizations from the arts to education to social services and everything in between.

The National Philanthropy Day Luncheon will be held on this year on Tuesday, November 15th. All nonprofit organizations have the opportunity to participate in our Honoree process by recognizing donors, volunteers and special friends who have made a truly exceptional impact.

Nominations are now being accepted online:

 2016 Online Nomination Form

Nominations will be accepted until July 10, 2016.

 

Brad Manning has worked 2 jobs for years.  A day job in electronic’s and nights at Hooter’s for the last eight years.  When his day job was eliminated recently he decided to go into business for himself so he could control his own destiny.  And he just quit his 2nd job at the restaurant so he can dedicate himself to his street eats business. With the help of family and friends he built out his truck and launched Son of A Biscuit just this month. It’s the area’s first breakfast food truck and will be out most mornings around 8am with the average item running about $6.

 

The truck has been out about four times already and Brad shared, “my menu really focuses on breakfast sandwiches, but I’m adding biscuits because so many people just expect that I have them and I don’t want them to walk away when disappointed.”  His tells us his “favorite sandwich is the SOB, an egg served on an English muffin with  Jalapeños, green pepper, onion, with cheddar tossed in franks red hot. It will have your taste buds saying Son of a Biscuit!” He also is really proud of his french toast bites and will be adding a BLT to the menu.

He wants folks to know that all the meats he uses are from Landes Fresh Meats,  an old fashioned farm market in Clayton that specializes in Farm-Harvested Beef & Pork.  Quality is important to him and he wants people to know that he’ll only serve food from quality products.

You’ll find Son of A Biscuit at Family Video on Wayne  Avenue Monday – Thursday’s from 8am to noonish and starting on June 24th they’ll be serving up breakfast at Proto Build Bar from 8am to noon.  They’ll also be doing late nights at Wings Sports Bar on N. Dixie on Friday & Saturday nights, from midnight til about 4am, though hours may be adjusted when they see what the crowds are like.  Or check the MostMetro Food Truck listings to find them.

It’s been a long time coming, and this Friday you’ll be able to experience Dayton’s newest food truck, the Menehune Tiki Bus! Owner Danny Webb got into food trucks a few years ago, launching his Paranormal Concessions, featuring frozen drinks, smoothies and other treats from his Alien Infusions trailer. After learning the ropes and deciding he wanted to do more he began shopping for a food truck and came across a double-decker bus in Iowa.

And it got him thinking.  At many truck rallies he watched folks walk a way with an armful of food with no place to sit and eat. What if he could use the upper level of this bus as a dining room for his customers.  But what would he serve in this double-decker food truck?  Friends suggested the obvious British theme, but a limited menu of shepherds pie and fish and chips just didn’t seem like it would work.  Then Danny remembered about the Mythical Menehunes of Hawaii, often thought of as Polynesian leprechaun’s and this seemed to fit with his corporate paranormal identity and a concept was born.

As a frequent visitor to Hawaii in his work with the military and as an airline pilot, then fusion flavors of food found there served as an inspiration for the menu of Menehunes.  The south pacific inspiration will include a menu of Deep Fried Mahi-Mahi & Chips, Mahi Fish Tacos, Kalua Pork Grilled Cheese, Moco-Loco, Musubi, Big Kahuna Burger, Menehune Sliders, Island Poutine, Spam Fries, Hawaiian Cubano Sliders, Mac Salad, King Kamehameha Coconut Shrimp, Huli-Huli Chicken, Teriyaki Beef & Rice to name just a few.

 

And guests will be able to enjoy their meal in air-conditioned comfort, as the upper deck of the bus has been transformed into tiki hut seating for 16 at booths, reupholstered in a Hawaiian floral by  Danny’s wife Karen, and 10 stools at the counter.

 

The inaugural outing fo the double-decker food truck will be at Food Truck Fridays, in the Kmart parking lot across from the Greene on Indian Ripple Road from 5 pm – 9 pm. Then onward on Saturday the 28th to Eastwood Metro Park for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton’s Furry Scurry from 11 am – 5 pm

UPDATE- the tiki bus will not be at Furry Scurry.

From Menehune Tiki Bus’s Facebook Page:  James & his crew from Custom Creations came out today & determined that we have a bad fryer. He & crew are driving to Columbus to get a replacement & will install it on Monday. Additionally, we have a power problem. Our generator can’t handle the load so we are adding a second one to share the load. Fortunately, I still have the Honda generator that came with the bus. They will have to re-wire some components to run on the additional generator. That should solve those issues. However, we just found out, because of todays temps, that the air conditioning can’t keep up with the sunlight heating up the upper deck. So, we are bumping & grinding installing curtains on 17 upstairs windows! That should help quite a bit. We still have the rest of tomorrow and Sunday to get ready for Tuesday. James & crew will have it on Monday. Wish us luck!

 

For a full calendar of upcoming stops for the Tiki Bus, visit their calendar on their website.  We wish Menehune Maikaʻi Pomaikaʻi (Hawaiian for good luck)!

On Friday, May 13th from 5-9pm, watch the Dayton Region’s Walk of Fame come alive with Walk the Walk; a showcase featuring Walk of Fame inductees, historians, and family representatives. This street party allows visitors to learn from some of the outstanding individuals and groups who have contributed to the greatness of our region. Third Street will be shut down between Williams & Broadway so visitors can walk along West Third Street and interact with these individuals at their respective memorial stones.

Entertainment  hosted by Dayton.com’s Amelia Robinson
5:00pm – Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Principal String Quartet
5:30pm – Gem City Chorus
6:45pm – New Honorees Introduced
7:00pm – live music by Vibe 5
7:45pm – Heads or Tales Raffle for VIP tickets to Patti LaBelle at Rose Music Center
8:00pm – 2nd set from Vibe 5

Food trucks including Zombie Dogz, Go Cupcake, Carvaso’s Mexican Fusian, and Graeter’s Ice Cream will be on hand along with adult beverages from Heidelberg. A brand new Wright Dunbar business, Texas Beer and Cattle Company, will be open and giving tours and opportunities for the public to become co-op owners in the business. Wright-Dunbar, Inc. encourages visitors to bring lawn chairs.

Additionally, Wright-Dunbar, Inc. will announce the 2016 Walk of Fame honorees at the event. These honorees will be inducted into the Walk of Fame at a Luncheon Ceremony on September 22nd at Sinclair’s Ponitz Center.

Since its inception in 1996 as part of the City of Dayton’s Bicentennial Celebration, the Dayton Region’s Walk of Fame has recognized 156 outstanding individuals and groups for their enduring personal or professional contributions to the community, nation, and the world.

In 2003 the Walk of Fame was moved from the Dayton International Airport to the Wright-Dunbar Historic District and is now managed and supported by Wright Dunbar, Inc. Granite pavers are located on the sidewalks on both sides of West Third Street between Shannon and Broadway Streets and on Williams Street.