Lisa Grigsby

Pints And Pin Ups For Pits Car Show & Fundraiser

July 17, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Natalie Phillips is a lady with a big heart that’s full of passion for the underdog. Well in this case it’s more of a group of dogs – Bully Breeds: Bulldog Breeds, Pit Bull Breeds, Mastiff Breeds, and any mixes of the aforementioned. Natalie has spearheaded a benefit for Miami Valley Pit Crew (MVPC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies completely on donations. It’s a network of volunteer foster homes dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused, neglected, and misunderstood dogs and puppies. They educate owners and the public, on bully breeds and Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).

This Saturday, July 19th from 1pm – 10pm, Boston’s Bistro and Pub, located at 7500 N Main St, in Dayton, will host Pints and Pin-ups For Pits. Natalie describes this as “a huge event with 100% of proceeds going to MVPC. There will be a cruise in, live local music, pin ups, lots of raffles (including a Big Beers & Barley Wines basket), games, a kissing booth, vendors, food and to celebrate the end of Ohio Beer Week we will have all 17 taps with local/Ohio beer with a few special cask including Rhinegeist, who will be sending their first cask ever to this event.”

Talia Nicole

The Luscious Ladies are a Pin Up group, with chapters all over the United States. Models who specialize in everything vintage with a touch of class and sexiness. These lovely ladies will be volunteering on Saturday serving drinks, taking photos and making the place beautiful!

Steffen Evan Baldwin of Animal Cruelty Task-force of Ohio (ACT) will be doing a dog safety demo for kids at 3pm. Even if you don’t have your child with you, there will be a lot of information you can take home. ACT Ohio travels around the State educating children in an interactive way on dog safety, particularly around stray dogs, as well as helping them to understand in a child friendly way how dogs think and why they do what they do. In addition, your children will learn what the law requires companion animals to have every day (food, water, shelter), and why it’s so important for dogs. Children aged 4-7 are statistically most likely to be bitten by a dog and most bites are at home, and are preventable with a little bit of education! Former MVP Chesty Puller will be the demo dog!

We asked Natalie about how she got involved with Pit Rescue?

NP: My friend was driving behind a car on Stewart St, when all of a sudden the door opens (while driving) and they threw a dog out of the moving vehicle. The dog was a Mastiff breed and got pretty messed up. He called around and no one would help him help the dog… until he stumbled upon Miami Valley Pit Crew (MVPC). They not only took her in, they vetted her and fostered her until she found her forever home. That left a big impact on me. I have always been an advocate for the bully breed. But, I’m not making a difference if I’m yelling at a wall or ranting on Facebook. So, I wanted to get involved. I contacted MVPC had my home visit and became a foster, and always will be…

Wyatt

Can you tell us about fostering these dogs?

NP: My 4th foster, Wyatt came to me at 9 weeks old with ringworm on his tail.. Because of the fungus he was on the “to be destroyed” list. I took him in, kept him separated and sprayed an anti-fungal medicine on his tail and in a week he was just fine! Wyatt is now almost a year old and he was a foster failure.. We connected and I knew that he was already home. I know I can’t fall in love with every dog that comes through, but Wyatt was different.

What I respect the most from MVPC is that there is a strict process that every potential adopter has to go through to ensure the dog will have a great life. This makes it easier for me to love and let go when fosters come through my house. I have no doubt they are going to a fantastic home. Every dog adopted from MVPC is spay/neutered, micro chipped, completely vetted (all vaccines) and heartworm tested.

The MVPC evaluates each rescue request to determine the dogs re-homing probability. We want to ensure each dog we take in can be rehabilitated into a family member. We work hard locally to educate bully breed owners and speak out against Breed Specific Legislation.

How big is the need for Pit Rescue in Dayton?

NP: Bully breeds, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are the most misunderstood, abused and euthanized dogs across the nation. They battle discrimination on a daily basis whether it is misinformed minds of society to breed specific legislation. High Kill shelters only allow only a certain number of bully breeds on the adoption floor… all others are killed. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes average about 33% of shelter intakes nationally, but in large cities the numbers are as high as 40%-65%. About 75% of shelters euthanize Pit Bulls immediately upon intake.(stats thanks to Examiner.com) Even if they do make it to the adoption floor, they are the first to be euthanized when they get overcrowded. It’s sad that this stigma plagues the breed because they are loving, loyal, fun, very smart and want to learn. Education and responsibility is important with any breed of dog. Blame needs to start being put at the other end of the leash.

If you can’t attend Saturday’s event you can still make a difference. You can make donations, share photo’s of adoptables on social media or foster! Check out the adoptables:www.mvpc.petfinder.com. MVPC always need more fosters. You can find foster/adoption applications, or make a donation at www.miamivalleypitcrew.com

DMM’s Summer of Fun – Freebie Friday’s

June 6, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

At DaytonMostMetro we love sharing all the cool things there are to do in the Miami Valley with all of you. Summer is a great time to explore our region and we want you to be able to explore and experience things you’ve never down here in your own backyard.

Right now there are over 3500 events listed in our calendar. Scanning the listing for things to do in June, July and August there are 380 Theater listings, over 50 Festivals, 340 music related suggestions and more than 250 totally free events! Now we know that sometimes your wallet dictates your options, so we at MostMetro.com are committed to make it a summer of fun for more folks, by having a giveaway every Friday this summer!

We’re totally open for suggestions, too. In the comments below please give us some ideas of local things you’d like to do for your summer of fun, and we’ll do our best to make it happen! If you’ve got a giveaway you’d like featured, please send us an email.

We’ll kick it off our Summer of Fun promotion today by giving away a couple of pairs of tickets to Play it By Heart, a new musical by The Human Race Theatre Company that opens next Friday night and runs for four weeks at The Loft Theatre downtown. Winners will be able to work with the box office to pick the show that works best for them, based on availability. But you’ve got to enter to win, so read about the show and then fill out the form at the bottom of the post to have a chance to win!

10 ?’s with Kathi Kizirnis of Practice Yoga

June 5, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Practice Yoga is a vibrant, friendly community of yogis of all shapes, sizes and ages dedicated to health, wellness and transformation through powerful and proven yogic practices.

Located at 504 E. 5th St. in the Oregon District, they just celebrated their 6th birthday! As part of their celebration they are offering a Summer Pass: Two months of unlimited classes for $150 (you save $26) AND a sweet PY tank top! Buy anytime through June8; your pass activates on first visit.

This seemed like a good time to get to know owner Kathi Kizirnis, so we asked her to do a MostMetro.com 10 ? interview! And she did! Meet Kathy:

Growing up, what did you want to do for a living?

I wanted to be a doctor: brain surgeon, no less! Now I study ‘rewiring’ the brain in much different ways…

How did you get into yoga?

I started with prenatal yoga, hoping to relieve aches and pains. It was a crappy VHS tape with a fairly well-known teacher named Alan Finger. It worked!

For someone who’s never tried yoga- why should they?

Oh, my. How much space do you have? The physical and mental benefits are well-documented: strength, flexibility, balance, improved stress response, immune function, etc. What’s not so obvious is the “hidden” practice … the changes in perspective, in behavior and, if you’re paying enough attention, biomechanics (how you sit, stand and move) that come with self-study. For me it’s about observation: If you find a new sense of wonder in how the body works, how your mind works, how they work together and how you interact with the world, that’s invaluable, whether or not you ever master headstand or the splits. Self-care and self-study are the real rewards.

Six years in, what advice do you wish someone had given you before you started your business?

Worry less and work more. Other than that, nothing, because every business is unique — especially small businesses — and there are few, if any, “magic bullets” that work for all.

What’s the most rewarding part of owning Practice Yoga?

Our amazing community. Having a space in which to meet and connect with a wide variety of people in a super-relaxed and casual environment. The “Third Space,” or home away from home. Priceless.

The most frustrating?

The nuts and bolts of running and building business on a small budget. Also, it’s difficult to provide services for those who can’t afford studio classes. Yoga is and should be for everyone, but the reality is that quality continuing education is expensive, and teachers need to be paid what they’re worth. Plus, we’ve gotta keep the lights on. I’m working on expanding our community-outreach programs, though, to provide classes for underserved and in-need populations, including veterans, the mentally challenged and kids with attention disorders/behavioral problems.

What would you tell others about owning a business in downtown?

I wouldn’t do this anywhere else. The ‘burbs might be more lucrative, but the people who live, work and venture downtown bring a special spirit to the studio, and want to support other downtown businesses. There’s a palpable sense of community and optimism, a kind of pioneering spirit. People talk to each other. And we’ve never had safety issues.

What do you do when you play hooky from work?

Um, yoga 🙂 And housework, and hang out with my husband, kids, cats and rabbit (none of whom practice yoga).

If you weren’t in the Yoga business, what would you be doing for a living?

Writing and editing, or physical therapy.

What 3 places in the Dayton Region should visitors not miss?

Roost Modern Italian in the Oregon District; any of the MetroParks; Second Street Market; Neon Movies (I’m not great with numbers).

Father & Son Launch Artisan Smoked Salmon Business

June 4, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby 2 Comments

Martin Davis Jr. and his son Martin Davis III weren’t always smoked salmon experts. In fact , Martin Jur. holds a PhD in computer science. Martin III is a LEED certified professional, trained in architectural engineering. Both men have spent the past few years consulting in the computer and web development industries. So how do two detail oriented, tech-professionals decide to launch a business in the food industry? As with many entrepreneurs, they’d come to that point in their lives where they felt the need to find their passion.

Martin Jr. had reached that point in a man’s career where he might choose to spend time rocking on his back porch or
launch into a second career. One evening, he and his son were discussing his next move and Martin III asked the big-daddy
question: “Dad, what makes you truly happy?” Because isn’t that what we all really want?
For this father and son team, memories of family trips to Alaska, fishing trips and of back-yard smoking of the river’s bounty
answered the question for both men. Martin Jr. had been smoking salmon for nearly 20 years on the family’s back porch.
He loved tinkering with the level of salt and sweetness in the brine and experimenting with the material to produce just the
right flavor in the smoke. Friends and family raved about the final product and he frequently heard the words, “you could sell that!”

Martin III had spent time working as engineering tech for the National Park Service in Alaska. While there, he met men who studied the spawning patterns of Sockeye salmon and became enthralled with the attention the state gave to sustainability of the species. Martin III still makes annual trips to the 49th state to fish the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. Although life led father and son toward technical careers, it was a tenacious Alaskan fish that truly held their heart.

Perfecting the Martin x Martin Original Smoked Sockeye Salmon recipe took 20 years. They weren’t in a hurry.
“Production volume is for the big, sterile commercial facilities,” says Martin Jr. What’s important to them is the creation of a quality product that reflects their love of wild Sockeye Salmon and the integrity of their family name. Their goal is to produce a delicious smoked salmon for folks throughout the country who appreciate artisan quality.

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Martin x Martin Smokery brines their salmon in a carefully managed, all natural mixture that has a much lower salt content than most of the similar commercially available products. This allows them to produce a product that features the taste of the delicious salmon itself, without its being overpowered by the brine. Their recipe makes a more versatile product and is a healthier alternative to most of the commercial competitors. “Smoked Salmon has long been a “special feature” on holiday and special event tables,” says Martin Davis Jr., patriarch and recipe developer of the family duo. “We believe our unique low-salt, hot-smoked recipe has the potential to elevate smoked salmon from the occasional buffet to the every day.”

I had a chance to personally meet these guys and try their salmon when they participated in Fleurs et Vin last month, where they were a huge hit! Martin x Martin Artisan Smoked Sockeye Salmon’s original recipe is now available for sale to the public and at wholesale pricing to those in the food service industry via their online storefront at www.martinsmokery.com. For additional information about Martin x Martin Artisan smoked Salmon, contact Martin x Martin Smokery at 937-234-7281 or at [email protected].

Cold Brew Now On Tap At Ghostlight Coffee

June 3, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

This morning South Park’s Ghostlight Coffee becomes the first Dayton beanery to put cold-brew coffee on draft. A concept borrowed from the bar rooms, the tap injection of nitrous oxide that gives beer a smoother, creamier feel (as opposed to typical carbonation which adds fizz and bubbles) and apparently it does the same for coffee.

A growing trend, started in Seattle, Ghostlight owner Shane Anderson shares he’s “the 2nd Ohio location to bring in a kegerator to offer the Cold Brew, which comes out like a Guinness. It’s going to take a little time to get the brew exactly right, but we’re excited to introduce this concept. Down the road I’m looking forward to experimenting with ciders and more.” In a town that’s welcomed the microbreweries with open arms, coffee from a tap just seems a natural! Just think about it, you can grab a growler of coffee for the morning and then a locally made IPA for an early evening treat.

Here’s a California coffee shops explanation of the process:

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBj3mK4yPwg’]

Racquet Club Hosts Charity Beer Tasting Ticket Contest

June 2, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

The Dayton Racquet Club plays host to an evening of beer tasting this Wed night from 6-9pm with their Hops for Hope Benefit.

Enjoy 30 craft beers from some of the finest breweries representing the Miami Valley paired with sumptuous bites prepared by Executive Chef Joe Fish. Food pairing will be matched with each style or beer. Live entertainment and several area golf course packages will be available for bidding on during our auction, so come snap up a great deal on golf at one of our local courses. Tickets run $35 per person.

Complimentary parking is available in the Kettering Tower Parking Garage. Bring your parking ticket up to the club for validation. Smart Casual Attire.

Net proceeds raised during this Charity Classic event will be allocated evenly to Artemis Center – Dayton’s Domestic Violence Resource Agency, Augie’s Quest at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), and Employee Partner Care Foundation (E.P.C.F.). All registration fees will be collected by ALS TDI and distributed to the other two charities. Buy tickets online to avoid a line at the door.

DMM Ticket Contest: We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away, so just give us a like, fill out the form below and a reason you should be our winner in the comments below. We’ll randomly pick a winner Tues. [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Food Trucks Out In Force This Weekend

May 29, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Last summer the food truck rallies were a regular thing downtown, this summer they are spreading out all over the region. And while we’ve lost a few of last years popular trucks – both Fressa and Ringo’s North Star Mobile have left the business- we’ve seen even more new trucks join the mobile food business, like Lilia’s Outside Cafe , Voodoo Taco Company and Flour Power Pizza.

Food trucks have become beloved additions to the region’s dining scene, with the power to add vibrancy and traffic to an area with just a few Facebook posts. ZombieDogz is the reigning king of attraction in the mobile food world, Harvest Mobile Cuisine seems to hold the road dog crown, with the most appearances around town. The emergence of local taprooms have proved a popular partnership for those looking for a bite to eat with their beers and Courthouse Square downtown, plays host to foodtruck lunches Monday – Friday. However, due to the nature of their businesses, it’s sometimes hard to know where you’ll find a truck on any givien day. Our Food Truck Finder Calendar keeps track of a majority of the area’s food truck fleet, so go ahead, bookmark it for when you have a craving.

This Friday for lunch, the trucks will head to Riverside, hoping to attract the attention of workers of the region’s largest employer, WPAFB. The rally will be outside the gates, and picnic tables and portable restrooms are being brought in to make the empty lot across from the base into a temporary food pod.

Trucks expected to participate are: Go Cupcake, Cheeky Meat Pies, Pa’s Pork, The Shakery Juice Bar, Flour Power Pizza, Hunger Paynes, Porkey’s Smokehouse, D Fish and D Chicken, Lilia Cafe, East Coast Eatz, El Meson Express, Paranormal Concessions, and Dayton Urban BBQ

And this Saturday the Crestwood Swim Club in Kettering will host a Picnic in the Park from 1-5pm. They are promising “fantastic food with many adjacent amenities for the whole family to enjoy!” Expected participants include: Flour Power Pizza, G’s Cue BBQ, Go Cupcake, Harvest Mobile Cuisine, Hunger Paynes Food Truck, and The Shakery Juice Bar.

If you’d like more information, or would like to enquire about booking a food truck, check out the Dayton Food Truck Association or check the DMM List of FoodTrucks. If you know of a truck we don’t have on our list, please leave us a comment below.

Firehouse Subs 2nd Location Now Open in Oakwood

May 28, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

The ribbon cutting was this morning and now Seth Grusenmeyer and his father David have opened their second Firehouse Subs franchise in the new strip center at the corner of Brown Street and Irving Avenue in Oakwood. This brand new strip center, developed by T.R. Routsong, currently houses a Saxby’s Coffee with a drive-thru, an Orange Leaf Yogurt under construction and a vapor electronic cigarette store that will be the final tenant in the four unit building. T.R. admits it’s taken a while to get the center open due to all the zoning issues, but shares that he’s “excited to have Seth & David operating a business that will be such a great addition to the community.” The opening of Firehouse Subs has created over 30 new jobs, mainly filled by young adults.

The Jacksonville, Florida based Firehouse is known for specializing in hot subs with large portions of premium meats and Sargento cheeses, “steamed” hot and placed atop fresh produce on a toasted sub roll. With over 16 sandwiches that average about $6 on the menu, and the option to create your own, theirs something for everyone. Salads and an award winning chili round out the menu.

Seth, who admits an addiction to hot sauce, shared that the chain is the largest user of Datil peppers in the country, and they sell their signature Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Hot Sauce to compliment their subs. But don’t worry if that’s not the sauce for you, each of their stores features a variety of hot sauces, rated for heat, for their customers.

Firehouse Subs also offers catering with sub and salad platters available as well as box lunches available for groups of 10 or more.

Seth and his father, who is a retired fire fighter, had talked about starting a food business together and the firefighter theme, great menu and commitment to the community Firehouse Subs has just spoke to them.

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is dedicated to improving the life-saving capabilities of first responders and public safety organizations in communities served by Firehouse Subs by providing funding, resources and support. The eatery raises money for their foundation with:

In-restaurant Donation Canisters – Drop your spare change into the acrylic donation canister between the registers at any Firehouse Subs restaurant.

Round Up – “Round Up” your credit card or cash purchase to the nearest dollar every time you visit a Firehouse Subs.

Pickle Buckets – Purchase a recycled five-gallon pickle bucket for only $2 each. All proceeds benefit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Use the pickle buckets for painting, gardening, washing the car, or anything else you can think of.

Beer & Bourbon -Matches Made At The Century Bar

May 28, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

The idea of a beer and a shot aren’t new, but as the craft beer movement is expanding the flavor profiles of beer available in the Miami Valley and with the expertise of the staff and the abundance of bourbons on the shelf at The Century Bar, it just seems inevitable that the bar has been raised on the concept. So when Warped Wing Brewing Company and The Century announced a paring event for this Saturday, May 31st, I knew it would be something special. So when Joe invited me to attend the pairing meeting, I was pretty excited.

Joe Head and Tim Fry from The Century and Head Brewmaster John Haggerty, Sales & Marketing Manager Nick Bowman and assistant brewmaster Jeff Fortney of Warped Wing (pictured left to right)showed up at the bar for the planning session full of ideas. They all agreed on a working theory of starting with the beers- lightest to heaviest and then finding the most complimentary bourbon to pair with it. I know everyone thinks that would be an easy job, but with the tasting, discussion about finish, mouth taste and complimentary vs. contrasting flavors, I realized that this was real work. Were flavors that blended better than opposite tastes? Did a too strong bourbon wash out the spice in a beer? “The power of the pairing can calm down an IPA and give it a creamy mouth feel,” observed Joe Head after one potential pairing. At one point, there were over 30 glasses on the bar and it was pretty confusing trying to keep up what was in each glass.

I could only stick around for an hour and so I’m not sure what the final pairings will be, but the beers to be featured start with a brand new Warped Wing release – Catfight- a Belgian Saison, followed by Flyin’Rye, – a rye IPA, Gypsy Queen, a Chile Beer and 10 Ton – an Oatmeal Stout. The bourbons won’t be announced in advance, so you’ll have to make a reservation for the Sat 4-6pm event to find out what they are. It’s a true bargain at $25, and includes four 4oz beer and 1 oz bourbon duo’s served up with a good deal of background from some of the most knowledgable bartenders and beer aficionado’s this town has to offer. There are only 50 tickets available and about 1/2 of those have been sold already. Call The Century at 223-3382 or stop by to reserve your seat.

And just from the flow of conversations and chemistry that was evident between these men that take their drinking seriously, you can be sure that this won’t be the only partnership between Warped Wing and The Century.

Update: The event was a sell out!

Join Chef Margot to Celebrate Salar’s First Anniversary!

May 23, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

The Gypsy Queen Comes To Warped Wing

May 21, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Warped Wing Brewery releases their newest limited release beer, Gypsy Queen on Thurs, May 2nd at 5pm. . This unique ale is reddish-brown in color and has a mildly smoky finish with medium body and caramel malt highlights. The hop character is very mild with just enough bitterness to balance the beer. Made with Ancho and Serrano chiles which provide an aroma of peppers and a mild heat index which builds as you drink the beer.

This beer was inspired by Dayton’s early history of Gypsy culture that originated with King Levi Mosley and his wife Queen Matilda Joles Stanley. Queen Matilda was well known for telling fortunes and had remarkable powers as a mesmerist. Once again Warped Wing has tapped local artist Amy Kollar Anderson to create the art and many of you may recognize Clash Consignment ownerMary Kathryn Burnside as the model.. This beer will keep your taste buds wandering with it’s unique combination of flavors but in the end you’ll keep coming back home for that mild heat that builds throughout! A truly perfect beer to kickoff the grilling season!!

Big Brews And Blues On The Menu For Friday Night Ticket Giveaway

May 13, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby 5 Comments

Diabetes Dayton will hold its 5^th annual Big Brews and Blues fundraiser on Friday, May 16 from 5-9pm at Carillon Park. With the event taking place at the end of American Craft Beer week, it’s only right that it features a unique selection of American beer with a specific emphasis on beer brewed in Ohio. This year there will be 60 beers to chose from, some of which will only be available at this event. One unique offering is a Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Boston Stoker coffee-infused cask-conditioned ale. They will have beer represented from breweries such as Thirsty Dog, Samuel Adams and Mt. Carmel, to name a few. And there is a special emphasis on our local microbreweries, with 2 selections each from: Dayton Beer Company, Eudora, Toxic Brew, Yellow Springs Brewery, Star City Brewing, Hairless Hare, and Lock 27.

Food will be available for purchase from Boston’s Bistro & Pub, Company 7, Hickory River

Smokehouse, Taqueria Mixteca and Brock Masterson’s. The music also draws from local talent with Chris Yakopcic starting the evening off, followed by the Eric Jerardi Band, and the final act of the evening will be the Mark May Band with the Soul Satyr Horns.

Big Brews & Blues is the signature fundraiser to help generate revenue so that any child living with diabetes can attend camp, regardless of their ability to pay. Camp for these kids means making friends with other children living with diabetes, becoming more independent, receiving the best medical care 24/7, and enjoying all the fun camp can offer.

Tickets for this 21 and older event are $30 presale or $40 at the door and include 20 2oz tastes with a souvenir sampling glass. General admission for those who’d like to just come out for some great music is $20. Tickets can be purchased at a variety of ticket locations throughout the Dayton area or on-line. The event is all under tents and will be held rain or shine (the forecast is 70 and sunny right now). Information can be found on the event website www.bigbrewsandblues.com and you can also call the Diabetes Dayton office at 937-220-6611.

DMM Ticket Contest
We’re giving away 2 pairs of tickets fro Big Brews and Blues. If you ‘d like to throw your name in the drawing, like this post, tell us your favorite brew in the comment below and fill out the form. We’ll announce the winners Wed night![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

RHINEGEIST BREWERY EXPANDS DISTRIBUTION TO DAYTON

May 11, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

The brewery boom that is now happening in Dayton started just a little bit earlier in Cincinnati. Rhinegeist Brewery opened in the historic Over the Rhine near Findlay Market in June of 2013. The 50,000 square foot brewery was originally built before prohibition in 1895 and was operated as part of the Moerlein Brewing company. Rhinegeist opened their doors as a 20-barrel brewhouse with four 40-barrel fermenters, and has since expanded to an annual capacity of over 10,000BBL (20,000 kegs).

Rhinegeist co-founders Bryant Goulding (left) and Bob Bonder.

The yin/yang of their brewing philosophy is hoppy/sessionable, and they aim to brew beers where “the first sip calls for the third”. Rhinegiest co-founder Bryant Goulding was the West Coast regional sales manager for Delaware’s Dogfish Head Brewery, and prior to that, worked for California’s Anderson Valley Brewing Company. In September 2011, Goulding received a call from Bob Bonder, president of the Tazza Mia coffee house empire. Bonder, 31, met Goulding when the two worked in San Francisco. Bonder asked Goulding to visit Cincinnati to help work on the business plan for Rhinegeist. Goulding responded: “Bob, I’m not going to move to Cincinnati,” but agreed to assist. He ultimately returned to the West Coast, broke up with his girlfriend, and set in motion plans that led to his move to Ohio in 2012.

Rhinegeist Brewery recently announced that theye are expanding distribution to include the entire Dayton Ohio market. Beer drinkers throughout Dayton will be able to get their hands on the Cincinnati-made brew in local bars, restaurants, and retail locations. To celebrate the launch, Rhinegeist will be partnering with various local watering holes to throw tapping/tasting parties. Each party will include the chance to enjoy Rhinegeist beer, enter to win prizes, and even meet the brewery staff (they’re an interesting bunch, promise).

Dayton Launch Events:

Mon,May 12- Company 7 BBQ Brew Crew Event

Wed, May 14- Rhinegeist Tap Takeover at Jimmie’s Ladder 11

Thurs, May 15 – Archers Tavern Official Dayton Launch Party

Fri, May 15 – Big Brews & Blues Festival

Mother’s Day Dining Round Up

May 7, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Mom deserve nothing but the best on her special day…

If your plans include a visit to her favorite restaurant but you haven’t already booked reservations for dinner, brunch or some other special meal, we highly suggest you mzke that call for reservations now! Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to eat in a restaurant, according to the National Restaurant Association. 55% of Mother’s Day dinners will go out for dinner, 34% will do lunch, 30% will do brunch and 12% will dine out for breakfast. And yes, that adds up to more than 100%, because about 25% of US residents will dine out for more than one meal on Mother’s Day.

Because Mother’s Day is such a popular occasion, chances are good that your favorite restaurant will be offering some sort of special menu for the holiday. We’ve done our best to highlight some of the special menu’s being offered about town, but we’re sure there are even more. If we’ve forgotten your favorite eatery, feel free to add it in the comments below.

Amber Rose 228-2511
Buffet Brunch 10:30am -2 pm
$24 adults, $10 kids under 12

Carvers Steaks and Chops 433-7099
Plated Brunch 11am – 3pm
$18 – $27

C’est Tout 298-0022
3 course meal noon – 6pm
Adults $32.50, kids 6-12 $16.25, 5 and under free

Chappy’s Tap Room & Grill 299-7427
11am – 8pm
entree, choice of two sides and Chappys Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake for dessert
$12.99

Coco’s Bistro 228-2626
Plated Brunch 10am – 2pm
$20

El Meson 859-8229
Latin American Buffet Brunch 11am – 2pm
Special kids buffet burrito bar
$28, children 12 and under $12, 6 and under free

Giovani’s 878-1611
Buffet 11am – 6pm
$18.95

Golden Jersey Inn 325-0629
Buffet 8am -11am breakfast, 11am -2pm brunch, 2-8pm dinner
$20.95 including beverage and dessert, age 4-10 $8.95, under 3 free

Hawthorn Grill 298-2222
Family-style, all-you-can-eat
$22 per person. $13 kids ages 2-12. FREE – kids under 2

Hilton Garden Inn 458-2650
Brunch 10:30am to 2pm
Adults $27.95++ Children 5-12 $12.95++

Musica will perform at the DAI at 3pm

Leo Bistro 223-4ART (4278)
The Art of Brunch Buffet Seatings are available at 11:30am, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm
$30 per person members, $35 per person non-members, $20 children 10 & under
Add the Musica concert for $8 per adult brunch (children free)

The Melting Pot 567-8888
3 course Meal Deal noon- 1opm
$38.95

Neil’s HeritageHouse 298-8611
Buffet Brunch with 2 seatings 11:30am or 2:30pm
Adults $27.95, Children 4-10 $14.95

Salar 203-3999
Plated Brunch 11am – 3pm
$7-$19

Moore Desserts Please Celebrates Second Anniversary

May 2, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Brittany Moore, owner of Moore Dessert Please! invites you to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of her store, located at 1003 Shroyer Road in Oakwood, with a free cupcake for a year give away, buy 2 get 2 specials, t shirt giveways and a visit from Zombie Dogz! The celebration will run from 11am – 3pm this Sunday, May 4th.

Moore’s business was launched on the heels of her 2 appearances on the cable tv bakers challenge show, CupCake Wars, where she and her mother competed twice on the Food Network show. Read about it here. From cupcakes to brownies, everything they make in our kitchen is single batch, fresh from scratch. Moore’s business is geared for sellouts “we bake everyday fresh from scratch, we do our best to keep up with demand, however, after our check point at 3pm, we allow our cupcakes to sell out.”

Moore Desserts Please supports many charity events, including a coats for cupcakes exchange, DMM’s own Sweet Treats Festival.

Ben & Jerry’s 35th Anniversary Means Free Cones!

April 8, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Thirty five years ago today Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield celebrated surviving their very first year of running their business. To thank those that supported their little ice cream store, Ben & Jerry’s, they decided to give everyone a free cone. And on every April 8th since then they’ve continued that tradition. The event grows larger every year and this year there are 26 countries taking part with over 700 scoop shops serving free ice cream and frozen yogurt (for those wanting a few less calories) from all participating stores.

Fans can choose any flavor they’d like, but they’ll also be able to try Ben & Jerry’s newest flavors, which include:

Salted Caramel Blondie: Sweet cream ice cream with blonde brownies and a salted caramel swirl
Hazed and Confused: Hazelnut and chocolate ice creams with fudge chips and a hazelnut fudge swirl
Cotton Candy: Cotton candy ice cream loaded with cotton candy piece

For me it will be a touch decision between Phish Food (chocolate ice cream with marshmallow, caramel and fudge bits) or Chocolate Peppermint Crunch (Chocolate Ice Cream with Peppermint and Fudge Swirls and Mint Chocolate Cookie Balls) or if I’m trying to be good Chocolate Fudge Brownie (Low Fat Frozen Chocolate Yogurt with Fudge Brownies).

No matter what flavor you pick- the best part is it will be free from noon to 8pm at the ice cream parlor located at 1934 Brown Street. And be warned- for some silly reason, the Ben & Jerry’s at The Greene never seems to participate in this promotion.

For more info and to find your nearest participating shop, click here.