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Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Lisa Grigsby

Adventure Summit Volunteer Orientation, Feb 17 or 22

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images-78Five Rivers MetroParks and Wright State University are seeking dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to help at The Adventure Summit. Volunteer opportunities are available for everyone from the novice hiker to the expert outdoor person. The only requirement is that you are willing to have a great time while being immersed in outdoor culture. Volunteers will leave knowing they have promoted an active, healthy lifestyle in the region and have contributed to making Dayton “The Adventure Capital of the Midwest!”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the event, please attend one of thse Adventure Summit Orientations:

Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Monday, Feb. 22 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Held at the Outdoor Recreation Department office at 224 N. St. Clair Street, Dayton, Ohio. Pizza will be served. Registration requested; walk-ins welcome.

Contact Rachel Brand at (937) 564-5431.

Shifts available within the following windows:
Thursday, March 4, 10 am – 5 pm
Friday, March 5, 10 am – 9 pm
Saturday, March 6, 9 am – 8 pm

Volunteer Opportunities Include:
Autograph Session Support
Classroom Ambassador
Exhibitor Support Team
General Event Set-up
General Event Tear Down
Headquarters
Volunteer Registration
Exhibitor Registration
Presenter Registration
Volunteer Getaway Supervisor
Information Central
Merchandise Sales
Greeter
Guide
Key Note Program Usher
MetroParks Booth Ambassador
Pool
Registration/Waivers
Program Support
Spirit Crew

Volunteers Needed to Resurrect Arts Comimission

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hhtsResidents of Huber Heights with an interest in the performing and visual arts are being encouraged to apply for 9 openings for the Arts Commission Board. This board has been inactive in recent years and is currently being reconstituted!

Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2010 and can be obtained at City Hall, 6131 Taylorsville Road or from the City of Huber Heights website, www.hhoh.org. (Click on the city “Employment Job Openings” link, then look under “Volunteer Opportunities”

Applicants must be a resident and elector of Huber Heights (registered to vote). Boards and commissions advise the City Council on issues important to the city of Huber Heights. Most positions do not require extensive expertise, just an eagerness to serve. The Arts Commission has nine (9) vacancies with staggered terms expiring from 2011 through 2014.

The Arts Commission is charged with studying and developing a program for the development and encouragement of all forms of art within the City, including the fine arts; performing arts; historical arts and interests in community heritage; folk arts; and cultural arts. The Arts Commission will make recommendations to the City Council on the implementation and operation of a City arts program. The Arts Commission will also have planning and operational responsibilities related to City-sponsored festivals, events, parades, etc.

It will meet once a month at a date and time yet to be determined.
Applications should be sent to the Huber Heights City Council, c/o Anthony Rodgers, Clerk of Council, 6131 Taylorsville Road, Huber Heights, OH 45424.

Help Create Xenia’s future!

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xenia_logo_02There is a vacancy on the Xenia Planning and Zoning Commission! If you would like to be a part of planning for Xenia’s future and are interested in serving, keep reading:

The Planning and Zoning Commission is established by Xenia City Charter Article VIII, §8.01, and governed by Xenia Codified Ordinance Chapter 1220: Xenia Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall be an advisory commission to the City Council. In the interest of public health, safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity or general welfare of the public, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall make recommendations to City Council upon the following: a Xenia Urban Service Area Land Use Plan for dividing the city or any portion thereof into zones or districts; limitations and regulations as to the height, bulk and location of structures; percentage of lot and dwelling unit occupancy; setback building lines; area and dimensions of yards, courts and other open spaces; uses of land, buildings and other structures in zones and districts; appropriate zoning for land surrounding the city; and such other things as City Council may deem appropriate. In addition, the Planning and Zoning Commission may make recommendations as to amend the Planning and Zoning Code and the zoning map. The commission consists of five volunteers who are residents of the City and are appointed by the City Council to staggered terms of four years each. One Council member serves as chair as appointed by the Council President at their second regular session in January of each year. Staff representatives include the City Planner ([email protected]) and/or the City Engineer ([email protected]).

Frequency of Meetings: Regular sessions are held once per month on the first Thursday, with occasional special sessions on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Those who would like to relay a question, comment or concern to the Planning and Zoning Commission may do so at the meeting during Audience Break or by contacting the Chair of the Commission or the staff representatives through the links on this page. Citizens interested in placing an item on the agenda for discussion should submit their requests to the City Clerk, 101 N. Detroit Street, Xenia, OH 45385. Requests must be received no less than 10 days prior to the meeting date.

Meeting Location: Regular/Special Sessions are held in the City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 101 N. Detroit Street, Xenia, unless otherwise noted on the published agenda.

Printable Meeting and Application Deadline Schedule: [click here]

Xenia Planning and Zoning Commission Application: To view and/or print the XPZC application, click here. To view and/or print the instructions, click here.  The Planning and Zoning Department staff is available to assist applicants during every phase of the application process. Applicants are strongly encouraged to schedule a pre-submittal meeting during which the applicant can learn about the Board and Commission process. A pre-submittal meeting also affords the applicant and staff the opportunity to address any initial concerns with the application. For more information or to schedule a meeting, please call the City Planner at (937) 376-7285 or e-mail [email protected].

For information on Planning and Zoning Commission Agendas and Meeting Minutes: Please call the City Clerk at (937) 376-7235 or e-mail [email protected].

Your current Planning and Zoning Commissioners are as follows:

  • Joshua Long, Vice Chair
  • Jim Kennedy
  • Sarah Amend
  • (vacancy)
  • Everett Ross

The Planning and Zoning Commission is chaired by Councilman John G. Caupp ([email protected]).

Vacancy Information: Thank you for your interest. There is currently a vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Commission.  If you are interested in serving, please contact Michelle Johnson, City Clerk, at (937) 376-7235.

Spinoza’s hosts Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner

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spinoza'sThis gourmet pizza parlor may be located in a mall, but don’t let that stop you from checking it out. Proprietor Glen Brailey is creating a suburban mecca for fans of California style pizza’s,  artisan salads, live music and craft beers.  With 120 seats, additional patio seating (eventually spring will be here and you’ll appreciate this), and an outside entrance so you don’t have to go into the mall, it’s the kinda place that could easily become a great date destination. Checkout the upcoming live music schedule.

ddn061209godineSpinoza’s next beer dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7:00 pm. Beer expert Lee Hill from Sierra Nevada Brewery (Chico, California) will be on hand to talk about craft brewing and the unique Sierra Nevada beers featured that evening. This is a reservation-only event. Their first beer dinner last month sold out quickly so reserve early if you want to go! Call 937-426-7799 or email reservations. Cost is $24.95 per person plus tax & gratuity. Four-course dinner and six (6) different Sierra Nevada beers are included. Vegetarian options will be available.

Follow this link to REGISTER ON LINE

MENU:
Welcome Beer
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen
Served with fresh, house-made Soft Pretzel and
Mustard/Garlic Aioli Dip

Appetizer
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (draft)
Cheddar Cheese & Pale Ale Soup with Romano Croutons

Salad
Sierra Nevada Glissade (draft)
Organic, locally grown Arugula Lettuce, Cluster Tomatoes, Toasted Nevada Pine Nuts, and Parmesan/Asiago Shavings

Intermezzo
25th Year Bigfoot Barleywine Ale

Entreé
Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA
Spinoza’s Hearth-baked Italian Meat & Cheese or Roasted Veggie Stromboli with Creamy Italian Gorgonzola Sauce

Dessert
Sierra Nevada Porter
Italian Tiramisu Parfait

Spinoza’s is located  at the corner of North Fairfield Rd and Pentagon Parkway- at The Mall at Fairfield Commons.  Head to entrance B near Sears.

Hours Of Operation:
Mon – Thurs: 11:30 am – 9 pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 10 pm
Sun: Noon – 7 pm


The Masterpiece Ball- An Evening With The Great Chefs

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MasterpieceBallIt so seems like the name of a special you’d see on the Food Network, doesn’t it? While it certainly could be, it’s also something you can attend right here in Dayton!  The exquisite five course dinner, with each course prepared by one of the Miami Valley’s most celebrated chefs and  complemented with sommelier-selected wines, will happen Sat, March 13th in the historic Dayton Masonic Center.  Just recently opened to the general public, the two story grand dining room is itself an architectural masterpiece.  The chefs for the evening will be:

750_Chefs-crop_small♦ Chef Keith Taylor of Savona
♦ Chef Dominique Fortin of C’est Tout
♦ Chef David Glynn of the Wright-Patterson Club
♦ Chef Anne Kearney of Rue Dumaine
♦ Chef Jared Whalen of L’Auberge

The inspiration for The Masterpiece Ball is due in large measure to Chef Dieter Krug, who passed away this past fall.
Dieter, who left Germany in 1953, worked in hotels in Rome and Madrid before moving to the U.S. in 1956. Chef Krug worked for the Comisar family at The Maisonette in Cincinnati and the King Cole in Dayton before co-founding L’Aubere.  A mentor to many working chef’s today, his guidance during the creation of this event is being honored with  the menu for the ball.

Following dinner, guests can dance to the incomparable Marygolds show band, play a hand of blackjack in The Balcony Casino, or head to Après, our “cigars under the stars” venue featuring an extensive selection of single malt scotches, liqueurs and fine cigars.

Dayton Operan Guild Event Co-Chair, Katie Mitakides was so enthusiastic in explaining, “this isn’t some stuffy old ball -it’s an amazing party with spectacular food and lots of fun. We’ve even got a special price for first time attenedee’s and those under 40.”  Patron tickets start at $175/person and the discount for newbies is indeed significant- $50/person.  Click or more info or to reserve tickets.

Proceeds from the event help fund high school and college vocal competitions sponsored by the Guild.

A series of preview Happy Hour parties have been planned to show off the menu inspirations called Tempting Tastes. Tease your appetite by sampling the fabulous food prepared by our esteemed chefs at preview parties.

Join us at one or all of the remaining tastes from 5 to 7 p.m.

*Rue Domaine, Thursday, February 11

*L’Auberge, Tuesday, February 23

*C’est Tout, Monday, March 1

Cost is $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. A cash bar is available.

Click here to make a reservation online. You can also contact Kimberly Robinson for more information or to make a reservation at [email protected] or on 937/294-6742.

Savor Your Sunday: Brunch For The Arts!

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CocosStivers_Postcard20101-194x300-1It’s brunch, it’s art, it’s the art of brunch and what a way to savor a Sunday in February!

Coco’s Bistro will again give up their Sunday’s off in the month of February to partnering with Stivers School for the Arts to present a brunch fundraiser with proceeds going to the Seedling Foundation, which helps fund adjunct teachers and other needs not covered by the school’s budget.  Last year’s events were so successful they will be be doing two seatings this year. The first at 10am and a second one at noon.

Each week will feature Stivers students performing:

Feb. 7: Jazz Trio

Feb. 14: String Ensemble

Feb. 21: Chamber Choir

Feb. 28: Concert Pianists.

The cost is $30 per person of which $15 is tax-deductible. Reservations are highly suggested and you can even make a prepaid reservation online.  Coco’s is located at 515 Wayne Avenue in the Oregon District.

Put Your Dirty Thoughts To Good Use

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EF_WOhio_weblogoThe Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio is hosting the 20th annual Mud Volleyball for Epilepsy tournament on Saturday, July 10, 2010 in Dayton, Ohio.

You can help name this year’s tournament!  Generally, they switch themes every two years. Past themes inlcude MUDSTOCK, MUDARITAVILLE, MUD WHITE & BLUES etc.

You can see they like the word “Mud” to be used in the name.  If your name is chosen, they will thank you with special Mud Volleyball perks!  Even though they’re playing in the MUD, please keep it CLEAN! Submit your suggestions by clicking here.

Thanks, and LET THE MUD START FLYING!!!

Winans Wine Tasting featuring ChocoVine

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14If you haven’t experienced the hottest wine craze to sweep through the Miami Valley this winter, Winans Fine Chocolates & Coffee is featuring the Dutch red wine that evokes a memory of a childhood Yoohoo drink. According to the ChocoVine website it’s “a fine French Cabernet subtly combined with a rich dark Chocolate from Holland, paired together to create a decadent, silky smooth drink, which can be served by itself on the rocks or as the main ingredient to an array of sinful cocktails.”

Judge for yourself this Thursday, Friday or Saturday, Feb 5 – 7, as Winans presents their pre-Valentines wine tastings between 6-10pm each night. Their tastings traditionally feature 2 reds, 2 whites and a specialty wine and it’s $3/taste, $6/glass or try all 5 wines for $12. House wines are always available by the glass, or chose a bottle from the shelf, over 50 to choose from! Oh and the best part about Winans Tastings- the chocolate fountain will be running and you can dip strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels and graham crackers as part of the cost of your tasting! And that’s pretty cool for a Chocoholic like me!

This week’s features are:

RED WINES
Turn Me Red – Zweigelt Cab Blend – Austria
Turn Me Sweet – Sweet Tempranillo – Spain

WHITE WINES
Hayman Hill – Interchange – California
Bonterra – Certified 100% Organic Sauvignon Blanc – California

DESERT WINE
Chocovine, Chocolate Cab, France-Holland

Winans is located in the new village in front of Dayton Mall, next to Rusty Bucket.

Golf Club Hosts Local Visual Arts Showcase

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art@thetraceThe Fifth Annual Art at the Trace, sponsored by the Centerville Arts Commission will be held on February 13 at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace. “Art at the Trace is a well known and respected event in our community,” said Jim Teske, Centerville Arts Commissioner. “We are bringing back some favorites but have also made it a point to showcase some talent that may not have been seen before. When you mix food, talented artists, great music and Valentine’s weekend all in a warm and cheerful community you can expect something great,” he said.

The event will feature hundreds of works of fine art in a variety of mediums from paintings, photography, sculptures, jewelry, and mixed media on display for viewing and purchase.  Local artist, Nancy Fisher, is the Art at the Trace featured artist who has donated an original piece of artwork to be raffled off at the event. All ticket holders will be entered in the drawing and must be present to win.

Guests will enjoy live music provided by the James Murrell Trio and Rob Turner, along with an assortment of delicious, gourmet appetizers and desserts. A cash bar will be available offering fine wines, beers, and cocktails. The Golf Club at Yankee Trace will also be providing a cash tapas bar paired with wine selections for a nominal fee. Attend and you’ll learn how to choose wine that actually enhances the food’s taste while you stroll the gallery of fine art.

Tickets for Art at the Trace are $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Cash or check is accepted in advance and cash, check, or credit card will be accepted at the door. The event runs from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Saturday, February 13, 2010, at the Golf Club at Yankee Trace, 10000 Yankee Street in Centerville.

Advance tickets may be purchased in Centerville at the following locations:

· Municipal Building, 100 W. Spring Valley Road
· Pro Shop at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace, 10000 Yankee Street
· Centerville Framing and Gifts, 270 North Main Street

Historical Tea Party at Patterson Homestead

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images-72You’ll be transported back to the 1860’s for an afternoon tea  to celebrate a Victorian Era Valentine’s Day.  Guests will create an old fashioned Valentine to take with you. Enjoy hot tea, a variety of breads, tea sandwiches and desserts inside the Patterson Homestead while being served by interpreters in 19th century costume.

The tea is Sunday, Feb 7th from 2-4pm.  Cost of the tea is $18.00 per Dayton History member and $20.00 per non-member. Space is limited and prepaid reservations are required. For additional information or to make reservations, please contact the Patterson Homestead at (937) 222-9724, or visit daytonhistory.org.

South Park Sculptor’s Work on Permanent Display at Airport

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stokerrailingLocal metal sculptor, Hamilton Dixon, recently unveiled his latest public railing installation in the new Boston Stoker Coffee shop, located in the lobby of the Dayton International Airport.

Dixon, creator of the Dayton Art Institute railing, explored a new dimension with this railing fabrication, producing an outcome that is both fluid and multi-dimensional. The railing itself runs 30 feet in length, and it swoops and bows at a variety of heights and depths, complete with hand-forged interior components that seem to reflect an “Earth meets Sky” theme.

According to Dixon, the inspiration for this design came primarily from Don Dean of Boston Stoker, who makes a point of celebrating the local artists community. “I appreciate the opportunity that Boston Stoker has given me to have my work seen by so many people arriving to and departing from the Dayton airport, “ said Dixon.

HamiltonsculptsThe forging process used by Dixon is similar to that of an old-world blacksmith.  He begins his process with sticks of mild steel bar, either squared or round, then places them in a forge until they are red-hot.  He then manually removes the heated stick, and with hammer and anvil, hand-forges the steel into its intended shape.  Each and every element of this one-of-a-kind railing was hand-forged by the artist.

Dixon has been sculpting steel as an art form for 20 years. He began working with metal as a welder on an offshore oilrig in the 1980’s. He then attended Turley Forge School in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he learned basic techniques in forging steel, and in 1991 he relocated to Dayton, were he lives with his family in the historic South Park neighborhood.

He has produced a wide range of public art, installed throughout the Miami Valley; Dayton Art Institute Rotunda, Serenity Pines (University of Dayton), Aids Resource Center Kuntz Building, Cooper Loft Lobby, Kettering Delco Park, as well as private installations around Dayton and throughout the U.S.  For additional information about the artist and his other installations in the Dayton area, go to www.hamiltondixon.com.

ham'sbracletTo celebrate this most recent installation, Dixon has produced a line of limited edition, commemorative bracelet, which is currently on display at the Airport Boston Stoker. Bracelet is made of pure, solid, sterling silver,
hand-hammered by artist himself, numbered and signed for $180.  Purchase inquiries can be made by calling the  artists’s studio 228-3555.

The railing at the Dayton International Airport is a permanent installation and can be seen anytime, preferably with a hot latte in hand.

Dorothy Lane Market Lets You Choose Who They Support

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dlmDorothy Lane Market has been supporting our community since 1948 and even include this support as part of their mission statement.  Their Good Neighbor Program is the main ways they do this. Now with three locations, Dorothy Lane Market has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous local non profit organizations over the past several years through this program.

In 2010, DLM will donate $40,000 back to the community. The fun part is that you choose how the money is distributed using your DLM Club Card! All you do is simply choose an organization from the over 400 on their list to have your purchases credited. The groups span the interests of the community, including  A Special Wish, Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, the Humane Society, Stivers Seedling Fund and Project READ.  If your favorite charity isn’t included, just contact DLM to add it!

Every time you shop and scan your Club DLM card, your chosen nonprofit organization is “credited” with the purchase. At the end of the year participating charities will receive a pro-rated portion of the total $40,000, depending on the amount spent by participating customers with a Club DLM card. Sign up today and shop at Dorothy Lane Market to benefit the charity of your choice!  Neighbor Program for 2010!

Raffle to win Brunch With Project Runway’s Althea Harper

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altheahaprerOakwood’s own Althea Harper made it to Fashion Week last year in New York Ctiy!  TV Personality and fashion consultant  Tim Gunn made it to the Front Street Lofts here in Dayton to follow her progress.  And another Dayton Original got nationwide attention.

If you were enthralled watching  Althea’s weekly runway designs, sketches and Fashions on last year’s Project Runway, imagine the chance to talk about it all with her over brunch here in Dayton!

Purchase a $10 raffle ticket to help the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and you just might find yourself and 3 of your friends dining with Althea Harper and her mom this Sunday at Micheal’s Dining and Jazz for Brunch. Tickets still available, and the drawing will be Friday.

Find Out How Great Wine is Made While You Drink!

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hp_Rotation_AD2Casually stroll through the Boonshoft Museum and learn about wine, compare and contrast wines aged in stainless steel and wood, investigate maritime influences on wine making, explore how geology and soil affect vineyards, and discover interesting scientific principles of grape growing, wine making, tasting, selecting and serving.

Sample specially-selected wines while you listen to experts from E&J Gallo Winery, Heidelberg Distributing, Arrow Wine, Bella Vino, The Little Store and The Wine Gallery and Café, then help yourself to your favorites at the full, open bars.

Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, presentations by industry experts, live music, Laser Shows, Science On a Sphere ® and unforgettable Museum activities.

All proceeds benefit the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery’s STEM programs. Tickets are $75/person, all inclusive. VIP tickets are $100/person, and offer additional wine selections from rare and exclusive vineyards

For more information, please call 937–275–7431, ext. 136. You must be 21 to attend this event.

On-line reservations will be accepted through Friday, January 29 at 5:00 p.m. After that time, please call 937–275–7431 ext 120 to make your reservation using Visa or MasterCard. Live Responsibly.

To purchase tickets please click here

10 ?’s with Chef Jenn DiSanto

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6Sometimes you just get a feeling about people.  When I emailed Chef DiSanto to set up this interview she was in Atlanta, visiting with her ill father, yet took the time to send me a rather amusing email about how we could do the interview as she was driving home in the car with her little ones, but that it might be better to wait.  No problem, so we set it up at her Centerville kitchen and she asked me what my favorite foods were.  Of course anyone who knows me can answer this- CHOCOLATE!

I arrived on a snowy morning to her office at The Easy Way Out and Chef greeted me graciously and we headed back to her kitchen, which was spotless and well organized.   We made the usual getting to know you chit chat and in no time at all I was charmed.  And then she went to the cooler to pull out a batter she’d made so it could cook while we talked.  A molten chocolate lava cake-woo hoo-she knows how to please! Of course, as we got to question 2 and her dread of baking I felt pretty guilty- she’d done what she hated most, just to make a good impression on me!

A classically trained chef, she ran her own catering business in Connecticut, then moved to Europe and then came to Dayton about 3 years ago (you can read her official bio here).  She’s a guerrilla marketer, who started her current business by talking to total strangers about her passion and skill for making good food.  And having spent just a couple hours with her, it’s easy to see why she’s making such a big impression on folks, in such a short time in the region.

As we went through the questions over a spread of bleu cheese stuffed figs with balsamic vinaigrette, marinated mushrooms, shortbread cookies and chips with her own special salsa (which by the way was so flavorful and she’ll soon be selling it commercially),  it was so easy to feel Chef Jenn’s passion for food and cooking.  Right in the middle of a question, she’d sit in anticipation as I bit into a taste and wait and watch for my reaction.  She genuinely wanted me to get as much pleasure out of eating the food as she gets from cooking it. And I did!

She told me the story of how she ended up teaching at Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking– she was ordering fish at the seafood counter, and as a true gourmet cook, wanted it whole- head and all.  A gentleman walked by, heard her talking and asked if she was a chef.  I have to believe he too was blown away by her enthusiasm for great, fresh ingredients because he turned out to be a DLM big wig and just a couple short weeks later she was teaching her first class.  Now she teaches 5 or 6 a month, and be warned, they sell out quickly. She teaches, caters events, prepares gourmet meals for you to purchase  and eventually, when her children are older, she’ll have a full service shop where you can pick out all your ingredients and she’ll whip them into a fabulous, mouth watering menu.

We laughed and talked so much, I felt guilty for taking up so much of her time.  But not so guilty I didn’t enjoy my chocolate cake!  Hope you get the warm feeling I got meeting Chef Jenn when you read this:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
There are so many I love! Saffron, truffles, fresh morels, tomatoes, olives, smoked paprika, really, really good olive oil…so many more I love, but I’ll stop here. Oh, and fresh herbs!

What ingredient do you dread?
I don’t really dread an ingredient, so much but I don’t enjoy precise baking with complicated recipes. I will do it when I have to but I don’t love it. I do however love baking when it comes to breads and foccacias as they give you a little more freedom.

Chef Jenn plating up the bluecheese figs with balsamic vinagrette she made me.

Chef Jenn plating up some of the goodies she made for me during our interview.

What’s your favorite dish to make?
So many tapas dishes I could not begin to mention them all-it’s my favorite type of meal to cook and my favorite way to eat…small tastes of big flavors. If I had to pick a bigger dish I would say paella because it really is an art to me or osso bucco because I just love braised dishes. Braising is really all about creating a relationship with food. You combine flavors, it’s a slow cooking method that tenderizes the meat and it simmers and the smells flirt with you, building you up for the big taste finish.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Is wine a food? Ok, I guess I would have to say pizza or really good chewy bread with great quality herb butter…and wines of course. I’m really into Spanish wines lately- I like really hearty full bodies reds with lots of tannins.
I’m not a wine snob I just like good wine!

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I love Meadowlark, Rue Dumaine, The Winds, El Meson to name a few. Oh yeah and Amelia’s Bistro in Bellbrook and Pasha Grille at The Greene.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Don’t get so caught up in a recipe-it is merely a guideline-at least in cooking! Relax, have fun and try new things. Also, always start with the best ingredients to end with a great dish. Also if you are making yourself crazy trying to impress a dinner guest, they they may not really be a friend…

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
As you can see there is a theme here…I can’t limit my answers…
First would be my husband, Jim, 4 year old daughter Eva and 2 year old son Max…but my kids wouldn’t be picky eaters at this dinner party. I would also always love to have dinner with my mother and father and six sisters anytime-great food was always a way of life for us growing up. I would also love to have dinner with Julia Child, but what chef wouldn’t? I would also love to have dinner with Shirley O. Corriher (author and food scientist)- oh the stories she has and the knowledge she has is amazing to me. Plus she is so funny and down to earth.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Again…so many and I truly believe that you can learn from anyone and everyone.  But here are a few:
Alice Waters for how she pioneered the importance of locally grown fresh food
Julia Child-again what chef- especially female chef-doesn’t look up to her?
Jose Andres who master the art of tapas beautifully everyday
and locally Chef Wiley form Meadowlark for running a great restaurant with great food and just being a great person.  Chef Anne Kearney from Rue Dumaine for being so incredibly talented, passionate and gracious all at the same time. Chef Carrie Walters the corporate chef at DLM for being so passionate about food and bringing it to life so beautifully in a more challenging type of food service-dishes that are not made to order.. Also any of the gang at DLM-The Mayne family (who own Dorothy Lane Market) is so passionate about food and this translates so beautifully through all of their employees to the customers- I love to shop there!

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Chef Jenn, Eva and Max

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
Spend time with my family. We absolutely love all the free parks in the Miami Valley. It’s one of the things that really made us love Dayton. After being in Europe where you pay for everything, even to pee, it’s amazing the abundance of open green space. We love to spend a day in Yellow Springs and at Young’s Jersey Dairy. The Boonshoft Museum has also been a wonderful place to explore with my kids.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

We all have a kitchen disaster story but I am pretty good about recovering, picking myself back up and laughing it off.  There was the time I catered for surprise birthday party for a client.  He said there would be about 50 people so we planned the menu to do tapas and then paella for the main meal.  Then a few days before the party, he called and said everyone was so exited about the concept of the party they all decided to rsvp so now the count was up to well over 100.  Ok-no problem, you have to be flexible in catering.  This was to be set outside but I only had an our after he got his wife out of the house to set up…the bar, the tables, the buffet tables for the tapas and burners foteh 5 large paella pans that I would be using.  He didn’t want to have a tent because his wife would obviously figure out something was happening.  Mission accomplished on time and the client was thrilled, but as I was cooking paella out of nowhere it started to rain.  One of my assistants very politely asked if we should postpone or move into the garage, but I was forming the perfect crust on the paella, so we held umbrellas over the paella to keep it protected, while I got completely soaked in my chef whites.  Just as the paella was ready, the rain stopped the guests came back outside and enjoyed the meal.  The guest had a blast, thoroughly enjoyed the party and I had a great laugh!

And of course as I left Chef Jenn’s kitchen that snowy day, she chased me out to the car with one more chocolate dessert for later.  And that reinforced that first feeling I had about her- this lady knows how to charm anyone, and she’s real!


Wine Gallery Opens at New Location!

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winegallerywallTonight at 5pm you’re invited to toast the new location of the popular wine bar.   Formerly in the Cannery on Third Street, it’s move to the corners of Main & Monument, at the south end of the Main Street Bridge,  allow for more room inside, a bigger and more complete kitchen and perhaps the ability to grow into a 2nd floor as well.  But let’s now get ahead of ourselves!  There’s a PMI parking lot one block away (Wine Gallery is trying to work a deal for discounted evening parking- but no word yet) and there is plenty of surface parking around.  Remember after 6pm you don’t have to feed the meters!

For now, just check out the new place, complete with riverfront views.  As part of the grand opening celebration there will be about 30 wines and 6 beers available for tasting for a fee, accompanied by a complimentary buffet.

Just imagine- how nice this location will be for after theater shows at the Victoria, The Loft and the Schuster- why Dayton might just have a downtown scene after all!

Wine Gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday 2 pm to 10 pm, Friday 11 am to 1 am, and Saturday 10 am to 1 am.   For more information, call (937) 224-9463.  Actual address is 5 West Monument, Dayton OH 45402.