Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More
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On February 23, 2012, I was invited to present at Pecha Kucha Dayton Volume 10. Pecha Kucha ( also called PK Night ) is a series of presenters that are required to show 20 images each lasting 20 seconds long. This format allows for a rapid, fast-paced, and eclectic group of presentations.
For more information, please visit
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/dayton/
This video can also be found at Snobby Beer.
Black Note Stout from Bell’s Brewery, Inc. is a blend of their Expedition Stout and Double Cream stout. It is then aged in retired bourbon barrels for months. I was lucky enough to try this beer on tap at Chappy’s Taproom. This beer was recently released in bottles in extremely limited quantities for the first time.
From the Bell’s website:
One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.
Alcohol by Volume: 11.5%
Original Gravity: 1.112
Shelf Life: N/A
Well, what do you expect? It’s black as night, and sat under a mocha-colored head that dissipated quickly. There was no lacing, but the beer had some pretty apparent alcohol legs. There wasn’t any light coming through on this one. With a name like Black Note, would you expect anything else?
This is heavy on the bourbon in the nose, which brings notes of vanilla and toasted coconut. There is a lot of nice complexity that ranges from sweet to slightly boozy. A hefty amount of chocolate and licorice comes through, and brings a bit of coffee and roasted malt with it. This is the type of beer that you get full from by just smelling – there is a LOT going on!
First off, this beer is remarkably smooth. The bourbon is not as strong as it was on the nose, but it is definitely present. With it, the bourbon brings notes of vanilla, licorice, and toasted coconut come out. Surprisingly, the alcohol is very well hidden. The beer starts off milky sweet, with smooth caramel and toffee characteristics, then finishes with a nice hoppy bitterness. The bourbon lasts a long time after the swallow, making this beer have an absolutely amazing after taste.
This beer drinks like a pillow – it’s smooth! It has a velvet-creamy mouthfeel, sort of like melted chocolate. There isn’t much carbonation, which adds to the creaminess. The beer has a nice big body which makes it a sipper. The intense aftertaste lingers for an extremely long time.
This beer is incredible. It can hang with the big boy bourbon barrel aged brews and hold its ground. It’s a special beer from a brewery that is arguably one of the best brewers of stouts. I wouldn’t say that this is the barrel-aged stout to end all barrel-aged stouts, but it is absolutely incredible and worth seeking out.
Cheers.
This review can also be found at Snobby Beer.
On Saturday Night (February 25, 2012), 17 brave locals will enter the ring at historic Memorial Hall in Downtown Dayton to show the boxing skills they’ve learned over the past several weeks, months and even years of training at Drake’s Downtown Gym in the first Dayton Knockout V.I.P. Fight Night! This highly-anticipated event is presented by AIDS Resource Center Ohio and Dayton History (in collaboration with Drake’s Downtown Gym) with proceeds benefiting these two excellent organizations. Knockout Tickets are $15 advance/$20 door for General Admission, with limited $25 advance tickets available that include three drink tickets and admission to the Speakeasy Lounge AfterParty featuring Funky G and the Groove Machine.
Knockout V.I.P Fight Night is the first event in the Memorial Hall Theatre since Bill Cosby appeared there in 2001, and an opportunity for Daytonians to revisit the venue in which many big acts have performed over the past decades – not to mention some big boxing events in the early 1900’s. Continue reading for an interesting look back at Dayton’s boxing legacy, and at the end of this article – a chance to win tickets for the Knockout V.I.P. Fight Night…
Imagine yourself ascending the wide limestone steps of Memorial Hall in the early to mid 1900’s, with its godlike statuary flanking you and its French Renaissance façade looming before you. It would be easy to be timelessly transported to another era, one of arenas and sporting grounds strewn with the blood and sweat of athletic champions. Even through the thick, stone walls of the hall, you hear the pulsating roar of the crowd that has gathered here to witness yet another pugilistic match between two worthy contenders, a spectacle of violence that sways between splendor and civilized chaos.
As you enter the hall, the haziness of the cigarette and cigar smoke, coupled with the heat of the crowd, drifts through the glare of the primitive klieg lights, giving the hall a cavernous appearance, like a misty vision of Valhalla. The sounds of brutality and bloodshed echo and rebound off the shadowed walls. A sea of boaters, bowlers and fedoras move in an undulating wave as the staccato voice of the bout’s announcer breathlessly shouts out each blow in a stridently clipped voice. Spectators clench betting slips in their hands and cigars between their teeth as they bark out encouragement for their champion and profane epithets towards his challenger. Close up, the ring reveals two opponents, locked in a ballet of darting evasions and devastating blows. These two gloved gladiators are continually caught in the sharply contrasting light of the popping flashbulbs of the eager press’ phalanx Graflex, the photographer’s jockeying for a better position, chronicling the sportsmanlike spilling of blood and hoping to capture either the triumph of the reigning champ or the rise of a new title holder, imprisoning the moment in emulsion.
Gene Tunney & Jack Dempsey at Memorial Hall
There was a time when Daytonwas a Mecca for boxing. There were countless gyms focused on boxing that dotted the city. Individual boxing clubs sprouted up, creating cross town rivalries that defended their honor in the various rings and exhibitions throughout the city. The Dayton Gym Club loomed large within the local and national boxing community. In 1950, it was voted as one of the best fight clubs in the nation and was home to several of the local Golden Gloves teams. From the late 1890’s, nearly two dozen world champions fought at the gym and the World Welterweight title changed hands there when Honey Melody was knocked out in 15 rounds by Frank Mantell, November 1, 1907. Westwood Field was another location that saw it’s share of international boxing stars. On June 25th, 1917, Jack Britton lost his welterweight title to Kid Lewis and later on, in 1918, Jack Dempsey knocked out Terry Keller in five rounds at Westwood.
Until the seating was elevated in the 1940’s, Memorial Hall was the premier site for the local boxing scene. On April 22nd, 1935, Joe Louis knocked out Biff Bennett during an exhibition match at Memorial Hall. During a fight with favored boxer Gorilla Jones on April 22nd, 1930 Tiger Roy Williams won in a twelve round decision at Memorial Hall. Many other boxer fought within the walls of Memorial Hall, including Manuel Castro, Jimmy Kelly, Danny Budd, Joe Glick, Mike Ballerino…the list goes on and on.
The city also spawned some national and international luminaries of the boxing world, including Joe Sekyra, the once top rated light-heavyweight and heavyweight boxer who later went on to train a Dayton Golden Gloves team. There was also the lightweight journeyman Eddie Brandt, who was also the former president of Old Time Boxers’ Club of Dayton. Sugar Costner, who was once the top ranked welterweight, beat Kid Gavilan and Ike Williams before losing to Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles “Buddy” Knox was a heavyweight contender who also trained a Dayton Golden Gloves team. There was also world ranked featherweight Joe Marinelli who defeated two former world champs, Jimmy Perrin and Joey Archibald at Memorial Hall.
Chris Pearson
There are also some very well known boxers from the Dayton area (omitting Buster Douglas’ brief stay here in 1979 while he attended Sinclair Community College). First, there is Chris Pearson, who is actually from Trotwood, but close enough to be counted. Pearson has been labeled by many boxing aficionados as one of the best upcoming middleweight boxers and the one to watch. This south-paw has been a U.S. National Amateur Middleweight Champion gold medalist, a 2-time Silver Gloves Champ, a 4-time Jr. Golden Gloves Champ, an 8-time State Fair Champ, a Jr. Olympic Bronze Medalist, the Ringside World Champion and the National PAL Champion as well as the 2009 Police Athletic League national champion. In his short, burgeoning career, he has beaten four former Olympians (including Brazil’s Yamaguichi Florentino, a veteran of 151 fights) and Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan, who was the 2008 Beijing Games welterweight gold medalist.
There is also Michael Evans, born July 22nd, 1977 and raised part of the time at his grandma’s apartment in Dayton’s Arlington Court housing project. Through a childhood altercation that led to fisticuffs, Evans got noticed and groomed by the local boxing community. He went on to become a national Police Athletic League champion, held two Junior Olympic titles, won a bronze medal at the Goodwill Games before going on to become the 2005 Golden Gloves champion. This led to him becoming a captain of the Team USA boxing squad, fighting bouts in China, Hungary, Ireland, England (including his sell out event against British Olympian Amir Khan at Liverpool’s famed Olympia ballroom), Japan, Thailand, Germany and all across America, including Madison Square Garden. Shortly before he was to lead Team USA into Russia, Evans was busted for selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer, drawing himself a four year stint at London Correctional Institute.
Guests at Beaute Box, one of the businesses that opened downtown as part of the first phase of the Pop-Up Project.
Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail and service businesses to open downtown as part of the second phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs who want to try out a business concept with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.
Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Sherri Wierzba at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 9. Tenants will be selected March 30, and retailers must be ready to open by May 1.
Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.
Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s pilot phase, when three businesses filled 2,300 square feet of space. Two of those businesses ― Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. ― are looking to convert their temporary leases into traditional long-term ones. Another business, Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, opened a second area location at 521-523 E. Fifth St. after being drawn to the space when it was occupied by Comfort & Joy, which offered holiday gifts, during the Pop-Up Project’s pilot.
Commercial property owners interested in offering space to interested retailers should contact Sherri Wierzba or Erin Gillespie at 937-224-1518. Participating property owners will be listed on the Activated Spaces website. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed in $250 increments at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team for such purposes as offsetting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space or other necessities for making the space operational.
The grand opening celebration of Pop-Up Shop Peace on Fifth.
Activated Spaces, a volunteer-led initiative spearheaded by young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton, has three main goals:
• reactivate and beautify vacant storefronts with creative displays
• encourage entrepreneurs, artists and community groups to occupy space for short- and long- term uses
• showcase downtown properties and increase interest and investment in available space
Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].
For more information, contact Sherri Wierzba or Erin Gillespie at 937-224-1518.
Vanity Theft playing First Friday at Riverscape
It is often assumed that there is no local music scene in Dayton. Dear music fans, nothing could be further from the truth! We have a literal explosion of new music from bands of numerous musical genres, approaches, and styles happening right now. Once the Gem City was considered the post-punk haven for groups such as Guided by Voices, Branniac, and The Breeders. Dayton has a long and significant music history of which the post-punk wave was but one trend in local music.
Today, we have bands playing in almost too many genres and styles to count. We have new music from The Fair Shakes, Bonneville, We Were Animals (from the previously power-pop dream of Ed vs. Radio), Vanity Theft, The Rebel Set, The Story Changes, the horror-rock of Splattertude, Hawthorne Heights, Me & Mountains, Night Beast, Toads and Mice, Smug Brothers, and so much more.
We have many places to see bands and musicians are plying their trade in the Oregon District or throughout the city. If the assumption is that there is no growing and evolving music scene in Dayton, that is simply not correct. As someone who has conducted research on music scenes for several years (do not ask how many, I am just a little touchy about the age thing), I can honestly tell you that Dayton musicians have much to offer you. All you have to do is go listen.
You can go to several fine establishments to see bands play most nights of the week in the Gem City. And you should. Come on what do you have to lose except your preconceptions about the limitations of Dayton music.
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Check out our Local Music Calendar on the right of this page for shows in the upcoming week, or go to our full Online Event Calendar for more…
Every couple of weeks, your humble FOOD ADVENTURERS will give you “SMALL BITES,” a quick feature of some restaurant items that we love.
SMALL BITES – 1/6/2012 includes these favorite cravings in the Dayton Area:
Click Here to Enlarge the Perfect French Fries
THE FRESH CUT FRIES at PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS:
Freshly cut, and just out of the fryer, there is something about these “skin-on” french fried potatoes. Maybe it is because the potatoes are fried in cholesterol-free peanut oil. Whether you dip them in ketchup, splash some vinegar on them, or eat them plain, these tasty treats always hit the spot! There is one problem, they always give you that small white holder of ketchup, and you have to fill up like 4 of them. Want to learn a “fat kid trick?” Use a beverage lid and turn it upside down and squirt the ketchup on that. Problem solved, Big Ragu style..
THE POT STICKERS at CHINA COTTAGE:
Pan Fried Potstickers from China Cottage
Huge on taste and huge on size, you have to try the pot sticker appetizers at China Cottage. They are the best anywhere in the Big Ragu’s opinion. Want an appetizer that will awaken your tastebuds and satisy that pre-dinner hunger? Trust us on this one, you cant go wrong. These dumplings are filled with pork and garlic spices. The magnificent creation is then pan seared and brought to your table. It is served with a soy based sauce and scallions. Definitely the most memorable appetizer we have had at a Chinese restaurant in a while.
THE CHICKEN WINGS at ELSA’s:
The Big Ragu’s Favorite Place for Wings in Dayton is.. Elsa’s !
Wings at Elsa’s? HECK YES ! In a place known for their Bad Juan margaritas and their Mexican food like the Super Mini burrito, you would not think to try the wings on their menu. But let the Big Ragu tell you, they are his favorite wings in the Dayton area. Another trick is heading out to eat these wings while watching your favorite NFL game and you will not have to fight the typical Sunday sports bar crowd. The order will definitely fill up the biggest appetites with 10 nice sized wings. Your humble Food Adventurers suggest the following sauces: either Jamaican Jerk, or Regular BBQ. You cannot go wrong with these wings in such an unlikely place. Order them with the sauce on them, or order the wings plain with the sauce on the side for dipping. you choose, but please save a couple of wings for us !
THE BRANDON BURGER at ARCHER’s TAVERN:
The Brandon Burger comes with Bacon, and Fried or Scrambled Eggs
Our Food Adventures crew enjoy a good burger now and then. One of his favorites is the Brandon Burger found at Archer’s Tavern in Centerville. This big burger starts with fresh meat from local Zink’s Meat Market and is loaded with toppings, including bacon and a fried egg. At a price of $8.64 for the platter, we think it is a pretty good deal. We also like the taste, which is a juicy, explosion of flavors and defintely worth a try. With a parking lot full of customers at Archer’s everyday, they must be doing something right!
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Eighty years ago, the Dayton Daily News gave the following report as Daytonians weathering the Great Depression made plans to celebrate the New Year holiday. The “clarion blasts” and “owl cars” have passed along with the heyday of hotel parties and public dances, but it’s likely their great-grandchildren will also see “many whistles made wet as usual.”
A few more hours and Dayton residents will greet a new year.
Indications Thursday were that the event which comes with the ushering in of a new cycle will be observed about as usual, with the celebrants finding their pleasure during the later hours of the evening.
All of the uptown hotels were prepared to greet little 1932 in a big way, with dances holding forth in some of them and with reservations having been received for dinner parties which will last through midnight.
‘Gaiety and splendor’
At the Biltmore the custom which was established with the opening of that hotel will be pursued, that of holding a dance to which the public is invited. The management of the hotel reported Thursday that a large number of reservations have been made and that the usual scene of gaiety and splendor is expected to prevail.
At the Miami, the Van Cleve and Gibbons there will be no public dances held, although there were numerous reservations made for private parties. On the roof of the Miami a dinner party will be given by Oscar Pryor.
All of the uptown theaters have announced that special late shows will be given. Some of these will begin at 11 p.m., some at 11:30 p.m. and a few not until the magic hour has struck.
Hangovers, ’30s style
The greater portion of the reception to the new year in Dayton, however, will have its setting in private homes. With Friday, New Year’s, a holiday on which most factories, offices and stores will be closed, the celebrants will be privileged to enter into the spirit of the occasion without the dread of what must come the “morning after” when otherwise another workday would beckon.
There have been indications for the past week that the usual noisemaking devices again will be in evidence. Bells will ring, whistles sound their clarion blasts, pistols and cannon will be fired and the new year will be given the greeting common with age-old custom.
So much for discouraging drunk driving
The managements of some of the street railway companies were undecided during Thursday as to whether extended service would be given on their lines for benefit of the merrymakers. Definite announcement was made by the City Railway Co. that its latest cars would leave Third and Main sts. at the usual hour of 12:10 a.m. The Peoples Railway Co. was not certain whether owl cars would be operated and the same was true of Oakwood and Dayton Street. The last Peoples cars under regular schedule on the Main st., Valley and Cincinnati-Leo divisions leave the center of the city at 12:10 a.m. north and south. On the Oakwood line the last car departs from Third and Main sts., south at 12:34 a.m. and north, 12:10 a.m.
When dancing actually meant dancing
The various night and dinner (venues) have announced special (merri)ment at the midnight hour. These, like the hotels, have reported that they have made heavy reservations. In all of these places dancing will be the principal attraction of the evening, with floor shows prevailing in some of them.
There were no evidence, on the surface at least, of a scarcity of some of the liquid adjuncts which go with a New Year’s celebration. Reports were to the effect that, in spite of the current economic depression, demands have been in keeping with previous years since prohibition, with every indication that there will be as many whistles made wet as usual. With it, reports say, the quality will be improved over former years and at the lower prices which have prevailed for the past few months in Dayton.
Welcome to our new Food Adventure feature called “Small Bites.”
Every other week or so, The Big Ragu and Crew will give you a quick rundown of some of his favorite things.
Some of our’s SMALL BITE:
— The Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Meadowlark Restaurant
Grilled Cheese at Meadowlark – click to enlarge
The grilled cheese sandwich has a reputation for being a simple, inexpensive and tasty sandwich. We have died and gone to grilled cheese heaven! We recently visited Meadowlark Restaurant in Centerville, Ohio and tried the White Cheddar and Apricot Chutney Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Arguably, this is one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever! Imagine slices of White Cheddar with house made Apricot Chutney blanketed between two slices of Dorothy Lane Market Artisan Bread. Have we gotten your attention yet??
— The Pizza at South Park Pizza Tavern
One of our Favorite Pizzas – Click to enlarge
Pizza has got to be one of America’s favorite foods and one of our favorite pizzaa is made at the South Park Pizza Tavern in Dayton, Ohio. They have traditional and gourmet pizzas on your choice of white or wheat crust. We are hooked on the Seafood Blanc pizza on the whole wheat crust. Along with great tasting pizza, they also offer a variety of good beers on tap and some of the areas hottest local bands. This place is the real deal!
Try it on a Monday night, because it is buy one pizza, get one free night, but you can be sure the place will be packed.
THE BIG RAGU’s turn to CHOMP:
— Whopper or Whimper?
Have Whopper’s Gotten Smaller?
Is it us, or is the Whopper Sandwich from Burger King smaller than it used to be?? The Big Ragu has a hard time believing that the sandwich they serve today is the same size as the mammoth sandwiches he remembered from the 70’s and early 80’s… Same great taste, he just feels it is a smaller version. What are your thoughts?
— The Breadsticks at McGillicutty‘s
Click to enlarge this picture of the Greatest Breadsticks Ever
The Big Ragu says absolutely, without a doubt, the best breadsticks are at McGillicutty’s restaurant in Kettering. If you want them with a little salt on them, then you need to say “Pretzel Sticks” when you order. These steaming hot, buttery and fluffy breadsticks never disappoint. Each basket is served with 2 dipping sauces, and they have a large variety to choose from. May we suggest the nacho cheese dip, the cream cheese dip, or the garlic butter dip to accompany the perfect breadsticks.
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What are your thoughts on this week’s “Small Bites.” Please comment below….
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If you’re reading this, you’ve most likely heard of a little thing called First Fridays. These art walks (and in some cities, African-American business networking or conservative political events) happen in urban areas all over the United States on the first Friday of each month.
Their goal? Connect people with their communities.
But here in Dayton, things are getting a little out of hand. First of all, you’ve got dozens of art studios, performance venues and event leaders offering so many awesome opportunities downtown, how’s a fan supposed to see it all? Second of all, pretty much everything’s free. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned capitalism?
I’m joking, of course. The Gem City’s art scene is as vibrant as any I’ve seen outside the big metropolitan meccas. And good old greedy capitalism can go take a dose of its own medicine in a third-world factory or a Dayton factory layoff line. Because you know what? We’ve got Handmade Holiday.
On the first Friday of December, for the past three to five years (yep, even the organizers can’t remember exactly how many now), Dayton’s best knitters, photographers, crafters, painters, and urban revolutionaries pack themselves into a brightly lit storefront and offer their wares to folks who care about keeping their shopping dollars local.
Etch at work at HH 2009 - photo by Melissa Trent
You can find hand-crocheted caps for babies, joke books for 8-year-olds, edgy phone pouches for the teens on your list, and enough wildly sweet local art (and cupcakes!!!) to satisfy your friends and grandparents from here to the end of Kwanzaa. And your cash? Sure, you’ll hand out more than you’d pay for one of those plastic things from a box store, stamped out by slave kids in other countries whose bosses got our old jobs. But your extra dollars will get at least one more cycle in the Miami Valley, and it makes a world of difference to the dedicated artists sharing their creative energies with us First Friday revelers.
Want to see the wares? Check out the Handmade Holiday market at the St. Clair Lofts, St. Clair Street at 4th Street (just north of the Neon and south of the Dayton Metro Library) from 5 to 10pm Friday, then 11am to 6pm Saturday.
And yes, fans, there’s talk of making this market a monthly event in 2012. Organizer(s) and venue(s) needed!
If you don’t recognize plenty of the works and their creators this weekend, keep on coming to First Fridays! It’s all about connecting us with our communities, after all.
(Click the poster to view it full-size — how many names do you recognize?)
The crisp night of November 19th, The Food Adventure Crew were preparing their tummys for some of the most incredible sweets in the Dayton area. Your humble Food Adventurers had been invited to use their tastebud expertise to judge a dessert contest at the Carrillon Park /Dayton Heritage Museum’s “Ringing in the Holidays” gala. Five top area chefs were competing for “Most Delightful Dessert” which included two categories, Best Dessert and Best Presentation.
As we entered the museum, we were greeted by Christmas Carolers who lined the entranceway. The wonderful aroma of the food displayed in the lobby was also music to our ears. As we entered the party, we were greeted by the organizers of the event which included local attorneys Nicole Mitchell and Mark Engling. They gave us the VIP treatment! We were given nametags, and asked to mingle among the people, open bar and hors d’oeuvres. If you know us, we gladly participated. Eating among many local socialites and the movers and shakers of Dayton’s society, we enjoyed some incredible appetizers from the caterers, which included Scratch Catering owned by Chef Matt Hayden.
We Loved Culp’s Cafe’s Rustic Hot Chocolate
Besides being our first time as celeb taste testers, we had another “first” at this event. We both had our first martini, which was a fantastic Candy Cane Martini, prepared with the holiday spirit in mind. We were chastised in fun by an older gentleman who asked when we were going to drink something more “manly,” so we quickly went back to beer. The Big Ragu was very happy to see that the open bar included Sam Adam’s Winter Lager.
As we made our way to the dessert area we saw our pal Lisa Grigsby from DaytonMostMetro.com and Dayton Dining. She introduced us to fellow judges Amelia Robinson the “smart mouth” from Dayton Daily News, and local TV personality Jim Bucher from WDTN Channel 2. Glancing at the desserts, we noticed some other appetizer areas that we decided to hit before finally getting to the “expert judging.”
Our job, if you will, was to taste 5 premium desserts and rank them 1 through 5. This was like trying to rank your children, as the plates were all amazing.
The first dessert we tried was Culp’s Cafe’s Rustic Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Covered Churro. This was one of our favorites and believe us, all the desserts were top rate! The chef Jose Calzada had some incredible chilli powder spices that gave a unique and addictive twist to the drink. Something simple, a classic that was reinvented.
Dessert number two was the Champagne Chocolate Truffle Tart made by chef Justin Mohler from Olive, an Urban Dive restaurant in Dayton. It was a sinful, rich tasting dessert. This was a favorite of the judges, and we could have eaten the whole tray. Our mouths were definitely in heaven.
Winning Dessert from Olive, an Urban Dive
The third dessert we tried were Mini Peppermint Cupcakes and Mini Egg Nog Cupcakes from Cake, Hope and Love. Chefs Shannon Teague and Connie McFarren had a beautiful display to match the cupcakes addictive taste. Big Ragu was seen sneaking back for seconds, as they were awesome.
Dessert number four was the Dayton Women’s Club‘s Holiday DuJour which featured a carrot cake. This was one of our favorite presentations, and the delicate, creamy taste of this dessert showed chef Joseph Ragno really knows his stuff. Again the simple classic was taken up a level, and the garnish of a dried apple slice lended to the taste for the eyes as well.
The fifth dessert we ate was a unique twist offered by chef Marcus Montreuil from Amelia’s Bistro. This inventive dessert was called Sugar Plum Fantasy and featured a marshmallow, bacon peanut brittle, and brownie with a “shooter tube” of caramel that you actually squeeze into your mouth. Again superb presentation and taste.
The desserts left us speechless and after the extremely close voting, we had a tie. We conferred with the other judges and finally emerged with the winners. Best Presentation went to the Dayton Women’s Club dessert, and overall Best Dessert was awarded to Olive, an Urban Dive.
Best Presentation Winner: the Dayton Women’s Club
In summary, we took something else away from this party besides the sweets. The event was held in the tastefully informative Dayton Heritage Museum at Carrillon Park. Displays included lots of antiques and pictures about Dayton’s business history and more. We even rode the antique Merry Go Round If you have not been to this museum, you have to visit. Your Food Adventurers were as blown away as much by the museum as we were by the desserts.
Finally, Food Adventures would like to thank Carrillon Park and DaytonMostMetro.com for the privilege of being part of this “Ringing in the Holidays” extravaganza. Like the desserts, you are all VERY SWEET !!!
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The legendary 19th-century novel Moby-Dick, or The Whale, is a story of obsession. No one, perhaps, understands that obsession quite so well as a Dayton librarian who spent 543 days creating an illustration for each of Moby-Dick’s pages – and now has the published book to prove it.
Matt Kish, who lives in Columbus, describes the closing months as brutal: “Those final 100 or so pages, when the book itself becomes pretty bleak, I had no personal time whatsoever, and I knew the only way I was going to get my life back was to finish this project.
“The only way through it was to symbolically kill the whale myself. I isolated myself, because I felt I had to save every available ounce of energy for the project. I became just as obsessed with finishing the project as Ahab was with the whale. Thankfully, my wife stayed with me.”
The final drawing emerged Jan. 29, his book contract was completed, and now the only obsession in Kish’s life is dealing with the incredible publicity his project has generated.
“I’m simultaneously excited by it all and overwhelmed and exhausted,” he says.
A whale of a response
How much publicity? Starting just a few days into the project, his posts to a daily blog for friends and family began to be featured on literary and art websites and talked about all over the globe. In December 2009, he was invited to speak about his work in New York.
Within days, even though he hadn’t even reached the halfway mark of the book, he was approached by an agent who almost immediately landed him a publisher.
“It started slow, but then things happened with dizzying speed,” Kish recalls. “This incredibly personal exploration of the novel suddenly had a contract and a deadline.”
He speculates that there’s three reasons for the powerful response.
“Moby-Dick is a cultural touchstone. Even people that haven’t read it, they know the whale, they know Ahab, they know Ishmael, they know that it ends tragically. It’s part of our cultural consciousness. It’s really an American myth.”
The second reason? Kish is not a formally trained artist. Yet his bold, unusual style is immediately gripping, conveying a raw emotional presence with every image. Some pieces are abstract, others intensely detailed. He used spray paint, brushes and ink, ballpoint pens, colored pencil, acrylics, collage, markers, stickers. The quickest took 30 minutes, others took up to 12 hours.
“I know if my work was to be critiqued, there are long lists of errors and completely missing blocks of an art foundation,” Kish says. “I didn’t even attempt to make my illustrations historically accurate. It’s very much about my life, my perspective – it’s influenced by video games I played in the ’80s, comic books from my childhood, covers of progressive rock albums from my dad’s basement. So it’s something that’s never been seen.”
The third reason? The sheer insanity factor of anyone taking on such a monster project.
Life-long connection
“Monster” being the key word. Kish says his lifelong passion for Herman Melville’s 1851 novel began around age 5, when he saw a film version of the story.
“The movie monsters were fictional, but this grabbed me,” he says. “This was a monster that could almost have been real.”
An illustrated children’s version of the story was his next encounter with the white whale; he read the full novel for the first time in junior high. Seven more trips through the book would pass before he started the project.
“What’s odd is that each time I read it, it’s shown me things that almost seem to echo or parallel things happening in my own life — the complexities of growing up and growing old and dealing with life,” Kish says. “In some ways, really grappling with that book requires some life experience.”
In 2009, the former English teacher and bookstore clerk heard about a man illustrating every page of another famous novel.
“I was feeling very creatively restless. I wasn’t really enjoying what I was drawing anymore,” Kish says. “I realized it had been four or five years since I read Moby-Dick, the longest absence in my life. And I thought, ‘I’m just going to jump right in. It’s a way to get me closer to the book, and this is going to keep me inspired artistically.’ And the next day I got started. That was Aug. 5, 2009.”
Two years later, on Nov. 13, Kish will share his creation with readers used to seeing his touch in the DVD, CD and young adult collections. He says he’s not sure what art will flow next for him.
“This project completely shaped and structured my life every day for a year and a half, and that was really trying,” Kish says. “I had an intense sense of relief to finally be done. But I was also really wistful. All those characters had become companions to me.”
To attend
Matt Kish presents “Moby Dick In Pictures: One Drawing For Every Page” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Dayton Metro Library, downtown branch, 215 E. Third St., Dayton. The event is free. Information: 937-463-2665, http://everypageofmobydick.blogspot.com.
Spaten Munich beer and Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest were on draft
This past weekend, we experienced one of their favorite Food Adventures to date. Daytonmostmetro.com generously provided us with tickets to the preview party at the 40th Oktoberfest which is held at the Dayton Art Institute. Although we have both been to the festival many times in the past, this would be the first time going to the preview party.
On this Food Adventure, we decided to take separate vehicles and that was a big mistake! It wasn’t too easy to find a parking space, so The Big Ragu who is always “fashionably late,” this time proved no different.
While Hungry Jax was waiting in the long entrance line, a frantic Ragu was searching for a parking space while developing a little case of road rage. We were both pretty amazed at how many people attended the pre-party and had no idea that it would be this packed. Nonetheless, feeling like VIP’s we developed our game plan and a night of ethnic gluttony started to ensue.
Bratwurst from Schmidt’s restaurant booth – Incredible !
The festival is pretty much a bunch of food booths from different companies and 2 tents of craft goods. Yeah, we skipped the arts and crafts. Jax headed over to the Schmidt’s Sausage Haus booth while the Big Ragu shimmied over the beer line.
Schmidt’s is located in the German Village in Columbus, Ohio and was featured on Man v. Food. Hungry Jax ordered a bratwurst with sauerkraut and added on spicy brown mustard and horseradish. The first bite was absolutely amazing and this was a sign of good things to come. The beer booth had some general choices, but we decided to go for the Leinenkugel Oktoberfest and the Spaten Munich beers. After the Big Ragu got the beer, he decided to go hit the food line. Ragu really showed that he was in the Oktoberfest spirit by showing up with a German treat … wait, a Gyro from the Greek Orthodox Church booth! Well, at least the gyro was good because he devoured it in about 2 bites. At this time we were both very happy Food Adventurers, but that was about to change.
The Dreaded Limburger Sandwich
We headed to the next food stall and the sign read…..Limburger Cheese Sandwich. Neither one of us has ever tried Limburger Cheese, so we decided to take one for the team and ordered one up. The Big Ragu’s dad had eaten Limburger Cheese as a kid in New York, so we decided to call him up and see what we had in store for us. Ragu Sr. found it pretty amusing that we were going to indulge in this thing and basically told us….good luck! We decided to punish the Big Ragu for buying a gyro by making him take half of this sandwich. We have both eaten to pretty questionable things in our lifetime, but this by far was the worst thing that we have tried. We have a rule with Food Adventures….you must finish the whole thing. The Big Ragu was the smart one here when teared up on the final bite, got teary eyed and spit the sandwich out in the trash can. We hope to never see another Limburger Cheese Sandwich again.
After we grabbed more beers, we headed over to Don LeDoux’s Cajun Restaurant booth and decided to go with the Crawfish Etoufee. It was served on a bed of rice and was incredibly tasty with lots of crawfish in it! The employees and owners were very friendly. We definitely have to head up to Troy, Ohio and try this place out! While the crew was talking to the Don LeDoux employees, Ragu suddenly showed up with a Weinerschnitzel sandwich that he bought at the booth next door. He had to get the limburger taste out of his mouth. We also visited briefly with the Kosmic Kettlecorn booth who had some tasty popcorn, and showed us how the process worked.
Meeting the local legend, Voltzy at his Oktoberfest booth
The next item that we tried was the highlight of the Oktoberfest for us….we finally tried a Voltzy burger! This is by far, the best hamburger that we have tried so far…..you can definitely taste the freshness. Voltzy came out and doused our burgers out with three different sauces, which put a sparkle in the Big Ragu’s eye. One taste of these things and you will be hooked! And the sauces give it some sweet heat! The burgers were amazingly fresh, and Voltzy said the meat is never frozen.
We will both admit that before we met Voltzy, we were very intimidated by his reputation for being a hard A$$, but he was a great guy, with a good sense of humor, who we had a lot of fun with. We are looking forward to a future food adventure at his restaurant!
At this point we were both pretty stuffed and we decided to do what anyone else would…..get another beer! The Spaten was incredible and we couldn’t get enough of it. Ragu also loved the Wisconsin brewed Leinenkugel Oktoberfest beer, but Jax stuck with the German Spaten Beer. While waiting in the beer line, the Cream Puff Pastry at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus caught our eye. While the Big Ragu loves his fried food, and Jax has a weakness for sweets. The cream puff pastry was a gift send down from the Confectionary Gods and we loved every morsel of it.
Schmidt’s Restaurant has perfected the Cream Puff
This Food Adventure was a blast. Our leiderhosen are a bit tighter after the food we consumed at this festival. Sure, we ended up with a few drops of beer, sauce, and powdered sugar on our shirts, which housed our full stomachs, but it was all in a night’s work. So we say, to honor Oktoberfest, Lisa, Bill and the crew at DAYTONMOSTMETRO.com who got us VIP tickets to this event, we say “Danke schön!”
Did you go to Oktoberfest? What did you think about the food and beer selection
?
Please post a comment below!
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SHAKESPEARE FOR LIFEDayton, Sept. 7, 2011 ― Free Shakespeare! and Optum Nurses for a Cure, a registered team with the Centerville chapter of Relay for Life, will present Shakespeare for Life, a marathon relay reading of the Bard’s works, starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and running 24 hours through 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Blue Sky Gallery, 33 N. Main St., in downtown Dayton.
The event will start with a reading of Julius Caesar, with the goal of reading all 37 plays, 154 sonnets and five poems credited to William Shakespeare. While the readings will be organized into four-hour segments with some assigned readers, the public is invited to stop by anytime and read ― or just listen. Participants are asked to gather at least $25 in pledges to benefit a both Optum Nurses for a Cure and Free Shakespeare! A silent auction also will be held during the event.
Chris Shea & Allison Husko in Midsummer Night Dream, Summer 2011 – Photo by Alisha McDarris
“We intend to read every word Shakespeare ever wrote,” said Chris Shea, founding artistic director of Free Shakespeare! “My father died from colon cancer, so I really wanted to find a way to help find a cure for cancer.
“Cancer is everywhere and affects everyone, and on the lighter side of that, Shakespeare is everywhere and affects everyone,” Shea added. “Once I made that connection, this seemed a natural fit. This also is a community outreach and educational event. We want to raise awareness about Shakespeare and cancer prevention, while raising money for two great causes.”
To volunteer for Shakespeare for Life, contact [email protected].
Free Shakespeare! is a sponsored project of Involvement Advocacy. Contributions can be made at the event or by mailing a check, made out to Involvement Advocacy (memo: Free Shakespeare), P.O. Box 10506, Dayton, OH, 45402-7506.
Free Shakespeare! is a professional, nonprofit theater company devoted to presenting performances of the works of William Shakespeare. The company strives to make these works accessible to a contemporary society and deepen the understanding of our linguistic and cultural origins. We are committed to projects either penned by Shakespeare or inspired by his work.
-FS! Press Release
On the corner of First and Patterson is Dayton’s latest condo development: Patterson Square. Not your father’s 
townhouse, Patterson Square combines the best of traditional and modern interior designs. As a Realtor, I like seeing new builds or renovations in downtown Dayton. There is a need for it. I understand we have a lot of single family homes looking for owners, but people like variety. And no I don’t work for Charles Simms Development, I’m a HouseNerd who gets her kicks talking about real estate. So let’s take a quick tour.
It’s a (sing it with me) brick, house, and it is kinda mighty mighty if you want to know the truth. The exterior is all brick and like most townhouses, the windows are big. When you only have two sides to work with, you try to grab as much natural light as you can. At the street level is an attached 1 car garage w/ storage at the back, and a gated entry with a bricked courtyard at the front. Sandwiched between the two, is what they are calling a live/work space. Most likely to be used as an office or den, it could double as a guest room, this room is approx 12’2″ x 11′ 8″ with windows that will look out on the courtyard. Those buildings that face south will get some nice natural light in this room. HVAC system is in the garage.
Next level is what Simms calls the “Living Level”, but the rest of us call it the second floor. It’s an open kitchen/ living 
space with large windows on one side, and patio doors that lead to an 8×6 deck on the other which overlooks the common area of the development. Owners should get some nice views from here. You’ll be able to sit out there and enjoy music festivals at Riverscape. This level has an open floor plan and exposed beam 9′ ceilings, it’s a nice loft-like feel here- very modern. The entire space is 36″ long so you could pack some people in there for entertaining, but separate areas- kitchen, dining, living are nicely designated so it lends itself to more intimate gatherings as well. The powder room on this floor.
The third level is private spaces- two bedrooms and a shared bath. The master bedroom is 13’6″ x 11′ and features trey ceilings- a nice touch. Two separate closets? Yes, please. The second bedroom has its own walk-in closet, and the laundry is on this level. The full bath can be accessed from either the master or the hall. The entire unit is pre-wired for audio on all three levels, and is 1331 sq ft, not too shabby for a townhouse in the downtown residential district.
There are some Green Building features here, of course. You can’t really build these days without incorporating some green features and this development is Energy Star qualified- generally 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
Overall, it’s another option to the growing residential district in downtown Dayton. Patterson Square will serve a market that is looking for something new, something efficient, close to everything in downtown Dayton, but a more traditional style than the Litehouse Development. These townhouses start at $139,900, and as of the offers of this post 9-18-11, they are offering pre-construction incentives such as closing costs if financed with their preferred lender, 6 months of HOA fees paid, flooring upgrades on Living Level (that is some beautiful flooring, I will say). Note: Prices and incentives are subject to change, please consult your Realtor or Simms Development for details. Each home comes with an in-house 1 year warranty, and a personal walk-thru with Charles Simms the developer, himself.
The Simms website is here, Patterson Square is here, but since it’s a new build there are no photos yet, so go to the Twin Lakes West photos to see a very similar townhouse. The photos included in this post came from the model at Twin Lakes West and while there will be some minor changes to the floor plan to make it optimized for the downtown site, you can see what Patterson Square is going to look like. How do you find out more? Contact Sales Rep Stephanie Dietz at Simms, 937-436-2913; or contact your Realtor who can walk you through the process and act as your professional eyes and ears to any new home purchase.
Let’s face it, summer is over. Many are bummed over the fact that the outdoor dining patios are closing, and they have no more days left at the pool. Ragu is no longer laying out topless, scaring young kids. But the end of summer also brings some good news: Fall Festival Season is upon us !!
We absolutely love festivals, and the fall is our favorite time as the big dogs of the fest world make their appearance. Two of our favorite festivals, The Greek Fest and The Italian Festival kick off the fall season.
Why are they on the same weekend? We do not know why. Do the organizers understand the misery they put us through and the nightmare of scheduling our Food Adventure weekend? Why won’t one of these old cultures move their festival a week later? We may start a petition to put it on the November ballot, so we can spread out our campaign of gluttony.
First up is our study of the Greek Festival (www.daytongreekfestival.com), which is held at the Greek Orthodox Church next to the Dayton Art Institute. This huge festival recently started charging a $2 admission fee. Let us give you a bit of wisdom, GO DURING THE DAY, unless you want to experience the madhouse crowd and sheer pandemonium of trying to find a parking space near this festival.
Trigonas, Greek beer, and Gyros
Sure you can visit the arts & craft area or admire the dancers or a statue. We prefer, however, to admire the gyros, greek beer, and those little golden honey puffs. Oh, did we mention the baklava and trigonas in the building area kick Mt Olymp-ass? The food is reasonably priced, with most items around $3-$6. Another highlight is a tour of the Greek church, one of the more spectacular churches in this area. Oh yea, NO FOOD in the church. This festival offers a huge variety of Greek food, but for you less adventurous souls, there are Greek french fries, and Domino’s pizza’s “Greek slices.” Ragu says go for the good stuff, like a lamb shank dinner. You only get it once a year.
If you are the artsy type, then you may enjoy the Greek Band at night, and the traditional Greek dancing. These dancers jump over napkins, and are better than our best erotic dance moves. We love the Greeks, we are huge Telly Savalas fans from way back in the day.
On the other side of town is our other favorite festival, The Italian Fall Festa (www.italianfallfesta.com), held at Bella Villa Hall on County Line Road, not far from
Wine Booth at Dayton’s Italian Festival
the Greene. Ragu has to come here, he is Italian for goodness sake. Again, may we plead that you go there during the day, unless you like a brisk walk from the nearby armory, or enjoy walking blocks of streets lined with cars. As you enter the fest, you may be greeted by the sound of Italian music from the live stage.
The outside grounds of the festival features such fare as Cavatelli, Italian sausages, sub-par pizza, calzones and soups. However, some of our favorite items are found inside the hall building and not outside on the grounds. Inside, the hall offers nightly dinners. Friday is Baked Pasta night, and Saturday is stuffed shells night, while Sunday is spaghetti and meatballs. You may even find Ragu working a meatball sub booth outside, or the beer and wine booth inside the hall. Ragu has also been threatening to enter the spaghetti eating contest, held at 3pm on Sunday.
We love, and we mean love the cannoli at this fest. In fact, you are guaranteed to gain 5 pounds by just walking into the pastry area. We love gelato because of this festival, the tasty treat.
A Perfect Cannoli
The pastries are homemade, but unfortunately a lot of the other outside area food is not. So if you choose to eat outside, be sure to let the vino flow and the food may taste a bit better. And while you are outside, try your hand at bocce ball, where you can reserve a court for a small fee.
So this upcoming weekend, with a gleam in our eye and food stains on our shirts, we say thank you Dayton, for another year of Festival Food Adventures.
What is your favorite food at these festivals? What are your experiences? Please comment below!
Visit FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook by clicking here and “like” our page to become and official fan.
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Every new theater season in Dayton seems to be ripe with variety. It’s one of the great joys of the Dayton theatre scene that the ‘something for everyone’ cliche actually rings true. 2011-2012 is already proving to be among the most eclectic yet. This season promises……
Below you’ll find On Stage Dayton’s picks for the most anticipated offerings for the 2011-2012 Dayton Theatre Season. It’s just a small sampling of a very full year of stage work. And with this official launch, you can count on OSD to be there all season long.
If you like ‘The Help’ you’ll like…
Caroline, or Change
The Human Race Theatre Company offers the overdue local premiere of this dynamic 2004 Tony Award-nominated musical from librettist/Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (“Angels in America”) and composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”). A potent study of race relations set in 1963 Louisiana, “Caroline, or Change” chronicles the testy yet engaging relationship between a headstrong African-American maid and her Jewish employers. Tesori’s sublime music encompasses klezmer, opera and Motown.
If you like ‘Mamma Mia!’ or ‘The Sopranos’ you’ll like…
Jersey Boys
The local premiere of “Jersey Boys,” the sleek, sharp and surprisingly tender story of pop legends Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is the hallmark of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospitals Broadway Series. One of the most popular jukebox musicals of the last decade and the recipient of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, “Jersey Boys” features such timeless numbers as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
If you like ‘Dallas’ you’ll like…
Dividing the Estate
Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote’s authentic, relevant 2009 Tony Award-nominated portrait of a Texas clan at odds will receive its local premiere courtesy of the Dayton Theatre Guild. Centered on a tough traditionalist matriarch and her squabbling children, “Dividing the Estate” uncovers the harsh realities that arise when economics and legacy threaten to tear a family apart.
If you like ‘The Full Monty’ you’ll like…
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Clark State Community College provides the local collegiate premiere of librettist Jeffrey Lane and composer David Yazbek’s 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical based on the 1988 film of the same name. Yazbek, an outstanding songwriter, had great success with his critically acclaimed adaptation of “The Full Monty,” co-created by Terrence McNally, and the con artist-driven “Scoundrels” shares an appealingly naughty kinship. The “Scoundrels” national tour failed to connect four years ago at the Schuster Center, but perhaps Clark State will give the hilarious material the solid treatment it deserves.
If you like the Muse Machine you’ll like…
The Wizard of Oz
Dorothy’s ruby slippers will sparkle once more thanks to the Muse Machine, Dayton’s premier arts education organization celebrating its 30th year. The memories of Muse’s 1996 “Oz” production remain indelibly etched in my mind (the Broadway caliber performances of Tyler Maynard as the Scarecrow and Tory Ross as the Wicked Witch of the West were particularly extraordinary), but it will be refreshing to see a new generation tackle the iconic musical. Expect another Muse hit you will not want to miss.
