The Fries | Dayton937

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

This past week was a blast! One of the highlights for me was Urban Nights, where I was working the corner of Third and St. Clair. That really doesn’t sound right, so perhaps I should clarify – I was in charge of one of the pianos downtown and my job was to encourage people to play a tune or two. Thank you to all who stopped by to “steal the spotlight”…I enjoyed watching you tickle those ivories and hearing about all the fun things you experienced as part of Urban Nights!

Although it’s true we have to wait until May 13, 2011 for the next Urban Nights, there are plenty of other good things to choose from this week!

On Wednesday, if you were inspired by the belly dancers performing at Urban Nights, perhaps you’ll want to go to Kira’s Oasis to try it out for yourself with their Bellydance Class. Or, you could get a little dirty and head to La Comedia for dinner and the show, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. While there, be sure to try their famous Sweet Potato Souffle – it’s delicious! And if neither of these events tickle your fancy, head on over to The Neon for the Foxy Film Festival for a special screening of the 70s hit movie, Foxy Brown.

Moving on to Thursday…is your house (or office) so disorganized that it looks like it came right out of an episode of Clean House? If the answer is yes, then you’ll want to head to the Professional Enrichment Series: Giving the Gift of An Organized You at Sinclair. If you are interested in sports, fitness, and nutrition, then check out the Air Force Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo at the Nutter Center, which is also going on Friday. In the evening, all you movie buffs will want to go to The Neon for the Media That Matters Short Film Festival, which will include several short films that tackle a variety of social issues. There is also an article on DMM about this event with plenty of details, so check it out! If you’re a young professional, then attending the ‘Jump into the DAI’ JumpstART Party for Modern Masters is a must! For only $10, you get free admission to the Modern Masters exhibit, two drink tickets, food, and an admission ticket to Oktoberfest later this month! I LOVE great deals!

On Friday, there is no need to watch the Food Channel – you can sharpen your cooking skills by heading to PNC’s 2^nd Street Market for Market Meals to see live demonstrations. If you’d rather have somebody cook for you, that’s okay too. Head on over to Riverscape for the Taste of the Miami Valley. I have gone there for the past few years and the food is amazing – no matter your taste preferences, there is something delicious for you! Plus, there will be live music and cooking demos! Also in the evening, if you are an animal lover, consider supporting SICSA by eating terrific food, drinking cocktails, and bidding on some wonderful silent and live auction items at their Red Dog Charity Auction. Speaking of red dogs, I wonder if Clifford will be there. And if you like children’s theater and you’re “wonder”ring what you should do, then head on down to Town Hall Theatre for their production of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr.

On Saturday, there are plenty of fun things to do if you’re not participating in the Air Force Marathon, or if you’re not too tired after running, walking, and/or skipping. I am actually skipping it, as I have not been disciplined enough to train for it…although I totally admire all of you runners out there! If you enjoy fashion, lunch, and shopping, all the while supporting adults and youth with disabilities achieve greater independence through art, then you’ll want to attend Fashionable Scarecrows – We Care Arts Style Show 2010. If you have young kids, then you will definitely want to check out The Dayton Mothers of Twins Club’s Fall Clothing & Equipment Sale. Although I don’t have kids of my own, I have heard about it from several people who have found great bargains there on infant/kids clothes, equipment, and much more! No need to have twins to be able to shop…it is open to the public!

If you have a “German” Shepherd, then you will want to take him to his very own version of Oktoberfest…Barktoberfest at the Centerville Library. There will be pet vendors, contests, games, and more! If you don’t have a German Shepherd, you can bring another type of dog, as I’m pretty sure dogs don’t discriminate. If you missed the chance to taste some delicious food at the Taste of the Miami Valley or loved it so much that you want to go back, head on over to Riverscape. With the help of the DMM Calendar, I “found” another great event for you while you’re downtown – the Found Art Show at c{space to benefit Garden Station. If you’re looking for a family friendly event, again, downtown has it! Bring the kids or grandkids and head on over to Fifth-Third Field for Dragons Movie Night with Heater and Gem. For your “entertainment tonight,” the movie E.T. will be shown and the Green Team will be performing fun skits. If you enjoy classic and antique automobiles and motorcycles, consider heading to Carillon Park for the Concours d’Elegance Preview Party (Concours d’Elegance is on Sunday). There will be delicious food, drinks, music, entertainment, and a variety of auction items. If you’re in Miamisburg, then you’ll definitely want to dance in the street while the Fries perform in between a Taste of Wine and T.J. Chumps. And if you live north of town, you can always head out to the Taste of Troy!

On Sunday, if you’re looking for something corny to do, head on over to Young’s Jersey Dairy to eat some yummy ice cream and to navigate Cowvin’s Corny Maze. See, didn’t I tell you I liked corny things?!?! If you want to go way back in time to the 1600s, check out the Ohio Renaissance Festival. And finally, if you’re a fan of antique and classic cars and motorcycles, park yours over at Carillon Park for the Fourth Dayton Concours d’Elegance.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

How does a dog stop a DVD player?

It presses the “paws” button.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it – it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

: Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

First of all, thank you for all the wonderful feedback with regard to the first edition of Jane’s Best Bets on DMM! I feel so honored to have your support! It just confirms what I already know…that the people in Dayton are truly the best!

Hopefully you had a terrific (beer) week last week…and a good DD. Perhaps you were able to sample a new beer and learn a thing or two. I personally learned that there are more beers than there are calories in a McDonald’s Big Mac. To name a few, I discovered a blueberry beer, a raspberry beer, a watermelon beer, an apricot beer, and a banana bread beer. Who knew that drinking could be so healthy?!?! (Disclaimer 1: I am not a registered dietician or MD. You may want to talk to your healthcare professional before making these beverages a part of your daily diet. Disclaimer 2: I am not a lawyer either, so don’t trust that disclaimer 1 is properly worded.)

Anyways, with last week being such a busy week, you’re probably thinking there isn’t much going on this week. Wrong! Get ready to celebrate the beginning of September…and another wonderful week in Dayton! Plus, it’s a holiday weekend to boot!

On Wednesday, head on over to the first day of the Montgomery County Fair. Don’t worry, if you can’t make it, you’ll still have five more days to check it out! Or bring the whole family to watch the Dayton Dragons play against the Bowling Green Hot Rods (I wonder if there is any relation to A-Rod) for their Friends and Family Night. Also, give yourself a day off of cooking and don’t feel guilty about it because it will be for a good cause! For every meal sold at Coco’s, $1 will be donated to the Victoria Theatre Association’s Physicians for Kids as part of the Coco’s Cares – Dine for a Cause Program.

If you have ever thought about starting your own business, head on over to “One-On-One Business Counseling” provided by the Dayton Area Chapter of SCORE at the Dayton Metro Library’s Main Branch on Thursday. Also on Thursday, if you’re a fan of smooth jazz, check out the J.T. Fedrick Band as part of the Dayton Art Institute’s 2010 Vectren Just Jazz Series. Kill two, three, or four birds with one stone by also visiting the Modern Masters Exhibit from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Investigation Destination: Science and Math in Art Exhibit, and/or the Prints from the Great Depression exhibit. If you’re an animal lover like me and don’t feel like killing ANY birds, then head on over to The Greene to see First Call Acoustic. And finally, if you like to sample delicious food, you MUST head over to the Fraze for “The Taste”. Experience multiple “tastes” from places like Tumbleweed, the Oakwood Club, Belmont Catering, and Fleming’s.

On Friday, learn what people are thinking about you without them having to say a word at Generation Dayton’s Lunch with Dan Edwards presenting “Body Language“. I need to ask him how to improve my poker face, even though I have no intention of turning into Lady Gaga. Speaking of ladies, later on in the evening, head on downtown for Ladyfest 2010 at c{space (which continues through Saturday) or Dayton’s First Friday, which will give you an opportunity to explore many of Dayton’s artistic offerings. If you enjoy biking, join the Courteous Mass Ride with fellow cycling enthusiasts. Or have fun listening to Stranger, a super fun 80s cover band that is playing at Sharkey’s. I still remember what my parents said about talking to strangers, so if you go, just be careful or bring your mom and dad with you.

On Saturday, start your day off right by heading to the PNC Second Street Market for breakfast and a little shopping with some of their amazing vendors. Another “must attend” event is Alterfest, which has been a Labor Day weekend staple in Dayton for many years. No matter your age, there is something for you to do, from great live bands (Saturday’s lineup includes The Johnsons, The Fries, and This Side Up) to rides and games to their famous chicken dinners. If you don’t feel like taking a chance with the weather at Alterfest, then check out the Producers at the Dayton Playhouse or get tickets to the Sandra Rutledge Jazz Show at Gilly’s.

On Sunday, the fun continues at Alterfest with several bands performing, including Spungewurthy and Last Call, along with the other festivities. Or head on over to the Holiday at Home Festival where there will also be numerous things to do, including listening to live music, singing karaoke, and arts and crafts booths. This is a family friendly event, as there will also be activities for the kids. If you enjoy reggae music, head on over to the Michelob Dayton Reggae Festival. And if music from from the 50s, 60s, and 70s is more your style, then check out the band Legend at Stubbs Amphitheater in Centerville.

And finally on Monday, if you’re not having friends and family over for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day, Kettering is definitely the place to be. You can still celebrate “at home” with the annual Holiday at Home Parade in Kettering. Following the parade, again check out the numerous activities going on in Kettering as part of the Holiday at Home Festival, including an auto show (only on Monday), arts and crafts, and live music from The Fries, as well as music from some other great performers! And, if you would like to BE one of the entertainers, you will have the opportunity to do so. Just check out the karaoke going on there. Or, if you haven’t had an opportunity to go to Alterfest or the Montgomery County Fair, this is your last chance for the year! So, with so many great things to do, you have absolutely no excuse not to celebrate the holiday! And if your boss is actually making you labor, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. Just don’t count on anything.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

Did you hear the joke about Labor Day? It works for me.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it – it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Jane’s Best Bets (9/15 – 9/19)

Jane’s Best Bets (9/1 – 9/6)