Dayton937

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

UD Flyers Basketball

Jane’s Best Bets (2/23 – 2/27)

By Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It’s time to start making plans for the week, as there are lots of events happening around town!  Here are a few options!

On Wednesday, talk politics and help solve the world’s problems at the Drinking Liberally – Dayton event at Trolley Stop.  Seriously, they will be talking about politics, but I don’t think their solution to the world’s problems will be drinking…although the research shows that drinking water can help solve the dehydration problem.  If you own a business, you will want to attend Social Media for Business: How to Create and Use a Facebook Fan Page at Groundz4Living at The Greene…afterall, social media is a super cheap way to advertise!  Over at Sinclair, help promote sustainable living and economic development with Green Drinks Dayton, which will include a tour and networking event.  All you winos will want to attend the Wine Tasting at Rumbleseat Wine, the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery, Vina Robles Wine Tasting at Bruning’s Wine Cellar, or Wine Down Weekdays at Savona Restaurant & Wine Bar.  Craving some sushi?  Head to Sima Korean & Japanese Restaurants for 1/2 off Chef’s Specials Rolls.  And over at South Park Tavern, check out the music of The Motel Beds, The Smug Brothers, and The Fervor.  Hopefully “motel beds” isn’t indicative of the quality of their music!

On Thursday, all you art fans will want to attend REACH (Realizing Ethnic Awareness and Cultural Heritage) Across Dayton Joint Reception/Gallery Talk: Bucher/Moro, which takes place at both the Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) and Sinclair.  Please don’t “wine” if you didn’t have an opportunity to sip your favorite merlot on Wednesday, as you will again have your opportunity to do so at the Wine Tasting at The Wine Loft, A Wine Dinner with Philippe Magrez at Jungle Jim’s, the Wine Tasting at Heathers Coffee & Café, or Wine Down Weekdays at Savona Restaurant & Wine Bar.  If you love the great outdoors, attend Fundamentals of Family Camping at Five Rivers MetroParks’ St. Clair Building.  Some consider music therapeutic, so head to Therapy Café to Sing Your Heart Out for the American Heart Association.  If you like theater, our local universities are the place to be!  Head to Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater for The Foreigner, Wright State for Picnic, or Wittenberg for As You Like It.  Regardless of what you choose to do, I hope you like it.

On Friday, join Generation Dayton for their Fourth Friday Lunch Speaker Series at the Dayton Art Institute, featuring Ginny Strausburg of the DP&L Foundation, who will be talking to young professionals about “Choosing Board Professionals Wisely.”  Lunch will be provided, compliments of DP&L, so if you’re a young professional, be sure to register ASAP to secure your spot!  Couldn’t get enough wine during the earlier part of the week?  Head to the Southern Ohio Kitchens Showroom for the Go Red for Women Wine Tasting.  If you haven’t yet been to a fish fry this season, you will without a doubt want to head to the Alter High School Fish Fry.  There will be LOTS of people there (including myself!), so be sure to get there early!  We’ve already had a few days with spring like temperatures, so be sure to take advantage of the Star-Late Skates at RiverScape’s ice rink before it closes for the season!  Theater options for Friday include The Berenstain Bears on Stage at Victoria Theatre, As You Like It at Wittenberg, Fat Pig at Dayton Theatre Guild, Picnic at Wright State, and The Foreigner at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.  At the Schuster Center, attend the Dayton Philharmonic’s Virtuosos at Home.  If you wish the doors would open to more musical options in the Dayton region, you’re in luck, as there will be a Doors Tribute at Canal Street Tavern.  And finally, for all you sports enthusiasts, the Dayton Gems will be taking on the Evansville IceMen at Hara Arena.

On Saturday, start the day early by participating in Ray’s Mountain Bike Trip at Five Rivers MetroParks’ St. Clair Building.  If you have it in you, join The Greene as they “go red” for the American Heart Association by participating in their 2 Mile Run/Walk.  At the Victoria Theatre, consider taking your kids to their own “Mardi Gras” with Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco.  All you fashionistas (my spell check underlined that word so sorry if I “mispeled” it) have a couple great options from which to choose.  Attend either The Noble Circle Project’s AWear Affair Fashion Show and Luncheon at Sinclair or the 11th Annual Crown Jewels Hat Show at Books and Co. at The Greene.  Be sure to bring your “hatitude”, as the event’s founder Sharon Howard calls it!  I attended last year and it was seriously a blast!  Have a few beers and support United Rehabilitation Services by participating in the Bud Light Barstool Open North.  If you’ve always wanted to be in the movie business, attend the Production Assistant Training Seminar at Sinclair Community College.  Saturday’s theater options include Fat Pig at Dayton Theatre Guild, As You Like It at Wittenberg, Picnic at Wright State, and The Foreigner at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.  Or attend the Dayton Philharmonic’s Virtuosos at Home at the Schuster Center.  All you “Dancing with the Stars” fans will want to get tickets to see Julianne Hough at Kuss Auditorium.  At the Dayton Masonic Center, the Hermes Awards Ceremony will be going on to honor those in the advertising industry.  At Hara Arena, you will be able to see the Dayton Gems take on the Quad City Mallards.  And if you are sick and tired of winter, head to the Beach Party featuring the Parrots of the Caribbean at Jiffy Lube…oops I mean Quaker Steak & Lube.

On Sunday, head to the Schuster Center for their Visual Voices Art Exhibit:  Dayton Skyscrapers 2011.  Over at Coco’s, Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers.  If you feel like experiencing the sights and scenes of theater, see Picnic at Wright State, As You Like It at Wittenberg, or Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  If you couldn’t get a babysitter to watch your kids so that you could go to a show with your honey, then take the kids to Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco at Victoria Theatre.  All you Oscar fans should consider watching the movie awards show AT the movies, as The Neon and the The Little Art Theatre will both be having Oscar screenings.  Just don’t be a grouch if your favorite movie/actor/actress/director does not win!  And finally, head to the UD Arena to watch the UD Flyers as they take on Xavier.  I have to say – I am completely jealous of all of you who have tickets!  (And if you have any extras, please feel free to send them my way!)

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

What did the hat say to the tie?

You hang around here…I’ll go on a head.

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 (2/2 – 2/6)

By Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Hello February…and hello icky weather!  If you’re reading this, that means you still have power, which is a great thing!  I hope you also have the power to get up off the couch and enjoy some of these events!

On Groundhog Day (a.k.a. Wednesday), eat lunch at Smokey Bones for their $5 Lunch Special.  Over at the Schuster Center, check out the Visual Voices Art Exhibit:  Dayton Skyscrapers 2011, which celebrates “women and men who stand tall as role models in the Dayton African-American community.”  There will be a sea of food at Dorothy Lane Market as part of their Oyster Bar Happy Hour, as well as at Bonefish Grill for their Bang Bang Shrimp Wednesday.  If you are a fan of environmental causes and would like to know more about the lives affected by the water industry as well as public water rights, then you will want to attend the Environmental Film Series: Tapped at Cox Arboretum.  Enjoy an adult beverage at The Wine Loft for their Happy Hour, The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting, or Bruning’s Wine Cellar for their Taste the Wines of Frog’s Leap event.  If you’re downtown, head to the Schuster Center to see 9 to 5: The Musical (I’m looking forward to it after my 9 to 5 job!) or to The Loft Theatre to see Twelfth Night.  Over at Clark State Performing Arts Center, watch Fiddler On The Roof…I’m hoping he doesn’t fall down with it being icy!  And finally, support the UD Flyers as they play St. Bonaventure at UD Arena…and hopefully get a victory!

On Thursday, celebrate the Chinese New Year with dinner specials at both The Nanking Inn and Kabuki.  Have you always wanted to dance, but keep putting it off?  If so, boogie your way to Michael Solomon Pavillion for International Folk Dance Lessons.  Over at the Dayton Racquet Club, attend the Go Red for Women/American Heart Month Kickoff.  At The Neon, check out Pecha Kucha Night Dayton, Volume 6, in which there will be several short presentations by noteworthy people around the city about their creative endeavors.  The presentations will be followed by a screening of the documentary DIVE, which is based on the topic of food waste at L.A. supermarkets.  For more information about Pecha Kucha, click here.  If you like meeting new people, head to Cedarville University to meet Dolly… be sure to tell her Hello, Dolly! Also, at the Schuster Center, you will be able to see 9 TO 5: The Musical, and at The Loft Theatre, you can catch Twelfth Night.

On Friday, after you get out of the shower, be sure to put on your red for the National Wear Red Day, in honor of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” Movement.  If you wish, you can continue to celebrate the Chinese New Year at China Dynasty, The Nanking Inn, or Kabuki.  Get out your dancing shoes and head to the Michael Solomon Pavilion for the Contra Dance Party – Cityfolk.  If you love a good fish fry, head to either the Ascension or the St. Mary Fish Fry.  All you art lovers will want to participate in First Friday, the fabulous art hop which happens the first Friday of each month downtown.  There will also be many wonderful shows going on in our great region, including 9 to 5: The Musical (Schuster Center), The Octette Bridge Club (Beavercreek Community Theatre), The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (Dayton Playhouse), Twelfth Night (Loft Theatre), The Berenstain Bears Onstage; A Bear Country Musical! (Town Hall Theatre), and True West (University of Dayton-Kennedy Union Boll Theatre).  And finally, listen to The Rocket Man, The Eagles, Diana Ross, and The Beatles as you skate at RiverScape for their event, Peace, Love, and Skate: 60s and 70s.

On Saturday, bring your Valentine and go to the wonderful El Meson for their Cooking Class for Lovers.  For all you techies, head to the Dayton Diode Open House which has been called a “YMCA for nerds”…perhaps I should go then!  When tragedy strikes, it is important for a community to join together.  Over at St. John’s Lutheran Church, bring your friends and participate in the Dodgeball Tournamnet to benefit the Suzanne Waughtel Hopper fund.  In the evening, there are opportunities to support other great causes.  You can attend the 21st Annual Artemis Center Gala ‘Be a Star, a Purple Carpet Event’ at Sinclair or Sing your Heart Out For A Good Cause (the American Heart Association) at The Wine Loft.  All you “pasghetti” lovers (as many kids call it!) will want to go to the American Legion Post 598 for Franco’s FAMOUS Spaghetti.  Over at RiverScape, participate in the Star-Late Skate.  Also on Saturday, there will be a plethora of theatre options, including 9 to 5: The Musical, The Berenstain Bears Onstage; A Bear Country Musical, The Octette Bridge Club, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Twelfth Night, and True West.

On Sunday, consider going to Alex’s for their Jazz Brunch.  Or you can Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers at Coco’s Bistro.  If it’s not too cold, perhaps you’ll want to learn the Fundamentals of Skating at RiverScape.  Sundays are a great day for the arts, so consider checking out the Wright State University 2011 Faculty Exhibition, Visual Voices Art Exhibit; Dayton Skyscrapers 2011 at the Schuster Center, Folk Art from the Collection of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP at The Dayton Art Institute, or A Student of People Exhibit at Troy-Hayner Cultural Center.  Or check out one of the many theatre productions going on around town.  If you still haven’t done so, be sure to check out DMM’s onStageDayton, where Shane, Katherine, and Russell keep you up to date on the Dayton theatre scene!

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

How many pessimists does it take to change a lightbulb?

Nevermind.  Nobody would get the joke anyway.

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 (12/29 – 1/2)

By Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

With Christmas shopping finished, Christmas decorations put away until next year (if you’re an overachiever), and 75% off Christmas sales, it’s time to say goodbye to Christmas and hello to a brand spanking new year!

On New Year’s Eve Eve Eve (Wednesday), enjoy some good food at Champps for their 9.99 Fajitas or go to the Bonefish Grill for their Bang Bang Shrimp Wednesdays.  “EVE”n though it’s not officially New Year’s Eve, drink some bubbly as part of the Champagne Tasting at Arrow Wine or the Special Sparkling Tasting at Chin’s Ginger Grill.  You may not need to get a cab for this “cab”aret show, but perhaps you may take a trip to Canal Street Tavern for Believe It Or Not It’s Just Me.  And finally, I do believe that the Flyers are going to pull off a win as they play George Mason at UD Arena.

On New Year’s Eve Eve (Thursday), if your New Year’s resolution is to cook more, attend the Couples Cooking Class at Culinary Company.  If it is to cook less, then practice by eating out at Rue Dumaine as part of their $25 Prix Fixe Menu.  I’m glad I just have to write about it and not talk about it because I’m sure I’d butcher that name.  Which reminds me of the butcher who backed into his meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.  Sorry…I couldn’t pass up that one!  Moving on…if you like live music, head to the Oregon District for The Original Acoustic Revival Open Mic Stage at The Trolley Stop or the Blues Jam at Oregon Express.  And for those of you with kids, take them to the Kids’ New Year’s Eve at the Boonshoft for a fun time!

On New Year’s Eve (Friday), you can leave your kids at the babysitter’s.  But first, you might want to take them to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Nutter Center.  I remember my dad taking me to see them as a kid and they were amazing!  He says that every kid should see them at least once, so if you have the opportunity, get tickets!  Afterwards, go out for a fabulous dinner at one of the many restaurants celebrating New Year’s Eve with special meals, including Amelia’s Bistro, El Meson, The Melting Pot, Meadowlark Restaurant, or Rue Dumaine.  Or, do a little “pre-gaming” at the Beer Tasting at Arrow Wine.  Even if you’re not Italian, attending the Dayton Philharmonic’s ‘New Year’s Eve Concert: Viva Italia!’ at the Schuster Center is a good option!  And for all you hockey lovers, watch the Dayton Gems take on the Evansville Icemen at Hara Arena as part of the Biggest Family New Year’s Eve Party in Dayton.  If you’re not heading off to a party, there are a variety of places around town to ring in the new year, including the New Year’s Eve Skateat RiverScape, the Black and White Ball at Bar Louie, The big NYE Party at El Meson, and the New Year’s Eve Party at Wiley’s.  And like I’ve said before, please drink responsibly.  Free cab rides are being offered to Montgomery County residents so be sure to take advantage!  Just remember…449-9999!

On New Year’s Day (Saturday), for Pete’s sake, please sleep in…and perhaps take the day easy by watching some football on the couch!  If you do venture out, head over to RiverScape for their New Year’s Day Skate.  You will still be able to see Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display at Kettering Tower.  After a crazy busy few weeks, attend Candlelight Yoga & Meditation at Practice Yoga on Fifth for a little relaxation.  And finally, watch some UD basketball action as the Flyers take on New Mexico at UD Arena.

On post-New Year’s Day (Sunday), again I hope you find some time to relax and watch some football since it’s the last day of the regular season!  If you don’t have a place to watch the games, head to The Dock for 79 Cent Draft Beer Football Happy Hour.  If you’re not a football fan, head to Little Art Theatre for Brunch and a movie.  Or head to the Dayton Art Institute to see 100 Years of African-American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection, Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis ‘Bing’ Davis, or the Max May Memorial Holocaust Art Exhibition.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week (well actually a couple one-liners!). Drum roll please…

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.

When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

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…and Happy New Year!

Jane’s Best Bets (12/1 – 12/5)

By 2 Comments

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Just think…in less than four weeks, Santa Claus is coming to town.  You better watch out for the many fun things going on this week!

On Wednesday, head over to the University of Dayton for their Narrative Enchantment: Nativity Stories in Gold and Blue, which is a visual display created by an award-winning illustrator.  You better not cry when you see Scrooge in A Christmas Carolat the Victoria Theatre.  At the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries, bring in canned goods to create an artistic display, which will then be donated to the Foodbank as part of the Show of HeART: The Foodbank Installation.  At the Oakwood Dorothy Lane Market, attend the Season’s Greetings Beer Tasting. And in the evening, make your way over to UD Arena to watch the Flyers play East Tennessee State!

On Thursday, learn how social media can help grow your business by registering for Social Media Boot Camp at Sinclair.  If you’re a young professional interested in marketing and new media and would like to give back (after all, Santa knows if you’ve been bad or good), you will definitely want to learn about a new and wonderful group in town called CultureMASH at their launch event at Wright State.  And if you’re a young professional in the defense industry, definitely check out the Young AFCEAn End of Year Social at the Pub at the Greene.  For a good laugh, head over to the Victoria Theatre to see the stand-up comic Lisa Lampanelli.  Santa knows who is naughty and nice, and according to what I’ve heard, Lisa’s stand-up routine is more of the former, as she has been hailed the “Queen of Mean”…however, she is well-liked by many!  If you’ve been making a list of all the songs of the 70s you know and love, then you’ll be able to listen to them as part of 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre.  And if you would like to hear another style of music, watch the University of Dayton Orchestra, as they put on a FREE show!

On Friday, head over to the PNC 2nd Street Market to make Azra’s Favorite Christmas Cookies.  Watch the Miami Valley Dance Company’s Performance of the Nutcrackerat Bellbrook High School.  Attend the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s First Friday, which is an amazing art hop downtown.  Don’t worry, if you’re not an art fanatic, there are plenty of other things to do while you’re downtown!  Ice skate at RiverScape (that sounds like the beginning of a tongue twister) to some music like the professionals do as part of their DJ Skate: Holiday and Top 40, or take a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride. At the Schuster Center, check out the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance, ‘Twas the Night: Holiday at Home’. At The Loft Theatre, be entertained by 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s.  And finally downtown, I am so pleased to announce that Bryan Adams will be performing at Victoria Theatre!  Yeah, I’m pretty sure that “Bryan Adams” is a common name, but I checked and it is THE Bryan Adams…you know, the singer!  Please forgive me for the fact that my words come straight from the heart…I’m just that excited about it!  At Triangle Park, take the kids and attend the City Of Dayton Winter Wonderland to experience a fun, outdoor light display…just tell them to be good for goodness sake.  And if you are in the suburbs, consider seeing A Christmas Carolat the Beavercreek Community Theatre, the Washington Township Woodland Lights, or Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smellsat Town Hall Theatre in Centerville.  I don’t think little Junie is aware of the fact that Santa knows if she’s been good or bad!

On Saturday, you better be making a list of the things you would like to do, as there are so many awesome events from which to choose!  Santa Claus will REALLY be coming to town and you can have breakfast with him at Rusty Bucket at the Dayton Mall or at Polen Farms.  Also at Polen Farms, you can attend their Holiday Boutique to find unique holiday gifts.  Not sure how unique they are, as there will also be the Christkindlmarkt German Christmas Bazaar at Dayton Liederkranz Turner and the Omega Holiday Bazaar at Omega Baptist Church, which both offer one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.  Kind of reminds me of the quote, “You’re unique, just like everybody else.”  I guess it’s the same way with Christmas gifts.  Sorry, I digress.  I’m thinking Santa must have a pretty busy day, as he will also be at Uno’s Chicago Grill and at the PNC 2nd Street Market for Pet Pictures with Santa.  While at the PNC 2nd Street Market, you can also participate in the Christmas Walk, which is my kind of walk as it is a “noncompetitive walk for the health of it”.  Although my kind of walk is probably more like the We Care Arts Cookie Walk going on at We Care Arts in Kettering, which is a wonderful organization that seeks to change disabilities into possibilities through art.  If you’re in downtown Lebanon, check out the Historic Christmas Festival and Horse Drawn Carriage Parade.

Continuing with Saturday…At the Victoria Theatre, check out Mooseltoe:  The Moosical…gotta love puns!  Also for more theater action, check out Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells at Town Hall Theatre, the Miami Valley Dance Company’s Nutcracker at Bellbrook High School, or A Christmas Carol at the Beavercreek Community Theatre.  If you enjoy music, consider listening to The Dayton Philharmonic ‘Twas the Night: Holiday at Home’at the Schuster Center, the UD Ebony Heritage Singers at the University of Dayton, or 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre.  Eat and dance the night away with The Soul Express Band at the Dayton Neighborhood Ballat the Dayton Masonic Center.  Give those vocal chords a workout (although you may need to see one of my colleagues for voice therapy afterwards!) by cheering on the Flyers as they take on Miami at UD Arena.  At the University of Dayton’s campus, you will be able to see Holiday Happenings – DCDC2’s Family Holiday Performance, in which there will be fun-filled dance performances to traditional and non-traditional holiday music.  And finally on Saturday evening, I am excited to be  celebrating with Generation Dayton at their Annual Holiday Party at the Old Courthouse downtown!

On Sunday, you will once again be able to get some holiday shopping accomplished at the Omega Holiday Bazaar at Omega Baptist Church and the Christkindlmarkt German Christmas Bazaarat Dayton Liederkranz Turner.  If you’re looking for something musical, check out Mooseltoe:  The Moosical at Victoria Theatre, 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre, Afternoon Musicales: Dayton Music Club at the Dayton Art Institute, Advent Dinner and Choral Program at Westminster Presbyterian Church, or the UD Choral Union/ World Music Choir/ Hands in Harmony at the University of Dayton.  And if you love all the Christmas decorations this time of year, hit up the Washington Township Woodland Lights!

You better not pout because you can’t hit up all these awesome events this week!  I’m confident that whatever you choose to do, you’ll have an awesome time!

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

What do you call Santa when he has no money?
Saint “Nickel”-less!

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!