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Vectren Just Jazz Series

Dayton Art Institute Announces 2012 Vectren Jazz & Beyond Series

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Fareed Haque

The Dayton Art Institute has long been a home for jazz in the Miami Valley with the Vectren Just Jazz series performances taking place on the first Thursday of March – November (save for July when they take a month off).  This year the series is being renamed the Vectren Jazz & Beyond Series and will feature performances from some established favorites as well as some newer artists.  All performances are 5:30-830pm in the Dayton Art Institute’s Shaw Gothic Cloister. Admission is free for museum members or $8 for non-members.

The 2012 Vectren Jazz & Beyond Season Lineup:

March 1: Fareed Haque Trio
April 5: Kick-N-Flava
May 3: Chicago Afrobeat Project
June 7: Soul Express
August 2: Dayton Jazz Orchestra
September 6: Rob Dixon Quartet
October 4: MathGames!
November 8: Puzzle of Light

Jane’s Best Bets (5/4 – 5/8)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Since it is May, you may be asking the question, “Is there anything fun going on this week in Dayton?”  The answer of course is an enormous “YES!”  This week, there are so many things from which to choose that you may have some very difficult decisions ahead of you!

On Wednesday, join Dayton Creative Syndicate as they welcome Guest Speaker, Jack Supple at Brixx Ice Company.  Taste some wine as part of the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery.  Not yet prepared to make your bets for the Kentucky Derby?  Be sure to attend the Derby Preview Party at Color of Energy Gallery where John Engelhardt from River Downs and other horse racing experts will give you some great tips…and don’t forget to have a mint julep!  Plus, there will be a live horse outside the art gallery AND live music!  Afterwards, please carefully walk to Fifth Third Field to watch the Dragons as they play the South Bend Silver Hawks.  And finally, give those vocal folds a workout by heading to Blind Bob’s for Karaoke.

On jueves (Thursday), start the day at the Presidential Banquet Center for the 2nd Annual Voices for Kids Benefit, which helps CHOICES, an organization that provides a support system for youth, their families, and foster parents.  Over at Sinclair, attend the 2011 Go Red For Women Luncheon.  Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style at one of these great restaurants:  (1) The Caroline, which offers some great Cinco de Mayo specials; (2) El Meson – starting at 3PM, they will have $1 Tequila shots and free tapas until 5:30PM…plus amazing food, music, and dancing; or (3) El Rancho Grande (or the “E.R.” as my friend Lynne calls it) for 1/2 Price Ladies Night.  Or Join the Dayton Ballet Barre for their 1st Annual Cinco de Mayo ‘Barre’ Crawl which will take place at a variety of bars in the Oregon District.  If Mexican food does not appeal to your taste buds, no problem.  You can attend the Beer & Burger Tasting at A Taste of Wine in downtown Miamisburg.  Some other possibilities for Thursday evening include listening to the Hal Melia Quartet as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series at the Dayton Art Institute, Space Night at the Air Force Museum, Dayton Theology on Tap at Oregon Express, or watching the Dragons as they play the South Bend Silver Hawks.

On Friday, ALL young professionals should without a doubt participate in Generation Dayton’s Get Out, & Give Back Dayton! The day will consist of a lunch, followed by a variety of service projects at area non-profits, and finally a wonderful after-party at Oregon Express!  Get registered today and bring a friend!  Afterwards, attend the First Friday art hop downtown.  Also downtown, you can participate in the Courteous Mass Ride, watch the Dragons play the South Bend Silver Hawks, listen to the Paul McKenna Band at the Dayton Art Institute, or attend ‘Byron Stripling: Satchmo, Fats & The Duke’ (Dayton Philharmonic) at the Schuster Center (click here to find out how you can get discounted tickets, courtesy of jumpstART!).  And if you’re brave enough to venture outside of downtown, head to the Dayton Mall Chick-fil-A for a Free Chick-fil-A Sandwich from 4-7PM, the Baum Opera House for The Wizard of Oz, or the Centerville Performing Arts Center for Hello, Dolly!

Hopefully you spent your Friday night downtown so you can wake up and gallop your way to the Derby Day Dash 5K and Kids Fun Run at RiverScape.  Then head to PNC 2nd Street Market to Make Your Own Crepe.  Over at Garden Station Community Garden/Art Park, share your food, art, music, or whatever else you want as part of the Really Really Free Market.  Wear your favorite hat (the bigger, the better!) and support women’s wellness by attending the 2nd Annual Crown Jewels Derby Day Brunch at Brio.  I hope to see you there!  Keep that hat on so that you will be able to attend the Junior League of Dayton Derby Party at The Wine Loft.  In order to support a couple other great causes, attend the House of Bread Silent Auction at the Dayton Mall Holiday Inn or the American Red Cross’s Putting on the Glitz event at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center.  If your doctor wrote you a prescription for laughter, be sure to get your tickets to Cocktails with Larry Miller at Victoria Theatre.  Although I’m not an accountant, I don’t think this would qualify as a medical expense under your H.S.A.  Listen to the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance – ‘Byron Stripling: Satchmo, Fats & The Duke’, which takes place at the Schuster Center.  Other musical options include listening to the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra’s Spring Concert at Shiloh Church or the The Primo Trio at the Dayton Art Institute as part of the Vanguard Concert Series.  Catch “Saturday Night Football” at Hara Arena as the Dayton Silverbacks play the Indianapolis Enforcers.  And finally, if you feel like catching a show, both The Wizard of Oz (Baum Opera House) and Hello, Dolly (Centerville Performing Arts Center) will still be running strong!

On Sunday, if you do nothing else, be sure to honor your mother!  If you don’t mind (and if you do mind, sorry, I just don’t care), I’d like to give a quick shout out to mine – Thank you mom for being the best mom ever…and thank you for not just putting up with my dumb jokes, but actually laughing at them!  I love you bunches and bunches! Thanks for letting me do that, although you really had no choice.  Anyways, whatever you’re doing, I hope you will be able to have the opportunity to spend Sunday with your mother.  And don’t worry because you won’t have to cook breakfast or lunch, as many restaurants are offering Mother’s Day Specials!  Some places that are offering brunch include The Barnsider, Hilton Garden Inn, Carvers, Blind Bob’s, Boulevard Haus, Dublin Pub, and Fleming’s.  Don’t forget to take your wallet…it would be bad news if your mom had to pay!  And if your mom likes music, take her to Kettering Fairmont High School for the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert.  Or take her to see Honk! Jr. at Town Hall Theatre.

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

Why was the racehorse named Bad News?  Because Bad News travels fast.

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 (4/6 – 4/10)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It’s April, so don’t be fooled by the people that tell you there is nothing to do in Dayton!  There are many great things going on here this week!

On Wednesday, picture yourself in one of the Landscapes by Gregory T. Davis or the Landscapes by Monique Janssen-Belitz, both at Sinclair.  At the University of Dayton’s ArtStreet, attend Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork’s Photography Exhibit.  All you opera lovers should attend Opera Preview On Campus: The Daughter of the Regiment at Wright State.  Everybody needs to eat, so head to the Oregon District’s Boulevard Haus where Sausages, Burgers, and Sandwiches will be 25% off!  Afterwards, wise men say that you may want to get “All Shook Up” at Victoria Theatre.

On Thursday, make your way to the Schuster Center to see Nick Clooney, an award-winning journalist, author, TV personality, and activist (and the father to George Clooney!) as part of the Junior League of Dayton Town Hall Lecture Series.  Over at the University of Dayton, the most talented winter guards around the world will be competing in the 2011 WGI Color Guard World Championships.  Jazz your life up a bit by attending the Vectren Just Jazz Series: Maggie Green and the Brazilian Jazz Connection at the Dayton Art Institute.  In downtown Miamisburg, head to A Taste of Wine for their Greek Wine Tasting.  All you theater lovers should head to the UD for Smoke on the Mountain or Victoria Theatre for All Shook Up.  And if you love baseball, I hope you’ll be at the Dayton Dragons’ Opening Day as they take on the Bowling Green Hot Rods!

On Friday, there will be several opportunities to support some wonderful non-profits in the Miami Valley, so get out and have fun for a cause!  At the Greene, they are Going Blue for Autism Awareness – when you make select purchases at both The Wine Loft and The Funny Bone, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to local autism charities.  At Town & Country Shopping Center, check out the Inner I Gallery & Partners For Community Living – Opening Reception, in which fine art created by artists with developmental disabilities will be on display and for sale.  Over at the Schuster Center, enjoy live music, great food, drinks, a silent auction, raffles, and much more as part of the The Great Escape!  All proceeds will directly benefit the Dayton Chapter of the American Red Cross to aid in disaster relief.  (I’m helping to plan the event so I hope to see you there!)  At the Hope Hotel and Conference Center, you will be able to support another great cause, We Care Arts, as they have their 2011 ‘Happy Days’ Auction.  Also on Saturday, you can enjoy Half-Price Happy Hour Pizzas at Oregon Express.  Make your way to Fifth-Third Field to catch the Dragons as they play the Bowling Green Hot Rods.  Some theater options include All Shook Up at Victoria Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Playhouse South, The Boys Next Door at the Dayton Theatre Guild (I hope they’re cute), Close Ties (a family drama that brings an understanding about Alzheimer’s ) at the Kettering Health Network Theater, and Smoke on the Mountain at UD.  Also, you’ll have the opportunity to check out the amazing documentary The Elephant in the Living Room presented as part of the UD ArtStreet Friday Film Series.

On Saturday, participate in the Run for Congo 5K at Wegerzyns Garden Center.  Afterwards, it is perfectly acceptable to stuff yourself with pancakes at the Kiwanis 6th Annual Pancake Breakfast at Christ United Methodist Church.  If you love playing games (the nice kind, not the mean kind), head to Game Day at Your Library (the Dayton Metro Library’s East Branch).  Over at the UD Arena, you will be able to check out the 2011 WGI Color Guard World Championships.  If you love flowers, head to the Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking for their Tropical Flowers Arrangement Class.  Bring out the artist in you by participating in the Art-Making & Historical Touring (Dayton Visual Arts Center) or the Get Creative Workshop – Visual Journaling (Dayton Art Institute).  Also at the Dayton Art Institute, you will be able to catch the Vanguard Concerts: Graffe String Quartet with Pianist Michiko Otaki.  Theater options for Saturday include All Shook Up (Victoria Theatre), The Boys Next Door (Dayton Theatre Guild), Close Ties (X*ACT, Xenia Area Community Theatre at the Kettering Health Network Theater), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The Playhouse South), and Smoke on the Mountain (UD).  And if you miss football season, be sure to check out the Dayton Silverbacks as they take on the Marion Blue Racers.

On Sunday, start the morning off with All You Can Eat Brunch at Yankee Trace.  Then, eat some more at the Taste of Greene County at the Nutter Center.  Take the family to see the Dragons play the Bowling Green Hot Rods…plus Charity Cuts on the Plaza and McDonald’s Friends & Family Day at Fifth Third Field.  Get your legs moving for the Kettering Spring Into Health 5K Run/Walk.  If you love music, listen to the Dayton Philharmonic’s ‘The Symphonic Mozart’ at the Dayton Masonic Center.  Or head to UD for their Jazz Faculty Recital.  And finally, don’t miss your chance to catch All Shook Up at the Victoria Theatre.  Thank you, thank you very much for reading.

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

Why was it really hot after the baseball game?

All the fans left.

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 (3/2 – 3/6)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

As the famous Dr. Seuss once said,

“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”

Hopefully you make your way to some of these great places/events this week…unless you’re a grinch and don’t like having fun!

On Dr. Seuss’s birthday (Wednesday), head to the East Branch of the Dayton Metro Library for the Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash! If you feel like catching a little art, head to the Dayton Art Institute for Folk Art from the Collection of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, Wright State for the Wright State University 2011 Faculty Exhibition, Gallery Saint John for Sea, Earth & Sky, UD’s Rike Center Gallery for God… Steel and a Wasted Dream: Kyle and Kelly Phelps, UD’s ArtStreet for Yasue Sakaoka: Suspended 3-D Paper Sculpture, or the Cannery Art and Design Center for Romancing the Metal.  And if you’re one of the Flyer Faithful, be sure to get your tickets to see the UD Flyers as they play Saint Louis…and this time, hopefully they win!

On Thursday, head to the Dayton Convention Center for the Dayton Home and Garden Show.  In the evening, listen to the sounds of Mara Rosenbloom at the Dayton Art Institute as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series.  Perfect (or begin) your dancing skills as part of International Folk Dance Lessons at Michael Solomon Pavillion.  Over at Jay’s, check out their Troeg Beer Dinner.  Afterwards, catch some live music in the Oregon District – Nick Mitchell at the Dublin Pub, The Original Acoustic Revival Open Mic Stage at Trolley Stop, or the Blues Jam at Oregon Express.

On Friday, after you’ve eaten some green eggs and ham for breakfast, be sure to make your way to Chick-Fil-A for their FREE FryDay.  It’s one of my favorite restaurants, though I always seem to crave it on Sundays when they’re closed!  If you need to do some home improvements, check out the Dayton Home and Garden Show at the Dayton Convention Center.  In the evening, bring your bike downtown (I’m hoping it’s good weather!) for the Courteous Mass Ride and for the fabulous First Friday.  Be sure to check out the DMM events calendar for a listing of many of the arts events happening as part of this art hop!  If you don’t feel like hopping, the Incarnation Fish Fry, the St. Mary Fish Fry, and the Ascension Fish Fry are all excellent options!  You will be able to eat some fish, win some silent auction items, play some blackjack, and much more…all for a great cause of course!  If you love the 80s like me, wear your sunglasses at night and attend the DJ Skates: Awesome ’80s at RiverScape MetroPark.  For a “little” theater action, be sure to get your ticket to see The Wizard of Oz at Clark State Performing Arts Center or Little Women at Wright State University…after all, Dr. Seuss says that “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”  And if you want to listen to live music, enable yourself to see The Enablers at Canal Street Tavern, The Story Changes, Segments, Me and Mountains, and the Apprentice at Blind Bob’s, or The Noah Wotherspoon Band at Oregon Express.

AleFeast

On Saturday, if you didn’t get enough information at the Dayton Home and Garden Show on Thursday or Friday, you can head their again or you can go to the 16th Annual Miami Valley Gardening Conference at Sinclair.  Although it’s sad that you have to wait until August for Dayton AleFest, you will be able to attend Dayton AleFEAST at the Dayton Masonic Center, also on Saturday.  Great food and beer…who can turn that down?  All you car lovers should head to Daddy Katz for their Model Car Show & Swap Meet.  At Wright State, you will still be able to catch a performance of Little Women.  Due to the nature of the show, I’m guessing it would be a good idea to get a seat up front so you will be able to see the actors.  At the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club, celebrate Fasching – German Mardi Gras.  And if you didn’t get your opportunity to eat some fish on Friday night, head to the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School Fish Fry.

On Sunday, start the day off by attending the Pancake Brunch at Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm.  Afterwards, learn the Fundamentals of Skating at RiverScape MetroPark.  At Wright State, you will be able to catch Little Women…no dumb jokes this time.  At Alex’s on 725, support a great cause with their Spaghetti Dinner Benefit for Deputy Hopper’s Children & Officer Blum.  And finally, although it’s not yet St. Patrick’s Day, get some Irish food as part of the Irish Buffet at The Dublin Pub and then later catch some Irish music at the Schuster Center as The Chieftains perform.

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

What is the best way to communicate with a fish?
Drop it a line!

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!