Dayton937

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

The Featured Articles

Dayton’s Newest Steakhouse Now Open

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Nestled in the heart of Dayton, Ohio, Bistecca is an elegant Italian steakhouse that offers a carefully curated menu of Tuscan-inspired beef dishes and a wide selection of fine Italian wines. The stylish and comfortable space, located inside the Hotel Ardent across from the Victoria Theatre, is reminiscent of an Italian home, with seductive lighting that adds to the sophisticated ambiance.

According to their website, Bistecca’s menu features a carefully curated selection of Tuscan-inspired beef dishes and classic Italian cuisine, expertly prepared with fresh ingredients and served with flair. With a full bar and specialty cocktails crafted with an Italian accent, complemented by a fine selection of Italian wines, there’s something to suit every palate at Bistecca.

Check out their menu here:

Bistecca

137 N. Main Street,
Dayton, OH 45402
937.637.0465
Dinner Hours
Sun-Thurs: 4:30pm – 10:00pm
Fri & Sat: 4:30pm – 11:00pm
Breakfast Hours
Mon-Fri: 6:30am – 10:30am
Sat & Sun: 7:00am – 11:00am

National Burrito Day Deals

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On Thursday, April 3, burrito lovers will have the opportunity to celebrate their favorite food for National Burrito Day. To mark the occasion, here art the restaurants that are serving up deals and freebies. Ready to pocket all the savings? Here’s a list of all the discounts you’ll want to devour.

Bubbakoo’s Burritos

Bubbakoo’s Burritos loyalty members can take advantage of a buy one burrito, get $5 off your next order deal at all locations.

Chipotle

Chipotle rewards members can enjoy free delivery when ordering through the chain’s website or app with the code DELIVER on April 3.

Additionally, Chipotle’s Burrito Vault game is back for the second year in a row. Here’s how it works: Between March 31 — April 2, rewards members who unlock the virtual vault at UnlockBurritoDay.com can score a buy-one, get-one-free code. Some winners will also earn free burritos for a year.

 

Condado Tacos

Enjoy 1/2 of burritos all day long and free delivery today

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Moe’s Southwest Grill is offering rewards members a buy-one, get-one-free burrito or bowl on April 3 at participating locations. The single-use deal isn’t valid with other offers.

Qdoba

Qdoba is offering rewards members “burrito insurance” on April 3. Here’s how it works: Purchase a drink and entrée on the holiday then redeem your insurance at a future date for a backup burrito when you accidentally drop yours or you simply want an extra treat.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell rewards members can enjoy their choice of a $2 burrito with a minimum $15 purchase in the app today.

Arcade Launches Loyalty Card

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If you shop at Arcade between now and May 31st ask one of the four merchants for a loyalty card. Make a $5+ purchase from each participating Arcade retailer, fill your card, turn it in to one of the merchants and you’ll be entered to win one of two $50 Downtown Dollars prizes!
Support local businesses and get rewarded—pick up your punch card at any of these four locations:
The Contemporary Dayton | 25 W. Fourth St.
Gather | 37 W. Fourth St.
Table 33 | 45 W. Fourth St.
6888 Kitchen Incubator | 32 S. Ludlow St.

Nine Stops On The Darke County Whiskey, Wine & Ale Trail

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The Darke County Whiskey, Wine & Ale Trail is a tribute to the American Spirit and to individuals who appreciate its taste and heritage. It is a touring destination unlike any other, consisting of three wineries, two breweries, and a distillery. Each locale offers its own distinctive experience and authentic character.

Tour the oldest distillery in Ohio at Indian Creek Distillery. Sip award-winning wines at the 2017 Ohio Magazine “Best Winery” winner, The Winery at Versailles. Visit the “Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches” on your way to Moeller Brew Barn. Swing through Arcanum and play fetch with Fuel, the logo namesake of A.R. Winery, the newest winery in Darke County. Enjoy a spectacular country sunset on the back porch of Tailspin Brewing Company, in what was once an old dairy barn. Enjoy a taste of the laid back country life with Twenty Barrels Winery & Cidery. Drink in the ambiance of an old brick school house at Olde Schoolhouse Winery. Spend an evening inside or on the spacious patio with a scenic view at Old Mason Winery and Vineyard. Experience a sophisticated evening overlooking downtown Greenville with a variety of cocktails at Alchemy Cocktail Lounge. Visit the charming town of Versailles to partake in Hayner Distilling’s special bourbon produced exclusively for the award-winning Hotel Versailles. All in the picturesque rural setting of western Ohio, where the soil is as rich as our history.

Wind your way through the scenic countryside of Darke, Mercer, Preble and Miami counties for an exceptional whiskey, wine, ale and bourbon tasting experience, where the age-old art of spirit-making is transformed into a casual event with relaxed style and an educational flare.  Visit nine locations at your own pace! Pick up a Whiskey, Wine & Ale Trail passport at any location, get it stamped at all nine locations to receive a free t-shirt!

Bleu Wave Seafood & Pho Announces Soft Opening

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The newest eatery at Fairfield Commons has just announced they will host a soft opening on Wednesday, April 9th. Bleu Wave Seafood & Pho Restaurant says “customers can also enjoy sandwiches, noodles, Seafood, Chicken Wings, Soups and so much more with the tasty and unique flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.” Manager Van says he predicts Pho will be there biggest seller but also knows their seafood will be popular as well. You’ll be able to build your own seafood boil combo, choosing from mussels, crawfish, clams, shrimp, scallops and various assortments of crab, which will come with corn and potatoes.  For the entire menu, click here.

During the soft opening, they will have limited seating and they are still awaiting their liquor license to arrive from the state. Lunch specials like fried catfish, shrimp or wing baskets will be offered Monday – Friday from 11am – 3pm and range from $10-$14.
During the soft opening you’ll get 10% off your bill and a coupon for a free bowl of Vietnamese Noodle Soup(Pho) for your next visit.

Bleu Wave Seafood & Pho 

2733 Fairfield Commons, Unit A
Beavercreek, OH, 45431
937-702-9395
Mon- Thurs Tuesday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Saturday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Dine In or Carry Out

The Temptations and The Four Tops to Play The Rose

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Celebrate 40 years of The Temptations and The Four Tops, and the 60th Anniversary of the hit song “My Girl,” when the two legendary groups reunite in Huber Heights, OH for a special performance at Rose Music Center on Thursday, August 7.

THE TEMPTATIONS

The Temptations, often referred to as American music royalty, are world-renowned superstars of entertainment, revered for their phenomenal catalog of music and prolific career. They are one of the most iconic, bestselling brands in the entertainment world today. While the group has evolved over the years, Dr. Otis Williams has continued to lead the group and carry the torch forward for the next generation of Temptations fans. The Temptations are headlining concerts around the country throughout 2025. Their concerts include fan favorites such as “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me),” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” and more.

Ranked #1 in Billboard magazine’s most recent list of the “Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of All Time,” The Temptations also appear in the magazine’s 125th Anniversary list of the “125 Greatest of All Time Artists.” In addition, Rolling Stone magazine named the group among the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.” In September of 2020, the editors of Rolling Stone magazine commented that The Temptations are “Indisputably the greatest black vocal group of the Modern Era…,” and listed the group’s Anthology album among the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The Anthology album has appeared in all three of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums’ lists.

The Temptations have been the subject of a smash hit Broadway musical, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, based on Otis Williams’ personal journey, which opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on March 21st, 2019. The musical received 12 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, and won the Tony Award® for Best Choreography at the 73rd Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 10, 2019. The Temptations’ heritage, influence, and contributions to not only American culture and African American communities but also to the global music landscape are monumental. The Temptations’ presence in the world today has never been more vivid, and their popularity is ever-increasing.

THE FOUR TOPS

The legendary quartet, originally called the Four Aims, made their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record on the label is indispensable to any retrospective of the decade.

Their songs, soulful and bittersweet, were across-the-board successes. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” a no. 1 R&B and Pop smash in 1965, is one of Motown’s longest-running chart toppers; “It’s The Same Old Song” (no. 2 R&B/no. 5 pop), no. 1 “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” (no. 2 R&B/no. 6 pop) and “Bernadette” (no. 3 R&B/no. 4 pop). Other Tops hits include “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and many more.

In 1990, with 24 Top-40 pop hits to their credit, the Four Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Though they would no longer have hits on record, the group continued to be a hit in concert, touring incessantly, a towering testament to the enduring legacy of the Motown Sound they helped shape and define.

“The Four Tops will always be one of the biggest and the best groups ever. Their music is forever.” – Smokey Robinson

ickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 4 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

Dayton at Work and Play: Chef Cece

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Conversation with Chef Cece of The Burger Bistro, one of the four restaurants at The Silos (801 East First). I asked Chef Cece about her food background.

“It seems like I’ve always been cooking” she told me. “My mother tells people that at age 7 I’d come home from school, open the refrigerator door, and then cook something creative out of whatever ingredients I found. But I didn’t think about cooking as a career. I worked for a large company in customer service. Sometimes at work we’d bring in food to share and people raved about my food. They said I should be selling it.”
“With that encouragement, I decided to start doing some catering on the side. Soon I was making more from catering than on my regular job. So 4 years ago I quit and started cooking full time. I call my business Cece’s Kitchen
The last 4 years have been crazy busy. In addition to our catering we now have a food truck that’s been very popular. I keep getting calls from people wondering when we’ll start it up again for the season. They especially miss our Taco Tuesday. And now we have a brick and mortar location – The Burger Bistro at the Silos. Business has been really good here at the Silos. I’m so glad my husband Antonio decided to jump on board. I really needed the help.”
What’s your most popular dish here at the Silos?
“Our Hot Honey Fried Chicken Deviled Eggs are our biggest seller. Our top burger is called Triple B. It’s a double smash burger with bacon, cheddar and provolone cheese, jalapeno, fried onions and maple bacon sauce.”
The last time I ate at the Burger Bistro I tried your glazed salmon sliders. They were so good I’ll have trouble ordering anything else.
“Those are a favorite for a lot of people, but before you get stuck in a rut you’ve got to try those eggs I told you about. And in May we’ll have some new menu items that might also tempt you.”

The Debut of Taco Bell’s Toasted Cheddar Chalupas

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Inspired by the vibrant culture of street tacos, Taco Bell’s Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupas revive the fan-favorite street chalupas with a bold new edge: a crispy new exterior and craveable sauce. Street food is all about bold flavors, bright ingredients and a touch of creativity and this next evolution in Taco Bell’s ode to street food culture infuses the best of traditional street tacos – simple ingredients like onions and cilantro – into a crispy toasted cheddar shell and a new Chile Lime Crema Sauce. This new menu item provides a new flavor experience that’s craveable from the outside in.

Building on a legacy of bold chalupa innovations, Taco Bell is merging two fan-favorite menu creations from the past – the Toasted Cheddar Chalupa from 2019 and last year’s Cheesy Street Chalupas – to deliver the ultimate mashup of crispy, cheesy and street-inspired indulgence. The new menu item is now available nationwide for $5.49 a la carte starting March 27, for a limited time while supplies last.

“The street taco is a cultural staple built on bold flavor and quality ingredients, and the Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupas honors that tradition while bringing in a unique Taco Bell touch that packs even more flavor into every bite,” said Luis Restrepo, Taco Bell’s Vice President, Product Innovation. “Fans immediately fell in love with the crispy, cheesy bite of the Toasted Cheddar Chalupa in 2019, and now we’re elevating that street-inspired flavor experience and that’s exactly the kind of comeback our fans have been waiting for.”

Unique Tasting Experience with Flavors That Hit from the Outside In
The Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupas deliver a striking first impression with layers of flavor inside and out. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Toasted Cheesy Shell: A chalupa shell with a layer of mild cheddar, baked directly into the dough, and toasted to perfection for a crispy, cheesy, and savory bite.
  • Premium ingredients: Packed with fresh onions and cilantro – an ode to the street taco – and a choice of slow-roasted Cantina chicken or grilled, marinated steak.
  • Saucy surprise: Chile Lime Crema Sauce – a bold and zesty fusion of lime, fiery chile peppers, garlic, parmesan, and Romano cheeses, bringing all the flavors together in harmony.

Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupas are available for a limited time at participating Taco Bell locations nationwide, starting at $5.49 for two chalupas (same protein per order).

3 New Piada Pockets

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Piada Italian Street Food recently announced the launch of its new Piada Pockets in three crave-worthy flavors: Spinach & Artichoke, Meatball Marinara, and Spicy Sausage. Baked to perfection in Piada’s signature dough and packed with bold Italian flavors, Piada Pockets will be available at all locations.

“Our Piada Pockets capture everything guests love about Italian food—rich flavors, high-quality ingredients, and a warm, satisfying bite—all in a portable format,” said Matt Harding, Chief Concept Officer at Piada Italian Street Food. “Whether you’re craving the classic comfort of meatballs and marinara, the indulgence of creamy spinach and artichoke, or the bold heat of spicy sausage and peppers, there’s a Piada Pocket for every taste.”

Piada Pockets aren’t just delicious—they’re also a way to give back. From March 24th – March 30th, Piada will donate $1 from every Piada Pocket sold to Pelotonia, supporting life-saving cancer research, with a commitment of up to $10,000. Additionally, anyone who orders a Piada Pocket online during this week will be entered to win one of five exciting prizes, including a $500 Piada gift card + an exclusive influencer pack or one of four $100 gift cards.

“Our goal was to take our signature Piada dough and create something truly irresistible,” said Dawn McClung, Research and Development Chef at Piada Italian Street Food. “After three years in the making, these pockets are a perfect balance of crisp, golden-baked dough and indulgent, high-quality fillings. They’re easy to eat on the go, but still bring that comforting, made-from-scratch Italian experience.”

Piada Pockets will be available at all Piada Italian Street Food locations nationwide. For more information and to order, visit mypiada.com or download the Piada One app.

Piada Italian Street Food
1047 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd
Dayton, OH 45459

4397 Far Hills Ave
Kettering, OH 45429

3286-B Pentagon Blvd
Beavercreek, OH 45431

Bill Franz’s Hidden Figures: Miguel

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This series was inspired by words – President Trump’s lies about the Haitian immigrants in Springfield.    I’ve decided that I should try to include words in the images I’m creating.  I should use my words to combat those of the president.

 

Lies and slander are part of the president’s schtick, the comedic style he uses to entertain his followers.  Wikipedia lists more than 80 of his derogatory nicknames, like calling his predecessor “Crooked Joe.”   The president uses those nicknames to demean other powerful people.  It’s different when his slurs are directed at the most vulnerable.

When powerful people direct hate speech against the vulnerable I hear echoes of some of history’s worst events. Calling Haitians criminals who eat people’s dogs and cats makes me think of the Tutsis who were called cockroaches before the killings in Rwanda, or the Jews who were called vermin before their German citizenship was stripped away. Words aimed at dehumanizing the vulnerable can be a first step towards abuse. When we hear those words we need to shout them down.

Miguel’s parents brought him here to escape the violence in his native country.  He has no documentation, so the president labels him a criminal. We cannot let that label stand.  It can be used to justify abuses, claiming they were acceptable because they were directed only against criminals.

If the president wants to label some people as criminals, we should insist that he use the word accurately.  A criminal is a person who has been found guilty in a court of law of committing a crime.  The president is a criminal.  Miguel is not.

8 Things To Do for The Anniversary of the 1913 Great Flood

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During March 1913, the citizens of the Miami Valley experienced a natural disaster unparalleled in the region’s history. Within a three-day period, nine to 11 inches of rain fell throughout the Great Miami River Watershed. The ground was already saturated from the melting of snow and ice of a hard winter. The ground could absorb little of the rain. The water ran off into streams and rivers, causing the Great Miami River and other rivers to overflow. Every city along the river was overrun with floodwater. Altogether, nearly four trillion gallons of water, an amount equivalent to about thirty days of discharge of water over Niagara Falls, flowed through the Miami Valley during the ensuing flood.

Many residents climbed to the second floor and into attics of their homes to escape death from the floodwaters that raced and swirled uncontrollably in the freezing temperatures of March. In the pitch black of night, cries for help and the eerie groaning of houses being ripped off of their foundations filled the sky as the waters continued to rise. With no functional telegraph lines, the flood survivors were completely cut off from the outside world.

Rushing torrentially, the waters swept away bridges, dwellings, and commercial buildings — and anyone who was in them. It precipitated fires at broken gas mains, which spread when fed by spilled gasoline. In Dayton, a fire erupted at a drug store, consuming nearly two blocks of business buildings (now named the “Fireblocks”). At Hamilton, within two hours the flood swept away three of the four bridges, and destroyed the fourth a few hours later.

During those long hours waiting for the waters to recede, residents made a promise to one another: Never Again.

In the Miami Valley, more than 360 people lost their lives. Property damage exceeded $100 million (that’s more than $3.2 billion in today’s economy). Despite the tragedy, the citizens of the Miami Valley, who had lost virtually everything, rallied to raise money for a plan to stop flooding once and for all. Some 23,000 citizens contributed their own money – adding up to more than 2 million dollars – to begin a comprehensive flood protection program on a valley-wide basis.

Today, reminders of how our communities overcame live on. Read below to discover eight ideas for exploring (and tasting?) Great Flood history along the Great Miami Riverway. 

1. Visit Miami Conservancy District Historic Headquarters

The three-story building, including basement, is built of Indiana (Bedford) limestone. Colonel Edward Deeds announced in July of 1915 that he would gift a headquarters building to the Miami Conservancy District. The building was designed and constructed in about six months, with staff moving in at the beginning of 1916. The lobby features original light fixtures, staircase and moldings. The first-floor ceilings are coffered and feature larger replicas of the original lighting fixtures.

In his letter to the Board of Directors, Edward Deeds wrote that “engineers from all quarters will be coming to the Miami Valley to study our work. We owe it to the people of the flood stricken valleys of the world to make this data complete and permanently available”.

While you are free to explore the exterior of the building (we recommend enjoying lunch in our pocket park), we recommend scheduling private tours of the interior. This is for the safety and comfort of our staff, who still use the building to this day. Please contact Sarah Hippensteel Hall via our contact form to request a tour!

More about our Headquarter Building

About the art exhibit displayed inside Headquarters

2. Admire ‘Fractal Rain’ at the Dayton Metro Library Main Campus
The impressive sculpture by Terry Welker is named“Fractal Rain”. It is is fashioned of 3,500 six-inch prisms on nearly five miles of stainless-steel wire. The dramatic piece, which hangs from the third floor under a skylight and cascades down to the floors below, changes as it catches the light at different times of day. One in every six of the prisms has been optically dyed in studio in Monet colors — lavender, green, blue, yellow, and pink.

The piece, according to Welker, references the Great Dayton Flood of 1913 and our city’s love/hate relationship with rain.

The 1,000-pound piece was selected by the internationally known Collaboration of Design and Art as one of the “top 100 most successful design projects that integrate commissioned art into an interior, architectural or public space” (From Dayton Daily News)

3. Explore the Great 1913 Flood Exhibit at Carillon Historical Park
The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit features stories of disaster, perseverance, and heroism. By bringing together numerous flood-related artifacts, the exhibit tells the story of a grief-stricken city banding together to rise above adversity.

4. Taste a Piece of History at the Hamburger Wagon
The famous little Hamburger Wagon in Miamisburg has some unique flood history. After the flood waters receded and disaster relief was in dire need, Miamisburg resident Sherman “Cocky” Porter used a family recipe to serve up delicious hamburgers to flood refugees for many days. When life finally returned to normal, Miamisburg residents loved the little “Porter Burgers” so much that Porter agreed to start selling them on Saturdays. The business grew from there, and ever since it has been a community staple, ranked one of the top 100 hamburgers in the United States by Hamburger America.

5. Search for Flood Depth Markers
In many riverfront cities along the Great Miami River evidence of the 1913 flood depth can be found at various flood depth markers. While you are enjoying local restaurants or retail stores in one of the historic downtowns, keep your eyes peeled for these markers and statues.

Many communities along the Great Miami River such as Troy, Dayton, West Carrollton, Miamisburg, Middletown, and Hamilton have done an excellent job maintaining flood markers to showcase the height of the flood. Markers can be found as stand-alone statues, on buildings or bridges as stone or metal plaques, or can be found wrapped on light poles and fixtures. See how many you can find!

Statue in Hamilton near the Great Miami Rowing Center

High water mark at Riverscape MetroPark in Dayton

High water mark on the Market Square Building in Miamisburg

6. Follow the remnants of the Miami-Erie Canal Along the Great Miami River
The Miami and Erie Canal was 274 miles long, connecting Cincinnati to Toledo – the Ohio River to Lake Erie. Construction began in 1825 at a cost of $8 million. In today’s money? That’s $177 million. At its peak, the canal had 103 locks and featured feeder canals, man-made reservoirs, and guard stations.

As railroad systems were introduced and found to be a more reliable and cheaper mode of transporting goods, the Ohio canals saw less and less use. Various attempts at canal revival were made between 1904 and 1910, however, the Great Flood of 1913 caused the reservoirs to spill over into the canals, destroying aqueducts, washing out banks, and devastating most of the locks.

Luckily, history lives on. Throughout the Great Miami Riverway, you can find pieces of the original canal and many other places that celebrate its history. Here is a guide to view pieces of the canal today along the river. In Piqua, you can even ride the canal in a canal boat called General Harrison.

7.  Take a walk through the beautiful Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum
Many flood heroes are buried like John Henry Patterson, who shut down his cash register factory to build rescue boats and provide housing and shelter to flood victims, or James M. Cox, whose leadership helped secure state aid for flood victims and establish the Miami Conservancy District. The land of the cemetery itself was a refuge for many escaping the flood waters in Dayton due to its higher elevation.

8. Visit the 5 dry dams that continue to protect the region from flooding to this day. 

Within weeks of the Great Flood of 1913, community leaders hired engineer Arthur Morgan to develop a regional flood protection system, which was awarded the 1922 Engineering Record’s distinguished “Project of the Year,” placing it in a category with other international engineering design feats like the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), Eiffel Tower (1889), Empire State Building (1931), Golden Gate Bridge (1937), Gateway Arch (1965) and the Channel Tunnel (1994).

The flood protection system is designed to manage a storm the size of the Great Flood of 1913 plus an additional 40 percent. The drainage patterns of the entire Great Miami River Watershed are incorporated into its design. The 5 dry dams and 55 miles of levees operate without human intervention and have no moving parts, except floodgates on storm sewers along the levees. They are called dry because the dams are used only to store floodwaters after heavy rainfall. The remainder of the time, the storage land upstream of each dam – 35,650 acres – is used predominantly for parkland and farmland. The Miami Conservancy District partners with many park districts to enable outdoor recreation opportunities on these flood protection lands. Learn more about the system and visiting the dams with the links below:

Dry Dams
Germantown
Taylorsville
Englewood
Huffman
Lockington

Storage Basins
Levees
Operations & Maintenance

Hydrologic monitoring

Table 33 Presents 4 Course Wine Dinner

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Chef Keith Taylor

Table 33 is hosting an exclusive wine dinner with a special menu created by Executive Chef, Keith Taylor, and Sous Chef, Justin Gall, paired with Titus Wines on Wed, May 7th.  There will be two seatings, 5:30pm or 7:30pm. Joining them for the wine pairing will be Dinner with Napa Valley Winemaker & Owner of Titus Wines, Eric Titus.

From a young age, Eric Titus worked in the family vineyard in Napa Valley with his brothers and father, continuing the tradition until he left for college to earn his doctorate degree in Biology, where he was drawn to the dynamics of marine science and toxicology. Following this path, he worked around the world as a researcher and environmental consultant throughout the 1990’s. In 1997, he returned to St. Helena to help with the harvest at Titus Vineyards. The family business was growing, and, in 2002, Eric decided to devote himself to the winery full time to help with management of the burgeoning business. Today he is General Manager and Vineyard Operations Manager of the winery.
In the vineyard, Eric has adopted green practices that support sustainable farming. His aim is to farm with techniques that ensure minimum impact on the local environment, seeking to have as light a footprint as possible in the vineyard. Nearly all vineyard work is done by hand, row by row. He collaborates with Winemaker Stephen Cruzan to ensure that vineyard practices deliver expressive and focused fruit from their two estate vineyards. An estate-based winery allows for harvesting each row at the right moment for each wine.
Eric has served as President of the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association and is active with both the St. Helena Viticultural Society and Appellation St. Helena. He is committed to preserving agricultural land and the local ecosystem in Napa Valley. Eric works along with the local viticultural community to promote the Napa Valley as a world-class wine-growing region.
Tickets for this event run $195 and can be reserved online.

Miami Valley Meals Celebrates 5th Anniversary

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Miami Valley Meals (MVM) marks its 5th anniversary today, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, honoring five years of transforming donated and rescued food into nutritious meals for those experiencing food insecurity. What began as a small group of furloughed culinary and hospitality professionals responding to the pandemic has grown into an impactful nonprofit that now serves over 4,000 meals weekly across the Miami Valley.

Since its founding in 2020, MVM has provided over 1 million meals, collaborating with more than 129 nonprofit partners to ensure access to high-quality, chef-prepared meals. By sourcing over 90% of its ingredients from rescued and donated food, MVM not only nourishes the community but also plays a critical role in reducing food waste. The meals additionally serve as a connection to additional wrap-around services through their network of nonprofit partners.

Amanda DeLotelle

“Our journey started with a simple question—‘How can we help?’—and five years later, that same spirit of service and collaboration continues to drive us,” said Amanda DeLotelle, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Miami Valley Meals. “The need in our community has only grown, but so has the support. We are grateful for our volunteers, partners, and donors who make it possible to serve nutritious meals with dignity and love.”

As MVM celebrates this milestone, the organization remains committed to expanding its impact. Hunger persists in the Miami Valley, with 1 in 7 people facing food insecurity and a growing waitlist for their meals. MVM invites the community to get involved—through volunteerism, donations, or partnerships—to help sustain this mission for years to come.

To learn more about Miami Valley Meals or to support its work, visit miamivalleymeals.org.

Dayton at Work and Play: Kait Gilcher- Heart Co-Owner

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Several people have suggested I post about Heart Mercantile because they’ve done so many good things for Dayton, so I stopped by recently and met Kait. I asked her how long the business has been in operation.
“Brittany Smith started the business in 2015” she told me. “It wasn’t in this location but it’s always been in the Oregon District. That’s worked out well for us. People visit the area often so there are always folks walking by. People also bring out of town guests to the Oregon District, because it’s one of the areas that make our city special. While they are here they can stop in for a souvenir of their visit to Dayton.”
I see that many of your products relate to Dayton. “Our shop offers a wide variety of gifts, but we specialize in items that relate to Dayton. We say we’re Dayton-centric. All of the Dayton themed items are designed by us and to the extent possible they’re also made in Dayton.”
A lot has happened during your 10 years of operation – the day 14 tornadoes hit the city, the mass shooting on this street, the pandemic. I understand your business has done a lot to help people through those troubles.
“That’s something we’re passionate about. We try to give back as much as we can, and we have a donation center to make it easy for others to support the causes we care about. You mentioned the Oregon District shootings. Just two days after that terrible event we designed a new shirt to honor the vic

tims and the #DaytonStrong movement and donated all of the profits to a fund created by the Dayton Foundation.”
Is anything happening soon that you’d like to mention?
“Derby Day will be here soon, with a fashion show and wiener dog races. That’s always fun. And we do monthly block parties. The Oregon District is a great part of Dayton and we try to contribute in our own way to keeping the area interesting. “

Heart Mercantile

In the Oregon District
601 E. 5th Street,
Dayton, OH 45402
Open daily 11am – 8pm

Elsa’s Springboro Adds Brunch on the Weekends

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Starting tomorrow, March 22nd Elsa’s Boro Cantina will be offering  new brunch items every Saturday & Sunday from 11am-2pm! Check out the menu:
ON Sundays they’ll be offering  a Bloody Mary Bar set up during brunch! Stuffed olives, celery seeds, hot sauces, and so much more- come find out for yourself!
The breakfast tacos:

Elsa’s Springboro Cantina

774 N. Main Street
Springboro, OH, 45066
+1 937-790-1800