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Jane’s Best Bets (7/20 – 7/24)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

As you may have figured out, in the summer, Dayton is a hot place to be…in more ways than one!  So get your hot self out of the house, take the air conditioned car, and enjoy some of these fun events, as things will be buzzing!

On Wednesday, enjoy $5 Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill.  Wear your green and watch the Dragons play the Peoria Chiefs at Fifth Third Field.  Or wear your tap shoes and head to Archer’s in Centerville for their A.Y.O.B. where they will be “tapping” a new beer.  And in Kettering, watch The Fries Band as they put on a wonderful (and free!) show at the Fraze Pavilion.

On Thursday, take your kids out to Cooper Park for Story Hour, which is sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks and the Dayton Metro Library.  Enjoy a performance by the Muse Machine as well as a delicious lunch at the Dayton Woman’s Club.  If you work downtown, then consider heading to Courthouse Square during your lunch hour for The Square Is Where… McGovern Ceili Dancers.  At El Rancho Grande, enjoy 1/2 price Ladies Night.  Or sing your heart out at Champps for Karaoke Thursday.

On Friday, head to RiverScape for their Try Kayaking event, which is completely free!  If you’re a kayaking newbie, it’s definitely something worth checking out.  At Victoria Theatre, enjoy their Michelob Ultra Cool Film Series where the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest will be shown.  If you’re frequently late, be sure to arrive early this time to enjoy the Cool Film Series Beer Tasting!  At Oregon Express, enjoy Half-Price Happy Hour Pizzas, which are absolutely delicious.  It’s mid-summer, so consider watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream presented by Free Shakespeare at Antioch Amphitheater.  Or watch ‘The Sound of Music’ at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  And if you’re a macho man and would prefer to be at a sporting event, then head to Fifth-Third Field as the Dragons take on the Peoria Chiefs.

On Saturday, you will not want to miss the annual Dayton Air Show.  If you enjoyed learning about kayaking and didn’t flip out like I did when I went kayaking the last time (literally!), then consider renting a kayak at RiverScape and Ride the River.  Take the entire family to the Warren County “Fair” if you appreciate equality.  At the Dayton Art Institute, they will be having Sound Bites: Short Talks About Art.  One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest will still be shown as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series at Victoria Theatre.  Again, they will have the Cool Films Series Beer Tasting prior to the show.  Please don’t drink too much beforehand or you may actually feel like you’re going cuckoo during the movie.  If you would rather catch a live performance, then check out ‘The Sound of Music’at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  Join Noah and two of each kind of animal at RiverScape as part of their Free Summer Concert Series featuring The Ark Band.  And if you don’t feel like things are buzzing around town, then you’ll just have to go over to Fifth Third Field to see the Dragons take on the Burlington Bees.

On Sunday, you will still be able to enjoy the Dayton Air Show.  At Antoich Amphitheater, watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream…just don’t fall asleep because that would be rude.  You can also listen to music at Miamisburg’s Riverfront Park with their Pizzazz in the Park Concert Series featuring Phat Like Dad or at Centerville’s Stubbs Amphitheater as The Lebanon Grand Opry House Band will be performing.  And finally, don’t miss your opportunity to get a buzz at Fifth Third Field as the Dragons once again play the Burlington Bees…with some buzzing really going on at the plaza as part of their Charity Cuts!

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

Where does a bee sit?  On his bee-hind.

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!

Food Adventures heat things up at the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest at Fraze

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Stepping out of our Sebring convertibles on a humid summer day in front of the crowd, we knew we were in for a hot time.   The Big Ragu, with horrendous windblown hair, sniffed the aroma and approached the festival.  Make no mistake, Ragu loves wings, well done wings cooked all the way through.  Some prefers boneless chicken wings and all was unleashed at the fest.

Your Food Adventurers arrived at the first ever KICKIN’ CHICKEN WING FEST at Fraze Pavillion in Kettering right at the fest opening time of 2pm.  A crowd had already formed in the 90 degree heat.  Eleven restaurants offered their take on the almighty chicken wing.    Some offered other menu items in addition to wings, and most booths offered wings in 5 or more sauces.

Little did we know, the first wings we tried were going to be our favorites.  A place called Nick’s Restaurant from Xenia, had our favorite wing flavor of the day.  We had never heard of this place, but their Spicy Garlic Wing was our vote for best chicken wing.  Great taste, great kick and there was Parmesan cheese in the sauce.

Nick’s Restaurant’s Spicy Garlic Wings were our favorite flavor at the fest

As we walked from vendor to vendor we saw familiar favorites and some unfamiliar restaurants.  There were BW3, Rooster’s, Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers, Beef O’Brady’s, and Buffalo Wings and Rings, all which we have had often.

We also saw McGillicutty’s restaurant out of Kettering who offered baked chicken wings, a tasty alternative to the fried fare.   Your Food Adventurers really enjoyed the hottest wings offered by Romer’s Sports Bar & Grill from Bellbrook.  They were scorching hot and turned on the waterworks for an already sweaty Big Ragu.

Romer’s Hot Wings Really Lit Us Up !

The prices of the wings were reasonable, 3 wings for $2. The cold beer sold for the regular inflated price of 5 bucks, which did not seem so bad on this steamy day.

We visited the Brixx Ice House Booth for Chicken Skewers with Bourbon Sauce and Vegetable Shish Kabobs.  Not bad for only 2 dollars a skewer.

We enjoyed the hot wings at the Archer’s  Tavern booth, which featured fiery sauces from Crazy Uncle Jesters.  We also tried the whole wings from Paradise Key which were a little undercooked for our taste, but they had the most customers in line for food.

Other sauces that we enjoyed were Buffalo Wings and Rings Parmesan Garlic,  Sweet n Sassy wings from Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers along with their Chipotle wings.  More favorites were the Rooster’s Killer sauce, Romer’s Asian Persuasion wings, and Archer’s wings with Crazy Uncle Jester’s Louisiana Firestorm or Jamaican Hellfire sauces!  We love BW3’s Teriyaki sauce while Ragu hit some of their Carribean Jerk wings.

The Sweet n Sassy wings from Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers were wickedly tangy

The heat and the spices took their toll this Food Adventure.  At the end our our tasting, we looked over and laughed at the messy Big Ragu.  With sauce on his face and hands, Ragu had to take a time out to wash up with cold water in the bathroom sink.  What emerged was a sopping wet Ragu, with his hair slicked back and bloodshot eyes.  His  chapped lips were still burning, but he managed a smile.  Sure some lines were long, but there was a “hot time in the old town tonight!”  We loved the first annual Kickin’ Chicken Wing Festival, it definitely didn’t lay an egg!

Please visit FOOD ADVENTURES ON Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

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Jane’s Best Bets (7/13 – 7/17)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

First off, I would like to say congratulations to the Dayton Dragons on setting the national record for sports sell-outs this past weekend…what an accomplishment!  We do truly live in a great city!  And I’d like to prove it once again by letting you know about some of the great things going on here this week!

On Wednesday, take a break from work and head to The Square Is Where… Yoga Class from Practice Yoga at Courthouse Square.  If you haven’t been getting enough beauty sleep lately, consider going to La Comedia to see Sleeping Beauty.  Listen to music at Yankee Trace with Jazz on the Green or at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater with The Dark Star Orchestra.  And if you’re in need of a good laugh, then head to Wiley’s for their Dirty Little Secret Superhero Show.

On Thursday, there are several great happy hour options so you are going to have some tough decisions to make!  If you are an enthusiastic young professional, join Generation Dayton at El Meson for Thirsty Thursday.  It’s Thursday Night Live at the Moraine Embassy, so let DaytonMostMetro.com’s very own Bill Pote and Lisa Grigsby help take care of you, as they will be the celebrity bartenders on hand.  Grab dinner and drinks at one of the fabulous restaurants at The Greene such as McCormick & Schmick’s and then sit on the green (literally) to watch as Ed Kowalczyk, the lead singer of Live performs.  Check out three of the Oregon District’s new businesses as part of their Progressive Open House, where each business will have live performances by jazz and classical musicians, as well as raffles!  Bring the whole family to see Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Salvation Army Kroc Center – tickets are FREE!  Or help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by getting your tickets to see ‘The Sound of Music’ at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  And finally, listen to live music at the Dayton Art Institute for a Twilight Concert or at RiverScape for their Big Band Nights featuring the Eddie Brookshire Orchestra.

On Friday, bring your kids to the PNC 2nd Street Market for Pasta Making for Kids…afterall, wouldn’t it be nice if they made you dinner for a change?!?!  If you love biking, consider taking part in the Greene Trails Cycling Classic at the Greene County Fairgrounds Recreation Center.  Although this is a four-day event, you are able to “Design-A-Ride” that fits your schedule.  Art lovers should make plans to attend the 20th Annual Open Members’ Show: Light at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Head to the Beavercreek Kroger for their Wine and Food Extravaganza.  Once again, you will be able to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by going to Epiphany Lutheran Church for The Sound of Music’.  Have a nerds night out at Xenia Area Community Theater as part of Nerd Comedy Night.  If you prefer to be cool, head to Victoria Theatre to see “Some Like It Hot” as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  And if you actually do like it hot, then make your way to Bella Villa Hall for the The Bocce Classic XVI.

On Saturday, if you enjoy seeing beautiful irises (the flower kind), then you will want to be at the PNC 2nd Street Market for their Iris Sale.  At RiverScape, get in shape with Zumba in the Park or participate in their Kayak Float.  Support A Special Wish Foundation by attending Fajita Fest at the Polish Club.  Listen to the sounds of  Michael Bashaw & Puzzle of Light and the Rippingtons at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater, the Bob Gray Orchestra at Stubbs Amphitheater, Son Del Caribe as part of the Free Summer Concert Series at RiverScape, or Trace Adkins at the Fraze Pavilion.  Over at

Trace Adkins at the Fraze

Fifth-Third Field, the Bob Ross Classic will be going on, which is an All-Star Baseball Game for local high school baseball players.  And if you would like to watch some great fights, head over to Drake’s Downtown for Fight Night…just be sure you don’t get into one yourself!

On Sunday, the Fraze will be having WTUE’s Breakfast with The Beatles and The Beatleburys.  Baby you can drive your car there…sorry I’m not going to let you drive mine!  If you would rather ride a bike, then participate in the Greene Trails Cycling Classic, which will still be going strong.  Watch belly dancers and fire jugglers, listen to live music, and MUCH more at the Fling in the Springs (downtown Yellow Springs).  A trip to Dave Hall Plaza for the Downtown Summer Music Series – Michelob Dayton Blues Festival is a must for all blues fans out there!  You will also be able to listen to music at Stubbs Amphitheater in Centerville (The Termites) and at Riverfront Park in Miamisburg (Pizzazz in the Park Concert Series: Paragon Quartet).  And if you’re not the outdoors type, then you can go to Victoria Theatre to see “Some Like It Hot” as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series or to Epiphany Lutheran Church for The Sound of Music’.

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

Why did the coach kick Cinderella off the baseball team?

Because she ran away from the ball.

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!

Songs of the Undead: Encore Premieres “In My Blood”

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IN MY BLOOD by Mark Weiser - Encore Theater Co. - July 14-16, 2011IN MY BLOOD

Encore Theater Company

Win Tickets to this new musical! Read on!

Vampires are everywhere. Not since Transylvania has a nation been so overrun with the undead. Is there an area of pop culture devoid of these little bloodsuckers? On television, I guess we have Joss Whedon to blame for his electrifying Buffy The Vampire Slayer all the way through more current hits like HBO’s True Blood and any of a number of copycat shows just like it. In cinema, there’s no other place to look but the Twilight series for the source of teen vampire mania. Walk into any Barnes & Noble and you’re likely to find title after title featuring some collection of sex-crazed vampires. Even in music, isn’t there a band called Vampire Weekend?

One thing’s for sure: this is not your father’s vampire craze. This new breed of vampire is less B-movie and more B-cup. (Immortality doesn’t seem so bad when everyone is ridiculously attractive, right?) Despite a marketing blitz like no other, the trend has been unable to sink its teeth into Broadway – try as it may! Elton John attempted (it’s the kindest word I can use here) a musical-adapted Anne Rice with Lestat and Jim Steinman penned the ill-fated Dance of The Vampires. Even Frank (Jekyll and Hyde) Wildhorn couldn’t capture musical thriller lightning in a bottle twice. His musical Dracula was an infamous bomb in New York. But there’s hope – this weekend in Dayton – that Encore Theater Company could break the curse when the regional premiere of Mark Weiser’s vampire rock musical In My Blood plays three performances at Sinclair Theatre’s Blair Hall.

IN MY BLOOD by Mark Weiser - Encore Theater Co. - July 14-16, 2011 - Photo by Ray ZuppThe show, written by New-York Based composer Mark Weiser has been called “The right combination of romance, conflict, humor and drama” (Theatremania). In the tradition of contemporary vampire stories, In My Blood deals primarily with Gray and Alex, two childhood friends, who reunite for one last night of partying. They learn of an annual, secret soiree, at a hidden location called SANCTUARY. There, they meet Unique and Sasha, two of the revelers. Over the course of the evening, the pairs fall in love. The two friends come to learn that this is the home of the world’s last surviving vampires, and are offered a chance to join them, and live forever. Ultimately, everyone must choose sides – for love, for life and for family. The casts features 10 local performers including ETC Company member JJ Parkey (featuring previously this season in the title role of Hedwig & The Angry Inch). In partnership with Sinclair Theatre, the show is directed by Kimberly Borst with musical direction by John Faas.

“In My Blood deals with real people with real issues of isolation and social shunning who ALSO just happen to be vampires.”

“What works in Mark’s script that hasn’t worked in previous vampire-themed musicals is intent,” says ETC Artistic Director David Brush, “The ‘vampire’ element here is a device and not the primary concern, so people connect to the characters on real levels.”  But don’t fear, there’s plenty of bloodshed for every taste level and a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll. ETC first came in contact with the show on their Litehouse New Musicals Reading series under the name The Cure. In My Blood continues ETC’s primary mission of developing new musicals right here in Dayton before heading off to New York. Weiser himself spent several days in Dayton last week working directly with the cast an creative team in an effort to work out some of the new material – it’s a part of the process ETC values enormously.

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In My Blood opens Thursday July 14 for three performances.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information

Encore Theater Company - New Musicals. Next Generation.In My Blood – July 14 – 16, 8:00 pm

Encore Theater Company

Performances will be held at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre.

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved through http://brushfire.e-vent.info/Events/Sinclair/Default.aspx, by contacting (937) 512-2808 (be sure to leave a message as regular box office hours are not kept during the summer)

For more information, check out the Encore Theater Company.

Win Free Tickets!

Encore Theater Company & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to In My Blood!  We will be giving away up to SIX pairs of tickets for the show! All you need to do is:

  • Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page (We’ll give away one pair of tickets for every FIVE FB/Twitter Shares).
  • Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
  • …and the fun part: leave a comment below, answering the following question…IF YOU WERE TO BECOME A VAMPIRE…WHAT VAMPIRE-Y TRAIT WOULD YOU MOST BE EXCITED TO HAVE?
  • The deadline to enter is NOON on THURSDAY, JULY 14TH.
  • Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.
[contact-form 6 “Contest Entry”]

Hurt So Good.

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It’s been over a week since I’ve written anything and it’s for no other reason then that finding the words has been difficult. Last week should have been a celebration of my successes over the last five years of living in Ohio; it should have been time for me to reflect on how far I have come and all the great people around me that have helped me through this transition. Instead of celebrating though, inside I was hurting and haunted. Though it may appear easy for me to open up and share my feelings and life happenings, it’s the farthest thing from being simple to do. Each week I really think about how what I write will affect my life and the lives of others. My mother used to say, “that mouth is going to get you trouble.” I must enjoy being in the hot seat.

Time Wasted or Lesson Learned?

For months I held on to the possibility of something happening with one of the first people to ever really trigger romantic interest in a long time. We find ourselves (well some of us do) after the break of a long term relationship having difficulty opening up and letting new people in. It’s only natural to be scared but I’ve started to think that this fear doesn’t allow us to really see clearly the things in front of us..the very obvious things. While those around me had told me time and time again to move on because this person not only had no interest but showed a complete disregard for my feelings so many times – pulling a few cards like the “I need time” and the “friend card.”  It’s as if I totally didn’t pay attention to too many times of being told “I’m sorry”, leaving me feeling sympathetic about some shyness or feelings of insecurity that really never existed… it was just a way to blanket nothing more than a lack of interest. If a person is sorry that much about the same redundant behavior, they’re not sorry. What was really happening was a person too cowardly just to say, “I’m not into you.”  Which would have been fine and perhaps a friendship could have even remained, but I think I’m done with second chances. It seems like no big deal really, right? Unfortunately it is. It hurt. When you find a comfort zone again after going through tough times, that allows you to open up and share personal things with someone again, actually talk and they treat you like that it doesn’t help. In some respect it hinders the overall healing process.  I see this all the time happening to close friends and yet when it happens to me it’s as if I’m completely blind to it.  If you’re reading this and thinking, someone could be leading you on or you’re doing it to someone, stop.  Be an adult and remember to treat people the way you’d expect or want to be treated. I thought I was passed dealing with nonsense like this but it’s good to know I’m still held captive by my naive thinking. The hopeless romantic isn’t dead she just sometimes needs a wake up call and a reminder that sometimes it’s better to focus on being the rule rather than the exception. Lesson learned.

In Retrospect.

For all the complaining I do in my columns, the rants about dating and the men I’ve met who just turn into creeps I think I’ve come to realize that perhaps it’s partly my fault. In thinking back, I’ve started to look at each of them and I’ve realized none were really anything I could actually see myself with. Which brought up an interesting point. They were a challenge and not the right fit at all, they were unattainable. Have I been focused on the unattainable in an effort to push away those who were attainable? Not that an army of bachelors is banging down my door but I’ve met some pretty awesome dudes, that I’ve totally blown off. Why? I’m not sure what revelation this is at this point, but I’ve concluded that because of past relationships and shit like the coward I just dealt with I have no faith in the attainable. While I know there is potential and that I could meet someone great, part of me doesn’t care to really have that. It would mean becoming vulnerable again something at this stage I’m still not ready to do.  So apparently, I am steal healing and there’s more on this journey to finding myself that I guess I need to do.  There is part of me that really still believes “the one” from a time long ago, was the only one. My head is sometimes a jukebox of the songs about us on constant replay and I hate it. Life and love would be a helluva lot easier if I could just forget. Most days I do, but others seem to be a struggle.

Where to Go, What to Do?

While I know there was a greater reasoning for my moving to Ohio, there are times when it’s still painful to be here. To think about what was and what could of been compared to what there is now. I try to find happiness in the little things and tell myself that one day it will really all make sense but there are moments when it’s the memories that are so abysmal it would be easier to just start somewhere new again. Run. While celebrating a silly five year anniversary in Ohio, inside I was really dwelling on the relationship that lead me here ending coincidentally around the same time it started. I don’t know why it’s so hard to let go of painful memories but it a nutshell I know that for you to leave a happy and fulfilling life, it’s really necessary to let go and do so entirely. If you’re dealing with something similar or just in general finding yourself down you have to know and believe that things really do turn around. I could dwell on every little thing that’s happened since, including what I roped myself into over the last few months but one thing I’ve learned is that what happens doesn’t change you. That no matter what you get over it and while hurt will remain you still have to move forward.

A Smile Returns.

I’ve been throwing parties since I moved here for silly reasons. I thought it made perfect sense to have a Pub Crawl downtown to celebrate 5 years in Ohio. It ended up being a great idea and for one reason alone.  This past Saturday night I was surrounded by friends. Real friends, who not only helped me to move forward but have helped me to move inward, to find my happiness and to believe in myself. We all have friends that come and go out of our lives and one’s we keep in touch with that were not as close with as we once were but I know in my heart, that these people will forever be people whom I can count on. While sitting around and watching them talk I realized what it means to have people who genuinely care and that is all that really matters in life. At the end of the day, it’s not what but who you have that reflects not only the life you live but the way in which you live it. Out of darkness, I’ve found a family here one that I cherish. That’s what has made the difference and why I am so able to bounce back from all of life’s happening since.

It Is What it Is.

Famous last words. It’s no secret I’m a bit jaded and unattainable myself. There’s mystery to uncover and they tell me the right person will crack the puzzle. Whoever this guy is he has his work cut out for him. One thing to never forget, be yourself at all costs because when you’re through those who are still standing by your side, those who still adore you, those who are always there .. are the ones that truly care. There’s no reason to blanket the crazy and frankly I find being normal rather plain and boring. Let the losers drop off and focus on what’s really important in life, the people around you that really do care.

Music. Dance. Hiking Boots?

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"Translations: an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement" BLUE SKY PROJECTTranslations:

an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement

Blue Sky Project

When first perusing this press release, I was not really certain into which section of DaytonMostMetro.com to place this article.  When I first spoke with fellow onStageDayton contributor Rodney Veal about this, my assumption was that this project he was so excited about would be featured in the “oSD” section.  Maybe, however, it belongs in the “Dayton Music” section as the project prominently features a very accomplished violinist, Shaw Pong Lui from Boston, participating through a residency here in the Gem City with the Blue Sky Project.

BIRDSONGAs I uncovered more details about the project it seemed that maybe it should be in the “Arts & Entertainment” section since it seems to equally features the creative choreography of Rodney Veal, alongside Liu’s musicality.  The further I read, the more difficult this classification task became.  Here is a collaboration between a dancer, a musician AND nature.  The performance takes place along the trails of Aullwood Garden MetroPark with the dancers and musicians mimicking the sounds and sights of the trails.  Perhaps we need to put this in “Active Living.” The audience has to build up a bit of a sweat during this particular concert, as they will have to traverse the trails.  They even warn you to wear hiking shoes!

iBird Explorer AppThen you throw in the iPod aspect.  Holy Cow!  Do we even have a “Technology & Arts” section?  Audience members can participate in the performance through the use of a special birdsong app! ? !  This is pretty cool.

Alright.  Looking at this, pondering the various aspects…the birds, the trees, the dance, the music…I am making an executive decision here: “Life.”

(fully expecting our illustrious publisher to override this decision and choose the perfect classification for this article)

Official Blue Sky Project Press Release:

Dayton, Ohio — Musicians, dancers and birders will come together for an unusual open-air art event in one of the Miami Valley’s most distinctive woodland parks.

The Blue Sky ProjectThe Blue Sky Project, in collaboration with the University of Dayton and Five Rivers MetroParks, will present “Translations: an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement” 6 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at the Aullwood Garden MetroPark, 955 Aullwood Road, Englewood, Ohio. It’s free and open to the public.

Violinist Shaw Pong Liu and choreographer Rodney Veal created the work, which invites audience members to walk along trails throughout the garden, encountering violinists mimicking birdsongs, dancers improvising on the shapes of trees and birders with iPods contributing the real songs of birds.

“The point of the piece is to get people to slow down and pay attention to the environment,” Liu said. “We lead such busy lives, it is rare to take time to attune to the environment, and truly listen. Through this creative exploration of a hidden gem in the Dayton community, we hope to inspire others to listen and see their environments more deeply.”

Liu said the piece is very much in the spirit of the garden’s founder, the late Marie Aull, who opened and donated the garden to the public, and placed inspirational quotes throughout, encouraging visitors to enjoy nature and meditate on its beauty.

Participants include professional musicians from the area, dancers from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Dayton Ballet, and birders familiar with the region’s birds.

Liu said the some paths go over rugged terrain and recommended appropriate footwear. iPhone users may also participate by downloading iBird Explorer Lite, a free app, before the performance.

Liu’s role as community artist/investigator for Blue Sky is new for the organization, a juried international summer artist residency now in its seventh year and its third based in Dayton, that brings internationally recognized artists to the area to work with young people on public, contemporary art.

The new position was prompted by Liu’s work in 2010 with Blue Sky and the community connections she made, according to Peter Benkendorf, founder and co-creator.

“Collaboration and community are central to both Blue Sky Project and the University of Dayton. It’s exciting to see Blue Sky expand through an artist who is taking the Blue Sky model beyond collaboration of program participants, and out to the larger community,” said Benkendorf.

It’s a good fit for the University, according to Paul Benson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, because it combines the University’s commitment to community and its interest in infusing the creative process into education.

Blue Sky also makes good use of ArtStreet, an innovative living and arts community on campus, where the artists both live and make art in the facility’s studios, Benson said.

“We are pleased to support Blue Sky as well the new community artist/investigator position as part of our ongoing commitment to expand the arts on campus and in the community,” he said.

“Translations” is the second major collaboration for Liu and Veal. Their 2010 production “Of a River” transformed the Schuster Center Wintergarden with dancers, musicians and 600 yards of silk.

Shaw Pong LiuLiu is a Boston-based, classically trained violinist who performs internationally and creates innovative shows involving improvised music, narration and audience interaction. Her ongoing project, “A Bird a Day,” explores birds, sunrises and music at www.abirdaday.org.

Rodney VealDayton native Rodney Veal is a choreographer and interdisciplinary artist whose work has been featured at the Ohio Dance Festival, among others. Veal teaches at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton and Sinclair Community College. A solo show of his work, “Reveal: Five Zones on Beauty,” opens July 23 at the Springfield Museum of Art.”

For information on Blue Sky and the “Transitions” performance, including an alternative venue in case of rain, visit http://www.blueskydayton.org

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Cardinal (actual):

Cardinal (violin):

SANCTUARY composed by Shaw Pong Liu (4/28/2011)

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Food Adventures hits a truly AUTHENTIC Mexican Restaurant – Taqueria Mixteca

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And we mean AUTHENTIC on E. 3rd St

There was a time in our lives when we once considered Taco Bell to be really good Mexican food.  It was during our high school and college years, when money was scarce and our late night cravings were curbed by a ritual “run to the border”.

After college, we started dining at various chain restaurants claiming to serve authentic Mexican cuisine, but they were no more than glorified Taco Bells.  As the Big Ragu’s favorite band Survivor said, “The Search is Over”. We are officially in love with a little restaurant on East Third Street in Dayton called TAQUERIA MIXTECA which means “damn good Mexican food” in Spanish.

Chicken Taco, Ground Beef Taco – note the double corn tortilla

Taqueria Mixteca isn’t a fancy restaurant, it is one of those places that you may shoot a glance at while driving by.  They don’t advertise, they don’t have a fancy dining room — we don’t even know if they have a bathroom! They do however, have a drive-thru.  What the place lacks in character is compensated for by a diverse group of diners, with a great menu to match.  The majority of dishes give you the option of ordering the kind of meat you want, ranging from chicken to tripe.  They have three different homemade sauces and delicious homemade salsa.  There is something for everyone…even you vegetarians out there!

Big Ragu tries the homemade hot sauce

On the day of our visit, the Big Ragu ordered multiple tacos including: Chicken, Chorizo, Beef Tongue, and Ground Beef.  The Food Adventures Crew also decided to try the Pork Quesadilla and Enchiladas.  We agree that these might be the greatest tacos we have ever eaten due to one factor — simplicity.  While other places load on the cheese and sour cream, the only ingredients that you find here are meat, cilantro, onion, and a lime wedge all placed on a double corn tortilla.

Since we are spicy individuals, we decided to try each one of their three homemade sauces and were not disappointed.  One of our favorite moments of this taco trifecta was making the Big Ragu try a Beef Tongue Taco. This was not an easy feat as The Big Ragu is picky about his meat.  He avoids steaks at any cost claiming textural difficulties and is the only Italian we know of who hates meatballs. We might not recommend the Beef Tongue Taco, but it was quite amusing to see the Big Ragu squirm.

Authentic Enchiladas

We didn’t know what to make of the Enchiladas when they brought them out because when we think of Enchiladas, we think of them topped with white cheese sauce.  These were naked as the day we were born and had a red-orange glow. Again, the taste of the enchiladas spoke for themselves.  Authentic, simple and the flavors were unique.
One of the biggest surprises was the pork quesadilla. The flavor was intense and fresh. It was probably our favorite item of the night.

The price for our meal was a great value.  Our bill was only $21, a great price for all of the items we tried.  Taqueria Mixteca was recommended to us by people who are from Mexico, or have spent a lot of time south of the border.

The Pork Quesadilla was our favorite

Sure the El Toro and El Rancho Grandes have their place, but this is the closest thing to AUTHENTIC Mexican that you will find in the Dayton area.

So get over to Taqueria Mixteca… VAMOS !!

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

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Jane’s Best Bets (7/6 – 7/10)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Although your trash pick-up may be delayed a day due to the 4th of July holiday, I decided that I would not take that same liberty, even though that is what the 4th is about.  So without delay, here is my weekly list of best bets.

On Wednesday, beer lovers will have a couple of options including the Beer Tasting with Beer Guru Charles at Rumbleseat Wine and the Beer Tasting at Trolley Stop.  If you prefer wine, there are also some options for you.  You will be able to attend the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery or the Wine Tasting at Bruning’s Wine Cellar.  At the Fraze Pavilion, listen to Prism Brass, a large brass ensemble from the United States Air Force Band of Flight.  And if you feel the love tonight, head to the Schuster Center to see The Lion King…and hurry because it’s the last week for it!

On Thursday, during your lunch hour, walk to Courthouse Square for The Square Is Where… Brownwen’s Belly Dancers.  If you love fresh veggies, you may tell a friend, “’Lettuce head’ to the Centerville shopping center for the Centerville Farmers Market.” Although the work week may be short for many of you, if you’re feeling a little stressed, grab a drink at the Moraine Embassy for their After Work Thursdays.  At RiverScape, you will be able to listen to Big Band Nights: Pam Noah and Her Big Band.  Show your athleticism by participating in the Weekly Cornhole Tournament at Wings Sports Bar & Grille.  And even if you have seen The Lion King, you will have the opportunity to see it again at the Schuster Center.  And don’t feel badly…I have friends who saw it and loved it so much that they are seeing it again!

On Friday, participate in the Beer Tasting at Arrow Wine in Centerville. If you’re a parent who can’t wait until your kids are back in school so you can have some adult time, consider attending the Parents Night Out at the Vandalia Rec Center.  At Victoria Theatre, see  The Bridge on the River Kwai as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  If you didn’t have a chance to catch the Parrots of the Caribbean last week at the Fraze Pavilion, consider checking them out at Turner Pavilion (Veterans Park).  Country music lovers will not want to miss County Concert 2011 in Fort Loramie.  The drive up there will be well worth it, as some of the top stars in country music will be there, including Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum.  And if you are lucky enough to have a ticket to the sold out concert, get ready to see the Temptations as they play at Fraze Pavilion…I guarantee it will put you on cloud nine!

Mud Volleyball for Epilepsy

On Saturday, John Deere fans (not Dear John fans) need to make plans to attend the Farm Heritage Show at Young’s Jersey Dairy, which will feature vintage tractors, farm machinery, and much more!  Get down and get dirty for Mud Volleyball for Epilepsy at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.  At PNC 2nd Street Market, there will be a lot going on, including City Beets at the Market (you can purchase vegetables and flowers from kids that have grown them as part of a summer program at Wegerzyn Gardens), Make Your Own Salsa, and Reggae Music from Demolition Crew.  At Jungle Jim’s, enjoy their Australia Imports Wine Tasting.  Head to Sip of Summer, an event in Sprinfield featuring specialty beers and wines, as well as live music!  County Concert 2011 will still be strumming along up in Fort Loramie!  If you’d like to listen to live music in Dayton, this groupie is going to encourage you to see The Fries as part of the Free Summer Concert Series at RiverScape.  Hippies, hippie wannabes, and jazz lovers can attend the Jazz & Peace Festival at Stubbs Park.  And at the Fraze Pavilion, experience live music and great food as part of the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest 2011.  These last three events are FREE!  See…entertainment in Dayton doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

Disney's THE LION KING - Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OhioOn Sunday, if you don’t have any plans, hakuna matata (it means no worries)!  You still can get your tickets to see The Lion King at the Schuster Center.  If you’d like a good meal without having to cook, make your way to Carvers for their 3 course $20 Sunday Meal.  Live music lovers may want to “pick” Soul Pocket at Stubbs Park…please no pick pockets.  If you would like to listen to live music AND eat ice cream, head on over to Riverfront Park in Miamisburg for their Ice Cream Social & a concert by the Kettering Banjo Society.  And if you prefer to be in the AC, consider making a trip to the Dayton Art Institute for one of their exhibits, such as Creating the New Century: Contemporary Art from the Dicke Collection, the ‘Trash? Look Again’ Exhibit, or From Romance to Rifles: Winslow Homer’s Illustrations of 19th-Century America.

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

What happens when you play country music backwards?  You get your job back, your car back, you wife back…

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!

Saluting Dayton’s 2010-11 Theater Season

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(L to R) Kristie Berger, Madeline Casto and Susanne Marley in August: Osage County (Photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Splendid collaborations, promising new works, compelling dramas and knockout regional and local premieres impressively accented Dayton’s strong, refreshingly progressive 2010-11 theater season.

I attended nearly 70 shows over the past 12 months, and unsurprisingly, the triumphs outweighed the troubled. Among the highlights: Cedarville University’s attractive and delightful “Hello, Dolly!”; the Dayton Theatre Guild’s comical yet poignant look at “The Boys Next Door”; the Dayton Playhouse’s 20th anniversary FutureFest and hilariously first-rate delivery of “The Producers”; Encore Theater Company’s wonderfully authentic “[title of show]” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”; Epiphany Lutheran Church’s marvelously magical “Seussical”; the disbanded SEED Theatre Project’s little-seen yet powerful “The Syringa Tree”; Sinclair Community College’s whimsical “Once On This Island”; the Victoria Theatre Association’s long-awaited arrival of Disney’s “The Lion King” and overdue embrace of the terrifically naughty “Spring Awakening” and “Avenue Q”; the Human Race Theatre Company and Wright State University’s dynamically dysfunctional “August: Osage County”; and the Dayton Philharmonic and Wright State’s stunning presentation of Leonard Bernstein’s rarely attempted “MASS.” Based on the artistic strengths of the Human Race/WSU and DPO/WSU collaborations, I certainly hope the organizations consider joining forces to stage Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” in 2012-13.

Additionally, the deaths of Marsha Hanna of the Human Race Theatre, Nelson D’Aloia of the Victoria Theatre Association and Kay Wean of Epiphany Lutheran Church are equally noteworthy. After all, their amazing legacies will undoubtedly endure for years to come.

On Saturday, August 13 at Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center, Dayton’s theater community will gather for the eighth annual DayTony Awards, held in conjunction with the 10th annual Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame inductions celebrating theater patrons Don and Lois Bigler, Dayton Theatre Guild member Carol Finley and director Doug Lloyd primarily of Beavercreek Community Theatre. The DayTonys specifically honor outstanding designers, performers and productions across the area voted on by participating theaters. In the meanwhile, here are my choices for the season’s best.

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

August: Osage County“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Permanent Collection,” Human Race Theatre

“The 39 Steps,” Human Race Theatre

“Twelfth Night,” Human Race Theatre

“The Wonder Bread Years,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Lion King"

Disney’s “The Lion King,” Victoria Theatre Association

Honorable Mentions:

“Avenue Q,” Victoria Theatre Association

“The Drowsy Chaperone,” Human Race Theatre/Victoria Theatre Association

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

“Spring Awakening,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"The Boys Next Door"

“The Boys Next Door,” Dayton Theatre Guild

Honorable Mentions:

“Fat Pig,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“Mauritius,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Sugar Witch,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Syringa Tree,” SEED Theatre Project

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Producers"

“The Producers,” Dayton Playhouse

Honorable Mentions:

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Encore Theater Company

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“The Spitfire Grill,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“[title of show],” Encore Theater Company

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"August: Osage County"

“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Art,” Miami University

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” Cedarville University

“Picnic,” Wright State University

“See How They Run,” Cedarville University

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"42nd Street"

“42nd Street,” Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Anything Goes,” Wright State University

“Hello, Dolly!,” Cedarville University

“Jekyll & Hyde,” Wright State University

“Once On This Island,” Sinclair Community College

BEST NEW WORK

"right next to me"

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

Honorable Mentions:

“Hot Mess in Manhattan,” Encore Theater Company

“How It Works,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

“Next Thing You Know,” Encore Theater Company

“Refuge,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

Leonard Bernstein's MASS: a Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers - Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra & Wright State University Music, Theatre & Dance Departments, 2011

Leonard Bernstein's MASS

“MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers,” Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars!,” Victoria Theatre Association

“Into the Woods,” Muse Machine

“Seth’s Big Fat Broadway,” Springfield Arts Council

“Seussical,” Epiphany Lutheran Church

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alan Bomar Jones as Sterling North, “Permanent Collection”

Alan Bomar Jones - “Permanent Collection”

Honorable Mentions:

Geoff Burkman as Jim, “Refuge”

Richard Marlatt as Richard Hannay, “The 39 Steps”

Scott McGowan as Paul Barrow, “Permanent Collection”

Greg Smith as Fleeta Mae Bryte, “Precious Heart” (Dayton Theatre Guild)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Susanne Marley as Violet Weston, “August: Osage County”

Susanne Marley

Honorable Mentions:

Kristie Berger as Barbara Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Amy Brooks as Jackie, “Mauritius”

Claire Kennedy as Viola, “Twelfth Night”

Robin Smith as Elizabeth Grace and others, “The Syringa Tree”

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Blaine Boyd as Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Blaine Boyd - “Jekyll & Hyde”

Honorable Mentions:

Saul Caplan as Max Bialystock, “The Producers”

Wally Dunn as Man In Chair, “The Drowsy Chaperone”

JJ Parkey as Hedwig, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

David Sherman as Leo Bloom, “The Producers”

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Mary Kate O’Neill as The Baker’s Wife, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Cait Doyle as The Mess, “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Jessica Diane Hickling as Dolly Levi, “Hello, Dolly!”

Alyssa Hostetler as Peggy Sawyer, “42nd Street”

Pam McGinnis as Hannah Ferguson, “The Spitfire Grill”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Franklin Johnson as Lucien P. Smith, “The Boys Next Door”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Cromer as Clown #1, “The 39 Steps”

Jake Lockwood as Clown #2, “The 39 Steps”

Dave Nickel as Granddaddy Meeks, “The Sugar Witch”

Scott Stoney as Beverly Weston, “August: Osage County”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Madeline Casto as Mattie Fae Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Stephanie Anderson as Lady Bracknell, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Sarah Caplan as Sisser Bean, “The Sugar Witch”

Keely Heyl as Miss Skillon, “See How They Run”

Melissa Joyner as Kanika Weaver, “Permanent Collection”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Charles Larkowski as Roger De Bris, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Jonathan Berry as Carmen Ghia, “The Producers”

Gabriel Pyle as Cornelius Hackl, “Hello, Dolly!”

Kevin Rankin as Franz Liebkind, “The Producers”

Dean Swann as Mr. William Cartwright and Mayor Thomas Sapsea, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Danika Haffenden as Ulla, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Abigail Nessen Bengson as Yitzhak, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Christina Bianco as Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Brightman, Bernadette Peters and others, “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

Nora Coyle as Heidi, “[title of show]”

Angele’ Price as Susan, “[title of show]”

BREAKTHROUGH MALE PERFORMANCE

Jason David Collins as Charlie Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Riley Able as Hal Carter, “Picnic”

Nicolas Bauer as Carter, “Fat Pig”

Josiah Hutchings as Barnaby Tucker, “Hello, Dolly!”

Davis Sullivan as Jack, “Into the Woods”

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Carly Snyder as Little Red Ridinghood, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Amy Askins as Jeannie, “Fat Pig”

Hannah Berry as Olive Ostrovsky, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dayton Playhouse)

Chelsea Cavender as Jean Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Bethany Locklear as Rosa Bud, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Marsha Hanna and Scott Stoney, “August: Osage County” Honorable Mentions:

Joe Deer, “The 39 Steps”

Adam J. Leigh, “The Syringa Tree”

Natasha Randall, “The Boys Next Door”

Aaron Vega, “Twelfth Night”

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Kay Francis Wean, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

David Brush, “Once On This Island”

Robert and Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Chris Harmon, “The Producers”

W. Stuart McDowell, “Jekyll & Hyde”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Rick Conant, “42nd Street”

Honorable Mentions:

Greg Hellems and Amber Preston, “Anything Goes”

Katy Russell and Alexandra Turner, “Hello, Dolly!”

Rodney Veal, “Once On This Island”

Megan Wean, “Seussical”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Blake Senseman, “The Sugar Witch”

Honorable Mentions:

Dick Block, “Twelfth Night”

Tamara L. Honesty, “Permanent Collection”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Pam Knauert Lavarnway, “August: Osage County”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Paul Wonsek, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Brown, “Seussical”

Robert Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Tamara L. Honesty, “42nd Street”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Lowell A. Mathwich, “Twelfth Night”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “Picnic”

David M. Covach, “August: Osage County”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Janet Powell, “The 39 Steps”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “42nd Street”

Josh Hollister, “The Producers”

Kathleen Hotmer, “Once On This Island”

Maria Kleuber and Lori Watamaniuk, “Seussical”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nicholas Crumbley, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Robert Clements and Carolyn Ruck, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Nicholas Crumbley, “Picnic”

John Rensel, “August: Osage County”

John Rensel, “Twelfth Night”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gina Neuerer, “Once On This Island”

Honorable Mentions:

Tim Guth, “Seussical”

Becky Haines, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

John Rensel, “Into the Woods”

Carolyn Ruck, “Hello, Dolly!”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nathan D. Dean, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Rich Dionne, “Twelfth Night”

James Dunlap, “August: Osage County”

Jason Nickoson, “Picnic”

K.L. Storer, “The Sugar Witch”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

David Sherman, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Nathan D. Dean, “Once On This Island”

James Dunlap, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Dick Lane, “Seussical”

Brian Ronan, “Spring Awakening”

BEST PROPERTIES

Adrienne Niess and Ann Meyer, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

John Lavarnway and Heather Powell, “August: Osage County”

Wendi Michael and others, “Precious Heart”

Blake Senseman and others, “The Boys Next Door”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST VIDEO/PROJECTION DESIGN

J. Wynn Alexander, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

Honorable Mentions:

David A. Centers, “right next to me”

Jackson Gallagher, “Next Thing You Know”

Benjamin Pearcy, “9 to 5: The Musical”

Rodney Veal, “Altar Boyz” (Encore Theater Company)

BEST ORCHESTRA

“42nd Street,” Musical Director: Rick Church

Honorable Mentions:

“Into the Woods,” Musical Director: David Dusing

“The Lion King,” Musical Director: Rick Snyder

“The Producers,” Musical Director: Ron Kindell

“Seussical,” Musical Director: John Benjamin

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Kevin Adams’ Tony Award-winning lighting design for “Spring Awakening”

Gregg Barnes’ Tony Award-winning costumes for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Gregg Coffin’s orchestrations for “right next to me”

The collaborative artistic team of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”: Producers W. Stuart McDowell and Paul Helfrich; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; stage director Greg Hellems; choreographer Gina Gardner-Walther; designer Pamela Knauert Lavarnway; choir director Hank Dahlman; children’s choir director Natalie DeHorn; assistant choir directors James Tipps and Drew Collins; lighting designer Matthew Benjamin; sound designer Keith Thomas; and costumer Joy Galbraith

Kevin Crewell’s recreation of Casey Nicholaw’s Tony Award-nominated choreography for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Christian Duhamel’s original music for “Twelfth Night” and regional premiere of “Here With Me” (Human Race Theatre/Neon Movies)

The “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” band led by musical director John Faas

Joann M. Hunter’s recreation of Bill T. Jones’ Tony Award-winning choreography for “Spring Awakening”

Allison Janney as The Giant, “Into the Woods”

Melonie June Johns’ light and sound effects for “Seussical”

Rick Lyons’ puppet conception and design for “Avenue Q”

Matthew Michael Moore’s fight choreography for “See How They Run”

Music director Vince Peterson and cellist Dan Delaney’s accompaniment for “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Lucy Skilbeck’s recreation of Michael Mayer’s Tony Award-winning direction for “Spring Awakening”

Music director Julie Spangler’s accompaniment for the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship Competition (Human Race Theatre)

Music director Catherine Stornetta’s accompaniment for “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

The principal cast and collaborative artistic team of “Porgy and Bess” (Dayton Opera): Thomas Ray Beard, Jr. as Porgy, Kearstin Piper Brown as Bess, Philip Boykin as Crown, Adrienne Danrich as Serena, NaGuanda Nobles as Clara, Roderick George as Sportin’ Life, Judith Skinner as Maria and Eric McKeever as Jake; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; director Gary Briggle; choreographer Debbie Blunden-Diggs and the dancers of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; and the singers of the Dayton Opera Chorus, Central State University and Wilberforce University

The Street Chorus of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

Julie Taymor’s Tony winning direction and costume design, Julie Taymor and Michael Curry’s mask and puppet design, Garth Fagan’s Tony winning choreography, Donald Holder’s Tony winning lighting design and Richard Hudson’s Tony winning scenic design for “The Lion King”

The uncredited costumes for “Into the Woods”

Erin Winslow’s costumes for the role of Angela Arden-Sussman in “Die, Mommie, Die!” (Dayton Playhouse)

John Wesley Wright as the Celebrant, “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

The 2011 DayTonys/Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame gala, a black-tie optional event, will be held Saturday, August 13 at the Ponitz Center, Building 12, of Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and feature cocktails, dinner, dessert, dancing, a cash bar and free parking. The “early bird” cost is $35 per person prior to Monday, August 1. After August 1, the cost is $50 per person. Reservations must be received by Monday, August 8. Reservations can be made by calling Fran Pesch at (937) 654-0400. Make check payable to: Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame/DayTonys, P.O. Box 2706, Dayton, OH 45401-2706.

New Thai & Sushi Option Downtown

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Over a year after it was officially announced, and much speculation that it would never happen, Sa Bai, a casual upscale Asian restaurant, has finally opened at the corner of 5th and Jefferson Streets, across from the Convention Center.  Described by  owner/manager Saveth Yun, as a mix of 90% thai, 10% sushi, the restaurant will seat about 140 guests.  Previously Mr Yun was the general manager of Teak Thai Cuisine in Cincinnati.

He also tells us that he has plans for live music on the patio later in the summer.  The patio will seat another 80 guests.  The restaurant will serve lunch Mon – Fri, from 11am – 2:30pm with prices in the $6-$8 range.  Dinner service will start at 5pm seven day a week.  He expects dinner will be served until 9 or 10pm, but will have to see what traffic dictates.

sushi bar at Sa Bai

Yun says diners should expect to spend $10 – $15 on dinner entrees.  Happy Hours will be offered, but details weren’t firm yet on what that will include.

Sa Bai will be able to offer groups private seating, either in a curtained off section in the main dining room for about 40 or in the back room by the sushi bar for larger groups.  For more information  call the restaurant at 535-2900.  Yun says while he’s registered the domain name, he hasn’t had time to get the website working yet, but will soon.

There is free parking under the Transportation parking garage off Stone Street, where Neon Movies visitors used to park.  (Neon guests can now park for free across the street in the old bus station lot). Let us know your impressions if you dine at Sa Bai, in the comments below.

Trimming the Fat – “Lean Dating”

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Conversations with friends this week seemed to be all about when to cut your losses and walk away in dating. Determining a toad from a prince. It’s become a apparent however that a loss cause is not so obvious in matters of the heart. The signs are all there but instead of realizing a situation for what it is we make excuses to justify the road to nowhere we’re traveling down. A long list of common excuses or guy types which I will address in a few seem to be more common then I had thought. Earlier this week, I made a decision to eliminate my gaggle. A concept I learned about earlier this year which essentially just describes a group of men in your life who you “sort of” connect with but get no where with. They’re a good distraction while you sort out your wants but in my opinion at some point you have to walk away.

A Pack of Nothing.

Over the past couple of years I have cultivated a group of men who seemingly would be great dating prospects but for whatever reason I or they never pulled the trigger. The men in my gaggle are ones which I can talk to about everything, that are generally really good guys, have taken me out from time to time and feed my ego with flirting and really just boost my confidence overall. So what’s the problem, right? Well I started to think about two factors which I hadn’t realized. One factor being that with a great amount of testosterone goodness in my life, the search for something a little more meaningful wasn’t such a priority. All of my needs were being met so why would I take dating seriously? Don’t let your imagination run wild on the needs thing, emotionally I was covered..but only “sort of.”  They were nothing more than a distraction hindering me from finding the real thing.  The other factor is that a lot these guys were typically using me as well as some sort of crutch too. So in my eyes, it was mutually beneficial to call it quits. I’m the “IT” girl and not the in the meantime type of gal. I know and believe this.

If you don’t think you have a gaggle, perhaps this next part will make you rethink this select group of men in your life.  Here is where I discuss the excuses. A lot of my females friends seem to be going through the same thing right now and it’s odd but we all generally make the same excuses about why we decide to linger and hold on to something that really isn’t going anywhere.

Do You Know This Guy?


I Still Want You in My Life – This is the guy you broke up with ages ago that you still remain friends with.  A part of you secretly feels as though somewhere along the line the universe will land you both back together. That the love you had with this guy is strong enough to bring you back together at some point. You talk often. He complains about his new love interest and you complain about how you just can’t seem to find someone new. It’s going no where and it’s unhealthy. Pull the plug.

Digital Dice Clay. – Hopefully he’s not as dirty as Andrew Dice Clay, but you know this guy. The one who always has something a bit risque to say about you or your derriere. He makes you blush and you like it. You know nothing will ever happen with this guy but you look forward to his texts, dms and emails. He puts you in a good mood, but never really seals the deal. This guy is a permanent tease, nothing more. He talks a big game but really you need to send him out to pasture.  There’s a huge different between attention and affection.

Mr. Unavailable – He’s been in many bad relationships and just hasn’t seem to get passed them.  He likes you and it’s obvious but for whatever reason nothing ever happens. You hold to Mr. Unavailable because it makes you feel good about yourself that you can eventually swoon him. He’s like a prize of some sort but the reality is you’re wasting valuable time pining over someone who is just not that into you. Don’t get me wrong, we never know what the future holds but if you’re putting your life on hold for this guy you may find yourself with a lot of valuable time lost. You know you’re a looker, a real find and he does too..it’s all in the way he looks at you but looking is all he does. He’s on the outside looking in and you’ve tried inviting him in. It hasn’t it happened. There’s a good chance it won’t.

I Don’t Want to Ruin the Friendship. – This guy is my favorite.  He’s the guy that has something to say about every guy you date. He thinks you’re better than those guys, that they aren’t on your level. In short, he thinks you’re awesome..he’s even said, “I wish I could find a girl like you.”  Good luck, there’s no one like me. This is what you should say as you shut him out of your life. This may be one the most unhealthy situations I could address, because as erroneous expectations goes this guy will have you on a roller coaster. You’ll be analyzing his every word. Thinking he feels more than he really does and in actuality you’re just his friend. For now anyway..again it could change but why wait?

Hot and Dry. – The guy you like horizontally but doesn’t fit anywhere else in your life.  Yeah, I said it.  Everyone meets someone they just can’t resist. We’re human. This guy is fun, he’s all about living life spontaneously and not being tied down to anything. He as the ability to make you forget that ultimately you really do want to settle down. This guy is not going to settle down and if he does, he’s not going to do so with the girl that has been readily available for months on end. The dynamic of your relationship doesn’t extend further than between the sheets. You’re not a challenge and men tend to be all about the hunt. Though it could happen, I’ve yet to see it. I’m not telling you not to enjoy it though but in my experience these situations tend include one person who feels more than the other, usually it’s us..the ones who act on emotion not well you know. This guy won’t think twice about leaving you hot and dry if it isn’t convenient for him, make no mistake.

The Good Guy. – This man is always there for you. You’ve dumped all over him, lead him on and have generally just been all that you complain about when it comes to men and how they treat you to this guy. You’re a total douche and he stays. He’s pretty much the ideal guy but you’re just not that into him. Now, I’ve thought about this one for a really long time and wondered what it is that keeps me or a gal from wanting more with a guy like this. Well, it’s simple. We women like that hunt as well and this situation is just to easy. We know at any given moment with one look this guy will be in the palm of our hands. Easy street isn’t so hot.

These Guys are the Gaggle. ( Not a pack of wolves, not anyone you really want)

What DO You Want?

Well isn’t that the real question? What the hell do we want? If you take a look at the men in your life you’re bound to find a few with the right things you’re looking for. For me, I want a little of all of the above, cocktail if you will. Just the right mixture to keep you on your toes and wanting more, but for the right reasons. He’d be accessorized with a beard, somewhat tech elite and passionate about music , if I had my way as well. Here’s the thing about dating, you really have to have a clear mind and heart to actually see something good when it is in front of you. Wasting your time making excuses about the guys in your life now  is really just a waste of time, deep down you know it. Perhaps you’re not really ready to date and the distractions right now are good, which is fine but have an expiration date on distractions before you find yourself in the face of some really great missed opportunities.  If you really find one of these guys and feel in your heart it could develop into something more, give it a shot. However, if you find yourself making the same excuses over and over and nothing really seems to change…that is a sign to move on.

I always say, “It’s easy to get me on the hook. It’s an entirely different thing to reel me in.”

Think about what you want and deserve. Focus on that.

JET FREEZE for Summer Food Adventures and Treats

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Serving Customers Since 1957

What does a sweaty Big Ragu do to cool off this summer?  We leave the swim club and get a fix at JET FREEZE!  Located at the corner of Grange Hall and Patterson Rd in Beavercreek, this little known secret has been satisfying customers since 1957.

A favorite of Ragu’s since his childhood and able to quench any sweet tooth, this place has the most INCREDIBLE SOFT SERVE ice cream ever.  Why is the soft serve so delicious?  The answer is fresh milk.  We saw them pouring gallons of Reiter milk into the machine that mixes the 95% fat free treat.

Strawberry Soft Serve

Jet Freeze has chocolate and vanilla soft serve.  They also specialize in strawberry, a flavor that is rare in soft serve circles.  The management told us the strawberry flavoring is specially mixed by employees for that great one of a kind taste.  All flavors of soft serve cones are value priced from $1.20 to $1.80 for the large cone.  In fact, we had a hard time finding a menu item that was priced above 3 dollars.

The place is simple and old school.  They have 70’s style booths in the inside dining room, which is like an enclosed patio.  The outside dining area features decades old stone tables and benches under yellow neon bulbs. Customers look particularly handsome under this lighting.  Make sure you bring cash, because they do not accept credit or debit cards.

Family owned from the start, JET FREEZE has held onto its roots, while continuing to serve tasty treats year after year.  But beware, Jet Freeze is closed during the winter months, so you cannot satisfy your cravings year round.  Let’s get back to the food ….

The Big Ragu is addicted to their PEANUT BUTTER SUNDAE.  The Food Adventurers found out they mix their own peanut butter sauce.  We also tried the Banana Split which was very tasty and filling.  Another treat that Jet Freeze serves are their FLURRIES. This is a take on the Dairy Queen Blizzard, and the soft serve makes this a winner, no matter what your topping.

Peanut Butter Cup Flurry and a Footlong

The menu also includes sandwiches.  Let us recommend the FOOTLONG with or without chili, and check out the BBQ sandwich.   Our suggestion is stick with the mainstays: soft serve or the sundaes.  Be like us, stay cool and  “Jet on over to Jet Freeze.”

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

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My Wild Safari in Ohio

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No. 1 in an occasional series titled “Never Been There, Never Done That,” in which the author reports on a brand-new adventure.

Bactrian camels lounge within spitting distance of our tour bus at The Wilds.

Bactrian camels lounge within spitting distance of our tour bus at The Wilds.

The date had been on my calendar for at least a month. “May 28: Columbus trip.” I’d added it when my girlfriend and I were on our way to a movie at The Neon and started talking about shopping at H&M when she mentioned this trip. But I had no clue what, exactly, I had agreed to do.

The Thursday before, I figured I’d better find out.

Turns out I agreed to go to “Africa” for the day, a.k.a. journey into the wild and feast on Ethiopian fare with her and some members of Reel Culture @ Sinclair, a club she founded at the community college. At 9 a.m. On a Saturday. After a friend’s 60th birthday bash.

I have no idea what The Wilds is so I Google it the night before and discover it’s a wildlife preserve in the middle of Uh Huh Where-evah, Ohio. So much for H&M.

But, hey, wild animals are cool. I have lots of zebra- and leopard-print tops, jackets, purses, shoes and scarves to prove it. Plus, I figure having to get up so early in the morning will keep me in check at the party.

I should have known better. Instead, I’m one of the last standing and lurch into bed at 3 a.m. When my friend calls a handful of hours later to make sure I’m awake, my head is booming as if resting on an amp at X-Fest. I can’t really feel my feet. My mouth feels as if full of peanut butter I can’t swallow.

Somehow, I manage to slither out of bed. I put on my cowboy boots in case I need to wrestle a rhinoceros. I guzzle three cups of water.

My friend picks me up, and the trip is immediately off to an amazing start with a stop at a Dayton gas station, where I see a punk rock little person, mohawk and

View of The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center near Zanesville (not Columbus), Ohio.

View of The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center near Zanesville (not Columbus), Ohio.

camos and all. Yes!, I think. Wild things already are starting to appear!

In the car, the conversation quickly turns profound. Psychics, animal spirits, Buddhism, quantum physics ― it’s all in there.

I fish my phone out of my purse and get on Facebook.

“In a car with a bunch of people who go to college,” I post. “Talking about how E=MC2 is really an equation about consciousness and the evolution of god and what is god anyway? I am a working girl with a brain full of last night’s bourbon. I want to talk about TV shows and bubblegum.”

Normally, I would be intrigued by such a conversation and happily contribute to an esoteric discussion about ancient times when goddesses held sway over the solar plexus of the Earth. The morning after a night when I was a driving force in the elimination of at least two bottles of booze? Not so much.

My traveling mates are all very nice, fine, upstanding ladies — all middle aged, not your typical college students. But I can’t help zoning out, staring through the windows until I see something so hilarious, I belly laugh until I nearly cry. I’m trying not to offend the fine ladies in the car, so I’m back on Facebook: “I just interrupted a conversation about the pain and glory of forgiveness to point out that the logo on the sign for the Lion’s Den Adult Superstore is silhouettes of two lions makin’ cubs,” I post.

***

As we near the capitol city, my friend hands me the directions to The Wilds she’s jotted on a Post-It note. I’m relieved I now can concentrate on navigation instead of trying to avoid the reality that I appear as intelligent as a washcloth to the fine ladies in this car. But I immediately have another concern.

“Girl,” I say, “this says we take exit 155, and we just passed exit 87. This must be a ways down the road. Are you sure The Wilds is in Columbus?”

Banteng, also known as "jungle cows."

Banteng, also known as "jungle cows."

“Oh, my bad,” she chirps. “I’m pretty sure that should say exit 115. I must have written it down wrong.”

Say a prayer for GPS on my phone.

“Aaaaactualllly,” I draw out the word as if pulling taffy out of my mouth, “The Wilds is outside Zanesville. We have to drive almost to West Virginia. According to Google Maps, we have another hour and 26 minutes.”

At least the fine ladies in the car have a scintillating conversation going to keep us all entertained.

“Speaking in tongues ― to me, that’s not unusual,” one is saying. “My mom speaks in tongues.”

This is the same fine (reminder: middle aged) lady who will spend the day talking about the “moo moos” and “horsies.” At one point, she begins squealing “Wheeee!” from the back seat of the car as we loop around curves and pop over hills. My friend looks in the rear view mirror and asks, “Did you all hear that siren?”

“It’s just me entertaining myself!,” she exclaims.

I am tantalized by her girlish exuberance. She is so innocent and carefree and bubbly and all the things I will never be, there in the front seat of the car, back on Facebook frantically trying to untag myself from photos ― as I’m getting text after text telling me I’ve been tagged in a photo ― that a friend took during last night’s party.

And the ride is an adventure unto itself.

We take a wrong turn and end up on a narrow, steep, winding road. “Uh, I don’t think this is the right way,” my friend says, stopping the SUV to ask for directions from a young, long-haired man bent over his pit bulls in front of a trailer. He stands up and we notice he’s wearing only his briefs. Pulled down reeeeal low.

He doesn’t know where The Wilds is, either.

Back on track, the scenery along the roadside is mesmerizing: A billboard featuring a huge, creepy hamster hanging on a rope. A tractor crossing sign. Coon Ridge Road. Top Gun Shooters Ammo & Supplies. A sign reading “llamas for sale.” Carl Rittberger’s Meat and Sausages. A catfish-shaped white mailbox. Mother Truckers. And, finally ― halleluiah! ― The Wilds.

***

We load onto a bus for our safari (in Ohio) of the 10,000-acre wildlife conservation preserve that is The Wilds. The driver, a polite young man who clearly has told his spiel countless times, tells us about some of the animals we’re likely to see. Although he notes we’re unlikely to see one of the three deer species roaming The Wilds. One woman who’s worked there for 11 years hasn’t even spotted one.

Not even the Przewalski's Wild Horses could drag us away from our wild adventure.

Not even the Przewalski's Wild Horses could drag us away from our wild adventure.

I raise my hand. “Which one is the elusive deer?” I ask. He answers. I poke my friend in the seat next to me. “We’re totally going to see an Eld’s Deer,” I proclaim. “I can feel the magic!”

“Uh, sure,” the driver says. “Well, let’s start the tour. It’s time for me to take you all out to pasture!”

Turns out, those pastures are lined with electric fences and motorized gates. We have to wait for the gate behind the bus to close before we can open the one in front of us, meaning we are temporarily trapped in an electrified cage. Making The Wilds feel like a scene in Jurassic Park. “What if we see a T-Rex?,” I whisper to our group. “That would be almost as cool as seeing the magic deer!”

But it’s no joke: We did see a lot of animals I never, ever — ever! — would have expected to encounter in the Buckeye State. We could almost stretch our hands out the bus’ tiny windows and rub the ears of the Bactrian Camels, Masai Giraffes and Przewalski’s Wild Horses. The Persian Onagers are so close they’re about to come on board. We look through binoculars to see the Grevy’s Zebras, Southern White Rhinos and Fringe-Eared Oryx. My friend is particularly taken with the Banteng, which she lovingly dubs “jungle cows.”

We disembark at two stops, one by a lake where we can get close to a rare species of swan and see invasive plants The Wilds staff calls “aliens,” so noted with signs sporting Martian-like creatures. The best is the carnivore area, where we wander around caged pens housing snoozing cheetahs and African Wild Dogs.

“I wish I had a hot dog in my purse that I could throw over the fence so we could see a little carnivorous action,” my friend says.

“Yeah, how do they feed these animals?,” I ask. “I mean they’re supposed to be wild, which means they’d need to hunt, which means they must put goats out or throw rabbits in their cages at night.”

“I feel like we’re on the set of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village,” my friend says.

Still life: Cheetas with Cage.

Still life: Cheetas with Cage.

At one point, the bus stops for more animal viewing via binoculars. “Holy moly, it’s the elusive deer!,” my friend cries, handing me the binoculars. “It is! It is!,” I cry in return, jumping in the seat.

The bubbly horsie/moo moo fine lady looks through the binoculars. “No, that’s an Indochina Sika Deer,” she says, pointing to The Wilds brochure and noting the antlers.

“Dang,” I think. “I could have lived the rest of my life thinking I’d seen the magic deer. Thanks, girl.”

Still, I gotta say, I went on a bona fide safari in Kenya years and years ago, and The Wilds really does invoke those memories. Amazing.

***

Back in the car making the long trek home, we’re all starving. I’m about to jump the electric fence and hunt down a Scimitar-Horned Oryx. I swear I could eat an entire Sable Antelope.

Lucky for us, my friend has planned a special stop at an Ethiopian restaurant in Columbus. As soon as we drive the nearly two hours back to the capital city, we will eat like African queens.

She actually called the owner in advance to let him know we’re coming and arranged for him to give a talk about Ethiopian food and customs. Problem is, since the drive to The Wilds was double the miles and the tour took twice the anticipated time, we are about four hours late.

Yet the owner is still happy to accommodate us. At first.

Turns out, one of the fine ladies is gluten intolerant. If she so much as licks anything that even touched gluten, she’ll blow up like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But Ethiopian food is eaten with injera. Which is bread.

The owner doesn’t quite seem to understand “gluten intolerant,” but tells the fine lady he can bring her some rice. So after about a half hour of examining the exotic menu, we order. Samosas come out first. The fine ladies are mostly puzzled by the lack of silverware. “Um, where’s our forks?” one asks. But Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands. Which are not forks.

Bactrian Deer graze on the slope across from a lake filled populated by a rare species of swan.

Bactrian Deer graze on the slope across from a lake filled populated by a rare species of swan.

The owner brings my vegetarian friend, shortly after she finished telling a story about how she once spoke fluent Aramaic, a lamb dish. “No,” she says, adamant. “I am a vegetarian. I told you this. I can’t eat lamb.” I think she throws in a few Aramaic words for good measure. The owner huffs off with a dish of uneaten food. (The bubbly fine lady later points out, much as she did when correcting our false sighting of the elusive deer, that my friend actually did order the lamb dish. Oops.)

The owner brings the no-gluten fine lady and her friend a platter with the three dishes they’re sharing. All neatly laid out on top of inchera. The fine lady is a little petrified. There is another scuffle as she reminds the waiter she can’t eat bread, but all is resolved after my friend points out she can scoop off the food on the top that has not been in contact with the devil gluten.

By now, the owner has retreated to the back, where he’s probably downing Tej, and a waitress brings us our check. Which is wrong. We’ve been charged for items we never even ordered.

Time to get out of Africa. Fast.

***

But back in the car, for the remaining hour and half drive back to Dayton, all the fine ladies are jovial and appreciative

A Masai giraffe, my friend's fave. Thanks, girl, for bringing me along for this wild ride!

A Masai giraffe, my friend's fave. Thanks, girl, for bringing me along for this wild ride!

of the opportunity to travel to the grand continent for a day. They thank my friend for the experience.

“You are so cultured,” one gushes. “I would really like to hang out with you more. How did you get this way?”

“I attribute a lot of it to the company I keep,” my friend matter-of-factly replies. “Take Kristen, for example. She lived in Iran and Egypt and has shared her experiences with me.”

I turn around in the passenger seat, popping a grin. “And I kept a Turkish lover for awhile,” I add, forgetting that I need to keep myself in check when around nice people.

Really, though, it was these people, these fine ladies, who made the trip such an adventure. I expected The Wilds to be the crux of the escapade. But an entire day in the company of these ladies turned out to be the wildest of all. And isn’t that always the case? It’s the people, at least as much as the place, that turn out to be the most interesting part.

Readers: Tell us about some wild people you’ve met. And I need your help: Suggest some places I’ve likely never been and things I’ve likely never done for No. 2 in this series.

Jane’s Best Bets (6/29 – 7/4)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Can you believe the 4th of July is already upon us?  Let’s have a great red, white, and blue week!

On Wednesday, you will be able to enjoy a special Beer Tasting with Beer Guru Charles at Rumbleseat Wine.  Sports fanatics should plan to watch the Dragons as they play the Lansing Lugnuts at Fifth Third Field.  If you have a constant craving for live music, listen to k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang at the Fraze Pavilion or make your way to Yankee Trace for Jazz on the Green.  And if you love musicals but prefer to stay indoors, make sure you have your tickets to see The Lion King at the Schuster Center.

On Thursday, head to The Moraine Embassy for After Work Thursdays.  If it’s your date night, take your honey out for a delicious dinner at Coco’s Bistro, where they will be offering 1/2 Price Wine by the Bottle.  If you haven’t yet been to a Pecha Kucha, I encourage you to go to the Yellow Cab Building for Volume 7.  It will be a great idea sharing party, with short presentations by a wonderful and diverse group of people!  (For more info, check out the article here.)   And finally, all of you who would like to hang out in Margaritaville should be sure to get your tickets to see Parrots of the Caribbean as part of the 7th Annual Concert for Literacy at the Fraze Pavilion.

On Friday, put your gardening skills to good use at RiverScape with RiverScape Gardeners.  Although you may not be taking that Italian vacation this summer, you can still see Reflections of Italy at Elaine Balsley Fine Art.  In the evening, you will want to be downtown for First Friday, which is a monthly art hop held at several locations throughout downtown.  (For more info, you can click here.)  If you’re a biker, enjoy the summer weather and participate in the Courteous Mass Ride, starting at Fifth-Third Field.  Also there, you will be able to catch the Dragons game where they will be playing the Bowling Green Hot Rods.  In addition, the Cityfolk Festival will be going on at RiverScape.  Or for a blast from the past, head to De’Lish for An Intimate Evening with Chico DeBarge.  And if for some odd reason you’re not downtown, it is perfectly acceptable only if you are wearing your boogie shoes and getting down tonight with KC & The Sunshine Band at Fraze Pavilion.

On Saturday, RiverScape is the place to be.  Consider “Riding the River” with their kayak rentals, or joining in the fun at the Cityfolk Festival.  Over at Fifth Third Field, the Dayton Dragons will be playing the Bowling Green Hot Rods.  Or, you can catch The Lion King (please don’t actually take him home) at the Schuster Center.

On Sunday, the Cityfolk Festival will still be going strong.  There are also a variety of celebrations around the Miami Valley, including the Fairborn Family Block Party, the Star Spangled Celebration at Vandalia Sports Complex, and the Annual Fireworks Buffet at the Dayton Racquet Club.  Also, if you’re downtown, be sure to see the City of Dayton Fireworks!

On Monday (hopefully you have the day off work!), there are several 4th of July celebrations in the area, such as the Americana Festival – Street Fair (Centerville/Washington Township), the Fairborn 4th Parade
at Fairborn Plaza, the Beavercreek 4th of July Festival at Rotary Park, and Kettering’s Go 4th Celebration at Delco Park.  And if you’re not at one of them, hopefully you’re celebrating the day by cooking out with family and friends!

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

What did one flag say to the other flag?  Nothing, it just waved.

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!

THE TREE OF LIFE – The Most Talked About Indie of the Year at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone.

As planned, the fantastically charming POTICHE was only here for a week.  And just as we suspected, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is still performing very well, and audiences are adoring it…so it will stick around for at least another week.

Today (6/24), we open the most talked about indie film of the year – Terrence Malick’s THE TREE OF LIFE.  Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, TREE OF LIFE was the winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.  This film has been given a 100% review by The New York Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, USA Today, Variety, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, and many more.  Roger Ebert wrote, “The only other film I’ve seen with this boldness of vision is Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and it lacked Malick’s fierce evocation of human feeling.”

Synopsis for THE TREE OF LIFE:  “The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.”  (Fox Searchlight Pictures)  Check out the beautifully designed official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXRYA1dxP_0′]

Last week’s screening of WE WERE HERE was a marvelous, sold-out event – with a beautiful film and an insightful and brave panel discussion.  Many thanks to all my friends and community partners who helped to make the evening such a success.

We will have a new neighbor in the next few days – Sabai: Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar. What we have been using for our parking lot for the past several years will soon become theirs.  Luckily, we will be able to utilize a new space that’s visible from our front windows.  Please start getting in the habit of parking in our new lot…though there aren’t parking lines yet, there will be soon.  We’ve painted a couple of the posts to make the lot quite easy to find.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for June 24 – June 30:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:30, 6:00, 8:30

THE TREE OF LIFE (R) 2 Hr 18 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:15, 7:00, 9:45

Monday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.  Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

July 1  DOUBLE HOUR

July 8  BUCK

July 15   PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

July 15   BEGINNERS

Aug 5   SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 12   BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Aug 26   ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26   THE GUARD

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

Slow Down Fast: How to Give a PK Presentation

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Pecha Kucha Dayton Volume 7 is at Yellow Cab, 700 East 4th, next Thursday, June 30 at 7:30pm. It’s free. Our sponsor, Dragonfly Editorial, is providing the beer. Eight speakers will present their

creations and ideas using the fast-paced 20×20 presentation style. Twenty slides that roll by at 20 seconds each, forcing the speaker to be brief but intense. Like a shot of espresso. You should try it.

PK has been called “beat the clock performance art,” a “chaotic culture mash with a relaxed vibe,” and “both an art form and competitive sport.” If the presenter tries to say too much, the slides can get ahead of them, “like they are being dragged down the street by a big dog chasing a squirrel.”

Strangely, despite the strict 20×20 rule, there’s freedom to innovate. It’s one of those things artists understand: you can be adventurous within tight boundaries. Which is maybe another reason you should try it.

PK Night 3 at The Cannery

The goal of Pecha Kucha is to highlight the energy of ideas in a party atmosphere. PK speakers are thinkers and doers from all walks. Designers, artists, writers, activists and anyone passionate about their work who can tell a story. Storytelling is key. Architects don’t just show pictures of their work. They reveal their inspirations, the creative process, their mistakes, their epiphanies and their hopes. Or gourd art. Or funk, as has happened. And it was fascinating.

Your topic can consist of anything that has grabbed your imagination and compels you to share. At Volume 7, artist and art professor Kevin Harris has titled his presentation “Tread.” Kevin creates drawings and prints combining traditional and digital art media, mind and body, eye and hand, camera and computer, printer and press. Writer J.T. Ryder will tell how he ended up producing the “Dirty Little Secret Variety Show.” Idea guy/politico David Esrati presents “The end of coin flip politics” or how to put the people you really want in charge. Actress Megan Cooper will tell of life without a car, restaurateur Kimberly Collett will share the ongoing saga of Olive, Kidtee Hello will treat us to her strikingly beautiful photography and Jeff Opt, Creative Circus, will explain how we all ended up at the Yellow Cab building listening to him and drinking beer.

Pecha Kucha Night is one of those things that feels different every time. It’s dependent on the space, the speakers, the beer (beer is the other PK rule) and the zeitgeist. So you never know. But seriously? You should try it.

The worldwide phenomenon Pecha Kucha (Japanese for “chatter”), devised in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo‘s Klein-Dytham Architecture, has gone around the world virally. Today, PK nights are 418 cities worldwide. www.pecha-kucha.org. Dayton was granted its own PKN via a handshake agreement with Klein-Dytham for four volume per year minimum. Matt Sauer, architect with Rogero-Buckman, serves as Dayton’s PK coordinator with the help of Jill Davis, a local freelance writer. Jason Sheets, architect at Moda4 Design is the MC, which seems to be a more agreeable term than smartass. They’ve all tried it. It was fun.

This post submitted by guest columnist Jill Davis, one of the driving forces that brought Pecha Kucha to Dayton, and who continues to recruit, promote and nurture the presenters that make each PK night a unique sensation.